Country Traveling

Southampton is known as the cruise capital of the UK, with more than 1.4 million passengers passing through the port in the year 2011. Whilst there are plenty of cruise ships that depart from Southampton every year, there are some that offer travellers a more luxurious experience. Whether you want to experience the beauty of Europe and stay close to home or you want to set sail for the USA, experience Alaska Cruises or the Caribbean, there are plenty of options for cruises from Southampton. Here are some of our recommendations for luxury cruises that depart from Southampton.

Silversea Cruise Line: Known for their elegant cruise ships, supreme service and ultimate comfort, Silversea Cruise Line is one of the top luxury cruise lines departing from Southampton. Aboard the Silver Cloud, passengers will be immersed in a luxurious atmosphere and feel like they are in their own personal yacht. This ship has travelled throughout the entire world, and there are always plenty of options for destinations. If you want to escape to a place that is warm and sunny, locate a cruise travelling to the Caribbean or South America. For a unique and thrilling experience, the adventurous can spend their holiday whilst travelling the world.

Celebrity Cruise Line: Escape into a glamorous and inviting atmosphere aboard one of the ships of Celebrity Cruise Line. These ships feature some of the most unique designs and superb accommodations of all the cruise lines. If you simply want to relax whilst on holiday, visit the on-board library or explore the botanical gardens and surround yourself in a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere. For something a bit livelier, visit the on-board casinos, night clubs or live shows. The ‘Lawn Club’ is one of the most impressive features of Celebrity cruise ships, with a half-acre of real grass that is perfect for golfing or having a picnic. The service is impeccable, with one person on staff for nearly every two passengers.

Seabourn Cruise Line: Seabourn is one of the top luxury cruise lines departing from Southampton. With exceptional service and ports of call in exotic areas, you are sure to find something that will appeal to you. Feel relaxed and rejuvenated after visiting the spa pool or lounging in the whirlpool. Have a romantic evening at one of the formal restaurants on-board the ship whilst enjoying the unique designs and stunning architecture. For an exciting night, visit the club or on-board casino. The suites are lovely, with comfortable chairs for lounging in and large windows for viewing the ocean as you travel to your destination.

If your goal is to spend your holiday relaxing in a comfortable atmosphere, we suggest looking into a luxury cruise from Southampton. For a short weekend holiday, try finding a three day cruise that visits ports throughout Europe. To truly immerse yourself in the luxurious atmosphere on-board the ship, we suggest finding a seven night cruise where you will have a bit more time at sea. With plenty of options for no-fly cruises, your holiday will be relaxing and stress-free when you depart from Southampton.

Tags: Alaska Cruises, Celebrity Cruise Line, Cruise Capital, Cruise Ships, Cruise Southampton, Experience Alaska, Half Acre, Having A Picnic, Holiday Visit, Impressive Features, Luxurious Atmosphere, Luxurious Experience, Luxury Cruise Lines, Luxury Cruises, Peaceful Atmosphere, Personal Yacht, Silversea Cruise Line, Supreme Service, Usa Experience, World Celebrity

If you have ever enjoyed a fantastic cruise holiday then you have probably been left with a lot of great memories, but have you ever stopped to think about the fact that your trip boosted the local economy too?

It is clear that going on a cruise is one way of spreading money around the globe and helping out foreign economies. For example, some tourists buy trinkets from a beach seller in the Caribbean while others might purchase postcards from a shop in the Mediterranean. This on its own might not sounds like much but with the number of people now taking this form of holiday it all adds up in the long run.

However, we also need to remember that the port where your vessel leaves from and returns to also gets a big economic boost from this kind of tourism too. Southampton is the UK’s cruise capital and as such receives a massive number of visitors from passengers of cruise liners.

Some of these visitors stay a night in a Southampton hotel, eat in a local restaurant, take a taxi or otherwise spend some money in the local economy. Some of the people passing through like the Hampshire city so much that they plan to come back and spend more time there.

This knock on effect is also why so many other UK cities are also keen to get more cruise vessels to stop there. The economic benefits to it make a lot of sense for any city. If you are going to be sailing from Southampton in the near future then you can make your trip even better while also playing your part in helping the local economy. Here is how.

Stay the Night

One of the great things about a cruise trip is that the relaxation starts right away.  You can go one better by getting there ahead of time and making your holiday start a day early. A relaxing day in Southampton will let you hop on board in the right frame of mind. While you are there you can explore the historic city walls, attend a music or theatre performance and enjoy the city centre shopping. Instead of rushing off to start your holiday straight from a plane or a train this will let you savour the build up and then get going in style.

Come Back Again

If you like the cruise experience then why not do it again as soon as you can? Cruises from Southampton are a lot more convenient and relaxing for a lot of British tourists than heading off from an airport to join the ship at a foreign port. There is a wide variety of sailings from the south coast and you should be able to find something to suit you wherever you want to go to. Even if you only have the time or the budget for a short trip you can still try and fit in some time there before or after it. It is one of the easiest ways to boost a local economy while having a great time.

Tags: City Walls, Cruise Capital, Cruise Holiday, Cruise Liners, Cruise Trip, Cruise Vessels, Economic Benefits, Frame Of Mind, Great Memories, Holi, Local Restaurant, Massive Number, Postcards, Relaxation, Sailing, Southampton Hotel, Southampton Uk, Theatre Performance, Trinkets, Uk Cities

Setting off on luxury cruises from the UK is a fantastic idea no matter where you set sail from. As far as I am concerned the ship could set sail from wherever it wants to as long as I am settled down in my cabin looking forward to some sightseeing and a lot of great food.

However, most of us probably think of Southampton as being the top cruise port in the UK, with the country’s various other ports not receiving quite as much attention it seems. This might all change though, now that an industry awards ceremony has seen Newcastle named as the number one place to set sail from or arrive to.

All about Newcastle?

So what does the port of Newcastle have which makes it worthy of my attention and which might persuade me to join a cruise from there? Obviously the first point which springs to mind is the geographical location. If you live in the North of England or Scotland then making the trip to Southampton for your cruise holiday can be an expensive and time consuming business. Far better is the idea of getting along to Newcastle and starting from there.

Another thing to bear in mind is that it offers a lot of activities which you might be interested in carrying out before you head off. Getting there a day or two before you are due to set sail means that you do some shopping, see a game of football, see some historic sights or just soak up the atmosphere in the vibrant city centre. Foreign visitors who arrive here part of the way through their luxury cruises will find it a fascinating place to spend some time, while anyone from elsewhere in the UK is likely to be equally interested in it. I  certainly fancy popping along for a football game, although my wife seems keener on doing some shopping.

The popularity of Newcastle as a stopping point on a cruise holiday is seen in the fact that 2012 is going to see its biggest number of cruise ships ever, with over 40 planning to lower their anchor there. This has the added benefit of bringing a lot of cash into the city, with some figures suggesting that the cruise business brings in over £40 million to the area and does a lot to keep the city’s tourism industry flying high. If you have never been to this fine city it is certainly a good idea to pop along at some point, whether you are planning on heading off on a high quality cruise or not.

None of this means that Southampton is an option to be neglected though, as the variety of cruises leaving from there means that it is a fine place to start looking for the right one.  In fact, the best idea for finding the ideal holiday is to just spend time looking for the type of cruise you want and then working out how best to join it. Even if you don’t join from the UK’s number one port you will still have a lot of fun once you get on board.

Tags: Added Benefit, Anchor, Atmosphere, Cruise Holiday, Cruise Port, Cruise Ships, Cruise Uk, Cruises Uk, Football Game, Game Of Football, Geographical Location, Industry Awards Ceremony, Luxury Cruises, Popularity, Port Of Newcastle, Ports, Sightseeing, Southampton, Top Cruise, Vibrant City Centre

Igloo hotels are made in areas where there is natural snow fall and ice like Sweden, Canada, Iceland, Finland, etc. These hotels are totally made of snow on all sides, floors, walls, roof and even the doors and windows. An Igloo hotel is usually constructed during the winter season and it remains till the spring and then it starts melting away.

Igloo hotels have become a new option for the young couples who would like to find an unusual and sole place for their wedding. So most of the time the hotel is made with all the preparations for a wedding like the ice chapel, reception hall, other entertainments for guests and specially festooned rooms for the honeymooning couples. Travelbee is one of the leading white wedding specialists who arrange Igloo Hotel weddings. One of the popular destinations is Alta Igloo Hotel.

Source: http://sportsntravel.co.uk/igloo-hotels/

Tags: Alta, Alta igloo Hotel, Doors And Windows, Entertainments, Finland Hotels, Honeymooning, Hotel Source, Hotel Weddings, Igloo, Igloo hotels, Natural Snow, New Option, Reception Hall, Snow Fall, Sweden Canada, Uk Hotels, Wedding Specialists, White Wedding, Winter Season, Young Couples

There are some things in life which are so good they are almost dangerous. Try tasting a really top class toffee cappuccino, staying in a 5 star hotel or wearing tailor made clothes and you will realise that going back to weak coffee, dingy hotels and ill fitting jeans just isn’t on.

The same sort of thing applies with holidays, and if you give French holidays a try you could find that you end up going back every year because nowhere else quite matches up to it. Are trips to France really that good? Let’s see if we can see they are so popular with so many people.

The Countryside or the City

France is famous as being a country with a beautiful and accessible countryside. If you are staying fairly rurally then you can breathe in some fresh air and enjoy some lovely walks through villages and country lanes. Of course, you will also find amazing cities such as Paris, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Lyon and Marseille. Each of the regions and cities has different charms and activities for you to enjoy. You could enjoy the beach, the markets, the museums, the rivers and even the Eiffel Tower. You are probably now starting to see you could turn visiting France into an ongoing obsession

The Food

No discussion about France is complete with looking at the culinary delights the country offers.  From a classy meal in a top restaurant to a rustic baguette in a county bakery, there are great meals on offer for every taste and budget. Many tourists who spend time in France end up getting hooked on French cooking and learning some of the recipes to make for friends at home. You will find some of the classic Gallic dishes on offer but you may also be surprised to find others which you have not heard of before.

The People

The French people sometimes get a bit of a bad reputation but the overwhelming majority of visitors find them to be polite and charming. Of course, as with any country, you will find a difference between attitudes in the big cities and the small villages. If you want to find the best French hospitality you should stick to smaller towns.

A Great Place to Live?

Going on holiday to France might change your life more than by just giving you a new favourite holiday destination. Lots of tourists end up falling in love with the lifestyle and consider living there permanently. These days it is relatively easy to do and if you really want to make a big change in your life then this could be just what you need. More and more people are doing this, and you can find some inspiring and heart warming stories both online and in published books. It may seem like a bold move now but once you head over and see what is on offer you might just need to listen to your heart and go ahead with the big move to a new country.

Tags: Bad Reputation, Baguette, Bakery, Bordeaux, Charms, City France, Countryside, Dishes, Eiffel Tower, Fitting Jeans, French Cooking, French Holidays, French People, Fresh Air, Lyon, Obsession, Overwhelming Majority, Star Hotel, Time In France, Toffee

As a working mum, I’m usually much busier than I’d like to be and often spending quality time with my kids is limited to the weekends. During our family holidays we usually choose camping trips in Europe.

Last week I was talking to some of the other parents as we waited for the kids outside the school gates, and given that it was a grey, rainy day, we got onto the subject of holidays. When I mentioned that camping is our top choice for family holidays, everyone wanted to learn more. One of the big questions was “How do you keep the kids entertained?”.

Actually, we’ve found that bored kids are the last thing we have to worry about on our family holidays. We always choose camp-sites which have plenty of interesting activities to try out and a good variety of facilities (a swimming pool is always essential!), as well as supervised kids clubs, so there is plenty to keep us all occupied. Not only that, but we make time to take do some family activities which get us closer to nature, as we feel it is important to teach our kids to respect the environment that they are enjoying.

One of our favourite activities during family holidays is birdwatching. Now, you might wonder how you’d ever get a usually high-energy child to sit quietly for long enough to spot any of our feathered friends but you’d be surprised. Our son, who is very sporty and always likes to be on the go was spellbound when he first watched Red Kites during a holiday in France, and it was there that he really caught the birdwatching “bug”. Getting kids interested in nature can be a hobby that lasts a lifetime, and though you might have to wait very patiently  there will be moments that are truly, naturally, magic. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to try birdwatching – we started out with a pamphlet about native species from the tourist information centre, and a cheap pair of binoculars, and it is very rewarding as you learn to identify different birds, or spot something rare!

Another activity which our kids love is our annual treasure hunt. This takes my husband and I several hours (and a few glasses of local wine) to plan one night when the kids go to bed. The basic premise is that we hide clues around the vicinity of our tent or chalet, and the kids have to use them to figure out how to get the prize. We’ve also recently discovered Geocaching, an international treasure hunting game with countless players. In this, you use GPS co-ordinates listed by other players to locate “caches” all over the world. We’ve found that these are often in scenic locations, giving us the chance to see some of the best bits of the countries we are visiting.

Do we get ever get bored during our family holidays? Most definitely not, in fact we always find ourselves saying that we wish we could stay for longer! In fact, I’d recommend camping in Europe for any family looking for a fun holiday in a peaceful natural setting.

Tags: Binoculars, Family Holidays, Feathered Friends, High Energy, Holiday In France, Identify Birds, Kids Clubs, Kites, Lifetime, Magic, Native Species, Pamphlet, Parents, Quality Time, Rainy Day, School Gates, Supervised Kids, Swimming Pool, Top Choice, Tourist Information Centre

Italy Vacation A Walk with Michelangelo – Travel Tips

For great vacation ideas, I highly recommend Italy! Here are a few things that you should know before you go because Italy is very different from many of the places that you may have traveled to before. In the US, anything goes but this is not so in Italy. Knowing these things before hand will help you have a more successful trip.

Traveling to Italy
When you are getting ready for your trip, think about what medications you need to pack and how much of each medication you need. You cant always find your medicines in Italy. Drugs that are common and easy-to-find here, may not be available in Italy. Make sure that you pack yourself a kit with all of the medicines that you may need for both on the plane and while traveling. Remember to pack over-the-counter medicines too. Leave all medications in their original containers!

Dinning Out in Italy
While you are in Italy remember to drink only drink bottled water NOT tap water. In an Italian restaurant it is good to know that what you order is what you get. There are not a lot of extras like salad, soup and choice of potato that automatically come with every meal. There are not many special requests in restaurants in Italy. They frown on changing your mind when your order comes and also on sending your order back. It is always safe to order spaghetti. Use a spoon and fork to twirl your spagetti rather than cutting it. Cutting your spaghetti is bad table manners in Italy. Do not wait for your check if you are eating out either. You need to ask for your check to receive it. Remember to tip with cash in Italy. If you are looking for fast food in Italy, try a pizza shop, or pizzeria. Most of the restaurants in Italy are sit-down restaurants with several different courses. And no one, absolutely no one eats dinner before 9 pm!

Site Seeing
Some of the sites and attractions in Italy are absolutely breathtaking and you will want to remember them forever. There are rules for some of the places that you travel to such as taking pictures. Not all of the places will allow you to take pictures (especially museums) and if you are allowed, you are probably cant use a flash. Its always safe to buy postcards.

Clothing
Italians love to dress up everyday, everywhere. Leave your shorts, tank tops and flip flops at home. If you plan to visit the Vatican, the dress code is very strict. No bare shoulders, no bare legs. There is a booth selling paper clothes for anyone who forgets the Vatican dress code! So dress up in Italy and get ready to have fun!

Home Sweet Home
Travel is great isnt it? And when you get home you organize all your pictures and souvenirs. And you think, wouldnt it be great if I could find a beautiful Italian Flag to remember my vacation by that doesnt cost too much to add to my whole vacation experience? Well, Ive found a great site that sells great looking flags for not a lot of money and their shipping is super fast www.FlagWave.com

Tags: Bottled Water, Containers, Fast Food, Great Vacation, Italian Restaurant, Italy Vacation, Medication, Medicines, Michelangelo Travel, Pizza Shop, Pla, Restaurants In Italy, Spagetti, Spaghetti, Spoon, Table Manners, Travel Tips, Traveling To Italy, Vacation Ideas, Vacation Italy

If you are traveling to Hawaii in February, here are a few annual local events for you to consider adding to your itinerary.

When you are on the Big Island make a stop at Hilo, home of The Hilo Mardi Gras. Also known as The “Hula Capital of the World, Hilo loves to put on a parade. This is their annual New-Orleans style parade, festival and party all wrapped in one. The streets are full of elaborately costumed dancers, festive music and local foods.

One of the longest running events in Hawaii is the Punahou School Carnival. This annual Honolulu event is a high school fundraiser that started in 1932 and now it attracts upwards of 50,000 people. The carnival is known for its local delicacies that includes malasadas, Hawaiian plates, Portuguese bean soup and gyros. This is a wonderful opportunity to participate in the local Hawaiian culture.

Visit the spot in Waimea, Kauai, where famous explorer Captain James Cook first landed in Hawaii. The Captain Hook Festival commemorates the event with entertainment, canoe races, games, and food. The highlight is the mini-marathon race.

The Carole Kai Bed Race brings participants from all over the world to race down the streets of Lahania in Maui, Lihue in Kauai and Honolulu in Oahu. This two-day fundraising event feature wildly costumed bed-racers for the amusement of over 100,000 onlookers.

Watch top rated longboard surfers in the two-day Buffalo’s Big Board Surfing Classic at Makaha Beach, Oahu. This is traditional Hawaiian surfing, long boarding, and canoe-surfing.

Tags: Annual Honolulu Event, Bean Soup, Canoe Races, Canoe Surfing, Captain Hook, Captain James Cook, Festive Music, Fundraising Event, Hawaiian Culture, High School Fundraiser, Lahania, Lihue, Local Delicacies, Local Foods, Longboard Surfers, Marathon Race, Mini Marathon, Orleans Style, Parade Festival, Punahou School Carnival

Have you relished a vacation to Egypt?
Since time memorial Egypt is deemed to be the land of mysteries and myths. Surprisingly Egypt is not blessed with the charismatic aspect of Mother Nature but it is paradigm of manual work at its excellence.

The Egyptian pyramids and other monuments, their ambience, art and architecture have notched a distinguished place on earth. Egypt is also known for its archaic civilization, the unique Egyptian culture and heritage and for the simplicity of Egyptians.

This hot land of deserts has always been wooing countless visitors every year. It has nestled something for people of all age group and from any profession. While almost every historian is intrigued by the Egyptian history and civilization that is one of the greatest ancient civilizations in the world today, for the engineers to it is no less thrilling to explore the wonders of the world here. A trip to Egypt is quite informative for the kids too. This is because Egypt best instantiates or is a perfect mirror to its past. A stroll in the streets of Egyptian cities will acquaint you with the work and other remains of different dynasties that reigned here. It is a lifetime experience to visit the land that was the pride of eminent rulers such as Alexander, Napoleon and Mohammed Ali Pasha.

If we navigate through the Egyptian cities we find that Egypts capital Cairo is the largest metropolitan in Africa. It is an ideal amalgam of ethnicity and modernity. From the age-old cupolas and minarets, vibrant markets to skyscraping buildings and pulsating nightlife, Cairo has it all. A wonderful feature of Cairo is that the luxury as well as the budget travelers can have a great vacation here. For while on the one hand there are simple and inexpensive accommodations on the other Cairo has quite a few excellent luxury resorts and hotels.The temple city of Amen-Ra is also a place worth visiting in Egypt. It lies near the village of Karnak and is home to the great Luxor Museum. People also come to see the magnificent Temple Complex of Amen-Ra and the Temple of the Goddess Mut, the wife of Amen-Ra. If you desire to see the coveted 13.5 meters tall well-dressed limestone statue of Pharaoh wearing a weatherworn crown, make a visit to the ancient city of Memphis. Besides this statue of Colossus of Ramses II the other lures of Memphis include a small Open-air Museum, the beautiful Alabaster Sphinx and the Embalming Site of Apis. The Site of Apis is famous for the sacred animal of god Ptah, the Apis bull that was mummified here prior to its being buried.

Not to forget are the globally acclaimed spectacular pyramids of Giza. The pyramids lie to the west of Cairo and their construction can be traced back to middle of third millennium B.C. You can observe these pyramids on foot or via camel ride. Visitors can also delight in the swimming, coral reefs and other underwater wonders at the popular Sinai Peninsula. Aqua adventures can also be enjoyed at Hurghada that lies on the south of Suez Canal. Hurghada is famous for swimming and scuba diving.

Sid writes more on Egypt.

Tags: Ancient Civilizations, Art And Architecture, Budget Travelers, Countless Visitors, Cupolas, Dynasties, Egyptian Cities, Egyptian Culture, Egyptian History, Egyptian Pyramids, Egypts Capital, Inexpensive Accommodations, Karnak, Lifetime Experience, Luxor Museum, Minarets, Mohammed Ali Pasha, Place On Earth, Vibrant Markets, Wonders Of The World

Each year, millions of families make the decision to take a family vacation. If you and your family are interested in becoming one of those families, you have a number of different options. Your options may include, but are not limited to, camping, visiting the beach, visiting a local amusement park, or setting sail on the water.

Setting sail on the water is a something that many individuals would like to do. Unfortunately, most individuals do not own a boat or know how to operate one. The good news is that you do not have to know anything about boats to enjoy a fun family vacation aboard a cruise ship. For years now, cruise ships have been creating fun, exciting, and safe vacation environments for families.

You may be wondering if you and your family would enjoy a vacation aboard a cruise ship. The reality is that all families vary. Each family member is likely to have a personal preference. Despite that preferences, cruise ships are often enjoyed by everyone, not matter what their age. This is because cruise ships offer a wide range of activities. These activities are geared towards individuals of all ages.

To decide whether or not your family should take a family vacation aboard a cruise ship, you are encouraged to consider cruise ship benefits. The most obvious benefit, as mentioned above, is the onboard activities. On any given cruise ship, you are likely to find an unlimited number of activities for both children and adults. These activities may include swimming, gaming, gambling, eating, watching movies, and dancing.

Other one of the many benefits of taking a family cruise ship vacation is the fact that almost all cruise ships have onboard childcare. If you are traveling with small children, these childcare centers may allow you to have private moments by yourself or with your spouse. These childcare centers are often operated free of charge. That means that within a few minutes, you could drop your child off and be on your way to pampering yourself.

A cruise ship vacation benefit that many individuals do not consider is the quality time spent together. While it is true that this quality time together can be spent anywhere, it is often more memorable on a cruise ship. Many travelers view the close corridors as a disadvantage, but in a way it may benefit your family. This benefit is most often seen with teenagers. When a child becomes a teen, spending time with their family is often eliminated from their list of priorities. A cruise ship will provide them with fun and exciting activities, but it will also allow you and your child to reconnect.

The memories made on a cruise ship are often incomparable. The majority of children will be unable to, for one reason or another, take a cruise when they reach adulthood. This memory is one that could serve them for a lifetime. To cherish this memory, you are encouraged to bring along a camera or video recorder. In addition to enjoying the cruise in the present, you and your family will also be able to enjoy it in the future. Can you imagine sitting around your kitchen table twenty years from now reminiscing with your family?

Wherever you and your family decide to vacation, whether it be on a cruise ship or not, your vacation is sure to be memorable. For a reasonable price, you can have an unforgettable vacation. If a cruise is financially within your reach, why not grab hold of the experience while you can?

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Tags: Amusement Park, Boats, Camping, Childcare Centers, Cruise Ship Vacation, Cruise Ships, Cruise Vacation, Environments, Family Cruise, Family Member, Family Vacation, Family Vacations, Few Minutes, Fun Family, Personal Preference, Private Moments, Setting Sail, Ship Benefits, Traveling With Small Children, Vacation Cruise