Theme Cruises There are Many Reasons to Take a Look

Theme Cruises - There are Many Reasons to Take a Look
By Samuel Thompson

A theme cruise offers you an opportunity to enjoy and indulge in a special interest, passion, hobby or subject. You can find a theme cruise for every type of general interest, as well as for some very specific areas. These types of cruises also include related shore excursions.

The following list gives you some idea of the variety offered (of course, there are also sub-categories within many areas):

* Adventure travel
* Art
* Culture
* Dance
* Films
* Food
* Games (Poker is currently very popular)
* Golf
* Health and fitness
* History
* Lectures
* Murder mystery
* Music (see link about jazz cruises)
* Photography
* Religion
* Singles
* Special guest speakers
* Spiritual
* Wellness
* Wine
* and so forth

Most cruise lines offer some type of theme cruise. It is advisable to book early because many of these sailings are very popular. If you cannot find a cruise to fit your needs you can have one designed for you.

Take theme cruises to enjoy your favorite hobby, learn a new skill, increase your knowledge, or simply to do something different. These cruises are a great way to discover and learn while you travel.

You will enjoy what you love with a large group of like-minded people. There is no better way to learn and share what you know. Also, guest speakers are top notch and you get to interact directly with them.

You may want to consider organizing a group for something you, your family and friends would enjoy. By organizing such a group you could receive your cruise for free.

See the following related web pages (at cruise-vacation-advisor.com) for more information:
1.) Why You Should Sell Cruises. (Sell cruises for fun, money or both).
2.) How to Earn A Free Cruise.

Also, at the bottom of the above two pages, you will see a link to How to Start Selling Cruises. Discover how to promote cruises with a simple no-hard-sell approach.

Another suggestion is to start your own informational website based on your passion, hobby, or special interest. See for your self at cruise-vacation-advisor.com.

For information about five great JAZZ cruises, go to Theme Cruises at our website, and click the related link.

Samuel Thompson is author of http://www.Cruise-Vacation-Advisor.com/ Do you love to travel? Are you new to cruising? Avoid common mistakes and hassles. Take a look at some insightful suggestions, sensible advice and great ideas before booking your next cruise. Learn how to get into the work-from-home internet travel and cruise business (Register).

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=SamuelThompson
http://EzineArticles.com/?Theme-Cruises---There-are-Many-Reasons-to-Take-a-Look&id=397592

Loire Valley 5 Great Venues East of Tours

Loire Valley - 5 Great Venues East of Tours
By Walt Ballenberger

The Loire Valley of France is famous for its many romantic chateaux and its wines. Here are five excellent venues to be found east of the city of Tours. They are in relatively close proximity and can be visited in a quick two days or a leisurely three by car. One can visit these sites in the order listed going in a generally easterly direction. These are all top-notch attractions, and a visit to the Loire Valley is not complete without seeing them all. Each of these chateaux have regularly scheduled guided tours.

AmboiseThe impressive chateau which overlooks the Loire river from the top of a cliff was a royal residence in the 15th and 16th centuries. Famous French kings and royalty were raised here, including Francois I, who later as king invited Leonardo da Vinci to live in Amboise. Leonardo spent the last few years of his life living and working close by at Clos Luce. He is buried in the small chapel of Saint-Hubert, just outside the chateau walls. At Clos Luce an interesting museum has been built. Using plans drawn by Leonardo da Vinci, a number of his machines and inventions have been constructed in modern times and are displayed. They attest to the genius of this man who was hundreds of years ahead of his time. In the 17th and 18th century the chateau fell upon hard times and was a prison at one point. Numerous restoration projects took place over time, and these continue today under the direction of a foundation managed by descendants of the former king Louis-Philippe, who also spent time in Amboise during his reign.

ChenonceauPerhaps the most famous of the Loire chateaux, Chenonceau spans the Cher river. It is an amazing sensation to be touring the chateau and see the rushing waters of the river pass underneath. The grounds boast two magnificent gardens, each one built by a famous lady in French history. One was Diane de Poitiers who was a mistress of king Henri II and was given the chateau by her admirer. The kings wife, Catherine de Medici, was not happy about this and took back the chateau after Henri II died accidentally in a tournament. Not to be outdone, Catherine had the de Medici gardens constructed, and these were of course larger than the garden of Diane de Poitiers. The property has a winery as well, and one can do some wine tasting as part of a visit.

Chateau de ChaumontThis was Catherine de Medicis residence during the time that Diane de Poitiers lived at Chenonceau. After Catherine used her power to claim Chenonceau upon the death of her husband, Henri II, Diane de Poitiers did live at Chaumont for a brief period. This chateau is smaller than some of the other famous Loire chateaux, but its architectural design makes it look as if it emetged from a fairy tale. This chateau is now the property of the French government.

Chateau de ChevernyA personal favorite of this author, the Chateau de Cheverny is unique in many ways. It is newer than some of the other famous properties, having been built in the early 17th century. Amazingly, the same family that built the chateau lives in it today. One sees many beautiful pieces of furniture, tapestries, and works of art in the magnificent rooms on the chateau tour. The property, unlike many others in the region, was not ransacked during the French revolution. According to our tour guide there, the nearby townspeople actually helped to protect the building from destruction since the family was always kind to the local inhabitants. Of course visitors are not allowed into the residential section of the chateau, but the grounds can be visited as well. There one will find the kennel which houses about 90 hunting dogs, and they are taken out on hunts twice per week in order to keep up the old deer hunting tradition in the region.

Chateau de ChinonThe Chateau de Chinon is the largest of the chateaux in the Loire region, and it contains more than 400 rooms. In contrast to the warmth of Cheverny, however, there is little furniture and most of the rooms are empty, as the building was ransacked during the French revolution. One does get a sense of the opulence that was here, however, since both king Louis XIII and his son, king Louis IV (the Sun King) stayed here on many occasions. Prior to that the chateau was the residence of Charles VII, the dauphin of France in the early 15th century. The legendary Joan of Arc came here to pledge her allegiance to him and urged him to declare himself king and fight to liberate France from the English. In recent years Chinon has become well known for its cabernet franc based wines and there are numerous opportunities nearby to sample some of these wines.

The Chateaux of the Loire are among the most popular destinations in France. Dont miss any of these great venues if you go there. If you have additional time to spend in the area, there are other smaller and less famous chateaux nearby which can be visited, and these are impressive as well.

Walt Ballenberger is founder of Beaux Voyages, which provides active tours in France including Tour de France bike tours. He has lived and worked in France and speaks the language fluently.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=WaltBallenberger
http://EzineArticles.com/?Loire-Valley---5-Great-Venues-East-of-Tours&id=105138

Hotels In Prague

Hotels In Prague
By Kent Pinkerton

Prague, the capital city of the Czech republic, is incidentally also the largest city in the republic. It boasts of an ancient lineage and the city witnessed great architectural feats as early as the twelfth century. Prague boasts of renowned Jewish centers, historic monuments and bridges. UNESCO has enlisted Prague in its prized list of world heritage sites. This has influenced the already booming tourism industry and Prague has to cater to a continuous flow of tourists and travelers. This is an intimidating task for the tourism ministry, which continuously strives to increase the revenue generated by tourism. Private and multinational hoteliers respect the increased income opportunities generated through regular reservations. This prompts them to offer better hospitality and services.

Numerous Prague hotels boast of unique entertainment avenues, recreation activities and living quarters. When in Prague, tourists may select from a wide range of listed as well as renowned hotels. These hotels may be star rated and offer reservations for two, three and even four bedroom accommodations, studios and suites. It is important for tourists to keep in mind the number of people who need to be accommodated.

A number of these hotels are timeshare vacation properties. On the basis of the size and rating of a living quarter, hotel rates vary. Apart from basic hotel information that is available, when deciding upon a particular Prague hotel it s advisable for potential tourists to enquire. This helps to understand and analyze the options in order to avail of a reasonable deal. Tourists should make reservations in advance, in order to avail of discount hotel rates in Prague. This enables tourists to make reservations at quality hotels and spend much less. Most Prague hotels are supervised and examined by a common regulatory body that aims at ensuring standard tariffs and taxes.

Prague provides detailed information on Prague, Accommodations In Prague, Prague Apartments, Hotels In Prague and more. Prague is affiliated with 4 Star Prague Hotels.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=KentPinkerton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Hotels-In-Prague&id=277665

2007 Trends in UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles)

2007 Trends in UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles)
By Lance Winslow

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAVs have proved themselves worth their weight in gold in the military. Today Unmanned Aerial Vehicles can be flown tele-robotically and controlled from a distance by a pilot on the ground. Some UAVs can fly completely autonomously once launched. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles make a perfect surveillance tools in the modern net centric battle space. With many high-tech electronic sensors they can pick up the enemy via infrared on a pitch-black night.

There have been instances where UAVs have fired upon enemy targets using hellfire missiles and destroy the target. There have been situations where the ground control link was lost on a tele-robotically flown UAV and the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle returned its self to the airport and landed safely. The technology advances in unmanned robotic vehicles has come a long way in the last decade and this trend will continue.

What will the future of UAVs bring? Well, we are witnessing the miniaturization of UAVs as the sensors and electronics get smaller and more robust. Currently the United States military is using Micro Air Vehicles or MAVs that are the size of a small bird. Current technology trends predict that the top universities in the United States will perfect insect size MAVs. Meanwhile The Air Force Research Laboratory has put out a roadmap calling for unmanned fighter aircraft and attack aircraft in the near future. We can also expect cargo aircraft UAVs.

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence it appears that the fighter pilot's days are numbered and soon human pilots will no longer rule the skies. You can also expect transfer technologies to be handed down into many commercial applications. I hope you will enjoy this book and discussion of all these topics and more, as we look at the future of UAVs for both the military and private sector.

I appreciate your minds bandwidth on this topic, as UAVs are not only here to stay, but will be a big part of future aviation history. And you need to be thinking here. Perhaps this article is of interest to propel thought in 2007?

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=LanceWinslow
http://EzineArticles.com/?2007-Trends-in-UAVs-(Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicles)&id=384326

South San Francisco Bay Charter's Handbook When to Plan a Cruise

South San Francisco Bay Charter's Handbook - When to Plan a Cruise
By Bob Diamond

When to Plan a Cruise

During most of the season, you can count on the afternoon northwest wind in the South Bay and wind coming more from the west in the North Bay. The other significant variable is the tidal current. The ideal plan is to have the current going with you in all directions but that's not always possible. If you can just plan to have the current in your favor at the critical times, you'll have a great advantage. There are places in the Bay where the current is stronger than elsewhere. These places can be seen in the current charts of San Francisco Bay. There are also days every month when the current is stronger than on other days. When the tides are the most extreme, it's called spring tides. The least extreme tides are called eap tides. The tidal current is of course strongest during the spring tides. Tide and current tables are available on the web and in booklet form at Spinnaker and many other marine facilities.

If possible, plan a cruise so the current is favorable or at least not too unfavorable when you're going to be passing through areas where the current is strongest. The tides and currents tend to be in opposite phase every week. If it turns out the current is going to be unfavorable for your passage one week; you can expect it to be favorable the following week. That's assuming you plan for approximately the same departure time. Modern cruising often involves a lot of motoring. Accept the necessity of motoring, especially if your going to start early in the morning before the wind comes up.

Fueling

The inboard Diesel powered boats carry enough fuel for just about any cruise of a few days duration. More fuel is available at the many fuel docks located north of Redwood City. The outboard powered boats normally only carry enough fuel for 3 or 4 hours of motoring. Spinnaker can provide an extra container of fuel upon request, and if necessary, cruisers can purchase more gasoline along the way. If 50:1 outboard mix is not available, outboard users will have to mix the new gas with outboard motor oil to make the proper mixture required by outboard engines. Charterers are given a full tank of gas upon departure from the charter base. Any additional fuel required is at the expenxe of the charter.

For more information please visit our website at http://www.spinnakersailing.com

Bob Diamond has been head instructor at Spinnaker Sailing since 1984

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=BobDiamond
http://EzineArticles.com/?South-San-Francisco-Bay-Charters-Handbook---When-to-Plan-a-Cruise&id=161185

Bird Watching Trips India A Bird Watchers Paradise!

Bird Watching Trips - India A Bird Watchers Paradise!
By Sabrina Johnston

Of the 8650 species of birds (migratory and originating species) in the world, India is home to as many as 1200 (roughly 14%), out of which 141 are endemic to this region.

While the number of birds is huge and enough to satisfy any bird watcher, it is the amount of rare birds to see that makes India such an exciting destination for a bird watching trip.

India is also a country that takes eco tourism seriously and provides a number of protected wildlife sanctuaries, that are secluded and perfect for bird watching.

bird watching trips and a variety of stunning scenery and wildlife

India is such a diverse country in terms of its geography which ranges from the mighty Himalayas bordering Tibet in the north, to lush plains, desert and jungle surrounded by thousands of miles of beaches.

This diversity is of landscape is of course, reflected in its wildlife.

Bird watching trips in India give an opportunity to see birds, but you can combine a bird watching trip with a safari, or holiday package and see elephants, tigers, lions and rhinos, or take in some of the thousands of years of cultural history.

India is perfect for bird watching trips, but for the adventurous traveller offers much more, in terms of the variety of wildlife and stunning scenery.

Bird Watching, tigers, elephants and much more!

North India offers a wide variety of bird watching trips including the Keoladeo Ghana National Park (Bharatpur) a world heritage spot and considered one of the finest bird sanctuaries in the world.

There are over 350 species of birds found and the habitat varies from shallow lakes to flooded forests and barren earth.

The rich collection of birds in Corbett National Park, Indias first tiger reserve is another bird watchers paradise. Here you can go bird watching in open-air jeeps, or on elephants.

The setting is superb and the sheer variety of bird life astounding, with 580 species of birds to be found in the park.

Bird watching in some of the best wildlife parks in India

South India includes some of its most famous wildlife parks and some great bird watching destinations.

Nagarole national park for example, is counted among Indias best wildlife parks and has a large elephant and bison population, as well as great bird watching, with approximately 250 species of birds to be seen.

On its northern confines is the Kabini River and on its southern fringes is the Bandipur national park. During the dry season, February - June, the lakes and rivers of the park attract a large number of animals, making it an ideal spot for bird watching and taking in the other diverse and exciting array of wildlife.

Indian bird watching trips find out more

India is one of the best holiday destinations in the world for bird watchers.This report only scratches the surface of bird watching trips in India, so to read more about bird watching in India go to http://www.raptoradventures.co.uk/articles-sitemap.html

For FREE reports and newsletters and much more!

To give you ideas for holidays in one of the most beautiful countries on earth, go to:

http://www.raptoradventures.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=SabrinaJohnston
http://EzineArticles.com/?Bird-Watching-Trips---India-A-Bird-Watchers-Paradise!&id=124716

You Have To Love The Location Say These Owners Of Orlando Florida Villas

You Have To Love The Location, Say These Owners Of Orlando Florida Villas
By David Leonhardt

It has been said that in real estate there are three things that count the most: location, location and location. I recently discovered how powerful this concept can be.

Not long ago, I wrote an article about owning a vacation rental and what to consider before making the plunge ( http://www.seo-writer.net/clients/villa-ownership.html ). Like every decision, there are pros and cons, and it also depends on an individual's temperament, comfort with risk and many other factors.

I asked a few dozen villa owners who were listed at an Orlando Florida villas rental listing site at http://www.lastminutevillas.net why they had chosen villa ownership and what cautions or advice they would offer somebody considering a Florida vacation rental.

What struck me, however, was how most of the vacation rental owners I interviewed offered more comments on why they chose Florida as a location, than why they chose to be a villa owner.

In other words, the location more than the occupation inspired villa ownership, and that location is Orlando, Florida. Considering the battering Florida had recently taken by one hurricane after another, this struck me as kind of odd. So I picked up the phone and called Stewart Granville, owner of the listing site.

It's late Fall and I'm sitting out here in my shorts. Do I need another reason? he asked. How are you doing up there?

Uh...let me just go get a sweater, was all I could respond.

To give you some idea of how important it for a vacation rental property owner to fall in love with the location, here are just two samples of what some villa owners told me:

When we are driving back to the airport in Florida we never want to leave, says Michelle Prince, owner of Secret Key Villa in Kissimmee, Florida ( http://www.lastminutevillas.net/villa/166/ ), adding It was something we have always wanted to do since taking a Christmas break in Florida every year.

I believe that to feel that you wish to buy property in Florida you must think further than 'Profit', says Dave Gordon, owner of Lindisfarne Villa in Orlando ( http://www.lastminutevillas.net/villa/89/ ). I sincerely believe that most foreign villa owners have the 'feel good' factor themselves and buy because they want to return time and againif they make a profitwhat the heck!

Of course, no business venture should be run on the off-chance of making a profit, but every business venture should be a labour of love, and few require as much love as the tender nurturing of vacation rental homes.

About The Author

David Leonhardt is a freelance writer

http://www.seo-writer.net/freelance/writer.html

Info@thehappyguy.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=DavidLeonhardt
http://EzineArticles.com/?You-Have-To-Love-The-Location,-Say-These-Owners-Of-Orlando-Florida-Villas&id=31791