Cruises
Are Princess Cruises For You?
Posted on January 28, 2012 |
Are you a romantic at heart? Do you long for adventure? We all have different requirements for the perfect holiday, but a cruise can fulfill all those aspirations if the cruise holidays on offer are carefully researched.
You want the ultimate dream honeymoon? Princess Cruises was named best Cruise for Romance by travel editors in 2009, and for ten years was the location for the American TV series ‘The Love Boat’, so what better recommendation could you want?
Princess cruise ships have all the right ingredients for a romantic interlude, plus some extras to add even more romance to your honeymoon, or anniversary celebration.
They can be small extras such as an upgrade to a balcony stateroom which needn’t cost a fortune; these can often be found discounted on late cruise deals Once onboard there is The Sanctuary Spa, with special offers for couples, a balcony dining experience for that celebration supper or if you want to make the occasion even more memorable there are two packages available: the Honeymoon Experience, which includes Champagne and red roses on arrival plus a formal photograph and more goodies such as chocolate strawberries, or the Deluxe version which includes all of the above plus a tour of the bridge, a relaxing massage for two, and a champagne breakfast. How decadent is that? And in the evening? Snuggle up on deck and watch a movie under the stars.
While some passengers love the onboard entertainment, dining and sports facilities, for many it’s the shore excursions that decide the particular cruise. They love to sail into a new port, and can’t wait to get onshore and start exploring.
Princess Cruises have some great treats lined up in their excursions itinerary
If you like wild life – whales in particular – try an Alaskan summer cruise to Juneau. Passengers get the opportunity to go on a whale-watching catamaran and you’re almost guaranteed to see plenty of whales, as well as seals, sea lions and bald eagles. How about a salmon bake at the Orca Point Lodge? The lodge is situated in a beautifully peaceful setting, and if you like fish it’s food heaven. While you’re in Juneau you’ll be able to visit the spectacular Mendenhall Glacier.
Always dreamt of galloping along a surf- fringed beach? Well if you take a cruise to the Dutch Antilles, which includes a port stop in St Maarten you’ll be able to do just that. You will ride on quiet, pristine beaches and nature reserve.
If scuba diving is a bit old-hat, or too scary, do you fancy diving to 100 feet beneath the sea in a submarine? This excursion is available on Mexican holiday cruises on all Princess ships stopping at Cozumel. The submarine pilots will help you identify the fish and help you to get close up to fantastic coral, shellfish and sponges.
Princess Cruises offer the chance to escape to some of the world’s most amazing settings, from the Caribbean to Alaska.
Carnival Cruises – Big Values From The Biggest Cruise Line
Posted on January 25, 2012 |
The name of Carnival Cruises is synonymous with cruise vacations, and Carnival Cruise Lines is now the largest single cruise operator in the business, with its acquisitions of Costa, Cunard, Princess, P&O, Seabourn, the Holland America Line, and five additional cruise operators on North America, Australia, and Europe.
In the thirty five years of its existence since the 1972 inaugural sailing of the TSS Mardi Gras, which unfortunately ran aground on a sandbar in the port of Miami, Carnival Cruise Lines have currently grown to operate a fleet of cruise ships large enough to qualify as a private navy, and may Carnival cruises may cover much of the Earth’s oceans as the world’s great navies do.
Carnival Cruise Lines have gone to great lengths to brand their ships as “The Fun Ships,” and originally made their name by offering short, inexpensive cruises on vessels with d?cor and entertainment reminiscent of Las Vegas. The most recognizable features of carnival cruise ships are their red-white-and-blue funnels built to resemble the tails of whales, and Fun Ship Freddy, a fantasy figure whose head resembles the Carnival ship funnel.
Carnival Destinations
Carnival Cruises aboard the carnival ship line are most often scheduled for the Caribbean, but as of 2007 Carnival cruises aboard the Carnival Freedom to both Turkey and Greece, and aboard the Carnival Spirit to Alaska and Hawaii are now available. In the Southern Caribbean, Carnival Destiny leaves from the Ports of San Juan, Aruba, and Barbados, and the Carnival Fantasy class ships are reserved for the prototypical three to five day Carnival cruises from Miami to ports in Mexico, the Bahamas, and nearby Caribbean destinations.
Carnival Entertainments And Eateries
Regardless of their itineraries, Carnival cruises are famous for the amazing variety of onboard diversions they offer their passengers. Every ship has at least two swimming pools, complete with waterslides, and on the Destiny-class ships one of the pools will have a retractable roof so swimming is always available no matter where the Carnival cruises are headed. The ships’ casinos are a major attraction on Carnival cruises, and in their glitz and neon they compare well to those of Las Vegas resorts. But the forte of Carnival cruises might well be in the cruise line’s approach to feeding its guests.
Carnival is adopting a schedule of four dinner seatings, instead of the traditional two, in some of its ships’ main dining rooms, and it is also beginning to include restaurants which specialize in a particular type of cuisine along with its regular restaurants. Meals at these specialty restaurants will be at no additional cost. Some lucky guests on Carnival cruises [http://www.best-cruiselines.com/category/luxury-cruises] will even have a patisserie where they can indulge to their hearts’ content!
If Carnival cruises sound like the perfect vacations to you, just be sure to research the amenities of each ship before you book a cabin, because they will vary widely depending on the class of Carnival ship you book!
Cruise Layaway Online Programs – Get a Magical Family Vacation to Remember
Posted on January 21, 2012 |
Vacation cruise layaway online programs are a great and exciting chance for parents to bond with their kids. Today, most parents – whose lives seem to revolve around their jobs – don’t seem to find anymore the chance to spend quality time with their kids. And that’s a shame because families could always benefit from vacations using cruise layaway online programs.
Of course, time is not the only thing that’s stopping parents from taking their kids on vacation. The economic situation is really not that favorable to take trips on impulse. Like it or not, parents still have to take a peek on their bank accounts or credit card statements to know if taking cruise trips qualify for their current budget. But, if you do have the chance to have a cruise with your family, wouldn’t it be nice to take them on a Disney inspired cruise?
If you’ve settled on the idea of a Disney family vacation cruise, the first step that you should take to set that plan into action is to look for online travel agencies that offer layaway travel packages for Disneyland. To get an idea of their different layaway online programs, you can browse through their website. Normally, you can ask for a price quote that you have to approve after it’s sent back to you (ask the travel agency if they could assure the rates).
Despite their online presence, some travel agencies still require their clients to visit their physical office to properly discuss their layaway online programs. Travel agencies also allow clients to eliminate some items that they don’t want from the list. It’s recommended that families should plan their vacation 6 months to 2 years before their target date – so, clear your family calendar before planning that trip.
It is always important that you should choose a payment plan that you think you can afford. Depending on the travel agency, some will require their clients to give an upfront payment of $100 to $150 for each family member while others go through without this. You also need to know whether your travel agency would give a full refund in case you cancel the trip during the layaway period.
Before finalizing your Disney cruise, there are some important aspects about the cruise you need to check. First, you should understand the layaway policies and conditions of the travel agency. Second, make sure that your travel agency is reputable – it’ better to be on the safe side than watch your hard-earned money go down the drain. And the most important thing that should really convince you to take the trip with your family is the security measures of the Disney cruise line (don’t sign-up for something that won’t guarantee your child’s safety).
Your family’s dream vacation doesn’t always have to be put on hold because of budget issues. Vacation cruise layaway online programs are always there to take your family on magical and exciting trips that they will truly enjoy.
Cruise Ships for Adults
Posted on January 15, 2012 |
Cruise vessels for adults fun only? Adults only cruise ships can be an attractive for young couple, swingers couples, retired couples, singles cruisers or for parents without their children. But the truth is that this is just a myth. Anyway people can find their adult fun on board if they follow the certain rules.
There are no official adults only cruise ships.
People with children who needs some adult fun or privacy, can use some of options for kids on board – game rooms, activities or events. You can even use babysitting services and have sex or fun with your partner.
There are also some adult only areas on some ships.
Example of some areas for adults only: Exact areas reserved for adults are different for every single cruise ship, many of them are known as adults only even if they are not designated so.
Solarium or Private pool … some cruise liners like Royal Caribbean Cruises company offers one pool for adults only in a different separated area.
Spa … only few children enjoy and use spa procedures like sauna etc.
Other areas you can use: Bars, Reservation restaurants, Late night comedy shows.
Individuals who truly want a child-free experience should specifically plan their voyage with as many adult options as possible. Choosing a luxury cruise rather than a mainstream cruise line is a good first step: many families, especially those with younger children, are unlikely to opt for these more expensive lines.
If you like to have your adults only cruise holiday you can achieve that by planning it with a choice of good cruise ship cabin which is away from children areas or family cabins.
Cruise Ship Gambling – Things You Should Know!
Posted on January 13, 2012 |
Apart from some of the various gambling facilities offered on land, cruise ship casinos are by far the most well known casinos in the United States. So if you feel like gambling at sea you most surely can, and at the same time enjoy a vacation as well. That is if you sights are set on a long cruise, which will in most cases go for longer than three days. Aside from those great-extended cruises you’re able to check out the casino vessels along the coast.
When it comes to cruise ship gambling, most people are nervous about the legal side of things and yes, it’s true -gambling is actually not legal in most of the United States, but various rules apply when you pass into international waters. As soon as your ship leaves port the casino will most likely open but to stay safe many ships wait until they are a few miles away from US soil. Gambling on the ship casino is similar to gambling on dry land and usual casino rules should apply however if the vessel’s gambling rules differ, you will likely see signs or if you’re lucky, the rules on the walls somewhere.
Additionally to getting help or illumination from the employees it’s not likely that they can train you how to play a certain game. Not like dance lessons you could easily be well informed in how to play a number of various games with a bit of help of a skilled gambler. Most of these on board casino game lessons are free, but then, not all of them are and aboard some ships it might be a condition to pay a small price to involve you in a gambling lesson.
The casino games accessible aboard a cruise ship will be various though many of the more well known games including blackjack, roulette, poker, and slot machines will most likely be general on all ships. The casinos games found will all depend on the vessel so if you are attracted in playing a particular casino game, you should look ahead of time to make sure the game is hosted on that ship before making your reservation.
As above mentioned casinos are usually found on those extended cruises and those have the classification as cruises that stay at sea for a period of time. These mostly will also go from one place to another but extended cruise ships typically have most activities, other than gambling. The reservations along with the cabin rentals are regularly compared to the hotel rooms at most casino resorts and when compared, a long cruise is usually a better value.
Although they’re very well known it’s not everyone that to opt for an extended cruise so if you’d like to experience gambling on board a luxury liner, but don’t have time to stay the night you have the choice of going to a inshore, or a river casino. Along the United States coast and numerous riverbanks casinos tend to be legal often legalized by the local government. These casinos are much like the land casinos that have been legalized and the major difference between the two is that they’re situated on the water. If you want to take a vacation in a cruise ship’s casino you will have to book your passage.
Carnival Valor Cruises: The Fact Is You’ll Have a Blast
Posted on January 10, 2012 |
When trying to choose a location for a vacation, very few people consider cruises as their vacation choice. Various myths about the cruise liners spread like wildfire. Cruise ships are to expensive, boring, and confusing a few of many incorrect assumptions. Carnival Valor cruises is the leaders in eliminating these myths. In fact, a few lucky cruise goers have to break a world record by tossing the world’s largest beach ball. While on the subject of record-breaking achievements, Carnival Cruise Lines have another record as well. The world’s largest LCD screen is on a cruise liner. A mammoth 12′ x 22′ screen hosts various movies day and night. So much for boring, and uneventful cruise liners right?
Are you curious as what to do on a cruise liner? You would be surprised at what is jam packed on deck for you to do. It is like a mini-Atlantis at sea. If you want fun under the sun Carnival has you covered. Wither it is sliding down a three deck high slide, or lounging on deck soaking in the rays there is always something fun and “outdoorsy” to do. Entertainment does not just await you on deck, but below deck Ivanhoe Theatre host a variety of shows. Anything from dance, music, lights, or a full on Broadway performance can be seen every single day. It is said on cruises kids will not know what to do. Unfortunately, this is true; kids will not know what to do next, that is. Video games, clubbing, dinning are all specially tailored to kids ranging from newborns to teenagers. In addition, watch the line between childhood and adulthood blur since adults have all these options of extracurricular activity and then some. Guy can raise the stakes in the hold ‘em or fold ‘em casino. Poker, craps, black jack, roulette, and slots are among many that keep the men on board occupied. For the women, dissolve your senses into Carnival Valor’s world-class massages. Even the most tightened of all muscles can be stretched.
As many people prepare their chainsaw to help donate spare limbs to pay for their cruises, you may want to wait to find out the price of these cruises. Starting out at $389, I believe you can find many other uses for your limbs and talk yourself into putting the chainsaw away. Once you find your way onto one of the many Carnival Valor cruises you will not have to find fun, it will find you!
Cruising the Mediterranean With Celebrity Cruises
Posted on January 8, 2012 |
The Mediterranean is full of diverse culture and there is no better way to see this than by taking a cruise. Many cruise lines tour the Mediterranean, and there is a vast choice of places to visit along the way. From historical culture and artistic beauty, to places more cosmopolitan. From sunshine and relaxation to entertainment and energy. Whatever your taste, a Mediterranean cruise has something to offer you.
There are The Canaries where you will find sunshine all year round. This group of islands including Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, and Tenerife, maintains a fabulously warm climate throughout the year making them popular places to visit at any time, and each of the islands has it’s own focus with much local culture to enjoy.
Egypt and Greece are areas that appeal to people who enjoy history and culture as well as sunshine. The Pyramids of ancient Egypt at Giza are quite incredible to behold, as is the Great Sphinx. To the South of Egypt lies the Valley of the Kings, and the Karnak temple complex which is now a vast open air museum and is the largest ancient religious site in the world. In Greece you will find many monuments and areas of ruins as throughout history Greece has seen a combination of Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman rule.
The Cities of Florence and Rome are in Italy are favourites amongst people who want to experience a little art. Florence is often considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, and there is much art and architecture to see there. In Rome you will find a mixture of modern and ancient standing side by side, with many museums, and galleries to visit, as well as a large number of villas and gardens, and many people enjoy a trip to the Vatican City the home of the Catholic church.
Cannes in France, best known for the Cannes film festival makes another interesting stop along the way, as does Marseille where you will find a small island in the Bay of Marseille called If, on which is located the Chateau d’If made famous by the Novel ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ by Dumas.
Barcelona in Spain is an important cultural centre today, as well as being a major tourist destination. It has a rich cultural heritage and since 2006 it has become host to the annual and rather prestigious Bread and Butter urban fashion fair. As well as all this, it is also a great place to dance the night away being home to many night clubs and evening attractions.
So, if you are looking to relax, enjoy the sun and sea, and if you’re looking for entertainment and energy, or culture and history, luxury Mediterranean cruises really can offer you all these things and much more. Lush idyllic islands, Beautiful beaches, ancient historical sites, interesting cultures and the chance to sit back, relax and enjoy them all along with stunning scenery both on and off the water.
Royal Caribbean Cruises – Are They Worth The Price?
Posted on January 5, 2012 |
Recently, we have noticed very large price increases in most of Royal Caribbean Cruises. This undoubtedly is due to the huge repeat business that Royal Caribbean enjoys from past clients. As the internet’s premier cruise specialists, we think it wise to tell all of our prospective clients to do comparison shopping before choosing any cruise.
When searching for a particular cruise line, always check a second or third cruise line departing on the same date and departing from the same port. Make sure that you compare like ships(launched around the same time) so as to get an “apples-to-apples” price comparison. Normal price differences between comparable cruise lines should average around $200-$500 dollars. If you are getting a difference of more than $500 dollars, you might want to consider the lower rate because the difference between the comparable cruise lines is not worth that much money. By comparable, we mean Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian.
All 3 of these cruise lines compete head-to-head and the differences among them are not that great-regardless of what you read-this is by and large the way it is. All 3 of these cruise lines operate identical business models. All of them compete for the family market and with the exception of the ships themselves, they are very comparable to each other. An unfair comparison would be comparing either Royal Caribbean or Carnival Cruises with, let’s say, Holland America. Holland America is know as a premium line and caters to the 55 and older age group.
A young family would more than likely not choose a Holland America cruise to take their family vacation on. When choosing a cruise specialist to help you, ask them if they’ve been on the ships themselves. If they haven’t, how can they possibly know how good the ship is? If you are going to base your choice on so-called “reviews”, remember to take them with a grain of salt. There are a lot of paid reviews out there that can’t be trusted. Find a specialist that makes you feel comfortable to ask questions and offers experienced responses to your questions. Go here for more on Royal Caribbean Cruises or Carnival Cruises
Carnival Cruises Deals – The Best Deals in the Industry
Posted on January 2, 2012 |
Carnival Cruise Lines offers a wide variety of deals for everybody. They have different cruises that fit every budget. Most people tend to disregard this kind of trip because they think that it is very expensive. What they do not know is that Carnival Cruise Lines can make all their problems go away. Now, traveling on a cruise ship is not really impossible.
This cruise line provides the best cruises but offers it on a cheap price. Now, you can enjoy the scenery of the ocean without worrying how much it will cost you. Each cruise provides different routes. This depends on the price of the trip.
Carnival Cruise Lines have different cruise packages suited for every budget and schedule. They have Caribbean Cruises, West Coast Cruises, Alaska Cruises and many more. Each of which provides an individual promotion that will entertain their guests. The price varies, but the quality of the trip and the services provided are more than excellent.
These cruises offer different kinds of food for the guests to enjoy. They also contain the usual facilities provided by a cruise ship that the passengers could use. Cruising is a one way to make friends and strengthen relationships as well. Do yourself a favor and start looking for the best Carnival Cruise deals that will definitely go well with your budget. This once in a lifetime experience will truly be something worth cherishing with your family and spending money for. What are you waiting for? Book yourself and a loved one for this unforgettable experience that you’ll surely enjoy.
Princess Cruises Continue to Receive Awards
Posted on January 1, 2012 |
Each year it seems that Princess Cruises picks up their fair share of awards. And 2008 was no exception. As the various awards are doled out, the Princess name pops up again and again.
The 2008 Cruise Critic Editor’s Picks Awards were announced a short time ago and Princess was a big honoree. Of the 10 categories that are awarded, Princess took home three – “Best for Romance”, Best for Weddings” and “Best Multi-Generational” (which explains our Golden Princess cruise vacation with our parents and our kids!). Honoring the top cruise lines in the world these awards point out the top performers.
As well, the travel agent readers of Recommend magazine again awarded Princess the “Best Cruise Line – Itineraries” prize having previously received the honor for the last four years running. This award recognizes the dedication Princess places on taking their passengers to interesting and exciting destinations all over the world.
The Travel Weekly readers have honored Princess with the “Best Cruise Line in Alaska” award. Princess has received this award five times in the last six years!
As I had mentioned earlier, a couple of years ago we had taken a cruise on the Golden Princess with our parents and our grown-up kids. This was a Southern Caribbean cruise with fabulous port stops and great weather. The reasons for the Itinerary and the Multi-Generational awards were experienced here.
This year we just completed a cruise on the newest jewel in the Princess Cruiselines’ fleet the Ruby Princess. We sailed on a Western Caribbean itinerary that offered ports with fantastic beaches – the reason we cruise the Caribbean in the cold and snowy Canadian winters. Although the weather was not terrific to start with, the cruise ended up with great weather and some fantastic beaches. Itinerary definitely played a big part here.
As well, we saw that there had been at least three weddings take place on this cruise. That’s pretty amazing for any cruise. There were also a few honeymooners on board. I guess that exemplifies the awards for Best for Romance and Best for Weddings.