Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays 2014

        We are proud to present our 2nd annual cruise ship themed Christmas tree. Last year, I started this tradition and decorated this secondary Christmas tree before Thanksgiving to be cruise ship themed. This year I decided to do this again, but with some additions. I will keep this tree up until Thanksgiving and then convert it into a Christmas tree with regular decorations. 
         The tree has paper ornaments that I quickly made using some of my vacation pictures. This ornaments were quick and easy to make. On this tree you will find Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean International, and Norwegian Cruise Lines represented. Also, there are some towel animal and life preserver ornaments. 

           I hope you enjoyed this and please feel free to share with your friends and family to spread some Christmas cheer! I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

This was originally published on 11/21/14, but due to some linking problems this has been republished.

     An Alaska cruise can be an exciting vacation opportunity and something that is a once in a lifetime experience. However, there are some people that hold back on an Alaska cruise because of the expense of the vacation. I am writing this post to help cruisers know there are ways to scale back the expense of an Alaska cruise without completely ruining the Alaska cruise experience. 

1. Choosing Your Stateroom
       The type of stateroom you select is one of the greatest factors in determining how much you pay for your Alaska cruise vacation. A room with a balcony is more expensive than a room with only a window or an interior stateroom with no view. Interior rooms are usually the cheapest option available. Remember, cruise ships have outside public decks that you can visit to look outside. You may not be able to look outside from your room, but an interior stateroom would allow you to save money and you would have an option to go to a public outside deck to look out. However, if you are willing to pay more and plan on spending more time in your room you might to consider paying a little more for a room with a view. 

2. Selecting Your Flights & Hotel Accommodations
         Most Alaska cruisers will have to fly into their departure port.  Search for cheaper flights and shop around by looking at different airlines. However, be careful to make sure you give yourself plenty of time before the cruise to arrive because you don't want your plane to become delayed and you then miss boarding your cruise ship. Also, don't book a flight too soon after a cruise because if your ship becomes delayed you may miss your flight to go home. 

3. Don't Do Shore Excursions In The Ports
            Shore excursions are a great way to experience a certain aspect of a port, but they cost extra and can be expensive.  In most Alaska ports of call you can get off the ship and just walk around.  You could consider browsing shops or just walk around the city.  Guess what?  This option is free! 

4.  While Onboard Your Cruise:  Enjoy What Is Included & Don't Pay For Extras
                When you pay the base price of your cruise you are probably paying for your stateroom, regular dining, and other amenities. Cruise lines like to charge for extras that you can get such as specialty dining.To save money stick with the dining that is included with the base price of your cruise. Avoid the casino and gambling because you will most likely lose.  If you are allowed to bring your own soft drinks or alcoholic drinks with you onboard the ship you should consider doing so.  The fee for bar beverages on cruise ships can be expensive. 

Keep in mind the easiest way to save money is not to spend any at all. However, this is not possible if you want to experience Alaska.  Keep track of how much you spend and enjoy your Alaska cruise vacation!

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       In today's age of cruising many older and slightly smaller cruise ships are being overlooked and underestimated because of the many new large megaships. Royal Caribbean recently announced it would be transferring the smaller and older Majesty of the Seas out of its fleet. This comes only a few weeks after the company launched the brand new Quantum of the Seas, a large mega ship with an abundance of technology. Other cruise lines are doing the same thing and getting rid of their smaller and older ships. These smaller and older ships are still appealing to many cruisers, but that number is becoming lesser as many more people are wanting new large mega ships to built. 
        Carnival's Fantasy Class cruise ships are the oldest and largest class of the ships in Carnival's fleet. This is Carnival's smallest class of ships length wise, but Carnival's fact sheets report the ships are between 800 and 900 feet in length. This is close to the size of three American football fields. This class of ships launched in 1990 with the M/S Fantasy and the last one built was  in 1998 with the launch of the M/S Paradise. The Fantasy Class presently consists of the Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Sensation, Carnival Fascination, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Elation, and Carnival Paradise. It is inevitable that these ships will be sold too because they are aging, getting older, and there is a great demand for newer and larger cruise ships. 
            Carnival has not sold or transferred any ships out of its fleet since 2009 when the Holiday was transferred to Iberocruceros to become the Grand Holiday. This was after the Holiday's sister ships, Celebration & Jubilee, were transferred out of the fleet in previous years.  The company transferred the ships out of the fleet slowly as newer and larger ships were being introduced to the Carnival fleet. When the dreadful day comes for the Fantasy class ships to be transferred or sold they will probably phase the ships out one by one for a period of many years. However, I predict, Carnival will start this process when they have ships that can replace the tonnage of the Fantasy class.

          Since their launch, the Fantasy class cruise ships have undergone many dry-docks and refurbishments that help keep the ships in good looking condition. For example, all of the Fantasy class ships (except for the Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise) were outfitted new Lido pool areas and the WaterWorks. The Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise are the newer of the Fantasy Class ships and they did not recieve the full "Evolutions of Fun" upgrades when the rest did.  All of the Fantasy class ships now have mini golf courses on the Sun Deck and aft Serenity Adults Only Retreats. Most of the ships, when new, did not have this golf course amenity. The Carnival Ecstasy has recently been refurbished with the Fun Ship 2.0 amenities of the Red Frog Rum Bar and the Blue Iguana Tequila Bar on the Lido Deck. The ship is the first Fantasy Class ship to receive these 2.0 features. These are just a few of the ways that Carnival has up kept and maintained their Fantasy class cruise ships. Regular maintenance of painting and re- carpeting occurs often on cruise ships to help keep public areas fresh.
           The Fantasy Class ships may be older, but they are still providing many people with a fun and enjoyable cruise vacation. I understand ships like the Fantasy Class are not for everyone and the great thing about the cruise industry is there are ships that cruise on that fit their style. Someday they will leave the Carnival fleet after their mission of providing people with a fun vacation for Carnival Cruise Lines is done. Someday the class will be split up as the ships are sent to other cruise lines and parts of the world. It is inevitable, but for now, enjoy the Fantasy Class ships while they are still around and enjoy a cruise on a ship, no matter how big or small.

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Have you ever sailed on one of Carnival's Fantasy Class ships?
(Includes Carnival Fantasy, Ecstasy, Sensation, Fascination, Imagination, Inspiration, Elation, or Paradise) 

      Many of the staterooms on a cruise ship are moderate in size for one person, but can be cramped when multiple people are sharing a stateroom. A typical cruise ship stateroom consists of beds, a vanity, bathroom, and cabinets. Cruise ship staterooms are all configured different from one another. Space will be limited no matter how many people are staying in the room. In order to keep your room comfortable and clean you may want to consider some tips for keeping your room this way. 

1.  Organize Your Clothes and Where You Store Them
      If you are given cabinet space to hang or place your clothing you should use that space. This will help you avoid having to lay clothes on the bed or couch (if your room has one). By hanging your clothes up you are helping keep your room clean and organized, but also you are keeping your clothes from getting wrinkled from being in the way. 
        If you are staying with multiple people in the same room you should divide your space to hang up clothing. If there are two people in one room consider dividing the space in two. For example, one person gets one side of the rack and the other person gets the other side of the rack. 

2.  Use Cabinet Space For Other Personal Belongings 
          Most cruise ship staterooms have space for you to use to store your personal belongings. Using this space will allow you to keep countertops clean and from keeping belongings in your suitcase or on the bed.  You should use the safe, if one is provided, for any belongings that are valuable or contain personal information (such as passports). 

3.  Towels In The Bathroom
          If you are going to reuse a towel hang it back on the rack. If you are not going to reuse a towel put in an isolated corner of the bathroom on the floor. This should let your stateroom steward know that you want those towels to be replaced with fresh ones. By putting these dirty towels in one corner you will be keeping your bathroom floor cleaner. 

4.  Try To Push Your Suitcase Under The Bed, If Possible
          Most cruise ship beds have space underneath that you can try to use to store your suitcase. The ability to do this will depend on your suitcase size and if the bed has space underneath it. Empty suitcases can take away floor space that you will probably want to have. 

       A popular part of Alaska cruising, for many, is looking for wildlife. From your cruise ship you may have a chance of spotting a variety of birds, seals, whales, dolphins, and fish. When you are scenic cruising you may also see  some bears, more birds, wolves, and other land mammals on the coastline from the ship. The wildlife you could see from your cruise ship will vary, but there are some things you can do to increase your chance of seeing these animals. 

I. Bring Binoculars
      You may have excellent eyesight, but if you want to zoom in on an animal for a better view you may want to consider bringing binoculars.  

II. You May Want A Room With A Balcony Or At Least An Outside View 
          The public outside decks on a cruise ship are great for looking outside, but if you plan on being outside trying to spot wildlife for long periods of time you will probably want to have a balcony or window. Rooms with a view are usually more expensive and you should only get these rooms if you plan on enjoying the view.

III.  Purchase A Guide Book On Alaska Wildlife
          If you want to spot, but also identify the wildlife, you should consider buying a book that will help you learn more Alaska wildlife. This could make some great pre-cruise reading and onboard the ship you can use your book when you are spotting wildlife. 

IV.  Never Feed Birds (Or Any Other Wildlife)
          Most cruise ships prohibit feeding birds and wildlife from the ship's public decks and balconies. If you try to feed birds you will most likely attract more birds than you would want. The birds could make the decking messy and/or obstruct the ship's navigation. Don't do this because you will most likely get in trouble by the ship and in some cases, environmental agencies. 

V.  You Don't Necessarily Have To Go On A Whale Watching Shore Excursion To  See Whales
         If you watch closely you will most likely see whales from your cruise ship. You may not in all cases, but many times there are whales close to the cruise ship.  You don't have to pay to go on a shore excursion to see whales. However, whale watching is a great shore excursion for those that want to try to get closer to the whales. 

VI. What You See Will Vary Based On Where Your Ship Cruises To & The Time of Year
          Please keep in mind the wildlife you see in Alaska may vary based on where your ship cruises and the time of the cruise season.  Don't go with your hopes up to see on particular animal, but then get disappointed because you didn't see that animal. Enjoy Alaska and have a great cruise!

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