Cruise vacations are economical and the most relaxing way to take a vacation. They present a wealth of activities, relaxing opportunities, and scenic beauty to keep a vacation exciting from start to finish. If you want a truly relaxing vacation, without any of the active family ''hassles'', then taking a cruise is the answer for you.

Even if you are ''empty nesters'', cruising can add a dimension of relaxation to your vacation. On the face of it, some cruises can seem expensive, like a world cruise or an exotic cruise to ''the islands'' or perhaps Australia. However, if you plan your cruises, even these fabulous trips can be very economical. In addition, if you consider costs for your room, food, and entertainment, cruising can be less expensive than say, renting a beach house.

Once you have selected your cruise, make sure your passport, if required, is up to date before booking the cruise. When you do book your cruise, you can have the cruise managers arrange your air travel for you for a worry free trip to the ship, where all you will have to ensure is getting your luggage on the plane. Once you arrive at your destination airport, you can hand it over to the representatives at the cruise line kiosk and it will be delivered to your room. However, if the ''deal hound'' in you finds a great airfare, book your flight to arrive at your embarkation port the day before departure.

Once you have booked your cruise, there are a number of ways you can personalize your on-board experience. You can request a special diet, like vegan, low cholesterol, etc.; request special attention for a special occasion while on the cruise (birthday, anniversary, graduation, honeymoon, or retirement). You can also pre-reserve sessions at the spa, a massage, hair, or body treatments; don't pass this up. Then depending on your destinations, there are wide varieties of side trips that you can select from.

Many cruises have one or more formal nights, which provide a great occasion to dress up in formal attire, or simply wear a sports coat that night. But deciding what to wear is made easy by looking up the clothing suggestions posted for the cruise and reviewing the expected temperatures for the time of year for those side trips.

Dining on board is often in the form of assigned seating or anytime dining. For a family with children, anytime dining is recommended. However, you will find many cruise lines offer 24 hour dining with children's menus, either stateroom service or dining out. Many cruises also feature specialty restaurants where you can experience cuisine from specific areas, such as Italy or France.

On board activities include arts and crafts, game tables, movies, and splash pools for the younger ones. The teen centers typically have ping-pong, jukeboxes and the latest video games. On larger vessels, teens can enjoy their own spaces with dedicated deck space, pools, and teen hot tubs.

Educational presentations are also offered by naturalists and area experts that add interest and excitement to your next port of call. The arts and crafts offered for parents are things they can really get into, such as vegetable sculpture, ice carving, martini making, and flower arrangements. To help you keep up on activities for all ages, most liners publish a daily ''paper'' with all activities listed. For mom and dad there is the fitness center and many ships offer a jogging track. Some offer virtual golf, where you can play courses from around the world. There is also the game room where a number of games, such as Bridge or Pinochle are played, as well as trivia and bingo and other board games can be played. In the evening, a number of venues are offered for dancing and entertainment, including production shows and feature movies, and of course a complete casino to try your luck.

In short, a cruise vacation will leave you wanting more such holidays.

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