Seven Seas Navigator has completed an extensive refurbishment

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Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 490-passenger Seven Seas Navigator has debuted in Port Everglades fresh from a comprehensive, stem-to-stern 50-day transformation.
Considered one of the most luxurious ships afloat, the intimate, all-suite vessel sports a new décor, with rich fabrics and furnishings, much like those found in an elegant estate home.
“The makeover of Seven Seas Navigator gives the ship a stunning new look and feel,” stated Mark Conroy, the line’s president. “Along with the new Canyon Ranch SpaClub, I’m sure our loyal repeat guests will love the new dining options, including La Veranda, Prime 7 and the Patio Grill, as well as the redecorated main dining room.”

Highlights at a Glance:
Prime 7 – a new restaurant – features a palette of green and gold, with supple leather seating, granite and burnished woods. The menu features prime-aged steaks and chops as well as poultry and fresh seafood.
Compass Rose – the ship’s main dining room – has undergone an update with new window treatments, carpets and plush cranberry and camel armchairs. New signature china, silver and glassware complete the redesign.
La Veranda – with both indoor and al fresco seating – replaced Portofino’s restaurant. New furniture, carpeting and draperies create an elegant ambiance. Food stations have been redesigned and enhanced for guests to enjoy lavish breakfast and lunch buffets. In the evening diners select from a menu of regionally themed specialties.
A New Pool Grill features a hot and cold buffet, panini sandwich station and coffee and dessert area in addition to a state-of-the-art barbecue grill. The Pool Bar, at the other end of the pool deck, was expanded and enhanced with a new ice cream station, equipped with machines for milkshakes and frappes.
Star’s Lounge received a makeover. A ruby-red carpet running the length of the entryway sets the stage for this glamorous club with furnishings that exude a classic Hollywood elegance.
Galileo’s sports bold new interiors, window coverings and a new bar area. An outdoor lounge has been added with stylish sofas and chaises overlooking the sea.
Navigator Lounge features rich hues of cappuccino, camel and navy accented by apple-green. The card room and library were redecorated and all public spaces throughout the ship were refreshed.
Canyon Ranch SpaClub: The former health club and an observation lounge have been transformed into the ship’s new Canyon Ranch SpaClub. The serene wellness centre has body and skin-care, massage and thalassotherapy treatment rooms, including a couples’ suite. Added is an aerobics studio and new gymnasium with cardio and strength-training machines, both affording forward-facing, panoramic ocean views. Locker rooms, including his and hers sauna and steam rooms, have been updated as has the full-service beauty salon, which features new wood cabinetry and granite accents. A juice bar and relaxation lounge are additional SpaClub amenities.

Seven Seas Navigator will operate seven- to 11-night cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America this winter, followed by a summer series of seven-night Alaska cruises between Vancouver and Anchorage. Upon completion of the Alaska season, the ship embarks on a 96-night Grand Asia Pacific cruise.

 

Celebrity Cruises Celebrates Winter Solstice Revealing Name of Fourth Ship in Solstice Class

 

The word "silhouette" conjures up images of light and shadow, and sleek profiles in the world of design and fashion, so it’s fitting that Celebrity Cruises has named the fourth ship in its stylish Solstice Class fleet Celebrity Silhouette. And what better date to announce it than on winter solstice?
Like her sister ships – Celebrity Solstice, which was named "Best Premium Ship" and "Best Rookie Ship" in Travel Weekly’s annual awards gala just last week; Celebrity Equinox, which set sail in July 2009; and Celebrity Eclipse, which will enter service in April 2010 – the 122,000-ton Celebrity Silhouette will offer the series of brand-defining, industry-first attributes that guests, travel agents and press have praised about Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox, including a half-acre Lawn Club with real grass, a glassblowing show and studio developed with The Corning Museum of Glass, unrivalled dining venues offering trendsetting cuisine and design, and widely varied entertainment. Like her sisters, the 2,850-passenger Celebrity Silhouette will have larger staterooms – 90 percent outside, and 85 percent with verandas – and spacious bathrooms, as well as several categories of accommodations, including Celebrity’s ConciergeClass and spa-inspired AquaClass cabins. "Countless guests and travel partners have asked us to reveal the ship’s name over the past few months, which is yet another indicator of the widespread interest in these stunningly designed ships," said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Dan Hanrahan. "The enormous response to our unique new sweepstakes is a powerful indicator, too."
Cruise lovers interested in being among the very first to see Celebrity Silhouette while under construction in Germany actually have a chance. By entering Celebrity’s "Eclipse of a Lifetime" sweepstakes, running through January 14, 2010, 10 winners and their guests will be the first individuals outside of the line’s employees to board Celebrity Eclipse when she sets sail for the very first time; the first to have exclusive, up-close-and-personal views of the construction process of Celebrity Silhouette at Meyer Werft, one of the most modern shipyards in the world; first to be led and hosted throughout Celebrity Eclipse by Celebrity’s President and CEO Dan Hanrahan; first to nestle into the ship’s AquaClass staterooms; first to sample the ship’s innovative cuisine created by the line’s VP of Culinary Operations and Chef Jacques Van Staden, and the first to have the chance to interact with the ship’s senior officers.
To enter, visit the Celebrity web site and click the "Eclipse of a Lifetime" under the specials tab to access the entry form and sweepstakes rules. Or, click Eclipse of a Lifetime Sweepstakes. The sweepstakes runs through January 14, 2010. Winners will be announced January 28, 2010. This sweepstakes is open only to residents of the U.S. and Canada. See Official Rules on the site for complete information.
Celebrity Cruises offers comfortably sophisticated, upscale holiday experiences with highly personalized service, exceptional dining, and extraordinary attention to detail. Celebrity sails in Alaska, California, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Galapagos Islands, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and South America. The line also offers unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Canada, Europe and South America. Noted for four of the top 10 "Top Cruise Ships in the World" in the large-ship category, as voted by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler (February 2009 readers’ poll), Celebrity’s fleet – including the new Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox – will be joined by Celebrity Eclipse in 2010, Celebrity Silhouette in 2011, and a fifth yet-to-be-named ship in 2012. For more information, call The Cruise People at 1-800-961-5536.

Crystal’s 2011 World Cruise Now Open for Booking

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Repeat Guests Save up to $20,000 per couple
LOS ANGELES, December 21, 2009 – Books are now open for Crystal Cruises’ 16^th annual, 110-day 2011 World Cruise.  Fares for the “Grand Exotic Expedition” World Cruise aboard Crystal Serenity are now available online, along with Full World Cruise and segment itinerary details, and attractive promotional and savings information including:

• 2-for-1 World Cruise Fares if booked by April 30, 2010;
• Free Air on all segments;
• Up to $10,000 per couple ‘All-Inclusive. As You Wish’ spending credits;
• Price Guarantee, assuring guests will receive the best applicable fare, lowest minimum deposits and a flexible cancellation policy, no matter when they book;
• Up to $20,000 savings per couple for Crystal Society members; up to $8,000 savings per couple for new-to-Crystal guests; and
• Additional 2.5% savings for guests paying in full 180 days out.

Departing Los Angeles on January 17, 2011, the full World Cruise will visit 41 ports in 19 countries, including six overnight stays and two double overnights.  Crystal Serenity will call in East and West Africa for the first time on a route through the South Pacific, Australia, Southeast Asia, India and Dubai. 
For 2011, full World Cruise guests will enjoy the added value of special amenities and events including:

• First or Business Class Air Transportation for guests originating in any of Crystal’s specified air/sea gateways;
• $10,000 per couple ‘All-Inclusive. As You Wish’ spending credits onboard spending credit and pre-paid gratuities;
• Bon voyage World Cruise Gala and overnight luxury hotel accommodations in Los Angeles;  
• Complimentary chauffeured pre- and post cruise transfers between the guest’s home, airport, pre-cruise hotel and Crystal Serenity within 100 miles of gateway city;
• Two exclusive shoreside gala events; and
• Specially selected gifts and special onboard events exclusive to Full World Cruise guests.

Two-for-one full World Cruise fares start at $US53,240, per person, double occupancy.   Crystal’s World Cruise is also available in seven individual segments ranging from 12 to 21 days, or back-to-back segment combinations, with fares beginning at $6,500 per person, double occupancy.   
For more information and Crystal reservations, contact The Cruise People on 1-800-961-5536.

Two of our Lost Products Have Returned.

Over the past months, we have had to disappoint many people due to the lack of trans-Atlantic product. As a possible sign of an economic recovery, we have two programmes reinstated.

800 Northern Europe to/from N.E. U.S.A. – 33-day round trip with segments subject to cabotage and availability. From Bremerhaven to Felixstowe, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Le Havre, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk, New York and back to Bremerhaven.Passengers accepted from age 5 to 79.Four cabins – 3 with twin beds and one with a double. Supplement for single use of a double cabin only Euro 5 a day.

834 Mediterranean to/from East Coast USA – 42-day round trip with segments subject to cabotage and availability. Genoa to Fos sur Mer, Algeciras, New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Miami, Algeciras, Malta, Gioia Tauro, Leghorn and back to Genoa. Passengers ages 6 to 75 and possibly older with excellent medicals from their doctors. One single cabin and one double "Owner".

We would be delighted to send you information on these products and to check for availability for you. Please call, or e-mail for more details.

Cruising in "the Dominions"

Years ago, the Commonwealth countries of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa were known as "the Dominions" – indeed Canada called itself the Dominion of Canada until the 1950s.

The Dominions, which had been served by lines such as Canadian Pacific, Cunard, White Star, P&O, Shaw Savill and New Zealand Shipping, came to the aid of the UK in two world wars, long before the United States entered either.

To-day, however, very few people realize that these four countries contribute about 1.3 million passengers to the world cruise market. This is more passengers than Germany, Italy or Spain and almost as many as the UK. So let’s have a look at the cruising market in these Commonwealth countries to-day

Canada: 775,000 "Invisible" Canadians
Earlier this month CLIA acknowledged the importance of Canadians to the cruising market, in announcing that the next Cruise 360 travel agents’ conference would be held in Vancouver on June 2-6, 2010. CLIA estimates the size of the Canadian market travelling in its ships at 775,000, or triple the size of a decade ago. This is larger than all European countries except the UK and Germany.

The Canadian market has always been easy to miss as most Canadians travel across the longest undefended border in the world, that with the United States, to join ships that are already full of Americans. Thus, unlike Australia, which is geographically distinct from other countries, Canadian cruisers have become a sort of "invisible minority."

One interesting thing that unites Canada and Australia, however, is that RMS Queen Mary 2 visits both during the course of the year, visiting Quebec in the summer or autumn and Sydney as part of her world cruise, thus being the largest ship to call at each country.
At one time, Eastern Canada did have its own small cruise market, with ships from Cunard Line and later the Soviet  Alexandr Pushkin and the Polish Stefan Batory, operating round trip cruises from Montreal. But over the years Montreal and Quebec became part of a one-way Canada/New England cruise rotation whereby ships shuttled back and forth between Montreal and increasingly Quebec in the north and New York or Boston in the south.

Meanwhile, Vancouver, at least up until the past two or three years, had acted as the base for the Alaska fleet.

However, history was made at the Port of Québec this October as more than 13,000 cruise passengers embarked or disembarked in one 48-hour period, with three ships, Crown Princess, Norwegian Spirit and Costa Atlantica, also making inaugural calls. And inward visits into the St Lawrence in 2009 totalled 166,000 passengers on 21 ships.

On the west coast, however, Vancouver, with close to500,000 passengers, 80% of them American, embarking there, remains the cruise capital of Canada, despite the loss of half its Alaska business to Seattle and a general reduction in the Alaska cruise trade because of the Alaska head tax.

Australia: 330,000 Cruisers With a Geographical Base
Unlike Canada, Australia is so far removed from the rest of the world that it has always had its own ships cruising from Australian ports full of mainly Australian (and of course New Zealand) passengers. Starting with P&O ships and a number of ships from Sitmar, which was later taken over by P&O Princess, the two largest carriers to-day are both branches of Carnival, in P&O Cruises Australia and Princess Cruises. Carryings in the Australian market were about 330,000 in 2008.

P&O Cruises has expanded from two ships to four in a fairly short time, with the delivery this month of Pacific Jewel, ex-Ocean Village 2, and in 2010 its fourth ship, Pacific Pearl, now Ocean Village. Having already acquired Regal Princess, now Pacific Dawn, this means that the flagships of the P&O Cruises fleet in Australia are now the last of the Sitmar ships.

The once Crown Princess and Regal Princess were introduced in 1990-91, while the old Fair Princess was still cruising from Australia.
Last Thursday, December 10, proved to be a big day for Sydney, with Diamond Princess arriving first, followed by  Pacific Jewel, fresh from her makeover in Singapore, and then Sun Princess. Nearly 10,000 passengers were handled in Sydney that day.

With Diamond, Sun and Dawn Princess, Pacific Dawn, Sun and Jewel all based in Sydney either full time or for the summer, the Australian market has finally shown it can support not just one or two ships but two fleets of ships with P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises each having its own fleet of Australia-based ships now. And in the west, Classic International Cruises has its Athena now based in Fremantle on a seasonal basis.

New Zealand: 119,000, Mostly Foreigners
In the 2008/09 season, 118,987 cruisers were reported to have left New Zealand ports, of whom almost 90% were visitors, mainly American, Canadian and Australian. About 25,000 were actually New Zealanders. This total of almost 119,000 was up from 40,000 in 2004/05 so the market has almost tripled in just four years.

The local New Zealand market is strong enough, however, that P&O Cruises will lengthen its 2010 Auckland season for  Pacific Sun from two months to twenty-four, after the 2009 season sold out with 12,000 Kiwis cruising in her over just two months.

South Africa: 70,000 in MSC Sinfonia Alone
South Africa this year has its largest cruise ship yet in the 2,100-passenger MSC Sinfonia, now based at Durban for the 2009/10 winter season and working for South Africa-based Starlight Cruises. MSC Sinfonia is expected to carry some 70,000 cruisers this season and replaces  MSC Melody and MSC Symphony/Rhapsody before her.
Spring will also see Holland America Line’s Noordam and Westerdam in Durban and Port Elizabeth, not as cruise ships but as accommodation ships for the 2010 World Cup in Cape Town
Other than that, there is no indigenous South African cruise market other than those operated by Starlight Cruises, although other ships calling in South Africa this season will be Queen Mary 2, Balmoral, Discovery, Seven Seas Voyager, Silver Wind, Crystal Serenity and Columbus, all making calls on world cruises or longer voyages.

Conclusions
For those who like statistics, here are the estimated non-US markets by rank, in number of cruise passengers, with Commonwealth countries shown in red:
UK – 1,500,000
Germany – 907,000
Canada – 775,000
Italy – 682,000
Spain – 497,000
Australia – 330,000
France – 310,000
Scandinavia – 123,000
New Zealand – 119,000
Benelux – 92,000
South Africa – 75,000
Switzerland – 62,000
Commonwealth – 2,799,000
Continent – 2,673.000
The Commonwealth countries thus total 2,799,000 cruisers while Continental European countries total 2,673,000 – a very different way of looking at things, but one that is no longer current since the UK joined the European Union.
(Source: By Mark Tré – Cybercruises.com)

Holland America Line Announces Europe and Alaska Cruises for Summer 2011

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Holland America Line is announcing its Europe and Alaska cruise schedule for summer 2011, which increases sailings from the  Dover, England and Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Europe cruises
In 2011 Holland America Line will feature seven ships cruising the Mediterranean, Baltic and Northern Europe from Civitavecchia (Rome), Venice, Barcelona, Dover (London), Rotterdam, Copenhagen, Athens and Amsterdam. Both Nieuw Amsterdam and Noordam will sail the Mediterranean all season. Nieuw Amsterdam, which debuts on July 4, 2010, will offer 12-day sailings while Noordam will feature seven- and 10-day cruises.

Ryndam will sail a series of Mediterranean and Northern Europe cruises ranging from seven to 21 days. Rotterdam will also sail Northern Europe and Mediterranean itineraries of seven to 12 days, including some that feature the Black Sea and the Holy Land.  Rotterdam will also sail two nine-day historic transatlantic cruises mid-season.

Eurodam begins her 2011 season with two seven-day Mediterranean sailings and then offers ten- and 12-day cruises in the Baltic. Both the  Prinsendam and Maasdam will also feature Europe cruises, Maasdam again sailing her traditional transatlantic roundtrip itinerary from Boston that visits Greenland and Iceland.

Many of the above cruises can be combined into Collectors’ Voyages ranging from 17 to 39 days. Holland America will begin accepting 2011 Europe cruise bookings late January 2010.

Alaska Cruises
Holland America’s 2011 Alaska season will feature a total of 50 cruises from Seattle.  Amsterdam will again sail 14-day Alaskan Adventurer cruises roundtrip from Seattle – a new itinerary that debuts in summer 2010. Westerdam and Oosterdam will also sail roundtrip from Seattle on Saturdays and Sundays, offering seven-day roundtrip cruises of the Inside Passage.

 Volendam and  Zuiderdam will sail roundtrip from Vancouver, offering a total of 38 cruises.  Zaandam will also sail one roundtrip cruise from Vancouver in addition to her main itinerary of seven-day, one-way cruises between Vancouver and Seward.  ms Statendam joins  Zaandam in featuring this itinerary, each sailing 18 cruises through the Inside Passage and Alaskan Gulf.

Many of the cruises are highlighted by scenic cruising of tidewater glaciers in either Glacier Bay National Park or Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay. Holland America will begin taking 2011 Alaska cruise bookings in April, 2010.

For additional information, call The Cruise People  1-800-268-6523.

Royal Princess to Leave Princess Cruises Fleet and Join British Sister Line P&O Cruises

Small Ship Will Transfer in May 2011; Spring Deployment Changed

One of the small ships of Princess Cruises, the 710-passenger Royal Princess, will depart the line’s fleet in spring 2011, transferring to sister company P&O Cruises in the U.K. The ship will be renamed Adonia.

As a result, five sailings in April and May will be cancelled, and in place of these a 26-day South Pacific and Andes Explorer cruise will be offered prior to the transfer.

The ship’s 2010 cruise programme includes sailings to the Amazon, Caribbean, Panama Canal, Alaska, Hawaii and French Polynesia.

With the transfer of Royal Princess there will be one less Princess ship in Alaska for the 2011 season, though full details are not yet available. During summer 2010, the ship will sail on a 14-day roundtrip “Connoisseur” cruises from Seattle to Alaska.

The following 2011 sailings are being cancelled:

· April 6, 2011 10-day Tahiti & Polynesia
· April 16, 2011 10-day Tahiti & Polynesia
· April 26, 2011 12-day Hawaii & Tahiti
· May 8, 2011 10-day Hawaiian Islands
· May 18, 2011 1-day coastal

The new 26-day cruise that replaces these sailings will depart April 6, 2011 and travel between Papeete, Tahiti and Fort Lauderdale. Ports of call will include Bora Bora, Moorea, Pitcairn Island (for scenic cruising), Easter Island, Pisco (San Martin), Lima (Callao for Machu Picchu overland excursion), Quito (Manta), Panama Canal Transit, San Blas, and Limón. Fares begin at $4,145 per person, double occupancy.

The ship will then go into a drydock in the Bahamas to change her livery prior to joining the P&O Cruises fleet in May 2011.

Royal Princess joined the Princess fleet in 2007, having originally been built in 2001 for Renaissance Cruises.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through The Cruise People at 1-800-268-6523.

Tutu Too to RMS Queen Mary 2

 

Award-winning ‘Insights’ Programme hits new high with Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Cunard, already noted for the quality of the lecturers on board its ships, looks set to excel its own high standards in 2010 – 170 years after the departure of its first ship.

So far, lecturers booked for RMS Queen Mary 2‘s ‘Insights’ programme include Archbishop Desmond Tutu; internationally renowned author and broadcaster Bill Bryson; anchorman of BBC Radio 4′s ‘Today’ programme, John Humphreys; comedy script writers Dick Clement and Ian le Frenais; psychosexual therapist Dr Ruth; and motor racing broadcaster Murray Walker.

Queen Victoria, meanwhile, boasts former independent MP Martin Bell and former ITN Royal Correspondent Nicholas Owen.

Commenting on Archbishop Tutu’s forthcoming voyage from Port Louis to Cape Town as part of Queen Mary 2‘s World cruise next March, Cunard’s President and Managing Director, Peter Shanks, said:
“It is a great honour for Cunard to be able to welcome on board an internationally respected figure of such eminence, and we are confident our passengers will be transfixed by what he has to say”.

The former Archbishop of Cape Town, now Archbishop Emeritus, was a recipient in 1984 of the Nobel Peace Prize for his role as a unifying leader figure in the campaign to resolve the problem of apartheid in South Africa. Since then he has continued to speak out on human rights, equality and social justice and remains hugely influential throughout the world.

Meanwhile, Bill Bryson, best-selling author of such books as ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’ and ‘Notes from a Small Island’, will be on board Queen Mary 2 for a transatlantic crossing from Southampton to New York departing 1 October 2010. Although American, Bill Bryson is an honorary OBE, a noted anglophile who is President of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Chancellor of Durham University and a former commissioner of English Heritage. His books have sold over 10 million copies worldwide.

A lecturer on another transatlantic crossing – this time departing New York on 4 January 2010 bound for Southampton – will be one of Britain’s best-known and controversial broadcasters, John Humphreys. His terrier-like questioning has made him a hate-figure for both main political parties, but he is widely admired for relentlessly seeking out the truth.

Another major broadcasting personality turned politician, Martin Bell, will be lecturing on board Queen Victoria between Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro in March. Mr. Bell achieved fame as a BBC News Correspondent from 1962 to 1997, reporting from 100 countries and 18 war zones. He was the Independent MP for Tatton from 1997 to 2001, and is currently a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Comedy scriptwriters Dick Clement and Ian le Frenais, authors of such British television series as ‘The Likely Lads’, ‘Porridge’ and ‘Auf Weidersehen Pet’ star in their own lecture slots on board Queen Mary 2‘s World Cruise between Sydney and Cape Town from 7 to 25 March 2010.

Other lecturers so far announced include Nicholas Owen, former ITN Royal Correspondent (Queen Victoria, 1 – 15 August 2010); psychosexual therapist, Dr Ruth (Queen Mary 2, 15 April 2010); broadcaster Murray Walker (Queen Victoria, 15 June – 1 July 2010); Joanne Harris, author of the book ‘Chocolat’ which became an internationally-acclaimed film (Queen Mary 2 transatlantic crossing from Southampton 1 October, and from New York 13 October); astronaut Russell Schweickhart who will be in Queen Victoria during her World Cruise; and for the aficionados of sixties pop classics, the composer of such hits as ‘Congratulations’ and ‘Puppet on a String’, Bill Martin (Queen Mary 2 World Cruise sector, Rio de Janeiro – New York, 3 – 15 April 2010).

Guides: Berlitz, Stern or Frommer

Not that many years ago, there used to be annual cruise guides issued by the "three F’s" – Fielding’s, Fodor’s and Frommer’s, but to-day the big three are the "Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships" (692 pages), now in its 25th edition, "Stern’s Guide to the Cruise Vacation" (736 pages) in its 20th edition since 1974, and "Frommer’s Cruises and Ports of Call, Complete" (704 pages), whose first cruise guide appeared in 1985.
Frommer’s also produces individual volumes for Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe and North America. All three have recently published their 2010 editions and The Cruise Examiner has had a look at how they compare.

Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2010
The Berlitz guide is compiled by Douglas Ward, who began his career as a jazz and dance band leader in the first Queen Elizabeth and now lives in the UK. Over his career he has spent some 5,500 days at sea and participated in over 990 cruises and 154 Transatlantic crossings. The first edition that appeared in 1985 covered just 120 ships, less than half the number Berlitz rates to-day.
The Berlitz guide is best known for its rating system for cruise ships, along with the fact that the vast majority of the book is taken up by reviews of the individual ships. Berlitz scores each ship on the basis of a possible 500 points for Ship, 400 each for Food, Service and Cruise, 200 for Accommodation and 100 for Entertainment, totalling 2,000 points.
So the way Douglas Ward sees it the ship and the cruise take up half the weighted score and entertainment (even though Ward was once part of it) 5% of the overall points, while food and service together account for 40% of the scoring system.
The Berlitz rating system goes up to five stars and, once again in 2010, as for the past ten years, Hapag-Lloyd’s Europa is the only ship to achieve five-stars-plus, a rating that the previous Europa had also achieved.
Among shortcomings of devoting up to two pages to each of 271 ships is an inevitable amount of duplication, not only among sister ships in the same fleet, but also of commentary such as there was not enough variety of breads or cheeses or this ship does not provide cushions for its deck chairs and so on.
However, the introductory section now includes a couple of hundred colour photos (although many are the size of postage stamps) and covers a number of interesting subjects such as the effect of the credit crunch on cruising, the resurgence of class, the loss of some of the trappings of traditional cruising, what’s new in the world of cruising and industry trends. As well, it lists the biggest suites afloat.
Berlitz claims to be used by 35,000 North American travel agencies and in the UK one cruise agent alone gave away 10,000 copies in the past year in return for ship reviews to be published on its own web site.

Stern’s Guide to the Cruise Vacation 2010
Steven Stern, a retired Chicago lawyer now living in Boca Raton, has sailed in more than 750 ships, most of which he managed by spending three months a year during his law career researching cruise lines and cruise ships (he also publishes a volume on resorts).
One of the most noticeable (and useful) things about the Stern guide is that it publishes at least one menu and one daily programme for each major cruise line in order to give a taste of the experience and what goes on on board ship. And included in his reviews of almost 300 ships are 223 black and white photos illustrating many different aspects of cruising and the ships he is writing about.
One thing Stern does that American guides have traditionally not done is to include European lines such as Aida, Fred Olsen, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Hurtigruten, P&O Cruises, Peter Deilmann and Viking River, not to mention Louis and Swan Hellenic, plus Asian and Australasian operators such as P&O Australia and Star Cruises.
Stern allows up to six stars in his rating system, which of course Europa achieves. But the two Crystal ships, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria in their Queen’s Grills, Regent’s Seven Seas Mariner and Voyager and the whole of the Seabourn and Silversea fleets achieve six-stars-plus. However, the SeaDream ships achieve only five-stars-plus compared to top ratings with Berlitz (see below).
While Stern has chosen to rate most ships, many, mainly coastal and river ships but also those of Aida, are not graded. One thing he does though is to categorize them into four groups: Deluxe, Premium, Standard and Economy, within which groups he then awards up to six stars.
One of the peculiarities of this book is that pictures of Stern are liberally scattered throughout his work, as if to prove he has been there, but he is able to bring up much more detail than the Berlitz system allows outside its ships’ commentary sections – in terms of planning a cruise, how to book it and how to get the best price.
For those interested in the actual destinations as well as the ships, Stern provides one of the most complete guides of the three reviewed to-day, and while his rating system is not as detailed, his conclusions and the reasons he gives for them hold true.

Frommer’s Cruises and Ports of Call 2010
Unlike Berlitz and Stern’s, Frommer’s covers only ships sailing from North America, so this makes it immediately less useful for an international reader. Not only are lines such as P&O and Aida excluded but neither is there any coverage of American-based river operators who run ships in Europe.
Frommer’s divide the market up into three chapters on the mainstream lines, the ultra-luxury lines and small ships, sailing ships and adventure cruises, while the ports are divided up into the US mainland, Caribbean, Alaska and British Columbia, Mexico, Bermuda, Hawaii, New England and Eastern Canada and US river ports, with no coverage for the rest of the world.
Rather than just stars, Frommer’s uses a rating system from 1 to 5, with the best being 5 and rate the lines rather than their ships, describing the line in a nutshell, the experience and a section on pros and cons which is very useful. It also gives a more detailed passenger profile for each line. Frommer’s also reviews ships by classes, which avoids repetition when so many ships in each fleet are sister ships these days.

Bibliography
BERLITZ COMPLETE GUIDE TO CRUISING & CRUISE SHIPS 2010 (692 pages)
by Douglas Ward
Berlitz Publishing, PO Box 7910, London SE1 1WE
Ships covered: 271 worldwide.
Pages devoted to background: 170
Pages devoted to ships: 493
Pages devoted to ports: 11 (maps)
STERN’S GUIDE TO THE CRUISE VACATION 2010 (736 pages)
by Steven B Stern
Pelican Publishing Co, 1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna LA 70053
Ships covered: almost 300 worldwide.
Pages devoted to background: 200
Pages devoted to ships: 382
Pages devoted to ports: 124
FROMMER’S CRUISES AND PORTS OF CALL 2010 (704 pages)
By Matt Hannafin
Wiley Publishing Inc, 111 River Street, Hoboken NJ 07030
Ships covered: those sailing from North America only.
Pages devoted to background: 77
Pages devoted to ships: 282
Pages devoted to ports: 301

Conclusions
For those who want an analytical approach the Berlitz guide provides that detail and for those who want an anecdotal approach Stern’s provides more detail on aspects other than the ships than does Berlitz, e.g.. best beaches, cruising for tennis nuts, joggers etc. Frommer’s meanwhile can only be of interest to those in North America or those planning to visit there, which is why European bookshops stock Frommer’s in their American section.
For those who might want to buy all three cruise guides (more than 2,100 pages of information), Amazon has a discounted package that amounts more or less to all three guides for the price of two.
But while we’re at it, as Berlitz is the only guide to have a detailed system whereby ships can amass points out of 2,000, which are the ten best ships according to them? Well, they are:
Europa – 1,851 points
SeaDream – II 1,788 points
Seabourn Odyssey – 1,787 points
SeaDream I – 1,786 points
Seabourn Legend – 1,779 points
Seabourn Spirit – 1,770 points
Seabourn Pride – 1,769 points
Silver Shadow – 1,760 points
Silver Whisper – 1,760 points
Hanseatic – 1,740 points
And at the bottom of the Berlitz list? The small US-flag coastal cruisers operated by the likes of Lindblad, American Canadian Caribbean Line and American Cruise Lines. And what does Frommer say about them? "Very casual, and for the most part very plain." And as for Stern, well he just does not rate these ships, but he does give a "strong points" commentary for some, as he does for all the larger lines, and Berlitz gives us a "best for" rating in terms of the type of passenger each ship is best suited for. Frommer’s contribution is its pithy "The Verdict," which is given for each line.

Whatever one says, the extent of detail given in all three guides is good not only for the novice cruiser finding their way around the hundreds of opportunities that now exist, but also for the veteran cruiser who wants to know the latest about the newest ships.
This market is changing constantly, not only in terms of the delivery of new ships but also in terms of which lines are still there and which might have been taken over by others.

(Source: By Mark Tré – Cybercruises.com)

Now: The Oasis of the Seas

While Americans have been getting used to having the largest passenger ship in the world in their midst, we have been sitting back waiting for the first reactions, which have finally started to come in. So now that she has carried her first passengers, what is the 225,282-ton Oasis of the Seas, some 40% larger than any other cruise ship, all about and what will she do for cruising?

A Radical Ship Design
Oasis of the Seas is not a conventional cruise ship. The major difference is that her superstructure has been split in two. As ships have gotten larger one of the biggest problems has been that too many inside cabins and interior spaces were created (even on this ship inside cabins run eleven across in one area on Deck 7 forward).
In order to address that problem, Royal Caribbean’s architects decided to split most of their new ship’s superstructure right down the middle. This is something that had its beginnings in the Royal Promenade of  Voyager of the Seas ten years ago, and in the Baltic ferries Silja Serenade and Silja Symphony almost ten years before that.
But while those ships had internal promenades, the significant result of this new entirely split superstructure is a number of large inside spaces that are exposed to fresh air and natural sunlight and are not included in the air conditioned mass of the ship (by the way, when it rains people in the Boardwalk have to take cover in order not to get wet). In a way, this split is similar to the principal that was applied to the design of the catamaran, except that instead of the hull, it is the superstructure that has been split.
The other thing this design has created is the first inside/outside cabins. While Superstar Leo introduced the first inside-facing cabins eleven years ago, these were entirely internal and lacked both balconies and access to fresh air. An added attraction to this new type of cabin (which is more expensive to book than an outside cabin that actually faces the sea) is the opportunity to people-watch as the crowds below go about their business.

Physical Characteristics
Because of the new ship’s huge dimensions, there are many ports that would not be capable of handling the huge numbers of passengers that she can carry. New docks, terminals and even ports have thus been developed for her, and in the existing ports, shoreside facilities have had to be expanded to cope with the sheer numbers of people she will bring with her.
The Oasis’ draught of 30 feet limits her to only larger ports, and because of her dimensions this is even more the case than with the Queen Elizabeth 2, with 32 feet or Queen Mary 2 with 32 feet 10 inches. She also needs shoreside facilities that are capable of handling 6,000 passengers. The sheer numbers of passengers this ship carries limits the number of ports she can call at.
But the fact that this huge 200-foot wide ship has 37 bars and 24 cafés and restaurants, not to mention the wide variety of entertainment options and 10,000 square feet of "retail experience" as the Americans like to call their shops, has really made this ship into a destination in its own right.
And her huge crew of 2,161 has amassed a total of 8,000 years experience with Royal Caribbean. The statistics go on

On Board Neighbourhoods
Oasis of the Seas and her sister are so large in fact that they are the first ships to have their own "neighbourhoods," which will be the way different areas of the ship will be identified rather than by the traditional decks. These neighbourhoods will include:
The Royal Promenade, at twice the width of earlier versions, features restaurants and shops and acts as the central meeting place of the ship. It is much like an American mall, particularly with its Muzak, and in this area, the Rising Tide Bar moves slowly up and down between Deck 5 and Central Park on Deck 8.
Central Park, at 350 feet in length, includes boutiques, restaurants with surcharges of up to $35 and bars, and contains 12,175 plants and 56 trees. And from those who have reported so far, many seem to like Central Park at night, after the sun has set.
The Boardwalk included restaurants, bars, shops, two rock-climbing walls and at the stern, a 750-seat AquaTheatre and a carousel as well as a fortune teller and an ice cream bar, the Coney Island of the ship
Entertainment Place, with comedy clubs, jazz and blues lounge, nightclub, disco, ice-skating performances, as well as a 1,380-seat show lounge and theatre where a full Broadway musical (right now Hairspray) will be showing, and we didn’t even mention the 460 slot machines in the casino.
Pool and Sports Zone, with a sloped-entry beach pool and two surf simulators. There is a total of 21 separate swimming pools and hot tubs if the three swimming pools and two surf simulators are included. From here, one can look down into the space between the two superstructures. Inside balcony cabins on the next deck down (Deck 14) overlooking Central Park may tend to be noisy during the daytime because of activity at the pools.
Spa and Fitness Centre, including a separate spa for teens, and the opportunity to have a 24-carat gold leaf facial for some huge cost.
The Youth Zone, featuring a science laboratory and computer gaming
At her christening, the godmothers, each represented one of the neighbourhoods, included Miami-based singer Gloria Estefan, figure skater Michelle Kwan, actress Jane Seymour, swimmer Dara Torres, actress Keisha Pulliam, gymnast Shawn Johnson and television personality Daisy Fuentes. These seven women named the ship as part of a one-night inaugural fundraiser on board. Tickets are $500 each and will benefit the non-profit Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Initial Reactions: Game Changing
In many ways, this ship will change cruise ship design for the big ship market. Just as Canberra was the first major cruise ship to have engines aft, her lifeboats at a lower level and many of her cabins above the promenade deck, so Oasis of the Seas’ split superstructure introduces an entirely new concept to the design of large cruise ships. This is really the next significant step up from the introduction of balcony cabins in the 1980s, which rendered many modern cruise ships prematurely obsolete.
But more than that, this ship is a floating island at sea, even a floating city. Although this was also said about the ships of state that once sailed the seas, this really is a new era. This ship is so huge that hundreds of her outside cabins actually face inwards. And many have already said of this ship that when you’re in the bars and restaurants it’s hard to believe that you are actually at sea. Where the ships of state had their grand perspectives and winter gardens this ship has a whole mall.
For another thing, this ship purely differentiates Royal Caribbean from all other cruise lines as the one with more activities than any other, somewhat ironic since it used to be Carnival’s Bob Dickinson that said the real competition was Las Vegas. Royal Caribbean seem to have been listening. It really started with the Voyager of the Seas when she became the destination rather than just a means of getting there.

What Will This Do To Cruising?
By the time Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas have both been introduced, these two ships alone with be capable of generating 24,000 individual passenger movements every weekend at Fort Lauderdale. With one ship each at the newly-opened cruise ship terminal every Saturday and Sunday, each will handle 6,000 passengers in each direction.
This weekly exchange of 12,000 guests each way is enough to fill more than two dozen Boeing 747s both in and out. Of course, not all passengers will arrive by air but the same number would fill sixty Airbus A320s. These numbers are huge.
This is without even considering that these ships will bring 6,000 extra visitors every week to their chosen ports of call. At the line’s "private island" peninsula of Labadee in Haiti they have built a roller coaster to keep the crowds happy as well as a new dock. And a whole new port is now being built at Falmouth, Jamaica.
Speculation a while back was that Royal Caribbean would order a third such ship, and they may yet do. But these two will take all the weekend capacity at their new terminal in Fort Lauderdale, so where would a third one dock? Would people be willing to sail on a Friday or a Monday? Could 6,000 be raised twice a week for shorter 3- and 4-day cruises, to the Bahamas, or perhaps to Cuba when it re-opens, or would 6,000 people be willing to cruise for two weeks a ship so large?
Some do say that more than a week is needed to cover all the activities that are offered, and at least the embarkation terminal logistics would be cut in half with a longer cruise, but the US market is heavily wed to the present 7-day formula, especially as they get so many fewer days holiday than Europeans.
Another way of splitting the load would be to embark at two ports, which is done in the Mediterranean, for example, where all of Costa, MSC and Louis now embark passengers on the same ship from both Genoa (or Savona in the case of Costa) and Marseilles every week. With a ship the size of the Oasis of the Seas, this would mean only having to handle 3,000 each way at each port, or only 2,000 if say Barcelona were added as a third embarkation port (the 3,114-guest Voyager of the Seas is now based there).
With fourteen decks of accommodations, the rotation could be limited to certain decks, or even one side of the ship and its split superstructure. In the Caribbean, however, the choices are less obvious. San Juan and Barbados could supply a two-port option, or soon Havana and Barbados. The multi-port boarding concept has proved itself in Europe and could also work in the Caribbean with the right ports.
Should the price of fuel rocket again (these ships are said to be 30% more fuel efficient per passenger than their predecessors), another choice could be to place the ship alongside at a fair weather resort with good beaches and just fly the crowds in and out. While this would have the advantage of going to new areas, a good airport would still be required nearby.
It would also have the advantage of being able to move the ship and change the resort with the seasons. However, these ships were built to cruise. And It is likely that hoteliers at existing resorts would object to the prospect of someone parking a new 2,706-room hotel right next door, especially one that included double-deck Loft Suites with a baby grand piano that are larger than the average American home.
Different placements and positioning could well become more likely however as the ship is in essence a resort that lacks only a real beach! Another variation, and one that may be more likely, would be to sail from Fort Lauderdale to say Havana and stay in port for three or four days of entertainment and exploration (particularly as Havana does not have the hotel capacity to accommodate such numbers).
But this would have to be done in such a way as to retain on board revenue if fares were not to rise. Royal Caribbean has even looked at 7-day cruises to nowhere, but found that their core market would not be interested in this.Another shorter-term option would be to use these ships occasionally as floating hotels, just as has been done and will be done at many games, including the Vancouver Olympics and the Cape Town World Cup in 2010.

The Final Verdict?
Whatever happens now that cruise ships have reached this size, there is no going back. For certain, the question of logistics has been raised another notch and these ships will most certainly influence where the market, or at least part of it, goes. Perhaps the biggest question is really whether the size of ships can keep growing. With split or multiple superstructures, who is to say that projects in the million ton range that have been mooted in the past might not one day become reality? After all, some cities now have floating airports.
After his cruise in the Oasis here is what Stephen Bleach from "The Sunday Times" had to say: "If constant activity, organised entertainment and mountains of carbs are what you’re looking for – and God knows they keep the kids happy – this is the best ship afloat. If they’re not …," well you can form your own conclusion.
Most have been satisfied and find that the new ship, with all it has to offer, has exceeded their expectations, and there has been an overwhelmingly positive response from travel agents who travelled in her last week. To date this 6,296-berth ship has been running only half full so we must still wait to see how the great public greet her when she departs with her first capacity load.
Oasis of the Seas may not be for everyone, and some people are waiting to see if there will be crowds and long queues, but bets are on that those who book her will like her.
But the big question is, is it still cruising or should it be called something else? This ship is actually changing the meaning of the word.

(Source: By Mark Tré – Cybercruises.com.)