Cruise Ships: A Romantic Getaway for Couples

With large workloads, hectic schedules, and children, many couples need a break from their daily routines.  This break often comes in the form of a romantic getaway.  If you and your partner are searching your next romantic adventure, you may want to examine the possibility of taking a cruise.

When it comes to romantic getaways, there are many who don’t even consider a cruise ship as an option.  However, there are others who literally live for cruises. These couples are likely to take two or more cruises each year.  Whether you’ve been on a cruise ship before or not, it is possible for you and your partner to have a romantic cruise ship getaway.

Before booking a cruise ship getaway, you are encouraged to consider a number of factors.  These factors are important when planning a romantic getaway aboard a cruise ship. There are a number of different cruises ships and cruises lines.  You may be unable to enjoy a romantic vacation if you are on a cruise ship that is overrun with children.

If you are interested in having an intimate, relaxing, and romantic cruise, you are encouraged to search for a cruise ship that has an age limit for its passengers. These cruise ships often restrict children from coming aboard.  Many times, cruise ships with a passenger age limit target their voyages specifically to couples looking for romance.

While it is possible to find a cruise ship with an age limit for their passengers, you may find it a bit difficult.  If you are unable to find one, inquire as to where couples with children will be placed.  A number of popular cruise ships work to keep families and individual couples separated.  If this policy is in place, a cruise line is likely to state the policy on their website.  The same information can be obtained by directly contacting a cruise ship representative.

The size of the cruise ship you are interested in vacationing on is also likely to determine the level of intimacy onboard.  If it is intimacy that you want, a smaller cruise ship may be your best bet.  Larger cruises ships have more passages and more passengers often make it difficult to have onboard, private moments.  A number of romantic cruise lines target their smaller cruise ships to couples looking to vacation alone.

In addition to the size of the ship, the ships style and décor may determine whether or not you can experience romance onboard.  As previously mentioned, there are a number of cruise lines that target couples looking to vacation alone.  Part of that targeting may include creating a romantic environment.  On romance themed cruise ships, you may find romantic cabins, room service, and other similar services.

Vacationing aboard a cruise ship is a great way for you and your partner to spend quality time together.  When selecting a cruise ship to vacation on, the intimacy off the ship is just as important as on the ship.  Almost all extended cruise ships dock in a port.  These ports are often located in another country, but not always.  To make the most out of your vacation destination, you will want to consider a cruise line that offers stops in romantic ports.  These ports may include, but are not limited to the Bahamas, Hawaii, or the Caribbean.

The Bahamas, Hawaii, and the Caribbean all have a number of cruise ship ports.  Additional ports can be found in the Untied States and overseas.  What many passengers enjoy about these particular ports is their climate.  The climate and the overall weather could have an impact on the romance aboard your ship.  Tropical weather tends to add to the romance in the air.

Cruises ships are often viewed as large, oversized vessels.  In addition to traditional cruise ships, it is possible for you to take a local cruise.  If you are looking for a romantic getaway, but you fear the cost of an expensive cruise, you are encouraged to look into local cruises offered near your home.  These cruises often involve dinner, dancing, and sometimes an overnight stay.  They most often occur on a large river or a lake.

Now that you know what to look for when booking reservations for a romantic getaway aboard a cruise ship, you can start making preparations.  With a small amount of time and research, you could be sailing the seas in luxury, with the one that you love.

Cruise Ships: Activities for Seniors

Increasing in age does not mean what it used to mean in the past. In many cases, the popular stereotype of senior citizens relaxing in a nursing home is thrown right out the window.  As medical developments have helped to increase life expectancy, more and more senior citizens are making the decision to get out and enjoy life.

If you are a senior citizen, you are likely to know that there are a number of fun and exciting activities that await you.  One of those activities includes travel.  Each year, a large number of senior citizens are take a vacation getaway.  These getaways may include guided tours, traveling with friends, or vacationing solo.  If you are looking for extra excitement, you may want to consider vacationing aboard a cruise ship.

All around the world, there are a large number of cruise lines.  These cruises lines often operate multiple ships.  With a large number of cruise ships, you are sure to find a number of cruise ships that will fit your needs.  When selecting a cruise ship, you are encouraged to examine the services, facilities, and activities that can be found onboard.  Many of theses activates are geared to senior citizens.

One of the many activities for seniors, found on most cruise ships, includes fine dining.  Fine dinning halls and restaurants are often elegant in design, décor, and food. Many of the fine dining restaurants found on cruise ships have a dress code. This dress code may not require elegant evening wear, but jeans and t-shirts may not be allowed.  If you enjoy dining with touch of class, you many enjoy the elegant dinning restaurants found on most cruise ships.

While gambling and drinking alcohol are often viewed as activities appreciated by the young, they are both popular senior activities. Many cruise ships are able to note the difference between partying and social drinking. That is why a large number of cruise ships have multiple bars and restaurants.  On many cruises ships, you may find an upscale cocktail party. These parties will enable you to socialize with other guests and cruise ship employees.

When it comes to gambling, you may or may not enjoy playing traditional casino games.  Cruise ship casinos are often filled with roulette tables, blackjack tables, poker tables, and slot machines.  You may find a number of these gaming activities exciting.  In addition to traditional casino gambling, a large number of cruise ships are targeting bingo lovers. Bingo halls and other similar gaming halls are increasing in popularity aboard cruise ships.

Dancing is another cruise ship activity that may offer you and other seniors some enjoyment.  Almost all cruises come equipped with a dance hall.  In fact, many cruise ships have multiple dancing facilities. You may be able to receive dance lessons with a trained professional or spend the night dancing away with your friends and family. Themed dances are exciting.  On extended cruises, you may find that the crew designates a specific type of dancing for the night.

A spa visit may put the finishing touches on your cruise ship vacation.  Almost all cruise ships come equipped with a spa. Cruise spas are similar to the day spas that can be found in or around your hometown.  At an onboard spa, you could get a haircut, have your hair styled for an elegant event, or get a massage.  Spa visits are enjoyed by individuals of all ages. If you book a cruise and you are interested in visiting the cruise’s spa, you are encouraged to make a reservation ahead of time. Your reservation will ensure that you are able to enjoy this popular cruise ship activity.

Cruise ship activities, services, and facilities are important, but so are the destinations you will be visiting.  Depending on the length of the cruise, most cruise ships stop at numerous ports along the way.  At these ports, you are usually granted time away from the ship.  Selecting a cruise ship with beautiful, relaxing weather is a great way for you to enjoy your trip.  If the right cruise ship is selected, you could spend your time away from the ship walking along the beach or visiting with local residents.

Cruise ships are one of the safest places to vacation in the entire world.  Whether you vacationing alone or with someone you know, you are sure to have a fun and memorable experience aboard the cruise ship of your choice.

Cruise Ships: Preparing For Your Voyage

When it comes to vacationing aboard a cruise ship, many individuals consider preparation to be the luggage that they plan to bring with them.  Packing for your cruise ship vacation is important; however, it is not the only preparation that should occur.  Preparation shouldn’t wait until the week before your trip.  Rather, it should begin as soon as you book your cruise ship reservation.

The type of cruise that you will be taking is vital to preparation.  A large number of cruise ships travel on international waters.  In addition to being on international waters, many dock at international ports.  Before begin able to board your ship, you may have to show proper identification. With international cruises, this identification often includes a drivers licenses and a passport.

Unfortunately, when it comes to obtaining a passport, there are many individuals who wait until the last minute.  Last minute passports can be obtained in the event of an emergency, but most require at least a week or more to process.  You will not be automatically granted a passport; instead you are required to apply for one.  Almost all individuals that apply for a passport are granted one, but planning ahead is the best option. If error is made on the information you supplied, you will have enough time to fix it before your cruise ship departs.

The proper identification is needed to board a cruise ship.  Your passport and your driver’s license are not the only forms of documentation that you should bring onboard.  If you are covered under a health insurance plan, you are encouraged to bring your health insurance cards.  In the event you fall ill while on vacation, your insurance cards will allow you to obtain the needed medical attention.

In addition to your medical insurance cards, it is advised that you bring along all of your needed medications. You may even want to consider brining along extra medication. Many physicians will write extra prescriptions for their patients that are traveling on a cruise ship.  Should your medication become lost or misplaced, the extra prescriptions can be used until you return home.  While requesting extra medication from your healthcare provider, you may want to question them on safety precautions aboard a cruise ship.

To pay for onboard and port activities, you will need to bring along extra money.  Vacationing aboard a cruise ship is similar to vacationing anywhere else in the world.  You are encouraged not to carry large sums of cash with you.  If you must bring cash along, you are encouraged to divide your money up and place it in safe locations.  Almost all cruise ships and popular cruise ship ports accept credit cards, cashiers checks, money orders, or traveler’s checks.  These forms of payments are great alternatives to carrying cash.

When traveling aboard a cruise ship, you are urged to give a copy of the cruise ship’s itinerary to multiple friends and family members.  This will make it possible for you to be contacted in the event of an emergency.  When registering for a cruise ship, you may also be required to give the contact information of someone that should be contacted in an emergency.  Your first thought may be to give the contact information of your spouse, children, or a close friend.  When doing so, it is important to make sure that they will be on land and accessible.

Once you have made the above mentioned preparations, you can begin focusing on other preparations, such as packing your luggage.  When packing, you are urged to keep the climate of your cruise in mind.  At the same time, you should be prepared for unexpected weather. Making the proper cruise ship preparations will ensure that your vacation will be a success.

Cruise Ship Gambling: Everything You Need and Want to Know

Gambling is a popular pastime of many American citizens.  Despite the popularity of gambling, it is illegal in many areas of the Untied States.  Currently, casinos are only allowed on Indian reservations, in Las Vegas, and in Atlantic City.  What does this mean for those that love to gamble?  It often means long trips and large amounts of money spent.  That is unless you want to incorporate gambling into your vacation.

Aside from the casinos offered on land, cruise ship casinos are some of the most popular casinos in the Untied States.  If you are interested in gambling on a cruise ship, you can also enjoy a vacation at the same time. That is if you intend on booking an extended cruise.  Extended cruises are cruises that tend to last more than three days.  In addition to extended cruises, it is possible to visit stationary casino cruise ships along the coast.

When it comes to cruise ship gambling, there are many passengers who are concerned with the legal aspect of gambling.  It is true that gambling is illegal in most of the United States, but different rules apply when you are on international waters.  As soon as your cruise ship leaves the port, the casino is likely to open.  To stay on the safe side, a number of cruise ships wait until they are a few miles away from the coast.

Gambling aboard a cruise ship casino is similar to gambling on land. Traditional casino rules should apply.  If a cruise ship’s gambling rules differ, you will likely see signs or rules posted somewhere within the casino.  If you are ever in doubt it is advised that you speak to a casino employee or a cruise ship representative.

In addition to seeking guidance or clarification from cruise ship employees, it is also likely that they may teach you how to play a particular game.  Similar to dance lessons, you could easily learn how to play a number of popular casino games with the assistance of an experienced gambler.  Many of these onboard casino game lessons are free; however, not all are. On some cruise ships, you may be required to pay a small fee to participate in a gambling lesson.

The casino games offered aboard a cruise ship are likely to vary. Many popular games include blackjack, roulette, poker, and slot machines.  The casinos games found onboard a cruise will all depend on the cruise ship in question. Certain casino games may be available on one ship, but not on another.  If you are interested in playing a particular casino game, you may want to check to see if that game is available before booking your cruise ship reservation.

As previously mentioned, cruise ship casinos are most often found on extended cruises. These are classified as cruises that stay over the water for a period of time. These cruises also travel from one destination to another.  Extended cruise ships often have a large number of activities, aside from gambling.  Cruise ship reservations and cabin rentals are often compared to the hotel rooms found at most casino resorts. When compared, an extend cruise is often the better value.

Despite their popularity, not everyone is able to take an extended cruise.  If you still want to experience gambling aboard a cruise ship, but you don’t want to stay overnight, you can visit a coastal casino or a river casino.  Along the Untied States coast and a number of popular river banks, casinos are legal. These casinos were often legalized by local governments.  Stationary cruise casinos are similar to legalized land casinos. The only difference between the two is that they are located on the water.

To gamble aboard a casino, whether it is a vacation cruise, a river casino, or a costal casino, you will have to make plans. River casinos and costal casinos do not require reservations, but vacation cruises do.  If you are interested in spending your vacation at a cruise ship’s casino, you must first make a reservation.  Once you have made those reservations, you can make plans to enjoy gambling on your vacation until you wish to gamble no longer.

Cruise Ship Activities Geared Towards Teenagers

When it comes to taking a family vacation, it is often hard to find a vacation destination that targets the whole family.  This becomes even more difficult when teenagers are involved.  If you and your family are interested in having a relaxing, yet exciting vacation, you are encouraged to consider vacationing aboard a cruise ship.

Cruise ships are not what they were in the past.  They have evolved in something spectacular.  Aboard a cruise ship, you are granted access to a number of services, facilities, and activities.  If you are the parent of a teenager, you may be wondering what cruise ship activities will peak their internet.  The activities found aboard a cruise ship will all depend on the cruise line and ship in question. Despite the fact that cruise ship activities vary, there are number of common activities that are targeted towards teenagers.

Children of all ages, especially teenagers, enjoy swimming and relaxing by the side of a pool.  All vacation cruise ships come equipped with a pool.  These onboard pools are ideal for teenagers.  With a lifeguard on duty, you can feel comfortable allowing your teenager to swim unattended while you enjoy other onboard activities.  Most cruise ships have a standard adult size swimming pool, but additional pool styles may be available.  A limited number of cruise ships have onboard lap pools or wave pools.

Arcade rooms can also be found aboard many cruise ships.  Many arcade rooms are targeted towards younger children, but not all are.  On a number of cruise ships, you may be able to find numerous arcade games that have a focus on teenagers. These games may include, but are not limited to fighting games, air hockey, and other interactive sports games.  Most games found inside a cruise ship arcade require coins or tokens.  If you plan on leaving your teenager unattended, be sure that they have enough money to play the games of their choice.

In addition to a swimming pool and an arcade room, most popular cruise lines have an onboard movie theater.  At any given point throughout the day, a popular movie could be playing.  Most of the movies shown onboard a cruise ship are designed for adults and teenagers.  If you do not have a restriction on the types of movies that
your teenager can watch, they can have fun watching a movie in state-of-the-art movie theatres.  

Arcade rooms, movie theatres, and swimming pools are facilities found on most cruise lines. Additional teen activities may be found aboard particular ships.  These activities may include surfing, rock climbing, or ice skating.  To determine whether these additional activities can be found aboard a cruise ship, you are encouraged to examine the cruise ship’s layout.  All facilities and onboard activities should be explained in a diagram or in a printed explanation.

One of the few cruise lines that currently offers onboard ice skating is Royal Caribbean International.  Royal Caribbean’s ship, Adventure of the Seas, has one of the most well-known onboard ice skating rinks.  In addition to enjoying open skating, ice skating shows are offered on a regular basis. These shows can come in the form of a competition or an ice capades show that is geared towards the whole family.

The popularity of rock climbing walls has increased overtime.  Onboard rock climbing walls are fun for teenagers. Similar activities are often explored in high school gym classes. For a small fee, your teenager could spend the day climbing high in the air.  In addition to the excitement of climbing itself, extra excitement and thrills are added when you realize exactly how high you are above the sea.

A recent development in cruise ship activities has caused excitement among many teenager travelers.  This activity is known as onboard surfing.  Royal Caribbean recently developed the “Flowrider,” aboard their cruise ship, Freedom of the Seas. The “Flowrider,” simulates surfing waves in a safe and fun environment.  This onboard activity is something that many teenagers would enjoy doing, time and time again.

The foresaid activities are just a few of the many that target teenagers.  If you want to take a cruise, but are worried that your child will be bored, do not worry.  It is easy to see that most cruise ships have a large number of fun and exciting activities that are geared towards teenagers, just like your own.