Channel : Helping you explore the world!

Once the reserve of the very, very rich or very, very old, the popularity of cruises is currently at an all time high and these days you can find cruise deals to suit every taste and every pocket. However, it may just be worth your while to save that little bit harder over the coming months for your chance to experience the biggest and most luxurious ocean liner ever built.

Heavier, wider, taller and longer than any other previous passenger ship, the magnificent ‘Oasis of the Seas’ set sail this week from the Finnish port where it was built, on its way to Miami for its inaugural cruise. Costing almost £1bn, this outstanding 1,200 foot ship was commissioned by Cruise Line company Royal Caribbean and will begin carrying passengers from this December. The ship can carry up to 9000 people including a full crew and boasts such facilities as 21 swimming pools, a theatre, an ice rink, nightclubs, casinos and over 20 restaurants serving food from many different global cuisines. At just over 5 times the size of the Titanic, the ‘Oasis of the Seas’ is one beautiful and amazing ship.

Unfortunately, not all of us will be able to afford the five star luxury of the ‘Oasis of the Seas’ but there are still some fantastic deals to be had. If you’ve never been on a cruise holiday before, there are a few things to pack along with your swimming costume to ensure your trip is as enjoyable as possible;

Smart Clothes: There are some high end luxury cruises that request that you wear smart or formal clothes for the whole time that you are away from your cabin, and even the most casual of cruises will expect you dress smartly on at least a few occasions, like at evening dinner. It always pays to take at least two or three really good outfits so you have something smart to change into should the need arise. Besides, it’s always nice to dress up once in a while!

Walking Shoes: At 1200 feet, no other cruise ship comes near to the ‘Oasis of the Seas’ for length but even on a modest sized ship you’ll find that you’ll end up walking perhaps more than you expected to. A good pair of comfortable shoes will come into their own on trips ashore and you’ll never regret packing them after a good few hours on your feet.

Sea Sickness Pills: These days, most of the huge liners like ‘Oasis of the Seas’ have built-in motion stabilizing devices to prevent boat movement. However, there will always be some turbulent water and perhaps even some very rough seas which will mean an uncomfortable and fraught trip for those prone to nausea. Pack some good travel sickness pills and you’ll never need to worry about the odd bumpy wave.

Money: Many luxury cruises are now all inclusive but you’ll be surprised just how often you need a bit of cash particularly for excursions ashore, tips for staff and presents for friends and family.

A Good Book: A cruise holiday is always a fantastic time to catch up on some reading, particularly while sunbathing up on deck or in bed after a hectic but invigorating day. Why not stock up on a couple of those blockbusters you’ve been meaning to read for months but have never had the time for.

So, whether your budget stretches to ‘Oasis of the Seas’ or a more modest cruise you can expect the experience of a lifetime. Don’t forget to pack the sunscreen and the camera!

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People take cruise holidays for various reasons. Some like the opportunity to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of the cities that they live in. Some want to take the chance to view different parts of the world while others want to party all day while travelling by sea. Royal Caribbean Cruises provide a liberating, fun and a rejuvenating experience.

While travelling to different parts of the world, passengers can keep themselves entertained by watching and even participating in the shows that Royal Caribbean Cruises organise.

Here’s a rundown of the productions that the passengers may enjoy:

Broadway Shows – Popular Las Vegas and New York-based Broadway style and cabaret shows are often performed during a cruise.

Ice Skating Shows – Passengers will be impressed with the ice shows performed on the ship. Many professional skaters perform throughout the cruise. In the event that there are too many passengers interested in watching ice skating performances, tickets are generally made available on a first come first served basis.

Musical Productions – Contemporary and Las Vegas-inspired performances are presented on Royal Caribbean Cruises. The cruise ship takes pride in the fact that it has its own singers and dancers. Sometimes comedy acts precede the musical productions.

Be sure to enquire about the activities, shows and events from the cruise line in advance, so that you can decide which ones you will attend. Usually, each show will have a run throughout the cruise holiday, meaning there will be re-runs of your favourite productions.

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Most of us dream of travelling the world and having a great time in one of the safest and most luxurious locations imaginable, a cruise ship. Wouldn’t it be superb to be spending your vacation in a relaxing atmosphere with the best amenities close at hand?

However, most travellers would also like to have more time to thoroughly explore the ports of call. Taking in the rich heritage and stunning sights of these destinations would add that little bit more to an already unforgettable experience.

It was with this in mind that cruise and stay holidays were born. Here are some of the world’s best destinations.

The Caribbean is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world, due to its great weather and stunning scenery. Visitors can enjoy its stunning beaches and go snorkelling, swimming and enjoy many other fun activities.

The Mediterranean is the perfect place for a vacation and a popular destination in Europe. You can explore a country’s rich culture and heritage or just laze around and relax; this is definitely the place to be.

Alaska is a favourite cruising destination among travellers. This cruise takes you on a journey around the coast of Alaska and on to Canada, one of the most fascinating and exciting places in the world. Alaska has great tourist attractions, with grizzly bear spotting tours or white-water rafting. It is perfect for anyone who enjoys wild, untamed nature.

Florida is where most Caribbean cruises either start or finish. It is renowned for having some great shopping, but probably best known for its theme parks and other tourist attractions.

These are just some of the cruise and stay destinations that travellers can try. This type of holiday enables you to enjoy the luxury of a cruise ship, visit some of the world’s most magnificent sights, but perhaps best of all, relax in the most stunning resorts to be found anywhere.

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Many senior citizens want to spend some of their new leisure time travelling, and the internet is proving a great place to pick up ideas. More than ever, ‘silver surfers’ are using the web to learn about new and exciting destinations and book their travel and accommodation. Those over 60 are becoming one of the most prominent forces in the travel industry today and a considerable percentage are booking their travel on-line. In a recent poll, people of retirement age were asked what kind of travel they most enjoy, and although golf tours and city breaks tours ranked well, the most popular choice of all was to take a cruise. This is understandable as cruises tend to appeal to the more mature traveller as they cater to a huge range of interests and provide a variety of leisure activities and entertainment.  On a cruise, there are plenty of opportunities to relax by the pool or you can choose to participate in dancing, wine tasting and cookery classes, sports like tennis or swimming, card games, lectures, musical performances, movies, etc.

Holiday Cruises are organized with your comfort in mind, so you can enjoy a stress free vacation. Most Cruise ships also have fully equipped medical facilities and can accommodate passengers with special needs. There are also many different types of cruise deals to suit all individual tastes. For instance, if you are interested in exploring the ports and cities on shore you could easily arrange to extend your holiday by a couple of days to take in the sights. However, if a more activities based holiday is your thing you can spend most of your time on board ship and still never tire of things to do.

Maybe you have a hobby or interest and would like to go on a specialty cruise? For example, you could take a golf cruise where a game of golf is prearranged at every stop and there is a golf pro on board to help you improve your swing. Besides just cruises, many seniors are taking advantage of their new leisure time to travel to interesting and exciting locations. Many also combine a cruise with a land based tour for several days, for the best of both worlds.

Choosing to go on an organized tour instead of independent travel has many advantages including a greater feeling of security, organized transportation and accommodation, and a guide who will arrange your sightseeing trips. You will also meet lots of other travellers and often make lasting friendships as well.

However, a cruise can also be a let down if you don’t take care to select one that closely meets your travel goals. Before committing try and do plenty of research about your holiday and what it has to offer and check out what the cruise will provide. Some of the following suggestions may be of use:

•Can you organize your own flights or will you be restricted to group travel? A more flexible cruise holiday will accommodate those who want to use their air miles points or extend their trip after the is over.

•Research the hotels where you will be staying in advance. There are many websites that provide honest reviews of hotels around the world, so  you can read up on of the ones on your itinerary to make sure they are up to the standards you expect.

•Will there be enough free time so you don’t become exhausted from the pace of the sightseeing or activities? Too many new experiences in a relatively short space of time can make it difficult to appreciate them. Is your cruise holiday itinerary flexible and does it offer choices of activities? For instance could you go to museum instead, or vice versa? This is particularly relevant if you have restricted mobility for any reason.

•Are you going to be pressured into buying overpriced gifts on “shopping opportunities” or into buying expensive extras like one day trips? A lot of tour guides are often poorly paid and make commission on bringing tourists to shopping areas and factories. Make sure you know and approve all the stops you will make on each part of the cruise.

Whether you are cruising or touring or doing some combination of both, the options for those that have retired have never been greater. Also, many Cruise lines now provide discounts to passengers aged 55 years of age or older. The Internet has made it very easy to seek out those opportunities and great deals. So what are you waiting for? Book that holiday of a lifetime today!

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Where’s all the fun on Carnival cruises? The simple answer is, the fun comes from you. When taking a cruising holiday, mums and dads usually get worried about organising onboard activities for their young ones. However, there are many ways to let your children enjoy the trip, as Camp Carnival offer a year-round, fleet-wide programme that provides fun-filled and age-appropriate activities for your kids. Now, couples can happily continue partying all day, while their little ones play with their newfound friends.

For a reasonable fee, Camp Carnival guarantee parents professional supervision for their kids. Children are divided into three age groups, Toddlers, 2-5 years old; Juniors, 6-8 years old and Intermediates, 9-11 years old. Parents are sure to love the games, parties, movies, arts and crafts, puppet shows, and other fun-filled activities that are designed to strengthen their children’s ability to socialise and build their confidence.

From finger painting to cartoon drawing, handicrafts to puppet shows, toddlers are sure to have a blast. In addition, Carnival provide an evening babysitting service, so that parents can get some “quiet time”. Kids also get their own special menus featuring all their favourite foods, like hotdogs, chicken, meatballs, pizza, spaghetti, macaroni & cheese and many more. Activities for toddlers may involve SeaNotes sing-a-longs, music and movement activities; H2Ocean, Playdoh; Picture Bingo, Talent Shows, Mini-Late Night Parties, including Candy Art, Dancing and Sno Cones.

When mums and dads want to relax and watch an adult movie, junior cruisers will have time enjoying Spin Art, Dodgeball, the latest game consoles, sand art, face tainting, prize bingo, T-shirt decorating and many more activities that will keep them occupied. Intermediate cruisers can spend the evening playing Freaky Fear Factor, Camp Carnival Survivor Challenge, Video Arcade Tournaments, Scavenger Hunts, etc.

Camp Carnival knows what parents want for their kids. That’s why they’ve hired only qualified and dedicated youth counsellors, either college-educated in a related field or having professional childcare experience, to ensure your children’s safety as they have the time of their lives.

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There are several enticing holiday destinations that offer superb beaches and winter sun holidays, but nowhere can be compared to the unique islands of the Caribbean. Caribbean holidays offer virtually everything you could possibly want from a vacation. The traditional Caribbean holiday consists of gorgeously tranquil warm seas, idyllic soft white beaches, and great year-round tropical sunny weather. The Caribbean provides fantastic diving holidays; eco-tourism, water sports and wildlife, legendary music, superb food and wonderful nightlife; as well as romantic locations and elegant accommodation making it the right choice for honeymoons.

Though it would normally take days or weeks to arrive in the Caribbean, package holidays and charter flights have made holidays in the Caribbean as direct as holidays in Europe. The principal holiday targets in the Caribbean served by the United Kingdom holiday companies are Antigua; Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Margarita Island, Mexico, St. Lucia, and Tobago.

All inclusive holidays in the Caribbean are becoming more and more popular.  The Caribbean hotel holiday provides the perfect choice for a United Kingdom holidaymaker. Caribbean holiday packages are available for guests both summer and winter.

It is possible to get cheap last minute deals to the Caribbean. During the peak season period, particularly the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Caribbean is a destination that can be fully booked early. Late deals outside the peak season, on the other hand, can be on the basis of “Allocated on Arrival,” where you don’t know the hotel or resort until you get there.

This destination is now within your reach. Why not try it yourself with your family or friends and experience the authentic and amazing Caribbean.

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Caribbean cruise and stay packages regularly depart from Florida and Bermuda across all of the major tour operators. You can enjoy some shore time in either of these locations at the start or end of your cruise.

There is no shortage of good reasons why you should book a Caribbean cruise and stay holiday. The Caribbean is a dream holiday location with picture postcard beaches, water as blue as you could possibly imagine, and with diving opportunities aplenty. If you are looking for a relaxing break, the location does not come much better than this.

If sun worshipping is your thing, you can spend the day soaking up the rays on any of the untouched beaches along the coastline in the Caribbean. The sea houses some of the most exotic marine life and you can experience their world on a number of organised diving trips that take place every day. Even if you have never been diving before, qualified instructors will be on hand to teach you the basics and support you while you descend into the glorious tropical waters. If this sounds like your idea of heaven, then a trip to Grand Cayman is essential.

St. Lucia should definitely be on your agenda and most Caribbean cruises do visit this stunning island with its wild and untamed landscape. Here you can experience a mixture of Caribbean, African and French cultures. The island is truly unique. This is why people return year after year. How could you possibly tire of the stunning scenery on display across any of the Caribbean islands?

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Taking an all-inclusive holiday in the Caribbean in the current economic climate gives extremely good value for your money. The four and five star hotels surrounding Caribbean resorts generally have superb facilities, accommodation, and beach-front locations that will surely refresh everyone. Buffet restaurant food is plentiful and varied, with a wide choice of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Coco Bay in Antigua, one of the prime holiday targets in the Caribbean, is a small resort accommodating about 80 couples. Accommodation is in a small independent ‘hut’ with a tin roof and wonderfully comfortable beds. Bedrooms open out onto the veranda, as does the bathroom. Because the resort is situated on a hillside, you can enjoy its picturesque sea views. The only restaurant serves fabulous food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is one swimming pool and two little bays with golden sand and warm Caribbean Sea that are virtually exclusive to the guests of the hotel.

An all-inclusive holiday to the Dominican Republic is also an ideal family holiday. The island’s landscaped gardens lead onto one of the longest expanses of dazzling white sandy beach in the Caribbean. The Melia Caribe Tropical Hotel provides guests with a selection of sporting activities, a magnificent variety of restaurants, and nightly live entertainment.

The Caribbean provides everything you might possibly want from a holiday. From music to history, diving to golf, and even weddings to honeymoons, a dream Caribbean holiday has it all and more.

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Are you looking for a unique venue to celebrate a special event? Going on a cruise would be just perfect. Princess Cruises, an American cruise line, is dedicated to making every voyage memorable by providing guests with first-class accommodation and amenities. They also make special occasions extra special: engagements, weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries, renewal of marriage vows, and many more.

Your travel agent can book your special cruise aboard an elegant Princess Cruise liner and arrange a romantic package that will create a lifetime of wonderful memories. These can include engagement parties, a wedding and honeymoon bundle, anniversary celebration, or the renewal of marriage vows. A special event package includes everything – flowers, a video recording and photographs of the event, a wedding cake, and of course champagne. The lucky couple can also enjoy a spa treatment, breakfast in bed, and a romantic private dinner.

Weddings or the renewal of vows may be held in a public space on board the ship or the wedding chapel, or ashore in a European villa, on a Caribbean beach, or even on an Alaskan glacier. The wedding coordinators do all the arrangements, so couples are free to enjoy the cruise.

Since each cruise offers different services and destinations, it is recommended to compare before booking to find the one that is most suitable to your taste. Birthdays, graduations, and job promotions are some of the other occasions that can be celebrated on a Princess Cruise. A cruise is the perfect way to celebrate life’s milestones.

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Perhaps you are not familiar with Peppercorn Day, an exclusive holiday in Bermuda and the oddest holiday in the Caribbean. This holiday dates back to 1797 when Peppercorn Day was originally started, and this led to the beginning of a holiday tradition in 1816. While this is celebrated exclusively in Bermuda, there are several Caribbean Islands that celebrate a similar holiday.

Although many islands differ, they celebrate their tradition through national holidays. One of these is known as Creole Week, which is celebrated in late October. As part of Creole Week, the annual Heritage Day is held in a certain village to show respect to its inhabitants and to the unique aspects of their culture. Another is Maroon Day, which is celebrated annually on January 6. This holiday honours the Maroons, the freed slaves who escaped to Jamaica to begin a new life for themselves. Their descendants host the largest holiday celebration, the Accompong Maroon Festival. This festival draws a number of visitors from around the world, who come to see the traditional singing, dancing, and exciting ceremonies. On May 30, Indian Arrival Day is celebrated in Tobago and Trinidad, commemorating the arrival of apprenticed servants who came from India.

Most of the Caribbean countries observe their independence and celebrate holidays that pay tribute to national heroes, including Barbados’ Errol Barrow Day. Liberation, abolition of slavery, and weather conditions are also marked on the holiday calendar in many of the islands. The celebration of the Christmas season in the Caribbean is more exciting than in other countries around the world.

Celebrating the holidays plays a major role in the lively and colourful traditions in the Caribbean. Visiting the region and perhaps participating in its holidays, is a great way to experience the culture of the Caribbean.

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