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How to Cut Down the Costs for Cruise Travel? 如何减少邮轮旅行开支? Summary: A cruise is a wonderful, relaxing way to vacation. It can be affordable, too, if you know the right places to cut costs. You Will Need ?Research ? A travel agent ?Adequate planning time ?Empty plastic bottles ?Booze(酒) ?Transportation Optional: ?Stocks (optional) ? A soda sticker (optional) Step 1: Research and hire travel agent Research cruise lines to find those that go to your destination. Hire a travel agent who specializes in those lines. Be sure to ask about discounts offered by that line. Step 2: Buy early and buy cruise-only Buy early, in the off-season, and buy a cruise-only package without airfare. Book your own flights and transfers because air-inclusive packages cost more. Step 3: Book a small cabin Book a small cabin without a view to save money. There are so many activities on the ship that you will hardly use your room. Step 4: Be a VIP Ask your travel agent to tell the cruise line that you are a VIP and that you intend to be a frequent customer. You might be rewarded with a free upgrade. You can purchase an on-board soda sticker for a set price and then enjoy unlimited quantities of soda while on your cruise. Step 5: BYOB((Bring Your Own Booze/Bottle)自带酒水) Bring your own alcohol on the cruise and you will save lots of money. Fill plastic bottles with liquor and then use your unlimited soda sticker for mixers. Bring wine and pay only a corkage fee(开瓶费)at dinner. Step 6: Secure your own ground transport and tours Secure your own ground transportation when in port, as well as your own private land tours. These measures will cost much less than cruise buses and tours. Step 7: Watch out for cash-guzzling(十分耗资)extras Limit your purchase of cash-guzzling extras, such as shipboard photos, bar purchases, and onboard art auctions. Step 8: Purchase next cruise Purchase your next cruise while on your cruise. You will get a better deal on the package as well as more credits to use on the ship. Do you know: the Queen Mary, now harbored in Long Beach, California, had a 31-year career as a luxury cruise liner and World War II troop carrier运兵舰? The Cabins of a Liner邮轮舱位 Ticket price on a cruise ship is based on the size, location, and amenities of your cabin. It also depends on the season, with holidays and summers usually more expensive. On the low-price end, cabins have few amenities, are located deep in the ship, and can be as small as 100 square feet. At the high end, they’re more like spacious penthouses than cabins, up to thousands of square feet in size; they have great views and numerous luxurious touches. Keep in mind that, once you leave your cabin, no class distinctions exist. In theory, it really does work this way most of the time. All passengers on a cruise ship are treated alike, share the same facilities, and usually eat in the same restaurants. However, some distinctions do occur. When boarding before a cruise, some Lines give higher-end occupants passes that allow them to avoid long check-in lines. Moreover, higher-end cabins usually get to leave first when debarking. Tips for Hotel Reservation 酒店预订技巧 You can almost guarantee a great price on any hotel package or airfare by making your reservation very early, at least a month or so before your trip. In this way, you'll be locked into a low price. Additionally, while there may be some restrictions, look for off-peak deals at most major hotels. This may entail a mid-week stay. If you're looking for a weekend getaway, consider booking your hotel on a Thursday with a Monday return. Because hotels are feeling the pinch during this recession just like the rest of us, call them directly and find out what types of packages they're currently offering. They may be willing to p resent you with a deal that precisely fits your time frame and budget. If you really want to save on hotel expenses, choose bed-and-breakfast lodges,smaller hotels or inns. Remember, they're competing for your business as well. For example, a two-bedroom suite at an East Hampton Inn during off-peak seasons can be gotten for less than $100 per night. Peak-season rates typically run close to $300 a night for the very same room. Quite a difference, wouldn't you say? Table Etiquette餐桌礼仪 As soon as you are seated, remove the napkin from your place setting, unfold it, and put it in your lap. Do not shake it open. At some very formal restaurants, the waiter may do this for the diners, but it is not inappropriate to place your own napkin in your lap. The napkin rests on the lap till the end of the meal. Don't clean the cutlery or wipe your face with the napkin. If you excuse yourself from the table, loosely fold the napkin and place it to the left or right of your plate. At the end of the meal, leave the napkin semi-folded at the left side of the place setting. Eat to your left, drink to your right. Any food dish to the left is yours, and any glass to the right is yours. Starting with the knife, fork, or spoon that is farthest from your plate, work your way in, using one utensil for each course. The salad fork is on your outermost left, followed by your dinner fork. Your soup spoon is on your outermost right, followed by your beverage spoon, salad knife and dinner knife. Your dessert spoon and fork are above your plate or brought out with dessert. If you remember the rule to work from the outside in, you'll be fine. Yosemite National Park优山美地国家公园 Yosemite is located in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. The alpine wilderness, groves of giant Sequoia trees and the spectacular valley landscape of Yosemite make it a pre-eminent natural marvel.In praising the beauty of this place, the naturalist John Muir said, "No temple made with hands can compare to Yosemite." Yosemite was made by glaciers. During the last Ice Age, the granite bedrock was shaped into bare peaks, sheer cliffs, rounded domes and huge monoliths. The flat valley floor evolved from a large melt water lake that slowly filled with sediment.Now flowering meadows fill the valley and dramatic waterfalls surround it. Geological evolution is ongoing here, as lakes continue to silt up. Biological adaptation is evident also in the Giant Sequoia trees which are resistant to fire and for whom periodic fires are, in fact, necessary to clear the dense undergrowth and make way for young sequoias. Breathtaking panoramas of rugged scenery and huge variety of plant and animal life are protected in this incomparable valley. An Unforgettable Trip to Niagara Falls尼亚加拉瀑布难忘之旅 Hop on a commercial airliner jet for the short flight to upstate New York, and then on to Niagara Falls by luxury motor coach! Capture views of the beautiful New York countryside and New York City during your short flight! The experienced guides will offer expert narration with fun facts and highlights about Niagara Falls. Capture views of mighty Niagara Falls from both the US and Canadian sides and spend approximately 3 hours touring each side of the Falls for an approximate total of 6.5 hours at the Falls (time spent at the Falls varies depending on traffic, weather, etc.). Get up close and personal with the falls on the complimentary 30-minute Maid-of-the-Mist boat excursion (May to October). This cruise takes you to the base of the Canadian Falls, where you can feel the mighty force of the water as you get soaked! You are provided a complimentary hooded raincoat to protect against the spray of the awesome falls. Emergency Medicine s for Travel 旅游必备药品 Nothing can ruin a vacation faster than an unexpected illness or injury. So before taking your next trip, be sure to pack a small kit of emergency supplies and medications in case the unexpected happens. The most important items to remember to bring with you on any trip are an ample supply of your prescription medications. With a good supply in hand, you won't have to worry about getting a refill if your luggage is lost or there’s a delay in your returning flight. Depending on how your body usually reacts when you’re away from your home routines, you might want to bring along some antacids, a laxative, and/or anti-diarrheal medication. If you are traveling to an area where traveler's diarrhea is common, consider packing oral rehydration salts. Drinking these salts mixed with clean, bottled water can help offset dehydration caused by severe diarrhea. Take along such essential emergency supplies as bandages, gauze and tape, eye drops, and antiseptic wipes. If you’re embarking on a more active vacation, an elastic support bandage might come in handy for an unexpected strain or sprain. Don’t forget insect repellent and plenty of sunscreen. Though you probably won't use a vast majority of your emergency supplies during travel, chances are at least an item or two will turn out to be helpful. And that in itself makes it worth the space in your luggage.