Ten cool new cruise things you might see on a ship soon


Just back from Cruise Shipping Miami, the annual trade show for all things cruising, I have ten cool new things you might see on a cruise ship soon. Cruise Shipping Miami is an annual showcase for suppliers to the cruise industry. Looking for the latest in sinks for your cruise ship? This is the place to be. Want to know all there is to know about different ports of call? Most of them are represented at the show. Don’t own a cruise ship? That’s OK, most of the travel professionals who went there didn’t either.
Some of this stuff is pretty cool and gives a lot of insight to what buyers at cruise lines have to choose from.
  1. Wine in aluminum bottlesFlasq brand wines packaged like Bud Light in aluminum bottles may be around on deck in a “What took so long to think of that?” idea. Flasq wines are grown in California regions, are 100% American-made and bottled in eco-friendly, easy-to-handle, quick-chilling aluminum cans.
  2. Learn to play the bagpipes– Maybe not but Cruise Scotland had a bagpiper on hand to lend an air of authenticity to their display booth and more than one travel professional looked way less professional attempting to dance along.
  3. Glacier Ice may not be available on the cruise ships but a contingent from Anchorage, Alaska had some there and wouldn’t share it. Still, what a great way to charge even more for a drink-of-the-day by adding official “Glacier Ice” to the mix. Having been to and stood on top of a glacier in Alaska, I’m not so sure I would want some of that ice in my drink though. Maybe after a few. That could work.
  4. Optimistic attitude about cruise vacations– It’s not a product you can pick up or ask for on a ship. But the cruise line executives present at Cruise Shipping Miami universally called for 2011 to be a great year for cruises with 8 new ships coming out as travelers shake off the effects of a recession and get back to traveling
  5. Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag– The company who makes these things hopes you will find one in your cruise ship cabin soon. The idea is to place these charcoal-filled bags in cruise ship cabins to cut down on moisture, mildew and odors. This thing sucks up all that bad stuff and works for two years. I wouldn’t look to see this one any time soon.
  6. Bed Bug Dogs from Avoid-A-Bug may show up on cruise ships. Apparently ultra-sensitive dog noses can smell bed bugs and alert housekeeping staff of there presence. While the pros at Adopt-A-Bug admitted cruise ships have few problems with bed bugs, hotels and airlines are another matter altogether.
  7. Another cruise ship hotel? That is one plan for the SS United States, currently held by a non-profit organization that has a limited amount of time to do something with it. It’s a story we have been following for a while which is far from over. This latest idea, to park the ship in Miami as a hotel like the Queen Mary in California, looks to be a viable one.
  8. Loksak storage bags and carrying cases– Loksak is the inventor and manufacturer of LOKSAK and SPLASHSAK which are basically super duty ziploc bags to keep your cell phone or iPad dry at the beach…or under water. These have been around for a while and can be bought online at sporting goods stores like REI and others.
  9. More people on more ships- The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is predicting that 16 million people, three-quarters of them from North America, will vacation aboard cruise ships this year, up 6.6 percent from 2010. CLIA is pretty good at calling it too, last year’s numbers exceeded their projections.
  10. It’s all about the name– Princess Cruises announced one of two upcoming new ships, previously unnamed, will be named Royal Princess. Princess has used that name twice before but they like it a lot so once again it will ride the ocean. This time Royal Princess will come equipped with a Seawalk that shoots people out over the side of the ship at a high velocity. No, not really. But the top-deck, glass-bottomed walkway will extend more than 28 feet beyond the edge of the vessel.
Flickr photo by Trondheim Havn

New Jamaica cruise port gets their act together

Long-delayed new cruise port Falmouth, Jamaica welcomed it’s first Royal Caribbean ship this week as Voyager of the Seas became the first ship to visit. It’s a custom-built port designed to handle mega-ships Oasis and Allure of the Seas. Both have been patiently waiting for months as construction has been dragging on. Early reports from the nearly-complete port indicate full speed ahead on construction and a positive, welcoming mood.

“Today was truly priceless! The people of Jamaica made today an experience I’ll never forget. Their early morning anticipation of the ships arrival was quite impressive. Buildings, rooftops, streets and any open spaces were filled with people awaiting Voyager’s arrival. The first passengers to disembark were well organized for tours and met by various performers. They created nice distractions to avoid noticing the construction around them. The ship did a superb job ensuring expectations by passengers were set at a proper level” said cruise expert Stewart Chiron CEO CruiseGuy.com, one of the first visitors to the nearly-complete port.

In full operation were a variety of new shore excursions as well as variations on some Jamaica favorites.

“I went out to Good Hope Estate and watched the tours happen. What a difference since I was last here in September. Passengers thoroughly enjoyed their various experiences. This was evidenced when we returned as Voyager was departing. The crowds of Jamaicans never dissipated and were cheering Voyager’s departure. What was truly emotional for many, was every open space on every deck of Voyager was lined with passengers and crew cheering and thanking the people of Falmouth for a most memorable day. I would think the comment cards from today will be extraordinarily high! This is a port experience unlike any other” added Chiron

Cruise passengers arriving into Falmouth will be able to choose between the shore excursion options in both Ocho Rios and Montego Bay since the new port is equidistant from both of these Jamaican towns. Additionally there will be an array of options for both tour and non tour guests at Falmouth. Royal Caribbean hopes that passengers arriving at Falmouth will feel like they are in the old world of the Caribbean with numerous shopping and authentic dining opportunities right at the port.

“I look forward to returning for Oasis’ arrival. What a spectacle that will be considering what occurred today. The Royal Caribbean staff that worked so hard on the pier were magnificent. What a team to make this dream come true” Chiron concluded.