CHEAPCRUISEDIRECT.COM

Going on cruises is one of the most popular ways to spend a vacation. Cruises are offered by cruise lines. It is important that you know what makes a good cruise line since this will help you in your choice. A good cruise line is the one that visits as many ports as possible. The essence of going on a cruise is to see different parts of the world and so you should go for a cruise line that will take you to exotic locales. Some of the most stunning locations in the world include the rugged beauty of Alaska and Canada, scenic Europe, the luxuriant landscapes of the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Panama Canal, and the East African shorelines.

A good cruise line is one that offers good activities while visiting the different locations. Some of the most popular activities with cruisers are going on safari, shore excursions, rock climbing, ice skating, swimming, and mini golfing. The cruise line should also offer entertainment while on the ship. This could be through Vegas-style productions, movies, live music, and participation games. Good cruise lines also offer such services as spas, casinos, and restaurants.

The cruise ships should offer the type of service you are looking for. As an example, if you are going on a cruise with your family, you need a cruise line that offers family-friendly services. One of the best option for family vacations is carnival cruises on dedicated carnival cruise lines. Carnival cruise lines have such family-friendly activities as age-precise video games, group painting and storytelling, pizza production, treasure hunting, and teen dance club.

The cruise line should offer exceptional service so that you feel like a queen/king. The food should be similar to what you expect from a hotel, as should the accommodation. Go for cruises with cruise lines that have adequately sized ships that are in a good condition. You should therefore, check on the safety record of the cruise line. The cruise line for your cruises should offer insurance for you and your luggage.

A good cruise line is one that is accredited by the relevant government and industry regulatory bodies. This is one of the most effective ways of determining credibility and reliability. Other ways of checking credibility and reliability are checking with consumer protection agencies (such as the Better Business Bureau or BBB in the U.S.) and by reading independent reviews and customer testimonials. To get cheap cruises, compare as many options as possible. You should however, not sacrifice too much in the name of getting cheap cruises.

Distinctive entertainment choices for unique age group are storytelling and painting, age-precise video games, treasure hunting, loved ones video games, pizza producing social gathering, sports video games scavenger hunt, crew building conflicts, teen dance club, motion pictures, teen dinner, and so on.

Norwegian Cruise Lines Casinos at ship

We live in the Houston area and go on a cruise from Galveston one or two times per year. This year my wife and I selected a five day cruise with Carnival Ecstasy on April 16, 2011 because it fit our schedule, and the cost was very reasonable. An ocean view room for 2 was a little less than a thousand dollars, including taxes and prepaid tips.

Embarkation included five lines. A 2 minute line at the door to check for a ticket. Then a 5 minute line to check the ticket and ID, then 5 minutes to get through the metal detector, then 30 minutes to get signed in, then a 2 minute line for a picture. These lines are typical of other cruises we have been on from Galveston. However there was then another 50 minute line! This was to wait for an elevator to board on the 3rd deck. I am getting up in age and that line hurt my back. There is no reasonable excuse for waiting in line for almost an hour for an elevator ride. Carnival should fire the captain for that extra unnecessary line.

The Ecstasy was built in 1991 and the major cruise lines usually retire a ship after about 15 years. However the Ecstasy had a major refit in 2009 and is in quite good shape for its age. It is certainly not a state of the art or top of the line ship. We knew it was an older ship and found the overall condition better that expected for an old ship.

 There was the usual muster station safety drill. First you meet in a lounge for a safety talk. Then you walk up four flights of stairs (elevators off for the drill). Many older people struggled up the stairs. I am sure the cruise lines are required to do these drills. But cruise ships are not going to sink, and if one did the passengers are not going to remember all the directions. It is supposed to be a vacation so the cruise lines should lighten up on this.

Our room was smaller than other ships we sailed on. The carpet looked relatively new and the bed was comfortable. Storage space is adequate. The bathroom had a good size shower for a ship, and the water pressure is great. The AC system worked good and there is a flat screen TV. The window was hazy and had a lot of scratches and paint stains. The windows should have been replaced with the refit, especially since you pay an extra $40 per day for the view. I wish the room had a mini refrigerator.

We ate mostly at the buffet restaurant and that was disappointing. Breakfast was ok but there is not much of a selection for lunch and dinner. There are other dining choices such as a pizza/sandwich place, the pool burger/hotdog service, and the main "sit down" dinning room. So you should be able to find something to eat.

The entertainment was not as good as other Galveston cruises we have been on. This is probably mostly because it is a smaller ship, so the staff would be expected to be smaller.

 The spa has been remodeled and is very nice. There is a good selection of exercise equipment. For some reason there is not a whirlpool in the spa area.

The casino was large for a ship, but the slots are kind of tight. The usual table games are available.

Internet service is available for about.40 per minute. The speed is quite slow but similar to what other ships offer. Ecstasy had all of the stations working, compared to the last Royal Caribbean cruise we were on that had about 50% of the internet stations out of order.

The ports were Progresso and Cozumel. If you want a low cost excursion in Cozumel you can simply take a cab to one of the nearby beaches ($15 per cab each way, share with another couple if you wish). We went to Sanchos, where the admission and beach chairs are free.

If you want to cruise on a state of the art, top of the line ship, this ship is not for you. However if you are not real fussy and want a great value, the Carnival Ecstasy could be a good choice.

Credit : Glen Lamp : Articlebase.com

The time cruises were only for older people or the rich are long gone. I  made several cruises in the Caribbean. Cruises are fun, relaxing and there are lots of things you can do or see!

And no, you won't get bored on these ships, there is always something to do or see on the ship itself if you have a 'fun' day at sea. You'll want more days on the ship, so you can just enjoy the facilities they offer on these ships.

The biggest advantage of a cruise: you unpack once and you go places all week, without having to pack your suitcase every five minutes! While you're having fun at night or sleeping, you will be taken to your next destination. For example on a cruise in the Caribbean, like I did, you visit 3 or 4 islands in just ONE week!

So, this is the perfect vacation if you don't have a lot of vacation days left and want to make the most out of it.

You can make it a relaxing vacation and read a book by the pool, or visit the beautiful beaches at one of the islands you dock. OR you can have an active vacation : swimming, snorkelling, horseback riding, biking... what ever you want, they usually have it! You can experience culture sights or do a mix of all of the above!

It's a great way of travelling. And if you have a look at the price, which includes a good hotel, wonderful food, the entertainment and the places you can visit on your way, a cruise is not that expensive!

 Isabelle   

(Articlebase.com)