Highlights of 2010's New Cruise Line-Up
June 1, 2010
New ships are making a huge splash in the Caribbean; bigger ships with never-before-seen innovations are redefining the cruise experience. If you are thinking of warm sea breezes for the upcoming Caribbean season, here is a preview from “The Class of 2010,” in order of launch dates.
P&O Azura - April, 2010
Catering to a British and burgeoning American market, this ship should prove to offer a very classic cruise experience in the mid-range market. With the debut of the Azura, the newest offerings enhance P&O's fleet wide classic signature style.
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Solo travelers can rejoice. With eighteen one person cabins and no surcharge, Azura will be the first ship to feature that many single staterooms. Solo passengers can choose from inside or outside cabins, complete with flat screen TV's.
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Catering to ballroom dancing, one of the ship's three ballroom dance floors now features a wooden floor showcased in the Atrium area.
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Azura also can claim title to the cruise industries first upscale alternative dining Indian restaurant, “Sindhu.” Highly acclaimed twice Michelin starred chef Atul Kochar's signature new restaurant features Indian fusion cuisine served in a very chic, ultra-modern setting.
Celebrity Eclipse - April 2010
The latest and third edition to the “Solstice” class of ships offers some creative innovations in the deluxe cruising category.
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Where would you expect to find one of the newest Apple retail stores? On the newly christened Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship, of course. Unique to the Eclipse is the new “i lounge.” Passengers can shop as well as try out all the latest Macs and iPods from a full products Apple store, complete with staff well trained on Apple products.
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A new dining venue, “Qsine” debuts unique to Eclipse. Eclectic, avant-garde dishes such as “Sushi Lollipops” with soy sauce centers and wasabi mousse, Black Angus sirloin tacos, and hamburgers made with Kobe beef aren't the only attraction. The choosing of wine in “Qsine” becomes an interactive experience. An iPod touch lists over 100 wines, offers detailed reviews of the selections and allows guests to order on their personal touch screen.
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A first for Celebrity, Eclipse will be based out of Southampton, England for spring and summer sailings in Europe. In keeping with an increased U.K. presence, all cabins are conveniently equipped with coffee and tea makers.
Seabourn Sojourn - June 2010
“Yacht-like” cruising at its best. From the moment you step on board Seabourn yachts, expect the feeling of being one of the privileged few. The ultra-luxurious Sojourn, soon to launch in Europe, has 225 suites, 90% of which have private verandas. The smallest ship in their lineup at 32,000 tons, Sojourn maintains one of the highest space ratios at sea, yet is still small enough to reach ports larger ships simply cannot.
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Seabourn introduced some innovative changes on the Sojourn from its sister ship, Odyssey.
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Encompassing 114,000 square feet, the Sojourn's 2 story high opulent “Spa at Seabourn” offers a spa experience Aphrodite would have loved. Some of the newest and most innovative features include a “Kneipp Walk” pool. Introduced in the 19th century by Dr. Sebastian Kneipp, this holistic shallow water therapy is designed to improve circulation and soothe pain as you walk through circulating channels of separate warm and cold waters.
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Other new spa amenities include an herbal bath facility, aroma steam baths with salt inhalation and the addition of cushy, cocoon style recliners. The “Spa at Sojourn” will also feature an outdoor cabana-style relaxation area furnished with lounge chairs and sofas.
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At the “Colonnade”, an indoor/outdoor restaurant on the Sojourn, chefs now serve from an open kitchen. With the addition of a multi-course tasting menu, each evening features a different theme.
Check back soon for more highlights of 2010's latest launches.
New Cruise Ship Reviews
May 17, 2010
2010 is looking to be the year of setting records in the cruise industry. Each of the world's top cruise lines will inaugurate at least one ship by year's end; it will also be a record setting year for more “tonnage” debuting than ever before.
The stunning array of new Caribbean ships come in all sizes, from intimate yachts to virtual “floating cities at sea.” Passenger capacities range from 450 travelers on Seabourn's luxury yacht Seabourn Sojourn, to a mere 5,400 guests on Royal Caribbean's newest mega ship, Allure of the Seas.
The selections are dazzling with innovations bigger and bolder than ever. Here are just a few of the sample offerings:
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- The world's first'Ice' bar at sea
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- A sports bar complete with a three lane bowling alley
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- The first specialty restaurant for upscale Indian cuisine to indulge your cravings while at sea.
For more details, be sure to see my spotlight on these never-before-seen features coming up next time.
The following lists the eagerly anticipated new ships sailing the Caribbean:
|
Line |
Ship |
Inaugural Date |
Tonnage |
Passenger Capacity |
|
P&O |
Azure |
April 2010 |
116000 |
3100 |
|
Celebrity |
Celebrity Eclipse |
April 2010 |
122000 |
2850 |
|
Seabourn |
Seabourn Sojourn |
June 2010 |
32000 |
450 |
|
NCL |
Norwegian Epic |
June 2010 |
150000 |
4200 |
|
Holland America |
Nieuw Amsterdam |
July 2010 |
86000 |
2104 |
|
Cunard |
Queen Elizabeth |
October 2010 |
92000 |
2092 |
|
Royal Caribbean |
Allure of the Seas |
November 2010 |
225282 |
5400 |
Princess Crews Shine
April 21, 2010
In spite of how the Ruby Princess shined, there were still some frustrations. What still doesn't work to the satisfaction of many passengers is the “Anytime Dining” reservation system. “Anytime Dining” runs from 5:30 to 10:00 pm in two separate dining rooms. Walking in at 6:30 pm or 8:30 pm poses no problems, but the peak hours between 7:00 and 8:00 pm brings long lines. Groups of six or more would definitely want to consider fixed dining arrangements at time of booking. To their credit, Princess has streamlined this to some degree; for instance, tables for two at 6:30 pm were surprisingly accessible. Accommodating those passengers “dining au deux,” even on formal nights, seemed far easier than on prior sailings.
Another food service that was somewhat of a disappointment was the lunch buffet at Horizon Court. Apart from always being able to count on a meat carving and pasta dishes, the other hot dishes seemed very uninspired. The Pizzeria, however, was deservedly ranked the best at sea, and more than made up for any lapses at the Buffet.
Lunch in the Main Dining Room, in contrast to Horizon Court, was good to excellent. An outstanding example I discovered was embarkation day lunch. Serving to 1:30 pm in the Da Vinci Dining Room most sailings, this option is subject to change (check your “Welcome Aboard” schedule).
What stood out above all else on the Ruby Princess was the crew and the unique warmth of the service. For a mainstream cruise line, Princess absolutely deserves its reputation for good service and a personable crew. Addressing this subject in a discussion with the ship's Hotel Director, I learned a couple of the success strategies. On the Ruby Princess, the'team' is kept together as opposed to rotating the crew on ships within the fleet. In addition, for this ship “there was an effort made in bringing people back who worked on and launched the ship; those people working are proud of the ship and the product.”
Princess Cruises has obviously not been idle. The new features are subtle, but combined make for an upgraded cruise experience.
My conclusion?
Princess makes an attractive option at prices that are some of the most reasonable for the mainstream market.
Princess Cruises Raises the Bar
April 13, 2010
Can a seasoned Princess cruiser experience a whole new level of service on board? You bet! For me, it happened on the New Years sailing of the Ruby Princess, newest in the Grand Class "Crown" series ships in the fleet.
Having sailed on both the Crown and the Emerald Princess, sister ships to the Ruby, I found myself in very familiar surroundings. Though I was excited to board Princess' newest ship, inaugural November 2008, I was not expecting much change in the classic Princess experience.
The Ruby turned out to be my most impressive Princess cruise experience to date. Behind the scenes, Princess had quietly been making a host of subtle new improvements.
My discoveries began in the Atrium, an expansive area spanning decks seven to five. The Atrium area is really the heart of the ship, resembling an Italian Piazza complete with sidewalk cafés. Flanked by sparkling elevators, a set of three glamorous, sweeping staircases lead down to the Piazza. This area serves as the best people-watching spot.
At the popular International Café in the Atrium is where I began to notice some changes. Both a bar and food venue, the Café serves specialty coffees and an array of breakfast pastries from 6:00 am to 11:00 am. Perfectly layered parfaits of fruit yogurt and granola caught my eye, as well as choices of egg sandwiches, new breakfast menu items that had just been introduced. My personal favorites were the fresh baked almond and chocolate croissants. Yum! That afternoon I learned that all daytime and evening selections at this eatery were complimentary (a new perk), while the offerings, particularly the pastries and desserts, had gotten more extensive. The only exception to this was the homemade Italian gelato, which was $1.50 for 3 large scoops and toppings – a worthy bargain, in my opinion.
Crossing the Piazza to visit Vines Wine & Seafood Bar, I discovered that Vines now featured a daily tapas selection in addition to made-to-order sushi, all complimentary with or without the purchase of wine. New also, was a wide selection of artisan cheeses. For a nominal fee, I indulged in an excellent cheese plate with all the appropriate accompaniments. Vines is open from 11:00 am to11:00 pm on sea days, and 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm on port days.
Though the Piazza area had always been a popular gathering spot for passengers, Princess raised the bar even higher on this ship with live street entertainment throughout the day and into the early evening. There was always something going on, with entertainment including comedic jugglers, acapella groups, pianists, string quartets, singers, and even contortionists. Passengers spontaneously queued up along the railings overlooking the three story atrium to catch day and evening performances.
Only my first full day and I was more than pleasantly surprised; kudos to Princess.
Yet, the Ruby still had a few more subtle revelations for me. In meeting with Ruby Princess' Hotel Director (more on our discussion next time), I was filled in on more enhancements:
-Arriving back from shore, passengers are now greeted with chilled moist face cloths. A nice touch, especially in tropical ports.
-Ice cream on Deck 15 adjacent to the Pizzeria, was now complimentary on all Grand Class ships.
-Lemonade was also now available and complimentary in Horizon Court.
-A separate area of Purser's desk had been made available for suite and elite level passengers.
-Wireless Internet access was now available in all cabins.
-Exclusive breakfasts were available for suite passengers in Sabatini's, complete with complimentary Mimosa.
-Complimentary hors d'oeuvres and nightly drink specials on select evenings in Skywalkers Lounge now offered to Princess Elite passengers.
-Some lounges now served complimentary evening canapés.
A lot of great additions to an already wonderful cruise line. Stay tuned for more about my recent trip aboard Ruby.
Cruise information from a veteran of nearly 90 cruises
March 31, 2010
Welcome everyone, to the inaugural entry of the Caribbean Guide's newest addition, “Cruise News and Views.” I will strive to keep you up-to-date on the latest cruising information, as well as teach you the tips and tricks every first time cruiser should know.
I would like to start this blog by telling you a little about myself. My name is Pamela Szczesny, Cruise Editor for Segisys. As a veteran of nearly 90 cruises, I have traveled almost worldwide aboard a variety of vessels; from transatlantic ocean liners to sailing ships. Since 1982, my cruising experience has taken me on just about every mainstream cruise line, from budget to 5+ star luxury lines.
In between cruises, I research and write about the topic that has captivated me for 28 years. My husband (a fellow cruise fanatic) and I reside in Tallahassee, Florida, with our two land-lubbing German Shepherds, Jack and Rose.
"Cruise News'n Views" is your on-line resource for unbiased cruise news and my personal cruise reviews and travel insights. I will be bringing you impartial information, as well as insightful details on Caribbean cruise topics and ports. Occasionally, you will also find detailed reviews of individual ships. These reviews will be based upon my own personal observation and research conducted while on board each ship.
With the wealth of inaugural ships setting sail each year, and new ship builds soon to be introduced, the choices for cruising have never been more exciting or overwhelming. I will work to keep you well informed on the goings-on of the cruising world.
Continue to follow me as I traverse the world's oceans and share with you the details of my trips. My experiences are sure to help you in planning your future cruises, and give you the opportunity to take a break from your busy every-day life for a moment of vicarious vacationing.
Bon Voyage!
PS – While you await my next blog post, take a moment to read Pros and Cons of Caribbean Cruising. This guide will help you to determine if embarking on a Caribbean cruise is right for you.
