Broadway is Alive and Well – On a Cruise Ship Near You

An exec from a certain up-and-coming cruise line—which shall remain nameless—recently said something to the effect of “If they want to see a Broadway show, they’ll go Broadway.”

Guess he hasn’t been on a cruise lately.

From the heart-racing, exuberance of “Mamma Mia” to the mysterious, enigmatic “Cats,” we’re getting the best of both worlds—cruising and Broadway. And enjoying every minute.

Consider this: can you get into a show in NYC without paying for it? Get front row seats just by showing up early? Order a cocktail right before the curtain goes up without moving from your seat? 

Thankfully, Broadway is alive and well on a cruise ship near you. Here’s what’s playing at this writing:

Norwegian

“After Midnight” (Norwegian Escape) – Features the big-band songs of Duke Ellington and all that jazz. NCL says on its website, “Witness The Cotton Club come to life in a never-before-seen phenomenon at sea. Experience Broadway at its finest…!”

“Rock of Ages” (Norwegian Breakaway) – If you like the music of the 1980s, this musical is for you, complete with boy-meets-girl love story.

Royal Caribbean

“Hairspray” (Symphony of the Seas) – It debuted on Oasis of the Seas, but now it’s the featured show on RCI’s newest and biggest ship. RCI’s website says, “Mix big hair, big dreams and all the right moves and you’ve got one of the biggest Broadway hits of our time.”

“Grease” (Harmony of the Seas) – We all know the movie – heck, we know all the words of all the songs too. Poodle skirts, drive-in movies, malt shops and romance. With a happy ending to boot.

“Mamma Mia” (Allure of the Seas) – The movie might have had big stars, but the big voices are on the ship. A joyous celebration of ABBA songs and platform shoes, with a cute little story thrown in. You won’t even miss the Greek scenery.

“Cats” (Oasis of the Seas) – It was one of Broadway’s longest-running shows and has some of the coolest costumes. Brings fun, frolic and “Memories.”

 

“We will Rock You” (Anthem of the Seas) – This show played for a record-breaking 12 years in London, according to RCI’s website and features Queen tunes, including the popular title song.

“Saturday Night Fever” (Liberty of the Seas) – It’s the ‘70s once more when this show hits the stage. Think polyester. Dance moves. And the Beegees.

Princess

Not to be left waiting in the wings, the other lines are beefing up their shows as well. Touted as “Broadway style,” Princess is featuring “The Secret Silk” and “Born to Dance,” produced with Stephen Schwartz, the Oscar®, Grammy® and Tony® award-winning composer of “Wicked.” Check out Princess’ website for trailers.

Can we live without these shows? Sure. There’s plenty to see and do onboard without them. But for me, bring on the bright lights of Broadway on the Sea!

First two photos by RJGreenburg

As a Cruiser, Do You Know Your Rights?

If you don’t remember the Carnival Triumph engine fire and power loss in the Gulf of Mexico in February 2013, be glad.

It wasn’t one of the industry’s shining moments.

But it did have one positive outcome: in the wake of the event, the industry was spurred to create the Cruise Industry Passenger Bill of Rights in May of that same year.

With its upcoming five year anniversary, it’s a good time to revisit the proclamation.

So, what is it exactly? 

It’s a set of standards for the cruise lines to ensure we are safe, comfortable and well cared for during our cruise.

It was created by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the trade association for the cruise industry. To continue to be part of CLIA, its more than 50 cruise line members had to pledge to abide by these standards.

In short, you’ll be pleased to know that Carnival, Celebrity, Cunard, Disney, Holland America, Princess, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean are part of CLIA and are thus bound to comply.

They have agreed that you, as a cruiser, have the right:

To get off a docked ship if basic essentials such as food, water, restroom facilities and medical care can’t be provided onboard*

To access full-time, professional emergency medical attention while you’re on the ocean, until you can get it on land

For a ship that’s well trained in emergency and evacuation procedures

These relate to mechanical failure on board:

For a full refund for a trip cancelled, or partial refund for one ending early because of such a failure

For lodging if you have to get off the ship and stay overnight in an unscheduled port if a cruise ends early because of a mechanical failure

To get transportation to the port of disembarkation or your home city if the trip ends early for the same reason

Timely updates on itinerary changes due to mechanical failure

Needless to say, we all hope we don’t need to test out these rights on our cruise, but it’s comforting to know the lines have committed to adhering to them in case something does, indeed, go wrong.

Now, the cruise lines have some expectations of their own from us. Check back in two weeks as we take a look at the cruise contract. 

If you’re not sure what that is, it’s that long document with the tiny print that you electronically sign when you check in online. And if you’ve never read it, you’re not alone.

See you in two weeks!

*Subject to the ship’s concern for safety and port immigration requirements

Source: cruising.org

Trip Insurance: Don’t be Sorry You Booked Without It

Insurance is one of the few things you spend money on but get nothing in return. But be without it when something happens and suddenly, it’s worth way more than you paid for it.

We’ve cruised 21 times and bought trip insurance 21 times. Thankfully, it never got used. But, we wouldn’t dare book a cruise without it.

There are just too many things that can go wrong, as hurricanes Irma and Harvey just reminded us. Your home floods and you need to stay to deal with it…the airport closes and you can’t get a flight out…you come down with pneumonia before the trip or appendicitis after it starts…you’re running late and then get a flat en route to the port…your luggage takes a different plane than the one you’re on…

Insurance ensures that if you can’t make the trip, or something happens before or while you’re at sea, you’ll get something back towards the cost of your trip or help on expenses. Whether your mishap qualifies and/or how much you get back depends on the policy.

The plans

There are two different ways to get travel insurance: cruise line plans or independent insurance companies:

Cruise line plans. Each line offers its own insurance, which is provided by a third party. You can usually find info by putting “protection” in the search tool on the cruise line websites. A good travel agent can also brief you on cost and what’s covered. For your easy reference, here are links to some cruise line plans:

Royal Caribbean Travel Protection

Princess Vacation Protection

Carnival Vacation Protection

Norwegian Booksafe Travel Protection

Independent insurance companies. Travel insurance companies such as Travel Guard® offer a number of different policies and prices.

What you should know

A few things you should know about travel insurance:

Read the fine print. This is not the time to let your eyes glaze over—the fine print is what you’re buying. Policies vary widely in how much you’d get reimbursed and under what conditions, and what proof you’d need to provide.

Often, the more expensive the policy, the better the terms. Most policies are pretty specific about what they’ll cover. For example, if you cancel the trip, they may reimburse you for part of the cruise if you get sick, but not if it’s from a pre-existing condition. Or, they may only pay if you get sick, but not if you need to stay home to care for a sick parent.

Cancellations for illness or death are the most common reasons insurance will pay out. There is coverage if you need to cancel the trip for any reason, but even with these plans, there are caveats. So, read the rules very carefully.

Know how much and in what way the reimbursement comes. Find out not only how much of the cruise would be covered if you cancelled, but if the reimbursement is money or credit toward a future cruise.

Be sure you know when payment’s due. Most often, it's at final payment.

Take your insurance documents with you. Print them up, and/or download them to your phone or tablet. You want the documents handy if you need them for reference.

One last thought

Your insurance is only as good as your insurance company. Years ago, the travel company that put together my London trip went belly up while I was there, and the airline wouldn’t honor my ticket home. Make sure the insurance company is financially stable and will be around to pay your claim if you are unfortunate enough to have one.