Cruise Holidays - Attheta Travel

Before the winter holidays shift into high gear, take a little time to think about spring – specifically, planning a spring break cruise. Many people don’t think about making spring break cruise reservations until after New Year’s Day, but you should. Experienced cruise fans know that many of the best itineraries, staterooms, and discounts will be gone by January, so it’s smart to make your reservations now. As you plan, here are some things to keep in mind. If you’ll cruise with kids, whether in kindergarten or about to graduate from college, their spring break is probably just a week long. So, cruises that leave from domestic ports to sail the Caribbean, Mexico’s Riviera Maya or Mexico’s Pacific Coast are good choices: you’ll have time to get to the port, cruise in delightful weather for five to seven days, and get back home before school starts again. If you’re not traveling with kids, you can look at longer cruises that set sail from domestic ports or take off for a home por...

Some people think of Thailand as a land shrouded in mystery. In reality, more than six million people visit the Kingdom of Thailand each year, and quite a few of them arrive on cruise ships. Bangkok is a popular port although most ships dock at Laem Chabang, about two hours south. Once you’re transported to Bangkok you’ll be amazed by its mix of glittering skyscrapers and ancient temples (more than 400 of them). The must-see in Bangkok is the Grand Palace, built as the official royal residence and still used for ceremonies and state functions. The palace complex includes the most sacred temple in Thailand, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (actually made of beautiful green jade) and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, home to a famous statue of a Buddha ready to enter Nirvana. Another popular excursion is the Damnoen Saduak floating market outside the city. A maze of canals is lined with long-tail boats piled high with a dazzling array of fruits and vegetables. It’s mainly a produce mar...

When you cruise, your fare includes everything you really need: your stateroom, dining, entertainment, and the use of many shipboard amenities. In addition, most cruise lines offer additional amenities – at a price. Which of these extras will add to your cruise enjoyment? Here are some to consider.  Beverage packages On a cruise ship, tap water, coffee and tea are usually gratis, but a bottle of water or glass of fountain soda can be $2 or more. A glass of wine starts at about $7. Most cruise lines offer pre-paid beverage packages that include some combination of bottled water, soda, juice, wine, and spirits at a reduced cost versus what you would spend buying one drink at a time. Give them a careful look. Shore excursions When your ship is in port, your cruise line will offer a variety of fun excursions on shore. Unless you’ve been to the destination before and know what you’d like to do, it’s probably best to choose and pay for an excursion in each port. You’ll hav...

Dining is always a great part of cruising – sometimes, it’s the best reason to take a cruise. Many cruises offer truly exceptional culinary experiences, on and off the ship. Fans of “America’s Test Kitchen” can immerse themselves in the popular public television show on some of Holland America Line’s ships. On days at sea, watch live demonstrations by staff from America's Test Kitchen, taking a close-up look at the show’s unique, science-based approach to great cooking. There are hands-on workshops, too, where you can try your hand at the America’s Test Kitchen’s techniques for perfect pasta, yummy breakfasts and more. With an amazing 29 different food and beverage venues on board, Celebrity Cruises’ new Celebrity Edge will bring new, cutting-edge culinary experiences to cruising when it debuts in December. One of the most unusual is Le Petit Chef, a small animated character who inhabits the Le Grand Bistro restaurant. Just before your dish is placed in front of you, Le Petit Chef ...

What’s stopping you from choosing a cruise for your next vacation? If you’ve heard people complain about cruising – about boring food, not enough to do on board or lackluster ports of call – there’s a good chance that the information is outdated. Today’s cruise ships offer enough varied accommodations, creative dining, high-tech services, wellness programs, and exciting itineraries to catch anyone’s fancy. More specifically, here are three good reasons to reconsider, and then book, a cruise. It’s So Easy. It’s fun to learn about the incredible variety of ships, staterooms, destinations and itineraries you can choose from. And, once you make your choice, most of your vacation planning is done. You’ll have no worries about how to get from one port to another, where to stay each night, or where to find a restaurant for dinner. All you have to do is get to the ship on time, check in, settle into your stateroom, then enjoy all of the onboard amenities. Of course, there will be a few ...

Cruises are for fun – you can leave the cares and stresses of daily life at home and simply relax for a while. Still, it’s not an “anything goes” environment. In fact, there are a few behaviors that can bring serious consequences, including being dismissed from the ship before the cruise is over. Here are five things you never, ever want to do while on a cruise ship. Throw something overboard . Maritime law is strict on the subject of littering; trash of any kind is dangerous for marine life. Also, air currents can draw anything tossed overboard back onto the ship. The results can range from highly annoying (discarded gum might land in the hair of a passenger three decks down) to highly dangerous (a still-burning cigarette can start a fire). Skip the muster drill . The muster drill is designed to show you where to assemble (your muster station) in case of emergency. This is vital information:  you need to know which lifeboat you’re assigned to. Plus, attendance is mandat...

Shore excursions are a cruise highlight, taking you off the ship and into the sights, sounds and flavors of a new place. Popular choices include walking and motorcoach tours of major sights; in warm climates, beaches, watersports, and hiking are popular, too. But some excursions are quite out of the ordinary, here are just a few ideas: Dunn’s River Falls and Bobsled, Jamaica, from MSC Cruises. At Dunn’s River Falls, water cascades over terraced limestone before emptying into the Caribbean. Some people climb up the falls, which can be very slippery – don’t attempt it without good shoes and a guide (there’s also a set of stairs). If that doesn’t satisfy your need for a thrill, no worries – the other half of this excursion takes you to Mystic Mountain for a bobsled ride. You’ll take a chairlift up the mountain, then come down a twisting bobsled track. Don’t forget to admire the views! Mountain Point Snorkeling Adventure, Alaska, from Princess Cruises. You may not think of Alaska as a ...

Cruises are perfect for vacationers who simply want to relax and be entertained; but, a cruise can also be a chance to experience a new culture, something at the top of the wish list for a growing number of travelers. Here are a few quick tips for selecting a cruise that will satisfy your appetite for cultural travel: Consider a Luxury Cruise Line Most luxury cruise lines operate fleets of smaller ships that offer advantages for those interested in cultural experiences. These ships don’t have all the family-friendly features of larger ships, such as water parks, ziplines or kids clubs. Instead, they offer sophisticated comfort and a focus on what you’ll discover on shore. Smaller ships can visit many out-of-the-way places that can’t accommodate larger ships, opening new possibilities for culture-focused itineraries. In addition, these cruise lines often bring guest lecturers on board to help you prepare for what you can do and see on shore. If you’re worried that the cost ...

Guadeloupe’s Caribbean beauty and distinctive character will charm you. The main island is actually two, separated by only a narrow sea channel: Grande-Terre to the east and Basse-Terre to the west. Together, they feature the tallest mountains in the Caribbean (including an active volcano), rolling hills, grassy plains, white sand beaches, and deep blue-green water. There’s lots of history and lots to see in Guadeloupe, with its blend of Afro-Caribbean and French culture. Here are some ideas for spending a day there: Take a walking tour in Pointe-a-Pitre, where your cruise ship will dock. Guadeloupe is a French territory, and it shows in Pointe-a-Pitre’s colonial architecture and pretty wrought ironwork. Stop at the fragrant Spice Market and the Musee St. John Perse, dedicated to the poet and Nobel laureate who spent his childhood in Guadeloupe. The beautiful Musee Schoelcher features the life of French abolitionist Victor Schoelcher (slavery was abolished in France and its ...

During the past few years, cruise lines have changed the practice of tipping the crew. Tipping used to a manual process: on the last day of the cruise, passengers would put cash tips in small envelopes and hand them out as thanks for the service they had received. This could be a problem when passengers found they didn’t have enough cash, or the right denominations, or couldn’t find the crew members they wanted to tip, or simply forgot. Now, most cruise lines automatically add these gratuities to the onboard account you settle at the end of the cruise. The cruise line takes care of distributing tips among the crew. This is easy and convenient for you, and ensures that tips reach members of the crew, like kitchen staff, who provide behind-the-scenes service. But, what if you would like to make changes to your automatic gratuities, or keep with the traditional practice of presenting cash tips? ·          If you think the automatic grat...

There’s dramatic scenery all along the Inside Passage, the waterway that stretches from Puget Sound to the Gulf of Alaska. With coastal mountains and fjords on one side and a long chain of protective islands on the other, the water is usually quite calm. That’s why the Inside Passage is a prized route for ships of all kinds, including cruise ships. The Inside Passage stretches for more than 1,000 miles, but numerous fjords, bays, and coves give it many more miles of shoreline; for example, the section that borders Canada’s British Columbia has more than 25,000 miles of shoreline. Here’s what to watch for as you cruise through. The Georgia Straight, part of the Salish Sea, lies between Vancouver Island (not to be confused with the city of Vancouver) and the mainland of British Columbia. At least 15 miles wide at all points, the strait has the feeling of an inland sea. Depending on when you cruise, you might spot great blue herons; bull kelp, which has amazingly long stalks that can grow...

Winter is coming and the warmth of the sun is calling you from the Caribbean and the Southern Hemisphere. If you need more reasons than that to plan a December cruise, we’ve got them: 1. You need to use your vacation days.  The end of 2018 is coming fast, which means it’s time to check your cache of vacation days. If you have some you need to use before the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, consider a December cruise to take a real (and really fun) escape from the stresses of work and the routines of daily life. 2. Make winter shorter.  December usually brings the beginning of true winter weather. If you live where the snow falls, the desire to avoid the start of the cold weather goes without saying. But even if you live in the southern U.S., December can bring chilly and/or rainy weather. Fortunately, December is warm and wonderful in the Caribbean and in the Southern Hemisphere, where December is the beginning of summer. Just imagine discovering South Americ...

The island of Anguilla, a British territory, is a little off the usual cruise path, which is part of its charm. Most cruise itineraries bypass this northernmost island in the Leeward chain to call on its neighbors, including St. Martin and St. Barts. Still, some cruise lines – especially those with smaller, yacht-style ships – bring guests to this peaceful coral island. With little in the way of industry, agriculture or shopping, Anguilla is all about the water. Boat racing is the national sport, but you should board a slower day cruise to get to know the island and perhaps call on one of the pretty outer cays. If you like to be active on the water, you can board a fishing charter; the waters around Anguilla are full of swordfish, marlin, tuna and more. You can also go waterskiing, tubing, kiteboarding or windsurfing over the turquoise-hued water. Explore the underwater life of Anguilla with a snorkeling excursion to one of the warm, calm bays. The island is also a paradis...

Exotic Martinique, part of the Republic of France, blends the French and Caribbean cultures in its food, lifestyle, and celebrations. This sprawling and mountainous island, located between Dominica to the North and St. Lucia to the south, has a lot to see when your ship docks in Fort de France. In the capital city, don’t miss La Savane, 12 acres of park fringed by trees and flowers. There’s a fascinating statue of Josephine de Beauharnais, Martinique native and wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. Years ago, the statue’s head was broken off and the remainder splashed with red paint, presumably by islanders who blame her for urging Napoleon to re-establish slavery there. For wonderful views of the sea, stroll up the hill to Fort Saint Louis. It’s a historic site, but also an active French naval base; take care where you wander, as not all areas are open to the public. In the highlands north of the fort, there’s a botanical treasure, the Balata Gardens, where colorful flowers live among...

Some cruise ports are better known than others, and when looking at itineraries, we might focus on favorite destinations like Cozumel, Rome, or Copenhagen. However, lesser-known ports deserve your attention, too; often, they are so much more than just a convenient stop between bigger and more famous ports. Here are a few examples. Kralendijk, Bonaire . Among the ABC Islands of Southern Caribbean, Aruba and Curacao get the most attention, but Bonaire is just as lovely. It’s also one of the best snorkel and dive locations in the Caribbean, with easy access to surrounding reefs. Watch for colorful flamingos that live in a preserve (one of only four areas in the world where flamingos breed), or feed some carrots to the gentle donkeys at the Donkey Sanctuary. Progreso, Mexico. This small port city 30 miles from the Yucatan capital of Merida is often seen only as a starting point for excursions to Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza or Uxmal; but, Progreso itself offers wonderful experiences. You’l...

For an enchanting and close-to-home cruise, consider sailing one of the mighty rivers of North America. There are historic paddleboats that cruise the Mississippi River, small ships that bring you so close to Alaskan glaciers and wildlife, leaf-peeping cruises on the St. Lawrence River along the U.S./Canadian border, and more. Most of these river cruises feature a combination of port days and river days, giving you time to both explore on shore and enjoy the ever-changing scenery as the ship moves. Here are just a few of many options: The Mississippi. From its headwaters in northern Minnesota to its delta in the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River has inspired countless stories and songs. It’s the major river between the Rockies and the Appalachians, ranking among the world’s longest and largest rivers. You can cruise the Upper Mississippi between St. Paul, Minn., and St. Louis, Mo., on a paddlewheel riverboat. It’s especially lovely during the fall color season when the woodlands a...

Smaller than your favorite hotel room but very well equipped, your stateroom is your home base during your time on a cruise ship. When you make your cruise reservation, you choose the stateroom you want: here’s what you need to consider. Most ships offer several different categories of staterooms, and the larger the ship, the more categories there are. Still, there are really just four basic types of staterooms: · Inside: usually the smallest, with no window (though some new ships have “virtual” windows) · Outside/Oceanview: located on an exterior wall, with a porthole or window; often a little larger than inside staterooms · Balcony: an outside stateroom that opens to a private balcony · Suite: a larger outside stateroom that may have separate sleeping areas, plus extra amenities and perks After you decide which of the four basic types you want, you can pick exactly which stateroom you want (as long as no one else picked it first). Your choice should be guided by what you nee...

The ABC chain of islands – Aruba, Bonaire, and  Curaçao  – offer the best of the Southern Caribbean to cruise passengers, and each has unique charms. Curaçao’s many painted houses provide a colorful welcome to this beautiful island, which lies just 40 miles north of Venezuela but is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Cruise ships dock in the capital of Willemstad, a vibrant and walkable city with tempting waterfront shops and cafes. The historic downtown, divided into two districts by Saint Anna Bay, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Cross the bay on a water taxi or by walking across the floating Queen Emma Bridge. Highlights of Willemstad include the much-photographed Penha building; the Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, the oldest surviving synagogue in the Western Hemisphere; Fort Amsterdam; and Wilhelmina Park. On the North side of the island, the Hato Caves were once used by native Arawaks, and then by escaped slaves, for shelter. A tour will give you more of the...

Have you dreamed of spending a day on a private island? It’s easy – just look for a cruise itinerary that includes a call on the cruise line’s private island. These enclaves are designed to provide a wonderfully relaxing day on an island that you can imagine is your very own. Here’s a quick look at some of these idyllic islands: Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Cay is 1,000 acres of sun and sand in the Bahamas. Like Disney’s parks, the island has a tram that can whisk you around. There are lots of family-oriented activities on the beaches, and you can snorkel in the lagoon, try the water slides or hit the water play area. Holland America’s island in the Bahamas, Half Moon Cay, is less developed than most, and that’s by choice: the cruise line wants you to experience the island’s natural beauty. There are pristine white beaches, private villas for rent, horseback riding, snorkeling, kayaking, bicycle tours and more. Royal Caribbean has operated CocoCay in the Bahamas sin...

There are a few tips and tricks to making the most of embarkation day – the day you board your ship and prepare to sail to an exciting destination. Here are some of our favorites: Dress casually and comfortably . If your cabin is being cleaned, you may not be able to go there to change clothes right away (remember, your ship probably just returned from the previous cruise). Plus, you’ll check your bags at the dock and it might be a few hours before they are delivered to your cabin. So, unless you pack a change of clothes in a carry-on bag, you’ll be wearing your boarding outfit for a while. Dress comfortably and incorporate a layer or two so you won’t get too warm or too chilly. Make your reservations . Boarding is a good time to order beverage packages; make reservations for shore excursions, specialty restaurants, and spa treatments; and enroll the kids in any special programs. Then, take a dip in the pool or hot tub (bring a swimsuit in your carry-on bag), hit the gym, rela...

With 2,653-miles of Pacific Ocean coastline, the South American nation of Chile is simply made for cruising. Nestled between the coast and the peaks of the Andes, blessed with diverse and stunning natural beauty, several scenic ports along the lengthy coastline give a warm welcome to cruise ships. Several cruise lines offer voyages to Chile, which are generally 14 days or longer. Many itineraries sail around the southern tip of South America to call on Argentina, Uruguay, the Falkland Islands or Brazil, too. In Chile, popular ports include: Santiago . Valparaiso, the port for Santiago, and has its own attractions; funiculars travel up and down the steep hills dotted with colorful homes and colonial architecture. Still, you won’t want to miss the opportunity to visit Santiago and its historic center, beautiful parks and spectacular views of the snow-capped Andes in the East and sparkling Pacific waves in the west. In the shops, look for jewelry made with brill...

Humans arrived in Papua New Guinea, which occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea (the other half is part of Indonesia) as many as 45,000 years ago. Still, it’s one of the world’s least explored countries, thought to be home to numerous groups of uncontacted people living in the dense rainforests and rugged, mountainous terrain. It’s also one of the most culturally diverse countries, having been settled and then colonized by an array of African, European and Asian peoples. Clearly, Papua New Guinea is a fascinating place to visit on a cruise. You can visit one or more of several ports of call: Alotau is a gateway to some of the most remote communities and pristine offshore islands in Papua New Guinea. You can get acquainted with the area on a tour that also provides a history World War II’s Battle of Milne Bay, which changed the town. It’s fun to simply walk around and meet some of the friendly local residents (the local word for “foreigner” is dimdim , so please...

We think there’s no such thing as too much pampering while you’re on a cruise. It’s your chance to disconnect from the hustle and pressures of daily life; to enjoy great cuisine, fun activities and new sights while the crew and captain take care of transportation and so much more. If you love that carefree and pampered feeling, consider taking a luxury cruise. Luxury lines take all the wonderful services and amenities provided by mainstream, family-oriented cruise lines step it all up a notch (or several). Luxury cruises also tend to be more inclusive of “extras,” such as beverages and shore excursions; so, you may find that the cost is not much more than your last mainstream cruise. What are the differences you can expect when you choose a luxury ship? Here are a few: There are more crew members per passenger, and the crew is trained to anticipate your needs. They will often provide what you’re thinking of – such as drawing hot bath, refreshing your drink or polishing yo...

Northern lights, or aurora borealis , appear when energized particles released by the sun zip through space on solar winds. As they enter the Earth’s magnetic field, they lose their energy and produce a diffused glow in luminous shades of green, red and blue. Mysterious and beautiful, the northern lights are a featured attraction on a growing selection of Artic cruises. Be aware that these winter cruises can’t guarantee an appearance by the northern lights – there’s always an element of luck. However, the lights are quite common on clear winter nights from October through March. A variety of cruise lines and ships, small to midsize, can take you along the coast of Norway, and perhaps to Iceland and Greenland, too, with the potential to see the aurora borealis each night. During the days, you can visit snow-covered fishing villages, ride on sleds pulled by husky dogs or reindeer, tour historic settlements, and learn about people live in a region of nearly perpetual winter. ...