Cruise Ships - The Perfect Spring Break Cruise Vacation

As a college student who pinches pennies and studies hard all year, you have earned a break - especially after the long, dark and harsh winter that was piled high with exams, mid-term papers and snow. So, why not take a cruise this year?

Typically, most students choose standard "Spring break hot spots" to visit, like Daytona Beach, Cancun in Mexico, South Beach or even Panama City. Granted, all these cities have buzzing night lives, sunny weather and expanses of beach. But, they're also overcrowded and overdone. Spring break cruising is a great way to enjoy an all-inclusive holiday, hit multiple beaches on one trip, see more of the world and always be just "steps" from your hotel.

Most students might think of a cruise as something only for the elderly, the newlywed or families full of kids. But, as the market of young cruise travelers grows, cruise ship companies are responding with cruise vacations that are tailored specifically toward young adults and students who are looking to have fun and enjoy themselves during a break from schoolwork.

That said, to find the right cruise ship vacation - particularly one geared toward the "Spring break" market, you will need to do some research. Don't worry, this research will be a lot more fun than the eighteen hours you spent in the library for your psychology thesis! The cruise line market has exploded during the past couple of decades, so the options are plentiful and the availability of their information is easily obtained on the Internet.

Start by looking at individual cruise lines and the homepage of their web sites. Are they geared toward seniors? Do they mostly advertise family vacations? Typically, a cruise line like Disney is going to offer exclusively family-oriented cruises. Meanwhile, other cruise lines like Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises and Oceania tend to offer youth-driven or adults-only cruises.

You will also want to review what some cruise lines consider to be the "adult age." Some lines require that all passengers under 21 be accompanied by an adult over the age of 25, while other cruise lines require one adult for ever five minors, and others consider everyone over the age of 18 to be an adult. For example, Carnival Cruises typically requires every unmarried guest under the age of 25 to be sharing a room with an adult over the age of 25.

You also need to check the cruise ships' alcohol policies. Some cruises allow a drinking age-of-majority of 18, while others are stricter and enforce a 21 and up policy only. The drinking age can also depend on the departing port, what port you're docked in and the flag that your boat is flying. Be sure to verify all this before you book your trip, especially if you're under 21.

Overall, some of the best youth-drive cruises are those tailored toward adventure travelers. A boat that offers lots of shore excursions that are active - like scuba diving, rock climbing, parachuting and other extreme sports - is more likely to attract an adventurous, fun-loving and young crowd.