Oh, for the Ocean Blue
Gilligan, eat your heart out! Today's cruise passengers are treated incredibly well. You can choose to cruise virtually anywhere in the world, from oceans to rivers, and on ships that range from freighters to floating luxury resorts complete with wave pools, ice rinks, climbing walls, and so much more. And cruising is a wonderful way to sample what the world has to offer. You can travel from place to place, seeing the highlights everywhere, yet you only have to unpack once and you never have to worry about navigating. When you factor in the hotel and transportation costs of other vacations, cruises can offer good value, too. Most of all, they can be low stress and high fun if you choose the one that suits your vacation style.

Here's what you need to know to get started on the cruise-ship lifestyle.

How do I choose a cruise?
With such a vast selection of cruises out there, how do you know which one will be the best fit for you? Start by asking yourself some basic questions. The answers will help you narrow down your choices.

• Where do I want to go? If you have a firm destination in mind, such as Mexico or the Greek Islands, this is your logical start point.

• Which water do I want to cruise? Cruise ships don't just sail the seas, they also head down rivers and canals, which can be a wonderful way to explore the interior of a country rather than its coastline.

• How much time do I have? Cruises range from three-day weekend getaways to year-round floating homes, so you can find a cruise to suit virtually any schedule. Some of the most popular choices include trips of seven, 10 and 14 days, but the destination may be the determining factor in the length of your trip. For example, if you're heading all the way from North America to Europe to cruise, you may not want to go with just a four-day option unless it's only one part of your trip. Otherwise you'll spend most of the cruise getting over jet lag and then packing up to leave.

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Excerpted from Travel Best Bets: An Insider's Guide to Taking the Best Trips Ever, copyright 2008 by Claire Newell. Excerpted with permission from Whitecap Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.