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• Cruise Guide introduction
  A first-time cruisers guide for Atlantans Choosing a cruise can feel overwhelming. It's not just one decision — like a picking a flight or choosing a hotel. It is many decisions, which if made poorly, can leave you stranded in the middle of the ocean in a cramped cabin eating lousy food with annoying cruise mates. Now don't let me get you down — that's only if you make the wrong decisions. I'm here to help Atlantans make the right ones. After weeks and weeks of research — online, in books, talking with travel experts and experienced cruisers — I have compiled the best information we found, added information that we wished we had when making our decisions and tailored it for Atlantans booking their first cruise.
• Cruise resources on the Web
  • CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program site: www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/default.htm. The germaphobe in me loves this site. Although cruise line officials tell us we shouldn't worry about contracting Noroviruses, you can search the CDC's database for reports on your ship's sanitation. It also offers a list of ships that didn't pass recently. Our ship scored 96 out of 100 on its most recent inspection – I'm feeling good! • www.fodors.com: www.fodors.com/cruise. Some of the wisest travel folks out there — I always enjoy the Fodors sites. The site is broken down into choosing, booking, before you go, arriving and departing, on board and more Web links. It's a name you can trust for information. • Linda Coffman's CruiseDiva.com: www.cruisediva.com. The Cruise Diva's site has good information, lots of practical tips and lots of attitude. She offers how-to articles, news about the cruising industry, packing lists for men, women and babies. She even offers photos of how to set up your closet on the ship.
• Reader's cruise tips
  We asked our readers online and in the newspaper to send us their best tips for first-time cruisers. Here's what you said: "I have been on about 12 cruises in the past 12 years and have always used an experienced cruise travel agent. I have never had any problems with any of my documents , air \ travel, etc. I highly recommend using a professional travel agent for your bookings. I would never consider itherwise. — Connie Storey
• Experts' tips for cruising
  TIPS: Finding Deals | Flying | Excursions | Travel insurance | Tips for the crew | Picking a cabin | Boarding and deboarding | Budget on board | Safety on board | Life on board Finding Deals Now is a great time to go to Europe — if you're on a cruise ship. "By paying your fare in America, you are insulating yourself against the effect of the Euro," Bob Sharak, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Cruise Lines International Association. You're paying your hotel, air fare, food and entertainment in advance but can still take in all the sights.
• Cost of the cruise
  Cruise costs defined | Tipping guidelines Cruise advocates will tell you that cruising is a very cost effective vacation. Your cruise fare covers your lodging, your travel to your destinations, all your meals and your entertainment. The cruise line industry is also trying to eliminate or reduce air fare from the equation by sailing from ports closer to your home.
• How to book your cruise
  • Look online, in books, talk to friends, crystallize what you think you want in the experience. • Choose your cruise, and then check the air sea packages. Tell the agent to hold the cruise if possible while you check other air fares. • Check air fares on your own. If you find a fare you want, hold your fare for 24 hours while you book your cruise, then call back and confirm your flight. (When you hold a flight you are holding a seat, not the price, Aimée J. Ricca, owner of Bonne Amie Travel in Rockport, Maine, and one of the experts featured on the Travel Channel's Vacation Challenge, warns. There's always a slight chance it could change.)
• Full list of cruise lines
  Choosing a cruise is a more complicated process than booking a flight. You can get information on destinations or cruise lines you're considering through the cruise companies' toll-free numbers or Web sites. First-time cruisers, especially, should check with a travel agent who specializes in cruises. • ABERCROMBIE AND KENT INTERNATIONAL: 1-800-323-7308, www.abercrombiekent.com
• Drinking in the sights of Burgundy
  On a barge in Burgundy, France — Horizon II is a festive-looking craft painted black with white, blue and red piping. It's not your typical galumphing freight hauler carrying scrap iron on the Erie Canal. The 128-foot-long vessel is air-conditioned and configured in a split-level design with four comfortable suites with private bathrooms located a half deck below a spacious lounge, well-stocked bar, dining room and library. Topside is a sundeck for lounging, and aft are the pilot's station, helm and gears controlling the engine. French Country Waterways, an American-owned company, understands American passenger expectations and makes sure they are met. The company has five barges in its fleet that ply routes through the Upper Loire Valley, Burgundy-Côte d'Or, Champagne and Alsace-Lorraine. The cruises allow a glimpse of the out-of-the-way villages of France that few tourists ever explore.
• Choosing the right cruise
  10 points to consider | Choose theme cruises for comfort Pinpointing the right cruise for you begins with some self-examination. "The Unofficial Guide to Cruises – 8th Edition," (John Wiley and Sons, Inc., $22.99) recommends 10 points to consider:
• To 'travel agent' or not to 'travel agent'?
  Do I need a travel agent? | Reasons to use an agent | Reasons to book online | Reasons to book through cruise line Do I need a travel agent? My husband and I fiercely debated whether to use a travel agent or to book our cruise online by ourselves.
• Groups with special interests get together for the voyage
  Name a hobby, a personality type or a lifestyle choice and there seems to be a special-interest cruise geared to serve it. Here are some niche cruises set for this spring and summer: Luxury on a budget If you're not sure a luxury cruise is right for you, here's an opportunity to test it out. Crystal Cruises and the Virtuoso luxury travel network are offering a three-night round-trip cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., departing March 10 on the newly refurbished 940-guest Crystal Symphony. There are no ports of call but three nights of cruising the Caribbean. Prices start at $650 per person, double occupancy. Call 1-800-401-4274, http://www.virtuoso.com.
• Get onboard with people who think and play like you
  Searching for a special-interest cruise not on this list? Ask a travel agent who specializes in cruises, check the cruise line's Web site or try a Web search engine with the key words "theme cruises" or your interest and the word "cruises" (such as bridge players and cruises). To find a cruise specialist in your area, check with the Cruise Lines International Association, http://www.cruising.org. (click on Plan Your Cruise, then enter your ZIP code to find a list of certified travel agents). Here's a list of some theme cruises, prepared by Howard Moses, president of the Cruise Authority of Marietta. The topic is followed by the departure date, number of days, name of cruise line and ship, destination and sponsor or description of activities.
• How to pick an agent
  Tips for picking a travel agent My aunt used to be our travel agent – smart, well traveled herself and a family member – she wasn't going to lead us wrong. Since our honeymoon 10 years ago, she has retired. S