The Avid Cruiser TV

In early March, I attended the world’s largest cruise shipping convention in Miami, Florida.

This year, 11,000 people showed up, including more than 1,000 exhibitors from 111 countries. It was like a mini United Nations, with one exception — everyone got along.

As in previous years, I walked the trade show floor in search of new and unusual products, all presumably coming to cruise ships at some point in the future.

It didn’t take long to find a few things I had never seen, at least on cruise ships: low-calorie sorbet in edible shells, hand-made gelato from Italy, and RoboBartender, whose mechanical arm served me a cold glass of water.

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When Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas begins sailing from Barcelona in May, she’ll do something few other ships have ever done: remain abroad.

For the first time, a North American-based cruise line will sail the Mediterranean year-round. Europe’s Costa Cruises and MSC Cruises already operate Med cruises 24/7.

And it’s not only in the Med that the cruise season is extending. Cruise ships visit Copenhagen and other destinations in Northern Europe as late as December.

And European River Cruises are now offered into early January. In the interview that follows, I talk with Peter Whitehead, a tour guide for Amadeus Waterways about Christmas Market Cruises on European rivers.

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On a Baltic cruise this year? If you’re lucky, your ship stops in the Ã…land Islands in the port of Mariehamn. In this video we talk with Annica Jansson, managing director of the Ã…land Tourism Board, about her favorite way to experience the Ã…land Islands.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), Flash Video (.flv)

 

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Last week’s question: The photo above was taken four years ago, but where? Obviously in a shipyard, but one not accustomed to building cruise ships. There is a great story behind this photo. It’s a happy story despite some tragedy. Tune in next week for the answer and the story.

Answer: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shipyard in Nagasaki, Japan. The ship is Sapphire Princess. It had originally been named Diamond Princess, but in October 2002, fire broke out, destroying much of the ship’s interior and naturally delaying Diamond Princess’ debut scheduled for July 2003.

Diamond Princess, however, was one of two new ships under construction. The shipyard was in the early phases on Sapphire Princess, which was to debut in May 2004, so workers sped up production on that ship and the names were swapped so that the Sapphire (formerly Diamond) entered service as scheduled and Diamond (formerly Sapphire) entered service several months (instead of a year or more) late.

 

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Coming in April, a first in history for Copenhagen, Denmark’s Tivoli Gardens: on-site accommodations. Thirteen luxury suites, situated in one of Europe’s most popular attractions, will feature wood-burning fireplaces and comfortable surroundings right in the center of all the action.

Formats available: Flash Video (.flv), MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

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MIAMI - Following the introduction of its first ship Azamara Journey this past May, Azamara Cruises strives to get it right with the launch of its second ship this week in Miami.

I’ll be reporting on my experience aboard the newly revitalized Azamara Quest, but I also had the opportunity to sit down with Azamara Cruises’ President and CEO Dan Hanrahan to talk about the challenges of launching a new brand.

In this interview, Hanrahan also relates how a worldwide sporting event this past spring nearly canceled Journey’s launch.

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Viking River Cruises’ Wendy Moriarty convinced me. If China isn’t in your immediate cruise future, it needs to be.As an Avid Cruiser and a world-aware traveler, you likely know a good bit about China itself. What was interesting for me to learn was just how much Viking River Cruises shows you on a China cruise.Of course, you’ll spend time cruising on one of two sister ships, built in 2005 and in 2006. These are deluxe, five-deck ships. On board: English-speaking staff and meals that alternate between Western entres and Chinese food tailored for the Western palate. Ashore: Experienced and knowledgeable English-speaking guides. Cruises are all-inclusive, so that you won’t have to pay extra for tours or meals ashore.

The cruise portion is either three, four or nine nights. Each program also includes three nights in Beijing, one night in Xian and two nights in Shanghai - all in 5-star accommodations. Also, the “Roof of the World” itinerary features three nights in Lhasa, Tibet. And, if time is of no consequence, you can add three nights in Hong Kong and one night in Guillin.

You may want to time your visit to coincide with the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

Cruising China’s greatest challenge: the long-haul flight. “It’s certainly one of the larger hurdles that people need to get over,” says Lisa Juarez, vice president of marketing for Viking River. “The best way to make it is business class, and there are a number of air offers that make the price attractive enough.”

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Cruising Alaska with their grandmother, these two teens say that despite the reputation it once had, Holland America Line isn’t just for “mature” travelers.