Tips To Select Your Best Cruise Experience

Thousands of people each year get the urge to take a cruise to some exotic destination and satisfy their desire for experiencing new cultures in unadulterated luxury. The cruise industry wants your custom and there are so many offers out there geared to every taste that it becomes a major headache to select the right one for you.

Price is not always the governing factor when selecting a cruise. It may be the sense of adventure that appeals to you on an Alaskan cruise or the appreciation of a different culture that a Mediterranean cruise offers that appeals to you. It may just be that you have had a good experience on a cruise before with a particular cruise line or on a particular vessel. Make sure the cruise will give you a new experience at a reasonable price.

If there is a specific reason for a cruise then this will govern the available cruise line options and the type of cruise booked. As an example, if you are taking a cruise as part of your honeymoon, then you have the option of taking a theme cruise with some operators. There are other theme cruises also, such as for singles, children and poker players. These theme cruises are becoming more and more popular and give good value for money.

In the main however, it is often the price that governs the choice of cruise, and the only answer is to monitor the major cruise web sites and find the best value deal.

There are any number of discount cruises available to suit every pocket, destination, amenities, service and degree of luxury, however, as in all things, you only get what you pay for. So, selecting your best cruise experience starts with your answer to the main questions: – What exactly do you want from your cruise?

Then there is the date you want to take the cruise. This is very important because at peak season, you will pay peak rates and it is unlikely that you will find any form of discount whether you book direct or seek a package deal. The only exceptions to this are if you have travelled with the cruise line before, when a loyalty discount may be available, or go on standby that gives you about three weeks sailing notice. This is a great option if you have date flexibility. End of season repositioning cruises often make for one of the best deals if you can fit them into your schedule.

What is important is that when investigating your options it is essential that you always check that you are comparing “like for like”. It is often assumed for instance, that one cruise line’s cabins are just the same as the next one, but is it? If you are going to spend time relaxing in your cabin you need to assure yourself that the amenities will meet with your requirements. Do you have the option to select where your cabin is placed? Lets face it, no one wants their cabin next to the diesel engine rooms or below the all-night disco when the purpose of the cruise is to relax in luxury do they?