Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on May 26

It is really easy these days to get information on any type of travel - so why not try something completely different! 

Imagine being in the absolute middle of nowhere - places that noone else you know has ever seen. places that aren’t even on your friend’s list of places to see this year - or in the next 10 years - like shark-watching 10,000 miles east of Australia, or watching a hit movie just miles from the Antarctic?

You want this?  If so - you need to get yourself on a cargo ship.  You can find them heading out around the world every day of the year from almost every big port in the world!

Now I know that doesn’t sound appealing to everyone - but the things you see will certainly be ‘once in a lifetime’.  Imagine the adventure of being 3 months at sea! Or sailing through the Panama Canal - and out past remote uninhabited Pacific Islands.

The Ultimate Vacation?
It could really be a vaction like nothing you have ever done before - or are likely to do again!

Of course it doesn’t have to be that long a time away, and you can choose some routes that are a lot closer to land and stop of at some pretty nice looking destinations along the way.   And you don’t need to stay onboard for the entire journey - you can hop off at any port along the way and just see where life takes you.

Those less adventurous might want to know exactly where they are going in advance - but that’s OK too - as the ship’s cargo has to go from A to B - that’s the whole point of them crossing the oceans in the first place - so you can guarantee a definite stopping point at the end - whereas you can’t always guarantee a stopping point in the middle!

Maybe you would prefer a trip from the UK to Australia like in the pioneering days of exploration - thankfully there is luxury these days, and it only takes around 84 days rather than the 6 months it probably took the average passenger a few hundred years ago!

Or maybe the 2 month trip from South America to the Far East, the 35 day trip from the US to the Mediterranean, or even the 7 day voyage around the British Isles checking up on all the lighthouses!

The Result:
Well, rather than telling your travel stories like everyone else - ‘when I was in Mexico…..’ or ‘when my family went to Hawaii’ - you can start your story with how many continents you cruised past, or how many miles you traveled in 1 day!

It will certainly be like nothing you have ever experienced before.  The people you will meet, the countries you will encounter - and the extreme weather you could get to witness first hand!  Imagine writing a travel journal of your voyage - just like Darwin did!

It might be worth trying out a few shorter boat journeys before you settle for something long-haul - as if you get seasick, this might not be the vacation for you!

Of course, check that your travel insurance covers your whole journey, and your passport is valid for the whole time you are away - and your vaccinations are current for all countries you might stop off at on the way.  Bad weather or maintenance could land you at any time in any country - so be prepared!

If you are still interested, then visit GeoCities Freighter for other peoples experiences on Cargo Ships and read their tips before booking your own once-in-a-lifetime ‘mega-cruise’. 

posted by Travel Cat on Jan 1

Due to some great solar activity at the moment - the Aurora Borealis should put on a great show for your January holidays!

Anywhere in the North could have the chance of seeing these eerie green or red wavy Northern Lights filling the night sky, although popular sites in Iceland, Canada, Norway and Russia tend to publicise their displays more.

They occur throughout the year, but you cannot really see them when the sun is in the sky, so winter is the best time - and some of the winter scenes are the best for photography.  However, anytime up until March should still offer you a glimpse of these mysterious celestial light shows!

They can occur in short bursts several times throughout the night, or can last for several hours depending on a host of other factors - with viewings around midnight resulting in the best shows!

What Are They?
As with most things awe inspiring, they have quite a boring origin.  The lights are created by particles in the ionosphere that become ‘excited’ by solar energy in close proximity to the Earth magnetic fields.

The same phenomenon occurs in the southern hemisphere - creating the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights - and there have also been auroras on other planets!  However, a vacation for this January sort of rules that last one out!

Anyway - it doesn’t matter how they get there - you just need to see them for yourself, they truly are amazing.  Just search online for some images of them then imagine how much better it would be to be standing under then yourself!

Where To Stay?
Taber Holidays in Scandinavia offer trips into the Arctic Circle to see the northern lights.  They offer more than 10 different January holidays to see the displays including boat trips that also visit whales, icebergs and even include dog-sledding!

Or look at the trips to Iceland and Lapland that Discover the World offer this winter.  They offer a choice of 3 day trips to a variety of lodges and hotels.  Simply choose your destination for a virtually guaranteed light show!

Or visit with a little niche company in Canada: Alta-Can Aurora Tours.  They offer inside viewing of the northern lights for your comfort with professional photographers, toilets and hot drinks - as well as a whole host of additional experiences you can become involved with during the daylight hours.

This is obviously only a taster of what you can experience - so get looking at the pictures, then think about visiting the arctic circle yourself - but wrap up warm!

posted by Travel Cat on Nov 20

As if they aren’t big enough already - here comes the biggest ever cruise ship!  40% bigger to be precise.

This baby boasts it’s own giant amphitheatre and even an outdoor park - just like Central Park apparently - with trees and everything!

So you can order a ‘park view’ room instead of the coveted ’sea-view’ which to be honest on a ship is a bit over-rated!

Weighing in at around 225,000 tonnes - the Oasis of the Seas mega-ship is due to hit the water for a show session shortly!

Costing an estimated £800 million to produce, The Oasis has already cruised across the Atlantic from it’s original dock, past The Solent in the UK then over to the US, although keeping it away from prying eyes wasn’t really an option!

Measurements and figures for this beast are astounding - but if you love cruises - then you really are going to enjoy this one!

OK.  They say that it can hold 6,296 passengers - that means that all the members of your extended family could be on board a weekend cruise at the same time - but never even meet!

It is 1,187ft long - that is as long as nearly 15 blue whales, or 12.5 basketball courts or around 200 women laying head to toe!

Stars present for the launch are set to include pop singer Rihanna who has already performed on one of the stages inside the ship, as well as Jane Seymour and Gloria Estefan being among it’s god-parents (?).

More to come from this one in the future!

posted by Travel Cat on Jul 6

Grab your bags and head off to the ocean next week!

It really could be that simple if you are looking to book a last minute cruise from near your home town.  There is a great website that allows you to search for those short-notice cruises from all the main cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises that you don’t often find in the same place.

Rather than searching website after website to find a cruise that leaves from your preferred port - you can just select your port and go from there.  I don’t think there is a better way to choose.

I mean, I wouldn’t normally want to specify an actual date - I just want to see what’s out there and what’s the best value.

What Sort Of Deals Do They Offer?
Well, I looked at some last minute cruise deals leaving from 4 popular ports and saw what they had leaving in the next few weeks - and you will be surprised at the deals I found - bearing in mind that they include your meals:

• A 3-Night Cruise from Miami to the Islands of the Bahamas - from just £209! that works out at less than $70 a day!  You could just nip away for the weekend!
• A 4-Night Cruise from New York to the amazing coastline of St Johns, Canada - from just $459.
• A 7-Night cruise in a suite from Los Angeles down the coast or Baja to Puerta Vallata - from just $1329 - that’s just $190 per night for a very special vacation.

Or an 8-Night cruise from Southampton, England in a balcony cabin all the way up to the amazing fjords of Norway from just $1299 - that’s only $160 a night.

Most of these prices are much less than a few nights in a romantic hotel - but with the meals and all day entertainment!  And a much better view!

Who Are They?
Well, Direct Line Cruises are based in New York and have been trading for nearly 15 years and currently book for thousands of passengers each year.  They have destinations all over the world and work with some of the best known cruise liners:

Royal Caribbean for example, has over 21 cruise ships in it’s fleet - offering some of the largest and most inclusive liners on the oceans today.  Climbing walls, pool, cabaret and stores are all on-board and their reputation is well earned.

Celebrity Cruises offers you the experience of being rich and famous - but without the big prices!  They offer an unrivaled first-class service and guarantee that there is at least 1 staff member for every 2 guests!

And the well known Norwegian Cruise Line is included in their service.  These liners offer the freedom of flexibility.  You choose your meal times for whenever you want to eat - and there are no formal dress codes for their events and restaurants. 

And, if you book online - they even throw in some freebies - including complimentary wine, onboard credits and even travel insurance. 

Have yourself a look and see if you can hop off for a few days of luxury or adventure!

posted by Travel Cat on Apr 1

Fed up up lounging on the beach - and want a vacation with a difference?

CrewSeekers is an international sailing company that pieces together yacht owners and willing crew to sail the worlds oceans, either for pleasure or for racing and many other nautical challenges!

And you don’t need to be an expert to join in - you can apply even if you have never set foot on a boat before - as long as you are willing to contribute and get ’stuck in’.

Who Are They?
Established in 1990, they say they ‘offer a first class personal service to the sailing world’.  Basically, they allowed an easy-access membership site where people looking for yachting experience or challenges could find all the boats out there needing crew - and pick the one they wanted.

They now offer day sailing, offshore cruising, competitive racing, yacht deliveries and even professional staffing services - where captains and deck hands alike can get paid jobs.

Crewseekers have members in 50 countries worldwide, so there is something for everyone to find.

How does it work?
Basically, yacht owners or staff looking for crew will post their position on the website with details regarding experience, costs, salaries along with start and finish ports and general route being used.

People looking for jobs or experience (or just the holiday of a lifetime across the ocean) can have a look at all the vacancies.  You can search for the type of trip you want and where you are looking to cruise as well as filtering out all those positions above or below your skill level.

Current examples include:

X37 Solent Cruising/Racing - Weekend racing in the south of England - experienced crew only please.
Malaysia - Do you fancy being on a luxury 44ft yacht sailing around Malaysia - 30 somethings plus please……
Caribbean to Europe - Competent crew needed to sail from Bermuda to Azores then on to Europe.
Grenada to Australia - Looking for laid back crew for leisurely pacific crossing in 48ft yacht.

How Do I Join?
It is worth browsing the opportunities first, as membership is quite pricey if you aren’t really serious, or a planning a trip for more than a year away as many are short notice.

For 6 months access to the full details for each trip it will cost you £60 (or equivalent) for single membership or £75 for a couple.  Savings can be made for 12 month membership at only £85 single and £100 for a couple.

And, there is no limit to the number of opportunities you take advantage of during membership - it just depends on how far you are willing to go!!
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