Many people are unaware that you can easily tailor-make your cruise holiday; in fact a lot of people believe that they are quite limiting with what you can do on them however the opposite is true. Not only is there a wide range of types of cruise available, but also huge options when it comes to where you want to go and also what you can do onboard the ships or on excursions.

When it comes to cruise holidays, the world is literally your oyster, to work out what you want from your holiday it’s a good idea to check out a comprehensive cruise website, such as virginholidaycruises.co.uk to get an idea about where you can go, who you can go with and what you can do when your there.

You can choose from adults only cruises, family orientated cruises, cruises made for solo travellers, luxury cruises and many more, it all depends on what you want from your holiday. Many of the larger cruise lines also offer some of the biggest ships however there are plenty of smaller ones out there if you feel that you want a more personable service or don’t want to feel you are surrounded by 100’s of people.

The first thing you need to think about for your cruise holiday 2011 is what you want to gain from it, this may then help you narrow down what sort of cruise to go on, and where you fancy going, but also what type of cruise suits your needs as a traveller. Most cruise ships follow a similar plan with what they offer, for example: Swimming pools, gyms, salons, numerous restaurants to choose from as well as plenty of evening entertainment, however some focus on more areas than others giving you plenty of choice.  It may seem like a lot to think about but once you have found what you are looking for it will be well worth it and at least you know you are getting everything from the holiday that you want.

There is so many places to visit and much to see and do on the West Coast of America it can be hard to easily fit it all into one holiday, however if you take a Celebrity West Coast cruise holiday from Canada to California travelling on the luxurious cruise liner the Celebrity Millennium you get to see the best the West has to offer.

The Celebrity Millennium offers world class facilities for all to enjoy with spacious and comfortable accommodation, from stylish staterooms to stunning Penthouse suites, but with so much to do on board and so much to see when in port you will probably find you don’t spend that much time in your room. During daytime cruising there are plenty of options to spend your time onboard such as for exercise fans, High-tech fitness facilities like AquaSpa, a Swimming Pool, Paddle tennis and Golf nets and if you just like to relax and take it easy before big excursions you can unwind in the Two-tier library, the Card room, Music library, Internet café or one of the Elegant bars and lounges. In the evening there are plenty of places for you to dine from 5* restaurants to the casual dining boulevard you will never be short of places to eat.

The West Coast Cruise starts in Canada in Vancouver, British Columbia where you firstly get too enjoy the sophistication and cultural richness that it has to offer before you depart on your journey southward, after the first night of travelling you will arrive at Nanaimo and dock for the day and either enjoy some excursions or just explore the ship. The next day you can spend exploring Victoria, with its genteel ambience you can visit the Butchart Gardens or relax in one of many street cafes.

Picture courtesy of tiarescott

The next day is normally a highlight of many people taking this cruise, a day enjoying Seattle, visiting famous places such as the world-famous Space Needle and the majestic 14,410-foot active volcano Mount Rainier as well as the birthplace of Frasier, Kurt Cobain and Microsoft. After a day exploring all that Seattle has to offer you get to relax for a day at sea before you reach California and the first stop off in this state is San Francisco where you have two days to enjoy here. You can enjoy many of the great tourist attractions here such as the Golden Gate Bridge or Alcatraz and if you are partial to a bit of shopping then you stop off at Bloomingdales, Barneys, Sephora and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Picture courtesy of dherrera_96

After San Francisco you then sail by night arriving in the small, laid-back and lovely port of Monterey, where for the day you can visit numerous shops and restaurant as well as the Monterey Bay aquarium. Coming near to the end of your cruise you can stop off in Los Angles and can visit the town of Avalon which is a quaint village on Catalina Island, here you can enjoy a stroll along the colourful Pleasure Pier, which offers numerous opportunities for exploring the island’s emerald waters with world-famous glass bottom boat rides. The next day you arrive in San Diego where you have a bit of time for a look around before you leave for your flight back to the UK.

Picture courtesy of brewbooks