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Want To Know More About Cruises & Cruise Ships?
By Norm Goldman, Editor of SketchandTravel.com & Bookpleasures.com, Thu Dec 8th
Today, Norm Goldman Editor of Sketchandtravel.com, is pleased tohave as a guest of Sketchandtravel.com Douglas Ward, author ofOcean Cruising & Cruise Ships 2005, now into its twentieth yearof publication, published by Berlitz Publishing. Thank you Douglas for accepting our invitation to be interviewed. (Article continued below)
Norm: Douglas could you tell us something about yourself and why didyou want to write a book about cruising and cruise ships? Douglas: I had worked aboard passenger ships for 17 years before formingan association of cruise passengers, who were looking for morecomparative information about cruise
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ships and cruising. So wasborn the idea for the book, which started with 120 ships and 256pages. Today, after 20 years, the book has grown to include 256ocean-going ships, 656 pages, and half a million words. Norm: I noticed your first book on cruises and cruise ships waspublished twenty years ago, and you have been updating your bookevery year. How do you go about gathering material every yearfor these updates and how long does it take you to update yourannual book? Douglas: First, it takes me a minimum of three hours a day, every singleday of the year, just to keep the book refreshed, up-to-date,and accurate. I also travel extensively, as much as 250 dayseach year. So, of course, I write while I am traveling,visiting, and sailing aboard the world's cruise ships. Norm: What makes cruises so appealing to honeymooners? Douglas: Cruises take the hassle out of planning a honeymoon,particularly with regard to language, cuisine/meals,entertainment, and so many other things that go towards making ahoneymoon a fine, affordable vacation, and a complete escapefrom the pressures of life ashore. Actually, it's also a goodway to find out how a newlywed couple cope with living in asmall space. Norm: Are you seeing more weddings performed on cruise ships lately?What should cruisers know about cruise ship weddings? Douglas: By nature of their (out of the ordinary) appeal, more weddingsare being performed aboard cruise ships today, simply becausethere is so much help at hand. The larger cruise lines havepersonnel dedicated to handling weddings and honeymoons, and theinstant support of other personnel in cruise line head officesto draw from. Weddings can, in other words, be tailoredcompletely to the individuals concerned (and without theinterference of well-meaning parents and other family memberswho can create stress and pressure on couples about to undergo,what is for many, the most important ceremony of their lives). Norm: With so many cruise possibilities, how does one go aboutchoosing a cruise and what should people take into considerationbefore deciding on any one cruise? Douglas: Choosing a cruise successfully depends on one's personalrequirements and expectations from a vacation. First-time cruisegoers would be well advised to talk to an established cruisebooking specialist, who will be able to help you to choose theright ship and cruise, for the right reasons, taking intoaccount your personal tastes and socio-economic considerations.There are so many choices today that there should be a ship andcruise to suit even the most demanding and finicky of people.Perhaps the first decision, however, should be to establish howmany days you can take for your vacation (including travel daysto get to/from the ship), and then think about the area youwould like to cruise in. The most popular regions include theCaribbean, Alaska, Europe, Norwegian fjords and Baltic ports,and southeast Asia/Australasia. Those with more time who wantmore involvement with nature should consider visiting Antarcticaor the Arctic regions (you would ideally need about threeweeks). Then there is perhaps the ultimate in long distancecruising an around the world cruise, which typically would takethree to four months (most ships offering complete around theworld cruises there are about 15 in 2005 sail between Januaryand April away from winter). Norm: Have you had any bad experiences on a cruise, and if so, pleasedescribe them. Douglas: I have had many bad experiences, but most of them cannot bewritten about, and most have been aboard ships and cruise linesthat no longer exist, or have changed their names. However,there have been a few nasty transatlantic crossings (I have done152 of them), when the weather can throw some unexpectedwrenches into what otherwise is perhaps a wonderful, serene wayof traveling between the Old and New Worlds. Norm: After deciding on a particular cruise, how do you plan for thecruise and what important elements should you keep in mind? Douglas: Make sure you choose the right size ship for your needs. Do youwant to be with 100, 500, 1000, or 3000 other passengers? Do youwant to experience cruising under sail; cruising with specialistlecturers; be aboard a ship with spa facilities, large-scaleproduction shows (a la Las Vegas), lots of gaming, or shoppingopportunities? Whichever cruise you choose, try to make thetravel arrangements as simple as possible. Sometimes, the mereact of getting to and from your chosen cruise ship (orembarkation point) can prove frustrating. If you are afirst-time cruise goer, try not to do everything on your firstcruise it could end up being more like an endurance test. Norm: Can you tell our readers something about the different cabinsthat are available on cruises and what to look out for? Douglas: First-timers would be best advised to book an outside cabin (acabin with an outside view) rather than an interior (no view)cabin. So, when you wake up, you won't be disoriented, andyoull be able to see what the weather is like, which helps youdecide what to wear each day. Typically, the more space youwant, the higher the cost. Large suites with private balconiescost the most (some can measure up to 3000 square feet), whileinterior cabins that measure as little as 70 square feet will,of course, feel incredibly small. Typically, you get what youpay for. The average cabin size aboard today's larger cruiseships (they are really floating resorts) would be approximately180-200 square feet. Norm: What type of clothing should I bring aboard? Douglas: Take clothing suited to the area you will be cruising in.Remember that ships are air-conditioned, so clothing that islayered works well. If you choose to cruise in cold weatherregions, take suitable outer clothing, particularly forexcursions ashore (Alaska is an example). If you take aCaribbean cruise, you really could pack light (cottons andnatural fibers being the best, as many Caribbean islands have ahigh humidity factor for much of the year). Most of the (large)resort ships have a very casual dress code, while others(particularly ships that offer cruises longer than seven daysthe industry standard) feature more formal dress codes. Tuxesare only really needed aboard Queen Mary 2 when doing atransatlantic crossing; otherwise, you can dress down andcomfortable. Norm: Is there always a doctor and clinic aboard the cruise ships? Douglas: Almost all cruise ships carrying more than 50 passengers have afully qualified medical doctor and nursing assistants, whichalso take care of the crew. Some of the larger ships haveseveral doctors, surgical specialists, small operating rooms,full x-ray facilities, as well as extensive pharmacies. In otherwords, today's cruise ships would be able to cope with mostmedical emergencies. However, if you take medication, rememberto take an adequate supply (and if you have to fly to getto/from your cruise ship, take medication in your carry-onluggage just in case your checked-in luggage doesn't quite makeit on the same day, or to the same port you're flying to). Norm: Can I make telephone calls from the cruise ship? Douglas: Almost all cruise ships are equipped with direct-dialsatellite-linked telephone systems (and Internet connectivity).A few ships even have special aerials that let you use yourmobile phone, although most ships lose mobile connectivity whenmore than a mile offshore. The cost of a direct-dial satellitecall varies between about $4 and $10 per minute, so don't usethe telephone unless you have to-the charges can add up quickly. Norm: What is the usual check-in schedule before the cruise takes off? Douglas: Most cruise ships start embarkation about four hours prior tosailing. You would normally complete all paperwork and gothrough passport and security checks in a passenger terminalbefore being allowed to board your cruise ship. Today's check-inprocedure is relatively painless, although it can take some timeif you are cruising aboard one of the larger ships, when therewill be 3000 other passengers to check in (in other words, therewill be lines just like at the post office). Norm: What happens if someone has special dietary requests? Douglas: Most cruise ships can handle special dietary requests, but dogive advanced notice so that chefs can order and prepare anyfood items not normally carried. Its too late once the ship hassailed, so make your needs and requirements known at the timeyou book (this is when it's better to book through an accreditedcruise travel specialist rather than picking something off theInternet which doesn't answer questions well). Norm: How do you make payments on board? Douglas: An onboard credit account will typically be established whenyou check in prior to embarkation. When you purchase thingsaboard ship (drinks or wine, for example), these items are addedto your account, and charged to your credit card at the end ofthe cruise. Norm: Should you tip while on aboard the ship? Douglas: Some ships include tips, while others automatically add a tipto your daily onboard account (particularly the major cruiselines such as Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, CostaCruises, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, PrincessCruises, and Royal Caribbean International). However, on averageyou should plan on about $10 per day per person. Aboard theships of some of the more upscale cruise lines, such as RadissonSeven Seas Cruises, SeaDream Yacht Club, Seabourn Cruise Lines,and Silversea Cruises, tips are included in the fare. Norm: How safe are cruise ships and how can I find out more about aparticular company's record pertaining to its safety andcleanliness? Douglas: Today's cruise ships are extremely safe (nobody wants to workaboard an unsafe ship), and most are clean. However, of late, Ihave noticed that standards of cleanliness in cabins and publicareas aboard some of the very large ships leave much to bedesired (this is the effect of discounting, when lines cutpersonnel to keep prices artificially low). In general, if thesame standards of food storage, handling, and hygiene that arepracticed aboard today's ships were to be applied to hotels andrestaurants in the United States, most would fail consistently!In other words, ships are clean very clean. Norm: If you had any important advice to offer our readers that hasnot been covered, what would it be? Douglas: Do read the book Berlitz Publishing's Ocean Cruising & CruiseShips 2005, and you'll be more educated than most travel agents.Bon Voyage, I wish you all a wonderful cruise vacation. Thanks Douglas for your time. About the author:Norm Goldman is editor of the travel site, sketchandtravel.comand the book reviewing site,bookpleasures.com. Norm and his artist wife, Lily, are a unique husband and wifeteam, as they meld words with art focusing on romantic articles. To find out more about them you can refer towww.sketchandtravel.com. They are also open for invitations toromantic destinations and hospitality properties in the USA. | 