If you have never booked a cruise vacation before, or if you have always made your cruise arrangements through a travel agent, the process of booking a cruise vacation online may seem a bit daunting, if not downright confusing. Booking a cruise vacation online is pretty simple and straightforward once you have decided on the cruise that you want to take. The steps discussed below can help you find and book a cruise vacation online with ease.

Where Do You Want to Go?

The first step in booking a cruise vacation is deciding on a destination. While most people might think of the warm tropical islands as ideal cruise spots, there are cruise vacations that can take you all over the world. Whether you want to spend five days in the Caribbean or three weeks traveling through the Norwegian waters, there is a cruise line for you. From Africa to Alaska, you will find amazing cruises that will take you wherever you want to go.

Choose a Cruise Line

Once you have decided where you want to go on your cruise, you need to find out which cruise lines offer trips in that area at the time that you want to travel. You will also want to narrow your search by choosing a cruise line that offers the kind of cruise that you want to take. Carnival Cruise line, for example, tends to cater to the high energy, party-loving younger crowd. They offer great family vacations, honeymoon packages and swinging singles cruises. Royal Caribbean, Princess and Disney cruise lines are great choices for families with young children while Crystal Cruises puts together theme cruises and family cruise get-togethers.

Pick a Ship or a Cruise

Once you have decided on a destination and a cruise line, check into the cruises and ships available. Each ship on a cruise line offers different amenities, so it is important that you know which ship, or at least which class ship, that you want to sail on. You can find all of the information you need on the cruise line’s website. Once you have got all of the details organized, you can start shopping for the best price for your cruise.

Find the Best Prices for Your Cruise Vacation

Start with the web site of the cruise line that you have chosen to get a base price for the vacation that you want. From there, make the rounds of travel discount web sites to see if you can score a better deal anywhere else. Sometimes the deal is not with the price alone, you may find free cabin upgrades or on board credits that you can use toward purchasing extras.

Choose Your Cabin

Another detail to consider when booking your cruise vacation is the cabin location and style. These options can make a difference of several hundred dollars in the overall price of your vacation. A small cabin would be less expensive, but if you like to spend time in your room, you may be happier to spend the extra money to get a larger room where you can relax. In addition, keep in mind that certain locations are kinder to those who do not deal well with motion. If you get seasick, opt for a room near the middle of the ship on a higher deck, where you will feel the boat rocking less.

Book Your Cruise Following the Directions

Once you have found the best deal on your cruise, follow the directions to book your cruise. Most travel websites have come a very long way in user friendliness. These days it is just a matter of filling in details in the forms and clicking next until you get to the end. You will need to use a credit card to make your deposit, and a representative of the cruise line may contact you to confirm details and finalize your reservations.

Confirm your Booking and Register for Your Cruise

After you have filled out all of your details and booked your cruise, you will receive a confirmation email with all of the details of your upcoming vacation. The email will also contain a link for you to follow to register for your cruise. The link usually leads to pages of tips and instructions to help you prepare for your trip, and a link to a printable itinerary and boarding passes. You will be able to print out your boarding passes, luggage tags, itinerary and all other necessary paperwork so that you can bring it with you on the day your cruise sails. If you have all of your paperwork printed out and ready, you will get through check-in and registration more quickly.

These days, booking a cruise vacation online is easier than ever, and could save you quite a bit of money over booking through a travel agent. If you have never booked a cruise online before, it is easy to follow the simple directions above to find your best cruise vacation deals and book your own cruise online.