Do you want a tropical setting? A European cruise for two? Or sightseeing with friends in Alaska? With so many wonderful destinations to choose from, you may already be planning your second, third or forth cruise.

To help you decide, look at the itinerary and shore excursions of each cruise line you are considering and make a list of sites and activities you would like to do. Then compare.

As mentioned earlier check the cruise ship’s itinerary carefully; especially the time spent in each port of call. Ships arrival and departure times can vary from ship to ship depending on its itinerary. If there is a certain place that you have your heart set on seeing, it would be a shame to only have a five hour visit because the ship arrives later in the day or departs early in the day.

When deciding where to go, keep in mind the weather or season for the part of the world you are interested in visiting. Which leads us to Part 5.

To make the most of your cruise, read my book Cruise Ship Secrets.  It will help you with beating sea sickness, cruising with kids, saving money, what to expect onboard, what to pack, and a lot more.

For example, when flying into Rome, the cruise port is approximately one hour away in Civitavecchia by bus, or allow two hours by train. And when flying into London the cruise ports of Southampton or Harwich are about an hour to two hours away, depending on the mode of travel. Venice is about 40 minutes, but can depend on traffic. Barcelona is about 20 minutes. Athens is about an hour, depending on traffic. But when flying to your cruise, always arrive the day before.