A Taste of Carnival's Food Concept Branding

This one's for carnies. Not the people who coax you into trying to toss a ring around the neck of a Coke bottle or deflate a balloon with a dart to win a four-inch stuffed pig for the little one in your family…but the people who make Carnival their cruise line of choice. The dictionary… Continue reading A Taste of Carnival's Food Concept Branding

Celebrity Meets Specialty Demand

  When the Celebrity Reflection was introduced to North America in December, we heard a comment on the ship from the new boss, Michael Bayley, after he'd experienced the specialty restaurant known as Qsine. His comment had to do with the fee ($40) for dining at Qsine? "Is that all we charge?" he asked. It… Continue reading Celebrity Meets Specialty Demand

Jewels of cruising on a Crown Princess

Ten things we liked about the Crown Princess, the ship that in seven days carried us to three Western Caribbean ports from Galveston, in no particular order: The Ultimate Ship Tour Usually, tours of the innards of a ship are a one-time experience because a galley is a galley, a print shop is a print… Continue reading Jewels of cruising on a Crown Princess

Princess, Valentine's Day a Match

ON BOARD THE CROWN PRINCESS — Saved by a Princess. No, not the one I'm married to…by the Crown Princess, who really isn't a person but a ship, a ship that came in handy on Valentine's Day. The tradition in our house on Valentine's Day is that there isn't one. Just another day…in paradise, that… Continue reading Princess, Valentine's Day a Match

Norwegian's Irish Pub of the Sea

  Among the innovations when the Norwegian Epic arrived in 2010 was an Irish-style pub called O'Sheehan's. If it was a test for inclusion on future ships, O'Sheehan's passed with flying colors. It will be replicated when the Breakaway arrives in May, and it will surprise us if it's not on the Getaway when that… Continue reading Norwegian's Irish Pub of the Sea