Carnival Splendor Photos; Cruise destination Tortola

This week we cover two topics.

First, we have a new photo feature on Carnival Splendor. It includes both photos and a video of the ship leaving her berth in New York. I hesitated somewhat in publishing this feature because we published a similar feature about Carnival Splendor earlier in the fall. However, it was a fine autumn day and the pictures and the video from this sailing came out very nicely. In addition, since I know from experience that Carnival Splendor has many fans, I thought they would appreciate seeing these photos. The feature begins at http://www.beyondships2.com/carnival-splendor-in-new-york-2.html

The second topic this week is the cruise destination Tortola. Visiting Tortola in the British Virgin Islands (“BVI”) is a different cruise experience than visiting the U.S. Virgin Islands. (See our Tortola overview page http://www.beyondships3.com/tortola.html ). The topography is similar. Like St. Thomas, Tortola is a mountainous island with many fine sandy beaches. However, that is about the limit of the similarity.

Tortola is an offshore financial center. Some absurdly high percentage of the world's international corporations are BVI companies. Yet, Road Town, Tortola's only urban center, is not full of corporate headquarters buildings. They are essentially there in name only. The corporations get the benefit of the BVI's more business-friendly laws and the islands get a boast to the economy. In fact, Tortola is one of the most prosperous islands in the Caribbean.

As a result, while Tortola is tourist-friendly, it is not in a tourist-mad. There are shops in Road Town but it does not have the shopping frenzy of Charlotte Amalie in nearby St. Thomas. In addition, the island is not as developed for tourism as the USVI.

Another difference is the island's British background. The islanders tend to be polite and more reserved. A conversation is expected to begin with “good morning” or “good afternoon.”

So what is there for a cruise visitor to do in Tortola? First, there is the scenery. While it is possible to hike to the top of Mt. Sage, the island's highest peak, most visitors take a tour along Ridge Road, which runs along the mountainous spine of the island. It is a wild ride, going up and down steep inclines and rounding some sharp turns. However, from the top on a clear day you can see not only the surrounding British Virgin Islands but the U.S. Virgin Islands as well. Our page on Tortola scenic views is at http://www.beyondships3.com/tortola-scenic-views.html

Second, you can spend some time at the beach. In Tortola, the first name people think of when it comes to beaches is Cane Garden Bay. It is a quite pretty horseshoe shaped beach with white sand and palm trees. There are restaurants and other facilities. Of course, because it is the best known and most developed, it attracts the most people. Tortola has some other more secluded beaches but the tradeoff is that they have less facilities. Our page on Tortola beaches is at http://www.beyondships3.com/tortola-beaches.html

Sailing and snorkeling are also popular activities on Tortola. In addition, many visitors take an excursion over to the Bathes on nearby Virgin Gorda.

Our page on the Tortola cruise port with photos of some of the ships that have called in Tortola is at http://www.beyondships3.com/tortola-cruise-port.html We also have a links page with links to cruise line web pages about Tortola and to other sites with information about visiting Tortola. http://www.beyondships3.com/tortola-links.html

Cruising to Rome and Civitavecchia

Cruising to Rome is a voyage to one of the world's great cities. The city combines centuries of history, beautiful art and architecture and an atmosphere that is at once lively and timeless.

It is not possible to cover everything of interest in Rome in just one section of an online travel guide. Therefore, I have concentrated on three aspects of interest to visitors.

First, Rome is a city that lends itself to walking. Yes, you do have to be aware of the Roman traffic, although it does not seem as chaotic as when I first went to Rome but then most people were driving chariots back then. However, many of the major sights of ancient Rome and Renaissance Rome are not located very far from each other.

To illustrate this, I have put together a photo feature about a walk through central Rome. We start at the Piazza Navona and wander our way through the streets and plazas to the Colosseum. There is a lot to see along the way. The article is posted at http://www.beyondships3.com/rome-a-walk-through-rome.html

Next, many people come to Rome and then leave the country for all or part of the day. This is because Rome surrounds the world's smallest country, the Vatican. http://www.beyondships3.com/rome-visiting-the-vatican.html

In addition to being a major religious center, the Vatican has an incomparable collection of fine art. And it is all housed in historic and architecturally important buildings. Our coverage of the Vatican includes a photo feature on visiting St. Peter's Basilica http://www.beyondships3.com/rome-visiting-st-peters.html and information about the Vatican Museums. http://www.beyondships3.com/rome-visiting-vatican-museums.html

Finally, we look at Rome's cruise port, Civitavecchia. This is perhaps the only cruise port with a building designed in part by Michelangelo. It is a busy cruise port and thus is a great place for watching cruise ships. Our page on Civitavecchia is at http://www.beyondships3.com/cruise-port-civitavecchia.html

Cruising to Cobh Ireland; Cobh and Titanic; Visiting the Blarney Stone; Jewel of the Seas video

Brochures for British Isles cruises often list Cork, Ireland as a port of call. This is somewhat misleading in two ways. First, the cruise ships actually dock in Cobh, which is on the body of water known as Cork Harbour but not in Cork City itself. Second, the main attractions in this part of the world are not in Cork City itself but in the surrounding countryside.

Listing the port as Cork rather than Cobh is not a quibble. Cobh is not some industrial port that is occasionally used by cruise ships. Rather, it is a place that is both scenic and historic. (See our Cobh cruise port page http://www.beyondships3.com/ireland-cobh-cruise-port.html )

The cruise ships dock near the center of Cobh. It is a pretty Irish town that seemingly has changed little since the 19^th century. You can walk along the harbor and see the fishing boats, the pubs and the well-maintained Victorian/Edwardian buildings. Or you can walk up the hill and visit the town's Gothic cathedral. There are also museums and a fortress in the harbor. But the main thing is to soak up the charming atmosphere.

Cobh is also quite historic. It was the last port of call for the Titanic. It was also the place where the survivors and victims of the Lusitania disaster were brought. (The sinking occurred not far from the harbor entrance). These two events are remembered in Cobh with memorials and museums. In addition, because the town still looks much the same, it is easy to imagine what it must have been like for those passengers who disembarked Titanic at Cobh as well as for those who embarked. (See our article on Cobh, Titanic and Lusitania http://www.beyondships3.com/ireland-cobh-titanic.html ).

In those days, Cobh was known as Queenstown and was a frequent stop for ocean liners making transatlantic crossings. The primary reason they stopped here was to pick up Irish emigrants heading to America. 2.5 million of the six million Irish who emigrated to America left via Cobh. There is a heritage center next to the cruise ship berth that tells their story.

While it is easy to spend the entire port call in Cobh itself, there are many attractions nearby. For example, everyone who has ever heard of Ireland has heard of the Blarney Stone. If you kiss, you will supposedly obtain the gift of the gab or great eloquence, as the more reserved tourist literature puts it.

The Blarney Stone is in Blarney Castle, a ruin several miles outside of Cork City. To kiss it is no easy task. First, it seems like a few hundred fellow visitors are always waiting on line to do so. Next, you have to climb up a hundred or so steps to the top of the Castle where the stone resides. Then hanging upside down you dangle over the battlements to do the actual kissing. Still, almost everyone seems to enjoy it.

The kissing ceremony is not the only reason to visit Blarney Castle. Surrounding the Castle are beautifully landscaped grounds and a variety of gardens. Sharing the grounds is Blarney House, a smaller version of Downton Abbey, which you can also tour. Our article on visiting Blarney Castle is at http://www.beyondships3.com/ireland-blarney-castle.html

Also in the area near Cobh is the Old Midleton Distillery, home to the Jameson Experience. Here, you can tour a 19^th/20^th century distillery and see how Irish Whiskey was made. In addition, there is a bar area where you can become a certified Irish Whiskey taster. Our article about visiting the Jameson distillery is at http://www.beyondships3.com/ireland-cobh-jameson.html

The countryside is also quite scenic. A drive down to the seaside village of Kinsale is another popular excursion.

Then there is Cork City itself. While it may not be Paris or Rome, there are things to see in Cork City. Our overview of Cork City is at http://www.beyondships3.com/ireland-cork-city.html

Changing topics, I discovered in our archives a video of Jewel of the Seas sailing from Boston, Massachusetts. It is at http://www.beyondships2.com/jewel-of-the-seas-video.html

Brilliance of the Seas revitalized; Transatlantic on Brilliance of the Seas

 The introduction of the super cruise ships Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas created a problem for Royal Caribbean. Not just in size but in the array of entertainment and dining choices that the ships offered, they were beyond pretty much any ship in service. However, not only did they render almost every other ship then in service out-of-date, they also did the same to Royal's existing fleet.

The solution was to undertake a fleetwide revitalization program that would give the existing ships some of the features of Oasis and Allure. Obviously, because they are not as big as the two giants, the existing ships would not be able to offer everything that you can find on the Oasis class ships but they could add some of the more popular features in order to give guests more choice throughout the Royal Caribbean fleet. It is a business strategy that makes a lot of sense.

This strategy was not without risk, however. Quite a few of the existing Royal Caribbean ships are very popular and have their own loyal following. For those ships, didn't Royal risk violating the old adage if it ain't broke don't fix it.

This was particularly true for Royal's four Radiance class ships. These ships are big but not too big. They are elegantly designed but not stuffy. They have relatively few passengers for their size, giving the ships a passenger space ratio that is more like that of an upmarket ship. In addition, they have a loyal following, particularly among frequent cruisers.

It was with these conflicting thoughts in mind that I joined Brilliance of the Seas for a transatlantic crossing. I had sailed on this ship, the second ship built in the Radiance class, less than a year before. However, since then she had been through the revitalization refit, adding several new dining and entertainment venues.

I was relieved to find, in the words of Cruise Director Steve Davis, that the Brilliance is still the Brilliance. Her essential character has not been changed. She is still presents a sophisticated version of the Royal Caribbean experience.

The changes that were made blend in nicely with the ship's character. The additional dining venues give you more options, which is particularly nice on a long cruise. I particularly liked the transformation of the Solarium Cafe into the Park Cafe. The atmosphere is the same but the menu and the hours have been enlarged. I was also impressed with Giovanni's Table, which has taken over from Portofino's. (See review http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-giovanni-review.html )

I was disappointed that the Sea View Cafe, a venue found only on the Radiance class ships, was replaced with Izumi. I have nothing against Izumi but the Sea View was unique and I have enjoyed a number of meals there.

With regard to entertainment, the Centrum has been modified to make it more of an entertainment venue. Previously, the atrium had been used for theme parties and some other forms of entertainment but the glass stairs and the floor plan of the lobby made it difficult for the entertainers. That has all been changed and a new layout created that is more conducive to entertainment.

The giant sculpture that hung in the atrium has also been removed so as to allow aerialists to perform in this space. It is impressive but “flying” shows are no longer something new on cruise ships and so I am skeptical of whether it creates the “wow” that Royal was hoping to achieve.

There has also been the addition of a giant outdoor television/movie screen on the pool deck. Several of the bars have been changed as well. The most dramatic change has been the transformation of the Sports Bar into the King and Country Pub. The fact that it was full every night whereas the Sports Bar was never full testifies to the success of this change.

Beyondships' multi-page photo tour of Brilliance of the Seas has been updated to reflect the revitalization. It begins at http://beyondships.com/RCI-BOS-Tour-1.html

I spoke with Captain Stig Nilsen, Hotel Director Dean Bailey and Cruise Director Steve Davis to get their thoughts about Brilliance after the revitalization. That interview is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-revitalized.html

I also spoke with them about sailing transatlantic on the Brilliance. A transatlantic crossing is a unique cruise experience. It is one that a large number of frequent cruisers savor. The experience on Brilliance is much different than crossing on Queen Mary 2, which I have written about in the past. (see http://www.beyondships2.com/queen-mary-2-shepard.html ). Moreover, the far northern route that Brilliance followed across the Atlantic also made the crossing different than the more southerly crossings made by other cruise ships. My article on crossing on Brilliance is at http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-transatlantic.html

The crossing on Brilliance began with what was in essence a European cruise. This enabled me to take some photos of the ship in various European ports. They are posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-in-europe.html

In addition, Brilliance's menus page has been updated with new menus from the main dining room and the specialty restaurants. http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-menus.html The daily programs page has been updated with new Cruise Compasses. http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-daily-programs.html The informationals page has been updated with a variety of different leaflets distributed onboard Brilliance. http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-informationals.html And, of course, a new deck plan has been added which reflects the changes made during the revitalization. http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-deck-plans.html

Photos of Carnival Glory; Videos of Carnival Glory and Norwegian Breakaway

After several years of being based in New York City for at least part of the year, Carnival Glory has moved on and has taken up year-round residence in Florida. During her time in New York, she provided many people enjoyable vacations to Eastern Canada and to the Bahamas.

In tribute to the Glory's New York years, we have a new photo essay and video showing Carnival Glory sailing from New York. In it, we see her passing such landmarks as the Statue of Liberty and passing under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Then we see her sailing on the open sea.

The photo feature is at http://www.beyondships2.com/carnival-glory-photos-2.html and the video is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/carnival-glory-video.html

Glory's departure will not leave New York devoid of cruise ships. New York's newest resident cruise ship is Norwegian Breakaway. In a new video, we present her leaving the Manhattan Cruise Terminal (aka the Passenger Ship Terminal) and heading out to sea. She was off o n her first cruise to the Bahamas and it was a beautiful fall day.

The Norwegian Breakaway video is at http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-breakaway-nyc-video.html

Norwegian Breakaway at six months; Cruise destinations Fecamp and Etretat France

It has now been six months since Norwegian Breakaway entered service. She is one of the most innovative ships to debut in recent years so I decided to return and see how the ship was doing after half a year in service. After all, there is no guarantee that doing something different will make people like you.

Having sailed on Breakaway last June, we were not surprised to find that the ship is working out as well as Norwegian Cruise Line had hoped. People seem to like the ship. She offers a lot to do and the format of the cruise allows you a lot of choice in deciding what to do and when.

This is even more so than the other Norwegian ships, excepting Norwegian Epic, which was the forerunner of Breakaway. Under Norwegian's Freestyle system, you always had plenty of choice with regard to when and where to eat. However, the evening's entertainment centered around the shows in the theater as on other cruise ships. With Breakaway and Epic, you have several quality choices as to entertainment as well so the evening does not revolve around the show times in the main theater.

There are other innovations on Breakaway such as her outdoor promenade that has bars and restaurants on it. Another bold move was to station Breakaway year-round in New York rather than in Florida. Such ideas seem good but I was interested in finding out how they are being received by the cruising public. So we spoke with Breakaway's Hotel Director Hugo Vanosmael about Breakaway at six months. It is at http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-breakaway-six-months.html

To go along with this article, we have added a new photo essay of Breakaway sailing out of New York on her first Bahamas cruise. Fall days can be particularly good for photographing ships sailing from New York because there is less humidity and haze. The photo essay is at http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-breakaway-photos.html

Switching topics, we have added a new shore excursion experience to the Northern France section of Beyondships. http://www.beyondships3.com/northern-france-overview.html This one is about touring the Alabaster Coast region of Normandy. In particular, we stopped at Fecamp and Etretat.

In Fecamp, we went to the Benedictine Palace. This elaborate building was erected in the late 19^th century to house the factory that makes Benedictine liqueur. A visit takes you through the process of making the liqueur and there is an opportunity to taste some at the end. However, the Palace also houses a fine arts museum that focuses on Renaissance and Medieval art. Thus, a visit is more than the typical tasting experience that you have at most wineries and distilleries. The page on Fecamp is at http://www.beyondships3.com/france-alabaster-1.html

While the experience in Fecamp was enjoyable, the highlight was Etretat. Etretat is a popular resort town located by the sea. It lies in a depression in a coastline that is otherwise made up of vertical chalk cliffs that tower over the sea. You can climb up onto the cliffs or admire them from below on the stone-covered beach. Thus, if you like natural beauty and/or hiking, Etretat has much to offer.

For art lovers, this place is of special significance. The cliffs have been painted by many famous artists. However, they are best known from the numerous studies done by Claude Monet, the leader of the Impressionist movement. Signs indicate where Monet stood to make some of his paintings. Moreover, there has been little change to the area in the century or so since Monet did his paintings.

Our page on Etretat is at http://www.beyondships3.com/france-alabaster-2.html

If you are cruising to Northern France, you will probably call at Cherbourg or Le Harve. We have added a new cruise port page about these ports. http://www.beyondships3.com/northern-france-cruise-ports.html

Photos of sail powered cruise ships; the first cruise ship; and a cat at sea

There is something graceful and attractive about a sailing ship. In addition, the notion of plowing through the waves under sail at sunset on a tropical evening has a great romantic appeal. Not surprisingly, therefore, a number of smaller cruise lines offer voyages on cruise ships that are primarily sailing ships.

Within the sailing ship category, there are a variety of ship styles ranging from very traditional ships such as Sea Cloud, first built as a yacht in 1931, to more high tech ships such as Wind Surf, which has computer operated sails. There is also a difference in the number of passengers ranging from 68 on Sea Cloud to over 300 on Wind Surf. Along the same lines, there is a difference in the number of contemporary cruise ship features, which roughly corresponds to the size of the ship.

Of course, none of the sailing cruise ships are anywhere near the size of the cruise ships operated by the major cruise lines. Accordingly, they market themselves on such things as informality and luxury. They also point out that the uniqueness of the sail experience and their off-the-beaten track itineraries.

Our new sailing ship galleries present exterior photos of six sailing cruise ships: Sea Cloud and Sea Cloud II http://www.beyondships2.com/sailing-ship-gallery-1.html; Royal Clipper and Star Clipper http://www.beyondships2.com/sailing-ship-gallery-2.html;Wind Surf and Club Med 2 http://www.beyondships2.com/sailing-ship-gallery-3.html.

We've also added two new FAQs. The first deals with the question of what is the biggest cruise ship. http://www.beyondships2.com/faq-what-is-the-largest-cruise-ship.html We answer the question and explain why it is so. We compare the size of these ships to some of the great ships of the past. There is also a chart of the top ten largest passenger ships now in service.

The second answers the question what was the first cruise ship? http://www.beyondships2.com/faq-what-was-the-first-cruise-ship.html Of course, ships have been transporting passengers since the dawn of history. But what was the first ship to be built for the purpose of taking passengers on recreational cruises? The answer is somewhat surprising.

Finally, we have added our first book review. All At Sea With Truffles was written by Sheila Collins, who is a frequent cruiser on Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. She is also the author of a popular series of humorous books about a cat named Truffles. In this volume, Truffles goes to sea on a ship that is clearly drawn from Celebrity Eclipse and Independence of the Seas (Eclipse of the Seas?). It is a witty and perceptive look at cruising and human nature. Our review is at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-book-review-truffles.html