It’s Not Your Grandmother’s Cruise Anymore!

It’s Not Your Grandmother’s Cruise Anymore!

Cruising has come a long way since the “Love Boat” days. The regimented
schedule a passenger followed left much to be desired. In today’s cruising, the
choices are endless!

The evolution of dining

In the past, passengers had two choices to dine – early seating at around
6:00 pm or late seating at about 8:00 pm. And if you didn’t book early enough,
most likely you could not get the choice you wanted. Can you imagine going on
vacation and being told when to eat? Well, not on today’s cruise ships! Sure,
if you want traditional dining it is available, but today there are a multitude
of options to choose from. Most cruise ships even have specialty restaurants
with a nominal cover charge averaging $20 per person; this dining experience
equates to any five-star, land-based restaurant that costs hundreds of dollars
to dine at per couple. Then there’s Lido dining – more like a smorgasbord for
anytime casual or buffet dining. Royal Caribbean ships even have hangouts like
Johnny Rockets – the famous hamburger joint. Norwegian Cruise Line touts
“Freestyle Dining” where you have upwards of 17 different restaurants to choose
from, and you can dine anytime and with whomever you want. Dining on today’s
cruise ships is a phenomenal experience.

Entertainment is top notch

On the cruises of yesteryear, you could take in an early show or a late
show, depending on your dining time. Year after year, the variety show lived
on. Now fast forward to today – Royal Caribbean has shows like the Broadway hit
“Hairspray”, and they built an AquaTheater on their newer ships where a full
aquatic show is performed with high divers and synchronized swimmers. Comedy
and jazz clubs are also in full swing such as Fat Cats on NCL’s Epic. Love
Karaoke? There’s always a lounge onboard where you can sing to your heart’s
content each night. NCL’s Epic also features the famous “Blue Man Group”, a
Cirque dinner show and “Legends in Concert”. Want to bowl or play a supersized
Wii? Just jump on an NCL ship and the family is sure to have fun.

Days at sea are never boring

During days at sea, gone are the beer drinking and men’s hairy chest
contests! They have been replaced on Royal Caribbean ships with FlowRider, a
surfing simulator, or hang loose during your ride on the zip line. Want to play
putt-putt golf, basketball, ping pong, or climb a rock wall – it’s all
happening onboard. Celebrity Cruises has glass blowing at sea: watch a Corning Museum
of Glass gaffer present a live demonstration on glass blowing, or play a game
of bocce on their beautifully manicured lawn on the top deck. Carnival’s fun is
by the pool at Waterworks; take a plunge down their 104-foot-long slide. It’s a
real rush!

Wine tastings, cooking demonstrations, lectures, computer classes, spa
treatments, and state-of-the-art workout facilities can also keep you busy
during your days at sea. Or grab a book from the library and enjoy sitting by
the pool, relaxing while the ship takes you to your next exciting port of call.

Accommodations

Interior and ocean view cabins were the typical choices in years past,
and if you were one of the lucky few to enjoy a balcony, you paid a huge
premium. Most new ships now offer primarily balcony cabins – and even some inside
staterooms now have views overlooking promenades with natural lighting. And the
cruise lines continue to be innovative. Now on the new Royal Caribbean ships,
Loft cabins are available, featuring two story, floor-to-ceiling windows, two
bathrooms, a living room and second floor master bedroom. Private villa guests aboard
NCL’s Epic have exclusive access to their own pool, lounges and restaurant;
it’s a ship within a ship.

If you haven’t cruised in a while or just thought cruising was for old
people, think again! For more information and to reserve your next cruise
vacation, contact Elite Cruises and
Travel, your Cruise Planners/American Express Specialist, at 877-294-4053
toll free.