PLANNING THE FIRST CRUISE
Just about everyone knows someone who has taken a cruise.  The person
brings photographs and stories of fun in the sun back for everyone to
enjoy!  Instead of listening to other peoples stories or daydreaming
about your own adventure, why not book a cruise yourself so you can
experience everything a cruise has to offer.  If you are ready to plan a
cruise, you probably have plenty of questions such as which cruise line
to take, when to go, how long of a trip to take, and how much should be
spent.
While planning a first cruise can be a little challenging and feel a
little overwhelming at times, it does not have to.  First, start by
determining who all will be going on the cruise with you.  It might be that
you plan to take the cruise on your own, with family members, or with
friends.  Once you know who will be included in your group, you can then
choose the best cruise line and ship.  For example, if you plan to go with
friends your own age and you are not married, then a singles cruise would
be perfect.  However, if you plan to make your first cruise experience
one shared with family, then you want something that will accommodate
everyone's needs.
You will also need to consider the budget when choosing a cruise ship.
While some experts in the cruise line industry still suggest you budget
$100 a day (not including airfare), keep in mind that todayís cruises
run the gamut.  That means if you are on a tight budget, you can find a
number of outstanding cruises that are quite affordable whereas if
your budget is liberal, you can choose an 18-day cruise for $4,500 or
more!  Regardless, you want to plan so you take the type of cruise that you
really want to experience.  Therefore, if you want something longer and
more elaborate, you might need to save a little longer than you would for
a short, three- to five-day cruise.
Next, you want to consider the length of the cruise, which is generally
organized with the amount of vacation time accumulated.  If possible, a
7-day or 11-day cruise provides some of the most fun.  With this, you
enjoy life on the cruise ship as well as various ports of call.  However,
if you can only afford to take a few days to a week off, a 3-day, 5-day, or
7-day cruise would be ideal.  The great thing about cruises is that
cruise lines understand people have different budgets and time
available so they have created voyages to coordinate with every
situation.
Another consideration when planning your first cruise is time of year
for travel.  Obviously, the cruises that run during the spring and fall
months are a little less expensive simply because this is considered
'low' or 'off' season.  However, price and time to travel also depends on
the cruise line in that not all run the same time of year.  When planning,
pay attention to the seasons.  The cruise lines that run in ìhighî season
are those that travel during the summer months to places such as the
Caribbean or Bahamas.  Then, you could choose a trip during 'low' season
that would generally be in the off months such as spring, fall, and
winter.  The cruises run according to the supply and demand philosophy
so determine the destination you want to visit and whether you prefer a
cold or warm weather trip.
Finally, the destination is a big decision since each place you travel
will offer something unique.  You could take a longer cruise to South
Africa where excursions include land expeditions to see the lions,
tigers, and bears (oh my! or elephants) or you could choose a closer,
less distinct destination to the Caribbean where you can get off at
islands with white, sandy beaches, volleyball, scuba diving, and so
on.  Usually, a cruise to the tropics is a little bit easier in that the
temperatures are more stable, meaning you avoid bad storms or rainy
seasons.  With this information, you can begin planning your own cruise
so you can take your photographs and stories back to work and make other
people feel envious over the incredible time you had.