Whatever floats your boat

By Debbie Snow

updated 12:59 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2007

All manic all the time: Liberty of the Seas, Royal Caribbean
Like everyone else, I’d seen the TV ad a thousand times: fast-paced shots of trim, wisecracking people rock climbing, ice skating, jogging and mock-surfing aboard a Royal Caribbean ship, all synched to an infectious Iggy Pop beat. So I boarded my western Caribbean cruise on the 21-ship line’s newest, Liberty of the Seas, bound and determined to damn the torpedoes, seize the day — you name it. I’d show Mr. Pop a “Lust for Life”!

With 21 ships sailing the Caribbean from 12 U.S. ports, Royal Caribbean’s strategy is clearly one of flooding the zone. Liberty, the latest vessel to claim the title of world’s largest cruise ship (a designation shared with its sister, Freedom of the Seas), is nearly four football fields long, boasts 15 decks and can fit 4,375 passengers. As I scanned my pocket-sized ship map, an entire world of frenetic motion seemed to unfold before me.

I homed in on the action taking place aft on Deck 13, where passengers flocked to the FlowRider surfing simulator, Royal Caribbean’s most recent (and much-publicized) onboard innovation. Most people braved it flat on their bellies, boogie-board-style; a few made it onto their knees. No one managed to stand, but the crowd cheered nonetheless. At the rock wall nearby, kids scampered up with the effortless grace of Spider-Man, their red-faced parents gamely trying to keep pace.

Nearly exhausted simply from spectating, I wandered over to the fitness center (at 12,000 square feet, the largest one afloat) for a talk about acupuncture. The lecture series is part of the line’s new wellness program called Vitality, which also features a low-calorie menu, exercise classes, health-oriented shore excursions and spa treatments. I browsed the afternoon’s fitness schedule: Tai chi, meditation, yoga and spinning all sounded stimulating. But I decided to pass up New Age in favor of old-school: real boxing in a full-sized ring. The instructor hooked us up with red gloves and paired us with a partner to practice our uppercuts. Turns out I wasn’t quite rumble-ready, but it was a vigorous workout.

In the evening, activity gravitated to the Royal Promenade, a four-deck-high retail, restaurant and entertainment hub that’s a cross between Main Street and the mall (this is a floating city, after all). Cruisers browsed the boutiques, chatted at “outdoor” cafés, even grabbed a quick trim at the barbershop. I opted for the Champagne Bar, where happy hour was in full swing. Later I’d savor a mojito at Bolero’s Latin Lounge before returning to the main drag and the Hoof and Claw, an English pub with dark wood décor, dim lighting and pints aplenty. Across the way, families gathered at Sorrento’s pizza, the kids’ hair still strewn with glitter and confetti from the Promenade’s afternoon parade. I took it all in and reflected on the day. I’d survived a few rounds in the ring, found my pressure points and gone bar hopping. Ice skating, the gym and a go at the FlowRider topped the next day’s agenda. Somewhere, Iggy was smiling.

From $499 per person for double occupancy on a seven-night Caribbean cruise; www.royalcaribbean.com

Must do
Directionally challenged? Invest in an MP3 audio tour of the ship. For $10, it’s yours for the duration of the cruise.

Debbie Snow Cruisers can dally with Lady Luck at Liberty of the Seas’ Casino Royale with 19 tables and more than 300 machines.

Don’t miss the irresistible novelty of ice skating in the Caribbean. The rink opens for a few hours daily; lessons available.

Check out the rollicking Ever After, a Broadway-style evening revue featuring adult interpretations of classic fairy tales.

New on Royal Caribbean for 2008
The next-in-line “largest ship in the world,” Independence of the Seas, launches in May, sailing six- and eight-night Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale.

Voyager of the Seas cruises the Caribbean from its new home port, Galveston, Texas, through April.

Sweet indulgence: Crown Princess, Princess Cruises
A soft-spoken steward escorted me to my chaise. Draping a towel over the plumped cushion, he smoothed an errant crease. Hushed conversation and faint strains of meditative music were the only sounds I heard as I inhaled the salty air. Blissfully immersed in relaxation aboard Princess Cruises’ Crown Princess, I was simultaneously in my own world and floating somewhere between Brooklyn and St. Maarten. Built in 2006, the 113,000-ton, 3,070-passenger ship is the latest addition to a line known for delivering personalized service even as the size of its vessels increases.

Debbie Snow The adults-only pool on Crown Princess.

Huge as it is, Crown Princess still has lots of places to escape to, the best of which is the Sanctuary, an adults-only enclave on the uppermost deck. Ten dollars for a half-day ($20 full) gains passengers entry to this cocoon of tranquility far from the pool games and associated ruckus, where they’re free to nap, read or otherwise unwind. Settling in, I sipped a glass of fruit-infused water and previewed the menu of light fare.

Come evening, the Sanctuary closed and passengers primped for dinner. The line’s Personal Choice Dining offers traditional early or late seating in the main dining room; “anytime dining” at a reserved table in either of two other dining rooms; casual meals at a variety of buffets; or dinner in one of two specialty restaurants, Sabatini’s and the Crown Grill (which charge covers of $20 and $25, respectively). This night I chose Sabatini’s, a trattoria where waiters kept the wine flowing as I studiously worked my way through a seven-course meal. By the time I polished off my espresso and limoncello, three hours had passed in a gastronomic procession of grilled lobster, pumpkin risotto and zabaglione. After dinner I strolled around the piazza-style atrium, a faux-Venetian-cobblestone hub for shops, bars and an art gallery, and had a nightcap at Vines wine bar.

Deal of the Day Newfoundland and Labrador Explore World Heritage sites, glimpse into the life of the Vikings, more, from $1,635.

The next morning, promptly at 7:30, Romeo from room service whispered a greeting as he set down my standing breakfast order: coffee, fruit and a croissant. The spa manager, Lisa, was expecting me for an aroma seaweed massage, but I vowed to first check out the gym, in the vain hope of working off last night’s pasta. There I joined a Pilates class and did some cardio-atonement, followed by a steam in the thermal suite, which features a fragrant steam room, two tropical rain showers and a sauna. My body melted into a heated chaise as I waited for Lisa to whisk me away for my massage.

Moments later, slathered in warm seaweed paste, my muscles uncoiled, and any last vestiges of tension evaporated. Once the green goo dried, I rinsed and returned to the table for a full-body massage that calibrated my mood to “total surrender.” For an hour, I was aware of nothing but the therapist’s ministrations. But as she finished and I reluctantly came to, a happy realization dawned: I had five more days of this to go.

From $599 per person for double occupancy on a seven-night Caribbean cruise; www.princesscruises.com/

Must do
Grab a chaise and some popcorn and watch a “Movie Under the Stars.” Feature films, sports and concerts appear each evening on a 300-square-foot LED poolside screen.

Excursion Exam Test your smarts Test your travel IQ with the weekly quiz.

Lose the crowds and ogle the sunset at Skywalkers Nightclub. It’s usually empty until clubbers start drifting in around 10 p.m.

Catch the entertaining culinary presentations. Pans clatter, knives flash, chefs ham it up and you may even learn a trick or two.

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