Archive for June, 2008

Traveling by cruise is interesting and traveling by a themed cruise ship is even more interesting and pleasurable. Themed cruises are popular than the normal cruise ships and they are popular all over the world.

Many are familiar about the themed cruise ships while some do not have any idea on these themed ships. So, if you are not familiar with these themed cruise ships, then this article helps you to get familiar with these ships.

Traveling overseas on a cruise is really awesome and traveling on a cruise which is connected with a theme is the ultimate experience. You can enjoy double benefits of the cruise; one is the journey in the cruise while other is the theme on the cruise.

Themed cruise ships are different from the other cruise ships. The cruise follows a theme and all the passengers of the cruise should follow the theme. The theme differs from Disney to Romance, nature to wild. There are no exact specifications that a themed cruise should just look like this and follow certain basics.

The AAA 2008 Vacation Costs Survey, which culls published rates for more than 60,000 restaurants and lodgings, recommends a budget of $244 per day for two while traveling in North America.

Here are the states found to be the most expensive vacation spots. (Costs are based on average published prices for meals and lodgings for two adults.)

1. Hawaii

Lodging: $675.36

Meals: $117.40

Total average daily cost: $792.76

2. Washington, D.C.

Lodging: $459.90

Meals: $114.84

Total average daily cost: $574.74

If you’re looking for luxury or economy, roominess or sport, here’s an exclusive from Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com), the leading provider of new- and used-vehicle information, 2008 Top 10 Best New Road Trip Vehicles.

As not all road trips are the same, Kelley Blue Book’s 2008 Best New Road Trip Vehicles provide a potential perfect ride or two for every type of driver and every type of journey. Each vehicle offers different perks such as entertainment options, interior accommodations and driving performance to keep road-trippers satisfied.

Audi S5

Combining a silky 354-horsepower V8 engine, impeccably tuned suspension and quattro all-wheel drive, the Audi S5 delivers high levels of both performance and comfort, along with the elegance to arrive in grand fashion.

Kelley Blue Book picked the S5, a performance version of the A5, for its unique combination of top-end performance, comfort and slick European style.

Do you know how to be safe on a trip? Traveling safe not only means you should take proper measures while traveling, it also means that you should not show travel fatigue after you return back from the trip. If your health spoils after you return back from the trip, you will lose the mood of traveling again. You will remember this trip as a daunting trip and fear for planning another trip.

It can be any form of trip; can be business trip or family trip, surviving in traveling is very important. The traveling tips will not differ for different types of traveling; you may travel in air, train, road or even by a cruise, most of the traveling tips are the same [Tips to avoid travel health risks].

How to survive while traveling?

• Never show off your costly possessions while traveling, this makes the traveling safe. The world is full of burglars and they will not carry a name plate that they are thieves. Check out for thieves around you and take preventative measures such as avoiding costly jewelry showoff, expensive watches and other expensive articles while traveling.

Are you planning to explore Asia? It’s very hard to explore a continent, then how about visiting a place where you find the cultures and traditions of Asia in one place? Yes, there is a place known as small-Asia, where you can see the glimpses of Asia in one place. The place is Singapore and while holidaying in Singapore, you feel like you are experiencing Asia in a small place.

Singapore is one of the most prosperous countries of the world and also one of the favorite tourist destinations of the world. Singapore offers the top class transportation facilities to the tourists and safe, clean country abounds. [Choosing the right destination for your travel].

People here in Singapore are very friendly and polite, making your trip even more pleasant and lovable. Singapore is also known as ‘garden city’. If you are traveling to Singapore, then you have different places to watch and make the trip successful.

The famous tourist attraction places of Singapore:

As said before, Singapore is a mix of different Asian cultures and ethnicities. There are different places which show you the glimpse of Asian countries.

Europe airfare prices are outrageous this summer[summmer vacation] and the dollar is being beaten to a pulp by the euro.

Fortunately, there are still a few places that offer American travelers good value. After crunching the numbers on airfare, hotel, and activity prices, here is the list of five places that are both fascinating and reasonably affordable if not cheap[cheap travel].

• Bulgaria
• Berlin, Germany
• Turquoise Coast, Turkey
• Transylvania, Romania
• Moravia, Czech Republic

Go to the USA Today website for more trip-planning resources.

Over 2,500 Americans are arrested abroad annually. More than 30% of these arrests are drug related. Over 70% of drug related arrests involve marijuana or cocaine.

If getting arrested is your measure of trouble, the answer is Mexico. More specifically, it’s Tijuana, followed by Guadalajara, Nuevo Laredo and, across the Atlantic, London.

That’s the upshot of a new tally by the U.S. State Department tracking arrests of Americans abroad.

Police in the sprawling border town,Tijuana, arrested 520 Americans in 2006, more so than any other city on the planet.

In fact, according to statistics released by the American State Department and published by the LA Times, Mexico claims four of the top five cities in which the most Americans were taken into custody. Only London, at number 4 on the list with 274 arrests stood in the way of Mexican penal domination.

Here are the Top10 Places where Americans got arrested.

Tijuana, Mexico:

Before Vegas were Vegas, Tijuana was the glitziest place to go. Pre-1933, the year Prohibition was repealed; Californians would cross the border to get a drink and taste other forbidden fruits. Its rowdy rep continues. Last year, 520 U.S. citizens were arrested there, many on firearms, drug and alcohol charges.

Fly cheap[cheap travel] while you still can. The money-losing airline industry is raising fares and adding fees as it struggles with record-high fuel prices.

Meanwhile, the weak economy has forced Americans to cut back on costs. Many are opting for “staycations” by choosing not to travel when they have time off.

But experts say there are still plenty of travel deals for those who want or need to get somewhere.

There are a number of inexpensive ways to make use of the airline industry. The truth they don’t want you to know is that anyone with time and determination can find rock-bottom prices to any destination in the world.

“Everyone’s saying the fares are going up, but there are still many, many, many cheap tickets,” says George Hobica, creator of the travel Web site.

We asked Hobica and Candy Harrington, editor of Emerging Horizons, a magazine on accessible travel, for some tips on how to find them. The bottom line: You can get a cheap fare, but you’re going to need to be very flexible.

Here are five ways to fly for cheap even after increasing fares.

The Caribbean remains a top destination among cruisers, and more are bringing their children along for the journey, according to a new survey by the Cruise Lines International Association.

Cruise experts also say that in response to rising fuel costs, cruise lines are increasing surcharges and changing their itineraries. Some are skipping Aruba, once a popular port, because of the extra fuel it takes to get there.

“You’re seeing a lot less of the real exotic types of itineraries that require more sea time because it’s so expensive,” says Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of CruiseCritic.com.

Consumer interest in cruising remains strong, according to the CLIA, with 55 percent of vacationers who have never taken a cruise intending to do so in the next three years.

But many cruisers are watching their spending, cutting back on onboard spending, planning independent short excursions and choosing a cruise[cruise traveling] near a home port to avoid having to fly to meet the ship.

That means the Caribbean is rebounding and the Mediterranean is losing out.

For more information, visit: CNN

Staying safe is the best part in any voyage. Safety without voyage is buying tensions in return of spending money. If the trip you planned is not safe, your vacation turns into worry. If you are planning trip in the cruise, you should be familiar with some of the cruise safeties for a safe voyage.

By following certain tips and guidelines, you can enjoy a wonderful cruise travel as well as a safe trip. Cruise safety is very necessary for a peaceful mind on the cruise.

Many feel that the cruise safety ends once you get into the cruise, but the truth is that cruise safety starts once you get into the cruise. You have to maintain safety on the cruise for personal safety after you get out of the cruise.

The cruise will be full of different offenders who spoil your privacy and safety too. Cruise ticket is not given to people by inquiring the personal backgrounds. So, watch out for different people. They can include organized criminals to petty criminals.

Crime can be in any of its form, it is offensive and if something goes wrong on your trip, then the vacation mood will be spoiled. So, check that you are completely safe from different crimes and take necessary steps in controlling them.