Archive for December, 2009
The Cruise vacation you have been planning for a year is now a reality. You’ve packed your bags with the appropriate clothes for cruise travel. You have filled out all of the cruise documentation, do this at home, don’t wait to get to your cruise ship, and now you are ready for this highly anticipated cruise. There are a few cruises tips about embarkation day that you should know before you head for your cruise vacation.
Keep all of your documents with you, that includes tickets for the cruise, any vouchers, passport and any immigration forms that the cruise line has sent you. That includes bus vouchers from the cruise line that will deliver you to the ship from the airport. In is wise to pack a change of clothes in your carry on in case your baggage gets delayed. If you have purchased the vouchers from the cruise line, a cruise line representative will meet you at baggage claim and take you to the bus or van that will transport you to your cruise ship.
If you decided to handle the transfer on your own, check ahead of time to find out how much a taxi will cost from the airport to the pier. It is good to know how long it will take to make the transfer so you have timed your flights accordingly. Make sure you have attached your cruise line tags with ship name, cruising date, and stateroom number. When you arrive at the pier a porter will relieve of your bags. He will expect to be tipped. The going fare is one dollar per bag.
Cruise tips are always helpful so pay attention to this one. Let the cruise line make your airline reservations. The reason for this is that if your flight is delayed the cruise line will handle it. If there are several other passengers on the same flight the cruise line will delay the departure of the ship. If it’s just you and your traveling companion they will probably put you up in a hotel in the town of your embarkation and get you on the ship at the next port of call. If you opted to do it on your own, you will have to make all those arrangements. So, for safety and peace of mind let the cruise lines do it.
If you have decided to go to the town of embarkation a few days before the cruise, that will not be a problem, so make your own reservations. Some travel insurance companies will pick up these expenses but make sure you read the fine print on the policy BEFORE your cruise vacation.
When you get to your cruise ship, embarkation could be a little chaotic. There will be lines, especially early in the check in process. There will be a lot of stressed out people so just relax and take it in stride. After you have gone through the check in process you will be aboard and your cruise vacations begins. Here is where it pays to have all of your documentation completely filled out. Many of the cruise lines have loyalty programs so if you are a repeat cruiser many times they have preferred check in areas. Many of the cruise lines will have preferred check in for cruisers who have booked suites or mini suites. Check this out with your cruise travel agent.
This is a little off topic but it’s one of the best cruise tips you will hear. Use a cruise travel agent for all of your cruise travel. It is important to deal with an agent that has sailed on many different cruise lines so they can give you an honest opinion on the difference between cruise lines. Check and see if they are CLIA certified cruise lines organization. Be careful they don’t push you onto cruise ships where they have preferred status which means they get a higher commission. Scour the internet for cruise reviews on cruise travel to back up what your travel agent is telling you.
Now back to the pier. While you are checking in you will have to give the cruise line a credit card for any on board charges. Most times your room card is also your credit card and identification for getting on and off at ports while on the cruise ship. If you can get on the ship early in the process you get two benefits. One you get to have lunch and two you get the first shot at spa and beauty appointments. It will also give you time to peruse your cruise ship and then head for the pool. Having been a savvy cruise traveler you knew to bag a bathing suit into your carry on luggage.
Just before you get to the gangway you will be stopped by the ships photographer and a picture will be taken to commemorate your cruise vacation. It will be on display in the ships photo gallery but you are under no obligation to purchase it. Check in procedures will be different from ship to ship even within the same cruise lines. It depends on the experience of the staff and the cooperation of the passengers. Remember that these folks that are checking you in have been working since seven o’clock in the morning off loading the people from last weeks cruise vacation. Then they turn around and start putting on a whole new set of passengers for the next cruise.
The most important advice is to try to keep a cool head. You are headed for the best thing you can imagine, a cruise vacation.
Happy Cruising!
Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
Mary Hanna has traveled the world by Air and Ship while writing eBooks, Software Reviews and Practical Articles on Internet Marketing, Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at: http://www.CruiseGold.com http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com and http://www.CruisingTips.com
Mary Hanna
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/your-cruise-vacation-cruise-ship-embarkation-procedures-for-cruise-travel-52700.html
Our Little community of rocky point has experienced an incredible ride. It has become known internationally as a tourist destination that will continue to develop into the future. The majority of the impressive growth has been led by the sales of condos, single family homes, and even raw land. There are several strong indicators that the positive growth cycle will continue, placing us on even more radar screens. Simply ponder the amount of time and money put into studying growth trends; market futures; and touristic patterns, by any major hotel group when looking to invest millions in a new destination market. Now think about these researchers representing the Marriott hotel group. The Marriott Penasco Bay is a 28 story 265 room four diamond resort. This is such a huge statement as they obviously didn´t choose Puerto Penasco overnight, or without knowing something. The feasibility analysis done by an empire like Marriott looks into so many aspects of the demands of seasoned first class travelers, that if Penasco was not positioned for stardom we would not see their logo on our horizon.
Another impressive indicator of international success is the selection of Rocky Point has a major home port for several large cruise ship companies. Representatives from cruise lines like Holland America, Princess and Carnival have all been here, and Mexico´s federal government has approved Rocky Point as a major hub in a joint effort as the result of many discussions among the experts. We have been receiving a lot of attention from the leaders of Mexico and many of Mexico´s most prominent investors. Obviously now, investors from all over the world have been watching Puerto Peñasco, Mexico.
Studies indicate that the future looks bright here because Rocky Point sits less than four hours from several major U.S. metropolitan areas with proven retirement markets. Take the similar climate to those already respected, retirement magnates add our beautiful beaches and lower cost of living and one starts to see where the excitement is coming from. The huge number of soon to be retirees speak volumes in terms of future demand. This group of over 25,000 people a year is an astounding number looking to retire. Between now and 2025, there will be a baby boomer retiring every 16 seconds. While 2030 will be the peak year of boomer retirement, the first year of baby boomers (born in 1946) turn 62 this year; many of which are now retiring and taking advantage of a record level of leisure income. Many of these people will look to the beaches of Mexico to spend their golden years. The draw of rocky Point is that it is one of the few superb beachfront markets that will support both drive-in traffic and air travelers. There are many dynamics of this that will lead to a surge in retirees. To many, the close proximity to large U.S. cities, where they can go to monthly appointments or various hometown cultural events is important. The airlines will allow other family and friends ease of access. Many have already discovered that while the healthcare system in U.S. continues to struggle, Mexico´s healthcare is rapidly accelerating into one worth the trip south. One can expect the advances in Mexico´s healthcare to continually draw visitors south more and more. With insurance providers now servicing so many from the north, more large companies will enter the market, and the cycle here will continue to expand as the international audience grows.
About ten years ago there were no condo projects with more than 100 units. In 2000 there was only one project of any large scale. This all changed, and now Sandy Beach alone has about 3,000 condos sold, and over 30 condo towers have been completed. The feeding frenzy was wild and we enjoyed a great cycle as the town morphed itself into a resort destination. Then, because the economic situation affecting so many investors, we shifted into a buyer´s market. It would be irresponsible to say that the correction period has fully completed its course as no one has found that crystal ball yet. It would however be safe to say with confidence that there are some great bargains to be found in the Rocky Point area. Plain and simple, there are people that need out. Much like the buyer´s market sought after by successful investors in so many U.S. communities, we are ripe for the next phase of our cycle. There are properties in every market segment that are priced many thousands of dollars below the ¨List Prices¨. You just have to know how to find those bargains. It truly does come down to representation. Who is representing you? In Mexico, like in the United States, there is a National Association of Realtors. In the last few years we have come along way in regards to communication, ethical practices and working on the development of an MLS system. It is because of this and our mandate that all of our members are licensed, that we have been welcomed into NAR, the same international organization you would likely seek for representation in the U.S. In order to truly guarantee satisfactory representation you need to secure the representation of an AMPI professional. AMPI agents are NAR Realtors, registered at the state level, and are the only real estate association endorsed by the federal government.
Historically, Rocky Point Real Estate is one of the safest investments you can make as it is scarce by nature. No more land will be created. Even more scarce is land found near the beach. This is way in the long term, Rocky Point is destined to be an international real estate success story, and the big money is already starting to see the opportunity.
There are new improved mortgage money programs with reasonable rates allowing people to take advantage of the current opportunities. Some people are turning self directed IRAs into real estate investments in and around Rocky Point. Others have chosen to split ownership on properties with friends, family members or other investment groups. There are even reverse mortgages out there allowing homeowners to simply turn equity from one home into equity in another. If one truly wants an investment that they can enjoy Puerto Peñasco is certainly a worthy alternative to the less than predictable stock market.
Within a year, an international airport will be open in Rocky Point and a new costal highway will extend south and east from Tijuana , through Rocky Point, to beyond Guaymas. These geographic factors alone will bring many thousands of new visitors to this area, and a profound positive influence on the economy. Rocky Point is a great place for anyone interested in owning a second home or a secure investment that allows one to stay at and enjoying their portfolio.
Author: RealtyExecutives Mexico
Steve Schwab
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/major-indicators-bright-future-of-puerto-penasco-717924.html
First of all, you have a great chance of getting a cheap cruise by searching the Internet for last minute deals. These are bargains that are available a few days or weeks prior to the departure of the ship. A good time to look for cheap tickets would be 60 days before the cruise begins.
This is because most cruise lines have the rule that people can cancel their reservations up to 60 days before the departure without having to pay penalties. This is the right moment for you to jump in and ask for a cheap cruise ticket. The cruise line will be able to tell you whether there are any cabins left and will offer you a discount as well.
Out of season cheap cruises – In case you are looking for a cheap cruise, be prepared to go in the out-of-season period, such as the peak hurricane season in the Caribbean (September to mid November) or just before and after the Christmas. These are periods when the cruise lines offer cheap fares because the majority of people avoid these periods. Don’t set your hopes as high as finding a cheap cruise for Christmas or New Year’s Eve, because the chances are practically zero. You could be lucky to find a last minute ticket, but don’t count on it.
In case of many destinations and cruise lines, the difference between peak season and shoulder season is noteworthy. For an Alaska cruise, savings can be as high as 50% leaving the week after peak season! If you want to travel in peak season, plan ahead. Many companies offer cheap tickets in the first place. So search the Internet or go to your travel agent to find out the latest cheap cruise offers.
Cruise money saving tips – After boarding on a cruise, in order to keep it cheap, don’t register for shore trips. If you are at least 4 people, you can easily hire a guide who will show you the highlights of that cruise. Opt for repositioning cruises. These offer discounts most often because the cruise lines change the itinerary of the cruise. These cruises will be usually longer – 2 weeks instead of one, but it offers great value for little money. These repositioned cruises often present inconveniences for the existing passengers such as having to fly to the starting point of the cruise, so some of them will cancel the bookings.
Another good tip to get a cheap cruise: look for eleventh-hour repositioning; these cruises will be very low-priced. If you want to cruise all by yourself, ask for a share rate. This means you will have a cabin mate of the same gender, so you won’t have to pay the addition of a single’s supplement to your fare.
Be very careful when choosing a cheap cruise! If you suffer from claustrophobia, make sure you avoid an inside cabin. Read all the conditions specified on the offer, you might need to buy some airline tickets as well, in order to get to the departure line of the cruise, and that could cost more than the discount. Unfortunately, most of the times, the cheap cruise offers do not entitle you to choose the type of cabin you want. You might end up having to pay for a cabin with balcony, which even discounted is more expensive than a regular cabin. Pay attention to the taxes and extra fees, such as port charges, governmental fees etc.
Are they included in the cheap cruise price ? If not, see how much they are and establish if that bargain is a bargain indeed. Try to follow some of the tips above, and you will probably find cheap cruises for your vacation. Good luck!
Craig Rad
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/2007-is-a-great-year-for-cheap-cruises-103273.html