rrzoo blog

Cruise holidays to the Mediterranean or the Caribbean have become so popular that most of the liners destined for such locations are either over-crowded or over-priced. Therefore, it is time for you to discover fresh locations, and indulge in some romantic sightseeing! Norway, for example, is a great getaway, especially if you have a romantic cruise holiday in mind. Recently, a number of vacation-liner agencies have announced special discounts for couples.

Norway, or all of Scandinavia for that matter, can be a perfect romantic destination, especially for people who love reveling in nature’s beauty.

So what are the aspects of a Norwegian cruise holiday that should convince you of investing time and money in planning one in the near future? Come let’s find out:

Fjords – Fjords, or narrow inlets of water caused due to glacier activity, are the main attraction of Norwegian coastlines. The scenic beauty of these, especially with mountainous sides rising up from both sides of the water body, is majestic. Western Norway has an abundance of these, including Naeroyfjord and Geirangerfjord. This makes the region a cruise holiday hotspot even during the off-season. Four other regions are also worth mentioning – Sogn & Fjordane, Hordaland, More & Romsdal, and Rogaland.
Oslo – The capital city of Norway is an amalgamation of modern innovations and Viking-era architecture. One can easily feel the pulse of the nature close by while enjoying in state-of-the-art amusement parks in TusenFryd.
Cultural Heritage – Vikings and their valor have always inspired respect and interest from people of rest of the world. Norway has kept this historical culture alive in various ways.
Aurora Borealis – If you are on a cruise holiday to this Scandinavian country, chances are high that you will get to watch this amazing natural spectacle, commonly called ‘Northern Lights’. The unearthly shimmer and glow of the Aurora Borealis will make the cruise holiday more memorable!

A great vacation trip on a liner does not necessarily mean having fun only on the ship itself. It does include a thorough exploration of the destinations, especially for those who love the taste of adventure.

You can easily locate the best prices for a cruise holidays to Norway, without help from shrewd travel agents. Online portals like ‘Ezeego1.co.in’ have made it really easy for people like you to book trips to exotic travel destinations sitting right at home.

A cruise down the world’s longest river is the perfect way to spend your holidays in Egypt. There are many Nile cruise holidays to choose from, however travelling from Aswan down to Luxor on the Oberoi Zahra Cruise is a luxurious choice and a fantastic way to visit some of Egypt’s most famous temples and tombs.

Aswan

When you select the Oberoi Zhara Nile Cruise, your holiday in Egypt begins in Aswan, where the Old Cataract Hotel is based. This hotel was famously the inspiration for Agatha Christie’s ‘Death on the Nile’ and, as a consequence, the hotel in Egypt has attracted everyone from Princess Diana to Margaret Thatcher. Enjoying afternoon tea on the famous hotel balcony, whilst overlooking the Nile, is an experience to remember on your holiday in Egypt. However, you should be warned that there is an entrance fee for the famous Grand Terrace.

Whilst the cruise docks in Aswan you can also visit the famous Temple of Philae. During the evening you can attend a spectacular sound and light show on the temple grounds. Philae Temple is dedicated to Osiris and is even considered to be one of the burial places of the ancient winged god.

Abu Simbel

No holiday in Egypt is complete without a trip to Abu Simbel. Visiting this breathtaking site is possible during a Nile cruise holiday. Abu Simbel consists of two massive rock temples situated on the banks of Lake Nasser. The temples were carved during the reign of Rameses II and depict him and Queen Nefertari to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh. If you can arrange your holiday in Egypt during the month of October then you should definitely attempt to visit the festival on the 22nd. On this date at sunrise, shafts of light illuminate the statues of Ramses, Ra and Amun, leaving Ptah, the god of darkness, firmly in the shadows. Ramses arranged this bout of architectural egotism to commemorate his birthday and coronation, the temple also lights up in February. However due to the fact that the temple was moved during the 1960s, the festival now takes place a day later than Ramses had originally intended.

Luxor

Luxor is the final port of call for your Nile cruise holiday in Egypt and it is from here that you can arrange an excursion to the nearby Valley of the Kings. Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs were buried in this valley for nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th centuries BC. The valley is known to contain over 63 tombs and the most famous of these is that of Tutankhamen. The tombs at the Valley of the Kings differ in size from a simple pit to a more complex tomb with over 120 differing chambers. Whilst on your holidays in Egypt you can also visit the Temple of Luxor which has a dromos of Sphinx connecting it to the nearby Karnak Temple. Between Karnak and Luxor Temples is the famous Mummification Museum which features everything you could possibly want to know about mummification and even has a few mummified remains for you to look at. Luxor’s bustling bazaars are the perfect place to end your holidays in Egypt and as they sell all manner of items, from effigies of ancient gods to spices and fragrant incense, they are the perfect place to pick up a souvenir or two of your Nile cruise adventure.

If you are thinking of a perfect holiday or a special treat for yourself and your family, why not consider a cruise in the Caribbean? Cruise holidays will give you the opportunity to explore the exotic world of the many picturesque islands under ‘one roof’ of a luxury vessel. Combining the dining experience and entertainment on board with the beach life and cultural exploring of the variety of islands is a unique way of escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday working life. On a cruise holiday you can immerse yourself in the wonderful world of palm lined powdery sand beaches on land or discover the underwater life of the surrounding reefs. And, in the evenings, sail off to the amazing sunsets whilst sipping your favourite cocktail on the top deck. The morning on your cruise is sure to bring many more ports and exotic surprises…

While you cruise the Caribbean, you can enjoy the comforts of your well equipped luxury cabin, take walks on the well designed promenades, sample various international cuisines, watch variety shows, play tennis, swim and even experience the thrill of climbing walls. Travelling with kids? Many cuirse ships will take care of them in the professionally run kids clubs where they can take part in competitions, parties and lots of creative activities on board of the ship. Being on board of a cruise ship is an excellent opportunity to socialize and meet new people. Whether you are in Barbados, St Lucia, Tobago, Antigua, Grenada or the Dominican Republic, you will get a chance to discover the unique traditions and varied cultural life of the islands representing a fusion of the English, French and Dutch influences. Cruise the Caribbean and combine it with stay at one of the exotic islands, this will only enhance your holiday or could be a great idea for a perfect honeymoon.

Booking your Caribbean holiday at the last minute will provide you with some amazing discounts and bargain holidays. The all inclusive concept on board of your cruise liner is an excellent way of giving you peace of mind and the extra saving. Just imagine the round-the-clock buffet style and a la carte dining whether it is fast food or more exclusive culinary delights. It is always great to have your glass constantly topped up and to experience superb world class service. A Caribbean cruise is a truly unique holiday experience which is likely to have you return for more. There are hundreds of imaginatively designed itineraries ready to satisfy all tastes and budgets.

For many people a luxurious holiday means not having to exert yourself any more than ordering another drink from the hotel bar.  After all a holiday should be a welcome break from the stresses of working life back home and we rightfully deserve some rest every now and then.  But what else is there in the way of luxury holidays that we can indulge in?  One of the well known luxury holidays is a luxury cruise ship holiday.

Cruise holidays have long been regarded as the ultimate in luxury holidays mainly down to the destinations and duration of these cruise holidays.  Cruise ship holidays tend to be quite long as you will be cruising the seas between a network of islands or stop offs typically most cruise ship holidays tend to be in the Caribbean or the Mediterranean.  These destinations are popular thanks to their pleasant weather and wide range of places you can stop off and see.

There are other cruise varieties though that operates in much colder climates as far north as Alaska, Norway and Iceland that are popular with those tourists that want to see the breath taking views of icebergs and the wildlife that can be seen too.  Typically though cruising holidays tend to be like beach resorts all spread across the multiple decks of a cruise ship.

On board the ship there are plenty of features that can add to your luxury holiday without ever feeling like you are off land.  There are multiple swimming pools, sun lounging decks and even cinemas and shopping complexes, all on board the ship.  Evening entertainment on board the cruise ships is well known for great singers and variety acts as well as ballroom dancing (if you can find your sea legs).

The core part of a luxury cruise though is the aspects that make it a luxury holiday as opposed to a standard holiday are the accommodation and dining options.  For those looking to get luxury service then booking early for the upper class cabins and dining options are vital.  The higher level accommodation will typically have much more space and features to their cabins than standard cabins.  Dining options for the upper class choices are also great with special restaurants and menus that fit their price tag you’ll be dining in luxury just as you will have wanted.

Holidays are a highly personal thing; lots of people will have destinations in mind whereas others will simply go to their local travel agents and choose whichever destination has the best deals on. Some people like places they have been to in the past that they are happy going back year after year, and some people want to visit somewhere new and different to broaden their horizons.

It is this spirit that many people who book on to cruise ship holidays choose to take to the seas as opposed to lounging by the pool in an overcrowded tourist resort. Whilst you could still lounge by the pool with the gentle sway of the boat in the background the excitement of cruise ship holidays is that you could be in one location when you go to sleep and wake up in a completely different one in the morning.

There are cruise ship itineraries available where you can get off and explore the local surroundings which is exactly what many adventurous cruise ship holiday makers are looking for. Being able to step ashore and experience the local atmosphere, cuisine and culture is a great part of the appeal of cruise ship holidays especially in varied island networks such as the Caribbean and Mediterranean.

Obviously the tourists wanting to get a bit of time spent on the sandy beaches will be able to enjoy this whilst on land but it’s worth taking note to not forget to get back on the boat before it leaves! There are other destinations and cruise varieties too which may be slightly different from this type though, arctic cruises. Cruises to the Arctic, Baltic Sea and even Alaska are not exactly the type of holiday you’ll want to take your swimming shorts with you but the views and marine life you’ll see more than make up for the colder conditions.

Cruise holidays used to be solely aimed at seniors and this type of holiday remains incredibly popular with them to this day but in recent years family friendly cruise ship holidays have risen in popularity. Cruise ships now not only permit children to come aboard but they have a wide range of children’s activities and child minding facilities to make sure that the children are entertained but also allow the parents to relax and enjoy their time away from work whilst aboard the ship.

There are many cruise companies such as Cunard cruises and P&O Cruises all offering different routes and destinations for whatever holiday you and your family want this year!

Europe is home to a large number of Zoos, some more well-known than others, but all offering a great experience for the visitor.

Berlin Zoo, Germany

Berlin Zoo is at the top of the list of European zoos: it’s the most visited zoo in Europe (sporting 3m visitors in 2009 alone) and at 1,500 species and 16,000 animals, it contains the most comprehensive collection of species in the world. Opened in 1844 and located in Berlin’s Tiergarten (not to be confused with Berlin’s other zoo, Tierpark) it is the oldest zoo in Germany yet it was completely destroyed in the Second World War.

The zoo closely collaborates with a number of universities, research centres and other zoos across the globe. The zoo is well known for its breeding programmes, safeguarding several endangered species, which can only be done in a top ranking zoo.

London Zoo, United Kingdom

Opened on 27 April 1828, London Zoo was originally intended as a collection for scientific study and is the world’s oldest scientific zoo, managed by the Zoological Society of London. Today it houses 755 species of animals while its secondary site ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire houses larger animals such as elephants and rhinos due to space constraints in inner London.

In the zoo’s early years it was believed that tropical animals could not survive outside their natural environment, especially not an environment that experiences harsh winters (such as London), and so the London Zoo’s tropical animals were kept indoors. However in 1902, under new management, the zoo’s layout changed and the tropical animals were moved outside, where many of them currently thrive.

La Palmyre Zoo, France

A relatively new zoo, La Palmyre Zoo in Les Mathes, Charente-Maritime, was created in 1966 and is one of the most recommended zoos in Europe. Even though the zoo has a smaller collection of 130 species and 1,600 individual animals it offers some surprises.  In 1996 a huge basin for polar bears was created with a capacity of 1,000 cubic metres of water, where visitors can look at the polar bears from above ground as well as from under water.

Dublin Zoo, Ireland

Based in Phoenix Park in central Dublin, Dublin Zoo describes its role as study, conservation and education and doesn’t attempt to be a fun-filled showy zoo. According to the zoo its aim is to work with zoos worldwide to make a significant contribution to the conservation of endangered species.

The zoo is part of a worldwide program to breed threatened species and is a member of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), managing the Golden Lion Tamarin and the Moluccan Cockatoo. The zoo is a very popular attraction, having received a total of 931,866 visitors in 2009.

Skansen, Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm’s Skansen is a Zoo set on Djurgården Island with views across Stockholm bay. The zoo is somewhat akin to a wildlife park and offers a unique setting to experience Sweden’s natural wildlife in their appropriate setting, including brown bears, polar bears, bison, elks and reindeer. The zoo’s natural scenery is one of its major attractions making it a popular tourist destination in Sweden.

John Cameron is a well-travelled explorer writing about wildlife adventures around the world. John has a background in zoological studies, focusing on the global efforts to combat extinction. John also has a fun side to him and writes about entertainment topics, including popular attractions and adult entertainment including poker and casino venues.