Earlier this week, the CDC announced approximately 300 guests and crew aboard Explorer of the Seas were suffering from from norovirus like symptoms. Reports from Royal Caribbean stated the ship’s crew immediately began advanced cleaning and serving procedures, aimed to reduce the contraction of the virus.
As the week continued, the CDC reported an increase in potential norovirus cases, prompting Royal Caribbean to shorten the current sailing and return to Bayonne, New Jersey two days earlier than scheduled. As the ship sailed toward Bayonne, many guests opted to remain in their staterooms even as the number of guests experiencing symptoms declined. During this time, CDC officials began questioning guests, attempting to determine the original carrier.
Only a few hours ago, the Explorer of the Seas arrived at Bayonne and will soon begin disembarking guests. Guests disembarking early today have been offered a 50% refund, a 50% future cruise credit, and financial compensation for additional travel expenses. Guests who were affected by the virus will also receive additional compensation, based on the number of days spent confined to their staterooms.
Until the Explorer of the Sea’s next departure on January 31st, the ship’s crew will begin a deep clean of the ship’s public spaces, staterooms, and exterior decks. This time has been set aside by Royal Caribbean to remove any trace or particle of the virus, ensuring the next sailing won’t experience nearly as many reported cases if any.
About norovirus
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that can be contracted in most public places. Norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in the United States and is responsible for 19-21 million illnesses each year. The CDC advises the public to practice good hand washing habits and general cleanliness to avoid contracting and spreading norovirus.
There are a variety of travel topics that bear repeating and updating from time to time. Packing lists from ten years ago should probably replace “suitcase full of books” with “download books on iPad”. Tips on using a “cell phone” as sea (don’t) are gone, as smartphones bring new abilities. Safety too deserves another look from time to time as we were reminded on a recent Holland America Line sailing.
Always Arrive A Day Early, No Matter What- A great tip that we have recommended for quite some time, I like that Holland America takes it a step further, making coming in to the embarkation city a must-do. Especially if flying in to the embarkation port, these days there are so many reasons for flights to be delayed that flying in the day of is just not a good idea.
Never Put Your Home Address On Luggage Tags- In today’s world where anyone can take your address, enter it in Google Earth and see where you live, criminals can virtually “case the place” like they might have had to do in person in the olden days of a decade ago.
Make A Copy Of Your Passport And Travel Documents Before Leaving Homehas been good advice for a long time. Exchanging those copies with others in your travel party even better. Today we can and should upload those copies to an online storage cloud like your Sky, Google or other cloud drive for worldwide access.
Don’t Wander Into Unknown Areasis still good advice, worldwide. Every city has a “bad side of town” which may or may not be apparent to someone new to the area. Part of a good personal security plan, also add in not to carry a lot of cash, multiple credit cards or wear jewelry.
The goal of lists like this is to enable us to be travelers as opposed to being tourists. Travelers carry handbags across their chests as opposed to over the shoulder where they can be easily stolen. Travelers carry an extra form of ID in addition to a passport, know a bit of the local language and notify banks and credit card companies when visiting foreign lands. The distinction between a traveler and a tourist can often be subtle but thinking about safety topics in advance enables us to travel wisely.
In recent weeks two ships were in the news for outbreaks of an unknown illness befalling some of the passengers and crew.
My guess is that it was norovirus. Last year there were nine reported incidents to the Centers for disease control (CDC) aboard cruise ships a majority was from norovirus.
The CDC administers the Vessel Sanitation Program which assists the cruise ship industry to prevent and control the introduction, transmission and spread of gastrointestinal (GI) illness on cruise ships.
Information on this program can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/default.htm. On this page you will also find information to help you stay healthy on your cruise.
Here are some tips from the CDC:
When to wash your hands
Before:
Touching your hand to your mouth, including:
Eating and drinking,
Smoking, and
Brushing your teeth.
Helping a sick person.
After:
Going to the bathroom.
Changing diapers.
Touching high-hand contact surfaces, such as:
Door knobs,
Elevator buttons, and
Railings.
Returning to your cabin.
Helping a sick person.
Blowing your nose.
Norovirus seems to be the most common cause of illness aboard ship. Good hygiene can and will make a difference in your cruise experience.
Ronnie and I always carry a waterless hand cleaner and use it often. My one tip is to use a hand sanitizer after you are done with the menu at dinner.
Cruise lines can’t delay the inevitable forever; one-day Internet access will be free and fast for cruise travelers. Already we are seeing great strides being made to offer land-like connectivity where a decade ago there was none at all. Right now, the technology is there enable the display of helpful travel apps where what was not long ago “no signal”. The problem: expensive at-sea access makes doing so prohibitive. But fast-forward to the not-too-distant future when access is free and fast at sea. Here are some travel apps to bring along that will make the cruise vacation experience even better than it is today.
To use Disney Cruise Line Navigator, download the app, and once on board, connect to the ship’s WiFi network, complimentary to app users only.
Other cruise lines have apps too but none bring complementary connection at sea, a huge plus for users who seamlessly make the transition from land to sea using the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. On the other hand, most cruise lines now allow free connection using any wireless device while on board to their normal website, some of which have been optimized for mobile, others not.
A Journal Of Your Trip, (Nearly) Effortlessly Rove is a next-generation automatic travel journal that records our every move around the planet, seamlessly. Like last-generation geo-link app HipGeo (now defunct), Rove uses our location, sourced from the same technology that tags our photos but goes a step further, adding the exact names of the places we visit. If for no other reason, Rove can help us remember details of travel later. Better yet, if a Rove user gets lost, the app will help them get back to familiar ground by providing reverse directions
Today, users of geo-tagging technology appear to have fallen off the end of the earth as they board most ocean cruise ships. Its nice to know their every step from home to the airport then on the cruise port but then that’s it; nothing more until they get to a land where roaming fees are not an issue. But switch that device to function on internet signal-only, make it free on the ship and the story continues, sending the folks back home all the juicy details.
Open Up A New World, The Lazy Way SayHiTranslate is a voice recognition device that translates many other spoken languages into your language. Say you are in Spain but do not speak Spanish. Simply speak the words you want to translate into the app and out come those words in the selected language, nearly instantly. SayHiTranslate is very helpful when ordering in a restaurant or trying to ask someone for directions.
Ever wonder what those vendors are saying among themselves when visiting a land where their language is not one you are fluent in? This app can help prepare you before leaving the ship, when the need is immediate. Who has not wished they had taken a few foreign language lessons, just before stepping off the ship when it is too late?
While We Wait, There Is Hope
While we wait for complementary internet access on cruise ships, don’t turn off that smartphone for the duration of your trip, it still has value as a lifeline in an emergency. Loaded with apps that do not require a signal to operate, they can be helpful in other areas as well.
XECurrency makes understanding the conversion of currency when visiting foreign locations easy. A quick connection to the Internet before leaving home downloads currency conversion rates for an upcoming trip, avoiding the need to go online when doing so might incur data roaming fees.
Packing Pro helps jog memories about what to bring along when packing, before leaving home. Simply type in the location of a destination and Packing Pro returns a list of suggested clothing, currency and other location-specific information. Also prompting our memory to not forget essential items like a passport, Packing Pro serves as a hand-held memory jogger. More importantly, it works without a signal when at sea so we can add that one critical item we forgot to pack and never forget again.
The Future Really Is Right Around The Corner
On many cruise lines, top tier past guests already get a generous chunk of Internet time to use because of their loyalty. Look for the upcoming “free for all” to be rolled out to them first, offered as an incentive to buy and otherwise milked for all cruise lines can get out of it. Rightfully so, Internet access is a big onboard revenue profit item that keeps the price of cruise fares down.
Recently, Crystal Cruises announced that they would provide complementary Internet access on their ships. Good, a step in the right direction and one that river cruise lines like Viking River Cruises took long ago. Better yet (for our cause) Viking Ocean cruises, launching in 2015 will offer complementary Internet access at sea as well. Our day will come Internet users; mark my words.
After recently sailing to Holland America Line’s Half Moon Cay, I realized many benefits that private islands offer for all types of cruisers. Whether it be a cruiser looking for a simple place to grab a drink or a cruiser looking to take part in exciting excursions, private islands offer a number of benefits and perks.
Exclusivity
For once, you will be the only ship in port. There is no stress or pressure to wrestle over a beach lounger with 10,000 other cruise passengers from the 4 ships in port. Private islands are just that – private. All the island’s facilities, loungers, bars, restaurants, and excursions are reserved exclusively for your ship.
Safety
When taking an excursion at one of the many private islands, every excursion is operated by the cruise line’s staff either from the ship or a nearby port. These excursions are much safer than excursions in other ports, because the cruise lines are in charge of the excursion and its staff.
Peace
A day at a private island is meant to remove you from the hustle and bustle of a busy Caribbean port. When relaxing on the private island’s beach, there is no reason to dread the bead merchants or the hair braiders that sometimes roam public beaches in busy ports. Peace and serenity is the order of the day.
Charges
No need to worry about carrying cash ashore, you can use your ship’s room card to purchase any drinks, speciality food, or souvenirs while ashore.
Island Barbecue
Who doesn’t love an island barbecue with a view of Bahamian water and your beautiful ship in the distance?
Carnival Cruise Lines has announced Carnival LIVE today. An industry-first concert series as sea that will allow guests to experience an exclusive onboard performance. It will feature a diverse group of popular artists and bands during 49 select dates during the 2014 series. Here is a list of the 2014 artists.
38 Special
Chicago
Daughtry
Foreigner
Gavin DeGraw
Jennifer Hudson
Jewel
Kansas
Lady Antebellum
LeAnn Rimes
Martina McBride
Olivia Newton-John
REO Speedwagon
STYX
Trace Adkins
“Performing live is one of my favorite things,” said GRAMMY® Award-winner, Jennifer Hudson at an exclusive launch event for Carnival LIVE in New York City on January 22. “I’m excited to be part of this unique concert series that will allow me to interact with my fans in such an intimate and memorable setting.”
In addition to the Carnival LIVE Concert Series, Carnival is also enhancing its popular shipboard house bands. The bands will feature both male and female lead singers, a more choreographed, themed and diverse set list, and increased interaction with guests. Nine Carnival ships currently feature the new bands, with implementation across the full fleet over the course of this year.
“Onboard entertainment is an important part of the overall guest experience when cruising,” said Mark Tamis, senior vice president of guest operations for Carnival Cruise Lines. “With the Carnival LIVE Concert Series, our guests will enjoy an exclusive performance with one of their favorite artists for an extraordinary value. Combined with our enhanced house bands fleetwide, this is just another example of the many ways we are constantly looking to create even more fun and memorable moments for our guests.”
Beginning in April 2014, Carnival LIVE concerts will take place on board eight Carnival ships that call in the following ports: Cozumel, Mexico; Nassau, the Bahamas; and Catalina Island, California. Artists will join the ship while in port, perform in the main show lounge that evening, and debark following their show.
Tickets cost $20-40 each and a limited number of VIP tickets are also available for each show for $100-$150 each. The VIP experience includes an artist meet and greet, photo opportunity, seating in the first three rows and a commemorative laminated concert pass. All tickets can be purchased through Carnival’s online Shore Excursion System prior to sailing, or on board participating ships at the Shore Excursion Desk based on availability.
Beginning today, consumers can visit www.carnival.com/CarnivalLive to view the full list of 2014 Carnival LIVE concert dates. For additional information, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.
Here is an attached PDF of the Carnival LIVE Dates :
Key West is a favorite port of call for many cruise travelers sailing from South Florida. Like the Florida Keys lifestyle, stopping in Key West is easy; we can simply walk off the ship and into a great place for food, drink, shopping and fun. But what if your cruise from Florida does not stop at Key West? All is not lost and adding a Key West visit before or after sailing is easier than you might think
At a little over 3 hours drive time from Miami, flying in and renting a car for the trip is surely something to consider. My thought: If we have 7 days for a cruise, why not make that a 4- or 5-day sailing with a drive to Key West and a night or two in a hotel there to make a very nice package.
The timing is right. More cruise lines than ever are offering 3-, 4- and 5-night sailings from Florida ports. As that competition continues to heat up, pricing is low and not on just the oldest ships in each line’s fleet. Ruby Princess, for example, does short sailings from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades, not all that further away. Plus, the drive from either Fort Lauderdale or Miami to the Florida Keys is one of the most picturesque in the state.
No trip to Key West would be complete without a Conch Fritter or two so off to landmark dining and drinking venues Hogs Breath Saloon and Sloppy Joes we went, as we see in this photo gallery.
Dancing With The Stars,the popular ABC television program draws fans from around the world, watching the show or a version of it in their home countries like no other ever. Accordingly, it should be no surprise that loyal fans of the TV dance competition would book a cruise vacation themed after the event. After all, themed cruise vacations are a popular choice among the travelers of today. On board Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam, we saw passengers come from far and wide to sail, but we see that on any given cruise vacation on any major cruise line. This was different.
It’s the experiential element of travel that gets concentrated, condensed and focused on a cruise anyway. With so much to do on most ocean cruises, choosing from what is being offered is often a difficult decision. But normally that task involves choosing between the various plentiful things to do on any given day, listed in the ship’s daily newsletter. It is the choice between the cooking demonstration or a nap; hanging out on deck or going ashore; which place to have dinner or something along those lines that cruise passengers struggle with. Adding the element of Dancing with the Stars programming, including everything from a fashion show hosted by funnyman Carson Kressleyto dance lessons from Dancing with the Stars Alum Derek Hough, Tristan MacManus and others, and the shared experience of a cruise vacation goes quickly over the top.
Basically a dance off competition, Holland America’s At Sea version of the show begins with complementary dance lessons, offered on each and every ship and itinerary in the 15-ship cruise line. Throughout the course of every sailing, passengers and judges on board choose a winner who is given a score, distilling down 600 of them to a list of 15 semi-finalists who join the champions sailing. At a press conference with those 15 semi-finalists, I asked for a show of hand for how many of them booked the cruise intentionally hoping to end up the champion. Few did. The vast majority had booked their Holland America cruise for just that; the usual and customary experience we have come to expect from a cruise vacation.
Throughout the week on Holland America’s Dancing with the Stars: At Sea Champion’s Cruise, passengers on board, fans of the show or not, drew up sides, cheering their favorites on. But like on the TV show, there could be just one winner and on the last night of the sailing, that winner was chosen. It was Allyse Ishino of Santa Ana, California that came out on top and brought home the mirror ball trophy. But every contestant and every passenger on board came out a clear winner as the intense programming element of Dancing with the Stars put that ‘special feeling’ we get at the end of a cruise over the top.
Crow's Nest - Deck 12 Forward
Koningsdam - Holland America Line
Onboard Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam we noticed a number of unique features of the Holland America cruise experience. These are onboard programming line items that are unique to Holland America and set them apart from other cruise lines. Take a look at this list of little and big things they do to differentiate themselves from other lines.
All The Menus, Right Up Front
I like that Holland America gave us the entire week’s menus on the first night of the sailing.
Spa-Sized Bath Towels
No skimping on the terrycloth here, put two of the regular bath towels on Holland America Line together and you could make a tent
Daily Mass
Not really something we look for when choosing a cruise line but Holland America is apparently the only major cruise line that holds a daily Catholic mass.
Reasonably Priced Mini-Bar Items
Who wants to pay $3.50 for a Coke? Not me, so the $1.95 price is appreciated
Snappy Room Service, with a smile
Always a plus, quick and friendly room service (“Can I pour that coffee for you sir?”) is a blessing. That I received over-easy eggs for breakfast as hot as if I had made them at home is unheard of on most cruise ships.
Private Space, Nicely-Appointed
Generously-sized balconies, chairs, a table and an ottoman.
Entertainment Preview
Welcome Aboard show highlights various venues around the ship and the entertainers one might see there if they like a good quality show. Tip: On Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam, male quartet (INSERT NAME) alone worth venturing out of the cabin at night.
Explorer Guide
Keepsake multi-page brochure received in the cabin upon embarkation outlines entire sailing. Includes information on itinerary, entertainment, music & lounges, restaurants, ports (including maps) and ship’s services. No sales pitches.
Shore Excursion Guide
Aimed to sell shore excursions (duh) guide also includes weather forecast for the sailing at each port, helpful suggestions for first-time cruisers, tips, information, and frequently asked questions. Worth picking up to take a look.
Easy Daily Program News
Nicely organized, single sheet daily newsletter without sales pitches thrown in almost a joy to read. Special daily events highlighted and easy to find. “Did you know?” section highlights extensive efforts by Holland America to protect the environment and source culinary ingredients from sustainable sources.
We are on board specifically for Holland America Line’s At Sea version of Dancing With The Stars, the popular ABC TV show. Onboard are several celebrities from the show as well as past winners (and losers) along with 15 guest-contestants, one from each ship in the Holland America Line fleet. That’s another story that we’ll be back tomorrow with, along with updates throughout the voyage that you can use to decide a few things:
Is a themed cruise for me? Would I like a dance-themed cruise? Can I learn how to dance?
Viking Longship Idun on the Main River in front of Johannisburg Palace, Aschaffenburg, Germany. Credit: Viking
Comparing the differences between ocean and river cruises, there are a number of significant differences for would-be cruise travelers to wrangle with, much like there are differences between different ocean cruise lines. Still, knowing the unique parts of both cruise travel styles is important so we don’t get stuck on the wrong ship.
Port Cities Are Not Overwhelmed By 190 People. Stack up 5 ships in Grand Cayman and thousands of passengers could potentially come ashore. Checking in with website Cruise TT which counts such numbers for us, on January 9, 2014 Independence of the Seas, Mariner Of The Seas, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Paradise and Celebrity Equinox will all be in port with a total of 17,390 passengers. Surely, not all 17,390 passengers will come ashore. Many will stay on their feature-heavy ocean cruise ship, enjoying the day with far fewer passengers to compete with. But at other ports, more passengers will come ashore. On the river, we have more often than not been the only ship in port.
Docking Your River Cruise Ship- A notable difference here, river ships dockside by side on the river. Those on all ships docking after the first one will walk through the other ships to get to shore. It sounds odd, not really a big deal.
Free Internet Is The Way The World Should Be– Seriously, that ocean cruise lines still charge for Internet access is bordering on ridiculous these days. On the river, Internet access is complimentary. That does not make it any faster, river cruise Internet systems are still satellite systems using line-of-sight technology. But ‘slow and free’ are a world away from ‘slow and I’m paying by the minute’.
Culturally Curious or Here For The Party? Not to judge either group but culturally curious travelers will find a direct line to what feeds their addiction faster on a river cruise ship than on an ocean vessel. Swing through the Caribbean a few times and your ocean ship darn well better have plenty of onboard features because attractions at the ports visited will play out rather quickly. On the rivers of Europe, Russia & Ukraine, China & Southeast Asia and (in growing popularity) North America, river cruise travelers often walk right off the ship in front of iconic landmarks too numerous to experience in a lifetime.
A River Not A Body Of Water– While the ocean is a great big thing we sail in to get to places, major rivers have been the lifeblood of the areas they flow though (or communities they have been directed to) for centuries. Sailing on those rivers, we are within sight of stunning countryside, spectacular cities of today and ancient towns at all times. In the Summer, the river banks are lined with locals out for a stroll, camping, enjoying the day and more, much like they have for hundreds of years. Both have had their allure throughout time but today both are distinctly different to sail on.
Worried about the ship sinking? River ships are rarely in water deep enough to cover them if they touched the river bottom. Ocean cruise ships; a different story.
Motion discomfort a problem? There is little rocking and rolling on a river ship. Ever.
She Saw The Sea Shore-Does ‘getting away’ means seeing nothing in all directions of the ship, like on a day at sea? Choose the ocean, the shore is always in sight on a river ship.
The Balcony Obsession– On an ocean cruise with days at sea, balconies are often a must-have accommodation. Smokers especially liked this upgrade in the past, until being all but banned from their private outdoor space. I know, I was one of them. On the river, balconies are nice but surely not required to ‘getaway’ from the crowd. There is no crowd.
The Inclusive Nature Of A Cruise Vacation. By the ocean or river, cruise vacations are inclusive by nature. River cruises are more inclusive. Most river cruise lines include beer, wine, soft drinks, and coffee drinks during meal times. Internet access, as mentioned, is included as well as a shore tour at every stop along the way.
A Very Nice View- Both ocean and river cruises boast that travelers unpack once and see a number of different places. That statement is accurate but it means more on a European river cruise where ships dock at picturesque locations, often staying late or overnight. In Budapest, we shared our overnight view with a nice Intercontinental Hotel located on the shore of the river Danube.
My Kind Of Pricing- While Ocean cruising prices may be all over the board, making when to buy a difficult decision, river cruises are a different story. Not all that long ago, ocean cruise companies gave the best pricing to those who bought far in advance. Today, while getting the first pick at stateroom availability is still a virtue of early booking, ocean cruise pricing may not be and that can cause a great amount of frustration to buyers who are paying attention.
Earlier this week, the CDC announced approximately 300 guests and crew aboard Explorer of the Seas were suffering from from norovirus like symptoms. Reports from Royal Caribbean stated the ship’s crew immediately began advanced cleaning and serving procedures, aimed to reduce the contraction of the virus.
