Miami-based Royal Caribbean International, the world’s second-largest cruise line, announced that it had ordered the largest and most expensive cruise ship in the world, a $1.24 billion vessel which can hold up to 6,400 passengers.

It is to be named Project Genesis.

This Royal Caribbean International ship, will be 220,000 gross register tons. A gross register ton, a standard measure of a ship’s size, is a unit of volume equal to about 100 cubic feet. It is to be built at a Finnish shipyard.

Aker is to be paid 900 million euros ($1 billion) to build the ship, making Project Genesis the most expensive ship ever ordered in the history of commercial shipbuilding. The $1.24 billion figure includes all expenses required for interior finishing of the ship. Royal Caribbean contract with Aker includes an option for a second ship.

Richard Fain, the chairman and chief executive of Royal Caribbean said of Project Genesis, “It is exhilarating to take such a giant step into the future. Project Genesis truly is a remarkable ship. Its bold design, daring innovation and technological advancements will delight our existing customers and help us draw in new ones.”

Aker Yards Finland currently builds Royal Caribbean’s “Freedom” class vessels. However, the Project Genesis ship will be 43 percent larger than the present record holder, “Freedom of the Seas.”

The biggest ship currently in operation is the Queen Mary 2, at 151,400 gross register tons. It is owned by the Cunard Line, a unit of the Carnival Corporation, which is the world’s largest cruise ship company. The British-registered liner is 1,132 feet long, more than 236 feet high, and can hold 2,620 passengers. The QM2 is capable of crossing the North Atlantic at a speed of 30 knots. The 14-day 2004 maiden voyage from Southampton, in southern England, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on January 12, 2004, was completely sold out months before departure.

The QM2 has 17 decks which hold five swimming-pools, sweeping staircases, a grand ballroom, a 360-degree promenade deck and many luxury shops. Cunard Line built the ship in hope of reviving the glamor of ocean liners, whose mystique has largely been dispelled since jet travel made trips across the Atlantic routine.

A one-way passage from Southampton to New York ranges from $1,817 to $28,000 per person, depending on the type of cabin selected, as well as a daily service charge.

The original Queen Mary was launched in 1934 at Southampton by the queen’s grandmother — Queen Mary, wife of King George V. This ship was slightly more than half the size of the new model. In the second World War, both the Queen Mary and its sister ship, Queen Elizabeth, were painted grey and served as troopships, since they were fast enough to outrun German U-boats. Winston Churchill later stated that the military use of these two ships shortened the war by a year.

The ship was retired in 1967 and sold to private investors. It is now docked permanently as a seaside hotel in Long Beach, California.

The QM2 took the title of world’s largest cruise liner from Royal Caribbean’s 1,020 foot-long Liberia-registered “Voyager of the Seas,” launched in 1999.

As a sign of just how much passenger ships have increased in size during this century, the QM2 is three times the size of the Titanic, which at 46,300 tons and 800 feet was called the “largest movable object built by man” when launched in 1911. However, all the giant cruise ships are comparatively tiny compared to the largest of all ships – a 564,700-ton supertanker Seawise Giant built in 1979, and now called Jahre Viking.

A ship still in the planning stage would dwarf all current sea-going vessels : the Freedom Ship. It is essentially a plan for a floating city, a giant barge that would slowly circle the globe every 2-3 years. At 4,320 feet (1,317 meters) long, 725 feet (221 m) wide and 340 feet (103 m) tall, the ship is taller than the length of a football field and wider than two football fields put together.

It would hold 18,000 condominium units for full-time residents ranging from $180,000 to $2.5 million, including a small number of premium suites priced up to $44 million. 3,000 commercial units for vendors would also be offered in a similar price range. For part-time residents, there will be 2,400 time-share units and 10,000 hotel units. It will also hold a casino, a ferryboat transportation system, a medical facility offering both Western and Eastern medicine as well as preventive and anti-aging medicine. A landing strip for small jets will cover the top. An on board school will give students a chance to take a field trip into a different country each week for academic purposes or to compete with local schools in sporting events. There will also be an International Trade Center to give on-board companies and shops the opportunity to show and sell their products in a different country every week. More than 100 acres of outdoor Park, Recreation, Exercise and Community space have also been planned.

Norman Nixon of Royal Caribbean International, who developed the idea for the massive ship, has estimated it will take approximately three years to complete once construction begins.

So far, this ambitious project and associated Royal Caribbean International cruise, has not been able to attract sufficient investment funds to get off the drawing board.

Adventurous people consider cruising as the most exciting activity for them. Rather than spending their time with boring hobbies, they prefer it to explore the wonders of the world.

It brings them satisfying feeling every time they go for cruising, it is more than a lifetime experience for them.

Aside from having out-of-town or traveling in the different parts of the world, cruising can be your best choice. This will make your dream possible.

Going on a cruise travel is both an enchanting and exciting event for the vacationers. It will take your breathe away!

You can hear many cruising ships that are offering peculiar services for the vacationers. Due to several competitions existing, they have to present their onboard clients with the best possible amenities.

There are so many factors that you need to consider before you can proceed with your cruising adventure. The expense, package, cruising destinations and many other aspects are the major things that you need to decide.

Cruising will always bring you enjoyment if everything flows smoothly. Your reservation and your plan with your cruising activity should be plan properly. This is one way to avoid all the hassles and experience satisfaction with cruising activity.

Planning is very important for your cruising. It will help you decide on matters that will meet your anticipations. Here are the procedures that you can rely on to ensure an enjoyable cruising:

1.  A package that will suit your need- Packages will vary depending on single travelers or a group travel. This will also determine the amount that you are supposed to pay.

Moreover, you can make some inquiries that you are going to avail if it is a group package. Most of the cruise line companies offer several discounts on your preference.

In addition, the package will also depend on the kind of itineraries that you want to track.

2.  Duration of the cruise- It is very important that you include it in your planning. It is up to you if you are going to spend your cruising vacation in just couple of days or it will take a week.

If you want a thorough exploration then maybe you can have it for longer period of days.

3.  Itineraries- Cruising is more fun if you get to visit your most preferred places in the world. Be sure that you decide on the best places that you can spend your time alone or even with your family.

If you get along with your children, you can choose cruising destinations that will probably enchant them like places that they never visit yet.

On the other hand, if you have cruising for the past years, you can select those that you have not visited yet.

4.  Cruising line- You can make a research about the leading cruising lines that offer spectacular services. The best way for you to do this is simply to surf the net and visit the websites that will lead you to the cruising lines.

There are things that you need to check about the cruising line, one is the fare if it is affordable and the amenities that it has.

5.  Ports- Make sure that the ports are accessible so that you will not spend extra amount of money anymore when you are getting into it. This will also conserve your time and energy.

If you get yourself organize about the said factors in cruising, you will give so much fulfillment to your vacation time. Cruising needs a though planning so that you can do everything that you want without taking regrets at the end of your adventure.

In choosing the destinations for instance, you can visit the peculiar places. It is not good if you are going to make your cruising activity a yearly routine. You should have to explore more.

Do not limit yourself in the same package all at the same time. Remember that one of your goals in going to cruising is adventure it needs different kinds of ambiance at all times.

Make your cruising vacation a remarkable one. Always bear in your mind that proper planning of your cruising will ensure unforgettable moment for yourself and for your family and friends who will come along with you.

Are you tired of working eight hours a day, seven days a week? Are you getting bored of your everyday routine and want something new to satisfy your craving for adventure?

Then perhaps, all you need is a three-day or even a week worth of vacation in a Carnival Cruise. This trip is an ideal way to treat yourself even for a few days. While on the trip, you do not need to worry too much about paying additional charges for your meals, amusement and other special activities. All you just have to do is to relax and charge everything to the ship.

While on the ship, you will also experience being pampered by the staff since they will give you soothing massage services, sauna baths in spas, hair treatment and other beauty care services. All of these are available in one location; you just have to walk to each shop to get the services.

Carnival cruise is regarded as one of the most famous cruise lines in the world. Most of the travelers waiting to reach their destinations simply eat, dream and dance the day and night away.

Carnival cruises are popular to first time travelers, from children to teenagers, from young singles to the older singles, from couples to adults. The best things to experience at the Carnival cruise includes informal dinner at the Sea View Bistro, a suitable 24-hour pizza restaurant, the Captain’s party, fine dining, and the room services which are available 24 hours a day.

Not only that, you will also get the chance watch movies everyday, play at the Las Vegas style casinos, swim at onboard pools, shop at the duty free shopping and join parties every now and then.

Carnival cruise is an entertainment oriented cruise ship for all traveling singles, couples and families, it brings many travelers from all ages, and lifestyles on the ship is comparable to any other cruise line available. You will also be given the chance to enjoy a sumptuous evening in cafes and restaurants onboard such as the Paris Lounge, Café des Artistes, and the casino of Monte Carlo.

Carnival cruise also offers complete comfort with large spaces and calming accommodations inside one of their staterooms. The cabins and rooms are fully carpeted with cabinets and amenities like sink, bathtubs, and showers. Each room also has a color television. You will find all the amenities you will find in the comforts of your own home in a Carnival cruise liner cabin.

The rooms of Carnival cruise are 50 percent bigger than other average cruise lines wherein you can have a hundred percent private space.

If there are instances that you are not contented with the services offered by Carnival cruises, you can inform the cruise liner about this. The cruise will be willing to compensate for the unused part of your cruise charges and will reimburse your return flight fare.

Now, how will you be able to get the lowest rate in the carnival Cruise?

Simply get a cruise expert.

With the help of a cruise expert, you will be able to remove or at least minimize all the doubts and hesitations when employing a travel agent. Since the expert knows on how cruise lines work, they will know the best date to have a vacation on a specific place. Cruise experts are also knowledgeable about the cruise promotions, cruise information and cruise destinations.

When looking for a cruise expert, meet them face to face if possible. This is one way to make sure that the expert you are employing has already been in a cruise and knows exactly what you want to know. In addition, when choosing the right cruise expert, be sure that the expert will guide you on the whole booking procedure.

To make sure that the expert will not deceive you, call the cruise line then make a comparison on how he or she rated you to the actual rate that the cruise line is giving. Just make sure that the rate is already covering all port charges and taxes.

For most cruise vacationers, it does not matter how much it will cost them to have the cruise vacation. However, for some, it really is important to save money. So, if you are one of those people, you now know what to do to lessen your expenses.

When you consider cruising, one of the important factors that you look for is the itinerary. A popular cruise destination includes the Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, the Bahamas, and Panama Canal. It offers quite different vacation treat for cruise ships’ passengers, especially for the first timers.

However, for regular cruise aficionados, they looking for an idea of a cruise that is a little different from the usual destinations previously mentioned. If the itinerary is still the same although they are sailing with different cruise line, the element of uniqueness and excitement is not present in their cruise vacation.

If you are one of those vacationers, who are looking for a different cruise experience, then a cruise trip to Alaska is what you are looking for. You can expect a different landscape, people, and other stuffs that you will not forget.

If you are ready to do something different, then try the Alaskan adventure. It has everything that will suit your need. It is indeed a perfect getaway either for a short excursion or for a long vacation.

Alaska is the largest state in the United States in terms of land area (570,374 square miles); if superimposed over the map of the country, it can cover the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, and Colorado. Although having an enormous land area, it is one of the largely unpopulated areas in the world, with animals outnumbering human settlers.

Its boundaries are marked by natural landscape like mountain ranges and streams. The largest attraction in Alaska is its ice glaciers, which makes it a perfect destination for cruising. Sailing along its lengthy coastline allows you to observe these spectacular sights.

In case you prefer in selecting a cruise that will bring you in Glacier Bay, you will be witnessing the glaciers calving. Calving is the process by which the rivers of ice drop breaks off the edge of the cliff into the sea. Larger mass of glaciers can perform this several times an hour. It is the breathtaking part when you decide to make an Alaskan cruise.

While seeing these glaciers calving, you may also have the urge to touch it. Lucky for you, there are cruise lines that provide helicopter rides and hiking which permits you to step on one of these ice glaciers, which you cannot experience on any other cruise destination in the world.

If you or an Alaskan cruise vacation, you may also want to check Tracy Arm Fjord, which is a stretch of water that ventures inland and away from the shoreline. It will allow you to experience the power of the granite walls, mountain peaks, and majestic waterfalls from an unusual point.

Perfect months on getting an Alaskan cruise are from May through September. In other words, you can expect a decrease in the temperature compared to over hundred degrees temperature in the South during summer season.

There are two most popular Alaskan cruises. The first one is the Inside Passage cruise, which generally runs a length of about a week. It includes itinerary stops at Ketchikan, Skagway, and Juneau. Different sights and side trips can also be expected when you take this cruise.

The second one is the Gulf of Alaska cruise or also known as the Glacier Route Cruise. You can expect to see the Glacier Bay, which is previously mentioned in this article, and possibly the Hubbard Glacier.

Whichever cruise you prefer, cruise lines will provide you options on the ships that you want to board. There are smaller excursion ships that can carry an average of 150 passengers. You can take a closer look at a glacier rather than using the larger cruise ships (see what happened to the famous Titanic vessel).

The choices are all dependent on you. If you are really an adventurous-type individual, you want to book a smaller cruise vessel although it is quite expensive. If sightseeing for you is enough, then a bigger cruise ship is good for you. Don’t worry, though, whichever you choose, always expect the unexpected.

It is all bared—what is Alaska and what can it offer to you. Once you get going, you will forget all about your worries. So board a cruise ship and start your Alaskan cruise right away. Enjoy cruising!

If you are disabled or have certain special needs, you can still have a cruise ship adventure.  If you fall into this category, your best bet is to consult with a travel agent to find the best cruise line that will accommodate your needs.

No two cruise lines are quite alike, so comparison shopping is required when choosing your options.  Your particular disability could be the deciding factor on which cruise to take.  For instance, not all cruise ships can accommodate wheelchairs easily.  Cabins are notoriously small, so you must get dimensions to determine if your wheelchair will even fit inside your room.

Luckily, some of the larger cruise lines have specially designated cabins that have wider doorways.  The bathrooms are large enough for a wheelchair to roll right inside.  The closets are built for a lower reach and the elevators have controls easily accessible for those people sitting in wheelchairs.  Some cruise lines will have collapsible wheelchairs available, but it is highly recommended that passengers bring their own.  If motorized wheelchairs are in use, you must bring your own charger that is adaptable to a normal 110 volt plug.

Part of going on a cruise is experiencing the various ports of call.  Small boats called tenders are used to carry the travelers from the cruise ship to shore. Every effort is made to ensure that wheelchair bound passengers get to experience these ports of call.  However, the tenders that take passengers to shore are not always accessible or safe for the disabled.  If the wheelchair bound does manage to safely get to shore, certain ports of call may not always be equipped to handle special needs.

Hearing impaired passengers can also request special accommodations.  Some cruise lines will offer ADA (American Disabilities Association) compliant rooms. They will have tele-typewriters (TTY) or telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD). These cabins might come with ADA approved kits which include visual smoke alarms, door sensors so you know someone is at your door and even alarms that vibrate.

Travelers with guide dogs or other service animals will have a tougher time finding a suitable cruise.  Each port of call has different rules and regulations regarding animals.  Your travel agent can check with the Department of Agriculture for each port of call to determine their guidelines.  Sometimes the services animals could be denied permission to leave the cruise ship.

Special nutritional needs are also accommodated on many cruise lines.  Vegetarians have options as do those passengers who require low fat, low salt or low cholesterol diets. Guests with lung impairments that require oxygen can cruise too, but must ensure that they have a plentiful supply of oxygen for their travels.

One of the caveats for disabled guests or those with special needs is that you should be autonomous and travel with another companion in case any support during the cruise is required. No matter what infirmities you may have, the cruise line should be notified upon booking.  However, with special planning for your special needs, you should be able to have an extra special adventure!