Archive for May 30th, 2009

Cruise Ship Travel Your Best Value Vacation

Saturday, May 30th, 2009

Cruise Ship Travel Your Best Value Vacation
On your typical land vacation you will spend around $150 per night to $300 per night for a nice standard hotel room for two people A rental car will run you around $35 to $50 per day for a cheap car Breakfast will average you around $15 per person, Lunch will run you around $20 per person and dinner will run you around $30 per person after taxes and tips For a one week trip, two people will be spending somewhere between $2,200 and $3,400 before you factor in any airfare, entertainment or attractions These figures are conservative for a budget vacation . .If you look at some of the recent cruise deals, particularly some of the last-minute cruise deals available, you can cruise for as low as $50 per day per person Generally, that low price is going to offer you an inside cabin (no port windows) However, if you upgrade and pay around $100 per person per day, you can get an outside stateroom and possibly a balcony if you shop around Peter B Diaz, President and CEO of VoyageMonkey Online Travel says we’ve recently seen 7-day Alaska and Caribbean cruises going for under $350 per person A value like that is hard to beat The ships simply can’t go out with empty cabins They must fill them in the last few weeks prior to sailing or they lose money . .Your typical cruise price will include all of your meals and entertainment Your meals will generally consist of three daily sit down full course meals, three daily cafeteria style buffet meals and various other dining venues throughout the day including room service There is no shortage of good food Sit down dinners often include steak, lobster, prime rib as well as some ethnic theme nights You’ll also find late night buffets and 24-hour pizza and snacks on many ships . .Your entertainment will generally consist of nightly Las Vegas style musical & dance shows, stand-up comedy, magic shows and various lounge & dance club performers Other ship amenities generally include swimming pools, Jacuzzis, fitness center & day spa and gambling casino complete with slot machines and gaming tables Not included in the price of your cruise is cocktails, spa treatments, gambling, shopping and shore excursions . .The nice feature of a cruise is that you’ll get to see exotic ports of call along the way Most 7-day cruises will generally visit three or more ports Just hop off the ship at each port and enjoy the day It doesn’t cost you any money to leave the ship and walk around town Most ports of call are safe to venture on foot and sight see On your typical land vacation you will visit one destination and stay for the duration On a cruise you get multiple destinations without packing and unpacking between destinations There is also no need to worry about making dinner reservations Cruise life is easy . .Your time on the ship between ports is anything but boring Today’s ships are large floating resorts and entertainment facilities with plenty of elbow room Spend the day at the pool or spa, dance each night away or enjoy the evening stars on deck You’ll meet plenty of really nice interesting people from all over It’s hard to find such a great value vacation today But thanks to the cruise lines, it’s easy to get away and have an affordable trip and a great time .
Source: www.rsstnx.com

The Most Exciting European Adventure Tours
Adventure tours offer a level of excitement and exploration quite different from an ordinary vacation. This type of vacation typically involves a well planned out tour of not just one city or vacation destination, but several. Also, an adventure tour highlights cultural and historical sites and can involve at least some level of physical exertion; everything from coping with off road exploration to rafting and climbing. There are few continents on Earth which are more fascinating and diverse than Europe. For this reason, among others, there are few locations which are better to experience an adventure tour on than in Europe. Considering the amount of history which took place between European nations, there is much to be discovered. Also, the fact that Europe is comprised of incredible landscapes which are as distinct as the peoples who occupy them, a European adventure tour is truly an unforgettable experience. An adventure tour on the European continent allows you to walk the very lands where so many of the adventures in ancient stories took place. If you are looking for an experience that will provide you with fond memories for years to come, you might want to consider some of the following tour destinations. Scotland Many people have a love affair with Scottish culture and history, so Scotland can be a wonderful destination for an adventure tour. When touring Scotland you can walk the highlands and the lowlands like the Scots of old, either camping in the wild or staying at a different Scottish inn each night. For those wishing to get in touch with Scottish culture, a Scottish adventure tour can be a dream come true. France If you don’t want to visit Scotland, France might be a better option. You might consider hiking the Haute Route, a mountaineering route that was designed to link Chamonix and Zermatt (which are two of the most well-known and beloved mountaineering areas in all of Europe.) You might also wish to go canoeing on the rivers of southwestern France, moving along rivers bathed in history as you can see castles and other historical sites from your seat in the canoe. There are tours that will take you through the Christmas markets of France, as well as the breathtaking cities of Paris, Lyon and Nice. Italy and the Netherlands If canoeing and hiking is not exactly what you’re looking for, consider taking a bike tour of Italy or the Netherlands. Both of these countries have centuries of history and culture for you to take in while enjoying the freedom of biking under your own power. Adventure tours are designed to take you through beautiful and culturally-important regions of the country, and are generally arranged so that you will have luxurious lodging each night to help you relax from the rigors of riding all day. Bike tours allow you to cover more ground each day than hiking tours do, so you will generally get to see more of the country as you continue your tour. England and Ireland If you are planning on visiting England, you might consider taking one of the hiking tours along Hadrian’s Wall. This wall stretches across the Pennines and is considered one of the feats of Roman engineering. By taking a tour along the wall you will be able to marvel at the length of it as you consider that it was built by hand: all while enjoying the beauty of the hillsides of northern England. Similar tours can also be taken in Ireland, where you can see the old rock walls that in many places are still maintained by the descendants of those who built them. Greece Should you want an adventure tour that doesn’t involve quite as much hiking, head to Greece or other locations in the Mediterranean where cruises are offered to let you experience the historic coastlines that helped to shape so much of Europe’s civilization. Unlike cruise lines which have you cruising on massive luxury ships, many of the Greek and Mediterranean cruises use smaller ships built in a more classic style so that you will know the feel of those ancient ships while learning about the culture that surrounded them. Adventure tours taken in this area can include visits some of the most beautiful islands and ancient locations in the world, such as Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Rhodes, Heraklion and Santorini. European Adventure Tours by Train Other popular European tour options involve tours by train. Most of Europe is connected by a railway system, and with a EuroPass you can take a train easily from one country to the next so as to enjoy the cultural and historical significance of each. You can visit the vineyards of France, the castles of Germany, and the markets of Italy with nothing but a train ride in between. Tours which are centered around train transport generally include your EuroPass in the price of the tour package. Regardless of the type of adventure tour that you want to take, make sure that you spend a little time exploring the offerings of different tour coordinators so that you can find exactly the tour package that’s right for you. In addition to getting ideas for additional things that you would like to do while in Europe, you may be able to save money on the adventure tour that you take as well.Lisa Parker is a freelance writer who writes about the travel industry and vacation deals, often focusing on specific tour vacations such as European tours at http://www.flightcentre.ca/tours/.
Source: www.ArticlePros.com

How To Get The Best Price For A Cruise
You’ve wanted to take that cruise, to experience the excitement of new ports and places with your family. You’ve daydreamed about your place in the sun. You’ve made a million excuses to yourself why you can’t. Perhaps you’ve thought that the cruise of your dreams is out of reach financially. You’re in for a surprise. The cruise industry is one of the fasting growing of the vacation/hospitality industries today. With the popularity of sea cruising growing by leaps and bounds cruise lines are growing and are able to offer more discounts to their customers. You also have the cruise industry at your fingertips through the use of the Internet. Every cruise line has a website where you can check cruises, dates and deals. Each cruise line offers what they call theme packages. These packages are mean to attract a people of a certain lifestyle or age group. If you are traveling with your family you may qualify for a family discount, or, depending on your age, a senior discount. Some cruise lines offer honeymoon discount. It is a little known fact that many cruise lines experience last minute cancellations. When this happens they are eager to fill the empty slots. If you are flexible you may be able to get an excellent last minute deal. Call the cruise line a few days before the ship is set to sail to see if there are any last minute deals. If you become a frequent cruiser you may be able to get a discount as a repeat customer. Many cruise lines give discounts and a good percentage off if you book with them year after year, or, if you are planning more than one cruise in a year, if you book both cruises at the same time. Along with checking for cruise deals online, don’t forget that sometimes a travel agent is worth his/her weight in gold. Check with an experienced travel agent who may be able to help you get deals that aren’t offered to online customers. This travel agent may also be able to help you get the best airfare price . The cruise of your dreams is out there, and it’s within your reach. Do your homework. The information is out there, it’s up to you to find it. This article courtesy of <a href="http://www.cruise-holiday-guide.com" target="_blank">http://www.cruise-holiday-guide.com</a>
Source: www.ArticlePros.com