Disney Fantasy Floats

As fireworks filled the sky and Minnie Mouse waved from an upper deck, the newest cruise ship for the Disney Cruise Line fleet, the Disney Fantasy, was slowly floated out of shipbuilder Meyer Werft’s covered building dock in Papenburg, Germany last Sunday. Now that the new ship is outside the covered hall, tests and trials are scheduled to be performed while the ship remains in the harbor.

Floatout symbolizes one of the final stages of Disney Fantasy’s construction and marks a significant milestone towards the March 31, 2012 maiden voyage. The remaining work on board will be completed while the ship is berthed alongside the yard’s pier. For example, the mast will be installed. Then there’s more to come before delivery to Disney Cruise Line as the new ship is scheduled to be conveyed to the North Sea in two weeks. The exact timing of passage on the river Ems is dependent upon the weather and tidal conditions.

The Disney Fantasy features many of the innovations introduced on her sister ship, Disney Dream, with several new onboard experiences exclusive to the new ship that are sure to delight every member of the family. New experiences found on the Disney Fantasy include two Broadway-style musical spectaculars for the Walt Disney Theatre, a dining experience at Animator’s Palate where guests’ own drawings magically come to life, an interactive adventure quest starring the Muppets, a splashtacular water play area called AquaLab, a sophisticated nighttime entertainment area for adults inspired by European travel, and much more.

Disney Fantasy will sail 7-night alternating eastern and western Caribbean itineraries. All voyages will depart from Port Canaveral, Florida and include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

Photos Courtesy of Meyer Werft; Video Courtesy of Disney Cruise Line

New Cruise Review: Celebrity Eclipse

Frequent cruisers and Cruise Diva contributors, Mary and Vincent Finelli share the enjoyment of a pre-holiday cruise aboard Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Eclipse and offer their impressions of the third of Celebrity's hugely successful Solstice-class ships to launch since 2008.

While I was somewhat disturbed that Vincent related, "There has been insinuations by some readers that our reviews are not critical enough, since they contain only a few negative points and bias for the special treatments we receive from officers and crew. And this is somewhat true; how could we write a negative criticism when we have had a great cruise, where everybody made us feel very special, where everything we desired we received?"

Vincent continues, "Naturally, our demands are reasonable and we know what to expect when we book a cruise on a given ship. This was our 93rd cruise and by now we know well many cruise lines and their ships. Thus, we know what to expect from most of them and we can choose our cruises accordingly to our desires and preferences. Furthermore, since in the last few years we both have had to deal with limited mobility and need a wheelchair accessible cabin, we cruise only with those lines which do best to accommodate disabled passengers. In the past we have raised issues about availability, location, and comfort of accessible cabins with several cruise lines, but only some of them have heard our plea by making their new ships more wheelchair-friendly (ie, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Norwegian), while some others have ignore the problem (ie, Costa, Carnival, and Holland American). Actually, there is something that can be improved even in this ship. The gangway at the entry point to the ship on deck 5 is a bit too steep for Mary's wheelchair pedals thus she had to be helped to access the ship."

I hope it wasn't Cruise Diva readers who criticized this very generous couple—they spend more time sharing information about the ships, the facilities, the dining, and entertainment than they spend on their personal preferences. And their experiences are invaluable for anyone with mobility issues who is considering a cruise on the ships they review. Follow the link above and I'm sure you will agree.

Photo Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

Royal Clipper Conquers Paradise

When I happened across this evocative video, I was reminded of the day I boarded Star Clippers' Royal Clipper in Barbados for a cruise through the Grenadines aboard the world's largest full-rigged sailing ship.

Relive Royal Clipper: A Sailing Diary with Cruise Diva for insight into what sets this experience apart from other cruises and learn the reason for the video's soundtrack (1492: Conquest of Paradise) and why ships are referred to as she.

Video Produced by Terry Wright

Cruising "Like A Norwegian" For Kids

Norwegian Cruise Line has long been known as a family-friendly cruise vacation option and, in recognition of the needs of the growing family vacation market, the line has announced that it is revitalizing its current youth program to meet the demand. The re-branded new best-in-class program will be introduced next month on Norwegian Gem and will subsequently be rolled out fleetwide.

The current program, Norwegian’s Kid’s Crew in place since 1999, will be renamed and the age groups are being redefined to better address the skills and interests of children. The new age groups will be: 3 to 5 years; 6 to 8 years; 9 to 12 years; along with two teen groups: 13 to 14 and 15 to 17 years. There will also be programming for babies and toddlers ages 6 months to 2 years.

The new fully developed and enhanced curriculum tailored to each age group is being produced in conjunction with The King’s Foundation and Camps, a UK-based organization that provides high quality sport and activity programs designed to make a positive impact on children. More focus will be placed on sporting activities, arts and crafts, theater,and technology. Activities will change every 30 to 60 minutes depending on the age group and will be set within blocks of programming time in the morning, afternoon and evening.

The new curriculum will also include creative themes, such as circus day, theater/technology/sports and port of call day. The company has engaged Cirque Du Jour, a NY-based company that specializes in teaching children real circus skills such as scarf juggling, ball juggling, plate spinning, clowning, and acrobatics. Circus workshops and shows will also be offered for the entire family. In addition, the youth programs will be expanded to utilize other areas of the ships, including the sports courts, rock walls, theaters, lounges, and public spaces. More family events such as parades and scavenger hunts will be featured.

Norwegian is also investing in its youth staff by increasing the ratio of staff to children and establishing new criteria for the hiring of counselors, including the requirement of a college degree in recreation or child care (or the equivalent experience).

The line currently offers exclusive Nickelodeon family events, shows and activities on three ships: Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Jewel, and Norwegian Gem (beginning mid-February). Activities include pool games, breakfast with the characters, where kids–-and adults–-can eat, sing and play with SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Patrick, Diego, and more; Dora’s Dance Party, where kids can join Dora and the Nickelodeon cast to dance and sing along; meet and greets with popular Nickelodeon characters, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and many more. In addition, there are also other family activities offered, including Nick Jr. story time, family trivia and special arts and crafts sessions.

“More and more families are choosing a cruise for their vacation since it represents such a good value and offers so much for the entire family. In fact, close to 150,000 children sailed on our ships in 2010 and that number continues to rise,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “We’ve already taken family programming to the next level by offering Nickelodeon experiences on some ships. Now, we want to make sure that we are continuing to offer the best possible experience for families. To do this, we are investing millions of dollars in revamping our youth and family programming.”

More details of the new youth and teen program will be released in the coming months. Further information on Norwegian’s family offerings can be found on the line’s website at NCL.com.

Image Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

Princess Wants to Know, “What Inspired You to Cruise?”

Last year Princess Cruises rolled out their first blog, “50 Essential Experiences, The Travel Bucket List” in which Princess destination experts and readers shared their Essential Travel Experience of the Week (Cruise Diva's is here, The Hidden Value of Travel: Amsterdam, The Netherlands). Inspired by the success of that year-long themed blog, Princess has launched a new one for 2012 entitled “Inspired to Cruise: A Year of Reasons to Get Away From the Everyday.” Fifty-two passenger stories relating what compelled them to take a cruise vacation will be revealed throughout the year.

The blog will explore the myriad celebrations, accomplishments, family milestones, and other inspired reasons to take a cruise, and each week another passenger will tell their story. The posts will chronicle stories from a diverse group of contributors–from long-time cruisers to those who set sail for the first time. Readers will find that some events go as planned, while others do not, and that many cruisers have found that unforgettable surprises make the best stories of all.

Also featured on the Inspired to Cruise blog each week will be a short video called an “Escape Inspiration.” These 30-second onboard moments will be introduced by a Princess crew member who will explain why the scene has meaning for them. The first video, introduced by Grand Princess Captain Anthony Herriott, features the mesmerizing wake view off the ship’s fantail.

If you have an inspiring story, share it in 500-1,000 words at Inspired To Cruise.

NCL Reveals Norwegian Breakaway’s Inaugural Winter/Spring Deployment

When Norwegian Cruise Line’s new state-of-the-art Norwegian Breakaway sails from her year-round homeport of New York City, the 4,000 passenger ship will voyage to the Bahamas and Florida as well as the Caribbean during her inaugural winter season. Following a summer inaugural season sailing 7-day cruises from New York to Bermuda, Norwegian Breakaway will embark on a series of twenty-five 7-day cruises to the Bahamas and Florida beginning on Sunday, Oct 13, 2013. The ship will also sail two 12-day Southern Caribbean itineraries on Jan 5 and 19, 2014, along with two popular Weekend Escape cruises on Jan 17 and 31, 2014. These cruises are already available to book by Latitudes Rewards members (past guests) and booking opens to the general public tomorrow, Jan 6.

“Norwegian Breakaway is one of the most highly anticipated new ships and has seen great demand for her summer sailings to Bermuda,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “For her winter inaugural season, Norwegian Breakaway will offer guests a chance to escape from the cold of the Northeast and be transported in grand style to the tropics of the Caribbean and the Bahamas and Florida. We are also excited to announce that the ship will stop at our newly enhanced private island, Great Stirrup Cay, offering an exclusive beach experience.”

Norwegian Breakaway’s Bahamas and Florida cruises depart on Sundays and include stops in Nassau, Bahamas; Norwegian’s private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay; and Orlando and the Beaches (Port Canaveral), Florida; along with three days at sea. These sailings run through April 27, 2014. The ship’s 12-day Southern Caribbean cruises include stops at San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Castries, St. Lucia; Bridgetown, Barbados; and Basseterre, St. Kitts; along with five sea days.

Currently under construction at Meyer Werft in Germany, Norwegian Breakaway will be 144,017 gross tons and is scheduled for delivery in April 2013. Information on Norwegian Breakaway’s accommodations and itineraries can be found on Norwegian’s website at NCL.com/Breakaway and here on the Cruise Diva blog at:

· Norwegian Cruise Line Begins “Project Breakaway” Reveal
· Norwegian Cruise Line Introduces “The Haven”
· “The Haven” by Norwegian: Posh Accommodations For Project Breakaway
· Norwegian Breaks Out More Project Breakaway Accommodations

Through March 31, 2012, Norwegian is offering its Wave Season sales event, “Norwegians Take It to the Next Level,” that includes Norwegian Breakaway, offering a free upgrade within the same stateroom category for all new cruise reservations. In addition, from now through Jan 22, 2012, there is a limited time offer that gives cruisers the opportunity to “take it to the next level” with a mini-suite for the price of a balcony; a balcony stateroom for the price of an oceanview; and oceanview staterooms for the price of inside staterooms on all ships and destinations. Cruise deposits during this time for sailings of three days or longer are reduced by 50 percent. To book a cruise on Norwegian Breakaway, contact a travel professional, call Norwegian at 800-327-7030, or visit NCL.com.

Image Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

Technology for Cruise Travelers

As I prepare to celebrate the eleventh anniversary of CruiseDiva.com's creation, I'm reminded of how things were back in 2001. Other than a laptop without WiFi, I had no tech devices. There was almost no Internet availability on cruise ships, so I was pretty excited to see the first Internet cafe at sea on Norwegian Sky that year. But hooking up via my own laptop meant paying the per-minute telephone charge! An expensive option I chose not to use.

However, things have changed, as I've illustrated here. Instead of a car phone, I now have a smartphone clipped to my belt at all times. It keeps me in touch with my calendar and contacts as well as notes and reminders. It also acts as a camera when I don't have one at hand. My iPod Touch also fills in as a camera and holds a lot of info in addition to my favorite music. I could listen to music on the BlackBerry, but the iPod battery lasts longer on trips that include lengthy airplane flights (thank you, Steve Jobs!) and I don't have to worry about my mobile phone not working upon landing.

Noise cancelling headphones aren't a complete necessity, but I've found they are as functional on a road trip as they are on an airplane. There's a lot of noise on the highway and they block out those distractions.

Instead of several paperback books, I now carry a Kindle. For anyone who loves the feel of books as I do, I can assure you that you don't lose that sensation with a Kindle in hand. Some ship libraries aren't well stocked and if I run out of reading material, I can download a new book with its WiFi feature. Best of all, the Kindle is readable in bright light so I can use it on my balcony as well as out on deck.

You don't have to be a total geek, or spend a lot of money, to travel with technology. Over the years I've received some of the devices I enjoy as gifts and have even 'bought' others with American Express Memberhip Miles. Put the ones you'd like on your must-have list. They make travel so much more pleasurable and hassle free.

Photo © CruiseDiva.com

Oceania Cruises Introduces the Convenience & Value of Beverage Packages

For those of us who hate the nuisance of signing bar checks while on a cruise vacation, Oceania Cruises has introduced two new beverage packages on voyages starting this year. The new wine, beer, and spirits beverage packages are designed to enhance the culinary experience with wines to complement lunch and dinner menus while at the same time offering additional convenience and value.

House Wine and Beer, priced at $29.95 per guest, per day, includes house wine by the glass and beer with lunch and dinner in any dining venue or via room service. House wine options are from a selection of red and white wines that change daily.

The second option, Open Bar, priced at $49.95 per guest, per day, includes beer and premium house wine by the glass and most beverages on the bar menu. Guests can also order spirits and beer through room service. Premium house wine options are from an exclusive selection of featured red and white wines that change daily.

“Our new beverage packages offer guests a convenient and affordable way to further enjoy the finest cuisine at sea,” said Kunal S. Kamlani, the line’s president. “By paying one set price, guests can enjoy a wide variety of wine, beer, spirits, or even a nightcap at a terrific value.”

The new beverage package prices include gratuities and can be pre-booked online or through a reservations representative. They can also be purchased onboard at any time during the cruise, with prices prorated for the days remaining and you can upgrade packages during the sailing. All guests on Oceania Cruises’ ships will continue to enjoy unlimited soft drinks, bottled water, specialty coffees, and teas at no additional charge on every sailing.

Photo Courtesy of Oceania Cruises

How To Get Behind Closed Doors On Your Cruise Ship

On the bridge, Grand Princess

Before 9/11 when security became a major concern, it was common for all cruise passengers to be invited to visit their ship’s bridge. Tours were often announced in the ship’s daily program and you could either sign up, or simply show up for a look at the scheduled time. Some small cruise ships even had an “open bridge policy” and passengers could drop in when they pleased. While tours of the galley are still offered on most ships, those bridge tours (with the exception of some luxury small-ship cruise lines) are not. At least not for everyone and not for free.

These days, however, a peek behind those doors marked “crew only” is available on some cruise ships to those willing to sign up for a fee.

To get a look at areas normally off-limits, Celebrity Cruises recently launched a three-hour “See How It’s Done Tour” as an option in its Celebrity Life program. Sign up and you’ll visit not only the bridge, but also the mooring deck, crew gym, theater, engine control room, prep rooms, and the main galley. The cost is $150 per person and at each area of the tour you have the opportunity to interact with expert members of the Celebrity crew. Each tour is followed by an exclusive wine-paired lunch hosted by an officer in the main dining room. If all you care about is seeing the bridge, a “Bridge Sail Away Experience” for $75 allows you to join the navigational team on the bridge as the ship sails away from port. Beginning 30 minutes before and concluding 30 minutes after departing, you are given a tour and an overview of the bridge conducted by a senior bridge officer. As a bonus, you'll also have the opportunity to meet and take photos with the ship’s captain.

Other lines have previously introduced similar programs...

Royal Caribbean offers an All Access Tour for $150. The three- to three-and-a-half hour tour includes a the bridge, galley, backstage of the main theater, engine control room, the laundry, and more.

Carnival Cruise Lines has an up to three-and-a-half hour Behind the Fun tour for $95 that includes the galley, crew dining room, engine control room, laundry facilities, one of the store rooms, and the bridge. Also included are group photo-ops and logo mementos.

Princess Cruises’ three-hour Ultimate Ship Tour for $150 allows you to explore the engine control room, medical center, print shop, laundry, photo lab, bridge, and other areas typically seen only by the ship’s crew. The final stop of the tour is the ship’s command center, where you meet the Captain, enjoy refreshments, and take in the sea views from the bridge’s wraparound windows. You also receive a variety of themed mementos at stops along the route.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers two Behind The Scenes tour options guided by the officers in charge. You’ll see the bridge, laundry facilities, the galley, backstage of the theater, and the environmental systems. A two-hour tour is $55 and—for real afficianados—an elaborate seven-hour on-ship excursion is $150.

Tours are generally offered once or twice per cruise on sea days and are very popular, so sign up as soon after you board as possible to avoid disappointment.

Grand Princess Bridge Photo © CruiseDiva.com

Happy New Year!

From Sea to Shining Sea

Whether you're celebrating the holidays at home with friends and family or traveling the globe, Cruise Diva wishes you peace, good health, and a very Happy New Year—not just today, but throughout 2012.

Linda and Mel

Photo © CruiseDiva.com

When Elephants Fly

"What's more 'Fantasy' than a flying elephant?" That's the thought that inspired Walt Disney Imagineering to select Dumbo and his pal, Timothy Q. Mouse, as the characters who will represent the new Disney Fantasy cruise ship. You may know that each Disney Cruise Line ship has Disney characters featured on the ships' sterns. Disney has now revealed that Dumbo will be flying just off the stern of Disney Fantasy with a paint can held in his trunk for Timothy to make any necessary "touch ups" to the ship's name while at sea.

Here's a behind-the-scenes look at how they did it...

Video Courtesy of Disney Cruise Line

The Vikings Are Coming

Noted as one of the world's leading river cruise companies (with a fleet of 23 river vessels in service and 8 more in the works), Viking River Cruises plans on going to sea with their newly christened Viking Ocean Cruises. To achieve that end, the new cruise line has placed an order with shipbuilder STX France in St Nazaire for two 41,000-ton, 888-passenger cruise ships to be delivered in spring 2014 and spring 2015.

Taking a cue from Viking's popular destination oriented river cruises, the two luxurious ocean-going cruise ships will launch with destination cruising in mind and primarily sail in the Mediterranean where they will appeal to North American, British, and Australian passengers. With a planned staffing of 444 crew members, we expect the service will be top drawer.

Sadly, we don't have an image to share and there's very little additional information available at this time. That should change when construction begins in fall 2012 and we'll keep you posted.

New Cruise Ships Sailing Into 2012

Watch Throughout the Year for New Cruise Ship Launches

While the cruise ships scheduled for launch in 2012 are all new vessels, each one is almost identical to existing sister-ships. Brand-new ship classes won't be making an appearance until 2013 when Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line are set to launch Royal Princess and Norwegian Breakaway, respectively.

Despite that, there are always tweaks and new features on the latest ships in a class and the introduction of each new ship in every cruise line's fleet is always exciting. So, without further ado, Cruise Diva is happy to preview the Class of 2012, the new cruise ships set to launch in the upcoming year.

Image Courtesy of Disney Cruise Line

Celebrity Cruises Solsticizes the Millennium Class

If you're a fan of television's DIY Network you'll enjoy the video below. In it, executives from Celebrity Cruises explain how they are updating the popular Millennium-class ships in their fleet. They coined the term "Solsticizing" to name the ambitious, $140-million revitalization that takes the best modern venues and experiences from the Solstice-class ships and adds them to the Millennium-class ships. It isn't a simple process and you won't want to try it at home, but it's a fascinating look at the process and the thought that went into it.

Video Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

Mahogany Bay Cruise Center Welcomes One Millionth Cruise Passenger



Magical Flying Beach Chair

Mahogany Bay Cruise Center (MBCC) in Roatan reached a significant milestone this month when it welcomed its one millionth cruise passenger since opening nearly two years ago. The one millionth visitor to the MBCC was one of 4,268 passengers aboard the Carnival Dream, which makes year-round calls at the $62 million facility on alternating weeks.

“Achieving our one millionth visitor in less than two years of operation is a testament to the outstanding facilities and quality landside experience enjoyed by the thousands of guests who visit the Mahogany Bay Cruise Center each week,” said Mike Reimers, general manager of the facility.

The visit by the Carnival Dream is one of 280 annual cruise ship calls at the MBCC, which encompasses 20 acres of waterfront property and includes a two-berth cruise terminal that can accommodate up to 8,000 passengers daily. It is a joint project of Carnival Corporation and Roatan businessman Jerry Hynds. In addition to Carnival Cruise Lines, vessels from Seabourn, Princess Cruises, Holland America, Costa Cruises, and P-and-O Cruises, as well as non-Carnival Corporation brands, have called at the new facility since it opened in 2009.

Along with a two-ship cruise pier, the Mahogany Bay Cruise Center features a welcome center and a variety of retail outlets, including two themed bars, a restaurant, and several shops. A transportation hub with the ability to accommodate taxis, rental cars, and tour buses (along with a wide range of shore excursion opportunities that can be purchased on board the cruise ships) is also available.

Unique to Mahogany Bay is the Magical Flying Beach Chair lift system (pictured above) that takes visitors from the welcome center to beautiful Mahogany Beach, a 10-acre private island featuring an 825-foot-long white-sand beach with a volleyball court and myriad watersports options. The Magical Flying Beach Chair transports guests of all ages who are at least 32 inches tall from Mahogany Bay’s main plaza, through the treetops, across the turtle grass flats, and gently lets them off onto the warm white sand of Mahogany Beach. Cruisers can take advantage of the all day pass; $15 gets you unlimited rides on the chairlift. Not tall enough to ride the chairlift? Not to worry if your little ones are less than 32 inches tall. There is shaded walking path that will get you to the beach in a matter of minutes. Eight exclusive cabanas are also available for rent.

For more information on the Mahogany Bay Cruise Center, visit MahoganyBayCC.com.

Photo Courtesy of Mahogany Bay Cruise Center

It's All ‘About Rose’

While high-end hotels and luxury cruise lines have offered top name toiletries and bath amenities for some time, it’s taken a while for the trend to reach the deluxe level of the cruise market.

However, Azamara Club Cruises is raising the bar and adding an element of exclusivity for its guests by becoming the only cruise line to introduce the European ‘About Rose’ collection of toiletry products on Azamara Quest and Azamara Journey. The creation of famed-French, master-perfumer Olivier Decoster, ‘About Rose’ offers Azamara guests a new range of specially tailored toiletry products. The signature collection, available now, blends rich product formulations and unique fragrance compositions to offer spa-quality hair, bath, and body products for both men and women.

Aboard Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, guests will find About Rose foaming body wash, body lotion, shampoo and conditioner, plus a vanity set. The elegant collection, inspired by notes of tangerine, iris, and amber, will add to the upscale experience on board. The fragrance is an exotic blend of fruity, floral, and spicy scents and develops further with strong fusion of wood, amber, and iris essences. It sounds heavenly, but we wonder if it will be a tad ‘girly’ for male passengers.

For more information, visit AzamaraClubCruises.com online.

Merry Christmas

Whether you're on land or at sea, Cruise Diva wishes you peace and joy and a very Merry Christmas.

Linda and Mel

Image Aboard Renaissance Cruises R3

Québec City: Queen of the St. Lawrence

Our contributor Pat Woods recently sailed on a Canada/New England Discovery cruise aboard Holland America Line’s ms Maasdam that called on four Canadian ports. Each had interesting attractions with fascinating learning experiences in Canada's rich blend of Native American, French, and English history, and culture. However, Pat relates that Québec City was the undisputed standout port.

Pat says, “It was easy to see why Holland America guests rate Québec City as No. 1 of the 300 ports HAL ships visit each year. Everyone on the Maasdam said the same thing, ‘Beautiful city; wish we could have stayed longer!’”

Find out what makes Québec City the Queen of the St. Lawrence in her port review.

Photo © Pat Woods

What to Expect: General Cruising Information & Debarkation Day

Sadly, all cruises come to an end eventually and it hardly seems fair that you have to leave when it feels like your vacation has just begun—days on a cruise fly by!

What to do... Well, first you have to pack for home. But there are numerous other tasks to take care of before you leave your cruise ship.

Cruise Diva explains the process and other things you'll want to know in General Cruising Information and Wrapping Things up on Debarkation Day

Finally, we hope you've enjoyed our "What to Expect" series this week and we wish you Smooth Sailing and Bon Voyage!

What To Expect: Port Days on A Cruise

Arriving in port

The Captain deftly inches his vessel alongside the pier as line handlers scurry to grab the ropes and secure them. The gangway appears and everyone is anxious to proceed ashore. But first there is a delay until the announcement that the ship has "cleared."

What's that all about? And what is there to do ashore? Should you sign up for a shore excursion or tour on your own?

Cruise Diva answers those and other frequently asked questions in Port Days on A Cruise.