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Thought about logically, cruising makes little sense.

Several thousand people hop on a boat and spend four days to two weeks around semi-exotic locations, stopping to totally overwhelm what initial charm a port of call might have possessed.

While on the boat, passengers eat prodigious amounts of food, watch entertainment, swim in saltwater-filled pools, gamble, go to spas, people watch, shop, attend art auctions or dance.

Described like that, cruising seems to be on the strange side.

The reality is that, unless you are prone to seasickness, cruising can be enjoyable and inexpensive.

I've gone on six cruises over the past 15 years, three in the Caribbean and three along the California and Mexico coasts of the Pacific.

The most unusual was the smallest, a seven-day Caribbean cruise aboard the Royal Clipper, one of the world's largest sailing ships but a relatively tiny ship compared with most. There were only 132 passengers on this trip (though it can carry 227), which made for a more personal experience.

The size of the clipper ship also allowed it to sail into some smaller ports, which added to the quality of the experience. Another highlight was being able to lie in the netting at the bow of the boat as it skimmed the water, an activity that made you feel as if you were part of the ocean as the wind blew in your face.

My first cruise took us to the Caribbean out of Florida with stops at Key West, Grand Cayman, Jamaica and the Bahamas.

The one thing that amazes first-time cruisers is the fancy food. Being able to order delicacies such as lobster, filet mignon, foie gras, escargot and baked Alaska is so far from the ordinary that each meal became an adventure. And the midnight buffet with the ice carvings and chess boards made from vegetables, cheese and cold cuts proved amazing to those who could stand to dine once again after a huge meal.

Cruise vacations are particularly good for families with younger children. Staffs at the kids' areas usually have college degrees in dealing with children and do such a wonderful job that sometimes your kids don't want to spend any time with you because they are having such fun.

Other ship experiences are less enjoyable.

My three least favorite cruise experiences are waiting in line to board the boat, the mandatory life-jacket muster station fire drill and waiting in line to get off the ship. With hundreds and sometimes thousands of people involved, I don't know how these things could be handled better, but they are certainly a hassle.

Crews can make a cruise adventure and, for the most part, the hard-working servers representing an array of countries do a wonderful job. But if you are assigned to a table with a crew that isn't on top of things, it can make for a long trip.

Getting an authentic cultural experience at ports of call served almost daily by cruise ships can also be difficult. There are simply too many people to be served, and many of those who guide tours or work at markets seem jaded by seeing too many tourists on too many days.

On a vacation scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best, I'd rate cruising somewhere between 6 and 7. It has many advantages and a few disadvantages but, for the money, ranks among the best vacation deals.

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* TOM WHARTON can be contacted at wharton@sltrib.com or 801-257-8909. Send comments about this column to livingeditor@sltrib.com.