Cruise line adds new cabins, upgrades to older ship

by Chris Owen on

Whenever a cruise line adds new stuff to old ships, it’s a big deal. This time, it will happen during a dry dock maintenance period this coming May. Norwegian Cruise Line will add a total of 58 new cabins to the 2,224-passenger Norwegian Dawn including 28 new suites.

The suites include four 667-square-foot to 732-square-foot owner’s suites and 24 family suites, ranging from 408 square feet to 495 square feet, most of which can sleep six passengers.

Norwegian did a similar addition project adding new cabins on sister-ship Norwegian Star not long ago which worked out well.

“The flow of the ship has improved on the Star with these changes and we think it’s more in line with the way we build ships today,” said Crane Gladding, NCL’s senior vice president of revenue management and passenger services. “We are putting more public spaces together for guest flow to be more smooth around the ship.”

The work will be done at the Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport, Bahamas, from May 1 to 27.

More changes are on the way for the ship also, but the cruise line is keeping those a secret to be revealed later.

Flickr photo by Ken from NY


10 ways to save money on a cruise without being a cheapskate

by Chris Owen on

There are good ways to save on a cruise vacation and not-so-good ways to save. Simply clicking after the lowest price may seem like a good idea. On the surface, the variables are limited to ship, sailing date and cabin category. Three variables. That’s probably fewer variables than we consider when clicking to book an airline ticket. That should work. For many, that strategy does work but that’s only part of the story. Great savings can be had both on booking the cruise and what we spend on-board by considering a few guidelines.

None of these 10 ways to save include stiffing the crew to avoid tipping, smuggling booze on to save on the bar bill or otherwise trying to outsmart the system which pretty much makes you a cheapskate.

  1. Be realistic– Often we get all caught up in the price of the cruise, what we pay for the cruise fare, that we don’t pay near enough attention to the other expenses that go along with it. Yes, a cruise vacation does offer a lot for the money. But a cruise vacation is far from all-inclusive as some want to believe. That’s nothing to be scared of, just something to investigate and consider first.
  2. Shop for travel insurance– As unexpected chaos from weather or politically-related sources continues to play a bigger role in travel plans, affecting more than ever before, travel insurance of some sort is becoming more of a smart move than in the past. Look beyond the cruise line for options, starting with your personal life/home/auto insurance agent.
  3. Beverage packages– do the math. Most lines offer soda packages that can be a good value. It all depends on how much you will drink though. The idea of “unlimited” sodas for one set price may be appealing but you may need to drink far more than you might anticipate for it to pay out.
  4. Shore excursions– These too may or may not be a good value. Packages that include the word “beach” in them are often more expensive than grabbing a cab and heading to the beach on your own. Almost anything the cruise line offers you can do on your own. Should you? Maybe if its a simple trip to the beach. If your interests take you far from the ship and are more complex, maybe not, especially if it is a port you have never been to before.
  5. Tipping– It’s not required but most cruise lines make it easy by automatically adding it on to your shipboard account each day. The easy way out is to accept that and be done with it. Greater value can be gained by opting out of the automatic tips and taking care of that, in cash, with each individual personally IF you let them know that at the beginning of your voyage.
  6. Bribe people– Some call this pre-tipping” and it involves slipping your cabin steward and headwaiter or Maitre ‘d $20 on the very first day saying the words “Take good care of us and we will take good care of you”. You’re banking on the fact that most other guests on the ship do not do this so you will stand out from the crowd and get better service. Better service = a better overall experience and that means value.
  7. Watch pricing- Most people consider the day they put down a deposit the day they have locked in to a price. That’s true but other opportunities may come along down the road that will get you the exact same cruise for less money or the same money but you get more with it. Again, “value” rather than “lowest price” is king here.
  8. Budget on-board purchases– Simply making a budget and sticking to it works wonders. Casino freaks often bring along an envelope for each day of the cruise, each with the amount of cash they will have to gamble with each day. Once that is gone, that is that. No more gambling until tomorrow. Winnings are often not considered for the most successful gamblers, placing those elsewhere or having win money applied to their on-board account.
  9. Try to use a Cruise Travel Agent. I say “try” because travel agents are not all created equally. A general travel agent that books everything from land tours to airline tickets is often a waste of time. One that specializes in cruise vacations may save you time, money and make for an overall better experience. This is a must-do for first-timers. Seasoned cruisers either swear by travel agents or swear at travel agents. The difference is if they have a good one or not.
  10. Pick the right line in the first place. I saved this for last because it is one of the very most important ways to save money on a cruise without being cheap. You can have a good time, whatever that may mean to you, on any cruise line. Booking with a cruise line with a standard experience that will let you have your good time without having to spend extra to make that happen is the key. A friend who knows you and has cruised a number of lines can help with that as can a good Cruise Travel Agent.

Along those lines, consider this example. Our first 8 sailings were on Carnival Cruise Lines. We found that our family of four did well with the Carnival product and we had no reason to look elsewhere. Carnival has their fleet of “fun ships” and that is not just a catchy slogan: these people know how to have fun. Better yet, they know how to make it possible for anyone to have fun. When we first started sailing with Carnival our two girls were pre-teens and did well with the on-board programming.

Flickr photo by bradipo


Cruise lines seek new ports, secure islands to visit

by Chris Owen on

“You can only go to Cozumel just so many times” is a common complaint from frequent cruise travelers, bored with the same ports being offered by cruise lines year after year. As the cruise industry matures and more repeat passengers come back for more, they look to sail in some different directions.

Celebrity Cruises Eclipse will sail from Southampton boasting new destinations such as Reykjavik in Iceland, Genoa in Italy, and Ponta Delgada in the Azores. The 2012 return of the popular ship will bring revised cruise itineraries in response to guest demand including a series of eight and fourteen night cruises.

“Celebrity Eclipse is the most popular ship in the Celebrity Cruises fleet for UK and Irish holidaymakers, and we’ve further enhanced itineraries and destinations to keep guests coming back” explains Dominic Paul, Vice President & Managing Director, UK & Ireland.

New calls will be made to St Lucia in the 2012-2013 season too when Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Sun makes regular visits to the island.

Cruise line itineraries are chosen based on a number of factors including safety, size of the ships, where other ships are going and more. The decision greatly impacts ports visited, bringing in considerable tourist spending when ships call.

“This is incredibly exciting news for our tourism sector. St Lucians are thrilled to welcome Norwegian,” said St Lucia tourism Minister Allen Chastanet of Norwegian Cruise Lines move to visit the island adding that “the decision to include regular stops to St Lucia was made after the company sampled the island’s offerings with limited calls in 2009.”

Cruise lines seek new ports for other reasons as well. Some not so great for local economies.

New ports, as well as existing ports, must meet and maintain standards demanded by the cruise lines. Don’t meet the standards down the road? Cruise lines will pull out and go someplace else.

When violence in Mexico reached a level of concern, cruise lines, one by one, were quick to divert to different ports. To get them back, Mexican government officials had to prove their ports safe, secure and a good place for cruise ship passengers to visit.

The threat of cruise lines moving their mobile assets to safer waters happens commonly for weather-related issues too. As master of the vessel, the ship’s captain will occasionally skip ports or revise itineraries when weather conditions that day warrant staying out of harms way. That’s part of every cruise passenger contract, the agreement all guests buy into before boarding a cruise ship.

It may be rough seas that at a port requiring a tender operation using smaller boats to ferry guests to and from the ship. An approaching storm, not on the radar when the ship first started its voyage may cause a modified itinerary down the line.

Often discounted by travel purists as a lesser travel experience, there is a lot that goes into a cruise vacation and each sailing is unique. While it may appear that ships run the same routes over and over, these are ocean-going vessels manned by experienced seamen, not a ride at an amusement park. New ports are often planned years in advance and all factors that go into making for a safe, secure and enjoyable experience have to be in place before the first ships visits.

Flickr photo by Loimere

Ten cruise comments you would rather not hear, ever

by Chris Owen on

Cruise ship operations often get a lot of criticism for having too many announcements over the ship’s loudspeaker system. Some are essential for safety and just general organization of the many passengers on board. Others are not so essential and often aimed at just selling something. Some lines have more than others, some leave phone messages, others attempt to make announcements in crowded deck areas which are hard to hear.

It’s all part of the experience but some comments you would just rather not hear at all. Here are ten of them:

  1. “Hello, this is ship security. I have your son here and…” No matter what comes next, it can’t be good.
  2. “If your luggage has not yet been delivered to your stateroom, please report to…” (They found your smuggled booze)
  3. “HANG ON!” You are on Brilliance of the Seas and another “unexpected storm” will be encountered shortly.
  4. “Fire!” This means you will be having Spam for the next few days, delivered by aircraft carrier.
  5. “Is that your luggage floating in the ocean?” You should have tipped the porters.
  6. “Motion discomfort bags have been places about the ship for your convenience” (rough seas ahead. Get ready to say hello to that lobster you had for dinner again)
  7. “Oh look honey! There is a big sale at in the ship’s jewelry store! Let’s Go! Your husband won way more money in the casino than he said he did.
  8. “Oh look honey, the Golf Pro is giving lessons today!” She’s trying to get rid of you.
  9. “This is not a drill” Unless you are in a dentist chair and your dentist is Homer Simpson, you’re probably going for a swim. In the ocean. Without Rose or the diamond.
  10. “Customs is on board!” Actually this is one that strikes terror into the hearts of Royal Caribbean crew members/drug dealers. You may be short a waiter at dinner tonight.

Flickr photo by RAYANDBEE



Port of Los Angeles plugs in cruise ships to help environment

by Chris Owen on

Ports and cruise lines are making an ongoing effort to grow the industry in an environmentally responsible matter. The Port of Los Angeles today became the first with the ability to provide shoreside power to three different cruise lines. Using the Alternative Maritime Power system, ships from Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line can now turn off their polluting engines while in port.

“The use of AMP™ at our World Cruise Center reduces emissions not just at the Port but improves the quality of air throughout the Los Angeles region,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “The ability to adapt this technology to multiple cruise lines eliminates significant ship exhaust when cruise ships are at berth, and the AMP Mobile is another innovation that demonstrates our commitment to developing cutting-edge technology that can benefit port communities everywhere.”

Having the ability to provide clean power and being able to use it are two different matters. In addition to the port having it available, ships must be fitted to accept the clean power source.The Port’s AMP™ system installed at the World Cruise Center in Los Angeles plugs in two cruise ships at a time and is capable of delivering up to 40 megawatts of power, with 20 megawatts of power delivery capacity to each of the two different ships.

Cruise lines and ports have been working on the ability to provide clean, electric energy from the local power grid for years. Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International won awards from the Port of Seattle for making an environmental difference recently.

In January’s first annual Green Gateway Partners Awards the lines were recognized for participating in the At-Berth Clean Fuels program, or use of shore power to plug in and turn off engines while docked at shore.

“Each of the companies recognized have demonstrated that you don’t have to choose between the environment and the economy,” said Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani at the time.

In Los Angeles, the World Cruise Center is the only port where two cruise ships can be connected simultaneously. Cruise ships utilize either 6.6 kilovolts (kV) or 11 kV electrical power distribution systems to plug into shore side power; the Port of Los Angeles can now accommodate either. Currently the power demand of the cruise ships calling the Port of Los Angeles is anywhere between 8 to 13 megawatts of power. A seven megawatt load is equivalent to producing enough electricity for approximately 1,000 homes.

Also in California, the Port of San Diego gained the “plug-in” ability late last year, fitted for Holland America ships. Holland America Line’s Oosterdam was the first to plug in to “Shore Power”, a system designed to help cruise ships go green. Initially the system can handle one ship but plans are for this system to take on more in the future too.

Port of San Diego Completes Shore Power System from Port of San Diego on Vimeo.

Also last year Princess Cruises Island Princess plugged in at the Port of San Francisco to a system that was built as a cooperative effort by the Port of San Francisco, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Environmental Protection Agency, Holland America Line and Princess.

Princess’ shore power program made history debuting in environmentally extra-sensitive Juneau, Alaska in 2001, expanded to Seattle in 2005, and then to Vancouver in 2009. Currently nine of the line’s ships have the capability to “plug in” to a shoreside power source, representing an investment for Princess of nearly $7 million in equipment.