Cruise and Vacation Packages

A Fiji Vacation Spot Not To Miss: Navala Village [Sponsored Post]

BootsnAll — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:40:40 +0000

This post is brought to you by Flight Centre. For more information on sponsored posts read here.

When you think about taking a vacation, the first thing that would come to mind is finding the best vacation destination to spend your holiday. One of the best vacation spots in Fiji is the magnificent and beautiful Navala Village. This place is not a high traffic tourist destination because it is an undiscovered haven in Fiji. The Navala Village has a lot of surprises to offer to its visitors. Aside from its scenic beauty, the weather is great all year round. It is a tropical destination that stays warm from November to April, and its cold season begins in May and ends in October with an average temperature of 22 degree Celsius, or 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Even at that temperature, the cold season isn’t really cold at all!

If you are going on Fiji holidays, then Navala Village should be on your list of places to visit. It takes just about 50 minutes of traveling up to the highlands to reach Navala Village, where you will find a hidden haven teeming with local culture. You will see stunning homes that are all made from traditional materials. Each house is usually just one single open-space room. Its walls are made from woven bamboo and its roof is made of thatches. Visitors can attend the Yaqona ceremony, which is basically their simple way of welcoming guests. Guests can drink the Yaqona tree drink mix, which is called Kava. Although the taste isn’t that great, this drink was very relaxing.

One of the best features of the village is the bure huts. This is a wood and straw hut that looks very similar to a cabin. Due to the advent of modern technology, you will seldom find a house that is not made of concrete, wood, plastic, or metal materials in your own country. But in Navala Village, you will be delighted to know that the villagers are able to preserve their customs by making homes out of materials that are gathered on the island. Though these homes are made from lightweight materials, the sleeping experience in this one-room hut is still very comfortable. Just being able to sleep in a hut is quite the experience. Today, around 200 of the bure huts are standing in the village and local traditions say that a new bure is added every time a new couple is married.

It doesn’t cost much to reach the village, so this is a budget option for Fiji travelers. The sceneries are simply breathtaking, and you can walk around the village and meet the locals.

Photo by: Mark Heard

Original article can be found here: A Fiji Vacation Spot Not To Miss: Navala Village [Sponsored Post]

3 Fiji Holiday Cruise Ideas [Sponsored Post]

BootsnAll — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:07:13 +0000

Cruise and Vacation Packages

This post is brought to you by Escape Travel. For more information on sponsored posts read here.

Fiji cruises make wonderful holidays. These islands are fringed with palm trees and white sand beaches surrounded by gentle ocean waves. An easy rhythm of life allows travelers to enjoy the sunshine, swim or snorkel in pristine waters full of colorful fish varieties. Inland trips to Fijian villages provide opportunities to explore South Seas hospitality.

Blue Lagoon Cruises

Traditional cruise experiences include all the fun Fijian options with the addition of a private island stopover. Blue Lagoon Cruises owns Nanuya Lai Lai, an island in the Yasawas. Its beaches stretch out to azure blue ocean waters. Passengers are assured a clean and beautiful beach on which to enjoy a traditional Lovo feast cooked in an earth oven. Beach parties continue with singing and dancing on the starlit beach.

Blue Lagoon Cruises are designed to fit anyone’s holiday schedule. The Mystic Princess, their flagship, is the only first class ship of its kind in Fiji with unmatched luxury for the discerning traveler. Conscious of passengers’ budget limitations, Blue Lagoon Cruises provides a range of three vessels whose standards and costs vary from 3 to 5 star ratings on cruises lasting from 3 to 7 days.

Captain Cook Cruises

Fiji holidays are transformed into a voyage of discovery with Captain Cook Cruises. The islands’ tropical diversity and beauty are enjoyed by travelers who needn’t choose one resort, but have over 330 islands to discover. Guests can learn to dive, swim in the blue lagoons, snorkel the coral reefs, investigate ancient limestone caves and visit traditional villages, meeting with native hospitality.

Northern Fiji Cruises take visitors to experience the natural beauty, culture and history of the garden islands. Two choices are available: Discovery Heritage visits rarely seen islands and reefs, includes the colonial capital—historic Levuka—and swimming in the Bouma Waterfall or Savusavu’s hot springs; and a Cultural Cruise which circumnavigates Vanua Levu, meeting three different cultural peoples and exploring Labasa markets and town, snorkeling above the Great Sea Reef, traveling the Labasa and Dreketi Rivers, and visiting the Yadua Iguana Sanctuary and manta ray natural hatchery.

P & O Cruises

Timelessness is the watchword on Dravani Island holidays. Nothing reminds the visitor of modern life; time there stopped 1,000 years ago. Spectacular ocean views and the surrounding islands may be seen from the top of the hill. Guests enjoy the 200 locals who demonstrate Fijian hospitality for which they’re famous.

When the ship drops anchor in Savusavu the travelers will view a port full of yachts in this essential port o’ call for yachtsmen worldwide. Lush vegetation and tropical rainforests touch the spectacular coastline around Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second largest island. Crystal clear waters off white sand beaches, coral reefs and abundant marine life mesmerize visitors to these island chains. Taking a tour of Denarau Island’s orchid gardens, visiting the sugarcane fields or shopping in town and sampling the restaurants, cafes and bars makes this island a perfect holiday stop for every traveler. These are just three of the cruising companies offering options available for Fiji holidays.

Have you been to Fiji?

Photo by: CillianStorm

Original article can be found here: 3 Fiji Holiday Cruise Ideas [Sponsored Post]

A golfing vacation in Greece

Cristina Puscas — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 10:41:18 +0000

Cruise and Vacation Packages

Greece is a destination highly valued among those looking to explore the culture, the archeological sites, the beaches and the food. But not many travelers know that it’s possible to go golfing in Greece .Although there are not that many golfing resorts and clubs in the country, if you want to explore this other side of Greece, you won’t be disappointed.

Airfare to Greece is affordable although the peak season is approaching. And you can always plan a golfing vacation during the shoulder season, as well. In mid-August, a round trip flight between New York and Athens starts at $1193 per person (on Aeroflot) , while if you are already in Europe, the flights are much cheaper. A round trip flight from London starts at $378 per person for the same person (if you are not choosing a low-cost carrier).

There is a golf club close to Athens, so you can easily mix the cultural side of the trip with the golfing one. Choose one of the boutique hotels in Athens , maybe even in the town of Glyfada, where the golf club is located, and make your plans. While you are here, don’t miss visiting the Acropolis of Athens and the new museum located close to it. If time allows, you can plan to take a day trip from Athens. But no matter what you plan to do in Athens, look for a hidden taverna and enjoy the real Greek food.

Original article can be found here: A golfing vacation in Greece

Romantic Island Hopping

Cristina Puscas — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:36:49 +0000

Cruise and Vacation Packages

What would qualify for a romantic escape? A week on a hidden island in the Caribbean? Or maybe hiding on one of the romantic Greek islands , while sipping a red wine in the dim candlelight.

If you are like me, the idea of a romantic escape will have to combine the hustle and bustle of large cities – such as Athens, Rome, London, or New York – with the laid back atmosphere of a forgotten paradise island. There is something interesting when you switch from a fast paced city to a lazy island retreat.

For others, choosing one o the boat trips around the world is an excellent way to plan a romantic getaway. Those who want everything to be booked and handled by others and don’t care much about sightseeing will definitely enjoy such a vacation.

But if you are more adventurous than that, you can start with booking Greek ferry tickets online and then plan to stay on various islands for several days. The ferries link the large, popular islands, with the more secluded ones, so it’s not hard to combine the bustle of Mykonos with the laid back atmosphere of Kalymnos, for example.

Do remember thought that many ferries run only during the summer season; typically the number of connections increases right before Easter. And try to avoid traveling in mid-August when everything is fully booked and the prices are at their highest.

If your budget allows it, you can also consider renting a yacht for a week or two and enjoy island hopping at your own pace. Both the islands in the Mediterranean and in the Aegean Seas are worth your time and money.

Original article can be found here: Romantic Island Hopping

Tips for First Time Cruisers

khammel — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 13:04:49 +0000

Cruise and Vacation Packages

For those who have never taken a cruise before, this form of travel can be a little daunting. Between formal nights (and the accompanying wardrobe questions) and shore excursions (better to book ahead or wait until you’re on the ship), there are a lot of questions a first time cruiser might have. So we put together a list of things to know about cruising, whether this is your first cruise, or your tenth.

The first step is to figure out what type of cruise experience you want to have – are you more interested in relaxing on deck by day and partying by night, or would you rather have some quiet time to yourself, away from the tourist crowds? Some cruises are favored by an older crowd, some are more popular with families and others cater to those who want to party.

Then figure out your budget, where you want to go, and how much time you have to spend on a cruise. If you’re more interested in a relaxing sailing and have lots of time for your trip, consider a repositioning cruise, which crosses the Atlantic between seasons and can be a great value. When considering which port to leave from, it’s also important to think about the logistics of getting there. Some ports are more accessible than others, and if you’re flying, you may want to arrive a day or two early – nothing it worse than missing the boat thanks to a delayed flight! Check out park and cruise hotels, which are located close to the ports and provide complimentary shuttle service to and from the ship, taking the stress out of planning the logistics for your trip.

A cruise is mean to be a relaxing experience, so if you’re feeling stressed with the details before your first (or next) sailing, check out our trips to help you plan a great cruise vacation.

Photo by quinet

Original article can be found here: Tips for First Time Cruisers

Take a Spa Break in Thailand

Jessica — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:32:10 +0000

Cruise and Vacation Packages

While there may not be as many kinds of trips as there are travelers, there’s certainly a variety of reasons for why people travel. Yes, sometimes taking a trip is about expanding horizons, challenging oneself, and coming back all the richer for it. Other times, you might just need a break from your everyday life and want to pretend the outside world doesn’t exist at all.

In the midst of one of the coldest and most brutal winters the U.S. has had in recent memory, pretending the snow-covered outside world doesn’t exist sounds very appealing.

It’s not difficult to find winter travel deals, because people tend to like to take warm-weather getaways every year, but if you want to get away from not only the weather but other vacationers you have to look a bit further than the usual beach spots in Hawaii or Mexico. One part of the world that’s routinely warm is Southeast Asia, and although it’s long been on the backpacker circuit there are more luxurious options for travelers who don’t want to rough it.

Flying from the U.S. to Southeast Asia is a long haul, but finding a great deal on flights to Thailand can make it much more appealing – especially when you know you’ve got a relaxing vacation ahead of you. While many of the travelers getting off of the planes in Bangkok will head directly to Khao San Road and backpacker central, you can instead go on to the beautiful city of Chiang Mai. There are gorgeous spas in Chiang Mai ready to cater to your every need, and although you’ll be paying more for your stay than the backpackers are paying for theirs, your travel budget will still go much further in Chiang Mai than in Hawaii.

Outside Chiang Mai, one of the most spectacular pools around the world happens to be in Krabi, Thailand – a limestone cliff overlooks the Peace Laguna Resort, and there’s a natural lake in the middle of it in addition to the beautiful pools.

Phil the Groundhog may have predicted an early arrival for spring this year, but right now it feels like winter may never end – so if you can get to an airport and there are planes flying, this is the time to stop dreaming and make a spa vacation a reality.

photo by Dennis Wong

Original article can be found here: Take a Spa Break in Thailand

Tips for Holiday Travel

Jessica — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 07:48:00 +0000

Cruise and Vacation Packages

It’s hard to believe, but another year is almost completely behind us and the annual holiday travel season is nearly upon us. By this point, if you haven’t already booked your Thanksgiving flights you might be stuck in one of those horribly long airport lines that always make the evening news – but there might still be time to find Christmas travel deals if you don’t delay too much longer.

Generally speaking, it’s best if you have even your Christmas flights booked by late October, but since we’re barely into November you might still find a few cheap air tickets available to the places you want to go. It’s likely you’ll have fewer options on flights and departures, however, so you’ll need to be even more flexible than normal when it comes to booking. Flying on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day tends to be an easy way to save money on holiday travel, so if you can manage to convince your family that you’ll get there in time for Christmas dinner then that’s definitely something to consider.

If you’re fortunate enough to be traveling to a city that has more than one major airport within driving distance of where you need to be, it’s always a good idea to check flights into all area airports to see if one has better deals on flights. Sometimes the bigger airport will have the best deals because they have the most flights, and sometimes the smaller airport will win because they don’t charge as much to the airlines that fly there. And of course it can change – so look into all your options before booking.

When it finally comes time to fly home for Christmas, even if you’re not someone who is typically – and obsessively – checking flight status up until the minute you leave the house, it’s a good time to get in the habit. Flights at the holidays are often plagued by delays or even cancellations due to inclement weather, and if you happen to find out a flight has been delayed or cancelled before you leave home then you have more tools at your disposal (phone numbers and computer) to re-book if necessary.

photo by Hunter-Desportes

Original article can be found here: Tips for Holiday Travel

Can solo travelers avoid the single supplement?

Jessica — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 01:59:50 +0000

Cruise and Vacation Packages

One of the easiest ways to plan and book a vacation without spending much time on it is to book a cruise or a vacation package. Both offer exceptional bargains and they allow you to book everything with one click – no hunting around for each element of your trip. Plus, you know you’ll be well taken care of for the entire time you’re at the resort or on board the ship.

The trouble with cruises and vacation packages is that they’re designed for people traveling in pairs or groups. As any solo traveler knows, the dreaded words “single supplement” often mean the difference between a cruise being a super discounted trip or being just a so-so deal.

Although traveling solo does mean that you have to be on the lookout for hidden fees cruise and tour companies charge single travelers, being on your own doesn’t mean you have to avoid cruises and package trips altogether. Yes, you have to pay attention a bit more, but you don’t have to pay the single supplement.

Among the many tips to avoid the single supplement, the easiest one is to travel with a friend. That may sound counter-productive to a solo traveler, but if your friend is also an independent traveler you’ll have a bunkmate to save money and still do your own thing during the day. Some companies will also set you up with an arranged roommate – another solo traveler hoping to avoid the single supplement – if you book the trip early enough.

Other tips include seeking out “singles specials,” where companies offer certain dates of their trips for solo travelers, or patronizing cruise and tour companies that don’t charge a single supplement – or that have single-berth cabins so are clearly more prepared for solo travelers. Read these and other cruising travel tips before you go, and have a great trip!

photo by JorgeBrazil

Original article can be found here: Can solo travelers avoid the single supplement?

World Cup Vacation Packages: Still Time to Book

Jessica — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 18:22:07 +0000

Cruise and Vacation Packages

You don’t have to be a huge fan of soccer to know that World Cup 2010 is right around the corner. And you don’t even have to have tickets to any of the games to think that a trip to South Africa during the tournament would be interesting. It’s the world’s most popular sporting event, and draws hundreds of thousands of spectators from all over the world – so travelers get to visit another country and experience several other cultures at the same time just by hanging around the fan villages with all the other visitors.

Although savvy travelers would have booked their trips a year ago, there are still ways you can travel to the World Cup if you’re so inclined. Tickets to the games may be hard to come by, unless you take your chances with scalpers outside the stadiums, but another option is to look for World Cup package trips that have tickets included as part of the package. It’s likely to cost you a bit more, but if going to the games is important to you then it’s probably worth it.

If going to the games isn’t as big of a deal to you and you’re just interested in soaking up the atmosphere of the fan villages, going on a safari, and generally enjoying the sight-seeing in South Africa, then there are World Cup travel packages available to suit you, too. They’ll include things like airfare and hotel stays in the various host cities for the tournament, and may include transportation and some meals – but won’t include tickets to the games. Because they don’t include tickets to the games, they’re also likely to be less expensive overall.

Whether you’re planning to go to any of the games or not, one thing to keep in mind when you’re traveling to the World Cup – or any massive festival or event – is safety. This isn’t about South Africa in particular, although there have been news stories about whether the country can ensure the safety of visitors – instead, it’s just about being the kind of traveler who doesn’t look like (and therefore doesn’t become) a victim. Walking around with a big, expensive camera casually slung over one shoulder in a crowded area is a no-no. Leaving your backpack partially open behind you as you stroll through a market? Bad idea. Wearing a money belt outside your clothes fanny-pack-style is both an invitation to thieves and thoroughly dorky-looking.

One thing even the smartest travelers may not think of, however, is the security of the bank machines you’re using to get money during your trip. Unfortunately, devices like ATM skimmers are on the rise, and if you aren’t paying attention you can have your card information swiped without realizing it. This can happen in your own home town, to be sure, but it can also be easier to spot weird changes to your bank’s cash machine than it can be to notice differences on an ATM you’re not familiar with in a foreign country. So before you set off for South Africa – or anywhere, really – learn more about what to look for to protect yourself from ATM skimmers.

photos, top to bottom, by: Frames-of-Mind, nick farnhill

Original article can be found here: World Cup Vacation Packages: Still Time to Book

Australia’s Wacky Festivals

Jessica — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:56:36 +0000

Cruise and Vacation Packages

Booking a vacation package to Australia, especially when you’re traveling from North America, definitely makes life easier. It’s on the other side of the world, and although there isn’t a language barrier for English speakers, it’s still much simpler to book a package trip and not have to worry about doing a bunch of travel research. Until, that is, you stumble upon an article about crazy sporting festivals around the world and you find yourself mesmerized by videos of a bog snorkeling championship in Wales, a wife-carrying race in Finland, and the “Redneck Games” in Atlanta. It doesn’t take long to realize that two of the competitions listed are in Australia – and that’s when you start thinking the package trip might not be the best option after all.

Sometimes when you’re planning a vacation, you just pick a vacation package and let the people who organized it tell you what the best things to do and see in each destination are. It’s one of the more effortless kinds of trips you can take – and that can be quite relaxing. But if those are the only trips you take, your travel slideshows and stories begin to look an awful lot like everyone else’s – which is why throwing in an oddball trip now and then is so much fun. And what’s more oddball than a crazy competition?

The first crazy event in the article – the Beer Can Regatta – is in Darwin, Australia, a beach city on the northern coast of the country. This boat race happens every summer, but (as you can probably guess from the name) the point of the race isn’t so much the racing or the winning as it is the part about building a boat out of empty beer cans. A festival has grown up around the regatta, and any annual event like this is a great opportunity to see a town at it’s finest – when it’s come out to play.

The second Australian festival on the list has the improbably wonderful name of “Tunarama.” It takes place in Port Lincoln, Australia every year on Australia Day (January 26th), and – as the name suggests – it involves tuna fish. What do they do with tuna fish in this fishing town on the southern coast? Why, they throw it, of course. This tuna-throwing competition has become a very big deal in Australia, drawing tens of thousands of visitors and serving as the grand finale of a 5-day festival.

In the end, might it be easier to book a package trip to Australia? Perhaps. But when it’s easy enough to find cheap flights to Australia, great hotels in Sydney and any other city throughout the country, book short flights to get from place to place or rent a car or campervan and make an adventure out of it – then why wouldn’t you do that? Your dinner party stories will be the most interesting ones, you can count on that.

photos, top to bottom: kenhodge13, feral arts

Original article can be found here: Australia’s Wacky Festivals