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STAYING IN TOUCH FOR CRUISE TRAVEL

editor — Sat, 25 Mar 2017 14:45:00 +0000

Before you leave home, check with your cell phone plan provider to see what roaming packages they offer, both to travelers to your region in general and cruisers specifically. Some wireless providers have developed a special cruise ship service plan, with lower rates than regular roaming rates, but you must sign up for the plan before you depart. Your carrier’s website should have pricing and phone compatibility information. If your carrier does not offer a special plan for cruisers, or you don’t want to sign up for it, consider ordering a data, messaging, or calling plan for your region. Data

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DINING OPTIONS FOR CRUISE

editor — Sat, 25 Mar 2017 06:35:00 +0000

It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that small ships offer fewer dining options, while big ships offer a plethora of culinary delights that can range from basic room service to multi-course meals prepared under the direction of Michelin-starred chefs. What you might not know is that there is also a world of choice when it comes to simply choosing when and how you’d like to dine. Gone are the inflexible dining times and rigid dress codes of old… unless you prefer a fixed early or late dinner seating for dinner. Most big ships still offer that as a time-tested

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COSTA CRUISES

editor — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 18:20:00 +0000

You’ll find passengers from a variety of countries on most sailings, though with more of a European base than many other lines, and a wide range of ages from groups of 20-something-year-old friends, to families with young children, to retirees. The low rates appeal to many different types of travelers. On cruises that sail in Europe, that may mean 80% European travelers, about 20% North Americans. In the Caribbean, those ratios are reversed. DINING Before it was owned by Carnival, the line used to focus on high-quality Italian ingredients, from mouthwatering imported regional cheeses and cured meats to house-made pasta.

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PUERTO RICO CRUISES

editor — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 14:15:00 +0000

San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, has the busiest ocean terminal in the West Indies. Caribbean cruises not only stop here, several originate here. While cruise groups, by their sheer size, can overwhelm many ports of call, San Juan absorbs them with ease. Many cruise ships dock at Old San Juan, but some lines use the Pan American Pier in Isla Grande, which is more convenient to the resort area but further from the historic district. The San Juan metropolitan area, home to about a third of Puerto Rico’s 3.8 million people, is one of the largest and most

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BARBADOS CRUISES

editor — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 21:55:00 +0000

No port of call in the southern Caribbean can compete with Barbados when it comes to natural beauty, attractions, and endless stretches of pink and white sandy beaches. Its fertile land once made British colonial plantation owners rich; now it’s tourists who pay to see the tropical rainforests and gardens of the island. Cruise ships dock at a modern terminal about 1 mile from the capital, Bridgetown; taxis, tour buses, and shuttles meet the boats to help passengers sample the island’s natural beauties. top draw In the island’s center, Harrison’s Cave (www.harrisonscave.com ) takes visitors through a massive crystallized limestone

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CUNARD LINE CRUISES TRAVEL GUIDE

editor — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 13:45:00 +0000

Enrichment Is Truly Impressive: The lecturers include big names, with politicians, noteworthy academics, and celebrities, especially on crossings. Proper High Tea: The afternoon tea is a highlight, with warm scones served with clotted cream and jam as well as finger sandwiches and pastries, delivered by white-gloved waiters. (Oh, and there’s an orchestra too.) Gorgeous Libraries: The ships’ wood-paneled libraries are the best at sea. Classic Grandeur: From the original Queen Mary to the QE2 and now Queen Mary 2, Cunard ships are synonymous with glamour and the transatlantic crossing. Kennels at Sea: Queen Mary 2 boasts the only kennel for

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TORTOLA CRUISES

editor — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 05:35:00 +0000

With small bays and hidden coves that were once havens for pirates, the British Virgin Islands (BVIs) are among the world’s loveliest cruising regions. Once-sleepy Tortola, one of the chain’s largest islands, has evolved from a yacht-chartering port to a full-bore cruise destination that can handle megaships (many of whose passengers then catch a ferry or take a launch 12 miles farther to Virgin Gorda; see p. 69 ). Cruise ships dock in the colonial capital, Road Town. Top draw Dominating Tortola’s interior, Sage Mountain National Park (www.bvitourism.com ), the highest point in the Virgin Islands, offers panoramic views and

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Luggage Procedures Cruises

editor — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 21:25:00 +0000

With thousands of suitcases to deal with, big ships have established the routine of requiring guests to pack the night before they disembark if they don’t want to carry their bags off the ship themselves. You will be asked to leave your bags (except for your carry-ons) in the hallway before you retire for the night usually by midnight. The bags will be picked up overnight and placed in the cruise terminal before passengers are allowed to disembark. It’s important to make sure that your bags are tagged with the luggage tags given you by the cruise line toward the

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TRAVEL TO SITKA CRUISES

editor — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 13:15:00 +0000

Geographically speaking, Sitka is not on the Inside Passage at all, but rather on the Pacific coast of Baranof Island. However, it’s included in a fair number of Inside Passage cruise itineraries simply because it’s such a beautiful little port. Sitka lacks docking facilities for megaships (those that do stop here send passengers ashore in tenders), which means the town has fewer cruise ship visits than Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. Because of this, it retains a more residential feel. History is Sitka’s strong suit for centuries it was the stronghold of the powerful Kiksadi Tlingit clan, until 1799-1804 when, despite

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ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY SYSTEM CRUISES TRAVEL GUIDE

editor — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 06:05:00 +0000

In Alaska, which has fewer paved roads than virtually any other state, getting around can be a problem In fact, some cities like Juneau, the state capital are not even connected to the rest of the state by roads. There are local airlines, of course, and small private planes lots and lots of small private planes. (There are more private planes per capita in Alaska than in any other state.) But given the weather conditions for large parts of the year, airplanes are not always the most reliable way of getting from Point A to Point B. That’s why the

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