A roving home on the high seas may sound like a thing of fairy tales or pirates, but the world’s largest residential cruise liner makes it a reality for its residents.

Aptly named The World, the apartments on this giant yacht range from studios to three-bedroom apartments, and homeowners spend all or parts of the year in their luxury suites.

Different itineraries are chosen each year by vote of every passenger on the boat. The length of time the yacht stays in each port varies from 2 to 5 days, during which time passengers enjoy the culture and experience of each destination.
(more…)

Mallorca is one of the Balearic Islands. The largest of the islands, it is located 125 miles off of Barcelona, Spain. The island is known to have Arab, European and Roman influences as part of its culture. Natives here speak mostly Spanish.

It is estimated that over 6 million tourists come to visit Mallorca each year, especially for summer holidays. The tourists are 70% German and British, with the remaining 30% hailing from Spain and abroad. Tourists can get to Mallorca via cruise ships that generally stop off at this Mediterranean playground for about a day. The most popular cruise ship lines to take passengers to Mallorca include Western Mediterranean, Royal Caribbean, Crystal, Windstar, and SilverSea.
(more…)

Why not save time and money by combining your wedding with your honeymoon on a romantic cruise? A wedding that takes place on your cruise can be a beautiful way to start a journey together as a couple. However, it’s not quite as easy as it looks in the movies. You will need time to arrange a wedding and it is best to start at least a couple of months before your cruise leaves.

In reality, most couples don’t get married at sea, or on the actual cruise ship. In order to do this, you need to find a cruise line that has a wedding department and someone (often the captain) to perform a legal ceremony. Not all captains have the legal right to marry couples, so check this ahead of time if your heart is set on an ocean bound ceremony.
(more…)

The much touted and aggressively marketed cruise ship Queen Victoria seems to have hit rough waters.

Superstitious vacationers couldn’t help but murmur predictions of doom when the customary champagne bottle with which she was christened before her maiden voyage failed to shatter. Despite this, it appeared she would avoid the fate of the Titanic after all.

Last December, however, three weeks into her life on the water, passengers on the luxury liner took ill in droves. The Queen Victoria appeared to have been hit with the dreaded cruise ship virus known as Norwalk or Norovirus.
(more…)

For years, Menorca has been a favorite holiday island for millions of people worldwide. Many celebrities and royalty spend their free time there relaxing, soaking in the sun and spending quality time with their families. Several celebrities have bought homes in the Balearic Islands in recent years. One of Menorca’s prime holiday spots is also its longest beach, Son Bou.

In the Alaior region of Menorca sits the small village of Son Bou. Son Bou, San Jaime and Torre Soli Nou offer some of the nicest beachfront holiday spots available on Menorca. The beach at Son Bou is around 3 km long, that’s just less than two miles of golden sands. The width of the beach isn’t as wide as some of Menorca’s larger beaches, but the length is spectacular. Along the beach you will find several lifeguards and beach bars to provide food and drinks.

Son Bou is home to several shops and restaurants and two large hotels. The two large Sol Hotels offer direct access to the beach. Other accommodations are available for those who prefer to walk to the beach. Many of the bars and restaurants have adapted a British style. Others have chosen a more international cuisine, including Chinese and Indian. Tourists are the primary source of revenue for the island, so restaurants try to oblige all nationalities. Of course there are still several Spanish and Menorquin restaurants to serve the tourist who enjoys traditional foods from the area they visit.

(more…)