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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.
Mary Hanna has traveled the world by Air and
Ship while writing eBooks, Software Reviews and Practical Articles on
Internet Marketing, Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at:
http://www.CruiseGold.com
http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com and
http://www.CruisingTips.com.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Hanna
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