I did my very first cruise with my family when I was 15 years old and something immediately made me love it. I love the idea of falling asleep in one place and wakeup in another the next morning and I love discovering multiple places and countries and just unpacking once. That being said, I was and still am a huge ship geek as well and sailing on these giant ships has always been an experience for me. So when I got the chance to sail on MSCs newest and largest ship, the MSC Grandiosa, I simply couldn’t say no.
Main Pool area onboard MSC Grandiosa
The Grandiosa holds true to its name: it is massive! One of the newest shis in the MSC family can accommodate up to 6334 passengers on 19 decks, with 11 restaurants and 20 bars and dozens of activities. I just couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw how huge she is for the first time!
We all know that cruise ships have had a bad rap over the last few years due to their environmental impact. Well, the good news is that MSC Grandiosa has some amazing environmental features. For example, the ship is equipped with a selective catalytic reduction system that helps to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 90%, along with a closed-loop exhaust gas cleaning system that reduces ship sulfur emissions by 97%. All lights onboard are LED and there’s also a pretty amazing water filter system that doesn’t dump grey water in the sea. Furthermore, the ship also plugs into the port electric system to delivers electricity and reduce emissions when docked. I am so glad that a big cruise company such as MSC is moving forward with better environmental features!
So now, let’s talk about 7 reasons you should book a cruise on the Grandiosa.
Activities
You would think that you would find time to explore the whole ship and experience everything it has to offer on a week-long cruise, but you would be wrond. MSC Grandiosa offers so many different activities onboard for those who love adventure, cusine, relaxing… there’s something for everybody. The Grandiosa has its own casino, bowling alley but also an impressive game arcade with VR games and F1 simulators! If you prefer to read a book in a cozy atmosphere, there are plenty of bars and lounges to spend time and, after dinner, there are shows in the 2 theatres, including one by Cirque du Soleil. There is also a spa onboard if you’d like to take relaxing to another level!
Pressing pause
If you like to relax as much as you like to explore during your vacation, you’ll be happy to learn that there are plenty of things to press pause during your cruise! The ship has multiple swimming pools and jacuzzis, both indoors and outdoors, which means that you’ll always be able to relax, no matter the weather! But that’s not all, there’s also a spa on board with plenty of treatments to help you relax a bit more. There’s even a barbershop as well! But to be honest with you, my favorite way to relax was to stare out at the sea on my private balcony. I could hear the waves and enjoy the view without any noise around!
Cabins
Well, let’s start with what I liked the most: our cabin! On previous cruises I did, I almost always had the cheapest guarantee inside cabin which I love don’t get me wrong. They allow me to cruise on budget and in turn cruise more often, buuuuut… that doesn’t mean I would say no to a balbony cabin! When we entered our cabin aboard the Grandiosa, I was immediately blown away by how much light and space we had. Our room was on deck 12, which means that we were high above the sea and that we had a panoramic view of each city we visited, definitely a perk that inside cabins do not have! Our cabin also had a very comfy couch that can turn into a bed if you’re traveling with kids. What struck me the most is that even if space is limited (the max size is 22 square meters), everything has been cleverly designed to maximize space. There’s a good size closet, with plenty of hanging space, but also a very long desk with shelves and drawers to organize everything. Each cabin is also equipped with Zoe, a voice-controlled personal assistant that can answer most of your questions regarding the ship, like restaurant hours or showtimes.
If you prefer a larger or smaller cabin, the options are pretty endless! We visited a suite that had its own jacuzzi but also a duplex suite, with breathtaking views on the sea. If you’re more on a budget, they also have interior cabins & studios that are more affordable.
Luxurious design!
From the glamorous, blinged out Swarovski staircase to the artfully themed Galleria Grandiosa, you will be surrounded by elegance in all design elements on this ship. Perhaps the most stunning example is the almost 90 meters long LED dome that projects a digital sky over the 2-story promenade. Whether you are shopping, dining at one of the specialty restaurants, sipping a cocktail in one of the bars, or socializing and enjoying in some live entertainment, you are sure to love Galleria Grandiosa and the rest of the luxurious touches throughout the ship.
Galleria Grandiosa was probably my favorite area of the ship. There was always something happening in the Galleria and no matter how many times I walked along the promenade I was always in shock that this is actually… on a ship!
Galleria Grandiosa
Powered by technology
Besides the technology behind the innovative stage productions and LED dome, MSC Grandiosa features the MSC for Me smartphone app. MSC for Me is MSC Cruises’ multi-channel digital program that enables guests to interact with the ship and crew members anytime, in any place, to better serve their needs, save them time and really make the most of their vacation. Key features include a handy app for smartphones, an interactive TV in the stateroom and interactive digital screens around the ship, meaning guests can access information, book services – like specialty restaurants and on board performances – navigate around the ship, and more.
One tech feature which everyone will notice onboard MSC Grandiosa is Zoe, the first virtual cruise assistant, ZOE can speak seven languages, answer hundreds of questions about the cruise and provide information about on-board services, guidance and suggestions or help to book a service.
Dining
Along with the traditional main dining room and buffet, MSC Grandiosa has several specialty venues for cruisers to indulge in various cuisines. Continuing the Mediterranean-influence, MSC Grandiosa is home to Hola Tapas Bar by Michelin-starred chef Ramon Freixa. Cruisers will also find the American-style steakhouse, Butcher’s Cut, serving up prime cuts. Kaito Teppanyaki and Sushi Bar serves up Asian favorites in a lively atmosphere. One new specialty restaurant also made a debut on MSC Grandiosa, L’Atelier Bistrot, a french restaurant whose design was inspired by neo-classical French architecture. An authentic experience all troughout, from cuisine to interior design! Further, those with a sweet tooth will love Jean Philippe’s Crepes, Ice Cream, and Chocolate.
The main dining room and buffet offer a good variety of quality dishes but I would definitely recommend dining in at least one speciality restaurant. They all offer themed dishes and an authentic, unique experiences! Oh, and definitely treat yourself with some Jean Philippe’s Crepes located in the Galleria, they were delicious…!
Entertainment
In addition to nightly live music and six different productions shows in the main theater, MSC Grandiosa also hosts two one of a kind Cirque du Soleil shows. The Carousel Lounge is a circular venue that is custom built to accommodate these theatrical performances. Guests can enjoy a dinner and a show experience. Each of these shows has a unique concept, ambiance, storyline, and costumes. These shows, not found anywhere else in the world, are part of a longstanding partnership with the entertainment leader for a total of eight original shows on MSC Cruises’ Meraviglia class ships. You can also participate in various dance lessons, quizzes and other types of entertainment onboard!
In conclusion, I would highly recommend booking a cruise on Grandiosa or on any of her sister ships (Meraviglia, Bellissima, Virtuosa) These ships have everything you can think of and more. There is always something to do it just depends on what you like! Grandsioa also has an amazing itinerary in the Mediterranean so… what are you waiting for!
I also sailed on Grandiosa’s older sister ship MSC Bellissima, so if you’d like to read more about that experience CLICK HERE and if you have any questions about MSC or Grandiosa or anything really, feel free to send me a message on Instagram, Twitter or just e-mail me!
Ocean cruisers are trying their first river cruises these days, (one of them being yours truly) and with a good reason. River cruising is the fastest-growing sector of the cruise industry, with more than 10 new ships on order for this year alone. Even though river cruises have been operating for decades, they have come a long way in the past decade. Modern ships with expanded amenities offer intriguing itineraries to places oceangoing vessels just can’t reach, which is tempting fans of seagoing vessels to jump ship.
I’ve been cruising on ocean ships for years now, I’ve cruised on small ships, mega ships and everything in between, but not so long ago I got the opportunity to finally try something new and different… my first river cruise! I honestly didn’t know what to expect because lots of people told me that it’s so different from cruising on big ocean ships… and after two amazing river cruises I have to say that they were right.
So what’s the difference between a river cruise vs. an ocean cruise? Well to say it briefly, it so different that you cannot put it in the same boat! In some ways, river cruising is more similar to a land tour than today’s ocean cruising experience and experienced tour companies run many river lines as well. You’ll find there are better benefits to river cruises than land tours, though, such as only having to pack and unpack once. Mega-ship staples like pools, multiple lounges, specialty restaurants, spas and endless activities are available on some river ships, although on a very, very much smaller scale. And you won’t find any sea days, although there are periods of scenic cruising. Best of all, most river cruises include many inclusions in their fares — making it easier to budget but also making it feel so much more luxurious with that all inclusive atmosphere.
To keep the culture shock at bay and to give you a sense of why you should be thinking about giving a river cruising a try, here’s a list of what you should know before your first river cruise.
1. River ships are smaller.
Ocean ships often carry thousands of passengers, while river ships carry about 150 passengers on average, with some exclusive hotel barges catering for just eight. On the plus side, you won’t be elbowing strangers at the buffet or the gangway, and the atmosphere is quite social so you quickly get to make new friends. As a minus, you can’t blend in with the crowd. The small size of the ship means there is likely just one lounge (maybe two), one main restaurant with a couple of smaller dining venues, and a teeny-tiny spa, gym or computer center, if there is one at all.
2. River cabins are smaller on average.
River ship staterooms are often smaller than they are on ocean ship , but they’re definitely not less luxurious. River ships don’t feature inside cabins and all accommodations face the water. Newer river ships are getting very creative, adding balconies and cleverly designing cabins to make the most of the space onboard. Many have panoramic windows that slide down at the touch of a button to create the feeling of a balcony, even though you can’t actually step outside. They’re even adding suites, with some ships even consisting of mostly suites! Like the last river ship I’ve been on, VIVA TREASURES which had around 50 suites onboard. The cabin which I stayed in was the biggest one I’ve ever had, both on river and ocean ships so if you’re ready to splurge a bit, there are options! I even had a walk in closet, never had that on an ocean ship!
3. Tastier food but fewer restaurants.
If you’ve been spoiled by mega-ships where you can eat dinner in a different restaurant every night during a weeklong cruise, you’ll need an attitude adjustment to embrace river ship dining. Most ships have one main restaurant, and breakfast is often buffet-only (or buffet mainly, with a few items to be ordered a la carte) with a served lunch and evening meal. An increasing number of river ships have intimate secondary venues — some vessels up to four — offering alternative menus and private dining. A handful of lines now provide room service, previously a rarity. To make up for having only one big dining room, ships get creative, spreading casual breakfast and lunch offerings on the bar in the lounge or setting up BBQs out on deck. Plus, the small passenger count and daily port calls mean the venues are better able to bring in fresh ingredients like fish and produce or offer regional specialties at mealtime which you can truly notice. I’ve noticed that on both of my river cruises the food was tastier, fresher and you could truly notice that the quality was on a much higher level than on most ocean ships.
I cannot speak for all river cruise lines, but VIVA cruises, a cruise line I’ve sailed with twice so far and a couple of other river lines that I’ve heard of are great for people with diatery restriction. Especially for people with a lot of food alergies or people who need to follow a strict gluten free diet, because the chefs are truly masters at costumizing each dish to suit everyone’s dietary requirements. On most lines, they have a smaller menu and some pre-prepared dishes for people with dietary restrictions but the food on river ships has always been freshly made and truly exquisite for everyone!
4. Entertainment is low-key.
You’ll find no big production shows on the river … or guest comedians … or acrobatics shows. You will find a lone resident pianist or small ensemble on most ships, plus dancers, singers or other local entertainers brought onboard for a quick evening show. During the day you can expect educational seminars and maybe wine tasting or quiz. With river cruising the passing scenery and destinations visited are the main star of the show, and after a busy day most passengers head for bed rather than stay up into the early hours which younger cruisers might miss.
5. Itineraries can be port-intensive.
Unlike ocean cruises that have leisurely sea days, river cruises are port intensive, and you’ll visit a new destination each day,, sometimes two in one day and up to four countries in a week. The ports, not the ships, are the key attractions, and you will certainly pack a lot of sightseeing into a week or two. This kind of travel can be exhilarating but also exhausting. Bring comfortable shoes, and don’t be embarrassed to take a day off if you’re getting overwhelmed. The tours might be included, but there’s no obligation to go on all of them. Just on the last week long river cruise we got to visit 9 cities.. yes 9 cities in 7 days, not only do you need comfortable shoes, but also some free space in your luggage for all of those souvenires you’re gonna be buying!
6. Different shore experience
The hallmark of the river cruise shore excursion is the walking tour, the kind where you follow a guide with a lollipop sign or umbrella as she mentions all the details of a quaint city’s history and culture, followed by limited free time for shopping or a quick drink in a local cafe. Although you can’t expect a whole booklet of different shore excursions like you’d find on the open ocean, things are changing rapidly. In addition to the traditional walking and bus tours to castles and other places of interest, river cruise lines have introduced options for active travelers, such as guided bicycle rides, hikes, golf, kayaking and even running tours, along with activities including cooking and art classes, music recitals and trips to the ballet or opera.
Some river cruise operators do include shore tours in your cruise fare and some do not. The ones which do not do offer them of course as every other cruise line at a surcharge. Those are of course optional and in my case, unecessary since the ship always docks in the city center, and with all the info that one might need in our phones, I found that the best way to make the most of your stay in each city is to explore on your own and at your own pace! That freedom of self guided exploration is what I love about cruising!
7. No “sea” days
With the exception of particularly scenic stretches of river , such as Germany’s castled Rhine region and Austria’s UNESCO-listed Wachau Valley, full sailing days are a rarity. Generally you’re only on the move for a couple of hours a day. The majority of sailing is done during the late night or very early hours, and you’ll miss most of it. The exception is Portugal’s River Douro, where nighttime navigation is not permitted and ships only sail during daylight hours.
8. A bit more pricey but more is included in your fare.
If you’ve had enough of being nickeled and dimed on cruise ships, you’ll find river cruise fares refreshing … though quite a bit more expensive. Fares will typically include wine, beer and soft drinks with meals, dinner in specialty restaurants, 24-hour tea and coffee, and Wi-Fi. Some lines offer all-inclusive fares covering all drinks, tips, transfers and even a hotel night before your cruise. With fewer onboard attractions to spend money on, you won’t be able to spend a fortune onboard!
9. You’ll dock right in the city center.
Remember those industrial ports full of tankers and long walks on concrete piers that were a big part of your last ocean cruise? In general, you won’t find them on rivers. Instead, your river ship will dock right in town, often a short walk or quick bus ride into the heart of the city. The only downside is that sometimes the berths are all occupied, and your ship will tie up to another ship, and you’ll have to walk through the other vessel’s lobby or sun deck to get ashore (this also affects your view; it can be shocking to open your window and see into another ship). It’s although worth noting that this is one of the aspects that makes river cruising challenging for wheelchair users and travelers with mobility issues.
10. Distances between ports are shorter.
A river ship might need 12 hours to sail a journey that would take you two hours by bus. While this means your entire trip won’t cover as much ground as an ocean cruise, it does mean the cruise staff have a fallback plan if things go wrong. High water levels during very rainy seasons means ships cannot sail beneath bridges, while very low water levels in dry periods means they can’t sail at all. If this happens they’ll put you on a bus to your next port — and keep the itinerary going as planned. Larger lines also have contingency plans to switch passengers to a sister vessel further down the river to keep things running as smoothly as possible.
In conclusion, river cruising is truly so different from ocean cruising, it’s different in so many ways. I honestly didn’t know what to expect and I definitely didn’t expect to love it this much. It is so much more relaxing and slow paced for me in a way. Yes, the itineraries can be a bit more port intensive, but there is no rushing around the huge ship, from show to dinner, from water slides to bumper cars… we all know very well that mad rush to try and do everything a mega ship can offer in one week-long cruise while still trying to explore a new city each day. So for me this was definitely a more relaxing way to explore some parts of the world I could never visit on bigger ships!
Some of you might be put off by the size of the ship thinking you would get bored or just by thinking you wouldn’t fit in with the usual river cruise clientele. But trust me, river cruising is no longer just for older wealthy people, if this 22 year old loved it, I bet some of you would love it too! Most cruise fans who try river cruising just then see what they’ve been missing and the best way to find out is to go on one so… happy river cruising… I know I’m already looking for my next one!
And if you’d like to read more about my most recent river cruise/New Years trip experience from a different perspective…. click HERE!
Hello everyone! I can finally say that I’m back from another amazing cruise adventure! Hard to believe I know, especially with everything going on around the world right now and in the cruising industry, but I can happily say that I’m back from one of the most relaxing cruises I’ve ever been on, one that I will remember for quite some time! This cruise was a bit different from my usual cruises, it was on a small cruise ship, owned by a Croatian cruise line, Katarina Line, and we cruised around the beautiful Croatian islands. Perfect for my first post-COVID cruise. This was a one way 7-night cruise from Dubrovnik to Split visiting many islands on the way. I didn’t know what to expect from small ship cruising in the Adriatic, but now I can finally show and share with you all what’s it like!
About the ship!
Avangard anchored during one of our swim stops
I cruised onboard the MV Avangard, one of the biggest and most luxurious ships in Katarina Line’s fleet! Avangard belongs to a Deluxe Superior class of ships. Deluxe Superior vessels are the best in the Katarina Line fleet, offering superior comfort and special services. (Katarina Line also has more affordable and slightly less premium ship categories like Deluxe, Premium Superior, Traditional…something to suit everyone) Avangard is just around 50 meters long and 8 meters wide. At full occupancy it can accommodate 36 passengers in its 18 luxurious cabins. It honestly, looks and feels like a fancy yacht. This is for sure the smallest ship I ever cruised on and to be honestb I expected it to feel cramped and not spacious at all but I was certainly proven otherwise, it felt so spacious, light and open, completely the opposite of what I was expecting. What made it feel extra spacious was the fact that there were only 18 passengers on my sailing, doesn’t get more exclusive than that!
The ship has 4 decks so everyone can really spread out. There is one big open lounge/restaurant area which serves as the ships main social hub really. You could always find someone there chatting or having a drink before lunch or dinner. This lounge is also used as the main restaurant where breakfast, lunch and dinner is served and it can accommodate all 36 passengers at one sitting!
Just behind the lounge, there is this beautiful covered, outside seating area offering sweeping panoramic views of the surrounding. This seating area probably has the longest couch, I’ve ever seen! Apparently 19 people can sit on that couch, but I feel like all 36 passengers could comfortably sit on it together! This was probably my favorite area to visit during the day. it also has these see trough sun shades so you’re never directly in the sunshine but you can hear the sea and feel that ocean breeze. And also you’re near the lounge so you can order whatever you want from the bar and just enjoy the cruise life.
There is also a spacious sun deck with a whirlpool on the top deck with plenty of deck chairs so you never have to wake up extra early to secure your spot on the sun deck, like you have to do on some bigger ships.
One of the best features of this ship is located at its aft. Avangard has this water level, swim-up platform that we used everyday when we would anchor in a random bay on the way to our next destination just to have a swim! You can easily get in the water, there are also showers there so you can wash the salt off when you get out! Basically back of the ship becomes a beach, these swim stops were probably my favorite thing about this cruise, there’s nothing like swimming around with no one around just the passengers from your ship! Oh, and views of the ship are spectacular! 😉
Cruising on smaller ships, like this one, is really special because you’re always so close to the sea. I know that on some bigger ships I wouldn’t even feel like I’m actually on the ship, but on the Avangard I could always feel that connection to the ocean, I just loved standing on the ‘promenade deck’ that was literally on the water and just looking out to sea. Best therapy ever!
A lot of people also asked me “Do you feel the ship move?” Well it certainly moved more than bigger ships I’ve been on, but there was never a lot of movement because you’re usually sailing around islands where the sea is not really rough and you are never out at sea for more than a few hours because destinations on the itineraries are really close to eachother.
Accommodation
One thing that’s really different about this cruise line/ship is that there are no cabin categories or certain experience packages or however different cruise lines call them. Every cabin onboard is the same category but their layout and location might vary. On this cruise I had Cabin number 3 (I never had a single digit cabin on a cruise before!) Which is located on the lower deck forward.
I was surprised by this cabin. I expected something much more… modest from a cabin on a smaller ship, but this cabin was actually the same size if not even slightly bigger than a cabin on my last cruise which was on the 5th largest ship in the world. The cabin had everything you might expect from a cruise ship cabin, it was nicely furnished and decorated. Since this is just a three year old ship everything felt pretty new and was in working order. Storage space was decent, large closet with drawers, hanging space and lots of shelves. There is also a large desk, night tables and lots of storage space for your toiletries in the bathroom as well.
One thing that shows you how fancy this ship is the fact that all towels and pillowcases have the ship’s name embroidered onto them. Fancy!
Since I was on the lower deck I had portholes closer to the ceiling. It was nice to have natural light in the cabinbbut it pretty much felt like an inside cabin on larger ships. I could see the water from my cabin which was certainly a plus and I also had a window in my bathroom which I never had on a cruise before, just make sure to close the blinds when in port! Cabins on the upper deck do have normal large windows which can be opened. No balcony cabins on this ship but the rest of the ship is pretty much your balcony.
Two things that I loved about the cabin was that there were seven, yes, 7 power sockets in the cabin so I could charge all of my devices at the same time and the other really important thing, the shower didn’t have a shower curtain but a real glass door! That’s all I need… power sockets and no shower curtain! Here are some pictures of the cabin!
Onboard experience!
So what’s the onboard experience like on a smaller cruise ship? Well first of all, the ship itself is not the destination, I’m used to talking about rock climbing walls and bumper card but this cruise is the complete opposite and there’s just something so relaxing about that.
The itineraries are organised and planned in a way that you spend every night in a different port and with each port being just a couple of hours away that is easily doable! On most days you leave the port around 8AM, sail for a couple of hours until you reach a bay on the way (oh look that rhymes!) to anchor in for a swim stop. Stay there until lunch time and then by the time the lunch is over you’ve reached the next destination.
This is great beacuse every morning is a relaxing morning, there is no rushing to the buffet early in the morning to catch your early excursion, none of that. Each morning you have enough time to eat your breakfast, relax on the sundeck, have a swim in a remote bay that can only be reached by ship, have lunch and by then you’re ready to explore the port! Spending nights in ports also has its perks. You get to experience the evening atmosphere of these coastal towns, you can even enjoy the local night life or watch the sunset from a local beach. I found this to be one of the best perks of small ship cruising, these coastal towns really do come alive in the evenings!
In most ports there is an organised walking tour of the town you’re visiting which is included in your cruise fare. You can of course go on your own and explore the port by yourself. These included walking tours were really great for me because usually on cruises I go off to explore the city on my own, mostly because I want to save money and also because it’s much more flexible but that means that I usually miss out on some fun facts that only local guides know, really interesting!
In conclusion this cruise is really geared towards relaxation and destination immersion. I love the mix of relaxing mornings and afternons that can be whatever you make of them, active or equally relaxing as the mornings.
Onboard the ship there is a cruise manager that also organises some events during the cruise, such as wine tastings, social meet ups… things like that. There is a nice collection of board games on the ship, and to me that’s a perfect way to spend a relaxing evening and to meet new poeple. If you like night life, good thing the ship spends the night in every port so you have the perfect opportunity to see how the Croats party!
Dining!
As they say, the most important thing about cruises is the food and the most important person on the cruise is the chef! Jokes aside, we all love eating on a cruise and believe me, you won’t be left hungry on this ship! Everything you eat onboard is bought locally, made and prepared onboard the ship. That’s why everything onboard is fresh and delicious!
All meals are included in your cruise fare and those are breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your choice is limited to only one restaurantb but what can you expect from a smaller ship haha! For breakfast you’re offered a buffet selection of cold cuts, cheeses, pastries, eggs, ham, pancakes… pretty much an average cruise buffet. I love brekfasts on cruises, I usually don’t eat breakfast at home so I always overeat on cruises… pastries are definitely my weakness! Though this was not a self service buffet because of the obvious situation so everything was plated and served to you by the staff.
Both lunch and dinner have a set time and a set menu. The lunch is usually around 1PM and dinner around 7PM. I didn’t know what to expect from lunches and dinners onboard. On cruises you usually have a variety of dishes to choose from so you can always find something you like, with a set menu that can be a bit tricky, but I have to say, I really enjoyed the food onboard, pretty much everything was delicious and there were only a couple of dishes that I didn’t really like, but I am a picky eater who’s not a big fan of sea food so… All in all I was pretty much stuffed after every meal! All meals consist of 3 courses except the Captain’s dinner (formal night) which is 4 courses!
Everything was pretty delicious and looked amazing, but my favorites were desserts! From simple cheesecakes and homemade ice creams to some cakes I don’t even remember the names of, every dessert was so tasty!
Don’t worry if you have any dietary restrictions or any food allergies, they are really flexible when it comes to that! Just make sure to notify your cruise manager on the first day if he doesn’t approach you first! They did ask everyone about their dietary restrictions and allergies on the first day during check in!
Here are just a couple of pictures of the meals onboard, all made by our amazing Chef Ivo!
Itinerary
The itinerary is what made this cruise really special as well. I was on a 7-night “One Way Wonders” itinerary that started in the popular city of Dubrovnik and ended in the busy port city of Split! In these 8 days we visited 8 beatiful destinations on the south coastal Croatia and some of those destinations are truly hidden gems on the Adriatic. Since the Avangard is a smaller ship, it can dock in towns that bigger ships never visit, and in these smaller towns is really where you can experience the local culture as it is, not changed by the mass tourism.
Another perk of small ship cruising is that the ship docks right in the city center. In most cities and towns we were docked right on the waterfront, you can’t beat that! You can just walk off the ship and be right where everything is in a couple of minutes!
We boarded the ship in Dubrovnik, a city I’m sure you all know something about, if not from history books or travel brochures then from huge blockbusters and popular TV shows like the Game of Thrones. There is something in this city for everyone, cultural sites for history lovers, night clubs for party lovers, mountains and endless beaches for nature lovers… no wonder it’s so popular.
Next stop for us was the port of Slano and the town of Ston. Ston is small town located around 30 minutes away by bus from where the ship docks. It is famous for its walls which are still one of the longest fortification systems in the world that is still standing, it is commonly called the “European wall of China”! The walls are in a great condition to this day so you can walk almost the whole length. Truly amazing!
If you’re a nature lover, you would’ve loved our third stop, the National park Mljet. The National park Mljet is one of 8 national parks in Croatia and it is situated on the island of Mljet, one of the largest islands in south Dalmatia. To say that it’s beautiful would be an understatement! The scenery is just stunning, it looks like a nature reserve untouched by modern tourist development! On the island there are two connected salt water lakes and on the “Big Lake” you will find the St. Mary’s island where a Benedictine Monastery was built in the 12th century! So you could say that I was on an island that’s on an island!
Our next stop was probably my favorite on this cruise, Korčula! It is believed that the famous explorer Marco Polo was born right here in the town of Korčula! The town is rich with history and it’s definitely one of my favorite towns on the Croatian coast, would definitely recommend visiting it! I would describe it as a smaller, less crowded Dubrovnik! The old town itself is so picturesque!
We also visited the island of Vis! Vis is a really historic city, it is THE oldest city in Croatia! It was established by the ancient Greeks 397 B.C. under the name of Issa. Since then the island was under the rule of many empires and kingdoms. Romans, Greeks, French, Austrians and even the British once called Vis their territory, but since the 1990s the island of Vis is officially a part of Croatia! Because of how remote the island is and because of its military role in the former Yugoslavia, today it’s really a perfect picture of how Mediterranean once looked, without any new high rises, huge resorts or rows of apartment developments! A beautiful town if you’d like to escape the hustle and bustle of bigger coastal cities!
One of our last stops was the town of Hvar! Hvar is the longest island in Croatia and probably one of the most popular ones! The island of Hvar is the sunniest island in Europe and is on the “15 most sunniest places” in the world list. So if its sunshine you’re after you should definitely visit Hvar! The town of Hvar is best known for its many beaches, historic buildings and its lively night life! It is one of the locations of the popular “Ultra Europe” music festival: You won’t get bored in this town after sunset!
And our final stop before reaching the city of Split was Bol on the island of Brač, the highest island in Croatia! Bol is a small town with only 1.600 residents, made famous because of the beautiful Golden Horn beach! It used to be a fishing village and influences of that can still be seen today!
We ended our journey in the city of Split, 2nd largest city in Croatia. It is the busiest passenger port on the Adriatic. One of its most popular selling points is the Diocletian’s Palace, you can spend hours walking around the narrow allyways of the old town, honeslty, my favorite big city on the Adriatic!
Katarina Line is a premier small ship cruise company with weekly guaranteed departures from the end of April to mid-October from the major tourist centers in Croatia, such as Opatija, Split and Dubrovnik. With a fleet of more than 60 ships in six different categories, the cruise line caters to all ages and budgets. Katarina Line itineraries give travellers the chance to explore the stunning natural environment and picturesque, quaint Mediterranean towns while hopping from one island to another. This unique way of travelling and exploring coastal towns is one of the most popular and easiest way to experience the true Croatia.
Katarina line, founded in 1992, evolved into one of Croatia’s leading cruise & travel operators. I always wanted to give Katarina Line a try since I saw their ships in Croatian ports so many times!
Is Katarina Line for me?
Katarina Line is perfect for people who would like to see and explore more of Croatia, it really perfectly combines the independent style of travel with the benefits of a cruise ship. Depending on which category ship you book, the cruise experience can really rival the one of those on large cruise ships. It is also a Croatian cruise line with Croatian crews onboard so you’re sure that they know what they’re talking about and that they will show you the best of what Croatia has to offer!
Most of Katarina Line’s passangers come from continental Europe (countries such as Germany, Switzerland… ) United States, United Kingdom, Australia…. it’s a really international bunch onboard. Average age of passengers onboard depends on which category ship you’re on. I was on their most luxuruious category, Deluxe Superior, and I would say that the average age was around 50-60. Other, less inclusive, more budget friendly categories tend to have a slightly younger crowd.
Katarina Line also organises charter cruises, group cruises, theme cruises, LGBTQ cruises, so there’s really something for everyone!
Cruising during the pandemic
I cannot ignore the elephant in the room, this cruise was also slightly different because of the current COVID situation we’re living in. I was cruising in Croatia, my own country so I didn’t have to worry about borders, international requierments and things like that. Katarina Line did introduce new measures to insure the health and safety of their passengers. You can read more about their new protocols HERE!
But in short, they introduced new cleaning and hygiene protocols, social distancing is strongly encouraged, capacity in the dining room is limited to ensure that. It has been really easy to maintain social distancing with just 18 people on-board. Hand Sanitizers were everywhere and everything was being constantly cleaned. So nothing that really impacted my overall cruise experience, but the changes are noticeable.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, I loved my Katarina Line cruise. I came into this not knowning what to expect from small ship cruising as this was my first cruise on a small ship and I have to say that I was blown away. I loved the more relaxed, slower pace of the cruise, it is really different from big ship cruising, but in a good way. I really wouldn’t think twice abuout cruising on the Avangard or with Katarina Line again, they offer a great product at reasonable prices, and now that I’ve seen what’s like, I can confirm that this really is the best way to see Croatia.
What also makes or breaks a cruise is the ship’s crew! And the crew of the Avangard definitely made this cruise special. I want to thank all of them for taking good care of us. There were 18 guests on this cruise and 8 amazing crew members and believe it or not, I know everyones names! Thank you to our amazing Captain Damir, our cruise manager Zvonko who probably knows 50 languages, to waiters Antonio and Tomy that made every meal special, seaman Duje and Matij who took great care of the Avangard, to Milena who made sure that the ship is spotless and of course to the most important person on every ship, chef, Ivo! Every single meal was delicious, I already miss those delicious desserts!
If you have any questions about this ship or Katarina Line feel free to ask!
All in all, I’d like to thank Katarina Line for an amazing cruise experience and all of your for your likes, comments and constant support here and on Instagram. I am so grateful that I get to share my cruise passion and adventures with all of you! This was my first post-covid cruise and I was so excited that I could bring you something new and different. A lot of people are turning to small ship cruising lately so I’m really happy that I could show you what’s it like to explore Croatia on a smaller ship. Thank you again!
MSC Grandiosa (left) and MSC Magnifica (right). First two MSC ships to restart operations in the Med.
It finally happened… after 5 months of waiting and preparing, MSC Grandiosa departed Genoa on Sunday night (16. August) followed by cheers from those on board as well as those watching from shore. Quite an emotional moment as you can see in a couple of videos I added to this post!
MSC Grandiosa became the first major ocean cruise ship to set sail on a Mediterranean cruise in almost five months since the global suspension of sailings due to coronavirus (Covid-19) was announced. This comes following the announcement from the Italian government last week that it has granted permission for cruise lines to resume sailings in the region from 15 August.
MSC Grandiosa departing the Port of Genoa horns blaring
The ship departed from the Italian port of Genoa yesterday (Sunday 16 August) on a seven-night voyage and will call at the Italian ports of Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples, Palermo and Malta’s Valetta.
Normally, the cruise ship carries up to as many as 6,300 passengers, but due to new Covid-19 protocols, is operating at a reduced capacity of 70 per cent. Around 1.500 passengers embarked in Genoa while another one thousand will embark in other Italian ports. 10 percent of staterooms were also set aside for isloation if it comes to that.
Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises’ CEO commented: “It is a real pleasure for me to be here and sail on board the first of our ships to return to service and to be able to welcome back our guests. Our main goal during these last months has been to put in place the right measures that will protect the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit. But at the same time, we have worked to ensure that we are able to provide our guests with a cruise holiday that they can enjoy and still experience all of the elements that they know and love from entertainment and activities on board through to protected ashore visits.”
MSC becomes the third big-ship line to restart operations, following TUI Cruises/Mein Schiff (which restarted operations from Germany last month and Dream cruises which are currently sailing in Taiwan with their smallest ship, Explorer Dream!
MSC Grandiosa seen arriving in Civitavecchia this morning (17.8.), her first stop on her fist post-COVID cruise.
A second MSC ship, the MSC Magnifica, will debut into operation later this month sailing cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean from Bari and Trieste in Italy.
This restart wouldn’t be possible without some strict and comprehensive health and safety measures which will protect both passengers and crew. Health screening of guests prior to embarkation comprises of three comprehensive steps: temp. check, a health questionnaire and a COVID-19 swab test. Depending on the screening results and according to the guest’s medical or travel history, a secondary health screening or testing will take place. Any guest who tests positive, displays symptoms or a temperature will be denied boarding.
The ship will also see elevated sanitation and cleaning measures supported by the introduction of new cleaning methods, the use of hospital-grade disinfectant products and the sanitation of the air on board with UV-C light technology that kills 99.97% of microbes.
Ongoing health monitoring will also be conducted throughout the cruise. Guests and crew will have their temperature checked daily either when they return from ashore or at dedicated stations around the ship to monitor the health status of every guest and crew member.
Technology has also been put to use on MSC Grandiosa. All guests received a MSC for Me wristband, which provides them with contactless options while on board such as opening the cabin or making payments. MSC Cruises said it will also help to facilitate proximity and contact tracing, if needed.
Departure of MSC Grandiosa
And one final step to ensure the health and safety of everyone onboard is, both gesuts and crew will only go ashore as a part of an organized MSC excurstion. Now I am not yet familiar if they maybe slightly reduced the prices or if you maybe get a certain number of excursions included in your cruise fare based on your cruise package, but it does make sense to limit everyone’s contact with the “outside world” to maintain the safe bubble onboard!
All in all, I’m so excited that we finally have a ship sailing in the Mediterranean and I hope that everything goes smoothly on Grandiosa and for MSC. This is one big step for the cruising industry in general as Grandiosa is the first big ship back in operation. I’m glad that MSC is leading the way with really comprehensive health and safety measures, they’re even testing everyone before boarding, which I hope will show the general public that cruising is yet again is one of the safest vacation options out there.
Hey everybody! Long time no see… I’m back from another cruise adventure! Hard to believe I know, especially in these times… but finally cruising is slowly coming back and wow, was it worth the wait. My first post-covid cruise was slightly different from my usual cruise expereiences… it was on a smaller ship, much closer to home, infact I haven’t even left my own country, but was it as equally amazing as my previous adventures? Definitely! If anything, this was the most relaxing cruise I’ve ever been on.
I cruised with a Croatian cruise line, Katarina Line, onboard one of their most luxurious vessels, MV Avangard from Dubrovnik to Split, visiting many beautiful islands on the way. While I was onboard I kept a short diary of each day just to remember what I did, so I thought I should upload it here before I post other blog posts from my cruise!
MV Avangard approaching Dubrovnik!
🛳 DAY 1
Today is the day! I’m finally boarding the MV Avangard and look at her while she was approaching the dock, isn’t she a beauty!
The first day flew by so fast, but cruise days are always like that aren’t they!😅 As soon as I stepped onboard the ship I knew that this was going to be a completely different cruise experience! The check-in was easy breezy, no long lines in terminals, credit card set-ups etc. you just show up, find your name on the list and Voila, you’re ready to board the ship!😊 Finding the cabin wasn’t hard either; there are only 18 cabins onboard and I have the cabin number 3! Never had a single digit cabin number on a cruise before!😜 The cabins are what surprised me the most, I expected something much more modest on a smaller ship, but the cabins are luxurious and pretty spacious! I think it’s bigger than most cabins I had on large ships! I even have a window in my bathroom!😅 Cabins on this ship are basically identical to those you’ll find on large cruise ships, so don’t think that you’ll have a small, dark closet room on a smaller ship!
Once we all settled in our cabins, we headed on a guided tour of Dubrovnik! I’ve visitied this city so many times, but I love coming back, it’s just so historic and there is so much to see! I could walk around the narrow streets of the Old Town for days. We even went on the cable car to the top of the Mountain Srđ from where you can see the whole city of Dubrovnik! One thing I should mention is that all guided tours are included in your cruise fare on this ship!🤩
Of course all meals are also included in your cruise fare as well and let me tell you, the dinner was delicious!🤤 Everything you eat on the ship is bought locally, prepared and made onboard so the food quality is excellent! I think I’m going to gain some weight on this ship, the restaurant is right above my room!😜
Now I really have to head to bed, it’s been a long and busy day! If I had’t spent whole last night on the bus to Dubrovnik I would’ve went out to explore Dubrovnik since we’re spending the night here, but I’m just too tired for that! See you all tomorrow!
View of the Old Town and the walls of Dubrovnik from our ship!
🛳 DAY 2
Day two started with our first sailaway! We’re spending the nights in ports so you have the amazing opportunity to experience each city at night, something you can’t really do on most cruises!🤩 Captain took a slight detour this morning and gave us a unique opportunity to see the Old Town of Dubrovnik and its walls from the sea!🌊 This city looks beautiful from every angle, but seeing it from the sea is really spectacular!🏛
After a scenic ride around the walls of Dubrovnik, the ship headed north to a small town of Slano, a starting point for tours of Ston! Ston is small town located around 30 minutes away from where the ship docks by bus. It is famous for its walls which are still one of the longest fortification systems in the world that is still standing, it is commonly called the “European wall of China”!🏰Definitely worth a visit if you love a bit of history and culture!
I should add that on the way to Slano, we had a swim stop in a random bay that we were passing!😍 We just dropped the anchor and the back of the ship turned into a beach!⚓️ At the back of the ship there is a low platform which makes it really easy to get into the sea! This was a random uninhabited bay so the sea was really clear, stunning!🤩
And finally after coming back from our tour of Ston (which is included in the price😉) we had a 4-course dinner! It was a gala night, or Captains night as they call it on this ship!👨🏼✈️ Good food, music, dancing… perfect way to end a beautiful day of exploring the Adriatic!
🛳 DAY 3
Today I was on an island that’s on an island! 🤯 I’ll explain that later!😂 Another amazing day onboard the Avangard started as per usual with a delicious breakfast! Breakfast is probably my favorite meal of the day on a cruise! We have a buffet style breakfast on this ship, but everything is plated and served to you by the staff because of obvious reasons… So of course you can choose between cold cuts, pastries, eggs, fruits, toast… basic breakfast items. Right around breakfast time we left the small town of Slano and headed west to the island of Mljet!🌴
On the way to Mljet we, of course stopped to have a swim brake and to have lunch on the ship surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the island! 🤩
In the afternoon we docked in the small town of Pomena which is a starting point for tours of National Park Mljet. 🏝 The National park Mljet is one of 8 national parks in Croatia and it is situated on the island of Mljet, one of the largest islands in south Dalmatia. To say that it’s beautiful would be an understatement! The scenery is just stunning, it looks like a nature reserve untouched by modern tourist development! On the island there are two connected lakes and on the “Big Lake” you will find the St. Mary’s island where a Benedictine Monastery was built in the 12th century!🏛 So you could say that I was on an island that’s on an island!🤯
In the evening I enjoyed in some evening entertainment provided by the city of Pomena! Since the ship docks right on the waterfront, we were able to see and hear the concert that was held at the town’s main square from the ship!😅 You could say we had the best seats!😜
All in all, another beautiful day in the Adriatic! If you really want to explore the Adriatic and Croatia you have to go on this cruise! It’s a perfect combination of exploring and visiting smaller historic towns, seeing untouched nature and still having that luxury cruise experience!🤩🛳
🛳 DAY 4
After saying goodbye to the Island of Mljet early in the morning we headed north to the island of Korčula, the most populated island in Croatia with around 17 thousand people that call the island their home!🇭🇷
We spent the morning by having a delicious breakfast, of course I had pastries once again…🥐😂, sunbathing, relaxing in the jacuzzi… We also had a swim break before the lunch! I love these swim breaks and I’m definitely going to miss them on other cruises going forward🤩
Early afternoon we docked in the town of Korčula and headed on our guided tour of the old town! 🏛 It is believed that the famous explorer Marco Polo was born right here in the town of Korčula! The town is rich with history and it’s definitely one of my favorite towns on the Croatian coast, would definitely recommend visiting it! I would describe it as a smaller, less crowded Dubrovnik!😍
I managed to capture a stunning sunset and since it was a Saturday night, there was live music in almost every bar so it was definitely a fun night!😎
Tomorrow should be an even more relaxing day, we’re heading to Vis, one of the most remote islands in Croatia!🇭🇷🛳
🛳 DAY 5
We’re already on day 5! Today we had an early start, we left Korčula early in the morning and headed west towards one of the most remote islands in Croatia, the island of Vis!🏝
We had a swim break in one of many bays on the island of Korčula! These swim breaks are truly a perfect way to spend your mornings and a great way to cool down since its pretty hot here in Croatia currently with temperatures over 30 deegres celsius…
We continued our journey towards Vis after a short swim break. 🌊 Lunch, sunbathing, enjoying in the jacuzzi and before long we made it to the city of Vis!
Vis is a really historic city, it is THE oldest city in Croatia! It was established by the ancient Greeks 397 B.C. under the name of Issa.🏛 Since then the island was under the rule of many empires and kingdoms. Romans, Greeks, French, Austrians and even the British once called Vis their territory, but since the 1990s the island of Vis is officially a part of Croatia!🇭🇷 Vis is also known for it’s military history as there was once a huge military base on the island. 🚓
Because of how remote the island is and because of its military role in the former Yugoslavia, today it’s really a perfect picture of how Mediterranean once looked, without any new high rises, huge resorts or rows of apartment developments! A beautiful town if you’d like to escape the hustle and bustle of bigger coastal cities!😍
One interesting thing that happed was that there was only one available dock and 6 ships that wanted to dock! How did they solve that problem? Well they just docked them all side by side next to each other!😂 I call that docking strategy a “ship sandwich”!🛳 The Avangard was of course the biggest one in the sandwich!😉
All in all; another amazing day is behind us! I definitely recommend visiting Vis, such a beautiful historic city!😍 Tomorrow we’ll be going to the longest and probably the most popular island in Croatia, island of Hvar!🌴
🛳 DAY 6
After spending the night in the oldest town in Croatia, we headed to the town of Hvar on the island of Hvar!🏝 If this sounds confusing to you, you should know that the islands in Croatia are usually named after the largest, most important city on the island!
Hvar is the longest island in Croatia and probably one of the most popular ones! The island of Hvar is the sunniest island in Europe and is on the “15 most sunniest places” in the world list. So if its sunshine you’re after you should definitely visit Hvar!☀️
The town of Hvar is best known for its many beaches, historic buildings and its lively night life!😎 It is one of the locations of the popular “Ultra Europe” music festival: You won’t get bored in this town after sunset!
On our way to Hvar we had a swim stop in the Paklinski Islands archipelago, you can see it on the picture above!🏝 I’m going to miss these swim stops, there’s nothing like swimming in the middle of nowhere, with no one around… so relaxing😌
Later in the day, after a yet another delicious lunch, we docked on the popular waterfront of the town of Hvar, right next to many luxurious yachts! You see, Hvar is one of the busiest yachting ports in Croatia so spotting luxurious yachts of the rich and famous won’t be hard here!🛥
After a guided tour of the most historic sights in Hvar, we had plenty of time to experience everything Hvar has to offer! Since we were docked right on the waterfront we even caught a glimpse of the Magic Johnson walking past our ship to a popular nightclub in the town!😎 That’s basically Hvar in a nutshell!
Hvar is for sure one of the most beautiful little towns in Croatia and I can see why it’s so popular! I would call it “Croatian Monte Carlo”!
Tomorrow is our last full day on the ship… we’ll be visiting the most popular beach in Croatia in Bol before heading to our final destination, the city of Split🇭🇷
🛳 DAY 7
I can’t believe we’re already on day 7… our last full day onboard the Avangard. Time flies when you’re having fun I guess!😎
Today we visited the most popular beach in Croatia, the Golden Horn beach (Zlatni Rat)!🏝 It is located in Bol on the island of Brač, the highest island in the Adriatic!🏔
Bol is a small town with only 1.600 residents, made famous because of the beautiful Golden Horn beach! It used to be a fishing village and influences of that can still be seen today!🐟
At lunch time we said goodbye to Bol and headed towards our final destination… the 2nd largest city in Croatia, Split!🏙 Today we had our last lunch on the ship, the food on this ship has been DELICIOUS!🤤 Everything prepared and made by our amazing chef Ivo!
We made it to Split early afternoon and we headed on a guided tour of this historic city! You have to visit the Diocletian’s palace, so beautiful!🏛 There are so many things you can do in Split, explore the old town, visit the mountain/park Marjan, sunbathe on one of its many beacher or even visit the town of Trogir which is not that far from Split!
And just like that our last day is coming to an end. Time to start packing the bags… last day struggles! Thankfully we don’t have to leave the suitcase in front of the cabin by midnight!😜 So I still have time to pack something tomorrow morning!
I can’t believe this cruise is already coming to an end, I feel like I boarded the ship 2 not 7 days ago…🤯 I loved every second of it, so different in every way from my previous cruises but definitely different in the best way possible!💙🛳
🛳 DAY 8
And that’s it you guys, day 8.. can’t believe that this cruise is already over.🤯 My first post-covid cruise and wow was it worth the wait! 🌊
This cruise was a bit different from cruises I usually go on, smaller ship, itinerary closer to home, everyone was a bit more cautious… but was it one of the most relaxing cruises I’ve been on? 100%! I cannot pinpoint what exactly made it so relaxing… was it the smaller ship, homey atmosphere, smaller towns we visited… probably a combination of all of that. I know that this cruise is perfect for recharging your batteries, so relaxing!😌
This type of cruising is definitely for people who want to visit places off the beaten path for larger ships, experience the culture, taste local cuisine, meet new people and just relax!🏝 No bumper cars, no crazy water slides but still equally fun! Swim stops in bays that can only be reached by boat, overnight stays in historic towns, all of that while still having that luxurious cruise feeling on the ship!
What also made this cruise special was the amazing crew that took great care of us for 8 days! There were 18 guests on this cruise and 8 amazing crew members and believe it or not, I know everyones names!😅 We even had a picture taken of all of us on the last day! Thank you to our amazing Captain Damir, our cruise manager Zvonko who probably knows 50 languages😂 to waiters Antonio and Tomy that made every meal special, seaman Duje and Matij who took great care of the Avangard, to Milena who made sure that the ship is spotless and of course to the most important person on every ship, chef, Ivo! Every single meal was delicious, I already miss those delicious desserts!🤤
All in all, one of the best cruise experiences so far! Can’t recommend it enough!😍
I’m currently writing a full cruise review blog post so stay tuned for that, I hope you enjoyed my short cruise diary!
Given the recent health crisis, cruising has been suspended until at least late June and probably even longer. Cruising will resume at some point, of course. Ships won’t just float around forever. But when it does, it may look a lot different than it did a few months ago, or for at least quite some time. In order for cruising to resume, cruise lines will certainly be required to implement new policies and oblige to stricter protocols to ensure the health and safety of their passengers. While no one knows for sure how all of that is going to look like, here are my thoughts on how cruising might change once it comes back.
Ships sailing at reduced capacity
One of the biggest changes that happened to the way that we behave is social distancing. The idea of being crammed together close to other people has become something quite dangerous and something that we are all trying to avoid. People are surely going to want and need more personal space around them and one of the consequences of that is we’re going to see cruise lines sailing their ships at reduced capacity. One of the big trends recently in cruising has been bigger and better ships or to fit more and more people onto the ships because the economic model was to get people on the ship and then get them to spend a lot of money once they’re onboard. We’re probably going to see cruise lines cruising with less people onboard and we’ll also see new ships with more public space allocated per passenger.
I believe that social distancing will have to be carried over onto ships as well. Genting (owner of Dream, Star and Crystal cruises) has already released a document about how they’re planning to move things forward once cruising starts and most of those measures are probably going to be implemented by other cruise lines as well. Some of those measures are reducing the ammount of people they let into venues, for example they are going to fill the theater only to half capacity so people can spread out. That will also probably include night clubs, parties, bars… but with ships sailing at reduced capacity that shouldn’t be a big problem.
For example we might see mega ships having the guest capacity of mid sized ships.
Itineraries
The second thing I think we’re going to see is cruise lines focusing on staying closer to home and their home ports. Over the last couple of years we saw cruise lines trying to find new itineraries, new places to cruise to, and the cruise lines were putting their ships all around the world. Moving forwards I think that at least in the beggining we might see cruises to nowhere or maybe short cruises that only visit cruise lines private islands. Cruise lines will probably be focused heavily on staying closer to ports they already have strong relationships with and also focusing heavily on well known regions such as the Caribbean, Mediterranean… where they have big cruising ports close by with developed infrastructure and also where they have more influence, because if an outbreak does happen, they will need to act quickly. So I wouldn’t be surprised to see ships that were meant to go to Europe or Alaska to stay in the Caribbean and also to see revised and changed itineraries.
Ports staying closed
Some ports will take longer to open or they may be only allowing a certain ammount of cruise ships/passengers at each time. There was already a lot of discussion around over tourism even before the pandemic so I think that a lot of these destinations are going to rethink their whole approach to tourism and especially accepting cruise passengers, partly because they may be concerned about cruise ships coming in and bringing in disease or infections. Some countries like Norway and Canada closed their ports to cruise ships until July and August so we’re probably going to see fewer destinations willing to take cruise ships which is going to make cruise lines change their itineraries and probably focus more on staying in popular regions and trying to find new itineraries in those regions.
New health screenings
One thing that’s really going to change is the way that we embark ships. Even before cruise lines started suspending sailings, they began to implement enhanced medical screenings prior to embarkation. It is a sure bet that these elements will remain in place for the foreseeable future once cruising resumes. These measures include more thorough health questionnaires as well as temperatures checks of all guests prior to embarkation as well as upon return from port. We might actually have to bring medical certificates that we’ve been vaccinated or there even may be actual testing before we embark. Some airlines are already considering similar measures.
One thing that’s closely related to this is a change in the way that seniors, elderly or people who are at higher risk for severe illness go cruising. That can be a massive challenge for some cruise lines because even before the cruise shutdown there was a strong advice for those groups of people to avoid cruising and all the cruise lines started asking for some sort of certifications from your doctor saying that it was OK for you to go on a cruise if you were 70+. That becomes a problem for cruise lines as large numbers of cruise passengers are seniors, especially in off seasons.
Onboard changes
Some people might like this and some won’t but we’re going to see the removal of all self-service venues and changing them to be crew operated. They already started doing this on some newer ships to reduce food waste and increase hygiene but there is no doubt that buffets will never look the same again. Most crew members serving you will also probably be wearing PPE (gloves, masks…) just to be sure, at least in the beggining. Other key changes to restaurant and dining spaces could be in terms of table sizing and spacing. Restaurants could even see screeen dividers installed between tables.
Crew operated buffet with glass partitions between people and the food. This is probably how the buffets will look like in the future.
Public areas and cabin corridors could be equipped with the new anti-microbial carpets. We might also see more automatic doors operated with photocells onboard and bathrooms being modified for touch free operation of faucet and flush. Other changes could be replacing shower curtains with glass doors, cabins having new hall storage area for clothes and shoes worn prior to entering the cabin.
Medical centers
We are also going to see a redesign of certain areas of the ship, but we’re going to see a real change in medical centers. Medical centers on cruise ships are currently designed to stabilize the situation and if anyone needs serious treatment they’re taken off the ship to shoreside facilities. Medical centers onbaord don’t have the facilities to isolate and treat people with complicated conditions. We will see medical centers become much larger and more complex with more medical staff.
Cleaning protocols
No doubt there will be increased cleaning protocols in place for public areas once ships start sailing again. This will likely include a more regimented schedule of cleaning high traffic areas like elevator buttons, handrails, bar tops, gym equipment… Hand washing station will probably pop up all over the ships with much more enforcement from the crew. They are going to take what they learned from this situation and put it into force by truly sanitazing ships and making sure everything stays clean even more then it used to be.
Flexibility
Finally we can also expect a lot more flexibility when it comes to cruise cancellation policies. Even before the cruise shutdown we saw cruise lines introducing “cruise with confidence” programs which gave passengers more flexibility when it comes to changing or canceling your booking. So by having these programs it means you can book cruises with more confidence just incase anything happens or something goes wrong. But of course, travel insurance should now more then ever be essential just incase anything happens with your flights, pre cruise hotels etc…
In conclusion there is no doubt that cruises and the cruising experience in general will change, at least for some time. I will welcome some of these changes with open arms, such as getting rid of self service buffets… and some of them will of course be nuisance but they will too become the new normal with time. I’m sure that cruising will still be an amazing and safe way to spend your vacation!
Currently there are many articles out there bashing cruises, spreading inaccurate information about everything and anything related to cruising. I’m sure some of you saw a couple of those articles but we need to support the cruising industry which is doing everything to make sure cruising comes back safer than ever and I’m sure that once it does, all of us cruise addicts will be rushing up the gangway!
There are a lot more things to do on a cruise than most people realize, especially if you’re a first time cruiser. In the past, it might’ve been that all you could do is hang out on the pool deck and have a drink. These days there is no end to the fun you can have on a cruise, and there are activities around the clock. In a bid to one up each other, now almost every cruise line has its own wild and crazy activity and many of them are included in your cruise fare. From sky diving simulators to bumper cars, here’s a list of craziest things you can do on a cruise!
Practice Surfing!
Many Royal Caribbean ships have a water feature on the top deck that’s called the Flowrider. With the FlowRider, you can give surfing or Boogie boarding a try for free as many times as you like. Those looking to perfect their skills can schedule a private, hour-long lesson.
Ziplining… on a ship!
How big are cruise ships these days? So big that you can zipline across them. Several ships, including those from Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises have zipline rides that will sail from one end of the ship to the other. Or, get the same thrill at the Sports Complex on Norwegian’s Breakaway Class ships, where there are also 40 other activities including a ropes course and “walking the plank.” Select MSC and Carnival ships also offer similar suspended ropes courses that tests your balance!
Photo by Royal Caribbean
Take a Turn on a Waterslide!
While older ships might not have them, most newer ships come with waterslides onboard. And before you think these are simple slides that make a turn or two and let you out, that’s normally not the case. Almost every new mega ships these days comes with a large water park onboard. They usually have 2 or 3 waterslides, from racing slides to slides that hang over the side of the ship. Some of them even have a transparent part so you can see the water below!
SkyDiving at sea!
Those that are feeling adventurous can cross this one off the bucket list on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum class ships on RipCord by iFly, a skydiving simulator that propels wind at speeds over 100 mph. And, since it’s located on the aft end of the ship, you can look out at the ocean (and the surfers at the simulator below). I’m not a really adventurous person but I would love to try this, especially because it costs quite a lot on land!
Have Some Fun in Bumper Cars!
Another Royal Caribbean activity on Quantum class ships, you can ride bumper cars while at sea. Passengers need to be at least five years old to ride tandem, but eight years old and above can drive their own car. Don’t worry, you won’t go fast enough to get hurt, but the bumps can come suddenly! You will find the bumper cars in the space called the Sportsplex!
Robotic bartenders?
One of the more unique things you’ll find a cruise, some Royal Caribbean ships have the “Bionic Bar.” What makes this special is that it’s a robotic arm that grabs all the ingredients and makes your entire drink without human interaction (you even order from an electronic pad). While it might not replace the traditional bar anytime soon, it is something unique to try on your cruise.
Grab a drink in an Ice Bar
On Norwegian Epic, Breakaway and Getaway you can chill out in the ice bar inspired by the original ice hotels in Scandinavia. The ice bar is a fun and photo-worthy cruise activity. The bars, glasses, walls, and benches are all made of ice, just as they are in authentic Scandinavian ice bars.
Virtual reality if cruise reality isn’t good enough for you!
Norwegian has a place called the Galaxy Pavilion on some of its newer cruise ships like the Joy and Encore. If you have kids, they will likely beg you to go, I would too!
The area features a ton of virtual reality games. From a Jeep ride that moves as the virtual reality headset takes you on a run from chasing dinosaurs to walking a balance beam high above a city to rescue a kitten, the experience can make you feel like you are really there. The Galaxy Pavilion does cost extra, but from what I’ve heard it’s a pretty memorable thing to do on a cruise and the entire family will have fun.
Trampoline fun!
Yet ANOTHER Royal Caribbean feature, they really are leading the way when it comes to unique onboard features! On a couple of ships they have this new attraction called the Sky Pad. It’s huge sphere that sits high atop the ship. The massive ball contains the Sky Pad. It’s a thrill where you are attached to bungee cords via a harness and then start jumping on a trampoline. You can choose to free jump, or there are also virtual reality headsets that allow you to play games as you jump. Either ways, it’s unique to be jumping so high while you are on top of a cruise ship. You will find this attraction on a couple of Voyager, Freedom and Quantum-ultra class ships!
Go-karts!
If you feel the need for speed, you can burn rubber at the go-kart racetrack found on select Norwegian Cruise Line ships. The two-level track is designed for speed, and drivers take full advantage, zipping around the S-shaped track at top speed. The go-karts on Norwegian Cruise Line are electric-powered racecars. They are not bumper cars. No more than 10 cars can be on the track at once, and while drivers race around the curves, trying to pass each other, there is no official race occurring.
F1 Simulators
If you love to race and you already know some ships have go-kart tracks. But what if you want to go faster? Some ships, including those from Norwegian and MSC have F1 simulators. This includes a full-sized car replica that you sit in and wide screens to make you feel like you really are driving around the course.
Rock climbing
These days you can climb while you float, as several Royal Caribbean ships are now outfitted with full-sized rock climbing walls. If you’re the sporty type, seek out cruises on a Freedom Class, Voyager Class, Radiance Class or Vision Class ship to practice your skills. Royal Caribbean was the first company to offer on-board rock climbing walls, and the options vary in size and challenge level. What doesn’t vary, though, is the price, as all the walls are free to climb. The cruise line even provides the equipment you need.
Ride a roller coaster
Carnival is making waves with its new Mardi Gras. Not only is it a completely different ship compared to the rest of Carnival’s fleet, but it also features the first and only roller coaster at sea. The sea coaster named BOLT will stretch 240 metres of track, kitted out with twists, turns, swerves and drops, sending thrill-seeking cruise guests through the sky at speeds of up to 56 kilometres per hour. It’s a ride that just a few years ago wouldn’t even be imagined, but the cruise line has made it a reality and one of the more memorable things you can do on a cruise ship.
Bowling
If this favorite pastime strikes your fancy, head to the lanes on a couple of Norwegian ships. You can also knock down pins on MSC ships. Now I cannot guarantee it’ll improve your skills but it is just as fun as on land.
Biking in the air!
Carnival Vista, Horizon and Panorama are home to the SkyRide. To “ride,” you’ll get strapped into a recumbent bike pod that’s suspended 150 feet above deck and then pedal your way around the two-lane course, which offers a 360-degree view of the ocean. You can choose between racing another pod or going at the pace of your choice.
Explore the galaxies far far away in the only planetarium at sea!
Queen Mary 2 is the home to the only planetarium at sea, which is housed in the Illuminations theater, spectators sit beneath a giant dome that lights up with out of this world glitter and orbs. On a seven-day voyage, you can explore galaxies far, far away with three different shows. Bonus: Members of the Royal Astronomical Society are available on select voyages, so you can ask the experts for assistance in locating the North Star, in case you feel lost at sea!
Cirque du Soleil dinner shows
MSC puts its own spin on dinner and a show through the line’s partnership with Cirque du Soleil. A three-course meal (or simply cocktails) is paired with one of two shows both featuring Cirque-trained performers and high-tech special effects. Adding to the “wow” factor, the experience takes place in a room built specifically for Cirque du Soleil (the first at sea), complete with a 180-degree circular glass wall and massive LED screen wrapped around the ceiling. This experience is only available on Meraviglia class ships.
Ice skating at sea – yup, that’s possible!
I saved the best for last! In my opinion there’s nothing that sounds crazier than ice skating while sailing the Caribbean or the Mediterranean sea. Yet on many Royal Caribbean ships they have an ice rink. While it’s used for performances put on by the entertainment crew, there is also a chance for passengers to skate as well.
Some of these activities so hard to imagine on a cruise ship, like go karts or ice skating… but that just shows you how big these ships are! To go on some of these you really need to be at least a little bit adventurous. I know that I wouldn’t go on that roller coaster on Mardi Gras, I’m not much of a roller coaster person! What about you, what is your favorite “crazy” ship feature and which one would you love to give a try?
And she’s named at last! Special celebrations were held today in Savona for the naming ceremony of Costa Smeralda, Costa Cruises’ sensational new flagship!
The ship’s godmother and star of the event was international celebrity Penélope Cruz, who performed the ribbon-cutting duties with the traditional breaking of the bottle against the bow of the ship in the presence of the Master of Costa Smeralda, Paolo Benini. Also starring at the celebration was the Italian multi-starred chef Bruno Barbieri, who personally conceived and presented a special gala cocktail, giving guests a taste of his creativity and experience.
The event for Costa Smeralda continued with an extraordinary acrobatic show called “Dream” produced by the creative genius of Viktor Klee and staged in the splendid setting of the Colosseo, the innovative and technologically advanced theatre located at the center of the ship, with nine of the world’s best acrobats. The celebrations ended with a spectacular display of fireworks launched from a barge positioned in the stretch of sea in front of the Priamar Fortress, lighting up the sky of Savona and giving the ship a fitting sendoff.
About Costa Smeralda!
Costa Smeralda is a breakthrough for the cruise industry, as she represents an exceptional combination of environmental innovation, smart technologies and Italian excellence in design, food and experiences. Costa Smeralda is a tribute to Italy thanks to the extraordinary creative project led by designer Adam D. Tihany that celebrates Italy and gives guests the chance to experience the best it can offer, all in one place. The furnishings, lighting, fabrics and upholstery, and accessories were all made in Italy especially for the new flagship, by 15 partners who are all ambassadors of Italian excellence, and all spaces are inspired by the beauties of Italy. A celebration of Italian design is showcased in the CoDe – Costa Design Museum, the firstever museum on a cruise ship. The amenities on board are perfectly in line with their sumptuous surroundings. Highlights include the Solemio Spa, the entertainment areas, theme bars in collaboration with leading Italian brands, 16 restaurants and “food experience” areas, including those conceived for casual family dining. The innovative Ristorante LAB offers guests the chance to have fun cooking and learning about food sustainability at the same time. A new concept of entertainment onboard, based on shows and happenings going on at the same time in different parts of the ship, transforms Costa Smeralda into a unique entertainment venue.
The ship is as a “travelling smart city”, where sustainable technologies and circular economy concepts are applied to reduce the environmental footprint and support sustainable cruising. With her innovative technological propulsion system based on LNG, the most advanced fuel technology currently available to reduce emissions, she is able to virtually eliminate sulfur dioxide emissions (zero emissions) and particulate matter (95-100% reduction), while greatly reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides (direct reduction of 85%) and CO2 (up to 20%). On board, special desalinisation plants process seawater directly to meet daily water supply requirements, and energy consumption is reduced to a minimum thanks to an intelligent energy management system. Waste is managed on board with 100% separate collection for recycling of plastic, paper, glass and aluminum, using an integrated approach inspired by circular economy projects. Finally, the 4GOODFOOD program applied on board is designed to reduce food wastage and to recover food surpluses for social betterment in cooperation with the European Federation of Food Banks.
The naming of a new ship is always very exciting – especially in the case of Costa Smeralda, because she is an unprecedented project. A cruise holiday on this ship allows our guests to enjoy memorable experiences both on board and ashore – whether it is the food, relaxation, high-tech entertainment or authentic encounters in the destinations we visit. This is the Costa of the future, providing us with new opportunities to grow the market and attract consumers who have never been on a cruise before,”
Costa Cruises President Neil Palomba
I was lucky enough to be able to cruise onboard Costa Smeralda on one of her first ever sailings! I loved so many things about this ship and I can confirm that she really is a Sensational ship! You can check out my full review of Costa Smeralda HERE!
A ship we’ve all been waiting to see! Virgin Voyages’ first ever cruise ship, Scarlet Lady, has made her highly-anticipated debut in the UK, arriving in Dover yesterday (Feb. 20).
Richard Branson’s new cruise line has offered sneak peeks before with concept art, but for the first time it revealed images from on board the ship and it looks like passengers (or sailors, as VV calls us) are in for quite a unique experience. (Scroll down too see all the pictures!)
Scarlet Lady is the first ‘Lady ship’ of four in Virgin Voyages’ new adult by design, luxury fleet, which aims to redefine the cruise industry by bringing the luxury of a boutique hotel to the seas. Scarlet Lady boasts dazzling contemporary design and experiences to reinvigorate the cruise industry! Scarlet Lady won’t be offering a traditional cruise holiday experience, as the brand looks to target a younger adults-only audience, mainly the millennial market but they’re also counting on experienced cruisers and young-at-heart sailors offering them something different from other cruise lines!
Scarlet Lady
Virgin Voyages created a ship that allows Sailors (we are no longer called cruisers!) to travel in style with special experiences and design-led spaces. With interiors created by designers such as Tom Dixon and Roman and Williams, the adult-by-design ship gives its Sailors a lot to fall in love with, including an industry-first focus on Well-Being with a host of ‘Vitamin Sea’ offerings such as B-Complex gym programs to balance, build, burn and bike, as well as The Perch, designed for outdoor yoga.
Foodies will be spoiled for choice as the ship boasts over 20 restaurants and bars, including vegetarian-forward cuisine (Razzle Dazzle), experiential creations (Test Kitchen) and concepts by world-class chefs like the Michelin Starred Brad Farmerie and Sohui Kim.
Sailors on every Scarlet Lady voyage will learn what it means to Set Sail The Virgin Way, with all dining experiences, group workout classes, basic beverages (soft drinks, coffee and water), gratuities and Wi-Fi included in the base cruise fare, regardless of room category. I love this! So much is included in your cruise fare, so consider than when you’re looking at some of their cruises! Entertainment and shows on board feature gigs, DJ sets, drag artists and more – all of which are unlike anything you will find at sea.
It will also host special On Deck voyages with globally renowned DJ talent such as Mark Ronson, Diplo, MK and Sofi Tukker, providing up-close and personal appearances at its own private spot on the island, The Bimini Beach Club. The retreat offers Sailors a beautiful Bahamian oasis, relaxation and wellness offerings like beachside yoga, or DJ-fueled poolside fun in the sun.
“I have dreamed of starting my own cruise line since I was in my 20s and I’m thrilled that moment has arrived. The Scarlet Lady is truly special and we’ve worked with some of the world’s most sought-after designers, artists and architects to craft an extraordinary experience. The benefit of our five decades in business in so many industries is that we can offer a voyage like no other.”
Richard Branson
Cabins
Cabins are also quite elegant cabins with loads of space and ocean views – but a real highlight comes in the form of the Rockstar Suites.
Guests staying in these will not only get luxury offerings in the form of huge beds, ensuite bathrooms and spacious balconies, but the Mega Rockstar Suites and Rockstar suites offer heaps of extra perks such as bespoke experiences at each port of call, complimentary laundry service(mega), drinks, and a free personalised in-room bottomless bar (mega).
In fact, there are 15 ‘Mega Rockstar’ suites on board, but 78 RockStar Suites in total, all designed by Tom Dixon’s Design Research Studio.
I know that I wouldn’t be staying in a RockStar suite, luckily there are choices for us on-budget cruisers as well… or should I say on-budget Sailors! On board Scarlet Lady you will also find inside cabins and Sea Terrace cabins, even equipped with a hammock on the balcony, how fun!
Environmentally friendly
Virgin Voyages is one of first cruise lines to use Climeon, a technology that utilizes heat generated from the ship’s engines to generate electricity, thereby decreasing the demand for fuel. Scarlet Lady we also be single-use plastic free!
Not only has the brand designed its fleet of ships to the latest energy-efficiency standards with state-of-the art equipment, Virgin Voyages is offsetting its direct climate change emissions through the purchase of carbon offsets.
This commitment makes the brand the first cruise line to become carbon-neutral for its direct emissions footprint from its first day of commercial operation. The projects that will be supported by Scarlet Lady will meet high-quality, internationally-recognized verification standards, including The Gold Standard and the Verified Carbon Standard.
Scarlet Lady’s voyage to Miami
Scarlet Lady set sail from Genoa, Italy on Valentine’s Day where she was built at the Fincantieri shipyard. Her voyages from Miami will offer stops in Costa Maya in Mexico, Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, Key West and The Bahamas. The ship will later be joined by sister liner Valiant Lady which features seven-night Mediterranean itineraries out of Barcelona, Spain when she debuts in May 2021. Valiant Lady will be perfect for us European Sailors!
Scarlet Lady will travel from Dover to Liverpool before sailing to the US for her Maiden Voyage around the Caribbean in April.
I am excited to see more photos, videos and reviews of this ship and the onboard experience. I am also really excited to see what the future holds for this cruise line. Based on the target audience I feel like the market isn’t big enough at present but I could be wrong – we shall see! My question is, will regular cruisers want to cruise on her more than other ships? Will the target market want or be able to keep coming back to cruise on her in numbers to fill spaces…
If you’d like to read more about another brand new ship, check out my review of the brand new Costa ship, Costa Smeralda or if you are a first time cruiser check out my top 30 tips for first time cruisers!
Is cruising safe, at least from a technology standpoint? It’s a common question I hear from both cruise veterans and first-timer cruisers, especially after tragic accidents are splashed across news headlines worldwide. If you didn’t know, cruises are statistically one of the safest forms of travel. The chances of being endangered on a cruise ship are quite low, probably lower than the risk of driving in your car to the cruise port. I had an idea to write this post while I was onboard Costa Smeralda a couple of weeks ago and I have to say, I was quite surprised to find out how safe we are on the high seas… at least statistically!
Promenade/Lifeboat deck of HAL’s Nieuw Statendam
Statistics
In 2020, the cruise industry will carry an estimated 32 million passengers, and they are in very good hands statistically, even safer than on commercial flights, which are widely known as a secure form of travel.
Fires. Power outages. Rogue waves. Rough seas. Hurricanes. Passengers “falling” overboard. You’ve heard about it all on the news, but before you work yourself into a panic, know this: Statistically, cruises are one of the safest forms of travel, the odds of dying on a cruise ship are roughly 1 in 6.25 million.
According to research compiled by the Daspit Law Firm, cruise ships have the lowest rate of deaths per billion passenger miles with 0.08. Compare that to 11.9 for rail travel, 3.3 for cars and trucks and 0.8 for commercial air, and traveling on the seas is a relatively safe option.
They’re getting safer!
A study by GP Wild analyzing cruise ship operational incidents shows that while worldwide cruise ship capacity grew by more than 55 percent from 2009 to 2018, over that same period the number of operational incidents has trended down 37 percent, making cruise lines’ safety record ahead of other modes of leisure transportation.
According to CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), a typical cruise ship has more than 60 safety, environmental and health inspections each year. Safety regulations are rigorous – and ships often go substantially above and beyond what is required. In recent years, safety-related technology processes have become more sophisticated. Cruise ship safety continues to improve as technology advances, and the industry learns from developing and evaluating best practices.
As the industry has grown, regulators have updated and enhanced the safety requirements, including improvements in navigation equipment, shipboard safety management systems, life-saving equipment and training/certification standards.
Modern cruise ships are required to have state-of-the-art electronic navigational instruments, and most ships substantially exceed these regulatory requirements.
Ships are also required to have lifeboats, life rafts and life preservers for every person on board as well as additional capacity. The lifeboats are capable of being loaded, launched and maneuvered away from a ship within 30 minutes of a Captain’s order. Safety drills in multiple languages are held prior to departure from port.
The average cruise ship (for example Queen Elizabeth – above) carrying 2700 passengers and 800 crew has:
5 firefighting teams
4,000 smoke detectors
500 fire extinguishers
16 miles of sprinkler piping
5,000 sprinkler heads
6 miles of fire hose.
All cruise ships must be designed and operated in compliance with strict requirements of international law and must follow established rules and regulations to protect everyone on board.
All cruise ships are inspected on a quarterly basis to make sure machinery and emergency procedures are up to standards. Additionally, each ship sails with its own dedicated team of mechanics and engineers, who are specially trained to deal with any malfunctions that might arise. Crew members undergo rigorous training via safety drills to prepare them for emergency situations. All mainstream ships have onboard teams of doctors and/or nurses to deal with medical issues, and the control rooms on all vessels employ equipment dedicated to avoiding hurricanes and minimizing exposure to excessively rough waters.
Harmony of the Seas fitted with her mega lifeboats.
Lifeboats
Lifeboat is one of the most important life-saving equipment onboard a ship, which is used at the time of extreme emergencies for abandoning a ship. Lifeboat is a smaller rigid vessel, secured onboard into davits so that it can be launched over the side of the ship with least time and mechanical assistance possible for an early escape of the crew from the ship.
As the size and capacity of modern cruise ship has increased there becomes a potential problem of having sufficient space to fit the required number of lifeboats. The cruise ship Oasis of the Seas (and her sister ships) is fitted with 18 mega lifeboats that are able to accommodate 370 people and weigh 17 tons when empty. A total of over 44 of the traditional 150 persons lifeboats would have to be fitted to accommodate the same number of passengers. The Oasis of the Seas has an overall length of 360m. The typical length of a 150 person lifeboat would be approximately 9.6m. So if fitted at a single level they would take up a length of over 210m (noise-to-tail) on each side of the vessel. These lifeboats were revolutionary but they are no longer the biggest at sea. Currently, cruise ships AIDAnova and Costa Smeralda (XL/Helios class ships) are fitted with the biggest lifeboats ever built for a cruise ship. They can accomodate 440 people, so these two cruise ships need only 16 of these rescue vessels.
Biggest lifeboats ever built!
The lifeboats are stowed and launched from a specially designed davit systems, which allows them to be lowered directly into the water from their stowed position rather than having to first swing out the davit and lifeboat before launch. The winches have a retraction system to lift the lowing block free from the lifeboat canopy and a retardation function to reduce the forces on the davit, winch system and lifeboat hook when stopped.
A lifeboat must carry all the types of equipment described under SOLAS and LSA codes, which are passed for the survival at sea. This includes rations, freshwater, first aid, compass, distress signalling equipment like rocket etc.
Crew members checking the tender boat on MSC Sinfonia
What can you do to stay safe?
Attend the muster drill! Before your vacation gets started, you must attend the muster drill. This is where you learn where your muster station is, how to put on a life jacket and what the alarms mean, should they be sounded. While most passengers listen attentively, every muster has a few people talking all the way through it, people on their phones and people trying to get a drink from the bar (all outlets are closed during muster). Even if you’ve heard the drill a thousand times, pay attention; don’t see it as an inconvenience, but rather as an important part of your cruise experience.
Familiarize yourself with the ship! When you get onboard for the first time, check out that evacuation map on the back of your cabin door. Physically follow the route to your lifeboat station, so you’re familiar with where you’re going if you have to do it for real.
Listen to the crew! In heavy seas, passengers are often advised to stay in their cabins, which makes seasickness worse. The captain is sometimes forced to skip a port of call if docking or tendering is too dangerous due to bad weather conditions. The very wide beam of the large ships makes them stable in most sea conditions, and if you have seasickness pills or a patch, the motion shouldn’t bother you. For safety, avoid outside decks in rolling seas or rain. The crew will close the decks if conditions are the least bit treacherous. So, your ship will weather the storm, and so will you.
Cruise liners can take incredible punishment from the ocean and stay upright. But if you’re aboard a liner during a severe storm it’s sensible to take shelter.
Don’t panick! One of the biggest problems with abandoning a ship is that many of the passengers are elderly. A younger fitter person may be confident they can get themselves into a lifeboat, but the elderly often aren’t. This causes a lot of apprehension and even panic. Do your best to assure those people, and help them when you can. Less panic means a better chance everyone will survive, so it’s in your best interests to keep them calm.
Have you ever felt unsafe on a cruise ship? I personally never felt unsafe and I’ve been in some pretty rough seas. Ship accidents are incredibly rare so you shouldn’t even think about that on your vacation, but do pay attention during the muster drill since it can save lifes even though it may seem like an inconvenience at the moment.
I hope that you feel a little bit safer now after reading how slim the chances are of being in a ship accident. It’s also reassuring to see how many procedures are in place that keep us safe on the high seas.
Many thanks to Mario, security officer onboard Costa Smeralda, for sharing a couple of fun & interesting ship facts with me!
If you’d like to read more, check out my post that’s all about “Old vs. New cruise ships” or a review of my most recent cruise on Costa’s new flagship, Costa Smeralda!
Cruise Ship Paradise 