Just cruising
A waiter serves you an ice-cold drink as you lounge by the swimming pool. Imagine golfing, bowling, watching the latest films, ice-skating, playing basketball. Wait a minute, did someone just say ice-skating?
Believe it or not, this is all possible on a truly 21st century cruise. Today's cruise ships compete for their fickle clientele with an ever-changing array of activities and entertainment, from wine tasting to wall climbing, from a Broadway musical to a real, on-board game show.
Today's cruise ships are truly cities on waves. The Navigator of the Seas, one of the largest cruise ships in the world, is only 15 meters shorter than the legendary Queen Mary II operated by Cunard Line. At the heart of the Navigator lies the Royal Promenade. Designed as a cobbled street, this interior thoroughfare is four decks high and the length of two football pitches, just to give you an idea. This street inside the ship's belly plays host to a number of pubs, clubs and boutiques. As one cruise fan has said of the Navigator 'this 138,000-ton of nautical wonder has it all'.
All the glitz and glamour is now at a Polish tourist's fingertips, after the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines opened their office in Warsaw at the beginning of this year.
"We decided that this form of holidays has a future in Poland, being, up till now, virtually unknown in the country," said Paweł Belcarz, who is responsible for sales and reservations at RCCL. "This is an offer directed at people who are in search of new challenges and forms of relaxation."
And challenge and relaxation it is. With facilities that range from a wellness center to a casino, it is easy to forget that there is a life on the shore. An average cruise lasts seven days and includes four stops in port-the shore excursions last anywhere from 8 to 10 hours. With the Caribbean as the most popular destination for European tourists, it is possible to visit countries such as Haiti, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Mexico or Belize without the hassle of finding accommodation.
Contrary to the popular belief that cruising is a holiday option for the highly affluent, a cruise holiday is usually good value for money and can be an affordable way to travel. Onboard a cruise ship nearly all expenses are already taken care of: the accommodation, gourmet meals, snacks and the so-called 'soda packages' are included in the price. The price of the cruise also includes 24-hour room service with a steward assigned to each cabin, thus making your sail through the Caribbean seas truly relaxing and effortless.
After all, several million people who go on cruises annually can't be wrong.
- Maria Laitalainen
HOW TO GET THERE
Most Caribbean cruises depart from Miami, so it's a good idea to arrive by plane at least a day before, to allow plenty of time to get to the port. While cruise operators do not actually sell plane tickets as part of the package, they are more than happy to find the cheapest and most convenient connections for the clients.
For more information and pricing visit www.rccl.pl or www.rccl.com
Believe it or not, this is all possible on a truly 21st century cruise. Today's cruise ships compete for their fickle clientele with an ever-changing array of activities and entertainment, from wine tasting to wall climbing, from a Broadway musical to a real, on-board game show.
Today's cruise ships are truly cities on waves. The Navigator of the Seas, one of the largest cruise ships in the world, is only 15 meters shorter than the legendary Queen Mary II operated by Cunard Line. At the heart of the Navigator lies the Royal Promenade. Designed as a cobbled street, this interior thoroughfare is four decks high and the length of two football pitches, just to give you an idea. This street inside the ship's belly plays host to a number of pubs, clubs and boutiques. As one cruise fan has said of the Navigator 'this 138,000-ton of nautical wonder has it all'.
All the glitz and glamour is now at a Polish tourist's fingertips, after the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines opened their office in Warsaw at the beginning of this year.
"We decided that this form of holidays has a future in Poland, being, up till now, virtually unknown in the country," said Paweł Belcarz, who is responsible for sales and reservations at RCCL. "This is an offer directed at people who are in search of new challenges and forms of relaxation."
And challenge and relaxation it is. With facilities that range from a wellness center to a casino, it is easy to forget that there is a life on the shore. An average cruise lasts seven days and includes four stops in port-the shore excursions last anywhere from 8 to 10 hours. With the Caribbean as the most popular destination for European tourists, it is possible to visit countries such as Haiti, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Mexico or Belize without the hassle of finding accommodation.
Contrary to the popular belief that cruising is a holiday option for the highly affluent, a cruise holiday is usually good value for money and can be an affordable way to travel. Onboard a cruise ship nearly all expenses are already taken care of: the accommodation, gourmet meals, snacks and the so-called 'soda packages' are included in the price. The price of the cruise also includes 24-hour room service with a steward assigned to each cabin, thus making your sail through the Caribbean seas truly relaxing and effortless.
After all, several million people who go on cruises annually can't be wrong.
- Maria Laitalainen
HOW TO GET THERE
Most Caribbean cruises depart from Miami, so it's a good idea to arrive by plane at least a day before, to allow plenty of time to get to the port. While cruise operators do not actually sell plane tickets as part of the package, they are more than happy to find the cheapest and most convenient connections for the clients.
For more information and pricing visit www.rccl.pl or www.rccl.com
