Thinking about booking a cruise? Taking one can be a great way to travel without the usual travel stressors, and you have the option of checking out multiple destinations along the way while only having to unpack once. Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re considering a cruise.

Not Everything is Included

Most cruises offer some all inclusive options, but they don’t always extend to every single area on the ship. Pay attention to these details ahead of time and once you board so that you don’t ring up any accidental charges along the way. If you have any special dietary needs, you should alert the cruise as soon as possible so that have time to prepare your meals as needed.

Choose Your Room Carefully

There are of course perks to getting cruise rooms with a balcony, including having the extra space, a place to eat outside away from the other people on the cruise ship, etc. But if you aren’t spending tons of time in your room it might not be worth the extra money that you’ll be paying for it. Consider that when you’re making your trip budget.

When you’re booking a room you should always ask about its location. Rooms that are near stairwells or busy areas like a dining room are going to get some of the run off noice at all hours of the day. You might also want to make sure that you don’t book a room below a running track or a busy deck. Adjoining rooms are also prone to having thin walls, so try to avoid one of those.

Itineraries Can Change Along the Way

Even if you book a cruise for a certain port stop along the way, due to a variety of factors the ship’s plans can change and they won’t owe you anything for disrupting your plans. For that reason it’s best to keep an open mind about the whole thing, and only do it if you really feel like you’re going to enjoy the actual cruise portion of the trip in addition to the schedules stops you’re anticipating.

Arrive the day Before Your Cruise Leaves

If you book a flight directly through the cruise then they will be required to wait for your flight to arrive until they can leave, but if you book your travel on your own a late plane could be a missed ship as well. It’s generally the safest option to arrive the day before you are scheduled to leave on the cruise just for peace of mind.

Consider a Repositioning Cruise

Repositioning or trans Atlantic cruises are another option to consider to a traditional cruise. Generally these ships have a destination so they will covering a wide distance in one direction only. This is a great way to get somewhere if flying both directions doesn’t sound like the most appealing option, and sometimes you can save some money on them since they’re off peak trips. In general the spring and fall are going to be cheaper times to travel than the other seasons, which is something to keep in mind if saving money is of interest and you have some flexibility with scheduling.