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Cruise to the Seychelles

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Looking for an island cruise that’s off the usual path? The Republic of Seychelles, Africa’s smallest nation, is an archipelago of 115 beautiful, rustic, unspoiled islands in the Indian Ocean. Lying about 950 miles off the east coast of Africa, visitors tend to describe the islands with one word: paradise. The islands may have been visited by ancient peoples and certainly by long-ago pirates, but were uninhabited by humans until they were settled by the French in the mid-1700s. Seychelles became a British colony in 1814 and remained so until declaring independence in 1976. Since then, the islands have been thriving with a culture that melds French, British, Indian, and African traditions. Most of the population lives on the three largest islands: Mahé, La Digue, and Praslin. The islands are made of granite or coral, surrounded by water in gorgeous shades of blue. The granite islands have central mountains draped in lush green forests and beaches of soft white sand, sometimes dotted...
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Reserving Your Next Cruise While On Board

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When you’re having a wonderful time on a cruise, it can be a good idea to reserve your next cruise before you even leave the ship. Many cruise lines offer special incentives for booking a cruise while you’re still on board, such as reduced deposits, onboard credits, special discounts, and other benefits. How do you book a cruise while on a cruise? Many ships have a “future cruise” desk just for this purpose. Remember to ask for any onboard booking you make to be transferred to your own professional travel advisor, who can manage it with you. Future cruise reservations made while on board are often quite flexible. You may have a window of time in which you can change ships or sail dates at no charge. You may also be able to defer your choice of destination, ship and sailing date for a period of time. The specific benefits of booking a cruise while you’re onboard vary by cruise line, and may be aligned with the cabin category you reserve (a suite may deliver greater rewards than a ...
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Loving Cruise Ship Formal Nights

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It used to be that every night was “formal night” on a cruise ship; passengers routinely changed from their daytime clothes into elegant dresses, gowns, suits, and tuxedos for dinner. Many cruise fans welcomed the modern shift to more casual dressing for dinner, but some still love the opportunity to really glam up for an onboard formal night. So, which cruise lines still have official  formal nights (or “elegant,” “dressy,” “glam” or “gala” nights)? If you love to dress up in elegant evening wear, look to lines like Cunard, Holland America, Princess, Seabourn, and Silversea. Their ships usually have at least one formal night on their itineraries. Note that on formal nights, formal attire may be required only in the main dining venue, while other areas of the ship accept “elegant casual” attire (generally defined as tailored slacks or skirts with collared shirts, sweaters or jackets, as well as dresses and pantsuits). And on some ships, formal attire may be encouraged for eveni...
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Questions for First-Time Cruisers to Ask

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Whenever we do something new, it can be hard to know how to prepare; that’s natural when we lack experience. So, what are the best questions for a first-time cruiser to ask while planning their first voyage? Here are a few we think are essential. Where should I go? Cruise ships travel the globe, so it’s likely you can visit one or more of your most desired destinations. But the answer may depend on the amount of time you have available to cruise. If it’s a few days, try a short cruise to the Caribbean, or along the West Coast or Mexican Riviera. With more time, the ports of Europe, Asia, or South America may call to you. And if you have even more time, a World Cruise can literally take you around the globe. What is covered by the cruise fare, and what costs extra? The answer varies by cruise line, and knowing exactly what’s included will help you manage your vacation budget. Fares usually include a lot: accommodations, most onboard dining options, and entertainment, and the use o...
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Cruise Lines that Share the Loyalty

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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...
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Quiet Time While You Cruise

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  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...
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Our Short Visit to Mauritius

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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...
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