Cruise vacations are one of the most exciting and fun vacations you and your family will ever have. Planning your cruise vacation is the key to making the most of the cruise experience.

Cruise ships are floating hotels that sail through ocean while you enjoy all the hotel’s amenities provided. They have casinos, swimming pools, theaters, restaurants, shopping centers or boutiques, spas, gyms and more.

As great as taking a vacation on cruise ships may seem, you still need to know how to plan a cruise ship vacation properly so you have the perfect cruise experience. You need to know about the different types of packages the cruise lines offer.

When planning a cruise ship vacation you need to know how to choose one that will meet your expectation or tailor to your needs. Here are some guidelines that you can follow to plan your cruise travel and enjoy the perfect cruise experience:

Think of who you want to take with you on your cruise vacation. There are many different packages offered by cruise lines. There are packages for the whole family and there are packages for single travelers.

Will you be taking the cruise vacation with children? Maybe you will take your significant other for a romantic getaway. There are cruise ships that are tailored for children and there are cruise lines that cater to single cruisers and honeymooners. There are even some ships that offer wedding services. What could be better than to get married on the ship and have your honeymoon built in?

Decide how long you want to cruise. If you just want to try it out, opt for a three day cruise. Normally, cruises start at three nights and can go anywhere from seven to fourteen days. But there are also world cruises that can last as long as three months. My advice is if you are going to cruise in Europe you should pick a fourteen day cruise because of the expense and long plane rides to get to your port of embarkation. If you live near a port and you just want to take a long weekend choose of three or four day cruise. Decide what cruise travel is best for you.

Choose the perfect destination for you and your family. Alaska is beautiful but can only be cruised in the summer months. If you live in the colder climes you may want to take a mid winter cruise to the Caribbean or even South America. If you want your cruise travel to be in the Caribbean and you want to spend two weeks on your cruise vacation, choose a line that alternates between the Eastern and Western Caribbean. This cruise vacation takes you to many different islands.

The cruise lines have a variety of destinations to choose from. Visit your cruise travel agent to go over the different itineraries or check out the individual websites of the cruise lines.

Consider the port of departure. Since 9/11 cruises have been emphasizing home port cruising. Now there are many cruises that depart from Bayonne, New Jersey, Galveston, Texas, or Seattle, Washington, not just Miami and Fort Lauderdale.. Depart from the one closest to you and you will save money on expensive airfare.

Speak to a knowledgeable cruise travel agent. Make sure they have personally sailed on many different cruise ships so they can give you an honest opinion on what each cruise line has to offer and which would give you the perfect cruise experience.

A cruise travel agent will also be able to supply you with cruise tips. Scour the cruise reviews for additional cruise tips.

Large cruise lines have a variety of activities and facilities that you can use on the ship. If you like to gamble then choosing a cruise ship with casinos is probably right for you. Or if you are taking your kids with you, a cruise ship that offers activities and facilities for children would be the best choice for your cruise travel. For instance, Disney is, of course, geared toward children but they do not have casinos. So if you are taking the family but you want to gamble steer away from Disney and choose one of the other major cruise lines. Almost all of them have children’s programs. If you don’t want to be on a ship with children sail on one of the fancier lines that don’t cater to children. Here, again, it pays to read as many cruise reviews as you can to pick up additional cruise tips.

Cruise vacations do not necessarily mean that you have to spend all your vacation time onboard. All the cruise ships offer land and shore excursions. The cruise lines offer pre and post cruise land vacations usually for two or three days.

Land excursions are a great way to explore different cultures and destinations when taking a cruise vacation. You can choose from many activities once you reach a port of call. You can go kayaking, scuba diving or go shopping in the markets of the ports of call.

Following these guidelines will give you some ideas on planning your cruise vacation properly. Proper planning will give you a more exciting cruise experience.

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:

Luxury Cruise Ship

There are many vacation choices but for one with great options why not consider cruise travel. Read this cruise review to envision the cruise ship experience.

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If you want to go on a vacation with great options, you might consider taking a cruise. If you have never been a cruise ship before and you are not sure whether it would be perfect for you, read on. The cruise ship experience will be much clearer after you read this cruise review.

This article will not be endorsing or promoting a particular cruise line, but will just give you some glimpses of what cruise lines are offering to cruise passengers. This includes cruise destinations, various ranges of prices and amenities available.

In some cases cruise lines will proved an option of a pre or post-cruise stay at a hotel in the town where you embark or disembark. This is especially beneficial when you travel great distances to board your cruise ship. By using this option it actually affords you the ability to add on an extra port to explore before your cruise ship experience is over.

For instance, if your departure point is at Los Angeles, and you choose this option you will have time to visit famous places there such as Hollywood (the famous walk of stars) or Venice Beach (a funky hip beach town).

On the day of the cruise departure, you will be brought to the pier where your cruise ship is waiting for you. It will take about 45 minutes to an hour to check in your luggage, get your boarding pass and board the ship. Your room steward will meet you and this is when you should tell the steward if you have any special needs or requests. For instance, I like two bath towels and a bucket of ice each afternoon. They want to make you happy so don’t be shy.

It may take a couple of hours for your luggage to arrive so grab some lunch and then tour your cruise ship. Make any beauty and spa appointments now, on some days, like formal nights appointments sell out. Consider making these appointments on port days, especially if you have been to that port before. The salon/spa offer discounts if you book on those days. Roam around the first afternoon to see what delights are in store for you during your cruise ship experience.

You can enjoy several relaxing moments in the spa. Celebrity has what they call a Thalassotherapy pool, Princess has a swim against the current pool and Carnival has the giant slide into the outside pool. If you feel that you want to burn up some calories after all the wonderful meals, go to the fitness center which is equipped with modern state of the art equipment. Or you may feel like strolling around the promenade in that fresh salt air.

There are swimming pools aboard, both for adults and kids. Deck chairs and benches are also provided if you just want to watch your children enjoying the water in the pool.

Entertainment is also present in your cruising vacation. A state-of-the-art theater is provided for on-board entertainment. There will be Broadway like productions and children-oriented programs that are new and different everyday..

In case you are looking for a different entertainment, you can go to several theme bars or disco with live music open until the wee hours of the morning.

If you want to try your luck during your cruise travel, then there is an on-board casino where it features different games similar to what you see in Las Vegas.

There is a shopping center where you can find personal items and other things that you need while you are on-board. Here’s one cruise tip, try to pack things like Rolaids, bandages and toothpaste from home; they are expensive on the cruise ship

Library and recreation centers are also found on the cruise ship. Almost all cruise ships have a lending library and most have a room for playing bridge.

Food is one of the vital services offered by cruise lines. The best chefs from around the world are hired to prepare and cook excellent meals to ensure that your on-board dining experience will be truly memorable.

There are formal dining areas, which have a formal dress code on certain nights.

If you are looking for more informal style of dining, there are snack bars, cafeteria, and a pizza parlor on-board, which generally are opened for meals on extended hours. Many times the cruise lines close down one half of their Lido café (this is where they have the buffet lunch and dinner) to offer a casual place to dine but they still use a menu and servers. All of the food, no matter which style you choose are covered in the cruise prices.

Cruise itineraries generally include stops at different ports each or every other day, depending on the schedule of the cruise ship you chose. You have the option of either staying aboard the ship or you may disembark to join other passengers on a guided tour. You are also free to explore on your own at each stop, but make sure you know the departure time of the ship.

Booking a cruise is simple. To get the best advice on cruise ships use the services of a travel agency. Read cruise reviews that you can find online to familiarize yourself on what each cruise line offers. Or, if you are already savvy to cruising, log on to the official site of a particular cruise line to check on itineraries and prices.

You will be provided information about destinations and cruise packages that are affordable. Discounts and special offers are also available for passengers.

Hopefully, this cruise review will give you some insight into what delights you will find during your cruise ship experience.

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:

European River Cruises

Cruises are generally viewed as the special abode of the rich and famous. State-of-the-art cruise ships, trained professional staff, and exotic locales add to this misconception. On the contrary, cruises are for everybody who loves to travel, to see places, to meet people, to experience life, and to go on a holiday. DiscountCruiseDeals can help you go on your dream cruise, and experience the fun and excitement of cruise travel. The cruise fares offered by DiscountCruiseDeals are affordable and, as an added value, Cash Rewards are available.

If you are on a tight schedule or tight budget, you can go on group cruises. There is strength in numbers, especially in traveling. Group cruises allow you to pool your resources, enjoy the activities together, visit places together, and meet new people together. Special discounts are given to groups. So, take advantage of these special rates and plan a cruise with your family or friends. DiscountCruiseDeals, through participating cruise lines, offers residents of selected states and/or certain age groups discounts on select cruises.

Discounted cruises are available for individuals and couples. If you cruise domestically, fares start for as low as $149 for a 3-night Pacific Coastal cruise and $649 for a 7-night Glacier Discovery Southbound cruise. If you want a cruise to the sun-lovers’ paradise of the Bahamas, cruise fares start at $199 for a 2-night cruise aboard the “Century” and as low as $329 for a 3-night cruise aboard the very popular “Monarch of the Seas”. If you want the sophistication of Europe, you can cruise Greece for $699, or tour the “Best of Europe” for $1,099. There are cruise fares for every travel budget.

DiscountCruiseDeals makes it easy for clients to choose their dream cruise by categorizing their available cruises into Top Cruise Picks, i.e., close to home, extended voyages, last minute, and sunny and warm; Top Cruise Destinations, i.e., Alaska, Europe, Mexico, Caribbean, and 17 Cruise Lines. The last feature is helpful as each cruise liner is described in detail. The name of the ship, its technical description, the individual cruise fares, the onboard amenities, the onboard entertainment, the cuisine, and the sailing calendar are all described. This way, you need not actually visit the cruise ship to see its features, saving you a lot of time and effort.

However, if you still feel overwhelmed by the choices, the Cruises Express Search is available for you. Just click your preferred destination, cruise line, cruise date, and cruise length, and the Express Search will give you the best fit for your preferences.

With cruise fares as affordable as those offered by DiscountCruiseDeals, a dream holiday can become a reality. And indeed, throw your cares to the wind, exchange the cold for the sun, and exchange your troubles for some love.



Thanks to Vikram kuamr for contributing this article to our Cruises blog:

Cheap Mediterranean Cruises