NCL, Celebrity unveil the latest in cruising
Posted on Sun, Jul. 20, 2008
Most cruise ships make their South Florida debut in late fall when they move from Europe to the Caribbean. NCL has brought Norwegian Sky -- formerly the Pride of Hawaii -- to South Florida this month to for three- and four-day sailings.
We caught a preview of the newly freshened ship last week and found it bright and cheery. The Hawaiian decor -- tropical colors, fish motifs, pineapple-inspired carpet and South Seas murals -- generally translates well to the Caribbean, though you may do a double-take at the lei-themed Dazzles lounge.
The ship incorporates upgrades NCL calls ''Freestyle 2.0'' -- with new mattresses and linens, Elemis toiletries, a casino and video screens that update cruisers on availability in the multiple ''freestyle'' dining venues -- plus several quiet zones. ''You won't hear Who let the dogs out here,'' says Klaus Lugmaier, fleet hotel director.
Celebrity's new 2,850-passenger Solstice won't arrive until October, but the line unveiled some of its signatures at a press briefing last week. Included were a deck-top lawn club for picnics and lawn-bowling, a glass-blowing studio and retail therapy outlets featuring turf-covered flip-flops and specially cut 86-facet Soltice diamonds,
When it comes to dining, you'll want to loosen the waistband, thanks to regular dining rooms plus three additional-fee restaurants. They feature gourmet options, a Tuscan steakhouse and a pan-Asian menu.
Best, perhaps, may be the cabins. At last, a cruise line has done the right thing: They asked a group of women to design the cabins. They feature bathrooms 50 percent bigger than usual, says Celebrity president Dan Hanrahan -- and each shower has a rack where you can put your foot while you're shaving your legs. The guys would never have thought of that one.
-- JANE WOOLDRIDGE
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