Archive for November, 2009
There are many cruise ships now that have Freestyle Dining (Norwegian Cruises) or Choice Dining (Prince Cruise line) available. Or on Disney Cruise Lines they have what is called “Rotational Dining”. They have you and your table mates rotate through the three restaurants each evening.
CRUISE TIPS: There is usually open seating for breakfast and lunch in the main dining room. Be adventurous with the menu because if you don’t like something you can send it back for a replacement. And if they have two things on the menu that you like ask for both of them. My husband, John, always orders the Filet Mignon and the Lobster Tail when they are served on the same night. Many times he tells the waiter to bring what the waiter recommends for that evening.
This means you don’t have to choose first or second seating. (First seating is 6:00 to 6:30 and Second seating is usually 8:00-8:30). There can be more than one restaurant where you just walk in when you are ready to dine. Every ship will ask for your dining preference when you book your cruise. You can indicate first, second or flexible dining, whichever will make you more comfortable. The newer ships have a 24 hour dining spot which is always casual so if you don’t want to do the formal nights you don’t have to, although I find dressing up to be quite fun.
You will have many options for each meal. You may have any meal delivered to your room, taken in the buffet restaurant or in the dining room. There is usually outdoor dining around the pool with hot dogs and hamburgers, pizza, salads, even Tacos.
There are also alternative dining rooms available on some ships that require an additional fee but the service and food are generally 4 to 5 star and worth it if you want to splurge.
In my experience families with young children and people who go to bed early usually dine in first seating. But if you don’t want to be on a schedule or want to meet new people every night, go for the alternative dining option. Of course you can always ask for a table for two, but be aware that there are only a few of them.
If you make a special request one night, John always asks for blue cheese, your waiter will bring it every night. They pride themselves on remembering your tastes. (This only happens when you choose traditional dining). On one cruise we asked for Melba toast, and you bet, every night we had Melba toast. There is one thing I always make clear to the waiter. I am not a big eater but I like to taste everything. I tell this to them the first night so they don’t think I am unhappy with the food. It is their job to keep you happy and they take it very seriously.
If you don’t want to eat in the main dining room almost all ships have a Lido café where it is casual but you order from a menu and are served by a waiter. It’s one of the many choices if you don’t want to participate in a formal night or if you just want to eat by yourselves. On Carnivals single cruises they encourage this style of dining so the singles can meet more people. There are exceptions to this but not many. On some of the newer ships the Lido is open 24 hours a day.
On most of the cruise lines they offer the food of the region that you are visiting. While on Hawaiian cruises expect to be served Hawaiian food. When on an Alaskan cruise you will be given the choices of salmon and Alaskan king crab legs. It makes more fun to dine on the local cuisine.
All of the cruise lines offer healthy alternative menus or what they call spa menus. So if you want low-fat, low-salt, low cholesterol, vegetarian or any other type of diet, they are available. It is best however to inform your travel agent of any special needs so they can notify the cruise line ahead of time. If you have special dietary needs make sure the cruise lines knows before hand. For example, Royal Caribbean cruises cater to food allergy, Kosher, Indian, Vegetarian and Gluten Free Diets.
To be really safe read all of the cruise reviews and cruise critics sites for each ships food and service ratings.
Happy Cruising, enjoy it, we do!
Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
Mary Hanna
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/cruise-ship-dining-explained-63730.html
For those of you who are uninitiated out there let me inform you that Disney is not just a theme park and the Disney Wonder is not just a cruise ship. The Disney Wonder was built in 1999 and holds about 1700 passengers. It is 83,000 tons of family oriented fun. There is also a dining venue, swimming pool and nightclub for adults only. The only down side to a Disney cruise is that there is no casino on board as gambling does not fit into the Disney image . Other than that as usual Disney does it best.
The major difference in Disney Cruise dining compared to all the other lines is rotational dining. This means that each evening you will eat in a different restaurant but your table mates rotate with you and the same staff will serve you for the length of your cruise. Just to clarify because I found the idea a little confusing at first, here is how it works. The first night you may eat at Triton a restaurant decorated in the theme of the little mermaid. Say you table mates are Bob and Carol and your servers are Ted and Alice. On evening number two you will eat at Animator’s Palate along with Bob and Carol and your servers will once again be Ted and Alice. On the third night you will dine at Parrot Cay and your dining companions will once again accompany you along with your servers.
Animator’s Palate will leave you wondering what happened here. Upon entering the restaurant the walls are filled with black and white sketches and the wait staff are wearing black and white uniforms. At some point when you are engrossed in the Disney magic of it all the sketches fill in with color and the waiters change into colored vests. Triton is the most formal of the dining venues and Parrot Cay serves up Caribbean fare with a Disney flare. For those who prefer to dine in their shorts and T-shirts there is the Beach Blanket Buffet. For grill food like hamburgers and French fries you may visit Pluto’s Dog House. Pizza is served up at Pinocchio’s Pizzeria. The adults only restaurant is an Italian eatery named Palo’s and the atmosphere is elegant.
Disney folk have a way of thinking of things you need before you do. The bathrooms on the Disney Wonder are an example of this. The bathroom is split with the tub/shower and a sink in one room and another sink with vanity and the toilet in another. The only cabins that do not sport this neat design are the standard inside cabins. There is a cabin size and configuration to fit your situation. Even the smallest cabins accommodate three people easily with a queen size bed and sofa bed. If you have struck it rich or are traveling with a group the Royal Suite will sleep up to 8 people and are over 1000 square feet.
All Disney cruises call at Disney’s private island of Castaway Cay. Disney constructed their own pier so there is no tendering in therefore it is unlikely to be a missed port of your itinerary. On the island there is a family beach area called Scuttle’s Cove that is reached by a shuttle that runs every five minutes. There are snorkeling areas in the sea with planted shipwrecks for you to explore. serenity Bay is the adults only beach area where alcohol and massages are available.
It just would not be Disney without a musical show. Disney Dreams is a sweet concoction showcasing most of the famous Disney characters. Children and adults alike love this production. Other pursuits are available to keep the younger set busy. There is a nursery where you can leave the babe for an extra charge if you need some adult time. There is also a teen only club called Aloft where teens are served from the soda bar and arcade games can be played.
In short a Disney cruise will please all but the most dedicated gamblers in the family. There is something for everyone. The decor of the ship is more like an early twentieth century ocean liner than Disney World. While sailing the Disney Wonder there is no question in your mind that you are experiencing a Disney production but you will never wish you were somewhere else. In fact you may wish you could back again soon. Especially when the fog horn blows to the tune of When you wish upon a star.
Ann Childs
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/let-me-take-you-on-a-sea-cruise-95450.html
So you’ve heard how great cruise vacations are, and now you’ve decided to take to the high seas for a fortnight of luxury and pampering. But there’s a lot to think about. So before you select a cruise line, a cruise ship or even get in touch with a travel agent, there are certain issues that are vital to consider.
1) Who is going on the cruise?
Although this question should be easy to answer, it can have a bearing on the type of cruise line and ship that you ultimately choose.
If you and your partner want to take a relaxing cruise, there are many ships that are aimed at couples. In fact some cruise ships actively discourage or even ban people from taking children onboard.
If you will be cruising as a couple, it’s also important to consider the dining situation. On ships with assigned seating, you will have to specify the size of table that you want. However, on many ships, tables for two are in short supply, so if this is an important issue, this may influence your choice of cruise line and ship. Just make sure that you make this clear to your travel agent or the cruise line when booking.
On the other hand, if you want to take your children or travel with the rest of your extended family, there are certain cruise lines and ships within cruise lines that are specifically tailored with family vacations in mind.
2) How much have you got to spend?
It’s possible to find a cruise vacation to suit almost any budget. So before you go any further it’s important to work out how much you’re willing to spend on your holiday.
But as a general rule, you’ll need to set aside at least $150 per person per day to cover the cost of your cruise. However, bigger cabins in more luxurious ships can cost many times this figure.
However, it is possible to get more for your money if you;
a) Book early: Most cruise lines are willing to give generous discounts if you book your cruise 6-12 months in advance.
b) Book late: Likewise, if you book within 2 months of setting sail, most cruise lines will give you hefty discounts to fill the remaining cabins.
3) How long have you got?
The number of days that you want your vacation to last will determine the type and location of cruises that are available to you.
If you only have a few days, the main option is a one port cruise. This means that the ship leaves port sails around the sea/ocean for two or three days and then returns to the same port. The ship doesn’t call at any other ports, but it does give you a few days at sea. This is a good way to get the feel for a certain cruise ship, or even cruising in general.
If you have a week to spare, this gives you more choices. If you live in the US, this gives you the choice of Hawaii, Alaska, Florida, Mexico or even a Caribbean cruise. If you live in Europe this will give you access to the mediterranean, north africa, or even a nordic cruise.
Alternatively, if you want to increase the number of locations available, you could fly to and from the start/finish location of your cruise or take a one way cruise either flying to the start location or flying home after disembarkation.
If you have two weeks or longer, you can cruise almost any part of the world.
4) What time of the year?
The time of year that you take your cruise will have a major affect on two issues;
a) The Price: As with all forms of travel, your holiday will cost more during the peak season. In contrast, most cruises are cheaper in the spring or fall.
Traditionally, the winter was considered the high season for Caribbean destinations, but due to the weight of supply and demand (people who have to take their vacation during the summer) the summertime costs are almost on a par with the cost of a winter Caribbean cruise.
b) The Locations Available: The time of year that you take your cruise will also determine the locations that are available. Although this won’t make much difference to the more mainstream locations such as the Caribbean or the Mediterranean, certain places have a distinct cruise season.
If you want to go to Alaska or northern Europe, the main cruise season lasts from May till September.
For Antartica, the season is even shorter, running from November to February.
Although the tropical regions are in season all year, there is a great variation in the amount of rainfall throughout the year. Locations such as the Caribbean will have less rain during the summer months and more rain during the winter months.
And finally, although not a restriction as such, some people prefer to avoid places that may be affected by the hurricane season. If a cruise ship encounters a storm it will alter its route to avoid it, which means you may miss certain places that you wanted to visit.
5) What part of the world do you want to visit?
You can cruise almost anywhere in the world, even landlocked countries are often available to explore through river cruises. So it’s no surprise that this is one of the hardest decisions for cruise newcomers to make.
The amount of days that you have for your vacation will narrow your options, but beyond that, consider other issues, such as;
If you want to or have to take your vacation at a certain time of the year, which locations are available?
If you particularly want to use a certain cruise line, which locations do their ships visit?
What type of weather and climate do you prefer?
Are there any particular landmarks that you want to visit?
Are there any activities or adventures that you want to experience?
Now all you have to do it to get in touch with your travel agent.
Kristen Olsen
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/planning-your-first-cruise-things-to-consider-part-1-129768.html