It's pretty easy to find a good cruise. It's even reasonably easy to find a great cruise. But it can be tough to find the perfect cruise for you. That's because there are so many choices in cruise offerings, it's easy to get side-tracked from the best offers by great offers. So how can you navigate the offers to find the best deal on the perfect summertime cruise for you?



People generally shop for cruises based on certain determining factors. Unfortunately, what can be a non-negotiable point for one is not necessarily a non-negotiable point for another. The best way to begin is to figure out in your own mind the qualifications a cruise has to meet to be even acceptable.

Determining factors are usually things like length of stay (does your cruise have to be four days or less? Can you manage a 10-day cruise?), price, destination, time of year, port of embarkation (where you get on) or port of debarkation (where you get off).

Go over some key points and see if there are things that matter to you as well as things that you can be flexible with. For instance, does it matter where you travel ?(Are you dying to go to Alaska? Or would any cruise suit you?). Do you care what port the ship leaves from? If you live near a port, it can save a lot of money on the total cruise package, but it may limit your destination choices; you can't depart from New York and sail to Hawaii on any cruise line I know of. Another good thing to establish in your mind: how much do you want to spend? Do you have a fixed budget or is it more of a range.

Most cruise websites offer ways to find cruises that let you search for 7-day cruises or cruises to Alaska or cruises under $1,200.

Rather than shop blindly, you should start off by getting specific. If you're not sure when you want to go, where you want to go, or how much you're willing to spend, well, good luck finding a cruise. You'll spend all your time shopping.

If you've got some non-negotiable points (I want a 10-day cruise in July or August), that's a good starting point. You should also start to round them out with some desirables. (I want to cruise to Hawaii and leave from Los Angeles.) Then you should start shopping.

Price is important but it's not always a good starting point in cruise shopping. You'll find that cruise prices can vary widely. A good approach is to fix in your mind how much you care to spend and then see what you can buy for that price range.

For instance, not all passengers on the same cruise pay the same price. The reason is not that some people just negotiated a better deal or got lucky or booked at the very last minute. Cruise accommodations vary widely in terms of how much space you get and how much you pay. If you're the type who plans on spending most of the time on deck or doing stuff outside the room, you can probably have a great (and economical) cruise in a bargain inside stateroom. But if you would enjoy the luxury of having a suite, you certainly can indulge yourself if you're willing to pay more.

Look for the destinations that interest you. If you want to sail out of Galveston, for instance, you'll only have some Caribbean and Mexican routes available. But if you're more open about what port you leave from, you can decide: do you want to go to the Caribbean? The Panama Canal Zone? Alaska? Australia? Europe? There are even super cruises to Asia.

If destination is not crucial, think about what general activities interest you. Are you looking for fun in the sun? Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Mexico are all good destinations. Maybe you want to see wildlife. Then consider Alaska. Perhaps you're looking for something very exotic. How about a cruise out of Hong Kong or some of the new Australian routes?

Some people become devoted to a particular cruise line but if you can shop across lines, you'll be more likely to nab bargains. Now it is true that every cruise line has its own personality of sorts, and all get famous for their little embellishments. Holland America is known for being elegant, even a bit stately, and will have touches of formality. Windjammer is known for being super casual and for its party atmosphere. Royal Caribbean and Disney's Big Red Boat are known for being family friendly. The list goes on.

Shopping across cruise lines gives you the chance to see other offerings and compare prices. For instance, there are lots of lines that can take you to the Eastern Caribbean or Alaska's Inside Passage. Look at what they're offering. When you start to finalize your dream cruise and set some dates and places, then you can begin your hunt for a deal.

The best deal is not necessarily the cheapest deal. If having a larger-than-stateroom kind of accommodation would enhance the experience significantly for you, then it may be worth while to invest one or two hundred more in a room upgrade.

Do cruise vacations go on sale? Yes, but you have to be pretty watchful to catch sales and specials. That's why it's a good idea to know what you're shopping for so that you can be on the lookout for the perfect deal, not just any deal.

To keep tabs on cruise deals, visit cruise line websites as well as the major travel websites. If you have a travel agent, get him or her to scope out bargains; travel agents often hear of things the general public does not know about. There are some websites that offer deals on last-minute cruises. You can get some major bargains there but watch out. You're basically buying leftovers, what the ship couldn't sell. You may not be getting on a prime cruise and you probably aren't booking the greatest space. On top of that, you have to be as flexible as Gumby since you have to accept the dates and destinations they provide. But if you've got the time and temperament, these may work out well for you.

For busy people on tight schedules eager to get as much out of their vacation as possible, it's better to narrow your search and hunt for that perfect cruise.