Caribbean Shore Excursions

The Top 5 Rated Shore Excursions in the Caribbean
  
1. San Juan Snorkel and Picnic Cruise -  5 star rating - 84 reviews
  
2. Jamaica Canopy Tour from Montego Bay or Negril - 5 star rating - 65 reviews
  
3. Dominican Republic Ocean World Dolphin Swim - 5 star rating - 36 reviews
 
4. Jamaica Spirit of Reggae Bob Marley Experience -  5 star rating - 27 reviews
  
5. Jamaica Canopy Tour from Ocho Rios - 5 star rating - 25 reviews

Also view all Caribbean shore excursions by category
Air, Helicopter & Balloon Tours, Cruises, Sailing & Water Tours, Cultural & Theme Tours, Day Trips & Excursions, Family Friendly, Food, Wine & Nightlife, Luxury & Special Occasions, Outdoor Activities, Shopping & Fashion, Shore Excursions, Shows, Concerts & Sports, Sightseeing Tickets & Passes, Theme Parks, Tours & Sightseeing, Transfers & Ground Transport, Walking & Biking Tours and Water Sports.

Caribbean Shore Excursions

Cruise Line Alcohol Policies

Do you know your cruise line's alcohol policy?

Drinking rules certainly vary across lines -- European companies like Costa Cruises may lower the drinking age to 18 when sailing from non-U.S. ports; luxury outfits often include open bars, and allow for "bring your own booze" as well.

And some lines have even outlawed bringing wine onboard, something that's almost always acceptable (there is, however, usually a corkage fee assessed for consuming your wine in the dining room).

Cruise Critic breaks down the rules into 3 main categories:

• Drinking Age

• Rules for Bringing Booze Onboard

• And All Things Wine 

Visit Cruise Critic to view the article

MSC 50% Family Holiday Cruise Sale

MSC Cruises is offering 50% off for families of 4 traveling on Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Eve Caribbean cruises.

From now until December 31, 2010, when guests book a balcony state room on the Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Eve Caribbean cruises can get up to 50% off a connecting balcony state room on 7 night Caribbean Cruise Holiday vacations on board the MSC Poesia with the Family Plan offer for four.

This plan offer applies to adjoining Category 9, 10 or 11 Balcony Superior rooms, accommodating up to four guests on eastern and western Caribbean trips departing Fort Lauderdale.

Family Plan rates for four start at $697 per person, plus $81.35 per person government fees and taxes (GFTs) and depart November 21 for Thanksgiving, December 19 for Christmas and December 26 for New Year's Eve.

Destinations on the eastern and western Caribbean cruises include: Key West, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Nassau.

MSC Poesia features miniature golf, tennis and basketball, as well as a pool for children, an outdoor play area and a complimentary kids program with entertainment and games, including crafts and treasure hunts.
Children’s programs are also available for children 3-17 years old, which are divided into age-specific groups.

www.msccruisesusa.com/us_en/homepage.aspx
Source: Travel Agent Central

Cruises Offer More Vegas/Broadway Entertainment

There has never been as many entertainment choices for vacationers at sea.

Norwegian Epic features the Blue Man Group - the new Allure of the Seas is featuring a Broadway production of Chicago in December.

It's all about competition for the dollars spent by vacationers. Cruise lines such as Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean are in a race against land resorts to prove that sea vacations are just as good -- and at a better price.

Ten years ago, Disney Cruise Line set the entertainment bar for the rest of the cruise industry, says Motter, inspiring changes to children's programs. Disney was the first to put big shows like Toy Story, the Musical on cruise ships.

The next Disney ship, Disney Dream, slated to arrive in January 2011, will feature a new musical, Villains, with all of the great Disney villains of the past: Captain Hook, Cruella de Vil, Ursula from The Little Mermaid, and Jafar from Aladdin.

Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas raised the bar last December with an array of entertainment that includes the Broadway musical Hairspray and an outdoor AquaTheater with the largest and deepest pool at sea and 30-foot diving platforms. 

Read full article at Miami Herald

New Travel Channel from YouTube

YouTube has introduced a new online travel channel called the YouTube Vacationer.

The new channel is sponsored by Norwegian Cruise Line, and features short destination videos and activities for the Caribbean/Bahamas; Europe; United States and Canada; Latin America, Middle East, and Africa.

Some of the videos are provided by Lonely Planet (Honduras, Costa Rica, Italy) and National Geographic (Egypt, the Northern Lights), along with practical travel guides and tips from Howcast and eHow.

Subcribers can create and share their own "Vacation You" experiences - and new videos from travel experts will be posted weekly. 

http://www.youtube.com/vacationer

It is always great to go on a cruise holiday and look forward to having an amazing time with your friends and family, but most of the problems come up in the cruise vacation planning. 

More often than not, a lack of planning and coordination gets in the way of being able to enjoy one's vacation.

If you avoid some common mistakes during the planning phase, you can be assured of a hiccup-free, unforgettable vacation you would like to live over and over again.
 

Cruise Vacation Planning: 3 Mistakes to Avoid

USTOA Claim Procedures for Cruise West Passengers

Follow up to previous posting on Cruise West

The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) is a professional association representing the tour operator industry.

Travel agents and consumers should be aware that partial or full reimbursement of lost payments and/or deposits for Cruise West products made prior to September 11, 2010, may be protected under the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program.

Passenger deposits and payments thereafter will not be covered by the USTOA Program.

Claim forms and instructions under the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program -

http://www.ustoa.com/2009/CruiseWest/Claim_info.cfm

Bermuda Ports Close Due to Hurricane Igor

Bermuda's ports will be closed from Friday through Monday, as Hurricane Igor bears down on the island nation. The port closures have forced several cruise lines to change itineraries.

According to the National Hurricane Center's 11 a.m. EDT update, Igor is located about 430 miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands and 910 miles south-southeast of Bermuda. 

Maximum sustained winds are near 140 miles per hour, and the storm is moving in a northwesterly direction.

Right behind Igor is Hurricane Julia, which has weakened to a Category Two storm with maximum sustained winds near 100 miles per hour. At this point, Julia is even farther from land than Igor and is likely to be reduced to a tropical storm by Friday; there's no immediate cruise impact.

Read more on Cruise Ship Itinerary Changes at Cruise Critic

Royal Caribbean Brochures

Royal Caribbean International (RCI) offers over 261 ports around the globe, and 22 of the most innovative cruise ships at sea.

Check out RCI's online brochures for cruise vacations to Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska and even the exotic port of Dubai. RCI offers endless cruise vacation choices.

Simply fill out the form on RCI's site, and get ready for a great cruise vacation!

Order Brochures, Get Special Offers & Exclusive Rates and more!

Cruise West - A World Voyage Nightmare

Can you begin to imagine booking a 335 day world cruise, and mid way being told that your cruise is cancelled? Well that's exactly what happened to passengers on the Spirit of Oceanus who booked sailing on the epic “Voyage of the Great Explorers” cruise.

Well here's what's going on . . . Cruise West fails to renew their bond!

Cruise line members have to post $1 million in security - in the form of a bond or letter of credit. The bond is held in a trust account by USTOA, and used only for reimbursing consumers for tour payments or deposits lost in the event of bankruptcy, insolvency or cessation of business.

USTOA (United States Tour Operators Association) has made the grim announcement  - “Effective September 11, Cruise West is no longer a USTOA member, and as such, no longer participates in the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program.”

Any cruise passenger who made reservations prior to Sept. 11, 2010 may be protected under the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program. Client deposits and payments made after that date will not be covered by the USTOA Travelers Assistance Program.

On the company's website Cruise West says it is continuing “to work towards a restructuring of the company and its operations.” Don't hold your breath!

Unfortunately passengers who do not have insurance will probably end up losing their money. And even if you do have insurance, the particular policy may not cover a cruise line going under financially.

Passengers Stranded As Cruise Line 'Restructures'

Cruise Insurance - Primary Or Secondary Policy?

Choosing cruise insurance - or for that matter any travel insurance - can be time consuming, as well as confusing. Be aware that policy plans vary greatly - so each individual has to determine which plan best covers your needs.

Cruise lines offer their own travel insurance, however it is NOT the best option, and prices are far more than finding insurance on your own. You should also be aware that these type of policies are "secondary" policies. Cruise lines are notorious for offering compensation in "on-board credits" - not hard cash in many situations!

Read the full article and become familiar with the difference between a primary or secondary cruise insurance policy for your next cruise vacation

Cruise Insurance - Primary Or Secondary

 

YouTube Vacationer

Norwegian Cruise Line and YouTube have created a new travel channel, the YouTube Vacationer, where visitors can get ideas and advice from travel experts as well as create a 60-90 second montage of their ideal cruise vacations and share it.

Featuring Norwegian's message, "Tap into the Vacation You," the video site features specialists such as Lonely Planet, National Geographic and the Travel Channel.

In addition Norwegian's Freestyle Cruising gives users the ability to interact with more than 2 million combinations of video content to choose from when creating and uploading their experiences.

When using with Norwegian's "Vacation You" part of the channel, on the home page, visitors can select from a series of short video clips that offer ideas for their Freestyle Cruising vacations.

Then you can share the videos you've created on Facebook, Twitter or via email.

Videos available from the home page include the following regions: Caribbean/Bahamas, Europe, Exotic, US and Canada.

Visit www.youtube.com/vacationer

Cruise Travel Tip

In the top list of Cruise Cabin Complaints is the lack of electrical outlets in their cabin. 

Remember to pack an outlet power bar with you, and you'll be able to charge or plug in all your favorite and much needed devices.

Luxury Cruise Auctions

Luxury Cruise Vacations - Fantastic Destinations.
 

Discover a spectacular collection of luxury cruises on ships that keep guest counts low and service levels high.

Luxury Link is proud to offer exciting cruises to destinations from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean, Auckland to Alaska and even entirely around the world.

Whatever cruise vacation you desire, rest assured that Luxury Link's collection of cruise vacations will take you to unforgettable places in incomparable style.



LuxuryLink.com