A high-energy, active cruise is easy.  Just pick up the ship's daily newsletter and start planning what to do next.  Here are some specific recommendations:

• Get rest during off peak times; in the afternoon or early evening, so you have the energy for late night activities or to get up early, get off the ship in port, and go exploring before the crowd.
• Pencil in  major activites for each day and plan your day around them but don't set them in stone; be able to change your plans at a moments notice to go with some new friends to do something fun that they know about but you don't
• Sit at a large table in the dining room with complete and total strangers who look about your age.  You'll enrich your cruise experience many times over by networking with other passengers who may have some great ideas for what to do next
• Don't feel obligated to go to any shows.  If  you think they will be boring to you, skip them.  But don't write them all off right away because there are some great, high energy production shows as well as fun solo entertainers to see.
• Learn where the bars are quickly.  There's lots of action in them and any discos on board. You'll want to stop by and they make great meeting places
• Bring a highlighter.  Every night your cabin steward will leave a copy of your ship's daily newsletter that will outline everything that is going on for the next day.  No matter how much energy you have you will not be able to do everything, so choose wisely and highlight the activites that interest you
• Leave time to relax-  No matter how much you want to do, see and experience you need to allow time to let it all sink in.  Some quiet time, even just a little, lets your brain process what you've experienced and move it into long term memory.  You'll want that memory to be filled full of stuff so that six months after your cruise you can daydream away from your desk at work and go right back there to your cruise.

Your cruise can be as relaxed and renewing as you wish, here are some tips for making that happen:

• Book a balcony cabin- being able to escape to your own private space by the ocean is a must
• Look at the ocean- its really easy to forget you are on a ship at sea, like taking time to "stop and smell the roses " on dry land,  stop to admire the ocean in all its vast beauty while at sea
• Choose your entertainment carefully.  Production shows, comedians and other entertainers abound.  Choose venues you associate with relaxation.  Afternoon tea is a good one where you can listen to classical music while enjoying a seafaring tradition of little finger sandwiches and snacks while at sea.  If off-color humor makes you uneasy, avoid the late night comedian
• Dine at off-peak times or in the comfort of your own state room.  You don't want to be a part of the herd
• In Port, choose relaxing activities.  One of our favorites is to simply get off the ship, rent a cab for the day and take a tour of the island combined with some time at a quiet, secluded beach.  The cab drivers will know where to go.
• In Port, choose engaging activites.  You don't have to take it easy to relax.  A ship's tour of some ancient ruins if that interests you  or even a catamaran sailing with free-flowing rum punch will bury your land based concerns, allowing you the opportunity to truly relax and create some enduring memories.
• Go all out for Formal nights.  Dress up as in your finest and truly get into the experience.  It counts as one of those engaging activities mentioned above and adds depth and enrichment to your cruise experience like no buffet can even come close to.
• Visit the ship's Spa. Spoil yourself with at least one treatment or procedure that you would never do on land.  Massages are good, couples massages are better.   Even if you simply go and sit in the steam room or sauna you'll reap huge benefits from the experience
• Tip extra, up front-  A twenty dollar bill to your cabin steward or dining room waiters at the beginning of the cruise sets the stage for a little extra edge on the service you will receive and add to your whole cruise experience
• Don't sweat the small stuff- little things go wrong, don't worry about it, don't get mad about it, don't even think about it- move on.  You don't want the memories of your cruise to be cluttered with such thoughts.  Six months from now a great way to relax at your desk back in the real world is to day dream yourself back on your ship and relive, say, looking around your ship and seeing nothing but ocean in all directions