Destination has as lot to do with the type of crowd you will be on board with. My wife and i don't like to be around people so we like north bound cruises. The cruises that go south have all of the loud party people. I can write for hours about things but i will just address your questions from my opinions. >What company is the best, with the best experience to be had, and the best ships I prefer Norwegian. The crowd seems to be older and quieter. Carnival is a carnival. Think party party party. I think most cruises are going this way but Norwegian has anytime dining. That means no assigned meal times and assigned tables. >Would it be perfectly fine to get one of the cheaper cabins and still have a lot of fun, Yes. You won't be spending your days in the cabin. Think of it as a place to sleep. We always upgrade our room to a balcony because my wife smokes. And we can keep the door open to hear the water at night. The upgrade usually is around $200 so it's not a big purchase for a bit of extra. If you are bored on a cruise, it's your fault. There's is plenty to do. The bigger ships have more activities but also more crowds so longer wait times. I was on a smaller ship and got to see all of the shows and do all of the activities but they weren't as grand. On a big crowded ship we had to be an hour early to shows just to get a seat and wait in long lines for activities (water park on top of ship). If you are a drinker, get the drink package. It's worth it. If not, and you are ok with drinking just tea and water ( soda is extra), save your money. Don't visit the stores unless you feel like blowing money. The shopping section is just an overpriced mall. Don't stand in lines. Don't follow the crowd. Everytime we saw people bunch up in a line we went the alternate route and walked right to the front. It happened so much we started calling it "the phenomenon". We would go for lunch, encounter a huge line and then walk 20 feet to another entrance and just walk into the buffet while the other people would wait for a half hour to get in. People are stupid and will follow the leader even when the leader is an idiot. Be prepared to spend a lot of money. Or not. Just be prepared. You can cruise for no more than your ticket price and still have a good time. Especially if you like sightseeing. And ignore the shops that everyone hits immediately after getting off at a port. They are worse than the stores on boat. But have money for the taxis and plan ahead. I'm going to stop or i will ramble on for ages, I you have specific questions just ask and i will answer as best as i can. I highly recommend trying a cruise at least once.