Useful information for Norwegian Cruise Line cruise passengers. Sea cruises: what do they eat with? — Is it necessary to purchase excursions and which ones should you pay attention to?

Travel half the world, sunbathe to your heart's content, hit the jackpot at the casino and pamper yourself in a modern SPA - but even a whole vacation is not enough for this, you say.

And you will be wrong.

Why sea cruises have become an ideal vacation format and what can be done in 10 days on board a ship, says Kirill Nikushkin, a specialist in individual tours for the DAN company and a lover of resorts on the high seas.

— What kind of voyage is this on your record as a professional cruiser? How is this trip fundamentally different from previous ones?

On my last sailing, I calculated that I had been on a cruise 23 times already.

On 17 trips, I accompanied Russian-speaking groups of tourists on board a cruise ship.

Despite the fact that I spent a lot of time on board, the desire to go on a sea voyage did not diminish at all.

This year I had to choose between a beach holiday and a cruise; I chose the latter and set sail for the 23rd time as a passenger.

The geography of cruise travel is a whole world, and these are more than just words. Each route is a unique journey, seasoned with vivid impressions and new discoveries.

— How did you get acquainted with cruises?

My first acquaintance with sea cruises happened 5 years ago, when I came to work at the DAN company and the general director Karina Vladimirovna Berdichevskaya “infected” me with a passion for traveling the sea.

For a long time I loved sea cruises “from a distance”, I studied the details and subtleties of travel design. In the process, I managed to debunk my own fears and myths about what it was like to travel on a cruise ship.

Our first meeting took place in 2013, when I went on a voyage from Kiel to St. Petersburg on the MSC Musica liner.

The emotions from the trip simply went through the roof, I was “hooked” and was ready to go sailing at any moment.

The chance came in the summer of 2014. I was invited to accompany Russian-speaking groups on a 3-month navigation from St. Petersburg along the Baltic Sea and the Norwegian fjords.

For 3 months at sea, the cruise liners became my home (during this time I visited the MSC Poesia and MSC Orchestra ships).

These are real floating palaces, where life is in full swing and there is always something to do.

It’s difficult for me to give preference to one destination - for cruise travel and the whole world is not enough! In general, I would recommend going on a tour to countries where it is difficult to go as part of a standard tour.

One of these destinations opened in the winter of 2017 - the MSC Fantasia liner set sail for the waters of the Persian Gulf and visited the lands of Qatar and Bahrain, previously inaccessible to our travelers.

— How do you fight seasickness?

The most common questions I get asked are about how it feels when you are not on land for a long time and how to survive seasickness.

I'll start in order:

Few people are used to being at sea for a long time, without the feeling of solid soil under their feet.

However, the feeling of discomfort lasts the first day, after which, unnoticed by yourself, you begin to move around the ship as if you had spent your whole life on the liner.

After my first cruise, I felt a slight sway for a couple of days, comparable to the sensation after a long train ride.

The most important thing that worries novice “cruisers” is the rocking on board and seasickness. During my numerous voyages, I have never met anyone with symptoms of seasickness or heard any complaints, even from crew members.

On the subject of pitching.

Indeed, sometimes a slight sway is felt on board, but all liners are equipped with modern stabilizers that minimize unpleasant sensations for passengers on board.

You can get rid of them in many ways:

drink a highly carbonated drink in small sips
eat an apple
drink 100 ml of any alcoholic drink

Sea motion is not a reason to refuse a cruise trip!

— What to do on board the ship?

Contrary to popular belief that cruises are for older people, there is plenty to do on board even if you're under 30.

Each ship has a theater (in the evenings, performances and entertainment shows are shown here with the participation of famous acrobats, actors and gymnasts) and admission is absolutely free for each passenger.

For those who don't like theater, bars with live music await, a"la carte restaurants, shops, casinos, Formula 1 simulators, 4D cinema, bowling, disco and entertainment programs with many competitions.

Not every all-inclusive hotel can boast such a wide range of entertainment.

— What can families with children do on board?

Families with children are especially held in high esteem by cruise companies - the youngest guests on the ship will be busy in the mini-club, honing their drawing skills, modeling from plasticine or playing with animators. A nice bonus for parents is that a child’s seat on a cruise is paid at a reduced price, and on some routes it may even be free.

Also, don’t forget about the pools and slides on the ship. Babysitting services are available on board (service for an additional fee). There are slot machines that also operate for an additional fee.

Adults are entertained by the animation team throughout the day until late in the evening, various games, competitions (karaoke star, culinary competitions, etc.)

Every day on board a cruise ship is different.

Once per cruise there is a captain's evening, where you can take a photo with the captain of the liner and chat with the commander of the ship's crew or accept an invitation from an officer to dance.

Every day after dinner there are theme parties for adults - Italian evening, Brazilian carnival, 70s, 80s disco, Greek party, etc. Choose what you like and go have fun.

For those who like to spend time with benefit and pleasure in boutiques, take note! As soon as the liner leaves the port, it turns into a giant Duty-free zone, where special promotions and discounts in stores are available for passengers of the liner.

Buying perfume cheaper than at the airport is a minimum task (I compared it - it really is!).

— If you go sailing, which cabin is better to choose?

On the question of cabins, I’ll start with the main thing.

There are no cabins on board a cruise ship that are located below the waterline - not even crew members live in them.

I've lived in all types of cabins. My favorite is the balcony cabin. You can go out onto the balcony when the liner docks and watch the whole process, you can have breakfast on the balcony or just breathe in the fresh sea breeze - such moments will never be forgotten.

Cabins on board are of the following types:

No window or interior cabins

For those who like to save money, a cabin without a window is ideal - it has the lowest price in the booking system.

Most Europeans prefer these types of cabins, because on a cruise ship it is not customary to spend a lot of time in the cabin.

The only disadvantage of a cabin without a window is the lack of natural light, plus in the morning it is difficult to understand where you are.

Cabin with window

A cabin with a window is located at the side of the cruise ship. The area of the cabin with a window varies from 18 to 20 square meters. Usually it has a square panoramic window, a round porthole, and less often - two round portholes.

In both cases, windows and portholes do not open for safety reasons. The cabin with a window has a TV, hairdryer, safe, climate control, telephone, bathroom with shower, 2 separate beds (can be connected), bedside tables, wardrobes, dressing table.

Cabin with balcony

It has a TV, hairdryer, safe, climate control, telephone, bathroom with shower, two separate beds or one large bed, bedside tables, wardrobes, dressing table, reception area with a sofa, some cabins have a full bathroom.

— Where can you eat tasty and quickly on board?

On board you can always eat in two places: a buffet (open 20 hours out of 24 possible) and an a la carte restaurant (a la carte).

The main difference between these restaurants is that in a menu restaurant you can only read about the dish.

At a buffet, you can choose a dish not only based on text, but also on visual impressions.

I feel most comfortable eating in a restaurant from the menu. It most often serves dishes that are not served in the buffet area and there is no atmosphere of bustle and constant running around for dishes.

For those who adhere to a special diet or have dietary restrictions, you can create a special menu. You should inform your manager about this when booking your cruise.

If you are going on a cruise trip big company and want to sit together at the same table in an a la carte restaurant, notify the manager in advance.

— What about drinks?

The cruise price includes: water, tea, coffee and cream in the buffet area. If you want to drink something from the bar near the pool or the minibar in your cabin, be prepared to pay extra for it.

A cup of cappuccino - 2 euros. a glass of beer will cost 4 euros, a cocktail 7 euros. A mandatory 15% tax will be added to any onboard purchases made at bars and restaurants.

To avoid unnecessary overpayments, it’s better to take a package of drinks (if you’re going to have fun, then to the fullest).

A package that gives the opportunity to consume drinks in any quantity (with the exception of extra-class drinks) costs the passenger 26 euros per day.

Based on practice, this amount fully pays for itself, even if the passenger does not drink alcohol, but prefers only soft drinks.

In addition to all-inclusive packages, there are packages for: coffee, wine, water, beer and juices. It is better to take care of purchasing a package in advance (when booking a cruise or 1 week before departure) to save money and avoid the +15% surcharge.

— Is it necessary to purchase excursions and which ones should you pay attention to?

Booking excursions is not necessary, but highly recommended.

Otherwise, you will miss a lot of interesting things.

If you plan to take part in excursions while sailing, then pay attention to cruises as part of a Russian group - excursions here are guaranteed to be conducted in Russian.

To join Russian groups, excursions will have to be purchased in advance - when booking a cruise, since groups are formed before the start of the trip.

As a rule, these excursions are by bus and include a small walking part. Such excursions are limited in time and do not require a large amount of free time.

If tourists travel on a cruise without a Russian group, then it is possible to take part in excursions in any other foreign language - English, German, French, Italian, Spanish.

— Are there always Russian groups on board and what to do if they are not?

Main languages on board cruise ships: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish.

Cruises with Russian groups are regularly found on the route Western Mediterranean, Persian Gulf, Northern Europe, and the Caribbean.

For cruises with Russian groups the following bonuses are provided:

Services of a Russian-speaking escort on board who translates the day's program

The menu in the restaurant is in Russian,

Important announcements on the information board in Russian,

Information meetings and stories along the route

Promptly solving problems of passengers on board

Accompanying on excursions or conducting excursions with translation.

For those who are afraid or have problems with the language - this is it!

Also, each department has Russian-speaking staff, waiters, animators, and cabin stewards.

— How are things going with the cost of Internet and Wi-Fi?

If during a cruise voyage you need to check your email or post a photo on Instagram, you will need the Internet.

You can use either a desktop computer or Wi-Fi.

On board the ship there are various packages for using the Internet:

the minimum package (for checking social networks) costs from 12 euros per day
a full connection will cost from 44 euros per day.

Internet packages can be purchased on board or in advance when booking your cruise.

— When to book cruises and are there any special offers and discounts for travelers?

Cruise travel is the only product that can and should be booked 2 years before departure.

The earlier you book and purchase your cruise, the more you can save. So, using the service early booking traveler saves up to 60% (personally verified).

4-5 times a year, cruise companies launch promotions where the cost of a cruise reaches 100 euros.

Throughout the year, there are special rates and offers for both age groups (for young people from 18 to 29 years old, for guests over 65 years old), for families with children (for connecting cabins or additional cabins for children).

For those who plan to celebrate a significant event on board a cruise ship, pleasant bonuses and gifts are provided - a free cabin upgrade, a photo shoot, communication with the captain or a free dinner at a themed restaurant.

I would say to everyone who is just starting to get involved in this wonderful type of recreation - be sure to try it! Discover new countries and destinations!

MSC has now announced the sale of a round-the-world cruise for 2019, and bookings are in full swing for new ships that will set sail on Mediterranean Sea and the Caribbean.

Before you go on a cruise, you should know that this is an interesting type of vacation, but what about a cruise ship? This is not only a sea voyage, but also a combination of different types of recreation and various types activities. The sea traveler will find comfortable cabins, a luxurious interior of the ship, helpful staff, theatrical shows, sports competitions, swimming in the pool, new friends, walking tours, a casino and much, much more. And before such a large-scale adventure, it is necessary to obtain all the available information about the trip in order to take full advantage of it and make your vacation an incredibly enjoyable event.

A sea traveler should know how to book a cruise or a combined vacation, how to board a ship, what documents are needed for travel, what a drill is, what individual excursions are and how to order them. It would be a good idea to get information about life on board, about the infrastructure available on the ship, about children's payment cards, about shore excursions and about the rules of sea travel. A tourist who contacts the company to book a cruise is advised to find out as many details as possible about what awaits him on a sea voyage and dispel all myths about this type of vacation. The tourist has to find out that

the routes of modern airliners are designed in such a way as to avoid getting caught in a storm;
travel by sea is accessible to everyone, moreover, it is a very economical holiday; the audience on the ship is very diverse and very democratic;
there is so much entertainment on the ship that everyone will find something to their liking;
the prices in the shops on board are not exorbitant, but they are just right for shopping, because this is Duty free;
There will be enough space on the ship for everyone and it will not be cramped, a cruise ship? is this a whole?floating city?;
there will be no language barrier, there are staff on the ship who speak Russian and are always ready to help;
There is a special service on duty on the ship that will help resolve all issues.

Modern ships are built in such a way that the ship is held in a stable position, and are equipped with special propellers that stabilize the pitch. If the ship is tilting, the propellers help to quickly level out, so that the roll on the liner is not felt. And those tourists who are especially susceptible to seasickness are given free motion sickness tablets if necessary.

Duty-free shops located on board the ship offer a huge selection of goods: from soap and towels to exquisite items from famous couturiers. If a tourist has forgotten any of his things at home, he can buy everything on the ship.

When traveling on a liner, tourists are not at all cut off from the world. Newspapers are delivered to the ship, there is satellite communication and Internet services.

No need to worry about how to look after your children while on a cruise. There is plenty of entertainment on board for children of all ages, as well as professional educators ready to keep your child occupied and entertained.

If it is preferable for a passenger to travel with compatriots, then you can go on a cruise as part of a Russian-speaking group. Such groups are formed constantly, in addition, the group is accompanied by a guide who will help resolve any situation.

When planning a sea cruise, you should know:

visitors and mourners are not allowed on the ship for security reasons;
children traveling with their parents must be at least 6 months old;
Don’t be afraid of not knowing foreign languages; every ship has Russian-speaking staff;
Traveling with animals is strictly prohibited;
in the shops on board the ship you can buy souvenirs with the company’s symbols;
children travel for free, which can be considered as a significant discount on a summer vacation;
the passenger should inquire about the permissible weight of luggage, since excess weight is paid additionally;
the ship has special cabins for disabled passengers and all the infrastructure for comfortable travel;
You can celebrate an important event or anniversary on board the ship; for this purpose, special offers are provided for those celebrating.

Before starting your trip, you need to check that you have all the documents. The tourist should have:

booked hotels

for children under 14 years of age? birth certificate, from 14 years old? All-Russian passport.

The cruise ticket contains information about the name of the ship, the date and end of the trip, the cabin number, as well as a description of the route;
Without a visa, the passenger will not be able to disembark in the country where it is required; with a Schengen visa, you can visit many European countries;
Children of any age and even newborns need to have an international passport, or they can be included in the parent’s international passport;
For minor children to travel with one of their parents, a document certified by a notary will be required on the consent of the other parent to such a trip;
The notarized consent of the parent absent on the trip must contain: the name of the child and accompanying person, cruise route, ports of call and dates, name of the ship;
To travel to Morocco, Egypt, Gibraltar, children under 15 years of age now also need an international passport, or they must be included in the parent’s international passport;
What package of documents should be collected for a specific trip? need to be clarified when choosing and booking a cruise;
It is recommended to make a copy of the first pages of the Russian passport and international passport;
In the absence of any document, the passenger is not allowed to board the ship, and the money spent is not reimbursed.

The cruise company takes care of the comfortable stay of tourists on the ship. Therefore, according to international standards, a clean air policy is maintained on board the ship. and concerns about the health of passengers. According to the rules adopted by the company, there are special places on the ship for smoking, equipped with ashtrays, air vents and fire-fighting equipment. Due to the risk of fire, smoking is not allowed in the cabin or on the cabin balcony. The purchase and use of tobacco products on board a ship is not permitted to persons under 18 years of age. Smoking is prohibited while the ship is being refueled, and smoking is not permitted during a general drill. If smoking outside a special area, the passenger will have to pay a fine.

Places where smoking is prohibited:

in corridors, near elevators, in public toilets;
in buffets, bars and restaurants, wherever food is served;
on playgrounds, near playrooms and in areas designated for children's leisure;
near rescue stations and lifeboats where passengers gather during an alarm;
at places of disembarkation or embarkation;
in nightclubs, theaters and entertainment venues;
in the first aid station and on the sports deck.

Smoking is allowed:

in specially equipped cigar rooms;
in a casino;
in several bars marked with special signs;
on decks, also marked with signs, in places equipped with ashtrays;
in a special area with permission signs near the outdoor pool.

The sale of alcoholic beverages to minors is not permitted during the cruise. While entering a US port, alcoholic beverages are not sold to persons under 21 years of age. Staff may refuse to sell alcoholic beverages to a passenger if it is obvious that this could jeopardize the safety of the passenger or others. All alcohol purchased on board or ashore during the excursion is stored in a safe and delivered to the passenger's cabin only at the end of the cruise.

Tipping on board MSC Cruises ships

Are tourists served by a highly professional team of staff throughout their entire trip? head waiters, stewards, maids, children's animators, whose task? provide the ship's guests with Better conditions for relax.

But tips for staff on board are not required. Instead, since 2006, a service fee has been charged; it is added to the passenger's final bill at the end of the trip and is payable. A service charge is added to the salary of the staff who ensure a pleasant stay on board the ship; it is aimed at improving the skills of the staff in serving passengers.

The size of the service fee is fixed and unchanged, and also depends on the route and duration of the trip. If a passenger has comments about the service, or he intends not to pay the service fee due to poor quality service, he can tell the manager at the information desk about this. Children under 14 years of age are exempt from paying a service fee; for children 14-18 years of age, a service fee is charged at 50% of the adult rate.

The service fee is calculated as follows:

on cruises in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe? up to 8 nights? 7 euros per day, from 8 nights? 6 euros per day;
cruises in North America and Caribbean Sea? $12 a day, per minor? $6 per day;
cruises to South America? $9 a day, per minor? $4.5 per day; cruises to South Africa? $6 per day.

On cruises in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, as well as on cruises with a European port of departure, payments on board the ship are made in euros. On cruises with ports of entry in Europe and routes in North America, South Africa And South America Payments on board are carried out in US dollars.

In restaurants, service fees are added to the cost of food and drinks and amount to 15% of the order amount. This amount appears on the final bill at the end of the trip, so tipping at the bar is not necessary.

Payment system on board

To pay for all services and purchases, the passenger uses a magnetic card issued upon registration. All the tourist’s expenses will be recorded on this card, and after each purchase he will receive receipts for signature. On the check, the passenger writes his last name and his cabin number. It is mandatory to keep receipts as documentary evidence of expenses. In case of a controversial situation, this will help avoid disagreements with the cruise company. The onboard account is secured by the traveler's cash deposit or credit card and is replenished as necessary.

The card is valid for all payments except casinos.

On the last day of the cruise, the onboard bill due for payment is brought to the passenger's cabin. The passenger is advised to check their account and if they have any questions, contact the employee at the information desk. At the end of the cruise, the amount spent will be debited from the passenger's credit card, and any unspent cash deposit will be returned to the passenger.

Purchases made after the final invoice has been presented must be paid to the manager at the information desk;
Club members who have MSC cards club, receive points for the time spent on board and for money spent in the ship’s stores, and enjoy special discounts and privileges;
If a passenger carries cash in excess of 10,000 euros, this amount must be declared;
On cruises in Europe, the euro is used on board the ship; on cruises in North and South America, the dollar is used;
There is a special debit card for children. They can use it to pay or make purchases. The same card can be used as a key to the cabin. Teen Cards will make your child feel like an adult and independent. There are cards with a nominal value of 30 and 50 euros. A card worth 30 euros gets a bonus of 5 euros, a card worth 50? bonus 10 euros.

Please remember that funds remaining on the card after the end of the cruise will not be returned. To receive a card, upon registration you need to take a form to fill out and later, after filling it out, give it to the manager at the information desk.

Modern airliners are very reliable, but passengers must know what to do in case of emergency. In their cabin, passengers can watch a video on how to behave in a dangerous situation.

You cannot smoke, eat or drink, or use elevators;
Children must always wear a bracelet on their wrist that indicates the number of the rescue station, especially if they attend a children's club. After the alarm sounds, staff will escort children to the boats;
Tourists who ignore the drills may be required to take additional safety classes;
The ship's crew will help disabled people get to the rescue station.

A drill is carried out on the first day of the cruise. An alarm signal - seven short and one long beep - is given after the preliminary announcement of the event. Having heard the signal, the passenger must rush to the cabin, dress warmly, and take out the life jacket located in the locker. There is an instruction on the cabin door, after studying which the passenger receives important information: the number of his rescue station and how to get to it. After leaving the cabin, you must move in the direction indicated by the luminescent arrows. Passengers approach their lifeboat station and wait for the lifeboats to be lowered overboard. At the same time, a roll call of passengers is carried out. Next, children and women, disabled people, and men are boarded into the boats.

Each boat is designed for 150 seats, equipped with a sufficient amount of food, water and medications, and remains afloat when flooded with water or overloaded. The required number of boats on board provides space for each passenger. The ship has the latest satellite equipment for communication with rescue stations on shore, the entire crew undergoes special training and regularly participates in evacuation exercises, and the safety of passengers on the ship is strictly regulated by the International Maritime Organization. The construction of liners is carried out in accordance with the latest scientific and technical developments. Today, a sea cruise is considered a safe form of recreation.

The most basic thing to take on a cruise? these are documents and money. For documents, cards and cash, a handbag securely attached to your belt is very useful. When traveling, you will definitely need a camera and a video camera to capture the best moments of what you see. You can bring binoculars; they will be useful for watching dolphins or rare birds. A laptop, an e-reader, and a player will not be superfluous. You need to make sure you don't forget chargers and enough batteries for your electronics.

If you are planning excursions, you will need comfortable shoes and sports-style clothing: shorts, T-shirts, and a comfortable backpack. To play sports you will need sneakers and a tracksuit; you may not be allowed into the gym in flip-flops. A swimsuit will come in handy as there are several swimming pools on the ship. To visit the casino you will need evening attire. In addition, evening attire is required for the captain's party and the final gala dinner, which are required on the cruise. Evening suits can also be rented on board. If you plan to visit religious sites, it is better to have clothes that cover your arms and legs. It is recommended to take a light windbreaker, shawl or pullover with you in case of cool evenings.

Be sure to stock up on sunscreen and sunscreen. For procedures in the SPA salon, bathrobes are useful. If necessary, you need to take a traveling first aid kit with medications. There is a medical center on the ship, and anti-seasickness pills are provided free of charge. But it is better to have your own set of medications. You can take an adhesive plaster, ointment for bruises, a bactericidal drug, tablets in case of stomach upset.

Useful little things include an alarm clock, a hairdryer, and a notebook with a pen. You can take with you an electronic dictionary-translator or a printed dictionary, a phrase book, guides to the cities you plan to visit, maps of cities with marked attractions, and traffic patterns in cities.

Services included in the cruise price:

accommodation in a cabin according to the category chosen by the passenger. Each cabin is equipped with air conditioning, bathroom, safe and TV;
daily three meals a day, afternoon tea, night buffet with snacks, breakfast delivered to the room;
entertainment activities? competitions, discos, ping-pong, volleyball competitions, masquerade ball, treasure hunt;
use of the water park, swimming pool and sun loungers;
gym, relaxation room;
courts for tennis, shuffleboard, squash, mini-golf course, basketball courts, jogging track;
equipped children's playground, game rooms and children's pools, daily entertainment for children and teenagers - children's discos (on certain ships), competitions, team games, competitions;
caring supervision and organization of leisure time in a mini-club for children 3-6 years old;
supervision, organization of events in the club for children 7-12 years old;
cinema under open air, library;
captain's welcome party and final gala dinner.

Children under 18 years old, when staying with their parents in the same cabin, travel for free (only flights, insurance and service fees are paid). Services for an additional fee:

service fee, health care, shops on board the ship;
transfers and flights, unless they were paid for along with the cruise;
travel cancellation insurance;
personalized room service 24 hours a day;
4D cinema, casino, game consoles, racing and golf simulators;
SPA services? solarium, massages, facial and body treatments, fitness, yoga, acupuncture;
alternative themed restaurants, alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks;
delivery of fresh newspapers, photographer services, use of laundry and ironing rooms;
bowling alley;
group and individual excursions to the coast;
wireless Internet service, telephone, mail, fax.

Typically, tourists going on a cruise and rushing to board do not have time to examine, at least for informational purposes, the city where the port of departure is located. The same thing is observed at the end of the cruise: as soon as passengers disembark, they begin to rush to the airport. But if a tourist finds himself in a particular city, why not stay there, explore it in more detail, get acquainted with the masterpieces of architecture and art, or just sunbathe on the beach.

In this case you need to make a reservation combined tour. A few days at the port of departure will allow you to make hiking around the city, attend excursions, take photographs, swim in the sea and slowly proceed to the boarding point on board the liner. A few days at the port of arrival will allow you to take a break from the constant change of cities and impressions, feel the earth under your feet again, and get acquainted with the city and its attractions. Thus, within one tour you can get much more impressions and see as many cities and countries as possible.

A sea cruise goes well with a beach holiday, city hiking, hotel stays with SPA treatments, and eco-tourism. You can arrange for yourself an idle beach “doing nothing?”, or you can walk the streets of small towns with a camera or settle for a few days on a farm, enjoying nature. Such a varied, eventful holiday will be remembered for a long time, it is a truly luxurious holiday.

Hotels and pre- and post-cruise excursions must be booked in advance at the same time as your cruise booking.
A combined holiday combines several types of holiday: cruise + wellness, cruise + beach holiday, cruise + ecological holiday. The tourist can only choose the most suitable combination.
When going on a cruise, it is important not to forget at home documentary evidence of hotel reservations at the ports of departure and arrival, reminders about booked excursions, and to take with you things not only for the sea voyage, but also those that will be useful for a vacation on land.

Before boarding the plane, special labels must be placed on your luggage; it is better to do this at home. On the labels in Latin letters, the passenger indicates his first name, last name, name of the ship, date, port of departure and cabin number. Luggage is handed over to porters, who will deliver it to the cabin shortly after the ship departs. When returning from a cruise, everything happens in the reverse order: the passenger places the packed luggage outside the cabin door and receives it upon disembarking.

Registration for the cruise begins 3 hours before departure; it is better to be in your cabin an hour before departure. It is possible to check in your luggage much earlier before check-in, usually from 8 am. When check-in begins, the passenger goes to the check-in counter and presents the employee with their passport and cruise ticket. If instead of a cruise ticket a tourist has a paid voucher for a cruise, then you must first go to the information desk and exchange the voucher for a cruise ticket there.

At the check-in counter, the passenger's documents will be checked and a magnetic card will be issued to him. The passenger will use this card throughout the cruise as a magnetic key to the cabin, it will be possible to enter the ship, as well as to pay for all purchases and services on board (laundry, dry cleaning, hair salon, shops on board). In order to use your magnetic card to pay for services, you will need to deposit cash into a deposit account or register your credit card. After receiving the card, registration is completed and you can board.

It is necessary to go to the head waiter and reserve a table, and also inform the shifts on which the passenger will be eating, since lunch and dinner are served in two shifts. If the passenger does not show up for boarding, the company will cancel the cruise and may place another passenger in an unoccupied cabin. Cruise fees are non-refundable. However, if a tourist is late, he can report that he will catch up with his ship at the next port. Often, when contacting the company’s office, employees help resolve a difficult situation and purchase tickets, for example, so that a lagging passenger can continue their journey.

Excursions and sightseeing make any vacation unforgettable. Excursions will allow you to gain new knowledge and impressions and expand your horizons. Experienced guides will take tourists to the most unforgettable corners, talk about local customs, and share information on history and ethnography. In addition, the tourist is provided with a special insurance policy for the duration of the excursion, and he will be spared the difficulties associated with sightseeing: finding transport, buying tickets. The tourist is picked up directly from the liner, taken on an excursion, and then back to the ship.

The cost of an individual excursion includes: transportation, tickets for sightseeing, a guide, drinks and snacks (if provided for in the program).
Children under 14 years old can take advantage of a 30% discount on excursions.
All shore excursions are paid separately and are not included in the cruise price.
Excursions accompanied by a guide who speaks Russian must be booked when booking your cruise. A tour conducted in a foreign language can be booked directly on the ship.
Individual excursions accompanied by a guide who speaks Russian can be booked 30 days before the start of the cruise.
Duration of the excursion? from 4 to 9 hours.
When ordering an individual excursion, the tourist receives a memo containing information about the ordered excursion.

The company provides a huge selection of individual excursions, varying in cost and duration. In Europe, these are sightseeing and special excursions to Olympia, Tangier, Ibiza, Marseille, Barcelona, La Valletta, Casablanca.

When traveling around the Mediterranean, you can book an excursion, for example, to Pompeii (Naples): a guide will take you through the ancient streets, once destroyed by Vesuvius, and show you well-preserved houses? house of Menander, luxury home Perfumer.

The excursion to Istanbul lasts 9 hours and includes a visit to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Lunch at the restaurant is also included in the price.

Excursions to Northern Europe allow you to take walks in Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm. On a cruise along the Persian Gulf you can visit Muscat, Fujairah, Dubai, see ancient mosques and oriental bazaars.

A few tips to help you always feel comfortable on board the ship

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

When going on an international sea cruise, we advise you to check whether you have forgotten:
a) a foreign passport, which must contain the necessary visas along the route;
b) cruise ticket;
c) medical insurance policy;
d) good mood….

ATTENTION! THE LINER DOES NOT WAIT FOR LATE PEOPLE!

The remaining tourists bear full financial and moral responsibility for the consequences arising from their delay in the departure of the ship.

2. Please note that luggage is checked in at the port and delivered to your cabin (recommended tip for luggage delivery is approximately $2 per item, paid when checking in your luggage - optional). At your discretion, you may not check your luggage and deliver it to your cabin yourself (unless prohibited by the rules of the cruise company).

3. During customs and border formalities, you hand over your passport employees of the ship's emigration service (during the cruise), board the ship, and are accommodated in a cabin (the cabin number is indicated on the cruise ticket). At the end of the cruise (on the last or penultimate day after the closure of the onboard account)
DON'T FORGET TO PICK UP YOUR PASSPORT AT THE RECEPTION!

4. Each cabin contains information about the location of services, a map of the ship, and a telephone directory of various services on the ship. Each cabin is equipped with a toilet, shower, air conditioning, telephone, TV.
Before sailing, a “drill drill” is always carried out. Attendance is required. You must take a life jacket and take part in this activity.

SECURITY
As a precaution, security may screen the passenger and seize any items that, in the Company's opinion, may pose a danger to passengers, crew or the aircraft. Passengers are not allowed to bring any drinks or unpacked food on board in their luggage. On-board personnel have the right to confiscate them and will return them the day before disembarkation from the liner.

DURING A CRUISE

1. Every day you will receive a program in your cabin with a detailed indication of the place, time and content of events on board the ship, air and water temperature, as well as general information about the city/port of call, recommendations for the choice of clothing, behavior patterns, etc.

2. We strongly ask you to take care of the safety of your luggage. It is recommended to store valuables and money in safes.

On board NCL ships there are: at least 2 swimming pools, you can also use a jacuzzi, beauty and SPA salons, a massage room, a hairdresser, a library, a slot machine hall, a casino, several restaurants and bars, a disco, duty-free shops, a theater. , children's entertainment center and much, much more...

YOUR WARDROBE
You can choose clothes completely at your own discretion, as is convenient for you, because you are on vacation...However, if you want to attend special events, take pictures with the Captain, go to an exclusive restaurant, we recommend taking several formal outfits with you. Evening and cocktail dresses are recommended for ladies, and a suit for men.

ADDITIONAL COSTS ON BOARD AND THEIR PAYMENT
The price of your cruise includes meals on board the ship (except for alcoholic and bottled drinks) in the main restaurants (Main Restaurants), 24-hour cafe (Snack and Fast Food), and at the Buffet Restaurant. In exclusive restaurants (Asian, Japanese, French, Steakhouse, Italian, etc.) a table reservation fee is charged (from $15 to $25/person), after which you can eat there for free as much as you like. Exceptions include drinks and some special dishes.

CURRENCY ON BOARD NCL LINERS – US DOLLARS
Also included in the price is the use gym, swimming pools, sauna (on some ships), entertainment program, port fees and duties.
We recommend that you take money with you for your personal expenses: purchases at ports of call and payment additional services on board the ship (Spa, hair salon, bar, etc.). note , that a service charge is automatically added to some services in bars and shops on the ship (for example, for drinks in a bar - 15%, for SPA services - 18%). Since this is the norm on cruise ships, and is a little unclear for Russian tourists, please consider this immediately as a + to the cost of the service. Those. Seeing the price for a glass of wine on the menu, for example, for 5 dollars, immediately regard its real price as 5 dollars + 15%.

1. Cashless payment of expenses on board.
During the cruise, all your additional expenses (on board the ship) will be credited to your card Sea Pass, since according to customs laws cash payments are not accepted on board the ship. For the convenience of payments on board, all passengers receive a so-called credit card upon check-in. Sea Pass.

What is a card SEA PASS?

Credit card on the ship(using this card you can make purchases in shops on board the ship, purchase tickets for shore excursions, take part in a lottery, order alcoholic drinks and cocktails in bars, pay for visits to a beauty salon, hairdresser, massage room, photographs, laundry and dry cleaning services. Casino chips and tokens are purchased with cash.)

Pass to the liner(the card shows the name of the cruise company, the name of the ship, your last and first name, cabin, the date of your cruise, as well as the ship’s emergency phone number).

Your ID for the duration of the cruise(your last name and first name are indicated on the card)

The key to your cabin.

This credit card must be activated on the day of the cruise by presenting the card and signing at the Cash DEPOSIT or Pursers desk. After this, an account will be opened in your name, and to pay expenses you will only need to present your card and sign checks. To avoid misunderstandings, keep your receipts until the end of your cruise. The day before the end of the cruise, you will be presented with an invoice indicating your expenses on board the ship.
If you choose, you can register your credit card upon boarding the ship at the start of your cruise. In this case, all your expenses will be debited from it automatically. At the end of the cruise you just need to reconcile the accounts. ATTENTION ! When you register your credit card, the cruise line may automatically hold double the amount you spent on board for insurance purposes. The amount will be released within 1-3 weeks after the end of your cruise (depending on the bank servicing your card). Please take this into account in order to avoid any unpleasant situations that may be associated with this.

A tourist must always have a Sea Pass card with him, as it is both a pass to the ship and an identification document during the cruise.

2. Tips.
This is the norm all over the world, since 90% of the salary of service personnel comes from tips.
The tip amount per person is about $13/night (for cabins without a window, with a window, a balcony and a mini-suite) and about $15/night/person for a suite. Tips are automatically debited from your onboard account.

SERVICES ON BOARD
Every evening, your steward will deliver a daily bulletin to your cabin, letting you know about all of tomorrow's events and services on board. On some liners, during the Russian group on board, these bulletins are printed in Russian. If a Russian-language newspaper has not been delivered to you, CHECK AT THE RECEPTION OR LOOK AT THE RECEPTION (TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT OF THE RECEPTION, AS A RULE, THERE ARE NEWSPAPERS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES). The program indicates the opening hours of the restaurants, their location (number and part of the deck: FWD - bow, MID - middle, AFT - stern).

1. Shore excursions.
On the day of embarkation, there will be a special form in your cabin - an order for shore excursions (on English language), if desired, it must be filled out and submitted to a special “Shore excursion” counter, where you can obtain information about the offered excursions at the ports of call and purchase tickets. The cost of excursions is not included in the cost of the cruise. The ship offers excursions in English and sometimes (if there are a large number of people interested) in other languages. Before entering port, the Cruise Director and Lecturer provide information about local attractions and excursions offered on board, as well as shopping and bargains (see daily programs for information). Tourists who do not wish to participate in excursions can explore the port of call on their own or remain on the ship.
Excursions in Russian are organized when a minimum group of tourists is recruited and are formed by the tour operator. Ask your travel agent about the availability of Russian groups for a particular cruise.

2. Medical services.
Each of the company's ships has a qualified doctor and nurses on board in case of emergency. Medical services provided on board are paid additionally.
Some people who are sensitive to the slightest vibration of the ship can use special pills for motion sickness (ask a steward or at the reception, explaining that you need “sea-sick pills”).

3. Laundry and dry cleaning services.
L NCL's tanks are equipped with laundry and dry cleaning services. You only need to fill out the order form before 9.00 am (it is in your cabin) and give it to the steward along with your things in a plastic bag. Your order will be completed the same day (usually a 50% rush surcharge applies) or the next day. (The price list and plastic bag for things are located in the desk drawer of your cabin).

4. Duty free shops.
On board the ships there are duty-free shops, where, as a rule, goods of world famous brands, souvenirs with NCL symbols, tobacco products, alcoholic beverages (with the exception of some regions), clothing, perfumes and cosmetics, jewelry, and medicines are widely represented. Shops on board are only open when the ship is at sea in accordance with international customs regulations.

PURCHASED ALCOHOL IS STORED IN THE STORE'S STORAGE ROOMS UNTIL THE END OF THE CRUISE!

5. International phone, telefax, telex.
While the ship is moving, you can use the services of international telephone communication(from the cabin), fax or telex communication (from the ship's radio station). While the ship is in port, you can use local communication systems. The cost of an international phone call from the ship is on average $15 per minute (check in advance).

6. Sauna, massage center, beauty salon.
On board the ship there is a sauna, massage center and beauty salon. Services are provided for an additional fee. If you would like to use these services, we recommend scheduling an appointment in advance. On class liners Sun, Dawn and Jewel There is also a free sauna.

7. Services in the cabin.
For your convenience, the cabin includes non-alcoholic drinks, which are paid additionally.
You can contact Guest Services at any time of the day or night and order an extra pillow, blanket, snacks for your cabin and much, much more. Drinks (juice, coffee) and snacks indicated in the Room Service menu are served in the cabin for free.

8. Radio and television in the cabin.
All cabins on NCL ships are equipped with television. Television includes satellite news channels from various countries, films, music programs and an in-house television channel showing the ship's time (this may differ from local time), air temperature, information about the program on board, ports of call, etc. We recommend checking your watches on this channel.

RESTAURANTS AND CUISINE
For those who prefer dietary nutrition, the chefs will prepare dishes with a reduced fat content, which will taste just as tasty as regular ones. We also offer vegetarian menus and children's meals on board. No matter what time of day you get hungry, you will always find something for yourself, from morning coffee to late-night buffet. 24/7 Room service is at your service FREE OF CHARGE.
Passengers can have breakfast, lunch and dinner in the buffet restaurant at any time convenient for them (it is open almost all day, with short shift changes). There is a 24-hour restaurant, Room service, and two main restaurants that are open at certain hours. There are also exclusive restaurants (reservation of a table for an additional fee of $).

On NCL ships ONLY the Freestyle Dining system is used, in which passengers can choose the time, restaurant and table that is convenient for them.

DISCHARGING FROM THE SHIP

The day before the end of the cruise it is recommended start collecting things and preparing luggage(filling out and attaching luggage tags).
If you want your luggage to be delivered to the seaport terminal when disembarking from the ship by porters, you need to place it (with luggage tags attached) in the corridor before 23.00. If you wish, you can also remove your luggage yourself.

Please do not forget to include documents (air tickets or hotel/transfer vouchers, if you have ordered them) and necessary medications from your checked baggage.
Also the night before we recommend that you check all your receipts and make payments at the reception.
If you have registered your credit card, your expenses will be debited from it automatically.

Draw your attention to that a tip is automatically deducted from your onboard account or credit card in the amount of approximately $13 per day per person for stays up to a mini-suite and $15 per person for stays in a suite.

On the day of arrival at the port, the cruise company kindly asks you to vacate your cabin before 08-00 a.m. (or at another time depending on the ship's arrival schedule at the port)!

DON'T FORGET TO PICK UP YOUR PASSPORT AT THE RECEPTION .

You will receive your luggage at the port, guided by the color of the luggage tag.

More detailed information You can find the NCL “Welcome Aboard” in the NCL welcome booklet.

Dear ladies and gentlemen, the time the liner stays at the ports of call,
indicated in programs and catalogs may change.

Please pay attention to the departure time
before leaving the ship.

WE WISH YOU A PLEASANT TRIP!

There were no pleasure tourist ships yet. In fact, there are dozens of airliners from different companies, approximately the same in size and competing with each other in luxury. In many ways they are similar to each other. Let's at least look at the BIGGEST one. Along the way, we’ll add this boat to our

Royal Caribbean International commissioned Finnish shipbuilders to build a completely new class passenger airliners, which will be able to hold the palm for many years. This is how the cruise ship Oasis of the Seas was born, which was launched as the largest passenger ship in the world on October 28, 2009. In addition, the liner won first place in another category, as the most expensive ship on the planet. $1.24 billion was spent on its construction; the average cost of keeping such a vessel in port will cost its owners $230,000.

The new Genesis class ships, the first-born Oasis of the Seas and the already under construction Allure of the Seas, surpassed their predecessor Freedom of the Seas and became 21 m longer, 8.5 m wider and almost 43 percent heavier. .

The passenger ships of the Genesis project have become truly remarkable liners. This bold design, and a lot of innovations and technological advances in amenities for passengers, all this will now help attract new customers to unforgettable sea travel.

The Oasis of the Seas liner incorporates all the best that is available on the ships of Royal Caribbean International. Its first voyage on December 5, 2009 will be held on a grand scale, including the most luxurious party at sea. For its guests this is an amazing sea voyage, and for the Oasis of the Seas cruise ship it is a readiness to withstand any threat: hurricanes, giant waves and even contagious diseases.

The ship was built by the shipbuilding company STX Europe specifically for Royal Caribbean International; the construction of the Oasis of the Seas cost £855 million. The length of the ship is 361 meters, width is 66, and its highest point rises 72 meters above the water surface. . The liner's displacement is 225 thousand tons. Oasis is 40% larger than any other cruise ship in the world. The ship, five times the size of the Titanic, can accommodate 6,360 passengers and 2,160 crew on sixteen decks in 2,704 cabins. By the way, the new liner is 2 times larger than the previous record holder - Queen Mary II.

The vessel is equipped with 6 Wärtsilä engines - three 12-cylinder and three 16-cylinder. Together, its propulsion systems generate a power of 96 MW, which allows the ship to reach speeds of up to 22.6 nautical knots. The ship's new owners were very surprised to learn that the Oasis had four more cabins than originally planned.

New safety measures and the design of completely new features for cruising have made Oasis of the Seas one of the most anticipated cruise ships in history. The ship has so-called telescopic pipes, which can be reduced if it is necessary to sail under the bridge. The world's largest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas, had to be partially dismantled so it could pass under Denmark's Great Belt Bridge. But even after the height of the pipes was reduced, the distance between the ship and the construction structure was less than half a meter. For safety reasons, traffic on the bridge was blocked for 15 minutes. Hundreds of people gathered on both sides of the river to watch the brightly lit cruise ship, which rises above the water like a 20-story building.

There is a lot of entertainment here, both for ordinary people and for millionaires. The ship is equipped with a water amphitheater, a carousel (made "life-size"), a floating park, an ice skating rink, a golf course, 4 swimming pools, which required a total of 2300 tons of water, volleyball and basketball courts, a climbing wall and a children's area With theme parks and children's science laboratories. Among other things, it has 10 spa baths and surfing simulators. The ship is so large that it is divided into “districts” with special themes, including a tropical area with palm trees and wines. In total, 12 thousand plants and 56 trees were planted on the ship - this is the world's first park on a ship with an area of 2000 square meters. m, which became a kind of analogue of “Central” Park in New York. Therefore, its passengers can relax in the park in the shade of real trees, listen to Broadway musicals and watch an ice show.

A 750-seat outdoor amphitheater is located aft and is modeled after an ancient Greek amphitheater. The indoor theater, located in another part of the ship, can accommodate 1,300 guests. A two-week cruise on the miracle ship Oasis of the Seas will cost a fairly modest amount: from £1,300 for a place in the cheapest cabin. Its sister ship, Allure of the Seas, is scheduled for completion in late 2010.

Passengers like to celebrate all the time, but if the cruise is “premium class”, and almost all the people are wealthy, then on board the ship there should be about 20,000 bottles of champagne, more than 14,000 kg of meat products, 44,000 fresh eggs, 6,600 kg of salad, 3,000 kg of onions, 22,000 kg of potatoes and this is only a small part of the food supply.

After completion of loading, the cruise ship "Oasis of the Seas" sets off on its first cruise voyage. And if you forgot something, then, alas, it’s too late to correct the mistakes. The liner left the port of Everglades and the cruise began.

Doctors on the Oasis of the Seas cruise ship are hoping to avoid another type of natural disaster. If at least two people with a viral disease board the ship, it will spread instantly, since everyone is in a confined space. The liner is equipped with disinfectants in all public places, especially before meals.

Cruises on a ship usually guarantee first-class food 24 hours a day. Especially during holiday cruises, when the ship’s staff throws a real feast on board the ship. The restaurants serve the most exquisite dishes.

And waste disposal is the most important part of the internal structure of the ship. The Oasis of the Seas has its own waste treatment plant, where all waste is carefully sorted. Tin cans are pressed, glass is broken to prepare for recycling, and all other solid waste is stored until it can be dumped at the nearest port, because the Oasis of the Seas cruise ship is an environmentally friendly ship.

More than three hundred cooks work on board the ship. It's in the galley that $2 million worth of food is found. Due to strict hygiene regulations, the galley is prohibited for all but registered employees. Every day, about 70,000 main dishes are served on the ship, of which 15,000 are dessert.

The Cruise Director is responsible for all entertainment during the cruise. The most difficult part of his job is to make sure that the guests are satisfied. He plans entertainment, communicates with guests and keeps them in a good mood. There is an own film studio on board. Its employees film daily material on board the ship, and then, after editing, broadcast it to the cabins, usually in the evening.

No less amazing place On the cruise ship Oasis of the Seas, the Royal Promenade runs down the center of the ship. There is a unique illuminated transparent elevator here. This place has so many shops and bars that it looks like a small town. There is plenty of entertainment to be had on board the Oasis of the Seas cruise ship.

Traditionally, an artificial wave pool is installed on the upper deck. Its pumps pump up to 112,000 liters of water per minute.

One of the most popular events on the ship is the theater, which seats about 2,000 people. The show on ice also attracts a lot of spectators. To ensure that everything goes without falls, engineers turn on the ship's stabilization system.

February 24, 2010- the Royal Carribean company realized that many people might like the idea of tracking one person to another, and they were right, the new product quickly became very popular

On the world's largest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is offering the latest in IT technology, ID bracelets and iPhone mobile phones so that people can find each other in the countless rooms of the giant ship. Wristbands are personal radio frequency identifiers RFID, although they can be not only bracelets, but also badges or clips. WiFi operates throughout the ship, the signal from the bracelet via WiFi goes to an Apple iPhone equipped with detailed diagram liner, that is, at any time one person can know exactly where another is.

There are almost 1,000 places on the ship where you can access WiFi, and at first the company just wanted to make it so that people could communicate with each other via mobile phones and not only communicate, but through the ship’s iPhone you can get this or that information, order a service, etc. etc., but then they realized that many people might like the idea of tracking one person to another, and they were right, the new product quickly became very popular. It is not difficult to guess that parents have become the main consumers of identifiers. The liner is incredibly huge, there are a lot of places where a child can get lost, and this can become a problem not only for parents, but also for the entire crew. Searching for a lost person on a ship is a multi-hour and extremely difficult operation, a general emergency on the ship, and preferably at this time all other passengers should be forced into cabins or public areas.

At first, Oasis of the Seas offered badges as an identifier, but then they went further and now offer bracelets, which are much more convenient, since they can serve as a kind of pagers. If you send a signal from the iPhone, the bracelet begins to vibrate, and its owner will understand that they are looking for him. If this is a child, then fine, but teenagers are unlikely to like this kind of IT surveillance. The young man met a girl at a disco and retired with her to a darker and more secluded place, fortunately there are plenty of such places on a giant liner, and the damned bracelets suddenly begin to vibrate, what’s it like? But what a blessing to parents...

The device operates on the basis of the RTLS real-time location system from Ekahau, the signal from the identifier is processed by the DeFi Royal Connect program and sent to the final server, and from there it goes to the iPhone, the location accuracy is 3-3.5 meters. The bracelets are powered by rechargeable batteries; there is more than enough charge for a week-long cruise. After the end of the cruise, the bracelets are returned to the administration and charged again. The reviews, they say at Royal Carribean, are very good so far, but they don’t yet know how and where this new product can be used, in addition to surveillance, they are collecting data. During cruises, users of the electronic spy are interviewed, and it is hoped that the information collected will expand the scope of application of Wi-Fi RFID identifiers.
Voitenko Mikhail

Some numbers:

5000 kilometers of electrical wiring

12,000 plants, including real trees, but the plants will be installed and planted later, upon arrival of the liner in the USA

7,000 works of art will decorate the ship's premises or be displayed in the halls of 90,000 square meters of carpeting

The construction of the liner took 525,000 square meters of steel - an area equivalent to 72 football fields

Did you know that...

The screws for this giant will be manufactured by a Russian plant - JSC Baltic Plant

JSC Baltic Plant has completed the production of the first propeller designed for the world's largest ocean cruise liner, Genesis. The 360-meter-long vessel is being built by the Norwegian company Aker Yards at its shipyard in Finland. The Baltic Shipyard will equip the aircraft with two propellers. The diameter of each product is more than 6 meters.
Contracts for the manufacture of propellers for the cruise ships Genesis, Super Star Libra, Celebrity and Hall, which are being built at the Finnish shipyard, were concluded by JSC Baltic Plant (St. Petersburg) and FSUE Zvezdochka (Severodvinsk) in 2007. According to the terms of the agreements, the St. Petersburg enterprise will supply the customer with several dozen sets of blades, hubs and fairings, as well as sets of spare parts for propellers, by the end of this year. The value of the contracts is more than 10 million euros.

The Baltic Plant is the only Russian manufacturer of large propellers (weighing up to 70 tons, diameter up to 8 m) made of bronze and brass. The company produces modern propellers for all types of warships and submarines; large-capacity tankers and bulk carriers; nuclear and diesel-electric icebreakers; container ships and passenger ships; small coastal, river and pleasure craft; fast ships and boats.

One evening, the captain of the liner gives dinner to his guests. Cruise vacationers love formal events. Each of them tries to bring home the memory of the sea voyage; for this purpose, several professional photographers work on board the ship. About 30,000 photos will be taken during the cruise.

The beauty of anyone cruise travel is that in the ports where the liner stops, a lot of new sensations await passengers.

On the ship, everything is done for the clients, but there are always passengers who behave badly and interfere with others. Such people are asked to leave the ship at the nearest port. But the worst thing is when a passenger dies on board. Then the whole team has to console his loved ones. The body is placed in its own morgue.

Crew members and service personnel lead full lives, but completely isolated from guests. They are not allowed to use the main passages on board the aircraft unless absolutely necessary. All personnel move along a hidden system of service corridors and staircases. To do this, in the center of this labyrinth there is a main passage that runs the entire length of the ship. It has the unofficial name E-95, and is used by crew members to get to their cabins, where they can take a break from guests. The laundry room on such a ship is one of the busiest of all types of ships. The workers of this plant work around the clock.

In nightclubs liner« Oasis of the Seas“The DJs do their job well. While they are warming up the audience, night falls on the ship and then the ship catches fire most of of 750,000 lamps. Electricity on the cruise ship is generated by diesel generators custom-made by the company " Wartsilla».

The most secure room on a cruise ship is the engineering control room. From here they monitor the weather conditions, monitor the operation of the power plant and control all the ship's systems. This is the center of power on a passenger ship, so entry is strictly prohibited.

On liner« Oasis of the Seas“4,500 km of electrical cable have been laid, so the main thing for the ship’s engineers is not bad weather, but fire. Such liner consumes on average up to 11,000 kg of fuel per hour. A sudden spark anywhere is much more dangerous than a hurricane. Operating costs are enormous - even a slight deviation from the course can add up to a considerable sum.

During bad weather and the inability to safely enter the port, the ship's captain may give orders not to enter the port, and the cruise director will immediately announce the changed plans to passengers. This adds more work to the entertainment service as everyone stays on board.

A cruise ship« Oasis of the Seas"became the world's first passenger ship to have seven independent thematic areas on board Central Park, Boardwalk, Royal Promenade, Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone, so no one here is discouraged.

Central Park is located in the open air in the center of the ship and forms public place with sidewalks, flowers and trees. Its grounds are used for outdoor walks, street performances and concerts. Above the park's surroundings, 334 cabins stretch five stories high, 254 of which have balconies that overlook the park. Central Park has a range of boutiques, a garden, many gazebos, a sculpture park, cafes, restaurants and a wine bar.

Despite the size liner, some passengers suffer from seasickness. Although all the staff maintain a calm demeanor, some have to deal with a variety of problems on board, from natural disasters to crimes. The plainclothes security service takes on this matter. They have CCTV cameras and the ship's own law enforcement agencies at their disposal.

In case of evacuation to cruise ship There is a modern system of rescue boats, as well as inflatable life rafts, which are located at strategic points on the ship. Resolving safety and security issues, guest requirements. Even on such liners as " Oasis of the Seas“With a great organization, sometimes people can get lost. They are often late at ports, so the ship always reminds them that the ship is leaving exactly on schedule.

The ship has a huge selection of cabins, which include luxury rooms and family rooms. A new feature is 25 two-level rooms with balconies. Each of them covers an area of 1524 square meters. m and is designed for six people. The room has its own piano, bar, jacuzzi and library. Balcony area 78 sq. meters. All cabins are equipped with LCD TVs and bathrooms with multiple mirrors.

Length - 361 m;
Width - 66 m;
Height - 72 m;
Displacement - 225282 tons;
Power point- eight diesel engines " Wartsila» power 17500 hp each;
Propulsion system- three steering columns of the “Azipod” type with a power of 27,200 hp each;
Speed - 22.6 knots;
Number of decks - 16;
Number of passengers - 6360 people;
Number of cabins - 2704;
Crew - 2100 people;

Here we can see the construction process

The word “cruise” scares off the average Russian tourist in the same way that frog legs in sour cream scare off the mighty Siberian peasant raised on dumplings. But in vain. Paws... that is, cruises are an excellent alternative to the boring tourist menu. Moreover, they also have a number of advantages.

The absence of the static moment of ordinary resorts, turning vacationers into amorphous sausages fried in the sun, is already an excellent incentive. Sea breeze, endless distances, albatrosses soaring high in the sky, waves running from under the keel to the horizon - it seems like a great alternative, doesn’t it?

No unbearable tropical acclimatization, no persistent beach barkers. And then, in the usual 7-10 days you will have time to visit not one country, but several at once, you will see the best sea ports, life and people separated by languages and borders. You can go on a cruise at any time of the year and to any part of the world - be it exotic French Polynesia, the icy Arctic or the classic Mediterranean.

The only negative for people with a sensitive vestibular system is seasickness. However, there are many ways to combat seasickness, so during a boat trip, feeling unwell will not interfere with enjoying the endless open spaces.

Price question: what to save on.

You will say: a cruise is wonderful! However, the issue is price. This is crazy money. Yes. And what? It's hard to argue against this. But again - there are different liners, not necessarily fashionable, there are different cruises, not necessarily around the world, and the time of year is also different, not necessarily summer. So the price range is quite wide.

In terms of prices, by the way, there is one point. It will help you navigate and save money. This is the location of the cabin. The most budget option is interior cabins. Cabins with a window cost a little more, but still less than cabins with a balcony. The lower decks are much cheaper than the upper ones, as are the bow and stern compared to the center. Also, don’t be alarmed when you see a number in a tour operator’s brochure. The word “cruise” usually means that its price will include all entertainment and sports programs, sports equipment, a swimming pool, meals, and sometimes alcohol. So to speak, a turnkey vacation. What is not included in the price is transfer to the place of departure, shore excursions and port taxes, as well as some personal services - for example, SPA, laundry and ironing, some purchases on board.

Another “loophole” for saving is the season. The “low” tourist season is always several times cheaper than the “high” one. By the way, in addition to price, the “low” season has one more advantage: most excursion-interesting port cities will be free from crowds of noisy tourists. You can stroll through them leisurely and with pleasure.

The cheapest tours are Mediterranean, the most expensive are in the southern hemisphere, the Arctic and Antarctic. In summer, the “high” season is closer to the subtropics, in winter – to the equator.

What else is important to consider when choosing a cruise for your vacation?

Ship size

Often it is even more important than his affiliation with a cruise line. Generally, the larger the ship, the more entertainment you'll find on board. The design of large cruise ships can include swimming pools, SPA salons, casino clubs and other pleasant places. Small ships, of course, do not provide such luxury, but they can offer something else - the cozy atmosphere of a small country boarding house.

Ship age

The older the liner, the less likely it is that all its amenities will be placed in suitable premises. In new ships, all functional rooms are provided at the design stage, while on ships of an earlier year of production you can, for example, find a sauna somewhere in the hold.

Ship class

Please note that liners have the same “star” classification as hotels. However, here the same stars mean something slightly different. For example, standard 4* cabins are usually smaller than hotel rooms with the same star rating, but the service and atmosphere here, on the contrary, are much better. Service, by the way, on any ocean liners, regardless of their class, age and size, is always very good. Perhaps because, in principle, there is nowhere to escape from board, and getting to work on such a liner is much more difficult than in an ordinary hotel.

Purpose of the trip

It is important to understand what you want - to have a blast with friends or relax with your family. For the first purpose, small ships are more suitable, but the giants of cruise holidays, on the contrary, are usually perfectly suited for family holidays - nurseries, children's playrooms, high railings. In both cases, by the way, you can save a lot of money: among cruise companies there is a common pricing system in which the first two passengers in the cabin pay the full cost of the cruise, and everyone else pays much less.

Booking

Sea cruises- a job in demand. Therefore, tickets for the most popular destinations need to be purchased 3-4 months in advance. Moreover, as a rule, the cabins of the lowest and highest classes are dismantled first. So you can reach the middle class in a month or two. There are never last minute prices for sea cruises. Here everything is exactly the opposite: the cost increases the more the closer the departure day gets.