Cruise Holidays - Attheta Travel

Cruise lines love repeat customers and reward them through loyalty programs. Similar to airline frequent flier programs, cruise line loyalty programs offer special discounts and amenities, from the nice (such as a small “welcome aboard” gift) to the spectacular (such as a free cruise).     The best cruise line loyalty program for you is probably the one offered by your favorite cruise line; it’s usually better to sail often on a line you love than to choose a line based on its loyalty program. Still, it may be helpful to take a quick look at how these programs work and some of the top-tier benefits.     In most cruise line loyalty programs, you earn points based on how often and how long you cruise, as well as your cabin category. Most programs have four to six “tiers” to move through as you accumulate points. There are attractive rewards even at the lowest tiers, such as gift shop discounts and “members only” events. Rewards in the middle tiers may include l...

March is Women’s History Month in the United States, so it’s a good time to celebrate women who have made history by commanding cruise ships. It’s been 15 years since the first time a woman took command of a cruise ship; a welcome change from more superstitious times, when simply having women on board was thought to bring bad luck. To give you an idea of what the job of being a cruise ship captain is like, the captain – sometimes referred to as the “ship master” or “master captain” – is responsible for the operation and safety of the entire ship and everyone on board. All of the ship’s department heads – the hotel manager, executive chef, cruise director, purser, guest relations manager, chief engineer, etc. – report to the captain, who is on-call 24 hours a day during each voyage. A captain must have a wide range of skills and knowledge, with the ability to do everything from navigating the seas to socializing with passengers. They bring years of experience to the job; most have f...

Equipped with the latest smartphone cameras or standalone digital cameras, lots of passengers love to take photos throughout their cruises. And in addition to your own photos, you can purchase photos taken by the photographers who are part of the crew on many cruise ships.     Photos taken by a ship’s roaming photographers are very high quality. Not only do these skilled professionals understand light, color, composition, and the other elements of photography, they also understand the types of photos that delight cruise passengers and help preserve wonderful cruise memories.     Even if you know how to take excellent photos, when part of your mind is on capturing “must have” photos, you could miss out on some of the fun and relaxation of your cruise. It can be helpful to let a ship’s photographer capture some of the joyous moments.      You can preview the images captured by your ship’s photographer and select the ones you like best. Each c...

  If you plan to cruise with some energetic kids and worry they won’t have enough to do while the ship is at sea, choose a ship with a kids club. Not all cruise lines have special clubs for kids, but those that do offer terrific activities that go beyond simply keeping kids busy; special play and learning experiences can create wonderful cruise memories.     Disney Cruise Line draws on Disney’s cast of beloved characters to add fun and a little glamour to its kids' club. In addition to classic characters like Mickey Mouse, kids can meet favorites from the Marvel Universe, Toy Story, Frozen, and Star Wars. The Oceaneer Club has games, scavenger hunts, and dress-up activities for younger kids. In the Oceaneer Lab, older kids e...

Even if you haven’t taken your first cruise yet, you may have heard that cruise ship food is amazing. And some of today’s larger ships have more than a dozen dining venues. Some vacationers even choose a cruise based – at least in part – on the onboard dining options. The good news for foodies continues: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as some snacks and beverages, are included in your cruise fare. But, onboard specialty restaurants often have a modest extra fee, and even the main dining room may charge a little extra for some special items. Here’s a quick look at cruise ship dining options: The main dining room is a sit-down venue, usually open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On small ships, the main dining room may be the only dining option, but menus change daily, so there’s little chance of becoming bored. Depending on your cruise line, the main dining room may have a dress code, especially in the evening. You may be assigned to share a table with other passengers, which c...

There’s great news for everyone who enjoys the beautiful, historic ports along Canada’s scenic coasts: the country’s pandemic-related ban on cruise ships   was lifted on 1NOV21. So ,  cruise lines and cruise fans can expect   a traditional Canadian cruise season in 2022, starting in May and winding down in October .     Let’s look at some of the popular ports along Canada’s Atlantic coast. Note that itineraries that include these ports often include familiar New England ports like Boston, Portland, and Bar Harbor, too .     While an 1877 fire destroyed much of the original city, Saint John, New Brunswick, has plenty of Victorian-era architecture, as well as brick walkways and parks full of flowers and street performers .  The city sits where the Saint John River meets the Bay of Fundy, creating   an interesting natural phenomenon...

The new year brings excitement about new cruise ships getting ready to launch in 2022. These are some of the ships that will debut this year:     Royal Caribbean’s  Wonder of the Seas  will take the title of “world’s largest cruise ship” when it launches on March 4. Like its Oasis Class siblings, the  Wonder  will include distinct “neighborhoods,” each packed with incredible activities and amenities: Boardwalk, Central Park, Entertainment Place, Pool and Sports Zone, Royal Promenade, Vitality Spa, and Fitness Center, and Youth Zone. Plus, the  Wonder  will introduce a new neighborhood called Suite Class, which will have a restaurant, plunge pool, and sun deck just for the use of guests in the onboard suites. The  Wonder  will deb...