I recently ended up taking a cruise by accident. I had planned to visit as much of Norway as possible but, after some research, I found it to be a very rugged landscape that would not easily be tackled by train alone. In order to get to many of the places I wanted to visit, I would have to use a bus, a ferry, and possibly even a taxi. As I was looking up ferries to estimate my costs and see if the trip was even possible, I stumbled across a website for Hurtigruten lines. It turns out this company offers ferry service along the entire coast of Norway from Kirkenes to Bergen. The cost was around $1000 for the 6 day, 5 night cruise.

Given the cost of food, transportation, and accommodations (there are no hostels in this part of Norway), I figured the cost was about the same as taking the ferry so I bought a ticket for room, board, and passage along the dramatic coast of Norway.

The room I selected was the cheapest available: a mid-ship inside cabin, on the lowest deck. While this sounds undesirable, let me share this: when ships are at sea, they are pitched up and down as a result of wind and waves. If you were to look at the part of the ship with the least amount of movement, in turns out to be inside, mid-ship, lower deck. By contrast, the most expensive cabins, far from the ship’s center of gravity, experience the greatest amount of movement. Why pay extra to get sea sickness?

Some might argue that the view is better from the premium cabins, but consider that the money you save by booking the cheap cabin can be used to buy drinks in the lounge, which is usually located on one of the higher decks, with windows much larger inside than the small circles or squares that qualify as view windows from the premium cabins.

If you’re still not convinced, something to keep in mind is that the rooms that sell out first on a cruise are the cheapest and the most expensive. If you buy a cheap room early on, there is a good chance you will get bumped up in cabin class the closer it gets to departure time.

Another thing that will come up when booking your cruise is your meals. Many young cruisers today prefer the casual dining option. I find this absurd as the price for casual dining and reserved sit down dining is the same. Reserved dining is no longer the formal affair of days past. What you do get is a dedicated server who will learn all of your preferences after your first meal, and the food is far superior to what is offered in the casual meal areas. Consider it the difference between eating at McDonald’s and a fine restaurant. If the price was the same, would you eat at McDonald’s? Well, many young people might, but I value my money and my health.

Cruise ships usually offer two dining times. Always choose the later one for two reasons: One, families with children always take the first time slot. That means that when all the kids are eating, you will have exclusive access to the pool and anywhere else that might be crawling with unsupervised children during the day. Since most people choose the early plan, it actually means everywhere on the ship will be relatively empty around 6pm; a perfect time to head to the bar for a cocktail without having to wait for service.

When selecting a table size, choose the big table. Your first thought might be to choose a table for two, if you’re a couple, or a small table for a more intimate experience. You’ve had plenty of dinners alone with your partner. One of the best places to hear travel stories and make lifetime travel friends is at the dining table. Choose the biggest one, because at a small table, one person you don’t like can make your dining experience dreadful. Having a table full of people you can talk to lessens the odds of your getting stuck with a bore.

The last big consideration is shore excursions. This is where the ships really make their money through upcharging. Carefully research all of the offerings beforehand. Then do some research to see if you can plan these things on your own. It will almost always be cheaper, and you avoid the experience of being bused around with the hordes to your “unique” experience. I have often found that you can actually walk off the ship and book a tour on your own for a fraction of what the cruise ship charges. Again, do your research so that you are not caught off guard with all the shore excursions being sold out when you arrive.

I know a lot of people who think they’d be bored on a cruise. I also know a lot of people who were surprised how they didn’t get bored on a cruise. Cruises provide a daily program that is usually packed with more things to do than you have time for. Days at sea are usually my favorite because I can take a dance class, learn to fold a napkin, or prepare an appetizer. I think I learn more during days at sea than I do when we’re in port. Today’s ships also come with gyms, climbing walls, swimming pools, mini golf, and I usually find myself stressing about not getting my money’s worth whenever I’m off the ship.

Finally, let’s not forget the possibility of sea sickness. If you know you’re prone to motion sickness, be sure to pick up some Dramamine tablets or patches the week before you depart, and start with them before you board the ship. It usually takes me a couple of days before my body adjusts to the movement of the ship and I can stop medicating. A peculiar thing happens, however, the next time I go to shore after acclimating. I get seasick on land! My body has made the adjustment to constant movement so when I disembark, my brain begins to get confused by the non-moving land.

I think cruising is a great way to see areas that might otherwise be inaccessible. That is the case with my trip along the Norwegian coast line. I feel the same about Alaska, where the most remarkable part of that state is the coast line, and I’ve always dreamed of cruising from London to New York via Iceland, Greenland, and Nova Scotia. You can cover a lot of territory, often at a more affordable price than going to each place independently, and the best thing is that instead of checking in and out of hotels, you only have to unpack once.