Low Dollar Makes It a Great Time to Cruise in the U.S.

For those of us in the U.S., everything from food to rent to travel is getting more expensive as the value of the dollar sinks, but if you live elsewhere and have been thinking of a vacation to the U.S., now is a great time to visit. Euros and other currencies go a long ways when converted to U.S. dollars. And if you really want to get your money's worth, think about a cruise.

Cruises include the cost of the travel (sailing from port to port), your meals, your entertainment, and your lodging all in one ticket price. Sometimes, depending on who you book with and what kind of deals you swing, airfare to your departure port is included as well.

For the best deals, look to U.S. cruises that stay within the country's waters for the most part, such as...

• Hawaiian cruises that circle the islands are quite popular (and warm and tropical if you're looking to escape dreary weather).
• Cruises to Alaska often leave from Seattle and are a great chance to see glaciers and the beauty of that area (though you'll have some Canadian stops along the way).
• Less common are cruises up U.S. rivers or along the east and west coasts, but these are a great way to see the country.

Browse around to see what sounds good to you, and enjoy what your money can buy you here right now.

Fastest Cruise Ship in the World?

When I think about cruises, I tend to think of taking it slow, spending my days exploring various ports, and sleeping while the ship is chugging along to our next destination. After all, vacations are supposed to be fun and relaxing, right?

But if you want bragging rights, you may be wondering what the fastest cruise ship in the world is, so you can book your trip on board and tell all your friends how quickly you zoomed from port to port.

Well, since inquiring minds want to know this information, I looked it up. According to the Travel Channel, the fastest cruise ship is the Olympia Voyager from Royal Olympia Cruises.

"Climb aboard the fastest cruise ship in the world, with four engines each running at 13,000-horsepower, and experience cruising at 31 knots per hour (that's about 35 mph). At 25,000 tons and less than 600 feet long, the Olympia Voyager is not the largest of ships, but its speed allows for less time between ports and more time relaxing at destinations.

"The Voyager offers a variety of tours including the Mayaribbean Tour, which leaves from Houston, stopping at Playa del Carmen, Honduras, Belize and Mexico. Passengers on this trip can explore the ancient Mayan ruins, snorkel in Cozumel, or take a trip to the Xcaret eco-archeological theme park in Mexico. These destinations belie the fact that this is a Greek-themed ship with each of the boat's six decks named after Greek gods.

"The onboard entertainment - including Broadway shows and an art museum - is just as cultural as the on-shore excursions. A special enrichment program even features lectures from archaeologists, foreign affairs experts, astronomers and pianists."

So, not only is she speedy, but it sounds like the Olympia Voyager has a lot to offer too!

Next Big Cruise Destination -- Asia

Cruises to Alaska and the Caribbean are old hat. People want new and exotic places, and many countries in Asia are ready to pony up to get that tourism dollars the cruise industry offers.

In an MSNBC article about the cruise industry's solid prospects, even during the coming U.S. recession (cruising is a gloabl industry these days after all), the writer mentioned that Asia is the next big cruise destination:

"Executives also hinted at the next big destination — Asia. Singapore, Taiwan and Korea announced new cruise terminals anticipating the growth. Cruise executives say the new cruise terminals aren’t just targeted at North American cruise travelers but are also aimed at the people who live in the region."

The article also mentioned that cruises tend to be 20%-50% cheaper than land-based vacations, so if you've ever dreamed of seeing historic pagodas and Buddist temples, a cruise ship may be the way to get there.

Amazon Riverboat Cruises in South America, Educational and Exotic!

If you're looking for something more exotic than your traditional cruise to the Caribbean, think river cruise. Think Amazon river cruise in South America. Peru, to be specific.

This is where I'm thinking of heading for my next vacation. I did a Hawaiian cruise in December, and while it was fun, I'm ready to get a little more off the beaten path.

You can find many outfits running riverboat cruises along the Amazon's tropical waterway. Many feature an eco-tour bent, which is appealing to many earth-conscious travelers who want to learn while on vacation, not just get a tan.

As an example, consider one of the Amazon Riverboat expeditions from Green Tracks. Your guide will be an expert zoologist or anthropologist from the USA:

"Our tour leaders are among the most experienced Neotropical experts anywhere. All are naturalists who have studied the flora and fauna and are experienced travelers. Our leaders enjoy sharing their knowledge and make lively and interesting travel companions!"

On the cruise, you won't spend your whole time on the boat. You'll get chances to hike, bird watch, and fish for piranha too (the last thing isn't something I personally need to try--what does a piranha taste like anyway?--but hiking in the Amazon forest would be a blast!).

The Amazon cruises are a week long and run just over $2,000 (not including airfare), so check them out if you're looking for something a little more education and exotic than the mainstream cruises.

Cheap Cruises, Do You Get What You Pay for?

Every now and then I check those sites that tell you how many people are searching for certain terms using search engines, and since I have this blog on cruises, I naturally check out things related to sea-going vacations. It shouldn't come as any surprise that "cheap cruises" is searched fairly often (much more often than "luxury cruises" when I checked this month).

Everybody wants to get a good deal, and I've written a couple posts on how to save money on cruises, but is this a case where you get what you pay for?

If you find some too-good-to-be-true, last-minute deal on a website, are you going to end up in a dingy, drinking your mai tais out of a paper cup?

You might be surprised to learn that the answer is.... no. As long as you book with a reputable company (Travelocity or the like) that isn't going to disappear overnight, you should be fine.

When you book a cruise, you have access to all the same amenities as the people who are paying thousands more for a suite. I sailed with NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line) on my Hawaiian cruise, and because I could travel whenever, I booked an inside cabin a couple weeks out at a nice discount. And what I found is that no matter how much you pay for your room, you get the same buffet, the same entertainment, the same access to amenities.

So, what's the catch? Well, it's a bit like Las Vegas. You know how they ply you with all those 99 cent drinks so you'll get drunk and spend tons of money in the casino? Well the cruise industry makes a lot, if not most, of its money on the extras that aren't included in your ticket. Examples include drinks (you'll even pay for sodas on cruises), alternative dining restaurants (there are plenty of dining options that are included in the price, but you may want to check out the more exotic fare), shore excursions (I spent several hundred just on shore excursions during my week in Hawaii), and shops (yes, you can shop until you drop right on board).

You don't have to pay for any of these things, but you'll probably want to enjoy yourself some, so just keep this in mind when you're budgeting for your cruise vacation. Yes, cheap cruises can still be an awesome vacation, but plan on spending a little to a lot extra, depending on what you go in for when you're on board.

Safari Shore Excursions Are Fun Part of African Cruises

There are cruises available just about anywhere in the world, and the coastal waters of Africa are no exception. And what do you do when you touch ground on these trips? Why, take a safari of course.

It's no secret that one of Africa's national treasures is its wild game. The animals most of us will never see outside of cages in a zoo still roam freely here.

East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda) and South Africa (Botswana and South Africa) are the two best areas for photo safaris. The Seychelle Islands, a popular destination on cruise itineraries, are great for bird watching. The clear blue skies and abundant wildlife offer wonderful shore excursions for birders.

The only downside with safaris is that they are usually multi-day trips, and many argue that African wildlife can't be adequately viewed on a one-day shore excursion. Because of this, you may want to consider a land tour add-on. This is when you add a 3-4 night safari adventure on at the beginning or end of your cruise trip.

Ask your travel agent or browse online for these sorts of packages.

Are Cruise Ship Cabins Claustrophobic?

Do you find small spaces claustrophobic? Does the idea of being couped up make you feel a little crazy? If so, you may be wondering how small cabins are on cruise ships and if they will make you feel claustrophobic.

I'll give you my experience.

I recently got back from a week-long cruise around the Hawaiian Islands, and I stayed aboard NCL's Pride of America. I decided to save money and book an inside cabin, which means no windows or portholes to look out. You generally don't spend a lot of time in your cabin anyway, and I was more interested in dropping my extra money on fun shore excursions.

Anyway, the cabin was definitely smaller than a hotel room, but there were lots of mirrors and built-in storage, so I didn't think it felt claustrophobic. They made a good use of space. Now I probably wouldn't want to pack three people in there (there was an extra bed you could fold out from the wall if you had three), but I'm sure there are apartments in New York that aren't any bigger, heh. For one or two people it was fine, and if you missed seeing out a window, you could turn on the TV and check out the live camera feed from the bow of the ship.