Zzzzzzzzzz

Most people anticipate resting up from their jobs and hectic lifestyles while on vacation, but few put sleeping at the top of their bucket list.

The fact that we already spend close to a third of our lives in dreamland speaks for itself.  

Why would we make sleep a focal point of a getaway?

Because a good night's sleep dramatically effects our ability to enjoy everything life has to offer.

On a cruise, the gentle rocking of the ship puts many people to sleep, and salty dogs like my buddy Mike who spent months at sea in the tight confines of Navy ships find even the roughest seas relaxing.

All cruise lines want you to have a comfortable place to sleep, and many make an effort to convey their concern for your slumber.

Oceania promotes their Tranquility Bed, with a "seven-zone mattress featuring 400 encapsulated springs" and a two inch thick "pillow top" of gel-filled memory foam "wrapped in chamomile-infused fiber."  I assume that chamomile creates a more pleasing aroma than the odor naturally eminating from the chemically-engineered gel.  Perhaps it stirs sense memories to a soothing cup of chamomile tea late in the evening.  Indeed, some consider chamomile tea to be an aid in fighting insomnia.

Oceania shares this bed technology with upscale sister Regent Seven Seas.

Of course, it's not just the mattress that's important.  Many of us have fluffed, re-fluffed and turned over our pillows to get that perfect position for head and neck in order to fall asleep.  Celebrity Cruises offers guests in Concierge Class Verandas a pillow menu, so we can choose the perfect one for us.  Celebrity also has its own eXhale bedding to enhance the sleeping experience.

Sleep By Princess upgrades their game to include all five senses.

Beginning with Club Class Mini-Suites on the all-new Majestic Princess, you can enjoy the Princess Luxury Bed designed by board-certified sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus and HGTV designer Candice Olson.  These beds will roll out in 2018 to replace beds in all 44,000 rooms in the Princess fleet.

The bedding, including pillow selection, is not the whole story of Sleep By Princess, though obviously the greatest focus is on touch.

There's also sight.  Nothing helps you recover from jetlag and reset your circadian rhythm better than morning sun coming through your balcony window, but to catch up on an extremely long lost-night-of-flight or to take an afternoon nap, there are also blackout curtains to block outdoor light.  Princess even provides Dr. Breus's sleep tips for your specific trip for you to read at bedtime.

And what about sound?  Most of us like nothing better than the calming sounds of the ocean for sleep, but Princess also provides Dr. Breus's guided SLEEP meditation audio.  And to enhance the soothing ocean sounds for those who can't quite hear the ocean, you can turn to the SLEEP channel on your in-room TV and crank up the volume up.  If your loved one snores like a buzz saw, ear plugs are available.

Aromatherapy also plays a part in a good night's sleep, and upon request Princess will sprinkle your linens with the scent of lavendar.

Young Jay On Carnival Cruises Bed

But how about taste?  No, it's not the hokey joke about dreaming you ate a giant marshmallow.  Princess offers sensible evening dining options to enhance sleep on the room service menu.  There's also chamomile tea and Dr. Breus's banana tea (as seen on the "Dr. Oz" show).

Yes, cruise lines have definitely thought about your sleep, and if you're an insomniac, it wouldn't be a bad idea to go on a cruise to get over it.

And when you're considering why one cruise line is better than another, or the differences between one room category and another, remember there are thousands of small differences to be factored in.

"Better service leads to better trips!"