The Cruise Report With Cruise Specialists Cruise Reporter Ralph Grizzle

Junior suites are spacious on AMA Waterways, which boasts Europe’s youngest fleet of river cruise vessels.

I’m currently cruising the Danube River on Amalegro in Junior Suite 303, which measures a generous 255 square feet. The queen-sized bed is oh-so-cozy, and the bathroom has a deep tub and separate shower, with lots of storage space.  Read more... (341 words, 1 image, estimated 1:22 mins reading time)

When people learn that I am a travel writer specializing in cruise vacations, one question never fails to surface: “What’s your favorite cruise line?”

It’s a difficult question to answer, like asking which of your children do you love most. As with my children, when it comes to cruises, there is no clear winner. I have two favorite kids. My favorite cruise line? There are many. But ask me my favorite cruise ship, and I can answer that. Celebrity Solstice, at least for the moment. She is a truly remarkable ship.  Read more... (710 words, 4 images, estimated 2:50 mins reading time)

Over the next few weeks, I invite you to read articles, view photos and videos, and learn more about a cruise ship that breaks the mold.

In fact, during my short time on board Celebrity’s newest ship, I felt as though I were in a small city as opposed to a huge cruise ship.

Celebrity Solstice simply is a stunning ship, or as one travel agent who has cruised on countless vessels told me, “five-star-plus-wow!”  Read more... (200 words, 1 image, estimated 48 secs reading time)

Trista & Ryan Sutter of the reality series The Bachelorette christened Ruby Princess in Fort Lauderdale on November 6 as Carnival Corporation Chairman and CEO Micky Arison looked on.

Third in a series of superships that have tweaked the innovations of Princess’ Grand class, Ruby Princess will be familiar to those who have already enjoyed the Crown Princess or the Emerald Princess. Even so, this sparkling Ruby offers several new enhancements that many passengers will undoubtedly appreciate.  Read more... (311 words, 1 image, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

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After sailing on SeaDream II, I’m better qualified to answer the question I posed at the outset of my cruise, and that was: How do SeaDream’s twin yachts, both more than 20 years old, outperform all others — at least to readers of Conde Nast Traveler.

There were aspects of my cruise that were not unique to SeaDream, and you could argue that other cruise lines do the job as good as or better than SeaDream.  Read more... (419 words, 2 images, estimated 1:41 mins reading time)

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Whether you’re up for a bumpy Banana Boat ride or skimming the seas on waterskis, the watersports activities are a big part of the SeaDream experience.

You can spend an afternoon of play on a Waverunner or speed away on a Zodiac.

All of these activities and more are launched from the sports platform at the back of the ship. It’s where all the toys are found, and they’re available free of charge.  Read more... (78 words, 2 images, estimated 19 secs reading time)

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Step into stateroom 403 before I clutter it.

There are 55 staterooms, and all have been updated on this 20-plus-year-old ship.

Staterooms feature flat-panel televsions, DVD player, Sony entertainment system with CD. A selection of DVDs and CDs are available for use free of charge from the concierge desk.  Read more... (192 words, 2 images, estimated 46 secs reading time)

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One of the advantages of small passenger ships – not only SeaDream I & II, but all small passenger ships – is the ability to call on small ports. For passengers, small ports often lead to more authentic travel experiences ashore – not to mention less-crowded touring.  Read more... (229 words, 2 images, estimated 55 secs reading time)

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It’s not the only program of its kind (Seabourn and some other small cruise lines have similar offerings), but SeaDream’s “Crew Shoreside Casual” in St. Tropez certainly was one of the most entertaining crew-led tours I’ve experienced.  Read more... (162 words, 2 images, estimated 39 secs reading time)