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...

Shore excursions – tours and activities in the ports of call – are a highlight of any cruise. Shore excursions are just as varied as cruise itineraries. For example, you can go flightseeing in Alaska, tour the great art galleries of Florence, or go snorkeling along the Great Barrier Reef. If you’re not sailing on a luxury line that includes excursions in your cruise fare, you’ll pay a per-person fee for each shore excursion. So, it’s important to choose excursions you’ll love. Here are a few tips for selecting the best shore excursions for you. Do some research on the ports of call and the excursions that are available in each. Being well-informed about the places you’ll visit is the first step toward making good shore excursion choices. Then, look at the excursion options in each port; you’ll find descriptions on your cruise line’s website. Read the shore excursion descriptions carefully. Each description explains how long the excursion will last, how much physical activity it i...

Royal Caribbean is introducing its newest and largest cruise ship yet: the Icon of the Seas . While everyone will be welcome aboard, the ship is expected to have a special appeal for multigenerational groups: it will have onboard spaces designed for the enjoyment of everyone from babies to seniors, as well as spaces where all ages can have a wonderful time together. Icon of the Seas’ first cruise, departing from Miami on January 27, 2024, sold out in hours nearly a year ago. But, the Icon will sail seven-night cruises in the Caribbean all year long, and with a passenger capacity of up to 7,600, there will be lots of opportunities to sail on this incredible ship. The Icon will feature eight “neighborhoods,” Royal Caribbean’s name for onboard areas designed for specific activities. Three neighborhoods – Royal Promenade, Central Park, and the Suite Neighborhood – will be familiar to passengers who’ve sailed on the cruise line’s Oasis Class ships. New neighborhoods on Icon of th...

When you cruise, your accommodations, meals and snacks, and lots of onboard entertainment are all included in your fare – not to mention transportation to all the ports on the itinerary. But, most cruise lines charge extra for at least some optional items. Which extras are worth your money? The answer depends on what’s important to you, but here’s a quick look at some extras you might want to include in your cruise budget. Shore excursions. You’re cruising not only to enjoy the ship but to enjoy what’s on shore. Ship-sponsored shore excursions are designed to give you memorable experiences in port. Be sure to read the descriptions carefully and purchase excursions you’ll truly enjoy. Specialty dining. You can dine very well in the onboard restaurants included in your fare. But if you’re celebrating a special occasion or would like an elevated dining experience, the upcharge for a specialty restaurant can be well worth it. Beverage packages. On many ships, water, tea, coffee, and ...

When you’re looking forward to a cruise, vacation anticipation can make it easy to forget some important things you should do before you leave home. Here are some items for your cruise preparation checklist; completing them will help you enjoy your voyage to the fullest. Check in online. You may be able to check-in for your cruise as early as 90 days before you sail. Visit your cruise line’s website to complete the check-in process. You may need to enter your passport information; you can also provide credit card details to make it easy to purchase items on board. When you check-in, you may also be able to make reservations for shore excursions, spa treatments, and specialty restaurants. Download the cruise line’s app. This is a convenient way to access cruise information on your mobile device. You may be able to use the app to check in or to complete a virtual muster drill (a required safety drill). Once on board, you can use the app to view daily schedules and more. Arrange for...

As professional travel advisors, it’s our job to stay up to date and keep you informed about the ever-changing world of travel. We will send you travel tips like these throughout the year to help you travel better. Please read on and, if you have an additional question regarding these topics or others, we’re only a phone call, email or text away. HOW TO SAVE TIME WHILE TRAVELING Everyone wishes to make the most of their vacation time. It’s one of the main reasons travelers turn to professionals like ourselves: Travel advisors can streamline your vacation, so you spend less time waiting and more time enjoying. Here are a few of our favorite ways that you can save valuable time on your next getaway. Subscribe to a Pre-Screening Service The first bottleneck many vacationers face is waiting in the long security checkpoint line that seemingly snakes for miles through the airport. To bypass this holdup, join a pre-screening service that accelerates the security process. TSA PreCheck gives...

Alaska is a unique destination brimming with history, adventure, and natural beauty. Whether you’re traveling there for the first time or the tenth, consider exploring the magnificent coastline and the splendid interior – all on a single vacation. This is easier than you may think because several cruise lines – including Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean – offer Alaskan “cruisetours” that combine a cruise and a land tour in one convenient, memorable vacation package. Most cruisetours include a seven-day cruise of Alaska’s Inside Passage, calling on popular ports like Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Sitka. All have interesting history and culture, gorgeous surroundings, and lots of options for fun and thrilling excursions on shore. To see icebergs being calved from glaciers of glowing blue-green ice, look for itineraries that also call on Glacier Bay National Park or Hubbard Glacier. These rugged areas are generally n...

Halloween is a widely celebrated festival on land, but also at sea. Many ships celebrate Halloween on the evening of October 31, but a few decorate and celebrate for all of Halloween week – or even longer. For example, Disney Cruise Line’s ships stage Halloween on the High Seas throughout September and October. Kids dress up for onboard trick-or-treating and can meet some of their favorite Disney characters, who are disguised in their own spooky-fun costumes. Adults can attend a costume and dance party in the ship’s adults-only entertainment district. Everyone can enjoy scary movies at the poolside theater and a magical Pumpkin Tree in the ship’s atrium (which has a twisted tale to tell). MSC Cruises starts the Halloween party in mid-October with activities like lessons in applying creepy makeup, Halloween-themed karaoke, and spooky trivia contests. Everyone can join in the costume parades and dance parties, and kids will love the not-too-scary haunted house in the children’s area....

A cruise vacation is a time to unwind and enjoy yourself, but that doesn’t mean anything goes. When you make a cruise reservation, you agree to follow the cruise line’s standards of conduct for passengers. This isn’t meant to limit your fun, but to keep you and other passengers safe and happy as you cruise. Still, there are consequences for those who don’t follow the standards of conduct, up to and including being removed from the ship. The following isn’t a complete list, but any of these actions may result in early dismissal. Skipping the muster drill. Whether it’s virtual or in-person, the muster drill (a lifeboat safety drill) is an absolute must for every passenger – and yes, the crew will know if you don’t attend. Smoking outside of designated smoking areas. Most ships have a defined area that is the only place passengers can use cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or vaping devices while on board. Cigar smoking is often not allowed at all, unless the ship has a cigar lounge. Bri...

Lovely weather, turquoise water, soft sand beaches, and lots of fun activities have made the Caribbean one of the world’s most popular cruise destinations. But it’s so popular that some ports may host multiple cruise ships on any given day – meaning you’ll share your time on shore with lots of other visitors. If you want to cruise the Caribbean but would like to be on the only ship in port, look for the following ports of call as you browse itineraries with your professional travel advisor. Just know that these are smaller ports that can’t accommodate really big ships. And, they may be a bit busier from December to March, but any ship that calls on the same day as yours is also likely to carry a smaller number of passengers. Charlestown, Nevis. The smaller of two islands that form the nation of St. Kitts and Nevis has long beaches overlooked by several volcanic summits, including 3,232-foot Mount Nevis. Ride horses along Oaulie Beach, tour a former sugar plantation in a horse-drawn...

If your extended family likes to vacation together and you want to include everyone – youngest to oldest – in your next getaway, consider a family cruise. It’s a lovely way to make special memories by exploring new places together. Larger ships can be especially good for multigenerational groups because they have activities your whole crew can enjoy together: think pools, deck games, and live shows. They also have activities for specific age groups, like toddler play areas, special clubs for kids and teens, and casinos and nightclubs for adults. These are a few big ships we think are terrific for multigenerational family groups: On Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Wish , everyone loves the special effects-laden trip down the AquaMouse water slide. The whole family can also enjoy immersive experiences in themed restaurants that are based on the Marvel cinematic universe, the glittering world of Frozen, and the Golden Age of Hollywood. There are spaces and activities f...

While most who plan to take a cruise think about the clothes they’ll pack, there are some other useful items that often don’t make it to the packing list, but should. Here are some things to think about bringing along: Magnets with hooks. Most cabin walls are magnetic, so bring some magnets with hooks to create extra hanging space for clothes, swimsuits, jewelry, and more. Just be sure the magnets are strong enough to stay up. Snack bag (or “chip”) clips. The clips designed to seal an open bag of snacks can also fasten a towel to a lounger in a stiff sea breeze. They can work as clothes pegs on the little clothesline you may find in your cabin’s shower, too. Battery-operated candles. Real candles aren’t allowed, but battery-operated versions make great night lights and can create a cozy or romantic feeling. Battery-operated mini fan. You’ll want to keep it small, but a mini fan can create a little white noise for better sleep, as well as a little breeze if you’re in a windowles...

A cruise is a carefree vacation, but booking a cruise can be surprisingly complex and detailed. It doesn’t matter if you’ve cruised often or want to cruise for the first time: There’s a lot to know and many decisions to make. These are good reasons to work with a professional travel advisor who specializes in cruises. They can help you:   Choose a destination. It’s fun to research cruise destinations for yourself, but a cruise travel specialist can give you personalized recommendations. Their information is often based on first-hand knowledge because cruise travel specialists tend to be experienced cruise passengers.   Select a cruise line and ship. Different cruise lines and ships have different personalities: some are big and cheerful, some are luxurious and understated, and some are adventurous and educational. Again, a cruise travel professional can combine what they know about you with all they know about cruising to recommend ships that suit your style. Select a ca...

  When thinking about cruise vacation options, you may be most interested in itineraries and ports of call. But, the size of your ship can be just as important to your decision. That’s because there are major differences in the experiences delivered by large and small ships – size determines a lot, such as how many people you’ll share the ship with, the variety of onboard activities and entertainment, and the number of dining options.   Dividing cruise ships into “large” and “small” categories may be too simple because passenger capacity ranges from less than 100 to more than 6,000. But, we can loosely define small ships as those that carry up to 2,000 passengers and large ships as those that carry more.   To figure out if large or small is best for you, here are a few things to consider. Do you like to meet lots of new people, or get to know a few new friends? Cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, MSC, and Costa have ships that carry more than 5,000 passengers, where ...

  Beaches and Caribbean cruises simply go together, but there are wonderful beaches – including some in unexpected places – that you can visit via cruise ship. Let’s look at a few that might tempt you to cruise in a different part of the world.   In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, you can visit more than one famous beach. Copacabana, a popular crescent of sand anchored at the north end by Sugar Loaf Mountain, hosts crowds of sunbathers, musicians, and volleyball players. Just south of Copacabana, Ipanema is usually a bit quieter, but just as beautiful.   Four miles from downtown Sydney, Bondi Beach is a half-mile of silky sand and a perfect place to experience the vibe of Australian beach culture. There are surf schools and plenty of cafes and bars that overlook the beach. The town of Bondi Beach has some interesting Art Deco architecture, too. Another option is to take a half-hour ferry ride to Manly Beach, another surfing hot spot with a tree-lined promenade and beachfront ...

Onboard dining is a fun and delicious aspect of any cruise, and cruise line culinary programs are always striving to reach new heights of innovation and excellence. Here are some of the tasty developments we’ve heard about in cruise ship dining.   Fans of Crystal Cruises will be thrilled to know the brand is relaunching this summer with two refurbished, ocean-going ships and the return of a favorite onboard restaurant, UMI UMA. Created by Michelin-starred chef Nobu Matsuhisa, this specialty restaurant features his unique fusion of Japanese and Peruvian flavors. Menu highlights include the chef’s signature black cod in miso as well as dishes that feature Wagyu beef and Chilean sea bass.   To accommodate guests who follow vegan diets, Windstar Cruises will introduce a new whole-food, plant-based menu this summer on all its ships. These dishes will be minimally processed and prepared without added salt, oil, or sugar. Tempting choices include baked cauliflower croquettes with...

Most cruise ships have fitness centers where you can maintain your regular workout; many have such an excellent range of equipment and classes that you might discover a new favorite way to stay in shape. Here are a few onboard workout opportunities that may “wow” you. Zumba classes on Celebrity Cruises use upbeat rhythms and simple choreography to deliver a total body workout. If you haven’t done Zumba before, attend the scheduled Zumba Fitness Party to learn some basic steps. Some Celebrity ships also offer Aqua Zumba for a water-supported workout in the ship’s pool, Zumbatomic classes for kids, or Zumba Gold classes for older adults. If you like punching bag workouts, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Fight Klub incorporates punching bag work with sets of kicks for an energizing cardio session. Virgin Voyages ships have punching bags too, as well as actual boxing rings where you can spar. Virgin offers bungee fitness classes, too. The stretchy bungee cords attached to the ceiling defy gr...

As we all know, cruising is an outstanding way to travel and see the world.    Did you realize there are ways that you can maximize your experience?   What if I told you, it is EASY and FREE.   The secret is to book with a Travel Leaders Network travel advisor and have them book you on a Distinctive Voyage sailing!    A Distinctive Voyage cruise costs no extra money and includes some wonderful amenities. 1.         Welcome reception: a.        A chance to meet your Distinctive Voyage host. b.        Gives you a chance to meet other Distinctive Voyage guests and develop friendships. c.        Learn about other amenities offered on the cruise.      2.        Distinctive Voyage host holds office hours each sea day where Distinctive Voyage guests can: a.    ...

A cruise is a terrific choice for a family vacation; ships from family-oriented lines like Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and others are well-equipped for family fun. If you have school-age children, let them be involved in the excitement of planning a cruise. Guiding them through the process of choosing a destination and ship, deciding what to do on board and on shore, and keeping within a vacation budget can be a great learning experience. Just let the kids know that while their ideas and opinions are important, you get to make the final decisions. Start by talking about where to sail. With a world of destinations to choose from, you may want to pick two or three options to discuss with the kids. For example, talk with them about the possibilities of sunning on the beaches of the Caribbean versus viewing glaciers on the coast of Alaska or visiting museums around the Mediterranean. You may learn something new about what interests your kids...