If you’re wondering what kind of trip you want to take, you might want t consider a cruise.  Planning a cruise is actually a lot less stressful than planning any other kind of trip because there are fewer things to deal with.  For example, your travel and your lodging are one and the same, so need need for worrying about hotel rooms. There are plenty of cruise guides available.

Well, mostly.  One of the issues of taking a cruise is that you have to get to the dock.  Sometimes, they can involve extra travel.  Some people live so far away that they actually have to fly to catch their cruise, which adds in another very large cost.  However, if you live near the area from which the boat leaves, it’s a cost you don’t have to worry about.

Food is another non-concern on a cruise.  All of your meals are actually included in the cost of the cruise with the exception of alcohol (and sometimes limited alcohol is actually included).  Huge dining rooms providing all the food you’d ever want.

Some entertainment is provided, too, such as magic shows, musical performances, and games.  Many cruise ships feature casinos for those who like to gamble.  On-ship pools, shuffleboard, and more give plenty of entertainment options for adults and children.

There are also various shore excursions you can do.  These excursions are handled through the cruise company, but they cost extra.  Some examples include touring ancient ruins, swimming with the dolphins, and going para-sailing.  However, while booking these events through your cruise is convenient, you may actually be able to find a local tourist company that provides the same experiences for less, so do some research.

There are a few things to consider if you’re trying to save money on your cruise.  First, interior rooms with no windows are much cheaper but provide no view of the ocean.  The time of year makes a huge difference, too.  You may find it cheaper to cruise during the winter months, but be aware that many cruises run holiday specials that fill up quickly.

If you’re headed to Orlando with the kids, or if you just love water parks, you’ll find four different attractions that may be perfect for you and your family.  These water parks include just about everything: pools, water slides, beautiful views, and more.  Some parks even provide inner tubes, flippers, rafts, and snorkels.  They even allow you to bring coolers, so you can set up your own picnic by the pool!  Of course, don’t forget your sunglasses, hat, and sunscreen—you don’t want to end up with a sun burn.  Be sure your sunscreen is water proof, too.

Along with one of the most desired hotels in Orlando, Disney World contains two of these four water parks.  The first is Disney’s Blizzard Beach.  The Blizzard Beach is not your typical water park.  Instead, it has a very unique concept: the entire park is what would happen if all the ice and snow at a ski resort were to suddenly melt.  There are ski jumps and chair lifts, but instead of taking guests up the snowy peaks, they work around pools and waterfalls.  It’s a very unique experience.

The other Disney World water park is Typhoon Lagoon.  This park, one of Disney World’s traditional parks, also features a theme: this one is of a ship that has been washed ashore on a mountain due to a huge typhoon.  This water park has over 50 acres of water slides and pools.  There’s even a four foot wave that rolls over the lagoon that guests can surf on.

If you want to get away from Disney, you can head over to Aquatica.  It’s a part of SeaWorld, and it is also incredibly fun.  It includes animals, flowing waterfalls, intense water slides, and even sandy beaches.  There are almost 60 acres of water fun!

The fourth and final water park is Wet ‘n Wild, Orlando’s first water park.  Like the other parks, guests of all ages will find something fun to do here, whether it’s lie out in the sun or swim in the pools.  There are even group water rides that the entire family can enjoy at once.

Going on a trip can be a lot of fun, but in some ways, it can also be stressful.  One of these stressful areas is your travel budget.  Unless you have a lot of money set aside or are independently wealthy, chances are, you’re not going to be able to throw money around.  Instead, you’ll have to pick and choose what you purchase.  However, there are some ways you can save some money and stay within your travel budget.

Purchasing non-perishables (donuts, bagels, bread, cereal, etc.) from a local supermarket can save you from spending money on breakfast and maybe even lunch.  You can also pick up snacks and drinks so you don’t buy things out of vending machines—they’re always more expensive than stores.  Even if your room doesn’t include a mini-refrigerator, some hotels do feature ice machines so you can cool down your drinks this way.  Always avoid room service if it’s an option because it’s always expensive.  You can usually eat out for less.

Another tip is to make a list of people you wish to buy souvenirs for and set a certain amount for each.  You may want to spend more on your sister, for example, than on a work associate, but if you don’t plan this out, you may end up impulse buying.  This can quickly lead to spending a lot of money and filling up any extra space in your luggage.

Speaking of luggage, some airlines now charge for checked baggage.  To avoid paying too much in fees, try to fit as much of your clothing as possible into one bag.  Also remember that you may be able to put your toiletries and other small items in a carry-on bag.  If you expect to purchase a good amount of stuff on your trip, you may want to fit a smaller bag inside your larger one.  On your way back, you can use the second bag to carry your purchases.  This way, you only pay for one checked bag on the way there instead of two.

Look for multi-admission passes or transportation passes.  Many public transportation systems feature weekly passes, and these usually come out cheaper than paying each time unless you aren’t going to use transportation very often.  Some city tourism departments also offer a multi-admission pass that lets you in to a number of different attractions for one price.  Again, if you’re going to visit three or four of these attractions, buying the pass instead of paying individually may be cheaper.

You may have it all planned out.  You’ve got your transportation books, your tickets purchased, your hotel room reserved, and you’re ready to go!  Then something happens—there’s a sudden illness in the family, a natural disaster strikes your home town, or some other uncontrollable event happens, and you realise there’s no way you can go on your trip.  When that happens, you have no choice but to cancel your trip.

You need to cancel your reservations as soon as you know you won’t be able to go on your trip.  Many hotels and forms of transportation have cancellation deadlines.  If you cancel after these deadlines, you may not be able to get all or even most of your payment back.  This may mean you end up paying for airline tickets or a hotel room that you don’t get to use.  If that ends up being the case, see if you can get credit for another time.  If you can’t, you may want to transfer your reservations and such to someone who can go out of town.  It’s better that one of your family members or friends make use of your tickets and reservations rather than spending money on something that no one gets to use.

Event tickets are often non-refundable no matter what.  In this case, you can either give them to someone else or attempt to re-sell them.  Some people put their tickets up on eBay or other online auction sites.  If you don’t have time for that and don’t have a friend to give them to, you may be out of luck and will have to accept the loss of your money.

Cancelling your holiday is very disappointing, but losing all of your investment is even worse.  While you may be dealing with some horrible event during the time, but try to find a few minutes to deal with cancellations so you can save as much as you can.

If you’re visiting Dubai on holiday, there’s one thing you won’t be able to avoid: the shopping!  Dubai is known as the Shopping Capital of the Middle East, and it well deserves that name.  While there are many other tourist attractions in the city, people come from far and wide to shop.  Part of this is because Dubai has low import duties and is an open port.  This means that you can often find luxury and brand name items for much less than you would in other parts of the world.

There are a number of different shopping malls and outlet stores in Dubai, with quite a lot of these found in the many hotels in Dubai, that sell electronics, clothing, jewellery, hand-made crafts, furniture, artwork, carpet, cars, and much more.  You will also find many souks, or traditional markets.  These markets include hundreds of booths that are run by locals.  Two of the most famous souks are the gold souk and the spice souk, which sell jewellery and spices, respectively.  Souks are good places to go if you want to find something hand-made and shop in an area that’s much less commercial.  Haggling at a souk booth is very welcome and is, in fact, almost expected.  While the more commercial stores and supermarkets have had an effect on the souks, there are still many booths and products available.

There are also a number of duty free shops in the city.  These shops allow their merchants to sell items at even lower prices since no duty fee is charged.  Note that while shopping in Dubai, no matter what type of store or souk you’re visiting, that the hours of operation are most likely not the same as in your home country.  In Dubai, stores are open in the morning, but they are all closed in the afternoon.  They generally open back up in the early evening after the hottest part of the day.  On Friday, all shops close for prayers around noon.

Going on a road trip can be a lot of fun.  You have the option of stopping at any place between home and your destination, and you’ll get to see a lot of different sights.  However, travelling by car for long distances can present some interesting challenges that other forms of travel don’t. First, you’ll have to make certain you never run out of petrol.  This means keeping an eye out for that last station before you reach unpopulated areas.  You’ll also want to watch the prices of petrol.  Stations along main roads are often more expensive than those on less-used city streets.  The last thing you want is to spend too much money or to find yourself stranded with an empty petrol tank. Second, you’ll want to schedule regular breaks in your trip.  You’ll need to stop for meals, to stretch, and to go to the bathroom.  However, you don’t want to stop too often for incidental things or you may end up behind schedule.  Also, if you plan on stopping anywhere for sightseeing, try to take care of several things at once.  For example, you should be able to do some sightseeing, eat, refill your car, and stock up on snacks all at the same time. Third, if you’re travelling somewhere you haven’t been before, it’s a good idea to either get maps off the internet or have a GPS.  While it is possible to navigate using an atlas, sometimes they aren’t as reliable as they should be, especially if you’re using older atlases.  Internet maps are often more updated.  If you have a GPS, you’ll be able to quickly and easily change your route without worrying about getting lost. Finally, take turns driving if possible.  While it may not seem like it, driving for several hours in a row can be very exhausting.  By rotating drivers, you’ll keep fresh and alert.

Travelling to a foreign city by yourself can be very exciting.  If you’re there on holiday, you can set your entire schedule.  You can get up when you want, go out when you want, and see whatever you want.  However, travelling alone can also be a bit scary since you won’t have anyone to turn to if an emergency occurs. For that reason, you want to be sure to do a couple of things.  First, you need to know your hotel’s contact information.  Program the front desk number into your mobile phone if you have one, and be certain to grab one of the hotel’s business cards (most have one) and carry it in your wallet or purse.  This way, you know the exact address and phone number in case you get lost or need to contact the hotel for any reason. Likewise, ask the hotel staff for the number of a cab company or for information regarding buses or trains.  If you get lost or find yourself sick or otherwise unable to get back to the hotel on your own, you will need to have some way of calling for assistance.  It’s also a good idea to know how to contact emergency services if you are travelling abroad since it is not always the same number. As a solo traveller, it’s also important that you be even more aware of your surroundings.  Don’t walk with your head down, and take note of anything that looks suspicious, especially if it is someone who appears to be following you. Of course, some safety tips are the same whether you’re travelling alone or with someone else.  Never carry a lot of cash in your purse or wallet, and don’t give out your room number.

A relaxing holiday in San Francisco may sound like a great idea, and it truly can be!  There is a lot to see in the city, especially if you’re adventurous and don’t mind doing a lot of walking up steep hills.  Here are just a few of the city’s highlights that you may want to put on your itinerary when you arrive in San Francisco.

The Golden Gate Bridge is, of course, one of the most well known landmarks in the city.  While it’s on the edge of the city proper, many who drive in to San Francisco from the north will have to cross the bridge to enter.  The bay area, the name for the area surrounding the San Francisco peninsula, is absolutely gorgeous.  Driving across or walking across the Golden Gate Bridge is a great way to experience these clear blue waters, but it can be a bit of a walk if you’re staying in one of the San Francisco hotels downtown. Interestingly there you can stay in the Presidio Inn at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The San Francisco Bay is also home to Alcatraz Island, one of the most famous prisons in history.  While it has served as a lighthouse, military base, and prison in the past, Alcatraz now serves as a tourist attraction and historic landmark.  Tours are available from the island, and a ferry takes tourists out to Alcatraz daily from Pier 33.

Another great highlight is Lombard Street, a street renowned for its twisted, windy path.  In fact, you can find postcards in San Francisco bearing the slogan, “I survived a cab ride up Lombard Street!”  It’s incredibly steep and going up (or, even more exciting, going down) the street has been compared to taking a roller coaster ride.  It may not be for the weak of heart, though.  Also, unless you’re used to driving on steep roads, visitors may want to avoid driving on Lombard Street.

There are many other locations to see in San Francisco besides these, of course, but these three are three of the most famous.  No trip to San Francisco is complete without seeing at least one of them!

When you go on a trip, even if it’s for business, you often feel compelled to purchase souvenirs both for yourself and for others.  This is especially true if you’re on holiday or if you’re going to a really nice location or travelling abroad for the first time.  However, you can get too caught up in souvenir shopping and blow both your budget and your luggage space.  Here are some tips for souvenir shopping to make sure it doesn’t get out of hand. First, make a list of people for whom you should buy souvenirs.  Check this list over and make certain everyone on it really does need a memento of your trip of a gift.  If not, consider marking them off the list.  Even though it’s tempting to do birthday or holiday shopping while on your trip, it may simply not be practical. Look for small gifts that are meaningful.  If you know someone who has their whole refrigerator covered in magnets, think about getting them a magnet or two.  These types of gifts are inexpensive and don’t take up too much room in your baggage.  Pencils, pens, and key chains are other small gifts that don’t take up much space. T-shirts are also good gifts that are both practical and can be rolled up fairly small.  However, size becomes an issue here.  If you aren’t certain of which size to buy someone, you may think of getting them something else so they won’t be disappointed and you won’t spend money on something that won’t be worn. If you do see something large that you absolutely must have, ask the store if they can ship it for you or if they can hold it while you inquire about shipping options.  If you’re shipping something, especially if you’re shipping it from abroad, you may find that the shipping fees are exorbitant.   Don’t buy it before you know if you can afford to send it home. Also try to avoid buying fragile items.  If you do, attempt to keep your fragile purchases small enough that you can fit them in your carry-on bag.  Putting fragile items in a checked bag is always a gamble.  No matter what, try to wrap up the item as much as you can.  Use t-shirts or other garments if you don’t have any other type of wrapping. Finally, think about replacing souvenirs with something else.  Postcards can be a great little way of saying “I’m thinking of you” without taking up much space or money.  You don’t have to send them, either—when you get back, purchase a picture frame for them and present the framed postcard as a picture.  This works really well for postcards that have full colour, vibrant images on the front.

When heading out of town for a long trip, you may need to rent a car once you reach your destination.  While this might sound like an easy task, it actually isn’t as simple as it may seem.  There are several things you need to keep in mind when booking your rental car. First, you need to book your rental car early.  In fact, you should book it as soon as you can, ideally while you’re making your lodging and travel arrangements.  Many of the smaller, cheaper cars are booked months in advance, and if you wait until you arrive to make your rental car arrangements, you may find that all the company has left are the more expensive luxury cars. When you’re looking at various rental cars, watch for those that do not have unlimited mileage.  If you select a car that has a limit on it, you may have to pay extra fees once you turn the car in.  On the other hand, cars with unlimited mileage are usually a little more expensive.  If you’re not going to be driving very far, you may want to select a car without unlimited mileage to save a little money. Often, you can get a better deal on a rental car if you rent it for a full week instead of five or six days.  This is actually good for you as well since it gives you a little more freedom in picking up and dropping off your rental car.  If you’re on a business trip, you may also be able to get the business rate, which is often cheaper. Finally, make certain the car you’re renting has enough room for everything and has all the extra features you need.  Check the space in the boot, the number of passengers you can carry, and what amenities the car comes with such as a GPS system or keyless entry.