What cruise lines do you recommend?

Picking a cruise line and destination?

• My husband and I were thinking of going on a cruise (all inclusive) I was wondering what you thought the best (and worst) cruise lines were and where you would recommend going. ...show more

• Answer:

  I suggest you meet with a travel agent who books a lot of cruises. There are a lot of options available to you, and a travel agent will be able to help you find the cruise that best meets your budget, your interests, your preferences, and your expectations. Every cruise company is the "best ever" for some people and "horrible" for others, so it's well worth while to talk it all over with a travel agent to find what you will enjoy most. A travel agent will cost you nothing, but can help you with brochures, with booking, with coordinating airlines and hotels, and with getting insurance in the event you need to cancel. I always work with my travel agent, and she has always been able to get prices that meet (and often are even cheaper) than those you will find on the discount travel web sites. As to "all inclusive", if by the you mean that to include alcohol you should know that is not the norm at all. A cruise ticket generally includes your cabin, meals, and onboard entertainment, but not alcohol or soft drinks. Also not included are photos, any shopping you do on board, salon services, shore excursions, and gambling. You can spend a lot on the extras or very little, depending on what you prefer. Since you have not cruised before, you might really enjoy a 7-day cruise in the Caribbean -- enough time to see whether cruising is really for you, generally calm seas, almost always good weather, interesting ports, etc. I suggest that you book a cabin with a veranda! It costs more than an inside cabin and more than a cabin with a porthole, but there's nothing quite like being on your own private veranda late at night in your nightie just watching the water go by, and enjoying breakfast there, too. And you can watch the ship come into ports and leave ports. I often book an inside cabin when I'm crossing the Atlantic or Pacific to save some money where there's not a lot to see, but always go for a veranda in the Caribbean!