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Most guests on Seven Seas Navigator may not find anything unusual about the distinguished-looking man who eats alone every day, at lunch and dinner, at the same corner table of the Compass Rose dining room. But when I learned that this passenger—whom the crew deferentially refers to as the “Captain”—has been residing on this same ship for more than 13 years, my curiosity was aroused. Bish, the can-do butler assigned to our stateroom, promised to see if he could arrange an introduction. A few hours later, I was running off to my appointment to meet the Captain—at 4 p.m. teatime, in Galileo’s Lounge on Deck 11. I knew exactly where to find him because Bish told me that he also takes the same corner seat in the lounge each day, adjacent to a small stage where a pianist or guitarist performs 50s, 60s and 70s music. When I found the Captain, he was sipping his usual, a diet tonic water, on a ship with a complimentary open bar. At the age of 94, Morton Jablin could easily pass for someone twenty years younger. He is slim, well-groomed and silver-haired. He looks like the retired executive he is, with dark eyes behind his glasses that exude intelligence, confidence and warmth. He’s an engaging conversationalist with a mind and memory that are both remarkably agile. As our conversation begins, I’m anxious to get to the crux of the matter. Why has he been living on a ship, this particular ship, for so many years? “I couldn’t achieve this lifestyle anywhere else,” he says. “The crew is overly gracious and kind to me. I can’t think of enough good adjectives. They are unbelievable.” He sounds like one happy camper — or sailor. From humble roots Captain Jablin proudly tells me that he was raised in Brooklyn. After spending time abroad with the U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence, he returned to the States in 1946, where he worked as a registered pharmacist making $65 a week. “My wife Charlotte and I raised two children in what was then a different world,” he says. While overseas, he met a German textile manufacturer who asked him to introduce lace-making machines to the U.S. market. From that collaboration, the Captain eventually built what became his own successful lace-making business. Since that time, much of the lace industry moved from Europe and the U.S. to China, where labor is cheaper, but his company has managed to stay afloat. (It still owns 45 of the 70 machines that currently produce lace in the U.S.) Captain Jablin retired in 1989 and left the business in the hands of one of his grandsons, now 42. A mutual love of the sea “My wife, Charlotte always traveled with me and we made friends with other couples and crew,” he says. The two were avid cruisers, sailing on a number of different cruise lines over more than a half-century. When one crew member they knew retired from another line to work on a private yacht, he suggested that the Jablins try cruising on Radisson Seven Seas Cruises (which was renamed Regent Seven Seas Cruises in 2006). The couple sailed on Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Voyager for five years. In 2000, they decided to move to Seven Seas Navigator, the smallest ship in the Regent fleet (with fewer than 500 passengers). When Charlotte passed away 13 years ago, Captain Jablin made Seven Seas Navigator his home. He still maintains a condo in Boca Raton, Florida to keep his “stuff” and to qualify for health benefits and Social Security but it’s been three or four years since he’s set foot there, he says. About a year and a half ago, after his eyesight began to fail, the Captain could no longer go on shore excursions (except for occasional medical appointments). He says he is now 90% blind. He accepts the limitations posed by his age and health as he lives on board a ship that is sailing all over the world. “Charlotte and I had already been everywhere,” he says. “I used to get four newspapers, and do Sudokus and crossword puzzles but I haven’t been able to do that either for the last two years,” he says. Sticking to a routine Now he is keeping things simple. “My life is very routine but comfortable,” he says. An early riser, he has breakfast in his cabin. He eats lunch and dinner at that corner table in the main dining room, and he appreciates that it is always set in the same way so he has no problem finding the salt. “The food is excellent overall but I prefer to eat Dover sole at both meals, every day,” he says. He eats alone because he is self-conscious about food not making it to his mouth as neatly as it once did. Seven Seas Navigator is an all-suite luxury ship. The cruise line has made minor stateroom accommodations to make things easier for the Captain, one of their most loyal passengers. “They’ve installed brighter lights in my cabin, handrails in the bathroom and a special shaving mirror,” he says. To stay fit, he exercises regularly. He knows his way around the ship and walks about two hours daily, usually on Deck 7 where the shops are located. “I’m intelligent enough not to walk where I’d have a problem. Nobody is on that deck during the day and as an ex-Navy man, I have my sea legs,” he says. When I ask whether he ever hits the casino on the same deck, he responds, “I was never a gambler.” He does, however, enjoy some of the entertainment, especially musical performances, on the ship. Although stridently independent, the Captain maintains family ties. When the ship docks in Miami, both his sons (ages 64 and 68) often come on board to visit, sometimes with wives, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Occasionally old-timers will come aboard whom he remembers from the days when he cruised with his wife. He’s happy to see them. “At my age, most of my friends are dead,” he says. A cell phone allows him to stay connected with family in-between visits and he keeps an Amazon Alexa in his cabin, which he uses about once a month to ask a question—like when he wasn’t sure whether Mongolia was an independent nation. Sometimes people come over to his table to chat and he welcomes nice conversation but he rarely initiates small talk with fellow passengers. He is keenly aware of generational differences between himself and most guests on the ship who are closer to his sons’ ages. The exception: He feels extremely close to the crew, even the entertainers who feel like a family of sorts. When I ask him if he’s happy, he convinces me that being captain of one’s fate is what’s most important. “I couldn’t achieve this lifestyle anywhere else. If I need a nurse or doctor, someone is in my cabin within five minutes,” he says. “No matter what the time of day, if I need something, someone is here in 10-15 minutes. If I weren’t on this ship, I would have to have someone living with me,” he says. “Where else could I feel this secure and safe? Life on board couldn’t be better,” he says. By Irene S. Levine, Forbes Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com

Princess Cruises has revealed the line's newly enhanced beverage menus, featuring globally inspired signature cocktail offerings created by master mixologist Rob Floyd. As one of the most significant beverage changes in the history of the company, destination-specific ingredients have been carefully selected to tantalize guests' taste buds with flavors from every corner of the world. In addition to the new cocktails, the line has added 20 new high-end and exotic spirits, 39 new wines by the glass, and 17 new international and craft beers to the new menu. "As part of our continued commitment to the guest experience, we are thrilled to debut new menus throughout the bars and lounges aboard Princess ships," said Mario Siebaldi, senior vice president of guest operations for Princess Cruises. "Broadening the scope of our beverage options by partnering with notable industry leaders like Rob Floyd on globally inspired cocktails, as well as increasing our selection of beers and wines on board are all part of our aim to provide guests the best cruise vacation experience at sea. And with our new shareable drink recipes, guests can recreate their favorite memories once back at home over and over again." Highlights of the new onboard offerings include a set of signature cocktails designed by Floyd, who used fresh ingredients and destination inspiration to develop a portfolio of new drinks for Princess Cruises. Bars and lounges throughout the ships will also feature new, themed menus, so guests can have fun exploring the different offerings at the various bars on board. "I was truly inspired by ingredients from all the amazing destinations that Princess Cruises sails," said Rob Floyd. "Guests will be able to enjoy a wide selection of fully realized drinks that combine what I refer to as the Three T's: taste, technique, and tale." Floyd believes spectacular drinks combine the best of "The Three T's." First and foremost is "Taste," as interesting ingredient combinations produce delicious flavors. The second element, "Technique," refers to the skill and craft that goes into creating each drink. And last but not least the "Tale;" a creative and fascinating inspiration behind each unique cocktail. Whether traveling to Mexico, Italy, or the South Pacific, the globally designed cocktails by Rob Floyd have the flavors to inspire. Initial offerings include: Mayan Heat: Patrón Silver tequila, Triple Sec, lime juice, agave syrup, muddled jalapeño Italian Sunset: Aperol, Bombay Sapphire gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, Angostura bitters Ver-Jus: St. George "Terroir" gin, St-Germain, muddled green grapes, lemon juice, simple syrup Mint Divine: Bombay Sapphire gin, ginger beer, cucumber, lime juice, simple syrup, fresh mint Amaretto Manhattan: Bulleit Bourbon, Disaronno, sweet vermouth, Angostura orange bitters Princess Punch: Absolut Elyx vodka, St. George raspberry liqueur, fresh lime, simple syrup, Gosling's ginger beer East Side Punch: Absolut Elyx vodka, fresh mint, cucumber, lime juice, simple syrup, club soda A Trip to the Tropics: Absolut Elyx vodka, apricot liqueur, orange juice, pineapple juice, pomegranate juice Ivory Coast: Grey Goose vodka, Amarula African liqueur, Kahlúa, chocolate shavings The Egyptian Zombie: Bacardi Superior rum, Gosling's Dark rum, blackberry brandy, sweet and sour, orange juice, pineapple juice, grenadine Rounding out the new drinks are "zero-proof cocktails," made without alcohol. These light, fruity and refreshing drinks skimp on the alcohol, but miss none of the flavor: Zero Mojito: Fresh mint, lime, simple syrup, Sprite Strawberries on Fire: Fresh strawberries, lime juice, agave syrup, jalapeño, soda The new beverage menu offerings will be available aboard all ships in fall 2018. In addition to adding the new wines by the glass, Princess Cruises worked with Doug Frost, one of only four people in the world to hold both the prestigious ranks of Master Sommelier and Master of Wine to refresh the wine menus onboard. More specific details will be shortly announced. To whet guests whistles even more, Princess Cruises also unveiled this summer a thirst-quenching deal with the Sip and Sail promotion, offering complimentary beverages for balcony, mini-suite and suite bookings. More information about the Sip and Sail offer is available at princess.com/cruisedeals. All prices are per person based on double occupancy. The Sip and Sail cruise deal runs through 11:59 p.m. PDT on September 5, 2018 and is available to residents of United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Bermuda who are 21 years of age or older. About Rob Floyd: As a notable cocktail guru, Rob Floyd is a resident mixologist on the hit TV show Bar Rescue, and is cited in publications worldwide such as Esquire, Maxim, and People Magazine. He has also written and appeared as an industry expert for a variety of media outlets including the The Wall Street Journal, The Times of London, CBS, and Fox. His specialty is creating cocktails that are both accessible and inspiring. His focus on history and story combine with under-the-radar ingredients to create not just a cocktail, but an adventure in a glass. After rewriting famed programs like The Bazaar and the Library Bar, Rob went on to found RX Liquid Chef, of which he is the current acting President. RX Liquid Chef focuses its efforts on consulting with top restaurants and casinos across the globe, working to implement world-class drinks and team-based service. He also used it to create a one-of-a-kind theatrical production, Cocktail Theatre, where he dazzles audience members with the magic of molecular techniques as well as tales and stories that create indelible experiences through drink. Floyd hopes that by inspiring a belief in the all-around experience of drinking, to change the way people approach alcohol, empowering them to appreciate the whole moment, to engage in a process and a passion, and to relish the adventure. Sip Boldly. For more information, visit sipboldly.com. About Princess Cruises: One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is a global premium cruise line and tour company operating a fleet of 17 modern cruise ships, carrying two million guests each year to more than 360 destinations around the globe, including the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Europe, South America, Australia/New Zealand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Asia, Canada/New England and World Cruises. A team of professional destination experts has created more than 150 award-winning itineraries, ranging in length from three to 111 days and Princess Cruises has been continuously recognized as "Best Cruise Line for Itineraries." Princess Cruises continues its multi-year, "Come Back New Promise" – a $450 million-dollar product innovation and cruise ship renovation campaign that will continue to enhance the line's onboard guest experience. These enhancements result in more moments of awe, lifetime memories and meaningful stories for guests to share from their cruise vacation. The product innovations include partnerships with award-winning Chef Curtis Stone; engaging entertainment inspired shows with Broadway-legend Stephen Schwartz; immersive activities for the whole family from Discovery and Animal Planet that include exclusive shore excursion to onboard activities; the ultimate sleep at sea with the award-winning Princess Luxury Bed and much more. Three new Royal-class ships are currently on order with the next new ship, Sky Princess, under construction scheduled for delivery in October 2019. Princess recently announced that two new (LNG) ships which will be the largest ships in the Princess fleet, accommodating approximately 4,300 guests with expected delivery in 2023 and 2025. Princess now has five ships arriving over the next six years between 2019 & 2025. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE:CUK). By Princess Cruises Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com

As Aussies across the country celebrate Christmas in July, Carnival Cruise Line today marked the official eve of the mid-winter season (24 July), Grinchmas Eve, with a thrilling spectacle across Sydney Harbour. In an unexpected sight for Sydneysiders and cruisers, The Grinch dramatically winched himself from a helicopter above Sydney Harbour, in an attempt to steal the Christmas fun from Carnival Spirit. After his fearless drop from the helicopter, Carnival cruisers then caught sight of The Grinch this morning causing chaos onboard the ship; pinching the Captain’s hat, hiding the turkey and stealing lollipops from the Cherry on Top sweet shop. Today’s visit was an unexpected secret mission, but The Grinch will return for surprise appearances throughout Carnival’s Christmas cruises. With over 45 activities to enjoy onboard each day, the fastest and steepest waterslide at sea – Green Thunder – and multiple live entertainment venues, in the end even the The Grinch couldn’t resist turning his frown upside down, dancing along to all of the fun he was witnessing onboard. The Grinch has now made his way on-board Carnival Spirit, making amends with the Captain after stealing his hat and causing mischief. The two have enjoyed a lovely Grinchmas Eve feast – they told jokes, shared Christmas stories and had FUN soaking up Sydney’s sunshine. Information supplied by: Carnival Cruise Line, Australia And www.australiancruisingnews.com.au The HOME Of Australian Cruising! Photos by: James Morgan of http://morgan-photo.com/

The cruise industry may be all abuzz about specialty restaurants, but complimentary main dining rooms are still wonderful culinary options. Many of them also happen to be spectacularly well designed venues, so here is our list of the seven most beautiful at sea. Britannia Restaurant, Queen Mary 2, Cunard Line Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2 is already a gem as the last true ocean liner afloat today, and its Britannia Restaurant similarly hearkens back to a time of vintage glamour on the high seas with its art deco sconces, maritime wall tapestry and vaulted curved skylight ceiling. The ship’s unique mezzanine levels even ensure the room is three decks tall but wonderfully terraced to spread seating across only two. The Dining Room, Koningsdam, Holland America Line When hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany designed Holland America Line’s Koningsdam, he took inspiration from music, and The Dining Room is an elegant space exhibiting curved structural ribbing reminiscent of the braces inside a hollow acoustic instrument. The space is also pleasantly brighter than previous Holland America ships with an unexpected but harmonious color combination of merlot and yellow offsetting the cream paneling. Grand Dining Room, Riviera, Oceania Cruises The Grand Dining Room aboard Oceania Cruises’ Riviera is striking for appearing wide open thanks to bright whites and an abundance of crystal lighting. The room is architecturally classy with a high ceiling that contributes to the overall finesse of the ship and its exquisite dining as a whole. The Manhattan Room, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Cruise Line The Manhattan Room on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Escape is handsomely arranged as a supper club with a central dance floor and double-decker opening overlooking the ship’s stern. A bright wall of windows lets natural light pour in over the elegant art deco details and rich wood paneling in a timeless manner. The Restaurant, Seabourn Quest, Seabourn For being the smallest venue and ship on the list, Seabourn’s The Restaurant on Seabourn Quest is a spacious dining room nonetheless. Occupying the full width of the vessel, the airy space has an array of bright windows on either side and flowing white drapes that swoop up into large ceiling vaults in the deck above. The Restaurant, Viking Sea, Viking Ocean Cruises Unlike most main dining rooms that are centrally focused, The Restaurant on Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Sea is intentionally positioned along the windows with the galley displacing the core. What’s more, the windows are actually sliding patio doors that open to the surrounding promenade deck to provide diners with an al fresco option as weather allows. Tiana’s Place, Disney Wonder, Disney Cruise Line The Disney Cruise Line recently remodeled one of Disney Wonder’s rotational dining rooms to the theme of the animated film “Princess and the Frog,” and the result is the stunning Tiana’s Place. The festive atmosphere includes everything from a live jazz band and appearances by Tiana herself to narrative easter egg details along the walls and in the plates as the frog prince is cleverly seen wearing a crown by the end of the meal. Article Courtesy Travel Pulse and Seven Sea Journeys/News Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more. Photo: Courtesy of Holland America Lines

For the last week, we have been inundated by reports, mostly negative about the failed sailing of the Carnival Triumph. These negative reports came from mostly the media but had also been introduced by lawyers, using an undertone of "Let's sue 'em". Much as the reporting that has been ongoing in a mostly negative manner by major media outlets about the war against terror, without an open mind, you will come away from these reports with a negative attitude towards either. I do not want to stray away from my story and get too political, but what you never hear reported by the media is the POSITIVE outcome we have had in many areas overseas during the war on terror. How do I know? I served in Desert Storm and am a 12 year Veteran of the United States Army. Removal from power of dictators such as Saddam Hussein, the assassination of Osama Bin Laden and the rebuilding of schools in those countries are just a FEW of the positive things our brave, volunteer Military, has accomplished. BUT, you never hear of these positive things being reported and there is where you get the negative attitude about the war from many. Such as the media reporting of the war, the media takes a negative approach towards the unfortunate failed sailing of the Triumph. Granted, in NO means should this situation be sugar-coated and I am not going to do that. What I am trying to do is attest to my sailing on the Triumph on a previous cruise where my wife and I renewed our marriage vows and try to show somewhat of a positive attitude regarding the Triumph incident and cover a few sea mishaps and disasters that seem to be what most of the uninformed public seem to harp on regarding taking a cruise. Let's take a look at some of the most know cruise disasters and incidents at sea. The Titanic On her maiden voyage to New York, the "Unsinkable" Titanic hit an iceberg and sank causing the death of 1502 of the 2224 souls onboard. Even with her double hull and water tight doors, she had been unable to maintain her buoyancy and sank because five water tight compartments were breached. The Titanic had been designed to withstand only four of those compartments being breached. The Cunard lines "RMS. Carpathia" was able to rescue only 705 of those souls. The failed planning came with the lack of life boats and the crew allowing life boats to be lowered and released sometimes less than half full. The designers were more interested in uncluttered decks which is why some of the life boats were removed prior to her sailing. Although only 705 passengers were saved, this disaster could have produced a much worse response. In 28 degree water and those jumping overboard to try to swim clear of the sinking vessel, many more could have perished. At the time of the sinking, cruise ships were designed less for leisure and more for transportation. Maritime laws and cruise line regulations have come a long way since 1912. The Costa Concordia On Friday, January 13, 2012, the Concordia ran aground and partially sank off the coast of Giglio Italy causing the loss of 32 souls. Although still under investigation, it seems the Captain ventured onto the rocks to get closer to land to entertain those on land. The Captain insists he was ordered by his Corporate office, knowing of the shallow conditions, to take this dangerous course. In my opinion, even "IF" ordered to do so, it is still his responsibility to make the final decision in the best interest and safety of his passengers. This disaster is one where I can see even veteran cruisers would shy away from cruising in the future, if only for some time. It has been reported that the disaster of the Concordia had absolutely no effect on the cruise industry and people still chose cruising as their vacation. The Carnival Triumph The Triumph, a ship I have sailed on in the past, developed a fire in the engine room knocking out power to a majority of the ship and due to the failure of toilets, sewerage had been found in many areas of the ship. Comfort equipment such as air conditioning, lighting and some cooking equipment were disabled. Emergency systems such as fire suppression equipment, communications and exterior lighting remained in service. But did you know that the bilge pumps, used to evacuate accumulated water in the hull was also operational after the power outage? Without the bilge pumps operating, the vessel may have sank! When we sailed the Triumph, we renewed our wedding vows during an itinerary that was the same as we had for our honeymoon cruise aboard the Carnival Celebration some 20 years earlier. We absolutely loved the Triumph and found new friends onboard that had sailed her numerous times prior. The cruise agent we had said that the Triumph seemed to always sail at full passenger capacity. After this mishap on the Triumph, would I sail on her after repairs....YES!!! The Celebrity Meridian The Meridian, also a ship we sailed on back in 1992, had been the flagship of Celebrity cruise lines. Built in 1961 and commissioned as the "Galileo Galilei" for Lloyd Triestino, she was renamed and sold to Celebrity cruises in 1990. She remained in service with Celebrity until 1997 when she was then sold to Sun Cruises and renamed the "Sun Vista. On May 20,1999, the vessel suffered an engine room fire, which cut all power and caused her to sink on May 21,1999. All 1,090 passengers and crew were safely evacuated and the ship sank near Malaysia. Let me get to my point. I have been on 8 cruises and have experienced inconveniences on only one. It was a minor one at that where the ships turbo chargers broke down and the vessel was only able to cruise at 50% of it's max speed causing an itinerary change. If you have never been on a cruise before, hearing of and reading stories such as have been reported lately by the dramatic media outlets may cause you to second guess ever going on a cruise. Taking into consideration reports of airplane crashes over the years, "There are approximately 25 plane crashes a year since records began in 1950"(wikianswers.com) as opposed to cruising, "In 2000/2001 we had 3 ships on their way to the breakers sink off our shores and over the past 20 years 2 ships which were part of our cruising industry were lost, fortunately without serious loss of life."(allatsea.co) , it is obvious that cruising is still the best choice you can make. You MUST approach your cruise vacation with an open mind. Speak to others that have cruised in the past. Read and ask questions of my fellow veteran cruisers regarding their cruise experiences right here on the Cruisecrazies forums. When you consider you can cruise for as little as $149 for a three day cruise (just to get your feet wet, so to say), you have an amazing opportunity to see what cruising really is. When reading reviews, take only into consideration the average reviews of positivity or negativity. It is very easy to be "Arm-Chair Quarterbacks" and draw our own conclusions on what was done or not done in the above situations. But do not allow yourself to be swayed by a news agency or the report from an attorney on how you should approach one of the only inexpensive, fun and beautiful vacation choices you could make. Hope to see you onboard soon. By CruiseCrazies Member Sarge6870

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the next phase of technical guidance under the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (CSO) requiring cruise lines to establish agreements at ports where they intend to operate, implement routine testing of crew, and develop plans incorporating vaccination strategies to reduce the risk of introduction and spread of COVID-19 by crew and passengers. This phase, the second of the CSO issued in October 2020, provides technical instructions on: Increasing from weekly to daily the reporting frequency of COVID-19 cases and illnesses. Implementing routine testing of all crew based on each ship’s color status. Updating the color-coding system used to classify ships’ status with respect to COVID-19. Decreasing the time needed for a “red” ship to become “green” from 28 to 14 days based on the availability of onboard testing, routine screening testing protocols, and daily reporting. Creating planning materials for agreements that port authorities and local health authorities must approve to ensure cruise lines have the necessary infrastructure in place to manage an outbreak of COVID-19 on their ships to include healthcare capacity and housing to isolate infected people and quarantine those who are exposed. Establishing a plan and timeline for vaccination of crew and port personnel. The next phase of the CSO will include simulated (trial) voyages that will allow crew and port personnel to practice new COVID-19 operational procedures with volunteers before sailing with passengers. CDC is committed to working with the cruise industry and seaport partners to resume cruising when it is safe to do so, following the phased approach outlined in the CSO. COVID-19 vaccination efforts will be critical in the safe resumption of passenger operations. As more people are fully vaccinated, the phased approach allows CDC to incorporate these advancements into planning for resumption of cruise ship travel when it is safe to do so. CDC recommends that all eligible port personnel and travelers (passengers and crew) get a COVID-19 vaccine when one is available to them. Cruising safely and responsibly during a global pandemic is difficult. While cruising will always pose some risk of COVID-19 transmission, following the phases of the CSO will ensure cruise ship passenger operations are conducted in a way that protects crew members, passengers, and port personnel, particularly with emerging COVID-19 variants of concern. CDC will continue to update its guidance and recommendations to specify basic safety standards and public health interventions based on the best scientific evidence available. For more information about COVID-19 and cruise ships, please visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/cruise-ship/what-cdc-is-doing.html and www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise. ### U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESexternal icon CDC works 24/7 protecting America’s health, safety and security. Whether disease start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to America’s most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world. SOURCE: CDC Press Release, April 2, 2021. Photo Credit: Pixabay Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com

CruiseCrazies Founder and Owner, Jason Taub, is a Fort Lauderdale Realtor® with D'Angelo Realty Group - The local market leader in downtown Fort Lauderdale condo sales. We represent buyers and sellers of waterfront condos, townhomes and single family homes in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale Beach and the surrounding areas. With over $2 billion in real estate transactions, our track record of success speaks for itself. D’Angelo Realty Group is located in the heart of Las Olas Boulevard, minutes from Port Everglades and is celebrating 20 years of selling Fort Lauderdale properties. If you're considering buying, renting or selling a full-time or seasonal home in the area, Jason is available 24/7 and will find the perfect residence for you. Ask about virtual showings and 100% contact-less transactions! 🕓 Available 24/7 ☎️ (954) 663-6032 ✉️ Jason@dangelorealty.com 🌎 www.JasonTaubRealtor.com

TORONTO- June 11, 2019 – Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages President and CEO Tom McAlpin announced the appointment of Captain Wendy Williams as Master of Scarlet Lady. When Captain Williams takes the helm of Scarlet Lady in spring 2020, she will become the first Canadian woman to be captain of a ship for a major cruise brand. The company also announced a brand-new lineup of itineraries for their premier 2020 season. “Captain Wendy’s extensive maritime background makes her an excellent choice to lead the Scarlet Lady, but it is her spirit and drive to approach life at sea differently that make her the perfect fit to join the Virgin Voyages family,” said Tom McAlpin, president and chief executive officer for Virgin Voyages. Originally from the coastal city of Sept-Îles, Quebec on the Northeastern coast of Canada, Captain Williams now resides on her hobby farm on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Captain Williams has more than 28 years of experience working on ships at sea. Her extensive background includes more than a decade as a deckhand in commercial fishing off the western coast of Canada as well as working as a ferryboat captain. Although she has spent more than 15 years working on the bridge of mega cruise ships, her role with Virgin Voyages will be her first promotion to Master of a cruise ship. “I have salt water in my veins and nothing brings me more joy than being at sea,” said Captain Wendy Williams. “It’s a dream come true to be working with Virgin Voyages, a company that is focused on creating an incredible experience not only for our Sailors but for our Crew as well; while also taking action to minimize our footprint on our oceans.” Just last year, Virgin Voyages announced its Scarlet Squad program, an initiative dedicated to bridging the gender gap in leadership roles across the maritime industry, where women represent less than three percent of the workforce. The program aims to recruit, support and mentor female shipboard talent, and to grow opportunities for leadership roles in marine, technical and hotel management positions on board. While Virgin Voyages is still in the early stages of the crew for Scarlet Lady, the company has already recruited Captain Williams as well as nearly a dozen other female officers, including Jill Anderson as hotel director, Christin Wenge as safety officer, Lindsay Kerber as environmental officer, among other incredibly talented female engineers as well as second and third officers. Virgin Voyages’ intention is to create an onboard environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to reach their full potential. New Voyage Offerings In response to the U.S. government’s new restrictions on travel to Cuba from the United States, Virgin Voyages has also developed an exciting lineup of new itineraries featuring destinations that its Sailors expressed interest in exploring while on a voyage aboard Scarlet Lady. Continuing the company’s mission to provide its Sailors with epic day and nighttime experiences, the all new itineraries will feature multiple late-night sail aways, including a midnight departure on all new sailings. Virgin Voyages will now offer five-night Riviera Maya sailings to Cozumel/Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Cozumel and Playa del Carmen offer opportunities for Sailors to experience some of the world’s best diving, as the area is home to 26 coral species. Sailors will also have the opportunity to explore ecological and archeological treasures, including Mayan ruins, or even opt to explore neighboring Tulum, the elevated Bohemian sanctuary with picturesque beaches and diverse nightlife. For those who just want a quick getaway, Virgin Voyages’ four-night sailings will now become Fire and Sunset Soirées including a sunset departure from Key West and a midnight departure from Bimini. Sailors will experience the cultural and boating paradise of Key West, paired with a day of rejuvenation in Bimini, Bahamas that’s topped off by an exclusive late-night beach bonfire soiree. This celebration under the stars is exclusive to these sailings, and the artistic fire installations draw inspiration from the fireball sculptures on Branson’s Necker Island and the alluring communal nature of a traditional beachside bonfire. In response to Sailor demand for longer voyages aboard Scarlet Lady, Virgin Voyages has developed special seven-night sailings for the 2020 festive holiday season. Those looking to get a jump start on their holiday planning can opt for the all-new Holidaze and Nights and New Year’s Ahoy voyages, which fall over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays respectively, and feature stops in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and late-night sail aways in both Bimini, Bahamas and San Juan, Puerto Rico. All voyages will feature a stop in Bimini, Bahamas, home to The Beach Club, a private club for Virgin Voyages Sailors while Scarlet Lady is on the island. For more information on Scarlet Lady, future Sailors and First Mates (travel partners) are invited to check out Virgin Voyages by visiting www.virginvoyages.com. Photo: Richard Branson and Wendy Williams (Virgin Voyages) (Gerry Barker is a freelance travel writer who has covered the cruise industry for 10 years, formerly with The Palm Beach Post. He and his wife Pam maintain a Cruise Blog on NorthPalmBeachLife.com) 0 Comments

Virgin Voyages' inaugural season is officially on sale to everyone. The company's first ship, the adults-only Scarlet Lady is scheduled to set sail from Miami to the Caribbean beginning in April 2020. The four- and five-night itineraries will include stops in Havana, Cuba; Costa Maya, Mexico and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Onboard highlights will include 20-plus eateries, free group fitness classes, complimentary WiFi and free basic beverages such as soda, teas, coffee and water. There will also be no gratuities or service charges. What's more, each cabin will feature a custom-designed Seabed that's able to transform into a seating area while the lighting will automatically adjust to enhance the time of day. Scarlet Lady will offer 1,330 cabins and 78 RockStar suites in all, with a majority boasting ocean views and terraces. "I’ve dreamed of starting my own cruise line since I was in my 20s and now the launch is finally getting close," said Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Voyages, in a statement. "We have taken the time to think about every detail and craft an experience that brings the Virgin brand to life and disrupts the travel industry." "At Virgin Voyages we are going beyond just great design to defy and redefine luxury to be rebellious luxe," added Virgin Voyages president and CEO Tom McAlpin. "This new luxury is about knowing you are taken care of, that you’re never being nickel and dimed, and what you want, even some of the things you didn’t know you wanted, are already taken care of for you." Earlier this month, Virgin Voyages launched a dedicated travel agent website called "First Mates" that offers agents and advisors access to interactive marketing and learning materials to help them book clients. By TravelPulse Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com

It’s so easy for David Kirkland's family and friends to cruise for less, it seems like the cruise lines are paying them to take a vacation! While they spend practically nothing, David just shakes his head in utter disbelief as he watches what others just like you are spending for your cruise vacation. But now, the shocking truth will be exposed in David's revolutionary guide on how to cruise for less – the same guide that has the cruise industry trembling at the knees. David was a hard-working 3-Stripe Officer for 10 years at a major cruise line… …until he was forced to quit because he no longer wanted to trick passengers into spending obscene amounts of money! He took a stand and his job was threatened. This guide is his response to that threat. With David's extensive industry knowledge, he has published this astonishing, one-of-a-kind guide on how you can save a boatload of money on every cruise you ever take – the secrets that could only come from someone within the industry. David is absolutely certain that once you’ve read his guide, you will be left COMPLETELY SHOCKED AND SPEECHLESS at just how much you’ve been misled, overcharged and even flat out deceived by the cruise lines. David guarantees you that this information will absolutely transform the way you cruise like nothing else out there. Also, David insists that this guide will work with any cruise line, any ship, and any itinerary worldwide! Click the following button for your own copy of this insider information:

Hi my name is Renee and I am here to help YOU solve some of the problems of packing for your next cruise! Let's face it packing for a cruise can be grueling and that is not the way it should be. Packing should be as much fun as the cruise itself! Our luggage line is ready to service your packing needs and is called "MY CRUISER™ - EZ PACK”. It is truly easy to pack because it leaves no question about where to put your shoes, solves the problem with leaking toiletries and separates used laundry from everything else. The removable hanging bag feature is great to hang up in the bathroom or inside the closet area since it eliminates the need to keep getting in and out of your suitcase. Plus NO PLASTIC BAGS NEEDED with "MY CRUISER™ - EZ PACK” Let’s get cruisin’ with "MY CRUISER™ - EZ PACK" Visit: www.mycruiserezpack.com

The Cruise Lines International Association anticipates positive year-over-year growth for the industry globally in 2018, with a passenger forecast of 28 million. The U.S. and Canada saw impressive growth in 2017 with a five percent increase over the previous year, and North America represented the largest ocean passenger volume in 2017 (49 percent) with a total of more than 13 million ocean cruise passengers. As the cruise industry continues to expand globally, plans for four new terminals in the U.S. have been advanced over the last two weeks. Port of Galveston The Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves has entered into a MOU with Royal Caribbean Cruises for the development and operation of a new cruise terminal. The long-term lease negotiations could lead to a 60-year transaction: a 20-year initial term and four 10-year options. While specific designs and costs have not yet been announced, some details have been revealed. The new terminal will cover approximately 200,000 square feet on 10 acres of land in the southeast section of the Port known as Pier 10. Improvements to the pier bulkhead and apron will be made to safely accommodate the cruise line’s largest vessels. In addition, a staging and loading area, bus and taxi staging areas and substantial parking will be constructed. The new facility is anticipated to open in 2021. “Over the last 15 years, Royal Caribbean has brought over 2.4 million guests to Galveston driving an economic impact of $65 million each year. The development of a new terminal is crucial to our continued growth and expansion of the brand in the region,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. Royal Caribbean currently has two ships that sail out of Galveston, Liberty of the Seas, the largest cruise ship to sail from Texas, and Vision of the Seas. The Port expects the new cruise terminal to generate an additional 1.0 million passengers halfway through the term of the contract. Icy Strait Point Norwegian Cruise Line has entered a partnership with Alaska Native-owned Huna Totem Corporation to develop a second cruise pier in Icy Strait Point, Hoonah, Alaska. The pier is scheduled to be completed for the summer 2020 Alaska cruise season and will be built to accommodate Norwegian Cruise Line’s Breakaway Plus-class ships. The partnership will provide Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ brands with preferential berthing rights. Currently Oceania Cruises’ Regatta, Seven Seas Mariner, Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Joy are scheduled to call on Icy Strait Point in the 2019 season. In addition, the new pier will provide more cruise passengers with access to Icy Strait’s newly upgraded retail, restaurant and shore excursion amenities, including the world’s largest ZipRider zip line. Canaveral Port The Canaveral Port Authority (CPA) Board of Commissioners have approved a resolution for the issuance of a series of bonds up to $117 million to provide the financing for Port Canaveral’s Cruise Terminal 3 project. The new terminal will be the homeport for Carnival Cruise Line’s newest and largest cruise ship. The Canaveral Port Authority and Carnival Cruise Line will invest in building and equipping a new two-story 185,000-square foot terminal to accommodate the as-yet-unnamed 180,000-ton Carnival Cruise Line ship that will have maximum capacity of approximately 6,500 guests. The new cruise passenger terminal, plus an adjacent elevated parking facility to accommodate nearly 1,800 vehicles, and related wharf, road and access improvements will total $150 million – estimated to be the largest single project in the history of the Port. Carnival will contribute up to $50 million towards the cruise terminal construction project. The new terminal is slated for completion by mid-2020. The new Carnival operating agreement, which began September 1, 2018 provides a 25-year primary term with four additional five-year renewal options and includes annual guarantees throughout. The arrival of the new Carnival ship in 2020 will mark 30 years that Carnival Cruise Line has been sailing from Port Canaveral, the longest of any of the Port’s cruise partners. PortMiami Sir Richard Branson's new cruise venture, Virgin Voyages, unveiled its plans for a new terminal at PortMiami last week. The passenger terminal's design is inspired by the form of the royal palm tree, and it was created by Miami-based architecture firm Arquitectonica. The two-story terminal’s rooftop is designed to resemble a palm tree grove, with pockets that allow natural light to flow into the building by day. It will have spotlight beams to light up the Virgin Voyages logo and the Miami sky at night. Arquitectonica's co-founder, Bernardo Fort Brescia, told the Miami Herald that “it’s more like a stage set than a cruise terminal," designed for a serene vacation experience from the moment of arrival. By Maritime Executive Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com

A plan to bring Carnival Cruise Line’s largest-ever cruise ship to Port Canaveral was unanimously approved by the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners on Wednesday morning. The board voted to enter into a 25-year operating agreement with Miami-based Carnival that will pave the way for the cruise line to dock its still unnamed, 5,286-passenger ship at the port. Under the agreement, Carnival would have access to Terminals 5 and 6 until the port’s new Terminal 3 is completed in June 2020. Then, Carnival will primarily operate from Terminals 3 and 6. The move to Terminal 3 will give Carnival the space to operate its newest and largest vessels at Port Canaveral — just in time for the completion of Carnival’s new ship. During a presentation to the board Wednesday morning, Scott Bakos, managing principal and partner at Bermello-Ajamil & Partners, Inc., the design consultant and architect on the project, revealed further details of the design for the new terminal. The all-glass facade of Terminal 3 will be titled “Launch Pad,” in a font reminiscent of the one used on the NASA logo, a move that is designed to tie in the history of the Space Coast. The 185,000-square-foot building will have a U.S. Customs and Border Protection screening area and integrated mobile passenger check-in, all targeted at making the embarkation and debarkation process more seamless. The building will also have the capability to transition as Customs and Border Protection moves to using facial recognition, Bakos said. A five-level parking garage will accommodate nearly 1,800 cars. “There is nothing like having a fantastic cruise and having to deal with long lines and wait times, so we put a lot of effort into making sure that doesn’t happen for the facility,” Bakos told the board. All told, the $150 million terminal project is the largest in the port’s history. “This agreement is a valuable milestone for the port’s cruise business and a foremost achievement for the entire region’s economy. Our partnership with Carnival has continued to grow over the years thanks to this community’s assets, our commitment to service and a steadfast focus on preserving our financial strength to invest in the port’s future,” said Tom Weinberg, secretary/treasurer of the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners in a statement. The new agreement will replace an existing six-year agreement set to expire in 2019. Effective Sept. 1, the new agreement will bring Carnival’s current annual guarantee to the port from a fixed $7 million passenger fee to a $14.5 million commitment that will increase by 2.5 percent for the first five years and 3 percent thereafter. From Carnival’s perspective, the agreement cements its foothold at Port Canaveral as the largest operator. The arrival of its largest ship will also shine a light on port, which will play host to the first ship powered by liquefied natural gas in North America. Further details on the ship will be revealed next year. By Chabeli Herrera, Orlando Sentinel Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com

It's summertime, and the travel is not always so easy. Tourist attractions are crowded and TSA is busy. So, we asked travel agents for some ideas on how to beat the crowds and the heat to have the best family vacation ever. Here’s what they said: 1. Plan ahead. Use your precious travel time wisely by doing as much in advance as possible, suggests Roy Gal of Memories Forever Travel Group in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. Book your excursions and tours and even restaurants before you leave home, or ask your travel agent to do it for you. 2. Don’t miss the boat. Or the plane. Make sure to leave enough travel time to arrive at the airport or cruise ship no matter how bad the summer traffic might be, says Laurie Ann Delaney Bahna of Cruises, Inc., in Plainview, New York. And at Amanda’s Travels in Lawrence, Kansas, owner Amanda Storm suggests that “even though most agents will put your documents in a day-by-day order, you still need to remember to read them. If there is something very important for you to see, make an appointment on your electronic calendar (with a reminder 12 hours and 3 hours prior) or set an alarm on your phone. Traveling for long periods of time can make you lose track of days. It would be so sad if you miss out on the tour you have been waiting to see because you get your days mixed up.” 3. Check your travel documents. Make sure the expiration date on your passport is more than six months past your return date, and that you have any necessary paperwork to travel to your destination. If you are traveling with minors who have different last names from yours or without one parent, bring a notarized letter giving you permission to take them, and their birth certificate and passport, says Phyllis Samowitz of SmartFlyer. And check the spelling of your name on all your flight reservations and documents in advance. 4. Say yes to travel insurance. Summer storms or sudden illness can ruin both your best-laid plans and your budget. Buy some peace of mind by opting for a travel insurance plan, says Marge Lenau, owner of Wonderland Family Vacations, LLC, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 5. The more the merrier. Make it a true family trip by inviting extended family and friends to join you. The cousins and friends will help keep the kids entertained and “you can throw all the kids in that adjoining room and actually save some money and get a great vacation,” suggests Heather Di Pietro, owner of TravelSalesGroup in Charlotte, North Carolina. But, adds Helen Prochilo, owner of Promal Vacations in Long Beach, New York, “it’s imperative to book early — six months or more, depending on where you are going — to get the cabins or rooms you need” for even a small group. 6. Bring along some basic first aid. “Sunburn can really ruin your vacation, and sunscreen is an expensive purchase if you need to buy it,” so bring more than you think you will need, says Toni Day, president of Toni Tours Inc. in Levittown, New York. If you are headed to a cruise ship or foreign destination, pack some Band-Aids, aspirin, decongestants and Imodium, too, says Travelstore owner Cathy Udovch in Irvine, California. “Cruise ship medical facilities charge an arm and a leg, and trying to negotiate a pharmacy in another country can be daunting.” 7. Take a picture. Carry a photo of your passport in case you lose the original when you travel abroad. And if you are traveling with children, take a picture of them in the morning just in case you get separated and others have to help you look for them, suggests Kelley Austin, owner of a Cruise Planners franchise in Navasota, Texas. 8. Remember to have fun. “If you make a jam-packed schedule, it won’t feel like a vacation. Take time to breathe and let things happen on their own,” suggests Ashley Bennington, a mother of four kids under 12, at JCo Travel LLC in Rochester, New York. “Some of the best memories are made when you are doing nothing but being together.” At Go Away Often Travel in Nanuet, New York, Memory Creator Scott Walters puts it succinctly: “Lower your expectations. Expect delays, meltdowns and crowds. Pack your patience. Know that in most cases, if you miss something, it will be there next time.” By Cheryl Rosen, Travel Market Report Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com

What Happens When You Get A ‘TOP 10 CHEF IN THE WORLD’ Who Is A ‘MASTER CHEF OF FRANCE’ That SETS COURSE FOR AUSTRALIA You Get The CHEFS OF MAJESTIC PRINCESS GAIN ACCOLADES AHEAD OF AUSTRALIAN ARRIVAL! Princess Cruises’ Director of Guest Culinary Experience, Chef Pierre-Marie Leprince, has been honoured with the distinction of Master Chef of France by the prestigious culinary organisation, the Association of the Master Chefs of France (L ’Association des Maîtres Cuisiniers de France). Also newly named to the association is three-Michelin-starred Chef Emmanuel Renaut, the culinary mastermind behind Majestic Princess’ La-Mer restaurant. Recently awarded Top 10 Best Chef in the World for the third running by French magazine La Chef, as voted by two and three-starred Michelin chefs from around the world, Renaut developed specialty French restaurant La Mer in partnership with Leprince exclusively for Princess’ newest ship, Majestic Princess. “The prestige and expertise of Chef Leprince and Chef Renaut takes the dining experience at sea to a whole new level.” said Stuart Allison, Senior Vice President Princess Cruises Asia Pacific. “For a $39 cover charge and without the month-long wait that synonymous with this calibre of cuisine, Australian and New Zealand guests will be among the first to experience La Mer when Majestic Princess arrives for her maiden Australian season in September this year.” The Biggest, newest and most luxurious ship in the Princess fleet, Majestic Princess will be the largest ever Princess ship to homeport in Australian waters when she arrives in Sydney on Saturday, 15 September 2018. During her inaugural Australian season, Majestic will sail on 16 cruises to destinations including Fiji, New Zealand and Tasmania as well as two Asia voyages between Shanghai and Sydney, and Sydney and Hong Kong. Information supplied by: Princess Cruises And www.australiancruisingnews.com.au The HOME Of Australian Cruising! Photos supplied by: Princess Cruises.

Whilst it is only 86 days to go until Majestic Princess calls Australia home, today she sailed into Keelung Taipei where she was joined by another Princess ship, Diamond Princess. Both ships were expertly captured by Princess Cruises' local port agent in Taiwan, Vicky Tsai. Majestic Princess is currently sailing on roundtrip itineraries from Taiwan and Diamond Princess is currently sailing on roundtrip itineraries from Japan. Majestic Princess carries 3,500 guests and weighs in at 143,00 GRT the ship will become the largest Princess ship to homeport in Sydney, Australia. Majestic Princess is due to arrive in Sydney on Saturday the 15th of September 2018 for the 2018/19 Australian cruising season. “The anticipation and excitement for Majestic’s maiden season speaks to the momentous growth of our market. Incredibly, we have already announced her second season return before she’s arrived, to spearhead our largest Australian deployment in 2019, alongside Ruby Princess.” During her inaugural Australian season, Majestic Princess will sail on 16 cruises to destinations including Fiji, New Zealand and Tasmania as well as two Asia voyages between Shanghai and Sydney, and Sydney and Hong Kong. The ultimate in premium cruising, Majestic Princess features 13 dining options including two restaurants with menus designed by Michelin star chefs – Harmony by Chef Richard Chen and La Mer by Chef Emmanuel Renaut – as well as more than 1000 square meters of designer shopping, the cruise line’s largest ever thermal suite and a dramatic over-the-ocean glass walkway, the SeaWalk. Guests can choose from a wide range of high-end accommodation including suites, Club Class mini-suites, and new deluxe balcony rooms, with more than 80 per cent of the ship's 1780 staterooms offering private balconies. Information supplied by: Princess Cruises And www.australiancruisingnews.com.au The HOME Of Australian Cruising! Photo supplied by: Princess Cruises.

This may have happened a good number of years ago, but it's so unique that it's definitely worth sharing once again in case you haven't seen this before. There's a quick video below too, to see it for yourself. In 2010, Jan Schwiderek in partnership with the AIDA Cruises line, performed a stunt of water skiing behind the 68,500-ton (GRT) cruise ship AIDAbella for more than six minutes to achieve a Guinness world record. The stunt was performed in 2010 off the Spanish coast in the Bay of Alicante as passengers and crew aboard the 252 meter AIDAbella gathered at the stern of the ship to watch in awe. To make this happen, a "rolling start" was deployed in which Jan Schwiderek was pulled up by a speedboat while on the skis at full speed of 14 knots. The stunt lasted for 6 minutes and 25 seconds and to this day is the current world record for pulling a water-ski rider. So, who wants to water ski behind a cruise ship?

A floating pier developed for the fjords of Norway has started to catch on elsewhere, potentially creating new cruise ports worldwide, especially in small or cash-strapped destinations. Called SeaWalk, the device comes in incremental segments linked by circular, floating pivot points. The head segment has a propulsion unit, and the pier can be motored into position when a ship calls. The developer of SeaWalk recently reached an agreement with the Port Authority of Jamaica to build and install a pier that will be used to open a cruise operation at Port Royal, a historical town at the end of a peninsula near Kingston. Port Royal was one of the busiest ports in the Caribbean in the 17th century until a massive earthquake in 1692 caused much of the town's waterfront to sink into the sand and disappear underwater. Plans have been floated for decades to bring cruise ships to Port Royal but have been thwarted by the fragile ecology of the waterfront archaeological site, which would be disrupted by construction of a fixed pier. With the SeaWalk plans in hand, the port authority was able to get approval for a port, which is expected to open in the first quarter of 2019. European cruise lines were the first to express an interest. "We're seeing some interest from the American side, as well," said William Tatham, the port authority's vice president for cruise shipping and marina operations. To date, SeaWalk has installed four piers, in Norway and Sweden, with one more coming online this year in Norway. The original installation, in 2012 in Skjolden, a small town on Norway's longest fjord, has since been removed, as the town no longer wanted cruise calls. That demonstrates one of the technology's strong points: flexibility. "This type of pier has a very small environmental footprint," said Svein Sleipnes, Caribbean sales director for SeaWalk. "If you want to move it somewhere else, you can also do that. It's not an installation like a pier that is there forever. It is mobile." Another advantage, Sleipnes said, is time. "From contract to completion, it's only about 12 months, because the pier is built at a shipyard," he said. "Then it is put on a semi-submersible barge or a ship and installed on site. So the time spent on site is a few weeks to get everything up and running." Cost is also a plus. The pier in Port Royal will cost about $8 million, which Sleipnes said "is a lot less expensive ... than installing a standard pier." Although it can be used in different configurations, the SeaWalk basically works like a folding ruler on pontoons. Segments connect at joints. There is a diesel generator on the pier, and hydraulics extend it into the water. At the end is a steering unit with a 360-degree rotatable propeller. Ships tie up to mooring buoys or set anchors at safe spots. The pier is then tied to the ship rather than the other way around. The design is an adaptation of technology that has been used in the oil industry in the North Sea, according to SeaWalk's website. Sleipnes said there have been more than 300 calls by cruise ships as large as the Norwegian Getaway successfully using SeaWalk. "It works really well," he said. "It's a great improvement to tendering, if that's the option you have." Perhaps the biggest selling point for a number of destinations, however, is the low impact on the environment. That was the case in Jamaica, where schemes to bring cruises to Port Royal always foundered on plans to build a pier. The port authority's Tatham said, "There was a tremendous pushback, understandably, from the National Heritage Trust. They said there was no way they would support anything that leads to dredging or driving piles or anything like that." However, Jamaica's prime minister had an interest in increasing cruise calls in Kingston. A survey of cruise lines showed more interest in Port Royal than Kingston proper, Tatham said, so he contacted SeaWalk to see what could be done. The 750-foot pier at Port Royal will be well away from the sunken city, to protect it. Jamaica expects it to be ready in the first quarter of 2019, with Germany's Aida Cruises identified as the possible first customer. Sleipnes said the company is talking with several other ports. "This is the first installation outside of Scandinavia," he said. "Of course, it's a big step for us to be able to take this technology to other parts of the world besides Scandinavia." One country where the cruise situation is ideal for SeaWalk is Cuba, where several small ports outside of Havana need improved cruise infrastructure at a low price. Sleipnes said SeaWalk is also a good solution for the growing expedition fleet, which tends to target underdeveloped ports, or even for the industry at large. "There's about 100 ships being built right now" Sleipnes said. "And pier space has been tight in the past, and clearly this is not going to get any better once you get all these ships in operation." By Tom Stieghorst, Travel Weekly Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com

(CNN) — Why build a bigger cruise ship when you can just cut one in half and add an extra 15 meters to the middle? That seems to be the thinking at cruise company Silversea, which has begun an eye-popping project to stretch its luxury cruise ship Silver Spirit. The elaborate engineering feat, underway at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Palermo, Italy, requires over 500 skilled workers and will take up approximately 450,000 man hours. A prebuilt 15-meter extension (almost 50 feet) has already been inserted with "military precision" to stretch Silver Spirit from 195.8 to 210.7 meters. The 36,009-ton ship is now being carefully reconnected to make it ready for sea travel. The renovation requires approximately 846 tons of steel, 110,000 meters of cabling and 8,000 meters of piping and is believed to come with a $100 million price tag. Once completed, the ship's capacity will increase by around 12%, and Silversea (whose headquarters are based in Monaco) aims to "create more space in public areas" and "enhance Silver Spirit's facilities." "Witnessing these breathtaking phases of the Silver Spirit lengthening project has filled us with pride and excitement," says Barbara Muckermann, chief marketing officer of Silversea. She says the work will upgrade Silver Spirit to more closely match the magic of its newer flagship vessel Silver Muse, which took the sea in 2017. "The lengthening and refurbishment of Silver Spirit will replicate the modern elegance of our latest vessel to make for a more luxurious traveling experience," Muckermann adds. "We are eager to share the new and improved layout of our cherished ship with our valued guests.'" Described as a "rarely performed feat of maritime architecture," the operation is the first of its kind involving a luxury cruise ship, according to Silversea. The extra space will make room for a new eight-restaurant formation as well as increased outdoor seating, an expansion of the pool deck and 34 new suites. Silver Spirit's sky deck will also increase in length and a new aerobics area is to be fitted outside. Other new additions include a spa, a free weights room and two new public spaces. The ship's current suites are also to be refurbished. Silversea says it's already donated 11 containers of furniture -- including sofas, chairs, curtains and computers -- to hospitals, nursing homes and schools in Chania, Crete. Silver Spirit first set sail in 2009 and served as Silversea's largest luxury ship until Silver Muse was launched in April 2017. The privately owned luxury cruise line's other vessels include Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper as well as expedition ships Silver Explorer, Silver Galapagos, Silver Discoverer and Silver Cloud. The Silver Spirit is due to recommence service on May 6, 2018, offering seven-day trips between Civitavecchia (Rome) and Barcelona, with fares starting at $5,600 per person. By Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com

Norwegian Encore, the latest addition to Norwegian Cruise Line’s young and modern fleet, will invite travelers to discover or rediscover the beauty and culture of the Caribbean islands with cruises now on sale for voyages beginning in fall of 2019. Guests can now book their ultimate cruise vacation on Norwegian’s fourth Breakaway-Plus class ship, the final ship in the most successful class of the company’s history. For her inaugural 2019 season, Norwegian Encore will cruise out of Miami every Sunday, and sail seven-day voyages to the Eastern Caribbean, beginning with her first journey on November 17, 2019 through April 12, 2020. Norwegian Encore’s Eastern Caribbean cruises will feature some of the region’s most popular destinations offering a perfect mix of leisure activities, culture immersion and adventurous experiences. On this spectacular seven-day voyage, guests will first visit San Juan, Puerto Rico where they can explore everything the city has to offer. Guests can stroll through the colorful plazas and cobblestone streets of Old San Juan, tour the island’s popular Bacardi Rum distillery, and visit historic sites including the Castillo San Felipe del Morro, immersing themselves in the history of the citadel. Norwegian Encore will then make her next call into St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, notably known for its picturesque beaches, amazing snorkeling locations and bountiful shopping options. Finally, guests will have the chance to revel in the exotic, beautiful isle of Tortola, British Virgin Islands and relax on its sprawling white sandy beaches while surrounded by its lush tropical scenery. “Our decision to have the inaugural season of Norwegian Encore cruise the Caribbean reinforces our long-standing relationship with this region and strengthens our support to some of the most beautiful islands in the world,” said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “We are excited to reveal the ship’s new features and amenities over the next few months, and look forward to continuing to offer our guests the freedom and flexibility to design their ultimate cruise vacation aboard our newest ship.” In January, Norwegian Encore marked her first construction milestone with an official steel-cutting ceremony that took place at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. Slated to be approximately 167,800 gross tons and accommodating up to 4,000 guests, Norwegian Encore will make her much-anticipated debut in Miami in November 2019 to coincide with the scheduled completion of the new terminal at PortMiami, which will be dedicated to Norwegian Cruise Line. The design that was recently revealed at the Seatrade Cruise Global Conference in March is a creation of the architects at Bermello Ajamil and Partners, and will feature modern elements including state-of-the-art lighting, inviting indoor and outdoor waiting areas, new technology for a more efficient checking-in process and other innovative features to enhance the overall guest experience. Norwegian Encore will feature amenities and interactive experiences that will excite and inspire. More details on the ship’s design, accommodations, dining and onboard offerings will be shared in the coming months. By Norwegian Cruise Line Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com

Visits to secluded islands. Long, leisurely port calls. A crew that intuits whether you’re in the mood for a private tour of a nearby estate or a day of sunning on the deck. It sounds much more like yachting than cruising—which is precisely the point. When Ritz-Carlton, Marriott International Inc.'s flagship luxury brand, unveiled its cruise concept last year, it was clear that the hotel brand intended to take a detour from the rest of the industry. Its ships will offer luxuries largely unheard-of on cruise lines: airy, open-flow common areas, intimate restaurants that offer around-the-clock dining, and guest suites with high ceilings and twin bathroom sinks. It’s not just design that aims to set the brand apart, says Doug Prothero, managing director of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, in an exclusive conversation with Bloomberg. It’s what guests will be able to do when they reach them. “On lots of our itineraries, you’ll only see yachts,” Prothero says. “On a lot of them, you’ll never find a larger cruise ship.” Cruises will go on sale to the public on June 11. The still-unnamed maiden ship will ply the waters of the Southern Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Latin America, Canada, and New England starting in November 2019. Rarefied spots include Capri, the Greek isle of Kythira, and Canouan, Bequia, and the Tobago Cays in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. These port calls are enabled by the size of the line’s three future ships—190-meters-long (623-feet), with space for 298 passengers in 149 suites. They are about three times bigger than the largest superyachts, but more intimate than typically small cruise ships, which carry around 650 passengers. The Ritz’s vessels are comparable to the smaller luxury ships from Silversea Cruises. Almost all of Ritz-Carlton’s trips last seven to 10 days. In contrast to traditional cruises, they will sail at a leisurely pace—four or ports in a week, or six or seven stops over 10 days, Prothero says. “It’s not about racing off to the next place,” he says. “We are recreating the yacht experience in a hybrid cruise world.” In the more popular destinations, particularly European cities, Ritz-Carlton will have an advantage when it comes to berthing locations, because of the ships’ sizes. “The idea is to get as close to the heart of the city as we can,” Prothero says. The programming is distinctive, too. The Shore Collection, as it’s called, has five segments to cater to guests’ varying moods and tastes: Active experiences, for example, can be more physical—snorkeling, diving, mountain biking, rappelling. “In the Tobago Cays, you can go swimming with turtles,” he explained. “It’s an amazing experience you can have, whether you’re an advanced diver or a novice snorkeler.” Others are geared toward more sensory experiences, Prothero says, from food to museums to “stepping into a field of lavender” in Provence. The Shore Concierge program caters to guests who want a completely custom-tailored journey, and can book anything from a private museum tour to a helicopter trip. The Yacht Collection expects to draw upscale cruisers eager for a new experience, as well as travelers who wouldn’t otherwise step on a mainstream cruise—and, of course, Ritz-Carlton fans. Some of the itineraries will intersect with the hotels, but it’s not a focus. A future Great Lakes route, for instance, can be book-ended with stays at properties in Montreal and Chicago. The routes have been mapped to facilitate back-to-back bookings should guests want to create special 15-day journeys—or decide while on board that they’d like to extend their holidays. “Throughout our itineraries, we as much as possible, try to avoid doubling back,” Prothero says. “If someone does the voyage from Reykjavik to Halifax, it would be easy for them to add on a trip from Boston.” (Few cruise lines offer this; Compagnie du Ponant does.) A seven-day journey in the Mediterranean will start from $5,600 per person. The price covers everything but excursions, spa experiences, and dinners at Acqua, the restaurant by Sven Elverfeld, chef of the three-Michelin-starred Acqua in Wolfsburg, Germany. The company is still figuring out answers to a nagging question. How will the Ritz-Carlton and Marriott International loyalty programs interface with the cruise line? Ritz-Carlton Rewards members will have one perk out of the gate: They’ll be able to reserve suites, starting in May. By Sara Clemence, Bloomberg Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com

How to find cheap flights for your cruise Cruising is more popular than ever, and the appeal is obvious: an all-inclusive vacation on a floating resort hotel with great ocean views. According to the latest figures from trade publication Cruise Industry News, the three busiest cruise ports in the world are in Florida and the absolute busiest, Miami, welcomed 4.8 million passengers in 2016. Rounding out the top 10 are Cozumel, Shanghai, Barcelona, Civitavecchia (Italy), Nassau, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands of Spain — but let’s take a closer look at the top-ranked U.S. ports and the best ways to get to them. No.1: Port Miami. Fly to Miami International (MIA), about 3 miles away. No. 2: Port Canaveral. Fly to Orlando International (MCO), about 45 miles away. No. 3: Port Everglades. Fly to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL), about 6 miles away. No. 12: Port of Galveston. Fly to one of two Houston airports: William P. Hobby (HOU), about 40 miles away, or George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), about 72 miles away. No. 21: Port of New Orleans. Fly to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY), about 16 miles away. Once you choose a cruise, start planning travel to the port: • Give yourself plenty of time. If the ship departs at 9 a.m., don’t plan to fly in at 7 a.m., even if the port is only a couple of miles from the airport. Flights get delayed all the time (storms, mechanical issues) and if you’re not there when the ship leaves port you’ll be out of luck and, given that cruises are non-refundable, a lot of money. Consider arriving the day before the cruise departs, or even a few days before and make the port city part of a longer vacation. There are plenty of attractions for all ages in southern Florida, and other port cities, too. • Compare nearby airports. Before you automatically book a flight to the port’s closest airport, check prices to that one plus nearby airports. For example, if your ship departs the Port of Miami, look at fares to Miami but also check Fort Lauderdale, which is only 25 miles farther away and might be significantly cheaper. These round-trip fares — for weekday travel in May — were found late last week on Farecompare.com: Chicago-Fort Lauderdale, $89 Chicago-Miami, $151 • Fly into one city, depart from another city. Before you book flights, be sure to check your cruise itinerary carefully; the ship may leave from one port but end up in another. This is not uncommon for cruises and here’s where you need a two-pronged strategy to find the best fares. First, find and compare fares using a "multi-city" itinerary: Depart city A, arrive city B; then depart city C, arrive city A. Then, find and compare fares for two one-way trips: Trip No. 1 - depart city A and arrive city B; trip No. 2 - depart city C and arrive city A. Take a look at these May fares for a passenger in Los Angeles who will take an Alaska cruise. The ship departs from the Anchorage area and ends its voyage in Vancouver. Two separate one-way flights, found on a comparison search site, for travel in May: Los Angeles-Anchorage. $199 Vancouver-Los Angeles. $112 Total: $311 Multi-city itineraries found on airline websites: Los Angeles-Anchorage, Vancouver-Los Angeles. Total: From $366 to $900+ Note that separate one-way flights are not always cheaper; you always have to compare. • Don’t forget transportation between airport and port. Some cruise lines include an airport shuttle between the terminal and the ship in the overall package price; check to see if your line offers this or gives any options for getting from plane to port. If not, see if the airport offers port shuttles or consider a taxi, Uber or Lyft. If you are entitled to a free shuttle ride, be sure you nail down where to wait for it (and how long you’ll have to wait); some airport websites like Miami’s list shuttle pick-up locations for various cruise lines by terminal. Happy cruising! By Rick Seaney, Farecompare.com Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com

Lisa Lillien (a.k.a. Hungry Girl) is the creator of Hungry Girl and a guru of better-for-you eating. Nearly 3 million daily email subscribers and social media followers eagerly await her healthy recipes, food finds, and tips ‘n tricks each weekday. Come spend a week with Lisa and her team, and learn how to lose weight and keep it off for good! PACK YOUR BAGS FOR… WEIGHT-MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES THAT WORK Learn how to outsmart your cravings, overcome common setbacks, and more! Bonus: Award-winning health journalist Robert J. Davis, PhD, will reveal some shocking food and fitness myths. See more event highlights here: http://cruise.hungry-girl.com/#hgevents INSPIRATION & MOTIVATION Hear from weight-loss superstars who won the battle with the scale. Through interactive discussion panels, they’ll reveal their top smart-eating strategies and share their personal keys to success. Get inspired to sit on the panel at next year’s cruise! Plus, down-to-earth cooking demos will show you how to make smart (and delicious!) at-home choices with ease. TROPICAL DESTINATIONS A private island in the Bahamas; duty-free shopping in George Town, Cayman Islands; storybook coral reefs in Cozumel, Mexico; and beach-side architecture in Key West… It’s the adventure of a lifetime, so get your cameras ready! For port descriptions, click here: http://cruise.hungry-girl.com/#portdescriptions CALORIE-BURNING SECRETS Learn simple ways to burn major calories from Mandee Miller, a physical wellness pro and Lisa’s personal trainer. Mandee will also lead all-level workouts and reinvigorating mid-session stretches to music. And join Lisa and team for “Deckwalking,” brisk walks around the boat to rack up your daily step count! CUSTOM CUISINE Enjoy group dinners with Hungry Girl entrées and desserts, complete with calorie counts! Of course, there will be plenty of indulgent dishes worth splurging on too... Feel free to indulge -- it’s YOUR vacation! PARTIES & ENTERTAINMENT Come party with Lisa and the Hungry Girl staff! Snap selfies, sip low-calorie margaritas, and dance it up to Holland America’s world-class live music! LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS The Hungry Girl cruise is like a luxury summer camp for grown-ups. Connect with Lisa and fellow HG cruisers, and build a support system that lasts long after the cruise ends. Grab your mom, your sister, and your gal pals! (Husbands and kids can come at a discounted rate!) For more information and to book the Official Hungry Girl Cruise, visit cruise.hungry-girl.com!

It's been a few years since CruiseCrazies has gathered up its members, friends and family for a group cruise. I am excited to announce that two future cruises for our community are now planned and ready to book. With feedback from members, we were able to mutually agree on two exciting destinations on two fabulous cruise lines: Holland America's Koningsdam to Norway in summer 2017, followed by the Coral Princess Panama Canal in spring 2018. Choose one or both, and please spread the word among our members! July 30, 2017 - 7 Night Norway Fjords cruise aboard Holland America's Koningsdam. Join old friends or make new ones as we embark on a memorable summer escape aboard Holland America's newest ship Koningsdam to the beautiful Norwegian Fjords. Explore the quaint, picturesque town of Alesund. Cruise the impressive Geirangerfjord, the jewel of the Norwegian Fjords. Experience the colorful city of Bergen, the gateway to the fjords. In Eidfjord see the spectacular Voringsfossen waterfall, one of Norway's most visited natural attractions. Enjoy scenic cruising of the breathtaking Hardangerfjord region. Begin and end your cruise in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam, where you can spend an extra night or two exploring this amazing city! Special Limited Time Offer is now available from Holland America - "EXPLORE 4". Reserve your cabin and receive: Signature Beverage Package Specialty Dining at the Pinnacle Grille Reduced Cruise Fares for Kids and Friends 50% Reduced Deposit Plus, suite guests receive $200 internet credit and prepaid gratuities! For complete details about our Norway cruise and how to reserve, please visit: Seven Sea Journeys/Norway 2017 April 10, 2018 - 10-Night Panama Canal Cruise aboard the Coral Princess (Partial Transit). Can't make the Norway cruise or prefer not to fly across the pond? Then join us for an exciting and memorable Caribbean adventure and partial transit of the Panama Canal aboard the Coral Princess, Princess Cruises' mid-size ship built especially for the canal! Enjoy the wonder of the Panama Canal. Relax on a beautiful beach in Aruba. Experience the rain forest of Costa Rica. Climb the famous Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and so much more. Begin and end your cruise in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where you are encouraged to spend a night or two exploring its beaches, shops and canals. For a limited time only, you can save money and enjoy these FREE amenities with Princess 3 FOR FREE offer: RESERVE NOW! For complete details about our Panama Cruise and how to reserve, please visit: Seven Sea Journeys - Panama Canal 2018 Questions? CONTACT ME for more information. Seven Sea Journeys is a CruiseCrazies Authorized Agent

(Article courtesy of Travel Pulse, "Resort for a Day: How to Take a Caribbean Beach Day Like a Boss") When you take a cruise to the Caribbean, you want to make the most of your time in the sun. For me, this means getting to the sands and blue waters. I'm talking about a beach day, that classic excursion most cruisers crave when they reach the islands. You have several options. Book a beach excursion on your ship. These can be pricey and crowded. You pay a premium for the convenience of booking onboard, and you probably will be traveling to and from the beach resort with hordes of others loaded onto coaches. Plus, your schedule is likely to be extremely structured and allow for a shorter time ashore than you would like. Or stroll off the ship, snag a taxi and tell the driver to take you to the best beach on the island. This can work out well for the adventurous traveler, but it also can be a bit sketchy. Some drivers can be unreliable, won't charge a fair price or drop you off with no way to get back to the ship. You also can find a kiosk or hawker in port rounding up cruisers looking for a snorkeling trip or beach outing. I like to try this sometimes because you can often get together with a group of fellow cruisers and negotiate a deal for a shuttle van to the beach (or a tour of the island or however you want to customize your excursion). This can be affordable but won't include any extras. How about if you want an all-inclusive, no-hassle reasonably priced beach day? On a recent sailing on Carnival Vista, I discovered the company Resort for a Day and used its Curacao day pass for my time in port there. I joined a group of about 20 people who were taking the excursion, and we were shuttled about 30 minutes from the port in Willemstad to Santa Barbara Beach Resort. The resort is one of 20 offered by Resort for a Day, a World Travel Holdings Inc. company. Resort for a Day features properties in popular cruise destinations like Cozumel, Barbados, Bermuda, Grand Cayman, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, St. Lucia and St. Kitts. (One is coming soon in Kauai.) The most popular resort is Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas. We'll chat about this playland in a bit. In Curacao, at Santa Barbara Beach Resort, we quickly found our beach rhythm. We soon were indulging in all the resort goodness: stretches of sand, swimming pools, food and drink. For $114, you get round-trip transportation, unlimited food from the poolside restaurant Splash, which serves appetizers like fish tacos, wings and nachos and meals like half-pound burgers, Caesar salads, paninis and pulled pork sandwiches. Drinks are included, too. We enjoyed sodas, local beers, margaritas and frozen cocktails. The beach is just steps from the pool area. Bring along your snorkel gear and jump right in, or you can rent snorkels and other watersports gear like kayaks and standup paddleboards. Hiking trails, golfing and bike rentals also are available. Our Curacao resort was a blast. But not all Resort for a Day properties are all-inclusive, and some don't include transfers to and from your ship. Each resort offers a different package, so pricing differs because of this, ranging from $60 to about $120 per person for the excursions. Resort for a Day sells about 20 to 40 passes at the properties depending on whether it's high season or low season, and you'll have a full day to play -- six to eight hours. The excursions are available for cruise passengers only and can be reserved online. Atlantis Resort is such a big attraction with so much to do that it stands alone in the Resort for a Day portfolio. A higher number of passes are available at Atlantis than for the other resorts, but they still sell out quickly, says Lynn Walters, the manager of day passes for cruisers. You'll find seven different options for passes to Atlantis, ranging from simple tours to the best deal: a $194 combo pass that includes lunch, a dolphin swimming encounter and an Aquaventure pass that allows you to experience the waterslides, rivers slides, Dig Aquarium, marine habitats and pool area with loungers and towels. Article Courtesy Travel Pulse and Seven Sea Journeys/News Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more. Photo: Courtesy of Resort for a Day Like this

Program Schedule Announced for the Hungry Girl Cruise! Exciting news! The full itinerary for the Official Hungry Girl Cruise (setting sail January 28th) is now available! Learn how to end the battle with the scale (finally!) from Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien herself, all while experiencing the Eastern Caribbean aboard a luxury Holland America cruise. Nearly 3 million email subscribers and social media followers eagerly await Hungry Girl's recipes, food finds, and tips & tricks each weekday. This is your chance to get face-to-face weight-management guidance from the guru of guilt-free eating! Get the scoop on the schedule below, and book your spot ASAP -- space is limited! Saturday: Depart Ft. Lauderdale 4pm: Sail-Away Party - Meet Lisa, the Hungry Girl crew, and your fellow HG cruisers! Sunday: At Sea 9am: Intimate Interview with Lisa + Cruise-Ship Eating Strategies - A look inside the mind of Hungry Girl, plus how to enjoy vacation without gaining weight! 3pm: Swap 'Til You Drop - Lisa serves up calorie-saving swaps and TONS of recipe ideas! Monday: Turks & Caicos 8am: Arrive in Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos - Quiet beaches, spectacular for diving, snorkeling, and sailing. 10pm: Hungry Girl Karaoke Dance Party - After a day on the island, sing, dance, and have a blast! Tuesday: Puerto Rico 9am: Hungry Girl Around the World + Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Look at Hungry Girl - Survival strategies for every type of cuisine! Plus, Lisa’s also got the scoop on the secrets of HG recipe creation, and a video tour of Hungryland. 1pm: Arrive in San Juan, Puerto Rico - Historic-town exploration by day; glittering casinos and clubs by night. Wednesday: St. Thomas 8am: Arrive in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands - A shopaholic's dream. Plus, glimmering bays, clear blue water, and powdery sand beaches. Thursday: At Sea 9am: How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off Forever - Lisa teaches a master class in weight management, Hungry Girl style! 3pm: Makeup Mania with Jackie - Learn to maximize your natural beauty from one of the industry's top makeup artists, Jackie Mgido! 7pm: Selfie-Happy Happy Hour - Sip cocktails, snap selfies, and party it up! Friday: Bahamas 7am: Arrive at Half Moon Cay, Bahamas - A private crescent-shaped bay with white-sand beaches. Swimming, snorkeling, glass-bottom boat rides, and more. 3:30pm: Hungry Girl Book Signing, Q&A, and Trivia - Get your (free!) book signed by Lisa, ask her all your Qs, and win exclusive goodies. Plus... Morning Workouts * Deckwalking * Spa * Exclusive Hungry Girl Gifts * Restaurants * Casino * Shows * Boutiques * Bars * Pools * Live Music For more information about the Official Hungry Girl Cruise, visit cruise.hungry-girl.com! Exact schedule and events are subject to change.

Second in a series by Travel Pulse In the first of an ocean Cruising 101 series, we outlined what to consider to choose a cruise line or brand best suited to your personality and budget, but that’s only part of the picture. Within each cruise line there can be up to 25 individual ships, like in Carnival Cruise Line’s expansive fleet, in which to select from. Here are some additional guidelines to point you in the right direction. In regards to a specific ship selection, the things you’ll want to primarily focus on are vessel size and capacity, its modernity and the specific features and style onboard. Of course, fleets are ever changing as new ships come online and older ones are transitioned out, so be sure to do your research. Size The size of a ship is generally and indicator of its capacity and class. Some cruise lines have only one class of ship – that is a single design or at least basic layout usually repeated as several sister ships – like Viking Ocean Cruises’ new Venice-class ships, the identical 930-guest Viking Star and Viking Sea. Royal Caribbean International, on the other hand, has 8 classes of ships, ranging in size from the one 1,840-passenger Empress of the Seas Empress-class ship to the three over 6,000-passenger Oasis-class ones led by the largest cruise ship in the world, the Harmony of the Seas. Needless to say, by capacity alone, you are likely to have a very different experience cruising together with several hundred passengers or less versus thousands. Modernity More often than not, the size of the ship is an indicator of its age as well. Generally, the larger ships are also the newer ones, but some new ones like Viking’s are trending smaller. While a small ship is not likely to have all the bells and whistles of a larger one, older ones are not necessarily passé. In order for cruise line’s to sustain interest in their existing fleets, they have spent million of dollars updating them over the years to be as consistent across the board as their size will allow. Amenities Of course, a larger ship will spatially be able to accommodate a greater list of features which are sure to attract those looking for the most to do, but less can be more if you prefer a classic relaxed atmosphere focused more on the destination than elaborate onboard attractions. Again, it comes down to which feature set best suits your personality. Regardless of their overall size, one thing that is more common on newer ships are more comfortable private accommodations, namely larger bathrooms and showers. Style If there’s one last thing to consider, it’s specific style. Sister ships within a class can often be identical from one vessel to the next, but subtle to obvious differences can also exist. The best thing to look at are the deck plans for each ship to see if any particular layout is more to your liking. Also, photos and videos of each ship will show off the aesthetic of each. Carnival Cruise Line ships, for instance, vary greatly in their theme. Article Courtesy Travel Pulse and Seven Sea Journeys/News Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more.

(1st of a Series, by Travel Pulse) For cruising veterans, it may seem obvious how to choose the best cruise line for your vacation, but for newbies, it’s the crucial first step and begins by asking the right questions. To start, ask: What is my budget and what is my traveling personality? There are four main categories of cruise line quality increasing in cost in order of standard ones, premium ones, upscale ones and luxury ones, and in each category, there are a number of different lifestyles to be expected onboard each individual line. The guidelines below are merely a loose primer, that for the sake of this exercise excludes boutique and adventure lines, and researching those brands in your budget more extensively will point you to the one best suited to your tastes. Standard Mainstream cruise brands like Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International fit into the standard quality category, and while many are similar, they do each have their own personalities that may or may not match your own. Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean are fun casual options with MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises being a bit more refined. Premium Celebrity Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line and arguably Disney Cruise Line make up the premium category of cruise brands for offering a step up in overall quality of service, dining and more. Of course, Disney is going to be more family-friendly whereas Cunard will be far more formal and traditional. Meanwhile, Celebrity and Holland America are both known for great cuisine. Upscale For an upscale experience, the likes of Azamara Club Cruises, Oceania Cruises and Viking Ocean Cruises near luxury quality for a lower price and are thus known for offering a fantastic value. Viking is raising the bar for this category overall while Oceania is the leader in fine dining and Azamara excels in entertainment. Luxury Then luxury brands like Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line and Silversea Cruises lead the pack as the best of the best. All-inclusive is the name of the game onboard these, which are altogether very similar, with Regent perhaps being the most inclusive of the bunch. Destinations Another question to ask: where do you want to go? Not all cruise lines go to every desired port of call, or at least not with regular frequency. Upscale and luxury lines have smaller fleets and spread their ships around internationally, and standard and premium lines usually follow seasonal deployments in regions such as Alaska, Canada/New England and Europe while often having a year-round presence in the Caribbean. Plus, it’s good to remember that specific destinations affect fares as well. For example, Alaska commands a premium price that can tip the scales of perceived cruise line value. Companions One last question to ask is: Who will you be traveling with? An elderly couple that might ordinarily sail on a luxury line might be better off on Norwegian Cruise Line when with their children and grandchildren. That way they can stay in the line’s luxurious Haven ship-within-a-ship complex while the younger generations are happily tended to in less-expensive stateroom categories. Article Courtesy Travel Pulse and Seven Sea Journeys/News Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more. Featured photo credit: Travel Pulse/Thinkstock

(Reposted from TravelPulse/Seven Sea Journeys) It rarely happens, but every once in a while, a planned cruise port-of-call has to be skipped because of weather conditions. In those cases, an extra sea day is usually the alternative, but that needn’t be a bad thing. As I currently sail on Seabourn’s luxurious Seabourn Quest in Canada and New England, we unfortunately had to bypass Baie-Comeau as the heavy wind and swell conditions were such that there would not be enough water under our keel to safely dock alongside, but such things are outside the control of the cruise line and ship’s captain. Within the last year, we were also on Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Fantasy when it couldn’t stop at Castaway Cay. To be sure, if you’ve planned a Disney cruise, especially for its highly-regarded private island specifically, it’s extremely disappointing to miss it, but safety must always come first. You may not be surprised to know that weather can have an affect on a smaller vessel like the Seabourn Quest, which we must admit has ridden extremely stable considering the conditions, but wonder how it could possibly deter a much larger one like the Disney Fantasy. Well, as powerful as such ships are to plow through the water forwards, they also contain lots of superstructural surface area, all of its balcony nooks and crannies mathematically included, and that collectively acts as a giant sail that can catch the wind. It’s never enough to topple a cruise ship, as they are built to withstand that, but lateral thrusters, fully capable the majority of the time, can sometimes be overcome by very high winds, making delicate docking maneuvers too difficult to achieve safely. So, the alternative is an unplanned day at sea, which are honestly some of the most relaxing and enjoyable of a cruise vacation. An abundance of shore excursions mean passengers get to see a lot ashore, but they can take their toll on a trip frequented by tours. The antidote is a sea day—perfect for getting in a spa treatment, provided you book it quickly enough to reserve limited space, or just reading a good book in the ship’s observation lounge, watching the waves go by. Usually the cruise director and entertainment staff will also swiftly modify the daily schedule of activities and dining times to accommodate more people suddenly being onboard than initially planned. That can mean bonus trivia sessions, film screenings and lots more are likely in store. In fact, as the shops are closed on port days due to shore regulations, those can now be reopened at sea as well. If, of course, you really had your mind set on the destination that was omitted from the itinerary, you can always use this time to research and book a return cruise. Either way, ships these days offer plenty to do onboard and truly are often destinations unto themselves, so all is not lost. Article Courtesy Travel Pulse/Jason Leppert and Seven Sea Journeys/News Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more. Please visit CruiseCrazies.com for more cruise news & articles. Featured photo credit: Travel Pulse

A new era of giant cruise ships is about to arrive in Alaska. Royal Caribbean has announced plans to send the 137,308-ton Explorer of the Seas to the 49th State in 2016 -- the first time a ship of its size has been deployed to the destination. The 15-deck-high, 1,020-foot-long vessel will sail seven-night, round-trip voyages to Alaska from Seattle, Wash., taking the place of the 90,090-ton Jewel of the Seas. One of five ships in Royal Caribbean's Voyager class series, Explorer can hold up to 3,840 passengers at maximum occupancy -- hundreds more than the next largest cruise vessel in Alaska. It carries a crew of nearly 1,200. While mega-size cruise ships as big as 225,000 tons have appeared in the Caribbean and Europe in recent years, nearly all of the cruise vessels operating in Alaska still measure under 100,000 tons. The current size leader in the state is Celebrity Cruises' 121,878-ton Celebrity Solstice. Chock full of on-board activities, Explorer of the Seas is a mega-resort-at-sea the likes of which Alaska has never seen. Unveiled in 1999, it features one of Royal Caribbean's signature Royal Promenades lined with shops, bars and eateries -- a concept that has never before made its way to Alaska. It also boasts an ice skating rink (also a first for an Alaska-based cruise ship) as well as 10 pools and whirlpools, a miniature golf course and a rock climbing wall. Explorer of the Seas will join Royal Caribbean's 90,090-ton Radiance of the Seas in Alaska. Radiance sails alternating, seven-night northbound and southbound Alaska cruises between Vancouver, B.C., and Seward, Alaska. The deployment of Explorer will increase Royal Caribbean's capacity in Alaska by more than 12% -- a significant bet on growing demand for Alaska trips. The announcement comes even as Alaska leader Princess cuts back on cruise departures to Alaska. Princess announced earlier this month that it would have just six ships in Alaska, down from seven this year. Source: Gene Sloan (USA Today, March 17, 2015, "Era of Monster Cruise Ships Arrives in Alaska”) Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more. Please visit CruiseCrazies.com for more cruise news & articles. Featured photo credit: Royal Caribbean

Santa met us at the embarkation gangway. He was five days early for gift-giving, but he set the tone for a two-week holiday cruise to the Caribbean. Behind him on Oceania’s Riviera, docked last December in Miami, four carolers, dressed in English style from the Dickens era, sang for each new group of passengers checking in. Don’t plan a holiday cruise to get away from it all, if “all” includes the seasonal music, pots of poinsettias, and a Christmas goose served in the main dining room. While some cruise lines do more than others to hark and herald, most ships are decked out for the December holidays, and elevators are awash in seasonal tunes. You can expect more children aboard, too, traveling not only with their parents but also with their grandparents or perhaps aunts and uncles, as multi-generational cruising takes an uptick at holiday time. All of which recommends paying attention to your wants and expectations, as well as a cruise line’s reputation for tinsel tossing. If you are cruising round trip out of Florida — the most economical of the holiday cruises — you may want to ask how much seasoning is likely to be added to the usual Caribbean spice. Spokespersons from several cruise lines pointed out that ships on weekly round trips typically offer significantly different atmospheres when comparing Christmas and New Year’s voyages, with far more children aboard during Christmas week, and more of an adult party over New Year’s. This year, those two major holidays fall mid-week, so festivities on cruises that begin on the weekends will not spill into the other holiday week. (Hanukkah, by the way, is early this year, starting Nov. 27, the evening before Thanksgiving.) Most ships plan a Santa with gift giving for children on Christmas day — Celebrity Cruises promises a gift for every child ages 3-17 — and all ships prepare special dinners and brunches for Christmas and New Year’s. Many provide leaders for weekend religious services, as well as for Hanukah and Christmas. Ask your travel agent or cruise line for details. Crystal Cruises, which has a reputation for decorations and festivities, has one ship deployed in South America in December, while the other is sailing out of Miami for 14 days, starting Dec. 21. You can expect more children on the Miami cruise. “It’s huge for families,” says Crystal’s Mimi Weisband. “We have more than 100 children on holiday cruises, but many of our programs strategically take kids behind the scenes so even those who don’t want to be around children are not bothered. For Hanukah, we have a life-size menorah and light the candles (which carry no flame because of maritime rules). We also have dreidl games and give out gold chocolate coins.” On Riviera last December, most of the holiday decorating was subtle — a Nutcracker here, a gingerbread house there. “The key is to make everyone feel comfortable, to make everyone welcome,” said Thierry Tholon, Riviera’s hotel general manager. “For Christmas, we decorate each ship, but we don’t overdo it. The goal is stylish, not overwhelming. Even on a Christmas cruise, we draw about 100 guests for Friday night (Jewish) services.” Still, there were 110 poinsettias, greenery lined the grand staircase to the lobby, and a Santa statue stood watch next to the reception desk. If you were up and about on Christmas morning at 8, Santa and several elves strolled through the buffet restaurant on Deck 12, down an elevator to deck 6, through the main dining room, then down the grand staircase to the lobby, where a pile of presents awaited to satisfy the 52 children onboard. (The cruise line, which does not encourage children, brought on two extra employees to oversee their activities on this voyage). “Someone, go round up the children,” said Santa about 8:30, as the lobby was empty of all but a dozen adults hanging around, waiting for what the occasion might bring. Business was slow, despite a shipboard announcement heralding Santa’s mission. At 8:40, Olivia, 10, arrived with her sleepy father. She sat at Santa’s knee, chatted a bit, smiled, and walked away with two presents. By 9, after fewer than a dozen children had showed up, Santa called it a day. For the record, the temperature outside, at the port city of Kingstown, St. Vincent, was 85 degrees, perfect for a long hike in the forest. On New Year’s Eve, Oceania’s Riviera put on a pool deck party that drew hundreds (the ship sailed with more than 1,200 aboard) for drinks, snacks, and dancing deep into the night, which, thanks to the guidance of some young folks, included my writhing about, Gangnam Style. Riviera’s herd of chefs arrived before midnight, dragging out a four-piece ice sculpture. They set it up beside the pool for all to see the “2 0 1 2.” As the New Year arrived with the traditional singing and champagne toasts, the chefs appeared with one new piece of ice, to complete the dripping sculpture that now read “2 0 1 3.” Though the holidays still are months away, booking is most economical in summer, as discounts for the late December cruises tend to end by Labor Day, or sooner. And it’s not too early to plan ahead for December 2014 if you have a specific cabin suite or exotic destination in mind. Passengers onboard Azamara Journey’s 12-night Southern Hemisphere cruise in 2014 will spend New Year’s Eve anchored off Copacabana Beach, Brazil, for the midnight fireworks. By David G. Molyneaux (“No Place Like a Cruise Ship for the Holidays” - The Miami Herald, 8/17/13) For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecra....com/index.html Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more Photo credit: CruiseMiss.com

From high-stakes gambling to enrichment programs, rock-climbing walls to hot stone massages, today's cruise ships offer no shortage of onboard activities. However, some of the best adventures take place off ship in exotic ports of call. Get ready to disembark; we're taking you on 6 fabulous excursions. Stingray City: 
George Town, Grand Cayman
. Stingray City is one of the most popular excursions in the Caymans and hosts thousands or curious aquatic visitors each year. Guests of Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas will love going below sea level on guided tours of the island's pristine waters. For those feeling a bit squeamish about sharing the water with stingrays, Seven Mile Beach is located close by and offers a safer, sunnier alternative. Surfing: 
Arica, Chile
. Onboard the Silversea’s Silver Shadow, you'll cruise to Arica, Chile, located on the country's northernmost tip. The best part of visiting this town is its tangible relaxing atmosphere; as the local saying goes, "It's wonderful to do nothing all day & and then relax afterwards." Perhaps the only thing that will feel like work on your visit to Arica is a surf lesson. This coastal Chilean town is known for having some of the most consistent waves in the world, making it a hot spot for surfers. While the waves aren't huge, the swells pack a lot of energy, making them perfect for beginners. Bird Watching: 
The Bering Sea
. There are several off-ship excursions that are unique to Abercrombie & Kent’s Clipper Odyssey. At Russia's Itygran Island, also known as Whale Bone Alley, whale bones seemingly grow out of the ground in an Arctic, organic Stonehenge. On St. Matthew's Island, miles of Arctic tundra beg to be explored on foot. While frozen for most of the year, a multitude of wildflowers pop in the late spring and summer. The natural beauty of St. Matthew's is pristine -- it's uninhabited by people, but the tiny island is home to more than 50,000 seabirds. Crab Fishing: 
Ketchikan, Alaska. 
Going on the crab fisherman's tour is an eye-opening adventure for passengers of the Norwegian Pearl. Crab fishing is 90% more dangerous than any other job, and Alaskan King Crabs, which can weigh up to 6 1/2 pounds, are abundantly found in the Bering Sea. Even if you've never gone fishing, it's a thrilling activity unique to the Pearl. Keep watch for bald eagles, recently removed from the endangered species list. They dine mostly on salmon, and spotting them is a breeze in the port of Ketchikan, a city known as the salmon capital of the world. Hunting: Black Truffles, 
Rovinj, Croatia. 
 In Rovinj, Croatia, guests of the Seadream Yacht Club can hunt for some of the rarest and most expensive delicacies in the culinary world -- black truffles. With a team of dogs, guests head into the Croatian countryside and hunt the grounds of a successful family-owned business. The dogs are integral in smelling the black truffles distinctive perfume since they grow completely underground. This adventure is reserved strictly for guests of the SeaDream -- and it's an incomparable look into Croatian culture and the world's most exclusive cooking ingredient. Speed Sailing: 
Rostock, Germany. 
The Crystal Symphony specializes in coupling peaceful relaxation with unique, life-changing experiences, and they're kicking your vacation up a notch with this innovative off-ship excursion. Speed sailing is a heart-racing, high-speed adventure where you're not a mere passenger, you're part of a championship racing yacht's crew, chasing the wind and hoisting the sails. By Erica Walsh, The Travel Channel (“Super Excursions”) Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecra....com/index.html Photo credit: smallshipalaskacruises.com

This is a story of love, the high seas and food. Our unlikely heroine is Norma Beazley, who is decidedly unromantic and unsentimental about most things but noticeably softens when she talks about her husband, our equally unlikely hero, Herbert. “He would have been a real geek by today’s standards, but he was the smartest man I’ve ever known,” said Mrs. Beazley, 79, who with her husband’s encouragement held management positions at Gulf Oil and Elf Aquitaine back when such jobs usually required a Y chromosome. Mr. Beazley, a lawyer, died in 2001, but his clothes still hang in the closet he shared with his wife. Also undisturbed since his death are five lateral file cabinets crammed with thousands of vintage ocean-liner and cruise-ship menus he bought for her during their 30-year marriage. Dating to the late 1800s and documenting more than a century of shipboard haute cuisine, the menu collection is probably the largest (and perhaps the only one) of its kind in the world. “I don’t know of anyone else who collected the menus,” said Richard Faber, a well-known dealer and appraiser of maritime memorabilia in New York who sold items to Mr. Beazley. “He had a good eye and spent a lot of money with me.” Mr. Beazley loved, in addition to his wife, all things nautical. If it was on a ship, he probably collected it: passenger lists, deck plans, advertising posters, ashtrays, linens, drinking glasses, plates, pennants, portholes: a trove of 19,000 pieces that Mrs. Beazley donated in 2011 to the Mariner’s Museum in Newport News, Va. The menus, which she kept, were his ploy to get her to share his passion. “I love to cook and am sort of a foodie,” Mrs. Beazley recalled, so Herbert thought it was a way to justify all the money he was spending on ship collectibles. “He said, ‘I bet you’d like the menus,’ and I said, ‘No, I wouldn’t.’ ” But he gave them to her anyway and, she had to admit, “They were pretty neat.” Thumbing through them affords a fascinating tour of culinary history. Just about the only large passenger ship not represented in the collection is the Titanic. For obvious reasons, Titanic menus are hard to come by. One sold at auction last year for $102,508. For first-class passengers during the grand era of ocean liners, from 1910 to 1960, the menu choices were staggering. On storied ships like the Normandie and the Mauretania, dinner might have had 12 courses, with 8 to 10 options for each course. “I don’t see how you could go from New York to Europe without gaining 20 pounds,” Mrs. Beazley said, looking at a 1935 first-class dinner menu from the Normandie that offered three kinds of consommé, six types of ham and five choices of ice cream. “You could have everything you wanted and as much as you wanted.” Today’s cruise ships offer a largess that may go even further, with 24-hour buffets. But before the jet age, when people used ships to get from Point A to Point B (the traversed route being the “line” in ocean liner) rather than just lazily cruising about, dining was a more genteel and orchestrated event, with assigned seating and waiters recruited from Europe’s finest hotels. The menu items were also more sophisticated: iced beluga caviar, clear green turtle soup, cauliflower mousseline and venison cutlets à la Nérac. Besides the menus, Mr. Beazley tracked down the recipes for the dishes on them. He called cruise line chefs and historians, and went to the bowels of the Library of Congress to consult culinary magazines published for steamship stewards and chefs. An adventurous cook, Mrs. Beazley made many of the dishes, to the delight of her husband, an enthusiastic eater. “You have to remember, meals were the highlight of the day out in the middle of the ocean,” said Mrs. Beazley, who went on 15 cruises with Mr. Beazley, most notably on the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the ill-fated Achille Lauro, which was hijacked in 1985 and caught fire and sank in 1994. Before the 1970s, passengers dressed formally for dinner every night. Tables were assigned, and diners ate with the same group for the entire voyage. Friendships were forged, and passengers often had dining companions autograph their menus at the voyage’s farewell dinner. “You met interesting people who were going places and doing things,” said Theodore Scull, a ship historian who lectures on the Queen Mary 2 about maritime history. Today’s passengers tend to eat when they want, wearing what they want, with whomever they want. On the Normandie, which sailed from 1935 to 1942, the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Marlene Dietrich might be seen descending the curved staircase into the dining room, which was longer than a football field, with a 25-foot-high gilded ceiling and walls made of sculptured glass. Think of the party scene in "The Great Gatsby," only afloat. “Every night was like a special show,” said Sirio Maccioni, who used what he learned as a waiter on the S.S. Atlantic in the 1950s to conceive his New York restaurant Le Cirque. “Everything — the food, the service — was absolute luxury.” The glamour of this bygone era is evident in the artwork on the menus in Mrs. Beazley’s collection. Shipping lines often commissioned artists to create original menu covers for every meal served on the voyage. The covers were lithographed on shore, while the chef’s daily selections were printed on presses aboard ship. The covers include exquisite pen-and-ink depictions of European castles, dreamy watercolors of Asian landscapes and vibrant oil paintings of aquatic life. One Rousseau-inspired menu cover created by the American painter Eugene Savage for the S.S. Lurline in the 1950s has been reproduced as a mural in the trendy Tropicale restaurant in Palm Springs, Calif. “The menus live on,” said Michael Grace, a writer for the popular ’80s television show “The Love Boat” who now runs the Web site cruiselinehistory.com. “You can hardly get a cocktail napkin under your glass on cruise ships today.” In the last few years, cruise lines have seemed intent on elevating the dining experience. Celebrity chefs like Jacques Pépin, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa and Marco Pierre White have consulted with Oceania, Crystal and P&O Cruises, respectively, to create restaurants aboard ships. Guided by Mr. Maccioni, the Holland America Line now offers passengers “A Night at Le Cirque,” in a sort of pop-up site with the same menu, décor and orange plates that the restaurant is known for. But these are alternatives to the main dining room, and cost extra. And the menus are nothing like, say, the ones given to Grace Kelly in 1956 when she crossed the Atlantic as a first-class passenger on the S.S. Constitution on her way to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco. Among her choices were broiled shad roe with lemon butter on the luncheon menu, and medallion de foie gras de Strasbourg for dinner. “It’s a lost era,” Mrs. Beazley said. But delicious to remember. This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: Correction: September 10, 2013 An earlier version of this story misspelled one of the menu items available on some ocean liners in the past. The dish is cauliflower mousseline, not mouselline. By Kate Murphy, NY Times (Sept. 11, 2013: "Savoring a Bygone Splendor - The Maritime Menu") Photo Credit: NY Times For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecra....com/index.html Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more http://www.cruisecrazies.com

If you’ve been on a few cruises, you’ve probably learned the hard way that there are a few things that would have come in handy or saved the day if you’d remembered to pack them. No, I’m not talking shoes. I mean things that come in real handy in a pinch. So, for you first-timers or for those of you who may not have thought about it, here are ten useful items to add to the top of your packing list. 1. Earplugs. Take it from me. I live with a guy who snores on a regular basis, and there are some nights I could not survive without these lifesavers. Not only are they useful for blocking out a noisy Neanderthal, but also good for muffling ship noises and annoying neighbors. 2. Flashlight: Whether you have a dark inside cabin or are unlucky enough to be caught in the dark during a cruise ship emergency, you will be very grateful for the backup light. 3. Power strip: iPod, iPad, iPhone, iMac – I-yai yai! If you are tethered to your electronic gadgets and wouldn’t dream of leaving home without them, a power strip is a must. Sure, you could alternate your devices, taking turns at the one plug, but you’ll be cursing if all of a sudden you need to call home and your cell is dead because it didn’t have a turn at getting charged up. 4. Extra AA or AAA batteries – or a camera battery. Obvious, but easy to overlook. Load up on extras before your vacation, and you won’t be paying a king’s ransom to buy them in port. Besides, you don’t want to be standing in front of one of the Seven Wonders to find that you camera just died with no battery backup. 5. Extra SD card. If you fill up the first one while shooting pictures and you’re only half way through your vacation, you’ll be grateful for the spare. It’s a good idea to bring extras from home, because you may not be able to find one suitable for your camera or your preferences in a foreign port. 6. Zip-lock bags. Bring along bags in assorted sizes. One and two-gallon size are great for packing and protecting your dress, shirts, skirts & sweaters from madness & mahem in your luggage. Just fold, insert and squeeze out the air. I also use the two-gallon size for all those newsletters, travel books and brochures to protect them from moisture. Quart size bags, of course, are required for the 4-ounce liquid airline carry-on requirement, but are also good for packing small snacks for tours and returning home with those little amenities from the cabin bathroom. Finally, the snack size bags are perfect for the smallest items – jewelry, hairpins, earplugs and other tiny objects that could potentially be lost in the shuffle. 7. Bubble wrap: Say what? Did you run out of clean underwear to wrap your breakables in for the trip home? Bubble wrap is incredibly good at protecting your breakable souvenirs, weighs next to nothing and takes up little room in your luggage. If the fragile item contains liquid, place the bubble-wrapped item in a Zip-lock bag first to protect the rest of the things in your luggage 8. Reusable beverage container. I am not a huge soda drinker, and even if I was, I’m too cheap to pay for a beverage package. Therefore, I bring a reusable bottle filled with travel packs of Crystal Lite, ice tea or other drink mix and pack it in my luggage. I fill it in the morning with water from the tap, mix up my favorite beverage and store it in the fridge for the day. A second bottle comes in handy in port or at the pool. 9. Suction hooks. Storage in a cruise cabin is at a premium, and there never seem to be enough hooks to hold scarves, caps or damp swimsuits. In fact, sometimes there aren’t any hooks at all. These little gems can be attached just about anywhere, depending on the surface, freeing up precious counter space. 10. Duct tape. Duct tape is famous for marking your luggage for easy identification at the airport and cruise port. What a lot of folks don’t realize is that is also handy for shoe repair, first-aid, emergency fixes, leaky things, and a hundred other uses. I was cursing myself for not bringing this necessity along on my last trip. My U-shaped head pillow for the plane sprouted a tiny, pin-size hole. As time went on, the hole became bigger, leaving a trail of tiny, white pellets floating through the air all around me, sticking to my clothing and everything else I came in contact with. I plugged up the hole with a foam earplug and patted my self on the back for my ingenuity. It worked for a little while, until the hole became as round as a dime and the stuff was pouring out of the cushion like a snow machine. I wound up tossing the pillow under the seat on the plane, where it stayed. I would have loved to see the crew cleaning up that mess! By Janice Neves, CruiseCrazies Contributor For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecra....com/index.html Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more http://www.cruisecrazies.com

The row over the presence of giant cruise ships in Venice’s lagoon was reignited this weekend after claims that a huge vessel belonging to the same company as the wrecked Costa Concordia sailed dangerously close to St Mark’s Square. The city’s environment councillor Gianfranco Bettin said the 100,000-tonne Carnival Sunshine passed within 20 metres of the water front at Riva Dei Sette Martiri, 800 yards past the famous piazza, on Saturday morning. Mr Bettin said witnesses had reported the incident. “The impression is that there was an error in manoeuvring, which among other things resulted in a water taxi being caught between the 272-metre vessel and the shore. “We would like to know the real reason for this sail-by, which appeared more like a scrape than a salute,” he said. The writer Roberto Ferrucci, was one witness, He told the Venice edition of Corriere della Sera: “I was sitting at the bar reading and I saw the ship docking; rather than moving to the centre of the canal, it brushed the shore dangerously trapping a water taxi. It was incredible. “And it’s not the first time it’s happened; it occurred with another ship 10 days ago. Afterwards that one straightened up, but it made quite an impression.” This month the trial begun of Francesco Schettino, who was captaining the Costa Concordia vessel when it crashed onto rocks off the Tuscan coast in January 2012 with the loss of 32 lives. The vessel allegedly made a risky sail-by “salute” to the island of Giglio. Some people claimed such sail-bys were commonplace. Carnival Cruises, the US parent company of Costa Cruises, made a statement denying that its vessel had performed any abnormal or risky manoeuvres in Venice on Saturday morning, however. “At that moment, the ship was under control of the captain and the distance from the shore was verified by both Carnival and the coast guard with the voyage data recorder,” it said. But the claims have once again raised concerns over the presence of such huge vessels in Venice’s Giudecca Canal. The environment minister, Andrea Orlando, said he was aware of the claimed incident on Saturday morning, and that the government was working to regulate the presence of such large ships in Venice’s lagoon. The spokesman for Venice’s No Big Ships Committee, Silvio Testa, said that Saturday’s events showed the authorities’ claims that such huge vessels represented no safety risk were not be believed, and that the vast cruise liners were “incompatible with the city and the lagoon”. In addition to aesthetic objections at seeing the giant liners blot out the sun in the evocative lagoon city, Mr Testa says the huge amounts of pollution produced by the vessel is a serious concern. His committee says the biggest vessels produce the same amount of pollution in an hour as 15,000 cars. The acid nature of the fumes is thought to speed up the erosion of the city’s medieval buildings, which are already sinking into the lagoon -- a process exacerbated by the currents produced by the enormous vessels, that sweep down the Giudecca Canal close to St Mark’s Square. Campaigners say the ships’ vast bulk displaces huge quantities of water that surges into the smaller canals of the fragile city. By Michael Day, The Independent For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecrazies.com/index.html Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more http://www.cruisecrazies.com

The oceans and the waterways are not the only place you’ll see cruise ships and riverboats these days – as these bizarre pictures show. Perched on a clifftop in South Korea stands the Sun Cruise Resort which compensates for its situation by playing recorded sounds of crashing waves and bird calls. Which is particularly odd, as the sea is only a few metres away. The resort has 211 guest rooms, two restaurants, a revolving sky lounge, swimming pool, golf range and gym. Everything a real cruise ship boasts ... except the risk of seasickness. One guest, severely lacking in taste, it has to be said, commented: “It looks like a ship which was stranded on the cliff top by a tsunami.” By John Honeywell, mirror.co.uk For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecrazies.com/index.html Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more http://www.cruisecrazies.com

LAS PALMAS, SPAIN - Aboard the Regent Seven Seas Mariner: Finding a scale on a cruise ship is like looking for a clock in a casino. They don't have them. They're bad for business. Think of a cruise, and food comes to mind. It's usually excellent and abundant. A travel agency poll found that passengers on average gain 13 pounds on a two-week cruise. I've taken about 30 cruises over the last 20 years and I've gained weight on all of them. Following a lifetime struggle with weight, I was able to lose 30 pounds before this cruise, a 17-night crossing from Monte Carlo to Rio de Janeiro on the Regent Seven Seas Mariner. I was determined to keep the weight off, perhaps even lose a few more pounds, but how? I've sailed on this luxury line 10 times. Everything is included in the cruise fare -- all the food, alcohol and wine. You can get anything to eat anytime you want it. If what you want isn't on the menu, they'll make it for you. I also have a butler, Soumya; yes, a real butler, who brings food to my cabin every afternoon. And the last thing you see at night are chocolates on your pillow. How could an overweight person like me resist all this delicious temptation? The key for me is that this time the will to succeed has to be greater than the weakness to fail. I still have another 30 to 50 pounds to lose, and I didn't want this cruise vacation to set back the progress I had made on the first 30. I decided I could use the food component of the cruise to work in my favor. Yes, they would prepare anything I wanted to eat, so I could make sure there was always something healthy on my plate. That doesn't mean eating only cottage cheese and sprouts. You can have normal meals. Just favor fish and chicken over red meats. Don't deny yourself anything. Just make healthier choices. In the first six days of this 17-day cruise, I have had beef twice for dinner and veal once. The rest was fish or chicken. The two beef dishes were small portions, about four ounces. The veal was Osso Buco, but it was prepared from the cruise line's "Canyon Ranch Spa" menu. The veal dish was 490 calories. Strangely enough, I have not felt deprived. One advantage of being on the cruise is that the fish items on the menu are so good and so varied that I don't mind trying them and passing up the heavier meats. If there is a sauce on the fish, I'll eat the sauce. I also eat a few servings of bread each day. And I'll either order the low-calorie dessert or take a bite or two from a regular dessert. That way I'm not denying myself anything. After six days on the ship, my clothes weren't getting any tighter but I needed a way to make sure I was on track. One morning I asked my steward if he could find a scale for my cabin. He said he might be able to locate one by evening. That evening, there was a scale in my cabin. I didn't get on it until the next morning. I held my breath and stepped on the scale. It was broken. I have eaten two nights at the ship's steak house restaurant, Prime 7. The crab legs, shrimp cocktail and tuna tartar are very healthy. So is the lobster if you go easy on the melted butter. And you can order healthy sides like mushrooms and green beans and skip the twice-baked potato and fried onion rings. It's the steak that will get you if you are not careful. I ordered the surf and turf, lobster tail and filet mignon, the first night. But I probably overdid it even though the beef was only four ounces. The rest of the steaks can range from a 10 ounce fillet to NY strips, porterhouses and prime ribs, about a pound each. That's a lot of beef and a lot of fatty calories. I know because that's what I used to eat. The biggest adjustment is being willing to eat at a steakhouse and have fish while everyone else has red meat. During our second visit I ordered grilled perch as my entrée. It was good and I didn't feel disappointed. I passed up the key lime pie and cheese cake and had mixed berries. But I did have one of the little pre-desert chocolate cakes they brought to the table. A new scale has appeared. A close inspection finds this one only registers in kilograms. I'm going to have to go on line to find out how to convert. I make it to afternoon tea every day, popular with my friends who like to play trivia. But afternoon tea is another opportunity to eat sweets. Scones with cream and jam and plenty of desserts. But fruit is also available and as long as my willpower remains strong I take the fruit, maybe once a little taste of a profiterole. Last night was dinner in the gourmet French restaurant, Signatures. Watching what you eat there was easier than I had expected. There were scallops, lobster, crab and salmon on the appetizer menu, all healthy choices. For the entrée there was halibut. I stayed away from the beef with foie gras. Dessert was berries, with a little taste of one of their regular desserts of marinated figs. It has been three weeks since I weighed myself. During that time my regular schedule has been disrupted. There was a trip to Cleveland to cover a presidential campaign event, followed by a trip to western Maryland to cover the snow storm caused by Hurricane Sandy, then a drive to Richmond for election night coverage. And the same day I returned from Richmond to D.C., I caught the plane to Europe for the cruise which I have been on for almost a week. I finally get on the scale and see my weight in kilos. I know to multiply by 2.2. My weight remained the same. I didn't gain anything in the last three weeks. I'm happy with that. I never expected to lose weight with all of that traveling going on. But now, I can work on trying to lose a few more pounds. In part two I'll venture to a place I've never been on a ship in 20 years of cruising, the fitness center, otherwise known as the exercise room. By Tom Giusto, ABC News

Thieves love cruise ships. They know that excited passengers will disembark in port, en masse, armed with cash, credit cards and electronics. New surroundings and lack of caution can leave even savvy travelers vulnerable to opportunistic pickpockets and purse-snatchers. Rest easy, though. There are simple things you can do to prevent your happy shore trip from turning into a very sad event. Avoid electronic theft. Even before leaving home, inform your credit card companies of your travel plans and photocopy all your important documents including your passport, both sides of your credit cards, travel itinerary, driver’s license and contact information. Leave one copy at home with a trusted individual and another in your cabin's safe. In the event of a theft, you’ll have the information you need to contact the appropriate authorities. Alternately, scan and send the documents to your email or cloud storage account, so you can access the information from any computer. Don’t flash your cash. Whether getting cash at an ATM machine in port or making a store or vendor purchase, be discreet. Prominently displaying all those bills is an invitation to muggers. Don’t walk and talk on your cell phone. This tells a would-be thief that you are oblivious and not paying attention to your surroundings. That phone you’re carrying is easy money to a thief and a simple grab and run item. Not only will he get a great phone, but he’ll also have access to your personal information. Keep your phone hidden away on your person and take it out only for emergencies. Stay awake and alert at the beach. What’s the best thing about cruising to the Caribbean? The beaches, of course! You arrive in port, grab a cab and head straight for a patch of sand on the best beach in the area. You’re feeling all mellow and relaxed, and you’re in the moment. Two hours later, you wake up and not only are you badly sunburned, but you’re stuff is gone – your camera, your wallet and all your money and credit cards. Be watchful of your surroundings, and stay awake. Besides, you’ll miss all the great scenery. Stay sober. What’s another popular pastime in port, especially in the Caribbean? The bar scene, of course! You’re much more likely to be ripped off by a thief or scam artist if you’re inebriated. If you plan on partying in port, either keep the drinks to a minimum or bring along a non-drinking buddy to look out for you. Hide your valuables on your person whenever possible. The best method of carrying valuables is directly on your person. Clothing with deep front pockets secured by zippers and buttons are harder to for a thief to get into. The worst way to carry anything is in a backpack, which can be opened or slit without the wearer ever knowing – especially common in a crowded place. Cross-body bags are a much better choice than shoulder bags. A money belt worn across the body or around the waist is a good idea under a jacket, as long as it’s not visible, but easily accessible. Touring solo? Be smart but cautious. While it’s safest to travel in a group, touring alone can be a rewarding experience. You can tour at your own pace and not hold anyone else up in the process. Regardless of how independent you are at home, when you're somewhere new, it's always better to err on the side of caution when it comes to your personal safety. If you happen to find yourself in a secluded area or making your way back to the ship after dark, for instance, rather than taking on the streets solo, catch a cab or find a trustworthy buddy or group to latch onto. Serious photographers – don’t lose sight of your surroundings. If you're a serious photographer, you're unlikely to leave your cameras behind on the ship. While you’re taking the time to carefully compose shots of all the incredible sights you came to see, always be aware of your environment. Don’t Look Lost. We all lose our bearings at one time or another. The worst thing you can do if you're lost is to look confused or unfold a map and stare blankly at it. Try to map out your route ahead of time, look confident, and if you become disoriented, stop by a hotel or restaurant for directions or a taxi without attracting unwanted attention from thieves scanning the crowds for an easy target. Have fun on your day in port. Just be alert and smart. By Janice Neves ~ CruiseCrazies Contributor For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecra....com/index.html

It hits me like a brick wall. That melancholy, sad feeling of despair that takes over the minute I walk in the door after a wonderful, relaxing week-long cruise. It’s not just the thought of facing what lies ahead – the unpacking, the piles of dirty laundry, the snail mail and emails to read, bills to pay, a fridge to replenish, or the cat who decided to cough up a thousand fur balls all over the house. It’s not even the office job I will eventually have to return to. Rather, the after-cruise blues is more about what’s missing now when I arrive home - the coffee and pastry on the balcony every morning; the calming ocean waves lulling me to sleep at night; the perfectly made bed and fresh towels every day; all those fabulous meals prepared and served to me as if I were royalty. Did I mention the countless fun and relaxing diversions to choose from, new experiences to encounter and exciting places to explore? Well, I miss it dearly – all of it – when I return home from a cruise. All the months of planning and anticipation – and then it’s over. As I cruise more, however, I have come to rely on a few reliable remedies to ease the symptoms of this very common, but misunderstood, post-cruise affliction. Unlike the assistance you might get from a professional or from a pill bottle, the following remedies are free and have no side effects. Tidy up the nest before you leave. Nothing will make you sink to the depths of post-cruise depression faster than walking into a house full of dust, dirt and clutter. In the days before your vacation, give the house the once over with a duster, broom and vacuum cleaner, take out the trash and de-clutter the place. While you’re at it, take care of the laundry. You’ll have plenty more clothes to wash when you return. Ask a friend to re-stock your fridge while you’re away. Make a grocery list and have a family member or friend stock your fridge – at least with the essentials - just before you arrive home. You’ll be hungry after the long flight (or drive) home and, trust me – you’re not going to want to make a trip to the market the day you return – not even for peanut butter and jelly. Pay your bills before you leave. Better, yet – if you haven’t done it already – switch to electronic bill pay. There is nothing like on-line banking. Sign up for electronic bills, save a tree, and schedule your payments well in advance. No checks to write, and no missing payments because you’re away. Ease into your daily routine. Trying to do it all at once – the unpacking, the endless laundry, the mail and the like - will only make you feel worse. Do what’s necessary first, and the rest will wait. Schedule an after-cruise event. I know, it seems silly – you’ve just paid big bucks for a major event. However, meeting friends for coffee isn’t going to blow the budget, and will give you a chance to show off your photos and talk up the great cruise you had. Write about your vacation. Jot down notes daily throughout your cruise, and you’ll have the makings of a journal. Reliving your trip experiences through journaling will help keep your mind off the mundane chores you face. Create a blog and share it through social networking. Not only will you feel good about sharing your experiences, but you’ll also get conversation going and provide a valuable resource to others who might be planning a similar trip. If journaling and blogging leave you tongue-tied, consider writing a short review of your cruise to share on social networking or travel communities. Believe me, fellow cruisers eat that stuff up. Share your photos. Upload your photos, create a web album, and share them through social media. Just like journaling, it’s a great way to remember the great times you had on your cruise and provides a great resource for people who might be traveling on a similar cruise. People love to see photos of where they’re headed or the ship on which they will be sailing. Book another cruise! To me, and most other cruise fanatics I know, booking another cruise – even before you’ve sailed the current one - is the best cure of all for the post-cruise blues. It gives you something to look forward to and makes the cruise you just returned from seem less final. Even if you think it will be a couple of years before you can afford another, it’s never too early to start researching. Be grateful! Despite how miserable you might feel about your vacation having ended, few people will take pity on you. Instead of lamenting over the end of paradise on the high seas, put it all in perspective and be grateful for the experience. After all, there are far worse things in the world than a bout of after-cruise blues. By Janice Neves, CruiseCrazies Contributor For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecra....com/index.html

There is no substitution for a good travel agent, especially if you’re thinking about booking a first cruise. Just the same, in this electronic world we live in, many travelers find it a fairly easy process to handle all the cruise arrangements on their own via the internet - whether through a web-only agent, a brick and mortar agency’s website, or directly through the cruise line’s booking engine. When making your own travel arrangements, it’s crucial to make sure every detail of the booking is understood and properly attended to, thereby avoiding costly errors and assuring smooth sailing. Here are 10 common mistakes to avoid when booking a cruise: 1) Booking a cabin just because it’s the cheapest. That $199 Category 1A cabin deal on Carnival may seem sweet, but you could very well find yourself squeezed into a corner hole in the wall - in a bunk bed. Know the accommodations you’re getting when you book. 2) Misunderstanding the definition of an “obstructed” cabin. No, an obstructed cabin does not mean you must leap over a wall to reach it. It means that the cabin has a window, but your view will be hindered by something outside on deck – a lifeboat, for instance. Some obstructions are just partial – lifeboat on the bottom half of your window, with the sky above. Still others are hardly obstructions at all – a cabin located between two lifeboats, for instance. It pays to consult the deck plan for your ship to see just what kind of view you will – or won’t – have. 3) Booking a “guaranty” cabin without a clue as to what it means. You go on line to book an advertised promo for a balcony cabin in a particular category. All that is available, however, is a “guaranty”. This means that you cannot select a cabin at the time of booking. Rather, one will be selected for you by the cruise line, guaranteed to be in that category or higher. If this is the case, you must be content with the fact that (a) the cruise line will assign the cabin when it’s good and ready, up to the date of sailing, and (b) your cabin could be located anywhere on the ship. In other words, if there is a particular location on the ship where you don’t want to be, then don’t book a guaranty. 4) Incorrectly entering names and dates of birth. When entering your names during the on-line booking process, be absolutely certain that the passengers’ names are spelled correctly and are an exact match to the names on your government issued photo ID or passport. Otherwise, you risk being denied boarding of the flight, the cruise or both. Be certain that the dates of birth and gender are correct for each passenger. 5) Paying the cruise deposit without realizing it’s non-refundable. Cruise lines and agents more and more frequently are presenting temping offers of discounts, onboard credits and other perks – with one caveat: a non-refundable deposit. Be certain you are clear on this when booking a special promotion. 6) Not carefully proofing the cruise booking confirmation. Once you have completed your booking details and paid your deposit, the agency or cruise line will email a confirmation of your booking. Carefully proof this for errors as soon as it is received. If you discover any errors, contact the agency right away to make the necessary corrections. 7) Neglecting to pay the final balance by the due date. When failing to pay off your cruise by the due date, you risk automatic cancellation. Don’t rely on notifications from the agent. Keep a calendar or send yourself a reminder to make that final payment when due. Be certain you receive a written confirmation showing a zero balance. It’s also a good idea to log on to your cruise account. Seeing your cruise displayed on the cruise line’s web page is reassurance that your good to go. 8) Paying little attention to the cruise line’s cancellation policy. Be aware that once your booking has reached the final payment date, it goes into the “penalty phase”, and is then subject to cancellation fees, typically beginning with the amount of your deposit from 75 days out to your entire fare within 14 days of sailing. Although not mandatory, this is where travel insurance would be a great thing to have in the unfortunate event that you need to cancel your cruise due to family illness, injury or other covered reason. 9) Paying no attention to the agency’s cancellation policy. Be aware that some travel agents – online and brick & mortar alike - charge cancellation or change fees. Make certain that you know the agent’s policy on cancellations before booking. Or try another agent. Many do not charge cancellation fees at all. 10) Booking flights too late to the ship or too early for the trip home. Cruise lines will typically post the latest flight time for your travel to the ship and the earliest flight time to schedule for the trip home. Pay careful attention to these times, because it would be a sad day if you missed your ship because you flew too late in the day to meet your ship on time. An even better idea would be to fly to your city of embarkation the day before your cruise. You will arrive relaxed and you’ll be all rested up and ready to cruise the next morning. By: Janice Neves, CruiseCrazies Contributor For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecra....com/index.html

Royal Caribbean International’s Brilliance of the Seas has emerged from a $30 million dry-dock renovation with twice as many dining options and an aerial show in the transformed Centrum. The 90,000-ton, 2,100-passenger ship now has Giovanni’s Table trattoria, the intimate multi-course Chef’s Table, Izumi for Asian cuisine, the casual Park Café, Rita’s Cantina for Mexican food, and an English pub. The five-story Centrum now features the 60s-inspired R Bar and entertainment that includes aerialists gliding through the space. The Royal Babies and Tots Nursery cares for infants as young as six months. Also, there are new locations for the Concierge Club for suite guests and the Diamond Club for Crown & Anchor Society loyalty program members. Royal Caribbean has improved the wireless Internet access throughout the ship and also added flat-panel televisions in all staterooms, an outdoor LED movie screen on the pool deck, and an interactive digital way-finding system. Brilliance of the Seas will debut the innovations as it embarks on a Baltic season from Harwich, England, to visit destinations such as Copenhagen, Denmark; Stockholm, Sweden; and Helsinki, Finland. By Theresa Norton Masek, Travel Pulse For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecrazies.com/index.html Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more http://www.cruisecrazies.com

My husband and I recently became first-time grandparents, and we are eagerly looking forward to the joy, fun and laughter associated with the pitter-patter of little feet – a sound we haven’t heard in a very long time. I now find myself beginning to view life from a grandparent’s perspective – and, of course, that includes planning vacation time. I envision taking my grandchild - when he’s of a reasonable age, of course – on a cruise adventure with Grammy and Gramps. Oh, the fun we’ll have! I immediately became curious as to what sort of steps were necessary in preparing for such a grand undertaking as a “cruising with granny” vacation. I fired up the iMac and began my research in case I should some day find myself planning a cruise or two with my own grandson. I thought I would share what I found. Decide if the parents will come. Obviously, parental preference is key. No doubt, they will – and should – have some say in the vacation plans involving their kids. One big advantage to ditching the parents is the bonding factor. Kids will ordinarily turn to their parents when in need, and in their absence will be looking for another trusted face – yours! You have a wealth of experiences to share, and that makes for great bonding moments. On the other hand, bringing the parents along means that you can share the childcare responsibilities, making it easier to schedule “me” time for everyone. Also, take a look at the number of the little darlings you’ll be bringing. If you are planning to be surrounded by all seven of your grandchildren, suffice it to say you’ll need some help. You’ll need written permission. If they do decide to entrust you with their treasured offspring, you will need a permission letter from the parents, the kids’ health insurance cards and medical history. Involve the kids in the planning. Start by looking over cruise brochures together and ask them what they would like to do and see in the places you’ll be visiting. The web is a great resource, and most grannies and gramps are web savvy these days. If not, the kids will be more than happy to show you around. Try a test run. I once had a miserably homesick child sleep over for a night and then had to call the poor girl’s mother in the middle of the night to fetch her. Not a good scenario if you’re at sea. Are your grandchildren ready to spend a week with you in distant places? If in doubt, do a trial run. Invite the kids for an overnight at a beach resort or theme park and see how the interaction goes. This will give you some idea if they’re ready for a cruise. Bring a buddy. Owning a pair of cats is better than owning just one. The same can be said for kids on a cruise. Invite a same age friend or cousin to keep your grandchild company. Double the fun! If possible, book adjoining rooms or a family suite. The more room you have to spread out, the better. A balcony is a plus, too – you can escape to fresh air without leaving the cabin. Explore the onboard kids’ programs. Your grandkids may prefer to hang with you the entire trip – yeah, in your dreams, Granny! Still, it’s worth checking out the kids’ clubs. The kids will make friends, and you’ll each get some much-needed space. Bring along a few quiet-time activities. Even though there may be 24 hours of fun on the ship, you’ll want the kids to retreat to the cabin for rest or bedtime, and having a few games, cards or puzzles will keep them occupied – along with a favorite stuffed animal or blanket. Use the ship’s newspaper to plan the next day’s activities. If you have a schedule, the day is apt to go much more smoothly. Set firm limits and enforce them. Yes, you are their loving grandparents first and foremost, but on vacation you are also their caretakers, and ground rules must be set and followed. A small whiteboard or yellow Post-Its for jotting down notes to each other will help keep the lines of communication open. Introduce the Kids to Journaling. It’s never too early – or too late - to teach them the lost art of recording their experiences in a diary. While the trip may fade away once they return home, they will be grateful for those memories when they get older. By Janice Neves, CruiseCrazies Contributor For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecra....com/index.html

There is much more to picking a cruise than simply choosing the one with the lowest price tag or the best deal. With a daunting number of cruise ships and itineraries available, it takes a little bit of legwork to sort through the myriad of options. Cruise lines come in the small, compact variety with just a few hundred passengers, ranging to the gargantuan 5,000 passenger super mega liners. Here is a foolproof way to find the cruise that's right for you. Research, Research, Research! Your friends and neighbors no doubt have related their fabulous cruise vacation experiences. However, it’s important to realize that what was great for them may not work as well for you. A web search of cruise material will lead you to a cyberspace explosion of information relating to cruise vacations. In fact, it can be an overwhelming chore, especially as a first-time cruiser, sorting through a plethora of ship reviews, advice and facts, leaving you dazed and confused. A better place to begin is the bookstore or your local library. Pick up a good cruise guide – either the old-fashioned paper variety or the electronic reader kind. If you know where you want to go on your cruise, even better. Look for a cruise guide specific to your dream destination. Study up on the cruise lines, the ships, and all the other fine points that make up a cruise vacation. This is also where a good travel agent comes in handy – one that specializes in cruises. However, before seeking out an agent, ask yourself a few questions about what you are looking for in a cruise. It will make your agent’s task of finding a cruise suited for you so much easier. Destination Where do you want your ship to take you? Are you a tropical/beach kind of person? Then take a look at the Caribbean. Would you prefer a cooler climate with wildlife and nature? Alaska is the place. Do you desire to be surrounded by ancient ruins and history? Perhaps Europe or Mayan ruins in the Yucatan will fill the need. Perhaps it’s as simple as a place high on your bucket list. Decide what’s most important and create a plan to get there. Embarkation Ports This may not seem like a deciding factor on which cruise to choose, but there are people in the world who simply prefer not to fly to meet their ship. If this describes you, then you would require a port within a reasonable drive. This will limit your destination choices to whatever cruises are available from your port. If, on the other hand, there are no obstacles between you and the ship, then the sky’s the limit – within your budget, of course. Budget Once you have chosen your destination, the first thing you need to do is ask yourself – how much can I afford? Time of year and length of your cruise are important factors to consider. Obviously, the longer the cruise, the pricier it becomes. If you are flying to your ship, you will need to factor in airfare. If you are planning on spending a day in the port city before or after your cruise, you’ll need a hotel, or a pre-booked hotel/air/transfer package with your cruise line. You will also need to include in your budget an average of $12/per day, per person in gratuities. Also consider the cost of travel insurance. While some people consider trip insurance to be an option, I consider it a necessity and always factor it into the basic cruise expenses. Everything over and above these basic charges will be optional “extras”, i.e. shore excursions, spa appointments, specialty restaurants (alternatives to the standard dining included with your fare), alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and onboard internet service, just to name a few. These options can really add up, so become familiar with them and choose which ones you can do without. When to Go If budget is a huge factor in your choice of vacation, be forewarned that the most expensive time to cruise most anywhere is during spring and winter school/college breaks, the weeks encompassing Christmas and New Year’s, and the mid-summer months of July and August. Since kids and families are in abundance during these periods, consider an alternate time of year to cruise – unless you’re like me and can only cruise when the kids and teachers cruise. Alternatively, you can save money by cruising during a destination’s “shoulder months” or off-season period. Alaska, for example, is warmer, more popular - and most expensive - in August. Cruise the “Last American Frontier” in May or October, and you’re likely to save a bundle. Just be sure to bring your warm layers! Likewise, Caribbean cruises come with huge discounts during Atlantic hurricane season – September and October. You risk the possibility of a change in your itinerary or disruption in your travel, but it’s a risk many are willing to take to save money. Ports vs. Sea Days Itineraries are as important as the ship when choosing a cruise. Do you prefer relaxing days at sea, or is your primary goal to see as many sites as possible in your destination? A 7-day itinerary featuring every day in a new port is not going to feel as relaxing as a similar itinerary with two or three days at sea to break up the hectic pace. Decide which is more important – the destination or the ship – or a combination of both. Your Personality Although cruise lines at a glance can appear similar, they each have their own style. To further add to the confusion, each line has ships in varying shapes and sizes. Carnival caters to the budget-conscious, fun-loving crowd. Royal Caribbean attracts families and kids with its onboard action-packed activity. Celebrity and Princess cater to passengers with more refined tastes, while Holland America attracts a 50-plus crowd, who prefer HAL’s mid-size ships. Are you bringing the kids? Consider a mega-liner with a good kids’ program and plenty of onboard activity to keep them happy. They will most likely be bored out of their skulls on, say, Holland America. Do you dislike noise, crowds and long lines? If so, then go for the small ship experience. For example, while the mega ships carry upwards of 5,000 passengers, the small ships of Princess hold an intimate 680. In addition to a quieter cruise experience, it will take less effort to get from “here” to “there” on a small to mid-size ship – a big plus for the elderly, disabled or just plain inactive. Finally, do you know the best part about a small ship? It’s the feeling of being on a cruise ship – and not a huge floating city. Keep in mind, though - the smaller the ship, the fewer venues and entertainment options available on board. How important is nightly entertainment to you? The quality of shows and musical performances varies from ship to ship. Generally speaking, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Disney receive the highest grades for high caliber entertainment, with well-known names and Broadway-style shows. Again, the bigger the ship, the bigger the entertainment, especially within the three lines I mention. Are you a foodie? Like entertainment, food can vary across cruise lines, ranging from fabulous dining cuisine to mediocre buffets. In my experience, with the large number of dining choices on ships today, I’ve never had trouble in finding something pleasing to both my palate and appetite. With that said, premium lines get the highest marks for food quality and presentation. Oceania, Cunard and Crystal, for example, have been known to bring in big-name chefs. Even across the mainstream lines, the newest and larger ships are introducing new, high-quality eateries, albeit with an added surcharge. Do you like to dress up? Then you will likely feel significantly out of place on Norwegian Cruise Lines, where “freestyle” cruising and informality are the norm. However, you will still have plenty of dressed-up company on at least two “formal” nights of the week on most other cruise lines. As for the rest of the nights, “dressy-casual” is still the code, the meaning of which varies widely among passengers. Do you like the traditional way of cruise ship dining – i.e. same time, same table and same dining companions each evening? This concept has not been totally lost in the trend to casual. While “any time” dining has become more popular over recent years, with passengers preferring to eat wherever and whenever the mood strikes, most cruise lines have retained the traditional option for those who prefer it – and there are a great deal that do. Are you prone to seasickness? These days, ships are so well stabilized, and in some cases so big, that you don’t even realize you are on the ocean. To improve your chances of a smooth sailing, choose a large ship and a cabin positioned low and center. Still, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared with your favorite motion sickness remedy just the same. Congratulations – you’re now ready to book your cruise! Armed with your newfound knowledge, and now knowing what you want in a cruise, you are ready to make an informed decision, knowing that you will book the best cruise with YOU in mind! By Jan Neves, CruiseCrazies Contributor For more cruise news & articles go to http://www.cruisecra....com/index.html

Gambling is a popular activity aboard cruise ships and it's a significant money maker for the cruise lines. The types of casino games offered onboard may vary, however you can be certain the most well known and popular ones are available - Blackjack, roulette, poker, and of course a ton of slot machines. If you're a hardcore gambler and are seeking a specific type of casino game, you may want to check directly with the cruise line, prior to booking your cruise. If you're planning on gambling a good amount on your next cruise, perhaps some pre-cruise practice with an online gaming destination such as partybingo.com will be helpful. Party Bingo offers a variety of online casino games including roulette, blackjack, and more. Upon boarding the ship, you'll notice the casino is closed. That's because gambling is illegal in most of the United States. However, different rules apply in International waters, and you'll notice that after the ship departs from land and is several miles away from the coast, the casino will open. Let the games begin! In just about all cases, the onboard casino will also be closed while the ship is docked at any port of call. This is to abide by local regulations which if you think about it, makes sense. After all, cruise ship casinos remaining open while at port would result in less passengers debarking the ship to explore the local destination which may include their own gambling attractions. Gambling within the onboard casino is similar to gambling on land. Traditional casino rules apply such as minimum age limits and the prohibition of photography. If the rules for specific games differ from on land, there will likely be visible signs or rules posted. If you're in doubt, ask a casino employee. There are also pamphlets available around the casino which explain the rules for all games offered. Looking to learn a new game while onboard? Not to worry, most ships offer educational courses which teach you how to play a particular game. Looking to participate in a competition? Chances are your cruise already has this covered as part of the calendar of activities. These are always fun to watch. Whether you're looking to learn a new game or brush up on your skills before your next cruise, there are a variety of internet source which can assist. Wikipedia is one of many great resources where you can learn all you want about casino gaming. Do you gamble onboard? Have you ever won BIG? Any onboard casino stories? Add your comments below!

Can you imagine having to spend five entire days in the tropics confined to crowded quarters with thousands of others, without functioning plumbing or adequate food? With sewage and its stench surrounding you, helpless to escape? And, needless to say, no air conditioning? That experience is not limited to the unfortunate travelers on the Triumph cruise ship that lost power in the Caribbean last week. To be exposed to those conditions, just visit Korogocho, a massive slum in urban Nairobi, Kenya. Or a slum in Calcutta, or Quito, or any of the hundreds of "high density areas" (as urban slums are euphemistically known) around the world. There, those horrific conditions represent normal life for approximately a billion people globally, and the UN predicts that number will double by the year 2030, meaning that much as 25 percent of the entire projected global population will live in urban slums. We in America are largely insulated from the way the rest of the world lives, but my work in international public health has taken me to a number of places that frame how I see the world today. I will never forget a walk through Korogocho many years ago. I was working with a nonprofit group that had developed a range of services for adolescents living there -- education about reproductive health, training in skills that might someday give them an opportunity for paid employment. But only a few minutes of walking through the narrow, trash-filled paths made me realize the massive challenge of bringing any meaningful improvements to their lives. HIV prevalence rates were high, crime was rampant, abject poverty was ubiquitous, and the struggle for food and clean water was a daily one, with essentially no public services. The crowded houses were makeshift arrangements of rusted tin and irregular pieces of rotting wood. They were adjacent to a massive garbage dump, and the inescapable odors of human excrement and decaying garbage in open sewers made it the most foul-smelling place I had ever been. Yet many urban slum dwellers are born, grow up and die in such settings. While the Triumph cruise vacationers were desperate to leave the ship and get home after their harrowing experience, the dominant fear in most urban slums is that they will be evicted from their humble homes and become even more destitute. Many advocacy groups now resist the use of the term "slum," as it leads to pressure on cities to promote "urban renewal" and raze the shantytowns. But urban slum populations continue to increase. In India, for example, their numbers have doubled since 1970, and in Manila, half the population lives in slum areas. As world population increases, most of that expansion ends up in cities. The reasons for this situation are many and complex. We know that global climate change and corporate agriculture takeovers of massive amounts of farmland have reduced the ability of family farmers to make a living on their own land, and see moving to cities as their only alternative. Economic and "free trade" policies have shackled the ability of poor countries to maintain profitable prices for their products and to subsidize basic needs of their citizens. Meanwhile, the vast inequality in the distribution of the world's wealth continues to grow. But the movement of the world's poor to its cities also represents a migration of people hopeful for a better life, and that hopefulness is also a clear memory from my visit to Korogocho. The program staff there was proud to show us their orderly meeting room, the T-shirt uniforms they sported, and their educational materials. They described their success in helping a few young women become literate and eventually move away to paid employment. The picture of that room, and those young people, is only in my mind, but it's as clear a memory for me as all the smells and the makeshift shacks. While I was sympathetic to the plight of the travelers on the Triumph cruise, I was impatient with all the attention they received. The media reporting was intense, with CNN focusing most of a day on television coverage of the plight of the Triumph passengers. We can exclaim our good fortune that we were not one of the luckless travelers on that cruise, or try to talk about their experience in a way that recognizes how essentially trivial five days of unpleasantness can be in the context of the poverty of most of the rest of the world. Instead of thinking of the predicament of those Americans as an unusual human experience, an aberration, why not use the cruise story to remind ourselves and others that it is all too similar to the living conditions of as much as 15 percent of the world's population? I worry when we in the privileged world think that a bit of inconvenience for a relatively few "people like us" is worth a media storm. What might change that? When they "miss the boat" on such big issues, letters to the newspaper editor or online notes to the stations we most watch or listen to would help. It's also important to make positive comments on stories that give you new perspectives and provide serious analysis on important issues. You might follow a media source that challenges mainstream coverage, such as FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting). However it's done, we need to push our public media to include broader perspectives -- that sometimes include the rest of the world. By Mary Anne Mercer, Huffington Post Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more http://www.cruisecrazies.com

Plans to build a life-size sailing replica of the Titanic look set to go ahead after it was revealed that the shipyard chosen to build the ocean liner has begun upgrading its facilities in preparation of the forthcoming construction work. Titanic II is to be built at CSC Jinling Shipyard Company in Nanjing, China, and is being funded by Australian billionaire businessman Clive Palmer. The ship will take three years to build and will be constructed to the same dimensions as the Belfast-built White Star liner - 270 metres long, 53 metres high and weighing 40,000 tonnes. It will have nine floors and 840 cabins, accommodating 2,400 passengers and 900 crew members, along with Turkish baths, a swimming pool and gymnasiums. Its exterior will be an exact replica of the ill-fated vessel but engineers will incorporate the latest technology when it comes to engines and electronics. It will also remain faithful to the classifications of the original ship with passengers able to buy first, second and third class tickets. The shipyard’s director Ge Biao, told China's Xinhua news agency: 'It's difficult to replicate a luxury liner, but Jinling Shipyard has a history of 60 years of building various kinds of vessels with high quality.' Titanic II is expected to make its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in 2016 along the same route that the original ship sailed. A spokesman for the shipyard, Li Wenbao, told the Sunday Times newspaper: 'The liner will be equipped with advanced technologies including the latest life-saving and communications systems, to meet the requirements of modern navigation.' Mr Palmer’s company is reported to have been inundated with enquiries from potential passengers, with some offering up to $1m (£640,000) for a chance to be on the maiden voyage. The original Titanic set sail from Southampton on April 10, 1912 and was thought to be unsinkable at the time. But the ship hit an iceberg in the Atlantic on April 14, 1912 and sank the following morning, killing 1,517 passengers and crew. A special cruise recreated the voyage of the Titanic last year to commemorate 100 years since the ship sank. MS Balmoral set sail from Southampton with the exact same number of passengers as the famous liner that sank on its maiden voyage. Passengers onboard the 12-night cruise included relatives of people who died onboard the Titanic and a memorial service was held at the spot where the original ship struck an iceberg and sank. By TravelMail Reporter, Dailymail.co.uk Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more http://www.cruisecrazies.com

(CNN) -- Days of sipping umbrella drinks have given way to the stench of backed-up sewage, stuffy cabins without power and limited food. The Carnival Triumph engine fire shows that the best-laid cruise plans can veer terribly off course. Sometimes it's rough waters forcing the ship's captain to change or skip a port of call at the last minute. And then there are the extreme cases of a days-long stranding, or in the case of the Costa Concordia disaster, the loss of 32 lives. When accidents happen, it's not always clear what the cruise line is required to do next. Here are five things we've learned about cruises since the Triumph's engine room caught fire on Sunday: Emergency systems aren't designed for a pleasant trip It's unclear at this point what systems are in play aboard the Triumph, but we know that generators are supplying power. And from passengers' grim reports, these emergency measures do not a fun vacation make. "The emergency generator is sized to provide sufficient power for systems that are necessary for the survivability of the vessel, passengers and crew," according to marine engineer Robert Jackson, who is the chair of the engineering technology department at California Maritime Academy. The plumbing systems on the ship are powered by electricity, and passenger accounts of sloshing sewage indicate that there's not enough to operate facilities for more than 4,000 passengers and crew. "Since the incident happened on Sunday, technicians have managed to restore limited power on board to operate some toilets and limited functions in certain areas. There is running water, albeit cold water," Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen said via e-mail. A Coast Guard helicopter delivered an additional generator to the ship on Wednesday to supply more power. Itineraries can change without notice Cruise lines may change a ship's course mid-voyage. In the case of an engine fire, that's a given, but more routine sailings could also change. Diversions may mean changing a port of call or skipping it altogether, and passengers agree to the unexpected when they purchase tickets. The conditions are included in the cruise line's ticket contract. Carnival ships can "deviate in any direction or for any purpose from the direct or usual course, and to omit or change any or all port calls, arrival or departure times, with or without notice, for any reason whatsoever," including mechanical breakdowns, according to the cruise line's ticket contract. While terms and language vary by cruise line, according to Dan Askin, senior editor at online cruise community x, "it's pretty standard legalese across the industry that aims to protect the line against every contingency." This week Triumph sister ships Carnival Legend, Carnival Conquest and Carnival Elation all diverted to provide provisions to Triumph. However, those diversions did not result in any delayed arrivals or skipped ports of call, Gulliksen said. Passenger compensation often is not required Itinerary changes after a ship departs are considered part of the "proposed voyage," according to Carnival's itinerary change policy. Under the policy, Carnival is not liable for refunds or damages for post-departure changes. But when more than 3,000 passengers are stranded for five days, the cruise line is willing to concede a failed voyage. Triumph passengers will get $500 in addition to a full refund for the cruise and most expenses on board, transportation expenses to get home, as well as a credit for another cruise, Carnival said. Even in much less dire situations, most cruise lines do offer prorated compensation for cruises that are cut short, Askin said. "After that, there's significant variability in compensation, event by event," he said. After a bad cruise, can you cruise into court? Cruise ship inspections vary by ship and country In addition to the regulations of the International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency, a ship is subject to the laws of the country whose flag it flies. The ship may also be subject to the laws of a country where it stops. The Carnival Triumph sails under a Bahamian flag, so authorities there are taking the lead in investigating the incident. But because the Triumph stops in U.S. ports and carries U.S. passengers, the U.S. Coast Guard has some inspection oversight over the vessel. The Coast Guard issued a certificate of compliance for the Carnival Triumph on May 17, 2012, after the ship's annual inspection. The Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board have also launched an investigation into the cause of the engine room fire. In contrast, the Costa Concordia, which ran aground and sank off the coast of Italy in January 2012, didn't stop in U.S. ports carrying U.S. passengers, so it wasn't subject to U.S. Coast Guard regulation. Passengers may have a legal case Carnival's ticket contract says the cruise line is not "liable to the passenger for damages for emotional distress, mental suffering/anguish or psychological injury of any kind under any circumstances, except when such damages were caused by the negligence of Carnival and resulted from the same passenger sustaining actual physical injury, or having been at risk of actual physical injury." While no physical injuries have been reported, if a passenger contracted a significant disease, such as hepatitis, from unsanitary conditions on the ship, maritime trial attorney John H. (Jack) Hickey believes physical injury could be argued. "I think that a case can be made that everyone on that ship is at risk of actual physical injury," he said. Will passengers file suit and can they win? Yes and yes, Hickey said. Carnival's contract prohibits a class action suit, but Hickey said he's not sure whether it is legally enforceable. Hickey has never filed suit over a cruise ship stranding, but he said these circumstances, particularly the reports of sewage on decks, are exceptional. "It's a public health disaster in the making." By Marnie Hunter, CNN Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more http://www.cruisecrazies.com

When many of us plan our cruise, even with the great packing list supplied by CruiseCrazies, there are some of that must think a little deeper. I am referring to those of us that must take certain medical equipment with us on our cruise. These items can be Wheelchairs, Medication that must be refrigerated, Oxygen and CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) breathing machines just to name a few. A few years ago, my wife had used a CPAP machine. The device is completely mobile so we gave no second thought when bringing it aboard the Carnival Pride as a check-in bag. Because the equipment required the use of distilled water, we had to bring our own with us. We planned on 4 gallons being enough for the 7 day cruise. When we arrived at Port Canaveral, the check in staff stopped us to inspect the device since they had seen it when going through the X-Ray machine. They also closely inspected the 4 gallons of distilled water. They asked if we had a prescription for the device. We explained to them we weren’t aware that a prescription was needed. They retained the device for two days until Carnival received a letter from my wife’s doctor confirming it was a CPAP machine and was required treatment for my wife. I did some research and all cruise lines have regulations and standards in place for special needs passengers. For example, if you use oxygen, you must bring enough of your own to sustain you for the entire cruise or make accommodations to receive replacement bottles at the ports of call. The oxygen in the ships infirmary is only for emergencies. If you must bring medication with you that must be refrigerated, please be aware that cabins that have mini-refrigerators are NOT sufficient for the storage of your medications. On Carnival, they have special refrigerators that meet the temperature requirements to store your medications but they must be requested and are in limited availability. If you require the use of a wheelchair, ensure that you are booking a cabin that is “Wheelchair Accessible”. NOT all cabins are designed for wheelchairs. The best advice I could give is if you have a question regarding your medical condition, all your respective Cruise agent or the cruise line directly. We were inconvenienced for a few days. But it’s YOUR cruise, why be inconvenienced at all. By Tim Hickey, aka Sarge6870

A derelict ship that has been taking up space on the St. John's waterfront for nearly two and a half years has finally left port. The Lyubov Orlova, an abandoned cruise ship, had its last line to the wharf cut at about 12:30 p.m., and was towed out of the harbour by a tugboat shortly afterwards. The tow rope broke on Thursday, just one day after the decrepit ship was towed out of St. John's harbour. Sea conditions had improved overnight, but the winds Friday morning were still about 35 km an hour and the waves were up to three metres high. A DFO spokesperson said the crew of the tugboat that had the old cruise ship under tow will try to reconnect the line today. The Lyubov Orlova will be towed to the Dominican Republic, where it has been sold for scrap. The voyage should take three to four weeks. The ship was arrested in St. John's in September 2010 after a creditor put a lien on the vessel. A Russian company, Locso Shipping, owned the 90-metre Orlova. At the time of the ship's arrest, the Russian-based company owed Cruise North Expeditions $250,000. The company also owed 51 crew on the vessel more than $300,000 in wages. Since 2010, the abandoned ship has been sold and resold, all the while being moored on the St. John's waterfront. Reza Shoeybi, owner of a tugboat from Boston, arrived in St. John's in early December to prepare the Orlova for towing, and has been waiting for five to six weeks for the right conditions in which to move the vessel. Source: CBC News

From the pitch-black depths 2½ miles beneath the North Atlantic, salvagers of the Titanic made a notable discovery when they located the personal effects of William Murdoch, the bridge officer who tried in vain to keep the doomed ship from colliding with an iceberg. The artifacts — including a shoe brush, straight razor and pipe — are the first to be specifically linked to Murdoch, who gained added notoriety after James Cameron's polemical portrayal of him in the 1997 blockbuster movie "Titanic." In the film, Murdoch accepts bribes, kills two people trying to get on lifeboats and shoots himself in desperation as the ship sinks. Historical accounts, however, say Murdoch gave the order to try to avoid a collision and acted selflessly to get passengers on lifeboats. "This will bring Murdoch back front and center to the tragedy," said Bill Sauder, who manages Titanic research for RMS Titanic Inc. The company oversees the artifacts and gave The Associated Press an exclusive look at a new exhibit that opens Friday at Premier Exhibitions in Atlanta. RMST is a subsidiary of Premier Exhibitions. The movie created a furor when it came out. Murdoch's extended family and people from his hometown of Dalbeattie, Scotland, were angered. They asked that movie credits be amended when the video version of the Oscar-winning film was released. The studio, 20th Century Fox, refused. Executives said the movie was never intended to be a reflection of real events, and that Murdoch was portrayed as a hero because he saved many lives before taking his own. Eventually, the studio issued a personal apology and made a contribution to an annual Murdoch memorial prize that Dalbeattie High School had given out since 1912, the year the Titanic sank. Attempts to find Murdoch's extended family of Murdoch by contacting community members who had had contact with a now-deceased nephew of Murdoch were unsuccessful. "There was no controversy about Murdoch shooting himself until the movie came out," said Lee W. Merideth, a Titanic expert and author of "1912 Facts About Titanic." ''Cameron took a lot of liberties, and that's why historians don't like the movie." Controversy aside, Merideth said the artifacts are a significant find and will help viewers make a personal connection to an important historical figure. "If that is his pipe, that means he smoked it at one time," said Merideth. "All this stuff belonged to somebody." Recovering artifacts from the depths of the North Atlantic is painstaking work. Teams are only allowed to gather material from what is known as the "debris field," an area outside the actual ship; by court order, artifacts can't be taken from inside the vessel, which broke into two pieces when it sank. The Murdoch items are part of some 5,500 artifacts that are being auctioned as one lot and include: clothing, fine china, gold coins, silverware and "The Big Piece" — a 17-ton section of the Titanic's hull. Many of the artifacts are part of a handful of exhibits around the United States and one in Singapore. The winning bid will be announced April 11. The collection was appraised in 2007 at $189 million, and the public company decided to auction the collection in response to shareholders' wishes. Connecting items to owners is often impossible. Researchers have only been able to link a handful of passengers or crew members directly to artifacts, usually with items like suitcases, trunks or wallets. The Murdoch artifacts were found in 2000, but just recently linked to the former officer. The central clue came with the initials "W.M." embossed on a toiletry kit, said Alexandra Klingelhofer, Premier's vice president of collections. Some of the items inside the toiletry kit, like a button, the razor and long-johns, would seem to belong to Murdoch. Officers were given uniforms, but had to buy their own buttons, making easily-accessible spares necessary, said Klingelhofer. And while early in his life Murdoch wore a beard, he began shaving it after marrying, she said. Officers and crew members often had several pairs of long-johns, necessary for frigid overnight watch shifts. The items "bring you face to face with things that belonged to a man so integral to the story," said Klingelhofer. The items are displayed together on a table under glass. While the long-johns and toilet kit are faded and have holes, the button sparkles, and the pipe and brush appear in good enough condition to be used today, extraordinary considering they spent 88 years in the ocean. Behind the case is a portrait of Murdoch, along with blurbs about his upbringing and attempts to skirt the iceberg. "He did what an officer should do," said Klingelhofer. "He followed orders and got people into the lifeboats, and I think that tells you something about the man himself."