Water-Vehicles Cruise

 Water-Vehicles Cruise

Water transport vehicles for Luxury and Adventures Holiday Trip 

Cruises And Ferries.

Water Transportation is one of the oldest forms of transportation method and to trace its origins we have to go back thousands of years. 

Water transportation plays an important role in the Tourism sector and has developed into an industry in itself. 

Water transportation relating tourism sector can be classified into Cruise industry and Ferries. 

Ferries are generally used for transportation over relatively short distances as compared to Cruise ship which transports more number of people over long distances. 

The Cruise industry has changed drastically over the past few decades and now can be associated more with Leisure tourism. 

However, Ferries are more used as a form of transportation carrying passengers, goods or vehicles over a short distance of water. 

Below we will discuss on this two types of water transportation in detail.

Ocean Cruises.(Cruise liner)

Cruise travel began in the early 19th century with the birth of Peninsular and Oriental steam navigation company in 1822 Brodie McGhee Wilcox and Arthur Anderson together formed this company which later became to be known as P&O Cruises. 

The concept of integrating leisure and recreation to cruising is attributed to Arthur Andersen. Cruising appeals to all types of travelers and is a dream for many travelers today to go on a cruise vacation.

 However, this wasn’t the case always before growth in air travel and cruising was more restricted as transportation rather than a leisurely holiday. 

There were cruise companies offering holidays but these were more restricted to the rich and wealthy as it was expensive to travel the world on a cruise ship. 

During the early 1900’s to 1940 cruise companies more served as a form of transportation to cross the Atlantic as a passenger ship. 

The Titanic being a prime example of a transatlantic passenger ship. Post 1940’s after the advent of Jet engines and increase in Air travel the cruising industry which was limited to passenger movement suffered heavily and hence post 1950’s the cruise industry had suffered heavy losses and was in a dire need of improvement and hence the industry reinvented itself to its current state. 

The Cruise industry has changed drastically today and is a flourishing industry in itself with 50+ billion dollars in revenue  which is expected to grow up to 90 billion dollar by 2023-24.

It is expected that 25 million passengers will be vacationing on a cruise ship by the year 2023.

The Cruise industry today is dominated by some of the big companies which offer unmatched luxury on board like themed restaurants, casinos, live entertainment on board, swimming pools, movie theaters, Fitness center , gaming zones and tour excursions at ports. 

Cruise ships offer vacations to destinations like the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Far East and even Alaska and the North Pole. Below are some of the biggest cruise companies. 

below links which will take you the respective websites.

Biggest Cruise Companies.

Disney Cruises

Royal Caribbean Cruises

Carnival Cruise lines

Holland America Line

Oceania Cruises

Biggest Cruises Ships(mega ships)

Harmony of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)

Below is a video showing a glimpse of what a cruise ship offers.

Allure of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)

Oasis of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)

Quantum of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)

Anthem of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)

Ovation of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)

Norwegian Escape (NCL)

Liberty of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)

Norwegian Epic (NCL)

Freedom of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)

Independence of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)

Genting Dream (Dream Cruises)

Pre requisites for Boarding a Cruise Ship.

Although International cruises are popular today most people are not quite familiar with the process before boarding a International Cruise ship or during their travel. 

Below are some pre-requisites before boarding a International cruise ship.

Passport:- 

In case a traveler has plans to book a Cruise vacation to multiple countries please ensure traveler has a valid passport. 

Even though if the traveler boards the cruise ship from his native country since he would be travelling to different ports outside the country hence it is essential to have a valid passport to travel on international waters.Please check for validity of the passport since the passport has to be valid for at least 6 months post travel is completed as per general passport regulations however this may vary from country to country.

Visa:- 

Before making a reservation or after making a reservation it is essential to check on visa requirements. For eg:- If an Indian passport holder traveling on a Cruise ship from Hong Kong to Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand will require a  pre-approved visa for traveling to Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia and for Hong Kong and Thailand he can get a pre-approved visa or visa on arrival. 

When traveling on a Cruise Ship normally the cruise company shall assist you on getting a visa on arrival at the cruise terminal itself however it is always cheaper to get a pre-approved visa. 

It is also essential to check if it is a single entry or a multiple entry visa. This is a common mistake which an agent tends to make. 

For eg:- A Indian passport holder Boarding a ship from Malaysia which terminates its journey back in Malaysia will require a multiple entry visa in case the traveler holds a single entry visa he would be denied to board the ship. 

Hence please ensure to check on visa formalities before you travel.

Immigration: – 

Most people may not be aware of this but since you would be exiting a country via the sea route a immigration does take place at the cruise terminal. 

The immigration officers are present at the cruise terminal who verify your passport and visa and stamp an exit stamp on your passport. 

It is here that your visa and passport is verified. 

On return to the port you have to go through the immigration process again since you are re-entering the country.

Prohibited items:-

Prohibited items or banned substances are items which are banned by a certain country. 

Hence post making a reservation go through the list t of banned substances or go through the checklist provided by the cruise company to ensure that you are not carrying any banned substances to a country. 

For eg :- If a traveler going for a Cruise to the Bahamas who has boarded the ship from the US and will be returning to the US has to ensure he does not carry any restricted items such as fruits, vegetables, animals (pets) which are native to the Bahamas and are banned by the US or any other items like cigars or liquor have can be carried on board but only as per regulations .

 If a traveler is caught during immigration for not adhering to the regulations a heavy fine would be imposed on such travelers and it is also a punishable offense under the US law. Please note we just want the travelers to be vigilant on such issues and travelers need not be afraid of buying something exotic or something native to the place from the locals however the travelers should ensure that it is not a restricted item. Most of the cruise companies do not allow carrying restricted items on board and travelers should also strictly adhere to the same.

Littering the Ocean: – 

Though this is ideally not a prerequisite it is essential that you do not litter the ocean. 

Littering the ocean is punishable by law and fines would be levied on the Cruise Company and the person. 

Our Oceans are becoming polluted day by day and hence it is essential that travelers on board do not throw any cigarette butts or plastic bottles or any unwanted garbage in the ocean.

Boarding Process

The process of boarding a Cruise ship is almost similar to as boarding a flight. The Cruise ship operates as per designated times and one has to go through a boarding procedure. Below we will discuss the boarding procedure in brief.

Cruise Terminal: – A cruise terminal is similar to an airport. 

Cruise terminal carters to all passengers boarding and de-boarding a cruise ship. A cruise terminal has a building which is connected with the Dock enabling the transfer of passengers to and from the ship.

Check-in :-

 On Reaching the Cruise terminal the first process is of checking in for your ship. The ship leaves on designated times and it would be ideal to reach at least an hour before your departure. 

The check-in window for a cruise ship usually closes 30 min prior to a departure. 

The cruise ships have to follow an itinerary and hence time is of utmost importance. 

Once the counter personnel checks you in he will hand you a card which is of utmost importance since this acts as your identity, room key (cabin key) and a credit card. 

Most ships on board do not accept cash and all transactions that you make on board are swiped against this card which has to be settled at the reception before disembarking the ship. Hence do not lose the card and keep it safeguarded as far as possible. It is advisable to sign the back of the card so there is no misuse of the card.

Below is a specimen of a Cruise key card.

cruise-card

Baggage: – Similar to a flight your bags are weighed, tagged, screened and boarded on to the ship. 

This takes place simultaneously once the staff at the counter checks for your reservation. 

These bags are delivered to you at your cabin.

Immigration: – Once you have checked in your bags you have to clear your immigration.

 The immigration officer would verify your passport, required a visa and would stamp an exit stamp on your passport.

Collection of passport:-

Post immigration clearance the traveler has to deposit his passport with the cruise company. 

The cruise company collects all passports and the only form of identification that remains is your cruise card which is now your identity on board along with your credit card and room key. 

The passports are handed over on the last day on board in exchange of the cards provided.

The entire process is a responsibility of the cruise company and the travelers have to adhere to the rules and regulations specified by the cruise company for smooth functioning.

Cruising Terminology

Deck:- The size of cruise ships are growing day by day. 

A Floor on the ship is referred to as Deck. 

For e.g.:- In the above specimen the Deck no is specified as 6, which means the cabin is on 6th floor of the ship.

Cabin:-A Room for your stay is referred to as a cabin on a ship. 

There are various types of cabin. And cost of your reservation primarily depends on the type of cabin chosen.

AFT:- The rear or back part of a ship is referred to as AFT.

Forward:- The forward part of the ship is referred to as forward or bulkhead.

Embarkation:- To Board the ship.

Disembarkation: – To Leave a ship.

Port of Call: -A place where the ship takes a stop.

Fleet: – A group of ships is called a fleet.

Inside Cabin:- A cabin located inside the ship without a porthole (window).

Knots:- The Unit (rate) at which the speed of the ship is measured.

Maiden Voyage:- First Journey

Gala Dinner:- A Gala dinner or a Captains Gala dinner is dinner held once on your voyage. 

This may be a strictly formal dinner requiring formal clothing.

Shore Excursion: – A shore excursion is a planned tour once the ship is docked at a port. 

The cruise company also arranges for a shore excursion. 

Please note shore excursions are not included in the cost of your cruise booking.

Porthole: – A porthole is a small circular window for the cabin. This is usually for cabins on lower decks.

Ferries-River Cruises and Lake Cruises.

River Cruises.

Similar to an Ocean Cruise a River cruise offers a luxurious way of exploring a city or a town via the river. 

River cruises are not as popular as an Ocean cruise but it is a fast-growing market. 

River cruises are more quaint and leisurely and do not offer the grandeur and the host of activities which an Ocean cruise offers but are a more scenic way of exploring a city or country. The ships used for river cruises are smaller in size and the number of people on the ship is limited. 

Below are some of the well known River cruises throughout the globe.

Europe

The Seine river cruise in Paris

Rhine river cruise

Danube river cruise

Africa

The Nile Cruise in Egypt which operates from Luxor to Aswan on the river Nile.

Asia.

The Yangtze River cruise in China

The Singapore river cruise

The Mekong River Cruise, Vietnam and Cambodia.

The Mandovi River Cruise, Goa India.

North America.

The Hudson River cruise New York

The horn blower (Niagara falls), Canada.

Australia.

The Murray River Cruise.–

Most of the River Cruises are operated locally. Below are a few travel companies which are famous for operating river cruises.

Viking cruises offer more of a premium experience and operate mainly in Europe but do offer a variety of river cruises globally.

Lake Cruises.

Lake cruises are conducted on large lakes, There are very few lake cruises. This type of cruises is of short duration. 

The Canal Cruise in Amsterdam is not exactly a lake cruise or river cruise but is one of the examples. 

A prime example of Lake cruise can be the Houseboats of the Dal lake in Kashmir or the houseboats in backwaters (swamp) of Kerala.

Ferries.

Ferries unlike cruises are meant mainly for transportation over water for short distances. 

Ferries transport people and vehicles from one end to another. 

Ferries do not offer the luxuries of cruises but are a necessary means of transportation. 

Ferries charge a nominal fare for a commute. 

The ships are relatively smaller compared to a cruise and some ferry services nowadays are also using hover craft instead of ships.

Below are some of the famous ferries in operation.

Star Ferry-

Operating between hong kong and Kowloon.

Operating between France and the UK on the English Channel (dover strait)

Scandilines

Operating from Denmark to Germany.(gedser to rostock)

We hope the above information was useful in expanding your knowledge on cruises and ferries will help you in confidently selling a cruise as a product, do write in to us with your questions or leave a comment or feedback below.

MSC Cruises

Celebrity cruises

Norwegian Cruise line

Costa Cruises

Princess Cruises

Crystal Cruises

Silver sea Cruises

Marella Cruises

Ex-Asia

Star Cruises

Dream Cruises

Biggest Cruises Ships(mega ships)

Harmony of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)

Below is a video showing a glimpse of what a cruise ship offers.