:Where Worklife Matters

Thinking you could use an escape from the wintertime blahs, maybe even that
dream holiday you’ve been thinking about for years? A Caribbean cruise
vacation is the answer! What makes a cruise your dream holiday, you ask?
Well, put simply, a cruise combines all the elements of a dream vacation
into one blissful trip. There is ALWAYS something to do, no matter your age
or interests. Whether you’re on your honeymoon, vacationing with the
family, or spending quality time reuniting old friends, a cruise is
guaranteed to fulfill your dreams.

Picture yourself riding on a beautiful cruise ship, looking over the railing
to see brilliant blue waters, idyllic sunsets, and dolphins playing in the
white-capped waves. Do you feel dreamy already? This fantasy can be your
reality if you choose a cruise for your next vacation.

With multiple
poolside decks to lay out in the sunshine while enjoying the sights and
sounds of the ocean, along with reggae music and fruity island beverages,
daytime on the cruise ship can be very relaxing. If you prefer to be more
active, most ships are fully equipped with activities. Take a jog around
the boat-top track, or spend the day in aerobics and yoga classes followed
by a massage and facial at the spa. If shopping is your one true love,
you’ll be in heaven with all the shops on the ships, ranging from
inexpensive trinkets to fancy wine and fine clothing.

As if there isn’t enough to do aboard the boat, don’t forget about island
excursions! As the ship makes stops at various tropical paradises, you can
take in the local culture or fulfill your need for adventure. Locals await
you to take you to their favorite coral to swim with the dolphins or on a
waterfall climb. Also, there is unlimited shopping on the islands, so you
can really add to your art collection or your wardrobe. Try the native food
of the islands, and maybe learn a new word or two. By the time you climb
back aboard your ship you’ll truly feel like you’ve visited another world.

Now it’s time to hop in the shower to prepare for the evening. Every night
on a cruise ship is magical. Start out with a five-course meal in the fine
dining room (that’s already paid for!!). Enjoy drinks, piano music, cover
bands, dancing and more in one of the several bars, or try your luck at
black jack or poker in the casino. There are always cruise-wide games to
play on the decks if you want to meet new people or just be silly with your
friends and family. No matter what you are looking for in a holiday
vacation, a cruise is sure to fulfill your dreams!

Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher offering Royal Carribean cruises and cheap hotel reservations.

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WHAT TO SEE: Legendary beautiful scenery of Alaska- magnificent coastal fjords, rugged glaciers, vast evergreen forests, sky-high mountains, 7 of which are the tallest peaks in North America (to see Mt. McKinley, North America’s tallest peak, you’ll need to take a tour to the shore into the Denali National Park), abundant land and marine wildlife- moose, kodiak and grizzly bears, caribou, dall sheep, puffin, otters, seals, humpback and killer whales, dolphins, bald-headed eagles and much more. Shore excursions are optional, as well as guided tours in a cruise ship’s port of call. They are offered in all Alaska ports and cities and are a great way to enrich your cruise experience with visiting coastal attractions, historical places, challenging yourself in kayaking, helicopter tours, mountain biking,…

CRUISE LENGTH: 7 days on average.There are some 11 and 14 day cruises which include more ports of call and more glacier touring. There are 2 different kinds of cruises available: Inside Passage Cruise: roundtrip departure from Vancouver/ Seattle, usually 7 days long. You cruise the inside passage through the islands offshore from British Columbia and Alaska. Stops usually include Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway and Juneau. Gulf of Alaska Cruise (or Glacier Route Cruise): You cruise one-way northbound from Vancouver/ Seattle or one-way south from Seward, Alaska. You will see more glaciers on this route and an additional port or two.

WHEN TO GO: The usual Alaska cruise season lasts from early May to late September. Alaskan summers are cool, daytime highs in these months range from 10 to 27 degrees Celsius (50 to 80 Fahrenheit). May and June tend to be the drier months, July is the warmest one. June and July are the best months to watch Humpback and Orca whales, White-Sided dolphins. An additional bonus to an Alaskan cruise vacation is that in summer the days are much longer than they are further south. This is the land of the midnight sun. Your longest days will be in June and July (up to 20-21 hours of daylight) and will offer you many opportunities to enjoy active glaciers. Early and late season cruises (May and September) tend to be slightly cheaper and the ports of call are less crowded. You can check next week weather forecast for Anchorage here.

ALASKA CRUISE TIPS: Northern weather can be unpredictable. Consider taking with you and wearing multiple layers of clothes in response to a wide variety of temperatures and weather conditions. What to pack : waterproof and warm jacket, a sweater, light gloves, rain gear, sun glasses and a warm hat for deck strolling or touring on the shore. You also may find useful binoculars, camera, camcorder, film, batteries and walking shoes. If you need a hair dryer, pack one; not all cruise ships have hair dryers in the cabins. Bargain hunters should look for last minute deals as the last rooms are often sold at very low prices.

Pick the right cruise ship for your style,- some ships are more traditional, other more stylish, elegant, some offer more choices for children, other are more seniors-oriented. The cruise comparison chart below should help you in making the correct choice. Check your cruise itinerary, almost every ship usually includes several formal dress code nights. Dark business suit or a tuxedo would do the thing. Alaska cruises tend to be more casual than other destinatons but items such as cutoff t-shirts, halter tops and torn jeans are still not permitted in the dining area.Tipping is usually $10 per passenger per day. We recommend you to book a stateroom with a balcony. Theview on an Alaska cruise is always changing- mountains, shores, wildlife, marine animals, glaciers, or quaint waterfront communities. You can enjoy it from the privacy of your own balcony, escaping crowded decks.

We wish you a nice and safe cruising!

Visit us at: http://www.travelmake.com/alaska_cruises.html to see our ALASKA CRUISE SHIPS COMPARISON TABLE.

Travelmake.com - one of leading discount travel agencies, a source of useful travel information.

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If you spend any time in or around the water then you probably own or have considered owning an inflatable boat. There are many uses for inflatable boats and many people own them for a variety of very different reasons.

What Can I Use An Inflatable Boat For?

Inflatable boats were originally used in the Navy to haul cargo and missiles back and forth to larger ships. Eventually the inflatable boats moved into the recreational market for fishing, personal transportation and for tenders on larger boats, particularly yachts.

Some other uses are:

* Scuba diving
* Search and rescue
* Emergency lifeboats
* Security patrol
* Law enforcement
* Fishing and hunting
* Pleasure
* Water sports
* Many others

What Are Some Benefits Of An Inflatable Boat?

There are many advantages to an inflatable boat over a hard sided boat, but to see the true benefits you really need to know what you plan on using your boat for.

Are They Heavy?

Inflatable boats are extremely lightweight in comparison to more traditional hard sided boats. And the fact that they are light weight makes them an excellent choice for many people. This is great if you are using your boat for fishing. Instead of towing a regular dinghy or canoe behind your vehicle you will be able to strap your inflatable boat to the roof of your car or even strap it into the bed of your truck.

The lightweight nature of the inflatable boat is excellent if you need to pull your boat up on the shore of the lake, or river during a fishing trip. One or two people can easily pull an inflatable boat up on shore a safe distance.

What About Stability?

A big concern of most people have when they are considering an inflatable boat over a more traditional boat is the stability of the inflatable. Will it be tipsy or unsteady when you are standing in it? This is a major and very common misconception of most people. In fact, an inflatable boat is generally much more stable than a traditional boat.

Because of their buoyancy tubes, inflatable boats are actually known for their incredible stability. And because of these buoyancy tubes these boats actually sit flat in the water which makes them virtually impossible to flip over. This is a great feature for people who might be a little bit nervous about small boats, or especially scuba divers who need to flip backwards into the water and pull themselves up and into the boats.

Why Choose An Inflatable Boat?

There are a number of reasons why inflatable boats make a better choice than the more traditional aluminum or fiberglass boats. Depending on why you need a small boat will depend on why you are better off with an inflatable.

If you are a fisherman, a lightweight inflatable canoe makes a much better choice than a traditional hard shell canoe. With an inflatable you will be able to carry the boat to the river or lake by yourself, which is very handy if you prefer to fish by yourself. Also you will be able to transport the boat to and from your fishing site easier and without fear of scratching your vehicle if you choose to transport it on top of the vehicle.

If you are a yacht owner looking for a tender for your larger craft an inflatable boat is the best choice for a few reasons. It is very important to yacht owners that they not scratch their beautiful boats; with an inflatable, those concerns are virtually eliminated, because these boats are made from materials that are soft and will not mark the surfaces of other boats.

Also, because inflatable boats are lightweight they can easily be brought on board when the yacht is under sail. However, just because you have an inflatable does not mean that you cannot attach a trolling motor to it. In fact most inflatable boats allow quite large motors to be attached to them. Although many inflatable boats are not built for performance and speed, some are built for speed and efficiency. However, even if you have a motor you should always carry paddles with you and you should always wear a life jacket.

All Purpose Inflatable Boats

Inflatable boats are much more than the image of a blow up boat that you played with in the pool as a child. You can now attach motors to these boats, put boat seats in them and even drive through the ocean surf at top speeds. This is much more than the boat that you remember as a child!

You can get inflatable kayaks, inflatable canoes, inflatable rowboats and fishing boats. No matter what you need a small boat for; there is an inflatable boat that is perfect for your needs.

© 2005 http://www.inflatable-boats-now.com

About the Author
Kevin Brown is successful author and publisher of many informative websites including http://www.inflatable-boats-now.com. His websites offer tips and advice on a wide array of topics including inflatable boats, inflatable kayaks, boating accessories, and more.

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What will the aircraft carriers of the future look like? Will they be similar to our present aircraft carriers or will they be much different? Well to answer that question perhaps we should reveal that the aircraft carrier of today is a giant platform built around a specific mission.

To carry aircraft to the battlespace; to fight and to win, since the aircraft carrier is designed around the types of aircraft, which will be used and this mission one could say as the aircraft change and the mission changes, the platform will change.

Now then, what are we currently seeing in trends of aircraft in the battlespace? Well we are seeing more UAVs or unmanned aerial vehicles. These will need to be launched by ship, rather than ground bases.

We are also seeing future dirigibles being introduced as well and they will perhaps need a platform to launch from as well. We see our enemies developing fast moving skimmer missiles capable of supersonic flight and so the aircraft carriers defense systems will also need to be able to beat those and detect them too.

What type of catapult system will be used to launch UAVs in swarms or packs? Will the US Navy move towards new materials making the craft lighter and thus capable of VTOL vertical takeoff and landing, without sacrificing range? Many believe so. If this is the case the aircraft carrier may not need three or four catapults, it may only need one or maybe two.

Vertical take off aircraft could be launched out of the side of the ship or rear and capable of launching several hundred in minutes, which is currently impossible. So, as we look ahead into the future we will see the modern day aircraft carrier evolve into something very different that we have seen in the past. Consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

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How would you like your next cruise vacations to be? The single most important part when looking for the best cruise vacations is planning. And planning begins with choosing not only the right destinations but also the right cruise line.

It all depends on what your preferences are (weather, duration, comfort, etc) That picture may look nice on the brochure, but can you really stand the Caribbean Sun? You may also check in what type of cruise you’re preparing to embark. There are many types of cruises available: family cruises, Christian cruises, all inclusive cruises, Christmas cruises, golf cruises, single cruises, luxury cruises and more, each one with their own particularities and activities within the cruise

As you see choosing the best cruise vacations is not that easy because then you have to pick the cruise line, and there is some heavy competition, among the cruise lines are Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Holland America plus a lot more. But don’t despair, a good travel agent will definitely help you tailor the best cruise vacations you can have.

Here are some tips you should take in consideration when planning for the best cruise vacations:

•Keep in mind your lifestyle. Does the cruise activities and fellow travellers feel right for you? Thinking about this will help avoid feeling uncomfortable during your trip. Some cruises even require you to have certain type of clothing if you want to attend their restaurants or events.

•Plan ahead how the weather is going to be. Nothing is more frustrating that vacations going bad because of the weather, if you can’t stand too much sun you should think twice going on a Caribbean Cruise.

•Consider the itinerary. The pace of the itinerary is also important, some cruises spend more time at sea than others.

•Be on the lookout for unnecessary charges.

•Get all the help you need from your travel agent. Ask all the questions you have. Trust me, it is better to find out about some things before taking the cruise.

•Final tip, just have fun! This should be the top priority on a vacation. If you feel you will spend more time in your vacations worried, take another cruise.

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The proper boating equipment can make the difference between a delightful boating experience and a disastrous one. While every state and province may have different regulations about what types of boating equipment are required, the fact of the matter is that some safety equipment should be carried whether it is legally required or not. This boating equipment is designed not only to keep the passengers safe, but the boat working properly as well. Here is a brief list:

1. Paperwork and Documentation: Do not head out on the river, lake, or the open sea without a proper boating license as required by law for any operator and also remember to carry your registration materials as well. Put this “boating equipment” all in a waterproof box or bag to keep them safe from water damage.

2. Flotation Devices: You may not like to wear those bulky “life vests” but there are many styles available which are lightweight and even self-inflating to make them less uncomfortable and easier to wear. Even if it is not required by law, it is recommended that everyone on the boat wears this piece of boating equipment. Some boats carry a life ring as well.

3. Lights: Navigational lights and distress signals are necessary boating equipment for everyone. You will be glad if you get caught out on the water at night unexpectedly.

4. Navigational Aids: Even if you know the area fairly well, it is a good idea to carry navigation charts and maps and a compass and even a GPS system if you want to spend the extra money.

5. Noise making tools: Take a horn, whistle or some other noise maker to use to warn other boats or water skiers of your approach.

6. Ventilation: This boating equipment is vital for houseboats because of the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.

7. Fire Extinguishers: Every boat should have at least one fire extinguisher. You never know when an engine fire or other emergency will put your boat in danger-and help could be far away.

8. Anchor: This keeps the boat from drifting when you stop to fish, or if you stall out on the water.

9. Pumping Equipment: This gets rid of things like bilge water or human waste on the boat safely and cleanly.

10. Tool Box and Repair Manual: Make sure that you have tools and that you know how to use them for those quick on the water repairs.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Travel and Leisure. If you would like more information about boating equipment visit flboating.com

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Though not as developed as Bequia, Clifton Harbor has
stores, water, ice, etc. It’s also the last chance to clear
customs and immigration when heading south from the St.
Vincent territory to Carriacou which is part of Grenada. The
dock isn’t much. It’s easier using the dinghy or water taxi
from the anchorage unless you have to take on water. The
customs and Immigration offices are at the airport, which is
a short walk from the harbor.

One of the best secrets of Union Island is Chatham Bay
around the other side from Clifton. It’s back to nature there
with far fewer visitors than the Tobago Cays. There’s only
one water taxi called “Shark Attack”. James, the operator
also makes carvings out of local wood there. The snorkeling
was excellent despite an algae bloom. There were eagle
rays, a nurse shark trying to hide in the algae and an 18 inch
fish called a flying gurnard that shuffles along the sand and
spreads it’s huge pectoral fins like wings when startled. We
were more startled than the fish to see the display.
The next stop was Canouan Island but not before putting
Paul in charge of the passage and having him also do his
man overboard drills. Bareboat Charter students are
required to demonstrate two different return methods to
complete the standard. Paul did three… a quick stop, a gybe
and a figure eight.

The Moorings is now operating at the Tamarind Resort in
Charlestown Bay. I ran into Michael Schantz, the CFO of The
Moorings who told me about plans to develop a marina with
a breakwater to make boarding the boats there easier
than it is with the pier now in use. Canouan is in a nice
location in the middle of The Grenadines and can be
reached on an American Eagle flight from San Juan. We
had dinner at one of the Tamarind Resort restaurants,
which has a wood fired pizza oven. The pizza and calzone
were great.

It was a close hauled sail from Canaoun back to Bequia to
position ourselves for a morning return the next day to
Sunsail. There was a fresh breeze of at least 20 knots so
we double reefed. It would have been perfect except
that I neglected to check the hatch over my forepeak cabin. I
had earlier dogged the hatch in the upper position to let in
some air so everything in the cabin became very wet by the
time we discovered the situation in Bequia. Fortunately, it
was a sunny afternoon so we were able to get the cushions
dried out. Also, Daffodil was there to take our wet linens and
laundry to wash, dry and bring back before dinnertime. It
was a bargain at $10 U.S. for each 10 pounds of laundry…
weighed dry, not the way we gave it to them.

The final passage was a relatively short beat of 8 miles back to Blue Lagoon in St. Vincent. We left early in order to
get the boats back in time to check in, have lunch and make
a 2:10 p.m. flight back to Barbados, the connection point for
St. Vincent instead of San Juan. Sunsail was very efficient in
helping us get checked in and there was plenty of time to
spare. We spent the night in Barbados at a beautiful beach
hotel. Then, the flight in the morning got us into San
Francisco by 5:00 p.m. via a Miami connection.

All in all it was an excellent trip with everybody agreeing that
it would have been nice if we’d had a few more days. That’s
the way I like it to go. Of course, I’ll be doing another trip in
just a few months. Our Tahiti trip is in September. That’s
why my job is the best job in the world.

Bob has been organizing and leading group bareboat
charter trips since 1987 and is currently doing 2 trips a
year to locations in The South Pacific, Sea of Cortez,
The Caribbean, and The Mediterranean. (Destinations
vary annually based on active interest) You may contact
him at bob@spinnakersailing.com
or visit Spinnaker Sailing at
http://www.spinnakersailing.com.

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Before you apply for a job on a cruise ship, or take your application any further, you should think carefully about exactly what it is a potential cruise line employer is looking for.

This has two benefits: firstly, it will help you decide if the job is really for you and secondly, it will help you decide how to put over your own personal skills and qualities to best effect.

Let’s take a look at exactly what cruise line employers are looking for in a potential candidate.

* Experience

Don’t worry, this isn’t always a necessity! There are plenty of positions onboard where you don’t need any experience whatsoever. But having some kind of land-based experience in your desired job is always going to be an advantage. Cruise line employers especially like people who can show a broad range of experience. For example, if your job involves contact with the public then experience of serving the public in several ways will be an advantage.

* High Standards of Service

All functions on board cruise ships are carried out to a high standard. So it is important that you can carry out your work to a high standard. For example, service in the Hotel, Catering and Bar Department is usually similar to that in a four or five star hotel.

* Professionalism

It is important to be professional about your work. That is, you need to take pride in your work and in achieving excellent results every time. This is not always easy when you are working long hours in a fast paced environment.

* Reliability

This is a big concern for most cruise lines. Interviewers are very wary of recruiting new crew members whom they suspect might ‘jump ship’ in an exotic port when the novelty wears off! They need to satisfy themselves that you will stay for the full duration of your contract (typically 6 months).

Obviously, once you have joined a ship you cannot easily be replaced in a foreign port, and the expense and hassle involved is something they really don’t want. You must give the clear IMPRESSION that you are highly reliable and have every intention of sticking out your contract. And preferably intend on making this a long-term career move. In other words, don’t make them think that you are just going to ‘give it a go’.

* High Standards of Presentation

It is very important that you are immaculately turned out when you work onboard a ship. This applies particularly to crew who have contact with the passengers but also to behind-the-scenes crew too, to a lesser extent. Again, if you consider that many cruise ships operate to the same standards of service as a top-class international hotel then you will get an idea of the sort of people the employer is looking for.

* Enthusiasm

You really do need to show that you are hard working and energetic. Shifts onboard can be much longer than on dry land. In particular, you certainly wouldn’t want to give the impression that you are a nine-to-five type person and couldn’t bear the thought of working weekends!

* A Cheerful Personality

You may find this a strange quality for a cruise ship employer to place much importance on, but they do. Obviously, working in the confines of a ship - and living onboard too - can be quite stressful and demanding. But since many of the passengers have paid a lot of money for their cruise, it’s very important that the crew are pleasant and professional with them. It is equally important that you are fairly cheerful and easy going off-duty so that you can do your job professionally when you are on duty.

If you bear in mind what the employer is looking for at all stages of your application - then you will be doing a great deal to boost your chances of getting a cruise ship job.

Copyright 2006 Neil Maxwell Keys

Neil Maxwell-Keys is THE cruise ship jobs expert and best-selling author of “Get a Cruise Ship Job: How to Get a Job on a Luxury Cruise Ship - Quickly and Easily!” You can get his FREE mini-course by visiting: http://www.GetaCruiseShipJob.com

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To put it simply for you!

It goes faster! Say 25%-50% faster than a comparable cruising monohull.
Due to it’s draft, the yacht has a lot more water to use! How’s 1.5′ - 4′?
The vessel is more stable! Much more than 5 degs. heel and something is wrong!
It’s safer for quite a few reasons - lack of crew fatigue, unsinkability, etc.!
It’s just more fun!

Twin-hulled sailing and Powerboat Catamaran manufacturer steathyachts developed for sport and recreation.

The U.S. designer of America’s Cup boats Nathanael Herreshoff designed and built catamarans in the 1870s that sailed so successfully against monohulled boats that they were barred from organized racing. Production of the current form of catamaran, which averages about 12.2 m (40 ft) in length, began in the 1950s. The early catamarans tended to have difficulty coming about when sailing to windward, but later designs overcame this. The catamaran remained difficult to right after capsizing, however. Smaller catamarans raced successfully against monohulled boats in 1959, and international competition began in 1961 between the United States and Great Britain, the latter winning through 1968. Thereafter, Danish and Australian boats also competed, the Australians dominating. Catamarans are very fast boats, achieving speeds of 32.19 kph (20 mph). The addition of engines also made the catamaran a popular motor-cruising boat.

Early catamarans were up to 21.3 m (70 ft) long, originally paddled by many men, and used for visiting, in war, and in exploration. Especially after the sail was added, voyages of more than 3,704 km (2,000 mi) were made.

These are few Powerful Yachts which are revolutionary hydrofoil based Sport 6.5 Hydrofoil Power Boat, Sport fishing 8 Inflatable Hydra Sport Boats, 420 Sport Boats which are High Performance Hydrofoil Supported Catamarans, These revolutionary Hydrofoil supported Catamaran semi-rigid inflatable boat is capable of speed, comfort and fuel efficiency that exceeds anything in its class. The PowerSport 6.5 hull is an asymmetrical catamaran designed hulls supported by two inflatable demi-hulls which enables it to float and run on any kind of water with ease.

Sunny Hoggard expert sailing and consultant for
http://www.stealthyachts.com (Powerboat Catamaran manufacturer) writing articles for novice sailors and helping them know more about sailing & sail boats.He can give you any kind of help related to sailing like buy power catamarans.

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