My son and I went on several cruises when he was younger. Not my favorite way to see the world but it gave him a controlled and generally safe environment and me some peace of mind. Food varies from line to line but expect to be entertained and fed in one form or another from 5:30 AM until 3AM. On board casinos pay out on the first night to attract others for the rest of the cruise. Take advantage of it.And the shore trips can be wonderful. Make a point of speaking with your cruise director for recommendations and your waiter. They have been there before and can tell you what people enjoyed most. You will find that you can relax or stay frantically busy. Enjoy!

If this is your first cruise, be prepared that you will be given a sort of credit card to handle all your purchases on board. They do not accept cash in the bars or restaurants. It keeps the staff honest but also encourages you to spend more than you might if you were counting the budget money in your wallet.

We enjoyed all of our cruises. The exception: Carnival Cruises. Run fast and run far. Several assaults on board including a drunken brawl poolside involving employees who had broken into the bar supplies and a racially motivated attack on two Hispanic boys. And a lovely prank - all the parents of the children at an underage non-alcoholic club received phone calls with someone screaming "Mom they are hurting me" in the background. Oh yes - one of my table mates was vomitted on in the swimming pool. My letter to Carnival about serving alcohol to minors and the brawls that followed was answered with "It is not our policy" Of course, if you are into teenage girls bitch slapping each other in the lobby, go for it!