After booking a night at a luxurious hotel in Athens, Greece, board your cruise ship, get settled in and start your relaxation!

Taking a cruise is the most luxurious and comfortable way to spend your holidays. You get on board, unpack your suitcases and act as if you are living in a luxurious hotel. Cabins are obviously smaller in size, but the other entire facilities make up for this inconvenience of space.

Many Greek cruises are organized at regular dates and include some Greek islands (it isn’t possible to include all of them, as Greece has 69 inhabited islands), usually the most popular ones and also some other Mediterranean destinations, such as Venice, Istanbul and the Turkish shores. Apart from the great Mediterranean cruises that make the tour of the Mediterranean Sea and include almost all Mediterranean countries in their schedule, there are also others cruises around Greece and the Greek Seas. These cruises are of shorter duration and depart from a Greek port or island.

 Most cruises offer awesome packages that give you all-inclusive options, or a la carte service. When you decide on a cruise for your vacation you have the opportunity to visit many different countries and experience the different cultures and various activities in these countries - all within the same vacation transport. This also makes for a wonderful vacation idea because modern day cruise ships are like floating five-star resorts. The ships have spa services, gym facilities, pools, miniature golf, water parks, shopping, casinos, night clubs, kids activities for all ages, adults-only pools, stage shows, movie theater, art auctions, some of the best food you’ll ever taste and the list just goes on and on.

So for your next vacation we recommend sailing to an undiscovered destination to experience a luxurious vacation for a minimal price. Our best recommendation to get the cheapest cruise fares is greatcruises.com. They offer a price match guarantee and have some of the best customer service around so you’ll be satisfied with your experience from time of booking and all through your sailing. Also, you can find the cheapest fares by booking your cruise at least 6 months in advance, or a few weeks before the sailing since cruise lines just want to fill up their ships at that point. Do your price shopping and book your next great cruise!

U.S. Citizens

  All persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and all foreign countries are required to present a valid passport to board the aircraft. 

  While recent legislation has deferred the passport deadline for some cruise passengers to these areas until summer 2008, Cruise Planners strongly recommends that every traveler possess a valid passport.

  If your cruise departs from and returns to the U.S., a passport is now required in both of the following unexpected situations:

·         To fly to a foreign port to catch up with the ship if you miss its U.S. embarkation, or;

·         To fly home to the U.S. from a foreign port if you are forced to cut your trip short.

  New Application for a U.S. Passport—U.S. Citizens

  To obtain a passport for the first time, you must go in person to a local passport office along with two photographs of yourself, an original or certified copy of your birth certificate and a valid form of photo identification such as a driver’s license. Passport offices can be found inside many post offices and court houses. For complete information and instructions please visit the U.S. Department of State’s website at:

www.travel.state.gov/passport.

  Here you can also print passport forms and search for a passport office in your neighborhood. New passport applications take a minimum of 6 weeks to process. Please allow enough time prior to your cruise departure.

  Renewal of a U.S. Passport—U.S. Citizens

  Check the expiration date of your passport and how your name appears. Many countries require your passport to be valid for six months after the completion of your travel. It is imperative that the name on the passport exactly match the name on your cruise booking. Also, your passport must contain blank pages for entry and exit stamps and required visas. Allow sufficient time to renew or update your passport.

  Documentation for Non-U.S. Citizens

  Non-U.S. Citizens who are permanent residents of the United States must have both a valid passport and alien registration card (Form 1551). You may also be required to have visas to enter certain countries. Foreign cruise passengers must travel with a valid passport and multiple-entry visa for the United States (B-2 Visitor’s Visa). For more information, and to learn the entry requirements of the countries on your itinerary, please check directly with each representing embassy or consulate.

  Travel to Canada—Non-U.S. Citizens

  The Canadian government requires a visa for foreign citizens from many countries. This law affects all travelers on cruise itineraries that begin or end in Canada, as well as those that make a port of call in Canada. Failure to present the required visa will result in denied boarding with no refund. To learn if Canada requires a visa for citizens of your country please call the Canadian embassy or consulate.

  Names on Travel Documents

  Names on all travel documents must exactly match the name on proof of citizenship/passport. Please check your itinerary carefully and call us immediately if there are any discrepancies.

Because of all the outs available during a vacation you may think packing isn’t a very high priority.  This may be true in some cases, but if you are planning to take a cruise, you thought wrong.  On a cruise ship you are stuck on the ship except for 2-3 pre-determined stops along the way.  Therefore, you need to make sure you have everything you need; the captain will not turn the ship around for you, no matter what class you paid for.  Even worse, if you forget something crucial, the shops on the cruise ship will charge you an arm and a leg for the products; they are well aware they are the only means of commodities on the open sea.

For this reason we have drawn up a blue print for what you need, and what you need not forget before departing for the ship.  There are three major things you need to think about: clothing, necessities and what type of luggage you should and can bring.

Travel Documents, Identification and Wallet Items:

• 3 copies of airline tickets, cruise tickets, passports/visas, and itinerary – pack 1 copy in carry on, 1 copy in checked luggage, and leave one copy with someone at home. Alternatively, you can scan the documents and email an electronic copy to yourself so that you can access them from any computer terminal. (I usually do both – “just in case”)  This may seem like over-kill, but once again, you are on a cruise ship, not an airplane or train.  Once you’re on the boat, you’re stuck.  We want you to enjoy your trip, so having all these back-up documents will make enjoying your vacation easier.
• Identification documents are the second most important papers you need.  This will include a passport and visas if necessary.  Some cruise lines will accept proof of citizenship in lieu of a passport, but be sure to check with that specific cruise line before taking this approach.
• Pack a written list of your medications, including the name of the drug, dosage and times taken, in case they are lost.
• Medical documents are the third most important, and in most cases just as important to those of you on regular medication.  Be sure to bring your medical insurance cards and medical history, especially if you are traveling alone.  You will need a copy of your prescriptions and a list of all the medicines you are taking.  Remember on the boat they may only sell generic drugs, so as long as you have your prescriptions, the cruise can obtain you specific medications in case of an emergency.
• For medical and emergency reasons, make sure you leave a way to contact you at home if anything happens.  If you contact the cruise line they will give you emergency contact information for anyone watching your house, friends, or family.
• A pre-paid phone card if very important.  You may think while on vacation you have no reason to call back home; wasn’t that the reason you left in the first place?  Although the isolation may be your goal, usually on an amazing vacation you can’t wait to get back and tell your friends and family of something spectacular you saw or experienced.  Sometimes the updates can’t wait.  For this reason, buy a pre-paid phone card before you leave.  I suggest either a 20 minute or 60 minute card, depending on how much of a telephone junky you are. 
• ATM/credit cards are not a necessity, but if you bring them with you, make sure you call the credit card company ahead of time and let them know you are traveling.  If they see over seas purchases without being notified, they may freeze your account on grounds of suspicion.
• Cash or traveler’s checks are a good way to bring lots of money without the worries of losing a wad of cash or your credit card.  As long as you have not signed the check, even if lost you will have lost nothing until cashed.  Make sure you keep the receipt for these checks in a separate location if they happen to get lost.  For this reason have contact numbers for whomever needs to be called if you lose these documents.
• Since most cruises leave the United States, be sure to have a currency conversion chart.  Although most convertion kiosks have their own charts, these are not consistent everywhere in the world.  It is good to know that currency exchange is dictated by markets and change daily.  Due to this, you must have your own conversion chart to make sure you are getting an appropriate exchange wherever you are, never trust an over seas teller.
• Although it may seem unlikely, at some stops along the cruise you may want to rent a car.  For example, on many Caribean cruises, many passengers find themselves wanting to take a tour of the islands they make stops at.  Although there are tour busses available, some travelers may want to rent their own car.  For this reason make sure you bring your driver’s license and auto insurance card.

Travel Necessities: Personal Hygiene

• Ear plugs aren’t only important for flying, but cruising as well.  Remember you are confined to the spaces on this boat; therefore there are very little spaces of privacy outside your room.  Even if you find privacy, it won’t last long; the ruckus of excitement will surround before you know it.  Ear plus will help you get away for that half hour you need before heading to dinner.
• Because toiletries are so expensive on the boat itself, you should bring your own crash-kit for basic vacation survival.  A basic kit I would suggest would include: Q-tips, cortisone, Vaseline, antibiotic cream and anti-diarrheal medication.
• Pain killers such as aspirin, Tylenol or Advil.
• Hand wipes are good to have in your car, when you fly, boat, or any sort of travel where your hands may become sticky for some reason or another.
• DO NOT forget sun screen, there is nothing worse than lying out on a beach in pain because your back is too burnt.  Along these lines, also bring a pair of sun-glasses, there will be many sunsets to enjoy, so be prepared.  I might add that even if you are planning a trip to Alaska or some icy dreamland, don’t think you won’t need your sunglasses.  The reflection off the snow is one of the easiest ways to get sunburned, ask any experienced skier.
• Bring bug spray, not for the boat, but for those tropical destinations you will be investigating on your pit-stops along the way.

Travel Necessities: Electronics and Gadgets

• Plug adapter or power converters are good for traveling, but not crucial for cruise ships.  If you have certain electronics you MUST use during your vacation buy a converter just incase.  All other necessities on this list will have to be plugged into this converter if you run into a foreign wall plug.
• Make sure you bring your cell phone and charger.  I usually keep mine turned off, but it is nice to have in order get new phone numbers or call your cab when you return to the port.  The same goes for your PDA or laptop; bring a charger.
• It is good to have a camera while on your journeys.  Manual and digital cameras are good for any vacation.  If you are taking a digital camera be sure to bring a charger and extra memory cards.  If you are using a manual SLR camera be sure to bring extra film.  Travelers often run out of film or memory halfway through their vacation.
• If you are a reader, make sure you have a nightlight.  Reading on the deck opposed to your bedroom is a peaceful experience that needs a light.
• There is always a workout are or gym on board a cruise ship.  Do not forget your iPod.  With all the kids and chaos around you, working out to your favorite music will be something you yearn for if you forget your iPod or portable music player.
• An obvious item that is necessary for any trip is an alarm clock, preferably battery powered.  Some cruises put you on a tight schedule to keep up with.  You may have to eat at a certain time, and certain events only take place on certain days during certain hours; so bring something to keep you on point.
• For those of you bringing a lot of electronics with you, bring a power strip and/or battery charger.  I don’t suggest bringing so much with you, but some of us must work during our “vacation” and it is understandable to always be prepared.

Other Helpful Items Specific to Cruise Vacations:

• Zip loc bags of all sizes and even garbage bags, for emergencys or wet clothing.  Crazy glue, duct tape and clothes pins may seem like overkill, but the faster you can take care of a catastrophic situation or even something small that breaks, the more time you will have to enjoy the rest of your vacation.
• A swiss army knife or any tool like it is very good for traveling.  Make sure you put it inside your check in bag due to security measures.  A swiss army knife can give you corkscrew for wine and knifes and scissors for any handy work you may need to be doing.
• I like to bring a shoe horn anywhere I travel to, but it is not necessary
• Playing cards are a classic check list item when on vacation.
• An underwater camera may seem silly, but if you are going to the Carribean there are photos you will regret not being able to capture if you did not make this purchase.

The List: Clothing you Need and Clothing you Don’t

• Remember before you start packing check out the cruise newsletter to find out what dress code for dinner is each night.  Different cruises have different restrictions based on how expensive they are and what kind of reputation that particular line exemplifies. 
• On most cruise ships there will be at least two formal nights.  On these nights most dining halls require nice dress attire.  If you feel this is a hassle no worries, most cruise ships also have tuxedo rentals for men.  The buffet hall is usually open every night, so if you really don’t want to get dressed up you don’t have to. 
• To many people’s surprise dining room dress code can be very strict on a cruise line.  For women you can’t wear shorts, t-shirts, cut offs, tank tops, jeans, or be bare-footed.  For most nights, the dress code will be casual.  This is what you’d wear to your favorite “casual” restaurant, such as: sun dresses, a casual dress, casual pants such as khakis or cargo pants, but remember, no jeans.  For men, polo shirts, button-up shirts and casual pants (not jeans) are fine.   
• During the day, anything goes!  You can wear shorts, t-shirts, capri pants, jeans, cargo or khaki pants, running shoes, flip flops and sandals.  The only dress code during the day is when going swimming.  When walking from your cabin to the pool you have to wear something over your swimsuit and you have to wear something on your feet.
• If you plan on working out during your cruise, don’t forget your gym clothes.  Every cruise ship has a modern gym for those of you who don’t want to squander your exercise routine during your vacation.
• Footwear should include walking or running shoes, sandals, and dress shoes for formal dinners.
• You should probably also bring one hat, a jacket, and a sweater.  If you are worried about some of your garments, the cruise ships also have dry cleaning, so don’t worry about anything getting ruined.  If something gets lost, you’ll probably see it on the culprit hours later.

What Type of Luggage Should I Bring?

• If you don’t live near a cruise port, you’ll normally have to fly (or drive in some cases) to your destination.  Before you start to pack, remember that you have to carry everything with you in the airport and around the cruise terminal.  Because of this make sure your main luggage has wheels.  Try to limit yourself to 1 piece of checked luggage, 1 carry on bag, and 1 personal item.  You can also take a garment bag, but be careful with these because the hooks can get caught on many places while you are boarding. 
• There are of course weight restrictions for each airline.  They are specific depending on what airline you fly, so make sure you call either the airline or your travel agent ahead of time for information. 
• Your name and address should be on a piece of paper inside each bag and on luggage tags on the outside of each bag.  Fill out your cruise tags and place them on your luggage; any “old” airline/cruise tags should be removed.  Your Carry-on Bag & Checked Luggage should have locks.  Mark all luggage with some “bright” tape or wool pompoms for easier retrieval at the airport & the cruise terminal.  Of course you can choose other radical ways of making your bag stand out but the point is, make sure your luggage isn’t generic.  Last but not least, make sure you bring extra luggage tags just incase anything happens to your original ones. 

Aurora Borealis; Fairbanks

The travel team at GreatCruises.com feels your pain and has put together a list of Alaskan Cruises that will allow you to take land tours during intermittent checkpoints in order for you to enjoy the Alaskan wilderness.

Because of the liabilities and cost, most cruise lines stay away from any land tours.  Perhaps you’ve toyed with the idea of booking separate land and cruise tours, but be forewarned of the inefficiency and zero sum game of putting together your own itinerary.  You will waste too much money on separate tours, and will earn conflicting schedules that become too confusing.  Therefore, if you know de-boating is going to spark your curiosity, make sure you book a Cruise tour. Here are our top 5 Alaskan Cruise tours.

1.     Princess Alaskan Cruise Tours: Explorer Kenai

The beauty of this package is the itinerary.  The first two nights are spent at the northern most point in Alaska: Fairbanks.  After that, the journey moves south for a couple nights at Denali National Park; during the summer this may be the most attractive national park in the nation.  The third leg of the land journey ends on the Kenai Peninsula.  After another two nights, you begin your cruise to complete the entire 13 day package.  I enjoy this package the most because it starts in the most rugged and northern part of the tour and ends on a peaceful sea heading south.

2.     Holland America’s Cruise Tour #9: Denali, Fairbanks & Alyeska

The Hotel Alyeska

This package is the opposite of the Princess Cruise.  Starting on sea, the cruise segment ends with you being dropped of at the Alyeska Prince Hotel south of Anchorage.  The Alyeska Prince is often regarded as the best hotel in Alaska.  Next you will be taken to Anchorage for a night to get around the largest city in Alaska.  A train will then take you to Denali for two nights before ultimately dropping you off in Fairbanks.  This package has a more urban feel and lets you enjoy not only the parks of Alaska but the culture of the communities while on land.

3.     Royal Caribbean’s 12 Night Canadian Rockies Cruisetour

Unlike the first two cruise tours this one is a round trip.  You will start and finish your adventure in Vancouver B.C. and will explore much of the Canadian Rockies instead of inland Alaska.  The tour takes you to Banff and Lake Louise which harbors some of the largest glaciers in the world.  This cruise is great because there is no return flight necessary and there is very little hiking and ground touring.  This would be the tour for those who’d rather sleep in than wake up every morning to meet a ground regiment.

4.     Celebrity 14 Night Cruisetour: Fairbanks, Denali & Talkeetna

Since we gave you a cruise tour more focused on the waters of Canada and Alaska, we also rounded up a package that focuses on the landscapes and interior sites of Alaska.  This 14 night adventure is the most relaxed because your schedule is not rushed.  It samples Fairbanks, Denali, Talkeetna, Anchorage, Alyeska; basically all the interior stops of all the cruise tours rolled into one.  You will see every corner of Alaska and do it at a calm vacation relaxed pace.

5.     Princess Alaska Cruise Tours: Direct to the Wilderness

This cruise passes Anchorage and takes you strait to Denali park for two days.  You’ll get a guided tour of Mt. McKinley before being taken to Fairbanks for a river boat ride.  This has the most scenic land views of the cruise tours and is really for the veteran outdoorsmen.  The best part of this package is the option of choosing to start in Fairbanks or start on the Cruise.  This is a fan favorite.

St. Thomas

Our last talk initiated us into the island culture by way of the U.S. Virgin Island of St. Croix.  Before we head down and discover the rest of the West Indies, I wanted to glance over the remaining U.S. Virgin Islands for those who want to see a more organic side of these territories.  About 40 miles north of St. Croix are the remaining U.S. Virgin Island territories of St. Thomas and St. John.  These two islands offer a more laid back attitude than the hectic nightlife of St. Croix.  Being someone who’s traveling experiences began visiting U.S. National Parks, I wanted to give a shotgun tour of the more natural side of the U.S. Caribbean territories.

Before I put a machete in your hand, we’ll venture onto St. Thomas in order to get used to the tropical jungle, but with hotel or hostile still nearby.  St. Thomas is the larger of the two islands and has more natural beauty than its commercial counterparts.  The island is surrounded by outlying tiny islands that give you a break from some of the harsh waves and deep waters of the sea.  You will most likely arrive by charter flight near the port town of Charlotte Amalie.  This former Danish territory was purchased in 1917 by the United States, giving a far different feel and décor from the French culture seen on St. Croix.  Being surrounded by Puerto Rico, St. Croix and St John also blocks the wind that your continental traveler may not be used to in the Caribbean.  After having a bite and looking around, find one of the many capes on the northern or southern parts of the island.  Here you can have a cocktail and enjoy one of my favorite phenomenon; watching the sun rise on your right, and set on your left. (Or vice-versa)  After witnessing this, I promise you will have the curiosity and primal energy to tackle our next stop:

Concordia Eco Tents St. John

If you’ve already left St. Croix for more esoteric waters, you’ll be able to enjoy the last stop on our tour of the Virgin Islands.  Because you are a savy and curious traveler you’ll be able to navigate these shallow waters with little stress and even greater rewards.  Head down to St. Thomas Harbor and ask around Charlotte Amalie for a ride to St. John.  There are many ways to attack this.  If you prefer to leave the logistics during a vacation to someone else, go into a local hotel resort and ask the concierge. They will find you a cheap safe charter boat with a bar and all the amenities of the typical local tour boat.  They will also be able to book you a room on St. John for when you arrive.  If you find this too pampering just go down to the docks and pick a private boat that looks safe and tenured.  Make sure you bargain with your captain, and then finalize whether he is taking you to St. John for the day, leaving you there, picking you up in a week, etc.  The boat ride is short and beautiful, pick your captains brain for local knowledge and prepare for bliss.

Now that you’ve made it, here is your reward.  The U.S. Virgin Islands National Park and the famous Coral Bay.  The park takes up almost the entire island of St. John.  This island overlooking the water is stripped of all but a few hotel resorts and gives you peace and quiet almost anywhere you choose to explore.  Local guides are kind and will show you through the jungle if you want to hike to the top.  Here you can see the outlying islands from altitude including the neighboring British Virgin Islands.  If that’s too much effort on a vacation head to Coral Bay.  The beauty of this preserved natural harbor gives you the spoils of the islands without hundreds of boats blocking your view.  If you’ve made it this far, I trust you will enjoy the local music and outdoor shanty bars while you discover how we do national parks West Indies style.  Safe Travels!

Grown tired of spending the first 12 hours of your vacation stuck in airport terminals and airplanes?

Traditional bloggers would argue the time spent crossing the Atlantic is worth seeing Paris.  Personally, I’ve grown tired of trying to enjoy my morning baguette without being trampled by a herd of drunken American collegiate students.  With more young Americans having the confidence to visit the Rhone, or Greece, or spots once believed to be secret gems, I’ve investigated alternatives to visiting the tourist flooded cities of Western Europe.  Is there no solution?!  It’s a shame there are not more places of wonder and paradise near the continental United States.  Would you believe me if I told you it was possible to visit London, Barcelona and Amsterdam by taking a non-stop 3 and a half to 5 hour flight?  In our own backyard there is a chain of islands that not only brings you the sandy beaches and the crystal clear water, but the culture, food and architecture of Western and Southern Europe.

Welcome to the Caribbean Lesser Antilles!  O.k. so I admit you may have been expecting something a little more exiting than your typical Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas.  But who said cruise, and who said Bahamas?  I’m talking about real culture in the lesser smaller islands of the Caribbean.  YOU are the savvy tasteful traveler so I have found you something more fulfilling than over-priced beach resorts serving burgers shipped from the U.S.  My time chasing music and exotic foods in the Caribbean brought me farther and farther away from Miami, to places so far down the chain, I could see Venezuela from my beach towel.  I found the Bahamas to be too full of crowded beaches and once again, drunken college students.  I tried Jamaica, but giving you a crash course on how to not get robbed didn’t seem too exiting either.  As I headed south, I found cultures and people that made me feel welcomed as a connoisseur and not a tourist.

We’ll start with the closest and tamest for you skeptics.  The U.S. Virgin Island of St. Croix.  Now here do we not only have sandy beaches, great weather, but everyone speaks English.  It’s the first of the Lesser Antilles just 50 miles east of Puerto Rico.  After going to St. Croix I felt the Jamaican Reggae music was a poor mans version of what the good people of St. Croix had going on.  Here in this small paradise are fewer tourists than the larger island, good food, music, and resorts for the pampered all the way to the rugged.  It is truly the best of both worlds, where English customs and currency are valid, but French cuisine, art, architecture and leisure make you feel a million miles from the red white and blue.  Because it was once a French colony the culture is very rich, and the taste of Paris can be seen at every town on the island.  Not only is it convenient in terms of how close it is from Atlanta, New York or Los Angles airports, but it’s a U.S. Territory.  What does this mean?  No passport, no problem!  If you’ve been worrying about taking your friend or even your children abroad but the hassles of obtaining your passports have killed your drive, no worries.  If you have a driver’s license, you can fly to the Caribbean and enjoy yourself with no hassle and no currency exchange needed.

This wonderful island was a blast, I found myself forgetting what time it was and not caring what kind of cuisine I was eating.  Truly a personal release and retreat full of rich food music and culture.  Check in frequently to follow me down the island chain to the Dutch territories full of the free spirit of Amsterdam and the French Territories where royalty used to vacation.  And after we’ve covered all the islands you get to choose from in the Lesser Antilles, I’ll show you how to survive and have a good time in the enigma of Cuba that will soon be letting connoisseurs like you in!  Safe Travels