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 Guide to Cruising 2008 New for 2008 Trends at a glance More large resort ships (with low initial cruise rates, but more onboard revenue centres). Multi-generational cruising aboard the large resort ships. Single-parent cruising. Child-free cruising for those who have matured beyond noise and games. Small ship cruising (for those seeking to avoid large resort ships and crowds). In May 2006, Royal Caribbean International’s Freedom of the Seas debuted. Measuring 158,000 tons and accommodating up to 4,370 vacationers, it is presently the world’s biggest cruise ship – bigger even than ocean liner Queen Mary 2 (148,528 tons). But in 2009 a new “largest cruise ship in the world” will arrive. At 220,000 tons, 360 meters (1,181 ft) long and carrying up to 6,400 passengers, Royal Caribbean International’s “Project Genesis” promises to be innovative and exciting – as opposed to quiet and relaxing. In the mid-1970s, Carnival ran advertisements stating “A Big Ship Makes a Big Difference.” Now it’s Royal Caribbean’s turn. Being aboard such a floating leisure playground can be like being in a large shopping mall (still, lots of people love shopping malls). But waiting for an elevator can be frustrating. Or, what if 5,000 passengers all wanted an omelette or room service at the same time? Or if they all went to the same beach? Disembarkation could also be like getting out of a baseball stadium during the World Series.Also, following a fire aboard Star Princess in March 2006, much thinking has gone into dealing with the possibility of serious fires and the mass evacuation and repatriation of cruise goers. Bigger is better in one respect, however: the Caribbean is over-supplied with ships, so cruise prices provide incredible value. One problem is accessing ports with the infrastructure that can support these floating resorts. And one of the benefits of so many large resort ships is that more and more experienced cruise goers will be choosing smaller ships in order to avoid those long lines and the sanitized cruise experience they bring, so companies with mid-size or small ships will surely be able to cater to them. Indeed, customization and personalization will grow markedly. In other words, there’s a ship for everyone. Pay more, get more. Size also means that ships can include more spaces for “privacy” – exclusive areas available to those willing to pay extra. Now you can have your own private box in the show lounge (Royal Court Theatre, Queen Victoria), book a spa suite with all its extra perks (Costa Serena), or a villa with private garden (examples: Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Star). While the ships have grown larger, the facilities available to all have actually shrunk. Cruising aboard the biggies means that exclusivity is available – but at a price. In other words, two-class cruising (in some cases, three-class cruising) is back. In the future, exclusivity may mean having your own private sunbathing space, private tailor-made excursions, and more. But you’ll still have to be with the “lower classes” when you go through security. More brandingSome cruise lines (example: Celebrity Cruises) are renaming their ships so that they all cluster together in alphabetical order (example: Celebrity Century instead of Century). This makes them easier to recognize. Expect more cruise lines to do the same. Most cruise lines have been busy upgrading to “premium” or “better sleep” mattresses and finer quality bed linen so you can sleep better after long, tiring, active days ashore. Onboard “enhancement” items – such as luggage and tote bags, bed linen, personal amenities, wooden deck lounge (steamer) chairs, coffee tables and chairs, ship posters, cruise line memorabilia and collectibles, wine glasses, chocolate, flowers, and even mattresses – can now be purchased online from the major cruise lines (examples: www.carnivalcomfortbed.com; www.shop-hollandamerica.com). But such online shopping only works if you have a credit card registered in the United States, together with a US address for delivery. There’s growth at both ends. More cruise lines are offering short “get-away” cruises for those with little time, and those who want just a “taste” of cruising. And more cruise lines are offering around-the-world cruises for those do have time; around 20 ships offer complete world cruises in 2008, and more ships offer long voyages – a convenient way to escape those winter blues. More lines will offer cruises of at least a month (as well as an increase in the number of around-the-world cruises). Indeed, Phoenix Reisen ingeniously offers many combinations so you can mix and match up to three ships – each operating an around-the-world cruise in 2008; and Cunard Line’s Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Victoria can be combined to make one complete world cruise by changing ships in Sydney.I also expect that more people will choose to live permanently aboard ship after retirement – it saves having to deal with all those troublesome family members, while being looked after in style by people who know what hospitality means Can-do, must-do adventurous excursions ashore are hot, as more “active” types and thrill seekers want to vacation on the edge. Depending on ship, region, and itinerary, you can go crocodile hunting by Zodiac (Amazon, Australia’s Kimberley Region); go diving in the best places (Maldives, Sharm-el-Sheik); go dog sledding on a glacier (Alaska, Greenland); go horseback riding (Jamaica); mountain biking (Alaska, Caribbean, Europe); go drive a race-car (Monaco); go floatplane riding (Alaska, Australia); go heli-hiking (Maui); go jungle canopy “ziplining” (Belize, Costa Rica, Hawaii); go cave tubing and jungle hiking (Belize); go hiking (Juneau icefield, Alaska, or the prehistoric Larsbreen Glacier (Norway); go canoeing amid the icebergs (Alaska), or kayaking (Alaska, Hamburg, Vietnam); go swimming with sharks (Melbourne, Australia); go white-water rafting (Kota Kinabalu); go elephant riding (Phuket, Thailand); go on a MIG jet flight over Moscow; go on an off-road 4x4 adventure (Antigua, Provence); go bicycling (British/ European itineraries), or go swimming in the Lake of the Pregnant Maidens (Langkawi). In addition, cruise lines are beginning to offer other shore excursions for small groups, as well as the traditional “big bus-sightsee-look at churches and museums” city tours. Body pampering spas are among the hottest passenger (revenue) facilities at sea, with more space than ever devoted to them (example: Costa Concordia has 21,000 sq. meters/226,000 sq. ft of spa space). The basic sauna, steam room, and massage facility has evolved into huge spas that include the latest in high-tech centres for muscle exercising, aerobic and weight-training, and relaxation treatments such as: hydrotherapy and thalassotherapy baths, jet blitz, rasul (graduated steam and all-over body mud cleansing), seaweed wraps, hot and cold stone massage, and even acupuncture treatment. Help for the physically challenged Some of the newer large resort ships have much improved facilities for passengers with special needs.
Computers on tap
Wi-fi is in (for your computer or cell phone), and can be found aboard almost all large resort ships. You can send and/or receive emails when aboard your cruise ship – but at a price, because all internet connection is via satellite. Most ships now have internet-connect centres, where you can surf the net for 50–75 cents a minute. Computers link almost all functions aboard the latest ships. Interactive TV systems let you order wine, arrange shore excursions, play casino games, shop, and order pay-per-view movies, all from your cabin.
Propulsion powers ahead While the cruise industry has recently flirted with environmentally-friendly gas turbines, the fuel is too expensive, The favoured drivers are now greener diesel-electric or diesel-mechanical propulsion systems that propel ships at speeds of up to 28 knots (only Cunard Line’s QE2 and QM2, with a top speed of more than 30 knots, are faster). The “pod” system is the new method for propulsion. Briefly, pods, which resemble huge outboard motors, pull, rather than push, a ship through the water, virtually eliminating vibration at the ship’s stern
Changing exteriors Will cruise ships ever look like ships again? No, simply because the “economies of scale” dictate that into the space provided must be squeezed as many bodies as possible – so square is better than round. The indented, cascading (flowing) after-decks of ships such as Artemis, Aurora, Oriana, Noordam, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Star, Oosterdam, Pride of America, SuperStar Virgo, Westerdam and Zuiderdam are stunning as well as practical – some overlook aft pool areas. Other ships take the “block” approach and fill in stern areas with cabins that have an aft-facing view (examples: Carnival Destiny, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Victory), or multilevel dining rooms with huge expanses of glass windows (Celebrity Century, Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Galaxy, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Mercury, Celebrity Millennium, and Celebrity Summit), or other public rooms and facilities.
Interiors Both “retro” and “contemporary” are fashionable as interior designers try to create welcoming interiors reminiscent of Europe’s grand hotels and the ocean liners of yesteryear. Large resort ships have multi-deck-high atriums; amazing high-tech show theatres with revolving stages, hydraulic orchestra pits and huge scenery stowage spaces; internet cafés, and interactive in-cabin television. The largest ships have a large horizontal, rather than a vertical atrium, reminiscent of a city shopping mall, and are trendy (particularly among North Americans). As for contemporary styles, among the most stunning, bold, and graphic interiors are those that are found in the ships of Carnival Cruise Lines. Somehow, lilac neon, fiber optics, mosaics, and multi-colored carpeting go together here just as they would in a Las Vegas hotel (but not in your home). For most non-Americans, however, this “entertainment architecture” spells sensory overload. Ships have become floating art museums, with collections of artwork costing up to $12 million (Voyager of the Seas). Artwork now forms a more integral part of the interior decor than ever before, and particularly so with large resort ships, with ever larger wall spaces to cover.
Dining and service “Alternative” restaurants are hot, particularly aboard the large resort ships, and are ideal for escaping from huge dining halls full of noise and singing, table-dancing waiters. These are typically à la carte restaurants where you must make a reservation, and pay to dine in small, intimate places with superior food, wines, service and ambiance. Some ships, such as those in the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and Star Cruises fleets, have up to 10 different restaurants and eateries, some of which incur an extra charge – just like going out ashore. More ships offer flexible dining and 24-hour casual (get-your-own food) eateries, so you can eat or snack when you want. Although the concept is good, the delivery often is not; it is typically self-service eating, and not the dining and service experience most passengers envisage. And cruise lines should be providing totally “organic” and “wholefood” selections, or even whole menus and specialty restaurants, as the drive towards more healthy dining options, and the desire to be different, continues. Also hot (in culinary-speak) is the fact that several cruise lines have aligned themselves with well-known chefs and brand names ashore in order to provide an “authenticity” to their product, and to produce even more of a “wow” effect, at least in terms of marketing. Berlitz Guide © Apa Publications 2008 |
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Magical Mediterranean 
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