Cruise vacations require a lot of planning and you may have a lot of questions when booking your vacation.  There are many common questions that I’ve been asked when people plan their vacations.  I have collaborated and answered a few frequently asked questions that I have heard from beginning cruise vacation planners.

Are there places to see movies onboard a cruise ship?

This question all depends on the type of ship that you’re on.  Some ships have movie theaters and all movies are licensed by film distributors and leasing services.  A lot of cruise ships have replaced their movie theaters with more “in-house” cinema options.  Cruise ships have been adding more pay-per-view and DVD players into rooms.  Also, they have been adding entertainment systems next to the pool side for night time viewings.

Are there many types of cruise options?

Many people are worried that there are not many options when choosing different cruise lines or choosing cruise destinations.  Your worries can be put to rest as there are an unbelievable amount of choices and destinations to choose from.  Did you know that there are over 30,000 different cruises to choose from every year?  If you are more interested in international travels, you can choose from up to 2,000 cruise destinations worldwide.  Many cruises can take you to places that could not be accessible by car or by plane.  Some places that can only be accessed by a cruise line are Antarctica and the North Cape.  Basically, anywhere you can dream of where a ship can go, you can go as well.

What is a homeland cruise and how’s it different than a regular cruise?

Homeland cruising is where a cruise ships sails out of a United States port.  Homeland coaches are good for people who live near a port of departure.  Many people have to fly to a port before disembarking on a cruise.  Homeland cruises are great for people who can drive to the local port.  A negative aspect of homeland cruises is that they will attract many people from the local area.  This means you might bump into people that are from your port of departure.

What are expedition cruises?

Expedition cruises are ships that have stronger hulls that can explore areas that are inaccessible by large cruise lines.  These types of ships are great if you like adventure and smaller crowds.  However, what it makes up for in exploration capabilities, it lacks in comforts.   Expedition cruises lack in a lot of amenities that one can find in a larger cruise line.  The emphasis of these cruise lines are in exploration, not comfort.   There are not as many people on these types of cruises so you can enjoy a quieter ride.

Am I able to shop at ports?

Of course you can buy whatever you want.  Shopping is one of the best reasons to go on a cruise ship.  Because cruise ships travel to an abundance of locations, you will have the fortune of being able to shop for a variety of items.    Be careful what you buy and how much you buy.  The reason why you should exercise some self control is because you will have to declare all items through customs when you go back to port.  If you are not much of a shopper, you can stay on board.  Leaving the cruise ship is all up to you and you only have to leave if you want to.  A benefit of not leaving the ship is that you will have the entire place to yourself.  Did you know that you might be able to get a discount on spa treatments when a ship is at port?  Because of the less demand, you might have a chance of getting a cheaper discount for massages and other various spa treatments.

What is the timeline to get the best cruise vacation deal?

Your best bet to getting the best cruise vacation package is by booking your vacation a few months in advance.  Another benefit of booking early is that you can have a higher success rate of getting the cabin that you want.  Also, you might be able to get an upgrade or have a higher rate of success of getting the location that ask for.  If you book late, you might also get a good price due to the cruise ship wanting to fill up their ship.  However, the low price will usually mean that you will get an unfavorable cabin in a less than favorable location.

Some of the downsides of being on a cruise vacation is that you’ll be stuck at sea with the same people for over a week.  With many popular cruise destinations, disembarking at a port is annoying and if you have a lot of irritable and impatient on board, it will make thing worse.  Also, if you are used to relaxing and quieter atmospheres when going on vacation, a cruise destination might not be your thing.  The other main complaint is that many cruise ships try to sell you things with any opportunity that they have.  On board extra costs can include paying for alcoholic drinks, mini-bar items, cappuccinos, shore activities, taxes, internet access, spa, casino gaming, fine dining and bottled water.  If you are not comfortable spending extra money or if you’re on a budget, try to plan on what type of activities you want to do and budget around extra incidentals.  Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you want to spend extra money when traveling on different cruise vacations.

So let’s get started!

Here are some common questions that many novices ask me when planning their trips:

1.  What size cruise ship should I go on?

2. What should my budget be?

3. What is included with the price of the cruise package?

4.  How much more money should I bring for the additional activities?

5.  What destinations are included in the cruise package?

6.  What type of accommodations are on board and will they suit my needs?

7. What is the ship’s on board atmosphere?

8.  What type of facilities and amenities does the ship have?

9.  What kind of food and service is there?

10.  Are all foods and beverages included? What kind of all inclusive cruise packages are offered? If not, how much should I budget for additional food?

11.  What type of entertainment can I expect?

Any travel agent that plans cruises should be able to answer all of these questions for you.  These are really good questions to start your vacation planning process.

So let’s start from the basics…what is a cruise?

A cruise IS the vacation.  It’s an escape away from home, work, stress and all the anxiety from the everyday city life.  Being on a boat is your chance to sit back and relax with a virtually worry free, hassle free and most importantly crime free vacation.  People sometimes call cruises the “adult” Disneyland as all amenities, entertainment and facilities are just a few feet away.  Nothing is unattainable and very courteous staff are willing to cater to your every whim.  Cruises provide great value and include a large choie of entertainment, food, travel destinations, activities and on-board night life.   It’s a way to become close with your loved ones, make new best friends and meet romantic interests.

Currently there are over 350 cruise ships that have a capacity of 40 to over 6,000 passengers.  These cruise ships serve over 2,000 destinations all over the world.  There is a flavor for every taste as the atmosphere can be extremely casual to ultra laid-back.

How long does a cruise last?

Due to the speed of the cruise boats, a standard cruise will last around 7 days (on-average).  However, there are ships that serve 3-day destinations.  The longer you stay on the cruise, the less expensive it gets and the more experience you’ll receive.  If you are newbie to cruising, you should try a short excursion.  The most important factor of cruise length is how much time  money and time that you can afford to spend away from “reality”.

Many people think that cruising is for “old” and”retired” people and that it’s not “hip” to take a vacation on a boat.  This is not the case!  As time goes by, the average age of each passenger is decreasing rapidly.  Many college students are finding out that cruising is a great way to vacation on a budget.   It’s true that a lot of retirees take cruises as they feel more secure than they would planning their own vacation or to an exotic place.

It really depends on what type of cruise that you choose and more importantly, the time of year and the capacity of the boat.   On an average cruise, you will meet singles, retirees, students, families, children of all ages, honey honeymooners, college students and possibly your next door neighbor!

You may think that being on a boat for a long duration will become tedious and boring.  There are so many activities on board that by the end of your trip you will not have finished a third of the activities!  Again, it depends on what type of vacation that you want to go on and how active you are.  There are cruises that serve more towards an active and water sports crowd and there are cruises that serve the “lay on the patio and tan crowd”.  Many people have a fear that they will be cut off from all contact from the real world.  Large resort ships carry over 1,600 passengers and have internet access, fax machines and ship-wide wi-fi.

More information to come on how to plan and experience the best cruise vacations for beginners.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…