How to Pack for a Luxury World Cruise

With the popularity of luxury world cruises growing, there are more and more people asking for advice once they have decided that a world cruise is the vacation of their dreams. Keeping in mind that most world cruises last between 100 and 250 days, there are a lot of things to think about. One of the most often asked question is, “What should we pack?” Here are a few helpful suggestions, and though some may seem obvious, it is important to have a running list so that you don’t get confused about what you have or have not packed. After all, you will be gone the greater part of a year, so be prepared!
Clothing
Travelers interested in a luxury world cruise should not pack a new outfit for each day. To make your wardrobe appear fresh without overdoing it, pack about ten tops and bottoms that can be mixed and matched, and bring accent pieces such as scarves and attention getting shoes to spice up your looks. You will be doing a lot of walking, so bring at least 20 pairs of socks. You should also bring about five pairs of shoes, three which are comfortable and made for walking. Chances are your boat will have a swimming pool, so make sure you include your swimsuit. A windbreaker and a coat are a must, so that no matter how mild or cold the weather is, you are prepared. You should also be prepared for formal nights, and bring about three formal outfits.
Electronics
You may not think of bringing electronics on your luxury world cruise, but there are some items that you may need in order to continue the lifestyle you are used to at home. First and foremost, bring a power strip and/or outlet converter. Check to make sure your ship is equipped with USA outlets, and if not bring the appropriate converters. Chances are there will only be one or two outlets in your cabin, and this will help you tremendously. Of course, bring your camera. If you are using a film camera, be sure to bring lots and lots of extra film. If you are using digital, you should bring an extra memory card and a charging cable. You may also want to bring a laptop so that you can download your pictures instantly. A laptop will also help you keep in touch with family and privately access the internet in your cabin. You might also pack an alarm clock to ensure that you don’t miss any early morning activities.
Paperwork
There are certain important documents you will want to bring on your luxury world cruise. The first and most often forgotten is your passport. Although it is true that most cruise ships will not require you to bring your passport, when going on a world cruise you should definitely bring one. Chances are you will be visiting upwards of twenty countries, and should something happen to prevent you from reembarking the ship, that passport is the only item that stands between you and being stranded. You should keep several copies of your passport and ID. You should have one extra copy in a completely random place on your body every time you leave the ship (such as your shoe), one in your cabin safe, one in your luggage and one checked with the ship’s purser. It is also a good idea to bring your insurance card, and a prescription card if you have one. There will be an onboard doctor, but to avoid any extremely expensive charges made because of health care, present your card when you are treated. It is a good idea to keep several copies of these as well.
Packing the right clothing, electronics and paperwork can be vital to the success of your luxury world cruise. Arriving prepared will give you peace of mind. Packing right will also save you money in the long run, so that you do not have to purchase overpriced items at the onboard boutique or abroad, unless you want to.
A luxury world cruise is the adventure of a lifetime, and now that you know what to pack, you can look forward to embarking on an adventure full of excitement and empty of worry.

Trip to Finland

Capital: Helsinki
Area: 338145km2
Population: 5200000
Language: Finnish, Swedish
Currency: Euro (EUR)

Finland offers such variety throughout its vast landscape that it’s best to learn a bit about the cities and regions before you go. That way you can plan to experience a taste of all the many facets of Finland!

From the Baltic Sea to the Arctic CircleThe seventh-largest Western European country, Finland is nestled between Sweden, Norway and Russia, with the Baltic countries to the south, separated by the Gulf of Finland. Its borders stretch from its capital city of Helsinki on the southern coast, up to the expansive and sparsely inhabited landscape of Lapland above the Arctic Circle. Finland is home to untouched forests, 187,888 crystal-clear lakes, 179,584 islands and 5,100 rapids. Surrounding Helsinki is the culturally and historically rich King’s Road. This scenic southern region stretches west of Helsinki to the 770-year-old former capital of Turku and east to the spectacular Lake District. Finland’s southern coastline is also cradled by a thousand islands, forming a breathtaking archipelago--the largest in Europe.Land of the Midnight SunWarmed by the Gulf Stream, this Scandinavian country enjoys a climate similar to that of New England and the Great Lakes region of the United States—with four very distinct seasons. In the summertime, the lush countryside basks in the warm, nurturing rays of the sun that shines for 15 hours a day! In the northern regions, the sun remains high in the sky for two months, shining 24 hours a day. Between the months of October and April, Finland becomes a vibrant and glowing festival of lights. Fondly referred to as the “Lively Season,” visitors have a wealth of cultural and historical attractions from which to choose. No matter where you visit in Finland, from the spectacular archipelago in the south to exotic Lapland in the north, you will find a vibrant, friendly country of sophistication, fascinating history and unspoiled natural beauty—where English is widely spoken.

Colorado Ski Vacations

Colorado is among the best ski vacation destinations in the United States. The state offers many different ski resorts in its entity. A visitor to Colorado will have a variety of options from which to choose, with several piste and off-piste available. There are piste suitable for beginners, intermediates, and expert skiers abundant throughout the state.

A traveler to Colorado is bound to experience the friendliness of its people, high levels of service, and splendid accommodations. There is a variety of food available in Colorado, and every selection is a treat to the taste buds. Exploring the array of ski resorts available would be a good way to spend your ski vacation in Colorado. With the varied black, red, blue, and green piste; off-piste; and après-ski facilities available in Colorado, you won’t be deprived of a good ski vacation.

While there are many ski resorts throughout the state, some of the most well-known ski resorts in Colorado include Aspen, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Telluride, Vail, and Winter Park to name a few.
Colorado is a splendid ski vacation destination offering some memorable moments to cherish, whether you are a ski aficionado or not. There are many travel agencies offering you great deals for a ski vacation in Colorado. The best way to find one is to search the Internet and find yourself a better deal that suits your budget. Once a deal is fixed, pack your bags and necessary gears and fly off to Colorado to explore its ski resorts.

Senior Travel

Traveling is a luxury many seniors enjoy. The planning, preparation, adventure, and return, is all part of the delight that the phrase “travel for seniors” implies. One of the most common methods of travel is by air. Air travel today has changed dramatically in the past 60 years. What was once a privilege for the few has now become standard fare.
For many passengers, a cramped seating arrangement is a problem. Particularly for seniors traveling, they face issues with swelling of the legs and muscle and joint pain. However, it doesn’t have to be this way. Seniors planning on traveling can take additional herbal supplements and do regular stretches to promote circulation and general health.
One of the other dilemmas faced by senior travelers is airline food. Back “in the day” food was served as part of the flight—whether you liked it or not. Now, meals are minimal and must be purchased. So, traveling seniors with special diet restrictions or allergies must now make additional preparation for how to plan a trip well.



Drinks are still readily available when traveling by air. However, some seniors when traveling may forget the need to drink plenty of water. Although sodas, coffee, tea, and juice are acceptable, they should never be a substitute for good ol’ fashion H2O when traveling.
Medications are often a problem for traveling seniors. You want to enjoy your trip as much as possible and don’t want the hassle of supplements and pills. Yet your health is also necessary for enjoying your travel. Seniors may need to consult a physician before taking extended flights to ensure all medical needs are handled. It may be important for you to continue taking medication on a regular schedule.
Seniors traveling by air have the assistance of flight attendants. These individuals are usually very competent, knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. They can assist in addressing specific concerns of traveling seniors; they can also provide helpful suggestions. After all, they’ve probably helped thousands of passengers before you!
Finally, seniors—just like any passenger—need to bring something to do on board. The movies are not always appealing to passengers. Traveling seniors may rather enjoy a good book and a pair of headphones.
So, if you—or a senior you know—is looking to do some travel by air, consider some of these travel tips. For traveling seniors, an airplane ride can still hold a thrill.

Traveling by train

Have you ever considered traveling by train across the United States or Europe? Most people in the United States do not consider train travel as a good option, but it may be time to think again. When you think of traveling by train, you may think of all of the commuter trains, but to truly experience train travel you need to look at it in a new light. With the cost of gasoline and also air travel on the rise, it may be time for the relaxing, smooth and carefree way to see the country-traveling by train.
Train travel in the United States is by no means a new thing. A century ago it was the best way to get from one point to another. Airplane and car travel was very new and most people could not afford it. However, it was not long before traveling by train became a thing of the past as air and automobile travel became faster and more efficient. People take trains now for commuting. Just a select few enjoy traveling by train for nostalgic reasons. You can still catch the Trans-Continental Railway across Canada, or the Durango to Silverton train in Colorado, or the Grand Canyon railway to the South Rim.
In Europe, on the other hand it is a different story. Traveling by train is the norm rather than the exception in many areas. It is expensive to own and operate a car, so people take the train. Visitors as well as natives take the train not only to get around town, but also to get from city to city and country to country. If you get a Euro rail pass and a passport, you can go virtually anywhere. These passes can be purchased online or at a station.
Train travel in the U.S. may experience a rebirth of sorts in the future as people try to control travel costs as well as slow down the busy pace of their lives. Many train operating companies offer great discounts and deals for travelers and students. If you want to take a train, get on board.

Cheap Asian Travel Tips

Traveling in Asia can be ridiculously cheap and fun if you know what you’re doing. Cheap Asian travel is done by being intelligent with your cash and being well informed of what is going on. Last year when I was in Thailand the ratio of the dollar to the thai baht currency was about 40 baht to 1 dollar, now it is about 30 to 1! Paying attention to the local politics and what is going on in the world is just one of many ways that you can make Asian travel cheap.
One of the most basic things for cheap asian travel is to live like the locals. This doesn’t mean that you are going to be out the rice fields work from dawn to dusk like some of the locals, but you will have a similar lifestyle that will also add a lot of culture to your trip. Instead of eating at that nice Westerner restaurant go down and eat from one of the street stalls. You’ll have a blast eating with the locals and attempting to communicate with them and you’ll also get a chance to really sample some of the local flavor that is quite good. Don’t worry about getting sick, the locals wouldn’t be eating there if they were getting sick, so you shouldn’t either.
One of the biggest keys to cheap asian travel is how you decide to go about seeing asia. Clearly if you want to fly it’s going to cost you quite a bit more then the local bus. Now there are some tourist busses that are great and get you to where you need to go for cheap, but be warned, there is a reason for why they are cheap. One of the reasons is that they stop at specific locations for meals that are out in the middle of nowhere so they can jack the prices up. So if you do take these busses take a sack meal or bit the bullet and pay the jacked up prices. The best option in my opinion for cheap asian travel is to take the local bus. You’ll experience that countries culture up close and directly and you’ll be doing it for the same price as the locals themselves.
There are plenty of great tips about cheap asian travel on my blog at http://bumtravel.wordpress.com but the most basic thing to remember is “Live like the locals and follow what they do.” They live there, they know the prices and are going to do what is going to save them the most money, so follow their lead and watch for where they eat, how they travel and where they shop.