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Planning your first cruise can be an exciting but nerve wracking time. There are so many cruise lines, ships, ports and destinations to choose from. Then you have to determine a length of stay and of course fill your time on and off the ship. With the help of MSC Cruises app, we’ve broken it down into baby steps with helpful tips for choosing the perfect combination for your first cruise vacation.

Choose Your Cruise Line

As with most things in life, not all cruise lines are created equal. The standard of service, size of their ships and the included amenities can vary greatly between cruise lines. Of course, cost and departure/arrival ports are other factors as well. Make sure to research your options and ask yourself the important questions on timing, budget and what you want to get out of your vacation. Some cruise lines make that easy to do with helpful apps. MSC Cruises has launched a new, interactive, mobile app for iOS and Android devices that allows vacationers to easily explore the fleet’s 12 ultramodern ships and the multiple destinations visited around the world.

Choose Your Destination

One of the incredible parts about cruising is the opportunity to see just one destination or visit many with just a single fair. MSC Cruises feature bucket list destinations such as:

Also read: 99 Things to Do in Oslo, Norway

Choose Your Cruise Length

Depending on where you’re cruising to, you can choose lengths from 2 nights to 10 nights or even weeks. Most destinations allow you to choose between at least two lengths. For example, a Caribbean cruise from Miami offers 4, 7 and even 20 night options.

Pick A View

One of the greatest determining factors in cruise cost is the type of room you choose. Staterooms are great for the budget traveler who wants to see enjoy the experience and perhaps doesn’t plan on spending much time in their room. Greater budgets can afford balcony rooms, suites and deluxe packages. The MSC Cruises App allows you to see an overview of each room with photos and even offers 360 degree virtual ship tours in which users can view actual staterooms, restaurants, lounges, pool decks, the theatre and spa. You can even watch live onboard webcam feeds from each ship (including the view from the bridge).

Find A Great Deal

Now that you have determined where you’re going and how you’re going to get there, it’s time to find the best deals! Many travel websites offer discount codes or deal alerts:

or you can go right to the source. For instance, the MSC Cruises app has a section dedicated just to special offers.

Also read: The Basics of Buying Travel Insurance

Fill Your Itinerary

Now that you have booked your cruise, it’s time to fill your itinerary. Fill down time on board by the pool or taking in a show and spend time in port on excursions like: