Personally, I enjoy the planning stage of a cruise as much as the actual voyage itself. I pour over

Personally, I enjoy the planning stage of a cruise as much as the actual voyage itself. I pour over deck plans, itineraries, brochures and guide books, eager to learn as much about the line, ship, and destination I m considering as possible.
But not everyone is as ravenous for knowledge. For many, they know where they want to go, and when they want to go there. After all, a cruise is a vacation, wedding night hotel package philadelphia wilmington right? It is indeed – but there s still some important information you should check first before booking your next cruise.
For those who say a ship is just a ship: no it s not! Each ship has its own distinct personality. Some writers and seafarers have even gone so far as to say a ship has a soul – a theory this blogger firmly believes. I ve heard people complain they wanted Cunard when they re on NCL and vice-versa. Once you re onboard, its far too late to do anything about it.
So spend time checking out the cruise line s website. Many have virtual wedding night hotel package philadelphia wilmington tours of their fleet, letting you get a glimpse inside the ship before you ve physically stepped aboard. Even within a single line, many ships may have different interior designs, colors, and amenities. Don t assume that because you ve sailed on the Zuiderdam that you know what Nieuw Amsterdam will be like.
This sounds basic, but you d be surprised how often stateroom selection can create problems. Take deck plans: they can be a color-coded mass of confusion to the first-time cruiser. Knowing how to properly read a deckplan can help you choose the perfect stateroom, every time.
Choosing what type of stateroom is relatively easy: do you want an interior, oceanview, balcony stateroom, or a suite? wedding night hotel package philadelphia wilmington Beyond wedding night hotel package philadelphia wilmington that, however, things can get complicated. For example, there may be five different categories of oceanview staterooms; which one is best?
Usually, multiple categories offer a slightly more desirable wedding night hotel package philadelphia wilmington location within the ship. A balcony stateroom on an upper deck may command a higher category – and price – because of its location rather than its features. If location isn t as important to you, this can be a great way to save some money and still get what you want.
Also check the description of any symbols on the stateroom you ve selected; some rooms may offer an additional pull-out bed (sometimes called a pullman or berth), while other symbols can denote wedding night hotel package philadelphia wilmington rooms with specific features, such as a tub or shower.
Finally, don t assume the deckplans line up properly; chances are the graphic design guru who laid them out in the brochure has never been on a cruise before. To properly determine what is above and below you, first find an elevator bank or staircase on the deckplan. Then look at the next deck. If the stairwells line up, the plans are properly laid out. If they don t, that lounge you think isn t below your chosen cabin might actually wedding night hotel package philadelphia wilmington be.
Properly researching your ports of call can save you plenty of time and unwanted stress. This can be extremely important in Europe, where the port your ship docks at may not be the key attraction. A good example:
The key attraction here is Athens, Greece. But Athens is inland, which typically poses a problem for cruise ships. Ships instead dock in the town of Piraeus, roughly an hour outside of Athens. wedding night hotel package philadelphia wilmington While Piraeus is mighty nice, you won t find the Acropolis or the Plaka district here, limiting the options of those who want to just get off the ship and wander. The further away the main attractions are, the more you ll want to take a shore excursion in order to experience them.
It s also important to pay attention to these “dual ports” if one happens to be your embarkation or disembarkation port. Another good example is London, England. While a few vessels are small enough to dock right in the heart of London, the vast majority will tie up in Southampton or Dover.
From the Deck Chair and site content © 2009-2014 Aaron Saunders, unless otherwise noted. All information is considered accurate at the original time of publication; certain features, layouts, and amenities may have changed since.