Safe at Sea

After the muster drill on Allure of the Seas, I had that catchy “Wash Your Hands” tune stuck in my head for hours. And that’s a good thing. The ship wants to remind us early and often that washing our hands is a key way to stay safe at sea.

It’s also a reminder that staying safe during our cruise is everyone’s job—theirs and ours.

What they do

Guide and abide. The cruise industry is heavily regulated. Just a few of the agencies that set and enforce safety rules are the U.S. Coast Guard, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the International Maritime Organization.

Big on little boats. Cruise ships today have ample lifeboats; in fact, every ship must have enough life boats and rafts for at least 125 percent of the number of folks onboard.*

Teach and train. You can’t have missed the drills—they boom over the PA. That’s the crew going through yet more training on handling emergencies.

Poolside protection. Lifeguards are a visible presence today on Royal Caribbean ships at the pools and even the hot tubs.

 

Keeping watch over us in the Solarium on Allure of the Seas

Looking out for us. The ships have security personnel onboard who can step in when needed. There are also video cameras throughout to help spot and solve any issues.

What we can do

Master the muster. Every cruise kicks off with a lecture. Where to go in an emergency. Onboard do’s and don’ts. That sort of thing. Important stuff. It pays to listen.

 

Learning the drill on the Westerdam

Watch the signs. Many ships have alert and reminder signs posted—from slippery when wet to watch your children.

 

Advice from Allure of the Seas

Eat smart, drink smart. With all the tempting consumables onboard, it can be easy to overdo. Pace yourself. Know your limits. You’ll feel better for it.

 

Tastes great, but packed with punch, on Allure of the Seas

The banister is your barrier. Deck railing is for grabbing if you’re unsteady. Keeping you from going overboard. What it’s not is a balance beam.

Regal Princess reminder

Any other tips to help you stay healthy and enjoy your next cruise? Oh yeah—wash your hands!

For more on cruise ship safety, visit the website of the Cruise Lines International Association, the trade association for the cruise industry.

* Cruise Lines International Association

What Hasn’t Changed

In my last blog post, I looked wistfully—as well as gratefully—at what’s changed in 13 years of cruising. So it’s only fitting that now I look at what hasn’t.

Two times a day. It’s wonderful enough having someone give us clean towels each day. But twice a day? Nirvana!

Free food. Well, sort of free. There’s still a slew of food for the cost of the cruise—from the main dining rooms to the buffets to the little cafes. And that you can have as much as you want is only sweeter.

 

Bread a-plenty on Allure of the Seas

We feel like royalty. Crew who carry our bags. Clean our rooms, hand-deliver drinks and food. And smile at us.

 

Service with a big smile in the International Cafe on Regal Princess

Wet and wild. You’ll still find pools, casinos, spas, and game shows. Continuous ways to help us spend our time, whether we want to hang out at the pool or in the hot tub, blow all our money at the tables, sweat out our calories or compete for the best belly flop.

Once and done. How many vacations can you unpack once and don’t look at your suitcase for a week? (At Mom’s, maybe.)

One port at a time. You get on once, and are transported to different lands, cultures, architecture, languages—all without getting on a bus, plane or train.

 

The Dutch island of Curacao is a stop in the Southern Caribbean 

That’s entertainment. Music for all tastes, dancing, shows, comedians, magicians, karaoke—all manner of ways to keep us entertained.

 

Blue Planet production show on Allure of the Seas

The view. In the end, that’s why I cruise. A water view 24/7. Spectacular sunsets you can’t find on land. The gentle rocking to the sound of the surf.

 

Why I cruise--water view like this outside Aruba

Really, is there any better way to vacation?

Shipboard Romance

As the holiday of hearts continues its annual onslaught, I’m reminded how cruising and love were meant for each other. And we’re reminded of this at every turn—from Royal Princess’ newsletter recruiting vow renewals to celebration packages for toasting your twosome.

And so, in the spirit of the holiday, I offer a few ways you can foster your shipboard romance:

Find a suite deal. Usually do an inside room or balcony? Make it a suite to make it special. 

Pronounce it to the crowd. At the Captain’s Welcome on a recent Princess trip, a fellow cruiser stole the show when he proposed to his girl in front of a few thousand guests and a round of applause.

Capture the mood. Ship photographers are eager to please, and will capture you and your lover at your best.

Stroll the deck in the dark. Everyone's inside at night, which leaves the outside decks just for you. It’s quiet, colorful and romantic. And no wonder so much of the "Love Boat" took place under the moonlight.

Consider an in-the-dark dip in the hot tub on Allure of the Seas

Make it sparkle. Buy a bauble to express your love—it doubles as a souvenir. Just a few of your choices: Bvlgari and Cartier on Harmony of the Seas; Tiffany's on Oasis of the Seas; and Effy on Royal Princess.

Wed or re-wed. Royal Caribbean, Princess and Carnival all have packages for doing weddings onboard. Princess also has some for engagements, honeymoons, vow renewals and anniversaries. Carnival will even help you get married on the beach.

 

Tie the knot that binds in the chapel on Freedom of the Seas

Make dining special. Get a table for two in the plush specialty restaurant 150 Central Park on the Oasis class ships or the stately Crown Grill of the Royal or Regal Princess for leisurely dining and attentive service.

Tables for two that are meant for you in Allure of the Seas' 150 Central Park 

Side-by-side massage. Take out your tensions together with a couples massage in Royal Caribbean’s Vitality Spa or Princess’ Sanctuary.

Room for wine and roses. From Royal Caribbean’s room décor packages to Carnival’s goodie baskets to Princess’ Norman Love’s chocolate gifts to Norwegian’s flower deliveries, you’ve got a slew of selections for filling your stateroom with love.

Norman Love sweets for your sweetie on Regal Princess

The one time to say “no.” Getting prodded to be on the marriage game show? Just say "no." Better to laugh at other couples sweating under the spotlight and scrutiny, and still  be in love on the morning after.

Musing's Top Tip: Visit us on Facebook and Instagram for more tips and quips, and musings about cruising!

Photos by Roger James Photography

Decking the Decks and Doors

You can have it all when you Caribbean cruise at the holidays—sun and sand, and sizzle, sparkle and Santa. Here are just a few ways the ships don holly and make jolly:

Eye candy from Harmony of the Seas' gingerbread village

Light and bright. From Princess’ glittering piazza railings to Royal Caribbean’s ceiling-suspended stars and massive ball-laden trees, eye candy abounds.

Pointing to the holidays. As Christmas nears, poinsettias dot many a deck. On Celebrity’s Constellation, they line the grand staircase. On the Regal Princess, they’re everywhere.

Figuring it out. Holiday figurines pop up here and there, like around Guest Services on Harmony of the Seas.

Guests get into it. Then there are the passengers. Like the ones who wear Santa hats. Or the teens with the reindeer headbands. Those who do up their doors.

It takes a galley to create village. The frosting on the cake, though, is when the gingerbread village appears. The Constellation’s houses with their gumdrop tops was the centerpiece in a common area. Harmony’s frosty, candy-coated village was planted in the Promenade.

It took a galley to create this village on Celebrity's Constellation

The gingerbread village brings out the cameras—and the kid in us all. It reminds us how sweet and surprising cruising—and life—can really be. Happy holidays from Musing About Cruising!

Cruising and the Unexpected

I’ve been asked—more than a few times—why do I keep cruising? Aside from the obvious reasons—love of the sea, great value, the ultimate in relaxation—cruising is full of surprises.

These can be on the ship, in a port or with the sea. If you’ve gone on a number of cruises, no doubt you’ve had a few surprises of your own. Here are a few of mine:

The piano and the elevator. While waiting for the elevator on Harmony of the Seas, our eyes opened wide as the doors parted to show a man inside playing a full upright piano.

 

Only moments earlier, he was playing this piano inside an elevator on the Harmony

Princess and the pops. The year Princess celebrated its 50^th anniversary, at the Caribbean Princess’ Captain’s Welcome, along with champagne, the crew handed out Norman Love chocolate truffle pops.

The cruise director and the joke. On a sunny sea day, when a whole lot of people were around the pool, the CD got on the PA and said, “There’s a dolphin starboard.” Everyone dashed to the railing only to then hear him say, “Uh…I was only fooling.”

The lizard and the lettuce. Strolling through Wilhelmina Park in Oranjestad, Aruba, we happened on feeding time. The park keeper tossed out the makings of a salad to the slew of wandering iguanas.

The gold and the silver. It pops up for an hour or two at a time, and you never know where or when. The Inches of Gold concession has a treasure chest of affordable jewelry you can order by the inch, which means you get just the size you want.

The galley and the village. Toward the end of our pre-Christmas cruise on Harmony, as we meandered into the Promenade, we were as enchanted as children to see a whole gingerbread village laid out for view and cameras.

The holiday and the flower. One cruise happened to be on Mother’s Day and the crew handed every woman a single red rose.

The couple and the champagne. Heading back to our stateroom one night on Allure of the Seas, a cabin door opened and a guy stepped out. “Do you drink?” “Moderately,” I answered, cautiously. He thrust into my hand a bottle of champagne. It appears that he did not, and he got it as a gift.

While each cruise may not always be champagne and roses, there’s bound to be surprises somewhere. Maybe it’s part of a port we haven’t explored, a sunset kaleidoscope of colors, a shower that spawns a rainbow or a chocolate array in the dinner buffet. 

When we stop being delighted by these slices of the unexpected, it’s truly time to stop cruising.

Musing's Top Tip: For more tips and quips, visit us on Facebook and Instagram!

The Truth About the Food

Let’s face it. A big part of cruising is the food. The joy of eating what you want, when you want. No muss! No fuss! No cooking! No clean up!

But to get this privilege, we have to bend on quality. And settle for quantity instead. Some food for thought when next you dine on the mass market sea:

If you’re feeding an army, how good can it be? If you ever go on a galley tour, you’ll hear how many eggs cruisers consume, how many pounds of potatoes and all the rest. You can’t help but be impressed with the vast quantities of stuff we ingest. In short, when they’re cranking out so many meals, they’re not likely to lovingly and artfully prepare and plate your food.

Ready to load onto your main dining room salad

Forget medium well. Our waiter on Celebrity once told us we have two choices for our Beef Wellington: rare or well done. You can generally get accommodation for special health needs, but want food made to order? Go to a specialty restaurant.

They take shortcuts. Wouldn’t you, with thousands of hungry mouths to feed? On one galley tour, I witnessed a crew member emptying a bag of frozen fries into hot oil.

The galley tour on the Caribbean Princess had some surprises

Some of the best food is at the buffets. Since the main dining room has to cater to average tastes, the food can’t be too seasoned or spicy. What you end up with is bland. But since the buffet offers so many choices, they can include some really different stuff. I’ve had a few dishes that were so terrific on Royal Caribbean, I tried to recreate them (unsuccessfully) at home.

An eye-popping chocolate-lover's dream--in Harmony of the Seas' Windjammer buffet

Want fine dining? You’ll have to pay for it. We resisted the specialty restaurants for years. After all, we reasoned, we’re already paying to be fed in the cost of the cruise. But in the end, our hunger for better food forced us to open our wallets. And what we found is that not only is the food much better, but so is the service.

Melt-in-your-mouth squash soup at Harmony of the Seas' 150 Central Park

The little spot that could—and does. Think Oasis class’ Park Café. Celebrity’s Aqua Spa Café. Princess’ International Café. These alternatives deliver great bang for no extra bucks.

Goodies awaiting your appetite at Regal Princess' International Cafe

In the end, no matter whether we find ourselves served by waiters or serving ourselves, dining dressed up or dressed down, we’re going to be well fed. Few are the folks who can claim they lost weight on a cruise!

Photos by R James Photography

More on Unleashing Your Inner Artsy-Fartsy with a Camera and a Cruise Ship

Sea days are the best days. Not just for sleeping off a tropical drink around the pool, but also for getting crazy behind the lens.

Here are a few ideas for making your cruise ship your canvas:

That’s a great reflection. Mirrors on the wall, in elevators, encased in a frame—even on the ceiling—create different kinds of selfies.

Almost like being there. Some of the artwork—particularly large murals—lends itself to a great backdrop. It’ll really confuse your buddies when you pull up a photo of yourself in front of changing leaves or a sign of Route 66…when you’ve been in the Caribbean.

Route 66 via Harmony of the Seas

Funky framing. Partitions with holes, translucent glass artwork, windows fringed with “snow”—you never know where you’re going to find a new way to frame a photo.

 

Peering through the window of Regal Princess' Sabatini's 

Find the pattern. Sometimes, all you need is a chandelier or a pile of corks to create something unique.

 

Golden globes of the Regal Princess

A Chihuly chandelier on Celebrity's Constellation

The Emerald Princess' cork collection

Be in the moment. A dog washing the floor with his tongue, a bride waltzing around the atrium, two toddlers having an earnest chat, a sky blazing with color—these are just a few of those great-shot moments you can stumble on if you’re lucky. But you can make your own luck by having a camera with you as often as possible.

Enjoying dessert on Allure of the Seas

Being creative with the camera has a bunch of benefits—not only will it sharpen your eye and make you a better observer, but looking and laughing at those photos is a sure-fire time killer when you’re waiting for the curtain to go up in the ship’s theater.

You’re Hungry. It’s Late. Where You Gonna Go?

It’s midnight—a whole three, four, five or more hours since you’ve last eaten. You’re itching to nosh again. So, where you gonna go?

One thing the ships know is food and you can count on them to keep you fed, no matter when you want to consume. Here’s a sample of what’s around way after the sun’s gone down*:

Princess

International Café. You can’t beat the International Café in the piazza, the hub of the Princess ships. It’s all it’s rumored to be—good variety, good quality, always open and ready to serve you. There are great sandwiches, quiches, salads and desserts. And did I mention, they’re all free?

The sandwiches are always changing in the International Cafe

Horizon Court. I’m adding Princess’ buffet to the list because it stays open long after the ones on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Carnival close. Horizon Court serves full dinner up to 11 p.m. Which means you can eat in the main dining room at 6 and have a second dinner in Horizon Court at 10. Or a cookie or two.

 

A Regal spread

Room service: You can get free ‘round the clock chow delivered to your door, but note there’s a fee for some menu items.

Royal Caribbean

Promenade Café. Royal Caribbean’s café in the Promenade neighborhood is the place to go for free sandwiches and sweets when the restaurants have shuttered. The quality isn’t as good as the International Café, but what it loses in cuisine it gains in entertainment. Sit at a “sidewalk” table in the front and watch the cruise crowd go by. And it’s open 24/7.

 

Some of the free offerings at the Promenade Cafe 

Pizza for your pleasure.  Also along the Promenade is Sorrento’s, where you can get pizza by the slice—cheese, pepperoni, the style of the day or one custom made. That beer, though, will cost you extra. It’s open until 3 a.m., so you can grab a slice—and then breakfast just three and a half hours later at Windjammer.

Pizza and people watching on the Allure of the Seas

Room service:  There’s a service charge of $7.95 (and 18 percent tip) for any room service other than continental breakfast. RCI has upgraded their menu selections and it now includes items like hamburger, Philly cheesesteak and salmon. Available 24 hours.

Celebrity

The only free choice on Celebrity after the dinner hours is the Oceanview buffet, which has pizza, pasta and salad until midnight, and Café al Bacio with pastries and cookies, also to midnight.

Room service: Late night munchies off the menu will cost you a $4.95 fee. Any other time, it’s free.

Carnival

Pizza, pizza, who wants pizza? You can always be sure to find pizza on a Carni ship, as both Pizzeria Del Capitano and Pizza Pirate do them all day and night. You can finish off your off-hours meal with soft-serve ice cream or frozen yogurt on Lido deck, which runs as long as you do.

Room service: Room service from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. will cost on Carnival, with prices for menu items ranging from $2 to $6. Choices include grilled cheese, turkey wrap and brownies.

Musing’s Top Tip: Don’t like any of the late night options? Take back nibbles from the buffet and you can have just what you want, when you want it. The crew doesn’t mind—they even give you a frig to make it easier.

* Restaurants and hours vary by ship; verify with your onboard newsletter.