Destinations

• The most popular destinations for quickie cruises are the Caribbean and Alaska. Longer cruises of ten or more days tend to focus on the Mediterranean, South Pacific and East Asia.
  
  

Themes

• With 2,000 or more passengers on board most ships, it can be hard to find a gimmick that pleases everyone. There are rare wine, jazz, motorcycle, or other themed cruises. Many cruise lines will reserve a section of staterooms for travelers with a special interest, such as sports or photography, on otherwise non-themed ships.
  
  

Packing

• Luggage for cruises should be the same compact and robust bags and suitcases suitable for air travel. Pack comprehensively to cover all expectations, taking care to have appropriate clothing and shoes for a variety of casual, outdoors and formal activities.
  
  

Cost

• Cruises typically range $150 to 350 per person per day, depending on destination, accommodations and amenities. Caribbean cruises offer packages in the lowest price ranges, while cruising in and around Europe tends to have the highest per-day cost.
  
  

Entertainment and Activities

• Cruises offer non-stop entertainment, fitness and fun on board. Many also organize wide-ranging onshore expeditions to help passengers get the most out of ports-of-call.
  
  

Families

• Families love cruise ships because there's enough commotion on board to keep relatives from tiring of one another. Some cruise lines, like Disney and Carnival, cater especially to families and load every ship with kids' activity coordinators---so mom and dad can go play, too.