Quite a few couples are now subscribing to world cruises and it is affecting the Cruise Ship industry.

In 2006 the Holland America Line is experiencing a 20 percent increase in the number of cruises longer than 12 days.

For 2007, the demand for world cruises for Cunard is so great the company is having two world cruises, including the Queen Mary 2’s first voyage around the world, an 80-day journey.
Silversea Cruises, a very, very exclusive Cruise Line has just launched a series of voyages of 34 to 123 days and is having its first around-the-world cruise in 2007.

And Crystal Cruises Inc. spokeswoman Mimi Weisband said that they saw a record number of bookings for this year’s 106-day world cruise.

Why is this happening?
Nobody likes flying anymore. It is not relaxing, you are stuffed like sardines in a tin can, you have to bring your own lunch, and have to take off your shoes.

Now think about cruising.
You’ve got your house with you, wherever you go, just like a turtle.
You get taken care of, whatever you need. Medical Care is close by, so are 10 bars and 4 restaurants open 24 hours a day in most cases.

You don’t have to pack and unpack every day as with regular vacations, you can spend leisurely days playing pingpong and shuffleboard and relaxing with longtime friends.
The key selling theme for these long cruises is COMFORT.

You can see and do exotic things from 10 AM to 12 PM, go for lunch, and do more exotic things from 2 PM till 7 PM and then have a 10 course supper.
After supper there is a free show every night.

Perfect life
Rather than sitting in a summer cottage staring at the walls, on a cruise you have your social life built in, with 2000 possible friends.

Cruise lines say another key attraction is that now you can visit plenty of far-flung destinations – such as Hawaii and Tahiti- without dealing with airport security and other hassles.
The funny thing is that these Cruises are no longer exclusively populated by retired Seniors, but are becoming populated by entrepreneurial 40- and 50-people, who can turn the ship into a virtual, floating office.

You can successfully run a business from being on a ship, because of Wireless Internet Access worldwide available on these Cruise Ships.

Destinations are also being changed by the Cruise Ship industry; more and more exotic itineraries are being visited, because people like change, and if you have never seen the Pyramids, now is your chance on a 12 day Cruise.

The costs of a world cruise are no longer prohibitive, in 2005 a 100 day cruise could be had for $16,000 per person, that is $160 a day for travel, food, guided tours, shows and companionship.

Some people do this in their 30’s, saying that they want to enjoy this while they can.
Others do this after they get a divorce, as a consolation prize to themselves.

As the demand for World Cruises increases, at some point in time entrepreneurs are going to buy a Cruise Ship at a reasonable price and are going to turn it into Condominiums.

Living On A Cruise Ship Is Catching On is a post from: Tour And Travel | Thosenorwegians.com

For $5.00 per hour I took the bait and worked from February to August 1984. The job was tedious, the phone system antiquated, the company was a calamity. Still, it was fun and I enjoyed my occassional trips over to the old hangar to watch aircraft take off.

The reservations department was manned by other college students just like me from schools all over New Jersey and New York City. There was even a team of girls who came down from Canada to staff the phones as part of their school’s program. I would have loved to see what they wrote on their reports!

A group of reservations would often take the first flight of the day to Boston, have breakfast, and return to Newark. I think they did this on a weekly basis and “Breakfast in Boston” was the thing to do. With 19 flights daily, including some leaving every half hour, the chance of snagging a flight to Boston was almost a guarantee.

I learned about some of the “tricks” of the airline industry too while with PEOPLExpress. For example, if bad weather was happening in Maine, the final flight from EWR would mysteriously be canceled due to a mechanical. Supposedly, the company didn’t want to risk a problem with their notorious “hub and spoke” system and find that one of their aircraft was stuck in a snowstorm. We weren’t told by our supervisors that this was what the airline was doing, but we pretty much figured it out. It was simply great handling those irate calls!

While at PEOPLExpress, I witnessed some phenomenal growth on the airline’s part. We added San Francisco, Los Angeles, and London while I was there. Other smaller cities too.

During one month I was named “associate of the month” for my team because of my terrific customer service skills combined with my ability to process customers fast. Okay, so I like to remember it that way! Still, it was a nice thing to add to my resume and it also enabled me to gain “favor” in the site of management. My supervisor, Judith, was one of the nicest of the lot too…some CSMs were real bears!

Although it wasn’t common, some students upon graduation got to work for PEOPLExpress as a Customer Service Manager [CSM]. This was a fancy name for a “flight attendant” who, when not flying, was expected to pull administrative duty too. Their starting pay was $17,000. per year, but the stock options were what really made the job. I am not sure how employees made out when the carrier came to an end in 1987, but I seem to recall some fairly well off “twenty somethings” working for that carrier.

After leaving PEOPLExpress I pursued other opportunities and did not return to aviation until 1992 when I started working for Executive Air Fleet, Inc. Yes, that is another story…for another time!

Remember PEOPLExpress? is a post from: Tour And Travel | Thosenorwegians.com

Owning a coastal vacation business gives these dreamers a chance to soak in the sun and give other the opportunity to do so as well. A coastal vacation business can provide a way for some to reach their personal and financial goals.

A coastal vacation business begins with an entrepreneurs spirit. The franchisees motivation for owning a coastal vacation business must provide more than an opportunity for a great coastal vacation.

Unless the person buying a franchise realizes they will need to work hard, the business will fail within five years.

A coastal vacation business allows franchise owners to work at home, allowing them more time to spend with their family and take coastal vacations when they want. Among the fastest growing sector of businesses, home based businesses offer the franchise owner personal freedom.

How much money the franchise owner will make depends on the ambition, ability and dedication of the franchise owner with the coastal vacation business.

The franchise owner must realize the potential of a coastal vacation business. Most families want to take a coastal vacation.

The franchise owner satisfies this desire by offering cheap family vacation packages. The franchise owners coastal vacation business succeeds by meeting the familys needs.

The coastal vacation business franchise owner must remember that different families want different vacations. Many families dream of cheap Hawaiian vacations will some want a Texas vacation package.

No matter what type of coastal vacation a family wants, the coastal vacation business owner should deliver.

Owners of a coastal vacation business can take advantage of a coastal vacation call center. Employees of the call center take the coastal vacation business owners leads and close the sale, giving the family that perfect coastal vacation opportunity.

When franchise owners use the call center, they obtain a professional sales force at their fingertips.

The owners of a coastal vacation business know the employees of the coastal call center will not steal their business. The coastal call center representative will ask for the coastal vacation business owners personal sales number so they receive credit for the sale.

This represents the best way to sell coastal vacations.

Using a coastal call center indicates to potential customer that the owner of the coastal vacation business operates a professional company.

Customers will shy away from a coastal vacation business promoting a coastal vacation with a pen, a piece of paper and a cheesy sales pitch (how often do businesses people receive this kind of pitch!). Preparation, professionalism and knowledge equal success for the franchise owner.

Using a coastal call center alleviates the burden of closing sales for coastal vacation business owners but the responsibility of the business still lies with the franchise owner.

Unless the franchise owner prospects for customers who want to take coastal vacations, the call center will not receive lead to close.

Identify potential customers by searching for anyone who loves to travel or someone who wants to get away from it all. A good coastal vacation business owner realized nearly everyone represents a potential customer.

A Coastal Vacation Business Gives Financial Freedom is a post from: Tour And Travel | Thosenorwegians.com

Here are some suggestions to keep everyone happy and well-fed for traveling:

* Although keeping kids entertained on the road can be a challenge for any parent, leave the house prepared. Bring books and music that the whole family will enjoy, and don’t forget about classic games such as “I Spy” and “Go Fish.”

* When packing food for a day trip, keep it simple. Fill a cooler with a variety of sliced fruits and veggies stored in plastic baggies for hassle-free munching. Include drinkable yogurts, individually wrapped cheese slices and granola bars.

For a hearty snack or meal while on the go, try Smucker’s Peanut Butter and Jelly Uncrustables sandwiches, made with peanut butter and either grape jelly or strawberry jam sealed within white bread. These thaw-and-serve sandwiches are individually wrapped. Store them in the freezer, along with extra fruit juice containers and water bottles, and add them to the cooler before hitting the road. By lunchtime, the drinks and sandwiches will be ready.

* If a long road trip is in store, plan for several stops throughout the day. Giving kids – and parents – time outside of the car will help everyone stay energized throughout the drive. – NU

Be Prepared for Road Trips With Sandwiches and Games is a post from: Tour And Travel | Thosenorwegians.com

Although it is nice to know that hiking and camping are the perfect combination, you may be wondering exactly why that is. If you are, you will find that there are an unlimited number of reasons as to why hiking and camping are the perfect fit for each other and the perfect way to spend your next vacation. For reasons as to why you should give camping and hiking a try, you will want to continue reading on.

As previously stated, camping and hiking are things that just seem to fit together. This is apparent in a number of different ways. For instance, hiking trails are commonly found in areas or establishments that are referred to as hiking parks. Hiking parks, especially large popular ones, often have their own onsite campgrounds. You will also find that most public campground parks have at least one or two hiking trials on them. The fact that hiking and camping experts automatically pair hiking and camping together is a sign that camping and hiking really are the perfect combination.

Another reason why camping and hiking may be perfect for your next trip or vacation is because they are both designed for individuals of all ages. This is important, especially if you are looking for something to do with your family. Children of all ages, as well as adults, enjoy both camping and hiking. In fact, in the United States, you will find that hiking trials come in a number of different difficulty levels. For instance, it is more than possible to find hiking trails that are designed for beginners. These types of hiking trials would be ideal, in most cases, for young children or elderly individuals.

The cost of hiking and camping are another one of the many reasons why they make the perfect combination, as well as why they may be perfect for your next trip, vacation, or adventure. Hiking and camping are both affordable activities for you to participate in. In fact, if you decide to make a reservation at a public campground park, you will likely find that you are able to go hiking, on an onsite trail, free of charge. The same may even be said for if you visited a hiking park and decided to stay overnight. While many activities may end up being free for you, you will see that it all depends on the establishment in question.

If you are interested in combining hiking and camping to make the perfect adventure for you, your family, your friends, or you and your romantic partner, you may want to think about making your arrangements in advance. Hiking and camping are both popular activities in the United States. While you may not necessarily need to make reservations to go hiking, you may need to make them if you plan on camping overnight at a hiking park or in a public campground. In fact, the earlier that you make your reservations, the more choices you may have, as many establishments allow you to handpick your own camping spots.

As you can see, there are a number of different reasons as to why hiking and camping make the perfect combination, as well as why they would be great for your next vacation, trip, or adventure. Hiking and camping is something that you may at least want to think about discussing with your traveling party. Once it is mentioned, you may be surprised with just how many people would like to give this perfect combination a try.

Hiking and Camping: The Perfect Combination is a post from: Tour And Travel | Thosenorwegians.com

An Overview of Japan for Travelers

Extending along the eastern coast of Asia, Japan is a country consisting of a collection of islands. The mainland, as we think of it, is the island of Honshu. There are three other large islands, Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and roughly 3,000 much smaller islands comprising what we call Japan. Put together, the total land mass is slightly smaller than California. The geography throughout the islands is mountainous, best exemplified by Mt. Fuji at 12,385 feet. As you might expect, the island country is inherently recognition of a volcanic are and Japan experiences earthquakes fairly frequently, some on a large scale.

Japan is an extremely urbanized country with most people living in major cities. The two prominent religions are Shintoism and Buddhism. The belief systems are harmonious and often share the same temples.

Per legend, Japan was founded by Emperor Jimmu around 600 BC. The current emperor is a descendent of the first.

The first interaction with the West was in 1542 when a lost Portuguese ship landed in Japan. Over the next century more Westerns came, but they were not trusted. The Japan shoguns eventually banned all foreigners and the country was isolated for over 200 years. Not until 1854 did Japan open its doors to the world under the Convention of Kanagawa with the United States. Once this occurred, Japan quickly evolved from a feudal state to a more modern approach.

World War I was a boon for Japan. Fighting on the side of the victorious Allies, Japan repeated new respect as an economic and military power following the defeat of the Axis. Alas, the emperor of Japan went in a different direction after the war, seeking dominance of China and Asia in general.

In 1937, Japan became an ally of Nazi German. This eventually led to its decision to pursue an attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Following four years of war, the loss of 3 million Japanese lives and two atomic bombings, Japan surrendered to the United States on September 2, 1945. It was stripped of most of its territorial holdings and was ruled de facto by General Douglas MacArthur, designated the Supreme Commander.

Following World War II, Japan turned to a democratic system through reforms. The U.S. and allies returned complete control to Japan on April 28, 1952 via the Treaty of Peace. Although its days as a military power were over, Japan once again became an economic giant. Despite its relatively tiny land mass, Japan has the second biggest economy in the world.

Modern day Japan covers 145,902 square miles. The capital is Tokyo. The terrain is best described as rugged, mountainous islands with varying temperatures.

The people of Japan are called Japanese. The total population is just over 127.4 million people, but the population is decreasing slightly in size. Japanese is the primarily language spoken and literacy rates are 99 percent. Japanese males have a life expectancy of 77 years while women live to 84 on average.

With its mountainous island landscape, Japan is a hot destination spot for travelers. It is expensive, but a visit to Mount Fuji alone makes a trip worthwhile.

An Overview of Japan for Travelers is a post from: Tour And Travel | Thosenorwegians.com

Many people wonder what it’s like working on a cruise ship and are even more curious how to get a job on one. You might be thinking it’s like an insider’s secret! In a way it is, but it won’t be when you finish reading this article. My first job on a cruise ship came when a cruise employment agent contacted a friend of mine who was unavailable to work, so my friend told him to contact me and the rest is history. I’ve also got jobs for several friends who ended up traveling the world, but for the people who don’t know me, it’s okay because I’ll show you how to do the same thing in a different way.

Here is exactly how it works. For every department on a ship, there is someone who oversees that department. That person reports to someone on land in the corporate offices for the cruise ship company, whether it is Princess, Royal Caribbean or Carnival. Now here’s the hooker. That person in corporate works with an agency or contractor that hires people by qualifying them before come aboard the cruise ship. This is what happens 70% of the time. 20% are hired through the companies that are on-board contractors. These can be the on-board shops, art auctioneers, photographers or other third party revenue vendors. The other 10% are people who contact the cruise ships directly for certain positions such as Sales Specialists, Printers, Disk Jockeys and people who have jobs that only involve one or a few people.

When people are hired through an agency, there’s a fee that’s paid by either the cruise ship or the employer. Usually this fee is paid by the cruise ship. It’s a way to hire a third party Human Resources to take care of all the logistics and coordinate with the corporate office and employers on-board. This only makes sense because there are many logistics of hiring, ticketing and travel guidelines. From there, the third party agent or administrative assistant from the corporate office will be just a phone call away for anything you need until you join.

There are plenty of jobs to choose from with the amount of ships at sea nowadays. For instance, one cruiseline will have more “entertainment” jobs, as to where another ship may have more “hotel services” positions available for you to choose from. Obviously you’ll be working, but you’ll also be traveling. To get days off in ports and spend as much time ashore as possible, work out schedules with your fellow co-workers. You may be thinking that sounds like a daunting task, but trust me, it’s no biggie and takes about thirty seconds before everyone is happy. If you work in certain departments, like the entertainment department, your department gets to make your own schedule. Other departments, like casinos and shops aren’t allowed to work while in port (not a bad job to have)!

If you can, try to get a job on a ship that has a big fleet or that has alot of destinations. When I was with Premiere Cruise Lines, I transferred cruise Lines three times in four months, so instead of going to just two countries, I went to ten. Another example is Princess Cruise Lines, which has several ships that all follow a similar protocal throughout. That way, crew can transfer from one ship to another with ease and confidence.

You would be quite suprised to see how many resources and agencies can help you get a job on a cruise ship. You’re probably thinking, “How would I get a job out of the thousands of people who apply?”

Okay, here’s the secret. Those thousands of people you’re thinking about are thinking the same thing, so they don’t even apply! You wouldn’t believe the shortage of staff cruise ships companies always have. If there isn’t a job immediately, one will open up within three months because that is how the contracts work out with multiple ships. There was NEVER a day when all the jobs were filled in ANY department. Department heads are ALWAYS asking the agencies if they have found anyone to fill the position. In many cases, positions don’t even get filled! Many crew have to EXTEND their contracts because the agencies can’t find the right people, because everyone is wondering, ” There must be several people who would get the job before me,” or they just simply don’t know the people to contact.

Many people ask me everyday how to get a job on a cruise ship, after all, I achieved my dreams by twenty-four and have seen several others do the same. What I always tell people is simple. Get a database and resource guide so you can contact these hiring agencies and corporate offices directly. From all the resource guides I’ve seen, nothing compares to the one I came across awhile ago, which was Neil Maxwell Key’s resource site. He used to travel the world on cruise ships as well, but took it a step further to gather all the resources anybody could need to get a cruise ship job.

If you’re looking to do what only your friends and family dream of, then go get a cruise ship job. People are fascinated by the concept and will always be asking you what it’s like traveling the world and getting paid for it.

Learn The Insider Secrets On How To Get A Cruise Ship Job, Travel The World And Get Paid For It. is a post from: Tour And Travel | Thosenorwegians.com

Scheduling

You are the boss here. Your aircraft would leave when you decide. The main advantage of hiring private charter flights is the freedom of scheduling. You can plan out the entire schedule according to your business needs and fly at any time you want. You can also alter the schedule if required.

Time-Saver

For business community time is money. Wastage of precious time means loss of millions. Normally, traveling by a commercial airline lead to a great wastage of time due to delayed or cancelled flights. On the other hand with private jet charter services you save time reserving tickets, registering, making queues for security, getting the luggage etc. In short, you avoid delays and save a lot of precious time.

Size

Here you are the king. You choose the private air charter service which suits your needs. You can choose from a variety of aircrafts like light jets, midsize jets, super mids, jumbo jets or even helicopters according to your requirements, i.e. seating capacity, speed of travel, etc. Now thats the luxury you will never get when traveling on commercial flight.

Additional Facilities

A private air charter service also ensures that you get excellent gourmet meals, ground transportation facilities and return services to make your trip convenient and memorable. You dictate the needs here. You can also demand specific items to be served on board like vegetarian meals or a certain drink.

Added Security

The most important benefit of private jet charter services is that you get a high level security. Its hassle-free. You dont need to stand in a queue to get through the security area. No need to worry about luggage loss. You get high level of comfort, privacy and security.

Choose your Airport

With private jets you get the facility of choosing the airport you want to land in. You can decide to land in a less crowed airport, where you can save your precious time in car and ground transportation.

A private jet charter service ensures that its customer service personnel are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to meet clients demands. It provides corporate, executive and independent travelers with top level security, comfort, privacy and flexibility; which is not available in any other mode of transportation.

Probably thats why more and more corporate houses are now beginning to prefer private jet charter services to regular commercial flights to ensure their people reach the right place at the right time with minimal hassles and fatigue.

Private Jet services and Their Benefits is a post from: Tour And Travel | Thosenorwegians.com

There are many places to stay when traveling to Murcia. There are a wide variety of hotels that will provide a wide variety of accommodations available. Look into various resources to find a place that will best serve your needs. It is almost best to look places up on the internet or to call the places yourself to see if they offer any discounts.

Another option one may consider is the use of a rental property if you are looking for an extended stay. Many properties and apartments are available for short term rental and will provide you with many of the conveniences of home such as cooking.

What To Do In Murcia

There are of course the beaches as well as the lagoon. These are extremely popular especially in the summer months. There is a wide expanse of beachfront to be taken advantage of.

There are many old churches and architecture to see about 500 years worth of architecture and design to take in. Also be aware of the nearby city of Torrevieja. This city as well has many things to take in and enjoy.

The Sanctuary of Fuensanta was built in the 18th century. It has much to offer and plays a huge role in the summer festivities as the statue of the patron saint of the city is paraded around town as its portion of the festivities.

The Museo de Tradiciones y Artes Populares is a wonderful museum in the city. This is an agricultural museum. It contains a wide variety of agricultural items and things to observe that are over 300 years old.

There are a wide variety of festivals that occur in this town every year. The most prominent of which would be the Easter festival. It is the most prominent of all of the festivals throughout the year.

In this coastal town of Spain there are many different styles of food to sample and enjoy as well as the wide variety of items to enjoy. Look into the different seafood types and things to enjoy as well as the other varieties of the food.

A Coastal Town In Spain is a post from: Tour And Travel | Thosenorwegians.com

Each year, between 20 and 50 percent of international travelers-an estimated 10 million Americans-develop travelers’ diarrhea (TD). Onset usually occurs during the first week of travel, but can occur at any time during the trip-even after returning home. High-risk destinations are the developing countries of Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. People at particularly high risk for developing complications associated with TD include young adults, immunosuppressed people, people with inflammatory bowel disease or diabetes, and people taking H-2 blockers or antacids.

TD is most commonly caused by E coli and other bacteria. Most diarrhea-causing bacteria are spread through the water and food supply. Fortunately, being careful about what you eat and drink can help reduce your risk of developing TD, the most common reason that travelers cut their vacations short.

For travelers in high-risk areas, one treatment option is a nonsystemic, gastrointestinal (GI) selective antibiotic called Xifaxan (rifaximin) tablets 200 mg. These tablets have been approved by the FDA for treatment of patients >12 years old with TD caused by noninvasive strains of E coli. Xifaxan has been used for over 19 years in other countries with over 500 million tablets prescribed worldwide.

“Treating travelers’ diarrhea can make the difference of feeling better in a day, versus missing out on a few days of your trip,” said Bradley Connor, M.D., immediate past president, International Society for Travel Medicine.

Before traveling, contact your physician or visit a travel clinic. In addition to taking a prescription for Xifaxan with you while traveling, travelers can minimize their risk for TD by practicing a few preventative measures.

“While TD is usually only disruptive to a vacation, there is evidence to suggest that some afflicted with TD may develop a more serious condition known as post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome,” added Connor. “It’s best to plan ahead, take a few precautions and think about health issues before you travel.”

If you find yourself stricken with diarrhea, drink plenty of clear liquids to replace lost fluids and electrolytes.

Note to Editors: Important Safety Information-XIFAXAN (rifaximin) tablets are indicated for the treatment of patients (>12 years of age) with travelers’ diarrhea caused by noninvasive strains of Escherichia coli. XIFAXAN should not be used in patients with diarrhea complicated by fever or blood in the stool or diarrhea due to pathogens other than Escherichia coli. XIFAXAN should be discontinued if diarrhea symptoms get worse or persist more than 24-48 hours and alternative antibiotic therapy should be considered.

In clinical trials, XIFAXAN was generally well tolerated. The most common side effects (vs. placebo) were flatulence: 11.3% (vs. 19.7%), headache: 9.7% (vs. 9.2%), abdominal pain: 7.2% (vs. 10.1%) and rectal tenesmus: 7.2% (vs. 8.8%).

Be Careful What You Eat And Drink On Vacation is a post from: Tour And Travel | Thosenorwegians.com