Category — Cruise Destinations

While the Olympics and cruising may seem completely opposite at first glance, a closer look reveals the two are quite similar.  Both the Olympics and cruising celebrate the world and its many people and cultures. The Olympics celebrate the world by bringing people across the globe together to showcase the skill of highly trained athletes. Cruising celebrates the world by taking a group of people and introducing them to different nations and cultures across the globe.

With this in mind, it is easy to see how the two completely different events share the commonality of celebrating the world.  And what’s more is that it is easy to combine the two into one incredible vacation!  While you may not actually cruise during an ongoing Olympics, you can visit many of the cities that hosted previous Olympics and even visit the birthplace of the Olympics themselves.

Mediterranean
The region from where the Olympics originated has continued the tradition that started in Athens so long ago.  Athens was host to not only the original Olympics but also to the 1896 and 2004 Summer Games. A discus’s throw across the Adriatic Sea and you come to Rome, which hosted the Summer Games of 1960. And last, but not least, across the Mediterranean Sea from the original Olympic site is the host city of the 1992 Summer Games, Barcelona, located on the eastern shore of Spain. You can hit one or all three of these previous Olympic sites during a Mediterranean cruise. [Read more →]

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 →]

Courtesy of Holland America Line

Holland America Line is offering exciting new World Cruise tours and Overland Adventure tours in some of the world’s most exotic locations: South America, Africa, India and the Far East.

Overland Adventures allow guests to extend their holiday or Grand World Voyage with an in-depth exploration of regions such as India, the Far East, Africa and South America. The adventures range from two- and three-day tours to eight-day explorations.

“More cruise guests are looking to fully immerse themselves in the culture they’ve flown thousands of miles to see,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs for Holland America Line. “By prearranging and offering these unique tours, we’re making it simple for our guests to take full advantage of their time.”

[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 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 →]

By: The Cruise Web, Inc.

Hawaii! Just saying the name invokes memories of family, fun and adventure! For me, a Southern California native, Hawaii was a “local” destination. From the sparkling black sand beaches and tropical rain-forests to native cuisine, metropolitan shopping to the friendly, warm culture — Hawaii has it all!

[Read more →]

By Michael Harris, Sales Manager, The Cruise Web.

Perhaps there is no vacation destination better known than the Caribbean.  Soaked with sun, rooted in history, and surrounded by some of the bluest water known to man, it’s no wonder so many cruise ships call this area home 365 days of the year.  At any given time, the islands are a destination for families and singles, novice cruisers and world travelers and everything in between.  They all come to enjoy the same tropical tones that radiate from some of the earth’s most vibrant waters, beautiful beaches and character-filled towns.  [Read more →]

By Sherry Jefferson, Cruise Consultant, The Cruise Web.

In September of last year, I had the pleasure of taking a cruise in the beautiful Mediterranean!  This trip was filled with extraordinary beauty and surprising history, so much so, that I had to share it with you!  This fabulous Eastern Mediterranean itinerary included the ports of Naples and Messina in Italy, the Greek Islands of Rhodes, Mykonos and Santorini, Piraeus, Greece (the port for Athens), and Kusadasi, Turkey.

The Cruise began in Civitevecchia, the closest port to Rome, Italy.  If you have never been to Rome, I highly recommend you do not miss the spectacular history and culture that awaits you there!  From the Colosseum to Vatican City, there is so much to see and experience in Rome.  If you can allow the time, a few days in Rome, either before or after the cruise, is a must. [Read more →]