Sea Garden Pompano Beach

Sea Garden Pompano Beach

Sea Garden Pompano Beach

Sea Garden Pompano Beach

Florida is one of the best places to go on vacation. With its warm climate, sunny beaches, golf courses and exciting nightlife–Florida is a great place. If you add theme parks, turtle watching opportunities and delicious Key Lime Pie to the mix, Florida is a must-see.

What are the top destinations in Florida? Consider visiting Destin, Panama City Beach or Beaches of South Walton. These beach destinations have something for everyone and many things to do.

Top Things to Do in Destin:

- Go parasailing with Just Chute Me!

- Go on an excursion with snorkeling and dolphin sight-seeing

- Visit the shops and restaurants in HarborWalk Village

- Play at the Big Kahuna’s Water & Adventure Park

- See the sea lions, turtles, sharks and eels at the Gulfarium

- Lay on the beach during the day and then enjoy the nightlife on the Okaloosa Island Boardwalk

Top Things to Do in Panama City Beach:

- Take a dolphin tour

- Hop on the pirate-themed Sea Dragon excursion as you eat, drink and be merry with your family

- Spend a day at one of Panama City Beach’s amusement parks

- Get wet at a the Shipwreck Island water park

- Golf at one of Panama City’s many golf courses

- Go scuba diving

Top Things to Do in Beaches of South Walton:

- Take a trip along Scenic Highway 30-A

- Take a stroll down the historic town of DeFuniak Springs

- Rent a bike or a kayak and go exploring

- Spend the day fishing and catch Pompano, Spanish mackerel, Trout or Bluefish

- Visit the Chautauqua Winery for complimentary tours and wine tasting

- Drive to the Eden State Gardens, a mansion surrounded by beautiful gardens

Of course, these are just a few of the many attractions that the Florida Golf Coast has to offer. Destin, Panama City Beach and the Beaches of South Walton are all within an hour of each other, and there are places to stop along the way in Santa Rosa Beach, Grayton Beach and Seagrove Beach.

When visiting the Florida Gulf Coast, relax and enjoy your vacation. There are more than enough activities to keep you busy, but take your time to soak up the sun, shop at the local stores and enjoy the fresh air.

If you are going to be staying in Florida for more than a few days, consider Gulf Coast vacation rentals as alternative accommodations to the typical hotel. For example, there are various golf resorts in Destin, FL , or a Panama City beachfront resort might be a good alternative as well. There are also many beach rentals in Destin Florida as well as Destin Harbor condominium rentals. If you are visiting Florida with your family or with a large group of friends, these alternatives can be less expensive and much nicer. Check out many places to find the lowest price or sign up to have condo deals sent to your email account. There are condos with kitchens, 2-3 private bedrooms, living rooms and balconies for great prices.

By Jayna Leach

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Things-to-Do-in-the-Florida-Gulf-Coast&id=2244245

Deep Sea Fishing La

Deep Sea Fishing La

Deep Sea Fishing La

Deep Sea Fishing La

Picture this; it’s a 75*F day in November, the sky is blue, and you’re with your best fishing buddy, 20 miles out in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in the center of the Mexican Riviera. As you peer across the water, you see thousands of birds feeding on millions of small bait fish as they are driven to the water’s surface by larger fish from below. With acres of bait fish breaking the surface, the entire area, as far as you can see, has an oily sheen and the smell of a fish factory. As thousands of dolphins are playfully flipping and twisting while feeding in this orgy and larger game fish are joining the birds in this feeding frenzy; it’s time to strap yourself in and get ready for action!

As ten year residents of Vallarta, we’ve often had the privilege and good fortune to have been there and done it. If you’re a fisherman, life just doesn’t get any better.

Before we go fishing, let’s first check out the marina. In the well protected Puerto Vallarta marina, you will see in excess of 400 beautiful boats including multi-million dollar mega-yachts from throughout the world, million dollar fishing boats, and many sail boats from around the world. Circling 80% of the marina’s perimeter, you’ll find over 100 fine boutiques and five star restaurants. Behind and above these establishments are condominiums, all having magnificent views of the marina with its colorful array of boats. What a glorious site!

Due to the popularity and explosive growth of Vallarta, this marina has been unable to meet the demand of the boat owners traveling to or retiring in Puerto Vallarta. Therefore, 25 years ago, Nuevo Vallarta, five miles north, was developed around a recently upgraded 230 slip marina for moorage of yachts up to 130′ long.

During the past decade, the popular Nuevo Vallarta marina has also become so busy that another marina in the La Cruz de Huanacaxtle area, seven miles further north along the Banderas Bay shoreline, had to be designed and is currently under construction. The La Cruz Marina project is expected to cost in excess of 50 million dollars and will have slips for an additional 400 yachts. This marina will also be home to a bayside promenade, restaurants, shops, condominiums, and even an outdoor theater. Of course, like the other marinas, it too will be lined with luxurious condominiums.

Realizing that in a few short years, the above marinas will be filled, the Mexican government (fonatur) has defined the ten year plan for the Nayarit Riviera, about 25 miles north of PV and just outside of the Banderas Bay. This plan incorporates a 30 mile stretch of pristine shoreline on the Pacific Ocean and includes another world class 150 slip marina for yachts and sailboats, as well as three new golf courses, shopping districts, hotels and condo complexes, restaurants and boutique shops, and even a theme park modeled after Xcaret in the Cancun area. The infrastructure and the first Greg Norman golf course are currently under construction, therefore we can estimate that the marina will be ready within five years.

If you’re fortunate, you’ll be able to rent or purchase a slip for your million dollar yacht in one of the marinas mentioned above, housing over 1,200 million dollar plus yachts. As they say in Vallarta, if you’re really fortunate, it’s your best buddy that owns the million dollar yacht or fishing boat! Of course, if your boat is like most of ours, there are thousands of small slips available in the Vallarta area and many dry storage areas.

Okay, back to the fishing, now that we have a place to dock the boat! Although the large blue and black marlin run in the summer months, so do the gringos; they usually run to the north or to Europe because summer humidity and temperatures in Vallarta are similar to those in Houston.

Most of the serious fishing starts in November when the annual Sailfish Tournament is held. Fishing continues throughout the seven month “high season”, during which time the average daily temperature is 73*F with virtually no chance of rain. We have fished every year for the past decade and can tell you that fishing success varies significantly from year to year, depending on ocean water temperatures and currents. Four years ago, it was not uncommon to land ten to fifteen 100 pound sails a day. During one outing, we had three on simultaneously, all “walking across the top of the water”, heading in every direction imaginable–what a catastrophe that was! Most often during the “high season”, catching one to three sails per trip would be considered typical.

On the other hand, marlin are much more unpredictable during the “high season”. They’re out there but are few and far between. When you do hook-up, it’ll be anywhere from 600-1,000 pounds and will test your stamina.

Talking about testing your stamina, try landing a 300 to 400 pound yellow fin tuna! When the tuna are running, and they do every year during the winter months in the Pacific Ocean just outside of Banderas Bay, you’ll be able to test your fishing prowess as well as your physical condition! The smaller ones, in the 30 to 70 pound range are fun to catch and will provide you plenty of entertainment. When they range from 100 to 200 pounds, they head south as soon as hooked and the fight begins. Be prepared for a one hour struggle getting them to the boat, after which you’ll be needing a cold cerveza and an hour of rest! There will be a period of time almost every year when the big fellows show up. They are in the 300 to 400 pound range, approaching world record sizes. These monsters head out and deep as soon as hooked and hopefully, as your reel is spinning and your line is evaporating in front of your eyes, you’ll have time to get harnessed into your chair. You are getting ready for the three hour fight of your life when you’ve hooked a 400 pound yellow finned tuna. If you are a normal retiree, you’ll never get it in alone without having a cardiac arrest! We’ll usually have to rotate positions every half hour or so in order to land one of these monsters. Landing a 700 pound black marlin is a job, but landing a 350 to 400 pound tuna is life threatening!

Probably the most popular fish in the Vallarta area is the dorado. They are very edible and beautiful game fish ranging from 20 to 80 pounds. Dorado are plentiful, fun to catch, and considered by many to be the best eating fish in the sea.

There are numerous other game fish in and around Banderas Bay as well as great bottom fish such as huge red snapper.

If you’re not fortunate enough to own a million dollar fishing boat, there are many charter boats that cost from $300 to $500 per day. There are also hundreds of pangas that can be chartered for bay fishing at about $30 per hour. Banderas Bay is approximately 25 miles in diameter and one of the deepest bays in the world. Therefore, catching a 100 pound sail fish or a 50 pound dorado 300 yards offshore while fishing in a panga is not uncommon. Seldom will you ever get skunked when fishing in the beautiful Vallarta waters. Also, since almost every fish that you catch is desirable for eating, most of the restaurants in Vallarta will be pleased to prepare a wonderful dinner for your entire family using your “catch of the day” as the main course.

During the “high season”, weather conditions are always perfect for fishing. Winter storms are virtually nonexistent and the ocean water is generally quite calm. Perhaps once a month, the ocean might be choppy enough to prevent you from safely leaving the 25 mile bay, however the chance of catching a thriller 20 miles out, but still in the deep bay water, always exists.

As a secondary benefit to all fishermen, the scenery from offshore with the Sierra Madres as a backdrop, has to be among the finest on the planet; always take a camera when fishing in this area. The Mexican shoreline along this Riviera is as beautiful as Pebble Beach and it seems to run forever. If you have the opportunity to take an overnight fishing trip, in all probability you’ll anchor in one of the many inlets or coves along the Riviera. As you gaze into the evening sky, you’ll see more stars than you ever dreamt existed; it’s absolutely incredible. With a perfect climate, a magnificent shoreline, and an abundance of world class game fish, Puerto Vallarta offers what many consider to be the best deep sea fishing in the world.

By James Scherrer

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Retirement-in-Puerto-Vallarta–Interested-in-Deep-Sea-Fishing-at-its-Best&id=697579

Map Of Arabian Sea

Map Of Arabian Sea

Map Of Arabian Sea

Map Of Arabian Sea

Kerala is a southernmost state in India blessed with natural beauty. It is known as ‘Gods own country’ as it looks like made by the very own hands of God. Kerala is famous for its spices, culture, Ayurveda and its vast backwaters and houseboats. Kerala had trade relations with different parts of the world dated from 5th BC. It is also the place where the Portuguese captain Vasco Da Gama landed and henceforth the beginning place for colonialism which ruled India for years.

Being the first place to establish trading relations with the west, Kerala has lots of forts and buildings built by the Portuguese and British and are an open window to the past. These historic monuments show the beauty of western architecture and are centre of tourist attraction.

But it is not these historical buildings that attract tourists to Kerala. It is the beauty of its nature, which is blessed both with mountain ranges and forests on the east and the Arabian sea and backwaters on the West.

A travel map? Why?

There are so many places in Kerala to be seen, so unless you are planning to stay here for a long time you need to plan your holidays properly. There is every chance that you miss one beautiful tourist attraction while having a hasty trip from one place to another. Just by taking five minutes to look at your Kerala Map, you can avoid all this and have a beautiful experience of lifetime.

Why has a hasty trip when you can avoid it?

This is a common problem faced by many tourists. They visit Kerala for a short holiday and most time travel from one end to another missing the soothing experience of Kerala, the reason why they chose to come here. Kerala is a place to relax your mind. It is not a place where you can find the rush of a metro, large shopping malls and theme parks, but a place where you live in harmony with nature.

There are places where you need to stay longer and places where you can just skim through. For example you can enjoy the backwaters only if you stay there for a day on a houseboat. But in Trivandrum which houses most of the palaces of old Kings of Kerala, it may take only one day to visit them all. So when you plan your holiday it is better to plan it with the help of a travel map.

So in short my advice is Get a Kerala Travel Map, find the best places and plan your holidays accordingly.

Wish you a Happy Journey to the ‘God’s own country’.

By Mejason John

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-You-Should-Take-a-Look-at-a-Kerala-Travel-Map-While-Planning-Your-Trip-There&id=4603211

Sea World Season Pass Discount

Sea World Season Pass Discount

Sea World Season Pass Discount

Sea World Season Pass Discount

Sea World is a theme park that is based on marine life. Unlike Disney World, the park itself is not divided into sections although you may find that there are certain distinct areas. For instance, one part of the theme park is made to look like a city and it includes sting rays, flamingos, manatees, dolphins and the like. One of the biggest attractions for children is Shamu’s Happy Harbor. This is a play area for children. In all, the park contains a number of fantastic attractions. No wonder this is one of the most visited attractions in the US!

Besides the wonderful attractions waiting to greet visitors,Sea World is a popular tourist attraction because it is less expensive when compared to many other theme parks in the world. But, if you are traveling on a budget and you’re looking to cut costs on your trip to Sea World, you can still save on your Sea World tickets. Here’s how.

• Purchase your Sea World tickets from authorized ticket agencies that offer great discounts. For instance, some agencies offer discounted admission and they offer you the ticket for a second day absolutely FREE!
• Some ticket agencies offer great discounts on multi-park entries.
• Before you make plans, do your research. Online resources will give you valuable tips about the best time to visit Sea World. Some of them offer you tickets that are much below the gate price.
• If you are new to Orlando, why not purchase an Entertainment Book? Not only will you get the inside scoop on the main attractions in Orlando, you will also get a $5 discount on your Sea World tickets!
• In case you intend to visit different parks like Adventure Island and the Busch Gardens, then a multi-park ticket from Sea World is the best offer you can get. The best part is, you can visit at different times of the year as these passes are valid for two years. So, you can keep coming back again and again for more fun.
• Sea World parks offer some attractive discounts to different sections of visitors. So, there are residential discounts for local visitors, special rates for seniors on certain days, direct discounts for online tickets, season passes and more. You even get group discounts for celebrations like birthday parties. Information is the key to availing of these discounts.
• Many online ticket agencies get huge discounts by buying tickets in bulk. These agencies pass on a part of their profits to their customers. Depending on the park, savings range from $1 to $10 if you buy from such agencies. Only remember to purchase tickets from agencies you can trust.
• Some theme parks offer special discount promos. These are best availed during times when the park is less crowded and business is lean. If you want to catch these promos, keep checking their websites for Hot Deals.

So, there you have it. Now, all you have to do is go and have a great time!

By Kathleen Chester

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Buy-Cheap-Sea-World-Tickets&id=4533403

Sea Iguana

Sea Iguana

Sea Iguana

Sea Iguana

Due to the special ability of marine iguanas to live and forage in the seawaters, they have been set apart from their relatives. The marine iguanas have been given the brand name of Galapagos marine iguana, with respect to its existence in large numbers at the Galapagos Islands. Even though the marine iguana’s natural habitat is Galapagos island?s rocky shores, they can also been found in marshes beaches and mangroves.

A few people like Charles Darwin describe marine iguanas as black lizards thriving on the seas but actually marine iguanas aren’t always black. While dorsal stripe color is taken by the young ones of marine iguanas the adults are grayish in color. Even though their colors are really dull, there?s a reason for this dullness. These colors allow the marine iguanas to absorb the heat easily as they come out of the waters. Their diet is usually just the water algae present in the sea. Basking under the sun helps the marine iguanas to remove the left out salts from its nasal glands. Their faces of the marine iguanas usually appear white due to the salt content present in their bodies.

The color of the male matured iguanas depends on the ongoing season. Due to which they have a variety of colors. At their breeding season, the adult males appear teal green or even reddish brown in color. The ones in Santa Cruz appear to be red brick and black whereas those thriving in Fernandina have brick red and dull green color appearance. Like their colors, so do the sizes of these iguanas vary with island they house in. While the largest of them are present in the entire of Isabela and Fernandina of the Galapagos, the smallest of them are in Genovesa.

The marine iguanas cannot venture for a long time in the sea while in search of food or anything else due to their poikilothermic nature. That?s the reason why they usually stick to swimming within the shallow areas of the island waters. Following their search for food, they go back to basking under the sun for warming themselves again. Marine iguanas are most easily hunted by their predators in the cold days as the cold affects the movement of the iguanas. But they do try protecting themselves by striking their tails up and biting the predators which they think is causing them danger. The whole breeding season of the marine iguanas is spent by mating with the other sex and also by protecting them over other males of their breed.

The iguanas have the ability to adapt their sizes according to the food availability at that time. At the time of the El Niño when the amount of water algae decreased, the iguanas actually reduced in their lengths to bring themselves to the food condition. Later as the food conditions began to come back to normal so did the size of the reptiles. These types of iguanas are slow compared to their relatives. Sometimes when they are taken as pets, dogs and cats emerge as their predators as the iguanas are really slow and too tamed.

The Ecuador government has brought about many laws to prevent the fall of the marine iguanas till date. To protect them against predators artificial nestling sites have been set up in the smaller islands.

By Abhishek Agarwal

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Marine-Iguanas—Some-Interesting-Facts&id=1659823

Rainbow Sea

Rainbow Sea

Rainbow Sea

Rainbow Sea

The importance of following instructions and being responsible are highlighted in this story. Marcus Pfiester, the Swiss author, uses very vivid watercolour drawings of fishes in his stories. His fishes take on human characteristics and touch on common topics that kids face.

In this story the fishes contemplated stealing the crystals from the Crystal Caverns. The 4 fishes edge one another on to see who would be the first one to take a crystal from the cavern and bring it home. Tug, wanting to make Rainbow fish happy, attempted to take one of the crystals. In the meanwhile Rainbow fish left with the group moved off to view another section of the caverns as he was interested to view the diamonds. He didn’t wait for his buddy Tug to prompt him to stay together with the group.

He forgot that he was responsible for his buddy’s safety and went off to per sue his own interest and neglected looking after his buddy.

This story addresses the issue of peer pressure, honesty and responsibility. It talks about the importance of following the teacher’s instructions especially when they are on a field trip out of school.

There are many different books in the Rainbow Fish series. There are even books in the series catered to babies and toddlers which focus on Counting, ABC’s and 1-2-3s.

This series of books also comes in Spanish for Spanish readers.

I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

ISBN 1-59014-002-8

This book is printed by Night Sky Books- A division of North-South Book Inc

By Rachel Dominique Goh

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Lost-At-Sea—Rainbow-Fish-and-Friends&id=1108677

Sea Lion Island

Sea Lion Island

Sea Lion Island

Sea Lion Island

On the Galapagos Islands, holiday makers are a common sight and many of the animals that make the region their home are accustomed to seeing people. One of the most conspicuous and prevalent animals on the archipelago is the Galapagos Sea Lion. They are also arguably the most appealing of all the inhabitants; their cheeky faces with a constant smile and their huge, black, liquid eyes have entranced boatloads of visitors on Galapagos Island tours for many years.

The Galapagos Sea Lions range in size from about 50kgs up to 400kgs for a full grown male. Males are slightly darker than the females – although it is hard to tell when they are wet – and they have a distinctive bump on their heads. The main characteristic which differentiates the sea lions from their close relative, the seal, is their external ear-like flaps. The sea lions are extremely agile in the water; their front flippers control them but their back flippers move independently, allowing them easy passage on land as well as acting as a rudder to help them turn quickly in the water.

Although they spend much of their time fishing and swimming, the sea lions also love sunning themselves on the beach and in tidal rock pools. They are homebodies at heart and seldom venture further than about 15km from the shore. They are very approachable and quite placid; however care needs to be taken with the larger bulls. In many locations you can swim freely amongst the sea lions without causing a fuss. They may show some interest but mainly just get on with their daily business, not paying too much heed to their human companions enjoying their Galapagos Islands holiday! A favourite game the sea lions love to play is to swim towards you at great speed, and then veer off at the last moment. Hold your nerve and it can be a delightful experience.

The Galapagos Sea Lions live in colonies consisting of about thirty females dominated by one bull, and the remainder of the males live in bachelor colonies. There is a constant war between the males as they vie to dominate the breeding colony, often culminating in a bloody battle. Sometimes however, the dominant bull becomes so weary from his breeding duties and lack of food he simply surrenders and slinks off to join the bachelors group, conceding to the next young male!

One of the main drawcards that brings so many people on their Galapagos Islands holiday to visit the sea lion colonies is the inquisitive and endearing faces of the pups. Female sea lions carry their pups for around eleven months. After they are born it is about five months before they learn to fish for themselves, but the mothers continue to suckle them sometimes well beyond twelve months. Due to the constant breeding cycle, this can often mean that a mother is still suckling one pup when she gives birth to her next.

Although numbers of the Galapagos Sea Lions are now growing, they are still listed as vulnerable. In 1979 there were about 50,000 living on the islands, but years of El Nino cycles and human interference saw numbers dwindle to less than 16,000 in 2001. The main problems have been the ‘long nets’ that fishermen use, which entangle the sea lions, together with fish hooks and outboard propellers – deadly temptations for inquisitive juveniles.

Another danger for these beautiful creatures is unfortunately human waste and refuse left by visitors on their Galapagos Islands holiday. By raising awareness of these ecological issues however, scientists monitoring numbers on the islands, have reported a measure of marine condition improvement, and the population now fluctuates between 30,000 – 50,000.

By Louise Mumford

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Sea-Lions-of-Galapagos&id=3036260

Deep Sea Fishing In Cabo San Lucas

Deep Sea Fishing In Cabo San Lucas

Deep Sea Fishing In Cabo San Lucas

Deep Sea Fishing In Cabo San Lucas

Has it ever crossed your mind that you might be able to spend your whole vacation deep sea fishing, rather than just a few days or hours? Well, most middle grade anglers might not wish to do this or find the prospect too exciting, but ardent fishing enthusiasts would be thrilled at such a possibility. You must wonder where you could find such an opportunity and spend your whole vacation out at sea with deep sea fishing. There are many deep sea fishing opportunities where you will be able to spend a whole vacation out at sea, and can be arranged for you.

1. Where you could find a vacation of deep sea fishing

In Florida, there are many such locations off the Gulf of Mexico, where you could find opportunities of a deep sea fishing vacation. You could find several charters starting at Ft. Myers or in Sanibel, Cape Coral or Estero Bay. If you want a thrilling experience you could take a trip from what is called “the sport fishing capital of the world” or Florida keys. As this is located between the Atlantic ocean and the Gulf the most unusual species of fish in the world are found here. The most common fish that are found here are the snapper and grouper, however, the tuna, redfish, and many other large varieties of fish are found in the ledges, the reefs, and off the coast wrecks. The deeper and further you go into the waters, the more variety of marine life will you find and the species will be bigger than those which are found in shallow waters closer to the shore.

2. Still more vacations packages are offered in California

Deep sea fishing trips for vacations are obtainable from California and more so Southwards from San Diego. These vacation tips and organized tours are available for as long as three weeks at a stretch, instead of the usual shorter duration trips. As you go further into the sea, you get the larger varieties of fish. During you three week trip and mile into the sea you will not be looking at the mackerel to bait, but would be luring the tuna, shark, marlin and swordfish.

3. Exotic deep sea fishing from the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico

You also have the choice of starting from ports in Mexico which cater to tourist attraction and go out to the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. You will find crew who can converse in English on your fishing excursion from Cozumel, Cancun, or Ixtapa and towards the open seas. Another option is from Cabo San Lucas on the west coast towards southern California in the Pacific Ocean or from Acapulco or maybe Mazatlan.

It does not matter where you commence your long deep sea fishing vacation trip from because it will be an exciting and a very fulfilling experience from any where. This will be a relaxing and de stressing trip away from the madding crowds and with experiences of a life time to come back and narrate to everyone.

By Abhishek Agarwal

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Deep-Sea-Fishing-Vacation—3-Tips-To-Choose-An-Ideal-Location&id=1663101

Wedding Sea

Wedding Sea

Wedding Sea

Wedding Sea

A wedding, whether it is your first or fifth, can be the best, and the most stressful, experience of your life. Except, of course, if you choose to tie the knot at sea. When getting married on a cruise ship, you’ll have a host of professionals trained to accommodate your every need during your cruise wedding. From cakes to tuxedos, accommodations to the reception hall, you won’t have to go off-board for anything. Unless of course you choose to have your reception on shore. In which case, the amenities come to you.

Imagine saying your vows on the beautiful beaches of the Caribbean, on a hillside vineyard in Italy, or on the snowy-white glaciers of Alaska. The possibilities are endless.

There are a few stipulations when getting married on a cruise ship. First, the captain generally does not marry the couple (except with Princess Cruises). A wedding officiant will be provided by the cruise line for that purpose. Second, cruise weddings take place while in port, not while at sea. You can choose to get married on board when in port or at a selected location on shore. Finally, the bride and groom must be sailing on the cruise in order to get married on it. Your guests can, however, board the ship for the wedding without sailing on the cruise.

Many cruise lines provide cruise wedding packages and coordinators to make sure that your day is special and runs smoothly. Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International, all provide wedding packages for couples sailing on their ships. Crystal Cruises and Cunard Line do not allow weddings on their ships. The cost of tying the knot at sea ranges from $900 to $2,400 and generally includes transportation to and from the port, wedding facilities, wedding officiant, wedding coordinator, ceremony music, flowers for the bride and groom, cake, champagne, photographer, wedding album, and dinner. Many will also arrange spa and hair appointments, as well as tuxedo rentals. Of course, each line has their own packages. Read below for information on the most popular cruise lines and their wedding options.

PLEASE NOTE: Prices provided on this page are general indicators of wedding package costs. They are provided to give a general indication of costs for couples in the early stages of planning their weddings. Stated prices are not guaranteed and do not include taxes.

Carnival Cruises

For those looking to celebrate a special occasion, Carnival offers a variety of packages designed to suit every need. Wedding ceremonies are performed by a wedding officiant before the ship sets sail and Carnival provides a photographer who takes pictures both during the ceremony and the reception. These photos are available for purchase during the cruise.

The basic cruise wedding package is for eight guests (including bride and groom) and includes the ceremony, bridal bouquet, groom’s boutonniere, bottle of sparkling wine, wedding cake, wedding music, and photography service. This package is priced starting at $750, prices vary depending on the port. The other wedding packages offered by Carnival add to the basic package with a combination of wedding luncheon, open bar, champagne, and the accommodation of up to 20 guests. These packages range in price from $1,050 to $1,450. Guests may wish to add a videographer, tuxedo rental, additional food and beverage service, or live entertainment.

Holland America Line

Holland America Line offers a variety of packages for those celebrating weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and other special occasions.

Weddings

Holland America’s wedding package is called Anchors Away. It includes the ceremony setup, personal wedding coordinator, personalized wedding ceremony, bridal bouquet, groom’s boutonniere, wedding cake, champagne, and a cruise album. This package starts at $1,295 USD.

Renewal of Vows

Holland America Line’s renewal of vows package is priced at $99USD and includes flowers in your stateroom, renewal ceremony with hors d’oeuvres and beverages, as well as a photograph and photo album.

Special Occasion

The basic celebration package includes flowers in your stateroom, champagne, a special dessert in the dining room, framed photograph, and special recognition. This package is $79USD. You can add to this package with amenities like a dozen roses, a pair of terrycloth bathrobes, a special chocolate pillow gift, couple’s massage, and a guaranteed table for two in the dining room. The price for the more elaborate package is $410 USD.

If your special occasion is of a romantic nature, Holland America has a romantic package that provides you with flowers, champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, a framed photograph, $25 in casino chips, and an aromatherapy massage. This package is priced at $169 USD.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Lines gives passengers a variety of options when planning a wedding on one of their ships. Wedding packages range in price from $1200 USD to $2,399 USD and can accommodate anywhere from eight to twenty five guests.

Wedding Package

Norwegian’s basic package will accommodate a maximum of eight guests (including the bride and groom) and includes the wedding officiant, wedding music, keepsake marriage certificate, ceremony location, wedding cake, champagne, and a photograph package. The photograph package provides the bride and groom with twelve portraits, a mini-album, and two 8″ by 10″ selected portraits. You can add to this package with such amenities as additional guests, a one-hour, open bar reception with hors d’oeuvres, additional champagne, additional photographs, a two-hour sit-down lunch with wine, and live music.

Anniversary and Honeymoon Package

Whether you’re looking for a deluxe package with all the fixings or a small combination of some simple luxuries, Norwegian Cruise Line can accommodate your needs. With prices ranging from $79 to $329, the basic package includes champagne and strawberries, canapes in your stateroom, photograph, and romantic dinner for two in the bistro with a complimentary bottle of wine. The most deluxe offer gives couples champagne and strawberries, spa wrap, massage, breakfast-in-bed, a formal portrait, and a romantic dinner for two in the bistro with a bottle of wine.

Princess Cruises

Weddings

Princess Cruises offers customizable cruise wedding packages that include everything from bouquets and wedding cake to portraits and tuxedo rental. You and your Cruise Consultant can work together to create the package that suits all of your wedding needs. One special bonus with Princess is that your wedding ceremony will be conducted by the captain of your ship.

Renewal of Vows

The basic package costs $205 and includes the ceremony, bouquet, boutonniere of orchids, commemorative certificate, a bottle of champagne with engraved champagne glasses in your stateroom, and a framed portrait of the ceremony. For an additional cost, the package can be upgraded to include champagne and breakfast-in-bed, two Princess terrycloth robes, a thirty-minute massage or facial per person, and a visit to the bridge while the ship is in port.

Special Occasion

Celebrating a birthday, promotion, or graduation? Do it in style on a Princess ship. Princess Cruises offers a variety of packages for people celebrating something special. The most basic package includes a bottle of champagne, framed formal portrait, hors d’oeuvres delivered to your stateroom, and breakfast-in-bed with champagne. All for $135 per couple. Passengers can add to that package with amenities like Princess terrycloth robes, spa visit, a visit to the bridge, and chocolate-dipped strawberries. Prices range from $135 to $430 per couple, depending on the package.

Royal Caribbean International – Weddings

Royal Caribbean offers seven wedding packages ranging in price from $1,095 to $1,595.

Duet, the simplest onboard package, includes the wedding coordinator, wedding ceremony, wedding officiant, ceremony music, bride’s bouquet of roses, groom’s boutonniere of roses, wedding cake for four, photographer, one wedding photo, wedding certificate keepsake, and champagne. Additions that are made for other packages include more wedding photos, larger bridal bouquet, champagne and breakfast-in-bed for two, round-trip transportation to the port in a chauffeured limousine, and chocolate-covered strawberries in the couple’s stateroom.

These packages can be enhanced to include live music, videography, beauty appointments, tuxedo rentals, wedding invitations/announcements, wedding reception, and marriage license processing. Ask your Cruise Consultant about the cost of these additions.

Shore Weddings

For weddings on shore, Royal Caribbean includes many of the same amenities found in the Duet package, but adds indigenous wedding flowers, escorted transportation to and from the territorial court and ceremony site, local wedding cake, and secured, marriage license documents.

Renewal of Vows

If you would like to renew your vows on a cruise ship, you can do so for $400. Your vows can be renewed in the wedding chapel (if there is one) or in a designated spot on board. This cost includes the ceremony, ceremony music, bouquet for the bride, boutonniere for the groom, keepsake certificate, wedding cake for four, photograph, and champagne.

PLEASE NOTE: Prices provided on this page are general indicators of wedding package costs. They are provided to give a general indication of costs for couples in the early stages of planning their weddings. Stated prices are not guaranteed and do not include taxes.

By John S. Hanson

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Weddings-at-Sea&id=519498

Dominican Republic Deep Sea Fishing

Dominican Republic Deep Sea Fishing

Dominican Republic Deep Sea Fishing

Dominican Republic Deep Sea Fishing

Dominican Republic consist of two third of Hispaniola Island. The major city of Dominican Republic is the Santo Domingo is beautiful with its urban life and the villages around are only a small distance from the city. There are several resorts on the beach side to enjoy the beauty of the sea. The most popular tourist spot in Dominican Republic is the Las Terrenas which is the major resort town in Samana peninsula. Spend your holidays in Dominican Republic by enjoying the inexpensive resorts, sugar white sand beaches and rich scenic beauty. You can enjoy so many sports activities like wind surfing, sun baths, scuba diving etc.

Some of the major tourist places in Dominican Republic are:

Santo Domingo: This is a perfect tourist destination for holidays located at the southern Caribbean coast of Dominican Republic. The colonial heritage of this place makes it different from others. You can enjoy the colonial buildings with small hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars. Visitor can also enjoy the modern city of Santo Domingo with its dazzling casinos, parks, vibrant nightlife, dining and superb shopping.

Amber Coast: Rich deposits of semi-precious amber gave the name Amber Coast for the place. Adventurous people can go to forests, mountains and beach for participating in adventurous sports like mountain biking, horse riding, wind surfing, kite surfing and diving. The capital of Amber Coast is Puerta Plata which is a port city and it is a major tourist spot. The seaside towns that are popular among the visitor are Cabarate, Sosua and Cofresi.

East Coast: This region of Dominican Republic consists of beautiful beaches which are ideal for beach holidays. The beaches are adorned with powdery white sands lined by palm trees and sea waters. You can find great resorts to spend your holidays by the seaside. Resorts acts as mini cities with nightlife, dining, water sports, golf and deep sea fishing even though towns are not there.

La Romana: La Romana is the south east city of Dominican Republic with lovely turquoise waters and sandy white beaches. The area also offers fine golf courses and resorts. This tourist destination also offers trinkets, exotic foods, souvenirs and clothing. You can also enjoy the water sports such as snorkeling, scuba diving and deep-sea fishing. Casa de Campo is situated in La Romana which houses one among the largest industries of sugar known as ‘Central Romana”. Altos de Chavon is a theater built completely of stone in Mediterranean village style. Las Minitas Beach is another popular location of tourists situated in Casa de Campo. You can enjoy various water sports activities at Las Minitas’ beach. You can consider shopping at La marina as it has several commercial stores.

Bavaro and Punta Cana: These places are situated to the Southeastern part of the Dominican Republic. Punta Cana houses several lovely hotels and resorts for holidaying. Bavaro and Punta Cana are known for their fantastic beaches with lots of coconut trees and because of this they got the name “La Costa del Coco”.

By Srgo Gse

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Spend-Your-Holidays-in-Dominican-Republic&id=5536154