Norwegian Star Profile and Photo Review

There is something nice about a ship that is always smiling.  I am not talking just about the design painted on the bow of Norwegian Star that gives the ship the appearance of smiling.  Rather, I am talking about the friendliness of the officers and crew.

Throughout my recent cruise on Norwegian Star, I met people who could not do enough for me.  Moreover, they did not appear to be doing it because it was in their job description but rather because it was something they wanted to do.

On the last day of our call in Bermuda, I returned to the ship to find a corridor of officers and crew waiting for the guests by the gangway. There was a stilt walker and a juggler and much cheering as each guest arrived.  I was told that when the ship had been in Cozumel berthed next to Norwegian Pearl, there was a competition in which the two crews tried to out do each other in their greeting.  The enthusiasm has continued ever since.

The Star is the sister ship to Norwegian Dawn and together they comprise Norwegian’s Dawn class.  In design, it is quite similar to the line’s Jewel class ships.  She has most, but not all, of the features of the Jewel class.  As such, her version of the Norwegian cruise experience is quite good.

Norwegian Star is on something of an odyssey at the moment.  For most of her life, she sailed the West Coast of the United States.  However, this year, she shifted her base first to Tampa, Florida and then to New York.  Unfortunately for New Yorkers, she is only spending the summer there before moving to New Orleans.  But that too is temporary as she will be going to Copenhagen, Denmark next summer.

Beyondships’ profile page for Norwegian Star, with menus, programs and other information about the ship is at http://www.beyondships.com/NCLStar.html  Our photo tour and review begins at  http://www.beyondships.com/NCLStar-Tour-1.html

In addition, we have restaurant reviews of four of the specialty restaurants on the Star. http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-star-specialty-restaurant-review.html    Also, we have a review of the Chef’s Table experience, which is a recent dining addition on the NCL ships. http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-star-chefs-table-review.html   

Photos of Norwegian Gem and Enchantment of the Seas

Sometimes when I am on a cruise, there will be another ship that is doing the same, or almost the same itinerary.  This gives me the opportunity to photograph that ship in a variety of locations, doing different things.  This week, I have posted two photo essays resulting from such coincident itineraries.

The first shows Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas during a Bahamas cruise.  Enchantment had sailed from Baltimore, where she is homeported to Port Canaveral, Florida.  Then she sailed to Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, Coco Cay, and the next day to Nassau.

I was on Norwegian Gem sailing on a similar itinerary out of New York. Of course, Norwegian Cruise Line ships do not call at Royal Caribbean’s private island.  However, Norwegian’s private island is next to Royal’s and so with a telephoto lens, it is possible to get photos of ships calling at Coco Cay from Great Stirrup Cay.

The Enchantment of the Seas photo essay is posted at http://beyondships.com/RCI-ENOS-Bahamas.html

A few weeks later, I was on a Bermuda cruise as was Norwegian Gem.  As a result, I was able to record Gem’s cruise.  The Gem photo essay is at http://beyondships.com/NCLGem-Photos-Bermuda.html     

Visiting Windsor Castle and The Beatles' Liverpool

As  summer begins, so does the British Isles cruising season.  Even in summer, Britain is not like a Caribbean island and thus the focus of such cruises is not on beaches and fun in the sun.  Rather, it is on the rich cultural heritage that you can experience going ashore in the various ports of call.  This week, we present articles on two quite different aspects of that culture.

The first article is on visiting Windsor Castle.  It is the largest castle in England and has been a royal residence since the 11^th Century.  Naturally, quite a lot has taken place there and you can see where kings, queens and statesmen lived and did things that changed the course of history.  In addition, a fabulous art collection is housed there.

What makes Windsor even more interesting is that it is still a royal residence.  The Queen lives there and state occasions still occur there.

Windsor is located near London and while it is not on the sea, it is not far from the major cruise ports.  It thus is a good day trip before or after a cruise.  Some ships also offer organized shore excursions there.

Our article on visiting Windsor Castle is at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-article---windsor-castle.html

Cruise ships calling in Liverpool usually offer a tour focusing on The Beatles.  Liverpool was the rock group’s hometown and the town very much remembers them.

While a visit to Windsor is all about the splendor and glory of British culture, a Beatles tour takes you to quite ordinary places.  Indeed, that is what is so interesting about it - - four people with backgrounds just like millions of others were able to have such a tremendous impact not just on music but social mores and thought.

Our article on touring the Beatles’ Liverpool is at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-article---beatles-liverpool.html         

Carnival Magic Profile and Photo Review

Carnival Magic has an impressive look.  Yes, the basic design dates back to Carnival Destiny but over the years the design has grown, becoming taller, wider and longer.  As a result, the proportions are better.  She looks mightier, stronger, more filled-out.

Inside Magic carries forward the innovations made with the first ship in the class Carnival Dream.  For example, she has the Ocean Plaza, where the interior promenade meets with the outdoor Lanai.

But Magic also has her own innovations.  The balcony level of the buffet restaurant has been turned into an Italian specialty restaurant called La Cucina della Capitano - - the Kitchen of the Captain.  The navigation officers on the Carnival ships have traditionally been from Italy and this is a tribute to that heritage, combining popular Italian fare with a décor inspired by an Italian sea captain's home.  There are some nice paintings of Carnival ships by maritime artist Stephen Card on the walls.

Another new feature is the Red Frog Pub – Carnival’s first pub.  However, it is not an English pub like you find on numerous ships but rather a Caribbean-inspired pub.  It has its won brand of beer as well as seating both indoors and on the Lanai.

The highlight of the new sports area is the Sky Course, where guests can swing from ropes suspended high over the deck.  Well, some guests can.

Overall, Magic has a bright and bold atmosphere.  The color scheme is somewhat different than Carnival Dream and the public rooms do not have the imaginative artistic references of earlier Carnival ships.  However, the overall effect is pleasing and contusive to a fun cruise experience.

Beyondships' profile page for Carnival Magic, with menus, daily programs and other information, is at http://beyondships.com/CarnivalMagic-Profile.html  The multi-page photo tour of the ship begins at http://beyondships.com/CarnivalMagic-Tour-1.html           

Photo Tour of the Refurbished Celebrity Summit

When a cruise line builds a new class of ships, particularly one that is innovative and has all sorts of new features, one of the consequences is that its existing fleet pales by comparison.  The existing ships may still be seaworthy and capable of providing a good cruise experience but the public perceives them as less attractive than their new fleetmates.

            Thus, when Celebrity Cruises brought out the Celebrity Solstice, the first ship in a new innovative five ship class, and that ship was acclaimed by both critics and passengers alike, it quickly announced that it would be spending $140 million to upgrade its four existing Millennium class ships.  Those ships were the workhorses of the Celebrity fleet and still had plenty of life left in them.  The idea was to transplant some of the popular features of the Solstice into the four Millenniums and thus keep them representative of the Celebrity brand.

            It would have been disruptive and difficult to find the shipyard space to refurbish all of the ships at once.  Therefore, the Solstization process, as Celebrity calls it, was to be spread out over several years.  The process began with Celebrity Constellation in 2010.  However, each time Celebrity has done one of these refurbishments, it has come up with new ideas for enhancing the Millenniums.  As a result, when all of her sister ships have been Solsticized, Constellation will have to return to the shipyard for another round of enhancements.

            Celebrity Summit was the third ship to be Solsticized.  Originally, she was planned to be the second but Celebrity decided to have Celebrity Infinity go ahead of her.   The work was done on Summit in Freeport in the Bahamas in January 2012.

            What did Summit get?  Part of one of the balconies overlooking the Normandie main dining room was enclosed and turned into a Blu restaurant.  This is the dining room for guests staying in the Aqua class cabins that were also added during the refit.  The area that had been the flower conservatory became a specialty restaurant.  Not the Tuscan Grill as on Constellation but Qsine, the non-traditional venue that premiered on Celebrity Eclipse.  Yet another new dining venue is Bistro on Five, a creperie

There were also new bars and lounges added including the sophisticated Martini Bar from the Solstice class ships and the Cellar Masters wine bar.

Several of the existing public areas were spruced up.  The magnificent grand staircase was given a lighter look.  Revelations, the ship’s forward observation lounge also received a new look.

While the changes gave Summit many of the features of the Solstice class ships, they did not take away her identity.   The Millennium class ships have a considerable following and realizing this Celebrity has not tried to make them into a somewhat smaller version of the Solstice.  The Solsticized Summit is still the Summit, only better.

Beyondships photo tour of the refurbished Summit begins at http://beyondships.com/Celebrity-Summit-Tour-1.html

Carnival Fascination Profile and Photo Review

           

Carnival Fascination is the 17^th Carnival Cruise Lines ship to be profiled on Beyondships.  A member of the Fantasy class, she is in outward appearance very similar to her seven sisters.  However, no two Carnival ships are exactly alike.

            One reason you can make such a sweeping statement is that interior designer Joe Farcus, who has had a hand in designing all of the ships now in service, used a different theme for each ship.  As a result, although the interiors of each class have a similar layout, the public rooms look different.

            On Fascination, the theme was Hollywood.  This inspired the elegant look of the Tara Library, the glamour of the Beverly Hills Bar and the imaginative Passage to India Lounge.

            Fascination entered service in 1994 and over the years, there have been a lot of changes.  Carnival has recognized that there is a market for good quality cruises at an affordable price.  So it keeps investing in the Fantasy-class ships, adding new features and modifying the experience they present so as to keep them vital and consistent with the overall brand image. 

            Today, Carnival Fascination is based in Jacksonville, Florida.  She sails down the Florida coast to that unique American port of call, Key West.  Then it is over to the Bahamas for a day in Nassau and then back home.  Sometimes Freeport or the private island Half Moon Cay is substituted for Key West.  In any case, it is a pleasant fun-in-the-sun itinerary.  It is something Carnival has a lot of experience doing.

            The home page for our profile of Carnival Fascination, which includes copies of daily programs and deck plans, is at http://beyondships.com/CarnivalFascination-Profile.html.   The multi-page photo tour and review of the ship begins at http://beyondships.com/CarnivalFascination-Tour-1.html   

Talking with the Captain, Hotel Director, Cruise Director and Maitre d' of Island Princess

It takes more than great hardware to make a great cruise.  You can have the finest ship in the world but if the officers and crew aren’t good, it is going to be at best a mediocre cruise.  So too, if you have a really good team running the ship, it can be the difference between a good cruise and a great cruise.

            There was a very good team in charge when I was on Island Princess recently.  I liked the ship and its layout quite a bit.  However, the quality of service, the programming and the dining made it a cruise to remember.  All of these are hallmarks of a good management team.

            At the top was Captain Nicolo Bommarco.  Born by the sea in Venice, Italy, Captain Bommarco has been sailing passenger ships since 1984.  He has served on nearly every ship in the Princess fleet.

            Hotel General Manager Emilio Mazzi, first went to sea in 1968.  He is a true gentleman and reminded me of the managers of the grand hotels that we used to stay in when I was a teen.  Mazzi is relaxed and friendly but he knows how to make guests comfortable like those old school experts did.

            Another cruise industry veteran is Cruise Director Rick Joseph.  His first job at sea was at age 15 on Carnival Cruise Line’s first ship the Mardi Gras.  He went on to Holland America and then to become the youngest cruise director in the industry for Chandris.  Subsequently, he was closely involved in bringing out all eight of the R class ships for Renaissance.  Thus, he brought a great deal of experience with him when he joined Princess in 2002.  Moreover, with this background, his onboard lecture about ocean liners and cruise ships is not to be missed.

            I met with these three leaders and asked them to talk about Island Princess.  My goal was to have the people who actually run the ship tell about the ship and the cruise experience that they provide onboard.  The interview is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/island-princess-interview.html

            But what about the dining on board Island Princess?  For this I turned to Maitre d’Hotel Ignazio D’Agostino.  Ignazio is seemingly everywhere - - the main dining rooms, the specialty restaurants, the galley etc.  As he said to me: “This job you can’t do it just because you have to do it, you have to love it.   You have to love it in the sense to be accommodating, be smiling, be friendly to the customer.”

            This was most evident at the Chef’s Table event.  Together with Executive Chef Klaus Baumgarten, Ignazio hosted a small group of guests in an evening that began with a visit to the ship’s main galley when it was in full operation.  This was followed by a multi-course dinner that was literally a feast.  The evening was enhanced by the commentaries by the Maitre d and the Chef about cooking and restaurant operations.  All the time, Ignazio was ensuring that the service was beyond perfect.     

            I asked Ignazio to give us some insights into the various dining venues on Island Princess.  They are incorporated into the dining guise that is posted at  http://www.beyondships2.com/island-princess-dining-guide.html