Top Cruise & Vacation Planning – By Land and By Sea

Vacations come in every form imaginable. Whatever the dream travel destinations, you can bet that there will be outstanding vacation option to suit your age, your stage and your travel style.

Cruise Ship Vacations

There’s no denying the popularity of  cruise ship vacations . Travelers are swarming aboard cruise ships in record numbers, with over 19 million passengers slated to sail in 2025. This growth is spurred by the incredible array of activities & entertainment and exceptional value provided by cruise ship vacations.  

Whatever you are looking for in your next vacation, that experience is almost certainly offered onboard today’s amazing cruise vessels.  Included age-appropriate children’s programs staffed by experienced childcare specialists lure families aboard in record numbers. Teens and active adventurers are engaged by offerings such as surf simulators, rope courses and even rollercoasters on today’s mega-ships.  If you’re looking for a bit more sophistication in your cruise ship vacations, don’t despair as there are numerous options geared toward foodies, wine lovers, and luxury lovers.

With so many options for cruise ship vacations, how on earth can you identify the best option for your needs?  Here are a few recommendations based on my years of experience booking cruises for clients at Dancing Moon Travel:

For Families:

• Carnival Cruise Line: Great “bang for the buck.” Great option for young families, young adults, and group travel.
• Royal Caribbean: Fabulous for multi-gen families, families with teens, and adventurous spirits who want lots of activity & entertainment options.
• Norwegian: First choice for families when a drink package is high priority. Mega-ships offer endless entertainment and activities, along with value fares that include drink package and other extras.
• Princess:  For those who want a somewhat more upscale experience that is also family friendly, Princess offers a premium experience as well as great children’s programs. They also have fares that include drinks, gratuities and other perks making for a great value proposition.

For Adventure Lovers:

• Royal Caribbean: Great choice for cruise ship vacations that include activities for adventurers and teens. The larger ships offer climbing walls, surf simulators, arcades, and even ice skating.
• Norwegian: Another great option for family travel and those seeking lots of physical activity. Bumper cars, water parks, and sports courts are just some of the options where adventure lovers can plug in and get their adrenaline fix.
• Carnival: The larger ships in the fleet have activities such as ropes courses and even rollercoasters onboard.

For Foodies:

Foodies need not despair.  When it comes to great cuisine, cruise ship vacations are legendary, after all.  Two of Pat’s Picks:

• Celebrity: For those seeking “modern luxury” and unarguably the best cuisine in the premium cruise market, Celebrity wins hands down. Whether the main dining room or premium restaurants, Celebrity offers some of the best food to be found at sea.
• Oceania: If you want to step up to experience smaller ships, intuitive service and truly exceptional cuisine, Oceania is an ultra-premium cruise line known for their outstanding cuisine. Food aboard an Oceania cruise will rival the dining on any of the five-star luxury cruise lines.

For Luxury Lovers:

Step up to a five-star luxury with one of these cruise ship vacations that provide a five-star vacation with exceptional service and outstanding dining with an intimate small ship experience:

• Regent Seven Seas: For an all-inclusive five-star experience with contemporary flare, Regent Seven Seas is often the first choice for cruise ship vacations. The intimate vessels offer all suite accommodations, gourmet quality dining and intuitive service.
• Silversea: For a somewhat more traditional onboard environment, the all-inclusive experience on Silversea appeals to sophisticated travelers. Outstanding cuisine and dedicated butler service ensure a five-star guest experience beginning to end.

For the best possible cruise experience, you are best served when you engage the services of cruise planning specialists.  These experienced travel agents are masters at custom travel planning and ensure that you are booked with the cruise ship vacations that best match your travel style and requirements. Cruise planning specialists, like those at Dancing Moon Travel, understand the intricacies of cruise vacations and are masters at matching clients with the best cruise providers for their unique needs.

All-Inclusive Vacation Package

If your dream travel destinations tend more to the land based variety, all-inclusive vacation packages frequently provide the best value for your vacation dollar.  The term “all-inclusive” pretty much says it all here, because with these packages, you know up front exactly what your vacation is going to cost.
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The Caribbean is the bastion of the all-inclusive vacation experience.  These resorts provide not only your accommodations, but also your dining, beverages, wifi, and staff gratuities. These vacation packages make for a convenient and value rich vacation experience.

The best value for all-inclusive vacation packages is typically found at these three dream travel destinations:

• Cancun/Riviera Maya
• Punta Cana Dominican Republic
• Jamaica

While there are numerous other options for all-inclusive vacation experiences, these three destinations are typically going to offer the best pricing.  In addition, there are great air schedules and fares available to these destinations from most major U.S. cities.
 
Booking all-inclusive vacation packages is another time when custom travel planning by a travel professional is key. Most travel agents have access to providers and rates unavailable to the general public. All-inclusive vacation packages booked by travel agents at Dancing Moon Travel will provide a seamless travel experience, and typically include your flights, ground transfers, accommodations at a resort hand picked to match your needs, and even your travel insurance.  Whenever custom travel planning is required for a vacation in your dream travel destinations, we highly recommend engaging the services of an experienced agent who frequently will save you time, money and mistakes in providing an unforgettable vacation experience.
 
In addition, the number of resort options available for all-inclusive vacation packages are mind boggling.  With each resort providing a different experience, it can be challenging to sort out the options best suited to your travel preferences and budget.  The guidance provided by a professional travel agent will be invaluable in ensuring you book the best destination, resort and experience for your vacation.

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