And Ecstasy Makes Seven

Carnival Ecstasy
by Night Tracks (creative commons)

The Carnival Ecstasy sailed into her new home port of Port Canaveral on Monday night. And now, there are SEVEN ships home ported at Canaveral year round.  (Plus the Norwegian Sun, which homeports there half of the year.)

This is good news for the suffering local economy, as estimates that the addition of another ship at the port may generate as many as 400 "direct" jobs, and pump millions into the local economy annually.



And it's good news for cruisers, as the ship will broaden options for those cruising from Port Canaveral, offering four and five night voyages to The Bahamas.

There are two choices of four night itineraries, departing on alternating Thursdays:

• Nassau, Sea Day, and Freeport
• Nassau,. Half Moon Cay, Day at Sea

Five night itineraries, departing Mondays and Saturdays, also offer two options:

• Freeport, Nassau, Half Moon Cay, and a Day at Sea
• Nassau, Freeport, Key West, Sea Day

Related Articles:

Two Dreams come to Port Canaveral

Port Canaveral's New Cruise Terminal

Tropical Storm Sean

Subtropical Storm Sean formed in the Atlantic early this morning, about halfway in between The Bahamas and Bermuda, and rather quickly transitioned into Tropical Storm Sean.

Bermuda is now under a Tropical Storm Watch. 

Related pages:
Nationa Hurricane Center
2011 Atlantic Basin Hurricane Journal.

Nautical Tote Bags for Cruising, Beaching it, and Travel

Along with a good selection of other nautical totes and travel bags available elsewhere on the web, some of the canvas cruise totes from CruiseReady on Zazzle are being featured in the article Nautical Totes and Cruise and Travel Bags.

The article also includes three general cruise packing tips that experienced cruisers will be all too familiar with, but that may be of use to those new to cruising.

If you're getting started on your Holiday gift list, you may find some ideas for that special person on your list who loves ships and the sea, traveling, or just a great day at the beach.

Other Articles of interest in this series include

• Nautical Ties and Cruise Wear for Men
• Nautical Jewelry and Sea Life Jewelry
• Nautical Kids Clothes and Cruise Wear

MV Freewinds

Here's a photo I took of the MV Freewinds several years ago in Barbados.

A little bit of her history:

She sailed the Caribbean, under charter to Commodore, as the Boheme from 1968 - 81, and was the first ship to sail a year-round seven night itinerary from Miami.

Between 1981 and 1985, she was under new ownership, but was again chartered out in 1982-83 for South American itineraries.

Following a refit, she again homported in Miami in 1984, and then in St. Petersburg until late 1986, when she was sold.

Today, she is owned and run by companies connected with the Church of Scientology, and is used as a floating platform for their educational programs.

http://www.squidoo.com/picking-the-best-cabin

http://www.squidoo.com/picking-the-best-cabin

Custom Cruise Themed Postage

Cruise lovers can spice up their routine mailings with cruise themed postage stamps like these from CruiseReady on Zazzle:



Have You Been To Cozumel?

Cozumel Sandy beach
by LionheartXray

Have you been to Cozumel?  It's an incredibly popular port of call on Western Caribbean cruise itineraries. 

If you haven't been there (or even if you have) you might enjoy browsing this selection of Pictures of Cozumel, with a little dose of facts and information about Cozumel sprinkeled in.  Enjoy!

A Friendly Cruise Forum

Looking for cruise information?  Find real chat from real cruisers, along with cruise reviews and more at CruiseLineFans

So, whether you're new to cruising, or a seasoned veteran, you can probably find something to interest you on this site.

Discovery Day in The Bahamas

Cruising Detination:  The Bahamas 

Bahamas Beach and Palm Tree by mljacobs10

In The Bahamas, the first landing of Columbus in the  New World is still celebrated on the original date of the actual landing, October 12,  and is called Discovery Day.  (In the US, the second Monday in October is now designated as the official federal holiday.)

Did you know that Columbus and the men of the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria first came ashore in The Bahamas?  It is known that it was ONE of the islands of The Bahamas, but exactly which one is still being debated. 

Whichever one it was, The Bahamas are certainly a beautiful place, and if you happen to be there on October 12, you can celebrate Discovery Day in lieu of Columbus Day.

I do love visiting our close neighbors off the southest coast of Florida, and I've gathered some Pictures of The Bahamas for you to enjoy.

Fun Cruise Buttons and Magnets

Have some fun on your next voyage, with cruise buttons and magnets!

 Wear a cruise name badge, or humorous button, or put a cute magnet or stateroom door marker on your cabin door.

You'll find the cruise magnets and buttons shown here, plus lots more, at CruiseReady on Zazzle.

Related article:
Here's a link for my Squidoo Lens about Fun Cruise Buttons.

What are some of the Dining Options on Cruise Ships?

Food on Cruise Ships is a really big deal, with a LOT of it being available.  the bigger the ship, the more food there is, in more places, and in an ever greater variety.
From the main dining room to the buffet, to snack bars, and specialty restaurants, there's someting for everyone. 
See just what the big deal is in this article about food on cruise ships, complete with mouth watering photos of some of the fare.

Related Articles:
Cruise Sea Days
Read All About It - Cruises
The Higginbotham's Affordable Vacation Included a Cruise

A Treat for Cruise History Lovers

I've been perusing a very interesting website this morning, and wanted to pass it along, in case there are others out there who might also enjoy. It's a real treat for anyone who enjoys maritime history.

It's Cruising the Past and has an amazing amount of information, including pictures and video about the great passenger ships that have sailed into history. The header of the site proclaims that it's an "Award Winning Cruise Ship, Ocean Liner, Travel, and social History Website."

Cruising the Past certainly has my vote, and if I had an award to give it, I would!