Travel plan idea blog

$14,000 for being on a cruise ship that crashed - would you take it?

If the captain hadn't abandoned ship and refused to oversee the evacuation when asked by the Italian coast guard, $14,000 might seem more reasonable. It's actually a bit more since travel expenses and stuff get reimbursed as well, but the way things happened, I'd bet that passengers willing to wait could see a lot more.

Roberto Corbella, who represented Costa in the negotiations, said the deal offered Friday provides passengers with quick, "generous," and certain restitution that consumer groups estimate could amount to some euro14,000 per passenger including the reimbursements.

The legal question seems iffy, but clearly the captain has few friends now. And whether he goes to jail or not, it's hard to argue he did nothing wrong.

Seems his bosses won't try to defend him in court either. I suppose they might try to argue that the company shouldn't be held responsible for its captain but I don't see how they could get away with that.

So what do you think about the $14,000 + travel expenses being offered? Is it fair? Would you take it?

Posted by James Trotta at 2:41 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Some different cruise itineraries

We often think of cruises as cookie cutter type vacations, especially if cruising means a mass market cruise to the Caribbean or something. I found this article on cruise itineraries to be really fun. Some sound nice but unaffordable:

Venture to the farthest reaches of the wilds of Russia, courtesy of this first-time offering from Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Cruisers can set sail to circumnavigate the Sea of Okhotsk (on the far eastern fringes of Russia) in style, aboard the world's only 5-star expedition ship, the 184-passenger MS Hanseatic. Excursion highlights include zodiac runs to the tiny unpopulated (unless you count the fur seals and sea lions) islands of Iony and Tyuleny, and the wildlife-rich Shantar and Malminskie Islands; hiking across the grassland tundra of Talan Island, of Taran Point on the Koni Peninsula, or of the Yamskiye Islands; and brown bear viewing on a zodiac ride from Cape Utholoskiy.

More Info: The 16-night expedition embarks on June 13 from Otaru, near Sapporo, Japan; from $10,810 per person; www.hl-cruises.com.

Day 1: Pittsburgh

Embark in Pittsburgh and get acquainted with your elegant ship. Tonight, join in the Welcome Aboard festivities.
Wheeling

Day 2: Wheeling

Overland routes, river traffic and railroads all converged in Wheeling during the 19th century creating a stunning sampling of Victorian architecture. A tour of the Oglebay Institute Glass Museum reveals another local gem.
Marietta

Day 3: Marietta

Artistry and history combine on a tour to the Campus Martius Museum, the Ohio River Museum and the Fenton Art Glass Factory and Gift Shop.
Point Pleasant

Day 4: Point Pleasant

Love a mystery? Ponder the story of "Mothman," first recounted in the late 1960s and commemorated by a sevenfoot stainless steel statue standing in the center of downtown Point Pleasant.
Maysville

Day 5: Maysville

Fans of Uncle Tom's Cabin will want to learn more about the author on a visit to the Harriet Beecher Stowe Slavery to Freedom Museum. For more local flavor, join a walk featuring Maysville's French, Irish and German influences.
Cincinnati

Day 6: Cincinnati

Learn about Cincinnati's pioneer life on a visit to a settler's cabin. Step aboard a side-wheel steamboat or visit the famous Rockwood Pottery Factory for a souvenir of the region.
Madison

Day 7: Madison

Tour family owned and operated businesses from Schroeder Saddletree Factory and the Madison Vineyard to Betty Mundt's Candies. A stroll through town takes in the highlights of this beautiful city in southern Indiana.
Louisville

Day 8: Louisville

Tie up in Louisville and bid your ship adieu. But give in to the temptation to hang around and explore.

Posted by James Trotta at 8:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Alaskan cruise: do you go for the cruise or for the destination?

I still owe you days 6 and 7 from Tallinn, but as I pack for the ferry back to Helsinki there's something else I have in mind. How often does the mode of transportation become an attraction and can it rival the place you're visiting?

I don't think road trips count here because the car you're in isn't the attraction. I think trains sometimes might but only rarely - like when you travel to a place for a ride on an old steam engine. I'd say that cruises are the most common in this category though - the ship is often the reason people go on the holiday, especially with Caribbean cruises; I think many people don't worry too much about the ports of call.

With something like cruises to Hawaii or Alaska it's probably closer to 50/50. You go for the cruise but also to see the destination. When I went on my NCL cruise from Seattle to Alaska I felt it was a good way to see a few spots in Alaska (Ketchikan, Skagway, and Juneau) plus you pretty much have to see the Inside Passage and Glacier bay by boat. See the full itinerary for an Alaskan cruise here. It wasn't that I really needed to visit one place in Alaska - I didn't know what I wanted but the cruise gave me a kind of sampling so that I know what I want to do there when I go back.

Here are some of the shore excursions we tried:

Juneau - the Mendenhall river glacier float. It started off with nice views of the Mendenhall glacier but then it took us downriver, away from the glacier. So for the first 30 minutes it was nice. The other 90 minutes was uncomfortable and while the scenery was peaceful it wasn't what we came to Alaska for - houses on the river, rusted cars on the bank that the government decided would help stop land erosion a few decades ago, a beaver dam. The river was mostly calm but there was one spot where they had class 2 and 3 rapids so we got wet and it was about 40 degrees fahrenheit (in August).

We talked to some people over dinner who did a helicopter tour and hike. They were much happier with their choice than we were with our choice. My wife was actually pretty mad at me during the cruise for picking out something uncomfortable but now (3 years later) I think she would tell you it's a god memory.

Skagway - White Pass Railroad and gold dredge. At the time we liked this much better than the rafting trip but now it's the rafting I remember better. I do remember some nice views from outside the train (where it was cold of course) and panning for gold was worth a try even though it's just rock and they put in some flakes for you to find.

And, of course, the time spent in between ports of call on the ship was pretty good too. We learned that next time we're in Alaska we should stay longer to do more wildlife viewing.

Posted by James Trotta at 3:08 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

My First Time Cruiser Experience

This article was submitted to http://www.co-operativetravel.co.uk/ as part of a writing contest they ran a while back.

I'd always seen adverts on television about cruises and was always intrigued to try one. Getting to visit lots of warm and sunny countries on one trip was something that was very appealing to me. However, something had always drawn me back in the past, and I always ended up booking the usual 'safe' option of flying from my nearest airport to our eventual destination.
This year though, my girlfriend and I decided we were going to go for it and book ourselves on a cruise. After searching on the web we found some great deals for Mediterranean cruises. We'd only been to Ibiza and The Algarve before, so we were excited about the prospect of seeing other places including Italy, Corsica and Sicily.

Day 1

We got to the airport and had a surprisingly uneventful time getting through to our departure lounge, considering the time of year! We were to fly to Palma in Majorca and then board our ship, P&O's Oceana when we got there.

After a relatively smooth flight we got on a coach to take us into Palma City itself. The first thing I noticed was how breathtaking some of the architecture was here, in particular the Cathedral, which towers above the rest of the surrounding buildings.

We had a few hours to kill here so we made our way through the narrow cobbled streets, browsing in the shops and having some lunch in one of the local Spanish restaurants. The food here was amazing, and the atmosphere very laid back in the warmth of the summer, which set us at ease before it was time to board our ship.

I didn't realise how large cruise ships are before we got on ours. Inside was so spacious, which I wasn't expecting. After we found our room, we relaxed for a bit, went through an emergency drill and it felt like no time before our luggage had arrived and we had set sail.

Day 2

We weren't going to be coming into any ports today so it was all at sea. This meant that we really got to explore the boat a bit more and get our bearings. We chose P&O as they are a famous name and we knew that people must sail with them for a reason. I have to say that we weren't disappointed, and there were some fantastic places to eat and take in some entertainment. The Marco Pierre White restaurant looked particularly good, and I knew that we would have to come back there at least once during our stay.

There were four swimming pools and six whirlpools on board, which as soon as we saw we were back in our room to grab our swimsuits. The day was incredibly relaxing, but we were definitely getting excited about arriving in our next destination.

Day 3

We arrived at Trapani in Sicily early and we were off the boat straight away to go and explore. We were told that the food in this part of the world was amazing, and they weren't wrong. Fish is caught fresh every morning and prepared on demand to create some absolutely delicious meals.
After filling ourselves up and seeing the sights we were able to take a boat over to the small Egadi Islands which are very quiet and have fantastic beaches and lovely warm water. We were able to sunbathe for a few hours and go for a nice quiet swim before it was time to head back to the ship again.

Day 4

We arrived in Naples on the mainland of Italy and we decided that we should be a bit more active today. We signed ourselves up to an excursion which climbed Mount Vesuvius; an active volcano! Apparently it's the only one in Europe that you can climb so we thought it was something not to be missed, and the view from the top of the city of Naples was incredible.
When we get down we suitably refreshed ourselves in the city. It's not the most beautiful place in the world, but it has a great, buzzing atmosphere and you really felt part of it wandering around and taking in the Italian way of life.

Day 5

One of the places we were most looking forward to is Rome and this was our destination for day five. The girlfriend was very excited about looking around the shops, and there are hundreds to choose from here - many of them with designer labels. Via Condotti is one of the most exclusive shopping streets in the world, and the price tags certainly reflected it!

We knew a trip to Rome wouldn't be complete without taking in some of the sights and we made sure we went to see The Colosseum, The Vatican and The Sistine Chapel. As expected, these areas are very touristy, but we managed to get some excellent pictures.

Day 6

The only French destination on our trip was next - Ajaccio in Corsica. This was a truly stunning, picturesque place and the amazing weather just added to its charm. It is very sleepy and seems to be untouched from tourism of any kind, which felt very different compared to our experience in Rome the day before!

We were told that we should go and check out the Fesch Museum, which holds some important paintings. This wouldn't normally be my kind of thing, but I have to say I was very impressed and you do start to feel absorbed by the artwork when you really study it.

We left port earlier than normal today as the ship was heading back to Palma in Majorca. We were disappointed about this as the time had flown by!

Day 7

We got off the ship in Palma and had an hour or so spare before our coach left to take us back to the airport.

We were sad to be leaving the Oceana; it's a great ship and the P&O staff really make an effort to make you feel special. Although we didn't want to leave, we knew we had caught the 'cruise bug' and that it wouldn't be long until we were planning our next trip and deciding what we wanted to see next.

Posted by James Trotta at 6:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

River cruise options: China's Yangtze?

So we've talked about a couple of river cruises in years past. One was the Mekong River cruise and I thought I had more but I can't find them right now. Anyhow, my wife has been talking about a cruise for our 10th anniversary and I like the idea but might be looking for something different from the regular US mass market cruises (we've been to bermuda and Alaska on NCL).

Today we look at a Yangtze River cruise, which I've taken off of Holidays in China.

One of the things I noticed is that the tours seem to focus on other attractions besides the river cruise. For example this one says you get 4 nights on the cruise. It's a 28 day tour. I'm not actually sure if this site sells just the river cruise.

One of the highlights is supposed to be visiting the "Three Gorges Hydroelectric River Dam, which spans the Yangtze River and is the largest dam in the world, more than 5 times the size of Hoover Dam." I had never considered visiting the Hoover Dam or any other before but I can see how the biggest of pretty much anything might be neat to see.

Which river do you recommend cruising for a 10th anniversary?

Posted by James Trotta at 11:30 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

When booking a cruise, where do you buy?

I figure there are three main choices: travel agent, website, or direct from the cruise line.

Representing travel agents will be yours truly. I am not a travel agent but I have booked 2 cruises through travel agents.

Representing the websites we have, MSC Cruises.

Representing the cruise lines we have the NCL webiste and all the emails they send me (which is starting to get annoying).


So what got me thinking about this was a recent email from NCL promising a free upgrade if you book now. I remember getting free upgrades through my credit card rewards when I went to Alaska, but the upgardes were silly like 6th floor to 7th floor (a $10 or $20 difference).

So I followed the email to their website and there it said "Balcony for the price of oceanview." Huh. So taking NCLs biggest newest ship, the Norwegian Epic, and stopping in Miami, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Nassau would run you (per person dual occupancy in February, 2011 over Valentine's Day):

$839 - Inside
$1139 - Balcony
$1179 - Mini Suite
$2059 - Suite
$1019 - Studio
$1439 - Spa

They say you get a mini-suite for the price of a balcony but I'm already confused since the email said get a blacony for the price of a plain old outside room. I don't even see outside room listed here.

Now we get tot he point where I show off why I'm an amateur travel blogger instead of a professional travel writer. The whole point of this was to compare but the website says to call for prices. If anyone wants to call them, I guess it's 0845 458 8909. Or I might remember to do it after Christmas.

I guess I'd also need to call a travel agent now that I think about it to compare what they have to offer. Can they get the same deal on the same cruise. In my experience, they can often get you the same deal and some onboard credit or something to sweeten any deal they can offer. When I went to Alaska our travel agent mentioned this blog and got NCL to give my wife and I VIP treatment, which included dinner with the captain of the ship and was very cool. When we went to Bermuda we got a few restaurant vouchers since we booked as a small group (6 people in 3 rooms).

But then the website has exclusive offers on things like Fred Olsen cruises.

I'm not sure how the website would get access to things a normal travel agent cannot but perhaps that's one nice advantage of going with a website. Assuming travel agents and websites can offer the same deal as NCL, I don't see much reason to book through the cruise line itself. Has anyone tried that?

Posted by James Trotta at 8:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Popular Caribbean cruise ports of call

Part three in our three part series of Caribbean cruise destinations I;ve never been to. We've got stunning tropical beaches, colourful towns, and places of great natural beauty. Some more of the best stop off points on Caribbean cruises:

Cozumel

Cozumel has plenty to offer the visitor, whether you want to explore the wonderful Mayan ruins at Tulum on a trip to the Yucatan Peninsula, take a walk down the narrow streets to pick up some hand painted Talavera pottery, go snorkelling in the famous Palancar Reef, or swim with the dolphins at Chankanaab National Marine Park. Some of you may remember the story of the clock from Cozumel that I inherited.

Curacao

Whether you want to relax on the secluded, palm-lined beach of Playa Kalki, go looking for petroglyphs at Hato Caves, or experience the hustle and bustle of the capital of the Netherlands Antilles, Willemstad, you are guaranteed to have a good time when you visit Curacao.

Ocho Rios

At Ocho Rios, you can frolic on the popular Turtle Beach or head inland to Fern Gully. Also nearby is Jamaica's most famous attraction, Dunn's River Falls, which can lay claim to over six hundred feet of refreshing waterfalls and limestone tiers.

Half Moon Cay

Set in fifty five acres of Little San Salvador Island in the Bahamas, this private tropical retreat is largely untouched by human hand, due to the fact that it is a protected bird sanctuary with a wide variety of rare and exotic birds. A must for bird watchers!

San Juan

This former fortress in Puerto Rico is the second oldest city in the Americas, and features plenty of sites of historical interest, including a wide variety of two hundred year old houses and wonderfully restored sixteenth century buildings.

St Kitts

If you're looking to take it easy, then St. Kitts could be just the place for you, with stunning deserted beaches, historic ruins, and lush rain forests. Marvel at the Victorian architecture of the capital city of Basseterre, take a tour of the island's recently restored eighteenth century plantation inns, or take a ride on the brand new 'Sugar Train', which circles most of the island.

If a week or two spent soaking up the suns rays in the tropical beauty of the Caribbean sounds like it might be just what you need, you might be interested in some of the cruise holidays from Thomas Cook, that are available online.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:36 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Popular Caribbean Cruise Stop Offs

Following yesterday's blog on stops and activities for Caribbean cruises, here is a guide to some of the more common ports of call on Caribbean cruises. Sadly, like yesterday's list, these are all places I've not yet seen.

Dominica

The beautiful, largely unspoiled rural paradise of Dominica is a feast for the senses, with dense jungles, dramatic waterfalls, rugged mountain scenery, and lush rain forests. Here, you can take a walk round the winding streets of Roseau, hike on some of the highest peaks in the Eastern Caribbean, or go snorkelling in the famous Champagne Reef.

Fort Lauderdale

This is the Port of Embarkation for many Caribbean cruises, and is well worth a visit in its own right. Here, you can enjoy a whole host of watersports along seven miles of sandy beaches during the day, and at night you can descend on the village-esque Las Olas Boulevard, where you can find many of the best shops, jazz clubs, and restaurants in the city.

Galveston

Immortalised in song by country legend Glen Campbell, Galveston is about 50 miles to the southeast of Houston, and can boast some of the best beaches in the Gulf of Mexico. Here you can while the day away relaxing on the beach, or head into town to explore its many cultural and historical attractions.

Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman can boast seemingly endless stretches of white sand on its famous Seven Mile Beach. This beach is a mecca for snorkellers, and both its 'West Wall' and 'Stingray Sandbar' are abundant with exotic marine life.

Roatan, Bay Islands

This banana shaped island just off the coast of Honduras is the epitome of the Caribbean idyll, with cooling trade winds, palm trees, white sands, and brilliant blue water. The locals are as friendly and welcoming as they come, and the pristine Belizean Reef is widely regarded as one of the best diving destinations in the world, teeming as it is with exotic marine life and some of the best pillar coral in the Caribbean.

If you're thinking about cruising the Caribbean any time soon, why not take a look at some of the great value cruises from Thomas Cook that are currently available online.

Posted by James Trotta at 11:31 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Caribbean cruise destinations

The Caribbean is synonymous with cruises, and has been one of the most popular cruise destinations for as long as there have been cruise ships. With tropical beaches galore, spectacular scenery, exotic plant and wildlife, and a laid-back atmosphere, it is no surprise that tourists still flock to the Caribbean when they want to unwind in the sun. Here are a few celebrated ports of call on Caribbean cruises that have not yet been mentioned on this blog:

Barbados

Featuring a stunning landscape of endless white sandy beaches and picturesque rolling hills, Barbados epitomises all that is good about the Caribbean experience. While you are there, be sure to sample some of the local rum at the famous Mount Gay Rum Factory, and pay a visit to Harrison's Cave, with its stalactites and stalagmites, bubbling streams, and cascading waterfalls.

Belize City

If you enjoy a bit of snorkelling, you absolutely must pay a visit to Belize City. This sparsely populated area, set among dense rain forest and ancient Mayan ruins, is best known for its barrier reef, which is a giant wall of coral that stretches along the length of the coast. Beyond the reef are three coral atolls and a hundred and seventy five cays.

Bonaire

This protected marine park, with its multi coloured reefs and colourful marine life, is a diver's paradise. On the island itself, you can take a nature tour through the kunuku outback, witness cacti, iguanas, and divi-divi trees at Washington/Slagbaai National Park, or take a walking tour through the historic town of Kralendijk.

Caracas

Caracas is the energetic and vibrant capital city of Venezuela, which blends modern architecture and great works of art with a strong tropical influence drawn from the surrounding natural environment.

Costa Maya

Set amongst mangroves and dense jungle, Costa Maya is home to a cornucopia of interesting Mayan ruins and pristine coral reefs. For those who don't want to head underwater, you can take a relaxing kayak tour along its still blue waters to witness the beauty of the coast without getting your feet wet.

If you fancy luxuriating for a week or heading in to the heat of the Caribbean sun, cruise deals from Thomas Cook are worth considering. Also if anyone here has been to one of these ports and can share their experience / advice, please do leave a comment.

Posted by James Trotta at 9:41 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Carnival Cruise question: formal night attire and Ocho Rios

Reader question: I'm going on a 5 day cruise for the first time with the wifey. For those experienced cruisers what can I expect from "formal" night? With your experience what is the typical attire? Would like to avoid bringing a suit if possible. Also have any of you been to Ochoa Rios? Any suggestions on what to do? I've heard mixed reviews.

Answer (feel free to add by commenting):

There are several ways to look at the formal night situation, and on your cruise you're certain to encounter people with every possible view.

On the one hand, it is formal which could mean at least a suit if not a tux. Why don't you take this opportunity to get dressed up with your wife and make it special? Do the show enjoy a cocktail and maybe dancing afterwards.

On the other hand, on Carnival formal night is pretty much "no shorts". On higher priced lines, formal night is real suits or tuxes. Some people have reported that on a Carnival cruise they felt awkward in a tux since not that many people wore one and it seemed out of place.

Many men say they wouldn't wear a suit, but nice Khaki's with a nice collar shirt and tie would be perfect.

In the end, it ranges from sport jackets khakis and a tie to suits and tuxedos. Some passengers will stay very informal - and just ignore any dirty looks.

Finally, some people would suggest you skip the formal dinner and eat at the buffet. Packing a bunch of extra clothes, shoes etc. for one night just doesn't seem worth it to some. Plus you won't feel as tempted to stand in line to have (overpriced) pictures taken. Then again, the Carnival food is often very good! So, I wouldn't skip any sit down dinners.

As for Ocho Rios

1. A boat tour to Dunn River Falls. Boat picks you up right at the same dock as the cruise ship, and serves alcohol on the way back.

2. Ochio Rios is a strange port - when you walk to the end of the wharf where the cruise ship property ends and the public property begins cruisers report being beseiged by drug dealers. At least one person said they reached the end of the wharf, got disgusted, went back to the ship, and made it a pool day.

3. One cruiser hired a driver from the throng just outside the port area. In his words:

I picked an older guy - figuring I could take him if need be ;) Also asked to see his license, and made a show of calling someone on my cell phone to leave his name with them just in case (you can always fake this if necessary). I always ask to see the car first, to get a general impression and verify it has air conditioning. These islands do get frequent cloudbursts, and riding in a car w/ no AC, rolled up windows and 3-4 people in it when it's 90 degrees isn't much fun.

We were happy with this choice as we got to see a lot of the island, and a very local flavor of things. Jamaica is one of the prettiest islands in the Caribbean, it really is a shame about the crime situation.

Keep in mind this was 10 years ago, and I would guess the situation has only gotten worse. Do some careful research ahead of time. You can bet some bad things happen that the cruise lines do everything in their power not to have publicized.

Posted by James Trotta at 9:09 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

Things that go wrong on cruises

This article was on Yahoo's front page a few days ago. It talks about things that go wrong on cruises like engines breaking down, bad weather, service and food designed to save the cruise line money, and so on.

When I did my Alaska cruise review, I mentioned that we got lucky and that sometimes people don't. For example, the captain told us that one time they had to skip the inside passage, surely one of the highlights. We also heard that when we were doing the inside passage visibility was not usually as good as what we had. We also saw an NCL ship coming back to port and we later learned that they turned around because of a sick passenger. No doubt they had to shave a few hours off of their next destination...

Have you ever missed a port of call or something like that on a cruise?

Posted by James Trotta at 12:00 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Should Royal Caribbean ships dock in Haiti?

Interesting article here. Some people think it's wrong to dock in Haiti in light of the recent disaster. Yet Haiti needs all the help it can get and the cruise ships do carry food aid and give Haiti money.

The decision to go ahead with the visit has divided passengers. The ships carry some food aid, and the cruise line has pledged to donate all proceeds from the visit to help stricken Haitians. But many passengers will stay aboard when they dock; one said he was "sickened".

"I just can't see myself sunning on the beach, playing in the water, eating a barbecue, and enjoying a cocktail while [in Port-au-Prince] there are tens of thousands of dead people being piled up on the streets, with the survivors stunned and looking for food and water," one passenger wrote on the Cruise Critic internet forum.

This reminds me of an old blog entry, where I linked to an article on false advertising in the cruise industry:

What's in a name? Royal Caribbean ships leave from Cape Liberty (a fancy name for Bayonne, N.J.) and the company's private resort is on the island of Hispaniola, which sounds better than being on the north coast of Haiti.

Posted by James Trotta at 2:30 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

Interesting Themed Cruises / New Year's Traditions

Guest entry from Mancunian

We have all heard of themed cruises of course, but a new idea seems to have really taken off. According to this article, a California based singles travel company has organized the first cougar cruise (apparently a cougar is an older woman who is looking for a younger man). The cruise ran from the 4th of December to the 7th, featured non-stop dancing, dinners and partying and was a big success. No, I didn't go on the cruise; I read this on the company's web site.

In a similar vein, cruise retailer www.cruise.com has just introduced cruises aimed at divorced people; they commenced a couple of months ago and are on Royal Caribbean or Norwegian Cruise Line ships. Do you have to take along your divorce papers to prove you are divorced, or will they take your word for it, I wonder...?

I found plenty of other interesting and unusual themed cruises that you can take - in fact, regardless of your interest or hobby, there seems to be at least one cruise that is designed just for you. Some options for 2010 include a soap cruise, in which you can mingle with the actors from general Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful, etc; an Elvis Presley cruise (offered by Carnival and billed as the first such authentic cruise) and a chocolate lover's cruise. Music cruises are apparently the most popular themed cruises. This site http://themecruisefinder.com/index.html has all sorts of themed cruises, some of which sound quite interesting and some my wife probably wouldn't let me take!

This blog has mentioned genealogy, NFL football, Mac computers, and political discussion.

If you want a cruise with a difference, you can always try traveling by freighter. This site has plenty of options listed. Some of the around the world trips sound like quite a bargain, beginning at around $13,000 for a four month voyage. Its something I have always wanted to do - of course, now I don't have the time to do it.

New Year's Eve is fast approaching; one of the few days I actually stay up until after midnight! In Raleigh we drop a huge acorn from a tall building (Raleigh is known as the City of Oaks) which is almost as exciting as the ball dropping in Times Square. However, some countries around the world have quite strange New Year's traditions - in Denmark, finding piles of broken dishes outside your front door is considered a sign of good luck; and in Scotland, if the first person to enter your home on New Year's Day is a dark haired man bearing gifts, it brings good fortune for the coming year. And if you want to be the first person in the world to celebrate the New Year, you should head to tiny Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean, which is said to be the first inhabited place to see it.

Anyway, regardless of where and how you are spending the holidays, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Posted by James Trotta at 10:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Oasis of the Seas charges $1,650/person for inside rooms in December

So a while back I got invited by Royal Caribbean to try out Liberty of the Seas. I was in Korea so i sent my parents. Royal Caribbean has not invited me back so it may be a while before my next free cruise.

Anita Dunham-Potter got one on Oasis of the Seas and though she's mostly impressed (aside from some noise issues) she wonders if people will be willing to pay the higher prices Royal Caribbean wants to get to pay off their 1.4 billion dollar ship.

I also wonder. $1,650/person for inside rooms in December is pretty steep and I guess it would go higher in the summer. I may have mentioned at one point that my wife and I were planning to try one of these super huge ships next time we cruise but I don't know if I want to pay that much...

Posted by James Trotta at 1:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

NCL Spirit August 14-21, 2009 Boston to Bermuda cruise: comprehensive review

This was my second NCL cruise and the less satisfying of the 2. I can only recommend this cruise to people in the Boston area who want to leave on a cruise from Boston for convenience. I understand that NCL is also the only cruise line that has 7 day cruises to Bermuda with 3 days there. So if 2 days in Bermuda isn't enough, I could certainly see cruising there and staying for three days - that might be more relaxing than flying to Bermuda and then finding a hotel.

For experienced cruisers, however, the Spirit is unlikely to compare favorably to your other cruises. The ship is relatively small - the pool is tiny and there aren't a lot of extras that make you say "wow, how'd they get that on a ship?" It seemed similar to the NCL Pearl I took to Alaska, but the Spirit had no bowling lanes and no shabu shabu. They did have a few things the Pearl did not have, however; the Indian night ($15 cover) sounded interesting but they had often had an Indian dish on the main dinging room menu (free).

Despite the relatively small size of the ship, it didn't really have an intimate feel. For example, if you go eat breakfast at the buffet around 9:00 AM it will be way too crowded. I know that stressed my sister out a bit. My wife and I chose to wake up early every day and go to the main dining room where the breakfast food was very good but the service was slow.

We noticed slow service in the restaurants was pretty typical on this cruise. We were on vacation to relax so it wasn't too bad but being from New York and living in Seoul - I just appreciate speedy service so that I can decide how long the meal takes.

Speaking of food, there were several times when we were really surprised at how salty some of the dishes were. My family tends to like salty food but there were quite a few times when something would just have way too much salt. It may sound funny to complain about free food because you can get something else instead. However, wasting food and waiting is not really comfortable. Interestingly, we only had this problem in the main dining room. The specialty restaurants were always very good.

While we're talking about specialty restaurants, we joked on the last night as we ate in the Italian one that we'd have eaten there every night if we had just tried it earlier. The cover is a little less ($10) and the food was very good (with the exception of the canoli that must have been pre-filled so it was nasty and soggy). The Asian restaurant (where you can get regular Asian dishes or sushi) was very good. We went twice. We didn't try Teppenyaki since it was pretty bad on the NCL Pearl. We didn't try Cagney's steakhouse because it was $25. For $35 you can have dinner in a famous steakhouse during restaurant week ($25 for lunch) and I guess because of the economy, restaurant week lasted for all of August at some places.

The rooms seemed quite small. I have no problem with small rooms but some people were a bit disappointed. I had a cheap inside room but even the balcony rooms seemed quite small. They certainly didn't seem as nice as the balcony I was in on the Norwegian Pearl.

Overall it was a great vacation but I think there are certainly better cruises out there. If you're limited to ones leaving from Boston, then I'm not so sure but this may be the best you can do. It's good, just not great.

Other NCL Spirit cruise related posts:

2 pictures
2 more pictures
The bad start
Days 1 & 2
Shore excursion talk
Confusion over edocs
Do you expect good entertainment on cruises?

Posted by James Trotta at 5:34 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

How was the entertainment on your cruise(s)?

This article on the popularity of cruises ends with what I think is a controversial quote:

"Cruises are appealing because they are economical ways to travel, and it's like a five-star resort -- very luxurious, similar to an all-inclusive resort," said Platt. "The cost includes the food, Broadway-style entertainment, and a sense of adventure without moving from hotel to hotel."

Now I like that you can sample a few different types of entertainment on a cruise without wasting money. And I realize that I am kind of picky when it comes to what I'll allow myself to be entertained by. However, on the cruise I just returned from the entertainment was certainly not Broadway-style (except for one night) or Broadway-caliber.

There was a singer / piano player that we went to pretty much every night, Ted White. If it weren't for him most of my family would have been very hard up for entertainment.

Second City, the comedy troop, was good. Jane L. Powell, who advertises herself as the Chocolate Goddess of Love (kind of a surprise to see that sign on the cruise ship) was entertaining. They did have a Broadway-style show and while the singers were talented, the musical didn't really hold together for me. There really wasn't much else I was interested in.

What about on your cruises? Did you find tons of good entertainment or was it kind of slim pickings?

Posted by James Trotta at 10:14 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Days 1 and 2 of NCL Spirit Boston to Bermuda cruise

I am on the NCL Spirit and tomorrow we arrive in Bermuda. I'm with my wife, my sister + brother in law, and my parents.

We're having a good time, but I don't think this review will be as positive as my NCL Pearl Seattle to Alaska review was. The Spirit seems a bit smaller and older. No big deal but some doors are very hard to open. When we got on the ship most toilets weren't flushing for an hour or two.

One of the biggest things we've noticed is that service at the restaurants is often very very slow. Every time sit down at a restaurant it seems we're in for a long wait. Some of us are not real impressed with the food although I've been liking mine. MY father says that the entrees are like appetizers and the appetizers are miniscule. Since you can order more than one entree that's not really an issue for me. Although you do need to order everything at once since the service is so slow. Although after a good mango, kiwi, and papaya salad tonight I asked for 2 more and they came quickly enough.

A few other small things I'll put down here before I forget. Some of the tiles in the pool have fallen off and the pool seems too small. Also the shower in our room is a little old because there's some palstic or something peeling off it that's a bit irritating.

I know it sounds like a list of complaints but we are enjoying the cruise. I've liked pretty much all the food although that's not true for everyone in my family. The pool emptied out around 5:00 so I did get to enjoy that. I can't swim very far anyway so a small pool is OK by me.

The only thing I've really hated is a pilates class I walked out on today. They set us up next to the engines so we couldn't hear the instructor very well. They took us to a spot where the sun was blasting me in the left eye. The wind was blowing my mat around. I lasted about 2 minutes. My wife and sister enduredf the entire class and both said it was basically just an easy stretch class - not a workout and not real pilates.

Anyway, just a few things I wanted to get down before I forgot. There was also a mix up with some free meals at specialty restaurants we were supposed to get because our travel agent got us a group deal but that'll wait for another day.

And don't worry about the list of complaints because I am having fun. It's hard to pinpoint the things I like. Swimming in the small pool, the food, working out in the small gym that has no pullup bar (the gym's not perfect but I like it), the company of course.

More later!

Posted by James Trotta at 12:10 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

I now blame NCL more than my travel agency for my past confusion about an upcoming cruise

A week or so ago I was complaining about having used a travel agent, but actually most everything was my fault. Not that I'm taking full responsibility - I also blame NCL for confusing me.

I had a little booklet from NCL with luggage tags and a bit of information. In there it said I needed edocs. What I didn't know was that the little book was what I needed - it was very confusing because it didn't look at all like edocs, certainly not like the ones I had last time I went on an NCL cruise.

I went to log in to NCL to print out my edocs but I needed a reservation number. It was on the little book but I didn't notice it (I read the book but it was hiding on the cover - who reads the cover?) so I called NCL. They wouldn't give me the reservation number because "only your travel agent can give you that." So they put me on hold, called the travel agency, came back and said that a travel agent would call me soon.

And that's what happened. The travel agent explained everything I needed to know about how that little book and my passport was all I would need on the day of the cruise. Good to know - would have been nice if NCL put that information in their book!

Here's a related story about how people are fed up with planning and booking vacations online. They still do it though so it can't be all that bad but the article implies that people don't trust travel agents by saying that people can't find ones they want to use:

"Travel companies (on the internet) expect the consumer to behave like a travel agent," he explained. "The question I always ask these guys is, 'Could your mother-in-law use your Web site without having to call you for help?' The answer is always no."

In fact, Mr. Harteveldt said a growing number of consumers appeared to be interested in using an offline travel agency, if they could find one.

"The fact that there are more people now who would consider using a good offline travel agent is telling me people are saying, 'Enough already,' " he said.

Posted by James Trotta at 10:11 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Shore excursions in Bermuda - and suggestions?

So it's time to choose shore excursions for my August cruise from Boston to Bermuda. It's an NCL cruise and we will be in King's Wharf for 3 days. I am fine with NCL shore excursions or just doing things more on my own.

One thing I am really curious about is something I heard about swimming with dolphins. I'm not really interested, but my wife is. However she only wants to swim with dolphins in very shallow water because...

My wife can't swim and panics in water so all snorkeling and scuba is out. Actually, feel free to make suggestions and I might just leave my wife on the ship or on the beach one day...

Posted by James Trotta at 7:22 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Some reading material for you: Celebration Cruise Line, Mexico, Arenal Volcano eruptions, destination wedding planning

My Spanish is weak but I'm pretty sure this article says that Arenal Volcanic activity caused the evacuation of some tourists from the National Park. Must have been a nice view for the people in their hotel rooms looking at the volcano...

This article talks about how Mexico is still cheap. A good time to go if you want to avoid crowds and aren't scared of swine flu.

Here's an article on destination wedding planning. I've mentioned destination weddings fairly recently.

Here's a pretty rare occurrence, but a helpful one. The author discusses his experience on Celebration Cruise Line, a discount cruise line with one 1,500 passenger ship. Apparently it's not that great. It's pretty rare that you read a negative review but they certainly are helpful.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Any tips for avoiding getting seasick?

Last time I went on a cruise to the Caribbean it was 1991. I was barely a teenager so my memory may be a bit fuzzy but what I remember is that for a day or so off the coast of the Carolinas everyone on the boat except me, my father, and my grandfather got seasick.

There were little bags for vomit everywhere and you barely saw anyone except crew. Someone told us that the water often got rough around there and that the seasickness thing was not uncommon.

I don't want that to happen to anyone in my family on my upcoming summer cruise so I was wondering if anyone had any tips for avoiding seasickness.

1. Dramamine

Take 2 30 minutes before you leave.

2. Ginger

Buy some ginger tea... Myth Busters did a show on this and said ginger is the best, you can buy them in pill form as well.

3. Relief Band

I'm told it works well. It's a little pricey though, around $130.

4. Look at the horizon

If you feel a little sick while out there, stare at the horizon. Staying above deck alone is pretty good, but staying above deck and looking at the horizon is best.

That's because seasickness is caused by a confusion of sorts in the brain. The Chochlea in the ear is filled with salt water basically and when the boat rocks it moves and tells your brain that you are moving. howver, your eyes and your body tell your brains that you are not moving. The brain doesn't like mixed signals and so that is why you get nausea.

When you look over the horizon your eyes tell your brain that you are moving and it kind of synchronizes with the ear.

Also, don't go below decks if you can help it. I heard from one guy who was fine till he went in the confined space of the head while the boat was rolling. It ruined his trip.

5. Meclizine

An anti-nausea/anti-motion sickness medicine which I'm told works well.

6. Bonnie

I know a scuba diver and he swears by Bonine. He says it is much better the Dramamine. Bonine doe snot make you tired. All the diver use Bonine. The trick with all the pills is
to take it with food and about 1 hour before boarding the boat.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:23 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

UK Firm plans to Recreate Titanic Maiden Voyage

The 100th anniversary of the maiden voyage of the famous and ill-fated Titanic is still a couple of years off, but apparently there is already interest in celebrating the anniversary. This UK newspaper reports that a commemorative cruise in 2012 will replicate the maiden voyage of the Titanic as accurately as possible - authentic food, music and other entertainment. If you are interested, you can already book your trip at the company's website After watching the film version of Titanic, I would think twice about booking one of the cheaper cabins down in the bowels of the ship. Just in case.

If you are a Titanic fan, there are plenty of other reminders of the ship, both in the UK and North America. In Liverpool, you can still see the building that was the headquarters of the White Star Line; and the city's Maritime Museum has exhibits on the ship.

In Halifax, Nova Scotia, over 100 Titanic victims are buried in the city's Fairview Lawn Cemetery and the city's Maritime Museum of the Atlantic has a small but interesting exhibition, which includes one of the ship's surviving deckchairs. And New York, which of course was meant to be the final destination of the Titanic, has many Titanic memorials and reminders, including the Titanic Lighthouse near South Street Seaport, and a Wireless Operators' Memorial near Battery Park. This site has plenty of information on virtually every Titanic related site in New York.

This blog has talked before about airlines charging passengers extra according to their weight. United is the latest US airline to come up with an official policy to charge overweight passengers who can't fit into a single seat. And the UK carrier, Ryanair polled their passengers on the subject and apparently almost half of them (the slimmer ones, I assume) though that a "Fat tax" was a good idea.

Just a quick follow-up from my last blog entry. I did at last get to visit the famous Unclaimed Baggage Store in Scottsboro, Alabama. It's slightly disappointing in that it is just like a huge thrift store, although it is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area and hard to believe that all those items were left on planes or in peoples' lost luggage. The most exciting part of the visit was having to go to the store's basement because of a tornado warning - we later learned that the tornado passed within a half mile or so of us. My 12 year old son had wanted to be a tornado chaser when he grows up - now he's not so sure.

Guest entry by Mancunian

Posted by James Trotta at 4:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Know of any repo cruises in July, August, January, or February

I don't have a lot for you today. I taught from 9-3 (I do half my classes on Tuesday) and then had to hang around the school for a staff dinner so I put in an extra long day. But what I do have is fairly interesting: an article on repo cruises.

The author is taking NCL from Miami to England. The article says they are cheap but that you have to have vacation time for them. I'm cheap and I have vacation time in summer and winter...

I wonder if there are any cruise ships repositioning in July, August, January, or February (the months I can go on vacation). The ones next month won't help me but maybe someone reading this can benefit:

Next month, Royal Caribbean has an eight-night cruise from Colón, Panama, to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with stops in Costa Rica, Colombia and Aruba. Cabins start at $50 a night per person. In September, Holland America will offer a sailing from Vancouver, Canada, to the Gulf of California. The 13-night trip concludes in San Diego, with cabins from about $85 a night per person. As Badgley notes, it's hard to find a hotel room for that price, let alone one with the meals included.

Posted by James Trotta at 10:23 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

A couple of cruise articles: how to find a good deal

I'm supposed to work all day so I won't have much time for blogging. I do have a couple of cruise articles for you though. The first one offers some tips on how to find the best deals. My next cruise will be an NCL cruise departing from Boston but in the end I didn't have as many choices as I'd have liked. It had to be NCL because of my credit card (I'll be getting a lot of money off by turning in credit card points). Next time that shouldn't be an issue because I'm getting rid of the card.

But I did have some options. Leaving from Boston was cheaper than leaving from New York. Leaving from Baltimore was even cheaper, but my sister lives in Boston so a free bed the night before and free parking makes up for the difference.

This second article I link to only because the title is interesting. Are cruises a worthy investment? In general I think vacations are good investments because relaxing is good for your health.

But no time for me to relax. I'm going to go write some more test questions...

Posted by James Trotta at 12:46 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

When considering a cruise

This article talks about things to consider when choosing a cruise.

Style of ship and cruise line
Where to go
When to go
What kind of room to get
Get a good deal

I would think most of these are pretty obvious. Hard to take a cruise without picking a destination and I'm sure most of us want to pay as little as possible.

When to go is worth considering - different seasons have different price tags and even different destination options. I'd love to cruise around South America but they only do that certain times of year.

The mass market cruise lines are obviously different from the small luxury lines. There are some comments on the different mass market ones here.

When they talk about what kind of room to get, they mention that Alaska is a good time to spring for a balcony. I did, but I'm not sure it was worth an extra $1,000 each or whatever.

Posted by James Trotta at 1:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Park West Gallery art auction on cruises revisited

Not long after my Alaskan cruise, I wrote about Park West Gallery. You see these guys on many cruise ships auctioning paintings. They also run art history seminars and stuff like that.

Anyway, there had been some negative articles about them but I wrote that I was happy with my experience and that the people who had been "ripped off" were responsible for their purchases. If you decide to spend $25,000 on a painting without shopping around because the salesman tells you it's a bargain, who do you blame when you later find the painting could be bought for less?

I did talk to one Art Gallery owner who warned me to stay away from Park West. I had already spent my $2,000 so I worriedly asked him why. He said that he had never heard of anyone getting a good deal from them with the possible exception of "lower end stuff." Now this same guy was telling me that the small Romero Britto "Blue Dog" or "Tiny Temptations" sculptures (numbered out of 1,000) were inferior investments to the bigger ones numbered out of 100. The smaller ones were in the $700 range while the bigger ones were in the $8-10,000 range.

I think it's safe to say that I'm buying lower end stuff...

So anyway, a few weeks ago 2 of the 3 pieces I bought arrived. When we went to get them framed we realized they were damaged. There were a few little white spots that wouldn't come off. I called Park West and they said they'd replace them as soon as I sent the damaged ones back. They would pay for shipping.

So the replacements came and were in fine condition. Then the 3rd piece came. So I now have a Mouly "Le Peintre et le Modele" on my bedroom wall where there used to be a cheap $20 poster of some flowers in a $30 frame. The room looks 100 times better.

The other two I need to go get framed (the Mouly came framed) but I'm sure they will make our home look fabulous.

Did I get a good deal? Who knows? I'm no art expert. I did take their advice though - the Park West guys said to buy art you like. Otherwise you'll be looking at it thinking about how much money you spent instead of how much you like the art. I love the art I bought so I'm happy with my purchase.

I also have trouble imagining that I was totally ripped off. Granted I'm buying lower end stuff but a print numbered out of 300, signed by the artist, and costing a few hundred bucks seems reasonable to me.

Somehow I got lost - the point I was going to arrive at here was that the Park West customer service was as good as I could have expected. I had to call a few times to find out what was going on because they didn't call or email me to follow up (which they said they would) but in the end they were completely honest with me; they replaced the pieces I was unhappy with at no extra charge.

I did a news search for Park West Gallery and found a press release from a website trying to sell a video of a German art detective determining that two Dali prints sold by Park West (for thousands of dollars) are fakes. Doesn't seem like a real reliable source to me.

I found a blogger claiming there's no art worthy of a Christie's auction but I saw Rembrandt and Picasso prints on my cruise. Unlike some people crying online though, I didn't spend $30,000 on a Picasso I don't like, and know so little about I can't even tell if it's genuine or not.

I also learned that Park West now has a 40 day refund policy. There used to be no refunds at all. There's also some kind of exchange system in place.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Travel with autistic children: cruises and more

This article talks about a Royal Caribbean cruise designed for families where one or more of the kids has autism.

They also mention camping in Colorado and a resort in Vermont. But just because a tour operator tries to provide travel experiences for people who suffer from autism does not mean that the vacation will be easy:

The very idea of travel — the chance to see new places, try new foods, experience new cultures — is directly at odds with the needs of many people with autism, who require well-established, strictly observed routines to feel secure.

Posted by James Trotta at 1:29 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Genealogy cruises

I'll be keeping it short again as jet lag is going to force me to sleep in a few minutes. But I do have another interesting niche cruise to share: genealogy cruises.

This was the first time I’ve participated in Legacy’s annual cruise. In previous years, Legacy has sponsored genealogy cruises to Hawaii, Alaska and other interesting ports of call. There are indeed other genealogy cruises, such as those offered by Roots Magic, The Genealogy Guys, and Wholly Genes (The Master Genealogist). These are not to be confused with genealogy research trips and retreats where on-site research is the key.

I'm interested in visiting towns where my great grandparents must have lived in Ireland, Germany and Italy but I don't think I'm ready for a genealogy cruise. Sure it would be better than a cruise designed to get people talking about politics, but I'd prefer a cruise designed to get you closer to football players or something.

Posted by James Trotta at 8:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

NCL cruise to Alaska comprehensive review: Norwegian Pearl July 6-13

I recommend a cruise to Alaska for people who want to get an introduction to Alaska. It's probably best for people who are willing to experience whatever they get because what you're able to do on a cruise has a lot to do with luck. It's probably easier to have fun if you don't spend your entire vacation budget on the cruise tickets. I also recommend this vacation to people who are willing to wait fi they want to do something the same time everyone else wants (the buffet area, the gym, and the theater can get very crowded).

Now my style is to tell you all the things I think might stop you from having a great vacation. They may seem like small, nitpicky things to you. If these things wouldn't bother you than this might be the vacation for you. If as you read this you're thinking ' that would drive me nuts' maybe you need to consider a different vacation.

Luck with the weather is a big factor. For example I spoke to one couple after returning from my cruise who had shore excursions at 2 of their 4 ports of call cancelled because of weather ( on a totally different cruise a couple years ago). When I had dinner with the captain of the Norwegian Pearl, he told me that once he had to cancel the Glacier Bay portion of the cruise (probably the best part for many). Now these may be highly unusual cases, but if something like that happening is going to make you miserable, consider another type of vacation.

This means that if you take a cruise you need to be willing to have fun on the ship and not get too upset if things change. To have fun on the ship it helps if you're willing to spend money. My wife and I spent $1300 on shore excursions and random stuff on the ship. We don't drink but there is a mandatory gratuity of $10/person/day, $15 cover charge (each) for some restaurants, $25 cover for the Teppenyaki restaurant, photos that cost anywhere from $15 to $30, $10 for a game of bowling, etc.

That doesn't include duty free shops and art auctions which could help you spend a lot more money.

So when you budget your vacation, cruise tickets are not your only expense. My wife and I probably spent the same amount on other stuff (art, jewelry, restaurant covers, binoculars, bowling, photos, shore excursions, etc.) as we did on the cruise tickets. If you add in flying from New York to Seattle and the hotel in Seattle that adds another $1500.

I stress the budget stuff because I definitely saw people not having fun because they wouldn't spend money. The place where you buy photos seemed especially angry. You don't get free photos on an NCL cruise and if that's going to make you angry, don't go. My wife and I ended up buying some photos because they were good, better than the ones we took ourselves or better than ones other passengers took with our camera. We would have liked to buy more photos, like one of us with the captain, but that photo only came in the 8x10 size and cost $25. We asked them to make us a smaller one but they said no. We didn't want some huge picture with the captain because it wasn't going on our wall - it was just going in a photo album. Plus $25 is a lot for a picture.

When you buy a picture, you can spend another $20 to get the digital image (jpeg file on cd). So things like the ship's photography costs money. If you want that stuff but don't want to pay for it you're going to get angry on the cruise. I saw it happen to several people. It happened to me a few times because internet access is expensive and slow.

Now the ship itself is great. I thought the food was excellent although the Filet Mignon at Teppenyaki was not very good (I hear they have better quality meat at Cagney's steakhouse - they should bring that better meat over to Teppenyaki). That was really the only meal that wasn't very good or great. There was one breakfast where we tried to eat at the same time eeveryone else did (9:00 AM) and it took us a very long time to find a seat - so long my eggs had become disgustingly cold and I threw them out and went to get more (and I hate wasting food). I think I talk about most of that stuff and more here.

There was one lady who claimed to have found a maggot in her salad, but I don't trust crazy people and have my doubts. She was too nutso for me to get her side of the story, but she said this was the worst cruise she has been on and had 'myriad complaints'. I dunno. Everyone I actually talked to really enjoyed the food.

If I had to find something to complain about, it would be that the breakfast was pretty much the same every morning. Now it was huge. Eggs, omlettes made to order, yogurt, muffins, pastry, pancakees, cereal, sausage, bacon, potatoes (several types), French toast (not so good actually), etc. After 7 days of that I was getting tired of western breakfasts and wanted an Asian style breakfast - a little more international variety would have helped.

Anyway, the food was great. Entertainment was good. We saw these guys:

There were only 4 when we say them - they were good entertainers and very nice when we spoke to the in person. We also saw:

Other shows were not as good. Something about Sea Legs Cabaret, some acrobatics stuff that was decent but not world class, and a staff talent show that was pretty painful. They're free so we left when we didn't like the show. It was sometimes tough getting a seat in the theater but we always managed to get one.

Some people said they chose NCL because it was more family oriented. The nightlife that we checked out was pretty lame so I guess that's true. One night there was a 'sexy shadow dance' show in Bliss Ultra Lounge. We stayed about 5 minutes and there were about 3 couples and 3 staff members in the entire place. Totally dead. My wife went to a male strip show but she said it was boring. I can't confirm or deny that...

What about Freestyle Cruising?

Now the way NCL tries to differentiate itself is through 'freestyle cruising'. My hands are tired from typing so I'll write more on that later but for purposes of this review let me recommend freestyle cruising. Unless you want to be forced to eat at a certain time at a certain table with a few strangers, why not go freestyle cruising? I mean you could eat at the same time every night - you just don't have to. What I'm not clear on is how much more freedom you have on NCL than on say Royal Caribbean. Maybe someone can help make that comparison for us.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:57 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

Park West Gallery art auctions on cruise ships

When I talked to the 2 Park West people on the Norwegian Pearl, they told me that Park West Gallery is the biggest art dealer in the world and they got that huge by bringing art to the people. Park West Gallery does art auctions on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, Carnival, Disney, Holland America, Regent and Oceania.

This article talks about some problems people have had with Park West. The complaints seem to focus on some Dali prints and pricing.

First, some experts claim that Park West is selling forged Dali prints. When I was looking at the work on the NCL Pearl, the Park West guy told me that the biggest issue with Dali was authenticity because some paper that Dali had signed but not yet used was stolen or something.

I'll save that discussion for people who know art. I can't determine if a work is authentic or not but I did trust that Park West was selling me authentic works. Hopefully my trust was not misplaced but then again I'm not an art newb spending $78,000 without getting the piece independently authenticated. And if Park West really is selling forged works, I guess the courts will make them pay.

The other complaint was about the price. Here's one example:

It was only after Maldonado landed back in California that he did some research on his purchases. Including the buyer's premium, he had paid $24,265 for a 1964 "Clown" print by Picasso. He found that Sotheby's had sold the exact same print (also numbered 132 of 200) in London for about $6,150 in 2004.

I would say the more confusing part is the "also numbered 132/200" - there shouldn't be 2 prints with the same number so assuming there is no forgery, we're talking about the same exact print. The guys on our Park West ship actually talked about how Park West had started "protecting the market" by buying Picasso prints when Sotheby's auctions didn't reach what Park West thought the piece was worth.

Now what they described sounded more like cornering the market than protecting it but whatever. It seems that Park West bought the piece for $6,000 and sold it for $26,000. Now if Park West had an opening bid of $26,000 shame on them (since the piece seems to be available for $17,500 although it may not have been back when all this happened). But if this buyer got into a bidding war or whatever and overpaid because he didn't know what he was doing it's another story.

I think I'm a decent example. Before bidding in the auction I went online (surely you remember me complaining about the internet access) and looked up Marcel Mouly. I got an average price range for his prints $600 - $5,000. I'm no art expert and I can't tell which pieces are worth more so I figured I'd try to stick on the low end presuming I found one I liked.

Well I am about to go eat dinner so I'll talk more about my experience with Park West later. I will ask Park West and NCL for comments. I may also wait for the pieces I bought to arrive as they are being shipped to Seoul (6-8 weeks I'm told).

And of course I'd like to hear your experiences with Park West and with buying art on cruise ships in general.

Posted by James Trotta at 8:16 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Cruise ship captain on removing passengers from a ship

Here we are on day 6 of the cruise. While my coming review will contain all the negative things I can think of I have already put a deposit down on my next NCL cruise so obviously I am having fun. I should add that this cruise going real well is not the only reason I decided to do another as I have at least $500 off on my next one thanks to my NCL credit card.

Anyway, people often get fooled by my reviews when I say I'm having fun and then list a bunch of negatives. I get comments like "Too bad you're not enjoying your vacation" when I'm actually having a great time. I guess it's just my style to warn people of all the things that they might not like (well as many as I can remember or think of). Too many reviews are just "Oh we enjoyed it and you will too" - I prefer to give as many details as possible because that's what I like to see when I read reviews.

Anyway, I owe you some from earlier days but left off at day 5, on my way to have dinner with the captain. I was very surprised to see that the dinner party was my wife and I, another couple (who celebrate their 30th anniversary on the exact same day we celebrate our 7th), the captain, and the chief engineer.

That dinner was easily one of the highlights of the trip and afterwards I told my wife it's a good thing I have this blog - this travel blog is what got me VIP treatment. Thanks for reading!

I learned a lot of things but let's do one for now. Remember a while back when I criticized a cruise line because their captain kicked a couple off the cruise? Well that's the only time I ever saw anything like that in the news so I asked our captain if he had ever removed a passenger from a cruise.

He answered that he had - it's rare but it does happen. Naturally they try to avoid this whenever possible but cruise captains can and will kick you off their ship if you deserve it. They'll try to have security or a senior officer besides the captain talk to you first. The captain said he did have one story he could share in part (no details) about a time when he had to remove someone from a ship.

I don't know what the incident was but afterwards the captain talked to the passenger and she apologized. She said she'd behave better. He asked her if she had planned to behave this way when she boarded. She said, "of course not." Then the captain asked, "What if the same situation occurs tomorrow? How can I know that you won't behave the same way again?"

He asked her to leave the ship. I can tell that this decision still bothers him today even though he knows it was the right one. Apparently he talked to someone from the woman's hotel and she had continued her pattern of misbehavior.

I have to add here that the captain is very charismatic. After talking to him I have no doubt that he is honest, compassionate, and that he is smart enough to figure out what's best for the ship. If someone gets kicked off a cruise ship I guess they deserve it. And if you ever get a warning while on a cruise, don't rebel.

Posted by James Trotta at 11:20 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Parents get a break on Disney cruise

Since I wrote about Disney a day or so ago, I will follow up this Disney post with something a little different. But first I give this article on how a Disney cruise is one of the best vacations for parents with children because Disney keeps the kids busy and lets parents escape for a bit.

Posted by James Trotta at 10:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Choosing shore excursions for cruise to Alaska

If I ever finish grading midterm test and essays, I have to start thinking about whether I want to sign up for any shore excursions while I'm on my cruise.

Part of me wants to not spend any more money and just stay on the ship since I'm paying for the food and entertainment on board already.

The other part of me says not to be so cheap that you have regrets about an expensive vacation. Hopefully I can find a nice balance so both parts end up happy. And of course I need to make sure my wife ends up happy as well...

So my travel agent gave me some advice to get me started:

Juneau - this is THE place for a helicopter tour of the glacier (Mendenhall). And I recommend the helicopter versus the floatplane, due to the fact you have a MUCH better view (180 degrees) from the helicopter, enabling you to see so much more. You can even add the dogsledding option if you're up for it -- definitely a once-in-a-lifetime treat!

This is also the place to take the Mt Roberts Tram to the top of the hill to the Native American center there to learn about the tribes and artwork in this area. Great hiking trails available here, too. If flights aren't your style, at least consider the motorcoach tour that takes you to Mendenhall, so you get a chance to actually walk this wondrous glacier.

If you like whales and marine life, you could opt for a whale watching tour as well, but I think the main draw here is Mendenhall, and it really shouldn't be missed if at all possible.

Skagway - home of gold panning and the White Pass Railroad - a cool little trip that takes you over the same route the original rushers had to take, and it gives you a whole new perspective on need and greed!

THIS is the place for soft adventure; anything from kayaking, canoeing, hiking, and horseback riding to rock climbing!

This is also a place with a lot of wildlife viewing options, be it grizzlies, moose, or eagles. And the town itself is an absolute hoot! And they like it that way.

Glacier Bay - do NOT forget to pack scarves, hats and gloves for the times you want to stay on deck for photos. You will know exactly how your ice trays feel in no time flat here - so be prepared! I also recommend you pick up a couple rain jackets with hoods (throw away kind) you can pack and take at every stop. Alaska is a RAIN FOREST - and yes, you can expect it to rain on a daily basis (usually just sprinkles, and really clears the air when it does). I know it doesn't last long, but if you are warm and dry, you won't mind a temporary inconvenience. And layer your clothes, as the temperature can change drastically. light jacket over sweatshirt over hefty tshirt gives you options. :)

Ketchikan - least expensive souvenirs - shop here for take-aways! Saxman Village or Totem Bight park are great cultural attractions, if you are interested in that sort of thing. (Keep in mind that Native artwork and totem poles in particular are NOT cheap!). Misty Fjords, bears, watersports and fishing are key ingredients to a fun day here!

Victoria - Buchart Gardens are not to be missed - absolutely spectacular! Tea is always an acceptable option here as well. Whale watching here is pretty cool - home of the Orca (killer whales)!

Don't forget to find a great spot to view the ocean on your Inside Passage day --- you should be able to enjoy a plethora of dolphins, sperm and humpback whales that like to follow the ships. They will gladly show off, too. Don't worry - the naturalist will point them out and explain what you are seeing.

So that's good information but I still have something like 45 possible excursions to sort through for one stop. Then with the other stops... I'd better finish correcting my papers soon!

Posted by James Trotta at 12:22 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

So this is why you need a travel agent

I just received my Compass Rewards NCL coupons and now I need to book a cruise with them. I can choose between Norwegian Cruise Line, NCL America, Orient Lines (which seems to be defunct), or Star cruises.

The coupons actually say you need to use a travel agent and they have a special form on the back which the travel agent has to fill out. But even if it wasn't required, I would still need a travel agent.

I am not sure how the coupons work - I was told I'd get a 2 category, 2 person upgrade by Bank of America, but I actually got 4 coupons - each a 1 person, 1 category upgrade coupon and each says it is good for either inside to inside stateroom or outside to outside stateroom. From reading the coupons it actually sounds impossible to get a 2 category upgrade but perhaps the travel agent will know something I don't.

I was looking at the NCL July 6-12 cruise out of New York. From the NCL site it looked like categories went: inside, outside, balcony, suite. So I was thinking buy an outside room and get a suite with the coupons but now I know that was overly optimistic. Maybe I should have talked to a travel agent before actually getting the coupons so I could have gotten the most out of them...

I contacted Linda Bator who often leaves comments on this blog. I will let you know how things turn out...

Posted by James Trotta at 2:48 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Nickelodeon Family Cruise on Freedom of the Seas

We wrote about Freedom of the Seas a while back and now there is a special cruise on this same ship. The Nickelodeon Family Cruise has famous guests like Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants.

This article calls it the largest cruise ship, although I thought Liberty of the Seas was bigger. After I read the article I thought the author simply named the wrong ship - surely she is describing Liberty of the Seas:

Look for your young daredevils at the FlowRider surfing simulator or scaling the line's largest rock-climbing wall with 10 routes. Younger kids should be splashing in the H2O Zone water park with interactive fountains, ground geysers and a cascading waterfall.

Other kid-pleasing amenities aboard include an ice-skating rink, nine-hole mini-golf course, full-size basketball court, Johnny Rockets for burgers and Ben & Jerry's for cold treats.

The article also mentions a few other cruises ships. Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Imagination, and Carnival Fantasy have been or soon will be upgraded.

Posted by James Trotta at 10:35 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Cruise ship close to sinking near Antarctica

Everyone was safely evacuated, but The Explorer is listing 40 degrees and may sink. They say that because of all the ice, cruising in the area is always a risk.

We try to take eco-friendly tours, but I imagine you'd have to buy a lot of carbon credits or plant quite a few trees to make up for the environmental damage done by a huge ship sinking:

G.A.P Adventures is a tour company that provides eco-friendly excursions with an environmental focus. The Explorer was in the midst of a 19-day circuit of Antarctica and the Falkland Islands that allowed passengers to observe penguins, whales, and other forms of local wildlife.

Posted by James Trotta at 1:57 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Expensive cruises and mineral water

Cruise ships are not only getting bigger, they seem to be getting more expensive as well. The cruise line Seabourn plans to introduce a new ship, the Odyssey sometime in 2009, described as the world’s most luxurious cruise liner, and built at a cost of around $250 million..

Cabins on the ship will begin at around $1200 per night and will cost as much as $7000 per night. That’s per night – not for the entire cruise! The more expensive cabins will feature such touches as luxurious marble bathrooms, flat screen televisions and a fully stocked mini-bar. The bathrooms will also contain separate showers and tubs – a rare thing when space is at such a premium.

The Odyssey plans to make its maiden voyage in June 2009, with a Mediterranean cruise originating in Venice. The inaugural season will feature several different cruises around the Mediterranean, with plans for a world cruise in 2010. The Odyssey is one of several huge or luxurious cruise ships – which have made their debut in the last few years.

Expensive as it is, the $7000 a night cabin on the Odyssey still seems like quite a bargain when compared to some of the world’s most expensive hotel rooms and suites.

And if you think the cost of looking at the water from a cabin on Seabourn’s Odyssey is expensive, you could try paying $42 to drink a bottle of the stuff. USA Today recently reported that a bottle of mineral water at London’s Claridge’s Hotel can cost just that. Although the water has come all the way from a spring at the bottom of an extinct volcano in New Zealand and is described as having a “pleasant smooth sensation”. The hotel offers over 30 different mineral waters from around the world on its new “water menu” although if you just ask for a drink of good old English tap water, it won’t cost you a thing.

Just think – if you take an Odyssey cruise and stay in one of the expensive suites, you may have all the mineral water you can drink included in the price of the cabin!

Guest entry by Mancunian

Posted by James Trotta at 1:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

New “Superferry” makes its debut in Hawaii

A new way of traveling by sea between the Hawaiian Islands became possible on August 26th, offering an alternative to air travel and the long delays that US air travelers have seen this summer. The company, Hawaii Superferry introduced its service with bargain $5 one way fares – not surprisingly, over 2,000 passengers took advantage of the service on the first day of operations.

However, the maiden voyage didn’t go too well – the ferry was delayed for over two hours, due to hundreds of protesters (many on surfboards!) who claimed that the service posed an environmental threat and was operating in spite of a Supreme Court injunction. Hawaii Superferry claims that their ship is actually environmentally friendly, with no exposed propellers that could potentially harm marine life and no shipboard waste being dumped overboard.

The company also hopes to convince passengers that getting there is half the fun - the ferry boasts an observation lounge, restaurant and bar. There’s also a Premium Lounge which, for an extra charge offers more luxurious accommodation. The ferry also offers the latest in safety and technology, such as watertight compartments and state of the art satellite navigation.

At the moment, there is just one ship, the Alakai – a 250 feet long catamaran style ferry which can accommodate an impressive 866 passengers – which travels between Lihue, Honolulu and Maui. The company plans to introduce another vessel in 2009.

It takes just a few hours to travel by sea between the Hawaiian Islands, but if you really want to spend as much time as you can on a ship, you can actually live on a cruise ship. I had heard of this concept before, but didn’t realize what a big business it has become. The concept is apparently popular with older, retired (and presumably wealthy!) people who choose to buy a cabin on a cruise ship rather than spend that same money on nursing home or assisted living fees.

One site I found had so much detail and made it sound so appealing, that if I had the money, I would buy a cabin tomorrow. It isn’t cheap to live on a cruise ship, as you’ve probably guessed – a cabin measuring about 325 square feet costs around $200,000 to purchase, and a 3,000 square feet living space costs over $5 million.

At those prices, the rooms in some of the world’s most expensive hotels seem like quite a bargain! Not to mention places like Hanlei Bay Resort or Kuhio Shores condos.

Guest entry by Mancunian.

Posted by James Trotta at 10:50 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Carnival to begin South American cruise itineraries in 2009

This article on Carnival cruises, is fairly interesting. I know that NCL already has a few itineraries in South America. It looks like Carnival will join them in January 2009.

I don't know if Carnival will be in South America year-round but their itineraries sound excellent from what I read in the article linked to above. NCL seems to cruise South America November through March. They have a Chilean Fjords cruise (once a month from November to March) and an Exotic Americas cruise (November = US to Santiago, April = Santiago to Boston or LA).

Carnival has gotten a lot of complaints. In this old blog entry there are 25 or 30 comments. Some are positive but some are quite negative. I was pretty harsh when Carnival decided to kick a few complainers off the boat. Talk about a bad vacation getting worse...

And Carnival is guilty of misleading advertising but so are several other cruise lines.

Some of these problems are because Carnival is a mass market cruise line. When you pay as little as possible sometimes you don't get your dream vacation. However, despite the mixed reviews, I'm going to choose NCL over Carnival.

Of course I did make up my mind years ago when I got my NCL rewards credit card, but I think if I had to decide all over again today I'd still choose NCL over Carnival. If I were given more choices, I'd have a lot to think about. For example we reviewed Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas on this blog and concluded that it would be an excellent choice.

Posted by James Trotta at 3:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Different cruises: mass market, preminum, deluxe, luxury

This article talks about Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas which we reviewed about a month ago. Liberty of the Seas recently received some bad press. Another article tells us that Royal Caribbean's larger ships are appealing to younger passengers than other cruise lines' ships, possibly because they have more room for sports.

The first article I linked to also talks about a ship I hadn't heard of before, the Azamara Journey although we did touch upon this briefly before (when I wrote about the success of Oceania Cruises I mentioned that Royal Carribean was entering the niche:

The itineraries of the Azamara Journey include more than 200 ports in more than 70 countries. Many of these destinations are not accessible to the larger liners.

Dan Hanrahan, president of Azamara and Celebrity Cruises, said Azamara -- targeting a new "deluxe" category between "premium" and "luxury" -- is for the traveler who is looking for something "a little more special."

Passengers visiting off-the-beaten-path ports will enjoy enhanced immersion in the local culture and history, after being prepared by the onboard "excursion expert."

For years the cruise industry has split itself into three broad categories: mass-market (think Carnival, Royal Caribbean), premium (lines such as Celebrity, Princess) and luxury (Silversea, Crystal)....

There's also a big price gap between premium and luxury cruises. On Wednesday, Expedia was listing 12-day Mediterranean sailings in August on the mass-market Carnival Freedom starting at $1,499 a person. On a premium ship such as the Emerald Princess, prices in August start at $1,799. But the least expensive cabin available on a 12-day sailing on the Crystal Serenity, a luxury ship, is $5,545 per person — three times as much....

"They're for people who love the sea and love the ports but don't give a hoot about the glitzy nightlife (of big ships) or the personal pampering on the luxury side of the business," Driscoll says.

Posted by James Trotta at 8:46 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBack

Ever heard of Oceania Cruises

This is an interesting article on the business aspect of Oceania Cruises. They've been successful in finding a niche in the cruise industry providing luxury cruises from 10-35 days at a good value. They're doing so well that Royal Caribbean is entering the niche with their new brand called Azamara Cruises.

The ships we're tlaking about here are much smaller than Liberty of the Seas. Oceania has cruises in all major continents, but I chose one itinerary to give you an example:

1 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 10:00PM
2 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 10:00PM
3 Buzios, Brazil 8:00AM 6:00PM
3 Buzios, Brazil 8:00AM 6:00PM
4 Ilha Grande, Brazil 8:00AM 6:00PM
4 Ilha Grande, Brazil 8:00AM 6:00PM
5 Santos, Brazil 8:00AM
5 Santos, Brazil 8:00AM
6 Santos, Brazil 6:00PM
6 Santos, Brazil 6:00PM
7 Itajaí (Iguaçu Falls), Brazil 9:00AM
7 Itajaí (Iguaçu Falls), Brazil 9:00AM
8 Itajaí (Iguaçu Falls), Brazil 5:00AM
8 Itajaí (Iguaçu Falls), Brazil 5:00AM
8 Porto Belo, Brazil 8:00AM 4:00PM
8 Porto Belo, Brazil 8:00AM 4:00PM
9 At Sea, International Waters
9 At Sea, International Waters
10 Punta del Este, Uruguay 9:00AM 11:00PM
10 Punta del Este, Uruguay 9:00AM 11:00PM
11 Montevideo, Uruguay 8:00AM 6:00PM
11 Montevideo, Uruguay 8:00AM 6:00PM
12 Buenos Aires, Argentina 8:00AM
12 Buenos Aires, Argentina 8:00AM
13 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Posted by James Trotta at 2:33 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

GenXers cruise vacation preferences

This cruise article is a few days old but I think it's interesting. It talks about how the younger generation - GenXers - is looking for different types of cruises than their parents.

Some popular cruises involve:

Antarctica, wedding cruises, the eastern Mediterranean, the western Mediterranean, the Baltic, Croatia's Dalmatian Coast, Alaska, shorter Panama Canal cruises, and New England and eastern Canada.

By the way, parents of GenXers will still get the cruises they want since the average age of an American taking a cruise vacation is 50.

Posted by James Trotta at 4:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Liberty of the Seas cruise experience & review day 2

On Day 2 (have you read about day 1 yet?), Royal Caribbean had a meeting to provide more information about Liberty of the Seas and to get feedback as well. One of the programs being introduced by Royal Caribbean is their ‘Vitality’ program, which makes it easier for passengers to integrate their personal wellness regimes into the cruise experience. For example, the menus have low fat selections marked with the ‘Vitality’ symbol (including vegetarian but not vegan selections), as well as the more traditional cruise fare.

This talk about ‘Vitality’ was inspiring, so we took off for the fitness center. There you can watch TV while you work out, or just look out at the ocean. Naturally, all the equipment was brand new and there was plenty of it. Liberty of the Seas even has a boxing ring in the Fitness Center!

Of course, the virtuous feeling you get in the Fitness Center can be offset if you stop at the Sprinkles soft ice cream machines near the H2O Zone water spray ground. The H2O Zone is very colorful, with fountains, spray characters, waterfalls, and a designated family swimming pool.

For this preinaugural cruise, Liberty of the Seas had opened several types of staterooms for us to see, and Royal Caribbean personnel were on hand to answer questions. The rooms were all beautiful. There was a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom (like ours); an aft Family Suite with a master bedroom, a 2nd bedroom with pull down bunk beds, and a living room with sofa bed; a Family Stateroom with a bunk bed alcove and porthole style windows; a Junior Suite with a big balcony; a Grand Suite with a bigger balcony and a good size bar; an Interior Stateroom which is wheelchair accessible; an interior Promenade Stateroom and an interior Promenade Family Stateroom both with the views of the Royal Promenade; an Oceanview Stateroom, the elegant Owners Suite, and the very elegant Royal Suite and Presidential Family Suite with their own hot tubs on their balconies!

Since Liberty of the Seas is the biggest ship on the sea, walking around to all the open staterooms made us hungry. Lunch was being served so that was our next stop. There were several choices for lunch including the vegetarian & Vitality choices. There was one choice we didn’t recognize - Nasing Goreng - slightly spicy fried rice with a soft egg and skewered chicken. It was good! Our waiter told us it was an Indonesian dish.

We like T-shirts and always check out the gift shops, so that was our first after-lunch activity. No matter how old our children get, we still like to get them souvenirs and we found just what we wanted on the Royal Promenade.

Then on to RoyalCaribbean Online, the Internet Café. The computers were all in use and we hadn’t brought our laptops so we decided to try later.

We did look at some of the art that is all around the ship. For Liberty of the Seas, Royal Caribbean introduced the ‘Illusion or Reality’ art platform where what you see is not always what you think. Throughout the ship, there are pictures, sculptures, sculptural pieces which are transformed by a series of virtual animations, light as art, and even a classic Morgan sports car.

There was still plenty we had not seen yet. The Flow Rider water feature was a bit beyond our abilities, but it was fun watching some of the younger generation surfing right on board.

We were also in spectator mode for the Rock Climbing Wall which really looked high from up close. Liberty of the Seas also has a miniature golf course which was more our speed!

We wanted to stop at Johnny Rockets for a soda, but it was too windy for the tables outside and there was a wait to get inside, so that was a pass. There was loads of room at the Windjammer Café’s Afternoon Tea.

Dinner on Day 2 was formal and a lot of people were stopping by the Photo Gallery for portraits. By now, we knew the food would be excellent and it was. The specialty of the evening was Beef Fillet. The service continued to impress.

After dinner, the internet café had emptied out so we caught up on email before going to the evening’s main entertainment – Micky Dolenz.

Micky Dolenz was formerly with the Monkees and he put on a tremendous show. The Monkees had so many hits that we all know the music, and he also did some non-Monkees songs. The people with Micky Dolenz, including his sister Coco, were also very good, as were the Royal Caribbean Orchestra members who accompanied them.

Now we were getting tired, so we went back to our lovely stateroom and discovered two nice things. There were chocolates on our pillows and we could watch the Royal Promenade’s Dancing in the Streets live on TV.

The next morning disembarking was easy. We had only carry-on luggage and there was no customs procedure. Everyone was allowed to leave as soon as they were ready; no waiting for your floor to be called. It may be different when the ship leaves America for longer cruises.

We’d seen and done so much in our short two days and nights on Liberty of the Seas, and yet there was so much more to do. We needed more time to get to the On Air Club karaoke bar and the unusually decorated Catacombs bar (and many of the other bars). We needed more time to get to the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers show ‘EverAfter’. We needed more time for the seminars and classes that sounded like fun. We needed more time for the whirlpools and swimming pools. We needed more time for a whole list of other activities. A week might not be long enough to try all that Liberty of the Seas has to offer.

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would highly recommend Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas to anyone considering a cruise vacation.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:14 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

Day 1: Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas experience and review

Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas is new and big! It’s the largest cruise ship at sea. This preinaugural trip for travel agents, writers & multiple support service people left from Bayonne NJ at 5:00 PM May 7th 2007. We sailed from May 7th to May 9th. The ship was very impressive as we approached, although we were wishing we’d used a car service instead of driving ourselves.

The boarding process started at noon, and it took a little time to go through the security procedures, which included getting a room key card which can bring up your picture on security computers. This was all fine as we are in favor of tight security.

Once on board, we found we had a beautiful room, a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom, on deck 9. There was a sliding glass door to a balcony with 2 chairs and a small table, and privacy glass on each side. Since Liberty of the Seas is a new ship, everything sparkled! The blackout curtains & bedspread were in a very pretty fabric. The bed was king sized and there was a plush sofa, plus a closet and a dresser with a neat design for opening without knobs. The room had a small safe and a very pretty bathroom with a shower. The swivel TV had regular programming as well as channels devoted to the ship for safety and other information. We liked everything about the room!

We’d seen some info on line and were looking forward to seeing the whirlpools that overhung the sides of the ship, the FlowRider surfing simulator, the huge Rock Climbing Wall, and other attractions - but first – lunch.

The buffet was open and so were the pools and whirlpools. As soon as we ate a very nice lunch, complete with strawberry daiquiris, we headed for the whirlpools. We wanted one of the cantilevered whirlpools that overhang each side of the ship. Since we were still in port, we made sure we went into the one on the water side. There were 10 people in it and still room for more. It was very relaxing.

Next, everyone congregated on the top decks to celebrate departure. The captain took us close to the Statue of Liberty as we left, and that was an exciting sight. Then under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and off to sea. The Captain said that the top of the ship cleared the bridge by approximately 8 feet.

There were some private cocktail parties for different groups, and we were invited to the one for Royal Champions - aka internet partners. Live music, an ice sculpture, canapés, drinks, a goody bag, and chats with Royal Caribbean International personnel made for a pleasant time.

We were in the early seating for dinner. The dining room is enormous, but the design still made it seem cozy. It’s a magnificent 3 decks high with a grand staircase, live music, a huge chandelier, delicious food and impeccable service.

By the time we finished a sumptuous dessert – raspberry panna cotta (Italian pudding) - the casino was open. We had a few tries at the slot machines before moving on to the Ice Show.

Yes, Liberty of the Seas has an ice skating rink! This show was called “Encore! an Ice Spectacular” and it was very enjoyable. The skaters went all out to entertain. This is not the place to see Olympic type jumps, but just to enjoy the talent, choreography and costumes of the international ice cast and special guest stars.

There were many activities to choose from, and after the Ice Show we opted to hear the Swingin’ High Quartet at The Sphinx Lounge. We also made it to the 1970’s Street Party in the Royal Promenade. The Royal Promenade has shops, Seattle Coffee, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, Sorrento’s Pizza and more. It runs through the center of the ship with plenty of horizontal room for dancing in the street and plenty of vertical space above for banners and platforms. It was like walking down a busy city street lined with shops. There are many interior staterooms that have bay window views down onto the Promenade.

Next we went to the well appointed arcade. Unfortunately the Ferrari F355 ride simulator was not working, but the Taxi Driver game was loads of fun. The arcade was one of many activities geared to young passengers. While there were not many kids on this preinaugural trip, we could see there were plenty of play areas and computer stations designed for younger guests.

Our last stop for Day 1 was the piano bar at Olive or Twist. A very pleasant way to wind down.

Stay tuned for day 2 experiences and more pictures!

Posted by James Trotta at 11:10 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Niche Cruise.com

A few smaller cruise operators have gotten together on nichecruise.com. However we don't seem to be talking about the types of niche cruises I've blogged about here (the political cruise, the MacMania cruise, etc.). Instead we're talking about smaller ships and more unique destinations:

Although the journeys provided by our niche cruise members may be different, they do have several common traits. First and foremost is that they provide more intimate experiences than the larger cruise lines. Smaller ships can also cruise to remote destinations that the larger cruise lines cannot venture to. For example, cruise lines like Seattle-based Cruise West can take passengers to some of the most secluded and pristine locales in the Sea of Cortez and Alaska's Inside Passage - cruising through hidden inlets rich with wildlife and natural beauty.

Posted by James Trotta at 2:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Cruises for wine lovers

This article for wine lovers seems to be aimed at wealthy travelers who can't take a vacation from expensive wine and has some interesting cruises mentioned:

...food-and-wine expert Fred Plotkin, author of the upcoming Wine 101 and frequent Smithsonian cruise lecturer, is also a draw. “I love experiencing these wines with Walla-Walla onions, Washington apples and local cheeses,” says Plotkin. “I want guests to return home with some dirt under their fingernails; we’ll stop off and buy a bottle of wine along the side of the road. We have the freedom to be spontaneous.” Look for Plotkin on another Smithsonian Journey, June 2007’s “Opera Tour of La Scala,” which, in addition to world-class opera, includes coffee tastings in Verona, chocolate tastings in Turin, and many pours from the Piedmont region.

Posted by James Trotta at 2:15 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

How safe is going on a cruise?

10 million people or so go on cruises each year. Most of them have great vacations. However, there are some high-profile cases where people vanish:

The 24 missing passengers reported by cruise lines from 2002 to 2005 are a minuscule percentage of the roughly 10 million tourists who cruise every year. The cruise lines cite the statistic to show how infrequent such disappearances are. Many cases are declared likely suicides or "man overboard" cases with no evidence of foul play.

Posted by James Trotta at 3:16 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

Niche cruise for people who want to talk politics on vacation

I've talked about niche cruises before, including the geeky sounding Macmania cruise. But does it get more geeky than the National Review's 2006 Post Election cruise? Here's the article if you're interested.

In case you hadn't already guessed, you won't be reading about a normal vacation:

The centerpiece of the cruises are panel discussions at which the speakers offer their learning and insights on various topics. This past cruise included panel discussions on the 2006 election results, the meaning of conservativism, the war on terror, the 2008 presidential race, the media and popular culture, and others.

I found the conservatism panel to be the most interesting, as Robert Bork, Ken Starr, Dinesh D'Souza, and Ward Connerly, among the other panelists, gave different but equally impressive (and ultimately compatible) answers to the question presented.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:45 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

New cruise ships

Seabourn Cruise Line, known for luxury cruises, is adding 2 new ships. NCL is adding new ships. Holland America and Princess are also getting new ships. Here's an article with some details on each ship.

Posted by James Trotta at 1:36 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

A dating service's take on niche cruises

Speaking of niche cruises, here's one that must be a bit more exciting than the Macmania cruise. It's a cruise for rich Chinese men and the women who want to date them:

"This really is the most natural way to meet someone because everyone is here for the same reason. Out in the world, you can't just walk up to someone and ask if they're single," said the man, a manager in his late 30s who declined to give his name.

Posted by James Trotta at 1:15 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Holland America's cruise price mistake and alienated passengers

Holland America accidentally sold cabins that normally cost $1,399 on the Noordam from for $849. However anyone who thought they were getting a bargain cruise was wrong. Holland America is demanding more money or allowing the people who bought the cheap cruises to cancel.

One woman paid $1,656.52 for a March cruise on the Noordam. Holland America says she has to pay $1,100 more. The customer had paid in full and received a confirmation.

"This is not a situation we took lightly," says Holland America spokeswoman Rose Abello. "After fully reviewing all the facts, however, our conclusion was that we were not able to offer the mistaken rate." Instead, Holland America is offering a $100 shipboard credit.

I don't know how much Holland America would have lost if they had honored the prices they advertised, but I do think it's bad business to send someone a confirmation and then tell them they are only confirmed if they pay an extra $1,000 or so. Do you think this will hurt Holland America's brand?

Posted by James Trotta at 2:04 AM | Comments (28) | TrackBack

Here's a glowing review of a Disney Cruise

Here's a very positive article on Disney cruise lines. The author likes the destination, the service, and the ship itself (clean and entertaining). Personally, I had never considered a Disney cruise until I read about the adult beach on Castaway Cay and the adult pool on the ship. I don't have kids and if I spend too much time near them I go crazy...

Posted by James Trotta at 12:02 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

What is a MacMania cruise like?

Well after talking about specialty cruises, people asked about ones for singles and ones for pets. I haven't found any for pets. There are plenty of singles cruises, but I'm married so haven't felt like researching them yet. I've been too embarrassed to go looking for the swinger cruises someone asked about but I'll work up some courage one day soon. But here's an interesting one: a cruise for people who use Mac computers. I don't, but people keep recommending them to me.

Anyway, the cruise sounds good. I'm not sure how much time I would really spend in the classroom, but here's a cool excerpt:

As part of the hike, we climbed a lookout tower with amazing views of the Rio Dulce, Lake Izabal, and the Guatemalan countryside; we could even see the neighboring country of Belize in the distance. Just below the lookout was a small rubber/latex plantation where we learned about latex being farmed.

Posted by James Trotta at 10:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Cruise options & deals

I have an article on how cruise lines are offering more and more options. This article talks about cruises from 2 to 126 days long. They also talk about Norwegian Cruise Lines Freestyle Cruising, Royal Caribbean's restaurant options, and Easycruise's a la carte menu.

Then there are some Celebrity Cruise deals:

MEXICAN RIVIERA - 11 NT CRUISE - OCEANVIEW $799 - Sail from San Diego and visit Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Ixtapa & Manzanillo - January 2007 aboard Mercury

SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN - 10 NT CRUISE - OCEANVIEW $749 - Sail from San Juan and visit Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Curacao & Aruba - January & March, 2007 aboard Galaxy

WESTERN CARIBBEAN - 10 NT CRUISE - OCEANVIEW $799 - Sail from Tampa and visit Grand Cayman, Costa Rica, Colon, Roatan & Cozumel - January & February, 2007 aboard Zenith

EUROPE - 14 NIGHT CRUISE & STAY - BALCONY $1,349 - Visit Cork & Dublin, Ireland; Cornwall, England & Paris, France during your 12 night cruise, then stay 2 nights in London

Posted by James Trotta at 12:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Cruise news & reviews, especially around the Caribbean

We've got cruise ships returning to New Orleans, but it sounds like the Sea of Cortez is an even better place for a cruise. The lucky authors saw hundreds of dolphins, sting rays, and a blue whale in one evening.

Regarding New Orleans, the first ship back will be the Norwegian Sun, an 853-foot Norwegian Cruise Lines vessel that can handle 2,000 passengers. Carnival Cruise Lines' Fantasy, which sails on October 26, followed by Royal Caribbean International's Grandeur of the Seas are next. They all tour the Caribbean. Speaking of the Caribbean, here's an interesting interview - the author's answers are interesting but a little salesperson-like. Naturally there's a link for you to buy the book if you want...

Here's an article about good and bad ports of call for your cruise, including Saint Marteen:

St. Maartens: A standard stop on eastern Caribbean cruises, the island is often overcrowded and repeat visitors struggle to find new things to do. The best advice: look for a boat trip leaving St. Maartens for an island like Anguilla or St. Barth’s.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:52 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Nude, Christian, gay, and other specialty cruises

What can I say? We all have our unique interests and it seems that for most of them there's a cruise:

There are many more special-interest cruises, among them sailings geared to lovers of all things Irish, baseball fans, history buffs, antiques hunters, and those who devour dance, design and literature. But here's one that's out of this world, sort of. Cruise Trek is putting together its 15th annual "Star Trek" cruise, visiting Australia and New Zealand aboard Holland America's Staatendam, Nov. 4-18, 2007.

Posted by James Trotta at 5:58 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Freedom of the Seas cruise expereince: educational?

Jaime Caswell, a high school senior, does an excellent job telling us about her vacation experience on Freedom of the Seas. She calls traveling with family an educational experience but that scares me a little. While you might learn a little something on your cruise, it's not in the same league (at least in terms of education experiences go) as vacations where you actually encounter other cultures. So while cruising with your family is great, is it really educational?

Other cruise related articles:

We had some good comments on this post about cruising with NCL. This is just one of many posts I wrote on Freedom of the Seas. This blog entry links to a bunch of cruise articles. This Carnival cruise problems post set off a record number of commenters.

Posted by James Trotta at 2:23 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

"Our dress code: wear something" and "Dinner will be served promptly at whatever o'clock."

"Our dress code: wear something" and "Dinner will be served promptly at whatever o'clock" are lines that will be appearing in Norwegian Cruise Lines print ads as the company tries to strengthen its brand by highlighting its "freestyle cruise" concept.

NCL policies include no fixed dining times at up to 10 different restaurants, no formal dress codes, relaxed disembarkation, and various types of entertainment. To turn these policies into a stronger brand NCL will try 30-second TV commercials (among other ads).

One shows vacationers sunbathing, playing shuffleboard and dining in unison. These vacationers have to check their watches because they need to follow the cruise ship's schedule. Then we see NCL's Freestyle Cruising, passengers relaxing and enjoying themselves because there is no schedule. The TV ads conclude with "Where you're free to whatever" and a graphic of a white fish swimming amid a school of blue fish.

My parents have cruised with NCL and they liked it just fine. They took good care of my vegan sister (not all cruise lines / ships do so if you are vegan check with the chef in advance). They took good care of my grandfather who was around 90 at the time and in a wheelchair. When I take my wife on our first cruise, I expect we'll also go with NCL.

Posted by James Trotta at 1:41 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

Antarctica: Princess Cruises "Golden Princess"

As cruises to and around Antarctica get bigger and more popular, concerns rise over passenger safety (not too many rescue workers in Antarctica should the ship hit an iceberg or something) and environmental impact (cruise ships bring new animals with them and these animals could alter the ecology of Antarctica).

Some information on the new ship heading for the arctic:

The Golden Princess, due to make a three-week voyage through the islands, straits and channels of the Antarctic Peninsula, is 10 times bigger than cruise ships plying Antarctica's waters, and can carry 3,800 passengers and crew.

Posted by James Trotta at 4:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Cruise news: medical evacuation, New orleans, passports, South America

One cruise passenger needed a medical evacuation recently. I wonder if the Coast Guard covers the cost or if this guy will be in the poor house (unless he had the right insurance). How many cruisers have travel insurance that covers them for medical evacuation though?

If you are going on a cruise remember not only your travel insurance, but also your passport:

��Consumers should proceed as if the new passport regulations are going into effect as scheduled,� said a Carnival Cruise Line spokesman. ��While there is discussion of additional delay, as of this time, the first implementation phase for land and sea travel is still set for Dec. 31.�

Translation: Get your passport now. If you don�t have a passport or you need to replace an expired one, the U.S. State Department Web site (travel.state.gov) provides information. Or call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:56 AM | Comments (2)

Cruising around Australia and New Zealand

Here's a great overview of cruises available around Australia and New Zealand. The cruise lines covered are Princess Cruises, Celebrity, Holland America, Cunard, Regent and Silversea. The article makes me want to reserve a cabin now:

Upcoming cruises to Australia, New Zealand and the Polynesian islands will feature a combination of cosmopolitan cities, jungles and snow-capped mountains to fjords, white-sand beaches and coral reefs.

It's almost hard to believe that such diversity can be found in a single vacation but travelers booked on any one of six major cruise lines heading to the South Pacific over the next few years are in for a real treat.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:17 AM | Comments (0)

Cruise industry sees slower growth

Safety concerns seem to be slowing growth for the cruise industry: "Overall, the industry's sales have slowed and discounts are up this year, particularly for Caribbean vacations, which make up half of all cruises." This article reminds us that 2006 has been especially bad for Princess Cruises. Recently Princess has battled a fire (in which someone died) and tipping ships.

One thing I find hard to understand about the tipping ships is that "Princess said the sudden tilt of the Crown Princess was not due to a flaw in the ship." Well was it a flaw in the ocean? A really strong wind? Human error? Maybe I missed where Princess said what really did cause the tip, but until I hear a reasonable explanation, I'll be wondering how they know it's not a flaw in the ship.

The good news if you're not deterred is that cruise lines are offering discounts in order to fill their ships.

Posted by James Trotta at 3:10 PM | Comments (6)

Problems on Princess Cruises

After it's fourth voyage, Princess Cruises' (operated by Miami-based Carnival Corp.) Crown Princess seems to be responsible for dozens of injuries. Apparently a steering problem caused the ship to list badly to one side, which sent people and objects all over.

Posted by James Trotta at 11:14 PM | Comments (7)

Norovirus on Pacific Northwest cruises & Asian cruise itineraries

At sea and on land, norovirus is becoming a larger problem in America. However cruisers in the Pacific Northwest seem to see the worst of it:

Public health officials say they are seeing more outbreaks of diarrhea and vomiting on ships calling on Seattle, Alaska and British Columbia than anywhere else in the country....the likelihood of contracting a diarrheal illness on an average seven-day cruise is still less than 1 percent, which may not seem like a big deal, unless you're the one who's sick.

On the other side of the world, we have a good overview of cruises in Asia. Many of these cruises involve Japan, China, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. A few include Hong Kong, Myanmar, and UAE.

Posted by James Trotta at 11:04 AM | Comments (0)

Reminders for people going on a cruise

Free Market News reminds us that since the cruise industry is largely unregulated in terms of environmental pollution, customers have to decide for themselves which ships to vacation on. Too bad, there's no mention of how to find the greener cruise ships.

Anchorage Daily news reminds us why we should consider travel health insurance that covers medical evacuation although I'm not sure that the lady who was taken for a ride in a Canadian Army helicopter will have to pay the Canadian government back (don't they like to do things for free in Canada?). However, if she wants to go from Alaska to a hospital in her home state, I bet she will have to pay (the Canadian government won't fly an American from Alaska to home in the continental US - that I'm sure about).

Posted by James Trotta at 1:45 AM | Comments (1)

Antarctica vacation cruise

I'm not sure that these packing tips from Kansas.com would be ideal for an Antarctic cruise but at least it's somewhere to start.

The article on Antarctic cruises is interesting. It's British, so prices are in Pounds Sterling and include airfare from England to South America but the information on Italian cruise line Costa Cruises 22-day cruise (a one time thing next year) is interesting for anyone who has considered a vacation in or a round Antarctica.

Posted by James Trotta at 2:28 AM | Comments (0)

Articles on new RCI and NCL ships

The Boston Herald has articles on Pride of America (cruising around Hawaii) and Freedom of the Seas (the biggest cruise ship). Both articles amount to positive reviews with the first one a better read because the author talks more about vacation experiences.

Also we've got an article on Carnival's new destination, Grand Turk. I don't know how long it will remain so, but:

For now the clear turquoise waters and reef remain pristine.

It�s a 15-minute boat shuttle to Gibbs Cay, the largest of three small isles off the southeast tip of Grand Turk, where you can snorkel with stingrays. Put �snorkel� in quotes, though, since before you�re knee-deep in the water, a ray is likely to slide up to your legs like a cat, looking for fish food. You can touch if you want to.

I think the issue is that customers deserve a partial refund since a cruise to Canada is cheaper than one to the Caribbean. Passengers did get 42.50 because of cheaper port fees, but I think that Royal Caribbean needs to do more than that. They did offer discounts on a future cruise, but really they should have offered some cash back on the cruise to make up for the changed itinerary.

Posted by James Trotta at 5:35 PM | Comments (2)

How important is safety when choosing a cruise?

I wonder if calls for increased security and safety on cruise ships presents companies with an opportunity. If you were planning a cruise, and you knew one company had surveillance cameras and relatively more security staff, would that influence your decision? I would seriously consider the cruise line with the most security.

It might help attract workers as well, since now even crew are ending up missing.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:47 AM | Comments (0)

Cruise vacations & port fee refunds

I was just reading this interesting article about cruise lines and port fees. In turns out that cruise lines will put these fees in the fine print somewhere so to calculate the true cost of your cruise you'll need to check on the port fees.

The focus of the article was on what happens when a cruise ship misses a port of call. Passengers are not entitled to a refund although some cruise lines might offer onboard credit.

The thrust of the article was that cruise lines need to be a bit more ethical when it comes to port fees. They should be included in the price of the cruise instead of listed in the fine print as "governmental taxes and fees". Also, when a ship misses a port they don't pay port fees so neither should we customers.

Posted by James Trotta at 1:07 PM | Comments (4)

Eco-heritage cruise experience

Here's an interesting account of an eco-heritage cruise on the St. Johns River in Florida. Honestly, it sounds better than a regular cruise to Bermuda on a big ship.

Imagine seeing a bald eagle, alligators, wood storks and more wildlife:

Belted kingfishers, great blue herons and white ibises probed the spatterdock. A couple of sandhill cranes stalked the shore. From nests atop channel markers, baby osprey poked their heads above the sticks to glimpse glinting binoculars pointed at them.

The price isn't much less expensive than a normal cruise, and the cruise is shorter. However, the experience is much more unique:

The next St. Johns Riverkeeper cruises are Oct. 17-19 and Oct. 20-22. Cost: $515 per person; includes transportation from your car to tour start (if going downriver, park in Jacksonville, Fla.; if going upriver, park in Sanford, Fla.); two motel nights; two catered lunches; and cruise. Details: 904-256-7591.

Posted by James Trotta at 1:43 AM | Comments (0)

Environmental concerns, arrested captains, and more cruise news

A cruise ship ballot initiative in Alaska seeks to implement a 50.00/person tax in order to monitor waste produced on cruises. The bad environmental news hasn't persuaded me never to take a cruise, but has made me think about cruising responsibly. I'll have to look into that.

Speaking of cruising and not harming the environment, I did meet someone, a 19-year-old computer whiz who recently joined Greenpeace and has done some sailing with them. What a way to travel! Stupidly, I didn't ask for an interview but I'll try to find out more about traveling with Greenpeace.

More cruise news: the story of Daniel DiPiero reminds us not to get too drunk while on a cruise. The poor guy falls overboard and everyone else continues on their way to the Bahamas.

NCL America's new Pride of Hawaii, which can take about 2400 people on a cruise, is the largest and most luxurious U.S.-flagged cruise ship. She was formally dedicated on May 20th in Los Angeles.

An article on Freedom of the Seas has some interesting information on cost:

Prices for seven-day voyages range from $1,900 per couple for an interior room during the low season to nearly $2,500 for the same-size cabin with a balcony during high season, said Cindy Dangel, an on-board sales manager.

A deluxe room that sleeps 14 and costs $22,000 during peak season is booked until 2008, she said.

"The captain's actions are totally unacceptable. He was been stripped of his command and ordered off the ship," said Celebrity Cruises President Dan Hanrahan.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:45 AM | Comments (0)

Freedom of the Seas Christened

Anita Dunham-Potter has a good review for Freedom of the Seas:

A couple of firsts are a Ben & Jerry�s ice cream parlor and an old-fashioned barbershop, where gents can indulge in a traditional shave, scalp and shoulder massage, haircut or shoeshine.

If you want to know a little bit more about Freedom of the Seas' schedule, this is the article for you. I think the only useful information in that article is that Freedom of the Seas starts normal cruises on June 4th.

Posted by James Trotta at 1:39 AM | Comments (1)

The right cruise for you

Here's an article from the UK Times online with information on cruises that suit beginners (though a cruise across the channel isn't terribly practical for Americans not on vacation in Europe), cruises for people who want romance, cruises for divers (with money), cruises for culture hounds, cruises for sybarites (what's a sybarite?), cruises for traditionalists, cruises for adventurers, sightseers, budget-watchers, families, artists, show-goers (apparently Freedom of the Seas which is in the news again is competing with Las Vegas). Then we've got cruises for nostalgics and under-40s.

Posted by James Trotta at 1:25 AM | Comments (0)

Cruise ships and pollution

The Port of Seattle is trying to get more cruise ships to plug in to the city's electrical grid because cruise ships are huge polluters. I knew that diesel fuel was dirty, but had no idea it was this dirty:

On the West Coast, cruise ships typically use fuel with 2.4 percent sulfur, and that sends up as much as 2.5 tons of pollutants in an eight-hour stay in port...

Posted by James Trotta at 2:05 AM | Comments (2)

Cruise ship news

I don't know why I keep writing about Freedom of the Seas, but she's in the news again with some interesting comparisons regarding size:

Four times heavier than the Titanic and with decks big enough for 25 football pitches.

Another article I came across sheds some light on the Star Princess cruise ship fire. It mentions that the decks are vulnerable to fire and often have no sprinkler systems.

Posted by James Trotta at 1:28 AM | Comments (3)

Pride of Hawaii: new NCL cruise ship

Freedom of the Seas isn't the only new cruise ship coming to America. Norwegian Cruise Lines' Pride of Hawaii is a new ship that will be departing from Honolulu on Mondays for seven-day, four-island cruises. You can read more about the Hawaiian destination on the NCL destinations page.

At the moment, NCL is offering Pride of Hawaii cruises from 6/5 - 12/18//06 for $799 (inside) $999 (oceanview) $1,299 (balcony) $1,599 (suite).

Posted by James Trotta at 12:57 AM | Comments (0)

Freedom of the Seas in Hamburg

Freedom of the Seas is in Hamburg now, where a few thousand gathered to see the world's biggest cruise ship. There's not a whole lot of information in this BBC article (I actually have more information on my blog post about Freedom of the Seas ship facts), but the picture, while small, is beautiful.

Posted by James Trotta at 7:54 PM | Comments (0)

More cruise articles than you want to read

I guess it's cruise day over at Newsday (yes, I apologize for the terrible rhyme). For native New Yorkers like myself this article on cruise ships using the Brooklyn port (instead of Manhattan) is an interesting read.

If you like the blog entry on cruising the Panama Canal a while back, then this is the Newsday article for you. It makes the mechanical processes of the canal sound pretty cool:

When you're sitting in a canal lock, marveling that your 780-foot cruise ship has just been lifted 28 feet in only 8 minutes, you get a new perspective -- and admiration.

And then there's a great article on cruise ship dining. I really like the focus on making friends at your assigned dinner table. I'm not a parent, but anyone with a 13-year-old should appreciate cruising with a teen. How to choose a cruise is another good read. I'm not sure, but maybe this one from page 2 is for me:

IF YOU: Think that "creature comforts" refers to whales, otters and seals ...
THEN CHOOSE: Lindblad Expeditions. Passengers don't just view flora and fauna, they learn about it from experts and actively protect it.
SHIPS: Endeavour, Islander, Polaris, Sea Bird, Sea Lion and Sea Voyager visit nature lovers' locales such as the Galapagos Islands, Patagonia, Alaska and Baja California.

Posted by James Trotta at 11:50 PM | Comments (5)

Cruising the Panama Canal

I just read an interesting article in Newsday about cruising through the Panama Canal. The author seems fairly happy with Holland America although he does mention that he didn't enjoy life on the ship. As a result, he recommends bringing a few books since much of the cruise is spent on ship.

Although the author enjoyed his guided tours, he spends more time suggesting that the guides aren't necessary:

That said, Holland America did a terrific job of prepping us before we hit ports, with knowledgeable staff to answer questions and a printed handout on each port with information on major sights, history, food and shopping, and maps. So, with taxis available at every port, it's not a real challenge to do it yourself, in the process saving some money (cab-sharing with shipboard friends, for example) and freeing yourself from the tyranny of the group tour. I didn't find any passengers who did this who had any regrets.

Posted by James Trotta at 4:15 AM | Comments (3)

More complaints about Carnival cruise

Remember the honeymooning couple who were disembarked from a Carnival Cruise? Naturally, they want their money back. However, it seems that everyone on that cruise deserves a refund.

Here are some more stories of sewage in the toilets, welding being done on hot tubs, and hot water that didn't always work.

I think it's time for Carnival to do something, because the bad press they're getting now has to be damaging their brand.

And then the news gets worse, as over 50 people died when a dinner cruise boat sank off the coast of Bahrain. I suppose most of us are used to tragic news, but the story I'm linking to is a real downer so you may just want to skip it.

Posted by James Trotta at 2:23 AM | Comments (34)

What do you have to do to get kicked off a cruise ship?

According to one couple all it takes is a reasonable complaint. The complaints were even valid: Waiting 10 hours locked inside a Port Canaveral terminal because Carnival Cruise Lines' Sensation failed safety inspections. This caused the cruise ship to arrive late in the Bahamas so the shore excursion was canceled.

One couple complained because "her cabin reeked of sewage, there was mold in the shower and on the walls in the bathroom and she wasn't able to take a hot shower. She even found a pubic hair and toothpaste residue in the medicine cabinet."

Also, "not all of the elevators were working properly, cabin telephones didn't work and the buffet food wasn't kept hot, passengers said."

Even the complaint about getting sick from dinner seems reasonable when you consider that Nathan Leslie recently returned from Iraq where presumably the army food wasn't as good as the cruise cuisine.

Nathan Leslie, celebarting his marriage as well as his return from Iraq, said that there was "nothing abusive about their complaints. He told the captain he had gotten sick from dinner the previous night, and his wife had really been looking forward to swimming with the dolphins. There was no yelling or cursing, he said."

Carnival counters that "A guest's behavior has to be quite extreme to be ejected from the vessel." Carnival Cruise Lines spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz said six passengers were removed from the ship because they were "extremely, extremely verbally aggressive and abusive."

And for what it's worth, "Carnival offered passengers a $50 on-board credit and a 25 percent discount off a future cruise for the delay at the port."

Maybe the passengers did complain in a verbally abusive way, and of course we'll never know. Here's why I think Carnival did the wrong thing: they kicked the 6 people off the ship after they had peacefully left their meeting with the Captain and gone to the Bahmas for lunch. When they tried to get back on the ship, they learned "they were being disembarked for the safety of the other passengers."

To me, that's just wrong. Obviously they weren't putting anyone at risk on their way back from lunch. If you want to kick them off the ship or "disembark" them, you do it the second they begin to put "the safety of the other passengers" in danger. You don't wait for them to go eat lunch and then kick them off several hours after they did something "dangerous".

Posted by James Trotta at 5:22 PM | Comments (12)

Diseney Magic European Cruise 2007 dates

The Disney Magic will offer eight 10-night / 11-night Mediterranean cruises, departing from Barcelona, Spain, and stopping in eight European cities in Italy, France and Spain from May to August 2007. Those cities are:

Palermo, Sicily
Naples, Italy, with access to Pompeii
Olbia, Sardinia
Civitavecchia, Italy, with access to Rome
La Spezia, Italy, with access to Florence and Pisa
Marseille, France
Villefranche, France

Packages for European cruises coupled with a side trip to Disneyland Paris are on the way.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:47 PM | Comments (3)

Cruise lines and who they cater to

I found two articles in the news today about choosing the right cruise and how each cruise line has its own personality.

The Winnipeg Sun gives an overview of how different cruises are designed for different folks. They mention Disney cruises for families and a few other obvious ones but end things up with "talk to your travel agent".

Then the Orlando Sentinel lists several cruises for different ypes of people. This article is far more detailed. For example:

If you: Plan black-tie galas for your country club . . .

Then consider: Regent Seven Seas. This ritzy cruise line draws the six-figure crowd.

Ships include: Seven Seas Voyager, Seven Seas Mariner, Seven Seas Navigator and Paul Gauguin. There are 300 ports on all continents, except Africa.

Tidbits: Three ships have kitchens run by Le Cordon Bleu. . . . Ed Asner and Gena Rowlands are among celebs set for a "Theater at Sea" cruise in April -- one of this year's 26 specialty cruises. . . . Some Baltic trips this year include free airfare.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:37 AM | Comments (0)

Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas disappearance

I've been putting off blogging about this, but since there are no new contest entries to publish, here we go.

The facts are that a man vanished from a Mediterranean cruise last summer while on Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas. They found blood stains on a canopy that covers life boats, but no body.

There are two sides to every story. On one side we have the family of George Allen Smith IV, a 26-year-old honeymooner from Greenwich, Connecticut. The family wants an apology and for the CEO of Carnival to be fired because he called the incident a "nonevent."

"And so now comes the Smith case. But I mean, it's a nonevent. It's more entertainment than anything else," said Robert Dickinson, Carnival�s CEO. "The facts of the case, the story of the husband and wife, the bride and groom, and it's just absolutely bizarre, but it has nothing to do with safety on cruise ships. And the fact that we have to get up here and defend our safety record is absurd," Dickinson said, according to the letter.

Smith's family says "The lack of compassion illustrated by Mr. Dickinson in calling George's murder a 'nonevent' is beyond belief. His view that George's murder is a 'nonevent' is definitely not shared by George's family and friends whose lives have been devastated by his murder and the subsequent cover-up by Royal Caribbean."

Dickinson says, "My comments were within a larger discussion on cruise industry issues and were not meant to minimize the tragedy of George Smith's disappearance," Dickinson said. "I regret any pain my comments may have caused his family." Royal Caribbean says there is no cover up.

I honestly don�t know what to think. I don�t know why his family is so convinced that there was a murder or why they feel there was a cover up. On the other hand, cruise company's have to face facts; people are worried about their safety on cruise ships (if for no other reason than because of the media attention this case is getting) and saying that there�s no reason to defend their safety record seems a bit out of touch. Then again, I would go on a cruise tomorrow and not be overly concerned about safety.

Posted by James Trotta at 2:32 AM | Comments (6)

Dream big: cruise-based business

The idea of starting a home-based business has really been gaining steam these days. No surprise there, who wants to commute to the office and do the regular 9-5 (or 6 or 7), and then commute home during rush hour?

But why not dream bigger? Why not run your business from a cruise ship instead of your home? Most will have wireless internet access, so bring your laptop to the lounge or the cafe and get to work.

Of course, my travel blog empire won't allow this sort of lifestyle. I still have a real job (I'm a teacher trainer - SLA or second language acquisition - for the curious), but maybe one day. After all, being a travel blogger on an around-the-world cruise makes perfect sense doesn't it? All I need is around 50,000 dollars if I go alone or 100,000 if I bring my wife (and that's with the cheap rooms).

Posted by James Trotta at 6:08 PM | Comments (4)

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas ship facts

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas is being launched in June 2006 (and no, it's not too early to book a cruise on Freedom of the Seas). According to Royal Caribbean, Freedom of the Seas will be sailing year-round, 7-night Western Caribbean itineraries from Miami. Ports of call will include Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Labadee, Hispaniola (remember the post about cruise lines and false or misleading advertising like calling Haiti Hispaniola).

A few highlights of Freedom of the Seas:

3,600 passengers with double occupancy and 4,370 if you count triples and quads. Don't forget the 1,400 crewmembers.

An ice-skating rink.

Rock-climbing.

Giant hot tubs suspended on �wings� 114 feet above the ocean.

A water park.

Onboard surfing.

Flat-screen TVs in all staterooms.

Posted by James Trotta at 2:17 AM | Comments (3)

Cruise for the cultural experience?

This article from telegraph.co.uk says that a cruise ship "truly is a microcosm of the culture it serves." They go on to discuss cruise lines from England, Germany, Spain, America, India, and Indonesia.

While experiencing a cruise from a different culture might be quite an adventure, the article does warn that "being on a ship where English is not the first language can be a lonely experience - unless you're in a group." Also, it can be difficult to book a foreign country's cruise and the article doesn't have much advice on how to book a cruise.

Posted by James Trotta at 2:03 PM | Comments (0)

Be wary of cruise line advertisements

The San Francisco Chronicle has a very interesting article on cruise lines and advertising claims that just don't add up. For example Carnival Cruise Line advertises that its cabins are bigger than any other cruise line's cabins.

"All other cruise lines," apparently, does not include Princess, Disney, Celebrity, Cunard, Holland America, Crystal, Radisson Seven Seas and Silversea, among others.

According to the article cruise goers should be on the look out for ocean view cabins that are completely obstructed, misleading names (Hispaniola instead of Haiti), and digitally altered (enhanced) photos.

The witty conclusion is that cruisers should "Study up, be skeptical and ask questions. Cruise vacations are about escaping reality, but often the ads are doing the same."

Posted by James Trotta at 6:59 PM | Comments (9)

Cruise cabin tips: beds, noise, discounts

Cruise goers who book early can often choose the exact cabin they want. So this article on MSNBC suggests finding out how big your windows are, how private your balcony is, and gives some more advice an how to get a good cabin for your cruise.

Find out how the beds or berths are arranged. You could end up sleeping on one side of the room while your partner sleep on the other.

Find out where your cabin is located. Cabins in the middle of the cruise ship tend to get less engine/anchor noise but could be near the children�s playroom, high-traffic elevators, self-service laundries or crew work stations. Cabins above the disco and below the pool area are the worst. Carnival Destiny has "night owl" cabins where cruisers who don't mind the noise from the disco can get a discount.

Posted by James Trotta at 11:13 AM | Comments (1)

Crime and safety on cruise ships

The Miami Herald is reporting that cruise ship operators have released information on cruise safety because of a Congressional hearing on cruise ship safety next week.

Cruise ship safety has come under scrutiny following the disappearance of Connecticut honeymooner George Smith, 26, who was reported missing from Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas last summer. The FBI is investigating the possibility of murder, and Smith's family has threatened to file a wrongful-death lawsuit against Royal Caribbean.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:42 AM | Comments (0)

How to save money while on a cruise

This article on cruise vacations has 10 tips on how to save money on your next cruise. I've summarized 6 important ones below:

1. Shop around. This author shopped online, at Sam's Club, with a local travel agent and directly with the cruise line. An online travel agent ended up delivering the best price.

2. Watch for add-on fees. Many cruise deals have "taxes and port fees" in the fine print.

3. Check for automatic tips. Princess and some other cruise lines add $10 per person per day to your bill. For a seven-day trip for two, it's a $140 charge.

4. Take your own wine/liquor if allowed. Just check to make sure your cabin will have a small fridge. Soft drinks also cost extra, and the free coffee on many cruise ships is bad.

5. Be aware of excursion costs. If you want to visit ancient ruins or go scuba diving, it will cost $25 to $130 per person.

6. Know that onboard luxuries have a price. Most ships offer massages, spa treatments and some dining at extra cost. You can save money on your cruise by sticking with the free entertainment. Also, talk to fellow cruisers. They may know of some onboard or onshore entertainment.

By the way, I'm told that someone is preparing a Hawaiian cruise travel plan for the 2006 Summer vacation travel writing contest so stay tuned for that!

Posted by James Trotta at 12:45 AM | Comments (4)

Cruise deals

Royal Caribbean has a six-night cruise of the western Caribbean on the Jewel of the Seas with inside cabins for $549 per person and ocean view rooms from $599. Sail February 5th from Ft. Lauderdale if you book on Tuesday.

Holland America has a 10-night cruise of the eastern Caribbean on the Noordam with inside cabins for $1,099 and ocean view rooms from $1,299 per person. Sail March 15th from New York City.

Norwegian Cruise Lines has a seven-night cruise to Bermuda on the Norwegian Crown with inside cabins for $829 and ocean view rooms from $909. Sail April 30th from Philadelphia.

Carnival has a four-night cruise to Canada on the Victory with inside cabins for $329, ocean view rooms for $399, and balcony units for $469 per person. Sail June 13th from New York City.

Posted by James Trotta at 6:54 PM | Comments (7)

Princess Cruises Trouble

Here's a nasty story about Princess Cruises dumping some vacationer's luggage into the ocean and then not compensating them properly (and only compensating them after stalling for a few months). The Miami Heral travel trouble shooter says this is why you buy travel insurance; I say this is why you don't use Princess.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:42 AM | Comments (19)