Q4y5w45ywcruise travel usa september october 2015 by cooleodsda

• SHIPS • PORTS • SCHEDULES • PRICES

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SEPT/ OCT 2015

SHIP OF THE MONTH

COSTA DIADEMA Queen Of The Mediterranean

PORT PORT OF OF THE THE MONTH MONTH

AMSTERDAM Cruise Nexus Of The Netherlands NEW NEW SHIP SHIP REVIEW REVIEW

VIKING STAR Viking Cruises Hits The High Seas CRUISE CRUISE OF OF THE THE MONTH MONTH

ISLANDS OF EVOLUTION The Galapagos With Silversea Style

from the Port of Baltimore

Gateway to your Getaway!

contents September/October 2015 Volume 37, Number 2

FEATURES PORT OF THE MONTH

Laurel Doherty

8 Amsterdam A Dutch treat melding modern flair and Old World charm.

NEW SHIP REVIEW

14 Viking Star

Guests on the Silver Galapagos are thrilled to spot the rare Galapagos hawk.

Viking Cruises’ elegant vessel debuts on the high seas.

EXOTIC CRUISING

20 Irrawaddy River Discovering mysterious Myanmar with AmaWaterways.

HOMEPORT SPOTLIGHT

25 Baltimore Carnival rejoins Royal Caribbean for year-round cruising.

DEPARTMENTS 5

LETTERS

CRUISE NEWS

PREVIEW

CRUISE VIEWS

26 Costa Diadema New Costa flagship is the “Queen Of The Mediterranean.”

Michel Verdure

SHIP OF THE MONTH

An AmaPura passenger shows her cell-phone photos to young monks during a river journey in the heart of exotic Myanmar.

IF YOU ONLY HAVE A DAY IN

34 Saint John, New Brunswick Scenic and historic port boasts the world’s highest tides.

CRUISE OF THE MONTH

38 Islands Of Evolution Exploring the Galapagos archipelago with Silversea style.

PORT ATTRACTION

44 SS Rotterdam Glen Petrie

A new look at the famous liner that’s now a floating hotel.

CRUISING THEN & NOW

46 The Suite Life Tracking the rise of the top accommodations at sea.

Saint John’s bustling City Market has been in continuous use since 1876. On The Cover: Costa Cruises’ new flagship, the Costa Diadema, is the largest Italian-flagged cruise liner to date. (Photography Courtesy Costa Cruises)

Cruise Travel

September/October 2015 3

4 BEAUTIFUL DVD TRAVEL VIDEOS!

DVD TRAVEL VIDEOS!

HAWAII – 60 MINUTES

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Randy Mink Assistant Editor Cruise Calendar Editor

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Now the magnificent beauty of the National Park System is available on your TV or PC. This DVD video includes stunning videos of America's great national parks, forests and historical monuments. The videos are indexed so you can quickly see each park! Spectacular DVD videos - You'll see the breathtaking scenery of Yosemite and Yellowstone, activities such as snowmobiling, skiing, biking, horseback riding and climbing Mt. Rainier, wildlife such as bison, elk, swan, deer, and alligators, the quiet beauty of Acadia, the grand rock formations of Utah's parks, Alaska's parks, the Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Cape Cod, Mt. Rushmore, The Statute of Liberty, Crater Lake, Manassas Battlefield, the Everglades, Big Bend, Arches, Bryce Canyon, plus many other treasures.

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Spectacular DVD videos - You'll see the breathtaking scenery of Mount Fuji and Miya-jima. Explore Japan's best castles, ski resorts, relaxing hot springs, beautiful gardens, and its unique culture - a land of kimonos, the tea ceremony, sushi, cherry blossoms, elegant Geisha and powerful Samurai. Shop in Ginza; see Tokyo's exciting nightlife, exquisite temples in Kyoto and Kamakura, Nikko's shrines, plus wildlife such as "Snow Monkeys". Climb Mount Fuji and join in Japanese weddings and festivals.

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Irene Froehlich 990 Grove St./Ste. 400 Evanston, IL 60201-6510 708-456-9247; fax 708-395-5333 ifroehlich@cruisetravelmag.com Cruise Travel Magazine 990 Grove St./Ste. 400 Evanston, IL 60201-6510 847-491-6440 Subscription Office (New Subscriptions, Renewals, Address Changes, Inquiries)

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Now the magnificent pageantry and beauty of Great Britain is available on your TV or PC. This DVD video is your one-stop guide to Britain's rich culture, its best cities, and stunning countryside. And the videos are indexed so you can plan your tour! Spectacular DVD videos - You'll see London's majestic palaces, beautiful parks, great shopping and exciting nightlife, and visit Edinburgh, the heart of Scotland. Explore Britain's best castles, resorts, beautiful churches and its unique culture in a land of afternoon tea, Shakespeare, the Beatles, the changing of the Guard, and royalty. See the charming scenery of the Lake District, the cliffs of Dover; visit Stonehenge, Oxford, medieval York, spas in the city of Bath, and learn the secret of the Tower of London.

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This DVD includes stunning videos of Japan, a unique, intriguing country, which has incredible cities, castles, landscapes and hot springs. The videos are indexed so you can plan your tour!

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Hawaii: Oahu, Maui, Kauai & the Big Island

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www.cruisetravelmag.com All efforts are made to ensure factual accuracy within each issue, but Lakeside Publishing Company, LLC, cannot be held responsible for changes, omissions, or errors in cruiseline information, or for the return of unsolicited materials. Cruise Travel (ISSN 0199-5111) is published bimonthly (six times a year) by Lakeside Publishing Company, LLC, 990 Grove St./Ste. 400, Evanston, IL 60201-6510. Registered U.S. Patent Office. Periodicals postal rates paid at Evanston, IL, and additional mailing offices. U.S. subscriptions $58.95 per year, Canada $68.95 (GST incl.), other foreign $78.95; U.S. funds only. Copyright 2015 by Lakeside Publishing Company, LLC. All rights reserved. No materials from this publication may be reproduced without permission. Postmaster: Send address changes to Cruise Travel Magazine, P.O. Box 433072, Palm Coast, FL 32143-3072. USPS 540-430; GST 841109010RT0001.

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Cruise Travel September/October 2015

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AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS – Over 61 minutes

CRUISE TRAVEL

THE WORLDWIDE CRUISE VACATION MAGAZINE

LETTERS A Memorable Issue As always, the July/August 2015 Cruise Travel was a great issue. I especially enjoyed the article “Cruise Pioneer: Royal Cruise Line.” I will be looking forward to other companies being showcased. My favorite cruise was on Sun Line’s Stella Solaris, a two-week voyage from Fort Lauderdale to Brazil. Once we got to Brazil, we stayed a few days and were able to enjoy Carnaval. The ship was small, but the crew and staff were extremely friendly—we were one big family! In every port, local entertainment came onboard to entertain us. The crew and staff also entertained us with music, song, and dance. I miss the Stella! I also enjoyed the article “Love Boat Memories.” Though I never got to sail on one of Princess Cruises’ original “Love Boats,” I have heard nothing but good things said about the ships when they were active. Jorge L. Rodriguez, via e-mail Thanks For The Royal Memories I just received my July/August 2015 issue of your wonderful magazine. The article “Cruise Pioneer: Royal Cruise Line” by Allan E. Jordan was so very nice and brought back many good memories for me. Of the 100 cruises I have been on, 33 were on Royal Cruise Line. They have taken me all over the world. When I have been asked which cruise line is my favorite, I sadly have to answer that it is no longer in business. Thank you, so much, for the fine article and the memories. I have enjoyed Cruise Travel for many years. Elsie D. Rash, Corona, CA

is very late, but I have just had the chance to read the issue). Sorry, sir, you are the epitome of a grinch, and I am grateful that I have not had the misfortune of being seated at any of your dining tables. Some of our best friends were established at our cruise-ship dining tables many years ago; and while you think some people “brag” about their trips, maybe they are proud of their travels and simply want to share their experiences—and may also want to hear about yours. I have no grandchildren photos to bore you with, but if you had any, you should be proud enough of them to share their beautiful photos. You sound like a very negative person who is happy just being miserable. I feel sorry for you. Felicia Z. Livingston, Rochester, NY Cunard Line Is My Cruise Choice I am writing in response to the letter “Cunard Criticism Seconded” published in the May/June 2015 issue of Cruise Travel in which the letter-writer expressed dissatisfaction with his recent Cunard Line voyage. Among his complaints were the unfriendliness of the dining staff and the “class separation” on the Queen Elizabeth. I have an entirely different perception of the service provided by the Cunard staff. I

and my cruise friends have been so consistently satisfied with the line that we keep returning to Cunard for our travels. I have over 500 days with cruise ships, and I have chosen most of them to be with Cunard Line. Over the years, with few exceptions, I have been assigned to the Britannia Restaurants on the Cunard ships, which today are the Queen Mary 2, the Queen Elizabeth, and the Queen Victoria. The Britannia is the assigned restaurant for most of the passengers. I have found that the dining-room staff on my numerous Cunard voyages has been polite, engaging, and very friendly. They quickly learn my name, become familiar with my preferences, and deliver very good and attentive service. In many cases, they are jovial. With very few exceptions, I have found the food to be very good and, many times, top notch. Regarding the “class separation,” Cunard ships do have a system where the two smaller, exclusive restaurants are assigned only to guests in the highest cabin categories. These assignments are almost unnoticed by the majority of the other passengers. This approach is used in part by other cruise lines in varying degrees, and many cruise ships today offer exclusive lounges and concierge services Continued on next page

More Thanks For The Memories Thank you, thank you, thank you for the walk down memory lane with Royal Cruise Line (“Cruise Pioneer: Royal Cruise Line,” Cruise Travel, July/August 2015). My friends and I sailed with RCL all of the years the line was in operation. Not only was RCL a cruise-industry leader, but they were the absolute best at what they did and treated their repeat clientele “royally.” Repeaters, crew, home-office personnel— they all became friends. Going on our next RCL cruise adventure was also like returning to our second home. No other cruise line offered what RCL managed to do so well, and many times the line managed to exceed our expectations. We still mourn the loss of Royal Cruise Line and cherish and talk about all those wonderful memories we shared with each other over the years. Janet Fatika, Hamilton, OH Belated Sympathy For Cruise Grinch This is in response to Aldo Galbani’s letter, “Table For Two My Preference,” in the May/June 2014 Cruise Travel (I know this Cruise Travel September/October 2015

LETTERS to the occupants of the highest priced cabins—this really is nothing new. One more point: The letter-writer’s recall of another passenger’s opinion regarding fellow passengers doesn’t deserve a comment. As for me, Cunard will certainly be included in my future travel plans. David Kaplan, Petoskey, MI Norfolk And HAL Are A Great Match The article “Only A Day In Norfolk” (Cruise Travel, May/June 2015) was very interesting and informative regarding all the benefits of sailing from Norfolk, VA. I have cruised four times in two years on Holland America Line out of Norfolk and met so many cruisers from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and other states, plus quite a few from Canada. HAL is the only line I will cruise on. Its service, food, entertainment, and crew have been perfect. I have cruised with other lines, but now it will only be HAL for me. I wish the line would come back to cruise from Norfolk again. Cecilia Thomas, Virginia Beach, VA Bye-Bye Cruise Travel In my recent issue of Cruise Travel was the usual note when you don’t renew in time: “This is your last issue!” I am a faithful subscriber for many years, and I never before needed a reminder to renew. Occasionally, I even wrote letters to the editor, but few were published. I am giving up your magazine because you seldom express a more balanced view of what is cruising today. Yes, ships are bigger and more sophisticated, and cruising is getting more popular. It attracts more passengers than ever, but not as many repeaters as in the past. Often, I am skeptical of the claims of some readers who cite “overinflated” numbers of cruises they’ve taken. We have cruised since 1972 and crossed the Atlantic many times before that. Up until 1990, you didn’t need speciality restaurants and the extra charges that go with them. Every meal in the main dining room was superb, with an immense selection served with expert skill. Bigger is not better. We have tried ships of all sizes. Now defunct lines like Sitmar Cruises and Home Lines are examples of what was elegant cruising at normal prices. Today’s ships are like floating circuses, too big for even the young to enjoy all of the attractions on a seven-day cruise. The sad part is that the published fares are a lie— once onboard, the lines nickel and dime you to death. Zdenko J. Bergl, Kansas City, MO More Cruise Cuff Links I don’t have any further info about the Matson Line jewelry discussed in “Links To The Past” (Letters, Cruise Travel, March/April 6

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

David Kelly

Continued from previous page

2015), but I do remember a bit about my cruise-line cuff links (pictured above). In October 1991, we were on an Eastern Mediterranean cruise onboard Ocean Cruise Lines’ Ocean Princess. These cuff links arrived in our stateroom as a gift prior to our dining at the Captain’s Table on a formal night. (We figured we received the invitation since we were repeaters with the now defunct line.) It was a night of rough seas, and guests were excusing themselves after every course. By dessert, it was just us, one other passenger, and the captain and ship’s doctor left at the table. The only things truly golden about the cuffs links are the color and the memories. I like the simple, yet elegant, OCL logo, and I still wear them on occasion. David Kelly, Milwaukee, WI The 12,200-gross-ton/460-passenger Ocean Princess entered service in 1967 as the Italia. She was soon chartered to the thenfledgling Princess Cruises, sailing the West Coast (Mexican Riviera and Alaska itineraries) as the Princess Italia until 1973, when she was sold to Costa Cruises. Ocean Cruise Lines purchased her in 1983 and renamed her Ocean Princess (Princess Cruises was not using that ship name at the time). She most recently sailed as the Sapphire for Louis Cruise Lines. She was scrapped in Alang, India, in 2012. Regal And Royal Are Not For Us Let me begin by saying we have 46 cruises on Princess and love the line, sailing it almost exclusively. But we have not, and will not, sail on the Regal Princess—because we sailed on her sister Royal Princess (complete with a bridge tour). The Regal Princess Ship Of The Month article (Cruise Travel, May/June 2015) reads like a Princess Cruises press release rather than an objective assessment of the ship. Her sister is one of the most beautiful ships on which we have ever sailed—perhaps the most beautiful. But her beauty is only skin deep. Here are a few things that Cruise Travel readers might like to know before booking either the Regal Princess or Royal Princess. The cruise line has eliminated the beautiful lounge spaces such as Explorers, Wheelhouse, and Club Fusion; and in their place has created a “Wheelhouse Bar” area that is carved out of walking space on the deck and is not a lounge. In lieu of Explorers Lounge, there is the bleacher-seating Princess Live! video studio. And the Vista Lounge exists,

but here was designed, along with most of the rest of the ship, by people who seemingly have never been on a cruise ship. The pools are woefully inadequate, and there is no real promenade deck—just a few small, open deck spaces here and there. The theater has no drink holders, the seats are spaced like those onboard low-cost Spirit Airlines, the sight lines are terrible from about a third of the seats, and there is no center aisle and no side aisles for most of the rows—plus, unlike the rest of the ship, the theater is plain and drab in appearance. Each of these two ships accommodates 3,600 passengers, but has no central staircase and just the same number of elevators as on the line’s ships that carry 3,000 passengers. Good luck getting an elevator, and then you have to fight to squeeze into it. And no, you can’t wait for the next one—it will be the same. If your cabin is midship on Deck 8 and you want to walk upstairs to it from Deck 7, where most of the public spaces are located, all you have to do is walk to the front or back of a 1,083-foot-long ship to find a staircase—and then walk back to your stateroom. The Horizon Court buffet-dining area seems to be an undecipherable zoo most of the time—and crowded. If all of it were all open, it would be fine, but our experience was it was only totally open on sailing day. Do you like a cabin balcony you can stretch out on? Think again—you cannot sit on a typical one and face the sea over the railing as there is not enough space! Smallest ship balconies we have ever seen. This is made up for by the giant television on the wall in the slightly-narrower-than-usual cabin—it’s a lot like sitting in the front row at the movies. Now you might think someone at Princess just got this wild idea to throw out the plans for all the ships that have worked so well over the past 50 years, but you would be wrong! We had a presentation onboard by a retired Carnival Corporation ship-design engineer. Dozens of designers are involved in planning these ships, from both the individual cruise line and Carnival Corp., which makes it all the more implausible that they could come up with so many poor choices on one ship when they have so many models that work so well across their fleets. (Carnival Corporation & plc has 10 cruise brands.) We will stick to the rest of the Princess fleet. We sail often and have ample occasion to talk with other repeat cruisers, and universally they share the sentiments here—none would ever sail on either the Royal Princess or Regal Princess again. Art & Bonnie Friedman, Palm Coast, FL Cruise Travel welcomes mail from its readers. Please include full name and address and send to Letters, Cruise Travel, 990 Grove St., Suite 400, Evanston, IL 60201-6510; or e-mail to editor@cruisetravelmag.com.

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PORT OF THE MONTH

AMSTERDAM Edgy, easygoing, and a little bit naughty, the city of canals enchants visitors with its contemporary flair and Old World charm By Randy Mink

nticipating my river adventure to Holland and Belgium this past spring, I got just as excited thinking about the precruise stay in Amsterdam as the sailing itself. Poring over guidebooks, I daydreamed of poking around footloose and fancy-free and reminisced over visits there as a young vagabond in the early 1970s, when Amsterdam was the ultimate hippie haven, and free spirits from around the world thronged Dam Square. Anything still goes in the capital of the Netherlands, an extremely tolerant place where soft drugs are sold over the counter, gay culture thrives, and prostitution is legal and right out in the open. But if the edgy side of Amsterdam lacks appeal, it’s heartening to know you can commune with the distant past at museums, churches, and canalside man-

8 Cruise Travel September/October 2015

sions while traveling back in time to Holland’s Golden Age—the 17th century glory days when it was a trading powerhouse and Dutch masters ruled the art world. Whether you prefer racy or staid, Amsterdam will float your boat. I find Amsterdam easygoing, as comfortable as an old shoe. It seems to be on a more human scale than other European capitals. The fact that almost everyone knows English smoothes the way for Americans. First-time visitors invariably zero in on the trio of most popular sights—the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Anne Frank House. Repeaters may want to check out the Amsterdam Tulip Museum, Sex Museum Amsterdam, Houseboat Museum (a converted cargo ship), Museum Of Handbags & Purses, and Amsterdam Pipe Muse-

um, just to name a few of the city’s 70-plus specialty museums. There’s even a Hash, Marijuana & Hemp Museum. As an alternative to standard sightseeing, take the pressure off by hitting the streets and exploring at whim, on foot or bicycle. Slow down and focus on prowling the markets, chilling in parks, or nursing a Heineken at a time-worn tavern or sidewalk cafe. Take time to frame pictures of flower vendors, stately steeples, and tree-lined canals flanked by storybook buildings oozing with Old World charm. The first two nights of my one-week Emerald Waterways cruise were in Amsterdam aboard the ship, a welcome feature that gave passengers without pre- or postcruise plans a chance to see the city. A canal

Awash with 165 canals and thousands of historic buildings, Amsterdam delights visitors with surprises around every bend. (Photo by Lex Van Lieshout/Amsterdam Marketing)

boat trip, an Amsterdam staple that I initially thought would be too touristy, was the highlight of a ship-arranged shore excursion. Relaxing and informative, the one-hour cruise covered a lot of territory and distilled the essence of Amsterdam, a city laced with 165 canals (more than Venice) threading 90 artificial islands. I had already seen some of the sights we glided by, but views from the water and insightful narration offered a fresh perspective. And it was nice to be away from the car and bike traffic. Cycling is a common way for locals and tourists alike to get around Amsterdam—and throughout the pancake-flat Netherlands, much of it below sea level. But pedestrians need to be vigilant, cautioned our guide as we hopped off the bus. The biggest danger for unaware tourists in Amsterdam, she said, is straying into a bike lane. The Dutch may be a friendly people, but once on a two-wheeler, she confided, “The beast in us comes alive…. We feel like kings and queens on our bikes.” (The city of 820,000 has more Continued on next page

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Amsterdam Marketing

Dam Square, the city’s symbolic heart, attracts throngs of people and is surrounded by department stores, fashion boutiques, and souvenir shops.

AMSTERDAM Continued

the Golden Age by making a beeline to the Gallery Of Honor, where portraits, still lifes, landscapes, and everyday scenes painted by the likes of Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, and Steen take center stage. The most famous work is Rembrandt’s The Night Watch (1642), a huge canvas of Amsterdam’s civic guards. If you’re familiar with Dutch Masters cigars, you’ll recognize The Syndics Of The Amsterdam Drapers’ Guild (1662), another Rembrandt piece. Across the park-like square (Museumplein)

from the Rijksmuseum awaits the largest collection of paintings and drawings by the greatest Dutch artist of the 19th century—Vincent Van Gogh. Must-sees at the Van Gogh Museum include The Potato Eaters, Sunflowers, The Bedroom, and self-portraits of the troubled man who committed suicide in 1890 at age 37. The gift shop abounds with mugs, Tshirts, vinyl bags, and other merchandise emblazoned with sunflowers and other colorswirled swatches of Van Gogh’s art.

Liselore Kamping/Amsterdam Marketing

bikes than citizens, more than half of whom pedal daily.) The oldest buildings lining the canals date from the 16th and 17th centuries, but most are 18th century. Tour guides point out crooked or “dancing” houses (built on rotting piles that cause them to tilt) and the various styles of gables. On many of these brick houses you’ll spot hoist bars— metal protrusions used to lift furniture and other large items that the steep, narrow stairs cannot accommodate. Especially impressive are the stately merchant mansions (now mostly banks, offices, and museums) on the Herengracht, one of four canals that form concentric rings around the historic city center and its more than 8,000 protected monuments. In the first half of the 1600s, Amsterdam boasted the highest per capita income in Europe as people amassed wealth from the spice trade, fishing, textiles, sugar-refining, and brewing. The Bank Of Amsterdam was the continent’s leading financial institution, and the Dutch claimed the largest merchant fleet, not to mention a mighty navy. As the upper classes sought refinement through culture, the art scene flourished, and artists like Rembrandt Van Rijn were richly rewarded. The Netherlands’ top treasure house, the Rijksmuseum, presents a heady array of classic Dutch art. Reopened in its entirety in 2013 after a 10-year renovation, the Victorian Gothic building, studded with turrets and towers, deserves at least two The Portuguese Synagogue, still in use by its 600 members, has interactive exhibits explaining Judaism and Jewish life. hours. Most visitors plunge right into 10 Cruise Travel September/October 2015

oming face-to-face with legendary art certainly leaves a lasting impression, but your memories of the humble hiding place of eight Amsterdam Jews during World War II will linger even longer. At the Anne Frank House, a four-story building facing the Prinsengracht canal, going behind the famous bookcase and up the steep stairs to view the austere, unfurnished back rooms in the Secret Annex where Anne and seven other Jews hid from the Nazis for two years is a powerful experience. Newsreel footage, exhibits on the Holocaust, and video interviews with Anne’s father Otto Frank and family acquaintances enhance the emotional visit. Displayed under glass are pages from the diaries of young teenager Anne Frank, who died of typhus in a Nazi concentration camp just a month before it was liberated in 1944. Her writings of life in hiding were first published in 1947 and went on to become one of the most widely read books in the world. In Anne’s room, see photos and clippings of the young girl’s idols, including actresses Greta Garbo and Ginger Rogers, actors Ray Milland and Robert Stack, and the future Queen Elizabeth II as a child. An-

NBTC

There’s plenty of local color, and good buys on flowers and bulbs, at the Bloemenmarkt.

NBTC Photos

other room has Otto’s map with pins showing the Allies’ advance in Normandy and pencil marks on the wall that tracked the heights of Anne and her sister, Margot. After touring the Anne Frank House, save time for exploring the narrow streets and charming canals of the cozy Jordaan neighborhood, a former working-class district that has been gentrified. It abounds with little shops and cafes but remains mostly residential. I found the Jordaan a good place to base myself before the cruise, choosing to stay at Shelter Jordan, a Christian hostel just a few blocks from the Anne Frank House. It was Easter weekend, and there were no reasonably priced hotel rooms available even months before, so I decided to relive my youth and save money. The cost of $35 for a night in the 18-bed men’s dormitory included breakfast in the hostel’s pleasant cafe. From Shelter Jordan’s front door, I could see the tower of the Westerkerk, the 1631 church whose carillon was mentioned in Anne Frank’s diary. Ambitious climbers can take a guided tour of the bell tower, Amsterdam’s tallest steeple. Rembrandt is buried in a pauper’s grave somewhere inside. I’ve always been fascinated by stories of

Booking tickets online can save visitors a wait in the line at the Anne Frank House. Inside, the stairs to the Secret Annex are concealed by a bookcase (as shown in the photos above).

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the Holocaust and World War II, so I devoted an afternoon to Southeast Amsterdam’s former Jewish Quarter, now called the Jewish Cultural Quarter. Of prime interest is the Jewish Historical Museum, a complex of four Ashkenazic synagogues dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. An excellent audio tour sheds light on Judaism and Jewish life in the Netherlands, including the Holocaust and life after the war. Your ticket also grants admission to the Portuguese Synagogue, across the street. Still in use by the 600 members of the Portuguese-Jewish community, the monumental building dating from the 1670s—with its massive columns, large windows, and two-dozen brass chandeliers (lit by 1,000 candles during the holidays)—has exhibits explaining ritual objects and religious practices. Interactive stations feature videos of Dutch Jews discussing age-old traditions. Anyone can climb up to the screened women’s gallery overlooking the Continued on next page main floor. Cruise Travel September/October 2015

AMSTERDAM

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Continued

Amsterdam Marketing

Colorful “coffeeshops” specialize mainly in cannabis; for just coffee, head for a cafe.

Claire Droppert/NBTC

The Rijksmuseum, with its world renowned collection of Dutch masterpieces, is worth a lengthy visit.

Sample some poffertjes—puffy, mini-pancakes sprinkled with powdered sugar—a true Dutch treat.

12 Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Another unit of the Jewish Historical Museum is the Hollandsche Schouwburg (Dutch Theater), the shell of a Jewish theater that serves as the national Holocaust memorial. Inside the building, a short walk from the Portuguese Synagogue, Jews suffered in filthy conditions as they awaited deportation to Dutch transit camps, the last stop before being herded into train cars to Nazi extermination camps. A 20-minute movie shows what happened at the theater and afterwards. For a slice of local color in the old Jewish neighborhood, browse the Waterlooplein Flea Market, started by Jewish traders in 1880. Nearby is the Rembrandt House Museum, a three-story building where the artist lived and worked from 1639-1658. In addition to Rembrandt etchings, curiosities he collected, and period furniture, visitors can see demonstrations of etching techniques and how the master sourced and mixed his paints. The Dutch Resistance Museum, also in Southeast Amsterdam, tells the plight of Jews and non-Jews during German occupation from 1940-45. Vintage photos and film clips document clandestine operations, workers’ strikes, creative plans for hiding people, and Amsterdam’s terrible food shortage during the winter of 1944-1945, when thousands starved. Also learn about citizens who collaborated with the Nazis.

hile history and art can easily fill your days, many first-timers feel they can’t leave the city without at least a stroll through Amsterdam’s infamous Red Light District, close to the architecturally impressive central train station. Our cruise director led an evening walk through passageways teeming with gawking tourists and male “window shoppers” eyeing the ladies on display. (The average customer pays $35 for a seven-minute visit.) Some passengers were disturbed at directing attention to such naughtiness, but the guide justified her tour on grounds that it’s a big point of curiosity and an undeniable part of Amsterdam’s tourism fabric. The Red Light District—with its bars, sex shows, “coffeeshops” authorized to sell cannabis, and overall sleaze—happens to be in the oldest part of Amsterdam, so there are plenty of historical gems tucked among the tawdriness. The 1306 Oude Kerk (Old Church), for example, is the city’s oldest building, and its floor is covered with 2,500 gravestones, the most famous that of Rembrandt’s wife, Saskia. Steps away sits one of Amsterdam’s most underappreciated museums, Our Lord In The Attic. Tucked into the upper floors of a canal house, it was a secret church built in 1653 for Catholics during a time when the ruling Calvinists forbade them to worship openly. In the top balcony you really get the attic feel.

cruise passengers was the stroopwafel (syrup waffle), two thin waffle disks stuck together with a layer of syrup, best enjoyed hot and gooey from a street vendor or bakery. For something exotic, splurge on a rijstaffel (rice table) meal at one of Amsterdam’s many Indonesian restaurants, a legacy of Dutch colonialism. Featuring up to 30 tiny dishes and a big bowl of rice, the feast might include items like beef stewed in spicy coconut sauce, pork in a sweet soy sauce, and grilled chicken satay in peanut sauce. Vegetarian versions are available. I made a point of having a quintessential Amsterdam experience at brown cafes (so called for their smoke-stained walls and ceilings). These down-to-earth pubs are cheery spots to soak in the local vibe. At Cafe T’Hooischip I enjoyed a piping-hot bowl of erwtensoep, the traditional Dutch pea soup. A meal in itself, it was loaded with carrots, celery, and sausage, and accompanied

Know Before You Go

Geert Snoeijer/Amsterdam Marketing

Dam Square, not far from the medieval core, has always been the symbolic heart of Amsterdam. Street performers entertain the throngs of humanity, and the area abounds with department stores, fashion boutiques, and souvenir shops. The Royal Palace, facing the square, is a former city hall that hosts state functions and serves as an occasional residence of the Dutch royal family. Lavishly decorated rooms on the first floor are described in vivid detail on an audio tour. (While Amsterdam is the official capital of the Netherlands, the seat of government— and King Willem-Alexander’s real home—is in The Hague, 32 miles away.) Another shopping magnet is centered around the Bloemenmarkt, the “floating” flower market on permanently moored barges in the Singel canal. This is the place to bag your Dutch tulip bulbs, perhaps pick up a bouquet for your hotel room, and definitely take some pictures.

Ships from Costa and many other major ocean and river cruise lines call in Amsterdam.

Souvenir shops across from the flower sellers specialize in cheese, offering generous free samples. Varieties range from garlic and pesto to coconut and lavender, but most people buy traditional styles of Gouda or Edam. Other tempting trip mementos include cheese slicers and graters. Some find it hard to resist the wooden shoes, but are you really going to wear them at home? For a quick bite to eat while touring Amsterdam, try some typically Dutch foods at restaurants, cafes, and food stands. Kroketten (croquettes), commonly dispensed by a vending machine, are deep-fried logs of dough with meat or vegetable fillings. They go well with a paper cone of thick Vlaamse frites (Flemish fries), cut from whole potatoes and smothered in mayonnaise and other sauces. Or treat yourself to a plateful of poffertjes, light, puffy mini-pancakes sprinkled with powdered sugar. Stalls throughout the city sell pickled herring with diced onion or pickles. A favorite treat of mine and fellow

by dark bread and two pieces of bacon. I washed it down with a glass of La Trappe, the Dutch premium beer brewed by Trappist monks. Heineken and Amstel (same ownership) are the most common beers in Holland, and it seems every block in central Amsterdam sports their lighted signs. The Heineken Experience, an interactive, self-guided tour in the former brewing plant, tells the company’s story in a fun way and includes two drinks. The gift shop sells Heineken logo items, from jackets, caps, and bikini briefs to luggage, towels, and other bright green stuff. Have a glass engraved with your name, a fitting reminder of your visit to the Dutch capital. At the thought of hoisting a foamy brew to your lips, let’s toast this magical city with a hearty proost and a promise to schedule a few hotel—or hostel— nights if your cruise begins or ends in Amsterdam, a place that deserves as much time as you can give it. CT

Location: Connected to the North Sea by a canal, Amsterdam lies near the sea on narrow strips of land in North Holland, one of 12 provinces in the Kingdom Of The Netherlands. The Port Of Amsterdam’s cruise terminal, on the south side of the River IJ, is a three-minute tram ride or 15-minute walk to Central Station, a good starting point for exploring Amsterdam’s historic core. The AmsterdamRhine Canal connects the port to the Lek River, a tributary of the Rhine. Ships That Call: The number of Amsterdam visits by river ships this year will surpass 1,700. Lines such as ARosa, AmaWaterways, Avalon, CroisiEurope, Emerald, Grand Circle, Scenic, Uniworld, and Viking offer Holland/ Belgium “tulip time” and Rhine River itineraries. Oceangoing cruise ships will make 142 calls, with Celebrity, Costa, Holland America, Oceania, and Regent Seven Seas offering departures from Amsterdam. AIDA, MSC, P&O, Silversea, and Swan Hellenic ships also call. Weather: June to August is peak season, with warm weather (into the 70s) and plenty of daylight. Because of the North Sea’s influence, it rarely gets too hot and winters are mild. Holland doesn’t receive an unusual amount of rain, but it’s always wise to be prepared as the weather can be finicky. There is no rainy season. Money Matters: The Netherlands uses the euro as its unit of currency. One euro was equal to $1.11 at presstime. Major credit cards are widely accepted, and ATMs (called geld-automaats) are everywhere. To tip for restaurant meals or taxicabs, round up to the next euro or a bit more. Sightseeing Tips: To beat the lines at the Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House, and Van Gogh Museum, it’s wise to book tickets online before leaving home. Bearers of the handy I Amsterdam City Card get admission to most major sights, plus a canal-boat cruise and unlimited bus, tram, and metro rides. But it does not cover the Anne Frank House and only offers a small Rijksmuseum discount. Cost of a card is about $65 for 48 hours, $77 for 72 hours, and $88 for 96 hours (www.iamsterdamcard.com). Recommended Guidebooks: Rick Steves’ Amsterdam, Bruges & Brussels (Avalon Travel, 654 pp., $21.99) artfully captures the pulse of Amsterdam, offering a good choice of reasonably priced places to eat and stay. It is especially strong on making sense of what to see in the major museums. With a younger traveler in mind, Lonely Planet’s Amsterdam (327 pp., $21.99) has color maps and leaves few stones unturned in a thorough look at all city neighborhoods. For More Information: Contact your travel agent; the Netherlands Board Of Tourism & Conventions (Cruise Travel Magazine), 355 Lexington Ave., 19th Floor, New York, NY 10017 (log on to www.holland.com); or Amsterdam Marketing (www.iamsterdam.com). Cruise Travel September/October 2015

NEW SHIP REVIEW

VIKING The world’s leading riverboat line makes By Jason Leppert

he story of Viking Cruises is one of unparalleled success. From its modest start in 1997 with the acquisition of four vessels to sail Russian waterways, the line has risen rapidly to become the world’s largest river cruise company, today with dozens of vessels (most newly built) sailing throughout Europe, as well as in Asia and Africa, plus plans to enter the North American market. The exponential growth is due, in part, to the line’s sponsorship of PBS television’s Masterpiece series and a not-so-little show

by the name of Downton Abbey, where ads for the Viking River Cruises brand have squarely drawn the attention of American travelers to the rivers of the world. Now the new Viking Ocean Cruises brand and the Viking Star are poised to elevate cruising on the high seas. Back in 2013 Viking revealed plans to enter the ocean-cruising market, and with the Viking Star’s christening on May 17, 2015, Viking Ocean Cruises became the first major cruise line in decades to debut with a brand-

new vessel. Taking a page from river cruising, the ship’s focus is first and foremost on the destination. If the destination is a piece of art, the comfortably elegant flagship is the frame that perfectly accentuates the subject without distracting from it. Bucking the industry’s current trend towards elaborate mega-vessels of increasing size, Viking’s delightfully welcome approach was to introduce a more intimate cruise ship. The 47,800-gross-ton/930-guest Viking Star is a classic beauty exhibiting graceful

A huge digital monitor and a grand piano anchor the Viking Living Room atrium, which also has cozy nooks filled with books, games, and comfy seating.

The destination-focused Viking Star is designed to complement the world-class ports she calls on, such as Istanbul. (Photos Courtesy Viking Cruises)

STAR a splash with its first ocean-going vessel lines: a swooping bow, flared upper decks, an infinity pool cantilevered over the stern, and a stack reminiscent of former Royal Viking Line (to which Viking can trace its roots). Only the flat, lengthy ducktail is architecturally questionable, but since this waterline extension at the stern is an element that improves fuel efficiency, and thus affords more time ashore for guests, it is easily forgiven. Inside, the ship feels far larger that she actually is. Plenty of natural light from the heightened decks and abundant floor-to-ceiling windows illuminates the stylish Scandi-

navian decor and cozy venues. The ship’s many nooks are filled with a wide selection of artifacts, books, and games to enjoy. The overall effect is more residential than resortlike, but still state-of-the-art with interactive touchscreens throughout the ship that display dinner menus, weather information, destination highlights, and more. The Viking Living Room atrium literally sets the scene onboard with a gorgeous digital tapestry positioned at the head of the stairs. This giant monitor teases with rotating photos that showcase itinerary highlights yet

The inviting Aquavit Terrace Bar is high up and aft, near the infinity pool.

to come, while the nearby Viking Heritage exhibit provides Nordic historical context— after all, the Viking Star is proudly registered in Bergen, Norway. The Explorers’ Desk reception area has an unusual arrangement of tables and chairs that guests first approach with some hesitation. Nevertheless, the Viking Living Room’s top-grade furniture always invites them to stay for a while. The ship’s welcoming design extends to the spacious staterooms and suites—every one outside with a private veranda—that Continued on next page

The 405-sq.-ft. Penthouse Junior Suites are forward on three upper decks.

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Viking Cruises Photos

Both specialty dining rooms, Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant (left) and The Chef’s Table (right), require reservations, but there are no extra charges.

VIKING STAR Continued

have an average size more comparable to hotel rooms than typical cruise-ship cabins. For instance, the mid-category Penthouse Veranda staterooms have 338 square feet of uncluttered space, featuring a king-size bed

door handles, a desk lamp with five USB charging ports, a flat-panel TV with complimentary on-demand programming, and a pullout drawer minibar stocked daily with included drinks. Upgrading to suite accommodations offers an increase in size and amenities, like free laundry service, and, in the case of the singular Owner’s Suite, a tour of the navigation bridge and engine room. Even for guests booked in entry-level Veranda category staterooms, the Viking Star touts plenty of included advantages that make Viking Ocean Cruises a distinctly outstanding value. Among the inclusions are house wines, beers, and soft drinks at lunch and dinner; specialty coffees and teas; specialty restaurants; Wi-Fi (subject to certain usage policies); self-service laundry; 24-hour room service; a shore excursion in every port; more time spent docked at destinations (compared with competitors); and all port charges.

and separate sitting area, plus an expansive bathroom. Unique for a cruise ship, low-rise entry thresholds allow easy access into both the en suite, with luxurious heated floor, and ample shower, with convenient shaving ledge (but curiously absent from the shower is a dedicated soap dish). Other premium touches throughout a Penthouse Veranda include leather-wrapped

16 Cruise Travel September/October 2015

n another nice change of pace, the Viking Star is not intent on generating revenue around every corner. There is no casino onboard nor are there any galleries with artworks or photos for sale. There are a few retail shops as well as premium drinks and spa treatments—all efficiently offered using iPod touches and iPads for mostly paperless transactions. In true Norwegian style, the salon even features a one-of-a-kind luxury beard treatment comprising a relaxing trim, facial, and scalp massage. In fact, the Liv Nordic spa as a whole is easily one of the finest facilities at sea, particularly since its rejuvenating steam room, genuine snow room, thalassotherapy pool, tile beds, dry sauna, and gymnasium are entirely complimentary. The pools up ondeck are highlights too: the midship one has a huge entertainment screen and can be covered by a retractable roof; and the ship’s signature infinity pool is entertaining on its own with a transparent plexiglass side suspended over the stern. Forward of the midship pool is the unique Wintergarden. Perfect for afterYet another destination-dedicated feature is the dramatic, double-deck Explorer’s Lounge with its huge picture-windows overlooking the bow.

Jason Leppert

Viking Cruises

noon tea and social gatherings, this striking space is filled with natural light and earthen woods. The Wintergarden can even be expanded into or separated by patio doors from side lanais, bonus retreats for quietly reading a book and taking in the passing scenery. The topmost sports deck features classic shuffleboard, a putting green, and outdoor exercise equipment. One of the most impressive venues onboard, if only because so many other ships are missing or losing the feature entirely, is the Explorers’ Lounge overlooking the bow. Yet another destination-dedicated facet, this stately double-deck lounge sets its sights on the passing scenery like no other. It even houses a complimentary Norwegian deli— Mamsen’s, affectionately named after and featuring the recipes of Viking Cruises CEO Torstein Hagen’s mother—with tasty rotating snacks throughout the day. The split pea soup in the evening is particularly hearty. Dining on the Viking Star is also standout, with the best food, according to the line, reserved for the main dining room, which is simply named The Restaurant. Fare reflects the regions traveled and is generally lighter then typical cruise-ship cuisine but ever satisfying. The World Cafe casually serves a regular menu of buffet-style breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Both the main dining room and cafe feature unique wraparound patio doors that make the restaurants al fresco when weather permits. The Pool Grill and 24-hour room service also provide extensive selections from gourmet burgers to pastas. The two specialty dining rooms are complimentary, but seating is limited and reservations are required, Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant features a dense choice of favorites such as caprese salad and ossobuco. The Chef’s Table serves one of five rotational tasting menus such as the delectable Sweet & Salty selection. Even more special, The Kitchen Table invites guests to a local market, cooking class, and sharing experience in a sleek demo galley for $299 per-person.

The Wintergarden, forward of the midship pool area, is a soothing space filled with natural light.

As for entertainment, the focus is again on the destination. Depending on the voyage’s length, three to four lecturers are featured covering a range of subjects including port talks, excursion briefings, and related topics. Viking has even teamed up with TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) to further enhance the enrichment program. Local entertainers are showcased onboard whenever possible. In-house theatrical performances showed promise by playing well to the crowd, but were a bit lacking in production quality during the inaugural cruises. More impressive are the elegant impromptu dance sets and live musical performances in the atrium. The Star Theater, although simple, is wonderfully decorated with black-and-white portrait pillows of Norwegian actors and actresses. The show lounge can be cleverly combined with two side cinemas for increased capacity. The jazzy Torshavn, a moody space for music, is reminiscent of a Roaring ’20s club without the pesky clouds of smokes. In fact, smoking is very well controlled and hardly a whiff is ever caught throughout the ship. Properly categorizing the Viking Star and Viking Ocean Cruises is difficult because

they dramatically shake up cruising’s status quo. Torstein Hagen playfully says, “We cruise like a real Norwegian,” and he believes his line has great appeal for premiummarket cruise travelers. In reality, Viking often approaches the luxury segment and easily sets the standard for upper-premium cruise lines, all at an exceptional value. In short, the Viking Star is undeniably a game changer. As it is, the Viking Star is just the beginning of what the line calls the Venice Class—so-named because of the ships’ suitability in size to visit the popular Italian port. Sister ships are on the horizon. The Viking Sea is set to enter service on March 28, 2016, and the Viking Sky is scheduled to debut in February 2017. In total, Viking Ocean Cruises hopes to build a fleet of 10 ships, foreseeing an expanded presence that may include the Caribbean and Far East. For now, the Viking Star sails a wide variety of European itineraries ranging in length from eight to 50 days. For more information contact your travel agent or Viking Cruises (Cruise Travel Magazine), 5700 Canoga Ave./Suite 200, Woodland Hills, CA 91367; call 800-304-9616; or log on to www.vikingcruises.com. CT

Use of many of the facilities in the Liv Nordic Spa, such as the thalassotherapy pool, is complimentary, part of the inclusive nature of the Viking Star.

CRUISE NEWS

Crystal Cruises

Lindblad Goes Public

Crystal Cruises’ Bold Expansion Crystal Cruises has announced a major expansion plan that will take the luxury operator where it has never gone before—namely into yacht cruising, river cruising, and air tours. In addition, the company said it would order three new ocean vessels that could eventually replace its current duo of cruise liners. First to debut in December 2015 will be the new Crystal Yacht Cruises, featuring the 3,300-gross-ton/62-passenger Crystal Esprit (pictured above), which will be extravagantly appointed and extensively redesigned to reflect the stylish elegance for which Crystal is renowned. The vessel will be equipped with a number of unique features including a two-person submarine, 10-person Zodiacs, and a 32-foot/12-passenger “super yacht tender.” The vessel will also be stocked with water skis, wake boards, kayaks, jet skis, fishing, scuba, and snorkeling equipment. Itineraries will initially explore the Seychelles Islands, Arabian Sea, and the Adriatic Coast. The spring of 2017 will bring the second phase of Crystal’s expansion with the European debut of Crystal River Cruises, which will offer the hallmarks of the all-inclusive Crystal experience. To operate these cruises, Crystal will build two brand-new riverboats at Germany’s Lloyd Werft shipyard. Also in 2017, Crystal Luxury Air will take off with extravagant, around-the-world trips on the world’s most advanced twin-aisle Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The plane, which typically seats 300, will be reconfigured to accommodate 60 persons on trips about 28 days long. Finally in late 2018, Crystal will launch the first of three Crystal Exclusive Class ocean ships. Lloyd Werft has again been selected to build these all-suite, all-balcony, polar-ice-class rated vessels. Each will measure more than 100,000 gross tons and carry approximately 1,000 guests—an amazing passenger space ratio of 100 to 1. There will be one crew member for every guest, as well. Accommodations will include new Crystal Residences—48 suites on the top deck for 18

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

people who want to call a Crystal ship their home. For more information contact your travel agent or Crystal Cruises (Cruise Travel Magazine), 11755 Wilshire Blvd./Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90025; call 888-722-0021; or log on to www.crystalcruises.com.

No More Cruises To Nowhere Two cruise lines have canceled a total of 12 cruises to nowhere scheduled for 2016. The changes came after the federal government revised its interpretation of rules concerning U.S. Customs clearance for crew on such voyages. Carnival Cruise Lines canceled nine such cruises after the government’s revised policy was announced. In a statement, the line said: “Due to recent changes in how ships are cleared into and out of the United States by U.S. officials, certain short-duration cruises without a foreign port-of-call are subject to itinerary changes beginning in 2016. Unfortunately, this means that we will not be permitted to operate cruises-to-nowhere.” Norwegian Cruise Line, another company affected, confirmed to Cruise Travel that it too would no longer be offering such domestic sailings as of next year. “Three two-night cruises on Norwegian Breakaway in early 2016 were affected by this change and were canceled,” the line said. “All guests booked on those sailings will be receiving a refund.” Meanwhile, speaking for the industry as a whole was Washington, DC-based Cruise Lines International Association, which added: “While itinerary decisions are made by individual cruise lines, beginning in 2016, in compliance with U.S. laws and regulations, foreign-flagged cruise lines operating out of U.S. ports are not to offer cruises for sale that do not include a call in a foreign port. Ships are cleared into and out of the United States by officials from the U.S. Department Of Homeland Security.” The U.S. Customs And Border Protection service is a part of Homeland Security. For more information, contact your travel agent or cruise line.

Lindblad Expeditions, the longtime leader in worldwide adventure cruising, completed its merger with Capitol Acquisition Corp. II, a move that would lead to the operator being listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. This makes Lindblad, now known as Lindblad Expeditions Holdings Inc., the latest cruise line to go public. Sven-Olof Lindblad, president and CEO of the company and son of ecotourism pioneer Lars-Eric Lindblad, called the merger “an important and exciting milestone for us.” The equity capital that Lindblad will gain from the merger along with the line’s recent debt financing “give us significant resources to capitalize on the substantial demand for our expeditions by expanding the fleet” and pursuing “strategic acquisitions,” he added. Lindblad Expeditions operates a fleet of 10 small ships carrying 28 to 148 passengers. Itineraries visit destinations throughout the world, with programs scheduled in North America, South America, Europe and the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and the polar regions. The company also has a partnership with National Geographic, meant to “inspire people to explore and care about the planet.” Capitol Acquisition Corp. II is described as “a public investment vehicle formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, acquisition or similar business combination.” For more information contact Lindblad by calling 800-397-3348 or logging on to its web site at www.expeditions.com.

Next Generation Carnival Ships Carnival Corporation & plc recently announced that its Italian brand, Costa Cruises, will build two new cruise ships as part of an agreement with Germany-based shipbuilder Meyer Werft to construct four next-generation cruise ships with the largest guest capacity in the world. In June, Carnival Corp. announced the other two ships included in this multi-billion-dollar contract are destined for its German brand, AIDA Cruises. The two new ships for Costa will be built at Meyer Werft’s shipyard in Turku, Finland, with deliveries expected in 2019 and 2020. Construction of the two new ships for AIDA will take place at Meyer Werft’s shipbuilding facility in Papenburg, Germany. Each new cruise ship will exceed 180,000 gross tons, offering more than 2,600 passenger cabins with 5,200 lower berths and comfortably accommodate a total capacity of 6,600 guests. A major part of Carnival Corp.’s new ship design involves making more efficient use of the ship's spaces, which includes multi-functional common areas and plans for more personal space, creating an enhanced onboard guest experience. Carnival Corp.’s four next-generation Continued on page 32

EXOTIC CRUISING

A mysterious and alluring voyage through the heartland of Myanmar on AmaWaterways Photo-Feature By Michel Verdure

yanmar is a mellifluous word that rolls easily off the tongue but might not be recognized by many cruise travelers as the name of a Southeast Asian country. Burma, the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former name, may be more familiar to many. After 46 years of military rule, Burma saw democratic reforms take root in 2008, and the Republic Of The Union Of Myanmar was born. Tourism has recently opened up in this mysterious country, which can be explored by land or by water, but the demands of Western visitors challenge the current tourism infrastructure. Hence a cruise ship, which carries its own infrastructure, is the perfect mode of transport. AmaWaterways, to the delight of many

20 Cruise Travel September/October 2015

travelers, has taken the lead, introducing its new, luxurious, 56-passenger AmaPura to sail the fascinating and alluring Irrawaddy, a river with a tongue-twisting name that flows through the heartland of Myanmar. An upscale river cruise company, AmaWaterways was created in 2002, built up a strong presence in Europe, and has been expanding its operations in African and Asia. During a Myanmar cruise season that runs from late August through April, the line offers some two-dozen 14- and 16-night programs that include 10 or 14 nights on the Irrawaddy, sailing between Yangon (formerly Rangoon) and Mandalay. All journeys begin in Yangon, Myanmarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

This Buddha statue is inside Ananda Temple, one of the best maintained shrines in Bagan.

largest city (home to more than five million) and Burma’s former capital. Here the included pre-cruise hotel nights are welcomed by American guests to help them recover from nearly 24 hours of travel and about a 12-hour time change. But Yangon is an eye-opener in itself—a bustling feast for all of the senses. The full-day city tour visits the unusually shaped Sule Pagoda, Kandawgyi Lake, the city center, a marketplace, and Chaukhtatgyi Temple with its huge reclining Buddha. But the one must-see is the Shwedagon Pagoda. Known locally as the Shwedagon Zedi Daw, the world-renowned pagoda is said to be 2,600 years old, which would make it the oldest Buddist stupa in the world. It rises 325 feet from the top of a hill and dominates Yangon’s skyline. Shwedagon is the most sacred pagoda in Myanmar and claims to contain eight hairs of Gautama Buddha. The brick structure is clad with solid-gold plate, and its crown contains more than 7,000 precious gemstones, including diamonds, rubies, topaz, and sapphires, with a massive emerald as the crown jewel. The entire complex covers about 114 acres and is just overwhelming, with of hundreds of temples, statues, and stupas—all very colorful but dominanted by gold. After more than 200 cruises in various parts of the world, I thought that I had seen it all. But the traffic during the hotel/riverboat transfer was, to be honest, insane. Motor-

The lovely little AmaPura easily ties up on the Irrawaddy riverbanks, like here in Minhla.

cycles are prohibited on the main roads of Yangon (incredible when you think how motorbikes and scooters rule other Southeast Asia cities), but that also means more cars and bigger traffic jams and rush-hour chaos—all surprisingly well handled by the locals. Yet the transfer did not dampen my excitement and anticipation of boarding a new vessel in a new destination.

he sparkling AmaPura is a welcome sight. I immediately noticed and appreciated the staff ready to assist with any need. They are all Burmese, and their level of professionalism and training is exceptional. They are genuinely kind and eager to help, making one feel at home on the AmaPura. Custom designed and built in Myanmar in Continued on next page

Hot-air balloons rise from the dawn’s mist, offering passengers astounding views of the thousands of temples in Bagan.

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

The mountainside Thantkyi Pagoda overlooks the plains near Bagan. Yangon’s Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar’s most sacred pagoda, welcomes visitors.

Continued

2014, the plush 188-foot-long all-suite riverboat is considerably smaller than those in AmaWaterways’ European fleet. All accommodations are outside on two decks. The 10 Main Deck suites are forward of the Restaurant and feature river views and fresh air with their french balconies; a level above, 14 Upper Deck suites are equally spacious but have actual step-out balconies. Interestingly, both types of staterooms measure 285 square feet, offering guests a choice of more balcony space or more interior room. Hard to say which style is a better pick; you can’t go wrong with either. For the discriminating travelers in search of the best of the best, four larger suites are also available on Upper Deck, two forward and two aft. At 290 square feet, the forward pair are only marginally bigger than standard suites, but their forward location makes them exceptional for the best river viewing, and they feature both french and step-out balconies. The two aft suites also have both types of balconies and offer excellent views from the stern, but at 420 square feet they boast much larger living quarters. The standard-size suites have twin beds that can be

arranged as a double, while the larger suites have queen-size beds. Every suite is filled with amenities including a luxurious mable bathroom with a walk-in shower; the larger aft suites also have bathtubs. Like the suites, common areas are beautifully appointed with great attention to detail.

The sun setting behind the U Bein Bridge is an amazing photo opportunity not to be missed.

Midship on topmost Sun Deck, the Main Lounge & Bar is the social hub and setting for all pre-excursion briefings, cultural presentations (including a Burmese puppet show), and happy hours; the room can also be a quiet place to relax and read one of many books from the library. The decor is British colonial and geared toward comfort.

Huge picture-windows present marvelous views port and starboard. The Bar is a great place to get an espresso during the day or enjoy a cocktail before or after dinner. Aft of the Main Lounge, Sun Deck is open air. A midship pool, large enough to cool off a dozen passengers at a time, sits amid some sunning space. Additional seating aft is sheltered under a canopy. Spa services are also available, which is rather rare for a ship this size; a morning massage is a wonderful way to while away some time en route to your next destination. Sun Deck is the key location to view a dramatic sunrise or enjoy a beautiful sunset. These are the best times of the day to capture a stunning photo, with often exceptional colors in the sky blending with the amazing ambiance of the Irrawaddy River. In the morning, a dense fog hovering over the land and water lends an ethereal quality to the landscape. You’re in one ot the world’s most exotic and remote places; take a bit of time to absorb the immensity of the locale. The Restaurant is aft, down on Main Deck. There are no elevators onboard, but then there are only three decks (you won’t get lost on the AmaPura). The dining room can accommodate all passengers at tables seating from four to 10. The atmosphere is convivial, and you will meet all of your fellow passengers within the first few days. I

Cabins on the AmaPura have plenty of room to relax in, but many passengers preferred to socialize on Sun Deck, with its Main Lounge and pool.

recommend taking the opportunity to share meals with as many other guests as possible during the course of the voyage; people taking this kind of cruise are well traveled and very interesting. The dinner menu, created daily utilizing local produce whenever possible, presents three choices, including vegetarian. The chef pays careful attention to incorporating authentic Burmese fare. Breakfast and lunch are buffet style, with several cooking stations and diverse selections. House wines, local beer, and soft drinks are complimentary at lunch and dinner. Service is very attentive. AmaWaterways clearly places a high priority on excellent cuisine.

s we set sail upriver, I am struck by the serenity of the Irrawaddy in contrast to the high energy of Yangon. I soon find I have something somewhat useless in my bag—a cell phone. The AmaPura is equipped with all the appropriate and latest communication and safety technology, but not Wi-Fi. So no e-mails and no cell-phone connection unless we are by a major city—and even then it’s very sketchy. Be prepared and don’t make any promises to anyone. Tell your friends and family that you will be incommunicado. This is a welcome price to pay for sailing the Irrawaddy River. Leaving Yangon behind, we are soon immersed in authentic Myanmar, rural areas virtually untouched by tourism. Among the dozen-plus calls on our itinerary are many small villages where we ourselves are, in fact, the spectacle. Everyone is welcoming and friendly, eager to greet us with mingalarbar (hello). We quickly notice that the women and children have “painted” their faces with a white substance; known as thanaka; it is made from the ground bark of local trees and serves as a combination of sunscreen and beauty product. Also, everyone wears colorful longyi skirts made from a local textile (primarily silk). Many women passengers (and a few men) purchased a longyi as a souvenir—and to wear during the cruise. Shore excursions are included in the fares, and many put us in close contact with the people of Myanmar. Sometimes we traveled like locals—we toured Da Nyu Phyu, one of our first calls, on a trishaw (sort of a threewheel pedal rickshaw), later saw the sights of Inwa from a horse-drawn cart, and scooted around Mingun on a tuk-tuk (motorized rickshaw). We visited a silversmith’s workshop in Sagaing, enjoyed a pottery-making demonstration in Yandabo, watched master craftsmen fashion thin gold-leaf in Mandalay. We met students in monasteries and farmers in markets. A new eye-opening experience was around every bend. Although I and other seasoned travelers on the AmaPura were aware of legendary Bagan, approaching the city by river, as the tops of myriad temples and stupas become visible, took our breath away. Bagan is withContinued on next page

A passenger’s cell-phone photos delighted these young nuns at a monastery in Sagaing.

A fleet of trishaws was our local transportation when touring the historic city of Da Nyu Phyu.

During our call in Yandabo, a craftswomen demonstrated traditional pottery-making techniques.

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Continued

A visit to a marketplace in Mandalay took care of any last-minute souvenir purchases. At the market in Minhla we saw fresh produce that might have wound up on our dinner plates.

out a doubt the most dramatic destination in Myanmar—it is, in fact, the richest archeological site in Southeast Asia. In the mid 11th century Anawrahta, a Kingdom Of Pagan (Bagan) prince, rose to power and, through economic, social and religious reforms (including introducing Theravada Buddhism), established the First Burmese Empire, with Bagan at its center. The empire thrived for two centuries, its wealth devoted to building a staggering 10,000 Buddhist temples in Bagan. Many temples, the city, and the empire fell with the Mongol invasion of the late 13th century. Today more than 2,200 temples remain in various stages of restoration, reconstruction, disrepair, and neglect. And Bagan is now two cities. In 1990, in an effort to preserve the temples, the government relocated the citizens from the Archeological Zone (Old Bagan) to undeveloped land two-and-a-halfmiles south (New Bagan). Both cities are worth visiting—which can be done, as the AmaPura spends more than 24 hours here— but it is Old Bagan that mesmerizes. We opted to begin our visit with a predawn climb to the top of a tall temple to soak in the most amazing sunrise I have ever seen —a kaleidoscope of colors enveloping the monuments all around us, with a pervasive mist hovering among the trees making it a truly magical moment. A similar, perhaps more dramatic, experience can be had from a hot-air balloon—a very expensive option. Touring the Bagan Archeological Zone is a must, but the site is huge (40 square miles), the terrain challenging, and the sun intense. Best to take a cart ride with a local as your friendly and informative guide who will describe the many architectural styles and bring you to the most important sights. The well maintained Ananda Temple (built in 1105) is the most famous; the Dhammayazika Temple (1167-1170) is the largest; and the Lawkananda Pagoda dates back to the reign of Anawrahta. Don’t overlook the Bagan Archaeological Museum, the home of many rare objects, including the original Myazedi stone tablet with inscriptions in four languages and known as the Rosetta Stone of Burma. Despite the long day, that evening I was giddy with anticipation as I climbed to the top of another temple to witness a glorious sunset.

agan is the highlight of any visit to Myanmar, but the cruise had many other unforgettable moments, such as our evening excursion from Inwa to visit the U Bein Bridge at sunset. Spanning the Taungthaman Lake in Amarapura, the three-fourth-milelong bridge is believed to be the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world. Built around 1850 from wood reclaimed from the

royal palace in Inwa, the U Bein attracts many local visitors as well as tourists. While you may enjoy walking across the bridge, I think the best experience to be had is from a small boat on the lake at sunset. You might catch the photo of your vacation with the sun slowly setting in beautiful shades of orange and red with the bridge in the foreground. Mingun is far less famous than Bagan but nonetheless is still well known for its two major monuments. The Pahtodawgyi, a huge uncompleted stupa begun by eccentric King Bodawpaya in 1790, was never finished because, as the story goes, it was prophesied that the king would die when the stupa was completed. If it had been finished, the Pahtodawgyi would likely have been the largest stupa in the world. In contrast, the Myatheindan Pagoda, built in 1816 in a distinct architectural style, is beautifully finished in bright white and representative of the Buddhist mythological mountain known as Mount Meru. You may wish to climb the 88 stairs to catch the great views. Our cruise ended in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second largest city (population 1.6 million) and renowned as the nations’s center of culture. At foot of Mandalay Hill, we visited Kuthodaw Pagoda, said to contain the world’s largest book—the entire Pali Canon (scriptures) of Theravada Buddhism. On the pagoda’s grounds are 729 small stupas, each containing a marble slab, each side of which is inscribed with a page of text from the Pali Canon—those slabs add up to one big book. Ascending Mandalay Hill begins with an adventurous, somewhat harrowing, tuk-tuk ride, followed by many stairs. But it’s worth the climb for the breathtaking views from the terrace of the Sutaungpyei Pagoda—a panorama of Mandalay, which is best seen at sunset. Be sure to also tour the pagoda to appreciate its incredible architecture and many beautiful Buddha statues. We bid adieu to our newfound friends at the farewell dinner back onboard the AmaPura. The next morning, as the crew readied the riverboat for a downstream voyage, most of our cruise’s guests would be flying back to Yangon for a day at leisure, another included hotel overnight, and then the trip home. Some passengers were headed for the threenight Inle Lake post-cruise extension, which is highly recommended. I am fortunate to be one of the pioneer cruise-travelers to Myanmar. Word is spreading fast that the mysterious country is now open to tourism, and demand is growing faster than the infrastructure to support it. But sooner or later Myanmar will be ready to welcome the millions of visitors it is sure to attract. So book a cruise on the intimate AmaPura now and enjoy unspoiled Myanmar while you still can. For more information contact your travel agent or AmaWaterways (Cruise Travel Magazine), 26010 Mureau Rd./Suite 200, Calabasas, CA 91302; call 800-626-0126; or CT log on to www.amawaterways.com.

HOMEPORT SPOTLIGHT

Bill McAllen

Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Chicago, and it lies just a three-hour drive from the New York metropolitan area. Washington, DC, is 40 miles away, and Annapolis is even closer at 20 miles distant. The Cruise Maryland Terminal at South Locust Point sits along Interstate 95. Parking is available on site for $15 a night, and according to port official Richard Scher, “It is not uncommon to see license plates in the parking lots of the cruise terminal from North Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, West Virginia, and Ohio.” For those who want to fly in, it’s just a 10-minute drive from Baltimore Washington International Airport. This year and next, the 2,124-passenger Carnival Pride sails out of Baltimore on a range of five- to 14day cruises to Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. The vessel rejoins RCI’s 1,950-pax Grandeur Of The Seas, which never was redeployed out of the city and operates on a similar program of cruises to Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean, plus Canada/New England. In addition, Crystal Cruises’ 922-pax Crystal Symphony will make a onetime voyage from Baltimore to the Caribbean on November 2. On the small-ship front, American Cruise Lines has long called Baltimore one of its East Coast homeports. In 2015 and 2016, the line has seasonal cruises scheduled aboard the 104-pax Independence, 100-pax American Star, or 49-pax American Glory. These six- or seven-night itineraries explore Chesapeake Bay, making port calls at historic destinations in Maryland and Virginia— including marquee sites like Yorktown/ Williamsburg and Annapolis—and also stopping at lesser known ports in-between. Passengers who want to learn more about the area’s history will find Baltimore’s famous downtown Inner Harbor just five minutes from the cruise terminal. Among the Inner Harbor’s attractions are the Maryland Science Center, which features an IMAX theater and planetarium; the National Aquarium, home to 17,000 sea creatures including sharks, dolphins, and rays; the Baltimore Maritime Museum, site of several decommissioned warships including the only Civil War ship still afloat; and Fort McHenry—inspiration for The Star Spangled Banner. American Cruise Lines’ small-ship voyages depart from here as well. For more information about cruising from Baltimore and a schedule of departures log on to www.cruise.maryland.gov, the Maryland Port Administration’s dedicated cruise web site. For more information on attractions in the Baltimore area and to request a free travel guide, log on to www.baltimore.org CT or call 877-225-8466.

RCI’s Grandeur Of The Seas has long been homeported in Baltimore.

B A LT I M O R E Carnival Rejoins Royal Caribbean For Year-Round Cruising From The Mid-Atlantic By M.T. Schwartzman

he port of Baltimore. Maryland, represents something of a case study of the ups and downs in recent years of Homeland Cruising from ports along the Mid-Atlantic Coast. Baltimore was one of the early beneficiaries of the trend to move cruise ships closer to their source markets, which began after the attacks of 9-11, so that passengers could drive to their vessels rather than have to fly. In fact, Baltimore was one of several Mid-Atlantic ports to open a brand-new terminal at the peak of the Homeland Cruising phenomenon in the mid 2000s, two others being Brooklyn, New York, and Norfolk, Virginia. In this decade, the pendulum has begun to swing the other way, as global demand for cruising has diverted ships from North America to distant ports, some as far away as China and Australia. Closer to home, implementation of the North American Emission Control Area (ECA) threatened to increase operating costs for cruise lines, and for a time some ships were repositioned away from the Mid-Atlantic for this reason. But almost immediately, these plans were reconsidered, and Carnival Cruise Lines in particular announced that the Carnival Pride would return to year-round cruising from Baltimore in 2015, better than ever with newly installed FunShip 2.0 enhancements including new dining, bar, and entertainment options. In making its announcement, the line addressed the issue of the ECA, which would

initially cap sulfur emissions at 1.0 percent and then 0.1 percent: “Carnival Pride is one of several Carnival Cruise Lines ships that will be outfitted with exhaust gas cleaning technology—known as scrubbers—designed to reduce air emissions from cruise ships and large marine vessels,” Carnival said. “Scrubber technology will be installed on Carnival Pride prior to its Baltimore deployment in spring 2015. This new technology will enable Carnival Pride to exceed the stricter air emission standards established for operation within the North American Emission Control Area (ECA).” This, of course, was welcome news in Baltimore, which reports that in 2014 nearly 200,000 passengers departed on 89 cruises, ranking Baltimore sixth on the East Coast, 11th in the U.S., and 20th in the world for cruise passengers. According to the port administration, nearly every cruise that has departed Baltimore since the port started offering year-round cruising has sailed at full capacity. In addition, the port says that some 500 jobs are created by the cruise business in Maryland, including 220 direct jobs at the port itself, and that the industry contributes $90-million in economic activity to the state. Most recently, the terminal won two customer service awards from Royal Caribbean International. Baltimore casts a wide net when it comes to attracting cruise passengers. It is the closest East Coast drive-to port from Pittsburgh,

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

SHIP OF THE MONTH

COSTA DIADEMA The new flagship of Costa Cruises claims the title as the “Queen Of The Mediterranean” By Peter Knego

hose who love big cruise ships with a vibrant European flair need look no further than Costa Cruises’ brand-new Costa Diadema, also known as “La Regina Dell’Mediterraneo” (“Queen Of The Mediterranean”). Introduced late last year, the 132,500-gross-ton/3,724-passenger cruise liner is a veritable floating city with a head-spinning array of dining and entertainment venues. The Costa Diadema (“diadema” is Italian for “tiara”) is not only the biggest ship in the 15- vessel Costa fleet but also the largest Italian-flagged cruise liner to date. Apart from Costa’s signature blue and yellow “paint can” funnel, her towering, rounded superstructure, terraced stern, and cantilevered promenade deck should ring a few familiar bells with legions of American cruisers. Indeed, the Costa Dia-

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

dema is built on the platform of Carnival Cruise Lines’ Dream Class, sharing the same blueprint and technical features as the Carnival Dream, Carnival Magic, and Carnival Breeze. In fact, the Costa Diadema’s eye-popping interiors will resonate with anyone who has sailed with Carnival over the years, as they are the decorative progeny of Miami-based designer Joseph Farcus. He has created the interiors of every Carnival ship from the 1978 conversion of the Festivale through the 2011 construction of the Carnival Magic, and Farcus has also designed every Costa newbuild since the Costa Atlantica was introduced in 2000. Despite her familiar features, the Costa Diadema is not geared for American passengers seeking strictly American-style cruise-ship comforts and

Peter Knego

Costa Cruises

The massive, 11-deck-high Atrio Eliodoro pulsates with color.

A sliding glass dome can cover the Lido Diana pool area.

The Costa Diadema, the largest Italian-flagged cruise liner to date, sails Mediterranean itineraries for Costa Cruises. (Spread Photo Courtesy Costa Cruises)

activities. Her realm is more like a mad-cap European playground with an emphasis on fun that tends to be loud, crowded, and, especially during holidays and summer vacation, brimming with bambini. Aside from the Chapel (all Costa ships have one), the Samsara Spa, and maybe the Library, quiet corners and oases of tranquility are few and far between. Entering via the massive, 11-deck-high Atrio Eliodoro is akin to stepping into a fantasy land of pulsating color, stimulating patterns, and fiber-optic Tivoli lighting. As modern pop music sets the pace and the steamy aroma of espresso wafts from the atrium bar, a quartet of panoramic elevators soar in a backdrop of changing hues like a Jules Verne apparition. From that point onwards, expect to encounter

every color in the spectrum, bold patterns, baroque detailing, and flamboyant artworks—the latter themed to “royalty.” Like most megaships, the Costa Diadema has public areas at the bottom and top, sandwiching decks of accommodations. Decks 3, 4, and 5 are fully dedicated to public rooms that are connected via broad, meandering passageways. Deck 5 also boasts a wonderful, 16-foot-wide, fully-encircling exterior promenade called the Terrazza, which is cantilevered over the sea. Several eateries and bars open directly on to it with al fresco seating, while the Bar Teodora occupies the aft terrace overlooking the ship’s wake. Shaded cabanas and six buttresses with hot tubs punctuate its length, making the Terrazza a destinaContinued on page 29 tion unto itself. Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Costa Cruises

DECK PLANS

Deck 14 (Aft)

COSTA DIADEMA

Deck 14 (Forward)

Deck 12

Deck 11

Deck 10

Deck 5

Deck 4

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Deck 3

Deck 15

Balcony Cabins are the most popular category.

Peter Knego

The 51 Suites measure 336 square feet.

The 20 Family Cabins are the line’s first.

COSTA DIADEMA FACTS & FIGURES Company: Costa Cruises. Built: 2014 at Fincantieri shipyard, Marghera, Italy; hull number 6203. Country Of Registry: Italy. Gross Tonnage: 132,500. Length: 1,003 feet. Beam: 122 ft. (158 ft. including Deck 5 promenade extensions). Draft: 27 ft. Speed: 20 knots (22 maximum). Propulsion: Six diesel-electric motors that generate 84,933 brake horsepower to drive twin screws. Passenger Capacity: 3,724 double occupancy (4,947 all berths). Passenger Space Ratio: 35.6. Normal Crew Size: 1,253. Nationality Of Crew: International. Cabins: 1,862 in six categories—1,161 outside/701 inside, with 921 of the outsides (about 50 percent of the overall accommodations) offering private balconies; there are 10 Grand Suites (455 square feet), 51 Suites (336 sq. ft.), 14 Mini Suites (284 sq. ft.), 846 Balcony Cabins (185 sq. ft.), 240 Oceanview Cabins (191 sq. ft.), and 701 Inside Cabins (150 sq. ft.); of these, 141 are designated Samsara Spa accommodations including two Grand Suites, nine Suites, 90 Balcony Cabins, and 40 Inside Cabins. Further, 20 Oceanview Cabins are offered as Family Cabins, sleeping up to five and featuring added bathroom facilities. There are 30 cabins (some in every category except Grand Suite) that are handicapped accessible. Public Rooms: Teatro Emerald (main show lounge, seats 1,358); Atrio Eliodoro (11-deckhigh atrium with a bar at its base); Ristorante Adularia (main dining room, seats 742); Ristorante Fiorentino (main dining room, seats 1,256); Grand Bar Orlov (seats 362); Birreria Dresden Green (two-deck beer garden, seats 124); Vinoteca Gran Duca Di Toscana (wine bar, seats 52); Country Rock Club (seats 144); Gelateria Amarillo (a la carte gelato, pastry, and sweets shop, seats 45); Card Room (seats 45); Cigar Lounge (seats 36); Bar Bollicine (prosecco and champagne bar, seats 99); Ristorante Club Diadema (a la carte steakhouse, seats 142); Tavola Teppanyaki (a la carte Japanese-style grill, seats 45); Pizzeria La Piazza (a la carte pizzeria, seats

106); Ristorante Samsara (spa restaurant, seats 110); Piano Bar Principe Nero (seats 66); Salone Teodora (cabaret lounge, seats 224); Bar Teodora (on stern terrance, seats 140); Club Lido Diana (casual buffet dining venue, seats 321); Ristorante Buffet Corona Blu (casual buffet dining venue, seats 761); Discoteca Pietra Di Luna (two-level nightclub, seats 120); Casino Jubilee (poker, blackjack, and roulette tables, slot machines); Cinema 4D (24 seats); Library Perla Nera (seats 21); Chapel (seats 35); Bar Stella Del Sud (bar and terrace overlooking aft lido, seats 187); Terrazza Sinistra (covered portside terrace, seats 108 on promenade); Terrazza Destra (covered starboardside terrace, seats 120 on promenade). Facilities/Features: 14 passenger decks; 18 passenger elevators; fully air-conditioned; stabilized; reception/customer service desk; photo gallery; travel/shore excursion office; Galleria Shops (shopping arcade); Portobello Market (Italian specialty-food store); Sala Desiree (123-seat meeting room); Sala Tiara (10-seat meeting room); fully encircling promenade deck; three pools; eight Jacuzzis; solariums; Squok Club and Lido Squok (children’s play areas including waterpark, pirate castle; accommodates 90); Teen Zone and Club Allnatt (16-seat teen club); Star Laser (gaming area, accommodates eight); beauty salon; Samsara Spa (various treatment rooms; steam area; thalassotherapy pool; Winter Garden relaxation area; Lido Burmese Rose outdoor relaxation area); Scuderia Costa Virtual Race Car (Grand Prix simulator); gymnasium (cardio machines, spinning cycles, weight machines, free weights, aerobics and stretching area, classes); 1,640-footlong jogging track; all-weather sliding glass dome over Lido Diana pool area; games court (basketball, tennis, volleyball); Wi-Fi access throughout ship (extra charges apply); medical center. Money Matters: Like most modern cruise ships, the Costa Diadema operates on a cashless basis, allowing passengers to use their shipboard-ID/room-key card to charge drinks, shore excursions, spa treatments, and other onboard purchases to their guest account,

which is billed to the credit card registered by the guest. Passengers who choose not to use a credit card for payment of their onboard charges must provide a cash deposit to cover their onboard expenses within 48 hours of embarkation; this deposit must be a minimum of €150 per-person; if the onboard expenses exceed the amount deposited, a new cash deposit will be required.; at the end of the cruise any remaining funds will be returned in cash to the guests. The onboard currency is euros; U.S. dollars can be exchanged and Traveler’s Checks can be cashed at the Guest Relations Desk; personal checks cannot be cashed onboard. Through November 2015, a service charge of €8.50, per-passenger (15 years of age and older)/per-day, is automatically billed to the passenger accounts. Between November 2015 and November 2016, the service charge will increase to €9, per-passenger/per-day. Passengers between the ages of four- and 14-years-old will be charged 50 percent of the above rates. There is no service charge for guests under the age of four. Itineraries/Fares: Through December 2015, the Costa Diadema sails seven-night “Marvelous Mediterranean” itineraries between Savona and Barcelona, calling at La Spezia, Naples, Marseille, and Palma De Mallorca. In December, the ship sails three seven-night sailings from Barcelona to Tunis, Rome, La Spezia, Savona, and Marseille, as well as an eight-night sailing departing December 28 from Barcelona to Palma De Mallorca, Naples, Rome, La Spezia, Savona, and Marseille. On January 5, 2016, there is a six-night sailing from Barcelona to Rome, La Spezia, Savona, and Marseille. The ship then begins a program of seven-night Barcelona to Tunis, Rome, La Spezia, Savona, and Marseilles sailings through March 2016. Per-person/double-occupancy rates range from $499 for an Inside Cabin on select sailings to $2,719 for a Suite on the December 28 departure. For More Information: Contact your travel agent or Costa Cruises (Cruise Travel Magazine), 200 South Park Rd./Suite 200, Hollywood, FL 33021; call 800-462-6782; or log on to www.costacruises.com.

COSTA DIADEMA

culture), Feel The Beat (dance featuring jazz, hip hop, samba, and other rhythms), and Kings & Queens Of Pop & Rock (highlighting Top 40 music “royalty” from Elvis and the Beatles to Queen and Michael Jackson). Throughout the rest of the ship, smaller venues deliver entertainment on a more intimate scale, from live musicians in the Atrio Eliodoro to country and rock music in the Country Rock Bar, ballroom and group danc-

ing in the Grand Bar Orlov, and, perhaps, a cabaret singer in the Salone Teodora. Keeping the mood festive, members of the cruise staff engage guests with antics that range from pantomime and slapstick routines to emceeing pool games, game shows, and children’s activities. Night owls—and there are always plenty despite the port-intensive European itiner-

Continued from page 27

Occupying the forward portion of decks 3, 4, and 5 is the ship’s largest public room, the Teatro Emerald. The showroom’s state-of-theart lighting and sound systems set the stage for lavish productions that include Flavors Of Italy (a musical emphasizing Italian art and

Continued on next page

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Peter Knego

One of two main dining rooms, the Ristorante Adularia accommodates 742 at two dinner seatings.

COSTA DIADEMA Continued from previous page

aries—have myriad venues, from the open-air Bar Stella Del Sud overlooking the aft pool to the neon surrounds of the Piano Bar Principe Nero and the double-deck Discoteca Pietra Di Luna. There are usually two late-evening gala parties per-cruise—an all-white-attire affair and a fancy masquerade ball, both of which are held in the Lido Diana pool area. There is also the Casino Jubilee and a vast shopping arcade for those with a few euros to spare.

he Costa Diadema has two large, traditional dining rooms—the aft-situated double-deck Fiorentino and the midship Adularia, both of which offer full-service breakfast (7:30 to 8:45 a.m.), lunch (noon to 1:30 p.m.), and dinner (two seatings, 7 and 9:15 p.m.). While not white-glove, service is friendly and efficient, and the cuisine well presented and tasty. Four-course dinners include antipasti (appetizers, such as buffalo mozzarella with squid and sea urchin) primi piatti (first courses, such as rice timbale with meat sauce and varying pasta offerings), secondi piatti (main courses, ranging from suckling pig with sweet and sour pumpkin to an olive fennel puree with scabbardfish soup), and dolci (desserts, such as a shortbread pastry with Marasca cherry syrup, gelato, or a no-sugar option) or a cheese selection. There

are also vegetarian and always-available choices such as spaghetti with tomato and basil sauce, cod fillet, or pan-fried chicken breast. (It should be noted that guests in Classic Cabin categories cannot choose their dining room or seating while guests in Premium Cabin categories may book their restaurant choice and dining time in advance.) In the buffet-style trattoria Club Lido Diana, which stretches from the high-decibel midship pool area aft to an enclosed dining space, Italian-style breakfast is available between 7 and 11 a.m. Fans of Americanstyle breakfast should be aware that in the lido buffet there are no hot courses such as eggs or bacon, and that the overall selection is somewhat limited, but the quality of the cold cuts, fresh fruits, and baked goods is superb. Eating utensils are conveniently hung on racks at each table, but the caveat here is that they act like tactile beacons to the fingers of curious kids. For some peace of mind, it wouldn’t hurt to bring along a minibottle of hand sanitizer to clean your utensils prior to use. Lunch in Club Diana is served between noon and 3 p.m. with offerings that include a salad bar, pasta, pizza, cold cuts, cheeses, Asian stir-fry, and warm entrees (meat, fish, soup). In the evening, a section of Club Lido Diana transforms into Corona Blu, an open-seating, full-service dinner venue (with the same menu as the main Fiorentino and Adularia restaurants) that operates between 6:30 and 10:30 p.m.

Deck 5 boasts a number of alternate dining venues catering to a veritable smorgasbord of tastes. Spa-themed and healthy cuisine is available for breakfast (7:30-9:15 a.m.), lunch (noon-1:30 p.m.), and dinner (7-9:30 p.m.) in the Samsara Restaurant at a pricey €25 per-person/per-meal tariff but complimentary for those booked in Samsara Spa cabins. Nearby, the Club Diadema Restaurant (€25 per-person) is open for dinner, offering a steakhouse-style meat and seafood menu in an intimate venue with fine stemware, posh linens, and china table settings. Across from the Club Diadema is Tavola Teppanyaki, Costa’s first Japanese-themed grill-in-theround restaurant where the chef prepares items like meat, chicken, fish, and tofu (€25 to €30 per-person, depending on selection) with a spatula-flipping flourish that is as entertaining as the food is tasty. A bit farther aft is the Pizzeria La Piazza (open 6:30 p.m. until midnight), which serves genuine Neapolitan-style pizza, salad, and dessert for

Lavish, high-tech productions are presented in

Peter Knego

More than 80 vintages can be sampled from a wine dispenser in the Vinoteca Gran Duca Di Toscana.

€4 per-person—it’s the line’s first multicourse pizzeria. Another new and popular venue is the Gelateria Amarillo, overlooking the Atrio Eliodoro, where a la carte treats like gelato (€1.5 per scoop), crepes, candies, and other sweets can be purchased. American cruisers should also note that tap water is only served in the buffet for breakfast and lunch. During dinner, just as one would find in a European restaurant, only bottled water is available in all venues (at €3 per-liter). Coffee (and tea) lovers face similar limitations, with those beverages complimentarily served only at breakfast and tea time. One way around this is to purchase an all-inclusive drinks package for €25 perday that includes all coffee, teas, espressos, bottled water, soft drinks, and a wide selection of wines, beers, and spirits. Also unique to the Costa Diadema are three specialty beverage venues. The Vinoteca Gran Duca Di Toscana has more 80 vintages that can be sampled from an Enomatic wine dispenser with the swipe of the guest’s ID card. Directly across the way is the

Birreria Dresden Green, a double-deck beer garden with German and Italian brews and, for an extra dose of authenticity, surrounds that include beer barrels and piped-in “oompah-pah” music. Meanwhile, those in search of a fine Italian liquor or sparkling wine find that and more at the Bar Bollicine, which is on a terrace overlooking the Grand Bar Orlov.

Peter Knego

ore Costa firsts on the line’s new flagship include the Cinema 4-D (€8), where guests can watch 3-D film presentations in seats that vibrate, tilt, and get sprayed with mist—adding a new dimension to the movie-going experience. There is also the Scuderia Costa Virtual Race Car with several courses to choose from (€4-18, depending on program level selected) and the Star Laser, a high-tech video parlor and laser shooting range that can be used for karaoke and private parties that also features a Laser Maze (€2). With more than a thousand kids on most sailings, it should come as no surprise that

The Pizzeria La Piazza is the line’s first a la carte pizzeria serving a multi-course menu.

Costa Cruises

chilled drinks and herbal teas), and a quiet, exclusive deck area atop the ship with sunning space and a Jacuzzi. The spa is located in the forward portion of decks 15, 14, and 12 (there is no deck numbered 13) and offers up a variety of treatments, from manicures, facials, and hair styling to massages. There are 15 treatment rooms and a pair of private couples rooms with their own Jacuzzis. Guests staying in Samsara Spa staterooms—ranging from forward-facing Grand Suites with glass-enclosed verandas and private Jacuzzis to standard-size interior cabins—have free access to the spa and a number of extra perks, including: a prime location adjacent to the spa (in a quiet part of the ship); enhanced decor and soft fittings; robes and slippers; a mini-bar stocked with healthy treats (juices, yogurt, etc); priority access to the Samsara Restaurant (extra charges may apply); complimentary room service; and insuite continental breakfast Overall, there are six cabin categories, topped by 10 Grand Suites (with large balconies, separate bedrooms, living rooms, a dressing area with walk-in closet, and bathrooms with whirlpool tubs). Other stateroom styles include Suites, Mini Suites, Balcony Cabins, Oceanview Cabins, and Interior Cabins. Within each category, in addition to Samsara Spa cabins, there are two sub-categories: Classic (the most basic) and Premium (better, less noisy locations with the added perks of free room service and the chance to

the 1,358-seat, three-deck-high Teatro Emerald.

Smokers can relax indoors in the comfortable 36-seat Cigar Lounge.

Peter Knego

the Costa Diadema has a dedicated children’s recreation area called Club Squok (named for Costa’s dolphin-like mascot). Kids in age groups 3-to-6 and 7-to-11 have separate, multi-lingual facilities (with access to a mock castle, pirate ship, and wading pool area) at the top of the ship. Nearby, the Teen Zone has separate activities geared for age groups 12-to-14 and 15-to-17. Fitness buffs have a netted-in games court aft on Deck 14 for basketball and volleyball as well as a jogging track lined with open-air exercise machines. A well-equipped gym features the latest in cardio and weight machines, free weights, and a stretching area. That hand sanitizer (along with a washcloth, as neither is supplied) would also come in handy to sterilize the equipment, if desired. Spinning, yoga, and Pilates classes are offered for a nominal fee. Those seeking a little indulgence or just a quiet getaway can purchase a day pass at the Samsara Spa for €35 (or a full-cruise pass for €105), providing access to a steam area, thalassotherapy pool, relaxation room (with

choose dining room and seating time precruise). All staterooms feature queen beds that convert to twins, a safe, mini-bar (extra charges apply), phone, hair-dryer, flat-screen television with pay-per-view movie selections, individually controlled air-conditioning, and ample storage space. Another first for Costa are 20 Oceanview Cabins that are further designated as Family Cabins; each offers up a total of five berths (three lower and two upper) and two bathrooms (one with shower, sink, and toilet; the other with minitub and sink). On the ship’s Mediterranean itineraries, guests can begin or end their cruises in most ports-of-call, giving passengers a lot of sailing options; another plus is that there is less of a crunch of people at each embarkation. On the downside are the multi-lingual boat drills that are held almost every day, during which safety announcements are broadcast throughout the ship, including staterooms. With so much to do, it’s no wonder that the Costa Diadema has already established herself as one of the line’s most popular ships. Life onboard the “Queen Of The Mediterranean” is not unlike venturing into Rome on a busy day—once you get past all of the hustle and bustle, new adventures and diversions await around every corner. On this particular Italian mega-ship, it’s best to leave preconceived notions at home, grab a cappuccino, a gelato, or perhaps a glass of wine, CT and just go with the flow.

CRUISE NEWS Continued from page 18

cruise liners for Costa and AIDA will be the first in the industry to be powered at sea by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the world’s cleanest burning fossil fuel, representing a major environmental breakthrough. Pioneering an era in the use of sustainable fuels, these new vessels will use LNG to generate 100 percent of the ships’ power both in port and on the open sea—an industry-first innovation that will significantly reduce exhaust emissions to help protect the environment and support the company’s aggressive sustainability goals. The four-ship contract is part of Carnival Corp.’s larger, previously announced strategic memo of understanding with leading shipbuilders Meyer Werft and Italy-based Fincantieri S.p.A for nine new ship orders between 2019 and 2022. For more information log on to Carnival Corp.’s web site, www.carnivalcorp.com.

Un-Cruise Adventures Expands

PREVIEW COMING NOV/DEC 2015 On Sale At Your Newsstand Nov. 10, 2015 Ship Of The Month

MS NORDSTJERNEN Hurtigruten’s classic Norwegian coastal liner turns 60.

Port Of The Month

HONG KONG East meets West at this top Asian cruise gateway.

Cruise Of The Month

MAYA MEXICO Carnival’s voyages of the Yucatan peninsula.

A New Look At

CRYSTAL CRUISES New owners plan bold expansion of the luxury line.

If You Only Have A Day In

KOTOR, MONTENEGRO Perhaps the Adriatic’s best preserved medieval city.

Last Frontier Cruising

DISNEY IN ALASKA The family-oriented line is not just for kids.

Homeport Spotlight

NEW ORLEANS The Crescent City sets a new cruise record.

Plus other full-color features, regular departments, more. . . . 32

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Expanding operations across the West Coast of the Americas, small-ship operator UnCruise Adventures has released its full deployment schedule for 2016 with nine ships offering adventure and river cruises in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, Columbia and Snake rivers, Mexico, Hawaii, and—new for 2016—the Galapagos Islands and Costa Rica & Panama. The Un-Cruise Adventures fleet of small vessels carry 22 to 88 passengers on cruises ranging from one week to 21 nights. Adventure activities, tours, presentations, onboard beverages, and more are included in the rates. From October 2016 through April 2017, the 64-guest Safari Voyager sails new weeklong “Uncharted Isthmus! Sloths, Monkeys & Mangroves” cruises between San Jose (Costa Rica) and Panama City. Featured are jungle hikes and watersports activities in Costa Rica at Curu National Wildlife Refuge, Isla Tortuga, Manuel Antonio National Park, Corcovado National Park, and Golfo Dulce; plus in Panama at Coiba National Park, and Gulf Of Panama Islands. A full Panama Canal transit is also included on the cruise. Follow in Darwin’s footsteps on the line’s other new destination for 2016, the Galapagos. The 10-day “Unequaled Ecuador! Colonial Quito & Galapagos Islands” itinerary includes a two-day tour of historic Quito, Ecuador, and a weeklong cruise among seven of the showcase islands. The 48 guests on the La Pinta enjoy island hikes, glass-bottom boat touring, snorkeling, and kayaking to get up close to wildlife including iguanas, sea lions, birds, penguins, and giant tortoises. For more information contact your travel agent or Un-Cruise Adventures (Cruise Travel Magazine), 3826 18th Ave. West, Seattle, WA 98119; call 888-862-8881; or log on to www.un-cruise.com.

New NCL Dining Package Norwegian Cruise Line just announced its new Specialty Dining Packages that allow guests the freedom to savor an array of tastes and unique experiences at the line’s signature specialty restaurants and the flexibility to choose the number of nights they’d like to dine for one set price. NCL guests can now enjoy a Specialty Dining Package ranging from three days to the length of their entire cruise, with pricing starting at $59 per-person for a three-day package when purchased online prior to sailing. With NCL’s Freestyle Cruising and new Specialty Dining Packages, guests have the freedom to choose how, where, and when they’d like to dine. Passengers can tailor their taste buds to their cruising schedule and discover a different specialty restaurant each night or find a favorite and dine there a few nights during their vacation. The packages are honored in all specialty steakhouses, Brazilian churrascarias, French, Japanese hibachi, and Italian restaurants. Packages can be prepurchased prior to sailing for additional savings or onboard early in the voyage. Packages are purchased individually, and guests traveling in the same stateroom do not need to purchase Specialty Dining Packages as a group. More information is available by visiting www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/diningpackages. To book a cruise on NCL, contact your travel agent; call 888-625-2784; log on to www.ncl.com; or write Norwegian Cruise Line (Cruise Travel Magazine), 7665 Corporate Center Dr., Miami, FL 33126.

Pearl Seas Offers Cuba Cruises Pearl Seas Cruises recently announced plans to offer a series of seven- to 10-night cultural voyages to Cuba in the spring of 2016 onboard its new 210-passenger Pearl Mist. The roundtrip voyages from South Florida will visit several Cuban ports including Havana, Cienfuegos, and Santiago De Cuba. The line plans itineraries on both the southern and northern coasts of Cuba, featuring People-To-People cultural exchanges authorized under U.S. law to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites. “We are delighted to play such an important role in the People-To-People program in support of the Cuban people. The Pearl Mist allows access to more of Cuba’s ports and regions, while providing a relaxed means to engage directly with Cubans and explore the rich history and fabric of Cuban culture,” said Charles A. Robertson, president of Pearl Seas Cruises. These voyages are pending approval by the Office Of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury, the Department Of Commerce, and the Cuban government. For more information contact your travel agent or Pearl Seas Cruises (Cruise Travel Magazine), 741 Boston Post Rd./Suite 250, Guilford, CT, 06437; call 800-983-7462; or CT log on to www.pearlseascruises.com.

ONLY A DAY IN

Saint John, New Brunswick Canada’s little city on the Bay Of Fundy offers Loyalist history, stunning coastal scenery, and the highest tides in the world Photo-Feature By Glen Petrie The symbol of Moosehead Breweries keeps a watchful eye on the al fresco diners at Market Square, a popular shopping and dining complex partially housed in century-old dockside warehouses.

he port of Saint John, New Brunswick, saw its first big ship day back in May 1783, when seven vessels brought 3,000 passengers. Now, as many as four big cruise liners arrive at once, each debarking 3,000 or more passengers on autumn Canada & New England cruises, making Saint John one of the most popular cruise ports in Canada. Those early arrivals were on a one-way journey, Loyalists fleeing the American Revolution. Before the year was out, 11,000 had landed, just some of the 40,000 British subjects who headed across the border to remain true to Great Britain. Out of the wilderness, they built two communities that merged in

34 Cruise Travel September/October 2015

1785 into the city of Saint John, Canada’s oldest incorporated city. (Not to be confused with St. John’s, Newfoundland, with its abbreviated and possessive spelling.) It remains a small center of 120,000 people; yet as a cruise stop, Saint John is a surprise and a delight. Among other attractions, it offers witness to a stunning natural phenomenon, the Fundy tides, the highest tides in the world, reaching heights of up to 50 feet. The Bay Of Fundy is a natural funnel that compresses ocean tides into a massively powerful surge. Twice daily, 100-billion tons of water pours into the bay from the Atlantic Ocean. That’s more than all the water that

Another striking work also stands outside Market Square’s main entry, John Hooper’s Time Piece.

names inspired by their shapes that include Dinosaur Rock, Mother-in-Law, E.T., Turtle Rock, Lover’s Arch, and The Bear. The scenic area is divided into an Upper Site and Lower Site, with a shuttle operating between the two. Facilities, including trails, are wheelchair accessible. At low tide you can descend to the sea floor and walk among the rocks. If you stay long enough (though you probably won’t have time), you can watch the tide rise about 40 feet and turn the pillars into small islands—or vice versa. To know the tide conditions during your planned visit, download a tide table online at w w w. t h e h o p e w e l l r o c k s . c a / l e a r n i n g centre/tide-tables. All visiting ships offer tours to Hopewell Rocks, a trip that takes up most of the day. You can also arrange your own tour with a local taxi driver. Just ask at the information desk in the terminal when you debark. Another beautiful coastal destination lies in the same easterly direction from town but is much closer. The fishing hamlet of St. Martins is reached in 40 minutes on a winding road past quaint farms and rolling hills that, in autumn, are vividly cloaked in the red, yellow, and orange leaves of maple, birch, and aspen trees. St. Martins was once a major ship-building center. The wooded hills provided the lumber to build more than 500 vessels, many of which were large enough for global trade. Wood was also sent to shipyards in England. That rich past is still evident in the many Victorian-era mansions built by sea captains and shipbuilders over 150 years ago. The village of just 400 people is now a magnet for artists and photographers. Local artisans produce pottery, jewelry, paintings and sculptures found on display in local boutiques and galleries. Where the Big Salmon River tumbles out of a tight valley to meet the sea, St. Martins has its port, and brightly painted fishing boats tie up to a weathered Continued on next page

flows in every river on the planet in a 24hour period, or enough to fill the Grand Canyon. This is no gradual easing of water levels; Fundy tides arrive in rolling walls of water, like tidal waves. Their power has carved coastlines of dramatic cliffs and rock pillars. And the best place to experience it is at Hopewell Rocks, in Fundy National Park, two hours east of Saint John. From atop sandstone cliffs, you can look down at low tide on a panorama of “flowerpot rocks,” sandstone pillars created by tidal erosion that stand on the ocean floor. Trees grow on their tops. They are similar to the offshore rocks known as the Twelve Apostles seen along the Great Ocean Road in southern Australia. The Hopewell Rocks have nick-

You can watch cruise ships dock in Saint John’s Uptown from the comfort of the Hilton hotel.

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Located within Market Square, the New Brunswick Museum is worth visiting for its exhibits on local history and life-size models of whales.

Reversing Rapids tumble into Saint John harbor as the tides retreat; when the tide comes in, the rapids are pushed back—but not without a fight.

Saint John, New Brunswick Continued

wharf. When the tide is out, the boats sit on the ground. The small town boasts two attractive covered bridges, a lovely public garden, two lighthouses, an open-air crafts market, and several beaches. Its most famous landmarks are caves carved into the sandstone cliffs by the tumultuous tides. They’re submerged at high tide, but you can walk into them at ebb tide. Just don’t linger too long. St. Martins is easily reached on a half-day tour, but if you have your own locomotion, such as a taxi or rented car, you can continue another six miles east to the entrance of Fundy Trail Parkway, and this is highly recommended. A 10-mile route wends slowly along the undulating coastline, skirting high cliffs with frequent outlooks offering panoramic views. You can see flowerpot rocks and small waterfalls along the way. St. Martins serves up all the seaside quaintness and scenery one expects on a Canada & New England cruise, and is a

quick hop from Saint John. For those reasons it wins my top recommendation for your cruise visit if you don’t venture to Hopewell. But lesser known St. Martins has famous competition. St. Andrews By-The-Sea is Canada’s oldest seaside resort, but it was built more by affluent Americans than Canadians. Just across a small bay from Maine, it was first settled by Loyalists. Thirteen of the town’s streets are named after children of King George III, not to mention King Street, Queen Street, and Prince Of Wales Street. In the early 20th century, trains took passengers up from Boston for their summer holidays, where they checked in with maids and butlers at the famed Algonquin Resort or their shingled, Cape Cod-like “cottages.” Little changed since those heady days, downtown St. Andrews has been designated a National Historic District. The gabled Algonquin still anchors the town, and in fact the property has just emerged from a major renovation to reclaim its five-star status. Refined dining, a renowned golf course, and a genteel atmosphere from days gone by attract guests from all over the world.

Historic Water Street is lined with galleries, shops, and restaurants in brightly painted period buildings. From the pier, you can take a cruise in search of humpback, fin, right, and minke whales. St. Andrews is also a good spot for beach walks, hiking, biking, and kayaking.

espite these outlying attractions, you don’t really have to travel an hour or two from Saint John to have a great day. The city itself is compact, interesting, clean, and safe. Ships dock in the center of the action, known as Uptown, and even within the city limits you can witness the power of the Fundy tides. Your ship will rise and fall with the tides while tied up, which is why the port authority has invested in high-tech, Swedishbuilt loading bridges that automatically adjust to a ship’s constantly changing level. There’s no need for a Sherpa trek up a metal gangway at high tide. The bridges feed into modern, spacious terminals on the two main piers: the Marco Polo Cruise Terminal, built in 2009, and the Diamond Jubilee Cruise Terminal, built in 2012. Both offer free Wi-Fi internet access, shore-excursion kiosks, and

Tourism New Brunswick Photos

The dramatic Hopewell Rocks, in Fundy National Park about two hours from Saint John, can be toured all day—on foot at low tide or by kayak at high tide.

scores of local volunteers offering to help. When a third ship is in a port, a tent is erected on nearby Long Wharf. The biggest attraction in town is the Reversing Rapids, where the large Saint John River passes through a rock gorge and empties into the harbor, doing tumultuous battle with the tides. The majestic force of incoming tides push the rapids backwards, uphill. Fallsview Park is only a 10-minute cab ride costing about $12 (U.S.) each way. It is included on every city tour, as are the Carleton Martello Tower and Fort Howe, two hilltop historic sites that offer panoramic city views. Zip-lining over the Reversing Rapids is sometimes available; check with the tour manager’s office onboard your ship. Saint John’s downtown—sorry, Uptown —is tidy and walkable. Pick up pamphlets in the terminal and follow any of three good self-guided walking tours. (Note: there are some steep hills.) For a small city that was razed by a massive fire in 1877, Saint John has an excellent variety of architectural styles from the early and late Victorian periods. You’ll see homes and office buildings created in the Second Empire style, with the mansard roofs popular in France; Queen Anne Revival, with its turrets, towers and ornamentation; simple and dignified Georgian facades; Italianate structures; Gothic Revival; and more. Many of these Uptown buildings now house cafes, restaurants, and boutiques. You won’t want to miss Market Square, a shopping and dining complex that incorporates parts of warehouses that lined the docks a century ago. Some of the city’s best dining is here, serving fresh seafood on open-air terraces adjacent to the waterfront boardwalk. Try fresh Atlantic lobster if you get a chance. There’s a visitor information center inside the complex, which is also home to the New Brunswick Museum, worth about an hour’s visit for its history timeline and life-size models of whales. Public art is everywhere in Uptown, and

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Ships That Call: You can visit Saint John on ships operated by Blount Small Ship Adventures, Carnival, Crystal, Cunard, Haimark, Holland America, Norwegian, Oceania, P&O, Princess, Regent, Royal Caribbean International, Silversea, and other lines. Money Matters: Currency is the Canadian dollar, worth about 80¢ U.S. at presstime. U.S. dollars are generally accepted, though change will be given in Canadian funds. ATM machines are ubiquitous. Most major credit cards are widely accepted, with the possible exceptions of Discover and Diners Club. Weather: Fog is prevalent, though less so in September and October, when most ships visit. September daytime highs are in the 60s. October temperatures can range from the 40s to the 60s. Getting Around: Saint John is walkable, though with steep hills. Taxis are abundant, and the drivers are generally friendly and helpful. Most trips around the central district will be less than $10, and about $15 each way to Reversing Rapids from the cruise terminals. Fare to St. Martins is about $50 each way for the entire vehicle; to Hopewell, it’s about $165 each way. Waiting time is $30 per-hour. (All figures are in Canadian dollars.) Negotiate for a full- or half-day tour. A car and driver can be booked with Dave’s Taxi Tour Guys (www.davestaxitours.com). Avis Car Rental (www.avis.ca; 800-230-4898) is at 4 Water St., a block or two from the cruise terminals. Enterprise Rent-a-car (www.enterpriserentacar.ca; 506-693-8688) is at 132 Station Street, almost a mile away from the terminal. The Big Pink Sightseeing Buses follow three hop-on, hop-off routes: A—All about Town, R—Reversing Falls Rapids, and T—Top Of The Market. Tour tickets purchased are good for all three routes, which run continuously throughout your day in port. For More Information: Contact your travel agent or Discover Saint John (Cruise Travel Magazine), P.O. Box 1971, Saint John, NB, E2L 4L1 Canada; log on to www.discoversaint john.com; or call 866-463-8639; Or write to Cruise Saint John (Cruise Travel Magazine) 111 Water St., Saint John, NB, E2L 0B1 Canada (www.cruisesaintjohn.com); or Tourism New Brunswick (Cruise Travel Magazine), P.O. Box 12345, Campbellton, NB, E3N 3T6 Canada (www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca; 800-561-0123).

as you approach Market Square, you’ll notice two unique sculptures. One is a bronze moose, created for Moosehead Breweries, an iconic local beer company. And right at the entrance to Market Square stands a playful statue, called Time Piece, of cartoon-like people sitting around a clock tower. It was created by famed local artist John Hooper, whose whimsical sculptures crop up in 10 Saint John locations. Kitty-corner to Time Piece is Hooper’s People Waiting, installed just outside Barbour’s General Store, a lovingly restored general store from the 1800s that is now a tea shop and small museum. City Market, a few blocks uphill of Market Square, is interesting not only for its displays of fresh produce and fish, but also for

its construction. The cathedral-style roof is made of wood beams like the ribs of a sailing ship. It’s been in continuous use since 1876. Just a little farther uphill is King’s Square, another of the four planned public squares. (Queen’s Square is back in the direction of the cruise terminals, and St. Patrick’s Square overlooks the Diamond Jubilee terminal.) There you’ll find an unusual lamp post called “The Three Sisters.” This trio of red lanterns, visible for three miles, has guided ships to port since 1848. If all three lights were visible, a sailor knew he was on the right track. If only two could be seen, a change of course was called for. From here you need only to cross the street to board your ship and sail CT away on the world’s highest tides.

Today’s fishing fleet rests on the river bottom at low tide in St. Martins, which is filled with Victorian mansions built by 19th-century merchants and seamen.

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

CRUISE OF THE MONTH

THE ISLANDS OF EVOLUTION Exploring The Unique Galapagos Archipelago In Style With Silversea Cruises Photo-Feature By Laurel & Charles Doherty

“D

ross, worthless…” was how Fray Tomas De Berlanga, the Bishop Of Panama, found the Galapagos Islands in 1535. “Paradise on earth” was how one Silver Galapagos cruiser, a New England restaurateur, found the archipelago in 2015. Both descriptions are apropos, then and now. De Berlanga, credited as the islands’ discoverer, was no explorer. Currents carried his sailing ship, becalmed en route from Panama to Peru, west to the Galapagos. There was no freshwater on the first isle landed upon, and two men and 10 horses died of thirst before it was found on the second. On Silversea Expeditions’ cruises of the islands, water bottles are, of course, provided for all Silver Galapagos passengers on every excursion. The famous archipelago, of volcanic origin, straddles the equator some 600 miles west of mainland South America and comprises 15 larger islands, several smaller ones, and more than a hundred other islets and rocks scattered about. Galapagos is a prov-

38 Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Our quest to sight the short-eared owl on Isla Genovesa began with an exhilarating ascent of the Prince Philip Steps, a natural rock staircase.

ince of Ecuador, with a population of nearly 27,000 living on the five inhabited islands. In 1959, 97 percent of the area became a national park, which is now within a 52,000square-mile marine reserve, one of the world’s largest. The three major ocean currents that converge on the Galapagos, along with the air currents, are responsible for carrying a wide range of flora and fauna to the islands. Over the millenia, in their isolation on the remote islands, many of these plants and animals evolved into unique, endemic species found nowhere else in the world. The island chain is named for the saddleback giant tortoises that intrigued De Berlanga and every subsequent visitor (galopego was a popular style of Spanish saddle in the 16th century). Of the 15 giant tortoise species that once called the Galapagos home, regrettably only 11 still exist. These and other endemic species observed by Charles Darwin during his 1835 visit to the islands

Silversea Cruises

Tiny Isla Bartolome (foreground) is home to a small breeding colony of Galapagos penguins.

helped him to develop his theory of natural selection. And this amazing biodiversity is the prime reason the Galapagos Islands are selected as a travel destination by some 400,000 travelers every year. The best way to see the archipelago is by sea, the choice of nearly half the visitors. About 85 vessels that tour the islands have overnight passenger accommodations, some 20 of which offer cruise-ship-like features; but only one, the Silver Galapagos, has the space, comfort, and style that luxury line Silversea Cruises is known for. Our introduction to the islands’ wildlife came early. On the tender transfer from the Baltra airport pier, we passed a sea lion and

her pup sunning themselves on a buoy, while odd-looking birds went fishing around us— some diving under, others plucking their prey from the surface. Then as we were boarding the ship, we spotted green sea turtles mating in a menage a trois (we later learned that having a backup male is typical).

of the line’s signature lifestyle. In June 2012, Silversea purchased Canodros S.A., the premier Ecuadorian tourism company, and its 100-passenger Galapagos Explorer II, the largest ship licensed to cruise in the national park. The cruise liner was refurbished and reentered service in September 2013 as the Silver Galapagos, the second member of the Silversea Expeditions fleet. She was built in 1990 as the Renaissance Three for innovative but now defunct Renaissance Cruises, whose well-constructed vessels have been eagerly snapped up by other lines. The ship’s basic layout has changed little, but the decor and use of space has changed dramatically. The expansive open decks (which originally included three full-circle promenades) have been rebuilt into private balconies for 22 more suites, an al fresco restaurant, additional outdoor lounge seating, expedition spaces for kayaks and landing craft, and a changing/cleaning/storage area for wetsuits and snorkeling gear. (A fullContinued on next page

he 290-foot-long/4,200-gross-ton Silver Galapagos, sparkling from her recent refurbishment, looked like a billionaire’s private yacht. Silversea, which has been setting standards in the luxury cruise market since the line’s debut in 1994, launched its Silversea Expeditions brand in 2008 to offer exploration cruising paired with the comfort

The endemic Galapagos hawk (about the size of North America’s red-tailed hawk) is a threatened species and rather rare to spot, but this one on Isla Espanola seems to have come out to eye the afternoon visitors from the Silver Galapagos.

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

THE ISLANDS OF EVOLUTION Continued

circuit promenade stroll can still be made.) New on the top deck forward is a large Jacuzzi tub outdoors plus indoor spaces for a well-equipped fitness center and a beauty salon with massage room. Two decks down, aft, the redecorated Piano Bar is brighter and more open, having lost its small casino and added outdoor seating (the only place onboard where smoking is permitted). A circular staircase leads below to the Explorer Lounge, where the formerly cramped cabaret room has been transformed into a spacious setting for multimedia presentations by the expedition staff and guest experts; new, comfortable seating accommodates all guests, and the room has a pleasing blue and beige color scheme. This soothing palette extends past the wellstocked Library, through the hallways, and into the suites, which all have elegant new soft furnishings and new bathrooms with marble details. All accommodations are outside, midship-forward on each of the five passenger decks (which are connected by an elevator), and grouped in five categories. The 24 Explorer Suites measure 210 to 250 square feet, and most have picture-windows (seven have portholes). The 22 Terrace/Veranda/ Deluxe Veranda Suites range from 268 to 303 square feet, including veranda. Four Silver Suites are 361 square feet, including veranda. Every suite features butler service, minifridge stocked with complimentary soft and alcoholic drinks, room service, twin beds convertible to queen-size, sitting area, flatscreen TV with satellite and movie channels, free Wi-Fi (some usage charges may apply), robes and slippers, binoculars, and more. While spacious, comfortable, and amenityladen, Silver Galapagos suites are not comparable to those of the main Silversea fleet (for instance, none have bathtubs). The cruise liner flies the flag of Ecuador and carries an all-Ecuadorian crew of 75, led by officers with years of experience in Galapagos waters. The hotel staff is friendly, enthusiastic, eager to please, and clearly competent, but does not exhibit the white-glove, European-style finesse typically found on Silversea. The cuisine, Mediterranean-influenced with South American flair, is well prepared, tasty, and beautifully presented, but lacks variety. Ecuadorian regulations, particularly stringent in the fragile Galapagos environment, limit provisioning, especially for meatsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;though fresh produce arrives onboard three times a week. Similary, the liquor and beer choices are confined to local labels and familiar premium brands typically imported into Ecuador, so super-premium selections are not available. A wide variety of fine South American wines is served, including excellent vintages from Argentina and Chile. All beverages are complimentary, except for those on a premium wine list with 40 Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Marine iguanas seemed to lead the way on our call at Isla Espanola.

On the afternoon excursion on Isla Genovesa, our eagle-eyed guide spotted the hard-to-find short-eared owl in

The Galapagos giant tortoises have two main types of shells. Those living in the lush highlands eat mainly ground vegetation and have domed shells (left), while those living in the arid lowlands have saddleback shells (above), with their edges upturned behind the neck to allow them to reach higher when feeding.

choices from around the world. All gratuities are included in the fares.

a lava crevice close to the trail, and photographers zoomed in for a close-up of this small, foot-tall specimen.

ut we came to explore the living museum that is the Galapagos Islands, not bask in the lap of luxury, and here the cruise exceeded our expectations. The first evening—amid unpacking, relaxing, and dining—we met our expedition team: seven Galapagos National Park Naturalist Guides and two expert guest guides chosen by Silversea. Every day they’d be leading groups of a dozen or so passengers on a variety of included excursions of varying degrees of difficulty. The rules are strict: stay with the guide, do not stray from the marked trails, keep at least six feet from the animals, no food, no smoking—basically, leave only your footprints behind. We’d be tendering at every stop in Zodiacs (rigid inflatable landing craft), with many of the landings wet, so we were instructed in the safe way to go over the side into the surf. We were advised to wear sturdy footwear, loose clothing, and sun hats, and bring sunglasses, sunscreen, water, raincoat, and insect repellant. We ended up needing all but the latter, though we used our raincoats only as windbreakers. (Walking sticks were also available, and sometimes we wished we had them.) Our first excursion was on Isla Genovesa, the most remote island we called on and perhaps the most interesting. After a wet landing in Darwin Bay, we had an easy walk along a sandy beach and inland past some tidal pools. We were astounded by dozens of different birds we saw, such as red-footed boobies perching in bushes, Nazca boobies nesting on the ground, yellow-crowned night herons feeding in a pool, swallowtailed gulls swooping past the cliffs, and great frigatebirds soaring overhead. It was impossible to give them a six-foot berth— the birds have no natural predators and no fear of (or, seemingly, interest in) humans. In fact, you had to be careful lest you back into a bird’s nest while framing a photo. Continued on next page

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Silver Galapagos passengers board a Zodiac to tender ashore, which was necessary at every call on our “North Central” itinerary in the archipelago.

Continued

Returning to the beach, warm from our hike, we were glad we’d brought our snorkeling gear and wetsuits (fitted and assigned to us the night before). Though on the equator, the Galapagos Islands are not tropical, and the waters can be cool— thanks to the Humboldt Current that runs from Antarctica up the South American coast before veering west to the Galapagos (the current is likely also responsible for bringing such animals as penguins and fur seals this far north). The refreshing waters were a bit cloudy for fish viewing, but snorkelers were soon joined by a pair of frolicking Galapagos sea lions, to the delight of everyone. Back onboard, we enjoyed our first of many lunches in The Grill, an aft space that seats about 50 for al fresco dining in the sunshine or under a canopy. There’s a full bar and a small buffet station for salads, some hot items, and tempting desserts including ice cream. Waiters serve a daily a la carte menu that always featured a delicious Neapolitan-style pizza, made-to-order sand-

wiches (such as hamburgers, hot dogs, salmon), and two more choices, one usually seafood (often lobster or crab). In the evening, The Grill dresses up a bit into Silversea’s signature restaurant serving (at no extra charge) steaks and seafood that guests themselves grill on hot lava rocks placed on

staircase augmented with some manmade railings) to a plateau. We trekked through a forest of gnarly trees, home to huge nesting colonies of Nazca and red-footed boobies, into an open area, searching for the elusive short-eared owl. Eureka—our sharp-eyed park guide fulfilled his promise to our guest guide to find one for her to photograph. But for many it was a struggle, even with binoculars, to spot the tiny brown and tan bird perched in a similarly colored crevice. No problem—a little farther along the trail the park guide found another short-eared owl, much closer to our path and very easy to see. Isla Genovesa well deserves it nickname, “Bird Island.” Silversea Cruises

THE ISLANDS OF EVOLUTION

Every Silver Galapagos suite has new soft furnishings and new bathrooms; more than half feature verandas.

their tables; dinner reservations are requested but so readily available that passengers could dine here several times if they so desired. Our afternoon excursion began with a dry landing at a dock followed by a steep climb up the Prince Philip Steps (a natural rock

he days flew by: a buffet breakfast in The Restaurant, then off on a morning excursion (or two); lunch back onboard, usually as the ship repositioned; then an afternoon excursion (or two). Our “North Central” itinerary called on a different island every day (sometimes two). In the evenings, we gathered for a recap of that day’s adventures and a briefing for the next day’s. Dinner, socializing, and then to bed, with wonders filling our heads. The wondrous highlights of our cruise

New spaces added to the ship include The Grill, Silversea’s signature al fresco restaurant, and the Explorer Lounge, perfect for multi-media presentations.

Silversea Cruises Photos

Wildlife abounds on Isla Seymour Norte, from magnificent frigatebirds perching in the bushes to Galapagos land iguanas cutting across the trail.

were countless. On Isla Seymour Norte, it could have been Valentine’s Day as bluefooted boobies engaged in their awkward “sky-pointing” courtship dance while scores of magnificent frigatebirds hoped to attract mates by inflating their bright-red throat pouches to the size of a basketball. The golden-hued, three-foot-long Galapagos land iguana that blocked our path—the first we’d seen up-close—must’ve been a bachelor. On the rocky shore, swarms of marine iguanas (the only ocean-going type in the world) headed out to sea—presumably to feed, not breed. In Isla Santa Cruz’s lush, green, highland forest, we came face-to-face with our first giant tortoises—dozens of them in the wild at the El Chato Reserve. Later we saw hundreds more—from hatchlings to 500-pounders—at the Galapaguera Cerro Colorado on Isla San Cristobal. Here the park rangers and scientists are helping to bring back the endangered species, as they are at the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center on Santa Cruz, where we observed more giant tortoise species—and rare Galapagos land iguana types, too. Differentiating among species is most challenging—Darwin finches, for instance, have various types of beaks. But it’s easy to see some of the adaptations of the giant tortoises. Those living in the lush highlights on the large islands, like Santa Cruz, feed on ground vegetation and have shorter necks and legs and dome-shaped shells. Giant tortoises living on smaller islands in dry habitats have longer limbs and much longer necks, with saddleback shells whose edges are upturned behind the neck, allowing the tortoises to stretch higher to feed. We encountered an extraordinary feeding frenzy when kayaking in a bay filled with green sea turtles. We heard—and felt—a resounding “thunk” on our bow, followed by a huge splash. We’d just been torpedoed by a longfin halfbeak during the fish’s frantic attempt to elude a ravenous sea lion. Galapagos waters are home to hundreds of types of colorful fish and other stunning sealife, easily seen while snorkeling—we even got

up-close looks at a white-tipped reef shark and a manta ray. Other indelible memories included: climbing hundreds of feet up a rocky, dry stream bed to a bluff for one of the most scenic views in the archipelago, which this day featured a pod of spinner dolphins flipping and flying across the waves (we later joined them in our Zodiacs); tiptoeing past giant waved albatross chicks in their nests then sitting on the edge of a cliff and watching their parents soar; and befriending locals in the sleepy village of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and the more bustling town of Puerto Ayora—neither with any sign of a chain franchise.

Nor will we forget our guides—knowledgeable, patient, kind, generous, and amusing—who shared so much on tour and during presentations onboard. And sharing these wonderful adventures with our new friends from the Silver Galapagos made the experience even more special. On the final festive evening, after the captain’s farewell toast, bidding all adieu was bittersweet. We, like most passengers, were heading home in the morning. How we envied the fortunate few staying onboard for the “Western” itinerary to see the Galapagos penguin, the Galapagos flightless cormorant, and other treasures of the idyllic Galapagos Islands. CT

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Itineraries/Fares: The Silver Galapagos sets sail every Saturday year-round from Baltra on weeklong roundtrips, alternating “North Central” and “Western” routes. The all-inclusive cruises are sold in a 10-day Silver Galapagos Experience package that includes roundtrip economy-class air between mainland Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands (Baltra); a twonight pre-cruise hotel stay with breakfasts at the Quito JW Marriott; an evening tour of the colonial city highlights in Quito, Ecuador’s historic capital; a post-cruise hotel day-room at the Hotel Oro Verde in Guayaquil (for guests with flights after 10 p.m.); Galapagos National Park and Ingala Transit Card fees; all transfers; and porterage fees. Brochure fares, perperson/double-occupancy, for the Silver Galapagos Experience package range from $6,750 to $10,950; early-booking, past-passenger, and other discounts are offered. Cruises may be combined and sometimes linked with Silver Explorer Central or South American itineraries. Land extension adventures to Machu Picchu or the Amazon are also available. Weather: There are no extremes of heat or cold in the Galapagos Islands. Average daily low temperatures range from the upper 60s to low 70s, highs from the low to mid 80s. The islands are very dry, with only about four inches of rainfall annually, mainly from January through April, the slightly warmer months. Heavier rainfall is seen during these times in Guayaquil, on the coastal mainland, but temperatures here are similar. In the inland highlands, Quito sees a fair amount of rain during most of the year and is cooler; its average temperatures are steady year-round with lows in the upper 40s and highs in the upper 60s. Money Matters: The U.S. dollar is the currency of Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Visitors are advised to bring new bills in small denominations for tips, taxis, and other small purchases. ATMs, widely available, dispense $20 bills. Major credit cards are accepted at many hotels, stores, and restaurants. Medical Matters: No vaccinations are currently required for travel to Ecuador, but it’s best to check with your doctor well before departure to ensure your routine vaccinations are up to date. And you may consider adding hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines, possibly others, depending on your itinerary. Keep in mind that Quito is at an elevation of 9,350 feet, so if you are prone to or concerned about altitude sickness, discuss this and your options with your doctor. For More Information: Contact your travel agent or Silversea Cruises (Cruise Travel Magazine), 110 East Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301; call 800-722-9955; or log on to www.silversea.com. Cruise Travel September/October 2015

PORT ATTRACTION

SS ROTTERDAM

The legendary liner lives on as a hotel/attraction in her namesake city Photo-Feature By Peter Knego

As seen from the riverside today, the SS Rotterdam seems ready to tackle the North Atlantic, but she is permanently moored as a hotel/attraction.

y recent pilgrimage to the SS Rotter- ship, but as time marched on, she garnered HAL Christmas cruise in 1996. Enjoying tea dam, which is now serving as a per- the nickname “Grand Dame” from a devoted on a balmy Caribbean afternoon, we sat in the Smoking Room, poring over the ship’s manently moored four-star hotel and conven- following of crew and passengers alike. tion center in her namesake port in Holland, Furthermore, she remained largely unaltered highly collectible, well-worn builder’s book. was like reuniting with a dear, old friend. Just throughout her long career, unlike the equal- HAL had already deemed the cost of renostepping into the golden glow of her Main ly revered liners Queen Elizabeth 2 of vations to make the Rotterdam comply with Deck reception lobby brought back a flood of Cunard Line and France of French Line upcoming international SOLAS (Safety Of Life St Sea) fire requirements too prohibihappy memories and the same sense of awe I (later Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norway). From her futuristic, graceful profile tive, and the Grande Dame would be sold upfelt as a teenager when first visiting the ship topped by that unique “goal post” funnel to on completion of her Grand Finale Cruise on on her maiden San Diego call in April 1975. When the moored ship opened to the pub- her spotless teak decks and grand, art-filled October 1, 1997. Premier Cruises stepped in lic in 2010, several different entities were and wood-paneled interiors, the Rotterdam and purchased the ship, renamed her Remrunning the hotel, restaurant, bar, and tour was extraordinary. She was a true “ship of brandt, and made the necessary safety alteroperations—and not always in the most user- state” in that she was conceived, built, and ations at a fraction of HAL’s projected cost. friendly manner. In 2013, Dutch hotel con- fashioned by and with Dutch minds, labor, For the next three years, the Rembrandt cruised in the company of other veteran linglomerate WestCord bought the vessel and and materials. ers until Premier went bankrupt, and the now oversees all operations, much to the ship was laid up in the Bahamas with benefit of guests and visitors alike. My most of her doomed fleetmates. only quibble is that, unlike on the similarIn 2001, Krijnen formed the SS Rotly preserved Queen Mary in Long Beach, terdam Foundation to raise awareness of California, SS Rotterdam hotel guests still the liner’s cultural and historic merit. have to purchase tours to see the bridge, After much rallying to get the City Of engine room, and the most interesting Rotterdam to provide a berth, salvation lounges. came in 2003 when the then-Rembrandt The former ocean liner is berthed on was purchased by her builders, the Rotthe south bank of the Nieuwe Maas in terdam Drydock Company. In 2004, with Katendrecht, Rotterdam’s former redrust setting in and the harsh elements of light district that is now enjoying its own rain and tropical sun taking their toll, she renaissance with new cafes, shops, and was renamed Rotterdam and towed to bars. A dedicated city bus (Lijn 77) links New hotel rooms feature restored original cabinets and the SS Rotterdam with the Rijnhaven furniture plus updated plumbing and electrical systems. Gibraltar for preliminary restoration. She was next towed to Cadiz, Spain, for dryMetro stop, which in turn connects with Were it not for the persistent and pain- docking and then to Gdansk, Poland, before Rotterdam’s Central Train Station via Lines D and E, making the ship easy and afford- staking efforts of one man, The Hague-based finally tying up at Emshaven, Germany, Klaas Krijnen, her story might have ended where tons of asbestos insulation were reable to reach from all parts of Holland. During the Rotterdam’s 38-year career at more than a decade ago, most likely on a moved in preparation for her conversion to a sea, from 1959 through 1997, the Holland scrapping beach in India. His dream of sav- floating hotel. The costs spiraled from a proAmerica Line flagship represented the finest ing the Rotterdam was born in 1974 when he jected €30-million to some €210-million, in mid 20th-century marine architecture, watched helplessly as HAL’s storied Nieuw and, like a hot potato, the ship traded owners interior design, and engineering. Her owners Amsterdam of 1938 sailed off the ship- in the process. Eventually, the Rotterdam had the foresight to build a dual-purpose breakers in Taiwan; that palatial Art Deco made her Dutch homecoming in 2008 for trans-Atlantic liner and cruise ship just as the liner is still a hot topic for would-be preser- final renovations before opening in 2010. jet plane was about to decimate point-to- vationists and ship aficionados who felt she Throughout the early challenges and to this point travel by sea. In the beginning, she was should have been saved for the exact same day, Krijnen’s SS Rotterdam Foundation has worked with the ship’s owners on continued billed as “The Ship Of Tomorrow” and was role the Rotterdam enjoys today. I first met Krijnen on the Rotterdam’s final restoration and preservation efforts. the epitome of a modern ocean liner/cruise 44 Cruise Travel September/October 2015

lthough some elements were lost when the interiors were stripped to the steel framework, the conversion will keep the SS Rotterdam viable for many more years. Some 18 categories of staterooms were gutted to make way for 250 comfortable hotel rooms in six categories, all with much-needed new plumbing and wiring. Rates are extremely reasonable, ranging from €40 for a Superior Room to €59 for an Executive Suite. Much like an active cruise ship, pricing is per person/per-day. The ship’s vintage cabinetry, chairs, and other furnishings were refurbished and re-installed in most of these rooms, giving them an authentic feel. For true vintage ship fans, seven original officers’ cabins are now spacious Executive Suites that, other than new bedding, have retained their vintage elements and are well worth the extra cost. Hotel guests currently have unfettered access to the Coffee Lounge/Captain’s Bar, a lovely space adjacent to Reception that has been carved out of former cabin space with a central bar, numerous intimate nooks, and original works of art and vintage furniture. Several former tourist-class spaces on Lower Promenade Deck are also open to hotel guests, including the Ocean Bar with views of the city, the Lynbaan shops, the elegant Club Room (former tourist-class smoking room now a fine restaurant), and the Lido (the casual a la carte eatery that has been rebuilt with a coffee bar and new buffet counter). Out on the fantail, and especially popular in the summertime, the Lido Bar and teak-lined deck flank a shallow wading basin that has replaced the original pool. Vast swaths of accommodations have been replaced with networks of meeting rooms, ideal for revenue-generating conventions, while the most sumptuous former first-class lounges as well as the two original dining rooms can be booked for weddings, private parties, and cultural events. There are three tours available between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. The hourlong Seabreeze Tour (€12.5 adults/€7.5 children) covers the bridge (where former officers volunteer as guides), chartroom, top decks, and, when not in use, the former first-class public rooms. The hourlong Steam & Chrome tour (same prices) visits the engine room, indoor

pool, and laundry room. Both can be combined for the two-hour Complete Tour (€16 adults/€9 children). During my short visit, I had the best of all possible guides in the company of Krijnen. We spent the greater part of two days documenting and reminiscing our way through the ship. My six Rotterdam cruises and countless other visits felt just like yesterday. On the glass-enclosed Promenade, I could practically hear the horn blasting again as the Grand Dame steamed into a pea-soupthick Manhattan fog. There was the once bustling fantail, where I had seen Vancouver’s Lion’s Gate Bridge cast a fleeting shadow as we headed for Alaska and where I had heard the dulcet Rosario Strings perform Besame Mucho after a sweltering Panama Canal transit. In the double-deck Theater, once the largest at sea, there were performances by legends like Rosemary Clooney and Shirley Jones, not to mention countless pre-dinner cocktails in the dimly lit, rosewood-paneled Ambassador’s Lounge with its hand-blown light fixtures, compass rose (jarra, teak, and ash woods) dance-floor, and oil paintings by Dutch impressionist Van Hierck. Who could forget the numerous bingo games in the Queen’s Lounge, deep conversation in the now beautifully restored Smoking Room, and gala New Year’s Eve celebrations in the most magnificent space of all, the Ritz Carlton, now called the Grand Ballroom? This two-deck-high salon boasts a massive enamel painting of life on the Aegean by Cuno Van Den Steene and a bronze balustrade that begins with fish fleeing a sea serpent on the lounge’s lower level only to be caught in a fisherman’s net on its balcony. The bronze dance-floor by Jan Eloy and Leo Brom represents the swirling sands of the sea

Now sparkling from a wonderful restoration, the Grand Ballroom (former Ritz Carlton) is ready to welcome formally dressed guests to its dance floor, just as it did in the ship’s heyday. Peter Knego Collection

floor while backlit tubes in the ceiling resemble bubbles, as seen from below. Down on B Deck, the soaring Odyssey and La Fontaine dining rooms, where so many sumptuous meals were enjoyed, now function as convention halls. With their ceilings domes decorated in delicate Delft porcelain moons and stars and their bulkheads adorned with Nico Nagler’s exquisite ceramic reliefs telling the stories of Homer and La Fontaine, they continue to delight and inspire. We also explored some “off limits” spaces like the steering gear, cargo holds, and even the morgue. They are all left as is, perhaps one day to be opened for guests, but for now keeping the secrets and erstwhile functions of the Rotterdam intact. My only regret is that I did not allot more time for my visit. To see such a beautiful ship so resplendent in her original colors, preserved and cherished anew in her original homeport, was a dream come true. For that, we owe a debt of gratitude to Klaas Krijnen, the SS Rotterdam Foundation, and the ship’s new owners/caregivers, WestCord Hotels. For more information contact your travel agent or log on to www.ssrotterdam.com and CT www.ssrotterdam.net.

The beautifully restored Ocean Bar (left) offers views of the city. The Club Room (right) serves fine cuisine and reflects traditional Rotterdam design.

THEN AND NOW

The double-deck Royal Lofts on Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis-Class ships are among the most spectacular accommodations afloat today.

The Suite Life A Look At The Evolution Of Luxury Accommodations At Sea By Allan E. Jordan

hile many modern cruise-ship elements find inspiration in the great ocean liners of the past, present-day suite accommodations far exceed anything previously available at sea. Where once liners featured only a few suites occupied by royalty, society elites, and captains of industry, today’s cruise ships not only have palatial multi-room apartments but also offer customized suites for passengers traveling with families and even luxe accommodations for those who wish to focus their vacation around the onboard spa. For the initial passengers onboard the new46 Cruise Travel September/October 2015

ly introduced steamships of the late 19th century, the best accommodations were “en suite,” which simply meant they enjoyed a private bathroom with their sleeping accommodations. Some of the first luxury accommodations appeared in the early 1900s onboard the North German Lloyd liners Kaiser Wilhelm II and the Kronprinzessin Cecilie, the largest and fastest ships of the era. Each ship had two Imperial Suites that consisted of a parlor, separate dining room, a bedroom, and bathroom. Similarly, Cunard Line’s illustrious steamers Lusitania and Mauretania each offered two Regal Suites. These con-

sisted of two bedrooms with bathrooms, a drawing room, and dining room, but they were without many of the luxury features today’s passengers have come to expect. The much-celebrated private veranda, however, is one of the elements that dates back to the early trans-Atlantic liners. Onboard White Star Line’s ill-fated Titanic, the two Parlor Suites featured private deck space along with two inter-connected bedrooms and a sitting room. Introduced by HamburgAmerica Line in 1913, the German-built Imperator (later to become Cunard’s Berengaria) also had two Kaiser Suites; each had a

Royal Caribbean International

Allan E. Jordan Collection

ple, paying minimum first-class private deck space, offering wicker rates, boarded the liner with upfurniture and fresh flowers in wards of 100 pieces of luggage, planters, that was connected to the their two pug dogs, which were suite’s dining and drawing rooms permitted to stay in the suite, as by French doors. Passengers might well as their private secretary and enjoy breakfast or tea on the veranmaid. da, but it was not a space for sunThe ocean liners would bring bathing, a pastime unheard of in this same luxury to the pleasurethose days. cruise business. During the winter The competition for the most of 1968, a husband and wife from luxurious suites intensified in the Maine moved into the ocean liner 1930s, when, despite the Great France’s grand Normandie ApartDepression, the Atlantic’s largest ment. They paid more than $30,000 and fastest liners debuted—French to sail for three months in a suite Line’s Normandie and Cunard’s that included two bedrooms, a livQueen Mary. The latter’s finest ing room, dining room, and pantry. suites, while still placed amidship To make it more like home, they in the hull, consisted of two bedbrought aboard a color television rooms, a sitting room, and a sepaset as well as their homemade rate dining room, as well as a conbaked beans and frozen fish cakes. necting cabin for a servant. But the They told a New York Times reNormandie literally took suites to porter, “No reflection upon the cuinew heights, featuring two apartsine aboard the France, but there’s ments on her Sun Deck with prinothing like a good plate of beans vate outdoor decks and sweeping now and then.” French Line said it views over the stern. Each suite was the first time they had passenincluded two large bedrooms with The Prince Of Wales Suite on the Berengaria reflects the British-style baths, a living room complete with redecoration Cunard made after buying the German-built ship in 1921. gers engage a space for such a long period of time. a gilded piano, dining room, servWhen the Queen Elizabeth 2 was introing panty, and baggage room as well as two both featured Cabins De Luxe as their best additional smaller bedrooms for other mem- accommodations, which were comfortable duced in 1969, she had traditional luxury bers of the traveling party, which often meant rooms with separate areas for sitting and suites amidship in her hull, but just three private secretaries or maids and valets. It sleeping. When America’s superliner the years later Cunard added 20 luxury cabins to would be in one of these suites that Joseph United States was introduced in 1952, her the top decks of the liner, each with a private Kennedy would travel en route to Europe best suites were on Upper Deck, each meas- veranda. Later Cunard added two more, with his sons, including the future president uring just over 1,000 square feet with two 1,000-square-foot split-level apartments, of the United States. bedrooms connected by a sitting room. The complete with gold-plated taps, a 12-foot most famous of her luxurious accommoda- suede sofa, two private balconies, and even a uites, however, would become more tions was the celebrated Duck Suite, so stereo with Barbara Streisand and Andy practical onboard the post-World War II named because of its murals of American Williams records. In 1965, Home Lines’ new Oceanic, liners. Holland America Line’s 1939-built ducks. It was in this suite that the Duke and Nieuw Amsterdam and 1959-built Rotterdam Duchess Of Windsor traveled. The royal cou- among the first modern cruise ships, offered eight penthouses. Each was more than 450 square feet with a sitting room separated from the sleeping area by a curtain and a large private veranda. But the new generation of purpose-built cruise ships generally avoided large suites, instead favoring more utilitarian cabins. The proliferation of suites really began with the resurgence of luxury cruising. In the early 1980s, Royal Viking Line added nine penthouses with private verandas to each of its original three ships and then in 1988 introduced the new Royal Viking Sun, which featured 18 penthouses as well an Owner’s Suite. Two years later Crystal Cruises debuted the Crystal Harmony with a full deck of penthouses including four 950-squarefoot Crystal Penthouses with a large sitting room and dining area, separate bedroom, private veranda, and butler service. The era of deluxe suites was quickly coming to the cruise ships.

Oceania Cruises

oday’s cruise travelers can choose from a dazzling array of luxurious suites. Most of the lines have special amenities for

Owner’s Suites on Oceania Cruises’ new ships are furnished from the Ralph Lauren Home Collection.

Continued on next page

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Allan E. Jordan Collection

United States Lines’ superliner United States featured contemporary 1950s decor in her suites, the most famous of which was known as the Duck Suite.

The Suite Life Continued

will have 60 Deluxe Suites; the best of these will be the 1,357-square-foot Pinnacle Suite, which will feature a private veranda with whirlpool spa, as well as living room, dining area, two bathrooms, and a host of modern amenities ranging from massage showerheads to flat-screen televisions and a bedside USB port. Meanwhile, Celebrity Cruises recently enhanced its offerings with a new program called “Suite Class.” Passengers in the top suites receive unlimited complimentary specialty dining, and all suite guests will be able to enjoy an exclusive new restaurant called Luminae as well as the private Michael’s Club Lounge. The restaurant features modern, eclectic cuisine inspired by the local destinations paired with a wine cellar that offers more than 500 different varieties. On the Celebrity Reflection is the line’s first twobedroom suite. At 1,636 square feet, the Re-

Allan E. Jordan Collection

their suite passengers ranging from butlers, in-suite dining, and enhanced bedding options, to private lounges with concierge services and priority for everything from booking the specialty restaurants to tender tickets, embarkation, and debarkation. As the new ships have grown in size, so too have the size and variety of the suites. For example, Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 offers 15 Deluxe Suites, including two Grand Deluxe Penthouses, which at more than 2,200 square feet accommodate four with a living room, dining area, and large veranda overlooking the stern. Another of the traditional companies, Holland America, today has five different grades of suites in its fleet. The line’s new Koningsdam, debuting in 2016,

The Ile De France Apartment on the 1962-built France reflects the ship’s modern furnishings that were a shocking change in style for French Line.

Home Lines’ 1965-built Oceanic, one of the first modern cruise liners, had eight large penthouses.

48 Cruise Travel September/October 2015

flection Suite comes complete with a whirlpool and rain shower on the veranda as well as a sea-view master bathroom with an a glassenclosed shower cantilevered out over the sea. Onboard Oceania Cruises’ Marina and Riviera, the Owner’s Suites measure more than 2,000 square feet and are furnished from the Ralph Lauren Home Collection, while the Vista Suites are more than 1,200 square feet with interior design by Dakota Jackson. Among the amenities these suites offer are laptop computers with wireless internet access and complimentary iPads; and for those nights guests do not feel like socializing, they can order in to their suite from any of the specialty restaurants onboard. Parents traveling with their children can sail on Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, each of which have 21 suites. All feature concierge service both prior to embarkation as well as onboard, where guests also enjoy upgraded stateroom amenities and have access to a private lounge and sun deck. The Concierge Royal Suites sleep five complete with a master bedroom, two bathrooms, dining area, personal media library, pantry, and bar. For larger groups, a connecting ocean-view stateroom can accommodate up to five additional passengers. Royal Caribbean International’s newer ships have the greatest variety of suites found on a modern cruise liner. For example, the recently introduced Anthem Of The Seas has 16 categories of suites ranging from three different types of two-story Loft Suites to Spa Suites with a special soaker tub and spa amenities. Similarly, when RCI’s new Harmony Of The Seas is introduced next year, she will have 14 categories of suites. The largest are the Loft Suites, which are 1,599 square feet plus another 843 square feet of outdoor balcony. These rooms not only have two-story walls of glass but also a bedroom on the upper level, a living area that can also sleep four more passengers, an outdoor hot tub, library, and even a baby grand piano. For passengers wanting to be more in the action, the line’s Oasis-Class

Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises’ first two-bedroom suite (above), the Reflection Suite on the Celebrity Reflection, includes a shower stall (left) cantilevered out over the sea (glass can be “fogged” for privacy).

closed solarium with tub and day bed. The Signature Suites overlooking the bow provide expansive ocean views. Both categories can be turned into Grand Suites with two bedrooms by booking the adjoining smaller with one bedroom or can be enlarged into Veranda Suites. The competition to create even more luxtwo-bedroom/two-bathroom accommodaor travelers who wish to enjoy luxury tions with the adjoining Vista Suite. Pas- urious accommodations continues. Regent accommodations within a small-ship sengers enjoy many luxurious features in- Seven Seas recently revealed details for its setting, the ultra-luxury cruise category has cluding a marble bathroom, the latest high- Seven Seas Explorer, which will enter servalso been growing. Launched in 1984, Sea tech audio and visual systems, and even an ice next summer. The two-bedroom Regent Suite will offer an amazing 3,875 square feet espresso machine. Goddess Cruises (now SeaDream Yacht Seabourn has recently updated its fleet (including the balcony) and feature marble, Club) ushered in the modern era of small, luxury ships. Seabourn Cruise Line and Sil- with a new class of ships that feature luxury exotic woods, handcrafted furniture, a Steinaccommodations including Wintergarden way piano, and a golden chandelier. The versea Cruises followed, more recently Suites that have living rooms with large win- suite will include a lobby, dining area, living joined by Regent Seven Seas Cruises. dows, dining seating for six, a bathroom with room, master bedroom, second smaller bedOnboard Silversea’s Silver Spirit, the Owner’s Suite is nearly 1,300 square feet whirlpool bathtub, and a unique glass-en- room, wraparound balcony, and glass-enclosed Vista Garden with a 270-degree view to the horizon. Attached to the suite will be a private spa retreat with treatment areas, sauna, relaxation lounge, and oversized hot tub all available around the clock to this suite along with unlimited complimentary in-suite spa treatments. Depending on the cruise, the price of this suite will start at more than $3,000 per-person/per-day. Despite the increasing number of suites, and the staggering fares for the best of them, they often sell out a year or more in advance, usually shortly after the lines start taking bookings for the cruises. Where once only an elite handful of passengers sought out the suite experience, today it has become an appealing option for an increasing number of guests. During their voyage, they can fantasize about what life might have been like as a royal or a movie star in their luxurious accommodations onboard the grand Wintergarden Suites, the largest accommodations on the new vessels of Seabourn Cruise Line (one of the first companies to offer all-suite ships) have private verandas featuring glass-enclosed solariums with day bed and spa tubs (inset photo). CT ocean liners.

Seabourn Cruise Line

Allan E. Jordan Collection

ships feature AquaTheater Suites, which consist of two bedrooms, a living room, and a large outdoor balcony that features dining and lounging areas overlooking the amphitheater where water shows with acrobats, dancers, and divers, are presented. Norwegian Cruise Line added its unique touches to the suite experience by introducing a private enclave, which the line has branded The Haven, where most of the suites are located around a pool area. On the Norwegian Jewel, for instance, the 4,891-square-foot Garden Villas include a roof terrace, private garden, open-air dining area, whirlpool and steam room, as well as three bedrooms. NCL’s newer ships, such as the Norwegian Getaway, have added a private lounge, dining room, and concierge desk to The Haven area. Other cruise lines, such as MSC Cruises with its Yacht Club, have also introduced their own versions of the private suite areas complete with restricted key-card access.

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

CRUISE VIEWS

CRUISING WHEN YOU THINK YOU CAN’T

“C

Dudau/Dreamstime.com

ing positive attitude: always smiling, always advised. “The next time you meet, you’ll ruises are just for old people” is a think of it.” Acknowledging that one’s recall friendly, and obviously enjoying herself. misconception often cited by nonOur limitations were not nearly as serious, ability decreases with age, he assured us, cruisers as a reason not to sail. Now that my but we both suffer from dry eyes—a chronic “You can improve it. And don’t beat yourself husband Howard and I are in our golden problem in air-conditioned facilities. We up if you misplace your keys or glasses—it’s years, we’re hearing a new list of excuses asked our cabin attendant for a vaporizer, and not so terrible.” And in his talk on sleep from those who shy from cruising: I can’t when we returned from dinner the first night, improvement, he advised not counting sheep walk very far before my back aches; I’m on one was plugged in and moistening the state- but counting numbers, backwards, and by a gluten-free diet; my sinuses are sure to kick room’s dry air. She continued to fill it and sevens: 100, 93, 86.... This is now my up in that dry air. favorite magic remedy for getting back to keep it running throughout our journey. Rebuttals are easy: Use a walker; ship We had a dry-eye blunder returning from sleep during a restless night. menus offer gluten-free, vegetarian, heartLulled by the ship’s gentle motion, sleepa shore excursion when Howard reached into healthy, and many other diet options; Crystal his pocket for a mini-bottle of moisturizing ing was rarely a problem while cruising, Cruises now has “Certified Pure” rooms for and most days we awoke eager allergy sufferers. to visit places so aptly described We had physical concerns ourby Crystal’s destination lecturer. selves, before booking our Crystal Southern cities along the Eastern Serenity trip from New York to MiSeaboard, such as Baltimore and ami with stops on the East Coast Norfolk, so rich in our country’s and in the Caribbean. Months earhistory and culture, came vividly lier, we had flipped through the to life through his words and picCrystal Cruises brochure, booktures. He also presented fascinatmarked itineraries we fancied, and ing stories about the oil refineries then put it aside to mull it over. on the Caribbean islands of CuraCould my husband, Howard, with cao and Aruba. his bad back and limited mobility, But the question remained: handle the trip? Finally, just a Could we manage the outings in month before the sailing date, we these ports? decided to go for it. Before leaving home, we had Besides carefully planning our read through the tour descriptions cruise, we meticulously planned and checked those we thought our trips to and from the airport. were doable. Dune buggies and We made them as easy as possible If your mobility is limited, don’t hesitate to request wheelchair assistance at the airport—you’ll fly through. scuba diving were definitely out, as by using only rolling suitcases and were full-day excursions and sevenallowing ample time to get to the eye solution and mistakingly used breath- hour bus rides. For Howard, navigating a airport. Rushing is no longer on our radar. refresher drops instead. A visit to the ship’s walker on cobblestone streets or uneven surWe hired an airport transportation service faces would be difficult. Some shore excurdoctor rectified his temporary discomfort. providing drivers that would personally meet In addition to accessible rooms, Crystal sions were problematic, but still possible. and greet us and lift our bags off the carousel. passengers can book a stateroom that has Although there were often long walks with Going through security at airports is greatbeen transformed into a “Certified Pure” few stops in between, Howard usually found ly facilitated with a walker or airline-providhypo-allergenic environment. Housekeeping a place where he could rest his back for a few ed wheelchair. We had a lump in our throats staff has been trained in daily maintenance of minutes by using his seat-equipped walker or the first time Howard, who needs assistance these accommodations, which have air-con- leaning on a wall. only for long walks, eased into a wheelchair Staff and other passengers were always ditioning systems that filter out 99.9 percent at the terminal check-in counter. But we were helpful, patient, and respectful of anyone of airborne impurities. glad he did. The courteous and well-trained Modern cruise lines make intellectual with a walker or wheelchair. Tour guides or attendant knew the location of airport elevastimulation as accessible as physical accom- boat operators secured the gear carefully on tors and rolled Howard, with me trailing, to modations. Crystal’s special-interest lecturer buses, vans, or vessels. Beefy attendants the head of the security line. on this trip did not disappoint. Passengers, all pushed wheelchair passengers up and down While onboard the Crystal Serenity, we too familiar with fragmented sleeping and ramps between ship and dock. learned about stateroom accommodations for Our first cruise with limited mobility was forgetfulness, flocked to hear his breezy, guests with major physical issues. Bill and practical talks on subjects with definite as enjoyable an experience as our previous Dorothy, a gregarious couple (with attentive appeal to our age group: memory and sleep sailings when we had been hale and hearty. Bill serving as his wife’s caregiver), always issues. With a strong voice and a presentation We witnessed a friendly camaraderie among book wheelchair-accessible rooms, available well-suited for hearing-impaired travelers, the rolling brigade of guests, who often comon a first-come/first-served basis. Ten years this retired psychology professor and author pared features of their various models of ago, Dorothy, with multiple disabilities, was entertained and educated us with tips on walkers and wheelchairs. We have now taken given only months to live. A shining example our place among that rolling brigade, conremembering names and improving recall. of overcoming obstacles to travel, she told us, “When you first meet people, virtually vinced we can cruise when we thought we “My goal is to outfox the doctors.” What total—Valerie Sloane write their name on their foreheads,” he could not. ly overshadowed her problems was an amaz-

Cruise Travel September/October 2015

Arenal Volcano Hot Springs Guanacaste

Hanging Bridges and Arenal Volcano

Rio Frio Cruise

Ocean

Fortuna

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PoĂĄs Volcano Tour Begins Here

Manuel

! " Birdwatching and Crocodile Spotting Chestnutmandibled Toucan

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Overnight

3 Antonio National Park San Bada Hotel

Two Nights 3 Three Nights

Come explore the volcanoes, beaches and rainforests of Costa Rica with Caravan. Call now for choice dates.

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Caravan welcomes you to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;rich coastâ&#x20AC;?, friendly land of democracy and rare natural beauty. With naturalist guides, see exotic birds and wildlife, hike in jungle rainforests, view volcanoes, soak in hot springs, cruise through biological reserves and relax on tropical ocean beachesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;ÂĄHasta la vista! Day 1â&#x20AC;&#x201C;San JosĂŠ, Costa Rica Your vacation begins in San JosĂŠ with a two night stay at the Barcelo Palacio Hotel. Day 2â&#x20AC;&#x201C;PoĂĄs Volcano, Cloud Forest, Explore Costa Ricaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular park, PoĂĄs Volcano. Weather permitting, you can see inside the active crater from an overlook. Next, hike the Escalonia Cloud Forest Trail. Enjoy a guided tour at a coffee plantation. Then, stop at a butterfly garden. Day 3â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Wildlife Center, Sarchi, Fortuna Visit Zoo Ave, a wildlife rescue center where injured birds and animals are rehabilitated for release back into the wild. Then, visit the artisan town of Sarchi and see skilled craftsmen making traditional Costa Rican ox carts. Enjoy a two night stay at Fortuna. Day 4â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Rio Frio Cruise, Hot Springs Head north this morning, passing through sugar cane, teak, pineapple, and orange plantations. Then, cruise on the Rio Frio through the world famous CaĂąo Negro wildlife refuge. This afternoon enjoy a relaxing soak in the volcanic hot springs. Day 5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Hanging Bridges, Manuel Antonio Visit the Hanging Bridges. With a naturalist guide, hike the suspension bridges. Weather permitting, enjoy views of majestic Arenal Volcano. Next, enjoy a scenic drive around Lake Arenal. Lunch at a historic hacienda

Manuel Antonio National Park

in the Guanacaste province. Stop at the Monteverde Cooperative. Continue to your hotel for a relaxing three night stay. Hotel San Bada is located directly at the entrance to Manuel Antonio National Park. It is the closest hotel to the Park and a short, easy walk to the public beaches. Day 6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Aerial Tram, Manuel Antonio Enjoy a thrilling adventure. Glide through and above a dry tropical transitional forest. Enjoy magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean and the jungle of Manuel Antonio from your hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rooftop terrace and pool. Day 7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Manuel Antonio Park Visit world famous Manuel Antonio Park. Hike through the rainforest and along the spectacular beach coves, ranking among the most beautiful in the world. Day 8â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Bird-Watching Cruise, San JosĂŠ Cruise on the Tarcoles River, adjacent to the Carara Biological Reserve. Enjoy bird watching and crocodile spotting. Float through mangroves. Continue to San JosĂŠ. Day 9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;San JosĂŠ, Costa Rica Return with wonderful memories! Thank you for vacationing with Caravan. ÂĄHasta la vista!â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Read full itinerary at Caravan.com.

You can trust Caravan's 63 years experience with tours of quality and value. Caravan has enjoyed the same family management and ownership since 1952. Join the smart shoppers and experienced travelers who rely on Caravan to handle all the details while you and your family enjoy a well-earned, worry-free vacation. Visit Caravan.com for more detailed tour information. Call now for choice dates. tax, fees extra Guatemala & Tikal Ruins 10 days Costa Rica Natural Paradise 9 days Costa Rica Tropical Adventure 9 days Panama Tour & Canal Cruise 8 days +*)('&%*$#('"'! ' ' ( ' Canadian Rockies & Glacier 9 days ( ' ( * ' % '"' #* ' ' ( ' California Coast & Yosemite 8 days $ ' * '"' * $* ' ' ( ' + ' ( '"' ( ' * #( '

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