Category: Quantum Of The Seas

Viking River Cruises Hosts Social Media Experts for #VikingSocial

11/18/2014

Viking Longship Mani, In The Loop Travel's cruise on the Rhine river

My first Viking River Cruise was on Viking Mani this year on the Rhine.

By John Roberts

I'm excited to announce that I will be cruising on Viking Longship Delling as part of Viking Cruises' second social media cruise. We'll be sailing along the Danube River from December 6 to 13 from Nuremberg, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary.

The #VikingSocial initiative aims to increase interest and awareness of just what it's like to go on a river cruise with Viking. So, follow the hashtag #VikingSocial on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all sorts of pictures and updates from some of the most knowledgeable and interactive bloggers in the cruise industry to find out where we are and what we're up to during our voyage.

I'll also be posting photo albums and stories from the trip right here on the blog.

Here is a primer on Viking Cruises to provide a little background for you . . .

Viking is the fastest-growing river cruise line, having added more than 30 ships in recent years, with 13 more coming in 2015, including the line's first ocean cruise ship. That means it will have 67 ships on the world's waterways. Viking started in 1997 with four ships.

Our #VikingSocial cruise will be on the Viking Longship Delling. Viking Longships feature 95 cabins, for a capacity of 190 passengers based on double occupancy. The longships are 443 feet long. Like most river ships, they contain four decks (including a top sun deck with the captain's wheelhouse). Unlike many river ships, they do not have a fitness center or small pool.

The river ships travel in Europe, Russia, Asia and Egypt, with plans in the works for putting ships on the Amazon and Mississippi rivers.

Viking also has three more ocean ships scheduled. They will join 930-passenger Viking Star, which is due to debut in May 2015.

I have been on one other Viking River Cruise, and I thoroughly enjoyed the intimate atmosphere, delicious food and high level of service from the crew. I can't wait to share this experience with you.

I'll soon be making Viking Longship Delling my home away from home. Follow along with #VikingSocial

Elsewhere . . .

I was honored to be part of a roundtable discussion this week on the fantastic Royal Caribbean Blog podcast along with RC Blog creator and podcast host Matt Hochberg, From The Deck Chair Blog's Aaron Saunders and Cruise Critic Managing Editor Colleen McDaniel.

We all were on pre-inaugural cruises on the brand-new Quantum of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's revolutionary ship. Check out the podcast for our impressions of Quantum.

Norwegian Cruise Line says it is bringing a host of new entertainment to Norwegian Epic in 2015, including "Priscilla Queen of the Desert -- the Musical" and "Burn the Floor -- Ballroom Blitz." Also, the ship will add a new Beatles-inspired venue called The Cavern Club, which will offer British pop experience. The entertainment additions will all be in place by October 2015. Epic will move to its new homeport in Barcelona at the end of April 2015.

Cruise Critic unveiled its 2014 editors' picks this week. The cruise review website's awards "are chosen by Cruise Critic's international team of editors, based on the lines and ships they feel best represent excellence in each of the designated categories." Check out the list here.

Thanks for reading.

Travel happy!

JR

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Seven Things You'll Enjoy on Quantum of the Seas

11/14/2014

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The sights are spectacular as Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas sails past the NYC skyline.

By John Roberts

Quantum of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's innovative smartship arrived at Cape Liberty in Bayonne, N.J., to much fanfare this week. Quantum is loaded with all sorts of goodies and gadgets, including "Dynamic Dining," robot bartenders, hi-tech Two270 entertainment space, virtual balconies, hi-speed Internet and more.

But I'm going to focus on what this 4,180-passenger ship has to offer the active traveler who likes to combine keeping fit and having fun while on vacation.

I've identified seven things you'll really like about Quantum of the Seas . . .

7. SeaPlex -- This play space offer sessions for bumper cars, basketball, circus school trapeze lessons and more! Adults and kids alike have a ball here.

5. FlowRider -- Another favorite for loyal Royal Caribbean cruisers. The surf simulator is awesome fun and very challenging -- with surfing and boogie board sessions.

6. Rock-climbing wall -- This staple of Royal Caribbean ships is available on Quantum, too. But on Quantum of the Seas, your climb offers views off the side of the ship while the gigantic magenta bear (it's named From Afar) serves as your spotter.

4. Swimming pools -- Of course, all big cruise ships have pools for you to enjoy. Quantum's Solarium adults-only pool area is especially gorgeous with wonderful views of the front of the ship. You also can cool off or swim a few laps in the main outdoor pool or the indoor pool, which features a retractable roof.

The tranquil adults-only Solarium pool area.

3. Devinly Decadence -- We can't forget the food, can we? I love my tasty meals on cruises, and I've been known to overindulge. (Read how I gained 25 pounds on a weeklong cruise.) But this restaurant on Quantum of the Seas offers healthful, delicious meals in 500-calories-or-fewer portions designed by celebrity chef Devin Alexander of TV's "The Biggest Loser" fame. And the foods taste fantastic. I enjoyed a delish salad with Thai beef and papaya and samples of barbecue chicken flatbread (on whole wheat lavash), chicken satay and free range beef meatballs. The desserts are incredible, too.

Healthy is delicious at this fantastic restaurant on Quantum of the Seas.

2. The gym -- The fitness center on Quantum is massive and the best I've seen at sea. It offers plenty of space, large range of free weights and cardio machines and a group-class pit area at the front of the ship that gives participants great views through tall glass windows. The set-up includes TRX suspension training.

You can have a morning workout with a view of the Manhattan skyline.

1. RipCord by iFly -- The skydiving simulator is another first-at-sea activity for Royal Caribbean. This is popular. Groups of 10 at a time go through an orientation before heading into the wind tube for blast off. Wait till you see what your expert instructors can do in this ride!

All of the above are included in your cruise fare. Not too bad at all.

Thanks for reading. Remember: Travel fit! Travel happy! Travel often!
JR

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Royal Caribbean Unveils Tech on Quantum of the Seas "Smart Ship"

8/25/2014

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By John Roberts

Royal Caribbean made announcements regarding features that will be part of its revolutionary Quantum of the Seas ship when it debuts in November. Technology was the focus of a presentation before a group of gathered media members at Meyer Werft shipyard.

New tech will allow passengers to check in online at home and go straight onto the ship, bypassing the traditional check-in lines. Cruisers will be able to upload their own ID photo and receive digital boarding confirmation. Royal says you can go from the curb to the ship in 10 minutes. You also can monitor your luggage through your smartphone when an RFID chip is placed on your bags curbside as you enter the port facility.

Wristbands can serve as your room key, etc. while on your cruise. (You would pay $2 if you want a wristband instead of a keycard.) And bandwidth enhancements will greatly improve Internet connectivity performance, Royal says. At a new venue, Bionic Bar, passengers order up their favorite drinks from robot bartenders. Ummm, OK. But who do you chat with about the game or your troubles at work?

The key details that emerged in the presentation for the frugal, adventure traveler to take away from all the tech talk, though, is that the active amenities all will be free onboard Quantum of the Seas. According to Royal Caribbean Chairman and CEO Richard Fain, the line is not charging anything extra to passengers who want to use all the cool new toys.

Quantum of the Seas features a skydiving simulator and a North Star capsule ride. These and the bumper cars are first-in-the-industry amenities that some reports suggested would come with an added fee. Fain says it all will be included, as will standard Royal Caribbean favorites like the zipline, ice skating rink, rock climbing wall and FlowRider surfing simulator.

You've really got to stay on the move to squeeze all these activities into one week.

Journalists and members of the cruise industry participate in a media event at Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, about Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean unveiled further details about its Quantum of the Seas ship at Meyer Werft's shipyard in Germany.

Elsewhere . . .

Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Sky will host a theme cruise for Spartan Race competitors. The Spartan Race series has been growing in popularity in recent years along with other obstacle-course competitions. You know these events. The participants swing on ropes, climb walls and slog through mud pits in a grueling challenge on courses ranging from three to 12 miles long or longer.

Well, a special Spartan Race three-night cruise on Norwegian Sky departs March 6, 2015, from Miami bound for the Bahamas, where the race will take place March 7 (a Saturday) on a four-mile course set up on NCL's private beach at Great Stirrup Cay. After you finish, you'll have the rest of the day Saturday and Sunday to relax and recover while enjoying entertainment, food, drink, waters and white sand. For more information about this charter cruise, check out www.thespartancruise.com

Better start training now!

Norwegian Cruise Line also announced that it has extended its deadline until Sept. 30 for booking its new all-inclusive pricing package. The package includes such items as specialty dining, Internet, beverage packages, gratuities and excursion credit for an additional bundled fee. Norwegian says the all-inclusive package represents up to more than $2,400 in value per stateroom. The promotion is available for all 2015 sailings fleetwide for new reservations made by Sept. 30, 2014. The comprehensive package includes signature dining, alcoholic beverages, unlimited soda, shore excursions, Internet access, service charges and more.

The package, available for sailings from three to 14 days, is priced by the number of days and available for all stateroom categories. When adding the all-inclusive package to a cruise, you receive 10 percent off the cruise fare, NCL says. As an example: For a seven-day cruise, the $899 package includes the Ultimate Dining package (a meal each night at a for-fee specialty restaurant), Ultimate Beverage package, $200 per-person shore excursion credit, prepaid daily service charges, a 250-minute Internet package per person, 20 photos of any size, chocolate-covered strawberries, a bottle of wine, one bingo session and six bottles of water.

If you typically buy all these extras, the package will offer you a pretty nice savings. But if you have no interest in some items (I don't need the photos, wine, strawberries or bingo, and I book my excursions independently and pass on the spotty Internet service on cruises, for example), this would not represent a good deal for you.

Check out NCL.com for more details and pricing.

JR

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Viking River Cruises Hosts Social Media Experts for #VikingSocial

Seven Things You'll Enjoy on Quantum of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Unveils Tech on Quantum of the Seas "Smart Ship"

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