9 Cruise Trips You Are Sure to Love

There are so many places to go and things to see, and I have a lot of ideas for amazing cruise trips. I enjoy exploring glaciers in Alaska and wonderful tropical beaches in Hawaii. And what about you? Whatever your dream, check out a few cruise trips you will definitely love.

1. Alaska

Most people think of cruising as a perfect way to visit some tropical places. However, there are many amazing Alaskan cruises departing every year in summer from such locations as Vancouver and Seattle. Explore glaciers, plan a whale watch and don’t forget to attend a salmon bake.

2. Caribbean islands

From Puerto Rico, St. Maarten to Jamaica, the Caribbean is one of the most popular destinations for cruisers any time of the year. No matter whether you’re going to learn about an island’s history, shop, or just chill out at the beach, you will definitely enjoy your trip.

3. Hawaii

Whether you depart directly from Honolulu or sail across from the mainland, there’s surely nothing more romantic and amazing than traveling from island to island with your love. And the best thing about visiting all Hawaii is that you will gather lots of ideas about which island you would like to visit again in the future.

4. New England and Canada

Cruises throughout Canada and New England allow you to enjoy all the best entertainment and food. With stops in such cities as Halifax, Portland and Boston, you are sure to be impressed by breathtaking scenery each step of the way. I’m going to take the cruise this fall and I can’t wait for this moment!

5. Bahamas

Want a quick tropical getaway? A cruise to the Bahamas offers the great chance to relax and enjoy beautiful landscapes and scenery. Even if your cruise is short there are still a lot of fun things to do. Plan to swim with dolphins, to go snorkeling or experience parasailing.

6. Europe

European cruises are popular choices for people who want to experience the best of the Old World. Many companies offer unique options, such as sailing along the Danube, Main and Rhine, so check them out when planning your next trip. Whether you stick to the sea or travel by river, both of adventurers and history buffs are sure to have a great time.

7. Australia and New Zealand

Cruising in Australia and New Zealand gives you a wonderful opportunity to take in everything from unique wildlife species to the Great Barrier Reef. Often these cruises last more than a week, so you will definitely get the absolute most out of your trip.

8. Bermuda

The turquoise waters and pink sands of Bermuda are something that attracts more and more tourists from all parts of the world to this destination year-round. June, July and August are the best months to visit Bermuda, when beaches are in high demand, a majority of itineraries are ready to launch and tour operators offer parasailing, scuba, snorkel and sailboat tours. You will have the wide selection of ships, itineraries and home ports during the peak season. Another great thing is that the water temperature reaches 85-degrees or warmer.

9. Cayman Islands

They are pristine and electrifying! From wonderful white beaches and amazing underwater reefs to breathtaking cliffs spouting waterfalls, the Cayman Island area is a piece of heaven on Earth! The biggest draws are scuba diving and underwater snorkeling. There are many shipwrecks nearby, which divers can visit and there are thousands of colorful tropical fish.

What amazing cruise trips have you been on? Share your thoughts, please!

9 Fantastic Winter Festivals You Shouldn’t Miss

Among the most popular holidays in the winter season are Christmas and New Year. Most people usually associate these holidays with plenty of snow, but snow and frost are not everywhere and while we are enjoying the frosty and snowy winter in the United States and Europe, people have summer. Here is the list of the most interesting and entertaining winter festivals in different countries. If you want to embrace the world of winter festivals, take a look at my list.

1. La Tamborrada, San Sebastian, Spain

This festival is a wonderful mixture of the beat of blues and drum. It takes place in San Sebastian, a popular town near the sea. During that festival many people dressed in uniforms march through the streets towards Saint Donostia de San Sebastian. Who is their patron. Parading is accompanied with drumbeats. You can join this festival on the 19th of January 2014. You are expected to take the following musical instruments: maracas, tambourine etc.

2. Mevlana Festival, Konya, Turkey

This festival in Turkey is not so much popular around the world. It is dedicated to the great poet Celaleddin Rumi. Usually this holiday is celebrated during a week. The festival focuses on the ideas of Rumi who was convinced that people can reach the union with Allah while dancing. Annually hundreds of people take part in this festival. You can see them dancing in loose clothing and skirts. That is a great attraction for many people. Every year this holiday lasts from the 10th of December till the 17th.

3. Up Helly-Aa, Lerwick, Scotland

One of the most interesting winter festivals is Up Helly-Aa. It is held in a small town Lerwick in Scotland. If you lack some madness and craziness in your life you should obviously visit this holiday. You will see there people wearing Vikings costumes. In such way they celebrate the history of the Shetland Isles. The witnesses of the festival can observe a spectacular ceremony of burning a huge Viking ship. It has a natural size. During 11 hours the visitors of the event can entertain while drinking, singing and dancing. But if you are a tourist you should remember that only local inhabitants can take part in celebration. You will have a nice opportunity to drink something while watching that magnificent performance. The spirit of the festival is great. If you want to enjoy it and feel all the craziness you are welcome to visit it on the 31st of January 2014.

4. Bodhi Day, World Over

For those people who prefer quiet and peaceful celebrations Bodhi Day is the best choice. At this festival participants celebrate the awakening of Budha. It initiates the achievement of Nirvana. If someone wants to feel peace, comfort and relax he is sure to take part in this festival. A lot of decorations can be seen on the houses of people who celebrate this occasion. They can be colored lights. It is a tradition to decorate ficus trees. This winter festival is celebrated on the 8th of December. You are welcome!

5. Ice And Snow Festival, Harbin, China

There is a great number of winter festivals where you can see much snow. But Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin is something special. Those who decided to visit it must wear warm gloves, a scarf and a hat. Tourists from different countries come to Chine to witness this wonderful festival. Different events are represented here such as artistic, cultural and athletic. The visitors of the festival are usually involved in a great amount of activities. The attraction of the show is extraordinary firework. The opportunities for visitors vary greatly. There you can do figure skating to go to the theatre. No matter which preferences you have, the Ice and Snow Festival memories will stay in your mind for years. Every person should visit this winter festival at least once in a lifetime. Usually it lasts from the 5th of January till the 28th of February.

6. Bikaner Camel Festival Rajasthan, India

At this festival all attention is focused on camels. You can see camels everywhere: in decoration, dancing camels, racing camels. It is a real excitement. The celebrations are held in the desert not so far from the city. Different competitions and racings can be observed there. At night the visitors of the event can dance and watch fireworks. For those who like extreme there are fire dances. I recommend you to visit this festival. You will never have such a great chance to see that exotic festival in winter. You will certainly enjoy it. This holiday is celebrated 2 days on the 18th and 19th of January, in Bikaner, Rajastan.

7. Fiesta Grande, Andacollo, Chile

Andacollo is a small mining town in Chile. It is very quiet. But one day every year it becomes really busy and alive. People here celebrate the festival which commemorates Virgen del Rosario, saint patron of the miners. This holiday is full of various activities. There you can watch ceremonial and traditional dances, cock fighting, horse racing and help yourself to delicious foods and drinks. If you decided to have a fantastic and exciting celebration of Christmas you must obviously visit Andacollo during this festival. It is held on the 24th, 25th and 26th of December.

8. Full Moon Party, Koh Phangan, Thailand

When visit this festival you will have the most exotic New Year’s Eve in your life. In what other place you can feel the atmosphere of palm trees, beaches and music? And all that in winter. This is really great event. Near 30, 000 people enjoy the celebration this night. Usually some popular DJs entertain participants with their club music. Thailand is not the only place where you can visit Full Moon Parties. They take place in different parts of South East Asia and even in Australia. But in Koh Phangan you will have unforgettable New Year’s Eve. That is the greatest party of the world!

9. Thaipusam Festival, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

It is the brightest festival which takes place in Kuala Lumpur every year. It attracts millions of people. At this event people express their faith and the worship of the God in different ways. For example some can carry pots of milk on their heads. That shows people’s devotion to the God. Others can climb 272 steps to the shrine of Lord Murugan. Some crazy participants can even pierce their tongue or cheeks. The best way to feel great and mysterious spirit of people’s devotion to the God is visiting this holiday. Come here on the 7th of February and you will never forget this fascinating atmosphere.

Which of these festivals do you like and want to visit? Feel free to share your thoughts!

9 Tried and True Ways to Save Money for Traveling

Nowadays travel excuses are everywhere. The most common excuses for not traveling are ‘I can’t afford it’ and ‘I don’t have time.’ But traveling is one of the most wonderful and memorable experiences you have in your life time. You can afford to travel, you just need to find some ways to save money for it. Check out my list of tried and true ways to save money for traveling.

1. Stop shopping

Every woman loves shopping and it’s so difficult to quit shopping! But if you want to relax on the pristine sandy beach or walk the ancient streets of European countries, you should save money. While shopping is amazing, it will not get you to your desired destination any sooner. So hold back and don’t buy that beautiful dress, it will be there later and even on sale when you return from your trip!

2. Cancel your gym membership

I know, paying for a gym membership makes it much easier to motivate yourself to exercise, but canceling it is one of the best ways to save money for traveling. After all, gym membership can cost from $25 to $100 a month and it’s pricey! Exercising is something that doesn’t require a specific place or much equipment. Working out in the house or running in the neighborhood is a great option!

3. Go to the library

If you like reading and you buy a lot of books every month, stop buying them and start borrowing! Visit your local library and you will find many interesting books! I have a huge stack of books and I prefer to buy the books. I’m not against libraries but owning and borrowing are two absolutely different things. However, when I want to go somewhere, I save money on books by going to the library!

4. Save on your morning coffee

When I go to work early in the morning, I always drink my Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks. I like it, but the only problem is that it costs me $4.79. It may not seem like a big deal, but it can really add up over time. $4.97, 5 days a week is $24.85, for a month it’s about $100 and for a year it’s around $1,200! That’s why I start saving on my morning coffee and advise you to do the same!

5. Bring your own lunch

Plan your own lunch and take it to work with you. It will save you a lot of money as well as all those unwanted calories. Perhaps the best thing about bringing your lunch to work is that you decide what you want to eat. This means that you will eat healthier and save money for traveling! I always take some healthy and tasty salad or some fruits to work for lunch.

6. Do your own nails

Every woman likes to get her nails done. Getting your nails done is amazing, but it can be a little pricey, especially if you go every week. If you like traveling, but don’t have money, start doing your own nails! I know it sounds strange, but it will actually help to save some money.

7. Watch good old movies

Stop renting a movie and watching all those TV shows or movies on Netflix, because all these things cost you tons of money. If you have a large stack of good movies, why not watch them? Sure, they are old, but free and favorites. Save a few dollars and re-watch all those movies.

8. Get a part-time job

If you don’t want to watch all those old movies and you have plenty of free time in the evening, then take a part-time job. You won’t be bored and earn some extra money. If you calculate right, it will cut your waiting time to travel in third! You can even try to turn your hobby into a home business! Excellent! 

9. Opt for rewards credit cards

To tell the truth, I don’t like recommend credit cards, but rewards credit cards could come in handy when traveling. There are even some travel rewards credit cards for rewards bonus. It will redeem miles for airline tickets, car rentals and hotels. Apply for a credit card and use it for a few months while traveling, but don’t forget to pay it off each month.

There are numerous ways to save money for traveling. You just need to find the best one that you can stick. Have you tried any of these ways to save money for traveling? Do you have any other tips? Please share them!