A lot of us are now turning to the helping hand of a cruise when it comes to where we choose to go on holiday. They are growing increasingly popular due to how much they have to offer and the more popular they get the more competition that arises with cruise ship companies. There are now more cruise lines operating than in the past, which means you have to make the decision of which cruise line to go with; one of these lines is Princess Cruises.
Princess Cruises began life back in 1965 when it started operating with a single cruise ship going to Mexico. Since then this fleet has grown and now stands as one of the premiere cruise lines in the world. In our day and age it now carries more than a million passengers each year to numerous worldwide destinations; it does so more than any other major line and is considered to be one of the most recognised lines in the world.
Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, Mexico, New Zealand and Canada as well as the South Pacific are just some of the destinations that Princess Cruises cater for; on top of these destinations they also specialise in Alaska cruises and tours. This is because Alaska is recognised as being unlike any place on earth. It is a landscape made up of snow encrusted mountains, glaciers and an incredible diversity of wildlife. So we can understand why so many people wish to travel to places such as Alaska but why do so many people wish to do so using Princess Cruises?
There is a lot of appeal connected to a cruise line such as this. One example is the décor that you are presented with. The interior décor is stunning while being elegant. It represents a throwback to the décor that was present on the liners of the 1920’s and 1930’s. The décor includes ceiling cornices, both real and faux wrought-iron staircase railings and leather- and cherry wood panelled walls as well as rich carpeting in hallways with an Oriental rug-look centre section. The general feel that is connected to it is an old-world country club. The one aspect however that stands out for most people however is the staircase as it resembles the one seen within the movie Titanic.
One of the main reasons however is that travellers are able to become involved in learning new skills. They have led the way with what is known as the ScholarShip@Sea program. This program is what passengers can take part in on board the ship. During this program passengers can take part in wine tasting, ice carving, digital photography, cookery demonstrations and ceramic painting as well as computer skills. Princess cruise lines do also cater for families as they have a number of activities for children including special games and gathering for teenagers such as movies and sports. The entertainment on board the ships doesn’t however stop in the daytime; they go through to the evening, where you can find an array of events to suit a range of tastes.
Broadway-style shows, theme parties, dancing, karaoke, comedy and bars & Lounges as well as casinos are the main forms of entertainment on offer during the evening. You can basically take part in as much or as little of the entertainment on offer so what you do is completely up to you, remember this is your holiday.
One last important aspect when it comes to cruise lines is the food that is on offer. A good line needs good dining. With Princess Cruises the one thing that you get a lot of is choice. You have the option of a five-star formal dinner or you can have a casual meal in the ships speciality restaurants; you could even opt to dine in your stateroom. This gives you complete personal choice again.
The flexibility and freedom associated with Princess Cruises is another reason as to why they are so popular. As you can see from the above this cruise line allows you to tailor every aspect of the cruise experience to your personal choice, thus giving you your perfect holiday, can’t really ask for better than that.
Archive for the ‘El Titanic’ Category
The On Board Princess Cruises Experience
10.20
More Holidaymakers are Heading to Orlando, Florida
09.29
Florida has always been a popular destination for travelers. Warm weather, a great location and endless attractions make FL a great vacation spot.
Recently there has been a rise in the number of people traveling to Orange County though. The Orlando airport has recently experience a surge in traffic. The number of visitors jumped more than 34% compared to last year this time.
Brits are particularly fond of taking their holidays in Florida. Since they typically take two-week trips, they have the opportunity to fully explore the theme parks and still have time to enjoy shopping, nightlife, dining and beaches. The mild year round temperatures make it a great destination any time of year.
Orlando Attractions
The nice thing about Orlando is there is something for everyone. People of all ages can find something to do in Orlando.
Disney World is a prime example of this. There is so much to do and see for boys and girls, parents and grandparents. Experience thrill rides, meet Disney characters, stay in exclusive resorts, take in theater performances, or visit museums. Choose from a long list of activities that just scratch the surface of things to do in Orlando.
* Disney World
* Seaworld (including Aquatics, the new water park)
* Universal Studios
* MGM Studios (now Disney Hollywood Studios)
* Busch Gardens
* Discovery Cove
* WonderWorks
* Wildlife Safari Tours
* Cirque de Soleil’s La Nouba
* Blizzard Beach Water Park
* Ripley’s Believe it or Not!
* Sky Venture Orlando
* Universal’s Island of Adventure
* Gatorland
* Florida Everglades
* Epcot
* Cypress Gardens
* Orlando Science Center
* Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
* The Holy Land Experience
* Pirate’s Dinner Adventure
* Disney’s Animal Kingdom
* Medieval Times
* Wet n’ Wild Water Park
* Titanic, Ship of Dreams Exhibit
Mix up your holiday by having some wild adventures and then balance them by taking in some of the calmer attractions, like shows and cultural exhibits. When you’ve done everything you came to do, take some time to relax on the beach or take a dip in the pool which most Florida hotels have.
Rising Gas Prices Makes Airfare Seem Affordable
Another possible reason for an increase in airport traffic to Orlando may be the rising gas prices in the U.S. It is actually cheaper to fly a family into Orlando than to pay to fill the gas tank multiple times as they make their way toward FL. Gas prices are expected to soar over the summer, making airfare a sensible alternative to driving.
Package Deals Make Orlando Trips More Affordable
You really can’t go wrong with a package deal to Disney. Some resorts include hopper passes to all four major theme parks and several water parks. It is also convenient to catch a bus from your hotel to any of these attractions throughout the day.
This means you can easily depart from your resort in the morning and head for the Magic Kingdom, take a bus over to the Animal Kingdom for the evening, return to the Magic Kingdom for the fireworks display, and catch the bus back to your resort at night for no extra fees.
Check for resort and airfare deals to Orlando when you are planning your holiday. Sometimes it pays to book multiple things at one time.
Editors Guide To Ocean City, Maryland
09.21
Vacation Planner:
Having visited Ocean City as a child, than as a parent, and now living here with my grandchildren has given me a unique look at what Ocean City has to offer. From a day trip to a yearly vacation I will offer my advice on things I have enjoyed over the years.
Things have changed over the course of 50 years but not as much as you may think. Gone are the sand dunes and wilderness that existed north of 60th Street when I was a child. They have been replaced with high-rise condominiums, strip malls, hotels, restaurants, and residential buildings of every possible configuration.
The boardwalk now runs from the Inlet at the southern edge of Ocean City to 26th Street. Most of the “action” is from 4th Street-south. If you want to stay where the action is I recommend staying on the boardwalk. This is a great area if you have teenagers or just like the hustle and bustle atmosphere. Even the boardwalk can be further broken down by just how much action you want. The further you get from the inlet the more relaxed the boardwalk becomes. See my article, Where to Stay, for a complete listing of what each area of Ocean City is like.
While not everyone likes the same entertainment, I’m going to assume that the major reason for coming to Ocean City is the ocean. Our beaches are fairly consistent throughout Ocean City with fairly wide expanses, very clean, and lifeguards stationed every block with communication systems connecting the entire beach. The one major exception to this is from the inlet to about?6th Street; this area has an extremely wide beach area with volleyball and play areas. This is good for daily visitors and children but difficult for the elderly and handicapped. Access to the beach from the end of the boardwalk-north is limited to paths made through the sand dunes at the end of each street. Rentals of chairs, umbrellas, and boogie boards are available on every block entrance to the beach (as of this writing). There are plenty of places to eat lunch all along the boardwalk but make other plans for lunch if you stay off the boardwalk. See beach rules for a list of do’s and don’ts.
To get away from the action and have a more relaxed day at the beach I recommend Assateague Island State and Assateague Island National Park. Although the actual park starts at the inlet you must drive about 15 minutes to get to the parks entrances. Take Route 50 west, than Route 611 south. Route 611 ends at Assateague Island. Here you will find the State Park and the National Park. The State Park is somewhat more expensive to enter but has a snack bar. I personally prefer the National Park because it has more to offer. While the State Park is limited to a snack bar, the National Park has canoe rentals; tours, a crabbing pier, and a 4 wheel drive only area (permit required). Fires are allowed on the beach at night from the low tide mark to the high tide mark. Both areas offer lifeguarded beaches, picnic tables, grills, rest rooms, and showers. Campsites are available at both parks but advanced reservations are almost always required.
Entertainment doesn’t stop at the beach.???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
The boardwalk offers rides, games, arcades, shops, and of course food for the kid in all of us. Here again, the action is centered from 1st Street to the inlet. To entertain the kids and the kids at heart I would suggest Splash Mountain at 30th Street and Coastal Hwy. There are several types of water slides, a lazy river, a wave pool, snack bars, and my favorite the Rain Forest. The Rain Forest is fun for everyone; it has super sized squirt guns to shoot people as they walk by (my favorite-I get in battles with people from 6 to 60), water slides, a giant pirate hat that slowly fills and dumps its contents on everyone below, and water squirting at you from everywhere. Trust me; this giant sized water version of a jungle gym is worth the admission price by itself. It is so fun that the lifeguards wear rain hats and coats.
There are numerous race tracks for every age and miniature golf courses featuring something for everyone. For a complete list of fun things to do visit our entertainment page.
For the adults there are nightclubs catering to every age group and bars with many different themes. Seacrets is so popular with young adults that it has its own radio station while Fager’s Island is popular with the more sophisticated crowd. In between is everything from karaoke to beach bars.
A rainy day can be spent; going to the movies, going shopping, visiting the indoor pools located at many hotels, sitting on your balcony watching the ocean, taking a day trip to historic Berlin, Md., or just enjoying a long lunch at one of the waterfront restaurants.
Dinner in Ocean City for most of us is kind of like Family Feud. There are so many choices and nobody ever feels like the same thing at the same time. My family starts discussing dinner plans early so reservations can be made if required. During the peak season keep in mind that lines at popular restaurants can be long (even if the food is just so-so). My personal recommendations are: 1-Marina Deck, excellent crab soup and seafood dishes, and it’s on the water 2-Waterman’s Seafood Restaurant, very good crab feast and seafood 3-Nick’s Original House of Ribs, very good ribs and beef 4-Harpoon Hanna’s, very good seafood and on the water (service somewhat slow) 5-The Crabcake Factory USA, the best crab cakes, 6-Higgins Crab House, very good crabs and good seafood, 7-Bull on the Beach, excellent pit beef and good beef entrees, 8-Adolofo’s Italian Restaurant, excellent Italian dishes (expensive), 9-Embers Restaurant, very good seafood and prime rib buffet, 10-Ponzetti’s Pizza, my favorite pizza, 11-Lombardi’s, another good pizza and Italian restaurant, 12-Sakura, excellent Japanese steak house, 13-Phillip’s Crab House, good seafood (worth a visit but no longer the best seafood in Ocean City), 14-Outback Steakhouse, the same food you get at home but it’s good when you get tired of trying new places. These are my favorite restaurants. There are many great choices and many different ideas about what a good meal is. A good restaurant to me is a combination of very good to excellent food with reasonable prices, good service, and a varied menu for the entire family. Please leave reviews for restaurants you visit during your stay to help others choose a good restaurant.???