European River Cruise Features You Will Not Find In The Brochure

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November 29, 2016

River cruising continues to gain popularity, drawing in fans of ocean cruises for a distinctly different travel experience. Gone are casinos, top deck attractions, a wide variety of dining options and other parts of cruising that travelers like about ocean cruises. A standard river cruise features more of an efficient learning experience, fueled by history, geography, and culture. There are a variety of sources to consider for details about itineraries, places that might be visited, dining ashore and other parts of a river cruise. Not so easy to find are some European river cruise features that might not be the most positive part of the experience but are common to international travel, regardless of how we do it.

European river cruise features — Photo- Scenic Cruises

French Toilets

Let’s just get the most unsavory item on the list out of the way first. Toilets are a totally different animal in European countries as compared to North American destinations. It commonly takes €0.50 to use one, paid to an attendant or machine and having a supply of €0.50 coins is a good idea. In restaurants and bars, buy something and there is no charge. Hotels might charge, might not. Then there is France and their public squat toilets, which are used squatting rather than sitting.

This is probably one of the most distinct cultural differences the first time international travelers will experience along the way. Also called an Indian, Asian or Turkish toilet these things may use a water and technically be a flush toilet, or not and be a dry toilet which is not much more than a fancy hole in the ground. More shocking to comparatively shy North Americans, they may not be in stalls but open for all to see. On a river cruise, you will be on a motorcoach and will be at tourist destination long enough to for the need of personal relief to be a reality.

The Long Walk To Bag Claim

I have never had the occasion to ask questions of an airport planner but one such question would be to clarify the reason for the long walk from the plane after entering the United States. I suspect that security, customs, and immigration authorities are watching us on the way to the first point of contact, but that’s just a guess. Whatever the reason, when entering the United States from most countries in the world, the walk to the first contact is a long one. Long enough that those who have difficulty walking long distances should request assistance, even if they did not need it on the front end of that travel plan.

Stacked River Cruise Ships

When docked, river cruise ships commonly tie up to each other, sometimes 4 or more deep. That causes some passengers to walk through other ships to get to theirs. At ground level, river cruise ships can look the same, making finding your ship a bit of a puzzle. Compounding that mystery, while you were on tour the ships may have moved. One might have sailed off to somewhere else while a new one took its place. A very good idea: take a photo of the exterior of your ship, where the ship’s name is. As far as we know, that part does not change.

The Itinerary Is More Fluid

On an ocean cruise, it takes a weather-related issue or mechanical problem to modify the itinerary. Otherwise, ships go from place to place on schedule with that time in port advertised in advance. River cruises don’t list times in port because you might not be delivered to those places by ship at all. River water levels, the number of ships going through the many locks passed through along the way and other factors come into play.

Security Seems Lax

Compared to ocean cruise ships, the world of river cruising is comparatively lax. There basically is no apparent security at all. Passengers come and go as they please any time of the day or night. But security is not really as lax as it seems for one very big reason that is also one of the most distinct differences between ocean and river cruises: the number of people on board. While they don’t take your picture before boarding, they know who y0u are because there are usually less than 200 passengers along for the ride. Proof of that can be found by the end of the first day when everyone knows your name.

While there are differences, there are similarities too. Shared with their ocean-going counterparts is a very good travel value, perhaps better than an all-inclusive Caribbean resort. Try pricing visiting 8 different European cities vs seeing the same places on a river cruise. The price of hotel rooms, dining, transportation and more that are included in the price of the river cruise stacks up very nicely. That’s probably one of the very best European river cruise features.

Update Your Last Minute Travel Checklist Today

By

Chris Owen

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November 22, 2016

Cruise lines commonly send out a last-minute travel checklist just before sailing, reminding us of important details to take care of before leaving home. Paying attention to these helpful suggestions can make getting to and on the ship easy and may have an impact on our entire travel experience. Still, from time to time we need to update suggestions for smooth sailing and supplement the information sent by cruise lines. This travel checklist update should help with that.

Before Leaving Home

Newspaper Service Suspended – Better yet, make arrangements for a neighbor to pick up papers and/or circulars left on your front door that would indicate that you are out of town. This goes for paid subscriptions as well as publications that show up on your driveway without your approval.
Alarm Company – If you have an electronic alarm, notify the alarm company of the dates you will be out of town as well as your local law enforcement agency.
Mail on hold – Click here to notify the US Postal Service that you will be out of town. We suggest choosing the option to “have mail delivered” on your return (Rather than standing in line at the post office to pick it up)
Bank/Credit Card Company Notified that you will be out of the country and to expect charges outside of your normal spending pattern. This is important so your bank will know you are out of town. As a security precaution, most banks will deny charges made from outside your normal spending area. Check on any daily cash withdrawal/charge limits on your card too- you may wish to change them while you cruise.
Cash On Hand – A supply of $1 bills on hand for miscellaneous tips to porters and/or room service (we suggest $20-30 per person). Even on sailings in foreign lands, the ship’s crew will gladly take American currency. If traveling internationally, have the equivalent of $100 in the currency of your first country visited on hand. You can order this from your bank and will probably get a better exchange rate than at a convenient currency exchange company located at the airport.
Emergency Notification – Friends and relatives can call you directly on the ship. They will need your ship, sailing date, booking number and stateroom number to do so. The easiest way to accomplish this is to have them call your cruise line directly and say “I need to call someone on a ship that is at sea right now”.
Your Cell Phone Provider – Check with cell phone service provider; understand roaming fees or other charges for using your phone at sea. The easy way to eliminate surprise charges and still have a working cell phone with you to use internationally in case of an emergency is to just put it on “airplane mode” or “do not disturb”. If expecting a phone call and/or wanting to be in touch at all times, see your cell phone service provider for the best way to do that.
Smart Traveler – The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Click here to enroll now.

Boarding The Ship

You will need three things to board the ship:

Boarding Pass – Your boarding Pass printed
Identification – Approved identification ready- double-check on cruise line website
Form Of Payment – Debit or Credit Card to guarantee your onboard purchases. Cash is also accepted although not recommended.

About Your Luggage

Let the ship porters have your large checked luggage but keep your carry-on luggage with you.

Be Prepared Checklist

Identification – Copies made of identification and other important documents- if you are bringing your smartphone along on the cruise, take photos of your passport, cruise documents, and luggage just before leaving home. That way those photos can be found easily if needed while traveling
Back up Identification – Exchange a copy with someone else you are traveling with if possible. That way, if you lose your copy, another is close at hand.
Identification Other Than Your Passport – You will be required to have your shipboard identification card, issued by the cruise line, to get on and off the ship. At some ports of call, a government-issued photo ID is also required. We suggest bringing along your driver’s license or some other photo ID for this purpose. Leave your passport locked securely in your stateroom safe.
Safe Storage – Put them in the cloud- Another good way to provide this important redundancy is to take photos of these documents with a smartphone you are bringing along on the cruise. Also, be triple safe and store these photos “in the cloud” using your preferred cloud storage source or, if you do not have one, try Google Drive.
Prescription Medications – Cruise lines suggest bringing prescription medications in the original bottles they came in, if not a copy of the prescription itself. I suggest taking a photo of the original bottle and storing it in the cloud and on your smartphone. I have never been asked to produce proof of medication but there is always a chance customs agents might indeed ask about those. More likely: a medical issue on the cruise causes you to visit a shipboard doctor who will ask what medications you take.

Keep In Your Carryon Luggage

Prescription medications, cameras, electronics, jewelry, and other valuable items should be in your carry on luggage, NOT luggage you might check and have handled by others
A Change Of Clothing Handy: Also, a change of clothing is a good idea too, perhaps a swimsuit too. Luggage may be delivered to your stateroom late in the day.

Do be sure to consider recommendations from the cruise line as well. They have line-specific tips and tricks to make the entire process go smoothly.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Welcomes First Guests To Harvest Caye

By

John Shallo

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November 21, 2016

Harvest Caye, the highly anticipated Caribbean destination experience in beautiful Southern Belize, recently welcomed its first guests. Located just one mile offshore, Harvest Caye offers Caribbean travelers an authentic Belizean experience that highlights the country’s beauty and nature, along with resort-style amenities including a sprawling pool and private luxury beach villas; a variety of eco-activities and interactive wildlife programs; and an exhilarating cross-island zip line. With its close proximity to the mainland, Harvest Caye also offers guests easy access to a wide variety of adventure excursions. This spectacular resort-style port of call, developed by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., is the ultimate tropical destination experience and the only port in Belize that features a cruise ship pier for guest convenience and comfort.

The Harvest Caye experience was designed to showcase all that Belize is known for, from native plants and trees that all play a part in the destination’s eco-system, to the indigenous hardwoods used in the destination’s buildings, and the warm and welcoming Belizean team members who greet guests upon arrival.

“Harvest Caye is truly the ultimate Belizean experience and we are delighted to welcome our first guests today,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

“We have worked closely with the government of Belize to ensure that that this spectacular destination was authentic for our guests, provided economic opportunities for the local community and preserved and protected Belize’s incredible natural beauty. We’re overjoyed with the results of this four year development project, and we look forward to seeing Harvest Caye and Southern Belize grow as we delight the many guests that will call on the destination.”

Norwegian Cruise Line's Welcomes First Guests To Harvest Caye | 21

Guests onboard Norwegian Dawn, sailing from New Orleans, today were the very first to experience all that Harvest Caye has to offer, stepping off the ship and right into paradise. Colin Murphy, senior vice-president of destination and strategic development for NCLH led a ribbon cutting ceremony and official grand opening, where he was joined by the Honorable Manuel Heredia, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation for Belize, Honorable Edmond Castro, Minister of State for National Emergency Management for Belize, and Mrs. Kim Simplis Barrow, Wife of Belize’s Prime Minister Dean Barrow.

Unique Cruise Features Found On Only One Line

By

Chris Owen

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November 21, 2016

All cruise lines share a number of common qualities. The big three; unpack once and visit multiple destinations, the more inclusive nature of a cruise vs. land vacation and a comparatively wonderful value are pretty much universal. Big ships will also probably have a good children’s program, multiple dining venues, numerous drinking places, shore excursions for sale, a casino and a spa of some kind. Still, each line has its unique cruise features; elements of what they do that no other cruise line does.

Cunard Line’s Planetarium is the star of an October 2017 Transatlantic voyage that will feature a number of interesting speakers and also take advantage of an uncluttered top deck, perfect for stargazing. They also have kennels so you can bring your dog.
Royal Caribbean International’s Ice Skating Rinks have been thrilling cruise travelers for decades and remain a solid differentiating factor and top entertainment choice
Carnival Cruise Line’s Guy’s Burger Joint has turned the standard poolside grill into a place that has cruise travelers lining up all day.
Princess Cruises Love Boat tag has brought the most extensive array of wedding and renewal of vows ceremonies offered at sea.
MSC Cruises brings an Italian flavor to Caribbean cruises as well as a fleet of ships that sail around the world, all at discount prices
Seabourn brings top chef at sea Thomas Keller to their food service operation, setting a bar so very high that no cruise line is apt to come close any time soon
Norwegian Cruise Line’s freestyle dining absolutely takes the formal out of dining, an attractive way to go especially for those who must dress up for work.
Celebrity Cruises Concierge Class accommodations bring luxury at a value oriented price and include perks offered only to top tier passengers on other lines.
Viking Ocean Cruises brings a new “thinking man’s cruise” experience to the ocean as they did on rivers around the world with Viking River Cruises
Costa Cruises lives in the Mediterranean while other cruise line simply visit there on a seasonal basis.

Are any one of these features good reason to sail with a particular line? Maybe, if these features are of particular interest or there is concern that some other element of the experience might be affected by unknown factors. The weather and the exact mix of other travelers come to mind. Even the best planned itineraries and our most diligent research can’t rule out disruption to onboard services due to weather. If we happen to book on a sailing that has a large group of passengers who all know one another, their mere presence onboard can affect our experience.

One reader told me recently that while other entertainment options were not exactly what they prefer, the ice skating show on their Royal Caribbean cruise is one option they can always count on. Another could care less what is offered in the dining room on their Carnival Cruise as long as they get their daily fix of Guy Fieri. One more missed lobster on formal night and always-available shrimp cocktail on their otherwise favorite cruise line but liked the new casual atmosphere and not having to dress up.

At the end of the cruise, we want to look back and say we had a good time. If one or more features unique to a certain cruise help deliver that great cruise experience, that’s a solid factor to consider when booking.

This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

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Cruise Mismatches And How To Avoid Them

By

Chris Owen

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November 20, 2016

Matching the right cruise line, ship and itinerary with the right traveler supports the idea that there is a cruise experience for everyone. Make a good choice and great things happen. Fail, and what might have been a wonderful memory becomes an experience to avoid, or so it seems. Cruise addicts do their homework, consult travel professionals or just click around the internet, learning by trial and error. Still, some travelers think cruise travel is apparently ‘just not for them‘, ‘not what they expected‘ or ‘not what it used to be‘. In most cases, some unfortunately common cruise mismatches have occurred, all of which are totally avoidable.

Cruise Mismatches: I Smoke/Don’t Smoke And Want To Enjoy My Travel Doing/Avoiding That

We’ll start with the easy one. It’s not a matter of speculation, we know smoking kills. But that’s not really the issue here. Even the most tolerant non-smokers don’t want any part of it. Still an option on cruise ships, smokers find themselves doing so in designated areas that seem to be getting smaller all the time, to the delight of non-smokers. Among cruise lines, some are more tolerant than others. Still, a non smoker with a smoker in balcony staterooms side by side is a match made in somewhere other than heaven, for either side.

Avoid This Cruise Mismatch: Fan or foe, an easy situation to avoid either way by specifically asking “Is smoking allowed? If so, where?” Informed decision now possible.

Cruise Mismatches: I Got A Great Deal But The Cruise Was Lousy. Never Again!

Price is surely a consideration when booking any sort of travel and cruising is surely no exception, but just one part. This is where trusting the advice of friends, relatives and/or a familiar travel professional comes in quite handy. Unless there is some odd personality element of your friend who loves to cruise that only comes out on a cruise ship (it happens), odds are that the same person you trusted for advice on movies to see, entertainment events to attend or even just television programs to watch will have similarly aligned advice on cruise vacations. I have never, ever heard back ‘I have no idea why my friend liked this, it was totally horrible’.

Avoid This Cruise Mismatch: Take a good hard look at who we are considering for that personal recommendation.

Cruise Mismatches: I Remember The Old Days Of Cruising Fondly. Where Did They Go?

One of the tougher responses to deal with, for seasoned cruisers who look forward to formerly common elements found on most ships I have two thoughts and a solution.

Frankly, Things Change– Like the topic of smoking noted above, what is offered on cruise lines WILL change over time, for a number of reasons. The one-size-fits-all cruise experience of yesterday has evolved over time, enabling more travelers to enjoy a way of traveling that if nothing else is quite efficient and brings good value. Price a trip around the Mediterranean in a hotel-hopping way with transportation, meals and activities all price separately to verify that.
Well, We Asked For It- Much of what onboard programming includes is based on what cruise lines know/believe/speculate travelers want. Elements of yesteryear’s cruise experience that don’t exist today did not go extinct. There is no shortage of food keeping the commonly found Midnight Buffet of a decade ago from happening. It’s not even the easy answer, “they’re trying to cut costs“, although that’s getting close. There are a number of roads leading to the answer here as it pertains to big ship cruising, but all wind up in the same place: we asked for it. When booking a big ship cruise, especially for first time cruise travelers, price is a huge factor. Those new to cruising take a cursory glance at itineraries and onboard programming, more often comparing price than time in port.

Avoid This Cruise Mismatch: A very good way to get the cruise experience we want is to ask specific questions based on the stellar memories of past sailings. Those are the big reasons we want to repeat the experience. Pull out the old photo albums and scrapbooks then notepad in hand, relive the experience noting the parts best liked. If the options for booking are to click or call, make the call and ask: Do they still have a Midnight Buffet on this cruise line? If the person on the other end of the phone does not have the answer, it’s most likely that no one has asked them before. Give them a chance to find out but don’t be surprised if the answer changes between then and the cruise you have booked six months from now. Again, things change. One of the more popular questions to ask that may eliminate disappointment later: “Do you still have lobster night and/or shrimp cocktail on the menu?”

On The Horizon

These and other questions asked up front can help insure a quality cruise travel experience. Still, with those reliable sources in the rear view mirror and now onboard, any reasonable person will expect the cruise line to provide a quality travel product. How closely that actual experience resembles what the cruise line promises in advance will ultimately provide the answer to the question of if a cruise is a good travel option for each individual.

This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

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Holland America Culinary Focus Brings Interesting Partnership

By

Chris Owen

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November 19, 2016

Associating Holland America Line with the past is natural; the line’s origin dates back to 1873. Recently, a collectively intelligent wind of change has opened the Holland America experience to relevant ideas. Now, the Holland America evolution continues with a culinary partnership that makes total sense, again building on their past while positioning the line for future growth. A huge bonus: that Holland America culinary focus brings a new partnership that is a win for one of the most significant groups of cruise travelers in the Holland America demographic: Foodies.

Holland America Culinary Focus — Photo- Holland America Line

At a time when many other cruise lines have hung the responsibility for their culinary efforts on big name celebrity chefs, Holland America Line had held back. Rightfully so, their Culinary Council* already brings a diverse group of highly-skilled cuisine professionals to the tabletops of Holland America ships sailing around the world. We saw the ongoing result of those efforts not long ago on new ms Koningsdam, a game changer in the big ship cruise category.

Now, Holland America Line is partnering with the long-running public television show America’s Test Kitchen, to make unique experience possible at sea. Announced in foodie heaven New York City at a press conference at the prestigious Institute of Culinary Education, Holland America Line’s shipboard Culinary Arts Center will be transformed to replicate the television set where the prominent America’s Test Kitchen TV shows are recorded for broadcast by more than 350 public television stations nationwide.

“We provide our guests with tremendously immersive and authentic experiences to enrich their travel, and America’s Test Kitchen’s commitment to delivering a quality culinary experience with a focus on learning is a perfect match.”- Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line President.

Significant here, the partnership calls for Holland America Line chefs trained by America’s Test Kitchen culinary experts. Onboard, Holland America Line guests will enjoy shipboard cooking demonstrations and hands-on workshops. Topics will range from shaping Asian dumplings to making the perfect pie crust. Also unique, the knowledge cruise travelers will take home after sailing will be of a far higher quality than before on Holland America ships or on any other cruise line that offers immersive chef-oriented programming. You see, public television’s America’s Test Kitchen is sort of like the Consumer Reports of cooking shows. Foolproof, accessible recipes and cooking techniques come from rigorous testing and a science-based approach to cooking not found elsewhere.

Holland America Culinary Focus Brings General Cooking Interest Programming

Onboard, demo courses are planned to be 45-minutes long with a mix of video content, live instruction, taste tests and recipe samples. Some of the thoughtful courses in development include Asian Dumplings (pictured below), Salad for Two, We Love Chocolate, Everything Salmon, Getting to Know Chiles, Flavors of the Mediterranean, Meatless Monday Meals and New Italian Favorites. Foodies like the idea of bringing culinary knowledge home from their cruise, this partnership will enable them to do that more effectively.

Holland America Culinary Focus Also Brings Specific Skill Set Programming

Also planned are longer, 90-minute workshops that focus on teaching a specific skill set. How about learning how to make Perfect Pies or Handmade Pasta? The possibilities are endless, enabled by consumer-friendly America’s Test Kitchen programming brought to sea as well as familiar faces that will energize the experience far beyond “As Seen On TV”.

Holland America Culinary Focus- Coming To A Holland America Ship Near You

America’s Test Kitchen demo courses and workshops will begin aboard ms Westerdam October 18 for the ship’s Mexico season and on ms Nieuw Amsterdam November 13 for the Caribbean season. The program is expected to roll out fleetwide by June 2017.

Not Familiar With America’s Test Kitchen?
America’s Test Kitchen is a fully equipped, 2,500-square-foot test kitchen located in Massachusetts where a team of more than 50 highly qualified test cooks perform thousands of tests every year. The Holland America partnership continues the quest of America’s Test Kitchen. Charged with developing the best recipes and cooking techniques the process includes reviewing and rating the best cookware and equipment as well as taste-testing and recommending brand-name supermarket ingredients.

“This is an incredible opportunity for fans of America’s Test Kitchen, and food lovers in general, to immerse themselves in the Test Kitchen experience,” said David Nussbaum, CEO of America’s Test Kitchen. “The classes on board Holland America Line ships will feature our famous foolproof recipes designed to be repeated and enjoyed long after the voyage has ended. We are excited that Holland America Line is helping America’s Test Kitchen reach more enthusiastic home cooks through this onboard experience.”

How intense is the America’s Test Kitchen process?
Recipes are tested as many as 70 times to arrive at the combination of ingredients, technique, temperature, cooking time and equipment that yields the best, most foolproof recipe.

Recipes and reviews are published in two magazines, Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country, in a growing line of cookbooks and special interest magazines, and on the America’s Test Kitchen websites and through an instructional online Cooking School. They also are featured on two public television series:Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country. Also part of the deal: Holland America Line guests will experience 24-hour access to episodes of America’s Test Kitchen as well as Cook’s Country television programs in their staterooms.

America’s Test Kitchen looks to be a wonderful match for the trending Holland America Line experience and a direct result of energized Holland America Line cruise travel experience enabled by relatively new President Orlando Ashford.

Holland America Culinary Focus Shines in Partnerships

*Holland America Line’s Culinary Council is led by Master Chef Rudi Sodamin, joined by renowned international chefs Jonnie Boer, David Burke, Elizabeth Falkner and Jacques Torres. The line also has exclusive partnerships with Sushi Chef Andy Matsuda and Master Mixologist Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff. In addition, focused regional chefs and culinary experts have been known to be included in Holland America culinary programming. We saw that first hand on a Holland America Sip – Savor – Sail cruise to Alaska that featured Seattle Space Needle Executive Chef and Seattle Seahawks chef

Booking: For more information about the Holland America culinary focus, consult a travel professional, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.

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Cruise Lines Focus On Specific Traveler Interests

By

Chris Owen

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November 15, 2016

The world of cruise vacations continues to expand offerings, focusing on everything from family travel to couples, solo travelers, business groups and more. Along with those choices come new ships, custom built for sailing in certain parts of the world. Already sailing ships are being reworked to reflect a more focused cruise traveler as well. Just off Viking Ocean Cruises new Viking Star, one part of the experience was almost universally appreciated by passengers: the enrichment lectures. Not something new, a variety of cruise line offer such events. Very much new and trending: a focus on specific traveler interests.

Azamara Specific Traveler Interests Focus On Wildlife

Azamara Club Cruises is teaming up with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as part of its commitment to help protect and conserve the oceans of the world. Already in progress, the Azamara/WWF partnership includes onboard lectures from leading experts on a wide range of topics. The aim: provide Azamara guests with insight into nature’s value.

“As we sail from port to port, it’s imperative to appreciate the bodies of water that make our travel possible and protect the ocean life that inhabit them.” – Larry Pimentel, President and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises.

Focusing on destinations is nothing new for Azamara, we saw that first hand not long ago on a Summer Baltics sailing, that tapped the considerable resources of AFAR magazine for destination information. Bringing the experience onboard, Azamara partnered with social traveler Lee Abbamonte, the Most Traveled Man In The World and the youngest to visit all countries on the planet.

During the Azamara/WWF partnership, experts will share stories of the places and species WWF serves to protect, many of which are visited by Azamara ships.

World Wildlife Fund Speaker Series guests will include:

Nilanga Jayasinghe, Program Officer, Wildlife Conservation – Jayasinghe’s focus is on Asian species conservation, particularly elephants, rhinos, tigers and snow leopards. She is part of the WWF’s core team working on wildlife conservation.
Cassie O’Connor, Manager, Foundation Relations – O’Connor works with the foundation to staff to provide support to conservation projects throughout the world.
Pete Pearson, Director of Food Waste – Pearson works on food waste prevention and food recovery, helping businesses understand the intersection of agriculture and wildlife conservation. For almost a decade, he has worked as a change agent within various businesses and non-profits on regenerative agriculture, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf, Senior Biologist, Wildlife Conservation – Dr. Klenzendorf leads wildlife conflict mitigation and Arctic species conservation issues for the WWF network.
Michael Osmond, Senior Program Officer – Osmond works on fisheries improvement projects, fisheries technology innovations and bycatch reduction efforts across World Wildlife Fund and manages a collaborative program that brings together the fishing industry, research institutes, universities and governments to inspire and reward practical, innovative fishing gear designs that reduce bycatch.
Nicky Sundt, Consultant on Energy and Climate Change Issues- Sundt has more than 35 years of experience in government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. He most recently served as WWF’s director of Climate Science and Policy Integration, having previously worked as WWF’s director of Climate Communications.

See more of the Azamara World Wildlife Fund partnership

Fathom Brings Specific Traveler Interests Focus On History

Carnival Corporation’s new Fathom cruise line is taking one of their two ships to Cuba on seven-day cruises from Miami that visit the historic ports of Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba. In post-cruise surveys, Fathom guests are giving high marks for a great experience at all three destinations, which would otherwise be challenging to visit, and on the Adonia, which houses 700 travelers, providing a sense of intimacy that guests are enjoying.

Highlights of the highly sought after cruise vacation include the island’s famously friendly people, Spanish and French colonial architecture, traditional Cuban music and dance, restaurants with genuine Cuban cuisine, museums, cathedrals, coastal fortresses, the cannons on San Juan Hill, the shores of Cojimar that were Ernest Hemingway’s favorite fishing village, and lively nightlife including the famous Tropicana Club, and much more.

In addition to interesting information on the way to Cuba, Fathom cruise travelers enjoy on-the-ground activities that provide the opportunity to interact directly with Cuban people and gain insight into their everyday lives, rich culture and history.

Just how popular are these enriching journeys? Fathom recently added three new tours that serve as a wonderful example of their addressing specific traveler interests

In Hemingway’s Footsteps (Five hours) – Ernest Hemingway fans and curious travelers will see Havana through the eyes of the famed author. From the cobblestone streets of Old Havana to the shores of fishing village Cojimar, the spirit of Hemingway is immortalized in bars, museums and recipes. Travelers may follow in Hemingway’s footsteps as they explore the streets he once called home. Travelers visit Hemingway’s home “Finca Vigia,” stop by his favorite fishing spot and inspiration for “The Old Man and The Sea” – the village of Cojimar – step into the room in which Hemingway wrote “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” and grab a bite and drink at one of his favorite restaurants or watering holes. The excursion includes lunch and refreshments. The per-person price is $59.
Beyond Havana: Exploring the Cuban Countryside (Nine hours) – Travelers will have a rare opportunity to experience rural life in Cuba as they crisscross the countryside known for its coffee and sugar production. One highlight is Las Terrazas, developed in the 1960s as part of Cuba’s Green Revolution and recognized today as a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Las Terrazas has become an ecotourism hotspot and a sustainable community model for artists, farmers and families utilizing organic farming and medicine. Travelers can interact with doctors who transform flora and fauna into alternative medicines, visit the vibrant art community and organic farms, and wander the ruins of a former French coffee plantation. Cuban coffee sipped inside a biosphere may be the best in the world. The tour includes lunch at one of Las Terrazas’ locally sourced restaurants and refreshments throughout the day. The per-person price is $69.
Magic of Santiago Featuring El Cobre (Six hours) – Travelers looking to experience the coming together of revolution, rum, religion and salsa will not want to miss this tour of Santiago de Cuba – Cuba’s former capital and the third of three destinations during the week-long cruise to Cuba. Starting downtown in picturesque Antonio Maceo Revolution Square, travelers proceed to the final resting place of famed Cuban hero Jose Marti before touring San Juan Hill, home to the Rough Riders assault during the Spanish-American War. The tour ventures beyond the limits of the Santiago city center into the Sierra Maestra mountain range for the city of El Cobre, a historic copper mining town with African influence. Here travelers will visit the famous Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre, where they will hear about the role religion plays in the daily lives of local communities while learning about the history of the shrine and the impact made during the Pope’s visit in September 2015. Travelers also will have the option to attend a mass (when available), as well as listen to the sounds of the city’s famed steel drum band, El Cobre. The per-person price is $69.

Cunard Line Focuses On Specific Traveler Interests With Enrichment Series

On board a ship of Cunard Line you might spot some familiar faces, including writers, actors, film-makers, politicians, explorers, scientists, historians and even the occasional astronaut. That’s because they’ve been invited to inform and entertain cruise travelers as part of the Cunard Insights program, regular talks on contemporary issues by well-known celebrities and personalities.

There’s almost no limit to what you can learn on your holidays. All the speakers add another dimension to your cruise. And that’s just the start, with experts on hand to teach you about everything from computers to distant constellations.

Gregory Porter– Experience the best Jazz at Sea featuring Grammy® Award-winning vocalist Gregory Porter. In addition to performances by Gregory Porter, guests will be treated to a variety of nightly performances around the ship from our line up of acclaimed Blue Note artists.
Will Lyons- Wine writer, author, journalist and broadcaster Will Lyons has published a weekly wine column for more than a decade – formerly in The Wall Street Journal and now The Sunday Times. His humorous, informed, down-to-earth writing has been recognized in both the Glenfiddich and Roederer wine writing awards.
Hilary Alexander OBE- A New Zealand-born British journalist and former fashion director of the Daily Telegraph, Hilary has continued to work as a freelance stylist and writer, is the editor-at-large of Hello Fashion Monthly, and a regular presenter and host at Clotheshow.

Specific Traveler Interests Of The Future

On a recent sailing aboard Viking Ocean Cruises new Viking Star, our itinerary was themed In The Wake Of Vikings. That journey traced Leif Eriksson’s voyage of 1000 AD. We called on ports rich in Viking history, from the Shetland Islands and Iceland to Greenland and Newfoundland, with historic Bergen and cosmopolitan Montreal bookending the journey. That itinerary included enrichment lectures such as:

Mr Lou Thieblemont with Shackeltons’s Open Boat Journey, the greatest story of endurance ever, as well as Aviation- A Flight On A Boeing 757 which was a virtual trip from Akeueri to Reykjavik in the cocpit of a Boeing 757 flight simulator. Another talk by Mr Thieblemont, Aviation- How Planes Fly explained how planes develop lift, how its systems work and what pilots do during flight.
Mr Robin Petch had The Whole Nine Yards- Nautical Sayings And Superstitions which explored the nautical origins of many popular expressions and beliefs
Dr Roger Luckinbach presented Stars That Fall, The Origins & Scientific Value Of Meteorites
Dr John Haywood gave us deep background with The Norse Greenland Colony about the Viking settlement of Greenland and its mysterious demise. Another lecture by Dr Haywood was all about Viking Seafaring & Navigation, a fascinating talk about how the Vikings built and navigated their ships.

It wasn’t all that long ago that some industry watchers commented on the repositioning of Princess Cruises popular Caribbean Princess to some place other than the Caribbean. The thought at the time: Princess had made a mistake naming a ship after a certain geographic part of the world. Accurate or not, custom built and rebuilt ships are focusing more on specific niches of travel interest. Onboard programming as well has a focus on specific traveler interests. Look for more of this coming to a cruise line you might already sail. This might also be good reason to research other cruise lines in an effort to find one that matches topics of interest.

This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

Why Your Next Vacation Should be a Luxury Arctic Cruise

By

John Shallo

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November 14, 2016

Are you itching to experience an adventure with mountains, glaciers and wildlife? Do you still want to roll in the lap of luxury? Keep reading to find out why your next vacation should be a lavish Arctic cruise.

Why a Luxury Arctic Cruise?

The Arctic, which includes Greenland, Iceland, Russia, Alaska and Canada, is a beautiful environment full of unique wildlife, rich history, sense of community, the aurora borealis and breathtaking scenery. On an Arctic cruise, you would travel through remote and rural places and experience the bone-chilling weather and rugged landscapes.

But this doesn’t mean you can’t travel in a lavish manner. You can enjoy all the wild and pleasant aspects of the Arctic, while staying on a cruise ship that allows you to indulge in fine-dining, wonderful amenities and comfortable living spaces. If you are looking for action adventure in the Arctic, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to leave the cruise ship and explore new frontiers.

What are the Differences Between the Luxury Cruise Lines?

To determine which luxury cruise line is right for you, consider your Arctic destination, time frame and budget.

Choose from one of 13 cruise options to Iceland and Greenland with SilverSea. On this cruise you will travel to the land of the Vikings and see polar bears, vast colonies of birds along the rugged cliffs and some of the world’s most awe-inspiring environments. With SilverSea, enjoy various dining choices, a beauty salon, fitness center, boutique, connoisseurs corner, observing platforms, a theater and so much more.

If Norway is on your bucket list, book through Abercrombie & Kent. Explore three Arctic countries in 13 days on the all-balcony “Le Boreal.” With special permission granted and depending on weather conditions, you might even get the opportunity to land on Jan Mayen and witness the 7,500-foot Beerenberg Volcano up close.

If you want to explore within the United States, there are several luxury cruise lines through Alaska with Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas and Seabourn Cruises Yacht. You’ll be visiting any or all of Alaska’s most popular ports including Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Seward and Sitka. These companies use smaller ships, which limit the number of passengers on board to create a more intimate environment. This is perfect when you’re enjoying any of the ship’s panoramic views from the restaurants and lounges.

What Should You Bring?

Luxury Arctic cruises are the perfect method of travel if you enjoy photography. But a great camera that captures all the magic is a must. If you don’t own a DSLR or high-quality point and shoot, be sure you’re prepared with an excellent smartphone, like the Galaxy S7. With its 4K resolution, it is capable of capturing the aurora borealis, illusive polar bears and more. If you’d rather live in the moment, bring a great pair of binoculars for sightseeing on the ship or take advantage of the options your cruise ship provides.

Most cruise lines only travel in the summer months, so you won’t have to prepare for below-freezing temperatures. However, you should still expect cold, windy and rainy days up north, so pack accordingly. Be sure to bring layers. Start with a base that manages your body’s moisture, a middle layer that insulates and a shell that protects you from the weather.

Carnival Vista Caribbean Fun Begins Shortly

By

Chris Owen

-

November 13, 2016

Carnival Vista represents the latest definition of Fun at sea as imagined by Carnival Cruise Line, who pretty much wrote the book on big ship Caribbean cruise vacations. Sailing a short European season as new Carnival ships do, this rendition of The Fun Ships looked good in the Mediterranean. Now, Carnival Vista will begin a pair of sailings from New York City before repositioning to Miami for year-round Caribbean deployment. Let’s take a look at features of Carnival Vista Caribbean Fun that are sure to please big ship cruise fans.

The Sky Ride
No denying it, top deck features command a great amount of attention from passengers. Rightfully so, they’re pretty hard to miss. Kudos to the wiz kids at Carnival for coming up with an active lifestyle top deck star in the SkyRide. A ride around open decks, high above the sea it is. What SkyRide is not is a passive, sit and watch stuff go by ride. It requires pedaling. SkyRide fits the space too, located right next to the popular Sky Court and SkyFitness attractions where we don’t find the typical ‘feed my gaping maw’ stereotype cruiser that seems absent here.

The Dreamscape
Also referred to informally as the ‘inside funnel’, the giant LED funnel-shaped display dominates the central lobby area of Carnival Vista. With a bazillion LED chips that can be programmed with virtually any visual scene imaginable, Carnival has just barely tapped the surface of what this thing can do. In the evening as a string trio fills the space with lovely classical music, it’s hard not to miss the digital connection of this ship as changing Dreamscape scenes set the mood in that area. And digital this ship is indeed.

Digital Heaven
While the Dreamscape seems to reach for the stars, Carnival Vista’s digital effort is already there. Seriously fast connectivity is leveraged to bring a number of unique features. One of those features is a peppy smartphone app that will eventually save 36,000,000 trees as the cruise line moves from abundant printed information to the handheld smartphone version. Already, included deck plans are quite handy. Add an option to tell me how to get places and it’s a done deal. That will come as will a number of other features on this very flexible platform. Right now? See (and order, or not) your favorite photo taken by the ship’s photographers. Also see the day’s schedule, be reminded where the ship is in the world and more.

The Family Harbor
Today’s family is not happy with junk Internet connection. As noted, Carnival took that issue off the table with plans starting at $5. Moving along, we touch on one of Carnival’s answer to the ship-within-a-ship concept made popular by other lines. Basically, that’s where a class system of sorts has been embraced where those willing to pay more get a more inclusive experience and don’t really have to mingle very much with those who did not. MSC Cruises The Yacht Club and Norwegian Cruise Line’s The Haven are good examples. The Family Harbor is about as close as Carnival is willing to get with a separate part of the ship designed with families in mind.

The Family Harbor Lounge
A Family Harbor Lounge is focused on those who book cabins in that part of the ship, serves breakfast each morning, snacks throughout the day and then cookies and milk at bedtime. A dedicated soft serve machine just for this area is available 24/7.

Family Harbor Stateroom Configurations
Family Harbor Stateroom configurations too have families in mind with roomy inside cabins, oceanview cabins with picture windows and suites that enable up to five guests in the same space, this time with plenty of room.

Havana Staterooms
Arguably a top contender for a Most Enjoyable Stateroom Experience award, the Havana-branded accommodations come with some truly unique features. That instead of a balcony, these cabins get an outdoor lanai might be a deciding factor for many travelers, willing to pay the top price of all such spaces on Carnival Vista. On the other hand, the feature takes direct ocean contact off the table; looking straight out from the lanai, occupants of the space look past a walkway then through glass to see the ocean. Not to worry very much about that though, steps away is the Havana Bar which opens out onto a lovely aft pool/whirlpool area with probably the best ocean views on the ship.

It’s that rather loose division between the Havana area and the rest of the ship that denies it ship-within-a-ship status, probably by design. Different areas of Carnival Vista flow together seamlessly while still creating a distinct character that is undeniable. The Cloud 9 Spa area is flavored that way too.

The Cloud 9 Spa
The Cloud 9 Spa provides another example of assigning a unique character to a given area of the ship, altering basic cabin configurations to integrate well with surrounding features. In this case, the Cloud 9 Spa and adults-only Serenity area of the ship, the highest public space on the ship, save for a SkyRide view. The entire area is figuratively ‘in the clouds’ in comparison to most public areas. Starting at the top end, suites are the same basic configuration as any other area of the ship, custom decorated to match the ambiance. Stocked with amenities and priority access to ship features in the area, there is a sense of neighborhood too without the whole “who lives in the best part of town?” thing. In fact, Carnival goes out of its way to include everyone in all onboard programming, including (gasp) smokers.

The Casino Bar
The bar in the casino is usually not a big item on the attraction list; just another bar in another place. On Carnival Vista, not far from the lobby bar the the Dreamscape feature mentioned above, is what appears at first glance to be another Dreamscape feature. Upon closer examination, we see this is actually a smaller LED display emanating from the casino bar below, which we can see by approaching the area. What we don’t notice is that below is an inside smoking area, completely enclosed from above in glass to prevent the smoke from wafting through the entire ship.

I’ve been on both sides of this smoker, non-smoker thing and neither is a pleasant place to be when the other comes calling in an enclosed space. Finally, a cruise line figured out how to allow both groups to play together and enjoy either killing or not killing themselves. Smart.

Entertainment!
On Carnival Vista, it’s like new Carnival boss Christine Duffy took the helm and was busy getting to know everyone, visiting all the ships in the fleet and getting settled into her new position. The Entertainment division, usually the poster child of budget cuts and profit seekers on any cruise line, saw an opening, grabbed a big fat pile of blank checks and went to work. Expanding their existing programming in ways that make sense and go beyond the safe and secure audience participation, game show, limit-on-the-minutes stage show world, Carnival appears to be on a unique track here as well.

Integrating the entertainment element of cruise travel into expanded areas of the ship is going beyond a revival of ‘the good old days’ of cruising. Weaving entertainment into the daily life experience is a bona fide, serious move by Carnival to take back control of the onboard programming choreography. It’s an area that is quite easy for cruise lines to not focus on and many have. A roving accordion player in the buffet is a good example. Another is the seemingly odd but ever-so-appropriate addition of an IMAX theater.

IMAX At Sea
Again going back a decade or so, it was fun go to a ship’s main showroom to watch a nearly first-run film at sea. Seeing some movie we might have seen in theaters last week but missed and it had not yet come out on video ashore was a treat. I remember writing in 2002, “You’ll never forget that y0u saw that film for the first time at sea”. I can still recall the thrill of taking a break from already-distracting shipboard life to dive deep into a world portrayed on the silver screen of a cruise ship. IMAX takes that engaging experience to a new level, exclusive to Carnival Cruise Line. Playing as we sailed, Disney’s The Jungle Book in IMAX amazement which actually was still playing at our neighborhood theater back home.

Something For Everyone, Like It Or Not
Not really an advertised feature but more the effect of other elements of the Carnival Vista experience, Carnival Cruise Line may have come dangerously close to being something for everyone. Seriously. The customizable nature of a big ship cruise vacation is a distinct advantage not offered on smaller ships. On one hand that fact brings praise to Carnival for not making a bigger ship only to add more cabins to existing public spaces of the last version. On the other lovely hand Carnival Vista brings back the luster to that “you can make it what you want it to be” thing that was more accurate in the past.

It’s the stuff that brings life-energizing distraction from shoreside cares and woes. I guarantee you not one of those people enjoying any of those three distinctly different activities, fully engrossed in what they were doing, was thinking about that upcoming review they are apprehensive about at work. The laundry list of things to do around the house, at work, in their brains and relationships was put on hold and put away. Not really a return to the past but more a natural evolution of the big ship cruise experience: the Fun Ship experience that Carnival knows so very well.

I remember writing a dozen years ago how Carnival saying they were simply “The Fun Ships” was more than a slogan, they really knew how to do it. I confidently said “If you’ve been on a Carnival Funship, you know this to be true” and was never challenged on that accurate statement. For those who want to hear it: that’s back now, enjoy. More accurately: Carnival Vista is a whole new, seriously Fun ballgame.

This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

Holland America Brings New Big Ship Experience: Koningsdam Caribbean

By

Chris Owen

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November 12, 2016

Holland America Line’s new ms Koningsdam looks to be one of the most interesting new big ships in recent memory, but not for reasons one might expect. A number of new ships have debuted recently, all presenting the best of what their respective cruise lines have to offer. It’s a theme that seems consistent with most major cruise lines: more of the (exciting) same and an attraction or two that is new and specific to that particular ship. These are the hot new rides that fans of those cruise lines want to sail. After sailing the world for nearly 150 years, Holland America Line is sailing in a different direction with the first Koningsdam Caribbean season.

We start with a topic of ships that usually comes up much further down the line: Art. A dramatic departure from the past where hallway art has brought historic photographs of past Holland America ships and scenes from where they have sailed, art on Koningsdam is less timeless and more relevant.

Art Gallery Deck 3 Midship Starboard Koningsdam - Holland America Line — Art Gallery Deck 3 Midship Starboard

Art extends beyond the walls too, with a number of works smak dab in the middle of high traffic areas where guests are sure to see them. The placement of art on Koningsdam can absolutely be counted as a recurring element of the onboard experience choreography, something that plays a huge and appropriate role on this ship.