Bahamas

The largest NCL cruise ship ever, the “Norwegian Breakaway” will be making New York City her home port.

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How would you like to stay at a “LUXURY” all-inclusive resort?!  Boy, do I have the place for you!  If you want adults only, no children, then it’s ‘Sandals Luxury Included Vacations’.  If you have children and you want adult and children’s activities, then it’s ‘Beaches by Sandals’.

I just returned from Beaches in Turks & Caicos and it was beautiful and relaxing, yet, filled with exciting activities with 16 restaurants to choose from.

For the adults, they have:  Red Lane Spa, unlimited premium brand drinks & wines, karaoke, nightly entertainment, nightclubs, golf.

For the children:  Xbox 360, certified nannies, Kids Camp, Camp Sesame, tween & teen programs, game rooms, movies, dance/nightclubs, night parades, campfires on the beach, talent shows, DJ classes.

Watersports include:  scuba diving, waterskiing, ocean trampolines, snorkeling, windsurfing, kayaking, paddle boats, swim-up bars (swim-up sodas for the kids).  The land sports include:  tennis, volleyball, basketball, table tennis, shuffleboard, horseshoes, croquet, board games.

As far as all-inclusive resorts, Beaches have probably gone the furthest in creating a specialized program to include the teenagers.

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Norwegian Epic, launching this July, 2010 introduces “Studios” which are staterooms designed and priced for single occupancy, starting from $799 on the ship’s seven-day alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean. The Studios are a private key-card access complex on two decks consisting of 128 staterooms and the Studio Lounge. 

Each Studio is approximately 100 sq ft with a full-size bed and separate areas for the bathroom, sink and shower.  In addition, Studios passengers have private access to the exclusive Studio Lounge where they can meet up with fellow cruisers and plan their day or relax with a drink in the evening.  Since many of the Studio staterooms are connecting, there is also an opportunity for friends to travel together while giving each their own private space.

Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer said,  “Historically, the cruise industry has not embraced the large number of people who enjoy traveling solo. We are breaking the mold of traditional cruising once again by offering a stateroom designed and priced specifically for solo travelers, making cruising a more attractive travel option.  We invite all solo travelers – whether they are first-time cruisers or cruising veterans to sail on our incredible new Freestyle Cruising ship, Norwegian Epic.”

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Disney Dream, the 3^rd ship to join the fleet is due to come out in 2011. In addition to the water coaster called AquaDuck, which was announced back in Nov 2009, Goofy’s Sports Deck will feature Goofy and his son, Max. The sports deck leads guests through nine themed holes of wacky fun. Each hole offers special golf instructions with a goofy twist. To make it even more challenging and fun, some of the golf clubs are crooked and bent.

There are also two digital sports simulators which will provide a variety of virtual game experiences such as soccer, tennis, basketball, golf and more. With the simulators, guests can kick, swing and throw, in some high-action sports without the hassle of chasing the ball. The sports deck will also have table tennis and foosball tables, surrounded by a walking track.

Nemo’s Reef is water-play area featuring water jets, a small water slide filled with Disney friends like Nemo, Dory & Marlin within a glass enclosure.  There will be a Mickey Mouse shaped pool for small children and a family pool called the Donald Pool.

The ship will have an adults-only decktop pool area with a swim-up bar. The pool will be fresh water, as all pools on the Dream will be.  The adult only area is called Quiet Cove.

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Norwegian Cruise Line has teamed up with Nickelodeon at Sea.  SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and other characters will be sailing on the Norwegian Epic & Norwegian Jewel.  

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It is a water coaster which boasts a thrilling 4-deck drop, and because of the clear acrylic tube, it offers breathtaking views of the ocean and ship below. 

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