Best cruising experiences require pre-trip plan

From $100 lunch in Italy to advice from a Headhunter in Borneo

View of the harbor at Portofino, Italy, from La Terrazza restaurant at Belmond Hotel Splendido (Photos by David G. Molyneaux, TheTravelMavens.com)

Travelers booking a cruise typically spend lots of time deciding on a ship, cabin and itinerary, but often wait until boarding day to consider what they will do in various ports along the voyage. Yet planning ahead for port stops may yield one of the highlights of your cruise.

Here are some of my favorite cruise moments during 2015. Most were off the ship, involved eating, and were the result of significant planning using the Internet.

Nearly every destination, attraction and restaurant, all over the world, has a website or is linked to one (right click on foreign sites to translate languages). Consider reviews from other travelers, but be careful because some reviewers are paid for their positive comments.