As a 30 year cruise industry veteran, website, I can honestly say that I am perplexed as to why more people seem to be jumping overboard. It is certainly tragic when this occurs and the news media seems to report these phenomena more frequently and with more in-depth coverage than other similar events. This probably because cruising is in and of itself more interesting and sexy than most other forms of leisure travel. And approximately 85% of all North Americas have not taken a cruise so there is an element of mystery to the process.

Are Baby Boomers that much different from other cruise passengers? According to many cruise line executives this one group of guests has probably created more changes in cruise ship programming than any other travelers since Noah’s Ark. The same group that made cell phones, BMW’s and flat screen TV’s a cultural phenomena is having a strong impact of how cruise lines go to market.

At a recent industry conference sponsored by Cruise Lines International Association, Marketing Chairman Dan Hanrahan (who is also president of Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises) pointed out that the lifestyle and interests of baby boomers has led to some unique new experiences on board for all passengers.

Like anything in life, planning does not ensure a success. And if you don’t, then the odds are far greater that the outcome will not be as you expect!

Here are here are a couple of cruise planning tips to look out for:-

1) Date Setting

Choosing the right dates for everyone in your party is necessary, as there will be differences in people’s needs, especially if you have a large party coming from all over the place.

The most important part of cruise planning, is preparing all who are involved such that they are clear with you about just what they expect. And, of course that you are clear about what you are going to arrange on their behalf too.

It can be really exciting going on holiday but when you are considering going on a cruise, there are some things which you really need to think about. Things such as manners are often forgotten and whilst you may be paying a lot of money to go on the vacation, you still need to remember to be polite.

Remembering Your Manners

You are not going to be alone on the ship even if you are actually traveling alone. Generally the passengers on the ship including you are part of a community and even the staff is included in that too. Think about it, you have your meals cooked for you and you do not even have to do any washing up. Yes you are paying for the privilege but there really is no need to be rude to staff and passengers because you have paid!

There are really no ‘dress codes’ on cruise ships but more like guidelines to assist you in bringing the right items. Having traveled with a spouse and two teen age daughters, this writer is, however, painfully aware of the cruise shoe formula which is take the number of cruise days and multiply by 5. How else could one possibly pack 35 pairs of shoes for a one week voyage?

But seriously, less is often more on a cruise. The style of ship you have selected usually dictates the way that passengers dress. The shorter and less expensive cruises skew toward very casual and the longer cruises on luxury ships tend to be more formal.

A luxury cruise vacation was once the sole preserve of the rich and the famous so a cruise budget was the last thing to consider. You really did used to have to be very wealthy to say bon voyage and sail of on a magical cruise vacation. For the poorer people there was an underclass of cabin down below but the two classes would hardly ever meet on board.

It has taken a slow progression over the past century for the costs involved with cruise travel to become affordable. These days a luxury cruise vacation is well within reach of middle income earners as budget cruises seem to be the order of the day. With that in mind though, all is not what it seems sometimes. Cruise operators will obviously try to lure the unsuspecting customers with the cheapest possible price in the advert but the costs can be considerably higher than the advertised price.

My family and I went on a Disney cruise last Summer and loved it. The Disney Cruise line is the one place at sea where magic comes to life. And with the Disney Cruise Line, what better way to begin than with a Disney Cruise vacation? The Disney Cruise Line brings its unique style to the sea with its ships Disney Magic and Disney Wonder and the Disney Cruise Line has an extensive children’s program with age-specific activities.

We all love vacations, but while they are times in our live full of fun and new adventures, going on vacations means also an added cost that hurt our pockets. This is a cost that goes on paying food, entertainment and beverages. All inclusive cruises let you stay away from the money problem while enjoying great vacations. All inclusive cruise hips have everything included in the package. Food, beverages and entertainment don’t have to worry you anymore. But you may be indecisive if you want to go on a traditional cruise sip or an all-inclusive cruise. You are not alone; in fact there are more people like you than you think.