Travel Cruise Review

Jacqueline Michaels asked:


Many people are simply overwhelmed when it comes time to book the cruise vacation of their dreams. There are so many options, so many cruise lines, so many destinations, and so many considerations. The list just continues on and on until one feels like they will never be able to sort through the jumble to find the perfect vacation package. But you can book the cruise vacation that you’ve always dreamed of. And while you can use a travel agent to do it, you can do it just as easily on your own if you know how.

The first step to booking your cruise vacation is to research and gather all of the cruise information you can find. Doing a keyword search online is a great place to start. You can also visit your local travel agent for brochures and catalogues printed by Princess Cruise Lines and various other cruise lines. Compare prices, destinations, and overall service of each vacation package offered to get a basic idea of what type of package you would like to purchase.

Next you will need to choose your destination. Again, the internet is a great tool. Online you will find tourist information, pictures, and testimonials for all of the top cruise destinations in the world. Your local travel agent may also be able to give you some insight into which ports are most popular among which types of travelers. Another great source of information are friends and acquaintances that have traveled with a cruise line. They can give you a unique perspective and advice on which destinations to avoid and which ones to include in your itinerary.

Before you visit your travel agent or book online, you should have a good idea of how much money you can spend and how long of a cruise you would like to take. Keep in mind that the time of year that you book your cruise can have a huge impact on the price you will pay. This means that you may be able to book a longer cruise with more ports of call for the same price of a shorter cruise if you book during the off season.

Once you have gathered and researched all of the information, you can begin booking your cruise. You can do this through a respected and well-known travel agent of your choosing or you can book your cruise yourself online or directly through the cruise line itself. No matter which method you choose, you will have to make several decisions about your vacation at this point in the planning process. Here are just a few:

1. Choose your point of departure and the travel method that you will use to get there.

2. Decide on ports of call and any extra activities that you may wish to take advantage of.

3. Choose your stateroom. Keep in mind that staterooms vary in price, amenities, size, and services available.

4. Become familiar with cancellation policies and restrictions.

5. Find out if you will be required to put down a deposit and how much it will be. Some cruise lines will require you to pay the full amount due up front.

Travel Agent or Book Yourself?

While finding a cheap price used to be the motivation that kept people glued to their computer well into the night looking for the perfect deal on a cruise, the popularity of cruises has led to the equalization of cruise prices all across the board. This means that you will probably pay the same price for a cruise that you book yourself as you would for one that you book through a travel agency. So which method should you choose? Take a quick look at the following advantages of each before you make your decision.

Booking with a travel agent has many advantages over booking online, and since the cruise line pays the agent a commission for booking the trip with its line, there is virtually no cost to you when you use an agent. Here are just a few of the advantages of booking your vacation through an agent:

1. An agent is quite familiar with all of the cruise lines available and the packages that they offer. This helps them to quickly narrow in on a package of your choice without having to do a lot of unnecessary research.

2. Since agents are familiar with popular cruise lines but are not employed by them, they can give you unbiased advice concerning your vacation and which cruise line you should travel with.

3. Most travel agents are certified or licensed through the Cruise Line International Association and the Travel Institute.

4. A travel agent will look for reduced pricing for your trip even after it has been booked and rebook your sea voyage for you at a lower price if and when it becomes available.

5. In the unfortunate even that something goes awry during your trip, your travel agent will act as a mediatory between you and the offending cruise line.

Booking online also has many advantages. Although a rare occurrence, searching for last minute deals online can still yield results. But even if you can’t find a last minute cruise bargain, you may choose to book online for one of the following reasons:

1. Online cruise websites contain most of the information that is available to travel agents. This puts the control of your vacation directly into your hands. You may also be able to browse inside information that would not have come up during a normal meeting with your travel agent.

2. You can access online travel agencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This allows for a lot of convenience and flexibility, which is perfect for people who have a hard time keeping and making appointments.

3. When it comes to researching your vacation, there is no better place to do it than online. Here you will find numerous research tools as well as photos, diagrams, reviews, schedules, and videos just to name a few.

4. Using an online calendar, you can search for the most inexpensive package available through the cruise line of your choosing. Sometimes you can save a few hundred dollars by leaving a week earlier or later than your scheduled time frame.

5. Since your travel agent narrows in on certain lines, ships, and destinations according to your wants and needs, you may not be able to browse all of the options available. Booking online will allow you to do this and more.

As you can see, there are many advantages of each, so it may be hard to make a decision. If you’re finding this to be true, you may want to book your vacation through an agent and perform additional research online yourself. Whatever your decision, once you have looked at all the details, go for it!

Helen Hecker asked:


Going on a cruise was once an easy thing to arrange. All you had to do was go to your travel agent and look at a few brochures. But as the industry has grown it has become an overwhelming mix of itineraries, cruise packages, choices add-ons and prices. So how do you look through and search for all the available information to find the best cruise deal? The following tips will help you find the best cruise and save you money.

1. The busiest season has always been January through March. This is when the cruise industry books the most cruises. Cruise lines usually make about 38 percent of their yearly sales at this time. This is the best time to find many hot or last minute deals because they offer a lot of incentives.

2. Make sure to start well ahead of your vacation or holiday time if you can unless you want a last minute cruise deal. First of all you should call the cruise line you are most interested in and ask for the cruise line rep about any of their cruises and the staterooms. You can ask about handicapped-equipped staterooms then if this is a special need. You can always do this later after you do some research too.

Find out what specials they have running and make sure to tell them how old you are and what state you live in or if you’re traveling with a group of people or another couple or have cruised with their cruise line in the past. Does it include your airfare? Do you need a family deal? This is because your specific situation may entitle you for big discounts. Take whatever the quote given to you by the cruise line rep as your starting price point.

3. Next check out the Sunday newspaper ads in the travel section and look for cruise bargains. The bigger city newspapers and the newspapers located in or near cruise embarkation cities are great for finding good or cheap cruise deals. You can go to your local library to view the ads if they carry those news papers. Some daily newspapers even have there travel ads online.

4. Take a look at the cruise booking Web sites. There are cruise discount agencies that may have the cheapest cruise rates to be found anywhere, whether you want a luxury cruise or budget cruise. Huge travel Web sites such as Orbitz, Expedia and Travelocity usually have great deals too. You can also find last-minute cruise deals too. The cruise Web sites’ prices are usually fairly similar. And the travel sites are usually similar but somewhat higher. Make sure to ask about any additional, secret or hidden fees, such as cancellation penalties. These can cost between $40 and $85.

5. Make sure to check with your cruise travel agent. Some people prefer to work with a travel agent or are not savvy about researching online. Find out if they charge a consulting fee before you meet. Some fees are usually refundable if they book your cruise. When you get together with the travel agent, say exactly what you want and that you’re comparing prices. Your local travel agent can be very helpful if you have disabilities, health problems, special needs or need visas or other documents.

6. Think about placing a “cruise wanted” ad on Craigslist online. Be specific and detailed about what you want. Then sit back and wait for replies.

7. Once you have a number of cruise line or cruise package quotes compare them and try to negotiate a lower price, extra discounts or some onboard extras.

Note that if you’re getting the same quote from your travel agent that you’re getting from the cruise line then you need to continue shopping for the best quote - your travel agent isn’t saving you any money. The best cruise deal is out there that is just right for you and will save you money on your vacation too regardless if you’re going to Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii, the Bahamas, or Bermuda. You just need to do a little research and don’t take the first deal you see.

David H. Urmann asked:


Wilmington is a pleasant port city in the southeastern corner of North Carolina. It is a popular destination settled on the Cape Fear River and its historic downtown. The city offers great cruises for dinner or reception, sightseeing and charters.

Wilmington is a district of New Hanover County originally located on seven hills at the east side of Cape Fear River. It was built in 1739 and named in honor of Spencer Compton, a governor’s patron. Wilmington became the most beautiful city at the south because of its four season climate, historic old homes, boulevards and lake cruises. Below are the three popular cruises that offer fun and comfort.

Jubilee Snooze & Cruise

Jubilee Snooze & Cruise is located at Ann Street that offers Bed and Breakfast, dockside dining, boat and charter rentals, dinner cruises, receptions and weddings.

A wooden 45′ motor yacht called the Sea Star is great for a retreat, business meetings and wedding receptions. Yacht accommodations provide a master suite, two cabins and another head. The salon is furnished with mahogany panels with wing chairs, leather sofa and two tables. The room is fully air-conditioned with modern facilities like DVD player, flat screen TV and an internet access.

The yacht has a galley with complete basic appliances for cooking. A midship guest and forward state rooms are available for additional companions. However, charters include a bow, a perfect place to relax, sightseeing and star night gazing.

Amenities for a group of 6 include daily breakfast, meal options, two baths, a bar, refrigerator, TV and DVD in each salon or cabin and wireless air card for internet access.

You can choose from many packages offered, whether for an overnight stay or day cruise, for special occasions like wedding, or for a group cruise.

Cape Fear Riverboats Inc.

Cape Fear Riverboats, Inc is at the south water street in Wilmington. It was founded in 1987 by Captain Carl Marchburn. They currently operate HENRIETTA III and CAPTAIN J. N. MAFFITT boats.

Henrietta III Riverboat Cruise

Henrietta III is a trailblazer steamboats launched in the mid of September 1987 in Mississippi. It is the place for a day and evening of fun for occasions and functions.

Henrietta III is located at Water and Dock Street in Wilmington. It is available during special occasions like weddings, birthdays, reunions, outings and corporate functions. Henrietta III provides fine dining restaurants, sightseeing tours, travel cruise agents, reception location and boat, charters and yacht rentals. It also features a 1 ½ hour narrated cruises during daytime and a dinner riverboat.

The ship has three decks, dancing and dining facilities at the lower decks and atrium and open deck at the upper level. There are evening cruises that lasts for four hours. Shorter cruise are also available like the murder mystery cruise from May to December, Redneck Wedding Comedy Cruise every Thursday from may to October, Friday Dinner Dance Cruises every Friday from April through December, Saturday Dinner Dance Cruises, Sunset Dinner and Narrated Sightseeing Cruises every Tuesday to Saturday from April to October.

Wedding packages include private evening and daytime packages, private ceremony and reserved daytime cruises as well as private ceremonies and reserved evening cruises. Sightseeing cruises offers lunch cruises, school groups, Water Taxi to Battleship and MAFFITT Narrated SS cruises.

Private charters cruise all year round and public cruises go out on April to December. All its cruises board thirty minutes before departure. The Henrietta III is approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Captain J N Maffitt River Cruises

Captain J N Maffitt River Cruises is located at Dock Street. They offer services like river cruises and sightseeing tours. It was named for Captain John Newland Maffitt. He is one of the Confederacy’s blockade runners.

Maffiit offers a 45 minute sightseeing cruise along with historic narration of Cape Fear River. It sets daily at 11 am and 3 pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Off-season from May to Memorial Day is available. Furthermore, charters and battleship river taxis can be availed during summer.

River cruises and sightseeing is fun for all ages. Its well designed accommodations and receptions make people enjoy special occasions at its finest. Wilmington provides great cruises with rich historic experienced to locals and many tourists.

Jeremy Foster asked:


When you are using a travel agency to book your cruise, you already know that you are going to get the best deal and that you are going to have access to all sorts of different packages. However, in order to be sure that you have found the perfect cruise for you and your family, there are a few things that you should keep in mind as you work with the agency.

Discuss with your travel agent about the different cruise lines that they work with and what those cruise lines offer. Often, if you simply go to book a cruise with a travel agency, they will go to the cruise line that gives them the biggest commission. However, there are other cruise lines that they might work with, and it is important for you to know this. The reason is that different cruise lines, and different ships, have things to offer that are vastly different. For instance, some cruise lines have lots of programs for children, while some of them focus on adults and leave kids to fend for themselves. Some cruise lines have specific cruises for singles, widows, and other various groups of people. If you truly want the best cruising experience, something that you will want to consider will be looking at these different cruise lines and ships. Therefore, talk to your agent about the various lines they work with and the cruises that are available.

Another thing that you need to think about when you are booking a cruise through a travel agency is the location. Again, some travel agents get bigger commissions to go with specific locations, and so they will try to place you in cruises that might benefit them the most, rather than thinking about what you would really like – so make sure the agent understands your preferences. Ask about the other locations and destinations and see which types of deals those places might have for you. Your travel agent will have a good idea of which destinations are best if you are single, if you are going with your spouse, or if you are going with your children or extended family. Different destinations mean different things for travelers, and so you really want to think about this and research it before you book your cruise.

When you are booking a cruise with a travel agency, another thing that you want to think about is the time of the year you will be taking your cruise and what this means for pricing and destinations. Some destinations only offer cruises at specific times of the year, which means that those destinations are not going to be open all year round. Some cruise lines will follow the same route but stop at different islands or at different destinations, and each of the destinations that they might stop at will have different things for you, your spouse, or your kids. Therefore, in order to make sure that the cruising experience is the best that it can be for all of you, you will want to talk to your travel agent about the specific places you will be going with your cruise ship.

Another tip to follow when planning a cruise with your travel agent is to look at the on board entertainment as it pertains to you and your family. Each of the ships will have different entertainment, whether this is musical acts, comedians, magic shows, or other types of entertainment. Therefore, something that you want to keep in mind is that whether you are traveling alone, with your spouse, or with your children, the types of entertainment that you are seeing should mirror the things that you most enjoy. You do not necessarily want to attend a cruise with mostly family-friendly entertainment if you are a single person, and you do not want to take your children on a cruise that offers only gambling and other adult-themed entertainment. Ask your travel agent about the onboard entertainment, and you will be sure to choose a line and ship that is best for you.

When you are booking a cruise, you will probably have many questions, and you want to be sure that you can get the best deal. Therefore, you will always want to look at going through a travel agent. They can help you by answering your questions, and by making sure that you know the deal you are getting is going to be the best possible. Booking a cruise is something that you should be happy about and something that you should take pride in, so go ahead and make sure that the cruise you choose with your travel agency will lead to the memories of a lifetime for you and your family. You will be glad that you did.

Tom Tessin asked:


There are various reasons why you need a good travel agent to plan your cruise vacation. You will gain advantage for your cruise vacation by using the services of a travel agent. Other important reason is that, you get the best possible rates for your vacation. However, it is difficult to find a good agent dealing in cruise line traveling for planning your cruise line vacations.

Need for a good agent dealing in cruise vacations:

In today’s world, where every information about traveling or planning a vacation is available on the Internet, but there comes a time, when there is a necessity to find a good agent, who deals in cruise vacations. The three main reasons, why you need a good agent are as follows:

1. If you are a first timer or an inexperienced traveler

2. Have no time or idea to research the best cruise vacation deal

3. If you are going on a cruise vacation with a large group of people

Abilities of a Good Travel Agent:

It is a more complex procedure to book a cruise vacation than booking a plane ticket or reserving a room in a hotel. With any kind of vacation, you need to make many important decisions. To help you make these important decisions, you need to find an agent experienced in cruise traveling. You need to look for the following abilities in an experienced agent:

1. The travel agent needs to have the ability to answer all your quires regarding the cruise vacation, thorough knowledge about cruise liners along with the ability to find the best cruise vacation deal.

2. Able to help you by offering flexibility in various deals, if in case you are indecisive, he/she needs to offer information with the help of brochures of different cruise liners.

3. The agent also needs to provide certain needs in special cases such as medical conditions, on-board childcare or dietary restrictions.

4. Answer queries regarding cancellation and mode of payment.

Where to Find Good Agent Experienced in Traveling?

If you want a find a good travel agent, go to a local agent, who deals in travel plans. You may also ask friends, co-workers or relatives, who have gone on a cruise vacation. You may also check local newspapers or telephone directories to call them regarding any queries.

Benefits:

Good travel agents will always help you in resolving all your problems about cruise vacation, if you are a first timer. They also help you to negotiate with the cruise liner’s executive. They may also help you get a big discount on your vacation. These agents act as planners, advisors and negotiators on your behalf.

They provide you with details of different kinds of cruise liners and explain all their features and benefits. Just be careful, if any agent forces you to choose a particular cruise liner, or else you might end up paying huge commissions.

In short, they help you in planning a memorable vacation. Just go through various brochures and details before choosing a cruise liner. This may help you save a huge amount of money, which might come in handy during the vacation.

Dean Caporella asked:


It’s one thing to shop for a discount cruise but another knowing how to get the most out of your deal. Discount cruises are virtually available all the time and there are some outstanding bargains to be found.

In this article, we’ll give you some tips on how to look beyond what’s actually being advertised and how you can take advantage of some higher benefits.

Book Early Or Wait

There’s an old saying that goes something like this… “six of one, half a dozen of the other.” Basically you’ll be able to locate a discount cruise whether you book early or wait to the last minute. The crux of the matter here is what are your circumstances? Can you afford to wait to the last minute to book a cruise? Are you flexible enough with work committments to be able to take time off at short notice?

Choosing Your Discount Cruise Class Of Travel

Competition is fierce amongst cruise lines for your holiday business. The great thing about discount cruises is while you’ve secured a holiday at an excellent price, just reflect for a moment on what you get for the price you paid. When you compare it to most other holiday packages involving land or air, cruising comes out on top most of the time as the best value-for-money vacation.

When booking a stateroom and you are on a budget, naturally you’ll be looking at the cheapest alternatives first. Here are a few tips on getting the best stateroom for your budget.

- when you have your quote, always ask for the quotes on the next couple of state room categories. You’ll be surprised in many cases at how little difference there can be between the prices of different class staterooms.

- Initially, you may be looking at a stateroom without a view. The difference in price between a stateroom with or without a view may not be a lot. If it is within your scope to pay the extra amount then do it. Just having a view can make a big difference to your discount cruise enjoyment.

- Depending on availability, always choose a stateroom which is near amenities you are likely to frequent such as the restaurants and pool area. It can be a long walk back to your room when you retire for the night!

How To Locate Discount Cruise Deals

The online factor is a huge resource area in most facets of life and shopping for the best cruise deals is no different. There is some weight online these days with countless opportunities to book through online cruise agents.

Before you book though make sure the credentials of the company is listed and available. Also, make sure you can actually speak with a live customer service person rather than communicating through email. When you are happy you’ve found a helpful website, sign up for their newsletter if available as these are usually an excellent way to be kept right up to date with the latest cruise discounts being offered.

Chonticha Marijne asked:


To avoid any disappointment, you should book your cruise well in advance so that you get the package that you want. Although this approach works while booking airline tickets, it may not necessarily be the wisest thing to do when booking a cruise package. It certainly will not get you a discounted cruise.

This is because some cabins go unsold as the cruise date approaches, so the cruise line will create last minute discount packages to sell the remaining cabins rather than leave them unoccupied. You may actually be able to get these unsold cabins for a fraction of their regular price! However, the cruise lines may not promote these discounts in magazines and on television in order to protect the interests of their travel agents as well as their full-fare business. The easiest way to make sure that you’re informed of the cruise line’s promotions is to subscribe to their website’s newsletters.

You should also check with your travel agent which discount cruises are available. Don’t be surprised if you can actually choose from a number of discount cruises from a cruise line of your choice! These cheap cruises do not compromise on quality and you can rest assured that you will still get the best of everything. Your discount can range from 10% to 75% — it all depends on the time you book and the availability of the cabins.

Discount cruises are available from leading cruise lines such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Holland America, Princess, Norwegian, Costa, and Disney. Sometimes it’s better to buy from your cruise agent instead of buying directly from the cruise line as your agent buys in bulk and can help you get your package at the best rate.

Booking at the right time can get you a five-night Caribbean cruise for as low as $260. You may even save as much as 81% by booking at the last minute, provided you find the right cruise agent.

You can also save on your luxury cruise if you approach a traditional travel agent as they can get you a good group deal. If enough people come to them, they can book the cruise packages at the same time and so you can get a discount for bulk booking. However, you have to decide whether you are willing to travel as a group as you may also have to do many activities together. Although you save money, you may have to compromise somewhat in the freedom department.

With some patience and research, you should be able to find a great cruise deal with all the trimmings of a full-fare cruise, but one that will leave you with some extra cash in your wallet. It will make your cruise holiday that much more enjoyable!

Anne Campbell asked:


Copyright (c) 2008 Anne Campbell

A wealthy friend decided to take a one-month vacation with Seabourn Cruises and knew the ship, itinerary, departure date and stateroom she wanted. She decided to conduct an experiment in cruise bargain hunting by calling three travel agents and, after relaying the specifics of her desired voyage, advised each agent that whoever gave her the best price would get her business. She saved thousands of dollars.

The travel agent who won her business did it by rebating. If there is one dirty word in the cruise industry it’s rebating, which means an agent kicks back part of his or her commission (generally 15% of the cruise fare) to pass along a lower fare.

After 15 years of writing about the cruise industry I still don’t see why rebating is bad - don’t real estate agents and car salesmen do the same thing? Isn’t this just basic competition? Still, several cruise lines won’t let any travel agent rebate cruise fares, including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Sea Cruises and, to a large part, Norwegian Cruise Line.

The remaining cruise lines do allow rebating, but won’t permit travel agents to advertise or promote a lower price to the public. You have to ask.

This means that if your sights are set on a Princess, Holland America, Cunard, Oceania, Carnival and Seabourn cruise, it’s worth your time to ask travel agents if he/she can come up with a lower price than the one you’re first quoted.

Of course your chances are better in some cruising regions. Right now, sales of Caribbean, Mexico and South America are soft. Hence, here you stand a better chance of getting a lower price than on Alaska and Greek Island cruises, which are selling much better this year.

It’s all about supply and demand. And timing. For example, traditionally suites and balcony cabins sell out first. But now that a bad economy is upon us and there’s overcapacity in the Caribbean and Mexico you still may get a better deal on the highest-priced categories. So ask. The only thing a travel agent can say is “sorry, this is the price.”

WHEN NOT TO SHOP AROUND: When you have a wonderful travel agent you trust implicitly, who has steered you towards good deals in the past. To save $100 or so isn’t worth it.

One caveat. Travel agents can only rebate the price of a cruise. There are fixed costs, like port charges, taxes, fuel surcharges and airfare that are never negotiable.

Sarah W asked:


Cruising is a wonderful and relaxed way to see several countries while enjoying the sun. Today, cruise trips are extremely popular due to their low cost and luxury travel experience.

However, like all travelling, there are a few things you need to be aware of before you start to plan your cruise ship vacation.

Here are some cruise tips to help guide you on your journey.



All inclusive cruises are not available

Most all cruise lines do not offer an all inclusive cruise package. Alcohols, soft drinks and even water all needs to be paid for when on cruise ships. The only things included are the cruise itself, your cabin and generally at least 1-2 meals a day.



Shop around and consult different cruise travel agents

Cruise travel agents are like travel agents, but are experts in cruising. Be prepared to tell the cruise agent exactly what you are looking for. You could visit 5 different agencies and receive 5 different quotes for the same cruise. In addition, look for deals in off weeks. A fare may be $2000 one week and $800 the following week.



Be aware of added charges

If you are planning to cruise alone and don’t want to share your cabin, you can anticipate a single’s supplement charge of 10% to 100% of a per person’s rate (depending on cruise line). In addition, a lot of cruises require you to pay extra for any cruise shore excursions, or any special activities that are offered on board. Be prepared to spend an additional 30% of the cost to take part in any of these activities.



Knowing when the best time to cruise is

Cruising is usually a little cheaper during the spring or fall. Weather can be uncertain, especially in the fall given many Caribbean destinations could have hurricane seasons during this time. This is something to watch out for. The dry season for Caribbean cruises is during the summer where as the rainy season is during the winter. Other cruise lines have short cruising seasons, such as Alaska cruises which normally run from May to September.



Have fun!

One of the most important tips that I can give to you on your cruise ship vacation is to have a great time. Relax! After all it’s your vacation and you deserve to make the most out of it. There are many things for you to do, fancy dinners and dressing up, meeting new friends, visiting exotic locations, being on deck in the sun, doing cruise shore excursions, and much more! It’s important to have fun, so when you come back you feel better about yourself and that you got the most out of your time and money.



Remember, cruising is an absolutely exceptional way to spend your vacation. They are very relaxing and a very enjoyable way to spend some time away. However, like all vacations, you need to know what is required before purchasing your dream cruise ship vacation. Keep this in mind and I have no doubt your cruise trip will be a complete success!

Mary Hanna asked:


A family cruise vacation is a great way to get away and spend time with your children. Almost of the cruise lines offer packages that cater to families. Surf the web for the right family cruise vacation that will cater to all of your needs. Better yet, talk to a cruise travel agent. Make sure they are a member of CLIA (the industries organization) and have taken many cruise vacations on several cruise lines. The cruise travel agent will be able to steer you to the cruise lines that have children’s programs that are age specific, have trained youth counselors and will fulfill your desires on your family cruise vacation.

The great thing about these programs on the cruise lines is that your children will be with qualified people all day, doing all kinds of activities and you are free to do your own thing with no worries.

A family cruise vacation takes you to many destinations without the rigors of packing and unpacking. A cruise vacation will also alleviate the stress of airport security. You might have to fly to your port of embarkation but after that there will be no more checking in and long security lines.

The cruise ship will take you to many ports where you get off the ship and enjoy your day on shore. Before you leave on your family cruise vacation research the ports you will be visiting. Plan what you want to do in each port ahead of time. Since it is a family cruise vacation, discuss this with all your family members. You can find out what the cruise lines offer in the way of tours on their website. In many cases the cruise lines let you book tours online or by fax.

Here are some guidelines to help you choose the perfect family cruise vacation.

First find out if they allow kids in your children’s age group. Cruise lines may limit the amount of children in certain age groups. This applies especially at times like Easter or spring break

Do some digging to find out what kind of children’s facility the cruise line has. You will want to check what the activities will be, are there play areas, and baby sitting available. Find out the rules for placing your children in the child care center. Most times you must sign your child into the play areas and the kids will not be allowed to leave until you sign them out.

It is important to know the ratio of counselors to children. You want to know that there are adequate supervisors for your kids. Know the qualifications of the care giver. For instance, on the Queen Mary II they have licensed nannies.

If you will need a cot or crib find out if they are available and if there is a fee. Sometimes these need to be reserved in advance of the family cruise vacation. The size of the cabin should be noted. If the cabin is too small, you will be cramped. If you are not taking toddlers it is best to book cabins across from each other. You and your spouse take the outside cabin and give the one across the hall from it to your children. This not only affords you privacy but the kids will feel “grown up” with their own cabin.

Check to see if they have a kids menu. A lot of kids don’t eat a variety of foods. If they are particularly picky it is nice to know that the cruise lines offer food for kids, like hamburgers and hot dogs. Almost all cruise lines offer hamburgers and hot dogs at lunch around the pool but what about dinner? Find out in advance of your family cruise vacation so you know everyone will be happy.

If anyone in your family has special needs make sure your cruise travel agent asks the ship if they will provide for them. There may be two or three formal nights. If you do not feel comfortable participating in them with little children, find out what kind of alternative dining the cruise line offers. Many ships have alterative dining rooms for just this purpose. Some of the cruise lines have kid’s dinners where only the children and the caregivers can attend. If this coincides with a formal night it would be nice to know.

Some of the children’s activity that are offered on cruise lines are scavenger hunts, pizza parties, disco parties for teens, arts and crafts and pool parties. The cruise line will bend over backwards to keep your children entertained. They want you to come back.

So call your cruise travel agent and start planning the perfect family cruise vacation. It will be one vacation that you and your kids won’t forget.

Happy Cruising!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

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