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| Vacations and holidays should be exciting, fun, and memorable travel experiences. So why not enjoy your next vacation or holiday on board Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Oasis Of The Seas, the world’s most modern, super-sized resort hotel cruise ship, and cruise to the enticing warm waters and white sandy beaches of the beautiful, sun-drenched, Caribbean Islands? This majestic, colossal cruise ship is brilliantly laid out to maximize every passenger’s enjoyment and cruising experience. It has 16 decks and 2,700 staterooms that range in size from inside staterooms of approximately 150 square feet to the Royal Loft Suites that are over 1,500 square feet with large balconies of about 800 square feet. Royal Caribbean cruises leads all other cruise lines in the creation of this state-of-the-art ship that can comfortably accommodate well over 5,000 passengers. The Oasis Of The Seas is a virtual miniature city with several “neighborhoods” running along the center of her outside deck with cleverly situated balconied staterooms or cabins overlooking the bustling activities of the passengers below. These seven neighborhoods, or themed zones are, in alphabetical order, Boardwalk, Central Park, Entertainment Place, Pool and Sports Zone, Royal Promenade, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, and Youth Zone. Here is a brief rundown of what you will find in each of these seven neighborhoods. To start with, the Royal Promenade, is where cruise passengers board the ship. It is a virtual mall-at-sea and has a variety of retail shops, cafes, and bars. Stroll along the Boardwalk that features a beautiful handcrafted carousel and experience the atmosphere of Coney Island. At the end of the Boardwalk, at the stern of this amazing cruise ship, you will find a huge swimming pool where throughout the day passengers can swim, relax on deckchairs, sunbathe, or even take scuba diving lessons. By night the pool is magically transformed into the AquaTheater which features a spectacular water show where numerous nozzles spout pressurized water high above the pool. These turbocharged towering jets of water are synchronized with a music and light display. To top it all off, an innovative high-wire Zip Line stretches across the Boardwalk. Passengers that book strategically located state rooms or who are strolling in this area can watch their thrill-seeking, daredevil fellow passengers soar along this exciting high wire. Central Park is full of fabulous flowers, lush shrubbery, and trees. This glorious greenery is maintained by gardeners who rotate the numerous flowers and plants to reflect the appropriate season. In this large neighborhood park you will find a number of upscale and casual themed restaurants and bars for you to unwind and enjoy deliciously prepared food and alcoholic beverages. The Entertainment Place features the thousand-plus seat Opal Theater, a large dance disco ballroom, a nightclub, a jazz lounge, a comedy club, and of course the world’s largest cruise ship casino. The grand Vitality Spa and Fitness Center is the largest spa on the seven seas. It will appeal to all passengers that want to relax, unwind, and be pampered in the lap of luxury. The Pool And Sports Zone, which is located high above the Boardwalk, features two surf creating FlowRiders, a pool dedicated to a variety of water sports, a full-size basketball court, a mini golf course, two massive rock climbing walls, and the thrilling Zip Line. And last but not least there is the Youth Zone where trained personnel cater to parents’ babies and toddlers so their moms and dads can have some time to themselves aboard the ship. For the older kids and teens there are a multitude of fun things to keep them occupied. If you have never gone on a luxury cruise before, maybe now is the time. The Oasis Of The Seas has something that will appeal to almost everyone and is a destination in itself. You will be very impressed. | | |
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When you are planning holidays or vacations you want luggage that will stand up to all travel conditions. Whether you take air flights, cruises, trains, buses, or drive rental cars your travel luggage can be subject to extreme wear and tear. Luggage handlers at airports around the world are notorious for throwing travelers’ bags around. To a lesser extent this is true of luggage handlers at bus depots and train stations. Perhaps the most gentle people that look after your luggage are resort staff in resorts and hotel staff in hotels as it is common practice to tip them. I’m sure that most travelers have at one time or another bought inexpensive travel luggage that literally fell apart after only a few years of traveling on holidays. It seems that most times in life you get what you pay for, so it may make a lot of sense to invest in a more expensive, but very durable set of luggage. Quality counts. And, in the long run you can save a lot of money by not continually buying cheaply made luggage. Always buy wheel-equipped luggage, including your carry-on. You should make sure that the telescopic handles will lock in both the low and high positions. If you are a tall person, you don’t want to have to stoop over just to pull your luggage along. One of the top-of-the-line, wheeled, nineteen inch roller board carry-ons is TravelPro’s FlightPro4. Another excellent top brand is Tumi. Carry a set of luggage bungee cords with you so you can tie down any piggybacked luggage if you have to. What important features should you be looking for when purchasing larger-sized luggage? Soft-sided luggage is superior to hard-sided suitcases as the locks on the latter can easily break open when your luggage is thrown around. Luggage handlers are not noted for being gentle when it comes to transferring luggage from place to place. The luggage should be made of strong, durable, 1,000 denier cordura nylon or polyester, and have double or triple stitching as well as extra reinforcing at all stress points. Each piece of luggage should have a padded, expandable handle that locks into both short and long handle positions. The luggage should also be light-weight, expandable, and have outside pockets. Brightly colored luggage is easier to pick out as it circles around the carousel. Lastly, your luggage should have large zippers and wide, rubber, recessed wheels. . Please note that if you purchase luggage that has detachable handles or straps, it is advisable to take them off before you check them in at the airport as they can easily get hung up on the airport conveyer belts. What are the features that you should you look for when you buy a backpack? A backpack should be lightweight and feel comfortable while wearing it when it is full. A gender-specific design and a built-in lumbar support will greatly increase your comfort. It should have a weather resistant polyurethane coating, a zip-off day pack, outside and inside pockets as well as a hip belt with pockets, and adjustable, padded, wide straps. The carrying capacity of a backpack should be approximately 4,000 to 5,000 cubic inches. Some backpacks have a light-weight steel mesh grid sewn inside of them to prevent your valuable personal items from falling out if it is slashed by a robber while it is being worn. A few of the best backpack brand names are ArcTeryx, REI, and of course, GoLite. A number of informative luggage reviews can be researched on the web at LuggageOnLine.com. If you are looking for information on cheap airfares, discounted luxury cruises and great vacation packages, visit: http://www.traveltipsguide.com . | | |
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Whenever you take an air flight or luxury cruise on vacation or holiday to a tropical climate there is a possibility that you may encounter some mosquito borne diseases. The following information will help you to take measures to protect yourself. The mosquito is a major cause of a number of serious diseases throughout the world. Five of the most prevalent mosquito borne diseases are Malaria, Yellow Fever, Japanese Encephalitis, Dengue Fever, and West Nile Virus. Malaria, by far, is the most common of these diseases that are caused by mosquitoes, and can be fatal. Well over a million people die from this disease world wide each year. However, only female mosquitoes and not males transmit this disease. When an infected female mosquito bites a human to feed she deposits parasites into their bloodstream. The parasite’s eggs incubate and mature in the person’s liver and then attack the individual’s blood cells. The first symptoms usually arise within twenty-four hours. Some symptoms are a high fever, shivers and chills, as well as nausea and vomiting. This is usually followed by a deep sleep and then a flare up occurs. If these symptoms repeat themselves every two to three days, you must seek medical attention. There is an anti-malaria prescription drug that can be taken to help protect you when you are traveling on holidays in mosquito infested tropical climates. But, to receive the maximum protection, this medication has to be taken before, during, and after your trip. However, even when taken properly as prescribed, these pills are not always completely effective. If you get malaria, there are a number of pharmaceutical drugs such as Chloroquine, Doxycycline, Mefloquine, and Fansidar, can be prescribed to treat malaria, but again, they are not always totally effective. Ask your family doctor or pharmacist more about the dosage and length of time that you should take any of these prescription medications. You can protect yourself from yellow fever by getting a vaccination from a physician at the local health authority before you travel on your holidays. This vaccination lasts approximately ten years and is very effective. Japanese encephalitis is a viral infection that is also transmitted by a bite from an infected mosquito. This disease can be prevented by a series of three vaccinations. Dengue fever is another viral disease that is spread by mosquitoes. There is no vaccination to prevent this disease. The West Nile Virus is also spread by infected mosquitoes. There is no vaccine available to protect you from this disease either. Keep in mind that when it comes to all of the serious mosquito borne diseases, prevention is always better than a cure, even if there happens to be one. It is always best to limit the chance of being bitten and infected by mosquitoes in the first place. You should always wear loose fitting, long sleeved shirts and slacks and use a DEET containing insect repellent when mosquitoes become active near dusk. Also, be sure to kill all the mosquitoes in your room before going to sleep, and always use mosquito nets and coils when you are camping or planning on sleeping outdoors. Dorothy Yamich has a passion for travel. She has lived and traveled extensively throughout Europe as well as traveled in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. She is a travel consultant and specializes in luxury cruises as well as vacation packages. If you are looking for information on cheap airfares, discounted luxury cruises and great holiday deals, visit: http://www.traveltipsguide.com | | |
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Whether your travel plans involve air flights, luxury cruises, trains, buses, or rental cars, a medical alert bracelet can provide invaluable medical information to your care givers should you get sick or injured when on vacations or holidays. So in addition to protecting yourself with comprehensive travel insurance when traveling on holidays or vacations, you should also wear a Medical Alert bracelet if you have any medical condition. Even if it is not considered serious, you should still wear one. It could literally save your life! From high blood pressure to food allergies, a Medical Alert bracelet can help attending health professionals quickly diagnose and treat you if you get sick or are injured while you are traveling or on vacation. When you join this great American non-profit organization as a TravelPlus member your personal medical information will be confidentially stored at their headquarters. This information can be accessed in a medical emergency by attending physicians or other qualified health professionals in clinics and hospitals around the world, twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year. Your complete medical history including any serious medical conditions, prescription drugs and special vitamin supplements and herbs that you are taking can all be documented so that this information can be used if it is ever needed. Your member’s identification number, most important medical condition or conditions, and the MedicAlert foundation’s twenty-four hour hotline response phone number are all engraved on the back of your distinctive item of jewelry. The well trained, multilingual staff at this over fifty-year old non-profit foundation can also help you find a physician when you are traveling out of the country. They will be able to communicate with the local medical personnel in foreign countries to determine what treatments will be necessary to help you. They will get in contact with your family members. You will be able to send emergency messages to your relatives, friends, and business associates as well as receive emergency messages, toll free, 24/7. You can also be covered for pre-existing medical conditions whether you are on vacation or on business travel out of the country. You will have access to information on travel documents that you may need such as passports, travel visas, and immunization certificate requirements. Other informational services available include travel, health, and safety advisories and alerts; snapshots of the cultures, traditions, and languages of the places you plan to visit; U.S. consulates and embassies located around the world; temperature and weather reports; and foreign currency exchange rates. In addition to all the above benefits, you may be eligible for medical evacuation to another medical facility, or you could be repatriated back to the United States.
Membership and benefits in MedicAlert.org are now available in other countries besides the United States, including Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Iceland, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe. Dorothy Yamich has a passion for travel. She has lived and traveled extensively throughout Europe as well as traveled in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. She is a travel consultant and specializes in luxury cruises as well as vacation packages. If you are looking for information on cheap airfares, discounted luxury cruises and great holiday deals, visit: http://www.traveltipsguide.com | | |
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Modern cruise ships have dramatically lessened the problem of seasickness. Today’s larger ships slice through the waves instead of riding on top of them. Also, new technologies like stabilizers, which look like large underwater fins, and counterbalancing systems have greatly reduced any pitch and rolling motion of the ships, all but neutralizing the problem of seasickness. In addition, cruise ships use radar to help them steer clear or outrun bad weather and potential hurricanes. Research shows that even in very rough weather, less than three percent of all cruise passengers experience any symptoms of seasickness. Women and children seem to be more prone to seasickness, while seniors are less susceptible. Some symptoms of seasickness are nausea, stomach cramps and vomiting. However, if you think you have a severe seasickness problem, you may want to book an inside cabin located on a lower deck and in the middle of the ship. This is the area of the ship where the least rocking motion is felt. If you are planning to book a trans-Atlantic cruise, it is possible that an ocean crossing may be rough at certain times during the year. Seasickness happens when the brain receives conflicting messages which causes an imbalance in the receptors in the inner ear. When standing or walking on a moving surface a signal occurs in the brain saying something is wrong. These mixed signals can result in a feeling of dizziness, headache, clammy skin, nausea, and vomiting. As soon as the ship starts moving it is a good idea to go out on deck and walk around. Keep focusing your eyes on the horizon. Your knees may feel wobbly but keep walking as this will help you get your “sea legs”. Even the fresh sea breezes will help you feel better. And if you must eat, eat light. Until you are feeling better, do not eat a heavy meal as it will only make you feel worse. Motion sickness doesn’t only occur on cruise ships. It can happen when you are in a car, bus, train, or on an airplane, anytime you are subjected to motion. If needed, the ship’s doctor can prescribe medication such as Benadryl, Bonine, or Dramamine tablets that will treat nausea, vomiting, and dizziness, the worst symptoms of motion sickness. There is another very effective, physician prescribed, anti-seasickness product called Transderm Scop. It is a small patch that is placed behind each ear. These patches can lessen the effects of, or even prevent, motion sickness and should be worn at least eight hours before you cruise. The above drugs can cause a variety of side effects such as dry mouth, drowsiness, and dizziness. A drug free way to counteract seasickness is an acupuncture session. This treatment works well and is available on some ships that have a registered acupuncturist on board. Sea-Bands, which apply a gentle pressure to the acupressure points on both your wrists also work well. They have been clinically tested to help provide relief from nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness when traveling, pregnancy, anesthesia, chemotherapy, and any condition that may induce vomiting. Smaller sized Sea-Bands are also available for children. They can be bought in drug stores and pharmacies as well as most travel oriented stores and do not require a prescription. They do not cause any side effects so can be used safely, again and again, whenever you feel nauseous. They can also be purchased online at Sea-Band.com, or at a number of stores in the United States, such as Brooks, Osco, K-Mart, Eckerd, Kerr Drug, Longs, Rite Aid, Stop & Shop, CVS, Savon, Walgreens, and Walmart. It is a good idea to see your family doctor before you depart on your cruise if you feel that you may be susceptible to seasickness. It’s better to get a prescription for seasickness medication from your physician and purchase any over-the-counter anti-motion products such as Transderm Scopolamine, Dramamine, Bonine, or Benadryl because even though you can get them onboard ship they will probably be more expensive. Another remedy that can work well for most passengers are ginger capsules. They are a great preventative measure, but are more effective if they’re taken before you sail. Their effectiveness lasts for approximately eight hours, and have been proven to help reduce or even eliminate the feeling of nausea. Some words of caution. A health care professional such as a physician, or pharmacist should always be consulted about prescription drug dosages and their possible side effects. There also can be side effects caused by some drug combinations, even with over-the-counter medications. Dorothy Yamich has a passion for travel. She has lived and traveled extensively throughout Europe as well as traveled in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. She is a travel consultant and specializes in luxury cruises as well as vacation packages. If you are looking for information on cheap airfares, discounted luxury cruises and great holiday deals, visit: http://www.traveltipsguide.com | | |
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