Why Take a Cruise Vacation?

Have you considered taking a cruise vacation but just aren’t sure if it would be right for you? With all the cruise lines available, all the cruise destinations, the range of prices, there is a cruise for just about everyone.

Do you commute to work every day, sitting in traffic for perhaps hours? Think about it, on a cruise you don’t drive anywhere for 7, 10, 14 days or more. Now, even if you were on a bus tour with no driving yourself, you haul your luggage or at least pack and unpack it at each stop. On a cruise, you check your luggage when you check in and it magically appears in your cabin, stateroom, or suite. You unpack once, feeling at home for the duration of the cruise. The cruise staff will tell you when to place your bags outside your accommodations at the end of the cruise and, just a magically, your luggage will be waiting for you on shore at a designated pick-up point. Taking a cruise vacation frees you from some of the hassles of traveling.

If you take a driving vacation, there’s always the question of where to stop to eat. All meals are included in the price of your cruise and great food is one of the main attractions of taking a cruise. Most contemporary cruises take into account the modern casual lifestyle and provide a variety of restaurants and snack bars on board. Typically, there is a varied and plentiful breakfast and lunch buffet similar to what you find in Las Vegas. Or you can eat breakfast or lunch in one of the ship’s restaurants, ordering exactly what you want from the ample menu, prepared fresh for you. Restaurants are usually open for meals for extended hours and buffets are generally open all day and into the night. Have you heard of the midnight buffet available on some cruises?

Dinner is an important event on a cruise ship, a tradition dating back to the late 1800’s when cruises were for royalty and the wealthy who expected elegant formal dinners. Again, in today’s lifestyle the elegant dinner is optional, and for those who prefer to dine casually, the dinner buffet is available usually until 9 pm. Most cruise ships offer excellent cuisine, especially at dinner, in the main dining room or rooms plus offer meals at upscale specialty restaurants at additional cost. Cruise lines base much of their reputation on their food service, and terms such as “world class cuisine” and “gourmet meals” are combined with “impeccable service” to insure that the onboard dining experience is truly memorable. Many cruises still offer one or more optional formal dinners where ladies where long formal gowns or other evening dresses and gentlemen wear tuxedos or dark suits.

Once onboard your cruise vessel, there are activities 24 hours a day. Modern cruise ships boast state-of-the-art 700 plus seat theatres for quality shows and entertainment, all included in the cruise price. There is unique entertainment in the theatre every evening of the cruise. Most ships also have a number of themed bars, lounges, and discos with live entertainment that are open into the early morning hours. Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks are seldom included in the cruise price. Most ships also provide a casino that is open while the ship is in international waters.

If night life isn’t your style, you can enjoy the onboard pool, spa, library, fitness center, and other amenities. Many cruises now offer instructional classes on a variety of topics during the day. If you have children on the cruise, there are usually play areas and programs geared to different age groups.

Did we forget about the cruise destination itself? Cruises typically stop at a different port of call each day or every other day, depending upon distances and sailing time between points of interest. You may stay aboard the ship all day or disembark at any stop. You are free to explore each destination on your own as long as you return to the ship by the designated time.

Also cruise lines offer a variety of shore excursions at additional cost. These adventures are geared toward the unique features of the destination. For example, Caribbean cruises offer snorkeling, diving or beach excursions while Alaskan cruises offer helicopter tours or dogsled trips. For the less adventuresome, normally there are bus tours or supervised shopping excursions in the local port. Everything, including meal stops, is prearranged. All you need to do is find the correct line onshore and an experienced guide handles the rest of your tour.

With all these great services available at a reasonable cost, why not take a cruise vacation?

4 Tips For Finding A Great Cruise At A Good Price

One of the most relaxing vacations you can take right now is an ocean cruise. Many people have the belief that a cruise will cost them more than they can afford, but there are some good tips that can help you get the cruise you want at a price that fits your budget.

1: Cruise ships have set itineraries so they want their ships to be at full capacity each time they leave the port. If you schedule your cruise vacation for the off season you can save as much as 50% of the cost during peak season. Keep a close eye on last minute deals too. Many cruise lines will offer much lower prices to sell those remaining spots instead of setting sail with them unsold.

2: Take the time to look at everything a cruise package is offering you. Most of them are all inclusive meaning everything on the ship is included in one price. Yet there are many amenities that you won’t be using you are throwing your money away. Look for a cruise that only offers the items you will be likely to use.

3: When you book your cruise you will be offered many different options for your accommodations. The more room you have and the nicer they are, the more expensive they will be. Yet on a cruise most people only spend time in their room to sleep and shower. You can save a great deal of money going with more basic accommodations.

4: If you can get a large group of people to book the same cruise, you will likely be able to save 15% or 20%. A group in generally considered 20 people or more. The entire group will get the discount on the portion they are responsible to pay. Make sure you find out which cruise line can offer you the best deal before you commit to one.

Achieve Great Savings - Take a Last Minute Cruise

Don't be misled - a "last minute cruise" can actually be booked 90 days in advance. But booking at the last moment can be an advantage as sometimes the cruise lines will try to fill their unsold cabins by offering them at a cheaper rate. Provided you have the time and are flexible with your travel dates, then don't think twice about booking your cruise at the last minute.

If the cabins remain vacant as the cruise date approaches, the cruise line will start lowering the price. For instance, you may be able to book a six-night package on a Caribbean cruise for just $499 per head in the month of October. But a last minute cruise for nine days in September will cost $659, which is a $10 per day difference.

Many people associate cruises with the open ocean, but there are also river cruises that offer great last-minute deals. For those who are reluctant to leave the country, taking a cruise down the mighty Mississippi is a great alternative and for others exploring the mysteries of the Amazon will be a wonderful experience. Cruising the beautiful Hawaiian Islands also remains a favorite and the Galapagos Islands are something which you should certainly not miss.

Booking a last minute cruise deal on any of the major cruise lines is still the best bargain you can get. They sometimes even sell a cabin for $250 if the room goes unoccupied till the very last minute.

You can also check out the cruise line's website as it is one of the best places to find last minute cruise deals. Even the better staterooms such as balcony cabins or suites are offered at a discount if they appear to be going empty as the cruise date approaches. If you are flexible with your travel dates and are willing to avoid the peak seasons, then a last minute cruise will also allow you to achieve great savings without compromising on quality!

The 7 Key Factors in Inexpensive Cruises

Planning your cruise.

Don't worry about this next step: planning. Planning a cruise is easy as pie. To some, planning is difficult, but don't worry. One of the very first steps to your cruise planning is to select a travel date and destination, the majority of cruise lines have websites that show great detail in their cruises, ships, and destinations. It's a great thing that planning a cruise is enjoyable and exciting. Planning a cruise is sometimes half the fun, and these web sites are a good way to do this.

Know what you want.

The important thing about planning a cruise is finding out what you really want to get out of the vacation or escape. Make sure you really think about the variables like who you'll be taking (family? friends? children? adults?), and account this for the type of cruise you plan to go on. Planning a cruise is no last minute thing. You must really think hard about what it is you want. If you don't have a clear vision of what the trip is about, or who's going, then you might get side tracked and sucked into a vacation that could lead to be less than enjoyable.

For those without wings.

Also, planning an inexpensive cruise is smart for those who wish to avoid air travel but still want a special trip. Since some are squeemish about airlines nowdays, some would much rather have the vacation without the hassle of flying to an exotic place. Inexpensive cruises offer an incredible alternative to flying, or driving extreme distances to acheive the same relaxing result, considering the relaxing AND travelling are all happening at the same time.

Do you look for advice, or stick with what you've got?

Perhaps the most important choice you make when you begin planning your cruise is where you're to ask for advice. There are a myriad of professional travel agencies more than willing to look up all of the details of an inexpensive cruise for you. However, keep to someone you trust, maybe a friend, or friend of a friend. Some agencies can cost more than the actual cruise it's self! Opt for something online, such as Expedia.com, or other popular options that can be looked into from the comfort of your own home.

How much is this going to cost me?

Although I can't give you an exact dollar amount (as those are more specified depending upon the cruise you are going on) one of the key issues when planning your cruise is calculating what it will cost. But don't worry, since you have very small shoreside expenses such as souvenirs and shirts from the various stops you may decide to go on, many cruisers may find that planning a cruise is both a money-saver as well as a stress-relieving escape.

One way to cut your cruise budget is to share cabins. If you have a large party, instead of grouping two together per room, opt for a larger room for more people. Creating a vacation budget is an imperative part of any vacation. And one of the best ways to cut your cruising cost is to share lodging with another family or group of friends.

Beware the pitfalls of an expensive cruise line!

Keep in mind that how much you spend for your cruise will determine how much of your vacation budget is left for other activities such as shopping, touring, and so on. These little details cannot be overlooked in your vacationing budget. One of the keys to controlling your vacation budget is research. Making sure you know how much each detail will cost seems like a lot of work, but in the long run

Food! Glorious Food!

As some people have told me, going on a cruise is mostly about eating large quantities of food. Truth be told, a big portion of your cruise budget can be for your family's meals, so how do you stretch your meal budget? How about packing a lunch or dinner when you're at a port? Or splitting meals? These little shavings here and there actually can actually add up to make a lot of money off of the total vacation cost.

In Conclusion.

In conclusion, I want to tell you how nice planning a great cruise from every little detail can actually help you make that time more leisurely, relaxing and more free to enjoy yourself. Going on a cruise is a fantastic vacation, and can be completely inexpensive. Going on a cruise is exciting and is becoming easier for nearly everyone to afford and it can be enjoyed any time of the year. Whether you're a family, individual, couple, or friend of someone going on a cruise. You've got a great thing coming your way. So go have fun. And keep it inexpensive.

How to Book a Cruise

Now you are set! You’ve decided where you want to go, you’ve read a lot of reviews on cruise chips, destinations and packages and now you’ve made up your mind. Just one thing is left: booking the cruise. Feeling a little confused? With so many factors to take in account when choosing a cruise, things can get a little messy. This guide will help you become a master on “book cruising” (by the way you can go ahead and call it a skill)

Step One: If you fit the description above, you’ve already completed the first step on how to book a cruise. If not, go ahead and pick a cruise ship you’d like to be on. The internet is a great resource for doing this. Besides this site you can go visit plenty of other sites featuring cruise reviews pictures and more. If you are more traditional, you can visit a travel agency and grab as many brochures you can.

Step Two: Now that you know where you want to go, define how long will you be staying. There are many plans depending on this factor. Most cruises offer the standard weekend to 2 weeks packages. But you can find cruises that lasts almost a month!

Step Three: Decide how much will be spent. Money runs out eventually and sometimes you’ll need to sacrifice some of the features you like in order to be able to pay it. Of course, if you are a millionaire just skip this step please.

Step Four: Now is the time to visit the travel agency. Your travel agent will be delighted now that you’ve made up your mind, keeping the most important factors in mind. Just let them do their work…you know… stuff like contacting the service, making arrangements and so on. They will let you know things like availability, inconvenients and the point of departure.

Step Five: Select your room and other important things such as cancellation fees and restrictions. Ask everything you need, for example most cruises won’t let you bring your own alcoholic drinks.

Step Six: Ask your agent to book the cruise or if you prefer do it online.

That’s it. Taking it step by step is not that hard. Oops, I forgot the very last step: Have fun!

Family Cruise: Family Get-Together for Fun

A family cruise is a perfect getaway with loads of fun and excitement for everybody. Whenever you have kids bored with the usual stuff amusement parks, theater and all and your spouse needs a change, plan a cruise. You will get addicted to it. Family cruise is a sure shot way to drive away boredom.

A movie to watch, a relaxing massage, snooker game…anything, you just name it. You have many activities to choose from, actually that is the most difficult part- to decide what to do. Family cruise is one of the healthiest entertaining ways to enjoy your vacation with your family and cherish the memories forever. You will find selective activities and tailor made services for all of you. You just need some planning.

Start planning your family cruises, by defining your budget. Once you know your budget look for cruises that fit into your budget. After short listing, the cruises look for the facilities and services they are offering along with the nature and types of activities suitable for children. You of course want them to enjoy the cruise so there should be sufficient provision to keep them happily occupied.

If you have very young children, make sure cribs and babysitting facilities are available. While for a bit older children loads of activities like dancing classes, escorted tours, parties, games and contests are planned. Every cruise has its own bag of goodies for children. Keep your children’s age in mind when you re going through these activities.

Some family cruises do not allow infants or pregnant women onboard. Check at the time of booking whether infant care and baby-sitting facilities are available or not. Keep ample stock of the things your baby might need like baby food, diapers, as you might not find them onboard.

While embarking on a family cruise, make sure there are proper medical facilities are available for emergencies. Also, make enquiries about fees for cancellation or changing dates for the trip, in case any such need arises. It is better to check latest information about the cruise schedule on the cruise’s website. A weeklong cruise is perfect for families and you are sure to find more families joining the fun.

One of the popular family cruises is a Disney cruise. With many special facilities and fun filled activities to occupy young and old alike, Disney cruise is a perfect setting for fun, fun and more fun. You have a club and lab for kids, Flounder’s reef nursery for your babies, a coffeehouse, specially designed programs in filmmaking and photography plus interesting teen outings along with live shows.

Another interesting family cruise is the carnival cruise with its special fun ships. The fun ships have special entertainers, Karaoke parties, teen makeovers and art & photography classes, water slides, ship tours for children etc. There are special camp carnivals for different age groups. There are specially designed virtual reality machines in the entertainment complex along with disco and video arcade. There is a playroom with loads of toys and electronic games.

Family cruises are joyous occasions for the family where they can spend some quality time with one another. Simply put, are great places to unwind and enjoy.

Honeymoon Cruises

When planning your honeymoon, a cruise holiday can be a great choice for couples who love to travel, and like some variety. Cruise ships come in all sizes and tour many different areas of the world, so you are sure to find one that is suitable for your needs, budget and wish list. The following is the first half of our general list of issues to consider when looking at a cruise honeymoon:

 Locale: First you will need to decide what part of the world you both want to see on your honeymoon. Would you love to cruise among the icebergs in the Alaskan waters? Maybe the white sands and turquoise waters of the Caribbean or Polynesian islands are more your style. You can cruise the Mediterranean, the Panama canal, or the west coast of North America, just to name a few more choices.

 Size of ship: Cruise options range from huge mega-liners with live theatre, multiple swimming pools, interior shopping malls and even ice rinks and climbing walls, to intimate smaller ships for only a few couples. Your tolerance for crowds, need for privacy and shopping and leisure needs are things to consider here.

 Ship amenities: As mentioned above, cruise ships come with a wide array of amenity options. On the larger cruise ships you will find multiple restaurants, gym and squash facilities, interior atriums of many stories with lots of onboard shopping, libraries and lounges, disco and dance halls, live theatre shows, multiple swimming pools and waterslides, full spa services and much more. Smaller, more intimate ships will have at least one restaurant and possibly some amenities such as gym or spa, and lounge areas. If you and your spouse-to-be love a variety of choices and can tolerate larger numbers of people, then a mega-liner cruise ship offers a huge array of fun choices included in the price and would be a good option for your honeymoon cruise.

 Crew/staff to passenger ratio: On a larger cruise, naturally you will find there are more passengers than crew, and while the service is usually fair, it is not normal to expect impeccable first-class attention as you would on an intimate, smaller cruise with a higher staff-to-passenger ratio. If top notch service is your first priority, be sure to choose a cruise honeymoon with a reputation for attentive staff, and a high crew-to-passenger ratio. Also note the 'level of luxury' comments in Part II.

 Level of luxury: From barefoot Windjammer™ cruises, to very commercial mega-cruises that are sold at discounts and feature very basic rooms and food and cater to the masses, your options for level of luxury and refinement are many. At every size you will find more- and less luxurious options; it is simply a matter of taste and budget. Older, business-oriented people may prefer a higher-end cruise such as those offered by the Windstar™ cruise line, while younger people in search of a party atmosphere may not care as much about service, food and room quality and may opt for a Carnival™ cruise or something similar. Even within cruise lines such as Carnival™, there are higher-end and lower-end options, and those geared towards kids, vs. adult-oriented cruising. Do your homework, and select a vacation that suits your style and needs.

 Ports of call: Are you interested in the nightlife of cities foreign and exotic, or the waterfalls and mountains of a Caribbean hideaway? Would you rather spend your days golfing, riding horses on a beach, or shopping? Do your research and/or ask your travel agents about which cruises stop in ports of call that you would enjoy. While there is much to do on board, half the fun of cruising is enjoying the land-based activities available in the various ports you will stop at. If the activities or ports are not of interest to you, then you be stuck hanging out on board and not enjoying yourself...although for honeymooners this can be less of an issue than for others!

 Theme - packages for daytrips: Are you both vegetarians? Golfers? Waterfall lovers? Many cruises either cater to certain crowds, or have theme weeks. For golfers, for example, look for cruises that offer packages on day-trip golf games, onboard driving and putting ranges, and storage space catering to golfers. For those with food allergies or who need food prepared in certain ways, check into this before booking, as some ships do cater to such needs, and others will not as they simply do not have the time and resources required to devote to individual needs which vary from the norm.

 Meal style: Many larger ships with hundreds or thousands of passengers organize meals by having pre-assigned seating times. In this way, they can serve a large number of people quickly, and then have a second seating and serve the same number again. The meal choices will usually be of decent quality but fairly limited as far as choice, to allow for efficiency. Most ships also offer more casual options such as buffet and outdoor grill-type restaurants and snack shops. In a smaller, more intimate setting, you may find you have the option of a 'normal' restaurant experience where they allow you to either reserve your dinner time each day or just show up when you are hungry and be seated to dine.

 What is included: From all-inclusive - which on a ship usually means all meals but no alcohol included in the price - to a la carte, where you pay at the end of your cruise for whatever expenses you incurred, be it spa services, meals, room service or day trips, be sure you book a honeymoon cruise that meets your budget. If you need your food to be included, make sure it is!

Find Best Sailing Vacation in the Cyclades Islands - Discover a Sailing Vacation in Greece

If you are thinking of having the best sailing vacation in Greece, try the Cyclades group of islands. Its location extends southeast from the island of Attica to the shoreline of Asia Minor. The place has a mild weather and is mostly mountainous. Its major products include tobacco, wheat, and wine. Cyclades is renowned in the country for its Bronze Age and Neolithic sculptures. In particular, the island's sculpted female idols made from Cyclades' white marbles have been an important contribution to Greece's ancient artworks.

The total land area of Cyclades is roughly 976 square miles. The source of the place's name is in reference to the several islands' circle formation around Delos. Hence, the name "Cyclades", which etymologically from the root word "circle" or "cycle".

Out of the numerous islands in Cyclades, only ten of them are considered as principal areas. These include Santorini (which has the city of Thira), Kithnos, Los, Serifos, Paros, Kaoa, Najxos, Malos, Ãndros, and Tanos. The other islands, especially the smaller ones, are unpopulated. At present, Cyclades has a population of approximately 120,000 inhabitants. Its capital is the town of Ermoupoli.

When you are planning your sailing trip in Cyclades, make sure that you enjoy all that it can offer you. Typically, the place is easy to manage. When in Cyclades, most travellers visit the islands of Little Cyclades, Santorini, Folegandros, Sifnos, and Amorgos.

Among the several ports in Cyclades, the harbours of Lavrion, Santorini, Milos, Alimos, and Mykonos are considered by most people as better as compared to others. From these, the harbor of Lavrion (also known as Lavriou and Laurion) is top-notch and well situated because of its convenient location. It is situated in Atttica's southeast region. Because of Lavrion's very suitable position, it has been dubbed as the "Gate of Cyclades". Other harbors that can be used when you are starting your Cyclades sailing vacation include the ports of Athens, Paros, and Syros.

Finding an appropriate yacht charter in Greece is easy when you are in Cyclades. However, if you do not like crowded ports, stay away from the islands of Serifos and Ios.

Cyclades is renowed for its unspoiled sceneries, sacred, green, volcanic, & party islands, rambled hills, golden and white sand beaches, and exotic mountains. There are only 2 cities in the area - Oia and Thira. Both of them are located in Santorini Island.

If you want the best retreat; come, visit, and experience the Cyclades Group of Islands. It can give you a once in a lifetime escapade.