Carnival Ecstasy profile and photo tour

This week we present the 100^th ship to be profiled on Beyondships.com. There were less than a dozen ships profiled on the site when we started in 2007 and so it is with something of a feeling of accomplishment that we reach the century mark.

Our 100th ship is the venerable Carnival Ecstasy. Ecstasy is one of eight ships built for Carnival during the 1990s, which are collectively known as the Fantasy class. While all of the ships in the class were built to essentially the same design, one of the things that I have found interesting about exploring them is to see just how different they are one from the other.

One of the reasons they are different from one another is that their interiors were all originally designed by the same man, Joe Farcus. All of the Fantasy class ships have essentially the same interior layout. But Farcus made the corresponding rooms in each ship different. This does not mean that he used blue wall paper on one ship and red on the next to decorate a particular bar. Instead, he let his imagination run wild and produced some extravagant rooms each of which is unique.

For example, on Ecstasy you have the Chinatown Lounge complete with the entrance to a Chinese movie theater and a real delivery truck parked near the dance floor. There is the Neon piano bar, which has that name for a reason. Then there is the beautifully elegant Explorer's Club Library. Compare these to the corresponding rooms on say Carnival Fascination and you will see just how different rooms can be.

Also, Carnival has invested substantial amounts in refurbishing and revitalizing the Fantasy class ships over the years. As a result, there have been significant changes to the ships. For example, the pool deck areas have been transformed and given a resort-style look. A large water park has been added to the upper deck of each ship. An adult sanctuary has been added as have more rooms for the youth program.

But Carnival did not call in all of the Fantasy class ships at the same time and make these changes to all the ships at once. Thus, you can find differences between the ships that reflect changes in Carnival's thinking over time. For example, on Carnival Fantasy, the Camp Carnival youth center is on Deck 9 whereas on Ecstasy, it is on Deck 11.

Recently, Ecstasy's dance club was transformed as part of the Fun Ships 2.0 program. It now has the cool sophistication of the dance club on Carnival's latest ship Carnival Breeze.

Thus, while Carnival Ecstasy has many sisters, she does have her own distinct character and that is the way it should be.

Beyondship's profile of Carnival Ecstasy with copies of daily programs, menus and other information, is at http://beyondships.com/CarnivalEcstasy-Profile.html The multi-page photo tour of Carnival Ecstasy begins at http://beyondships.com/CarnivalEcstasy-Tour-1.html

Viewing the Changing of the Guard

The Coldstream Guards at the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Before or after taking a cruise from Southampton, Harech or Dover, many people stop in London. One of the things that visitors like to do when they are in London is go to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Accordingly, I have written an article and posted some photos that explain something about the who and why of the Changing of the Guard.

It is part of the pageantry of the British monarchy and it also appeals to those who are interested in the military. Furthermore, many of us of a certain age had toy figures with black bearskin helmets and red tunics when we were small so there is also an element of nostalgia here.

The people that you see in front of Buckingham Palace are known as The Guards. They are not re-enactors but rather an elite military formation with a long proud combat history. The precision with which they perform their ceremonial tasks reflects the self-discipline that they bring to their military duties.

What exactly they are doing in front of the Palace during the Changing of the Guard ceremony may be somewhat bewildering to a spectator. Therefore, I have tried to explain the various steps in the ceremony.

Also, Buckingham Palace is not the only place where you can see the Guards performing their ceremonial duties. There are ceremonies that go on at other nearby locations that are part of the Buckingham Palace ceremony. In addition, you can see the Guards executing other ceremonial duties at other locations in and around London.

Beyondships illustrated article about the Changing of the Guard is at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination-england-changing-of-the-guard.html

Cruising to Canada - Sydney and St. John

The main street of the restored town at the Fortress of Louisbourg

The 2012 Canada/New England cruising season has come to an end but I wanted to add one more port to profiles of the ports that are often included in the itinerary on Canada/New England cruises. With this addition, Beyondships will have profiles of all the more popular ports visited on such cruises, which I hope will make it more helpful for those of you who may be thinking about such a cruise in 2013 or beyond.

The port is Sydney, Nova Scotia and our profile of the port begins at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination---sydney-nova-scotia.html

Although named after the same 18^th century British aristocrat as the better known city in Australia, the two have little else in common. This one is a small town at the end of a pretty bay. So do not expect to see the harbor bridge or Banzai beach and the opera house looks nothing like the one in the southern hemisphere.

Cruise ships do not stop at this Sydney in order for passengers to view the city. There is a modern and lively cruise pavilion and a few 18^th century buildings but otherwise it is pretty much an ordinary town. Rather, ships come to Sydney because it is the port for Cape Breton Island. People travel from there to the scenic Cabot Trail or to the picturesque area of Baddeck to see the Alexander Graham Bell museum or the Highland Village.

Perhaps the most interesting attraction on Cape Breton Island is the Fortress of Louisbourg. In the first half of the 18^th century this fortified city was the third busiest port in North America. It was destroyed in the wars between Britain and France in the middle of that century. For some 200 years, the site lay undisturbed until the 1960s when the Canadian government decided to rebuild a quarter of the former city. It is the largest historical restoration in North America. In essence, you have what is an 18^th century French town far from any significant modern day urban center.

To bring the town to life, there are re-enactors in 18^th century costumes. They tell you the story of the people who actually live there and demonstrate how life was lived in those days. It is both entertaining and educational.

Beyondships' article about visiting Louisbourg is at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination---sydney-nova-scotia---louisbourg.html

While we are on the subject of Canada cruises, St. John, New Brunswick has emerged as one of the most visited ports in the Canada/New England area. Its pride is the Reversing Falls (sometimes called the Reversing Rapids), a section of the St. John River that is affected by the tidal changes with dramatic effect.

The Reversing Falls are a short distance out of town but for many years you needed some sort of vehicle to get there. Now St. John has constructed a trail so that you can walk from the cruise terminal to the Reversing Falls. I tried this out my last time in St. John and an article about my experience is at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-article---a-walk-to-the-reversing-falls.html

Cruise Destination Split Croatia

Split, Croatia

With the winter cold weather arriving, it is nice to think of someplace sunny and warm. And one of the sunniest places in Europe is the city of Split in Croatia.

Split is an ancient city that only recently has developed into a major cruise destination. It is situated on the coast of the Adriatic and thus is a convenient port of call for ships cruising to or from Venice.

For all intents and purposes the city began when the Roman Emperor Diocletian built his retirement palace there. It was no cottage but rather a large complex of buildings fortified with high walls. After the fall of the Roman Empire, people took shelter in the fortified palace against the various invaders that were plundering nearby cities. Over the years, a city developed within its walls.

The old city is remarkably well-preserved. You can walk through its narrow and twisting lanes and find all sorts of things from ancient temples to medieval palaces to interesting shops.

If you prefer a more leisurely day, Split has a wide promenade fronting the harbor. You can sit at one of the outdoor cafes and admire the palm trees and the mountains across the bay.

Beyondship's profile of Split begins at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination---split-croatia.html. There is also a special feature about exploring Diocletian's Palace. http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination-split-diocletian-palace.html

Photos of cruise ships Jewel of the Seas and Norwegian Gem

Norwegian Gem

This week we have new photo essays of two ships - - Norwegian Gem and Jewel of the Seas.

As discussed in a previous post, I was on Caribbean Princess during Hurricane Sandy. The ship took shelter in Boston harbor during the storm. Jewel of the Seas was also there through the storm. After she left, Norwegian Gem arrived because the port that she was scheduled to go to, New York, remained closed for a few days after the storm. Once it was announced that New York would re-open, both Caribbean Princess and Norwegian Gem sailed there.

Gem and Jewel have several things in common. Of course, they both have jewelry-inspired names. But more importantly, they were both built by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany which is known for its high quality products and attention to detail.

In addition, when I interview ship captains, I often ask how fast can this ship really go? According to this unscientific survey, the two fastest cruise ships currently in service are Jewel of the Seas and Norwegian Gem. (Queen Mary 2 is the fastest passenger ship in service but she is an ocean liner as opposed to a cruise ship). I am thinking of holding a race to determine this question once and for all.

In any event, it was an interesting coincidence to see one right after the other.

The photo essays have shots of the ships both during the day and at night. There are also short video clips. The Norwegian Gem photo essay is at http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-gem-photo-essay.html and the Jewel of the Seas essay is at http://www.beyondships2.com/jewel-of-the-seas-photo-essay.html