Perhaps not everybody is cut out to cruise, but a lot of us are. I have a twin brother John, who likes to do stuff like hike through the Himalayas in the snow, and truck through the jungles of Brazil. Well he can have his adventures, but when I am on vacation I like to find a chocolate on my pillow when I hit the sack after a hard night at the casino.

Cruising is not really expensive. For the nightly price of a good hotel room you not only get a place to sleep, but you get 24 hour a day free room service, all kinds of food available all the time, fantastic meals in formal dinning rooms or just hit the buffet. Free shows, free movies, entertainment of all sorts, a casino, swimming pools, hot tubs, putting greens, tennis, ping pong. All free.

There really is something for everyone. There are contests at the pools, bingo for those so inclined, art auctions, dancing lessons, and demonstrations of ice carving and even juggling bartenders. Don’t worry about missing those important emails, because all the ships have internet cafes now. The last cruise I was on, I had wireless internet in my room.

For the ladies there is always an elegant spa and all kinds of beauty treatments available. My wife really enjoys getting a foot massage after a long shore excursion…in preparation for the evenings dancing. You can even do your shopping on board, since there are a number of stores on the ship selling everything from clothing to jewelry. And be sure to bring some formal gowns for the formal nights on the ship. Formal nights are your chance to wear all that new jewelry and those new shoes with your new gown.

There are different kinds of cruises and quite a few cruise lines to choose from. Some cruise lines are known for having superior service, some for lower costs, and some for catering to kids. There are destination cruises where the main thing is seeing the sights at the ports of call. Then there are party cruises that tend to be populated by younger couples and the destinations are less important than the activities and partying. There are also specialty cruises that cater to gay couples and singles etc.

The destinations and shore excursions can be a very important part of the cruise experience. You can find cruises that take you darned near everywhere you could ever want to go. I’ve seen everything from the pyramids of Egypt to the Great Wall of China by going on cruises. And my wife and I have ridden ATV’s through the jungle, swam with dolphins, and went tubing in underground caves…all on just one cruise!

So if you want to visit Harrods department store in London, walk on the Great Wall of China, see the ancient Greek ruins at Ephesus, or visit Red Square in Moscow, and you want to do it in style, choose a cruise. No unpacking and repacking, no strange food unless you really want it, and great service 24 hours a day. It’s about as close to a worry free vacation as you can get.

For those of us who want to be pampered and spoiled and see the world at the same time you just can’t beat a cruise ship vacation.