With those opinions, unfortunately we still find some boats around. To be specific, those boats have broken parts. Ever thought to fix and modify those boats and make those much more beautiful than before? If your answer is yes, then wait because you can still have something else for you. What about camping out with a RV? Classic! But RV is just too expensive besides you still have an old one. Well, here is the answer.

The answer is bnrv. What is that? Simply visit it, read all information, and smile. Yes! It is a special service to make boating and camping fun. They will repair your old boat or RV; modify it into the best you could imagine with surprisingly affordable price. And if you also want to sell it and buy used boat or used RV, it is absolutely possible. Call right now and all you have to do is to fill the free online form and you are good to go! And don’t forget, they have clearance sale for boat and RV, every single month. So make sure you stop by and look on the offers.

A cheap cruise is not at all a cheap deal but merely fillers to complete the available accommodation before the cruise ship sets sail. Here’s an example of last minute deal found at a cruise travel website. A 3-night cruise travel to the Bahamas that is now going at a low price of $ 129 per person for an Inside Stateroom and for $ 149 for the Overview Stateroom. These are regularly priced at more than from $ 200 by the cruise ship Ruby Princess.    

If you’ll take a look at what a cheap cruise Inside Stateroom has to offer, you’ll be pleasantly surprised that it is not the dark and gloomy type of windowless cabin. It has two twin beds that can be converted into a queen size bed hence the room can even accommodate as much as 3 persons. There is a provision for closet space and private bathroom complete with shower fixture. The 160 square foot area also has a desk area and a television, a refrigerator, an individual safe where you can keep your valuables and a thermostat controlled room air conditioning, No need to worry about keeping the room tidy while you’re on a vacation because a 24-hour room service is assigned to your area.  .       
The Oceanview Staterooms are not too different than the Inside room except for the portholes which serve as the cabin widows. However, there are some Oceanview accommodations that are obstructed by lifeboats and other ship structures, so you might as well get an Inside room because they basically have the same features.

What’s a Cheap Cruise – Cruise Ship Like?

The cruise ship on a cheap cruise is nothing shabby either because you got your savings deal only as a last minute offer. The liner of a cheap cruise still has the same floating hotel concept common to all cruising sea vessels. For our example of this cheap cruise, the last minute deal passenger will be boarding the Ruby Princess.

The Ruby Princess is in fact a relatively new sea vessel, since it made its maiden sail only last 2008. You will be welcomed at a piazza-style atrium. A piazza style is usually inspired by Italian culture of meeting areas where people can hang out, surrounded by boutiques and shops as well as bars and restaurants where they can order their drinks or meals.     

The Ruby Princess may have given you a cheap cruise but it is by no means cheap. The atrium alone has a lot of entertainment to offer by watching the performance of street entertainers. There is more than just the dining area where you can get the meals in your all inclusive package. In case you want to savor other tasty dishes, restaurants, grills and small-bite eateries abound for your eating pleasure, although this time at your own expense.   

After a day of traveling at sea, you will arrive at your port of call which is the Princess Cays at the Bahamas Islands. The cheap cruise ship destination is a privately owned island of Princess Cruise, which they reserve exclusively for their cruise guests. It is located at Eleuthera Island, several miles away from Nassau.

As cruise ship guests, you can go straight to the beach water to swim, or snorkel. There are also sea boards and aqua bikes, paddle wheelers, banana boats and an assortment of sailboats to choose from. It is about a measure of 40-acres of land dedicated for pure entertainment lined with white sandy beaches and mangrove trees that protect the shimmering blue waters from debris. There are curios shops where you can shop around for souvenirs.      

Last Minute Deals are only cheap in the sense that you booked at the time that the cruise liner is about ready to depart. Hence these cheap cruise deals are real bargains because no one can tell if you paid less for them than the regular passengers. Hence, you’ll be getting the same first-class treatment.      

For more useful information, please visit our website: THE KNOWLEDGE BASE, and look for the TRAVEL section.

The book wrote “Ha Long Bay, or the Bay of the Descending Dragon, in northeastern Vietnam, is scattered with some 3,000 precipitous, strangely sculpted limestone islands and outcrops, and dotted with small floating villages and deserted sandy beaches.

“In spring and early summer the water is particularly calm and clear.

This UNESCO World Heritage site is best explored by a cruise on a junk.”

The other nine destinations are Nova Scotia and Labrador Tall Ships of Canada; San Juan Islands, Washington; Pirate Cruise, Grand Cayman Island of the UK; Star Clipper to French Polynesia of France; Junk Cruise, Andaman Sea of Thailand; Seychelles Islands of Seychelles; Dhow Cruise, Straits of Hormuz of Oman; Lamu Island of Kenya; and Evia Island Cruise of Greece.

Earlier, Ha Long Bay was also listed among the world’s top ten best and romantic destinations for 2011 by the UK’s Lonely Planet magazine.

(Source: VOVNews)

Supported by Indochina Sails

INDOCHINA SAILS – offers luxury cruise in Halong Bay. Book Halong Bay cruise trip, tours, vacation, travel, junk and overnight Ha Long Bay cruises Vietnam

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Ha Long Bay – Heavenly Castles on Earth

Halong Bay is the jewel in the crown of Vietnam’s travel destinations. One hundred and seventy kilometers from Hanoi, in northeastern Vietnam, Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places on earth. The bay is a magical blend of land and sea with thousands of limestone islands and islets in a myriad of shapes and sizes.

The shapes are as varied as the sizes and many of the islands have been given names, derived from their shapes, such as Voi Island (Elephant), Ga Choi Island (Fighting Cock), Qua Chuong Island (Bell) and Mai Nha Island (Roof); incredibly 989 of the islands have been given names. Numerous islands contain caves and grottos, some hidden away for millions of years, but now accessible to explore and marvel at their immensity and spectacular displays of stalactites and stalagmites.

Cruises are relaxing and everyone on the boat tends to be friendly and talkative.  Sailing by yourself can be as isolated or as social as you want it to be.  There are many opportunities to meet people.  You’ll be assigned a dinner table so you’ll be dining with the same group of people each evening.  If you’re younger and enjoy clubs, there are several nightlife options on the ship.

First off, you need to determine where you want to go and what kind of activities you want.  Pick a destination that will keep your interest level high since you’ll be sailing solo.  Warm weather destinations with sun and sand include the Caribbean, Mexico and the Mediterranean.

In summer there are also cruises on the coasts of Canada, through the glaciers in Alaska, and through the fjords in Scandinavia.  These focus on the sights from the ship and add some exploration to your vacation.   

Determine how long you’d like to be on the cruise. There are cruises that range in length from three days to several weeks. The shorter ones are popular with young people who want to enjoy the nightlife on the boat.  Weeklong cruises are the most popular; they offer enough time for you to adjust to the boat and enjoy all of the amenities. Unless you really want some alone time, anything longer than a week may get lonely if you’re traveling on your own.

Anticipate the added cost of traveling by yourself.  Most cruise companies and travel agencies advertise prices based on double occupancy.  Having a cabin to yourself will increase the cost by at least 25 percent.  Some cruise companies offer a service to help you find a same-sex roommate to help share costs.  If you’re set on having your own cabin then do some research; the extra cost for a single room on an expensive cruise can be less than a cheaper cruise.  

Take the time and do some research before you decide on a cruise.  The internet is a great resource for researching destinations, itineraries and cruise lines.  Most cruise line companies have details of their ships on their website including amenities, occupancy levels and maps of their boats. You can also use a travel agent to help you find the right cruise.  They have loads of brochures and many of them have first hand experience with cruises so they can make recommendations to fit your budget.

Taking a vacation by yourself doesn’t have to be boring or lonely.  It may cost a bit more but taking a cruise can be the ideal solo vacation.

When you first enter the Grand Foyer, you are struck by the richness of the marble, teak, and brass, as well as the scale. Whether looking toward the massive staircases spanning three decks or the elegant glass elevators rising ten decks, you can feel the huge size difference between this and the previous Millennium class ships. And yet, the lines and the traffic flow prevent you from ever being aware of the additional 800 passengers this ship can handle.

After entering the stateroom you really begin to see the differences in the new design. The integration of a new floor plan lends itself well to the new amenities you will find in the cabin. From the large flat screen TV mounted on the wall over a new roomy dresser to the newly designed closet space, these cabins feel a lot more like a bedroom than a ship’s cabin. The bathroom sports a circular glass enclosed shower that is far nicer than the tiny square shower used in most other ships. And finally, the bed. Celebrity has followed in the footsteps of major hotel chains in giving priority to a luxurious, comfortable bed that is far superior than the cot you may have experienced on previous cruises.

In keeping up with RCCL’s rock climbing wall and skating rink, Celebrity has included amenities not usually found on a cruise ship. Up on deck 15, a large portion of the deck is covered with a lush green lawn where bocce, croquet, and putting competitions are held. Just off the lawn, Corning has supplied artisans from its glass museum to give live glass-blowing demonstrations throughout the cruise.

Of course, where would cruising be without cuisine? Those accustomed to the cattle call of four symmetric buffet lines upstairs will be pleased by the free flowing feel of the new buffet. Each type of food is given its own station allowing the cruiser to almost always be able to find something to eat without waiting in any line. The exception being the famous home-made ice cream where lines formed for the daily seven or eight delicious flavors, including cinnamon, ginger, and coconut amongst the common staples of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.

The dining room downstairs is as classic and beautiful as any seen on other ships. The white linen, crystal, and silverware is set off by the beautiful, yet subtle lighting and the two story glass and chrome wine tower. Diners will not be disappointed by the food choices and presentation, although there is a tendency that the food in the dining room doesn’t quite measure up to that in the new ‘specialty’ restaurants. These, of which there are several on the Solstice, require reservations and a surcharge to cover the lavish French, Asian, and Italian feasts that are served in each.

As massive as this ship is and with the large number of fellow cruisers, there are still many nooks and crannies where one can find a little quiet and solitude. Out in the sun, there are several small decks which most passengers never see or know about. Inside there are many small rooms and corridors where you can settle with a book or a quiet glass of wine with friend and family. On the other hand, there are many bistros and public areas where you can gather at any time to enjoy some live music and the company of others.

The Solstice is the first of four new ships in this class to be released over the next several years. The Equinox is the next to come out in August of 2009, two more yet to be named. Regardless of which of this new class of ship you choose to sail on, you will not be disappointed.

* http://www.celebritycruises.com/plancruise/ships/ship.do;jsessionid=0000wPCLkZdUhPO9HTzgcVdW9PR:12hdebebp?shipCode=SL&cS=FLASH

So where do you start when planning a cruise holiday?  First, what is your budget like?  Do you need to hold down expenses?  Then here are a few tips for economizing on your cruise holiday.

When scheduling your cruise holiday, you should be aware that there are off season and on season dates, and that you want to schedule your trip in the off season to get the best deal.  What you may not know, however, is that cruise lines actually change prices a number of times throughout the year.  Ask and find out when their absolute lowest season prices are.  In addition, keep your plans somewhat flexible so that you can change ships at the last minute.  Sometimes a ship is not filled to capacity, so the cruise line will sell the last few tickets at a real bargain.  It is always to their advantage to sail filled to capacity because people on holiday spend money on souvenirs, drinks, etc.  Use this knowledge to get a really great deal.

Where you cruise to on your holiday can make a big difference in your cost as well.  If you pick a popular spot, you can travel cheaper than if you choose a less popular spot.  Another consideration is whether you really care about those ports of call.  If you just want to stay on the ocean liner and enjoy the luxuries, book a cruise that doesn’t stop anywhere.  These “cruises to nowhere” are just as luxurious as the others but cost less.

To be safe on a cruise holiday, don’t take a lot of expensive equipment or jewelry with you.  Make sure your passport, health insurance, and other papers are up to date.  Be sure to ask about laws you may inadvertently be breaking when you get off the shore you are accustomed to.  Laws in ports and even in the water can vary, and you sure don’t want a big hassle with a foreign law enforcement agency.

To travel lighter, find out about equipment that will be available on the ship.  For instance, if the cruise line provides irons or hair dryers, you won’t need to pack yours.  Also pack your own sample size shampoo, toothpaste, and other toiletries because these items will cost more in the gift shop.  You should have access to laundry facilities on your cruise holiday, so you don’t have to take a huge amount of clothing.  Pick a wrinkle proof lightweight outfit for every two or three days and pick separates in colors that coordinate so you can get different looks.  Be sure to pack a formal and or semi-formal outfit if you will be taking part in these sort of activities on your cruise holiday.

This makes cruises from Harwich one of the most convenient options for a relaxing holiday.

Living in the UK can make planning a holiday cruise much simpler and much cheaper. Cruising from ports like Harwich make flying unnecessary and takes the stress out of checking in because you can park in lots near the terminal that are served by regular shuttle buses to and from the pier as well as baggage handling.

If you arrive a day early for your cruise you can keep yourself occupied with the sights in the area.

The prettiest beach in the county of Essex is found here as well as historic attractions like the Harwich Redoubt Fort built in 1808 to protect against invasion from Napoleon. There is also a maritime museum as well as a small Mayflower Museum. Harwich was this ship’s homeport. The nearby towns of Ipswich and Colchester are also interesting places to visit.

Cruises from Harwichdepart in the warmer summer months from May to August. Harwichis a major departure point for destinations like Scandinavia, the Baltic’s, the North Cape, the Norwegian Fjords, and the Mediterranean. There are also cruises that cover the British Isles and their outlying islands. The major cruise lines that sail from Harwich are Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Thomson Cruises, and Voyages of Discovery.

A typical Baltic cruise from Harwich includes ports of call like Copenhagen with shore excursions to see the beautiful architecture of the city, much of it built in the sixteenth century. A shore excursion in Helsinki, Finland covers the city’s highlights like the Olympic Stadium and Finlandia Hall. In St. Petersburg, Russia you can see the Hermitage museum in the Winter Palace. There are over two million works of art on display here, including pieces by Rembrandt, Picasso, and Rubens. The Baltic cruise also includes stops in Tallinn, Estonia and Kiel and Warnemunde, Germany.

A cruise from Harwich to the Norwegian, Fjords includes Oslo, Norway’s capital where you can learn about the Vikings and their traditions. Kristiansand offers an amazing display of flowers that bloom in the summer. In Stavanger you can see Norway’s best example of medieval architecture that was once the home of Viking kings. These cruises also include Bergen, Olden, Flam not to mention the stunning views throughout the fjords.

For summer cruises it is hard to be Harwich as a departure point. It is easy to get to, offers sightseeing to keep you busy before you leave, and cruise lines offer a variety of destinations.

The Secret of Marked Halyards

Most of us don’t look for heavy winds, but if you sail long enough, you can expect to have to deal with them one day. And many small cruising sailboats have small sailing crews. In heavy weather sailing, this might leave one person at the sailboat tiller or wheel and another to handle all of the sail reefing duties. Reefing the mainsail alone can be a handful!

Mark the mainsail halyard to show the settings for the first and second tack reef points. This will take the guesswork out of how far you need to lower the halyard for reefing.

Do this at the marina dock in light wind during the early morning or late afternoon. Bring a friend along to help you out. You will need a permanent ink marker or sticky-back ripstop nylon tape.

Four Easy Steps to Simplify Sail Reefing

1. Raise the mainsail all the way to the top of the sailboat mast.

2. Lower the mainsail halyard until your first tack reef gets to the proper position at the sailboat boom. Cleat off the halyard.

3. Mark the halyard where it touches the sailboat mast cleat. Make a single, thick circle with your permanent marker or wrap a strip of ripstop nylon tape around the halyard near the cleat. Make your circle easy to see during the day, night, or in foul weather.

4. Lower the mainsail halyard until your second tack reef gets to the boom; cleat off the halyard.

Make two thick circles where the halyard just touches the cleat or wrap two strips of tape around the halyard. If your mainsail has a third set of reef points, repeat the procedure and use three thick circles or three wraps of tape.

Put Your New Sail Reefing System into Action

When it’s time to reef the mainsail, set the topping lift and ease the boom vang and mainsheet. Lower the halyard to the desired tack reef point indicated by your circles. Cleat off the halyard at that point. Haul down on the tack reef line and cleat it off. Raise the mainsail and set proper luff tension. Then go to the end of the boom and set the mainsail clew reef.

Make sail reefing easier for all hands aboard your small cruising or racing sailboat. These simple tips will keep your sailing crew safer, dryer, and happier when the winds and seas pipe up.

The Basic Laws on Board a Cruise Ship

As a general rule, a cruise ship traversing the vast ocean follows the laws of the land according to the flag by which the vessel flies under. However, the laws of the country where a cruise ship is docked in its territorial waters can be imposed upon the ship and all of its passengers. The country’s laws shall be in effect within twelve miles from the territorial coastline.

This is best served by the example wherein , a cruise ship that offers gambling facilities will have to closedown and cease all gambling activities while docked in a country where gambling is prohibited. Only when the cruise ship has set sail and crossed more than twelve miles of the waters from the coastline can the cruise ship resume all gambling activities.           

This is without prejudice to the fact that the country’s border patrol can still board the ship for inspection if there is strong evidence that a fugitive is on board, drugs deals and smuggling operations transpire while the ship is in international waters. Regardless of what flag the cruise ship flies under, the prevailing laws will be that of the country whose apprehending authorities have jurisdiction to patrol the waters.  

Under US laws, a passenger who becomes a victim of theft while on board a cruise ship cannot sue the cruise liner company if the crime was committed in a state or territory that has no legal jurisdiction over the ship. There is a fine printed portion on your passenger tickets that will indicate which state has jurisdiction over the ship and under whose laws they can be answerable. This also applies in the matter of gambling laws, where the state that prohibits gambling cannot forbid a ship to run its casinos while in US international waters but only when the cruise ship is docked in the territorial waters of the state.   

In a recent incident, a headwaiter in a Princess cruise ship was charged by the US District Courts of Los Angeles, for sexually assaulting a female US citizen while on board a cruise travel last March 2009. The Federal Law allows filing of charges against anyone who is accused of violating the rights of a US citizen while traveling aboard cruise ships. The element of the crime transpiring in high seas has little or no bearing if the matter involves committing a crime against the person of a US citizen.    

Cruise Ship Laws for Babies Born on Board

The likelihood that a child will be born on board a cruise ship while on international waters is very nil since the cruise ship will not allow expectant mothers who are in their third trimester to board the ship. Hence the cruise ship laws regarding this matter is not cut and dried. There are those who state that the nationality of the parents will prevail while there are those who contend that the flag under which the ship sails will be compel the country to recognize the baby as its citizen.   

However, a better suggestion is to check your country’s laws or the laws of the country by which the flag operates in case you insist boarding a ship on your third trimester without the knowledge of the cruise authorities.   

US Laws maintain that anyone born within its recognized territories without prejudice to the location where the baby was born can claim US citizenship. However, the US imposes strict laws for US dual citizenship which is a matter that should not be taken lightly.  

The Maritime Law and How it Applies to a Cruise Ship

There is also an immediate reference to Maritime Law, since this seems to have the nearest relevance. However if we are to have a basic understanding of what Maritime Law is all about, it is a set of laws that are more concerned with marine or nautical navigation and overseas commerce or trade. Their concerns are more centered over shipping legalities and illegalities, trade disputes, trade agreements that transpire while crossing the water where no nation can claim exact jurisdiction. Hence, a cruise ship passenger whose civil rights are violated aboard the vessel while on international waters will have an unlikely chance of seeking redress under the Maritime Law.      

For more useful information, please visit our website: THE KNOWLEDGE BASE, and look for the TRAVEL section.

USS Constitution under sail in Massachusetts Bay, 21 July 1997

For a history of ship construction, see shipbuilding.

There are many different types of sailing ship, but they all have certain basic things in common. Every sailing ship has a hull, rigging and at least one mast to hold up the sails that use the wind to power the ship. The crew who sail a ship are called sailors or hands. They take turns to take the watch, the active managers of the ship and her performance for a period. Watches are traditionally four hours long. Some sailing ships use traditional ship’s bells to tell the time and regulate the watch system, with the bell being rung once for every half hour into the watch and rung eight times at watch end (a four-hour watch).

Ocean journeys by sailing ship can take many months, and a common hazard is becoming becalmed because of lack of wind, or being blown off course by severe storms or winds that do not allow progress in the desired direction. A severe storm could lead to shipwreck, and the loss of all hands.

Sailing ships can only carry a certain quantity of supplies in their hold, so they have to plan long voyages carefully to include many stops to take on provisions and, in the days before watermakers, fresh water.

Types of sailing ships

Further information: Sail-plan#Types_of_ships

There are many types of sailing ships, mostly distinguished by their rigging, hull, keel, or number and configuration of masts. There are also many types of smaller sailboats not listed here. The following is a list of vessel types, many of which have changed in meaning over time:

barque, or bark – at least three masts, fore-and-aft rigged mizzen mast

barquentine – at least three masts with all but the foremost fore-and-aft rigged

bilander – a ship or brig with a lug-rigged mizzen sail

brig – two masts square rigged (may have a spanker on the aftermost)

brigantine – two masts, with the foremast square-rigged

caravel

carrack

clipper – a square-rigged merchant ship of the 1840-50s designed for speedy passages

cog – plank built, one mast, square rigged

corvette – an imprecise term for a small, often ship-rigged vessel

cutter – Fore-and-aft rigged, single mast with two headsails

dhow a lateen-rigged merchant or fishing vessel

dinghy – a small open boat, usually one mast

frigate – a ship-rigged European warship with a single gundeck, designed for commerce-raiding and reconnaissance

fishing smack

fluyt – a Dutch oceangoing merchant vessel, rigged similarly to a galleon

full-rigged ship – three or more masts, all of them square rigged

galleon – a large, primarily square-rigged vessel of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries

hermaphrodite brig – similar to a brigantine

junk – a lug-rigged Chinese tradeship

ketch – two masts fore-and-aft rigged, the mizzen mast forward of the rudder post

Koch (boat)

longship vessels used by the Vikings, with a single mast and square sail, also propelled by oars.

lugger at least two masts, carrying lugsails

luzzu

pram

schooner – fore-and-aft rigged sails, with two or more masts, the aftermost mast taller or equal to the height of the forward mast(s)

ship of the line – the largest warship in European navies, ship-rigged

sloop – a single fore-and-aft rigged mast and bowsprit

snow – a brig carrying a square mainsail and often a spanker on a trysail mast

tjotter

xebec – a Mediterranean warship adapted from a galley, with three lateen-rigged masts

yawl – two masts, fore-and-aft rigged, the mizzen mast aft of the rudder post

catamaran Vessel with two parallel hulls, usually identical or mirror images, linked by beams and deck or ‘trampoline’, with a central mast or hull mounted in rarer circumstances eg. Team Philips.

trimaran vessel with three hulls, the central usually larger, linked by beams and deck.

waa kaulua

sailing ships tied to shore, circa 1900-1920

Colombian training ship ARC Gloria at sunset in Cartagena, Colombia

See also

Look up sailing ship in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Cruising (maritime)

Boat building

References

^ The International Sailing Federation’s list of sailing classes and equipment

v d e

Parts of a sailing ship

Aftcastle  Anchor   Anchor windlass   Beakhead   Bilgeboard   Boom brake   Bow   Capstan   Centreboard   Cockpit   Crow’s nest   Daggerboard   Deck   Figurehead   Forecastle   Gunwale   Head   Hull   Jackline   Keel   Keel (Canting)   Leeboard   Mast   Orlop deck   Poop deck   Quarter gallery   Rudder   Steering wheel   Skeg   Stern   Tiller   Top   Winch

Categories: Sailing shipsHidden categories: Articles needing additional references from September 2008 | All articles needing additional references