All About Cruises

Tag: Cruise Travel

  • Start Here: Packing for a 7-Day Warm Weather Cruise (for Her)

    Start Here: Packing for a 7-Day Warm Weather Cruise (for Her)

    As useful as packing checklists are, there are too many variables for them to really be useful as anything more than a jumping off point. So consider this list as a good place to start. It’s a basic list of things most women would probably need on a 7-day cruise to someplace warm and sunny, such as a Caribbean cruise. Print it out, make notes, cross things out, and add your own items to the list to customize it.

    Foundation Pieces

    Getting the maximum number of outfits out of a minimum number of pieces requires that travelers build a wardrobe around neutral pants, shorts or skirts and complementary tops.

    For a 7-day cruise, pack 2 or 3 pairs of neutral color pants (think black, blue or tan). Add 1 pair of jeans: you might need them for an excursion or on-board activity like ice skating. Add 2 pairs of shorts or casual skirts.

    Next, choose 5 tops. Mix up the styles (e.g., 2 cotton v-neck tshirts, a tailored tank top, a casual tank top, and a casual button-down blouse). Ideally, each shirt could be worn with each of the pants/jeans/shorts/skirts you’re packing. Add 1 more shirt – a long-sleeved one. Cotton button-down shirts are nice because they can go casual and worn open over a tshirt or buttoned with trousers for a more polished look if you want to meet new friends for drinks.

    Dressing Up

    Three dresses are ideal for a 7-day cruise. Pick a neutral everyday or sundress. Pick 1 business casual dress (like what you’d probably wear to go out to dinner or for a work event) and 1 formal dress. Most cruises have one semi-formal and one formal dinner. Add a cardigan or shawl to make an outfit dressier or for warmth. Choose one or two pieces of statement jewelry that can dress up an outfit alone or when paired with a scarf or shawl.

    The Essentials

    Don’t forget pajamas, underwear, and 2 pairs of socks. For days spent at the pool or beach, have 2 bathing suits (1 to wear while 1 dries), a beach coverup, hat, sunglasses and case, and flip flops. In addition, 4 pairs of shoes should have you ready for anything: heels, flats, walking shoes/sneakers, and sandals.

    Pack a scarf. It’s good for covering your head and exposed shoulders in places of worship or wearing over your hair during windy boat rides or other adventures. If you plan on working out while away, pack gym clothes, a sports bra, and sneakers.

    If you have them, pack three handbags: a wristlet is perfect for dinner and dancing – just enough to hold your room card, lipstick, etc.; a crossbody bag leaves you hands-free for sightseeing and excursions; and a sturdy tote is good for shopping while doubling as a beach tote.

    And finally, check the forecast; you may need an umbrella and jacket or waterproof poncho.

    Before you go, take an inventory of all you’ve packed. When you get home, make notes about what you’d do differently next time. Save that inventory and use it as your own personal packing list for your next cruise!

  • Get More From Your Cruise Before You Even Leave Home

    Get More From Your Cruise Before You Even Leave Home

    One of the most exciting things about traveling is going someplace new, and cruise travel is a great way to visit multiple places in one trip. Make the most of it by learning a little about your planned destinations before you leave. It’ll make your experiences richer and even help you decide which excursions to try. There are multiple resources you can turn to for a quick introduction to your cruise ship stops – here are just a few:

    Local News and Bloggers

    Who better to tell you about the place you’re visiting than the people who live there? A brief Internet search for the location and the search terms “local news” or “blog” can turn up quite a few local resources that are quickly informative. Look for the official newspaper of a location, and prominent local bloggers. Be aware that the perspectives and points of view that you read may not be fully representative of an entire community. Otherwise, it’s a great way to get up to speed on a place in a short amount of time.

    Books

    Travel books put out by companies such as Frommers and Fodor’s can provide important overviews of a destination, including appropriate cautions, insider travel tips, and don’t miss-attractions. Picking up a nonfiction book can provide greater context to the landmarks, memorials, and historical sites you might visit while you’re there. And fiction books set in a particular location allow travelers to immerse themselves in a new and unfamiliar culture before they even pack a suitcase.

    Documentaries and Television Series

    Public libraries and online media streaming sources like Netflix are great places to pick out documentaries and television series related to the places you’ll visit. Rick Steves has a number of travel specials, for example, and most folks are familiar with the late Anthony Bourdain’s culinary travel series. A visual preview of your travels can be engaging and insightful in a way that’s different than books and newspapers but equally useful.

    Reddit

    Reddit is an online bulletin board, of sorts. It has a page for just about every topic you can think of. It’s free and open to anyone to read. People who sign up for a free account – redditors – may post a question or comment and others are free to respond. It’s a good resource for reading up on a place before you go. Topics of conversation vary from popular entertainment, dining, and cultural venues to local news stories. Keep in mind that, like any “public square”, you’re likely to find all kinds of locals, from curmudgeons to cheerleaders; that said, the folks who live there are likely to know a place best.

    Get more out of your cruise, and learn a little about the places you’ll visit before you go. It’s easy to do, no matter how close to setting sail you might be!

  • Cruise Travel

    If you want to visit a place that allows you to truly get away from it all and have lots of fun getting there, why not opt for a cruise travel vacation? Cruise travel is like no other vacation in the world. Instead of spending hours sitting in a cramped airplane seat, cruise travelers will spend their days at sea swimming in one of the ships sparkling pools, relaxing on the sundeck, indulging in beauty treatments at the spa, and dining on delicious cuisine.

    Millions of passengers choose cruise travel each year mainly because cruises offer the opportunity to explore more than just one island, city, village or town all in one trip. Depending on destination and the number of days you plan to cruise, you will visit several ports of call up to a dozen or more. Some ports of call feature areas that are rich with history and culture while others may feature cities that offer an endless amount of places to shop and exciting nightlife. If you plan to take an island cruise vacation, you may visit exotic ports of call where you can snorkel, animal watch, or relax on a white or even green sand beach all day!

    Some of the most popular cruise lines in the industry include: Silversea Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Royal Caribbean International, Disney Cruise Line, and Carnival Cruise Line. Silversea Cruises, Crystal Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas are popular among affluent, seasoned travelers. Regent Seven Seas, however, features bigger ships and the environment is a bit more relaxed. Regent Seven Seas is also considered one of the most romantic cruise lines in service today, so it offers the perfect cruise vacation for honeymooners and couples. Couples will enjoy French and Polynesian dining, spa treatments, waterspouts, and romantic shore excursions such as river cruises, dinner cruises, horseback riding through the mountains, wading in the water underneath waterfalls, and more.

    Royal Caribbean International attracts a unique mix of passengers from different backgrounds, with different interests making it the perfect cruise line for first-time cruisers. This means vacationers find a wide variety of activities, dining and entertainment options, as well as very laid-back environment. Disney Cruise Line cruise vacations are perfect for families, couples, and singles looking for a festive atmosphere and excellent prices, while Carnival Cruise Line is tops for single, 20-30-somethings looking to party all day and all night. Carnival Cruise Line also attracts young married couples as well.

    Depending on the cruise line, you can expect to travel to popular destinations on your cruise vacation such as the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii or romantic and exotic destinations such as Tahiti, Fiji, Australia, Bermuda, and Europe. Exotic destinations that are also popular for romance and adventure include: Africa, Asia, the Middle East, New Zealand, and Costa Rica.

    When you are ready to plan your cruise travel, there are several options available to you. You can contact your local cruise travel agent or you can contact the cruise line that appeals to you the most. A great place to search for certified cruise travel agents is with the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). The site has a search function that will help you locate certified cruise travel agents or counselors in your area. If you already have a cruise line in mind, visit the cruise lines’ website to book your cruise vacation (click here for the cruise lines directory). If you prefer to call, jot down the cruise lines’ toll-free number from the website and give them a call.

    A great way to get the scoop on a specific cruise travel vacation before you book is by reading cruise reviews. The vast majority of cruise reviews have been written by people just like you that would like to share their cruise vacation experiences – good or bad. Continue reading to find out about the top cruise review websites.

    Some of the top cruise review websites include:

    ·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 up” 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.

  • Company Cruise Travel

    Company cruise travel is a great way to conduct everything from “meet and greet” events or reward top employees to laid-back meetings on any number of topics. Not only will company cruise travel allow groups to mix important meetings with fun activities or attendees hobbies and interests, it is also one of the most budget-friendly ways to enjoy company travel with a large group. Company cruise travel falls under the “theme cruise” category. Themed voyages are perfect for company cruise travel and meetings on cruise ships of all kinds.

    Offered on vessels of all sizes, theme cruises can be based on any activity or interest. This means, cruise lines are open to just about any theme as long as it’s not obscene. There are literally hundreds of theme cruises in existence today and many popular theme cruises are offered on a regular basis on most ships. While no reasonable theme is out of the question, the following list represents only a fraction of the types of theme cruises on the market today.

    Meetings/Business Meetings, Art, Epicurean/Food Wine, Broadway/Theater at Sea, Murder Mystery, Solar Eclipse, Holiday, Pearl Harbor, Maya Equinox, Cartoon/Action Figures, Health & Fitness, Gay/Lesbian, Motivational/Self Improvement, Personal Finance, Silver Screen/Hollywood Film Festival, Adventure, Natural History/Ecology, Literary, History/Cultural Heritage, Sports/Olympics, Spiritual/Gospel, Golf, Singles, Latin/Salsa, Couples, Country & Western, Booze Cruises, 50s Sock Hop, Polka/Square Dancing, Christian, Rhythm & Blues, Big Band/Swing, Classical Music/Opera, Contemporary/Dixieland, Jazz, Gambling, Luxury, Glacier, Bridge Tournaments, Family Reunion, Military, and some of the smaller vessels even offer Nude Cruises.

    One of the leaders in theme cruises is Crystal Cruises. Not only does Crystal Cruises offer jazz, golf (excellent for business meetings), film festival, health, and food & wine theme cruises, these cruises typically travel to exciting places such as the Caribbean and places like Monte Carlo, London, and Aspen! A typical golf theme cruise aboard the Crystal Serenity will sail from Rome to London, and a transatlantic jazz cruise is not uncommon. Or, how about a Mediterranean food & wine theme cruise? Any opportunity to combine company cruise travel with a wonderful learning experience is a good opportunity!

    Cruise West features a variety of food & wine theme cruises and Clipper Cruise Line highlights educational themes and military theme cruises, to name a few. Carnival Cruise Lines is popular for casino theme cruises and Disney Cruise Lines is popular for film festival theme cruises.

    Whether you’re interested in spending days or even weeks at sea surrounded by health & fitness types, film buffs or country & western fans, many cruise lines offer set dates for these types of theme cruises, so feel free to book directly through the cruise lines. If you’re interested in creating your own special theme cruise on your own time, most cruise travel specialists can help you through the planning process. You can locate a cruise travel specialists in your area through the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Cruise Lines International Association lists reputable agencies and agents in your area and beyond as well as information about specific cruise lines and destinations. You can also book a cruise online through the CLIA website as well.

    A great place to start your search for theme cruises to help plan your company cruise travel is Cruisemates.com. Cruisemates.com features a lengthy list of cruise lines along with each cruise lines’ list of theme cruises, available dates, and destinations, from A-Z.

    You can also contact a cruise travel specialist to help plan your company cruise travel from beginning to end. Visit the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) website to search for a reputable and reliable travel agency to book your company cruise. The official CLIA web address is: www.cruising.org.

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