Cruise Pictures

Brimstone Hill Fortress, St.Kitts

2013-04-16T12:55:00.000-07:00

Brimstone Hill Fortress, St.Kitts

Place Royale Québec: View from Norwegian Dawn

2013-02-20T12:33:00.000-08:00

Place Royale Québec: View from Norwegian Dawn

Old Port and Place Royale Quebec City

Waterfront Somerset Sandys Bermuda

2013-02-20T12:09:00.000-08:00

Waterfront Somerset Sandys, Bermuda

Street Art Prince Edward Island Canada

2013-02-19T01:30:00.000-08:00

Street Art Prince Edward Island, Canada

Looking at Halifax, Nova Scotia from Norwegian Dawn

2013-02-19T00:49:00.000-08:00

Looking at Halifax, Nova Scotia from Norwegian Dawn

More Pictures

Norwegian Dawn Deck 12: The Oasis Pool Getting Ready for Dinner

2013-02-17T09:51:00.000-08:00

Norwegian Dawn Deck 12: The Oasis Pool Getting Ready for Dinner

Somerset Sandys Bermuda

2013-02-16T00:02:00.000-08:00

Somerset Sandys Bermuda

Plenty of Boats in the Sea & Plenty of Fish Too

2013-02-14T23:55:00.000-08:00

Plenty of Boats in the Sea & Plenty of Fish Too

More Pictures

Norwegian Dawn Deck 12: The Oasis Pool

2013-02-13T23:51:00.000-08:00

Norwegian Dawn Deck 12: The Oasis Pool

Chess on Board Norwegian Dawn

2013-02-10T14:36:00.000-08:00

Chess on Board Norwegian Dawn

View from Norwegian Dawn Docked in Bermuda

2013-02-09T06:04:00.002-08:00

From Norwegian Dawn in Hamilton Bermuda

2013-02-08T02:20:00.002-08:00

The Life of A Cruise Ship [infographic]

2013-02-04T08:55:00.002-08:00

The Life of A Cruise Ship infographic

Norwegian Dawn Pool and Deck

2013-01-26T02:25:00.000-08:00

Norwegian Dawn Pool and Deck

NCL Dawn in Bermuda

2012-11-12T21:14:00.005-08:00

NCL Dawn in Bermuda

Norwegian Breakaway Family Announcement

2012-06-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

Unleash Your Inner Sailor on a Special Cruise Holiday

2012-06-28T05:02:00.001-07:00

There is nothing quite so adventurous as a sailing holiday. Whether you are an experienced sea dog or a complete newcomer to the idea, a trip on the ocean waves is sure to leave you feeling stimulated. It can also be very relaxing.

The real key to choosing decent sailing holidays is to match the kind of journey you are planning to the skills and expertise of those travelling. Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of sailing holiday to choose from and it is wise, for safety and comfort's sake, to opt for the kind of trip that will suit you.

The first type of boat charter is for a crewed vessel with a skipper. This is perfect for people who want the excitement of an ocean voyage without the test of nautical skill that sailing the boat themselves would be. This is the type of break that someone should take who wants to relax and enjoy the view. This type of holiday will transport you from port to port and allow you to explore the shoreline on foot at times.

Sail As Skipper

The second type of sailing holiday is where you skipper and crew the boat yourself, taking responsibility for navigation and safety. This can be very challenging indeed and should only be approached by someone who has considerable experience of life at sea and knows intimately how to sail a boat. This is a good option to take if you are capable and seasoned enough for a genuine nautical adventure, however.

There are gradations between these two categories, with many options allowing a mix of autonomous sailing and skippered boats. Travelling in a flotilla is often a good way to balance out the demands of sailing a boat yourself and navigating.

There is also the question of whether you prefer a trip on fresh water or salt water. There are many river systems within Europe that allow for great sailing holidays and let you explore the continent and obtain new perspectives in interesting ways. It is also possible to enjoy this kind of holiday in Britain, with the Norfolk Broads a great location, whilst some of Britain's canals can also be explored by boat.

Choose Your Boat Wisely

The choice of vessel is also important, with a wide range of boats such as catamarans, powerboats and flotilla yachts available. Choose a vessel that appeals to everyone making the trip and if you are sailing it yourself, choose something you know that you can handle. Booking sailing holidays where you actually learn to sail as you go might be another option if you feel you want to develop your skills further.

Whatever your choice of holiday, always make sure that you plan it properly. The trip needs an appropriate level of crewing and everyone travelling must be comfortable with the arrangements you have made. If this kind of preparation is in place, you should be able to enjoy the holiday of a lifetime.

AUTHOR BIO

James Naylor was born in Withernsea, near Hull, in the 1950s and has been playing about in boats ever since. At least the fourth generation of his Yorkshire fishing family to go to sea, Jim, as he prefers to be known, is an expert on maritime matters and served in the merchant fleet before becoming a sports sailor. He now writes about sailing holidays and other nautical matters for a wide range of blogs and websites.

$250 to Spend On Board NCL Ships

2012-06-21T06:22:00.000-07:00

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is offering up to $250 to Spend On Board NCL Ships if you book your cruise vacation for three or more days longer. This offer is also combined with the 50% Reduced Deposit deal from NCL.

If you book a Studio Cabin in any of the NCL ships for 3 to 5 days you get $7.50 and 6 or more days you get $12.50 on board credit.

If you book an Inside Cabin in any of the NCL ships for 3 to 5 days you get $15.00 and 6 or more days you get $25.00 on board credit.

If you book an OceanView Cabin in any of the NCL ships for 3 to 5 days you get $20.00 and 6 or more days you get $30.00 on board credit.

If you book a Balcony Cabin in any of the NCL ships for 3 to 5 days you get $35.00 and 6 or more days you get $50.00 on board credit.

If you book a Mini-Suite Cabin in any of the NCL ships for 3 to 5 days you get $50.00 and 6 or more days you get $70.00 on board credit.

If you book a The Haven & Suites Cabin in any of the NCL ships for 3 to 5 days you get $75.00 and 6 or more days you get $150.00 on board credit.

If you book a The Haven (Category S1) Cabin in any of the NCL ships for 3 to 5 days you get $150.00 and 6 or more days you get $250.00 on board credit.

Check the NCL Website for more details about the $250 to Spend On Board NCL Ships offer.

Norwegian Epic (NCL) Passenger Review

2012-06-16T16:26:00.002-07:00

A complete review of Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) biggest ship by one of the passengers. Lets see what she has to say about the cruise experience on board Norwegian Epic. She gives a very detailed review about the over all experience on board, the cabins and bathrooms on Epic, the entertainment on board, food and drinks, the service and the itinerary. The passenger has rated Norwegian Epic with 5 stars.

I just got off of a 5-day cruise on the Norwegian Epic. The itinerary was out of Barcelona and stopped off in Marseille and Palma de Mallorca before making its way back to Barcelona.

Norwegian Epic: The Ship

This was my second cruise in as many years, the first being on RCCL's Adventure of the Seas with a similar Western Med itinerary. The Norwegian Epic blew the Adventure of the Seas out of the water! Of course, the newness of all the furnishings leant it a lustrous appeal.

But the general layout of all its guest areas was just really well done. At first, the lack of grand, open spaces made me a bit wary - there was no Royal Promenade here. Instead, all the bars, restaurants, shopping and entertainment areas lined three floors, with interconnecting stairwells throughout. I was a bit disappointed by this at first - I won't lie - but the very clever design of this guest hub resulted in a buzzy atmosphere at almost all hours without any guest congestion. I can't count the number of times I got held up in a crowd of guests trying to walk through the Royal Promenade on RCCL's Adventure of the Seas.

Cabins/Rooms in Norwegian Epic

I had an inside stateroom. Yes, it was compact. But it had loads of storage space, nice mirrors and a lovely bed. It was a king-sized bed, people! That's bigger than my bed at home. And more comfortable. The bedding was nothing short of luxury.

Bathrooms in Norwegian Epic

The toilet is a compartment with a glass door, yes. But if your partner won't have sex with you ever again because you have to poop, you have relationship problems.

If you love your partner despite this, choose one of the hundreds of toilets throughout the rest of the ship, which you'll often find completely empty, if you're really concerned about it.

The Entertainment on Board Norwegian Epic

So good. The Blue Man Group almost made me pee myself. Howl at the Moon was good fun - not as raunchy and therefore amazing as brick-and-mortar Howl at the Moons in America - but entertaining nonetheless; I suspect the European market didn't quite understand the sing-along aspect. The blues group was great, and the lead singer was thoroughly entertaining and engaging.

The entertainment throughout the ship in the evenings, generally, was of a great standard. It was wonderful being able to sit in any of the bar areas in the evening, enjoying a drink and listening to the very talented guitarist, pianist, etc wherever we were.

The great quality of the entertainment on the ship really affected my holiday positively. It was nothing like the cheesy, naff entertainment on RCCL's Adventure of the Seas.

Service Quality On Norwegian Epic

A bit by rote, none of the staff members on the ship went out of their way to be friendly but nor were they rude. Coming from London, I don't really mind this kind of service. I suppose if I were coming from America and therefore used to getting good service as standard, this would have bothered me.

This is one area where NCL didn't compare favorable to Royal Caribbean.

Food on Norwegian Epic

I ate in the main dining room once. It wasn't great. But it wasn't terrible either. The buffets were good in that you could always find something that appealed to your palate, although the quality of some things was a bit below average; the quality on other things was perfectly acceptable. I ate in the Churrascaria restaurant one night, and it was fab. I also ate at the sushi bar another night (as an American expat, I sometimes miss those epic American sushi rolls), and it was wonderful. I was a bit dubious about eating at a sushi bar at sea, but I shouldn't have been. The quality of the sashimi was excellent.

Drinks Served on Norwegian Epic

The cost of drinks was a bit less than I usually pay for drinks on land, so I wasn't too fussed. But I do live in central London, where drinks are notoriously expensive, so I can see why people get upset at cruise lines (all cruise lines, not just NCL) for charging so much for drinks. I do have to commend NCL for having such a variety of drinks on board. Because, why yes, I'd like to drink a Kirin Ichiban while I'm eating sushi - not a Bud Light. (Royal Caribbean said it had more niche beers on it menus, but when asked for at the bar they were never available.) Weirdly, the only Guinness available on board was export quality (usually drunk in the African market) - even at the Irish pub on board - which is 7.5% abv. WUT. Normal Guinness is 4.1% and therefore tastes much different.

Port Of call

Marseille is typical of European port stops - that is to say, it's difficult to make your own way from the commercial port to the city center, and the $20pp cost of the shuttle service offered by the cruise line itself seems prohibitive. Also, Marseille is a bit boring, let's be honest

Palma de Mallorca was a lovely port stop, however, The port itself was modern and well built for cruise tourism, and a bus stop inside the port itself had a bus line that went straight to the city center for 1.50€. Palma was a nice, digestible port city to enjoy in a single day. Source

Have you been on a cruise recently? Was your cruise up to expectations? Do you think that you should have tried a different cruise line, based on your experience? Was the overall cruise good or bad?

How about sharing your cruise experience with people who want real-time cruise information from real people?

&lt;p&gt;Loading...&lt;/p&gt;

First Wedding Couple On Board Queen Elizabeth

2012-06-15T06:06:00.000-07:00


www.wearecunard.com

Edi and Kenneth were recently married on board Queen Elizabeth in the Mediterranean.

For more pictures and the details about the first wedding on board Cunard's Queen Elizabeth, visit the blog post by Wedding Coordinator, Nicole Bruce here.

Staterooms on Carnival Liberty

2012-06-13T15:06:00.003-07:00

Ship’s cabin is the place where passengers usually end up after all activities they have done on the on board. Staterooms in Carnival Liberty are larger than ships in the cruise line industry. Well, compared to rooms in hotels they are smaller but it does not take too long for the feeling to go away. The cabins (staterooms) are very comfortable with high quality standard of bedding and luxurious duvets.

The twin beds that can be pushed together to form a king-sized bed is the thing that makes Carnival Liberty's staterooms or cabins exceptional. The relaxing color tones and blonde wood finishing on desks and closet doors embellish the interior design of the cabins. The bathrooms are large with shower and towels provided, are quite nice in quality. Lots of closet space, storage space, drawers to put items in and many shelves in the bathroom can be found in the Carnival Liberty's Staterooms.

For those who enjoy watching television in cabin, Carnival Liberty features an advanced interactive TV system in cabins and staterooms that allows guests to access a menu of guest services on TV. That includes account checking, status of their sail, sign cards and reviewing dining room menus in advance. Carnival Liberty has all major U.S. news TV networks (CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox & NBC) as well as movie channels, and a limited selection of basic cable channels.

For guests who don’t spend much time in their rooms and use them mainly for sleeping and keep their stuff, they can choose either inside staterooms or ocean view cabins. Other cabins have extended balcony which allow them to lay out and enjoy the sun.

There are mini-suites and suits category rooms which offer considerably more space and bathrooms with tubs and two large penthouse suites which accommodate five people in each suit and feature a living area with a sofa.

Creative Bath Eco Style 5-Shelf Tower

Carnival Liberty: Silver and Golden Olympian Dining Room

2012-06-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

Dining times are the awaited times for most of the passengers onboard cruise ship. Two large, nice and luxury main dining rooms are available on Carnival Liberty namely The Golden Olympian dining room and The Silver Olympian dining room. As their names denote, the decoration is based either in a golden and a silver scheme. In The Golden Olympian dining room, red and garnet tapestry with shell motif walls are all golden and there are newly golden ornaments between the windows. The Silver Olympian dining room shares the same decoration find on The Golden Olympian dining room, but with silver instead of golden.

The larger of the two dining rooms is The Silver Olympian dining room. It is located at the stern on decks 3 and 4 and framed by three walls of windows. It serves two dining times for the guests, the 5:45.m. and 8 p.m. dining times, so they can choose which time is more convenient for them. The Silver Olympian dining room is also used for open-seating breakfast and lunch. Breakfast is served from 7:45am to 9:00am. Lunch is from noon to 1:30pm. The Golden Olympian dining room is located mid-ship, a more central part of the ship. The dining room is smaller and it serves the 5:45p.m. and 8 p.m. dining times.

Despite their different sizes and locations, menus offered in both dining rooms are the same and both use traditional assigned seating. The two main dining rooms also offer the traditional set table. Most prefer to seat in the balcony areas because it is quieter than the main floor. The dress code for breakfast and lunch is casual wear, but swim wear is not permitted. The more appropriate attire is expected for dinner. Special beverages, wines, beer, and soft drinks may be purchased via current bar menu but meals are for free.

Top 5 Things NOT to Do on A Cruise

2012-06-08T15:59:00.000-07:00

You’ve decided to take a cruise. Prepare to be indulged and pampered. You will never go hungry or be without some form of entertainment as your floating hotel sails from one exotic port to another. But to make the most of your experience, there are definitely things you should avoid doing on a cruse and a little common sense goes a long way. Take a look at the following 5 tips to ensure your next cruise is a happy one:

Don’t Miss the Boat

The first step in having an enjoyable cruise is getting on the ship, hopefully without part of your luggage left behind in the cab. Keep your passport close to you at all times or you may be forced to sunbathe next to your iced-over backyard pond in mid-February. Make sure you have everything before you leave your house and allow yourself plenty of time to get to the ship.

Missing the boat at the ship’s home port is one thing, but failing to get aboard before your cruise ship sails away into the sunset from a foreign locale can be even worse. Best case scenario is that you are in a city or town near a sizable airport so you can catch a plane to the ship’s next port of call. That is of course unless you have left your passport and the majority of your funds and/or credit cards aboard. Worse case scenario is that you are on a tiny island where the locals speak no English and you end up in a real-life “Gilligan’s Island” episode waiting for the next, hopefully congenial, cruise ship to arrive.

Don’t Inhale the Buffet

Admit it, the abundance of food and the opportunity to eat when and where you want are one of the main appeals of going on a cruise. Most of the newer ships have specialty restaurants, ice-cream shops, pizza parlors and other treat producing outlets in addition to the traditional main dining room. But the real seat of temptation lies in the buffet, an extravaganza of scents and colors intended to cajole even the most disciplined dieter. Mexican themed buffets offer the chance to build your own tacos or mile-high plates of nachos. Caribbean Night brings jerked chicken, spicy ribs and fried plantains. And of course there is the Chocolate Buffet, with sweet rivers of brown cascading down a heated fountain, perfect for dipping everything and anything.

It is tempting. You are human. Don’t beat yourself up about it. But if you want to have any chance of fitting into that bathing suit you just bought, make sure you spend as much time at the onboard gym as well. Then again you could pack some loose-fitting clothes for the latter part of your trip and not worry about it until you get home. Decisions, decisions…

Avoid Marinating your Liver

The one saving grace about alcohol on cruise ships is that drinks are not usually included in your cruise ticket. That means that you are perfectly welcome to get completely legless, you just have to pay for it. True enough, it is hard to resist that fruity mai tai or a Caribbean Breeze laced with coconut flavored rum. Nor should you, after all you are on vacation. But downing multiple bottles of wine or the equivalent of a fifth of rum in one setting may leave you unaware of the fact that you are on a tiny, moving, man-made island in the middle of the ocean. That first miss-step might be a very wet one.

Sometimes it is even more tempting to indulge while in port. Tourist towns like Acapulco and Mazatlan offer lively pubs with drinks at rock bottom prices. While it is one thing to get blitzed while onboard the ship where all you need to do is find your cabin, it is quite another to be in a foreign country and have to navigate yourself back to your cruise ship.

Thou Shall Not Forget the Sunscreen

You’ve worked out for months before your cruise, spent a fortune on that to-die-for bathing suit that leaves little to the imagination. Now you want to plant yourself poolside and do a bit of showing off. The sunscreen is back in your cabin, but heck, you won’t be out that long, no need to go back for it. Closing your eyes, you relax in the warm sunshine and drift off to sleep.

Two hours later you wake up, that honey-brown tan you were hoping for is now a vision in red. Bending one cherry-colored knee you wince, but finally manage to lift yourself off the lounge. Once up, you discover a distinct “tan-line” separating your sunburned front from your still-pale back. It is a long, painful walk back to your cabin, or the ship’s doctor’s office. Forgetting to lather up with sunscreen will not only make you look silly in your vacation pictures, but it will guarantee you are miserable the rest of the trip.

Avoid Hiding Out in Your Cabin

Marketers do an excellent job of promoting cruise ships as a place to do as much or as little as you want. It’s true. Take an excursion, or not. Join in on one of your cruise ship’s parties or bingo games, or not. Dine when and where you want, even if it’s room service at 2 am. But does that mean the best plan of attack is just to hide out in your cabin for the duration of your trip? If your personality mirrors that of Howard Hughes, why did you come on a cruise in the first place? At least take a stroll around the ship and see what’s available before you bolt the cabin door and immerse yourself in repetitive onboard close-circuit TV. Meeting new people is part of the fun of cruising. Stretch the envelope on that comfort zone of yours and make the most out of your trip.

Make sure that your next ocean voyage is a fun and relaxing experience by avoiding the cruising blunders listed above.

This is a guest post from Ryan Avila-When not on a boat, Ryan is protecting your home with Home Security Systems.

St.Kitts: MaPau Sweet Lime Restaurant

2012-06-07T10:34:00.002-07:00

MaPau Sweet Lime Restaurant is located very close to the cruise terminal in St.Kitts & Nevis and you will not miss this place as every passenger of a cruise ship has to walk by the Sweet Line Restaurant.

Sweet Lime Restaurant is located at Trinidad Corner French St. & Ariapita Avenue - (868) 624-9983 South Trunk Rd., La Romaine - (868) 653-9985 St. Kitts Port Zante - (869) 465-1729

Closer view of the MaPau Sweet Lime Restaurant in St.Kitts and Nevis

Sweet Lime Restaurant of MaPau was opened in late November in 2008 and this is a one stop entertainment center. In the same building, they have several slot machines, a nightclub, gift shops, and a theater.

View of the cruise ships docked in St.Kitts &Nevis from the waterfront café at MaPau. You can see Celebrity, Carnival and NCL ship.

Outside the MaPau Sweet Lime Restaurant in St.Kitts a man entertaining the Cruise Line Passengers with monkeys.

Carnival Cruise Line Increased Steak House Price

2012-06-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

From June 3rd 2012, Carnival Cruise Line has increased the cover charges in Steak House from $30 per person to $35. But for the passengers sailing in June and July the price will be $30. The reason stated by Carnival Cruise Line (Usa Today)for the price increase on cover charges in Steak House is due to food costs.

“The increase was necessitated as a result of higher food costs and is consistent with other alternative restaurant charges within the cruise industry. This is the first fee increase for the steakhouses in several years.”

Currently Carnival Spirit, Carnival Pride, Carnival Legend, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Splendor, Carnival Dream, Carnival Magic and Carnival Breeze have a Stake house and in 2013 a stake will be added to Carnival Destiny after the dry dock.