Rock Climbing Wall

Cruise Activities On Board

Once you step on board you will begin to discover all that your ship has to offer. The options are endless? Given the size of many cruise ships and options offered on all the ships and in port, you’ll find it very hard to get bored or feel confined.

Today’s shipboard entertainment includes ice-skating musicals, laser sound and light shows, and orchestral performances backed by technologies on par with the best of Broadway and Las Vegas. On the newer Princess Cruise ships they even have movies under the stars. A gigantic movie screen on the pool deck shows the movie as you sip your cocktail while perched on a lounge chair.

Every ship has a Cruise Director whose job is to make sure each guest makes the most of the cruise. In fact, there are so many things to do that you will probably book a longer cruise next time.

Each day can be a different adventure aboard your floating resort. The “DAILY PROGRAME”, delivered to your stateroom the evening before, will offer something for everyone.

If you are cruising with kids, they will have activities of their own. Almost all of the major cruise lines have “youth counselors” for different age groups. Your child would be put in the appropriate age group and the counselor will keep them busy all day with age geared activities. If you want to go get them for lunch you can. If you want to see at dinner you can do that too. Each time your child goes to their special area on the ship, a parent must sign him/her in and out.

For some passengers, cruise ships have become floating art galleries. These days, nearly every cruise ship visiting the United States has art auctions so vacationers can take home something to hang on the wall. Hallways, lounges and dining and recreation rooms at sea contain an assortment of original paintings and prints. These artworks are the subject of free art walks and lectures that cruise lines arrange during the course of a voyage.

On many cruises the line will have a wine tasting or what they call food pairing. Wine tasting is self explanatory. The food pairing is when the chief wine steward sets up several different kinds of wine and then has you taste different types of food with each bottle of wine. We did it on a Celebrity cruise and it was quite fascinating and enjoyable.

No, you do not have to participate in the activities onboard. You do what you want to. You can do everything or lie back and do nothing at all. That’s the beauty of cruising, it’s your choice.

Copyright © 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved.

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You Don’t Cruise, you Lose!

While millions of tourists flock to Mexico every year by land and air, the country has also become the world’s top cruise destination, with cruises becoming more popular and lifestyle specific every year.

According to recent statistics released by Mexico’s Tourism Secretariat (Sectur), some 6.5 million passengers arrived to Mexico’s ports in 2005. The most popular port is by far on the island of Cozumel, located just south of Cancun in the Mexican Caribbean. According to Mexico’s Communications and Transportation Secretariat, 754 ships arrived to Cozumel in the first ten months of 2006, carrying some 1.5 million passengers. The second most popular port is Costa Maya on the Mexican Caribbean, which received 263 ships, carrying more than 500,000 in the first ten months of 2006.

Mexico boasts two dozen port cities. Apart from Cozumel and Cabo San Lucas, Ensenada, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan are the most popular ports along the Pacific coast, while Costa Maya in Quintana Roo State and Puerto Progreso in Yucatan State are the most popular on the Caribbean side. In addition to being bustling metropolises in their own right, offering the best in shopping, cultural activities and cuisine to the traveler, most ports are also located just a stone’s throw from the country’s leading archaeological treasures and other attractions. Part of the popularity of cruises can also be attributed to the traveling public’s desire to experience more destinations in one vacation, with most cruises offering stops in at least three or four different destinations.

According to Sectur, in the past two decades the number of cruise ships stopping in Mexican ports has increased dramatically, with most major cruise lines now serving the Gulf, Central Pacific and Caribbean, having incorporated these popular destinations into their itineraries. In 2005, the Mexican government invested more than US $7 million in the development of the Port of Chiapas, Mexico’s newest cruise destination. The port welcomed its first passenger vessel in February 2006.

As the number of cruise passengers increases, the demand for a variety of services and themes have also increased, what the cruise industry often refers to as lifestyle cruises.

Below are just some samples of new cruise offerings:

Sun salutations

The Radisson Seven Seas hosts several lifestyle cruises, among them a yoga cruise from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to Cozumel, featuring Michael Lechonczak and Robin Whitney Levine, a New York City-based husband and wife yoga team, who will bring the art and science of yoga to guests of the luxurious 700-guest Seven Seas Mariner. Their daily onboard program will offer a variety of options for men and women, yoga beginners and experts of all ages. Classes on meditation and aromatherapy will round out the mix.

Food & wine

The Radisson Seven Seas also offers a special Food & Wine spotlight cruise on the Mariner in March. The cruise, which sails from Los Angeles and stops in Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco and Huatulco in Oaxaca, features a Cordon Bleu cooking school and Sonoma Valley wines. Max McCalman, chef formageur from New York’s Picholine Restaurant will provide expert tips, instruction and 24/7 wine tasting.

Mickey on board

Disney Cruise Line is also increasing its presence to Mexico, offering a variety of cruises to Mexico including calls to Cozumel on the Caribbean side, as well as calls to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific side. Disney offers special programs for children, teens and as well as adults, offering something for the entire family. The Disney Magic ship to Mexico’s western ports has been enhanced by a 24-by14 foot jumbo LED screen for poolside movies and an expanded fitness and spa center for adults.

Low carbs and smart kids

Carnival’s Fun Ships will make more than 1,100 calls to Mexican ports in 2005, with Mexico being by far the most popular destination for Carnival. Carnival has also diversified its offerings by adding low carb meals to its menus and expanding its kids programs to focus on art, music, science, reading and physical fitness.

Gay travel

Atlantis (www.atlantisevents.com) is one of the largest gay travel tour operators offering cruise packages to Mexico. The Mexican Riviera cruise is one of the most popular, offering five Mexican destinations in eight days on the new Radiance of the Seas ship. Rated by Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice as one of the best ships in the world, Radiance of the Seas offers among its many amenities a rock-climbing wall, two pools and an African-themed solarium complete with 17-foot high stone elephants and waterfalls. In Mexico, the ship will visit Ixtapa, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San

Lucas.

Clothing optional

For au naturel travelers, Bare Necessities offers a variety of clothing-optional cruises. And nudetravel.com also offers clothing optional packages including information on nudist resorts in Mexico.

Blind cruises

Damar Travel at 800-999-6101 offers cruises for the blind to Mexico.

Below are some of the many cruise lines that dock in Mexican ports as part of their regular routes:

Carnival Cruise Lines, Crystal Cruises, Disney Cruises, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Princess, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, P&O Cruises

About the Mexico Tourism Board

The Mexico Tourism Board (MTB) brings together the resources of federal and state governments, municipalities and private companies to promote Mexico’s tourism attractions and destinations internationally. Created in 1999, the MTB is Mexico’s tourism promotion agency, and its participants include members of both the private and public sectors. The MTB has offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

# # #

Erick Laseca

Mexico Tourism Board

312-228-0517

erick.laseca@bm.com

http://www.visiitmexicopress.com

Reasons to Choose Royal Caribbean Cruises

Cruising is considered one of the luxurious vacation treats you can give to yourself and to your family. Although said to be luxurious (which is synonymous to expensive), the idea of sailing on a cruise ship to majestic and wonderful destinations perfect for a vacation. Different cruise lines offer variety of cruise package both to rich and average clients. If you are considering a cruise vacation, then you might take as well the option of sailing with the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. They offer great vacation treats and wide variety of options for you. They are one of the most reputable cruise lines in the industry and the amenities that they are providing to their passengers on-board the ship are all rated first-class.If you are unfamiliar with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, you might think as well that its cruise ships are only sailing to the Caribbean. Although it also includes the Caribbean in their cruise itineraries, they are also sailing in different locations like Alaska, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Hawaii, Europe, Mexico, Canada, the Pacific Northwest, the Panama Canal, and the transatlantic destinations as well. They also have some great cruise tours, which includes an escorted land tour that happens before or after your cruise. It is done with first-class motor coach or train and gives you an option whether you want to see more of the country to which you are travelling.Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines is operated by the Royal Caribbean International which is based in Miami, Florida. It has a total of 19 ships in service and two more that is under construction. All their ships have names ending in “of the Seas”. Each of their ship includes the signature top-of-ship lounge known as Viking Crown Lounge which offers you a panoramic view. It also has a program called Adventure Ocean that is intended for kids on-board.So what are the best deals that Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines offer to its passengers? First are the informative lectures about your destination and the ship itself. You will be toured around the cruise ship where you will find lots of amenities on-board such as ice skating rinks and on-board Casino. You will not be missing your classic Pachinko game in Las Vegas.What about relaxing your whole body? There is an on-board massage center and spa that will make your body feel relaxed. There is also an acupuncture center, where you can experience the Chinese style of massaging and healing.As mentioned earlier, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines also features the Adventure Ocean Youth Program for your kids. It includes Fisher-Price Aqua babies and Aqua Tots for toddlers. There is a children-friendly rock-climbing wall that will surely make your children happy together with other kids on-board. They will be pre-occupied by their own activities while you are on a land tour. Cruising for disabled or elderly persons is not a problem. Their cruise ships are designed to cater to the needs of aged or mobility-impaired passengers. Cruise ship staffs are also ready to attend to their needs as well. There are also medical services for everybody on-board, which includes an emergency clinic with CPR equipment placed on all of their ships. This is staffed by an English-speaking doctor and nurses.Dining activities are also one of the major attractions when you go on-board with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. They offers wide variety of delicacies- Italian, Southern, European-these can be found in their dining facilities, either in the cafeteria or in the main dining area.Booking for a cruise is simple. All you have to do is to log on to travel agents online and ask them to book you on a cruise. You can also go direct to the official Royal Caribbean Cruise Line website. They are offering discounts on varying instances and amazing specials designed to fill up empty spaces on the ship. Either you book early or late, there are great deals reserved for you on every destination that you will choose.With these pleasant and first-class services in affordable prices, there is no reason for you not to include the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines on your next cruising vacation.