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World cruisers, I have discovered, fall into two groups: those who fill their days moaning about anything and everything -- and those who are fed up with the nit-pickers. On my voyage on P&O's Aurora, one of my tablemates at dinner fell into the latter category. "People who haven't been on a world cruise before get bored at this point, so they start to moan," she told me on my first evening onboard. It was her 52nd night since the ship sailed from Southampton. Like 1,100 others, she was following in the footsteps of that most famous of circumnavigators, Phileas Fogg, and sailing around the world in 80 days. I, on the other hand, was a world cruise virgin, doing a two-week sector between Hong Kong and Mumbai in India. My tablemate was only half right. Even practiced circumnavigators were starting to long for home by the time I got onboard, due mainly, I suspect, to the many consecutive sea days, which are trying for all but the saltiest seadogs. Aurora had just done six in a row when the ship got to Hong Kong and another five were looming after Mumbai. "They see the list of ports and don't realize how many sea days it takes to get between them," my world cruise expert advised knowingly. Lesson number one: Count the days in between those exotic-sounding ports. Coming into the middle of a world cruise was a bit like meeting the neighbors for the first time. By the time I arrived, these old hands had a ready stash of stories to tell -- what they thought of the food, the service, who said what to whom and how "they" (being P&O) rip you off for "this or that." Naturally both "this and that" changed depending on who you talked to. In addition to established complaints and stories, the world cruisers had also established a daily routine -- breakfast, time to rest and read, a lecture, lunch, time for another rest and read, then back to the cabin to get ready for pre-dinner drinks and the evening meal. Wives, I noticed, also made time for the laundry room, which was the best place to pick up on the gossip. Circumnavigators have a hard life. Here are some tips if you'd like to become one of them. Going All the Way Around If you have the time and money, cruising all the way around the globe is the ultimate travel experience. Would-be Phileas Foggs should pay close attention to itineraries as some world cruises don't quite go all the way around the world. Instead, they start in the U.S. and end in Europe or the U.K., or stay in one or other of the hemispheres. Most passengers traveling all the way around the world are regular cruisers and because of the time element -- ranging from 90 to 120 days -- they tend to be retired. However, families with tots and teens do make an appearance; on the world cruise I sampled, seven family groups were going all the way around. However, a surprising number dive straight in and book the full circumnavigation for their first vacation at sea. That's brave. A better idea might be to spend a week or two cruising in Europe or the Caribbean to see if you like traveling by ship. Cruising Segments World cruise segments can be anything from two weeks to a month or more and are a great way to get the world cruise experience if you are strapped for time and money. You might want to cruise from Los Angeles to Australia, or from Singapore back to L.A. East Coasters might prefer cruising from New York to South America or from Istanbul to Ft. Lauderdale. Alternately, you can fly out to Europe or Asia to do a middle segment of a world cruise and then fly back home afterward. The drawback for part-world cruisers comes when they have to fly, if only one way, because packing (see below) becomes more of a challenge due to the airline weight limitations. Some lines, such as P&O Cruises, allow passengers to disembark and leave luggage on the ship for a fee (as well as shipping costs from the port to your hometown). It's worth asking about this service if you can manage without parts of your wardrobe until the ship returns to its homeport. Alternately, look into your cruise line's luggage valet program and have your bags shipped directly between the ship and your home. How to Pick a Cruise Line Round-the-world cruising has become so popular that more and more cruise lines are adding a global jaunt to their schedules. That means hopeful circumnavigators can choose from a variety of itineraries, ships and prices. If you have a favorite line, check out its itineraries and prices; if you don't, look for one that offers your preferred style of cruising. Bear in mind, though, that if you do a full world cruise, you will be at sea for three or four months -- it's maybe not the best time to start experimenting with new lines. Princess Cruises launched its first round-the-world cruise in five years in 2008 and has two ships circumnavigating the globe in 2009. Holland America's Amsterdam is sailing round the world from Ft. Lauderdale in 2008, with the Rotterdam taking over world cruise duties in 2009 with a Los Angeles to New York itinerary. If all-inclusive luxury is more your thing, Regent Seven Seas Cruises or Silversea might be the best line for you. Or be patient and book a suite on Seabourn's first world cruise on new ship Seabourn Odyssey, departing in January 2010. Luxury line Crystal Cruises, which blends big-ship amenities with small-ship food and service, also offers traditional round-the-world cruising, with fixed dining and paid-for alcohol. Anglophiles may want to consider P&O Cruises, Cunard or Fred. Olsen for a traditional British onboard experience. Whatever style you prefer, it pays to decide early as you get the best deals -- and cabins -- as soon as bookings open, which is usually 18 months in advance. Make a Date When choosing your cruise, look carefully at the dates on the schedule. Cruise lines don't always list sea days so it might look as if you have a myriad of exotic ports, one after the other, when actually there's a week at sea in between them. Also check the ports of call carefully; it would be a shame to head off around the world and visit places you already know. On the other hand, a few repeat visits are great for discovering some new little gems. How to Pick a Cabin A lot depends on your budget for this one, but if you are going to be at sea for several months it's worth splurging on the biggest and best room you can afford. If nothing else, you need plenty of space to store all your clothes. A suite would be lovely but isn't necessary. You want at least a balcony cabin, so you have somewhere to hide away from your fellow globetrotters for those moments of "me" time. The usual rules apply if you are able to pick your specific cabin. The lower rooms in the center of the ship are the most stable if the sea turns nasty. If you can't bear being near the water line, choose a cabin higher up but still in the center of the ship. Conversely, cabins at the front and back take the brunt of the movement in a heavy swell, but those at the rear often have wonderful views over the ship's wake (and sometimes get bigger balconies -- check out the small print in the brochures if that appeals). Cabins near elevators can be noisy as people return to bed late at night. Staterooms at the back are handy for the self-service buffet on the top deck and the restaurants on the lower decks, which are invariably at the aft end of the ship. What to Pack You know how hard it is to decide what to take for a two-week vacation? Then pity the world cruiser, who has to pack for several months away, making sure to have something for warm, cold and wet weather, not to mention all those formal nights. This is where a little planning will pay dividends. Your cruise line can tell you how many formal, semi-formal and smart casual nights there will be, so start by selecting outfits for them, remembering that accessories are a wonderful way of giving clothes you have worn once a new lease on life. Then match the itinerary against weather charts for the time of year you'll be visiting. For example, in January, Europe could be chilly, the Caribbean will be pleasantly warm but not hot, and tropical countries such as Malaysia might be steaming but also in the midst of a rainy season -- so a light raincoat or umbrella might come in handy. Of course, if you live near a world-cruise departure port, such as Los Angeles or Ft. Lauderdale, you can pack as much as you want because you won't have to fly. But tempting as it might be to take the kitchen sink, remember you can always replenish your wardrobe as you sail around the world, especially in Asia, where you can pick up some real bargains. Remember also that all ships offer laundry service and many have do-it-yourself washing facilities (but check if you need to take your own detergent), so you can keep on top of your dirty laundry without paying a fortune. If you are on just a segment of a world cruise, with flights to or from the ship -- or both ways -- you will need to pack more carefully to stay inside your airline's weight limits. Again, if you are going to Asia, travel light so there's room to bring a few designer bargains back home. --by Jane Archer. Archer is a leading U.K. cruise journalist who writes regularly on the subject for the Telegraph newspaper and contributes to other specialist cruising publications.