More and more cruise ships are tailoring packages to holiday maker’s situations and interests. A new cruise trend has hit, the cougar cruise. Cougar a new term for older ladies who prefer to date younger men (cubs) has now found a new playground, these cruises are aimed for cougars and cubs and provide an environment for people who either want to have fun or find love.

The cruises are organised by The Society of Single Professionals and The Singles Travel Company and is currently taking place on the Carnival cruise lines ship the aptly named Elation, which sails from San Diego to Mexico.

The most recent cruise took place on December 4th 2009 and was fully booked, there are plans for more next year however there is a waiting list, the chairman of The Society of Single Professionals Rich Gosse hailed the cruise a success and said “We had 300 cougars and cubs and lots of parties. Lots of people had fun. What they did behind closed doors I cannot comment on because I wasn’t there. Cubs are finally awakening to the fact that cougars make suitable partners.”

The cruises had been organised in response to age discrimination and Mr Gosse added “Older women, in particular, are victimised by our youth-oriented society. They are regarded as “non-sexy. The truth is that there are millions of American men who find older women attractive, and we will prove it on the Cougar Cruise.”

If you don’t ski there are still plenty of ways to enjoy a snowy winter break with plenty of fun for the whole family, below are places to visit and enjoy without hitting the slopes.

Horse and sleigh rides in the Austrian Alps
There’s nothing more magical than riding a horse drawn sleigh through crisp white snow, bringing back nostalgic memories of old black and white films, there are many places in Austria to enjoy this experience, one place to emulate this magic is Salzburg. A full day excursion will take you along the Salzach river valley near Schladming, then up to the ‘Steirische Ramsau’ which is a 1000m above sea level where you start your sleigh ride experience gliding through the snow across pine forests and alpine meadows, snuggled under warm blankets, with nothing but the jingle from the horses bells disturbing the peace.

Snow Trekking in the Highlands
As you know we are never guaranteed snow in the UK however in the Highlands of Scotland at the furthest reaches of Perthshire you will be most likely to find some.  Around the 14 mile long Loch Tay and the foot hills of the snow capped peaks of the Munros there are plenty of places to explore with breathtaking scenery to take in. There is also cosy hotel to stop off at and have a wee dram o whisky to warm you through in front of a big log fire.

Winter in New England
Here you are guaranteed snow, the average temperature here in January is -8C, the lakes freeze over and snow settles thick and fast and the scenery looks picture postcard perfect. There are plenty of places to stay across New Hampshire with many tradition clapboard inns, with large open fires hot toddies and an enormous array of fulfilling breakfasts. There are lots of things to do, you can take in New Hampshire’s largest lake, Winnipesaukee which becomes a 21 mile long ice playground, or explore on sledges and snowmobiles.

sleigh ride

Picture courtesy of jsorbieus

Currently the system of tipping on cruise ships is facing increasing amounts of frustration from British passengers, at the moment it feels like tipping is mandatory rather than discretionary for most passengers and the tips are used to subsidise crew’s salaries rather than a reward for providing an excellent service.

Technically tipping is a voluntary gesture but many passengers feel like they have to tip whether they found the service to be good or not. Some operators like Carnival automatically charge gratuities to passengers on board account at a rate of £6 per day per person, which over a 2 week stay for a couple can, add up to over £120 which is a lot especially when you have already spent a fair amount on booking the actual cruise.

The best thing to do is before you go on your cruise holiday is to check with your cruise line to see how tips are paid, some cruise lines include this in the price you pay for the cruise, some set accounts which if you ask you can have the amounts charged changed and then some lines offer a envelopes for passengers to hand out at the end of their holiday to members of staff that have provided a good service. Also remember most cruise lines add a 15% service charge to bar bills and similarly to spa treatments, fitness classes and stylist services.

If you are planning a skiing holiday this is the time to spare a thought for how dangerous the mountains can be whether you are a first timer or a veteran at skiing and snowboarding, you need to know how to prepare yourself to be safe before you go. Over 100,000 people are injured needlessly in skiing and snowboarding accidents, so making sure your protected before you start is imperative.

Firstly if your either taking your own equipment or renting while you’re on holiday you need to make sure you have the correct equipment, suitable for your needs and fitted to the right size for you. Among some of the essentials needed are boots, bindings, protective clothing, goggles and helmets, if you have the right equipment it will drastically improve your performance and lessen the chances of you having an accident.

It’s advisable to take skiing and snowboarding lessons no matter what your level of experience as terrain varies from resort to resort, obviously the less experience you have had the more lessons you will need.  It also helps to have guidance from experts who have been into these sports for years so that you can improve your performance and safety on piste.

Many skiers and snowboarders now venture off-piste however it is essential you have specific safety equipment and knowledge of mountain safety before embarking on this cool’ free-ride movement, you can anything from steep, narrow chutes to wide open, moderate gradient bowls offering a mix of ice, crud or powder, one thing to be aware of is that when venturing off piste is that you are putting yourself at risk. If you are intent on venturing off-piste a way to ensure safety to hire a qualified mountain guide, who in most cases will provide the equipment necessary and you do need to gain as much experience as possible with the equipment beforehand.

boards

Picture Courtesy of iwona kellie

Cruise holidays now have their own awards, like the BAFTAs which are picked by the public, the categories are Best Cruise Line, Best Ship, Best for Food, Best for Service, Best for Excursions, and Best for Families with over 17,000 cruisers voting.

The top award Best Line was awarded to Cunard, which is no surprise as the historical line is renowned for their quality and elegance, where many traditions from the golden era of ocean travel are still adhered to. The Cunard Line has three ships, the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria.  The Queen Mary 2 snagged awards for the Best Ship and Best Accommodation.

The Thomson Cruise line also picked up a number of awards, the Thomson Spirit picked up an award for Best Entertainment thanks mainly to their very funny comedian and their realistic Elvis impersonator. The Thomson Celebration picks up the Best Food Award, due to their exceptional Aldo Zilli restaurant and also the award for Best Service. The first class cruise ships provide exceptional service on their adult’s only ships as well as on their family friendly ships.

Royal Caribbean received the Best for Families award for the Independence of the Seas, with their wide range of activities for all the family spanning 15 decks, which include for your kids, Aqua adventure and a fully supervised Adventure Ocean Youth Programme and also adults only areas to relax in.

These awards give a good guidance when booking cruises to which lines offer high rated service as voted for by the people who have travelled on them.

Queen Mary 2

Picture courtesy of Paul Graham Morris

Skiing holidays was once considered to be the exclusive past time only for the wealthier sector of society, but over the past 20 years or so, as more and more resorts have been established, a new budget skiing market has grown and in turn ski holidays have become accessible for the whole of society. Some long established resorts as well as newer ones to the British ski market have become established and can offer really good ski deals.

Andorra is a family friendly region and you can make good savings there, but not the huge amounts of money that some people purport to save. Some resorts in Andorra have really taken off price wise, but one that remains very good value is Arinsal. This resort has an excellent selection of confidence-building slopes and is ideal for first time skiers looking to avoid broken bones as well as a serious dent in their bank balance. It has a relaxed village atmosphere but there are also a number of restaurants and bars which give it a livelier edge. Arinsal provides pound for pound just about the best value for money skiing holiday in Europe.

Bulgaria has two ski holiday resorts which can offer you a cheap ski holiday; Bulgaria is a beautiful country and is establishing itself as a serious option for all types of skier. It has two main resorts, Pamporovo and the better known Borovets. They are undoubtedly amongst the best value resorts in Europe, both in terms of the cost of your travel and accommodation and spending money while you are there.

Slovenia, which in case you did not know, sits on the Alps and borders Austria and Italy and those that had been there will tell you, rightly, that it is a really beautiful country. If you are concerned about venturing into the unknown, you should not be. Kranjska Gora is the resort you should aim for, this is not because there is anything bad about other resorts in Slovenia, but because Kranjska Gora is a fantastic ski holiday resort.

If you choose from those resorts, we are confident that you can enjoy a great value ski holiday without losing anything in terms of quality of pistes or après ski.

Skiing holidays

USA – New York   The New Year’s Eve Ball Drop in Time Square is the most famous New Year’s Eve celebration in the world and is defiantly a memorable way to bring in the New Year. You can either stand on Times Square to watch the ball drop with street entertainment or enjoy festivities from many of the restaurants, bars and clubs most of which you have to book in advance.

UK – Edinburgh New Year Celebrations, Hogmanay is probably the greatest celebrations in the world and this year is no different with a 5 day celebration spectacular including the New Years Eve Street Party and Concert in the Garden this year with Madness and Noisettes. There are also plenty of other things to keep you busy from day to night with the Hogmanay Carnival, Winter Wonderland Ice Rink , The Keilidh and a Candlelit Concert are just a few cumulating in the Midnight Fireworks and Worlds Biggest Auld Lang Syne.

Australia – Sydney There is plenty going on in Sydney with pre show entertainment starting in the afternoon then, family fireworks at 9pm, after that, a harbour of light parade and finally a magnificent midnight fireworks display across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. All can be seen and enjoyed from many places across Sydney.

India – Goa   Goa, with its inherent party culture is the best place usher in a brand new year, with Hotels and resorts all decked up in anticipation, but the only real place to spend your New Years Eve is on the beaches, the preferred venues for New Year celebrations, you will notice that Goa celebrations are much less organised and structured than other places and they will be found partying till dawn.

Brazil – Rio With the most famous celebration in Brazil taking place on Copacabana Beach leading the celebrations with lots of music shows, dancers and glamorous parties to be seen and a 20 minute fireworks display, you can also go to Ipanema or Barra da Tijuca for festivities.

Edinburgh Street Party

Picture Courtesy of Laurencea