Do Cruise Ships Have Lifeguards?

The answer to that question is “some do, but not all”.  Cruise lines compare their ships to hotels and resorts, where signs often warn that no lifeguard is on duty and guests swim at their own risk. I doubt anyone would disagree that it is the responsibility of the parent to assume the first layer of supervision, but is that realistic on ships that may carry as many as 1,000 children on a summer voyage?

Disney became the first major cruise line to hire lifeguards for its family pools in 2013. The lifeguards are always on duty, so long as the family pool is open. He /she is constantly moving around the pool and there are even multiple lifeguards when necessary. This move came after a tragic accident earlier that same year.

Oprah and Holland America Partnership

Oprah Winfry has made 2017 the year of adventure! It is her magazine’s 17^th year anniversary and she was looking to do something that was fun. To celebrate Oprah’s Year of Adventure, Holland

America Line and O, The Oprah Magazine have announced a partnership, believing pairing the power of travel with the magazine’s personal growth endeavors to be a perfect fit.

Holland America will sponsor five “O, The Oprah Magazine Adventure of Your Life” sailings featuring O Magazine-inspired activities that will be scheduled aboard select North America ships. The inaugural Alaska trip on Holland America's Eurodam ship will embark from Seattle July 15.

Beauty and The Beast on Disney Dream

“Beauty and the Beast” is my favorite Disney movie…the music, the romance, the predominant theme of “beauty is only skin deep”, makes for such a great story! I am not even ashamed to admit that I am anxiously awaiting the new live-action adaptation of the animated classic that premieres in movie theaters this March, (even though I have no young child or grandchild to bring along). Now, if I could only convince my husband that our next cruise should be aboard the Disney Dream next fall, when Disney Cruise Line debuts its brand new musical production of the same name!

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Enhanced Latitudes Rewards

I’m a BIG fan of Loyalty Clubs and my spending habits reflect that.  Shoe stores, restaurants, movie theaters and especially cruise lines!  So I’m excited to tell you about Norwegian Cruise Line’s enhanced Latitudes Rewards loyalty program, featuring new benefits at all tier levels.

Available for all cruises beginning Feb. 3, the new program includes the addition of two new elite tier levels for the most frequent cruisers.  The ranks look like this:

Bronze…..1-29 points

Silver……..30-54 points

Gold……….55-79 points

Platinum…80-174 points

Platinum Plus…175-699 points

Ambassador….700+ points

The Carnival Ecstasy Gets Dining Upgrades

After a two-week dry dock that took place earlier this month, the Carnival Ecstasy has returned Charleston, South Carolina refitted with some of the dining and beverage venues that are so popular on the cruise line’s other ships.  Here’s the rundown:

Guy’s Burger Joint: Name sound familiar?  This is a free-of-charge poolside spot developed in partnership with Food Network personality Guy Fieri. Known for its hand-crafted burgers and fresh-cut fries, this is “the place” for the best burger at sea!

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Upgrade Advantage

What cruiser wouldn’t love the opportunity of upgrading their cabin at a reasonable price! Maybe that means moving out of an inside cabin into a light-filled ocean view cabin or gaining that extra outdoor space by moving up to a balcony cabin. Or perhaps you are already booked in a balcony cabin but would welcome the opportunity of stepping up to a mini-suite or even a full suite!

Beginning in February many Norwegian Cruise Line guests will get that chance when the cruise line begins to roll out its new program, Upgrade Advantage! Upgrade Advantage offers guests the opportunity to bid a nominal amount to be upgraded to a higher category stateroom. Guests are selected and sent a pre-cruise email inviting them to bid based on a variety of criteria including, but not limited to what they already paid and the type of staterooms available on their specific sailing.

Disney’s Star Wars Theme Cruises

Attention Star Wars fans! Disney Cruise Line's popular Star Wars themed cruises will return from January through April of 2018, and now is the best time to book! 

Remember, the newest Star Wars movie is due to come out in December of this year so you know it will be showing onboard during these themed sailings. In addition, all the classic and modern films and television shows, including the newly released “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and “Star Wars Rebels,” will be screened.

What is Princess Medallion Class?

What was the CEO of Carnival Corporation, Arnold Donald, doing at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week?  Talking about new technology to debut on Princess Cruises in the near future! A quarter-size smart “medallion” that can be worn as a bracelet (makes me think of a Fit Bit) and paired with the corresponding app called Ocean Compass will have the capability change the way we cruise!

Now you’re probably thinking that this is nothing new.  After all, Royal Caribbean has its RFID WOW Bands and Disney has Magic Bands.  However, per Mr. Donald, the Medallion has much more capability and features. The Ocean Medallion enables a new level of personalization that delivers an enhanced guest experience previously not available in the global vacation industry.

New Cruise Ships Debuting in 2017

Lets take a look at the new ships entering service in 2017.

·      

            Winter 2017: The 48,000 ton Viking Sky will 

      be the third of six ships in the Viking 

      Ocean Cruises fleet.

·         Spring 2017: After its debut, the 143,000 ton Majestic Princess will be based in China year-round.

·         Spring 2017:  The 163,000 ton Norwegian Joy is the second in NCL's Breakaway-Plus Class 

      (the first was the Norwegian Escape). Norwegian Joy will be custom-built for the Chinese 

      market, and it will be deployed full time to Asia, catering to Chinese passengers. 

Celebrity Cruises Modifies Specialty Dining Packages

I love the dining experience aboard Celebrity Cruise Line ships.  The main dining room food is delicious and the service, exceptional!  I will go a step further by saying that the specialty dining experience is second to none! 

Celebrity recently announced new Specialty Restaurant Packages that make the additional cost more palatable, giving everyone a reason to give it a try!

The new specialty restaurant packages represent a significant discount when compared with the cost of booking reservations individually onboard, and allow guests to bundle their specialty restaurant visits into one convenient price. Packages vary by ship and the price includes cover charges and dining gratuities. A three-meal package begins at $109 per person ($36.33 per day) and goes up to 14 dinners for $336 ($24 per day). The new pricing for Celebrity specialty dining packages goes into effect in 2017. 

Cruising to Cuba

Ah…Caribbean cruising! White, palm-fringed beaches, crystal clear turquoise waters, the rhythms of salsa, cha-cha and rumba. But hold on, I’m not talking about cruising to just any Caribbean island! I’m talking about cruising to Cuba!

These days, Cuba is the most enticing island in the Caribbean! Many years of political isolation (Cuba is one of the world's last defenders of communism) has prevented the island from becoming developed and commercialized like it’s many neighboring islands. In fact, when you read literary exposés or look at photographs, it seems that Cuba is lost in time, somewhere in the 1950’s.

Cruising From Dublin With Celebrity Cruises

I love exploring Europe by cruise ship.  It allows me an overview of many cities in seven to ten days; cities I may want to revisit to explore more thoroughly. Every year I wait patiently as new itineraries are announced and this year I was particularly excited with Celebrity Cruises’ future plans. They just announced that they will home port the Celebrity Eclipse in Dublin from late April through June of 2018.

New itineraries out of Dublin will include a 10-night Ireland and Iceland sailing that features calls at Belfast in Northern Ireland; Reykjavik and Akureyri in Iceland; Lerwick, Scotland; and Cork, Ireland. What an incredible list of ports!

How to Burn Excess Calories on Your Next Cruise

I’ll admit it; when I cruise I overeat.  I love trying new foods and new dining venues.  I enjoy eating a big breakfast…something I never do at home!  I order dessert every evening and sometimes I even order two! So when it comes to burning off those extra calories, I have lots of strategies.  Today I will share them with you!

There’s no better way to start the day than by taking a stroll in the fresh air. Or even better, immediately following dinner! Most cruise ships have a track on one of the higher decks and there’s usually signage posted that indicates how many laps equal a mile.  Even if you don’t routinely walk, when you do so surrounded by blue ocean with a gentle warm breeze blowing its quite enjoyable!

Take a Peek at Harvest Caye

Harvest Caye, Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest port of call in southern Belize, officially welcomed its first cruise passengers when Norwegian Dawn arrived on November 17, 2016. Here’s some of the amenities that passengers had a chance to enjoy.

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of a tropical island is the beach, and the Harvest Caye beach is truly amazing!The gorgeous seven acre, powder soft, white sand beach is the heart of this port. The day can easily be spent lounging in the sunshine working on your tan or nestled under a shady tree with a good book.  For guests that want to take a beach day experience up a notch or two, there are 11 luxurious beach villas can be rented for the day. These swanky villas can accommodate up to 10 guests and are equipped with every comfort including air conditioning, dedicated lounge and dining areas, a private restroom, indoor and outdoor showers, hammocks, and exclusive dining and beverage options with dedicated concierge service!

Cruising to Florence, Italy

This past weekend my husband and I saw the movie, “Inferno,” based on the book written by Dan Brown.  The story follows famous symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) as he investigates a trail of clues tied to Dante, the great medieval poet, through several beautiful European cities including Florence, Italy. I really enjoyed the movie, but even more than that, I loved seeing the scenes of Florence!  It’s been too long since our last visit and now I have an itch to return.  If you’re planning a Mediterranean cruise with a stop in Livorno, (the port for Florence), here’s some places to add to your day's itinerary!

Florence's cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore (often called the Duomo), is a vast Gothic structure standing tall over the city with its magnificent Renaissance dome. Entrance into the cathedral is free and for this reason there’s usually a long line to get in. Don't worry, the line moves pretty quickly. It’s definitely worth climbing the 463 steps (there is no elevator) to the dome for the view of the city as well as Giorgio Vasari's frescoes of The Last Judgment. The Duomo complex also includes the impressive structures of the Baptistery and Giotto’s bell tower. You may also climb to the top of the bell tower.

Cruising to Europe With Kids

Some people may think taking school-age kids along on a European cruise is an extravagance and a waste of money. Doesn’t it make more sense to leave them at home with the grandparents and escape on a romantic European cruise as a second honeymoon?  Will an 8 or 9-year-old appreciate, or even remember the experience when their grown? In my opinion, a family cruise to Europe is one of the best gifts you can give your children!

Mark Twain said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” A European cruise teaches your kids that people throughout the world may have a different take on things. Maybe they view life differently, interact differently, have fun differently, or may worship differently. We may do things in a way but who’s to say that’s the only way, or the right way? Travel teaches our children (and us), to expand our thinking, to consider other alternatives, and to view the world with more acceptance.

Cruising the Panama Canal

The United States began building the Panama Canal in 1904, a 48-mile-long international waterway that connects the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean, (saving ships about 8000 miles from an otherwise journey around the southern tip of South America, Cape Horn!).   Called the 8^th Wonder of the World, this historical engineering marvel is an undisputed travel bucket list destination.

The best way to appreciate the Canal is by taking a PanamaCanal Cruise, but do you book a full transit cruise or a partial transit cruise.  Here’s the difference.

Cruising to Split, Croatia

Last week I wrote about one of my favorite European cruise ports, Dubrovnik, Croatia.  This week I’ll continue with another Croatian port of call, Split. Split is the second-largest city in Croatia and a wonderful port of call on a European cruise!

Here’s some suggestions on what to do in port:

Diocletian’s Palace is a Unesco World Heritage site and one of the world’s most impressive Roman structures. It was built as an imperial city-palace and a sea fortress but today it’s a city within a city! The ancient fortress has become the old town of Split, with shops, cafes, and restaurants. Don't miss, the underground basement, the St Domnius Cathedral, the Bell tower, as well as Jupiter's temple.   *Special note: Diocletian's Palace was used as a location for filming the fourth season of the HBO series Game of Thrones.

Cruising to Dubrovnik, Croatia

When Croatia is a stop on a European cruise itinerary, more often than not the port of call is Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik, dubbed as the Pearl of the Adriatic, is one of Croatia’s most recognizable and famous cities.  However more and more European cruise itineraries are also including Split, Croatia. 

Here’s some ideas on how to spend the day in Dubrovnik:

The city walls are considered to be one of the most grandiose fortification monuments in Europe They stretch completely around Dubrovnik’s Old Town, a distance totaling 1.2 miles and a walk on top of the walls  ( there’s a charge of about $10) is a must do on your visit to Dubrovnik.  Bring a water bottle and try to head up early or the heat can be quite uncomfortable.

The Crucial Cruise Carry-On Bag

Most people would never consider flying without a carry-on bag filled with necessary items to get them through a flight.  Cruising should be no different.  After all, once you hand over your luggage to the porter at the pier, you won’t see it again until late that afternoon or possibly not until that evening.  There are always items that should you should have immediate access to at all times.  There are several other items that will just help you jump start your cruise vacation.   Here’s a list of my “crucial cruise carry-on” items. I carry them in the beach bag that I will also use when hanging out at the pool or when I’m in port.