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To do first on a cruise

I am an avid cruise-ship traveler, having cruised in and around five continents. I recently took a cruise to 10 countries in Northern Europe, and I wish to share eight tips about what to do within the first few hours of boarding any cruise ship.

1. Ask your stateroom attendant for a terry cloth robe. They used to automatically be placed in staterooms but not anymore (unless you are in a suite), though you can ask for one. They run out of these comfy items quickly, so don’t wait to request one.

Book Silversea shore tours online

Silversea Cruises’ guests (or their travel agents) now can reserve shore excursions online, starting with this year’s Mediterranean and Alaska itineraries. The feature is available 60 days prior to sailing.

Guests can visit www.silversea.com and find their cruise. If a “Reserve Now” button appears above “Shore Excursions” on the right, then the online booking option is available.

Nahuat Tours in El Salvador

My wife, A.J., and I spent a week exploring a considerable amount of El Salvador in April ’04. As our base we used the InterContinental Hotel, very conveniently located opposite the largest shopping complex in San Salvador, the Metrocentro. A room for two including breakfast was $133 plus taxes of 13%. (El Salvador’s currency is the American dollar.)

The city and some of the surrounding areas we explored on our own. We felt perfectly safe, and the people were always very warm and friendly.

Day tour in SE Hungary

In southeastern Hungary, I took a one-day tour of Szeged and the Ópusztaszer National Historical Memorial Park and open-air museum on Sunday, April 22, 2012, led by Peter Antal (phone +36 70 56 888 76, e-mail peti@tourguideing.hu or visit www.tourguideing.hu).

Peter is local to Hódmezö­vá­sár­hely and leads tours in the area. He has a very good command of English, and I found his price to be reasonable.

The cost of HUF5,000 (about $21) covered the van for 10 and the guide. Entry to sites cost extra ($6 to the historical park). Lunch was self-pay. I recommend Peter.

Day trips from Gleneagles

The resort Gleneagles is celebrating its 80th birthday in 2004 with “Classic Scottish Sojourns,” in which guests can explore Scotland via private chauffeur-guided tours.

The 3-night/4-day program costs $1,800 (guaranteed in U.S. dollars), based on double occupancy, and includes accommodation, full Scottish breakfast daily, one full-day tour OR two half-day tours and 17.5% VAT. Also included are one round of golf, one whisky tasting and one massage for each guest.

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