Fresh from Italy's Fincantieri ship yard, Panorama is the first new ship to debut and make her year-round home on the West Coast in over twenty years.
Godmother Vanna White from "Wheel of Fortune" cued crew members to flip over letters revealing the name before pushing a big blue button that released a bottle of champagne to slide down a little zip line and smash on the ship's bow yesterday evening.
There were other celebrities in attendance at the gala, including celebrity chefs Guy Fieri and Emeril Lagasse, both of whom have restaurants on board Panorama and other Carnival ships.
Carnival's Blogger John Heald hosted the event, which was kicked off by the USC Marching Trojans
Other attendees included Carnival Corporation's Chairman Micky Arison, who also owns the Miami Heat and is one of the 200 or so richest people in the world. His dad was Ted Arison, the founder of Carnival Cruise Lines and the co-founder of Norwegian Cruise Lines.
Carnival Corporation's CEO Arnold Donald and Carnival Cruise Line's President Christine Duffy along with representatives from cruise lines under the Carnival umbrella including Princess and Holland America, were also there.
Many of the attendees were dressed in suits and evening gowns, but I assume you aren't as interested in the event as the ship, which is a definite major step beyond the last Carnival ship you may have cruised on. Panorama is the third and final Vista Class ship (the other is Horizon).
The vibe throughout the ship is modern and vibrant, very much like being in some ideal, hip city center where cool people want to be. I had a Red ale at a pool area bar, the Red Frog, and Julie had a Cuba Libre. The Carnival micro-brew was okay but I was hoping to be more impressed. Julie's drink was strong, so we got another Diet Coke to "water it down."
There are lots of notable public spaces, including outdoor restaurant/lounge seating on the Promenade Deck a la Norwegian Joy and Celebrity Edge.
Carnival has always been a big supporter of the military, and the Heroes Tribute Bar introduced on Panorama is a casual lounge honoring the defenders of the free world.
Julie and I especially like the Havana Bar, where we did a chacha as the terrific house Latin band played.
When Julie saw the adjoining pool area, which on a perfect California evening with Long Beach's lovely illuminated skyline in view, she said that's where she would spend her entire cruise.
The dining room was also lovely, and the Filet Mignon, starters and dessert were all delicious. We had a fun table with wide-ranging topics of discussion.
After dinner, we set out to see some staterooms, including in the special areas for Cloud 9 Spa, Family Harbor and Havana Cabana, all of which were roomy and attractive.
Then, we had the biggest treat of the evening, the debut of "Rock Revolution; the Summer of '69" by an incredibly talented cast of singers, dancers and musicians.
This being a tribute to rock of 1969, it was appropriate for the band to be front and center on a stage that extends far from the vibrant LED backdrop into the audience with a forked walkway. It started sort of predictably with "Let the Sunshine" from "Hair," but then a scorching lead guitar solo brought in Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," and we knew were in for something special.
They played a lot of my favorite songs from that era, including the Doors' "Touch Me," the Beatles' "Come Together" and Sly and the Family Stone's "Dance to the Music."
There were incredible lighting effects, including what I think must have included a drone during "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds."
The singers and musicians were all top notch. While I'm not an expert on dance by any means, the choreography seemed to be very modern --- based on what I've seen occasionally watching "Dancing With the Stars" on TV --- while still pulling in that Flower Power feel.
As Julie said, "Nothing like having all of your corporate bosses in the audience to make sure nobody just phones in a performance." Our experience, however, has always shown that Carnival really "rocks the Casbah."
That wasn't the end of the evening, though. We were all invited up to Lido Decks 10, 11 and 12 to watch a fireworks extravaganza after a champagne toast. When we left, Micky Arison and his wife strolled right by us, so I guess we were in a pretty ideal place for the grand finale.
On the way out, we walked back through the dome that was once home of the Spruce Goose and now serves as the Long Beach Cruise Terminal. The terminal itself is impressive, feeling very park like and decorated tastefully for Christmas.
The highest praise of all came from Julie, who hasn't been a fan of the Fun Ships, primarily because of their more-garish approach to decor in years past. Julie remarked she would definitely enjoy a week on the Mexican Riviera aboard Carnival Panorama.
The best vacation of all is a family reunion cruise.
Being among loved ones is always a treat, and cruising takes --- and bakes from scratch --- the cake for vacationing together.
While it is possible to do everything together all the time, what sets cruising apart is that you can all vacation your way, getting together for big feasts at the end of the day to share what you did.
Then you all can go out together to watch world-class entertainment.
When the kiddies and the oldies are off to bed, the hip crowd can go out nightclubbing, and no one has to drive home.
No one has to do the dishes.
No one has to clean up.
All you have to do is have fun!
Best of all, once people board a cruise ship, they're in for the duration, so the reunion will last the full length of the cruise.
How can you organize a group cruise for your family?
It's not as hard as you may think.
First, when do you want to go?
That will definitely effect your selection, as not all cruises go to the same place every week.
For that particular time, find pick a great cruise that everyone will enjoy.
Perhaps you're fortunate and can choose an amazing destination like the Mediterranean or Alaska, or a mega-ship with exciting on-board activities like Disney Dream, Norwegian Joy or Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas.
An exciting destination or super-ship will definitely generate interest, until the reality of price for the cruise itself and, if necessary, round trip air with transfers enters the picture.
Be realistic.
If you want the fullest participation, consider budget for even the one who will have the most trouble affording it. After all, those who want to spend more can get a more deluxe room.
Consistently low prices and lots of sailings that depart from close to home always combine to make Carnival Cruise Lines a strong contender for family groups.
And just to be clear, Carnival gives you all the elements you need for a good time. Great entertainment, specific activities for kids, delicious casual food as well as dining room meals, and many rooms that hold three to five guests as well as the usual double rooms.
I should also throw in that Princess, Celebrity and Holland America, in addition to others mentioned above, should not be left out of consideration for a multi-generation family cruise, if they happen to have a contender that works for the region and date. They don't necessarily cost much more than Carnival. It all depends on the exact situation.
Carnival is simply a lot of places within easy access year-round.
So, pick a general time frame, destination and departure point within budget, and much of the selection process will be done.
One further note: while you want the trip to fit the lowest common denominator in terms of value, don't be manipulated by someone who won't go no matter what you do.
Yes, there's one in every crowd, and sometimes more. They may be people who simply won't or can't afford to take time off or to spend money for a cruise. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, because vacations should relieve stress, never add to it. Hopefully, they will just admit that at the outset. In any case, if you think that might be the case, don't count on them going and definitely don't plan the whole trip around them.
Often, when people keep throwing out obstacles like other events on their calendars or nit-picky concerns, they are just passive-aggressively indicating they really have no intention of going.
In any case, if you've selected a good cruise, then you know that even if no one else comes, you will still be happy.
One other consideration is that in order to get the lowest fares, some deposits are non-refundable. If there are people who always say they will go but then flake when it comes time to make final payment, don't let that be your problem. They can book with deposits that are refundable until the final payment date andf forego that slightly lower price.
Several cruise lines add land tours to north and south bound Alaska cruises, but Princess has more possibilities than anyone but Holland America, so I am going to use Princess specifics to address the general issue of cruise tours.
Before getting into the tours, we first should consider what you gain by paying more to go in the heart of the season starting the last week in June through the end of July.
You undoubtedly have longer days. That's a simple scientific fact that we've all recognized since we were told to come in from playing when the street lights came on.
It usually is warmer and sunnier when summer officially starts and going through July, but any given week can be the exception.
If you live in a place that gets hot in the summer (and that's most of us), the idea of it being cooler, however, isn't necessarily a bad thing.
In Alaska, cooler in August could easily be in the 50s and warm days in July rarely get above the lows 70s. You're looking more 60s as a general rule, and dressing in layers is always recommended for changing conditions.
Any given week can be unseasonably warm or cool. Once again, that's something we all know, although in California it does seem to take us by surprise when the weather changes appreciably from one day to the next, and of course rain is almost unheard of.
Not so in Alaska. It could rain at any time.
In Ketchikan, I read once that if you can't see the distant mountain peak, then it is raining, and if you can see it, that means it is going to rain. We didn't actually have rain when I was there, but I tend to be pretty lucky with weather when I travel, with the only exception having been an hour in Nassau when it suddenly became like a hurricane after we had snorkeled, forcing us to actually get a taxi rather than walking back to the ferry, but I digress.
When I was cruising Alaska in July a few years ago, it was beautiful, but I heard that the week before they had rain. My sister-in-law is on a Celebrity Alaska cruise as I write this, and based on her photos, it has been on the cool if not cold side. Among her photos was an incredible shot of bears coming to the pond where they were fishing.
On the other hand, some friends cruised Alaska in early May, which is usually cooler than August because Alaska is still defrosting from winter, and they reported every day was sunny.
It is always a bit of a gamble, but July is the best bet for the sunniest weather. The pricing difference between the weeks will be similar to what you would see in the brochures, subject to what is actually available on any given ship. As I mentioned, I am going to use Princess specifics as examples.
The Princess brochure for Alaska linked here has lots of cruise tours in it beginning on page 22. These tend to be templates for those of most other cruise lines (except Holland America, which has some very unusual Yukon tours), with the exception that only Princess has Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail available between the cruise ship port in Whittier to Denali National Park and also has its own wilderness lodges, including two in Denali.
Regarding ships, Island and Coral Princess are narrower ships with fewer interior rooms, making them tend to feel less crowded, because people with interior rooms are most likely to spend more of their free time in public spaces.
Royal Princess is the largest, newest Princess ship in Alaska, and because it doesn't have ocean view rooms, entry level balconies with views partially obstructed by lifeboats ---basically, you may see the top or bottom of a lifeboat from your balcony --- may be lower than entry level balconies on other Princes ships, even though the ship itself often costs a bit more. The other ships are more the standard Princess offering, and for the most part, going on any of them feels pretty similar if you've been on Princess previously, with the true exception being their small ship, Pacific Princess, which will not be in Alaska in 2019. As a general rule, the newest ships cost more per day.
Below are some key items that differentiate Princess cruise tours from each other, and you can apply the basic principles to cruise tours on other lines.
1. Perhaps most important is the question of which places you want to see in Alaska's interior. You will get at least one night in Denali. Princess has two lodges in Denali that show you different parts of Denali, but you still barely scratch the surface of its 6 million-plus acres.
I like tours that include both (and you can do something similar with other lines like Royal Caribbean), because you can then go for hikes to see what you can see in two different areas whether or not you take an excursion. The ride between these wilderness lodges is really sort of like an excurison in its own right.
The question of Fairbanks or Anchorage is the one most people focus on.
Fairbanks is a rustic gold rush town. Some excursions include panning for gold and a paddle wheel river boat ride, but you would need a full day there, not just an overnight stay. Princess does not own the hotel in Fairbanks, and I don't receive nearly the same positive feedback I receive for their own wilderness lodges.
Anchorage is a beautiful, modern city in its own right, and there is a lot of gorgeous countryside just outside of city limits.
I have really simplified the choices for the purposes of this presentation, but these are the ones most people choose for their first cruise tour. Many people love this vacation so much that they think about doing it again to visit other places like Copper River, although you certainly can choose one of those more off the beaten path itineraries the first time, if you like.
2. What exactly is included can be a major factor. The easiest way to get a lower price other than choosing a lower-demand month is to choose a cruise tour with fewer inclusions, like Princess Cruise Tours that end in X.
Sometimes, "On Your Own" AAX costs hundreds less than "Denali Explorer" AA3, with the differences being that instead of Direct to the Wilderness rail all the way to Denali at the beginning of the tour --- which truly is quite an awesome way to start a cruise tour --- you have a shorter rail trip from Talkeetna to Anchorage after your stay in Denali. Also, AAX wouldn't have the natural history tour that is included in AA3, although you may add that separately as an excursion for an extra fee.
"Off the Beaten Path" tours take you to some less visited places like Copper River, tend to be longer (though not always) and inevitably cost more. Other than Holland America, these out of the way places are not the norm for most cruise lines.
The Cadillac approach --- should that be Tesla these days? --- is "Connoisseur Escorted," which includes more pampering, including most meals, and of course is the most expensive.
3. Basically, it often comes down to when you book and what happens to be available in live inventory. The earlier you book, the greater your probability of having every possibility on the table.
Alaska cruise tours are extremely popular with seasoned travelers, so guests book early to choose the best rooms.
It may be that based on brochure rates, one cruise on July 24 seems to cost less than the one on July17, but when we get down to the nitty gritty of actually choosing rooms, the least expensive categories may not be available on what is theoretically the lower priced date, making the higher priced date more competitive if not less expensive, depending on the exact room selected.
For Alaska in particular, port or starboard side of the ship seems to matter quite a bit to passengers, most of whom wish to be on the land side of the ship, so either starboard on north bound cruises or port side going south. The ocean is a pretty nice view in itself, and that could be the side of the ship the whales decide to play on, but it is a fact that the land side of the ship sells out first, and staying on that side of the ship could end up costing more due to meta-category availability.
When it is time to book your Alaska cruise tour, you may have a wide selection of cruise lines, and I'm not trying to force you into Princess as a one-size-fits-all solution. Princess does a great job, but primarily I use them as an example because of the variety of their offerings and the fact that they simply have more cruise tours than almost anyone else. Most people, in my experience, will choose 10 or 11 nights with either Anchorage or Fairbanks as one of the bookends for their first Alaska cruise tour.
For families aboard state-of-the-art mega-ships with activities like sky diving, surfing, full production Broadway shows, go carts and laser tag, ports with sandy beaches may complete the ideal vacation.
At some point, however, you may decide to branch out to visit other landmark destinations you've seen in action movies or read about in romance novels.
Large ships will take you to the most famous ports. Smaller ships visit those iconic cities too, but they add intriguing smaller ports like Portofino that larger ships would overwhelm.
Oceania has found a ready audience of port collectors. The strength of their pull for repeat passengers, most of whom have experienced large ship cruising, is testament to Oceania's success in filling this niche.
But being a destination specialist is not the only draw.
Oceania guests become accustomed to the finest dining at sea, with several sensational alternative dining venues without additional charges. You only need to make reservations, and you can do that beginning weeks before your cruise.
But don't misunderstand that to imply you wouldn't enjoy the main dining room.
All of the food served aboard Ocenaia ships is simply superb.
It's not surprising therefore to find that many repeat Oceania guests are ardent "foodies."
Recognizing that many who enjoy fine cuisine like to prepare gourmet meals themselves, Oceania has deluxe instructional kitchens on board where guests can learn to make signature dishes of the areas visited.
Oceania even has excursions into marketplaces in ports for those whose passion for food entices them to go to the source to see how the best chefs select premium ingredients to complete the finest feasts.
While all of this might sound great to you, perhaps you've seen pricing that seems so much higher than Princess, Celebrity and Holland America that you think it couldn't possibly be justified, especially because you love your favorite big ships. I feel you, brothers and sisters!
Keep in mind that unlike most other "lead rates," Oceania's pricing includes roundtrip air from a major airport near your home, and the flight itineraries are quite good. As their fans will volunteer, Oceania doesn't do anything half-hearted.
If cashing air miles could be an option for your flights, you can save hundreds off the price. For example, declining "free air" to Europe could result in a credit of $1100 per person.
Once you've factored that in, you will see that the pricing may not be as much of a stretch as you thought, especially if you usually book Mini-Suites or Suites on big ships. Accommodations on Oceania are all spacious, and because the public areas on board never feel crowded and their itineraries tend to be port-intensive, you may find you can get by without having a private balcony.
Another factor in stretching your travel dollar is OLife choice, which includes free internet throughout your voyage. Currently, you can also choose one of three possible additional amenities.
The most popular choice seems to be free shore excursions. 10-night cruises, for example, include 6 free excursions (3 per person for both first and second guests), whereas 7-night cruises give you 4 per room. Considering some are full-day tours valued up to $199 each, that takes a huge chunk out of the price difference.
The House Beverage Package with free beer, wine and champagne with lunch and dinner is also a solid choice, but considering you can buy that for $39.95 per person per day, it isn't worth as much, if indeed you plan to do shore excursions.
The third choice of on board credits has the lowest intrisic value.
But will you be entertained on board like on a big ship?
On a somewhat smaller scale, Oceania touches all the bases for most adults.
Oh, and did I mention taxes?
No?
That's because Oceania includes all taxes as well as port charges in their advertised cruise fare, so if the price seems high, remember that's the total price including air, taxes, free alternative dining, free internet and your choice of another generous amenity.
The pleasures of smaller ship cruising may seem subtle at first. Always polite, civilized behavior. Excellence when you might have settled for good. Easy access to ports, including no hassles getting on or off the ship and free shuttles to the center of the port city, unless you're already docked in the middle of town.
It all compounds to create a whole greater than the sum of its parts.
The Oceania experience is not for everyone, but you'll know instinctively if it might be right for you.
Private Islands have been included in Caribbean itineraries for decades.
While many people cherish private islands as the perfect place to unwind from the daily grind at the start of a cruise or to cap off their week at sea, port collectors sometimes specifically say they do not want a private island in their itineraries. Cruise lines hope to change that perspective, especially for the next generation of cruisers.
Change with Royal Caribbean often seems revolutionary.
Like other cruise lines, they gradually introduce favorite features of new ships throughout their fleet, but they also occasionally shatter expectations, as with Oasis Class that included so many mind-blowing features on ships twice the size of most large ships.
Coco Cay started out as a typical private island, where the crew would bring provisions for a barbecue party to a beach picnic area with lounge chairs on shore in an amalgam of the onboard and port experience. However, check out the full vision that Royal Caribbean will unfold for 2019.
If you're an older adult who normally cruises on Holland America, Oceania, Regent or Viking Cruises, you may be horrified by the mere prospect of such a place existing in your tranquil Caribbean, although if you watched the video long far enough to see the overwater bungalows like you normally associate with French Polynesia, even you might find this isle tempting.
Royal Caribbean has made its mark providing jaw-dropping architecture and activities for young adults and families, while at the same time offering luxe experiences in other areas of their mega-ships to accommodate those with more refined tastes who still appreciate the entertainment easily accessible in "big cities."
RCCL is simply expanding this approach on their private islands.
Norwegian, which for all intents and purposes invented destination cruising and introduced many important milestones since they began cruising from Miami in 1965, made their own revolutionary private island of Havest Caye in Belize, an Exotic Western Caribbean destination that has long needed a more ship-friendly port.
We've experienced this type of hybrid in Costa Maya, Mexico, a short trip ride down the beach from sleepy Mahajual and with opportunities to visit Mayan ruins on excursions not that different from what you might take from Playa Del Carmen or Cozumel, but it is wonderful NCL took the plunge in Belize.
No roundup of private islands would be complete without Disney's Castaway Cay, which as expected has lots of special features for families.
I nonetheless expect the traditional private island concept will carry on, not simply because they are popular as a place for that perfect Corona on the beach experience but also because cruise lines are able to capture more travel dollars by selling those refreshing beverages in coconuts and personal water craft to a captive audience.
Then again, don't be surprised when private islands continue to evolve with small changes intended to improve the experience for their perceived clientele, just as cruise ships do.
If you like the idea of Alaska but prefer a more upscale experience, you could select a suite on a large ship, so you still get the big ship entertainment and activities but with a larger private area. There are special categories, such as Celebrity's spa-oriented Aqua Class or Princess' Club Class for foodies. The Haven on Norwegian Cruise Line is a complete "ship-within-a-ship," including a large private area with lounge and pool area along with luxurious suites.
You could also stretch the cruise, on a cruise tour or perhaps simply a longer cruise like Holland America's 14-night Inside Passage cruise from Vancouver or Princess' 10-Night from San Francisco. For some people, however, it's not simply a more exclusive category or longer vacation.
While families may choose Disney Wonder as an upscale alternative for large ship cruising with exclusive Disney entertainment, many adults prefer a smaller, more intimate ship, one where they will be surrounded by fellow guests with similar tastes, and we have some fantastic upscale cruise lines in Alaska in 2018. Yes, you will pay more, but if you want this type of excellence --- and you know who you are --- then you won't be too concerned about price. The experience will often be more inclusive, with your staff anticipating and meeting your needs a moment before you realize that is exactly what you wanted.
It's also more exclusive, in terms of those fellow guests with whom you will be traveling. It's a more intimate experience, where by the end of the trip you may feel like you know everyone on board, probably realize you like them all, because they do, after all, share common interests with you as evidenced by their cruise selection. If you've taken a river cruise, you know exactly how special this boutique experience can be. There are several different small ships in Alaska, each with its own unique approach.
The cast of small ships that will all appear on the grand stage of Alaska varies each summer summer, offering distinct levels of luxury, adventure and amenities as well as some unique itineraries. Which one is right for you? To a great extent that depends on exactly who you are and what type of experience you personally desire. I'd love to help you find the perfect Alaska cruise for you. "Better service leads to better trips!"
If you've been thinking about a road trip across the country or across town to take an Alaska cruise, the simplest plan would probably be to sail roundtrip from Seattle or Vancouver for a 7-night Inside Passage voyage.
There are also regular 10 night cruises from San Francisco throughout the season as well as a handful of 12 night roundtrip cruises from Los Angeles, which basically add sea days getting to Alaska.
That way, you park your car at a hotel, possibly one with free shuttle and parking if you spend one night in that hotel, and then take your cruise.
Roundtrip cruises from United States ports include Victoria Island or some other Canadian port of call to meet the requirement for cruises that begin and end in the USA to visit a foreign port.
In addition to that, you visit three ports in Southeast Alaska (that sounds odd, but that's what the panhandle is called) including Juneau and two other ports, which are often Ketchikan and the gold rush town Skagway. Alternative choices include the wilderness port of Icy Straight Point or the Russian influenced Sitka.
Cruises roundtrip from Vancouver do not require a foreign port and so do not usually call on Victoria Island.
North or South bound cruises go between Vancouver and either Seward or Whittier, which are near Anchorage. The air generally doesn't cost much more than roundtrip air to Vancouver, and roundtrip air to Vancouver usually costs a little more than roundtrip air to Seattle.
If you go on a one way cruise instead of a roundtrip cruise, you see much more of Alaska's coast, including two glacier cruising experiences (versus one on a roundtrip cruise).
A cruisetour usually adds 3 or 4 days that take you to one or two hotels in Denali and then either the capitol city of Anchorage or deeper into Alaska to the frontier town of Fairbanks.
Denali is one of the top attractions in Alaska. Because Denali is 8 hours inland, without the tour, a cruise cannot take you there as a shore excursion.
Including its preserve, Denali National Park covers about 6 million acres and has the tallest mountain in North America.
Many variations of cruisetours are available to allow people to return again and again without getting bored. Tours can stretch to add up to 8 nights on land.
Some on Holland America include either 3 or 4 night cruises with a week or more on land exploring other parts of the Yukon.
Cruisetours are awesome, but obviously they tend to cost more than cruise only vacations, so many people take just the Alaska cruise for their first trip to Alaska.
There are all kinds of excursions at cruise ports that take you dog sledding on glaciers, out in the wilderness to see wild animals, salmon fishing, whale watching, aboard gold rush era trains to pan for gold, out on wilderness hikes, ziplining and about any activity you would like to try in Alaska, so it isn't necessary to take a cruise tour to see more than just the shore.
Which Alaska cruise is right for you?
Remember, there are many other subtleties in choosing an Alaska cruise, including which type of on board experience will suit you best.
Do you really need a balcony room? What amenities will be included? Which cruise line best suits your personality? What are the differences between specific ships?
Asking for the help of a professional cruise counselor is the most logical approach to booking your Alaska cruise.
We've been conditioned since we were school children to anticipate summer as vacation time.
With warm weather, we naturally think of pools and beaches where we can cool down.
And what better way to continue the tradition as adults, possibly with children of our own, than a fun summer cruise with Carnival, the brand that dominates cruises from close to home?
A couple of weeks back, I wrote to you about the fourth largest cruise brand in the world, which you were probably surprised to learn was MSC.
Just in case there was any doubt, the largest cruise line in the world is Carnival.
Carnival itself has a market share of over 20%, and then there are the other members of the Carnival Family: Princess, Holland America, Costa, Cunard, top-echelon Seabourn, Germany's Aida, the UK and Australia's P&O, and social-impact Fathom.
While other lines take most of their ships to other parts of the world for the longest school break of the year, Carnival for the most part continues cruising the Caribbean and Mexican Riviera, because that's exactly where cruisers looking for fun in the sun want them to be.
In Southern California, Carnival remains the only game in town again this year, but they'll have two ships alternating 3 and 4 night Baja cruises and the sleek, modern Miracle doing the poplular traditional Mexican Riviera.
And there are still lots of great deals for summer, including "last call" for some Early Saver deals, which are guaranteed to be their lowest prices.
If cruises depart from close to your home, most likely Carnival has a ship there.
Over the years, some people have sniffed at Carnival as inferior, but just as the entire industry has evolved, Carnival has continued to upgrade their product offerings.
Carnival's entertainment continues to be fantastic, especially if you're young or young at heart, as the singles and families who make Carnival the most popular happen to be.
Their casual dining has always been appreciated by fast food afficionados, but their sitdown dining rooms also deliver delicious meals.
Mostly, Carnival is know for fun in the sun, whether on deck around the pool or the ports visited along the way. It's really a straightforward approach.
While Carnival remains primarily the kings of the Caribbean and Mexico, Carnival also dabbles in a few other markets.
On some of these alternative itineraries, such as the occasional longer roundtrip to Hawaii or soon to depart roundtrip Alaska from Long Beach, Ca, demographics will skew older and more upscale, because they're the ones who have the time and money to make a trip of this sort.
Maybe it's time to try Carnival for yourself, especially if CCL happens to be the only one doing the trip you want that fits into your budget. You'll be pleasantly surprised!
Several ships cruise to Canada/New England each year.
Holland America devotes a ship to the region for the entire summer cruising between Boston and Montreal.
A few others add occasional summer trips of varying lengths, but most of them don't get as far as Quebec.
It is the changing leaves of autumn that attract most cruisers, and a broad choice of cruise lines arrive to accommodate us.
This fall, Julie and I were among that number lured to the beauty and history of the region, and we loved it.
Perhaps like us, you have family in the region, expanding the itinerary beyond cruise ports.
Whether you venture as far afield as Pennsylvania, you definitely should try to spend a bit of extra time in the bookend ports of the cruise, because they are world class cities. Take the time to play tourist, as we did in New York City this time, even if you've been there several times.
Increasingly, cruise lines include an overnight stay in these great cities, such as Princess does with its "More Ashore" program for an overnight in Quebec, making it unnecessary to add a hotel at the end of the cruise.
You don't have to take an early morning flight on the day you get off the cruise just because you theoretically can when you overnight in the debarkation port.
We found that if we stayed a couple of nights in Montreal, we could save enough on air to essentially pay for the extra vacation days.
Below are links to all of the "chapters" of our trip's story, where you can catch a glimpse of what we found along our way. Hopefully it will help you choose to cruise in this remarkable region.
In Quebec, most residents prefer to speak French, which along with English is one of Canada's two official languages, so it's not exactly shocking to learn that at one time the region was called New France.
After Great Britain won Canada from France in the Seven Years War, they renamed it the Province of Quebec with the Royal Proclamation of 1763.
Hoping to avoid rebellion, the Brits allowed the overwhelming majority of French Canadians to keep many traditions, including not only their language but French culture, civil law traditions and Roman Catholic religion, rather than forcing them to conform to British mores.
The plan worked quite well, and while for the most part Canada is a fully independent, self-governed country, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II surprisingly reigns as Queen of Canada (and also of Australia, New Zealand and a dozen other smaller countries, including several in the Caribbean).
It occured to me this morning that our vacation in New England and Canada brought us in contact with the six European cultures which provided the political, economic, legal and social foundations upon which the United States of America was built. I previously wrote about this under E Pluribus Unum.
Before the cruise, we'd been to Pennsylvania, where many Germans began settling in the late 1600's. They became known as Pennsylvania Dutch, somewhat confusing because the name actually refers to Deutsch (German) rather than people from Holland.
At Valley Forge, Baron von Steuben introduced German discipline and efficiency to our military, turning losers into winners.
New York was initially the Dutch (as in the Netherlands) city of New Amsterdam. In fact, the area from Pennsylvania to Cape Cod, including most of New York, Connecticut, Delaware and New Jersey, was at one time the Dutch Colony of New Netherland.
The Dutch were great ship builders, explorers and traders, and in their Golden Age of the 1600's, the Netherlands became the richest country in the world.
I attribute much of what our country became economically to Holland, even if that connection has been overshadowed by the military victories of the British, who changed New Amsterdam to New York in honor of the Duke of York, King James II of England.
It goes without saying that we spent much of our time in New England, but I'll say it anyway.
For the most part, we speak English, which has further become the most common language for business and success throughout the world, including in the fast growing economies of China and India.
We owe much of our government system, including our Constitution based to some extent on the groundbreaking Magna Carta, two houses of legislature plus an executive branch, and our legal system based on common law to the foundations laid by the Brits.
Our voyage took us through Nova Scotia (New Scotland) where many Scottish and Irish migrated as part of British expansion, although of course immigrants didn't only go to places subsequently named for them. Since I was a boy who cheered for the Lakers against the Boston Celtics, I've known many Bostonians claim roots in Ireland, as do plenty of New Yorkers, as portrayed in an excellent period movie, Brooklyn, which Julie and I happened to watch before going on this trip,
We had a similar encounter with these cultures and more in the Southern Caribbean earlier in the year, but I seem to have already gotten very far off topic.
Upon debarking from Caribbean Princess, our plan had been to return to charming Petit-Champlain if it was sunny, but when the day broke cold and misty, we instead enjoyed a leisurely breakfast on board and then hiked directly to the beautiful historic railroad station to catch the train to our next stop, Montreal.
While planning our trip we had tried to book return air from Quebec City, but we found it would cost half as many air miles to fly nonstop from Montreal on Monday as to return on an early Saturday flight from Quebec City with a lousy itinerary, so we opted to spend a couple of nights in Montreal.
That would prove to be a great decision. On the scenic train ride, I wondered if the city would live up to my fond memories from forty years ago.
With the world's focus recently on the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, have you been considering a trip to beautiful, exotic South America?
It is an incredibly diverse region, with sunny beaches, historic cities, penguins, pastoral wineries and craggy mountains easily accessible on the same cruise itinerary around the horn.
With excursions, there's mysterious Machu Picchu, magnificent Iguazu Falls and the wild Amazon.
Celebrity always offers fantastic large ships wherever they sail, which includes not only large ship cruises but mega-yacht Galapagos Xpeditions.
Princess seems like they're everywhere you want to go at exactly the right time, bringing you stories of the region on board. Holland America, MSC and Costa will all have large ships in South America, and for those ready to splurge, there are more-inclusive lines like Oceania, Seabourn and Regent Seven Seas with almost everything included in the price.
Unlike Joan Wilder in "Romancing the Stone," you won't be on your own in an exotic foreign land challenged by language and customs.
You will meet dozens of new friends on your cruise or in your tour group, but perhaps when you mention this trip to relatives, you'll discover it's a dream destination for them too.
Here are 5 Great Summer Cruises embarking not too far from your easy chair.
1. Canada/New England
Yes, you can cruise through New England for the colorful changing of the leaves in the fall, but this historic region is a beautiful summer destination, too.
Don't forget to set aside time to explore historic Boston before or after your trip, including the Freedom Trail and Sam Adams Brewery. What an amazing way to explore the region where our founding fathers crafted our nation.
If you don't have that much vacation time available, you can cruise half of that epic journey, one way between Boston and Montreal, book-ended by two of the best cities I've ever visited.
The good times and warm water of Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan are alwasy tempting.
The East Coast of Mexico borders the turquoise Caribbean Sea, and so itineraries calling on those ports are generally considered Caribbean cruises, even if some call exclusively on Mexican ports, as four and five night cruises often do.
Like many country songs attest, there's a lot of fun waiting on some beach somewhere in Mexico.
3. Caribbean
When you think cruising, you probably initially think of the Caribbean, so it goes without saying that this is a another choice.
While Florida remains the base for most cruises, you can also cruise from ports that may be closer to your home like Galveston, New Orleans, Charleston and New York City.
A few cruises from the Northeast take you down to Port Canaveral and the Bahamas, while others go to Bermuda, which isn't technically in the Caribbean but offers a similar tropical vacation experience.
Everyone seems to have Alaska on either their bucket lists or lists of places they want to return to spend more time.
There's a lot to see in this gorgeous state that's two and a half times the size of Texas and has a coastline long enough, including its islands, to stretch from California to Florida.
For this summer, demand has been quite strong, but there's still space available for Inside Passage, North or South Bound Cruises and select cruise tours.
It's getting tough to find quad space or adjoining rooms for families on many popular voyages, so if you want to escape the hot, sticky city this summer to explore the vast natural wonders of Alaska, where mid-summer temperatures regularly top out in the high sixties or low seventies, don't procrastinate.
Don't forget the often lower prices of early season cruises in May and early June, before schools let out, or the brief but spectacular changing of the leaves in late August and early September.
5. Hawaii
Long ago, Julie asked, "Why would anyone want to go on vacation anywhere but Maui?"
Maui remains one of the most popular island destinations in the world, but with a cruise, you can easily explore the highlights of four islands while unpacking only once.
From fall through spring, Princess and other lines conveniently cruise roundtrip to Hawaii from the West Coast, but for summer, your choice remains NCL Pride of America, an American flagged vessel that cruises roundtrip from Honolulu for a wonderful all-Hawaii itinerary with a port every day of the week.
On the shoulder of Alaska summer cruises, you can combine four or five nights in the Hawaiian Islands with a trans-Pacific voyage on several other popular lines including Celebrity, Carnival and Royal Caribbean.
If you've never been to Hawaii, it needs to be near the top of your bucket list.
Lots of people are choosing to cruise close to home this year, so you need to book now for the best selection.
They played a lot of my favorite songs from that era, including the Doors' "Touch Me," the Beatles' "Come Together" and Sly and the Family Stone's "Dance to the Music."
On the way out, we walked back through the dome that was once home of the Spruce Goose and now serves as the Long Beach Cruise Terminal. The terminal itself is impressive, feeling very park like and decorated tastefully for Christmas.
