Kid-friendly cruises: A resource to find them

by Jamie Rhein on

One of the best features of the MSC cruise I took with my 17 year-old-daughter and 7-year-old son this summer from Venice to a Greece was the kid’s club. It wasn’t that I wanted a place to dump my son–we took him on every shore excursion, but when we were on the ship, it gave him a chance to play with other kids and use up energy. He has a lot of energy.

For anyone taking a cruise with a child–or a teen for that matter, look to see what the options are for his or her age group. Also, make sure that before you get your mind set on a particular cruise that your child is age appropriate for that cruise.

Look at the shore excursion options if you’re interested in those to see what age a child has to be in order to go. Some trips have age requirements due to safety factors. If excursions are mostly for adult passengers, maybe you ought to reconsider your choice.

There’s a handy press release guide at CruiseCompete.com that highlights cruise line offerings for the younger crowd–even infants. When planning a cruise vacation with a child this can be a handy place to start. As you read through each listing, you’ll notice specifics like what ages are programs geared towards and what services are offered for babies. Some cruises don’t have any specific programs for kids, while others are a kid’s paradise.

Checking out options is a great way to visualize a cruise in the first place. That’s what happened to me. I imagined my son on the cruise and then we had to go.

Princess cruises holds its first ever “High Seas” talent showcase

by Scott Carmichael on

I’ll admit that I know very little about the entertainment world, but for some reason, I imagine that being part of a cruise ship entertainment team is a ton of fun. You get to sail around the world, and you get to put on your best act once a night.

Princess Cruises just held its first ever talent showcase at their very own entertainment studio in Santa Clarita. They had it all – from a Beatles tribute band to various comedy and variety acts. The showcase featured nice finalists, chosen from thousands of applicants.

The finalists will compete for a spot on one of the 17 ships in the Princess Cruises fleet. The cruise line puts on over 8000 performances each year, making them one of the largest producers of entertainment in the country. If you have a special talent you’d love to share with the cruising public, head on over to the Princess Cruises entertainment recruitment site.

(The photo posted above is of Ashley Winn from Sarasota, Florida as she performs her act with more than 30 hula hoops!)
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December is cougar season on San Diego cruise

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Women of a certain age and vigor will leave San Diego in December on the first “cougar cruise” to hit the high seas. Singles Travel Company and singles group The Society of Single Professionals are collaborating on this three-night experience … and they’ll be packing the ship with younger men for the cougars on board to hunt. For a change, man becomes prey and cougar the prowler.

In case you’re unaware, a cougar is an older women who happens to enjoy the … ummmm … “company” of younger men.

The appropriately named Carnival Elation leaves the harbor on December 4, 2009 – unlike the action on board – it will actually make a stop (in Ensenada, Mexico). For $125, not including government and port fees, guests will enjoy three nights of cougar coupling. For young men eying the ultimate trophy, Miss Cougar America 2009, Gloria Navarro, will be on board. But, if you think you call the shots with her young man, you’re out of your mind.

Cruise ship arrives in port with dead whale on its bow

by Katie Hammel on

On Sunday, the Vancouver Sun reported that the Princess Cruises ship that arrived in port the day before brought with it something unexpected, and a little disturbing. Stuck to the bow of the boat was a 21 meter (about 69 feet) long dead fin whale.

The Sapphire Princess was returning from Alaska and most likely picked up the whale north of Vancouver Island, as fin whales, which have been designated as an at-risk species, don’t often inhabit the waters off Vancouver.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans plans to do a necropsy to determine if the whale was alive when it was struck by the boat or if it had been floating dead on the water. Whales are generally too small to show up on a ship’s radar, so captains rely on sightings and information from other boats in the area to help avoid them. While ship collisions with whales aren’t common, this isn’t the first time a ship has arrived in Vancouver with a fin whale stuck to the bow. In 1999, a Celebrity Cruise ship had a similar incident.

The whale was removed from the ship’s bow with the aid of two tugboats. After it is examined, it will be dropped back into the ocean where it will become an important part of the underwater ecosystem, providing food for fish and other sea creatures.

Top 5 cruise ship spas

by Jamie Rhein on

Being on a cruise seems luxurious enough. To add to the glam and relaxation, though, consider a spa visit. Frankly, if I were on a cruise, I’m not sure if I would need a spa–the cruise seems like it might be enough pleasure. On second thought, a person to massage my feet would be nice–a person from Thailand, perhaps.

If you are that person who wants to add the best spa experience to your trip, and I’m starting to think I am, here are five ship spas to check out. A tweet from TomTravel2 led me to what makes them stand outs in the crowd. As he said, how can one pick out five best? Still, they are touted by msnbc as being the five at the top. The more I read about them, the more that massage seems sweet indeed. [photo by kikaski]

Celebrity Solstice Aqua Spa – Has indoor waterfalls and areas to relax and lounge while waiting for treatment and afterward. Acupuncture treatments are a forte.

Costa Serena Samsara Spa-If I were on this cruise, I’d want to see the spa even if I didn’t get a treatment. It’s the largest spa at sea and was designed to capture an Asian flavor. Ayurvedic, holistic treatments are an integral part of the options. There’s a foot massage that I have my eye on.

Cunard Queen Mary 2 Canyon Ranch Spa Club–A spa called Canyon Ranch on a cruise ship is an amazing thought. I picture cowboys and horses. Not this spa. Think reflexology, an ice fountain and aromatic treatments. After reading about this spa’s description, if I didn’t disembark from the Queen Mary fresh and new, I’d feel something was wrong with me, especially with the “healthy living experts” at the ready to pass on tips and advice.

Disney Magic Vista Spa–Besides the fine looking couples massage and other relaxation treatments, this spa has a rain forest and “villas” that come with a private deck, hot tub and an open-air shower. My!

Norweigian Pearl South Pacific Spa—With Botox being one of the treatment options–seriously, yuk-I guess one would end the cruise a new person. I’d stick with the thalassotherapy pool which is described as a relaxing, heated salt water pool.