I've been on one cruise. They are relaxing, with the exception of the hassle of embarking and disembarking ports of call. I had tried to smuggle some rum I purchased at port, pouring it into a Coke bottle, and it went through the scanner and they confiscated it until the evening before we disembarked at the end of the cruise. They are really super observant when it comes to ppl smuggling booze. Booze expenses on a cruise with the mandatory gratuity adds up very quickly.