Cruise toolbox

FAQ

What you need to know to ensure smooth sailing

TRAVEL INSIDER

Do your homework before booking a cruise

Taking a cruise can be an easy vacation. You pick a ship, an itinerary, pay and go. But as cruise lines offer an increasingly long list of amenities and accouterments, some at an extra charge, and target specific audiences, you need to do some homework to land a cruise that meets your wants and offers the best bang for the buck.

TRAVEL

The port report

The holiday glitter is but a memory. And for some travelers that can mean only one thing: It's time to choose this year's cruise. Or maybe past time if you want the best deals.

ON THE SPOT

Don't miss the boat at cruise time

Question: I was scheduled to take a Mediterranean cruise, so I scheduled a United flight from LAX to arrive at 12:15 p.m. at London Heathrow for a 12:30 pickup by Princess Cruises. My flight was delayed 3 1/2 hours because of weather, so United found me a seat on an American flight, which also was delayed. I called Princess, and the agent told me not to take the flight and wondered why I had cut it so close. But Princess had made all the arrangements for me through my travel agent. Bottom line: I stayed home, and Princess gave me a credit for a cruise that I don't really want to take anymore. What should I do?

How to choose a cruise

With the height of the Caribbean cruise season upon us, legions of would-be vacationers will weigh whether to opt for anchors aweigh. And, with more than 250 ships sailing the seven seas, you can face some daunting decisions, especially if you're a novice cruiser.

The lowdown on cruises

Booking a cruise? It pays to do your homework: Educate yourself about differences between lines, look for bargains, find out what other cruisers thought about a particular ship, read expert reviews, post questions and chat with other cruisers. Here are three Web sites to either introduce you to or immerse you in the world of cruising. They don't sell cruises, so they provide unbiased information.

BARGAINS AT SEA: Rooms with no view can be irresistible

We hear about those fancy cabins: the suites, the private balconies, the ocean views. Our fellow cruise passengers always seem to have better staterooms than we do, at least when we compare notes in the dining room.

UPGRADES AND BARGAINS: How to book the best cruise deal

Don't you hate it when the person sitting next to you got a better deal for the same cruise? Cruise fares today are getting as complicated as airline pricing, and lines toss in inducements such as shipboard credits, cabin upgrades and, sometimes, even airfare to lure you onboard.

PACKING FOR A CRUISE: Tips on what to take for smooth sailing

We may be seasoned travelers, but, like clockwork, a week before we set sail, the jitters set in. Not from any fear of flying or uncertainties about adventures that await us, but because of the packing.

ROOM ON THE SHIP: How to find the best cabin for you

On a cruise many years ago, on the since-reflagged Vistafjord, the view through my cabin's French doors was not of the ocean but the underside of a brightorange lifeboat.

INTERNET BOOKING: Web is first stop for cruise shopping

Cruise line companies are discovering that their customers like to begin a sea adventure by surfing the Internet for information about ships, itineraries and prices.

SAILING SOLO: How to navigate around the singles' surcharge

If your mother's nagging doesn't push you to the altar, cruise lines' single supplements very well might.

LAND EXCURSIONS: Safety tips for the trips ashore

I want some adventure when I cruise, a little kick to my trip. So I've toured by helicopter, hiked on the icy crust of an Alaskan glacier and been strapped into a harness to a zip line on cables and pulleys between tree platforms in a Caribbean rain forest.

2008 South American cruise itineraries

Intent on satisfying cruise lovers eager for new destinations, cruise lines are adding more South American itineraries all the time.