Travel publisher Fodor’s new book, “The Complete Guide to European Cruises”, includes a special section highlighting the best cruise lines in a number of categories. The following are some of the highlights:
Best regular dining room cuisine
- Carnival Cruise Lines – Believe it or not, Carnival offers the most-improved dining experience at sea. Chef George Blanc’s signature selections make the food tastier, better portioned and nicely presented.
- Celebrity Cruises – Food and service aboard Celebrity ships has historically been a cut above the rest. Each guest is treated as if they are the ship’s VIP that night at dinner.
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises – Creative dishes spiced just right and wines that complement all menus are a hallmark of Radisson ships. The service is attentive, but not intrusive.
- SeaDream Yacht Club – A true gourmet meal can indeed be found at sea, thanks to SeaDream. Every dinner is individually prepared.
Best bathrooms afloat
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises – The marble bathrooms with separate shower and full-size tubs on the Seven Seas Voyager and Navigator epitomize luxury and pampering.
- Seabourn Cruises – They may not be the biggest bathrooms at sea, but Seabourn’s bath amenities are truly deluxe and a cut way above the industry average.
- Silverseas Cruises – Double vanities, marble showers, separate tubs and fluffy, oversize towels are found in the standard suites. The top suites add whirlpool jets.
Best beds
- Holland America Line – The Mariner’s Dream Bed features a Sealy 9-inch innerspring mattress. Hypoallergenic poly or goose-down pillows and a cuddly down blanket are covered in 300-count sheeting.
- Carnival Cruise Lines – The Carnival Comfort Bed features an 8-inch spring mattress, downlike no allergenic pillow and a 100 percent no allergenic down duvet covered by an ultrafine, cotton blend dust cover.
- Oceania Cruises – Instigator of the “bed wars”, Oceania offers its Tranquility Bed with a high-quality mattress, 350-count Egyptian cotton linens and goose-down pillows.
- Royal Caribbean Line – A 9-inch spring mattress with 2-inch microfiber pillow accompanies 200-count cotton blend sheets and cushy microfiber pillows.
Book Royal Caribbean, Celebrity & Azamara prior to May 1st 2008 & Save
As fuel prices globally continue to skyrocket, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has revised its fuel supplement charges. The new charge affects booking on or after May 1, 2008. For a stateroom’s first and second guests sailing U.S. and Canadian waters, as well as cruises to Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia-Pacific region, the revised supplement will be $8 (U.S. and Can.) per person, per day and no more than $112 per person, per cruise. Additional guests in a stateroom will be charged $3 per person, per day and no more than $42 per person, per cruise. Cruisers to Europe, the Middle East and Africa also will be subjected to a revised fuel supplement charge based on the value of designated European currencies.