Plus, kids ages 17 and under sail free on all MSC Cruises itineraries when sharing a stateroom with two full-fare-paying adults.

On each MSC Cruises sailing, our friendly staff caters to the specific needs of all ages – including the youngest guests. Each ship has cheerful, colorful, safe play areas. MSC Cruises ships are kid friendly, offering daily entertainment and plenty of space for running, exploring, diving, swimming and playing.

Special activity leaders organize age-appropriate fun activities, with ages 3-6 in the Mini Club, 7-12 in the Juniors Club, and 13-17 in the Teenagers Club. MSC Cruises also offers a Teens Card. This personalized card, which can be used like a credit/cruise card, allows children ages 12-17 to spend nominal amounts of money on board.

Each card comes with a bonus amount. In the Caribbean, a $30 card purchase comes with a $5 bonus (a total card value of $35); a $50 card purchase comes with $10 bonus, for a total value of $60. In the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, a 30 card comes with a 5 bonus, making it a 35 card, and a 50 card comes with a 10 bonus, making it a 60 card.

Parents and kids will be delighted with the childrens menus. In addition to Italian favorites like pasta and pizza, there are all-American favorites such as hamburgers and hot dogs and numerous tantalizing pastries and desserts.

Knowing the youngsters are with the expert staff, parents can relax and enjoy the sun or the pool, or unwind with a Turkish bath, an aromatic massage or a session at the fitness center.

Cruise-only rates begin at $349 per person, double occupancy for a 7-night Caribbean cruise and $549 per person, double occupancy for a 7-night cruise in Europe. Government fees and taxes for all guests are additional.

Become a fan on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Watch us on You Tube. For more information about MSC Cruises, visit www.MSCCruisesUSA.com or your local travel professional.

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About MSC Cruises:

MSC Cruises has the most modern fleet in the world with ten ships: MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia (the largest ships built for a European ship owner), MSC Poesia, MSC Orchestra, MSC Musica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia, MSC Opera, MSC Lirica and MSC Melody. The fleet cruises year round in the Mediterranean and seasonally in Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, North America and Canada, South America, the Indian Ocean, South and West Africa. MSC Magnifica launches in 2010. MSC Cruises recently forged a three-year, million-dollar partnership with UNICEF to fund a community project in Brazil while increasing awareness of this cause onboard its ships.

Schedule Cruise Activities before you Leave

Cruise ships are veritable floating activity centers. If you get bored relaxing in your room or reading a book while you soak up the sun, you can check out the pool, hit the gym, take a class, go to a show, or participate in any of the other fun activities on the ship. Be aware, however, that some of the activities have to be booked before you leave. While most will be free, there could be limited space, or the ship might need to know how many people are coming so they can plan the activity properly. If you dont sign up, you could miss out. Dont just wander around the ship. Go to the information desk on the first day and sign up for any activities that seem like fun.

Get a Cruise Itinerary and Post it in Your Room

With so many activities going on around the ship, it pays to have an itinerary posted in your room, and one that you can carry with you. Every morning, note the activities that interest you, and arrive about ten minutes early to get a good seat. Part of the appeal of a cruise is that you dont have to do a ton of planning, but having the itinerary can help ensure that youre never bored.

Be Prepared for Seasickness on a Cruise

You wont be able enjoy your cruise if youre sick the entire time. Most cruise ships have an infirmary stocked with medications to help you feel better if you get seasick, but before you leave, you might what to pick up your own remedies for the trip. You can also see your doctor if you know that youre prone to motion sickness. Ask about natural remedies, like ginger, that can prevent or alleviate symptoms.

Explore the Ports of Call

To get the most of your cruise, you need to leave the ship. Almost every cruise stops at one or more port city, and most have excursions that allow guests to go ashore for a few hours. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn about local culture, do some shopping, and participate in planned activities and tours. Sometimes, you have to pay a fee to go on the excursion, but the price is well worth it.

Check out Cruise Ship Childcare Options

You may be on the cruise as a family, but that doesnt mean that you have to do everything together. Many cruise lines offer childcare options. This gives your kids a chance to meet new friends and enjoy fun activities that are supervised by childcare professionals. It also lets you unwind or spend quality time with your spouse, partner or friends. After an afternoon of fun, you can meet up with the kids for dinner and some family activities.

Enjoy Cruise Ship Cuisine

Cruises often have multiple food options. Some may be free and open all day for guests who want to take full advantage of a buffet. Other options will be more formal, serving meals to guest who prefer to dress up and watch a show with dinner. Try to check out all of the food options while on your cruise. A cruise is a great opportunity to sample new kinds of food. Remember, though, many cruises do not include drinks in the price of the all inclusive ticket, so be careful not to run up your bill with soft drinks and martinis if youre on a budget.

Capture Cruise Ship Memories

If you want to get the most out of your cruise vacation, dont forget your camera. Youll make tons of memories on your trip, whether you go with your family, with a group of friends, or just by yourself. Many cruise ships have gift shops that sell disposable cameras, but it is usually less expensive just to bring your own. On some ships, you can even get film developed or print out digital photographs at their photo center.

Regardless of your cruise destination, be sure to take advantage of all that your ship has to offer. From on board activities and fine dining to exciting excursions, a cruise vacation is an unforgettable experience.

Honeymoons are often thought of as vacations . In a way, the only difference between a family vacation and a honeymoon is romance and the lack of children. Honeymoons are supposed to a fun, exciting, memorable, but private time. Instead of vacationing with the whole family, a honeymoon often only involves the bride and groom.

As previously mentioned, you have a number of different options when it comes to planning your honeymoon. Many newlyweds schedule their honeymoons at popular beaches, ski resorts, or other secluded areas. Did you know that you can also have a honeymoon aboard a cruise ship? Cruise ships are increasing in popularity, but still many individuals do not consider them as a vacation option.

One of the reasons why cruise ships are rarely thought about when selecting a vacation destination, let alone a honeymoon, is because of their cost. It is no secret that cruise ship tickets are expensive, but this cost should not prevent you from having the perfect honeymoon to go along with the wedding of your dreams. If you are concerned with the cost, you may want to try obtaining discount cruise ship tickets.

Most discount cruise ship tickets can easily be found online or with the assistance of a travel agent. Discount cruise ship tickets are nice, but they are often hard to come by. Discount cruise tickets are sought after by many newlyweds and other vacationers. If by chance you do come across discounted tickets, you are urged to purchase them while you still have the chance.

Even if you must pay full price for the cruise of your dreams, it is likely that you will still receive a good deal. Despite the large cost of tickets, it is important to examine the activities available onboard and the length of the cruise. The longer the cruise and the more services available, the more expensive tickets are likely to be. If you take the time to figure out all the services that are included and the cost of overnight accommodations, you may see that cruises aren’t all that expensive after all.

Once you have made the decision to spend your honeymoon aboard a cruise ship, you will have to book reservations. As mentioned above, if you are looking to save money on your honeymoon, you are encouraged to search for discounted cruise ship tickets. If money is not an option, you may want to search for cruise ships that have romantic settings and romantic destinations.

When examining cruise ship destinations, you may want to take into consideration the possibility for romance at each destination. Since your honeymoon is supposed to be a romantic and relaxing time, you will want to select an environment that will keep those feelings alive. Cruise ship destinations are located all around the world. Popular destinations include Alaska, Hawaii, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and Mexico. To find the perfect honeymoon cruise, you are encouraged to select a cruise that offers stops at destinations of your choice.

In addition to taking cruise ship destinations into consideration, you are also encouraged to examine the type of cruise that you wish to set sail on. Multiple cruise lines have ships that are targeted to specific groups of individuals. These cruises often include cruises for adventure lovers, the whole family, or couples. As a couple, you should be welcome on any cruise. If you are looking for a private, romantic, and intimate setting, you may want to avoided cruises that are targeted for family vacations.

Before booking your honeymoon trip on a particular cruise ship, you are urged to examine want you want and need out of your trip. Doing so will enable you to select the perfect cruise ship for you and your new spouse.

The Ionian Sea lies to the west of the mainland of Greece, it combines both good sailing weather, sunny and warm with predictable winds with a fascinating group of islands. Navigation is generally by line of sight and a passage between islands is generally only a few hours in duration The islands are attractive and steeped in Greek mythology. This is a great place for people learning to sail or building experience and so it is no surprise that it is home to several companies running flotilla sailing holidays. Islands that can be visited include; Corfu, Paxos, Levkas, Meganisi, Ithaca, Cephalonia and Zakinthos. More information about yacht charter in the Ionian Sea can be found here.

The Aegean Sea lies to the south and east of mainland Greece and can be divided into the following areas; Crete, Cyclades, Dodecanese, Eastern Sporades, Gulfs of Corinth and Patros, Northern Sporades, Peloponisos and the Saronic

Crete is the largest island in the Aegean Sea and marks the boundary between Europe and Africa. It is 140 miles long (E – W) and around 20 miles wide (N – S). The centre of the island is mountainous and it is rocky and barren in the main. The exceptions being the plains on the north coast and Lasithi Plateau in the mountains. These areas are cultivated and a wide range of fruit and vegetables are grown on Crete.

The Cyclades is the central group of islands in the Aegean Sea. It can be split into three groups; the Northern Cyclades that includes the islands of Kea, Kithnos, Andros, Tinos, Yiaros, Siros, Mikonos, Delos and Rinia; the Central Cyclades that includes Serifos, Sifnos, Andiparos, Paros, Naxos, Dhenoussa, Iraklia, Skhinoussa, Koufonisia and Amorgos; and the Southern Cyclades including the islands of Milos, Kimolos, Folegandros, Sikonos, Ios, Thira and Anafi.

The Dodecanese is a complex of over 163 islands and islets of which only 26 are inhabited. The islands form part of Greece’s eastern border with Turkey. The group of islands can be split in three groups; the Northern Dodecanese and the islands of Arki, Lipso, Kalimnos, Levitha, Leros, Patmos and Gaidharos; the Central Dodecanese and the islands of Kos, Astipalea, Niseros, Symi and Tilos; and the Southern Dodecanese including Rhodes, Karpathos and Kasos.

The Sporades. The Northern Sporades is the correct name for what people usually call the Sporades and the yacht charter area is made up of the scattered, widespread and fertile islands of Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonissos, Skyros, Pelagos or Kira Panayia and the uninhabited Peristera, Skantzoura, Yioura, Piperi and Psathoura. Skiathos and Skopelos are the main yacht charter bases in the Northern Sporades. The less travelled Eastern Sporades refers to the yacht charter area that includes the islands of Lesbos, Limnos and Chios that run along the Turkish coastline.

The Peloponnisos can be split into the coast of the Western Peloponnisos and the Gulfs of Corinth and Patras. The Western Peloponnisos is in the most part high, rugged mountains, still often snow capped in the spring. The two principal ranges, Taiyetos and Parnon, run south ending at the capes of Matapan and Malea respectively. The northern coast of Peloponnisos is made up of the Gulfs of Patras in the west and Corinth to the east. The Peloponnisos was originally an island but great geological upheavals united with the mainland. A later retreat by the sea formed the Isthmus of Corinth which in turn was cut in the 19th century to make the Corinth canal and made Peloponnisos an island again.

The Saronic Gulf lies to the south of Athens, the capital of Greece. As a practical sailing area it includes the Athens or Attica coast on the mainland, the eastern coast of the Peloponnisos including the Gulfs of Idhras and Argolikos. Some of the better known Islands include Aigina, Poros, Idhra or Hydra and Spetsai.