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Viking Cruises Heads to the Mississippi River. Let's Name the Ships.

2/26/2015

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Picture
The Viking Twain is a natural name for one of the new Viking Cruise ships to be built for the Mississippi River. The first cruises will be in 2017.
By John Roberts

The Mighty Mississippi is preparing for the arrival of the Viking river ships.

Viking Cruises will place at least six new ships into the iconic U.S. waterway by 2019, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said this week.

That means the cruise ship presence on the Mississippi is set to more than double in the coming years. Two lines are operating on the Mississippi -- American Cruise Lines (Queen of the Mississippi) and American Queen Steamboat Co. (American Queen) offers voyages.

Viking Cruises, a longtime force in Europe and elsewhere, will use New Orleans as its home base to place its first river ships in the United States.

In The Loop Travel thought it would be fun to speculate what Viking might name these new ships. The line has named all its European vessels with an eye toward Viking heritage. Names like Viking Mani, Viking Delling, Viking Tor and Viking Odin pay homage to gods in mythology.

How about some cool names to recognize the heritage along the Mississippi River.

Viking Mississippi: Simple and elegant, a perfect choice perhaps for the inaugural ship and gives a nod to the importance of the massive river that cuts through America, sourced at its headwaters of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota and emptying into the Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans. The name Viking Mississippi certainly leaves no doubt as to where you will be sailing.

Viking Whodat: What better way to support the city of New Orleans than to adopt its famed chant, "Who Dat!?" Viking can even work it into the marketing materials, taunting the competition in true New Orleans style: "Who dat say they gonna beat this cruise experience? Who dat!?"

Viking Twain: Legendary author Mark Twain penned "Life on the Mississippi" about his work as a steamboat pilot on the muddy waters before the Civil War. The name Twain is almost synonymous with the river, and his "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" made the Mississippi a central character.

Viking Armstrong: Speaking of icons. How about honoring the legendary jazz musician and New Orleans native Louis Armstrong. Jazz music is at the heart of the city and region, and Viking Cruises no doubt will feature plenty of music on its voyages. So why not a ship named for Satchmo? (Oooh, maybe Viking Satchmo would be even better.) Heck, the city even named its airport after Armstrong.

Viking Huckleberry: See Viking Twain entry, above. It just has a perfect ring to it, don't ya think?   

Viking Tarkenton: In the tradition of honoring great Viking legends, Viking Cruises, of course, would consider the greatest Vikings in American history. With the headwaters of the Mississippi located in Minnesota, it makes perfect sense to look to the Minnesota Vikings for inspiration (full disclosure, I am a diehard fan of the NFL team). Not happy with Hall of Fame QB Fran Tarkenton as the choice? How about Viking Grant for Hall of Fame coach Bud Grant? Maybe Viking Marshall? You guessed it, for another Hall of Famer, defensive end Jim Marshall. OK, I tried.

I'm sure Viking Cruises has its own ideas, but I'd like to think the line will seriously mull over some of these. Ha! Viking plans to debut its first Mississippi ships, which are expected to accommodate about 300 passengers, by late 2017.

Let's see some of your ideas for good names that fit in with Viking Cruises' plans to launch ships on the Mississippi River.



Thanks for reading,
JR

You might also like to read:

Fast-Growing Viking Cruises Eyes Mississippi and Amazon Rivers

Viking River Cruises Keep You Moving
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Carnival Set to Open Port in Dominican Republic

2/23/2015

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Picture
Puerto Plata offers some of the nicest beaches in the Caribbean.
By John Roberts

Cruise ships are returning with regular itineraries to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, for the first time in three decades.

And Carnival Corp. says its highly anticipated $85 million port in the historic city will open later this year.

Amber Cove will start to see ships arrive, starting Oct. 6, with a call from Carnival Victory. Ships from six of Carnival's lines are scheduled to stop at the port through early 2016.

Amber Cove sits on the Dominican Republic's North Coast, which features chances for activities like outback safaris, snorkeling, ziplining, horseback riding, hiking and waterfalls adventures. Carnival's new waterfront port facility is located near the historic town of Puerto Plata, which was founded around 1500.   

Carnival says it's important to continue to expand the number of destinations available on cruise itineraries to the Caribbean, as well as enhance the overall experience once travelers arrive.

"There are several markets that are becoming increasingly important to the cruise industry, but today, the Caribbean is the single largest share of our business," said Giora Israel, senior vice president of global port and destination development for Carnival Corporation. "We are confident that our guests will love visiting Amber Cove, which we believe will quickly become a very popular port of call for our guests. And because Amber Cove is easily accessible, it will give our guests a convenient gateway to the Puerto Plata region, which is spectacular. And importantly, Amber Cove will allow us to offer our guests a new option in our Caribbean itineraries."

That's nice, but you might like to visit simply to check out one of the filming locations of the "Jurassic Park" movie. Boom! Fun fact alert!

Thanks for reading, and always travel happy.

JR

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5 Best Tips for Eating Paleo While Cruising

2/19/2015

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PictureSteak is a go when eating Paleo.
By John Roberts

Even when I'm not traveling, staying active is a big part of my life. So is paying attention to a balanced, reasonably healthy diet. For me, that sometimes means adhering to a Paleo-inspired plan that has me eating mostly lean proteins, organic veggies and fruit. (Of course, I give myself wiggle room on vacation.) 
But when I'm on a cruise ship, that's a little harder to do. If you think cruising is all about gluttony, midnight buffets, over-the-top desserts and fatty, salty dishes, well, you're only partly right. 

Surprise! You actually can eat a mostly Paleo diet on a cruise ship. 

Here's how:

1. Be prepared to be flexible. Unless you're sailing a really high-end line, chances are slim "free-range" and "organic" anything will be be readily available. Understand that you'll probably have to give a little on that. Of course, if you're Paleo, you're already used to reading menu descriptions carefully, so this is nothing new, right?

2. Breakfast is a breeze. Your best bet will be the buffet, where you have plenty of protein options. Start at the made-to-order egg station, and you can get any kind of eggs you're craving. If you don't do butter, make sure to specify that you want your eggs prepared with olive oil. Throw in some fresh veggies, and you'll have a great omelet or scramble. The egg bar is a much better option than the chafing dishes filled with eggs, which might be made from processed powdered or liquid eggs. Not a fan of eggs? Meat generally abounds on buffets. You probably won't find bacon that is free of nitrates/nitrites, but you'll definitely find bacon. Also, keep an eye out for the muesli; you'll probably find the healthy seeds and nuts you crave nearby this Paleo no-no. Load up on fresh fruit, too, which is available on buffets all day long.

3. Alternative restaurants are your friends. Cruise ships call them "alternative dining venues." For the most part, you should read that as "additional charge restaurants." Nearly every cruise ship has some kind of upcharge restaurant, and most run between $15 per person and $50 per person. Trust me: The food at most of these is excellent. I try to eat at one of these spots at least once a cruise. Here's why: The quality of ingredients is just better, and waiters and chefs here are more open to special requests. My favorites are the steakhouses (try Crown Grill on Princess Cruises, Chops on Royal Caribbean or Cagney's on Norwegian Cruise Line), where cuts of beef are varied, and menu descriptions include words like "grass-fed" and "prime Angus." Seafood restaurants are also plentiful on the high seas, and while I'm not a fan of fish, these are a favorite of Mrs. In The Loop.

4. Make your wishes known. Most of your waiters probably won't know what the heck "Paleo" means, so any time you order, make sure you ask what is used in the preparation of any food. You're probably a pro at this by now, but it's totally fine to skip sauces and sides. Most dishes come with a heavy side of starchy carbs. Save the waste and tell your waiter to skip the rice, the pasta or the bread basket. Ask about Paleo-friendly starches like sweet potatoes, beets and squash. These items might not show up on the menu, but they might very well be in the galley (that's cruise ship lingo for "kitchen"). Another tactic? Ahead of your cruise, print off a list of foods that are Paleo approved, as well as those that are no-nos. Bring your list onboard and go over it with the maitre d. He can help you with menu choices and might even work with the chef to make special dishes for you. 

5. Forgive yourself. Trust me. I get it. You're dedicated. Like, really dedicated. But, hopefully, you can make great choices about when to cut loose and treat yourself -- guilt-free. It's your vacation, after all, and it's OK to give into the occasional temptation -- without totally abandoning your nutrition plan. And your cruise ship's state-of-the-art fitness center can help ease your conscience. 


Check out the photo gallery below for a variety of dishes I found in dining rooms and on the buffet on Norwegian Gem. I never felt deprived, and the variety made making good Paleo choices easy. 

Thanks for reading, and happy eating!
JR

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