When you are browsing through the websites or the brochures for cruise ship travel, you will see that there is always an area that features the layout of the vessel, which outlines the various decks where the passenger cabins are located. Along with the diagrams of the interiors floor plans of the ship, there are usually listings of the different categories of cabins. On very large ships there can be as many as 20 cabin categories, which often makes it very confusing, especially for first-time cruise travelers.

More often than not, the discount cruise travel deals are offered on a select class of cabins on cruise ships. And, it should be no surprise that these will be the least desirable cabins, with regard to size and comfort. Often, there is nearby machinery that can keep you awake at night. But, if you have never cruised before, then you might not be aware of these kinds of situations.

On most ships, the cheapest cabins, and the ones that are sometimes offered as “hot deals” by some of the discount travel websites, are tiny and barely larger than some people’s walk-in closets. These cabins are also generally on the lower levels of the ship and may even be below the waterline, so obviously without portholes. While many people who are more interested in the activities outside their cabin may not be dissuaded by a tiny, windowless cabin, they do need to know about the noise. The lower levels of a ship are very close to the engines and often the roar of the engines can make it very difficult to get any sleep.

However, on the newer ships that are being built today, that is less of a problem, as they are being designed better to avoid this problem. In fact, the new trend that many of the cruise lines are following with the newer ships is laying out the cabins in such a way that all the passengers at least have a port hole. There are even some ships in service now that boast balconies for all cabins, no matter what classification.

This is a great trend for cruise passengers because it helps to assure that any cabin, in any classification, will be comfortable and enjoyable. Having the ability to be in the privacy of your cabin, while relaxing with a cup of coffee or glass of wine on your own verandah, will help to make the cruising experience personal, comfortable and luxurious.

For people who are taking a two-night or three-night cruise and plan to be doing a lot of partying, then grabbing the hot deals on a tiny cabin can be a good choice, if it means making the trip affordable. But if you will be spending a week or more on any one of the many cruise ships, then it is a good idea to be sure you have enough cabin space to be able to stretch out and enjoy your accommodations.

By Travel Editor

The major cruise lines visit about 1,800 different ports that span the globe, and not all of these ports will be places that you’ll be interested in visiting. Because there are so many destinations, the first thing to do is decide which ones hold the most interest. For instance, you can focus on Caribbean or Mexican cruises if you are looking for warmth and sunshine, or you can go for the scenery and whale watching possibilities of an Alaskan or Antarctic cruise. Once you have narrowed down the general area that you want to cruise to, then you can more easily make your final decision.

When it comes to choosing how long you want to be at sea, you will have many choices. The minimum duration of most cruises is either two-nights or three-nights, which work well if you can only get away for a weekend. Others can span five days, a week or even ten days and can often be worked into most people’s vacation allotments.

The major cruise lines also offer longer voyages, with itineraries that span anywhere from three weeks to several months. Often these longer voyages provide opportunities to visit ports-of-call in several countries and sometimes more than one continent. Most of these longer itineraries are especially geared toward the affluent or retirees who have the time and financial freedom to be voyaging for weeks or months at a time.

Some cruise ships are referred to as “megaliners” and are so large that a person can actually get lost onboard. In fact, they are so large that they cannot even go through the Panama Canal. Cruises on megaliners can accommodate up to 2,000 passengers and provide a plethora of activities to keep passengers of all ages entertained and active. The mid-size ships are the most common and usually have up to 900 passengers, but still provide a nice variety of activities. The smaller ships are more intimate and usually accommodate less than 400 passengers.

There is also a class of cruise ships called “boutique ships,” which could be compared to luxury boutique hotels. They offer exceptional attention to service and usually have an even higher standard of gourmet food, which is saying something considering that these floating hotels are well-known for the quality and selection of fine foods.

The vast majority of cabins onboard ship are considered to be standard-size and are generally quite cozy, which helps encourage people to take advantage of the many amenities during their time aboard. Cabins with ocean views and verandas are very popular, but will cost more than an interior cabin. Many of the newer cruise ships are being designed so that virtually all of the cabins have at least a minimal exterior view and some even boast that every cabin has a veranda, albeit small ones. For cruisers with the cash, there are spacious suites, but the cost of these puts them well out of reach for the average person.

You can learn in-depth information about the available cruises that are of interest to you. There is no lack of information about all kinds of options that can readily be accessed online at the many travel websites, as many of these sites specialize in providing cruise travel information. Often there are discount cruise travel deals that you can locate through these sites and that can help you stretch your vacation budget.

By Travel Editor

When you do go out to buy travel insurance, you need to be sure that you take the time to compare the different cruise insurance policies in order to be sure you get the coverage you are expecting. As with most things, you need to take the approach of “buyer beware” and be careful not to assume anything. In other words, ask plenty of questions and get things clarified before you buy.

That precaution should not be taken to imply that all insurance companies are going to rip you off on your cruise travel insurance policy. The fact is that most companies that offer travel insurance for cruises are reputable, not to mention that they are carefully regulated.

But the problems arise when people try to economize and cut corners when buying travel insurance. When it comes to cruise insurance, or any kind of indemnity coverage for that matter, you can be assured that you will only get what you paid for in the end. Buying the cheapest policy you can find will make you feel that you have been ripped off if it doesn’t give you the coverage you need, when it is needed.

It’s easy to get either overwhelmed or simply become complacent when looking at all of the options and variables that come up when trying to secure travel insurance. When you are scrambling to make your cruise travel vacation plans and then are busy getting ready for the voyage, it is often hard to focus and sort through the different travel policy options. This combined with trying to go for the cheapest coverage possible can contribute to dissatisfaction when it comes time to file a claim.

Before making a final decision and buying a travel insurance policy, be sure that you know exactly what is covered and what is not. Some travel insurance companies offer Comprehensive Coverage policies that will cover just about any contingency. These are usually the more expensive because they will pay benefits under the widest set of circumstances.

Other policies for travel insurance cover a very narrow set of conditions. Because they cover fewer circumstances, they are less likely to pay for a claim and so the premiums on these policies are considerably less. But the danger here is getting a policy that is essentially worthless because the terms and conditions are so narrowly defined that you are not likely to benefit from a claim, should the need arise.

If you have put out a large sum of money to book your vacation and your flights, so that you can finally enjoy that dream cruise, then you should also take the extra step to ensure that the investment you have made is going to be protected by cruise travel insurance. You should ask your travel agent for their recommendations on a good travel insurance company and ask questions in travel forums to learn about other people’s travel insurance policy experiences.

By Travel Editor

Finding deals comes down to a combination of having a good strategy, being in the right place at the right time, and being able to take swift and decisive action to book hot deals when you find them. It is the principle of supply and demand that still rules when it comes to the rates. If the cruise lines have more ships out on the water than they are able to easily fill, then discount cruise travel deals start to appear. If they are enjoying quick bookings and people clamoring to get aboard, then the travel deals disappear and the prices start to climb.

When a cruise line brings a new ship or two into service, they suddenly have increased their capacity considerably. These days, the new vessels are usually in the “megaliner” category. This means they will drop their prices to fill up the cabins. In order to compete with the cruise deals that are offered to fill their new ship with paying customers, the other lines will often lower their rates at the same time. As well, former passengers often get the first notice of discount cruise travel opportunities.

One of the best ways to enjoy hot deals on cruises is to be as flexible as possible with the category of ship and the type of cabin you are willing to book. It is also a good idea to book your cruise at least 90 days ahead of the departure date. For the best discount cruise travel deals, it is advisable to book four to six months ahead because the rates are generally lower when the ship is far from full capacity. However, if you can be super-flexible about when you can leave, then you might be able to find super hot deals on last minute travel.

When you are considering the available deals, be sure to remember that the rates for cruises include all your meals aboard ship, your on-ship entertainment, and most of the onboard activities such as movies, live shows, gym usage, games and sports, and dance classes. Some people are more than satisfied with all of the food, fun and activities that are included in the “all inclusive” price.

If you discovered great cruise deals and ultimately got a break on your ticket price, then bravo to you and happy sailing. However, you will have some additional expenses of which you should be aware. It is customary, and expected, for you to tip the service staff. Plan on about $10 per day to cover this expense. Bottled water, soda pop, and alcoholic beverages are not included in your ticket fare, so you need to budget for your needs in this area as well. Also the shore excursions, special spa services and extra classes, such as yoga, need to be paid for separately.

By Travel Editor

The cruise lines take special care to design their itineraries so that they are providing the best value possible to their customers and with the many amenities aboard ship, most feel well taken care of and pampered. Discount cruise travel is often available on these floating resorts, which makes them an even better value. Remember that your cruise vacation not only includes the ability to float care-free from one exotic port to the next, but you have your sleeping accommodations, your food, and your entertainment all wrapped into the price of admission.

Even though you can think of these romantic, fun, and exciting getaways as discount vacations at any price, the good news is that often the cruise companies will go out of their way to offer discounts during certain seasons. This can end up saving the traveler hundreds of dollars on a quick cruise or even thousands of dollars on longer cruise travel vacation packages.

There are two main windows of opportunity to finding hot deals on discount cruises. Often, when the cruise line first opens up booking for a new season or when launching a new ship, they will offer discount cruise travel packages in order to get a portion of the ship’s capacity filled up early. Usually, once they have reached a certain percentage of reservations for a particular voyage, the rates will return to their standard level. This is a good case for booking your cruise vacation early.

The other time that discount cruise travel is often found is for last minute travel. When a cruise line finds that they have a ship that will be leaving port with a number of empty staterooms, they are eager to get those cabins filled with paying customers, even if they have to offer deep discounts. Most of the costs of the voyages are fixed, so making sure that the ship is filled to capacity helps the company make a profitable voyage.

However, if you want to take advantage of last minute discounts, then you need to be on as many notification lists as possible from various cruise lines and travel agencies. You also must be ready to set sail at a moment’s notice because you may have very little time between receiving an alert for a hot deal and when you need to board. If you have a lot of flexibility and can have your bags packed and ready to go, then this strategy can get you exceptional discounts.

Another way that many experienced travelers enjoy discount cruises is by being on mailing lists of the cruise lines that they have sailed with before. Many times these companies reward their previous passengers with special discount cruise travel opportunities that are never made public. This helps them cultivate a customer base that is loyal and looking forward to their next vacation on their favorite ship.

By Travel Editor

Another of the wonders of a cruise travel vacation is waking up each morning to find yourself transported to a new, interesting and exciting destination that you will have the opportunity to explore. In addition to having new sights to see every day, cruise vacations also allow you to relax and be pampered by the staff. This cruise line has ample experience in taking people to wonderful destinations and to seeing to it that they have a wonderful time during every aspect of the adventure.

Celebrity Cruises are renowned for their wonderful amenities, their uncommon accommodations, and their fine attention to detail and appointments. Celebrity also takes great pleasure and pride in providing you with an unparalleled experience of feeling that you are the only passenger they are catering to, while making you feel very much like a celebrity.

Many people who have been aboard the Celebrity cruise line, come back to land and report that they truly had a once-in-a-lifetime experience and enjoyed a cruise travel vacation that was a journey from the ordinary to the extraordinary. All Celebrity Cruise vacation packages are considered “all inclusive.” This means that virtually everything you need for a marvelous vacation is included in the price of your ticket.

The Celebrity cruise line makes sure that you have luxurious accommodations that include everything from comfortable beds to gracious surroundings. Gourmet meals are included with a wide array of dishes to delight and tantalize your taste buds. Entertainment options, a selection of activities and numerous amenities are yours to enjoy in making sure that you never have a dull moment. All are at your disposal as part of the price of your ticket.

Taking a Celebrity cruise has been likened to staying at a luxury hotel, with personal staff to follow you as you travel the globe. Each day you have the advantage of exploring a new location, or simply taking in the new view from aboard ship. But you never have the hassles of constantly packing, unpacking, repacking and hauling your bags to the next stop on your journey.

Instead, this cruise line allows you to simply focus on the fun, the excitement, and interesting aspects of taking in all the sights and sounds, tastes and treasures of each new port of call. Best of all, after a long day of wandering the streets of a new destination, you get to “come home” to a staff who knows your tastes and has been busy preparing your quarters for an evening of relaxation.

Celebrity Cruises visit more than 130 different destinations that cover many continents, so you should have no trouble finding an itinerary that fits your interests. You can also choose from quick two-night cruises to more extensive voyages that span more than two weeks. Consistently rated as one of the top cruise lines, you can’t go wrong when you choose a Celebrity Cruise for your next vacation.

By Travel Editor

There is no doubt that children and Disney go hand-in-hand. They will have the time of their lives on a Disney inspired cruise and will be constantly engaged in fun activities that will keep them interested. There are also entertainment options and activities designed just for the adults. And, because the kids are kept happily busy with their activities, the parents can also enjoy their time and relax knowing that the kids are safe and enjoying themselves. Of course, there are also many things that families can enjoy doing together which will create great lasting memories.

The Disney Cruise Line is currently one of the smallest of the cruise companies on the seas, with just two ships. But, all reports indicate that they are magnificent vessels, built to the high and exacting standards of the Disney name. The ships were christened the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder and are reminiscent of the art-deco style used in the ocean liners that sailed during the early part of the 1900’s. Two more Disney luxury liners are under construction to help meet the demand for this very popular cruising conglomerate.

Both of these ships also boast a number of innovations true to the Disney approach to doing things well and with unique touches. One of these innovations is the way that they rotate their guests through a series of their restaurants during each cruise, so that not only is the food unique each day but so are the surroundings. In addition, you will also find reservation-only specialty restaurants that you can choose to dine in, as an option.

Because Disney is such a family oriented company, you will find that the cabins have all been designed in a family-friendly way. They are more spacious, by about 25%, than what you will find on other cruise lines, and they include clever touches in the cabins to make it easier for the kids and the parents to have their own space. Also, more than 70% of the cabins have a porthole or a verandah which helps passengers avoid feeling claustrophobic.

Taking the cruise by Disney has been referred to as taking a vacation on a floating theme park. Each ship has four different theme restaurants, a “district” that features many entertainment options for the adults, a retail shopping area, a Broadway-style theater with live shows, and also a movie theater. In addition, there are three pools, a spa center that covers more than 9,000 square feet, and over 15,000 square feet of territory that is strictly devoted to entertaining the kids.

Home port to the Disney Cruise ships is the port at Cape Canaveral, Florida. This port is barely an hour’s drive from Disney World, which has made it easy for people to enjoy combination vacation packages that provide a few days at sea with a few days at the Magic Kingdom. Many of the packages also include air transportation and needed ground transport.

By Travel Editor

European river excursions are the most popular and were also the pioneers in providing interesting “off the beaten path” types of cruise vacations. There are many spectacular rivers that meander through different countries in Europe, which allows people to explore many scenic and historic areas not accessible by the large cruise ships.

Many people say that river cruises are simply the best way to be introduced to the best of Europe, because you can escape the common tourist traps. Cruising European rivers is a relaxing, enjoyable, stress-free, and comfortable way to gain new insights into the history and culture of the countries, the cities and the people.

One of the advantages of a cruise on a river is that the cruise ships are much smaller and therefore offer a more intimate and personal experience. Most of the cruise lines that sail the watercourses of the world take particular pride in offering their passengers excellent service, often with a ratio of one cruise staff member to every three passengers, or even less. This ensures that each and every person along for the ride has their needs promptly addressed, are well attended to and even pampered on their voyage.

Even though the overall size of the ship that will carry you on the river outing is smaller, in many cases the cabins are somewhat larger than what you would find on the giant cruise ships. In addition, they are often outfitted with fine appointments, which are meant to cater to American tastes and demands. Some of the newer ships have full Wi-Fi internet access and recent renovations on older ships have resulted in cabins with flat screen televisions, MP3 sound systems, fine high-count linens, cashmere throws, plush bathrobes, and European touches in decor and furnishings.

Adding to the luxurious surroundings of your cabin, you will also be gently gliding by gorgeous French chateaus, imposing German castles, brilliant tulip fields and many more stunning sites throughout the interior regions. And, when you are not enjoying the sights rolling by from your comfortable chair on the sun deck, you will have opportunities to leave the ship and savor the ambiance of the towns and villages along the river and rub shoulders with the locals.

Many people say that river cruises are simply the best way to be introduced to the best of Europe, because you can escape the common tourist traps. Cruising European rivers is a relaxing, enjoyable, stress-free, and comfortable way to gain new insights into the history and culture of the countries, the cities and the people.

By Travel Editor

From popular Caribbean ports to exotic destinations in Africa or the Orient, just about anyone can enjoy a great cruise vacation on a Princess cruise ship. This cruise line has set itself apart from the other cruise lines by voyaging to more global destinations than any of the others. From their offices in Seattle, Princess was also a leader in opening up the northern waters as a popular sea-going destination and they operate the largest tour division that specializes in Alaskan cruises.

Princess Cruises are well known for the quality of the onboard accommodations and the array of experiences that people enjoy while onboard. Passengers on a Princess cruise will be welcomed with fine teak woodwork that’s been carefully crafted and adorned with shining brass accent pieces and luxurious leather furnishings that feel butter-soft to the touch. The ships in the Princess fleet have spacious cabins, many of which have private verandas. Princess provides excellent value and their cruises are surprisingly affordable.

There are three different classes of ships available for a Princess Cruise. The Grand Class ships are the newest vessels in the Princess cruise line fleet, can accommodate up to 3,100 passengers, and feature some innovative amenities and unique design elements. The design of the Grand class ships allows for a feeling of spaciousness while at the same time providing opportunities for intimacy. Also featured are a variety of dining rooms, entertainment venues, special amenities such as a virtual reality center and computerized golf options.

The other two classes of Princess cruise ships are the Sun Class of ships which were first debuted in 1995. A Sun Class ship is able to carry about 1,900 passengers. The Explorer Class ships in the Princess cruise line are the smallest and provide a more intimate atmosphere, while still providing all of the modern amenities that people expect to enjoy on their cruise vacations.

While it is important to be comfortable on the cruise, it is also important to consider what type of shore excursions that your cruise line offers after arriving at the various ports. The Princess Cruise Adventure Ashore program has more than a thousand tours and activities available throughout the network of ports that they sail to worldwide. In addition to this huge selection of day excursions, Princess also has an expansive choice in "cruise tour" offerings, that let you combine your cruising with multi-day land tours at the various ports-of-call.

Princess Cruises also have many options that allow passengers to extend their vacations, either pre-cruise or post-cruise. The Princess Cruise Plus program can help cruisers enjoy extended stays and tours in some of the world’s hot spots and most cosmopolitan cities, and can even help with the arrangements for discount cruise travel and hotel vacation packages.

By Travel Editor