Anna Selby shares her tips for choosing, booking and enjoying the ultimate cruise holiday.

Cruises entail a much wider variety of activities and destinations than most holidays. You might be sunbathing on deck one day, walking around a city the next. You might be having a romantic on your balcony one evening and at a formal captain's dinner the following one. While there are usually no restrictions on the amount of luggage you take on board, you do need to bear in mind how you get to and from the ship itself, especially as many cruises pick you up in one port and leave you at a different one. So bear in mind you may need to fly home and airlines very definitely have weight restrictions. Packing for a cruise, then, needs some planning.

• Pack the right clothing
  For days at sea in the sun, take plenty of mix and match swimwear and cover-ups. Because of the reflections from the water, you can burn more easily, so hats, lightweight shirts and T-shirts are a must. If you are visiting countries where dress codes are more sensitive than at home, take lightweight clothing that will not leave your arms and legs bare. Excursions often involve a lot of walking, so take some comfy shoes. Evenings at sea can sometimes be cooler, so take a wrap or a jacket and bear in mind that, for a romantic look, loose, floaty clothes look particularly good wafting in the breeze.
• Don't forget about dressing for dinner
  You should receive information about dress codes on board with your final documents (if not, ask your travel agent's advice). While swimwear, flip-flops and a sarong are ideal daywear, clothes for the evening are more complicated. As a simple rule of thumb, evening wear can be divided into three categories. Casual means a dress or skirt or trousers with a top for you, an open neck shirt and slacks for him - but no sports shoes or shorts. Informal means a dress or smart trousers for you and a jacket and tie for him. Formal means serious dressing-up - a dinner jacket or dark suit for him, and a cocktail or long dress for you.
• Take care of your skin.
  Skin care - and particularly sun care - is very important on a holiday. The sun may be more likely to burn and your skin may dry out more so take plenty of higher than usual sun protection and lots of moisturiser for face and body. If you're somewhere hot, head for the shade in the middle of the day. If you're visiting hot countries, take a mosquito spray and use generously, especially in the evening.
• Take your medications
  Bring anything you take normally, plus a few emergency supplies for headaches, insect bites, sunburn or upset stomachs. Most ships nowadays are so well stabilised you are very unlikely to experience sea sickness but, if you know you are a poor sailor, take some seasickness remedies with you, just in case.
• Fill your pockets
  Depending on the cruise line, UK sterling or US dollars are most likely to be used on board - though extras are usually added to your bill and can be paid by credit card before you disembark. A few small denomination dollar bills are useful in many excursion destinations. Many cruises include tips in the cost but, if not, take around #3 to #4 a day for your maid and waiter in the currency used onboard.
• Bring vacation supplies
  Take a good book for lazy days sunbathing and plenty of film for your camera. Most ships have 110 and 220 volt electrical currents so you probably won't need an adaptor but check with your final documents where there should be information on this. If you want to call home from a port of call, it is a good idea to arrange a preferential rate with your mobile phone company in advance. At sea, no one can reach you as the signal dies out of sight of land. Bliss.