You print out the new price and bring it to your travel agent. She/he calls the line and they credit your account. No fuss. No arguments.

What cruiseline was that, Bronxguy?

We've taken 3 cruises on HAL & they've all sold out.

Correcto, Arizona. If they sell out early you won't see any price reductions. Prices go down only when they need to fill the ship. This was Royal Carib, San Diego to San Juan - a repositioning cruise. But on any non-sellout, they do get anxious to fill those cabins. Prices will always go up when sales are brisk.

All tips so far are great, especially deciding to ENJOY every minute. I'd add: pack light, especially for formal and semi-formal nights. Take one pair of black silk pants or a long skirt and several tops...a few dressy and a few not as dressy--and you're all set. You may be bored with your choices, but you won't be sorry!

Take a light bag of some kind which is comfortable to carry when you go on land excursion. You may need something to put goodies in which you may purchase along the way - I use something to put on my shoulder - plastice bags are a pain and if you are in more than one place they are easier to accidentally put down and leave. I have one that folds up into my pocket when it is empty and expands when needed. Enjoy and choose to do the things which appeal to you and never be concerned about asking questions - terrible to end your trip and discover there were things you would have liked but did not ask about them.

Give your cabin steward a big tip as soon as you meet him/her, and tell him/her what special things you would like. I think this ensures great service, and then tip him/her again later in the week if you wish.

Make any special dinner reservations for the week as soon as you board.

Treat the ship as a "floating hotel", and do whatever makes you happy. Participate in as many (or as few) of the activities as you like. They are there for your enjoyment, but maybe you would rather sit on your balcony reading a book.

Order coffee to be delivered to you in your cabin every morning while you get ready for breakfast. True luxury.

Take tried and true, comfortable evening shoes. You will have to walk a lot in them. And an evening bag that you can hang over your wrist.

For evening, take black pants and tank tops or camisoles. Then take various tops, jackets, shawls, and costume jewelry to go with them.

Have a positive attitude, and have fun! Seek out fun people, and avoid the negative ones. Enjoy yourselves!!

Book a cruise with the first day at sea -- particularly if you have to travel any distance to get to the port before leaving. You can spend the first day relaxing, finding out where everything is, making whatever reservations you need to make on board, figuring out what to do in the ports for the rest of the week.

Attend the sessions where they discuss the next day's port. Even though the talks seem to be pretty heavy on what to buy where, and even if you have already decided what you want to do, it may clue you into something you weren't thinking about doing. (On past cruises, these tended to be taped so if you missed it live, you can watch it later in your cabin. Do all of the big ships do that?)

Pack a swimsuit and casual clothes in a bag to carry on the ship with you. It may take a while for your bags to arrive in your cabin. It's no fun walking around in travel clothes (especially if you came from cold weather) when everyone else is in the hot tub. We also like to pack our own oversized mugs for coffee in the am, so we can stroll around watching the sun rise.