The Circus

William Lund asked:


The ship from our best cruise prices experiment is in good shape and obviously well maintained.  As is usual on a ship there were people cleaning constantly.  In reading these boards I was actually expecting a much “gaudier” décor than we found.  It is lively and colorful, but all in all I think it works. The traffic patterns were all good and we found it easy to get around.

Demographics – There are very few children on board this week.  They did have Halloween activities for them, but we seldom saw most of them.  In general, this was a much older group than I was expecting with a great many seniors and it did appear to us that most of the passengers were in the 40 – 60 age range.

Our stateroom was fantastic and so was the cabin steward.

Best cruise prices or not, I do not think we have ever had a better cabin steward than Wayan!! He not only put up with all our decorating and antics, (we had a few Cruise Critic party’s) he was happy to help with the pranks and to join in the fun.  Our stateroom was always immaculate and we never had a request that was not fulfilled immediately.

 We loved this stateroom. Again, aft cabins are not for everyone and in fact, one member of our group said he never used his balcony because it was too noisy. I have read differences in opinion on the configuration of the aft wrap cabins on the spirit class ship because it is really cut into a living area, the bathroom/dressing area and the bedroom.  We found this to be a great configuration and enjoyed it immensely. The mattresses rival the ones on HAL and I hope Carnival gets on the stick and makes the change on Princess too.  They were very comfortable. You wouldn’t know it was a cheap cruise by the stateroom we had.

The food on the ship was hit-and-miss

Cruise Ship Food – This is probably the single most subjective area on reviews of a cruise.  As with every cruise, we found some things we loved and some things that were just awful.  We enjoyed the Nouveau Supper Club and will be going for the second time tonight. The dining room was really a hit and miss affair. Some wonderful dishes (the lobster was as good as any I have ever had at sea) and some not so good ones (most of the beef dishes.)

I will state right here and now that I am in the very small percentage of people that did not like the chocolate melting cake, again personal preferences.  The Buffet was identical and limited every morning for breakfast. (We were never up early enough to make it to the dining room)  The lunch was varied and had some good things and some not so great but again it is easy to pick and choose at a buffet.  We liked the pizza and the hamburgers and the pasta.  We enjoyed having soft serve ice cream available.

We found the service less than ideal

Service and Staff – This is where we hit the real problem areas. We never saw the CD out and around on deck.  He was at some games and some trivia etc, but as far as meeting and greeting passengers, none of us saw him.  Our waiter was arrogant and uninterested although his assistant was wonderful.  On Halloween, the CD said in an announcement if you didn’t bring a costume just grab a sheet or make something up.  So one couple in our group did just that. They fashioned togas, the gentleman’s shoulder was bare but the wife’s was not.  The Maitre De refused to allow him in the dining room. What was up with that??  When all was said and done, the only people that we felt deserved extra tips were our steward and assistant and the dining room assistant.  That has never happened to us before.

The best cruise prices but not the best communication

Communication – The order and some of the hours of the itinerary was changed.  Apparently some people got flyers about this at embarkation, but most did not.  No general announcement was made and the only place we ever saw it in writing was the reservation for shore excursion form. How simple would it have been to include a piece of paper with the first capers??  Also, I can actually read my own capers, I found it annoying that the CD read the whole thing over the loudspeaker each day.

We didn’t go to the entertainment.  We did have a ball at the Piano Bar with Steve, and I saw the question about whether he would still be here in January, I will be there tonight and get an answer. If I see the CD I will ask him too, but I am not holding out much hope.

Embarkation was a mess, but it was people being humans.

Embarkation was a mess, but that was a fluke.  It would, however, have been much smoother if so many passengers had not insisted on bringing their luggage on board with them and completely clogging the passageways to the gangway while waiting for their zones to be called.  The flip side of that, we got our luggage much quicker than expected, I am not sure they had much to deliver.

The cruise in general…

I don’t remember reading a few things that surprised me on these boards so I will mention them here.  We had two sign and sail cards with different numbers on the same credit card.  Every charge that my husband made was on his folio on the TV and also on my folio so it looked like it was charged twice.  This caused many passengers to crowd the pursers desk for an explanation the first couple of days.  Also, the pursers desk does allow a check to be cashed for $5.50 / $100.00.  So if you wanted $400.00 it would cost you $22.00. Not the best cruise prices.

Overall – We have enjoyed ourselves.  Our group from cruise critics, many of whom have sailed together before had a ball with all our goings on and antics.  Would I cruise Carnival again?  Yes, if this group decided that that would be next years cruise.  I would pick a different line for my husband and myself because we did find some of the things that we value most in cruising to be lacking.



JOSUE

Fred Tutwiler asked:


Most people who book a cruise for the first time (92%) will make their selection based on when they can go and how long they can stay. The second most important factor will be how much it costs. Everything else is dependant on those two items. In 2006, there were 112 different cruise ships operating out of U.S ports transporting about 10 million passengers on some 4,500 cruises. 70% of those 10 million people went to destinations in the Caribbean, and four cruise lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Celebrity- The Big Four) accounted for about 3/4 of passengers.

If you fall into that broad category, your choices will be fewer, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for something you don’t want. But simply asking “What’s the best ship (or cruise line)?” is kind of like asking “What’s the best beer?”, or “What’s the prettiest color?” The very things that one cruiser likes about a cruise are the things that other cruisers vigorously dislike. The good news is that whatever you do like, there is somebody out there doing a bang-up job providing it.

Generally speaking, the Big Four specialize in the “more-is-better” approach to cruising, while smaller cruise lines focus on more specific areas, such as 5-star quality, small intimate ships, enrichment, etc. Here are some factors you can consider when choosing your cruise.

Size of the Ship.

Here some general observations one can make regarding the size of the ship.

What the passengers are there for.

The bigger the ship, the greater the attention paid to make sure that the ship-board experience is as unforgettable as possible. This translates into activities, distractions and a festive, socially liberal, fun-and-games atmosphere. If that annoys you, these big ships may rub you the wrong way.

How many people you’ll be traveling with.

The bigger the ship, the more people there will be on it (duh). Generally speaking, families, singles and singles traveling in groups will prefer the non-stop beat of the large ships. On the other hand, if you prefer quiet and don’t like the crush of crowds at poolside or in the dining room, you’ll have much better luck in the smaller ships, especially the ones that hold fewer than 1200 passengers.

The types of ports you will visit.

Big ships go to big ports. Certain ports, such as Roatan, Honduras or Vera Cruz, Mexico, are only available to smaller ships. Sometimes those ports are the very thing that makes the cruise quite special. If the ports of call are at the top of your list of reasons to take a cruise, consider booking passage on smaller ships that have extended itineraries.

Age of the Ship

“Old” is a relative term in the cruise industry, meaning ships that were launched around 1990 or before (15+ years a go). Many of these ships were state-of-the-art at the time and trumpeted the absolute best cruising had to offer. But in the last 15 years, cruise ships have gotten bigger and more extravagant in ways that were unimaginable two decades ago.

Older ships are not bad, just different. Many are less efficiently designed and have more traditional layouts. Some of the extras and amenities that are common on the newer ships, like internet in your cabin, themed alternative dining restaurants, wave pools and ice rinks don’t usually exist on the older ships. Cabins are smaller, critical traffic areas (such as elevator lobbies and disembarkation lines) are congested and shops can be pretty cramped. Some passengers (not all) notice stale odors or complain that the ventilation systems in the cabins are cranky.

On the flip side, many of the older ships have been up-fitted and remolded in the last few years, and so are fine cruising vessels. They are primarily used on the shorter cruises (3-5 days) and generally charge lower fares. Take into the account the value of the cruise experience. Maybe the older ships aren’t as fresh and perfect as the newer ones, but the value they offer – what you get for what you pay - can be outstanding.

Design of the Ship

Whether it’s accomplished with an extreme makeover or during the building stage, cruise ships place a premium on the design. Some are designed for luxury, some for fun, some try to strike a middle ground. Ships are often given “star” ratings similar to those given to hotels. Some ships are 5-star, such as Holland America. Others are 4-star, such as Carnival or Royal Caribbean. Keep in mind, if you want 5-star, take a cruise on a 5-star ship. Don’t take a cruise on a 3- or 4-star ship and then be unhappy because it’s not top quality. A good source available on the internet, is the “Galaxsea.com” Cruise Ratings site (http://www.galaxsea.com/ratings.html).

I also highly recommended the various message boards that populate the internet. Such sites as Cruisecritic.com or Cruisemates.com are an excellent way to see what other people say about the ship and the itinerary you are considering. You can browse the hundreds of posts by people who have been there, and you can ask specific questions of people who take cruising very seriously.

Type of Entertainment

Whether it’s the combo that plays at poolside, the bands that perform in the clubs or the glitzy production numbers that grace the theatres, cruise ships put a lot of thought and a ton of money into presenting entertainment. Pick the right entertainment environment and you’ll spend sun-drenched days in blissful happiness. Pick the wrong one, and you’ll feel like you’re surrounded by a bunch of people scratching their fingernails on a chalkboard.

Entertainment isn’t just about the lounge/club/party scene. It’s also about cooking classes, lectures, watching a movie, wine tasting, the casino, getting your golf swing computer analyzed, karaoke, bingo, “game-show” games or touring the galley. You can get a good feel for the type of entertainment and activities a ship offers by going online and checking out the ships on-board newsletter. It lists EVERYTHING happening on the ship. Each cruise line’s website will have a sample version of their newsletter. If your travel agent is any good at all, they will have copies from a variety of cruises they have taken.

Dining

For many people, a cruise is all about the food. If you’re one of them, you’ll want to learn what your prospective ship has to offer.

Main Dining (aka Formal Dining). All cruise ships have at least one Main Dining venue and many ships have more than one. The main dining room is the embodiment of luxury and service on your ship and they all work hard to offer classy selections. It’s an opportunity to try food and preparation styles that you would never experience otherwise. The main dining rooms will also open for breakfast and lunch. There is no assigned seating for these meals, but you still get great service and the menu selections are very good.

Many ships now offer alternative restaurants that require reservations and/or a surcharge in which you can choose from restaurants that specialize in French cuisine, seafood, or any number of other themes. There is a $5 - $15 surcharge for each person, but for people that like the choice, it’s well worth the money. This option usually isn’t available on ships built before 1990, because the idea wasn’t popular enough to include the extra space needed.

Alternative Dining. In addition to the main dining room, all ships have a variety of interesting food options. Each has their own version of buffet lines that operate through-out the day, and naturally, some are better than others. New York style delis, pizza and sushi bars, and the always popular poolside grills are but a few of the ideas that are employed. Most ships now also provide coffee shops, bakeries and ice cream counters which usually cost extra. Room service is available 24-hours a day (no charge), with pastries and fruit in the mornings and sandwiches and pizza the rest of the day and night.

Available Services

Child Care and Youth Programs. Cruise lines understand that the people paying the tab need to have a good time if they are going to come back again. And the way that you make sure parents have a good time is to make sure the kids they are traveling with have a good time.

If you are planning a family cruise, you’ll want to travel on a ship that provides the best environment for the youngsters in your group. On the other hand, if you don’t want to have your space invaded by youngsters, you’ll want to stay away from cruise ships that make their youth programs a priority (such as Disney). Programs are set up to provide age appropriate activities and are usually free of charge. There will be an orientation about the youth programs on the first day of your cruise so you can get all the information you need, as well as meet the people who will be overseeing your kids.

Almost all ships provide in-cabin baby-sitting services for an extra fee. When provided, these services require you to pay cash directly to the sitter, rather than place the charge on your ship-board account.

Educational/Enrichment Programs. Alongside the more traditional programs like yoga, nutrition counseling and towel folding, some ships now offer programs on gourmet cooking, wine tasting, art education, digital photography, computers, flower arranging, ceramics and much more. Most are offered at no extra charge. The availability of programs increases the longer the cruise. Shorter cruises usually only have a single day at sea, which is the most popular time to offer these classes. Some cruise lines place as high a premium on enrichment programs as other cruise lines place on partying and fun.

Spa Facilities. Across the board, most ships consider a good spa and gym to be essential. Most cruise lines outsource their spa operation to Steiner Leisure Ltd. of London, England, who operate the spas on over one hundred cruise ships, including all of the spas on Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Disney ships. In all probability, no matter which ship you select, you’ll have a quality menu of options and a good spa.

Gymnasium/Fitness Center. While you can generally count on a consistent level of quality and service in the spas, unfortunately the same can’t always be said of the gyms. Some are absolutely spectacular. Others are little more than a closet with treadmills. The newer ships will have very nice gyms regardless of the cruise line. The older ships, i.e., those built before 1990, may or may not, depending on whether the ship has been recently refit. Exercise equipment usually includes treadmills, stationery bikes, weights and cardio machines and most come staffed with one or two Fitness Directors. Fitness centers usually include men’s and women’s locker rooms, whirlpools, saunas and steam baths.

Internet. Most ships have some kind of internet access, but it is a relatively new technology as far as passenger services go. On the newer ships, there is access all over the ship, even in many cabins. But the older vessels have more limited access. “Internet Cafes” are as common as casinos. Cruise lines are working hard to implement ship-wide wireless internet access and they are definitely getting there. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to check your e-mail at poolside. In some cases, wireless access is limited to one or two locations. If you do bring your laptop, finding electrical outlets on the ship can be REALLY hard. Make sure your battery is charged. Laptops and wireless cards can be rented on board.

Cabin Size and Options

There are basically four options for cabins; inside, ocean view, suite or balcony (some ships call it “verandah”).

Inside: The least expensive cabin aboard. The size of cabins can vary greatly from one ship to another. RCCL Sovereign-class ships are ridiculously small (119 square feet), whereas a similarly priced cabin on Carnival is about 50% larger (187 square feet).

Outside: Usually an identical layout to the inside cabins, but has a window or portal. The difference in price between a standard inside cabin and an ocean view cabin ranges from $10 - $40 per night (NOT per cruise) depending on the ship and the time of year. In almost all cases, outside cabins, whether or not they have balconies, are larger, sometimes by as much as 15%. If your outside cabin is on one of the decks that has an exterior deck, you won’t necessarily see much ocean and you’ll have to deal with people walking outside your window all day.

Balcony. Before 1990, balconies were not considered important, and so most ships built during that time either didn’t have any at all or have only a few. For all of the newer ships, i.e. those built after 1995, balconies are plentiful. A balcony will add $20 - $30 per night to the cost of an outside cabin, which usually works out to about twice as much as the cost of an inside cabin. For a 3-day cruise, given the short amount of time you’ll spend in your cabin, a balcony may not be worth double the cost.

Suite. Actually, “suite” is a pretty generous description, since what you’re actually getting is an extra large cabin (about twice the size of your standard cabin and 3 – 4 times the cost). There are some suites that provide separate sleeping quarters and private hot tubs on the balcony but these are very limited and very expensive (5 – 10 times as expensive as an inside cabin). Most suites are a larger, and usually better furnished, version of a standard cabin.

When considering cabin options, think about how many people will be sharing it and much time you’ll be using it. The longer the cruise, the more important size and balconies become. Location of the cabin also determines desirability (and cost). For example, lower cabins sometimes pick up engine noise or the sound of the anchor dropping, but they do tend to be more stable in rough seas. Cabins located close to the action near the middle of the ship are convenient, but may also be in high traffic areas which translates into noise in the halllway outside your cabin.

Itinerary

Caribbean cruises are broken down into 3 broad regions – Western Caribbean (Cozumel or Playa del Carmen, Mexico; Grand Cayman; Key West, FL; the Dominican Republic; Jamaica; Belize; or Costa Rica), Eastern Caribbean (Bahamas, St. Thomas, St. John, Puerto Rico, or Turks & Caicos) and Southern Caribbean (Aruba, Martinique, Barbados or St. Thomas).

Western Caribbean cruises tend to include more sea days because the destinations are so far apart and the distance one must travel across the Gulf of Mexico is so long. If you take one of these, make sure you choose a ship you’re going to like because you’ll be spending a lot of time on it.

Eastern and Southern Caribbean cruises usually include more ports of call (the islands are right next to each other) and therefore offer a wider variety of venues. That doesn’t mean you’ll have a wider variety of activities. The basic offerings from port to port will generally be the same type of activity, just different scenery.

Some things you’ll want to consider in addition to where you are going:

How long will you be there? Ships that are in port for only part of a day only allow enough time for one shore excursion and may not leave time for shopping or bar hopping. Ships that stay in port overnight, or at least until midnight allow for more diversity of activities in port.

When do you arrive/leave? This can matter, for example, if you want to do a sunset dinner cruise, but the ship pulls out sundown. Likewise, if you’ve booked a shore excursion on your own that requires a pick-up time at 9:30 am, but your ship doesn’t dock until noon, you’ll lose your money.

How do you get ashore? Sometimes the cruise ships tie up at a pier and you just head down to the gangway and walk ashore. Other times the ship has to anchor away from the dock and deliver people ashore via tenders, which means there will be a bottle neck getting on and off the ship. This can be a major pain, especially if the ship is one of the super liners that has to disgorge 3,000+ passengers. Also, the roughness of the wind and water can hamper tender activities and can even cause the ship to decide to not stay in the port.

In Summary

For many cruisers, you won’t really care about all of these factors. No problema. Just pay attention to the ones that are important to you. Whether you are booking through a travel agent or directly with the cruise line, ask about the issues that are important to you and make sure you check out the online reviews and message boards to get objective info.

HAPPY CRUISING!



DONOVAN

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


Are you tired of working eight hours a day, seven days a week? Are you getting bored of your everyday routine and want something new to satisfy your craving for adventure?

Then perhaps, all you need is a three-day or even a week worth of vacation in a Carnival Cruise. This trip is an ideal way to treat yourself, even for a few days. While on the trip, you do not need to worry too much about paying additional charges for your meals, amusement and other special activities. All you just have to do is to relax and charge everything to the ship.

While on the ship, you will also experience being pampered by the staff since they will give you soothing massage services, sauna baths in spas, hair treatment and other beauty care services. All of these are available in one location; you just have to walk to each shop to get the services.

Carnival cruise is regarded as one of the most famous cruise lines in the world. Most of the travelers waiting to reach their destinations simply eat, dream and dance the day and night away.

Carnival cruises are popular to first time travelers, from children to teenagers, from young singles to the older singles, from couples to adults. The best things to experience at the Carnival cruise includes informal dinner at the Sea View Bistro, a suitable 24-hour pizza restaurant, the Captain’s party, fine dining, and the room services which are available 24 hours a day.

Not only that, you will also get the chance watch movies everyday, play at the Las Vegas style casinos, swim at onboard pools, shop at the duty free shopping and join parties every now and then.

Carnival cruise is an entertainment oriented cruise ship for all traveling singles, couples and families, it brings many travelers from all ages, and lifestyles on the ship is comparable to any other cruise line available. You will also be given the chance to enjoy a sumptuous evening in cafes and restaurants onboard such as the Paris Lounge, Café des Artistes, and the casino of Monte Carlo.

Carnival cruise also offers complete comfort with large spaces and calming accommodations inside one of their staterooms. The cabins and rooms are fully carpeted with cabinets and amenities like sink, bathtubs, and showers. Each room also has a color television. You will find all the amenities you will find in the comforts of your own home in a Carnival cruise liner cabin.

The rooms of Carnival cruise are 50 percent bigger than other average cruise lines wherein you can have a hundred percent private space.

If there are instances that you are not contented with the services offered by Carnival cruises, you can inform the cruise liner about this. The cruise will be willing to compensate for the unused part of your cruise charges and will reimburse your return flight fare.

Now, how will you be able to get the lowest rate in the carnival Cruise?

Simply get a cruise expert.

With the help of a cruise expert, you will be able to remove or at least minimize all the doubts and hesitations when employing a travel agent. Since the expert knows on how cruise lines work, they will know the best date to have a vacation on a specific place. Cruise experts are also knowledgeable about the cruise promotions, cruise information and cruise destinations.

When looking for a cruise expert, meet them face to face if possible. This is one way to make sure that the expert you are employing has already been in a cruise and knows exactly what you want to know. In addition, when choosing the right cruise expert, be sure that the expert will guide you on the whole booking procedure.

To make sure that the expert will not deceive you, call the cruise line then make a comparison on how he or she hascharged you to the actual rate that the cruise line is giving. Just make sure that the rate is already covering all port charges and taxes.

For most cruise vacationers, it does not matter how much it will cost them to have the cruise vacation. However, for some, it really is important to save money. So, if you are one of those people, you now know what to do to lessen your expenses.



MARCUS

Thomas Desimone asked:


If you want an extraordinary vacation it is hard to match the excitement and glamour you will find aboard Carnival Cruises. The company is known for the most exciting cruise vacations and exotic locales around the world. With its incorporation of other cruise lines such as a Holland America, Princess and Cunard, they have now become the largest cruise operator in the industry.

The most famous tagline of Carnival Cruises that makes them memorable to everyone is that they have advertised their cruise services as The Fun Ships and this applies to everyone who boards their ships whether they are children, adults were senior citizens. The distinctive markings on their ships are the tricolored funnels a that are built to resemble the back fin of a whale. But the activity that takes place on the ship is what really has earned them the entertainment crown of cruising.

Offering Las Vegas style entertainment and luxurious decor along with fabulous food are the trademarks that have made them the most successful in the industry.

And where would you like to go on your cruise. Carnival Cruises offers a fabulous itinerary to ports of call all over the world and can take you on an adventure of a lifetime.

The company began in 1972 and 36 years later they boast of fleet of cruise ships that is extremely impressive with a skilled staff of professional hospitality providers.

Although the most popular destinations for Carnival Cruise Lines are the Caribbean islands; Aruba, Barbados and San Juan to name a few,these are not the only tropical places that you can enjoy. There are also the Mediterranean islands of Greece, Cyprus as well as the coastal areas of Turkey which offer fabulous shopping in their exotic ports of call. Closer to home you can enjoy a leisurely cruise to Mexico and the Bahamas. In addition, they have added cruises to Alaska and Hawaii to their roster in 2007.

But most of the time will not be spent in ports of call and Carnival cruises are famous for providing their guests with a range of activities and amenities that would rival a first-class five-star hotel.

Passengers have their choice of two swimming pools, casinos and lavish dining and dancing areas with live entertainment. For most people beside the glittering casinos is that cuisine that is provided on such an abundance scale that guests find most memorable.

One of the latest innovations that the cruise line has adopted is to have four dinner seatings instead of only two. Passengers aboard cruises in 2008 will find restaurants that provide a special type of cuisine in addition to the regular fare at no additional cost. And for those who have a weakness for sweets some of Carnival Cruise lines will include a patisserie.

The best way to plan the perfect Carnival Cruise for yourselves is to first decide which amenities you would prefer to have as you travel to your destination.

Not every feature is available on every cruise ship and they also vary depending upon the class of passage you book.



BRUCE

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


ld be one exciting and a trembling feeling. People might think about various myths and misconceptions. These false beliefs might turn fun as one horrible thing to do. As a piece of advice, it’s very much vital for clearing most uncertainties and also the worries before cruising. It’s important for a cruiser to get the cruise’s basic goals.

Carnival cruises are safe, so if you are thinking about the” king of the world” film, do not worry, such innovations were made in the past 8 decades.

After selecting a Carnival cruise vacation spot, the next thing for doing is to get options for amenities. Before that, departures must also be seen. It’s a very good idea to check all the reservation procedure first.

Here are very basics steps for making one Carnival cruise very much enjoyable.

• The first thing for doing is booking the cruise schedule. These details should be printed very clearly, like the departure date, port place, time, duration of cruise, and the members.

• Another very important consideration will be the vacation starting day. Is it correct for you? Will it give the best choices for having one great vacation for you? Is it peak season or off-season?

• For avoiding hassles, enter the terminal’s building in the good decorum and procedure. Then, proceed for the x-ray machine, metal detector etc. Let a security officer check our luggage. Then the security officer would release one clearance certificate. By performing this activity, the port management would not inspect your luggage anymore.

• Be ready in advance for the very important documents chosen for cruising. These documents must be filled, before itself by some important information. Also prepare a “shipboard id card”. This card would be very much important. It would serve as a passport inside our cruise.

•arrival time on the cruise is a very important aspect as well. The earlier is the arrival time, the better it would be. Make sure for keeping it properly about the number and letter given by some port authority. Ask for the designated rooms for the accommodations.

• Always check the insurance while boarding. Remember that it’s the very best key for protecting yourself.

• If the ship is set, check all the rooms and also other facilities. The rooms should be very much clean, maintained and should have a good atmosphere. Look out for one comfortable room, which would, fit you.

• Analyse the fine print. Make sure to understand those things which are possible. Check out the carnival cruise’s price. Never neglect the port charges other taxes.

After seeing all these things, the very next thing for doing is to enjoy our trip. Many carnival cruise lines would offer great collection of these cruise line drinks.



CLAYTON

Lars Rohde asked:


Are you ready for a vacation? Do you need someplace to go where you can relax and get away form everything? Then consider a Bermuda Carnival Cruise getaway. These vacations are filled with excitement and enough adventure to keep you satisfied for a long time to come. The cruise itself will definitely be like a dream come true. Everything will be taken care of for you so that you will have the opportunity to sit back and relax and only do the things that make you happy. Then after an exciting cruise you reach Bermuda and all its beauty. If you have never had the pleasure of seeing Bermuda before, be prepared to be swept away from all the amazing things it has to offer.

A Bermuda Carnival Cruise getaway offers their guest some of the finest spas in the world. What better way to relieve all the tension that you have been dealing with for so long. Spas will help both your body and your mind to be calm and feel refreshed, a feeling that don’t come around very often. Everyone needs a chance to regroup and have a new start. It gives you a new look on life. A Carnival cruise gives their guest a lot of activities to choose from. They have exciting casinos that can make you feel like you are in Las Vegas.

A Bermuda Carnival Cruise getaway has something for everyone. If the options mentioned above are not your style perhaps you will feel more relaxed by just sitting back and enjoying the entertainment that is provided for you. Everyone enjoys fine dinning and the carnival cruise has some of the most famous options around. These are just some of the things you can expect on the ship and then you reach Bermuda. Here you can see some gorgeous mountains and memorizing beaches with pink sand. This is something that you don’t get to experience everyday. They offer the guest bike rides and many other attractions such as, scuba driving, snorkeling and boat rides.

A Bermuda Carnival Cruise getaway is certainly one of the most fascinating vacations you will ever enjoy. It offers first-rate golf courses and wonderful historical sites to provide a little something for everyone. You can buy gifts or souvenirs from the local shops and eat in some of the finest restaurants. After spending a romantic day on the beach, prepare to enjoy a great nightlife that is sure to be filled with much excitement. A Bermuda Carnival Cruise is defiantly one that you will remember for the rest of your life.



ROMAN

Genna Roberts asked:


The UK cruise industry has taken the best part of 50 years to reach the 1 million passenger mark, but now, with such strong growth, it has been predicted that it will take just 8 years to hit 2 million.

This is just one of the fascinating revelations published in the 2008 Cruise Report which was compiled by the Carnival UK Group earlier this month. The report summarized current cruise trends as well as forecasting market predictions up to the year 2020.

Interestingly, the report suggested that the future of cruising this side of the Atlantic is looking good, with the majority of the 44 new ships set to be built in the next 5 years sailing for European brands. With an estimated 5 million UK passengers by 2020, this will be a much needed capacity increase.

These figures show great confidence in the UK cruise market and is good news for the Carnival Group who somewhat monopolize the market with ownership of P&O Cruises, Ocean Village, Cunard, Yachts of Seabourn and Princess Cruises.

Carnival UK Group – 2007 Figures

• 2007 saw an impressive 18% increase of UK passengers choosing to sail with Princess Cruises, thus partly due to an extended season of Southampton departures onboard the popular Sea Princess, along with the deployment of an additional 2 ships to serve Europe.

• Ocean Village continued their success in attracting informal cruisers, as well as maintaining their impressive first time cruiser rate, with around 50% of their passengers fitting into this category.

• P&O Cruises passenger figures mirrored those from 2006, but they did confirm heavy interest in their new build – the Ventura - sailing this year, which is set to increase capacity for P&O by 22%.

• Cunard saw high demand from UK passengers most notably on their transatlantic crossings on the Queen Mary 2, with North American passengers being outnumbered by Brits.

• Finally, Yachts of Seabourn, catering for the ultra luxury end of the cruise market, confirmed there was an increased demand for their product.

Looking ahead, host David Dingle, chief executive officer of Carnival UK, reported that we can expect cruising to head in a much healthier direction, with a focus on spas and fitness and more sophisticated dining, with an aim to eliminate some of the negative images of cruising.

We can also expect to see advanced technological features, such as interactive digital TV in cabins, texting facilities, and plasma screens in lounges to show major sporting events.

2020 Predictions

Let’s take a step back in time to 1995. P&O Cruises proudly introduced the Oriana as the UK’s largest cruise ship at a now somewhat modest 69,000 tons. This was seen as a huge advance in the industry, many believed it was too bold and questioned whether she would ever fill. 13 years on we have seen such unbelievable development in the market, not only in the size and capacity of the ships, but in the onboard innovations. Who would have thought we would see ice skating rinks, bowling alleys and even boxing rings onboard?

We only have to look as far as next year to see the start of the future of cruising, with the introduction of Royal Caribbean’s Project Genesis, which will a record breaking 220,000 ton ships with a capacity for 5000 passengers. This alone is hard to imagine, so what can we see happening in the next 12 years?

Well, here’s the good news; according to Peter Shanks, Carnival UKs chief commercial officer, we can say goodbye to single supplements and look forward to ships that have specific single cabins that can be sold for the same per person price as double cabins. He also predicts a renaissance for ocean liners, as it will become the most relaxing way to cross the Atlantic, as well as cruise ships being built differently to allow “weatherproof cruising”. He stated; “The process has already started in the Mediterranean, but, by 2020, the development of many more all weather ships with greater stability and range of weatherproof entertainment facilities will make winter cruising viable from and to many more places”

Further positive predictions were put forward by David Dingle who believes that by 2020, inside cabins will be a thing of the past as balcony cabins come as standard. He further adds that cruise ships are likely to be powered in a different way; “It could be Biofuels; it could be liquefied natural gas, we should have worked the best way forward to marry the environmental issues involved with the optimum design for the ships to operate efficiently”.

So, better ships, more balconies and less environmental damage all sounds pretty good, but what about the onboard innovations in 12 years time? What can we really expect from our cruise experience?

Unfortunately, the report didn’t explore this area, however, Nigel Esdale, P&O’s managing director did predict future ships weren’t going to be built in the bigger and better style that is the current trend; “I do not believe ships will necessarily be any larger than the 2,000 to 3,000 passenger size which are already beginning to dominate the market here in 2008 but there will be a lot more of them and they will vary a lot more in style and on board facilities”

So rather than looking at a future filled with bigger ships with mind blowing innovations, maybe the market will develop in a more subtle direction, with emphasis on higher quality dining, entertainment and itineraries, making cruising the ultimate luxury product.



JORGE

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


Traveling in cruise ships can be real fun and experience. People should know that when they are traveling by cruise they will visit some of the most exotic location on earth and they will enjoy different cuisines. It will give them the much needed relaxation. So all the people should think of having atleast one cruise experience.

It is always wonderful to imagine being waken up by a fresh coffee. The morning in cruise will start exactly like this. Apart from morning coffee you will also be served the breakfast in your breakfast table. After the breakfast you can just come out and enjoy the sun or look around the glory of nature while you reach your destination. Then you may decide its time to bath. The onboard swimming pool or the Jacuzzi is waiting for you! After the bath its time for you to enjoy the massages in one of the onboard massage parlours.When the night comes then you can get further enjoyment by attending one of the parties or get into one of the Las Vegas type of casinos. The luxurious dinner is also served to you. After this wonderful day go and relax and thing what other activity you will do the next day. How does it sound? Great, isn’t it?

Thus all like these cruise services offer many activities which will make your trip fun filled and relaxing. Thus you will want to spend day and weeks in the same cruise doing nothing and relaxing.

Talking of the famous cruises one of the most sought after is the Carnival Cruise Lines. They offer the exotic and wonderful floating resorts in the vacation packages nowadays. They fun part in this Cruise include the Fun Ships and a Floating Resort full of thrills which people of any age can enjoy.

The Carnival Cruise covers various destinations and you can choose any of these. The Cruises are available for Europe and Americas. The lists of cruise destinations are:

Alaska

Europe

Hawaii

Mexico

Panama Canal

Caribbean

Bermuda

Transatlantic

Canada/New England

Thus there are many destinations you can choose and have the best vacation of your life.

There are a lot of activities that the carnival ships have and you will certain enjoy all of them. The all night parties having different themes are just one among the countless activities of Cruise. These parties may have classic music which will surely attract the old and they have party themes for 14 years also.

Some of the activities and services which you can enjoy in the Carnival Fun Ship are:

1. DayTime Activities: Golf Instructions, Swimming pool and Jacuzzis Casinos are someof the day time things which you can enjoy. If you are not in the mood to do any of these things you can simply enjoy yourself under the sun and enjoy the nature’s beauty.

2. Dining: The dining experience of Carnival fun ship is wonderful. They serve variety of dishes which includes first class wines, fresh lobsters,and other exquisite meals. You will surely like all these. Buffets are also served and other stuffs include the sushi bars, pizzas, European style caf

NELSON