Building An Authoritative Travel Blog

Authoritative blogs seem all the rage at the moment but what exactly is an " Authoritative Travel Blog ?" Well my understanding of the matter is it is a blog that is not only very informative to the readers but that the information comes from authoritative type people in connection with what they are writing about.

Hopefully my articles below will give an insight on travel and travel related experiences from all over the world from many authoritative writers as they have been there and done that.

Articles will be and are published often and this means current travel experiences and up to date places to visit. If you have also visited these places or wish to comment then please do so remembering this blog is intended to family orientated visitors so please be respectful.

I have seen many fears raised through my article site and feel that any traveller today that, for one reason or another, decides against travel insurance then they are possibly being a little short sighted. We do not want our boats to sink but are happy to carry life rafts. travel insurance is a similar idea. We do not wish to ever claim on it but if things go wrong as they sometimes do it is a benifit to have the insurance.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Luxury Cruises - Travel In A Hotel To Exciting Ports Of Call

By Dorothy Yamich

A luxury cruise voyage can truly enrich your life. Not only will you be traveling with like-minded people who love to cruise, you will develop great, lasting friendships among your many cruising companions.

When you cruise you can travel to fabulous ports of call anywhere that cruise ships sail. Not only are there mega cruise liners which everyone is familiar with, there are a number of different sizes and types of ships. The medium, and particularly the smaller size cruise ships can navigate further up inland waterways to cities and historic landmarks where larger ships could never go.

The larger cruise ships generally have one or possibly two organized shore excursions at each port of call. If there are two sightseeing shore excursions scheduled the same day, one may happen early in the morning and the second one in the afternoon. Most shore excursions at take place in the morning normally get back to the ship in time for the people to dine on a fantastic lunch buffet.

Occasionally, on a second excursion, you may arrive back at your cruise ship late in the afternoon or early evening. This could possibly make you a bit late for dinner if you've been scheduled for the first sitting.

It is also your prerogative to explore the city, town, or island attractions and landmarks on your own. Please remember that it is your responsibility to get back on time or your cruise ship could sail without you. However, if you choose to book a shore excursion with the cruise ship, they will not sail until everyone is back on board.

Take full advantage of the time you have in port by using it wisely. Some vacationers decide to disembark and go it alone by hiring a car and driver to take them to see and explore the sights. Usually taxi drivers charge by the carload and not per person so if you want to save some money you can split the cost with a few other fellow passengers. If you leave early in the morning you may be able to get back in time to enjoy the lunch buffet.

When you cruise you should bring a detailed guide book or books that cover each of the destinations you know that you will be visiting. Even if the weather is less than optimal for your shore excursion, always take your camera as the weather, if inclement, can improve very quickly.

And don't judge any port by the dock and the surrounding area. It is usually the freighter unloading and loading area and major warehouse district of the city or town. You will probably have to travel out of the port area and into the town or city to see the historical sites and unique tourist attractions as well as experience the local culture.

What are the differences between a river cruise and a barge tour?

Although they have some similarities, there are differences between these two types of water sightseeing tours. Firstly, the ships that sail the rivers can handle approximately up to one hundred and eighty people, while barges usually can accommodate from five to twenty-five people. The second significant difference is that the river cruises can visit a number of countries and cities in a week, while barges traverse man-made canals from town to town and move at a much slower, leisurely pace, and can cover approximately only fifty miles in a week. Thirdly, river cruise ships have a restaurant, lounge, and entertainment, while the more intimate barges are essentially first-class, floating hotels, having a dining room and lounge as well as a sun deck. The most popular river cruises and barging tours are in Europe.

What are luxury cruise tour packages?

Cruise tour packages are similar to regular cruises that stop for half-day or full day shore excursions but give you the best of both a luxury cruise and a land holiday all wrapped up in one. The main differences between the two is that the land part of your holiday includes transportation by luxury motor coach or train travel to a centrally located first class hotel accommodation at your inland destination. You will be chaperoned by a professional tour guide for the land part of your itinerary. These combo cruise and land packages are usually longer, lasting from ten days to three weeks or for even a month or more. On most cruise tours you have the option to take the land segment of your vacation either before or after your cruise.

Besides Europe, you can book a cruise tour for South America, Australia, Asia and the United States. Alaska is one of the most popular cruise tour destinations in the world.

If you would like to enjoy the best of both worlds - an incredible dream cruise holiday and a land tour adventure - a luxury cruise tour is truly the ultimate vacation experience.

About the Author:

No comments: