John Williams

Why do people love cruises ? Why do so many cruise vacationers swear they wouldn’t go back to hotel vacations? Cruise travel represents a pinnacle of luxury. You travel around the world, or your chosen area, in cosseted pleasure.

Every whim gets catered for. Every time you’re hungry, food awaits. You go ashore to sightsee a new place, but return to your own bed every night. A floating hotel, travelling to a new location every day.

But how do you choose your cruise deal ? How do you know what’s good or bad ? Firstly, let’s look at the different types of cruises.

* Size

Ships range from city size (’000s of people) right down to small sailing vessels holding less than 10 people.

* Location

Your choice of ship might depend on location. If you’re cruising the Caribbean, you could try a sailing ship. If you want a world tour, you probably should go for something bigger ?

Some of the newer ships from the major cruise operators allow you to cruise the world in luxury. Their high-tech stabilizers mean your wine barely ripples, even in rough seas.

So for smaller cruises in benign weather e.g Caribbean or Med, you can choose large or small. For longer cruises, such as an Atlantic crossing, Arctic visit etc., you need a big ship.

* Price

Prices vary dramatically. Only a few years ago, cruises were an expensive luxury. Now prices fall within any vacation budget. In fact, all inclusive special cruise deals can be much cheaper than land-based vacations. For less than a 5* hotel, you can get 7-days all inclusive in a luxury location.

* Internet

How do you find these great deals ? As always, use the Internet. Sure, call your local travel agent, or respond to newspaper ads, but you’ll find the best deals online.

There’s only a limited number of cruise ships. So you’ll find exactly the same cabin standard, exactly the same food deal, for widely varying prices.

Try to narrow down your preferred location before starting. How long do you want to go for ? Then start searching the web. Try ‘cheap cruises deals’ for a search term, and see what comes up. Immediately, you’ll be faced with a bewildering array of choices.

Click on a few of these search results sites. Read some advice and info. Get an idea of prices to your preferred location.

When you’ve seen some deals you like. When you’ve seen at least three different deals to your preferred location. When you’re tempted to book right there & then. Stop !

Before you book, you must seperate the wheat from the chaff. That bewildering array’s about to become clear. Put the cruise company name into your search engine. Put the destination into the search engine. You’re looking for reviews. You’re looking for feedback from other people who’ve been with that cruise company. You’re looking for reviews about your destination.

Do this for each of your cruise vacation shortlist. Check there’s no hidden catches. Check price fully includes everything, and you won’t be stung for lots of onboard extras.

Follow these simple guidelines, and you’ll soon be embarking on the cruise of your dreams.

Discover valuable cruise information, advice and great special deals. Go to ==> http://www.cheapcruisesdeals.com/

John Williams

© DigiLectual Inc. 2004

http://www.cheapcruisesdeals.com/

john@cheapcruisesdeals.com

Carl Graeber

It’s not everyday when everything – from a good Caribbean travel package to the weather and your budget – just magically convenes into one single, perfect and fun Caribbean vacation. That stuff is for fairytale vacations, certainly not for simple, ordinary folks like you.

At the very best, you probably find a “so-so” Caribbean travel package that is slightly cheaper than the last one you checked out but has better options than that other cheap one you were considering. So you come home, work out a Caribbean travel plan and budget, and then log on to the site to book the package…only to find that the deal is already fully-booked. Just your luck.

One thing you should remember about Caribbean travel packages is that they are often offered only for very a limited period. So why wait? If you want to get that Caribbean travel package you want and get an edge over the competition, then do all that planning and budget analyzing BEFORE you search for deals.

And once you’re done with that, check out the list of Caribbean travel package resources we have compiled for you below:

TripAdvisor.com

TripAdvisor is a travel site that offers reviews of hotels and accommodations, food, activities, airfare, transportation, cruises, resorts, and many more from destinations worldwide. For the best deals, you can visit TripAdvisor’s SmartDeals page where you can find great Caribbean travel packages on the best hotels in the Caribbean.

AmericanExpress.com

For some people, last-minute bargains can be a great source of excellent travel deals. If you’re a haggler by nature, one who wants to haggle even when pressed for time, then American Express’ Last Minute Caribbean travel packages might just be what you’re looking for. The site offers current listings of their bargains and specials so check back often. If you don’t find what you’re looking for on the first page, there is also a search tool where you can search for bargains by destination, travel option or activity.

Travelocity.com

If cruises give you a different sort of high, then Travelocity may have the right Caribbean travel package cruise. Just check out their list of Cruise Deals, including their Biggest Sale of the Year cruises where you can book a qualified cruise and get up to $500 cash back.

Or maybe you’d like to receive a free digital camera, then go on and book one of Travelocity’s Caribbean travel packages on board any of the Celebrity or Royal Caribbean cruise ships. Other deals include:

• Free shore excursions • $400 onboard credit and pre-paid tips • Free oceanview upgrades • Onboard amenities package worth $200 or more • Free round-trip airfare

Cruises-n-More.com

Another great source of Caribbean travel package cruise tours is Cruises-n-More. Offerings are updated daily so be sure to check their inventory of Caribbean travel packages often to get the latest offerings from them. The site even allows you to choose a cruise that is close to your home or choose one by destination, month, cruise length, and cruise line. At Cruises-n-More, everything is right at your fingertips.

About the Author:

If you are planning to take a vacation, be sure to know what you really like to do, this will make your trip more meaningful. Mostly, travelers go for a trip that their friends recommend, but is it what they really want? To get more informations just visit the authors website at: http://www.online-globus-travel-magazine.com Read more articles by: <'/?s=author&a=Carl+Graeber' class='biggerlink'>Carl Graeber

This article is distributed by: www.iSnare.com

Colin Hartness

A Honeymoon Cruise as the name suggests offers a gateway to paradise for honeymooners away from the pressures of daily life and enjoy the bliss of togetherness. This provides an opportunity for you to start your married life in a state of togetherness by exploring the unknown and enjoying nature and life.

The Honeymoon cruise offers the comforts of a five star luxury and provides a period of unending excitement, adventure, the opportunity to get to know each other and enjoying life as nature had wanted it to be.

This is an ideal way to start a life of togetherness for fulfillment of one’s desires and daresay this is a golden getaway. The excitement of togetherness under the moonlit sky with the stars twinkling and the rustle of the water and the gentle breeze flowing from the sea is an experience, which will be etched in your memory for life.

The honeymoon cruise package usually includes:

1. Champagne and Strawberries in the Stateroom on embarkment 2. Canapés delivered to your cabin on the evening of your choice. 3. A special Honeymooner’s party 4. Honeymoon Photographs. 5. Champagne breakfast in bed

The following Honeymoon cruises satisfy the forever romantics and provide luxury unheard of:-

1. A Silver Sea Cruise is a love nest and provides Bed-breakfast, pre-dinner cocktails, a private verandah with canapés, complimentary Champagne and wine, a mini-bar stocked with the choicest of drinks to enhance your mood, delicious cuisine are the attractions of this Honeymoon Cruise.

2. Crystal Cruises are midsize luxury liners which provides all the above . Penthouses with personal butlers are also available at a nominal extra cost at this Honeymoon Cruise.

3. Wind Star Cruises offers everything you would have dreamt. This Honeymoon Cruise offers boats with which you sail away from ports at sunset and feel the exhilaration of cruising under white billowing sails. The spirited can go for scuba diving, kayaking, Windsailing, snorkeling etc.

4. Norwegian Cruise Line - The Norwegian Star is a specialty for romantic couples. Resort casual dining offers an alternative following a formal wedding at this Honeymoon Cruise. The destination is Hawaii (world’s most romantic destination) departing every Sunday and has a Wedding Chapel for intimate ceremonies and vow renewals.

The destination shall be of your choice depending upon your taste – be it the romantic hills, historical monuments, beaches, tropical rain forests etc. All the cruise ships offering a Honeymoon Cruise have exquisitely done suites, gyms, swimming pools, beauty parlors and casinos to pamper the cruiser and energize the mind, body and spirit.

About the Author: Looking for information about cruises? Go to: http://www.whatcruises.com ‘What Cruises’ is published by Colin Hartness -An excellent resource for Cruises! Check out more cruise articles at: http://www.whatcruises.com/archive Source: www.isnare.com

by Cindy Bertram

Homeland Cruising, by Cindy Bertram

Twenty years ago, anyone interested in taking a cruise who wanted to avoid flying had extremely limited choices. The primary option was driving to Florida. But as demand for other ports and places of embarkation grew, along with the effects of 9/11, cruise lines made a major push to develop alternatives. Today, Homeland Cruising is an integral part of the cruise industry.

During the earlier days of the cruise industry in the 1980s, ships normally departed from the Florida ports of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Port Canaveral then became a mainstay, thanks to Premier Cruise Lines innovative Big Red Boat concept, which is really credited for developing Port Canaveral and making it a convenient option for Orlando visitors. The Port of New York was another seasonal option, and a few cities in California such as the Port of Los Angeles rounded out the choices.

Even before 9/11, cruise lines were viewing the development of alternative ports as a way to expand their markets. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) once again took the lead. A veteran when it comes to pioneering new areas in the cruise industry, NCL can really be credited with developing the homeland cruising concept which it aggressively launched in late 2001, focusing on offering more roundtrip cruises out of new cities in the U.S. In 2001, for instance, NCL sailed from six ports, but by 2003 they were sailing out of 16 ports located in the U.S. and Canada.

By 2003 most major ports in the U.S. showed strong increases in ship tonnage, with important growth seen in ports not usually considered as major cruise hubs-Galveston, Baltimore, New Orleans, Norfolk, Va., Mobile, Ala. and Charleston, S.C., as well as Long Beach, Calif. and Jacksonville, Fla.

The increased interest in these cruise ports was a result of a few key factors. There was an increasing popularity of the drive market. Just as important was the explosion of new ship tonnage along with the introduction of even faster ships these elements were both forcing and allowing cruise lines to come up with new alternatives to the traditional ports of departure and more innovative itineraries.

In the case of Galveston, Texas, which is conveniently located on the Gulf Coast, the city developed a topnotch cruise terminal and then began to expand it by working on a partnership with the Carnival Corporation, which currently owns 7 different cruise lines. As a result, Galveston is one of those second-tier cruise ports that is evolving into a main port by offering cruises year-round. Princess Cruises, for instance, moved the Grand Princess to Galveston in 2004.

A cruise port overlooked for years by cruise lines that has seen resurgence in interest is Seattle. For years, cruise lines have used Vancouver for Alaskan cruises and bypassed Seattle, even though Seattle had a good location and major airport. Many even used the Seattle Airport over the Vancouver Airport for their flights and then transported cruise passengers to Vancouver via motorcoach shuttle, which could easily take four hours. Back then the drawback to using Seattle was the distance factor. Slower sailing ships could not feasibly sail to destinations in Alaska if they departed from Seattle, but that has since changed. NCL was the first to rethink using Seattle for Alaskan cruises and now other cruise lines, including Celebrity, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises all have ships departing from Seattle to Alaska

Source: Gro up Travel Blog

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