The best advice is to be informed about cabins and pick the right cabin for you among the thousands available on a cruise ship.

1. One of the most difficult parts of planning for a cruise is choosing the right cabin. Everyone has different tastes, and what is not important to one person might well be important to you.

2. Look at the cruise ship layout and decks online or in brochures. Know that there are different types of cabins on different cruise ships. The biggest differences between cruise lines--mainstream and luxury--ships are the quality of accommodations.

3. Sometimes there are over 20 different categories on a ship! So it is important to know the different cabin categories. One reason is that thanks to modern shipbuilding, most inside and outside staterooms are standard in size and amenities. Comparing one vessel's cabins against another is daunting task, so keep your eye on the square footage as the most important criteria.

4. Know your budget and what you can afford. The price of a cruise ship cabin or stateroom (the terms are interchangeable) is dependent on its size, layout, and location. The cabins on large cruise ships come in standard, ocean view, balcony, and suite. A luxury line's smallest cabins are much larger than those on large cruise lines and are either ocean view or balconied.

5. Know your lifestyle. Price is certainly a consideration, but if your vacation time is limited, you might be willing to pay more to get a cabin better suited to your lifestyle. It's a personal decision, much like deciding where to cruise and which ship to cruise on. How about an outside cabin with a window, or better yet a balcony? How about sitting on the balcony with a good book or using it to catch a breathe of sea air?

6. The right cabin is a retreat house after a busy day ashore, or just to get away. A long cruise will have you wanting to spend a relaxing time in your room, watching a TV-movie, or taking a nap.

7. Lots of people recommend the cheapest inside cabin, because you won't be spending much time in there anyway. This might be true for short trips, but are you prepared for an inside cabin on the lowest level.

8. Know your location. Cabin, balcony size, and cabin location vary significantly within the same price range on any ship.

9. There's lot of cruise industry jargon you have to decipher.

10. Yes, there are the obvious questions you should ask: Will I located below the water line? Will I hear the roar of the ships engines from my cabin? Will I have enough room to turn around in my cabin? Will it be the size of a walk-in closet, with no windows, a tiny bath, and bunk beds? Will I not be able to tell if it's day or night without going up several decks?

Explore what the different types of cabins are, which locations are the most desirable, and which locations you should avoid if possible. Pick the right accommodations and you'll have a wonderful time, and get hooked on cruising.