by Susan Mcdaniel

Created on: November 17, 2009

Cruising offers a variety of wonderful experiences and diversions, but you have to take advantage of the offerings in order to make the most of your cruise. Here are some tips for grabbing every opportunity to enjoy your cruise. The first tip lets you start your vacation before you even board the ship.

Pre-Cruise

Most cruise lines offer pre-cruise tours in the departure city. These tours are a great way to get into the spirit of your escape and enjoy your very first day of vacation. Whether you tack on an extra day's stay before your vacation is a matter of timing. It might be a good idea if you are traveling a long distance to meet the ship. Otherwise, book a tour and get to know the departure city. It might be Miami, Fort Lauderdale, New York, San Diego, or San Juan. Then arrive a little late, maybe around 2PM, at the port to meet your ship.

There is simply no sense rushing to arrive at the port. Boarding lines can be long and people can get testy; not the ideal way to start your vacation. It is better to spend a few hours enjoying the sights of your departure city rather than waiting in lines with thousands of other people. Then, at a leisurely pace, walk onto the ship when there are no delays. Plus, your cabin will be available to drop off your hand luggage, and you can go right to the buffet for a late afternoon snack. Now that's a good way to make the most of your cruise.

On Board

Once on board, be sure to read the "daily log" that arrives each evening in your cabin. Reading this "log" is the best tip available for making the most of your cruise. This newsletter announces the events for the following day. Don't ignore it! There is a wealth of information on that piece of paper and you don't want to miss out on the next showing of the first run movies in the theatre, the comedy show the next night, the Midnight Buffet, the cooking demonstration, the Scrabble contest, the Karaoke sing-offs, or the Toga party.

Try to take advantage of as many of the events as you are interested in and have the energy to enjoy. Even if you don't think you would enjoy something, just stop by and see what you think. Chances are you might enjoy yourself more than you thought. Memories of these events, and the people in them, are sometimes what linger longest after the cruise is over.

In Port

Finally, once your itinerary is established but before you even leave home, check out the available tours and shore excursions. Make sure there are activities for you and your traveling

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