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Cruise ships specialize in making you feel like you are the most important person on the ship. While they aren't perfect at this, they get close. Staff will wait until you pass to step across your path. You will be addressed formally rather than, "Hey you." Most staff won't speak unless you speak to them except to ask if they can help you. They try hard to be available when you need them and invisible when you don't.

Your waiters and cabin attendant will try to learn your likes and dislikes by the end of the first evening on the ship. Things that they think you might want or need will just be there after that. It's pretty impressive for the average person. You will actually begin to dread going back to the real world where they ask if you want fries.

Fine dining is available at each meal in the dining room. If you choose not to take advantage of it at breakfast and lunch, try to make it to the evening meal. It will be worth it. Order everything that you think you might like to try. Sample it and move on if you're not a big eater.

Swimming on most of the cruise ships is in a salt water pool that is drained and refilled everyday. Activities on deck usually wind down by 11 pm. The night life happens inside the various venues inside the ship. Look around because there is something that should appeal to almost everyone.

Expect a fairly level easy ride on these huge ships. Unless you're unfortunate enough to get caught in a really severe storm, you will never feel more than a vibration inside the ship. Cruise ships will try to navigate away from storms as much as they can.

You probably won't see a lot of marine life on most cruises. If that is a selling feature of a particular cruise you might see certain types like whales. For the most part, expect to see a few flying fish and maybe some dolphins. The ocean is still spectacular in scope and beauty.

Expect it to take you a little time to exit the ship if you are trying to go ashore with the early departing guests. If you will be in port long enough, just wait a couple of hours, and you can just go down and walk right off or board a tender for shore. Getting back on is almost never a problem. You just need to make sure that your ship card and photo ID are handy.

You will almost always see armed police and/or military people guarding the pier at most ports. They are a little intimidating at first, but you get accustomed to them. If you are a conservative person, the dress and actions of some of your ship mates may be a little disconcerting and possibly offensive. Just write it off to cultural differences and keep on going.

If you are the kind that likes to find fault everywhere that you can, you will find some on a cruise. Mostly, it is because a cruise is not like your living room. You have to expect some differences because you are on a ship with 2,000 to 3,000 strangers.

Learn more about this author, Allen Teal.
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