posted by admin on May 13
Review: Windstar Cruises Offers Unique Vacations Aboard Motor Sail Yachts
by Roy Witman © 2007, All Rights Reserved
When the frantic, fast-paced flurry of most cruise vacations isn’t appealing to you, there is an exceptional alternative: Windstar Cruises.
Distinctive in every way, the most notable difference between Windstar and other cruise ships is the ships themselves. Not your standard luxury liner, Windstar voyages are aboard three stunning, intimate-sized motor sail yachts. With sails billowing in the breeze, you can head out to the far reaches of the world to many of the most sought-after destinations known to man.
Classic in every detail, Windstar cruises offer popular ports of call, luxurious amenities, access to everything onboard and a wide array of choices in dining and other options. Casinos, gourmet restaurants, spas and well-equipped fitness centers are among some of the appointments you’ll find, depending on which ship you choose. With a casually elegant atmosphere, Windstar Cruises also delivers some pleasantly unexpected alternatives as well.
Regardless of which ship you sail (Wind Star, Wind Sail or Wind Surf), these intimate-class vessels accommodate no more than 312 passengers. As you might expect, that equates to a level of personalized service unlike any other. From spa treatments to room stewards to dining staff, you’ll find your every whim accommodated with lightening speed. That’s absolute freedom!
In addition, your Windstar cruise also adheres to an open bridge policy. Stop by and introduce yourself to the captain and his crew, tour the bridge and discover the inner workings of a cruise ship. When you’re finished, make your way to the rear of the ship (aft) for skiing, windsurfing, snorkeling and other water sports directly from the water platform of the vessel. (Did I mention they are complimentary?)
Destinations
But the ships themselves are only part of the cruise experience. Not to worry! The destinations available from Windstar offer a grand selection of classic favorites that bear visiting again and again.
St. Thomas and Barbados are frequent stops on Windstar voyages to the Caribbean. Ports in Rome, Athens, Barcelona and Nice are all called upon during weeklong European tours. Costa Rica offers a tropical playground virtually year round and is available to you at any time you choose. Or, for a regal cruise in the tradition of the majestic days of ocean travel, book a transatlantic crossing - two glorious weeks at sea. You’ll quickly discover why Windstar gets an amazing 60% repeat booking rate.
Atmosphere
Intimate and casually elegant, all the ships in the Windstar fleet give you an entirely new cruise experience. A far cry from the hustle and bustle of other overcrowded ships, Windstar’s philosophy is to make you right at home. Certainly exciting, always fun, these motor sail ships bring a more dignified air to cruising. It’s as if you’re sailing on your own private yacht with 300 friends.
Dining
As you might expect, the cuisine onboard Winstar vessels is second to none. With a restaurant and a veranda on each ship, you have a choice as to when and where to dine. Gourmet meals prepared to order by expert chefs are served daily for your enjoyment.
Generally catering to adults, Windstar proclaims, these adventures are “180 Degrees From Ordinary.” You’ll agree. With teak decking, granite-topped surfaces and elegant sails, Windstar gives every appearance of a world-class cruise ship.
If you’re a cruise enthusiast who is looking for a new direction for your next vacation, Windstar might have just what you’re looking for.
Roy Witman is Vice-President of Cruise Vacation Center at <a href="http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com">http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com</a> offering the best deals including <a href="http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com/european_cruises.htm"> European cruises</a> and <a href="http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com/windstar_cruises.htm">Windstar cruises</a>.
Cruise discounts that will make your dream vacation cheaper
About 60 days before the departure of a ship is the best time to look for a discount. This is the last day when people cancel their reservation penalty free. It is a great opportunity for you to buy a ticket, because the cruise company will offer great discount on these leftover places. You’ll be more likely to find a cruise discount off-season. For example, May is good months for a discount cruise in Alaska, because the peak season is in July or August. However, you might experience bad weather in May. Still off-season Caribbean, Mediterranean or Hawaii is always beautiful, so a cruise is pleasant at all times. You will be offered great scenery and you’ll be able to relax. Look for repositioning cruises, these are a gold mine for cruise discounts. These cruises have changed their itinerary and might have caused some inconveniences for the people who have already made reservations, so they sometimes cancel them. The cruise companies find it sensible to make major discounts in order to fill the ship. You can take advantage of this and buy a ticket. Discount cruises are available for those who enjoy eating and having a great time on board. Most of the times the extra activities spent on shore are expensive. If you are flexible about the time of your vacation, you have great chances of getting a cruise discount. Most cruise lines offer discounts on their last few tickets, so if you take the risk, you may even get peak season discounted tickets. When looking for a cruise discount, you can do research in many places. The Internet is one of the top places to find the best deals. The majority of the cruise lines have a web site and they immediately post their bargains on their web sites. Most cruise lines offer great discounts. Even the luxury ships have discounts; so who knows you might end up spending your vacation in a luxury cruise. If you don’t trust the electronic way, go to your closest travel agent. Make a custom of visiting him/her and always ask for some good cruise deals. Also make sure you ask about the cabin selection, you don’t want to end up in a small cabin when you suffer from claustrophobia. Ask about the travel insurance, if it is included in the price, or if you have to cater for that yourself. Make sure you read all the conditions specified on your cruise discount tickets. You most certainly won’t be able to return them later. An inconvenience that goes along the discounted tickets is that you cannot choose the cabin or the ship of the cruise. Don’t be taken in by the most amazing offers that you find on the Internet. Make sure you trust that cruise line and book only if you are certain you are familiar with all the conditions of that certain cruise. You might have to pay extra taxes or fees that are not specified on the contract, so you might not save money after all. But if you are flexible and patient, you will most certainly find a cruise discount that will suit your needs.
For more resources on <a href="http://www.cruise-heaven.com">cruise vacations</a> or getting a deal on <a href="http://www.cruise-heaven.com/Mediterranean-cruises.php">Mediterranean cruises</a> or <a href="http://www.cruise-heaven.com/Alaska-cruises.php">Alaska cruises</a>please visit Cruise-heaven.com
Have You Considered A Weight-Loss Theme Cruise? Get Ship Shape In Cruising Style
We all know that a relaxing vacation is just what you need to eliminate many of your life stresses, and if you have currently been on a mission to lose unwanted pounds, did you ever think of taking a Theme Cruise to lose your weight? If you have always wanted more information on a themed cruise, basically it s a specialized sailing with an itinerary focused on the theme established for that cruise, and in this case it would be a theme on weight-loss to help individuals lose their desired weight levels. This method of weight loss may appeal to you, and if so, your first step is to contact your local area travel agency to see if there is a theme cruise for weight-loss already established, and all you would have to do is sign-up, give your deposit, and you re on your way to shedding those pounds in a fun and relaxing holiday atmosphere with exciting cruising style! Your Local Travel Agent And Weight-Loss Clinic Can Easily Assist You! Your local travel company, or weight-loss clinic can be the first step in finding the right cruise options for you, and they can help you in creating your theme if there is not already one established by them. Who knows, you may create enough enthusiasm with your travel agent and diet counsellor to help you establish a group theme cruise on your behalf, and there are many perks involved when escorting your own personalized group themed cruise. Cruises Offer All The Top Amenities That Can Help You Drop Those Unwanted Pounds! Think about this for one moment, because right now all you re telling yourself once you get on that cruise to the Caribbean, or the Mexican Riviera, you re going to gain more weight than lose, due to all the food onboard these ships. This may be true for the majority of cruisers, but for you it s going to be different for many reasons, one being your frame of mind and your goal on this cruise. Plus many other factors that I will break down for you below: When you contact your travel service company, or go online to find the desired cruise line you want to sail with, you re going to find out which cruise ship offers a variety of healthy eating plans, and health related menu options. If you have any restrictions on what type of food you can eat, or you have food allergies, you re going to find out which cruise ship is going to accommodate your needs the best. If you find an established ship that is tailored to your weight-loss program, then they will already have a menu in place, and provide you the desired options ahead of time. The next step is to get as much information on the fitness facilities available, and also find out if there are professional fitness & health instructors onboard that will provide you the personal assistance when needed. Again, with pre-arranged themed cruises, they will have all this on their specialized itinerary with the contact information of these instructors to contact them with any questions you may have prior to going on your cruise. It s recommended to arrange your theme cruise to have as many port stops as possible. This will not only keep you occupied, but also it will expand your culture and destination experiences. Last but not least, find out all the activities that are available on the ship, and depending whether you cruise on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, or the Norwegian, each ship will have different activity levels available. You want to be on a ship that offers a wide variety of cruise activities that you re interested in, and you know you will enjoy. For individuals that have not taken a cruise before, you re going to experience incredible temptations, and when you view the spectacular laid-out buffets and the variety of gourmet cuisine in the many well-established restaurants available, you may be thinking, what the heck am I doing here? Believe me when I say this, you re going to experience the best meals that you would find anywhere in five star or higher culinary establishments. The one special note to consider is that the chefs onboard these cruise ships are very knowledgeable to many dietary requirements you have, and their cooking styles and mouth watering tastes will amaze you, while keeping those uncontrollable calories down! Your discipline and desire to lose weight while on your cruise is what s going to make your theme cruise a success, and if you re still wondering how you can do it, don t worry, because when you set your mind to achieve your goals, you will do it with ease. You booked your theme cruise for one reason to lose weight, so this proves that you re committed to shedding the pounds, and the commitment is your key to successful weight loss. Having all your onboard fitness programs in place, and your excursion itinerary pre-planned off the ship, you will be amazed at how easy you can shed the pounds, but have fun doing it in cruising style!
William Lezubski (Accredited Cruise Counsellor (ACC) is a professional in the Travel Industry and is the owner and author of Discount Caribbean Vacations Web Site available for you to view at: <a href="http://www.discount-caribbean-vacations.com/index.htm" target="_blank">www.discount-caribbean-vacations.com</a> Planning on <a href="http://www.discount-caribbean-vacations.com/product%20pages/caribbean-cruises.htm"target="_blank">cruising in the Caribbean</a>? How about you cruise on by our vacation site to easily compare our list of online cruise vacation suppliers, and let them help you find the best Caribbean itineraries and ships, even if you're searching for <a href="http://www.discount-caribbean-vacations.com/product%20pages/last_minute_deals.htm"target="_blank">last minute deals</a>.
Why Mediterranean Cruises? Posted By : Gerda Lingrett
Why Mediterranean Cruises? Because Europe is a popular cruising region second only to the Caribbean (and followed by Alaska in the third place), and it’s really a no-barrier to see why. The Mediterranean region truly offers something for everyone: great sights, shopping, beaches, museums, a diversity of Cultural and natural attractions, and a decent climate.
A Cruise Review To Envision The Cruise Ship Experience
There are many vacation choices but for one with great options why not consider cruise travel. Read this cruise review to envision the cruise ship experience.
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If you want to go on a vacation with great options, you might consider taking a cruise. If you have never been a cruise ship before and you are not sure whether it would be perfect for you, read on. The cruise ship experience will be much clearer after you read this cruise review.
This article will not be endorsing or promoting a particular cruise line, but will just give you some glimpses of what cruise lines are offering to cruise passengers. This includes cruise destinations, various ranges of prices and amenities available.
In some cases cruise lines will proved an option of a pre or post-cruise stay at a hotel in the town where you embark or disembark. This is especially beneficial when you travel great distances to board your cruise ship. By using this option it actually affords you the ability to add on an extra port to explore before your cruise ship experience is over.
For instance, if your departure point is at Los Angeles, and you choose this option you will have time to visit famous places there such as Hollywood (the famous walk of stars) or Venice Beach (a funky hip beach town).
On the day of the cruise departure, you will be brought to the pier where your cruise ship is waiting for you. It will take about 45 minutes to an hour to check in your luggage, get your boarding pass and board the ship. Your room steward will meet you and this is when you should tell the steward if you have any special needs or requests. For instance, I like two bath towels and a bucket of ice each afternoon. They want to make you happy so don t be shy.
It may take a couple of hours for your luggage to arrive so grab some lunch and then tour your cruise ship. Make any beauty and spa appointments now, on some days, like formal nights appointments sell out. Consider making these appointments on port days, especially if you have been to that port before. The salon/spa offer discounts if you book on those days. Roam around the first afternoon to see what delights are in store for you during your cruise ship experience.
You can enjoy several relaxing moments in the spa. Celebrity has what they call a Thalassotherapy pool, Princess has a swim against the current pool and Carnival has the giant slide into the outside pool. If you feel that you want to burn up some calories after all the wonderful meals, go to the fitness center which is equipped with modern state of the art equipment. Or you may feel like strolling around the promenade in that fresh salt air.
There are swimming pools aboard, both for adults and kids. Deck chairs and benches are also provided if you just want to watch your children enjoying the water in the pool.
Entertainment is also present in your cruising vacation. A state-of-the-art theater is provided for on-board entertainment. There will be Broadway like productions and children-oriented programs that are new and different everyday..
In case you are looking for a different entertainment, you can go to several theme bars or disco with live music open until the wee hours of the morning.
If you want to try your luck during your cruise travel, then there is an on-board casino where it features different games similar to what you see in Las Vegas.
There is a shopping center where you can find personal items and other things that you need while you are on-board. Here s one cruise tip, try to pack things like Rolaids, bandages and toothpaste from home; they are expensive on the cruise ship
Library and recreation centers are also found on the cruise ship. Almost all cruise ships have a lending library and most have a room for playing bridge.
Food is one of the vital services offered by cruise lines. The best chefs from around the world are hired to prepare and cook excellent meals to ensure that your on-board dining experience will be truly memorable.
There are formal dining areas, which have a formal dress code on certain nights.
If you are looking for more informal style of dining, there are snack bars, cafeteria, and a pizza parlor on-board, which generally are opened for meals on extended hours. Many times the cruise lines close down one half of their Lido caf © (this is where they have the buffet lunch and dinner) to offer a casual place to dine but they still use a menu and servers. All of the food, no matter which style you choose are covered in the cruise prices.
Cruise itineraries generally include stops at different ports each or every other day, depending on the schedule of the cruise ship you chose. You have the option of either staying aboard the ship or you may disembark to join other passengers on a guided tour. You are also free to explore on your own at each stop, but make sure you know the departure time of the ship.
Booking a cruise is simple. To get the best advice on cruise ships use the services of a travel agency. Read cruise reviews that you can find online to familiarize yourself on what each cruise line offers. Or, if you are already savvy to cruising, log on to the official site of a particular cruise line to check on itineraries and prices.
You will be provided information about destinations and cruise packages that are affordable. Discounts and special offers are also available for passengers.
Hopefully, this cruise review will give you some insight into what delights you will find during your cruise ship experience.
Happy Cruising!
Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
About the Author Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida which allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Gardening, Cruising and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.GardeningHerb.com http://www.CruiseGold.com, and http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com
Carnival Cruise Line's Chairman Heats Things Up
by Roy Witman © 2006, All Rights Reserved
Standing on the deck of the ship Carnivale in 1984, Micky Arison (then president) announced a new direction in the Carnival Cruise Line advertising program. The theme? “We’ve got the fun.” It was the following campaign that released the slogan that is still used by Carnival today: Fun Ships . This shifting of direction - at the leading of Arison - was one element that catapulted Carnival from a line with one 950-passenger ship to the fireball that it is today.
Turning Up the Heat
That’s not surprising when you consider Arison is often associated with heat. He’s turned up the heat on many other lines as he progressed through his merger and acquisition plan over the last several years. Some of his conquests include Princess Cruise Line as well as luxury icon Cunard Line.
At the time he bought Cunard (in 1998), Arison had a vision of taking this once regal line and restoring her to the glory for which she had become famous. In 2004, Arison announced the christening of the largest, longest, highest and most expensive ship ever built: The Queen Mary 2 amid a flurry of worldwide media coverage. With the complete refitting of the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the upcoming addition of the Queen Victoria, Cunard will have three queens ruling the high seas.
But putting the heat on the competition isn’t all Arison is known for. He is also the managing general partner of the Miami Heat basketball team, which he inherited from his father, Ted. Arison will quickly tell you, however, that his management style is anything but hot. Joking about not being exciting, Arison said he purposely does little to draw attention to himself.
Owning the Heat
Unlike other NBA team owners, you won’t see him rushing the court to have words with a referee or launching his own Internet blog to voice his opinion about the state of NBA affairs. His idea of going crazy at a game? Wearing a “Go Heat” t-shirt or glaring with folded arms at a ref he disagrees with. Arison proclaims he simply is not out for attention.
Creating Some Heat
A major contributor to reinventing the cruise vacation, Arison is partially credited for breaking down the previous stereotypes and roadblocks average people faced when it came to cruising. The image of cruising has shifted from one of sheer exclusivity for the upper class to a fun-filled, family outing that is both thrilling and affordable.
Arison has expanded his empire by allowing practically everyone to experience the excitement and adventure cruise vacations offer. By attracting flocks of middle-class people who want to explore the world via sea, Carnival Cruise Line has managed to invent and capture an entirely new customer segment that has rewarded it with enormous growth and profits.
Roy Witman is Vice-President of Cruise Vacation Center at <a href="http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com">http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com</a> offering the best deals including <a href="http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com/hawaii_cruises.htm"> Hawaii cruises</a> from <a href="http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com/carnival_cruise_line.htm">Carnival Cruise Line</a> and others.
Carnival Cruise Lines to Launch Three Ships in Three Years
by Roy Witman © 2007, All Rights Reserved
When a company gains the lion’s share of a marketplace, you might think they would choose to rest on their laurels. Not the case with Carnival Cruise Lines. Holding a reported 60% share of the cruise market, according to Kiplinger, Carnival has become a giant following a strategy of making cruising accessible to the average person. With that success comes a push for bigger, better and more entertaining ships. From 2008 until 2010, Carnival will build and launch “Splendor” plus two additional ships: The largest Carnival has ever endeavored to build.
Carnival “Splendor”
Announced in December 2006, “Splendor” is the second of four ships ordered from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. “Splendor” will weigh in at 112,000 tons and will offer several firsts in the Carnival fleet.
A massive spa (17,800 square feet), the largest ever built on a Carnival ship, will encompass two forward decks. The spa area will feature an elaborate thermal suite, as well as a thalassotherapy pool, featuring warm salt water plus a peaceful winter garden, which includes a ceremonial teahouse. Another first is the 5,500-square-foot children’s playroom complete with its own water play area. The mid-ship pool will boast an enclosure with retractable dome roof so that the pool can remain open even during rainy weather.
Of 1,500 staterooms planned for “Splendor,” 60% offer ocean views and 60% feature private balconies, giving more passengers the opportunity to cruise with a view.
“Splendor” is slated to launch in spring 2008.
Super Liners for 2009 & 2010
As spectacular as “Splendor” sounds, Carnival has even bigger plans. The super liners planned for 2009 and 2010 will be sister ships of a groundbreaking class for Carnival - 130,000 tons. Both remain unnamed at this point in time and details are sketchy, but each ship promises to exceed anything Carnival has ever launched before.
There are currently 21 “Fun Ships” in Carnival’s fleet that drop anchor in Alaska, the Bahamas, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico and Panama. Carnival also offers ultra-luxurious transatlantic voyages.
By making once exclusive cruises accessible to everyone, Carnival has, in essence, created a beast it now must battle. Because cruising has become affordable to virtually all, the popularity of these vacations has soared. With it has come an increased demand for newer, better and grander ships. In order to keep pace with demand, Carnival, like other cruise lines, is now in a race to give the public what they want.
If you love to cruise, or if you’ve been thinking of trying it out, now’s an excellent time to find bargains. With all the cruise lines pouring money into new ships, they’ll be making deals to recoup their investments. Keep your eyes open and you’re sure to find highly affordable vacations to exciting destinations onboard one of these new, luxurious ships.
Roy Witman is Vice-President of Cruise Vacation Center at <a href="http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com">http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com</a> offering the best deals including <a href="http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com/european_cruises.htm"> European cruises</a> and cruises from <a href="http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com/carnival_cruise_line.htm">Carnival Cruise Line</a>.
Cruise To The Bahamas - Without Getting Sick
A cruise to the bahamas can prove to be one of the most exhilarating experiences of your life. You can spend time relaxing on gorgeous beaches, visit historical sites and soak up nature’s beauty at numerous locations … all while enjoying the amenities of a four star resort. However, some people do get “traveler’s sickness”. Fortunately, there are different ways to prevent it.
To begin with, it is necessary to know a bit about this medical condition, as it affects at least fifty percent of all tourists who visit third world countries every year. E.coli bacteria that nest in your digestive tract cause it. Some of the most common symptoms of this condition include frequent loose tools, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever and bloating. In many cases, people suffer dehydration and need to be hospitalized. Though there are a number of treatments for this travel disease, but none are as effective as the course of time itself.
In order to avoid this medical condition, you need to avoid drinking tap water. Almost everyone in the country drinks tap water and uses it for a number of purposes. Hence, the digestive tracts of the locals are attuned to the bacteria present in the water. But, it is not safe to drink tap water and so, it is better to boil water for at least ten minutes before you drink it. Even a tiny drop can contain the bacteria that can make you sick. Whenever you buy bottled water, make sure the bottle is sealed, as it might be filled with tap water if the bottle is tampered. Avoid eating salads in the restaurants as their leaves are generally washed with tap water.
Eating fruits with a peel or washed with bottled water is another way of preventing Traveler’s Sickness. Besides you can also avoid eating food that is sold by street vendors. The food might appear very tempting, but such food can harm you more than anything else.
The fourth way to prevent this medical condition is to avoid places that serve pre-cooked and preserved food. Bacteria form on food as soon as it cools. However, the re-warming process does not kill the bacteria formed on the food.
Some useful tips are as follows:
- Try to include safe and hygienic items like freshly prepared dishes that are served steaming hot. - Eat meats that have been cooked to order. - Eat only peeled and properly washed fruits. - Enjoy more of breads and baked foods. - Indulge more in hot beverages like coffee and tea. - Drink bottled or canned cold drinks. - Avoid ice, uncooked vegetables or unwashed peeled fruits, cold salads, buffets and roadside food.
Your cruise to the Bahamas can be an experience of a lifetime, provided you follow certain important tips.
We also highly recommend that you checkout the Travel Secrets Guide before you plan your next <a href="http://www.cruise-to-the-bahamas.com">cruise to the Bahamas</a>. This resource will show you how to save hundreds of dollars while getting better service and having a more enjoyable trip. You can find it by going to: http://www.cruise-to-the-bahamas.com In the resource you'll get all the tips and tricks from a veteran traveler. Again, we do highly recommend it and you can check it out by going to http://www.cruise-to-the-bahamas.com
25 Ways to Save money When you Book a Cruise Posted By : Gerda Lingrett
They will never charge a fee for getting a quote for you or booking your cruise and they may know of a special offering that you would not otherwise know about. But remember, the most important thing of all is to not book a cruise just because of its price, but to find a cruise that best fits your needs and desires
