Research Ports in Advance

On a cruise, everything you'll need -- food, fun, cabins, ports -- is neatly arranged. Your only job is to fork over the credit card, right? Well, not exactly. Andy, an experienced cruiser, cautioned about "cruising blind," especially when it comes to the destination. Said Andy: "Read as much as you possibly can before your cruise ... otherwise you might end up in a decent-sized port [especially in Europe], overwhelmed and without the slightest clue of what to do for the next eight hours." In terms of port info, lines rarely go beyond handing out a map of the town jewelry stores (with which they often have special business agreements). So with limited time in port, it pays to hit the books before you go. And even if you've booked an excursion, after that three-hour snorkel trip, you might find yourself with several hours to kill.

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