Why Should You Cruise…

Let's look at the numbers…almost 16,000,000 people will cruise this year alone, and this number continues to grow each year. That’s a lot of people! That’s more than many countries have! And when you compare that number to the much smaller numbers from just a few years ago, you can see just how incredible this number, and this growth in the cruise industry, is.

But there is something else that is interesting about this number. It shows you just how much growth potential there still is for the cruise industry. Currently, under 5% of Americans (the largest passenger group for the cruise lines) have taken a cruise…this is kind of sad. People don’t seem to know the many great reasons that a cruise is a wonderful vacation option.

Now of course…I am going to try and use my humble blog to change that….prepare for one of my legendary long articles! :D

But before that, a disclaimer...regulars will know this, but anyone new might not. I myself have never cruised (NOT BY CHOICE!!! I WILL CHANGE THIS SAD FACT SOON!). Everything, I say here is based on years and years of learning, reading, reviews, and my obsession with the cruise industry! Continuing now...

First of all, there is the, ahem… “bang for your buck” factor. People don’t always realize it, but cruises offer an incredible deal...more so than many other vacation options, if not all others. A week long cruise can cost you as little as a few hundred dollars per person (as an example, Royal Caribbean International is offering 7 day cruises for as little as $499 out of New Orleans on one of their largest ships, the Voyager of the Seas). But more than the small price, it’s what’s included that makes this really amazing! Your cruise fare includes everything you will need to have a great vacation, such as your cabin and all cabin services, great food in the ship's main dining room and other venues, wonderful theater shows and other entertainment, all the many different amenities that modern cruise ships offer, great service, and the transportation between the different exotic ports that you will visit on your cruise! I think I should also note that luxury cruise lines (even though they are more expensive) often include even more…like airfare, excursions, transfers, and alcohol.

Often times, and especially when the economy is down (like right now), the cruise lines will offer discounts and other incentives such as onboard credit (essentially free money for you to spend onboard) and many others.

Also one other thing I would like to note about price, cruise lines base their prices on double occupancy (the idea that there will be at least 2 passengers to each cabin). This can be both a good and a bad thing for passengers. The positive is that a 3rd and a 4th person will be charged a smaller fare than the first two occupants of a cabin (meaning that while two parents will spend, say, $500 each, their two kids will sail for less if they are in the same cabin). On the negative side, if you are a single cruiser sailing by yourself, you may have to pay an extra charge to occupy a cabin on your own (though this policy changes from each cruise line)…the good news, though, is that many new ships are being built with singles in mind and now have single cabins (such as NCL’s Norwegian Epic).

Moving on…

Cruising offers some of the most incredible destinations on earth! As the cruise industry continues to grow internationally, new destinations continually open up. From such time honored places like the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Alaska or the Mexican Riviera, to other somewhat less developed places like the South Pacific, Australia, Asia, South America, Antarctica, and the Middle East; cruising offers one of the best ways to see some of the best destinations…and in some cases the only real way to see them.

An example…

One of the best destinations in the world (in my opinion) is the glorious Norwegian Fjords, and if you ask me, the best way to see them is from the decks of a cruise ship. Imagine sailing leisurely through one of Norway’s incredible fjords with the huge mountains towering thousands of feet above you on either side, reflecting off of the beautifully smooth waters…all as you watch, from your deck chair, the acres and acres of vividly green forest, farm lands, and meadows clinging to the sides of these mountains, the mighty glaciers, and the perfectly picturesque villages pass slowly before you. It is one of the most incredible experiences in the world, in one of the most beautiful places in the world…definitely on my bucket list!

But this is just one of the many different places of almost unimaginable beauty, that you can see on a cruise! Places such as the South Pacific, Vietnam, the Amazon, Alaska, and even the heavily touristy Caribbean, can all rival Norway.




NEXT POINT!!!!

One of the great things about cruising is the options! There is a perfect cruise somewhere for just about everyone! All that stands between you and the perfect cruise, is making the right choice.

While all the different cruise lines offer a great product of their own, making the right choices when booking your cruise is absolutely essential. Your choices can either make or break your cruise, and this is where a lot of people can make mistakes (and one of the good reasons a travel agent is not a bad idea). The cruise industry offers hundreds of choices to potential passengers, and this can be confusing to first timers. “Which destination? Which ship? Which cruise line? What date? What cabin? What price?” are all important questions (they can all affect how well your cruise goes) that you will have to answer.

Being a shipgeek, for me the first question is pretty much always “which ship?” (then I figure out the others later), but for those of you who are sadly not, shipgeeks, I would suggest having other questions answered first…

-Have an idea of where you want to go.

-Next think about what kind of cruise you would enjoy: a fun, sometimes party cruise, like those offered by Carnival; something more laid back, trendy, and sophisticated like Celebrity Cruises; a little more upscale, but still casual cruise like Princess Cruises; something that recalls the history and romance of ocean travel like Cunard Line (*geek squeal), or some much more luxurious and intimate like Seabourn Cruises, or Windstar Cruises.

-Think about how much you are willing to spend…this will also help you choose a line.

-Try and find a date that works best for you. Keep in mind the different times of year will have an effect on your cruise. For example, there will be much more kids and families during the summer months, than other times of year.

-After choosing a ship, choose a cabin. Keep in mind the destination. Some places like Norway, or Alaska, almost beg for you to have your own balcony, or at least a window. Some other itineraries, not so much.

Make the right combinations of choices and you are sure to have a great cruise. One bit of advice though…don’t be afraid to try new things, like picking a cruise line or ship you would not normally choose; especially as you start to cruise more and more. Many people are often very pleasantly surprised when they try new things in the cruise industry…just don’t be too reckless at first, you could over do it!

Next!

While, at least in my super shipgeeky opinion, any day at sea is better than most on land, but being a shipgeek means that when it comes to ships, I am pretty easily satisfied (I know…not much of a comfort when I am singing cruising’s praises). But don’t take my opinion, take a look at the numbers! According to CLIA’s (Cruise Lines International Association) 2011 cruise market study, 94% of people who cruised this past year had a satisfying cruise experience. That's a pretty good number, almost 15,000,000 people! And I should note, most of those were not shipgeeks (sad for them).

Moving right along…

Cruise are more accessible than ever! Especially if you are in the US. The cruise lines are making efforts to place ships in departure ports that are easily accessible by car to millions of people, with more than a dozen such ports all over the country. The idea is that now, you can cruise without having to deal with the hassle of flying…now you can just drive, park, and cruise!

Next…

There is a cruise line and cruise ship for everyone now-a-days. I already touched on the subject of cruise line choices above so let’s talk more about the ships. The largest ships today are up to 5 times larger than the Titanic! So you can be sure that they have a ton to do! Pools, surfing machines and water parks, ice skating, rock climbing, classes, lectures, restaurants, theater shows, and more, are all available to you! And with extensive facilities dedicated to babies, children and teenagers, you can be sure that younger cruisers will be very well entertained, and looked after. And with many other amenities targeted at an adult crowd, such as spas, clubs, dances, comedy clubs, casinos, and more, you can be sure that you will also always be entertained…of course, you can always just enjoy yourself doing absolutely nothing!



Next and last for right now...

The timeless romance of sailing the ocean! Really, is there anything more romantic than the idea of slowly walking the decks of a passenger ship arm in arm with your loved one, as you sail off into a beautiful sunset, with the sounds of the waves and distant music filling the incredibly fresh ocean air? Or, how about dancing together in your finest clothes, to Big Band music, inside a grand ballroom, in the same way that people have been doing for more then a hundred years? Or maybe your idea of romance is simpler than that? Maybe you prefer just sitting on your private balcony with your love, champagne glass in hand, as you watch the ocean and occasional island pass by.

For centuries, people have been captivated by the romance of being at sea, and while it may seem that this romance would be lessened on the huge mega ships of today, it's not. In fact, in some way’s it is more romantic than ever! The industry is full of romantic experiences, like walking through Oasis of the Sea’s gently lit, “Central Park,” at night, or eating dinner al fresco on the deck of a Windstar Cruises' sailing ship with it's white sails billowing above you, or even watching a wonderful fireworks display mid-ocean, like on Disney Cruise Lines. Ah romance!

Anyways, there are many other reasons that a cruise is a great vacation option…you only have to unpack once but you still get to see multiple places, the food (!), almost everything is taken care of for you (even your flight arrangements, if you opt for such), and it is a great way to sample all these great destinations!

No matter how you slice it, a cruise is a great option when considering a vacation! Keep in mind all that has been said above, and make the right choices and you, your friends, partners, and/or family are sure to enjoy yourselves!

"It isn't that life ashore is distasteful to me. But life at sea is better."
-Sir Francis Drake

Cruise Lines, Good or Bad? Onboard Safety…

If you look on the Internet you will see several sites with the purpose of “exposing” the cruise industry. These websites allege that the cruise lines have committed and continue to commit many crimes, such as disregarding passenger safety, lack of transparency, underpaying their employees, covering up onboard crimes, environmental harm, or even not paying US taxes. When you read these websites they can sound very convincing and fair. They don’t sound like they are only telling you half truths or a twisted truth…they just sound like everything they say is right. While reading these website you really might start to question the cruise lines ethics and practices, maybe they are bad companies who care absolutely nothing about anybody.

Well all I can say is this…while not everything these websites say is false, they really only tell you a half truth, if even that. Many times the truth is twisted to serve the purposes of the website's author. I have read, on many occasions, flat out lies, mis-representations and totally absurd allegations pertaining to the cruise lines and the cruise industry as a whole. I think it is very important to keep in mind that many of these sites, which accuse the cruise lines of throwing out ethics, are written by maritime lawyers whose money comes from prosecuting against the cruise lines.

In this article I will try and present to you a fair and unbiased argument in defense of the cruise industry. Yes I know…it must seem impossible for someone like me (a shipgeek) to be unbiased when it comes to the industry that I love so dearly, but let me assure you that I will try (THE CRUISE INDUSTRY ROCKS MY SOCKS!!!)……um…….ahem…starting now...
Like I said above, some of what these site say has a certain amount to truth to them. Like any company, a cruise line is out to make a profit for its employees and shareholders, and at times the cruise lines have made mistakes…sometimes big ones.

Today though, I am going to focus on just one of these complaints against the Cruise Lines…others will come in later articles.

One of the allegations that I have heard several times is that the cruise lines do not care about passenger safety. They say the Cruise Lines only care about the bottom line and not the safety of passengers and crew. One site even says that the cruise lines incorporate outside the United States in order to avoid US safety regulations. They will site things like norovirus outbreaks, overboards, and onboard crimes to support these claims. These claims are really dubious at best (the ‘incorporating outside the US to avoid US safety laws’ isn’t even dubious...it’s ridiculous!), in fact, in regards to cruise ships, they are hardly even that.

The facts are thus…the cruise industry is regulated by several strict governing authorities including MARPOL (a international treaty which governs ship pollution and waste management - the USA and all other ‘flag states’ that the cruise lines use, are signatories and therefore subject to this treaty ), IMO (a United Nations agency charged with making sure ships are safe, secure, as well as governing pollution) and SOLAS (“Safety Of Life At Sea” an international treaty that governs all safety aspects of ships). The cruise lines meet and very often exceed the regulations set down by these agencies. On top of this, cruise ships are subject to inspections from government agencies – like the US Coast Guard – which make sure the safety onboard the ships is up to par. Other agencies – such as the CDC – also inspect cruise ships to make sure that health standards are maintained. If a cruise ship fails these inspections, they will not be allowed to carry any passengers.

And despite what these sites may say, cruise ships can be subject to the laws and safety regulations of any country they call in…for example, the US.

Like I said above, one site says that the lines are avoiding US safety laws (what's funny to me is that a few months back when President Obama signed a cruise ship safety bill into law, this same website went on and on about how the cruise lines had to start making some changes due to it…but I thought the cruise lines weren’t subject to US laws??) however, this is not true. While, yes, the flag state of any ship (((usually The Bahamas, Bermuda, Panama or Malta with cruise ships))) has ultimate control over their ships; a ship is subject to the laws of any port or country in which it calls, especially if it’s carrying that country's citizens (when you go into a foreign country, aren’t you subject to their laws? …same with ships). The aforementioned law that was signed by President Obama governs all cruise ships carrying US passengers from US ports …this law regulates cruise ship safety in and outside US waters, so if you are a cruise line and you want to sail out of the US and carry US passengers (which most lines do as the US is by far the largest cruise market)…well then, you are subject to this law. I should mention though, that even with this law being passed, the cruise lines where hardly affected. Why? Well because the cruise lines have already been doing what this law says for years now. This new law just makes the cruise line’s own safety standards official.

In short, the claim that on a cruise you are sailing on a foreign ship, with no safety regulations, is hogwash. Pure and simple. Furthermore, the claim the cruise lines don’t care about your safety is also hogwash. The cruise lines realize that the safety of their passengers and crew is a good investment (((would you want to sail on a line that had a reputation for a lack of safety?))) and one that they have invested millions into. Indeed, the cruise lines track record shows this…out of the over 15,500,000 people who will cruise this year, very few will have any kind of safety issue. One little tidbit for you as an example of a lines dedication to safety… in Cunard’s 170 year history, it has never been responsible for the loss of one human life…this is the same also with the other major cruise lines. Also, it’s not like these companies are run by a bunch of heartless people who don’t care about anyone else. I also don’t see what the benefit would be to running an un-safe ship.

A lack of safety would open the cruise lines up to lawsuits, bad reputations and a loss of business. Not to mention that a cruise lines most valuable asset, the ship itself, would be open to damage and destruction if it was run in an unsafe manner.

In conclusion…the cruise industry is not made up of a bunch of saints as it has made its fair share of mistakes, even at times, safety mistakes. I won’t deny that…but I will say one thing… your safety is still, in fact, very important to the industry. You are an investment, and for that reason your safety must be protected. That’s why over 15,000,000 people will cruise safely and happily this year alone.

Anyways, sorry about this rather quickly put together article, its probably not the best, but I hope it gets my point across.

Disney Cruise Lines – Cruise Line Review

(Before you read this article I would just like to take a moment to say that our thoughts and prayers are with Rebecca Coriam - a crew member who went missing from the Disney Wonder this past week - and her family. And though, the timing of this article and her disappearance are coincidental, it still seems inappropriate to me, to post something about Disney Cruise Lines this week, without mentioning Rebecca.)

I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce a new series of articles here on Ramblings. These articles will be cruise line reviews meant to help anyone reading this blog to get to know the cruise lines and the different products that they offer allowing you, the readers, to make the right choice when choosing who to sail with on your next cruise vacation.

Due to the success of our previous blog involving Disney Cruise Lines, I have decided to start off this series with Disney Cruise Lines! Let me just say first off, that, as you know, I myself have never been on a cruise (sad I know)...everything I write here is based off of years of learning about and getting to know the industry through reading, watching, internet, friends, and many many reviews.

Started in the early 1990’s as an extension to Disney’s extremely profitable theme parks, Disney Cruise Lines (DCL) is a relatively new player and the cruise industry operates three ships - the Disney Magic (1998), the Disney Wonder (1999) and the new Disney Dream (2011) -on cruises to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Europe, the Mediterranean and the Mexican Rivera. Disney currently is operating Disney Magic and Disney Dream in the Caribbean/Bahamas, while the Disney Wonder is sailing out of Los Angeles (YAY!!) to the Mexican Rivera and later in summer, Alaska for the first time in DCL’s history. Interestingly enough, this isn’t Disney first foray into cruising. Disney once had some presence on the ships run by the now gone Premier Cruise Lines.

Ever since it’s first sailing, DCL has been known for its high level of service, attention to detail and overall quality. The line receives consistently good reviews and is already much loved. But why? First of all…the ships… Disney operates some of the most beautiful ships currently sailing both inside and out. The outside is made to echo the beautiful curves and sweeping lines of the great ocean liners of old…the ships even have two funnels (though the forward one is fake). On the inside the ships are decorated in classic, timeless styles such as Art Deco (Disney Magic and Disney Dream) and Art Nouveau (Disney Wonder) and are really quite beautiful even with the Disney so called, “whimsy” (sorry I had to channel the Disney marketing there).

(Above photo - "Disney Magic" by flickr member CenterLine 717")

The ships offer many different amenities for all the different age groups that Disney carries. They have extensive kid facilities (Oceaneers Club & Oceaneers Lab), with spaces for babies, toddlers, young kids, tweens, and teens (Vibe & Aloft). Several areas are, likewise, dedicated to adults only, such as restaurants, clubs, bars, decks, and pools. There are also other spaces dedicated to family fun. The ships each have three pools on the top deck, the Mickey Pool at 2ft deep is for kids (also featuring a water slide), the Goofy Pool (the Donald Pool on the Disney Dream) is the main pool for anyone’s use, and then situated in front of the forward funnel is the Quite Cove Pool exclusively for adults. Disney ships are designed for almost anyone whether you are single, a couple, old, young, or a family.


Dining onboard is noteworthy itself. Disney Cruise Lines uses a dining system call “Rotational Dining” where instead of one large main restaurant there are three smaller ones that passenger rotate between (waiters and servers also rotate with you to insure good, personalized, service). The main restaurants on the different ships vary save for one, Animator’s Palate. On the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder, this eatery magically (to use a Disney term) transforms from a colorless room with pictures of Disney animation cells on the walls, to a very colorful room that pays homage to Disney’s beautiful animation (to show you how detailed Disney is, for this one room they had a custom score written and recorded to go with the transformation). On the Disney Dream, Animators Palate has many video screens all over the room where Crush, the sea turtle from Disney – Pixar’s “Finding Nemo”, will come and interact with diners….personally, I prefer the older version but no doubt a lot of people will love the feature.

Other restaurants onboard include Disney’s signature, ‘Palo’, an upscale restaurant located at the aft top deck on all Disney ships giving the space incredible panoramic views. The restaurant is adults only and features a great Italian inspired menu. Other than that, the ships, of course, have a buffet and other snack options. On the new Disney Dream Disney introduced a new restaurant called, ‘Remy’ after the main character, Remy, in the Disney – Pixar film “Ratatouille”, with a French inspired menu created by two noted chefs - Chef Arnaud Lallement from l'Assiette Champenoise (a Michelin 2-star restaurant) and Chef Scott Hunnel from award-winning Victoria & Albert's at Walt Disney World Resort –it is easily the most upscale and luxurious dining venue aboard any Disney ship. With its classic Art Nouveau style, and adults only atmosphere, Remy is located next to Palo, on the ships top deck aft, and similarly features beautiful wrap around ocean views.

As far as the entertainment on Disney’s ships goes, understandably it is some of the best, if not the best, at sea according to reviews. Disney original shows and musicals, such as Toy Story (made just for DCL) are preformed every night in the ships, Walt Disney Theater and are usually met with much applause. The ships also feature some of the only dedicated cinemas in the cruise industry, the Buena Vista Theater, which features many first run films on a giant screen. On top of these two options, the ships also have several clubs discos, pools (which I already covered…though I did forget to mention that Disney Dream has a 700ft water coaster), lounges, sports areas and several large parties such as the Sail Away Party, or the nighttime, Pirates of the Caribbean Party, both of which are on the top deck. One other thing that Disney does that no other cruise line in the world does, is a spectacular fireworks show at sea!

Disney has designed their ships to be accommodating to everyone, especially families. One area where this is greatly apparent is in the cabins. DCL standard cabin are larger than usual, better appointed, and on average can accommodate 4 people, and up to 5 in some. On top of this, they have split bathrooms where the bathtub (note that most standard cabin in the industry only have a shower) and a sink in one room, and then the toilet and a sink in another…this convenience allows multiple people to use the facilities at the same time…very nice! Most Disney cruises (at least those in the Bahamas and Caribbean) stop at Disney’s private island of Castaway Cay (previously known as Gorda Cay); a beautiful and lush island used exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests.Castaway Cay (CAC - we will call it that for short instead of Castaway Cay because I am getting tired of writing Castaway Cay every time I want to refer to Castaway Cay and it is much easier just to say CAC instead of writing out Castaway Cay over and over) since it first entered into operation when Disney Cruise Lines started out, has been called the best of any of the private destinations that the Cruise Lines owe.

The island’s main attraction is its extensive beautiful white sand beaches, crystal clear blue water, and various boating and water activities, such as snorkeling, jet skiing, kayaking or paddle boating. On top of that you can go biking, hiking on a nature trail, eat, drink, play with, and feed stingrays, or go parasailing. The island has three beaches, each of which serves a different purpose. First is the Family Friendly “Castaway Family Beach” – the largest and closest beach to the ship - the teen beach (for teens…obviously), and then the secluded (it's separated from the rest of the island’s amenities by a long walk- or tram ride- down an abandoned runway) “Serenity Bay”, the adults only beach where you can relax, take yoga classes, swim, intertube, or have an open air message in a private cabana on the beach. There is also a small area just for little kids, were they can play different games and dig for whale bones. Unlike other private cruise lines destinations (save for Royal Caribbean’s Labadee), Disney has built a pier for the ship to dock at, allowing passengers to go back and forth between the ship and island whenever you want. Also convenient is the fact that CAC is connected to the ship’s system which allows passengers to charge any purchases made on the island, to their cabin. Everything is designed to make things easy and relaxing for Disney guests.

Disney is known for its great level of service and attention to detail. Often when reading reviews for DCL you will read a lot about the service and the gracious employees and how they made the cruise special. If you have ever stayed at a Disney Resort, you will know how great the service can be, employees are happy, personable, and attentive.

All of this said, there are some things that keep people off of Disney ships (or Disney Resorts for that matter)… the worry that the Disney-ness of it all will be over powering. On DCL you have the characters, you have the Disney movie references, hidden mickeys, Disney shows, Disney parties, Disney themes in the décor and you have Disney themed restaurants… Really, it sounds as if you will be drowning in a pool of Disney on these ships (I am drowning in it just from writing ‘Disney’ over and over again). I have good news though, this isn’t the case. What many people have told me, and what many reviews have said, is that the Disney in these ships is not overpowering, or even too much. Actually, it’s apparently tasteful and done in a way that doesn’t offend. Much of the Disney stuff can be avoided if you so choose, and you can have a great cruise without too much, Disney. Of course, I would be lying if I said that it's not there and that the Disney influence is not strong, but’s its not like you're going to get hugged by some man dressed like a dog (just kidding kids – or Disney fans…… that really is Pluto!) every time you turn a corner because you won’t. Of course if you can’t stand anything Disney, don’t cruise with them…your loss IMO, but really if you don’t want any Disney in your vacation, well, why would you choose them anyway? But really rest assured that you can sail with DCL without getting an overdose of Disney. Again, if you have ever stayed at a Disney Resort, then you will know that while there is a lot of Disney-ness, there is also a very tasteful and nice product.

One other thing that people worry about, is the idea that kids will be running rampant, and acting crazy all over the ship. Well according to what people have said in reviews, the kids are very well behaved, mostly, because they are so well entertained in their own areas. I personally can’t remember ever reading about a naughty kid on a Disney cruise (but I won’t be liable if you choose a Disney cruise after reading this and find that this is not the case ;) ).

Not everything DCL is all peachy and good. There is one major complaint I have about Disney Cruise Lines… the prices. I have griped about this on the blog before but… Disney is expensive and they are expensive pretty much across the board (as in, their parks are also expensive). This is odd because Disney Cruise Lines is part of the ‘mass market’ segment of the cruise industry (along with Carnival, NCL and Royal Caribbean) and knowing that you might, at first, think that their prices would reflect the mass market... Nope. They don’t…they are higher, sometimes by a lot. For example, on April 23rd (my birthday!!!!!) both the Disney Magic and the Oasis of the Seas will be leaving on a 7 day Eastern Caribbean cruise. On the Disney Magic, for 2 people in a standard balcony cabin, you will pay $4,489.02 total for the cruise, whereas on Oasis, with the same arrangements, you would pay $3,346.80 total for the cruise. To make this price contrast worst, the Oasis of the Seas - along with her sister ship the Allure of the Seas - is the largest and most amenity filled cruise ship in the world, it’s practically brand new (((the Disney Magic, by comparison, is around 13 years old))) and is itself, already more expensive than most other ships in the mass market. So basically, Disney is more expensive than a ship that is herself already more expensive than most. Also worth mentioning, is the fact that because of Oasis’ newness and amenities, she can more easily justify her prices as newer and bigger ships tend to be more expensive for the first few years of their operation. (Photo at right - "disney-dream-lobby hal" by flickr member Skimbaco )

The fact is, that Disney can charge for their name. Practically everyone has some sort of emotional attachment to Disney (including me) and will pay through the nose for them (and Disney knows it). However there is some justification to Disney’s prices...higher operating cost. The service level and attention to detail that Disney offers (arguably better than any of the other mass market lines), and the fact that their ships are always immaculate, is expensive for Disney; therefore, prices will be higher in order to recover expenses. Also worth noting is the fact that Disney includes some extra things in your fare (like soda I believe). All that considered, I still think that they charge a little too much…mostly because I really want to sail with them!! I will say though, that this does not apply to every cruise with them; some are available for a relatively good price.

Well, anyway all that said, if you are planning or thinking about a cruise, Disney Cruise Lines is not a bad choice. In fact, I would say they are a great choice whether you are a family, elderly, couple, or even single (apparently a lot of young singles and couple sail on Disney). I am sure you would have fun! I will also be incredibly jealous of you! Hopefully, I will sail with them soon, or maybe at least visit the Disney Wonder here in Los Angeles!

CHECK OUT OUR DISNEY WONDER IN LOS ANGELES ALBUM HERE : https://picasaweb.google.com/104983304629890664189/DisneyWonderInLosAngeles#

P.S. Have you sailed with Disney? If so, then we would love to hear your thoughts on them!

Fighting Cruise Misconceptions

It’s a sad thing, a really sad thing, but can you believe that some people don’t have any desire to cruise? In fact many people WILL NOT cruise. Why? Some had a bad cruise previously (I have heard some rumors, that this phenomenon, “bad cruises”, does actually exist…though I have my doubts), some people are afraid of stepping off land, and then there are even more who buy into the ridiculous misconceptions about cruising and the cruise industry. DON’T LISTEN TO THOSE MISCONCEPTIONS!! CRUISING IS GREAT!!!! GREAT I TELL YOU!!!! ……really I am not biased at all. ;)

This blog is here for one sole purpose, to express my love of the cruise industry, ships and cruising. I feel that because of this, I must fight this beast of wrong ideas and misconceptions. If someone sees this article, and decides after reading it, that they will forget about their baseless reservations, and cruise, well then, I will have made a difference in the world, and sent someone on a great vacation! However, that said, I always try and be honest with you, my readers, about the realities of ships and cruising…the good, the great, and the ugly (which I will admit…there is sometimes ugly in regards to cruising).

The funny thing about some of these misconceptions is that they, in fact, have historical basis. Ideas like structured schedules, tiny rooms, violent seasickness and nothing to do, all had some truth back in the olden days. Admittedly, though, there are still some small traces of this around. For example, structured schedules...they do still partially exist on some ships, but not in the way some people fear. On a cruise you can do what you want, when you want, but there still is a schedule in the sense that onboard activities, shows and sometimes dinner, happens at a set time. In the case of dinner, many cruise lines will assign you to either early, or late seating schedules, meaning you either eat at 7:00, or later at 8:30 (I made up those times by the way, the actual times vary), and this is only in the main dining room.

A few years back, NCL started a new concept in cruise ship dining that they called, “Freestyle Cruising”. With this new concept, NCL did away with the traditional big main dining room and seating times, opting instead, for many smaller restaurants. This in turn allows their passengers to eat where they want, when they want, and with who ever they want (I think I should point out that many, if not most cruise lines, may assign you to a table shared with other passengers, though you can opt out of this), much like land based restaurants.

There are a lot of difficulties with this concept (NCL found that out the hard way), like longer wait times to be seated, more restaurant staff, and other organizational problems that I won’t go into right now. That said, Freestyle Cruising has overall been successful with passengers, and NCL seems to have found its groove in regards to it. Though there were problems at first, NCL is now getting pretty good reviews, and people seem to like the Freestyle concept.
Now due to its success, other cruise lines have launched their own (but scaled down) version of it. Basically when you book your cruise, you can opt either for traditional seating arrangements, or you can opt for to eat when it suits you (as long as it’s during dinner hours). There are many people on both sides of the issue, who like it one way or the other. My point in telling you all this is to show you that while, yes, there is still a schedule onboard ships nowadays, there is also flexibility and choice.

On to my next misconception, tiny rooms, or cabins, as I call them (some say staterooms)... Cruise ship cabins can be small. The standard hotel room that most people are used to, are bigger (sometimes by a lot) then the standard cruise ship cabin. The reason for this is obvious…space on a ship is limited; therefore, cabins are made to be compact. This does not mean, however, that you will be cramped or uncomfortable in one. Actually quite the opposite is true. Cabins are designed to be compact, yet still feel roomy and bigger than they actually are, while being very comfortable. Some are small (and feel that way) but I think that is the exception. Also worth noting, unless you have an amazing suite, you really won’t be spending a lot of time in your cabin anyway.

(Above photo, Norwegain Epic's single person 'Studio Cabins' are small at only 100sq ft)

This tiny room misconception though, again has some historical basis. There are some old ocean liners, and even older cruise ships, that had/have cabins that are legendary for their small size. QE2 (Queen Elizabeth 2) had rooms that accommodated 2 people, their stuff and a full bathroom all in just 100sq ft…that is pretty tiny. These tiny tiny rooms though are simply not the case in the modern cruise industry anymore (except for maybe the Norwegian Epic SEE HERE http://shipgeek.blogspot.com/2010/06/epic-update.html). Small and compact rooms, yes, but not tiny.

Ok next!!!! Seasickness...Once described as “not sick, but going to be”, seasickness is miserable and does still happen. The problem is that no matter how big a ship gets, if Mother Nature wants to throw that ship around, it can, and unless you have your sea legs and a strong stomach…you can definetely get seasick. But fear not, there is hope for those with a weak constitution!

For the most part, ships always try and avoid harsh weather, thereby keeping the ship on flat, calm waters. On top of this, ships are built today with advanced stabilization technology, such as stabilizers. These mechanisms are basically wings that jut out from the hull of the ship below the waterline, in rough weather. When the ship starts to roll, these wings (or fins as they are more usually called) pivot and move which forces the ship into a counter roll, cancelling out the ships rolling motion. Stabilizers are able to cut a ships roll by over 90%! After this, if you still find your self feeling queasy, there are several other ways to fix that…

All cruise ships have a hospital onboard and a doctor(s) to oversee it. In the event that someone gets seasick onboard, the doctor can give you a shot that will help you. The only negative side effect is that you might start to feel drowsy after awhile. Other than the doctor, there are several drugs on the market that will help, such as less drowsy-Dramamine, Bonine, or for some people, Benadryl. With these medicines, drowsiness can still be a side effect, which some people don’t mind, but there are also some other solutions. Seasickness patches work very well for some people and do not cause drowsiness. One woman I met recently down in San Pedro (she herself is prone to seasickness) swears by them. On top of that there is also ginger, or ginger pills, which I have heard is one of the most reliable solutions.

It should be noted that everyone is different and no one thing, or drug, works for everyone. You have to figure out which one works best for you. It's also important to note that most people (even those prone to it) never get seasick on a cruise. Cruise ships are extremely comfortable and steady nowadays.

There are many other misconceptions about cruising. I won’t write about them here, as I wrote about them in a previous article (SEE HERE http://shipgeek.blogspot.com/2011/01/man-goes-overboard-fire-norovirus.html).

Though I will mention a couple more I do hear a lot....inceberg and tidal waves...Some people are afraid of cruising because they have seen Titanic and the Poseidon movies, and are convinced that this could happen to them. First of all, the Titanic disaster happened almost 100 years ago (just over 99 years to be precise) and ship design and ship safety have come a long way since then. You will not crash into an iceberg and sink and die like the Titanic (on most cruises the only ice you will see is the ice in your ice cold fruity drink). Secondly, the Poseidon movies…please, take these movies with a grain of salt. Cruise ships have been hit by rouge waves before and have come out fine. Even little ships have been hit and survived. Rouge waves will not flip your ship like in the movies. It will list momentarily but flip it will not. Not to mention that the size of the wave in the movies is pretty much impossible (or at least a wave 200 ft tall has never been recorded).

Interesting fact is that the RMS Queen Mary was the ship used in the original Poseidon Adventure. In the movie the ship flips over but in reality this wouldn’t have happened. The Queen Mary while serving as a troop ship during WWII, and carrying thousands and thousands of soldiers, was broadsided by a huge 90ft rouge wave. The ship leaned over very close to the tipping point (about 52 degrees over…about 3 to 4 degrees from her estimated “point of no return”), but in the end was able to right herself, and continue on with her voyage with no fatalities (though there were a few injuries I believe).

And while there are a couple of cases of modern cruise ships getting hit by rouge waves, like the Bremen (which lost power and propulsion for 2 hours) or the small Caledonian start, (which was damaged but sailed on) this is really, really unlikely to ever happen on your cruise. In both these cases, both ships survived, no one was killed and both are still cruising successfully.

That’s it for right now. While I am not sure if my arguments here are enough to convince people that cruising is fun, and most of all safe, at least I have tried. And I hope that the people who see this blog, will consider a cruise vacation. Just go and relax. Be smart but don’t be worried that at any moment you might get killed by a 300ft wave. You won’t, I promise you. And if you are afraid of icebergs...cruise in the Caribbean. Problem solved (even though you are perfectly safe even in icy waters)!

I would suggest, though, that you don’t go to Hawaii for your vacation………you might get blown up by a volcano. ;) ;)

(One of Royal Caribbeans great Voyager Class ships anchored at RCI's privet resort, Labadee)

Rambling's New Facebook Page

Hello my dear readers!

In response to the blog's ever growing number of readers, I have decided to start a facebook page for it!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/ShipGeeks-Unite/163786533672134#!/pages/ShipGeeks-Unite/163786533672134#!/CruiseCritic

By "liking' this page you will be able to stay current on all things to do with the blog, the cruise industry, Cruise news, and ships in general. You will also be able to interact with other ship and cruise geeks from all over the world.

Having this facebook page allows me to be more consistent in my updates to you. While I will still have the blog (which I promise I will try and update more frequently), you can always pop on over to our facebook page for the latest and most current industry news, and commentary, as I will be updating it everyday.

This also gives you, our readers, the chance to communicate with me and other shipgeeks....so don't be shy! On top of that you can use our facebook to connect to the cruise line's and other cruise and ship related entities' facebook pages.

Have fun and thank you for supporting my blog!

-Mark

A Cunard Day in NYC!

I am sorry about the lack of post over the last couple of days, I am afraid I got lost on the path way of life…basically I was busy so suck it up! ...and I mean that with all the love in the world.

This last Thursday (January 13th) a historic moment occurred as all three Queens in Cunard's fleet met in New York harbor. Lucky onlookers watched as The Glorious, The Perfect, The Alpha, The Omega, The Incredible, The Majestic, The Beautiful and by the Grace of God, Empress of the Seas, Sovereign of the Oceans, Inheritor of the greatest name in maritime history …THE RMS QUEEN MARY 2 (!!!!!), the beautiful Queen Victoria and the lovely Queen Elizabeth, sailed out of New York together. (QM2 is my favorite ship currently in service)

This is only the second time in Cunard history that Cunard has had 3 Queens in New York at once (that partially because Cunard only ever had two Queens up until recently). The Last time was 3 years ago to the day when the QM2, the beautiful Veteran queen of the ocean; QE2, and the brand new Queen Victoria sailed in and then later out together from the port.

The lucky passengers arriving at the port on the QE and QV had just had a special treat as they got to experience a tandem crossing...where both ships crossed together side by side across the Atlantic to NYC. Meanwhile, the passengers on the QM2...well they are just lucky!!!!

In honor of this historic occasion, Cunard’s Commodore Bernard Warner rang the bell (from the original Queen Elizabeth’s engine room) to signal the end of trading for the day at the New York Stock Exchange, the Empire State Building was lit in red for Cunard and passengers and land based onlookers alike, were treated to a Grucci fireworks display as the 3 grand ships lined up in the harbor by the Statue of Liberty.

It was a beautiful event! Seeing 2 or more Cunard Queens together is really something very special. I remember almost 5 years ago when the QM2 met the Queen Mary in Long Beach for the first time! I was there and nearly died from happiness!

Now that the event is over the Queen are heading their separate ways, QM2 on her world cruise (an eastbound one… grrr that means she wont come anywhere near me!), Queen Victoria is on her way here to Los Angeles where she will be based for a few weeks and Queen Elizabeth is on her first world cruise which will also bring her here to Los Angeles a day before the QV. Before that though the QV and QE will be meeting again in Ft Lauderdale, FL, today actually, then they will head off on separate cruises.

Now, I want you all to know that I am trying hard to get permission to visit and review the ships. Its pretty hard to get permission (because of security) but its not impossible, in fact a friend of mine just visited the QE in Southampton. I am trying several different routes to reach this goal…this dream, if you will, but I am not above begging so…ahem…..…PLEASE CUNARD!!!! PLEASE!!!! I WILL WRITE GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE Queens!!! PLEASE!!! I AM YOUR BIGGEST FAN!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!....pretty pretty (QM2 pretty) please? My devotion to you is undying!

...ahem....sorry...for that outburst, I just really do love Cunard! *geek squeal! Anyways whatever happens I will be there at the port to watch as these two ships sail in! It will be a glorious day!

A man goes overboard. Fire. Norovirus Outbreaks. Are cruise ships safe?

It’s time for me to write about what might seem like an ugly subject for me and this blog…cruise ship safety. What with Norovirus outbreaks (there was one just reported on the Radiance of the Seas and one on the Queen Mary 2 not that long ago), people going overboard, the Carnival Splendor fire (which I know I have failed to mention yet) and various crimes that cruise passengers have fallen victim to, some people really are worried that going on a cruise is a dangerous and risky thing to do. Certainly the media coverage and the various websites and groups that advocate against the industry are not helping these people. Paying attention to these groups is enough to make anyone afraid of doing anything.

Of course, I will not deny that these bad things have happened, nor will I refute the numbers that these people quote. Thousands of people get sick on cruises every year, potentially dozens may fall off, there may be fires and other accidents and many people may fall victim to some sort of crime. That’s just the truth and if I want to be credible to my readers and if I really want to promote the industry that I love, then it is important for me to face the good and the bad.

Anyways lets start with the biggest and most talked about issue, Norovirus and other illnesses. Like I said above, potentially thousands every year can catch some sort of illness on a cruise. Norovirus is the most common and by far the most talked about on the news, it has even been called the cruise ship virus. I wrote about Noro a few months ago (SEE LINK BELOW), everything I wrote there is still true and relevant so give it a look! Today, January 8th, it was reported that there was a outbreak of Noro aboard Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Sea’s last cruise and that subsequently its next cruise, which started today, was delayed as RCI implemented a very thorough sanitation of the ship. From what I have read it seems as though 150 passengers were infected with the virus.

(link to previous article on Noro http://shipgeek.blogspot.com/2010/07/norovirus-at-sea.html )

Now for the big picture. While I do feel really sorry for anyone who get sick on their cruise, or any vacation for that matter, I have to say that 150 people sick on a cruise ship that can carry more then 2500 passengers is hardly that big of a deal and really hardly newsworthy. Almost 16,000,000 people will cruise this year (a number that is continuing to grow a lot every year) and not even one tenth of one percent of that number will contract any illness like Noro. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is less then 1% of a chance that you will catch Norovirus on any cruise. In 2009 over 13,000,000 people cruised and in that same time only 9 outbreaks occurred.

Reading some of these anti-cruise industry websites, you will see that they like to blame Norovirus outbreaks on the ship’s water or food supply, and the outbreak yesterday on Radiance, is no exception. This is because one of the main ways Norovirus is transmitted is through fecal contaminated water and food. My question to these people is thus…if the water or food was to blame, then how come only 150 people out of 2500 got sick? Were these 150 people the only ones who ate or drank on this cruise? That seems unlikely. It’s also worth pointing out that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the body that monitors and investigates these outbreaks) has never cited the water or food supplies on ships as the cause of sickness or the means to its spread. It has stated that the cause is person to person contact…which in such a contained environment makes a lot of sense.

Enough about sickness though. Let's move on to the next thing…falling overboard.

I can’t think of much that would be scarier than falling off a ship in the middle of the dark cold ocean and watching helplessly as it sails away. That’s the thing of nightmares and it always makes me sad to think that anyone has suffered through that. This doesn’t happen all the time but it does happen a few times a year.

As sad as this is, usually it seems that people fall off because they were doing something stupid. Many times people who fall off are either drunk, or doing something like climbing/sitting on railings (NEVER EVER DO THAT). Other times it is sadly suicide or even some times foul play. Sadly this is something that is hard to prevent from happening. Railings on ships are pretty tall at 42 inches (3.5ft) with warnings not to do anything stupid or dangerous by the edge of the ship, but besides that what can a cruise line really do to prevent this? Get rid of outdoor decks altogether? Tie people down? Make sure no one gets drunk?

In the event that someone does go overboard the ship will go into man overboard mode and turn around and begin searching the water immediately (while it’s not very likely, people are sometimes recovered alive and well). One problem facing ships with the rescue process is that sometimes no one realizes that a person is gone for several hours, by which time the ship has traveled miles away and the current could have taken the fallen miles away, as well. But still the ship will try. On top of this effort, other ships in the area and different rescue agencies like the US Coast Guard are alerted and join in the search for the victim.

Again, despite all this, you should not be afraid to take a cruise. In the last decade or so only a few dozen of people have fallen from cruise ships. It’s not likely to ever happen to you (you are more likely to get struck by lightning a few times first) or anyone who cruises with you. When people fall off it is never because someone just tripped and fell over, there is always some aggravating factor that cause them to go over. You just have to be smart and use common sense at all times. Don’t climb or sit on railings and don’t get overly drunk and then try to do something idiotic. Remember, ships are the safest form of transportation but like anything, they can be dangerous if you do something to make it so. BE SMART! BE SAFE! AND HAVE A GREAT CRUISE!

Ok, on to the next thing.....shipboard accidents.

Undoubtedly you have heard about the recent and much publicized Carnival Splendor fire. If you haven’t you must live under a rock in the middle of nowhere, cause it was everywhere. Anyway, this incident has many people believing that ships are not safe. This fear was further compounded by the fact that the initial investigation by the US Coast Guard found that the CO2 system onboard (one of the fire fighting systems that fights fire by filling a space with CO2 and thereby choking the fire by removing its oxygen) was not correctly installed and had several faults with it.

Fire is probably the most dangerous and scary thing that can happen on a ship. It seems ironic to a lot of people since a ship is surrounded by water, but it really is a very bad situation to have fire onboard. The Splendor incident shows that.

Well are ships safe then? How much of a fire risk is there on any given cruise?

To answer these questions I think we should look at the records. (photo at left -"Carnival cruise ship C/V Splendor adrift 150 miles southwest of San Diego" from Official U.S. Navy Gallery on flickr)

In the last 20 years there have been several fires onboard cruise ships. Most of these are small harmless fires that mostly go unnoticed by passengers and do not affect the cruise, and then there are some bigger ones like the Splendor fire or the fire on the Star Princess from a few years ago. And even with these bigger ones very few have been fatal (in fact the only death I can think of off the top of my head was that of a passenger on the Star Princess) or even caused any injuries. Overall though, fires are very rare.

Modern cruise ships are subject to very strict safety and fire regulations. Ships have a limit on how much combustible material they can carry. Ships have multiple fire suppression and prevention systems. Crew members are trained on how to fight fires (even big ones). Even the layout of the ship is designed to help combat fire and keep everyone safe. And these high standards continue to get higher as new regulations are put into place constantly.

Like I said above, with the Splendor incident, it was found that the CO2 system was faulty. In turn many people may be lead to believe that Carnival and it’s safety standards are not good. This is not the case. While I think that the problem with the CO2 system is a blunder, I don’t believe it is just Carnival’s, fault (and no, thats not because I am undyingly loyal to the cruise lines). You could fault the shipyard and the contractor who installed the system, or you can even blame the US Coast Guard and other safety agencies that inspect these systems and did not catch theses problems.

Regardless of whose to blame in this case, one should remember that this is only one fire suppression system onboard and it should also be remembered that the crew did put out the fire and in doing so saved the passengers and the ship. In the end, Carnival’s safety standards and practices prevailed and everyone was safe. (And no, no passengers were ever served spam).

The cruise industry has an exceptional safety record and, like I said, ships are the safest form of travel (unless you count elevators). So again don’t let fear of accidents scare you away from cruising, also don’t let it lower your opinion of cruise ship safety.

(Also, I think it is worth mentioning that Carnival's Senior Cruise Director, John Heald, was on the Splendor durring the incident. He talked very extensivly about it on his blog. Definitely worth a read! I am an avid reader of his blog BTW)

see here....

http://johnhealdsblog.com/2010/11/12/

Ok one last thing I am going to talk about in this article, (which has become my longest so far) crime. I will try and make this short.

A cruise ship carrying a few thousand people is like a small city. And like any city there are the occasional crimes, be it robbery, sexual assault or drug smuggling. It horrible that we have this in the world and it’s horrible that this happens to people trying to enjoy there vacations. But again I will say it. Don’t let this deter you from cruising. Cruise lines are constantly putting measures in place to help combat crime aboard their ships and even with the crimes that do happen, their record is still really good. Crime is not very usual on ships. Always exercise caution (like I have said before) anywhere you are, even cruise ships, and you will just fine.

I would say more on this subject but that will have to wait for another post as this one is too long already.

Remember, at the end of the day more than 15,000,000 people will cruise this year. Out of that number 99.9% will come away after having a great cruise that they will remember for years to come. So go, cruise and enjoy yourself without worry! After all, that is the whole point of a cruise!

(Above photo- "sailing into the sun" by flickr member "Ricardo Ko") ...p.s. they ship is one of Celebrity's Millennium Class ships.