You can choose from a short 2 night cruise to nowhere to a 92 day around the world cruise or anything in between. You can find ships that carry as little as 25 passengers to the newest and largest ship in the world, Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas carrying over 5,000 people weighing in at well over 225,000 tons (that's BIG)!!! Some cruise lines are dressy and some cruises lines are casual, it's your choice.

Ship Amentities and Activites

Cruise ships now have all the amenities you would expect to find in a hotel or resort like pools, spas, shopping, fine dining and great entertainment.  Larger cruise ships offer so many different activities that you might not want to leave the ship EVER!!!  Some of the newest features on cruise ships include rock climbing walls, ice skating,  surfing, zip lining, water parks, miniature golf courses, glass blowing and even a lawn area complete with trees to name a few.

Why Cruise

Your cruise ship is your floating hotel but you can visit many different places and only need to unpack once.  Your itinerary may offer port of calls for a few hours to a few days, leaving you time to sample the best of each port.  You can take a helicopter ride over the glaciers in Juneau-Alaska, visit a volcano in Hilo-Hawaii, visit Venice-Italy, play a round of in Bermuda or just relax on a beach in Barbados. 

Cruises include many amenities that you would pay extra for at a hotel.  All your meals, entertainment, daytime pool games and activities, are included.  Many ships have a separate program to keep the kids and teens busy while the adults get to relax.  Just think how much is included in a cruise that you would have to pay extra for at a hotel.  Certain upscale dining in specialty restaurants and onboard activities are at an additional cost.

Will I Get Hungry

NO!!!  From burgers, sushi bars, steak houses, Italian restaurants and 24 hour pizzerias, ships have many dining options to please even the most finicky in your family.  There is an unlimited variety of locations in dining from a large table for 8 with friends in the dining room, poolside dining, midnight buffet and don't forget 24 hour room service.  If you have special dietary needs or requests, most cruise ships offer a variety like a children's menu, diabetic cuisine, vegetarian, low fat/salt/calorie or kosher menus.  Just let us know of your special dietary needs so that we can arrange them in advance for you.  Some dining venues may not be included on a particular cruise line or there may be an additional charge so be sure to check with us. 

What About My Cabin

Cruise ship cabins are much smaller than a standard hotel room and are designed to maximize every bit of space for storage and convenience.  There are many different cabin choices but they are broken down to 4 different types.   The least expensive is an inside cabin and will not have a window or portholes and will not have any outside light.  The next cabin category is an ocean view cabin and will have either a porthole or a window (neither open).   If you want fresh air and a lot of sunlight ask us about a Verandah or balcony cabin.  These cabins have a sliding glass door that opens from your room onto a balcony with deck furniture giving you a great place for morning coffee or an evening cocktail.  Once you have had a cabin with a balcony, it is difficult  maybe impossible not to have one on your next cruise.   Finally, suites are becoming more popular on cruise ships.  Suites can be apartment size with butler service, whirlpool tubs on the deck, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms.  For the ultimate indulgence, book a suite.  Beds in most cabins can be 2 lowers beds or can convert to queen bed.  Many cabins will have uppers berths and/or sofa beds that can accommodate additional guests.  Every cabin has a bathroom, shower and storage for your clothing.   We will help you pick the perfect cabin.

What Can I Do On My Cruise

The true beauty of a cruise is there is as much or as little to do as you want. You can relax by the pool on the days at sea or partake in the numerous activities offered on board.  The ship's newsletter will notify you of all the activities so you can join in  or watch the fun.  When the sun goes down, the parties begin, from Las Vegas style shows and Broadway style theatre in the lounges to piano bars, martini bars, jazz bars and night clubs.  Be sure to try your luck at the casino.  There are always different parties on deck, return guest parties, singles parties and an assortment of cocktail parties.  Teens and children have their own supervised clubs with activities to keep them entertained and busy.

Where Can I Go

The more common cruises will visit the Caribbean and offer stops in Grand Cayman, St Thomas, Nassau, Jamaica, Aruba, St Lucia, Barbados, as well as ports in Mexico and Central America. You can spend a couple of days docked in Bermuda. You can visit multiple cities in Alaska. You can take a cruise of the Hawaiian Islands. You can cruise through the Panama Canal.  Europe is another popular option. You can visit Rome, Venice, Naples, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Athens, Santorini and Istanbul on a Western Mediterranean cruise.  Other European cruises include ports of call to London, Glasgow, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Copenhagen, Stockholm and St. Petersburg in Russia. Tours can be booked through the cruise line or on your own.  Many ships include overnight stays in some ports to give you even more time to explore. You can extend your vacation by adding a land package either before or after the cruise.  In many cases it is a good idea to arrive a day early for your cruise giving you time to rest and making sure you 'don't miss the boat'.

Cruise lines are making it easier to get to your ship and are bringing the ships to you.  In addition to departing from Florida or San Juan for Caribbean ports of call you can now depart from New York, Baltimore, Charlotte, Galveston and New Orleans to name a few. You can start a cruise to Alaska in Vancouver, Seattle or San Francisco. You can cruise the Hawaiian Islands round trip from Honolulu or spend some time at sea first by sailing from Southern California or Vancouver. You can cruise from the United States to Europe on a transatlantic cruise.  Your options in itineraries, cruise ships and ports of embarkation are almost limitless.

How Much Will My Cruise Cost

Costs vary greatly depending on the length of the cruise, the cruise line, and the type of accommodation and the time of the year.  Peak times for cruising are holidays and times when schools are closed.  There are budget cruise lines, moderate lines, premium and luxury.  Each will give you a different cruise experience. 

You can cruise for free by organizing a group of friends and family. Most cruise lines will give one person a free cruise when as few as 8 cabins are booked on the same sailing.  It's fun to travel with a group!  Let Pan World Travel take care of the details.

When Should I Take A Cruise

There is really no bad time to take a cruise.  Certain itineraries like Alaska, Bermuda, Panama Canal and European cruises operate only specific times of the year from mid April to mid October.  Mexico, Caribbean and Hawaii are year round itineraries.  Anytime is a GREAT time to cruise.

Some Of Our Favorite Cruise Lines

• Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
• Celebrity Cruises
• Sea Dream Yacht Club