Whether travelling to exotic beaches or foreign cities, cruises offer a relaxing holiday getaway for those who enjoy a little adventure and the open waters of the ocean. While cruises accommodate their guests in spacious cabins, with pools, spas and fine dining, they still have to make arrangements for getting to and from their departure and arrival ports. The popular cruise and stay packages offered by many cruise lines help resolve this issue.

Whether you are travelling a long distance to board a cruise ship or simply want to holiday an extra day or two before or after the cruise, cruise and stay packages provide discounts on hotel accommodation, all bundled into the price of the holiday. Buying a cruise and stay package rather than paying for a hotel room separately from the cruise tickets will earn you a nice discount.

When you arrive at your destination, you can spend as many nights as you wish in the hotel. Explore the city, see the sights and take time to relax from a long drive or flight. When the cruise leaves, you will be refreshed and ready to board.

Once the cruise has ended and you have disembarked, you can choose to stay at the same hotel or a different resort in the area. See an entirely new set of sights and relax for an extra day or so before heading back home. Cruise and stay packages offer the best of both worlds, land and sea, for a bargain price.

Cheap cruises are always very popular for going to different tropical island beaches and lounging around in the sun with a book on the golden sand, or even just lounging around on board the ship. But this can get boring for some people, especially kids.

Royal Caribbean is especially famous for its incredible onboard entertainment for kids of all ages from young primary school kids on up to teenagers, and even very active adults. There are game shows and fun things planned throughout the day every day. Best of all on a Royal Caribbean cruise is the ship’s features themselves. Some of the ships have things like the amazing FlowRider, which is basically a standing wave right on the ship where kids or adults can take their turns trying to stay standing on a surfboard. There is also an ice rink on the ship. That’s right, a real ice rink. Not only is it a lot of fun to go ice skating in the middle of the ocean, but by night it turns into the venue for some truly amazing ice shows by the ship’s entertainers.

There are karaoke booths where you can have a great time with your friends or family or even record a DVD of your singing that you can take home with you. There are full size basketball courts and even a rock climbing wall. And of course swimming pools and hot tubs, gyms, saunas, and plenty of stuff to keep everyone very entertained and happy, even the kids.

It is that time of year again when people begin to look for cruise deals. Whether your need for a cruise is a personal getaway, a family vacation, or a traditional holiday, the available cruise options are almost endless.  

A good place to start may be with your travel agent. Travel agents are usually informed of deals and specials that may not be publicly advertised. Speaking with a travel agent face-to-face is also the best way to get any questions that you may have, answered properly. Not all travel agents offer the same prices so if you are serious about getting a good deal, then shop around between travel agents. There are times when the larger companies will be able to pass along better cruise deals than a smaller travel agency.  

While you are visiting your travel agent, collect a few brochures and see what catches your eye. These brochures are a great way to get a feel for the different cruise companies as well as what they have to offer in the way of packages, entertainment, itineraries, prices and other options. There are more and more websites each month dedicated to ensuring you get the best deal when it comes to booking your holiday. If you are not comfortable booking online then use the sites as guidelines for any deals that may be available. You can take this information with you to your travel agent.  

If you are completely open to going any place as long as you get a good deal, then leave your holiday fate in the hands of the tourist season. Traditionally the months of January to March are the busiest for the cruise industry. This can often be the best time to try and land a great deal. 

In a nutshell, a cruise and stay holiday combines the flexibility of a cruise with the familiarity of a one-stop destination.  If you or your partner have never tried cruising before and are a little unsure as to what to expect, then a cruise and stay holiday is perfect for you.  The usual length of a cruise and stay holiday is seven days on board and seven days at your hotel, but the cruise and stay holiday is nothing if not flexible, so you can lengthen your stay on either the ship or the hotel – or both if you prefer.  The cruise and stay holiday puts you in control and you can spend time doing just what you enjoy.

Of course, cruising gives you the opportunity to see many more places and it may surprise you to discover how much there is to do on board the ship itself. In addition to the desk games and swimming pools there are also sport and gym activities, spa treatments and daily workshops. On offer is a range of fascinating activities you have always wanted to try – everything from tai chi to scuba diving – and the range of children’s activities and crèche facilities are second to none. With a shopping mall, theatre and shows, bars and restaurants, the cruise ship’s facilities and entertainment can rival that of any 5-star hotel. 

For those who enjoy holidays on land and at sea, the cruise and stay is the perfect way to experience the ultimate holiday. Enjoy cruising for the first seven days and then spend seven days in a luxury hotel or, if you prefer, hit the hotel first and then cruise.  Check out great 2012 cruise and stay deals now.