Are you considering taking a cruise for your next family vacation? Great idea! Cruises offer some amazing value and choice for family vacations.

Although, deciding to take a cruise is only the tip of the iceberg. With so many options, you will want to make sure you pick the perfect cruise for you and your family. So getting everyone involved in the planning process is key. But, where do you begin?

Hopefully, our six simple steps on how to pick the perfect cruise ship for your next family vacation will help.

1. Decide on a Location

Most likely you are thinking of cruising to a tropical destination like the Bahamas or the Caribbean. While about a third of all cruise travel does occur in this region, cruise ships sail to destinations all over the globe, including Europe, Asia, and Australia. So, don’t limit your options just yet.

If you already know WHEN you want to cruise (e.g., in the summer), you can use that information to narrow down your destination as some areas of the world only offer cruises during specific months of the year. If you can travel any time of the year, you will have more flexibility on location.

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There are many decisions to make when selecting a cruise-which cruise line should you sail with, where do you want to go, how long of a cruise will you take, what are the best cruise staterooms for your holiday?  Not all cruise lines have the same amenities and destinations and not all staterooms (or cabins) are created equal.

Your cruise stateroom is a floating hotel room , a hotel room where you spend a fair amount of time as you progress from port to port.  It’s considerably smaller, but offers similar features such as daily cleaning, turn down service and room service.  Just as when determining which hotel room level suits you during your land travels, you’ll need to pick from multiple cruise stateroom options. So, how do you decide?   We’ve put together a few tips to help you pick the perfect cruise staterooms for you and your family.

1. Determine your budget – Stateroom categories vary by price, so,  before you pick, you’ll need to decide how much you can afford to spend.  I suggest putting together a budget and researching prices before you make final plans.  Factor in the price of the cruise, accommodation and meals before and after your cruise (if applicable), transportation to the ship (flights, gas & parking fees, train tickets), beverages, excursions and gratuities.

Also, look for cruise deals before making your purchase.  You might find our Caribbean cruise money saving tips article to be helpful to keep more money in your pocket.

You may be able to get a free onboard credit, free drink package or kids sail free offer.  Don’t forget to look at what amenities are available with upgrades.  You might find that the added perks of one stateroom over another will level out the expenses.

Our travel budget planner might be a helpful tool for recording the numbers.

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