Ship Size Does Matter - Now More Than Ever

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Length=1184 feet    Capacity=5518		Length=361 feet     Capacity=128

(Updated 10/19/2021)

What's Your Preference?

Do you prefer the large ocean-going ships, the more initiate river cruise ships, or something in between?  Now more than ever, factoring in the concerns around health safety as cruising resumes,  ship type and size is one of the key factors in vacation planning.

On the left is Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas and on the right is Avalon Waterways Artistry II. Just to give you an additional sense of scale, the first cruise ship we went on in the 80s was Carnival Celebration which weighed in around 37,500 GTs. At the time, that was one of the largest vessels in Carnival Cruise Line's fleet. The Symphony is over 6 times heavier (228,081 GT) than the Celebration and Artistry II weighing in at a fraction  of either vessel (2022 GT).

Ocean-going Ships Come In Many Sizes

In our post last year, Size Does Matter - They Come In Many Sizes, we showed a picture of Oasis of the Seas next to Grandeur of the Seas.  We also compared Oasis-class ships with the Eifel Tower, Statue of Liberty, and Boeing 747 airplanes to give you a sense of scale.

Ocean-going vessels have continued to get larger over time.  For passengers seeking new innovations at sea, this was good news, because the larger the canvas, the more diverse the onboard actives can be. Of course, the larger the ship, the higher the price tag, but with increased capacity, there are more passengers to share the weekly cost of operation.   Wait times for embarkation and other activities can fluctuate with ship size, but most lines have found measures to overcome the increased capacity.

River Cruise Ship Size

Traditional European size river cruise vessels are about the same size (excluding the double-wide AMA vessels).  Some might be slightly longer (like the Viking River longboats) but they are built to sail under centuries’ old bridges and squeeze between 12-meter-wide locks. The Avalon Waterways Artistry II shown here has a capacity of 128 passengers and 37 crew.  

Ship Size and COVID-19

As we begin to emerge from the COVID-19 cruise suspensions, passengers will need to consider several factors when planning their next travel adventure.   Are they comfortable on a ship that holds 5000 passengers or would one that holds 150 passengers be more appealing to them?   Of course, capacities will be reduced, per the guidelines that CLIA is recommending to member cruise lines, but the proportional differences remain the same.

Another consideration will be the size of the ship and available space for social distancing.   On one of the large cruise ships, there's a lot more public areas that can be utilized, allowing for greater social distancing.   With smaller capacity, even things like the theater can have protocols implemented to accommodate the new guidelines.

The larger the ship, the more area that needs to be kept sanitary by the crew.  Conversely, with smaller footprint, the more likely that public areas will have been used and surfaces exposed to potential germs.

Of course, this is nothing new as cruise lines have always taken measures to keep their passengers and crew safe as possible by implementing vessel sanitation.   I'd be more comfortable on a ship than on a plane for example as ships are constantly cleaning, while a plane is only cleaned once they get to their destination.

Ocean-going vessels will have increased medical capacity onboard, based on the CLIA guidelines. River cruise ships may not have additional staff, but they can pull into the next town should additional care be needed, while the cruise ship might need to wait for a helicopter or Coast Guard vessel to provide additional aide.   Size of vessels constrict the amount of space utilized for any purpose.

Summary

One important take away is that size is just one factor when planning your cruise vacation, but it is an important one. Take advantage of the expertise among cruise specialists in deciding the right ship for you and your traveling partners. The last thing you'd want would be to be expecting a ship the size of Grandeur of the Seas and step out of your cab to find Oasis of the Seas in front of you at the pier. 

No matter what size you are looking for, you'll find a ship in one of the cruise line's fleets that meets your needs. They come in many sizes, shapes, and with many different attractions. Personally, the fun is in selecting the ship you want to try next and enjoying everything it has to offer once you start your cruise vacation.

 

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Cruise Formal Nights Love or Hate

Cruising is About Choices - Do You Dress Up on Formal Nights?

When we began cruising over 30 years ago, proper attire was required on formal nights.  Most 7-day cruises had two formal nights - one on the first sea day, and the other usually on the last sea day (unless that was the night before the end of the cruise).   Initially, my husband rented a tuxedo which was delivered to the ship.  When we began cruising more and more, he purchased a tuxedo to bring with on our cruises.

We actually enjoyed these "dress-up" nights as we normally didn't do so during the week.  This made the cruise something special.  It made us feel like we were  high class, especially when we went to the theater, or casino after dinner, and when greeting the Captain of the vessel at the Loyalty Party.  As you can see, we liked to coordinate our outfits.

To Dress Up or Not 

Most cruise lines still offer the opportunity to dress up.  Not all lines have formal nights, but even those that don't, will setup photo stations around the vessel, to take family portraits in your finest wear.  Some that still have formal nights, will require tuxedos or suits for the gentlemen, and dresses or fancy pants suits for the ladies in the main dining room.   If you don't want to dress up, there are alternative dining options where you can be more casual.

The choice is always yours.  We had a client several years ago that was sailing on Cunard Line.  Dressing up is expected in the main dining room.   We explained the dress code expectations. We asked if he'd bought his wife some new dresses for the cruise.   His reply was no, that they didn't intend to dress up.   They were going to opt for the alternative dining options, because he had to dress up for work, and didn't want to do so on vacation.

Knowing what to expect before they cruised was crucial to a good experience.  They loved the cruise, because they made it their own.  We love happy cruisers!

(Updated 10/17/21)

Let Us Know Your Choices

Take our poll on our Instagram post or put a comment on this post,  to let us know how you feel about dressing up on a cruise.  Are there other aspects of cruising that have changed over the years that you like / dislike?  What other topics would you like us to cover during National Plan a Cruise Month?

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Searching for Best Chocolate Martini at Sea

click images to enlarge

Started on Celebrity Constellation

In 2001 we sailed on Celebrity Constellation to the Baltic - at least we began the cruise.  We'd spent two nights in London pre-cruise and boarded the ship.   We had planned a private excursion in St. Petersburg, Russia with folks we met online. Shortly after sailing, the phone rang in our cabin - it was my niece with bad news.   My mom had passed away.  Our cruise was about to end abruptly.  BTW, this is an excellent reason to purchase travel insurance.

Since we had the tickets for the Russia excursion, we contacted the others that were going with us.   We broke the news to them that we'd be disembarking at the first port of call, Oslo.  Immediately, they said, come meet us for a drink in the Martini Bar.   I'd never had martinis before, but agreed.

This is where I had my first chocolate martini.   I don't have any pictures - we weren't really in the mood as you might imagine.   From that point on, I've tried chocolate martinis on most cruises. I think to myself "Mom this one's for you."   I'm pictured above 3 years later when we concluded our trip on Constellation.

Most Memorable Martinis

We sailed on Celebrity Century in 2007, right after it was refurbished. An ice bar was added which served martinis. Once again we met a group of passengers online and we'd meet with them each night before dinner.

We'll never forget the bartender, Leo, and his assistant, Enrico. The first night I ordered a chocolate martini and I told Enrico that I liked them to be creamy. Leo made the perfect chocolate martini. They wrote our names in the ice bar and from then on, they knew us by name each evening. We didn't even have to give them our room key - they already would have the receipt filled out with our information. The tables and chairs would be arranged for our little group, awaiting our arrival.

One night, we didn't show up for our pre-dinner cocktail. When they saw us later that evening, they told us they were all concerned. It turned out that we'd made dinner reservations at one of the specialty dining venues at our usual meeting time.

Sometimes we'd arrive early and Leo wasn't there. Enrico would try to make the chocolate martini but he just couldn't get the proportions correct, and he'd say we'd have to wait until Leo arrived. Memories like this are priceless. Their friendly service has stuck with us all these years. Enrico had previously been a butler, but when there were no openings when his contract was renewed, he took this new role. We are so happy that he did.

Some Top Contenders

Here are some of our favorite chocolate martinis. Three of them are from the Royal Caribbean family of cruise lines - Royal (Allure of the Seas), Celebrity (Century), Azamara (Journey). The final entry here: Carnival Triumph.

We've started a Pinterest board, "Margaritas, Martinis, & More" where we will post some of our favorite martinis and other drink creations from our cruise vacations.

What's Your Favorite 

Do you like chocolate martinis as well?  Perhaps you'd like to join us in our quest to find the perfect one onboard a cruise ship.

New Favorite Is Born

Celebrity Edge had an extensive martini menu but they didn't have my favorite milky Chocolate Martini.   We did try the Snowflake Martini which is made with Grey Goose Vanilla, White Chocolate, Heavy Cream, Liqueur, and Creme Cocoa.  It was a close second to my traditional choice. If you ask, they will make the traditional martinis that aren't on the menu as well.

Since we had the premium drink package, martinis were included. Each night we experimented with several different martinis   My new favorite is the Coconut Cream-Tini.   It's made with Bacardi, Coco Lopez and Vanilla.   Other favorites included  Bananas Foster and Toffee Apple.  The image to the right has just a sampling of the many choices on their martini menu. 

Make sure to check out the rest of our Martini Bar pictures from Celebrity Edge.

(Updated 10/16/21)

In less than a month we will be sailing on Celebrity Apex, sister ship of Edge.  We can't wait to be sharing martinis with our friends in their atrium bar.  Be sure to watch our blog and social media platforms for our latest quest for the best chocolate martini at sea.

Click the banner above for the latest cruise promotions

 

Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now. We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.

Choose Cruise Month (click for mini-series)

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I recently completed extensive training and have become Travel Safety Verified. As your dedicated Travel Advisor, your safety is our priority, and it's our job to ensure you have the necessary information you need to give you confidence and peace of mind when making your future travel plans. Click the link to review our Travel Safety program with valuable resources that will answer many of your questions.

Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday afternoon at 4 PM Eastern for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat