Cruise Articles

When you tell your friends you're off on a cruise what is the first thing they say? ‘All those lovely excursions or ‘ Oh, the entertainment will be wonderful'. No, ten to one the first thing they mention will be the food. The benchmark of good cruise holidays is the standard of the food, the selection of eating-places and the availability. Nothing is worse than feeling like an early meal - or a late one and having to wait for a restaurant to open, or finding it closed.

Based in Santa Clarita, California, this British-American cruise line is one of eleven cruise brands owned by the huge Carnival Corporation. The line became part of the American-based Corporation in 2003. But the Princess line began life as a small, unpretentious cruise company when in the autumn of 1966 Stanley McDonald chartered a cruise ship, the Princess Patricia for a winter cruise from Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera. This seemed like an ideal arrangement as the Patricia would normally have been out of service in the winter, but McDonald soon realised that he may have made a mistake by hiring a ship that wasn't equipped for tropical cruising – she had no air conditioning.

Are you a romantic at heart? Do you long for adventure? We all have different requirements for the perfect holiday, but a cruise can fulfill all those aspirations if the cruise holidays on offer are carefully researched. You want the ultimate dream honeymoon? Princess Cruises was named best Cruise for Romance by travel editors in 2009, and for ten years was the location for the American TV series ‘The Love Boat', so what better recommendation could you want?

Princes Cruises just love kids. That's what makes the line so popular with parents who want to experience an enjoyable and relaxed family holiday. Child-friendly cruise holidays are the perfect choice. Cruise lines such as Princess ensure that from the minute a family steps on board both adults and children have all the activities and amenities they could possibly want.

It has been revealed that Princess Cruises has teamed up with American television broadcaster FOX to offer passengers a first look at upcoming entertainment. Showing special screenings of two new FOX shows across their entire 17 ship fleet, Princess passengers can glimpse the debuts before they make their TV appearance in September.

One of the most prestigious cruise companies in the world, Princess Cruises continues to offer passengers exciting new holiday options. And whilst their upcoming portfolio offers destinations including the newly included African and Indian continents, Nordic voyages are still immensely popular.

For many regular cruise passengers, onboard entertainment is almost more important than the shore excursions. There are those who prefer something quieter and may not want spectacular floorshows, but they will still check out the talks, the demonstrations and the musical options available before booking cruise deals . Cunard has always had a reputation for securing top-flight entertainers, eminent speakers for their lectures, and best selling writers and journalists for onboard talks.

A Nova Scotia businessman, Samuel Cunard, founded the Cunard Shipping Line in 1840. The line was inaugurated to carry mail from Britain to North America using the most modern method of the day – steamships. For the next 60 years Samuel Cunard continued to expand his fleet with larger and faster boats while never sacrificing a ship or a life in pursuit of success.

When it comes to fine dining Cunard Cruises are committed to making every one of their onboard restaurants provide a great dining experience, not just being somewhere to eat. With over a century of sea travel behind them Cunard know that the provision of good food is essential to the success of cruise holidays .

Whilst many passengers aboard cruise holidays opt for a simple and averagely priced cabin, those looking for the next getaway could benefit from paying close attention to deals on elite suites. Set apart from their cheaper options, such suites have access to private areas and upgraded settings.

The ease of access to so many different dining experiences is a big attraction on a cruise holiday. After a day ashore passengers don't need to worry about finding somewhere to eat in an unfamiliar town – there will be a fine dining restaurant, a grill, a tapas bar or an oriental style restaurant just a short walk or elevator ride away from their cabin. No need to hire a taxi, it's all there on the doorstep.

The company we now know as P&O Cruises began in 1815 when the company (then known as Wilcox and Anderson, after its two founders) started a cargo service between England and the Iberian Peninsula. Twenty years later Wilcox and Anderson began to take passengers on their cargo vessels. From these simple beginnings a new form of travel was born, for which much of the credit must go to Arthur Anderson who had the breadth of vision to foresee a day when people would sail on ships as a leisure activity.

Cruises which start and end in the UK have always had great popularity amongst the elderly and those with mobility problems, but in recent years, especially with the increase in air travel restrictions, no-fly cruise holidays are being chosen by a wider selection of travellers.

The words ‘cheap cruise' depend on the perspective of the person looking for one. For some it can be calculated in monetary terms - less than £50 per day, less than a week's salary - for others it can be the value they receive for their money.

There are several ways to find the cruise deal that suits you. High street travel agents have long been the choice of holidaymakers, with their racks of glossy brochures and helpful staff. Often the travel agent specialises in cruise holidays, and they are able to offer personal advice on a particular cruise that they may have sampled themselves.

Holland America New Cruise Holidays for 2010 & 2011, passengers wanting to explore Australia and the surrounding regions the new brochure also offers a range of cruise holidays around Australia, Asia and the South Pacific, and New Zealand. Cruising with either ms Volendam or ms Zaandam, passengers can enjoy the 14 night Sydney to Auckland break departing on February 13 th 2011

Celebrity Cruises Heading to Australia at the end of next year the Celebrity Century will offer passengers a range of new cruise holidays around New Zealand, Australia, French Polynesia and Indonesia. Enabling holidaymakers to depart from six ports including Sydney, Honolulu and Auckland, the full portfolio will provide opportunities to visit 36 ports spread throughout six countries. In addition a combination of two 18 night cruises will allow for individuals to circumnavigate Australia in its entirety.

Dance themed cruise holidays offer a great opportunity to sharpen, improve and even learn new dance skills at sea. There are usually one or more venues on a ship that offer you a chance to dance and most ships feature a variety of music, so everyone can find their favourite type of music to dance to. Classic cruise liners were designed for the formal cruiser who wanted to dress up for dinner and then dance the night away so have ballrooms that cater to dancers. Newer ships often have more bars and clubs, but the dance floor size might be limited. In addition, today's cruise ships have so many onboard activities to choose from that dancing is only one option of many to choose on your holiday.

Cruise Holiday Stateroom Selection Planning any cruise holiday involves many decisions and one of the most difficult is choosing your stateroom type and location due to the overwhelming variety of choice, at times over 20 different categories on a ship! Selecting a cabin type is as personal as deciding where to cruise and which cruise line and ship to book. Price needs to be considered and there can be significant differences between categories dependent on size, layout, demand and location. Staterooms on large mainstream cruise ships are often advertised as standard inside, ocean view, balconies, or suites. Generally the smallest cabins on luxury lines are much larger than those on mainstream lines and are either ocean view or balconied, making the quality of accommodations one of the biggest differences between how a cruise line is rated.

Tee off on a Cruise Holiday For many ‘golf nuts' the thought of a week or two away from the greens is an unattractive prospect, but choose to cruise and they don't have to worry about losing their edge when going on holiday. Most cruise ships offer driving cages, golf simulators and putting greens to help maintain or improve technique and skills. Some ships also have elaborate miniature golf courses that are fun for everyone, young and old and all of the mainstream cruise lines offer the chance to play golf ashore as part of an organized shore excursion if there is a course nearby. Passengers can choose to bring their own clubs or rent them.

Cruise Weddings Getting Married at Sea Holding your wedding, post ceremony celebration or honeymoon are sea guarantees amazing memories to treasure forever. There are several options for the event, from free-spirited cruise lines that boast little to no structure, to the more formal and elegant cruise lines that take pride in rigid schedules and evening wear. For the wedding experience, there are some ships where you can actually get married onboard. Alternatively, choose to use the ship as a floating hotel and get married on a faraway beach in sunny climes. Cruise weddings have grown in popularity over the last few years from very few only five years ago to thousands this year. The growth rate is unsurprising when you consider the attractive idea of enjoying the wedding and then sailing off on your honeymoon with no travel time wasted. Most weddings at sea are on the major cruise lines, however, on the majority of ships, you will need to bring your own clergyman or other official to perform the service if you actually want to perform the legal ceremony onboard.

Silversea Cruises has revealed that due to popular demand it is to extend its services within the UK. Revealing their biggest ever portfolio for cruise holidays which either depart or arrive in British ports the 2011 offerings will provide a host of new opportunities for holidaymakers.

Disney Cruise Line has revealed that their new ‘Disney Dream' cruise liner is to include a spa facility for those aged between 13 and 17. Whilst not an original concept within the cruise holidays market, the integration of such a service on their first new ship in over ten years will no doubt attract teens wanting to relax and perhaps get some growing pains soothed.

Even for cruisers who are not accomplished gourmands, they will generally find some mouthwatering menu options, especially on certain cruise lines and ships and if they know where the finest food is available onboard.

A cruise holiday is the most fantastic experience but in the highly unlikely event that you encounter a problem, or something doesn't match your expectations it's a good idea to know the best way to deal with it as you may not be able to contact your cruise agent back at home for advice. Cruisers who address shipboard problems in the most appropriate way are much more likely to achieve satisfactory results and continue with an enjoyable holiday. There are generally two types of complainers: those who take each event in their stride, patiently await a resolution and don't let it affect their time onboard, and those who add one complaint onto the next, escalating their outrage each time. Unfortunately, the second type of behaviour rarely achieves little more than ruining your cruise holiday and hard earned time off work this is never the best way to solve a problem.

Contrary to one of the top misconceptions about cruise holidays, it is not any more likely to put on lots of weight as any other holiday. Yes, there is delicious cuisine available, almost 24 hours a day, but cruise lines have also completely mastered the concept of ‘healthy living' and offer equally mouthwatering food options which are kinder to the waistline. Main restaurants will always have a lighter/lower calorie alternative, and there are often spa food venues which have the best healthy options you can imagine. In fact, it's easy to eat healthily onboard, like having a personal chef at home creating fabulous menus for you that taste great but won't add pounds!

Even for cruisers who are not accomplished gourmands, they will generally find some mouthwatering menu options, especially on certain cruise lines and ships and if they know where the finest food is available onboard.

I can hardly believe how quickly this year is flying by! We’ve already had the longest day of the year, the BBQ season is well and truely underway, World Cup dreams are sadly over for England, and by the time this hits your doorsteps the Wimbledon champion for this year will also have been decided.

Epic, Norwegian Cruise Line’s latest vessel launched this week, and, thanks to the glorious weather, my two days onboard felt like a mini break in the Caribbean. It was my first experience of an NCL ship, and my expectation was that she would be garish

With such a massive choice of variety of cruiselines available, all offering such different options – ships, destinations, itineraries, facilities, price, stateroom types, and general ambience and atmosphere, one huge advantage of booking through a cruise specialist like Jetline is that we can advise and ensure that you book the right holiday for you. We feature a selection of offers in our monthly Cruise Ahoy, but don't forget, if you don't see what you are looking for, it doesn't mean we don't sell it, and with the best prices in the market guaranteed. It would be impossible to feature everything in one magazine, so don't forget to call us if you don't see anything that appeals. Our cruise agents are the best in the industry, with a wealth of experience and first hand knowledge so you can be assured you'll be booking the right holiday for you. No two people are the same, and we will work our hardest to fit all your requirements.

A $200 million investment will bring Celebrity's four "Millennium Class" ships up to the standards of its five newer "Solstice Class" vessels. The 2034-passenger Constellation will be the first ship to be modernized, beginning this season. Among the additions: a Tuscan Grille, a creperie, an ice-topped martini bar, a gelateria, a wine bar allowing guests to select and serve at the touch of a button, new furniture/TV/upholstery/bedding/carpeting in suites, restyled staterooms, new colour schemes, and more.

Everyone's holiday preferences are as different as the destinations Royal Caribbean International sail to and, as a cruiseline they offer something for everyone: a variety of classes and shore excursions, bustling nightlife, moments of quiet relaxation or fun for the whole family. From their state-of-the-art ships to the exhilarating activities and amazing destinations, Royal Caribbean cruises are constantly heralded as one of the most exciting cruiselines at sea.

Booking any holiday, with so much choice around can sometimes feel like a minefield, and being secure that you've found the best cruise deal is no exception. Everyone likes a discount and cruise deals are available throughout the year on a huge selection of ships, destinations and dates. To secure the best deal possible make sure you follow a few guidelines and you'll get the lowest possible price.

From fascinating, prehistoric cultures to modern, vibrant cities, Baltic cruises provide numerous opportunities for interesting and fascinating adventures. Whatever the itinerary, cruisers will find a diversity of activities and sights within short distances, with striking contrasts of modern architecture alongside medieval city centres. Outside the cities, the view varies from rolling hills to dramatic cliffs and endless archipelagos.

There is an interesting debate in the cruise industry at present as to why it appears that there are an increasing number of cruise deals available during peak travel seasons, whereas historically it would be almost impossible to find any low cost options. This has been due to revenue teams watching price versus demand and generally prices rising when cruises are popular, in the peak, and any last cabins being made available through more ‘hidden’ channels in order not to dilute pricing of any passengers already booked.

The days of regimented dining times are long gone and no longer do passengers' days need to be planned around dinner time. Many cruiselines now offer Freestyle or Choice Dining meaning passengers can dine where they want, at whatever time they want. Disney Cruise Line operates what they “Rotational Dining” where the guest and their tablemates rotate through the three restaurants each evening.

Jetline Cruise the UK’s leading cruise agency has been awarded, Leading Provider of Cruise Deals award in Europe. At the 5th Birthday party of Travelzoo. Travelzoo is Europe’s most popular travel newsletter, delivering the top 20 deals within the travel marketplace to approximately two million subscribers within the UK. Each offer is researched, as well as undergoing a strict testing process to make certain it is the best offer that can be found.

Within the travel industry there are a number of official bodies who regulate and ensure your holiday is protected. You should always check that the agency – whether it be a travel agency or a cruise specialist is accredited to the relevant groups to have peace of mind that, not only is your money protected, but that you are taking advice and booking through a knowledgeable source.

Cruise holidays have been steadily climbing in popularity over the years and have now become seriously big business. They provide the perfect change from package holidays to mundane destinations, after all who wants to spend 2 weeks in a seaside tourist town with thousands of other package holidaymakers when you could be sailing the glorious seas, taking your luxury hotel with you as you explore the world, visiting lots of exciting ports of call as you go – all in the one holiday.

If you decide to cruise with Celebrity Cruises you are sure to have a truly unforgettable cruise experience. The levels of service are exceptional and you will get the chance to spend your days afloat entirely at your own pace. You can experience Celebrity Cruises sailing from the UK or you can opt for fly and cruise with free flights included from all the regional airports.

P&O Cruises have long been Britain’s favourite cruise line, sailing to 235 destinations worldwide in 82 countries. Their fleet of six ships offer something to suit every taste, from the stylish and indulgent Arcadia to the brand new, family friendly and innovative Ventura. P&O Cruises continue to go from strength to strength with the introduction of Azura in spring 2010.

If you’ve never cruised with Royal Caribbean Cruises before then you don’t know what you are missing. For those that have cruised with the masters of innovative cruises before then you don’t need to be told about the 21 magnificent ships, the 160 destinations to choose from worldwide or the exquisite dining options. And then there’s the list of what’s included...

Cruise holidays are becoming ever more popular and research has found that more people are embarking on cruises than skiing holidays. The cruise market is literally booming and the sheer amount of choice is ever increasing. There is a cruise line to suit every taste and budget, from refined and elegant to all-out pizzazz and fun. There are cruise ships big and small, with new ships debuting every year with even more amenities and innovative features.

One of the best ways to have the time of your life is on a cruise holiday. Not only are cruises the best way to really get away from it all but they are also exceedingly good value for money. You will have the chance to escape away to exotic ports of call, with everything you need all under the one roof. There are some amazing cheap cruises out there so don’t be fooled into thinking cruise holidays are just for the wealthy.

Step back into the golden age of ocean travel, a time when liners at sea were the embodiment of the good life. With Cunard Cruises the classic traditions of the grand ocean voyage are very much alive, with the famous White Star Service at the heart of everything they do. Continuing to uphold the highest standards, the very latest technologies are hard at work alongside Cunard Cruises traditional values of impeccable service and attention to detail.

The absolute epitome of grand ocean travel, Cunard Cruises continue to uphold the traditions of matching and exceeding your highest expectations. Cunard Cruises seamlessly combine the very latest technologies with traditional values of impeccable service and attention to detail. For more than 160 years Cunard Cruises has defined the luxury ocean travel experience – why not experience it for yourself.

Celebrity Cruises offer a truly exceptional level of service and in fact they have a crew to guest ratio of 1:2. You will be impressed by the elegantly opulent surroundings to be found on Celebrity Cruises ships, the award-winning cuisine and world-famous amenities, plus some of the most spacious accommodations to be found at sea. All this combines to ensure an unforgettable cruise experience, one that you will want to repeat time and time again.

P&O Cruises are the UK’s leading cruise line, which is no surprise when you look back at their illustrious history. P&O Cruises first invented modern day cruising as we know it back in 1837 and today sail to over 180 different destinations in 72 countries worldwide. Wherever you want to sail, whatever type of cruising experience you prefer, you can guarantee that P&O Cruises will have the cruise and ship to suit you.

When you cruise with Royal Caribbean Cruises you’ll find that absolutely everything on board their ships is dedicated to bringing you the ultimate holiday experience. With a fleet of young and innovative ships, Royal Caribbean Cruises have introduced industry firsts such as on board ice rinks, the flow-rider surf park and a 200ft above sea level rock-climbing walls. They have a reputation for great service and a massive choice of itineraries to boot.

Cunard Cruises is joining forces with Oxford University Press (OUP) to introduce the Cunard/Oxford University Press Science Club. This innovative venture will be a multi-faceted membership programme featuring the new on board Science at Seas lectures performed by prominent science writers.