NEALTOWEY

Archive for October, 2010

For avid cruisers who love to spend their holidays at sea but have had their fill of the crowded Mediterranean and Caribbean ports, there may be an answer.

Black Sea cruises offer the culture, history, interesting cities, and beautiful beaches that these other areas provide. These cruises are not as well known at this point and offer a respite for those who want a more relaxed and peaceful cruise experience.

The Black Sea in Eastern Europe is an inland sea encircled by Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Romania. A cruise here has some unique ports of call that are more known for their culture, history and distinctive lands than their glitz and glamour. While the throngs from cruise ships in the Mediterranean are flocking into crowded ports like Nice, Athens, Florence, and Santorini you can be exploring less crowded ports of call like the ancient city of Nesebur, Bulgaria; experiencing the history in Sevastapol, Ukraine; seeing the architectural wonders in Odessa; or basking on the beaches of Varna, Bulgaria.

Some itineraries run between Athens and Istanbul with a trip north into Black Sea ports or between Rome and Athens. More examples of Black Sea ports include:

· Sinop, Turkey, which is thought of as one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the Black Sea. Sinop offers sites of historical interest like the Alaeddin Mosque and several interesting churches. The harbour features a number of picturesque little villages and restaurants serving fine examples of local dishes.

· Sochi, Russia that has been a popular resort area in the country for over two hundred years.

The season for these cruises runs from spring in April to mid-October. In order to book the cruise that you want, it is wise to plan well in advance since at this point there are not a lot of them.

Something else to consider when planning your cruise is that some of the ports are not as developed as those of the more traditional cruise destinations. This means that the ports may be limited regarding the size of ship they can accommodate. Because of this, cruises in the Black Sea draw ship operators that sail smaller, more upscale vessels. Some of the cruise lines that operate in the area include Peter Deilmann, Holland America, and Oceania. Lines such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea Cruises, and Seabourn offer exclusive luxury cruises.

There are four main departure ports for Black Sea cruises, one of which is Southampton, a very convenient port for U.K. travelers. The others are Athens, Istanbul, and Rome. Most people will be traveling a long distance to get to their departure points, so it is recommended to arrive a day ahead.

Are you wondering if you can save money on your next cruise vacation and still have loads of unadulterated and pure fun ?

If so, the answer is yes !

This article discusses five easy tips for discount cruises – tips that most cruisers may not know …

There are several discounts that cruise lines or cruise travel agencies offer, and being aware of such discounts and offers can help save a lot of money. Apart from repositioning cruises ( which were discussed in part 1 of this article ), traveling in the off peak season and others, here are 5 ways you can save money on your next cruise vacation …

Cruise Travel Agencies May Save You Money ? …

Cruise travel agencies sometimes reduce the cost of your ticket by reducing their commissions … Here is how it works – cruise travel agencies get a commission from the cruise line for every ticket they sell. And some cruise travel agencies pass on a part of their commissions to their customers. But this may not happen always – especially if the cruise lines want to prevent a price war and request the cruise agencies not to do so.

In any case, booking through a cruise travel agency might be a good thing to do because in addition to a possible discount that you may be getting on your cruise ticket, cruise agencies might also be able to help you choose a cruise ship that is right for you because they know about the amenities aboard the ships and the on board and on shore activities.

And Here is something that seems to fly in the face of “conventional wisdom” …

Booking Your Cruise Tickets Early Can Save You Money …

A few years ago, it used to be that last minute buyers would most possibly end up with the biggest discounts … but this may not be true anymore.

Booking early – about three to four months in advance is generally considered to result in better deals. But even this may not be an iron clad rule as many large cruise ships are being launched. And with increasing capacity, there is a higher possibility of unsold inventory at the last minute on several cruise ships. And these tickets can be discounted tickets. But even if such last minute unsold inventory exists, not everyone may be able to take time off from work and travel on a very short notice.

And Here is another tip that can save quite a bit of money …

2 For 1 Cruise Deals :

Some cruise lines offer 2 for 1 cruise deals on select cruises. But it is also possible that airfare may not be included in the 2 for 1 deal.

Well, if that sounded great then this one might be even better …

Discounts On Group Cruise Travel :

Booking your cruise tickets as part of a group can be a great thing to do because group cruise tickets are usually discounted … and if you are planning a family reunion, a wedding or more then group cruise travel can be a great option.

To qualify as a group you may need eight double occupancy staterooms, but you might want to check with your cruise travel agency about what constitutes a group.

And Here is yet another tip that may result in lots of savings …

Discounts for Seniors :

Cruisers over fifty five years may be entitled to senior discounts. Here is what may be the best part – only one passenger in a stateroom is required to be aged fifty five and over, and all the other passengers in the same state room get their tickets at the same discounted price !

Also, seniors may also qualify for a senior discount on the air tickets too.

There are several other tips that will be discussed in part 3 of this series.

If you are a Florida resident or even a frequent guest to this sunny place, you may have already discovered John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk in Madeira Beach Florida… if not, what a delightful find. This wonderful little destination is only a few blocks long but holds many quaint shops and eateries. Situated along the waterfront, a weary shopper can enjoy lunch or dinner at any of the restaurants overlooking the water.

One of our favorite places to dine is the Timeout Restaurant which offers live music on the balcony by a very talented young man, he sounds so much like Michael Bluble that we thought it was a recording! Even if you are not ready for a meal, you can enjoy the music that drifts over the crowd on the boardwalk… a pleasant afternoon to be sure.

This past week as we strolled through John’s Pass Village, we happened upon a gem of a store tucked down a side street. Its charming name beckoned to us “The Spice & Tea Exchange” and a clever sign compelled us to explore further.

The small shop had a rustic but homey feel. Shelves lined the walls and were filled with glass jars full of… spices and teas. Not much of a surprise based on the name, but the surprise came in the experience. Each section of the jars held a different treasure; flavored teas, organic spices and flavored salts filled the store.

The spices and teas are all ‘bulk’ so you simply let them know what you are interested in and they package it for you… they are sold by the ounce which is great for those spices that you are trying for the first time or those that you need once a year! Shakers, tea pots and other accessories were scattered around the one-room shop, prompting gift ideas for loved ones… or yourself, making this my favorite stop of the day!

St John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk is great for a day trip from other vacation destinations like Clearwater Beach or Tampa and is worth the trip! If you plan to visit Madeira Beach this year, treat yourself to a day at John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk… you’ll be glad you did.

Summer brings with it warmth and high humidity. The season also offers the opportunity for heat weary folks to escape to the mountains or beaches for a well deserved rest. In North Carolina, there are several beach destinations worth visiting; nine top sites are featured here.

1. The Outer Banks — Perhaps the most well known of all the beaches in the Carolinas, the Outer Banks offers much history as well as attractive beaches. You can visit the spot where the Wright Brothers first took flight in Kill Devil Hills as well as the first European settlement on Roanoke Island.

2. Bald Head Island — Got feet? You’ll need them here as no cars are allowed on the island. You can use an electric golf cart to get around, however.

3. Atlantic Beach — Located on the eastern end of the Bogue Banks this resort is part of the Crystal Coast. Historic Fort Macon State Park is a popular nearby attraction.

4. Figure Eight Island — Got money? You’ll need it to visit this private, exclusive resort.

5. Oak Island — Located in Brunswick County, below Wilmington, Oak Island is one the few south facing beaches along the east coast. Lots of golf courses in the area including at least one champion course.

6. Sunset Beach — Just three miles in length, Sunset Beach is the southern most of the Brunswick Island beaches. The only link to the mainland is a one lane pontoon bridge. Wow!

7. Carolina Beach — Located between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean, Carolina Beach features shopping, a boardwalk, a state aquarium, and the Carolina Beach State Park.

8. Topsail Beach — If beachfront high rise developments turn you off, then this is the place for you as strict zoning laws rule the land. During the 1700s pirates roamed the nearby waters. No word on whether Blackbeard’s treasure has ever been found.

9. Wrightsville Beach — This busy beach is frequented by Raleigh area residents as it is the closest beach to the state capitol. Still, out of state visitors find it to be a favorite resort.

From the Virginia border to South Carolina, North Carolina’s beaches offer visitors much more than sand and ocean breezes. Pick one of these destinations and you will truly have plenty of fun in the sun!

I choose hotels in Vanuatu to be my title because I wanted to share my hotels in Vanuatu experience with my readers. Whole my life I was wondering where was the best place to go for a short vacation, and then I came across an old friend of mine when I was doing my shopping at the supermarket. She told me they just came back from their honey moon in Vanuatu. And she started telling me about hotels in Vanuatu and this is where she got me interested in spending my short vacation in Vanuatu at Sebel hotel one of the finest hotels on earth.

One of the things that make Vanuatu unique and the paramount tourist destination globally is the magnificent hotels in Vanuatu. The hotels there are just magnificent where one gets every thing that he wants during his short stay in the paradise island of Vanuatu. There are about thirty hotels in the capital city of Vanuatu Port Vila, and plenty more on the outer islands of Vanuatu. During my short vacation I came across a local and he took me to explore the active Easu volcano in Tanna island, one of the off shore islands of Vanuatu. It took us thirty minutes to fly to Tanna and another three hour by truck to the volcano. Exploring the volcano was one of the wonderful experience adventures that I will never forget in my life. Vanuatu is a place that one must visit, it is only one place on earth that one can get a gleam of the active volcano.

If you are wondering where is Vanuatu, Vanuatu is a small island made of eighty three islands was first named by Captain James Cook as New Hebrides. It is located on the south west of Australia. Hotels in Vanuatu are very competitive with their pricing and offer best price for first come first save bases. If you are currently planning you holiday or vocation then I suggest you checked out hotels in Vanuatu. Sebel hotel is one of the finest hotels that one can dream of spending his honey moon, it is situated at the end of Port Vila city over viewing the Port Vila bay and Iririki Island. And a magnificent location for catching the last gleams of the sun set. Sebel is one of the hotels in Vanuatu that one must visit.

Exotic travel destinations might plea those travelers wishing something above the beach vacation. These are as diverse as the world, but most of them possess the undeveloped beauty plus adventure sense. Some most currently famous exotic travel destinations are given below.

Galapagos Islands

Situated approximately 600 miles in west Ecuador, this archipelago having 19 volcanic islands plus above 100 rocks with inlets is best recognized for its diversity of distinctive animal species. Among several creatures present on this island includes various species of sea cucumbers, green turtles, iguanas, and giant Galapagos tortoise.

The whole Galapagos Islands archipelago refers to confined wildlife preserve as well as World Heritage Site. Five islands have been inhabited having restaurants, hotels, and tourist services situated on Santa Cruz. The airport is situated in north of Santa Cruz on tiny Baltra island.

These Islands are reachable via air from Quito, Ecuador otherwise by sea via numerous cruises leaving from Ecuador.

Antarctica

The globe’s slightest explored territory is world’s southern tip. Daring visitors may journey from Chile via various cruises plying in freezing Antarctic waters. The cruise operators offering cruises for Antarctica include Hanseatic Cruises and Lindblad Cruises. Mostly tours are from 11 to 15 days and travelers haunts the earlier 20th century explorers, like Deception Point and Elephant Island, and find occasion to view distinctive wildlife, like blue-eyed cormorants and baby brown penguins, and shrilly attractive, icy terrain.

Bulgaria and Romania

They are the two novel European Economic Union members welcoming people with the open arms and lower prices. In expectation of new status of two countries’, extra flights are added to airport of Sofia Bulgaria and Romania’s Bucharest. New hotels along with sports complex, completed with pools, and shopping is being constructed outside the Sofia’s Bulgarian capital.

Both the countries have wealthy culture, history, and cuisine for the visitors, comprising historic castles, scenic mountains, spas and hot springs, with good restaurants.

The hotel industry is a multi-billion dollar growing industry. There are many job opportunities available in hotels that are both part time and full time. They include housekeeping, waiters and waitresses, kitchen workers like cooks and then you have other areas like management, marketing and human resources. Below are five reasons why you should work for hotel industry.

1. A hotel job gives you the chance to meet and interact with different people from senior company executives to junior level management. That means your job can never be boring. It also means you can get useful contacts that can be helpful later if you need to advance in your career.

2. Working in a hotel gives you the opportunity to grow in your career. Depending on what your career goals are you have the opportunity to rise through the ranks through on job training and experience.

3. The job opportunities are limitless. Across the world there are thousands of hotels and many hotel groups including big brands, like the Marriot, Best Western and Sheraton to mention but a few. Once you have learned the trade in one hotel you have the option of finding a job in any of the thousands of hotels across the globe including working for some of the big names in the industry which is good for your Curriculum Vitae.

4. Opportunities to work abroad. Because many of the big hotel groups are found in many countries across the globe you have the opportunity of working away from home in another country. This gives you the chance to live and experience what it is like to live in another country with a different culture. You also have the opportunity to travel and enjoy travel and accommodation rates at much reduced rates compared to what is available in the market.

5. Opportunities to work in the travel and tourism industry. The training and skills acquired in the hotel industry are useful should you choose to work in the travel and tourism industry. This greatly increases your employment possibilities as the travel and tourism industry includes but is not limited to sectors such as passenger transport, travel agencies and tour operators.

Some traditionally would like to go where the snow is, and it’s freezing, and where Santa has no troubles wearing ultra-thick clothes.

And some prefer to go where the sun shines the all day, where you can play on white sand beaches and swim in the warm sea, where you are able to go shopping in exotic stores wearing a pair of sandals and Bermuda boxers and a Hawaiian shirt.

Christmas beach vacation is an excellent way to unwind and relieve stress. You need to make the proper planning, to ensure that you have the best time and all activities are well-planned. There are lot of places around the globe where you can altogether forget about work and just spend hours on white sand, watching the crystal waters in the warm sunny atmosphere.

For Christmas Beach Celebrations, Hawaii is the most popular vacation beach destination in the world. There are a numerous islands where you’ll be able to enjoy tropical forests, entrancing waterfalls, coastal areas and raw shores. Waikiki Beach is also one of the most beach, which is situated on Oahu Island. The beaches are lined with many luxurious hotels that provide excellent facilities and services for travellers. The nighttime is also active with the lot of beach clubs along the beach where visitors get excellent appetizers and cocktails all night to make your Christmas memorable.

Another good place to think about is Maui. This is located off the West Coast and promises a great time there.For those of you who loves golf then the Kapulua Resort is the right place for you. Here you will have more affordable golf rates and you can take in all the sites and enjoy the Kapalua Bay Hotel, as well as the Kaplalua Villas and Ritz Carlton.

For those of you who prefer to travel to Florida then Palm Beach is unquestionably the most popular beach location for you. It has a spa besides golf course and the white sandy beach is half a mile long for the adults to enjoy their vacation. There is also a kids pool and a number of different kids programs to keep them busy and well entertained. It’s viable for you to book up to five different contiguous rooms for you and your family if plan to stay in the Breakers Hotel. In case you plan about having kids under 16 years of age stay in the same room as you then they get a free stay.

The city of Bruges lies in the north-western corner of Belgium, and is the capital of the province of West Flanders. The city remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in Belgium, with many flocking to the city on short breaks in order to take in the majesty of the Venice Of The North.

Bruges is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it’s historic city centre – in which most of the medieval architecture still in tact – remains a popular destination for city breaks.

Within the egg-shaped city centre, there are a number of hotels dotted in amongst the Medieval buildings. Bruges houses a wide variety of old buildings – including it’s world-famous 13th Century belfry, whose tower contains a carillon of 47 bells – and a wide variety of Flemish-inspired architecture.

The city is affectionately known as the Venice Of The North, with a network of canals running in and around the city. Whether you’re looking to stay in one of the many hotels in the city centre or hire houseboats in order to explore the Flemish countryside, Bruges provides the opportunity to relax and explore its ancient history.

The city centre houses a variety of museums on a variety of subjects, making it an ideal destination for those looking to explore the arts. From the Bruggemuseum to a recently opened museum dedicated to french fries, Bruges has a variety of sights to suit all tastes.

Bruges also plays host to a number of music festivals throughout the year. Ranging from jazz to orchestral to traditional Flemish accordion music, there’s something to suit all tastes in the bustling medieval city.

With a variety of hotels in Bruges and the surrounding areas, as well many ways of reaching the city – whether it’s flying to nearby Brussels or taking the ferry to Zeebrugge – which leaves an element of choice if you’re looking to take a city break.

With a range of flights available from all around the UK, it can be worth going online to compare hotels when planning for your trip. Bruges is a popular stopover for those who embark on trips around Europe, and with the city easily accessible by train and ferry, it is worth considering Bruges and its medieval history as part of your trip.

Thailand is the amazing place to visit. It is one of the most famous Asian tourist spots and people from all over the world come here every year to see this amazing place. The tourism plays a vital role in the growth of economy of the Thailand. When you will come here, what you love most about is that Beach travel in Thailand. There are many beaches here in Thailand and people come here every year to spend their vacations and holiday especially in December, Beach travel in Thailand becomes very popular in Europe, America and United Kingdom. If you love beaches and its climate, Beach travel in Thailand while your visit is the best thing you can enjoy. These beaches are elegant and beautiful and the prices of restaurants, bars and hotels near these beaches are very affordable.

The most famous beach in Thailand lies in Phuket known as Patong beach. Phuket itself is the largest island in Thailand and its surrounding in different poles, there are number of beaches and Patong beach is one of them. The and on sea enhances the beauty of the land. The Thai beaches are full of fun, excitement and on the other hand some are very peaceful and comfortable. So, now no matter what type of mood, you want to enjoy, you can come to beach, relax here on the sandy, sunny beach and drink tropical juices all day and when it comes to spend night on the beach, it is full of fun and excitement. You can enjoy dancing on the tropical music playing all night along in the smell of sea food and chicken barbeque that will make you hungrier and intensify your cravings for food.

You can spend quality time at these beaches with your friends, family and your life partner. In the morning till noon, the beach is quite and peaceful. If you want to spend a good time with your lover in privacy of nature, the beaches are perfect and if you want your partner to get crazy and dance on the music, bring your partner with you after evening. The time of sunset is another amazing opportunity that you can enjoy when you re lying on the beach sand or sitting near the running water of the sea. Usually the seasons between the may to October is the rainy seasons on many Thai beaches, so the best weather and climate is between Novembers to March. After these months, summer start at the island which are very hotter and it is difficult to spend a day on the beach.

The best beaches to visit while your trip and stay in the Thailand are Bang Tao, Patong, Kata, Karon, and Kamala. If you are adventures, you can go to the hills that are located near the beach for some hiking but the fun and enjoyment you are going to enjoy at the beaches is the best part of your trip which will remain as a true life time memory in your mind.