The average family spends more time planning their next vacation than they do their retirement. Family vacations are filled with luxury condominiums, exciting activities, and decadent meals; retirement is filled with patio homes, shuffleboard, and senior discounts on early bird specials. This year, perhaps you should take a cruise, let the cruise line do all the planning, and use the excess time to plan for your retirement.

Cruises, however, aren't for everyone. Here are some things Leith Acura of Cary wants you to consider.

Cruise Positives

Cruises are the department stores of vacations, without the screaming children and harried, unkempt mothers wearing sweats, trying to return a pair of slippers.

Cruises have everything in one convenient location. You don't have to travel all over town to find entertainment, food, or something for the kids to do. It's all right there on the ship. There's no need to rent a car (in fact, driving on cruise ships is highly discouraged), or scour a map, or drive round and round a traffic rotary. For those who prefer to relax or wish to see a little of a lot, cruises offer the opportunity to see many locations without the hassle of driving to them.

Like department stores, cruises make sense for those sticking to a budget. Not only do items such as food, entertainment, and recreation cost less, they're usually included in the cost of the cruise package.

Cruise Negatives

Just like the department store advertises plungers at 75% off to lure you in so you'll buy the overpriced crock pot or oven mitts, cruise lines offer great package deals, hoping you'll buy the add-ons once you're on board. Things such as alcohol, carbonated beverages, fine dining, and shore excursions are usually not included in the price of the cruise.

Remember: you're stuck on a boat most of the time, great for relaxing but discouraging to the more adventurous types. Most shore excursions last for a short duration and do not provide enough time to travel inland or to experience atmosphere or culture. Keep in mind also that the food and entertainment included in the package is sometimes less than desirable. Throw in small cabins and the inability to find seclusion, and some cruisers tire of the cruise ship quickly

Cruise Tips

Before booking any cruise, make sure you get the cruise that suits your needs. List the five or six most important vacation must-haves and find the right cruise for you. Once you've narrowed down potential cruises, read third-party online reviews and you're on your way to a relaxing vacation. And, if you research the best cruise deals online before booking, you might just have some money left over to start an IRA.