MSC Poesia: Cruise Review

When MSC Poesia arrived in the United States the Musica-class ship had a second christening of sorts as she was welcomed to Port Everglades by television icon, author, and entrepreneur Suzanne Somers.

The five-night sailing was also the President's Cruise and Richard Sasso, CEO & President of MSC Cruises USA was on hand to host activities and events, such as this cooking demonstration. Sasso and the executive chef prepared Vermicelli With Fresh Seashells and Cherry Tomatoes. It was delicious.

Join Cruise Diva on board for a first-hand look at the accommodations, food, activities, and events on an MSC Poesia Caribbean Cruise.

Air & Sea: Getting To The Port On Time

For the second time in just a little over a year a glitch in the FAA flight plan system caused widespread flight cancellations and delays throughout the nation this past Thursday.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Intl Airport, the world's busiest airport, was affected as early as 8:00am, with JetBlue and Delta cancelling and/or delaying numerous flights. Everyone in the south knows that when Hartsfield has a problem, it snowballs throughout the area. No one gets off the ground.

Were you on your way to embark on a cruise while the FAA was working to restore their system? If so, I hope you were following Cruise Diva's most important advice to cruisers who must fly to their embarkation port—leave a day early.

Here's what you need to know about cruise line Air & Sea Programs and missing the boat. Air & Sea: Solutions for the Landlocked

Is St. Kitts Vying For An Oasis?

Royal Caribbean has spent nearly a week now wowing pre-inaugural guests aboard Oasis of the Seas and at least one of them is prepared to wow the cruise line right back. As an invited guest of Royal Caribbean Intl and Celebrity Cruises, Senator Ricky Skerritt, St. Kitts' Minister of State for Tourism, spent last Sunday and Monday nights aboard the massive Oasis, docked at Florida's new Port Everglades Cruise Terminal 18, which was designed and built especially as the ship's home port.

While on board, Minister Skerritt toured the impressive ship, attended orientation workshops, and held discussions with his hosts, including Royal Caribbean's Chairman and CEO, Richard Fain and Senior Vice President for Land Operations, Craig Milan. Skerritt described the 5,400 passenger ship as "awesome" and his experience on board as "enlightening." According to him, "The innovative designs and standards being employed onboard in delivering customer service, use of technology, and various energy and environmental management systems are instructive for all who have interests in the future of tourism."

And, oh by the way, Minister Skerritt revealed that St. Kitts' Port Zante can physically accommodate Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, the largest and newest cruise ship in the world, and it may happen sometime in the future as the island's cruise port has been officially assessed as "Oasis capable."

Royal Caribbean Intl and Celebrity Cruises brought 76,772 passengers to St. Kitts last season and will almost double those numbers to 130,368 this season. Minister Skerritt predicts that Royal Caribbean's numbers will increase by a further thirty percent in 2010/2011. Located in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, St. Kitts offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destination's natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history. The island's stunning variety of tourism attractions include hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the Caribbean's only scenic passenger railway, visiting the Caribelle Batik factory, touring Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park (an UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the more traditional vacation pastimes such as watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, gourmet dining, gaming at one of St. Kitts' two casinos, or simply relaxing on one of the island's sandy beaches.

For information about St. Kitts, visit St. Kitts Tourism or check out what to see and do there on CruiseDiva.com.

Photo: Oasis of the Seas Docked at Terminal 18, Port Everglades

©Linda Coffman, CruiseDiva.com

Now Sailing From Cruise Terminal 18 at Port Everglades: Oasis of the Seas

Yesterday was a really big day for which officials at Port Everglades have spent months preparing. It marked a crucial test of Cruise Terminal 18 as the 225,282 ton Oasis of the Seas boarded guests for an overnight sailing. Today, more guests will arrive for a scheduled two-night preview cruise. By the time Cruise Terminal 18 greets Oasis' first revenue passengers on Dec 1st and those who've booked the the inaugural cruise departing Dec 5th, the embarkation/disembarkation process should be running like a well-oiled machine.

Oasis of the Seas' sister-ship Allure of the Seas will also homeport at Port Everglades when launched, so to accommodate this class of revolutionary cruise ships, the Port invested approximately $75 million to build Cruise Terminal 18. The terminal is mega-sized to handle the mega-ships' more than 5,400 cruise passengers and their luggage. In addition, it was designed so that arriving and departing passengers can simultaneously proceed through processing procedures.

While Royal Caribbean has already used Cruise Terminal 18 with other ships to tweak the state-of-the-art systems, Port Everglades has been busy making sure the entire embarkation process is as seamless as possible for arriving (and departing) passengers. That means an updated taxi queue system and a speedier process for turning around taxis, which now use a separate entrance to the port. Buses will also enter through a designated gate, freeing up the entry security check points for private vehicles and improving traffic flow. Upon arrival, passengers driving to port will find an expanded 1,010 space parking lot (the fee is presently $15/day).

Purpose built for 15-minute "curb-to-ship" service, Cruise Terminal 18 is, by necessity, a vast facility and at 240,000 square feet (5.5 acres), it's more than three times larger than it was just 22 months prior to opening. Yet, it's not intimidating and most passengers should find it easy to navigate, not to mention comfortable. There's even an inviting children's play area just in case you have a short wait to board your ship.

Cruise Diva recently visited Cruise Terminal 18 and will share a fully illustrated arrival-to-embarkation photo tour on CruiseDiva.com in the coming days.

Oasis of the Seas: The SEVEN Godmothers

With seven "neighborhoods" to christen on board, the world's largest cruise ship Oasis of the Seas will have seven (count 'em! seven!) Godmothers to do the honors. We know that much for certain, but other details are sketchy and, despite a phone call to Royal Caribbean for confirmation, the Godmother names below were not verified until hours after we learned them.

However, unless someone hacked into their Oasis and Allure account yesterday, Royal Caribbean announced one Godmother per hour on the ubiquitous Twitter web site. So far there's no word on which Godmother will name which neighborhood—we understand that will be revealed "later"—but some are sort of obvious.

So, without further ado, here are the seven Godmothers, whose names are now official:

• The first Godmother to be named is Gloria Estefan. I'm a huge fan of Ms. Estefan's music and she certainly has a South Florida-Caribbean connection and a history with Royal Caribbean; Ms. Estafan was Godmother of the line's Empress of the Seas. She's an excellent choice. I'm listening to Estefan and The Miami Sound Machine on my iPod as I type.
• For their second Godmother, World Champion figure skater and Olympian Michelle Kwan was chosen. Another fan favorite and, with the ice skating program on Oasis of the Seas, an appropriate selection.
• Emmy Award winning actress Jane Seymour was the third Oasis Godmother to be revealed. I loved her as a Bond Girl and cheered her on during her time as a Dancing With the Stars competitor—unlike most of the participants, she really is a star.
• Royal Caribbean teased us with their drawn-out announcements, but then stated that it wouldn't be an Olympic lineup of Godmothers without swimmer Dara Torres, who they were happy to announce as the fourth Oasis Godmother. With all the water-related facilities and pools on board, another outstanding selection.
• The line was (once again) happy to announce their fifth Godmother is actress Keisha Knight Pulliam. I remember her as Rudy Huxtable on the Cosby Show many years ago. Cute little girl, but what's she been up to since 1992?
• Getting back to the announcements, the sixth Godmother is yet another Olympian and 2008 medalist, gymnast Shawn Johnson. Wasn't she also on Dancing With the Stars? Is this a trend? To answer my own question, Johnson and her partner won the mirror ball trophy on DWTS.
• And, drum roll please... the seventh Godmother is Daisy Fuentes, international television personality and producer. Who?

Well, there you have it. Seven ladies who will participate in a christening ceremony unlike any other. As Richard Fain recently described in his Chairman's Blog, "An extraordinary and innovative ship deserves an extraordinary and innovative naming. For Oasis of the Seas we have decided to use seven godmothers because we have seven neighborhoods. Each godmother will start in her own area and then they will all convene at the AquaTheatre for the formal naming. All seven godmothers will cut a ribbon which will require seven complete cuts to release the bottle."

Unless plans have changed, the official naming ceremony for Oasis of the Seas will take place on Nov 30 during a one-night inaugural celebration-fundraiser to benefit the non-profit Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

More information about Oasis of the Seas from CruiseDiva.com at:

• Introducing Royal Caribbean's Architectural Marvel Oasis of the Seas
• The Boardwalk & Other Entertainment Neighborhoods Take Shape Aboard Oasis of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas Reveals a "Beach Resort" Afloat

Two "Christenings" for Carnival Dream

While Academy Award and Tony Award winning actress Marcia Gay Harden officially named Carnival Cruise Lines’ newest and largest ship, the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream, during a shipboard ceremony in New York last Thursday, Hailee Steberger acted as a sort of Junior Godmother during a second christening ceremony.

Attired in a Carnival wet suit, 9-year-old Hailee, of Egg Harbor Township, NJ, inaugurated the Twister waterslide on Carnival Dream during a shipboard ceremony held on Friday, Nov 13th, in New York City. Hailee was selected from more than 500 contest entrants who created a drawing and essay that focused on their favorite dream.

Following a pair of 8-day voyages from New York, Carnival Dream will launch year-round Caribbean service from Port Canaveral, Florida on Dec 3rd.

Photo: Andy Newman/Carnival Cruise Lines

Advanced Photo System to Debut on Oasis of the Seas

Anyone who has combed through displays of the many (many!) photos taken by shipboard photographers may be dreading that process aboard the world’s largest cruise ship. Now there’s word that you won’t have to.

When Oasis of the Seas debuts at Port Everglades this month, also debuting will be the world’s most advanced photography system at sea. Image, Royal Caribbean’s photo concessionaire for 22 years, has implemented a series of state-of-the-art technologies that will streamline the gallery sales process and enable guests to easily find and manage their cruise memories. With its patented youFinder automated photo indexing technology, Image has implemented a more guest-centric way of displaying cruise memories. Combined with digital workflow systems that manage the large number of images produced, youFinder can separate guest images into logical groupings—by cabin number or traveling companions.

“youFinder represents a fundamental change in the shipboard photography business,” said Brynley Davies, managing director of the Image Group. “Despite the advent of digital mini-labs on cruise ships, retail display of photos in galleries is still largely based on film technology, where there has been no effective way to link a photo to a guest.”

Davies noted the gallery sales process has remained essentially unchanged since the cruise industry began in the 1970s. Photos are taken, printed and displayed by event—embarkation, formal night, port arrivals, etc—in the photo gallery. Guests seek out their photos on the display and make a purchase decision.

As cruise ships have become larger with more passengers and more photos, that process has become less efficient for guests. Image has developed a storage mechanism that works in tandem with youFinder to place all of a guest’s cruise photos in one location. Guests come back to the same location each time they want to view their photos, eliminating the need to hunt through the panel displays. In addition to viewing printed photos in the gallery, guests also can view their images electronically using the new Image photo kiosk, which has a 35 percent larger display screen than previous versions. The kiosk’s software has been rewritten and a new user interface created, which substantially improves guest satisfaction.

“Oasis of the Seas has the most advanced digital photo system ever operated on a cruise ship,” said Davies. “Image is redefining shipboard photography by fundamentally changing the way guests find and interact with their cruise images. Over the next few months we plan to introduce a number of significant new products and services on Oasis of the Seas that will continue this trend toward innovation.”

More information about Oasis of the Seas from CruiseDiva.com at:

• Introducing Royal Caribbean's Architectural Marvel Oasis of the Seas
• The Boardwalk & Other Entertainment Neighborhoods Take Shape
• Oasis of the Seas Reveals a "Beach Resort" Afloat

Epic Entertainment To Shine Aboard Norwegian Epic

Last year when Norwegian Cruise Line chose Las Vegas as the venue to present the nightlife options planned for their newest, largest and most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship to date, debuting in June 2010, Norwegian Epic, that was a clue that the entertainment to be presented on board would be a bit out of the norm for cruise ships as well.

First NCL revealed that they landed the popular Vegas act Blue Man Group to present their show aboard Norwegian Epic and now they have announced that Legends in Concert, the original and world’s greatest live tribute show, will be featured for the first time at sea in more than a decade on Norwegian Epic. A staple on Las Vegas’ center strip for the past 25 years, Legends in Concert is known as the pioneer of live tribute shows and has assembled the greatest collection of live tribute artists and celebrity look-alikes in the industry. Norwegian Epic will also welcome Howl at the Moon, the world’s greatest rock ‘n roll dueling piano show that encourages audience participation.

“Norwegian Epic has already made headlines with its world-class entertainment offerings, featuring Blue Man Group, Cirque Dreams™ and Dinner, and The Second City. Now, with the addition of Legends in Concert and Howl at the Moon, we have raised the bar even higher, taking cruise ship entertainment to a whole new level, on par with major entertainment hubs like Las Vegas and New York,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer.

Legends In Concert: Legends in Concert is a live musical celebration featuring the world’s greatest celebrity tribute artists such as Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Tom Jones, Tina Turner, Madonna, Garth Brooks, Rod Stewart, Cher, Barry White, Tim McGraw, and Shania Twain, among many others. Legends in Concert on Norwegian Epic will feature three celebrity tribute performers taking the stage in the Epic Theater for six 45-minute shows over three days during a 7-day cruise. In addition, a cabaret-style show will be performed on three additional nights in the Manhattan Room, the ship’s New York-inspired supper club, providing an unprecedented dining and entertainment experience on Norwegian Epic. The celebrity performers will change every four months, keeping the show fresh and exciting. Each universally-renowned Legends in Concert performer not only looks and sounds like the star they portray, they transform themselves through hours of practice at their craft. This is accomplished by using their own natural voices and every detail is taken into consideration from choreography, to hair, make-up, and mannerisms.

Howl at the Moon: Performing four times per cruise in Headliners, Norwegian Epic’s comedy club, Howl at the Moon is a total entertainment experience where the talented piano players not only entertain the guests; the guests become part of the show. The fun is centered around two baby grand pianos and a full out rock show with Howl’s entertainers playing the best music from 70’s rock to hip-hop for four hours per show. Howl at the Moon, with multiple locations across the United States, encourages people to live out their inner rock star, so guests should be ready to clap, sing, dance, and howl.

Norwegian Epic: In addition to world-class entertainment, the 4,200-passenger Norwegian Epic incorporates many innovations including several new types of accommodations—the curved New Wave staterooms; the largest Villas suite complex at sea, comprising 60 suites and villas on two private decks at the top of the ship; and spa and family-friendly accommodations. The ship also boasts unique nightlife options with the first Ice Bar at sea and Spice H20 with non-stop entertainment day and night; an expansive Aqua Park with the only tube slide and largest bowl slide at sea —The Epic Plunge; seven decks of Freestyle Family Fun with highlights including a 33-foot high, 64-foot wide extreme rock climbing wall and the first ever rappelling wall at sea; the most bowling lanes at sea with six in two venues; a mixed-use sports deck with the ability for guests to engage in eight different athletic activities; as well as three separate kids’ and teen activity areas. In addition, Norwegian Epic will offer the next generation of Freestyle Dining with 20 dining choices and 20 bars and lounges.

Originally known by its project name “F3” Cruise Diva charts Norwegian Epic’s progress:

• With Details About the F3 Ship, NCL throws us a curve. Catch the NEW WAVE in innovative ocean-going accommodations.
• Norwegian Cruise Line Reveals Epic Nightlife Options — NCL sailed into a sea of dreams to share a peek into the future of nightlife afloat.
• Freestyle Cruising Accommodations to suit every type of guest are revealed for Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Epic.

For more information on Norwegian Epic, or to book a cruise to the Eastern or Western Caribbean call Norwegian at 866-234-7350, visit Epic.NCL.com, or call a travel agent.

Cruise Ships: How to Score a Perfect 100 in a US Public Health Inspection

Most passengers don’t give the cleanliness of their cruise ship a second thought because everything appears spotless and there are crewmembers present vacuuming and polishing at all hours. However, there are people who care very deeply about cleanliness in areas most passenters will never see. Did you know that the Center for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) developed its Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), which operates under the U.S. Public Health Service Act, to inspect all cruise ships that offer foreign itineraries with U.S. ports, and assist the cruise ship industry in the implementation of systems to protect the health of travelers? Under the VSP, cruise ships are subject to unannounced health inspections.

Here’s the scene aboard Crystal Cruise’ ultra-luxurious, award-winning Crystal Symphony recently. Following an intensive inspection by a team of U.S. Public Health officers, Crystal Symphony received a “perfect” score of 100 from the CDC. The audit occurred during the ship’s Oct 21st call in Boston, Massachusetts. Scoring is based on 41 inspection items of the potable water system; food preparation and storage areas; waste management systems, including filters, ventilation devices and sanitizing temperatures; cleaning sequences and standards of accommodations and public areas; and general environmental health issues. Swimming pools and spas are also inspected. In addition, fleetmate Crystal Serenity received a perfect 100 during her most recent call in Canada in May.

While it didn’t hurt that earlier in the month Crystal Symphony emerged from drydock with freshly redesigned Crystal Penthouses and Penthouse Suites, elegant Lido Café and Prego Italian restaurant and completely transformed pool deck, among other transformations. The $25+ million makeover reinforced Crystal’s commitment to delivering a product that consistently earns the industry’s top accolades. However, it doesn't take an intense rejuvenation for a ship to receive a perfect score from the CDC. What it does take, though, is a lot of hard work, dedication, determination, and pride.

For more information about how cruise ships rank, Cruise Diva offers a summary of CDC Inspection Scores for all ships inspected, as well as a chart indicating the ones that have achieved perfection.

Additional information about Crystal Cruises can be found on their web site.

Welcome: Carnival, Seabourn, MSC Cruises & Royal Caribbean Ships

It’s been a really big week for first-time ship arrivals in United States port cities.

The activity started as Port Everglades greeted Seabourn Odyssey at dawn on Nov 10 and MSC Poesia arrived on Nov 11. Finally, the Fort Lauderdale port welcomed brand-new Oasis of the Seas at the brand-new Terminal 18 on Nov 13.

There was real excitement in New York City aboard Carnival Dream as she arrived in that city to be christened on Nov 12 by Academy Award-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden (pictured here).