Royal Holiday

This year, cruise news has been full of stories of favorite ports being shut down and itineraries being altered because of hurricanes. Very recently, voyages to Bermuda were changed to avoid Hurricane Gonzalo, and several weeks ago Hurricane Odile devastated the Mexican Riviera port, Cabo San Lucas.

Experienced cruisers know that stormy weather is always a risk when taking to the high seas. The hurricane season runs from June to November in the Caribbean, the most popular cruise destination in the world, so it’s clear that storms are just part of life this time of year for many cruisers.

However, while every hurricane-season ocean vacation in the Caribbean comes with a risk of storms, a few choice spots lie outside the hurricane zone. These fair-weather destinations are much less likely to be shut down by foul weather. Located in the southern reaches of the Caribbean just off the coast of South America, they are often called the ABC Islands.

A is for Aruba

Known everywhere as “One Happy Island,” Aruba is a playground destination of beautiful beaches, flashy casinos, duty-free shops, excellent dive sites, and superior golf courses. The weather is consistently lovely, and the sunny island is even a bit arid in places—fine habitat for the cacti, iguanas, and distinctive divi divi trees that make the island famous.

B is for Bonaire

Long a leader in conservation, this island was pioneering ecotourism even before the word “ecotourism” was popular. With underwater sanctuaries devoted to preserving several species, beautiful Bonaire is especially well known for its fantastic reef-diving opportunities. Unlike some other cruise destinations, Bonaire lacks many of the glitzier attractions like primo shopping or neon-lit casinos, which makes this island a true naturalist’s paradise.

C is for Curacao

The picturesque island of Curacao is as colorful as it is cosmopolitan. Perhaps the first thing that strikes visitors is the palette of pastels that grace the building facades in the port town of Willensted. Tourists can still feel a heavy Dutch influence here as they wander the waterfront enjoying the town’s many shops, galleries, and eateries. In addition, after a day of touring, visitors can visit one of the dozens of beaches that offer plenty of water and sunshine.

To draw more tourists to its mainland, Honduras has recently been courting the cruise industry. The Central American nation already has a cruise destination on the island of Roatan, located about 30 miles off its northern coast. For many years, the jungle-cloaked isle has drawn cruisers seeking a remote getaway with gorgeous white beaches and astonishingly clear waters perfect for snorkeling. With a rich ecology and complex history, visitors to the island can enjoy a huge variety of fun and fascinating shore excursions.

To add to the options that cruisers can enjoy in the region, a private port known as Trujillo recently opened on the Honduran mainland at the spot where Christopher Columbus landed after one of his famous voyages to the New World. Throughout the fall, the new facility will host cruisers aboard the Norwegian Jewel, as well as those from ships from select other cruise lines. Visitors to this port—known as the Banana Coast—can try activities such as historical tours of a local fort, nature walks, white-water rafting, and other exciting excursions. Currently, Trujillo is only reachable by tender, though plans are in the works to develop it further so it can directly service ships dockside.

The intense growth of Honduras’ cruise offerings doesn’t end there, however. The country’s Minister of Tourism considers development of the local cruise industry to be a primary objective. For this reason, the government has announced a sizable investment in a port on Isla del Tigre off the Pacific Coast of Honduras. The site at Amapala already hosts a port, so the bulk of development there will simply involve adding facilities to support vacation cruises and tourism.

The new Honduran port at Amapala is slated to open in about two years—exciting news for ocean vacationers eager for a new and exotic way to experience Central American cruising!

During the cooler months of the year in the US, American cruisers often take some time to get away from the chill by embarking on a ship destined for ports in the sunny Caribbean. A few cruisers, though, opt instead to take their winter ocean voyage a little farther away, and head for the beautiful beaches and rhythmic samba music of the eternally winter-free destination of Brazil.

The Atlantic coast of South America presents a different kind of cruise experience than the Caribbean. With a cuisine, culture, and climate all its own, Brazil offers cruisers unique opportunities to experience gorgeous beaches and beach-goers, high-fashion shopping, and a uniquely passionate culture defined by music and dance.

Santos

The beginning and ending point of many Brazilian cruises, Santos is the gateway between sprawling, exciting São Paolo—the largest city in Brazil—and the Atlantic Ocean.

Ilha Grande

A protected tropical island park, Ilha Grande has no large dock facilities, so cruisers are ferried to shore by tender. Aside from fantastic opportunities to get close to nature, the island’s quaint village of Vila do Abraão also features restaurants where guests can enjoy amazingly fresh seafood and other local specialties.

Búzios

Located on a quiet little bay, cruisers get to this popular beach town by tender. This rustic fishing village features excellent eateries and shopping, as well as a statue of French model and actress Brigitte Bardot, who spent many vacations here during her heyday in the 1960s.

Rio de Janeiro

One of the busiest port cities in South America, the “Marvelous City” of Rio de Janeiro draws countless tourists every year to experience famous sights like the beaches at Copacabana and Ipanema, as well as the massive Christ the Redeemer statue atop Corcovado Mountain.

Salvador

A little rough and tumble in places, Salvador offers a fascinating historic district and the Mercado Modelo, where visitors can get a little souvenir shopping done.

Ilhéus

Gorgeous architecture and a rich historic old town are the defining features of beautiful Ilhéus. The port of call also has excellent beaches that are perfect for snorkeling, fishing, or simply relaxing.

With Halloween season upon us, plenty of cruisers are looking forward to a festive cruise full of fanciful costume parties, exciting activities, and devilishly delicious food.

Halloween is a remarkably popular time to cruise. Ships offer a range of amenities, services, and events that are perfect for the season’s festivities. For this reason, a variety of special cruises cater to people looking for a special ocean getaway to celebrate the spooky holiday. And while many of the cruises available are great for families with kids, there are also a number of other options aimed at providing more adult Halloween fun.

For Families

Pretty much every cruise line offers at least one Halloween-themed cruise, and almost every ship on the water has a costume party or other seasonal event for passengers wishing to celebrate. Carnival’s “Frightfully Fun” event includes decorations from bow to stern and special scavenger hunts for kids from toddlers to teens. Princess offers pumpkin carving lessons and trick-or-treating, while Royal Caribbean features passenger costume parades and monster-themed dance parties.

For LGBT Passengers

A handful of ships are offering special Halloween cruises especially for their LGBT passengers. RCI’s Navigator of the Seas will feature a Halloween party, drag performances, and more during its seven-day Halloween Caribbean cruise. The Norwegian Jewel also will host a gay and lesbian film festival and special shore excursions on event company AquaFest’s 13th annual Halloween cruise.

For Singles

There’s no need to celebrate Halloween alone, either. The world’s largest cruise ship, RCI’s Allure of the Seas, is hosting a weeklong cruise out of Fort Lauderdale for singles to mingle and party. Sponsored by popular dating website Match.com, the event is billed as the “largest singles Halloween bash at sea.”

For Rock Music Fans

Even rock music lovers get their own Halloween cruise during the fourth annual KISS Kruise. Passengers will enjoy a pre-Halloween costume party, music-themed events, and lots of face paint as they rock out to favorite tunes by the famous hard-rock band KISS.

As enjoyable as cruising is, one downside to this method of vacationing has remained the amount of fuel those massive ships consume. Fortunately, the cruise industry has long recognized this problem, and has spent much of the last decade trying to decrease fuel use and minimize its ships’ impact on the marine environment and on the port-of-call communities its ships visit.

Carnival Corporation recently announced the results of its Fleet Fuel Conservation Program, which the cruise line launched in 2007. According to the company, its fleet of more than 100 ships will have saved more than 1 billion gallons of fuel—a 24 percent increase in fuel efficiency—by the end of this year. That’s about $2.5 billion in fuel costs and represents a reduction in fleet-wide carbon emissions by 12 billion kilograms.

Carnival Corporation is the parent company of several high-profile cruise lines, including Carnival Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Holland America Line. Over the last seven years, each of these lines has built and refurbished several ships, and added a number of technological innovations to each one in order to boost fuel efficiency. Carnival Corporation’s efforts have addressed many areas, including the following key issues:

* Propulsion, which includes more fuel-efficient itineraries and improved sailing techniques.

* Hull coatings, which discourage marine organisms from attaching to the hull and causing fuel-wasting drag.

* Air conditioning, lighting, and water-production systems that utilize more energy-efficient technology.

* Education and training programs to make crew and guests aware of shipboard energy efforts and encourage conservation.

Other initiatives include installing more energy-efficient audiovisual and entertainment equipment, and laundry and cooking appliances. Additionally, there is an ongoing project to investigate the use of alternative energy sources on board Carnival ships.

Carnival is not alone in its pursuit of greener cruise ships. With every new build and refurbishment that is announced by the other big industry players like MSC, Disney, and Royal Caribbean, an array of new features are added to boost every ship’s fuel and energy efficiency. This makes sense in terms of financial savings for the cruise lines. However, it is also good for the environment, for the communities in cruisers’ favorite ports, and for the cruisers themselves who can enjoy their vacations that much more knowing that their host cruise line is making strides toward a cleaner world.

Of all the island destinations in the Caribbean, Jamaica is the most well known. With its reggae music, lush forests, and easygoing lifestyle, Jamaica has long drawn tourists looking for a relaxing island getaway with a laid-back and exotic vibe.

With something for every guest, Jamaica provides visitors a wide range of beaches, vendors, tours, and excursions in the country’s tourist districts. There are several resorts on the island, and guests can enjoy activities such as zip-lining through the rainforest, snorkeling, touring historical sites, shopping for souvenirs, and dining on the excellent (and often spicy!) local cuisine.

Cruisers will get their first glimpse of Jamaica at one of four cruise ports, each with a distinctive character. The ports servicing the largest ships, however, are relatively close to each other so that visitors can have time to visit attractions in more than one port town, no matter which one they pulled in to.

Montego Bay

Often called “MoBay,” Montego Bay is the second-largest city in Jamaica. As such, it offers visiting cruisers the full range of amenities, including duty-free shopping, star-quality reggae concerts, and many of the island’s famous party beaches.

Ocho Rios

Ocho Rios—or simply “Ochi” to the local residents—lies on a truly stunning stretch of coastline. Luxury resorts dot the gorgeous beach here, and some of the most popular natural attractions, including Mystic Mountain and Dunn’s River Falls, are situated among the region’s lush forests.

Falmouth

Historically a major port for the island, Falmouth joined the ranks of cruise ports in 2011. The port can host two ships (including the largest classes in the world), and it is continuing to develop. Because it is located between Ocho Rios and Montego Bay, Falmouth is also convenient to many of the attractions associated with the two bigger ports.

Port Antonio

Only visitors who arrive in Jamaica aboard smaller classes of cruise ship will likely see Port Antonio, a quaint port town located on the eastern end of the north coast. Its diminutive size and less developed status give visitors here a unique opportunity to experience some hidden gems among the town’s restaurants and sights, as well as a glimpse of the “real” Jamaica.

A cruise along the western coast of Italy features so much culture, natural beauty, and fine cuisine that no Royal Holiday vacationer could hope to enjoy it all in one visit. Fortunately for cruisers, most Western Mediterranean cruise itineraries typically include stopovers to at least one of the beautiful ports of call along the Italian coast. Following are a few of the most visited and memorable destinations.

La Spezia

Located on the Ligurian coast of northwestern Italy, La Spezia is a place of incredible natural beauty. The entire area is large protected parkland – and rightly so. The seaside cliffs and mountains provide stunning scenery and make for excellent hiking excursions. Le Spezia is perhaps best known as a major launching point for tours into Cinque Terre, a series of five unique fishing villages that are each known for gorgeous water, colorful buildings clinging to the cliffsides, and individual character.

Civitavecchia

The port of bustling Rome, Civitavecchia is a cruiser’s doorway into the pulsing heart of Italy. From here, visitors can plan excursions to see all the grand sights of Italy’s capital city, including the Pantheon, the Vatican, the Colosseum, and countless museums and archeological sites. Of course, the shopping and dining opportunities are nearly endless here, as well, giving cruisers more than a few chances to experience la dolce vita in true Italian style.

Naples

In the shadow of the famous Mt. Vesuvius, Naples is considered the urban heart of southern Italy. This ancient city hosts the fascinating National Archaeological Museum, which exhibits an unparalleled collection of Roman sculpture, mosaics, murals, and other artwork. From Naples, one can also tour Cumae, the first Greek colony on the Italian peninsula, and Lago d’Averno, the lake across which the fabled River Styx was discovered in ancient Greek myth.

Palermo

A busy, chaotic city on the island of Sicily, visitors here will experience a different slice of Italy. The contrast can be bewildering: parts of the city haven’t been rebuilt since they were bombed in World War II, while others have grown into ultra-posh and exclusive neighborhoods. However, the city is dense and easy to stroll around, giving visitors plenty of time to take in the many beautiful churches, palaces, museums, and cafes.

Liisi Kütt won this year’s Bacardi Cruise Competition Bartender of the Year award with her innovative apple-and-melon drink, Summer Fair Cocktail. The expert mixologist from the Estonian ferry service Tallink and Silja Lines beat out a field of tough competitors from much larger cruise lines, Carnival Cruise Lines and Norwegian Cruise Line.

The victory is a first for Tallink and Silja Line, a relatively small ferry company operating mainly in the Baltic Sea in Europe. According to representatives of the company, a ferry trip is often much like a “mini-cruise holiday,” complete with a range of spa, fine dining, and shopping experiences. And now, Ms. Kütt’s recent award has shown the ferry line to be staffed with truly expert-level crew, as well.

Of course, the bigger cruise lines also made an excellent showing, with Carnival and Norwegian dominating the awards. Both companies have been widely recognized for their highly skilled bartenders. In fact, the past two years’ Bartender of the Year awards were both won by Adri Ford, a top mixologist with Carnival Cruises.

This year, the second-place Bacardi Cruise Competition Bartender of the Year award went to Ionna Luncean on the Carnival Sunshine. Rounding out the top five this year were Brian Bent from the Carnival Liberty, Allan Garcia of the NCL Star, and Joeped Garrido of the NCL Getaway. In addition, the first-ever People’s Choice Winner award went to Vera Restarovic of the Carnival Conquest.

This is the ninth year that a Bacardi Cruise Competition Bartender of the Year award has been bestowed. This year saw hundreds of entries from bartenders working for 14 different cruise and ferry companies. These were narrowed down to 25 semi-finalists, each with a signature recipe using Bacardi branded ingredients. Their recipes were featured on the popular CruiseCritic website in the early summer. Judges from Bacardi chose the five winners, while a sixth – the People’s Choice Winner – was determined by a public vote.

Several days after being struck by Hurricane Odile, the resort town of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, was still reeling from the aftermath. With significant damage to the local airport and accommodations throughout the city, it took a week to rescue most of the tourists who found themselves stranded with little food, shelter, or electricity. Now that most vacationers have been transported to safety, Mexican army troops are helping to secure the town and begin the rebuilding process.

Affectionately called “Cabo” by vacationers who return to it year after year, Cabo San Lucas is a favorite destination for a variety of resort travelers. It is located at the tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, south of California, and sports a wide array of amenities for the many tourists who enjoy the area’s sun, surf, and mountains. The resort has earned a reputation for exciting nightlife, excellent fishing, many top restaurants, and its most striking landmark, Land’s End, an arch of stone than juts out over the beach and into the sea.

Hurricane Odile, however, has put a stop to the fun-in-the-sun, at least for the time being. Practically all the hotels and shops in town suffered damage in the storm, and many of them experienced looting. Ground and air transportation into and out of the area remains largely shut down. While no cruise ships were directly impacted by the storm, the damage to the port city has led cruise lines like Princess and Disney Cruises to avoid the port of call, opting instead to stop in Puerto Vallarta.

Fortunately, Cabo is well on its way to recovery. Reports state that area airports should be operational by the end of September, and most utilities have already been restored. In addition, hotels in the city expect to re-open in the first half of October. When residents and businesses have had time to recover from the destruction of Hurricane Odile, cruise lines will start bringing cruisers back to Cabo to enjoy everything the beautiful resort area has to offer.

In honor of its golden anniversary next year, Princess Cruises has planned a year of celebrations. The first event involves a group of familiar faces: the cast of the hit television series, The Love Boat.

Princess Cruises will christen its newest ship, the Regal Princess, this November 5th, with actors from The Love Boat serving as the flagship’s godparents. Participating in the naming ceremony will be all six of the show’s original cast members: Fred Gandy, Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Lauren Tewes, Jill Whelan, and of course, Gavin Macleod, who played the memorable Captain Stubing.

For both the cruise line and the cast members, this affair will be something of a reunion. The pilot episode of The Love Boat was filmed on board the original Sun Princess in 1977. Portraying stories of romance set at sea the television series enjoyed 10 highly successful seasons, thus making it one of the longest-running shows ever. Perhaps more importantly, the program introduced the elegant and relaxing world of cruising to a wider audience.

The Regal Princess is a fitting vessel to lead Princess Cruises into the future. The ship boasts the cruise line’s signature SeaWalk; an expanded central Piazza; a new aft-facing Terrace Pool; and a variety of other accommodation and entertainment features. Launched in May, the Regal Princess will homeport in Fort Lauderdale and sail Caribbean itineraries.

According to company spokespersons, the Regal Princess will host a spectacular array of events in celebration of Princess’ 50th birthday. In fact, cruisers sailing aboard any of Princess Cruises’ 18 vessels can look forward to a variety of special anniversary activities throughout all of 2015.