Cruising to Nassau, The Bahamas

Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas, is one of the most visited cruise ports in the world. Although it is not actually in the Caribbean, it far enough south to have sub-tropical to tropical weather. Furthermore, it is close enough to the United States to make it a convenient port of call not only for ships sailing from the Florida cruise capitals but also for ships sailing from ports further north. Consequently, it is not unusual to have five or six large cruise ships in port on a single day.

For the most part, the ships are left unoccupied during their stay in Nassau. A few souls stay aboard and use the ship's facilities but the vast majority disappear onto the island. For many, the objective is a day at the beach or involvement in some form of water sport. However, there are other things to see and do.

The king of Nassau's attraction is the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island, which lies on the other side of the harbor from Nassau. This is not just a hotel with a nice beach and a swimming pool, it is a vast fantasy land built with considerable imagination around the ancient legend of the lost city of Atlantis.

For those who like looking at ships, Nassau has much to offer. The harbor is quite compact and when ships enter or leave the harbor, the other ships have a good view. In addition, all of the ships dock together and the piers are laid out in such a way as to provide a number of good camera angles.

Beyondship's profile of Nassau begins at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination---nassau.html. Included in the profile is a page of photos and information about the attractions and points of interest in Nassau. http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination-nassau-attractions.html We also have a slideshow of some of the attractions at the Atlantis resort at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination-nassau-atlantis.html There is also a video showing Norwegian Epic entering the harbor. http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-epic-video.html

Cruising to Grand Turk

It is really only been in the last decade that Grand Turk has come on the radar screen for people going on cruise vacations. The capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Grand Turk has always been overshadowed by its upmarket sister island Providenciales as a tourist destination. However, following a $60 million investment by Carnival Corporation to create a cruise center there, Grand Turk is no longer in the backseat.

The cruise center complex is more than a pier and a terminal building. Rather, it is 18 acres of resort. Right next to the cruise ship pier is a beautiful white sand beach lapped by crystal clear waters. Beyond the coconut palms that shade the beach is a large salt water swimming pool, a Flow-rider surfing simulator and the world's largest Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville. Around the central plaza are shops bearing internationally-known names. Furthermore, the entire complex has been done in an architectural style that pays tribute to the traditional architecture of the island. Thus, not only is there a lot to do, but the complex is eye-pleasing as well.

Cruisers looking for a beach resort experience need never leave the cruise complex. However, the rest of this small island is not without interest. As a newcomer to the Caribbean cruise world, Grand Turk still has something of the traditional atmosphere of a Caribbean island. Its only real town is still dominated by low-rise colonial buildings. You can easily cross the street without being run down by tour buses and there is an absence of souvenir shops and fast food restaurants. Outside of Cockburn Town, you can still find undeveloped areas and secluded beaches.

There are signs that this may be changing. There is a tourist-oriented shopping plaza under construction in Cockburn Town for example. Such changes should be good for the local economy and will give visitors more to see and enjoy during their stay in Grand Turk. But by definition, such changes mean that the old lifestyle will disappear or at least altered. That is the way of progress. However, at least for the moment, you can still experience it in Grand Turk.

Beyondship's profile of Grand Turk begins at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination---grand-turk.html The cruise port complex is shown at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination-grand-turk-cruise-port.html The island's other attractions are presented at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination-grand-turk-attractions.html

Talking with the Captain, HD and Cruise Director of Carnival Breeze

This week we go inside Carnival Breeze. As discussed last week, Carnival Breeze represents a significant evolutionary step for Carnival Cruise Lines. This week, we talk to three insiders about what is different about this ship.

The three insiders are Captain Stefano Battinelli who started working on Breeze when she was still in the shipyard and who brought Breeze transatlantic to her homeport of Miami for the first time; Hotel Director Pierre B. Camilleri, who is in charge of all of the services that most directly affect guests including dining and accommodations; and Cruise Director Butch Begovich, who has direct responsibility for the onboard entertainment.

From these talks, you'll find that Carnival Breeze differs from what has gone before at Carnival in (1) her appearance; (2) the number and quality of her dining and entertainment outlets; and (3) in the type of entertainment being presented.

The interview with Captain Battinelli is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/carnival-breeze-captain.html

My talk with Hotel Director Camilleri begins at http://www.beyondships2.com/carnival-breeze-hotel-director.html

My conversation with Cruise Director Butch is at http://www.beyondships2.com/carnival-breeze-cruise-director.html

In addition, since Carnival Breeze presents guests with several dinning options, we have a Carnival Breeze dining guide with commentary on the various venues by Hotel Director Camilleri. http://www.beyondships2.com/carnival-breeze-dining-guide.html

I review one of the new dining venues Guy's Burger Joint at http://www.beyondships2.com/carnival-breeze-guys-burger-joint.html

Also, I review a Carnival tradition that does not get much attention - - afternoon tea. http://www.beyondships2.com/carnival-breeze-afternoon-tea.html

Carnival Breeze Photo Tour and Profile

Carnival Breeze is Carnival Cruise Lines latest ship. Although the line includes 23 other ships, Breeze is not merely more of the same.

Carnival describes the Breeze as evolutionary rather than revolutionary. If you are familiar with Carnival's last two ships, Carnival Dream and Carnival Magic, the Breeze represents a logical step in a progression, albeit a big step. However, if your familiarity with Carnival only extends as far as the Conquest class, it is remarkable how much of change has taken place.

The tone is set by Breeze's appearance. Whereas the interiors of Carnival ships used to stun the visitor and transport him or her to a fantasy land, the interior of Breeze is restrained. It is intended to take the guest to a relaxing resort at sea. There are plenty of other changes but more on that next week.

Carnival is the world's largest and most popular cruise line. So why is it changing its formula? The answer seems to me that it is a move dictated by the laws of competition. Royal Caribbean with Oasis of the Seas and Allure ofthe Seas and Norwegian Cruise Line with Norwegian Epic have introduced revolutionary ships that have changed people's expectations with regard to cruising. The success of these ships is confirmed by the fact that Royal has ordered yet another Oasis class ship and that Norwegian has ordered a series of ships that will be enhanced versions of Epic. In the face of such competition, even the industry leader can't sit still.

Beyondship's profile of Carnival Breeze with photos, copies of menus and daily programs and more is posted at http://www.beyondships.com/CarnivalBreeze-Profile.html

Our photo tour of Carnival Breeze begins at http://www.beyondships.com/CarnivalBreeze-Tour-1.html

St Maarten Profile and Photo Guide

 Of all the islands in the Caribbean, I think that St. Maarten has changed the most since I first visited there back in the 1990s. That visit was on one of Queen Elizabeth 2's semi-annual Caribbean cruises. Big ships like QE2 could not dock in St. Maarten and so we were anchored just beyond the Great Bay and had to take a tender into Phillipsburg, the capital of the Dutch side of the island. There wasn't much when you got there. Just a narrow strand of beach and a couple of streets that ran parallel to the beach with a few stores on them.

Now it is all different. A huge cruise ship complex has been constructed and the world's largest cruise ships dock there on a regular basis. Not only are there shops at the cruise ship complex but the recently beautified streets of Philipsburg are alive with upscale shops. It competes with St. Thomas as the shopping capital of the Caribbean. And the strand of sand by the bay that used to periodically wash away has been replaced by a wide expanse of white sand, beach facilities and a boardwalk.

The island's infastructure has developed in a tourist friendly way. It is an easy and pleasant walk to downtown from the cruise complex. Or you can do like most people and take the frequent water taxis that run to and from the complex. If you are looking to go to the beach at Orient Bay or Maigot, the capital of the French side of the island, there are plenty of taxis as well as private tours in addition to the ships' shore excursions. Beware that when there are four or five really big ships in, the road traffic on the island can get a little heavy.

Our profile of cruise destination St. Maarten, including photos and links, is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination---st-maarten.html

In addition, when I was last in St. MaartenI decided to try one of its many water-related activities. This was the Sea Trek helmet dive where you don a helmet and then climb down 20 feet below the waves and walk along the sea floor. It is an altogether different world down there and it is a much different experience than swimming or exploring via an excursion submarine or semi-submersible. The report on my adventure is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-article---a-walk-along-the-sea-floor.html

Norwegian Epic Photos and Video

Continuing to shine the spotlight on Norwegian Epic, this week we take a look at the outside of the ship.

The venue where these photos were taken is Nassau in the Bahamas. If you like to watch and/or photograph ships, Nassau is a good place to be. The port is quite busy, often with several ships calling on the same day. In addition, the port is laid out so that you can get good shots of the ships when they are underway as well as when they are docked.

Nassau is a regular port of call for Norwegian Epic during her winter season. The ship generally arrives mid-morning and so if you are on one of the ships that arrived early in the morning, you will have the opportunity to see Epic enter the harbor and dock.

It was a beautiful clear morning when this photo essay was shot. We see Epic enter the harbor and then make a 180 degree turn before backing into her berth. As a result, we get to see Epic from pretty much all sides. The photo essay is posted at http://beyondships.com/NCLEpic-Photos-Nassau.html

In addition to still photos, I was also taking video. I confess that I have not made up my mind which medium tells the story best - - a series of still photos or a video showing the action. I'll let you be the judge. The video is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-epic-video.html

For those who are also interested in what goes on inside Epic, we have a new page of menus from various restaurants on the ship http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-epic-menus.html plus a new page of daily programs (Freestyle Daily) and other information distributed onboard the ship. http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-epic-daily-programs.html

Norwegian Epic Revisted

 Norwegian Epic is one of three ships that are bringing cruising to a new level. (The other two are Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas). This is not because these ships are bigger than any that have gone before but because of the new concepts that have been introduced onboard.

Focusing on Epic, the entertainment has been brought to a new level. Pre-Epic, the industry standard had been (and still is to a large extent) to have the nightly entertainment revolve around what was happening in the theater in the front of the ship. This could be a production show where a dozen young performers would sing and dance to a collection of popular tunes or a show by a stand-up comic or magician who makes a living jumping from ship to ship. Many of these are quite good but it is not first tier entertainment.

On Epic, the entertainment features acts who have already made a name ashore such as the Blue Man Group, Legends in Concert, Second City, and Cirque Dreams. To use an analogy, the difference in the experience is like the difference between drinking a house wine and drinking a name brand. Moreover, the entertainment is not limited to the ship's theater. Each night, there are shows by the name performers taking place in different venues around the ship.

Another innovative concept on Epic is its studio cabins. At one time, all passenger ships had single occupancy cabins reflecting the fact that for a variety of reasons some people want or need to travel alone. Based upon some flawed assumptions revolving around the sophistry that it is more profitable to have two people in a cabin than one, the industry abandoned single cabins. Consequently, solo travelers have to pay a single supplement for a cabin which can often be as much as 200 percent of the per person double occupancy rate.

Norwegian recognized that this left an unserved market of people who are predisposed toward cruising. Therefore, it built Epic with a large number of single occupancy cabins. In addition, in order to ensure that these people did not feel left out, it has strived to create a community of solo travelers on Epic.

Epic also premiered with a number of other innovative concepts. And while I was impressed by all these innovative concepts when the ship entered service in 2010, I began to wonder how they were working out in practice. So I returned to Epic to have another look around.

To get some insight on what Epic is all about now, I spoke with her hotel director Richard Janicki. That interview is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-epic-hotel-director.html

Focusing on the entertainment, I spoke with the Second City comedy troupe and through an unusual coincidence, ended up on stage with them. My article about that is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-epic-second-city.html

I also experienced what it is like to sail in Epic's studio cabins. http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-epic-sailing-solo.html

Norwegian is well known for all of the dining options onboard its ships. Epic takes this even further with a collection of Norwegian classics and several new dining concepts. My reviews of six of these dining venues can be found at http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-epic-restaurant-reviews.html