The Flingeran Center

There are many different varieties of voice over talents available. Voice over work can be an exciting and rewarding career. If you have a good voice and think that you have what it takes but don’t know where to start you might want to look into voice over training. The vocal training is great for people who would like a voice over career, but it can also be beneficial to someone who needs to improve their public speaking skills or wants to learn to communicate better in general. Acting is considered voiceover work, but vocal actor can lead to many other possible job possibilities as well. With the proper voice over training you will learn all about the opportunities, and just where you are best suited in the exciting world of voice over castings.

The last factor in your voice over education is to take classes that are specifically planned for voice over actors. This will probably be the most important step towards your career goal. These classes can tell you what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong, all geared specifically to voice over vocation. You will also be able to find out about all the different types of voice work that are out there, and you will be given some valuable career advice. The voice over class is essential if you are interested in a voice over vocation. Voiceover training is also helpful if you are interested in a vocation in professional speech.

Anything you can recall from training videos and animation requires some form of voice over training. Any voice over training you receive can be used in any areas of voiceover work. If your voice is distinctive either with a unique pitch or tone, or if you have a way of speaking with accents and inflections, proper voice over training can provide lucrative opportunities and help farther your acting career. Becoming part of the voiceover sector is much simpler than most individuals think. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming involved in the voiceover career, it begins with voice over training.

Everyone needs to breathe, this goes without saying. And even though this may seem peculiar, when starting out in a career as voiceover talent, many voiceover beginners are unsure whether to breathe or not to breathe during each take. However, the sound of inhaling can be amplified by the microphone and detected during your recording sessions. This could possibly translate into thousands of people in the audience listening to occasionally breathy breaks in the audio. Never fear because you can breathe easy. Any breaths can be rather simply edited out or lowered in post production. As your voice over training moves forward, you become more repose not only with your breathing and speech patterns, but with the sound of your voice too.

We know that hydrogen sulfide in the right amounts can slow a rats body down to 10% simply from inhaling the gas. Human hibernation will soon be upon us and it has many applications and uses, which can help our civilization. For instance if someone has a life threatening disease, which will most likely kill them, they can go into hibernation for ten years, until a cure is found? If we want to send man into long-term space flight we can simply put them into deep sleep for the duration of the trip. Then of course there are many military applications for consideration.

I propose that we use this hydrogen sulfide gas human hibernation strategy for our Submarine Crews allowing the Sub to disappear and remain without needs for months on end and then be ready for a mission. By hiding out they will have disappeared without the need for power drains and they will admit no sound or detectable energy, completely hidden.

The submarines would vector around and hide in a good safe location. They would climb into tubes with slow liquid protein drip and strap themselves in. The tube would rotate occasionally to prevent bedsores. The hydrogen sulfide gas would be perfectly calculated similar to the anesthesiologist methods and procedures. Think on this concept

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Several social networking websites enable the users to upload video without any hassles. Nowadays, the online video sharing websites are in huge demand. These websites permit you to upload and share your own video files with your friends and beloved ones.

If you dig hard enough and you are willing to devote some time you can identify social media opinion leaders. Not to mention that every internet marketer with any savvy is trying to tap into this market! But with any media there tips and techniques that you need to adhere to be successful. If you have something to say that is relevant and genuinely interesting then listeners will tune in. This becomes one of the best communication vehicule existing nowadays. All the barriers to video production and broadcast have now all but disappeared. Businesses of all sizes now possess the technology to stream video, and music videos direct to employee’s desktops via their intranets.

Streaming videos are a smash among eager web users these days. Watching videos online needn’t be that long. You can watch it even though it is being uploaded. Wise internet marketers are benefiting from this recognition in watching online streaming media. People from across the world can connect with each other by sharing one’s pictures online. One can make new friends and expand their social circle. One can also download and upload video files.

Now, we are living in a technologically advanced world where most of the things depend on the Internet.

One of the TV shows which left an impact in viewers’ mind in the last few years is Heroes where ordinary people become extraordinary legends. The serial has entered its fourth season and viewers have been highly pleased with the initial three. The story revolves around natural phenomenon being attempted to develop artificially through genetic mutation. Peter Petrelli, a male nurse who discovers he is one of the most powerful people on earth as he can permanently absorb someone’s ability just by being close to them for a time. He faces off against Sylar, a watchmaker who has an uncontrollable hunger and absorbs supernatural abilities through killing.

The story also includes immortals having healing powers and they are unable to die or age. One immortal is Adam who is a legend in Japanese history but still lives because he is unable to die through ordinary ways. Many other people with extraordinary abilities live among ordinary citizens, attempting to live an ordinary life. But that doesn’t mean they are safe as there are those who look for such individuals and mark them. Agencies try to manipulate gifted individuals through different means, sometimes enslaving them in unbreakable chambers and sometimes making them forget anything and everything. There are also scientists who study such people and try to form connections with historical records, attempting to create something which is a natural phenomenon. One such scientist is Mohinder who attempts to continue the genetic research his father had left off and eventually a formula is developed under certain special conditions that gave him great strength as well as allowed Peter to regain his lost ability in some form.

The serial is full of characters and plotlines which are often confusing and many viewers had given up on the show. The show tried to compensate this by visiting the past and explaining the story through different means. This worked in a way that not only did they get some of the lost viewers back but also attracted new ones.

I read all the travel books, watched all the travel videos and visited all the websites. I was still blown away by the BVI. Words and even pictures are simply incapable of communicating the simple, laid back grandeur of the islands.

The British Virgin Islands are a truly remarkable place. The islands are very diverse in terrain and foliage. The snorkeling around the islands is equally amazing and diverse, and of course the sailing is remarkable. There always seems to be at least a gentle breeze, and the seas are seldom very rough. The islands make visible, line of site, destinations that even the most novice navigator could find.

This was my first bareboat experience, and I have very little sailing experience prior to my trip. One of the most remarkable discoveries to me was that bareboat chartering is within the grasp of average middle class people. The cost is comparable to a lot of cruise packages and there is no reason the average Joe or Jane cannot go sailing on a beautiful catamaran in the BVI. It’s an incredible experience that anyone with even a little sense of wonder and adventure will love.

As I mentioned earlier you don’t have to be a seasoned sailor to bareboat charter. Skippers are available, but keep in mind that it’s very hard for one person to sail a boat of the size available, so be prepared to lend a hand. Far from a burden, learning more about sailing was one of the greatest experiences of the trip for me, and I am proud of the skills I developed. The bottom line is that if you are remotely physically capable and can put off redecorating the bathroom a little longer there is no reason you cannot be on a catamaran sailing in the BVI.

In addition to skippers, sailing instruction and onboard cooks are available. Bareboat chartering provides you with a clean slate on which to build your vacation. From barebones essentials to luxury comparable to that found on crewed charters is available to you to arrange as you wish.

Provisioning proved to be the biggest pre-charter challenge to me. Fortunately one of my guests generously offered to cook and supplied me with a menu complete with required ingredients. Armed with that information I opted to use the shopping list method of provisioning, which is pretty much just filling out a list of what you want and submitting it ahead of your arrival. The prices came out to only be a little more than I’m used to paying at home, and the groceries were promptly delivered on the morning and at the time that I requested. I also penciled in some items that weren’t on the standard list and all of those items were available; even in the brands I wanted.
We found that cooking on the boat was best done on the grill. It was fun and not as hot as cooking in the galley. I also suggest self-lighting charcoal. I hadn’t thought about it until I was there, but too much charcoal lighter fluid on the grill can be terrifying on a boat. Fortunately I only witnessed this on other people’s boats, but I feared that some would burn to the waterline as I observed what appeared to be volcanic eruptions spew from the transoms of various and assorted yachts where someone got carried away with lighter fluid.

Fresh water is something else you should be conscious of. Fresh water on a boat isn’t like at home, there is a finite supply and you should use it conservatively. Showers should consist of dousing, soaping and rinsing. Some find bathing off of the transom and using the fresh water hose easier.

Packing is another obvious part of any trip and it’s always a chore to decide what to take.
You’ll need a bathing suit, some T-shirts, a couple of pairs of shorts and a good hat to fend off the sun. You’ll also need some sunscreen of the highest SPF rating you can get and some canvas deck shoes or sneakers. Of course you’ll want your toothbrush, some shampoo etc. The Catamaran Company provides snorkel gear of high quality, so there’s no need to worry about that. Anything beyond these essentials is up to you, but don’t over pack if you can help it. Be sure to use duffle bags since there is little storage space for suitcases on a boat.

I had the misconception that I might don scuba gear and drop off the transom from time to time for a short dive. In fact the places we went to, which are mostly the popular charter destinations, were much better suited to snorkeling since the reefs were shallow. There are options, of course. What is termed as “Rendezvous Diving” is to have a dive boat come and meet your charter boat and pick you up to take you to a dive site. Most of the books and websites will tell you that this requires two weeks notice, but I found shops willing to do it on much shorter notice, and small capacity boats are available if you don’t want to be in a large group. The other option, of course, is to plan your charter around diving. This will work fine provided everyone on board is enthusiastic about diving. If they aren’t it could get pretty boring for them.

The yacht we chartered was a 46 foot Fountaine Pajot with broad hulls that provide space for four large cabins, each with it’s own head. Despite the girth of the hulls she is a fast boat and we had a lot of fun sailing her. The coach in the salon is so soft that my daughter napped there several times. The Catamaran Company has many yachts to choose from, and you should select the boat that best suits your needs.

Allow me to describe my trip:

Arrival day:

Upon arrival at the airport we were greeted by a young lady who directed us to the cab driver The Catamaran Company had arranged to meet us.
The ride from the airport on Beef Island to Nanny Cay on Tortola was scenic and pleasant. Upon arrival at Nanny Cay we were greeted by Dana Candel who immediately set to work trying to mellow me down to island time. She answered all of our questions and put us at ease.

There are no briefings available after 3:00PM and you are not allowed to leave the marina unless you can reach your anchorage or mooring by dark, so you have the option of sleeping aboard the boat or getting a hotel room. Although the Nanny Cay Hotel, which is right off of the docks, seems great, we opted for sleeping aboard.

The marina is quite secure and crime seemed like the first evil I had left behind. Public restrooms complete with showers are available, which is good since using boat heads at the marina docks is prohibited. There is also a public pool and a small beach. Within walking distance are Peg Legs Restaurant and bar, Genaker Cafe, a Rite Way grocery store, Bluewater Divers dive shop and a few other businesses.
We had dinner and our first “Pain Killers”, the BVI’s drink specialty, at Peg Legs. We settled into the boat, unpacked and unwound.

Day 1:

We had requested our provisioning arrive at 8:30am and even though it was Carnival time and I’m sure they hadn’t had much sleep, they were prompt and courteous. A note should be made here that you pay for your provisioning when it arrives and if you plan to use a credit card you should contact your credit card company ahead of time or they may block transactions made in the BVI.
We had feared that we may be sleeping on canned food for days, but our catamaran proved to have ample storage for our gluttonous quantity of groceries. After stowing everything away it was 9:30 and our skipper arrived. We were all pleased to find that he was easy going and comfortable with the boat.
We set out for Norman Island. We unfurled the jib, but never raised the mainsail. It was a good introduction to sailing without too much stress, and I got my first chance to man the helm.

Norman Island is said to be the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island”. And appropriately enough we moored in Privateer’s Bay. It’s a beautiful little bay with a small beach and some sheer rock cliffs nearby. We snorkeled, swam, kayaked and generally had a great time. Water visibility was around 40 feet and the proliferation of tropical fish and coral was astounding. We moored to a mooring ball, which became a good habit. For $20 to$25 a night we could sleep easy knowing our anchor hadn’t dragged and set us out to sea and that we hadn’t damaged this unique ecological environment by dropping a big piece of steel on it. Norman Island is uninhabited unless you count goats as population, but it does have two restaurants. I never saw either of them and it was fine by me. We enjoyed the peace and tranquility of the Caribbean in the cockpit over a couple of cold beers and had our first meal aboard the boat. There were two other yachts moored nearby, but everyone was quiet and respectful. It was a great evening.

Day 2:

We sailed to Cooper Island under full sail. The trip required several tacks and we found we swiftly improving at our sailing tasks.
We moored at Manchioneel Bay on Cooper Island, and it is ripped right out of picture post card with beautiful palms and a small beach. There’s even a small bungalow on the beach that finishes off the image completely. The best snorkeling is near some jagged rocks that were a little far from our mooring, so the skipper gave us a ride in the runabout. The snorkeling was spectacular. Large coral formations and colorful fish abound. Visibility was around 50 feet.

There is a small open air bar and restaurant right off the beach, which we visited for more Pain Killers. There are also a boutique and dive shop as well as some cottages for rent. Cooper Island has about six full time residents, but no roads, cars, etc.
There were about twenty other boats moored nearby, but once again they were very quiet and we had a peaceful evening. The breeze was pleasant and we all slept well.

Day 3:

We left Cooper Island early and after a brief diversion to Trellis Bay on Beef Island where we dropped off some garbage and picked up some ice and water, we set out for the famous Baths on Virgin Gorda. It was a little crowded and the skipper had to call in a favor to get us a mooring ball, which was normally private. Despite The Baths being the most crowded place we went they were magnificent and a “must see”. I had seen all of the magnificent photos of the amazing rock formations and clear pools, but what I didn’t expect was that snorkeling right off of the rocks would be equally amazing. Visibility was good at over 50 feet and the coral and sea life were incredible. The whole place really escapes description. At this point we were all thinking, “How does it just keep getting better every day”.

After thoroughly exploring The Baths we sailed on to Saba Rock on the east end of Virgin Gorda. Saba Rock is a tiny little island just off of Virgin Gorda. You can walk around the circumference of the island in easily less than five minutes. Despite it’s size it sports a nice restaurant and bar and a gift shop as well as a small resort. There is a small but impressive outdoor aquarium next to the bar. We cooked steaks that night and after dinner my father-in-law broke out his guitar and the skipper sang. After a while we all joined in. We didn’t sound too bad, but we had drunk a few Pain Killers. Everyone else moored that night was quiet and considerate, and we all had great night.

Day 4:

The skipper had made the mistake the day before of promising me he would take me out on the runabout to photograph the sun rising over the boat, so at around 5:00am I knocked on his cabin door and although a little bleary eyed he got up and assisted me without complaint. The photos came out nice, but the memory of watching that sunrise is priceless.

The $25 mooring fee at Saba Rock includes a fill of your boats fresh water tank and two bags of ice. We took on the water and ice before setting out that day.
We sailed to Great Dog, which is one of five uninhabited islands called The Dogs. Once again it was the best snorkeling yet. Visibility here was around 60 feet. This was also the first time we used the anchor.

We had been keeping a close eye on a tropical storm called Bonnie and upon getting out of the water the skipper informed us that to err on the side of safety we would seek safe harbor for the night at Marina Cay. We were all on pens and needles waiting for the impending storm, which turned out to be a brief shower, but the skipper made the right decision non-the-less.
Marina Cay turned out to be an interesting little island. At eight acres it isn’t big on space, but it has small gift store and a restaurant and bar. There is also a small beach. The only permanent residents are the Island Manager and two cats. I had the honor of meeting one of the cats. Marina Cay is also noteworthy as the setting of Robb White’s “Our Virgin Island” which later became a film starring Sidney Poitier called “Two On The Isle”. We went ashore and had a look around and had a drink, but spent most of the afternoon and evening doing very little, and it turned out to be a nice break, even in the BVI.

Day 5:

The skipper and I took some of the less seasoned snorkelers aboard to the small beach on Marina Cay where there is a shallow reef. They had a great time and the skipper and I enjoyed coffee from the bar.

We set out for Jost Van Dyke later that morning, but somehow the wind and sea were so nice that we found ourselves just sailing around, sometimes in the opposite direction of Jost Van Dyke. Since conditions were good the conversation inevitably turned to just how fast the Bahia 46 was. We began sailing a broad reach and eventually attained 10.7 knots, which the skipper assured us was a respectable speed.

Having had our fun sailing we moved on to Jost Van Dyke. Jost, as the locals call it is about four miles long and has just fewer than two hundred permanent residents. It is also the home to many famous hot spots like Foxy’s. We opted to skip all of the usual tourist stuff and go to a little place our skipper knew about in Little Harbor called “Sidney’s Peace and Love”. It was rustic and run by locals. It had a great atmosphere, and the folks that run the place couldn’t be friendlier. Thousands of donated T-shirts line the ceiling, and of course I left one as well, so look for it when you visit. On some evenings Sidney fires up the grill and makes bar b q. We were fortunate enough to be there on one of those evenings and the food was great. Sidney’s also features an honor bar, where you make your own drinks and mark down a record for the bill. There was also a small gift shop at the same place, and another restaurant called Harris’s Place. It was another great day in the BVI.

Day 6:

The previous day I had thought that Little Harbor wasn’t that scenic with little vegetation and no spectacular rock outcrops, but I took it all back when I watched the sunrise. The colors playing across the water and the Caribbean style buildings on the shore made quite a picture.

We motored to Sandy Cay early in the morning. Sandy Cay is like something out of a post card, with picture perfect palm trees and a beautiful sandy beach. Some of us set out snorkeling while others went to the beach. One of my friends found a trail and we followed it together. Although it wasn’t a long and grueling hike we still found ourselves high above the yachts below with a stunning panoramic view. We found that Sandy Cay was far more complex than it appears upon first examination. The far end of the island sports large, craggy, black rock cliffs that plunge into crashing waves. It was a stark contrast to the tranquil looking beach area, and very beautiful in it’s own right.
After having our fill of this tiny paradise we sailed on to Cane Garden Bay. Once again we took an unnecessarily circuitous route so we could have some fun sailing. My wife took the helm for the first time and had a blast.

Cane Garden Bay is certainly populated with many restaurants, bars, hotels etc., but it isn’t commercialized in the way that someone from Florida is used to at least. It isn’t overbuilt, and there are no tall ”’, and no franchise stores. It has a quaint feel, and it’s beautiful. Pink and powder blue clapboard houses cling to lush hill’s sides overlooking a beautiful harbor.

We went ashore and took advantage of the opportunity to take showers with the profuse amounts of fresh water we are generally accustomed to. Some of our group took a cab tour of the area, which they described as spectacular, while others of us visited a local dive shop and checked out the bars.

Cane Garden Bay was a great experience and going to sleep with the sounds of bands playing and people partying seemed otherworldly after having visited so many secluded places.

Day 7:

On our seventh day we sailed to Great Tobago. Great Tobago has no mooring balls and we had to be very careful anchoring to avoid damaging the fragile ecosystem. We snorkeled and were very impressed with the marine life. Great Tobago was likely the most different of all the islands we visited. It has a dark and forbidding quality to it with dark cliffs plunging into the sea at skewed angles. There appear to be faces in the rock formations gazing down upon you. The uninhabited island is hilly but covered only by grass and a few spars and twisted shrubs. If there are the ghosts of pirates in the BVI then surely the real nasty ones stay on Great Tobago.
All of this having been said, who can escape the appeal of an evil, haunted pirate island. Frankly I thought it was cool.

For the evening we put into Sopper’s Hole. We elected to visit Sopper’s Hole because there is a ferry dock there and two of our group had to catch a ferry back to the US Virgin Islands in the morning. Sopper’s Hole is a little commercialized for my tastes, but it certainly does have many conveniences, with many stores, a restaurant and bar, and showers available. My wife did most of her gift shopping here in one central spot with lots of selection ready at hand. We had dinner at Pusser’s which was great and turned in for the night.

Day 8:

We got up early and slowly began to pack and reluctantly return home. There were many hard goodbyes that day Starting with my friends Ben and Shari whom we dropped off at the ferry dock at around 9:00am. We got to wave goodbye to them on the ferry from the deck of our catamaran as we released our mooring. After motoring back to Nanny Cay we had to rush my mother and father-in-law to a cab. The skipper had just secured the boat when I returned. We were fortunate to have enough time to have one last coffee with the skipper at the Genaker Cafe. After the skipper left we went to the office of The Catamaran Company and chatted with Dana until the time for our departure by cab.

It was truly the vacation of a lifetime and we would like to thank everyone at The Catamaran Company for making our trip so wonderful and being so kind and considerate. The boat they chartered us was magnificent, their staff attentive, and their facilities superb.

This is a vacation, a voyage and an adventure that is within your grasp. Contact The Catamaran Company (www.catamarans.com) and let them help you set up your dream vacation in the BVI.

Author: John Potter
Art Director for The Catamaran Company

Imagine a cruise line where choices include ships with golf courses and rock-climbing walls looming 200 feet over the ocean. Where there is so much happening, so much to discover and experience it’s just possible the crack of dawn will need to be your wake up call.

They say it is the journey and not the destination - and the case can certainly be argued in favor of Royal Caribbean International (known everywhere as RCI). Even the imposing names of the ships are literally synonymous with the experience - Adventure, Grandeur, Rhapsody, and Splendour!

As the thrum of the engines heralds your departure, miles of heaven open ahead of you, filled with overflowing free-spirited fun and entertainment, contagious hospitality, simply superb dining and an infinity of pleasure. Complete escapes from the humdrum, these absolutely nautical wonders, literally packed with adventure and leading edge guest facilities. No wonder Royal Caribbean International’s slogan is “Get Out There”!

Atmosphere

Sparkling, stimulating, sensual, stress-less! You can take a siesta from the world and glory in dinner by candlelight, walks by moonlight, excursions by daylight. As RCI put it: get pampered, get pumped! One of the greatest blessings of a Royal Caribbean cruise is that the atmosphere allows you to go from unassuming to absolute glamour with everything else in between.

Ship décor on all vessels is eye-popping, with opulent surroundings unrivalled by the grandest hotel. Multi-storied Centrum’s are designed as open atriums and crystal sculpture and cascading waterfalls are not uncommon. Adventure’s Royal Promenade is four decks high and the length of two football fields and bustles with charming shops, cafes, colorful street performers and lively street fairs (think New York’s Times Square or London’s Burlington Arcade).

Exquisite solariums offer sparkling pools, retractable glass ceilings and themes (”India during the Raj” describes the ambience of the solarium on Brilliance where three 16-foot bejeweled elephants stand guard). More than half the surface of the 90,000-ton Radiance of the Seas is glass, giving you masses of open space and unforgettable panoramic views. And speaking of panoramas, the 360-degree view from RCI’s signature Viking Crown Lounge, perched hundreds of feet above the ocean is something to behold. Legend of the Seas and Splendor of the Seas have 18-hole miniature golf courses, basketball courts and billiard rooms with self leveling tables. Rock climbing walls are scheduled for all ships.

Gold Anchor Service

Three simple words that define the very personal attention to detail you can expect from a crew that is expert in courtly, unpretentious hospitality. The bartender who remembers your extra olive, the server who recalls the name of your child’s teddy bear, and the housekeeper who reminds you of your dinner reservation. Friends taking care of friends.

Accommodations

A wide variety is available, such as Royal Suites, Owner’s Suites, Royal Family Suites, Grand Ocean View Suites, and Superior Ocean View Suites - all with balconies, Ocean-view Staterooms with or without balconies and Interior Staterooms. All accommodations come complete with vanity area, hair-dryer, mini-bar, radio and closed circuit TV with satellite programming, classic movies, and children’s programming. Staterooms have phones so you can call home, other guests, or order room service. On some ships you can receive unlimited dial-up Internet access for a reasonable charge if you bring your laptop.

Bedding varies by category. To give you just two “suite” examples, the Royal Family Suite has two bedrooms with twin beds that convert to a queen-size, two bathrooms, one with a tub, a living area with double sofa bed and Pullman bed, fridge and private balcony. It easily accommodates eight. There is also an ocean-view Family Stateroom with two twin beds (convertible to queen) an additional twin bed, a sitting area with a sofa bed and a Pullman bed.

Dining

Whether your preference runs to chandeliers and escargot, the glories of Italian cuisine, or perhaps just a simple clubhouse sandwich on your private balcony, you can expect venues and menus guaranteed to suit any frame of mind.

No matter how you wish to dress for dinner (or not dress for dinner - there’s 24 hour room service), expect the best in casual dining and elegant multi-course meals from the accomplished chefs in RCI’s famous galleys. Lively and witty
waiters offer sumptuous cuisine to fashionable crowds in formal, romantic settings, and to those who select more relaxed casual environments. Selection ranges from penne cooked to al dente perfection and juicy steaks with all the trimmings to succulent seafood and voluptuous five-course spectacles in the truly stunning main dining rooms. And will you refuse the sweets served at the sinfully delicious chocolate buffet? Of course not - you’re on vacation. Remember that you can always select low fat, low cholesterol, low calorie and/or vegetarian dishes. And there’s always pumping up your heart rate in the fitness center (that ought to be good for seconds on the cheesecake).

Entertainment

If you thought there were a lot to do during the day, just wait until the stars come out. Life quickens as the ship’s illuminations light the sky and the party’s on! So when it’s time to up the tempo, come and play with fortune in the casino, then cheer the dynamic, showy, contemporary productions performed in the magnificent theatres. You’ll think your ship has docked on Broadway. These live productions are offered several times each week and feature the outstanding talents of The Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers. Plentiful lounges and clubs offer every type of music, from jazz to swing, disco to classic rock.

Restaurants, cafes, lounges, showrooms, clubs, billiard clubs, card clubs, coffee bars, champagne bars, casinos, ShipShape® Spa, solariums, pools, whirlpools, sports courts, jogging tracks, internet cafes, miniature golf courses, golf simulators, cinemas, video arcades, shops, libraries. Some ships have in-line skating tracks, rock climbing walls (walls and ice rinks are on Explorer, Voyager, Mariner and Navigator). Rock climbing walls are scheduled for all ships.

Adventure Ocean Youth Activities Program

RCI knows that a 16-year-old’s idea of fun is a far cry from a 5-year-old’s. The Adventure Ocean(SM) Programme is designed with that in mind and it is broken down into five different age groups with activities designed accordingly. Each staff member holds a degree in Education, Recreation or related major. All are certified in CPR and Basic First Aid. They have extensive backgrounds in working with large groups of children 3-17 and from 3 to 5 years working in team situations.

Kids dine with Youth Program staff members and friends (offered on select nights). Special menus at the Windjammer Café and Solarium are available. Aquanauts Ages 3-5: Adventure Science, Adventure Art, and Pirate Night, Camp Aquanaut Night, Sail into story-time. (Pagers are available to all Aquanaut parents).

Explorers Ages 6-8: Wacky Water Workshop, Wacky Olympics and Talent Show, lots of art projects. Voyagers Ages 9-11: The Mystery of the Making of Motion Ocean and The X Games, beach relays, tug of war and parachute games.

Navigators Ages 12-14: A less structured atmosphere and Navigators can come and go as they please. Activities include

scavenger hunts, adventure sports, video game challenge. Guests Ages 15-17: These soon-to-be-adults have more freedom and can come and go at their leisure. Events include a hot tub party, theme parties, and even a battle of the sexes. The Living Room and Fuel are two great places for teens to get away from it all. Living Room has a laid-back atmosphere where kids can just hang and chill, and Fuel is a party where they can gather, dance and enjoy the tunes.

Golf Ahoy® Program

A unique combination of a world-class cruise and championship golf on courses worldwide. Royal Caribbean is the official cruise line of the PGA TOUR and the Senior PGA TOUR. The Adventure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, are a few ships listed that offer a 9 hole mini-golf course onboard, putting greens or golf simulators.

Ship Shape® Fitness Program

Ship Shape Fitness Program features low- and high- impact aerobics, a jogging track, basketball (on some ships) and
wide selection of exercise machines.

Ship Shape® Spa Program

Flawless pampering is practiced by the genies amid the tranquility and serenity of the incomparable ShipShape® Spa.
Through their invigorating therapies, you’re pretty much guaranteed a new lease on life. There is also a fitness program,
which features low, and high impact aerobics, jogging track and a wide selection of machines.

Royal Romance Wedding Program

Royal Romance Wedding Program helps you plan a shipboard wedding, from ceremony to reception to honeymoon.

Royal Reunions

Offered on Voyager-family ships sailing Caribbean itineraries only. Events will be scheduled by the ship and based on
shipboard needs and requirements. There is a minimum of eight cabins to qualify. Royal Reunions Package #1: Welcome letter from the Captain, Aqua Park passes or Sports Desk Fast Pass, Photo package, Door decorations, Personalized cake, Royal Reunions gift set, Daily Royal Reunions challenge.

The Crown & Anchor Society

The Crown & Anchor Society is RCI’s past guest programme which rewards their most loyal guests with exciting benefits and savings. There are three membership levels: Gold (after 1st completed cruise), Platinum (after 5th completed cruise) and Diamond (after 10th completed cruise). The benefits increase at each level. The more you cruise, the more you receive. Benefits include a subscription to the award-winning magazine, Crown & Anchor, special on board events and special savings certificates to use in the spas, casinos, bars and more. Other benefits include an invitation to join Member cruises whereby exclusive savings, complimentary wine tasting, welcome back parties and commemorative gifts are available.

RCL Fleet:

Royal Caribbean still boasts the largest and most innovative ships at sea with most in the 70,000 to 90,000 ton range. Nordic Empress, even at an impressive 48,000 tons, is a whippersnapper when compared to the Adventure of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and the brand new Mariner of the Seas which weigh in at a staggering 138,000 and 142,000 tons respectively. RCI has just announced a design for an even larger and more spacious class. Dubbed Ultra Voyager and deliverable in 2006, this ship will be full of the world’s biggest “this and that’s!” Guest capacity will be 3,600 double occupancy, 500 more than its Voyager Class predecessor. Registered tonnage will be just under 160,000.

About the author:
William Lezubski (Accredited Cruise Counsellor, and Certified Travel Counsellor) - http://discount-caribbean-vacations.com/
product%20pages/caribbean-cruises.htm.

William is a professional in the Travel Industry and the author of “Discount Caribbean Vacations Web Site”
available at http://www.discount-caribbean-vacations.com/index.htm

An international recovery is underway led by the Caribbean, which could see bareboat activity reach 2001 peaks within two years if the markets continue to grow at a rate of 6-8%.

While the average size of a bareboat fleet has been reduced by 8% over the last two years, there has been a 50% increase in charter customers since 2001 which now represents $75 million in annual turnover.

However, it is the Caribbean and principally the Virgin Islands, which lead this recovery with a 6% gain since 2001, and remarkably this means it has captured an additional 3% of the international marketplace at the expense of the United States, Europe and other areas. It now owns 56% of the international bareboat arena.

In fact, the Caribbean has for the first time exceeded the historic highs of 2001 and looks set to grow by an additional 6-8% next year.

The Virgin Islands in particular, outstrip its closest rival, The Pacific NW/California, by nearly 60%. Together these two areas account for nearly 80% of international bareboat charters.

Again, the bulk of international customers are choosing to take their sailing vacations during the summer months with 2005 activity now outstripping 2004.

However, it is not all doom and gloom for the United States, which has still seen a healthy 4%, increase in bareboat activity.

But it increasingly looks like some of their traditional customers are heading to The British Virgin Islands.

It is worth noting that its strongest lynchpin, the Pacific NW/California, while edging up, is still 13% off 2001 levels and actually recorded a slight drop over 2004 levels. It is starting to look like the poor cousin of the BVI!

A dark horse in the international marketplace is Europe, which is the only region to show positive gains each year since 2001 quietly posting a 60% increase in bareboat activity. However, it still represents only a fraction of the international pie.

Mexico also shows modest gains but is slightly off the pace of 2004.

For more information please visit http://www.catamarans.com

Hurricane season can be a rather tricky time for summer travelers. Kids are home from college, the younger kids are out of school, mom and dad are taking time off of work and the family want to take a vacation. Wait…what about hurricanes? The official hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June 1 and extends until November 30, encompassing the entire summer season in the Caribbean.

In 1998 the Phantom, a ship on the Windjammer cruise line lost its ship and all of the crew members after it sailed off into sea to avoid a hurricane. In trying to avoid the hurricane, they ran straight into the storm. Thankfully, the passengers had all been dropped off safely on the shore, but the captain and crew of the ship were not so lucky. This is a wake up call to all of those out there who think that cruise liners are unsinkable–obviously, they are not. A year later a Carnival cruise liner experienced some problems during a hurricane, but fortunately the ship, crew, and all the passengers made it out of the storm in one piece.

Situations such as this can cause a lot of travelers to second guess their travel plans, thinking that cruises and hurricanes do not mix. Of course, hurricane season and cruise liners do not go together well at all, but somehow the cruising industry has managed to stay above the hurricane season at least most of the time, making the summer one of the best times ever to take a cruise to the Caribbean. From August to December, the prices of cruises and everything that goes along with it (dining, ship lodging, activities and such) are at an all time low.

Hurricane season can be a real bummer, and those of you who have had your summer vacation displaced by a pesky hurricane or have had your long-awaited and oh so well-deserved cruise vacation cancelled due to inclement weather know exactly why that is. The good thing in all this is that as technology has advanced, so has the capabilities of the cruise liners and the liner companies themselves. No, this does not mean that a cruise ship can take on a hurricane. What this does mean is that shipping companies and weather services go to extra measures to insure that mishaps such as those that occurred with the Phantom never occur again.

Of course, this means that nothing is promised. Do not take any cruise reservations to be final ones, because any slight inkling or joke of a storm will cause the shipping company to yank their ship (their biggest investment) and their passengers (those who fund their biggest investment) off of the ocean in heart beat.

A strong piece of advice is not to finalize anything! Don’t pay any hefty deposits for anything having to do with your cruise during the summer months, the peak of the hurricane season.

Kirsten Hawkins is a cruise and travel expert specializing in discount cruises and travel. Visit www.luxury-cruise-deals.com/ for more information on how to cruise the world for little or no money.

In the wake of tremendous competition among various cruise lines, each has been offering several special offers. Special offers may be discounts on packaged vacation cruises, or the customization of cruises according to passengers’ wishes. The cruise lines advertise and provide various novel features to attract more cruisers to their ships.

The biggest cruise special is, of course, the discount offered on the package. For bulk or off-season bookings, cruise lines may provide as much as 25 to 50% off their regular rates. The same applies for rerouting cruises, i.e., when the ships are returning to warmer southern seas. Discount schemes are also provided to cruisers for forthcoming tours, which can be availed of by either themselves or their families and friends.

Certain cruise lines, like the Princess, allow passengers to make their own itineraries. These are then incorporated with the cruise lines’ planned itineraries to the maximum possible extent. Cruisers can select which ports they would like to halt at, which hotels to lodge in and how many days to spend exploring the glacier and whale watching, etc. Besides this, they may also have the chance to select their choice of music and food on board. Customized cruises are the current trend, though they are more costly than other cruises.

Oceania Cruise Line provides a unique feature. They organize a lecture series onboard the ships called ‘Your World’. Passengers are invited to attend these lectures and deliberate on issues. Besides this, there are several shops which sell artifacts and trinkets on board, which can be taken home as souvenirs of the cruise. While Oceania focuses on intelligent activities, Royal Caribbean caters to the more adventurous palate, by providing helicopter flying and snorkeling activities.

Almost all cruise lines have a variety of entertainment options on their ships. Features like shopping malls, swimming pools, water spas and saunas, have today become mandatory on cruise ships. There are also Las Vegas-style casinos and cyber cafés for people to remain connected with family, friends and the rest of the world. Some cruise lines also have Broadway theaters and movie halls to enthrall the audience.

Today, by virtue of all the specials offered on cruises, they are no longer considered just another activity. Cruising today is considered to be a blend of adventurous and cerebral activities.