Manila is the capital of the Philippines, an island country in Southeast Asia and is a major city having a population of 1.7 million. It has been the country’s largest city for almost 400 years. It sits on Manila Bay, on the island of Luzon. The Pasig River flows through the middle of the city.
Where Your Ship Docks
Cruise ships usually dock at the industrial port and this can be at a number of piers. Most of the docks are along a half-mile stretch of waterfront only four to eight blocks away from Rizal Park in the center of old Manila. The is no terminal or public facilities but usually you will be allowed to walk out. Be sure and carry an official photo ID.
Transportation
Taxis are readily available at the gate and fares are reasonable but you need to be very clear about where you are going and that the driver knows where it is. Often when you have a complete address of where you’re going the taxi driver has no idea where it is. Also be sure and negotiate a fare before starting out. We had a full address for a restaurant in Pasay, which was less than two miles from where we started and the driver could not locate it.
Jeepneys
The Manila Metro Rail Transit System also known as the MRT is the rapid transit system for Metropolitan Manila. Running on just 2 lines and serving 31 stations in total, the 20 mile long network uses a single destination system (averaging 12 pesos per trip) or a loaded MRT card. The main line runs in a circular north to south route following the alignment of the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA). During rush hours the system is usually packed ful of peoplel.
Manila is also famous for there unique vehicles. Jeepneys, sometimes called simply jeeps, they are the most popular public transportation in the Philippines. The vehicles were originally created from abandoned WW II Army Jeeps but are now manufactured new in Philipine factories. They are known for their crowded seating and fantastic decorations, which have become a symbol of Philippine culture and art. We have never figured out any route system regarding the Jeepneys, so our recommendation is to use taxis whenever possible. If you need to return to the ship allow plenty of time as Manila rush-hour traffic can get gridlocked..
Currency
The Philippine peso is the local money with ten pesos equal to about 1 US Dollar. Non-Philippine currency is not usually accepted. We would highly recommend carrying some pesos when you go ashore. There are a large number of small independent exchange operations in Manila and the rate and fees vary widely. Most restaurants and stores will accept most major credit cards but taxis often cannot.
On one trip we were short on pesos and our taxi driver would not accept any credit cards so he took us to an currency exchange shop to convert dollars for his fare.
A Cautionary Note – While we have no firsthand information about crime or how safe this city is, there were a number of indicators that made us question if we should have been walking were we did. A large number of security people with shotguns protecting businesses both large and small was one of those sign.
Rizal Park
Attractions
World War II remains a persistent memory in the Philippines and especially Manila. The La Madre Filipina, one of the numerous monuments at Manila’s Rizal Park, depicts the Philippines as a caring mother, comforting a young girl while consoling a crying boy. The white statue has a darker history as La Madre Filipina sat silently through the month-long Battle of Manila, as the Allies liberated the Philippine capital during World War II from the Japanese occupiers. The statue still stands as a testament to the experiences common to most people of Manila during that time.
Rizal Park
La Madre Filipina
located only a few blocks from the port entrance and in the direction of downtown Manila, Rizal Park (Filipino: Liwasang Rizal, Spanish: Parque Rizal), also known as Luneta Park or simply Luneta, is a historic urban park in the Philippines. Located along Roxas Boulevard, adjacent to the old walled city of Intramuros, it is one of the largest urban parks in Asia. It has been a favorite leisure spot in the city that includes a botanical garden and orchid garden.
Intramuros – Put this high on your list of places to visit and it’s only a few blocks from the port entrance. This old historic walled city of Manila comprises a centuries-old historic district, entirely surrounded by fortifications, that was considered at the time of the Spanish Empire to be the entire City of Manila. Intramuros served as the seat of government of the Captaincy General of the Philippines of the Spanish Empire, and was home to the colony’s governor-general from its founding in 1571 until the Spanish-American War. Construction of the Spanish walled city began under the orders of the Spanish imperial government in the 16th century.
Fort Santiago (Spanish: Fuerte de Santiago; Filipino: Moóg ng Santiago) is a citadel first built by Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi for the new established city of Manila in the Philippines. The defense fortress is part of the structures of the walled city of Manila or Intramuros. The fort is one of the most important historical sites in Manila.
Manila Ocean Park is the country’s first world-class marine theme park and a premiere educational facility. An integrated urban resort with marine life attractions and an aqua-themed hotel, the park is geared towards an all-year, all-weather destination for locals and visitors alike.
Mall of Asia – SM Mall of Asia, also abbreviated as SM MoA or MoA, is a shopping mall in Bay City, Pasay, Philippines, near the SM Central Business Park, the Manila Bay, and the southern end of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue. The mall has a gross floor area of over 3.5 million square feet and if you are into shopping you need to allocate several hours here. A taxi ride back to the cruise pier will cost about twenty dollars but watch the time as Manila traffic can take almost forty five minutes at busy periods.
SM Mall of Asia
Restaurants and A Popular Fast Food Outlet
CLICK TO GET YOURS – FREE SHIPPING
Finding food in Manila isn’t hard. There are a number of upscale hotels with good restaurants. McDonalds takes a back seat behind a Philippine fast food chain called Jollibee which is a favorite fast foods chain that offers fast service and includes fried chicken, French fries, pies, spaghetti, burgers, and more with a Filipino twist. In Manila and throughout Asia it’s a good choice for a quick meal (it is now opening outlets in the U.S.). Our favorite restaurant in Manila is Singing Cooks and Waiters, not only is the food excellent but the staff, from greeters, to waiters and cooks break often to put on a show and sing-along. Find a review HERE.
Denali is not like any other National Park in America. First, it is America’s most remote park and second the park is just massive. Most of the park has very limited access with few roads or even marked trails. There are no campgrounds or hotels inside this park and no scenic roads that people can drive.
Most visitors come to visit Denali as part of a bus tour or a combination Alaska Cruise/Land Tour. Unless you are planning an extended Alaska driving vacation those are probably your best options. If you’re thinking about a do-it-yourself car tour it’s important that you make reservations first. Denali is not your typical National Park. Access for the general public is mostly restricted to taking the parks bus excursions. While these are really good tours the problem is you need to make reservations significantly in advance – weeks or even months before your planned trip date. One of the additional advantages of going on a bus or cruise/land tour is your park access reservations are provided by your tour company.
The Wilderness Express
Besides booking park tour reservations, traveling on your own usually means you will need reservations for accommodations too. Most visitors will select hotels within Denali Village with the major hotels being Denali Park Village, Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, Grande Denali Lodge and McKinley Chalet Resort most within walking distance of restaurants and shops within the village. Most organized tours will also normally include one of these hotels as well.
Seward Marina
Visiting Denali as part of a cruise-land package is a great way to see parts of Alaska along with Denali National Park. Cruise land excursions travel overland by Wilderness Express train and/or bus from the port of Seward. The train portion is by observation cars featuring a dining room underneath. These packages include the option of either cruising first and taking the land tour second or in the reverse. Our recommendation would be to book the package flying into Fairbanks and taking the land tour and save the cruise for last with the cruise ending in Vancouver Canada. After a hectic week on buses and trains, relaxing on a cruise is the perfect ending.
The nearest city to Denali is Fairbanks where most flights are booked. Additional cities visited usually include Girdwood with the resort Hotel Aleyska, Anchorage, Talkeetna and of course Seward.
The Denali landscapes are vast and rugged and includes North America’s tallest mountain, Denali (previously Mt. McKinley) which stands above everything. The one problem is that it is shrouded in clouds most of the year, but, even if you miss the “Great One,” the Alaska Range is an awesome sight.
Most visitors to Denali will take the tundra wilderness tour, sponsored by the Park Service, with approximately 8 hours on a bus dedicated to enjoying the scenery and wildlife and learning the park’s history and it includes a “bag lunch”.
Dall Sheep
For perspective you need to understand that the scenery is inspiring but so is the very desolate and wild character of the park. Many of the mountain tops are above the tree line exposing huge expanses of meadows. The major focus of tours is the wildlife but that also needs some explaining. Area wise, Denali is our largest national park. It encompasses about 9,492 square miles (larger than the state of New Hampshire) and most of it is without roads or even trails. The animal populations are much smaller than most people would expect.
There are only 70 grizzly bears per 1,000 square miles in Denali. Other census numbers per 1,000 square miles show 131 Black bears, wolves less than 8, and the estimate for the total Denali Caribou Herd was about 2,230 animals. Dall Sheep totals in the park are less than 1,900. Based on these numbers it’s easy to understand that looking for wildlife is the major focus of the tour.
Staying at Denali Village offers a choice of a number of accommodations, some restaurants and gift shops and it is home to a popular helicopter tour. Some visitors want to see the “Into The Wild Bus” from the movie based on a true story. But because of concerns for public safety the bus was removed from the wilderness area. It seemed that over the years trekkers never stopped coming to see the bus, and a number of them died along the way. It was the last home of Chris McCandless, who detailed in a journal the tragic final moments of starvation in 1992 after he was trapped by the swollen, icy waters of the Teklanika River. McCandless had taken shelter in an abandoned bus for 114 days.
This part of Alaska should be on everyones bucket list and if you’re exploring an Alaska cruise check out the Denali land tour option.
America’s largest and most remote National Park, Denali is larger than the state of New Hampshire and offers very few roads or even hiking trails.
A compilation of years of Mediterranean cruising articles from The Intentional Traveler, edited, updated and redesigned into a single source to help you plan that perfect Mediterranean cruise!
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Many cities have farmers markets and open-air venues where growers, producers and craftsmen sell their goods. Over the years many have become local institutions and some boast regional reputations but there is only one Pike Place Market.
When you come to Seattle spending some time at the market is a must. On an early visit to this city we spent an afternoon at Pike’s Place Market. Visited the aquarium, bought flowers and left with a bundle of freshly steamed Dungeness crab for a feast back at the hotel. We get back to Seattle often and have always made time for a visit to Pike’s Place Market.
If you’re cruising out of the Seattle port or making a port call the Market is less than a mile and a half south from the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal. Don’t leave without picking up some fresh flowers or maybe take home some salmon or crab.
If you haven’t been introduced to Dungeness crab it is the Pacific Northwest’s exclusive crab delicacy. This crab is slightly bigger than the common Blue crab with larger and meatier clays. If you don’t know this crab, don’t leave Seattle without trying them and Pike Place Market is the place to get them.
A Long History
This market has been a part of Seattle’ story for a long time. Leading up to the summer of 1907 the rapid growth of the city had produced a system of wholesalers who had taken control of the buying and selling of fisherman’s catches, farm produce, dairy products and dozens of other commodities. They had, over the previous years, driven retail prices up in the boom-town while reducing their wholesale costs. The situation was growing out of control when Seattle City Councilman, Thomas Revelle put forward a proposal where the city would create a public market where fisherman, farmers and citizens could come to sell and buy goods directly in an open market.
Beginning on August 17, 1907, crowds of shoppers seeking fish, produce and hard goods flocked to the new marketplace. In just weeks, dozens of sellers were gathering daily to sell along the newly created road named Pike Place.
Frank Goodwin, who had made a fortune in the Klondike Gold Rush, began building the permanent structures that make up the Market and it continues today as a thriving and exciting place to visit and shop along the Seattle waterfront.
Information With Links To Over 100 Major Cruise Ships Updated 2022
SEE FREE PDF DOWNLOAD LINK BELOW
As the travel industry entered the twenty-first century an amazing thing happened. The popularity of cruising was growing rapidly and cruise line companies reacted by launching a whole new generation of mega-ships. To attract passengers they added amusement parks, dozens of gourmet restaurants, water features, nightclubs, sports facilities, spas and more. They are marvels of engineering and have become actual floating resort destinations.
In the last century the aircraft carrier was the unchallenged behemoth of the seas but now in comparison they are shorter and while still wider, the new class of cruise ships have significantly more length, mass, and total displacement.
Not only are these wonders a total, all inclusive resort experience that puts most land based resorts to shame. They also take their guests on an adventure, visiting countries and wonders all around the world. No other experience comes even close.
Not sure what cruise line to explore or ships to consider? Here you’ll find the most complete list of current cruise ships anywhere with hyper-links to each. Every ship listing includes the date launched, size, number of passengers and most recent refurbishment. Each ship listing also includes a link to its cruise line description page where you’ll find additional information.
The following listings offer key information for understanding and comparing cruise ships, including:
Date the Ship Entered Service – How old a ship is matters. Each new generation incorporates more features that older ships normally cannot be upgraded to later on. If you’re looking for more excitement on a cruise like water slides, surfing, amusement park rides or lots of speciality restaurants – think newer. If you’re looking for a more traditional cruising experience, older ships might be a better choice.
GT or Gross Tons – Just like age, size matters too and GT is a good indication of how big the ship is. If you’re looking for excitement the bigger ships have more features incorporated onboard. Keep in mind though that in some cases bigger doesn’t mean better. Many of the luxury cruise lines often operate with smaller ships. Think intimate and exclusive.
Number of Passengers – Like gross tons the number of passengers is something to consider. Is your taste is big, bold and busy usually the bigger the better.
Refurb (refurbishment) – At the least that means new furniture and upgraded decor, but major refurbishments can also mean major redesigns, adding features like more restaurants and lounges and more space allocated to spas, lounges and pool areas.
2020 Cruise Ship Best Category Winners
The 2020 compilation of Best Ships from scoring totals from four travel websites
Best New Ship – Celebrity Apex / Scarlet Lady
Best Cabins – Celebrity Apex
Best Dining – Holland America Line
Best Entertainment – Royal Caribbean International
Best for Families – Disney Cruise Line / Royal Caribbean
Best Itineraries – Holland America Line
Best Nightlife – MSC Cruises
Best Service – Carnival Cruise Line
Best Shore Excursions – Viking
Best Value for Money – Carnival Cruise Line
Announcing the best of the best in cruise ships for 2020 – 21. Compiled and scored from three surveys of passengers and reviewers. Scoring the results from ★ to ★★★★★+ being a perfect score.
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line is a The Walt Disney Company. The company was incorporated in 1996 as Magical Cruise Company Ltd with a focus on families, kids, Disney characters, and the companies movies.
Disney Wish 2022 • 5,458 passengers 144,000 GT – Be among the first to experience the all-new enchantment on board, where fantastical worlds and beloved stories from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar are brought to life like never before.
Disney Magic 1998 ★★★★★ • 83,000 GT • 2,713 passengers
Disney Wonder 1999 ★★★★★ • 83,000 GT • 2,713 passengers • Refurb September 2019
Disney Dream 2011 ★★★★★ • 130,000 GT • 3,500 passengers
Disney Fantasy 2012 ★★★★★ • 130,000 GT • 3,500 passengers
Princess Cruise Line
Princess Cruises is owned by Carnival Corporation and is incorporated in Bermuda with headquarters are in Santa Clarita, California. It is the second largest cruise line by revenue. It was previously a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises, and is managed by Holland America Group, which controls the Princess Cruise brand.
Royal Class
Sky Princess 2020 ★★★★★ • 3,360 passengers 143,700 GT – Ssister ship to the Royal, Regal and Majestic Princess, features a modern contemporary design and elegant accommodations for 3,560 passengers. Guests aboard Sky Princess will enjoy a variety of luxuries and indulgences such as a visit to the Lotus Spa after a full day in port, or a relaxing dinner at the Crown Grill with friends. Other highlights include entertainment options like Movies Under the Stars and Princess Theater, as well as onboard activities for kids and their families. Enjoy a glass of wine from Vines, escape to The Sanctuary retreat, or try your luck at the Casino. Sky Princess has something to offer everyone who steps onboard.
Regal Princess 2014 ★★★★★ • 3,560 passengers 141,000 GT – Featuring more than 1,400 balconies and the SeaWalk®, a glass-floor walkway extending 28 feet beyond the edge of the ship! From the tranquil Sanctuary, a retreat reserved for adults, to the dazzling Princess WaterColor Fantasy light and water show and more, you’ll find something for everyone on the Regal Princess.
Holland America Line is a British/American-owned line, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation headquartered in Seattle, Washington.
Holland America Line was founded in the Netherlands and from 1873 to 1989, it operated as a Dutch shipping line, a passenger line, a cargo line and a cruise line, operating mostly between the Netherlands and North America.
MS Maasdam1993 ★★★★ • 55,575 GT • 1,258 passengers
MS Veendam 1996 ★★★★ • 57,092 GT • 1,350 passengers
MS Rotterdam1997 ★★★★ • 61,849 GT • 1,404 passengers
MS Volendam 1999 ★★★★★ • 61,214 GT • 1,432 passengers
MS Zaandam 2000 ★★★★+ • 61,396 GT • 1,432 passengers
MS Amsterdam 2000 ★★★★★ • 62,735 GT • 1,380 passengers
Vista Class
MS Zuiderdam 2002 ★★★★★ • 82,305 GT • 1,916 passengers
MS Oosterdam 2003 ★★★★★ • 82,305 GT • 1,916 passengers
MS Westerdam 2004 ★★★★★ • 82,305 GT • 1,916 passengers
MS Noordam 2006 ★★★★★ • 82,318 GT • 1,924 passengers • Refurb September 2019
Signature Class
MS Eurodam2008 ★★★★★ • 86,273 • 2,104 passengers – The Eurodam recently received many exciting updates. Guests on this graceful ship can enjoy the full Music Walk™ experience, including Lincoln Center Stage, B.B. King’s Blues Club and Billboard Onboard. Explore onboard at a cooking class or hands-on workshop with America’s Test Kitchen, BBC Earth Experiences and a Digital Workshop Powered by Windows®. Dine in your choice of specialty restaurants.
MS Koningsdam 2016 ★★★★★ • 99,863 • 2,650 passengers – at 975 ft. long and a width of 114.8 ft. The first of Holland America Line’s Pinnacle-class ships, Koningsdam inspired by music, her design features innovative, new dining and entertainment venues, with the dazzling, two-story World Stage to Music Walk™, Lincoln Center Stage, B.B. King’s Blues Club and Billboard Onboard.
Carnival Cruise Line is an international cruise company with headquarters in Doral, Florida. Its logo is the funnel found on their ships, with red, white and blue colors. The funnels are shaped like a whale’s tail. Currently, Carnival is the largest cruise line in the world, based on passengers carried annually, and total number of ships in fleet. Carnival is one of ten cruise line brands owned by the world’s largest cruise ship operator, the American-British Carnival Corporation.
Carnival Mardi Gras 2021 ★★★★★ • 180,000 GT is Carnival Cruise Line’s newest and largest cruise ship. The ship is the first in North America to be powered by LNG and is also the world’s first cruise ship with a roller coaster. Mardi Gras homeports at Port Canaveral and entered Carnival’s fleet in 2021.
Carnival Horizon 2018 ★★★★ • 133,500 GT • 3,960 passengers – Horizon features lots of fabulous restaurants, a popular pub and brewery, a thrilling bike-ride-in-the-sky attraction, an IMAX movie theatre and a huge water park with an exhilarating 455-foot-long water tube slide.
Carnival Panorama 2019 ★★★★ • 133,500 GT • 3,934 passengers. It is the third and final Vista class ship from Carnival.
Carnival Valor 2004 ★★★★ • 110,000 GT • 2,980 Passengers – Onboard are food spots like Blue Iguana Cantina and Guy’s Burger Joint, Scarlett’s Steakhouse. Let yourself be swept away to RedFrog Pub or Alchemy Bar, or get a little carried away in SkyBox Sports Bar. Kids get caught up in the excitement of being kids, hanging with others their age at Carnival Valor’s three supervised youth venues.
Royal Caribbean International (RCI), also known by its former name Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL), is a cruise line brand founded in 1968 in Norway and organized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. since 1997. Based in Miami, Florida, United States, it is the largest cruise line by revenue and second largest by passengers counts.
Freedom of the Seas 2006 ★★★★★ • 154,407 GT • 4,515 passengers • Refurb March 2020- To be refurbished in 2020 – Freedom Class features an interior promenade with food and drink venues, dual racer water slides the Typhoon℠ and Cyclone℠, 40-foot-long FlowRider® surf simulator and completely reimagined restaurants, onboard games for all ages and Broadway quality stage shows.
Wonder of the Seas 2021 ★★★★★ • 228,081 GT • 6,680 passengers – Brings even bigger adventures to the award-winning Oasis Class. Like eight unique neighborhoods, including the all-new Suite Neighborhood. A totally redesigned pool deck with more ways to soak up the sun — or shade — than ever before. AquaTheater adds edge-of-your-seat-inducing entertainment to the line-up with stunning ocean views and a dramatic new backdrop. And the all-new Wonder Playscape
Quantum Class
Quantum of the Seas 2014 ★★★★★ • 168,666 GT • 4,905 passengers Features the “Sports Court” on deck 15 with the Wave Loch Flowrider surf simulator a rock-climbing wall and new a feature on the Quantum class the “RipCord by iFLY”, a skydiving simulator. The “North Star” observation tower a glass-walled capsule on the end of a 41-meter-long crane arm lifts groups of up to 14 guests over the edge of the ship, reaching heights of up to 91 meters above sea level.
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), also known in short as Norwegian, is a cruise line founded in 1966 and based in the United States. It is the third-largest cruise line in the world by passengers.
Norwegian Spirit Launched 1998 Joined Norwegian in 2004 ★★★★ • 75,904 GT • Refurb February 2020
Norwegian Getaway 2014 ★★★★★ • 145,655 GT • Stroll The Waterfront, an innovative, industry-first open-air promenade designed to connect guests with the ocean like no other cruise line. Explore more than 28 dining options, experience the thrill of five water slides, and three levels of action-packed activities in the sports complex. The excitement and entertainment continues with Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet.
Celebrity Cruises is a cruise line which was founded in 1988 by the Greece-based Chandris Group. In 1997, Celebrity Cruises Ltd. merged with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line to form Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the latter since then. The company has its headquarters in Miami, Florida. Celebrity’s signature logo is an “Χ” displayed on the funnel of Celebrity ships, and is the Greek letter chi, for “Chandris”.
For our detailed article on Celebrity’s new Apex click HERE.
Celebrity Solstice 2008 • 121,878 • GT 2,850 passengers • Refurb October 2021 – Celebrity Solstice is one of our most decorated ships at sea with a world of innovations. The first Lawn Club at sea. The first cruise line to have five women redesign its staterooms. Outstanding cuisine takes dining to a whole new level. Celebrity Solstice® also features Canyon Ranch Spa® and fitness center. Pamper yourself with spa treatments.
Celebrity Edge ★★★★★ 2018 •130,818 GT • 2,918 passengers – The Edge Class of ships was designed to shatter expectations. Featuring luxuriously designed rooms that erase the boundary between indoors and out, a cantilevered Magic Carpet soaring above the sea, and a collection of 29 world-class restaurants, bars, and lounges, Celebrity Edge has been voted Best New Ship by the editors of Cruise Critic.
Cunard Line is a British–American cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation. Since 2011, Cunard and its ships have been registered in Hamilton, Bermuda.
In addition to the major cruise lines in the listings above there are a number of cruise lines focused on luxury or are in additional markets including:
Viking Ocean is a cruise line providing luxury and all inclusive cruises. Its operating headquarters are in Basel, Switzerland, and its marketing headquarters are in Los Angeles, California. Viking Ocean Cruises is the newest division of Viking that includes two other divisions, Viking River Cruises and Viking Expeditions. As of 2020, it operates a fleet of 6 ocean ships.
Crystal Cruises
Crystal Cruises ceased operations in February 2022. It was a cruise line headquartered in Miami, Florida, USA, founded in 1988 by Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kaisha, and owned since 2015 by Hong Kong-headquartered conglomerate Genting Hong Kong.
Silversea Cruises is a luxury cruise line headquartered in Monaco. Founded in 1994 by the Vlasov Group of Monaco and the Lefebvre family of Rome, it pioneered all-inclusive cruising with its first ship, Silver Cloud. Since July 2020, it has been owned by Royal Caribbean Group
Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC), formerly known as Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, is a luxury cruise line headquartered in Miami, Florida. Since 2014, Regent Seven Seas Cruises has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which also owns Norwegian Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises.
A premium cruise travel brand and a Sycamore Partners-owned company that currently operates four ships – Azamara Journey, Azamara Quest, Azamara Pursuit and Azamara Onward. Until 2021, Azamara was a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
P&O is based in England and is owned by Carnival Corp. Founded in 1977 as a subsidiary of a shipping line founded in 1837 that first operated a cruise ship in 1844 making P&O Cruises, along with its sister company in Australia the oldest cruise line in the world.
Founded in 1970 MSC which was the Mediterranean Shipping Company, is now the 2nd largest ocean container carrier in the world. A European based company MSC Cruises launched in 1988 and has become one of the fastest growing cruise companies in the world, with a fleet of 16 ships currently in service. While originally in Europe markets more and more MSC cruises are being offered out of U.S. ports primarily for trips to the Caribbean
Costa Cruises, is an Italian cruise line founded in 1854 and and now is a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation since 2000. Based in Genoa, Italy, the cruise line primarily caters to the Italian cruise market with the company’s 12 ships, sailing under the Italian flag, but provide itineraries sailing globally.
Includes over 150 links to Cruise Ships & Cruise Companies
Our U.S. Customs & Immigration experience – On an average year we pass through Customs & Immigration almost a dozen times. Years ago, when returning to the United States, there weren’t a lot of choices getting through Customs & Immigration. You fill out your custom declaration form before arrival, pick a line (always the slowest moving) and wait for your turn with an agent. Rarely did things go quickly. Today there are a number of options for speeding up the process of getting through Customs & Immigration.
Currently The Options To Speed Through Immigration Include:
TSA Pre-Clearance – Costs $85 and gets you through airport security with a faster screening. Doesn’t apply to Customs & Immigration.
Global Entry – Costs $100 and gives you a fast-pass through immigration and includes TSA-Pre-Clearance.
Nexus- Costs $50 and allows Americans and Canadians fast immigration checks at airports and boarder crossings.
Sentri – Costs $122.50, is similar to Nexus and includes Mexican citizens.
Mobile Passport an app for your cellphone that allows you to clear immigration and customs before you enter the customs facility and use a special fast lane where generally you show a bar code on your phone and walk through.
Of these the Global Entry and Mobile Passport are the most practical for personnel international travel.
A couple of years ago we applied for Global Entry since we would be leaving and re-entering the United States at least six times and would also be flying with a number of airlines that did not normally provide us with TSA Pre-Clear. In January of 2020 we applied for Global Entry and while delayed because of the pandemic, we both now have it.
When we went for the Global Entry interviews with Homeland Security we spent some time talking with Customs and Border Patrol agents and they had a number of surprising suggestions and some good advice. First, they highly recommended the Mobile Passport app even if you have Global Entry. While it doesn’t provide for TSA-Pre it often gets you through immigration faster than even Global Entry and at $15 a year it’s well worth it for frequent international travelers. One confession they made was often the Global Entry system at their booths don’t work, but they still just wave Mobile Passport people through. A couple of years ago we started using Mobile Passport and added the app to our phones and it really did work. It does exactly what it claims and quickly gets you through immigration.
While we were excited a number years ago with the new self-service kiosks that were being installed at CBP locations, after a few times using the system it was obvious this wasn’t the answer to most travelers prayers. It just didn’t go that fast. You had to scan your passport and everyone had to do it – not just the head of household. You had to get your picture taken by the kiosk than respond to CBP inspection questions and submit biographic information, whatever that was. After that you were given a printout strip and than you still had to go stand in line again anyway.
How Global Entry Works
When you get to Customs & Immigration go to a Global Entry kiosks, present your machine-readable passport or U.S. permanent resident card, place your fingers on the scanner for fingerprint verification and complete customs questions. The kiosk issues you a transaction receipt and directs you to baggage claim and the airport exit.
No more customs forms!
Unfortunately the United States has not been a leader in making CPB easier and faster. While traveling we have come to realize that some countries have figured out how to speed people thru the process. Our favorite is Australia – scan your passport at a kiosk, tick off a couple answers and show the receipt to the nice person as you exit. Probably the online visa Australia makes you get helps them with this process. Worst of all going through our CPB process doesn’t make us feel any safer coming into America than I felt entering Australia or a dozen other countries.
With Global Entry and Mobile Passport things are now getting better.
Starting three years ago we started using the U.S. CBP approved app Mobile Passport. First you have to download the Mobile Passport App on your iPhone or Android device, the basic one is free but for $15 per year the Mobile Passport Plus version will save you images and information to the app’s system.
Using Mobile Passport
Here’s how it works arriving back in the U.S. using the Mobile Passport website.
Once you arrive at your port of entry (airport or sea port), open the app and connect to cellular wireless or local wi-fi.
fill out the information including a customs declaration using your phone and click to submit your data to CBP. Remember: when you submit, you are confirming under penalty of law that your information is correct.
Within a few seconds, you will receive a CBP receipt with an encrypted barcode. Your receipt/barcode will now be valid for 4 hours.
Follow the Mobile Passport Control signs to the designated Mobile Passport Control line.
Show your passport to the CBP officer, they scan the barcode on the digital CBP receipt.
And that’s it! You’re in in a matter of seconds.
The system is currently active at twenty-seven U.S. airports and six cruise ports and counting. Often the system isn’t up and working but the agents will tell you and that doesn’t slow you down. If you have the app and are displaying the bar code, CPB has captured your information and they just wave you through (when it’s down – it’s even faster).
While there is still a free app, pay the $15 annual subscription fee for Mobile Passport+ in order for Mobile Passport to store your passport and additional information and that’s a small price to pay.
Current Mobile Passport points of entry.
A Final Note: Recently we were in Chile and before we boarded the plane I realized that I had changed phones from an iPhone to an Android and hadn’t loaded the app. Even with the slow 3G at the airport it only took five minutes to download the app, take my picture (it was terrible), scan my passport and register in the system. I would recommend avoiding that panic and make sure you have the app working before you travel.
Panamax-Class 1,970 passengers and 895 crew
The Intentional Travelers 