Hod do you Pick yours?

How do you pick your cruise holiday?
What factors are important to you when booking? For me, it has mostly been driven by the cruise line and ship. I know for many the ports of call are more important hence our choice of cruise two years ago when we went to the Norwegian Fjords, chosen by my wife. I would much prefer to holiday in sunnier climes. I have yet to go on a Caribbean cruise but live in hope!
Most departures for us have been from Barcelona with the usual ports of call such as Livorno, Naples, and Civitavecchia. Personally, I like to spend my days on board whilst everyone else gets off to explore, especially as I’ve visited these ports on many occasions! It is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the facilities, having them practically to yourself.
Venice is a fantastic departure port. It is a spectacular experience to cruise down the Grand Canal. Itineraries from Venice typically include Croatia and the Greek Isles. I have to say I make some exceptions to my ‘staying onboard’ philosophy with certain ports such as Santorini.
This year my family holiday will be on RCI Allure Of The Seas. Again this is a Mediterranean cruise, departing from Barcelona, and the reason for this choice? – my daughter. I’ve been keen to take her on a ship like Allure with all the fantastic things to explore onboard. She will definitely spend a lot of time swimming, on the water slides and rock climbing. I’m sure she will also be first in line for the zip wire if we allow it! In addition to all this, there’s the Aqua Theatre, Ice shows and Cats the musical Broadway production. What more could a seven-year-old want?