Royal Caribbean now has bragging rights for the behemoth of the seas. The Symphony of the Seas, that is. I holds over 6,600 passengers and 2200 crew. Dang, there are major towns in Montana smaller than that!!
Today I wanted to share how far the absurdity is getting. The Norwegian Bliss just rolled out of the assembly yard and hit the water April 21. It’s over 900 ft long….and carries 4,000 pax. It’s smaller than the Symphony…but is has a unique amusement.
How about a two-level go-kart track. Hello? A GO KART track! So did we come to enjoy the sea air, the serenity of the wavers and exciting ports? No – let’s bring the land to the ocean.
Go-karts at sea.
If that’s isn’t enough for you, gander at the water slide that the screaming kiddies will dominate. A gigantic water slide. This thing even hangs over the edge. Gee, was it built by the lowest bidder? Bad sign if so.
Mega water slide
While the big ships sounded cool at first – a tribute to engineering skill. They are ruining the cruise experience for us all. Why? Well they are dumping too many tourists into the primo sites around the world. Read about the problems Venice, Santorini, Barcelona and other jewels are having.
You just cannot dump 6,000 people off and look the other way. Typically 1 or 2 other ships will be in the same port. My gosh, 11,000 people descending on St Paul’s Cathedral. Cheek-to-cheek on the Rialto Bridge. Head to toe on a medieval wall.
When will it end? Pack ‘em on. Money talks – nobody walks.
Drop us a line. So far I haven’t heard of these giants needing speakers. I guess everyone will be in line to drive around the deck. Sigh But we know of many other ships that need you.
First, an update on what’s going on in Venice. To try and reduce the number of people entering “downtown” Venice, the Mayor put up turnstiles. The locals tore them down – they do not want to be sectored in. The tourist crush is out of control READ more.
Turnstiles – what’s next, badges or arm tattoos?
The purpose of enrichment speakers is to enhance the cruise experience for the passengers, whether it’s highlighting a specific region or providing informative material of a more specific topic like forensics or oceanography.
As an enrichment speaker you will provide a series of talks related to your area of expertise. Each talk should be approximately 45 minutes duration, including 5-10 minutes Q&A post-talk. You should expect to speak on every sea day and possibly on long port days or overnights.
Storytelling on Cruise Ships
In exchange for your ‘work’ on board you will be provided double-occupancy cruise ship accommodations (one stateroom to share with one person) and other various amenities and discounts not available to regular passengers. To facilitate this experience for you, agencies charge an administrative fee that varies by cruise brand, but ranges from $50-$100 per night. This fee includes your on board stateroom, port charges, all meals on board in the main dining room and you can bring a guest to travel with you for no additional charge.
Talks must be PowerPoint driven and FUN. Nothing soft – but interesting. YOU are the expert and need to deliver the goods. We can show you how. Read through the website and give us a shout.
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Let’s face it: The basic design of cruise ships has not materially changed since the first steamers were zipping between England and New York. While there certainly have been major technological improvements in the decades past, we still see the hull, body and stern looking about the same.
Side thrusters, stabilizers, and bow bulbs have been the most noticeable.
I commend Aurora Expeditions’ ship, named “Greg Mortimer” for its nifty bow innovation. It looks a bit different than other cruise ships.
The ship is small – it features what they call “X-bow.” It resembles a bullet train, more than a boat. It has that “military” appearance. Even shouts a bit of “James Bond.” Take a look.
Cruise ship designs are getting exotic
This sleek bow gives it greater speed since it can slice through the water with better stability – ergo – less drag / more available power / less fuel consumption. All good things.
This inverted bow concept is getting more publicity (i.e. this blog) even though it is used on 100+ ships already. Aurora has just launched a full program for its polar expeditions, the first to feature the Greg Mortimer.
Learn more about arctic cruises
The latest version will roll out in 2019 and head to Antarctica. This is a polar capable craft so the trip will be to the hard-to-get-to sites. Think Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia and Falklands as well as up north: Svalbard, Franz Josef Land, East Greenland, Jan Mayen, Iceland and Norway.
Subscribe and get your most relevant cruising information here. We can also get you on ships just by speaking. You can bring another traveller (over 18 yrs old).
