One obvious use for just about any brand of smartphone is taking pictures. Remembering to use this device to your advantage, though, is another matter. That will require integrating your smartphone into what you do and how you approach travel. For example, here are six photo tips that are must-do photo opportunities.
Take a photo of your hotel—Before going on a walk or cab ride, take a photo of your hotel, including any signage that indicates where it is and its name. Truly, a ‘picture is worth a thousand words’ in any language. Bringing along the telephone number of your hotel is also a good idea.
Take a photo of where you parked- This one is really good for at home too. If just a level of the parking lot or slot number of where you parked does not trigger instant recall of where the car is, shoot photos of other landmarks on the way like elevator buttons pushed to get inside the terminal so you can reverse steps later.
Photograph your checked luggage- Make it part of packing to follow this plan: Pack, then unpack and photograph everything in your luggage. Repack then photograph the outside of bag. Do this on every piece of checked luggage in addition to tagging it inside and outside with your contact information both at home and at your destination. Best bet on outside tagging: Covered tags that do not easily show your contact information to casual observers (criminals) who may like to know that you are flying somewhere for a while.
Take a photo of your room or cabin number- This is the first photo we take when checking in on a cruise ship or at a hotel. After a cruise vacation, this is also a helpful way to remember where your accommodations were on the ship, if you liked the location and would like to be in a similar cabin on future sailings.
Make a movie of directions—This is good for finding your way back in unfamiliar surroundings. If getting to and from that room to the hotel/cruise ship lobby takes more than three or four directions, you might consider making a movie of the walk with audio directions. This is one you might never use, but if you were in a situation where you needed it, you would be a hero for thinking of it.
Take a photo of yourself and your phone (aka “a selfie”). Look in a mirror or through the viewfinder in your smartphone and take a photo. You have now documented what your phone looks like and that you were in possession of it recently. This is handy when filing an insurance claim. It also works for real cameras.
Another useful travel tip is to clean up photos taken quickly on your trip by removing unwanted backgrounds, which can enhance the focus on your subject. This can be achieved using online tools designed for photo editing without needing advanced expertise.
Use your phone as a weapon—It’s not really a photo opportunity, but if all else fails and you find yourself being chased by thugs, throw your smartphone at them. You might also throw the wad of money you were flashing in the city marketplace. Currency floating in the air seems to slow down criminals.
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The twin ships of Azamara Club Cruises are tiny when compared to most other ocean cruise ships sailing today. Carrying just 694 passengers, the 402 crew members on board have a good chance of making a positive impact on the travel experience of the intellectually curious global citizens on board. But whether big ships or small ships, it’s usually the little details that we remember and tell others about…unless we forget. Like I did. About a number of little things Azamara did to make me love travel. It’s these little things about Azamara Club Cruises that I will remember for quite some time.
They Sent Me Text Messages
I appreciate instant information. It’s why I use the TripIt app for iPhone to organize my travel plans. Also commonly seen on my home screen, apps for airlines I will fly with, airports I will be navigating, electronic boarding passes for flights, a World Clock app that tells me the time at all the places I will visit, a number of photo, weather, financial and other apps that help me along the way.
Unexpected: this text message I received upon landing in Istanbul to begin our Croatia and Greek islands sailing earlier this year. I had transfers through the cruise line but appreciated having the information right at hand should I have needed to make my own way to the port. Better yet, me replying “YES” that I received the message told them I had landed in Istanbul and was ready to be picked up.
Handy Pocket Itinerary
I can’t imagine why every cruise line would not do this. In addition to where we would be and how long we would be there, this handy pocket itinerary listed the different currency that would be accepted and used at each port of call. That’s great information to know when it changes from place to place.
Also nice to know; when time changes would occur and we would be setting our clocks forward and back as we traveled as well as when the included Azamazing Evening was scheduled. That’s helpful when planning time ashore. In Venice, I chose a self-guided tour with the help of a local expert brought onboard for the morning, knowing the night would bring a late stay and a wonderful opera concert.
They Park Really Close To The Good Stuff
When they dock or when they tender, Azamara Club ships can get closer to the action. It sort of reminds me of the way river cruise ships commonly park close to the city center of towns in Europe. This photo was taken from a coffee bar/hookah den on the shore in Istanbul as I sampled Turkish coffee, about a 10 minute walk away.
Tendering, they go to anchor closer to shore than bigger ships too, making the process an easy one. That’s super important because Azamara ships visit lesser-known smaller ports that might not have docking facilities at all.
Small Ships Make It Easy To See Everything
Another great part of smaller ships, it takes little time to go from one side to the other, if that is even necessary. Unobstructed views of the places we stopped to see, on both sides of the ship, were a matter of turning your head rather than trekking from one side to another.
That the walking/jogging track is used a lot speaks to the clientele on board who seemed quite active and engaged with the destinations we visited. On Azamara Journey, the ship itself enabled up close connections with the destinations without even getting off. But you want to. The places we visited were just beautiful and begged us to come ashore. Most passengers did too.
Glorious Sunsets Without A Crowd
Even if everyone is on deck, which is possible on these ships, it does not seem crowded. During the time we sailed, there were glorious sunsets every day that demanded our attention. There was always a nice place to sit or stand and watch them.
All of the sudden the published sunrise and sunset times, otherwise glanced at like the weather, became major events and rightfully so. These were lovely colors and our ship glided through the Adriatic with little movement felt onboard.
The Mosaic Cafe
To look at this tiny space one would not think it would be all that popular of an area. That would be wrong. From a space smaller than the average Starbucks, this place pumps out coffee drinks and a rotating menu of snacks all day long and into the night. (See below) While we could just walk up to the counter and walk away with our favorite beverage, the crew members who work in this space really did want us to sit down, relax and enjoy the moment.
It was my first and last stop on Azamara Journey and will probably be the same on Azamara Quest coming up in August. After two times stopping by, they knew exactly what I wanted (triple espresso to go) and if they saw me coming, had it ready when I arrived. I miss this place terribly now.
Tiny Little Snacks
Also a feature at the Mosaic Cafe, tiny snacks that change throughout the day. It’s like eternal tea time, sea day or not. Bonus points here for always-available cookies too.
Its a little thing but little things add up like a tiny biscotti with my espresso served in an attractive cup in a pleasant little area of the ship. Tiny is good. These little prosciutto flowers are just one of a number of items that change throughout the day. It seemed like every time I went by there was something different.
Something Made To Order On The Buffet At Every Meal
I walked into the buffet area at lunch time on the first day and was talked into trying a made to order sandwich. Asked what I would like on it, I said “Whatever you think is best, whatever you would make for yourself if you could pick anything”. What came of that was one of the most unusual but best sandwiches I have ever had the pleasure of eating.
Continuing that process at every possible meal throughout the voyage, I never made it to the main dining room.
Little Stateroom Extras On Azamara Club Cruises Make For A Happy Stay
Lots of places to plug things in are nice as is fresh fruit replenished as consumed. This little image captured upon arrival in my stateroom on Azamara Journey features some of my favorite parts of the layout including a sofa and coffee table, a nice desk that can actually be used for something and a nightstand with included clock…that my cabin steward took care of setting ahead when needed and then back at the appropriate time too. Details make a difference.
Do I really need to say more? This is not a ship full of scowling crew members who fake a smile if they must. Pass people in the hallway and they smile naturally. I like that.
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Frequent travelers by air and land know to customize their home screen with apps that are appropriate for any given trip. The specific app for the airline they are booked on as well as other service providers they might use along the way. The Hotel, airport, car rental company; apps like that. When it comes to cruise travel, there is no shortage of apps to choose from. Here are my favorite free cruise apps to load before boarding.
WindSpeed- Believe it or not, there are a number of free cruise apps that will check windspeed. It’s something I think is just fun to do while on a cruise, either in miles or knots per hour.
My Radar – or any other radar program is a must for those who might be prone to motion discomfort. If clouds loom in the direction the ship is headed, you’ll know what’s in store before you get there. I like My Radar because it comes from NOAA, the U.S. government’s weather forecasting arm and has the fastest refresh rate of those I tested.
TripIt –is one that frequent travelers know is a must have. It did not make our list in the past because it lacked the ability to import cruise line itineraries. Now it does. TripIt provides a great platform to launch planning and share trips with friends.
DarkSky is actually one that has a permanent place on my smartphone home screen, providing accurate information any where I might be around the world. Featured: the forecast for the next few hours, which lets me know if it really is going to continue raining when I am ashore or not. As free cruise apps go, this one is worth paying for.
GoogleMaps. If you have not allowed Google to have their way with you, sharing with them your location at any given time, now is the time to do that. Google maps works anywhere on the planet and provides an offline breadcrumb trail back to the ship. Recently updated, we can now easily share directions with your friends who might also be lost.
SpeedTest is a good one on land to see if the speed promised is actually delivered by your Internet service provider. At sea, speeds will no doubt be rather slow but as a shared connection, knowing when and where the speed is best can help with uploading photos or communicating with others, getting the most out of that paid Internet package.
Carnival FunHub – Download the Carnival Hub app to chat with friends, check dining options, music and entertainment. Rather than carrying the daily shipboard newsletter along with you, the FunHub app works for free to produce the same information. Want more than that, you’ll pay. Still, the Carnival FunHub is one of our favorite free cruise apps.
Three different types of plans that can be purchased for either a 24 hour period or for the entire length of the cruise at a discount – price for voyage plans vary by length of cruise:
Social ($5 USD per day) – Includes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Linkedin, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp but not other websites or apps.
Value ($16 USD per day) –All of the Social package plus e-mail, news, sports, weather, banking and finance but not Skype calling or music streaming (such as Spotify).
Premium ($25 USD per day) – From e-mail to Skype, our Premium plan promises the fastest possible connection, at speeds up to 3 times faster than our Value Plan. Supports Skype video calling, where coverage allows.
Cruise line Internet access continues to become more efficient and affordable. While some cruise lines do a better job than others, cruise travelers are finally getting close to experiencing the same speed at sea as they do on land. While they still charge for it (and I hope they stop that at some point) all this new ability brings reason to look at smartphone apps specific to cruising. Well, that and the fact that anything I can see on the computer at home, I can now see on the computer at sea. That brings major league sports. Enough said.
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Celebrity Infinity tried to fight off reported 45 mph winds, but it wasn’t enough. Watch this video taken from Dock 3 as Celebrity Infinity slams into the dock in Ketchikan. June 3, 2016. No injuries were reported but, the damage to the pier is estimated to be $2-3 Million to repair. The ship has a hole in it’s hull above the waterline.
Royal Loft Suite Cat.RL - Room #1744 Deck 17 Midship Starboard
Harmony of the Seas - Royal Caribbean International
As big ship cruise lines go, Royal Caribbean International sails the biggest of the big. They have held the title of owning the worlds largest cruise ship for quite some time. Royal Caribbean continues to solidify that position with more new ships in the future too. But having the ability to build large vessels and defining their space in the sea of cruise line offerings are two quite different tasks. Royal Caribbean fuels their popularity with more than flashy top deck attractions. Unique Royal Caribbean features continue to drive the cruise line’s popularity and probably will well into the future.
Harmony of the Seas Cutaway
The Largest Ships In The World- There’s no denying it, Royal Caribbean Oasis-class ships are the largest and will probably hold that title. That size brings abundant opportunity to do one of two things: add more features or load on more cabins. Royal Caribbean did both.
Unique Cabin Categories-Royal Caribbean features ships that have up to nearly 50 stateroom categories to choose from. Bigger ships have more diverse accommodations while smaller ones host a more traditional array.
Looking out from Northstar aboard Quantum of the Seas
A Wide Variety Of Ships- In addition to the largest cruise ships in the world, vessels in the Royal Caribbean fleet go small too. Oasis of the Seas: 225,000 tons and the largest cruise ship in the world. Empress of the Seas: 48,000 tons and one of the smallest. In between: Freedom class at 154,000 tons, Voyager class 138,000 tons, Radiance class 90,000 tons, Vision class 69-82,000 tons and Sovereign class come in at 74,000 tons.
Wonderland as seen aboard Harmony of the Seas
Signature Dining Venues- Like other cruise lines, Royal Caribbean features include their signature dining venues as well. But Royal Caribbean has gone far beyond the now obligatory one or two alternative dining venues, offering culinary options that are relevant and of interest to their target passengers. An important distinction: Most dining venues are included in the price of the cruise or come at a minimal additional fee which makes sense.
Dragon’s Breathe Zip Lining ride at Royal Caribbean’s port stop in Labadee, Haiti
Interesting Itineraries- With big ships full of features, it would be easy for Royal Caribbean to highlight that on-the-ship focus and not be all that concerned about where the giant floating cities go. They don’t. Instead the cruise line recently began going deeper into destinations with Multi-Day Adventures that offer two-day overnight explorations. Go beyond about 9 days on a search for potential dream cruises and Royal Caribbean longer itineraries include more interesting ports of call and more time in port too.
Entertainment Worth Seeing- For many cruise travelers, the entertainment element rates about as high as attending the safety drill in the overall pleasure of it all. Interestingly, on Royal Caribbean ships, the entertainment is actually worth seeing, even for those who gave up on entertainment at sea long ago. Bigger ships Royal Caribbean features shorter versions of Broadway shows serve up entertainment that rates high and keeps passengers coming back for more.
General view to Central Park aboard Harmony of the Seas
Crown And Anchor Loyalty Program- Every cruise line has their past guest loyalty program, adding more benefits as we sail more with a particular cruise line. Top end benefits in the Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor version are simply the best of all major cruise lines. I jump directly to top end benefits attainable by most frequent cruise travelers (Diamond and Diamond Plus) because that’s where Royal Caribbean’s program shines. Make it to that level and cruise travelers have serious clout with the cruise line.
Harmony of the Seas, Central Park View
Excellent Relationship With Travel Agents- Smart buyers have a good travel agent in their back pocket, giving them a qualified voice with the cruise line. Royal Caribbean consistently rates highly with agents as the cruise line most easy to do business with. That’s significant on a day to day basis and huge when something comes up during the life of a booking that requires special attention. That happens too. You have an existing booking and the price drops. If you knew that it did, you might call the cruise line and get them to honor the lower price. Your travel agent can do that much quicker and more efficiently.
The Spa aboard Quantum of the Seas
Royal Caribbean Features Continue Into The Future
All of the above add up to a formula for success that Royal Caribbean seems confident with, applying these same guiding lights to new ships currently under construction. New Harmony of the Seas and ships under construction right now will all benefit from programs put in place and solidified by those vessels that came before them. Interestingly, every single one of the unique Royal Caribbean features mentioned here are focused on passenger experience. That’s probably the biggest unifying factor between them all. It’s what solidly positions Royal Caribbean as their own cruise line, not one copying what others do in an effort to be everything to everyone.
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Understandably, cruise travelers have come to associate the Viking brand with river cruising. That makes sense too; their impressive fleet of Viking Longships outnumbers those of any other travel company. Sail with Viking on just one river cruise and odds are you’ll be hooked. Sailing with less than 200 nice people, having nearly everything actually included in the price and having that price stack up nicely against other options is pleasant. It’s the way travel should be. Taking that same formula for success and applying it to the world of ocean cruising, Viking is opening up a new world of ocean cruising as well. These are solid reasons to consider a Viking ocean cruise; reasons that did not exist before but sure make a whole lot of sense.
Connecting With Destinations As Never Before – The world of shore excursions on big ship cruises has always been one of options. Few large ship operators include any sort of tour in the price. When they do, it is limited to one stellar event or a complimentary bus ride to town from the pier at best. Viking Ocean Cruises, like their river cruising counterpart, includes a tour for all at every port of call. They do it right too, limiting the size of groups much like they do on river cruises. Have a question for your guide? They are there to answer, provide guidance for what one might do during ample ‘free time’ during or after the tour and more.
Included: Things Other Lines Charge For – It’s not unlimited beer and wine any time of the day but pretty close and appropriate for most of the culturally curious travelers who sail with Viking. Included with lunch and dinner, beer and wine can be extended with a Silver Spirits plan that is reasonably priced and includes just about anything one might desire. On the all-you-can-drink packages of big ship cruises we calculate the cost and find we have to drink a whole lot more than possible to break even on the deal. Viking’s Silver Spirits add on plan makes sense and has very few restrictions.
Pay Once And You’re Done – I think the inclusive price of a Viking Ocean Cruise is probably one of the easiest-to-compare so let’s take a deeper look at that. While all staterooms on the Viking ocean cruise ships have balconies, there a number of configurations, each with included amenities that increase as you go up in category. This is not like the ship within a ship concept of some other ocean lines. It is also not required to make a quantum leap from “standard” to “suite” in order to gain. A Penthouse Junior Suite, for example, comes with not only more space but complimentary laundry for all. Better yet, they do a really good job with it. A mini-bar in the room that they refill daily is a nice touch too and one that is available on lower category staterooms as well.
The list of what is included in every stateroom is impressive.
Bottled and purified water refilled daily
Viking Explorer’s Bed with luxury linens that makes you want to replace your mattress when you go back home.
Complimentary 24-Hour Room Service that is seriously good. Don’t pass up the Hot Apple Pie and Ice Cream and plan time for room service even though other diining options are hard to pass up
Luxury robes and slippers and Luxury toiletries in big, easy-to-read bottles that are kept replenished without fail during the voyage
42″ flat screen LCD TV with complimentary entertainment that includes live news and sports channels plus a selection of movies and television series.
Security Safe, Hair Dryer
Unlimited Internet Access as well as a number of computers to use in the ship’s Living Room area for those who would prefer to leave theirs at home
Direct Dial Satellite Phone and Cellular Service
Plenty of 110/220 Volt Outlets as well as plenty of places to plug in USB-powered devices
All Restaurants are included in the price and reservations can be made in advance of boarding.
On an ocean cruise in the Caribbean, common topics that travelers learn about quickly include The Embarkation Process, The Lifeboat Drill, Entertainment Options, Casino Operations, Onboard Shopping and more. Head to Alaska and the term CruiseTour becomes one to know. Ocean cruise experiences around the planet have travelers coming away with a knowledge of topics specific to an itinerary, ship or cruise line. One of our big goals here is to inform readers, arming them with the knowledge needed to be up to speed on topics that will come up, in advance of sailing.
River cruising has a different focus than ocean cruising and topics that come up along the way are different too. Knowing what lies ahead can clear the way, put much of the learning curve behind and allow travelers to get the most out of a river cruise experience. Let’s take a look at some common topics that will come up on your river cruise, as we found on several recent Viking River Cruises.
River Level
The level of the river has a great deal to do with how river cruise ships operate. Too high and ships can not pass under bridges, effectively turning a river tour into a bus tour as operators scramble to provide a substitute experience. Frankly, that’s not all that hard to do because much of the focus of a river cruise is off the ship anyway. Low river levels too can be just as disruptive. A standard river cruise blessing at launch hopes that the ship will “always have a hands-width of water beneath her keel” so it can navigate and move along the rivers it operates in. Most commonly there is much more than a hand’s width of water under the keel but it needs some water or the ship is not going anywhere.
Low or high river level is to river cruises as hurricane season is to ocean cruises. Both are disruptive, but neither should result in no vacation at all.
Locks
The topic of locks is nearly unavoidable on a river cruise as your ship will no doubt have to stop and go through several of them on it’s voyage up or down a river. On Viking River Cruise’s Grand European Tour last Summer, we went through 67 of them on the 1,100-mile journey.
How locks work is relatively simple compared to building them. A lock is simply a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. Locks are used to make a river more easily navigable, or to allow a canal to take a reasonably direct line across land that is not level.
If you believe the world is flat, you’re in trouble here. Buy into the notion of the planet being round and this all makes instant sense.
Bridges
Bridges, like locks, are something that ocean cruise ships rarely go under or through. River cruise ships will do so multiple times in a day. Bridges are also quite important elements of travel in Europe and many have historical significance. In a way, bridges draw our attention to just how important life along the river, often called the lifelines of Europe, was in the past and is today.
On Viking River Cruises, in the summer or winter, we found a great amount of activity along the riverside, often focused around the location of bridges that connected one land to another.
Budapest is a perfect example, with Buda on one side of the river Danube and Pest on the other side, joined by a number of bridges. Our Viking River Cruise docked by the Chain Bridge, know for being the first permanent bridge across the Danube, opened in 1849.
All-Inclusive
While ocean cruises are indeed quite inclusive by nature, especially when compared to a land vacation option. river cruises are more so. On our Viking River Cruises, complementary Internet access was included. Beer, Wine and Soft drinks were included in the standard fare at meal times. Upgrade to their “Silver Plan” and those choices are available all the time, with an upgraded wine list from which to choose. Tipping is optional and each day brings an included shore excursion.
Included Orientation Tours
As mentioned as part of the all-inclusive element of a river cruise, these are interesting tours, included in the price. Perhaps better described as an Orientation Tour With A Highlight Or Two, local guides take Viking passengers on a walking or bus tour that hits the highlights of destinations visited. Also included is a generous amount of “free time” to explore on your own or simply sit at a sidewalk cafe for a while, drinking in the local flavor. At some locations, a “standard” tour is offered along with a “leisurely” tour that takes it a bit slower.
Becoming familiar with the Euro, especially Euro coins, is a very good idea before arriving in Europe. Knowing that one Euro is about one and a third to one and a half dollars is important to make sense of pricing. Visitors to EU-member countries along the river can cover a lot of ground with Euro coins. There are eight different denominations of euro coins: €0.01, €0.02, €0.05, €0.10, €0.20, €0.50, €1 and €2. Having a nice supply of them goes a long way to breaking the language barrier North Americans often face. Actually, there is a app for that which I use and find quite helpful, Oanda Currency Converter, also available online.
Language
In the Caribbean, everyone speaks English. Not so along the rivers of Europe but those we encounter usually speak some English. Still, knowing a few words and phrases of the languages of the land we visit goes a long way to making for a pleasurable experience. Frankly, many North American’s don’t even try and those we encounter in Germany, Austria, Hungary and other nations along rivers in Europe appreciate it when we know a bit of their language. Must-know words and phrases? “How Much?”, Where is the toilet?”, “Hello” and”Good bye.” “Thank You” is universal, everyone understands that. A free Language Translator for iPhone can be helpful here too.
Sailing multiple times with Viking River Cruises for a Christmas Markets river cruise, one critical part of the overall experience that became apparent really quickly: don’t wait around to book. The first time we tried, they were sold out six months in advance. Looking ahead to the next year brought a whole lot more availability and a great price on airfare as well. While the Viking River Cruises fleet of Viking Longships continues to grow, the pace has slowed some as has all travel in Europe. That makes right now a wonderful time to book for the best value we have seen. Need more reasons? We have ten of them:
More Than Christmas Markets- Initially, we thought these were unique itineraries only done during the holiday season. Actually, these are the same itineraries run at other times of the year. What changes is the temperature and what we find at the city center, already a place visited on river cruises at other times. In the Summer we find fresh fruit and vegetables. Those are still there during Christmas markets but not the star of the show. That would be holiday-themed food, drink and handicrafts available for sale.
It’s No Further Than Alaska– So shut up about the “Oh it’s so far from home” thing. When we flew to Alaska from Orlando it took over 10 hours flying time to get there. It takes us less time than that to get to Europe and the places where Christmas markets begin and end.
You’ll Get Your Christmas Spirit Back- I had seriously lost my holiday spirit until we did our first Christmas markets sailing. It’s addictively back in full force now and I like it. More please.
$100 Airfare Quite Possible- book far enough ahead and $100 per person airfare, round-trip to Europe is a serious reason to go. It costs more to fly from Chicago to New York.
Isolate Your Christmas Spirit- I may have my Christmas spirit back but I don’t have to go crazy and drag it out all year. Skip the decorating, holiday dinner parties requiring praise for Aunt Bertha’s (mundane) green bean casserole or holiday debt hangover when the credit card statement comes in January. The inclusive nature of a river cruise makes budgeting easy.
It’s One Heck Of A Themed Cruise– We report frequent these days about cruises with themes ranging from fans of Kid Rock to Classic Movies, Food & Wine and more. A Christmas-themed sailing is the king daddy of all themed cruises.
Better Than Believing In Santa- To the religious traveler, the whole point of a Christmas markets river cruise is to celebrate an occasion pretty close to the heart of our good friend, the Creator of the Universe. Without that little moment in time, no one would have a reason to celebrate the season.
Gluhwein– The soul-warming mulled wine beverage served at Christmas markets takes but one sip to work it’s magic. We’ll just leave it at that.
Sausages- These are not like any sausages we might buy at our local supermarket. It’s one of those things we just can’t do at home. Believe me, we have tried. Like regional beer encountered along the way, sausages also have a unique character of their own. All cities along the route claim to have the best and they are all correct.
A Holiday Tradition For The Less Than Creative– I had a brother who could make a party out of a handful of rice and a shoelace. He just had a great knack for making something fantabulous out of nothing. You know; one of those thoughtful people who came up with more creative holiday ideas in a heartbeat than you could with a gun held to your head. Book a holiday markets cruise: problem solved.
Sold? Contact your travel agent for more information. Booking online is not an option with Viking River Cruises who supports the notion of using a travel professional when planning a river cruise vacation.
This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.
There is a lot to like about Carnival Cruise Line’s new Carnival Vista. Above the deck SkyRide takes riders on a high flying ride that includes amazing views of the ship and the ocean. Water parks, sports-oriented attractions and some unique entertainment options can keep cruise travelers busy with plenty to do on their vacation. It may be difficult to find time to enjoy their nicely-appointed stateroom, complete with 24-hour room service from the standard menu plus premium offerings for a small fee. Perhaps the biggest challenge when sailing on Carnival Visa: Where to eat. Carnival guests will have to choose between 20 different venues each and every day. Let’s take a look:
BlueIguana Cantina – serving authentic tacos on fresh-made tortillas and made-to-order burritos that can be personalized by diners at an extensive salsa and toppings bar.
Bonsai Sushi —expanded to offer cooked-to-order items like Shrimp Tempura, Chicken Katsu, Omakase and various noodle bowls, complementing a variety of sushi, sashimi and bento boxes.
Cherry on Top —Cool concoctions of ice cream and toppings, from whipped cream and hot fudge to Oreo cookie pieces & pineapple chunks. When guests order Brownie Buoy, chosen by kids at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – a donation is made to the hospital.
Cucina del Capitano — A celebration of Carnival Cruise Line’s deep roots in Italy —serves up a variety of Italian favorites family-style.
Fahrenheit 555 — This classic American steakhouse offers mouth-watering steaks and other gourmet fare with impeccable service.
Guy’s Burger Joint — A guest favorite, Guy’s features fresh-made burgers, hand-cut fries and innovative toppings created in partnership with Food Network personality Guy Fieri.
Havana Bar — This popular bar specializing in mojitos and Cuba Libres has added a bar menu. From Sabor de Habana, a sampler plate, to ceviche de mariscos, ropa vieja and pan con bistec, guests can taste authentic dishes of Cuba.
JavaBlue Café — Featuring coffee straight-up, or perhaps with an upgrade, JavaBlue Café serves hot and cold drinks with a fun twist. Guests also can enjoy sweet treats and comfort snacks.
Ji Ji Asian Kitchen — Serving up enticing dishes in an eclectic space. Offering a full-service menu featuring a mix of exotic and familiar dishes designed to challenge and delight the senses, the venue offers a truly unique culinary experience.
Pizzeria del Capitano — Pizzeria del Capitano offers five varieties of hand-tossed artisanal-style pizza, all available free of charge 24 hours a day.
Ocean Plaza — An indoor/outdoor café serving cappuccinos, lattes, and espressos as well as pastries and other confections.
RedFrog Pub & Brewery — Delicious Caribbean bites are served here, but the star is the hand-crafted beer brewed on board in the line’s first onboard brewery developed in collaboration with Miami-based Concrete Beach Brewery.
Seafood Shack – A Carnival Vista exclusive, Seafood Shack features traditional fare like New England clam chowder, lobster rolls, crab cake sliders and fried clam strips served by the bucket, with steamed lobster, snow crab, peel-and-eat shrimp and raw oysters sold by the pound.
Serenity — Salads, sandwiches, wraps and other light fare is available at the ship’s exclusive adults-only retreat.
Shake Spot — Shake Spot offers more than just your average shakes and floats. Guests can sip on hand-crafted classics, fruity-flavored treats and even spiked indulgences.
The Chef’s Table — This VIP experience starts with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres for an exclusive small group, followed by a tour to see the galley in operation. The evening concludes with an impressive full-service dinner of appetizers, entrees and desserts, all hosted by the ship’s master chefs.
The Taste Bar — Offering complimentary bite-size preview offerings inspired by popular Carnival dining venues, along with a signature cocktail tied to the day’s particular theme available for purchase.
American Table/American Feast – Featuring extensive menus and wine lists in the Horizons and Reflections main dining rooms with a wide range of appetizers, side dishes, entrees and desserts, as well as shareable items for the table.
Lido Marketplace — A casual poolside eatery offering an array of international favorites, from paninis to comfort food to a New York-style deli and just about everything in between.
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Take a photo of your hotel—Before going on a walk or cab ride, take a photo of your hotel, including any signage that indicates where it is and its name. Truly, a ‘picture is worth a thousand words’ in any language. Bringing along the telephone number of your hotel is also a good idea.
