Cruise

Before booking your cruise vacation, get a map of the ship you will be sailing on to help select a specific cabin location.  Look for clues on the map for areas that might pose a problem.  Cabins near ice and vending machines, elevators and laundry rooms tend to be gathering places for passengers and are often congested and noisy.

A power strip and extension cord are must-haves to tuck into a suitcase for any traveler.  Most hotels and motels as well as cruise ship cabins only have an outlet or two available and many times those outlets are not conveniently located to spend any time with a curling iron or offer enough room for camera and cell phone chargers.

If your travel plans include photo opportunities through train, plane, cruise ship or hotel windows, pack a handful of moistened, single-packaged glass cleaning wipes in your camera bag. Don’t miss out on some great photos or come home with a memory card full of blurry prints because of smudged, fingerprinted or dirty windows.

When you are going on a cruise, consider taking a power strip along with you. Typically most cabins on cruise ships have only one or two outlets, and by bringing a power strip, you will be able to run more of your appliances for an easier and more convenient stay aboard the ship.

If you are someone who suffers from seasickness, but dying to go on a cruise, book a cabin on the lowest level of the ship possible.  In rough seas, the cabins towards the top of the ship experience the most amount of motion while those below the water-line tend to remain more stable.

To help you prepare for a cruise you should know what you are allowed and not allowed to bring on board. If you bring an item on board that is not allowed you could be asked to get off the ship. Check with your cruise ship operator before boarding if you are unsure what you are allowed to bring on board.

As you have seen, traveling plans, while various, share many fundamentals. They just vary in terms of location, costs, activities, and more. All it takes to decide what will work for you is some research, browsing, and asking around to get the best deals so that you can focus on the excitement of the trip.

So where do you exactly start? The most popular cruising areas are the Solent and Isle of Wight, the South West counties of Devon and Cornwall, East Anglia and the West coast of Scotland. Most sailing charters are available at the South coast. For the experienced sailor the Channel Islands is within cruising distance and Cherbourg in France is only 65 miles away from the Isle of Wight.

You can also start your sailing in Ireland, around the Magic Isle. A leisurely sail in the yacht or cruise ship can take you along the fantastic cities of Dublin and Donegal. Both are widely renowned for their restaurants filled with delectable seafood. Port calls are excellent in Guinness and Cork. Of course, there are still smaller harbors which are good if you want some closer contact with the Irish locals.

When you’re sailing in the UK, you should never get to miss to experience the boating environment of Scotland. Feel the cleanliness of its air and water, fantastic amenities, heartfelt welcome from the Scots, and the melodramatic sceneries of its coastlines. Unlike the usual hustle and bustle activity of modern England, you can enjoy natural freedom among the almost-empty sea and land of Scotland. The area of Outer Hebrides is home to archaeological and historical ruins that tell amazing Scottish stories.

Sailing in the West Wales, on the other hand, means enjoying the sunniest parts of Great Britain. You can also have fun with two days of sailing sessions in wayfarers. Experts can teach you the proper techniques in rigging a boat before you can have fun and solitude cruising through the protected waters. At the end of your sailing days, you can relax or unwind in any of their B&B accommodations. Meanwhile, let the sand of Gower Peninsula tickle your toes. A part of this area can be accessed by car, yet for the best seaside experience, learn to cruise your boat in this remote and peaceful British isle.

The coastlines of Norfolk and Suffolk stretch to 402 kilometers or 250 miles. Situated in the eastern part of England, they offer one of the most popular and best locations for sailing across UK. The world-acclaimed Burnham Week, the longest-running yacht regatta, is held in these areas every year.

The UK is renowned for its strong monarchy, shopping centers, galleries, and museums. Yet across the mountains and into the seas, you will discover that the country goes beyond modernism. Try sailing in the UK to understand what it means.

When travelling alone, it is important to keep an open mind about meeting new people. If you can afford to pay for a private cabin, you will be able to find peace during the day. There are many activities to do aboard a cruise ship. Many cruises stop in port cities where you will be able to leave the ship and visit shops, restaurants, and other tourist attractions. While you will be around people, you do not necessarily have to travel with them, which can give you more freedom to choose where you want to go and how long you want to spend there.

If you don’t want to travel alone, but you want to have quiet time during the cruise, ask a friend or family member who may want the same to join you. Cabins are less expensive when they are shared, so you will be able to save money and still enjoy private time. Not everyone wants their privacy, however, so be sure to choose a person who is capable of meeting people on their own and interacting with others when on the cruise. If you want to share your cabin with a stranger, you have the option to do so.

When travelling alone, you will be able to make all the decisions concerning the trip yourself. You get to choose the type of cruise you want to go on, how long you want to travel, and which activities you want to participate in. There are cooking classes, dances, formal dinners, day spas, sporting activities, gyms, pools, and much more that will keep you busy. Even if you want to just sit on a deck chair and read a book, you will be able to do so without being bothered by the daily stresses of your life.

If you have never travelled alone before or you think it will not be as much fun, try it and see. You will be able to meet new friends aboard the ship if you get lonely, and the time will pass by very quickly once you are aboard. Many people travel alone when on a cruise because they want to meet new people. Take the opportunity to sail the ocean by yourself and enjoy the many sights and people you will see and meet along the way.

But, I am an adventurer at heart probably born from my days as a kid where I grabbed a fishing pole or net and waded creeks and ponds to see what was there. My favorite type of travel is where you see things up close and personal with exposure to the people, culture and wildlife. This might require you to hop on a rubber landing raft and land on a beach where no one lives or it might require you to reach down and pet a whale. Adventurers run between 8 and 98 years old generally.

Today’s adventure takes you on an Alaska Cruise to the lower Alaska coast, the Alaska Inside Passage and it’s wonderful glacier areas. This is one of the world’s most unspoiled locations where wildlife abounds and beautiful scenery is found at every turn. There are few other trips where you can hope to see Humpback Whales, Killer Whales, Minke Whales, Dolphins, Bald Eagles, Puffins, Dall Sheep, Caribou, Reindeer, Moose, Elk, Brown Bears and Black Bears. My first whale watch was in the Northeast. The whales were bubble feeding and I literally could have jumped off the ship and into the whale’s mouth as it rose with a mouth full of water (and krill). This is a great experience that any wildlife lover should enjoy.

Besides the wildlife and scenery there are several amazing things to do in Alaska which include taking a dogsled ride, viewing bears as they catch salmon, stream fishing for salmon and trout, ocean fishing for salmon or huge Halibut, walking on a glacier, flying over incredible mountains and glaciers.

There are several ways to see Alaska:

1) Rent an RV or car and drive. This is an adventure but you cannot see the coast and two vehicles together is much safer. If you are really interested in driving Alaska go to this website http://www.northtoalaska.com

2) Fly and stay at a lodge which is a great way to see inland alaska or a section of the coast. Most of these lodges focus on fishermen, if you don’t fish the other opportunities are limited. A couple of the best lodges for non fishermen are Denali Backcountry Lodge and Kantishna Roadhouse.

3) An Alaskan Cruise with a major cruise company aboard a large ship. These large ships often hold thousands of people and provide shows and gambling for your entertainment. The two biggest cruise companies in Alaska are Holland America (my first alaska cruise was with them) and Princess but almost every major cruise company has an Alaskan Cruise. This is normally the cheapest way to see Alaska. This can also be combined with a land tour before or after the cruise.

4) An Alaska Cruise on a smaller cruise ship which holds approximately 100 people. This is not the cheapest way to see Alaska but it is the best value for adventurous people. This can also be combined with a land tour before or after the cruise.

A small ship cruise is made for explorers & adventurers. The advantages are:

1) Small ship cruising is usually more personal as the crew and other passengers are very focused on the destination and it is a casual atmosphere. Most people you speak to will have interests similar to yours.

2) You will be able to safely cruise close to shore where wildlife is very abundant,

3) Small cruise ships offer education and expert visitors.

4) A small ship cruise can squeeze into narrow passages and beautiful fjords that a larger ship can only think about.

5) Small ships also carry inflatable landing rafts which allow you to beach and explore remote areas, or come close enough to a brown bear to make you nervous.

The Cruise West cruise company was founded by Chuck West, an Alaska bush pilot who started the Arctic Alaska Travel Service in 1946. This eventually became Westours which he sold to Holland America, and then started Cruise West.

These ships have experts on board who love and appreciate the wildlife and scenery. They are usually cruising close to shore and searching for whales, bears and other wildlife. When they spot something they generally detour the ship to give you an up close look. Instead of continuing their course past feeding whales they position themselves upcurrent of the feeding whales hoping to drift back closely so you can see them. If there is a section of shoreline just begging to be explored they can anchor the ship and launch inflatable zodiaks to take you ashore. A small ship cruise is more like a continual shore excursion rather than cruising from port to port.

Here is one of the itineraries available.

Alaska Cruise Day 1 – You will meet your traveling companions and ship representative in the lobby of the hotel. A motorcoach will take you to the ship.

Alaska Cruise Day 2 – MISTY FJORDS NATIONAL MONUMENT AND METLAKATLA On my first trip to Alaska I took a plane ride to Misty Fjords. On this trip you will cruise through the Misty Fjords area with steep mountains shrouded in mist. This is a great area to see brown and black bears

Alaska Cruise Day 3 – PETERSBURG

Enjoy “Little Norway” with a population around 3000. The scenery is beautiful with 10,000 foot mountain peaks along the water’s edge. The Leikarring Dancers will perform traditional Norwegian dances in colorful and authentic Norwegian dress. Samples of Norwegian pastries are also included.

Alaska Cruise Day 4 – FREDERICK SOUND AND TRACY ARM

Travel through Holkham Bay and the steep fjord cliffs of Tracy arm for 25 miles. This is an incredible area with beautiful greenish sea water.

Cruise Frederick Sound which has a very large population of Humpback Whales due to high nutrient levels in the water. The Humpies travel back and forth from Hawaii each year to feed and build up strength for having their calves. You will also see sea lions and seals in this area.

Alaska Cruise Day 5 – SITKA

You will not arrive in Sitka like a large cruise ship. You will come in the back way through beautiful passageways between Baranof and Chichagof Islands. These scenic passages are too narrow and dangerous for a large ship. There are many wildlife viewing opportunities while you are enjoying the scenery. You can see bears, bald eagles, black tailed deer and see otters.

There are plenty of optional shore excursions available in Sitka. This is also a great place to fish for Salmon or Halibut.

Alaska Cruise Day 6 – GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE

The ship will enter the park in the early morning and pick up a park ranger and a Tlingit Interpreter to provide you with great insight into this magnificent area. While cruising the park you will see beautiful glaciers and icebergs floating by. The sky will be filled with seabirds such as puffins and murrelets. Steller’s sea lions, brown and black bears will be seen on the shorelines and islands. In the water will be seals, sea otters and humpback whales feeding in the rich waters.

Alaska Cruise Day 7 – SKAGWAY AND HAINES You will disembark the ship and receive a tour of the Skagway area. The Chilkat trail at Skagway was a primary access for gold rushers. You will also be able to see and possibly buy the famous Tlingit blankets made out of the hair of mountain goats. There are also optional shore excursions available here such as fishing.

You will stay in a top hotel this night

Alaska Cruise Day 8 – ARRIVE IN JUNEAU

Transfer to the Juneau hotel and enjoy the city or lots of optional activities such as hiking, flightseeing or even dogsledding.

Alaska Cruise Day 9 – Bid a sad farewell to Alaska and transfer to the airport. Or, you can cover the interior of Alaska which is next week’s trip

Brian@freecruisebook.com For more details click here