Popular Cruising's Anthem of the Seas Review

Popular Cruising posted another one of their thorough reviews. This time it is Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas. While they cover a lot of the high-end spaces and accommodations, you still get a feel for all the options. Of course you also get a glimpse at all the ship's amenities and attractions.

(If you're like us, at this point you can probably hum the background music Popular Cruising uses in their videos.)

Cruise Radio's Norwegian Escape review

We keep seeing the Norwegian Escape in the news, but what is the actual ship like? Doug Parker posted his latest Cruise Radio show on the Norwegian Escape. Joining him is Jason from Popular Cruising. The two are very experienced cruisers and give a thorough review of the ship.

They give the ship high marks for food choice and the entertainment.

Later Nancy Schretterr joined the show to discuss the family options, including the water park and ropes course.

If there is one criticism of the show, it is that they do get caught up in comments that really aren't going to concern the average cruiser (location of the USB port?). But overall this is a worthwhile listen and definitely a good resource for anyone considering a trip on the Escape.

Cruise Capital's Royal Princess review and tour

While not a slick as some video reviews, this tour and review of the Royal Princess is very worthwhile. In addition to the usual stops in dining and activities, Cruise Capital also includes some action shots of the staff and celebration from the actual cruise. As you are researching a potential trip on the Royal Princess, certainly watch the video above.

Popular Cruising's Norwegian Pearl Tour

Popular Cruising doesn't just post video reviews. They also put together unique video tours, like the one above for the Norwegian Pearl. The tours are a nice change of pace from the typical reviews in that they offer a good feel for the ship, but don't bias you with the reviewer's direct thoughts. Look for more unique video content from Popular Cruising.

Popular Cruising's Viking Star Review

Popular Cruising put up another video review of Viking's new ship the Viking Star. The video also coincides with their review of the same ship in the San Diego Union-Tribune. Both reviews highlight the ship's beauty and unique touches, but also point out the ship's challenges in entertainment and activity.

Cruiseline.com Reviews: Viking Star

For a new ship, there are already plenty of reviews for the Viking Star. But no site cuts to the chase like Cruiseline.com and now they have reviewed the Viking Star. Written by Sherri Eisenberg, the review touches all the known talking points about the new cruise liner...beautiful design, no nickel and diming, incredible spa, etc. What's unique and helpful about Eisenberg's review is her bluntness about who the real market is for Viking's first ocean ship. This ship is not for families.

Viking knew they were going to be able to tap into their river cruise customers to fill this new ship. Yet one of the main goals of their expansion was to reach a demographic beyond their current base. If the reviews are right, it is still going to take time. Not only is the ship still lacking activities and amenities for families, but it is also missing the night-life and experiences targeted at young singles or young couples.

Cruiseline and Eisenberg are overall very positive about the Viking Star. But as people do their research, it is good to know the experience is not for everyone.

Popular Cruising's Carnival Breeze Review

We like to feature the best cruise reviews we can find, so we were due to highlight another effort from Popular Cruising. In this video, Jason tours one of Carnival's most popular ships, the Carnival Breeze. Like all Popular Cruising videos, this covers all aspects of the ship but presents the overflowing detail at an even pace.

Other cruise companies are getting plenty of attention with new launches or new orders, but as this review shows, Carnival's ships and experiences remain very innovative and very fun.

Anthem of the Seas video reviews

That didn't take long! Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas just debuted to the public a little more than a week ago and already there are plenty of video ship reviews. Here are a few of the better new ones from passengers who sailed out of Southampton.

What makes you want to take a cruise?

Travel site Tnooz recently asked if virtual tours of ships are a good marketing tool for cruise lines. The simple answer is: yes. But the real answer is a bit more complex.

All cruise lines should be embracing the latest technology and marketing tools to sell cruises. For years they printed tens of thousands of brochures to reach people who had never cruised. These new virtual tours are just the next generation of that same concept -- get people to understand what taking a cruise is like. Pictures and words have just been replaced by interactive images. When done well, this strategy will get some people to take a cruise for the first time. However, it is not enough.

The most effective marketing tool for a unique experience will always be word of mouth. Seeing a commercial, reading a brochure or taking a virtual tour is one thing, but hearing from a trusted friend about how much fun cruising is will always get more people to try a cruise.

But are there other avenues that made you take your first cruise? Is there something other than traditional marketing that the cruise companies are overlooking?

Cruise Tips TV Video Review: Liberty of the Seas' Food

This is a good way to do a video review. No surprise then that it comes from Cruise Tips TV. Cruise Tips TV is a YouTube Channel with a series of niche and expansive video reviews of various cruise ships and their amenities. For the food reviews, they create a slide show for each meal with quick commentary and a few tips. The straight-forward presentation is helpful and more practical than many of the longer, meandering reviews you can find in other places.

Cruise Tips TV also has full ship reviews and other videos on specific aspects of your cruise vacation. Watch more as you prepare for your next trip.

Cruise Fever's Video Reviews: Carnival Breeze

We like to point out some of the better video reviews online, so please enjoy this thorough tour of the Carnival Breeze. Cruise Fever highlights most of the public areas with clear shots and good descriptions. Check out Cruise Fever's YouTube Channel for other quality video cruise content.  

Porthole Cruise Magazine's Review of Quantum of the Seas

As much as we are proponents of crowd sourcing and consumer cruise review sites, there is still great value in a well-written and well-informed cruise review. If you're looking for quality cruise reviews, remember to check out Porthole Cruise Magazine. One of their latest reviews is for Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas. Written by industry expert Doug Parker, the review highlights Quantum's The North Star -- the noteworthy attraction that places you high above the ship in a mobile observation deck.

Parker also takes the time to quickly breakdown Quantum's 18 intimate dining experiences. He captures what's onboard without getting into the minutia of each individual meal.

The cruise professional working for one of the industry's more popular magazines is not going to have the typical cruise experience. He knows what to do and the ship's PR team will ensure he receives great treatment. However, an expert eye can also offer great insight into a ship's amenities and service. When doing your cruise research remember to read the professionals and the masses to make the decision that is best for you.

Sea Cruisers' Video Review: Royal Caribbean' Majesty of the Seas

There are plenty of video reviews of cruise ships online. Most are too long or the camera work is too wobbly. However, Sea Cruisers did a nice job with their style. They keep them shot, yet thorough. Here is the cabin review of the Majesty of the Seas. 

Cruise Needs' Review: “Disney Dream Cruise with Food Network.”

Friday night, the Food Network aired “Disney Dream Cruise with Food Network.” In the special (sponsored by Disney Cruise Line), Food Network stars Jeff Mauro, Katie Lee, Amanda Freitag, and, Melissa d'Arabian, as well as their friends and families, sailed to the Bahamas aboard the Disney Dream. Being the Food Network, the special focused on dining, but also hit many of the highlights of the Disney offering. Based on our DCL experience, here are some of the things the special got right, some they got wrong and a few things we are surprised that weren’t featured.

What they got right

This was a food show, so they certainly showed off Disney’s great dining experiences. While the TV chefs toured the galleys and the storage facilities, the aspect that is relevant to a typical passenger was the rotational dining. DCL regulars know and love this feature -- where you rotate dining rooms with your wait staff -- while people who haven’t experienced it yet might not appreciate how well it works. Disney championed this experience in the industry and it highlights their service and unique experiences. It is the center of the dining experience and deserved its place on the special.

What they got wrong

The Food Network stars raved about the buffet service and food on Disney’s private island Castaway Cay. d'Arabian’s experience was very different from ours. We found the service, the crowd management, the taste and temperature of the food on Castaway Cay to be lacking -- well below Disney’s standards in their theme parks and certainly below the standards and food quality of the Disney Cruise Line’s food service on board. Obviously a Disney-sponsored special is not going to degrade their own quality or service, but be warned the meal at Castaway Cay was the worst meal of our DCL experience. Our recommendation is to enjoy the beach and water activities on the island but dine back on the ship.

What they left out

It wouldn’t be a DCL television special without the AquaDuck, but I really think the DCL does itself a bit of disservice by always featuring this one ride on every TV opportunity. The AquaDuck is great and fun, but is it that much better than many of the water and thrill experiences available on most cruise companies newer ships? Why not use some of the special time to highlight the Disney shows (which are outstanding) or some of the other unique to Disney offerings. Based on the lines alone, we would suspect that the character and princess interactions are more popular than the AquaDuck. Maybe DCL assumes people know the characters are on board or maybe that the characters only appeal to their youngest customers. However, there are other sports, entertainment and social offerings beyond the AquaDuck that might attract older kids, teens and cruise fans of all ages. Valuable TV time should highlight those attractions instead of the upteenth ride on a water slide.

"Disney Dream Cruise with the Food Network" airs again April 4. (Being the Food Network, the special will likely air again and again in the coming months.) If you’re a Disney fan, a DCL fan or just someone who likes cruise specials, the hour is well worth your time...as is a cruise on the Disney Dream.

Cruiseline.com Reviews: Carnival Breeze

Cruise reviews are a critical resources as you plan and book your next cruise. However, sifting through the thousands of online reviews can be daunting. How do you find useful tips and get the general consensus on a ship without getting bogged down in the minutia of what one reviewer had at the lunch buffet on the second to last day of their cruise?

Of the many options, we find Cruiseline.com's reviews to provide the right mix of detail and overview. Most of their reviewers are thorough and informative. Yet, you can also just breeze through the summations to get high points, a quick star rating and glimpses into specific aspects of the ship.


Use the reviews of the Carnival Breeze as a example. Cruiseline.com currently has 444 verified reviews and of those reviews, the average rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars. For perspective that rating is above most other Carnival ships. The reviews also tend to emphasize the cleanliness and newness of the ship. To learn more about the Carnival Breeze or other potential cruise options check out other reviews on Cruiseline.com