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Posts Tagged ‘cruise ships’

Learn How You Can Save Big on a Repositioning Cruise

April 22nd, 2009 No comments

Of all the ways to locate cheap cruises, one of the very best is to reserve your ticket on a repositioning cruise. A repositioning cruise typically sets sail in the autumn or in the late spring, during which seasons the cruise lines are sailing their ships from the Alaska waters to the routes in the Caribbean or the other way around.

Instead of moving these vessels without any passengers between the two regions, destinations, the cruise companies carry passengers on these repositioning voyages at what often amounts to a huge savings over regular in-season cruise pricing.

Repositioning cruises can be both long and short, ranging from three and four cay cruises between Vancouver and California to several week Trans-Atlantic and Trans Pacific cruises.

The longer types of cruises that include ocean crossings often stop at few ports, but this gives ship passengers a great opportunity to enjoy all the modern entertainment on board the ship when it is not very crowded.

Of course, it is easy to spend a lot of money in the ship’s bars and casino during a long cruise, so you might want to keep track of your tab along the way to avoid any unexpected and aggravating surprises when you get your final bill after the cruise ends.

One other factor to weigh when considering a repositioning cruise is the cost of the airfare getting you to the starting point and home from the ending point of the cruise.

Because these repositioning cruise routes begin and end in totally different ports, often far apart, you’ll need to buy a split fare airline ticket in all likelihood, and this can really drive up the cost of your trip.

However if the cost of the air transportation is quite reasonable, the you are in luck — a repositioning cruise could be a very good way to visit exciting new places on the most up to date cruise ships for not much money. It is hard to beat a deal like that.

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Decide on a Travel Destination and Sail Away

April 9th, 2009 1 comment

You’ve had vacations every year, but this is your first cruise. You’ve been waiting for months for the day to finally arrive and here it is! You’re probably nervous and afraid you won’t know what to do or you’ll feel lost. Relax, here are a few pointers of what you can expect.

The first thing you’ll find out is that the ship is like no other ship you have ever been on or even seen for that matter. From the moment you step aboard, you will be amazed at the different levels, the long corridors, walkways and the enormous size. All this and you haven’t even seen your cabin yet. Shortly after you get on the ship, you’ll soon forget that you are even on a ship and feel like you’re in a large city filled with activities. If it’s the holiday season, you’ll love the beauty of the decorations.

Take your time, relax and look around. A lot of the enjoyment is just exploring on your own. Many times, it’s easier to find your way around by checking things out yourself. You may also have been given a map of the ship, which will prove to be quite helpful in navigating around the ship. You’ll get to find out firsthand where the best restaurants are located, the swimming pools or movie theatre for the kids. Speaking of kids, they’ll want to check out the map for the best video arcade or other games.

If it’s been a long trip, you’ll probably just want to check out your cabin and perhaps rest awhile. I hope that you’ve kept some personal belongings in your purse or have a small duffel bag, as your luggage may not be delivered to your cabin for a few hours. After you’re fully rested, you’ll be dying to investigate the ship.

If you have any trouble navigating around the ship, there are plenty of new passengers just like yourself that are new and just as nervous as you are. Most cruise ships have a full staff that is very devoted to making you comfortable and being helpful as can be. Between their help and your map, you’ll soon feel right at home.

You may find that your cabin is smaller than it appeared in the pictures. Although they are small, they make amazing use of the space there is available. Of course, depending on your travel destination, you probably won’t be spending much time in your cabin-not with all the activities they have to offer.

You will be given a ship credit card for any purchases you make while aboard. The crew will help you with your dining and seating arrangement, however, you can easily be moved if you are not happy where they have you sitting. Their goal is always to keep their passengers happy.

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Use European River Travel For A New Look At The Continent

April 7th, 2009 No comments

Most people visualize lush tropical forests and sandy beached as the perfect complement to cruises, but have you ever thought about leaving the ocean-going liners behind and opting for more individual, varied and refined experiences among some of the world’s greatest cities, with lots of nature to boot? European river travel is just that.

If you are an old hand cruise patron looking for a new experience, European river travel will present you with a way to stay on the water when the tropical cruise period has ended.

European river travel will let you observe parts of Europe which are simply unreachable to ocean class cruise ships. You’ll get a close look at some of Europe’s most momentous historical sites.

European river travel is available both in the highly urbanized areas of Europe and in its backwoods. You will be able to choose from an assortment of journeys to suit your specific interests. And you can also choose the degree of sumptuousness you want on your ship, from complete to more Spartan.

An Internet search will guide you to some first-rate reductions on European river cruises, especially if you are able to wait until the last moment before reserving your trip.

If you want to go the full way, the best trip that you can go on is a one-month voyage across the continent’s main rivers, the Rhine and the Danube, which are connected by canals in southern Germany. With this kind of trip, European river travel will take you all the way from Holland to the Black Sea.

This kind of European river travel will allow you to explore the charming lowlands of the Netherlands, the forested areas between Germany and France, with the incredible backdrop of the Rhine in this area, and then to cruise through Bavaria and Austria, Hungary, and finally to the well-preserved Danube delta in Romania.

If you are already accustomed to cruises on big liners, you will be pleasantly surprised by the pace and also at the level of personal attention that the ship crew will be able to give you on European river travel. As the groups of passengers are smaller, much more will be done to make sure that you will feel individually well cared for.

You may be so overcome by the slower, more graceful experience of European river travel, in fact, that you permanently trade in all your tropical apparel for something a bit warmer!

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Travel Tips For Cheap Family Vacations

March 31st, 2009 No comments

Family vacations are really an important time for the family. Its probably the only time of the year that the whole family can get together and spend some real quality time with each other. It means fun for both the parents and kids. Many families may now tend to avoid thinking about vacation because of a tight budget and a slumping economy. Here, however, are some tips on how to cut down the cost of your next family vacation and yet still ensure loads of enjoyment for everyone:

1. Plan your vacation well in advance. This gives you plenty of time to surf the internet and get the best bargains on air tickets and hotel reservations for your family.

2. Try to be flexible about the dates of your travel. Its better to travel in mid-week rather than on a weekend. Try to plan your travel in the off peak season. You are more likely to get cheaper air tickets and a good bargain on your hotel.

3. Save money on hotel rooms. Your hotel choice could consume much of the money spent on your vacation. If you have relatives or friends living near any probable vacation spot, then try make arrangements, if possible, to stay with them for the holiday. If planning an international vacation then consider using a hotel guide or surf the internet for the best rates you can find.

4. Save money by considering cheap cruises. These can be for only three to five days on many popular cruise ships with many fun designations. The inside cabins are the best choice and can actually be very affordable.

5. Check for a vacation rental. These provide a great value when it comes to a family vacations. You can save a lot on the hotel room and also on the food.

6. Before you leave for your vacation, buy all your own amenities like sunscreen, toothpaste, medicines, etc. These things usually cost more at vacation spots.

7. Try to travel with another family or with friends. You can consider booking a vacation cottage and share the cost of the stay. You can do the same with food because you will most likely have a kitchen in the cottage.

8. Choose a destination where you can have free fun. Youre already paying for your stay and the food could be costly so you dont want to end up paying for all your entertainment as well.

9. Try to visit the off beaten path destinations. These destinations are a lot cheaper than the crowded destinations most might choose. You also will have the added advantage of privacy.

10. You can consider choosing a destination that you can drive to. You can also carry your own food and entertainment along. You can carry an ice box with bottled water, soda, and perhaps a selection of canned foods.

11. You may also consider a family camping trip. Its filled with fun and adventure and it can really be within your budget. Your biggest expense might be the tent. You can carry an ice box with all your food and drinks. You might also plan a family barbeque. You can take your friends along so that you can split the price of gas and food.

12. We cant ignore the fact that last minute vacation packages can be big money savers. Although planning your vacation in advance is good advice, you could also plan on catching a last minute deal.

So get geared up, pack your bags, and start planning your next fun-filled cheap family vacation.

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Cruise Tours – Travel On A Resort Hotel To Exciting Destinations

March 17th, 2009 No comments

A luxury cruise vacation can really enrich your life. Not only will you be traveling with like-minded people who love cruising, you will develop great, lasting friendships among your many cruising companions.

When you cruise you can sail to fabulous ports of call anywhere that cruise ships visit. Not only are there mega cruise ships which everyone is familiar with, there are a number of sizes and types of ships. The medium, and especially the smaller size cruise ships can navigate further up inland waterways to historic cities and famous landmarks where larger ships cannot go.

The larger cruise ships generally have one or possibly two organized shore excursions at each port of call. If there are two sightseeing shore excursions scheduled the same day, one may happen early in the morning and the second one in the afternoon. Most shore excursions at take place in the morning normally get back to the ship in time for the people to dine on a fantastic lunch buffet.

Occasionally, on a second excursion, you may arrive back at your cruise ship late in the afternoon or early evening. This could possibly make you a bit late for dinner if you’ve been scheduled for the first sitting.

It is also your prerogative to explore the city, town, or island attractions and landmarks on your own. Please remember that it is your responsibility to get back on time or your cruise ship could sail without you. However, if you choose to book a shore excursion with the cruise ship, they will not sail until everyone is back on board.

Take full advantage of the time you have in port by using it wisely. Some vacationers decide to disembark and go it alone by hiring a car and driver to take them to see and explore the sights. Usually taxi drivers charge by the carload and not per person so if you want to save some money you can split the cost with a few other fellow passengers. If you leave early in the morning you may be able to get back in time to enjoy the lunch buffet.

When you cruise you should bring a detailed guide book that covers each of the destinations you know that you will be visiting. Even if the weather is inclement for your shore excursion, always take your camera as the weather can improve very quickly.

And don’t judge a port by the dock and its surrounding area. It is usually a freighter loading and unloading area and the major warehouse and industrial district of a city or town. You may have to travel out of the port area and into the city or town to really see the unique tourist attractions and historical sites as well as experience the local culture.

What is the difference between a river cruise and a barge tour?

Although they have similarities, there are major differences between these two types of sightseeing tours. Firstly, the ships that sail the rivers can accommodate approximately up to one hundred and eighty people, while barges usually only can accommodate five to twenty-five people. The second big difference is that the river cruises can visit a number of countries and cities in a week, while barges travel on man-made canals from town to town moving at a much slower, walking pace, and can only cover approximately fifty miles in a week. Thirdly, river cruise ships have a restaurant, lounge, and entertainment, while barges are essentially first-class, floating hotels, and have a dining room and lounge as well as a sun deck. The most popular river cruises and barging tours are located in Europe.

What is a luxury cruise tour package?

A cruise tour land package is similar to a cruise that stops for half-day or full day shore excursions but gives you the best of both a luxury cruise and a land holiday combined in one. The main differences between the two is the land part of your vacation includes transportation by train or motor coach travel to a quality hotel accommodation at your inland destination. You will be accompanied by an expert tour guide for the land segment of your itinerary. These combo packages are generally longer, lasting from approximately ten days to three weeks or even a month or more. On most cruise land tours you can decide to take the land part of your holiday either before or after your cruise.

Besides Europe, you can book a cruise tour for South America, Australia, Asia and the United States. Alaska is one of the most popular cruise tour destinations in the world.

If you would like to enjoy the best of both worlds – an incredible dream cruise holiday and a land tour adventure – a luxury cruise tour is the ultimate vacation experience.

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