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 Cruises
& Ports of Call
From U.S. & Canadian Home
Ports to the Caribbean,
Alaska, Hawaii & More

2008
by Heidi Sarna & Matt Hannafin

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

“Strategies for getting the best price, including when to book. Ship ratings, cabin eval-
uation.”
—Newark Star Ledger

“. . . is one of the most thorough, easy-to-navigate references that has stats, reviews
and realties of both ships and ports.”
—Pittsburgh Post Gazette
 Cruises
& Ports of Call
From U.S. & Canadian Home
Ports to the Caribbean,
Alaska, Hawaii & More

2008
by Heidi Sarna & Matt Hannafin

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

“Strategies for getting the best price, including when to book. Ship ratings, cabin eval-
uation.”
—Newark Star Ledger

“. . . is one of the most thorough, easy-to-navigate references that has stats, reviews
and realties of both ships and ports.”
—Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Published by:

Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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5 4 3 2 1
 Contents
List of Maps viii

Cruising 2008: Big Boats, Big Business 1

The Best of Cruising 5

1 Our Favorite Mainstream Ships . . . . . .5 8 Best Beaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
2 Best Luxury Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 9 Best Small-Ship Adventure Cruises . . .11
3 The Most Romantic Cruises . . . . . . . .6 10 Best History & Learning Cruises . . . .11
4 Best Cruises for Families with Kids . . .7 11 Best Cruises for Sports Nuts &
5 Best Cruises for Pure Relaxation . . . . .8 Gym Rats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
6 Best Dining Experiences . . . . . . . . . . .9 12 Best Ships for Spa-Goers . . . . . . . . .13
7 Best Cruises for the Party Set . . . . . .10 13 Best Shopping Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Part 1: Planning, Booking & Preparing for Your Cruise

1 Choosing Your Ideal Cruise 19
1 Homeland Cruise Regions in Brief . . .19 Getting Married on Board
2 Itineraries: The Long & or in Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
the Short of It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 6 Cruises for Gay Men & Lesbians . . . .33
3 Different Boats for Different Folks . . .24 7 Active Travel & Adventure Cruises . . .34
Ship Size Comparisons . . . . . . . . . . .26 8 Cruises for the Young & Old . . . . . . .35
4 Cruises for Families . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 9 Cruises for People with Disabilities
Family Cruising Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 & Health Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
5 Cruises for Honeymooners & Onboard Medical Care . . . . . . . . . . .37
Anniversary Couples . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

2 Booking Your Cruise & Getting the Best Price 38

1 The Caribbean: A Bargain Average Cost of Onboard Extras . . . .46
Hunter’s Dream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 5 Agents & the Web: Finding
2 The Prices in This Guide . . . . . . . . . .39 the Best Deals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
3 The Cost: What’s Included & Be Savvy & Beware of Scams . . . . . .48
What’s Not . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 6 Recommended Agencies
Price Comparisons: Discounted & Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Rates vs. Brochure Rates . . . . . . . . .40 7 Choosing Your Cabin . . . . . . . . . . . .51
4 Money-Saving Strategies . . . . . . . . .45 Model Cabin Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . .53
iv CONTENTS

Reading a Ship’s Deck Plan . . . . . . .54 10 Booking Pre- & Post-Cruise

8 Booking Your Air Travel . . . . . . . . . . .56 Hotel Stays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
9 Prebooking Your Dinner Table & 11 Cancellations & Insurance . . . . . . . .58
Arranging Special Diets . . . . . . . . . .57 12 Putting Down a Deposit &
Reviewing Tickets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

3 Things to Know Before You Go 62

1 Passports & Visas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 4 Packing for the Different
2 Money Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Cruise Climates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
3 Keeping in Touch While at Sea . . . . .64 5 Tipping, Customs & Other
End-of-Cruise Concerns . . . . . . . . . .70

4 The Cruise Experience 73

1 Checking In, Boarding & Settling 4 Keeping Fit: Gyms, Spas & Sports . . .81
into Your Cabin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 5 Programs for Kids & Teens . . . . . . . .84
A Brief History of Cruising . . . . . . . .74 6 Onboard Dining Options . . . . . . . . . .84
2 Exploring the Ports of Call: 7 Onboard Entertainment . . . . . . . . . .89
Shore Excursions vs. Going It
8 Shopping Opportunities
on Your Own . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
on Ship & Shore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
3 A Typical Day at Sea: Onboard
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Part 2: The Cruise Lines & Their Ships

5 The Ratings & How to Read Them 95
1 Cruise Line Categories . . . . . . . . . . .95 3 Evaluating & Comparing
2 Reading the Reviews the Listed Cruise Prices . . . . . . . . . . .97
& Ratings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Ships at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

6 The Mainstream Lines 110

1 Mini-Review: Azamara Cruises . . . .111 8 MSC Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
2 Carnival Cruise Lines . . . . . . . . . . .112 9 Norwegian Cruise Line . . . . . . . . . .199
3 Celebrity Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136 Why NCL Owns Hawaii . . . . . . . . .201
4 Costa Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150 10 Oceania Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
5 Disney Cruise Line . . . . . . . . . . . . .158 11 Princess Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225
6 Holland America Line . . . . . . . . . . .167 Still the Love Boat . . . . . . . . . . . . .227
7 Imperial Majesty Cruise Line . . . . . .187 12 Royal Caribbean International . . . . .245
 CONTENTS v

7 The Ultraluxury Lines 269

1 Crystal Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .270 4 Seabourn Cruise Line . . . . . . . . . . .300
2 Cunard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281 5 SeaDream Yacht Club . . . . . . . . . . .307
Preview: Queen Victoria . . . . . . . . .287 6 Silversea Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .315
3 Regent Seven Seas Cruises . . . . . . .291

8 Small Ships, Sailing Ships & Adventure Cruises 323

1 Mini-Review: American Canadian 7 Majestic America Line . . . . . . . . . . .359
Caribbean Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .326 8 Mini-Review: RiverBarge
2 American Cruise Lines . . . . . . . . . .327 Excursions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .369
3 Mini-Review: American 9 Mini-Review: Sea Cloud Cruises . . .370
Safari Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .334 10 Star Clippers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .372
4 Cruise West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335 11 Windjammer Barefoot Cruises . . . .379
5 Lindblad Expeditions . . . . . . . . . . .345 12 Windstar Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . .390
6 The Maine Windjammers . . . . . . . .349

Part 3: The Ports

9 The Ports of Embarkation 403
Choosing a Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . .404 10 Montréal, Québec . . . . . . . . . . . . . .454
1 Anchorage, Alaska . . . . . . . . . . . . .404 11 New Orleans, Louisiana . . . . . . . . .459
2 Baltimore, Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . .409 12 New York City, New York . . . . . . . .465
3 Boston, Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . .414 New York’s Best Pizza . . . . . . . . . .474
4 Cape Canaveral & Cocoa Beach, 13 Norfolk, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .475
Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .420 14 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . . . . . . .480
5 Charleston, South Carolina . . . . . . .427 15 San Diego, California . . . . . . . . . . .486
6 Fort Lauderdale, Florida . . . . . . . . .432 16 San Francisco, California . . . . . . . . .494
7 Galveston, Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .436 17 Seattle, Washington . . . . . . . . . . . .501
8 Los Angeles, California . . . . . . . . . .440 18 Tampa, Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .506
9 Miami, Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .448 19 Vancouver, British Columbia . . . . . .511

10 The Caribbean, The Bahamas & the Panama Canal 517

1 The Cruise Lines’ Private Islands . . .518 6 Belize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .539
2 Antigua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524 7 British Virgin Islands: Tortola &
3 Aruba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .527 Virgin Gorda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .542
4 The Bahamas: Nassau & Freeport . . .531 A Slice of Paradise:
Jost Van Dyke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .544
5 Barbados . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .537
vi CONTENTS

8 Cozumel & the Yucatán Peninsula . . .546 18 The Panama Canal . . . . . . . . . . . . .582
9 Curaçao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .555 19 Puerto Rico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .585
10 Dominica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .558 San Juan as a Port
11 Grand Cayman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .561 of Embarkation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .586
12 Grand Turk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .563 Walking Tour: Old San Juan . . . . . .587
13 Grenada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .566 Puerto Rico Golf Excursions . . . . . .592
14 Jamaica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .568 20 St. Barts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .592
Montego Bay Golf Excursions . . . . .572 21 St. Kitts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .594
15 Key West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .573 22 St. Lucia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .596
16 Martinique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .577 23 St. Martin/Sint Maarten . . . . . . . . .599
Martinique Golf Excursions . . . . . . .580 24 U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Thomas &
St. John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .603
17 Nevis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .580

11 Alaska & British Columbia 609

1 Cruising Alaska’s Natural 3 Icy Strait Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .619
Wonders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .610 4 Juneau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .620
Glaciers: An Intro to the Ice . . . . . .614 5 Ketchikan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .624
Cruisetours—’Cause All Alaska 6 Sitka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .626
Ain’t on Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .616
7 Skagway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .630
2 Haines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .617
8 Victoria, British Columbia . . . . . . . .633

12 The Mexican Riviera & Baja 636

1 Acapulco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .636 3 Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo . . . . . . . . . . . . .643
2 Cabo San Lucas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .639 4 Mazatlán . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .645
Small-Ship Cruises in Baja’s Mazatlán Golf Excursions . . . . . . . .647
Sea of Cortez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .641 5 Puerto Vallarta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .648

13 Bermuda 652
1 Hamilton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .654 3 Royal Naval Dockyard . . . . . . . . . . .657
2 St. George’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .656

14 Hawaii 658
1 Oahu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .660 3 Maui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .666
If You’re Embarking in Honolulu . . .662 4 The Big Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .669
2 Kauai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .664
 CONTENTS vii

15 New England & Eastern Canada 674

1 Bar Harbor, Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . .676 3 Newport, Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . .682
2 Halifax, Nova Scotia . . . . . . . . . . . .678 4 Québec City, Québec . . . . . . . . . . .685
The Small Ports of New England 5 Saint John, New Brunswick . . . . . . .687
& Eastern Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . .680

16 U.S. River Cruise Routes 690

1 The California Wine Country . . . . . .690 3 The Hudson River, Erie Canal
2 The Columbia & Snake Rivers, & Great Lakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .695
Pacific Northwest . . . . . . . . . . . . . .692 4 The Mississippi River System . . . . . .697

Index 702
 List of Maps

Downtown Anchorage 405 Tampa 507

Baltimore 411 Vancouver 513
Boston 415 The Gulf of Mexico & the
Cape Canaveral & Cocoa Beach 421 Caribbean 520
Charleston 429 Aruba 529
Fort Lauderdale 433 Nassau 533
Galveston 437 Cozumel & the Yucatán Ports 549
Los Angeles 441 Key West 575
Miami 449 Old San Juan Walking Tour 589
Montréal 455 The U.S. & British Virgin Islands 605
New Orleans: The French Quarter 461 Alaska 612
New York City 466 Sitka 627
Norfolk 477 Victoria 635
Philadelphia 482 The Mexican Riviera 637
San Diego 487 Bermuda 653
San Francisco 495 The Hawaiian Islands 659
Seattle 503 New England & Eastern Canada 675
About the Authors
Heidi Sarna is a freelance writer who has sailed the oceans blue for more than a decade, often
with her young twin sons and lucky husband in tow. Coauthor of Frommer’s European Cruises
& Ports of Call and a contributor to several other guidebooks, she also writes regular travel
columns for Frommers.com. She’s written for many magazines, newspapers, and websites,
including Forbes Traveler, the International Herald Tribune, Condé Nast Traveler, Gourmet,
Parenting, Brides, Modern Bride, the Boston Herald, and Travel Weekly.
Matt Hannafin is a freelance writer, editor, and musician based in Portland, Oregon. Coauthor
of Frommer’s European Cruises & Ports of Call, he also contributes to dozens of books, newspa-
pers, magazines, and websites, including Frommers.com, Gourmet, Modern Bride, the Boston
Herald, Travel Weekly, Porthole, and Avid Cruiser. In 2007 he was a major contributor to the
book 1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die, writing nearly a quarter of the
entries. His editing clients include U.N. agencies, book publishers, and major consultancy
firms, and his musical activities range from teaching Persian classical percussion to perform-
ances of contemporary free improvisation.

Acknowledgments
A select group of travel writers and experts contributed to this book. Mike Driscoll, editor of
the probing industry newsletter Cruise Week, provided insights into current booking trends.
Merchant Marine officer and travel writer Ben Lyons wrote our new review of American Cruise
Lines and helped out on a few other lines too. Our editor, Naomi Kraus, kept our Orlando
coverage up to date. Big thanks go out to Frommer’s authors Lesley Abravanel, Mary Herczog,
Marie Morris, Bill Goodwin, Matthew Poole, Mary K. Tilghman, Leslie Brokaw, Lauren
McCutcheon, and Mark Hiss, who helped out with our ports of embarkation coverage. We
also appreciate the efforts Felisa Mahabal and Steamship Historical Society of America direc-
tor Steve Swanson put into updating our Caribbean coverage. For their work in previous editions
of this book, big thanks go to writer/biologist Dr. Christina Colon, SeaTrade Cruise Review
U.S. editor Anne Kalosh, cruise expert Art Sbarsky, travel journalist Marilyn Green, ship
authority and author Ted Scull, writer/travelers Ken Lindley and Darlene Simidian, and
passenger ship expert Alan Zamchick.
Lastly, Matt would like to thank his wife, Rebecca, who thinks writing about cruises is a
really strange way to make a living (or at least part of one). Ain’t that the truth. Heidi thanks
her best shipmates, twin sons Kavi and Tejas, for being such good sailors at the ripe old age of
five (15 cruises and counting), and salutes hubby Arun for going along with the crazy cruising
life all these years.
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 Cruises & Ports of Call 2008
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 expe-
riences 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 wal-
lets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.

Other Great Guides for Your Trip:

Frommer’s USA
Frommer’s Caribbean Ports of Call
Frommer’s Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call
Frommer’s Caribbean
Frommer’s Mexico
Frommer’s Canada
Frommer’s Hawaii
Frommer’s Bermuda

Frommers.com
Now that you have this guidebook to help you plan a great trip, visit our website at www.
frommers.com for additional travel information on more than 3,600 destinations. We update
features regularly to give you instant access to the most current trip-planning information avail-
able. At Frommers.com, you’ll find scoops on the best airfares, lodging rates, and car rental bar-
gains. You can even book your travel online through our reliable travel booking partners. Other
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 Cruising 2008: Big Boats,
Big Business
Iunlikely
f you’ve picked up this book, it’s
we have to talk you into a
them into repeat customers. We’ll be
honest, though. It’s not this stuff that
cruise—that idea’s probably already in grabs us—not the three-story theaters or
your head. And anyway, it’s not our job to sushi bars, not the rock-climbing walls or
try to talk you into anything. We know the hot rock massages or the surfing sim-
some people just love traveling by ship ulators, either. It’s simply being at sea on
and others just hate it. We also know that a ship. It’s the teak decks, white steel rail-
some people just assume they’d hate it, ings, thick mooring lines, and that distant
without having the full story. rumble of the engines way down in the
Because, y’know, it’s a pretty big story, hull. It’s the feeling that you’ve unteth-
and new chapters are being added every ered yourself from the world, as you stand
year. Time was, the cruise biz was a pretty on deck at night, lean over the rail, and
homogenous cow, attracting mostly older watch the waves break around your ship’s
folks plus a smattering of honeymooners bow as it heads to the next port of call.
and party-makers. They’re all still there, The sea: It’s a powerful thing.
but today so is everyone else: young fam-
ilies, young professionals, young couples CRUISING TODAY: NEW SHIPS,
in Harley shirts, baggy-jeans teens, mid- MORE PAX
dle-aged gym rats, multigenerational Between 2000 and 2007, the major lines
family groups, Democrats, Republicans, launched some 80 new cruise ships, and
Rastafarians, and a corps of Canadians, that’s not even counting foreign and
Brits, and other “others” to help us all get small-ship cruise lines. Fortunately for
along. the industry, they’ve been able to per-
In a certain sense, it’s an old-fashioned suade more and more passengers (or
kind of vacation, a shout back to the old “pax” in agent-speak) to come aboard to
European Grand Tours, with travelers fill all those ships: Just over 3.6 million
hitting a region’s high points in quick North Americans took a cruise in 1990.
succession—bam, bam, bam—then get- By 2005 that number was up to nearly 10
ting back aboard ship to socialize with million and in 2007 it was expected to
people who were strangers until circum- top 10.6 million, with many cruising
stance pushed them together. In another from the growing number of home ports
sense, though, cruising is a thoroughly around the country.
modern Millie, where the newest ships The industry keeps on building new
are packed with every possible widget to ships, though not quite at the pace of a
win over prospective travelers and turn few years back. Six major new vessels
2 C R U I S I N G 2 0 0 8 : B I G B OAT S, B I G B U S I N E S S

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launched in 2007: Carnival’s Freedom, a standard outside cabin. Now click over
NCL’s Norwegian Gem, Princess’s Emer- to your favorite travel agency’s website
ald Princess, Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of and you’ll probably see that same cruise
the Seas, Cunard’s Queen Victoria, and going for $699. What gives?
Costa’s Costa Serena. Additionally, the Just like new-car prices, cruise line
year saw the introduction of three slightly brochure prices are notoriously inflated—
older, refurbished ships—Princess’s Royal in fact, some lines are talking about drop-
Princess and Azamara’s Journey and Quest, ping them from brochures altogether. In
all three midsize vessels originally built the meantime, you should basically just
for Renaissance Cruises. ignore brochure rates. Everything, and we
At press time, 2008 was shaping up to mean everything, is discounted. Other
be a five-megaship year, with the new guidebooks and articles print those
86,000-ton, 2,044-passenger Eurodam inflated brochure prices anyway, leaving
scheduled for HAL; the 118,000-ton, it up to you to take a guess at what the
2,850-passenger Solstice scheduled for real price may be. We don’t. Instead,
Celebrity; the 160,000-ton, 3,634-pas- we’ve partnered with the agency Just
senger Independence of the Seas coming for Cruisin’ Plus to provide you with the
Royal Caribbean; the 112,000-ton, actual prices consumers were paying for
3,006-passenger Splendor coming for cruises aboard all the ships reviewed in
Carnival; and the 133,500-ton, 3,300- this book. Each review shows you approx-
passenger Fantasia and 89,000-ton, imately how much you can expect to pay
2,550-passenger Poesia on deck for MSC. for an inside cabin (one without win-
With bookings up and the need to fill dows), an outside cabin (with windows or
more new ships decreasing, the ridicu- a balcony), and a small suite, and in chap-
lously low prices we were seeing just a few ter 2 we provide a chart that shows how
years ago have leveled off. You still won’t these prices compare with the published
pay brochure rates (see below), but $400 brochure rates, and with those of all the
weeklong cruises are nowhere near as other ships in the book.
commonplace as they were.
AND NOW, COMING TO
THE REAL SCOOP ON A PORT NEAR YOU . . .
CRUISE PRICES For the past 6 years, the big trend in the
Cruise pricing is really . . . well, dumb. cruise world is putting ships where people
Beyond the fuzzy math that often makes can get to them. It seems like an obvious
the new ships the cheapest to book, you idea, but for decades the cruise lines only
also have the problem of brochure prices. nibbled around its edges, homeporting
Check out Brochure X, which lists a most of their ships in Miami, Fort Laud-
weeklong sailing at $1,900 per person for erdale, Los Angeles, and a few other
 C R U I S I N G 2 0 0 8 : B I G B OAT S, B I G B U S I N E S S 3

cities, and forcing people to fly to a port won’t. It’s all a matter of personality. Your
before their vacation could get underway. dream ship is probably out there, some-
Today, ships are sailing regularly from where—you just need to figure out what
more than two dozen U.S. and Cana- you want. If those huge Vegas-style float-
dian home ports, so unless you live in ing resorts you see advertised on TV
North Dakota, there’s a good chance you aren’t your cup of tea, there are also quiet,
can drive to your ship—saving yourself refined ships where you’re left to do your
both time and money. While you’re doing own thing, with outstanding service staff
that, you may just want to stick around standing by in case you need anything,
and see the sights, ’cause some of those anything at all. Other ships are more like
port cities are pretty interesting, whether intimate B&Bs, where the vibe is casual,
you’re sailing to the Caribbean from the cabins are cozy, and the focus is all on
New York, Charleston, Galveston, or history, culture, and the outdoors. A few
New Orleans; to Alaska from Seattle, San are honest-to-God sailing ships that offer
Francisco, or Vancouver; to Bermuda nostalgic adventure.
from Baltimore, Boston, or Philly; to the Chances are there’s a ship out there
Mexican Riviera from Los Angeles or with your name on it, and as your cruise
San Diego; to Hawaii from Ensenada or matchmakers, we’re here to help you
right from Honolulu; or to New England wade through the different options and
from Norfolk or Montreal. When you experiences and meet the cruise of your
add in small ships sailing from places dreams. To do this, we’ve divided the
such as Portland, Oregon; Warren, Rhode cruise lines into three main categories—
Island; and Memphis, Tennessee, you mainstream lines (chapter 6), ultralux-
realize there’s a whole lot of country out ury lines (chapter 7), and small ships,
there to explore. In chapter 9, “The Ports sailing ships, and adventure cruises
of Embarkation,” we discuss the high (chapter 8)—and developed a rating sys-
points of all the major cruise home ports, tem that judges them only against other
giving you the lowdown on what to see if ships in the same category: megaship
you’re going to be there only for a day or against megaship, luxe against luxe, small
two pre- or post-cruise. Chapters 10 ship against small ship.
through 16 give you the scoop on all the
major ports of call in all the so-called SAFETY AT SEA: MORE
“homeland cruising” regions, with info SECURITY, FEWER GERMS
on sights and attractions to see on your For better or worse, we’re currently living
own as well as recommendations for the in a security-obsessed world. People have
best shore excursions. to show ID to get into office buildings,
and take off their shoes to go through air-
FINDING A SHIP IS EASY, port X-rays, so you’d better believe secu-
BUT WILL YOU CLICK? rity measures are in place on cruise ships,
Comparing cruise ships and lines is like too.
scanning an online dating site: “Attractive All the major cruise lines have their
young cruise ship with nice body and own dedicated onboard security forces
good personality seeks friend for dating, who monitor people coming aboard (pas-
possible relationship.” The ship looks sengers, crew, delivery people, and con-
good, but we all know how photos can tractors) and keep an eye out during the
lie. Ditto for the descriptions. cruise, and we’re not just talking the kind
Just like in dating, there are ships that of rent-a-cops you see at your local con-
you’ll get along with and ships that you venience store. Some lines have even
4 C R U I S I N G 2 0 0 8 : B I G B OAT S, B I G B U S I N E S S

hired Gurkhas, the famed Nepalese that causes nausea, vomiting, and diar-
fighters, as onboard security personnel rhea. An extremely common bug that hits
and ex–Navy SEALs as top-level security some 23 million Americans a year
consultants, and have trained deck offi- (mostly on land), it’s also extremely con-
cers in how to react to takeover attempts. tagious. According to the Centers for
Other security measures are also in place, Disease Control (CDC), people infected
but the cruise lines prefer to keep them with norovirus can pass the bug on from
under their hats. the moment they begin feeling ill to
On a day-to-day basis, passengers will between 3 days and 2 weeks after they
mostly notice ship security when board- recover—meaning the cruise ship out-
ing, both initially and at the ports of call. breaks that seem to occur on a regular
Most cruise lines photograph passengers basis are probably the result of contagious
digitally at embarkation and then match passengers bringing the infection aboard,
their pictures to their faces every time rather than of unsanitary practices on the
they get back aboard thereafter. Digital ships themselves. Face it, cruise ships are
pass-cards also allow them to tell instantly a lot like kindergarten: When one kid
who’s aboard at any given time. Other shows up sick, everybody gets sick.
security processes include screening and In any case, don’t worry too much. It’s
X-raying of all hand-carried and checked no fun to have your vacation spoiled by
bags, the use of sniffer dogs in port, and illness, but norovirus causes no long-term
maintenance of a security zone around health effects for most people. Persons
cruise ships while they’re in port. Back- unable to replace liquids quickly
office changes include a rule that ships enough—generally the very young, the
must submit a complete list of passengers elderly, and people with weakened
and crew to the Coast Guard 96 hours immune systems—may become dehy-
before arriving at a U.S. port. Interna- drated and require special medical atten-
tionally, regulations issued by the Inter- tion, but that’s about the worst of it.
national Maritime Organization (IMO) More good news: Outbreaks have been
in 2004 require all ports around the on the downswing since they were first
world to operate within a consistent reported. Cruise lines are keeping a close
framework to address security issues. eye on boarding passengers for signs of
Many of these systems were already in illness, and have further stepped up their
place at most cruise lines and ports, so already vigilant sanitation routines to
passengers generally don’t notice much reduce the chance of transmission. A
difference. Exception: It may take you small outbreak on one of our cruises in
longer to get through the check-in 2006 was contained immediately after
process in the terminal. the first sick passengers were identified,
The other major cruise safety issue that and did not spread any further among
occasionally hits the news is norovirus passengers and crew.
(aka Norwalk-like virus), a stomach bug
 The Best of Cruising
P eople are always asking us about our favorite ships, and we always say, “Well, what
do you like to do when you’re not on a ship?” In this section we’ve broken out differ-
ent kinds of cruises, interests, and destinations to help you find one that best matches
what you’re looking for. You’ll find complete information on each pick in part 2, “The
Cruise Lines & Their Ships,” and part 3, “The Ports.”

1 Our Favorite Mainstream Ships

Mainstream ships are the big boys of the too, with a selection that’s light-years
industry, carrying the most passengers ahead of the competition.
and providing the most diverse cruise • Royal Caribbean’s Radiance class:
experiences to suit many different tastes, The most elegant vessels Royal
from party-hearty to arty-farty. Caribbean has produced to date,
• Celebrity’s Millennium class and Radiance, Brilliance, Serenade, and
Century class: Millennium, Infinity, Jewel of the Seas combine a sleek,
Summit, and Constellation offer el- seagoing exterior; a nautically themed
egant decor, incredible spas, great interior; and acres of windows.
service, edgy art collections, and the • Princess’s Diamond class and Coral
best alternative restaurants at sea. class: Princess’s huge but cozy Dia-
Class, charm, personality—what’s not mond and Sapphire Princess are its
to like? Celebrity’s older Century-class most beautiful ships to date, combin-
ships (Century, Galaxy, and Mercury) ing gorgeous exterior lines with
aren’t too far behind, either. See p. 143 wood-heavy, old-world lounges and a
and 147. great covered promenade that lets
• NCL’s Jewel, Pearl, and Jade: NCL’s you stand right in the ship’s prow.
best ships yet, this nearly identical The smaller Coral Princess and Island
trio combines an incredible number Princess are big winners, too, with
of dining choices, great entertain- similar decor and a smaller size that
ment, an always-casual vibe, and lets them traverse the Panama Canal.
decor that’s just plain fun. They have See p. 236 and 240.
the best beer-and-whiskey bars at sea,

2 Best Luxury Cruises

Here’s the very best for the cruiser who’s suites, over-the-top service, and
used to traveling deluxe and who doesn’t niceties that include complimentary
mind paying for the privilege. These ships free-flowing champagne. See p. 315.
have the best cuisine, accommodations, • Crystal Symphony and Serenity:
and service at sea. Carrying 940 to 1,080 passengers,
• Silversea Shadow, Whisper, and these are the best midsize ships out
Wind: Silversea is the best of the there, big enough to offer lots of
highbrow small-ship luxury lines, dining, entertainment, and fitness
with its exquisite cuisine, roomy options, and small enough to bathe
passengers in luxury. See p. 270.
6 THE BEST OF CRUISING

• SeaDream Yacht Club SeaDream I • Cunard Queen Mary 2: QM2 has

and II: What’s not to love? These her very own niche in the luxe mar-
cool 110-passenger yachts are elegant ket—and in the cruise market as a
but casual, and carry along jet skis, whole, for that matter. While too
mountain bikes, and kayaks for enormous to offer the kind of inti-
jaunts around such ports as St. Barts mate luxury you’ll get with Silversea,
and Jost Van Dyke. See p. 307. Seabourn, and SeaDream, she is able
• Regent Seven Seas Navigator and to give you a pretty close idea of what
Voyager: Not only are cabins aboard life aboard the great old ocean liners
these midsize 490- and 700-passen- was like, and that’s pretty luxe all by
ger, all-suite ships roomy, but their itself. See p. 281.
huge bathrooms are fabulous. To top
it off, food and service on both are
among the very best at sea. See p. 291.

3 The Most Romantic Cruises

Of course, all cruises are pretty romantic lining the teak decks, champagne
when you consider the props they have to flowing freely, and toys like MP3
work with: the undulating sea all around, players and high-powered binoculars
moonlit nights on deck, cozy dining and at your fingertips, these 110-passen-
cocktailing, cozy cabins. Here are the best ger playboy yachts spell romance for
lines for getting you in the mood. the spoiled sailing set. See p. 307.
• Star Clippers: With the wind in your • Windstar Cruises: Windstar’s tall-
hair and sails fluttering overhead, the masted Wind Surf and Wind Spirit
top decks of the tall-masted Royal offer a truly unique cruise experience,
Clipper and Star Clipper provide a giving passengers the delicious illu-
most romantic setting. Below decks, sion of adventure and the ever-pleas-
the comfy cabins, lounge, and dining ant reality of great cuisine, service,
room make these ships the most com- and itineraries. See p. 390.
fortable adventure on the sea. See • Sea Cloud Cruises: Really, when it
p. 372. comes right down to it, what setting
• Cunard: Like real royalty, Queen is more movie-star romantic than a
Mary 2 was born with certain duties zillionaire’s sailing yacht? That’s what
attendant to her station, and one of you get with Sea Cloud, once owned
the biggest of those duties is to by Edward F. Hutton and Marjorie
embody the romance of transatlantic Merriweather Post, with some cabins
travel and bring it into the new cen- retaining their original grandeur. See
tury. Take a stroll around that prom- p. 370.
enade deck, dine in that fabulous • Windjammer Barefoot Cruises:
dining room, and thrill to be out in They may not be everybody’s idea of
the middle of the ocean on nearly a romantic, but if you and your signifi-
billion dollars’ worth of Atlantic cant other have always dreamed of
thoroughbred. See p. 281. chucking it all and taking off on a
• SeaDream Yacht Club SeaDream I Harley, these are the ships for you:
and II: With comfy Balinese daybeds rum-swigging, T-shirt-wearing, ultra-
free, and quirky as hell. See p. 379.
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