Carribian Cruise – Caribbean Cruise

Posts Tagged ‘Cruises’

After availing the “Caribbean cruise” majority of people who love to travel will never ever forget the cruise. If you haven’t experience it, don’t wait and make your decision quickly. This is because a cruise will provide you lot of excitement, observance of different cultures, an amazing feelings and interaction with different people. Cruises to the Caribbean have been popular since long due to beautiful ports in its way especially Western Caribbean itinerary because it gives you the opportunity to spend more time at sea.
Just the sound of a “Caribbean cruise” is enough to excite anybody who loves to travel. You may suddenly find yourself thinking about the activities that you’re going to do and get excited even more. This is because a cruise offers opportunities to learn about different cultures, interacting with new kinds of people and having new experiences that you will cherish for life.
Choosing a Caribbean cruise itinerary is therefore important when you make this trip and that will depend on your budget, expectations, and interests. It is best to start deciding on the length of your cruise. Most would recommend seven days for first timers but it really depends on your schedule and finances.
Different itineraries are available for the adventurous spirit. A Caribbean cruise offers both short- (five-night) and long (seven-night) trip schedules, both with exciting itinerary lined up. For first timers, the Western Caribbean itinerary may be to your liking. It can give you the opportunity to spend time at sea usually for two days and visit Central American and island ports. You can also choose from several ports where you can embark so it really gives you great choices to plan for your trip easily. A western Caribbean cruise usually includes ports in Cozumel, Mexico; Grand Cayman; Jamaica; and Bahamas. There are opportunities for snorkelling, scuba diving, exploring the Mayan ruins and other scenic spots that you will truly enjoy.
There is another itinerary that you can consider as well: the one that cruises the Eastern part of the Caribbean. This time, St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Puerto Rico are part of the itinerary stops. You will enjoy exploring the rainforests, swimming, combing the islands, rock climbing, or just lying on the beautiful, sparkling beaches. There are also two to three days at sea so you can enjoy the serenity and breeze. Cruise ships are packed with amazing amenities that include ice skating, boxing, fine dining, spa and fitness, mini-golf and swimming facilities. There are entertainment features as well so you will never get bored during the trip.
The Southern Caribbean itinerary presents different discoveries as well. Islands are far from each other and take a longer time to reach so an eight-day schedule is a wise option. Your day at sea may be shorter than other itinerary lists but you can enjoy the exotic beaches and visit Barbados, Dominica, Antigua, Grenada and St. Bart’s. You may need to depart from Puerto Rico or Barbados if you choose this trip.
There are so many more to choose from so if you have time and the money, why not just try them all out?

Enjoy a cruise on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line today!
If you’re like me, you would do 10 cruises a year… in fact… non stop cruising… with be alright with me. But, if you can’t do that, than picking a quality ship line is the next best thing.
Who is This company?
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines is one of the best ship vacationers in the world. They offer vacations to a number of destinations around the globe. Whether you want to take a voyage to Alaska, Australia, Canada, or you want to book some travel to the Caribbean, or Europe, … going with them is the way to travel!
They run many – big, beautiful cruise ships – all over the world. Wherever your travel dreams take you, This company can probably take you there. Have you ever been on a cruise holiday? Now you can! They make it easy… and fun.
Why is Royal Caribbean Lines so good?
Easy to book a cruise reservation because of their qualified holiday planners. These experts can help you decide where you want to go, how much you want to spend, and they can book your reservation for you. You can do it online or over the phone, whichever is easier for you. Check out their website, give them a call, or visit Travelocity, Hotwire… and any other number of cruise websites to help you select the perfect one for you. Don’t delay! Their vacations book fast. Cruise vacations are a hot item and you don’t want to “miss the boat.”
Once on your on your holiday, cruise planners will make sure that every moment of your stay on their huge cruise ship is filled with nothing but good times.
What will you do?
From the moment you board your luxury cruise ship, They will take care of your every need. You’ll be a pampered VIP guest. Do whatever you want on their cruise ship… it’s your vacation! Want to spend time at the spa? Want to watch a move in their onboard theatre? Want to catch a Broadway show? Want to shop in their huge cruise ship shopping mall? You name it, it can be done!
Spend the day on a shore excursion, enjoying fun activities, tours to historical sites, and local shopping. Then, head back on board your This company cruise ship to spend the evening gambling before dinner. At dinner, choose from a number of restaurants with top of the “cruise line” chefs to cater to your every dietary whim. After dinner, spend an evening dancing in their ballroom before retiring for the evening in one of their many luxurious cruise line suites. Your entire trip will be marked by This company’s stamp of exquisite luxury. Every moment will be an experience.
Go from your port of origin to your destination port. What you’ll find is that the journey is as delightful as the destination on a This company cruise ship vacation.

A Caribbean cruise vacation is something everyone should experience. Waking up to a crystal blue ocean, greeting you as you make your way to a tropical island shore is reason enough to visit the sea to the south. However, as great as a Caribbean cruise can be, a little bit of planning before you cast off can make your cruise and island experience even more enjoyable. Pre-trip planning is crucial to ensure the most enjoyment from your cruise. There are many important points to be considered beyond just where to go, when to go, and how to get there.

The warm temperatures, sunny beaches and variety of cultures make the Caribbean a popular winter cruise destination. The Caribbean Sea contains over 7000 islands, inlets, and beautiful coral reefs. Since the hurricane season generally ends in November, the weather is a promising feature during the winter months. Cruises to the Caribbean can be a very relaxing, fun-in-the-sun vacation, especially when well planned and coordinated.

The Caribbean has something to offer for every cruise vacationer. The choice of destination should be determined by what the vacationer would like to experience. Some travelers look for popular nightlife spots, such as Aruba and Barbados, while others would rather focus on the inland jungles, mountains and towns a specific island may offer. The weather, of course, is huge draw to the Caribbean, and its pristine beaches are heaven on earth for many. It is a good idea to research several destinations and choose the one that appeals the most to you or your family.

If you are not traveling with children, you may also want to plan the trip to correspond with a special date such as a wedding anniversary, birthday, or perhaps even Valentine’s Day. This can easily develop into a tradition. The history and romance of the many Caribbean destinations help make them ideal for developing new traditions. A little research before the trip will help you plan the right vacation experience to make your cruise holiday perfect.

After selecting the date, you will want to pick the specific trip and cruise line. At this point you should have a basic idea of where you want to go. Also, most travelers have a set budget in mind. Considering these aspects you will be able to narrow down your choices and with a little digging you can find the best cruise to fit your specifications.

There are many online resources to explore when researching and comparing cruise lines and specific destinations. When investigating cruises it is important to consider the value of an all-inclusive cruise versus a regular cruise. For some the ease and convenience of an all-inclusive cruise is worth the expense while others would prefer to save the money and pick and choose their extras.

Packing for the cruise can require a little strategic planning. If you know you will be spending most of your days on the beach then swimwear, beach towels and suntan lotion will take up a lot of space in the luggage. Of course, it is important to pack some clothing for inclement weather, but even rainy days are warm in the Caribbean. If the cruise is mostly spent on the ship, then planning for on-board entertainment will be important. Swimwear, active wear, and formal wear are all essentials on a cruise ship.

Although there are many variables to consider, there are some crucial items to bring with you. Remember to bring important documents such as your passport, proof of citizenship and visa if necessary. Also, it is a good idea to bring along a few copies of your airline tickets and your cruise ship information. Your medical insurance cards and any record of medical history should be included as well. Many vacationers bring a pre-paid phone card if they will be roaming on their cell phone or will be unable to get reception in the tropics.

A currency conversion chart is also a great idea for those who will be visiting several islands. Most islands are specific countries or territories with their own money. Traveler’s checks have been popular for some time, and when you are away on you Caribbean cruise keep your cash separate from your travelers checks just in case you loose your wallet or bag.

The enjoyment you find on a cruise can last a lifetime. There are some specifics you should plan out before you cast off. A little planning can make the vacation even more relaxing. While planning where to go and how to get there is important, there are many other points to consider for the perfect vacation. To plan the perfect Caribbean cruise vacation, take a bit of time before so you can enjoy your time sailing through the paradise that is the Caribbean islands.

The first day of your Caribbean cruise vacation is here. Most of the day will be spent getting to know your cruise ship, making spa appointments, booking tours on the Caribbean Islands and trying to get cruise tips from your fellow passengers.

The first night of your Caribbean cruise vacation is always a casual night since most people have traveled a good portion of the day. It’s also the night you meet your table mates. Here is another cruise tip, be a few minutes late on the first night (only on the first night-be prompt from then on). There is usually a crush of people when the dinner bell rings and everyone is trying to find their table.

If you are eating in the traditional cruise style, always ask for a large table for several reasons. You have a better chance of meeting a mix of people, and the more people you meet during your cruise travel, the merrier. One thing to do is change seats every night at the table so everyone gets to talk to everyone else during the course of your cruise vacation. It’s much more fun. And a round table is ideal since rectangular ones make it difficult to talk to the guy at the other end. However, if you find that you are unhappy with your table, absolutely go to the maitre d’ and asked to be moved. He or she will accommodate you as best they can. There are people who chose to dine alone and the ships have tables for two but they fill up fast.

Freestyle Dining and Choice Dining are available on some Cruise Lines for those who want to eat on their own or don’t want to be delegated to a specific dining time. Your travel agent will be able to set this up when booking your Caribbean cruise vacation.

Now you are on day two, and usually that means it’s a day at sea. You are just itching to put into your bathing suit and get out in the sun. Listen to this, it is the most valuable of all the cruises tips here, do not try to get a tan on your first day of your Caribbean cruise vacation. You will spend days of your precious cruise trying to recover from very bad sunburn. The Caribbean sun is very intense and is even more so in the summer months.

Get waterproof sun block and use it liberally if you are swimming or snorkeling. Don’t forget the tops of your feet, your ears and lips, this can be extremely painful. Wear a hat so you don’t burn your scalp.

To avoid injury follow these tips. Be careful if the decks are wet, they become very slippery. Watch for the raised lips in some doorways especially between your cabins sleeping area and the bathroom. Never sit on the railings as you may fall. Wearing high heels could be hazardous in bumpy weather. When tendering to shore keep your arms and legs within the tender. These are all very good cruise tips

All of the newer cruise ships have an internet café; some even have an internet connection in your room. So if you want to bring your lap top with you, by all means do. There are some small luxury cruise ships that have lap tops available for your use. Check with your cruise travel agent, he or she will know. Most people won’t want to be bothered with their computers, but it is nice to check your email if you are going to be away for awhile, and ship to shore phone calls are very expensive on the cruise lines.

The last evening will also be a casual night since you have packed your bags and put them outside your cruise cabin. Tomorrow will be an early morning and the end of your enchanting Caribbean cruise vacation.

There always seem to be many questions about tipping while taking a Caribbean cruise vacation. These questions come up on European cruise vacations too, but we’ll stick to the Caribbean. Some cruise lines will absolutely not let you tip. These are the very high end cruise lines. Some automatically add it to your bill. If you do not like this arrangement tell the purser that you will tip on your own. Tipping on a cruise ship is very important since the room steward, waiter and busboy all make their living on tips. They work very hard to keep you happy during your Caribbean cruise vacation so please tip them. You may want to figure out the amount of tips you will be paying at the beginning of the cruise vacation and separate that from your spending money. You won’t get caught short.

If a Maitre d’ does something special, like crepe suzettes at your table, you should tip him. When you order wine or drinks there is already a 15% tip on the charge, so it is not necessary to tip here. If you find a special bar and frequent it, give the bartender a bit extra on the last night. As I said tipping policies are different on all ships so find out ahead of time. Holland American has changed their tipping policy. It used to be “no tipping necessary”. That policy is no longer in place. On NCL Hawaii a $10.00 per day per person is added to your bill and it is not optional.

A nice gesture on a two week cruise is to give half the tip after the first week, the cruise staff will appreciate this. On almost all of the cruise ships, the general rule for tipping is $3.00 per day, per person for the waiter and the room steward and $1.50 per person per day for the bus boy. If you’re not sure the Cruise Line will usually give you guidelines. If your room steward or waiter showed you excellent services tip them more.

Alcoholic beverages on board are expensive. All cruise ships have there own policy if you bring your own, some confiscate it and return at the end of the cruise, others allow you to buy bottles on board, and others will allow you to purchase it but won’t deliver it until the end of the cruise. Each cruise line has different policies so check with your cruise travel agent. In many cases you can bring wine and champagne on board.

Here’s just a small note about seasickness. On the really huge ships it should not be a problem. If you are prone to it and are taking a smaller ship, there are over the counter remedies. Dramamine and Bonine are in tablet forms and can make some people drowsy. Because of the size and the stability of the current fleet of cruise ships only 3% of cruise passengers are affected by this.

There are wrist bands that you can purchase that act on the theory of acupuncture. Then there is also the Patch that you wear behind your ear. If you do not purchase one of these before the cruise and find yourself getting a little green, the purser’s office will provide you with them. Go out on the open decks, eat saltines, green apples and drink ginger ale. Do not do anything that requires you to look down, like reading or writing.

In health food stores you can buy powdered ginger caplets which are the natural remedy. That should take care of it. Stay away from greasy foods. This is no longer a huge problem since most ships today have stabilizers that keep the ship from pitching to and fro. If you do have a problem with “mal de mar”, it is not wise to take a sailing cruise or a small ship in notoriously rough seas like the South China Sea. It is so shallow it is always a little rough. The waves bounce off the seabed and come back up making it a bit choppy. Here again the size of the ship matters and having a little information will be helpful. This is where a really knowledgeable cruise travel agent comes in.

All cruise ships have a policy on smoking. On one ship they had an absolutely no smoking policy anywhere, they have since changed that rule. There is never any smoking allowed in the showrooms or the dining rooms. In many cases they designate one side of the ship in the bars as the smoking section while the other side is smoke free.

You can smoke in the bars and in the casino. Never, ever, toss a lit cigarette overboard, it can blow back on deck and start a fire. Please be considerate of the other passengers and follow the rules. And be aware that you will encounter many more smokers on a European cruise vacation and on European cruise ships that winter in the USA.

These are just some sensible cruise tips for you to follow on you Caribbean cruise vacation.

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.

Caribbean cruises are the most popular of all cruise destinations. And there are good reasons that they are the cruise destination of choice. Caribbean cruises offer you intriguing ports of call, beautiful white sandy beaches with azure blue water, all while enjoying the supreme service aboard your magnificent cruise ship. Caribbean cruises offer many activities for all age groups, so it makes a great family cruise vacation. And don’t worry about cruise terms, we’ve included it here.

During family cruise vacations there are activities all day long and they’re free. You have already paid for it in the price of Caribbean cruise. You get all your meals, your cabin, and entertainment included in the price of you family cruise vacation. This is one of the many reasons Caribbean cruises are such a great value.

The best aspect of Caribbean cruises is that once you board your ship you unpack once for the entire trip. No schlepping bags from airport to hotel over and over again. You will be in a new island almost every day with the travel between each port done at night, while you sleep. What could be easier?

Most of the top cruise lines offer Caribbean cruises. Royal Caribbean, Princess, Celebrity, Holland America and Carnival all offer a great variety of Caribbean cruise vacations. There are very formal Caribbean cruises or the fun and casual party cruise. Caribbean cruises are good if you are looking for adventure, golf or scuba cruises. Or maybe you would like to go on a relaxing cruise to enjoy the sea on a sailing cruise. You could plan a Caribbean cruise as a second honeymoon, even the first honeymoon, or a family reunion, or a special anniversary. You don’t even need an excuse to take a Caribbean cruise, do it just for fun. Or do it because there is five feet of snow and you need to see the sun and the sand.

Be sure to inquire about any discounted cruises for special groups, like teachers, police or fireman, or nurses. Many times a cruise line sees a certain cruise at a certain time of the year is filling up slowly so they offer special discounts to these groups. And if you belong to one of these groups band together, says as teachers from Pennsylvania and get additional discounts.

Now that you have decided to take a Caribbean cruise here is a glossary of terms used on Cruise ships. It’s the cruise terms or cruise lingo.

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.