Top 10 Cruise Lines in the World

Travel + Leisure Magazine recently unveiled its ranking for the Top 10 Cruise Lines in the world (large ship category), as rated by its readership. Surveys were conducted by Harris Interactive, an independent research firm, from January 15, 2009 to March 29, 2009. Cruise lines were rated, based on "characteristics" such as cabins, food, service, itineraries/destinations, activities and value. Included in the ranking are each cruise line's ranking in 2008.

Rank	'08	Name	Score
1	1	Crystal Cruises	88.94
2	2	Regent Seven Seas Cruises	86.02
3	4	Oceania Cruises	81.78
4	3	Disney Cruise Line	79.93
5	-	Azamara Cruises	78.95
6	6	Celebrity Cruises	76.70
7	7	Holland America Line	75.92
8	-	Cunard	75.84
9	8	Princess Cruises	74.24
10	9	Royal Caribbean International	73.00

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2009/

Top 10 Reasons Why People Cruise

A lot of people out there are curious about the notion about cruising, but really have no idea exactly what cruising is all about. They have a bevy of unanswered questions: Is it just for older people? Will they be bored on the ship? Can single people go cruising? Is it expensive? In my new Cruising 101 series, I will answer all these questions and more. But first, let me start by introducing the Top 10 Reasons Why People Cruise, which will hopefully help to dispel some of the misconceptions out there, and help people on their way to booking their first cruise.

1. It's a hassle-free vacation. No driving around, looking for hotels, waiting to catch planes, wondering what to eat. You pack and unpack only once, and spend the rest of your time maximizing your vacation time.

2. It takes you away from it all. No smog, pollution, traffic, ringing telephones, early-morning alarm clocks. It's all about water, sea, sky and landscape. The simple things in life that move us.

3. Pampering. Ever-present and gracious service, breakfast in bed, afternoon tea, spa treatment, lounging on deck. All these are commonplace on a cruise.

4. Huge variety of things to do. Snooze by the pool, jog on the deck, yoga in the gym, take a cooking course, watch a movie under the stars, explore an exotic port.

5. Sample a large geographic area. Cruises cover a vast area, and allow you to "sample" numerous places along the way. This is a great way to decide where you would like to return to and spend more time at a later date.

6. Making friends is easy. Opportunities to socialize are seemingly endless.....at dinner, by the pool, on shore excursions. Many of the people you meet will share the same interests as you in travel and other subjects.

7. You can learn so much. On many cruises, expert lecturers give enrichment presentations that help you understand the history and culture of the places you will be visiting. There are specialty courses on board that teach you cooking, wine-tasting, and even how to hit a golf ball!

8. Safety. The ship's environment is highly managed, and passage onto and off the ship is strictly controlled. Vessels have safety device and features that make problems highly unlikely.

9. It's the trendy way to travel. It's the "in" thing as more and more people indicate they would like to try it. In fact, experts say that a "hidden" reason for people to cruise is the bragging rights associated with going on an all-inclusive pampering cruise in far-flung destinations.

10. It's great value for the money. Cruise prices are comparable to land-based vacations, and typically include entertainment, onboard lectures, free courses, and supervised children's programs. Cruises also receive the highest satisfaction rating in the travel industry.

The History of Cruising

Cruising actually began as far back as ancient times when hardy souls would travel to far-flung destinations aboard vessels that were being used primarily for commerce, exploration, migration and even warfare. The most famous cruiser, Herodotus, compiled a list of the most interesting manmade things he saw in his travels, including the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. His purpose in compiling this list was to develop a guide for other pleasure travelers on where to go and what to see. Thus, pleasure travel was born.

Leisure travel disappeared after about 500 AD, and only started to reappear in the 1920s, when ocean liners, built for the transportation of immigrants and goods, began to provide more entertainment and pampering, thus attracting more of the middle class. Being on an ocean liner became a fashionable thing. During the winter, a few smaller steamship lines would even "reposition" their ships to warmer places like the Caribbean giving people the opportunity to book "excursions" that would visit a series of interesting ports. The era of ocean liners ended in the 1960s with the advent of transoceanic air travel, making ocean liners practically obselete overnight. As the decade closed, it became no longer economical or fashionable to travel by boat.

In 1974, to boost a declining market, Cunard Line Limited hired international celebrities to perform aboard the Queen Elizabeth II on its transatlantic travel service between New York and London. They advertised it as a vacation/entertainment experience with Las Vegas style shows. They also introduced the concept of one-class cruising where all passengers aboard could fully access the ship's amenities and facilities. The idea caught on, and people began taking short cruises as vacations.

The industry broke new ground in the 1980s and 1990s, launching large "megaships" capable of carrying over 2000 people. These ships not only carried passengers to beautiful sun-drenched locales, but also offered a full all-inclusive resort-like experience at sea that included amenities such as casinos, sports tracks, spas and nightclubs aboard. Since then, the cruise industry has never looked back.

Social Networking at Sea?

When Carnival Dream debuts on September 21st of this year, it will be the first ship in the industry to feature an onboard intranet portal. Dubbed FunHub, this social networking site allows guests to create a personal profile that helps them meet and interact with others onboard. In addition, guests can send and receive private messages, create groups based on interests, and invite guests to participate in onboard events.

Designed as a convenient resource for wide-ranging information specific to the ship, FunHub includes information on entertainment options, daily events, restaurant menus, plus weather updates for the next port of call and the latest news and sports scores.

FunHub will be available via 36 state-of-the-art stations around the ship. Guests may also access the intranet portal free of charge via any personal laptop or Wi-fi enabled device. The ship also rents 10-inch netbooks that can be used anywhere on the ship.

Narwhals, Polar Bears, and Seals.....A Journey to the Arctic with Cruise North Expeditions

Cruise North Expeditions offers an eight-night "Baffin Adventure" voyage which delivers guests to the most far-flung pockets of the Canadian Arctic, including Baffin Island's arctic tundra, northern Labrador's fjords, and Lancaster Sound's narwhal-inhabited waters. This is Inuit country, and the Inuit offer a welcome mat to the some of the most remote communities where you can visit Inuit villages, trek across tundra and hike among caribou, and take zodiak rides and kayak rides in polar bear and orca-inhabited bays.

Cruise North is Inuit-owned and operated, and its expeditions allow a remarkable touch point to the local culture and this region's striking landscape and wildlife. It is the only cruise line to specialize exclusively in Canadian Arctic cruises, and earned the designation of "Best Adventure Travel Companies 2009" by the editors of National Geographic Adventure Magazine. Cruise North offers a variety of itineraries throughout the summer months.

For more information, visit:
www.cruisenorthexpeditions.com

Celebrate Summer Under the Midnight Sun

Adventure-seekers now can skip to the beat of a different drummer this year as they visit the spectacular north of Canada. With Canada's Arctic Circle Airpass, visitors can visit a copper mining museum and tour the S.S. Klondike Sternwheeler in Whitehorse; relive the days of the Klondike gold rush in Dawson; and marvel at spectacular Alexandra Falls outside Hay River.

With the Canada Arctic Airpass, choose from one of three gateway cities (Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton) and spend up to 45 days in 6 northern destinations, including Whitehorse, Dawson, Inuvik, Norman Wells, Yellowknife and Hay River. The cost? CAD$879 + applicable taxes and fees. Not a bad deal, for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

For more details, check out http://www.canadasarcticcircleairpass.com/

Canyon Ranch Spa at Sea

Cunard's Queen Mary 2 recently extended its five-year relationship with award-winning Canyon Ranch SpaClub, announcing that it had added a host of new treatments and services in the process. New treatments include Voya Seaweed Treatments with seaweed harvested in Ireland for use in body detoxification; and Detoxifying and Revitalizing Rituals, based on the skin care practices of traditional hammam bathhouse products. In addition, the SpaClub offers an array of rejuvenating spa treatments including massages and thereapeutic bodywork, ayurvedic and seaweed treatments, facials, conditioning body scrubs, and the signature Rasul Ceremony, a medicinal mud and steam thereapy derived from ancient Middle Eastern cleansing rituals.

Besides spa treatments, Canyon Ranch also offers daily fitness, yoga and tai chi classes; and healthy lifestyle experts are onboard to discuss wellness topics ranging from stress management to lifestyle change and healthy aging. Canyon Ranch was Conde Naste Traveler's "Top Spa" in 2007.

Celebrity's Autumn Wine Cruises

For those who enjoy the finer things in life, Celebrity is offering two Pacific Coastal wine cruises this September that will allow guests to take in scenic landscapes and explore the fertile wine-growing regions of Canada, Oregon, Washington, and California. This cruise experience will include wine-centric shore excursions, wine enrichment seminars with notable guest speakers, and themed wine events, such as "Grand Cru" wine dinners, "Walk Around the World Wine Tasting", and a "View of the Vineyards." Shore excursions include wine tastings at Stonestreet Winery, Alexander Mountain, and Jackson Highland Estates.

Celebrity is offering two wine cruises this fall, both departing from Vancouver. Choose from an 11-night aboard Celebrity Mercury departing October 12th, or a 12-night aboard Celebrity Millennium departing September 28th.

Taylor's Tunes Rock the Boat

Legendary singer/songwriter James Taylor recently performed two standing-room-only shows aboard the Queen Mary 2. Taylor had them dancing on this June 19th transatlantic crossing from New York to Southampton, England. During the cruise, guests got a more intimate look at the life of an American icon during the Q&A session and a two-hour autograph session afterward. Taylor will kick off a 10-week 22-concert tour visiting nine European countries.

Spotlight on Ho Chi Minh City

There's something special about visiting an Asian city on the river, steeped in history and lore. Ho Chi Minh City has earned the nickname, "Paris of Asia" for its colonial architecture and elegant boulevards. However, the former Saigon's charms also come in ancient pagodas, bustling Asian markets, and thrilling pedicab rides through narrow streets. Visit this magical city aboard Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas, or on one of Oceania Cruise's Asian itineraries.

St. Petersburg.....this Imperial City is a Gem

St. Petersburg was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great. For many, a visit to this beautiful city of the north is the highlight of the Baltic itineraries as its splendid attractions captivate. Among the must-sees include the magnificent State Hermitage Museum, the grand Catherine's Palace in Pushkin, and the gloriously restored Peterhof Palace and gardens originally inspired by Versailles. At night, enjoy a concert or ballet in this major European cultural center.

The majority of Baltic cruise itineraries make stops in St. Petersburg, many typically spending a night or two in port to allow plenty of time to enjoy the many splendid attractions. The other plus is that no Russian visa is required - as long as you're booked on the ship's shore excursions, you won't need an individual visa to hit the highpoints of the city.

Spotlight on Komodo

One of the most exotic islands in Indonesia's 17,000-island archipelago, Komodo is home to the native dragon of the same name. Shore excursions with Oceania Cruises will bring you face-to-face with these fascinating creatures, the largest living species of lizards in the world. Komodo, also known for its pristine reefs, is also home to some of the best diving and snorkeling. Besides Oceania Cruises, Silversea also visits Komono on select sailings in 2009 and 2010.