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| Ocean Princess |
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| Emerald Princess on the right |
The Last time we cruised was years ago, in the Caribbean. Very family friendly and incidentally there were things for the grownups to do. Didn't set my hair on fire to throw time and money at it again.
This summer was entirely different. Two cruises. Happy faces! High fives! Mostly adult activities. “What do you mean by activities?” he leered. Dance classes: Salsa, ballroom, line. Photography classes taught by pros. Art history class. Wine tasting. Cooking. Exercise classes. Comedians. Floor shows. Magicians. Six luxurious bars, to linger over a martini and ogle the pony-tailed serving staff. Much more. You really have to pace yourself! I’m referring, of course, to the 40 different styles of martinis.
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| Pouring 9 Martinis at once |
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| Fruit carving demo |
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| Scottish Dancers |
Both cruises were with Princess Line, a Carnival Corporation property. Carnival owns a good portion of the name-brand cruise lines.
Which brings us to the whys and wherefores.
What’s the best way to pick a cruise? First, a few questions and the first one is not about the cruise line. Where do you want to go and for how long? Thirdly, when you nailed down those first two, which ship is the newest? That tells you a lot about luxury and service and whether the paint will be peeling. I’m drawing an unreasonably stark picture. Cruising competition is keen and most ships are well kept. Still, after a few days, if you’re a cruise veteran, as yours truly now is, your practiced eye will notice a difference.
The Emerald Princess, launched in 2007, was close to top of the line. We sailed on E.P. for 12 days around the Baltic. Wonderful ship. Emerald is large, with almost 4000 passengers. I figured that might be a little crowded, a drag on the limited facilities. Big surprise. No trouble at all. With so many customers, the onboard agenda was packed with things to do. Never saw an unreasonably large crowd. Never saw a tour cancelled due to lack of participation. Never saw a pool or a hot tub overcrowded or closed for repairs. Service was superb. Anytime I wanted a libation, on deck, in my room, or in one of the exquisite lounges, a smiling staff member obliged.
Our second cruise was on the Ocean Princess, launched in 1999 and refurbished in 2009. Ocean Princess took us around the British Isles and Ireland for 8 days. At 680 passengers, it’s a much smaller ship, with fewer onboard activities and some tours cancelled due to fewer people signing up. The ship was very comfortable, but showed its age. Hot tubs frequently closed for maintenance. Automatically opening doors didn’t. Just a few things that were rougher than the Emerald Princess. The common rooms were just as elegant…. meaning damn elegant, but of course were smaller. Service was still wonderful.
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| Emerald Princess Showroom |
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| In the Wheelhouse Bar |
Much to my surprise and prejudice, the larger, newer ship suited my taste.
I’m slicing the apple thinly. Both vessels met high standards and I would gladly take a cruise on either one again, however, if I had a choice…
What’s good about a cruise? Can’t I just pick out some cities, fly there, stay in a hotel and have a better time? Depends. Many of the cities we thoroughly enjoyed, I’d either never heard of, or would never have gone to on my own.
Baltic Cruise: Tallin, Estonia. St Petersburg, Russia. Helsinki, Finland. Stockholm, Sweden. Copenhagen, Denmark. Oslo, Norway. Aarhus, Denmark.
Great Britain-Ireland: Dover, England. St. Peter’s Port, Guernsey, U.K. Dartmouth, England. Waterford, Ireland. Dublin, Ireland. Edinburgh, Scotland.
Ever hear of Tallin? We hadn’t either. Now it’s one of our favorite places:
Think you’d pick Dartmouth off a map of England?
Think you’d have much luck touring all of Scandinavia in 12 days?
The question boils down to survey versus depth. I don’t suggest a cruise if your heartfelt desire is to learn Swedish, or herd reindeer in northern Norway.
How about the cost? Aren’t cruises super expensive? Can be. Don’t have to be. A little planning goes well with any excursion, whether you’re shopping for airfare, hotels, or cruises. Cruise lines are known for their deep discounts and here’s where to find them:
Both sites are loaded with info, from cost to details about the ships. On Princess Line, all meals are included and the meals are always interesting and very high quality. Feel like sunning by the pool, downing a cool one and noshing a pizza? Feel like a lavish, multi-course meal? You can do either one, or both, or anything in between. All included.
Alcoholic drinks are extra, as are specialty coffees. No matter. You can spend a bunch on drinks and still come in well under the high prices for all-inclusive cruises. Pretty much like the airlines, right? Economy versus First Class. The big difference being that going cheap on a cruise does not mean the food is less than wonderful and having to sleep with your knees tucked under your chin.
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| Looking down on the balconies |
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| Pool deck on the Ocean Princess |
Cruise suites, of course, are luxurious and huge, but lesser accommodations ain’t bad. On our Baltic cruise we opt for a room with a balcony and paid a couple of hundred more. On our Britain-Ireland tour, the balconies were sold out, but we got a room with a picture-window ocean view that was almost as good. Both rooms were spacious and delightfully appointed. Definitely not what you’d call economy rooms.
What’s the bottom price line? You can find deals that cost $100 a day or less, per person, first class meals included. Stack that up against the cost of meals and luxury hotel rooms! On a cruise you also get sea views, entertainment, sunsets, and a bed that gently rocks and lulls you to sleep.
I’m a convert. Cruises are fun, cheap, and a wonderful way to relax, while cooks, bartenders, and maids bust their hinnies to keep you comfortable and happy. In the end, travel always boils down to time, money, interest, and style. For my money, time, interests and style, I’m looking forward to our
next cruise.
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| Famous White Cliffs of Dover |
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| Try and get a view like this from your hotel room! |
