Rock Climbing Wall

Royal Caribbean – Innovation in Action

A recent survey by www.idealcruising.co.uk of it’s British customers on board a Royal Caribbean cruise around the Mediterranean revealed that the number one reason that they chose Royal Caribbean was because they perceived the cruise line to offer non-traditional cruises. When digging deeper it was clear that customers had been swayed by Royal Caribbean’s advertising campaigns that had featured product innovations such as a rock climbing wall, an ice rink, and flow-rider.

Royal Caribbean’s Flow Rider produces artificial waves that recreates a surfing environment on the deck of the ship. The flow rider which is features onboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, and Independence of the Seas shoots waves at 30 MPH, and an incredible 60,000 gallons of water a minute. It’s a great feeling riding the waves on board a 150,000 tonne ship that is riding some even bigger waves below you. Falling off however in front of several hundred people watching you can be humiliating however!

 The rock climbing wall is a really popular feature, and all the safety aspects are covered. Royal Caribbean staff are there to supervise you in a one-to-one ratio, and they are there to support you if you are struggling. Helmets and special rock climbing boots are also provided, and the great thing is that this is all at no extra cost. You don’t have to have any previous experience and as long as you have reasonable fitness levels it is a great introduction to an exhilarating sport.

 Another popular aspect of Royal Caribbean the various whirl pools that are located on the main deck. These are open all day and also in the evening, and after dark they are a popular hang-out place for teenagers.

For those that prefer a more energetic cruise, Royal Caribbean have an amazing state of the art gym, with an array of cardiovascular exercise machines all of which face out towards inspiring panoramic views of the ocean when the ship is at sea. There are also a selection of aerobic, spinning and yoga classes taking place throughout the day.

Ice skating is yet another differentiating activity that is available, which defies the conventional thinking of what you can do on a cruise. For those however that prefer not to be inside on a sunny day, roller blading up on the main deck is a good alternative, and for those less energetic, the mini golf again on the main deck is great entertainment for all the family and even those not blessed with sporting acumen. 

 Those responding to the survey when probed about the priority that they put on the ship’s facilities and product innovations showed that it was not the individual product features that were important, but more the collective impact that they had in creating an image of a cruise that was a fun experience and pitched at a more youthful audience. Respondents also referred to on board activities such as karaoke, themed disco nights in the main concourse of the ship, and state of the art gyms as other examples of what made the experience on board a Royal Caribbean ship a positive one. When asked about if they would consider a cruise again with Royal Caribbean, over 90% replied positively, with value for money as the number one factor, followed by high customer service and then entertainment

 

New to cruising

New to Cruise

Your complete guide

1st Time Cruising

IS IT YOUR FIRST TIME ….. ON A CRUISE?

OR….. NEVER BEEN AND THINKING ABOUT IT?

Taking a cruise is the IN thing in the holiday world – lots of people take their first cruise in trepidation with lots of misgivings only to find they are not true and wonder why they never cruised before. Many get the bug and end up taking a couple of cruises each year. Cruising is the fastest growing sector of the holiday industry with more than a million people in the United Kingdom taking a cruise each year.

Here‘s why:

CRUISES COST TOO MUCH

When asked – most non cruises expect Caribbean cruises to cost upwards of £1500 per person and Mediterranean cruises to anything from £1000pp. Also many people are not sure what is included in the cost – many think that flights and tax are additional. Here – at Jetline we have been at the leading edge of the cruise industry for the past 10 years bringing to the public new and innovative ways to enjoy a cruise holiday. Our collective expertise and contacts in the cruise industry mean that we can provide amazing cruise deals and great prices which are hard to match elsewhere. We pride ourselves in being the first to find incredible prices, exclusive offers and bespoke packages.

Cruises start from only £399 into the med for a week, Caribbean from £699 and the Nile from £399 including 10 excursions. These prices include stateroom accommodation, any flights that are required to take you to your port of departure, food virtually 24 hours per day and all port / air tax and fuel surcharges.

Also included are the majority of facilities and entertainment on board such as – theatrical shows every nights, nightclubs, variety shows, fitness centre, swimming pools, hot tubs and much more. Plus you will always find tea and coffee on tap 24 hours a day. Extras may include: tips foe the cabin crew, transfers ( in the case or our exclusive low cost tailor made cruise holidays), on board drinks that are served to you at the bar and at dinner, specialty restaurants, excursions and any additional service such as massages etc.

CRUISES ARE FOR SNOBS

Gone are the days of the Titanic with the first Class people on the upper deck and steerage passengers in the bowels of the ship. Cabins are priced from the bottom upwards and all passengers have access to all public areas of the ships. Cruises these days are a classless society.

CRUISES ARE FOR OLD PEOPLE

Cruises were traditionally the realm of the retired – but these days the average of the cruises if around the mid forties. Gone are the days of sedate cruises sitting in a deck chair under a tartan blanket, dressing up, ball room dancing and perhaps a game of shuffleboard for the energetic. Cruise ships have an incredible range of facilities and are built to appeal to all age groups. Perfect for families with a wide range of children’s clubs and facilities which far surpass the best land based resorts. Ideal for couple young and old and amazingly satisfying for the most energetic of holiday makers. After all you would not catch grandma in the video games arcade, scuba diving, rock climbing or ice skating … would you???

CRUISES ARE TOO FORMAL

Pardon – no way. Gone are the days of dressing for dinner every night and jostling for position at the captain’s table. Some cruise lines even go out of their way to market themselves as informal – one tag line sums it all up – “The cruise for people who don’t do cruises!”. During a standard 7 day cruise most cruise ships will hold only 2 formal nights in the main restaurant for dinner only. Formal could mean as little as a business suit for the gentlemen and trouser / skirt suit for the ladies. If you did not want to participate you could simple eat in one of the many other places on board. Throughout the day casual attire (as you would wear in any beach resort) is the norm. Even on Cunard you could get away with cruising without any formal clothes at all.

CRUISES ARE TOO CONFINED AND ORGANISED

Imagine standing outside a 14 storey office block that is the length of four football pitches. The building towers above you and stretches further than the eye can see without turning you head. This is the size of typical modern cruise ship above the water line – confined – I don’t think so. Ships are being built bigger and bigger – the average size of ships these days being twice the size of the Titanic and 1.5 times the size of the QE2. Quite often with so much to see and the different ports of call many people disembark without having seen the whole ship. As with any beach resort hotel there are organised activities – but equally passengers are free to do their own thing: many cruise ships having dining options at any time, pool areas that have no organised events and each port of call you do not have to book organised excursions – you simply get off and do your own thing. Also you can escape the crowds and find quieter parts of the ship and bars to enjoy some solitude if needed.

CRUISES ARE BORING

Imagine a hotel with the following : 13 bars, 9 restaurants, 3 swimming pools, 24 hour pizzeria (free), rock climbing wall, ice skating rink, 1400 seat theatre, mini golf course, in line skating, night club, shopping mall, casino; state of the art panoramic fitness centre, saunas, hot tubs, steam rooms, thalasso therapy pool, thermal relaxation lounges, sports court, surfing pools, 4 kids clubs, internet café, video arcade, and cinema. Plus when you walk out of your hotel you can visit a different set of beaches, local shops, historical sights and places of interest each day. Ask yourself again … Are cruises boring????

CRUISES TAKE TOO LONG

That’s the point – see more and do more whilst your floating resort cruises between destinations. Avoid travelling time in planes, trains and automobiles and enjoy all your floating resort has to offer as it takes you on to the next destination. Wake up at a different destination each day and take several holidays in one.

CRUISES ARE TOO COMPLICATED

You check – as you would a hotel. Drinks and excursions are charged back to your room – as you would in a hotel, the difference being that there is so much more choice on a cruise than the limited facilities of a hotel resort. Everything is at hand at no extra charge – unlike a hotel. No need to find other places to eat and drink unlike the limited choice at a hotel. No need to work out how far places are and what taxi’s cost to see different places of interest – unlike a hotel. What could be simpler than a cruise?

CRUISES DONT HAVE ENOUGHT TO DO

Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean Cruises are actually floating luxury hotels and some of the larger ones have more facilities than your local town. Imagine Ice skating in the Caribbean, rock climbing in Alaska or catching a wave on their brand new surf simulator called the flow rider. These ships have everything on them from gyms, theaters, libraries, internet cafes and more bars and restaurants than you can imagine. If just sitting down reading a book is your thing then you can do as little or as much as you want. And remember nearly everything is covered in the price.

PEOPLE GET SEASICK

Yes they do – if they are ultra sensitive or crossing the Atlantic in a Force 10. The majority of cruise holidays cruise around sheltered waters such as the Med, the Caribbean or the Alaskan coastline. All modern ships have stabilisers on them which reduce the rocking motion and all public areas and passenger accommodations are on decks above the waterline. Quite often passengers do not realise the ship is moving until they look out of the window! If you are ultra sensitive – book a cabin in the middle of the ship on a low deck when any motion is minimal.

Seasickness – not an excuse!

….. GO ON TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH – BOOK YOUR CRUISE – YOU WILL GET HOOKED!