What was once nearly an extra curricular activity for cruise lines, producing video about what they do did not get all that much attention in the past. Thank a focus on rolling out a record number of ships over the last decade for that. But since the economic recession of a few years ago, cruise lines have had some time to breathe and regroup. One of the results of having time on their hands has been the introduction of high-quality cruise line video that is just like being there.
Still growing, albeit at a bit slower pace, cruise lines do use video to introduce new ships and features. The rollout of Royal Caribbean’s Quantum-class ships provides plenty of examples too. Still, Quantum of the Seas is still under construction so much of what we see is via artist renderings and animation which, while very good, is not the same as a live experience. For that we look to video about life onboard, shore excursions, spa treatments and more that are indeed just like being there.
On the other hand, building individual elements of a cruise ship can be an interesting process to watch, as we see in this one about building Quantum of the Seas:
Seeking a different way to show off features of newly-refurbished Carnival Freedom, Carnival Cruise Lines launched the Carnival Chronicles video series featuring a number of popular travel bloggers, each with their own unique take on the ship.
Showing just what it is like to be there for a young family, husband-and-wife team of Stefanie and Rick Fauquet and their daughter Paris enjoyed a variety of experiences both on and off the ship. In addition to snorkeling in crystal-clear Caribbean waters, the Fauquets took in a family-friendly comedy performance at the Punchliner Comedy Club presented by George Lopez and hit the links for a round of miniature golf up in the fresh sea air.
Sailing in an entirely different direction, Viking River Cruises has a rich library of video that is absolutely just like being there. On a Christmas Markets sailing last year, we began in Passau, Germany on a cold December day. Walking through the quaint town, we could not help but notice the aroma of fresh Gingerbread baking and followed it to a demonstration on how to do just that. The experience was exactly like what we see in this video, right down to the same bakers
You’ll need to actually be on at sea to feel the ocean surf at the bow of a cruise ship; catch the aroma of Guy Fieri burgers on Carnival Cruise Lines or fresh-baked cupcakes on Royal Caribbean International or wave to the folks on shore on a Viking River Cruise. Video does have its limitations