What Your Friends At Sea Are Doing Today On Their Cruise

by Chris Owen on

If your friends at sea have been on their ship for a few days, the holiday decorations have probably blended in with their surroundings. They are no longer amazed at them. Still, there are plenty of other things for your friends at sea to do, or they could choose to do nothing at all – the other option after “you name it.”

Doing nothing is easy anywhere. At sea, crew members make an art out of enabling travelers to do nothing whatsoever. Ships equipped with enough spa treatments, pampering opportunities and free room service to make Cleopatra comfy, ply the waters of the world.

On the flip side, adventure travelers will find some unique opportunities for kayaking, trekking, hiking, climbing, cycling, horseback riding and more with updated off-ship shore explorations that are far from a ride around town in a tour bus.

Today, on Christmas Day, families around the world will get together to exchange gifts and have the biggest family dinner of the year. Friends and family may come from far away places to visit in an annual trek set for holiday merriment.

Today, on the high seas, cruise lines will have a special (perhaps keepsake) holiday menu, carolers will sing their traditional songs, inviting others to join in and children will delight in seeing Santa Claus. Holiday decorations were installed just before Thanksgiving and will run through the first of the year.

Many of those on board make sailing the way they do Christmas. We sailed for many years with our two daughters, often seeing other travelers we had sailed with over past holidays. On some sailings they would bring along a friend, others not.

All agreed after our first sailing that it “was the best vacation ever.” That’s something decision makers have to pay attention to when compared with other holiday options. Spending time with relatives that might not be as amiable as the total stranger just met on a cruise ship speaks volumes.
Parents like the idea because “we’re going on a cruise!” satisfies pretty much all the gift requests. In our family, the “family cruise” counted for birthday, anniversary and other special occasion gifts, making the premium price charged for a holiday sailing much more palatable.

Announced early, festive holiday cruise fans already know others before arriving on the ship via social media venues. After the sailing, those same venues will be used to keep in touch with friends they made on board for decades into the future.

I have often said in the past that if I could sail just one time of the year, over the December holidays would be that time.

No cooking.
No cleaning.
Some planning, but not much.
Fabulous destinations around the world visited via your cruise ship.

If there is such a thing as a holiday bargain, a cruise vacation for 2013 might be just what the family ordered. See how it goes today, then think about it.

[Photo Credit: Flickr user |vvaldzen|]

Photo Of The Day: Sunny Isles

by Chris Owen on

This Photo of the Day is titled “Sunny Isles” and comes from Gadling Flickr pool member Bens640. The scene is of a typical beach in Florida’s North Miami and, looking around the weather map, some of you could use a warm-weather photo to focus on.

I lived in the Midwest for about half a century before relocating to Florida almost a decade ago and saw plenty of ice, snow, stupid people driving during that “first snow” and breath-robbing sub-zero winds.

Similar photos helped.

Upload your best shots to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. Several times a week we choose our favorite images from the pool as a Photo of the Day.

[Photo Credit: Gadling Flickr pool member Bens640]

Last Minute Gifts For Your Cruise Traveler

by Chris Owen on

Last minute gift time is upon us and those waiting until the last minute to buy are looking for ideas – quickly. Well, here you go.

Onboard Credit – cash to spend on the ship – is always a welcome gift if your cruise traveler already has a cruise booked. You’ll need to find out their booking number, the name of the ship and the date it sails to make the order via most major cruise lines.

Internet time and other bon voyage gifts are available and can be bought right now with that same booking number/ship/sailing date information. Packages will vary from line to line but most offer them to be purchased in advance as they do bottles of wine, chocolate covered strawberries or other gifts.

These don’t have to cost much either. Bon Voyage Cakes from Carnival Cruise Lines start at $7.95. Royal Caribbean has a handy insulated water bottle holder for $13. Cruise lines also have thoughtful gift packages for birthdays, graduations, anniversaries and weddings that offer great value and make for a memorable sailing.Lunch with your travel agent can be one of the best ever gifts. Many agree that a good travel agent on their side when planning travel is a smart move. But finding a good agent can be a challenge for those that do not have one.

Getting to know a trusted travel professional can reap your traveler benefits now and come back to credit your gift-giving prowess years into the future. On this lunch, go along yourself and get the conversation started by recalling trips your good agent has helped with in the past.

A good book is always a pleasure to receive as a gift. Make it a book about maritime history and your die-hard cruise traveler will thank you sincerely. “Cunard Line: A Fleet History” by Peter Newell might work.

Too cruise-oriented? Your cruise traveler who likes to read at sea will appreciate a best seller or two … or seven. Many read a book or so each day of their cruise vacation that appropriately allows such time. Current, relevant travel writings by someone who has been to the same places your cruise traveler has booked will result in knowledge gained. Guidebooks may or may not have similar success.

Travelers with tablets and smartphones will like a gift card from their favorite book supplier. Still, there’s something about sitting on the deck of a cruise ship as it plies the ocean with an actual book in your actual hands that actually, physically turn the pages.

Need more ideas? Check this CNN Travel Gift Guide video:


[Image credit- Flickr user Lamp-tramp]

Photo Of The Day: Trekking Chadar

by Meg Nesterov on


Today’s Photo of the Day sort of resembles what many of us will experience when traveling over the coming holiday week, or at least, it can feel like a trek. Flickr user arunchs shot this on the famous Chadar Trek, one of the most majestic but challenging in the world. These people are actually crossing the frozen Zanskar River in India, walking over the slippery and icy surfaces of the Himalayas, often carrying luggage on their backs in inhospitable conditions. Some Buddhist monks will walk across the chadar (ice) in their bare feet, so consider that next time you complain about removing your shoes for airport security.

Want to wow us with your travel photos? Add them to the Gadling Flickr pool for another Photo of the Day. Happy holiday trekking!

[Photo credit: Flickr user arunchs]

Travel By Car Driving Obesity Epidemic, Say Researchers

by Chris Owen on

Holiday travel by car might be less expensive than flying, a train trip or a Christmas cruise to festive destinations, but new research urges caution while driving – not for safety’s sake, but because of a direct relationship suggested between body mass index (BMI), calories consumed and automobile travel.

A new study by University of Illinois researchers suggests that both daily automobile travel and calories consumed are related to body weight. Reducing either one, even a little bit, correlates with a reduction in body mass index (BMI), the study found.

“We’re saying that making small changes in travel or diet choices may lead to comparable obesity reduction, which implies that travel-based interventions may be as effective as dietary interventions,” says graduate student Banafsheh Behzad in a Business Standard report.

Using publicly available data on national average BMI, caloric intake and driving habits, the study found that driving just one mile a day less can make a difference.

“One mile is really not much,” Behzad says. “If they would just consider even taking the bus, walking the distance to the bus stop could have an impact like eating 100 calories less per day. The main thing is paying attention to caloric intake and moving more, together, can help reduce BMI.”

Great idea. But if I walked to the bus stop I would have to swing by the gas station on the way to buy donuts, “for the trip,” throwing the national BMI way off track.

On the other hand, childhood obesity is declining, probably because little kids don’t drive. This video tells the story:

[Photo Credit- Flickr user mor10am]