This is the BIGGEST mistake people make when booking a cruise

Cruise ship life is a lot of fun: very sociable, with lots of food and the chance to explore new destinations.

One of the only downsides is the price and early start times of the excursions, which sometimes leaves you waking up at 6 or 7am in on your holiday.

However, it doesn’t have to be this way – many people are missing out on a simple cruise trick, wrote Matt Meltzer, a travel journalist, in a post on Business Insider.

Arrange your own excursions at your cruise stop off destinations, he recommended.

It could be the difference between having your holiday on your own terms, and following the cruise ship’s schedule.