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| Celebrity Edge makes its maiden voyage in December with innovations that will change cruising (Courtesy: Celebrity Cruises) |
Cruising
has countless variables to consider; cost, cruise lines, length, ports, ships
and their size, amenities, days at sea, shore excursions, dining,
entertainment, average age of clientele, service, shipboard activities and on
and on.
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| Celebrity Edge will feature split level suites (Courtesy: Celebrity Cruises) |
Some
considerations carry more weight than others but, in general, many cruisers
either prefer to cruise for the sake of cruising or to be in a different port
each day. For the most part, shore people do not enjoy the idea of being on
board a ship when they could be out exploring.
The best
way to cruise, at least from a personal perspective, is to seek out itineraries
which feature a good mixture of both shore days and sea days. After all, what
good is doing a cruise if you don't plan to spend some time on the ship?
Perhaps
the second most important consideration for most people is the length of the
cruise. Again, personally a seven day itinerary is the minimum with a maximum
of 12 to 14-days as the longest.
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| Asian cruises are longer (Phoro: Robert Taylor) |
Cruise
lines that pay close attention to logistics while at sea and in port are ideal
because they maximize the cruising experience with minimal confusion for
passengers. Logistics, when done efficiently and correctly, are subliminal
since they are not typically something clients think about. They are, however, a
key factor for cruise lines to ensure the best possible impressions for their
clients.
With
that basic background in mind, here are three cruise itineraries that have been
personally satisfying and why.
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| Bermuda's Royal Naval Dockyard is its own destination (Photo: Robert Taylor) |
Bermuda:
Cruising to Bermuda may sound limiting at
first, but in truth it is an ideal itinerary for cruisers and non-cruisers
alike. As a one port destination, travelers get the best of both worlds with
several days at sea and three days to explore Bermuda
on shore.
Celebrity
Summit
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| Celebrity Summit sails to Bermuda (Courtesy: Celebrity Cruises) |
Don't be
confused if you hear it called Cruise Port Bayonne. That's just another name
for it since the port is located Bayonne ,
NJ
Summit departs Cape Liberty on Sunday afternoons with a couple of days at
sea before arriving at King's Wharf in Bermuda
each Wednesday morning.
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| Shopping is a favorite pastime in Bermuda (Phoro: Robert Taylor) |
Two and
a half days are more than enough time to explore the pink sand beaches and
compact destination that made Bermuda shorts a household article of summer
clothing.
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| Local pub (Photo: Robert Taylor) |
Bermuda
is roughly shaped like a large fish-hook with Kings Wharf Bermuda 's Naval Dockyard.
With the
huge influx of visitors now arriving on cruise ships, the dockyard has become a
destination unto itself chock full of attractions, museums, restaurants, pubs
and boutique shopping.
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| There are lots of ways to see Bermuda, including ferries (Photo: Robert Taylor) |
Access
to and from the ships has been greatly simplified with regular miniaturized
trains that pick up and drop off passengers at multiple locations.
Once
ashore, there is ample opportunity for shore excursions or independent
exploration of the two best known towns in Bermuda; Hamilton
and St George's
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| Out for a stroll with the pups (Photo: Robert Taylor) |
Celebrity
Summit departs Bermuda in mid-afternoon on
Fridays with another day and a half at sea before arriving back at Cape Liberty
What
makes this cruise unique is that, unlike most sea going adventures, there's
only one port to explore, therefore allowing ample time to see anything and
everything your lifestyle suggests.
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| Ancient stocks in St. Georges hearken to another time (Photo: Robert Taylor) |
Best of
all, by being aboard ship, you can avoid many of the higher priced amenities of
this upscale destination which means more bang for your traveling dollar.
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| Celebrity Millennium sails in Asia part of the year (Photo: Robert Taylor) |
ASIA:
For starters, a cruise through Asia is
generally not an itinerary for first-time travelers. Secondly, it is virtually
impossible to offer accurate information about a specific itinerary because
cruise lines change destinations from season to season.
As with
all three itineraries suggested by this article, there is an equal balance
between days at sea and days ashore, which is truly the best way to travel by
ship.
Asian
cruises are typically longer than others primarily because of the distance
involved in getting there. That said, the advantage here is the opportunity to
visit multiple ports in a single itinerary, including shore excursions which
reduce the apprehension that many travelers, even veterans, have in dealing
with serious language barriers.
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| Shipboard activities such as Tango lessons add to the variety (Photo: Robert Taylor) |
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| Exotic Asian culture (Photo: Robert Taylor) |
Celebrity's
Millennium will begin the 2019 Asian cruise season after a multi-million dollar
makeover while her sister ship, the Constellation, has also added upscale
amenities for its upcoming sea-going journeys.
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| Ruin of an ancient civilization (Photo: Robert Taylor) |
A single
Asian cruise can take you to as many as six different countries to experience
multiple exotic cultures such as Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong,
Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines and beyond.
Each
port is unique, with an equal balance of days at sea to rest and relax for the
next place on your itinerary.
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| Fishermen return after a long day to My Khe Beach (Photo: Vietnamguide.com) |
For
travelers with a wanderlust spirit of adventure and witnessing destinations completely
different from our own, Asia offers a wealth
of things to see and to do.
Note,
that Asian cruises traditionally appeal to an older and international clientele,
so if you are looking for a party, head to the Caribbean .
On the other hand, seniors can, and do, get rowdy when they want to.
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| Celebrity Solstice in port in Ketchikan, Alaska (Photo: Robert Taylor |
And
there is much to see in Alaska America
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| Photo ops from the deck of the ship are frequent in Alaska (Photo: Robert Taylor) |
Best of
all, much of the scenery can be witnessed from the ships, which are rarely out
of sight of land. Thus, sea days in Alaska
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| A view of Dawes Glacier from Celebrity Solstice in Tracey Arm Fjord (Photo: Robert Taylor) |
Like
most cruises, Alaskan itineraries change, but in this case, there are definite
favorites such as Tracy Arm Fjord and the Inside Passage .
Many ships also embark from Vancouver or include
a stop in Victoria with a visit to the famous Butchart Gardens
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| When Celebrity Edge debuts in December it will feature the "Magic Carpet"...a massive outdoor elevator (Courtesy: Celebrity Cruises |
These
are just three great cruise itineraries that marry the best of both worlds,
cruising and time ashore. The key to success is first to determine your
personal interests and then do your homework, do your homework and do some more
homework.
Following
that, just sit back and sail away into one of the best vacations you will ever
experience.
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