With the addition of so many new mega cruise liners the cruise industry has cabin inventory with thousands of berths that they must fill each week or every two weeks. Cruisers expect these beautiful ships with a plethora of entertainment venues, shops and itineraries to choose from everyday when taking a cruise vacation. Everyone that has enjoyed the cruise experience knows that cruise lines are forever trying to come up with new ideas and interesting things to entice new and repeat cruisers. The ships are getting glitzier and the perks are getting better and better. Here are a few things that the cruise lines have added to their rosters to coax you into taking your next cruise vacation on one of their ships.

The world is health conscious today, and the cruise lines have noticed this trend. The first thing that they have decided to revamp and extend is their sports activities to cater to those cruisers who wish to indulge in the cruise experience without leaving their fitness routine behind. Royal Caribbean, for example, not only offers its rock climbing wall but has added a forty foot wave pool, an ice skating rink and a boxing arena for guests to learn how to bunch a bag. These are all very diverse activities sure to meet the tastes of almost everyone on board. On the higher end of cruise lines, SeaDreams Yachts has a retractable marina. The marina opens so that guests may enjoy all kinds of water sports including snorkeling, water skiing, kayaking, and wakeboarding. The ship is even equipped with “Segways” for the clients to borrow to get around the ship or at tour ports when docked. Segways are high tech motor scooters rarely seen in port towns which make them doubly enjoyable.

Even non cruisers know the cruise lines reputation for good food, all of the time. Now the ships are creating activities that include the cruise guests when it comes to the culinary arts. The cruise lines want to show you how to prepare great food, present it and to savor it, a talent you can take back to your own kitchen. Holland America for one, has instituted the Culinary Arts Centers fleet wide. Each year they invite 20 well known culinary experts to sail and host cooking classes. Silversea on the other hand, has had Viking create a show kitchen on the beautiful Silver Wind. Jacques Pepin is the star of Oceania’s ships doing cooking lessons, taking guests on culinary excursions in port and dining with the passengers on board. What aspiring chef would not be delighted with that?

During this time, as the cruise lines are teaching you about gourmet food what would be the perfect pairing? Well, Wine of course. Carnival has taken this step by introducing the wine-themed vacation called the Presidential Wine Club Cruise. On this wine themed Caribbean cruise they offer seminars and wine tastings from famous vineyards. They have even included the Michelin-starred chef Georges Blanc to oversee culinary dishes that are wine friendly. Silversea has instituted the Slow Food Experience excursions on its Genoa, Italy itinerary. With this unique program passengers become students at the University of Gastronomic Sciences for one day and then visit the nearby Wine Bank that has the top wines produced by 200 Italian vineyards. When touring the Iberian Peninsula, Princess Cruise passengers get to create their very own cognac in Camus, France at a family owned distiller. Another Princess Cruise line offering is a trip to Leith near Edinburgh, Scotland where you can visit a Scottish Malt Whisky Society and have single-malt tastings.

When it comes to spas, some cruisers will book just for that experience. Celebrity Cruises has packages that you can book ahead of time with a variety of spa treatments. Some of their exotic treatments include the Ceremony of Milk and Ginger, the Asian Ceremony of the Stone or the pricey Daily Well-Being Ritual. With all packages you have unlimited use of the Thalassotherapy pool. Costa Cruises offers the largest spa at sea on their Concordia. In the 20,000+ square foot spa there are Turkish baths, Rock saunas and thermals. If you book a suite on the Concordia, or a spa cabin, you have unlimited access to the Ristorante Samsaru where Chef Ettore Bocchia, another Michelin starred professional, has created the menu. All of the major cruise lines have choices which include aerobics, work out rooms with equipment, saunas, whirlpools and special programs like yoga or toning and stretching.

Because of our hectic world some people just don’t want to be without internet access. Well, the cruise industry has answered your concerns. It is safe to say that all of the mega liners have internet access. Some have portals in each berth while others have internet cafes. On the higher end cruise lines you can borrow lap tops to use in your cabin. Each cruise line is different, some charge for usage or some use it as a perk for repeat cruisers. For instance, Princess Cruises has free internet usage for their Captains Club members after they have sailed a certain amount of times on the Princess ships. The cruise lines clubs (once you have sailed on a particular cruise line you are automatically a club member) all have different “perks” for different levels of repeat cruisers but that is for another discussion.

As you can see, the cruise lines are keeping up with all cruisers demands so you have lots of options to choose from on your next cruise vacation. Check out all the cruise lines with your Travel Agent and pick the one that is tailor made for your needs.

Bon Voyage!

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.BestCruiseSites.com

Thanks to Mary Hanna for contributing this article to our Cruises blog:

Honeymoon Cruise Deal

Can you answer lady31’s question about Cruises?:

Have you ever taken you children on a Royal Caribbean Cruise?
We are thinking of taking the kids on the Sovereign of the Seas ship on Dec. 10. I’ve looked into their kids program and it seems exciting. My little boy will be 8. My little girl will be 10. My daughter has Autism, but is high functioning.

I am just curious to see others cruise experience with their children. Would you repeat the experience??
Thanks in Advance.

Bodrum 3 Days Cruises

Choosing your cruise is one of the most important steps of your cruise experience. Finding the best cruise agent is essential. Knowing which liner will best suit your needs, style, which destination ports will be of interest to you and when you should travel, are some of the many aspects which should be considered.

This is why a cruise agent is such an important part of your cruise vacation decision.

Below are just a few of the aspects that a good cruise agent will discuss with you during your cruise consultation. Be sure to make notes of any special questions you may have before you speak with them.

The Five W’s

1. Who: Knowing who is travelling is one of the more obvious questions but one which must be carefully considered. Are you a single traveler, a couple, a family, or a group? Are there small children traveling or would you prefer an adult only ship?

Would you prefer a younger or more mature onboard age group? These are some of the important factors which must be considered when selecting the right cruise ship, and some of the many things that your cruise agentwill discuss with you.

2. What Ship to Choose: Each luxury cruise line has many benefits and aspects that make it unique in the industry. Some ships are intimate vessels carrying approximately a hundred passengers, whereas others set sail with several hundred to over a thousand passengers.

The onboard atmosphere of some ships is more formal, with traditional dining venues, whereas others offer a more casual setting with an open dining experience.

Matching you with the ship that will best suit your needs and style should be your first priority. Let the cruise agent help you to choose the ship that is right for you.

3. Where: With over 65% of the world being covered by water, it seems as though the "Where" possibilities are truly endless. Where does one start? How do you choose? Well, one way is by knowing when you can travel to each location and what time of year the itineraries are offered.

Also, what do the destinations offer and are the ports of interest to you? Some of the more common destination choices are: the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, the South Pacific, the Mediterranean, the Baltic, and Africa & Asia. And for the brave what about the titanic route, you may see some nice icebergs.

Your cruise agent should be happy to discuss the many options being offered. In addition, once you have decided on your cruise destination, a good cruise agent will provide you with in-depth information on pre-cruise and post-cruise stays, as well as private shore excursion options.

4. When: When to cruise usually depends on one of two things: when you are able to go or when the itinerary you are interested in taking is being offered. The first consideration, when you are able to go, is easily determined.

Once you establish your time frame, your cruise specialist is able to provide you with a selection of cruises being offered at that time. If you personal availability is flexible, often times, the second consideration, when the itinerary you are interested in taking is being offered, is another way of choosing when to go, as certain itineraries are only offered at certain times of the year.

Your cruise agent can help you to select the best time to travel to your destination and which itineraries are being offered.

5. Why are you traveling: The question is, far too often, overlooked by travelers, and is one of the more important questions to consider. Are you traveling for rest and relaxation?

Are you traveling to learn about a specific destination or culture? Are you interested in a learning or life enrichment experience? Or is it a special occasion (i.e. a honeymoon, an anniversary, a family reunion, etc.)?

These scenarios are just a few of the many reasons that you may be considering a cruise and knowing "Why" you are traveling, will help your cruise specialist match you with the cruse line, ship and itinerary that will best suit your needs.

As you can see, there are many factors that go into the planning of your cruise vacation. Researching, defining, and refining all of these variables is why your cruise agent is such an important part of your decision and selection process.

Hope you have a wonderful cruise. By the way,do you get seasick? The chances on a cruise are very slim. However it is always advisable to take some sea sick pills with you; just in case.

Thanks to Derek Smiley for contributing this article to our Cruises blog:

Carnival Cruise Line Review