Select a Mexico Cruise

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First, you'll need to do a couple of things � talk to a travel agent to discuss ports you want to visit, or research yourself online. Then, you need to set a budget which will determine the cruise line and duration of the cruise. (Most cruises to Mexico are 7 days long.) The peak season is costlier and the value season is the least expensive. The �shoulder� season � a couple of weeks before and after the peak season will offer savings.

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Contact your travel agent, or, if you don't have one, stop by and pick up some brochures about Mexico Cruises at a travel agency near your work or home. Or, ;

Do a little research by reading the brochures you picked up, and/or by going online. Google some keywords � �Mexico Cruises,� Mexican ports,� Mexico coastal towns and similar phrases. Then visit these sites and cruise line sites and browse for information about the ports that interest you. Take notes on tours and ports you think you'd enjoy. Talk to friends who have been on cruises and see what they have to say about their experiences.;

Read through the brochures and the online websites thinking about what you'd like to do on your Mexican cruise � enjoy late night clubs and dancing, shop �til you drop, enjoy ethnic cuisine in ports you stop at, gamble in the ship's casino and/or snorkel and dive at some of the ports, etc. Are you single and wanting to meet other singles? Do you want a gay cruise? Interested in fine wines and cooking? Are kids traveling with you and if so, is there a good children's program on board? This will all help determine the cruise line(s) you should book with.;

Determine your budget for your Mexican cruise. Once you've decided what ports you'd like to stop at, it's time to set a loose budget.;

Consider which cruise line(s) to choose from based on your budget, the itinerary you prefer and your possible travel dates. NCL, Norwegian Cruise Line, is almost always the least expensive but Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean and others might have specials almost as good. HAL and Celebrity might be a bit more but they claim �no additional tipping� is necessary so that saves some money. Silversea, Seabourn, and Radisson are more expensive but include wine and some other adult beverages. However, they don't normally cruise to Mexico. Crystal is the most expensive cruise line but it includes extras which get added on to your tab with the other lines. They usually have the oldest passengers of all the cruise ships due to the higher cost. Princess and Royal Caribbean also have 3 and 4 night cruises to Baja � these are great if you want to see whether you like cruising.;

Take your budget and your list of ports to your travel agency or go back online to some online agencies and look for Mexico cruise line itineraries. As you match up your desired ports with the ships and dates you want to travel, your list of cruises will get shorter. Check to see how your budget fits and eliminate lines that are too costly. Remember, the listed costs usually do not include taxes and port charges. On most lines you'll also pay for sodas, adult beverages, ice cream and other items. Keep in mind, summer months will be hotter and more humid in Mexico.;

Determine what port is best for you to cruise from. Most Mexico cruises depart from southern California and Texas ports. Celebrity and Princess have dropped their Mexico cruises departing from San Francisco for at least a year. Currently, Carnival offers a 7 day cruise every Sunday on alternating schedules to various ports in the Western Caribbean including Montego Bay, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and Cozumel, Mexico. If possible, pick a port where you'd enjoy spending an extra day or two either before or after your cruise.;

Consider the activities you want to participate in on your trip. The crowds on Carnival are usually younger with more partying. HAL and Celebrity often have a slightly older crowd onboard. Some ships don't have a casino. NCL does �freestyle� cruising where you dine when you like at any of their restaurants but you won't meet fellow passengers and make friends with them because you won't eat with the same people every night. (Eating with the same group most evenings is something I truly enjoy.) As of this writing, NCL does not cruise to Mexico.;

Book your cruise as soon as you've made your choice. You can book through a travel agent or with an online agency via its website. You'll put a deposit down, give them billing information plus full names, addresses, etc. for each passenger. You'll get a date when payment in full is required and they'll send cruise documents out to you a few weeks before your departure.;

By using a travel agent, they'll check group space and may get you a lower rate if they can �place� your cruise with a group. You often get extra amenities this way � shipboard credit, a cocktail party, wine, etc.;

Always ask for something extra. A travel agent might be able to get you some shipboard credit, or another amenity at no extra cost.;

Book a �guarantee� instead of a specific stateroom. If the ship isn't full, you'll be upgraded one to several categories above the stateroom guarantee but you will never go �below� the category guaranteed.;

Read through and book some of your shore excursions as soon as you receive your cruise docs. These fill up quickly and might be gone if you wait until after you've begun your cruise.;

www.cruisecritic.com & www.cruisemates.com offer great info and advice from fellow passengers on both destinations and cruise lines;