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Cruise Travel Planning Consultants
 Perfect weather and total relaxation, complete escape from daily routine, dazzling dining, non-stop entertainment, endless shopping, colorful ports and foreign countries: these are all among the top reasons travelers of all ages and interests choose to cruise time and again. Cruise travel is among the fastest growing segment of the travel industry. Every the cruise lines are introducing new ships, unique destinations and enhanced amenities to meet the growing demand from cruising passengers.
As diverse as travelers are, there is a cruise line that seeks to meet their needs. Looking for a trip to Europe to sample the wines of France? There are numerous river cruises that will help you with that. Interested in Golfing in Bermuda, Hawaii or even Scotland? There are several cruise lines that offer golfing packages which combine four star dining and accommodations aboard their ships with golf pros who can recommend courses or offer suggestions on how to improve that backswing.
Perhaps you want to visit Antarctica to see the Penguins and other exotic animals. There are many expedition class cruise lines like Lindblad Expeditions which has partnered with the National Geographic Society to place naturalists onboard their ships to manage their enrichment programs. Perhaps you are just looking for a vacation that visits the hot spots in the Caribbean and just want the three S’s: Sun, Sand and Shopping. There are plenty of cruise lines to help you with that as well.
As you can see cruising is not simply the buffets and partying that they were a generation ago. As travelers have evolved so have the cruise lines. The biggest surprise for first-time cruisers is how many choices they actually have when it comes to selecting a cruise. Below are some ideas and suggestions for you to consider.
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Types of Cruises
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There are many different types of cruises and ships to choose from. The two major cruise lines Carnival and Royal Caribbean cater to the mass market and offer dozens of ships and destinations for exploring the world. For those looking for a more upscale experience they should look at cruise lines like Holland America, Celebrity, Amazara and Oceania. At the luxury end there are several cruise lines such as Regent or the Yachts of Seabourn. For a different experience there are niche cruise lines like Windstar which offer sailing vessels or Lindblad which offer smaller expedition style cruises to Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands. |
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| Theme Cruise |
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Everybody loves a party and cruisers are no different. Many cruise lines have developed themes to differentiate themselves from other ships. These themes range from music festivals with the hottest musical acts in the country, to arts and craft themed Scrapbooking or travel photography. Cruise lines like Cunard and Regent focus on bring special guest lecturers like scientists, sports figures, business leaders and public figures. MSC Cruises offers Big Band Music Cruises and Baseball Hall of Fame Cruise, Carnival hosts an annual Wine Lovers Cruise of the Pacific Northwest with stops in Seattle and San Francisco. The list is endless. If you have a hobby or special interest there will be a cruise to match it. |
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| River
Cruising |
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River cruising offers a different way to cruise. These ships are smaller and more intimate than the huge ocean going vessels often carrying only 50-100 passengers. Their smaller size allows them to traverse the winding rivers of Europe, America and China to visit areas often difficult to experience otherwise. Most river cruises include many of the amenities cruisers have come to expect like fine dining, spa facilities and onboard enrichment activities. In addition, most also include guided shore excursions at no additional cost. |
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Touring |
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The newest trend in cruising is the addition of land extensions to create a richer vacation experience. Some popular cruisetour destinations are Alaska and Europe. These land tours can be added either prior or immediately following a cruise and allow the traveler to experience the destination in a new more in depth way. These packages include transfers to/from the cruise ship, motorcoach or rail transportation, accommodations, tour guides and meals. |
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Luxury Cruises |
Oceania Cruises – Caribbean Pearls 12-day Cruise
Feb 13-25th, 2009 or Feb 25th to March 9th, 2009
(slightly
different itinerary) |
| Miami Roundtrip
visiting Grand Turk, Turk & Caicos Islands, Samana, Dominican Republic, Tortola, British Virgin Islands,
St. John’s, Antigua, Castries, St. Lucia; Roseau, Dominica,
Gustavia, St. Barts, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
plus three-days at sea. Priced: from $2,300 per person, double occupancy plus tax and fuel surcharges for an oceanview stateroom |
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Oceania Cruises – Journey to Iberia 14-day Transatlantic
Cruise (March 9th – 23rd, 2009) |
| Transatlantic
departing from Miami, Florida visiting Funchal/Madeira,
Portugal; Casablanca, Morocco; Malaga, Spain; Barcelona,
Spain with nine days cruising the Atlantic Ocean and one day
cruising the Mediterranean Sea. Priced: from
$1,799 per person, double occupancy plus tax and fuel
surcharges for an oceanview stateroom
Sleek, elegantly charming, Regatta is the Flagship of the
Oceania Cruises fleet. Her decks are resplendent in the
finest teak, custom stone and tile work and her lounges,
suites and staterooms boast luxurious, neo-classical
furnishings. Regatta offers every luxury you expect. Four
unique, open seating restaurants, a world class fitness
center and spa, 8 lounges and bars, casino and 342 lavish
suites and luxurious staterooms, nearly 70% of which feature
private verandas. And with just 684 guests to pamper, the
400 professionally trained European staff ensures you will
want for nothing. |
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Cunard Cruise Lines – 4-day Labor Day Weekend Holiday Cruise (Sept
4th – 8th, 2009) |
| New York City
Roundtrip visiting Saint John, New Brunswick plus two-days
cruising the Atlantic Ocean. Priced: from $895 per
person, double occupancy plus tax and fuel surcharges for an
inside stateroom |
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Cunard Cruise Lines – Autumn Splendors 7-day New England
Cruise (Oct 2nd to 9th, 2009) |
| New York City
Roundtrip visiting Halifax. Nova Scotia; Saint John, New
Brunswick; Portland, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; Newport,
Rhode Island plus one-day cruising the Atlantic Ocean. Priced:
from $2,195 per person, double occupancy plus tax and fuel
surcharges for an oceanview stateroom
Welcome to Queen Mary 2 - the grandest, most magnificent
ocean liner ever built. She's a true heir to the timeless
elegance, legacy and inspiration of the great Cunard liners
of legend. You'll notice it the moment you walk through her
doors into her soaring Grand Lobby, and be awed from the
first instance you experience the famous Cunard White Star
ServiceSM. Yet this sophisticated monarch also boasts the
most modern luxuries and amenities - from the pampering
services of the only Canyon Ranch SpaClub® on the seas to
the fascinating Cultural Enrichment Programme led by
prestigious experts. This regal royal must truly be seen to
be believed - come live the adventure. |
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Specialties |
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