A CRUISE AFICIONADO'S TAKE ON THE TRAGIC JANUARY 13, 2012 SINKING OF THE COSTA CONCORDIA OFF the COAST OF ITALY

As a long time advocate of cruising it seems appropriate to comment on the demise of the Costa Concordia. In the 39 years that my wife and I have been cruising we have experienced first hand the steady emergence of fleets of mega-liners and rapidly became fans of them. According to Wikipedia encyclopedia 47 mega-liners ranging from 101,353 to 225.282 gross tons entered service between 1996 and 2011 including the 114,500 GT Costa Concordia. We have sailed on 11 of these enormous ships but not on the Concordia nor Costa Cruise Lines.

A logical question one might ask: “Does the sinking of the Concordia give cause to question the safety of travel aboard such huge ships?” After all it resulted in 32 deaths, 100 injured and a thoroughly modern ship lying on its side that may or may not be salvageable. My answer is an unequivocal “NO”. As in any disaster there will be safety reviews throughout the industry. In the end it is my view what has happened will be judged as an anomaly.

Throughout our cruising experience we have seen a vast improvement in sophisticated satellite navigation equipment, sonar and electronic guidance systems along with fire control and safety equipment. We have personally toured the bridge with captains both at sea and during docking operations on most of the mega liners we have sailed on. Every cruise we have taken has had a safety drill for all passengers upon leaving the dock or very shortly thereafter. Seeing the equipment and operations first hand reinforces the secure feeling we experienced. At the same time we recognize that human intervention can override the best of equipment. That appears to be the case with Francesco Schettino who captained the Concordia since it entered service in 2006. Italian prosecutors have accused him of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandonment of his vessel before all passengers were evacuated. The recordings in the ships recovered black boxes should establish whether the ship was recklessly taken off of its approved routing while the Coast Guard will undoubtedly testify to their charge of untimely abandonment of the ship. If convicted he faces up to 12 years in prison.

To a number of passengers, as well as others, the demise of the Concordia brings back thoughts and images of the Titanic sinking in the North Atlantic 100 years ago after its encounter with an iceberg. In this case, however, the encounter was with the well charted rocky coast close to the Tuscan Island of Giglio, Italy shortly after the ship left its home port. Excessive speed and poor judgment may very well have played a key role in both accidents. The odds of such occurrences are mighty slim – just ask any of the millions of people who took a cruise last year! Travel agents have reported no rush in cruise cancelations.

Costa Cruise Line, however, is in the midst of an image crisis. Just six weeks after the Concordia capsized, a fire in the electrical generator room of its sister ship, the Costa Allegra, knocked out power to its engines, lights and air conditioning. Adrift in the Indian Ocean, in an area frequented by pirates, it took days to tow the ship to port. Passengers spent 3 days out on its decks to avoid 100 plus degrees in their staterooms and had to cope with the fact that all toilets were no longer functioning.

Despite these incidents, it is the view of this writer that, cruising is and will remain the proven overall safest mode of travel and an uforgetable experience.

THE BEST OF THE BEST - BEST SHIPS / BEST CRUISE LINE - ONE COUPLES OPINION

– By John and Terry Payne

Though we can’t speak from experience about all of the 43 mega-liners sailing the world today, we have sailed on ten of them including Royal Caribbean’s Voyager, Navigator, Freedom, Liberty, Oasis and Allure of the Seas; Princess’ Grand and Star; Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Carnival’s Conquest. We define a mega-liner as a ship exceeding 100,000 gross tons.

Our big ship experience began 23 years ago in 1998 when we sailed the Mediterranean aboard Princess Cruises’ Grand Princess during its Inaugural Season. It was a ship that stood out above all others in size, accommodations and shipboard activities and is pictured below docked at Venice, Italy. It easily claimed the title of the world's largest cruise liner weighing, a then staggering, 109,000 gross tons.


Its debut, however, was eclipsed a year later, in 1999, with the introduction of Royal Caribbean’s 137,000 ton Voyager of the Seas setting a whole new mega-liner standard with its unique Royal Promenade of shops, bars, eateries and signature sports car parked on the shipboard street, ice skating rink and rock climbing wall. Four more in the same Class: the Explorer, Adventure, Navigator and Mariner of the Seas followed in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Royal Caribbean rapidly became the premier innovator of the cruise industry in 2006 with another new Class of ships – the Freedom of the Seas, 154,000 tons followed by the Liberty and Independence of the Seas in 2007 and 2008. The company added a Flow-rider for onboard surfing and H2O Zone for kids to its growing mix of innovations.

Then in December of 2009, Royal Caribbean’s piece de resistance of all cruise ships – The Oasis of the Seas, at a mind boggling 225,000 tons, arrived with two Flow-riders, two rock climbing walls, a Rising Tide Bar to carry patrons from an even larger Royal Promenade to an outdoor Central Park two decks above surrounded with 12,000 live plants and trees, restaurants and park benches, a Zip Line stretching 85 feet diagonally from the port to starboard side high above the ships’ adjoining Boardwalk area, a full size outdoor Carrousel, an Aqua Theater with amphitheater style seating and dancing waters at its stern, an ice rink, putt-putt golf and other amenities enjoyed on its Voyager and Freedom class ships. The Oasis was joined by its twin sister, Allure of the Seas, a year later in December of 2010. The layout of this latest class of ship is shown in the RCCL illustration below:



In today’s world, Princess mega-liners, now owned by Carnival, simply do not measure up to the Royal Caribbean fleet in variety, activities and sheer size. Carnival ships, known more for their party like atmosphere, also lack the range of activities and size found on Royal Caribbean mega-liners. Cunard, on the other hand, with its Queen Mary 2 occupies a category all its own having been built to serve two different markets: Transatlantic Crossings and Cruising. We have only experienced it as a cruise liner in the Caribbean. It is a beautiful 149,000 ton ship, more formal than other lines, has a unique attraction of an onboard Planetarium, excellent speakers and London type theater. Compared to Royal Caribbean, however, like Carnival and Princess it does not have a comparable range of experiences when compared to RCCL.

In our view, which we are sure you have already determined, Royal Caribbean International stands out in both uniqueness and the size of its ships. They are truly destinations in themselves and deserve the title of the Best of the Best on both counts! Detailed reviews of the Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas can be found in this blog on its preceding pages.

BACK TO BACK CRUISING ABOARD ROYAL CARIBBEAN”S LATEST EDITION TO ITS FLEET - THE MAGNIFICENT ALLURE OF THE SEAS

Having sailed on the seven day Maiden Voyage of the Oasis of the Seas both my wife and I concluded that a week aboard the 220,282-ton giant is really not enough time to fully enjoy the expansive amenities and activities available on board. In the past, sailing back to back for fourteen days required packing up, disembarking, claiming luggage, an interminable dockside wait until the ship is ready for boarding plus revisiting the whole security process. Not so today. Cruisers desiring to book two consecutive weeks are referred to what the line calls the “back to back desk”. Doing so connects you with a specially trained representative who makes sure the identical cabin and dining arrangements you desire are available on both cruise dates, arranges for your belongings to remain in your stateroom and provides you with access to a specially designated lounge to wait in while your cabin is being refreshed.

Here’s how the system worked at the end of our first week on the Allure. Having returned to the ships permanent berth in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and with the normal disembarkation process well under way, we left our stateroom for a leisurely breakfast in the ships Windjammer Marketplace high above the bustling activity below. Then, as directed the day before, we headed for the ships Schooner Bar which had been designated as the gathering place for all guests sailing back to back (77 of us in total).

Each received a card identifying them us a “Guest in Transit”. We had also been asked to bring with us our Passports, U.S. Customs Declaration and ship’s SeaPass for week one of the voyage. From there we were escorted as a group off the ship via an enclosed ramp and to a waiting area inside its dockside terminal and issued a new SeaPass for our second week. There we waited for all other passengers to disembark. U.S. Immigration requires a certified “0” count of passengers before any boarding for the next cruise can occur. We were informed that historically an average of two passengers are missing at this point. The ship records all those disembarking by way its SeaPass system. Each passenger’s card is inserted in an automatic counter and photo identifier so they know quickly who, if any, is unaccounted for. In our case only one person was missing. It was found that this individual had accidently inserted and reinserted his card causing the system to think he had reboarded. The recorder and photo identifier served as positive proof of what had taken place. With everyone now accounted for the ship was able to certify the required “0” count. Our escort leader then checked and announced that the Immigration lines were now at a minimum and immediately escorted to their area for processing and re-boarding. To the reader this may seem like a drawn out procedure. Actually it worked smoothly and took just an hour and fifteen minutes in total! All of us were then invited to a very special private luncheon in the ships main Adagio dinning room. Now that’s service!

In today’s world of higher air fares and the ever increasing hassle of flying, the cost and inconvenience of getting to its Florida port is spread over two weeks and actually reduces the total cost of the cruise on a per diem basis making the package price even more competitive with land based resorts.

Having satisfied ourselves with the cost effectiveness and convenience of a back to back cruise brings me to a review of the ship itself. The details of its layout and features, as one might expect, replicate those of the Oasis and its seven themed neighborhoods with only a handful, of refinements. Its features are extensively covered in my January 10, 2010 review entitled “Royal Caribbean’s New Oasis of the Seas -Taking cruising to a new level” and found in this Blog. One word, which I rarely use, describes both ships – Magnificent – making it virtually impossible to distinguish between them with two exceptions: all new entertainment aboard the Allure…and a little known fact that the Allure is actually two inches longer than its sister ship’s 1,187 foot length. (You can check out the latter if you scuba dive and have a long enough tape measure. I’ll, however, stick with my secret source who confirms that as a result, the Allure takes over from the Oasis as the world’s largest cruise liner!)

The new shows include a 90 minute performance of the Tony Award winning musical “Chicago” performed in the ships 1,380 seat Amber Theater with parental discretion advised because of its explicit language and adult themes. Two all new Ice Show extravaganzas in Studio B and two all new Aqua Theater performances that combine high diving skills with dramatic aerial choreography. Two separate Headliner shows featured well known entertainers, El Gaucho and Toni Tillman. The company has also formed an alliance with Dream Works Animation that has guests of all ages interacting with the stars from Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How To Train Your Dragon.

A state of the art 3D movie screen has been installed in the Amber Theater for the showing of several recent Dream Works animation films. As if that were not enough, Royal Caribbean’s own Production Team has created a new music, dance and aerial acrobatic show entitled “Blue Planet”. Sets for the show and its cast of 26 performers are fantastic causing a spontaneous standing ovation. It is, in our opinion, the most spectacular presentation we have ever seen aboard a ship. We could not wait to see it a second time during the second week of our voyage. Last but not least, mature adult comedy shows are featured in a special intimate “Comedy Live” theater.

The Allure has also added new restaurants bringing its total dining options to 24 venues to suit just about every taste including the Dog House, a new outdoor hotdog and sausage counter. Adding to the Oasis’ popular added fee restaurants of 150 Central Park, Giovanni’s Table, Chops Grill, Chef’s Table and Izumi are the Samba Grill, a top notch Brazilian steakhouse, which we rated the absolute best, and Rita’s Mexican Fiesta Party.

New shops added to the Royal Promenade include an Art Work Store by the internationally acclaimed artist, Britto, a first at sea Guess accessory boutique and Guest Services Kiosks where guests can view, print or e-mail their SeaPass folio, personal calendar, check their on-board charge account, even check in and print their airline boarding passes. All staterooms on the Allure are equipped with 32”flat screen interactive TV’s, a wireless computer keyboard and an Apple Ipod dock

As a closing thought for those expecting to make a reservation in the near future – expect to pay a premium for the privilege. For example, a standard equivalent balcony stateroom on the Allure costs an additional $300 compared to the very same Caribbean sailing dates on the smaller 137,276 -ton Voyager of the Seas out of Galveston, Texas.

By the way, it was just eleven years ago that the Voyager reigned as the world’s largest cruise liner. It is credited with establishing many of the concepts expanded upon in the building of the Allure and the Oasis including such things as the Royal Promenade, miniature golf and rock wall climbing features.

A dozen new ships, including the Allure, entered service in the fall and winter of 2010 all of which were ordered before the recession. There is no larger ship currently planned within the three year build time required to bring a new ship to the marketplace. Eleven new mega-liners ranging from 114,500 to 141,000 tons, however, are scheduled for delivery to Princess, MCS, Carnival, Disney, Celebrity and Costa by 2013. With the huge number of mega-liners now in service and the many thousands of berths to be filled worldwide each week, the likelihood of anything being built bigger than the Allure and the Oasis in the future is extremely remote. Each, by the way, cost $1.5 Billion to build and equip further reducing the likelihood of anything larger being built. It may be surprising but the two weeks of our cruise the Allure carried a full compliment of guests leaving no unoccupied rooms. There are 5,400 staterooms to be filled each week! Hope you get the opportunity to enjoy these newest carriers of the title of the “world’s largest ships”.

HAPPY CRUISING!

BIG vs. SMALL SHIPS - IS CHOOSING BETWEEN THEM A REAL DILEMMA?

Not so in this writers view. The mega liners of today, defined as ships over 100,000-tons, do more than just outweigh their smaller counterparts. As they grow bigger so do the onboard activities and entertainment making them a more likely competitor of land based resorts than smaller ships. Between 1996 and 2010, 43 mega-liners with a combined passenger capacity of just over 142,000 guests have been added to the cruise market. Eleven more will enter service between 2011 and 2014 adding another 48,000 berths. All were scheduled for construction before the current economic downturn. If anything, I predict we will experience a decline in small ships which already appears to have begun. Earlier this year the only remaining U.S. cruise line, Cruise West, sold its flagship, “The Spirit of Oceanus”, to a Danish company. Their remaining seven ships were either sold or surrendered to their lenders. Cruise West had been in business for 64 years. Three years earlier the once popular “Windjammer Barefoot Cruises” closed its doors.

It takes three years from concept to completion to bring a new mega-liner on line. None are envisioned at this time other than those currently under construction indicating that we may be seeing an end to their growth with more than enough in use or soon to be added to the worldwide fleet to cover current and future demand. It is difficult to imagine anything larger than Royal Caribbean’s two 225,282-ton Oasis Class Ships being built in the future. My guess is that they will continue their reign as the world’s largest.

In an earlier review, recorded in this blog, I described in detail the innovations and accommodations my wife and I experienced aboard the Oasis of the Seas. I thought it might be appropriate in this review to show some photos taken on our very first cruise aboard the 20,000-ton Sea Venture in 1972 and contrast them with our 2009 Oasis cruise. Though limited in number and prospective I believe they dramatically reveal the stark differences:












Eleven Sea Ventures would fit nicely inside
the Oasis of the Seas. 720 vs. 5400 guests























Two portholes and very limited space vs.
roomy cabins - many with balconies.























Small single level showroom vs. stadium
theater seating for 1,380 guests.























A single small pool vs. 4 pools, 10 whirlpools
and 2 flow-riders for onboard surfing.












Having established by tonnage alone big ships have so much more space to enable new activities doesn’t mean that there aren’t significant differences among mega-liners themselves. My wife and I have sailed on one out of four that have been built to date and four of the nine cruise lines that operate them including Carnival, Cunard, Princess and Royal Caribbean. The Carnival Destiny was the first on the scene in 1996 at 101,353-tons but was eclipsed by the Grand Princess just two years later. The race to build the biggest and best had begun. In 1999 the RCCL’s Voyager of the Seas claimed the title of the world’s largest cruise liner and began an unsurpassed record of building the industry’s most innovative ships. The Voyager introduced us to Rock Wall Climbing, Ice Skating, Professional Ice Shows and their now signature Royal Promenades. In 2003, Canard’s Queen Mary 2 took over the title and introduced the first shipboard Planetarium. In 2006, however, RCCL once again recaptured the title with the first of its Freedom Class ships and adding another unique first – onboard surf riding. Then, in 2009, RCCL’s Oasis of the Seas was delivered with more of just about everything plus a full size carousel, AquaTheater and a zip line crossing the ship from starboard to portside.

That leaves the question as to when we would choose a smaller ship. Ships averaging half the size of mega-liners have been our windows to the world throughout the 38 years we have been cruising. We have visited just over 100 ports world-wide with destinations in Alaska, Eastern and Western Caribbean, Hawaii, New England, Canada, the British Isles, Eastern and Western Mediterranean, Australia, South America and the South Pacific from exotic Bora Bora to mind boggling Cairo and its pyramids at Giza. Most recently our trips have been repeat cruises aboard the mega-liners sailing the Caribbean. Seldom do we get off the ship and simply enjoy the weather, the pools and the food. We are finding more and more repeat cruisers enjoying the same thing. Unsettling times, overcrowding and beaches no longer as pristine as in the past all seem to be contributing factors. If you have never been there however the aforementioned do no apply.

Happy Cruising!

CRUISING FROM GALVESTON -A REAL DEAL FOR NORTH TEXANS

It was an especially cold winter in 2010. Any other time, when taking a Caribbean Cruise, my wife and I would be headed for DFW Airport and a flight to a port in Florida. This time, however, we were scheduled to leave from the Port of Galveston, an easy five and a half hour drive from the Dallas area.

Arriving at Terminal 2 where our ship, Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas was docked, dropping off my wife and our baggage at the terminal , continuing on to the dock’s adjacent parking lot where a shuttle bus awaited to return me to the ship is a process both simple and efficient when compared to the ever increasing cost and hassle of flying.

A comparative look at the costs of flying to Florida vs. driving to Galveston reveals more savings than one might expect. For example, the lowest airfare for two round trip tickets to Ft. Lauderdale, that I was able to find at the time, amounted to $986 including taxes and fees - checking two bags added $120, DFW airport remote parking, at its lowest rate, for seven days added another $56 and a time consuming bus ride to the terminal, transfers in Florida from the airport to the ship and return - a pricey $61 - bringing the total two person cost to $1,223. In contrast, the cost of parking at the Galveston pier for seven days is $70. Adding the cost of gas for the 672 mile round trip in our Prius hybird - $48 - bringing our total outlay to $118 - a savings of $1,105!

The total cost of the cruise, of course, depends on the type of accommodations, number of days and time of year but in most cases are the same in each port with the exception of the newest mega-liners like RCCL’s Oasis and Allure of the Seas which command premium rates making the savings even greater. As one might expect, interior cabins are the lowest in price with Ocean View, Balcony and Suites requiring incrementally higher fees. Discounts are always available for seniors age 55 and over.

During the remainder of 2010 three ships will be operating out of Galveston. They include Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas with six seven-day cruises during November and December. Carnival’s Ecstasy with both four and five day sailings in October and the company’s Carnival Conquest which will be operating seven day cruises in November and early December.

For 2011 RCCL’s Voyager is scheduled for sixteen seven day cruises from January through April and in May a one way fourteen day transatlantic crossing to Barcelona, Spain to reposition it for the European market. Carnival will use its Conquest for seven day cruises from mid August to early December. The Carnival Triumph will offer ten five day cruises from October to December and in mid-November through mid-December the brand new, mega-liner, Carnival Magic, will arrive in Galveston for three seven day and one eight day Caribbean cruise.

In this writers view, the next fourteen months present an uncommonly wide range of Galveston based cruises especially attractive for North Texans and nearby residents of Oklahoma and Arkansas who together currently make up 97% of the port’s patrons. Detailed information on dates, prices and ports of call are readily available on the web at www.rccl.com and www.carnival.com.

The photo gallery below shows the five ships serving Galveston during the remainder of 2010 and throughout 2011, their gross tonnage, the year they entered service and passenger capacity.



At 137,276 tons Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas is the largest ship serving Galveston. It has a passenger capacity of 3,138 and has been refurbished twice since its completion in 1999. This photo clearly shows the close proximity of parking at the port – a plus factor available to both cruise lines.


The Carnival Magic, shown here in an artist’s rendering, is scheduled for completion in 2011. It will weigh in at 130,000 tons and will be capable of carrying 3,652 passengers – the largest capacity of the ships currently serving the port.


The 110,000 ton Carnival Conquest, shown here docked at the port’s Terminal 1 entered service in 2002 and carries 2,974 passengers.


The Carnival Triumph was completed in 1999, carries 2,974 passengers and weighs 101,509 tons.


Last but not least is the 70,367 ton Carnival Ecstasy, the smallest ship serving the port with a passenger capacity of 2,056. The Ecstasy spent six months in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina serving as a hotel for refugees and relief workers after which it was refurbished and upgraded with new features.

My wife and I have had the pleasure of sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager, Carnival’s Conquest and the Imagination, a sister ship of the Ecstasy. We rate the Voyager as the best buy from the standpoint of service and its range and quality of age specific activities for children and adults. It is the ship that introduced cruisers to such innovations as rock climbing, roller skating, ice skating, international ice shows, miniature golf and the lines’ now signature multi-storied Royal Promenade with shops, eateries and elaborate parades at the beginning and end of the cruise. Whatever your choice, you will find worthwhile land excursions at the Caribbean Ports they both visit and the substantial savings accrued by sailing from Galveston.
HAPPY CRUISING!

ROYAL CARIBBEAN’S NEW OASIS OF THE SEAS

TAKING CRUISING TO A NEW LEVEL

Heralded as the world’s largest and most innovative ship, my wife and I simply could not pass up the opportunity to book passage on the one week Maiden Voyage of Royal Caribbean’s new and historic Oasis of the Seas sailing the Eastern Caribbean from its specially built terminal in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on December 5 , 2009.

Our penchant for cruising actually began thirty-seven years ago when we sailed on the very first ship designed and built exclusively for cruising. The ship was the 20,000-ton Norwegian luxury liner Sea Venture that had begun weekly sailings between New York City and Bermuda in 1971. Its most historic place in the history of cruising, however, began a few years later. For nine seasons ending in 1986 it became the star and backdrop for one of TV’s most popular and longest running shows: The Love Boat. Viewed by millions of people worldwide it is credited with introducing the public to the idea of cruising as a vacation and spawning an industry that generated a record $40 Billion contribution to the U.S. economy last year along with a record number of huge ships to choose from.

Since that first experience we have cruised on 27 ships including every class of mega-liner, defined as a ship of at least 100.000-tons, and five of the eight cruise lines that currently operate them. It is from that perspective that I pen this report.

Standing 17 decks tall, nearly 1,200 feet in length, weighing in at 225,283 gross tons and capable of carrying 5,400 guests along with 2,100 crew members it leaves no room for argument on its claim as the world’s largest cruise ship. (In December of 2010 it will be joined by a sister ship, the Allure of the Seas, with both vessels completely eclipsing the former record holders, the company’s Freedom Class ships, by an astonishing 65,282 tons!) I find it more intriguing, however, to visualize the almost unbelievable fact that one could tuck 11 Sea Ventures neatly inside its massive hulk!

There is also no arguing that the mega-liners of today pack so many more entertainment venues onboard than those of lesser tonnage that they can rightfully claim to be destinations in themselves. What makes this one so intriguing is whether it’s claim as the “most innovative ship ever built” translates into truly exciting new concepts that will capture the interest of cruise aficionados everywhere in every age group and be able to do so in the wake of a faltering worldwide economy.

As our bus from the airport pulled onto the dock, the sight of the sheer size of the Oasis alongside its newly completed pier is staggering. It does not take long, after stepping aboard, to realize the words “wow” and “incredible” seem inadequate to describe the experience. As we sipped Champagne, handed to us as we boarded, the vastness of our surroundings began to sink in and we couldn’t help but wonder if a week was going to be adequate to fully explore it. After briefly checking out our balcony stateroom on deck 9 we headed up to deck 16 for a delightful lunch at the Windjammer Marketplace just one of its array of eateries. From there we soon met up with long time friends and travel companions for dinner at our assigned table in the Opus Dinning Room on deck 4. This first day had been exhausting. We had left home at 3:45 AM to make our flight from Dallas to Ft. Lauderdale so unpacking and early to bed became our goals to enable a fresh start in the morning. The next two days would be at sea providing lots of time to experience what the ship has to offer.

As we found out the next day, the economy indeed, had its impact on the sailing. It was reported that we left port with only 3,542 passengers nearly 1,900 fewer than capacity. This had to be a great disappointment for Royal Caribbean who conceived of the ship five years ago in a robust economy and spent $2.5 Billion to build it. Captain Wright, Master of the Oasis reported that he will not have a full ship until January of 2010.

Putting that aside, I will now attempt to describe its offerings starting with the most impressive – Central Park. Located on deck 8, it is a feature so unique one would think it impossible to create on a sea going vessel. Open to the sky and looked down upon from interior balconies (another first) it contains an unbelievable 11,926 live plants and trees though I am honest to say I did not count them and am relying on the information provided by the cruise line. It is just one of those things you have to see to believe. There are places to eat and benches to just enjoy the view and paths to stroll day or at night-time when it is beautifully illuminated.

Next in total uniqueness is the Boardwalk located on deck 6. Another area open to the sky with interior balconies not only looking down upon it but out past the stern of the ship to the open sea. It is here you find the first ever full size Carousel at sea with exquisitely hand carved and painted horses, zebras, giraffes and lions and more adults than children riding them to their hearts delight and as often as they like. Here you will stroll by more eateries (they are everywhere you go) and come upon the AquaTheater with its amphitheater-style seating for professional high diving from 10 meter platforms and a water ballet show entitled Oasis of Dreams. A giant trampoline between its two diving towers allows gymnasts and aerialists to flip and dismount into the pool. Two giant video screens on each side enhance the experience even showing underwater images of the swimmers. The show is followed by Dancing Waters using hundreds of water nozzles surrounding the pool set to music and reminiscent of the famous Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Overlooking the Boardwalk from deck 15 is a Zip Line. After signing my life away, I am told I’m the first 80 year old to use it. I figured if former President George Bush could jump out of an airplane at age 80 I could certainly handle a Zip Line. It was an exhilarating experience to speed diagonally across the open atrium, 9 decks above the Boardwalk, for a distance of 82 feet!

The other shows, as one might expect, were equally spectacular. Heading our list was the Broadway show “Hair Spray” performed in the ships giant three deck high Opal Theater that seats 1,500. Close behind was “Come Fly with Me” with a cast of Royal Caribbean dancers, singers and aerial artists and featuring the advanced technology capabilities of the big theater. “Celebrity Showtime” also performed in the Opal, featured Matthew and Gunner Nelson who did their Grandparents Ozzie and Harriet Nelson proud with their repertoire of recorded hits. Fairy tales were the subject of “Frozen in Time” an elaborate ice show performed in the familiar Studio B ice rink a carryover from other Royal Caribbean mega ships. Even comedy has its own distinct venue in a studio named Comedy Live. The entertainers there interacted with the audience with an adult show without being the least bit raunchy. Because of the huge number of passengers all shows on the Oasis require advance reservations. This can be done from your computer at home in advance of the sailing, as we did, or from your stateroom’s interactive TV or the ships box office. Since all shows are performed more than once it makes it possible to see a favorite show a second time if not fully booked. As you enter each show an usher uses a hand held electronic sensor to confirm your reservation and is able to welcome you to the show using your name.

As for sports there are basketball courts, two Flow Riders for surfers, two giant rock climbing walls, ping pong tables, an array of adult and children’s pools, a challenging nine hole putt-putt golf course, a one mile long jogging track, covered but open to the sea, big and small hot tubs and our favorite - an adult only Solarium pool and hot tub area. A Vitality At Sea Fitness Center offers every imaginable state of the art fitness equipment while a Vitality At Sea Spa offers everything from a massage to total body seaweed wraps, steam rooms and a full range beauty shop. For children there is a spectacular and inviting pool along with age specific programs for infants (another first) and special teenage venues and programs.

For those familiar with Royal Caribbean’s Voyager and Freedom Class Ships there is also a Royal Promenade. Located on deck 5, it is longer and wider than those of the past, with a vintage auto parked in the street lined with familiar specialty shops and restaurants. Its most striking feature: the “Rising Tide” bar. Have a drink at the bar as it rises slowly to Central Park on deck 8 where you can disembark or chose to ride it back down again. The Promenade is also the scene of elaborately costumed parades Royal Caribbean is famous for on the first and last night at sea. Just below the Promenade on deck 4 is Casino Royale a familiar presence for gamblers on all of the company’s ships.

The food on the Oasis gets our five-star rating whether dining at six different restaurants with no added fees or its six specialty eateries with per person fees ranging from $15 for Giovanni’s Table to $75 for the Chef’s Table with an exclusive multi-course dinner by one of the ships chefs. All specialty restaurants require advance reservations. The ship offers traditional early and late reserved table dining in its three-tiered main dining rooms as well a new service featuring any-time dining where, as the title suggests, you chose when you want to eat on any particular day.

There are three days at sea and three ports of call in the ships itinerary including St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Nassau in the Bahamas. Having been to them on multiple occasions we saw no need for sightseeing and stepped off the ship only to take a picture of it or to see a welcoming native marching band sent to greet us. For us the cruise was about the ship not the ports. We enjoy it even more when many passengers disembark to take advantage of tours and shopping.

Our 182 square foot stateroom was located on deck 9 with a queen size bed, sitting area, private bathroom and a 50 square foot balcony overlooking the sea. It included a 32” flat screen interactive TV complete with keyboard and internet access. Now with a first-hand familiarity, if we were to sail on it again or it’s yet to come sister ship, we would try one of the unique balcony staterooms overlooking the Boardwalk with a view past the stern and out to sea. For those with as need for more space, there are 28 two-level lofts with 545 square feet and floor to ceiling windows, yet another first, and requiring a much larger pocketbook.

All in all Royal Caribbean certainly deserves to claim to have built the world’s most innovative ship. It has something for every taste and desire and provides a new definition for a ship being a destination in itself. In this writers view, it rivals most land-based resorts. The only thing lacking aboard are sandy beaches. After seeing what has been accomplished in this latest design it would no longer surprise me the company’s next generation of ships will provide that as well. Congratulations Royal Caribbean – Well done!

12/28/09

Experiencing Egypt's Greatest Treasures in a Single Day

Ever since my childhood I’ve dreamed of visiting the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the National Archeological Museum in Cairo. Continuing unrest in the Middle East, however, discouraged my normally agreeable wife from any extended trip to the region. All that changed with my recent discovery of Royal Caribbean’s 11-night cruise to Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean with an all-day stopover at the port of Alexandria. Among eight Shore Excursions offered is a twelve and a half hour “Classic Cairo” tour covering all three sites along with the comforting safety of a police escort and an expert Egyptian guide.
To those who may harbor security fears at the mere mention of its need, I would point out that protection of its valued tourists is a high Egyptian priority. A statement my wife now fully agrees with. It is a government requirement that all tour buses travel in a convoy escorted by a police motorcycle escort. Regulations also stipulate that each bus have an armed security officer aboard. The officers dress and act much like our own country’s Secret Service. Each wears a business suit, the jacket of which effectively conceals a holstered Beretta Automatic. Our Egypt visit now rates as a top destination from among 25 prior cruise experiences to many other parts of the world.

The opportunity of standing on the desert floor gazing upward at the only remaining wonder of the ancient world can only be described as awe inspiring. Soaring 450 feet in the air from a perfectly square 755 foot base with over two million blocks of precisely cut limestone averaging nearly three tons each – pulled, pushed and wedged into place by a hundred thousand laborers without the benefit of modern equipment – all occurring 25 centuries before the birth of Christ is absolutely mind boggling. Add to this a visit to the legendary Sphinx followed by lunch at Cairo’s elegant five star Mena House Hotel, then on to the world’s largest collection of Egyptian Antiquities at the National Archeological Museum. Among the 136,000 items on display are the priceless artifacts of King Tut including his golden funerary mask which is not part of the limited traveling display currently touring the U.S. as was in years past. The mask, containing 25.5 pounds of solid gold was simply judged too fragile to journey outside Egypt any more. The final stop, before returning to our ship: the Papyrus Institute to see a demonstration of how the ancient Egyptian invention of paper is made from reeds that grow along the river Nile.

Although Egypt tends to overshadow the cruise’s other ports of call, and is in fact the reason most sign on for this cruise, it in no way diminishes them. The beauty and elegance of Sicily’s Roman ruins, the 5th century B.C. Parthenon in Athens, the site of the Colossus in Rhodes, Malta’s 9th century Cathedral and the late 8th century B.C.Temple of Apollo in Cyprus are all part of this memorable journey through history’s ancient and middle ages. Tourism is the dominant source of income in each of the countries visited. One can be assured the citizenry as well as their governments are also very much aware that cruise lines have an exclusive tool to deal with safety issues. Ship Captains are in touch with their ports of call on a real-time basis. At any sign of domestic disturbance they can simply bypass a port providing an extra day at sea. Should that have occurred during this cruise it would have meant extra time to relax and enjoy the comforts of Royal Caribbean’s beautiful Brilliance of the Seas with all the amenities one comes to expect from the line’s premiere lineup of ships. It is just another reason why cruising remains a top vacation option in today’s world.

As a post script, I feel compelled to add a second very memorable experience that occurred on this voyage the day after leaving Egypt – our arrival at Malta. In a conversation my wife and I had with the ships Master, Captain Hernan Zini, he stated that from his experience, “Malta is the most beautiful port in the world” – a statement we thought worthy of checking out. What we didn’t expect, however, was a surprise personal invitation, to join him to see it from the best vantage point of all, the ship’s bridge. (Of course in today’s world, invitation or not, it required a background check and thorough electronic search of us by the ship’s Security Officer before being allowed to enter this highly secure area that is now normally off limits to passengers.) The accompanying sequence of still photos does not do it justice. It’s one of those things that one has to experience first hand to fully appreciate as many did by simply securing vantage points along the ship’s outer deck railings. It concludes with a photo of the beautiful Brilliance of the Seas docked at this most beautiful old world fortress city.

Captain Zini, at age 43, is one of RCCL’s youngest yet highly experienced captains. Prior to this cruise he was appointed Master of the sister ship to the much heralded Oasis of the Seas, named Allure of the Seas. The Allure is expected to enter service in December of 2010 a year after the Oasis’ maiden voyage on December 5. 2009. Weighing in at just over 225,000-tons each, the two ships will share the title of the world’s largest cruise liners. The command of either ship is considered the highest honor any captain can possibly achieve.)