Jan115

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Welcome back! Looks like you had a great time ... thanks for sharing!

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

River cruising is the in-vogue travel trend, so popular that more than two-dozen new river ships will debut in 2014. Industry-leading Viking River Cruises alone will christen 14 ships in March, with Avalon Waterways, AmaWaterways, Uniworld, Tauck, Australia-based Scenic Tours and Germany's A-ROSA all adding ships in Europe next year. There's even a new river cruise company debuting, Emerald Waterways, a value-priced sister to Scenic. Closer to home, American Queen Steamboat Company is debuting a sternwheeler on the Columbia & Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest in addition to its cruises on the Mississippi. American Cruise Lines operates similar routes. Here are the best reasons to take a river cruise. Many rivers to explore. River cruises get you to inland Bucket List places including such cities as Vienna and Budapest. Cruises on the Danube and Rhine continue to be the epicenter of the industry, but that's just the beginning of where you can go. Popular destinations include Russia's Volga, China's Yangtze, the Mekong and the Mississippi. All the rage is cruising in Myanmar — with companies including Grand Circle and Orient Express. France is getting new attention, especially Bordeaux where several lines have expanded offerings. Experience is leisurely. River cruises are not about rushing here and there. You visit key sights but there is also time to relax. You can sit under a canopy on the open deck — or on some ships soak in a hot tub or pool — while catching river views that include (depending on where you cruise) castles, farms, kids swimming, fishermen and maybe a water buffalo or two. Ships are intimate. The size of river ships is limited by the need for the vessels to go through locks and under low bridges. Most carry fewer than 200 passengers, some fewer than 100 and some fewer than 50. The small-ship experience brings opportunity to get to know your fellow passengers — including at open-seating meals. There's no dealing with crowds. Time to explore. Your ship ties up right in town and you can walk to a sidewalk café or shops or markets (including Northern Europe's popular Christmas markets) and mingle with locals or head off on the ship's organized tours to museums, monuments and other must-see attractions. There is time to bike or hike and visit the places you came to see, and to absorb the local culture. Better cabins. There was a time when cabins on river ships meant a choice between tight and cozy. Today's choices include cabins with step-out balconies, French balconies, walls of glass that open and even suites. Beds are hotel-like, bathrooms comfortably-sized and amenities include flat-screen TVs. Nicer ships. The newest ships offer surprisingly hip, contemporary environments. While space is limited, the lines have gotten clever with public rooms including adding alternative al fresco dining venues. Lounges are comfortably, and sometimes even opulently furnished. Libraries offer a quiet spot to sit with a book. Open decks afford space to hang out in the sun or shade and such extras as golf-putting greens. Local tastes, culture. There is opportunity shipboard to snack on knackwurst and drink local beer as you cruise past Germany's castles, drink the wine in Bordeaux and try other local flavors depending on your itinerary. Culture comes onboard, too, in the form of local folk groups and other performers. Not a lot of extra charges. Shore excursions, wine and beer with dinner (and sometimes also lunch), soda, bottled water, and specialty coffee drinks are all included in the cruise fare. Sometimes there's also an open bar. Bonus: internet is free. Casual dress code. Don't pack the tux. River cruising is casual dress at all times. Plus you only have to unpack once. It's for grownups. Most river ships market to an age 55-plus demographic, though travelers in their 40s would feel right at home — particularly on the newer, more contemporary river ships. Kids are a rarity By Fran Golden, USA Today Travel ("10 Best Reasons to Take a River Cruise") For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecra....com/index.html Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more Photo credit: Janice Neves ("Porto, Portugal - Douro River") View full article

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Thanks for joining us here at CruiseCrazies. We hope you'll visit often, ask questions, share your experiences and join in the conversation.

Shhhhh! For Christmas, I'm surprising my two youngest daughters (both adults now) with a short 3-night weekend cruise on the newly imagined Magic. It's finally time I gave Disney a try, and because I needed something low cost and quick to hold us over until my Mediterranean summer cruise, I chose the least expensive Disney sailing I could find, with the minimum amount of time out of work. Just 66 days to go!

Can't wait to see her in January on our 3-night weekend cruise!!

LOL - that was our wedding reception goodbye song 37 years ago! Looking forward to your cruise stories when you get back.

Always bring a spare key in the unlikely event of a circus act like this.

Tune in for today's Travel Tip: http://www.cruisecrazies.com/forums/blog/18-tuesday-travel-tips/

Has this happened to you? You book your cruise on-line directly with the cruise line. A few weeks later, you meet a travel agent, and you instantly strike up a bond. She's experienced, personable and seems to work hard to provide personalized service to her customers. Even better, she is prepared to offer you onboard credit, a bottle of wine and a free shore excursion. She also advises you of a myriad of ways to save money on your cruise and offers advice and tips on how to make your experience easy and enjoyable. For instance, she says she can save you money over the ship's excursion in St. Thomas by booking with a well-respected local tour guide. She recommends a quality discount hotel for a pre-cruise stay. You wonder to yourself - where was this Goddess of Cruise Planning when you started researching cruise vacation options? Don't despair. Did you know that you can transfer your cruise booking from the cruise line to your friendly new agent? Well you absolutely can and should! In fact, to make things easy, you don't need to do a thing. The agent will take care of the whole process and assure that your booking stays exactly the same. Now you have a great agent, a great upcoming cruise and some added amenities. Your agent gets a well-deserved commission and everybody wins! For more great reasons why you should choose a travel agent to handle your cruise, read my latest article: 10 Reasons Why You Should Use a Travel Agent to Book Your Cruise.

As a cruise specialist, one of the questions I hear most is “why should I book with a travel agent, when I can simply book directly on the web with the cruise line?” Great question. Purchasing a cruise should be a personal experience. All cruises are not alike, and the best cruise experience is one where the cruise ship and itinerary are matched to the client with his or her personality and interests in mind. So while booking directly on the cruise line’s website may appear to be an easy process, do you really have all the facts to make an informed decision to book that cruise? Following are ten compelling reasons why you should book with an experienced travel agent – specifically one that specializes in cruise travel. 1. You’re a first-time cruiser. You have always wanted to take a cruise, but simply don’t know where to begin. You’re befuddled by the all the choices: small ship, big ship, inside cabin, outside cabin, early dining, late dining, anytime dining and all the other variables that make up a cruise vacation. No wonder you’re in a tizzy. An agent will help you sort through a sea of options and find the best ones that work for you. 2. Your time is precious. Who wants to spend hours sorting through the hundreds of cruise ship and itinerary options? An experienced agent will be happy to do the work for you – it’s what cruise counselors do. 3. Complete door-to-door service. Do you need a ride to or from the ship? Air transportation? A hotel the night before or after your cruise? A shore tour? The cruise line will be more than happy to book these as part of a complete package, but your choices will be quite limited to whomever the cruise line contracts with. A cruise agent, on the other hand, has connections to many taxi companies, local tour guides, discount hotels and other resources that can save you money or provide service in line with your particular style. 4. Reliable Pricing. Have you ever logged on to a web-only cruise site to research pricing on a particular cruise? You’ll see one price listed, one for each cabin category. You say to yourself, great – I think I’ll book. However, in many cases that’s not the only price; there may be other promotion codes, as well, allowing for different rates for the same cabin. A knowledgeable agent will let you know whether any price discounting is available resulting from any special promotions, group pricing, or whether you might qualify for a past passenger rate, a military rate or other discount and/or added amenity. 5. Unbiased information. An independent agent is working for you, not a particular travel supplier or cruise line. While you are welcomed to take advantage of all the services the cruise line will offer as part of a cruise package, the agent will help you find other alternatives if the cruise choices are not to your liking or you simply want to find ways to save money on your vacation. 6. Added amenities and reduced group pricing. Cruise agencies will typically reserve groups of cabins and sell them to their clients at a reduced group-only rate and include other amenities such as onboard credit, a bottle of wine, free excursion, or any number of other gifts. 7. Personalized Service. Have you ever been frustrated with the 800-number large web-based agencies, waiting on hold, unreturned phone calls, or misinformation? In some cases, the representative you are dealing with has never stepped foot on a cruise ship and is just relating information from the cruise line’s website. A good, reliable agent will never leave you hanging, always return calls and emails promptly, and pass along information from both the cruise line and the agent’s own personal experience. A good agent knows what you are looking for in a cruise vacation and will make it happen in a friendly and professional way. 8. Support Small Business. With thousands of agencies out there beckoning for your business – brick & mortar and on-line agencies alike – competition is fierce. Small, independent agencies – in business for years, with a loyal clientele – need to work hard to retain their place in the world of cruise selling. These mom & pop agents have access to the same resources as the big web agencies as well as personal experience and unmatched service you won’t find anywhere else. The next time you call 1-800 Big Cruise Company, keep in mind that you may be taking business away from the guy around the corner trying to feed a family. 9. An Agent Has Your Back. If any problems should arise before or during your vacation, a good agent will advocate on your behalf. 10. Transfer your direct-with-cruise-line booking to a travel agent. Did you know that if you find an agent you really like but have already booked direct with the cruise line, that you can transfer that booking to the agent? Simply let the agent know, and he or she will take care of the whole process. You’re cruise stays exactly the same, you will receive great service, the agent will get a commission, and everyone wins! By Janice Neves, CruiseCrazies Contributor For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecra....com/index.html Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more Photo credit: Janice Neves View full article