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What floats your boat – choosing the right cruising category

<p><span>When it comes to travel trends, nothing has exploded with quite the same magnitude as cruising. Catering for multi-generational getaways, romantic couple’s retreats or adventurous solo expeditions, cruise lines have capitalised on demand from a diverse customer base by crafting voyages for all budgets and preferences. Setting off to sea can be done in style and sophistication, venturing downriver doesn’t have to break the bank. Jump aboard this travel trend, see what the fuss is about and pick a cruise category that suits you.</span></p> <p><strong><span>Mainstream cruising</span></strong></p> <p><span>Mainstream cruising, also referred to as the ‘contemporary’ category, refers to the mass-market, resort-style ships, generally with the capacity for upwards of 3000 guests. The consequences of these big numbers include smaller average cabin size and decent but not exceptional service. The onboard vibes are busy, energetic and potentially noisy; there is always something going on and the climate is communal and social. Activities and facilities generally include pools, waterslides, ice-skating rinks, rock-climbing, Broadway performances, comedy nights, movie theatres, bars, lounges, clubs, gyms and spas. The onboard entertainment, affordable rates and special package deals endear these lines to families.</span></p> <p><strong><span>Good for:</span></strong><span> A convenient budget holiday with extended family and active kids, where shore excursions are not a priority. Mainstream cruising is popular for a reason – there truly is something for everyone, and the idea of unpacking once and having everything you need nearby is certainly appealing.</span></p> <p><strong><span>You can expect:</span></strong><span> Competitive and affordable rates (but additional onboard costs), lots of families and young people, and a lively nightlife</span></p> <p><strong><span>Lines:</span></strong><span> Carnival Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line</span></p> <p><strong><span>Premium cruises</span></strong></p> <p><span>Premium and deluxe-level cruising also offers a myriad of diversions, although facilities and service are of a distinctly higher quality. State rooms are more spacious, the food and dining options more varied, and the décor more refined. Some lines like to provide more traditional cruising experiences with suggested dress codes and assigned dining, but usually you will find a very relaxed atmosphere with some extra perks like excellent Internet access and more privacy. The differentiating factor between premium and deluxe is typically the size of the boat and its capacity; the more intimate and personalised the experience, the more you can expect to pay.</span></p> <p><strong><span>Good for:</span></strong><span> A little bit of glamour on a multi-generational trip that caters for everyone. Impressive, professional standards are a guarantee, although you should do your research as there is some variation between lines.</span></p> <p><strong><span>You can expect:</span></strong><span> families and couples, great service, extra perks and a spectrum of interesting activities and workshops like movies, cooking demonstrations and snorkelling</span></p> <p><strong><span>Lines:</span></strong><span> Holland America Line, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises</span></p> <p><strong><span>Luxury cruises</span></strong></p> <p><span>With top of the line, luxury cruises, you get what you pay for. This means high staff to guest ratios (there are often more staff on board than guests), low capacity (guests can be as few in number as 50) and larger rooms (sometimes all cabins are suites with balconies). Sleek, smaller-sized vessels with beautiful interiors promise peace, privacy and an intimate, personalised experience. The necessary bi-products, however, are fewer onboard activities and no large-scale entertainment activities; the focus is instead on demonstrations, lectures and port excursions in interesting spots inaccessible to mainstream cruises. All-inclusive costs cover gratuities like alcohol with meals, and the special extra touches like fresh flowers, quality tableware, bath products, branded linens and sometimes even butler service.</span></p> <p><strong><span>Good for:</span></strong><span> Ticking off those bucket-list destinations in supreme style and comfort, and spending relaxed, leisurely time with a loved one.</span></p> <p><strong><span>You can expect:</span></strong><span> Intriguing, well-crafted shore excursions in lesser-known locations, faultless service from attentive and professional staff, and plenty of inclusions</span></p> <p><strong><span>Lines:</span></strong><span> Silversea Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, Regent Seven Sea Cruises</span></p> <p><span>Whatever floats your boat can be found in the wide array of lines and packages on the cruise market. Ocean cruises aside, there are also niche lines, river cruises and sailing ships to test out. All you’ll need is to pick a destination and duration, and cast away!</span></p> <p><em><span>Written by Sophie Cullen. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/what-floats-your-boat-choosing-the-right-cruising-category/">MyDiscoveries</a>. </span></em></p>

Cruising

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Researchers classify relationships in four rom-com categories

<p>A new study promises to define your relationship for you once and for all, boxing you into one of four tidy categories reminiscent of the rom-com movies you know and love.</p> <p>This one's a step further than the multiple-choice magazine quiz – it's backed by science. Three relationship researchers worked with 400 couples over nine months, checking their levels of commitment over time.</p> <p>Using this fool-proof method, they found four categories your relationship could fit into - conflicted but passionate, partner-focused, social butterflies, and the dramatic.</p> <p><strong>1. Conflicted but passionate</strong></p> <p>They break up, they make up. Think <em>Notting Hill</em>, <em>The Notebook</em> and most of all, Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy in <em>Just Married</em> - the one where they get hitched, drive into a snow drift, kill a dog and eventually their love conquers all.</p> <p>Perhaps you've set your Facebook relationship status to "it's complicated"?</p> <p>The study says these couples have ups and downs and their commitment levels wax and wane depending on their latest make up or break up. However, it's not all doom and gloom. Just like Ashton and Brittany, they're likely to stick together and conquer it all in the end.</p> <p>Study author Brian Ogolsky says, "These couples operate in a tension between conflict that pushes them apart and passionate attraction that pulls them back together".</p> <p><strong>2. The partner-focused</strong></p> <p>Fancy a night in on the couch with a bowl of pasta, re-runs of Suits and the dog? Just like Jack Black and Kate Winslet in <em>The Holiday</em> or Diane Keaton and Morgan Freeman in <em>5 Flights Up</em>, you spend a lot of time with your significant other and have a relationship based around shared interests and a life built together.</p> <p>You tend to be a bit more cautious, building the relationship from the inside out. The study says these couples are likely to go the distance and tend to be the most satisfied.</p> <p><strong>3. The social butterflies</strong></p> <p>You could be the real life version of Monica and Chandler - well, maybe without the purple apartment and the neurotic clean freak angle!</p> <p>The social butterflies are couples whose relationship is built on mutual friendships and a feeling of friendship felt for each other. They spend a lot of time together in their social groups, which builds their relationship with each other. These couples tend to be very stable and have good chances of long term happiness.</p> <p><strong>4. The dramatic</strong></p> <p>Well, you could basically be any big screen couple who breaks up and never gets back together. Dramatic couples sometimes struggle to see the positives, and break up because the struggle starts to erode the relationship. They are twice as likely to break up as the other couples.</p> <p>You're <em>500 Days of Summer</em> or <em>Forgetting Sarah Marshall</em>. Good news is, they all find their true love in the end!</p> <p><em>First appeared on <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a></span></strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/relationships/2016/01/science-behind-couples-who-die-together/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">There’s a science behind couple that die close together</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/relationships/2016/01/highs-and-lows-of-being-single/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The highs and lows of singledom</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/relationships/2016/01/secret-of-happy-couples/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">7 things all happy couples do</span></em></strong></a></p>

Relationships