Frommer's Cruises & Ports of Call 2007: From U.S. & Canadian Home Ports to the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii & More

738 Pages·2006·9.06 MB·English

by  Hannafin

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Cruises
& Ports of Call
From U.S. & Canadian Home
Ports to the Caribbean,
Alaska, Hawaii & More
2007
by Matt Hannafin & Heidi Sarna
Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s:
“Amazingly easy to use.Very portable,very complete.”
—Booklist
“Detailed,accurate,and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.”
—Glamour Magazine
“A thorough and entertaining look at the cruise world.”
—Chicago Tribune
“Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.”
—Knight Ridder Newspapers
01_788643 ffirs.qxp 8/23/06 1:42 PM Page ii
01_788643 ffirs.qxp 8/23/06 1:42 PM Page i
Cruises
& Ports of Call
From U.S. & Canadian Home
Ports to the Caribbean,
Alaska, Hawaii & More
2007
by Matt Hannafin & Heidi Sarna
Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s:
“Amazingly easy to use.Very portable,very complete.”
—Booklist
“Detailed,accurate,and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.”
—Glamour Magazine
“A thorough and entertaining look at the cruise world.”
—Chicago Tribune
“Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.”
—Knight Ridder Newspapers
01_788643 ffirs.qxp 8/23/06 1:42 PM Page ii
Published by:
Wiley Publishing,Inc.
111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
Copyright © 2006 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. No
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mentioned in this book.
ISBN-13: 978-0-471-78864-5
ISBN-10: 0-471-78864-3
Editor: Naomi P. Kraus
Production Editor: M. Faunette Johnston
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5 4 3 2 1
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Contents
List of Maps viii
Cruising 2007:Everyone’s Doing It 1
The Best of Cruising 8
1 Our Favorite Mainstream Ships . . . . . .8 8 Best Beaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
2 Best Luxury Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 9 Best Small-Ship Adventure Cruises . . .14
3 The Most Romantic Cruises . . . . . . . .9 10 Best History & Learning Cruises . . . .14
4 Best Cruises for Families with Kids . . .10 11 Best Cruises for Sports Nuts
5 Best Cruises for Pure Relaxation . . . .11 & Gym Rats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
6 Best Cuisine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 12 Best Ships for Spa-Goers . . . . . . . . .16
7 Best Cruises for the Party Set . . . . . .12 13 Best Shopping Cruises . . . . . . . . . . .17
Part 1: Planning,Booking & Preparing for
Your Cruise
1 Choosing Your Ideal Cruise 20
1 Homeland Cruise Regions in Brief . . .20 5 Cruises for Honeymooners
2 Itineraries:The Long & & Anniversary Couples . . . . . . . . . . .34
the Short of It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 6 Cruises for Gay Men & Lesbians . . . .35
3 Different Boats for Different Folks . . .25 7 Active Travel & Adventure Cruises . . .35
Ship Size Comparisons . . . . . . . . . . .26 8 Cruises for Young People . . . . . . . . .36
4 Cruises for Families . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 9 Cruises for People with Disabilities
Family Cruising Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 & Health Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Getting Married on Board Onboard Medical Care . . . . . . . . . . .38
or in Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
2 Booking Your Cruise & Getting the Best Price 40
1 Cruising 2007:The 90-day Rule . . . .40 4 Money-Saving Strategies . . . . . . . . .46
2 The Prices in this Guide . . . . . . . . . .41 Average Cost of Onboard Extras . . . .47
3 The Cost:What’s Included 5 Agents & the Web:Finding
& What’s Not . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 the Best Deals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Price Comparisons: Discounted Be Savvy & Beware of Scams . . . . . .50
Rates vs. Brochure Rates . . . . . . . . .42
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iv CONTENTS
6 Recommended Agencies 9 Prebooking Your Dinner Table
& Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 & Arranging Special Diets . . . . . . . . .59
7 Choosing Your Cabin . . . . . . . . . . . .53 10 Booking Pre- & Post-Cruise
Model Cabin Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Hotel Stays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Reading a Ship’s Deck Plan . . . . . . .56 11 Cancellations & Insurance . . . . . . . .59
8 Booking Your Air Travel . . . . . . . . . . .58 12 Putting Down a Deposit
& Reviewing Tickets . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
3 Things to Know Before You Go 63
1 Passports & Visas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 4 Packing for the Different
2 Money Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Cruise Climates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
3 Keeping in Touch While at Sea . . . . .65 5 Tipping,Customs & Other
End-of-Cruise Concerns . . . . . . . . . .71
4 The Cruise Experience 74
1 Checking In,Boarding & Settling 4 Keeping Fit:Gyms,Spas & Sports . . .82
into Your Cabin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
5 Programs for Kids & Teens . . . . . . . .85
A History of Cruising . . . . . . . . . . . .76
6 Onboard Dining Options . . . . . . . . . .86
2 Exploring the Ports of Call: Specialty Dining: Who’s Got What . . .88
Shore Excursions vs.Going It
7 Onboard Entertainment . . . . . . . . . .90
on Your Own . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
8 Shopping Opportunities
3 A Typical Day at Sea:
on Ship & Shore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Onboard Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Part 2: The Cruise Lines & Their Ships
5 The Ratings & How to Read Them 94
1 Cruise Line Categories . . . . . . . . . . .94 Ships at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
2 Reading the Reviews & Ratings . . . .94 3 Evaluating & Comparing
the Listed Cruise Prices . . . . . . . . . .104
6 The Mainstream Lines 106
Frommer’s Ratings at a Glance: 6 Imperial Majesty Cruise Line . . . . . .185
The Mainstream Lines . . . . . . . . . .107 7 MSC Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
1 Carnival Cruise Lines . . . . . . . . . . .108 8 Norwegian Cruise Line . . . . . . . . . .196
2 Celebrity Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 9 Oceania Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
3 Costa Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 10 Princess Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225
4 Disney Cruise Line . . . . . . . . . . . . .157 11 Royal Caribbean International . . . . .246
5 Holland America Line . . . . . . . . . . .166
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CONTENTS v
7 The Ultraluxury Lines 272
Frommer’s Ratings at a Glance: 3 Regent Seven Seas Cruises
The Ultraluxury Lines . . . . . . . . . . .273 (formerly Radisson) . . . . . . . . . . . . .293
1 Crystal Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273 4 Seabourn Cruise Line . . . . . . . . . . .302
2 Cunard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .283 5 SeaDream Yacht Club . . . . . . . . . . .310
Preview: Queen Victoria . . . . . . . . .287 6 Silversea Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .317
8 Small Ships,Sailing Ships & Adventure Cruises 325
Frommer’s Ratings at a Glance: 6 Mini-Review:INTRAV/Clipper Cruise
The Small-Ship Lines . . . . . . . . . . . .328 Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .351
1 American Canadian 7 Lindblad Expeditions . . . . . . . . . . .352
Caribbean Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .328 8 Maine Windjammer Association . . .356
2 Mini-Review:American 9 Majestic America Line . . . . . . . . . . .365
Cruise Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .334
10 Mini-Review:RiverBarge
3 American Safari Cruises . . . . . . . . .335 Excursions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .376
4 Cruise West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .339 11 Mini-Review:Sea Cloud Cruises . . .377
Like a Road Trip, But by Boat . . . . .343
12 Star Clippers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .379
In Central America with
13 Windjammer Barefoot Cruises . . . .388
thePacific Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . .346
14 Windstar Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . .399
5 Mini-Review:easyCruise . . . . . . . . .350
Part 3: The Ports
9 The Ports of Embarkation 410
1 Anchorage,Alaska . . . . . . . . . . . . .411 10 Montréal,Québec . . . . . . . . . . . . . .460
Choosing a Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . .411 11 New Orleans,Louisiana . . . . . . . . .464
2 Baltimore,Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . .416 12 New York City,New York . . . . . . . .471
3 Boston,Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . .421 13 Norfolk,Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .480
4 Cape Canaveral & Cocoa Beach, 14 Philadelphia,Pennsylvania . . . . . . .485
Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .426 15 Québec City,Québec . . . . . . . . . . .491
5 Charleston,South Carolina . . . . . . .433 16 San Diego,California . . . . . . . . . . .497
6 Fort Lauderdale,Florida . . . . . . . . .438 17 San Francisco,California . . . . . . . . .504
7 Galveston,Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .442 18 Seattle,Washington . . . . . . . . . . . .511
8 Los Angeles,California . . . . . . . . . .446 19 Tampa,Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .515
9 Miami,Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .454 20 Vancouver,British Columbia . . . . . .520
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vi CONTENTS
10 The Caribbean,The Bahamas & the Panama Canal 525
1 The Cruise Lines’ Private Islands . . .526 Montego Bay Golf Excursions . . . . .578
2 Antigua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .531 15 Key West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .579
3 Aruba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .535 16 Martinique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .583
4 The Bahamas:Nassau & Freeport . . .539 Martinique Golf Excursions . . . . . . .585
5 Barbados . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .544 17 Nevis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .587
6 Belize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .546 18 The Panama Canal . . . . . . . . . . . . .588
7 British Virgin Islands:Tortola 19 Puerto Rico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591
& Virgin Gorda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .549 San Juan as a Port of
A Slice of Paradise: Embarkation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .592
Jost Van Dyke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .551 Walking Tour: Old San Juan . . . . . .592
8 Cozumel & the Yucatán Puerto Rico Golf Excursions . . . . . .597
Peninsula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .553
20 St.Barts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .598
9 Curaçao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .562
21 St.Kitts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .600
10 Dominica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .565
22 St.Lucia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .602
11 Grand Cayman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .568
23 St.Martin/Sint Maarten . . . . . . . . .605
12 Grand Turk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .570
24 U.S.Virgin Islands:St.Thomas
13 Grenada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .572 & St.John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .608
14 Jamaica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .574
11 Alaska & British Columbia 615
1 Cruising Alaska’s Natural 3 Icy Strait Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .625
Wonders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .616 4 Juneau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .626
Glaciers: An Intro to the Ice . . . . . .620
5 Ketchikan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .629
Cruisetours—’Cause All Alaska
6 Sitka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .632
Ain’t on Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .622
7 Skagway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .636
2 Haines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .623
8 Victoria,British Columbia . . . . . . . .639
12 The Mexican Riviera & Baja 642
1 Acapulco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .642 3 Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo . . . . . . . . . . . . .648
2 Cabo San Lucas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .645 4 Mazatlán . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .650
Small-Ship Cruises in Baja’s Mazatlán Golf Excursions . . . . . . . .653
Sea of Cortez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .648 5 Puerto Vallarta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .654
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CONTENTS vii
13 Bermuda 658
1 Hamilton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .659 3 Royal Naval Dockyard . . . . . . . . . . .663
2 St.George’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .662
14 Hawaii 664
1 Oahu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .664 3 Maui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672
If You’re Embarking in Honolulu...668 4 The Big Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .675
2 Kauai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .669
15 New England & Eastern Canada 680
1 Bar Harbor,Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . .682 3 Newport,Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . .688
2 Halifax,Nova Scotia . . . . . . . . . . . .684 4 Saint John,New Brunswick . . . . . . .692
New England & Eastern
Canada’s Smaller Ports . . . . . . . . . .686
16 U.S.River Cruise Routes 695
1 The California Wine Country . . . . . .695 3 The Hudson River,Erie Canal
2 The Columbia & Snake Rivers, & Great Lakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .700
Pacific Northwest . . . . . . . . . . . . . .698 4 The Mississippi River System . . . . . .703
Index 708
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List of Maps
Downtown Anchorage 413 Tampa 517
Baltimore 417 Vancouver 521
Boston 423 The Gulf of Mexico &
Cape Canaveral & Cocoa Beach 427 the Caribbean 528
Charleston 435 Aruba 537
Fort Lauderdale 439 Nassau 541
Galveston 443 Cozumel & the Yucatán Ports 555
Los Angeles 447 Key West 581
Miami 455 Old San Juan Walking Tour 593
Montréal 461 The U.S. & British Virgin Islands 609
New Orleans’ French Quarter 465 Alaska 618
New York City 472 Sitka 633
Norfolk 481 Victoria 640
Philadelphia 486 The Mexican Riviera 643
Québec City 493 Bermuda 661
San Diego 499 The Hawaiian Islands 665
San Francisco 505 New England & Eastern Canada 681
Seattle 513 U.S. Embarkation Ports & River
Routes 697