It may be hard to believe, but we are less than 60 days away from the start of the crazy end-of-the-year holiday panic. Unbelievable, right? Why not hit the reset button and make the holidays as magical as they were when you were a child: take a holiday cruise.
Experience holiday sights and sounds in a foreign land this season, creating new memories you will never forget.
It is not uncommon for people to plan holiday cruises this time of year while options remain plentiful, says travel expert Marjorie Schmitt of Cruise Planners.
“People get excited when they hear that there are these type of cruises. It’s a whole different experience,” Schmitt said. “Couples, millennials, boomers and multi-generational families, everyone enjoys these cruises.”
Schmitt said that, for instance, in places like the Czech Republic, during the evening of the 5th December, children are very excited and watch for St. Nicholas (Svatý Mikuláš) to arrive. He normally is accompanied by one or more angels and one or more devils. He asks the children if they’ve been good all year and also asks them to sing a song or recite a poem, and gives them a basket of presents, often containing chocolate and fruit. If you’ve been naughty, the devil might give you a lump of coal.
St. Nicholas’ Day is a very separate holiday from Christmas.
“The tours and excursions give you the opportunity to explore the city or a town,” Schmitt explained.
Included in these vacation packages are not only plenty of food, but lots of activities too.
“It (activities) can range from city tours, wine or beer tasting, bike tours, museum tours, palace tours or cathedral visits,” she said.
“There are so many options that picking one will be a challenge.”
Cruises run from seven to 14 days and you can sail to places like the Caribbean, South America, Asia, Mexico or even as far south as Antarctica.
There are also river tours available as well.
Schmitt encourages travelers to plan their vacations early (like now) so they can get in on the deals a lot of cruise lines offer for the holidays.
“The earlier the better. Especially when there are deals available, like now, where there are holidays or 2018 early-bird sales that are currently available.”
You can either pay for your cruise upfront or pay monthly. If you pay monthly, you will have to pay a small deposit upfront, but you have 90 days before the full amount is due.
Most of these cruises start at $1,500 per person and that includes all the information mentioned above. Not a bad deal for a magical holiday getaway.
For more information you can contact Marjorie Schmitt of Cruise Planners at (626) 491-2657 or visit her website at www.mstravelplanner.com.
