Cruise Holidays - Attheta Travel

Innovations in cruise ship design and features have cruise travel agents – and their clients buzzing. Cruise Holiday’s Cruise Trends Survey for 2011 asked expert cruise agents to name the most exciting recent cruise ship innovations. Their answers may make it a bit more difficult – but a lot more exciting – to select a ship for your next cruise. 1. The sheer size of Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas topped the list of the most exciting recent cruise ship innovations. With 16 decks and 2,700 staterooms that can accommodate 6,360 guests, the Allure is massive. But, a groundbreaking design that divides the ship’s public spaces into seven distinct neighborhoods makes the ship feel welcoming, not overwhelming. 2. The “Studio” staterooms on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Epic are compact, but have a contemporary, comfortable design (and price) that’s perfect for solo cruisers. Guests in the ship’s 128 studios also have access to their own gathering space, the Studio Lounge. 3. The Allure of the ...

Beijing Early start to a long day: the flight from Chicago to Beijing was 13 ½ hours long. We had sunshine in the windows during the entire trip, but lost a day… The Flight took us over Fairbanks Alaska and over Siberia. We did see Mt McKinley… Fortunately, we had an escort meet us at the airport and provide transportation to the hotel. After a quick dinner, we called it a day – a very long day. Our first tour started at 8AM and we are off to the Great Wall. Quick notes about Beijing: • Beautiful new airport, larger that Dallas-Ft Worth • Beijing is a city of 18 million + • Driving is a nightmare -- locals have upgraded from motor bikes to cars, but didn’t learn to drive • Stayed in a 4 star hotel, but can’t drink the water in the room • Many Internet sites are not available from the hotel – including facebook and our blog site. • Shopping, lots of fakes: Rolex, IPod/IPad, Canon, Hermes, money… Afraid to buy a battery! We spent three nights in Beijing. In addition to the Gr...

An island of stunning natural beauty, Tahiti is a gateway to cruises of French Polynesia and the rest of the South Pacific. Tahiti is often the starting point for cruises that call on island destinations like Bora Bora, Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, the Cook Islands and more. If your schedule allows, it’s worth spending some additional time in Tahiti before or after your cruise. The island is formed by two volcanic peaks connected by a slender isthmus. The northern portion is Tahiti Nui (“big Tahiti”) and the southern is Tahiti Iti (“small Tahiti”). Tahiti Nui includes the port of Papeete, which feels like a bit of Paris transported to the South Pacific. You’ll find charming sidewalk cafés along the main boulevard, a bustling market, and chic boutiques selling wines, crafts and the famous Tahitian black pearls. Before you buy, you may want to educate yourself by visiting the Robert Wan Pearl museum, dedicated to one jewel – the pearl, of course. Tahiti Iti is more sparsely populated, ...