August 15th | European Cruise Line
Once you have decided to go on a river cruise then there is a good deal of planning and research to do ahead of you. You want to get the best deal for your money. You want the best ship as well as several interesting ports of call. So how do you go about determining what is the best cruise company to choose? Here are a few questions that you want to ask when determining this and how Uniworld River cruises stood up to them.
How well established is the cruise line?
This is an important question to you because it is closely related to the cruise lines credibility and experience particularly in the area of river cruises. Uniworld has no issues in this department as they have been in business for over 30 years. Not only does this mean they are well established it means they have kept up with the times, ensuring that their destinations are points of interest as well as their ships being state of the art.
How many ships are in the fleet of the cruise line?
You have a variety of choices. Perhaps the most important part of the cruise for you personally is the time you are going to be on the ship. If this is the case then you want to have some options to choose from. Uniworld has a fleet of privately owned river cruisers. This is an excellent concept because the state and upkeep of the ship is dependant on the owner. If the owner wants to stay competitive then they are going to ensure that their ships are able to offer every amenity possible. The ships in this fleet are operate in Europe and can handle a passenger list of 132-140 passengers.
What amenities and services are offered on most of the cruisers?
Again, tastes are diversified in what one may expect from a cruise ship. You want to be sure the ones of your choosing are available. If would appear that Uniworld is of the belief that a cruise should be relaxing and not always full of the nightlife. There are evenings of dancing and specialized theme nights that fit in with the cruise itself. The cabins are spacious super clean and there is a variety of choices.
What do the ports of call entail?
You are going to want to be sure to get to your ports of interest. You want to be able to see some of the sights at these locales. Nobody is interested in a cruise that is just full of pass-bys. Uniworld has a variety of off-ship stays, which depend heavily upon the cruise destination. These can occur at either the beginning or the end of the cruise in accordance with the schedule. In addition, they offer add on trips as well.
From our experience, Overall Uniworld seems to have everything positive when researching a reliable and affordable cruise line. Based on the answers to the above questions it would be most feasible for anyone to feel confident about planning their river cruise with this cruise company.
August 15th | European Cruise Line
One question is often asked by our customers: What is and where to find the best Mediterranean Cruise Line in the world?
If this is a family vacation Mediterranean cruise you are going on then if you ask the children which is the best cruise line they are going to tell you its Disney Cruise Lines. After all, if it has anything to do with Disney then it does have to be good right?
Actually, Disney Cruise Lines have some excellent cruises to offer, like the 11 night Mediterranean Cruise in Europe. You will start a wonderful 11 days from Barcelona. You will get to spend the perfect day in Rome, and then the next highlight will be a tour of the Notre Dame de la Garde in the South of France. For the gamblers a bit of time at the Grand Casino in Monte Carlo is in order.
So where do the kids fit in on this cruise? After all, it did use the term Disney right? Well the whole cruise takes place a board the Disney magic. This is virtually a floating Disney world. There is not a wakening moment that a child will not be awed and intrigued as to what they are going to see and do here. The biggest issue will be to get them off the ship for a little sight seeing.
Then you may want to consider something a bit more relaxing by way of vessels such as the ones you will find at Crystal Cruises. They offer an absolutely wonders 14 day combo cruise taking in the major cities of the Mediterranean. You will get to visit various ports at Italy, Croatia, Sicily and Florence just to name a very few of the exciting places awaiting you. Not only will you have wonderful destinations to look forward to but also the cruise ships themselves offer the best of the best. The service and ambience found on the Crystal ships is the very best.
We have just covered two of many european cruise lines that offer spectacular Mediterranean cruises. So how in the world do you pick out the best? You can narrow down your choices a few ways.
First, try and figure out what is most important to you, the cruise ship or the destinations. Then move on to looking at some of the top cruise lines and see what they have to offer that comes into your major interest. If it is the ships then study all that they have to offer and then choose a favourite. Apply the same principal with destinations. Next you will have to check out the available times to see if it fits in with your schedule according to date and duration. Finally does it fit into the budget, or is there some flexibility.
Summing it all up, the criteria are simple: the best Mediterranean cruise lines is the one that has the most to offer you personally and what appeals to you the most. After all, you are the one paying for the cruise and what suits you may not be applicable to another.
August 15th | European Cruise Line
When making the decision to go on a cruise the most important thing to decide is what your destination will be, and the most pleasurable way to get there. That’s to say, you are really going to want the most for the cheapest money. Cruises are not the most inexpensive vacations around, but when you decide to invest in one you are going to want to choose a cruise line that has lots to offer.
Another thing you need to consider as well is how many stops do you really want to have. Do you want the type of cruise that is constantly moving or do you want something a little slower-paced where you can relax a bit more.
Well if you chose one of the Baltic cruises that are available, you can have either or both. If beauty and history are on your cruise menu then you have chosen the right destinations to visit.
If you like to be on the go and want to see as much as possible then choose the 10 countries in one cruise. This cruise includes the beautiful countries of Lithuania, Germany, Russia, Estonia, Poland, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Latvia. On your schedule will be magnificent sights to see at St Petersburg and Stockholm. There will be a never-ending array of sights to see on this jammed packed tour.
Meanwhile, if you would like something a little slower paced then you may want to consider the Princess Cruises. Choose among several different options are available. You can narrow down your visits by choosing fewer countries, but ones that interest you the most. A wonderful four-country cruise takes your Germany, Norway, Sweden and Russia. These are 7-10 cruises, which gives you ample time to take in what the atmosphere of these countries has to offer.
The most favored Baltic cruise is probabliy the Norwegian Coastal Cruise. In fact, this one is favored as a winter journey. Many people do not realize that a winter cruise can be just as fascinating as a warm weather one. You get to see a completely different side of the country you are visiting in the cold weather. It just means bundling up warm and cozy for your trip.
Don’t forget that what makes part of the cruise so enjoyable is the vessel you are sailing on. After all this is really where you spend the majority of your time. There may be some specific features that you are looking for in your cruise line. Your sleeping accommodations will be important to you. Often people believe that they spend so little time in their staterooms that it does not matter what amenities it has, as long as there is a bed. This is probably not true for most people. You are going to find that you are involved in so many activities that the various ships have to offer that you want a haven for rest. Besides cruises are suppose to be able to offer the best of both worlds being rest and relaxation and adventure and excitement. You should expect these things while you are on your cruise regardless of your destination.
August 15th | European Cruise Line
European cruise lovers have been in a joyful state over the last year due to the abundance of new cruises that have launched. If that’s what makes you happy, you ought to find yourself delirious with joy over the announcements about 50+ new ships to take to the seas during the next three-years.
Practically every major cruise line has plans for a least one new vessel: Many have three or even four slated by 2011. And, just as the number of new ships is growing, so is the trend towards building bigger and more luxurious vessels.
Let’s now take a quick look:
Although the smallest ships of the lot, Carnival has the most projects in the works over the next three-years. Ranging in size from 110,000 tons to 130,000 tons, Carnival’s highlight will be ‘Freedom,’ a new class of ship costing about $400 million and carrying 2,974 passengers. With itineraries that include the Western and Eastern Caribbean, European tours to Rome and transatlantic crossings, ‘Freedom’ will give cruise enthusiasts something to look forward to.
- Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)
Announcing its new Freestyle Cruising campaign in 2006 was just another step in a long process of completely revamping the entire NCL fleet from the inside out. Since its buyout in 2000, NCL has made great strides in listening to the cruising population then delivering what they want. With innovations including rock-climbing walls, Garden Villas and bowling alleys, you would think NCL had run out of ideas. It seems not! ‘Pearl’ is slated to launch in October 2007 and has gotten rave reviews thus far. The crowning glory of the NCL fleet, however, will be three ships in an entirely new class deemed ‘F3.’
Weighing in at 150,000 tons and carrying over 5,400 passengers, these ‘F3′ class ships have been described by NCL as, ‘a further evolution of NCL’s progressive dismantling of the structure, regimentation, and constraints of the traditional cruise experience.’ One of the most impressive features is that 100% of outside cabins will have balconies.
Three projects are also on the docket for Royal Caribbean between 2008 and 2011. ‘Liberty of the Seas’ and ‘Freedom’ (yes, Carnival and Royal Caribbean will have ships with the same name) and ‘Independence of the Seas’ all shine far above the rest of the fleet with a tonnage of 160,000 each. Costing in excess of $700 million each, they will accommodate 3,600 passengers respectively. While they will be exceptional vessels offering inventive features, there is one ship that will outdo them. In fact, Royal Caribbean’s grandest vessel yet will outdo every other ship built to date.
Creating an brand new class of ship, Royal Caribbean has drafted ‘Genesis.’ This will be, to date, the largest ship ever built by any cruise line. It will even surpass the size of ‘The Queen Mary,’ which holds the current record at 151,400 tons.
Accommodating up to 6,400 passengers, ‘Genesis’ will weigh about 220,000 gross tons and cost an estimated $1 billion. Royal Caribbean chairman and CEO Richard Fain brags, ‘Project Genesis truly is a remarkable ship. Its bold design, daring innovations and technological advancements will delight our existing cruisers and help us draw in new ones.’
Others are also jumping in on the new ship bandwagon. Keep your eyes peeled for ‘Emerald’ from Princess Cruise Lines, ‘Queen Victoria’ from Cunard, and ‘Solstice’ and ‘Equinox’ from Celebrity, among others.
Cruise options are growing more abundant by the day, which makes this a cruiser’s market. The cruise lines are sure to provide more incentives in order to fill these new, great ships. Stay on the alert for what will be the incredible bargains to come.
August 15th | European Cruise Line
Welcome onboard, you are about to engage in a journery on a European cruise. Your adventure now officially begins in a cosmopolitan city such as Venice, Istanbul or Copenhagen, as you board a fabulous ship designed to satisfy your every desire. Fall asleep as you leave Istanbul and wake up in Athens, with the most beautiful city in view.
Experience the best Europe has to offer on these sweeping, multi-regional cruise vacations. Perfect for a first-time grand overview of Europe and for experienced travelers looking for a unique blend of cultures.
With A European cruise, you can enjoy an unprecedented opportunity to experience and savor Europe without the logistical challenges of ground transportation, booking hotel rooms, choosing restaurants and paying extra fees for everything. Yes, no fuss. Everything is properly and timely taken care of, for you.
Wander aimlessly through the streets, enjoying the best scenery of what Europe has to offer. Sign up for a shore excursion offered by your cruise line and visit ‘must see’ sites carefree. Enjoy exclusive access to glass factories, art museums, vineyards; as well as private performances from local folk dancers and musicians.
The European cruise experience is so much more than the ports of call. Dance the night away on your ship, and begin again with swimming, snorkeling or parasailing. Or, spend the entire day doing nothing, as you enjoy spa treatments and sunbathing on deck. Sit in on lectures and workshops given by world-class chefs, artists, bestselling authors and entertainers.
A European cruise is the ideal way for anyone to experience Europe; if you can dream it, you can have it. With dozens of cruise lines that offer unique combinations of breath-taking itineraries, you will find your ideal European cruise.
Have a great journey!