Jobs on yachts or sailing ships are not as plentiful as jobs on larger ships. The crews are smaller and they typically do not hire entertainers, large numbers of cocktail servers or bar staff, or large numbers of retail personnel. This means competition is fierce for jobs on yachts and sailing ships, but if you have what it takes to compete, you have a good chance of landing one of these coveted positions. Potential captains, chefs, and crewmembers should begin the employment process by either signing with a placement agency or contacting the yacht or sailing ship directly.

To contact the yacht or sailing ship directly, visit the cruise ships/line website. You can locate the OFFICIAL website by visiting Ships and Cruises Directory. Once you have located several sailing ships or yachts you would like to work for, visit the website and search around for job postings. Most cruise line websites have a career center or job postings page.

If the cruise line lists job openings, remember to follow the application procedure to the letter. Applicants that do not follow directions are typically passed over in favor of those that do. If the cruise line does not list job openings on its site, send a polished cover letter and resume to the cruise lines’ Human Resources Department. The Human Resources Department is typically located at the cruise lines headquarters. This information is usually listed on the cruise line website. It is important to include the position you are interested in so that it can be directed to the appropriate department manager.

To sign up with a placement agency, you should begin by identifying the top agencies in the industry. Next, you should submit your resume, references, and any certifications or designations you may have. The placement agency will call you in for an interview to assess your background, skills, and needs and match them to positions they may have available or positions they will seek out.

The following list includes top agencies in the field and contact information. Good luck!

CTI Group Inc.
http://www.cti-usa.com/
1845 Cordova Road Suite 215
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Tel: 954.568.5900
Fax: 954.568.5888

Crewfinders International
http://crewfinders.com/
404 & 408 SE 17th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Phone: 954.522.2739
Toll Free: 800.438.2739
Fax: 954.522.2725

Delta Marine Personnel Services Ltd.
http://www.deltamarine.co.uk/
Office Suite 2, Lockside Marina
Navigation Road
Chelmsford
Essex. CM2 6HF
Tel: +44 1245 251 377
Fax: +44 1245 495583
Email: enquiries@deltamarine.co.uk

Dohle (IOM)
http://www.doehle-iom.com/index.asp
Fort Anne
Douglas
Isle of Man
IM 1 5PD
British Isles
Tel: +44 (0) 1624 649 649
Email: info@doehle-iom.com

So, what exactly do you have to do to get a job on a riverboat? The information in the following section will tell you how. After reading the following seciton, continue reading to learn more about riverboat cruises around the world.

How to Get a Job on a Riverboat

To look for riverboat jobs, if you have a local riverboat cruise line in mind, visit the cruise line website first to search for job openings. Most cruise lines have an entire section devoted to careers in cruising. Once you have located a position, simply follow the submission directions to the letter. If the cruise line says apply online, do just that. If the cruise line prefers a hard copy of your resume and a cover letter, then send a professional resume and well-thought out cover letter directly to the address and contact person provided.

If you do not have a cruise line in mind, visit the Ships and Cruises Directory. SCD is a directory of all official cruise line website listings. Once you have located the site, visit the website and search around for job postings. Again, most cruise line websites will have a career center or job postings page.

If the cruise line does not list job openings on its site, send a polished cover letter and resume to the cruise lines Human Resources Department. The Human Resources Department is typically located at the cruise lines headquarters. This information is usually listed on the cruise line website. It is important to include the position you are interested in so that it can be directed to the appropriate department manager.

For more information about jobs on riverboats ships visit Cruise Ship Jobs online. Here, you can download the 2010 cruise ship employment guide; you can read through cruise line profiles; you can find out which ships are hiring and for what positions — and you can even apply for a riverboat cruise job right online.

When you finally receive the call for an interview, remember to “Be Professional” and always bring a hard copy of your resume, references, and any requested credentials.

About Riverboat Cruises

Contrary to popular belief, riverboat cruises offer much, much more than hour-long sightseeing tours and romantic dinners. Riverboat cruises are fast becoming the most popular types of cruises for visitors to exotic and historic destinations alike. If you don’t know too much about riverboat cruises or you’re not too sure what to expect on a riverboat cruise, continue reading to get an idea of the types of riverboats available, popular riverboat destinations and how to book a riverboat cruise.

A riverboat cruise is a form of travel that typically takes place aboard a small vessel that navigates the inland waterways of the world. Unlike large cruise ships, riverboats allow the passenger to get up close and personal with the countryside, marine life, nature, and more.

While riverboats tend to be smaller than cruise ships, many riverboats have the same amenities and they can be just as elegant as some of the larger, luxury vessels. Some riverboats may resemble five star hotels with luxurious accommodations along with passenger sun decks, dining rooms, lounges, fitness facilities, swimming pools, and even casinos. In fact, riverboat casinos are quite common in the U.S. In addition, many riverboats offer both onboard and land tours of everything from museums and galleries to dozens of historic and exotic points of interest.

There are so many riverboat cruises on the market today that it’s tough to know which is the best option. Fortunately, there are several popular riverboat cruises on the market today that won’t disappoint. The most popular riverboat cruises include the: Nile (Exotic River), Mississippi (North American River), Yangtze (Exotic River), Mekong (Exotic River), the Danube (European River), Rhine (European River), Seine (European River) and Volga (Russia River).

Mississippi River Cruise, Nile River Cruise, Volga River Cruise

Mississippi River Cruises may include the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers and they are an excellent way to explore the Old South and Wilderness Rivers while listening to jazz and dining on Cajun cuisine. Depending on the cruise itinerary you choose, Mississippi riverboats may also cruise by the Gateway Arch in St. Louis or they may travel rivers to the east of the Mississippi, and visit great cities such as, Chattanooga, Cincinnati and Nashville.

A great way to experience Egyptian history, culture, and architecture is on a Nile River Cruise. Nile river cruises are typically part of a longer Egypt tour itinerary. Most will visit Luxor on the site of ancient Thebes. Here, passengers will see the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, ancient Egypt’s longest ruling female pharaoh, and the Temple of Karnak, the largest temple complex built by man.

Excursions are also offered from Luxor to the final resting place of more than 60 pharaohs — Valley of the Kings. A Nile River cruise, may also take the passenger on a visit to the 2,000-year-old Temple of Horus. Passengers may also hop aboard a felucca, a traditional Egyptian sailing vessel to see the sites. Many Nile River cruises also visit the High Dam at Aswan, one of Egypt’s modern marvels.

Most Nile River cruises will visit the legendary pyramids and Sphinx in Giza, the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo and Djoser’s Step Pyramid in Sakkara as well.

Volga River Cruises are typically part of a larger itinerary and they offer passengers the opportunity to visit Russia’s two most important cities: Moscow and St. Petersburg. The cruise combines the Volga River, the Moscow canal and many other waterways as well as visits to medieval peasant homes, Uglich, one of Russia’s oldest towns and the site of the famous WWII battle of Volograd.

Booking a Riverboat Cruise

If you’re traveling abroad and you want to add an exotic riverboat cruise to your itinerary, your travel agent will be able to help you book the perfect river cruise. If you prefer to book on your own, visit www.rivercruise.com for details about more than a dozen riverboat cruises and information on how to book. You can also call 1-800-510-4002 to speak with a riverboat cruise specialist.

What is a river cruise?

A river cruise is a form of travel that typically takes place aboard a small vessel that navigates the inland waterways of the world. Unlike large cruise ships, river cruise ships allow the passenger to get up close and personal with the countryside, culture, and unique aspects of animal and marine life.

While river cruise ships tend to be much smaller than bigger ships, many have the same amenities and they are seen as just as elegant as some of the larger, high-end vessels. Some river cruise ships may resemble five-star hotels with luxurious accommodations as well as passenger sun decks, dining rooms, lounges, fitness facilities, swimming pools, casinos and other entertainment facilities. In addition, many river cruise ships offer both on board and off board tours of everything from museums and galleries to dozens of other historical and exotic points of interest.

There are so many river cruises on the market today that it’s becoming more and more difficult to choose just one. There are, however, several popular river cruises that won’t disappoint. The most popular river cruises include: Nile (Exotic River), Mississippi (North American River), Yangtze (Exotic River), Mekong (Exotic River), the Danube (European River), Rhine (European River), Seine (European River) and Volga (Russia River).

Nile River Cruises

Nile River cruises allow the passenger to experience Egyptian history and culture on an intimate level as smaller Nile River cruise ships will visit some of the most remote parts of Egypt – remote places larger cruise ships just can’t reach. A Nile River cruise also gives the passenger an opportunity to get up close and personal some of Egypt’s most stunning pieces of architecture.

Local Egyptian guides will take you to sites such as Luxor on the ancient site of Thebes, ancient Temples, the Valley of the Kings, and the High Dam in Aswan, to name a few. While Nile River cruises are typically part of a larger itinerary which may include may include a visit to the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo, the pyramids and Sphinx in Giza, Djoser’s Step Pyramid in Sakkara, and Alexandria, in some cases Nile River cruises can last from seven days up to 47 days! The most popular Nile cruises range from 9-15 days.

There are many different cruise lines and tour companies that offer a wide variety of Nile River cruises ranging from Red Sea Gateway Nile cruises to Passage through Egypt tours. Some of the top cruise lines and tour companies include: African Tvl, A & K (Abercrombie & Kent), Contiki, Insight Vacations, Gap Adventures, Viking River Cruises, Brendan Worldwide Vacations, Globus, Trafalgar, Uniworld River Cruises, Tauck Cruises, Collette Vacations, and Gate 1 Travel.

Depending on a variety of factors such as cruise line, type of cruise, season, class, destination, and length of cruise, a Nile River cruise can cost anywhere from $230 for a 4-day cruise up to $8,700 or more for a 15-day luxury cruise. 47-day budget cruises may cost around $6,100.

In some cases, a Nile cruise that is part of a longer cruise itinerary may also include hotel stays. In these cases, you may enjoy savings up to 40%. If you are interested in booking a Nile cruise, visit any of the cruise lines or tour companies listed above or you can visit VacationsToGo.com to browse through a wide variety of Nile River cruise offerings along with just about any discount, promotion or deal available. You can also contact your local cruise travel agent.

River cruise vacations typically take place aboard a small vessel that navigates the inland waterways of the world. Unlike large cruise ships, river cruise ships allow the passenger to get up close and personal with nature and the countryside. While river cruise ships tend to be smaller than bigger ships, many have the same amenities and they can be just as elegant as some of the larger, high-end vessels. Some river cruise ships may resemble five star hotels with luxurious accommodations as well as passenger sun decks, dining rooms, lounges, fitness facilities, swimming pools, casinos and other entertainment facilities. In addition, many river cruise ships offer both on-board and off-board tours of everything from museums and galleries to dozens of other historical and exotic points of interest.

The most popular river cruises on the market today include: Nile (Exotic River), Mississippi (North American River), Yangtze (Exotic River), Mekong (Exotic River), the Danube (European River), Rhine (European River), Seine (European River) and Volga (Russia River).

Mississippi River Cruise, Nile River Cruise, Volga River Cruise

Mississippi River Cruises may include the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers and they are an excellent way to explore the Old South and Wilderness Rivers while listening to jazz and dining on Cajun cuisine. Depending on the cruise itinerary you choose, Mississippi riverboats may also cruise by the Gateway Arch in St. Louis or they may travel rivers to the east of the Mississippi, and visit great cities such as, Chattanooga, Cincinnati and Nashville.

A great way to experience the wealth of Egyptian history, culture and architecture is on a Nile River Cruise. Nile river cruises are typically part of a longer Egypt tour itinerary. Most will visit Luxor on the site of ancient Thebes. Here, passengers will see the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, ancient Egypt’s longest ruling female pharaoh, and the Temple of Karnak, the largest temple complex built by man.

Excursions are also offered from Luxor to the final resting place of more than 60 pharaohs – “Valley of the Kings.” A Nile River cruise, may also take the passenger on a visit to the 2,000-year-old Temple of Horus. Passengers may also hop aboard a felucca, a traditional Egyptian sailing vessel to see the sites. Many Nile River cruises also visit the High Dam at Aswan, one of Egypt’s modern marvels.

Most Nile River cruise vacations will visit the legendary pyramids and Sphinx in Giza, the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo and Djoser’s Step Pyramid in Sakkara as well.

A Volga River Cruise is part of a larger itinerary and it offers passengers the opportunity to visit Russia’s two most important cities: Moscow and St. Petersburg. The cruise combines the Volga River, the Moscow canal and many other waterways as well as visits to medieval peasant homes, Uglich, one of Russia’s oldest towns and the site of the famous WWII battle Volograd.

If you are traveling abroad and you want to add an exotic river cruise vacation to your itinerary, your travel agent will be able to help you book the perfect river cruise. If you prefer to book on your own, click here to visit the top River Cruise website for details about more than a dozen river cruise vacations. The site also offers information on how to book your river cruise. You can also call 1-800-510-4002 to speak with a river cruise vacation specialist.

Viking cruises typically dock right in the heart of most towns which gives passengers endless opportunities to spend more time touring scenic cities instead of just traveling to the cities. Viking cruise passengers will have a front seat to the ever-changing riverside scenery as well as unlimited access to local nightlife when the ship is in port.

Not to be confused with Viking Cruise Lines (more on this later), Viking River Cruises has been featured on the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List and recognized as the “world’s best” by Travel + Leisure magazine. Viking River Cruises is the worlds largest river cruise line featuring 25 beautiful ships that feel more like an upscale hotel rather than a riverboat. With names like Burgundy, Neptune and Century Sun, Viking River Cruises are available across the globe from Russia to Rome and everywhere in between highlighting the rivers of Europe, Russia, and Ukraine, and China.

In Europe, the Rhine, Main, Moselle, Danube, Elbe, Seine and Rhône; in Russia the Volga; and in China, the Yangtze River. Viking’s deluxe ships average 150 passengers for Europe and just 186 for China.

Viking River Cruises include tours of and stops in and around small towns and villages, cosmopolitan cities, daily trips ashore, historic sites and natural wonders. In Europe & Russia, Viking River Cruises’ Old World Highlights program features folkloric entertainment, lectures and demonstrations and daily shore excursions led by well-traveled, English-speaking guides.

Offering the utmost in comfort and quality accommodations as well as all-inclusive tours, visitors can expect fine gourmet dining with regional specialties, hotel caliber beds with large picture windows in an outside, river view cabin (with private bathroom and shower) and bars & lounges as well as excellent staff and service aboard all Viking River Cruise ships.

Viking River Cruises passengers will enjoy a fully escorted vacation with English-speaking guides, fascinating guided tours and cultural highlights on all China tours.

Interested in booking a Viking River Cruise? For reservations call 1-877-66VIKING or visit vikingrivercruises.com. You can also contact Viking River Cruises by mail by writing to: Viking River Cruises, Inc., 5700 Canoga Ave, Suite 200, Woodland Hills, California 91367. 1-818-227-1234.

Viking Cruise Lines

Viking Cruise Lines or “Viking Line” was established in 1959 when it began sailing the S/S Viking between the Finnish mainland, the Aland Islands, and Sweden. The current Viking Line Abp was established in 1963 under the name Alandsfarjan Ab, and it gained a listing on the Helinski Stock Exchange on July 5, 1995.

Viking Line has seven vessels sailing between the Finnish Mainland, Aland, and Sweden, as well as between Finland and the Baltic States. Besides passenger services, Viking Cruise Lines also offers recreation and cargo carrier services. Viking Cruise Line’s ships include: M/S Amorella, M/S Cinderella, M/S Gabriella, M/S Isabella, M/S Mariella, M/S Rosella, M/S Viking ADCC, and M/S Viking XPRS. M/S Viking ADCC is an environmentally friendly ship that will be delivered to Viking summer 2009 and M/S Viking XPRS is one of the newest vessels in the fleet that combines features of a traditional car ferry and fast catamarans. Traffic for the M/S Viking XPRS started in April 2008.

Viking Lines luxury ships sail from Finland to Sweden and Estonia each day. Passengers can expect a number of excursions to choose from such as guided tours of Helinski and Stockholm as well as historic tours of Tallnin and Turku. Cruises disembark from the Port of Helinski.

Viking Line Ports include:

Finland
City: Helsinki
Port: Katajanokka

City: Turku
Port:Linnansatama

The Ã…land Islands
City: Mariehamn
Port: West port

Sweden
City: Stockholm
Port: Stadsgaarden

Estonia
City: Tallinn
Port: Reisisadam Port

Onboard, passengers will enjoy fine cuisine, relaxing saunas, and entertainment galore. Viking Cruise Lines presents live music performances, dancing, and more!

To book Viking cruises visit the Viking Line website at www.vikingline.fi or you can call +358 (0)600-41577 or Email booking@vikingline.fi. Viking cruises prices depend on vessel, accommodations, season, and destination. Keep in mind that there age limits do apply on Viking cruises as follows:

Turku-Stockholm Route
Departures between Sunday morning and Friday morning 18 years
Departures between Friday evening and Saturday evening 21 years

Turku-Stockholm Route
Daily 21 years

Helsinki-Tallinn Route
Minicruises between Friday evening and Saturday evening 21 years
All other cruise departures18 years

Helsinki-Stockholm and Cinderella Stockholm-Mariehamn
Daily 21 years

Parents (also stepparents), grandparents, aunts and uncles can function as guardians. Three friends of the children may accompany the family onboard.

Route Traffic
No age limits in route traffic, except Cinderella age limit 21 years on all departures. Note: Age limit 18 years also on hotel voyages to the Baltic.

The age limits mentioned above in route traffic do not apply if those under the limits people are traveling with parents or guardians, or if a written proof of a reason for traveling (e.g. visiting relatives, business trip, studies or any such acceptable reason) exists.

While river cruise ships tend to be smaller than bigger ships, many have the same amenities and they can be just as elegant as some of the larger, high-end vessels. Some river cruise ships may resemble five star hotels with luxurious accommodations as well as passenger sun decks, dining rooms, lounges, fitness facilities, swimming pools, casinos and other entertainment facilities. In addition, many river cruise ships offer both onboard and off board tours of everything from museums and galleries to dozens of other historical and exotic points of interest.

The most popular river cruises on the market today include: Nile (Exotic River), Mississippi (North American River), Yangtze (Exotic River), Mekong (Exotic River), the Danube (European River), Rhine (European River), Seine (European River) and Volga (Russia River).

Mississippi River Cruise, Nile River Cruise, Volga River Cruise

Mississippi River Cruises may include the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers and they are an excellent way to explore the Old South and Wilderness Rivers while listening to jazz and dining on Cajun cuisine. Depending on the cruise itinerary you choose, Mississippi riverboats may also cruise by the Gateway Arch in St. Louis or they may travel rivers to the east of the Mississippi, and visit great cities such as, Chattanooga, Cincinnati and Nashville.

A great way to experience the wealth of Egyptian history, culture and architecture is on a Nile River Cruise. Nile river cruises are typically part of a longer Egypt tour itinerary. Most will visit Luxor on the site of ancient Thebes. Here, passengers will see the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, ancient Egypt’s longest ruling female pharaoh, and the Temple of Karnak, the largest temple complex built by man.

Excursions are also offered from Luxor to the final resting place of more than 60 pharaohs — Valley of the Kings. A Nile River cruise, may also take the passenger on a visit to the 2,000-year-old Temple of Horus. Passengers may also hop aboard a felucca, a traditional Egyptian sailing vessel to see the sites. Many Nile River cruises also visit the High Dam at Aswan, one of Egypt’s modern marvels.

Most Nile River cruises will visit the legendary pyramids and Sphinx in Giza, the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo and Djoser’s Step Pyramid in Sakkara as well.

A Volga River Cruise is part of a larger itinerary and it offers passengers the opportunity to visit Russia’s two most important cities: Moscow and St. Petersburg. The cruise combines the Volga River, the Moscow canal and many other waterways as well as visits to medieval peasant homes, Uglich, one of Russia’s oldest towns and the site of the famous WWII battle Volograd.

If you’re traveling abroad and you want to add an exotic river cruise to your itinerary, your travel agent will be able to help you book the perfect river cruise. If you prefer to book on your own, click here to visit the top River Cruise website for details about more than a dozen river cruises. The site also offers information on how to book your river cruise. You can also call 1-800-510-4002 to speak with a river cruise specialist.

The Cruises Only website has a number of features that can help cruisers select the perfect cruise. The site features an extensive selection of high-end cruise vacations, more than 9,000 customer reviews, and information about cruise lines and cruise ship profiles. Visitors to the Cruises Only website can expect to find information about cruise lines such as Azamara Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, Viking River Cruises, Windstar Cruises, The Yachts of Seabourn, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Lines, Oceania Cruises, Uniworld River Cruises, Costa Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, Crystal Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, to name a few. The sire features information about more than 179 cruise ships and destinations such as Alaska, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada and New England, the Caribbean, Europe, and Mexico.

Cruises Only also has a simple search feature that’s easy to navigate and it also offers accurate results. The Cruises Only search feature allows the user to search for a cruise by destination, cruise line, departure date, and/or cruise length. Users have the option to book online or you can book by contacting a cruise expert directly at 1-800-Cruises/1-800-278-4737. More than 300 seasoned Cruises Only cruise experts are available to help you book your cruise 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.

The Cruises Only “About Cruises” section features cruising advice, advice for first-time cruisers, information on cruises by interest, advice on preparing for your cruise, information about shore excursions, and a very informative section dedicated to cruise FAQs.

One of Cruises Only’s most popular features is the “Deals” feature. Visitors can browse through all kinds of cruise deals such as: last-minute cruise deals, luxury cruise deals, family cruise deals, singles cruise deals, holiday cruise deals, honeymoon cruise deals, weekend getaway cruise deals, balcony and suite deals, and even deals on cruises from a port near you! The deals section also features a weekly “Top 3″ and a wide variety of cruise specials such as upgrades and onboard savings.

According to the Cruises Only website, Cruises Only “is the premier cruise brand of World Travel Holdings. Co-founded by Bradley and Jeffrey Tolkin in 2005, World Travel Holdings (WTH) is a multi-brand travel distributor with executive offices in Port Washington, New York and corporate offices in Woburn, Massachusetts. Branch offices are located in California, Florida, and Virginia. WTH has grown since its inception via three strategic brand acquisitions: Creative Leisure International, Cruise411.com, and National Leisure Group (NLG). The company’s owned brands include Cruises.com, Rooms.com, Vacation Outlet, CruiseOne, Cruises Inc., and Villas of Distinction. WTH’s portfolio of licensed partner brands includes BJ’s Vacations, Hotwire.com Cruises, Overstock.com Travel, Priceline.com

A riverboat cruise is a form of travel that typically takes place aboard a small vessel that navigates the inland waterways of the world. Unlike large cruise ships, riverboats allow the passenger to get up close and personal with the countryside, marine life, nature, and more.

While riverboats tend to be smaller than cruise ships, many riverboats have the same amenities and they can be just as elegant as some of the larger, luxury vessels. Some riverboats may resemble five star hotels with luxurious accommodations along with passenger sun decks, dining rooms, lounges, fitness facilities, swimming pools, and even casinos. In fact, riverboat casinos are quite common in the U.S. In addition, many riverboats offer both onboard and land tours of everything from museums and galleries to dozens of historic and exotic points of interest.

There are so many riverboat cruises on the market today that it’s tough to know which is the best option. Fortunately, there are several popular riverboat cruises on the market today that won’t disappoint. The most popular riverboat cruises include the: Nile (Exotic River), Mississippi (North American River), Yangtze (Exotic River), Mekong (Exotic River), the Danube (European River), Rhine (European River), Seine (European River) and Volga (Russia River).

Mississippi River Cruise, Nile River Cruise, Volga River Cruise

Mississippi River Cruises may include the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers and they are an excellent way to explore the Old South and Wilderness Rivers while listening to jazz and dining on Cajun cuisine. Depending on the cruise itinerary you choose, Mississippi riverboats may also cruise by the Gateway Arch in St. Louis or they may travel rivers to the east of the Mississippi, and visit great cities such as, Chattanooga, Cincinnati and Nashville.

A great way to experience Egyptian history, culture, and architecture is on a Nile River Cruise. Nile river cruises are typically part of a longer Egypt tour itinerary. Most will visit Luxor on the site of ancient Thebes. Here, passengers will see the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, ancient Egypt’s longest ruling female pharaoh, and the Temple of Karnak, the largest temple complex built by man.

Excursions are also offered from Luxor to the final resting place of more than 60 pharaohs—Valley of the Kings. A Nile River cruise, may also take the passenger on a visit to the 2,000-year-old Temple of Horus. Passengers may also hop aboard a felucca, a traditional Egyptian sailing vessel to see the sites. Many Nile River cruises also visit the High Dam at Aswan, one of Egypt’s modern marvels.

Most Nile River cruises will visit the legendary pyramids and Sphinx in Giza, the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo and Djoser’s Step Pyramid in Sakkara as well.

Volga River Cruises are typically part of a larger itinerary and they offer passengers the opportunity to visit Russia’s two most important cities: Moscow and St. Petersburg. The cruise combines the Volga River, the Moscow canal and many other waterways as well as visits to medieval peasant homes, Uglich, one of Russia’s oldest towns and the site of the famous WWII battle—Volograd.

Booking a Riverboat Cruise

If you’re traveling abroad and you want to add an exotic riverboat cruise to your itinerary, your travel agent will be able to help you book the perfect river cruise. If you prefer to book on your own, visit www.rivercruise.com for details about more than a dozen riverboat cruises and information on how to book. You can also call 1-800-510-4002 to speak with a riverboat cruise specialist.

A cruise shore excursion can be defined as “a tour of the port of call or a specific attraction prearranged by the cruise line and guided by professionals (belonging to the crew) or locals.� The duration and type of cruise shore excursions offered will vary greatly depending on the type of cruise. For instance, a 14-day Mediterranean cruise may feature cruise shore excursions that last several hours to several days, while shorter cruises, such as a 7-day Western Caribbean cruise may feature cruise shore excursions that last an hour or two.

If you’d rather spend most of your time exploring on land, rather than at sea, opt for a cruise that highlights excursions. Most luxury cruise lines such as Cunard Line , Regent Seven Seas, Silversea Cruises, and the Yachts of Seabourn will offer the ultimate cruise shore excursions. Repositioning cruises and freighter cruises are a great bargain, but they may not be the best choice for excursion enthusiasts, as they tend to spend the majority of the time at sea. That said, just about every other type of cruise vacation will offer cruise shore excursions.

Cruise shore excursions are optional, and in most cases passengers will have the option of taking a guided cruise shore excursion or exploring on their own. Because cruise shore excursions can be pricey — ranging from $35 or less per person up to $150 or more per person (depending on type of excursion) — some passengers may opt to spend the day at port (onboard) or simply take a self-guided tour. While this is a great way to save money, a guided excursion is an experience that you just can’t put a price on. Simply put, cruise shore excursions are well worth the cost.

There are many different types of cruise shore excursions. Some may require a guide and others do not. The following list includes just a few examples of the types of cruise shore excursions available:

·Exploring local gardens, museums, and zoos
·Glacier tours
·Golfing, hiking, kayaking, or sailing
·Flightseeing
·Historical bike, bus, jeep or walking tours
·Horseback riding along beaches, or through wildlife
·Jungle tours
·Pub-crawls (popular among young couples and singles)
·Reef and wreck tours via glass-bottom boat or submarine
·Ruins tour via helicopter
·Snorkeling and scuba diving
·Whale watching

If you’re interested in booking a cruise shore excursion, it’s easy. Most cruise lines will allow you to select and book your shore excursions when you book your cruise. This is the absolute best way to book your excursion as you will bypass the stress and hassle of standing in line at the excursion desk. Additionally, cruise excursions tend to fill up rather quickly — long before you board the ship so the sooner you book your cruise shore excursions the better. If you book in advance you can also take your time and browse through the endless options — options that will actually be available if you choose to book in advance.

For more information about cruise shore excursions check out the following popular cruise review websites to read reviews written by people just like you!

·Cruisecritic.com
·Cruisereviewsonline.com
·Cruisereport.com
·Cruisedirectonline.com
·Cruisemates.com

Cruisecritic.com offers more than just reviews, this site has several search functions to help you find everything from bargains and discounts to theme cruises, and exotic itineraries. The site also includes features, news, planning tools, and a variety of cruise message boards where fellow cruisers can exchange stories and information.

Cruisemates.com offers short reviews and ratings. The two types of ratings include: star ratings and value ratings. Star ratings are based on one question — “how good is this ship?” One star is the worst, five stars is the best. Cruisemates.com takes everything from age and accommodations to food, service, and entertainment into account when rating the worlds cruise ships. Value ratings or “thumbs upâ€? ratings are all about the “Bang for your Buck.” Five thumbs up means the ship is an excellent value while one thumb up means you won’t find much of anything that resembles a value here.

Reviews, ratings, rankings, and popularity contests — at Cruisereviewsonline.com find out which cruise ships are at the top and which ones are not. Get other information on cruise lines, as well as information, ratings and rankings on embarkation ports, and ports-of-call.

Cruisereport.com offers the lowdown on cruise lines from A to Z. Unbiased reviews, cruise searches, quotes, and feature articles are just a few of the sites extras. You can also search for “the perfect cruise,� and browse through news pieces about cruising. After checking out their ratings and reviews, you can also search for discounts and deals. With more than 50,000 visitors per month, Cruisereport.com has information on roughly 8,500 current sailings.

Cruisedirectonline.com relies on reader surveys to help keep reviews & ratings in check. In addition to cruise ship reviews and ratings, visitors to the site will find top ten and top thirty lists, as well as feature articles about the best of the best in the world of cruises. The site has other information about discounts, as well as information on roughly 12,000 sailings. Cruise Direct Online has been featured in Frommer’s Budget Travel Magazine, and on MSNBC, CNBC, MSN Money, and more.

During an Asia cruise passengers may visit exotic places such as Shanghai, Osaka and Bali, and on smaller ships, passengers will have the opportunity to explore the Yangtze River. Excursions run the gamut from the Great Wall and gilded temples to historic tours and shopping sprees. Wherever your Asia cruise takes you, you will experience Asia’s ancient traditions, become a part of Asia’s modern culture, and visit numerous structures that most can only dream of.

The most popular Asia cruise is Princess Cruise Lines Asia Cruisetour. Princess cruisetours feature a unique combination of a cruise and land tour. The tour typically lasts anywhere from 15 to 25 nights. These special cruisetours offer everything from tours of Beijing and Xian to sailing down the Yangtze River and the famous Three Gorges. Passengers will also visit Cambodia’s temples of Angkor Wat and more.

Depending on a variety of factors such as season (Asia is a seasonal destination and the cruising season typically lasts from October to May), cruise line, itinerary, accommodations, cruise ship, excursions, etc., an Asia cruise may cost several hundred dollars up to several thousand dollars.

If you want to save on Asia cruises, there are a several ways to score big discounts and deals. Cruise lines prefer advanced booking, so you may enjoy special incentives, credits, and cash back just for booking far in advance. If you don’t mind waiting until the last minute, you can also enjoy major savings for booking several weeks before the sail date. If a cruise is not completely booked several weeks or so before the cruise departs, prices are slashed. If you book last minute, you may enjoy savings up to 75%. Cruise lines will do anything to fill up those last few cabins!

Other ways to enjoy additional savings on Asia cruises include: booking off-season, booking with a group/family, taking advantage of package deals, booking online, and booking with popular cruise lines that sail the Asia. Besides special rates for groups and families, just about every cruise line has special rates for seniors. A senior is typically defined as a person who is 55 or older. To lock in the special senior rates, simply contact a cruise travel specialist or book directly with the cruise line. Keep in mind that proof of age is required.

River Cruises for Shanghai include: Viking River Cruises, Abercrombie & Kent, Grand Circle Small Ship Cruises, INTRAV, Tauck, Uniworld, and Victoria Cruises. Cruise lines visiting Shanghai include: Azamara, Costa Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Royal Caribbean International, The Yachts of Seabourn, and Silversea Cruises.

For more discounts and deals on Asia cruises, visit:

Kayak.com
Expedia.com
Orbitz.com
Travelocity.com
CheapTickets.com
VacationsToGo.com
Cruise411.com
Cruise.com

You can also contact a cruise travel specialist. A cruise travel specialist can help you search through specials, and the different pricing options, airfare add-ons, and pre and post-cruise packages. An added benefit is that cruise travel specialists typically do not charge for their services — the cruise line compensates them.

Asia Ports of Call

·Anchorage (Whitter), Alaska
·Bali (Padang Bay), Indonesia
·Bangkok (Laem Chabang), Thailand
·Bangkok (Unithai Port), Thailand
·Beijing (Xingang), China
·Brisbane, Australia
·Cairns (Yorkey’s), Australia
·Cape Town, South Africa
·Chennai, India (formerly Madras)
·Chuuk Island (Truk), Micronesia
·Cid Harbour, Australia (Great Barrier Re…
·Cochin, India
·Colombo, Sri Lanka
·Dalian, China
·Darwin, Australia
·Durban, South Africa
·East London, South Africa
·Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska(Scenic…
·Goa (Mormugao), India
·Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands (Scenic Cru…
·Guam, Mariana Islands
·Hiroshima, Japan
·Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam
·Ho Chi Minh City (Vung Tau), Vietnam
·Hong Kong, China
·Honolulu, Hawaii
·Iwo Jima, Japan (Scenic Cruising)
·Juneau, Alaska
·Kagoshima, Japan
·Ketchikan, Alaska
·Kodiak, Alaska
·Kuala Lumpur (Port Kelang), Malaysia
·Kuantan, Malaysia
·Marshall Islands (Majuro Atoll)
·Midway Island
·Mombasa, Kenya
·Mumbai, India
·Muroran, Japan
·Nagasaki, Japan
·Nha Trang, Vietnam
·Okinawa, Japan
·Osaka, Japan
·Penang, Malaysia
·Petropavlovsk, Russia
·Phuket, Thailand
·Port Elizabeth, South Africa
·Port Louis, Mauritius
·Pusan (Busan), South Korea
·Rabaul, Papua/New Guinea
·Saipan, Mariana Islands
·Seattle, Washington
·Shanghai, China
·Sihanoukville (Angkor Wat), Cambodia
·Singapore
·Skagway, Alaska
·Sydney, Australia
·Taipei (Keelung), China
·Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan
·Vancouver, British Columbia
·Vladivostok, Russia
·Zanzibar, Tanzania