cktimes.ca Archives for Travel Talk


Travel Talk

With Vellinga's Travel / Cruise Holidays

FREESTYLE CRUISING....DO WHAT YOU WANT, WHENEVER YOU WANT

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

A big part of a memorable cruise is the ship you sail on. Grace and Bill Dieleman of Vellinga's Travel / Cruise Holidays had the opportunity to sail on two of Norwegian Cruise Lines newest ships, the Norwegian Gem out of New York and the Norwegian Pearl out of Miami. In this article we thought we would talk a little bit about what ships like the Gem and the Pearl have to offer.

Both ships have an incredible choice of accomodations, from comfortable inside and outside staterooms to plush suites and Garden Villas. These spacious accomodations include floor to ceiling window walls, lavish bathrooms and sumptuous linens. If you'd like your own garden at sea, reserve a spectacular Garden Villa, which has its own terrace, complete with hot tub. You'll have plenty of room for friends and family, as the villa has a living room, dining room and three separate bedrooms, each with its own bath.

If you don't require that much space, try an Owners Suite, which has a living room, dining room and bedroom. Private balconies, a mini bar and luxury bath add to the experience. Walking into these suites is breathtaking. Both suites and villas were very roomy and private.

Still looking for something different? Try a Romance Suite, which the cruise lines promise is "designed for romance" You'll have a living room and dining area,a private balcony, and a bedroom with a queen-sizes bed and luxury bath.

All of Norwegian's ships suites and villas come with attentive service from a butler and concierge.Some suites and villas also have access to a private courtyard with a pool, hot tub and sundeck-a place to relax away from the bustle of the main decks.

When you feel like joining the crowd, try the bowling alley, which is equipped with neon-coloured bowling balls. These ships also have pools, including a kids pool, a spa and slaon, a theater and casino, a card room, fitness facilities, an art gallery and an internet cafe.

All of Norwegian Cruise Lines new ships feature "Freestyle Cruising." There are no assigned times or tables for dinner-instead, there are up to eleven different retaurants to choose from. The delicious cusine ranges from sushi to steak to traditional five course dining.

After dinner you can dance and socialize in one of several shipboard bars and lounges, attend productions or comedy shows in the theater, go bowling, visit the casino, attend nightclubs for all ages or simply stroll though the many shops on the ship.

We had a wonderful time on these wonderful ships as we were pampered and taken care of very well. Talk to your cruise experts to find out more!



Vellinga\'s Travel / Cruise Holidays is a full service travel agency taking great pride in our relationships with our customers. We love travel and cruising, and it is our aim not just to satisfy our customers, but to exceed all their travel planning needs. We have been providing excellent service for over fifty years to the Chatham Kent area.