Cruise Holidays - Attheta Travel

Lots of people love to cruise; more than 31 million people around the world are cruising during 2023. But if you haven’t cruised yet, you may wonder if it’s the right vacation for you. Here are three big reasons why the answer may be an enthusiastic “yes!” First, there’s a cruise for just about any budget. Cruises of two or three days are available for very budget-friendly fares. And while longer cruises cost more, even “world cruises” that take a few leisurely months to circle the globe provide great value. Remember that lots of great dining and entertainment, as well as your accommodations and transportation between ports, are included in the base cruise fare. While the length of a cruise is a major factor in the cost, cruise fares also reflect the level of luxury on board, the time of year, and the ports of call. A professional travel advisor with expertise in cruising can help you determine what cruise lines, ships, and itineraries best fit your budget and expectations. Secon...

A cruise during December can be delightful, especially when it calls on the Christmas markets that sparkle along some of Europe’s major rivers. Many of these street markets have operated for hundreds of years; originally, people visited to stock up on food and other essentials for winter. Now the markets have a more festive focus, brimming with music, decorations, and delicious food and drink. Most cruise lines that sail the rivers of Europe offer Christmas market cruises, including AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Uniworld River Cruises, Viking River Cruises, and more. To pick one, consider itineraries that visit one of the following ports or others known for their Christmas markets. Nuremberg, Germany, has one of the most admired Christmas markets in Europe. It’s filled with the mouthwatering scents of gingerbread, almond cookies, mulled wine, and the city’s famous bratwurst. It’s also known for authenticity; the market features locally made handicrafts, like zwetschgenmännle (pl...

A cruise can be the vacation of a lifetime, or it can be your top vacation choice year after year. But no matter how many cruises you take, the question is: when is the best time to book a cruise? The answer isn’t exactly simple, but in general, it’s best to buy when you and your professional travel advisor find a fare you’re comfortable with for an itinerary, schedule, and ship you like. Here, we’ll get into some of the complexities: Cruise lines want passengers to book their cruises early, so they offer some of the best fares as soon as a cruise opens for booking, which can be up to two years in advance. Booking early has other advantages, such as the best choice of staterooms. The cruise line may also offer incentives, like onboard credits or discounts on beverage and dining packages, which won’t be available later. After that, what happens to the fares for a specific cruise can be hard to predict. If a cruise looks like it will sell out quickly, fares may increase. If a cru...

Retailers, restaurants, airlines, and hotels reward their repeat customers through loyalty programs – and cruise lines do, too. If you have a favorite cruise line, its loyalty program will enable you to earn onboard discounts and other rewards. If you haven’t cruised yet, knowing more about loyalty programs may help you pick a line for your very first cruise. Most cruise lines automatically register passengers in their loyalty programs before, during, or immediately after your first cruise with them. Cruise line loyalty programs are free to join, and members usually begin accumulating points right away. The programs are tiered, with rewards increasing in value as you go from one tier to the next. Common rewards in beginning tiers include discounts on things like onboard beverage packages, laundry services, and WiFi access. Middle tiers often provide deeper discounts on a wider array of extras, along with benefits like early boarding privileges or early access to specialty restauran...