The Odyssey offers musical entertainment such as classic jazz to contemporary favorites from a live band, as well as soft solo piano music. Each of its two decks offers a special entertainment feature. The Topaz deck offers Latin and jazz as well as R&B and lounge music. The Amethyst deck has piano and vocals, show tunes, jazz, classical and pop music.

Priced at $149.90 per person, the ship leaves from the Navy Pier at 8:30 PM and returns at 11:30 PM. Boarding begins at 7:30 PM. The cost of this dinner cruise includes a private table, a three-course menu, and a premium bar package.

Here is a sample of their menu. The appetizer may include such fare as an antipasto plate, Boston Bibb salad, lobster bisque, and Argentinean scallops. The main course may include Tuscan chicken, Syrah braised center cut beef, seafood ravioli gratinee, boneless pork chop, North American salmon, and Mediterranean vegetable purse. For dessert, you may choose from a chocolate truffle torte, bread pudding, New York Style cheesecake, or peach and blueberry cobbler.

Perhaps the most exciting amenity is the ability to view Chicago’s Skyline from their observation deck and the spectacular fireworks display as its backdrop.

Needless to say, everyone who has taken this dinner cruise has raved about its service, staff, entertainment, and cuisine.

So if you plan to be in Chicago for the 4th of July, book this elegant dinner cruise early and treat yourself to what is sure to be an experience of a lifetime.

The Perfect Cruise educates travelers on cruising like you’ve been doing it all your life. You’ll learn how to get the best deals and avoid common mistakes when planning your cruise. This 300 page book, based on the personal cruise experiences of Chris Dikmen, Managing Editor of an industry-leading cruise travel Web site, is a quick and easy read for the novice cruise traveler.

The Perfect Cruise takes the time to walk the reader through the process of planning, shopping for, and purchasing a cruise vacation. It is a great source of information for long-time cruise enthusiasts as well as first-time cruisers.

Some of the chapters in this book include:

• 5 Mistakes that Can Ruin a Perfect Cruise
• Things To Know Before You Go
• Enjoying Your Cruise
• Cruise Lines
• Our Favorite Cruise
• The Best Cruise Lines in the World

The information contained in The Perfect Cruise will give readers a huge advantage when shopping for a cruise vacation.

Don’t be left on the ship feeling like a stowaway. Get the knowledge you need and cruise like the best of them and enjoy every moment. Click below for more details:

Before booking a cruise ship getaway, you are encouraged to consider a number of factors.  There are numerous different cruises ships and cruise lines.  You may be unable to enjoy a romantic vacation if you are on a cruise ship that is overrun with children.

If you are interested in having an intimate, relaxing, and romantic cruise, you are encouraged to search for a cruise ship that has age restrictions for its passengers. These cruise ships often restrict children from coming aboard.  Many times, cruise ships with a passenger age limit target their voyages specifically to couples looking for romance.

While it is possible to find a cruise ship with an age limit for their passengers, you may find it a bit difficult.  If you are unable to find one, inquire as to where couples with children will be placed.  A number of popular cruise ships work to keep families and individual couples separated.  If this policy is in place, a cruise line is likely to state the policy on their website.  The same information can be obtained by directly contacting a cruise ship representative.

The size of the cruise ship you are interested in vacationing on is also likely to determine the level of intimacy onboard.  If it is intimacy that you want, a smaller cruise ship may be your best bet.  Larger cruises ships have more passages and more passengers often make it difficult to have onboard, private moments.  A number of romantic cruise lines target their smaller cruise ships to couples looking to vacation alone.

In addition to the size of the ship, the ships style and décor may determine whether or not you can experience romance onboard.  As previously mentioned, there are a number of cruise lines that target couples looking to vacation alone.  Part of that targeting may include creating a romantic environment.  On romance themed cruise ships, you may find romantic cabins, room service, and other similar services.

Vacationing aboard a cruise ship is a great way for you and your partner to spend quality time together.  When selecting a cruise ship to vacation on, the intimacy off the ship is just as important as on the ship.  Almost all extended cruise ships dock in a port.  These ports are often located in another country, but not always.  To make the most out of your vacation destination, you will want to consider a cruise line that offers stops in romantic ports.  These ports may include, but are not limited to the Bahamas, Hawaii, or the Caribbean.

The Bahamas, Hawaii, and the Caribbean all have a number of cruise ship ports.  Additional ports can be found in the Untied States and overseas.  What many passengers enjoy about these particular ports is their climate.  The climate and the overall weather could have an impact on the romance aboard your ship.  Tropical weather tends to add to the romance in the air.

Cruises ships are often viewed as large, oversized vessels.  In addition to traditional cruise ships, it is possible for you to take a local cruise.  If you are looking for a romantic getaway, but you fear the cost of an expensive cruise, you are encouraged to look into local cruises offered near your home.  These cruises often involve dinner, dancing, and sometimes an overnight stay.  They most often occur on a large river or a lake.

Now that you know what to look for when booking reservations for a romantic getaway aboard a cruise ship, you can start making preparations.  With a small amount of time and research, you could be sailing the seas in luxury, with the one that you love.

If and when you receive the okay from your doctor, you can begin to further examine vacationing aboard a cruise ship.  When examining cruise ships, you are encouraged to examine a number of cruise lines and each of the ships that they have available.  To get started on your search, it is advised that you examine Royal Caribbean Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, and Princess Cruises.  Those cruise lines are just a few of the many that service travelers; however, they are often considered the most popular.

When examining a particular cruise ship, you are encouraged to search for activities and services that you are attracted to. These services are important because they are often the only way for seniors to find the perfect cruise ship.  At the current time, there is not a large, well-known cruise ship company that offers cruises specifically for senior citizens.  That does not mean that you shouldn’t take a cruise.  It does; however, mean that you may need to spend more time researching your available options.

You can and should search for cruise ship activities based on your own preferences.  Many seniors prefer cruise ships that offer elegant dinning facilities and activities geared towards mature crowds.  If safety is a concern, you may wish to vacation aboard a family fun cruise. These cruises are geared towards individuals and families of all ages. Many times, a family fun cruise has a more appropriate environment.  Seniors, including yourself, may find this environment warm and welcoming.

Once you have made the decision to take a cruise ship vacation, you may be excited to book your reservations.  Senior citizens are urged to refrain from purchasing tickets and making travel accommodations on a whim.  This is because many seniors qualify for cruise ship and other travel discounts.  Many of these discounts are offered by AARP, Triple A, and other membership clubs.  Even if you may not qualify for travel deals and discounts, you should still see if they exist.  Until you look, you never know if you can book a cruise at a discounted price.

Cruise ship travel is a fun, exciting, and rewarding experience, no matter what your age.  All most all cruise ships are safe enough that you can even vacation alone.  If you are concerned with your safety while traveling alone, you may want to invite along family or your senior friends.  With a large number of discounts, it is quite possible that you can all enjoy a vacation aboard a cruise ship, without having to go broke.

One of the best ways to really and truly enjoy a vacation is to let others pamper you, whether it’s for a few days or a week.

Moreover, a cruise enables you to throw your troubles overboard and focus on each other. With fabulous accommodations, exotic destinations, or just three days spent away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life – cruising has become more popular than ever before.

Meals galore, entertainment, a myriad of activities, on-board pools, casino, library, and spa  the one thing you can count on is that you can fully relax like you never have before.

Consider this: When you book a vacation to the Caribbean, for example, there is the air and hotel package, transfers to and from the hotel, meals, sightseeing costs, taxis, tips, and a variety of other expenditures you may not have planned for. Multi-city tours require packing and unpacking, and if you’re lucky, the bags will actually reach their destination.

On the other hand, a cruise is all-inclusive. You pay for the particular cruise you are interested in and that is it. Everything else is paid for! There is no packing and unpacking, you can dine with others or have meals sent to your room, you can take advantage of shore excursions or not, there are no lines to wait on, you can have a snack at late hours of the night, you can engage in on-board activities or simply sunbathe.

There is nothing like a cruise. Whether it sails to different shores or docks far out at sea, you will become hooked on this mode of travel for year to come.

Here is a statistic you may become part of: out of all the individuals who take a cruise for the very first time, over 80% of them book a second or third voyage.