Welcome to the Prow's Edge selection of the different types of cruises
From adventure cruises to senior cruises (the two are not mutually exclusive), from business cruises to family cruises, from Hawaii to Alaska, there are many different types of cruises to suit every taste.
No one can get away with statement : "I don't enjoy cruises!"
There
are just too many different types.
Adventure Cruises
Adventure cruises are not about bingo in the lounge, Las Vegas shows after dinner, or ten different ways to spend your afternoon snorkelling.
Adventure cruises are about exotic destinations, with an emphasis on education – they are about expeditions and explorations, about discovery and experience.
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Alaska Cruises
Alaska cruises operate only in the spring to fall months, usually departing from Vancouver, Canada, or Seattle, Washington, USA.
Round-trip Inside Passage cruises focus on the Southeast Alaska Panhandle and the tourist destinations of Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka, Skagway as well a usually including one of the glacier destinations such as Glacier Bay.
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Business Cruises
That persistent below-decks hum on luxury liners cruising Pacific and Asian waters doesn't necessarily come from the engine room these days. There's a new sound to be heard – the buzz of on-board boardroom talk as top executives and their senior management staff get down to business.
Cruise lines have sailed into rich waters in these times of global insecurity, discovering a new niche market within a multinational business community unsettled by on-shore troubles.
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Caribbean Cruises
Unlike the Alaskan cruises that take place only in the summer months, Caribbean cruises tend to be more popular through the winter months, from October to March.
A cruise is the ideal way to visit a number of different Caribbean destinations in one trip without having to waste time in packing and unpacking and in travel from island to island.
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Christmas Cruises
Christmas cruises appeal for a wide range of reasons - the most cynical of which is that more and more people can’t wait to get away for the holidays and leave the traditional family feuding behind.
But that’s not really the case for most Christmas cruisers. In fact, a Christmas cruise is the ideal family vacation for that time of year.
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European Cruises
European cruises, one of the hottest cruise markets, vary in length from one to three weeks, depending on how many cruising grounds – the north Atlantic, northern Europe and the Baltic, the British Isles, Iberia, the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas, even the Middle East and North Africa – are included.
Europe is, in fact, one of the “hot” destinations for 2009 and remains one of the dominant markets in the cruise industry.
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Family Cruises
Surfing on the ocean, ice skating in the tropics, aqua parks at sea, zip lining through the rain forest, living history lessons in legendary destinations, PlayStations, Wii games and iPod Nanos: Families are discovering that a cruise vacation can be an experience almost impossible to imagine. Onboard surfing pools, ice skating rinks, rock climbing walls, outdoor movies and even bowling alleys are some of the amazing features found on today’s cruises.
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Freighter Travel
Traveling by freighter is a good alternative to cruise liners for those with time on their hands.
It is a rediscovered and fast growing form of holiday travel. You would be surprised at the many container ships willing to take you to ports and destinations all over the world. Most freighters take from eight to 12 passengers, sometimes only two.
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Gay Cruises
Most cruises may be considered to be “gay friendly” and all of the larger cruise ships, no matter the itinerary, will have regular get-togethers for “friends of Dorothy”.
Homophobia is not generally a problem which is why you will always find a number of gay singles and gay couples aboard any cruise.
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Hawaiian Cruises
A cruise is the ideal way to see the Hawaiian Islands. Bad weather on one island doesn’t mean your whole holiday is ruined, you unpack once only, everything is included, and there is no need to worry about transport from one island to the next – that usually all happens while you’re asleep.
An Hawaiian cruise is also perfect for return visits – there is plenty still to see on a second or even third Hawaiian cruise.
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Keeping Fit Cruises
When I first started cruising, any suggestion that a week sailing under the Caribbean sun would include planned exercise, healthy eating and spa treatments would have sent me running for cover.
Let’s face it – in those days the gym was a pokey little room in the bowels of the ship, there was no such thing as an on-board spa, healthy eating meant skipping dinner, and getting through the day without several cocktails under your belt was practically unheard of.
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Repositioning Cruises
Repositioning cruises are typically cruises that relocate the cruise ship after a season in one particular area in time for a new season in another region.
Panama cruises often help transit ships between the summer months in Alaska and the winter in the Caribbean. These repositioning cruises also include what is referred to as the Pacific Coast repositioning itineraries as the ships make their way between Seattle or Vancouver and the Panama Canal.
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River Cruises
River cruises are exactly what they say they are - cruises that take place on rivers. Sailing the major rivers of the world, from the Volga to Yangtse, the Rhine to the Rhone, as well as the lesser known ”little” rivers across the globe, river cruises offer a more intimate experience aimed at properly exploring the places en route. They differ from the usual cruise ship experience in many ways.
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Senior Cruises
It is the favorite myth that the average age of all cruise passengers is 95, and that if you are under 40 and take a cruise you will stand out like a ballerina at a bikers’ convention.
While this is patently untrue of cruises in general - you only have to see the growth of family-oriented cruise liners where everything from rock climbing to discos is geared to the younger demographic – it is true that more seniors than ever are opting for a cruise vacation.
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Singles Cruises
The first time I took a cruise on my own, my friends were in awe. “You’re so brave!” they said. Then, when they started hearing about the fabulous places I was visiting, they changed their tune slightly. “You’re so lucky!” they said instead.
Actually, neither bravery nor luck has anything to do with it. You don’t have to be one of those annoyingly gregarious types or even pretend to be one in order to take a cruise on your own, and you don’t have to break the bank to afford it.
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Small Ships Cruises
Small ships offer the opportunity to explore the world from a uniquely personal perspective.
From Antarctica to the Arctic, the Caribbean to Canada, Mexico to the Mediterranean, they travel the great rivers of Europe and North America, sail along Norwegian fjords and other scenic coasts, cross oceans, explore the globe’s most remote destinations, and even embark on world cruises.
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Theme Cruises
Cruise passengers are a curious, energetic lot. A few may be content to bask in the sun on a deck chair or laze by the pool, but many come on board with an eagerness to learn and discover new interests or further pursue their favorite topics.
South African wine, NASCAR racing legends, vegan cooking or French haute cuisine, killer whale safaris in the Arctic, golf, Tai Chi, Broadway trivia, mastering Adobe Photoshop or video editing: these are just a few of the subjects featured in special interest programs or theme cruises on cruise lines.
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Wedding Cruises
Increasing numbers of wedding and honeymoon couples are saying “I do” to cruise vacations.
As the number of honeymoon and wedding travelers continues to grow, cruise lines are perpetually adding features and amenities that appeal to all types of couples looking for romance, and with all budgets in mind.
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World Cruises
More and more people want to sail around the world, or at least a sizeable portion of it. That’s the message from seven cruise lines belonging to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). These cruise lines, and others are now offering a growing selection of world cruises. World cruises by definition, are long voyages, sometimes three months or more.
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