Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for cruise travel
The Other Edinburgh
By Linda Tancs
Amidst the rough waters of the far South Atlantic lies Tristan da Cunha, a tiny island sharing nature’s resources with the neighboring albatrosses and giant crawfish. The most remote inhabited island in the world, this British possession is settled in its capital–and really only–locale, the very swashbuckling-sounding Edinburgh-of-the-Seven-Seas. Originally self-named by the Portuguese explorer Tristão da Cunha, the islanders live a peaceful life off the land and sea, exporting crawfish and tending to their livestock in the shadow of volcanic St. Mary’s Peak. Ah, the simple life. Alas, you can’t make it your own; outsiders can’t live or invest there. You’ll have to settle for a cruise stop, instead.
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An Alluring Vessel
By Linda Tancs
Royal Caribbean has announced that it’s now accepting reservations for its newest ship, Allure of the Seas. Set to launch in 2010 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ports of call include the Bahamas, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico. All aboard!
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Cruise Ship Lotto
By Linda Tancs
If you’re on a “guaranteed waiting list” for that summertime cruise you’ve been dreaming about, don’t pack your bags just yet. With overbookings in overdrive, your chances of getting that unassigned room in your cabin class–or any class–are probably as good as winning the lottery. No doubt cruise lines were less than optimistic that routes would sell in light of declining economic conditions. So why not take on a few hundred or so extra bookings, right? Well apparently cruising is a much more viable alternative to gas-guzzling road travel and wallet-shrinking air routes, so don’t count on too many cancellations to move you up that list. Next time, aim for an assigned cabin and you’ll be sunning in Puerto Vallarta rather than sanding your deck.
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Splendor in the Sea
By Linda Tancs
As we speak, Carnival’s newest goliath, Splendor, is fast completing its maiden voyage from Genoa to Dover. After its christening tomorrow, the ship will inaugurate Carnival’s northern European sailings, which includes ports of call in Scandinavia, Germany, Russia and the Netherlands. The liner also introduces a host of new innovations, such as flat-screen TVs in staterooms, a two-story spa and an improved mid-ship cinematic experience. A splendiferous ship, indeed.
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Carnival Dreamin’
By Linda Tancs
Family-friendly cruising should take on a whole new dimension in September 2009 when Carnival launches Dream, its biggest project ever at 130,000 tons. What distinguishes this titan from the rest of its clan is the ambitious array of kid-oriented features, including larger play areas and a water park. You’ll need to head to Rome for the inaugural cruise–kids in tow or not–that is, if you can afford it. Hopefully, today’s economics won’t impinge on the ability of this Dream to become reality.
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Pirates of Somalia
By Linda Tancs
We usually think of pirates as the stuff of history–and some glossy movie-making–but right now, real pirates are holding a luxury yacht captive off the coast of Somalia. Since April 4, the crew of a French-owned liner heading for its summer season in the Mediterranean have been sidetracked while authorities attempt to negotiate with the swashbucklers. This isn’t the first time an attack of this nature has occurred around Somalia. In 2005, another luxury liner came under attack by would-be looters sending shots and rockets. Luckily, the ship’s crew was able to overrun them. Granted, cruise travel is generally safe, but these seafaring shenanigans should remind us that vigilance during travel extends as much to the high seas as to the high skies.
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Serenity Now
By Linda Tancs
Cruise travelers seeking their inner Zulu will find it aboard every ship in Princess’s line by 2010, thanks to the success of Sanctuary on the Crown Princess. For the uninitiated, Sanctuary is an adults-only designated area offering spa-like amenities served up by your Serenity Steward (or stewardess?). So the next time those teens and tweens take over the hot tub, don’t sweat it. Your refuge is at hand.
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Pan-Asian Dining on Holland America
By Linda Tancs
Eurodam, Holland America’s newest build debuting this summer, promises Pan-Asian surf to rival the best fare available on turf. According to the Eurodam news blog, here’s a sampling of the dishes to be available in the reservations-only eatery on Deck 11: shrimp wanton, ginger-infused scallop consommé, steamed lobster with garlic, ginger and chili, baked snapper in rice paper, and a paella-style seafood hot pot. The menu is in English, but something tells me it would sound great in any language.
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Cruise Ports Unite in Marketing Alliance
By Linda Tancs
In a bid for attention among the better known (and used) ports of the Mediterranean and Baltic, fifteen European ports have united to market their appeal to cruise travelers. Calling themselves the Atlantic Alliance, the fifteen members of this cooperative are: Hamburg, Bremerhaven, IJmuiden, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Cherbourg, Saint-Malo, Brest, Nantes, La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Santander, Vigo and Lisbon. More West European ports are expected to join in the future.
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Celebrity Cruises Is Going Green
By Linda Tancs
In a move illustrative of the ever increasing competition among cruise lines, Celebrity has announced that Solstice, its Caribbean-traversing megaship debuting later this year, will boast real grass on its top deck. One can only assume that their market research indicates a desire among the consuming public to have the scent of freshly mowed grass added to the salt air experience. Or perhaps the bocce ball and croquet lobby got the best of them. Whatever the case, there’s sure to be quite a premium to pay for all the irrigation and maintenance of this lawn experience. Ants and weeds are optional.
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