From The Deck Chair

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Focus On...Silver Shadow, Part I

Looking out onto the pool deck from the inside

of Deck 8 aboard Silver Shadow.

Welcome to Part 1 of our two-part photo tour aboard Silversea's magnificent Silver Shadow. Carrying just 382 lucky guests, this 28,258-ton vessel boasts a surprising array of amenities for ship that weighs in at just over six hundred feet in length.

Join us as we take you on a deck-by-deck tour of the Silver Shadow:

Today - Part 1: Decks Four, Five and Six: including The Restaurant, The Bar, The Athenian Lounge, Reception Lobby, Stairwells and The Boutiques.

Tomorrow - Part 2: Decks Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten: including La Terrazza, Le Champagne, Connoisseur's Corner, Library, Internet Cafe, Panorama Lounge, Pool Deck, Observation Lounge and The Spa, as well as Outdoor Decks.

Silver Shadow tied up at Canada Place in

Vancouver, BC.

It was a gray, dreary, Vancouver day when I embarked the Silver Shadow at Canada Place in Vancouver. At first glance, the Silver Shadow's sleek lines and swept-back superstructure give the ship an almost yacht-like appearance. But a quick step aboard and into the warm, inviting reception area reveals a ship that provides her guests with almost every conceivable comfort. If you've always wanted to try an ultra-luxury line, but were unsure about what a smaller vessel would be like, read on.

The inviting - and remarkably spacious - midship staircase.

When you first embark, you find yourself in a large, brightly lit atrium that also doubles as the ships main staircase. Two large, winding staircases on either side lead down to the lowest deck (Tender Deck 3), or all the way up to the main Pool Deck, Deck 8. Well-placed lighting and natural light filters in from the many windows above, giving this area a very warm, open feeling that's both remarkable and unexpected on a ship this size. Open wells on either side allow passengers a glimpse down the entire height of their ship.

The view from Deck 8, looking down.

If Silver Shadow appears elegantly understated from the outside, the same is largely true of her interiors. You won't find any overwhelming brass brightwork here, nor the multitude of high-contrast colors typical of many new ship designs. What you will find are interiors done with a variety of dark woods, soothing blues, and crimson reds. These public rooms all exude a bright, airy feeling during the day, though it is not difficult to imagine them taking on an entirely new, more intimate feeling as night falls aboard the ship.

Reception Area, Deck 5.

In keeping with that theme, we walked forward from the main atrium to the Reception Area. Home to both the Purser's Office as well as the Shore Concierge and the Cruise Consultant, this area became a beehive of activity once the first passengers began to board. Cruise staff mingled with embarking passengers, and waiters politely offered guests a welcoming glass of champagne. Many embarking passengers seemed to have sailed with the crew before; there were excited greetings and handshakes, the clinking of champagne glasses, and smiles all around. In fact, it was difficult to tell who was a first-time Silversea passenger and who was a repeat customer: they all wore the same excited look and spoke in cheerful tones.

Arrange land tours with the Shore Concierge.

Once again, it's worth re-iterating Silver Shadow carries only 382 guests, meaning it's very unlikely you'll ever see much of a lineup materialize in this area. If anything, it looked to be used as a sort of informal meeting area for passengers to mingle.

Just off the Reception area, this rotunda

is the entrance to the Casino and boutiques.

Moving forward ever so slightly, we come to another, smaller rotunda which functions as the entrance to the Casino and the Boutiques onboard. Both areas were locked, but it isn't difficult to imagine what to expect: a casino, complete with its own bar, in addition to shops adjacent to it. But there's so much more ship to see, and with that, we journey down to Deck 4 to discover the Silver Shadow's primary dining venue, aptly-named The Restaurant.

Bright, nautical, and classy:

The Restaurant aboard Silver Shadow.

After descending the staircase and emerging at the Deck 4 landing, we find ourselves at the entrance to The Restaurant. Keeping with the bright, nautical theme present on board, the first thing I noticed ironically wasn't the silverware, or the fine china so painstakingly laid out. It was the floral designer and her assistant off to my right, working diligently to arrange, by hand, not only the flowers on the tables, but the large bouquets near the main doors.

Little touches adorn tables in The Restaurant.

I had a million questions: do you do this every week? How long does this take? How many fresh cut flowers do you go through on the average voyage? In the end, I didn't ask - I simply didn't want to interrupt her hard work before passengers started embarking. Instead, I felt the only way to accurately do it justice was by photographing it.

Tables awaiting their diners.

On a Silversea voyage, there's no assigned dining time. Nor is there an assigned table. Instead, guests are free to dine whenever they want, with whomever they want. This is possible thanks to the fact that this room can seat the entire passenger compliment in one sitting - with room to spare - if need be. As with the Reception area one deck above, you're unlikely to experience lines of any kind here either.

Arguably the best seat in the house.

After strolling around the room twice, I had to conclude there really isn't a bad table in the house. The large square windows let in plenty of light, and passing scenery would be visible even from the most midship tables. The dark woods and navy blues must make this room absolutely sparkle in the evenings - the perfect end to the world-class meal you're likely to enjoy here. While the room was almost totally empty during my walk around, the acoustics seemed very good: my dress shoes have remarkably hard heels on them, which results in a loud "clack! clock! clack! clock!" whenever I walk. Despite the marble and hardwood flooring - not a hint of echo, meaning you'll be able to enjoy your dinner conversation even if the entire ship does show up at the same time.

Artwork outside The Restaurant.

Upon exiting The Restaurant, the wonderful collection of art, artifacts, and memorabilia becomes apparent. Scattered throughout the ship, in nooks and crannies, hallways, stairwells, and corridors, it seems there's always something new to look at.

Onboard artwork: it can be yours.

Remarkably, some of it can be yours. Most (but not all) of the artwork on the walls or artifacts on display have a price written on the tag below the artist's name. Selling artwork aboard a ship is nothing new - it's done on almost every ship at sea, and usually involves a veritable forest of questionable "masterpieces" crammed into a public room on a sea day. I've never seen anything I've ever felt compelled to purchase...until I toured this ship. Now, I was admittedly about $3,990 short of the asking price, but what I found remarkable was that there were quite a few quality items on offer, and that it was done so unobtrusively that I didn't even notice they were for sale until I'd been aboard for almost an hour.

Looking from Deck 4 up to Deck 5.

Back up to Deck 5 we go, and this time we head aft, to The Bar and the Athenian Lounge beyond.

The Bar as viewed from its entrance, heading aft.

It's when you start to explore the public rooms that you really discover how well laid-out the ship is. Passenger accommodation is situated forward, and public rooms are located amidships and farther aft. Careful thought seems to have been put into the location and design of every public room. In The Bar, not only can passengers mingle and relax with a beverage of their choosing, but they can do so both before and after the show, thanks to a pair of tucked-away doors that open up onto the lower level of the Athenian Lounge further aft.

No shortage of plush, comfortable seating here.

The Bar deviates a bit from the standard decor up until now. Instead of the soft nautical blues present throughout the ship, the red carpeting is offset by the handsome polished dark wood of the bar itself, and by the grey furniture, all of which help to lend this room a clubby atmosphere. There's certainly no shortage of seating space here - the entire room can comfortably seat one-third of the passenger compliment at any given time.

What better way to watch the ocean go by,

than next to the windows in The Bar.

Since we're on the topic of bars, now is as good as anytime to mention that on Silversea, almost all beverages - alcoholic or not - are complimentary. This includes an extensive list of fine wines, spirits, champagnes, bottled water and soft drinks.

A European-theme is carried out on the

wall next to the balcony staircase (right)

and exit to The Bar (left) in the

Athenian Lounge.

Moving aft with our favorite drink, we exit The Bar and find ourselves on the lower level of the Athenian Lounge. As with the open, brightly lit and surprisingly large atrium, the Athenian lounge is something of a surprise: spanning two decks in height and capable of holding almost the entire passenger compliment, this show relaxing, understated show lounge is just another example of how a smaller ship doesn't necessarily involve compromise.

Plenty of seating and excellent sight lines are found

in the Athenian Lounge.

In addition to full-blown production numbers and classical soloists, the lounge also plays host to feature films, diverse cultural entertainment, and renowned guest speakers.

Of course, with all this available seating and the remarkable array of entertainment on offer, the vast majority of the ship is guaranteed to be able to take part. There won't be any need to come to the lounge an hour early in order to just get seated. There will be no lines snaking down corridors when shows let out.

No lines. Think about that.

As I leave the Athenian lounge and exit out into the spacious corridor on Deck Six, headed for the upper decks, I realize that perhaps beyond the comfortable seating in every public room, the cozy interior design or the invitingly intimate lounges, the greatest feature of Silver Shadow may be the generous amount of space afforded to the passengers.

I head to the forward staircase and call the elevator (which promptly snaps to attention), all the while realizing that this is probably the key to true relaxation.

Heading up via the forward staircase.

Be sure to check back tomorrow as we continue our tour of the Silver Shadow as we photo- tour Decks Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten. In the meantime, why not pay a visit to Silversea's website to discover more about Silver Shadow and her itineraries.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Preview: Silver Shadow Tour

What is this interesting, colorful statue?

It's all part of the magnificent art aboard Silver Shadow.

We're hard at work assembling our photo-tour of Silversea's intimate and elegant Silver Shadow, the first part of which will debut right here on From the Deck Chair tomorrow. If you've wondered about making the jump to an ultra-luxury line, or are simply curious, you won't want to miss our deck-by-deck tour of this spacious 382-guest, 610-foot vessel.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Epic Sails for Rotterdam Tomorrow

Norwegian Epic conducting her last set of sea trials

in the Atlantic Ocean this weekend.

Photo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

Tomorrow, Norwegian Cruise Line will officially take delivery of its latest baby: Norwegian Epic. Having just completed a very satisfactory three days of sea trials in the Atlantic Ocean, the ship will sail from the STX France ship yard to Rotterdam, Netherlands for a two-day inaugural cruise. Then it's off to Southampton for a sold-out seven-day transatlantic crossing to New York, arriving on July 1st, and christened the next day by Reba McEntire. The ship will begin sailing her regular Caribbean itineraries from Miami on July 10, 2010.

An Epic-ly different profile.

Photo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

As if to sweeten the deal, NCL is offering quite the deal for those looking to escape to the Caribbean this summer aboard Norwegian Epic: you can purchase airfare through the line for $99 from most East Coast cities, and $199 from most Midwest/West Coast departure points. Is that a good deal? For most, the answer is a resounding yes: a quick search on Air Canada shows it would cost $1,179.27 per person to fly from Vancouver to Miami for the July 10th sailing. And that's with a two-stop connection.

While we're still not sold on the ships' overall appearance, we will say this: she looks a lot better in reality than the earlier 3D renderings suggested. Viewed from the bow, her profile isn't all that different from many modern cruise ships, and the dark blue color of her upper decks helps to hide the top-heavy appearance of the superstructure somewhat.

The seldom-photographed aft end of Norwegian Epic.

Photo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line.

We're less enthusiastic about the completely squared-off stern, with its sharp angles and rather large ducktail. In fact, from the aft end, she looks like an updated version of the old Viking Serenade. More than a few posters to cruise message boards have even joked that the line's own Pride of America, famous for its somewhat ungainly appearance, can now feel good about herself.

But we're not knocking it: time will tell if the onboard experience matches some of the truly innovative and unique interior design features and onboard amenities we've heard so much about.

Norwegian Cruise Line has never shied away from challenging passengers perceptions of what a cruise can and can't be: from the stretching and heavy refits of the Norwegian Wind and Norwegian Dream in 1998, to the introduction of the first internet cafe at sea aboard Norwegian Sky in 1999, to the creation of Freestyle Cruising and features like the Norwegian Pearl's bowling alley, NCL has sought to redefine the cruise experience.

It seems the may be on track to do that yet again.

For more information, visit Norwegian Cruise Line's website.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Company Profile: Silversea Cruises

Something you don't see every day:

the 296-guest Silver Cloud passes under

London's Tower Bridge at dusk.

Photo courtesy of Silversea Cruises

Founded in 1994, Silversea is an ultra-luxury line that operates six magnificent ships that specialise in sailing to destinations and ports around the world, many of which are off the beaten path or accessible only due to the more intimate size of their vessels. Not only has the line won a staggering number of awards during its sixteen-year existence, but it backs those up with a number of loyal passengers from all walks of life who enjoy the elegant, yet easygoing atmosphere and world-class food and service that has made the line so popular.

Silversea sails to just about any destination you can imagine - and perhaps more than a few you haven't. As the line states in its 2011 Voyages brochure, "there are places in this world that travellers only dream about." Which is why, in addition to the ultra-luxurious Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper and Silver Spirit, the line offers Silversea Expeditions - unique voyages aboard their yacht-like explorer ship, Prince Albert II. Carrying just 132 guests to places like the Arctic and Antarctica, these are voyages without equal.

No matter what your destination or which ship you sail aboard, as with most ultra-luxury lines, it's the little details that count: say goodbye to inside staterooms - you won't find them on any of Silversea's six well-appointed ships. Instead, all staterooms are oceanview or better, and the vast majority boast their own private veranda.

Even in a bottom-of-the-barrel oceanview stateroom, prepare to be spoiled: staterooms include champagne upon embarkation that is replenished as you wish, in addition to fresh cut flowers, fresh fruit, a beverage cabinet stocked with your favorites, fine bed linens, robes and slippers, personalised stationary, your choice of pillow, a marble bathroom with full-size tub, and a TV and DVD player. Your choice of aromatherapy scents ensures your stateroom truly is an oasis upon the sea.

What else can you expect? How about the fact that gratuities and all beverages are included with your cruise price. Or that you can receive an actual full breakfast from room service - also complimentary, and with no tipping required. If your ship happens to be docked at a pier far removed from the town center, expect complimentary transportation into town in most cases.

Silversea also offers a complementary Silversea Experience® on select voyages. These unique excursions are designed exclusively for Silversea guests; you won't be herded around with three thousand other passengers on these one-of-a-kind outings. Past Silversea Experiences have included dinner in the deserts of Namibia, as well as a private concert in the ancient ruins of Ephesus, Turkey.

Incredibly, it doesn't stop there. You won't find any belly-flop contests poolside here; what you will find, however, are some of the best lectures and entertainment at sea: renowned authors and destination specialists will thrill you with their knowledge and unique perspectives while the production shows, classical concerts, and folkloric performances in the on board multi-tiered show rooms will entertain you into the wee hours.

Due to the intimate size of their vessels - the largest of which holds a refreshingly low 540 passengers - expect no lines, anywhere. Anytime. Including dinner: with no assigned dining time and no assigned table, you are welcome to dine when you wish, with whomever you want - it's all up to you.

On the outset, Silversea may seem more expensive than most mainstream lines. But look further into it: suites on lines like Princess and Royal Caribbean regularly creep into - and sometime exceed - the fares charged by most ultra-luxury lines. Add all the pieces together: your gratuities are covered. Your drinks are free. You're entitled to a multitude of exclusive excursions. Do the math.

To top it off, many sailings offer free or reduced price Economy airfare included with your cruise. For North American sailings, that may not be such a huge draw. But for European sailings embarking and disembarking at different ports, it's worth its weight in gold - and makes the line an even better value.

Still can't find the perfect voyage? Why not create your own. Silversea offers a unique program called Personalised Voyages that allows you to take any sailing as a starting point and pick your own embarkation port and disembarkation port. The only caveats are sailings must be five days or longer, and must adhere to all applicable visa, Cabotage or Jones Act regulations. The Jones Act prohibits passengers sailing from a US port of call unless a stop at a 'distant foreign port' is fulfilled before disembarking.

Silversea is a line that doesn't focus on waterslides or poolside amphitheatres or bars that rise five decks on hydraulics. They are a line that focuses on the ship and the destination. On service. On comfort.

On the simple joy of being at sea, and the thrill of exploration.

And isn't that what cruising is really all about?

Be sure to join us later this week as we take you along for an in-depth photo-tour of Silver Shadow in order to better discover the real Silversea Experience.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Princess: We're Not Boycotting Israel

When Princess Cruises canceled a scheduled port call at Ashdod, Israel on June 2nd due to safety fears in the wake of the Gaza Flotilla incident, the line thought it was doing what was in the best interests of its passengers.

Instead, a slanderous email campaign began working its way through the interwebs, claiming, falsely, that Princess had adopted a policy of boycotting Israel, and had cancelled all further calls to the region.

The rumor was picked up by an enormous number of cruise sites, blogs, and professional media. The false allegations ended up resulting in a campaign by some to boycott Princess in return - largely spurned on by the email itself, which urged Jewish Americans to "pass this along" to let others know that there were alternatives to the line.

On Saturday, Princess went into damage control and issued a press release stating that the allegations are completely false - a statement that was also confirmed by the sites Boycott Watch, The Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Journal, and the Haaretz Daily Newspaper.

What is most shocking, but perhaps not surprising, is that so many people were duped by this. It was an email that clearly wasn't a press release, wasn't backed up by any facts, and wasn't even issued by the line itself. Yet many blogs and cruise sites reported it as fact, without even bothering to confirm with the line if this was indeed the case. For a news media site or a blog to have reported that is completely irresponsible.

Princess plans to continue its scheduled calls at Israel. They pointed out in a press release that they have been calling in Israel for over twenty years now, and have no plans to stop doing so. However, as with ports anywhere in the world, Princess reserves the right to monitor any and all situations that might affect the routing and safety of the vessel, in addition to her passengers and crew.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Nieuw Amsterdam Prepares for her Debut

Feel The Power: Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam

cuts a path through the Med on her recent sea trials.

Photo courtesy of Holland America Line

A few weeks ago, the newest ship in the Holland America Line fleet set sail from the Fincantieri shipyards near Venice, Italy and embarked on her sea trials - the last major hurdle to clear before beginning a long and successful career at sea.

She is the ms Nieuw Amsterdam - the fourth ship to bear the name, and the latest evolution of the immensely popular "Vista Class" ships that first set sail in 2002 with the launch of the Zuiderdam. While the bright and colorful interior design of Zuiderdam represented what some considered a drastic departure from the more understated vessels like Statendam and Zaandam, the comments from passengers did not go unnoticed, and each successive ship was tweaked and refined little by little.

By all accounts, Holland America struck gold with the 2006 launch of the Noordam. Combining the easy-to-navigate layout of her predecessors with a more classic color scheme, as well as the incorporation of new features like the Pinnacle Bar, this was the ship that proved to the long-time HAL "Mariners" that the Vista-class ships were legends in their own right.

Not content to rest on their laurels, the line launched Eurodam in July of 2008. She incorporated a whole host of new features, including private cabanas, an additional deck featuring a new restaurant and bar concept, re-arranged outer deck space, and an extended aft end. Despite all of her innovations, passenger reaction was largely similar to that of the Zuiderdam six years earlier: some were unhappy with the break from tradition during the naming process (HAL ships are known for being named after historic ships in the fleet), and not everyone quite knew what to make of the new cabanas or slight increase in passenger count.

The Nieuw Amsterdam seems destined, like the Oosterdam before her, to change the perceptions of HAL's passenger base - for the better. Once again, the line has listened to their passengers and in keeping with that theme, has made a whole host of changes and updates to the ship, some small, others larger in scale - but all of which are destined to enhance the overall experience of all her passengers.

The basic Vista Class design has been so successful

it has been used as a platform by Costa and Cunard.

In this shot of Nieuw Amsterdam, it's easy to see why.

Photo courtesy of Holland America Line

The first change passengers are likely to notice lies at the bottom of the Atrium on Deck 1: the Atrium Bar has been removed. It probably won't be missed: on the Vista-class ships, the bar remained under-utilized, due to the proximity of the Guest Relations and Shore Excursion decks, embarkation gangway nearby, and the noticeable lack of windows and seating. A far more popular watering hole lies at the top of the Atrium on Deck 3: the Ocean Bar. Together with the elegant Pinnacle Bar on Deck 2 - included on every HAL ship starting with the Noordam in 2006 - these two facilities ensure passengers will be able to relax and enjoy a pre-or-post dinner drink in style and comfort. The Pinnacle Bar proved so popular that HAL refitted the Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, and Westerdam, adding the bar in place of the former Windstar Cafe.

Speaking of dinner, the ship will also debut an impressive new feature to the line's already-impressive Pinnacle Grill specialty restaurant: the creation of an intimate "Master Chef's Table" featuring an exclusive menu for just eighteen lucky guests. As a seven-course meal served on fine Versace china, each course is served personally by a culinary expert, and includes specialty wine pairings selected by the onboard sommelier. A spot at the Master Chef's Table can be had for $89 per person, and standard dinner reservations at the Pinnacle Grill are still available for a mere $20 per person. If you've dined there before, you'll know it is worth the price of admission - and then some.

Of course, the dining options don't stop there: the ship features its signature, elegant main dining room which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is also the Asian-themed Tamarind restaurant which first debuted on Eurodam and quickly became a hit. Dinner here is a very reasonable $15 per person, and lunch is even more reasonable: it's complementary. Mouth-watering dishes like Wasabi beef soy tenderloin encrusted steak served on a cedar plank, sweet and sour vegetable tempura, and red penang curry coconut chicken are sure to temp the taste buds and whet the appetite.

The casual Lido Restaurant and the line's new Slice Pizzeria round out the food offerings (and we can vouch for the pizza - it's excellent, and a vast improvement over the former product.)

All of this food might require some exercise around the decks. Although you will feel right at home if you have sailed on Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam's closest sister ship, past passengers of Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, Westerdam and Noordam will also have no problems finding their way around the decks thanks to an easy-to-navigate interior layout that remains largely unchanged between ships.

Other subtle changes abound. Gone are the strange Category VT cabins that graced Eurodam aft of the Crow's Nest. These cabins used to have so-called "viewing balconies" that were only big enough for a person to stand on, but not large enough for deck chairs of any kind. On Nieuw Amsterdam, these have been replaced with Category VQ Spa Veranda staterooms featuring enhanced spa amenities and priority access to the Greenhouse Spa itself - and of course, a full-size balcony to boot.

Then there are the features that are standard right across the line's fleet of fifteen ships: larger than average staterooms. Bathtubs in almost every cabin. Fantastic Elemis toiletries. A flat-panel TV and DVD player in every stateroom, complete with a well-stocked list of complimentary DVD movies and TV shows for your viewing pleasure. Then there's the Mariner's Dream Bed. If you know someone who has sailed with the line, chances are "the bed" is the first thing they talk about: it's fantastic, and remains one of the most comfortable at sea.

Sailing Into the Future: Nieuw Amsterdam points

Holland America Line in the right direction.

Photo courtesy of Holland America Line

The phrase "more than you expect" could almost be Holland America's unofficial tag line. Nowhere is this more apparent than with the fantastic crews aboard each ship. Within the first day, staff members will know your name. They will remember your favorite drink. Incredibly, even after repeat voyages sometimes years apart, passengers have been astonished to encounter crew members they've sailed with before - who still remember their names. In an age when many lines are focusing only on their hardware - things physically attached to the ship - it isn't a stretch to say that at HAL, a good measure of their success is owed to the dedicated men and women in their employ as much as that of the ships themselves.

Nieuw Amsterdam seems poised to do something that is becoming increasingly rare in this industry: maintaining its nautical heritage through her graceful lines, ocean-liner like features and amenities while at the same time providing the necessary economy-of-scale needed to be profitable in today's cruise industry.

For more information on both the Nieuw Amsterdam, her voyages, and Holland America Line, be sure to visit their website so you too can experience all this fantastic line has to offer.

Thanks to Dutch By Association for his excellent clarification on some of Nieuw Amsterdam's finer points. For a great overview of all things HAL, be sure to check out his blog.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Exploring the Pacific Coast

New California Coast cruises aboard Sapphire Princess

will call in picturesque San Francisco.

With Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean both pulling out of the Mexican Riviera market in 2011 and 2012, the West Coast has had a rough string of bad luck. The reduction in ships serving this popular winter getaway, coupled with the loss of several ships on the summer runs to Alaska, has meant the West Coast will have fewer than eight ships operating on its shores year-round.

It's not all bad news, though: Princess Cruises is poised to announce three "California Coastal" cruises in September of 2011 and April of 2012 to act as bookends for Sapphire Princess's Mexican Rivera sailings.

Sailing roundtrip from the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, Sapphire Princess will offer a 7-day itinerary with calls in Santa Barbara, San Francisco, San Diego,and Ensenada, Mexico before returning to Los Angeles. Pricing and exact arrival and departure details have not yet been announced by the line.

While these cruises have yet to appear on the Princess.com website, it seems likely that these will be offered in addition to the standard Pacific Coastal cruises that have become a staple of the spring and fall seasons, and usually sail between Los Angeles and Vancouver, or vice-versa.

So why isn't the West Coast as popular as the East Coast? A lot of it has to do with the Jones Act, which requires ships operating round-trip from a US port to call in a "distant foreign port" before returning to US soil. This is why Alaska cruises operating out of Seattle must call in Victoria, BC for a mere six hours - legally, the ship cannot return to the US without stopping in Canada first.

Unlike the East Coast, which has Bermuda, the Bahamas, Mexico, and a veritable plethora of Caribbean islands in which to sail to during the chilly winter months, the West Coast has Mexico and Hawaii as its main options. Hawaiian cruises that are roundtrip Los Angeles or San Diego tend to be at least two weeks in length, and week-long Mexican Riviera roundtrips feature the same three ports: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta.

Because of this, lines aren't able to vary their itineraries by much - meaning if you've done the Mexican Riviera before, the itinerary will likely be the same regardless of line. Competition on these runs are fierce.

Last year, when the Swine Flu made Mexico an unpopular destination, ships like Mariner of the Seas found themselves sailing all the way to Victoria, BC in order to satisfy the Jones Act. Although many passengers enjoyed this re-routed and decidedly less sun-drenched cruise, lines indicated this sort of itinerary would be unprofitable - which is why it's nice to see Princess dipping their figurative toes in the water, if only for a few sailings.

Full details regarding the new sailings on Sapphire Princess have yet to appear on Princess's website. We'll be sure to notify readers once pricing and availability have been released.

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Saturday, June 19, 2010

Focus On...Silver Shadow, Part I

Friday, June 18, 2010

Preview: Silver Shadow Tour

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Epic Sails for Rotterdam Tomorrow

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Company Profile: Silversea Cruises

Monday, June 14, 2010

Princess: We're Not Boycotting Israel

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Nieuw Amsterdam Prepares for her Debut

Friday, June 11, 2010

Exploring the Pacific Coast

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