What was your favorite port on your mediterranean cruise?
June 29, 2009 by Cruise Tips
Filed under More Cruise Answers
Can you answer Jon S’s question about Cruises?:
When did you take your cruise?
When did you take your cruise?
What were your favorite ports?
What excursion did you take / what did you see?
No links needed for the excursion just where you went and what you did please. Also if you did the night gondola ride in venice w/ a singer how was it?
Luxury Cruise Ship
Spend Your Winters Taking Cruises Around the World
June 12, 2009 by Cruise Tips
Filed under About Cruises
Are you looking for a way to escape the cold of winter? Then look no further than cruises around the world to take you to warm climates and exciting destinations.
Since cruises around the world usually depart in January, this is the ultimate way to escape the snow, ice and cold temperatures of a northern climate. They last from 90 to 121 days depending on the cruise line and the itinerary of ports of call. Such cruises visit at least five continents in one voyage, always choosing the best locations for excursions onshore. You will not only see dramatically changing landscapes when you awake each morning, but you get a chance to see some of the most renowned attractions in the world.
Most of the cruise lines offering luxury around the world cruises (http://www.amttravel.com/cruise-lines/luxury-world-cruises.html) divide the itinerary into sections allowing you the flexibility of booking several sections or the entire cruise depending on how long you want to spend at sea and the places you want to visit. Some of the most popular destinations for such cruises include:
? Auckland
? Sydney
? Bora Bora
? Vietnam
? French Polynesia
? The Caribbean
? The Greek Islands
? Safaga, Egypt
? Dubai
? Bombay
? Spain
There are so many things to see and do when taking cruises around the world that it is important to research the various cruises available to make sure that you will get to stop in the locations that are you are most interested in visiting. Most of the cruises around the world start in the east and sail west. If your point of departure is in Europe, you will have to travel to the Mediterranean area of the world first. Those cruises that originate on the east coast of the US will cross the Atlantic towards Europe and those originating on the west coast will cross the Pacific. Although it is mainly the larger cruise ships that offer cruises around the world, there are many luxury liners that are smaller in size so that your cruising experience is an intimate one with much more flexibility.
When packing for an upscale around the world cruise, you know that you can leave your bulky winter clothing at home. Since there are laundry facilities onboard all these cruise ships, you don’t have to try to take all your lighter clothing with you. No doubt you’ll plan to engage in shopping onboard the ship and when you land in the various ports, you will need to have room in your luggage to take your purchases back home with you. Since you will also be spending quite a lot of time on the ship, you should bring casual and formal clothing, as well as comfortable clothing you can wear in the fitness center. Of course, you have to plan on spending some time soaking up the sun’s rays as you lounge on the pool deck, so swimwear is essential.
With cruises around the world, you can jam a lifetime of vacationing into one cruise. Immerse yourself in the culture of each port you visit and make memories that will last the rest of your life. Not all cruises are alike, as the various cruise lines offering five star world cruises (http://www.amttravel.com/cruise-lines/world-cruise-lines.html) often have different ports of call. If you take one world cruise, you can take another in the following year or a few years down the road to visit different destinations.
By taking cruises around the world during the winter months, you have a change of scenery. You don’t have the year round expense of maintaining a home or cottage in a warmer climate. You also don’t have to worry about making reservations for different flights or for finding accommodations in various locations. Your home for the duration of your cruise will be your stateroom aboard the cruise ship where you will have all the comforts of home.
Thanks to Sarah Martin for contributing this article to our Cruises blog:
Since cruises around the world usually depart in January, this is the ultimate way to escape the snow, ice and cold temperatures of a northern climate. They last from 90 to 121 days depending on the cruise line and the itinerary of ports of call. Such cruises visit at least five continents in one voyage, always choosing the best locations for excursions onshore. You will not only see dramatically changing landscapes when you awake each morning, but you get a chance to see some of the most renowned attractions in the world.
Most of the cruise lines offering luxury around the world cruises (http://www.amttravel.com/cruise-lines/luxury-world-cruises.html) divide the itinerary into sections allowing you the flexibility of booking several sections or the entire cruise depending on how long you want to spend at sea and the places you want to visit. Some of the most popular destinations for such cruises include:
? Auckland
? Sydney
? Bora Bora
? Vietnam
? French Polynesia
? The Caribbean
? The Greek Islands
? Safaga, Egypt
? Dubai
? Bombay
? Spain
There are so many things to see and do when taking cruises around the world that it is important to research the various cruises available to make sure that you will get to stop in the locations that are you are most interested in visiting. Most of the cruises around the world start in the east and sail west. If your point of departure is in Europe, you will have to travel to the Mediterranean area of the world first. Those cruises that originate on the east coast of the US will cross the Atlantic towards Europe and those originating on the west coast will cross the Pacific. Although it is mainly the larger cruise ships that offer cruises around the world, there are many luxury liners that are smaller in size so that your cruising experience is an intimate one with much more flexibility.
When packing for an upscale around the world cruise, you know that you can leave your bulky winter clothing at home. Since there are laundry facilities onboard all these cruise ships, you don’t have to try to take all your lighter clothing with you. No doubt you’ll plan to engage in shopping onboard the ship and when you land in the various ports, you will need to have room in your luggage to take your purchases back home with you. Since you will also be spending quite a lot of time on the ship, you should bring casual and formal clothing, as well as comfortable clothing you can wear in the fitness center. Of course, you have to plan on spending some time soaking up the sun’s rays as you lounge on the pool deck, so swimwear is essential.
With cruises around the world, you can jam a lifetime of vacationing into one cruise. Immerse yourself in the culture of each port you visit and make memories that will last the rest of your life. Not all cruises are alike, as the various cruise lines offering five star world cruises (http://www.amttravel.com/cruise-lines/world-cruise-lines.html) often have different ports of call. If you take one world cruise, you can take another in the following year or a few years down the road to visit different destinations.
By taking cruises around the world during the winter months, you have a change of scenery. You don’t have the year round expense of maintaining a home or cottage in a warmer climate. You also don’t have to worry about making reservations for different flights or for finding accommodations in various locations. Your home for the duration of your cruise will be your stateroom aboard the cruise ship where you will have all the comforts of home.
Thanks to Sarah Martin for contributing this article to our Cruises blog:
Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in luxury around the world cruises and five star world cruises. For great deals on an upscale around the world cruise, please visit http://www.amttravel.com/cruise-lines.
Fear Not! You Can Book Your Own Cruise Of A Lifetime!
May 17, 2009 by Cruise Tips
Filed under Cruise Destinations
Many people are simply overwhelmed when it comes time to book the cruise vacation of their dreams. There are so many options, so many cruise lines, so many destinations, and so many considerations. The list just continues on and on until one feels like they will never be able to sort through the jumble to find the perfect vacation package. But you can book the cruise vacation that you’ve always dreamed of. And while you can use a travel agent to do it, you can do it just as easily on your own if you know how.
The first step to booking your cruise vacation is to research and gather all of the cruise information you can find. Doing a keyword search online is a great place to start. You can also visit your local travel agent for brochures and catalogues printed by Princess Cruise Lines and various other cruise lines. Compare prices, destinations, and overall service of each vacation package offered to get a basic idea of what type of package you would like to purchase.
Next you will need to choose your destination. Again, the internet is a great tool. Online you will find tourist information, pictures, and testimonials for all of the top cruise destinations in the world. Your local travel agent may also be able to give you some insight into which ports are most popular among which types of travelers. Another great source of information are friends and acquaintances that have traveled with a cruise line. They can give you a unique perspective and advice on which destinations to avoid and which ones to include in your itinerary.
Before you visit your travel agent or book online, you should have a good idea of how much money you can spend and how long of a cruise you would like to take. Keep in mind that the time of year that you book your cruise can have a huge impact on the price you will pay. This means that you may be able to book a longer cruise with more ports of call for the same price of a shorter cruise if you book during the off season.
Once you have gathered and researched all of the information, you can begin booking your cruise. You can do this through a respected and well-known travel agent of your choosing or you can book your cruise yourself online or directly through the cruise line itself. No matter which method you choose, you will have to make several decisions about your vacation at this point in the planning process. Here are just a few:
1. Choose your point of departure and the travel method that you will use to get there.
2. Decide on ports of call and any extra activities that you may wish to take advantage of.
3. Choose your stateroom. Keep in mind that staterooms vary in price, amenities, size, and services available.
4. Become familiar with cancellation policies and restrictions.
5. Find out if you will be required to put down a deposit and how much it will be. Some cruise lines will require you to pay the full amount due up front.
Travel Agent or Book Yourself?
While finding a cheap price used to be the motivation that kept people glued to their computer well into the night looking for the perfect deal on a cruise, the popularity of cruises has led to the equalization of cruise prices all across the board. This means that you will probably pay the same price for a cruise that you book yourself as you would for one that you book through a travel agency. So which method should you choose? Take a quick look at the following advantages of each before you make your decision.
Booking with a travel agent has many advantages over booking online, and since the cruise line pays the agent a commission for booking the trip with its line, there is virtually no cost to you when you use an agent. Here are just a few of the advantages of booking your vacation through an agent:
1. An agent is quite familiar with all of the cruise lines available and the packages that they offer. This helps them to quickly narrow in on a package of your choice without having to do a lot of unnecessary research.
2. Since agents are familiar with popular cruise lines but are not employed by them, they can give you unbiased advice concerning your vacation and which cruise line you should travel with.
3. Most travel agents are certified or licensed through the Cruise Line International Association and the Travel Institute.
4. A travel agent will look for reduced pricing for your trip even after it has been booked and rebook your sea voyage for you at a lower price if and when it becomes available.
5. In the unfortunate even that something goes awry during your trip, your travel agent will act as a mediatory between you and the offending cruise line.
Booking online also has many advantages. Although a rare occurrence, searching for last minute deals online can still yield results. But even if you can’t find a last minute cruise bargain, you may choose to book online for one of the following reasons:
1. Online cruise websites contain most of the information that is available to travel agents. This puts the control of your vacation directly into your hands. You may also be able to browse inside information that would not have come up during a normal meeting with your travel agent.
2. You can access online travel agencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This allows for a lot of convenience and flexibility, which is perfect for people who have a hard time keeping and making appointments.
3. When it comes to researching your vacation, there is no better place to do it than online. Here you will find numerous research tools as well as photos, diagrams, reviews, schedules, and videos just to name a few.
4. Using an online calendar, you can search for the most inexpensive package available through the cruise line of your choosing. Sometimes you can save a few hundred dollars by leaving a week earlier or later than your scheduled time frame.
5. Since your travel agent narrows in on certain lines, ships, and destinations according to your wants and needs, you may not be able to browse all of the options available. Booking online will allow you to do this and more.
As you can see, there are many advantages of each, so it may be hard to make a decision. If you’re finding this to be true, you may want to book your vacation through an agent and perform additional research online yourself. Whatever your decision, once you have looked at all the details, go for it!
Thanks to Jacqueline Michaels for contributing this article to our Cruises blog:
The first step to booking your cruise vacation is to research and gather all of the cruise information you can find. Doing a keyword search online is a great place to start. You can also visit your local travel agent for brochures and catalogues printed by Princess Cruise Lines and various other cruise lines. Compare prices, destinations, and overall service of each vacation package offered to get a basic idea of what type of package you would like to purchase.
Next you will need to choose your destination. Again, the internet is a great tool. Online you will find tourist information, pictures, and testimonials for all of the top cruise destinations in the world. Your local travel agent may also be able to give you some insight into which ports are most popular among which types of travelers. Another great source of information are friends and acquaintances that have traveled with a cruise line. They can give you a unique perspective and advice on which destinations to avoid and which ones to include in your itinerary.
Before you visit your travel agent or book online, you should have a good idea of how much money you can spend and how long of a cruise you would like to take. Keep in mind that the time of year that you book your cruise can have a huge impact on the price you will pay. This means that you may be able to book a longer cruise with more ports of call for the same price of a shorter cruise if you book during the off season.
Once you have gathered and researched all of the information, you can begin booking your cruise. You can do this through a respected and well-known travel agent of your choosing or you can book your cruise yourself online or directly through the cruise line itself. No matter which method you choose, you will have to make several decisions about your vacation at this point in the planning process. Here are just a few:
1. Choose your point of departure and the travel method that you will use to get there.
2. Decide on ports of call and any extra activities that you may wish to take advantage of.
3. Choose your stateroom. Keep in mind that staterooms vary in price, amenities, size, and services available.
4. Become familiar with cancellation policies and restrictions.
5. Find out if you will be required to put down a deposit and how much it will be. Some cruise lines will require you to pay the full amount due up front.
Travel Agent or Book Yourself?
While finding a cheap price used to be the motivation that kept people glued to their computer well into the night looking for the perfect deal on a cruise, the popularity of cruises has led to the equalization of cruise prices all across the board. This means that you will probably pay the same price for a cruise that you book yourself as you would for one that you book through a travel agency. So which method should you choose? Take a quick look at the following advantages of each before you make your decision.
Booking with a travel agent has many advantages over booking online, and since the cruise line pays the agent a commission for booking the trip with its line, there is virtually no cost to you when you use an agent. Here are just a few of the advantages of booking your vacation through an agent:
1. An agent is quite familiar with all of the cruise lines available and the packages that they offer. This helps them to quickly narrow in on a package of your choice without having to do a lot of unnecessary research.
2. Since agents are familiar with popular cruise lines but are not employed by them, they can give you unbiased advice concerning your vacation and which cruise line you should travel with.
3. Most travel agents are certified or licensed through the Cruise Line International Association and the Travel Institute.
4. A travel agent will look for reduced pricing for your trip even after it has been booked and rebook your sea voyage for you at a lower price if and when it becomes available.
5. In the unfortunate even that something goes awry during your trip, your travel agent will act as a mediatory between you and the offending cruise line.
Booking online also has many advantages. Although a rare occurrence, searching for last minute deals online can still yield results. But even if you can’t find a last minute cruise bargain, you may choose to book online for one of the following reasons:
1. Online cruise websites contain most of the information that is available to travel agents. This puts the control of your vacation directly into your hands. You may also be able to browse inside information that would not have come up during a normal meeting with your travel agent.
2. You can access online travel agencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This allows for a lot of convenience and flexibility, which is perfect for people who have a hard time keeping and making appointments.
3. When it comes to researching your vacation, there is no better place to do it than online. Here you will find numerous research tools as well as photos, diagrams, reviews, schedules, and videos just to name a few.
4. Using an online calendar, you can search for the most inexpensive package available through the cruise line of your choosing. Sometimes you can save a few hundred dollars by leaving a week earlier or later than your scheduled time frame.
5. Since your travel agent narrows in on certain lines, ships, and destinations according to your wants and needs, you may not be able to browse all of the options available. Booking online will allow you to do this and more.
As you can see, there are many advantages of each, so it may be hard to make a decision. If you’re finding this to be true, you may want to book your vacation through an agent and perform additional research online yourself. Whatever your decision, once you have looked at all the details, go for it!
Thanks to Jacqueline Michaels for contributing this article to our Cruises blog:
Visit http://www.cruiselinestips.com or search Princess Cruise Lines for more details on your dream cruise!
Cruise Tips for Cruise Travel at your Ports of Call
May 15, 2009 by Cruise Tips
Filed under Cruise Destinations
Cruise travel is one of the best vacations you can take. During your cruise vacation you will visit several different ports of call. Your cruise ship will dock at exotic islands or new countries almost on a daily basis. Check out the cruise reviews on line for cruise tips before you visit your destinations to find out what fantastic experience each port has to offer.
During your cruise vacation you will visit ports to shop, explore, beach, sightsee or hike. There are a wide variety of activities in each cruise destination. Or you could just depart the ship for a chance to walk around for a change of pace. Although this is a great cruise adventure, you should realize that you will only get a small sample of what each port of call has to offer. And be forewarned, as you step of your majestic cruise ship there will be hordes of natives trying to sell you a trinket or a tour around the city.
If you take the advice above and search the cruise reviews, you should have a pretty good idea what each destination has to offer. Choose the one that has the most encompassing tour of your port. In exotic ports they have full day tours, including lunch, that will take you to the highlights of the place you are visiting. This is an ideal way to sample the city or island getting ideas for what you may want to come back for at a later date. On island tours you may want to take an organized tour in the morning, go back to the ship for lunch, then light out on your own to explore more fully, shop or just go to the beach.
If you are more adventuresome, skip the lunch on board and dine in the city. You get to experience the local cuisine and soak up the native culture. This is your vacation, learn new and different things. If you chose to do this check with the cruise director for the best places to dine and make sure you know the exchange rate. On of the cruise tips is to put your meal on a charge card so you will be charged the exchange rate on the day the bill hits the credit card company.
A cruise tip that is very useful is to use the brochure that the ship gives you for their organized tour and follow it on your own. Only do this if you are comfortable with the country you are visiting. If it is your first time overseas to a port of call, it is best to stick with the organized tour for safety and convenience. Other cruise tips can be found online about some of the wonderful things to see and do in various ports of call. Be conscious of one thing, if you chose to explore on your own, know what time the ship leaves and how long it will take you to get back on board. If you are not on an organized tour it is your responsibility to get back on time or the ship will leave without you. You then have to meet the ship at the next port of call at your own expense.
If you opt for an organized tour sponsored by the cruise ship, it should cost you anywhere from $20.00 to over $200.00 depending on what you choose to do. It could be just a simple bus ride around town for two hours or a two day trip from St. Petersburg, Russia to Moscow. The options are endless.
Most cruise lines will let you book in advance on their websites. This is very convenient and helpful with tours that sell out quickly. For instances, in the Cayman Islands the Stingray City tour is very popular and will sell out. If you book it in advance you guarantee your spot. The more inexpensive tours also tend to sell out because of some cruisers watching their budgets. So, don’t miss out, check out the cruise lines website to see if you can book your ticket in advance.
It is good to know the game plan that the tour offers. Things you should be aware of is how much the guide will be with you and do they speak English clearly. Mostly the cruise lines have very competent tour guides, but better safe than sorry. Will have any time on your like for shopping or stopping in a café? It is very important to find out how much physical activity is required before you sign on for any tour. If you have limited mobility you don’t want to go on a tour that climbs the Acropolis in Athens or Dunns River Falls in Jamaica. Find out if a snack or lunch is provided, so if it isn’t you can bring along adequate funds to get your own.
There are private touring companies that you can contact on your own if you wish to tour in a more private fashion. Another alternative is to buddy up with some fellow cruisers and share taxi tours to cut your expense in half. Many times you will meet people on a cruise that have similar interests and you will spend a lot of time together on the cruise ship, why not touring also? It’s a way to save money and enjoy other passengers company.
Only hire licensed taxi drivers. Their credentials should be prominently displayed in the front of the cab. With a licensed driver you are ensured a safe trip and a guide who is knowledgeable about the islands or cities background, where to shop, eat or gamble. And of course they will know the best beaches available. Negotiate the price of your tour up front. If you chose to go to a destination where you will be dropped off for a couple of hours, negotiate with the driver to come back and pick you up. Settle on a price and pay half up front and half on the way back. If the driver has been helpful and friendly, please tip him or her.
Some cruisers like to rent cars in their ports of call. It is recommended that you only do this in destinations that you are familiar with and have a good knowledge of where you are going. Be careful when renting a car. Be sure to check out the entire car for any damages that may already be there and note them on your rental contract. If you fail to do this you may be charged for damage that was already done.
Lastly, use common sense when touring. Don’t travel in dark tight alleys, put your money under your clothes, don’t wear expensive jewelry and don’t let yourself be surrounded, especially by children. Always carry identification and the name of the cruise lines agents in the port of call in case you get in trouble.
You are on a cruise vacation make the best of it. Get off the ship at all of your ports of call whether you are touring or are just poking around. Be sure to take lots of pictures so you will have years of beautiful cruise travel memories.
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.
Thanks to Mary Hanna for contributing this article to our Cruises blog:
During your cruise vacation you will visit ports to shop, explore, beach, sightsee or hike. There are a wide variety of activities in each cruise destination. Or you could just depart the ship for a chance to walk around for a change of pace. Although this is a great cruise adventure, you should realize that you will only get a small sample of what each port of call has to offer. And be forewarned, as you step of your majestic cruise ship there will be hordes of natives trying to sell you a trinket or a tour around the city.
If you take the advice above and search the cruise reviews, you should have a pretty good idea what each destination has to offer. Choose the one that has the most encompassing tour of your port. In exotic ports they have full day tours, including lunch, that will take you to the highlights of the place you are visiting. This is an ideal way to sample the city or island getting ideas for what you may want to come back for at a later date. On island tours you may want to take an organized tour in the morning, go back to the ship for lunch, then light out on your own to explore more fully, shop or just go to the beach.
If you are more adventuresome, skip the lunch on board and dine in the city. You get to experience the local cuisine and soak up the native culture. This is your vacation, learn new and different things. If you chose to do this check with the cruise director for the best places to dine and make sure you know the exchange rate. On of the cruise tips is to put your meal on a charge card so you will be charged the exchange rate on the day the bill hits the credit card company.
A cruise tip that is very useful is to use the brochure that the ship gives you for their organized tour and follow it on your own. Only do this if you are comfortable with the country you are visiting. If it is your first time overseas to a port of call, it is best to stick with the organized tour for safety and convenience. Other cruise tips can be found online about some of the wonderful things to see and do in various ports of call. Be conscious of one thing, if you chose to explore on your own, know what time the ship leaves and how long it will take you to get back on board. If you are not on an organized tour it is your responsibility to get back on time or the ship will leave without you. You then have to meet the ship at the next port of call at your own expense.
If you opt for an organized tour sponsored by the cruise ship, it should cost you anywhere from $20.00 to over $200.00 depending on what you choose to do. It could be just a simple bus ride around town for two hours or a two day trip from St. Petersburg, Russia to Moscow. The options are endless.
Most cruise lines will let you book in advance on their websites. This is very convenient and helpful with tours that sell out quickly. For instances, in the Cayman Islands the Stingray City tour is very popular and will sell out. If you book it in advance you guarantee your spot. The more inexpensive tours also tend to sell out because of some cruisers watching their budgets. So, don’t miss out, check out the cruise lines website to see if you can book your ticket in advance.
It is good to know the game plan that the tour offers. Things you should be aware of is how much the guide will be with you and do they speak English clearly. Mostly the cruise lines have very competent tour guides, but better safe than sorry. Will have any time on your like for shopping or stopping in a café? It is very important to find out how much physical activity is required before you sign on for any tour. If you have limited mobility you don’t want to go on a tour that climbs the Acropolis in Athens or Dunns River Falls in Jamaica. Find out if a snack or lunch is provided, so if it isn’t you can bring along adequate funds to get your own.
There are private touring companies that you can contact on your own if you wish to tour in a more private fashion. Another alternative is to buddy up with some fellow cruisers and share taxi tours to cut your expense in half. Many times you will meet people on a cruise that have similar interests and you will spend a lot of time together on the cruise ship, why not touring also? It’s a way to save money and enjoy other passengers company.
Only hire licensed taxi drivers. Their credentials should be prominently displayed in the front of the cab. With a licensed driver you are ensured a safe trip and a guide who is knowledgeable about the islands or cities background, where to shop, eat or gamble. And of course they will know the best beaches available. Negotiate the price of your tour up front. If you chose to go to a destination where you will be dropped off for a couple of hours, negotiate with the driver to come back and pick you up. Settle on a price and pay half up front and half on the way back. If the driver has been helpful and friendly, please tip him or her.
Some cruisers like to rent cars in their ports of call. It is recommended that you only do this in destinations that you are familiar with and have a good knowledge of where you are going. Be careful when renting a car. Be sure to check out the entire car for any damages that may already be there and note them on your rental contract. If you fail to do this you may be charged for damage that was already done.
Lastly, use common sense when touring. Don’t travel in dark tight alleys, put your money under your clothes, don’t wear expensive jewelry and don’t let yourself be surrounded, especially by children. Always carry identification and the name of the cruise lines agents in the port of call in case you get in trouble.
You are on a cruise vacation make the best of it. Get off the ship at all of your ports of call whether you are touring or are just poking around. Be sure to take lots of pictures so you will have years of beautiful cruise travel memories.
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.
Thanks to Mary Hanna for contributing this article to our Cruises blog:
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
