If you can afford to take a hotel-based vacation, you can afford to take a cruise vacation. There are cruises available at all price ranges - from budget to luxury - and all represent perhaps the best value for your vacation.

Your cruise price includes your cabin, all meals (including the midnight buffet!), entertainment, parties and, of course, all transportation between all the ports on your itinerary. On most ships, alcoholic beverages and optional shore excursions are not included in the basic price.

Think of a cruise ship as a floating resort on par with any Las Vegas megahotel. On-board activities begin at dawn and go into the wee hours of the night. The scenery is constantly changing, and every port is filled with new and exciting opportunities for exploration.