Smooth sailing: A look at what's ahead in the cruise industry by Amy Gunderson
Anyone with sea legs will tell you that cruising is no longer just about sun-drenched islands. Sure, there are plenty of Mediterranean and Caribbean sailings this summer, but cruise lines are also sending more ships to Northern Europe (where you can, for instance, see the Baroque Catherine Palace, just outside St. Petersburg) and increasing capacity in Alaska (where you can take a ride on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, a relic of the 1898 gold rush. Cruise Lines International Association. Cruise lines are catering more and more to families, with a wide range of on-board activities for children and teenagers and shore excursions that the whole family can enjoy. There are excursions that whisk passengers farther and farther away from the ship (Antarctica, anyone?) and cruises that stop in far-flung ports in the Middle East and Asia, for those who want to mix, say, a little archaeology with their rest and recreation.
This month, the 1,918-passenger Noordam (www.hollandamerica.com) is scheduled to sail out of New York on a series of 10- and 11-day Caribbean cruises, which will run until April and start again in October. (During the summer, the Noordam is scheduled to head to Europe for 10-day Mediterranean sailings out of Rome.) At 82,500 tons, the ship is just a touch larger than the three other vessels in Holland America's "Vista" class of ships, with an additional 35 guest rooms, including 18 with verandas. It has all the upgrades that Holland America has been slowly rolling out on its other ships, including a culinary arts center. There is also a wine bar that will serve some 60 wines by the glass.
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