Tag Archives: Trip

News

The Top 10 Cruise Travel Myths and Stereotypes Explained

If you have never actually been on a cruise before, more than likely you have heard a variety of different stories about cruising. Unfortunately, many of the things you may have heard are actually myths and have no truth at all. Before you go on your first cruise, it is important that you know what myth is, and what fact is. The following are ten of the most common cruise travel myths that you will encounter.

Myth #1 – Waiting Until the Last Minute Gets the Best Price

Many people have heard the myth that waiting to book a cruise at the last minute will result in the very best price. This is actually quite far from the truth, since it is actually those who book first who will get the best deals on their cruise.

Myth #2 – Center Cabins are the Best

While in some cases the center cabins are the best ones, this is not always true. There are some ships that have engines in the middle of the ship, which can be a bit noisy and may cause vibrations, which can be bothersome.

Myth #3 – All Ships Meet the Same Safety Requirements

Not every ship meets the same safety requirements, though many people think they do. Every ship is different, and if you are concerned about safety procedures and requirements, you should speak to your travel agent or a representative of the cruise line.

Myth #4 – Cruising is for Inactive Retirees

Another myth that many people have heard and believe is that going on a cruise is only for retirees who are very inactive. This is a very wrong misconception, since many people who go on cruises are quite young, and there are a variety of great activities to participate on when you are on a cruise.

Myth #5 – Travel Agents Can Help You Upgrade

There are those who think that it is the travel agent who can give you an upgrade on your cruise package, but this is actually not true. As a general rule it is the cruise line themselves who offer the upgrade, and many times you will have this option offered to you when you are making your initial purchase.

Myth #6 – Cruises Are All-Inclusive

Some people have been led to believe that when you pay for a cruise, it is all inclusive and you will have nothing else to pay for. Sadly, this is not true. While your cabins and most of your food will be included in the price you pay, snacks, drinks, and other items will not be included and you will have to pay for them as you want them.

Myth #7 – Cruises Only Go to Beach Destinations

There are many who have the idea that cruises only go to beach destinations, and while many cruises do go to beach destinations, they are not the only destinations to choose from. There are many other great destinations to choose from including Alaska, Greece, and Italy, which are not focused around beaches.

Myth #8 – Cruises are Dangerous

Too many people still have visions of the Titanic in their head when they are thinking about cruises, and there are many who actually think that cruises are very dangerous. Cruises are actually quite safe now days and you can enjoy yourself on board a cruise ship without constantly worrying about going under.

Myth #9 – Assigned Seating at Dinner

Some people find themselves concerned about the dinner seating, since they believe that it is always assigned. Assigned seating makes some people feel uncomfortable, but while a few cruises still have assigned seating, most cruises have now gone to open seating, which allows you to sit where you want.

Myth #10 – Seasickness is Inevitable

There are some who may not be going on a cruise because they truly believe that they will definitely get seasick. Although seasickness can occur, most people do not have a problem with it due to the stability of the newer cruise ships.

Make sure that you are not fooled by the various myths that go around about cruise ships. Keep these myths in mind so you really know what to expect when you go on a cruise. Be sure that you get the facts straight so you can be well informed and enjoy your cruise.

 

News

Travel To Singapore – Great Travel Deals Found At the People’s Park Complex in Chinatown

The Chinatown in Singapore that most tourists know about is the one that you will see in the nice postcards, and in all the tourist brochures. There is however another side of Singapore’s Chinatown, a side that has a more distinct local charm that most tourists failed to visit. It is basically located on the opposite side of Eu Tong Seng Street, in an area commonly known as the People’s Park Complex.

Finding the place is quite easy, just look for the giant lime green People’s Park Complex building which serves as a shopping mall and an apartment building. The mall itself is quite old, and you will not find any commonly branded stores there. You will instead find a wide spectrum of travel agencies, electronic stores, jewelry shops, wholesale priced perfume stores, Chinese herb shops, money changers, tattoo parlors, and oddly enough numerous foot massage parlors. Because of this strange mix of different genres of stores, it makes it quite a unique place to visit.

One of the main highlights of visiting this place is that you can find many good and reliable travel agencies throughout People’s Park Complex. They offer a lot of great deals for travel packages, accommodations, and transport options around the region and beyond, so it is worth checking them out. One word of caution is that you need to make sure you only visit the larger and more popular travel agencies, as they are more dependable. You can easily tell which ones are the popular agencies by simply looking at the ones with the most customers.

As you make your way outside of the mall, right near the entrance of the Chinatown MRT exit, you will find numerous food stalls selling snacks and street food. Around the corner of the mall outside, you will also find one of the best money changers in town offering the best rates with no prior negotiations needed. The money changer is called Crante Money Changer and is located right beside the durian pancake shop. You can easily recognize it by the long queue of people waiting to get their money changed!

So this is pretty much it for the tour of People’s Park Complex. Don’t hope to find a modern mall here, but it is definitely worth to check out if you are looking for some good travel deals, in getting your money exchanged, and in getting your feet massaged all in one go!

 

Trip

Making Road Trips More Comfortable

Ah, the Road Trip, we’ve all done it. In a tribute to Jack Kerouac, we’ve all piled six people in a five seater in an attempt to see the country. As the lyrics to Willie Nelson’s City of New Orleans blare on the stereo and old Willie asks, “Good Morning America, How are you?” we’ve all restrained ourselves from answering. With the smell of spearmint gum and cigarettes masking the aroma of the pine tree air-freshener and the fast food wrapper that – before the trip is over – will serve as toilet paper resting against a pair of Birkenstocks, we’ve all embarked on a road trip, a rite of passage, a tribute to freedom, and perhaps one of the most uncomfortable journeys ever invented.

Cars, as a mode of transportation, aren’t meant to be comfortable. They are typically compact, stuffy, and a meeting place for body odor. Yet, road trips are still a favorite pastime of the American culture. For those of us who can’t afford to road trip in a limo, or an RV, there are a few tricks of the trade to make road tripping more comfortable.

Know Your Rest Stops

There are stretches of the American highway system where not a single toilet exists. While some people may see a tree and think, “toilet,” most others see a tree and think, “tree.” Because of this, it’s important to know where rest stops are located and, more importantly, know where they aren’t located. If you’re about to embark on a road trip, map out rest stop locations beforehand. This way you will know if you can drink a liter of coffee, or if that liter, should be more like a cup.

Bring a Pillow

We’ve all gotten one: a window print on our forehead. This ultimately results from sleeping with your head against the window, getting a neck cramp and letting passengers in passing cars look up your nostrils. Though a car isn’t exactly the best place in the world to sleep, it’s certainly not a latex or memory foam mattress, bringing a pillow can alleviate the discomfort. Propping a pillow up against the window will be much more comfortable than sleeping against the window itself. Of course, pillows and sleeping should both be avoided altogether for the person actually doing the driving.

Go on Walks

Road trips are a breeding ground for leg cramps, a place where aches and pains get together to attack joints and muscles. Because you’re stuffed in a car for hours at a time, leg cramps have no problem developing. The best way to avert their development is to stop every couple of hours. Whether you stop at a rest stop, or simply pull over on the side of the road, get out of the car, stretch your legs, and walk around. Even do jumping jacks and calisthenics, we promise the cars passing on the highway won’t stare.

Bring Your Own Music

We all remember being children and road tripping with our parents. As we were stuffed into the back seat among our brothers and sisters, forced to listen to our parents sing a duet to Sonny and Cher’s I Got You Babe, we longed to change the radio station to something we wanted, something like totally cool. Good music is the key to a good road trip. But, keep in mind, even if you are traveling with people your own age, there may still be some discrepancy of what constitutes good music. Instead of fighting over the stereo, simply bring a Discman and listen to whatever you want. Yes, even Bette Midler.

Road trips are fun. But, they aren’t always the most comfortable thing in the world. They get long, they grow boring, and there’s only so many times you can play rounds of travel games before you start to annoy even yourself. But, with these few tips, road tripping can be a little easier, a little more comfortable, and a little less likely to make you want to stick your head through the windshield.