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.

As parents of a 3 1/2-year-old and 20-month-old, my husband and I desperately need to get away. We want time alone, good food we don't have to cook, and beds we don't have to make. We want to explore new places without having to research every detail of the excursion. We're taking a slow boat to Mexico and letting the crew do all the work. A cruise seems like a relaxing choice, but making all the decisions beforehand can be stressful.

We're taking a five-day cruise (don't think the baby can last any longer without me) to Mexico at the end of February. I will report back our experience soon and hope to hear about yours as well.

CRUISE GUIDE:

• Cruise lines, big and small
• Choosing the right cruise
• Cost of the cruise 
• How to book your cruise 
• Travel agent, or no travel agent 
• How to pick an agent 
• Experts' tips for cruising 
• Readers' cruise tips 
• Cruise resources on the Web 

RELATED STORIES:

• More choices, flexibility
• 5 things first-time cruisers should know
• A novice's first cruise
• Photos: Queen Victoria | Alaska | Trans-Atlantic | Disney family cruise

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