Mariner

The 2010 Mercury Mariner panders to the small crossover SUV segment, but has some daunting competition in the Toyota's RAV4 and Chevrolet's Equinox. If you are thinking about buying this vehicle consider upgrading the engine to get the best performance possible from your Mercury Mariner.

The 2010 Mercury Mariner offers two engine options. A 2.5 liter inline 4 can handle basic driving and generates 171 horsepower and pound feet of torque. For driving around town, this option moves the Mariner around for smooth passing maneuvers and acceleration, but for those interested in a vehicle with real get up and go, consider the upgraded engine options for the Mercury Mariner. The 3.0 liter V6 offered as the upgrade puts out 240 horse power and 223 pound feet of torque. That power can be used to tow up to 3500 pounds or just to get ahead of that annoyingly slow semi on the freeway.

There is a drawback to upgrading your engine, though. The standard package offers better gas mileage at an average of 23 miles to the gallon, 21 in town and 28 on the highway. Likely, consumers looking at the Mariner will concern themselves with the fuel efficiency, so downgrading to 21 mpg by switching to the 3.0 liter V6 might not appeal to everyone. For the truly fuel conscious, there is a hybrid model which boasts even greater fuel efficiency.

Whatever you choose, make sure to examine the competition as well, since Toyota's RAV4 and Chevrolet's Equinox have received consistently high marks in performance and mileage.

There are lots of cruise lines out there but not all of them are good for children. Just because a cruise line has a kid's area or a kids program it doesn't mean that they are overall kid friendly. The best cruise lines for those that have younger kids are definitely Disney Cruises and Carnival Cruises. Not only do they cater to kids but they have more kids cruising on their ships then adults.

Disney Cruises tend to be very expensive. They do cater to kids and your kids will have a great time but again, because of that they are pricey. One advantage however is that they no matter what the age of your child there will be something fun for them to do at any time of the day. Disney also has a private island that their ship takes you to which is a fun time for kids. It's called Castaway Cay and it is loads of fun. You can snorkel, swim and boat right there at the Castaway Family Beach.

You also have the option to bike, walk or jog while on the Private Island. If you prefer to take a glass bottom tour or go parasailing that is also an option. You can spend the entire day at Castaway Cay and still not do everything.

The Carnival cruises have specific areas for their kids. For example the 9-11 year olds will be in a particular group that caters to things that they like. The preteens and teens have their own area with computers, video games, etc. The younger kids ages 4 -7 will also be doing arts and crafts, playing games etc. This frees up the grown-ups to allow them to drop in the casino for a while or have dinner in one of the nicer cover charge restaurants on board.

The Carnival cruises are about $600 per person less expensive than the Disney Cruises. Your children will have a great time on either cruise so the choice is ultimately yours and what you can afford.

With a flat out, uncontested five star rating, this luxury ocean going vessel should certainly be high on your shortlist of cruise options. Choosing a cruise ship for your voyage is just as important as choosing a hotel for a land based destination, although somewhat more so because you spend a great deal of time on board your choice of accommodation.

When you decide on a Southern Caribbean cruise vacation, choices on board the Serenade of the Seas about with an itinerary in and around the Caribbean region throughout the year.

Some of the vessel's highlights include:

Reflections Dining Room - the main dining-room boasting a cascading waterfall, a large menu and impeccable service.

Seaview Cafe - for light meals in an outdoor setting, a popular and fun venue.

Portofino Italian Restaurant- An intimate Italian restaurant with an upscale atmosphere, an unforgettably luxurious dining experience.

Chops Grille Restaurant- A five star reservation only venue where you go for the perfect steak.

Safari Club - The Game Reserves, Zanzibar Lounge, The Congo Bar and the Serengeti Card Club make up this customizable entertainment space, each one unique and packed with fun and entertainment.

The Tropical Theater - Like being at a Broadway or Las Vegas theater, these productions are as glitzy and glamorous.

Solarium Indoor/Outdoor Pools - with retractable roof and elegant teak furnishings, coupled with two whirlpools for you to relax in after a busy day in port (open 24/7)

Schooner Bar - A nautical bar to enjoy drinks with friends.

Vortex Lounge - For dancing the night away in a club that literally spins so not for you if you're prone to seasickness!

Champagne Bar - A quiet, elegant venue to enjoy a glass or two of champagne.

Rock Climbing Wall: Did you know that the Royal Caribbean cruise ships are the only ones in the world to offer rock-climbing walls? Whether a beginner or well advanced, there are challenges for every experience level, and the ship provides all the safety gear too.

The exterior of the vessel, its most interesting distinction is the use of nearly three entire acres of glass which includes the elevators and almost every public room where the views are breathtaking.

The abundance of entertainment options is the greatest strength of the Serenade of the Seas, but still remaining a mid-size ship. It is a fantastic choice for a wide variety of passenger including families, singles, couples and groups.

The theme of religion presents itself repeatedly over the course of the second half of the "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner". When the Ancient Mariner first stepped on the boat with the Hermit and the Pilot's he had a look of death about him. Even the Pilot Boy was laughing at the Ancient Mariner and said he thought that the old Mariner was the devil. It is important to note the times in which the Mariner and the Hermit begin to pray as these generally come at pivotal points in the poem. The Albatross represents sin and that is why the Ancient Mariner is forced to suffer for killing the great bird.

The main character who was the mariner had a change in heart and bent over to pray that the Albatross corpse slipped from his neck freeing him of the sin for killing the majestic creature. There are many parallels between the Ancient Mariner killing the Albatross and Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Much like Adam and Eve the Ancient Man was punished because he failed to respect the boundaries that Christ has set for us. The Ancient Mariner was ignorant and thought he had and understanding of something that was far beyond of his reach. The seventh part of the poem is ripe with message that praying will solve all of your problems. The Hermit is used as a positive example how a person of faith should behave. Samuel Taylor Coleridge would claim that he did not intend for the poem to have any moral lessons. Rather that this is just an epic tale that needs to be told.

Although the author claims that nothing in the poem symbolizes religion that is clearly false. The hermit is a holy person and his demeanor is felt throughout the ending. Without the Hermit this poem would have no substance. This is a story about Christianity and the supernatural. The Hermit is essential in the development of either one. The Hermit was able to document the supernatural by witnessing the Ancient Mariner survive after being drown alive. At the end the Mariner the Hermit put more effort in the direction of Christianity and prayer. It is clear that because of the Hermits presence it helps the Ancient Mariner come to more peace with his relationship with God.

Ever dreamed of taking a luxury cruise across the ocean to far-off destinations? Are you planning a holiday of a lifetime on board a magnificent mega ship equipped with leisure facilities, on-board entertainment and offering world-class cuisine? Or perhaps you're a seasoned cruiser who loves floating holidays on board the world's best cruise liners?

The best source of up-to-date information for anyone planning a floating holiday are cruise travel magazines, packed with tips to make the most of your time both on-board and at your ports of call throughout the trip. The last thing you want to do is turn up without the appropriate dress code for dinner or without knowing how to keep yourself entertained during the long days at sea. Here is a selection of the best travel magazines catered to cruise travelers:

Cruise Travel
A colorful easy-to-read magazine, packed with entertaining features, reviews, tips and advice to plan your next trip as well as the best places to access cruise bargains. Features include ship, port and cruise of the month, alongside seasonal calendars detailed with ports, itineraries and prices of the major cruise ships floating around the globe. Cruise Travel magazine covers every aspect of your holiday, from planning, dress codes, shore excursions, shopping as well as advice for wheelchair users and those with special needs.

Porthole
An in-depth cruise travel magazine which features reports on industry news, destinations and special features for first-time cruisers. Stories, tips and articles are designed not just for those wanting to climb aboard luxury mega ships, it also contains detailed advice on trips aboard river cruisers and skippered sailing vessels.

Orient-Express Magazine
Covering a world of luxury travel on board Orient-Express trains, cruises or staying in their exquisite hotels, this magazine provides information on exciting destinations as well as tips on restaurants, shopping and cultural experiences worldwide. Prepare to be amazed by the incredible photos of wonderful exotic locations and sumptuous travel machines and hotels.

Caribbean Travel and Life
The Caribbean is the most popular cruise destination worldwide, and this travel magazine dedicated to the beautiful islands of the Caribbean, Bahamas and Barbados provides a wealth of information on the highlights each island has to offer. It provides excellent advice on the best islands to visit and things to do once you arrive into port. A wonderful read to take on board any Caribbean cruise, to make sure you get the best out of the islands you're about to visit.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines have the specialty of catering to all kinds of people belonging to every age group. They have a fleet of 21 ships going to over 170 destinations worldwide. It would be impossible to be on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship and not be entertained. These ships offer all kinds of fun stuff including rock-climbing, wave pools, boxing arenas, and stuff designed for families like mini-golf courses. For couples, they offer romantic dinners and spa facilities. All this just makes these cruises the best experience you would have ever dreamt of.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines are always trying to plan new ways to keep their customers happy, and this makes them the leaders of the cruise industry. They have subdivided their fleet into five sets of classes to choose from, so everyone would get exactly what they have in mind.

The Freedom class consists of Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Independence of the Seas. Freedom of the Seas is the biggest cruise ship of the world and has special features like the Flow-rider and the H2O zone specially added for kids. It also has a one of its kind 400-foot mall called the Royal Promenade. Guests would love this mall with the amazing shops and arenas. It also has pubs, bars and a café named Café Promenade.

The Voyager class has 4 ships including the third biggest cruise ship of all times. These ships feature all kinds of activities including mini-golf courses, skating rings, basketball courts and more than one pool. Of course, the night life is kept alive with the gleaming restaurants and bars.

The Radiance class is specially designed with a more environmental-friendly gas powered engines. They come with grand public rooms and have the beautiful glass exterior viewing elevators. The dining rooms are constructed with glass and have a great view. You also get to play on the self-leveling billiard tables.

The Vision class consists of 6 ships that have been joined into 3 pairs of sister ships. These ships are famous for their extensive glass construction. Enchantment of the Seas was renovated in 2004, and a new section was built that now holds suspension bridges and a beautiful pool. This area also includes specialty restaurants that offer food from all around the world.

The Sovereign class is more known to be the pioneers of mega ships that set the standards the cruise industry follows today. This class includes the Monarch of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas. These ships were the first ones to ever have an open atrium area. These ships are grand with big pools, bars with specious lounges, and theatres with large seating capacity.

Having to choose from so many different classes is just to give the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines an idea of what you are looking for. The real experience would begin after you have boarded one of the ships and it shall be mind blowing in all the right aspects.

We spent a night on Ha Long Bay on the Emotion Cruise and had a wonderful time. We booked our tour at TUN Travel (hotels-in-vietnam.com). They are very fast to reply and confirm.

They picked us up in a very comfortable 16 seater van and the journey was around 3.5 hours. On the way to This city we had chance to enjoy the journey through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta and the scenery of rice fields, water buffalo and everyday Vietnamese village life. Our driver was prompt and very polite. He dropped us at one Handicraft shop in Hai Duong for shopping and refreshment about 30 minutes.

Upon arrival in Ha Long, you're welcome by a guide in Ha Long Tourist Wharf and waiting for the transfer to Ha Long Emotion Boat by tender.

Launched in July 2008, the Emotion is the biggest one in Ha Long Bay features 28 air conditioned cabins, with private bathrooms and facilities similar to a boutique style hotel. Connecting cabins are also available for family or small group.

Our room was nice, clean and comfortable, big enough for 2. The guide and staffs on boat were friendly, knowledgeable and helpful as could be. The food was also well served and I can say it's delicious!

There were about 50 people on board coming from different countries. We had the chance to swim as well as kayak around a lovely lagoon. The kayaking was really fun. Unfortunately, we didn't get to do the night fishing. Just relaxed on sundeck, enjoyed the silence and fresh air of the bay.

Woke up at 6:00 AM, I went upstairs to practise Tai Chi with our instructor during the sunrise on Sundeck. It was really fun but helpful. After breakfast, we took a small boat rowed by local villagers to visit their floating fishing village, a peaceful village included local houses, fish farms, schools and chatted with friendly fisher men. We then cruised back to Ha Long pier for lunch before return to Hanoi.

The Emotion Cruise was excellent. Its price is reasonable and worth every cent! Hightly recommend you! If you're looking for memorable Ha Long Bay cruise, take this one as at the end of the trip, you will bring back a memorable trip and more friends, just like we did. Well done, Emotion Cruise!