There are so many cruise options available and the best way to work out which cruises will suit you, and to get the best deals is to click the links above and book online.

Holiday cruises provide the traveler with a very relaxed way to sightsee, and visit multiple ports in the one trip. Imagine watching the sunset over the ocean one evening, then waking up the next day to see it rise over a completely different country, and all without leaving your cabin.

Many companies provide seemingly endless possible combinations for cruises, whether it is a several month adventure, or shorter week long stay, or even a weekend out at sea, there are options of cruises to suit everyone’s taste and budget.

Many companies provide fly / cruise options, which offer excellent value for money, or you can simply book the cruise option and flights and meet the boat at a particular port.


Cruises are available to cover the entire spectrum of price, from budget to luxury, and from tall ships to cruise liners. Many cruises offer all of these options, and the difference is generally the quality and location of the cabin on the ship.

The budget option tends to provide an internal cabin that does not have windows or an ocean view, whereas the luxury option may provide a cabin on the side of the boat with an en-suite and lounge and possible a balcony to enjoy watching the sunsets and sunrises from.

Entertainment on Cruises
Cruises provide such fantastic value for money and are so appealing in this economic climate due to the abundance of specials being advertised and the fact they include; accommodation, transport, entertainment, and meals all in one fare.

Also cruises are available that cross the oceans, or stay on the rivers of Europe, stopping off at major tourist destinations, as well as some not so touristy ports and cities.The quality of the food and wine on cruises is of a very high standard considering the number of people that can travel on the larger cruise liners. The variety of food and the ability to cater for all tastes and nationalities makes them even more attractive. Passengers with specific dietary requirements need not worry!

The chefs on board will happily provide food to cater for people with needs such as; high blood pressure, celiac disease, diabetes, lactose intolerance, vegetarian, kosher, salt free, additive free, or high protein needs.

Whilst cruises sometimes take a little while to get to different destinations, you will never be bored when on-board.

Many cruises often provide fantastic activities such as; casinos, table tennis, aerobics classes, dance lessons, bingo, nightclubs, shopping arcades, gyms, libraries, beauty salons, internet café’s, and not to mention the bars and cinemas available to all passengers.

Many parents may be concerned that travelling with children may disrupt their rest and relaxation time; however they need not worry at all.

Cruises provide special kids clubs aimed to keep them amused while the parents go and play or relax, and can help entertain them between destinations.

Babysitters are also available on cruises, and they will stay in the cabin with the children / babies whilst mummy and daddy enjoy some well earned evenings sharing a special bottle of wine or having fun at the casino or nightclubs.

Imagine visiting seven different Greek Islands, or cruising the coast of Italy and then moving on to another 5 different European countries, all without having to ever carry your suitcase or unpack it more than once during your trip! This is all possible when you decide to book any number of fabulous cruises available online.

Holidays With A Difference!

Sightseeing on Cruises
All cruises provide excellent opportunities to explore and learn about the different cultures and experience amazing sites and the countries and languages they contain. There are organised tours available on most cruises that can be organised on the boat to make things very easy.

Once the ship arrives at a port, there are many tours or opportunities to visit the beach or learn about ancient ruins or visit the many taverns and restaurants in the area. Cruises provide you with the chance to grab a few photographs of the local area, and some postcards to send home to make the friends and family jealous.

The two major expenses on a vacation are usually the travel (fares or fuel) and the holiday accommodation.

These are a set item in your travel budget and while you can make some savings (e.g. cheap flights) they are the two constant costs over which you have little control other than choice of type of fare and lodging. Other expenses such as entertainment, dining, activities and tours are more in your control.

Location
Obviously, the type of vacation you choose will determine the accommodation location to a great extent.  However, if it is too far from the focus of your trip, such as a beach or a ski slope then it may just not suit – after all you don’t want to spend a lot of time going to and from your hotel or wherever you are staying.

If it is a trip to see scenery in a larger area (e.g. Lakes District in the UK), then, perhaps just being near to central is sufficient.  Location can make or break a vacation if you don’t do your research first.


Type Of Accommodation
The type of lodgings will depend on your budget, trip focus, length of stay and location. Nowadays, many hotels and resorts offer a variety of options – family oriented, no kids (!), catering for retirees, sports (e.g. golfing vacations), naturist, cooking (e.g. Tuscany), gay and lesbian, luxury.

And, styles: from 5 Star to caravans and anything in between, including B & B’s, cabins with self catering, chalets, service apartments, pensiones in Rome and motels.

You may need self catering facilities with a kitchen and washing machine, particularly if taking the family. Other types may be hostels for backpacking, or a chalet or resort style apartment to provide comfort and access to facilities. Knowing the type of Accommodation you want can save a lot of time when searching online.

In Paris try this link for good service Paris hotels

Facilities
Again, this aspect depends on budget – having all the ‘bells and whistles” will cost a lot more than a self catering apartment – which, in many ways may be preferable if traveling with children.

Even caravan parks often have pools and recreation areas for kids, so they may be an alternative for the budget conscious family.  Additionally, there is the benefit of a laundry, and, many parks also have site specific bathroom facilities, rather than communal.

It’s standard to expect a TV in resorts and hotels, but the higher the star rating, the more they have in the way of in-room spas, room service, cable, and gyms, plus on site shopping in exclusive stores.

DESIRE RESORT RIVIERA MAYA

Some factors to consider

• Stay reasonably near public transport – this will obviously depend on the size of the place or city you are visiting.
• The point is that after a busy day of sightseeing, shopping or whatever – why subject yourself to a tiring hike from the station back to your lodgings etc?
• This is more so if you are on a trip that involves vigorous physical activity of some sort. After a hard day on the ski slopes, or a hot day on a beach, or from a cross country walk – do you then want to have lug yourself and your gear a long way back to your holiday accommodation?
• This just takes the restfulness out of a holiday.  You don’t have to stay in a central location (can be prohibitively expensive), but staying near public transport access can give you best of both worlds.
• In rural areas it can be smart to research the layout of the region, note what you want to see and then find accommodation central to that region. One, this allows you to stay at the accommodation longer and take advantage of longer stay rates.
• Two, it also allows you to be free of constant checking in and out – and additionally, you can get a better feel for the locale and the people.  Thirdly, the staff get to know you and this can mean better or more personal service.

What do you do is the public transport is poor or not available – then choose to stay as close to the focus of your vacation (e.g. the beach or golf course) as possible.

Costs / Budget
There are many websites available to research both types and costs of accommodation. It may be advisable to confirm the suitability of your choices with a travel agent – to ensure the veracity of what is said on the web pages!

Check availability, and book early to avoid disappointment during peak holiday periods as the best accommodation can be pre-booked years in advance.

Always obtain an email confirmation of your reservation with a booking number, and re-confirm within the week of your departure. Take copies with you – to ensure that when you arrive you get what you contracted for.

Many discounts and bargains can be found when traveling out of the peak tourist / holiday season. In countries such as Italy.

The start and end of the summer tourist season can provide some great bargains and the weather and climate is still generally perfect for getting out and seeing the sights.

You can also negotiate about rates, even in places like London – when the off season means they are looking for people to stay.  Use sites like Last Minute Hotels and so on – they buy blocks of accommodation to sell at discounts.

If you are going to the tropics, just be sure you aren’t traveling in hurricane season!

Whatever accommodation you decide upon, be it  hotels, resorts, backpacking hostels, bed and breakfast chalets, apartments, or a house, enjoy your holiday and relax in the thought that you have done your homework and found the best accommodation for yourself

Many open-minded people love to mix with gay groups for the joie de verve, the outright fun and friendship found there.  For example many women feel more secure away from the predatory males often found on cruise ships etc – though, of course, if that’s what they seek, then gay holiday packages are the wrong choice!. LOL

Gay people are normal people and so they seek the same things on a vacation as any traveler: hotels, restaurants, clubs, bars, sightseeing choices, shopping opportunities, bargain fares and introduction to new faces and places.

The main difference, apart from the obvious, is that gay folk often prefer to travel with similar minded people – just like golfers love to travel with fellow players and so on.


The options for gay and lesbian holidays aren’t limited to gay or gay friendly accommodation. There are cruises, tour packages, low cost air fares, restaurants.

For many years NFN Travel has been one of the leaders in clothing optional, nudist and au naturel travel to some of the most beautiful resorts on the planet. If you are a frequent traveler to clothing optional resorts, you know the freedom that comes with going “au naturel.”

Gay oriented or gay friendly accommodation however is a preferred choice for many people.  Most major cities and quite a few regional towns will offer this type of accommodation ranging from the sleazy to elegant hostelries anyone would love to stay in.  B&B’s are also an option that are becoming more and more available and are ideal for the budget conscious or in areas where there are few hotels.

Googling the topic will bring up a range of sites for prospective travelers to peruse and gain the information they seek – based on preferred holiday styles, tours, budget, location and so on.

Some Alternative Lifestyle Vacation Ideas

South of Barcelona, Spain is the charming little town of Sitges. For two thousand years it was a fishing village and it still retains the medieval atmosphere including the cobblestone streets.

Today it’s a rather cosmopolitan town that goes out of its way to welcome gay and lesbian vacationers. Many consider it to be one of the best gay vacation spots in Europe. Of the 17 beaches in Sitges, Playa del Muerto is the gay beach.

One of the most spectacular of the Greek islands is Mykonos. It’s an island with beautiful golden sandy beaches and transparent waters as well as picturesque villages and historical ruins.

Mykonos is also very alternative-lifestyle-friendly. A top nightlife stop is Pierros, arguably the most famous gay club in the world. Three popular gay and nude beaches are  Paradise Beach, Super Paradise Beach  and  Elia Beach. They are the farthest beaches from the town and can be reached by bus or boat.

Key West is way down on the most southern tip of Florida and has long welcomed gay and lesbian vacationers. In fact, the Key West beaches and tourists areas are known for their laid-back anything goes attitude. Just be yourself and have fun. The beaches themselves are not the greatest around.

Gay vacations are the perfect solution for anyone wanting a relaxing holiday free from social pressures or bias and, who want to just be themselves without inciting the misguided ire of non gays

Lowest Prices Guaranteed! We’ll Match Or Beat Any Competitor’s Price!
Personalized Service! Clothing Optional Resort Specialists!
NFN Travel Experts Standing By For Your Call!

BOOK YOUR NEXT VACATION WITH NFN AND ENJOY THE FREEDOM

The list of possibilities is almost endless. So how do you decide which destination is for you?  A few factors that can help you are:

• Budget – flights, accommodation, food, tours. Do you want to travel cheaply or all the way up to first class and 5 star.
• The purpose – vacation or business
• Are you adventurous, or do you prefer to stay in your own comfort zone as much as possible.
• Activities – for skiing (& other sports), tours, white water rafting, sightseeing, just plain good old relaxing and so on.
• Your interests – if ancient history and monuments – then don’t go to Australia; if its snorkeling and diving then perhaps Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is the place to go.

If It’s Tuesday It Must Be Belgium
Many people, especially first time travelers, try to cram as much as possible into that “once in a lifetime” holiday.  This is natural, as they want to see all those things they have seen on TV or read about over the years. But, it can turn a holiday into a hell-a-day!

So it is good sense to research well before deciding and then planning the trip.  Get an idea of things like

• distances to be traveled and the time used up on planes, trains etc PLUS sitting around in airports or stations
• modes of transport (hire cars, trains, buses etc)
• Time differences ( From the States, you lose a day going to the Southern Hemisphere, but gain it on the return – but not so if you travel “around the world”)
• Tours – see what is actually offered, whether you have ‘free time” to do some sightseeing or shopping at your own pace.

You may be surprised at how much “lost time” there is – and this affects your schedule of hoped for sightseeing and other activities.

Be Practical

Time - how long will the trip be – don’t try and see all of Europe if you only have two weeks – prioritize your preferences – and make sure you plan to see things well and not rush so much you don’t really take anything in and then need a vacation to recover when you get home.  The same applies to the other continents.

Flight time – East coast US to Europe is at least 6-7 hours, but to Australia it is at least 20 hours – plus airport changeover times.  Note jet lag is worst when traveling in an Easterly direction – and the Southern Hemisphere may be on a different day!

Language – perhaps an English speaking country, if it is your first overseas trip, will help you learn the pitfalls and joys of international travel more easily.

People choose their travel destinations for all sorts of reasons

• To meet people of different cultures and experience their lifestyle and differences
• To practice a newly learnt language
• To meet relatives from the “old country”
• To see famous art, museums, places
• For shopping (yes!)
• Pilgrimages (Mecca, Lourdes)
• To play golf at St Andrew’s or watch a major sports event (Olympics, Tour de France, Socer World Cup)
• There are other nefarious reasons which we won’t mention.

Avoid cultural Fatigue
In the long run, for both value for dollar spent and enjoyment gained, it is usually better to narrow down the number of countries to visit.

And, within those places, again narrow down what you want to see.  What is the point of running around every museum in, for example, Rome over a 4-5 day period – - just to say you have been in them? St Peter’s alone takes a whole day to see properly – let alone the Vatican museum!

This is true of most of Rome’s museums and art galleries – and pretty well true for Paris and other major cities,

It is better to see some things well, than all badly!  You will retain more memories and certainly enjoy what you do see better. Your memories shouldn’t be locked into a camera! And, you will also have a holiday – which should be restful!

Whatever travel destinations you consider, prepare for your trip well and you will enjoy it.

First Time Traveler?
However, if it is your first trip overseas, then it may pay to book with a respected travel agency so that you can feel secure that everything is correct. Just remember in peak times and seasons, many airlines overbook! So get to the airport early.

What the internet does provide is a way for you to research all the best times, prices, airlines and routes you may like to take to your holiday destination – then take that with you to a travel agent.

Likewise, with reservations for your holiday accommodation. There are sites that specialize in discount airlines and tickets, discount or cheap hotels and other accommodation – just be sure that they are reliable. This is true for domestic and international airline flying.

Just be sure you understand the restrictions – such as cost of changes in flying times, baggage, meals etc. Many discounted tickets have very few options regarding change of plans. Lat minute plane tickets are good if you are sure of your dates and times.

With domestic flights in Europe or the States, there is no need for a travel agent usually. The online booking systems are flexible and efficient. Also, it is the only way to get the cheapest prices for both planes and accommodation.

When booking online, you can also choose your preferred seating, if you book well ahead in time! Added to this, you can indicate your preferred dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian) and find out about baggage limits.

Basic tips for Flying
Weigh your baggage / luggage to ensure it will not exceed the maximum allowable limits set by the airline, otherwise you may have to pay a substantial extra fee per lb / Kg, and there is no guarantee then that it will be on the same flight as you.

Always confirm your flight prior to departure, get to the airport with plenty of time for security checks and ticket check in.

Customs and Duty Free
Make sure you know what the customs regulations are for all ports of entry – they vary – e.g. for amounts of tobacco and alcohol. Some countries prohibit bringing in alcohol as well. There are also varied restrictions regarding plants, animals and fruit.

Be Secure
Always securely lock your baggage to prevent anyone sneaking something into it (e.g. drugs) – it does happen!

If you intend to become a regular air traveler – consider joining a frequent flyer program – there can be real benefits such as upgrades, access to lounges, priority boarding and seating, extra luggage allowance.


Health tips for long flights
Especially for long flights, it is recommended that you periodically get up and move around to reduce the likelihood of DVTs, and cramps. Wear comfortable clothing.

If you can restrict your alcohol and caffeine intake as these speed up dehydration.

Entertainment on flights
All long distance flights have entertainment options – audio and video. In mant cases you can also use your own laptop or iPad to watch movies and play games.

What Class to fly?
Everyone would of course prefer First Class – but the prohibitive cost usually precludes the vast majority of travelers. It rarely is value for money.

However, there are often ‘sales’ where you can get Business Class at very affordable rates – that is, much better than usual. The benefit of course is better seating, priority, food and so on.

It is almost as good a First Class, and much better value for the buck. This is especially true for airlines that have newer planes on their long distance hauls.

Premium – an option
Another option is the recent addition of premium economy seats – business class seats and legroom, but none of the other business class frills. Also, the seats won’t fold as flat for sleeping – but for a bit extra in cost it is worth considering if you are on a long distance route

Economy class – well, in most planes ‘cattle’ class is an apt description. However, the new Airbus 380 and some airlines are slowly improving the leg room.

For more practical ideas and safe travel

Murphy’s Law does operate a lot with travelling – especially on planes, trains and boats. If you use your own transport (e.g. car) then you are in more control.

However, long distances and international travel obviously means a plane or ship – so as travelers we are at the mercy of the travel agencies, airlines and so on – even with direct bookings on the internet.

At Premier, we aim to provide information and reliable travel tips that can help you plan your trip better and thus have more control over the results.

Our coverage here will increase over time, but intially our information covers
• Accommodation Tips
• Flights and Cruises
• Travel destinations – Recommended Countries
• Travelling Tips (re baggage, security, when to travel etc)
• Exotic destinations
• Travel Insurance
• Sports and business trips
• Themed vacations (e.g. Travel and Wine)

International travel can be exciting, rewarding and it doesn’t have to be tiring if you plan well. It is better to see some things well, than trying to see everything – especially when you are a city like Rome or large countries such as China, Africa and Australia. So being selective can make your holiday more enjoyable and memorable.


The prudent traveler always takes out full coverage travel insurance and this is recommended for all ages – young people get sick and have accidents too.

The good tourist or traveler always remembers that he or she is a ‘guest’ in another country – and realizes that there are different customs and cultural differences to be respected – no matter what he or she personally believes to be correct.

The smart traveler travels light, has practical clothing, security for travel documents and funds and keeps in touch with folks back home or the local embassy/consulate when traveling outside of main tourist areas.