Have you ever dreamt of castles on hilltops, open air cafe cobbled stone streets, colorful fishing boats, mystic Cliffside villages, ancient ruins of Mexico, or a steaming volcano in Hawaii, these are but a sample of the possible sites you can see on a cruise.

A cruise is a great way to cover a lot of ground with little wear and tear. Waking up in a new port each day without packing and unpacking, going through airport security, or lugging suitcases can be very appealing. Some added benefit these days is an inclusive cost without worrying about a cruise that covers a broad area will allow you to get a little taste of each city or country so you can see which ones you want to return to on your next trip.

If you have never taken a cruise before, a cruise is a good one to start with. Sailing into different ports and countries serves up a wealth of cultural experiences. Musical languages, historic architectures, a variety of terrains and things to do, make each day an adventure in discovery. And if you need a day of pure relaxation, you can do so on the deck of your ship, being waited on all day with a picturesque view in sight.

Even though ships can vary in size they can be super sophisticated or casually inviting. The larger ships give the sense of a floating hotel; the small ships feel more like cruising on your private yacht. The sense of formality is not necessarily tied to the size of the ship; you have to check into each ship's personality. Some cruises still have several formal nights, which require extra packing, and some cruises are all business casual. If you are thinking of the larger ships it's good to determine how many ports dock, and how many tender. If you have to tender a large number of people, you can end up spending a good deal of time waiting in line to get on and off the ship. Embarking from a docked ship is usually pretty efficient with most ships.

The next thing to consider is the cliental that is attracted to the ship. You might find it most interesting to be on a ship with varying age groups or with a group whose age is closer to yours.
It is also important to know what is included with the cruise. For example, some cruises include meals in the main dining room but charge a surcharge for the specialty restaurants; some cruises include tips and excursions, while others don't. Other considerations should be the level of activities, entertainment variety and quality, the types of excursions offered and most important - the ports of call.

And finally, what are your expectations regarding your cabin? Is it important to have a veranda, or is a porthole sufficient? Do you prefer one bed or two and is there an option? How much time will you spend in your cabin? Giving consideration to all of these issues and finding out the answers before you cruise will ensure that your expectations are set properly and that you have the best cruise experience you can have.