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Cruise Ship to Offer Glamping Experience in the Galapagos

11/19/2018

Image courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

By John Roberts

The first ship designed exclusively for the Galapagos Islands, Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Flora, will also feature a cruise industry first: A unique camping experience on the top deck of the luxury yacht that gives passengers an opportunity to dine, drink and even sleep under one of the most spectacular night skies in the world.

A "Galapagos Glamping Experience" will be offered on each sailing on Celebrity Flora.
Up to four cruisers who choose to pay a fee for the exclusive program will spend the night on the ship's top deck for a one-night-only adventure. Reservations include two luxury cabanas, one fitted with a double bed and the other for enjoying an alfresco meal.

The glamping experience was created to offer passengers a unique way to get closer to the natural surroundings of the Galapagos. A naturalist will also be available to highlight the stars and constellations visible from this region of the world directly from the cabana seats.

"Celebrity Flora was specifically designed to bring our guests closer to the Galapagos Islands than ever before -- from its outward-facing design that takes guests to the water's edge, to the enhanced custom-designed Novurania yacht tenders," said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises. "And now our new Galapagos Glamping experience gives guests an incredible opportunity to experience the destination the ship was built for, on a whole new level, under the millions of stars above."

Dinner with a View
Cruisers who book the glamping package will be treated to campfire-inspired culinary
delights -- from cocktails to carefully selected wines to s'mores. And while you gaze at the endless open skies above, a gourmet dinner is prepared. Campers will also welcome the spectacular sunrise with a full bed-side breakfast.

Celebrity Flora begins its inaugural season in 2019, sailing alternating 10- and 11-night cruises and tours throughout the Galapagos. Based in Baltra Island in the Galapagos, Celebrity Flora is set to debut May 26, 2019.

The exclusive "Galapagos Glamping" experience will be available upon request for a fee, on every Celebrity Flora sailing, subject to availability.

Thanks for reading,
JR

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Carnival Cruise Ship to Get Overhaul, Sail to Cuba from New Cities

11/14/2018

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Rendering courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line

By John Roberts

Carnival Cruise Line is set to totally revamp Carnival Victory and give it new life and amazing new itineraries as Carnival Radiance.

Once the ship undergoes an overhaul in 2020, it will emerge to sail including 9- to 13-day European voyages, as well as Carnival's first trips to Cuba from New York and Norfolk, Virginia.

Carnival Radiance also will sail four- to nine-day voyages to the Caribbean and Canada/New England from New York and a winter season of cruising to the Caribbean and Cuba from Port Canaveral, Fla.

These are the details of Carnival Radiance's planned 2020 inaugural season:

Following a $200 million dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, for its refurbishment, Carnival Radiance is due to debut April 29, 2020, with a 10-day Mediterranean itinerary from Barcelona followed by nine- and 12-day cruises visiting top destinations, including Italy, France, Croatia, Greece, Malta and Spain. The ship will then embark on a 13-day trans-Atlantic crossing from Barcelona to New York June 11 to June 24, positioning the cruise ship for its inaugural season in Manhattan.

Once in New York, Carnival Radiance will offer a series of four- and six-day Bermuda cruises, as well as a four-day cruise to Saint John, New Brunswick, eight-day eastern Caribbean voyages and the line's first Cuba cruises from New York -- nine-day sailings that include a full-day and overnight stay in Havana and two Bahamian ports of call. The New York season concludes with a series of Canada/New England voyages featuring stops in Boston, Portland, Saint John and Halifax.

The ship will also offer four five- to seven-day voyages from Norfolk in October and November 2020, including the line's first Cuba cruises from that port. The week-long Cuba cruises will feature an extended stop in the capital of Havana along with visits to two tropical Bahamian ports. There will also be a five-day Bahamas cruise and a six-day cruise visiting three of the country's most popular destinations, including the private island of Half Moon Cay.

Following the cruises from the Northeast, Carnival Radiance will reposition to Port Canaveral, Fla., to operate a winter schedule of six- to eight-day voyages to the Caribbean and Cuba beginning November 8. The program includes six-day voyages featuring a day-long visit and overnight call in Havana and two Bahamian ports; a six-day sailing to Grand Turk, Amber Cove, the Dominican Republic and Nassau; and seven- and eight-day Caribbean voyages visiting some of the region's most popular and beautiful islands, including Aruba, Curacao, St. Kitts and Grand Turk.

As part of the transformation to Carnival Radiance from Carnival Victory, the ship will get a slew of staples now found on many other ships throughout the fleet. This means Carnival Radiance will get new restaurants: Pizzeria del Capitano, Seafood Shack, Guy's Pig and Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse, Cucina Del Capitano, Bonsai Sushi, The Chef's Table and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse.

It also adds lounges and bars: RedFrog Pub, Piano Bar 88, Limelight Lounge and Liquid Lounge. Other new features: Cloud 9 Spa, SportSquare with a ropes course, and additions to the WaterWorks water park, which adds the 203-foot-long AquaTunnel water slide.

Thanks for reading,
JR

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Train to Travel: 5 Easy Exercises for Common Travel Challenges

11/12/2018

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Even if you don't follow a strict workout regimen, you can still reap some great rewards from several simple exercises and practices to help you travel better.

By John Roberts

If you travel a lot, a regular workout routine can help you in a lot of ways. You'll have more endurance and energy. This helps on the long treks through airports and waiting in lines at TSA or at the counters and gates. You also will be better prepared for periods of sitting on buses, trains or planes.

Regular workouts help normalize body functions and can ensure you sleep better and rebound from time zone changes more efficiently. Plus, a fitness and wellness regimen can help you stick to healthy eating plans even when you're tempted by goodies and enticed to overindulge during your trips.

I've been preaching these benefits for years now. But this post is for everyone, even those who don't tend to make working out a priority. Even if you don't follow a strict workout regimen, you can still reap some great rewards from several simple exercises and practices to help you travel better.

For example, one simple trick to feel much better when traveling on a plane, bus or train is to get up and simply stretch your legs and torso a little to get the blood flowing. Long periods of sitting not only causes discomfort, it can lead to cramping. Go for a short stroll, stretch or try a wellness supplement if you experience leg cramps.

Plus, a few simple gym moves will keep you in prime condition to take on other common travel challenges. Here is an easy guide for some simple exercises and how they can help you in your travels. Consider working these moves into your routine at least one a week. It can take less than 15 minutes to do them all and will prove especially helpful if you travel regularly for either business or pleasure.

The Travel Task: Sitting down and getting up from your seat

This is probably the most basic function that I see people struggling with during my travels. Of course, we all know how to sit down and stand up, right? But most of the time, we get lazy and just plop down into the seat (they seem more like crash landings on your butt and back).

Then, when you get up, you grab the back of the seat in front of you to help hoist yourself, perhaps grabbing the hair of the passenger in front of you -- or at the very least giving him or her seat an unwelcome jostle (think about if it was you and you were sleeping).

You can do better with good form and with stronger legs and a core.

The Exercise: Bodyweight Squats

Do two to three sets of 10 to 12 squats to strengthen your form and simulate getting into and out of a chair or seat (photos above). You can use the bench or chair as a guide or do the squats without and try to get to at least a 90 degree angle with your squat depth.

The Travel Task: Loading a bag into an overhead compartment

This is probably the most challenging task a traveler can face, especially if you are shorter and hauling a heavy carry-on suitcase or roller bag. You know very well that it's a two-part chore to stuff a bag into the often-cramped overhead bin. You have to twist yourself in the narrow airplane aisle to pick up your bag before hoisting it up into its resting space.

The Exercises: Overhead Press and Low-to-High Woodchop

Use dumbbells or an exercise band to strengthen your shoulders and upper back with the overhead pressing motion (top photo series). To build flexibility and strength for lifting the luggage from the ground, use a strict motion and torso twist with the band, working low to high (bottom photo series). Do a couple sets of 10 to 12 reps of each move.

The Travel Task: Carrying or rolling your suitcase and other luggage

New designs for suitcases make it easier for you to get around the airport and other spots in your travels. Roller luggage has been a revelation. Even so, some major airports are massive, and your forearms, biceps, wrists and fingers still can feel the effects of pulling and pushing your suitcases along seemingly endless corridors and up and down ramps as you travel between gates. Those of you who are still carrying your bags and duffels, you'll really appreciate this exercise.

The Exercise: Farmer's Walk

Grab a set of dumbbells of moderate weight (easy to hold, but you can definitely feel the weight) and walk with them for as long as you can before setting them down. Do two sets of this, holding the weights with arms extended at your sides as you walk.

The Travel Task: Plucking your checked bag from the luggage carousel

The following movement helps you maintain strength and form for picking up your luggage and for keeping great posture and building enough strength and endurance if you also travel with a backpack.

The Exercise: Bent-Over Rows

Use dumbbells or an elastic band with a bent-over posture. Row the arms back and contract your shoulder blades at the top of the repetition. Do two sets of 10 to 15 reps.

The Travel Task: Climbing stairs

Another seemingly mundane daily routine that we all know how to do. But it becomes more challenging when you are handling luggage and in unfamiliar buildings or on those shaky mobile jetway staircases that get rolled up for entry and exiting small planes.

The Exercise: Step Ups or Lunges

To build up further strength in your legs and confidence in your balance, try lunges or step ups. Alternate legs as you go, and do three sets of 10 to 15 reps of lunges (don't let the drop knee hit the ground), or 8 to 12 reps of step ups using a bench or similar stable elevated surface.

If you use proper form and are deliberate with each repetition of these exercises, you will get stronger and avoid injury. Add more sessions during your week as you get stronger.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for reading, and as always: Travel fit, travel happy and travel often,
JR

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Cruise Ship to Offer Glamping Experience in the Galapagos

Carnival Cruise Ship to Get Overhaul, Sail to Cuba from New Cities

Train to Travel: 5 Easy Exercises for Common Travel Challenges

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