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Fire Disables Costa Allegra

Written by T.I. Cruiser on February 27, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Ever since last when the Costa Concordia ran aground off the coast of Italy, the cruise line has been in the news. Today the spotlight is once again focused on the cruise line after a fire on board another one of its ships. Currently the Costa Allegra, sister ship to the Concordia, is adrift near Alphonse Island about 200 miles southwest of the Seychelles. It seems that a fire broke out in the generator room disabling power to the ship.

The Allegra left Madagascar on Saturday carrying 636 passengers and 413 crew members on board. It is being reported that everyone on board the ship is safe. Local Authorities as well as cargo ships in the area have been alerted and rescue efforts are now beginning.

22 Cruise Ship Passengers Robbed at Gunpoint

Written by T.I. Cruiser on February 27, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Over the last couple of years I have been pretty critical of Mexico tourism. There’s just something about finding severed heads in the streets that takes the shine off of beautiful beaches and Aztec ruins, but that’s just me. Over the last year it seems like the cruise industry climbed on board with putting customer safety above potential profits by drastically reducing cruises to the area. However, a fair number of cruise ships still do visit the area.

Across the board, cruise lines have reduced Mexico cruises by about 15% with some areas obviously being hit more than others. Ports along the Caribbean side like Cozumel and Costa Maya have hardly been impacted by a reduction, while ports like Mazatlan have lost nearly 80% of their cruise ship traffic. Other Mexican Riviera mainstays like Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta have also seen a substantial reduction in cruise ship passenger visits. But is it enough?

Last Thursday 22 passengers from the Carnival Splendor docked in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Shortly thereafter they exited the ship with the intention of taking a nice relaxing nature trail excursion. Being that the excursion was sold and booked through the line, the passengers probably thought it would be your typical “walk in the park”, and the actual excursion was just that. It wasn’t until the passengers were headed back to the ship that things took a turn for the worse.

As the passengers were returning back to their cruise ship they were robbed at gunpoint by a couple of masked gunmen. Money, jewelry and other valuables were taken from the passengers but thankfully no one was physically hurt. The authorities were notified but so far no one has been arrested. ”Carnival is working with guests to reimburse them for lost valuables and assist with lost passports or other forms of identification,” said a statement released by the cruise line. In the meantime that particular tour has been removed from the roster. However, some (including myself) think the Mexican Riviera should be removed from the roster. What do you think? Should cruise lines completely avoid the Mexican Riviera completely, until authorities can better protect visitors to the area?

Wrinkle Free Packing: Men’s Suit, Shirt and Pants

Written by T.I. Cruiser on February 21, 2012 · Leave a Comment

One of the issues I have to deal with while cruising is that I actually enjoy formal nights. I understand that not everyone does formal night (and even less as time goes by), but I don’t dress up all that often so I don’t like to pass up my opportunities. The problem I have is I live in the Northeast United States meaning, for most cruises I have to fly to the port of embarkation. I’m sure that many of you know what a pain packing formal clothes can be when catching a flight is a necessity. This is especially true when you are a guy and you have to pack a suit.

Sure you could always rent a tuxedo on board the cruise ship for formal nights, but I also have a decent array of really nice suits that get almost no use. So it just makes sense for me to pack my own suit for the cruise. My own suits are not only my style, but also fit like a glove (relatively speaking), two characteristics that can’t be overlooked. So how does one overcome the fact that it is nearly impossible to pack a suit without having it turn out wrinkled and nasty looking?

My top tips for packing aren’t nearly as awe-inspiring as the video but here are my top tips for packing for a cruise.

Do not over-pack: If you cram as many items into your suitcase as humanly possible, other than exceeding the luggage weight allowance the only thing you will accomplish is wrinkling every article of clothing you bring. Always pack less than you think you will need, not only will lighter packing result in less clutter for your cabin it will also help keep your clothing wrinkle free.
Use plastic bags: One thing that I’ve learned over the years is that friction causes wrinkling. That is one of the reasons why dry-cleaning bags are made of plastic, to reduce wrinkling. Now I’m not saying all clothes should be placed in plastic bags, I don’t care if my in port or poolside clothes get wrinkled. However, I do like my evening wear to be relatively unwrinkled so they get individual plastic bags. It really does help keep your clothing in the same condition they were in before you put them in the suitcase.
You will want some clothes to be wrinkle-free while others aren’t so high on the priority scale. Those clothing items not high in priority should be rolled rather than folded to keep them as pristine as possible. I’m speaking mainly about T-shirts, shorts and jeans when I talk about rolling your clothing.
When packing the actual suitcase you will want to place the neatly folded and packaged items in the center of the bag. Around the outer edges you will want to place the rolled items around the folded and packaged items. Any empty spaces should be filled with socks and undergarments. While shoes and other heavier items should be placed at the bottom of a suitcase (bottom position while the suitcase is being stood up) so as to not wrinkle the more delicate items.

Hopefully, with these tips you will be able to stay wrinkle free on your next cruise. Now, obviously everyone has there on tips and tricks on packing and how to remain wrinkle-free and feel free to share yours in the comments.