While most major cruise lines do their best to make all trip enjoyable experiences, not all cruises are equal. First, of course, go to the internet to check passenger critiques from previous cruises on the same ship, and if they report poor maintenance, bad sanitary conditions, lousy food and other negatives. If so, look elsewhere for your cruise. In fact, once signed up, even before you board, understand all your options.

Every senior who signs up for a singles cruise hopes for a shipboard romance, maybe as happened in the Cary Grant-Deborah Kerr 1957 movie, “An Affair to Remember.” Some succeed, and as in ads for eHarmony.com, they marry and live happily ever after. However, often under the moonlight on a sparkling sea, many fall for false stories told by single, or say they’re single, senior guys. Traditionally, most singles cruise fibbers are guys, but not all. To help you sort out the phonies from the realies on your next singles cruise, here’s some advice:

Air travel etiquette doesn't start after you board your flight. There are also some simple courtesy rules you should follow while waiting in the airport. The most annoying offender is the obnoxious character sitting next to you yakking at full voice on the cell phone just two inches away from your ear. These days, almost every traveler needs to use the handy cell phone, to keep up with the latest at home, office and schedules. However, for the sake of everyone around you in the airport waiting area, when using your cell phone, go find yourself to a quiet corner. Then you can yell, squawk and scream as loud as you want, as long as you're away from other people's ears.

How many of our TRAVEL55PLUS.COM readers can remember seeing a reunion of living Civil War veterans. I was part of a high school cadet corps in 1941 that marched in a Philly parade honoring survivors of the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic). More than 76 years after the War Between the States had ended, some 20 very old guys in faded Union uniforms marched with us or rode in open cars. Their ages ranged from 90 to 105. Military reunions have always been important events to veterans, as men and women returned from all the wars wanted to meet together their old buddies annually to relive old times.