The Cruise For You
By Kirsten Hawkins, Thu Dec 8th

You may have heard stories from friends about theirdisappointing cruise experience because their kids were bored.Or your recently married cousin's honeymoon cruise wasnerve-wracking because she went during Spring Break when thecruise ship was populated with partying college kids. Decidingon the cruise for you takes a little time, but it is well worththe effort.

First of all, ask yourself what you want to get out of thecruise. Are you in it for the rest and relaxation? Are youlooking for exotic destinations so you can explore to yourheart's content when the ship docks? Will you be traveling withyour children? Do you want to learn something fun a la DiscoveryChannel? Looking to dress up for dinner and go dancing everynight? Or are you a real partier and want to meet singles orcouples your own age?

That's a lot to think about, isn't it? If you are going on thecruise for just rest and relaxation and partake of the ship'sactivities, invest in a cabin that has windows or its ownveranda. You'll want to enjoy the sea air sometimes withoutrunning into anyone else, so your own balcony is the perfectsolution.

Kids need constant entertainment so if you want to travel withthem, you need to find a cruise that will not only accommodatethem but also give you some adult stimulation. Some of thecruise lines that cater to families have great rates and evenoffer special "kids cruise free" promotions. Prices ofteninclude the cost of meals, snacks for the kids, child careprograms and other activities to keep kids occupied while theadults go play. Be sure that if you want to go on a cruiseduring the holidays to book at least a year in advance. Thoseare popular travel times and fill up quickly.

If you are the swinging single type or just want to party a lot,there are some cruise lines that cater to the young crowds.Typically filled with rebel rousers from eighteen years of ageto mid-thirties, expect to not a get a lot of sleep. A lot ofthe cruises are sunny, tropical destinations like Mexico andBermuda.

Are you more of the adventurer type and want to head to theancient ruins of Mexican cities like Chichen Itza? Or isexploring the Nile or Amazon Rivers more your style? Consider anenrichment cruise. Lectures offered by "National Geographic orDiscovery" type experts are often on board and give you a closerlook at these new worlds before you head off on adventures whenyour ship docks.

No matter what you decide, there is a cruise just waiting foryou! Are you a quilter or Elvis fan? Themed cruises are

fun. Ifyou are a smoker, there are cruise ships that allow it. Don'twant to miss your workouts just because you are in the middle ofan ocean? No problem! Many cruise ships offer gyms, swimmingpools, rock-climbing walls and other activities to get yourblood pumping.

Do your research! You can avoid those snafus that your friendsand cousin experienced. And when you get back from your owncruise, you can brag about the great time you had.

About the author:Kirsten Hawkins is a cruise and travel expert specializing indiscount cruises and travel. Visithttp://www.luxury-cruise-deals.com/ for more information on howto cruise the world for little or no money.