Carribian Cruise - Caribbean Cruise

Posts Tagged ‘Cruising’

Cruising is a wonderful and relaxed way to see several countries while enjoying the sun. Today, cruise trips are extremely popular due to their low cost and luxury travel experience.

However, like all travelling, there are a few things you need to be aware of before you start to plan your cruise ship vacation.

Here are some cruise tips to help guide you on your journey.

All inclusive cruises are not available
Most all cruise lines do not offer an all inclusive cruise package. Alcohols, soft drinks and even water all needs to be paid for when on cruise ships. The only things included are the cruise itself, your cabin and generally at least 1-2 meals a day.

Shop around and consult different cruise travel agents
Cruise travel agents are like travel agents, but are experts in cruising. Be prepared to tell the cruise agent exactly what you are looking for. You could visit 5 different agencies and receive 5 different quotes for the same cruise. In addition, look for deals in off weeks. A fare may be $2000 one week and $800 the following week.

Be aware of added charges
If you are planning to cruise alone and don’t want to share your cabin, you can anticipate a single’s supplement charge of 10% to 100% of a per person’s rate (depending on cruise line). In addition, a lot of cruises require you to pay extra for any cruise shore excursions, or any special activities that are offered on board. Be prepared to spend an additional 30% of the cost to take part in any of these activities.

Knowing when the best time to cruise is
Cruising is usually a little cheaper during the spring or fall. Weather can be uncertain, especially in the fall given many Caribbean destinations could have hurricane seasons during this time. This is something to watch out for. The dry season for Caribbean cruises is during the summer where as the rainy season is during the winter. Other cruise lines have short cruising seasons, such as Alaska cruises which normally run from May to September.

Have fun!
One of the most important tips that I can give to you on your cruise ship vacation is to have a great time. Relax! After all it’s your vacation and you deserve to make the most out of it. There are many things for you to do, fancy dinners and dressing up, meeting new friends, visiting exotic locations, being on deck in the sun, doing cruise shore excursions, and much more! It’s important to have fun, so when you come back you feel better about yourself and that you got the most out of your time and money.

Remember, cruising is an absolutely exceptional way to spend your vacation. They are very relaxing and a very enjoyable way to spend some time away. However, like all vacations, you need to know what is required before purchasing your dream cruise ship vacation. Keep this in mind and I have no doubt your cruise trip will be a complete success!

It started out as a simple week long cruise to Alaska.  My wife and I are avid cruisers…well my wife is and she drags me along. It may appear as though I am enjoying myself, but really I just want to get back to work.  My wife lets me work pretty much all the time, so I want her to enjoy the cruise.  For her to enjoy the cruise she has to think I am having fun too, so that’s why I pretend to enjoy myself.

 

Anyway, back to the Alaskan cruise…some people we met on a cruise were going to go, and so we were going to go along as well.  It’s always fun to cruise with people you’ve met before…assuming you like them of course. A couple of cruises back we went on a cruise to the Caribbean where a large number of people had been yakking at each other on the Cruise Critics message board for almost a year. People all going on the Caribbean cruise of course. It turned out to be a fantastic cruise.  We had so much fun with this huge group of people.  We referred to it as 62 best friends meeting for the first time.  We had some group party’s and a couple of blow-up dolls as mascots and we even had a Pirate theme.  It made the whole cruise far more fun.  Well for Kathy it was a lot of fun, I was just pretending of course.  There are a lot of pictures of the cruise, the group, and even the mascots at my cruisesrfun website.

 

But I digress…back to the Alaskan cruise.  Well, it turned out that a whole bunch of those folks that went on that Caribbean cruise decided to do another cruise together, this time to Acapulco Mexico.  The next thing I knew our Alaskan cruise had become our Acapulco cruise.  I much prefer hot weather to warm and warm to cold, so I had not been looking forward to the Alaskan cruise, but a cruise to sunny Mexico would be another story.  Er uh at least it would be easier to pretend to enjoy the cruise. 

 

One of the nifty things about this cruise is it stops at Zihuatanejo, which is where my step son and his wife got married on the beach. Actually, the beach was called La Playa Ropa, and the wedding was at a restaurant called La Perla.  Well…we thought why not invite our son and his wife and his sister and her husband to go along too.  They are great fun and our son’s wife is Mexican and speaks fluent Spanish…it makes her very handy when in Mexico. 

 

This cruise to Acapulco is at the end of October.  We will be on the ship for Halloween. You know what that means. It means that there will be a mandatory costume party. At least it will be mandatory for anyone married to my wife. Jeeze.  UPS has been making stops at my house several times a week lately bringing things like big fancy ear rings and costumes, and dresses…lots of dresses.  My wife Kathy really likes to dress up on these cruises. I pretend I don’t mind donning my tuxedo a couple of times each cruise.  Apparently I will also be getting dressed up as a Mexican Bandito…with bandoliers holding shot glasses instead of bullets, and holsters that hold tequila bottles.  Kathy is going to go as “Miss Piggy” dressed as “Big Bird”. Doesn’t make sense to me either, but check out our website in early November to see for yourself.

 

This cruise is aboard the Carnival Spirit, and we have never cruised on Carnival.  The last cruise I was on was aboard the HAL Oosterdam, a ship we’ve traveled on twice.  On that cruise I had my iphone, and I could check my email and visit my favorite websites from almost anywhere on the ship. I hope that’s the case with the Spirit.  As usual I will do a cruise review and post it on cruisesrfun.

 

Kathy has been in near constant communication with one of that group of 64, Judy, who happens to be a Travel agent.  So now we’ve been moved around, up graded and God knows what else, but we apparently have the perfect state room…with a wrap-around balcony and plenty of room for that cocktail party.  On this cruise our group will be around 20 people, and I know Kathy and two of her friends are planning at least one cocktail party for the entire group.  A lot of the original group of 64 still chat on the boards, and of course this upcoming cruise has a message board at cruise critics site, and there is daily chatting.  I never get involved in that stuff; I leave it all to Kathy.

 

The cruise begins in San Diego, and we will be staying overnight in the same hotel as the last time we cruised.  Kathy has booked us a room where we can stand on the balcony and watch the ship dock early in the morning.  Last time it was at like 5:00 a.m. or something…I don’t really understand the attraction., but I am pretty sure that at some un-Godly hour I’ll be up watch the ship pull up to the dock.

 

We usually build web pages about our cruise as we go, and upload them to the CruisesRfun website from the ship.  This time we will be doing the same thing.  I have a new digital camera that takes nice movies, and I would really like to begin incorporating videos into my website.  If we can upload at a reasonable speed I’ll certainly have some cool videos posted on the site before the end of the cruise.  If I am really lucky I’ll be able to get some really embarrassing footage of my children for all of their friends to view.

 

On this trip at least, what happens in Mexico will definitely NOT stay in Mexico.  Vive la Internet!

Oh My God! It’s official. Well, at least it’s unofficially official. I have a disorder. I’m a junkie. It’s called “Caribbean Obsession Disorder” (COD) and it’s described as “an uncharacteristically and sometimes irresponsibly compelling drive to seek out sensory indulgence identified with the Caribbean culture - including music, scenery, fashion, food and habitat. Often accompanied by alcohol and other substance use, social and/or career lethargy, disregard for authority and rebellious (antisocial) behaviors against provincial standards and ideals.”

There’s more explanation for this disorder, but I think you get the picture.

I suppose it’s not surprising that someone actually has a name for this state of mind, after all our culture is obsessed with pigeon-holing EVERYTHING. But it is ironic that it is considered a disorder. Why couldn’t it be called “Caribbean Delight Affinity”, or “Stress Management Through Caribbean Meditations”? Ah well, whatever you call it, I have it. I display all the symptoms, most notably the “rebellious (antisocial) behaviors against provincial standards and ideals”.

I think about the Caribbean constantly, I design my life around getting my next fix, and I experience serious mood swings and irritation if I am deprived from breathing that magnificent air for more than a month or two. My heroes are Earnest Hemingway and Jimmy Buffet.

I spend so much time cruising in the Caribbean that some of my friends are starting to have conversations about me that include phrases like “running away from reality” and “just won’t grow up”, and “can’t seem to hold down a real job”. About the only people I know that don’t see anything weird about being addicted to spending beautiful luxurious days plowing the blue waters of the Caribbean are teenagers, romance novelists and a couple of aging explorers I met in Nassau who were pirates born 200 years too late.

Oh sure, lots of people LIKE the idea of cruising the Caribbean. What’s not to like? But, most grown-ups relegate it to a tiny slice of life, something that one does only when the “important” stuff is under control. A tiny little carrot that dangles tantalizingly from the sticks of careers and mortgages and “responsibilities”. Perish the thought that cruising itself could be important, or that it could make people more productive, or better parents or better members of society. That’s just not realistic! Well, I beg to differ.

You know, it wasn’t that long ago that responsible adults shook their heads in dismay at the number of kids “wasting their time” skateboarding on those plywood half-pikes that cropped up all over the place. Of course, that was pre-1995, before the massive financial windfall of the X-Games, where today, those very same “kids” command million-dollar endorsement fees and light up ESPN with their extraordinary aerial acrobatics.

In 1990, Kimberly and John Puckett took a backpacking vacation into the Alaskan wilderness and while drinking in the sensational view from atop Sable Mountain they conceived of the idea of creating a specialty coffee house patterned after ski lodges and Alaskan cabins. That “Aha!” moment, which was made possible because they indulged their fascination of wild and woolly nature, has grown into Caribou Coffee, the 2nd largest coffee chain in the US (Starbuck’s is first).

Reaching back in history a bit, we can remember the story of a young cartoonist who envisioned a “world” where cartoon characters could be brought to life in a fantasy environment of sheer child-hood delight. Walt Disney’s efforts to build Disneyland were ridiculed and criticized for years, even to the degree that his immediate family worried that he might have lost his grip on reality.

Well, seems to me that we could use a bit more of that flight from reality. And it also seems to me that gazing blissfully at a priceless Caribbean sunset is a fantastic vehicle in which to take that flight. What if the best way get in touch with the real meat of life is to remove oneself from the travails and pressure of that life. What if the perfect incubator for creating solutions and ideas to address vexing problems was the deck of a cruise ship, or a sandy white beach? I think we are missing the boat with regards to cruising in the Caribbean. Rather than dismissing it as an anti-social disorder, we should celebrate it as an essential activity that spawns true genius.

And in that vein, fellow adventurers, I proudly don the label of “COD”, and pledge myself to discovering and reporting back to the imprisoned masses, the magic of Caribbean waters, and sunsets and all that other wonderfully indulgent stuff. And more that that, I invite you to cast of the dispersions and judgments of those timid souls who measure the quality of their lives in terms of how big their car payment is or the square footage of their houses or how predictable their lives have become.

Yeah, it’s not always easy. Family and friends will wonder about your “crisis of identity”, employers will fret over your laid-back demeanor and credit card companies will scratch their heads in bewilderment that you refuse to be shackled by the gods of debt and credit ratings. It won’t be easy, at least to start. But here’s what you’ll get in exchange:

•Delightful moments, sometimes whole days of delightful moments, where the only stress is making sure the SPF of your sunscreen allows you to get a great tan.

•Beautiful blue water, majestic seas, lazy skies, and visual experiences that bury themselves deep in your soul rather than smog, pollution, stress, traffic, alarm clocks, beepers, ringing telephones, blinking computers, packed schedules, mindless news about the latest self-destructive celebrity and obscene political commercials 24-7.

•Somebody else waits on you hand and foot (for a change).

•A menu of adventures and experiences that you won’t have, or won’t have time for, in your current life. Things like diving, horseback riding, swimming with sting rays or dolphins, four-wheel drive explorations of rain forests and ancient ruins, parasailing.

•You’ll meet people that don’t want anything from you other than to make your acquaintance and maybe share a Corona.

•Romance, intimacy and sex. Of course, it helps if you take someone along that’s already comfortable getting naked with you, but some great love stories have written their opening chapter against the enchanted backdrop of Caribbean sunsets. (It’s also been reported that a Caribbean cruise is 97% more effective than prescription drugs for erectile… oh, maybe that’s too much information for some. But, the side effects are all good.)

•You’ll see things, and learn things, that will never get on your radar screen while slaving away in the Monday - thru – Friday world of car pools, office politics and soccer practice.

•You’ll discover a new meaning for “alone time”. It’s the kind of time that sits outside the pace of life, that defies logic, that lets you get in touch with the piece of yourself that lies slumbering inside you. You’ll have thoughts that surprise and delight you, and you’ll tickle your fantasies in ways that you haven’t tickled them since you were a kid.

Now, I ask you. How could ANY of that be a bad thing? C,mon, it’s time to trade in some of those other disorders you’ve got for one that really rocks! Get COD!

Happy Cruising!

Most people who book a cruise for the first time (92%) will make their selection based on when they can go and how long they can stay. The second most important factor will be how much it costs. Everything else is dependant on those two items. In 2006, there were 112 different cruise ships operating out of U.S ports transporting about 10 million passengers on some 4,500 cruises. 70% of those 10 million people went to destinations in the Caribbean, and four cruise lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Celebrity- The Big Four) accounted for about 3/4 of passengers.

If you fall into that broad category, your choices will be fewer, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for something you don’t want. But simply asking “What’s the best ship (or cruise line)?” is kind of like asking “What’s the best beer?”, or “What’s the prettiest color?” The very things that one cruiser likes about a cruise are the things that other cruisers vigorously dislike. The good news is that whatever you do like, there is somebody out there doing a bang-up job providing it.

Generally speaking, the Big Four specialize in the “more-is-better” approach to cruising, while smaller cruise lines focus on more specific areas, such as 5-star quality, small intimate ships, enrichment, etc. Here are some factors you can consider when choosing your cruise.Size of the Ship.

Here some general observations one can make regarding the size of the ship. What the passengers are there for.

The bigger the ship, the greater the attention paid to make sure that the ship-board experience is as unforgettable as possible. This translates into activities, distractions and a festive, socially liberal, fun-and-games atmosphere. If that annoys you, these big ships may rub you the wrong way. How many people you’ll be traveling with.

The bigger the ship, the more people there will be on it (duh). Generally speaking, families, singles and singles traveling in groups will prefer the non-stop beat of the large ships. On the other hand, if you prefer quiet and don’t like the crush of crowds at poolside or in the dining room, you’ll have much better luck in the smaller ships, especially the ones that hold fewer than 1200 passengers. The types of ports you will visit.

Big ships go to big ports. Certain ports, such as Roatan, Honduras or Vera Cruz, Mexico, are only available to smaller ships. Sometimes those ports are the very thing that makes the cruise quite special. If the ports of call are at the top of your list of reasons to take a cruise, consider booking passage on smaller ships that have extended itineraries. Age of the Ship

“Old” is a relative term in the cruise industry, meaning ships that were launched around 1990 or before (15+ years a go). Many of these ships were state-of-the-art at the time and trumpeted the absolute best cruising had to offer. But in the last 15 years, cruise ships have gotten bigger and more extravagant in ways that were unimaginable two decades ago.

Older ships are not bad, just different. Many are less efficiently designed and have more traditional layouts. Some of the extras and amenities that are common on the newer ships, like internet in your cabin, themed alternative dining restaurants, wave pools and ice rinks don’t usually exist on the older ships. Cabins are smaller, critical traffic areas (such as elevator lobbies and disembarkation lines) are congested and shops can be pretty cramped. Some passengers (not all) notice stale odors or complain that the ventilation systems in the cabins are cranky.

On the flip side, many of the older ships have been up-fitted and remolded in the last few years, and so are fine cruising vessels. They are primarily used on the shorter cruises (3-5 days) and generally charge lower fares. Take into the account the value of the cruise experience. Maybe the older ships aren’t as fresh and perfect as the newer ones, but the value they offer – what you get for what you pay - can be outstanding. Design of the Ship

Whether it’s accomplished with an extreme makeover or during the building stage, cruise ships place a premium on the design. Some are designed for luxury, some for fun, some try to strike a middle ground. Ships are often given “star” ratings similar to those given to hotels. Some ships are 5-star, such as Holland America. Others are 4-star, such as Carnival or Royal Caribbean. Keep in mind, if you want 5-star, take a cruise on a 5-star ship. Don’t take a cruise on a 3- or 4-star ship and then be unhappy because it’s not top quality. A good source available on the internet, is the “Galaxsea.com” Cruise Ratings site (http://www.galaxsea.com/ratings.html).

I also highly recommended the various message boards that populate the internet. Such sites as Cruisecritic.com or Cruisemates.com are an excellent way to see what other people say about the ship and the itinerary you are considering. You can browse the hundreds of posts by people who have been there, and you can ask specific questions of people who take cruising very seriously. Type of Entertainment

Whether it’s the combo that plays at poolside, the bands that perform in the clubs or the glitzy production numbers that grace the theatres, cruise ships put a lot of thought and a ton of money into presenting entertainment. Pick the right entertainment environment and you’ll spend sun-drenched days in blissful happiness. Pick the wrong one, and you’ll feel like you’re surrounded by a bunch of people scratching their fingernails on a chalkboard.

Entertainment isn’t just about the lounge/club/party scene. It’s also about cooking classes, lectures, watching a movie, wine tasting, the casino, getting your golf swing computer analyzed, karaoke, bingo, “game-show” games or touring the galley. You can get a good feel for the type of entertainment and activities a ship offers by going online and checking out the ships on-board newsletter. It lists EVERYTHING happening on the ship. Each cruise line’s website will have a sample version of their newsletter. If your travel agent is any good at all, they will have copies from a variety of cruises they have taken. Dining

For many people, a cruise is all about the food. If you’re one of them, you’ll want to learn what your prospective ship has to offer.Main Dining (aka Formal Dining). All cruise ships have at least one Main Dining venue and many ships have more than one. The main dining room is the embodiment of luxury and service on your ship and they all work hard to offer classy selections. It’s an opportunity to try food and preparation styles that you would never experience otherwise. The main dining rooms will also open for breakfast and lunch. There is no assigned seating for these meals, but you still get great service and the menu selections are very good.

Many ships now offer alternative restaurants that require reservations and/or a surcharge in which you can choose from restaurants that specialize in French cuisine, seafood, or any number of other themes. There is a $5 - $15 surcharge for each person, but for people that like the choice, it’s well worth the money. This option usually isn’t available on ships built before 1990, because the idea wasn’t popular enough to include the extra space needed.Alternative Dining. In addition to the main dining room, all ships have a variety of interesting food options. Each has their own version of buffet lines that operate through-out the day, and naturally, some are better than others. New York style delis, pizza and sushi bars, and the always popular poolside grills are but a few of the ideas that are employed. Most ships now also provide coffee shops, bakeries and ice cream counters which usually cost extra. Room service is available 24-hours a day (no charge), with pastries and fruit in the mornings and sandwiches and pizza the rest of the day and night.Available ServicesChild Care and Youth Programs. Cruise lines understand that the people paying the tab need to have a good time if they are going to come back again. And the way that you make sure parents have a good time is to make sure the kids they are traveling with have a good time.

If you are planning a family cruise, you’ll want to travel on a ship that provides the best environment for the youngsters in your group. On the other hand, if you don’t want to have your space invaded by youngsters, you’ll want to stay away from cruise ships that make their youth programs a priority (such as Disney). Programs are set up to provide age appropriate activities and are usually free of charge. There will be an orientation about the youth programs on the first day of your cruise so you can get all the information you need, as well as meet the people who will be overseeing your kids.

Almost all ships provide in-cabin baby-sitting services for an extra fee. When provided, these services require you to pay cash directly to the sitter, rather than place the charge on your ship-board account. Educational/Enrichment Programs. Alongside the more traditional programs like yoga, nutrition counseling and towel folding, some ships now offer programs on gourmet cooking, wine tasting, art education, digital photography, computers, flower arranging, ceramics and much more. Most are offered at no extra charge. The availability of programs increases the longer the cruise. Shorter cruises usually only have a single day at sea, which is the most popular time to offer these classes. Some cruise lines place as high a premium on enrichment programs as other cruise lines place on partying and fun.Spa Facilities. Across the board, most ships consider a good spa and gym to be essential. Most cruise lines outsource their spa operation to Steiner Leisure Ltd. of London, England, who operate the spas on over one hundred cruise ships, including all of the spas on Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Disney ships. In all probability, no matter which ship you select, you’ll have a quality menu of options and a good spa. Gymnasium/Fitness Center. While you can generally count on a consistent level of quality and service in the spas, unfortunately the same can’t always be said of the gyms. Some are absolutely spectacular. Others are little more than a closet with treadmills. The newer ships will have very nice gyms regardless of the cruise line. The older ships, i.e., those built before 1990, may or may not, depending on whether the ship has been recently refit. Exercise equipment usually includes treadmills, stationery bikes, weights and cardio machines and most come staffed with one or two Fitness Directors. Fitness centers usually include men’s and women’s locker rooms, whirlpools, saunas and steam baths. Internet. Most ships have some kind of internet access, but it is a relatively new technology as far as passenger services go. On the newer ships, there is access all over the ship, even in many cabins. But the older vessels have more limited access. “Internet Cafes” are as common as casinos. Cruise lines are working hard to implement ship-wide wireless internet access and they are definitely getting there. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to check your e-mail at poolside. In some cases, wireless access is limited to one or two locations. If you do bring your laptop, finding electrical outlets on the ship can be REALLY hard. Make sure your battery is charged. Laptops and wireless cards can be rented on board.Cabin Size and Options

There are basically four options for cabins; inside, ocean view, suite or balcony (some ships call it “verandah”). Inside: The least expensive cabin aboard. The size of cabins can vary greatly from one ship to another. RCCL Sovereign-class ships are ridiculously small (119 square feet), whereas a similarly priced cabin on Carnival is about 50% larger (187 square feet).Outside: Usually an identical layout to the inside cabins, but has a window or portal. The difference in price between a standard inside cabin and an ocean view cabin ranges from $10 - $40 per night (NOT per cruise) depending on the ship and the time of year. In almost all cases, outside cabins, whether or not they have balconies, are larger, sometimes by as much as 15%. If your outside cabin is on one of the decks that has an exterior deck, you won’t necessarily see much ocean and you’ll have to deal with people walking outside your window all day.Balcony. Before 1990, balconies were not considered important, and so most ships built during that time either didn’t have any at all or have only a few. For all of the newer ships, i.e. those built after 1995, balconies are plentiful. A balcony will add $20 - $30 per night to the cost of an outside cabin, which usually works out to about twice as much as the cost of an inside cabin. For a 3-day cruise, given the short amount of time you’ll spend in your cabin, a balcony may not be worth double the cost.Suite. Actually, “suite” is a pretty generous description, since what you’re actually getting is an extra large cabin (about twice the size of your standard cabin and 3 – 4 times the cost). There are some suites that provide separate sleeping quarters and private hot tubs on the balcony but these are very limited and very expensive (5 – 10 times as expensive as an inside cabin). Most suites are a larger, and usually better furnished, version of a standard cabin.

When considering cabin options, think about how many people will be sharing it and much time you’ll be using it. The longer the cruise, the more important size and balconies become. Location of the cabin also determines desirability (and cost). For example, lower cabins sometimes pick up engine noise or the sound of the anchor dropping, but they do tend to be more stable in rough seas. Cabins located close to the action near the middle of the ship are convenient, but may also be in high traffic areas which translates into noise in the halllway outside your cabin.Itinerary

Caribbean cruises are broken down into 3 broad regions – Western Caribbean (Cozumel or Playa del Carmen, Mexico; Grand Cayman; Key West, FL; the Dominican Republic; Jamaica; Belize; or Costa Rica), Eastern Caribbean (Bahamas, St. Thomas, St. John, Puerto Rico, or Turks & Caicos) and Southern Caribbean (Aruba, Martinique, Barbados or St. Thomas).

Western Caribbean cruises tend to include more sea days because the destinations are so far apart and the distance one must travel across the Gulf of Mexico is so long. If you take one of these, make sure you choose a ship you’re going to like because you’ll be spending a lot of time on it.

Eastern and Southern Caribbean cruises usually include more ports of call (the islands are right next to each other) and therefore offer a wider variety of venues. That doesn’t mean you’ll have a wider variety of activities. The basic offerings from port to port will generally be the same type of activity, just different scenery.

Some things you’ll want to consider in addition to where you are going:How long will you be there? Ships that are in port for only part of a day only allow enough time for one shore excursion and may not leave time for shopping or bar hopping. Ships that stay in port overnight, or at least until midnight allow for more diversity of activities in port.When do you arrive/leave? This can matter, for example, if you want to do a sunset dinner cruise, but the ship pulls out sundown. Likewise, if you’ve booked a shore excursion on your own that requires a pick-up time at 9:30 am, but your ship doesn’t dock until noon, you’ll lose your money.How do you get ashore? Sometimes the cruise ships tie up at a pier and you just head down to the gangway and walk ashore. Other times the ship has to anchor away from the dock and deliver people ashore via tenders, which means there will be a bottle neck getting on and off the ship. This can be a major pain, especially if the ship is one of the super liners that has to disgorge 3,000+ passengers. Also, the roughness of the wind and water can hamper tender activities and can even cause the ship to decide to not stay in the port.In Summary

For many cruisers, you won’t really care about all of these factors. No problema. Just pay attention to the ones that are important to you. Whether you are booking through a travel agent or directly with the cruise line, ask about the issues that are important to you and make sure you check out the online reviews and message boards to get objective info.

HAPPY CRUISING!

A recent survey by www.idealcruising.co.uk of it’s British customers on board a Royal Caribbean cruise around the Mediterranean revealed that the number one reason that they chose Royal Caribbean was because they perceived the cruise line to offer non-traditional cruises. When digging deeper it was clear that customers had been swayed by Royal Caribbean’s advertising campaigns that had featured product innovations such as a rock climbing wall, an ice rink, and flow-rider.

Royal Caribbean’s Flow Rider produces artificial waves that recreates a surfing environment on the deck of the ship. The flow rider which is features onboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, and Independence of the Seas shoots waves at 30 MPH, and an incredible 60,000 gallons of water a minute. It’s a great feeling riding the waves on board a 150,000 tonne ship that is riding some even bigger waves below you. Falling off however in front of several hundred people watching you can be humiliating however!

 The rock climbing wall is a really popular feature, and all the safety aspects are covered. Royal Caribbean staff are there to supervise you in a one-to-one ratio, and they are there to support you if you are struggling. Helmets and special rock climbing boots are also provided, and the great thing is that this is all at no extra cost. You don’t have to have any previous experience and as long as you have reasonable fitness levels it is a great introduction to an exhilarating sport.

 Another popular aspect of Royal Caribbean the various whirl pools that are located on the main deck. These are open all day and also in the evening, and after dark they are a popular hang-out place for teenagers.

For those that prefer a more energetic cruise, Royal Caribbean have an amazing state of the art gym, with an array of cardiovascular exercise machines all of which face out towards inspiring panoramic views of the ocean when the ship is at sea. There are also a selection of aerobic, spinning and yoga classes taking place throughout the day.

Ice skating is yet another differentiating activity that is available, which defies the conventional thinking of what you can do on a cruise. For those however that prefer not to be inside on a sunny day, roller blading up on the main deck is a good alternative, and for those less energetic, the mini golf again on the main deck is great entertainment for all the family and even those not blessed with sporting acumen. 

 Those responding to the survey when probed about the priority that they put on the ship’s facilities and product innovations showed that it was not the individual product features that were important, but more the collective impact that they had in creating an image of a cruise that was a fun experience and pitched at a more youthful audience. Respondents also referred to on board activities such as karaoke, themed disco nights in the main concourse of the ship, and state of the art gyms as other examples of what made the experience on board a Royal Caribbean ship a positive one. When asked about if they would consider a cruise again with Royal Caribbean, over 90% replied positively, with value for money as the number one factor, followed by high customer service and then entertainment

 

Think of yourself, cruising around the world, enjoying the stunning vistas and the pampering of nature. The world is indistinguishable from paradise….
Man has been blessed with a world full of natural beauty and every nation and region has its own unique resources to be proud of.
This abundance of natural beauty makes it difficult for cruisers to choose a destination. They would like their cruise to be an unforgettable event from which they’ll carry back memories never to be diminished by time.
One of the most beautiful places to cruise in is the Caribbean. The Caribbean consists of a large number of tropical islands, each with its own unique characteristics. After seeing the splendour of the place, nothing else will be even close to it.
Once, it was nothing more than a wild fantasy to travel to the Caribbean and to cruise around in its turquoise waters with people who mean a lot to you and to hear the waves break over the rocks lining the shores of the islands.
Cruising in the Caribbean can be a truly wonderful experience. A unique feature of these islands is the fact they are all a part of a chain. Island hopping is an easy task as they are all linked to each other.
The reason a Caribbean cruise is an ideal choice is because, it offers the best of nature along with modern comforts to help people enjoy the beauty in comfort.
A Caribbean cruise has a lot to offer. In spite of the abundant wealth you are likely to notice in the resorts; the islands still have pristine, lush jungles as well as crystal clear waters and showcase how well nature can be integrated with modern living.
Here, you will experience the irresistible urge of the rain forests, akin to that found in Puerto Rico and Bonaire. Also, the weather is just ideal for various outdoor activities like swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing, fishing etc.
Right from the beginning, Caribbean cruises have an inherent attraction for the cruisers. The warm temperatures apart from being ideal for outdoor activities, also promote the growth of coral reefs which are a sight to behold in the waters of the Caribbean seas.
Apart from the natural beauty you are likely to experience and never forget, shopping on the islands offers an additional appeal for most cruise lovers. Shopping for mementos on the Caribbean islands for your loved ones back home, as a reminder of your trip, is a lot of fun. Shopping can be a lot fun as the prices are free of duties.
As the Caribbean is a collection of islands, different cruises offer different itineraries. All you have to do is to decide what places you want to visit on your cruise. Similarly, the lengths of the cruises are also widely variant.
The majority of the cruisers prefer to be a part of long cruises in the Caribbean as they want to get the maximum out of the trip as it will take them at least a year before they can return to this beautiful place. In two days, you will get to know quite a few of the friendly locals and understand their rich culture, and their unique history.
Finally, Caribbean cruises are ideal for a family vacation as well. Apart from the elders, the children will also enjoy their cruise in the Caribbean islands as there are a lot of things that would interest them. There is no better time to commune with your family and spend some quality time with each other, which becomes a rarity in our modern hectic lives.

Starting life in the late 1960’s the Royal Caribbean now stands as the world’s second largest cruise line and also one of the most popular. It started due to the fact a consortium of Norwegian ship owners wanted to get involved in the rapidly expanding American market and that is exactly what they have done. Its first ship debuted in 1970 and since then they have prided themselves on introducing new shipboard innovations. By the early 1990’s the Royal Caribbean moved into their next challenge, which involved designing ships for use outside its traditional cruising grounds in the Caribbean. This challenge was then met in 1995 with the introduction of Legend of the Seas, a spectacular new ship that brought Royal Caribbean into a whole new era.

 The Royal Caribbean cruise line now visits over a hundred ports of call in some of the world’s most stunning locations. These locations include the rugged beauty that is so often associated with Alaska and Canada through to the appeal of Europe and the luxuriant landscapes of Mexico, the Caribbean and Hawaii as well as the Panama Canal, Bermuda and the Bahamas. This particular cruise line isn’t however only popular due to its vast list of locations it is also down to the diverse activities that they ships have to offer, so what are these activities? And is there something to suit all tastes?

 Rock climbing, mini golf and ice skating as well as swimming pools and FlowRider® Surf Park are just some of the activities that holiday makers are able to take part in. It is important to have variety when it comes to activities in order to cater for everyone’s needs, plus on top of this you also get to take part in shore excursions that occur across a vast array of destinations. These leisure facilities and entertainment also go on throughout the day and even late into the night

 Staying on the subject of entertainment, all good cruises need a decent selection of both daytime and evening entertainment. On a Royal Caribbean cruise you are generally presented with two main types of evening entertainment. The ships tend to put on glitzy Vegas style production shows, which have been named as some of the most impressive among cruise lines. As well as this they also host passenger participation games that allow guests to get a bit more involved. These two examples represent the main forms of entertainment but as I previously mentioned there needs to be variety, which is why there is also a wide range of musical entertainment available in a number of public rooms. These ships even have parades and “street performers” in the Royal Promenade, which is a unique entertainment feature that can’t be seen on any other ships.

 The ships that make up the Royal Caribbean cruise line were voted the best family ships available so what makes this particular line stand out from others? Well one factor is they are considered to be the most diverse as they cater the most for everyone, where as other lines tend to focus on a particular age group or section of people. For example the NCL line considers itself to be a ‘freestyle’ line. This generally means you will have to undertake aspects such as making dinner reservations every day. Another example is Carnival cruise. They are an example of a cruise line that is aimed at a particular crowd of people; they aim at a younger crowd as they have more of a party atmosphere, where as the Princess line leans more towards an older crowd.

 It is important that when you are considering this type of holiday that you look into the different cruise lines that are available to you, including the Royal Caribbean cruise line, who I genuinely feel you will find what you are looking for with.