Time 2 Cruise

As a non smoker I have requested a non smoking room at a hotel, only to show up and not have the room type requested available. It can range from tolerable to "how does anyone stay in a room like that?" in the terms of odor. Luckily for us, we have not had a problem with the smell of smoke in the cabin when on a cruise. I don't know how they do it, but the some in the hotel industry needs to learn from the cruise lines in how to clean a room. But slowly smoking is going away from areas like the stateroom on board ship. People laughed when Carnival introduced its non smoking ship, the Paradise in 1998, and three years ago the non smoking moniker was removed when smoking in some public areas was allowed, the trend of major cruise lines on smoking has been shifting. Royal Caribbean just this past summer announced its new rules that go into effect starting next year which includes an all out smoking ban in all cabins on board, and Disney has had a ban on smoking in the ...

Freestyle cruising, and more appropriately, freestyle dining is all the rage of late. Norwegian has been promoting the system for over seven years now and the other cruise lines are starting to take notice. But whats the big deal? It has to do with the monotony of the way most cruise lines approach dining with two options. You either go to the formal dining room at a set time, sit with the same people, and have to dress up one or more times during the cruise, or you get the buffet. With Norwegian, there is no set times, and there are many restaurants to choose from when it comes to dining options. It sounds great doesn't it? But there is always a catch. Some passengers off a Norwegian cruise ship have complained that the more popular restaurants get so busy that you have to call ahead from your stateroom to make a reservation for a specific time or risk not getting to eat at that restaurant. Its a small price to pay for having more options for some, but for others it is ju...

John Heald and his wife are going on vacation. While on vacation, his blog will be supported by guest bloggers and he plans on keeping everyone up to date on whats going on in the life of John and Heidi. It was posted on his blog just a few short days ago that he has surpassed the 1 million visitor mark as well. Not bad timing. We all wish John and Heidi a wonderful vacation from being there for our vacations and look forward to their return to the Carnival Freedom next year.

When it comes to cruising, the hectic parts are embarkation and debarkation. Embarkation can be made a lot less painful if you are ready. The first thing that you should do is consider when you plan on getting to the dock. Getting there to early can make for a long wait and add to the stress level. Getting there late can lead to a rushed feeling. USUALLY the best time is a couple of hours before the final boarding time. This is normally when there is the biggest lull because all the early boarders are through the system and the late arrivals haven't shown up yet. Another thing that helps to be prepared is to have the paperwork they require in hand and filled out correctly. This can slow down the line quiet a bit and includes your identification and boarding passes. Also note that there will be a security check similar to one at the airport. If you have as much out of your pockets as possible, it will help you get through quicker. And the last thing you need to do is r...

The first question is whether or not to even take a costume? We say if you are a Halloween fan and the costume does not take up much space, then yes. If you are taking your kids, a costume party may even be offered at the kids club. You may even want to check with the cruise line to see if there are going to be activities. Carnival has embraced Halloween and encourages the younger guests to bring their costumes during this time of year, with trick or treating, contests and other fun activities. As for the adults, you never know. The disco could be a pretty fun place to hang out when everyone shows up in costume. Now as for the other question to ask, it what costume right? We recommend something that is easy to pack as to not take to much space away from the other packing for the vacation. Another suggestion is to stay away from dressing up as a cruise ship captain. While this sounds like fun, you can guess how many other passengers have the same idea. In fact, there is usually at least...

Eco tourism is becoming a catch all lately when it comes to cruising. You can find articles almost weekly about it and its a good thing. Getting the word out is the first step in making sure we all do our part in protecting the environment. What many people don't know is how much effort the cruise industry has been putting into trying to become as Eco friendly as possible. Ships no longer just dump their trash while cruising along at 17 knots out in the Ocean, and high standards are consistently being raised even higher. A recent example of the changes is Holland American Line's recently upgrading the laundry facilities on its ships to change from a chemical based dry cleaning system to a wet clean system that is more environmentally friendly. The changes and upgrades are two fold for the cruise lines as well. Not only in helping decrease pollution, but also make for better and cleaner ships for the passengers on board. The cruise industry has come a long way since the late 90s...

As popular as cruising has become in recent years, there are a lot of people that still think of cruising as an expensive vacation. This couldn't be further from the truth but how does one explain why? I decided to compare a 4 day Mexican Baja Cruise on Carnival to a 4 night stay in Vegas at the Excalibur hotel on the strip for a couple with no children with all nights weeknights. The comparison shows how the two vacations are not as far off as people may think. For this comparison, all meals in Vegas are assumed eaten in the same restaurant in the Excalibur. Gambling and souvenirs will not be added because that will vary greatly by person. Transportation is also not added because it depends on where flying from. Room Price: Carnival - $280 per person for a total of $560 Vegas - $61 per night for a total of $244 Taxes and fees: Carnival - $40 per person for a total for $80 Vegas - $20 Breakfast: Carnival - included Vegas - $11 per person per day Lunch: Carnival - included Vegas...

Here are some of the more notable news snippets from today. Carnival announces Veterans Promotion (booking code CPM 1) to run November 1st -30 th . Must have valid proof of Military service (active or Retired). Holland America an ounces that the Rotterdam will be returning to world cruising in 2009. Carnival orders 2 new ships for Costa Crociere from Fincantieri Ship Yards, to be ready for the 2011 cruising season. P&O swamped with calls during early hours today, mostly due to the new Pacific Dawn's itinerary and date release.

Thats right. We have started our preparations for our December cruise to Cabo San Lucas. Just in time for a little pre Christmas cruising! On short cruses like this we try to pack light with try being the optional word. We always over pack , even with all the advice we have for others, it seems that we cant heed our own advice. This will be the first cruise for four people in our group going which always makes for more fun. They are as excited as little kids who cant sleep on Christmas Eve with over a month before we even leave dock. There is nothing like that first cruise. The excitement and anticipation. We have done the dance so many times that bringing our friends along has added to our excitement as well, but I do miss that feeling as we saw the ship on our first cruise. Its one of those feelings that you just remember.

A reporter for the Santa Cruz Sentinel had the opportunity to get a personal tour of Holland America's Oosterdam recently. Specifically the Galley. She goes into depth what you will find on a cruise ship in the line of cleanliness and the amount of food on board in any given week. The galley tour is something every cruiser should do at least once. Most cruise ships offer the tour on each cruise. It will amaze you with how much is made from scratch on board and the amount of time and effort is put into every meal that is prepared on board. The article is a great read, and just makes me want to go on another galley tour myself.

According to a small snippet near the end of an article in the Baltimore Sun , in November of 2004, a man was placed on three years probation and labeled a sex offender at the age of 23 for having consensual sex with a then 15 year old. With his three year probation nearly up, he petitioned the court for permission to leave the state to go on a Carnival cruise. The judge allowed the request as long as the man registered as a sex offender with the cruise line, and did not spend overnight stays in any port of call. When trying to find out how to register with Carnival, the man found out that they do not have such a system, and the cruise line invoked its right to refuse passage based on his probation terms. The terms state that he is not allowed to be in close proximity of minors of which there will be plenty of on a cruise. After reading this, I started to think that there were really three guilty parties here but then narrowed it down to two, the man himself, and the judge. Every ...

Have you ever received a phone call from some ad agency telling you that you have won a cruise for two in the Caribbean? Or filled out one of those forms at the local fair or other event that you forgot about until the call came in? It happens a lot and people do win. Even on a cruise itself there will be a chance or two to win a "free cruise". But is it really free? The answer is no of course . While the winner, and a companion does get the cruise fair paid for it does not include such things as taxes, port charges, airfare, drinks, souvenirs , or gratuities. On a five day cruise the taxes, base gratuities, and port charges can add up to $200 or more before you even get to buy a souvenir or a drink on board. The average person can spend $25 or more a day on board the ship adding another $250 plus for two people on that free five day cruise. Also, the cabin is usually the minimum cabin option, but they will gladly upgrade for a fee. So if you find yourself the re...

Vacations can be expensive and in today's economy with the American Dollar remaining in a major slump, the effect can be drastic. Americans vacationing in Europe will feel the effect the most with the dollar being worth less than half an English Pound and about three quarters of the Euro. What does it all mean? The financial experts have a ton of terms and definitions but the short story is that the American Dollar just can't buy as much as it did a few years ago and the experts do not see a rebound any time soon. So, what does this have to do with cruising? A lot actually, and much of it in a good way. While the cruise lines are feeling the crunch as well, prices have not changed much at all. In fact unlike just about any other product, the cruising has not changed in price much in over three decades. With inflation it equates to cruise prices going down over the years. It explains why more and more people are becoming attracted to taking a cruise every year. Another attractiv...

I love talking to other cruise fanatics about the reasons they stick with one cruise line over another and find the reasons to be fascinating while at the same time not very in depth. In all honesty, I used to be one of these people. My favorite answer is simply "the food is better on..." I am not saying that its not a valid reason, but like the majority reasons for having a favorite anything, they are subjective. Food, entertainment, and decor are the big three when it comes to comparing the major cruise lines, but as the old cliche goes "one mans trash is another mans treasure". There is nothing wrong with having a favorite, I have mine as well, but I try hard to not bash any cruise line over something that based on opinion nor can I say something bad about a cruise line that I have never been on. Now that's a mouthful. Have you ever asked someone about a specific brand (I am talking cruising but this fits with many other things as well) and they will tell you...

October has to be the best month for the American Sports fan. Football is in full swing, hockey season has started, basketball is in preseason, and Major League Baseball is in playoff mode. It leads to the question of what can you do if your on a cruise and your favorite team is playing? The simple answer is to just ask. Cruise ships have satellite television and get get most channels. If the game is a big one, you can guarantee that it will be on in more than one of the bars. We were on a Mexican Riviera cruise during the Super Bowl earlier this year, and not only was every public TV set to the game, the entire theater was set up for the game with the 25 foot tall screen, games, and even snack food just for the day, as if more food is really needed on a cruise. If your team isn't in the game of the week, you may not catch them, but can watch the game being played that night and keep up with the scores of the other games going on. Fans of soccer and tennis need not worry as ...

Anyone that is cruising out of Long Beach or San Pedro, or vacationing in the area during the month of October should check into the 13th annual Queen Mary Shipwreck Halloween Terrorfest. At $35 per person, this could be the perfect end to a Halloween cruise this month. The event is filled with mazes, live bands, and dancing but is only open on specific nights. The hours of operation is from 7PM to Midnight and all attractions are included on with the ticket. Tickets can be bought through Ticketmaster or as part of a package deal with hotel stay on the haunted ship. Also be sure to check the website for the dress code for admitance to the dance party because it is precise and will be enforced. For those who have never stayed on the Queen Mary, it can be an experience of a lifetime. We stayed on the Queen Mary a year ago, and cant wait to stay there again. Admission - $35 Per Person Tickets on sale at the Queen Mary box office or through Ticketmaster.com Dates - October 2007: 5, 6, 7, ...

With the Queen Elizabeth 2 destined for Dubai in retirement, Cunard Line has wasted no time in announcing a new ship. What is the name of the new ship you ask? None other than the Queen Elizabeth 3. The QE 3, just recently placed on order will be a little larger than the Queen Victoria but smaller than the Queen Mary 2, again giving the Cunard Line 3 ships when she sets sale in late 2010. The Queen Victoria is on schedule to make her debut in December of this year. Both new ships will be welcome additions to the luxury line.

A couple of weeks ago I touched on an article about a cruise ship that is on its last few trips before leaving the Great Lakes for the open ocean. An interesting point is that the ship had been doing the Chicago to Toronto tour for 10 years but I never heard of it until it was to late. Since that article, there has been rumblings from Canada, and a few of the State side ports on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River about the subject. Could this be a future of cruising? Well the answer is yes and no. It is a definite possibility to be in the future, but we wont be seeing the large ocean liners going anywhere. But with many "seasoned" cruisers having 20+ voyages under their belt, they may be looking for something new, and fresh water cruises, whether in the Great Lakes, or one of the many other fresh water locals around the world are starting to look like a possibility. Fresh water cruising has been around for a while, but just not advertised on a large scale, but look for th...

Everyone wants the perfect vacation, but sometimes things just don't work out as planned. An article on Smarter Travel has a few examples and what one should expect and do to work through the snags that can happen. From personal experiences, the first thing, which is probably the hardest, is to be level headed. I have seen first hand what letting tempers flair can do especially in airports and its not a good sight. Keep in mind that the people on the other side have to deal with other peoples problems on a daily basis. Its a fast pace world today, even in the land of vacation and the ones that are prepared to roll with it will find the path a lot easier than those that choose to fight the system. This philosophy works on a cruise ship just as well as it works any where else.

I found an insightful article written by the president of a travel agency in Ventura California. You can check it out the Ventura County Star and read his view of the future of vacationing in Hawaii. It breaks down three trends that seem to be in the the cards so to speak. While I agree with the article for the most part, when it gets to "trend 3" I am not sure what I think. I am familiar with Carnival's recent stand on removing commission from booking airfare. Not being a travel agent, it does not affect me as much as it would the author of the article. However, I have found through my travels that I prefer to book my own airfare when cruising. This is especially true when cruising out of the other side of the country, and living on the west coast, that is the majority of the cruises. Listening to other cruiser's stories, I think that it is a "trend" to book ones own airfare, and that the number of cruise air bookings will continue to decrease. ...

It can be done. Here are some tips that you may want to think about when planning your next cruise vacation but are on a budget. If you drink soda, get the soda card. around $5.50 per day, depending on cruise line, all you can drink ($1.50 a can otherwise) Drinks such as tea, punch, and orange juice are free and self serve on lido deck. Booking a tour through the cruise line is usually more expensive. Look into booking yourself, or some places have free tours available. Use the internet to find deals. Stay away from the specialty coffee shop, bakery, and any other specialty eateries on board. These cost extra, but are not necessary with all the other food and drink available. If you want to snorkel, bring your own gear. Its $10-$20 to buy at Walmart , and $25 or higher to rent at the beach. Many cruise lines will allow you to bring a small amount of your own soda and water on board (check to make sure the cruise you book allows it). Try to find off season cruising dates to get bigger...

Every cruise line wants to have the one thing that will bring cruisers back again and again. Royal Caribbean has its rock climbing walls, in line skating tracks, wave pools, and ice rink. Norwegian has on board pool tables and their newest ship will have a bowling alley. Many of the other cruise lines are going to have to play catch up to come up with new ideas. Carnival has made minor changes recently, by adding a 9 hole miniature golf course to their ships, and announcing that after refurbishment, there will be a new adults only area along with expanded children's areas. But the question is, what is next? I have read many articles recently on how the ships are becoming THE destination and not just the means to get to the destination. As the ships get bigger, to house the new attractions, and more people, ports are going to have to be expanded if they expect the bigger ships to come a calling. That will happen, them more bigger ships will be on order but what will they...

Taking a franchise that has already been a boom for Disney, they have turned the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew into a game show being played on Disney Cruise Line . It only makes sense that they go this direction. It looks like being a pirate will be one of the top costumes for Halloween this year again. On board, the game show will divide the contestants up, and have them searching the ship for treasure, after going through pirate skill tests. It should be fun for the whole family.

When picking a cabin, the obvious reasoning by seasoned cruisers is like buying a house. Location location location. Most cruisers know that the middle of the ship should be the place to experience the smoothest ride, and that a cabin near the disco could be a bad choice if you are a light sleeper. But with the way ships are built bigger and with new technology, many of those problems and fears have been minimized. So, Erica Silverstein broke everything down in her article " How to pick the best cruise cabin ." It gives insight into cabin size, decor, arrangement and even bathroom layouts. Find out who has the best inside cabins, cabins with balconies, and even suites.

Carnival Cruise lines introduced the "Concierge Club" just a couple of years back. When they started it, you would get a gold Sail and sign card (on board credit card) on your second cruise on. Shortly after, they added the platinum card which comes into play on cruise number 10 and up. Along with the shiny new platinum card came a few perks, such as laundry service, stationary, and priority embarkation to name a few. Now Carnival has released news of nes perks for 25, 50, 75 and 100 cruises ! I know what your thinking, and the answer is YES there are people that are in these categories. In what looks to be one of the most generous of offerings, the lucky passenger will get an on board credit equal to 25, 50 or 75 percent of the base fair of the cruise respectively. Nothing is stated about the 24 cruises in between these milestones. And for cruise number 100, Carnival is going to give another cruise! Yep, cruise 100 times and get a free cruise of up to 8 days in the...

According the an article in the Press Register (Alabama Newspaper) the City Council in Mobile has put a lot of money into improvements on the terminal that is the current home for Carnival's Holiday. Carnival has promised a bigger ship, presumably a Fantasy class, when the time comes to relocate the Holiday. This would bring another 500+ passengers per cruise to the area. The problem is that Carnival has made no comments on plans to move the Holiday. Rumors have abounded in recent months about the ship being moved to the same company that will be taking possession of Carnival's Celebration however nothing has moved passed rumor at this point. For now, the council will have to wait, and look for ways to increase revenue , otherwise risk the terminal becoming a money losing venture with the Holiday as its only tenet.

It looks like the Rhapsody of the Seas is going to continue its runs in Australia into 2008 and 2009 Look for over 12 exciting cruises over the next two years for the Rhapsody of the Seas during the winter months, including Pacific Ocean cruises as the ship relocates. Cruises range from 7 to 18 days, and hit many of the popular coastal destinations around Australia and New Zealand. The Trans Pacific crossings go from Sidney and Hawaii, when the ship relocates, running 16 days with popular stops in exotic places such as Tahiti and Bora Bora . Australia and Asian destinations have become more and more popular in recent years with people from all around the world. Look for more cruises to pop up from some of the major lines as well as possible spin off companies to cater to these locals on a more permanent basis. With the number of ships on order among all cruise lines, expansion into areas that have not been regular stops in the past just makes (dollars and) sense.

CruiseLineFans .com is a site that I happened across just recently. With just under 10,000 members currently, the site is smaller than the more known cruising forums, but is growing. It has only been around for a couple of years and the members are more than willing to offer a helping hand with questions. As with the other forums for the cruising alum, the site is free to join. With the cruise industry growing at the rate is has been, there is always room for more places to help new cruisers, and give us avid cruisers a place to talk about our travels.