Beautiful Bermuda Beaches

"Bright sunshine, crystal clear turquoise water and pink tinged sand.  The enchanting beaches of Bermuda are often the main reason for cruising to this paradise island.  There are so many lovely beaches to choose from and never enough time to experience them all.  So with the majority of cruise ships docking in Kings Wharf, lets take a look at the beaches you may want to explore from there.

 Snorkel Park is a relatively new area located in the northeast corner of the Royal Naval Dockyard.  The fact that it is so close to the ship and doesn’t require taking a cab, bus or ferry to get there makes it a perfect choice for families that may be looking for a hassle free way to spend a few hours making sand castles or wading in the calm water.  For those with young children, load up your stroller with towels and beach toys for the easy stroll. Unambiguous signage points the way to the limestone tunnel marking the entrance of this waterfront playground.  There is no charge to enter.  The beach here is small but you can rent chairs, umbrellas, paddleboats, kayaks, etc.  As the name implies, Snorkel Park is a great place to don a mask and fins and swim with the fish.  There are marked trails, a sunken cannon and other underwater features for you to explore. However, the highlight here is the Sea-Scooter Safari.  It’s a great way to zip around and observe parrotfish, angelfish, and gray snappers feeding on and around the coral reefs.  For those looking to frolic in the sea there are two slides that plunge into the ocean and a water trampoline fun for kids of all ages.  Food and drink is available at Hammerheads Bar & Grill.  At night it becomes a lively bar adults will want to return to for drinks, music and munchies!

 Glass Beach, although I doubt this is its real name but that's what I've always called it, is a fun place to visit!  I wouldn’t recommend the area for swimming and there are no facilities of any kind here, but for many this area is very special!  It is one of the best places on the island to comb for beach glass! The area is about a quarter of a mile from the main Dockyard entrance but not really walkable because there are no sidewalks.  Hop on any bus leaving the Dockyard and ask the bus driver to drop you off at the Military Cemetery on Malabar Road (also known as ‘The Glade,’ it has memorials to many Royal Navy personnel from warships stationed here during the mid-19th century).  Across the road you will see a cluster of bright blue apartment buildings called Albert’s Row. Walk between the buildings to a pathway in the back.  If you bear right you will come upon a patio (note the imbedded glass in the concrete) and a stairway that leads down to a small beach. The treasure hides here!  Loads of green and white beach glass, and if you’re lucky you may find some brown too! This is a fun way to hunt for a perfect Bermuda souvenir!  Climb back up the stairs, head for the main road, and wait at the pink pole for a bus to return you to the ship or elsewhere.

Celebrity Constellation becomes "Solsticized"

The Celebrity Constellation has officially become ""Solsticized"".  What does this mean exactly?  During a recent 15-day drydock , Celebrity Cruises added some of the most popular venues found on their new Solstice class ship onto the Constellation.  The newly renovated Constellation now features the Tuscan Grille steakhouse, Bistro on Five, the very popular Martini bar, Cafe al Bacio plus the Cellarmasters wine bar.  The Constellation's staterooms have received new carpeting, flat-screen televisions, new bedding plus much more.

The Celebrity Constellation is the first of the four Millennium class ships to be ""Solsticized"".  The Celebrity Infinity and Summit will be refurbished in 2011.  In 2012, the Celebrity Millennium will then be refurbished."

Reba Mcentire to Christen the NCL Epic

Norwegian Cruise  Line announced that famous country singer, Reba Mcentire will christen the brand new NCL Epic.  This prestigious ceremony will take place on July 2, 2010 in New York City onboard the Epic.  Direct Line Cruises will be onboard during the ceremony, so we will be sure to take plenty of photos and video.

"Chicago" Hits the High Seas

"Gorgeous colorful costumes, creative stage set designs, and young talented singers and dancers performing hundreds of miles out at sea!  The flashy production shows the cruise lines offer as part of the nightly entertainment schedule is always a highlight of any cruise vacation. Often a compilation of song and dance numbers made famous in past Broadway shows, Royal Caribbean changed that blueprint when Oasis of the Seas debuted “Hairspray”, one of the few legitimate Broadway productions offered on a cruise ship. Expect no less with the introduction of sister ship Allure of the Seas later this year.

“Chicago: The Musical” will become the second Tony Award-winning musical that Royal Caribbean presents at sea.  While the show will more than likely be trimmed a bit to fit within the average run time of a Royal Caribbean production show, you can expect that all the hottest, high energy musical numbers from this Kander & Ebb blockbuster will remain.  The story, set in roaring twenties Chicago, is about Roxie Hart, an ambitious chorus girl that murders her husband. Roxie goes to jail and joins another famous stage performer and murderess, Velma Kelly. Both Roxie and Velma are headline hunters seeking to capitalize on pre-trial publicity for the sake of acquittal and stage careers.  Even if you have not seen the show before you are likely to recognize the music.  Sexy numbers like “All That Jazz” and “Cell Block Tango” have been used before in past Broadway-esque revues on many cruise lines including Royal Caribbean.

  “Chicago; The Musical” will be performed several times during the week at the state-of-the-art Amber Theater aboard Allure of the Seas. Seats can be reserved approximately 45 days prior to sailing at Royal Caribbean’s web site. Of course, this is just one of the many entertainment venues this amazing ship will offer.  Allure of the Seas begins sailing alternate Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale beginning December 2010."

Norwegian Cruise Line Celebrates Earth Day

Norwegian Cruise Line announced they will make a donation of $5 for every NCL Epic cruise booking made on Earth Day, which is April 22, 2010.  In case you didn’t hear, the NCL Epic is Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest cruise ship scheduled to enter service in July of this year.  The Norwegian Epic will offer groundbreaking entertainment options such as the Blue Man Group, Legends in Concert, Nickelodeon at Sea, plus much more.  For more information on the Norwegian Epic, be sure to visit our archived postings of the Epic.

Celebrity Cruises Silhouette Open for Sale to the General Public

"On April 9th, Celebrity Cruises  announced their newest ship, the Silhouette was open for pre-booking to Captain’s Club members.  The pre-booking window was from 4/9 to 4/19/10.  We are pleased to announce the Celebrity Silhouette is NOW open for sale to the general public.  In cased you missed our previous posting, the Celebrity Silhouette is the 4th ship in the Solstice class fleet.  The Silhouette will enter service in July of 2011 and offer Mediterranean cruises round-trip from Rome.  The Silhouette redeploys to Cape Liberty, Newe Jersey in the Fall of 2011 and offers 12-night Caribbean cruises from November 2011 through April 2012.

Direct Line Cruises is offering a early booking incentive for ANY Silhouette cruises.  Book a Silhouette cruise before April 30, 2010 and receive a FREE $100.00 onboard credit for inside & ocean-view staterooms.  Better yet, book a balcony or a suite and receive a FREE $200.00 onboard credit."

NCL Debuts Nickelodeon at Sea

"The smiles and laughs were contagious aboard the Norwegian Jewel, which left from New York City this past week, as the cruise line debuted Nickelodeon at Sea!  Among the VIP passengers sited on deck were Dora the Explorer, her cousin Diego, SpongeBob and of course his best friend, Patrick. Nickelodeon at Sea offers the ultimate in family entertainment by offering a schedule of different activities throughout the week that the entire family can participate in.

What child wouldn’t want to share the first meal of the day with their favorite Nick buddies!  The Nickelodeon character breakfast will surely be the “hottest ticket” at sea! There will be time to eat, play, and snap pictures galore.   Thank goodness you can reserve a spot for your family 45 days prior to sailing (and I definitely recommend you doing so to avoid disappointment)!  There is an additional charge of $10 for kids 4-12 and $15 for adults. It’s free for the 3 and under crowd (and rightly so since those are the ones that will probably run away and cry when approached by a 6 foot yellow sponge)!

During the week there will be scheduled pool games and crazy activities your family won’t want to miss!  Nobody knows how to have fun in the sun better than Nickelodeon! Then spend an evening watching two lucky families compete in Nickelodeon’s signature game show “Slime Time Live.” Maybe it will be your family! I’m trying to remember; do you get slimed if you win or slimed if you lose? Does it matter? Probably not!

Norwegian Epic to host Macy’s annual 4th of July Fireworks

Norwegian Cruise Line announced their partnership with Macy’s for the 34th Annual 4th of July Fireworks event.  NCL’s newest ship, the Epic will be the host venue for this great show.  The fireworks show will take place on Sunday July 4, 2010 and the event will be broadcast on NBC-TV beginning at 9 PM.  For those eagerly anticipating the first preview of the NCL Epic, make sure to tune in.  Direct Line Cruises was chosen as one of the agencies to be onboard the NCL Epic during this event.  We will be sure to post plenty of reviews, photos and videos of this exciting new cruise ship.

NCL Debuts Nickelodeon at Sea

The smiles and laughs were contagious aboard the Norwegian Jewel, which left from New York City this past week, as the cruise line debuted Nickelodeon at Sea!  Among the VIP passengers sited on deck were Dora the Explorer, her cousin Diego, SpongeBob and of course his best friend, Patrick. Nickelodeon at Sea offers the ultimate in family entertainment by offering a schedule of different activities throughout the week that the entire family can participate in.


What child wouldn’t want to share the first meal of the day with their favorite Nick buddies!  The Nickelodeon character breakfast will surely be the “hottest ticket” at sea! There will be time to eat, play, and snap pictures galore.   Thank goodness you can reserve a spot for your family 45 days prior to sailing (and I definitely recommend you doing so to avoid disappointment)!  There is an additional charge of $10 for kids 4-12 and $15 for adults. It’s free for the 3 and under crowd (and rightly so since those are the ones that will probably run away and cry when approached by a 6 foot yellow sponge)!

During the week there will be scheduled pool games and crazy activities your family won’t want to miss!  Nobody knows how to have fun in the sun better than Nickelodeon! Then spend an evening watching two lucky families compete in Nickelodeon’s signature game show “Slime Time Live.” Maybe it will be your family! I’m trying to remember; do you get slimed if you win or slimed if you lose? Does it matter? Probably not!