While every cruise ship- whether large or small has plenty to offer- many travelers aren’t aware of the benefits of larger ship versus smaller “boutique” ship cruises.
Carnival Cruise Ships
Once on board, Carnival has one goal in mind- FUN- so let the good times roll. Enjoy delicious meals in various onboard restaurants, including comfy accommodations with the complimentary 24-hour stateroom service. Revel in the awesome nightly entertainment and wonder at all the fun there is to have the next day- there’s beautiful and exciting destinations, award-winning youth programs for kids of all ages and a casino… plus the friendly service at sea.
Larger ships like Carnival’s “fun ships” have plenty of amenities including:
- Larger fitness centers and a variety of spa treatments
- Various dining experiences including specialties like sushi
- Treats like coffee, ice cream and candy shops
- Separate pools for adults and children or other water features
- Larger ships often offer families the ability to travel together and provide programs for children from toddlers to teens
- A variety of onboard entertainment
15-day Transatlantic from Barcelona, Spain starting at $739 per person (not including airfare)
AMA Waterways, River Cruising
For a more private experience, travel with AMAWaterways. The award-winning river cruise line has a fleet of 9 custom-designed vessels in Europe and deluxe vessels in Russia, Vietnam and Cambodia. All AmaWaterways ships in Europe feature spacious staterooms with French balconies or twin balconies; plush bedding, complimentary high-speed Internet and Wi-Fi, a fitness room, hair, massage and beauty salon, walking track and whirlpool.
Boutique style ships like still offer amenities including:
- Smaller ships can visit locations that larger ships cannot
- Custom built, luxury ships designed to maximize comfort, not passenger numbers
- High staff-to-guest ratio; ships’ capacity is no more than 162 guests
- Complimentary shore excursions and guided bicycle tours
- Each ship in Europe is a member of the prestigious Chaîne des Rôtisseurs gastronomic society and features gourmet cuisine with complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks at dinner
- New for 2012: “Culinary Delights — Bites and Sights” shore excursions in select destinations offer guests a unique “taste of Europe” with visits to local markets, tapas bars, cooking schools and more
Why Book with a Travel Agent?
The expertise of the travel consultant can help a customer with choosing the right cruise itinerary, the best value (not always the cheapest), and help make decisions on the correct air itinerary that will best fit their needs. For instance, knowing that the location of the customers cruise stateroom is important –they may not have thought about how it might affect the total experience is one area that we are well versed at since we are doing this day in and day out.
‘When should use a travel agent?’ Basic Rule….anytime you are traveling outside of the country or have anything but a simple roundtrip you should consult a qualified air ticketing agency (there are travel agents that only sell cruises and tours). Not to mention the face to face contact with an experienced person where you can have a conversation about your wishes and what your options are.
