“My manfriend and I want to go on a romantic cruise the summer of 2010. Any suggestions of cruise lines, destinations, etc?”

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Singles Cruise Travel

Interested in a singles cruise? In this video, you’ll learn why Singlescruise.com is the world’s largest and most successful provider of singles cruise travel!

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Handling Seasickness On Your Cruise

This cruise travel tips video looks at how to avoid or relieve sea sickness on board your cruise.

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Here are some details on a one day cruise on the MS HUNYADI on the River Danube in Hungary,

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“Do I need a passport to take a Caribbean cruise? If not, do you need a birth certificate above the age of 18 to travel on this cruise?”

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The Future Of Cruise Travel

NBC Travel Editor Peter Greenberg explains how cruise travel in general, and the cruise lines themselves, have been affected by travel industry turmoil resulting from the slow economy. And he looks at where the cruise industry is likely to go from here.

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Video taken on a Rhine River cruise starting at Rudesheim and ending at St. Goar. Some of the sights include Burg Rheinstein, Burg Reichenstein, Burg Sooneck, Heimburg, Ruine Nollig, Ruine Furstenberg, Burg Stahleck, Die Pfalz, Ruine Waldeck, Ruine Sauerburg, Burg Gutenfels, Ruine Stahlberg, Schonburg, Burg Katz, Ruine Rheinfels, and the famous Loreley rock.

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The ships available for cruise travel on an MSC cruise are known for their classic feel and elegance, a reflection of the deep, rich traditions of European design and décor. As with other cruise lines, they operate ships of several sizes and levels of luxury, but each one creates a warm, calming experience. If there’s such a thing as Luxurious Zen, you’ll probably find it on an MSC cruise.

To be honest, I had never heard of MSC cruises until I saw a promotional video for the MSC Fantasia, a ship so impressive that a word more significant than ‘cruise ship’ needs to be used to describe it. Floating Nirvana, perhaps? But I know something about them now…

The MSC Fantasia features Swarovski crystal staircases and transparent ceilings for rain-proof dancing under the stars. For some, the MSC Yacht Club – an exclusive area offering 99 elite suites, a private bar, concierge and butler services – is an option. Otherwise, 5 restaurants, 4 pools, massage pools, gym, art gallery, Formula 1 simulator, kid’s areas and 4D cinema will have to do, for a start. The Fantasia sails the Mediterranean exclusively.

The MSC Poesia is one of the ‘Musica’ class ships. A Poesia cruise could take you on the Caribbean, North American, Northern Europe and Atlantic routes. On it, you’ll find a waterfall in the foyer, a zen garden in the sushi bar, and a spa. There’s also a wine tasting bar, the more casual Mojito bar, a cinema by the pool, a teen’s club and dinosaur-themed children’s area.

MSC Melody cruises carry only 1000 people, but it’s styled with an eye toward turning ’small’ into ‘intimate’. It has a clear retractable dome over its pools and whirlpools, a gym and wellness center, jogging track, 2 restaurants, lounges and casino. Melody cruises will take you to South America or on one of the Atlantic runs.

The Sinfonia’s style reflects the passion of great symphonies. Sinfonia cruises only travel to South Africa; on the way, you can enjoy a Virtual Golf simulator – and mini golf, if you need putting practice – arcade, teen and children’s areas, a music hall and disco. Tennis, basketball and volleyball court, spa and gym are also available, as is the required casino.

The MSC Armonia cruises to South America and on some Atlantic routes. The Armonia is one of MSC Cruise Line’s oldest ships, now fully restored, Its 3,000 guests can enjoy 2 pools, a gym and wellness center, disco, theater, casino and mini golf, 2 restaurants and a pizzeria. A kids’ club and Virtual Reality Center are also available, as if this isn’t already virtual reality!

MSC Opera cruises set themselves apart with a true Italian flavor – they even offer lessons! In a ship designed to reflect the grand passion and emotion of great Italian operas, you can visit the espresso or ice cream bars for authentic Italian treats, or go to the internet cafe, health club, theater, gym and sauna instead. The Opera also offers a mini golf course and Virtual Reality Center.

Another thing that sets MSC cruises apart from other cruise travel companies is their assortment of Special Cruises. On these, the entertainment or activities (or both) are centered around one theme. ‘Big Band’, ‘Bridge’, ‘Hold Em’, ‘Dance’, ‘Latin Music’, ‘Circus’ and ‘Humor’ are among the many themes available. Which themes are available on which ships and at which times can all be found on their website.

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One of the best known cruise lines to sail the Nile is Presidential Nile Cruises, the first company to establish commercial cruise travel on the river. Founded in 1979, the line currently travels between Luxor and Aswan, or vice versa, stopping at various points in between. Depending on the trip you choose, you could see Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Quena and Denderah as well. All trips include ample opportunities for guided exploration of the sites your trip visits…

You can choose from 11 different trips, of 4 different lengths – 3 days/4 nights, 4 days/5 nights, 6 days/7 nights or 7 days/8 nights – on one of seven ships. All of them give you a 5-Star restaurant, nightly entertainment, massage service, sundeck with loungers and a pool.

You’ll find between 65 and 75 cabins on your ship, with 3 levels of accommodation; Standard Cabins, Superior Cabins and Suite Cabins. All of them are outward-facing with picture windows and offer air conditioning, satellite TV, mini-bar, ensuite bathroom and IDD telephone. With a Superior cabin, you can add a safe deposit box and remodeled ‘contemporary’ design to that list. And a Suite goes a few steps beyond that with a DVD player, walk in closet and expanded seating.

What sites can you see on a Presidential Nile Cruise?

On a 3 day and 4 night cruise, you’ll see the High Dam and Temple of Philae in Aswan, the shared Temple of Sobek and Haroeris in Kom Ombo, the Temple of Horus in Edfu, and the Necropolis of Thebes, Valley of The Kings, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and Colossi of Memnon in Luxor. Not necessarily in that order!

On a 4 day and 5 night trip, the Luxor visit is expanded to include the Temple of Karnak and Temple of Luxor. The Aswan visit will include the Elephantine Island via sailboat and the Agha Khan Mausoleum. A 6 day/7 night cruise hits those same spots, but at a more leisurely pace.

On a 7 day and 8 night tour, the Kom Ombo Temple is the added attraction on 2 of the available routes. On the 3rd, there’s also a side trip taking you to Quena and Denderah.

Presidential Nile Cruises promises that its 30 years in the business means your Nile cruise and excursions will be unsurpassed and unforgettable. And they’re probably right. But you’ll have to experience Nile cruise travel yourself to find out! You can learn more at their website.

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Cruise travel offers some of the best vacations you can take. During your cruise you will visit several different ports of call. Your cruise ship will dock at exotic islands or new countries almost on a daily basis. Check out the cruise reviews on line for cruise tips before you visit your destinations to find out what fantastic experience each port has to offer…

There are a wide variety of activities in each cruise destination. As part of your cruise travel experience, you will visit ports to shop, explore, hang out on the beach, sight-see or hike. Or you could just depart the ship to walk around for a change of pace. Although this is a great adventure, you should realize that you will only get a small sample of what each port of call has to offer. And be forewarned, as you step off your majestic cruise ship there will be hordes of locals trying to sell you a trinket or a tour around the city.

If you take the advice above and search the cruise reviews, you should have a pretty good idea what each destination has to offer. Choose the excursion that has the most encompassing tour of your port. In exotic ports they have full day tours, including lunch, that will take you to the highlights of the place you are visiting. This is an ideal way to sample the city or island getting ideas for what you may want to come back for at a later date.

On island tours, you may want to take an organized tour in the morning, go back to the ship for lunch, then light out on your own to explore more fully, shop or just go to the beach. If you are more adventuresome, skip the lunch on board and dine in the city. You get to experience the local cuisine and soak up the native culture. This is your vacation, so learn some new things! If you choose to do this, check with the cruise director for the best places to dine and make sure you know the exchange rate.

One good cruise travel tip is to put your meal on a charge card so you will be charged the exchange rate on the day the bill hits the credit card company. Another tip that is very useful is to use the brochure that the ship gives you for their organized tour and follow it on your own. Only do this if you are comfortable with the country you are visiting. If it is your first time overseas to a port of call, it is best to stick with the organized tour for safety and convenience. Other cruise tips can be found online about some of the wonderful things to see and do in various ports of call.

Be conscious of one thing – if you chose to explore on your own, you must know what time the ship leaves and how long it will take you to get back on board. If you are not on an organized tour (excursion) it is your responsibility to get back on time or the ship will leave without you. You then have to meet the ship at the next port of call at your own expense.

If you opt for an organized tour sponsored by the cruise ship, it could cost you anywhere from $20.00 to over $200.00 depending on what you choose to do. It could be just a simple bus ride around town for two hours or a two day trip from St. Petersburg, Russia to Moscow. The options are endless.

Most cruise ship lines will let you book excursions in advance on their websites. This is very convenient and helpful with the most popular tours that sell out quickly. The most inexpensive tours also tend to sell out because of some cruisers watching their budgets. So don’t miss out, check out the cruise line’s website to see if you can book your ticket in advance.

Something else you should be aware of is how much the guide will be with you and do they speak English clearly. Mostly the cruise ship lines have very competent tour guides, but better safe than sorry. Will you have any time on your like for shopping or stopping in a café?

It is also very important to find out how much physical activity is required before you sign on for any tour. If you have limited mobility you don’t want to go on a tour that climbs the Acropolis in Athens or Dunns River Falls in Jamaica. Find out if a snack or lunch is provided too, so if it isn’t you can bring along adequate funds to get your own.

There are private touring companies that you can contact on your own if you wish to tour in a more private fashion. Another alternative is to buddy up with some fellow cruisers and share taxi tours to cut your expense in half. Many times you will meet people on a cruise that have similar interests and you will spend a lot of time together on the cruise ship, why not touring also? It’s a way to save money and enjoy other passengers company.

Only hire licensed taxi drivers. Their credentials should be prominently displayed in the front of the cab. With a licensed driver you are ensured a safe trip and a guide who is knowledgeable about the islands or cities background, where to shop, eat or gamble. And of course they will know the best beaches available.

Negotiate the price of your tour up front. If you chose to go to a destination where you will be dropped off for a couple of hours, negotiate with the driver to come back and pick you up. Settle on a price and pay half up front and half on the way back. If the driver has been helpful and friendly, please tip him or her.

Some cruisers like to rent cars in their ports of call. It is recommended that you only do this in destinations that you are familiar with and have a good knowledge of where you are going. Be careful when renting a car. Be sure to check out the entire car for any damages that may already be there and note them on your rental contract. If you fail to do this you may be charged for damage that was already done.

Lastly, use common sense when touring. Don’t travel in dark tight alleys, carry your money under your clothes, don’t wear expensive jewelry and don’t let yourself be surrounded, especially by children. Always carry identification and the name of the cruise line’s agents in the port of call in case you get in trouble. You are on a cruise vacation, so  make the best of it. Get off the ship at all of your ports of call whether you are touring or are just poking around. Be sure to take lots of pictures so you will have years of beautiful cruise travel memories.

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.

http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/cruise-tips-for-cruise-travel-at-your-ports-of-call-61868.html

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