10 Reasons to Cruise - Part I

10 Reasons to Cruise

Part I

By Janelle Woodyard

1)   Unpack Once: 

One reason I like to cruise is because once I get on board, I unpack my suitcase and don’t have to repack until it’s time to get off the ship.  I’ve been on non-cruise vacations where I have lived out of my suitcase.  Other vacations required a couple days at several different hotels, and I found myself packing and unpacking every other day. As a traveler, I do what I need to; however, there’s something to be said about hanging my dresses in the closet and putting clothes in the drawers for the duration of a trip.  Need a place to put your suitcase once you unpack?  Stow it under the bed.

2)   Children’ Activities:

As a mom and educator, I always make it a priority to visit the children’s activity areas.  Cruise lines have incredible children’s programs (in particular Disney, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean).  Each of these cruise lines have top-notch programs.  Parents and grandparents can feel secure knowing their little loved ones are well taken care of with crafts, sports, and activities which educate and entertain.  Don’t be surprised if your little one is excited about going back to participate in the programs.

3)   Family and Friend Time:

Cruises allow families and friends to spend time together.  Several years ago, we went on a family and friends cruise to the Caribbean.  We had so much fun and laughed so much.  Even to this day, we all look back at that particular cruise and can reminisce about allthe food we ate and the miles of laughter we logged.  Cruising with family and friends is a fabulous way to make incredible memories.  In fact, I think we’re due for another family and friends cruise.  Where would you want to cruise: Eastern or Western Caribbean?

4)   Food:

Speaking of food, cruise lines have state of the art chefs preparing the cuisine. Not only do they know how to cook, the presentation of the food is truly a work of art.  In fact, sometimes choices on the dinner menu look so inviting, I have a hard time deciding how to please my palate.  I have been known to order a couple appetizers at one sitting.  Dinner menus change every night so what is listed on the menu on Monday night might not be on the menu for the rest of the cruise.  Live with no regrets…especially when it comes to desserts.  https://twitter.com/#!/JanelleWoodyard/status/173500275737362432/photo/1

5)    Family Entertainment:

Cruise lines know how to provide family entertainment from poolside games, comedy routines, to incredible music shows.  Cruise lines offer evening shows of the highest professional caliber.  As a singer, the quality of a show is high on my priority list, and I expect the best from the cruise lines.  There are two music shows I will never forget.  One was a tribute to the Beetles, Ticket to Ride, on Carnival, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj_2DEAKMQ8.  The other one was the hit Broadway musical Saturday Night Fever, on Royal Caribbean, http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2011/05/04/saturday-night-fever-debuts-liberty-seas.  I believe the cruise lines have some of the best talent in musicians, dancers, and singers.

Next week, 10 Reasons to Cruise Part II.  What are some reasons you cruise?

Carnival Dream Ship Tour

Increase in Cruises Boost Sales In Brevard

Cruising in the Caribbean has never been more popular.  As tourists continue to visit Port Canaveral, local businesses are profiting.  According to today's issue of Orlando Business Journal, 

"Cruises making a stop at Port Canaveral have increased from just 31 visits four years ago, 

to 129 this fiscal year. The port saw about 293,000 port-of-call passenger visits last year."

Read More at 

Florida Today

Related:

 Travel, Brevard County 

Costa Concordia Accident

Below is an article written by Polly Dunbar.  We wanted to give you our thoughts concerning this great accident. Cruising vacations are a fantastic way to see the world and travel to places you would never go. It is considered one of the safest ways to travel. Do not be discouraged about cruising, but embrace the safety of the industry and continue to make your plans to proceed on the dream vacation you always wanted.

Thanks, Douglas Woodyard

By Polly Dunbar

Since the 1980s, the cruise industry has boomed, with more than 19 million passengers taking one last year and nine or more newly-built cruise ships of 100,000 tonnes or greater being built every year for the past decade.

Traditionally, the vast majority of cruises have been taken by Americans to the Caribbean islands, but the Mediterranean market is rapidly expanding, 
with Italy the prime destination.
Cruise liners are designed for pleasure voyages, in which the surroundings and the luxurious ameneties are the major focus of the experience, 
rather than the transportation itself.

As a result, they are built differently from ocean liners, which usually have high freeboards and stronger plating to withstand adverse conditions encountered in the open ocean, such as the Atlantic, and lower fuel consumption. Cruise ships also have U-shaped bottoms, whereas ocean liners - including the 1,132-ft RMS Queen Mary II, which is often used for cruising - usually have deep V-shaped bows to help them power through the waves.

However, as an industry, cruising has a safety record generally regarded as excellent. Over the past two decades, an estimated 90 million passengers have enjoyed a cruise without major incident. The overwhelming majority of deaths on cruise ships are from natual causes or suicides.  
Although cruise ships appear to be top heavy, most of their weight is at the bottom, while the structure towards the top is designed to be comparatively lightweight.

According to Malcolm Latarche, editor of the global shipping magazine IHS Fairplay Solutions, the 950-ft Costa Concordia, which was built in 2005, 
was designed to standards comparable with ocean liners.
‘The Concordia was capable of travelling across the Atlantic, or anywhere in the world. It was considerably smaller than the Queen Mary II, 
but it was built to the same standards,’ he said.
‘Modern cruise ships are built to be as sturdy and safe as possible. 
They have to be - they can be carrying thousands of passengers.’ 

Mr Latarche believes the Concordia disaster may have been triggered by an electrical fault, which caused a loss of power in the ship and led it to crash into rocks.

‘Although the damage caused to the ship was severe, there are many safeguards in the design of a state of the art cruise ship to prevent it turning over. There is a second hull within the outer hull. Inside the inner hull there is a steel structure like an ice tray to contain the water and prevent it spreading through the ship.

‘In this case, the master rightly attempted to return it to the shore, but it seems to have keeled over because it hit shallow water on the coast. An ocean cruise ship is not designed to float in 20ft of water. It needs much more than that to remain upright.’

Passenger ships - defined as any ship carrying more than 12 passengers - must comply with International Maritime Organisation regulations, 
which cover every aspect of the construction and operation. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2086831/Costa-Concordia-cruise-ship-pictures-Trapped-survivor-Manrico-Giampedroni-airlifted-safety.html#ixzz1jYxgLPvC

Liberty of the Seas

This Christmas we took a cruise aboard the Royal Caribbean ship "Liberty of the Seas". We had a blast and wanted you to see the ship and what it has to offer.

Visit www.needacruise.me and let us book your next cruise.

Royal Caribbean - Not 3G. Sea G.

Royal Caribbean Shell Phone
www.seethesea.me

 

Celebrity Infinity Tour

Recent ship inspection on the Celebrity Infinity

Enjoy!

www.needacruise.me