Photo Profile of Cruise Destination San Juan

San Juan is unique amongst Caribbean island cruise ports. It is a major city just like you find on the mainland of North America or Europe. It dwarfs the other Caribbean island cruise ports.

From a cruise passenger's perspective, the section of town known as Old San Juan is the primary focus. It is where most of the ships calling in San Juan dock and where some that are starting off their cruise leave from. Also, it is where most of the city's tourist attractions lie.

Another factor that enters into the equation is that many of the ships arriving from Florida do not reach San Juan until afternoon. When all of the port formalities are done and the gangways finally openned, it is already mid-afternoon. While the cruise lines usually do sell excursions to places beyond Old Jan Juan - - the rain forrest and the Bicardi rum factory are popular - - they tend to involve returning to the ship after dark. So the majority tend to stay in Old San Juan.

So once the ship clears and you walk down the pier into Old San Juan, what is there to see? Old San Juan is the historic part of the city. It was the city of San Juan for many years. As a result, there are many historic places to visit.

For example, San Juan was a very important port during the colonial period and the European powers fought over it centuries. One of the things you will notice sailing into the Bay of San Juan is that there are two enormous fortresses guarding the city. One was to defend the city from attacks by sea while the other was to protect it from land-based assualts. They were still in use as military facilities in World War II. However, they are now operated by the U.S. Natiional Parks Service and are open to the public.

The Spanish also built impressive churches. The Cathedral of San Juan is the most famous and most revered religious site in Puerto Rico. Amongst other things, it contains the tomb of the explorer Juan Ponce De Leon who was also the island's first governor. However, don't miss the 16^th century Church of San Jose, one of the oldest churches in the New World. In addition, there are many small churches scattered throughout the district that are archetecturally interesting.

Quite a few historic buildings have found new life as museums. They cover topics from art to antiquarian books to ethnic culture to the life of cellist Pablo Casals.

There are places to indulge in retail therapy as well. Within a few blocks of the cruise piers are numerous shops with internatiionally known names. There are also colorful local shops as well.

But Old San Juan is also just nice to stroll, particularly as the shadows start to become long. To illustrate, walk along the 19^th century park-like Paseo de La Princesa and then beneath the towering city walls on the Paseo de Morro, which runs along the bay. Pass through the walls at the last remaining gate and stoll up the tree-lined cobble-stoned streets until you come to the Cathedral. Then head back down Cristo street past the shops until the street ends at the charming Parque de Palomas with its view of the bay. There you will also find the Casa de Libro musuem and the tiny 17^th century Capilla de Cristo. Turn left and proceed down hill past colorfully-painted houses with wrought iron balconies to the cruise port. The atmosphere is romantic and the sights are pleasing to the eye.

Our San Juan profile page is at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination-san-juan.html It links to our discussion of the cruise port and to our links page. However, the feature of the San Juan ssection is the multi-page tour of Old San Juan with photos and descriptions of many of the attractions. It begins at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination-old-san-juan-attractions.html

Celebrity Reflection - - interview, review, menus, video

This week we complete our profile of Celebrity Reflection with several new items.

First, we have an interview with Hotel Director Julian Brackenbury and Cruise Director Paul Buya. I first met Julian on the stately Celebrity Summit when that ship was cruising the Caribbean. I met him again when Celebrity was preparing to re-vilatize Summit adding a panoply of features as part of the line's Solsticization project. Paul, I know from Celebrity Silhouette, a ship I found to have a strong pulse. As the person in charge of entertainment there, Paul played no small part in making it a lively cruise experience.

I asked them to tell us what is new about Celebrity Reflection? The ship is the fifth and final ship in the Solstice class Each ship in the class has retained the essential Solstice design but each of the prior ships has been somewhat different. As they replied, Celebrity has not run out of new ideas but has channel in its thinking in a new direction. The interview is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/celebrity-reflection-interview.html

We also have a review of the Murano specialty restaurant. There are Muranos on each of the Solstice class ships and on Celebrity Century. They offer perhaps the most elegant, old school fine dining experience at sea. The review is at http://www.beyondships2.com/celebrity-reflection-murano.html

We have also added a menus page to the Celebrity Reflection profile with examples of menus from the main dining room and some of the specialty restaurants. http://www.beyondships2.com/celebrity-reflection-menus.html

Finally, we have a short video showing the ship in several Caribbean ports. http://www.beyondships2.com/celebrity-reflection-video.html

So who is Celebrity Reflection for? In my opinion, she is for experienced cruisers who like what used to be called the better things in life. She ius a pretty ship with attention to detail in the design. She has an excellent array of dining options. She has a good enrichment program although not as strong as Cunard or Holland America. She is not a party boat but rather is sophisticated without being stuffy.

Celebrity Reflection Profile and Photo Tour

This week we add Celebrity Reflection to the roaster of cruise ships profiled on Beyondships.com. Reflection is the fifth and final ship in Celebrity's Solstice class. This class of ships has been very popular with passengers and critics alike since the first chip in the class, Celebrity Solstice, entered service in 2008.

For me, there are three things that attract me to the Solstice class ships. First, is the design of the ship. In the interior, there has been great attention to detail. Someone has thought about every inch of the ship. It is a contemporary décor but the use of lighting, art work and furnishings is always eye-pleasing. It can be glamorous and it can be relaxing, sumptuous but not demanding. Along the same lines, there is a feeling of space. These are big ships but the number of people has been kept down so that you do not feel crowded.

Second, I like the array of dining outlets. The main dining rooms are like something that would have been created for the glamor of Hollywood in its golden era. The food and service do not let down the room. Blu, the Aquaclass restaurant, is one of the best venues at sea. Turning to the specialty restaurants, you have the elegance of Murano, the relaxed sophistication of the Tuscan Grille steakhouse, the very nontraditional Qsine and the summertime fun of the Lawn Club Grill. Then there are a host of small casual venues serving crepes, paninis, pastries, and even burgers as well as a well-designed large buffet restaurant. Lots of choices and all good ones.

Third, I like the enrichment program. The Solstice class ships are geared toward a more sophisticated cruiser who is more demanding about shipboard activities. Celebrity usually has good lectures that are beyond the talks about which shops to visit in the next port. There are other activities such as trivias, wine tastings, art classes, and fitness classes, which are done on other lines as well but Celebrity keeps up a good quality level.

Reflection is very much a Solstice class ship. She incorporates ideas that Celebrity has evolved over the course of building and sailing the first four ships in the class. There have been relatively few changes to the public areas. For example, the line-up of dining venues is identical to her immediate predecessor Celebrity Silhouette. There have been a few changes to the bars and lounges. However, the big change is the accommodations. Two new categories of suites have been added as well as a super luxury suite called the Reflection Suite.

Our profile page for Celebrity Reflection is at http://beyondships.com/Celebrity-Reflection-Profile.html

Our photo tour and commentary begins at http://beyondships.com/Celebrity-Reflection-Tour-1.html

We will be back next week with more about Reflection including interviews, menus, a restaurant review and a video.

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

Cruise destination Antigua

Each time I visit Antigua, I see that the island is changing, becoming a more sophisticated cruise port. The area directly in front of the cruise piers in St. John's, the island's largest city, has evolved into a first tier cruise port with boutique shops and bars and restaurants that cater to the cruise visitors. The shore excursion and independent taxi tours have become more polished. The atmosphere has become more welcoming.

Still, Antigua has not become as commercially developed as some of the Caribbean cruise ports. Walk beyond the pedestrian mall that is the center of the cruise port area and you are in a different city, one that is still developing.

The real attractions of Antigua lie beyond St. John's. Locals like to boast that the island has 365 beaches - - one for each day of the year. And indeed, there are quite a few beaches. However, what is impressive about Antigua's beaches is not their number but that so many of them are beautiful - - white sand, palm trees and a unique shade of pale blue water. In addition, they range from developed venues with big resorts to secluded undeveloped beaches with few or no other people in sight.

Beyond the beaches, Antigua's biggest attraction is the Nelson's Dockyard National Park. In the 18^th century, the British built a naval base at English Harbour on the southern coast of the island. This included a dockyard where warships that were assigned to the Caribbean could be repaired and maintained.

In 1784, Horatio Nelson took command of this squadron of ships. This was long before his spectacular naval victories and he was made a lord. In fact, his biggest struggle during the period that he was in Antigua was with the local merchants and planters who objected to his rigorous enforcement of the laws that prohibited trade with the former British colonies in America. The merchants and planters had been carrying on a lucrative trade with the Americans. However, Nelson believed it was his duty to enforce the laws that Parliament made, not second guess them. His position was in fact completely valid as it is contrary to the tenants of democratic government for military officials to decide whether to enforce laws enacted by elected representatives. In any event, Nelson was quite unpopular with the locals in Antigua and the British government thanked him for his vigilance with an extended period at home on reduced pay without an assignment.

Thus, Nelson did have a real connection to Antigua and to the dockyard in particular. He did not build the dockyard nor did he alter it. But he was there and so this place has a much stronger claim to be named after him than many of the places that are named after the legendary naval hero throughout the former British Empire.

The museum in the dockyard has an interesting exhibit about Nelson. However, what interests most visitors is the beauty and charm of this area. It has been restored and put to modern day use servicing and maintaining the many sailing yachts that visit Antigua. The old Georgian buildings contain restaurants, an inn, an art gallery, and shops. Its grounds have been nicely landscaped and are well-maintained.

The national park is not limited to the dockyard itself but includes the fortifications perched on the hills that tower above English Harbour. Most of the fortifications are in ruins but the views from Shirley Heights, Dow's Hill and the Block House are spectacular.

There is more to Antigua beyond the attractions described above. Our profile of Antigua with numerous photos, information and links to other relevant websites begins at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination-antigua.html

Inasmuch as quite a few Caribbean cruise destinations have been profiled on Beyondships, I have created an index page listing all of the Caribbean profiles and articles about the Caribbean in order to make it easier for readers to find these resources. It is at http://www.beyondships2.com/caribbean-cruise-destinations.html

Cruise ship Ventura photos and update

This week the focus is on P&O Cruises' Ventura as we update Beyondships' section on Ventura with new pages devoted to menus and daily programs. In addition, there are two new photo essays: one showing Ventura sailing from St. Kitts and one showing her with Emerald Princess.

Ventura is very much targeted to the UK market. Thus, the cruise experience is tailored toward British tastes. It is not British in the way that foreigners think of Britain but rather a lifestyle that people in modern day Britain enjoy.

Within that framework, Ventura is somewhat less traditional compared to her sister ship, P&O's Azura. She is somewhat more relaxed and more activity minded but still more formal than most North American-oriented lines.

Outwardly, Ventura looks very much like the Grand class ships operated by Princess Cruises. This surprised many passengers on a cruise that I was on recently when Emerald Princess docked along side of Ventura. Here, we were next to a ship that looked identical to our Princess ship but which was not a Princess ship. Many speculated - - incorectly - - that Ventura must have at one time been a Princess ship.

Ventura was in fact the fulfillment of P&O's long held ambition to operate a Grand class ship for the British market. Prior to its merger into Carnival Corporation, P&O owned Princess Cruises. The Grand class design was developed in those days. For business reasons, P&O allocated all of its Grand class ships to its highly successful Princess subsidiary. At one point, it ordered a Grand class ship for itself but then upon further consideration decided to allocate that ship to Princess as well. In 2008, with the financial resources of Carnival behind it, P&O's ambition was fulfilled with the entry of Ventura into service - - the largest Grand class ship yet built (by a thousand or so gross tons),

Our photo essay of Ventura together with Emerald Princess in St. Kitts shows just how similar the two ships are on the outside. http://www.beyondships2.com/ventura-emerald-princess.html

Later that day, just as the sun was setting, Ventura sailed from St. Kitts. This was a beautiful sail away as the sky was a mixture of blue sky and heavy tropical clouds. There were rainbows and the light gave the ship a golden tint. Our photo essay (including a video) is at http://www.beyondships2.com/ventura-sails-from-st-kitts.html

As mentioned above, we also have a new dedicated menus page http://www.beyondships2.com/ventura-menus.html and a new daily programs (programmes) page. http://www.beyondships2.com/ventura-daily-programs.html These should be helpful if you are thinking of a cruise on Ventura or if you just want to see what is happening on Ventura.

Norwegian Sun Photo Tour and Profile

Norwegian Sun presents a different version of the Norwegian Cruise Line experience. Yes, she has the signature Freestyle dining and yes, you will find many of the same activities and venues that you find on other Norwegian ships. However, whereas the line's flagship, Norwegian Epic, is big and pulsating with activity, the Sun is relatively small and life is unhurried. Her décor is similarly laid-back, contemporary but restrained.

Offering somewhat different versions of a line's cruising style is wise marketing. No matter how much people like a musical theme, they do not want to hear it over and over. Having variations on a theme is much more interesting. Besides, some people like big ships and some people only like small ships. It clearly makes sense for a line to offer its cruise experience in different sizes.

The Sun is the sister ship to Norwegian Sky. However, even so there are significant differences between the two in where they've been and what they offer.

Both ships were being built for another cruise line when the shipyard where they were being built went bankrupt. Norwegian stepped in, bought the two ships and had them finished at the Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany. Work on the Sun was not as far along as on the Sky when Norwegian bought the ships. As a result, Norwegian was able to have more input into the Sun than the Sky. Thus while the two ships have many similarities, there are differences as well. Thus, the Sun has more and different balconies than the Sky. She is also somewhat bigger in gross tonnage.

They have led different lives since then. The Sky became Pride of Aloha for awhile and did Hawaiian cruises for Norwegian's U.S.-flag affiliate. The Sun has always remained with Norwegian itself.

Today, the two ships do quite different cruises. The Sky does short cruises from Florida to the Bahamas. Such short break cruises attract a younger crowd often interested in partying. The Sun, when she is based in Florida, does longer than average Caribbean cruises. (In the past, she has done summers in Europe but this coming summer, she will be heading to Alaska). Such cruises tend to attract a more mature passenger interested in savoring a relaxing voyage.

Beyondships' profile of Norwegian Sun, including menus and daily programs, is at http://beyondships.com/NCLSun.html The photo tour and commentary about Norwegian Sun begins at http://beyondships.com/NCLSun-Tour-1.html