There are a lot of misconceptions about taking a cruise vacation. From the bizarre “What if I forget to pack my toothbrush and I’m stranded in the middle of the ocean?) to the practical “Cruises are too expensive”, we’ve heard them all. Yet, loyalists swear that cruise lines have spoiled them for traditional travel. We’ve rounded up five of the biggest concerns, complaints, and misconceptions about cruise vacations and addressed them so that you can plan your first cruise without worry.

It’s better value for your money: Sure, putting down your credit card to pay for a cruise vacation might seem like a lot upfront but there are no hidden costs that you would encounter flying to and traveling within your holiday destination. The fares on a cruise line offers you travel, accommodation, day and night entertainment, tours at your destination and food. There’s no way you could get dinner, a hotel and a show for $100 a night per person but on a cruise line, you can. On some lines, children sail for free when sharing a cabin with two adults. This makes a family holiday actually much more economical than a traditional vacation.

You’ll have to pack a lot of luggage to live out a month at sea: Seasoned cruise travelers have mastered the art of packing a capsule wardrobe that takes you from dinner to a shore excursion in no time. With a little planning, you can whittle down all you need for shore excursions and onboard down to a very manageable amount of luggage.  But if you’re not into capsule wardrobes and packing light, that’s all the more reason to take a cruise vacation. You’re essentially traveling in a floating hotel so you only have to unpack once. Say goodbye to the horrors of dragging suitcases up a cobblestone street in Northern Europe or waiting endlessly for your bag at a conveyor belt.

Big family get-togethers are a cinch: Cruise lines are fun for the whole family because there is something for every age group from grandparents to children. The kids can spend hours at the Kids club, teens have designated hangouts that they will say are way cooler than yours and there is plenty for the older folks to do too. At dinner time, you can all dine together in luxury as a family. Shore time excursions are also a great opportunity for family bonding.

Planning your vacation is an actual breeze: You don’t have to find hotels in your price range and coordinate travel between cities. You don’t have to have all your reservations in one place to fill out immigration slips. All you have to do is pick your ship, itinerary, and cabin. If you’re traveling in a big group, the cruise line vacation cuts down the stress of those long inter-continental email threads. Just book a lot of cabins and the cruise line will offer you group discounts and extra perks.

You stay connected and safe: Yes, you are at sea and technically in the middle of an ocean but there are convenience stores on board that sell you things you might have forgotten to pack. There’s wifi to keep in touch with people onshore, there’s cell service and satellite TV, a medical officer, a doctor and plenty of lifeboats on board. You can opt to disembark at the next port and fly home in case there is a medical emergency or a family emergency. There are solutions for every horror that your paranoid brain will throw at you. You’re probably safer on a cruise than you will be traveling within your holiday destination.