A vacation on a cruise ship with your spouse, family, or friends is a great way to create some wonderful memories. Like most people, you will probably want to preserve those memories long after the cruise is over. Learn to take some great photographs so reminiscing about your trip will be almost as fun as the trip itself. Whether you're an amateur with a disposable camera or a professional with some serious equipment, everyone can benefit from a few helpful tips that allow those photos to turn out fabulous.

For starters, the number one mistake most people make in vacation photographs is not capturing the spirit of the vacation! On your cruise, what would you rather remember- your kids lined up stiffly by the rail of the boat, or your kids in the middle of a fast and furious limbo competition? Grab those candid shots- don't worry about poses, smiles, or saying cheese. Smiles are more natural- and usually much happier!- when they're not forced. Simply turn on the flash on your camera so you're prepared for any lighting conditions, and snap away. The occasional blurred shot or cut-off background will not be a big deal compared to the looks of involvement on everyone's faces and the memories your candid snaps will capture. Of course, do your best to frame the shots nicely and capture as much of the scene as you can- but sometimes, the spur of the moment far outweighs the importance of a technically perfect photograph!

Another important thing to remember when taking photos aboard your cruise vacation is this: Since you're certainly not on board a ship every day, do your best to capture your surroundings. The huge expanse of water around you, the fancy chandeliers in the dining room, and the crew in uniform will all be things you will love to look back on years later. But use a little imagination when it comes time to take photographs of your surroundings. If you take a picture of the water around you, try to grab the edge of the ship or, even better, a faraway island or stretch of land, in your photograph. It will help put the view into perspective, show the true size of things, and remind you of the circumstances under which the picture was taken.

Most importantly, don't stress too much about taking vacation photos on your cruise! Even if you have lots of photographic equipment, this might be the time to leave it at home and invest in a disposable point and shoot. This will remove the worries about keeping your good equipment safe, and it will also cut down on the hassle of feeling you need to create the perfect photograph. Vacations are meant to be non-stressful, so don't spend your entire vacation stressing over creating memories of it! Grab a camera, turn on the flash, and snap some candid shots of whatever strikes you. Years from now, when you're remembering the great time you had, even that slightly blurred picture you took when you couldn't stop laughing will bring back the moment and make you smile.