Cruising in the Far East with RCI & HAL

ABOARD QUANTUM of the SEAS – We’re on our final sea day and I have a few loose ends to tie up in my coverage of the Quantum experience, such as ways to spend the final day of the cruise. Certainly there are numerous activities less strenuous than skydiving and rock climbing that I’ve failed to mention.  Reading in the library, playing cards, and there is surely a game of mah-jongg going on somewhere.  Jewelry and art …

Read moreCruising in the Far East with RCI: Home Bound for China

ABOARD QUANTUM of the SEAS – Upon first seeing a megaship, I was a bit overwhelmed.  Yes, they are huge, if that isn’t an understatement. In order to further describe megaships, cruise writers and bloggers have invented a few analogies that I’d like to explore aboard the Quantum of the Seas. The first analogy for the largest Oasis-class ships is that their split “open-atrium” structure is made possible by their hulls extraordinary width that is double most …

Read moreCruising in the Far East with RCI: Big Ship, Big Excitement

ABOARD QUANTUM of the SEAS — I’m in Shanghai with my wife, Jialin, for a twofer, two cruises back-to-back with Royal Caribbean International (RCI) and Holland America Lines (HAL).  I expect they will differ considerably. We arrived at Shanghai’s Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, this morning at 11 AM to board the Quantum of the Seas, the fifth largest of Royal Caribbean International’s innovative megaships and sixth largest cruise ship in the world, for a four day cruise …

Read moreCruising in the Far East with RCI & HAL: Doubling Our Fun