Things You'll Need:
- Internet connection
- Time for research
- Credit Card
- Passport
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Step 1
The first step is selecting a destination. Are you dreaming of a tropical Mexican vacation or the beauty and cool weather of a summer Alaska cruise? Once you've selected your ideal location, you can find out which cruise lines offer trips there.
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Step 2
The second step to any great cruise vacation is to select the cruise line that is best for you. Some cruise lines cater to younger, party-hard crowds (Carnival) and others to an older, more mellow crowd (Holland). If you are traveling with children, pick a family friendly line. You can find out about the different cruise lines through the use of online forums found at the bottom of this article.
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Step 3
Now that you have your destination and cruise line selected, you can begin to investigate the ships that travel to the ports you want to visit. The cruise line website will list each ship so that you can be sure to choose the one that has the amenities that you want. If you don't care about rock climbing walls, in-line skating and basketball courts, you can choose a smaller, more intimate ship. If you want the full experience of everything a line has to offer, choose a bigger ship.
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Step 4
Some of these steps will be independent of each other, for example the dates that you want to travel may determine for you which ship you will book. Check out the travel dates for the ship you like. Most cruise line websites will have calendars where you can track the ship you want to take.
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Step 5
Now that you know where you are going, what cruise line, ship and dates you want to go, you can start looking for the best prices. Starting with the cruise line website, price out your vacation. You can then start visiting cruise discounters to see if you can score a better deal, free upgrades or on board credits. Visit some of the websites below for some great cruise deals.
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Step 6
When pricing your vacation, think about what kind of stateroom you want. Are you an extremely active person who plans on only being in your room to sleep? If so, an interior stateroom will be the cheapest and best bet for you. If you like to spend time reading in your room or relaxing, you might wish to spend the extra money for a balcony room where you can sit outside and sip coffee while watching the waves roll by. Oceanview rooms offer natural light but are very small and the portholes don't open.
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Step 7
Remember that different parts of the ship offer different amounts of motion. If you are sensitive to movement, get a mid-ship room on a higher deck. Whether or not you have gotten sea sick in the past, pack your dramamine!
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Step 8
Once you've found the website that offers the best deal for you, go ahead and book your cruise using their online system. You may be contacted by an online agent for additional details. Be sure to read the cancellation policy before finalizing your purchase!
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Step 9
You will receive your e-ticket and other cruise information by email. Be sure to register on the cruise line website before your departure date.
Comments
joyful327 said
on 4/15/2008 Grrrrrreat article! We went on our first cruise last year and loved it. I recommend getting the insurance - I've heard if something happens and you have to be picked up on the ship you could be stuck with a $100k (or something like that) bill if you don't have insurance. There is also a cruise addicts forum that is helpful - http://www.cruise-addicts.com/ - Thanks for sharing! :)