All About Cruises

Author: Kathy

  • Many Cruise Lines Are Working to Become Environmentally Friendly

    Many Cruise Lines Are Working to Become Environmentally Friendly

     

    Although it might sound counter-intuitive, cruise lines are interested in becoming more efficient and better stewards of our planers natural resources. While these giant floating cities do consume a huge amount of fuel as well as other resources, the corporations understand that any and all efforts to protect the planet are important. And each cruise line appears to have a renewed dedication to doing their part to go green.

     

    Carnival Cruise Line recycles, incinerates or offloads a massive amount of material. What is not incinerated goes to land-based facilities for proper treatment recycling or disposal. Some of the materials include plastic, glass, aluminum, oil, electronics, and even toner cartridges. Even the dirty, oily water from the bilge goes through a three-step process to be cleaned. In addition, the cruise lines donate items such as linens, electronics, appliances, and clothing whenever possible to eliminate them as much as possible from ending up in landfills.

     

    Crystal ships also incinerate onboard, recycle or dispose of all material on shore. In addition, the cruise line now focuses on purchasing more inventory in bulk to reduce packaging and waste created on each ship. And as of this year, Crystal has eliminated the use of all plastic stirrers and drinking straws from their fleet. Low flow showers, energy efficient lighting and a creative recycling program for unused toiletries round out the green initiative on Crystal ships.

     

    Cunard has made the lofty pledge to eliminate all single-use plastics from their ships by 2022. This means that there will be no plastic single-use drinking straws, water bottles or food packaging of any kind. They have also outfitted their ships with state of the art compactors for the garbage, and incinerators. For example, the incinerator on the Queen Mary 2 is a full four decks high to handle the quantities of trash created on a cruise.

     

    The Disney Cruise Line is even going a step further to be ultra-environmentally friendly. Every drop of cooking oil used on the cruise ships is offloaded and recycled. Some of the oil is even converted to biodiesel and is used to fuel a fleet of vehicles in the Bahamas. In addition, excess heat that is created by the power generators is then used to convert seawater into clean drinking water. And finally, some 30 million gallons of water used to wash the decks of the ships is actually condensation from the air conditioning units that have been reclaimed to be used for cleaning.

     

    While passengers might not always be thinking about protecting the environment and making the best green choices while on vacation, many cruise lines are working diligently to do their part for the planet.

  • Oasis of The Seas Cancels Cruises

    Oasis of The Seas Cancels Cruises

    By now, most travelers who follow the news about cruise ships have heard about the crane that came crashing down on the Oasis of the Seas. The Royal Caribbean ship was sitting in dry dock in Freeport when the accident occurred. Fortunately, no passengers were on the ship at the time, but eight workers were injured when the crane toppled and slammed into the deck of one of the world’s largest cruise ships.

     

    Clearly, there was damage to the ship from the impact of the crane which has caused the cruise line to extend the dry dock visit for an additional three weeks. This delay in the maintenance and repairs has caused the cruise line to cancel the cruises booked for the 7th, 17th and 21st of April. Royal Caribbean management has promised that all passengers will receive a full refund as well as a credit for a future cruise. But the concern financially is centered around the passengers who are unable to get a refund on their airfare as these flights were to be within a few days or weeks. Sadly, this is the second time in 2019 that the Oasis of the Seas has been in the news as earlier this year Norovirus caused many passengers to become ill.

     

    With the restrictions on cancelations, refunds, and credits being issued for canceled flights, many travelers are turning to travel insurance when booking even a short or less expensive vacation. Many times the airline will offer insurance like packages for a fully refundable flight, but that only covers the cost of the flight. Wise travelers are purchasing full trip insurance which covers the flight, hotel or resort accommodations as well as many other activities that are pre-booked and require prepayment.

     

    In addition to cancelations by the airline or the resort, most trip insurance will also cover costs if a trip is canceled due to an illness or injury to a traveler prior to the trip. And in some cases, the insurance will also provide coverage for emergency evacuation or transportation home, if a traveler is injured or becomes ill while on vacation.

     

    The unfortunate incident on the Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas is a good reminder for travelers to consider what could happen and how accidents or even issues with the weather could impact their vacation and their ability to get a refund for a canceled trip.

  • Take A Tour of the Carnival Panorama

    Take A Tour of the Carnival Panorama

    Carnival Cruise Line has just offered potential guests the opportunity to take a virtual tour of the Panorama, which is scheduled to launch later this year. The 3D virtual tour is the only way to get a good look at the fun and features that will be included when the Panorama launches its first cruise from the Port of Long Beach on December 11, 2019.
    The tour takes about four minutes and is hosted by the ship’s future cruise director, Emma Nixon. Stops along the tour include a visit to the world’s first Sky Zone trampoline park aboard a cruise ship, the water park, the Sky Ride and a variety of other public venues on the ship. There will also be a few teasers as to what else guests might find when they cruise on the Panorama later this year or early in 2020.
    The Panorama is a Vista-class ship and will be very much like the Carnival Vista and the Horizon. Each of these ships accommodates nearly 4,000 passengers and weighs in at over 133,000 tons. While the ship is still under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, it is scheduled to be based in the Mexican Riviera after its initial welcome cruise departing from Long Beach, California. The year-round seven-day cruises will begin on December 14, 2019, and will include regular stops at Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.
    The current pricing for a vacation on the Panorama offers a wide range to accommodate all budgets. The interior cabins start at $709 per person and increase to nearly $1,000 for trips during the holidays. Oceanview cabins range from about $1,000 in the non-holiday season to $1,200 at the holiday. And finally, the balcony cabins are starting at $1,200 and will increase to almost $1,500 at the holiday.
    Guests on the Panorama will have the opportunity to enjoy brand new cabins, restaurants, and adventures at every turn on this fifteen deck ship. The style is fresh and bold with bright colors in the cabins and comfort in all of the private and public areas of the ship. And the themed restaurants including a steak house, seafood shack, sushi, and a BBQ joint are certain to offer something for everyone and a new experience with every meal.
    Check out the 3D tour today and see if the new Carnival Panorama might be the perfect place for your next vacation.
  • Viking Sky’s Defining Moments

    Viking Sky’s Defining Moments

    Most cruise passengers enjoy their stay on one of the many cruise ships sailing around the globe without incident. But then there are those few who are the unfortunate souls who must endure an illness outbreak or even an accident while at sea. And in most cases the stories that are heard after the ordeal is over are enough to keep potential vacationers from ever stepping onto any cruise ship. But that is far from the case after the accident involving the Viking Sky off of the coast of Norway.
    The massive ship was facing 20-25 foot swells and winds reaching 50 miles per hour. The captain announced mayday over the sound system and requested that all passengers report to their assigned emergency muster stations and don lifejackets. With the ship taking on water at this point, the water doors were sealed as passengers and crew could only wait for more information and finally rescue.
    As it turned out, the fortunate passengers were those who were assigned to a muster station below the water line rather than those who were above in the restaurant area where the large windows were shattering and the ice cold water was pouring in. During this time, helicopters scrambled to lift passengers to safety one at a time as the weather permitted. Finally, after the storm passed, two tugboats were able to steady the cruise ship while the rest of the passengers were shuttled to a small Norwegian port city nearby.
    But the most amazing part of the entire story is that when asked, passengers had nothing but glowing comments about the crew of the Viking Sky. Words like professional, amazing and dedicated. All of the passengers who have commented publicly or offered interviews have stated that the crew members were always calm and professional while doing anything they could to care for and calm the passengers.
    After the inincident, passengers were given a full refund including their airfare. And this occurred just four days after the incident. Passengers again were amazed by the fast and professional action of the corporate staff in handling the full refunds even though the passengers had enjoyed a full week of their trip before the incident. One passenger summed it up by saying that if you are going to have an incident at sea, be sure that you are on a Viking vessel.
    In a world of corporations making excuses and trying to avoid taking responsibility for issues, Viking is definitely stepping up and showing the character of their corporation and their crew members as they rise to the challenges presented by this accident.
  • Don’t Miss These Great Shore Excursion When Cruising to Aruba

    Don’t Miss These Great Shore Excursion When Cruising to Aruba

    As one of the most beautiful and inviting islands in the Caribbean, it is easy to understand why guests think that going to the beach in Aruba is the only thing to do during a short excursion. But that is far from the truth as Aruba offers many amazing natural wonders.
    Arikok National Park lies on the northeast coast of Aruba and covers over 7,900 acres which is roughly 20% of Aruba. The park offers a wide variety of vegetation and terrain for guests to explore. Hiking is a great way to see a small portion of the park or for a wider view jump on an ATV or in a 4WD and set out to explore the entire park. And don’t miss the Gaudikiriri Caves which descend over 100 feet into the cliffs.
    Animal lovers will enjoy a trip to the donkey sanctuary which has been open since 1997. Currently, there are over 100 donkeys that have been raised from just the 20 original inhabitants. There is no charge to visit the sanctuary but donations are accepted and the donkeys will gladly accept carrots or apples from visitors.
    Diving and snorkeling are also great experiences to enjoy while visiting Aruba. The Antilla is the second largest wreck in the Caribbean. It is a German freighter that sank in April of 1940. It sits at about 60 feet deep and is located off the Malmok Bay near the western coast of Aruba. Snorkelers flock to Baby Beach as the water is very calm and clear.
    Of course, the beaches in Aruba are wonderful and Eagle Beach is the largest beach on the island. It is known for its soft white sand beaches and crystal clear blue water. Eagle Beach is a beach bum’s paradise while Palm Beach is lined with amazing resorts and is definitely the place to go to people watch and enjoy the amenities. In addition, the Butterfly Farm is located just a few minutes from Palm Beach. Guides will teach guests about the life cycle of the butterfly and point out the many varieties that live at the farm.
    When enjoying a Caribbean cruise that stops in Aruba, be sure to take advantage of all that this island has to offer. Not only are there many great areas to explore but there is also a wonderful variety of cuisine thanks to the Dutch, Caribbean, Spanish and Portuguese heritage.
  • Must-Have Items For Your Next Cruise

    Must-Have Items For Your Next Cruise

     

    Most travelers like to pack light and trust that whatever they have forgotten can easily be purchased along the way. But when you are headed out on a cruise, purchasing some of these must-have items could be a challenge or they could cost several times what they would cost if purchased before your trip. Make sure you have all of these little items tucked in your luggage to make your trip more pleasant and far less expensive.

     

    There are not very many outlets in most cabins, so a few plug adaptors can be a lifesaver. It can also be nice to have an extension cord with a multi-plug adaptor as the outlets are not always in great locations. This can be helpful when plugging in a phone or tablet next to the bed or a chair. Also, pack a few small nightlights as your cabin will be very dark at night as will the bathroom. Two small nightlights can save your trip as they will help you to avoid a broken toe when navigating the tight quarters in the dark.

     

    Not very many people think about packing a dry pouch that has a lanyard. Packing a pouch that is large enough for your phone, your keycard, and even a little cash is a good way to avoid carrying a purse or having something in your hands while navigating stairs and damp decks. And a refillable water bottle will also come in handy as you are exploring the ship and all the ports of call. Many ships have water stations where you can refill bottles but buying a plastic bottle of water is often very expensive. And for environmental reasons, many cruise ships are eliminating all single-use plastic items such as bottles of water.

     

    While at sea, you will enjoy a fairly bug-free environment, but if you venture into any ports of call, you are likely to find the bugs are eager to greet you. Insect repellant will be offered on the ship and in some stores but the price is likely to be a great deal more than if you purchased it at home. In addition, you might not find the type or quality of repellant that you would normally select.

     

    Packing a few extra items might seem inconvenient now, but you will be very glad to have them once your cruise is underway.

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