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Deciding What To Pack For A Cruise

Australian Cruise Guru
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Deciding What To Pack For A Cruise

Thinking about what to pack for your next cruise holiday? Need some inspiration for
dresses for a cruise holiday?

When you think of cruise clothing, what springs to mind? Over-sized sun hats, nautical stripes, sensible boat shoes for the day and something smarter at night?

Well, although there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to cruise clothing, there are certainly some unspoken guidelines to follow when choosing what to wear each day.

When deciding what to pack for a cruise, consider the type of cruise you have booked. Does your cruise liner pride itself on luxury? Is dinner each evening a formal, sit-down affair? Or does your cruise include lots of on-land excursions and activities?

Nowadays cruise holidays provide unlimited onboard activities ranging from poolside lounging, dining experiences, theatrical shows, and fitness opportunities, among others.

While these might be confusing on deciding on what outfit to opt for prior to packing for your cruise holiday. However, a little bit of prior cruise-outfit planning will help to ensure you travel comfortably while at the same time achieving a fashionable look.

Some time and preparation are required for this, though.

Here are the best cruise wear travel tips for women that you should be aware of before leaving port.

Dress for On-Board Leisure

Most cruise holidays are designed for relaxation, pleasure or rest. The whole package is however framed back from cruise travel. Make sure that if possible you can check the weather pattern before travelling. There are various fashion design styles that one can go for that best fit the look you want. You can start with skin-protective clothing such as sunglasses, wide-brimmed hats or high-SPF sunscreen.

Flip-flops and bathing suits would be appropriate for poolside lounging (mostly during afternoons). Nevertheless, most women on cruises wear lightweight bathing suits or stylish sarongs around their waists.

Evening Dining and Entertainment Outfits

Cruise ships have plenty of dining choices and nighttime entertainment options. Check with your travel agent or cruise company about the cruise ships’ restaurants and dining options as well as their dress code as sometimes jeans are not allowed.

Be prepared with cotton or lightweight dresses to be on the safe side. Additionally, dresses are simple to pack and can feature on most dining occasions.

cruise travel dress tips

A casual dress would be appropriate for most nighttime cruise activities such as comedy shows, art auctions, ballroom dancing, comedy or musical shows. While formal dresses would be required for those more formal events such as the Captain’s Dinner.

Cruise Destination Necessities

Your cruise destination should also be put into consideration. What activities will you do at the end of the journey? Is it scuba diving, golfing, sailing or snorkelling in swimming coves? Each of these needs a unique dressing code. Also, consider the weather conditions and comfort. It’s, however, challenging carrying onboard clothing that can work perfectly with your destination setting; it’s, therefore, best to pack light luggage to leave room for new clothing.

Remember, cruise wear should always be fun and flexible to fit into most any cruise activities.

Finally when planning your outfits for during the day, consider what you will be doing each day, based on your cruise itinerary and personal preferences, and plan accordingly.

Even if you’re planning to spend the day on board the ship, make sure you pack plenty of light cover-ups and nice summer dresses for a cruise-appropriate way to get from your room to the sundeck.

How To Improve Your Cruise Holiday

Australian Cruise Guru
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Cruise ship life can be very exciting but after a while, cruises can all begin to feel quite boring. You go to the port, board the ship with four thousand strangers, make a few friends, and then hop off. There is nothing wrong with doing that.

However, the more you cruise, the more you pick up on tricks and secrets. there are some things, which you can do to improve your cruise holiday. Cruises are a fun option for travellers looking to visit a few different places in a short amount of time, but sailing from port to port in comfort and style is not without its challenges.

Cruise ships are crowded and extra fees for beverages and excursions can take a toll on your budget.

Read our expert advice to get the most out of your next cruise holiday.

Arrive the Night Before Departure

Nothing can ruin a long-awaited cruise vacation, like missing the ship because of some sort of travel delay or other unforeseen circumstance. Luckily, there’s an easy solution: arrive the night before.

It is important for you to get to the departure port at least one night before the cruise begins. Sometimes, unforeseen issues such as flight delays, traffic, bad weather and other delays may prevent you from getting to the cruise ship in time.

Hundreds of cruisers miss their boat each year because of delayed flights, traffic, bad weather, and other unforeseen troubles.

Every year literally hundreds of cruise passengers literally “miss the boat” and arrive too late to board.  To avoid this, arrive in your port city the night before to avoid pre-departure jitters and add an extra day to your vacation. If the cruise ship departs, you may have a hard time boarding it at its next landing.

Ways to Improve Your Cruise Holiday

Arrive Early

If your schedule allows it, arrive in your port city the day before you board the ship.

Booking a local hotel Sydney hotel close to port can help relieve some of the worries.

Adding a little flexibility to your trip will reduce last-minute stress and allow you to buy that toothbrush you forgot for $5 at a grocery store rather than for $15 on the ship.

Get to bed early for a well-rested start to your cruise or enjoy a night out beforehand.

Pack Wisely

When deciding what to pack for a cruise, consider the type of cruise you have booked.

One of the perks of a cruise holiday is that you can, within reason, pack as much as you like. Ships have no luggage weight restrictions or overweight fees, so you can bring that extra evening dress, a selection of books, and multiple jackets.

Still, that doesn’t mean you should pack indiscriminately, especially when it comes to the notoriously space-hogging category of footwear. Depending on the type of cruise you will need a range of footwear for lounging around the pool during the day, good walking shoes for any excursions you might take as well as dress shoes for the evening. While a pair of kids water shoes will help keep your kid’s feet safe in and out of the water.

As long as you can manage the luggage on your flight to port, you’re golden! Checked baggage fees add up quickly, so make sure to pack light. Bring clothes you can mix and match to create multiple outfits and look into using your ship’s laundry services. This will help you save on board and at the airport. Make sure to save room in your suitcase for souvenirs!

Overcoming Sea Sickness

If you feel sea sickness coming on, eating a green apple or sucking on a lemon slice are quick and easy remedies. If you are already sick, the majority of over-the-counter patches will not work. Instead, try drinking ginger ale and eating crackers.

Choose the Right Cabin

The inside cabins are quite cheap. However, they are also usually quite stuffy. Besides, they have hardly enough room for turning. For the best experience, you should book a cabin that has some kind of window. If you can get a cabin that has a balcony, that will be even better. You will get to spend time out on the balcony enjoying the open ocean.

Choose When You Eat

Dining with a group of strangers can seem interesting the first few times. However, it begins to lose its novelty after a while. Most cruises would like you to believe that there are only two options for dining, early, and late dining.

However, for a small fee, you can dine at one of the exclusive restaurants that are located on cruise ships.

Improve Cruise vacation
Public Domain from pixabay

Book Excursions Before Boarding the Ship

Excursion packages help you to plan your cruise in advance. However, you should remember that the best excursions are usually sold out before the cruise begins. Ensure that you book your excursion before the ship sets sail. Book yours early to avoid standing in the long excursion-booking lines.

Read the Newsletter they Put in Your Room

Each cruise ship has an internal newsletter that tells you about all the fun things that happen on the ship. If you do not read the newsletter, you may be left out of the interesting conversations on the ship. Besides that, you may get to discover a fun event that has been planned.

Book your shore excursions ahead of time.

Most cruises have landings at multiple ports. The best shore excursions book quickly, so it’s a good idea to make your reservations before you leave home, if possible.

The ports are chosen carefully to ensure that they give you an immersive cultural experience.

Most cruise lines allow passengers to make these reservations online. If you can’t book in advance, then you’ll want to take care of this as soon as you get on the ship to avoid being disappointed.

Consider staying on the ship during a port of call.

Don’t feel obligated to get off the ship at all ports of call just to feel like you’re getting your money’s worth. Staying on board while the majority of the passengers are in port is a great way to enjoy all of the amenities of the ship without the crowds.

This is especially true on some of the larger ships which can hold thousands of passengers (such as Royal Caribbean’s twin 6,296-passenger ships), “Oasis of the Seas” and “Allure of the Seas.” It’s no surprise that on port days, the pool areas and spa are much less crowded than on “at sea” days.

As with any type of travel, a little preparation can go a long way, and taking a cruise is no different. By using these tips as a guideline, you can better organise and prepare for your trip.

Staying Healthy While At Sea

Australian Cruise Guru
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Staying Healthy While At Sea

There have been numerouse healthy warnings been issued with a health warning following an outbreak of severe gastro onboard a number of Australian cruise ships.

The highly contagious norovirus has become enemy number one for cruise ships around the world, with 25 major on-board outbreaks of the resultant gastro recorded since the start of last year.

In some of the worst cases as many as 700 passengers on the one ship have been struck down by the virulent tummy bug — which is almost as common as the cold — but causes vomiting and diarrhoea, often leading to dehydration.

Maximise your cruise experience and protect against unwanted travel hassles with the top tips on staying healthy while you’re cruising at sea.

 

Wash Hands Often

Remember thousands of people have touched that doorknob before you, so bring some hand sanitiser with you. Compare ships inspection scores from the Center for Disease Control Vessel Sanitation Program at cdc.gov.

See A Doctor

Visit a travel specialist well before you depart. Take your intinerary with you so they can advise on the required and recommended vaccines. If you take medication, make sure you have enough for your entire trip and then some, to will allow for any delays due to unforeseen circumstances.

cruise-ship-medications

Try Not To Share

Avoid sharing plates, or having other people pass you plates, glasses or even common serving utensils. At a buffet make sure you have a couple of extra spoons handy to ladle food.

prevent-cruise-ship-sickness_FI0w4F

 

Watch What You Eat

Being on holiday at sea deosn’t mean you can’t be healthy. Opt for vegetables instead of chips, fish instead of burgers. Depending on where you are, it may be wise to avide raw food – bacteria and viruses that make you ill thrive in warmer climates.

 

Hit The Gym

Most cruise ships now come with state of the art fitness centres which you should try to make the most of. Regular excercise will help to bost your immune system.

 

Do Your Laundry Well

Norovirus can linger on clothes and garments that are not washed sufficiently. Choose hot long laundry cycles.

By following the advice above you should have a happy and healthy cruise.

How to Choose the Right Cruise for You

Australian Cruise Guru
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How to Choose the Right Cruise for You

Shark diving without a cage. Sounds insane, right? That’s what I thought too. Turns out sharks aren’t the terrifying monsters we think they are.

But we’ve all seen the movie ‘Jaws’ and Hollywood doesn’t lie. It’s why thousands of people around the world suffer from Selachophobia. Fear of sharks.

But who can blame them? Why on earth would any rational person swim in the ocean

As for those who purposefully seek out the company of sharks they clearly have a death wish. Because shark attacks on humans around the world are exceedingly rare despite popular belief to the contrary.

Seeking The Company Of Sharks

As an adrenaline junkie, my tolerance level these days is high. Luckily Fiji delivered the goods. They have a Shark Reef Marine Reserve located off the coast of the island of Beqa, where you can go swimming with up to 8 species of shark.

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Shark Reserve is because of the money flowing in from these dive trips.

To help finance shark research and compensate local villagers for their lost fishing grounds, Beqa Adventure Divers offers scuba diving trips into the marine reserve’s shark-infested waters.

They let you get face-to-face with these underwater killers.

Because shark attacks on humans around the world are exceedingly rare despite popular belief to the contrary.

Shark Attack Odds

They have a Shark Reef Marine Reserve located off the coast of the island of Beqa.
They have a Shark Reef Marine Reserve located off the coast of the island of Beqa.

Let’s look at some examples. How likely is a shark attack in the United States? Odds are greater that one of these will happen to you first:

  • You will die from a dog attack.
  • You will die from a lightning strike.
  • You will get killed by bees or wasps.
  • You will be executed for a crime.
  • You will be bitten by a human.
  • You will die falling down in your home.
  • Dick Cheney will shoot you on a hunting trip.

As for actual death by shark attack, that’s even rarer. Like 1 in 3,748,067 to be exact. You are more likely to die while digging a sand hole on the beach.

So stop digging those stupid things. They’re dangerous!

My First Shark Dive

Knowing these statistics made it a bit easier to join the professionals at Beqa Adventure for my first ever shark dive. They’ve been doing this for over 10 years with no problems.

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Beqa Adventure Divers teamed up.

I’ve been scuba diving in caves before, but diving with large Bull and possibly Tiger sharks was a big deal. These massive animals can grow 8 to 15 feet long and weigh hundreds of pounds.

Both have a history (however rare) of attacks on humans. But, as I’ve learned over & over again on my travels, breaking out of your comfort zone is a healthy thing to do.

Now if you didn’t already know, feeding sharks like this is a bit controversial. Some say that it trains them to associate humans with food, increasing the odds of an attack.

These diving trips pour much needed money into shark conservation & research projects. Without that money, shark populations around the world will continue to rapidly decline. If dive operators don’t pay to help save the sharks, who will? You? The government?

That’s wishful thinking in my opinion. It won’t happen.

The ONLY reason marine life is protected at Fiji’s Shark Reserve is because of the money flowing in from these dive trips. Beqa Adventure Divers teamed up with local villages to ban all fishing here in 2004. The result? A once dying reef is thriving and full of life again.

Revealed: Ultimate Tips For Bagging A Cheap Cruise Deal

Australian Cruise Guru
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Revealed: Ultimate Tips For Bagging A Cheap Cruise Deal

Lots of people come to this site in search of last minute cruises and cruise deals however there are other ways to save on your cruise holiday. In the article extract below some cruise experts share their knowlefe on how to get the best deal.

The article below is an extract of the original article found here Found here:

It can be one of the most infuriating situations on a cruise ship – finding out that the couple in the cabin next to you paid significantly less for exactly the same getaway.

Every holidaymaker loves a bargain and in today’s digital age there are plenty of deals to be had – if you know where to look or when to book a deep sea or river cruise.

Some of the biggest savings can be had on trips booked months in advance or at the last minute, or when the getaway is made at off-peak times or with sacrifices.

  • Book Early
    • Good bargains are available when cruise ship itineraries are announced 18 to 24 months in advance
  • Be Flexible
    • Passengers can find huge savings if they are willing to be flexible with itineraries, dates and cruise lines
  • Wait until the last minute
    • Although options may be limited, holidaymakers may find huge savings if they book at the last minute
  • Repositioning cruises
    • Passengers who opt for a repositioning cruise should be prepared to spend a long time at sea
  • Travel at low season
    • Some of the best deals are offered in the off-season, including winter itineraries in the Mediterranean
  • Choose an inside cabin
    • Inside cabins on Quantum of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean ship, come with ‘virtual balconies’
  • Consider the ship and port of departure
    • Holidaymakers may want to consider a port closer to home, as packages without airfare can be cheaper
  • Shop around and do your research
    • Passengers should also budget for land excursions, tips for staff, shopping and beauty treatments
ultimate tips for bagging a cheap cruise deal revealed
ultimate tips for bagging a cheap cruise deal revealed

Book early

Cruise Lines International Association, which represents some of the largest companies, said those who have their hearts set on a specific itinerary or cabin should book early to take advantage of early bird savings.

Adam Coulter, UK editor of CruiseCritic.co.uk, said the booking game played by cruise lines is similar to the one played by airlines.

Holidaymakers who book when itineraries are announced 18 to 24 months before a ship’s departure will generally get a good deal and possibly extras such as on-board credit, a cabin upgrade or a beverage package, he said.

The experts suggest checking out the different fares on offer from cruise lines, and speaking to travel agents or tour operators to find out if they can score a better deal or additional perks.

To Read the full article click here:

Seabourn launches its biggest cruise ship EVER from Singapore

Australian Cruise Guru
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Seabourn launches its biggest cruise ship EVER from Singapore

The Encore is Seabourn Cruise Line’s fourth luxury ship, and its biggest, capable of accommodating 600 passengers. It was officially named by British West End star Sarah Brightman in Singapore on Saturday. 

Seabourn Encore is the first of the line’s ship designed by Adam Tihany, who has worked with high-profile celebrity chefs such as Heston Blumenthal and luxury hotels including The Beverly Hills Hotel.

Guests of Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Sojourn (which was also ported in Singapore), travel agents and travel media attended the christening ceremony, which featured entertainment by local musicians and cultural acts, including lion dancers and stilt walkers. Seabourn Encore is the the first of two new all-suite vessels that the company intends to introduce by spring 2018, when the 600-guest Seabourn Ovation will make its debut. 

Seabourn Encore, launched in Singapore earlier this month, will arrive in Australian this month as the youngest ultra-luxury ship to cruise our waters.

There are 600 guests living it up in 300 suites, each with their own private veranda. If you step it up from the entry-level suite and book a Wintergarden Suite you’ll experience a solarium with bathtub and sea views, a dining area and butler’s pantry. There’s also a Signature suite, Penthouse suite and Veranda suite depending on your needs. Suddenly your apartment isn’t looking so good.

Seabourn Encore PZ2fZr

Seabourn Encore

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cruise Passenger Numbers Expected to Top 25 Million in 2017

Australian Cruise Guru
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Cruise Passenger Numbers Expected to Top 25 Million in 2017

Cruise Passenger Numbers Are Expected to Top 25 Million Next Year

With business still growing fast in Asia, the Cruise Lines International Association is projecting that 25.3 million people will take a cruise vacation in 2017.

That represents an estimated 4.5 percent increase from 2016, when 24.2 million passengers are expected to cruise. CLIA originally gave an outlook of 24 million for this year, but in June revised the forecast up slightly while also bumping up 2015 totals.

The outlook for 2017, released Thursday, is based on the historic relationship between yearly capacity increases and passenger increases.

Next year, 26 new ocean, river, and specialty ships are set to debut, including two vessels that will be deployed year-round in China. Several cruise lines announced recently they are visiting Cuba for the first time in the new year with older ships, which is expected to stir up fresh excitement for otherwise standard Caribbean cruise itineraries.

“The cruise industry is responding to global demand and we are highly encouraged by both the short-term and long-term outlook,” Cindy D’Aoust, CLIA’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “From technological advancements and deployment of new ships to new ports and destinations around the world, the industry continues to respond to desires of today’s travelers resulting in steady growth and strong economic impact around the world.”

According to the industry outlook, worldwide spending generated by the cruise industry reached $117 billion in 2015. The equivalent of 956,597 full-time employees earned $38 billion last year — an amount that fell year-over-year even as the number of workers increased. Last year’s projection said that 939,232 employees had earned $39.3 billion in 2014 and the total economic impact for the industry was $119.9 billion.

Read more… Cruise Passenger Numbers Are Expected to Top 25 Million Next Year

 

Cruise Ship Pollution Literally Causing Big Headaches

Australian Cruise Guru
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Cruise Ship Pollution Literally Causing Big Headaches

A cruise ship has all the conveniences, and population of a small city, and the responsibilities of any community. So why should these ships dump excessive pollution into the air of Sydney?

Cruise liners berthed near homes on Sydney harbour are burning a carcinogenic fuel banned in US and European ports. Residents say they’re getting sick but the cruise companies have refused to burn cleaner fuel and the government says it won’t act to stop the dirty ships for at least another year.

Ships cruising in Australian waters run on low-quality, cheap diesel known as bunker fuel, which is high in sulfur, full of heavy metals and a serious pollutant when burned. The US, Canada and EU have much tighter controls on fuel quality, with just 0.1% sulfur allowed. Sulfur levels in Australia are up to 35 times higher at the permissible level of 3.5%, which is deemed carcinogenic by the World Health Organisation. The problem for Balmain residents is that the peninsula rises to the same height ships’ funnels, so the black smoke they pump out is drifting directly into homes.

Cruise ship pollution not welcome in Sydney
Cruise ship pollution not welcome in Sydney

When the former New South Wales Labor government moved Sydney’s second cruise ship terminal further up the harbour, from the Barangaroo redevelopment to White Bay, below the residential peninsula of Balmain, it made a huge, short-sighted mistake that’s turned the city’s $2.3 billion cruise industry into a political football in the lead up to the state’s March 28 election.

There’s no shore-to-ship power at the site. That means the 100-plus cruise liners using the berth this summer are forced to keep engines running to power the ships. Local residents say the fumes are making them sick, with some residents claiming they now get headaches they’ve never had before.

Which leads to the industry’s other big problem: the fuel it burns, which has also become an election issue, with Sydney shock jock Alan Jones firmly behind the Balmain residents in their fight for clean air.

 

Click here to read the full story:

Australia’s First Ever Music Festival at Sea

Australian Cruise Guru
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Australia’s First Ever Music Festival at Sea

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Love music festivals and love cruises? Then you will be in your element that Australia’s First Ever Music Festival at Sea has just been launched.

Sea N Beats is a new concept to Australian waters, the first of its kind. You will spend an 4 amazing days and 3 nights on board one of the world’s top cruise ships, enjoy seven stages of entertainment on the ship, including a huge pool deck.

The article below is an extract of the original article found here Found here:

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Australia’s first three-day festival on a cruise ship

You’ve got your Laneways and your Falls and your Splendours: all offering stellar vibes and tunes alike, to be sure, but there’s a relatively disconcerting trend in the Aussie festival scene du jour: they’re all on dry (muddy) land. Frankly, it’s high time Australia upped their festival game to sea-bound adventures, which is where Sea ‘N Beats comes in. Hallelujah.

Held on March 5 – 8 next year, Sea N Beats (not Sean Beats, as the URL tricked me into thinking; who knows if Big Sean will be there or not) have announced their presence on the Aussie festival menu, a delectable addition that will see punters take in the delights of a music festival aboard a ship in quad-share cabins. While the lineup is yet to be announced, the site assures us that the 3 day bender will have an “electronic dance music feel”, something which landlubbers like ourselves can certainly get on board with. Sea men (both kinds) will be there, you can only imagine how enthusiastically a pirate theme will be taken to, and it’s all starting to sound like schoolies on crack, on a boat. In a word: would.

While it’s the first festival of its kind in Australia, its premise bares alarming resemblance to a festival known as It’s The Ship, a five-day festival that kicked off in Singapore and boasted acts such as Basement Jaxx, Lil John and CHVRCHES. Seeing a tidal wave of ‘grammed documentation obviously makes it look as gross and un-chill as all hell (jk, weeping):

To Read the full article click here:

Top 5 Cruise Ship Pools

Australian Cruise Guru
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Looking a booking cruise? Sometimes the on-board facilites can help you decide which cruise line to book with. Cruise ship swimming pools are one of the most important features as no doubt you will be spening a lot of time lounging by the pool area.

Here we take a look at some of the top 5 cruise ship swimming pools,

The article below is an extract of the original article found here Found here:

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Nothing beats a cruise ship for providing stunning views of the sea. But sometimes, the most inviting waters you’ll see on a cruise aren’t on the ocean — they’re on board the ship.

Cruise-line swimming pools are getting more luxurious and exciting by the day. Whether you see swimming pools as a place to cool off, sun yourself, or enjoy a fruity cocktail, these are some of the most insane swimming pools at sea.

1. Royal Caribbean’s FlowRider

Royal Caribbean
Several of the Royal Caribbean cruise ships have been installed with the thrilling FlowRider surf simulator machine. This exhilarating activity, which is provided free of charge to onboard guests, allows passengers to surf artificial waves produced by water jets flowing over a curved pool floor. With its streams of water rushing towards you at up to 40 mph, the simulator is the closest most cruisers will get to big waves during their seafaring vacation.

2. The Viking Star

Viking
Usually known for its river cruises, Viking is launching a new ocean-going cruise line this spring that will sail the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas. The line’s new flagship, the Viking Star, is set to make its maiden voyage in May 2015, and has been kitted out with one groundbreaking new feature never seen before on a cruise liner: an infinity pool. The jaw-dropping pool hangs dramatically over the ship’s stern, giving passengers an uninterrupted, if slightly scary, view of the scenery behind them.

3. Royal Caribbean’s AquaTheater

Royal Caribbean
Allure boasts an incredible onboard pool, officially named the AquaTheater. This insane feat of innovation and engineering features a 600-seat amphitheater surrounding an 18 foot-deep pool, the deepest onboard pool there is. Used during the day for regular swimming activities and scuba lessons, the space transforms at night into the entertainment epicenter of the ship.

Aquatic performances by high divers, aerial acrobats, synchronized swimmers, and 65-foot high water fountains provide guests with an exciting spectacle, all with dramatic ocean views as a backdrop.

To Read the full article and view all the pools click here:

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