Posts Tagged ‘Cruise Ship’
College Student Spring Break Ideas
After a long year of studying, college students look fondly towards spring break. This is a time where kids can just let loose and have the time of their life. It’s really great because kids are able to take a week and do anything they want! Many tour companies focus on spring break packages that are affordable and to great spring break vacations like Panama City, Cozumel, and more. You will have a lot of fun on a spring break trip and the following ideas will help you find the right place for you.
Cruise
If you want to visit several locations then you may want to take a cruise. This is a great way to go several places and enjoy being on the cruise ship. You will find lots to do on the ship from swimming and dancing to comedy clubs, great food, and even spas. Some cruises are better than others, so your budget will certainly play a part in what cruise line you choose. You will also want to book a trip on a cruise ship that caters to other college students. Otherwise, you will be stuck with families or older people and won’t be able to enjoy your cruise the way you had hoped. Taking a cruise is a lot of fun and in many cases is really affordable so look for cruise destinations this spring break.
Beach
If you are on a budget, then you may prefer to just visit your local beach. There are lots of beaches in the US that you can choose from on the east coast, west coast, and in the Gulf of Mexico. Just do a little research to find the beach nearest to you that has fun spring break activities. Then you can plan your vacation, even rent a house with several of your friends, and enjoy some relaxation on spring break.
International
If you are a globetrotter you may prefer to travel internationally. You can head to many places in Mexico or South of America. Try Europe for a great cultural experience, too. There are so many places you can visit that you should go to your favorites first!
Volunteer
Volunteer vacations are now becoming popular. This involves taking your time to give back to others rather than to party all week. This is a great way for students to recharge their batteries and realize how great their lives really are.
There are of course many things you can do while on spring break. These are just a few of them that you will find fun and exciting. Remember that you don’t have to do anything at all on spring break, but if you choose to there are some amazing places for you to visit.
Spring break can be a lot fun and if you don’t have the means to fund it right away, look into getting a student credit card. Just be aware that you should pay this bill off in full so that you can avoid debt in the near future.
How To Book Your First Cruise
For those who are thinking about getting on board a cruise ship, here are five considerations for your first cruise.
1. Cruise lines have distinct personalities. It’s good to know which crowd each line caters to. Discriminating travelers pay a premium to indulge aboard such luxury lines as Radisson Seven Seas and Silversea. More affordable luxury can be found aboard Crystal. Holland America ships are refined and exude class. Princess is both posh and pioneering. Disney beckons the whole family. Carnival boasts a fleet of “fun ships”.
Timing is everything. The time of year you cruise dictates a lot. Cruises during summer and holiday school breaks will always have more children and families. Booking cruises well in advance of their sailing date can often translate into significant savings. Sailing in a region during its slow season (i.e. the Caribbean in summer) is usually less expensive as well.
Ship size matters. Smaller ships (500 passengers or less) provide an intimate environment that often features highly personalized service and unique itineraries. Medium-size ships (between 500 and 1,000 passengers) have a fair amount of onboard activity and entertainment without the volume of people found aboard a mega ship. Large ships (1,000 passengers or more) cater to travelers who crave great, diverse amounts of organized entertainment, high-tech facilities and plenty of new friends.
Different regions have a different focus. Canada/New England cruises are perfect for exploring the historic towns along the east coast. Nature lovers fall in love the first time they cruise Alaska. The Mediterranean is perfect for diving into other cultures. Adventure abounds along the Panama Canal. Fun and sun can always be found in Hawaii and the Caribbean.
Voyages come in all lengths. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), nearly one-third of all cruises are out to sea for five days or less. Short trips are economical, great for first-time cruisers who want to test the waters and increasingly popular. Most trips last a week or so, but some last as long as a year. More often than not, the shorter the cruise is, the younger the crowd will be.
It’s not hard to find the best price. Just a little of your time is required.
Determine what cruise line you may be interested in.
Visit a local travel agent and pick up several cruise brochures.
Find the area that you want to cruise.
Often, a good quote that you’ll receive will be 50-60% off brochure prices.
Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL, Celebrity, and Princess are the most popular First Time Cruiser’s choices.
Cabins are not all alike. Depending on the ship, they range from just bigger than closet-sized spaces without windows (commonly referred to as inside cabins) to apartment-sized suites with verandahs and hot tubs. And, of course, they are priced accordingly.
When you have decided what cruise line you would like to go on,
* You need to decide what ship to go on.
* Decide the type of cabin that you would like to stay in.
o Inside cabins (no window) are the least expensive
o Outside cabins will have a window. After that, come the
o Balcony cabins. These are very desirable and will cost a little more. If you have one, you may never want anything else.
* For example you can get breakfast through room service (room service is always free on a cruise) and enjoy it on your own private balcony.
o After the balcony cabins come the suites. They always have balconies and are the largest cabins on the ship. They usually come with a larger bath with a tub.
Avoid close proximity to possible noisy locations such as the engine room, disco and show lounge.
When you decide all the details of your cruise, but before you choose your cabin, tell your Travel Agent you want to book the “CATEGORY OR Better” which is called an open booking by category. You have a better chance of an upgrade within that type of cabin (Outside, Ocean view, Balcony or Suite) or a jump up in category. You will NEVER be down graded by the Cruise Lines! But, when receiving an upgrade find out where the cabin is located. It might be a higher category but you don’t want to under the basketball court.
If you must have a specific ship, sailing date or accommodations, book as early as possible to avoid disappointment. What sells out first: Christmas/New Years, Presidents Week in February, Spring Break, Easter Week and July/August sailings when the children are out of school. To get the space you want on the cruise and necessary air arrangements, don’t hesitate to book 9 to 10 months in advance if possible. The remainder of February, March and April sailings usually starts to fill up once the weather starts to turn cold in the Northeast and Midwest. You can usually find bargains both in advance and at the last minute. But if you want a specific type of cabin, you may consider booking as early as possible. If you’re flexible, consider waiting for a “deal” to show up.
Cruise travel agencies will often book blocks of cabins from the cruise lines. An agent that has one of those blocks for your sailing date can give you a better rate than one that does not.
Now that you know how to book your cruise, set sail!
Copyright © 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved.
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Alaskan Cruise – An Icy Adventure
While considering a cruise, one of the most vital things to be considered is the itinerary. Some of the most popular cruise destinations are the Mexican Riviera, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal and the Bahamas. These offer a very different experience, particularly for beginners.
On the other hand, connoisseurs of cruises look for something that is very different from the experience offered by the previously mentioned cruise destinations. If they visit the same places they visited earlier, albeit on another cruise ship, the element of surprise and the unknown is absent.
If you fall under this category, and are seeking a cruise out of the ordinary, then an Alaskan cruise holiday is right up your alley. You can hope to see new vistas, new people and cultures and other things which will leave an indelible mark in your heart.
In case you are wiling to try something different, go on the Alaskan cruise. It’s an ideal destination for a long cruise as well as a short expedition.
Alaska occupies 570,374 sq. miles of land and is the biggest of the states of the United States of America. It is large enough to completely cover Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Kansas and Colorado. In spite of its large dimensions, its one of the least populated regions on the planet.
Alaska is surrounded by natural borders like rivers, streams and mountains. One of the biggest draws of Alaska is its glaciers, which form an ideal backdrop for a cruise. A cruise along its long coastline will enable you to fully appreciate its beauty.
If you choose a cruise with Glacier Bay as a part of the itinerary, you will be rewarded with the site of glaciers calving. The process of the glaciers breaking off from the cliff of ice and falling into the ocean is termed as calving. This happens many times an hour if the glacier’s large enough.
Watching glaciers calving may induce you to go and touch the ice. Luckily, some cruise lines offer you the services of a helicopter and hiking on ice, which enables you to get on to the glaciers. This experience has no other equivalent in the world.
While on the Alaskan cruise, you may want to visit Tracy Arm Fjord as well. This is a branch of the sea which stretches inland for a few miles. Here, you can truly understand the majesty of the granite cliffs, and the waterfalls cascading off the cliffs from a different perspective.
The ideal time to go on an Alaskan cruise is from May to September. Here, you will experience much lower temperatures than in the south during summer.
The most famous Alaskan cruises are the Inside Passage cruise and the Gulf of Alaska cruise. The former goes through Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan and lasts for about one week. On this cruise, various supplementary excursions are possible as well. The latter is also called as the Glacier Route Cruise. On this cruise, you can visit Glacier Bay and at times, the Hubbard Glacier as well.
Immaterial of which cruise you choose, all cruise lines will give you the required flexibility on your cruise. Smaller vessels are available, usually with a capacity of about 150, to help you get closer to the glaciers without doing a Titanic.
Everything depends on the choices you make. If you are of an adventurous nature, you may want to book a smaller cruise ship even if it costs more. On the other hand, if you’ll be satisfied with only sightseeing, then a larger ship is preferable. Whatever you choose, remember to expect the unexpected.
Everything is right before your eyes – what Alaska is and what it can offer you. Once you begin the cruise, you will never remember your worries. Happy cruising!
