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We've been on a dozen or so cruises since my retirement, and have some suggestions on how to avoid making mistakes, including the ones we made until we wised up. You may not agree with my opinions, but we enjoyed our cruises much more, and found them easier to deal with and less expensive by following these rules:

1. Travel light. After the second or third cruise, we stopped dragging suitcases and having to check them everywhere we went. We each took a wheeled bag and a knapsack, and never again checked anything. Suitcases on flights and cruises must be checked, and the waiting and wondering everywhere just adds to the the stress. Also, on several occasions, fellow passengers lost luggage and had to buy entirely new outfits.

2. Unless an extra-fee excursion during the cruise is an absolute must for you, don't sign up for any. They usually cost $100 or more for a couple of hours circling in a bus to the usual tourist traps. You can go a more varied and relaxed tour by riding with other couples in a taxi for a lot less money. You'll have much more fun just walking or hopping on and off local transportation as you like, than being led around like sheep on a structured excursion.

3. Watch that diet! Many cruises offer 24-7 food opportunities, much too much for most people. Your body won't be happy if you go suddenly from 1,500 calories a day at home to 5,000 while scarfing day and night on a cruise. Often what some not-to-smart passengers call seasickness is just gross overeating.

4. When ashore in tourist towns, don't eat food sold from open stands. If you didn't get sick from overeating aboard ship, your chances of having a stomach rebellion from bad native food ashore are at least as high.

5. Booking is always a tricky proposition. Traditional travel agencies and those online always run ads offering super bargains, discounts and attractive amenities. We've found that contacting the cruise lines directly by phone or on line has been our best source of getting the best bargains, as well as unadvertised incentives like cabin upgrades.

Of course, there are many other ways of avoiding mistakes when booking a cruise. One of the worst we hear is that young, unmarried people don't do their homework before signing up. Then, once aboard they find they are stuck in crowds of senior citizens or families with little kids.

Check out cruise offers carefully to make sure you get the absolute right one for you.

Learn more about this author, Ted Sherman.
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