One of the best parts about cruising are the formal dinners every night. In addition to fabulous food, many cruise lines will seat you at larger tables with other passengers.

Eating with strangers is fun? That's entirely up to you. What better way to meet new people than to chat up the people that you'll be sharing a mealtime with for the duration of your trip?

Be engaging. Swap stories of your daily adventures. Share tips on cool things at ports of call you may have visited previously. The options are endless and new friends await.

Counterpoint: Tip the maître d' upon embarkation - Cruise tip