Quantum of the Seas First Impressions

 This week I had the opportunity to go aboard Royal Caribbean's new ship Quantum of the Seas. My reaction was that this is a bold and complex ship.

Quantum is bold because she is such a departure from previous Royal Caribbean ships. Royal is a very popular cruise line and the safe course for a business that is on a winning streak is to just keep doing what it has been doing in the past. But Royal has never been one for playing it safe. Just consider the giant investment it made in the Oasis class ships which were a significant departure from what Royal had done with the popular Freedom and Voyage class ships.

With Quantum, Royal has gone even further, jettisoning such popular signature features as the Viking Crown Lounge, the Royal Promenade, the ice skating rink and even the main dining room. Other popular features including the rock climbing wall and Johnny Rockets are different than on earlier ships. In place of the old are new features and new concepts, which Royal is betting will interest customers even more.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how there are at least three versions of the Royal Caribbean cruise experience, which roughly correspond to the various classes of ships in the Royal fleet. Because Quantum is so different than her predecessors, there is now a fourth version of the Royal Caribbean cruise experience. This comes in an industry, where in the name of branding, most of the cruise lines are attempting to make their fleets as homogenous as possible. As someone who believes that ships should be different from one another, I find Royal's approach much to my liking.

Quantum is complex because she has a multi-facted personality. Features such as bumper cars and the sky diving simulator may give the impression that this is a frivolous ship, just a floating amusement park. The giant red bear on the port side of the ship also appears to convey this impression as it looks like an even bigger version of the big red dinosaur in the children's playground on Norwegian Dawn.

However, when you go inside the ship, you find that the public areas are sleek and sophisticated. They have the atmosphere of Celebrity Cruises' Solstice class ships (see, e.g., Celebrity Eclipse). Decidedly up-market with stores such as Cartier and Bvlgari and elegant dining rooms to host Royal's new Dynamic Dining concept, there is nothing frivolous here.

Even the giant bear turns out not to be part of a playground but rather a work of art by British sculptor Lawrence Argent. The concept is that by making a polar bear 30 feet high and coloring it magenta, an intimidating creature is transformed into something whimsical. Apparently overlooked is the fact that a giant red bear has a rather intimidating symbolism to those who remember the not-so-good old days of the Soviet Union. In any event, the bear grows on you after awhile.

Thus, Quantum's personality has an element of whimsy and playfulness but primarily it is an intelligent and serious ship. She can casual and she can be elegant. For example, her complimentary dining venues and her specialty restaurants offer a range of food extending from hot dogs to healthy choices to grand fine dining. The entertainment offerings are similarly broad. Throughout the ship is the quality and attention to detail that I have come to expect in ships built by Meyer Werft.

Overall, I was quite impressed by Quantum. Whether this view will be shared by long-time Royal Caribbean fans remains to be seen as the ship is so different than what has gone before. I tend to think they will like it. However, those fans in Royal's home market will only have a short opportunity to see for themselves since when Spring comes the ship is off to blaze a new trail in China.

This week Beyondships begins its coverage of Quantum with four items: a video showing the ship sailing from the Port of New York-New Jersey http://www.beyondships2.com/quantum-of-the-seas-video.html ; a review of the North Star experience on Quantum http://www.beyondships2.com/quantum-of-the-seas-north-star.html ; a Quantum of the Seas menus page with menus from some of the dining venues on Quantum http://www.beyondships2.com/quantum-of-the-seas-menus.html ; and a Quantum of the Seas deck plans page http://www.beyondships2.com/quantum-of-the-seas-deck-plans.html. More about Quantum next week.

Adventure of the Seas review and photos

This week the focus is on Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas. In April, Adventure underwent a refit, which added several new features to the ship. Thus, it is an appropriate time to take another look at Adventure. To this end, we recently did a transatlantic crossing on her followed by a short European cruise.

Adventure is a Voyager class cruise ship. In fact she was the third ship built in that class, entering service just after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Accordingly, she was named in New York by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and her god parents are six New York City firefighters and policemen.

Despite her New York City connection, Adventure is not Royal Caribbean's New York ship. (Somewhat oddly, her sister ship Explorer of the Seas was given that role when RCI decided to base a ship in New York harbor year-round). Instead, she has spent most of her time in the Caribbean sailing out of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The last few years, however, Adventure has been spending her summers in Southampton, England, sailing to the Mediterranean, the Canaries, the British Isles, Northern Europe and Scandinavia. She is doing that this summer but plans for 2015 call for her to revert back to year-round San Juan sailings.

Adventure is a very big cruise ship. At 137,000 gross tons, she is no longer the biggest cruise ship but she is still bigger than the vast majority of ships. Her size allows her to have many features including some that are not at all traditional on passenger ships. These include a pedestrian mall, lined with shops, bars and a cafe, running a considerable length down the ship's center line and a large ice skating arena. These are both used as entertainment venues as well so that there is more to an evening on Adventure than what is going on in the theater and the casino.

Normally, in the Caribbean, Adventure's passenger list is dominated by young families. However, on the two week long transatlantic crossing, there were few children. This left the ship's facilities almost entirely to her adult passengers. As a result, the adults had lots of choices and lots of space to indulge themselves in.

The crossing was not a straight run from Miami to Southampton. Rather, the ship took her time going across with Caribbean stops in Nassau, San Juan and St. Maarten to start the voyage and a stops mid-way across the Atlantic in the Azores. Thus, there were elements of a Caribbean cruise and a European cruise in this crossing. But most of it was long, lazy sea days, which makes these types of voyages so popular with experienced cruisers.

The weather going across was fine. Adventure took the southern route across, which tends to have better weather than the more northerly, traditional ocean liner route. The only grey skies were after the ship left the Azores and was skirting the Bay of Biscay.

For her European cruise, Adventure had a mix of sun and rain. Sun in Zeebrugge, Belgium and rain in Le Harve. Whereas on the crossing, there had been many British passengers, many of whom were going home after wintering in Florida, the vast majority of passengers on this cruise were British. There were more children than on the crossing but still not many as the schools were still open.

I used to find Royal Caribbean's success with the British public somewhat surprising. Royal provides an excellent cruise experience with nice ships, friendly service and quality choices in entertainment and dining. However, it is very much an American-style product, bold, informal and sometimes flashy. I have since come to the conclusion that this experience is successful with the British precisely because it is not British. Just going on one of the RCI ships is like going abroad, a break from the everyday routine.

The cruise was a different experience than the crossing. In Europe, the ports play a much more significant role as there is such a variety of things to see and do in the ports.

The new additions to Adventure include a giant video screen overlooking the pool, flat screen televisions in the passenger cabins, a new lounge for Diamond-level members of Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society loyalty program and interactive electronic signage in the public rooms telling you such things as what is happening aboard and how to get from where you are to where you want to be. The Portofino specialty restaurant has become Giovanni's Table. These additions are only some of the features that will be added to the ship in the next few years under the line's Royal Advantage program, which is bringing features from the Oasis class ships to the rest of the Royal Caribbean fleet.

I was pleased to see that the ship is being well-maintained. In fact, new carpeting was being installed unobtrusively as we sailed.

We have updated the Adventure of the Seas section on Beyondships. http://beyondships.com/AOS-Profile.html The photo tour of the ship has been updated to include the new features and expanded with more photos of the ship's interior and open decks. http://www.beyondships.com/AOS-tour.html There is a new menus page with menus from the main dining room and specialty restaurants. http://www.beyondships2.com/adventure-of-the-seas-menus.html We've added a daily programs page with examples of the Cruise Compass from past cruises and of other informational materials distributed aboard Adventure. http://www.beyondships2.com/adventure-of-the-seas-daily-programs.html There is a new deck plans page. http://www.beyondships2.com/adventure-of-the-seas-deck-plans.html Finally, we have a new photo feature with exterior photos of Adventure in eight different ports. http://www.beyondships2.com/adventure-of-the-seas-photos.html

Revolutionary dining for Quantum of the Seas; Majesty of the Seas photos

Adam Goldstein, CEO and President of Royal Caribbean International, unveils Dynamic Dining

 Last week Royal Caribbean unveiled a revolutionary new dining system for its Quantum class ships - - the forthcoming Quantum of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas and a ship to be named later. The presentation quite impressed me because the new system, which Royal Caribbean is calling “Dynamic Dining” is so different than what anyone - - including Royal Caribbean - - are presently doing.

Traditionally, cruise ship passengers were assigned to a specific table in the ship's main dining room for their meals. On larger ships where the main dining room could not accommodate all of the passengers at the same time, each passenger was assigned to either the early or the late seating.

In the 1990s, this began to change as ships developed buffet restaurants that became a viable alternative for breakfast and lunch. However, for dinner, passengers continued to be assigned to a specific table at one of the two seatings on most ships. Some ships began to add a specialty restaurant where you could dine for an extra charge.

Early this century, Norwegian Cruise Line developed Freestyle dining. Its ships have more than one main dining room plus an array of specialty restaurants. Guests could eat in any of the main dining rooms or in any of the specialty restaurants when they wanted. No assigned tables, no assigned dining times.

In response, almost all of the other major cruise lines have added flexible dining options. Usually, one part of the main dining room follows the traditional system while another part has a system that allows guests to come when they chose. On ships that have multiple dining rooms, typically, one dining room is devoted to the traditional system while the other(s) have flexible dining. The menus used in all the dining rooms are the same. These lines have also added more specialty restaurants as time has passed to give the guests more alternatives.

With Dynamic Dining, Royal Caribbean is doing away completely with the traditional dining system. Instead of one main dining room, there will be five complimentary dining rooms as well as an array of extra tariff specialty restaurants. It is up to the guest to decide where and when to dine.

Dynamic Dining differs from Freestyle dining chiefly in that each of the complimentary dining rooms will be different with a unique theme and a unique menu. One will be American favorites, one will be a grand formal restaurant, one will be very hip and cutting edge, one will be Asian-inspired and one will be a California-style venue.

In addition, each of the complimentary restaurants is a relatively small venue and each has its own galley. (On most ships with multiple dining rooms, all of the food is prepared in the same galley). Thus, the chefs will be able to give more time and attention to each meal. This should enable them to make more sophisticated dishes.

To prevent more passengers than a particular restaurant can handle all arriving at the same time, Royal Caribbean is instituting a reservations system. Making reservations for cruise ship specialty restaurants is something passengers are used to but it is a rare exception for complimentary dining rooms. In any event, Royal Caribbean has developed an app that will enable guests to make reservations before they board and while on ship. There will also be other more traditional means of making reservations.

Dynamic Dining is a bold move. It promises to offer more choice and variety in cruise dining. At the same time, there are risks. For example, the traditional dining system lends itself to getting to know your fellow passengers. Over the course of the cruise, you often become friends with the people that dine at your table each night. This is particularly important to solo travelers.

There is also the question of how passengers will react to having to make reservations for dinner. Requiring reservations could dampen the feeling of being able to decide at the spur of the moment where and when to dine. Also, will people who purchase their cruises near the sailing date be disadvantaged because people who booked the cruise earlier have taken all the choice spots.

I tend to think such concerns can be dealt with using a little creative thinking. Thus, I look forward to seeing this concept in action. Moreover, the food samples served at the unveiling event in New York were excellent.

I spoke with several Royal Caribbean executives including Adam Goldstein, Presidenmt and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, about Dynamic Dining. That article is at http://www.beyondships2.com/quantum-of-the-seas-dining.html The article also covers the new specialty restaurant offerings on Quantum including venues developed in partnership with celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver, Michael Schwartz and Devin Alexander.

Turning from Royal Caribbean's newest ships to the grand dame of the fleet, we have a photo feature showing Majesty of the Seas as she traveled on one of her short Bahamas cruises. http://www.beyondships2.com/majesty-of-the-seas-in-the-bahamas.html There is also a video of Majesty at sea. http://www.beyondships2.com/majesty-at-sea.html All of this augments our profile of Majesty of the Seas. http://beyondships.com/RCI-MJOS-Profile.html

Legend of the Seas profile and review

We have added a new section to Beyondships on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas.

Legend of the Seas is one of six ships that comprise Royal Caribbean's Vision class. In fact, Legend was the first one that they built.

I had been looking to sail on Legend for some time. Each of the Vision class ships is somewhat different - - four were built in France and two in Finland - - and so you find different layouts and different nautical characteristics. I've enjoyed cruising on the other Vision class ships that I have sailed on (Vision of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas) so I was looking forward to exploring Legend.

Catching up with Legend wasn't that easy. Royal Caribbean uses her to develop new markets and for the last five years she was sailing out of Singapore, which is quite far from my home base. Last summer they brought her closer - - the Mediterranean - - but this winter she did a season of Caribbean cruises, which is almost down the street from me.

The cruise experience on Legend followed the classic model. Although new dining and entertainment options have been added to enhance the experience, it is very much the way cruising used to be - - relaxing and comfortable. We wandered lazily through the islands of the Southern and Eastern Caribbean, well-fed and entertained. The crew seemed happy and eager to please.

Of course, Legend is nearly 20 years old. Last year, Royal Caribbean did a multi-million dollar revitalization of the ship. They added new specialty restaurants and entertainment offerings such as a giant LED screen over the main pool. They also redid the passenger cabins. This did not and was not intended to magically transform Legend into a new ship. She retains the character of the ships of the time in which she was first built.

While I like the new ships that are coming out of the shipyards these days, there is clearly a place for more classic ships. Ships like Legend are more intimate and less flashy than the new ships. The recent changes to the ship do make the cruise experience more interesting but Royal Caribbean is to be commended for not throwing the baby out with the bathwater. They supplement rather than detract from the ship's overall ambiance.

Legend was built at a time when the cruise lines were still interested in building fast ships and so she can tool around at 25 knots. Citing the high cost of fuel, she only uses her speed in cases of emergency. However, it is comforting to know it is there.

Along the same lines, the ship has good stability. A dick tail was added to the stern of the ship in 2013 to make the ship even more stable in rough seas and during high speed turns.

The home page for our profile of Legend of the Seas is at http://beyondships.com/RCI-LGOS-Profile.html The photo tour of the interior and public areas of the ship begins at http://beyondships.com/RCI-LGOS-Tour-1.html We also have a page of daily programs (Cruise Compass) http://www.beyondships2.com/legend-of-the-seas-daily-programs.html and a page of menus from the main dining room and the specialty restaurants http://www.beyondships2.com/legend-of-the-seas-menus.html.

We spoke with Captain Kjell Nordmo http://www.beyondships2.com/legend-of-the-seas-captain.html and Hotel Director Silvio Ghigo http://www.beyondships2.com/legend-of-the-seas-hotel-director.html to get their insights as to what Legend of the Seas is all about. Then we have reviews of the new Izumi specialty restaurant http://www.beyondships2.com/legend-of-the-seas-izumi.html and of the Chef's Table dining experience http://www.beyondships2.com/legend-of-the-seas-chefs-table.html on Legend of the Seas.

Independence of the Seas Revisited

This week, we've updated and expanded our section on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas.

Independence was the third and final ship in Royal Caribbean's Freedom class. Until Oasis of the Seas entered service, she was the largest cruise ship in the world. She remains in the upper part of the top ten largest cruise ships.

Because she is big, Independence offers a lot to do. Her glamorous interior is geared to those with an active life style.

Since she entered service in 2008, Independence has been Royal Caribbean's primary entry in the British cruising market. Indeed, before she entered service the crew were schooled to understand some of the language differences between British cruise passengers and American cruisers, which most of the crew were more familiar. Independence has sailed each summer since she entered service from Southampton and has developed a considerable British following.

Although Royal Caribbean experimented with having Independence do winter cruises from Southampton, the ship has spent most winters cruising the Caribbean from Florida. As a result, she also has an American following.

After Allure of the Seas entered service in late 2010, Royal Caribbean embarked on a revitalization program for the rest of its fleet. The idea was to give the rest of the fleet some of the popular features from the Oasis class ships. Because Independence was the last ship built before Oasis, her refit, which took place earlier this year, was less extensive than some of the earlier ships.

Still, there were some significant changes. A giant LED television screen was added to the pool deck. A Cupcake Cupboard took the place of the barber shop on the Royal Promenade and the line up of the shops along the Promenade was changed including the addition of a Michael Kors shop. Family cruising was further facilitated by the addition of a Royal Babies center where the youngest passengers can spend some supervised time away from mom and dad. These and other changes ensure that Independence remains a first tier cruise ship.

We have updated our photo tour of the interior and public areas of Independence to reflect the changes made in the 2013 revitalization. It begins at http://beyondships.com/RCI-IOS-tour.html

We have also added a new menus page presenting a collection of menus from Independence's main dining room and specialty restaurants. http://www.beyondships2.com/independence-of-the-seas-menus.html

Similarly, we have a new daily programs and informationals page. http://www.beyondships2.com/independence-of-the-seas-daily-programs.html I find that a good way of getting a feel for what cruising on a particular ship is like is to browse through the daily programs to see the types of activities and entertainment the ship offers. The informational leaflets distributed aboard can also be helpful in getting a feel for the way the ship operates.

Finally, we have added a slideshow showing Independence docked in Falmouth, Jamaica. http://www.beyondships2.com/independence-in-jamaica.html Independence has good lines for a modern cruise ship and so is a good subject. This slideshow augments our previous photo essays and slideshows of Independence in Southampton, Fort Lauderdale and St. Maarten.

Carnival Magic photos; Royal Caribbean's Labadee profile

I was standing on one of the upper decks of Allure of the Seas, watching the various ships that were calling at Cozumel pull into port. Cozumel is probably the most popular cruise port in the Western Caribbean and so it is usually a good place for watching and photographing ships.

In addition to Allure, Norwegian Jewel, Navigator of the Seas and Norwegian Dawn had already docked. Jewel had taken the landward side of the Puerto Maya pier so it seemed likely that a ship would be arriving to take the seaward side of that pier.

Then off in the distance I could see a white shape emerging out of the mist at the far end of the island. As the mist lifted, I could make out that she was a Carnival Dream class ship. Since Carnival Dream sails out of Port Canaveral and Carnival Breeze had been in Miami only a day before, I concluded that it was the second ship in this three ship class - - Carnival Magic.

Carnival Magic, like her sisters, is the latest evolution of the design that began with Carnival Destiny. However, she is wider and has more decks, which to me, gives her a more substantial look.

The ship is quite popular in Texas where she is based. Having been aboard, I do not find this surprising. Carnival remains the world's most popular cruise line and Carnival Magic embodies all of the line's latest thinking. In addition, the interior layout allows for much better people flow.

On this day, the weather in Cozumel was changing rapidly. In addition, to the fog at the far end of the island, there were sunny intervals, cloudy patches and spots of rain. As a result, as Carnival Magic approached, she went though a variety of lighting, which made her more interesting to photograph.

Using my photos, I have put together a photo essay of Carnival Magic arriving in Cozumel. http://www.beyondships2.com/carnival-magic-goes-to-cozumel.html

There is also a video. http://www.beyondships2.com/carnival-magic-goes-to-cozumel-video.html These augment our existing profile of Carnival Magic. http://beyondships.com/CarnivalMagic-Profile.html

Earlier in the cruise, Allure had stopped at Labadee, Royal Caribbean's private resort in Haiti. Labadee is perhaps the most extensively developed of the private resorts operated by the cruise lines. For one thing, it has a dock so you do not have to tender to and from the ship to the resort. You simply walk ashore.

Labadee is also known for its zip line. It starts on a hilltop at the far end of the resort, takes the riders over a densely-wooded hillside then out over the sea, arriving finally on the beach not far from the cruise ship dock. It is not something that I do but it is impressive to watch the guests speeding along above the waves.

Although Labadee has been extensively developed for some time, Royal Caribbean continues to make changes. Accordingly, I have updated and expanded our section on Labadee. It now includes even more photos of the resort as well as a recent list of the excursions that Royal has been offering at the resort. We have an overview and then look at the cruise port and getting around, the beaches, the activities and facilities, bars and dining, and the spa and shopping. It begins at http://www.beyondships3.com/labadee.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

Royal Caribbean's new Quantum of the Seas

It is hard to believe that people are not already lounging by the side of the pools or enjoying the entertainment on Quantum of the Seas. After the media preview held last week in New York City, I felt that the ship is out there sailing the seas somewhere. In reality, however, that is still some 18 months in the future.

What made me feel that Quantum must already exist? To begin, we were shown a video with realistic looking images of the ship cutting through smooth seas. Then we were shown Royal Caribbean Chairman Richard Fain flying in the ship's skydiving simulator and Royal Caribbean International President Adam Goldstein playing table tennis with Kristen Chenowith, the ship's godmother, in the Seaplex - - a venue that transforms from sports complex to entertainment center. We then saw Ms. Chenowith in various other parts of the ship.

Mr. Fain did say that today's computer technology had been of great assistance in allowing Royal to see how all the various components of the design would fit together. As a result, he assured us that the whole Quantum of the Seas would be greater than the sum of its parts and that “the thing that is most exciting to me is the way it all fits together as a seamless whole.”

Still, as impressive as the virtual reality was, the confidence with which Mr. Fain and Mr. Goldstein spoke about the ship. Listening to them speak, it was hard not to phrase questions in the present tense “does the ship” rather than the future tense “will the ship.”

So what was my impression after seeing the video, listening to the presentation and seeing the mock-up of a cabin with a virtual balcony and the land-based version of the skydiving simulator in the parking lot? I was impressed. Royal has come up with a lot of innovative ideas. It is exciting. In addition, the fact that the ship is to be built by Meyer Werft is another good sign as, in my opinion, that shipyard builds very high quality ships.

I was somewhat disappointed that she will not be the Royal Caribbean ocean liner that ship buffs had hoped for. She on to Quantum has been designed to be an all-season cruise ship since the plan is to sail her from the New York area even in the winter. However, Royal Caribbean Executive V.P. Harri Kulovaara, said flatly that she is not designed to be a North Atlantic liner such as Queen Mary 2.

This is disappointing because crossing between Europe and America in a fast liner is a much different experience than crossing the Atlantic during a re-positioning cruise. The speed is exhilarating and since it takes much less time than a re-positioning cruise, it is a viable alternative to flying. I would think that many people would like such an experience done in the Royal Caribbean style.

The media preview naturally focused on the headline garbing aspects of Quantum such as the North Star viewing platform - - a crane-like arm that will take passengers on a ride some 300 feet above the sea. However, my experience has been that there is more to Royal than the “wows.” Allure of the Seas is a great ship not because she is the largest in the world but because she is so multi-dimensional in entertainment, dining, accommodations and activities.

Although not designed as a follow-on to Allure, there are indications that Quantum will also be multi-dimensional. For example, Royal has thought about single passengers and is including a number of single occupancy studio staterooms on Quantum. Showing that it is not merely copying ideas from Norwegian Epic and P&O Cruises' Azura, some of these studios will be balcony cabins.

We have put together an introduction to Quantum which includes commentary from Mr. Fain and several other Royal Caribbean executives as well as photos. It begins at http://www.beyondships2.com/quantum-of-the-seas-revealed.html

Keeping with the Royal Caribbean theme, we have new photo essays of two of our favorite Royal Caribbean ships. The first shows the aforementioned Allure of the Seas arriving in Jamaica. http://www.beyondships2.com/allure-of-the-seas-in-jamaica.html This highlights Allure's nautical qualities as the maneuver depicted is not an easy one.

Brilliance of the Seas is another ship with good maneuverability. However, in this photo essay the focus is on her pretty lines docked in Antigua and St. Croix. http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-in-the-caribbean.html

A Royal Reunion of Cruise Ships; Visiting Caribbean Great Houses

When I was in St. Maarten on a cruise last month, there were five other ships in port with us. By itself, there is nothing unusual about that as there are often six ships in St. Maarten on a single day during the high season. What struck me as unusual about this particular gathering was that all but one of the ships was in the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd family. There were two ships from Royal Caribbean, two from Celebrity Cruises and one from TUI Cruises, Royal's German brand. The only non-family member in attendance was Norwegian Epic.

I thought this underscored the growing strength of the Royal Caribbean family. While RCCL is still the second largest cruise company behind Carnival Corporation, the fact that it so dominated one of the most important Caribbean ports at the height of the season shows that it is quite a fromidible competitor.

The variety of the ships was also interesting. From the core brand, Royal Caribbean International, there was Independence of the Seas and Vision of the Seas. These two ships illustrate the two styles within Royal Caribbean. Independence is one of the largest ships in the world (number 4 at the moment) and offers a vast array of activities and facilities. Vision is a more intimate version of the Royal Caribbean cruise experience.

Celebrity was represented by two of its Solstice class ships. These are beautiful ships. Built by Meyer Werft, they are impressive from a technological perspective. I particularly like the hull design that has the bow tapering back for a relatively long way at the waterline making for a more efficient attack through the waves. The bow area above the waterline flares up to give the ships the withth (and thus the space) of a traditional cruise ship. Very clever.

Inside the Solstice ships are also impressive. Each is done in a contemporary style but there has been considerable attention to detail and visual appeal. They are sophisticated and elegant.

On this particular day, Celebrity Eclipse (my favorite of the five Solstices, just nudging out Celebrity Silhouette by a hair) and Celebrity Reflection were in port. Next week, we will add a profile of Reflection to Beyondships.

Mein Schiff I, the former Celebrity Galaxy, was there from TUI. RCCL has been using its older ships to develop the cruise market in Europe. The fleets of Pullmantur (Spain), Croiseres de France and TUI conatin many profiles familiar to North American cruisers. This development strategy has been so successful that a brand new ship has been ordered for TUI.

In any event, this day was a great day for photographing ships and so we present a photo essay showing each of the six ships. It is at http://www.beyondships2.com/royal-reunion.html

There is also a slideshow focusing just on Independence of the Seas. http://www.beyondships2.com/independence-in-st-maarten.html

We also have a short video of Celebrity Eclipse both leaving the pier and at sea. http://www.beyondships2.com/eclipse-sails.html

In addition, we also have a going ashore article about visiting the “great houses” of the Caribbean. These are mansions that were built by the European plantation owners. Most of them disappeared along with the plantations. However, a number of Caribbean nations have recognized that this is part of their heritage and several have been or are being restored. A number of shore excursions now take you to them. We discuss our visits to three of them at http://www.beyondships2.com/caribbean-great-houses.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

Talking with the Captain of Brilliance of the Seas; Seaview Cafe Review

Captain Sorensen of Brilliance of the Seas

The objective of Beyondships.com is to give you a feel for the ships. Accordingly, I try to provide information about the ships in a number of ways including photographs, copies of daily programs, menus, items distributed onboard as well as my own writing. Another perspective I like to give you is that of the officers who actually operate the ships. They are the ones who are in charge of delivering the cruise experience to you so I think it is valuable to know what they are aiming to deliver.

As discussed in this blog last week, Brilliance of the Seas is a special ship. Thus, I wanted to get her officers' perspective about what makes her special. Accordingly, I spoke with Captain Henirk Loft Sorensen and Hotel Director Erik Speckenbrink about what makes Brilliance special. They emphasized the international atmosphere on board that gives it a more cosmopolitan feel than most ships. They also used words such as elegant, personal, and high quality. In addition, Captain Sorensen confirmed what I had heard from several other captains, Brilliance is a wonderful ship to drive. My interview with Captain Sorensen and Hotel Director Speckenbrink is at http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-captain-interview.html

Another way of giving you a feel for the ships is through articles about the food on the ship. Dining is an important part of the cruise experience and so I like to do interviews with chefs and restaurant managers and to do restaurant reviews where possible.

Normally, I do not like to do a review of a restaurant that is going to be replaced with another venue in a future refit of the ship. However, I enjoyed the Seaview Cafe on Brilliance so much that I thought I would go ahead and write a review anyway. After all, the Seaview on Brilliance will be in operation for a few more months and the one on Jewel of the Seas should keep going even longer.

In April 2013, Brilliance is scheduled to have a major revitalization. This is part of a program where Royal Caribbean is bringing some of the more popular features that were developed for Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas to the rest of the fleet. The details of what will be done to Brilliance have not been announced but when her sister ship Radiance of the Seas went through a similar revitalization, the Seaview Cafe was replaced with another venue.

The Seaview is a casual venue in an out of the way location on the back of the ship. You can eat outside or in the charming little clubhouse. But what makes this venue so nice is that you have a world of choice in designing your meal. You select the combination of ingredients that you want on your pizza, pasta dish or panini and they make it for you fresh.

My review of the Seaview Cafe with photos is at http://www.beyondships2.com/brilliance-of-the-seas-seaview-cafe.html

Cruise ship Brilliance of the Seas

I was really excited when I saw that Brilliance of the Seas was coming to the Cape Liberty cruise terminal on the New Jersey side of New York harbor to do a cruise. It had been more than five years since Brilliance had last done a cruise from the continental and here she was going to do one from the Port of New York, which could not be more convenient for me.

Why the excitement? Brilliance is one of four Radiance class cruise ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. If you think you know Royal Caribbean but have not sailed on a Radiance class ship, you are in for a surprise.

The cruise experience on the Radiance class ships is different than on the giant Royal Caribbean ships. Brilliance and her sisters at approximately 90,000 gross tons are big ships but on a relative scale they are much smaller than the Freedom and Voyager classes, not to mention the Oasis class. There is no Royal Promenade, no ice skating rink, no surfing simulator. The facilities are not as Wow-oriented. Rather, they are more subtle, high quality features. These ships could easily fit in the fleet of Royal Caribbean's premium category affiliate Celebrity Cruises.

They are also different than Royal's Vision and Sovereign class ships. Those ships do not have the features of the Voyager class ships because they were built before the Voyagers. The Radiance class ships were built contemporaneously with the Voyager class. Thus, they were intended to provide a different cruise experience than the Voyagers. Moreover, they were designed to provide a different cruise experience than Royal's older ships. For example, although they are bigger than the Sovereign class ships, they hold fewer passengers. This means more space for each passenger.

Do not get me wrong - - I like the cruise experience provided on the other Royal ships. I am constantly recommending Allure of the Seas to people who ask what are my favorite ships. Along the same lines, I had a great cruise on Enchantment of the Seas earlier this fall. Rather, the point is that the cruise experience provided on Brilliance and her sisters is a special version of the Royal Caribbean product. A fine wine that attracts many of the most experienced of Royal's frequent cruisers.

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This week we are adding Brilliance of the Seas to Beyonship's cruise ship profiles. http://beyondships.com/RCI-BOS-Profile.html It is the 99^th cruise ship to be profiled on Beyondships. The profile has daily programs, menus, deck, plans and other information about the ship. In addition, there is a multi-page photo tour and commentary about the ship. http://beyondships.com/RCI-BOS-Tour-1.html

More on Brilliance next week.

Enchantment of the Seas Photos and Review

Two weeks ago, I returned from a cruise on Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas. Enchantment is not the newest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet - - she entered service in 1997 and was extensively refurbished in 2005. She is also not the largest ship in the fleet although she is significantly bigger than RCI's other Vision class ships - - the result of the insertion of a 73 foot section into her midsection during the 2005 refit. Still, she is nonetheless capable of providing a very nice cruise experience.

In some ways, the cruise experience reminded me of how cruising used to be before the turn of the Millennium. Although some very good things have happened to cruising since then, some things have also gotten lost along the way. Take Enchantment's theater for example. In the 90s, the primary entertainment venues on ships were changing from show lounges to theaters. On Enchantment, the theater still has traces of its show lounge antecedents with large padded chairs and comfortable arm rests. They are like living room lounge chairs. In addition, the room has a bright, roomy atmosphere.

The activities onboard are traditional cruise ship activities. There are the captain's reception and past passenger receptions, trivia contests, cooking demonstrations, enrichment lectures, bingo, etc. You also have Royal Caribbean staples like the Quest game and the Love and Marriage game. Although the newer ships have the same or similar activities, the scale of Enchantment makes these events somehow more intimate.

The entertainment could also be described as traditional. Like the cruise directors of old, Cruise Director John Blair seemed to be everywhere and not only took on the role of emcee but also performed a concert of Neil Diamond songs and gave an enrichment lecture. We had two production shows by the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers during this eight night cruise. Three of the singers also did a cabaret concert and displayed impressive strong voices. During the course of the voyage, we had two stand-up comedians and a comedy juggler. I enjoyed Carl Banks' performance the most. It was an adult show but did it relied on clever material rather than four letter words for the humor

I like to watch big screen movies. Enchantment does not have a big movie screen. But using a large gauzy backdrop that was designed for the stage shows, the staff has improvised a big screen in the theater that works quite well. On it, they showed a series of recent releases each afternoon and on various evening after the stage show. I thought this was very clever and showed initiative.

Food is always a big part of cruising. Enchantment's main dining room, the My Fair Lady Restaurant, is quite charming with a décor themed after the musical of that name. Service at dinner was very good as was the food. Breakfast and lunch (sea days only) was good but the service and food was not as consistently good as dinner.

The buffet restaurant, the Windjammer, is located at the forward end of the superstructure. This initially confused some of the guests who, familiar with the larger Royal Caribbean ships, headed towards the back of the ship. The room offers great views but was always too crowded for me. I found a better alternative to be the light meal venue in the Solarium, which offers pizza, burgers, sandwiches, salads and desserts. Another nice room underneath the retractable glass roof that covers this pool area.

A dining venue that I found myself going to several times was Cafe Latte-Tudes. This is a specialty coffee bar that also sells Ben and Jerry's ice cream. I am not a coffee drinker and while I did indulge one afternoon in some ice cream, what drew me here again and again was the pastries. The muffins and cookies were excellent and better than anywhere else on the ship.

At this time, Enchantment has one specialty restaurant - - the Chops Grille. This is a steakhouse with a sophisticated urban atmosphere. The food is good quality and it provides a change of atmosphere from the main dining room on a longer cruise.

I booked this cruise late on a guarantee basis. As a result, I was assigned an inside cabin on one of the lower decks. It was clean and surprisingly large with with a surprising amount of storage space. The safe and television were older models but worked well. There was an initial problem with the telephone set but that was remedied before the ship sailed.

Enchantment sailed from Baltimore, Maryland. The rationale for basing a ship in Baltimore is to attract people who live in the surrounding area. However, I was impressed in talking to my fellow passengers at how many were not from the Maryland or mid-Atlantic region. There were quite a few from the mid-west and many from Canada. A large percentage of the passengers were repeat passengers. Thus, it was something more than the convenience of proximity that drew people to this cruise.

The itinerary was an interesting one. First, the ship sailed to Bermuda, where she spent two days. Then after a sea day she was in Boston and then in Newport, Rhode Island. This allowed passengers to have the island experience of Bermuda, the history and sophistication of Boston and the unique resort atmosphere of Newport. Thus, it was not a single vacation experience but a combination of experiences.

The weather throughout the cruise was good. We experienced a rain storm one night but the seas were calm. As a result, there was no real test of Enchantment's seakeeping abilities. She ran smoothly throughout.

I have re-done Beyondships' profile of Enchantment, adding copies of daily programs, information leaflets distributed onboard, and menus. http://beyondships.com/ENOS-Profile.html In addition, the photo tour of the ship has been updated and expanded. http://beyondships.com/ENOS-tour.html Finally, there is a new photo essay showing Enchantment in each of the ports of call she visited during this cruise. http://beyondships.com/RCI-ENOS-Bermuda.html

Explorer of the Seas Dining Guide; St. Kitts Cruise Destination Photo Guide

  

          Inasmuch as Explorer of the Seas is a very large cruise ship, you would expect it to have a number of places to dine.  However, as Hotel Director Xavier Matthias explained it to me, the different venues on Explorer are not there just to distribute the passengers around the ship.  Rather, each venue is designed to give the passengers a different experience that when taken together add up to a memorable cruise.

            To find out more about the dining on Explorer, I sat down with Mr. Matthias, a 17 year veteran of Royal Caribbean who started as a steward, and Executive Chef Patrick McCabe who has been sailing with the line for 10 years, and asked them to talk about each of the dining venues on Explorer.  From that I have put together a dining guide to Explorer of the Seas.  It is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/explorer-of-the-seas-dining-guide.html

            One of the destinations that we went to on my last cruise on Explorer was St. Kitts.  St. Kitts is one of the most scenic islands in the Eastern Caribbean.  It is growing in popularity as a cruise destination but it still has a quiet atmosphere and the people that I’ve met on my various voyages were quite friendly.  

            One of St. Kitts attractions that I found particularly interesting was the Brimstone Hill Fortress.  The forts on most of the Caribbean islands that I have seen have not been terribly impressive.  However, Brimstone Hill is quite a different story.  It occupies a volcanic dome that towers some 800 feet over the sea and the surrounding countryside.  The sides of the dome are almost vertical.  At the top are the defense works consisting of a citadel with great stone walls and a number of defensive bastions that overlook sheer cliffs.

            As I was walking around the fortress, I couldn’t help but think what an incredible task it was to build such a structure at a time when horses were the primary means of power.  It was quite a feat of engineering.  Unfortunately, it also must have been a source of suffering for the slaves who actually performed the toil.

            Today, however, Brimstone Hill has lost any sinister atmosphere it may have once had.  The views from the ramparts are simply spectacular.  St. Kitts’ coastal plain stretches out below and you can see miles out across the blue sea.  In the other direction are the mountains and a verdant mountain valley.  Punctuating the scene are stone ruins that would have enthralled the 19^th Century romantic poets.

            Brimstone Hill is one topic covered in our cruise destination photo guide.  It is posted at http://beyondships.com/Ports-StKitts-1.html  

Explorer of the Seas - Talking With Captain Olav

Captain Olav Nyseter likes to point out that he has been with his company for nearly 50 years. This may be somewhat startling to some as Royal Caribbean is only 43 years old. However, Captain Olav counts from when he went to work as a deck hand on a freighter for I.M. Skaugen Company, one of the three original investors that came together to form Royal Caribbean in 1969.




During his time with company, Captain Olav has seen cruising grow from being “a little bit wild west” to the polished component of the vacation industry that it is today. In addition to commanding such important ships as Song of America, sovereign, Monarch, Legend, Splendor and Rhapsody of the Seas, he has been involved in bringing 11 of the line’s ships into service. He has also been fleet captain, doing the shoreside management of all of the ships in Royal’s fleet.

These days, he is once again captain of Explorer of the Seas, a ship that he brought into service in 2000. Explorer remains a very popular ship and Captain Olaf is one of the reasons for the ship’s continuing success. Beyond his credentials as a seaman, Captain Olav is personable with a dry Nordic sense of humor that makes him a favorite with the guests.

When I was on Explorer recently, I had the opportunity to Captain Olav about what makes Explorer successful and where he see the ship headed in the future. During the course of our conversation, we also touched upon some aspects of his life that underscore that he is an extraordinary individual. The interview is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/explorer-of-the-seas-captain-interview.html

Photo Essay on Explorer of the Seas; Review Johnny Rockets

Happy New Year all!




My last cruise of 2011 was on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas. I had enjoyed cruising on her earlier in the year to Bermuda so when an attractive opportunity arose for a longer cruise on the ship to the Caribbean, I signed up.



Explorer is the second ship in Royal Caribbean’s Voyager class. At one time not so long ago, she and her sisters were the largest cruise ships in the world. Lately, I have heard people refer to her as a medium sized ship. That really is not fair or accurate. At, 138,000 gross tons she is still a big ship in absolute terms. Furthermore, there are still only a handful of ships that are larger - - Royal Caribbean’s two Oasis class ships and four Freedom class ships; Queen Mary 2, and Norwegian Epic.



Explorer has been sailing out of Bayonne, New Jersey in New York harbor on a year-round basis for more than half a decade. People in the New York area have become familiar with her and with her crew. (Friendliness is a watchword onboard). This fact coupled with the fact that many people in the northeast who like the Royal Caribbean product would rather drive to the pier than fly to Florida, means that she gets a lot of repeat passengers.



Planning is underway for a major refit of the ship. Royal is going through its fleet and enhancing each ship with new features derived from the success of Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. Fleetmate Radiance of the Seas had her makeover last Spring and added numerous dining venues to her features. Explorer’s turn will come. In addition to dining venues, there is speculation that features such as a Flo-rider surfing simulator and a large outdoor video screen will be added. However, nothing appears to be written in stone.



These changes may not benefit Explorer’s New York/New Jersey area fans. The ship is only scheduled to be in New York until April 2013 and the refit may well occur after that. There have long been rumors that Liberty of the Seas would be deployed to replace Explorer. While there is some appeal to having a ship named Liberty sailing from Cape Liberty, these rumors appear to have lost currency. Instead, the speculation is that one of the forthcoming Project Sunshine ships may replace Explorer.



Royal has been quite tight-lipped about Project Sunshine. All that has leaked out is that the ships will be about the same size as the Freedom class ships and will be built by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. (The builders of Celebrity’s Solstice class, Norwegian’s Jewel class and Royal’s Radiance class). Beyond that, all that is being said is that they will be “all-weather cruise ships.”



That phrase could mean a couple of things. It could simply mean that the pool deck will be covered in a similar fashion to Holland America’s Vista class ships. On the other hand, it could mean that the ships will have the power, hull design and strength to withstand major storms. If that is the case, the Project Sunshine ships will in essence be 21st century ocean liners - - something all ship enthusiasts would applaud.



My recent voyage on Explorer produced quite a lot of material that I will be sharing in coming weeks including an interview with Captain Olav. This week I have posted a new photo essay showing Explorer in various ports that she visited long with some of the ships that she met there. http://www.beyondships.com/Explorer-photos-Caribbean.html



I have also added new daily programs (Cruise Compasses) to the Explorer of the Seas’ profile page. http://www.beyondships.com/Explorer.html



Finally, I have added a specialty restaurant review of Johnny Rockets. On this last cruise, I found that people assumed that Explorer’s Johnny Rockets was simply a hamburger venue along the lines of the Mast Grill on Celebrity’s Solstice class ships or the Bimini Grill on Norwegian Dawn. While Johnny Rockets produces very good burgers, is more than that. It is an experience. The review is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/explorer-of-the-seas-johnny-rockets-review.html

Talking with Cunard Commodore Rynd and Oasis of the Seas Photos

We have two new items this week.




First, we speak with Commodore Christopher Rynd of Cunard Line. The commodore of a passenger ship line is the senior seagoing officer in the line’s fleet. Traditionally, he has been the master of the line’s flagship and unlike a commodore in the military, his role has been pretty much limited to that ship.



Commodore Rynd, who was appointed commodore in April 2011, aims to break with tradition. While his two immediate predecessors as commodore were necessarily focused on bringing the line’s flagship, Queen Mary 2, into service and establishing her as a viable competitor in the modern cruise industry, Commodore Rynd sees his role as extending fleet-wide - - the goal being to further facilitate a unified Cunard product across the line’s three ships.



I sat down with Commodore Rynd during a transatlantic voyage on Queen Mary 2 and asked him about his vision for his new role. As in past interviews, his answers were well-thought out and well-articulated. Our conversation is at http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-Rynd-3.html



The second item this week is a new photo essay on Oasis of the Seas. On November 23, 2011, Oasis paid a call at the Caribbean island of St. Maarten. Although there were five other first-class cruise ships in port with her, Oasis was the center of attention. As the photographs of her during the course of the day and into the evening show, she attracts attention not just because of the enormity of her size but also because of the sense of excitement that she generates. The photo essay is posted at http://www.beyondships.com/RCI-OOS-StMaarten.html

Aruba Cruise Destination Photo Guide/ Today's Fast Cruise Ships

As I sit here, there is approximately a foot of snow covering the ground and weighing down the trees, most of which still have green leaves on them. Although the storm that did this was an unusual one for the New York area, it underscored that it is not too early to think about the Caribbean.




In Aruba, the temperature has been in the mid to upper eighties the last week. Instead of white snow, Aruba has gorgeous fine white sand beaches that lead up to the clearest turquoise blue water that I have encountered in the Caribbean. With the palm trees and the divi-divi trees that border the sand, these are immensely attractive beaches.



While it is tempting to spend all of ones stay in Aruba on the beaches, there is more to the island. There is very little rainfall on Aruba and so the area away from the resorts of the west coast beaches is quite dessert-like. However, intermixed with the cacti and other dessert vegetation are some intriguing natural phenomena such as the Casibari Rock Formations with its mountains of boulders. They have been sculpted by the wind and with the vegetation it is like an other-worldly garden.



In complete contrast to the tranquility of the western beaches is the rugged northern coast. There, giant waves roll in and crash against the limestone shore in an explosive spray. Until 2005, there was a large natural bridge that had been carved out of the shore by the waves. However, the force of the sea became too much for it and it collapsed. The ruins of the bridge are still popular and next to it, the smaller “Baby Bridge” is spectacular in its own right.



For shoppers, there is the island’s capital Oranjestad. Along its main street, you can find all of the chain stores that populate all the popular Caribbean ports. In addition, there are high end luxury boutiques and stalls where local craftsmen and entrepaneurs offer their wares.



Beyondships’ cruise destination photo guide for Aruba is at http://www.beyondships.com/Ports-Aruba.html



I have also posted an article about today’s fast cruise ships. Traditionally, cruise ships have been relatively slow ships. However, in recent years quite a few ships have been built capable of doing a respectable speed.  Cunard, Norwegian (NCL), and Royal Caribbean, all have fast ships in their fleets.



Often when I interview cruise ship captains, I ask them how fast their ship can go. The answer is sometimes higher than the published speed. While they typically point out that in order to concerv fuel, ships today rarely travel at full speed, there are times when speed is quite useful. 



In any event, a fast ship is sort of neat regardless of whether the full speed is ever used. It is like a fine sports car - - having a Ferrari is cool regardless of the fact that you’ll probably never drive it at a speed that you could not do in a Volkswagen Beetle.



The article is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/the-need-for-speed-----todays-fast-cruise-ships.html