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WHAT IS A CRUISE?
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All cruises are pretty much based on the same
principles: you board a ship (that is actually a floating hotel) for a certain number of days. The ship consists of several decks and the price of your cruise depends on the cabin you choose, the most
expensive being located on the upper decks. You sail at night and in the morning the ship makes a stopover in a port so that you can go ashore and visit. On board, ship personnel will try to fulfill your
every need, so as to make your stay as pleasant as possible. All meals are included in the price of your package and in general everything is free, except for drinks, visits and personal expenses.
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Cruise companies try to compete with luxury hotels on
shore by offering a complete range of services and facilities (swimming pools, beach areas, restaurants, bars, attentive service, etc).
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These companies also try and attract customers
by offering more services, more facilities, more meals and more of everything. Therefore they pay particular attention to the three following points:
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Quality of service: Companies compete very
imaginatively in their cruise management, hence they provide some of the best services and attention to detail. "We are at your disposal 24 hours a day, making sure your stay will be
unforgettable" they say. So each one boasts of the most beautiful honeymoon, the most romantic of voyages for renewing marriage vows or for anniversaries, the most restful of family holidays
and the most memorable stays. Most companies adopt a ratio of 1/3, meaning 1 employee to every 3 passengers, a ratio that really guarantees attentive service!
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Variety and the quality of meals: All
meals are included, and for the most part so are the wines. Here too companies are competing with each other, offering gastronomical meals, a large variety of menus and all kinds of fabulous
desserts. The number of meals is impressive: in addition to breakfast, lunch and supper you can get morning snacks, afternoon teas and evening buffets. There are also small snack bars in case
you're a little hungry during the day or evening!
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Meals might be served buffet style or at the table, just
snacks and or served in your room. There are a number of dining rooms so you have a choice of eating in formal evening wear or in more relaxed street clothes.
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Large number of possible activities: No one will try and
impose activities on you, making it easier for you to have a very restful and relaxing cruise. There are a wide range of activities available on board: sports (swimming, mini-golf, getting in shape, aerobics),
games (cards, bridge tournaments, parlor games), cocktails, evening events (dances, shows, cabarets, karaoke), special dinners, casinos, television, cinema, concerts, a library. When you go ashore you can
stroll, make purchases or go on visits and excursions.
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Along with the quality of service and the large number of
activities available, there are a great many facilities offered: massages, hairstyling salons, beauticians, florists, bars, shops, on-board doctors, religious services, animation and care facilities for
children, animation for adults, fitness rooms, telephones, business centers. Everything is organized to meet as many needs as possible, and to make sure no one gets bored
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