10 Reasons to Have Your Birthday Party on a Cruise

The older we get the more our birthdays seem to become less of an occasion. Other than the obvious milestones, there is some societal taboo that seems to stop many of us from throwing a heck of a party every year because there will be snickers and talk of "we are not five years old anymore, why should we throw such a big party?"

The truth is that our birthdays are really more of an excuse to get our friends together in one place so that we can all party. Enjoying time with one another becomes more difficult with jobs and families and if a birthday can be the impetus for having a great time, than so be it.

Going on an impromptu vacation can be a serious bonding time for you and your friends and with so many inclusive options you can tailor the birthday you want - be it weekend spa getaway or time on a cruise. Here are 10 reasons to have your birthday party on a boat cruise.

The first reason is price. In this economy, spending just a little to have an all inclusive experience is the ultimate luxury. Minus alcohol and some extras, all your entertainment needs are covered. You don't have to spend time overly planning your itinerary.

Second, and in the same vein, the culinary experience is second to none. Celebrate your birthday in style with a gourmet meal that you friends don't have to suffer to afford as it is included.

Third, boat cruises are all about your choice. You can travel to more than one destination on a boat cruise depending on where it will be at port so that you can explore many different environments. It is up to you!

Fourth, on top of your port choices, you can stretch yourself and try any number of exciting activities like rock climbing or surfing.

If that doesn't sound like you and your friends, fifth, you can all have a relaxing time decompressing from the stresses of the every day world. Whether you're sun bathing or getting a massage, your birthday can be the reason you and your friends can get away from it all.

Sixth, you can go to many different places without having to pack too many bags. Cruises are a one stop shop in terms of entertainment and experiences.

Seventh, boat cruises are made for fun and adventure. You and your friends can spend your birthday stretching yourselves and partaking in new experiences.

If things go well, the eighth reason can be the possibility of finding love. When people are not on guard and are truly enjoying themselves, good things can happen.

Ninth, transportation is not an issue. Having everyone find there way to a vacation essentially in your honor can be stressful for everyone involved. If you live too far from a port of departure many cruise deals include airfare.

Tenth, the overall experience is worth it. Going to sea and being taken care of can give you the taste of what it is like to have it all. Spend your birthday with the ones you love and make it an experience that everyone can tailor to make it the best vacation they never knew they needed.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adriana_N.

And the Winner of the stupid Question Award is....

We've all done it. You know, asking the question that has the oh so obvious answer.  Who is buried in Grant's tomb? (well entombed actually) When was the war of 1812?  Which month is May Day celebrated?

Cruise ship passengers are no different.  Here are some of the funniest (some will say, stupidest) questions asked of Cruise Directors and Crew.

Does the crew sleep on the ship? 

Tough question...... any ideas?

Which elevator do I take to get to the front of the ship?

Generally, elevators go UP or DOWN. If you want to get to the front (which is the bow) of the ship you will have to ......walk

Is the iced tea hot? 

Do we need to explain this one? 

Can we get off the ship when we have 'our day at sea'?

Sure, if you have a swim in mind

What time is the midnight buffet? 

The midnight buffet is at - say it all together – MIDNIGHT!

Do these stairs go up as well as down?

Uh, depends on which way your feet are facing

Is the water in the toilet fresh water or saltwater?  

What does it matter, as long as it flushed!

Does the outside cabin mean it's outside the ship?

We'll be back for you

How does the Captain know which port to go to?

Coin toss?

Do we have to eat dinner at both seatings?

Only if you visit the gym 10 times a day

Does the ship generate its own electricity? 

There is a   l-o-n-g   extension cord plugged into the port you sailed out of… just kidding  

Why does the cabin crew leave small pats of 'butter' on my pillow at night?

Chocolate is disguised after 8pm

How small does your face have to be to have a mini facial?

Depends on who is doing the measuring

How many feet above sea level are we? 

Well, let's see, or is that sea?

What do you do with the beautiful ice sculptures after they melt? 

Hmmm

Is the island surrounded by water? 

Definition of an island:  A land mass, especially one smaller than a continent, entirely surrounded by water

What religion are those people who have pink patches behind their ears?

A Patch E

And the #1 stupidest question:

If the photos aren’t marked, how will we know which ones are ours? 

Look for YOU in them!!

Cruise Ship Firsts through the Ages

Cruises as we know them today are really only about 50 years old, but the tradition goes back more then a hundred years when passengers started booking travel on mail ships crossing the Atlantic. These cargo vessels evolved into the grand ocean liners whose names we still remember: Lusitania, Titanic, Queen Mary. Now the cruise lines are always competing to have the newest, the best, the biggest, and the most exciting ships at sea, morphing them into massive floating resorts where the onboard experience is just as important as the ports themselves, if not more.

10. 1840: First Transatlantic Cruise
When Cunard started carrying mail across the Atlantic on steamships, the company didn't know it was starting a whole new industry. A record number of passengers lined up for the crossings from England to New York, not because the boats themselves were that spectacular but because they were faster than previous vessels. Those paying customers came to expect more creature comforts than the crew, of course, so the on-board amenities got an overhaul, including the addition of a cow to provide fresh milk.

9. 1900: First Cruise Ship
The first dedicated cruise ship set sail in 1900, but it was a short-lived experiment. Named for Kaiser Wilhelm II's daughter, the Prinzessin Victoria Luise from Germany's HAPAG line cruised the West Indies and the Mediterranean. The Prinzessin was not actually a ship, but a grand yacht with 120 first class cabins plus a library and darkroom. At more than 407 feet, it was also longer than the Kaiser's own yacht, much to his irritation. The boat unfortunately ran aground in 1906.

8. 1912: First Ultra Luxe Ocean Liner
The first over-the-top luxury ship set off on its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912 with new features like a shipboard swimming pool, a la carte dining, a Parisian café, and a Turkish bath. Competition between the lines had become fierce, and the White Star Line sought to challenge Cunard, whose ships the Mauritania and Lusitania held the record for fastest Atlantic crossings. The Titanic and her sister Olympic trumped them in size and lavish amenities (at least in first class), even featuring running hot water in some of its cabins. Of course, we all know how that ended.

7. 1958: First Surge in Caribbean Cruises
The modern cruise era was born when the first passenger jet took off from London heading to New York, causing a sharp decline in the popularity of Transatlantic cruising. Air travel was not only much faster, but also took on the glamour and prestige that had formerly been associated with ocean liners. Those now-passé ships weren't dry-docked though. They found a new purpose plying the Caribbean waters. This opened up a while new category of cruising, still one of the most popular today.

6. 1965: First Affordable Cruises
The 1960s saw the founding of the first of the modern powerhouse cruise companies, bringing down prices through competition. Princess was born in 1965, offering the first short, reasonably priced cruises on its Princess Pat, which sailed from California and down along the Mexican coastline. Norwegian Cruise Line went into business in 1966 providing the first budget Caribbean cruises on its Sunward and soon became the first cruise company offering packages including low-cost airfare. The Royal Caribbean Cruise Line debuted with the 724-passenger Song of Norway in 1970. Finally, Carnival opened in 1972, instituting their "Fun Ships" and quickly becoming a behemoth, absorbing nearly a dozen other lines including Cunard, Holland America, and Seabourn.

5. 1977: First Big Ships on the Small Screen
As kitschy as it seems today, The Love Boat brought the notion of cruising (previously perceived to be only for the elite) to the masses. Viewers ate up the hijinks that top stars of the day got into with the fictional passengers and crew on a Princess cruise and booked their own vacations with hopes of running into cruise director Julie or maybe even Charo. The cruising frenzy was further fueled in 1984 by Carnival's Ain't We Got Fun ads starring Kathie Lee Gifford, the first to appear on television.

4. 1980: First Mega Ship
The '80s was the era of the size wars and the debut of the floating resorts. In 1980, Norwegian Cruise Lines introduced the first supership, the Norway. NCL bought the former S.S. France and spent $80 million converting it into a ship measuring in at 150 percent the size of its competition, capable of carrying 2,181 passengers and offering entertainment to rival Vegas shows. In 1988, Royal Caribbean's Sovereign of the Seas had a then-record-setting capacity of 2,350 passengers and was the first ship equipped with the now-ubiquitous multi-story atrium with glass elevators. The title "world's largest cruise ship" has continued to be passed from company to company ever since.

3. 1996: First Cruise Line with a Private Island
Disney Cruise Line purchased the small Bahamian island of Gorda Cay and rechristened it Castaway Cay, spending more than a year expanding the beaches and installing a dock big enough for the line's megaships. They have been continually updating it ever since and in the summer of 2010 will debut a new waterslide platform, an expanded stingray habitat, and 20 new beach cabanas. And of course, this being Disney, the ship from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies is moored offshore. Holland America, Princess, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean all followed suit and snapped up their own private islands in the Bahamas. Royal Caribbean actually has a second island, Labadee, off the coast of Hispaniola.

2. 1999: First Skating Rink
Royal Caribbean debuted the first shipboard ice-skating rink on the 3,114-passenger Voyager of the Seas and ushered in the amenities war. Cruise lines continue to one-up each other with more and more outrageous forms of onboard entertainment like surf simulators and intricate waterslides. In 2003, Royal Caribbean was the first to add rock-climbing walls. In 2006, NCL installed bowling alleys on its Norwegian Pearl. In 2008, Celebrity was the first to feature 15,00 square feet of lawn space on Solstice. Launched in late 2009, Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas became the biggest ship ever built with a capacity of 5,400 passengers, offering a zip-line, a park with outdoor cafes, the first onboard carousel in its Coney-Island inspired boardwalk, and performances of the Broadway show Hairspray.

1. 2010: First Look into the Future...and the Past
This will be another year for firsts. Nine lines are launching new ships (all ordered before the recession). NCL is debuting the Epic, which will offer the first studio cabins for people traveling alone-without the onerous single-supplement fare add-on. The ship will also have the Epic Plunge (a 7-deck tube waterslide), 20 restaurants, and an Ice Bar made of, yes, ice. Seabourn will debut the Sea Cloud Hussar, the largest masted sailing ship in the world. Cunard's Queen Elizabeth will bring back the Art Deco décor of the grand old passenger ships of the 1920s to the 1940s. Princess, too, is returning to the nostalgia of the grand passenger lines, offering Bon Voyage parties. For four hours before the ship's departure, passengers can bring friends and family on board for a tour and lunch.

by Laurel Delp AOL Travel News Posted Mar 5th 2010 07:19 PM http://bit.ly/963pF8

For many, Cruising is the way to see the World

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Perhaps not everybody is cut out to cruise, but a lot of us are. I have a twin brother John, who likes to do stuff like hike through the Himalayas in the snow, and truck through the jungles of Brazil. Well he can have his adventures, but when I am on vacation I like to find a chocolate on my pillow when I hit the sack after a hard night at the casino.

Cruising is not really expensive. For the nightly price of a good hotel room you not only get a place to sleep, but you get 24 hour a day free room service, all kinds of food available all the time, fantastic meals in formal dinning rooms or just hit the buffet. Free shows, free movies, entertainment of all sorts, a casino, swimming pools, hot tubs, putting greens, tennis, ping pong.

All free.

There really is something for everyone. There are contests at the pools, bingo for those so

inclined, art auctions, dancing lessons, and demonstrations of ice carving and even juggling bartenders. Don’t worry about missing those important emails, because all the ships have internet cafes now. The last cruise I was on, I had wireless internet in my room.

For the ladies there is always an elegant spa and all kinds of beauty treatments available. My wife really enjoys getting a foot massage after a long shore excursion…in preparation for the evenings dancing. You can even do your shopping on board, since there are a number of stores on the ship selling everything from clothing to jewelry. And be sure to bring some formal gowns for the formal nights on the ship. Formal nights are your chance to wear all that new jewelry and those new shoes with your new gown.

There are different kinds of cruises and quite a few cruise lines to choose from. Some cruise lines

are known for having superior service, some for lower costs, and some for catering to kids. There are destination cruises where the main thing is seeing the sights at the ports of call. Then there are party cruises that tend to be populated by younger couples and the destinations are less important than the activities and partying. There are also specialty cruises that cater to gay couples and singles etc.

The destinations and shore excursions can be a very important part of the cruise experience. You can find cruises that take you darned near everywhere you could ever want to go. I’ve seen everything from the pyramids of Egypt to the Great Wall of China by going on cruises. And my wife and I have ridden ATV’s through the jungle, swam with dolphins, and went tubing in underground caves…all on just one cruise!

So if you want to visit Harrods department store in London, walk on the Great Wall of China, see the ancient Greek ruins at Ephesus, or visit Red Square in Moscow, and you want to do it in style, choose a cruise. No unpacking and repacking, no strange food unless you really want it, and great service 24 hours a day. It’s about as close to a worry free vacation as you can get.

For those of us who want to be pampered and spoiled and see the world at the same time you just can’t beat a cruise ship vacation.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cruising-articles/for-many-people-cruising-is-the-best-way-to-see-the-world-391733.html

About the Author William Lund is an inventor and webmaster with over a dozen patents and a number of websites. His business website dealing with making money with your website is: Website Marketing and SEO Mr. Lund is an avid cruiser as well and has website devoted to his cruise vacation experiences. Cruises R Fun

New Onboard Cruise Activities

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With ships beefing up their activities and amenities, even veteran cruisers will find new kinds of entertainment. From wine tours to political debates, here’s the lowdown.

Food
Cruises continue to step up their culinary offerings with updated restaurants and food-themed seminars. In May, Food & Wine magazine is pairing with tour operator Food & Wine Trails (800/367-5348; foodandwinetrails.com) for a 14-day Barcelona-to-London voyage on Oceania Cruises’ Regatta. On the menu: exclusive wine tastings and chef-led shore excursions in Spain and France.

Cruise West (888/851-8133; cruisewest.com) is giving its new menus a Pacific Northwest twist, serving up wild salmon with an apple-cider reduction, paired with a Washington State Riesling.

The 8,000-bottle cellars on Azamara Club Cruises’ ships Journey and Quest (877/999-9553; azamaracruises.com) now include vintages from boutique wineries, many not available in the United States.

Adventure
Looking for high-action, low-impact excursions? Gap Adventures (800/708-7761; gapadventures.com) has teamed up with the Discovery Channel for a series of environmental expeditions: the six-day Galápagos cruise deploys Zodiacs and dinghies to explore lava caves and wildlife-filled mangroves.

On an ascent up an active volcano in Santorini, Greece—a new eco-excursion from Costa Cruises (877/882-6782; costacruises.com)—hikers get 360-degree views from the summit’s crater.

Quark Expeditions (866/961-2961; quarkexpeditions.com), meanwhile, has travelers pitching tents in Spitsbergen, Norway, home to 3,000 polar bears, in its Arctic shore option.

Spa
With enhancements industry-wide, spas at sea are making waves. Oceania (800/531-5658; oceaniacruises.com) recently joined forces with the Canyon Ranch Spa Club to offer signature treatments in state-of-the-art facilities that include a Thermal Suite with a steam room and thalassotherapy pool.

The Odyssey and Sojourn ships from Seabourn (800/929-9391; seabourn.com) feature 750-square-foot spa villas with oversize tubs, wraparound terraces, and customized treatments.

Come April, Windstar Cruises’ Wind Surf (800/258-7245; windstarcruises.com) will also have a set of spa suites—with organic bath products and bed linens, as well as credits at the ship’s WindSpa.

Multigenerational
With family travel bigger than ever, cruise lines have been developing creative ways to keep everyone happy. Ride a jet boat to Mount McKinley, tour a gold mine, and hike to the historic Savage River Camp on a 12-night Alaska cruise tour from Princess Cruises (800/774-6237; princess.com).

Uniworld (800/733-7820; uniworld.com) has expanded its family programs on the Paris & Normandy and Castles Along the Rhine itineraries, now with more kid-focused options such as hot-air balloon rides over Paris and visits to the Cologne Chocolate Factory.

Disney Cruise Line’s (888/325-2500; disneycruise.disney.go.com) 12-night Baltic itineraries offer exclusive family-friendly port excursions, including a “Royal Ball” in St. Petersburg’s Catherine Palace.

Learning
Seminars and theme cruises are offering innovative forms of onboard enrichment. Science buffs can hop on the Science & Technology cruise from Crystal Cruises (888/722-0021; crystalcruises.com) for lectures on military, space, and medical trends and workshops on the latest personal handheld devices.

Debate U.K.-U.S. politics, history, and culture with academics, politicians, and journalists on transatlantic crossings aboard Cunard’s Queen Mary (800/728-6273; cunard.com).

Celebrity Cruises, Cruise Travel, Cruise Caribbean

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Celebrity Cruises' four Solstice-class ships, which are sailing together in Europe in summer of 2011, will also be cruising through the Caribbean later that year and into 2012.

The cruise line's Caribbean itineraries range from four to 14 nights. Celebrity Silhouette will sail from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ, offering 14 alternating Southern and Eastern Caribbean voyages.

Celebrity Equinox will sail 15 alternating 10- and 11-night 'Ultimate Caribbean' cruises out of Fort Lauderdale.

Celebrity Constellation will say a host of 14-night Southern Caribbean cruises round trip out of Fort Lauderdale. And Celebrity Century will offer 12-night Eastern Caribbean sailings out of Baltimore.

These four ships have been added to the already four ships that sail to the Caribbean: Celebrity Summit, Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Infinity."


Apr 23, 2010 By: Meagan Drillinger TravelAgentCentral
http://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/celebrity-cruises-sends-new-ships-caribbean-21075

The Best of the Best Cruises

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Let's face it. We all love "best of" lists. Be it accolades from industry insiders or polls voted on by seasoned travelers, everyone has an opinion on what constitutes the best room, best value, or best experience, and we are all ears. We sorted through some of the popular 2009/2010 lists and compiled a collection of which cruise lines took top honors. Think of them as the Oscars of travel, only they rate excursions instead of art direction. Read on to see who took the top prizes -- and what makes them so special.

Crystal Cruises

Crystal has clinched the pole position on Travel + Leisure's World's Best list for large-ship cruise lines for an impressive 14 consecutive years. What sets it apart? Exclusive offerings like a sushi bar by chef Nobu Matsuhisa, celebrity entertainers, and Berlitz language instruction. www.crystalcruises.com

American Safari Cruises

Citing access to places big boats can't go, travel critic Howard Hillman names American Safari Cruises as top choice for an Alaskan expedition. The deluxe yachts only carry between 12 and 36 passengers and get up close and personal with glaciers and grizzly bears alike. www.americansafaricruises.com

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line is the overriding family favorite and garnered top honors among mega-ships for activities as well as service in Condé Nast Traveler's 2010 cruise poll. Disney characters come to life onboard, with kids' imaginations in tow, and parents get a coveted pass to the magical kingdom called relaxation.www.disneycruise.disney.go.com

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean is a multiple winner in TravelWeekly's 2009 Magellan Awards, including best overall large cruise ship, best suite design, and best pool design. The newest member of their fleet is the 16-deck, 220,000-ton Oasis of the Seas (the most expensive cruise ship ever built) which features seven "neighborhoods" with 21 restaurants, 4 pools, and a Central Park with 12,000 trees. www.royalcaribbean.com

Voyages of Discovery

Selected Best Value in Specialty Cruises by the World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society three years running, Voyages of Discovery caters to seasoned travelers who value exploration over extravagance. The mid-size vessel makes long trips to uncommon destinations like Kenya and the Ukraine with onboard naturalists and cultural specialists to enrich the journey. www.voyagesofdiscovery.com

by Catharine Lo AOL Travel & News Posted Apr 13th 2010 11:10 AM

Voyage through blue heaven: Bora Bora Cruise

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Never been to cruise or want to experience a place where you want to fall head over heels in love. And if you are not a cruise person, and yet want to know what is like going on crusie?

Nomade Yachting Bora Bora is the perfect and idealistic cruise for you. The luxury yacht just contains some 30 cabins only and on board there are rarely more than 50 people as guests.

Exploring Bora Bora Island along with Taha'a, Raiate'a, and Huahine, there is something magical and heavenly feeling about it. As you will be floating in the blues of Bora Bora, for a week, nothing will be able to match this voyage not even the biggest resorts or big named cruise liners for the kind of special services they are able to provide and most of all important the beauty this voyage will make you experience of the amazing islands.

Bora Bora island, will not need any introduction, for such is its beauty, nature and ambience. With adding of the cruise experience, you will be enthralling and regaling in this mind blowing combination which is awe inspiring.

From the moment you’ll be swept up from the Bora airport, you will be having a week long of pleasures and leisure’s, fun activities to just simply relaxing on the deck. While on the cruise you will be all busy throughout the week dinner shows, with private motu picnics, local musicians show, dancing rae rae that is Tahitian drag queens tantalizing in between. You can chance on beach volleyball, swimming, and getting sun tan while relaxing or reading your favorite book. On the board avail for spa treatments, and there is visit from traditional Polynesian Tattoo artist. Also you will visit pearl farms and go for exciting shark-feeding… a total extravaganza. …

Nomade Yachting has two elegantly designed private yachts which are delightfully stylish and chic in every way

The TU MOANA
The TI’A MOANA

The private yachts are distinguished and more cosmopolitan and contemporary in style; the two ships presents as a svelte profile. Private Yachts have been constructed in Australia from the combined workings and talents of the Austal Ships and the Oceanfast Yachts, creating yachts utterly unique.

Each yacht has own personality with its own tone and settings. One yacht has dark woods, and another has light woods and both encompass fashionable design. The yachts successfully merge Polynesian art with of audacious dream of Swedish design studio, together with Tillberg Designs and along with original inspiration as given by the ship’s owner.

All the famous Stark, Ralph Lauren, Kenzo, Noguchi, and Yanagi have cohabitate in harmony way with their artwork and with elements especially commissioned by the Polynesian artists that is creating ambiance- novel and simply breathtaking.

The design and décor of the ship is awesome in itself, which will add to the vibe, with tiniest of the alcoves, smallest of corners sheltering gracious statue or majestic carved “Tiki,” all showcasing a contrast to wealth of the romantic white and black photography that poise the hallways, adding the nuances and shades such as will feed the emotion, sooth the mind and calm the eye. Just so much like heaven isn’t it!

Nomade Yachting to Bora Bora has created treasures of attractions, events and activities that are unique in worldwide.

Nomade Yachting will give you altogether a new experience of cruising, with no more crowds. Suits budgets and is for family vacation and even idealistic for couples on honeymoon. Nomade Yachting cruise of Bora Bora will be most memorable experience of all.

Author/Admin http://www.cruise360.net/nomade-yachting-bora-bora.html
Posted April 7, 2010