Medium Ship Line #1: Norwegian Cruise Line
Until it launched Norwegian Epic in 2010, then the Breakaway and Breakaway-plus classes in 2013 and 2015, respectively, Norwegian primarily focused on mid-sized ships that carry around 2,000 passengerswhich still make up the majority of the fleet. A colorful atmosphere pervades the ships, as guests enjoy everything from water slides to silly pool contests like synchronized swimming to everyones favorite: bingo night. Norwegians ships have itineraries all over the world, with many focusing on North America.
Medium Ship Line #1: Msc Cruises
Showing up for the third time on our list, MSC Cruises is clearly beloved by many! The Swiss cruise line has just four medium-size shipsthe Lirica classwhich accommodate between 2,000 and 2,600 passengers. Theyre also the oldest ships in the fleet, though they each underwent refurbishment as part of MSCs Renaissance program to modernize interiors and expand their size. The line is known for its Mediterranean inspirationthough its fleet sails far beyond the region, calling at ports all over the worldso youll find delicious Italian food on board no matter where your ship is taking you. MSC sailings are quite lively, especially at night, with many guests partying at nightclubs into the late hours.
How To Find Your Cabin: Port Or Starboard
When on the cruise ship and get off the elevators, its easy to get disorientated and forget if youre on the port or starboard side. Many cruise ships make this easier by using two slightly different patterns on the hallway carpets. The port side may be mainly blue with red details, for example, and the starboard side carpet may be mainly red with blue details.
Learn this quickly and it will be much easier to find your way back to your cabin.
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Medium Ship Line #: Crystal Cruises
While many cruises are notorious for charging guests for alcohol and specialty dining options, Crystal practices a generally all-inclusive fare structure covering all drinks , one specialty dining reservation per passenger , 24-hour room service, and a Wi-Fi package. The line has just two ocean-going vessels, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, which both have capacities of fewer than 1,000 passengers and sail global itineraries.
Best Mediterranean Cruise With Ncl Itinerary
Royal Air Force Red Arrows
As we began sailing out of Southampton, we received a special treat from the Royal Air Forces beautiful Red Arrows, performing in the skies above.; We could be so lucky!
Our 13 Night NCL Mediterranean Cruise Itinerary
;Day 1 Ship departs Southampton, Great Britain;
;Day 2 At Sea;
;Day 11 Civitavecchia , Italy;
;Day 12 Livorno , Italy;
;Day 13 Cannes, France;
First Cruise Port Vigo, Spain 08:00 am 05:00 pm
City of Vigo Spain
Arriving at our first port of call; in the City of Vigo, we were excited to disembark and enjoy our day in Spain. This is a bustling sea side port on the Atlantic Coast.
Situated to the north of Portugal, Vigo is largely an industrialized city and dates all the way back to the Roman era.
NCL Cruise Ship Jade in Vigo Spain
With lots of history and things to see and do, we enjoyed a full but relaxing day in the city. We visited The Parque del Castro and Historic Fortress, and a lovely afternoon strolling along Vigos historic Old Town.
Vigo Spains Beautiful Side Streets and Old Town
Enjoying the Musicians and Sites of Old Town Vigo Spain
We all had a great afternoon enjoying the sites and sounds of Vigo on a beautiful summers day in Spain!
Second Cruise Port Lisbon, Portugal 08:00 am 05:00 pm
Beautiful Lisbon Portugal
A beautiful city and the largest in Portugal, we opted for the trip out to the historic town of Sintra.
Sintra Portugal and the Moorish Castle
;Cadiz Spain Side Street
;City of Gibraltar
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Small Ship Line #1: Silversea Cruises
Silversea’s five expedition ships stop in the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Europe, Africa, the Galápagos, and Antarctica on shorter duration sailings, but they also offer around-the-world itineraries for an international clientele. Off-the-beaten-path excursions make for once-in-a-lifetime experiences, like penguin spotting in Antarctica or private catamaran tours in tropical locales. In September 2019, Silversea completed its first journey through the Northwest Passagea monumental featwith the Silver Explorer, a 144-passenger expedition vessel. The fleet was joined by the new Silver Origin, a Galapagos-specific ship, in 2020.
Small Ship Line #: Windstar Cruises
The lines six shipsthree sailing yachts and three all-suite motor yachtsspecialize in visiting ports that ban larger ships, like the Byzantine hilltop town of Monemvasia in the Greek Islands, and the sleepy, palm-fringed island of Bequia in the Windward Islands of the Caribbean. Those smaller ports can give a sense of intimacy that isn’t always present in the most common cruise destinations, allowing for wholly different experiences. In 2017, Windstar also became the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation, introducing further special itineraries with culinary themes and guest chefs.
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The Best Small Ship Cruises To The Mediterranean
The Mediterranean has a timeless appeal, with its winningcombination of historical treasures, charming port towns, balmysummer weather and fantastic food and drink.
It’s an incredibly diverse region, and here in the UK we’relucky enough to have the Med right on our doorstep, so it’s nosurprise that it remains the most popular destination for Britishcruisers year after year. Every major cruise line sends its shipsto the Mediterranean during our summer months, though theexperience on offer can vary dramatically. There are certain portsthat appear on every cruise line’s Mediterranean itineraries, andrightly so: the likes of Venice, Barcelona and Dubrovnik arepopular for a reason. But a small ship cruise opens up a wholedifferent side to the Mediterranean, allowing you to visit thesmaller ports and secluded bays that a bigger ship just can’treach.
At Mundy Cruising we specialise in ships that carry guests inthe hundreds, rather than the thousands, which makes for a verydifferent atmosphere on board: more intimate, more spacious, with alevel of personalised service that has more in common with aboutique hotel than a mainstream cruise ship carrying 5,000passengers. Even within the small ship category you have afantastic breadth of choice in the Mediterranean, from resort-styleships offering dining choices and entertainment venues aplenty, totiny 100-guest vessels that are more like travelling on your ownprivate yacht.
River Ship Line #: American Queen Steamboat Company
If nostalgias the name of your game, book a trip with the American Queen Steamboat Company, whose four paddlewheelers sail the Mississippi, Columbia, Snake, Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland Rivers. These are leisurely sailings: most are nine days long, with some outliers like the 15- or 16-day journey from Minneapolis to New Orleans.
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A Review Of Our 13 Day Ncl Western Mediterranean Cruise
Its been a few years now, but I just wanted to share Our NCL Mediterranean Cruise with you. Our 13 night cruise on board the Norwegian Jade was simply fabulous, offering new and exciting ports of call each and every day.
Our cruise holiday seemed to go by far too quickly, as we took advantage of all the great shore excursions each and every day!
Large Ship Line #: P&o Cruises
The United Kingdoms premier cruise lineand the worlds oldest, having commenced passenger operations in 1837P&O sails Europe, North America, and the Caribbean with a crowd made up primarily of British nationals. As such, prepare for the ships amenities to have a British bent . Three of the fleets five current ships fall into the large category, while its two upcoming ships, MS Iona and her as-of-yet unnamed sister, will be mega-ships.
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Small Ship Line : Quasar Expeditions
The first luxury line to sail the Galápagos, Quasar Expeditions is best known for its in-depth trips aboard its two intimate ships that carry fewer than 32 passengers each. Yet note the street cred of said ships: One of the two, the Grace, is the former yacht of Princess Grace of Monaco. The other, the Evolution, will allow you to retrace Darwin’s footsteps in the Galápagos. Book the Baltra Island itinerary, where you’ll work your way from San Cristobal Island to Baltra, and explore all the central and southern islands of the archipelago in between.
Mega Ship Line #: Royal Caribbean International
If you truly want to feel like youre living in a floating city, Royal Caribbean is the cruise line for you, given that it has the four largest cruise ships in the world. Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, and Oasis of the Seas top the lists in terms of passenger count , length , and gross tonnage . Given their size, these ships provide every amenity you can think ofand plenty you cant even imaginefrom waterparks to world-class musical productions to autonomous bars staffed by robots to double-decker suites with slides for the kids. Youll find these behemoths sailing the Caribbean and Mediterranean throughout the year, but with so many activities on board, you might not even want to leave the ship.
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River Ship Line #: Delfin Amazon Cruises
Sailing the Amazon River in Peru isnt quite like other river journeysits a blissful escape into the wilderness, where you might be surrounded by pink dolphins or piranhas at any given moment. Delfin, the first Relais & Chateaux cruise line, makes the journey incredibly comfortable, offering boutique hotellike accommodations aboard its three rustic-luxe ships. And, as part of the Relais & Chateaux family, the cuisine is spectacular, incorporating regional dishes made with local ingredients.
River Ship Line #: Tauck
Taucks nine river ships specialize in navigating Northern Europe, with itineraries that highlight the castles of Germanys Rhine River or explore Paris and Monets gardens at Giverny on a Seine cruise. Special departures throughout the year welcome multigenerational family groups, including young childrena unique offering among river cruise lines.
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River Ship Line #: Aqua Expeditions
Aqua Expeditions has three river ships: Aria Amazon and Aqua Nera, which sail the Peruvian Amazon, and Aqua Mekong, which traverses the Mekong between Cambodia and Vietnam. Guests sailing aboard these modern, luxurious vessels will partake in daily excursions that introduce them to both the ecology and the culture of their destinations. Aqua also operates the expedition ship Aqua Blu, which sails through Indonesia.
Looking Back From Where You Came
Increasingly, ships are being squared off in the stern to create rear-facing balcony cabins.
The plus: Rear-facing staterooms are popular because they provide panoramic vistas and a nostalgic view of where youve beenwith the ships wake marking the path. On some of Royal Caribbeans big ships, a cabin near the stern can also give you a balcony view of the aqua shows.
The minus: Know where the engines are. Although propulsion systems tend now to be relatively quiet electric pods with small propeller blades rather than a big whirring drive shaft, there can be more vibration at the stern of the ship.
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What’s The Best Side Of A Cruise Ship To Stay On
Choosing the best stateroom for your ideal getaway is understandably an important step in the planning process. Luckily, youll see incredible views during your cruise whether youre starboard or port side.
You can choose which side you want to stay on based on your unique itinerary and route.; On some cruises, like through the Panama Canal, youll experience breathtaking views from both sides. If youre planning a Western Mediterranean cruise, take a look at the departure port and work out which direction your ship will sail.
Other itineraries double back to disembark at the original departure port, so youll enjoy views from both directions. These are called closed-loop cruises or roundtrip sailings.
The stateroom you choose depends on what you most want to see. Water lovers may be content to look out at the peaceful ocean waves from their stateroom. Some travelers prefer land views, so they can sail up to breathtaking cityscapes or rugged mountain peaks in the distance.
Large Ship Line #: Disney Cruise Line
If theres one thing Disney Cruise Line does well, its hospitality. The company has taken every lesson its learned from its parks and resort operations and implemented that into its four cruise ships, the 2,400-passenger Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, and the 4,000-passenger Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. The ships are designed for families through and throughthere are numerous themed activities every day, from meet-and-greets to full-blown parties with Disney charactersbut there are plenty of adults-only areas that provide a respite from little ones. That said, the ships are not over-the-top when it comes to Disney decor. In fact, theyre quite elegant, taking design inspiration from early-20th-century ocean liners and sporting Art Deco and Art Nouveau aesthetics. The four ships currently sail the Caribbean ; Alaska; Europe; the Pacific Coast; and the Panama Canal. Three more ships are scheduled to be added to the fleet between 2022 and 2023.
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Medium Ship Line #1: Princess Cruises
Of Princess Cruises 17-ship fleet, its five smallest include the Coral Princess, Island Princess, Sun Princess, Sea Princess, and the infamous Pacific Princess, which was the star of the TV show The Love Boat. The Pacific Princess is by far the smallest, holding just 680 passengers. The four other ships carry around 2,000 passengers and are the perfect size to sail through the Panama Canal.
Final Thoughts: Starboard Or Port Side On A Cruise Ship
When booking and planning a cruise, its clear that there are many things to consider. Depending on your cruise itinerary, you may have a preference for a port side or starboard side balcony cabin.
In this post we went over some information about the nautical terms PORT and STARBOARD, how to remember them, as well as some useful information on choosing a cabin based on your itinerary.;
Please let me know if you prefer a starboard or port side cabin, and share any tips for the the best cabins for Alaska, the Caribbean and other itineraries. Your comments will surely help others!
Happy cruising!
Ilana
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Large Ship #1: Costa Cruises
Italian cruise line Costa Cruises, which operates under parent company Carnival, has quite a history: It was founded in 1854 as a cargo shipping company, transporting olive oil and textiles around the world. Transferring to the leisure cruise side of the business in 1959, Costa now operates 17 shipsthe majority of which accommodate between 2,800 and 5,300 passengersthat sail all over the world, with two more scheduled to join the fleet by the end of 2021.
Regulatory And Industry Response
Corrado Clini, Italy’s Minister of Environment, said that sail-by salutes, a “custom that has resulted in an outcome visible to all”, should no longer be tolerated. On 23 January 2012, UNESCO asked Italy to reroute cruise ships to avoid sailing too close to “culturally and ecologically important areas”, and on 1 March, Italy excluded large ships from sailing closer than two miles from marine parks.
The European Maritime Safety Agency was in the process of conducting a review of maritime safety when the accident occurred. On 24 January 2012, Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas told the Transportation Committee of the European Parliament that lessons learned from the loss of Costa Concordia would be taken into account. British MEPJacqueline Foster warned against “trial by television and trial by newspapers“, a view that was backed by fellow British MEP Brian Simpson, who said that it was “good practice to wait for the official report”.
On 18 January 2012, the Chairman of the United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure announced that it would hold a hearing, conducted jointly with the committee’s Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, to “review the events of this specific incident, current safety measures and training requirements”. Testimony and statements at the 29 February hearing primarily promoted North American cruise ships as being safe.
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For Those Who Want Adventurewith A Side Of Luxury
Luxury expedition ships are part of a growing trend that appeal to an adventurous set who also want the finer things in life, like suites with butler service. Lindblad Expeditions is something else entirely. Its not a cruise; we want to curate something, says Sven Lindblad, CEO and founder of the line, which in partnership with National Geographic operates more than a dozen small ships in destinations including Antarctica and the Arctic, Galapagos, and the Mediterranean. The ship is secondary, a place to shower, breathe, hang out,” says Lindblad. “It is comfortable and the service is great. But the main show is outside of the ship.
You are closer to areas you want to see, whether its a wildlife area, natural history, or a cultural area, says Lindblad fan Judy Pool of Denver. Her favorite itineraries include seeing the penguins and other animals in the Antarctic and South Georgia, and the culture and natural history in the British Isles. Then there was the time in Indonesia when the captain got word that a volcano was erupting. We went off course and watched the volcano and the lava coming down into the ocean for at least two hours, and this was at 11 p.m. at night, Pool says. That kind of flexibility appeals to me.
Sailing ships such as the Sea Cloud allow passengers to feel closer to the water.