Archive for June, 2009

Things You Must Do While In Del Mar California

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

The beach town of Del Mar California is one of the most beautiful destinations along the SoCal coast of the Pacific Ocean. Situated on the northern edge of the city of San Diego, Del Mar is a quaint historical village that serves as a backdrop to a seaside resort where Hollywood stars Bing Crosby and Jimmy Durante built a horse race track in the 1930s.

1. The Place To Be Is Epazote

Del Mar’s downtown area has a definite European flavor. More than seventy unique shops, cute hotels and 23 restaurants offer enough variety to please everybody. The artsy “Italian” outdoor mall, Del Mar Plaza, is at the north end of town at the corner of Highway 101 and 15th Street, where you will find trendy shops and unique bistros among the ironwork and tiled fountains of an Italian piazza.

The plaza is the home of Epazote, a local restaurant favorite. It’s a wonderful place for lunch or end of the day cocktails because it has an outdoor patio that swells with sunshine, sea breezes and enchanting panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. It’s also one of Del Mar’s favorite nightlife destinations with a contemporary, upscale vibe. Sleek and sophisticated, with a 180-degree views of the Pacific, hip bar and a cutting edge ocean view lounge, Epazote is a great day or night experience. Oh, and did I mention the food? All of it is creative, unique and wonderful.

2. Hike Through Abstract Red Rock Canyons

If you enjoy a nature hike with phenomenal scenery, Torrey Pines State Reserve is for you, with nearly 2000 acres of natural habitat along the ocean. The reserve was created because this is where the rare and beautiful Torrey Pine tree grows. You will find 6 or 7 trails for hiking, each with it’s own brand of awesome views: wind bent Torrey pines, abstract rock formations and lush wildflower displays, all framed by the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Parking Tip: You can park outside the park along the ocean and Highway 101 for free, then walk up the drive into the reserve for a great workout with magnificent views. Take your camera - especially in the spring when fields of wild flowers are in bloom and everywhere you look are fantastic views of the ocean.

3. Come Sail Away In Your Beautiful Balloon

Every evening we see them from Encinitas - hot air balloons, specs in the distance, soaring through the sky just before sunset after taking off from Del Mar. We have been “up there” and can testify that a balloon ride is a one-of-a-kind experience. You can’t help but gain a unique perspective of the immenseness of the Pacific Ocean and sweeping San Diego countryside. Our usual sunny skies and calm morning and evening winds allow you to experience what it’s like to float among the clouds. Hot air balloon companies have sunrise and sunset tours - weather permitting - from Del Mar.

Many describe flying in a hot air balloon as one of the most serene, enjoyable activities they’ve every experienced. Sunny skies and a heavenly sunset allow you to experience what it’s like to float among the clouds. If you’re staying at a hotel in Del Mar, you can experience the views and flights of a lifetime with Panorama Balloon Tours, Skysurfrer Balloon Tours or Magical Adventures. Simply Google them for information.

4. Get The Tan Of A Lifetime

Located just north of Torrey Pines reserve, Del Mar Beach is a beach-lover’s delight, a great spot for families, friends and surfers who enjoy its wide expanse of soft sand. Swimming, loafing, sunning, walking, jogging, surfing, body boarding, boogie boarding and even grunion hunting are just a few of the activities you will enjoy here. In town, the most popular beach is at the end of 15th Street. Crowded year-around with families, couples, friends and surfers, parking can be a problem at 15th Street, and even if you find a space, you must feed the meters. Parking is free on 17th Street if you get there early in the day - during the summer the parking spaces fill early. Lodging and accommodations can be found throughout the area, from cute and intimate Del Mar bed and breakfasts to the more traditional hotels in Del Mar.

5. Pedal Around Town

Bike riding is one of the simplest ways to have fun, enjoy the wonderful Del Mar scenery, especially if you’re staying at a Del Mar B&B or other vacation lodging. With near-perfect weather all year, enjoying the great outdoors is a way of life for most Del Martians who enjoy riding down quiet residential streets along the ocean. Del Mar is full of paths and trails that give cyclists an opportunity to relax, exercise and explore. Any way you cut it, Del Mar is a great place to have fun, get fit, and relax!

About the Author:

Preparation for an African hunting expedition, Safety Thoughts and Suggestions.

Monday, June 29th, 2009

An African safari or an African Hunting trip can be very rewarding and exciting. Common sense and careful preparation will make this a safe and memorable trip. If you feel you are ready for an African safari, think again. Even if you are traveling to a country you are familiar with, it is still very important to be aware of the physical conditions and safety. Here are tips on what to do before leaving home and while you are abroad.

Prior to leaving home be sure you’ve sufficient data regarding the country you’re visiting, including that on customs and security concerns. These can be acquired from the travel guidebooks and Directory. Insure that you’re updated about the current issues and changes in the government.

Remember to make a computer scan of your passport, write your passport number down and potentially learn it in case you lose it. It?s important that you note down the diplomatic mission offices to the country you are going to. This ensures easier processing of your documents in case you lose or misplace them. .Photocopy any official documents you might have with you, scan them and email them to your self so that you can access them wherever you are. The internet cafes are almost in every Major and small centre districts of Africa so you would have no trouble over this.

It’s imperative to have a medical exam for a healthy vacation. Remember you are looking forward to relishing the most wonderful time, so you don’t want to become ill to upset all your plans. Should you have a chronic illness( suchlike diabetes, high blood pressure, sinus difficulties or even nervous disorder), consult your Doctor of Medicine, who can give you a letter explaining the health trouble in English and the specifics .

It?s important to read the health tips for the traveler. Diseases like Malaria have to be avoided. Some of the things you will eat won?t go down well. Be armed! Make sure you have seen your dentist recently. And it is also advisable to pack a medical kit with pain killers , repellants , bandages , and an antiseptic cleaners, for your self and children traveling with you If you are on regular medication , take care to pack enough to last the travel time .

Ensure that you?re insurance coverage is valid in case you become sick or injured abroad. Some insurance companies specialize in overseas travel insurance and may allow you to buy short-term coverage. Set a limit on your credit card, so if it is stolen, thieves will be unable to takeout a large amount of money on it.

Clothing is really significant. Please make sure to understand the climate and weather conditions prior to your safari. If you’ve employed a safari operator, contact the company for recommendation on clothing during the specific time period of your trip. Remember that decency is preferable by all the African nation.

To relive symptoms of jetlag, eat lightly, drink a lot of fluids but avoid alcohol and caffeine a few days after your trip. Try to relax and sleep on your flight so you can be energetic once you reach your destination .Try to sleep when locals do in order to get used to the local time.

Use 2 pocketbooks. Obscure one of them with necessary property in your jacket pockets. Fill the additional with a little sum of money. Just in case of an attack you will be able to hand this one over. Do not count your money in public, as you could become a target for stealers Remember what notes you have in your pocket and billfold. Keep larger denominations distant from snoopy eyes.

Do not take any taxi you find ? check to see if it belongs to an official company. Ask the hotel reception about rates you can expect to pay when you use a taxi. Always set a price before getting in the taxi or ask for a meter to be used. Pick up the hotel?s business card. You can always present this to a taxi driver if you cannot find way back especially in the local language.

These iare a few pointers on journeying to Africa. Whenever you’re preparing for a Safari or a Hunting expedition, some countries to definitly visit include Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Republic of South Africa, Republic of Botswana and Rwanda. Careful preparation and gearing up will make your vacation to Africa a travel to cherish.

About the Author:

Earn Dollars Whilst Travelling on Cruise Ships

Sunday, June 28th, 2009

There are many different types of people who find themselves craving a bit of adventure, yet don’t have the funds to just go off into the wild blue yonder. Some go backpacking - working along the way picking fruit or doing bar jobs. Others choose to set sail on the many different cruise ship operators around the world. The major difference I guess would be that you are being paid to travel around the globe instead of going from place to place earning enough money to move on to the next destination.

Working on a cruise ship often invokes images of adventure, fun, alcohol and lots of sex. Speaking as one who has done it all this and more is all true.

When you work on a cruise ship you eat, sleep and breathe life on the seas. A major bonus of being part of a cruise ship crew is that you are being paid to have fun and adventure. Alcohol is cheap as chips (as little as a dollar a drink), and you’ll find yourself amongst likeminded people who all want the same things. Not to mention that there is a lot of room swapping and sleepovers.

One of the best things about travelling this way is that everything is paid for including your room, food and board and the pay can sometimes be quite substantial. People who have been at it for a few years or more often own their own houses outright and those that have chosen to do it as a career are often quite wealthy.

It must be mentioned that cruise ship life is not always for everyone and there have been people who have signed on only to catch the next plane home again. Yet those that are more willing to give things a go and get along with people, find that they have the time of their lives. As part of working on the ships, you end up making friends with people from all over the world. One thing to keep in mind that cruise ship life can be intense. Allot of cruise ships operate 24/7 and therefore you could find yourself having time off rather than whole days. However the people I have come across do not find this to be an issue as the work they do is totally an enjoyable experience.

One important thing to consider is that different cruise companies have different levels of freedom or privileges whilst on the ship. Cruise companies such as Disney, which is a Christian Family Values type of Company, can be quite restrictive on their crewmembers. In example I believe that you have to be a non-smoker and alcohol is heavily frowned upon when working for Disney. From what I can tell, the best Cruise company to work for in terms of freedom and rates of pay is Princess Cruises.

If the money or the thrill adventure is enticing you to think about applying, make sure to think about it carefully before signing up. Things that must be taken into account is the fact that you will have initial expenses that include a full medical check up, sea safety training as well as travelling expenses to meet up with the cruise ship, after which this initial expense the company generally pays. You are signing up for a contract period of about 6 - 8 months that will mean you will be away from your family and friends. (Although most cruise ship companies offer very cheap deals for family members to visit). If it still sounds enticing and you decide to take on the experience then you will surely have an experience of a lifetime.

About the Author:

Tours you Can Sign Up for when in Cabo San Lucas

Saturday, June 27th, 2009

A Cabo San Lucas vacation is definitely something that will give you endless choices when it comes to adventure and fun.

Cabo San Lucas has endless choices when it comes to fun activities and adventures you want to engage in. Most especially if you are spending your vacation in a very limited time, you can actually sign up for adventure tours so you can eliminate the many hassles of booking and finding the sites to visit or where to go for an adventure.

Choosing a tour in Cabo is not difficult. There are actually many companies offering various tours around Cabo - depending on what you prefer to enjoy for your vacation. You can choose from the popular snorkeling and scuba diving tours, whale watching tours, ATV riding, horseback riding and many others.

Sport fishing in Cabo is a popular activity. The place is known for an abundant catch of Marlin and Tuna as well as many other fish that makes sport fishing a fun and relaxing activity for your vacation.

Snorkeling is a popular activity in Cabo, thus there are many snorkeling tours offered around Cabo. If you join snorkeling tours, you will be brought to great snorkeling sites around Cabo including the waters around the Pelican Rock and the Land’s End - particularly in the Lover’s Beach.

If you want to further explore the Cabo waters deeper, you can also join scuba diving tours. Scuba diving is also one of the most popular activities in Cabo and touring companies will provide you professional divers to guide you to the best scuba diving sites around Cabo.

Companies that offer scuba diving tours often find suitable diving sites for your skill so you will have utmost enjoyment during the tour.

Dolphin tours are also one of the exciting tours you can join in Cabo. Dolphin tours will bring you to the exclusive Dolphin Center which will give you a good adventure with the Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins. You can enjoy a great day swimming with the majestic creatures.

Other tours and adventures that you can enjoy in Cabo are the ATV and Hummer riding tours, which you can do at the beach or at the desert.

About the Author:

Getting Around Bulgaria

Friday, June 26th, 2009

Looking for a great place to spend your summer vacation? Head out to the country of Bulgaria. While this may not be one of the usual countries travelers visit in Europe, it is definitely one that you should discover and explore. Located on the southeastern side of Europe, the country of Bulgaria opens to the Black Sea which borders the country on the east. It is now slowly gaining popularity among Europeans and travelers from other parts of the world as one of the best countries to visit in the continent.

Bulgaria is a land known for its rich cultural and historical heritage, pristine beaches, and captivating landscapes. To get the most out of your trip here in Bulgaria, especially if this is your first time to visit the country, here are just some tips that would be useful for you.

The country of Bulgaria has a temperate climate. This is partly due to the various mountain ranges that could be found all over the country as well as its close proximity to the Black Sea. This being said, travelers heading to the country of Bulgaria should come prepared.

While Bulgaria is still making its name known as a prime tourist destination in Europe, tourists would find a number of different accommodations that are sure to meet their budget and what they are looking for. You can choose from a wide variety of hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, and even private lodgings all over the country. Regardless on where you are staying, it is important to remember to make sure to submit your itinerary including the places where you are staying to the local authorities. This is because in the country of Bulgaria, tourists are required to submit all travel itineraries to the local police whether or not you are here for business or pleasure.

As with any trip abroad, travelers are required to present a valid passport upon their arrival to Bulgaria. The immigration in this country can be a little bit strict. They require all passports to be valid for at least six months from the time that you arrive to Bulgaria. It would be a good idea to have your passport first renewed before you head out to Bulgaria if the expiration date on your passport is within the same year of your travel, just to be on the safe side.

This relief, which was carved on the rock of the plateau, has been dated back to the year 710 AD and it is believed to have been created under the instruction of the Bulgar Khan Tervel.

Despite the fact that Bulgaria is just starting to make its mark as a prime tourist destination in Europe, travelers visiting the country would not need to worry about where to stay during their trip to this beautiful country. Travelers can choose from a wide variety of accommodations all over the country. From 5-star hotels to private lodgings and hostels, travelers are guaranteed to find one that would meet their budget.

You can use your ATM or debit card in the ATM machines in the major cities of the country which would dispense the amount you need in the local currency. It is important to remember, though, that international ATM cards used are subject to additional fees and a limit in the number of transactions that could be done in a day.

About the Author:

WHAT ARE THE MEDICAL EMERGENCIES EXCLUDED IN TRAVEL INSURANCE

Friday, June 26th, 2009

It is always a thrilling experience to travel overseas. But wait a minute! Will the thrill and the excitement be the same if you or your family member falls ill or meets with an accident? Won’t it be horrible to find that your travel insurance doesn’t cover you against medical expenses incurred outside your home country?

It is a common misconception amongst people that their travel medical insurance covers them against all medical expenses incurred even during their travel abroad. The truth is that travel insurance has its own terms and conditions, like all other insurance policies. It is absolutely necessary that you keep yourself informed of the minutest detail of your travel insurance. You must be aware of the coverage which your travel insurance will and will not give you.

On top of the list of exclusion appear pre-existing medical conditions, which include pregnancy and related difficulties, dental or medical conditions which is ongoing. It also includes any surgical or medical condition for which you have been kept under medication. Depression, anxiety, and mental disorder – they all fall under the category which is not covered by travel insurance.

Medical tourism is also excluded from travel insurance. If you are receiving a particular medical treatment then your travel insurance might not cover you against the expenses you incur during your travel. Therefore, your travel medical insurance would be of no use if you are going overseas for a cosmetic surgery or for some similar cause which is recommended by your doctor.

There are even more exclusions which are attached to your medical insurance for travel policies when you are traveling overseas. A few of them are war or war-like situations, epidemics, natural disasters, nuclear attacks etc. These are the exclusions attached to almost all insurance policies.

Sports which include high risk are also not covered by travel insurance. Skydiving, parachuting, mountaineering, skiing, racing sports, bungee jumping etc. –all fall under the exclusion list. You might get some coverage from these high risk sports if an additional coverage is purchased on payment of extra premium.

The other exclusions include loss of your bag and baggage, frauds, deceit by your travel agent, or personal losses resulting due to lack of responsibility on your part. It also doesn’t cover attempt to suicide, drug misuse, and alcoholic misuse.

Availing travel insurance is the best way of securing yourself against unforeseen travel accidents. However, different travel insurance companies will offer you different packages. It is therefore recommended that you go through the travel insurance policies online and pick up the best deal for yourself. The claims department covers all genuine expenses and claims after a thorough assessment.

Family Vacation-top Family Africa Vacation, Tour, & Safari Kenya East Africa

Friday, June 26th, 2009
Vacations
Robert Muhoho


Family Vacation Africa, Tour, Safari, Travel, Trip And Vacation in Africa Kenya.

Family vacation safari in kenya generally involves you booking the flight seats for the family members. The best african affordable family vacations in kenya include a visit to atleast three national parks to see the african animals. Other family vacation spots in Kenya africa include the below:

Family vacation summer on kenya beach

Family vacation on kenya island of lamu

Rift valley inclusive & affordable family summer vacation in kenya

A combination of family adventure vacation with relaxation in affordable kenya park lodges

Kenya elephant and lion signature family vacation

Family vacation on an african kenya cruise ship

Luxury family vacation in kenya comfortable, safe and 5 star hotels

Nairobi safari kenya family vacation for summer holidays

Family vacation on a kenya lake vacation packages

Charity tour for helping kenya child family vacation

Mission and volunteer family vacation in kenya

Kenya cultural safari family vacation tour ot tribal places

Kenya mombasa beach family vacation

Off the beaten track africa keya family vacation

Budget Water family vacation in kenya coast

Sight seeing cheap kenya family vacation

Worry free kenya vacation for kid and family tour

Cheap Family vacation travel to africa is achievable through getting a good vacation deal from your kenya vacation tour oprator company. The available kenya vacation deals include;

Kenya family group incentive vacation packages

Kenya all inclusive vacation packages for family members

All inclusive low-cost family vacation affordable packages

Off season family vacation deal in kenya hotels

Advance booking low cost family vacation deals

Frequent flier milliage recovery family vacation flight bargains

Kenya africa homestay family vacation deal that saves money

Cheap africa Kenya air ticket family vacation deals

The best way to get a cheap kenya vacation for your family is to know the bargain places in kenya to go to, the best low cost kenya attractions, off the beaten track places in kenya family vacation and the good kenya vacation hotels that cater for family tours in kenya. Being able to tailor your kenya family vacation where you put together cheaper options will put you way head in making an african family vacation saving. Low cost of africa family vacation in kenya will ususally depend on your ability to assemble the following family safari cost saving factors including:

Size of family going to africa vacation in kenya

Number of days on Kenya family vacation in africa

Getting a reliable kenya family vacation tour company

Type of kenya park accommodation preffered for the family vacation in africa

Use of cheap kenya road safaris or do it yourself nairobi car rental family vacation travel

Keeping to off the beaten track and less visited or other parks in a kenya family vacation

Advance booking kenya family vacation

Online booking offers kenya family vacation safari tour

The most important aspect of cost saving on your family vacation to africa depends on your ability to understand the bottom line cost of each safari cost element. Once you have understood the low cost point of each africa family safari component, then its easy to adjust the family vacation spending depending on type of standards needed and the must visit places.



Cabo San Lucas: A Place of Fun Activities and Exciting Adventures

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

There are actually a lot of choices when it comes to what you can do in the beautiful Cabo San Lucas. Therefore, it is recommended that you list down the possible things you want to do, and plan it out so you can actually have time to do the activities you like and not regret later.

Below are some suggestions of how you can enjoy your Cabo San Lucas vacation.

1. Schedule a trip to the Lover’s Beach.

Not only for lovers, the Lover’s Beach is a popular beach in Cabo San Lucas that tourists often visit. The beach has a stunning view of rock formations bordering the beach and a great spot to spend a day of relaxation. There are also good snorkeling and swimming spots in the beach but there are only designated areas for these activities, as huge waves can come crashing to the rocks in some parts of the beach. You will however need to hire a water taxi if you intend to visit the beach, as it cannot be reached by foot.

2. Join a snorkeling or scuba diving tour.

Snorkeling and scuba diving tours are all over Cabo and joining one would surely be a great experience for you. Scuba diving tours will bring you to favorite diving destinations around the place and to the famous Cabo Pulmo. Cabo Pulmo is a national marine park that is home to a living coral reef sheltering different kinds of fishes and marine life.

3. Tour the beach or the desert on horseback.

Horseback riding is also a romantic way of touring Cabo. You do not need to worry about not being very experienced about it because most stables in Cabo provide crash courses on how to ride one and you can also choose to have a guide with you during the adventure.

4. Hike through the desert.

Who says Cabo San Lucas has only those beaches? The desert part of Cabo is also great for hiking and trekking. If you want to exercise those leg muscles, bond with other hikers and vacationers, and see the beauty of the rock formations in Cabo San Lucas, you can also join a group of hikers for that fun activity.

5. Party at the Cabo Wabo Cantina

To end a long day, you can enjoy a fantastic night at Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo Cantina - a place where you can enjoy good music, good food and a great party.

About the Author:

Economical Hotels Near Cedar Point

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

If you want to go for vacation in a peaceful place, then Cedar Point is a place that you must consider. It is a beautiful 364 acres amusement park which is just perfect for family adventure and fun. A plus point of this place is that it is suitable for both business and leisure travelers. If you are traveling on budget to this place, then there are many budget hotels from which you can easily choose the one most suitable for you. So, now let me tell you about some of the good budget hotels located in this area.

1. Rode way Inn Cedar Point North Rode way Inn Cedar Point North is one of the most cheap accommodation options in the area that you must consider. It offers free coffee and pastries with indoor pool services, laundry facility, irons and ironing boards, room safes and Cable Television in the rooms. Another advantage of this hotel is that it is located very near to many good shopping malls and restaurants.

2. Travelogue Sandusky Cedar Point Travelodge Sandusky Cedar Point is another cheap hotel and an important feature of this hotel is its ability to provide magnificent services at very reasonable rates. This hotel belongs to a chain of hotels and has number of properties, which provide quality services. All the rooms are well furnished and equipped with a number of facilities.

3. Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Cedar Point This is another hotel where you can make a visit, in case you are looking for cheap options. Some of the main features of this hotel include a Free Wireless Internet facility; 24hr front desk service, outdoor pool, room safes and free newspapers. Breakfast is served on time and includes coffee/tea, juice and muffins. You will also find a number of restaurants at nearby distance.

4. Howard Johnson Express Inn - San dusky This magnificent hotel provides a number of facilities, such as Air Conditioning, AM-FM Alarm Clock, Coffee Maker in Room, Complimentary Continental Breakfast, Ice Machine, Ironing Board, Outdoor Pool, Outdoor Parking, Safe Deposit Box, Security, Satellite TV, as well as Wake-up Service.

5. Fair field Inn & Suites San dusky In this hotel, you get free high-speed Internet availability, along with a number of other facilities. What makes this so very attractive is its location, which makes it very much desirable. You can enjoy the various facilities, such as well furnished rooms, Jacuzzi, proper security, televisions with cable connections and many other excellent facilities.

So, these are some of the best cheap hotels located in Cedar Point which you must visit if you are on a budget trip.

About the Author:

Choosing a Cruise

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
Cruises
Denny Phillips


So, you want to go on a cruise! It’s exciting, it’s fun and it’s your way of enjoying the great life. But how do you make the choice of where to go, when and with whom? There are so many choices with respect to cruising nowadays that it can be very confusing. Here are a few tips to consider helping you decide which cruise is right for you.

Listed below are few examples of the types of cruise you may wish to take:

1. Mediterranean cruise

2. Caribbean cruise

3. an Alaskan cruise,

4. a cruise down the Amazon or Panama Canal

5. a Transatlantic ocean crossing

6. South Pacific or Hawaiian Island cruise

7. River cruises (the fjords in Norway, the Danube in Europe, the Nile in Egypt, the Mississippi in United States)

8. Polar cruises to see the penguins in the Antarctic

9. Russian waterways cruises

10. Galapagos Island cruises

11. New Zealand or Australia

Each can be very appealing but are also very different.

1. The first thing to consider in taking one of these cruises is when you want to go—the time of the year can dictate the type of cruise. Some cruise ship lines do not offer cruises to the Mediterranean in the winter months, but transfer their ships to the warmer waters of the Caribbean. Alaskan cruises only run in certain months also due to weather conditions. Ocean crossing cruises (Transatlantic) take place only as the seasons change so that cruise ship companies can reposition their ships to match the high seasons’ tourist industry.

2. You also have to decide on the length of your cruise. A typical choice is a 7-night cruise, but you can take cruises from 3-4 nights to over a month in length, or more. The length of your vacation time available may limit you, but taking a cruise for the first time may also be a consideration. Limiting your cruise to a manageable shorter cruise may help you decide whether a longer cruise at another time may be more advisable. In other words, do you get seasick? Do you like the variety of visiting different ports? Do you wish to simply stay at one destination and relax? Do you like the busy atmosphere of the many activities on a ship?

3. Next, the ports that you wish to visit can be a great part of which cruise is the right choice for you. Have you always wanted to visit Tortugas, the Bahamas or Cayman Islands? Here is your chance to get a taste of it. Make sure that one of your chosen destinations is on your cruise itinerary, and there are endless choices of various itineraries available. Cruises are great ways to experience various places. Then you can decide which destination you would like to see more of on a future vacation.

4. Another consideration in choosing a cruise is the amount of time you wish to be “At Sea”. For a Transatlantic voyage you are at sea for many days at a time, which limits you to being within the confines of the ship at all times. This can be a bonus if you don’t want the hustle and bustle of visiting different ports, but it can also be a downside if you want a lot of variety on your vacation. Some cruises offer very little time at sea, being in a different port every day, and this flurry of activity can be too overwhelming for some vacationers. I would recommend a bit of both—for a 7-night cruise a good happy medium would be 2 days at sea with the other days stopping at various ports of call.

5. Once you have narrowed down your choice of cruise to when and where you wish to visit, the next hardest choice is the cruise line and size of ship you want to use. The size of ship can dictate the cruise line, as some cruise lines offer significantly larger ships than others. Some cruise lines only use smaller, more intimate ships for smaller groups of people. Other cruise lines offer huge ships with passengers in the thousands. You must decide whether you like a small personal touch or like the larger groups. (We found that even on a larger ship, there were still areas where we could go to get away from the crowds. Crowding on the huge ships was not a problem at all.)

6. Fitting the cruise line to your individual personality is perhaps the most important factor in determining your cruise enjoyment. There are many different types of ship lines that cater to varying personalities. Of course, the Disney Cruise Line caters to families, but others such as Carnival Cruises cater to more of a party atmosphere for adults, or Norwegian focuses on a more conservative group. Discuss with your travel agent which cruise line fits you best. Cruise lines also offer themed or special interest cruises, such as an art collectors cruise, golfer’s cruises or culinary class cruises. These may be great to fit in with the interests in your life-style.

7. Once you have found the best itinerary for you on the cruise line that suits your personality, at the best time of year for you, there are still other choices you need to make. Some cruise lines offer “freestyle cruising”, which simply put means that you don’t have a set dinner time at a set table, but you can choose to eat whenever you wish. On most cruises, however, you have a preset dinner time at an assigned table. You can choose an early dinner (usually around 6-6:30) or a later dinner time (7:30-8:00). In choosing your dinner time, take into consideration your off-ship excursions. You don’t want to have to rush back from your shore excursion just to get back in time for dinner. You also usually have a choice of how many people you wish to sit with (usually from 4 to 8 -10 people at a table.) Our travel agent suggested a table of 8 on our cruise—she stated that if you were at a table for 4 and you didn’t get along with the other couple you were stuck, but a table for 8 offered more chance of finding congenial soul-mates.

8. Shore excursions can also be a major part of your cruise experience. There are many different shore excursion packages available, from visiting butterfly farms, swimming with dolphins, exploring ancient ruins, to snorkelling or scuba diving. Of course, if you wish you do not need to go on any shore excursions. You can simply choose to stay on-board and take advantage of the ship’s amenities, or you can simply walk around and visit or shop in the port-of-call.

Choosing a cruise can seem overwhelming, but the main point is to suit the cruise to what you want to get out of the experience. If you want a whirlwind of activity choose a party cruise line with that in mind. If you want a more relaxed atmosphere, choose more time at sea. If you want to sample various cultures, choose a destination-rich cruise. Different types of cruises offer at of those things, and more. Hopefully the above has given you an idea in the choices you need to make to get the most enjoyment out of your cruise. Happy cruising!