Video compliments of the Travel Channel

Cruising is unlike any other vacation you'll experience. The water views are built in alongside every restaurant window, poolside chaise and cabin balcony. The restaurants offer varied fare from well-regarded chefs, and give you the option of dressing up, dressing down or hardly dressing at all, for those who choose to eat poolside. Endless shore excursions will have you frolicking around ports without a single logistical worry. And you only have to unpack your suitcase once.

Your biggest stress may be finding the right cruise vacation for you. With myriad destinations and a constantly growing fleet of cruise liners, your options are extensive. First up: choose a destination. Narrowing it down to the type of cruise experience you're looking for may help. If you're vying for endless sun, warm cerulean waters and wet-and-wild beach scenes, head to the Caribbean. Adventure-seekers can put their hiking skills to the test in the Alaskan wilderness, while those craving international waters might enjoy a jaunt around the Mediterranean, a thrilling sail through the Panama Canal, or a trip down under to the South Pacific.

A lot has changed since the Love Boat era. Cruise lines have stepped it up in terms of service, accommodations (no more pint-sized cabins) and cuisine. Luxury liners like Crystal Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line and Silversea Cruises majestically balance the intimate attention and detail of smaller boutique ships with the wider range of amenities found on large, mainstream cruises. Deluxe cruises offer the perfect middle ground for those who want the five-star cruise experience at four-star prices, with cruise lines like Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line and Windstar Cruises. And then there are the mainstream fleets that provide incredible value for families, singles and anyone looking to get some R&R at sea. Updated accommodations, expanded activity lists and exotic destinations are just some of the features that cruise lines like Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines and Disney Cruise Line have incorporated.

Once you're booked, all that is left to do is pack, an easy feat considering you won't have to lug your suitcase around from port to port (go ahead and toss in that extra pair of shoes). Most cruise lines will offer a suggested list of items to bring—a bit like summer camp without having to write your name in your underwear—but the mainstays are simple: sunscreen, some alternative form of ID and sea-sickness medication (just in case). If you forget anything, you may be able to pick it up on board at the gift shop; otherwise, you'll just have to do a little shopping in port—oh well.