Cruise the Mediterranean - 2

We (Recreation Cruise and Travel) have created a group rate to cruise the Mediterranean in the summer of 2012.  By making it a "group", we are able to make the rate lower than one can get as an individual.  I will post the details here in a day or so, so, WATCH THIS SPACE!

Cruise the Mediteranean

I'm doing some research for a customer's potential cruise vacation and want to share some of what I'm seeing.  All the common cruise lines in the US have European cruises.  Looking at summer cruises, there are more in June and July than April and May and more in May than April.

Assuming more than a week, which would be needed to do The Med justice, one can cruise for 10 to 14 days in a range of about $1500 to about $3400 for an oceanview stateroom.  Oceanview obstructed is a bit less, balconies and suites are more.  There are few if any inside rooms listed.  It would be a crime to sail the Mediterranean without a view of one's own.  On cruises to anywhere, for me, it is well worth the money to have a balcony.  I like to sit out early and late and enjoy the ocean.  So, I would investigate the balcony for a med trip.

Once the selection has been narrowed down, we travel agents, I'm a travel agent, can find savings from state of residence, age, date, specials, etc.  We must double check the advertised specials as they are sometimes offset completely by a higher price or restrictions - same with everything... (Did you catch the My Cousin Vinny reference?)

Note that using a travel agent does not increase the travel or accomodation price.  Travel agents are paid a commission by the seller at no increase in price.  That is because otherwise the seller's employees would be doing that same research and management work.

Oh, back to the Mediterranean - itineraries mostly embark, debark, at Venice, Rome, or Barcelona.  There are some roundtrip from the UK and of course there are trans-atlantic cruises.  These are quite long and include as many as 10 days at sea.  I love to cruise, really love it, but 10 days on the water would be too much for me.  I'd like to hear your experiences and preferences!

Ruins to Visit in Puerto Rico

Columbus discovered Puerto Rico on his second journey west.  He landed there in November, 1493.  Here is a link to some history of the discovery.  http://bit.ly/r9rjM5

There are ruins at San Juan, Caparra, Aguadilla, Punta Borinquen, and Mona to name some. 

Here's a great source on Puerto Rico Travel - http://www.topuertorico.org/tinfo.shtml

A Travel Guide on the Net

Here is some basic info on Puerto Rico.
Travel Guide

Explore!

 This map makes me long for a jeep trip around and through the island staying in small inns along the way.  I can see the greenery, native wildlife (lizards, ...), and history.  There are more than 130 small inns and B&B's in Puerto Rico and lots of historical sites to visit.  Get me a hat and sun glasses!  Get me a camera!

Geography of the West Indies

The geography of the Caribbean is confusing.  The West Indies are made up of the islands of the Caribbean Sea and are divided into the Greater Antilles and Lesser Antilles.  Puerto Rico and three other larger islands make up the Greater Antilles.  The others are Cuba, Hispanola, and Jamaica.  Hispanola is divided into to Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  Puerto Rico is the eastern most of the Greater Antilles.  For further info, the Lesser Antilles include the Virgin Islands, Leeward Islands, and Windward Islands.  That's a lot, but I've always wanted to understand it better.  Here's an outline view:

West Indies = Islands of the Caribbean Sea

1. Greater Antilles
1. Cuba
2. Hispanola
3. Jamaica
4. Puerto Rico <======================
2. Lesser Antilles
1. Virgin Islands
2. Windward Islands (get the wind first)
1. Martinique
2. St. Lucia
3. St. Vincent
4. The Grendadines
1. Carriacou
2. Tobago Cays
3. Bequia
5. Grenada
3. Leeward Islands  (less wind)
1. Dominica
2. Guadelope
3. Montserrat
4. Antigua
5. Barbuda
6. St. Kitts
7. Nevis
8. Anguilla
9. St. Maarten

This information helped me as I never knew how various islands related to each other geographically and I'd never heard of some.  Have you been to any?

Puerto Rico as a Destination

I love Caribbean travel.  I've been up and down the eastern coast of Mexico and some of Central America.  This week I've been reading about Puerto Rico and I'm taking a travel agents course from there.  This US territory has many of a travelers wishes - beach, mountain, forests both rain and dry, big hotels, little inns, bed and breakfast inns, history, architecture, ruins, and on and on.  Oh, yeah - and shopping!  I'm ready to go now.

In this little blog I'm going to post what I learn about Puerto Rico in general and as a travel destination.  If you have questions, or you have been there and have experiences to share, please comment.