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Posts Tagged ‘cruise liners’

How to Have a Great Family Cruise Ship Vacation

April 1st, 2009 No comments

Thinking of a family vacation aboard a cruise ship? If you and your family are interested in becoming one of those families, you have a number of different options. If you are tired of camping, picnics or a visit to grandma’s house during the next holiday season, why not go on a cruise ship?

Setting sail on water is fun and it is something that most of is would love to do. Boats are expensive and most of us cannot afford one anyway. We have an interesting piece of information for you: a family vacation aboard a cruise ship can be for anyone irrespective of whether they understand sailing or not. Try going on a cruise vacation.

So will your family enjoy a vacation being aboard a cruise ship? Cruise liners open up a new world of experience and there are endless possibilities that you can explore on your vacation. Individuals of all age can enjoy participating in these activities.

Consider these issues before you make the decision about arranging a family vacation aboard a cruise ship. If you prefer quiet evening away from the crowd, probably being aboard a cruise ship would not be suitable as a few nights on a hired yacht. Children and adults will find plenty of activities to do on a cruise liner. You can choose to swim in the pool, laze around on the deck, or gamble to your heart’s desire.

Other one of the many benefits of taking a family cruise ship vacation is the fact that almost all of them have onboard childcare. The child can be left for an hour or two while you pamper yourself with some private time with your spouse, or alone. These are often complimentary facilities.

One biggest benefit of a cruise vacation is the quality time spent together. While it is true that this quality time together can be spent anywhere, it is often more memorable on a cruise liner. The close corridors should not be viewed as a disadvantage. Teenagers, for instance do not see time spent with the family as a worthwhile investment.

This is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with them without being too obvious. Remember to take a long a video recorder and take a regular camera along as well. In addition to enjoying your cruise in the present, you and your family will also be able to enjoy it in the future. For a reasonable price, you can have an unforgettable family vacation on board a cruise ship so why not take hold of the experience while you can?

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What Are Repositioning Cruises And Can They Save You Big Bucks?

December 16th, 2008 No comments
by Dorothy Yamich

Repositioning cruises are not a new phenomenon, they’re just one of the best kept secrets in the cruising industry. Like the migrating birds, many cruise ships head for warmer climates in the Autumn months and return in the Spring. Some move south for the winter months and then sail back again for the summer months. Other cruise ships cross the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean to “reposition” themselves in warmer weather. Just like most vacationers, these fleets of ships are seeking seasons in the sun.

These unique one-way cruises are available at deep discounts to attract new and seasoned cruise lovers alike. No cruise line wants to ever have the expensive proposition of moving a large ship across hundreds or thousands of miles of ocean without having any paying cruise passengers onboard. This is an opportunity for vacationers to enjoy a luxury dream cruise for a bargain basement price.

A repositioning cruise is not just a stripped down version of a luxury cruise. It is a luxury cruise! All passengers enjoy the same meals, the same entertainment, and have the same onboard privileges. And your deeply discounted ticket, sometimes costing as low as fifty dollars per day, entitles you to everything that is usually included in a luxury cruise.

The main difference between a standard cruise and a repositioning cruise is that the latter is longer, usually lasting from two to four weeks, with more time spent at sea and fewer, or possibly no ports of call. This means more relaxing days spent at sea and a less hectic itinerary. And on some repositioning cruises certain ships will drop anchor in very unique ports of call that are usually reserved for very expensive world cruise itineraries.

Usually these repositioning cruises happen in the months of September and October, and also in March and April. Some of the main destinations in the Winter are Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico, the Panama Canal, South America as well as Asia. The destinations in the Summer are Europe, Canada, Alaska, New England, and the Mediterranean.

Depending on the season, vacationers can sail to or from Europe and North America; Alaska and British Columbia, and the United States southwest coast including ports in Mexico; the northern United States and the Eastern coast of Canada, and a number of southern U.S. as well Caribbean destinations. Some repositioning cruises sail to and from Asia, Africa, as well as the Middle East.

There are a few important things that you should consider if you want to go on a repositioning cruise. First is booking an “open jaw” flight where you fly to the departure port of call and then fly home from the cruise ship’s destination port. These air flights can be pricey compared to the usual return airfares that most travelers are familiar with. Sometimes it is possible to book your flight through the cruise line, but not always. Even with the usual extra cost for an open jaw ticket over a regular airline return ticket, a repositioning cruise is still an incredible value for your travel dollar. However, if you are fortunate to live close by, or within driving distance of your departure port, then you would only have to book a one-way airline flight back to your departure port and then drive back home.

When you book your flight it may be advisable to arrive at your departure port a day before you sail and stay overnight at a hotel. This will avoid any problem of unforeseen flight delays that can sometimes happen and leave you stranded on the pier waving goodbye to a cruise ship that has left without you.

If you think you would enjoy a long and relaxing luxury cruise then you will love a repositioning cruise which usually is not filled to capacity with passengers and spends more time at sea.

P.S. Don’t forget your camera equipment and a wardrobe to reflect the possible weather conditions on your cruise.

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Why Do So Many People Love Luxury Cruise Vacations?

December 7th, 2008 1 comment
by Dorothy Yamich

In these times of faster everything, including faster and larger commercial airliners where passengers are packed in like sardines, one thing seems constant. That is the wonderful and leisurely world of cruising. For many years now, the airline industry has experienced numerous setbacks, while the cruise industry has grown by leaps and bounds. There are numerous reasons why you should consider becoming a part of this amazing phenomenon. Here’s some of them.

According to some recent research from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), ninety-five percent of cruisers give top marks to their cruising experience and over seventy-five percent are planning to cruise again within three years.

Contrary to what some people might think, cruises are very affordable. With most vacations you end up paying for air flights, hotels or resorts, restaurants, entertainment, and sometimes car rentals. If you add all these costs up, cruises can be a real bargain. When you book a cruise, in most cases you pay for the airfare and cruise. However, if you live close enough to your cruise ship departure port, you may be able to drive there much cheaper than you can fly.

Even if you do have to fly to the departure port you can always get a flight and cruise package which is usually less expensive than buying your flight and cruise separately. You will save even more money as your lodging, restaurant meals, and entertainment are also included.

When you book luxury a cruise vacation, more than 85% of your holiday is prepaid and that’s including all meals, stage shows, night clubs, movies, and entertainment, as well as many other activities and amenities. In addition, most ships have onboard activities such as swimming, scuba diving lessons that can lead to certification, golf, rock climbing, dancing, Pilates, yoga, and fitness trainers. You can also pamper yourself with relaxing spas and body massages.

Another way to save a bundle on a cruise is to book an inside cabin. If you don’t need to have a cabin that has a balcony or ocean view, then you will save a lot of money. You have use of all the shared amenities with your fellow passengers, but it is costing you a lot less.

You can also save a bundle on repositioning cruises. A repositioning cruise is made possible at certain times of the year, usually in the spring and fall, when cruise lines relocate their ships from one part of the world to another.

There is a large variety of luxury cruise vacations to choose from, ranging from three day mini cruises to several month long cruises as well as an amazing around the world cruise odyssey.

When you cruise, you are traveling in the lap of luxury in a floating five-star hotel. You will be pampered and feel that you are living the life of a king or queen, not only for a day, but for the entire length of the cruise. Elegant surroundings, gourmet dining and impeccable service are a few of the superlatives that can be used to describe cruising.

If you like delicious food you will certainly love gourmet meals and scrumptious desserts prepared by incredible chefs and served in a variety of restaurants. There are also huge, delightful buffets available throughout the day and even midnight buffets. There are a number of themed lounges located throughout the cruise ships for your convenience.

Love to see Broadway style shows and theater performances without making reservations or paying outrageous prices for tickets? Then taking a cruise is the answer. So many things are included on a cruise that make cruising such a great value for your travel and entertainment dollar.

From children to great grandparents, there is always something to interest everyone on a cruise. You have the option to be as active as you like or you can just relax and experience magnificent sunrises and breathtaking sunsets while watching the world go by. So many wonderful, precious memories and experiences will stay with you a lifetime when you take a luxury cruise.

Feel like partying around the clock? That’s not a problem. Whether you’re with a partner or single, it’s always party time. You don’t even have to plan or even clean up after a party, only have a lot of fun!

Businesses around the world book team building get-togethers, conferences, seminars, product launches and employee reward events on cruises. Cruise lines do not charge extra for conference room facilities and the use of audio-video equipment.

Group cruises aren’t only for corporations and business people. Family reunions, weddings and honeymoons, sports clubs and groups, charities and fund raisers are only some of the numerous types of groups that hold their events on cruises.

On cruises there is no hassle of having to pack and unpack over again every time you travel to a different destination. Another bonus is that there’s no limit to the amount of luggage you can bring along on a cruise.

People that have disabilities should have no problem getting around on cruise ships. Cruise lines have made onboard accessibility a non-issue as their ships are equipped with elevators, ramps, and easily accessible cabins as well as state rooms.

Today’s cruise ships have drastically reduced the problem of seasickness. Modern, larger ships slice through the waves instead of riding on the top of them. Also, innovative new technologies like stabilizers and counterbalancing systems have dramatically reduced the pitch and roll of the cruise ships, all but neutralizing the problem of seasickness.

A doctor and medical staff are never more than minutes away on a cruise ship should any passenger have to see doctor. Most common passenger minor mishaps and ailments occur less on cruise ships than on shore.

Cruising is also one of the safest forms of travel. The cruise industry has an exceptional safety record. And as far as assaults and robberies are concerned, they are over a hundred times less likely to occur on a cruise ship than in your own home town.

For those that have a fear of flying or don’t enjoy being crammed like sardines into commercial airplanes when traveling to their destinations, here is some great news. The cruise lines in the United States are making terrific strides catering to cruise passengers needs. They are opening up more ports of call on both the East and West coasts so more and more people who would love to go on a cruise but don’t like flying, can easily drive or take a bus or train to most departure ports.

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