Royal Holiday

Cruisers who sail the Caribbean early in the year often find themselves heading straight into the heart of the wild celebrations of Carnival, complete with elaborate costumes, colorful parades, heavenly feasting, thrumming music, and unrestrained dancing. In most places, people celebrate Carnival in February. For this reason, some cruisers plan their early year trips to enjoy these party days while in their itinerary’s ports of call.

If you cannot cruise in February, though, it is still possible to enjoy of Carnival at other times of year. Many Caribbean islands celebrate Carnival or very similar celebrations in different months. Thus, there is a Carnival-type celebration somewhere in the Caribbean almost every week of the year. This makes it easy for travelers to arrange to be in port during the big party.

Islands that celebrate Carnival during the traditional period in February include such destinations as Curacao, Martinique, Aruba, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad and Tobago. Several other islands schedule their big party season later in the spring. Around the end of March or early April, Jamaica celebrates Bacchanal. St. Thomas and Cayman Islands have their parties toward the end of April or the beginning of May, while Barbuda’s is in June.

Summertime Carnivals are also very popular throughout the Caribbean. July through September sees partying on islands such as Barbados, St. Vincent, Antigua, Belize, St. John, and several others. During autumn, the Carnival season slows down significantly, but picks up again in December and around New Year in places like The Bahamas, St. Croix, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

In most of these places, Carnival is the biggest event of the year, with the party usually lasting several
weeks. Therefore, a cruiser actually has a good chance of taking in the local Carnival at least one port of call. In fact, with a little advance planning, a real party devotee can enjoy several Carnivals on a single cruise.

As the size of modern cruise ships has increased over the last two decades, so has the variety of accommodations available to passengers. Some ships in Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet, for example, offer cabins ranging from efficient 100-square-foot solos up to extravagant 5,000-square-foot Garden

Villa suites

For most passengers, the major factor in selecting a stateroom is price. However, savvy cruisers also carefully weigh other factors. Even within a narrow price range, there are often variations between cabins in terms of natural lighting, noise, and nearby amenities. Here are just a few of the many things to consider when choosing a cabin:

Size

In general, smaller staterooms are less expensive. When choosing how small to go, though, it is important to consider who the travelers are. Families often enjoy special family suites, which give parents with children more breathing room than they would find in a cheaper four-person cabin. Similarly, while a couple might be comfortable in the tiniest two-person cabin available, a pair of good buddies might find such intimate quarters a bit too cozy.

Location

A cabin’s location on the ship can have a huge impact on a passenger’s enjoyment. Inside staterooms are dark and too closed in for some cruisers, but are perfectly fine for passengers who spend no time in a cabin except to sleep. Cruisers who are prone to sea-sickness will likely appreciate more centrally-located cabins, where ship motion is less noticeable. Noise is also a consideration. Cabins close to the lido deck, engines, kitchen, or entertainment venues will be noisier than other cabins will be.

Amenities

Many cruisers sail in order to experience specific shipboard activities. Those seeking pampering might like a spa cabin with upgraded toiletries and bath facilities, along with priority access to the ship’s spa facilities. Passengers who live for the nightlife might want a mid-deck cabin close to the casino, lounges, and dance club.

No cruiser should break their budget splurging on a cabin they don’t really need. However, with a little extra thought and research, vacationers can select the ideal cabin for their money and have a much more relaxing cruise.

The fine dining options available on cruise ships have always been a major draw for vacationers.

In fact, in their advertisements, many cruise companies highlight their exquisite menus and world-renowned chefs. A trend in the last few years has seen a number of celebrity chefs join several cruise lines, including a number of Royal Holiday affiliates.

Geoffrey Zakarian

The star of several Food Network programs, Geoffrey Zakarian has recently partnered with Norwegian

Cruise Line to open three dining venues on the company’s new ship, Norwegian Breakaway. Two

excellent Ocean Blue restaurants—one upscale, the other a more casual al fresco venue—are the cruise

line’s first specialty seafood restaurants. The Raw Bar features elegant shellfish and wine pairings.

Jacques Pepin

A long-time figure on PBS cooking programs, Jacques Pepin is the creative mind behind Jacques

restaurant on Oceania Cruises. Mr. Pepin is also the cruise line’s executive culinary director, thus

ensuring that the cuisine across all Oceania ships reflects the high-quality, yet simple perfection typical

of his dishes.

Guy Fieri

One of biggest personalities of the Food Network, Guy Fieri is renowned for his expertise in combining

food and fun. At the casual Guy’s Burger Joint on board several Carnival ships, cruisers can enjoy the

celebrity chef’s take on classic hamburgers and fries in a laid-back, 1950s-style diner.

Craig Hopson

The culinary legend behind the world-famous Le Cirque restaurant, Craig Hopson has joined Holland

America Line to bring his iconic restaurant’s flavor and ambiance to their ships. At least once every

cruise, the staff transforms each ship’s Pinnacle Grill into a floating reproduction of Le Cirque’s

innovative menu and unconventional decor.

These are just a few of culinary partnerships between high-profile chefs and cruise lines that have

emerged in the last few years. Travelers can look forward to more exciting collaborations in the future.

Family cruises have become incredibly popular in the last several years as cruise lines have advertised so many affordable vacation packages. Between the holiday season, spring break, and summer time, there are plenty of opportunities during the year for a family to get away from it all and enjoy the resort-style fun that a cruise ship has to offer.

Before booking an ocean voyage, savvy cruisers consider each ship individually to make sure it really fits their family’s ideal vacation style and expectations. Here are a few things to think about when planning a cruise for the whole family.

Kids’ Entertainment

While most ships offer programs for children and teens, some go beyond the basics. Some ships pay special attention to family groups, and provide evening kids’ programs in addition to daytime activities, live shows that appeal especially to youngsters, or special club areas where younger passengers can mingle.

Babies and Small Children

Parents should understand policies concerning very young travelers before booking. For example, cruise ships generally have a minimum passenger age, typically somewhere between twelve weeks and six months. Likewise, some ships restrict young children’s participation in certain programs or may page parents to change diapers. On the other hand, some ships cater specifically to younger cruisers, and provide full nursery care, toy exchanges, in-cabin babysitting, and other helpful services.

Eating

The largest classes of modern ships offer a huge range of dining options. Usually at least one or two of those will have a menu, atmosphere, and serving hours suitable for even the pickiest eaters. Still, it’s a good idea to check out a ship’s eating selections before boarding, to avoid a week of complaints about the food.

Family Fun

Most ships offer children’s play areas as well as quiet places for parents to relax on their own. However, it’s also important to make sure there are things for the family to do as a group, such as suitable shows, dining establishments, or sports and activity centers.

Excursions

Different ports of call offer very different onshore experiences, some of which may be more suitable for families than others. Many parents might opt for a vacation that includes a stop at a private island resort, which will often have many planned activities hosted by the cruise line itself, such as horseback riding or swimming with dolphins. These highly organized onshore excursions are often easier for a family to manage without having to worry about navigating an unfamiliar city on their own.