Friday File: Making Of A Cruise Ship

It's rare that most of us get a chance to see a cruise ship under construction, even in pictures. Royal Caribbean's third Oasis Class ship will be Harmony of the Seas, currently being built at the STX Shipyard in France. Below is what it looks like now, precisely one year before it opens for business, in the… Continue reading Friday File: Making Of A Cruise Ship

Sail-ers, Seahawks on Crown Princess

A week from Saturday, June 20, the Crown Princess will leave Seattle for Alaska with a passenger load dedicated to “sailing with the 12s.”  It’s entirely possible that many cruise passengers have no idea what that means, if they aren’t football fans and are unaware the Seattle Seahawks had 12 players on the field in… Continue reading Sail-ers, Seahawks on Crown Princess

Friday File: Food More Than A Thought

Food is such a focal point of cruising, for at least two reasons. One is that the quality and/or amount of food consumed justifies the cost of the cruise. The other is that cruise lines traditionally have special events for food lovers — sometimes at an extra cost (specialty restaurants) and sometimes free. The photos… Continue reading Friday File: Food More Than A Thought

Allure of the Seas…More Alluring?

When we heard that Allure of the Seas was going in to be refurbished, our initial reaction was: What could be better? It is a rite of passage that cruise ships are refurbished every five years or so, even when they’re the biggest and arguably best of all mainstream ships. Until Harmony of the Seas… Continue reading Allure of the Seas…More Alluring?

Concerts, Cruise Ships Share Philosophy

Last week, we tried to see Neil Diamond in concert (yes, at 74, he’s still performing). A quick check of tickets delivered the news that they weren’t in our budget, unless we wanted to sit where you need binoculars to see the stage. Aha, we thought, there’s sure to be a last-minute deal. There wasn’t.… Continue reading Concerts, Cruise Ships Share Philosophy