Collected from the experiences of The Cruise Web employees

Regardless of how many times you cruise Europe, you really never see it the same way twice. With so much history and culture and food to experience, each cruise offers a completely different experience, even if the itinerary is the same! But the true way to experience Europe is by finding those “off-the-beaten-path” places that enable you to experience the culture (and usually food) of the area without all the tourist traps. Below are just a few of these hidden gems that our cruise consultants (and their family members) have discovered during their European cruises. [Read more →]

by Heather W., Sales Manager

Two years ago I was fortunate enough to take the tour portion of a Europe Cruisetour offered by one of our preferred partners. Beyond the sights, sounds, smells and tastes I encountered, what struck me the most was how much value was incorporated in the tour portion of the Cruisetour.

For those of you not familiar with Cruisetours, a Cruisetour is a cruise plus a land tour of a specific region which occurs before or after a cruise. In Europe, most Cruisetours happen in the order of tour then cruise. Cruisetours are a great way to get a more in-depth vacation experience which, in Europe, means more history, more sights and more chances to eat incredible food! [Read more →]

By Brigid Hastings, Senior Cruise Consultant, The Cruise Web.

Never in a million years would I ever think of spending the December holidays any place other than at home…..  until last December when my family spent Christmas on the Ruby Princess.

When I first made the reservations I had second thoughts.  I wondered how other family members would react without us there, at home.  Would my two teenagers miss spending Christmas morning  in their Bethesda, MD home?  Would it really “feel” like Christmas being so far away from home? [Read more →]

By Sherry Jefferson, Cruise Consultant, The Cruise Web.

In 2006 I earned a free cruise by successfully graduating from Cunard’s Commodore travel agent program. Not having sailed Cunard before I was eager to receive a complimentary cruise and set sail aboard “The Most Famous Ocean Liners in the world.”

When the announcement came out about the complimentary cruises, I jumped at the first sailing I could find, which turned out to be a Caribbean sailing aboard the Queen Mary 2. The sail date was Nov 21, 2008 and it was only then that I realized I would be away over Thanksgiving.  Hmm, what to do now?  I always spend Thanksgiving with my family, either at my home or in New Jersey with my sister. It happens to be one of my favorite holidays with all of the special dishes that we have. There must be at least 10 or 12 sides, all very “low cal” of course, to say nothing about the hors d’oeuvres that we start out with in the afternoon.

[Read more →]

By Brandon Biss, Senior Cruise Consultant, The Cruise Web.

Wow…I’ve been with The Cruise Web six years!  During that time, I have traveled quite extensively.  Because of the opportunities The Cruise Web provides, I have cruised on most of the cruise lines that our company sells.  However, I have not traveled on any of the luxury lines (Silversea, Seabourn, or Regent) until this past cruise.  I selected this specific cruise for two main reasons:  The Cruise Web’s excellent relationship with Silversea and my wish to visit the Baltic capitals:

Cruise Line: Silversea
Cruise Ship: Silver Cloud Voyage 1914
Itinerary: Stockholm Roundtrip
Sail Date: June 25 – July 4,  2009
Stateroom: Midship Verandah Suite 540 [Read more →]

By Arthur Balin, Senior Cruise Consultant, The Cruise Web.

Nowadays there are so many cruise options to choose from. There is a tremendous amount of pressure to make sure you choose the cruise that best fits your needs and wants – this does not always mean least expensive. People always ask me what is my favorite cruise, and even though I do have some favorites, what is right for me might not be right for you. So, how do you get the best value for your money while making sure that you and your family have the best possible cruise vacation? [Read more →]

By Rashell O’Neal, Cruise Consultant, The Cruise Web.

Are you an active person? Are you fanatic about adventure? As most people know, when you cruise you can visit multiple destinations, countries, continents and cultures. But for the adventurous, or merely intrigued, you can also participate in many of the sports and physical activities that each destination offers. Below is a brief snapshot of some of the activities you can try when you are cruising. Hopefully this will motivate you to try something new… [Read more →]

By Jacqueline Baine, Cruise Consultant, The Cruise Web.

Who knew? Who knew you could do so much on a floating city? Tennis… Basketball… Surfing… What!? All these sports on a ship! You’ve got to be kidding right… No joke!… You can do all of that and much, much more…

Imagine hanging ten, without being washed out to sea. On your next cruise vacation bring the bikini or Speedo and let’s get it on. This will be your opportunity to ride the big wave, have a fabulous video showcasing you riding the waves, and an absolutely incredible story to share with family, friends and co-workers who were not able to make this cruise, but will definitely go on the next one with you. [Read more →]

By Brandon Biss, Senior Cruise Consultant, The Cruise Web.

After reading one of The Cruise Web’s last postings, “Homeports:  Busting the Myth”, I rushed to my hometown to get my Philly cheese steak fix.  I walked into Jim’s on South St. and ordered the usual:  whiz without, with mushrooms and sweet peppers.  The steak was gigantic and I couldn’t help but think, “Man, sometimes bigger is just better.”  This is true of many things:  a big Terps basketball win over Duke, a big bone-in rib eye on the Emerald Princess, and the big brand-new Oasis of the Seas.        
 
While these things are wonderful to me, a BIG VALUE is something we can all appreciate.  This is why we all enjoy cruising!  One of the biggest values that many cruisers do not know about is the WORLD CRUISE. Almost every cruise line offers their own version of a world cruise.  World cruises sail between January and May for between 90-120 days.  These voyages visit the world’s most well-known sites and offer the convenience of an around-the-world voyage while only unpacking once!  [Read more →]

By Jennifer Crivelli, Cruise Consultant, The Cruise Web.

READY, GET SET, GO!  The race is on to see which cruise line can launch the biggest ship with the most attractions at sea.  It all began with White Star Line in 1912, who at the time decided to build the “Grandest” passenger ship at sea.  Ship building has come a long way in 97 years….
 
In the modern era of “BIG” ships, Royal Caribbean has led the way.  Each ship designed is bigger and better than the last, and traditionally, the largest ship in the industry.  Royal Caribbean was the first to offer rock-climbing walls on all of their ships.  In early 2005, Royal Caribbean took the “BIG” ship idea to the extreme, when they stretched the Enchantment of the Seas, adding a 70 foot section into the middle of the vessel. [Read more →]