Planning

Booking my first cruise opened my eyes to a few lessons I never would have known before trying Royal Caribbean, and I was surprised by just how much I learned about cruising before embarking on my trip!

I booked my first-ever cruise on Wonder of the Seas, which was the largest cruise ship in the world at the time. This record now belongs to Icon of the Seas. This massive ship measures 250,800 gross registered tons! 

Now is the perfect time to start planning your 2024 cruise vacation if you haven't done so already. 

Whether it's for your child's spring break in March, a family vacation in July, or a holiday sailing in December, booking a cruise at the beginning of the year gives you something to look forward to.

It's not too late to book your 2024 cruise vacation. Whether you're hoping for a quick getaway to The Bahamas or a dream cruise around Europe, the best time of the year to book a cruise is now while wave season is ongoing. 

Wave season is when the cruise industry tends to run their biggest sales and promotions of the year. While actual deals and conditions vary, wave season deals tend to include anything from additional onboard credit, free upgrades, discounted excursions, prepaid gratuities, etc. 

When planning for land-based vacations, you often do not have to think twice about bringing a steamer or whether there'll be an iron available to you or not. Cruises, however, are different. 

In addition to simply being more prepared with common household items that won't be readily available while you are on a ship, there's a list of items that cruise lines ban from their ships. Both steamers and irons are on many cruise line's lists of prohibited items due to the fire hazard that they pose. 

When planning your cruise, one of the most important decisions you'll have to make is what kind of stateroom category you want to book. The cheapest option is usually a standard interior room. These no-frill cabins have no natural light and are often the smallest rooms onboard. Does that mean that interior cruise rooms are bad, though?

Food is one of the most important aspects of any cruise vacation. Even on the smallest ships at sea, you have plenty of options to keep you satisfied throughout your voyage, from indulgent three-course meals in the main dining room to the all-you-can-eat buffet. 

The ship's buffet is the more casual of the two eateries. Even on formal night, you'll find people showing up in basic t-shirts and shorts, rather than sporting their finest attire. If you want the more traditional cruise ship dining experience, however, you will want to visit the main dining room. 

A family vacation away during the holidays is a major bucket-list item for a lot of people, and a cruise could be exactly what you wanted.

The holiday season is traditionally when families get together, but that doesn't mean they have to spend time at home.

Going on a cruise means time together, but it also means less cooking, warmer temperatures, and a vacation that coincides with time off of school and work.

If you're going on a cruise in 2024, whether it's in March or December, there are some things that you can start doing NOW to get into the cruise spirit! 

While there are certain tasks that you have to save until closer to your sail date — like actually packing your suitcase — it's advisable to begin thinking ahead for others. If you wait until the last minute, you might have to rush to renew your passport or be disappointed with the remaining shore excursion options. 

Planning cruises to unique destinations around the world is exciting. While there's nothing wrong with a tropical vacation to the Bahamas or Caribbean, there are so many different regions that can be explored via cruise ship. 

When planning on venturing to a new place, however, you must research what the weather is like. If you are prone to seasickness or are concerned about a bucket list port of call getting canceled due to poor weather, some bodies of water might not make for an ideal cruise.