I've lived in Los Angeles for five years, so I'm about 30 minutes inland from Santa Monica. It's a beautiful, classic Southern California destination with a beach, a pier, and an abundance of classy shopping and dining spots.
27.06.2024 - 14:29 / thepointsguy.com
The best part of summer cruising is that there are more cruising options than in any other season. Cruises to destinations like Alaska and Scandinavia are highly seasonal; go in the summer, or you can't cruise there at all. Even the Mediterranean is somewhat seasonal, with most cruise lines leaning heavily into summer and moving ships to warmer destinations during the cooler months.
While putting together our list of favorite cruises for summer travel, we looked for options that would appeal to a wide variety of travelers. The one thing all these cruises have in common is that they make planning a summer trip easy. When you book a summer cruise, one transaction gets you transportation to multiple destinations, food, accommodations and onboard entertainment.
Whether you're looking for a short escape or the adventure of a lifetime, here are seven of our favorite summer cruises to book.
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Carnival Cruise Line is an industry leader in short getaway cruises from local departure ports. You can sail to the Bahamas from Florida ports; Bermuda from Manhattan in New York; the Caribbean from Galveston, Texas, and New Orleans; and the Mexican Riviera from Long Beach, California. Each of these destinations promises beaches, water sports and land-based activities that range from cooking classes to all-terrain-vehicle rides.
Most Carnival ships feature top-deck waterslides and miniature golf, plus Seuss at Sea character parades, storytime and themed breakfasts. The Cloud Nine Spa and adults-only Serenity Retreat give adults a quiet place to relax, whether you cruise with kids or without. Carnival is known for having multiple included food venues like Guy's Burger Joint, Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que and the Mexican BlueIguana Cantina.
Carnival is also budget-friendly. The line's short cruises are affordable while still providing all the food, fun and entertainment you crave on a big-ship cruise.
Virgin Voyages deploys ships to multiple European destinations, all loaded with summer fun grown-up style. Choices range from seven- to 12-night Mediterranean adventures (think: round-trip cruises from Barcelona featuring ports of call like Cannes in France or Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza in Spain, where ships often stay overnight, allowing time for a night of clubbing European style). Longer cruises include one-way routes between Barcelona and Rome, adding Italian ports like Florence and Naples. The line also takes in the Greek islands on cruises originating in Athens (Piraeus).
Virgin's adults-only ships carry 2,770 passengers (known on board as "sailors"), all 18 or older. The line claims to offer the ideal cruise for adults who don't care for cruises.
I've lived in Los Angeles for five years, so I'm about 30 minutes inland from Santa Monica. It's a beautiful, classic Southern California destination with a beach, a pier, and an abundance of classy shopping and dining spots.
There’s a reason Mark Twain is still incorrectly quoted as saying “the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” While other parts of the country are sweltering, average summertime highs in San Francisco range from 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, making the City by the Bay a refreshing escape from the heat. Those looking to cool down can explore the city’s iconic sites, scenic nature, walkable neighborhoods, exciting culinary scene, and vibrant arts and culture while taking advantage of summer promotions, night markets, festivals and new activities.
Now, all you need is a hot dog and some apple pie. ESPN will provide the baseball.
A Margaritaville at Sea passenger is suing its parent company, Classica Cruise Operator, claiming she was raped by an employee of a hotel booked by the company.
The homemade videos came through in quick succession on the camp WhatsApp channel. Seven tiny sailboats with children manning them dotted crystal blue Mediterranean waters. The children were in pairs, seemingly matched according to age. Then there was my little one, the 5-year-old, who had insisted on tagging along with her 9-year-old brother, and the camp had agreed.
Portland is losing a tourism champion. Jeff Miller, who has served for 19 years as CEO and president of Travel Portland, the city’s destination marketing organization, will retire in December, reported Northstar Meetings Group.
Americans are heading to New York City for the Fourth of July weekend, but they’re not booking short-term rentals as much as last year.
The Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA) has largely stayed out of the headlines in recent years, but the 60-year-old organization said that it has never stopped advocating for its travel advisor members, mostly when they have a supplier dispute.
Start your engines—summer has arrived, and with it, all sorts of new hotel options to explore. There’s a major renovation of a Cape Cod classic with an unbeatable beachfront location. Near Yellowstone, design-forward cabins come with their own private wood-fired hot tub. And on the banks of the Kiawah River in South Carolina, a new Auberge Resort offers some serious Lowcountry R&R just minutes from downtown Charleston, yet worlds away from the hustle and bustle. This summer’s most exciting openings aren’t merely places to rest your head—they really help you disconnect from your home life in order to savor the great outdoors. And isn’t that what summer is all about?
There are classic river itineraries — the Danube, the Rhine, the Rhone and the Nile — that anyone who appreciates the ease and camaraderie of river cruising can book with most of the top cruise lines. But those aren't your only options.
All California hotels must disclose surprise junk fees starting July 1 thanks to two new state laws, including one specifically targeting hotel resorts and cleaning fees.
National park vacations continue to be extremely popular, especially during the summer travel season.