Our Generation Florida

By Phyllis W. Zeno

Traditionally, a 7-day Western Caribbean cruise takes you to Cozumel, Grand Cayman and  Jamaica. If you’re sailing from Tampa, New Orleans or Galveston, it is highly likely that you’ll visit the Western Caribbean.

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By Phyllis W. Zeno

Have you ever dreamed about being cast away on a desert island, but found yourself wading through St. Thomas, along with 20,000 passengers from nine other ships? In that case, “Out Islands” are your dream come true!

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By Phyllis W. Zeno
Grand Turk/Turks and Caicos
In a mad scramble to add a new port-of-call to the Eastern itinerary, a number of cruise lines are including a visit to Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands, which are neither in the Caribbean nor the Bahamas, but in the Atlantic, 575 miles off of Miami. Read More »

By Phyllis W. Zeno
For decades, a seven-day cruise from Florida to the Eastern Caribbean meant a day in Nassau, a day in St. Thomas, and an overnight in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A few cruise lines still offer that itinerary, but with the addition of private Out Islands (those islands in the Bahamas, leased by the cruise lines for the private use of their passengers), the majority of the cruise ships now visit an Out Island, St. Thomas, St. Maarten,  and another new discovery, Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Read More »

By Phyllis W. Zeno

Budgeting for Your Cruise

“The times they are a changin’…” sang Bob Dylan, and when it comes to tipping aboard ship, truer words were never sung. Read More »

By Phyllis W. Zeno

When Do We Eat?
Early or late sitting? Dinner is at 6 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. on most of the major cruise lines, and you can state your preference to your travel agent at the time you book your cruise. Read More »

By Phyllis W. Zeno

You’re ready to buy your cruise ticket. Your head is full of happy anticipation. But, a word to the wise — in the same way that it never rains when you carry an umbrella, accidents seldom happen when you’re covered by travel insurance. If you want to get full coverage from the time you leave your home, including your air flight, you need to purchase that insurance at the same time you buy your cruise ticket. Read More »

By Phyllis Zeno

So you’re taking the plunge! You’ve concluded that 12.8 million people can’t be wrong, and a cruise is the vacation for you. Here are answers to some of the questions you may have:

Q. Do I need a passport for a cruise?

A. The United States has changed the requirements for travel to

Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda. If you fly out of the country, you need a passport. If you travel by land or sea, a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship will suffice for the time being. You will also need a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license; children 18 and younger need only a birth certificate.

The law notwithstanding, some cruise lines may ask you to carry a passport. Current fees are $100 for a new passport; $75 for a renewal. Passports are good for 10 years. (You can apply for a passport at your local post office or county court house.)

You may also apply for a new document called a passport card that will be issued later this spring and can be used for land-sea crossings from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

Q: Which ship is for me?

A: If you’re a baby boomer and you’re happily congratulating yourselves on recently emptying your nest, you probably don’t want to board a ship filled with fledglings from that nest. Carnival Cruise Lines has a reputation for catering to a young clientele. But the good news is that two of their ships, the Imagination and the Inspiration, have “adults only” decks, guaranteeing serenity, so don’t rule them out. See why at www.Carnival.com.

There’s a song in Gypsy that goes … “You’ll never get away from me,” and that holds true with Carnival. They own more than half of the cruise lines afloat, including: Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard and the Yachts of Seabourne, each with its own personality.

Holland America with its Five-star fleet of 13 “dam” ships, ranging from Amsterdam to Zuiderdam, is ideally suited to our generation. If you think “cleanliness is next to godliness,” these ships are at the top of the list, and their attentive Filipino and Indonesian crew stand ready to cater to your every need. See www.hollandamerica.com.

Princess Cruises: Who says the “Love Boat” has faded into TV oblivion?

Princess is still packaging romantic experiences, live. In fact, Princess is the only cruise line with a “Tie the Knot at Sea”® program and wedding chapels on all 15 of its cruise ships. You can have the captain perform your wedding ceremony, renew your marriage vows or perform a second-time-around wedding ceremony at sea. Have a look at www.princess.com.

Celebrity Cruises: Voted one of the World’s Best Cruise Lines by Conde Nast Traveler yet surprisingly reasonable, this Greek-operated cruise line is tops when it comes to accommodations, food and entertainment. Dying to go to Europe? How about a 14-night transatlantic cruise from Miami to Holland, visiting the Bahamas, Bermuda, Cherbourg, France; Paris, Dover and Amsterdam, with cabins starting at $1079 per person? You hardly can stay at home for that price! Check it out at www.CelebrityCruises.com.

These are just a few of the best of Our Generation cruise lines with lots more to come in future columns.