Many cruise companies focus on distinctive lifestyle niches. For example, there are some that cater for passengers who wish to experience entertainment and nightlife, while others pamper the gourmet traveller with numerous spas. Some ships are famous for couple passengers in search of a little romance, while others are well known for their recreational options such as boxing rings, miniature golf, ice skating rinks and surf parks.

There are some simple tricks to use when choosing the perfect cruise ship. The best place to begin is by reading ship reviews and forums from other passengers. Not only will you find inside tips on how to score great cruise deals, you will also be able to read what other passengers liked about specific ships.

Once you have chosen a cruise company, keep in mind that each company has an enormous fleet of ships. Each of these ships offers potential passengers a distinct set of amenities. These amenities will vary greatly from one ship to another, in much the same way as the personalities of people are different. The amenities are meant to match the needs or personalities of the ship’s passengers.

It’s also helpful to match the ship with your destination. Taking a family friendly cruise to the Mediterranean on a European-based cruise line, for example, will have more young children for passengers than the same ship taking a different course such as Asia, which will attract more mature travellers.

If you are the action and adventure type of person, a larger cruise line may be a great choice for you. Larger cruise lines offer ships from their fleet that cater to the active type of passenger. Many of these ships will have numerous activities onboard to keep passengers busy until the next port.

Check out some of their things to do. These often include rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks, volleyball and basketball courts, mini golf, virtual reality toys, in-line skating as well as onboard surfing, zip lines and boxing rings. The ships are normally fully equipped with great dining choices and state of the art fitness and spa facilities; these are sure to keep the active and adventurous passenger fully entertained while at sea.

Boats can generally be hired for a long weekend, a week, a fortnight or even more if you have some spare time and fancy getting further afield.

The Fens, in the east of England, are a popular boating spot.  Crossing several counties including Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, the Fens are a unique landscape.  Created around 200 years ago by the draining of low-lying marshlands and wetlands, the area is lush in wildlife and plant life, with summers seeing a riot of wild flowers.  Over 150 bird species can be found in various habitats, and keen fishermen can try their hand at catching a variety of species including pike, rudd and bream.

Many miles of waterways are accessible, with a number of fine historic cities and towns along the way – for example, visit Oliver Cromwell’s house in Ely in Cambridgeshire, and continue on to the ancient Saxon town of Downham Market.  The Fens are also within easy walking distance to many local pubs and restaurants so, self-catering is not compulsory.

Most boats are centrally heated and come with fridges, gas cookers and power supplies, as well as comfortable beds, so roughing it is not necessary.  Children are usually very welcome – just make sure they (and any pets) wear a flotation device at all times.

Cruising has come such a long way, which is why its popularity continues to grow year upon year.  One of the many great advantages of cruising is its flexibility and cruising the Mediterranean is no different.  You can extend your Mediterranean cruise to include the Middle East and visit Israel, Jordan and Egypt or extend it further south, visiting the North African destinations of Marrakesh, Casablanca and Tunis.

A Mediterranean cruise on board a luxurious cruise ship and visiting a wealth of destinations is now, in real terms, no more expensive than a traditional holiday and yet, with the Mediterranean cruise, you get so much more.  A wealth of experience and pleasure awaits you on board.  Allow the professional crew to make your holiday experience extra special with gourmet cuisine, fine wines and great nightly entertainment, theatre shows and movies under the stars.  People of all ages – children, teenagers, singles, couples and families – enjoy Mediterranean cruising. There is something for everyone on a Mediterranean cruise.

Whether you are looking for that last minute holiday bargain or are looking at 2012 cruises, check out the current cruise deals and snap up a bargain for you and your family for the cruising holiday of a lifetime. 

Cruise lines sometimes offer special prices to those of a certain age or of a certain profession. You may not know that from time to time some cruise lines offer discounts to customers who are over 55 years of age. They also offer special discounts for people in certain professions, such as health workers, firefighters, military personnel, police and teachers. Cruise discounts can also be had for those who are singles – yes, singles can get discounts as well, and so can past guests. Cruise ships do appreciate the loyalty of their clients and will often offer a discount or a cruise ship credit. There are many cruise companies that offer past guests’ discounts, two of which are Princess and Carnival cruises.

If you are 55 or over on the day of departure you may be able to receive an age-related discount. To get the discount, only one person from the cabin is required to be at least 55. This will allow everyone staying in the cabin to benefit from the discount. Carnival, Costa Cruises and Celebrity are the lines that offer these cheap cruises.

With an official ID badge and driver’s licence or passport, other discounts can be applied to those of certain professions. For health workers; Pullmantur, Costa Cruises, Holland America, MSC and Royal Caribbean will honour a discount. Teachers will need to book with Costa Cruises, MSC, Holland America or Pulmantur. 

Cheap cruises can also be found on Holland America, Pullmantur, Celebrity, Costa, MSC and Royal Caribbean for firefighters, while military personnel can enjoy discounts with a large variety of cruise lines. To qualify you must provide proof via relevant documentation at the time of booking. In some instances military veterans may also be eligible, as well as spouses of actively deployed or deceased military personnel.

To see if you qualify for cheap cruises through a professional discount, check with your travel agent before you book.

If you are able to book last minute, you will discover many discounted cruise deals.  The cost of taking a cruise has never been better, and for those who want to dig even deeper into the cost-effective pockets of the travel industry, you may luck out on getting a magnificent week-long trip for only a few hundred pounds.

Larger cruise ship companies such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival often attempt to fill last minute rooms prior to setting sail.  This is done through informative websites, as well as through travel booking agencies.

Most cruise companies require full payment 30 days prior to departure, and this leaves the companies a lot of time to fill the empty spaces.  You may not get a prime state cabin or ideal room location, but by agreeing to fill whatever room is available, you may get you a sensational discount.

If you are not picky about your destination or length of time, you can cut the cost of your trip even more.  Perhaps it is peak season, and the popular week-long cruises are booked.  However, you could find that there are many smashing deals for three-day cruises to a nearby destination.

For those who love the idea of a cruise but do not want to spend all their time at sea, a river cruise is the perfect way to experience the rich history and culture of an area. The sheer versatility and variety of a river cruise makes it one of the most popular cruise holidays today.

Cheap cruises are available all over the world; anyone can travel the rivers and canals of Asia, Europe, North America and South America. It also provides access to cities such as Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Budapest, Paris, Prague and Vienna. These beautiful cities are not available to ocean cruisers.

Travel on the rivers of the world, open up new opportunities to soak up local customs and colour as passengers disembark in the heart of cities to enjoy the amazing architecture, history and modern day life.

The typical river cruise ship accommodates 150-300 passengers. They usually do not have the big ticket amenities of a casino or pool, but there is also no mad dash or long line to board, disembark, or have a meal.

In Europe, river cruises operate on the Danube, Main and Rhine Rivers. Paris is accessible from the Seine River tour and the Elba River flows through eastern Germany and Berlin. There are Amazon River cruises for the adventurous in South America, Yangtze River cruises in China for those charmed by the mystique of Asian culture, and North America offers Columbia River tour from Oregon to Washington State.

The ships differ a lot as well. While all ships will have enough amenities to keep all family members reasonably satisfied, each ship is specifically designed with a certain target demographic in mind. For example, if you’re a fun and adventure loving young couple or a group with a lot of teenagers, you will love the Royal Caribbean cruises with ships that include surf machines, rock climbing walls, basketball courts, and so much more. But if you prefer to take it easy and just watch the scenery, a Holland America ship with wide decks may be better for you. 

All cruise holidays are fantastic but it’s a matter of choosing one that fits your personality, what you want to do and see, what kind of occasion the cruise is for, and what level of service and amenities you require.

There is little that compares to a firsthand sighting of a mother polar bear and her cubs, or hearing the thundering crack of an ancient glacier as it crashes into the sea below, or visiting a coastal port sprung from an early frontier boomtown.  Alaska is America’s last great frontier with millions of hectares filled with frozen tundra, exotic wildlife, national parklands, lush forests and snow-capped mountains.

The best way to experience Alaska is through one of two types of cruises. Take an Inside Passage tour, passing through Vancouver, Canada with its mountainous glaciers into southeast Alaskan ports, combining the pleasures of a cruise holiday with land interior expeditions into Denali National Park, the Canadian Rockies or the Yukon gold rush country. Land travel is part of the cruise deals and guests are ferried to the interior in glass-domed railcars or deluxe motor coaches.

The other option is the Gulf of Alaska cruise, also offering a hybrid tour of land and water. Princess Cruises offers a Voyage of the Glaciers tour.  Southbound sailings spotlight Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier while northbound passages cruise past Sawyer Glacier and College Fjord.  Cruise lines offer land tours of Juneau, Skagway Gateway to the Klondikes or Glacier Bay National Park.

For greater value, plan the land tour before embarking on the cruise portion of the holiday for major savings. These are also the most popular packages, so plan to book early.

Most of the ships in use for transatlantic cruises are seasonally repositioned to locations where demand for cruise ships is high in the local tourist season. Due to this, many cheap cruises can be booked on transatlantic cruises offering low prices for a seasonal repositioning ship. 

Some of the ocean liner companies offer transatlantic cruises up to six times a year, but the majority of companies offer these cruises only twice a year. Most ships travel from Europe to the Caribbean in the autumn and return to Europe in the spring months.

Transatlantic cruises are often theme-based events and the cruises may be dedicated to food and wine, Big Band era, jazz, political issues or how-to-seminars. It is a marvellous opportunity to spend anywhere from six to 16 days travelling across the Atlantic while enjoying a major hobby or interest.

However, one can expect the same impeccable service and refined atmosphere from the majestic ocean liners that passengers received back in the golden days of travel. Even the smallest cabin is beautifully appointed and the staff are courteous and prompt as they meet the needs of the passengers.

If one needs to book a flight to arrive at a port of call, the recommendation of the cruise lines is to arrive one to two days before departure. In fact, most cruise lines offer attractive pre-cruise packages for their passengers’ convenience.