1.      Bookings are still pouring in at a “Wave Season” Rate.  Our sister site, CruiseCompete, has encountered very few cancellations and we believe those that wish to travel via cruise ship will continue to do so.  Those we may be missing are those consumers new to cruising that this may affect as they may choose another type of vacation as they have in the past.

2.      Cruise prices may go down.  Not seeing that currently, but they may fall in the short term.

3.     Smaller ships and river ships, those that tend to hug the coastline, will become even more popular. Some cruisers will prefer sailing in vessels where they can “see the shore” most of the time.

4.     Carnival Corp. stock is taking a beating, but the loss of a large vessel would be damaging to any company, especially because of the deaths associated with it.

5.      Muster drills will be prioritized – Consumers say they will now pay more attention at muster drills, and ships will most probably schedule them immediately after all embarkations.

6.      Cruiser Comments - Very few comments from travelers

7.      Cancellations – Those that were queasy cancelled very quickly, it was a small number

8.      Safer time to travel – These next few months will be the safest time to travel, as all of the officers and crew will be looking very carefully at all policies and procedures.

9.      This is rare - Accidents such as this one are an extremely rare occurrence in the cruise industry, and cruising continues to be one of safest means of travel among all types of vacationing.

10.  Cruise insurance – May become more popular

11.  Cruise line changes to policy – We have not seen any of the lines change cancellation policies. But you can be sure that they will be closely scrutinizing their emergency and evacuation procedures.

12.  Cruise ship design – You can be sure that cruise ship architects will be looking closely at their top-heavy ship designs and the puzzling fact that the ship tilted away from the gash in its side, rather than toward it.

And Disney is good.

Disney Fantasy, Disney Cruise Line’s 4,000-passenger twin to the Disney Dream, which is currently being finished in the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, will be christened during a special ceremony on March 1 in New York City. The choice of a godmother to the ship has not yet been revealed. The first revenue cruise will take place March 31 after a series of preview media and travel agent sailings earlier in March.

Disney Fantasy, the fourth ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, offers many of the same features as Disney Dream with a few twists. First, it will feature a completely different itinerary, sailing on seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises out of Port Canaveral, Fla., in contrast to Disney Dream, which sails on three- and four-day cruises to the Bahamas out of Port Canaveral. Ports of call on the Eastern Caribbean will include St. Maarten and St. Thomas, as well as Disney’s Castaway Cay. The Western Caribbean sailing will include Grand Cayman, Costa Maya and Cozumel. Special Eastern Caribbean sailings in November and December 2012 will stop at St. Thomas and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Disney Fantasy also will have two new 45-minute Broadway-style stage shows in the ship’s Walt Disney Theatre, including “Wishes” and “Disney’s Aladdin a Musical Spectacular,” in addition to “Disney’s Believe.” Shows featuring comedians.

The ship also will feature a completely re-themed adult entertainment zone, now called Europa in contrast to The District on Disney Dream. Europa will feature bars and clubs with a European theme, including La Piazza, a lounge inspired by Italian piazzas; O’Gill’s Pub, an Irish bar with a sports focus; Ooh La La, a French champagne bar; and The Tube, a nightclub with a large dance floor themed along London’s Underground. Like Disney Dream, Fantasy also features the Skyline bar, which has “live” views of famous European cities.

Also new on Fantasy is the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and Pirates League, which will specialize in princess and pirate makeovers during the voyage. The Muppets will also be featured in a new interactive adventure quest for guests nine and older.

On the dining front, Disney Cruise Line’s rotational dining remains with the Royal Court, Enchanted Garden and Animator’s Palate. But Animator’s Palate gets a second show called “Animation Magic,” during which guests will be able to draw their own animated characters and see them included as part of the show with Disney characters. The show, which has already won technical awards, joins “Undersea Adventure,” the show featuring an interactive Crush turtle character. Also featured on Disney Fantasy is Remy, the high-end French restaurant overseen by a two-star Michelin chef, and Palo, Disney’s Northern Italian restaurant, which is now on all four Disney ships.

New on the top decks of the ship is AquaLab, a water play area, which joins the now iconic Aqua Duck water coaster. Also new on what was formerly a sun deck far forward is Satellite Falls, an adult area featuring a small shaded pool with cascading falls. There’s also more shade on all the decks for those who don’t want to spend as much time in the sun.

– Travel Pulse

So it was gratifying to learn that the Princess Cruises Community Foundation is going to fund two research projects in conjunction with Komen for the Cure. The monies are raised through on-board deck walks held on each Princess cruises. My husband and I have participated in many of these.

Here are the details:

The Princess Cruises Community Foundation and Susan G. Komen for the Cure® have announced a new three-year partnership for two research projects supporting the fight against breast cancer.

One of the Foundation-supported research grants, at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), will look at the molecular effects of the chemical BPA on breast cancer, while the other, at Stanford University School of Medicine, will study breast stem cell differentiation.

The projects are funded by the Princess Cruises Community Foundation’s On Deck for the Cure® program, which is a 5K fundraising walk for passengers held during the course of every Princess cruise.

At the same time, the Foundation has been welcomed into the Komen Million Dollar Council for surpassing this donation milestone.

“These two research projects are both important steps toward finding causes and treatments for breast cancer,” said Alan Buckelew, president of the Princess Cruises Community Foundation, and also president and CEO of Princess Cruises. “Reaching the million dollar donation level and being able to fund this work underscores our commitment to this cause, and we want to acknowledge the support of our passengers for this important milestone. On every cruise, they take time out of their vacation to circle the decks, raising both funds and awareness to fight one of the leading causes of death for women in the U.S.”

The research supported by Susan G. Komen with funding from the Princess Cruises Community Foundation’s On Deck for the Cure program includes:

• Determining the Molecular Effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) in Mammary Gland Stem Cells and Breast Cancer Proliferation

Headed by Dr. Susan Krum at UCLA, this study will investigate whether a chemical known as Bisphenol A (BPA) – commonly found in plastic containers, ranging from baby bottles to food containers – causes or accelerates breast cancer. BPA is similar to the hormone estrogen, which is responsible for stimulating the growth of a large percentage of breast cancers. Dr. Krum and her colleagues will test whether BPA, acting like estrogen, may also stimulate tumor growth.

• Functional Analysis of the DLK1-GTL2 Imprinted Region in Breast Stem Cell Differentiation and Tumorigenesis

Dr. Michael Clarke heads this Stanford University School of Medicine study to attempt to determine whether small RNA molecules (MicroRNA) from a specific region in breast stem cells can be used to treat or predict breast cancer. The study will also investigate whether restoring irregular MicroRNA in breast cancer cells can prevent tumor growth.

“Princess Cruises Community Foundation is a committed partner in the fight against breast cancer,” said Katrina McGhee, CMO & executive vice president for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. “Not only do they raise awareness on board every ship during every sailing, they also raise significant funds to help Susan G. Komen fulfill our promise to end breast cancer forever. We are so grateful to Princess Cruises Community Foundation and the Princess employees and guests for their dedication to our cause.”

Since the On Deck for the Cure program was launched on Princess ships in 2007, thousands of passengers have participated in the fundraising walks held during the course of each cruise. The five-kilometer walks around the ships’ decks always draw an enthusiastic group of passengers who donate a minimum of $15 to participate, and receive a special hat, and a post-walk appreciation reception.

It seems not all that long ago that I was in Port Canaveral watching the christening of the Disney Dream. We then got to sail on a two-day introductory cruise and thoroughly enjoyed this new vessel.

This week we got a first good look at the Disney Fantasy as it was floated out of its enclosed building dock at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. Of course, there was a Disney touch: Fireworks filled the sky.

This symbolizes one of the final stages of this ship’s construction and marks a significant milestone towards the March 31, 2012 maiden voyage.

The Disney Fantasy features many of the innovations found on her sister ship, Disney Dream, with several new guest experiences exclusive to the ship. New experiences found on the Disney Fantasy include two Broadway-style musical spectaculars for the Walt Disney Theatre, a dining experience at Animator’s Palate where guests’ own drawings magically come to life, an interactive adventure quest starring the Muppets, a splashtacular water play area called AquaLab, a sophisticated nighttime entertainment area for adults inspired by European travel and much more .

The Disney Fantasy will sail seven-night alternating eastern and western Caribbean itineraries. All voyages will depart from Port Canaveral, Fla. and include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit disneycruise.com or call Disney Cruise Line at 888-DCL-2500.

We enjoyed it so much that a year later we bought a trip for my mother-in-law and friend to celebrate her 80th birthday.

Yesterday we received confirmation of what we had been hearing for months, the American Queen will again be sailing the Mississippi River beginning April 2012.

Here are some details:

The Great American Steamboat Company is pleased to announce the return of the reigning queen of the Mississippi river, the grandest and most opulent steamboat afloat, the American Queen. Resumption of fabled river voyages on the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee Rivers begins this coming spring, on April 13, 2012.

For the first time in many years, travelers will again enjoy the iconic experience, celebrated by Mark Twain and others, of riverboat cruises on the great rivers of the America’s heartland. Every departure will feature the storied American Queen, the largest, most lavish steamboat ever built. With convenient departures from some of the United States’ most iconc cities such as Memphis, New Orleans, Vicksburg, St. Louis, Louisville, St. Paul, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, this legendary mode of travel will be easier than ever to enjoy.

The American Queen will employ a polished all-American crew that is eager to please. Few things are nicer than mint juleps on deck on a glorious summer afternoon on the Ohio River or morning coffee in the dining room as she steams into St. Paul. With a homeport of Memphis, the American Queen carries with her the same devotion to exceptional dining and entertainment, including Dixieland jazz and gracious southern charm and hospitality.

Inspired by the greatest steamboats of the 19th century, the American Queen offers an opulent two-level ‘Grand Saloon’, an elegant two-deck high Grand Dining Room, lavishly appointed staterooms, many with their own private veranda and all of the modern amenities today’s travelers expect. Personal touches and finite attention to detail abound, from fresh baked cinnamon rolls each morning, to complimentary wine and beer with dinner, and proper evening turn-down service, complete with a praline on the pillow. Of note is the fact that in an age of mega-ships accommodating more than 4,000 guests, the American Queen carries only 436 privileged guests, surrounding them in an atmosphere of rich paneling, crystal chandeliers, period furniture and Victorian elegance.

“While many travelers are familiar with ocean cruising or river cruising in Europe, we believe steamboating on the great rivers of America is distinctive and tantalizingly different. Our guests will experience an America that evokes a simpler time, where an entire town proudly turns out to greet a gleaming white steamboat,” stated Christopher Kyte, president of the Great American Steamboat Company.

A variety of voyage lengths, ranging from three nights to 14 nights, and fares beginning at $995 per guest, offers exceptional value and convenience, with little or no flying required. And with one of the best early booking bonuses in the industry, our ‘Steamboating Plus’ program offers a complimentary luxury hotel stay before or after sailing along with transfers, a welcome brunch and much more.

The Great American Steamboat Company not only has an exceptional management team behind it but exceeds all current federal financial protection guidelines, offering an exclusive ‘Total Financial Security Program’ where 100% of fares paid are held in escrow accounts until the voyage is completed. The Great American Steamboat Company has assembled many of the same talented individuals that made the steamboat experience one of the most successful and acclaimed cruise products of its day. Every one of the senior executives has a total commitment and passion for the very unique niche steamboats occupy in American history and legend.

Given the long absence of steamboats from the great rivers of America, it is anticipated the inaugural season will fill quickly and prompt reservations are encouraged to avoid disappointment. For additional information and reservations, kindly contact the Great American Steamboat Company at 888-749-5280, visit online at www.GreatAmericanSteamboatCompany.com or call your professional travel agent.

You can see it here…

http://50essentialexperiences.com/2011/09/26/cynthia-janssens/

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – After days and days of cold, chilly weather the sun shone all day in Halifax and temps got up into the 80s which made for a glorious Sunday.

Halifax is such a pretty city. It had been 30 years since I visited here and the waterfront is totally changed. Yes, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is still the centerpiece but everything around it seems new. It was by far the loveliest waterfront we’ve seen on this trip.

Soldier at the Citadel

The Emerald Princess docked at Pier 22, right next to Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth which was making its maiden call. (More on that later). Silversea’s Silver Whisper and the Seabourn Sojourn were also in port.

From the ship we walked down the waterfront, past several piers, the indoor Farmer’s Market and several new residential/shopping complexes into the center of the waterfront area. It took about 15 minutes. From their we caught the “Deluxe Historic Halifax” tour operated by Grayline/Ambassateurs.

We climbed into the bright blue English-style double-decker bus and thoroughly enjoyed our three hours with our guide Linda and driver Hap. The two main stops on the tour are at the Citadel fort and the Fairview Lawn Cemetery…we saw many neighborhoods but it was the many facts about this historic city that I found so fascinating.

I did not realize that Halifax was the center for three major disaster recovery efforts. First, and best known, was the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Second was the Great Halifax Explosion in 1917 and the third was the crash of Swissair 111 in 1998. In all three cases, it was ships from Halifax that recovered the bodies and brought them back to the city for identification, shipping home to their families or burial here.

121 Titanic victims buried here

This harbor is the second largest natural ice-free harbor in the world and it never requires dredging. Its Bedford Basin was used for staging convoys in both of the world wars. In fact, submarine nets were strung across the entrance to protect the vessels inside. And long, long before that pirates sailed from here as well.

The visit to Fairview LawnCemetary was quite poignant. There are 121 victims of the Titantic disaster buried here and many are still unidentified. All were buried by the White Star Line. There are more victims buried in two other of the city’s cemeteries but this is the largest number of Titanic victims buried in any one place.

There have been many Titanicmoments on this trip, as Belfast is where the ship was built and Halifax is where the dead finally reached shore.

A yummy fresh lobster feast

After our tour we decided to splurge on a fresh lobster dinner and headed to the prominent Waterfront Warehouse where we sampled fresh blackpoint oysters (slurp!) (from Prince Edward Island), yummy mussels with nantua chili sauce (from Nova Scotia) and luscious Atlantic lobsters. Nothing, but nothing, tastes like fresh and this dinner was one of the highlights of our trip. Thanks to a great waitress Liza and the manager Brodie Cook for making it memorable. (www.waterfrontwarehouse.ca)

While we were eating, at about 5 p.m., the Queen Elizabeth came up the river in front of the Museum, blew its horn in a salute, turned around in front of the crowd and sailed out. I later learned that the Cunard was celebrating the legacy of Sir Samuel Cunard, who hailed from Halifax and established the iconic ocean liner company bearing his name more than 171 years ago.

The Cunard statue in front of the Queen Elizabeth

In honor of the maiden visit of Cunard’s newest ocean liner and the recent revitalization of the Halifax Seaport and waterfront, The Halifax Foundation re-dedicated a majestic statue of Cunard which had been re-located last year to a more prominent position, adjacent to the Cunard Centre.

Because we took an hour and a half for this fab meal, we didn’t flock with all the other tourists to Peggy’s Cove. That little fishing village with just 56 residents will have to wait until our next visit when we hope to drive there on a quiet day. And we did not have the time to go through the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic to learn more about the city’s role in the Titanic and Halifax Explosion disasters. (The latter was the largest manmade explosion in history. It occurred when a munitions ship collided with another ship in the narrow part of the harbor and the munitions exploded, killing 2,000 and rendering 25,000 homeless, nearly a quarter of the population.)

There is so much history here — there are 10,000 documented shipwrecks in the area – that it is a rather lot to absorb in a short time. Which means, of course, Halifax well deserves a return visit!

Photos by Chet Janssens

Special thanks to Destination Halifax for our tour arrangements.

However, there are some times when the energy really buzzes.

One is when the shops have their outlet sales in the dining room (this is a genuine mob scene)…

The other is when Tom Franek starts playing the piano. Tom is the entertainer in the so-called piano bar. I say so-called because the term “piano” bar conjures up an intimate setting with stools around a grand piano and a pianist crooning familiar tunes to a select few.

Piano man Tom Franek

Cut to the Crooners Lounge on the Emerald Princess. Here, this 27-year-old holds court every evening just after 9 to a lounge packed with roughly a hundred Franek fans (pronounced FRAH-nick). There he plays at the black baby grand and belts out tunes that have everyone foot-tapping or hand-holding, depending on the beat. Plus he throws in some Olie and Lena jokes and some lively dance moves.

So how did this young American entertainer work his way here? As he tells his audience almost every evening, he is from Minnesota (SOOOOO-ta), the city of Northfield. He has an older brother and sister. He graduated in 2006 from St. Olaf College in Northfield with a degree in piano performance, focusing primarily on classical and jazz.

“That summer I worked at the Valley Fair Amusement Park playing keyboards in the live band. Then I had to figure out what next.”

He went to one of his piano professors who he knew had played on cruise ships and he helped him get into a show band on a Princess ship. That contract was for five months and during it he was moved from one ship to another. He recalls that those days weren’t exactly easy, to be a young American playing with many veterans who were set in their ways. Plus, he acknowledged that crews are cliquish and there weren’t many Americans to hang with.

After that, he managed to land a gig at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge in Alaska. He thought he would probably accompany the dinner theater show, “but instead, they scheduled me for four hours a night in the Bistro lounge.”

In truth, he had never sung and played the piano at the same time except in high school. “There was a Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival show and I played Jerry Lee Lewis and played ‘Great Balls of Fire’ in a white tux. Otherwise, I had only sung in choirs or a cappella groups.

They said to me, ‘You’d be singing and playing, taking requests, etc, for four hours a night. Can you do that?’ And my response was ‘Okay, no problem’ but in truth I had nothing under my belt…I didn’t tell them a thing because they assumed I had already worked on ships as a piano singer, when really I was a show band pianist making my way.”

With only months to prepare, he learned new songs every day, beginning with “Piano Man” – “it seemed appropriate,” he recalls. “I kept wondering how I was going to sing and the play at the same time. It was really new to me, but now I’m used to it.”

“When I started there I had about 120 songs, and after my first night I had gone through two-thirds of them. I thought, oh my goodness, I have to learn some more.”

He now remembers that summer as going really well. Because there was dining in the Bistro, he learned to sometimes play background music and sometimes foreground. When he returned to Minnesota he filled in his time with smaller gigs – weddings, parties and such. He had his own mobile set-up and pretty much was able to take whatever came along. He also frequently worked with musicians at St. Olaf, too.

He returned to cruising in January 2008 where he played in the piano bar on the Caribbean Princess and he has played several contracts a year since.

When performing on the Emerald Princess, Tom’s show is a mix of comedy, serious tunes, medleys, rousting anthems, sing-alongs and a bit of dancing. “My role is very much to interface with the passengers.” Once each cruise, he performs in the larger Explorer’s Lounge with the show band.

As engaging and friendly as he is, he admits that his life on the ship is a bit isolating. “Because I am an independent contractor, I am not actually an employe of Princess – see, I don’t even have a name badge. I work alone so it turns out that the people I am closest to are the staff in the lounge…It is kind of strange. I guess I am a bit of an ‘outlier’.” He acknowledges that he can eat with the crew or with passengers. “Some of the most fruitful relationships I have are with passengers…and I miss them when they leave.”

When he goes home on breaks, he says his personal passion is swing dancing. “You know, Lindy Hop, Charleston or Blues dancing. I enjoy it so much that I arranged a quartet and performed for a Blues dance with maybe 50 people. Often I am dancing several days a week.”

He is also very much into composing his own music which he occasionally performs on the ship.

As for the future? “I see myself having something to offer which is greater. I want to be producing my own songs with greater messages. These past few months I have really been inspired to write my own songs…I want to cut a disc. That is long overdue. I made one very early in my career but I want to have one that represents the skills I have now.

Currently, he has three upcoming contracts with Princess and eventually he hopes to become a guest entertainer in the ship theaters. Beyond that he is thinking of moving to New York to possibly try cabaret or other musical possibilities. “There I would hope to develop what is missing in ship life, a community of friends and a more settled life.”

His upcoming gigs on Princess include:

Nov. 5-17: Crown Princess, Caribbean

Jan. 28-April 27, 2012: Island Princess, Panama Canal

Sept, 20-Dec, 16, 2012: Sea Princess, Hawaii/New Zealand/Australia

Here is a video clip of Tom in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9LzJoSDrOs&hd=1

His website: www.tomfranek.com

People we’ve met the past few days:

Bruce and Beth from Del Ray Beach, Fla.

Nat and Sonja from Satellite Beach, Fla.

Clara from Atlanta, Ga., with Mo from Fire Island, NY

Bonnie and Mel from Columbia, Mo.

George and Sue from Atlanta, Ga.

Pat and Peggy from Wisconsin

Paul and Sandra from Louisville, Ky

Max and Polly from Englewood, Fla.

Wendell and June from Albuquerque, NM

George and Carol from Phoenix, AZ

John and Joanne from Naples, Fla.

Jimmy and Rene from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Molly and Bert from British Columbia

QAQORTOQ, Greenland – Today we visited a small village on the southwestern coast of Greenland. It is pronounced something like “KAK-or-TOCK.” Founded in 1775, this town has a population of just 3,230 — just a few more than the number of passengers sailing on the Emerald Princess (2,985). It is located at a latitude of 60°.

The colorful village of Qaqortoq

This is our first visit to Greenland. It is included on a few arctic and transatlantic itineraries, but is still one of the lesser-known cruising areas in the world. Most of the year the country’s small ports are blocked by sea ice and icebergs. Actually, September is the best month to visit as there is the least ice. That said, we did see a number of icebergs both sailing in and out and the ship does have an “ice captain” from Denmark aboard to help advise the captain in navigating these waters.

Because the harbor is so small, the ship had to anchor out and we traveled in and out with tenders. This transfer went very smoothly as we were in port from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. and it only took about two hours to see the town, unless you were hiking around its outskirts.

The old church by the stream

The town is very colorful. It sits in a “bowl” around the harbor and the sides of the hills are covered with multi-colored wood buildings. The three key buildings are easy to spot…the old church is red, the new church is white and the hotel is blue. While walking through town, you will encounter several groceries, a bank, a post office, a bar and a café but not many shops. Because just about everything is imported, prices are extremely high here. (In the grocery, Chet priced a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label scotch at 350 kroner, or $70.)

A local choir sings in the new church

Other points of interest include the fishing wharf where fresh and dried fish and seal meat is sold. On the other side of the harbor is the sealing factory, where seal is processed. I am told there is a store there but we did not visit that…most seal products cannot be brought into the U.S. There are also a number of stone sculptures and etchings in the area, which were done by Nordic artists in 1993-94.

Because of the size of the port, the ship did not offer any excursions. Everyone was on their own to explore the small town. There are about 5-6 taxis in town and one couple I know paid 300 kroner for a half hour tour for four ($60). Yes, there are vehicles despite the fact that there are no roads in or out of Qaqortoq. All travel to other towns is accomplished by air or boat.

Fishing and sealing are the main occupations of most towns in Greenland. However, Qaqortoq is known for being the administrative center for Southwest Greenland and the educational center which serves the entire region. It consists of a pre-school, and eight-year basic school, and a two-year secondary school. Those who pass exams can go to the three-year advanced secondary school. Those who want to attend university need to go to Nuuk, the capital of the country with is further north on the western coast.

Greenland is the largest island in the world that is not a continent. Almost 85 percent of Greenland is permanently covered by ice and all towns are on the periphery. There are very few towns on the eastern coast because of severe ice conditions. Most of the rugged coastlines are etched with glacial fjords and towering cliffs.

The population of the entire country is about 57,000. Over the many years (it was first sighted by Vikings in 900 AD) the native Inuit culture has been influenced by the Scandinavians. Today Greenland is a parliamentary democracy within the constitutional monarchy of Denmark and its currency is the Danish kroner. Although Greenlanders handle their own affairs (except for defense and foreign policy), their lives are heavily subsidized by Denmark – medicine, education, etc.

We were blessed with great weather today…clear, sunny, blue skies. Temps in the low ‘40s. Oh yes, there are also many whales in this area (mostly minke and humpback) and we did see some blowing occasionally. What fun!

AT SEA on the Emerald Princess –We are just over halfway through this 18-day Northern Atlantic repositioning cruise on the Emerald Princess cruise ship and this would be a good time to make some observations on the cruise itself:

The passengers: Most passengers on this cruise are experienced cruisers, with platinum or elite status with Princess. Many are holdovers from the previous Baltic Cruise. They are also very thrifty. Therefore, they know they have 18 days aboard and they are spreading out their expenditures…not spending as much on spa, bingo, photos, casino, specialty restaurants, etc. Most bought soft drink packages and/or coffee packages. They flock to 2-for-$10 T-shirt sales. Fewer are buying ship shore excursions; more seem to be striking off on their own.

Anytime Dining: Traditional dining with set table partners is offered at 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. Because we like to dine around 7 p.m., we opted for Anytime Dining and that is working out fine with us. We can eat when we want and we can dine as a twosome or join a larger table. We have done both and enjoyed it. Our service has been excellent. Kudos to the main dinner waiter, Francesco.

Formal nights: Aren’t formal anymore. Not only do very few men bring tuxedos, but many don’t even wear ties. Most do wear suits or sport coats in the dining rooms and those that don’t want to bother eat up in the Caribe Grill. Women tend to dress up a bit more but many wear shoes/sandals on formal night that are downright awful.

Lotus Spa: I get the feeling that the spa is not doing particularly well on this cruise as there are spa staff members sprinkled around the ship promoting treatments. Also, spa specials are being offered which is not always the case. The fact is that the passengers on this cruise just do not seem like spa folks. We have many days at sea, so you would think the spa would be buzzing, but its prices are extremely high and I believe that discourages customers. I would love to do more at the spa, but don’t want to pay $169 for a massage! They finally ran a special on facials so I booked one for tomorrow.

Internet service: In a word: Terrible. The worst I have ever experienced on any ship, anywhere. People are lined up daily complaining about it. The staff member in charge is constantly have to credit minutes back to people. Just to check email usually takes me at least a half hour! And to post a blog, a task which usually takes 10 minutes, took me 44 minutes today! It open a web page usually takes at least five minutes. Abysmal. For this reason, I have not posted hardly any photos in my blog…so come back later to see all of these postings with photos added!

Food: The food has been extremely good, particularly at dinner. Lunches are so-so. Breakfast is fine. I don’t care for arrangement of the Lido buffet. I like ships which offer serving stations for different cuisines. Everybody runs into each other in this buffet. It can also be very difficult to find seating.

Entertainment: Shows in the Princess Lounge and the Explorers Lounge are scheduled at 8:15 and 10:15, making it impossible for most Anytime Diners to make the first show and 10:15 is too late for us. The majority of people on this cruise are between ages 50-80 and they don’t stay up late so the early shows are packed…I mean packed. People come about 40 minutes early to get seats. As a result, we have seen very few shows. The one show that works out for us is Tom Franek, the pianist in Crooners Lounge who comes on at 9:15 p.m. (I interviewed him today and you will read more about him in a future blog.)

As we have so many days at sea, it would be nice to see a few more shows scheduled during the day. The afternoon movie in the Princess Theater is popular when good movies are shown. Why in the world did they put Casablanca on the outside screen?? The weather outside is not conducive to watching the huge outdoor screen which shows movies three times a day.