BY CLAY LARROY
Regardless
of whether you are
traveling to a nearby location for the weekend or taking a
week-long destination vacation, you are always going to benefit from some tips
and ideas on how to make the whole process, more fun and less stressful. Take
time each day to alleviate stress while traveling or
vacationing and you will thank yourself for it when you get back home. With all
the chaos, jet-lag, partying and other excitement of travel comes a whole lot
of stress on your mind and body. By the time most vacations are over, another
one is needed to recover so taking a few minutes each day to rejuvenate will
make it easier for you to resume your normal life when it's all over. When you want to
plan a vacation contact me!
Is it
really possible that less is more? If you are talking about small ship and
niche cruising, the answer is a definitive "Yes"! Whether you want to
cruise on a tall-masted ship, sail the Amazon, visit small, secluded islands or
see Antarctica up close and personal, niche cruising offers a fantastic
alternative to mega-liner cruise ships. Because most niche cruise lines are
operated by smaller companies, their itineraries and even their existence is
often not known to the traveling public. Yet these cruises offer an exciting,
intimate adventure that simply cannot be matched by mass market cruises.
Many
of the small ship lines carry fewer than 800 passengers, some as few as 100 or
even less. The "niche" part of niche cruising is all about
destinations and themes. Itineraries are geared to travelers looking for a more
adventurous, off the beaten track type of travel. Some have sails, some steam
engines, and some are barges. Some visit exotic South Pacific destinations,
some visit the arctic extremes of the planet and still others cruise European
waterways, rivers and fjords. Some niche cruises focus on luxury and some on
ecology. The choice is yours.
Use
this TRO Guide to learn more about the world of niche and small ship cruising.
Other TRO Guides go into more detail regarding particular destinations,
itineraries and themes. If niche cruising is for you, contact your travel
consultant and prepare to set sail!
Niche
cruises typically use ships that are smaller than the mass market boats
operated by better known cruise lines. This gives the niche cruise lines a
tremendous advantage over their larger counterparts. The smaller ships can go
where bigger ships cannot, seeking out smaller ports, narrow waterways and more
shallow waters. The smaller passenger count means the ships are more
environmentally friendly, and can visit more ecologically sensitive areas.
Their itineraries often focus on a destination or a theme. Many niche cruise
operators employ experts in zoology, history, anthropology or biology to give informal
lectures and to act as guides.
The
words most often associated with niche cruises are words like
"adventurous", "intimate", "personal" and
"rewarding". All types of people travel on niche cruises, but in
general the crowds are quieter and less rowdy than on large, mass market cruise
experiences. The typical niche cruising enthusiast loves adventure and a sense
of discovery. They view their travels as an opportunity to explore and learn.
They are travelers, not tourists, and take an active, engaged participation in
the voyage. The age range varies widely with the theme and personality of the
itinerary.
The
traveler considering a niche cruise typically decides first on a destination to
visit and then researches the niche cruise lines servicing the chosen
destination. Niche cruises are literally world-wide in their scope and
schedules. Some have set itineraries, and others deviate not only from trip to
trip, but during the course of a single trip. The smaller size of the vessels
gives the crew the option to respond quickly to changing conditions, special
opportunities and events and to make unscheduled port calls.
REFERENCE SITES:
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