Maybe hiking, biking, backpacking or pretty much any other minimizing endeavor is more what you have in mind for traveling but someone is dragging you along on a cruise. There’s just no way you’re getting out of it. Is there hope for you? Yes. A little. Not much. But some.
Pace yourself- Food will always be available 24 hours a day on board. You might not be used to that with your triathlon training and all so do some stomach stretching exercises prior to boarding. You will need the extra room. Stop pouting that there are no granola bars or energy drinks. There are. On cruises they are called “shots” and you find them at the bars. You’ll enjoy the walk to get them and recent studies suggest those extra steps will help prevent diabetes.
No barfing- You are concerned about the possibility of becoming sea sick because the little path on your normal mountain hike doesn’t really move around much. Think of it like that and yeah, you probably will be. Prepare for shooting the rapids in Colorado with somebody who doesn’t know what they’re doing and you’ll be fine. It could be worse. You could have been invited along for a taping of Paris Hilton’s new reality show.
Know where you are going- Take time before the cruise to check out a travel guide on the places you will visit. Duh. Just because you don’t have any say in where the ship goes doesn’t mean you can’t meet fun and find interesting people. You probably won’t find any of them on the ship but maybe when you go ashore.
Careful with spending- The food is included in the price of your cruise but that’s about it. Beverages, both alcoholic and sodas are not included. Want a sip of water? You’ll pay $23.54 for that. This is why people smuggle booze on the ship. They do have beds so leave your sleeping bag at home with your tent. Bring your flashlight though, cruise passenger are fascinated by shiny things.
Relax. That may seem like a silly tip but you would be surprised how many people try to pack so much into every day that they need a vacation after they get back from their cruise to recuperate. Know this as a fact: There are way too many things to do and you can not possibly do them all. To be more accurate, there are too many things to do that you will think are stupid so bring a telescope and memorize the sky. Maybe you can find a 14th sign of the zodiac.
Want to go on the newest cruise ship but having a hard time justifying the premium price they sometimes demand? The cruise lines hear you and are adding features from the newest ships on older models that are often much less expensive to sail.
New features on new cruise ships are something we almost just expect to happen. The latest, greatest ship coming out always has the very newest and innovative attractions and reflects what we want out of a ship. Royal Caribbean International introduced the world’s largest cruise ship, Allure of the Seas in 2010 but has not forgotten the rest of the fleet. Throughout 2011, the line is adding new features to older ships. Here’s a breakdown of what’s coming up.
Down one class in size to Liberty of the Seas, starting January 30th, that one too will have the Dreamworks Experience and a Broadway hit, Saturday Night Fever:The Musical. Add on a 3-D theater here too as well as The Cupcake Cupboard made popular by Oasis-class ships and Vintages Wine Bar plus a Royal Babies and Tots Nursery.
Sister to Liberty, popular Freedom of the Seas sailing from Port Canaveral will have all that plus a BRITTO Gallery starting March 27. No need to get off the ship in the Caribbean for shopping, this one has it all right on board.
Older ship Radiance of the Seas will add new specialty restaurants Park Cafe, Giovanni’s Table, Samba Grill and Rita’s Cantina in the Summer and get new interactive flat-screen televisions in staterooms plus the Touch-screen signage made popular on Oasis-class ships that helps guests navigate the ship.
Splendour of the Seas will see probably the biggest change. Royal Caribbean is adding 100 balcony staterooms and more inside and oceanview staterooms too. New specialty restaurants and special lounges for Diamond-level members of the line’s Crown and Anchor past guest club plus an exclusive Concierge Lounge for guests booked in suites.
Technology is front and center too on Royal Caribbean with iPod/iPhone docks in each cabin.
It’s not just Royal Caribbean either. Carnival Cruise Lines recently added their popular Punchliner Comedy Clubs, SuperStar LIVE karaoke, huge LED screen Seaside Theater and more to most ships and the popular Chef’s Table dining experience to the entire fleet. Older ships have gone through a $350 million Evolutions of Fun adding Carrnival Waterworks, Adult Serenity areas and more.
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Over at Princess Cruises they may not be pumping out the new ships line other lines (although they do have a couple in the works), but they’ve been busy with a keen focus on quality and an evolution of their on-board product with some pretty cool new features.
The Sanctuary is a secluded spa-like setting complete with massage cabanas, light meals, and signature beverages provided by “Serenity Stewards” assigned to the area. For a minimal charge, guests can reserve space in the Sanctuary for the day and be treated to chilled face towels, music via the area’s MP3 players or Evian water atomizers. Tip: when you get on board, RUN to this place and reserve it for the entire cruise.
The Ultimate Ships Tour takes guests deep into areas of the ship normally off-limits on a 2 to 3 hour journey through the ships engine control room, medical center, print shop, laundry, photo lab, bridge and other crew-only areas of the ship. A$150 per person fee is a bargain for those interested in seeing just what makes a ship work
Even the Room Service Menu was recently revised, enhancing the standard menu with hearty fare such as Chili Con Carne, Baked Lasagna, Moroccan Vegetable Crock Pot with Pita Bread and more served 24 hours a day.
Princess added a Pub Lunch Enhancement for Longer Voyages offering more traditional British dishes, served on days at sea with items like Chicken Curry, Steak and Kidney Pie, Bread and Butter Pudding and more
Up-To-Date on technology is on all the ships too with flat-screen TVs and each ships atrium has Wi-Fi Internet access as do all passenger staterooms.
Something super fun they have is called the Bon Voyage Experience.Princess now makes it possible for friends or family to register from 120 days prior to sailing for a short visit on the day of embarkation in select ports of call. For a fee of $39 per person, guests enjoy a nice taste of on board life including a four-course dining room lunch with wine, a ship tour and souvenir photo. Additionally, the $39 fee can be applied towards a future cruise within 3 months of their ship visit.
The only problem I can see with that one is that you have to get off the ship and say good-bye to your friends as they sail off into the sunset.
On a cruise, many passengers follow the pay-as-you-go way of buying alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, much like they might on land. Others may choose packages that appear to be either convenient or a good value. To determine if a package is simply convenient, a good value or possibly a scam, you’ll have to do the math.
Featured Drink of the Day
There’s something to be said about getting on a ship heading to the Caribbean and having that first frozen drink on deck as the ship sails away. For many, that’s part of the experience. But paying several extra dollars for the cheap plastic glass it comes in over and over is a a waste of your money and a big profit item for the cruise lines. Most all lines also offer the same drink in a regular glass for much less.
Convenience almost always adds up to a higher price. But you may be willing to pay that higher price just to stop stressing over each and every purchase. If so, Celebrity Cruises has some packages that might be just what you are looking for.
Beverage Packages
The thought is “You can drink all the soda you want and not have to worry about how much it is.” True, but do the math. A Classic Non-Alcoholic Package is $91.00 for a seven day cruise on Celebrity Cruises. By the glass they charge about $2.00 for a soda. Do you drink more than 6.5 soda’s a day? If so, you come out fine. If not, you’re better off paying as you go.
Celebrity also offers other packages as well. A Classic (booze too) Package gets Non-Alcoholic beverages, beer up to $5 each and spirits, cocktails and wine up to $8 each for $273 on a seven-night cruise. For a beer drinker, that comes out to 7.8 beers a day. I know people who would come out way ahead on this one and some that would come out way behind too. Again, do the math.
And they wonder why people try to smuggle booze on to the ships.
Speaking of which. We ran across a nifty idea that might just be perfect for smuggling booze.A product offered by by EasyTraveler, Inc. looks to be just what we need, especially if cruise lines move closer to implementing TSA standards, limiting us to no more than 3oz of any liquid upon boarding.
Royal Caribbean already has this requirement listed on their website where they say:
Did you catch that last line?
Please Note: All guests must comply with TSA guidelines for transporting liquids
That’s kind of scary to think of. It’s one of those gray area rules that are on the books but are rarely enforced or are subject to interpretation at the time they come up. Trying to imagine a 7-day vacation with only 3oz of hair products is the stuff of nightmares for some people.
OK fine, how about this little device then?
This should work and the $23 cost is nothing compared to what one might save vs.the $273 package on Celebrity. Or back to convenience, these would work well for a nice cocktail in your stateroom before dinner too.
Yes, where there’s a will there’s a way and you too can beat cruise line scams.
Some day, cruise passengers will be able to use their cell phones at sea just like they might at home. That day is probably a long way off, but recent technology partnered with a new calling plan is a step in the right direction.
Called “Cruise Ship Passport“, a new plan for AT&T customers discounts rates at sea and offers 15 minutes of voice and 15 messages (text, picture or video) along with a reduced overage rate. For $35 a month, the package provides service while on the cruise ship’s “CellularatSEA” network.
Resulting from a partnership between AT&T and Wireless Maritime Services (WMS) the new plan is a first and it’s really catching on.
Now here’s the tricky part.
To use the new plan, AT&T customers need to sign up before getting on the ship and charges continue at the $35 monthly rate until canceled. Still, sign up today, go on the cruise tomorrow, and cancel when you get back. You will indeed save money over roaming charges that can easily triple that price for the same service with no plan.
Watch the clock too, reduced overage charges still run $2.49 per minute, $.50 per text message sent and $1.30 per picture or video message.
You could just turn your phone off and have a lovely vacation too. That’s about the most effective way to control at-sea cell phone charges. New cell phone plans come out all the time but none we know of is just for cruise passengers. If a quick call back home to jealous friends is in order, this plan is the best we’ve seen.
They don’t talk about it much. On board, they have all the usual decadent food delights we associate with a cruise and it’s still possible to do absolutely nothing for your entire vacation. But in the background, just a step or two away from the spotlight, Royal Caribbean is offering guests more healthy, active lifestyle options than ever before.
A special program called “Royal Life”, is being offered on an upcoming sailing of Vision of the Seas. The program features an intense schedule of sports and fitness activities with a focus on nutrition. Sailing February 5, the program features activities such as spinning classes, rhythms, hydro bike and pilates. Yoga, both on the ship and on the beach is featured plus kids yoga and contests for families.
A featuring fitness is nothing new for Royal Caribbean who last month hosted a 5K run on St Maarten aboard Allure of the Seas. Rainy weather kept that one out of the headlines but the line keeps offering active options for guests.
On-board fitness programming is highlighted by their signature rock-climbing wall on all ships. Ice skating rinks, Flow-rider surf simulators and full-size basketball courts on some ships grab the attention of guests too. But the line’s keen interest in fitness and a health runs much deeper, weaving its way through everything from their Adventure Ocean kids program to on-board culinary options.
In the dining room, Healthy spa menus, Vegetarian Meals (including Indian-style vegetarian) are available as well as in the Windjammer Cafe buffet every day. Lactose-free/soy milk and other special dietary request meals are available with advance notice prior to sailing.
Also included on all ships is a fitness center that rivals membership-only facilities on land with all the latest equipment and knowledgeable crew members standing by to help. Classes typically offered include aerobics, resistance training, cycling, an aqua program water-workout and more.
It’s almost as though all these options have been secretly planted in all they do. They’re just waiting for much of the world to wake up from fast-food meals, couch-potato evenings and a general lack of interest in healthy choices. When they do, Royal Caribbean will be there with programs in place for just about everyone.