Cruise discounts, cruise deals and discount cruise vacations | Best Cruise Prices.

Cruise-Travel-Vacations: Cruise Vacations: The Vacation Choice of Millions

Here are some tips:

*Do some of your own cruise research by writing to cruise lines for their literature and by surfing on the Internet to cruise web sites, but depend on your local travel agent to make your booking. Almost all cruise bookings (about 95 percent) are through travel agents. An agent's expertise can be crucial in getting you a good fly-cruise combination.

*Coordinate your evening dining time selection (usually there is an early and a late seating) with your planned shore excursions and general preference. You usually dine at the same table for the duration of the cruise.

*If you plan to buy "duty free" items, especially major purchases, check out what their prices are locally, in your hometown, before going. Duty free may be an illusion compared to your local discount shopping prospects. Generally, you will be able to return with $400 in duty free goods, paying 10 percent on the next $1000 of goods, though there are individual country and commodity preferences.

*Tipping policy will vary with the cruise line. For example, Holland America has a "no tipping required" policy. Other companies will specify the range of people not to forget, starting with your room steward and dining room waiter. Expect total tipping to run about $15 per day per person.

If you're looking for a carefree vacation with excellent cuisine, consider a cruise vacation. The large number of repeat customers (about 84 per cent) in cruise travel suggests that many travel consumers enjoy what they have experienced.