Just Cruises Plus

The name of the grouping of boulders shown in our January 6 photo contest (see photo below) is The Baths, which are located on the island of Virgin Gorda, part of the British Virgin Island chain.  The winner of the contest, randomly drawn from the 16 people who responded correctly, is Anne Quinn of Lansdale, PA.

Photo Contest 1/1/12 - The Baths, Virgin Gorda, BVI

The Baths are an amazing collection of exotic pools and grottos formed by giant boulders strewn across sand beaches.  Some of the boulders are best appreciated underwater.  On more than one snorkeling occaission, we have seen some of the best parrot fish feasting along these underwater havens.

Snorkelers planning their approach.

For those who wish to experience the boulders and grottos along an adventurous land/sea route, there is a marked trail to Devil’s bay, which is accessed by cutting through one of the grottos.  This path requires a combination of walking, climbing steps, crawling and wading and does require some agility.

Follow the trail for an exciting path through the grotto.

And for those who are most sure-footed and athletic, our rock-climbing friend demonstrated that with the right shoes (he just happened to bring them along) and the right experience, it was possible to reach the peak of one of these boulders.

At your own risk.

The Baths are usually offered as an excursion for those cruising to Tortolla, BVI.   The Baths also are easy to reach by sailboat (which we have done and can arrange for you).

Do you chose your cruise based on the ports or do you choose based on the ship?

Cruise lines recognize that these are two distinct groups.  Alaska, Europe, South America, Asia and Hawaii are destinations and the ships that take you there are  the supporting actors.  The ship is not the focus of these travelers.   These cruises are selected because the passengers wish to experience the ports of call.

On the other hand, there are folks who choose their ship because of the features and amenities of the particular ship.  This is true of many Caribbean cruisers where the various islands have much in common (great beaches and lots of sun).  Since entertainment is a significant amenity of Caribbean cruises, cruise lines are partnering with entertainment companies to enhance the entertainment experience.

Disney has always been in the forefront of this cruise/entertainment marriage since the ship and the entertainment are all Disney.  In order to compete, Royal Caribbean has aligned with Dreamworks, a Disney rival, and you will see Dreamworks characters (Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, etc) on their ships.  Royal Caribbean also acquired the rights to Broadway shows like Hairspray, Chicago and Saturday Night Fever.

Norwegian Cruise Line is associated with “Second City”.  It also added the hit show “Blue Man Group”.  The theater on the Norwegian Epic was built with this show in mind.

Cunard’s three ships offer original plays based on West End (London) plays while Carnival Cruise Line has hired George Lopez to lead the comedy direction on their ships.

Finally, the Great American Steamboat Company has lined up the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Harry James Orchestra, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Platters and The New Orleans Jazz All-Stars (sorry – no heavy metal or Hip-Hop).

The correct answer for the name of the locomotives in the December 9 photo contest (see photo below) is “mules” and the place is the “Panama Canal.”   The winner of the contest, randomly drawn from the 22 people who responded correctly, is Norman Remer of Southamption, PA.

Photo Contest 12/9/11 - Mules at the Panama Canal

The “mules” guide the ships through the Canal.  Today’s ships sometimes have less than two feet of clearance on either side of the ship, so it is critical that the mules keep ships in the center of the canal.  Cables are attached to the bow and stern and the mules pull or brake as needed to keep the ships centered.  They do not “pull” the ships through the Canal.  This is done by the ships’ own power. 

The cables at the bow of the ship are attached to mules which stabelize the ship as it passes through the Canal.

Why are they called “mules”?  Mules (the animal) were used to guide ships through many canals, including the one in New Hope, PA.  However, electric locomotives were always used on the Panama Canal.

Did you know?

– When you travel from the East Coast to the West Coast, you travel through the Panama Canal in an easterly direction.

– The existing lock chambers are 110 feet wide, 41.2 feet deep and 1000 feet long.  Because of clearance issues, the sizes of ships that can pass through are somewhat smaller.  The maximum sized ship that can transit the Canal is known as a “Panamax” ship. 

– A third set of locks to accommodate much larger ships is underway and is tentatively slated for completion in 2014.  These locks are expected to double the capacity of the Panama Canal.  The limit on ships sized for this new set of locks is referrred to as ” New Panamax.”

Additional Canal Photos

Another view of the ship being stabilized by Mules. Note that the starboard-side cable is taut and the port-side cable is slack.

The Galaxy, now called the Meinshift 1, using the second set of locks.

Opening the lock chambers.

New year, new look… That’s what’s in store for Celebrity Summit in January 2012, when the award-winning ship becomes the third in Celebrity Cruises’ much-loved Millennium Class quartet to complete a significant “Solsticizing,” the term Celebrity coined for its initiative to complement its Milllennium Class ships’ style and design with some of the most popular attributes found on its widely heralded Solstice Class ships.

What are some the highlights?

–       Aqua Class veranda staterooms

–       Bleu (Aqua-class) and Qsine specialty restaurants

–       Creperie and Bistro on Five

–       Café al Bacio and the Gelateria

–       Cellarmasters wine bar, including the “Enomatic” state-of-the-art wine serving system

–       The cool, ice-topped Martini Bar and Crush

–       An expanded collection of original, contemporary art

–       Updated carpeting, upholstery and other cosmetic updates

Click here for a video which contains great before and after images of the Millennium Class ships:  What Is Solsticizing?

What does this mean for you?  

The Summit, already a Bermuda favorite pre-solsticization, sold out many sailings early on last year.  In anticipation of the solsticization of the Summit, we decided to hold cabin space, at prices lower than Celebrity’s online rates, on many of its 2012 Bermuda sailings.  Bermuda cabins tend to go early, so it is not too soon to reserve your cabin now.  See our hot deals for some sample pricing on these Bermuda sailings.

Princess Cruises just announced the new 3600 passenger Royal Princess whose inaugural sailing is scheduled for May of 2013.  Does this name sound familiar?  That’s because the first P&O Princess Cruises cruise ship (1984) was also named Royal Princess.  It was one of the first, if not the first, ships to completely dispense with interior cabins.  The ship now serves in P&O Cruises fleet as the Artemis.

The latest Royal Princess, in addition to being the largest in the fleet at 141,000 tons, will feature an on-deck retreat exclusively for adults which offers passengers a secluded spa-like setting for complete relaxation.  As the first Princess had all outside staterooms and no inside rooms, the new Royal Princess has no traditional outside staterooms.  All ocean facing rooms will have balconies.

A sister ship to the new Royal Princess is expected to sail in the Spring of 2014.

Photo Contest 11/18/11 - Dead Sea - Photo by Michal Zvalova

The Dead Sea, also called the “Salt Sea”, is a salt lake bordering Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west. It’s geographic claim to fame is that its surface and shores are 1,388 feet below sea level, the lowest elevation on the earth’s surface. However, it is probably most recognized for it’s extreme saltiness.  With 33.7% salinity, it is one of the world’s saltiests bodies of water.  This salinity makes floating  effortless.  It also makes for a harsh environment in which animals cannot flourish —  hence its name.

Dead Sea Salt Cluster - Photo by Michal Zvalova

Effortless Floating on the Dead Sea - Photo by Michal Zvalova

We received 25 responses to our 11/4/11 photo contest and all 25 correctly named the location of our photo (shown below) as Skagway Alaska.  The winner of the contest is Chuck Diefenderfer of Maple Glen, PA.  Chuck’s name  was randomly selected from the 25 who correctly responded.

Photo Contest 11/4/11 - Skagway, Alaska

The town of Skagway has a population of less than 1000 which doubles in size during the summer months to support the influx of tourists.  The port is a popular cruise ship stop — understandable when you walk through the small town and, everywhere you turn, there is a breathtaking view of mountains.

Skagway - A town with a view

Skagway’s White Pass and Yukon Route narrow gauge railroad runs throughout the summer months.  It’s locomotive “parks” right in town.  We highly recommend this trip which you can purchase as an excursion aboard your ship.  Even if you are not a narrow gauge railroad geek (as some of us are), the scenery is amazing.

White Pass and Yukon Narrow Gauge Railroad

The typical tour offered is round trip.  We opted for a tour which took us by train to the top of the mountain and then we biked down. Even with the drizzly weather, the ride to the bottom was exhilarating!  There was little pedaling and lots of braking.

Up by train, down by bike

We thank all of the participants in our photo contest.  This is only the second time that we stumped you.

Photo Contest 10/21/11 - Ships docked in Roatan, Honduras

Roatan was one of the very few Caribbean islands that we had never visited and, as certified scuba divers and avid snorkelers, we looked forward to hours of fun in the crystal clear waters for which Roatan is known.  Alas, mother nature had other plans for us.  One of the worst rain storms in Roatan’s history struck only hours before our arrival aboard Celebrity’s Millennium.  Winds were still whipping muddy waves into a dark froth as the ship tied up to the pier in Coxen Hole, the island’s capital.

Celebrity's Millennium docked in Coxen Hole

As soon as we got off the ship, we checked a number of booths offering various excursions.  These are nearly always significantly less expensive than the excursions offered by the cruise line.  We spent some time comparing the offerings of the local vendors and selected a tour which took us to the key sights of the 36 mile long and 4 mile wide island.  Our driver, Francisco, was outstanding and very skilled, which was lucky for us since there were several mud slides and uprooted trees along the hilly and winding roads which are not in good shape in the best weather conditions.

Important:  The cruise line guarantees that they will not leave you if you are late getting back from an excursion purchased from the ship.  However, you have no such guarantee when you do an excursion on your own or with a local operator.   You need to make certain that you know “ship’s time” and that you leave extra time in case your transportation breaks down.

Cruise ship dock in Coxen Hole

While the overcast skies and wet sand kept bathers off the beaches, it could not hide the beauty that would become stunningly evident once nature reverted to its usual sunny state.   The coral reef is not far from the shore and this was our original goal.  This reef is the longest in the Western hemisphere and stretches from the tip of the Yucatan down to the Bay Islands (Roatan is one of the Bay Islands and is part of Honduras).  The reefs of Riviera Maya, Belize and Cozumel are part of this reef system known as the Mesoamerican reef.  The reef is home to over 500 species of fish as well as a large population of manatees.

Many of the best beaches are located on West Bay, a 20 minute taxi ride from the cruise ship.   While all of the beaches are public, there’s a catch.  In order to get on a beach, you must go through one of the resorts and there is a charge.  Bananarama Dive Resort is one resort which will provide round trip transportation from the cruise ship dock and give you access to their facilities for $30 per person .  Tabyana is a gorgeous beach which caters to cruise ship passengers and is offered as an excursion by the cruise lines.  However, with a bit of effort, you can get to the West Bay beaches by taking a regular taxi to West End, a busy and colorful beach village, and then take a water taxi to West Bay.  You won’t pay to get on the beach athough there will be a small charge if you rent beach chairs and umbrella.

View of West Bay beach on an overcast day

During our drive, we saw much poverty which stood in stark contrast to the luxury experienced by most visitors.  We learned that most of the economy is controlled by five families and we also discovered that black and white people live in separate communities.  Most of the economy is based on tourism although there is a significant fishing industry.  Spanish and English are taught in the schools so most folks are bilingual.

View of Honduras' waters through native wildflowers

Should you visit?  If you are a certified scuba diver, this is heaven on earth.  Folks who love to soak up the sun on a beautiful beach would be right at home here although there are many other islands which have beaches that are equal to Roatan’s.  For our cruise, it was a refreshing change from Jamaica, a usual stop on Western Caribbean cruises.

View of Coxen Hole from our departing ship

The winner of our 10/7/11 photo contest is Bernie Lineman of Warrington, PA.  Bernie’s name was randomly selected from the 11 who correctly identified the contest photo (shown below) as St. Peter’s Church located in St. George, Bermuda.

St. Peter’s is said to be the oldest surviving Anglican chuch located outside of the British Isles.   It’s exterier and interior or both lovely in their simplicity.  The church is technically located on the Duke of York Street, the main road that passes through St. George, however it sits much higher and further back than its neighbors.

Many Bermuda visitors flock to Hamilton, which is the capital of Bermuda and highlighted for it’s shopping district, but St. George is absolutely worth visiting.  It ’s waterfront and back streets are picturesque, walkable and hold a lot of history.

Photo Contest 10/7/11 - St. Peter's Church, St. George, Bermuda

A brief walk from St. Peters is  the “unfinished church”, whose construction began in the 1870’s when St. Peter’s Church was badly damaged by a storm and thought to be beyond repair. Once the consctruction was underway, there were funding difficulties and a segment of the local population felt they would rather invest the money in repairing the old church instead of completing the new one.

We were very lucky to capture the photos below during our visit in 2010. In December of 2010, the unfinished chruch was closed to the public due to the potential for crumbling masonry caused by structural deterioration from wind and water.

The Unfinished Church - partial exterior view

The Unfinished Church - interior view

The Unfinished Church - view through the archway

Bermuda is known for it’s beaches.  If your ship is docked at the Royal Navel Dockyard located at the western end of Bermuda, you are relatively close to some of Bermuda’s best beaches.  Horseshoe Bay is spectacular and has convenient changing facilities and consession stands making it a popular  beach choice  for visitors.  

Horseshoe Bay

It’s very easy and economical to go beach hopping either by taking the dedicated beach shuttle or public transportation (be sure to take the bus route along South Road).  Bermuda buses are clean and stop at all of the major beaches.  The ferry is a terrific and economical way to get from the Dockyard to Hamilton and to St. George.  If you have extra time and would like to see some off the beaten track sites, you can also take the bus from town to town.

Bermuda Beach Art - birds eye view

Steamboat Makes a Comeback 

A new cruiseline, The Great American Steamboat Company, is re-introducing the 436-passenger American Queen steamboat to the rivers of the south and mid-west United States.  Cruises on the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee Rivers will begin in April of 2012.  The ship will depart from cities which include Memphis, New Orleans, Vicksburg, St. Louis, Louisville, St. Paul, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

The American Queen, built in 1995 and originally operated by the Delta Queen Steamboat Company, is possibly the largest steamboat ever built. It is a 6-deck recreation of a classic Mississippi riverboat.  The American Queen is actually a hybrid ship whose paddlewheel is powered by steam but which gets some of it’s maneuverability from  a secondary propulsion unit powered by diesel-electric propellers.

Voyages range from three to 14 nights.  Rates include bottled water and soft drinks, coffees and cappuccinos, wine and beer with dinner, deluxe pre-cruise hotel stays and complimentary shore excursions.