Big Ship Alaska Cruise Lines
 |
|
|
Carnival
Cruise Line
The Most Popular Cruise Line in the world with a Las
Vegas-style atmosphere with convenient departure from
Vancouver or Anchorage. Experience Alaska "Fun Ship"
style aboard the Carnival Spirit.
Carnival Spirit has been making waves since 2001.
Step aboard this superliner and you’re instantly
transported to an audacious Shangri-la in which Parisian
art nouveau meets Las Vegas glitz. Weighing in at
88,500 tons, Spirit carries 2,124 passengers on 12
passenger decks, and was the first Carnival ship to
offer a posh supper club and a wedding chapel. Spirit
also inaugurated Carnival’s entire Spirit-class
fleet.
What to Expect
Amidst eye-popping décor, a steady roster of
activities keeps all ages having fun. Carnival Spirit
feels large, but not particularly crowded, and despite
a plethora of rooms it's fairly easy to find your
way around. It would be nearly impossible to be bored
on this vessel; in fact, you'd have to make a big
effort to hit all the bars and lounges. Be prepared
for a rah-rah atmosphere encouraged by the cruise
director.
Amenity Highlights
Spirit’s attractions include a soaring 11-story
atrium seemingly out of a five-star hotel, a two-level
promenade with a grand staircase, very classy Romanesque
spa and fitness facilities on tiered levels, a 72-foot
corkscrew water slide, and stage shows every night
with a range of themes, including adult-only. Pools
may be kid-sized, but the lavish port-to-starboard
casino is one of the largest afloat.
Who Should Go
Honeymooners, the retired, and families all love the
exuberance of this ship. From wacky poolside competitions
to dance lessons, a sense of humor and a willingness
to step out of one’s usual comfort zone will
make Spirit a memorable joy ride. Kids and teens will
find plenty of organized activities away from the
parents.
Carnival Cruise Line - Carnival operates the largest
fleet in the industry, and all of the ships are relatively
new. They unashamedly cater to the mass market.
They certainly must be doing something right, as they
are the most popular cruise line in the world, and
the leader in the three-star category. Carnival Cruise
Line was rated the "Best Cruise Value" in
their category by the WOCLS in 2000 and 2001.
Carnival Corp. also owns several other ship lines,
including Holland America, Windstar, Seabourn, Costa,
Princess, and Cunard. Together with Carnival Cruise,
these constitute the "World's Leading Cruise
Lines," sharing repeater's privileges and benefits.
All of the Carnival ships have a glitzy Las Vegas
style decor, much favored by their predominately young
clientele, but all are individually different. The
list of services and facilities on these ships is
far too long to recite here. Suffice to say that if
it is offered at sea, Carnival ships probably offer
it. These large ships carry a lot of passengers. Public
spaces vary in size, decor, and intimacy, so there
is something for almost everyone. Quiet, club-like
spaces seem to be in shortest supply.
The food served onboard gets positive comments from
passengers; it is not especially fancy, but it is
good. As a response to Norwegian Cruise Line's "Freestyle
Cruising" concept, Carnival has introduced "Total
Choice Dining" on all of their ships. This somewhat
complicated scheme allows passengers to opt for either
the main dining rooms or the alternative, casual,
Seaview Bistro each evening. No reservations are required
for the latter. In the main dining rooms, passengers
are assigned to one of four seating times (6:00 PM,
6:45 PM, 8:00 PM, and 8:45 PM). Gratuities in all
dining areas are automatically added to guests' shipboard
accounts. (How can anything for which you are automatically
charged be called a "gratuity"?)
The entertainment on Carnival ships is usually quite
good, the lighting and sound excellent. Standard staterooms
are average in size with adequate storage areas, but
rather sparsely furnished, and finished with easily
cleaned surfaces (doubtless in deference to the high
customer volume). Carnival ships offer cruises as
short as 2 days, and the longest is 8 days. Needless
to say, the pace on short 2, 3, and 4 day cruises
is relatively frantic. There simply is not enough
time to fully enjoy the ship on such a short cruise.
Carnival's version of "Lido" dining offers
good food but a reduced selection compared to four
and five star cruise lines. The decor tends toward
the seaborne version of a fast food restaurant. I
considered the Lido dining area the weakest element
during my cruise on the Ecstasy.
Carnival ships operate in the mass-market areas, principally
the Caribbean, and Alaska, but also on the Atlantic
seaboard, the West Coast, and Hawaii. Prices are low,
value is high, and the activity is non-stop.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Norwegian
Cruise Line
The casual and contemporary atmosphere of Free-Style
cruising offers flexible and enriching cruising experiences
to Alaska from either Vancouver or Seattle.
Norwegian Cruise Line - Norwegian Cruise Line is one
of the world's major cruise lines, and is owned by
Star Cruise Line, an Asian company.
"Freestyle Cruising" is NCL's most important
innovation. The main dining rooms on NCL ships no
longer serve two sittings at assigned tables. Instead,
the dining rooms are open for most of the evening,
and passengers are allowed to dine at any time during
those hours, just like at an ordinary restaurant.
Passengers can thus participate in whatever onboard
activities they wish, and schedule meals as they wish.
This is a fine idea, which is already beginning to
catch on at other cruise lines. So far the execution
is not perfect; passengers report that service in
the dining room is slower and generally less personal
than under the old system of assigned dining times
and tables. There is an alternative restaurant featuring
good food and service, at extra cost.
All of NCL's newer ships are well appointed. Staterooms
on most NCL ships tend to be rather small, but the
ships offer all the usual services and a plethora
of public rooms. The line has a good reputation for
excellent entertainment and diverse onboard activities.
The staff is friendly and tries hard to please. NCL
has an agreement with Mandara Spa to operate all ship's
spas in the relaxed style of the best resort spas
(NCL has always emphasized sports on their ships).
Another good feature of NCL is that they minimize
onboard "revenue generation," a pleasant
change from other mass-market operations. You won't
be continuously badgered to spend money, as happens
on far too many ships today.
NCL also has a good reputation for shoreside operations,
which include embarkation and disembarkation, an often
overlooked area. The clientele tends toward the young
and active. NCL is the main competition for Carnival
in this category, and they continue to improve under
new management. NCL received the WOCLS award for "Best
Cruise Value" in the three-star category in 2001.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Royal Caribbean
International Cruise Line
Perfected the floating resort by boasting incredible,
innovative ships and by offering both elegant relaxation
and active adventure all in one vacation.
+Royal Caribbean International - This Norwegian shipline
is one of the major surviving cruise lines. Royal
Caribbean International also owns Celebrity Cruises.
Royal Caribbean is known for impeccably maintained
ships and a very consistent product, which receives
high customer satisfaction ratings. Although Royal
Caribbean ships now cruise in other parts of the world,
including Europe and Alaska, RCI remains a leader
in Caribbean cruises.
My first cruise was on an RCI ship, the since departed
Sun Viking, which had just won the first "Ship
of the Year" award from the WOCLS. That cruise
experience was so overwhelming that I never looked
back, and I have never quit cruising.
Today's RCI ships are all large and of recent vintage.
They are designed to bring a "resort experience"
to sea.
Staterooms on all Royal Caribbean ships tend to be
very nice, but smaller than on many of their competitors'
ships. The trademark "Viking Crown Lounge,"
right aft and the highest passenger area on all ships,
is a great observation lounge for cocktails. The shipboard
entertainment is usually excellent, in the Las Vegas
style, and there are many onboard activities. Passenger
ages and experience are apt to vary widely, as Royal
Caribbean manages to appeal to a lot of people, but
everything seems to work smoothly. Service is very
good, and considerable effort is made to accommodate
individual passenger requests.
The main dining room serves two sittings on all RCI
ships. There is also an alternative cafe or restaurant.
The food is reportedly not as good as it was in the
old days, when RCI ships carried 700 passengers instead
of thousands, but it is still better than average.
Individual RCI ships have been voted "Ship of
the Year" seven times by the WOCLS (all, unfortunately,
the previous generation of medium size ships that
are no longer in service). More recently, RCI was
voted "Best Cruise Line" in the 1999 TravelPage.com
annual online cruise survey.
|
|
Premium Alaska Cruise Lines |
|
 |
|
Celebrity
Cruises
Gorgeous ships, subdued elegance, pampering service
and gourmet cuisine all make Celebrity one of the
most talked-about cruise lines in the industry today.
Launched in 1997, Mercury is the newest of three ships
in Celebrity’s Century class. At 865 feet in
length, this 77,000-ton ship is spacious and well-appointed.
Capable of hosting 1,870 passengers, Mercury belies
its age—up-to-date amenities, service, and facilities
make it easy to forget that the ship was built before
the turn of the century. The 10-deck Mercury is known
for its perfect balance of swank and simplicity; the
boat is equal parts martini and pina colada.
What to Expect
Mercury prides itself on offering top-flight service
and amenities without any trace of stodginess. For
every formally-dressed passenger enjoying a Broadway-style
revue in the Celebrity Theater, there’s another
dancing his or her heart out in the raucous Navigator
Club. Eight bars and lounges, a casino, and a handful
of pools and hot tubs highlight the ship’s public
spaces.
Amenity Highlights
Mercury's amenities are abundant, but highlights include
the luxurious AquaSpa, a full-service spa that offers
stone therapies, balancing massages, and more. The
ship is also home to a 450-work art collection that
includes originals by Jasper Johns and Christo. And
in a nod to an earlier era, Mercury hosts an elegant
tea service each afternoon.
Who Should Go
Passengers who appreciate the best of both worlds—that
is, upscale comforts and a casual atmosphere—will
feel right at home aboard this ship. Families, honeymooners,
international travelers, and retirees are all present,
and, as a result, Mercury's shipboard dynamic is delightfully
diverse. The majority of passengers seems to hail
from the Western U.S., especially on Baja cruises.
+Celebrity Cruises - Celebrity was formed to compete
with Princess and Holland America in the upscale cruise
market, and has been quite successful. Royal Caribbean
International owns Celebrity. As you would expect
from an RCI subsidiary, the ships are very well run
and beautifully maintained. Celebrity cruises are
very competitively priced, which sometimes makes it
difficult for them to deliver a true five-star cruise
experience. One result is that sometimes pretension
is substituted for excellence; another is the attempt
at considerable onboard "revenue generation."
All the ships are large, relatively new, and well
appointed. In many ways they resemble resorts more
than traditional ships. (The same can be said about
Royal Caribbean's new ships.) Standard staterooms
feature modern amenities and adequate storage space.
The ships' spas are reported to be among the best.
The onboard entertainment is another highlight.
The food and general dining experience is very good
on Celebrity ships. The main dining room on all ships
has two sittings. There is also an alternative bistro
for dinner; reservations are normally required.
Celebrity ships primarily cruise the mass-market areas,
but can also be found in the Mediterranean and Baltic
Seas. Celebrity advertising is directed at the middle-aged
passenger, and attracts a more diverse age group than
most five-star ship lines.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Holland America
Line
A traditional cruising style with a comfortable refined
social environment creates a loyal clientele by providing
quality, consistency and Asian-style service.
Holland America Line - The oldest ship line in the
world, and one of the best, Holland America is currently
the leader in the five-star category. HAL ships cruise
around the world. Holland America Line was acquired
by Carnival Corporation quite a few years ago, and
is part of Carnival's "World's Leading Cruise
Lines" empire.
The fleet's co-flagship Amsterdam is notable for (among
other things) her relatively high speed. She can cruise
at 24 knots, and I have been onboard (during a trans-Atlantic
cruise) when she has done so. The new "Vista
Project" ships, with their gas turbine supplementary
power, will probably be even faster.
The four new "Vista Project" class ships
are 85,000 ton ships with two outside sea view elevators,
a three-deck show lounge, a special cabaret lounge,
a 24-hour Windstar Cafe, e-mail and internet data
ports in all staterooms, and two enclosed promenade
decks. Propulsion is accomplished by a combination
of diesel-electric and gas turbine (called CODAG in
military terms). The gas turbine can be used to increase
power for high speed sprints.
Carnival capital has permitted the expansion of Holland
America to the point that today the HAL fleet is among
the most modern in the world. All are large ships
with modern amenities and tasteful European decor,
accented by antiques and original fine art. Despite
their size, HAL ships are very well organized and
never seem crowded.
HAL's Lido buffet remains the best in the industry,
especially for breakfast. Holland America invented
the concept of serving casual breakfast and lunch
meals on the Lido deck; virtually every other ship
line has since copied the idea. On Holland America
ships, the Lido buffet is open for dinner as well,
and your entree is cooked to order and brought to
your table. The dinner service hours on Lido deck
are limited, however.
Two sittings in the main dining room remain standard
on all ships except Prinsendam, which (true to her
Royal Viking heritage) remains a single seating ship.
The HAL flagships Rotterdam and Amsterdam also offer
an excellent alternative Italian restaurant at no
extra charge; reservations for which are required.
Holland America ships have a "no tipping required"
policy, a pleasant change from the 15% gratuity automatically
added to your bill by many other ship lines. So if
you choose to tip for exceptional service, it is truly
appreciated.
Not so appreciated is the extra "revenue generation"
that is now taking place on Holland America ships.
Almost all ship lines offer low "cruise only"
prices in an attempt of fill their ever more numerous,
ever larger new ships. The unfortunate result of this
is the necessity to make-up the lost profit somewhere
else. Inflated prices for everything sold onboard
(including cocktails and photographs) is the rule
on HAL. Complementary drinks are few and far between,
and passengers are barraged daily by advertising and
announcements pushing bingo, art auctions, and constant
"sales" of merchandise in the ship's shops.
It is irritating and unseemly to be harassed in this
manner on a five-star ship.
Holland America has probably received more awards
and recognition than any other cruise line in recent
years. Individual HAL ships have been voted "Ship
of the Year" seven times by the members of the
WOCLS, the latest being the Amsterdam in February
of 2002. HAL has has won their category and been rated
as the "Best Cruise Value" among all cruise
lines in all categories by the WOCLS every year from
1991 to 2001. They are rated among the "World's
Best Cruise Lines" by Conde' Nast Traveler magazine
readers. HAL was voted "Best Cruise Line"
in the 2000 annual TravelPage.com online cruise survey.
They are regarded as having the "Best Onboard
Service" by Onboard Services Magazine. And the
members of the WOCLS rate every ship in the HAL fleet
among the Top 20 best cruise ships in the world.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Princess
Cruises
Big ships with surprisingly intimate, romantic atmospheres
and personalized service attract both first-time cruisers
and experienced travelers.
Princess Cruises - Princess Cruises is the "Love
Boat.", the British ship line that owns Princess
Cruises, has been acquired by Carnival Corp. and is
now one of the "World's Leading Cruise Lines"
group.
Onboard "revenue generation" has reared
its ugly head on Princess ships in recent years, accompanied
by reductions in some of the little "extras"
previously bestowed on Princess passengers. Passengers
new to the line, of course, may not notice the difference,
but some of us "old-timers" do. In fairness,
the new Princess mega-ships offer many features simply
unavailable on the old Princess ships we used to familiarly
call the "SP," "IP," and "PP."
Princess ships tend to be modern and large, yet carry
fewer passengers than most other ships of their size;
they never seem crowded. Inside, the ships' decor
is contemporary, attractive, and restrained. Princess
has followed Holland America's lead by incorporating
original fine art in the decor of their ships. Staterooms
are large, with all the modern amenities expected
by the experienced traveler.
Princess has instituted what they call "Grand
Class Cruising." Princess ships offer meals 24
hours a day on Lido deck. Breakfast and lunch are
in the traditional buffet style, but in the evening
the Lido buffet is converted into an excellent alternative
bistro restaurant. The Bistro operates from 7:00 PM
into the wee hours of the morning at no extra charge,
and with no reservation required. You order from a
menu and are served at your table, just as at any
fine restaurant. The flexibility this affords the
passenger is such an improvement over the assigned
seating in the main dining room that, on one recent
Princess cruise, I ate dinner in the main dining room
exactly once. Princess has finally surpassed HAL in
Lido deck dining, at least in the evening.
Princess has also instituted what they call "Personal
Choice Dining" in the main dining room. Personal
Choice Dining retains the traditional two dinner sittings
(6:15 PM and 8:15 PM) for those that prefer them,
but adds a new "no reservations" flexible
seating option. The main dining room will be open
from approximately 5:30 PM to midnight (presumably
on a space available basis) for those who choose the
new flexible seating option. The live entertainment
is usually quite good on Princess ships, and the flexible
dining arrangements insure that you can attend the
evening activities that most appeal to you.
Princess ships cruise worldwide, with emphasis on
Alaska, the Mexican Riviera, the Caribbean, Hawaii/South
Pacific, Australia/New Zealand, Europe, and South
America.
Princess has received many awards over the years.
Some recent notable successes include being the top
vote getter in Porthole Magazine's 2001 Reader's Choice
Awards. They won the WOCLS "Best Cruise Value"
award for the five-star class in 2001. Princess was
selected by the readers of Recommend Magazine as the
Best Cruise Line in 2000, and they received the Porthole
Magazine Readers Choice Platinum Award for "Best
Moderately Priced Line" in 1999 and 2000. An
online Compuserve survey chose Princess as the "Best
Premium Cruise Line" in 1999. In 1998 Princess
received the U.S. Coast Guard's William M. Benkert
Award for excellence in marine environmental protection.
|
|
|
Luxury Alaska Cruise Lines |
|
 |
|
Regent Seven
Seas
One of the best values in the luxury cruise market
with prestigious and extraordinary ships that appeal
to epicureans and connoisseurs looking to travel off
the beaten path in the lap of luxury. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Silversea
Cruises
The name "Silversea" was chosen because it connotes
quality and luxury as well as capturing the romance
and special sensations of the sea. As an innovator
in the ultra-luxury segment, Silversea quickly became
the favorite among modern affluent travelers with
its all-inclusive pricing, and unmatched onboard product.
+Silversea Cruises - These are medium size ships;
the size that most cruise ships used to be before
the ship lines discovered the economic advantages
of scale. Now they are included in the "small
ship" category by many authorities. Silversea
is owned by the same Vlasov group that founded the
highly regarded Sitmar Cruises (sold to Princess years
ago). Make no mistake; this is one of the most ultra-deluxe
operations afloat. Silversea is aimed directly at
the high end of the market once dominated by Cunard/NAC
and Royal Viking.
Cloud and Wind are 16,800 tons. Whisper and Wind are
larger at 25,000 tons (about the size of the classic
Caronia). Passenger density is low, however, at 296
double occupancy for the first pair, and 388 for the
second pair. All ships feature very roomy staterooms;
most are suites, many with balconies. The public rooms
are beautifully designed and decorated. There is a
single, open, sitting for dinner, and the food is
top-notch, as is the service. Dinner wines are complementary.
The alternative Terrace Cafe offers a casual environment
for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 24-hour room service
can provide anything available on board.
Silversea includes virtually everything in the price
of the cruise, a policy that used to be common on
ultra-deluxe ships, but has faded in recent years.
Keep this in mind when comparing prices, which may
appear high at first glance.
|
|
| |
Small Ship Alaska Cruise Lines & Speciality Cruise
Lines
These cruise lines offer a product that
is outside of my normal classification system. Most operate
vessels that are not ocean going cruise ships. These lines'
vessels principally operate on protected waters, inland
waterways, and rivers, and often offer specialized itineraries.
In general, these lines operate ships that do not attempt
to compete with mainline cruise ships in the areas of
stateroom size and comfort, onboard entertainment, food
and dining options. Instead, these ships offer unique
features that traditional cruise ships do not. The passenger
mix tends toward the elderly and the adventurous, people
who are seeking something different from the typical cruise. |
|
 |
|
Cruise
West
Destination-based expedition cruise line that takes
passengers up close and personal by accommodating
typically less than 100 people on each guided exploration.
An American owned, American flag, cruise line. Operates
diverse types of ships, primarily in Alaska and
the Pacific Northwest, but also to the California
wine country, the Sea of Cortez, the South Pacific,
Asia, and the Russian Far East. Most are fairly
typical small coastal vessels of the modern "adventure"
type that are reportedly rather Spartan, the emphasis
being on the itinerary, but the food and service
are good. Cruise West was rated "Best Cruise
Value" in the specialty cruises category in
2000 and 2001 by the WOCLS.
Cruise West
Who goes: Well-established retirees looking for
a mainstream excursion but a small ship
Size: 78 – 114 passengers
Price: Expensive
Ships: Smaller, more spartan ships designed to get
passengers into hard-to-reach places, larger, more
luxurious ships, and a 19th-century steamship replica
Why go with them: Novel shore excursion * Very personable
staff * With few onboard distractions, focus is
on nature
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Majestic
America Line
Recapture the romance of sternwheeler cruising on
one of Majestic America Line's Alaska cruises. Their
luxurious sternwheelers combine the best features
of large and small ship cruises.. |
|
|
|
|
|
Lindblad
Expeditions Cruise line
Who goes: Well-traveled, over-55 types looking for soft adventure with a focus on learning
Size: 70 passengers
Price: Expensive
Ships: Their shallow-draft ships can go anywhere, but small cabins and a lack of public spaces means you won't have tons of room
Why go with them: Highly educated and qualified on-board lecturers * Guided shore excursions included * Flexible route depending on where the wildlife is
|
|
| |
|
|
