What is included in the price of my cruise?

Cruising is the best vacation value! There are cruise vacations to suit every budget and taste. In general, the cruise price includes your choice of accommodations, as well as onboard activities and entertainment, most meals, plus transportation from port to port. You will know what your vacation will cost before you go. Your only extra expenses will be drinks, specialty restaurants, optional shore excursions, spa services, and any other optional incidentals you may choose to purchase while onboard or ashore.

Are there different types of cruises?

Yes! There are cruises designed to suit virtually every interest and personal preference. The choices include: boutique, luxury cruises with globetrotting itineraries; large, contemporary ships with a fantastic array of recreational and entertainment facilities; classic vessels evoking the time-honored traditions of cruising; special-interest or exploration cruises focusing on unique destinations with an emphasis on cultural enrichment; and river voyages into the heart of a destination. Cruise lines offer a wide variety of long, medium and short cruise options.

There are cruise lines that feature soft adventure expeditions to unique frontiers, such as Antarctica, the Amazon Rain Forest or the African Serengeti. You can discover historical legacies closer to home with enlightening itineraries to New England, French Canada, Colonial America, and America's rivers. For experienced travelers, destination-focused cruises specialize in culturally-rich ports of call with itineraries dedicated to illuminating such historic, world-class treasures as the antiquities of classical Greece and Turkey, the Polynesian paradise of Hawaii, the fabled splendor of Norwegian fjords or the castles and museums along Europe's rivers.

For many, the perfect vacation is all about the non-stop fun and sun of a tropical resort-style cruise to the Caribbean, where you can sample a variety of island cultures and cuisines in total relaxation. Plus, many cruise lines create special “themes” onboard, with entertainment ranging from jazz festivals and classical music concerts to golf clinics and murder mysteries at sea. Whether you want to “get your feet wet,” or just relax, you will find a cruise to suit your lifestyle. One thing is for sure—you will never run out of things to see or do on a cruise!

What are my choices when picking a cruise ship?

Ships range from U.S. and European riverboats, intimate and yacht-like ships to vessels stretching longer than three football fields. You can sail with fewer than 100 fellow guests or with more than 5,000. Enjoy atmospheres ranging from casual to formal, contemporary to classic. Enjoy the endless activities offered on a contemporary resort-style cruise, or immerse yourself in the culture of a destination on a special interest cruise.

Where can I go on a cruise?

Wherever in the world there is navigable water—and since the earth is 70% water, that's pretty much everywhere! Cruises visit over 500 ports worldwide and practically every destination accessible by water. You can embark on your cruise vacation from one of the over 30 North American ports or from any of the other ports around the world.