When most people think of luxury vacations, cruises rank high on the list, but until you’ve experienced one yourself, it’s tough to know exactly what to expect. This brief overview will fill you in on what the average 7-day cruise has to offer, from your cabin to time spent on the sea to day-tripping at foreign ports.

Accommodations

Cabin sizes vary greatly from ship to ship, and different cruise lines offer a whole range of cabin categories from inside cabins, with no windows at all, to rooms with balconies to suites. Your choice of cabin is an important personal choice, as it will serve as your “home-base” while aboard the ship. Cabin rates can range anywhere from $400 to $3000 per passenger.

Inside cabins are the cheapest type and lack the added space, windows and balconies of more expensive rooms. Inside cabins are good choices for passengers with a tight budget or for those who will likely be spending little time in their rooms. Window and balcony cabins may be well worth the extra cost if you tend to desire a peaceful place to relax in privacy.

On Board Activities

The activities you might encounter on board a cruise ship can vary widely from ship to ship and depend on the type of cruise you choose. A good rule of thumb is that the larger the ship, the more activities and options you’ll find.

Most large ships keep packed schedules every day to keep each and every traveler happy and engaged. Some examples of pre-arranged programs include deck parties, wine tastings, karaoke parties, quiz shows and much more. And whether you may be in the mood for a Broadway-class musical, live music or just taking in a movie, one usually only need wait a few hours, if that. And for those who crave nothing but relaxation, many ships come standard with a top notch selection of spa treatments, salons, yoga and meditation classes. Certainly, there’s no better time to focus on one’s self than on a cruise. And that’s just for the adults!

Nearly all cruises offer some level of activities and events geared toward young passengers. While you can always find an onboard babysitting or daycare service, some family cruises feature day and trip-long programs for kids similar to camp. Activities can include sports, video games, scavenger hunts and trips to onboard water parks for older kids and story time, finger painting and play-dough sculpting for toddlers. Programs like these are great ways to keep the kids occupied and happy while the grownups spend some time partying or relaxing together.

Indeed, cruises can be so fun, you may never want to leave the ship . . . until your first call at an exotic port.

Going Ashore

One terrific aspect of cruises is the ability to visit a wide array of destinations, some exotic, some not as exotic, but all of them beautiful and fascinating. The fun of spending time on your cruise ship might only be eclipsed by the time you spend in port.

The most popular cruise hot-spot is the Caribbean, boasting nearly perfect weather year round, breathtaking beaches and a plethora of aquatic activities. Other appealing and common trips let passengers see the Alaskan Wilderness up close and personal from the comfort of warm ship, take a gastronomic adventure through Mediterranean coastal cities or enjoy a pub crawl around the Irish coast.

On a seven day cruise, travelers can expect about two to four stops at ports. When going ashore, you’ll have a tough time deciding on what to do, from taking adventure tours hiking through the jungle or observing bears, moose and caribou in their natural Alaskan habitats, exploring an ancient European port city, SCUBA diving among colorful aquatic life in crystal clear tropical waters or enjoying a round on a world-class golf course.

Cruises and port cities work together to give travelers the best possible experience when going ashore. Depending on how independent you would prefer to be on your visit, you can take advantage of the extensive knowledge of seasoned crew members who can set you up with city tours, adventure excursions, shopping trips and much more. Or go it alone and find fun on your own. At the end of a long day of touring exotic ports, cruise passengers will appreciate the benefit of having a safe and secure haven to escape to.

The cruise ship is the quintessential oasis away from the hassles and stress of everyday life. Nothing could be more relaxing than drifting quietly to an exotic location on a floating resort town. And if you’ve got dreams of rock climbing or ice-skating in the middle of the ocean, a cruise vacation can unlock them for you.

About Author

Matt Cragle is a freelance writer who writes about vacationing, often discussing a specific kind trip such as cruise vacations.

If you though singing karaoke music was just a fun pastime, think again. Increasingly, what was once considered pure entertainment offers an opportunity to make money through a variety of national and international competitions. In the United States, for instance, Talent Quest offers first prizes of $3,000 each in categories including pop karaoke music, country karaoke music and duets. So what does it take to perform winning songs? First of all, karaoke contest judges say that you shouldn’t expect to win on the strength of your voice alone. While you may have fun singing Christmas karaoke with your family during holiday times, when you’re performing for a contest, judges also look for stage presence and audience response. Here are other tips from a long time karaoke contest judge:

Tip #1: Chose your song carefully and make sure you select something that suits your vocal ability. Remember, you want to send chills down judges’ spines and the only way you can do that is to pick a song that is uniquely suited to you.

Tip #2: Don’t pick an unfamiliar song. This automatically puts you at a disadvantage because the judges have a harder time figuring out if you have command of the song, with the proper range and control.

Tip #3: Don’t pick an overdone song either. If you do, it’s likely the judges have heard someone else sing it better.

Tip #4: Make sure you do a short song. Hit hard and run. A judge’s attention span is short.

Tip #5: Stay away from simple ballad type songs (such as “My Way”) because songs of this kind have no change in the melody and have no complicated parts to them. If you do a ballad, make sure it is on the complex side to showcase your vocal range.

Tip #6: Vary your performance throughout the song and change volume and intensity to hold the judges’ attention.

Tip #7: Have some fun with the song and use props or costumes where possible. Judges like singers who enjoy what they are doing.

Tip #8: Move around while you perform. If you are lucky enough to get a wireless mic, use it to your advantage. It makes your performance more interesting.

Tip #9: If you have an opportunity to pick your position in the contest go for next to last. This way you’ll be fresh in the judges’ minds and you can also gage what you have to do to beat the other contestants.

Tip #10: Be gracious if you lose. The judges will remember you if you’re not.

Above all, when competing in a karaoke contest, you have to realize that you’re an artist and judging artists is a very subjective business. If you lose one contest, you may very well come back and win another. So whether you’re performing country karaoke music or hip hop karaoke, keep on keeping on.

There are a tremendous amount of karaoke songs to download off the Web, including everything from pop karaoke music to dance karaoke music and such favorites as Broadway, hip hop and country karaoke music. Whatever you’re in the mood to sing, sites like Ez-Tracks.com offer an unforgettable karaoke experience.

About Author

There are a tremendous amount of karaoke songs to download off the Web, including everything from pop karaoke music to dance karaoke music and such favorites as Broadway, hip hop and country karaoke music. Whatever you’re in the mood to sing, sites like Ez-Tracks.com offer an unforgettable karaoke experience.

Watching a scene in a movie where people are enjoying a luxury cruise makes one want to get on the same ship. Spacious decks lined up with tourists, women on their swimming attire and cocktails by the pool, elegant parties in the main hall – everything seems like very relaxing and a lot of fun. Double or triple that excitement with Disney cruises and one will probably book that luxurious holiday with the whole family immediately.

Foremost is to select the Disney cruise liner you want to embark on. There is a Disney Wonder that takes one to Nassau in the Bahamas. The cruise may last for 3 or 4 days with an appetizing stay at the Walt Disney World Resort just before the sail. Meanwhile, the Disney Magic Cruise package offers a 7-night trip to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, St. Croix, Tortola as well as to the private Disney island Castaway Cay. Both Disney Cruise liners are 83,000-ton vessels with 875 staterooms.

On board a Disney Cruise ship, one will marvel at the large staterooms and beautifully styled dining areas. The interior design for the Disney Wonder is Art Nouveau while the Disney Magic is styled with Art Deco. Meanwhile, there are secret porthole rooms that are nice options if you intend to make it an enjoyable but thrifty voyage.

A Disney cruise is not a Disney without fun-filled activities meant for children as well as adults. There are designated areas in the ship where adults can enjoy a Vista Spa or doing some partying at the nightclubs. On the other hand, well-arranged activities have been prepared for children to engage in through the Oceaneer Club and Lab.

Then again, the Studio Sea, which is placed in the mid-ship of deck 4 of the Disney liner, is a common ground for adults and children alike. The family can sing their hearts out and enjoy family karaoke, join in friendly dance competitions, or laugh together in a comedy stint. Of course, the famous Disney live or animated movies can be viewed at the Buena Vista movie house. In a stateroom, one can watch other movies as well.

If you are in for some real-life action, then the Walt Disney Theater could be the right entertainment for you. Different Broadway productions and variety shows are featured on both Disney liners including Toy Story Musical and Disney Dreams. For those who want to maintain their active fitness lifestyle while on a cruise, Disney liners have basketball courts, shuffleboards, ping-pong tables, and jogging areas.

In its stately entirety, a Disney cruise houses Mickey’s Pool, Goofy’s Family Pool, and the Quiet Cove pool on deck 9. The Mickey Pool is specially set up for the younger kids and is shaped in the popular Mickey contour. There is also a Mickey’s hand-shaped slide, fountains, and splash areas for the children to indulge in. In the meantime, the Goofy Pool is more of a family pool where there are two big tubs for mommy and daddy to get immersed in while looking over the little ones. The Quiet Cove Pool is for adults only with pleasurable spas and poolside bars.

Disney cruises are certainly hard to forget so you should not get off the ship without spending some time in the Disney merchandise shops. Aside from all the pictures, these goodies are not only great memorabilia but more than enough physical evidence of the good times that were had.

The earlier, the better – this is the motto to follow when booking for your Disney cruise. Advanced booking is almost like getting a discount because it gives access to excellent staterooms during peak holiday seasons. So if you are planning on cruise on a summer, spring break, and the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, reserving way in advance will be to your advantage. You cannot wait for the last minute, as this will mean paying the highest prices.

At other months though, including January, May, September, and October, one can place a booking for less than 6 months in advance and nevertheless get great accommodations. The Magical Rates List has more specific details about some good deals and months for you. For instance, a 7-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise on April 25, 2009 is worth $699 aboard the Disney Magic. So book that cruise online now or with your travel agent, get a $25 onboard credit, and make your cruise dreams come true.

About Author

Kathy runs Vacation Packages for Disney World where you can find money saving tips for Disney World and Disney cruises.