For most of us, it’s the romance of the Caribbean that springs to mind when you suggest a cruise holiday and the prospect of sun, tropical islands and beautiful beaches certainly makes the West Indies and the Gulf of Mexico the number one choice for many first time cruisers. Some hardier types are drawn to the icy majesty of a cruise to Alaska, while others plump for the reliable Mediterranean cruise with itineraries that cover Italy, Greece and the Greek islands. For most of us, the world cruise remains a “one of these days” proposition, provided we retire early or win the national lottery.
River cruises are a great way to see the European continent, with packages covering the Danube, the Volga and, most popular of all, the Rhine. Certainly, very few river cruises can match the spectacular scenery between Bingen and Bonn as the Middle Rhine flows through the stunning Rhine Gorge with its fairytale romantic castles and vineyards towering on top of the steep gorge banks.But how many of us have seriously considered cruising the UK?Britain and Ireland have scenery that is just as spectacular as that found in Europe or anywhere in the world. It’s true that the weather (or rather its unpredictable nature) is the only element that lets’ the UK down, but a luxury cruise around the British Isles can be rewarding as well as relaxing. The popularity of the recent BBC TV programme “Coast” showed that there is a demand for exploring the romantic, beautiful and exotic on our doorstep, so why not do that in 5 star comfort and style aboard a modern cruise ship?
Many operators have packages that take in the Channel Islands, as well as the Isles of Scilly and Ireland where guests can enjoy the beauty of Waterford and the “craik” in Dublin.These same cruise programmes often include trips to the stark beauty of the Hebrides and the Western isles as well as the Orkneys and Shetland, Leith in Edinburgh and the world-class city that is London.So next time you think of booking a cruise holiday, don’t discount the sheer variety of landscapes and holiday experiences you could enjoy closer to home.
Cruising is the preferred holiday for people who enjoy luxury, relaxation and variety and the splendour of the seven seas.Incidentally, around the time of the tales of Sinbad and the Arabian Nights the “Seven Seas” would have been the Persian Gulf, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Red Sea (including the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea), the Mediterranean Sea, the Adriatic sea and the Arabian Sea of course. In fact, there are over 100 bodies of water called seas of one sort of another, but after the Europeans discovered America , the phrase “Seven Seas” largely referred to The Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Arctic Oceans, the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas and the Gulf of Mexico.
It’s the expanses of Ocean in the modern definition that Regent Seven Seas Cruises plies.The fleet of vessels operated by this company are definitely for those who like the amenities and variety of public spaces that a larger ship can provide, but still want the all-inclusive comfort and exemplary service you get on a 6-star vessel.The 50,000-tonne Seven Seas Mariner cruise ship certainly provides that. The world’s first all-suite, all-balcony ship capable of accommodating 700 guests, it boasts ocean-view suites with private balconies and the first Le Cordon Bleu restaurant at sea. Her sister ship, the Seven Seas Voyager, is equally well appointed as is the 490 guest Seven Seas Navigator.
For luxury cruises in the South Pacific, The Paul Gauguin (smallest ship in the Regent fleet carrying just 320 guests and a crew of 215) sails the waters of French Polynesia. As befits the area the ship cruises, she is a warm and friendly vessel with an intimate ambiance but does not have the breadth of facilities found on other Regent cruise ships.Even so, the Paul Gauguin is one of the best ships to ply the waters of the South Pacific with guests enjoying a casual dress code appropriate to the Polynesian destinations, food inspired by a two-star Michelin French chef and plenty of water sports opportunities with her own retractable marina.
Cruises come in a variety of shapes, sizes and packages. From the mass market floating cities that pack them in and cruise the Med to the intimate, sail-powered Dahabiya cruise vessels that ply the Nile, there’s a cruise package and a range of destinations to suit almost anyone.Despite the prevailing economic environment, the ultra luxury cruise market continues to prosper, catering to more affluent travellers often in partnership with the world’s most respected luxury brands.
Success in the very high end luxury cruise sector requires a fleet of ships purpose-built for the ultra-luxury market.They tend to be smaller, more intimate vessels that can slip into more exotic ports of call off the beaten path. Small is of course a relative term as you are still looking at ships that can accommodate up to 300 – 400 guests in exquisite luxury. These elite vessels are designed for fewer guests, afford more cabin and suite space and deliver the highest levels of personalised service with a typical crew to passenger ratio of 1:3. Despite their smaller overall size combined with larger and more luxurious dining space and accommodation, these vessels still incorporate the favourite amenities found on larger ships, such as a show lounge for nightly entertainment, casino, spa and state-of-the-art fitness facilities. Entertainment is low-key but very high-class, in keeping with the sort of clientele these ships attract.
Silversea Cruises is one company specialising in the ultra luxury cruise market born out of generations of maritime and travel experience. Established by the Lefebvre family of Rome in the early 1990s, it operates some the highest quality ships in the ultra-luxury segment. The modern fleet of small, intimate ships have a very friendly onboard atmosphere and are ideal for the discriminating guest who wants all-inclusive 5-star quality in an intimate and friendly environment. A word of warning though - the atmosphere and ambience onboard these vessels is addictive.After a day or two you get so seduced by the pampering and the warm hospitality that when you reach a port of call it may be hard to actually leave the ship!
The Rhine is one of most romantic rivers in the world, steeped in history and cloaked in beauty and tradition.It’s also one of the most commercially important waterways in Europe.The Rhine begins at the confluence of the Vorderrhein and Hinterrhein, near Reichenau in Switzerland. From Reichenau, the Rhine flows north and empties into Lake Constance. It flows on westward as the Hochrhein, passes the Rhine Falls where it is joined by the river Aar to begin its westward meander through the heart of Europe.
Rhine river cruises are one of the best ways to see the spectacular scenery of four European countries.It’s in Germany though that the Rhine gains most of its tributaries, such as the Neckar, the Main and the Moselle and it’s here between Bingen and Bonn that the Middle Rhine flows through the stunning Rhine Gorge with its romantic gothic castles and vineyards. One of the highlights of any luxury cruise on the Rhine is sailing along the Rhine gorge framed by the fairytale Rhine castles, which tower majestically over the vineyards along the banks of the river. Not many rivers can offer as much variety with historic cities and hidden villages such as Bamberg, Würzburg, and Koblenz, as well as smaller villages and towns such as Mainz and Rüdesheim with its impressive castle.
Few river cruises can compete with romantic stories that have been built up around the waterway and come alive via the landscape.Legends such as the famous Lorelei Rock, which rises to over 130 metres, where a siren lured sailors to their doom by singing sweet songs and lullabies.Despite its economic importance as a commercial highway in its lower reaches around the Rhur and into the major ports of Holland, the the upper and middle Rhine is the most picturesque waterway in Europe and cruising it makes for one of the best holidays you could experience.
The popularity of cruises hasn’t stopped increasing since the concept was first thought up hundreds of years ago. One type of cruise that has also becoming a great deal more popular lately is river cruising. This type of cruise not surprisingly takes place on rivers and are considered a very practical alternative to ocean cruising. So why might you pick a river cruise over the more traditional types? Here are three reasons for kick off.
Because most river cruises go along the banks of the river, there is always something interesting to see. Most ocean cruises provide miles and miles of sea that looks the same every time you blink, but with river cruises the scenario is constantly changing. You will see a whole variety of plant life and animals and depending on which river you are on, you can see mountains and rainforest and even volcanoes. Peter deilmann cruises sell some of the best river cruises you can go on.
On a lot rivers there are local communities dotted along the banks. This is an ideal locations for people to set up communities as they have very easy access to the water and food that the river offers.It of course depends on which route your cruise takes but quite often you will get an insight into real natives culture and daily lives. A lot of locals will come up to the cruise ship and offer their goods for sale as well, especially when they are luxury cruises as they know the tourists will have a bit more money to spend.
On river cruises it is quite reassuring to know that you are never too far away from land. In this respects they are very good for people who are a little scared of going on a cruise and they can build their confidence safe in the knowledge they are unlikely to drown if anything should go wrong. Another benefit is that there are very rarely any major swells in rivers and so the boat remains steadier, which is perfect for anyone who suffers from sea sickness.
Every dreamed of going a cruise holiday, but decided not to because you thought you could not afford it? Well, then we have some good news for you! There are so many options out there where you can find yourself taking a dream cruise vacation which will cost you less than half the price of a luxury cruise. Thanks to bargain cruises online where you can now afford the ultimate cruising experience.
All you need, is to have the time to search the internet for the sites where they may offer bargain cruises to suit your wallet. By doing some research you are sure to find yourself a best deal. So, luxury cruises can mean different to different people. It might either mean a hundred dollar per person/day cruise or 50% off the standard cost of the usual luxury cruise cost. So, in essence, a bargain cruise would be the one in which you get value for the money you are willing to spend.
You can find that there are lots of travel agents out there that can assist in getting bargain cruises. Travel or holiday experts that specialize in cruises will have no trouble in giving you help to get the best deal, as they are always aware of the last minute deals that cruise lines offer. There can be some fabulous deals that you cannot resist.
Lots of times major cruise lines want to fill up empty cabins therefore they offer as high as 75% discounts for such cabins. Don’t forget, you need to keep a look out for some such offers. So be sure to be constantly shopping around the internet to grab this opportunity.
Keep in touch with the travel agents and visit the travel websites often to find out if any cruise lines are bargaining on empty cabins. Shopping online for bargain cruises is always the best option as you can get special offers and last minute deals if you search diligently.
Unfortunately, there may be some restrictions when you choose a bargain cruises. Sometimes, booking a passage with a freighter ship can be considered as a choice for a bargain cruise. You may find that you do not get all the excellent shows or the lavish 1st class meals that you may find on offer on a normal cruise liner. But you will certainly see many ports of calls that a traditional cruise liner do not see.
You will find that sometimes, bargain cruises are not the choice for every one. All some people want when it comes to finding a cruise, is luxury and comfort. Lots of entertainment, great food, brilliant amenities and service are the features that cruise vacations offer.
But you may have to give up on these luxuries if you are looking for a bargain cruise. It most definitely will not be like the dream cruise vacation you always dreamt off but if you still want to experience the ocean voyage by not losing much from your wallet then a bargain cruise can suit your need.
After recently going on one of those fancy luxury cruises myself I have come to the conclusion that going on one is simply one of the best things you could possibly do with your money. Why? The reason for this is that a luxury cruise ship not only matches the things you would do on a normal holiday but provides 10 times better a service.
It’s simple really, where else would you find luxury suites with butler services, spas and fitness centres, a monster swimming pool and a casino all in one place. I could not believe how many different activites are available one one of these ships, it really is limitless to the things you can do when en-route to the next destination. I personally attended one of the fascinating educational talks about the next destination we were heading too and I can safley say that it is great to know a bit of the culture and local history before arriving as at least you do not feel like a total idiot when you arrive as you know a little about the people living there.
When I was aboard I most certainly did not think the food would match that of my America visits but my word did it, and it went down very well with a dinner time show. You can literally go to any destination in the world now as over the past decade or so the places in which cruise liners are going to has grown immensley ranging from Africa to the Antarctic which I think is brilliant for everyone who has always wanted to see the waters around these areas as well as see the towns and cities within them.
So save up those wages and go on a luxury cruise holiday like me and if you want advice on which one is the best to go on as there are literally hundreds all I can say is that Regent Cruises was simply fantastic an I would recommend to anyone thinking of going on a holiday like this.
There are a couple of computer games that I have played recently that have led me to seriously think about going on one of those brilliant luxury cruises I have heard so much about.
The first one on the list is Cruise Ship Tycoon This game actually put the idea into my head so blame this one for this blog on cruise ships. The only thing you really have to do in this game is run a cruise ship. This means you get to go anywhere on the ship from the swimming pool to the restaurant and casino. This is brilliant as in the ships featured in the game are all based on real ships which makes it perfect as you can see exactly what you can do on a ship without even having to visit a travel agent or website. In this game you get to look after the ship from a managers prosepective which if you are going on a holiday you really don't care about however I found it to be very interesting as you get to go to places in the ship you normally wouldn't be allowed in.
Splinter Cell Double Agent is next on the list In this mission you actually have to plant a bomb on the ship which really shouldn't make me feel like I wan't to go on a cruise ship but yet it still does. The thing is when playing the level the graphics are simply astounding so you get an even better insight onto what a luxury cruise ship looks like. This level is great as you are not restricted on where you can go on the ship so you can fully explore and see the detail that went into the game as again it was based on a real luxury cruise ship.
The weird one- Mario Kart Call me crazy but there is a level in which you have to drive around on a luxury ship and although I put it here simply because of this it only shows one thing and that is how big a ship is, big enough to drive a kart on? Of course you could if there aren't any people on the ship which is most certainly true in this game.
So there you have it and it gets even better as I am actually going to book a holiday with Regent Cruises today so all I can say is thank you gaming!
I have come to the conclusion that going on one of those great luxury cruises is actually worth all the money as well as being a lot better than taking a plane there. Why is it that it is better than flying?
There is no need to turn up at a stupidly early time so your luggage can be processed as on a cruise this is done a lot quicker.There is absolute no need to wait around waiting to get to your destination because as soon as you put one foot onto the ship you are pretty much at your hotel for the duration of your holiday.
There are also casinos, free room service, and bars to go to as soon as you step foot onto the ship. Free drinks are only available on long haul flights and that is only if you are flying with one of the better airlines on a long haul flight.
You get to feel the luxury of having legroom on a cruise ship! On a cruise you are never restricted to how much room you have whereas on a plane unless you can afford to go first class which not many people can you are very restricted on how much you can move around.
Of course if something does happen all you have to do is get into a lifeboat rather than jump down a huge inflatable slide or worse die on impact. As well as this you don’t have to worry about terrorists at all! At the moment all you really need to worry about is Pirates and thats only if your near Somali.
There is of course always the possibilty that a storm will occur and if that happens it won't ruin the holiday just head downstairs for a nice dip in the pool or have a bite to eat!
I have to admit I love flying and I would never say cruise every year instead of flying to your favourite destination but going on a luxury cruise is nice every so often and with Regent Cruises (the one I went with) you are sure to have a better time than on an aeroplane.
You might have been knocking around the thought of taking a cruise vacation for a number of years and finally you have come to the point where you need to take care of booking the trip. However, before you take that step, you should be aware of the numerous options in available cruises, so that you can make an informed decision. Many decisions, both large and small will need to be made, including deciding about the kind of ship, the type of cabin, the duration of the voyage and ultimately, how it all works into your travel budget.
The major cruise lines visit about 1,800 different ports that span the globe, and not all of these ports will be places that you’ll be interested in visiting. Because there are so many destinations, the first thing to do is decide which ones hold the most interest. For instance, you can focus on Caribbean or Mexican cruises if you are looking for warmth and sunshine, or you can go for the scenery and whale watching possibilities of an Alaskan or Antarctic cruise. Once you have narrowed down the general area that you want to cruise to, then you can more easily make your final decision.
The cruise companies offer a range of options with regard to how long you want to be away. Some might be for just two-nights, while others will last anywhere from one to two weeks. These are considered to be shorter cruises and are best suited for busy people and family travel.
The major cruise lines also offer longer voyages, with itineraries that span anywhere from three weeks to several months. Often these longer voyages provide opportunities to visit ports-of-call in several countries and sometimes more than one continent. Most of these longer itineraries are especially geared toward the affluent or retirees who have the time and financial freedom to be voyaging for weeks or months at a time.
Some cruise ships are referred to as “megaliners” and are so large that a person can actually get lost onboard. In fact, they are so large that they cannot even go through the Panama Canal. Cruises on megaliners can accommodate up to 2,000 passengers and provide a plethora of activities to keep passengers of all ages entertained and active. The mid-size ships are the most common and usually have up to 900 passengers, but still provide a nice variety of activities. The smaller ships are more intimate and usually accommodate less than 400 passengers.
There is also a class of cruise ships called “boutique ships,” which could be compared to luxury boutique hotels. They offer exceptional attention to service and usually have an even higher standard of gourmet food, which is saying something considering that these floating hotels are well-known for the quality and selection of fine foods.
The vast majority of cabins onboard ship are considered to be standard-size and are generally quite cozy, which helps encourage people to take advantage of the many amenities during their time aboard. Cabins with ocean views and verandas are very popular, but will cost more than an interior cabin. Many of the newer cruise ships are being designed so that virtually all of the cabins have at least a minimal exterior view and some even boast that every cabin has a veranda, albeit small ones. For cruisers with the cash, there are spacious suites, but the cost of these puts them well out of reach for the average person.
You can learn a great deal about the cruises available to the area you are interested in visiting by spending some time on the travel websites, especially those that specialize in cruise travel vacation packages. Many times there are hot deals and discount cruise travel packages that you can find on these websites, which can help you maximize your vacation budget.
Can you even think of traveling on vacation and being told at what time you could eat, sleep or even play? Cruises used to be very rigidly scheduled. Dinner was at a certain time and the activities were scheduled rigorously. You had to live your vacation according to someone else’s rules. You need not concern yourself about that anymore. Cruise ships today are incredibly flexible. You can choose to eat at anytime you want, even at the late hour of 2:00 am. Whats great is the kitchen is always open. You can swim when you have the urge and play whenever the mood hits you. Plan your vacation now by clicking here: