Destinations

Nothing enchants and exhilarates like a private yacht charter on the crystal blue waters of the Aegean Sea. Imagine approaching the steep cliffs of Santorini while relaxing in your on-deck Jacuzzi. The view from the caldera is unmatched. I was pampered with my own private crew and enjoyed taking off on the yacht’s wave runner at every possible moment. The charter included my specific food and beverage choices, which the private cook whipped up into gourmet meals with local influences and the fresh catch of the day.

It was a one in a lifetime experience - I personally recommend a sleek and fast motor yacht but you can choose one that is more traditional. Or, if you’re a sailor at heart, choose a sailing yacht that puts you at the helm when you want. As for itineraries, in a private yacht, the islands are yours to discover – whether they are the pristine islands of the Ionian sea, the world famous islands of the Cyclades, the cultural islands in the Saronic Gulf, I challenge anyone to reconsider their next vacation destination and fulfill your dreams onboard a private yacht in the Greek Islands. I did and was thrilled beyond belief!

I have been on more then 30 cruises and I have to say out of all the cruises I’ve been on the Royal Caribbean Cruises was my favorite. They have everything for everyone! Morning to Night there is non-stop entertainment, activities, and adventure that will satisfy all ages.

I prefer the Caribbean cruises because the scenery is beautiful on and off the ship. Our ship was the Freedom of the Seas and first let me say that for the size of the ship I was pleasantly surprised at how organized the crew and staff were. They were also friendly and accommodating. The cabins are comfortable and clean. I recommend getting a cabin with a balcony, we loved being able to have a view while eating breakfast.

Every morning you receive a news paper with all the activities that will be available that day. There is a multitude of choices from napkin folding classes to surfing! Yes surfing! The ship has the world’s first surf simulator. There is always something going on that will please everyone in your group. They have an ice skating rink were you can ice skate yourself or catch some of the best shows onboard. There is a rock climbing wall, a full size sports court, an arcade, a theater, night clubs, pools, kids club, teen club, almost anything you can think of they have it. They also offer a range of classes from boxing to yoga. If you need some time to relax there is also a spa. The Royal Promenade is a four story naturally lit walk way with your choice of shops, restaurants, and bars.

The food selection is amazing and very good. You can choose from a wide range from Japanese to Italian. There is also a Johnny Rockets for the young ones to enjoy. The main dining hall sometimes has themed nights such as Mexican where the waiters dress up and there is singing and music. For a nightcap I recommend the Viking Lounge which has a great view and great music and dancing.

If your looking to satisfy everyone in your group cruises are the prefect way to go!

My wife and I recently took a 15 day cruise on the Costa Allegra on Costa Cruise Lines. The cruise started in Hong Kong and visited Manila, Kota Kinabalu, Brunei, Singapore, Saigon, Danang, Sanya, and back to Hong Kong. We chose this line because of the expansive itinerary and wanted to celebrate our Christmas and New Year’s at sea. However, the experience left much to be desired.

Port of Call - I would not recommend Sanya, China. It is touted as a beach resort where most of the Chinese locals visit, but when we arrived it was clearly not well maintained and the sidewalks did not look clean.

The Ship - I was told the ship had no stabilizers. I don’t know if this is true or not, but the stretch from Hong Kong to Manila is supposed to be the worst. It was very calm seas and smooth going. All the other times we were at open sea - which was about 5 days - were bad. There was a stretch of about 70+ hours where my wife and I were taking Dramamine every 8 hours. I believe everyone was on Dramamine, so much demand in fact, that by about the 60th hour, the ship ran out of it. I was fortunate I had some extra pills.

For about 3 full days, the ship was moving all over the place. Lying in bed at night was no relief. The ship seemed to be moving in all directions, and, it became worst because the springs in the mattress made you bounce up and down like you were on a trampoline! There was one night at dinner where the ship was moving so bad that dishes, glasses, wine bottles were crashing and falling over.

The Menu - On paper, the menu looked excellent. In reality, it turned out to be rather poor quality and hit or miss on the taste. I had shrimp scampi once and lobster twice. All three times the food tasted like it was previously cooked/frozen/cooked mushy/or powdery. Even their pasta was not consistent in quality and taste.

The only saving grace on food was their pizza bar which served fresh pizza from 10pm to 1am. Costa is an Italian cruise line, so I’m glad they got this one right. In addition, their service from the dining and bar personnel was also to a high standard.