Select a travel agent who is familiar with Caribbean cruises. A good one has sampled the different cruise lines, visited many ports of call and heard a good deal of feedback from clients. Tell the agent your personal tastes. Do you like to party hard till dawn or relax on a deck chair? Are you interested in onboard activities and fine dining? It's important that the agent get a good idea of your personality before suggesting a cruise. Take home the brochures of the cruises that interest you and fit your budget.
Research the Caribbean ports of call and their attractions. Do you want to visit Stingray City and feed the rays by hand? You'll need a cruise that stops at Grand Cayman. Want great shopping? Cozumel is a good bet. You can learn how rum is made in San Juan, and great snorkeling is available in the waters of Antigua. Find an itinerary that lets you visit the ports that you find most appealing.
Narrow your choices, then visit a website, such as the Cruise Critic site, for reviews of the ships and itineraries. There are thousands of passenger reviews detailing everything from the ports of call to the food quality of each ship. Consider the reviews, then rank your choices in order of preference.
Shop for deals and perks on the Internet. There are hundreds of new cruise promotions every week, and a travel agent might not know about every one. Look for deals, free cabin upgrades and free shipboard credits. Check with your credit card companies; many times they will offer perks if you charge your cruise fare.
Bring all your research back to the travel agent. In most cases, a good travel agent will be able to match the deals you've found online. Agencies that do a good deal of business with a cruise line have strong relationships can help in case there's any sort of problem.
Book your cruise. Make sure your travel agent provides you with all necessary documents, luggage tags and boarding passes. Because passport regulations often change, ask the agent what identification will be required upon departure.
