Definitely get one for some one-on-one time with the sea, but before you book the balcony cabin of your dreams, make sure it’s not a dud. Eric Maryanov, president of All-Travel in Los Angeles, points out that some ships (Princess Cruises’ Grand Class and Celebrity’s Galaxy and Mercury, for example) have tiered decks like a wedding cake, which means zippo privacy—people on the higher balconies can see down on the people below them.

For more information: All-Travel

Though it may cost more (you can’t use miles) and could be a more circuitous route than you’d book yourself, the big benefit of booking airfare through the cruise line is you’ll be on the ship’s radar if your flight is delayed or cancelled, according to Sharon Turnau, President and CEO of Ft. Lauderdale-based Landmark Travel. It’s the cruise line’s responsibility to get you on the ship one way or another. If you book your own airfare and miss the boat (and didn’t purchase cancellation insurance), meeting up with the ship at the next port is on your own dime.

“I always book clients in a hotel the night before the cruise no matter where they are sailing from, it takes the stress out of misconnections, bad weather and lost luggage,” says Mary Jean Tully, chairman and CEO of Ontario-based Cruise Professionals. “Who wants to fly all the way to Barcelona and get right on the ship? It’s nice to wake up in the city where the ship is sailing from, have a leisurely breakfast, relax or do a city tour.”

For more information: Cruise Professionals

Everyone knows what Europe is like in August—jam packed and too hot. Walter Littlejohn, president of Chartwell Vacations in Rutherford, N.J. recommends doing a European cruise in April, May, or from mid-September through November. Not only will the crowds be thinner, chances are cruise rates and airfare will be lower. In Alaska, April, May and September are considered low season.

For more information: Chartwell Vacations

All-Travel’s Eric Maryanov says never take a room on the promenade deck, where runners and walkers are hoofing it past your windows. To hedge against seasickness, choose a cabin amidships (in the middle of a deck) and on a lower deck, as close as possible to the ship’s center of rotation. Definitely avoid cabins directly below the loud pool deck, sports deck, gym or restaurants, and Sherry Kennedy of the Vacation Shoppe in Satellite Beach, Fla., recommends not booking a room with a connecting door if you don’t know your neighbor. “Nothing is more frustrating than the nearly paper-thin door which barely separates you from the wailing infant, romantic couple or family with teens next door,” she says.

For more information: Vacation Shoppe

Ship your luggage from home to the boat to avoid airport hassles, suggests All-Travel’s Eric Maryanov. Silversea and Seabourn use shippers like DHL and Federal Express; expect to fork over $500 plus per suitcase. “For shorter cruises it especially makes sense,” says Silversea spokesman Brad Ball. “Imagine arriving in Rome for a seven-day cruise and having your bag lost by the airlines. By the time your suitcase is found (if it is found), your cruise may be over and your vacation ruined.”

“A stateroom is a small space compared to your home or a hotel room. This is your vacation, be comfortable. We book many clients two adjoining cabins, since two-bedroom suites are in very limited supply,” says Cruise Professionals’ Mary Jean Tully. Most ships have a number of side-by-side cabins with connecting doors.

Many cruise lines offer private VIP tours, especially in Europe: Take them, or have your travel agent make arrangements for a private car with English-speaking guide. The freedom to call your own shots will be pricey in Europe—try $1,000 plus for a day tour of Rome or Florence—but much less in Asia or South America. Sherry Kennedy reminds independent explorers to carry along the port agent’s phone number (it’s usually printed on the ship’s daily newsletter) in case your car breaks down and you need to contact the ship about being late.

If you’re blowing a big wad on a cruise, Charlie Funk, co-owner of Just Cruisin’ Plus in Nashville, says it makes sense to protect your investment with third-party insurance. Cost of insurance is generally about 6 percent of the total cost of the cruise. You’ll be covered if you have to cancel the cruise for medical reasons, missed flights, work commitments, cruise line bankruptcy and other issues.

For more information: Just Cruisin’ Plus

Taking a short three, four or five-day sampler cruise to test the waters is not a good idea for the uninitiated, says Mike Driscoll, editor of Cruise Week. “Generally, the cruise lines put their older ships in the short cruise market and look for revenues on board to counter the lowball pricing with heavy drinking and gambling,” he says. If you’re not a party animal, definitely start off with a seven-day cruise on one of the newer ships.