Louis Cruise Line is typical of operators satisfying the student cruise market. Tips are mandatory a

Student travel involving Greek cruise extensions offer educational benefits but raise concerns over steep costs and alcohol reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london consumption. reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london A Mediterranean student reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london tour marketed under $3000 can rapidly escalate to $3800, and that's not including spending money. Teenage drinking aboard cruises increases reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london anxiety for parents enrolling teens on Aegean cruises. Student reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london tour companies frequently fail to publish reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london full costs and leave the alcohol issue up to group leaders.
reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london Cruise extension costs vary, from $470 (2009 prices) for a 3-day option to $600 for 4 days. Companies reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london like EF Tours, NETC, and Explorica still manage to keep the total tour cost (10-12 days) under $3,000, depending upon departure gate, but this does not reflect true costs after adding tips, drink cards, and the costs of optional island excursions.
Louis Cruise Line is typical of operators satisfying the student cruise market. Tips are mandatory and must be paid at departure. reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london The average tip, calculated on a daily basis, reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london runs as high as 20 Euro per day or $82 for a 3-day cruise. reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london Cruise lines also sell drink cards. reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london A flat fee of 23 Euro ($31) purchases a soft drink card good for the duration of the cruise while a fee of 35 Euro ($47) allows the holder to order unlimited alcohol covering most beers, some mixed drinks, and steep discounts on cocktails. The drinking age throughout most of Greece is 15. American students have no legal limitations buying the cards and consuming as much alcohol as they desire.
There are two stops each day at ports of call like Mykonos, Patmos, Kusadasi, and Santorini. Although all passengers may debark and explore on their own, cruise lines offer excursions that cost from 55 Euro to 75 Euro ($102). The excursion at Kusadasi reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london in Turkey, for example, takes the passenger reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london to the House of Mary and the ruins of Ephesus at an average cost of 70 Euro ($94) for the 6.5 hour tour. Similarly, the Knossos excursion in Crete costs 60 Euro ($75) per person and includes a brief walk through of the ruins of King Minos' palace as well as free time in downtown Heraklion. Participating in all of the excursions can cost as much as $600, a significant increase in the overall price of the tour.
In some locations, sites are accessible without paying excursion costs. reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london On Patmos, it is possible to travel to the Monastery of St. John by bus for $10 on a self-guided tour versus the $65.00 cost of a cruise sponsored guided tour. To minimize costs, travelers can prioritize those excursions that are only available through reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london the cruise such as Ephesus.
The ability to purchase unlimited alcohol while on board may pose the greatest concern when enrolling students on a cruise. The absence of a drinking age and proper reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london controls makes such cruises highly popular with students, but creates a significant supervision problem. Tour operators publish no guidelines on this and subordinate the issue to group leaders, usually teachers.There are no laws restricting student drinking. This is a factor that must be considered when enrolling a student reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london on a cruise extension.
All passports are collected before departure and held for the duration of the cruise. This results in the inability to check student ages even if a drinking age policy was followed. Passports are returned only after all outstanding fees have been paid at debarkation.
While the educational value of an Aegean cruise extension is clearly evident, additional costs should be considered when deciding to enroll. Although tips are mandatory, the service aboard cruise ships is superb and every meal is included. This includes a buffet catering to American student tastes as well as a formal dining room featuring free-style seating. Parents, teachers, and students reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london should carefully weigh the benefits as well as the negatives when considering a cruise extension. The cost effectiveness reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london of a cruise reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london should be balanced by the overall educational value.
Students enrolling reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london on cruise extensions should be prepared to pay up to $750 beyond reviews of radisson edwardian hotel in london the actual extension cost if they plan to participate in all offered excursions, pay the tips, and buy a drink card. Parents should be aware that unlimited alcohol consumption is often part of the cruise experience.