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CruiseCruise DealsCruise TipsDestination TipsRoyal at SeaRoyal Holiday

How to find the best cruises at the best price

by Royal Holiday
written by Royal Holiday

If you love cruise ships as much as we do, you won’t be satisfied with only one cruise, one week a year. So here are a few tips for you to go on major cruises at really affordable prices. For the same amount of money that you may have used to spend on a single trip, now it’s possible for you to travel three to four times in a year. Talk about savings!

Unlike in the airline industry, on cruise ships, there are no low cost companies. However, due to the competition among cruise companies to attract passengers, and the fact that modern fleets now have newer and more modern ships, it is possible for you to find great, amazing offers if you know how to look for them.

In finding the best cruise that fits an affordable price, itinerary and dates, you can divide your search into three major areas: find out which companies have the most number of ships, check the duration of the cruises with the best prices, and find deals according to cruise seasons.

To help you find the best cruise deals, we’ll take a look at a method that’ll let you find great cruise deals that allows me to travel several times a year.

  1. Find out which companies have the most number of ships

Cruise travel has become popular in recent years, therefore different cruise companies are committed to building new ships and open new routes. This means the number of vessels will grow and the ships that were the most modern ones of their fleet in their day will be surpassed by their new siblings. These ships continue to offer a high level of quality and most of them have undergone renovations and adaptations, but still they must compete with their new, spectacular brothers. That is why we are offered better prices to make them more attractive to us. These deals are easier to find in companies with a larger number of vessels in its fleet.

  1. Duration of the most economic cruises

If you’re looking for the best cruise and the best prices, you should keep an eye on the days/price ratio. Short cruises and those that last longer but include several days without stopping are usually the best options.

Depending on the duration of the trip, you will see that there are five types of cruises:

  • Cruises with weekend itineraries: They are a classic in American cruises. These are two to three day trips, where the ship is the important thing, as opposed to the itinerary. There is even a cruise mode that has no destination, which means that you really don’t know your destination, since you only drift away from the shore. 
  • Cruises that last 3 to 4 nights: This is where we can find a combination to get great prices and incredible last minute offers, if we find cruises that last three to five nights in boats that have been sailing for over five years and belonging to large companies. These are cruises with a great variation in prices and they generally get lower at the last minute.
Image courtesy of Royal Holiday at royal-holiday.com

Image courtesy of Royal Holiday at royal-holiday.com

  • Cruises that last 5 to 8 nights: These are pretty common. The strategy here is to choose the same route before or after a popular season. You may use the online services of companies that have the same route to follow the evolution of prices on two different online agencies each week. Usually, if you’re not looking for a special cabin, you can find the best price by waiting until the last minute. 
  • Cruises that last more than 8 nights: These are usually the most expensive itineraries. But the cost will depend mostly on how many days of sailing versus the number of days with scheduled scales the route has, which will lower or raise the prices. For these types of cruises, it’s a good idea to look at those that include at least two days of sailing. Although sometimes some itineraries usually appear with good prices many months before, usually the best prices can be found up to six weeks before departure. 
  • Repositioning cruises: You might find cruises with a cost between 30 and 55 daily euros per person, which means these prices are impossible to find on other routes. Repositioning cruises are basically one-way trips, as the ships are moving from one region to another and they must make these trips regardless of whether they carry passengers or not. Obviously the companies prefer to maximize each day of sailing so they release great deals for this type of cruise travel. It’s a great way to experience transatlantic cruises.

  1. Find deals according to seasons

Knowing where ships are at all times allows you to predict great prices if you look for a few weeks before or after the most popular seasons.

If you are looking for a specific destination and you want to find good prices, you should know which are the appropriate cruise seasons to find the best discounts. As a general rule, the best cruise deals are in the months before or after the high season. Although the weather can be a little worse, in exchange you’ll find ships with less passengers and amazing prices.

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Destination TipsRoyal at SeaRoyal CaribbeanRoyal Holiday

Meet these breathtaking islands of the South Pacific

by Royal Holiday
written by Royal Holiday

  1. Wakaya (Fiji): A $200 bargain

Wakaya is a truly beautiful and well preserved private island, purchased in the nineteenth century for $200. And there, in this dreamy place of the Fiji archipelago, its current owner, David Gilmour, has built one of the best hotels in the Pacific. For his friends and for those who can appreciate a true paradise.

Wakaya is not one of those islets that you can drive around in five minutes. In its 13 square kilometers, there are hills a few hundred meters high ending in towering cliffs, there are closed forests where deer roam, and there are beaches that look like the last corner of the world, the perfect place to hide. This is the place that customers of the Wakaya Club can enjoy, one of the most exclusive hotels in the Pacific.

Wakaya is within the Lomaiviti group of islands, just east of Viti Levu, the main island of Fiji. There is only one way to get there: to fly in a small aircraft that is the whole fleet of Air Wakaya. It’s a 15-minute flight from the airport of Suva -the capital- flying over the sparkling ocean and some islands surrounded by reefs.

  1. Maui (United States): The charm of Hawaii

It is one of the islands that form the most exotic archipelago of the US, but it’s not just any island. Maui is a special place where the beaches, volcanoes, waterfalls and even dawn seem taken from a tale. It is a place where nature seems unreal, no wonder it’s known as “the magical island”.

The sound of “aloha” welcomes you, necklaces and flower tiaras, surfers and pretty girls with hula skirts make up that preconceived popular image of Hawaii, the one you may have seen in countless movies and TV shows. It is obviously much more than that. And within that “much more”, Maui has always had a prominent place. The second largest island of Hawaii boasts, in the South Pacific, having taken a good slice of natural charms when volcanoes distributed its beauty through the archipelago. Hawaiians themselves admit this with their Maui no ka oi, “Maui is the best”, and even the legend tells it: the demigod named Maui pulled out all the islands from the bottom of the sea with his magical hook. And the island that he named must have kept much of that magic, as it has been crowned the best island in the world by the international press on many occasions. Different from the other Hawaiian islands, with small towns, a leisurely lifestyle and natural wonders such as the Haleakala National Park, Maui is famous for its long beaches, waterfalls, romantic sunsets and a broad variety of adventurous activities.

  1. Palau (Republic of Palau): Diving in private

There are thousands of islands scattered across the Pacific Ocean that offer the best gifts of nature. But if what you really like is to enjoy a unique place, where besides dreaming you can go diving in the strictest privacy with 350 species of coral and 1,400 species of fish, that place is the archipelago of Palau.

The Palau have never been involved in any headlines in the international press nor are they excessively known by the general public. Perhaps that is why they have become the secret refuge of such characters as the director of Titanic, James Cameron; and Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft. A set of islands that no more than a hundred years ago were under Spanish sovereignty until they were sold to Germany in 1899, along with the Mariana and the Caroline Islands. The nature here is impressive. The feeling of paradise that invades its landscapes is overwhelming. The transparency of its crystalline waters is almost insulting, and splendor of its nature is immeasurable. So many adjectives that have led them to become, in recent years, one of the five preferred destinations for scuba divers.

  1. New Caledonia (France): An almost perfect cocktail

In a shaker, we put a bunch of Melanesian culture, a few drops of Eastern exoticism and a nature so primitive that it would seem as if it were taken from an album of children’s cards. We then add the finest essence of French “savoir-faire” and place it in the Pacific Ocean. An almost perfect cocktail. It’s called New Caledonia.

  1. Aitutaki (Cook Islands): The dream of the South Seas

Aitutaki seamlessly combines all the elements that define the dream island of the South Seas: a barrier reef surrounding a lagoon of waters of impossible color, white sandy beaches, palm trees, and the most admired dancers in Polynesia. 

  1. Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia): A goal of artists and adventurers

We know the innermost archipelago in the planet by the paintings of Paul Gauguin, the trips of famous adventurers and the works of great writers such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Herman Melville, or Jack London. They created a myth that still captivates those seeking a holiday in peace.

  1. Tonga (Kingdom of Tonga): The land where time is born

Tonga, the Kingdom of 169 islands, is a place where so many Western beliefs contradict themselves that it could only be born in a different time. A favored place of humpback whales, this is the only nation in the Pacific that has never been colonized and it is just above where the time zone ends… or begins.

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Cruise TipsDestination TipsRoyal at SeaRoyal CaribbeanRoyal Holiday

The 4 most incredible Blue Holes in the ocean you can’t miss

by Royal Holiday
written by Royal Holiday

The planet has many wonderful places created by nature that have been discovered by men. Some of them are on land and can be touched and walked, some of them can be seen in the sky, through light. Some of them can be listened through the wind, and a few others can only be found in the ocean. We all know 70% of the planet is water and that means there is an enormous world that even though it can’t be seen from the outside, it can surely be explored on the surface and underneath it. The way these amazing places are explored is by using the proper equipment, skills and care, and that is how all their special details and marvels have been found. So many colors, animals, textures and scenes can be seen in the ocean, but that is not all. In a few very rare locations in the world, unique formations in the ocean called “Blue Holes” have been found. Blue Holes are very large marine caverns or underwater sinkholes that extend below sea level and most of them have deep submerged cave passages that turn out in beautiful dive ecosystems. Some of them are considered true diver’s paradises and are visited year round by divers from all around the world. Blue holes develop normally in islands composed of coral reefs or limestones and are formed by the erosion of carbonated rocks. They look like a big dark blue circle of water in the sea. They are normally located in low coasts that used to be above sea level thousands of years ago. The reason why they appear to be darker is because of their depth and the higher absorption of sunlight due to that depth. The contrast between blue holes and the rest of the colors of the ocean make them a true beauty, not only underwater but from the surface too.

Here are the 4 most famous and beautiful blue holes around the world.

The Great Blue Hole, Belize

The Blue Hole of Belize is called “The great” because of its size. It has a diameter of more than 300 meters and it is 124 meters deep. It is located next to Lighthouse Reef, an atoll 70 km from Belize City and it’s famous for being a beautiful dive spot where a great variety of flora a sharks such as nurse sharks, reef sharks and bull sharks can be found. The Great Blue Hole is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it was formed about 150,000 years ago. Jacques-Yves Cousteau was the one who made it popular by saying it was one of the 10 best dive sites in the world.

Dean’s Blue Hole, Long Island – Bahamas

Dean’s Blue Hole is known for being the deepest blue hole in the world, with more 200 meters of depth. It is slightly circular and has a diameter between 25 and 35 meters. The first 20 meters are not very wide, but after descending that specific depth it becomes much wider and turns into a cavern with a diameter of about 100 meters. This Blue Hole is located west of Clarence Town on Long Island Bahamas and is like a deep salt water swimming pool with beautiful clear water full of colorful tropical fish for divers and free divers to enjoy. Snappers, silver-plated tarpons, rays, turtles and seahorses can be found here.

Image courtesy of Christian Afonso at Flickr.com

Image courtesy of Christian Afonso at Flickr.com

Dahab Blue Hole, Egypt

The Blue Hole of Dahab is a popular dive site located east of Sinai, on the coast of the Red Sea, close to Dahab, Egypt. It is a vertical cavern with an arch that connects the Blue Hole to the Red Sea. It is about 130 meters deep and it is also known for being a dangerous diving location, due to the confusion it may cause to divers underwater. It is actually called the “Diver’s Cemetery” and is considered being the world’s most dangerous dive site, where more than 30 divers die each year, trying to dive under the arch. Despite its bad reputation, the Blue Hole of Dahab has a great variety of underwater fauna. Divers will be able to find clownfish, lionfish, Spanish dancers and turtles, among others.

Image courtesy of Felix Esteban at Flickr.com

Image courtesy of Felix Esteban at Flickr.com

Gozo Blue Hole, Maltese Archipelago

In the Mediterranean Sea, in Dwejra, on the west coast of the island of Gozo, which is part of the Maltese Archipelago is the Blue Hole of Gozo located. It is the smallest known Blue Hole. It is a 15 meters deep inland sea pool and has a diameter of 10 meters. It has an underwater tunnel that connects the hole to the sea. It is also known for being a beautiful dive site where you can find a great variety of marine life such as schools of bream, parrot fish, moray eels, lobsters, octopus among others.

Image courtesy of Darren Barefoot at Flickr.com

Image courtesy of Darren Barefoot at Flickr.com

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Before you cruiseDestination TipsRoyal at SeaRoyal Holiday

The 3 most exciting watersports to try out on an island

by Royal Holiday
written by Royal Holiday

Whenever you ask someone what the best vacation would be, a big percentage of the answers will include, warm weather, sun and a beach. Of course there will always be different opinions and points of view, because not everyone has the same tastes and interests, but the beach with the blue water, the sunshine and probably the idea of an island will most likely be everyone´s favorite. The whole idea of taking a vacation in a place like that, in an island like that is all about relaxing and having fun, which is why a place with those specific insights will always be a synonym of vacations. It´s hard to understand how people can live and work in a place where all you want to do is relax. And relaxing means doing what you like, when you like to, with the people you like to. Islands do that to people, and that is the magic about it. Especially Islands where you feel kind of “forced”, in a good way, to enjoy, disconnect from the real world, and why not, get a nice tan. While you do that, you will find that there are many activities that are just perfect for that specific place you chose to get some tropical energy. Tropical islands are the right place to practice and to explore a great variety of watersports that you probably didn’t imagine you would try out some day. These watersports will make your stay in any island so much exciting, entertaining and challenging. You will not only have fun, but you will find new things about yourself that maybe you didn’t know. You will be able to get rid of silly fears you thought you had with water and find a genuine and undiscovered passion for a watersport you had never tried out.

Here is a list of the 3 most exciting watersports you can tryout on an island. In case of deciding to try one of these watersports out, make sure you do it with responsible schools and instructors, especially if it is the first time. Just because it’s fun it doesn’t mean you don’t have to be careful. Watersports require a lot of physical and mental control and concentration. Most of them require some ability and skills. The good news is that just like any other activity, the more you practice it, the better you get at it, and you could even become a “pro” at it.

Surfing

Surfing is one of the most fascinating water sports. It has origins in Polynesia, where this practice was part of its culture. Others say that the first surfers were found in Tahiti and in Samoa, almost three centuries ago. The magic of surfing is that you learn to ride on the wave. Since it is a surface water sport it is very important to know the wind and currents and to know what the exact moment is to get on the board after seeking for a wave. There are many surf schools on inlands. Experimented surfers and instructors are available to teach visitors techniques and tips to find out what it really is to enjoy the waves.

Scuba Diving

The world would only have one version if it wasn’t for scuba diving. The world underwater is certainly something amazing that was able to be explored in detail and individually, because of all the technology that has been developed for scuba diving. The term scuba is an acronym for “self-contained underwater breathing apparatus”. Some say that scuba diving feels like flying, only without the fear of falling. The sensation of freedom and the astonishment you will experience once you are able to see so many animals, so close, so free, so calm, is such a breathtaking experience that you will only want to live the experience over and over again. Scuba diving schools are also always available on islands, especially if they have beautiful diving sites in the area. There are different dive courses you can take. Each one of them will give you a certificate that will be required every time you decide to dive somewhere. Make sure you take it with you.

Image courtesy of Pedro Paulo Cunha at Flickr.com

Image courtesy of Pedro Paulo Cunha at Flickr.com

Kitesurfing

As another surface water sport, kitesurfing differs a bit from the traditional surfing. Kitesurfing includes one more element that is essential to the existence and the uniqueness of this water sport. The Kite is what makes it so special, because it allows the rider to take full advantage of the wind, in order to move forward and to make movements that are the ones that give this sort all the excitement. It combines aspects from different sports such as skateboarding, windsurfing, snowboarding and even paragliding, among others. There are courses available for people who are interested in learning how this sport works and most people easily fall in love with it.

Image courtesy of Cristian Viarisio at Flickr.com

Image courtesy of Cristian Viarisio at Flickr.com

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Destination TipsRoyal CaribbeanRoyal Holiday

The 4 best diving destinations in the Caribbean

by Royal Holiday
written by Royal Holiday

Scuba diving is one of the best activities a person could ever experience and scuba divers know it. It´s not just one of those things you do once and never do it again. It’s something that can easily become a passion. Scuba diving means being able to explore a new world that normally humans have very limited access to: The Ocean. Swimming and being at the beach will never ever be the same for you after you have tried Scuba Diving. You will not only start to enjoy the ocean, the water and the sand better, but something else will magically happen. And this is a fact. Scuba diving will automatically teach you to respect the ocean, and all the living creatures that live inside of it. You will immediately look at a shark a different way that you used to before. You will start thinking every single living thing that you find while you scuba dive deserves to be there because the environment where you found it, needs it and has allowed it to be born there for a reason. You will understand the cycle of life underwater and you will even start loving the enormous creatures you were afraid of before. You will also understand humans are not even tasty for them and if you ever have the joy and luck to experience scuba diving with dozens of hammerhead sharks around you, you will know that happiness and excitement have their own ways to appear. There are different kinds of environments for scuba diving and temperature is definitely one of those factors that can make you choose a diving destination from another. Normally, cold waters will show you different and bigger ocean inhabitants than warmer waters, but warm waters will always have the colorful panorama only small sized schools of fish can offer when they are just passing by, while you relax and feel like you are flying, only underwater. Therefore, when it comes to choosing a warm, comfortable, relaxing and colorful ocean to scuba dive, the Caribbean is the place to go. The Caribbean of course has many places to scuba dive. Here are the top 4 places to find the most beautiful scuba diving experiences in the Caribbean:

Bahamas

The possibilities that can be found in the Bahamas are diving marvels of all types. You will find shipwrecks, blue holes, shallow reefs, amazing coral walls, and for the more adventurous, there are plenty of shark dives. You can choose between land-based operators, or live-aboard dive boats.

The water temperature in the summer normally goes around the high 80s, while in the winter it may drop to 70. Visibility usually great, with an average of 80 to 100 feet.

Cozumel

Cozumel is one of the diving destinations divers have to visit, at least once in a lifetime. It offers currents, perfect water temperatures, walls, a Spanish galleon, caves with sleeping sharks and other big animals such as green turtles, nurse sharks, eagle rays and green moray eels. It is a real pleasure for your eyes. Cozumel is a year-round dive destination, so it doesn’t matter when you want to go, there will always be great dive experiences waiting there for you.

Water temperature flows between 75 and 85, depending on the season.

Image courtesy of Serge Melki at Flickr.com

Image courtesy of Serge Melki at Flickr.com

Cayman Islands

Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac are known for the beautiful walls that is offers. Caverns with multiple hogfish, huge lobsters, enormous yellow tube sponges and also shipwrecks will amaze you all along.  A special place called Sunset Reef (55 feet) holds the well-known Bronze Beauty. It is also called the Mermaid of Grand Cayman. A statue made by a Canadian artist, who after a contest, named her Amphitrite, Queen of Seas, who in mythology was the wife of Poseidon, Lord of the Oceans. It was placed there is October, 2000 and it is a wonderful site to visit.

Water temperature in Cayman Islands normally goes around 78.

Image courtesy of Mark F at Flickr.com

Image courtesy of Mark F at Flickr.com

Bonaire

Famous not only for the diving beauties it offers, Bonaire also has a great reputations when it comes to ocean conservation standards. It is one the few places on earth that truly protects and respects its underwater treasures not only for the tourist attractions and economic benefits they can get from the ocean, but also for the fact that the Island’s government really cares about taking care of these valuable natural assets. Bonaire is a diver’s paradise and it is tailor-made for divers. It offers more than 400 fish species and it is almost guaranteed you will be able to see seahorses, coral and hermit crabs. The famous Hilma Hooker shipwreck is one of the famous dive attractions of the island, and is one that you don’t want to miss. Bonaire is a place that you will surely want to visit more than once.

Water temperatures are almost always in the low 80s and visibility will normally be 100 ft.

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Before you cruiseCruise TipsDestination TipsRoyal Holiday

7 Tips to make your first cruise your best vacation ever

by Royal Holiday
written by Royal Holiday

Almost everyone has dreamed about cruising sometime, or has at least felt the curiosity of what a cruise would be like. The idea of “living” on a huge ship for a few days or even a week, surrounded by nothing more than gorgeous, clear, blue water and paradisiac islands, is just the perfect thought if you’re thinking about relaxing and forgetting about reality for a while.

Unlimited drinks and cocktails, Ice creams, yummy treats and having at least 4-5 different restaurants where you can find all kinds of delicious international meals, cooked by the best chefs, will be part of the vacation you are absolutely sure you deserve. Try also thinking about the week lasting, warm, sunny weather; the perfect tan you will get by only laying on the deck with your favorite cocktail, a good book, great music, and why not, a couple of new friends you just met on board. It actually sounds like the best plan you can imagine.

Cruising will not only offer you the best way to escape from almost everything, but it also allows you to see new places, mainly islands that you didn’t know existed, cultures you never even thought possible and the kindest people you could ever meet. Nevertheless, cruising has it tricks, and first timers could definitely use some advice and tips to make the stay a lot easier, and of course a lot more fun.

1. Make sure you are an early bird

If you are planning to go on a cruise, try booking a few months before the departure time. Discounts and great offers are available if you plan your trip with time. The price you pay for booking a cruise will vary, depending on the time you decide to pay for it. You will find surprises, either good ones, or not so good ones, therefore planning it with time, will be one of the best decisions to make if you’re decided to go cruising for the first time.

2. Take Baby steps when cruising for the first time

Some people don’t really think about it, but the idea of living on a ship for a few days, or even a week is not always easy, and rather claustrophobic, especially if you’re the type of person who is used to having a very active lifestyle. Make sure the first cruise you take isn’t longer than 4 days. Longer cruises may be a bit more difficult to manage. It doesn’t mean it won’t be the perfect way to rest and relax, but if you want some advice on timing, up to 4 days is perfect for new cruisers.

3. Know your environment

One of the most important things of cruising is learning the layout of the ship, right after you unpack. Most cruises offer a ship tour or you can take a deck plan from the reception desk. Make sure you know where the most important parts of the ship are located. That way you won’t get lost or if you agree to meet a new friend somewhere on the ship, you will know exactly where you have to be, on time.

4. Great attitude always!

People on cruises are just always kind. It’s probably because everyone is in the same vacation mood and that is always contagious. The crew on the ships is also always very friendly, not only because it is their job, but because being kind to someone will always make that someone be kind to you. And that is a general rule, not only for cruises, though…

By being king and having a great attitude on cruises, it is almost a fact you will make new friends to make your vacations even better.

5. Take a pill if you need to.

Feeling “mal de mer” is one of the worst feelings a cruiser could get. It’s not fun at all and it can make you miss all the fantastic things the ship has to offer you, especially the food. So don’t be ashamed if you are not feeling well. Make sure you take pills with you such as Dramamine or Marezine or something like that and just take one if you need it. It will make your stay a lot happier.

6. Don’t miss the daily bulletin

It is very common for large cruise ships to prepare a daily bulletin with important information such as the daily show descriptions, the daily events on the deck, or any important news you should be aware of like, next day trip, weather conditions or exact location of the ship. All this information will probably also be available on the onboard TV channel, so try to stay tuned or read the bulletins so you know exactly what is going on every day on the ship.

7. Mind the dress code

Cruise lines usually give cruisers a few tips on what type of clothes to pack for the cruise. This is very important and useful information because not every day is the same on a cruise and there might be a few events where you will surely want to dress up nicely just for the fun of it. There might be a “gala” night, like having dinner with the captain, where you will want to look nice and feel fancy. It’s not that you have to pack your entire wardrobe, because you might want to keep it simple, but take the cruise lines advice if they suggest you should take a cocktail dress for the ladies with you, or a tie for the gentlemen.

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Destination Tips

Top 5 Islands to Participate in Aquatic Sports  

by Royal Holiday
written by Royal Holiday

Adventure awaits in the Caribbean for those who desire to go on early Fall vacation before the snowy winter weather arrives. Now is the perfect time for you to get out to one of the many resort islands and enjoy a range of different aquatic activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, tubing, and sailing. So pack up your bags and get ready to redeem your Royal Holiday vacation club membership credits at these top 5 Caribbean islands that offer aquatic sports so you can feel the surf surrounding your feet and the salty breezes tousling your hair.

Punta Cana

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Located in the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana offers scenic ocean views of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The sparkling sandy beaches and endless clear waters will have you placing on the swimsuit and rushing out of the hotel before you have even checked in.

If you are in the mood to find out what types of aquatic life lurks underneath the warm waters, there are over 10 dive sites in Punta Cana for snorkeling and diving, including Cabeza de Toro Beach. You can look at the coral reefs, kiss a dolphin, or swim along nurse sharks and sting rays at the Marinarium. From July to September, fishermen take to boats to catch blue marlin. There are several tournaments hosted by the local Yacht Club as you can put your fishing skills to the test.

Turks and Caico

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When you have seen and done everything that the Bahamas has to offer, pack your bags and travel southeast to a small archipelago just waiting for you to explore the turquoise waters. Turks and Caico island has 230 miles worth of beaches as you can go swimming along Long Bay or Pillory beach, scuba-diving at Provo’s barrier reef, or snorkeling at Salt Cay. If you travel to the back country of Turks and Caico, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy paddleboarding whether you are a beginner or a pro.

Oranjestad

beach-834337_1280

Oranjestad is the capital of Aruba, which guarantees that you will find all the aquatic sporting adventures that you could possibly want on your vacation. During the day, people flock to the beaches to enjoy the cool waters yet it is the high winds that call to sports enthusiasts who want to take part in water activities. Wind surfing, scuba diving, kite surfing, paddleboarding and swimming are available for beginners and pros at places like Hadicurari Beach, while the young kids can go swimming in the waters at Baby Beach. Oranjestad is also the perfect place to learn about “snuba,” which is a combination of scuba diving and snorkeling.

Bonaire

venezuela-364196_640

If diving and snorkeling are your two main aquatic sports, then head out to the island of Bonaire in the Southern Caribbean by the coast of Venezuela. This beautiful reef-lined island with its mangrove forests is a true treasure of the Caribbean due to its conservation and preservation efforts of the ecosystem. When seeking a water sport adventure, your first stop should be Lac Bay. Go kayaking through the mangrove forest until it opens up enough for you to dive from the kayak and take part in a snorkeling excursion. While beneath the water, you will see upside-down jellyfish and babay manta rays. For people who want more active sports, then windsurfing at Sorobon is perfect for you.

Guanica, Puerto Rico

When going on an island adventure, some people don’t want to stray too far from the United States, especially if this will be their first vacation away from the mainland. Guanica, Puerto Rico offers the best of both worlds were you can be on an island that is still considered part of the US. Guanica is a quieter resort location versus more crowded, tourist attractions such as San Juan as this town is located toward the southwest section of the island. Here, you can find a relaxing vacation with the right amount of sand, surf and sports activities. Gilligan’s Island, named after the popular 60s sitcom, has clear waters that are perfect for kayaking and snorkeling. Swimming is allowed at the public beach of Balneario Cana Gorda with calm waters that are perfect for family vacations.

There are so many islands that feature water sports that there is really no way to name them all here. The type of island vacation to go on will be based on your personal budget, the amenities that you are looking for, and the time of year — since the waters and winds can get rough in certain places, and the crowds can make it difficult to book the perfect resort package. To save a few dollars while still having the best possible vacation for yourself, your significant other or for the entire family, look for deals at popular resorts and hotels through Royal Holidays. You can earn credits that can be put toward the hotel stay so you can have a longer vacation and enjoy every type of aquatic sport that you love.

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