'Personal Choice Cruising' Aboard Princess Cruise Lines' Love Boats!

From its modest beginnings in 1965 with a single cruise ship traveling to Mexico, Princess Cruise Lines has grown to become one of the world's premier cruise lines. Its fleet carries more than 800,000 passengers each year to nearly 260 ports-of-call worldwide! Princess Cruise Lines prides itself in striving to evolve to meet the desires of today's cruise vacationers.One of the most recognized lines in the world, Princess Cruise Lines was catapulted into the limelight in 1977 when the cruise ship Pacific Princess was given the starring role in the television show "The Love Boat". This television series was instrumental in introducing the millions of viewers to the "new" concept of vacationing on the seas. Even today when many people think of cruises they think of the "Love Boats".The Princess Cruise Lines fleet has grown considerably from its humble beginnings. The well known "Seawitch" logo is now sported on fifteen magnificent cruise ships with more to come.The Princess Cruise Lines' Grand class includes six cruise ships. With seating for over 2,600 guests, this class features some of the most innovative amenities to be found on cruise ships.When debuted in 1995, the Princess Cruise Lines' Sun class set a new standard in cruise ships' designs. Seating over 1,950 guests, the five vessels offered a host of onboard choices.For a small ship atmosphere coupled with today's modern amenities, the Princess Cruise Lines' Explorer class is the choice. The four cruise ships in this class offer seating for about 670 discerning guests.Princess Cruises is one of the dozen or more lines included in the Carnival Corporation. Offering one of the widest number of destinations, they offer more than 150 itineraries that range from seven to seventy-two days. The fabulous cruise ships travel to all seven continents.Today, Princess Cruise Lines' signature emphasis is on "Personal Choice Cruising". Each vessel in the fleet offers its own version with multiple dining choices, varied entertainment selections and a wide range of activities and amenities. Princess guests can create their own personal vacation experience suited to their special preferences and needs.Want to enhance your Princess Cruise Lines experience? All you have to do is take advantage of the lines' "Adventure Ashore" program which features more than 1,500 port excursions. The company is also expanding its cruise/tour itineraries which offer passengers a seamless vacation package adding a full land tour to their cruise.The Princess Cruise Lines has won numerous awards and accolades. Many cruise magazines have awarded them with titles like "Best Cruise Line", "Clients' Favorite", and "Cruise Line of the Year". The individual ships have won many awards as well. Other winning award categories for Princess include Environmental, Safety, Access, Medical, Onboard Features, Itineraries, Marketing, Website and Reservations.Princess cruises offer wonderful itineraries aboard fabulous ships. But are Princess cruises the right choice for your? With so many cruise lines marketing fantastic cruises and cruise ships, how can you be sure? Are you somewhat confused as to which cruise line may be best for your cruise vacation? If you have any questions or concerns, please drop us a note at info@a1-discount-cruises.com, add "cruise question" in the subject line and we will try to help.Brian A Schmidt is the author and web publisher of a1-discount-cruises.com your #1 source for cruise information, discounts and great deals! Visit http://www.a1-discount-cruises.com to book your fabulous cruise vacation! For more interesting articles visit our Article Map pages.

Top Caribbean Destinations For Cruise Vacations

With hundreds of islands to visit, the Caribbean has been a favorite cruise destination for many years. However, the Caribbean is far more than just one destination. In fact, within the "Caribbean" label, there are literally hundreds of islands and many ports of call from which to choose. Each of the destinations has a different and unique flavor, and many cruises want to show you what they are all about. If you are considering a Caribbean cruise for your vacation, take a look at these top Caribbean destinations for cruise vacations.The BahamasThe Bahamas are among the most popular Caribbean cruise destinations of all. The Bahamas offer an international flavor without being too unfamiliar to English-speaking tourists. While you will need a passport to travel to the Bahamas, once you get there the environment will be comfortably familiar. Many Caribbean cruises anchor at Grand Bahama Island, where visitors can take advantage of shopping at Freeport and the casinos and opulent resorts of Nassau.BermudaBermuda is a pastel confection of an island, famous for its pink sand beaches and pastel colored cottages. It is a favorite port of call and Caribbean cruise destination with several cruise ships a day anchoring at St. George's for memorable shore excursions. Visitors to the island can enjoy a round of golf or take a cruise on a glass bottom boat to view the astounding undersea life around the island.ArubaIf you are looking for nightlife with an international flavor, Aruba is the best place to visit. The little island is one of the more developed in the Caribbean, with top-shelf luxury resorts and flashy nightclubs and casinos. Daytime activities include wind-surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and lying around on their beautiful beaches. At night, the resort comes alive with discos and nightclubs for those who want to party all night long.The Cayman IslandsGrand Cayman, the largest of the Cayman Islands, is the best spot in the Caribbean for spectacular scuba diving and snorkeling. Just offshore, the land drops away creating some of the most amazing and awe-inspiring underwater venues in the world. Grand Cayman is a haven for shoppers who will find dozens of duty free shops lining the streets. For those who want to enjoy the underwater world, there are cant-miss shore excursions that include snorkeling, swimming with the sting-rays, or touring around in a glass-bottom boat, so that visitors can enjoy the scenery without getting too wet.The U.S. Virgin IslandsCharlotte Amalie, the major city on St. Thomas, is easily the busiest port of call in the Caribbean. The pretty little town is one of the most developed in the islands, offering wonderful shopping, lovely resorts and excellent restaurants. Charlotte Amalie features nearly 400 duty-free shops, making it the stop of choice for those with serious shopping addictions. While St. Croix is the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, it is far less developed, and shore excursions to St. Croix often visit historic sites or enjoy eco-tours and bike excursions around the island. The third island, St. John, is the smallest of the three U.S. Virgin Islands, and generally considered the most scenic of all the islands. A large portion of St. John is set aside as the Virgin Islands National Park, making it an ideal destination for hikers and those who love nature.Montego BayPopularized by the catchy song, Montego Bay, Jamaica remains one of the most famous ports of call in the Caribbean. Montego Bay is the second largest city on the island of Jamaica, famed for its white sand beaches and cosmopolitan flair. It offers luxury resorts, world-class restaurants, golf courses and rowdy nightlife that are famed worldwide. One visit to Montego Bay, affectionately called M-Bay in the islands, and you will be singing along with Bobby Bloom in his homage to the hypnotic island town.Trinidad and TobagoThe tiny island nations of Trinidad and Tobago often get short shrift when discussing Caribbean destinations, but they are full of tropical flavor and fun. Trinidad is the home of the steel drum, that quintessentially Caribbean musical instrument with an unmistakably tropical sound. Both Trinidad and Tobago offer long stretches of beautiful beachfront for sports and leisure, as well as tropical rain forests for hiking and sightseeing. Trinidad is famous for its party carnival atmosphere while Tobago is more relaxed and famed for its island nature tours.The cities and islands on the list above are by no means the only destinations for vacation cruises in the Caribbean, but they should definitely be on your short list of ports of call to visit. There are many other islands and cities that your cruise may visit so take time to check over your cruise itinerary and choose shore excursions at the cruise destinations you most enjoy.

Brian Jenkins is a freelance writer who writes about vacationing, often discussing a specific kind trip such as cruise vacations.