TravelDuties

Are you looking for a little fun in the sun? Than Mexico’s resort city of Puerto Vallarta is just the place you have been looking for. Located on the Mexican Riviera, Puerto Vallarta is a very popular travel getaway, and with beautiful weather and beaches, it has good reason to be.

When you think of Mexico, you probably think of Acapulco and Cancun, however you may be surprised to hear that Puerto Vallarta is the second largest beach resort in all of Mexico. Additionally, it has a much shorter flight than Cancun of Acapulco, usually with only one connecting flight. Unlike other resort beaches in Mexico, specifically Cancun, you will not find the typical spring break party goer in Puerto Vallarta. Instead you will have the time to appreciate the city’s historic district, complete with the charm of old Mexico. You can visit the zocolo, or city center, and marvel at the locals who set up their shops in the square. Besides the obvious tourist knick knacks, you will also find a large selection of handcrafted items, including hammocks, blankets, and jewelry.

Whilst there is so much to see and do in Puerto Vallarta, its beaches still provide as the main attraction. If you are looking for a beautiful, white sand beach vacation than look no further than Puerto Vallarta. Some suggestions for accommodation include the Villa Premier Hotel and Spa, the Marriot Casa Magna Puerto Vallarta, and the Plaza Fiesta Beach Club, all of which are the most popular resort which offer getaway packages.

Photo by: Jim Goodrich

If you are looking to become a flight attendant, now is the time. With a recent announcement made by United Airlines that they will be hiring over 2000 new flight attendants, the outlook for flight attendants has brightened a great deal over the last few months, and has catapulted the market to the best it has been in five years.

If you are hoping to land a job as a flight attendant, the first place you should start is with the legacy airlines. Legacy airlines are defined as any airline that has influenced the US airline industry. Due to high employment costs, skyrocketing fuel prices, competition for discount airlines, and an overall inefficiency, two of the United Sates’ largest airlines, United Airlines and Continental Airlines are looking to hire thousands of flight attendants.

If you are unable to find a legacy airline willing to hire you, your best bet is to move to the discount airlines. In an attempt to strengthen their image and holding in the airline market, almost every discount airline is hiring flight attendants, specifically, Southwest, AirTran, Alaska Airlines, and Mesa.

If you still haven’t found any airlines willing to hire you, a great option may be start up carriers. Two of the newest airlines, EOS Airlines and MaxJet Airways, have both recently hired, and are expected to hire again as they become more established in the industry. The one major advantage of start up airlines is that they always need new flight attendants, as compared to other airlines who only hire flight attendants when they are expanding their routes or growing faster than expected.

Photo by: Rodolfo Clix

The next time you’re looking to book your next trip make sure you stop and take a look at Cruise Vacation Center for all your cruise needs.

At Cruise Vacation Center you can book a cruise through the Royal Caribbean cruise line. Despite their name, Royal Caribbean actually offers cruises to destinations other than countries located directly in the Caribbean. They also have cruises to other places throughout the world including: Europe, the Bahamas and even destinations in the United States such as Alaska or New England.

You can also check out Princess Cruises or Norwegian Cruise Lines for even more cruise options. Princess Cruises offers trips to luxurious locations all across the world from Africa to Hawaii to Greece on three types of ships that are practically floating cities.

At Norwegian Cruise Lines, the emphasis is on schedule free cruising. Without a set schedule or timeframe, travelers on a Norwegian Cruise Line vacation are free to do what they want when they want. Not only do they offer excellent cruise packages but they also provide you with vacation plans for you before and even after your cruise is over. This helps set Norwegian Cruise Lines apart from their competition.

In this day and age you may be a little skeptical about traveling to Africa, specifically Egypt or near the Middle East. However, a great alternative to traveling to continental Africa is an African cruise. Cruise down the Nile, through the Suez Canal, and safari on the mainland; the possibilities are endless. Furthermore, if you are like me and can’t handle being on a boat on the sea, a nice relaxing cruise on a river may be a great option for you. And don’t think you will miss out on the beautiful warm weather of a Caribbean cruise if you choose an African cruise, you will still experience the same beautiful weather while you travel through ancient history.

The number one stop for a Nile cruise is the ancient temples and tombs along Egypt’s bank of the river. You will feel as if you have traveled back in time 2000 years to Ancient Egypt, while people living in mud brick huts tend to their crops on the river bank.

Egypt is not the only site you will experience. Depending on the cruise line you are traveling with, you may have the option to participate in on land safaris in the great African Savannah. Ride alongside grazing zebras, prancing antelopes, and if you are lucky, you may see a pack of lions, sleeping under the shade of a tree to escape the heat.

There you have it, a great African vacation without the need, or danger, of traveling to Continental Africa. Though an African cruise may not seem as glamorous or exotic as a Caribbean cruise, it definitely is. You will experience the cultural and the history of Africa a way you may never have expected.

Photo by: Peter Caulfield