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Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Tips for Selecting the Right Cruise Vacation

By Joseph Ducat

A cruise vacation can be an amazing experience and you owe it to yourself to go on one. But it is essential to do proper planning beforehand. Choosing where to go is a crucial decision that you should not make lightly. You may already have a destination in mind, but you should research more about where you are going and the cruise that is taking you so you can be assured of having made the right choice. You should also find out what your alternatives are--in some cases they may turn out to be more attractive than your original choice.

The cruise destination is almost certainly the most important part of your decision, although it is good to be flexible at times. If it is your first cruise, it is generally easier to take a cruise to the Caribbean or the Bahamas. There are many other options, however, including Hawaii, Alaska, South America, South Pacific, Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean. Alaska would be a good choice for adventure, exploration, and the appreciation of nature’s grandeur. Asia offers exotic cultures and incredibly beautiful beaches. South America is a great place to party and also where you can explore the rain forest and ancient ruins. If you travel to the Mediterranean, you will get to see the art and culture of early Western civilizations.

Another crucial factor in making a decision is the departure port of the cruise you are taking. All of the major cruise lines can make departures from the main ports of call throughout the country. However, budget and travel distance may limit you to certain ports, and that in turn will limit you to certain cruises. To take one example, if you are going on a Southern Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Cruise line, you will be unable to depart from Port Canaveral, because you will only be able to depart from Fort Lauderdale, Barbados, or San Juan. And if your port is San Juan, you will only be able to go to the Southern Caribbean.

The length of a cruise is another significant factor for making a decision. Specifying the cruise length will definitely narrow your options. If you want to take a four night cruise on Carnival, you will not be able to go to the Eastern Caribbean or the Southern Caribbean, but will only be able to go to the Bahamas, Western Caribbean, and Mexico.