Are cruises a good vacation for introverts? Here's what to know.

Cruises may bring to mind parties on the lido deck, communal buffets and flashy Broadway-style shows. But when Ethan Jones sails, his itinerary is much lower key.

“I always bring like six books with me, actual physical books, and I spend a lot of the cruise on the balcony reading,” said the 44-year-old, who lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Jones and his husband, Matthew, love cruises and sail together regularly. But as someone who is largely introverted, Jones takes steps to avoid becoming overwhelmed. If the couple doesn’t book a balcony cabin, the science fiction author tries “to find an isolated spot on the deck” as best he can.

With their often close quarters and activity-heavy schedules, cruises can pose some challenges for introverted guests that other forms of travel may not. But for some passengers, they can also offer an ease not found on every vacation.

What is an introvert?

At its simplest, introversion is an “inward orientation,” said Laurie Helgoe, a psychologist and author of the book “Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life Is Your Hidden Strength.”

“What that means is that introverts process information internally and privately,” she said.

Because of that, Helgoe, who is an introvert, noted that “if we get too much input all at once, we can get overloaded or just frustrated because it's like, ‘OK, wait, I'm still working on this other thing, and you’ve given me something else.’”

For Jones, that means he gets “very easily annoyed” trying to navigate crowds at the buffet, for instance, or when he can’t find a deck chair. Helgoe, who has taken four cruises, said even the cruise director listing activities via the ship’s speaker system can feel “intrusive.” Her more extroverted husband, meanwhile, finds it energizing.

It’s not always black and white, though. Helgoe emphasized that those traits exist on a continuum.

“I sort of swing between introvert and ambivert,” Jones said. “I can have fun in social situations, but I always need to recharge.”

Are cruises a good vacation option for introverts?

Cruises offer accommodations, food, transportation and entertainment all in one, often touted as a good value proposition for travelers. But Samantha Domville found that nice as an introvert as well.

“Introverts, I think, can get exhausted easily with energy output,” the 46-year-old software engineer said. Domville has found cruises, which can require less planning than other forms of travel, help minimize that.

For instance, she can go to the onboard theater without it “being this whole ordeal” involving numerous times to choose from and a commute, like it would at home. On a cruise, she simply has to go from her cabin to the theater and show up a few minutes beforehand.

“So I get to do things I wouldn’t normally have the energy or anxiety expenditure on,” Domville, who lives in Northern Virginia, said.

Domville has sailed with Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Line and found it “easy to kind of disappear, if you will, within a crowd of people.”

Everyone is on vacation doing their own thing, she said. “It doesn't require a lot of interaction.”

Tips for taking a cruise as an introvert

◾ Helgoe recommended carefully considering the type of sailing you’re looking for while booking. Some cruise lines are known for party-friendly onboard atmospheres, while others are more laid back.

(Click here for USA TODAY’s cruise line guide.)

◾ Theme cruises may also be a good option, as introverts “prefer to connect around ideas and shared ideas,” she said.

“There is a shared frame of reference, so there's less need for small talk,” Helgoe added.

◾ Pick your cabin carefully, too, as it can offer some respite as needed. “As I’ve gotten more experienced with cruising, I’ve found it's even more important for me to have … a room that I want to go back to and hang out in,” said Jones, who has sailed with Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and more. “It can be a haven, a safe spot for me to get away from people and recharge.”

◾ If you’re traveling with others, particularly those who might be more extroverted, Helgoe recommended respectfully discussing your needs with your travel companions. “Fortunately, you often can get a lay of the land ahead of time and what the activities are and really talk through ahead of time, ‘What's important for you all that we all do together, and when is a good time for us to split up?’” she said.

Cruise cabins What are the most and least expensive staterooms?

Domville found getting up early gave her some time to herself. “It is really peaceful in the morning while everyone's asleep,” she said.

While many travelers get off the ship for excursions in port, Helgoe also recommended introverts give themselves permission to pass on those “if it’s not the thing that’s going to energize and excite them.”

And with so many activities on offer at any given time, remember that travelers may want different things from their vacation. Watch out for the “tendency to accept extroverted definitions of what is fun,” Helgoe said, such as that parties or loud music automatically equate to fun. “You get to decide.”

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who decides what's fun? An introvert's guide to cruises.