family cruise vacation ideas

Last year I read a book called, “The Economics of a Cruise Ship” What do you think is the average cost of

Filed under: Blog — Tags: Average, book, called, Cost, cruise, Economics, last, read, ship, think, year — @ 1:30 pm January 20, 2012

Question by Dave: Last year I read a book called, “The Economics of a Cruise Ship” What do you think is the average cost of
food aboard a ship per passanger per day? The closest guess will win the 10 points without going over. My bet is that nobody will win.

Remember this is the food that you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the average…This does not include the extra money spent for upgrade meals that are optional aboard some cruise lines. This price is the average among the normal cruise ships…like Holland America, Norwegian, Princess, and Celeberty. OK…NOW GUESS!

The average amount a cruise line spends per guest per day is $ …………….?

Best answer:

Answer by ll2
$ 9

Add your own answer in the comments!

Runaway From Your Hassles With Cost Effective Florida Cruise Deal

Filed under: Blog — Tags: Cost, cruise, deal, florida, Hassles, Runaway — @ 5:36 am September 2, 2011

Runaway From Your Hassles With Cost Effective Florida Cruise Deal

Article by Davids Corrines

Fantastic Florida cruise deals might help you to if in case you are planning to have your next journey in a very cost effective manner. The periodical life usually is very tense and responsibilities of children, work are so testing and home problems are permanently there to agonize you and offer you the mental relaxation. Sometime you feel the need to find again the romantic days, after many years of dwelling together. So to respond to all of your needs a break or trip is required that may enable you to run off from the routines for a while. Trust me the moment you are back you will feel like a “fresh you” and you will be able to see the life and its stresses in a less difficult way. If you live in Florida or its surrounding, you possibly can select a cruise by availing any of the Florida cruise deals open.

One can come across several Florida cruise deals that will guarantee nonstop pleasure for the household and which might be additionally cut-rate. The period of the sail might also differ relying on your demand. You may have long sails or just one day adventure. Generally the Florida cruise is thought as an expensive option, but by choosing cheap Florida cruise deals you could have the fun at costs not heavy on your budget. Delivered under are the five of the perfect Florida cruise deals:

Bahamas Amusement:With Bahamas celebration offers you can have a cool cruise within your budget. The Florida cruise provides the trip that will last 2 nights and 3 days at very token 9, which is difficult to match by competitors. These deals let you avail with “All you may eat” packages, together with lovely separate cabins in their latest in line vessels. So now the answer to your pressures is just few clicks away with Bahamas celebration cruise. You could visit their web sites to see particulars like check in and checkout timings. You could plan your anniversaries or other occasions on board by expending a little cash on Bahamas Celebration’s best Florida Cruise deals.

Discovery Cruise Line:If you’re looking for all the fun in lesser than one hundred bucks for a day long trip, Discovery Cruise lines is the most suitable choice for you. Their deal to Bahamas trip is inclusive of all of the fun with “All you’ll be able to eat” packages for your lunches, along with the buffet dinner. On their other deals, Discovery Cruise Line additionally provides you two nights and three days long trip in very reasonable cost of around a hundred and eighty dollors, making it a really low cost choice.

The 2 Day Cruise:Offering the most cost effective Florida cruise deals the two Day Cruise has all the things you’re looking for from the Cruise line. Their prices are almost at par with Discovery Cruise Line discussed earlier. You may have the 2 night’s long sail for destination Grand Bahamas, at very nominal 9

Cruise Magic:Cruise Magic is not far away from its fellow firms in relation to providing the most effective Florida cruise deals. With the enhanced period of 3 to four days long cruises the prices may be very affordable 0. However the fees vary from time to time, so avail the offers from Cruise Magic to have your self the very best deal for your Caribbean cruise.

Cruise Only:Cruise Only’s offers are additionally not far-off from others. If you are a resident of Florida state Cruise only has much more economical prices for you on offer. So if this is not the top amongst Florida Cruise deals then what is? You can have the all expense paid trip on expending about two hundred dollars.

Hey I need to come to Florida First?

Sure you definitely need to come back to Florida first to board the selected cruise. Allegiant Air is the perfect and low-priced fly in alternative from across the country. Their flight would drop you SW Florida, so as a way to reach East Coast for your cruise, you’ll have to use other means, such as taxi cab, hire a car or some other options. But the type of prices that are billed by Allegiant, the overall package would still be affordable, and after a car journey across the state provides a new dimension to your whole holiday plan. However you can also pass up the automobile journey and get to to the very metropolis from where your cruise will be departing. Checking with businesses like Hotwire, Priceline or Expedia are all worth an effort as you might get some reasonable deal with them.

So we have now offered you the very best Florida cruise deals involving the cheapest air route attainable, so now there is nothing on earth that may obstruct you from enjoying the cruise for your impending vacations.

For other information about cruising tips, like panama canal cruise or other similar topics, you might want to visit this around the world cruise website.










Runaway from your worries with Cost effective Florida Cruise deal

Filed under: Blog — Tags: Cost, cruise, deal, florida, Runaway, Worries — @ 12:00 pm June 17, 2011

Runaway from your worries with Cost effective Florida Cruise deal

Amazing Florida cruise deals can help you to if you are planning to have your next trip in a very cost effective manner. The routine life generally is very tense and responsibilities of kids, work are very testing and domestic problems are always there to haunt you and give you the mental relaxation. Sometime you feel the need to relive the romantic days, after many years of living together. So to answer all your needs a vacation or trip is required that can help you run away from the worldly realities for a while. Believe me once you are back you will feel like a “new you” and you will be able to see the life and its stresses in a lighter way. If you live in Florida or its vicinities, you can opt for a cruise by availing any of the Florida cruise deals available.

 

There are many Florida cruise deals that are very economical and ensure the nonstop fun for you and your loved ones. The duration of cruise may also vary depending on your requirements, from one day adventure to longer cruises. Generally the Florida cruise is considered as an expensive option, however by opting for cheap Florida cruise deals you can have the fun at prices not heavy on your budget. Given below are the five of the best Florida cruise deals:

Bahamas Celebration:

Bahamas celebration offers you a fun cruise within your budget. This Florida cruise offers the trip lasting 2 nights and 3 days at very minimal 9, which is hard to match by competitors. These deals allow you to avail with “All you can eat” packages, along with beautiful separate cabins in their latest in line vessels. So now the answer to your stress is just few clicks away with Bahamas celebration cruise. You can go to their websites to see details like check in and checkout timings. You can plan your anniversaries or other events on board by spending a little money on Bahamas Celebration’s best Florida Cruise deals.

 

Discovery Cruise Line:

If you are looking for all the fun in fewer than 100 bucks for a day long trip, Discovery Cruise lines is the best option for you. Their deal to Bahamas trip is inclusive of all the fun with “All you can eat” packages for your lunches, along with the buffet dinner. In their other deals, Discovery Cruise Line also offers you 2 nights and 3 days long trip in very reasonable price of about  0, making it a very economical option.

 

The 2 Day Cruise:

Offering the cheapest Florida cruise deals the 2 Day Cruise has everything you are looking for from the Cruise line. Their prices are almost at par with Discovery Cruise Line discussed earlier. You can have the 2 night’s long cruise for destination Grand Bahamas, at very minimal 9

 

Cruise Magic:

If it comes to offering best Florida cruise deals then Cruise Magic is not far away from its fellow companies. With the enhanced duration of 3 to 4 days long cruises the prices can be very affordable 0. However the charges fluctuate every now and then, so avail the offers from Cruise Magic to get yourself the best deal for your Caribbean cruise.

 

Cruise Only:

Cruise Only’s deals are also not far away from others. If you are a resident of Florida state Cruise only has even more discounted prices for you on offer. So if this is not the top among Florida Cruise deals then what is? You can have the all expense paid trip upon spending about 0.

Hey I need to come to Florida First?

Yes you certainly need to come to Florida first to board the selected cruise. Allegiant Air is the best and economical fly in option from across the across the country. Their flight will drop you SW Florida, so in order to reach East Coast for your cruise, you will have to use other means, like taxi cab, rent a car or other options. However the kind of prices that are charged by Allegiant, the overall deal would still be reasonable, and after a car trip across the state gives a new dimension to your whole holiday plan. However you can also avoid the car trip and reach to the very city from where your cruise will be departing. Checking with agencies like Hotwire, Priceline or Expedia are all worth a shot as you might get some affordable deal with them.

 

So we have given you the best Florida cruise deals including the cheapest air route possible, so now there is nothing on earth that can stop you from enjoying the cruise for your upcoming holidays.

Yasir Hasan is a Business Analyst by profession. He has an MBA degree along with BS degree in Computer Science. Writing is his hobby and he wants to explore newer dimensions with his writing endeavors.

Read Yasir Hasan blog at : http://yasirhasan.blogspot.com/

Article from articlesbase.com

You Can Take a Fun Cruise – How to Find the Best Low Cost Rates on a Great Cruise

Filed under: cruise — Tags: best, Cost, cruise, find, great, Rates — libertees @ 5:01 pm September 25, 2010

Many people are discovering that taking a cruise can be a real fun and exciting vacation that can be enjoyed by adults and kids alike. If you are looking for a vacation that you will never get bored and you do not have to worry about what you are going to do to entertain your family every minute then you need to seriously consider taking a cruise excursion. There are many different cruise companies that offer low cost cruise vacation options and with a good search you can find the perfect price range for your needs.

Find the Best: Discount Cruise

When deciding to take a cruise you need to first see how much time you have for this vacation because the cruises vary form as little as 3 days to as much as 30 days and in some cases more. The most popular cruise is the Caribbean 7 day cruise because most people will take a one week vacation and this will fit perfectly into there schedule. Next you want to decide what cities you would like to see on your cruise because the ships have several ports of call that they stop at so you need to look at the different options then do some research about those cities so that you can decide what sounds good to you.

Great Advice about: Cheap Cruises

Once you have decided the length of the cruise and the destination you have chosen then you want to look for the best price on a cruise. There are many options when looking for a low cost cruise and you have everything form the large travel sites to the smaller cruise only sites that you can choose from. Also make sure you go to the cruise lines site because in many cases they will offer deals as well.

Bryan Burbank is an expert in the field of Online Cruises.
http://www.icruisetoday.com

Why Traveling Without Insurance May Cost You More

Filed under: Cruise Deals — Tags: Cost, insurance, traveling — libertees @ 2:16 pm July 11, 2010

Why Traveling Without Insurance May Cost You More

You are going traveling. You have lots of expenses to cover. You need to pay for your air fare, your accommodation, your food, your travel while away, cultural experiences and the list goes on. You want to save money so you decide not to bother with travel insurance. You are going on the trip of a lifetime so nothing will go wrong. It’s an unnecessary expense so you don’t need it. Wrong. Very wrong. Traveling with out insurance can be the biggest mistake you make when organizing your trip and a very costly one.

 

What is travel insurance? Well there are two kinds of insurance to look at when traveling.

1. Travel insurance, (sometimes called trip insurance) which covers cancellations, delays, lost baggage and emergencies.

2. Travel medical insurance protects you against any medical expense while traveling.

 

Ideally, you need a combination of the two when traveling. 

 

Imagine these scenarios:

You are in Darwin, Australia when a cyclone hits the area. The city is devastated by the cyclone and all services shut down. You have to be evacuated and sent home. Your travel insurance will cover you for this. You do have travel insurance don’t you?

 

Your luggage goes missing in India. You need to buy new clothes and fast. Can you afford it in your budget? Of course you can, you took out traveler’s insurance – didn’t you?

 

Or what if you go surfing in Hawaii and take a big wipeout? You are so severely injured you need surgery and major medical assistance, and then are airlifted home. But that’s okay – your travel medical insurance covers all that. You have got it, haven’t you?

 

Travel insurance is there to protect you in case bad things happen on your trip. It is a necessary expense. Overseas medical costs can be astronomical if you are not insured. And if you are injured in a developing country, medical attention may not be as good as at home. If you are insured you can get flown home and attended to at no cost.

 

Every year the government deals with thousands of cases of travelers being injured, falling ill or dying overseas. This is a distressing situation for all involved, but made even worse when the travelers are not insured, often leaving them with huge bills to pay. Hospitalization in other countries can cost over one thousand dollars a day. Medical evacuations can be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and if you die in Europe, it can cost over ten thousand dollars to bring your body back home. If you do not have travel insurance you have to cover these costs yourself (or your family will have to find the money).

 

Travel insurance is a cost you need to budget for. If you don’t take it out, your medical expenses could cost a whole lot more. Insure yourself and travel safe.

 

This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel – Your Online Travel Guru

www.stuartstravel.com

Stuart S. Travel / Your All World Online Travel Guru:

Sherry Hardesty has been a professional flight attendant for over 15 years. Her experience is extensive and she provides professional travel consulting and booking services at http://www.stuartstravel.com

Cheap Cruise – How To Score A Cruise Bargain

With the warmer months approaching, cruising will be one of the more popular summer vacations on people’s minds however, if it’s a cheap cruise you’re looking for, then you may struggle to find one.


The summer period, especially the holiday time is prime time as far as cruise companies are concerned. This is the time of the year they have little trouble in filling their cabins.


This doesn’t mean you cannot cruise cheap. Let’s take a look at two solid options which will help you land that bargain vacation on the high seas.


Travel Agents


Many people seem to overlook travel agents and one reason for this may be because they are such an obvious choice. They should be the first port of call simply because of their connection to the cruise companies. Connection as in receiving an order of tickets to fill that is.


Filling cabins is what it’s all about with cruise lines and their number one aim is to make sure there isn’t a vacant cabin left when the ship departs port. The travel agents job is to fill these cabins and they have the ability to be negotiable on the price of tickets.


A good tactic is to come up with a list of travel agents and then speak with each one individually over the phone. You are simply asking about the cruise you’re interested in, what’s the cost and what sort of a deal they can do.


Some may be hard to get on with and others will be very accommodating. This is simply shopping around for the best price and don’t be surprised if you can get your cost down anything up to 10% of the original quote.


It’s a great way to come up with a cheap cruise deal. How many travel agents should you contact? That’s entirely up to you but try to speak with at least five. Obviously time will be a factor but in the end, even if you are looking at saving $100 of your trip, it’s an extra $100 you can spend on your holiday.


Online Cruise Sites


This is a must alternative simply because of the power and competitiveness of the internet. Cruise companies proliferate the online scene all competing for your business but they also have the ability to locate and get you on a cheap cruise holiday.


Join some of the site’s who offer newsletters and correspondence with their visitors. This way, you can be kept up-to-date with what’s coming up and one of the advantages of these mailing lists are you’ll usually be the first to hear about the super deals.

Want to know how to score some great cheap cruise deals ? You’ll want to read this informative guide! Plus, read the latest cruise deal news and reviews on how to score a great cruise bargain.

Discount Hotel Booking In Australia

The sixth largest country in the world, Australia attracts millions of business travelers, holidaymakers and backpackers. The magnificent Great Barrier Reef, unending beaches, vast deserts, verdant forests, rich wildlife exist alongside cosmopolitan cities, impressive business centers, swanky restaurants and slick pubs. Business guests and tourists coming to this beautiful island nation seek for the best accommodation options in Australia. With luxury and cheap discount hotels sprouting across the country, guests have every reason to smile. The opening of the online space has highly benefited people all over the world. Hotels can now be booked with just a few clicks. The time-consuming accommodation booking procedures are now a thing of the past. Avail of discount hotel booking in Australia and reserve your hotel room in no time.

Discount and cheap Australia hotels offer comfortable accommodation at discount prices. The tariff rate of the discount and cheap hotels is far less than the other hotels in Australia. The discount hotels are ideally situated in the principal cities of Australia including Canberra, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Cairns, Gold Coast and others. Several tourists and travelers visiting Australia have benefited highly from the online discount booking services in Australia.

Online hotel booking services or discount hotel booking offer discounts on hotel amenities and services. Once you book online, you will get jaw dropping discounts on hotels in Australia and other places around the world. Avail of discount hotel booking in Australia and get discounts on your accommodation. Apart from lodging, discounts are also offered on dining and some other facilities. You just need to cross-check with the hotel about the discount rates mentioned on the site and the actual discount rates offered by the hotel.

You can avail of discount hotel booking in Australia from anywhere around the world. You just need to go to any of the popular websites, make a few clicks and reserve your hotel in no time. You can choose from the vast array of hotels in front of you. Browse through the popular hotel reviews about the hotel you are about to book. Hotel reviews online give you a clear idea about the accommodation you are about to book, the condition of the rooms, facilities available and the discount rates they offer. Popular travel reviews will provide you with a clear idea about the exact discount rates of the hotel. There are more reasons than one, why discount hotel booking has earned so much popularity amongst travelers around the world.

Discounts are offered on luxury and cheap Australia hotels. Whether you are a business traveler or a leisure seeker, discount hotel booking in Australia will meet your maximum requirements. If you want a blend of modern comforts and conveniences, discount hotels in Australia will offer you the same and that too at reasonable rates. Discount hotel booking also serves as a cost cutting measure on your accommodation anywhere in the world. You can save a lot on your expenditure with online discount hotel booking services. Now, you no longer have to visit your destination and engage yourself in the tedious task of booking your hotel. You can do it from anywhere around the world, in the comfort of your home or office. Reserve your hotel now through discount hotel booking in Australia and grab the best deal online.

Aparajita loves to write articles on how to get a discount hotels booking in your favorite destination spots and how to find Australia hotels that will give you a peace of mind.

Your Cruise Vacation – Cruise Ship Embarkation Procedures for Cruise Travel

The Cruise vacation you have been planning for a year is now a reality. You’ve packed your bags with the appropriate clothes for cruise travel. You have filled out all of the cruise documentation, do this at home, don’t wait to get to your cruise ship, and now you are ready for this highly anticipated cruise. There are a few cruises tips about embarkation day that you should know before you head for your cruise vacation.

Keep all of your documents with you, that includes tickets for the cruise, any vouchers, passport and any immigration forms that the cruise line has sent you. That includes bus vouchers from the cruise line that will deliver you to the ship from the airport. In is wise to pack a change of clothes in your carry on in case your baggage gets delayed. If you have purchased the vouchers from the cruise line, a cruise line representative will meet you at baggage claim and take you to the bus or van that will transport you to your cruise ship.

If you decided to handle the transfer on your own, check ahead of time to find out how much a taxi will cost from the airport to the pier. It is good to know how long it will take to make the transfer so you have timed your flights accordingly. Make sure you have attached your cruise line tags with ship name, cruising date, and stateroom number. When you arrive at the pier a porter will relieve of your bags. He will expect to be tipped. The going fare is one dollar per bag.

Cruise tips are always helpful so pay attention to this one. Let the cruise line make your airline reservations. The reason for this is that if your flight is delayed the cruise line will handle it. If there are several other passengers on the same flight the cruise line will delay the departure of the ship. If it’s just you and your traveling companion they will probably put you up in a hotel in the town of your embarkation and get you on the ship at the next port of call. If you opted to do it on your own, you will have to make all those arrangements. So, for safety and peace of mind let the cruise lines do it.

If you have decided to go to the town of embarkation a few days before the cruise, that will not be a problem, so make your own reservations. Some travel insurance companies will pick up these expenses but make sure you read the fine print on the policy BEFORE your cruise vacation.

When you get to your cruise ship, embarkation could be a little chaotic. There will be lines, especially early in the check in process. There will be a lot of stressed out people so just relax and take it in stride. After you have gone through the check in process you will be aboard and your cruise vacations begins. Here is where it pays to have all of your documentation completely filled out. Many of the cruise lines have loyalty programs so if you are a repeat cruiser many times they have preferred check in areas. Many of the cruise lines will have preferred check in for cruisers who have booked suites or mini suites. Check this out with your cruise travel agent.

This is a little off topic but it’s one of the best cruise tips you will hear. Use a cruise travel agent for all of your cruise travel. It is important to deal with an agent that has sailed on many different cruise lines so they can give you an honest opinion on the difference between cruise lines. Check and see if they are CLIA certified cruise lines organization. Be careful they don’t push you onto cruise ships where they have preferred status which means they get a higher commission. Scour the internet for cruise reviews on cruise travel to back up what your travel agent is telling you.

Now back to the pier. While you are checking in you will have to give the cruise line a credit card for any on board charges. Most times your room card is also your credit card and identification for getting on and off at ports while on the cruise ship. If you can get on the ship early in the process you get two benefits. One you get to have lunch and two you get the first shot at spa and beauty appointments. It will also give you time to peruse your cruise ship and then head for the pool. Having been a savvy cruise traveler you knew to bag a bathing suit into your carry on luggage.

Just before you get to the gangway you will be stopped by the ships photographer and a picture will be taken to commemorate your cruise vacation. It will be on display in the ships photo gallery but you are under no obligation to purchase it. Check in procedures will be different from ship to ship even within the same cruise lines. It depends on the experience of the staff and the cooperation of the passengers. Remember that these folks that are checking you in have been working since seven o’clock in the morning off loading the people from last weeks cruise vacation. Then they turn around and start putting on a whole new set of passengers for the next cruise.

The most important advice is to try to keep a cool head. You are headed for the best thing you can imagine, a cruise vacation.

Happy Cruising!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Mary Hanna has traveled the world by Air and Ship while writing eBooks, Software Reviews and Practical Articles on Internet Marketing, Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at: http://www.CruiseGold.com http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com and http://www.CruisingTips.com

Mary Hanna has traveled the world by Air and Ship while writing eBooks, Software Reviews and Practical Articles on Internet Marketing, Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at: http://www.CruiseGold.com http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com and http://www.CruisingTips.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.

Rental Car Vs. Traveling by Bus in Costa Rica

One of the most often asked questions from travelers about Costa Rica besides “How much does it rain in the rainy season?” is: “Do we really need a rental car?”. The answer depends very much on you, but by describing a bit more the conditions I can make the decision easier for you!

Driving in Costa Rica is not as difficult as it seems in some frightening reports. Nevertheless it is true that the Costa Ricans that are known for a laid-back and calm attitude seem to get into a hurry as soon as they sit behind the wheel of a vehicle. They are not alone on the planet with this particularity, the only difference is that in many other places the people seem to be always in a hurry.

The roads in Costa Rica are famous for their potholes and some destinations can only be reached on a gravel road. If you plan only to visit San Jose and Jaco you may be fine with a sedan, but it is highly recommendable to rent a 4×4. In the rainy season you will even have to cross some rivers. Even some of the main attractions for tourists in Costa Rica are only accessible with an all-terrain vehicle. The road to Monteverde is not paved and there are no plans for doing so. The local community wants to protect this unique place and does not want that to make their place accessible for huge tourist buses.

The big advantage of renting a car in Costa Rica is, that you are independent and can make a stop whenever you want. Fruits and crafts are sold along the roads, this is always a good opportunity to have some small talk with the locals.

You better get up early in Costa Rica, because the sun goes down around 6 pm. Driving at night in Costa Rica can be dangerous and is not recommendable. Most of the roads don’t have lights and road marking mostly exists on the main roads.

The alternative to renting a car is to travel with the extensive bus system. This is a good way to see the country and meet the Ticos. There are buses going almost everywhere in Costa Rica, connections between outlying areas are limited. The capital San Jose is the major transportation hub of Costa Rica, sometimes it is necessary to return and switch the bus here. Before you buy a ticket for the bus ask precisely if this bus really goes to the destination where you plan to go. There are several towns in Costa Rica which share the same name! You can assure going to the right Playa Hermosa by mentioning the Province where you plan to travel. There is a Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste and a Playa Hermosa in Puntarenas. There are several other examples like Naranjo and San Isidro.

Traveling by bus is certainly cheaper than renting a car, but is most often slower. There are several hundred bus companies operating in Costa Rica and unfortunately they don’t always work together. This can result in an unplanned overnight stay at a place where you missed your connecting bus.

So the decision is still up to you, but it should be easier for you take it now

Serchenginenews

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