I?VE taken a cruise only once in my life. (Taking Sulpicio Lines from Manila to Cebu and back doesn?t count.)

Two years ago, my former boss took the entire office staff on a company outing. We got on board the Superstar Virgo and visited Sanya, China and Halong Bay in Vietnam. It was a fun four-day three-night trip. But I still ask myself: had it not been a company outing, would I have spent on a cruise? I still haven?t decided.

Many people actually prefer cruises than travel by air or land. My dad, for example, has been on a few cruises. Asked what he likes about them, he says he likes that there are lots of things to do on the ship. There?s no need to check-in or out of hotels because you?ve got the hotel traveling with you. And the food is good? and endless!

These days there are so many cruises to choose from. You can take a Mediterranean Cruise, an Alaskan Cruise, a Caribbean Cruise or a cruise through Asia. On board, you can take a more affordable inside stateroom or go all out and get an ocean view cabin. You can choose from a variety of buffet meals or have a more expensive sit-down dinner at one of the other restaurants.

In fact, the endless parade of food is one of the best features of a cruise for some people. I remember how an officemate even set his cellphone alarm to coincide with the time when the buffet would be served. On our Superstar Virgo cruise, there was a breakfast buffet, a mid-morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and midnight snack. It?s therefore no surprise that people can gain a lot of unwanted pounds during their trip.

Should you choose to cruise the oceans of the world, here are a few helpful tips:

1. Research is key. Get all the information about your cruise line policies and the local customs at the ports you?re going to visit. Some cruise lines don?t accept personal checks so make sure you have enough cash or credit line. Other cruise lines don?t allow tipping. You also need to know if there are dress codes for certain meals so you can pack accordingly.

2. Where?s my bag? When you check in, they take your luggage and deliver it to your cabin. If your bag hasn?t arrived in two to three hours, don?t panic just yet. There are thousands of passengers with thousands of bags on board, so you can just imagine how long it takes to sort out and deliver them to the corresponding cabins.

3. Better safe than naked. Just in case your bag does get lost, pack a set of clothes in your carry-on. There are shops on board and at your destination ports where you can buy the rest of what you need.

4. Pack wisely. On board shops can be quite pricey and have limited stocks, so pack your personal supply of sunblock, medicine and other toiletries you just can?t live without.

5. If you can?t take the heat... Some cruise lines don?t allow heated appliances like hair dryers, curling irons or flat irons. Check before you board so you don?t waste precious luggage space.

6. Save room for me! Unless you?re booked in a suite, the cabins are usually not that big so don?t bring more than you actually need. This is not the time to overpack.

7. Budget, budget, budget. You will be given a charge card for all your on board expenses. Make sure you check your daily expenses. Some people get carried away only to find out at the end of the trip that they?ve gone way beyond their budget. Give yourself a personal limit at the casinos!

8. Better to be shore than sorry. As soon as you get on board, check all the available shore excursions. They tend to get booked fast, so make sure you register early enough to get the trips you want. Also get as much information as you can about the port stops. When we went to Halong Bay, I had no idea we needed to climb hundreds of steps to visit a cave. Had I known that, I would have stayed on the ship and just enjoyed the pool.

9. Keep your ears open. Pay attention to the announcements over the public address systems. My roommates and I were too busy exploring our cabins that we almost missed the safety briefing.

10. Stay in touch. Cellular phone signals can be erratic or non-existent out in the open sea. If you?re traveling with a big group, establish a system so you can stay in touch and not lose each other on board. Carry two-way radios or bring post-its so you can leave each other notes on your cabin doors. Then again, it?s a ship that?s in the middle of the ocean, so the chances of you guys never finding each other are slim to none.

11. Read up! Newsletters will be delivered to your cabin everyday, sometimes twice a day. This is an important way to stay informed of special announcements, events or changes in schedules.

12. Moderation is key. Since there are overflowing buffets and non-stop pre-paid meals, people tend to overeat. Eat wisely. And if you can?t, check the schedule of the fitness center.

13. Relax, they?re only movies. Yes, we?ve all seen ?Titanic? and ?The Poseidon Adventure.? But ships are equipped with state of the art safety equipment. And they are not equipped with mobilizers so there is less chance of getting seasick. But just in case, carry some medication with you. Or you can stop by the ship?s clinic. If you are prone to motion sickness, the best cabin location for you is on a lower deck in the middle of the ship (midway between the bow and the stern). Pitch, roll, and yaw ? the movements made by a ship ?will be less noticeable in that area.

14. Feel at home. Most of the cruise lines around the world employ a number of Filipinos. They can be a great source of information and special attention. A Filipina food server in the buffet restaurant on the Superstar Virgo observed that I needed a diet soda with my breakfast everyday. So as soon as she saw me, she would get my soda ready.

Going on a cruise can be a fun and memorable vacation experience. With so many activities on board and at various ports of call, you can customize your holiday. And, after all these tips have sunk in, you?re probably ready to book one. ?