Nicolas C. Solari, Hotel General Manager, receives Five Stars recognition from China National Tourism Association for the newest addition of Viking River Cruises in China, the beautiful Viking Century Sky.

With his crew of 156 all dedicated to excellence Nicolas Solari has brought the cruising experience in China to the highest international standards.
Custom built to Viking River Cruises specifications this Luxurious cruise ship is the newest and best ship sailing China’s Yangtze River.

About Nicolas C. Solari:
Nicolas is an accomplished hotelier from Lausanne, Switzerland. He has been now in China since 1999 and is active member of E.C.H.M.E.C (Europe-China Hotel Management Experts Council).

Part of the team who received the first Five stars recognition for Deluxe Resort in China, the Gloria Resort Yalong Bay, he than opened the Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Sanya Bay, in Hainan, contributing to the development of this now popular beach destination.

Nicolas joined the Viking River Cruises Sino-Swiss joint venture since the first year in China, and it is now the third time that he is proudly holding the five stars board, after receiving it last year for VRC first ship, the Viking Century Star.
http://nicolas-solari.blogspot.com/

About Viking River Cruises:
The world’s largest river cruise line, Viking River Cruises was established by a Scandinavian and Dutch consortium experienced in cruising.

Viking River Cruises, the world leader in river cruising, offers quality service, gourmet cuisine and comfortable scenic cruising along Europe, Russia and China’s majestic rivers. The company is a multiple-time winner of Condé Nast Traveler’s “Gold List” Award and Travel & Leisure’s “World’s Best” Awards.
TravelAge West’s travel agent readers also recently recognized Viking River Cruises with the 2006 “WAVE” Award for “Best Overall Cruise Line for River Cruising.” Additionally, Viking River Cruises was named “Best River Cruise” by CruiseReport.com.

With 25 ships, Viking River Cruises continues to expand to new destinations, and builds innovative vessels that provide all the comfort of a fine deluxe hotel with attentive Swiss management.
http://www.vikingrivercruises.com
by Nicolas Solari

About Nicolas C. Solari:
Nicolas is an accomplished hotelier from Lausanne, Switzerland. He has been now in China since 1999 and is active member of E.C.H.M.E.C (Europe-China Hotel Management Experts Council).
http://nicolas-solari.blogspot.com/

Sell Cruises for Fun, Money or Both

Do you have a love for cruising? Do you want to cruise free? If so, sell cruises for fun, money or both. It’s easier than you think.

The two most obvious reasons for selling cruises are for the opportunity to earn money, and to travel free or very cheaply. You may consider a third reason along the lines of a tax-deductible expense. (More on this later).

In addition, cruising is definitely a good way to visit many places you may not have normally considered visiting.

Seven-day cruises will take you to four or five destinations. Take several of these one-week cruises, and perhaps one or two weekend cruises and you will have visited fourteen to seventeen destinations.

Oftentimes, during the course of a one-week cruise, you will have the opportunity to stay at a location for the entire day. Cruise ships often travel during the night and arrive at port early morning, and leave late evening.

This type of itinerary gives you the opportunity to get a “good look” at your destination. Go on a guided tour, or do a self-tour by taking a (half-day) cab ride. Better yet, team with another couple or several individuals to split the cost.

The cab rates are very (in fact, extremely) good. Usually, the per-person cost of a half-day cab ride is no more than that of a guided tour. Note: you should strongly consider following the cruise ship’s recommendation on where to obtain cabs.

If you find that you are in love with a particular destination you can return at some future date to stay for a full week (or longer), perhaps at an all-inclusive resort.

Earning money is a good reason to sell cruises.

In fact, by selling group cruises you can earn extra money and cruise free by taking advantage of the cruise lines’ promotion of providing free staterooms based on the number of cabins you sell.

For example, a promotion may provide you a free cabin for every twelve cabins you sell based on double occupancy. Sell cruises to twelve couples and receive one free cabin.

Continuing with the above example, sell cruises to twenty-four couples and you receive two free cabins. Keep one cabin for yourself and sell the other to earn even more money. These free cabins are in the same value category as the group cabins.

Mentioned earlier was the concept of a tax-deductible expense for traveling. If you have a passion for traveling you can establish a business and write off your cost as a tax-deductible expense.

See how to turn your passion into a business by viewing the information found in the “about author” web page.

Note: You have permission to reproduce this article on your site or in your ezine as long as the entire article is reproduced, the article remains unchanged, the author’s resource box at the bottom is included and all links remain intact.
by Samuel Thompson

Read “About Author” at http://cruise-vacation-advisor.com/author.html

Everyone looks forwards to go on vacation. Each person has different views on where to go on vacation and what mode of transport to use to get there. These days most people like to opt for a cruise as the way to take their vacation not just because it takes you to where you want to spend your vacation, but because it also has a lot to offer in terms of entertainment and leisure activities while on board the cruise ship.

You should not opt for the first cruise package that you look at. Make sure that you research your trip well by doing a internet search on what cruise trips are available comparing the rates and amenities that are offered by different cruises. While you do this search it is a good idea to use search terms that are not the same. Don’t use just “cruise” as there are many cruise lines and companies offering packages you can book. These different packages include family cruises, senior citizen cruises, honeymoon cruises, singles only cruises and many more. For that reason you ought to do a specific search for the type of package you want to book.

Opting for specific cruises is sometime better than just looking for cruises in general. This way you will have your cruise tailored to your preference like being on board with people who have the same likes and dislikes as you. Also going for cruises off season is a good way to find cruises which are very cheap.

Going on an inaugural cruise can be comparatively as cheap as going on off season cruises. Though the inaugural cruise is possibly expensive you can actually find many special offers for an inaugural cruise. Whichever cruise you end up choosing it is always best to have a careful look at the brochures. This is because many cruises may have additional costs beside its cruise fare. So make sure that there are no hidden or additional costs to the cruise you decide to go on.

Cruises are ideal if you opt on going on vacation with your family. It is much, much more relaxed and comfortable to go on a cruise than traveling on an aeroplane or car. Most cruise will have activities and amenities that your kids can use and enjoy. The Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, Hawaii are just a few of the tourist destinations available today.

Cruises are by far a better alternative to mainland vacation like sitting around a summer apartment or hotel. There are always many activities and stops to keep you busy. But if your idea of having a holiday is to laze around a pool just reading a book and soaking up the sun then a cruise may not be the best vacation option for you to take. You would be wasting your money and you would be better off to go by plane to the destination that you plan going to.

Plan your trip thoroughly when you choose your cruise vacation. You want to make the most of the money you spend on your cruise by planning which land excursion you would like to go on the most and what activities you are most interested in taking part while on the cruise. To this end your best bet is to opt for the more recognised cruise companies as they usually have the best itineraries so that you will get your money’s worth.
by Ivan Calderwell

Ivan Calderwell is editor of Cruises - Articles, News, Information,
which specializes in providing useful
information and resources for
people who are considering a cruise for their next vacation. For more details click here: Go On A Cruise

What type of cruise are you taking? Are you planning a week long voyage on the open seas upon one of the major cruise lines? Who wouldn’t want to be sailing on a pleasure boat enjoying many of your favorite items all in one spot? There is shopping, gambling, relaxing, sports and activities, great food, and different ports to venture off on. However, did you know there are other types of cruises you can enjoy on any vacation?

We are here to open your eyes to the various pleasure cruises you and your loved ones can sail off on. Are you curious? Well pack your bags, untie the ropes, and let’s venture off on the open water to see what fun we can have!!

Our favorite vacation cruises:

1. Luxury/Pleasure Cruise. A week or more on a giant cruise ship, enjoying luxury at its best. Caribbean, European, Hawaiian, Alaskan, or whichever cruise you take, you will embark on a journey that will take you places you’ve never been before. Visit different ports of call, take in the sightseeing, shopping, food and more at any of the islands, relax or participate in as many activities as you can, or drink/eat your vacation away. It is all there and more when you splurge on a major cruise line and really treat yourselves to a life of luxury.

2. Theme Cruise. What about a Disney Cruise or company cruise? Your itinerary may be a bit different on a theme-type cruise. Great for family vacations, romantic vacations, honeymoons, or celebrations, a theme cruise can provide that little extra you may not find on a traditional cruise.

3. Gambling or Riverboat Cruises. If you are an avid gambler or love to take a weekend and hit up Vegas or any casino area, then a gambling cruise will whisk you away to do exactly what you love- play cards, take in entertainment, and enjoy great food on the open ocean. Why not add that extra enjoyment of a cruise?

4. Day Cruises. No matter what vacation destination you venture to, most tourist towns offer exciting day/night cruises. Fun for everyone to enjoy take your pick from dinner cruises usually with live entertainment, sightseeing tours, singles cruises, family cruises, and overall fun. You will see the sights, enjoy an array of activities, mouthwatering food, entertainment, and most importantly good company and miraculous views.

5. Barefoot Cruises. Instead of sailing off a huge liner, why not do a barefoot cruise on a sailboat. This type of cruise will offer an experience you’ll never forget. Gather with other sea lovers to lounge, sunbathe, read, socialize, dance and party from sun-up to sundown.

This is just the tip of the iceberg to give you an idea of how much fun you can have and what types of cruises you can enjoy. Whether you want to live in the life of luxury for a few days, hit the casinos to gamble, or spend a few days on land and a few days on the sea there is a cruise for singles to families alike.

by Joe Collinsworth

Our site Discount-Florida-Vacations.com is a fun vacation guide offering a ton of information, fun, and experiences to Florida, Florida beaches, and Walt Disney World from two Florida beach lovers!! Hey, everyone needs a break, so take time from your busy lives and visit us. You’ll feel like you’re in Florida before you ever go!!
You can read more about us, and the priceless tools we use at…
www.discount-florida-vacations.com

www.Discountairlines1.com offers lowest airline consolidator fares to all western European destinations. We offer all major airlines fares at heavy discounts, cheap hotels, car rentals, cruises and vacations for all european destinations including United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Monaco, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Italy, San Marino, Vatican City, San Marino, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden travel, vacation packages to Western Europe.
by www.discountairlines1.com

Discountairlines1.com offers lowest airline consolidator fares to all western European destinations. We offer all major airlines fares at heavy discounts, cheap hotels, car rentals, cruises and vacations for all european destinations

When can you get a cheap cruise? Where do you find cheap, cheap cruises? Why do cruise lines offer low cost cruises? Get the answer to these questions and more.

This crucial information is divided into four sections. The four sections taken together will provide you with the what, when, where, and why of cheap cruises.

Keep in mind that you want to look at the general principals of what is presented, and not any specific information. The specifics are always subject to change, but if you understand the general principals then you are always in position to find great prices.

THE WHAT OF CHEAP CRUISE: What is a cruise cabin as it relates to sales?

It is inventory; and, the supply and demand for that inventory will vary from sail date to sail date.

As the supply of cabins exceeds the number of people who are looking to book travel the cruise line offer those extra cabins at a discount.

THE WHEN OF CHEAP CRUISES: When do cruise lines discount their cabins (inventory)?

Generally, excess supply (inventory) is not discounted until the sail date gets closer. Also, based on historical patterns of slow sales a cruise line could offer steep discounts as inducement to spur sales.

In addition, you may find some great bargains if you do not mind the cruise line routing your ship to alternate destinations to avoid bad weather.

There are many scenarios used by the cruise lines that could provide great prices for you. Identifying only one such scenario (among the many cruise lines) could save you a lot of money.

Besides the bad weather scenario, the scenarios most easily identifiable to get cheap cruises are based on:
1) booking your cruise very, very early, or
2) booking your cruise very close to the sail date.

THE WHERE OF CHEAP CRUISES: Where are you likely to find cheap, cheap cruises?

In addition to those mentioned above, other possibilities are:

1) travel agents and cruise agents

2) cruise brokers

3) group cruises, especially where organizers look at possible scenarios, such as those mentioned above

4) on very long cruises, 90-day and 100-day sailings, where inside cabins (considered inferior) are extremely cheap. Outside cabins on the same cruise sell for $700 to $1000 per person per day.

However, a quick calculation shows you the problem with these types of cheap cruises. Even though the typical cost is between $60,000 and $100,000 per person, these cheap, cheap cruises still cost around $15,000 per person (a problem for the majority of cruisers),

THE WHY OF CHEAP CRUISES: Why offer cruise cabins at steep discounts?

Cruise cabins are offered at a discount when the supply of cabins exceeds the number of people wanting to pay for them. The greater the excess of inventory, the steeper the discount offered.

Empty cabins on a ship that has sailed are considered none reoccurring inventory. In other words, once that cruise ship leave port any possible income that could have come from that cabin, on that sailing, is lost forever.

YES, perhaps income is made on the next sailing, but the opportunity to earn income on that sailing is gone forever.

In conclusion: among the dozens of cruise lines and the many dozens of cruise ships, cheap cruises are there to find. With patience, forethought, and a willingness to ask questions you can find your share.

Good Hunting.

Note: You have permission to reproduce this article on your site or in your ezine as long as the entire article is reproduced, the article remains unchanged, the author’s resource box at the bottom is included and all links remain intact.

by Samuel Thompson

Samuel Thompson is author of http://cruise-vacation-advisor.com/cheap-cheap-cruises.html

Modern day cruises are extremely popular. Today, travelers prefer setting sail on cruise ships, rather than opting for road trips. Cruises offer exotic holiday adventures, with the same facilities available back home. But this may not be the only reason why cruises have become so popular. There are many reasons that add to the popularity of cruises.

The most obvious factor is the price. Long cruises are not very affordable. These cruises are accompanied with additional expenses of port fees, insurance and airfare. However, cruises are offered at more manageable prices through travel agents and online travel websites. These websites include the meals, offshore accommodation and entertainment expenses, within the ticket fares. In other words, the cruise trips available online and through travel agents are more reasonable and affordable.

People opting for road trips are always susceptible to travel hazards and other unpleasant experiences. Moreover, these people end up spending more money on the vehicle maintenance and tollbooths. People who choose a cruise trip are offered complete personal freedom and the privilege to be independent from responsibilities. Cruises, like five-star hotels, offer room service and sightseeing. This is the core reason for cruises attracting passengers for celebrating family reunions, birthdays, honeymoons and anniversaries.

Five-star Cruises are popular for their off-deck tours and adventures. These visits or tours are carried out with minimum fuss and fanfare. Even during tours, passengers can sleep, eat, exercise and even go camping. The tour moves at a lazy pace, which benefits passengers looking to relax and improve their health. Also, the passengers are offered duty-free shopping, especially in the Caribbean or scuba diving or special feasts hosted at exotic locales.

Sometimes, traveling also involves unpleasant experiences of meeting nasty people. Many of these experiences arise out of arguments or altercations with nasty flight attendants, cab drivers and grouchy hotel clerks. These experiences increase the anxiety of travel and exclude the sense of excitement and adventure that should accompany any vacation. Travelling by sea includes only one experience ‘relaxation’. The fellow travelers and staff on cruise ships are known to be very polite and pleasant. Most often fellow cruisers who come from a variety of backgrounds seem keen on socializing and increasing their number of friends and acquaintances.

Airlines pride themselves in offering the best intercontinental cuisine. However, airline food will never be able to compete with that served aboard the cruise ships. The food is often the highlight of a cruise experience. Whether at a buffet, in a dining room or in your cabin, cruise ships offer the best food. The food is very delicious and unlimited. Passengers can easily gain a few pounds if they are not careful.

In conclusion, cruise travel is popular for the variety it offers as a relaxing vacation option. Presently, over 200 cruise ships set sail on the oceans and rivers, with a considerable increase in the number every year. Among the big names are the Princess, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival. Smaller cruise liners for smaller oceanic voyages are also available.
by Peter Wilson

Peter Wilson published essentially for http://www.alicante-spain.com , a web page about Costablanca . His articles on Costa Blanca can be found on his site .

So, you’ve finally decided you want to take a cruise for the upcoming vacations. Trouble is you can’t afford to spend too much on your vacations, so you need to find cheap cruises. Luckily for you, nowadays is easy to find cheap cruises, and not only that, by keeping some tips in mind, you can save a lot of money on your travel.
Here are some tips and information that will give you an advantage when saving for your cruise vacations:
- Do a Web Search. Yes, this may sound obvious to some of you, but it is very important. The internet provides a vast selection of packages and offers not only for cruise vacations, but for everything! Do not stick with same search term, add variations to your search. Advertisers will use different target search terms for their packages.

- Look for Off Season Cruises. It depends on what your destination is. Be sure to check out what are the low season months for a given cruise spot. Prices during those times drop considerably to attract more people.
- Inaugural Cruises. When cruise lines launch a new cruise ship, they make offers and incentives to get people to try the ship.
- Repositioning Cruises. These are cruises that are sent to another destination to cover demand (for example a Alaska cruises that are sent to the Caribbean). Cruise lines will try to cover their expenses of doing that journey by charging low prices.
- Check large vacations suppliers. Large suppliers have low prices. Be sure to check with Travelocity or online cruise suppliers like CruiseDirect.com since they can make customized packages.
- If you belong to the military, try going through the Tickets & Tours office on the base/post. They let people make interest-free payments, and that helps when you’re on a tight budget!
- Follow the too early or too late rule. That is book early or late. Prices drop on these very extreme booking conditions.
Finally, always remember to choose the right cruise line and ship. Be sure you are going to be satisfied by it, and don’t get caught in beautiful brochures and pictures. Sometimes a cheap cruise vacation can turn out to be a quite expensive one at the end, due to unexpected expenses. There are plenty of sites online that can help you review cruises. And always remember to have fun in your vacations!
by Paolo Basauri
Paolo Basauri, is an expert author who writes for Find Cheap Cruises
A site specialized in cruise travel all over the world.

How would you like your next cruise vacations to be? The single most important part when looking for the best cruise vacations is planning. And planning begins with choosing not only the right destinations but also the right cruise line.
It all depends on what your preferences are (weather, duration, comfort, etc) That picture may look nice on the brochure, but can you really stand the Caribbean Sun? You may also check in what type of cruise you’re preparing to embark. There are many types of cruises available: family cruises, Christian cruises, all inclusive cruises, Christmas cruises, golf cruises, single cruises, luxury cruises and more, each one with their own particularities and activities within the cruise
As you see choosing the best cruise vacations is not that easy because then you have to pick the cruise line, and there is some heavy competition, among the cruise lines are Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Holland America plus a lot more. But don’t despair, a good travel agent will definitely help you tailor the best cruise vacations you can have.
Here are some tips you should take in consideration when planning for the best cruise vacations:
*Keep in mind your lifestyle. Does the cruise activities and fellow travellers feel right for you? Thinking about this will help avoid feeling uncomfortable during your trip. Some cruises even require you to have certain type of clothing if you want to attend their restaurants or events.
*Plan ahead how the weather is going to be. Nothing is more frustrating that vacations going bad because of the weather, if you can’t stand too much sun you should think twice going on a Caribbean Cruise.
*Consider the itinerary. The pace of the itinerary is also important, some cruises spend more time at sea than others.
*Be on the lookout for unnecessary charges.
*Get all the help you need from your travel agent. Ask all the questions you have. Trust me, it is better to find out about some things before taking the cruise.
*Final tip, just have fun! This should be the top priority on a vacation. If you feel you will spend more time in your vacations worried, take another cruise.
by P. Basauri
Paolo Basauri, is an expert author who writes for Best Cruise Vacations
A site specialized in cruise travel all over the world.

Modern day cruises are extremely popular. Today, travelers prefer setting sail on cruise ships, rather than opting for road trips. Cruises offer exotic holiday adventures, with the same facilities available back home. But this may not be the only reason why cruises have become so popular. There are many reasons that add to the popularity of cruises.

The most obvious factor is the price. Long cruises are not very affordable. These cruises are accompanied with additional expenses of port fees, insurance and airfare. However, cruises are offered at more manageable prices through travel agents and online travel websites. These websites include the meals, offshore accommodation and entertainment expenses, within the ticket fares. In other words, the cruise trips available online and through travel agents are more reasonable and affordable.

People opting for road trips are always susceptible to travel hazards and other unpleasant experiences. Moreover, these people end up spending more money on the vehicle maintenance and tollbooths. People who choose a cruise trip are offered complete personal freedom and the privilege to be independent from responsibilities. Cruises, like five-star hotels, offer room service and sightseeing. This is the core reason for cruises attracting passengers for celebrating family reunions, birthdays, honeymoons and anniversaries.

Five-star Cruises are popular for their off-deck tours and adventures. These visits or tours are carried out with minimum fuss and fanfare. Even during tours, passengers can sleep, eat, exercise and even go camping. The tour moves at a lazy pace, which benefits passengers looking to relax and improve their health. Also, the passengers are offered duty-free shopping, especially in the Caribbean or scuba diving or special feasts hosted at exotic locales.

Sometimes, traveling also involves unpleasant experiences of meeting nasty people. Many of these experiences arise out of arguments or altercations with nasty flight attendants, cab drivers and grouchy hotel clerks. These experiences increase the anxiety of travel and exclude the sense of excitement and adventure that should accompany any vacation. Travelling by sea includes only one experience ‘relaxation’. The fellow travelers and staff on cruise ships are known to be very polite and pleasant. Most often fellow cruisers who come from a variety of backgrounds seem keen on socializing and increasing their number of friends and acquaintances.

Airlines pride themselves in offering the best intercontinental cuisine. However, airline food will never be able to compete with that served aboard the cruise ships. The food is often the highlight of a cruise experience. Whether at a buffet, in a dining room or in your cabin, cruise ships offer the best food. The food is very delicious and unlimited. Passengers can easily gain a few pounds if they are not careful.

In conclusion, cruise travel is popular for the variety it offers as a relaxing vacation option. Presently, over 200 cruise ships set sail on the oceans and rivers, with a considerable increase in the number every year. Among the big names are the Princess, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival. Smaller cruise liners for smaller oceanic voyages are also available.
by Peter Wilson

Peter Wilson’s newsletters can be found on a lot of websites linked to Benidorm and Costablanca. You can come across his articles on Costa Blanca at http://www.alicante-spain.com and many different sources for Costa Blanca knowledge.