- Welcome Message and select excerpts of our first year blog
- Our New Blog
- Contact us
- Travel Advice
- Guidelines for travel agents
- Flying-all you need to know before you book your next plane ticket>
- Cruising-planning the perfect cruise>
- Car Travel
- Traveling by bus...in style
- Hotels-Creating the ideal autistic friendly hotel room>
- Packing -101>
- Ask away -Autistic Globetrotting Free advice service>
- Tid bits-travel advice from our readers in 100 words or less
- Autistic Travels' Golden Rules
- Guidelines for travel agents
- Autisticals-a personal view of autistic travel
- US 10 best in
- The 10 best of Boston
- The best 10 of Hilton Head,South Carolina
- The 10 best of New York
- The 10 best of Alaska
- The 10 best of Texas-San Antonio and Galveston
- The 10 best of Santa Fe and the surroundings
- The 10 best of Arizone-Grand Canyon
- The 10 best of Colonial Williamsburg,Jamestown and surroundinds
- The 10 best of Washington D.C.
- The 10 best of Las Vegas
- The 10 best of Boston
- International 10 best
- Mini autisticals- the darnest travel stories you'll hear
- The Sleeps-our biased and un biased hotel reviews
- The Eats-Tasty challenges from around the globe
- The Shops-what you can buy next
- Collector's Corner-How did these travel trinkets become a collection
- Recommended products
- Giveaways
- Monthly news roundup
- Interviews
- Q&A with Jackie Longino founder of Aspietravel
- Q&A with Tal managing director of ALUTEVA-autistic hotel in Israel
- Eva Bronstein-Greenwald-special needs travel agent and founder of We Belong
- Q&A with Trip it's
- Q&A with David Intercontinental Tel Aviv
- Keri Bowers- film producer of 'Normal people scare me'
- Jamie Grover-Autism on the seas
- Peter Shears
- Clive-guide dog extraordinaire
- John Brown of 'Devyn and Dad' -an inspirational adventure across the United States
- Rose Niehaus Olsen Morris inventor of the safety sleeper bed
- Annette White,counselor for Camp Autism
- Colin Brennan-Canada's new singing sensation
- Dennis Debbaudt-autism safety expert
- Gisela Sedlmayer- author of 'Talon'
- Q&A with Jackie Longino founder of Aspietravel
- Inspirational travel stories by our guest writers
- Danette Schott's-Revisiting family vacations
- Brian R. King-Meltdown at the airport
- Joy's visit to the Aquarium
- Denise Klipsic-An incredible encounter with Princess Tiana
- Tanya Savko- Hope on a river
- Tiffany Robison-Great Wolf Lodge
- Fiona Westner Ramsay -Making-room-for-autism-in-your-canoe
- Laura Shumacher-Traveling with autism: a true story
- Phyllis Fanzo Lombardi-s -Vacation Time with Joey
- Kristina Chew-18 Miles On the Bikes At the Beach
- Jeff Katz-Chicago
- Margaret Ann Franklin's visit to the Great Northern Carousel in Helena Montana
- Claire Sarcone-Chessington the aspie way
- Elaine Hall-Tips for summer vacation
- Steve LHeureux -Autism "Outings" need to be planned and appropriate
- Kelly Green-The Gardens of Gilroy
- Wolfie Blue-Tips I learnt by traveling with my family
- Gluten free Disney cruise experience
- Danette Schott's-Revisiting family vacations
- North,Central and South America-pictures,videos and AG's tips
- Arizona,The Grand Canyon
- Alaska Cruise-USA and Canada
- Florida,Orlando-Universal Studios-looking for Harry Potter
- Florida,Orlando-Macy's mini parade in Universal Studios
- Florida-Everglades Park ,Miami,Key West
- Hawaii's big island with a glimpse of Pearl Harbor
- Louisiana,New Orleans-French Quarter,Christmas Parade,Nanchez Steamboat
- Louisiana,New Orleans-in the footsteps of Katrina,Garden district
- Massachussetts-Boston ,New England Coastal towns of NH and Maine
- New York-NYC
- New Mexico-Santa Fe and Bandoliers National Park
- Pennsylvania-Philadelphia
- Texas-San Antonio and Galveston
- Canada-Niagara Falls,Montreal,Quebec,Toronto
- Caribbean-Bahamas- the Atlantis resort
- Caribbean-Castaway Cay-Disney's bahamian paradise
- Caribbean-Roatan,Honduras>
- Caribbean-Grand Caymans-Hell,Turtles,Wild Hens and Stingrays>
- Mexico-Cabo San Lucas(Mex Riviera)
- Mexico-Puerta Vallarta (Mex Riviera)
- Mexico-Acapulco and Manzanillo
- Mexico-Mazatlan(Mex Riviera)
- Mexico-Playa del Carmen's Xcaret eco park>
- Mexico-Tulum and XelHa Eco Park
- Yucatan,Mexico- Chichen Itza,Cozumel's Paradise Beach
- Arizona,The Grand Canyon
- Europe,Asia,Australia and New Zealand,Cruise ships-pictures,videos and AG's tips
- Australia-Sydney and Melbourne
- Austria-Salzburg
- Belgium-Antwerp ,Brussels
- Canary Islands-Lazarote
- Croatia-the walled town of Dubrovnik
- Denmark-Copenhagen
- France-Normandy's D day beaches>
- France- Cannes,Nice,Eze
- France-Paris
- Finland,Helsinki
- Germany-Munich,Dachau
- Germany-Romantic Road
- Ireland-Dublin
- Ireland -Cork,Blarney,Kinsale>
- N. Ireland-Belfast>
- N. Ireland's Giant Causeway
- N.Ireland-Carrick -a -Rede-rope bridge>
- Italy-Venice,Pompeii,Rome
- Italy-Florence,Messina and Taoramina
- Israel-Jerusalem>
- Israel-Masada and the Dead Sea>
- Israel-Tel Aviv>
- Morocco-Casablanca
- New Zealand-Rotarua
- New Zealand-Fjord Park,Dunedin,Christchurch
- New Zealand - Auckland and sheep farm
- The Netherlands-Amsterdam,Delft,The Hague,Rotterdam,Madurodam
- Sweden-Stockholm and the Archipelago
- Russia-St Petersburg's Palaces
- Scotland-Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh
- Scotland-Edinburgh>
- Scotland-Inverness>
- Scotland-Loch Lommond,Luss,Sottish sheep show>
- Spain-Barcelona
- Spain-Cadiz and Seville
- Spain-The Alhambra Palace,view of Malaga
- Tasmania-Hobart
- UK-Liverpool and the Beatles>
- UK-London>
- UK-Stonehenge,Bath,Warwick Castle,Stratford on Avon,Oxford
- UK-Guernsey>
- Carnival -Legend
- Aboard the Carnival Legend
- Carnival -Ecstasy
- Carnival- Fascination
- Carnival Spirit
- Celebrity-Century
- Crown Princess>
- Sapphire Princess
- Royal Caribbean-Brilliance of the Seas
- Royal Caribbean-Mariner of the Seas (parades)
- Royal Caribbean- Mariner of the Seas
- Australia-Sydney and Melbourne
- Monthly guest's -Travel videos and pictures
- Web sites and blogs we follow
- Face Book discussions
- Guest Book
Find your cruising style
The New Year has finally arrived and it is time to start planning your family’s travel for 2011. If you haven't already, consider taking a cruise for the most convenient and stress free travel possible...
Cruise ships nowadays have become floating resorts, offering not only lodging but food, entertainment, and transportation around the globe. The clear benefits for the autistic traveler are: staying in the same cabin, dining at a set time at the same table for the duration of his/her vacation, visiting different places rather than being obligated to change hotel rooms frequently, and eating in different locales. Added bonuses are less packing and unpacking, no food dilemmas (you can sample the whole menu or put in your requests free of charge) and free social activities for young and old.
Bearing all these facts in mind, all you are left with is deciding when and where to go next:
1. Outdoor lovers rejoice!
Alaska should top your list for this coming spring and summer since it remains one of the few unspoiled natural wonders, still easily accessible for travelers to enjoy.For the autistic traveler shore excursions like dog sledding,glacier trekking and white water rafting can become the epitome of sensory experiences
Multiple cruise lines have ships offering seven-day Alaskan itineraries, in which you can visit the small but quaint towns of Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. Prices can range between 100 and 150 dollars a day per person, depending on the month and ship you choose. Airfare for a round-trip starting and ending in the same port is usually cheaper than open-jaw tickets (where you fly into one city and return from another). Cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Princess are by far the most family-oriented and provide the best kids’ clubs.AG tip-recommended for the globetrotters that can't get enough of outdoor activities!
2. History and Art buffs
For the autistic globetrotters that enjoy history, archeology, art, and/or architecture, a Mediterranean cruise is the perfect choice. There are two main itineraries during the spring and summer: westbound, which covers Spain, the south of France, and Italy, or eastbound, which usually include Italy, Turkey and Greece. Both itineraries are huge crowd-pleasers and are bound to captivate and supply your family with great stories and cherished memories. Visit world-famous museums, churches, mosques, and famous battlefields quite cheaply on your own while sampling the local foods might help change picky eaters' opinion. . Travel in late spring might be much more advantageous—especially if your autistic globetrotter is heat-intolerant—and the famous sites are less crowded and prices are lower. Many Europeans like MSC, Costa, and Fred Thompson. In addition, American cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Carnival will be present in the area this year, leading to a wider price diversity of between 150 and 300 dollars per person per day, depending on the ship and date of sailing.AG tip-your autistic buffs and history obsessed with love but even the less engaged will find something to remember and enjoy.
3. Thrill seekers
For those autistic globetrotters that simply have to take it to the limit, a Caribbean cruise is the one to take. Multiple cruise lines circulate the tiny islands, offering their travelers action-packed vacations. You can zip-line, rock climb, play with dolphins, snorkel, scuba, and horseback ride, all in less than a week. Check out the newer mega-ships that provide additional thrills on board, like Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. They feature onboard ice skating and rock climbing lessons, surfing simulators, zip lining, as well as a boardwalk-like section complete with a hand-painted carousel and other attractions.
Older ships offer SeaTrek scuba lessons, golf simulators, and mini-golfing, in addition to Ping-Pong tables, basketball courts and a professional running tract. NCL's Epic offers a bowling alley, batting cages, a bungee trampoline, a huge rock-climbing wall, a rope adventure course, a 24-foot climbing cage named Spider Web, and a rappelling wall where you descend down instead of climbing up. Prices, especially on Royal Caribbean, tend to be on the high-end during the summer and holidays, often reach 190 to 230 dollars per person per day; however, there are some good bargains to be found if your travel dates are flexible, like the hundred dollars a day Spring Sailings advertised for the NCL Epic.AG tip-this type of trip appeals to many families as it is viewed as the great unifier!Multiple family members can join and participate in the various activities,or just watch and smile.Make sure you introduce your autistic globetrotter to the ship's staff so they can not only assist him/her with the desired activities but recommend less busy time slots and handicap lines.
4. Theme park and or animation junkie
For those who simply must extend their Disney exposure past Disney World, there's the Disney cruise line option that supplies you with pirate deck parties with the only firework at sea show allowed, original stage performances and character appearances. The goal is to make you feel the magic from the moment you board, starting with the ship's horns playing "When You Wish Upon a Star” when setting sail. But the Disney Magic does not come cheap—be prepared to shell out anywhere between 100 dollars per person per day off season to 280 dollars per person per day during summer vacation or the holidays. If you are cruising from Florida, a close second is Royal Caribbean which has just signed a new collaboration program with Dream Works that includes character breakfasts, character parades and ice shows, and even 3D movie experiences on its newer ships. In an effort not be left behind, NCL has also teamed with Nickelodeon for slime game show fun, Dora and Spongebob sightings, and other on board surprises on two of its ships—the Epic and Jewel.AG tip-this trip be appealing to most or all family members for various reasons.Most or all autisticglobetrotters find cartoon characters appealing.
5. Charity
Consider volunteering with your family member on your next family cruise. Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans accepts people for the day, as well as orphanages in Cabo, Mazatlan or Puerto Vallarta (stops on a Mexican Riviera cruise).This can make for a great opportunity to teach your autistic globetrotter compassion and how to lend a helping hand in society. If that’s not feasible, you could always organize a fundraiser in your community and bring or buy much-needed items to donate. Make sure you contact the facility first and tell them of your intention; don’t just show up there unannounced. Prices are moderate—80-140 dollars per person per day—but satisfaction is priceless!AG tip-this trip is for the more mature globetrotter that can appreciate and comprehend the effect he/she can have.Look for flights on
http://www.kayak.com/
Check cruise prices on their own websites
http://www.carnival.com/http://www.royalcaribbean.com/,
http://www.princess.com/
http://www.ncl.com/
http://www.msc.com/http://www.fredthompson.com/http://www.costa.com/
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Labels: Alaska, Allure of the Seas, autism cruising, autisticglobetrotting, Disney, , NCL Epic, Oasis of the Seas