family cruise vacation ideas

Caribbean Cruise Line and Caribbean Cruise Deals – Major Activities

Filed under: Blog — Tags: activities, caribbean, cruise, deals, line, Major — @ 1:30 pm January 6, 2012

Caribbean Cruise Line and Caribbean Cruise Deals – Major Activities

Caribbean cruises are on high demand today. The range of amenities, various ports, and entertaining activities offered by Caribbean cruises often grab the attention of many tourists every year. Families and adventures rejoice! No other cruise can ever be as exciting as the Caribbean cruise line.

Royal Caribbean cruise Line is the best place that offer fun filled activities and paves way towards innovation and fun. These cruise lines implement unique ways for visitors to have adventure throughout the travel. No matter what kind of weather prevails in this place, Caribbean resort is the best place to have loads of fun and forms a great retreat for tourists round the clock.

There are several cruise lines available in Caribbean, which makes it increasingly popular worldwide. Royal Caribbean cruise deals offer many thrilling activities to keep your family at the peak of entertainment.

Some of the famous activities carried out in Caribbean are as follows.
? Flow Rider
? Ice-Skating Rink
? Float Above the Ocean
? Royal Promenade
? H20 Zone Water Park
? Everlasting Boxing Ring
? Rock Wall

Royal Caribbean also offers the following favorites for your entire family.
? Swimming pools
? Spas and salons
? Creative and delicious restaurants
? State-of-the-art fitness center
? Night clubs
? Bars and pubs
? Casinos
? Sports pool

If you are planning to spend your vacation in the most exciting place, Caribbean cruise line will offer the best package deals with normal fares.

You can have a great retreat by spending your vacation on Caribbean cruises. Explore more about various recreational activities offered by these cruises and make your travel a memorable one.

Caribbean cruises offers lots of recreational activities. Learn more on Caribbean cruise line and get to know more facts regarding the same.

Choices and Activities Available Onboard the Alaskan Cruises For Vacation

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: activities, alaskan, available, choices, cruises, onboard, vacation — libertees @ 1:04 am December 14, 2011

Although there are all sorts of great parts of Alaska to check out when on a cruise there will generally be two or three days during a cruise where the ship is at sea. Fortunately there are all sorts of cruise activities that are available. These options for Alaskan cruise onboard entertainment range from sports activities to spa areas and even casinos on some boats. There are even shops and shows on these boats.

Many boats will have sports activities. One of the most notable things people will see on a boat is that of a pool or other outdoor court area. Many different ships will have pools of all sorts of sizes ranging from an Olympic-size pool to a pool for kids. Basketball and volleyball courts, some of which can be outdoors, are also available on many ships. All sorts of fitness center activities are available too including exercise equipment, fitness classes and even a jogging track.

Spa services are available on many Alaskan Cruise ships. These are among the most popular cruise activities in that these offer all sorts of different relaxation activities. There are many different features that are available on these ships including acupuncture and massage therapy sessions. These can be popular so it helps to contact the Alaskan cruise liner for details before departure on scheduling an appointment.

Some Alaskan cruise ships will have casinos. Many different popular groups offer full casinos on their ships with a variety of activities. These include slot machines, blackjack tables, roulette, craps and different types of poker tables. Many groups will offer lessons on how to play these games and in some cases tournaments are available.

Shopping is another of the top Alaskan cruise activities in that many ships offer a variety of shops. These include beauty stores with fine fragrances, liquor stores and drug stores for convenience and even gourmet food stores. Some ships offer stores with jewelry and electronics products.

All sorts of classes are offered on Alaskan cruise ships. All sorts of groups offer enrichment courses for a variety of things. These include wine education lectures, lectures on how to handle one’s finances, computer skill classes and even golf clinics.

For kids there are many activities to check out. These include skateboarding areas, arcade rooms, movie theaters and many other popular places. Child care services are available for parents too.

Finally there are many different shows that are popular among these Alaskan Cruise onboard entertainment options. All ships have different types of shows ranging from a dance hall with live bands with different themes, musical shows and even interactive game shows.

With all of these cruise activities it can be seen why Alaskan cruises are popular. Alaskan cruisesonboard entertainment comes in all sorts of forms and features things that all people will enjoy. These options show how a cruise has something for everyone. Find out more tips about Alaskan cruise vacation at http://alaskancruisevacation.myreferenceguide.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/cruising-articles/choices-and-activities-available-onboard-the-alaskan-cruises-for-vacation-1509150.html

Stops, Sights and Activities on a 7 Day Cruise Vacation

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: activities, cruise, day, sights, stops, vacation — libertees @ 1:06 am December 7, 2011

When most people think of luxury vacations, cruises rank high on the list, but until you’ve experienced one yourself, it’s tough to know exactly what to expect. This brief overview will fill you in on what the average 7-day cruise has to offer, from your cabin to time spent on the sea to day-tripping at foreign ports.

Accommodations

Cabin sizes vary greatly from ship to ship, and different cruise lines offer a whole range of cabin categories from inside cabins, with no windows at all, to rooms with balconies to suites. Your choice of cabin is an important personal choice, as it will serve as your “home-base” while aboard the ship. Cabin rates can range anywhere from $400 to $3000 per passenger.

Inside cabins are the cheapest type and lack the added space, windows and balconies of more expensive rooms. Inside cabins are good choices for passengers with a tight budget or for those who will likely be spending little time in their rooms. Window and balcony cabins may be well worth the extra cost if you tend to desire a peaceful place to relax in privacy.

On Board Activities

The activities you might encounter on board a cruise ship can vary widely from ship to ship and depend on the type of cruise you choose. A good rule of thumb is that the larger the ship, the more activities and options you’ll find.

Most large ships keep packed schedules every day to keep each and every traveler happy and engaged. Some examples of pre-arranged programs include deck parties, wine tastings, karaoke parties, quiz shows and much more. And whether you may be in the mood for a Broadway-class musical, live music or just taking in a movie, one usually only need wait a few hours, if that. And for those who crave nothing but relaxation, many ships come standard with a top notch selection of spa treatments, salons, yoga and meditation classes. Certainly, there’s no better time to focus on one’s self than on a cruise. And that’s just for the adults!

Nearly all cruises offer some level of activities and events geared toward young passengers. While you can always find an onboard babysitting or daycare service, some family cruises feature day and trip-long programs for kids similar to camp. Activities can include sports, video games, scavenger hunts and trips to onboard water parks for older kids and story time, finger painting and play-dough sculpting for toddlers. Programs like these are great ways to keep the kids occupied and happy while the grownups spend some time partying or relaxing together.

Indeed, cruises can be so fun, you may never want to leave the ship . . . until your first call at an exotic port.

Going Ashore

One terrific aspect of cruises is the ability to visit a wide array of destinations, some exotic, some not as exotic, but all of them beautiful and fascinating. The fun of spending time on your cruise ship might only be eclipsed by the time you spend in port.

The most popular cruise hot-spot is the Caribbean, boasting nearly perfect weather year round, breathtaking beaches and a plethora of aquatic activities. Other appealing and common trips let passengers see the Alaskan Wilderness up close and personal from the comfort of warm ship, take a gastronomic adventure through Mediterranean coastal cities or enjoy a pub crawl around the Irish coast.

On a seven day cruise, travelers can expect about two to four stops at ports. When going ashore, you’ll have a tough time deciding on what to do, from taking adventure tours hiking through the jungle or observing bears, moose and caribou in their natural Alaskan habitats, exploring an ancient European port city, SCUBA diving among colorful aquatic life in crystal clear tropical waters or enjoying a round on a world-class golf course.

Cruises and port cities work together to give travelers the best possible experience when going ashore. Depending on how independent you would prefer to be on your visit, you can take advantage of the extensive knowledge of seasoned crew members who can set you up with city tours, adventure excursions, shopping trips and much more. Or go it alone and find fun on your own. At the end of a long day of touring exotic ports, cruise passengers will appreciate the benefit of having a safe and secure haven to escape to.

The cruise ship is the quintessential oasis away from the hassles and stress of everyday life. Nothing could be more relaxing than drifting quietly to an exotic location on a floating resort town. And if you’ve got dreams of rock climbing or ice-skating in the middle of the ocean, a cruise vacation can unlock them for you.

Matt Cragle is a freelance writer who writes about vacationing, often discussing a specific kind trip such as cruise vacations.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/cruising-articles/stops-sights-and-activities-on-a-7-day-cruise-vacation-1486485.html

Cruise Ship Jobs – Activities

Filed under: Blog — Tags: activities, cruise, jobs, ship — @ 1:30 pm December 2, 2011

Cruise Ship Jobs – Activities

There’s one way to see the world without spending a lot of money – working on a cruise ship. And there’s no better department to work in than the activities department. This section offers those who like working with people the chance to see such far away destinations as Panama Canal and Antarctica, without breaking the bank. If you’re ready to work hard, and receive lots of job satisfaction in return, then consider working in a cruise line’s activity department in one of the following capacities below.

Activity coordinator
This person coordinates all of the different activities on board by ensuring that the activity staff is doing their jobs. The coordinator should enjoy interacting with others and have a talent for supervising others. Experience in the field (not necessarily aboard a ship) is a plus.

Lecturers
Besides plenty of food, cruise lines are also known for their outstanding lecture series on board.

If you enjoy public speaking and have knowledge about the different destinations, then this position would be ideal.

Host/hostess
This person is responsible for greeting passengers when they board, and they help set up any special requests that passengers might have such as an onboard birthday party or other social gathering. This person should enjoy interacting and helping others.

Arts and crafts instructor
These positions require experience in teaching arts and crafts. They should also be artistic. Usually, the instructor will be responsible for supplying the materials for the class.

Shore excursion manager
A huge part of cruising is the shore excursion piece. Cruises hire a shore excursion manager to help drum up business for the cruise line’s shore excursion packages.

This person is responsible for supervising the shore excursion staff, as well as promoting and selling the trips to the passengers on board. In addition, this person oversees all of the monetary transactions and accounting. The position is suitable for someone who is organized and has experience with sales and marketing.

Shore excursion staff
These staff members work under the shore excursion manager’s direction. They are responsible for manning the tour sales desk and they also deal with passenger complaints. They need to be personable and they should enjoy interacting with others, even under times of stress.

Hurricane season offers one of the best opportunities for real good cruise deals
http://www.lastminutecruises.com

Popular Cruise Vacation Activities

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: activities, cruise, popular, vacation — libertees @ 1:03 am November 9, 2011

Planning a cruise for your next vacation? No matter how much you need to relax, standing on the deck and staring at the water can get old after a few hours! Luckily, a cruise ship is more than just a big boat. These ships are like floating entertainment centers, complete with tons of fun activities for the entire family. Keep in mind, though, that you may need to make arrangements in advance to take advantage of everything a cruise ship has to offer. Here are some popular cruise vacation activities you should consider.

Cruise Ship Trips to Port

Called “excursions,” trips to port cities are some of the most popular cruise activities. The opportunities you’ll have to visit port cities depend on the length of your cruise. Even on a short three-day cruise, the ship will dock at at least one port. But on longer trips, the ship will stop at several destinations, and you’ll have the chance to explore a variety of rich, local cultures.

Sometimes, space is limited on the smaller boats that go to shore. You may also have to sign up for the trip or book the trip to port when you originally book the cruise. Excursions are free on some ships, while others charge a small fee to go ashore. If you opt to stay on the ship, you can enjoy smaller crowds at the pool, restaurants and other amenities.

Cruise Ship Water Activities

On very large cruise ships, the water activities you’ll find rival those at water parks. The pool on the ship isn’t your only chance to get wet, though. Whenever the ship stops at a port, there may be a chance for you to try out some water activities, such as diving, sailing, jet skiing, surfing and parasailing. You may also be able to fish on some cruises, though you’ll likely need a special license.

Cruise Ship Shows

Cruise ships pride themselves on entertainment. After all, if you get bored, you can’t just drive to the next town over to do something. Many cruise ships have shows at night, after activities on the deck close. These range from musical theatre to comedy sketches to ballet. Many cruise ships also have shows specifically for children, complete with child-friendly characters that are dressed up to appeal to tiny travelers.

Cruise Ship Classes

Cruise ships fill days with tons of activities, since the ship’s directors can never guarantee that the weather will be nice enough for relaxing in the sun or checking out the pool. One thing that most ships offer is educational classes. You can usually find short classes on activities and topics like dancing, swimming, the area of the world where you’re visiting and cooking. Some cruises even offer guest speakers and conferences.

There’s no limit to what you can learn on your next cruise, but be sure to check out the itinerary well in advance and sign up for classes. It’s also a good idea to arrive a few minutes early to your class to get a prime seat.

Cruise Ship Dining

Cruises are often rated by the quality of food. Some cruises have scheduled sit-down dinners, but most also have options where you can get food at any time of the day. For example, many cruises have a buffet room, which is constantly restocked with new food.

There are also special food-related activities onboard many ships. Most cruise lines offer a captain’s table every night, where guests dress formally and sit at a table with the captain of the ship. There are also dinner theatre shows, murder mystery dinners, theme dinners, and other special events. Again, be sure to check your ship’s itinerary to take full advantage of the fun food activities onboard.

Other Cruise Ship Amenities

Lastly, take some time to explore your ship. You might be surprised at what you find. For example, a quick walk around the ship might reveal a library stocked with interesting books you can check out for the duration of the cruise. Some ships also have indoor sports facilities, like tennis courts, and most have a gym.

While you shouldn’t spend too much time on work while you’re on vacation, many cruise ships have business centers where you can make calls to home, print documents and even use the Internet. Every ship is different. So on the first day, spend some time walking around the ship to check out all of the activities and amenities available to you.

Whether you want to take an educational class, explore the local culture of a port city, take in a show or enjoy fine dining, cruise ships offer an abundance of fun, popular activities. Get the most out of your next cruise by taking advantage of all that your ship has to offer.

Jennifer Bailey is a freelance writer who writes about vacationing, often discussing a specific kind trip such as cruise vacations.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/cruising-articles/popular-cruise-vacation-activities-1386520.html

Some Of The Major Tips To Follow While Traveling Abroad With Children

The concept of the family vacation has continuously been a strong concept in relation to family bonding. The family trip has traditionally been held in shut proximity to home, whether it’s represented in taking the family camping, going on a fishing trip or visiting the native mountains to ski. There has been a drastic amendment with regard to the destinations of these trips, whereas the thought of the family vacation is still strong in society.

The need to travel abroad has grown exponentially in adults and that want is usually transferred to their children. When considering your own families long vacation travel it’s important to hunt the travel advice of people who have expertise connected to the current venture in the concept connected to travel abroad.

The first plan that involves mind when the concept connected to travel abroad is introduced is that if there is air travel associated to the trip. For a private traveling this could be a straightforward task except for a family there is a great deal of questions of safety to consider. Now problems such as correct packing, airport etiquette and child management are obvious to any parent. One topic that’s frequently overlooked is with reference to the protection of the plane and their seating options. Seats on a plane are like the seats during a automobile, designed for an adult and not child safe and this desires to be kept in mind. Take the travel advice of experienced parent travelers and convey your car seat if a kid is but forty pounds. Doing thus will help defend your child throughout travel abroad and assist in identifying a secure place for a young one in the strange environment of a plane.

Traveling from one location to a different in the shortest time attainable is the concept of air travel. Although the value related to this travel could not be in the simplest interests of a family. By visiting a bordering country quite often travel abroad will be represented. Many families are selecting to cross borders utilizing their own kind of transportation as a approach of saving the vacation dollars.

Road travel might appear easy since several families drive every day however there’s an amazing distinction between vacation driving and daily driving when you incorporate time of travel. The first bit of travel advice to remember is that though you’re packing the vehicle for an extended trip, a roomy vehicle is that the key in preventing child cramping and grumpiness.

Consider the trip expertise just of travel a portion of your vacation in association with any style of traveling when you travel abroad.  The most effective method to assembling bonds and maintaining the peace during travel is providing entertainment for both adults and children. Activities help hang around and distract people from the less exciting portion of their vacation.

To discover additional helpful tips associated with travel abroad and overseas travel visit www.triphip.com.

Cruise Deals: Little Known Ways to Save Big on Your Vacation

You might not think you could actually save money by cruising on your next vacation, but with some careful planning, you can do just that! Special packages can take you on a three-night cruise to some sunny locales for under $200 a person. (Of course airfare is separate and prices are based on adult double occupancy.)

Check out some of these specials:

A three-night cruise out of Miami, Fla., with stops at Cococay and Nassau, both in the Bahamas, for just $169 a person.
A four-night cruise out of Miami, stopping first in Key West, Fla., and then on to Cozumel, Mexico, for $179 per person.
Go a different direction with a seven-night cruise to the Southern Caribbean for $675 a person. It leaves from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and stops in Bridgetown, Castries, St. John’s, Philipsburg and St. Croix.
For still another direction, how about a seven-night cruise to the Mexican Riviera, starting at $499 a person? It leaves out of San Diego, Calif., and stops in the Mexican ports of Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.

These are just a few of the discounted cruise deals that can help you save money on your next vacation. Almost all of the major cruise lines offer some kind of discount package. And once you’re onboard, relax and enjoy all the amenities – from activities for the children to world-renowned dining to nightly entertainment. And don’t forget, once you drop anchor, get off the ship and explore the ports of call.

One word of advice – space on these discounted trips is often limited. You need to plan in advance and see what is available. And once you’re booked, try not to change the date as most cruise lines will charge a change fee.

Special packages are not the only way to cruise for less. There are other tricks for traveling in style and for less.

Book it now. If you’re on a cruise and you’ve had a great time, you can realize significant savings by booking your next cruise right there on the spot – or right there onboard. You won’t necessarily need to commit to the location, but the cruise line will be looking for a deposit to hold your place on your next cruise. If you’re not sure where on board to conduct this business, ask if there’s a cruise consultant or booking agent who can help you plan your next trip.
Repeat business. Some cruise lines reward their repeat customers with incentives or room upgrades. If not those perks, they may reduce the amount of your deposit or offer you onboard credits.
Transfer the booking. Even after you’ve booked a cruise, don’t think you’re locked into it. Often, you can transfer your booking to an online discount agent. These sites are able to help you monitor your booking, make changes and sometimes even find additional offers or savings. It’s nice to have someone on your side.
Cabin guarantee. When booking a cruise, you can sometimes get a cheaper price or a discount if you go with a cabin guarantee. This means you will be guaranteed to get a cabin in a certain category – inside, outside, with a verandah – for a cheaper price. In exchange, the company gets to select which particular cabin you’ll get – whether it’s midship, low deck, high deck, etc.
Get a consultant. If you’re new to cruising or you’re not sure what kind of cruise you want to take, where you want to go or what’s the best price available, contact a travel consultant. These are experienced travelers with an expertise in cruises. Let one of them help you arrange a floating family reunion, a quiet getaway for you and your spouse, or maybe a special group trip. Consultants can also help you make plans to fly into the port city and find you a hotel to stay in after you dock, if that’s what you want.

If you’ve not taken a cruise before, be good to yourself and make this the year you step out and step onboard!

Hal McDougal is a freelance writer who writes about several topics including cruise deals.

The Phuket Hotels and Resorts Guide Provides a Brief Summary

The Phuket Hotels And Resorts Guide Provides A Brief Summary

By Suwat Muenpan

This Phuket hotel is located at Patong Beach and is surrounded by landscaped gardens and is close to the beach and entertainment areas. This hotel in Phuket is ideal for working on your tan and getting some well deserved rest. Our phuket hotel fast and secure reservation service provided. The hotel is family run, private and provides for a relaxed stay at Phuket’s marine hub. And whatever your budget, you can find a suitably priced Phuket hotel for you and your family. Renowned for its warm island hospitality and rustic serenity, the Chedi Hotel Phuket provides spa services, dining venues, meeting facilities and recreational activities. Select a Phuket hotel below to find usefull hotel information, check hotel rates and room availability.

You may see below comprehensive listing of Phuket hotels sorted by price. The Hotel Channel website presents a quick guide to top hotel choices in the Phuket area that can be booked online. The Phuket hotels and resorts guide provides a brief summary, customer ratings and reviews for hotels or resorts. For a quick summary see the list of hotels and resorts in Phuket. Secure your premier Phuket hotel bargain now by booking your stay at the Hotel below. If you’re looking at other areas of Phuket follow the links at the bottom of this page for hotel booking web sites.

It is one of the best-valued vacation of Phuket hotels. Our hotel is one of the best-valued vacation resorts in Phuket. Read Phuket hotels descriptions, reviews by former hotel guests or place your own Phuket hotels review. Even from the window of your hotel Phuket will boast some fabulous views and beautiful scenes. Season hotel mgm grand las

vegas hotel philadelphia omni hotel phuket hotel casino los angeles hotel hotel key west hotel. Popular with tourists there are many bungalows, resorts and hotels in Phuket so you will never be short on accommodation. We felt that by doing some solid groundwork on phuket hotels we would eventually source a fine phuket hotels provider … We know that many people have an interest in hotel in phuket so that is the community we wish to serve.

This website is designed to make easy and safe instant hotel and tour reservations direct with the best of Phuket’s establishments. The hotel is easily accessible from Phuket airport and other tourist destinations. Agents rates for on-line bookings at international class hotels in Phuket. Aside from Phuket’s many attractions guests have a choice of activities within the hotel itself. Set in its own tropical gardens, the phuket hotel boasts three magnificent pools and sundecks for soaking up the glorious sunshine over Phuket. Book your Phuket hotel stay safely, securely and without worries. A comfortable Phuket hotel for groups, families and company meetings or large conferences. The group also plans to open another hotel in Phuket. phuket hotels resorts sawasdee village hotel resort thailandphuket hotel resort hotels in phuket thailand.

For others types of rooms, please use the search box and check rates for Phuket hotels. You may also view Phuket lodgings and hotels alphabetically or Phuket hotels and rooms sorted by price. With Phukets many thousands hotel, guesthouse, bungalow and service apartment rooms it can be hard to pick out the right one. To search all available hotels in Phuket, please use the hotel search box. In addition, the island also boasts many man-made attractions, such as Phuket hotels, restaurants, sports facilities and places of entertainment. And wherever you stay, you can rest assured that your hotel in Phuket won’t be far from some awe-inspiring sights and colourful entertainment.

http://thaitravel.awardspace.info/

The Phuket Hotels And Resorts Guide Provides A Brief Summary

http://thaitravel.awardspace.info/

How to Find Cheap Travel Deals on the Internet.

There are several good and reliable travel sites on the Internet where you can find great travel deals and save big bucks on your next holidays.

However, getting the best deals is not always as easy as we think. Even though there are hundreds of travel sites out there, getting a bargain is not always simple.

Some of the well known sites, which I have personally used without any problem, are: Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Cheap tickets, Ebookers and Last minute.

Still, to find a good deal within these sites is not straightforward, a digging job has to be done to find the gold, despite the easy to use and wonderful sites these brands above and other companies have.

One of the activities that should not be missed is comparing your traveling schedule among the sites of your choice, because no one has the best prices, for all routes, always. Each one has its own specials and when someone has a bargain in certain route, usually the others have not the same special price.

To do this job, there are some websites which compare among these popular travel sites for the destination of your choice and after spotting the lowest fare, you can always go back to the lowest fare site to review the conditions and make the purchase, if you wish.

Major airline sites, often have special deals which are not published through travel sites, so taking a look to the airline sites, which travel to your selected destination, could give you surprisingly good fares for your flight.

Regardless the site or sites you choose to look for your travel information keep in mind the following tips when planning your next holiday.

Book as advanced as you can. Airlines fares increase as the time for departure approaches.

Try to arrive and depart in a mid-week day. Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

If you have flexible dates, chances to get a bargain will increase. Sometimes, a trade show or a special event will make the city of your destination very expensive for a given week, while a couple of days later or earlier, the prices could drop sharply.

For obvious reasons, avoid holidays. It is practically impossible to find a bargain during holidays, even more, airlines increase prices during holidays.

If you are traveling during Christmas, usually the Christmas day itself is cheaper than the days before. The same applies to Thanksgiving and other crowded holidays.

Try to use several websites to research your travel information, and then you will identify the most appropriate website for your needs.

When traveling to Europe from the US, try getting to a major city like London, and then use the local cheap fare airlines to travel around Europe.

When booking a hotel, use Expedia or Travelocity to see the pictures and location of the hotel, even if you book later in other site with better price.

Use as many sites as needed to book different parts of your holidays, if you get the best price in each one of them.

After you select a flight or hotel in any travel site, get into the airline and hotel sites directly and compare prices.

Verify that the site where you are purchasing has good reputation and uses SSL encryption when you pay online with a credit card.

After you receive the confirmation code from the travel site where you made the purchase, mail directly to the hotel and/or airline and confirm that they got your reservation exactly as the one you purchased.

Following these tips will give you the lowest fares available on the Internet and will avoid you unpleasant surprises when traveling.

Dr. Laurent Mikhail has extensive personal experience traveling around the world. To learn more, visit his site:
www.discount-travel-tickets.com

Seven Things You Must Know Before Your Next Cruise (to Have the Best Cruise Ever)

Filed under: cruise — Tags: activities, advantage, advice, air, allow, amp, ana, anywhere, around, art, available, Avoid, away, bars, base, beach, become, bed, before, best, board, boat, book, Border, bring, but, cabin, call, Casino, Certain, chances, Charge, Climate, clubs, come, consider, convenient, cooking, Cost, cruise, cruises, cruising, da, dancing, day, dining, direct, does, during, early, easy, eco, end, enjoy, eve, event, events, Every, Everybody, Everything, experience, experiences, Extend, facilities, fall, few, fill, find, food, forget, four, free, frequent, friends, fun, further, going, good, great, group, has, having, head, Help, here, Here's, high, hot, ice, inc, increase, information, Just, la, land, le, leave, Less, life, light, like, line, lines, long, lots, love, low, mad, made, many, may, Mean, means, Meeting, men, might, mild, minute, Minutes, must, need, next, night, not, ny, offer, offered, onboard, only, Order, pa, part, party, pass, passengers, Port, Product, protection, Proven, Purchase, put, rail, rate, Rates, real, really, recover, red, relax, relaxing, right, rise, roar, rooms, sail, sailing, same, see, self, serious, service, seven, ship, Shop, should, shows, Size, ski, skin, solo, spa, spend, Star, Start, Still, style, sun, sure, System, Tactics, ten, than, thing, things, those, through, time, tip, tips, top, tour, tours, travel, typically, up, vacation, vessel, Want, war, way, Well, where, while, why, will, win, wonderful, world — libertees @ 5:02 pm June 18, 2010

Cruising is fun, convenient, a good value … and easy. Right? Well, cruising is meant to be relaxing, but there are certain things passengers can do to get the very most out of their cruise vacation experience. Here are seven proven tips to maximize your cruise experience (and they don’t cost a thing!)

First – Travel with a like-minded partner or friends. Most cruise ships are like Noah’s Ark: people get on in pairs or in groups. While cruise lines will gladly allow you to cruise solo, it is not the best way to enjoy a cruise. Not only will you sometimes feel awkward during dining or cruise ship activities, you also get slapped with a surcharge since all cruising is based on double (or more) occupancy rates.

Furthermore, travel with compatible people. If you like to party, don’t decide to go on a cruise with a tee-totaler or a recovering drinker. Whether you are a sun bather or a casino denizen, you are going to have your best time if you travel with people who share your interests and values.

Second – Board your ship as early as you can and take any tours of the vessel or facilities that are offered. Most ships allow you to board many hours before the ship sets sail and during that time you may be offered free tours of the ship, the spa, and so on. Although they aren’t going to be the highlight of your vacation, these tours help you get oriented and can give you a glimpse of facilities on-board that you may have not known about.

If you can’t get an official tour, try to walk through the ship systematically. This will help you get your bearings plus you may find out about lounges, snack bars, clubs, meeting rooms, or other areas that you might not have known about.

On a recent cruise, I found out on the tour that the cruise ship had a guarantee program for purchases made in port. If you bought merchandise from certain recognized stores, the cruise line would guarantee them providing you filled out certain paperwork and turned it in to the onboard shopper. It was a great tip, and I never would have known about it had I not taken the pre-sailing tour of the ship.

Third – Do everything. This may sound counterintuitive to most cruise fanatics, who seek unstructured time and the opportunity to just lounge around and do nothing. Actually, most cruise directors will tell you the best cruises are those in which you really attempt to try and do everything offered.

This means you should extend yourself a bit. Sample the dancing, casinos, the pools, on-board games, art auctions, spa services, bingo, shows, and fine dining. Even if you don’t normally do those things, the more you try to take advantage of all that is offered, the more fun you’ll have.

Fourth – Don’t overeat. While some people do take cruises to gorge themselves, this is usually a rookie mistake. It may sound counter-intuitive to avoid overindulging on a cruise ship, since most cruises really emphasize the wonderful food they offer. But here’s how to handle it.

Do enjoy yourself. Order what you love. Chances are that cruise ships will offer it, whether it’s steak or lobster, ice cream or pizza, eggs benedict at sunrise, or chocolate decadence at midnight. Do, by all means, eat the foods you love.

But don’t stuff yourself. You’ll wind up feeling miserable during the cruise and fat after you get off the boat.

When in doubt, pass on food. Why? Because on a cruise ship, you’re never more than a few minutes away from the next opportunity to eat. Do try to sample what strikes your fancy, but don’t overeat and don’t be afraid to say no to many of the things that are offered to you to eat or drink. You really won’t be able to eat and drink everything on board, so don’t even try.

You’ll wind up feeling fitter and stronger and you’ll really enjoy what you do eat.

Fifth – Drink water. That’s good advice anywhere, but most of us forget about it on vacation, particularly on a cruise. Furthermore, if you drink alcohol or spend a lot of time in a hot climate, your need for water increases so you need even more water to avoid dehydration.

Even mild dehydration can cause headaches, aches and pains, and digestive disturbances. Why ruin your vacation? Drink lots and lots of water. It’s available just about anywhere beverages are offered on a cruise ship and bottled water is typically brought every morning to your cabin.

Sixth – Protect your skin. Even if you cruise to Antarctica, you will still need sunscreen. The sun’s intensity is amplified by the water’s reflection, so ramp up your sunscreen protection for a cruise. Put on sunscreen when you go to the pool or beach or even if you’re just sitting on deck in the shade.

If you do get burned, use some of the after-burn products on the market. They should be available on board ship if you don’t bring your own. Whatever you do, protect any burned skin from further sun exposure. If you get a burn on top of an existing sunburn, you can do serious damage to your skin and may even require medical intervention.

Seventh – Don’t be cruise-stupid. That’s a term I made up for a behavior I frequently observe on cruise ships. For some reason, being on a cruise makes some people act foolishly or recklessly and do things they would never normally do. Maybe it’s the unreal experience of being on a cruise ship.

On a cruise ship, people wait on you. Everything is nice and clean. You don’t have to do any work at all. Everybody seems happy. You never have to worry about pulling out your wallet, cooking a meal, or even picking up after yourself. It doesn’t take long before the cruise experience literally becomes “another world.”

Some folks take that as a cue to start behaving irresponsibly and sometimes they get hurt. While I do not want to trivialize bad experiences or say that all bad events are deserved, we should also recognize the fact. People who start acting recklessly sometimes get hurt.

If you decide to pretend you’re a gymnast and balance on the guard rail, you just might fall off. If you leave your purse or wallet unattended in a public area, you can get robbed. If you decide to get roaring drunk in some foreign port of call and act like an idiot, you can wind up in a mess of trouble.

Observe the same good, common sense tactics you use on land or in your everyday life.

For more information on cruising, pick up a copy of Ten Things to Consider Before You Book Your Cruise, available only at http://www.thecruise-shopper.com/sign_up.html . It’s free with our compliments. This article was written by Mandy Karlik, a frequent contributor to TheCruise-Shopper.

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