Vacation Fun on a Cruise Ship

1. Vacation Fun on a Cruise Ship
2. A Cruise Is a Package Vacation
3. Vacation Destinations on a Cruise Ship
4. Guest Facilities of a Cruise Ship
5. Dining on a Cruise Ship
6. Vacation Activities on a Cruise Ship
7. Well-Known Cruise Lines for Your Vacation

Vacation Fun on a Cruise Ship

A cruise vacation is a voyage of pleasure. You'll experience the beauty of the sea, exotic destinations, and shipboard fun, while the cruise staff waits on you hand and foot. After a day fit for a king and queen, you are lulled to sleep in a deluxe stateroom by the rhythm of the waves. This is how to relax and release yourself from the stress of modern life.

In just one year, more than 18 million people took a vacation on a cruise ship. The ports of call are worldwide, places like Caribbean Islands, the Riviera of Mexico, Alaska, Bermuda, the Mediterranean, and farther away. The busiest port of call is the Bahamas, a convenient cruising distance from Florida docks. Other popular cruise destinations around the Caribbean are the US Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, and Jamaica. Cruises often head for Belize City, Costa Maya, Cozumel, Antigua, Aruba, Grand Turk and Key West, Florida. There's even the "cruise to nowhere," a round trip of uninterrupted leisure and shipboard activities.

A Cruise Is a Package Vacation

Cruise ships are organized much like floating hotels, with a complete hospitality staff in addition to the ship's crew. But, unlike a hotel, a single fee for your cruise trip is all inclusive, travel, room, unlimited dining, pool, and hundreds of activities. A cruise is a super vacation value. Part of the pleasure of a cruise is that everything is covered in the cruise package. As you would expect, there will be extra charges for adult drinks, sodas, gratuity, shore excursions, shopping, personal trainer, massage, hair cut, and tips. Ship-to-shore phone calls and Internet access are extra, too. These can be charged to your credit card. You may need cash for the casino and to tip for extra service.

Vacation Destinations on a Cruise Ship

The cruise ship takes you to visit several vacation destinations during your trip. Shore excursions are half-day trips when you have a chance to snorkel over a coral reef, hike a rain forest, or take a plane ride for sightseeing. On a golf cruise, PGA pro golfers play with the guests at destination courses. Depending on the cruise, you'll be able to watch humpback whales, pods of porpoises, and sea lions in their natural habitat. Other destinations show you volcanoes, rain forests, and luxurious pink sandy beaches. Many cruise lines have their own private islands reserved exclusively for their passengers. They might feature a water park, kayaking, snorkeling, parasailing, music, and private cabanas. Popular shore excursions are organized on board and require an extra fee, so sign up early.

Guest Facilities of a Cruise Ship

A cruise ship is a tranquil space and a wonderful ocean-going oasis of relaxation and comfort. After you've relaxed into the cruising lifestyle, the ship has lots of facilities and activities for your enjoyment. Most cruise ships are family-friendly vacation spots. They offer special kids playroom, teen clubs and babysitters. There are usually adults-only areas where you won't even know the kids are on board.

• Casino
• Spa, whirlpool and health club
• Fitness center
• Duty free Shops
• Library
• Live theatre with Broadway style stage shows
• Cinema and first-run movies
• Indoor and/or outdoor swimming pool. Some have a wave pool and water slides
• Restaurant, buffets and cafes
• Lounges, piano bar and cabaret
• Dance club or disco and late-night dj
• Night club with big name entertainment

Dining on a Cruise Ship

As part of the vacation package, cruise ships offer all-you-can-eat meals. You can dine either casually or formally at your choice of a gourmet dining room, a casual drop-in restaurant, the hamburger grill or the monster buffet on the pool deck. Snacks are always available at the ice cream parlor, pizzeria, and lounge. There could be a coffee bar, a sushi bar and a champagne bar. The cruise brochure will mention if formal dress is expected at some of the dinners. On board a cruise ship, even the meals are entertaining. The menus feature a variety of local and ethnic dishes. There might be a luau, a picnic, Italian night, a volcano-themed dinner or a toga party. Some waiters are known to dance the Macarena while they serve. For quiet moments in your stateroom or on your private veranda, room service is often available.

Vacation Activities on a Cruise Ship

The vacation activities and hospitality of a cruise ship are legendary. Swimming pool and whirlpool, music and dancing, casino and duty-free shopping are almost guaranteed on the ship. Special activities could include a masquerade party, a singalong, country-western night, talent show, fireworks display or karaoke night. You may want to take a guided tour of the ship from stem to stern to learn about this floating city. Of course the facilities vary from ship to ship, and the larger the ship, the more is offered.

The larger cruise ships offer computer rooms, cigar club, and library for those quiet moments. Believe it or not, some cruise ships include virtual golf, an ice rink, and a 1,000-seat theatre. For the athletes, a cruise ship might feature bowling alleys, basketball courts, tennis courts, fitness coach, a climbing wall, a surf simulator or a nine-hole miniature golf course. Depending on the cruise, the ship could offer learning opportunities, bingo, video arcades, craft classes, art auctions, bridge tournaments, lectures from experts in their field, cooking class, a wine tasting party, celebrity guests, travel lectures, and theme parties.

There are also exercise classes, movies, lounge parties, beauty seminars, the card room for bridge and games, pool games, and funny contests. Lectures about archeology and history introduce you to your vacation destinations. Some ships feature an art collection. You can watch stars in the brilliant night sky unpolluted by city lights.

Well-Known Cruise Lines for Your Vacation

Vacation cruising is big business. Some cruise lines are companies large enough to be listed on a stock exchange. A few of the popular cruise lines are Royal Caribbean International, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America, P&O, Cunard, Crystal Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line. There are also smaller cruise ships that visit smaller ports and offer their guests a more intimate feeling. The three largest cruise operators are Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean International, and Star Cruises/Norwegian Cruise Lines. Caribbean cruise ships sail out of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, New York, Tampa, Galveston, and San Juan, as well as many other ports.

I hope you have an exciting cruise vacation.
I wish you a very happy day.

Jeff, Vacation Welcome

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