Ezra Lebourgeois - New Year Cruises Ships for Celebration

New Year’s is the time for celebrations, and what better way to celebrate it than on-board a cruise as you travel the seas, riding the waves, lost in the party madness. Through exotic places and an eclectic cultural mix, we have listed for you some of the world’s best cruises for the New Year’s party celebrations. You can glance through the details and plan a fun New Year’s celebration for you and your loved ones.

Bahamas Trip by Carnival Cruises:

Carnival Cruises offers an interesting Bahamas Trip, in which you can stay on the glittering islands on the Atlantic and offers you one of the most idyllic getaways on the tropic. With a host of activities like shopping in Nassau, diving in the Grand Turk, visiting the Half Moon and Cay,Snorkeling in Freeport as its main attractions, get lost in an exotic Bahaman Trip.


Eastern Caribbean Tour by Carnival Cruises:

Imagine the sun drenched shores of the Eastern Caribbean Islands, and add to it a mix of activities likesnorkeling, diving, sailing, fishing and a stroll by the azure seas.

The combination of places like Antigua, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico being a part of the Eastern Caribbean Tour by Carnival Cruises, it’s a combination you cannot resist.


Western Caribbean Holiday by Holland American Line:

The White Sands of the coasts of Mexico, Honduras, Cayman Islands, Florida and Bahamas being the Ports of call for the Western Caribbean Holland American Line, brings for you a perfect blend of excursion and history. From visiting ancient ruins to scuba diving,snorkelingto deep sea fishing there is a host of things that you can indulge in. Add to the list the unique land and sea horseback riding in the Bahamas and you have the perfect ingredients for a spectacular New Year celebration.

Mexican Riviera Tour by Carnival Cruises:

It can be difficult when planning an island tour holiday, if you are more of the stay in one place and explore, then the Mexican Riviera Tour by Carnival Cruises is the best thing for you. Visit the exotic western Caribbean sites of the Mexican Riviera, with places like Acapulco, Calica, Cancun, Cozumel, Catalina Island in all their eclectic beauty unfolding in front of you, it is impossible not to have a good time.


Western Caribbean Holiday by Royal Caribbean Tour:
With “Caribbean” as its middle name, it is hard to imagine any other tour line knowing Western Caribbean better than the Royal Caribbean Tour; designed as a five day package, the places that will be visited are Florida and Mexico with a lot of fun on-board activities involved. You can indulge in snorkeling, tours of the cities of Tampa, Key West and Cozumel. This package is designed keeping in mind a family outing, so it guarantees unlimited fun for all.


Canary Island Tour by Norwegian Cruises:

The Canary Islands Tour by Norwegian Cruises includes destinations like Tenerife, Canary Islands, Madeira, and Granada in Spain. With the diverse mix of history and fun both in equal proportions, provided in the trip in the form tours and other outdoor as well as on-board activities, indulging in this 4 days at sea package would be a good choice.
 
A Tour of France, Spain, Tunisia and Italy by MSC Cruises:
The Luxury of travelling through Europe’s finest ports in the countries of France, Spain, Tunisia and Italy by MSC Cruises is perhaps one of the best experiences that you could have as your New Year’s Celebrations. With cities like Marseille, Barcelona, Palermo, La Goulette, Genoa and Civitavecchia being on the port of call list, this 7 days tour is the crme de la crme of the luxury tours there are, so indulge yourself on-board this luxury cruise.


Ezra Lebourgeois


Source : 123newyear.com

Ezra Lebourgeois - Welcome to Christmas Island, A Natural Wonder

 Australia is famous for its natural beauty: the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, Kakadu, the Kimberley. But what about the places almost no one goes? We asked ecologists, biologists and wildlife researchers to nominate five of Australia’s unknown wonders.

Christmas Island is a dot in the Indian Ocean. Like any isolated island, it is peculiar. But here this peculiarity is especially pronounced. It has a strange history, an odd culture and a remarkably distinctive biodiversity. Unfortunately, it is now best known to Australians simply as an entry point for refugees. Remoteness has that effect, of distorting truth and value.

Christmas Island is small (about 135km2) and little-populated (about 2,000 permanent residents). It has been settled only since the 1880s; for much of the period since then it was administered by the Straits Settlement (Singapore), with inclusion as an Australian territory only since 1958. Phosphate mining was the reason for its settlement, and has persisted as the main (sometimes only) industry ever since, leading to loss of about 25% of the Island’s rainforest area.

Reflecting that history, its ethnic make-up is now mainly Chinese and Malay (arising from workers imported as “coolies”). The small community is remarkably vibrant and tolerant: there can’t be any other place in Australia with two public holidays per year celebrating Christian holy days, two for Muslim holy days and two for Chinese festivals.

The call to prayer rings out over the community from the small mosque; everyone is welcome at the Chinese festivals.

Christmas Island is old. It is a volcanic seamount island, rugged and isolated, rising more than 4km from the deep sea floor, with the nearest land being Java, about 360km distant. Over the long period of its isolation, these features have crafted a unique environment. It is characterised by high levels of endemism for many groups and idiosyncratic ecological structuring.

Most of its reptiles, native mammals, and terrestrial birds occur (or occurred) nowhere else; and nearly 200 invertebrate species are considered endemic. There are very few areas in Australia (indeed, in the world) that can match such narrow endemism.  Read More : http://theconversation.com

Ezra Lebourgeois - Top Most Expensive Cruise Ships

Ezra Lebourgeois - Royal Caribbean International is by far and away the leader when it comes to the world's most expensive cruise ships, operating most of the top 10, including the whopping Allure and Oasis of the Seas. Ship-technology.com presents the costliest cruise ships ever built.

Allure of the Seas

Allure of the Seas is the most expensive cruise ship in operation. It is the latest cruise ship in the Oasis class, owned by Royal Caribbean International. About $1.4bn was incurred in the building this world class cruise ship. Allure of the Seas is the largest passenger ship ever constructed, stretching just two inches longer than its sister ship Oasis of the Seas. Allure of the Seas accommodates 6,296 guests as well as 2,384 crew members, and is loaded with features such as the first on-board Starbucks, a 1,380-seat theatre and ice skating rink.

Oasis of the Seas

The Oasis of the Seas of Royal Caribbean is the second costliest ship. The vessel entered service in December 2009. It was built by STX Europe (formerly Aker Yards) in Turku, Finland, at a cost of about $1.24bn. The Oasis of the Seas cruises Caribbean from its home port of Port Everglades in Florida. The ship offers an array of passenger features such as luxurious staterooms, a zip-line, a casino, a miniature golf course, night clubs, bars and lounges, Pool and Sports Zone, Entertainment Place and theme parks.

Norwegian Epic

Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) spent approximately $1.2bn on its new cruise ship Norwegian Epic. The cruise ship truly represents the "freestyle cruising" concept introduced by NCL. The Epic accommodates 4,100 passengers served by 1,753 crew.

The Norwegian Epic sails to the destinations in Caribbean and Europe. It offers more than 20 dining options, studio rooms for solo travellers and world-class live entertainment, fitness and sports facilities, aqua park, pools and hot tubs.

Disney Fantasy

Disney Fantasy is the fourth cruise ship in the expanding fleet of Disney Cruise Line. The ship was constructed at an estimated cost of $940m by Meyer Werft shipyards in Papenburg, Germany. The onboard facilities were exclusively designed to cater to families. The ship cruises on seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages. The 1,250 staterooms spread across the 14-deck vessel accommodate 4,000 passengers and more than 1,450 cast and crew members. The cruise ship features a magnificent three-deck atrium lobby, sweeping grand staircase, marble and stone inlay floor, fluted columns, lavish decorative murals and paintings.

Disney Dream

Disney Dream owned by Disney Cruise Line cost nearly $900m to build. The cruise ship was put into service in 2011 and now sails to the Bahamas. It offers 1,250 staterooms accommodating 4,000 guests and more than 1,458 crew. The cruise ship gives a glimpse of early 20th-century design as well as cruise-industry first features such as the AquaDuck, the first water coaster at sea. Disney Dream boasts of being a true family cruise liner offering one-of-a-kind venues and experiences for each member in the family.

Queen Mary 2

Queen Mary 2 (QM2) is a flagship and transatlantic ocean liner of Cunard Line. Built at a cost of more than $880m (£550m), QM2 is Cunard's only transatlantic ocean liner operating between Southampton and New York, after the retirement of Queen Elizabeth 2 in 2008. Queen Mary 2 also sails on an annual world cruise. The transatlantic ocean liner carries 2,620 passengers and 1,238 crew members. It features 1,347-seat Britannia Restaurant, 200-seat Queen's Grill, Royal Court Theatre, Winter Garden, 14 bars and clubs and health and fitness facilities.

Read More : ship-technology.com

Ezra Lebourgeois - Top 10 Beautiful Waterfalls of Iceland

Ezra Lebourgeois - Iceland is a country of many amazing waterfalls. Below are some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. For more waterfalls see also: Waterfalls in Iceland, Waterfall Tips & Tours, Golden circle tours or the best attractions by Route 1 in Iceland.

1 Kirkjufellsfoss

This small and charming waterfall is situated near the impressive mount Kirkjufell, at Grundarfjordur, on the Snaefellsnes peninsula. For photographing, it is particularly scenic when you capture the fall, the clearness of the water and the mountain in the background, best experienced in the light of the midnight sun in midsummer.

2 Hraunfossar

These stunningly beautiful falls, located in Borgarfjordur in West Iceland, are formed by rivulets flowing at the edge of the Hallmundarhraun lava field, and pour into the glacier river Hvita (not to be confused with the river of the same name in Arnessysla, home to the Gullfoss waterfall, see below). These falls are widely considered some of the most spectacular in Iceland.

3 Bruarfoss

This splendid series of small waterfalls is located in Bruara river, in the area of Grimsnes in Southwest Iceland, and considered something of a hidden gem. Watching the river falling in thousands of small runlets and the stark blue colour as the water falls into a deep gap makes it a fascinating scene and ideal for photographing.

4 Svartifoss

This fascinating fall is located in the Skaftafell preservation area in Southeast Iceland, that is a part of Vatnajokull National Park. The name Svartifoss means Black Waterfall. A dramatic contrast is to be seen in the white water of the fall and the surrounding dark hexagonal basalt columns. At the base of the fall are sharp rocks that have broken from the columns. This picturesque scenery further provided inspiration for the columnar architecture of Hallgrimskirkja church in Reykjavik, the ceiling of the National Theater and sculptor Richard Serra‘s Milestones, located in Videy island.

5 Hrafnabjargafoss

Hrafnabjargafoss is a beautiful waterfall that is located in the mighty Skjalfandafljot glacier river in North Iceland, the first of three successive ones, the other two being Aldeyjarfoss and Godafoss.

6 Aldeyjarfoss

This is the second in a successive row of beautiful falls in Skjalfandafljot river and has a 20 metre cascade. As with Svartifoss, here you‘ll see a fascinating contrast between the white water of the fall and dark basalt columns, perfect scenery for the avid photographer.

7 Godafoss

This waterfall, 12 meters high and 30 meters wide, is at once the most famous of the Skjalfandafljot waterfalls and one of the most famous in North Iceland and the country at large. According to the sagas, lawspeaker Thorgeir Ljosvetningagodi settled a religious crisis in Iceland by throwing the idols of the old Nordic gods into the fall, wherefrom it gets its name “The waterfall of the gods“. Certainly, those who witness the sheer beauty of the fall will agree that the name is fitting.

8 Gullfoss

Widely considered the most beautiful of Icelandic waterfalls, the aptly named Gullfoss (“The Golden Waterfall“) belongs to the famous “Golden Circle“ of essential attractions, along with the Geysir geothermal area and Thingvellir National Park. This thunderous waterfall, located in the mighty Hvita glacier river in Arnessysla county in South Iceland, drops down 32 meters into a narrow river gorge and is every photographer‘s dream. You can even walk near enough to feel the water spray on your face!

9 Skogafoss

Skogafoss is a popular destination when travelling along the South Coast of Iceland. It is located close to the area of Skogar. 60 meters wide and 25 high, it is one of the greatest and most beautiful of all waterfalls in Iceland. Photographers should particularly note that on sunny days it may produce a single or even a double rainbow, due to the strong waterflow‘s interplay with the sunlight.

10 Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss is another of widely popular falls when travelling the south coast. This is a narrow and tall fall, with a drop of 63 meters, and it has the rare distinction that you can actually walk behind it, a spectacular photographic angle. This is indeed considered one of Iceland‘s most picturesque waterfalls, and absolutely essential to visit when travelling in the country.

Source : https://guidetoiceland.is/best-of-iceland/top-10-most-beautiful-waterfalls-in-iceland

Ezra Lebourgeois - The 10 Biggest Cruise Ships in the World

Ezra Lebourgeois - Do you love to travel around the world aboard an impressive and majestic cruise ship? If such is the case, then you may want to do it with one of the largest cruise ships in the world. Here is a rundown of the 10 biggest and most luxurious cruise ships today.



                                                                                                                                       

Ezra Lebourgeois - The 10 Biggest Cruise Ships in the World

10. MS Explorer of the Seas

The tenth place in this list of the 10 biggest cruise ships in the world is the MX Explorer of the Seas. The company responsible for its creation on the 1st of August, 1999 is the STX Finland Cruise Oy. The cruise ship is owned and operated by the Royal Caribbean International, just like most of the other vessels also included in this list. The water vehicle is capable of holding up to 3,114 passengers and crew at any given time. Its length is impressive, at 1,020 feet. The beam is 38 meters long. The overall weight of the ship, excluding its passengers, is 137,308 tons. Out of all the cruise ships that are owned by the Royal Caribbean International, the MS Explorer of the Seas is the 8th largest.

 9. MS Mariner of the Seas

The Mariner of the Seas, much like the previous Royal Caribbean International MS Explorer of the Seas, was also built by the STX Finland Cruise Oy. While both cruise ships share the same length, the beam of the MS Mariner is 0.6 meters longer. It is also heavier, at 138,279 tons. The Mariner of the Seas is the fifth voyager-class line from the Royal Caribbean International. It has sailed since the year 2003 and can carry up to 3,114 passengers. The MS Mariner of the Seas is also the 7th biggest cruise ship that Royal Caribbean owns.

8. Navigator of the Sea

The Navigator of the Sea, which is once again owned by the Royal Caribbean International, is a 4th voyager-class line. It was also built by the STX Finland Cruise Oy. The Navigator and the MS Mariner have many similarities in terms of length, beam height, maximum passenger capacity, and weight. The only difference is that the Navigator came out after the MS Mariner. The Navigator of the Sea has been voyaging the oceans since the year 2002.

7. Queen Mary 2 – Cunard Line

The Queen Mary 2 is one of the only two cruise ships in this list that do not belong to the Royal Caribbean International. This water vehicle belongs to Cunard Line, an American-British shipping company. It has sailed since the year 2004. The name has been given by none other than Queen Elizabeth II in the same year. Out of all the Cunard Line cruise ships, Queen Mary 2 is the largest, measuring 1,132 feet long. The beam sits at 135 feet. STX Europe, the company that has built the cruise ship, designed it to have a maximum capacity of up to 3,056 passengers.

6. MS Independence of the Seas

Royal Caribbean International owns and operates the 6th largest cruise ship in the world, named MS Independence of the Seas. The MS Independence stretches 1,111 feet long, with its beam length at 184 feet. Around 4,370 passengers can enjoy cruising the oceans while being on board the ship. The MS Independence of the Seas has a total weight of 154,407 tons, and it has been operating since the 2nd of May, 2008.

5. MS Liberty of the Seas

The MS Liberty of the Seas, much like many of the other cruise ships owned and operated by the Royal Caribbean International, also shares similarities with another cruise-line. In this case, the MS Liberty is comparable with the MS Independence of the Seas. These lines have the same length, beam, and maximum passenger capacity. The company has launched the cruise ship since May of 2007. What makes it better than the MS Independence of the Seas is that Royal Caribbean International has decided to incorporate a DreamWorks studio inside the ship. This year, the MS Liberty of the Seas is set to sail on a new route, starting from Barcelona all the way to Palma de Mallorca.

4. MS Freedom of the Seas

The MS Freedom of the Seas began her voyage career on the 4th of June, 2006. Like the MS Liberty of the Seas, this particular Royal Caribbean International cruise ship is also 1,111 feet long. The total number of passengers who can hop on board is 4,370. The company has spent around $800,000,000 to have the MS Freedom built. Since the 12th of May 2006, the MS Freedom of the Seas has been sailing officially as Christian.

3. Norwegian Epic

Norwegian Epic is the other one of only two cruise ships in this list that the Royal Caribbean International does not own. It belongs to the Norwegian Cruise Line company. The ship has been in operation since the 24th of June, 2010. It weighs 155,873 tons and stretches 1,089 feet. The ship can also carry up to 4,100 crews and passengers at any given time. One of the best things about this ship is that each of the cabins come with their very own balcony. The Norwegian Epic is also the Norwegian Cruise Line’s biggest cruise ship.

2. MS Oasis of the Seas

The MS Oasis of the Seas is the first ever oasis class that belongs to the Royal Caribbean International. Its body stretches at 1,187 feet long. The beam, on the other hand, stands at 198 feet tall. It is so big that it can house up to 6,296 passengers and crew. It used to be the largest of all cruise ships in the world until 2010. However, the MS Oasis of the Seas is still very impressive, despite being pushed back and renamed as the 2nd largest in the world.

1. MS Allure of the Seas

There is no denying the fact that the MS Allure of the Seas is the largest of all the cruise ships in the world. The MS Allure is also the one responsible for taking the throne from the MS Oasis of the Seas. The funny thing about this is that the MS Allure of the Seas is only 2 inches lengthier than the MS Oasis.

Source: therichest.com

Ezra Lebourgeois - Top 10 Largest Warships in the World | Blogger

Ezra Lebourgeois - The following list is not about tonnage but, instead, gives the largest current classes of warships based on length because in this world, size does matter.

1 Nimitz Class (USA) – 1092 feet

The aircraft carriers of the Nimitz Class are the largest warships currently in service in the world. At around $4.5 billion each, these carriers are the most expensive ship on this list. The ten ships of this class help the United States flex its military muscle around the world. Aside from military matters, these 100,000 ton super-carriers have also provided humanitarian relief from the Indonesian tsunami in 2004 to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

2 Admiral Kuznetsov Class (Russia) – 1001 feet

Unlike American aircraft carriers, Soviet-Russian aircraft carriers were often equipped with heavy offensive-defensive weaponry. This weaponry includes heavy long-range anti-ship missiles, dozens (if not hundreds) of SAMs and some form of anti-submarine weaponry – all in addition to the aircraft they carried. The Admiral Kuznetsov class fit this formula well and is considered to actually be a Heavy-Aircraft-Carrying-Cruiser. The Admiral Kuznetsov is the only remaining ship of this class – the other being sold to China. This carrier was commissioned into service in 1990 and remains Russia’s only true aircraft carrier. In terms of aircraft, the Admiral Kuznetsov can operate over 30 fixed wing aircraft and a dozen helicopters.

3 Modified-Admiral Kuznetsov Class (China) – 999 feet

The PLAN Liaoning is the first aircraft carrier to enter service with China. The ship was originally named the Riga during its time in Soviet service. Renamed Varyag in 1990, the carrier was deemed surplus to Russia needs as it no longer fit with the Russian post-Soviet military budget. China purchased the stripped down carrier from Ukraine in 1998 for $25 million under the story that it would be turned into a floating casino. Everyone knew such a cover-story was ridiculous and military analysts were not surprised when the carrier was commissioned into Chinese service as the Liaoning in 2012.

4 Modified-Kiev Class (India) – 930 feet

The INS Vikramaditya is currently one of two aircraft carriers in the Indian Navy. The ship began its life as the Baku in the Soviet Navy in 1987. By 1996, Russia decided that its budget could not support a Soviet-era military and the country moved to scrap or sell a considerable amount of military equipment. In 2004, the Baku was purchased by India for $2.35 billion.

5 Modified-Clemenceau Class (Brazil) – 869 feet

From 1961 to 2000, the French Navy operated two of the Clemenceau class aircraft carriers. When the time came for France to modernize, one ship was scrapped while the other (Foch) was sold to the Brazilian Navy in 2000 for $12 million.


6 Charles de Gaulle Class (France) – 858 feet

So far the only ship in her class, the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is the first nuclear powered French surface ship and the only nuclear powered carrier currently deployed outside of the US Navy. After considerable delay and economic slowdowns, the carrier was finally commissioned in 2001 at the cost of approximately $4 billion.

7 America Class (USA) – 844 feet

Like the Wasp Class, the America Class is a type of amphibious assault vessel used by the United States. The USS America, the first of this newest class of ship, is larger, more modern and, at $3.4 billion, much more expensive than those of the preceding class.

8 Wasp Class (USA) – 831 feet

During the Second World War, the United States Navy and Marine Corps learned the importance of having specialized ships and equipment for getting troops ashore on hostile territory. This requirement has held true over the decades since and the United States has invested considerable money into ensuring it has the ships capable of inserting and supporting forces in hostile areas. From 1989 to 2009, the eight ships of the Wasp class were commissioned into service at the cost of around $750 million each.

9 Kirov Class (Russia) – 827 feet

Unlike the Izumo class, Russia’s nuclear powered battle-cruisers of the Kirov Class are anything but defensive in purpose. Built and commissioned between the late 1970s and 1990s, there were only four vessels of this class built as it is estimated each ship cost well over the present-day equivalent of $2 billion.

10 Izumo Class (Japan) – 813 feet

Although only one ship in this class has been completed, Japan plans on building at least one more for the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. The Izumo is a helicopter carrier whose main military purpose is to hunt down enemy submarines and destroy them. It can carry up to 14 helicopters or 400 troops and a few dozen vehicles. Costing approximately $1.2 billion a piece, the Izumo class are the most modern ship in the Japanese fleet and the largest that Japan has built since the Second World War.

Read More : therichest.com