With the summer cruise season in full throttle mode, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about one of my favorite cruise destinations – the Mediterranean.

The Mediterranean Sea divides Africa and Europe and is the largest sea in the world (based on coverage area). It also boasts great summer weather with lots of sunshine and cool breezes. But most importantly, it is host to many famous sea ports and cities like Venice, Athens, Barcelona, Nice and Alexandria. Additionally, islands like Malta, Sicily, Sardinia, Capri and Santorini, all sway to the tune of the Mediterranean Sea.

The decision to cruise the Mediterranean is simple enough, but its deciding which route and ports to visit that is difficult. So, I have attempted to list my ten favorite ports here, along with what you can expect to do at each of these ports.

Nice, France – I believe most cruise ships call this port Cannes which is known for its popular Film Festival. But the charm of this port is Nice with its pebble beaches and cobblestone streets. In the old town, cars are forbidden abd tourists can outdoor markets, cafe’s and the beautiful sites of the French Riviera. 30 minutes from Nice, a small quaint town called Eze sits perched above the Mediterranean. This is the epitome of what is called Côte d’Azur. The town of Eze, albeit small, is very picturesque and has great pathways that reveal some post card views of the Mediterranean. You can take a bus from Nice to go to Eze and save some money. For the young and the restless, I don’t recommend an excursion here.

Monaco – The second smallest country in the world and ruled by a monarch, Monaco’s most famous icons are Grace Kelly and Casino Royale. Living there is something few of us could ever afford, but it is worth a visit. The Palace in Monaco is still home to the Prince of Monaco but is open to the public. Cafe du Paris, right outside Casino Royale offers great coffee and sundaes and the Casino itself is also worth a peek. The whole country can be walked on foot in about 1 to 2 hours. Take in the Palace and the Casino and you can spend the whole day enjoying Monaco and its elegant beauty.

Monaco

Florence, Italy – Florence is a beautiful city. But its beauty lies not in the sea and the views, but in its historic buildings and cathedrals. The port itself is Livorno, and getting to Florence takes well over an hour. I recommend taking a cab from the port (hint: cab sharing with fellow cruisers is an easy way to save money). Make sure you negotiate both pisa and Florence with your cab driver. During my visit in 2009, our group of 8 people paid 320 euros total for the whole day (including Pisa and Florence).

Go to Pisa first, (20 minutes from Livorno) and climb the Tower. I say this because they don’t let more than 30 people climb the Leaning Tower at a given time. Lines can be long, specially if you go with the crowds. So if you put it off as the last thing you do before heading to the ship, you may not be able to make it.

In Florence, visit the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo), at Piazza del Duomo. Also check out the famous statue of Michelangelo’s David, and stroll to the 14th century Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) over River Arno, with its many shops. Florence is an art lover’s dream and the short amount of time a cruise ship allows you to visit this great city does not do it justice. Given that you have both Pisa and Florence to cover in a day, you definitely want to get an early start and get to Florence as quickly as possible so you can see as much as possible. Oh and if you want to buy a souvenir, a painting on the streets of Florence makes for a great collectible. Just make sure you bargain hard. Usually, you can get something for at least 50% of what the vendors first quote you.

Florence, Italy - The Duomo

Rome, Italy – Rome needs no introduction. It is the capital of the ancient world and the best preserved city from the Roman empire. However, the port for Rome is Civitavecchia (a nightmare for anyone spelling, pronouncing or visiting). It takes two hours just to get to Rome via a taxi so don’t even try the rail or bus. Get a taxi for your group or simply do an excursion. Better yet, if your cruise has Rome as its first or last stop, you can spend a few days here. This is the best way to go. But if you are simply stopping here for a day, you can either do an end to end tour of Vatican City (including St. Peter’s) or simply take in a city tour that will cover the Forum, the Coliseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pantheon and perhaps Piazza Navona. I also recommend the Angels and Demons tours that have sprouted in light of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons.

St. Peters Basilica, Vatican City

Naples, Italy – If you are on a budget, consider public transportation to get around Naples. While most consider Naples, loud, dirty and rough, I think it is one of the best stops on a cruise. There are four major attractions in Naples, each warranting attention. Pompei is an obvious choice for its rich history. Then there is Mount Vesuvius, which destroyed most of ancient Pompei. Isle of Capri is another option with its glamorous views of the ocean. Finally, there is the huge National Archeology Museum with the largest collection of artifacts from the Roman empire anywhere. Needless to say, Naples is quite a destination. If your cruise itinerary involves any of the Greek Islands, you might want to consider skipping Capri.

Pompei near Naples, Italy

In any case, I recommend picking one option from the above rather than trying to do too much. I say this because Naples has a great shopping scene, as well as the fact that it was the birthplace of Pizza (Neapolitan pizza). So, save a couple of hours for shopping and pizza before departing.

Venice, Italy – Paris, while beautiful and romantic, is often over hyped. Pound for pound, I believe Venice is the more romantic of the two. St Mark’s square (Piazza San Marcos) is where all the action is. Grand buildings lines the square with St. Mark’s Basilica on one end, neighbored by Doge’s Palace. Both these structures are worth seeing. Rialto Bridge, which is a 10 minute walk from St. Mark’s square is famous for its shopping and dining. If you can get just transportation from port to San Marcos, you can figure out how to navigate this port. It is very easy to get around on foot. I am sure you can also just take a water shuttle tour to take you to various stops (like a Hop-on, Hop-off).

Piazza San Marcos, Venice

Since Venice is a connection of small islands, they don’t have cars. You take the Vaporatto (their version of a public bus system) or a water taxi (the more expensive option) to move around. Venetian architecture is quite distinct from Roman.

Venice is also known for Murano glass, which comes from the island of Murano in Venice. If this is something you fancy, you might want to consider touring Murano. During my stay there, we were offered to do the tour for free.

One thing everyone likes to do in Venice is the gondola ride. While these are expensive, you can negotiate with the gondola operators if business is slow. It is certainly worth the price to do this at least once.

Santorini, Greece – I have never seen anything more beautiful than Santorini. Every picture you take her is post card material. Every corner yields a dreamy landscape. The white-washed stone buildings with shiny blue tops, white churches with blue domes, the narrow stone streets of Oia and the black sand beach, all add to the allure of Santorini. Make sure you either do the Donkey ride up the stairs or climb the stairs if you can withstand the physical exertion. It is quite an experience and the views along the way are breathtaking. Food in Santorini is divine and for dessert, try the yogurt with honey and nuts. It is the perfect summer dessert.

Santorini, Greece

Athens, Greece – Much like Rome, Athens needs no introduction. The oldest of civilizations and architectural wonders are here. Acropolis sits with the grand Parthenon, overlooking the city, giving it a God-like appearance. Athens, much like Rome, is a busy and bustling city. The language is Greek (pun intended) and the city is rather dirty and loud. But if you are a history buff, you must visit Athens. There are plenty of other sites here other than Acropolis, but that alone will take most of the day. If you have time to spare, check out the new museum at the base of the Acropolis and enjoy charcoaled corn with lemon from a street vendor.

Acropolis, Athens

Corfu, Greece – Corfu is the second largest of the Ionian islands. It looks very different from most Greek towns, because of Corfu’s unique history. For almost four centuries, from the 1300′s to the 1700′s, Corfu was ruled by the Venetian nobility. In the 1800′s, it was first part of the French colony and then the British. This diverse history has left its architectural mark on Corfu. Some buildings look distinctly Venetian, yet some others look French.

Corfu, Greece

There is plenty to do in Corfu. From walking around, shopping and hiking to the top of the Island and enjoying the views from the old fort to renting a jeep or motorbikes and exploring the island and its sandy beaches, Corfu has a lot to offer. For lunch, the place to eat is Spilia. Owners Andreas and his wife are friendly and warm and prepare a great meal. Try either the Sofrito or the Pastitsado, along with the local drink called Retsina.

Barcelona, Spain – Barcelona is another port that might be best served as a destination. There are far too many places to visit here than a docked cruise ships allows for.

Barcelona is a walkable city, particularly places such as Barrio Gothic. There’s an excellent tube and public transportation system. Large cruise ships dock at a location accessible to Las Ramblas, one of the most popular streets in Barcelona. Take the cruise ship’s shuttle to Las Ramblas. From there, you can catch public transportation to one or two of many attractions including La Sagrada Familia, an unfinished but gorgeous structure and fantastic view from the top, the Gothic Quarter with its boutique galleries, narrow streets and 13th century architecture and the monastery of Montserrat.

No matter what stops you have on your Mediterranean Cruise, one thing is for sure. It will be one heck of a cruise and if you are thinking about cruising the Mediterranean, stop thinking and just do it. Find special deals on Mediterranean Cruises on CruiseDirect.

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When deciding on an Alaskan Cruise, you must consider two main options.

1. The Inside Passage
2. Glacier Bay Cruise

First off, an Alaskan cruise is not for everyone. Younger people looking for a party should skip this one for when they really want to enjoy nature and romance, and look instead to a Mexican Riviera or Caribbean cruise instead. Secondly, lets dispel a couple of myths or pre-conceived notions about Alaska.

1. Alaska is cold. But April through September, which is considered prime season and in-fact the only time during which cruise lines operate to Alaska, has much milder climate. Depending on which cruise you take, temperature varies from the 40′s to the 70′s during the day.
2. There are no Penguins in Alaska. Penguins are only in Antartica.

The Inside Passage is the more popular type of cruise, with departures mainly from Seattle or Vancouver, and with ports of call in Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. Of course, some of these ports can change depending on the cruise line and the time of season.

Alaska is best seen on a cruise

The Glacier Bay Cruise is a one-way cruise (unlike the Inside Passage which is round-trip). If you want more action, wild-life and adventure, this is the one for you.

While I have yet to do the Glacier Bay Cruise, the Inside Passage is definitely a cruise I can recommend from experience. If you are in the US, it is easier to depart from Seattle, but don’t shy from the Vancouver departure. You can always fly to Seattle and take a round-trip shuttle from Seattle airport to the port in Vancouver.

So what can you expect to see on the cruise? How about the Bald Eagle while sea kayaking in Juneau, Hump-back Whales while jogging on the track at the ship, Brown Bears while zip-lining between trees in Ketchikan, Seals relaxing atop floating ice in the sea and wild Salmon swimming upstream to lay their eggs?

Bald Eagle

Based on age, fitness and interest, you have a variety of excursion options. One thing I recommend highly in Skagway (if that is your port of call) is to take the White Pass and Yukon Railroad Tour. This tour is offered in conjuction with multiple options. I took the bicycle tour which includes taking the White Pass and Yukon Rail to White Pass and taking a bicycle down. Along the way, you can pause to take photos of the waterfalls, the White Pass Railroad, glaciers from above, and the mountains surrounding you.

One of the things I liked very much about the Alaskan cruise is the fact that every second day (on my 7-day cruise) was spent at sea. This gives you a chance to enjoy the amenities of the ship and the views offered by the glaciers and icebergs. For this reason it is worth getting a cabin with a balcony when you cruise Alaska.

Get great deals on Alaska Cruises here!

Happy Cruisin!

As we enter May, summer travel season is upon us and while the economy will shape how much we spend on travel, bargains will be actively seeked. So how should you decide where to go?

Well, it all depends on your budget really. Assuming you want to stay local to the US, following are some of the top travel spots for summer (not necessarily in that order):

Miami
For those who want to burn the midnight oil in a night club, Miami is the place to be. There is a hot spot at every corner, and young well-toned bodies adorn the beaches and the streets.

Key West
Sticking to the Florida theme, Key West is a secluded area and is home to the southern most tip of the US. It is more for people looking for a second honeymoon, or those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Los Angeles
Beach, babes and burritos. Los Angeles has an active nightlife, as well as sexy beaches, and summer sports like beach volleyball and roller-blading. Of course, Disneyland, Six Flags and Universal Studios are just a couple of additional incentives for those looking to travel with family. Finally, there is Hollywood, Avenue of the Stars, Chinese Mann Theatre and the Kodak Theatre, home to the Oscars. And who knows, you might run into one of your favorite movie stars.

Hawaii
It is hard to single out one island in Hawaii. Waikiki and the Pipe in Oahu, romance and whale watching in Maui, Black sand on the Big Island, isolation and nature hikes in Kauai and Molokai – it sure would be nice to see it all. While I have only traveled to Maui myself, I have spoken to friends who swear by a cruise to Hawaii to take in all the islands. Either way, you can’t lose.

Grand Canyon
For the outdoor trail-blazer, Grand Canyon is the ultimate destination to test your fitness and to take in one of the 7 wonders of the world. This naturally carved out canyon takes my breath away every time I see it, and I have been there four times. Among the few things you could do at the Grand Canyon – ride a mule down the canyon, take a helicopter ride, hike the Bright Angel trail, kayak the Colorado River or simply take in the beauty of this land.

Alaska
Summer is the busiest season for travel to Alaska and the most popular mode of transportation to Alaska is a cruise. The home to last year’s Republican hopeful Sarah Palin and apparently a stone’s throw from Russia (yeah right), Alaska is the largest US State and refreshingly natural. Clean air, wild life, melting glaciers and icebergs make a visit to Alaska specially memorable.

Do you think I left out your favorite summer destination in the US? Feel free to add your own destination to the comments section.

Meanwhile, here is wishing you sunny travels!