26 Mar
Vancouver Tours Blog

Cruises in Turkey

Most do not think about Turkey as a cruise destination, but this historically rich land offers some of the finest vistas and ports of call along the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. These cruises are much lower in cost than other options in the region, and the activities and ports of call lead many to make return trips to Turkey and plan repeat cruises to the country.

The straddling of two continents has meant that Turkey has always offered the world a unique mixture of both Western and Eastern culture. The country has a powerful cultural, economic, and historical presence, in its region of the world. And, currently often serves as a gateway between the western European Union, eastern Central Asia, northern Russia, and southern Middle East.

Turkey has long been at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, and as a result, this nation is wealthy in history and culture. Many tourists on cruises stay in western Mediterranean waters, and as a result, Turkey is an undiscovered cruising destination. Tour packages are available which cater to those who enjoy pristine coastal resorts as well as to those who seek historic sites.

There are a variety of ports of call along the Turkish coast, and the best method to see them all is to travel between them on the water. The best part of taking a cruise vacation in Turkey is that most of the traveling is done as the passengers sleep. This means that not a moment of waking vacation time is wasted in traveling between cities in Turkey. Even as the ship sails through the crystalline waters surrounding Turkey, on board activities and dining ensure that the Turkey cruise traveler never has a dull moment.

Source by Kenzi Kiabot

18 Feb
Vancouver Tours Blog

Alaska Cruises With Celebrity Cruises

There is nothing more breathtaking than sitting on your balcony, traveling through glacier filled waters with snow topped mountains cascading throughout the landscape before you. Celebrity Cruises can offer you this and so much more should you choose to travel to Alaska with them. There are dozens of different itineraries to choose from, depending on where you would like to depart from and if you are looking for a simple cruise or a cruise tour that includes a little bit more.

With Celebrity Cruises, you have 5 ports of departure including Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver and Seward, Alaska. These ports of departure are pretty standard between all the cruise lines which send travellers to Alaska; it is your choice. Many people like to combine their departure city into their vacation and do a little land exploring before departing to sea.

You also have the choice of cruises lasting anywhere between 7 to 18 nights. This is important to weigh carefully. If you have never been on a cruise before, you may not be wise to spend 18 days on a ship if you are not 100% certain you will enjoy the experience. Start off slow in the case with 7 days to get your feet wet so to speak.

Yet another choice you are able to make with Celebrity Cruises on their Alaska cruises includes the ship you wish to travel on. They have three ships to choose from, each of which offers different levels of amenities and services to better accommodate your stay. The names of the ships currently operating in Alaska are Celebrity Mercury, Celebrity Infinity and Celebrity Millennium.

Lastly, you have the option to book what is known as a cruise tour with Celebrity Cruises. What this means is that you are not only booking the passage from your port of departure but you are also booking guided tours of Alaska for each of your daily port stops. If you are not interested in booking a package deal like this than you of course have the option to book on shore excursions with the local tourist companies. Popular Alaska cruise tour activities include guided tours through glacier fields, the Denali National Park, ice climbing, kayaking, bear watching, dog sled racing, helicopter flights over the glaciers and so much more.

An Alaska cruise with Celebrity Cruises is one of the most popular routes on offer today. More and more people of all ages are beginning to see what Alaska offers is so unique they want to experience it for themselves. On any one of their cruises you have the opportunity to visit Anchorage, the capital city of Alaska and so many other cities of importance as well.

No matter where you choose to depart from Celebrity Cruises offers top of the line amenities, extraordinary tours and itineraries. Get away from traveling from bus station to train and let Celebrity Cruises take you through Alaska in their luxurious ships. You will experience culture and history like you have never seen before. Alaska will leave a lasting impression on you and Celebrity Cruises is sure to be your cruise line of choice as you travel throughout other parts of the world.

Source by J. David Rogers

15 Jan
Vancouver Tours Blog

Cruises – A Worry Free Vacation

Websites on the internet mention all there is to know about the Alaskan Cruise Line – the choices, the schedules, prices and special deals. The best cruiser which sail to Alaska have been in the following list mentioned in an alphabetical order. The American Safari takes you on that perfect trip on board their perfect ships the Safari Quest, Safari Spirit, Safari Explorer and Safari Escape.

The Carnival Cruises' ships sail from Seward and Vancouver on regular 7-days cruises to Alaska. Summit, Infinity and Mercury are the ships offered by the Celebrity Cruiser, an Alaskan Liner – which will take you on a 7-days trip to Alaska. Land excursions are offered by the Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean team. Take a 3 to 12 day cruise with widely varied itineraries, onboard small ships offered by the cruise west to alaska.

The Lindblad Expeditions is another Alaskan Cruise Line with the ships – the Sea Bird and Sea Lion will take you on an 8 – 12 day cruise to Alaska – with the ship board Naturalists who will lead the shore and Zodiac excursions and answer all your questions. The Norwegian Cruises offer their Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Star and Norwegian Sun – which will set asail from Vancouver and Seattle and sail to the Glacier Bay and Sawyer Glacier. The Holland America Cruises, an Alaskan Cruise Line – are known for their itineraries and close to a hundred land excursions when cruises onboard their ships – Voendam, the Zuideram, the Ryndam, the Zaandam, the Amsterdam and the Westerdam.

Source by David Patullo

12 Aug
Vancouver Tours Blog

A Brief Guide to Mediterranean Cruises

Mediterranean cruises offer more than one hundred and twenty seaports around its coastline, making the cruises are the most diverse type of cruise available. You can choose a long trip of one month or more, two weeks, one week, or even shorter trip of three days. You can enjoy a huge clash of cultures offered by the Mediterranean countries and seas. The countries you can visit include Egypt, Greece, Italy and Spain among others.

Around its calm blue sea, you will enjoy each countries' unique attractions. Varied routes to cruise the Mediterranean countries and sea are offered by more than fifty companies.

If you want to concentrate exploring the countries of Morocco, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal, you can take the Western Mediterranean cruises. While ports of call around the countries in the Middle East, Turkey, Greece and Croatia will be visited by the Eastern Mediterranean cruises. Cruises around the Greek Islands, an island cruise that visits the island of Malta and Cyprus, and a tour to the North African nations are among the most popular cruises.

In the trip of western part, before traveling onwards to the French Riviera, you will visit the cultural hub of Europe in the shape of Barcelona. You will also find a sample of the world famous Manzanilla sherry in Cadiz and the traditional white Andalucian villages of Southern Spain. The stunning city of Rome, ancient Pompeii and the dormant volcano of Mt Vesuvius yields such treasures when you cruise around the wonderful coastline of Italy. The Western Mediterranean also offers the delight views of Sardinia and Sicily.

Diving Southeastwards in the eastern part, you can enjoy the sultry islands and classical Greece. It is also worth to visit the historical Knossos Palace which can be found in the Crete Island. An Eastern Mediterranean cruise of the Middle east offer a visit to Jerusalem, a holy city, from its ports of Ashdod and Haifa. You will also find the world famous Suez Canal when cruising the Egypt.

The islands offer breathtaking views, romantic islands, ancient monuments, grand cities, culture and history. You can have a cruise vacation that takes you around most or all of the Mediterranean nations if you want to take a longer trip. Just arrange the itinerary with your travel agent and deliberate the nations you want to visit.

Source by Clark Cruise

26 Jul
Vancouver Tours Blog

UK Cruises Set to Keep Growing in Popularity

UK cruise departures saw an increase of 10 percent in 2010 – and are set to grow even more in popularity. In fact, it's been predicted that 2012 is going to be the best year yet, as more and more people choose to sail from the convenience and ease of a UK cruise port.

According to the Passenger Shipping Association (PSA), a staggering 835,000 people will set sail from a UK port in 2012. This makes an increase of an impressive 28 per cent – and that's just over the last two years! And, if this increase was not enough, it's thought that UK cruises' popularity is set to grow even more.

With 20 departures ports in the United Kingdom, cruise popularity certainly comes as no surprise. Rather than catching a ship abroad, you simply sail directly from the UK – no airport involved. There's none of that hassle of having to lug heavy luggage around, no worry that your flight might be canceled or delayed nor is there the threat of the airline deciding to go on strike. Sailing to destinations like Russia, Scandinavia, the Norwegian Fjords, Iceland, the Mediterranean, America, Ireland and the coast of Britain, cruising from the UK offers a smooth sailing experience from start to finish.

The major cruise lines are well aware of the demand for UK cruises – and with many having launched large ships in the UK in the last few years; they all want a slice of this flourishing market. In April 2010, P & O launched the Azura – which has a guest capacity of 3,000 – in Southampton, the UK's largest cruise port. Cunard's Queen Elizabeth and Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Eclipse are also based in Southampton. Dover, the UK's second largest cruise port, has its fair share of cruise liners too, including Fred Olsen's Black Watch, Holland America's Eurodam and Saga's Saga pearl II.

The Cruise lines are more than confident that this popularity in UK departures will continue for the foreseeable future, with even more cruise ships set to be launched over the next couple of years. P & O Cruises will be launching the 3,611-passenger vessel – the largest in their fleet – from the UK in early 2012. The future's looking very bright indeed for UK cruises.

As well as sailings from the UK being taken after, cruises in general are a popular holiday choice with many. With all-inclusive fees, accommodation, entertainment and food all thrown in, a cruise holiday really does offer value for money. And, not forgetting the main selling point, the fact that you get to see a number of different places and attractions – all in one single trip. That's another great thing about UK cruises; you get to visit incredible destinations around the world – without the need to fly. It's an adventure of a lifetime – made easy.

With a great choice of ships and a selection of delightful destinies, is there any longer such a need to sail from anywhere else?

Source by Adam Beattie

13 Jun
Vancouver Tours Blog

Ideal Cruises For Ultra Active Adventurers

Think cruises are all about lounging on sundecks and doing a whole lot of nothing? The truth is quite to the contrary. Cruises today offer a variety of activities for people of all ages and with all types of activity preferences. Whether your favorite way to keep active is in the gym, climbing a mountain, ice-skating or golfing, there’s a particular cruise that caters to your needs. Before you book your trip, check out these ideal cruises for ultra active adventurers.

5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise

The Celebrity Century is revamped and ready to wow you. New accommodations include private verandas, sky suites and gorgeous, luxury-level staterooms offering the best of everything.

This cruise offers activities galore. If you can do it, the Century can deliver it. Start your day with a revitalizing dip in the pool, then meet your cardio needs with a sunny jog. Next, take an hour or two to treat yourself in the AquaSpa, which offers full service spa treatments and even has a Thalassotherapy pool.

After lunch, try your hand at golf. Yes, golf – on a cruise! The Century’s golf simulator allows you to play on a state-of-the-art course, all from the comfort of the cruise ship. But the whirlpool is beckoning. Take a dip and perhaps a nice nap in the sun afterward. Then, take part in one of the wide variety of specialized daily activities or shore excursions led by the cruise staff.

After an evening of fine dining and dancing, it’s time to call it a night. Sleep well, and start all over again in the morning. Life is good!

8 Day Bermuda Cruise

Take your vacation activities to the next level on an 8 day Bermuda cruise on the Caribbean Princess. This luxury liner features nearly 900 balcony cabins, which is more than any other year-round Caribbean sailing vessel offers.

This cruise is a top choice among those who like to mix their activity with entertainment. Movie buffs will adore the ship’s Movies Under the Stars, featuring an enormous (we’re talking Times Square dimensions) poolside video screen, premiering hot, new movies and sporting events. Gamblers will delight in Caribbean Princess’s decadent, London-themed casino and card room. Cigar buffs rejoice, relax and get your “guy time” in the ship’s cigar and sports bar, then enjoy the nine-hole putting green and golf simulator.

For those who love to break a sweat, make a run for the ship’s sports court. Tennis, volleyball or basketball, anyone? Perhaps a jog around the track? Gym buffs will enjoy the state-of-the-art onboard fitness center with supreme ocean view. Then, relax and nurture those muscles in the Asian-themed Lotus Spa.

13 Night Panama Canal Cruise

All aboard the Norwegian Star! Adventures galore await you on this long, luxurious cruise of the Panama Canal and more. This ship has just about everything anyone could ever want or need. Sample world cuisine at their 13 top-notch dining venues, or relax in their plush staterooms, suites or the crème de la crème: the rooftop Garden Villas, which offer 5000 square feet of all-yours space. Not to be outdone, the Villas feature three bedrooms, private garden and deck for sunning, as well as your own personal hot tub and -get this- a baby grand piano!

Activities abound on this floating, five-star fantasy. Fitness buffs will have plenty to keep them occupied. The onboard fitness center offers plenty of your favorite gym equipment, plus awesome classes such as yoga or spinning. Afterward, treat yourself to a massage or body wrap in the high-end Barong Spa. On-deck activities include volleyball, shuffleboard, a golf driving range, a fun batting cage and more.

If those adventures aren’t enough, experience the ship tours, shore activities and special, staff-selected events for more fun and excitement. As if your onboard activities weren’t fantastic enough, you also have the promise of exotic shore adventures to look forward to. Just imagine all the fun you’ll have!

Clearly, these cruises have it all: Plush, spacious comfort, exceptional dining selections, gorgeous sea vistas, fast-paced deck activities, leisurely spa treatments, tours of exotic destinations, entertainment under the stars, mind and body fitness… the list goes on and on. Now that you know that cruises are far from dull, are you ready to get moving and book your trip? All aboard!

Source by Donna R Davis

05 Mar
Vancouver Tours Blog

Things to Do in Bali – Cruises

Explore Bali's breathtaking waters and surrounding islands with a fantastic range of day & evening cruises. Start the day early for a dolphin spotting cruise along Bali's coast or head off for a day of discovery to Lembongan or Nusa Penida Island. Or why not enjoy a relaxing evening cruise to admire Bali's magnificent sunset and feast on a delicious buffet dinner. Bali's range of cruises ensures a day of fun and discovery you will never forget.

The Three Islands – below is a brief background of the 3 Islands off Bali's East Coast. Cruises depart daily for both Nusa Lembongan & Nusa Penida and private boat charter can be arranged to visit Nusa Ceningan. Diving is extremely popular off the coast of all three islands as the water is crystal clear, the coral vibrantly colorful and there are an abundant amount of tropical fish. Accommodation is available on all 3 Islands and it is highly recommended to spend a day or two soaking up the sun on these breathtaking Islands.

NUSA LEMBONGAN
The closest of the Islands to Bali and the most popular with tourists, Nusa Lembongan (Lembongan Island) is a small 4km x 3km in size with a local population of around 5000. Pristine crystal clear waters offer great coral and an abundance of fish great for snorkelling and diving.

NUSA CENINGAN
The smallest of the 3 islands located between Nusa Lembongan & Nusa Penida, Nusa Ceningan offers a chance to experience untouched nature. With a population of around 1500 this Island has not yet been built up to accommodate large amounts of tourists. The clear waters offer perfect snorkelling and diving and the quiet beaches offer your own peace of paradise.

NUSA PENIDA
The largest of the 3 Islands & the furthest from Bali, Nusa Penida is over 200km2 with a population of around 45 000. Although large in size Nusa Penida has not been built up as a tourist area due to lack of resources. The coast offers many hidden snorkelling and diving areas and a visit to the village gives insight into how the locals live.

If a full day out is not what you are looking for shorter cruises are also available. An early morning dolphin cruise is sure to delight or watch the sunset and enjoy a buffet dinner on a range if evening cruises. For those who like to do things their own way private boat charter is also available at very reasonable prices.

Source by Trixie Thomas