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Posts Tagged ‘Royal Caribbean’

Discover Romance on Hawaii Honeymoon Cruises

February 24th, 2009 No comments

One of the preferred destinations to spend your honeymoon is aboard a Hawaii cruise. This place on Earth offers incredible scenery, charm and that special magic you can only find in these islands. Read on to learn more about Hawaii honeymoon cruises.

To start planning for your Hawaii honeymoon, you’ll need to opt for a cruise line. You can find many cruise line available covering this route, like for example Princess Cruises, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian cruises, Holland America, among other options.

You will also need to choose a departure point, and this will also depend greatly on the cruise line you choose. If you are looking to save money, choose a place that is close to where you are, departure points include Ensenada (in Mexico), California, Vancouver and Hawaii itself.

Hawaii cruises give you the possibility to explore romance while traveling to the different islands. Besides the big island – Hawaii – you’ll get a chance of enjoying the beauty of Maui beaches and of course the breathtaking waterfalls and cliffs you can only find in Honolulu.

Starting your married life on a Hawaii honeymoon cruise is a unique and unforgettable experience. Since the moment you dock on the islands, you’ll enjoy the warmth of this land and will be treated as a special guest.

Each cruise line will have its own honeymoon specials and packages. While some lines prefer to bring to the couple special gifts and souvenirs, other lines prefer to give a special detailed service with special touches of romance.

If you are from the USA, spending your honeymoon on a Hawaii cruise is very simple. You don’t need to have any special paper to travel to Hawaii, as your ID will be enough proof of your US citizenship.

A Hawaii honeymoon cruise will give you the perfect setting for passion and romance during this special time. Be sure to take advantage of it!

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Getting on a Bermuda Cruise

February 23rd, 2009 1 comment

The island of Bermuda has many charms and is a terrific destination for water sports, golf, and historic sights or just lazing on the pink sands. Several companies offer cruises to Bermuda, so you get a great vacation on a luxury cruise ship and on the island. By the time you reach your destination at Kings Wharf, you will feel pampered and rested.

Norwegian Cruises run a 7-Night cruise from New York City on board the Norwegian Dawn, a ship with a choice of 12 restaurants, 9 bars and lounges and 3 swimming pools to relax in. There is also a fitness center and spa, a theatre and a casino.

The Royal Caribbean line has years of experience in the cruise industry and their Bermuda cruises combine an elegant lifestyle on ship with sightseeing on the way to the island. The 5-Night Bermuda Cruise goes from Baltimore, Maryland on the Grandeur of the Seas, a ship that deserves its name. Passengers can enjoy the spa, and a selection of six whirlpools. For the more active, there is an outdoor running track.

Another 5-Night Royal Caribbean cruise leaves from Cape Liberty, New Jersey. The ship is the Explorer of the Seas and it is one of the largest ones in the fleet with a capacity for 3,114 guests. In addition to the usual amenities, there is an ice skating rink and a rock climbing wall. The ship is also proud host to the University of Miami Ocean Lab, a facility for the study of oceanography.

The 6-Night Carnival Cruise Line cruise to Bermuda is on board the Carnival Miracle, which departs from New York City. Passengers can visit Newport, Rhode Island on route and enjoy the cruiser’s casino, spa and nightclubs.

The Costa Cruises Line organizes cruises from Quebec, calling in at Charlottetown, Boston, New York City and Port Canaveral on the way to Bermuda. This cruise to Bermuda is for 13 nights and is on board the Italian ship, Costa Atlantica.

There are plentiful sightseeing and leisure opportunities for passengers once their ship has docked. The largest city is Hamilton, where there are several museums and examples of fine architecture. The Anglican Cathedral is well worth a visit and there are lots of shops and markets to browse in. The former presence of the Royal Navy has left behind several forts to explore and there are beaches to watch the world go by. St. George is a small town that has historic sights and an interesting past, being the former capital of the island.

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Planning A Cruise Vacation

August 16th, 2008 No comments
by Joseph RyanCruising makes for a great vacation, no doubt about it. Cost is reasonable and relaxation is guaranteed, but how do you decide which cruise vacation is best for you? There are hundreds of choices and many decisions to make before you can settle back with your pina colada and watch the ocean glide past.This article will provide a broad overview of cruising, then you can go online, order printed resources and/or call your travel agent to learn more. I’ll suggest some of the best Internet resources and websites below.

Your Biggest Decision Is…

“Destination” has got to be your first and foremost decision, right? Here are the usual cruise vacation destinations in a nutshell:

The Caribbean. Most first-cruisers go here. It’s close, plus it has a touch of the exotic and tropical. I just got back from a cruise of the western Caribbean myself. The weather was wonderful and beaches great. A negative was that some of the islands, like Dominique, were a big disappointment — not very clean, basically nothing much to see or do, very tacky. San Juan PR, however, is a terrific place to make a port of call. Mexican Riviera. This is the Caribbean for people living on the west coast. Archaelogically interesting, friendly people and great climate. Hawaii. Yes, Hawaii really is a paradise, but it’s difficult to see much of it if you go there and stay at a resort. Cruising is the best way to see Hawaii. The Mediterranean. Frankly I know little of this first-hand. Please send me some tips on this cruise via the discussion group. I plan to visit here this October (the Aegean). From guidebooks and conversations I gather that it’s extremely beautiful, clean, historical, educational and a great experience. Alaska. For those of us who read Jack London as kids, this one’s a must. Native American cultures, glaciers, mountains, maybe whales. However expect cool temperatures, even in summer.

Selecting Your Cruise Line

Each and every cruise line has a unique personality. The goal is to match yours with its. I offer thumbnail impressions below, but you’ll want to research this more on your own.

- Princess. Another British line, and I’ve taken a cruise on their Diamond. This one’s very unstuffy, very well-run and efficient. The ships are beautiful, the dining excellent. Yet moderate cost.

- Royal Caribbean. Hotels at sea in the best sense. Tons of activities for everybody. Moderate cost. Their huge Freedom of the Seas is the world’s biggest boat. If you book this one expect lots of munchkins (i.e., kids). The ship even has a “rock climbing wall” to divert some of the kids’ energies. This is not Holland America.

- Princess. Another British line, and I’ve taken a cruise on their Diamond. This one’s very unstuffy, very well-run and efficient. The ships are beautiful, the dining excellent. Yet moderate cost.

- Carnival. Love Boat unleashed. This line is geared toward the pool party crowd. Discos close at 4 AM.

So How Much Does This Cost?

The cost of a cruise may surprise you. Cruises are famously low-cost vacations. But be careful, you can end up spending a lot more than you planned if you take several tours, gamble, go shopping, etc. All those sorts of things are extra.

If you take a one-week cruise in the Caribbean or Mexican Rivera and go double occupancy, the cost will be around $900 for an inside cabin, or up to several times that for a suite with a balcony. You can take a 3-night cruise for just a few hundred dollars.

For those prices you get your accomadations, meals, entertainment, activities, onboard facilities (e.g., pools, exercise equipment), and transport to ports of call.

You don’t get travel to/from the ship, shore excursions (which can be expensive), bar drinks (usually), gambling losses, tips (though some lines add these unobtrusively onto your bill without asking you) and special services, like massages and educational courses (pottery-making, watercolors, etc.).

Plus all ships offer you innumerable opportunities to spend money onboard on merchandise and baubles.

So, as said, if you’re careful and budget your cruise vacation ahead of time, the cost is likely to be modest compared with, say, staying at a resort. But if you are enticed by the “extras,” the cruise can turn out to be quite expensive.

A Few More Cruising Tips

Smoking is almost always prohibited except in bars and some lounges and on deck or in your cabin.

Interested in saving money? Book slightly offseason (in the so-called “shoulder” periods, right before or after the high seasons). Here are shoulder seasons for popular destinations –

Mediterranean – April, May, September, October

Alaska – April, May, September

Caribbean – September, early December, April-June

One Last word: Don’t leap too quickly to make a reservation. Spend some time on the Web before booking. Explore the websites of the cruise lines that interest you (most have outstanding sites, featuring virtual tours of all their ships). Visit some online cruise evaluation/information sites like, cruisecritic.com, or frommers.com. Then you’ll be in a much more informed position for making your choice. Remember, once you’re on the ship, there’s no way off!

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