Saturday, June 13, 2009

Cruise Ships---Experience A Truly Unique Time Onboard....



Hello there everyone,i would like to share a delightful news with all of u...I've been accepted to become a Marine Officer Scholar.Will be a navigation officer onboard those huge ships u come across at sea.





Its a great career with huge potential and prospects.Plus the benefits of going around the world for free definitely is a worth the hard work one goes through on the ocean.Fighting rough weather conditions such as high waves,strong currents....Its an adventure...A journey across the waters of the seven seas.





There is going to be a whole load to study though once i embark on this career.To name a few,there is navigation,astronomy,weatherforecast,morse codes,marine shipping knowledge....etc.Its gonna be fun but i am sure there's going to be a mountain to climb as well.Could so feel the pressure and stress that's about to come with the studying.
But I'm ready for it and raring to go....Its important that one has a positive outlook and is confident in life.With faith and determination,mountains can be moved.





Now,for todays topic,i shall bring u onboard the world of Cruise Ships.

What is a Cruise Ship?

A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages,where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience.Cruising has become a major part of the tourism industry,with millions of passengers each year.





Cruise ships operate mostly on routes that return passengers to their originating port.In contrast,dedicated transport oriented ocean liners do "line voyages" and typically transport passengers from one point to another,rather than on round trips. Some cruise ships also engage in longer trips which may not lead back to the same port for many months.




Cruise ships are organized much like floating hotels,with a complete hospitality staff in addition to the usual ship's crew.It is not uncommon for the most luxurious ships to have more crew and staff than passengers.





As with any vessel,adequate provisioning is crucial,especially on a cruise ship serving several thousand meals at each seating.For example,passengers and crew on the Royal Caribbean International ship Mariner of the Seas consume 20,000 pounds (9,000 kg) of beef,28,000 eggs,8,000 gallons (30,000 L) of ice cream,and 18,000 slices of pizza in a week.My gosh....that's really alot man...Could feed an army..... =)





The number of cruise tourists worldwide in 2005 was estimated at some 14 million. The main region for cruising was North America(70% of cruises),where the Caribbean islands were the most popular destinations.Next was Continental Europe(13%).The fastest growing segment is cruises in the Baltic Sea.The most visited Baltic ports are Copenhagen,St. Petersburg,Tallinn,Stockholm and Helsinki.





But according to 2008 CEMAR statistics the Mediterranean cruise market is going through a fast and fundamental change,Italy has won prime position as a destination for European cruises,and destination for the whole of the Mediterranean basin.The most visited ports in Mediterranean Sea are Barcelona(Spain),Civitavecchia(Italy), Palma(Spain)and Venice(Italy).






Cruise lines operating in the Caribbean include Royal Caribbean International, Princess Cruises,Carnival Cruise Line,Celebrity Cruises,Disney Cruise Line,Holland America,P&O,Cunard,and Norwegian Cruise Line.




There are also smaller cruise lines that cater to a more intimate feeling among their guests.The three largest cruise operators are Carnival Corporation,Royal Caribbean International,and Star Cruises/Norwegian Cruise Lines.



Many cruise lines also have stops at their own "private islands",more truthfully,a private section of a Caribbean island.These private resorts are reserved exclusively for passengers of the respective cruise line using the location,and frequently offer features such as an Aqua Park,kayaking,snorkeling,parasailing,music,and private reservable cabanas.


Without further delay,let's watch some cool videos on Cruise Ships...









Saturday, June 6, 2009

Scuba Diving-Explore The Hidden World Beneath The Ocean Waves


One of the things i must do during my lifetime is to become a certified scuba

diver.Why...Well,that's cos there is another greater beauty that many of us havent seen though its right before us...And we dont have to go far,its right below the oceans of the world.




How many of us know about this greater beauty God has created for us mankind and that its a world on its own,right at our doorsteps.A world where colours are many,mystery surronds the unknown and many a living creatures call their home.




Now,we can get a glimpse and enter into this underwater world by becoming a scuba diver.

What is Scuba Diving?

-Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater for recreation,commercial or industrial reasons.





Scuba diving may be performed for a number of reasons,both personal and professional.Most people begin though recreational diving,which is performed purely for enjoyment and has a number of distinct technical disciplines to increase interest underwater,such as cave diving, wreck diving,ice diving and deep diving.






Lastly, there are professional divers involved with the water itself, such as underwater photography or underwater filming divers, who set out to document the underwater world,or scientific diving,including marine biology and underwater archaeology.






A great website you guys could check out on learning about Scuba Diving will be the Padi scuba diving website.Now,before i provide u with the website address,i would like to highlight that i do not work for them nor have anything to do with them in anyway,but i feel its a great site you guys could read alittle about scuba diving and learn more about it.I like sharing knowledge with my readers and herein,is my contribution.


You can view the site at:- http://www.padi.com/scuba/






To start your journey into becoming a scuba diver,its best to join a reputable dive school.First you'll go for theory lessons and learn all the things on land before you take your first plunge and head into a pool for your pratical lessons.Once you've mastered all required modules,you'll then have your first dive in the open ocean.





Its a great hobby and one where you'll have taken the first steps into exploring a beautiful world beneath the waves of the ocean.Besides,its a good activity for a family to enjoy.Its creates for some awesome fun for the entire family and the bonding you guys could have would be a very enriching experience.






Now as always,i've added some videos below on diving lessons being taught and a video of a dive trip.It would be good to view them and see what you could expect from learning to dive.Enjoy guys. I cant wait to start my dive journey someday. =)