General Travel Information

MS Victory a traffic stopping mega-liner

By Jane Stokes

(NC) – Who knows what it was like for the other ships? All we saw as we cruised out of port on that sunny Sunday afternoon was that our vessel the MS Victory was causing a Miami traffic jam.

Motorists were trying to keep pace with us on the adjacent causeway. They tooted horns, yelled and cheered, slowed their vehicles, stopped traffic, pulled over to the shoulder, and waved at us waving at them, for at least two miles or more.

We wondered why such in the port of Miami, where departing ships are an everyday sight. On weekend afternoons all year round, countless luxury liners cruise slowly along this two-mile channel, then out to the Atlantic Ocean heading south through the Bahamas and into the Caribbean Sea.

Here on Victory, many of us were at the rails of our own cabin balconies, toasting this rather exhilarating departure with a glass of bubbly or a cocktail of choice. Other passengers, probably most, were up on the sun deck attending Sail Away, the first official party of the week. The sun deck would turn out to be a popular place indeed. On Victory, it actually encompasses the top four of the megaliner’s 12 decks, and stretches 893 feet in length – pretty well three football fields – all of it dedicated to outdoor recreation.

The sun deck has four swimming pools, seven whirlpools, a whopping 214-foot waterslide, an area designated “bikini tops optional,” a jogging track, a music stage, refreshment bars, a putting green, and an adjoining inside full spa and fitness centre.

Up there, blessed by with constant sunshine, blue sky and a balmy sea breeze, is where recreational activity and celebrations would take place.

At the moment though, we were watching the motorists still going wild. Then it occurred to us that we were at least 30,000 tons bigger, that is, 30,000 tons more commanding, than the average cruise ship that sails along here on a Sunday afternoon.

The sudden appearance of this grand, 12-story high, 101,000-gross ton, gleaming white-and-red vessel parting the waters right next to the road must have been a jolting site, indeed.

Space, glorious space
So what are the benefits we wondered with ships that keep getting bigger and bigger? The number of passengers, the cabin space, the staff and crew would need to be increased proportionately, so wouldn’t that eliminate the advantage of space? For future cruising we thought, it would be useful to watch for the answers.

On the inside, a snapshot of Victory’s elaborate and expansive facilities include a multi-deck, advance- tech Las Vegas-style theatre; a 15,000-square foot fitness centre and spa, a nightlife promenade deck with futuristic nightclubs offering jazz, country, classical, ballroom, a teen scene, a piano bar sing-along, and more. Victory has also dedicated 12,000 square feet to one of the largest casinos afloat.

Is bigger better?
A bigger vessel does translate into bigger cabins on Victory, although “larger than standard cabins” are a feature throughout the Carnival fleet. Now however, on the line’s newer ships – where large windows have replaced portholes, and where 50 percent of cabins are extended by virtue of an en-suite balcony – the extra space, the extra sunlight, and the constant fresh air makes for a very pleasant voyage indeed.

I was curious, however, to observe the effort required to move 3,400 passengers smoothly in and out, and around the ship. It seems such a challenge would call for a fine tuned shipboard formula, especially for meals. However the Victory simply offer lots of places to eat, including complimentary room service, all day and all night.

A crowd-control plan was only needed on the days when the ship was at sea. During port-of-call days there were often so few people on board that you can pretty much call the place your own. At these times one might observe the on-going efforts of staff and crew to tidy up, wash decks, clean windows, paint the hull, paint the bow, and prepare for the return of their re-energized guests.

The ongoing promise of cruise ship life is doing anything that suits you: sleeping in, reading or daydreaming on the balcony; participating in deck games, pool relays, art auctions, aerobic classes, golf putting or spa treatments; or trying one’s luck at the slots and card tables.

Most passengers like to soak up the rays on the sun deck, where you will be accommodated even if you get there well after everyone else has already claimed their space. I am convinced that this ship has no fewer than 3,401 lounge chairs on board, and no fewer than 6,802 freshly washed beach towels.

Which cruise suits you best?
If you select from the “mainstream” classification, you really can’t go wrong choosing your first cruise. Standards remain high due to stiff competition.

You can, however, fine-tune your decision. Within this mainstream category, find out for example, some cruise lines are described as “popular,” others as “premium” and still others as “boutique.”

Information without bias is available at www.cruising.org, an association of many cruise lines. To assist in your planning, mix and match the opinions on cruise lines below with those of a cruise counselor to determine which line would suit you best.

Best boutique: Seabourn, Silversea.
Best premium: Crystal, Windstar, Oceania, Radisson, Cunard.
Best for age 50-plus: Celebrity, Radisson, Crystal, Holland America.
Best popular, all ages: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Costa, Norwegian Caribbean, Disney, Princess.
Best for families: Carnival, Disney, Princess.
Best for cuisine: Crystal, Oceania, Celebrity, Cunard, Radisson.
Best for non-Smokers: Carnival vessel MS Paradise.