Cruise Holidays - Attheta Travel

Like hotels, restaurants, and airlines, many cruise lines operate customer loyalty programs. All a passenger has to do is sign up, earn points with each cruise taken on that line, and enjoy the benefits. The benefits vary by cruise line, but can range from a complimentary onboard beverage to members-only events, dinner with the ship’s officers, or even a free future cruise. And, some cruise lines automatically sign new passengers up so they start gaining points or status right away. You’ll earn the most loyalty points and benefits if you sail regularly on the same cruise line. That works well when there’s a cruise line you love so much you wouldn’t consider any other. But if you don’t want to be limited to one cruise line, note that some will match loyalty program status from other lines, or even from other travel operators. With some cruise lines, status matching and point sharing are especially easy because they have the same ownership. For example, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cru...

  Cruise ship activities like contests and tournaments, talent shows, and trivia challenges keep things lively and help passengers mix and mingle. But if you value quiet time, can you find it on a cruise ship? Yes, absolutely! Some ships – especially small ships and those from luxury lines – offer a calmer vibe to begin with. But quiet can be found even on the biggest, boldest ships; here are some places to look for it. Your own cabin. Your cabin can be a respite from the activity around the ship. To make it cozier, ask your steward for extra pillows and blankets; you can also bring a battery-operated tea light or two from home (remember, no real-flame candles are allowed). A love of quiet is a good reason to treat yourself to an outside cabin with a private balcony, where you can take in the views on your own. On most ships, you can also dine in your cabin; just order from room service and a server will deliver breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The library. Many ships have a li...

Beach at the Hilton Resort Last month, we had the pleasure of guiding a wonderful group of forty-eight travelers on a memorable 16-day cruise from Port Louis, Mauritius, all the way to Cape Town, South Africa. Since this was our agency’s first time visiting Mauritius, we chose to arrive a few days early to explore the island and get over the jet lag from the long journey—it’s quite a trek with a ten-hour time difference, and our total travel time, including layovers, was about thirty hours. Mauritius is a beautiful island located roughly 700 miles east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. We stayed for three nights at the Hilton Resort, right on the beach. If you ever find yourself visiting Mauritius, we recommend the Hilton—it provides a comfortable, relaxing spot to unwind and enjoy the scenery. What struck me most about Mauritius was its economy, which compares favorably to many other African destinations we’ve visited. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, the island tends to attract...