Impact of Tsunami on the Cruising World

I have always wanted to find out what impact tsunamis have on the cruising world. Yes, truly huge tsunamis like the one that happened in Asia are quite rare. But the fact remains that, smaller tsunamis happen all the time, and the cumulative effect of all this could really be quite devastating for the cruise liners. After all, who would like to sail on a vessel and stay exposed to the risks?

So what is the impact? Are fewer people booking or asking about a cruise vacation now? What are the cruise liners doing to allay the fears of the general public? Can the ships really do anything at all? And what about the bottom-line? Has there been any major impact there?

I was really keen to find this out, and started doing the research. I reached out to a few major liners, and asked them the critical questions. I visited the office of the Cruise Lines International Association to get their side of the story. I consulted various travel agents to find out whether there has been any major drop in the bookings or enquiries. I even went on a cruise myself, to find out what the on-board passengers felt.

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason for taking the cruise. I really love cruising, and can sail the ocean absolutely anytime. You just have to mention the word “cruise” to me, and off I go. LOL.

And here’s what I discovered.

Luckily, there has been little impact. Those who love to cruise would go anyway. Of course, they are concerned about their safety, but it seems that most people have retained their confidence in the ability of the companies to take timely action in case of such eventualities. And it seems that there is certainly a lot of logic here.

With the forecasting systems much better today than they were before, it is possible to know about an earthquake or a tsunami hours in advance. Since the ship is always wired or connected, call what you like, the captain can take timely decision and change the course to avert a crisis. Sure enough, you will miss a few ports-of-call, but then, your life will be saved. And certainly, that is all that matters. Doesn’t it.

Certainly the liners are all on a perennial red alert, ever since the big one in Asia, and the other smaller ones. They are always tuned in, listening particularly to such signals, and that’s precisely why there hasn’t been an incident in the last few years.

In fact, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, those who are on a cruise during the tsunami are always safe. This is what Lanie Fagan the spokeswoman of the Cruise Lines International Association said, “because a tsunami causes a rise in the height of the sea, a ship at sea is one of the safest places to be. It is when a tsunami approaches the coast that it causes damages as the wave builds in height and causes widespread flooding.”

That is certainly an interesting take. Who am I to challenge that?

Celebrity Summit

Let us be very frank before we enter this classy cruise ship. It surely is not for everyone. Take a look at some of the Celebrity Summit’s guests if you do not believe me. They are mostly wealthy Americans who have already reached their summits whether in business or in calling. You may also come across intercontinental playboys looking for the ultimate luxury offered in an expensive sea voyage where champagne & caviar can be a routine fare.

The passenger list also includes a few world-travelers who have nothing else to do but to seek new source of excitement wherever available. However, this need not dissuade you to join a cruise aboard this 91,000-ton luxury cruise ship which appears to have taken some slices off the legendary liner, SS Normandie, known for her opulence and style. Nevertheless, try to bear in mind that the Celebrity Summit maintains a crew of 999 skilled hands to serve 1,950 passengers when the ship is fully occupied! That’s some remarkable ratio indeed.

Anyway, now that you have boarded the ship, there is no harm keeping your eyes open to see the signs of elegance all around you. The first thing that sure is going to catch your attention is a seven-foot high stunning bronze statue resembling the goddess Athena, created by Leon-Georges Baudry, the noted Art Deco sculptor that forms a part of poise in the two-level Cosmopolitan Restaurant of the ship. Although the restaurant earlier had fixed-time seating arrangement for serving food, passengers currently have the option of having the same anytime within certain hours.

Among some of the upscale restaurants on board the Summit is the Normandie alternative restaurant where they serve you with searing hot food items. Even though it involves a surcharge, the experience of a waiter in white tie preparing flambé entrees table-side can be quite exhilarating. Also, you get special items here that include Rack of Lamb en Croute, Chateaubriand steak and few more. The Lido Café, deck 10 on the other hand, offers casual breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, snacks, pizza and late night munchies right up to midnight. The Summit often lays out themed midnight buffets that attract jubilant crowd. 24-hour Room Service is a standard feature in the ship.

Celebrity Summit cabins include Deluxe Oceanview Staterooms (170 sq, ft.) with verandahs featuring two convertible beds, a sitting area and panoramic view floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors opening out to the balcony. Lower priced Interior Staterooms with sofa-cum-bed having sitting areas, nevertheless, prove quite comfortable too. All cabins, however, have interactive television, phone with voice mail, hair drier, safe and a mini-bar. Use of bathrobes is optional.

Grandeur Of The Seas

Even though there are many cruise ships that sail the Pacific, or cruise the calm waters of the Caribbean, this ship is so grand that its owners simply called it - The Grandeur of the Seas. In fact, everything on board the ship is grand and glittering. Right from the Grandeur Centrum to the Grandeur Solarium, all the fascinating features of this grand ship that blissfully accommodates 2446 guests spell class. With a full-service Spa, half a dozen whirlpools, an all-weather jogging track and a seemingly endless chain of well appointed bars and restaurants, the Grandeur of the Seas is a seven-star hotel afloat the deep. The Grandeur’s current destination covers the Southern and Western Caribbean.

Here are some of the countless amenities that you will find on board.

• Boutiques of Centrum comprises of storefronts offering a wide range of fineries that include perfumes, jewelry, liquor and novelty cruise wear.
• Grandeur Solarium consists of indoor/outdoor pool that is provided with a massive sliding glass canopy.
• Great Gatsby Dining Room personifies the elegance and carefree lifestyle. A very impressive ambience for the current generation.
• Palladium Theater is a two-tier amphitheater featuring nightly entertainment that often includes musicals.
• Casino Royale is the gambler’s real haven featuring video poker, Caribbean Stud poker, electronic slot machines and more.
• Singing-in-the-rain Lounge is a glass-walled 100-seat lounge offering magnificent sea views.
• Schooner Bar is a nautically themed bar that makes a drink all the more enjoyable as if one is sitting in a wheelhouse.
• South Pacific Lounge is for live music and dancing.
• Champagne Bar is the right place to enjoy your bubbly drink poured into Tulip glass provided by the barman.
• Windjammer Café is the seaside buffet-style booth for breakfasts and lunches. However, it changes color as the sun goes down the horizon, giving it the shape of a full fledged restaurant.
• Observatory is for the stargazers. The star-studded sky, especially on new moon nights look amazingly beautiful when viewed on board a ship.
• Adventure Ocean is a large playroom for the little ones who often become engrossed in pictorial books and miniature ship models that are provided here, usually guided by a member of the entourage.

Carnival Glory

The 110,000-ton 2,974-passenger Conquest-class cruise ship Carnival Glory operated by Carnival Corporation is a truly colorful ocean liner with each of its public rooms sporting all the vivid colors of the rainbow! The ship is easy to navigate (from the passengers’ point of view) since most of the public rooms that include the Camel Casino, White Heart Dance Club, Burgundy (wine) Bar and the Ultraviolet Teen Disco are centrally located. However, one snug corner boasts of a cluster of hot spots that includes the Sing-along piano bar, Cinn-a-Bar, the Ebony Cabaret beckoning late night dancing partners and the Bar Blue for jazz enthusiasts. The Carnival Glory’s singular Cigar Bar, The Ivory Club is located just below.

Even though the Carnival Glory’s passenger quota mostly comprises of newly married couples, the ship is also much liked by families because of its many activities. This of course often creates overcrowding at the buffet during peak hours, more on sea days and formal nights. Similar is the case with the Colors Bar in the atrium that tends to fill up for pre-dinner cocktails. However, the Green Sports Bar, Ebony Cabaret Lounge and the Ivory Club are where you could head if you wanted to escape the crowds.

The Carnival Glory’s dining options include both traditionally assigned seating arrangement in the Platinum and Golden dining rooms commencing at 6 and 8.15 pm as well as flexible timing system through Carnival’s Your Choice Dining Program that offers dinner in the central dining room where passengers can enjoy their supper anytime between 5.45 and 9.30 in the night. However, it must be admitted that keeping at par with other Conquest-class ships, the quality and selection of food on board the Carnival Glory is quite good, while the daily changing menu also lists the calorie and fat content of each dish for the benefit of the diners.

However, the most impressive part of the Carnival Glory’s exclusive dining deal relates to its reservation-only Emerald Room Supper Club where the elite menu combined with extra attentive service more than compensates its $25 cover charge per person. And the food they serve here is top class too - South African lobster, sizable porterhouse steak and prime-aged beef. What more does a passenger want?