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01_944904 ffirs.qxp 7/25/06 7:31 PM Page i

Caribbean
Ports of Call
6th Edition

by Tamar Schreibman & Christina Colón

Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s:

“Amazingly easy to use. Very portable, very complete.”
—Booklist

“Detailed, accurate, and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.”

—Glamour Magazine

“Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.”

—Des Moines Sunday Register

“Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.”
—Knight Ridder Newspapers
01_944904 ffirs.qxp 7/25/06 7:31 PM Page ii
01_944904 ffirs.qxp 7/25/06 7:31 PM Page i

Caribbean
Ports of Call
6th Edition

by Tamar Schreibman & Christina Colón

Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s:

“Amazingly easy to use. Very portable, very complete.”
—Booklist

“Detailed, accurate, and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.”

—Glamour Magazine

“Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.”

—Des Moines Sunday Register

“Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.”
—Knight Ridder Newspapers
01_944904 ffirs.qxp 7/25/06 7:31 PM Page ii

Published by:

Wiley Publishing, Inc.

111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
Copyright © 2006 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. No
part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or
otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copy-
right Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization
through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222
Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978/750-8400, fax 978/646-8600. Requests to the
Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing,
Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, 317/572-3447, fax 317/572-4355,
or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Wiley and the Wiley Publishing logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John
Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Frommer’s is a trademark or registered trademark
of Arthur Frommer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor
mentioned in this book.
ISBN-13: 978-0-471-94490-4
ISBN-10: 0-471-94490-4
Editor: Leslie Shen
Production Editor: Heather Wilcox
Cartographer: Tim Lohnes
Photo Editor: Richard Fox
Production by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services
Front cover photo: Cozumel, Mexico: Couple snorkeling in clear shallow water, cruise
ship in distance.
Back cover photo: Grand Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman, Rum Point: Colorful beach
hut beneath palm trees.
For information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please
contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800/762-2974, outside the
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Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that
appears in print may not be available in electronic formats.
Manufactured in the United States of America
5 4 3 2 1
02_944904 ftoc.qxp 7/25/06 7:31 PM Page iii

Contents
List of Maps v

1 Introduction: Cruising to the Ports of Call 1

1 Choosing the Itinerary & Shore Days at Sea vs. Days in Port . . . . . . . .4
Excursions That Are Best for You . . . . .1 2 When to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

2 The Cruise Lines in Brief 9

1 The Mainstream Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 3 Small Ships, Sailing Ships &
2 The Ultraluxury Lines . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Adventure Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

3 Things to Know Before You Go 27

1 Passports & Visas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 3 Money Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Safety at Sea: More Security, 4 Keeping in Touch While at Sea . . . . .32
Fewer Germs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 5 What to Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
2 Customs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

4 The Ports of Embarkation 36

1 Miami . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 4 Tampa & St. Petersburg . . . . . . . . . .58
2 Fort Lauderdale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 5 New Orleans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
3 Cape Canaveral & Cocoa Beach . . . .50 6 Alternative Home Ports . . . . . . . . . . .71

5 The Ports of Call 76

1 Port Strategies & Tips . . . . . . . . . . . .76 6 Bahamas: Nassau & Freeport . . . . .100
2 A Brief History of the Caribbean . . . .80 Frommer’s Favorite Nassau
3 The Cruise Lines’ Private Islands . . . .85 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
4 Antigua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Frommer’s Favorite Freeport/
Lucaya Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Frommer’s Favorite Antigua
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 7 Barbados . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
5 Aruba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 Frommer’s Favorite Barbados
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Frommer’s Favorite Aruba
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 8 Belize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
02_944904 ftoc.qxp 7/25/06 7:31 PM Page iv

iv CONTENTS

Frommer’s Favorite Belize 18 Guadeloupe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192

Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 Frommer’s Favorite Guadeloupe
9 Bequia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
Frommer’s Favorite Bequia 19 Jamaica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130 Frommer’s Favorite Ocho Rios
A Quiet Day on Union Island . . . . .132 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
10 Bonaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 Frommer’s Favorite Montego Bay
Frommer’s Favorite Bonaire Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 20 Key West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
11 British Virgin Islands: Tortola & Frommer’s Favorite Key West
Virgin Gorda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Frommer’s Favorite Tortola 21 Les Saintes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 Frommer’s Favorite Les Saintes
Frommer’s Favorite Virgin Gorda Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 22 Martinique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221
A Slice of Paradise: Frommer’s Favorite Martinique
Jost Van Dyke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224
12 Cozumel & the Yucatán 23 Nevis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230
Peninsula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Frommer’s Favorite Nevis
Frommer’s Favorite Cozumel Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
24 Panama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233
Frommer’s Favorite Playa del
25 Puerto Rico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
Carmen Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . .160
Frommer’s Favorite Costa Frommer’s Favorite San Juan
Maya Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
13 Curaçao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164 San Juan as a Port of
Embarkation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238
Frommer’s Favorite Curaçao
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 Walking Tour: Old San Juan . . . . . .243
26 St. Barts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250
14 Dominica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170
Frommer’s Favorite Dominica Frommer’s Favorite St. Barts
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253
27 St. Kitts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256
15 Grand Cayman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177
Frommer’s Favorite Grand Cayman Frommer’s Favorite St. Kitts
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259
28 St. Lucia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261
16 Grand Turk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181
Frommer’s Favorite Grand Turk Frommer’s Favorite St. Lucia
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264
29 St. Martin/Sint Maarten . . . . . . . . .268
17 Grenada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186
Frommer’s Favorite Grenada Frommer’s Favorite St. Martin/
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188 Sint Maarten Experiences . . . . . . . .271
02_944904 ftoc.qxp 7/25/06 7:31 PM Page v

CONTENTS v

30 Trinidad & Tobago . . . . . . . . . . . . .276 Frommer’s Favorite St. Thomas

Frommer’s Favorite Trinidad Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279 Frommer’s Favorite St. John
Frommer’s Favorite Tobago Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .282 Frommer’s Favorite St. Croix
31 U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Thomas, Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .298
St. John & St. Croix . . . . . . . . . . . . .284

Index 303

List of Maps

The Gulf of Mexico & the Caribbean 2 Grand Turk 183

The Eastern Caribbean 5 Grenada 187
Miami 39 Guadeloupe 193
Fort Lauderdale 47 Jamaica 201
Cape Canaveral & Cocoa Beach 51 Key West 209
Tampa 59 Les Saintes 217
Greater New Orleans 65 Martinique 223
The French Quarter 67 Nevis 231
Antigua 89 Panama 235
Aruba 95 Puerto Rico 237
Nassau 101 San Juan at a Glance 241
Freeport/Lucaya 111 Old San Juan Walking Tour 245
Barbados 115 St. Barthélemy (St. Barts) 251
Belize 121 St. Kitts 257
Bequia 129 St. Lucia 263
Bonaire 135 St. Martin/Sint Maarten 269
The British Virgin Islands 143 Trinidad 277
The Yucatán’s Upper Caribbean Tobago 283
Coast 151 St. Thomas 285
Curaçao 165 Charlotte Amalie 289
Dominica 171 St. John 293
Grand Cayman 179 St. Croix 299
03_944904 flast.qxp 7/25/06 7:30 PM Page vi

About the Authors

Tamar Schreibman has traveled to Sedona, Las Vegas, Longboat Key, Scottsdale, the Arizona
wine country, Charleston, Montego Bay, and Budapest to research travel stories for Time Out
New York, Modern Bride, Elle, New Woman, and Mode. Her other articles have appeared in
various publications including Self, Fitness, Marie Claire, Seventeen, Men’s Fitness, Cosmopolitan,
Working Mother, New York Daily News, Star, and Working Woman. This is her third nonfiction
book. She also writes fiction.
Christina Colón has two great passions in life: nature and travel. She has been everywhere from
Borneo (where she lived for 2 years tracking wild animals) to Belize (where she did her master’s
thesis in a jaguar preserve). With a Ph.D. in ecology, a master’s in environmental education, and
adjunct positions at several universities, she is a scientist and an educator, as well as an author.
When she is not exploring a tropical rainforest or an exotic island, she can be found in the
Bronx, where she loves to seek the wilder side of the borough. In addition to scientific and
academic texts, she has contributed to numerous travel guides, including Frommer’s Portable
Aruba and The New York Times Guide to New York City.
03_944904 flast.qxp 7/25/06 7:30 PM Page vii

An Invitation to the Reader

In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and
more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information
with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommenda-
tion, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to:
Frommer’s Caribbean Ports of Call, 6th Edition
Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774

An Additional Note
Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is especially
true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making
your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experi-
ences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to
stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets,
all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.

Other Great Guides for Your Trip:

Frommer’s Caribbean Cruises & Ports of Call
Frommer’s Caribbean
Cruise Vacations For Dummies
Caribbean For Dummies
The Unofficial Guide to Cruises
Frommer’s Florida
Frommer’s South Florida
Frommer’s Jamaica
Frommer’s Puerto Rico
Frommer’s Virgin Islands
03_944904 flast.qxp 7/25/06 7:30 PM Page viii

Frommer’s Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations

Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value,
service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional
guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your
time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (recommended) to three
stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to
the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very
highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).
In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you to the
great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists.
Throughout the book, look for:

Finds Special finds—those places only insiders know about

Fun Fact Fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun

Kids Best bets for kids and advice for the whole family

Moments Special moments—those experiences that memories are made of

Overrated Places or experiences not worth your time or money

Tips Insider tips—great ways to save time and money

Value Great values—where to get the best deals

The following abbreviations are used for credit cards:

AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa
DC Diners Club MC MasterCard

Frommers.com
Now that you have the guidebook to a great trip, visit our website at www.frommers.com for
travel information on more than 3,000 destinations. With features updated regularly, we give
you instant access to the most current trip-planning information available. At Frommers.com,
you’ll also find the best prices on airfares, accommodations, and car rentals—and you can even
book travel online through our travel booking partners. At Frommers.com, you’ll also find the
following:
• Online updates to our most popular guidebooks
• Vacation sweepstakes and contest giveaways
• Newsletter highlighting the hottest travel trends
• Online travel message boards with featured travel discussions
04_944904 ch01.qxp 7/25/06 7:30 PM Page 1

1
Introduction: Cruising
to the Ports of Call
T hough today’s cruise ships are sailing to
more and more places, the Caribbean is
winding mountain roads, beautiful tropi-
cal flowers and marine life, and opportu-
still number one, the destination most of nities to be as active or laid-back as you
us imagine when we think “cruise.” Pic- want to be. And it’s all so easy: Between
ture pulling up in your big white ship to the major Florida home ports (Miami,
a patch of sand-and-palm-tree paradise, Fort Lauderdale, Cape Canaveral, and
a steel band playing as you stroll down Tampa), the big new “alternative” home
the gangway in shorts and flip-flops. ports (New York, Galveston, and
Throughout the region you’re guaranteed Charleston), and a handful of others
nearly constant sunshine, plenty of (Jacksonville, Mobile, and a resurgent,
beaches, and relaxation, but you’re also post-Katrina New Orleans), anyone in
likely to find rich culture and (depending the northeastern and southeastern U.S.
on the island) Mayan ruins, European can easily drive to their ship, if they want
colonial architecture, lush rainforests, to. Once there, it’s all smooth sailing.

1 Choosing the Itinerary & Shore Excursions

That Are Best for You
If you count every rocky little outcropping and sandbar, there are hundreds of islands
in the Caribbean, but of the 40 or 50 that make it onto the map, cruise ships regu-
larly visit only about 25 of them. Most Caribbean cruises are 7 nights long and visit
anywhere from three to six different ports, with the 2,000-passenger-plus megaships
tending toward the lower number and spending the rest of their time on leisurely (and
more profitable) days at sea. There are also 3- and 4-night cruises out of Florida visit-
ing the Bahamas or Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula; 4- and 5-night cruises out of Tampa,
Miami, New Orleans, and Galveston doing western Caribbean itineraries; and 10- to
14-night Caribbean cruises that transit the Panama Canal, sailing either round-trip
from Florida or one-way between Florida and Mexico’s west coast, visiting three to
seven ports.
Though they’re all appealing in some way, the Caribbean islands are not all created
equal. Some are better for shopping, others for beaches or scenic drives. Some are
quite built up, whereas others are hardly developed at all. Some have piers that can
accommodate several megaships at one time; others require that ships anchor up to a
mile offshore and shuttle passengers back and forth in small, motorized launches
called “tenders.” Big ships tend to visit the more commercialized, developed islands,
while small ships are able to access the less-developed, off-the-beaten-path islands.
04_944904 ch01.qxp 7/25/06 7:30 PM Page 2

The Gulf of
KS
Mexico & the Caribbean
W
hit NC
e
TN
Memphis
OK AR
Atlanta SC
U N I T E D S T A T E S
Red GA
MS AL

Missis s i p p i
Dallas
Bra

TX
Jacksonville
zos

LA Cape
New Orleans Canaveral
San Antonio Houston
Ri

Tampa
ampa FL
oG

Galveston
ra

Fort
Freeport/
nd

Lauderdale
e

Lucaya
Na
Miami
Key West
Gulf of Mexico
Matamoros
Monterrey
Saltillo
Havana
C U B A
Ca
Yu c a
tan
Tampico
ampico Ch Isla de la
Playa del an Juventad
Carmen ne
rida
Mérida l AN
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M E X I C O Cozumel
Ba h i a d e YUCAT
YUCATÁN
UCATÁN
Costa Maya

Campeche
Ca m p e c h e ENINSULA
PENINSULA
Mexico City

Veracruz
eracruz
Belize City
Balsas

Coatzacoalcas Roatán
Oaxaca BELIZE
Gulf of Honduras
Honduras
Acapulco
Golfo de GUATEMALA
GUA TEMALA HONDURAS
Tehuantapec
Tegucigalpa
egucigalpa
Guatemala City

San Salvador
NICARAGUA

EL SALVADOR

Lago de
Managua Nicáragua
Nic agua Golfo de los
Mosquitos
San José
Jos Pan
P A C I F I C O C E A N

COSTTA City
RICA

0 300 mi

N
0 300 km

2
 04_944904 ch01.qxp 7/25/06 7:30 PM Page 3

NC

A T L A N T I C O C E A N

cksonville

Cape
Canaveral

L BA
H
Fort A
Freeport/ M
Lauderdale Lucaya
A
S

Nassau
Miami

Turks & Caicos

Andros Is. Islands St. Martin/
I N Sint Maarten
Great V IRG Barbuda
Havana
Inagua San Juan NDS Antigua
C U B A LA
IS Montserrat
DOMINICAN St. Kitts
Camag ey
Camagüey REPUBLIC Puerto & Nevis
Nevis Guadeloupe
HAITI
Rico
Dominica
Santo
Port-au-Prince
Domingo Martinique
IS .
G R E See Eastern Caribbean map St. Lucia
A T E R
S

A N T I L L E S on following page

Kingston Barbados
L E

JAMAICA St. Vincent

L
I

T Grenada
N Tobago
A
Caribbean Sea R
L E S S E Trinidad
Aruba Curaçao
Bonaire

Caracas
Car

Maracaibo
oni

Barranquilla c o
ino
Or
e
ur

V E N E Z U E L A
Ap

PA N A M A
Colón San Cristóbal
Crist bal
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City
uca
Ca

a
cuer
Gulf of Ur a r i
Magdalena

Medellín
Medell CO LO M B I A
Panama
B R A Z I L
eta
Bogotá
Bogot M
ranco

3
04_944904 ch01.qxp 7/25/06 7:30 PM Page 4

4 C H A P T E R 1 . I N T R O D U C T I O N : C RU I S I N G TO T H E P O RT S O F C A L L

Days at Sea vs. Days in Port

When evaluating an itinerary, take a look at its day-by-day schedule. A few
ships will visit a different port every day, but it’s much more typical for
them to have at least 1 or 2 days at sea—either because they have to sail a
long way between ports or so they can just give passengers a chance to
rest (and spend some money on board, while they’re at it). Many cruises
these days—especially ones that sail from more northerly home ports to
Caribbean destinations—are spending up to 3 days at sea on 7-night itiner-
aries, and 4 on 8-night itineraries. That’s not a bad thing if your main vaca-
tion goal is to decompress, but if your goal is to see a lot of different ports,
this is not an ideal situation. Ditto if you think you’ll get “are we there yet?”
antsy between ports.

Typically, cruise lines divide Caribbean itineraries into eastern, western, and southern
routings, but as ships become faster and able to sail greater distances between ports,
more and more of those lines are blurring.
MEGASHIP ITINERARIES
EASTERN CARIBBEAN Eastern Caribbean itineraries typically sail out of Florida
and from the alternate home ports up the Eastern Seaboard, and may include visits to
San Juan (Puerto Rico), the U.S. Virgin Islands (particularly St. Thomas), St. Martin,
and Nassau or Freeport in the Bahamas—all very popular and busy ports of call,
especially St. Thomas, Nassau, and San Juan. Grand Turk, located just east of the
Bahamas, is also showing up on some of these sailings.
WESTERN CARIBBEAN Western Caribbean itineraries depart from Miami, Fort
Lauderdale, Tampa, New Orleans, and Galveston, and usually visit Grand Cayman,
Jamaica, and Cozumel or one of the other ports on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. This
is a popular itinerary for many lines, so you’ll see throngs of other cruise passengers in
each port—often three or four (or more) ships will be visiting at a time. Belize City
and the Bay Islands of Honduras are also popping up more frequently on western
Caribbean itineraries, as is the new port at Grand Turk in the Turks & Caicos Islands.
SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN Southern itineraries typically sail round-trip out of
San Juan or sometimes out of Aruba or Barbados. They often overlap with eastern
Caribbean itineraries and may visit St. Thomas, St. Martin, St. Lucia, Martinique,
Antigua, and maybe Dominica, Guadeloupe, Aruba, and Grenada or one of the other
islands in the Grenadines.
SMALL-SHIP ITINERARIES
Most small ships cruise in the eastern and southern Caribbean, where distances
between islands are shorter. Instead of Florida, they may sail out of Barbados,
Grenada, St. Kitts, or San Juan and visit more remote islands.
EASTERN CARIBBEAN These itineraries may include visits to St. Barts, the
British Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (lush St. John as well as more
touristy St. Thomas).
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The Eastern Caribbean

San Juan PUERTO RICO
0 50 mi
Carolina
Cayey Caguas Juncos

N
Salinas 0 50 km

Guayama Humacao Fajardo L

E
ST. THOMAS E
VIRGIN W
Charlotte Amalie Road Town GORDA

A
Cruz Bay

R
ST. JOHN TORTOLA S
V I R G N D

D
Frederiksted
I N I S L A
Christiansted

I S
ST. CROIX

L
A
ANGUILLA
Anguilla

N
Marigot

D S
ST. MARTIN/
Philipsburg SINT MAARTEN
L

SABA
Gustavia ST. BARTHELEMY
E

ST. EUSTATIUS
S

ST. KITTS Basseterre

S

BARBUDA
Codrington
Charlestown NEVIS
E
R

St. John’s
ANTIGUA
MONTSERRAT
A

C a r i b b e a n S e a Sainte Rose
Pointe Noire
N

GUADELOUPE
Basse Terre Pointe-à-Pitre
T

LES SAINTES
Grand Bourg
I

MARIE-GALANTE
Portsmouth
Marigot
L

DOMINICA
Roseau
L
E

St-Pierre
Ste-Marie
S

Fort-de-France MARTINIQUE
Le François
Rivière Pilote
Rivière-Pilote
ST. LUCIA
S

Castries
D

Dennery
Vieux Fort
N

ST. VINCENT A
Kingstown L
INES Georgetown S
AD I
REN BEQUIA
EG
TH

GRENADA
UNION ISLAND D
CARRIACOU R
A
St. George’s Grenville W BARBADOS
D Speightstown
Trinidad & Tobago I N Bridgetown
 W Crane

5
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SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN Southern Caribbean cruises may visit Guadeloupe,

Dominica, Les Saintes, St. Kitts, Nevis, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada,
and Bequia, and maybe the truly unspoiled and remote Palm, Canouan, Mayreau, and
Carriacou islands.
SHORTER ITINERARIES
Short and affordable 2- and 3-night cruises offer a more action-packed, nonstop
party ambience than longer 7-night Caribbean itineraries. It’s obvious why: These are
weekend cruises, departing on Thursday or Friday afternoon, so people are ready to
squeeze in as much fun, relaxation, drinking, gambling, dancing, and eating as possi-
ble before going back to work on Monday. Though you’ll definitely find more 20- and
30-somethings on these shorties than on any other type of cruise, you’ll still see a wide
range of ages. Aside from the fun factor, short cruises are a great way for first-time
cruisers to test the waters (so to speak) before committing to a full week. They’re also
a good idea if you’re short on time or moola.
The ships that offer these minicruises tend to be the oldest in their fleets and are a
bit beat-up compared to the newest megaships. We’ve also noticed that service tends
to not be as good on the short party cruises. Then again, most passengers don’t notice
the difference—they’re too busy having fun.
Because they typically depart on Sunday or Monday afternoon and sail through the
workweek, 4- and 5-night cruises represent the opposite end of the liveliness spec-
trum, tending to attract an older and less party-oriented crowd.
MATCHING YOUR HABITS TO YOUR ITINERARY
Some ports are better for certain things than others. Here’s a short rundown; see p. 79
for a comparison chart that rates shore excursions, activities, beaches, shopping, and
dining for all the Caribbean ports. The island reviews in chapter 5, “Ports of Call,”
provide detailed information.
PORTS FOR SHOPPERS
Eastern Caribbean: St. Thomas, San Juan, Nassau, St. Martin. Western Caribbean:
Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen. Southern Caribbean: Aruba, Barbados.
PORTS FOR BEACH LOVERS
Eastern Caribbean: Antigua, British Virgin Islands, St. John, St. Martin, St. Barts.
Western Caribbean: Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Grand Turk. Southern Caribbean:
Aruba, Grenada, Bequia, Barbados, Nevis, Martinique.
PORTS FOR SCUBA DIVERS & SNORKELERS
Eastern Caribbean: St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas. Western Caribbean: Grand
Cayman, Belize, Cozumel, Grand Turk. Southern Caribbean: Bonaire, Curaçao,
Dominica.
PORTS FOR HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY ENTHUSIASTS
Eastern Caribbean: San Juan. Western Caribbean: Cozumel and the other Yucatán
ports. Southern Caribbean: Barbados, Curaçao.
P O R T S F O R N AT U R E B U F F S
Eastern Caribbean: St. John, San Juan. Southern Caribbean: Aruba, Bonaire
Dominica, St. Kitts, Grenada, Trinidad.
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W H E N TO G O 7

PORTS FOR FRANCOPHILES

Eastern Caribbean: Guadeloupe, Les Saintes, St. Martin, St. Barts, Martinique.
SHORE EXCURSIONS: THE WHAT, WHY & HOW
Sometimes a port’s real attractions may be miles (occasionally, a lot of miles) from
where your ship is docked. In such cases, touring on your own could be an inefficient
use of your time, entailing lots of hassles and planning, and possibly costing more.
This is when the shore excursions offered by the cruise lines are a good way to go.
Shore excursions run the gamut, from snoresville bus tours and catamaran booze
cruises to more stimulating options like snorkeling and rainforest walks. For those
who like a little sweat in their port visit, there are more physically challenging options
than ever, such as kayaking, horseback riding, mountain biking, zip lining, and river
rafting. Most islands offer at least 10 to 20 different excursions, all of them operated
not by the cruise line, but by land-based tour companies with which the cruise lines
contract. When you receive your cruise documents and/or confirmation numbers (or,
at the latest, when you board ship), you’ll get a listing of the excursions offered for
your itinerary. To get a jump on things, you can also glance at the shore-excursion lists
on most cruise lines’ websites, many of which also allow you to prebook or prereserve
excursions. It’s a good option if you have your heart set on a particular one, since some
popular choices fill up fast.
In chapter 5, “Ports of Call,” we discuss shore excursions in more depth, providing
information on the best excursions and noting when you may want to skip the excur-
sions entirely and set out on your own.

2 When to Go
The greatest number of ships sail the Caribbean from late November to mid-April,
though many ships take advantage of the year-round good weather and just stay here
full-time. The only trouble in paradise is hurricane season, which officially runs June
1 to November 30 but rarely causes cruisers any problems bigger than a few days of
rain and a bit of rocking and rolling. We’ve taken many cruises in the Caribbean dur-
ing this period and have only occasionally run into stormy weather; it’s rare, but it’s a
risk you take. The big hurricanes of 2005, which did so much damage to New
Orleans, Cozumel, and others areas, made several affected ships merely reroute around
the storms; others had to alter their post-storm itineraries while islands rebuilt their
infrastructure. The chance of actually getting caught in the perfect storm is next to nil,
as modern communications (and generally speedy vessels) allow captains to change
course and pilot their ships out of danger as soon as they get word of a storm.
Defining seasons as “low” and “high” is hardly a science, but it’s generally accepted
that high season in the Caribbean is mid-December to mid-April. During this time,
weather will most likely be perfect, the islands and ships will be packed, and the prices
will be higher. The holiday weeks of Christmas, New Year’s, Presidents’ Day, and
Easter are the absolute busiest and most expensive periods, especially on the family-
oriented megaships—these are often the few times in the year when the cruise lines’
brochure rates are not discounted.
Despite it being hurricane season, the summer months of June, July, and August are
the next busiest times; in fact, many lines consider these months high season along with
December through April because families traditionally vacation during the summer
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8 C H A P T E R 1 . I N T R O D U C T I O N : C RU I S I N G TO T H E P O RT S O F C A L L

and because many ships migrate to Alaska and Europe for the season, leaving fewer
vessels in the Caribbean. Temperatures may be a bit hotter in summer, but the islands’
colorful flowering trees are also at their most lush.
September, October, and early November are considered low season (often referred
to as “value season”) and are the times when you’ll encounter the fewest crowds
onshore and on board, as well as some of the lowest rates. Sometimes there will be a
lull during the first 2 weeks of January, just after the rush of the holidays, and some-
times in late April and May, so look for good prices then as well.
The Panama Canal cruise season generally parallels the Caribbean high season,
with most cruises departing between November and April. Some ships offer only two
Panama Canal cruises annually, when repositioning between their summer season in
Alaska and their fall/winter season in the Caribbean. These days, many cruise lines are
including partial canal crossings as part of extended western Caribbean itineraries
from Florida, sailing through the canal’s locks westbound to Gatun Lake, docking for
a day of excursions, and then sailing back out in the evening.
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2
The Cruise Lines in Brief
P eople feel very strongly about ships.
For centuries, mariners have imbued their
this will give you a little background to
help you make your choice. The impor-
vessels with human attributes, and even tant thing is to find a cruise line and a
though cruise passengers are typically ship that says “you.” To make your selec-
aboard for only a week at a time, they tion easier (and to make sure you’re not
really do bond with their vessels. They comparing apples and oranges), we’ve
find themselves in the gift shop, buying divided the cruise lines into three distinct
T-shirts with the ship’s name emblazoned categories based on the type of experi-
on the front. They get to port and the ences they offer: mainstream, ultraluxury,
first question they ask other cruisers they and small-ship/adventure cruises (which
meet is “Which ship are you sailing includes both motorized and sailing
on?”—and after engaging in a friendly vessels). If you want more info, with
comparison, they walk away knowing in in-depth discussions of the different
their hearts that their ship is the best. We aspects of each line’s onboard experience,
know people who have sailed the same detailed reviews of the different ships,
ship a dozen times or more, and feel as and itinerary schedules, pick up a copy of
warmly about it as though it were their Frommer’s Cruises & Ports of Call 2006,
own summer cottage. which covers all cruises sailing from
Following is a quick primer on the U.S. and Canadian home ports to the
cruise lines operating in the Caribbean. Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, the Mexican
If you’re an experienced cruiser, you Riviera, New England/Eastern Canada,
may already have a favorite, but if not, Bermuda, and U.S. coasts and rivers.

1 The Mainstream Lines

Part theme park, part shopping mall, part ocean-view high-rise hotel, these cruise
ships will blow you away with their sheer grandeur and size. Gigantic 12-story-plus
tributes to fun, food, and drink, today’s megaships are all about dazzling passengers
with gimmicks and trendy pursuits, from surfing machines to bowling alleys. With
their often-wacky decor and endless options in dining and entertainment, these ships
are bold, bustling, busting-at-the-scenes hubs of vacation ecstasy for anyone searching
for a Vegas-style floating resort . . . and for lots of other people sharing the experience
with you—nowadays, as many as 4,370 of them, plus 1,000 or 2,000 crewmembers.
The action is just outside your cabin door, though if you crave some downtime, there’s
always your private balcony or perhaps some quiet lounge that’s deserted while every-
body else is at the pool.
Since the mainstream category is, well, mainstream (meaning the most popular), it’s
the one that’s seen the most growth, innovation, and investment in recent years, so the
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10 CHAPTER 2 . THE CRUISE LINES IN BRIEF

ships, as a general rule, are remarkably new—and also remarkably big. This is the cat-
egory where the megaships reside, those hulking 2,000- to 4,000-passenger floating
resorts that offer the widest variety of activities and entertainment. Most of the lines
in this segment (but particularly the “Big Four”—Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess,
and Norwegian) have been pumping billions into building newer, bigger, and fancier
ships, offering an extensive variety of cabin sizes and layouts, a mix of formal and
informal dining options, a wide array of entertainment (heavy on the Vegas style),
sports facilities, bars, Internet cafes, giant spas, and more activities than you can pos-
sibly squeeze into a day.
The intense competition among cruise lines means they’re constantly trying to
outdo one another with cool stuff you’d never expect to find on a ship, from rock-
climbing walls and ice-skating rinks to pottery studios, planetariums, and multimil-
lion-dollar art collections. You can choose from a dizzying number of things to do,
from dancing lessons, bingo, and game-show contests to lectures on finance and nutri-
tion, wine tastings, and classes on photography and website design. Mixers allow sin-
gles to mingle and grandmothers to pull out the grandkid pictures, while nutty
contests by the pool encourage passengers to toss away all restraint as they try to stuff
the most Ping-Pong balls down their bathing suits or swim across the pool with a bagel
in their mouths. Overall, the atmosphere is very social. Steer clear, of course, if you
suffer from agoraphobia.
The more elegant and refined of the lines are commonly referred to as premium, a
notch up in the sophistication department from others that are described as mass-
market. In terms of quality, for the most part they’re all on equal footing and are more
alike than different, especially with regard to dining and entertainment. Ditto for lines
like Oceania and MSC, whose fleets of midsize ships are almost throwbacks to the
days before supersizing. For even more of a throwback, there’s Imperial Majesty, with
its one midsize antique ocean liner. Though these lines have little in common with the
Carnivals and Royal Caribbeans of the world, they’re in this section because they offer
well-rounded cruises for a fairly diverse mix of passengers.
CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES
3655 NW 87th Ave., Miami, FL 33178-2428. & 800/227-6482 or 305/599-2200.
Fax 305/405-4855. www.carnival.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL The everyman cruise, Carnival’s got the most rec-
ognized name in the biz and serves up a very casual, down-to-earth, middle-American
Caribbean vacation aboard colorful, jumbo-size resort ships. If you like the flash of
Vegas mixed with a big dose of beach party, you’ll love Carnival’s brand of flamboy-
ant fun.
THE EXPERIENCE Like the frat boy who graduated to a button-down shirt and
an office job, Carnival has definitely moved up and on to some extent from its riotous,
party-boat beginnings. But like that reformed frat boy who stills meets his old pals for
happy hour once a week, the line hasn’t lost touch with its past. Sure, the ships’ decor,
like the clientele, has mellowed to some degree since the line’s raucous beginnings, but
each vessel is still an exciting, bordering-on-nutty collage of textures, shapes, and
images. Where else but on these floating playlands would you find a giant octopus-
like chandelier with lights that change color, bar stools designed to look like baseball
bats, or real oyster-shell wallpaper? The outrageousness is part of the fun. On many
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THE MAINSTREAM LINES 11

ships in the fleet, you’ll find a sushi bar, supper club, wine bar, coffee bar, and great
amenities for children. Food and service are pretty decent, considering the huge num-
bers served, and Carnival gets points for trying to offer a higher-quality vacation than
in years past. Enhancements include partnering with Michelin three-star chef Georges
Blanc to create a series of signature dishes for the dining rooms, switching from plas-
tic to china in the buffet restaurants, and stocking cabins with thicker towels, duvets,
and more TV channels.
PASSENGER PROFILE A Carnival cruise is a huge melting pot—couples, singles,
and families; young, old, and lots in between. We’ve met doctors as well as truck
drivers on Carnival cruises. And no matter what their profession, you’ll see people
wearing everything from Ralph Lauren shirts and Gucci glasses to Harley-Davidson
T-shirts and tattoos. Carnival estimates about 30% of its passengers are under age 35,
another 40% are between 35 and 55, and 30% are over 55. At least half of all passen-
gers are first-time cruisers. While it’s one of the best lines to choose if you’re single,
Carnival’s ships certainly aren’t overrun by singles—families and couples are definitely
in the majority. The line’s 3-, 4-, and 5-night cruises tend to attract the most families
with kids and the highest number of 20- and 30-something single friends traveling
together in groups.
Regardless of their age, passengers tend to be young at heart, ready to party, and
keyed up for nonstop fun and games. Many have visited the casinos of Las Vegas and
Atlantic City, and the resorts of Cancún and Jamaica, and are thus no strangers to
soaking in sardine-can hot tubs, sunbathing, hitting the piña coladas and beer before
lunch, and dancing late into the night.
CELEBRITY CRUISES
1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132. & 800/437-3111 or 305/539-6000. Fax
800/722-5329. www.celebrity.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL You can have it all with Celebrity: If you like el-
egance without stuffiness, fun without bad taste, and pampering without a high price,
Celebrity delivers—and then some.
THE EXPERIENCE Celebrity has the goods in a lot of categories: Its spas are
among the most attractive at sea, its decor the most original and art collections the
most compelling, its onboard activities and entertainment among the most varied,
and the alternative restaurants on its Millennium-class ships the best in the main-
stream category for both quality of food and gorgeous decor. The line’s megaships are
the most elegant in the industry, each one of them spacious, glamorous, and comfort-
able, mixing sleekly modern and Art Deco styles. An exceedingly polite and profes-
sional staff contributes greatly to the mood.
Like all the big-ship lines, Celebrity offers lots for its passengers to do, but its focus
on mellower pursuits and innovative programming sets it apart. Niceties such as rov-
ing a cappella groups lend a warmly personal touch, while seminars on topics like
astronomy, photography, and history offer a little more cerebral meat than the usual.
PASSENGER PROFILE Celebrity tries to focus on middle- to upper-middle-
income cruisers, and even wealthy patrons who want the best megaship experience out
there (while happily nestled in one of the line’s amazing Penthouse Suites). But since
its rates are more or less comparable to those of Carnival and Royal Caribbean, you’ll
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12 CHAPTER 2 . THE CRUISE LINES IN BRIEF

find a very wide range of folks aboard—those who appreciate the elegance of its ships
as well as those who could care less. Clients who choose their cruise based on more
than just price like Celebrity because it’s not Carnival and because it offers a well-
balanced cruise, with lots of activities and a glamorous, exciting atmosphere that’s
both refined and fun.
Many passengers are couples in their 40s and 50s, though you’ll see people of all
ages, with a decent number of honeymooners and couples celebrating anniversaries, as
well as families with children in summer and during the holidays.
COSTA CRUISES
200 S. Park Rd., Suite 200, Hollywood, FL 33021-8541. & 800/462-6782 or 954/
266-5600. Fax 954/266-2100. www.costacruises.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL Imagine a Carnival megaship hijacked by an Ital-
ian circus troupe: That’s Costa. The words of the day are fun, festive, and international,
with big, bright new megaships providing the venue. Expect a really good time, but
don’t set your sights too high for cuisine.
THE EXPERIENCE For years, Costa has played up its Italian heritage as the main
factor that distinguishes it from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and the rest—even
though the line is part of the Carnival Corporation empire, and many members of the
service staff are as Italian as Chico Marx. Still, there’s an Italianate essence here, with
more pasta dishes on the menu than on any other line; more classical Italian music
among the entertainment offerings; Italian-flavored activities facilitated by a young,
mostly Italian, and ridiculously attractive “animation staff ”; and a huge number of
Italian Americans among the passengers. The interiors of the line’s huge new ships are
by Carnival’s designer-in-chief Joe Farcus, who took inspiration from Italy’s traditions
of painting and architecture but still stuck close to his signature “more is more” style—
think Venice a la Vegas.
PASSENGER PROFILE Costa attracts passengers of all ages who want lots of fun
and action—and who like the idea of “Cruising Italian Style,” as the line’s slogan goes.
Italian Americans are heavily represented aboard every Caribbean cruise, and, in gen-
eral, Costa passengers are big on participation—the goofier, the better: Witness, for
instance, the number of passengers wearing togas on Roman Bacchanal Toga Night.
And we’ve never seen as many guests crowding the dance floor, participating in con-
tests, or having a go at bocce ball or mask painting as aboard Costa’s ships.
Most of Costa’s ships sail in Europe, where the passengers are 80% to 85% Euro-
peans. In the Caribbean, though, about 90% to 95% of passengers are from North
America, with the remainder mostly from Europe and South America. Costa’s
Caribbean cruises appeal to retirees and young couples alike, although there are more
passengers over 50 than under. Typically, you won’t see more than 40 or 50 kids on
any one cruise except during holidays such as Christmas and spring break, when there
may be as many as 500 children on board. Because of the international mix, public
announcements, lifeboat drills, and some entertainment are given in both English and
Italian. For Caribbean sailings, the cruise director is often American or British, but
many of the activities staff members are multilingual Italians.
DISNEY CRUISE LINE
P.O. Box 10210, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830. & 800/951-3532 or 888/325-2500.
Fax 407/566-3541. www.disneycruise.com.
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THE MAINSTREAM LINES 13

THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL Disney is king of the hill when it comes to family
fun. Though Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Celebrity, NCL, and Princess all devote sig-
nificant attention to children, it took Disney to create vessels where both kids and
adults are really catered to equally, and with style and elegance. If you love Disney,
you’ll adore its two floating theme parks.
THE EXPERIENCE Both classic and ultramodern, the line’s two ships are like no
others in the industry, designed to evoke the grand transatlantic liners but also boast-
ing a handful of truly innovative features, including extra-large cabins for families,
several restaurants through which passengers rotate on every cruise, fantastic Disney-
inspired entertainment, separate adult pools and lounges, and the biggest kids’ facili-
ties at sea. In many ways, the experience is more Disney than it is cruise (for instance,
there’s no casino), but, on the other hand, the ships are surprisingly elegant and well
laid out, with the Disneyisms sprinkled around subtly, like fairy dust, amid the Art
Deco and Art Nouveau design motifs. Head to toe, inside and out, they’re a class act.
Disney is nothing if not organized, so its 3- and 4-night cruises aboard Disney Won-
der are designed to be combined seamlessly with a Disney theme park and hotel pack-
age to create a weeklong land/sea vacation. You can also book shorter cruises (as well
as Disney Magic’s weeklong cruises) separately.
PASSENGER PROFILE Disney’s ships attract a wide mix of passengers, from hon-
eymooners to seniors, but naturally a large percentage is made up of young American
families with children (with a smallish number of foreign passengers as well). Because
of this, the overall demographic tends to be younger than that aboard many of the
other mainstream ships, with many passengers in their 30s and early to mid-40s.
The bulk of the line’s passengers are first-time cruisers, and since the line attracts so
many families (sometimes large ones), more than half of its bookings are for multiple
cabins.
HOLLAND AMERICA LINE
300 Elliott Ave. W., Seattle, WA 98119. & 877/724-5425 or 206/281-3535. Fax
800/628-4855. www.hollandamerica.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL Holland America, in business since 1873, has man-
aged to hang on to more of its seafaring history and tradition than any line today
except Cunard. It offers a moderately priced, classic, and casual yet refined cruise
experience.
THE EXPERIENCE Holland America is a classy operation, offering all-around
appealing cruises with a touch of old-world elegance and cushy amenities like plush
bedding and flat-panel TVs with DVD players in all cabins. Though the line has been
retooling itself to attract younger passengers and families, it still caters mostly to older
folks and so generally offers a more sedate and stately experience than other main-
stream lines (plus excellent service for the money). Its fleet, which until a few years ago
consisted of midsize, classically styled ships, is in the process of being supersized, and
the new Vista-class megaships are a mite bolder in their color palate. New or old, the
vessels are all well maintained and have excellent (and remarkably similar) layouts that
ease passenger movement. In the ships’ public areas, you’ll see flowers that testify to
Holland’s place in the floral trade, Indonesian fabrics and woodcarvings that evoke the
country’s relationship with its former colony, and seafaring memorabilia that often
harks back to Holland America’s own history.
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14 CHAPTER 2 . THE CRUISE LINES IN BRIEF

PASSENGER PROFILE For years, HAL was known for catering to an almost
exclusively older crowd, with most passengers in their 70s on up. Today, following
intense efforts to attract younger passengers, about 40% of the line’s guests are under
55 (with the average age being 57), with a few young families peppering the mix, espe-
cially in summers and during holiday weeks. While the average age skews a bit lower
on the newer Vista-class ships, HAL just isn’t Carnival or Disney, and its older ships
especially were designed with older folks in mind—a few even have fold-down seats
in the elevators.
Passengers tend to be amiable, low key, better educated than their equivalents
aboard sister line Carnival, and much more amenable to dressing up—you’ll spot lots
of tuxedos and evening gowns on formal nights. Though you’ll see some people walk-
ing laps on the Promenade Deck, others taking advantage of the ships’ large gyms, and
some taking athletic or semiadventurous shore excursions, these aren’t terribly active
cruises, and passengers overall tend to be sedentary. HAL has a very high repeat-pas-
senger rate, so many of the people you’ll see aboard will have sailed with the line
before.
IMPERIAL MAJESTY CRUISES
4161 NW Fifth St., Suite 200, Plantation, FL 33317. & 800/394-3865 or 954/453-
4625. Fax 954/453-4626. www.imperialmajesty.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL Imperial Majesty operates nothing but 2-night
round-trips between Fort Lauderdale and Nassau, year-round. The one big reason to
sail? The line’s ship, the 1953-vintage Regal Empress, is probably the last chance you’ll
ever get to sail on a real, old-fashioned ocean liner. They don’t make ’em like this
anymore.
THE EXPERIENCE If you want to get a glimpse of what ocean travel was like in
the 1950s, plunk down a couple hundred bucks and take a quick ride aboard Regal
Empress. Today, the 54-year-old vessel is more over-the-hill vaudeville trouper than
glamorous star, but she’s one of the very few ships left with the kind of woody interi-
ors and chunky steelwork that characterized the great old liners. She’s a real ship ship,
totally unlike today’s hotel-like megaships. Former owner Regal Cruises kept her in
good shape, initiating several well-planned refurbishments that ripped out bad, glitzy
’80s additions and reemphasized the classic elements of the decor. Let’s not be dishon-
est, though: The Empress shows her age, and for every classic element there’s a worn
one to balance it, like scuffed cabin walls, stained or sagging ceiling tiles, and a “been
at sea too long” smell in some areas. Quirks and all, though, the Regal Empress is an
absolute classic—and with international maritime regulations practically guaranteeing
retirement for vessels like this by 2010, time is running out.
PASSENGER PROFILE At any given time, about 50% of passengers are aboard
the ship as part of land/sea package deals, often sold via telemarketers. The other 50%
are generally South Florida locals and vacationers looking to add a quick Bahamas hop
to their Florida itinerary. A fair number are first-timers sampling the cruise experience
before committing to a longer voyage, while a few are ocean-liner buffs looking for a
dose of the real thing.
MSC ITALIAN CRUISES
420 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10018. & 800/666-9333 or 212/764-4800. Fax 212/
764-1486. www.msccruises.com.
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THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL MSC is a line in transition, its sugar-daddy Euro-

pean owners ordering up new ships at an amazing rate and its high-profile U.S. man-
agement team busy with the goal of turning MSC into a premium line on par with
Holland America and Celebrity.
THE EXPERIENCE Based in Italy, where it was born as an adjunct of Mediter-
ranean Shipping Company (the world’s second-largest container-shipping opera-
tion), MSC is all about “Italian style.” You’re probably thinking, “What, another
Costa?” Not exactly. Where Costa goes for a flashy megaship vibe, MSC is deliberately
low-key in the decor and whoopee department. Its U.S.-based ship, the midsize Lir-
ica, was launched in 2003 and is almost a throwback to an earlier era of cruising, car-
rying “only” 1,590 passengers and with almost none of the pop-culture themes and
flashiness of most modern ships. Ditto for the onboard ambience, which has been
retuned by the U.S. management team. New head honcho Rick Sasso, formerly presi-
dent of Celebrity Cruises, has his eye on re-creating what he sees as cruising’s glory
days. “The ’70s were my favorite era in cruising,” he told us. “It was all about the
experience then: the personality of the brand and the way passengers interacted with
each other.” The idea—and the reality—is a line that doesn’t rely on gadgets and gim-
micks, but where the staff helps the passengers have a great time simply interacting
with one another.
PASSENGER PROFILE MSC’s typical age range in the Caribbean is mid-40s and
up, and while its Mediterranean itineraries tend to carry 85% Europeans and 15%
“other” (including North Americans), Caribbean itineraries are exactly the opposite,
with Americans dominating. Also, while European itineraries tend to carry a lot
of kids, those in the Caribbean don’t—except at holidays. Announcements in the
Caribbean are usually made in only two languages, English and Italian (in that order).
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
7665 Corporate Center Dr., Miami, FL 33126. & 800/327-7030 or 305/436-4000.
Fax 305/436-4126. www.ncl.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL NCL may be the most mainstream of the main-
stream lines these days—and we mean that in a good way. At a time when even Car-
nival is pushing some “luxury” elements of its onboard program, NCL hews to the
center, with always-casual dining (and lots of it), bright and cheerful decor, and fun
innovations like gourmet-beer bars and onboard bowling alleys. Its newest ships are
standouts, giving Royal Caribbean and Princess a run for their money. Nutshell?
NCL’s the kind of cruise line you want to sit down and have a beer with.
THE EXPERIENCE Back in the ’90s, NCL operated a mixed-bag fleet of older
ships whose onboard vibe was only a couple steps above budget. What a difference
a few years makes. Today, NCL is one of the top players in the industry, with inno-
vative itineraries, a fleet of mostly new megaships, a casual onboard atmosphere,
quality entertainment, and a staggering number of dining choices. The line was the
first to dump the old system of formal/informal/casual nights, going totally casual
in 2000 and starting a trend across the industry. The new program also did away
with fixed dining times and seating assignments, leaving passengers free to choose
when and where they want to dine among a variety of venues. Traditional tipping
also went away, replaced by a system where gratuities are added directly to passenger
accounts.
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16 CHAPTER 2 . THE CRUISE LINES IN BRIEF

PASSENGER PROFILE Passengers in general are younger, more price conscious,

and more active than those aboard lines such as HAL, Celebrity, and Princess. Typi-
cal NCL passengers are couples between 25 and 60, including a fair number of hon-
eymooners and families with kids during summers and holidays. Kids under 2 travel
free. The atmosphere aboard all NCL vessels is informal and well suited to casual
types, party-makers, and first-time cruisers.
OCEANIA CRUISES
8300 NW 33rd St., Suite 308, Miami, FL 33122. & 800/531-5658 or 305/514-
2300. www.oceaniacruises.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL Oceania is the phoenix that rose from the ashes of
Renaissance Cruises, which went belly-up in September 2001. Headed by former
Renaissance and Crystal Cruises executives, the line operates three of Renaissance’s
ships and mimics some attributes of much pricier lines, with excellent service and cui-
sine along with a quiet, refined onboard feel.
THE EXPERIENCE Oceania is positioned as an “upper premium” line intended
to fill the gap between big-ship premium lines such as Celebrity and real luxe lines
such as Regent, in terms of both ship size and level of luxury. It’s going for a kind of
floating country-club feel, with a low-key ambience; few organized activities; low-key
entertainment; a casual, sporty dress code; an emphasis on cabin comfort; and long
itineraries that favor smaller, less-visited ports such as St. Kitts and St. Barts. Despite
such luxe-travel touches, the line’s prices are competitive with—and often even lower
than—those of the other premium lines.
PASSENGER PROFILE Due partially to the length of these cruises (mostly 10, 12,
and 14 days) and partially to the low-key onboard atmosphere, Oceania tends to
attract older passengers who prefer to entertain themselves, reading in the library and
enjoying the destination-heavy itineraries. Most are Americans, with many from the
West Coast and many “returning,” having sailed previously with Oceania (or with
Renaissance back in the old days). A sprinkling of younger couples usually find them-
selves on board as well, though children are rare enough to be surprising. Whatever
their age, passengers tend to be drawn by the line’s 100%-casual dress code and
ambience.
Because of Oceania’s stringent no-smoking rules, most passengers are nonsmokers.
Aside from one corner of the pool deck and one corner of the Horizons nightclub,
smoking is not permitted anywhere on board—even in your cabin or private balcony.
PRINCESS CRUISES
24305 Town Center Dr., Santa Clarita, CA 91355. & 800/PRINCESS or 661/753-
0000. Fax 661/259-3108. www.princess.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL With a fleet of mostly large and extra-large mega-
ships, L.A.-based Princess offers a quality mainstream cruise experience with a nice bal-
ance of tradition and innovation, relaxation and excitement, casualness and glamour.
THE EXPERIENCE If you were to put Royal Caribbean, NCL, and Holland
America in a blender and mix them together, then add a pinch of British maritime tra-
dition and California style, you’d come up with Princess. Dining, entertainment, and
activities are geared to a wide cross-section of cruisers: The more traditional-minded
can spend time in the library, join a bridge tournament, enjoy a meal in a grand
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dining room, and then take in a show. Those seeking something different can spin a
pottery wheel or work toward their PADI scuba certification, grab a bite in an inti-
mate Italian restaurant, and take in a jazz set. The line’s largest vessels are some of
the biggest at sea, yet still manage to offer intimate spaces for quiet time, as well as lots
to do.
PASSENGER PROFILE The majority of Princess’s passengers are in their 50s, 60s,
and older, though more and more 30- and 40-somethings (and their families) are sail-
ing these days, particularly during summer school holidays. Overall, Princess passen-
gers are less boisterous than those aboard Carnival and not quite as staid as those
aboard Holland America. Its ships all have extensive kids’ facilities and activities, mak-
ing them suitable for families, while their balance of formal and informal makes them
a good bet for a romantic vacation, too, with opportunities for doing your own thing
mixed in among more traditional cruise experiences. For serious Love Boat–style
romance, Princess has things covered, offering secret proposal packages and onboard
weddings in which the captain officiates.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL
1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132. & 800/327-6700 or 305/539-6000. Fax
800/722-5329. www.royalcaribbean.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL Good-looking, activity-packed floating resorts,
Royal Caribbean’s ships are all-around winners. It’s among the most innovative lines
in the cruise biz, offering not only the biggest ships, but also the most fun. Onboard
surfing, rock climbing, ice-skating, boxing . . . what’s next?
THE EXPERIENCE Royal Caribbean prides itself on being ultrainnovative and
cutting edge, pushing the envelope with each new class of ship it builds. If there’s
something that’s never been done at sea before, Royal Caribbean will figure out how
to offer it. The latest ship, Freedom of the Seas, has not only the rock-climbing walls
and ice-skating rink inherited from the Voyager class before her, but also a slew of even
more eye-popping features, from a surfing simulator to a full-size, bona-fide boxing
ring and the industry’s first onboard water park for kids. Cruises on these fun, active,
and glamorous (but not too over-the-top-glitzy) megaships offer a great experience for
a wide range of people, whether your idea of a good time is riding a wave or relaxing
in the Solarium pool. There are huge children’s centers, and entertainment for adults
is varied and sometimes even novel, like the comedians and jugglers who parade
through the Royal Promenade on the Voyager ships. Decor-wise, these ships are a
shade or two toned down from the Carnival brood: Rather than trying to overwhelm
the senses, many of their public areas are understated and classy. The Radiance-class
vessels are the line’s most elegant to date, with a sophistication that’s up near the level
of Royal Caribbean’s sister line, Celebrity Cruises.
PASSENGER PROFILE You’ll find all walks of life on a Royal Caribbean cruise:
passengers in their 20s to 60s and older, mostly couples (including a good number of
honeymooners), some singles traveling with friends, and also lots of families. While
the majority of passengers come from somewhere in North America, the huge Voy-
ager- and Freedom-class ships, in particular, attract a lot of foreigners, including
many Asians and Latin Americans. There are books in the library in French, Spanish,
and Dutch; in-cabin documents (such as room-service menus) are in five languages,
including Italian and Portuguese.
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18 CHAPTER 2 . THE CRUISE LINES IN BRIEF

Over the past several years, the line has been making a push for younger, hipper,
more active passengers with its “Get Out There” ad campaign, which portrays the
ships as a combination of hyperactive urban health club, chic restaurant district, and
adventure-travel magic potion—which, of course, is a bit of a stretch. They’re active,
yes, but don’t expect the Shackleton expedition. Overall, passengers are energetic,
social, and looking for a good time, no matter what their age. And they want a less
glitzy, theme-parkish, and party-on experience than they’ll get with RCI’s main com-
petitor, Carnival. RCI’s shorter 3- and 4-night cruises do tend to attract more of the
partying crowd, however, as is the case with most short cruises.

2 The Ultraluxury Lines

On these top-shelf cruises, guests don’t line up for a look at an ice sculpture or a slice
of pepperoni pizza en route to St. Thomas or Nassau. Instead, they sip a ’98 Bordeaux
with their filet de boeuf in truffle sauce while sailing to St. Barts. They order jumbo
shrimp from the room-service menu, and take indulgent baths in ritzy marble bath-
rooms. There are no midnight buffets, dancing waiters, belly-flop contests, or many
of the other typical cruise ship trappings, but instead doting service, spacious suites
with walk-in closets, and an overall feeling of calmness and elegance. Delicious
French, Italian, and Asian cuisine often rivals that of respected shoreside restaurants,
and even if it’s not quite what you find at a three-star Michelin restaurant, it’s pretty
darn good and absolutely the best you’ll find at sea, served in high style by gracious
waiters who know their jobs. A full dinner can even be served to you in your cabin, if
you like.
Ships in the luxury class come in three basic flavors: the enormous 2,620-passenger
Queen Mary 2 and Crystal’s pair of 1,000-passenger vessels; the midsize vessels of
Regent Seven Seas (formerly Radisson Seven Seas) and Silversea, which carry between
300 and 700 guests; and the small boutique ships of Seabourn and SeaDream, which
serve only 110 to 208 passengers at a time. Whatever their size, they all cater to dis-
cerning travelers who don’t blink at paying top dollar to be pampered. Service is very
personal, and staff will get to know your likes and dislikes early on. The onboard
atmosphere is much like a private club, with guests trading traveling tales and meet-
ing for drinks or dinner.
Entertainment and organized activities are more dignified than on other ships, and
are more limited as guests tend to amuse themselves, enjoying cocktails and conversa-
tion in a piano bar, or watching small-scale Broadway-inspired song-and-dance revues.
While the high-end lines discount at times, they’ll still cost two or three times as
much as your typical mainstream cruise. Expect to pay at least $2,000 per person for
a week in the Caribbean, and easily more if you opt for a large suite or choose to cruise
during the busiest times of the year. Many extras are often included in the cruise rates.
For instance, Silversea, Seabourn, and SeaDream include unlimited wine, liquor, and
beverages, along with gratuities, a stocked minibar, and one complimentary shore
excursion per cruise. Regent’s rates include tips, wine with dinner, one-time stocked
minibar, and unlimited soda and bottled water. Crystal includes all soft drinks in
its rates. Many of these lines also include other free perks the mainstream lines
don’t, from Godiva chocolates on your pillow at night (Silversea) to cotton logo PJs
(SeaDream), a CD of classic jazz (Seabourn), luggage tags and document portfolio
(Seabourn offers Tumi versions), personalized stationery (Silversea, Seabourn, and
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Regent), and high-end bathroom amenities from names such as Bronnley, Molton
Brown, and Acqua di Parma.
Most people attracted to these types of cruises are sophisticated, wealthy, relatively
social, and used to the finer things in life. Most are well traveled, though not neces-
sarily adventurous, and tend to stick to five-star experiences. These ships are not
geared to children, although aboard lines like Crystal and especially Cunard you
might see 100 or more during holidays or school vacation months. Babysitting can
often be arranged privately with an off-duty crewmember.
CRYSTAL CRUISES
2049 Century Park E., Suite 1400, Los Angeles, CA 90067. & 888/799-4625 or
310/785-9300. Fax 310/785-0011. www.crystalcruises.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL Fine-tuned and fashionable, Crystal offers top-shelf
service and cuisine on ships large enough to offer lots of outdoor deck space, gener-
ous fitness facilities, tons of activities, multiple restaurants, and more than half a dozen
bars and entertainment venues.
THE EXPERIENCE Aside from Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, Crystal has the only truly
upscale large ships in the industry. Carrying 940 to 1,080 passengers, they aren’t huge,
but they’re big enough to offer much more than their high-end peers. You won’t feel
hemmed in and you likely won’t be twiddling your thumbs from lack of stimulation.
Unlike Seabourn’s small ships, which tend to be more calm and staid, Crystal’s socia-
ble California ethic and large passenger capacity tend to keep things mingly, chatty,
and more active. If you want to learn something while you’re on vacation, the line’s
enrichment program is one of the best at sea, and there are also dozens of themed sail-
ings focused on food and wine, art, film, jazz, wellness, and other subjects.
Both service and dining are excellent, with passengers free to choose from four or
five different restaurants: a formal dining room, two or three alternative restaurants
(including, on Serenity, two with cuisine by famed chef Nobu Matsuhisa), plus a pool-
side grill, an indoor cafe, and a casual restaurant that puts on great theme luncheon
buffets. The ships’ reservations-only Asian restaurants serve up utterly delicious,
authentic, fresh Japanese food, including sushi. At least once per cruise, an Asian-
theme buffet lunch offers an awesome spread.
PASSENGER PROFILE Like other high-end lines, Crystal draws a lot of repeat
passengers. On many cruises, more than 50% hail from affluent regions of California,
and most are on their second, third, or fourth Crystal cruise. There’s commonly a
small contingent of passengers (about 15% of the mix) from the United Kingdom,
Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Mexico, Europe, and South America. Most passengers
are well-heeled couples over 55. A good number of passengers step up to Crystal from
lines such as Princess and Holland America. Many enjoy dressing up for dinner.
Though not a kid-centric line compared to the mainstream options, Crystal is the
most accommodating high-end choice for families with kids. Each ship has a dedi-
cated playroom, and supervised activities for children 3 and up are offered when
demand warrants it. During holidays and the summer vacation months of July and
August, 100 or so kids on board is not that unusual.
CUNARD LINE
24303 Town Center Dr., Suite 200, Valencia, CA 91355-0908. & 800/7-CUNARD
or 661/753-1000. Fax 661/284-4773. www.cunard.com.
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20 CHAPTER 2 . THE CRUISE LINES IN BRIEF

THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL The most venerable line in the cruise industry,
Cunard is a classic, offering a link to the golden age of passenger ships.
THE EXPERIENCE The Cunard of today is not the Cunard of yesterday, but then
again, it is. Formed in 1840 by Sir Samuel Cunard, the line provided the first regular
steamship service between Europe and North America. It was one of the dominant
players during the great years of steamship travel, which lasted roughly from 1905 to
the mid-1960s. From the early ’70s on, it was the only line offering scheduled transat-
lantic crossings (aboard the legendary QE2), a tradition that continues today with
QE2’s successor, the massive Queen Mary 2, the second-largest passenger ship in the
world.
Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, QM2 is literally in
a class by herself: a modern reinterpretation of the golden-age luxury liner, bigger than
anything that went before her and built to sail hard seas well into the 21st century.
She’s got oversize grandeur, old-world formality, new-world technology (including the
only planetarium at sea), and even a dose of blatant class structure: Some restaurants
and outdoor decks are set aside specifically for suite guests only, if you please. She
divides her year between transatlantic crossings and cruises, some in the Caribbean.
PASSENGER PROFILE In general, Cunard attracts a well-traveled crowd of pas-
sengers mostly in their 50s and up, many of them repeaters who appreciate the line’s
old-timey virtues. It’s more the 4 o’clock tea crowd than the hot-tub-and-umbrella-
drink set. That said, the hoopla surrounding the launch of QM2 is attracting a much
wider demographic.
REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES (FORMERLY RADISSON)
1000 Corporate Dr., Suite 500, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334. & 800/285-1835. Fax
402/501-5599. www.rssc.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL Operating a fleet of stylish and extremely comfort-
able midsize vessels, Regent—which changed its name from Radisson Seven Seas in
2006—offers a casually elegant and understated luxury cruise experience. Its service is
as good as it gets, and its cuisine is near the top.
THE EXPERIENCE If you insist on luxury but like to keep it subtle, Regent might
be your cruise line of choice. Its ships are spacious and understated, with a relaxed
onboard vibe that tends to be less stuffy than Seabourn and Silversea. As aboard all the
luxury ships (with the exception of the huge QM2), entertainment and activities are
relatively low-key, with passengers left to enjoy their vacations at their own pace. Dress
tends toward casual, though tuxedos and gowns aren’t uncommon on formal evenings.
Service is friendly and absolutely spot-on, and cuisine is some of the best at sea, in
both the formal dining rooms and the alternative restaurants. Even if what tickles your
fancy isn’t on the menu, the chef will prepare it for you.
PASSENGER PROFILE This line appeals primarily to well-traveled and well-
heeled passengers in their 50s and 60s, but younger passengers and honeymooners
pepper the mix. Many clients are frequent cruisers who have also sailed on Silversea,
Seabourn, and Crystal, or are taking a step up from Holland America, Celebrity, or
one of the other mainstream lines. The passengers tend to be unpretentiously wealthy;
though they have sophisticated tastes (and can do without inane activities such as nap-
kin-folding classes), they also appreciate the line’s less formal ambience. When we’ve
sailed, our social circle at dinner has included an Atlantic City nightclub owner,
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retired recycling and travel executives, a graphic artist, a theatrical casting director, and
a woman who owned a string of Taco Bell franchises—all of them aboard to enjoy a
quiet, relaxed vacation. On our recent cruises, casual nights in the formal dining room
saw some passengers dressed in polo shirts and jackets, and others in nice T-shirts with
khakis and sneakers. You’re also likely to find some women in full makeup, coiffed
hairdos, and coordinated jewelry, shoes, and handbags strolling the pool deck, and
many men sporting gold Rolexes. A kids’ program on summer sailings and some holi-
day sailings attracts some families, but the limited number of third berths in cabins
tends to keep those numbers down.
SEABOURN CRUISE LINE
6100 Blue Lagoon Dr., Suite 400, Miami, FL 33126. & 800/929-9391 or 305/463-
3070. Fax 305/463-3055. www.seabourn.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL Genteel and refined, these small megayachts are
intimate, quiet, and very comfortable, lavishing guests with plenty of personal atten-
tion and very fine cuisine.
THE EXPERIENCE Strictly upper-crust Seabourn caters to guests who are well
mannered and prefer their fellow vacationers to be the same. Generally, they aren’t
into pool games and deck parties, instead preferring a good book and cocktail chatter,
or a taste of the line’s special complimentary goodies, such as free mini-massages on
deck and soothing eucalyptus-oil baths drawn in suites upon request. Due to the ships’
small size (with a capacity for just 208 passengers), everybody mingles easily and
enjoys mellow pursuits such as trivia games and presentations by guest lecturers. With
157 crewmembers (a higher staff-to-guest ratio than on almost any other line), serv-
ice is very personal; staff members greet you by name from the moment you check in,
and your wish is their command.
PASSENGER PROFILE Seabourn’s guests are well-traveled mature adults mostly
in their 50s, 60s, and 70s, and are used to the five-star treatment. Many have net
worths in the millions. You are likely to encounter former CEOs, lawyers, investment
bankers, real-estate tycoons, and entrepreneurs. The majority of passengers are cou-
ples, but there is always a handful of singles as well, usually widows or widowers. A
few British, German, Swiss, and Australian guests might spice up the mix, but no
matter what their nationality, these are experienced globe-trotting travelers. While
you’ll occasionally see families with children during the holidays and summers, it’s the
exception rather than the rule. These ships do not cater to kids at all, and passengers
prefer it that way.
SEADREAM YACHT CLUB
2601 S. Bayshore Dr., Penthouse 1B, Coconut Grove, FL 33133. & 800/707-4911
or 305/631-6100. Fax 305/631-6110. www.seadreamyachtclub.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL Intimate cruise-ships-turned-yachting-vessels,
SeaDream’s two 110-passenger ships deliver an upscale yet casual experience without
the regimentation of traditional cruise itineraries and activities.
THE EXPERIENCE SeaDream was created for independent-minded travelers
craving high-end service and food sans formality and rigid schedules. Step aboard one
of these yachts, and you’re entering a floating club of mostly like-minded travelers who
cringe at the thought of sailing en masse to the St. Thomases of the world. It’s an
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22 CHAPTER 2 . THE CRUISE LINES IN BRIEF

intimate group that wants to feel like it’s inhabiting an exclusive and remote seaside
hamlet on some hard-to-reach, difficult-to-spell island, where the food is good, the spa
well equipped, and the drinks flowing. On a SeaDream cruise, everything is included
in the fare—and you’ll never be pestered to pay for drinks or tip the crew. You won’t
have art auctions, roving photographers, or “special” restaurants vying for your money,
but instead appealing Caribbean ports off the megaship drag, cool adult toys like
WaveRunners, and pampering service that includes complimentary orders of jumbo
shrimp served to you in the hot tub (or wherever) whenever the desire strikes. The
line’s flexible itineraries and fluid daily schedules should appeal to landlubbers used to
exclusive resort vacations.
PASSENGER PROFILE Most passengers are in their 40s to 60s, are 70% Ameri-
can (with British, Canadians, and other Europeans making up most of the remain-
der), and are not veteran cruisers. They’re the kind who have refined tastes, want
top-notch service and gourmet food, but are secure enough to dispense with a stuffy
atmosphere. Many passengers have chartered their own small yachts or actually own
one. On a recent sailing aboard the SeaDream I, the mix included a fun-loving mid-
dle-aged doctor and his wife from Texas, a 30-something couple-next-door from
Pennsylvania who ran a successful baking business and liked to swig beer from the
bottle, a retired travel executive who was clearly used to the good life, a restaurant
owner, and a group of well-dressed, hard-drinking friends celebrating a 40th birth-
day. Passengers were friendly and mingled easily, and by day 3, alliances had been
made and clusters of new friends enjoyed drinks by the pool and dined together in
the open-seating restaurants.
SILVERSEA CRUISES
110 E. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. & 800/722-9955. Fax 954/522-
4499. www.silversea.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL It doesn’t get better than Silversea if you’re looking
for a total luxury experience at sea. From exquisite service and cuisine to niceties like
free-flowing Pommery Brut Royal champagne and Acqua di Parma products in the
marble cabin bathrooms, these gorgeous ships offer the best of everything.
THE EXPERIENCE Fine-tuned and genteel, a Silversea cruise caters to guests who
won’t settle for anything but the best. The food and service are the finest at sea, and
nothing seems to have been forgotten in the creation of the plush fleet, which features
warm and inviting Italian-style decor and tables set with Christofle silver and Schott
Zwiesel crystal. Each ship has two alternative venues for dinner, buffets are bountiful,
and the room-service menu includes jumbo shrimp and other extravagant snacks.
These are dignified vessels for a dignified crowd that likes to dress for dinner. If you
want the VIP treatment 24/7, this is your cruise line. Pros: Doting, gracious, and
ultraprofessional service; truly all-inclusive rates (covering gratuities and unlimited
wines and spirits); excellent cuisine that rivals the best restaurants ashore; dimly lit and
romantic cigar lounges; large staterooms; and great marble bathrooms. Cons: Stuffy
crowd. Of course, not every guest fits that bill, but expect a good portion of the pas-
sengers to be, shall we say, reserved.
PASSENGER PROFILE Silversea’s typical passenger mix is age 48-plus, but shorter
cruises and Caribbean sailings often skew the mix a tad younger, adding at least
a handful of 30- and 40-something couples to the pot. Typically, about 70% of
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passengers are Americans who are well traveled, well heeled, well dressed, and well
accessorized. Most guests are couples, though singles and small groups of friends trav-
eling together are usually part of the scene, too. Many have cruised with Silversea
before, and they expect the best of everything.

3 Small Ships, Sailing Ships & Adventure Cruises

Aside from the fact that they both sail in the water, mainstream cruise ships and the
small ships in this section have hardly anything in common. Where big ships allow
you to see a region while immersed in a resortlike onboard atmosphere, small ships
allow you to see it from the waterline, without distraction from anything that’s not
an inherent part of the locale—no glitzy interiors, no big shows or loud music, no
casinos, no spas, and no crowds, either, as these little ships carry only 100 to 300
passengers.
Of the lines reviewed here, American Canadian Caribbean operates motorized
coastal cruisers that are like hostels at sea, while Star Clippers, Windjammer Barefoot
Cruises, and Windstar all operate sailing ships, though the onboard style of each is dis-
tinct. Aside from Windstar (whose onboard experience might be called “high pre-
mium” if it didn’t operate large sailing ships, and thus fit better in this section), these
vessels don’t provide room service, midnight buffets, lots of activities and entertain-
ment, or overly doting stewards. What you get instead is a chance to visit mostly small,
nonmegaship ports and immerse yourself in nature, island culture, and the sea. You’re
a part of your destination from the minute you wake up to the minute you fall asleep,
and for the most part you’re left alone to form your own opinions.
AMERICAN CANADIAN CARIBBEAN LINE
461 Water St., Warren, RI 02885. & 800/556-7450 or 401/247-0955. Fax
401/247-2350. www.accl-smallships.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL A family-owned New England line, ACCL operates
tiny, no-frills ships that travel to offbeat places and attract a well-traveled, extremely
casual, and down-to-earth older crowd.
THE EXPERIENCE ACCL began in 1966 when Rhode Island shipbuilder Luther
Blount realized there was a demand for small-ship sailing on the rivers, canals, and
coast of New England and Canada. Over the years, his vessels have gone well beyond
their regional home and now offer cruises down the Intracoastal Waterway and in the
Caribbean and Central America. Blount’s extremely informal small ships won’t win
any awards for decor (they are, in fact, about the most bare-bones vessels you’ll find
in terms of amenities, service, and meals), but that’s not what they’re all about.
Instead, this is a line that gets passengers close to the real life of the regions it visits,
stopping at small islands and sometimes even debarking passengers right from the ship
onto the beach, courtesy of the ships’ shallow draught and long bow ramp.
PASSENGER PROFILE This ultracasual line appeals to a sensible, early-to-bed
crowd of mostly senior couples in their 60s to 80s, with the average age being 72.
While some are physically fit, there are usually a few walking with canes and using
hearing aids. Besides senior couples, there may be a few mother-daughter teams. All
are attracted by the line’s casual atmosphere (windbreakers and wash-and-wear sports-
wear are about as fancy as these folks get on vacation) and want to visit some unusual,
interesting ports while simultaneously avoiding overcrowded ones. Repeat passengers
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24 CHAPTER 2 . THE CRUISE LINES IN BRIEF

(who make up 65%–70% of the guests on an average cruise) appreciate the line’s lack
of glitz and gimmicks, as well as “just us folks” features such as a BYOB liquor policy,
which can save travelers scads of cash.
These ships won’t appeal to the vast majority of young couples, singles, honey-
mooners, and families. Children under 14 are prohibited, and the line offers no chil-
dren’s facilities or activities, nor any particularly active pursuits such as water-skiing or
excursions in inflatable Zodiac boats.
STAR CLIPPERS
4101 Salzedo Ave., Coral Gables, FL 33146. & 800/442-0551 or 305/442-0550. Fax
305/442-1611. www.starclippers.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL It doesn’t get much better than this if you appreci-
ate tall ships. With the sails and rigging of classic clipper ships and some of the cushy
amenities of modern megas, a cruise on this line’s 170- to 227-passenger beauties
spells adventure and comfort.
THE EXPERIENCE The more ships we’ve sailed on, the more Star Clippers’ stock
goes up. Few other lines offer the best of two worlds in such an appealing package. On
the one hand, the ships feature comfortable, almost cushy public rooms and cabins.
On the other, they espouse an unstructured, let-your-hair-down, hands-on ethic—
you can climb the masts (with a harness), help raise the sails, crawl into the bow net-
ting, or chat with the captain on the open-air bridge. Ducking under booms, stepping
over coils of rope, leaning against railings just feet above the sea, and watching sailors
work the winches are constant reminders that you’re on a real working ship. Further-
more, as you listen to the captain’s daily talk about the next port of call, the history of
sailing, or some other nautical subject, you’ll feel like you’re exploring some of the
Caribbean’s more remote stretches in a ship that really belongs there—an exotic ship
for an exotic locale. In a sea of look-alike megaships, Star Clipper and newer Royal
Clipper stand out, recalling a romantic, swashbuckling era of ship travel.
PASSENGER PROFILE With no more than 227 passengers aboard even the largest
ship in the fleet, each Star Clippers cruise seems like a triumph of individuality and
intimacy. The line’s unusual niche appeals to passengers who might recoil at the
lethargy and/or sometimes forced enthusiasm of cruises aboard larger, more typical
vessels. Overall, the company reports that a whopping 60% of passengers on average
are repeaters back for another Star Clippers cruise.
While you’re likely to find a handful of late-20-something honeymoon-type cou-
ples and an extended-family group or two, the majority of passengers are well-traveled
couples in their 40s to 60s, all active and intellectually curious professionals (such as
executives, lawyers, and doctors) who appreciate a casual yet sophisticated ambience
and enjoy mixing with fellow passengers. During the day, polo shirts, shorts, and top-
siders are standard issue; for dinner, many passengers simply change into cleaner and
better-pressed versions of the same, with perhaps a switch from shorts to slacks for
most men. However, men in jackets and women in snazzy dresses aren’t uncommon
on the night of the captain’s cocktail party.
With a nearly even mix of North Americans and Europeans (most often from Ger-
many, Austria, Switzerland, France, and the U.K.) on a typical Caribbean cruise, the
international onboard flavor is as intriguing as the ship itself. Announcements are
made in English, German, and French.
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WINDJAMMER BAREFOOT CRUISES

1759 Bay Rd., Miami Beach, FL 33139 (P.O. Box 190-120, Miami Beach, FL 33119).
& 800/327-2601 or 305/672-6453. Fax 305/674-1219. www.windjammer.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL Ultracasual and delightfully carefree, this eclectic
fleet of cozy, rebuilt sailing ships (powered by both sails and engines) lures passengers
into a fantasy world of pirates-and-rum-punch adventure.
THE EXPERIENCE When you see that the captain is wearing shorts and shades
and is barefoot like the rest of the laid-back crew, you’ll realize Windjammer’s vessels
aren’t your typical cruise ships. Their yards of sails, pointy bowsprits, chunky port-
holes, and generous use of wood create a swashbuckling, storybook look, and while
passengers don’t have to fish for dinner or swab the decks, they are invited to help haul
the sails, take a turn at the wheel, sleep out on deck whenever they please, and (with
the captain’s permission) crawl into the bow net. With few rules and lots of freedom,
this is the closest thing you’ll get to a real old-fashioned Caribbean adventure, visiting
off-the-beaten-track ports of call. The ships are seriously informal, and the hokey
yet endearing rituals make the trip feel like summer camp for adults. Add in the line’s
tremendous number of repeat passengers (and a few of its signature rum swizzle
drinks), and you have an experience that’s ultracasual, ultrafun, and downright
chummy.
PASSENGER PROFILE Can we say nutty, quirky, nonconformist? That’s why
Windjammer is so appealing: It’s different—a rare concept in today’s mostly homog-
enous megaship cruise world. Unlike some “all things to all people” lines, Windjam-
mer is for a particular kind of informal, fun-loving, down-to-earth passenger, and
though some compare the experience to a continuous frat party, we wouldn’t go that
far. In fact, the passenger and age mix gives lie to that description. From honeymoon-
ing couples in their 20s to grandparents in their 70s, the line attracts a broad range of
adventurers who like to have fun and don’t want anything resembling a highly regi-
mented vacation. Passengers are pretty evenly divided between men and women, and
15% to 20% overall are single. Many love the Windjammer experience so much that
they return again and again—often a few times a year, or at least annually.
Young children should probably not go (in fact, the line doesn’t accept kids under
6), nor should anyone prone to seasickness (there’s quite a bit of that the first days out)
or anyone wanting to be pampered (there’s none of that during any day out). These
ships are not for people with disabilities, either.
WINDSTAR CRUISES
300 Elliott Ave. W., Seattle, WA 98119. & 800/258-7245 or 206/281-3535. Fax
206/281-0627. www.windstarcruises.com.
THE LINE IN A NUTSHELL Windstar walks a tightrope between luxury line and
sailing-ship line, with an always-casual onboard vibe, beyond-the-norm itineraries,
and first-class service and cuisine.
THE EXPERIENCE You say you want a cruise that visits interesting ports; boasts
superfriendly yet efficient, on-the-nose service; serves excellent cuisine; offers active
options like watersports from a retractable platform in the stern; has sails for a roman-
tic vibe; and still doesn’t cost an arm and a leg? You pretty much have only one option:
Windstar.
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26 CHAPTER 2 . THE CRUISE LINES IN BRIEF

This is no barefoot, rigging-pulling, paper-plates-in-lap, sleep-on-the-deck kind of

cruise, but rather a refined yet down-to-earth, yachtlike experience for a sophisticated,
well-traveled crowd who wouldn’t be comfortable on a big ship with throngs of
tourists, or on a more formal high-end ship. Days are loose and languid, with passen-
gers exploring ashore (the itineraries visit a port almost every day) or kicking back and
relaxing aboard ship with pretty much zero distraction. At dinner, few small ships can
match Windstar for cuisine and ambience, with menus by renowned Los Angeles chef
Joachim Splichal served in open-seating restaurants where guests can usually get a
table for two. Service by mostly Indonesian and Filipino staff is extremely professional
and friendly.
The ships themselves are lovely, full of teak, brass details, and lots of navy-blue fab-
rics and carpeting that lend a traditional nautical ambience. While the ships’ white
sails cut a traditional profile, they’re also state-of-the-art, controlled by a computer so
that they can be furled or unfurled at the touch of a button. Despite the vessels’ rela-
tively large size (Wind Surf is one of the world’s largest sailing ships, if not the largest),
they’re able to travel at upward of 12 knots under sail power alone, though usually the
sails are up as a fuel-saving aid to the diesel engines.
PASSENGER PROFILE These cruises are for those seeking a romantic escape, who
like to visit islands and ports not often touched by regular cruise ships, and who can
happily live without a large menu of onboard activities. Most passengers are couples
in their late 30s to early 60s, with the average around 51. Overall, an amazing
60% to 70% of passengers are repeaters, back for their annual or semiannual dose of
Windstar. There are also usually a handful of honeymoon couples aboard any given
sailing—a good choice on their part, as Windstar ranks high on our list of most
romantic cruise lines. The line gets very few families with young kids—rarely more
than six or seven on any sailing, and those usually in the 10+ age range, and only dur-
ing school holiday periods.
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3
Things to Know Before You Go
Y ou’ve bought your ticket and you’re few details you need to consider before
getting ready to cruise. Here are a you go.

1 Passports & Visas

For decades, U.S.-based cruise ships operated under rules that permitted U.S. citizens
to travel to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean without need of a passport, but all
that’s changing. On December 31, 2006, the first phase of the Western Hemisphere
Travel Initiative (part of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of
2004) will require U.S. citizens to possess a valid passport for all air or sea travel—
including cruise travel—to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the
Caribbean, and Bermuda. On December 31, 2007, the second phase of the initiative
will extend the passport requirement to all land border crossings as well.
If you don’t currently have a passport or you need to replace an expired one, the
U.S. State Department website (http://travel.state.gov) provides information. You
can also inquire at your local passport-acceptance facility or call the National Pass-
port Information Center (& 877/487-2778). Fees for new passports are $97 for
adults, $82 for children under 16. Renewals cost $67. If you’re leaving within a few
weeks, you can pay an additional $60 fee to have your passport expedited for delivery
within 2 weeks.
As you would before any trip abroad, make two photocopies of your documents
and ID before leaving home. Take one set with you as a backup (keeping it in a dif-
ferent piece of luggage from the one holding your originals) and keep one at home.
After accepting your passport to board the ship at the beginning of your cruise, the
cruise line might hang on to it for the duration of your trip, thus allowing it to facili-
tate clearance procedures quickly at each port. Don’t worry; this is normal. Your docu-
ments will be returned to you after departing the last foreign port of call, en route back
to your home port.

Vaccinations Required?
Travel to the Caribbean does not generally warrant inoculations against tropi-
cal diseases. Ditto for the Mexican ports you might be visiting. The Centers for
Disease Control (CDC) recommends prescription antimalarial drugs for travelers
in certain parts of Central America, including Panama’s San Blas Islands, a regu-
lar cruise stop. CDC recommendations and warnings can be viewed at www.
cdc.gov/travel/destinat.htm.
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Safety at Sea: More Security, Fewer Germs

For better or worse, we’re currently living in a security-obsessed world. Peo-
ple have to show ID to get into office buildings and take off their shoes to
go through airport X-rays, so you’d better believe security measures are in
place on cruise ships, too.
All the major cruise lines have their own dedicated onboard security
forces who monitor people coming aboard (passengers, crew, delivery
people, and contractors) and keep an eye out during the cruise, and we’re
not just talking the kind of rent-a-cops you see at your local convenience
store. Some lines have even hired ex–Navy SEALs as top-level security con-
sultants and have trained deck officers in how to react to takeover attempts
and generally prepare them for security emergencies. Other security meas-
ures are also in place, but the cruise lines prefer to keep them under their
hats.
Immediately following 9/11, all cruise ships went to MARSEC (Maritime
Security) Security Level III, the highest dictated by the Coast Guard. At press
time, it was down to MARSEC I. No matter what the current level, there’s a
heck of a lot more focus on security than ever before. Hand-carried bags are
screened (and usually X-rayed), checked bags are screened, sniffer dogs are
used, and a security zone around all cruise ships is maintained (varying
between 150–300 ft.); it’s also common to see concrete barriers, patrol
boats, and sometimes Coast Guard escorts at some ports.
Many of these systems were already in place at most cruise lines and
ports, so passengers generally don’t notice much difference. Other changes
have been made in the back office, including a rule that ships must submit
a complete list of passengers and crew to the Coast Guard 96 hours before
arriving at a U.S. port. Internationally, new regulations issued by the Inter-
national Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2004 require all ports around the
world to operate within a consistent framework to address security issues.

Non-U.S./Canadian citizens departing from and/or returning to the U.S./Canada

should check with their travel agent or cruise line to determine the required paper-
work. Generally, you’ll need a valid passport, alien-registration card as applicable, and
any visas required by the ports of call.

2 Customs
All cruises to the Caribbean visit at least one foreign port on their itinerary, meaning
you’ll have to go through Customs and be subject to duty-free purchase allowances
when you return. We’ve found clearing Customs at U.S. cruise ports usually painless
and speedy, with officials rarely asking for anything more than your filled-out decla-
ration form as they nod you through. Better safe than sorry, though. Keep receipts
for all purchases you make abroad. And if you’re carrying a particularly new-looking
camera and expensive jewelry (and are a particularly nervous type), you may want to
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C U S TO M S 29

On a day-to-day basis, passengers will mostly notice ship security when

boarding, both initially and at the ports of call. Most cruise lines photo-
graph passengers digitally at embarkation and then match their pictures to
their faces every time they get back on board thereafter. Digital passcards
also allow them to tell instantly who’s aboard at any given time. Many lines
have also hired additional security personnel—in some cases, Gurkhas, the
famed Nepalese fighters—to assist officers at the gangway and be on hand
as needed.
The other major cruise safety issue that occasionally hits the news is
norovirus (aka Norwalk-like virus), a stomach bug that causes nausea, vom-
iting, and diarrhea. An extremely common bug that hits millions of Ameri-
cans a year (mostly on land), it’s also extremely contagious. According to the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC), people infected with norovirus can pass
the bug on from the moment they begin feeling ill to between 3 days and
2 weeks after they recover—meaning the cruise ship outbreaks reported
between 2003 and 2005 were probably the result of contagious passengers
bringing the infection aboard rather than of unsanitary practices on the
ships themselves. Face it, cruise ships are a lot like kindergarten: When one
kid shows up sick, everybody gets sick.
In any case, don’t worry too much. It’s no fun to have your vacation
spoiled by illness, but norovirus causes no long-term health effects for most
people. Persons unable to replace liquids quickly enough—generally the
very young, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems—may
become dehydrated and require special medical attention, but that’s about
the worst of it. More good news: Outbreaks have been on the downswing
since they were first reported. Cruise lines are keeping a close eye on board-
ing passengers for signs of illness, and have further stepped up their already
vigilant sanitation routines to reduce the chance of transmission.

consider carrying proof that you purchased them before your trip. Similarly, if you use
any medication containing controlled substances or requiring injection, carry an origi-
nal prescription or note from your doctor.
The standard personal duty-free allowance for U.S. citizens is $800, an amount that
applies to Mexico and most of the Caribbean islands. There are also limits on the
amount of alcoholic beverages (usually 1 liter), cigarettes (1 carton), cigars (100 total,
and no Cubans!), and other tobacco products you may include in your personal duty-
free exemption. If returning directly from the U.S. Virgin Islands, you may bring in
$1,600 worth of merchandise duty-free, including 5 liters of alcohol, of which at least
1 liter should be a product of those islands.
As you may be visiting both foreign and U.S.-territory ports, things get more com-
plicated: If, for instance, your cruise stops in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Bahamas,
your total limit is $1,600, of which no more than $800 can be from the Bahamas. Note
that you must declare on your Customs form all gifts received during your cruise.
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30 C H A P T E R 3 . T H I N G S TO K N OW B E F O R E YO U G O

Joint Customs declarations are possible for family members traveling together.
For instance, for a husband and wife with two children, the total duty-free exemption
from most destinations would be $3,200.
Note that most meat or meat products, fruits, plants, vegetables, or plant-derived
products will be seized by U.S. Customs agents unless they’re accompanied by an
import license from a U.S. government agency. The same import rules apply even if
you are returning from Puerto Rico, Hawaii, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
For more specifics, visit the U.S. Customs Service website at www.customs.gov.
Canadian citizens should look at the Canada Border Services Agency site at
www.cbsa.gc.ca, while citizens of the U.K. should visit the U.K. Customs and Excise
site at www.hmce.gov.uk.

3 Money Matters
Know how they say cruises are all-inclusive vacations? They’re lying. True, the bulk of
your vacation expenses are covered in your fare, but there are plenty of extras. In this
section, we’ll examine the way monetary transactions are handled on board and in port.
ONBOARD CHARGE CARDS
Cruise ships operate on a cashless basis. Basically, this means you have a running tab
and simply sign for what you buy onboard during your cruise—bar drinks, meals at
specialty restaurants, spa treatments, shore excursions, gift-shop purchases, and so
on—and then pay up at the end. Very convenient, yes—and also very, very easy to for-
get your limits and spend more than you intended.
Shortly before or after embarkation, a purser or check-in clerk will take an imprint
of your credit card and issue you an onboard charge card, which, on most ships, also
serves as your room key and as your cruise ID—you swipe it through a scanner every
time you leave or return to the ship. Some ships issue separate cards for these func-
tions, or a card and an old-fashioned room key. Some adventure lines that carry 100
or fewer passengers just ask for your cabin number for onboard purchases.
On the last night of your cruise, an itemized account of all you’ve charged will be
slipped beneath your cabin door. If you agree with the charges, they’ll automatically
be billed to your credit card. If you’d rather pay in cash or if you dispute any charge,
you’ll need to stop by the office of the ship’s cashier or purser. There may be a long
line, so don’t go if you don’t have to.
BRINGING CASH ASHORE
The cashless system works just fine on board, but remember, you’ll need cash in port.
Many people get so used to not carrying their wallets aboard ship that they get off in
port and find themselves without any money in their pockets—a minor annoyance if
your ship is docked and it just means trudging back aboard for cash, but a major
annoyance if it’s anchored offshore and you have to spend an hour ferrying back and
forth by tender.
Credit cards are accepted at most port shops, but we recommend having some real
cash, ideally in small denominations, to cover the cost of taxi rides, tips to tour leaders,
or purchases you make from crafts markets and street vendors. Information on local
currency is included in the ports chapter of this book, but for the most part you don’t
have to worry about exchanging money at all. In the Caribbean, the U.S. dollar is the
legal currency of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and (oddly enough) the British
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M O N E Y M AT T E R S 31

Virgin Islands, but vendors on islands that have their own currency will also usually
accept dollars. Even on islands such as Guadeloupe and Les Saintes (both French pos-
sessions), where they may prefer euros, we’ve never had our U.S. dough turned away.
Mexican and Central American ports are similarly dollar-friendly.
If you’re running low on cash, ATMs are easy to find in nearly every cruise port cov-
ered in this guide, often right at the cruise terminal. Remember that you’ll get local
currency from machines where the dollar isn’t the legal tender, so don’t withdraw more
than you need. Many megaships also have ATMs (surprise, surprise: usually near the
casino), but you can expect to be charged a hefty fee for using them—up to $5 in
addition to what your bank charges you.
Many lines will cash traveler’s checks at the purser’s desk, and sometimes personal
checks of up to about $200 to $250 (but sometimes only when accompanied by an
American Express card, for guarantee). You can also often get a cash advance through
your Visa, MasterCard, or Discover card.
TIPPING THE CREW
Most cruise lines pay their service staff low base wages with the understanding that the
bulk of their income will come from tips. Each line has clear guidelines for gratuities,
which are usually printed in its brochures and on its website, on your cruise documents,
and in the daily schedule toward the end of your trip. The traditional way of tipping
was to simply hand your waiter, assistant waiter, and cabin steward cash in a little
envelope, but these days many lines (Carnival, Costa, Holland America, NCL, Ocea-
nia, and Princess, to be exact) add an automatic gratuity (sometimes called a “serv-
ice charge”) to passengers’ onboard account—generally between $8.50 and $11.50 per
person, per day total, with the amount adjustable up or down if you request it at the
purser’s desk before the end of the cruise. Other lines, such as Royal Caribbean and
Disney, often give you the option of paying cash directly to staff or adding the gratu-
ities onto your account. Some small-ship lines pool the tips and divide them equitably
among all crew. Ultraluxury lines like Silversea, Seabourn, SeaDream, and Regent
include tips in the cruise rates. Windstar promotes its “tipping not required” policy,
but “required” is the operative word: Tipping really is expected.
Among lines that don’t add an automatic charge, suggested tipping amounts vary
slightly with the line and its degree of luxury, from about $8 to $14 total per passen-
ger, per day, and half that for children. As a rule of thumb, each passenger (not each
couple) should expect to tip at least $3.50 per day for the cabin steward, $3.50 for the
dining-room waiter, about $2 for the assistant waiter, and sometimes 75¢ for the head-
waiter. Some lines suggest you tip the maitre d’ about $5 per person for the week and
slip another couple bucks to the chief housekeeper, but it’s your choice. If you’ve never
even met these people, don’t bother. Guests staying in suites with butler service should
also send $3.50 per day his or her way. A 15% gratuity is usually included on every
bar bill to cover gratuities to bartenders and wine stewards. The captain and other
professional officers definitely do not get tips. That’d be like tipping your doctor.
On lines that follow traditional person-to-person gratuity policies, tip your waiter
and assistant waiter during the cruise’s final dinner, and leave your cabin steward his
or her tip on the final night or morning, just before you disembark. Tip spa person-
nel immediately after they work on you, but note that on some ships the spa will auto-
matically add a tip to your account unless you indicate otherwise, so inquire before
adding one yourself.
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32 C H A P T E R 3 . T H I N G S TO K N OW B E F O R E YO U G O

4 Keeping in Touch While at Sea

Some people take a cruise to get away from it all, but others are communication
addicts. For them, today’s mainstream and luxury vessels (and some small ships) offer
a spectrum of ways to keep in touch.
CELLPHONES & SATPHONES
Look out, here they come. Over the past couple of years, technology has become avail-
able that allows cellphone users to make and receive calls while aboard ship, even when
far out at sea. Costa was the first to introduce it, in late 2003 (with service going
fleetwide by 2006), and now Celebrity, NCL, Oceania, and Royal Caribbean are all
scheduled to have service fleetwide, or nearly so, by the end of 2006. At press time,
industry big-gun Carnival hasn’t made a firm decision on the cellular issue, though it’s
still a possibility. Ditto for Carnival sister line Holland America. Among the luxury
lines, the Regent Seven Seas fleet and Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity are the only ves-
sels wired for service at this writing, though Silversea is testing a system and hopes to
have its fleet wired before the end of 2006.
Get ready: Your boss will be calling you in the hot tub any minute now.
Wireless Maritime’s service is available to most passengers with GSM phones that
operate at 900 MHz and 1900 MHz, which are common in the United States. In
addition to regular voice and text messaging, the service—which kicks in once a ship
sails beyond range of shoreside towers—lets passengers with data-capable GSM/GPRS
devices access data services such as e-mail and picture messaging. Passengers are billed
by the carrier to which they subscribe at roaming rates set by that carrier, just as if they
were roaming on land instead of at sea.
Though each user’s carrier sets its own rates, expect charges of roughly $1.70 per
minute. That ain’t cheap, but it’s nowhere near the average $8 or $9 per minute (and
sometimes up to $15 a minute) cruise lines typically charge for in-cabin satellite-
phone service.
In addition to cabin satphones and cell service, each ship has a central phone num-
ber, fax number, and e-mail address, which you’ll sometimes find in the cruise line’s
brochure and usually in the documents you’ll get with your tickets. Distribute these
to family members or friends in case they need to contact you in an emergency. It also
can’t hurt to leave behind the numbers of the cruise line’s headquarters and/or reser-
vations department, both of which will be able to get people in touch with you.
E-MAIL & INTERNET ACCESS AT SEA
Aside from some of the small ships and sailing vessels, pretty much every cruise ship
has computers from which passengers can send and receive e-mail and browse the
Internet. In many cases, these computer centers are decked out with state-of-the-art
flat-screen monitors, plush chairs, coffee bars, and webcams so users can send their
vacation pictures to family and friends. They’re often open around the clock, and
many offer basic classes for computer novices.
E-mail access is usually available through the Web via your Earthlink, AOL, Hot-
mail, Yahoo!, or other personal account, with charges calculated on a per-minute basis
(usually between 50¢ and $1) or in prepurchased blocks (say, $40 for a 3- or 4-night
cruise, or $90 for a 7-night cruise). A few ships still offer e-mail through temporary
accounts you set up once aboard ship, with rates averaging roughly $1 to $4 per
message.
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W H AT TO PA C K 33

Many ships built over the past several years have been wired with dataports in all,
most, or some cabins and suites, allowing passengers who travel with laptops to log on
in privacy. The cost for these services
tends to be higher than access in the
Internet centers. Wireless Internet Plugging in Your Gadgets
All ships reviewed in this book run
access (Wi-Fi) is also offered aboard all
on 110 AC current (both 110 and
the Carnival, Holland America, NCL,
220 on many), so you won’t need an
Princess, and Regent Seven Seas vessels,
adapter.
and MSC’s newest ships, usually in des-
ignated areas such as the atrium and
some public rooms. A few ships—the small luxury ships of Seabourn and the huge
Carnival Valor—offer wireless access everywhere on board. To take advantage of this
service, you must have a wireless card for your laptop or rent a card or a laptop, and
then purchase minutes either on an as-used basis or in packages.
KEEPING ON TOP OF THE NEWS
Most ships have CNN and sometimes other news stations as part of their regular TV
lineup. Some ships also maintain the old tradition of reprinting headline news stories
pulled off the wire and slipping them under passengers’ doors each morning.

5 What to Pack
One of the great things about cruising is that even though you’ll be visiting several
countries (or at least several ports) on a typical weeklong itinerary, you won’t be living
out of your suitcase: You just check into your cabin on day 1, put your clothes in the
closet, and settle in. The destinations come to you. But what exactly do you need to
pack? Eveningwear aboard ship is pretty much the same wherever you go, but your
destination definitely affects what you’ll need during the day.
SHIPBOARD DRESS CODES (OR LACK THEREOF)
Ever since Norwegian Cruise Line started the casual trend back at the turn of the 20th
century, cruise lines have been toning down or turning off their dress codes. During
the day, no matter what the itinerary, you’ll find T-shirts, polo shirts, and shorts or
khakis predominating, plus casual dresses for women and sweat shirts or light sweaters
to compensate for the air-conditioning. The vibe is about the same on the luxury lines,
though those polos and khakis probably sport better labels.
Evenings aboard ship used to be a lot more complicated, requiring passengers to
pack for more situations than today’s cruises demand. On most lines these days, for-
mal nights have either melted away entirely or slid closer to what used to be consid-
ered semiformal. When Oceania Cruises started up in 2003, its dress code was set as
“country-club casual” every single night, on every voyage. NCL has also pretty much
ditched formal nights completely, though its “optional formal” captain’s cocktail night
accommodates those who choose to dress up. Disney Cruise Line has toned down
formality to the point that a sport jacket is considered dressy enough. Most other
mainstream lines still have 2 traditional formal nights during any 7-night itinerary—
usually the second and second-to-last nights of the cruise, the former for the captain’s
cocktail party. For these, imagine what you’d wear to a nice wedding: Men are encour-
aged to don tuxedos or dark suits; women are attired in cocktail dresses, sequined
jackets, gowns, or other fancy attire. For those who just hate dressing up, men can get
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34 C H A P T E R 3 . T H I N G S TO K N OW B E F O R E YO U G O

Tuxedo Rentals
Despite the casual trend, there’s usually a contingent of folks on board who
like to get all decked out—and why not? After all, how many chances do you
get these days to dress like you’re in a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movie? If you
don’t own a tux or don’t want to bother lugging one along, you can often
arrange a rental through the cruise line or your travel agent for about $75 to
$120 (the higher prices are for packages with shirts and both black tux jacket
and white dinner jacket). Shoes can be rented for an additional $10 to $12. In
some cases, a rental offer arrives with your cruise tickets; if not, a call to your
travel agent or the cruise line can facilitate a rental. If you choose this option,
your suit will be waiting in your cabin when you arrive.

away with a blue blazer and tie, while women can wear a blouse and skirt or pants—
and, of course, jewelry, scarves, and other accessories can doll up an otherwise nonde-
script outfit. (Most cabins have personal safes where you can keep your good jewelry
when you’re not wearing it.) Casual nights (sometimes called “smart casual” or some-
thing similar) make up the rest of the week, though some lines still cling to an old dis-
tinction between full casual (decent pants and collared shirts for men, and maybe a
sport jacket; dresses, skirts, or pantsuits for women) and informal or semiformal (suits
or sport jackets; stylish dresses or pantsuits). Suggested dress for the evening is usually
printed in the ship’s daily schedule. Cruise lines also usually describe their dress codes
in their brochures and on their websites.
Most of the ultraluxury lines maintain the same ratio of formal, semiformal, and
casual nights, with passengers tending to dress on the high end of all those categories.
Tuxedos are very common. That said, even the luxe lines are relaxing their dress stan-
dards. Seabourn doesn’t even request ties for men anymore, except on formal nights,
and Windstar and SeaDream have a casual “no jackets required” policy every single
day, though dinners usually see some men in sport jackets and women in nice dresses.
Aboard all the small-ship lines covered in this book, it’s very rare to see anything
dressier than a sport jacket at any time, and those usually appear only for the captain’s
dinner. Most of these lines are 100% casual, 100% of the time, with passengers some-
times changing into clean shirts, trousers, or dresses at dinner.
DRESSING FOR YOUR DESTINATION
In the Caribbean, the temperature stays within a fairly narrow range year-round, aver-
aging between 75°F and 85°F (24°C–29°C), though in summer the combination of
sun and humidity can get very intense, especially at mid-afternoon. Trade winds help
cool things off on many of the islands, as will rainfall, which differs from island to
island—Aruba, for instance, is very dry, while it seems to rain briefly every other time
we’re in Nassau. Winter is generally the driest season throughout the region, but even
then it can be wet in mountainous areas, and afternoon showers often give the shores
a good soaking—sometimes just for a few minutes, sometimes for hours. Tempera-
tures on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula and in Central America can feel much hotter,
especially on shore excursions to the humid interior. Hurricane season lasts officially
from June 1 to November 30, traditionally the low cruise season.
Casual daytime wear aboard ship means shorts, T-shirts or polos, sundresses, and
bathing suits. The same dress code works in port, too, but in many places it’s best to
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