To travel aboard a cruiser is an unexpected experience that we should feel to really know how wonderful is. We will try to give you a hint, an approximation, making a summary of the incredible blend of the elements that make the Caribbean, a unique place in the world to be aboard a fascinating cruiser.

The offer of cruisers along the Caribbean is every time more varied and diverse, in alternatives, itineraries and budgets, making this travel modality more approachable for vacation plans comprising more and more people who discover with this fantastic experience, as cruisers are a magnificent option that have not been limited to just a few privileged ones. This tourism field is continuously enriched with innovating formulae as the theme cruisers or the romantic ones only for honeymooners. At present there are new and modern ships and a larger number of companies that sail along these waters. To cover, in a brief way, the Caribbean as a whole, and a wide variety of cruiser offers, we will mention the main companies that operate in the area, just listing briefly the most common itineraries for their ships in the different regions of the Caribbean. You only have to choose. The Caribbean surprises for its cultural wealth and its multi-ethnic grid, as a result of influences and blends that throughout the years have been merged in a set of unequal destinations and of difficult access in general in a single trip. A cruiser gives us all these choices and more: feelings and experiences that only the traveler can gain making different trips, perhaps in different vacations, i.e., in several years. A cruiser condenses all the magic of the Caribbean in a couple of days, that will always be stored in the memory. In a single day, the traveler can be delighted with the colors of the Caribbean. To see the sunrise in an island and the sunset in another one, see the joyful and noisy ports with its festive rhythms, their friendly peoples, their folkloric small markets and the present joy of this Caribbean feeling waiting for the traveler, to whom the best smile is given. Everything contributes to the comfort and relaxation of life on board, as several choices for entertainment, all at the hand reach. A set of elements capable of meeting the most demanding tourist and of transforming their vacations in a dream comes true.

The Most Relaxing Experience A day at sea may begin just watching the sunrise from the deck or with a sumptuous buffet breakfast (either in one of the various under-the-roof or open-air restaurants found aboard), then a suntan can be got by the pool or several sport practiced or recreation activities enjoyed or just recovering from last-night party or making the preparation to land in a new site for indulging in an interesting excursion. To determine the day, the traveler can choose either to attend a gala dinner or to cast his luck at the casino, to attend a show, watch the latest films in the very cabin or share perhaps, a romantic evening listening the notes of a piano. Every cruiser has its exclusive attractions, its exclusive entertainments and every company will be indulged in offering distinct and innovating leisure choices, though the itineraries play an important role in the activities held by the traveler. Itineraries vary from one company to the other, and between one season of the year and the other one, with different trips, term of duration and ports of call. Some common points allow us to gather the different offers of the cruise companies in three large geographic areas of the Caribbean, without referring those comprising a fourth modality: cruisers that sail along more than a determined area and that continue their itinerary beyond the Caribbean.

NOTHERN CARIBBEAN Most of the cruisers that operate in this area of the Caribbean usually start sailing from La Florida peninsula, on the southeast of the United States, from cities as Miami, Puerto Cañaveral or Fort Lauderdale. Usually they sail towards The Bahamas, landing in Nassau and coming back to the starting point. These itineraries usually last from 3 to 4 days as Fantasy of Carnival Company, Disney Magic of Disney Cruise Line or Sovereing of the Seas cruise of the Royal Caribbean International Company, that in addition of visiting The Bahamas islands, go along the southern cays of La Florida before returning to Puerto Cañaveral, the starting point of its itinerary. Another travel option offered by Discovery Cruise Line company, which covers daily the route between the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the island of Grand Bahama or the boat Norwegian Majesty of the Norwegian Cruise Line company that, departing from Boston, on the east coast of the United States, sails along the Atlantic until reaching St. Georges on the Bermuda island, the northern border of the Caribbean Sea.

WESTERN CARIBBEAN The itineraries usually start in cities of the southeast of the United States as Houston, New Orleans, Tampa or Miami, and toward the south, crossing the Gulf of Mexico, and then towards Yucatan peninsula. There Playa del Carmen and Cozumel island have become a gathering point for many cruisers as the excursion to the Maya ruins of Tulum, which have become one of the favorite ones among tourists. Some as Costa Cruceros with its ships Costa Victoria and Costa Romántica or the Royal Caribbean International Company with the ships Enchantment of the Seas or the Voyager of the Seas, are heading east until reaching the beaches of Ocho Ríos in the paradisiacal island of Jamaica or in some cases, in Labadee, Haiti, to then return making a stop at Grand Cayman island, located at the south of Cuba or, in some occasions, heading directly toward Miami. These itineraries usually take 8 days. Norwegian Cruise Line Company with the ship Norway, does not call on Cayman islands on its route toward Jamaica since it prefers to make a stop in the private island that belongs to the same company and is located in the archipelago of The Bahamas, before resuming its tour in Miami. Voyager of the Seas cruiser of Royal Caribbean International Company, usually makes itineraries in the opposite direction regarding other companies, calling first at Jamaica and then at Mexico. In the case of ship Zaandam of the cruise company Holland America Line, Georgetown is visited first, at Grand Cayman island, to continue sailing to Ocho Ríos in Jamaica, returning toward the north by a different route which surrounds Cuba until reaching Half Moon Cay at The Bahamas islands to depart from there toward Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

EASTERN AND SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN Most of the cruisers that sail along these waters start and end their routes in the city of San Juan of Puerto Rico, calling in different ports of the Antilles that make up the Southern Caribbean, from North to South as follows: St. Thomas and St. Croix, in the American British Islands, the Dutch island of Saint Maarten, the British Virgin Islands; Antigua, St. Kitts, French Antilles, St. Lucia, Barbados, completing the trip in the islands of Grenada, Tobago, or in the Dutch Antilles of Curaçao or Aruba. Even on some occasions, the itineraries reach the coast of the South American Caribbean as the cruisers which visit La Guaira in Venezuela or Cartagena de Indias in Colombia. Mistral ship, from Cruiser Festival in 8 days sails along7 islands, has two itineraries and departs from the French island of Guadeloupe. Costa Classica cruiser of Costa Cruceros also offers an itinerary of 7 islands operating in the southern waters of the Caribbean with its ships Costa Victoria and Costa Romántica coming from the seas of the North, from Florida and The Bahamas. The cruisers of Rivages Company, especialized in the French Antilles and in the visit of small islands as St. Eustaquious or Anguilla, on the East of the archipelago of the British Virgin Islands or on the route along the Grenadine Island with a duration of 9 days. On this area also sails the famous deluxe cruise ship Queen Elizabeth 2 of Cunard Company, that makes a transatlantic trip before going into the waters of the Caribbean and Caronia of the same company with projects of prolonged duration and travels from the Americas to Europe. Grandeur of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas, Monarch of the Seas and Splendour of the Seas cruises are some of the ships that Caribbean International Company have dedicated for this area of the Caribbean. Carnival Company has made the same with its cruisers Inspiration or Fascination. Finally we could refer to the cruise Norwegian Dream of the company Norwegian Cruise Line with itineraries of 14 nights to sail along the extensive belt made of by the islands on the south of the Caribbean. Now the core of the question is to determine it. Find out in your travel agency on the different cruiser offer for this season. Perhaps I gratefully remember to have read this feature report from the deck of some of the fabuluos cruisers here mentioned and with the Grand Caribbean Sea as a background.

Cruiser Festival Company (Festival Cruceros) go successfully along the Caribbean on its ship Mistral and is preparing a new ship: the European Vision, our interview had the opportunity of talking with its Executive President for Spain and Portugal: Santiago Labrador.

"Festival Cruceros has just started to sail along the Caribbean waters with the ship Mistral. How has been the experience in this area?" "It has been absolutely positive, the ship has been full. Our marketing all over the European points has allowed to fill the ship Mistral almost 97% of its capacity." "What was the exact reaction in Spain on the sailing of Mistral along the cruiser options offered in the Caribbean?" "Though in Spain we started the marketing a bit later, in November, with the season of the Caribbean advanced, the target has been already met. An approximate figure of 1,100 places was reached for this season." "What is the increase expected in sales for Mistral next season in the Caribbean?" "We expect to sell some 3,600 fares. We will have another strategy, wider, sharper and with more direct flights between Spain and the Caribbean because the flights with stops were what made Spaniards reluctant to travel in cruisers. Next year we’ll make it easier." "What is the main reference point between Festival service and that of other cruiser companies with a presence in the Caribbean?" "The difference of our service in the Caribbean is that though the product we offer is very Latin, we operate especially for Europeans. We try that without putting aside the folklore and the Caribbean theme, the Europeans travelers feel very much alike in the same context of their habits and costumes. "The fact that they are attended in their own language is very comfortable for them, five languages are spoken aboard, and in certain occasions we offer European dishes and we combine them with the gastronomic theme of the Caribbean.” "Next year Cruisers Festival will count on a second vessel the European Vision to operate in the Caribbean. Will this ship keep the same itinerary of Mistral or will sail along other routes? "The itinerary of the European Vision that will start sailing in the winter of 2001 is still to be defined. The French market is trying that we place the ship on the same site, departing from the island of Guadeloupe as the Mistral, which from the logistic standpoint is good, but for the Spanish market we prefer to leave the area of Cancun." "What does the purchase of European Vision mean for Festival that is assumed to be launched in 2001?" "It forms part of a strategy of creating a series of vessels of new generation for the European market with a larger number of facilities, with more amenities, larger number of places, more inclined to the world of congresses and incentives, where there will be all kind of informatics elements." "To dedicate two ships from Festival company to the area of the Caribbean from next year means a special interest in gaining a position in this market?" "It is said that everything is done on the Caribbean, that the large companies have made all and this is not true. In the Caribbean, what we should do is some other things. I understand that the Caribbean is a very attractive product for Europeans. "How the Spanish tourists have evolved in the cruiser demand?" "Spain has had a large evolution in the last twenty years, but in cruisers the same development has not been seen. Cruiser modality was a product full of cliches, that was also true: cruisers were only for retired people, and also, this was for those who had a good family economy because, by the way, cruisers were more expensive in Spain. What a Spaniard paid on a cruise daily, has no comparison with what an Italian, a German or a French paid on the same ship. "In Festival we are interested in a constant policy of enlargement of this large cake made up of cruiser ships in Spain. The strategy is the same: health care, education and care for the travel agent and communication with the end users."

Cruiser Festival Mistral is the proposal made by Crusier Festival to sail along Caribbean waters. This ship with a capacity for 170 crew members and 9 passenger decks, has 2 pools, 6 bars, 2 restaurants, casino, discotheque, theater, beauty center, plus thalassotherapy and fitness, commercial center, health center and clubs for kids. Festival is engaged in providing a variety of activities aboard, pleasant for all the customers. This allows to hire special programs for travels of incentives and businesses. For the colorful destinations of the Caribbean, Festival has prepared two itineraries of eight days: Estrellas del Caribe (Stars of the Caribbean) which calls at Tórtola, Saint Kitts, Antigua, Martinica, St. Bartolomé and Saint Martin and Descubrir el Caribe (Discover the Caribbean) calls on St. Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, Tobago, Barbados and St. Vicent; both depart from Guadeloupe. Festival allows to make three transatlanctic trips: from Europe to Santo Domingo aboard the ship Flamenco in 16 days, from Malaga to Guadeloupe in 15 days and from Brazil to Europe in 18 days (the last two aboard Mistral).

Excellences held a meeting with Juan Rodero Parga, general director of the recently set up enterprise Cunard-Seabourn, a merge made last November of two leader brands in the market of deluxe cruisers.

"What reaction caused in the market the merge of Cunard-Seabourn?" "Our fusion caused many expectations since first, Carnival purchased Cunard, then Cunard merged with Seaburn and thus formed the largest deluxe cruise ship company of the world with some 50% from the market. The merge of two important brands has given rise to a leader brand. However, despite the fusion, the logotypes have not been unified. Don’t you want to portrait a homogenized image of the new brand?" "We did not want to unify it since we have the same company with two different brands. This kind of merge has become usual in the world of cruisers. Carnival Corporation is made up by Windstars Cruises, Holland America, Costa Cruceros, Seabourn-Cunard and Carnival Cruise Line. We have started to arrange the sales of Carnival, especially its contacts with tour operators, since this is the system used by the brand when offering vacation products. "What is the most outstanding feature of Cunard for next years?" "Carnival has ordered a new ship of 110,000 tons to be launched in the year 2003. We have prepared for the same year a largest and faster ship: the Queen Mary II." "What does this ship add to the long history of Cunard?" "We are the oldest cruise ship company and within our 14 years of history, there have been two ships that have made a landmark: the Queen Mary used in the World War and Queen Elizabeth that carried the British troops that fought in the Falkland Islands. Queen Mary II will be the successor of the old Queen Mary and with its 152,000 tons, will also be the largest cruiser of the world. Queen Mary II will be quite an event since Cunard has not built a ship for over 30 years and this supposes the completion of the history of Cunard, and will only transport 2,500 passengers, though its capacity reaches 3,500. The ship will have larger cabins and recreation areas... and near 2,000 crew members and with this, the ratio will be kept." "This system of all inclusive was not also used by Seabourn-Cunard?" "Two years ago, Seaburn had the all-inclusive modality on the cruisers, but this offer did not determine if a customer travels or not. Then another formula was decided that only referred customers to alcoholic beverage costs. With this decision in mind the operational costs of the eight boats of the company dropped and this reduced the other prices in 10% and 15%, this allows to fill the boats and maximize benefits." "How Cunard-Seabourn pick up its customers within the Spanish market?" We can state that if in Spain are 60,000 cruiser lovers, 40% has repeated the experience. The rhythm of sales increase is roughly 10% or year. The fact that Spain is the country of the world with less birth rate, is an advantage for us, since the average age of a cruiser customer is from 40 years above. Our market is increasing, also we are addressing the so-called "expat," the foreign émigré in Spain, mostly found in Majorca, the Germans in the Costa del Sol, also the British. "Which is the cruise ship that last the most?" "What is the most expensive fare?" "The trip around the world that takes four months that few people can accumulate for vacations. In 2001, the trip around the world in the suite of Queen Elizabeth with 114 nights, from October 24, 2000 to April 2001, will cost 68 million pesetas per person. This trip, in the cheapest cabin may cost 4 million, but the two suites are always occupied, this is one of the most demanded cruises." "Is the Caribbean an important destination within the itineraries of Cunard-Seabourn?" "It account for 40% of the fare, since in summer, we don’t travel along these areas and the trend is to go to the Mediterranean. In winter, from October to March, all our ships (with the exception of Seabourn Sun, which is in the Pacific or the Queen Elizabeth, that sails around the world) the rest are in this area."