Monday, August 2, 2010

Cruise Ship Vacations for Seniors




In many areas of the world, including the United States, we often view senior citizens as having limits. While health issues may plague some senior citizens, most individuals are healthy and happy. In fact, many consider their senior years to be the prime of their live. If you are one of those individuals, you could experience fun and excitement aboard a cruise ship.



One of the most common concerns aboard a cruise is safety. Many senior citizens and their family members are concerned with the health risks of taking a cruise. If you or your family has fears associated with extended cruises, you may want to seek guidance from your family physician. With a simple visit, your physician may easily be able to determine whether or not you are up for the voyage.



If and when you receive the okay from your doctor, you can begin to further examine vacationing aboard a cruise ship. When examining cruise ships, you are encouraged to examine a number of cruise lines and each of the ships that they have available. To get started on your search, it is advised that you examine Royal Caribbean Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, and Princess Cruises. The foresaid cruise lines are just a few of the many that service travelers; however, they are often considered the most popular.



When examining a particular cruise ship, you are encouraged to search for activities and services that you are attracted to. These services are important because they are often the only way for seniors to find the perfect cruise ship. At the current time, there is not a large, well-known cruise ship company that offers cruises specifically for senior citizens. That does not mean that you shouldn’t take a cruise. It does; however, mean that you may need to spend more time researching your available options.



You can and should search for cruise ship activities based on your own preferences. Many seniors prefer cruise ships that offer elegant dinning facilities and activities geared towards mature crowds. If safety is a concern, you may wish to vacation aboard a family fun cruise. These cruises are geared towards individuals and families of all ages. Many times, a family fun cruise has a more appropriate environment. Seniors, including yourself, may find this environment warm and welcoming.



Once you have made the decision to take a cruise ship vacation, you may be excited to book your reservations. Senior citizens are urged to refrain from purchasing tickets and making travel accommodations on a whim. This is because many seniors qualify for cruise ship and other travel discounts. Many of these discounts are offered by AARP, Triple A, and other membership clubs. Even if you may not qualify for travel deals and discounts, you should still see if they exist. Until you look, you never know if you can book a cruise at a discounted price.



Cruise ship travel is a fun, exciting, and rewarding experience, no matter what your age. All most all cruise ships are safe enough that you can even vacation alone. If you are concerned with your safety while traveling alone, you may want to invite along family or your senior friends. With a large number of discounts, it is quite possible that you can all enjoy a vacation aboard a cruise ship, without having to go broke.

Cruise Ships: Preparing For Your Voyage




When it comes to vacationing aboard a cruise ship, many individuals consider preparation to be the luggage that they plan to bring with them. Packing for your cruise ship vacation is important; however, it is not the only preparation that should occur. Preparation shouldn’t wait until the week before your trip. Rather, it should begin as soon as you book your cruise ship reservation.



The type of cruise that you will be taking is vital to preparation. A large number of cruise ships travel on international waters. In addition to being on international waters, many dock at international ports. Before begin able to board your ship, you may have to show proper identification. With international cruises, this identification often includes a drivers licenses and a passport.



Unfortunately, when it comes to obtaining a passport, there are many individuals who wait until the last minute. Last minute passports can be obtained in the event of an emergency, but most require at least a week or more to process. You will not be automatically granted a passport; instead you are required to apply for one. Almost all individuals that apply for a passport are granted one, but planning ahead is the best option. If error is made on the information you supplied, you will have enough time to fix it before your cruise ship departs.



The proper identification is needed to board a cruise ship. Your passport and your driver’s license are not the only forms of documentation that you should bring onboard. If you are covered under a health insurance plan, you are encouraged to bring your health insurance cards. In the event you fall ill while on vacation, your insurance cards will allow you to obtain the needed medical attention.



In addition to your medical insurance cards, it is advised that you bring along all of your needed medications. You may even want to consider brining along extra medication. Many physicians will write extra prescriptions for their patients that are traveling on a cruise ship. Should your medication become lost or misplaced, the extra prescriptions can be used until you return home. While requesting extra medication from your healthcare provider, you may want to question them on safety precautions aboard a cruise ship.



To pay for onboard and port activities, you will need to bring along extra money. Vacationing aboard a cruise ship is similar to vacationing anywhere else in the world. You are encouraged not to carry large sums of cash with you. If you must bring cash along, you are encouraged to divide your money up and place it in safe locations. Almost all cruise ships and popular cruise ship ports accept credit cards, cashiers checks, money orders, or traveler’s checks. These forms of payments are great alternatives to carrying cash.



When traveling aboard a cruise ship, you are urged to give a copy of the cruise ship’s itinerary to multiple friends and family members. This will make it possible for you to be contacted in the event of an emergency. When registering for a cruise ship, you may also be required to give the contact information of someone that should be contacted in an emergency. Your first thought may be to give the contact information of your spouse, children, or a close friend. When doing so, it is important to make sure that they will be on land and accessible.



Once you have made the above mentioned preparations, you can begin focusing on other preparations, such as packing your luggage. When packing, you are urged to keep the climate of your cruise in mind. At the same time, you should be prepared for unexpected weather. Making the proper cruise ship preparations will ensure that your vacation will be a success.

Cruise Ship Gambling: Everything You Need and Want to Know




Gambling is a popular pastime of many American citizens. Despite the popularity of gambling, it is illegal in many areas of the Untied States. Currently, casinos are only allowed on Indian reservations, in Las Vegas, and in Atlantic City. What does this mean for those that love to gamble? It often means long trips and large amounts of money spent. That is unless you want to incorporate gambling into your vacation.



Aside from the casinos offered on land, cruise ship casinos are some of the most popular casinos in the Untied States. If you are interested in gambling on a cruise ship, you can also enjoy a vacation at the same time. That is if you intend on booking an extended cruise. Extended cruises are cruises that tend to last more than three days. In addition to extended cruises, it is possible to visit stationary casino cruise ships along the coast.



When it comes to cruise ship gambling, there are many passengers who are concerned with the legal aspect of gambling. It is true that gambling is illegal in most of the United States, but different rules apply when you are on international waters. As soon as your cruise ship leaves the port, the casino is likely to open. To stay on the safe side, a number of cruise ships wait until they are a few miles away from the coast.



Gambling aboard a cruise ship casino is similar to gambling on land. Traditional casino rules should apply. If a cruise ship’s gambling rules differ, you will likely see signs or rules posted somewhere within the casino. If you are ever in doubt it is advised that you speak to a casino employee or a cruise ship representative.



In addition to seeking guidance or clarification from cruise ship employees, it is also likely that they may teach you how to play a particular game. Similar to dance lessons, you could easily learn how to play a number of popular casino games with the assistance of an experienced gambler. Many of these onboard casino game lessons are free; however, not all are. On some cruise ships, you may be required to pay a small fee to participate in a gambling lesson.



The casino games offered aboard a cruise ship are likely to vary. Many popular games include blackjack, roulette, poker, and slot machines. The casinos games found onboard a cruise will all depend on the cruise ship in question. Certain casino games may be available on one ship, but not on another. If you are interested in playing a particular casino game, you may want to check to see if that game is available before booking your cruise ship reservation.



As previously mentioned, cruise ship casinos are most often found on extended cruises. These are classified as cruises that stay over the water for a period of time. These cruises also travel from one destination to another. Extended cruise ships often have a large number of activities, aside from gambling. Cruise ship reservations and cabin rentals are often compared to the hotel rooms found at most casino resorts. When compared, an extend cruise is often the better value.



Despite their popularity, not everyone is able to take an extended cruise. If you still want to experience gambling aboard a cruise ship, but you don’t want to stay overnight, you can visit a coastal casino or a river casino. Along the Untied States coast and a number of popular river banks, casinos are legal. These casinos were often legalized by local governments. Stationary cruise casinos are similar to legalized land casinos. The only difference between the two is that they are located on the water.



To gamble aboard a casino, whether it is a vacation cruise, a river casino, or a costal casino, you will have to make plans. River casinos and costal casinos do not require reservations, but vacation cruises do. If you are interested in spending your vacation at a cruise ship’s casino, you must first make a reservation. Once you have made those reservations, you can make plans to enjoy gambling on your vacation until you wish to gamble no longer.