When the Carnival Inspiration emerges from its drydock in October, it will offer something no other Carnival ship will have – a quiet area just for adults. Inspiration will be the first Carnival Cruise Lines ship to feature a new adults-only area called “Serenity”.

Designed as an oasis for relaxation on deck, the Serenity areas are part of the $250 million “Evolutions of Fun” initiative which is updating Carnival’s eight Fantasy-class ships. The Serenity areas will be located in a secluded aft section of each vessel and will feature plush chaise lounges and chairs, oversized umbrellas and two whirlpools. Waiters will offer bar service, and the Lido Restaurant is nearby for snacks or casual meals.

According to a just-released report by Cruise Lines International (CLIA), the North American cruise industry generated $35.7 billion in gross U.S. economic output in 2006, including $17.6 billion in direct spending. The report also states that the industry supported 348,000 American jobs last year, accounting for $14.7 billion in wages and overall cruise industry spending grew by a total of 10 percent and impacted all 50 U.S. states. 

According to CLIA, 12 million people worldwide cruised last year, a 7 percent increase over 2005. U.S. residents accounted for 78 percent of the industry’s total passengers. CLIA counts a fleet of 151 vessels with a combined capacity of 249,691 lower berths.

In the U.S., direct purchases by the cruise lines for such goods and services as food, fuel and equipment plus spending by passengers and crew totaled $17.6 billion. Adding indirect economic impacts, such as transportation services and utilities, the total economic impact generated was $35.7 billion. The cruise industry touched every state, with 79 percent of direct purchases and 83 percent of total employment and income concentrated in 10 states: Florida, California, Texas, Alaska, New York, Hawaii, Georgia, Washington, Illinois and Massachusetts.

Embarkations at U.S. ports increased by more than 4 percent, totaling 9 million, and accounted for 75 percent of total global embarkations. The top 10 U.S. ports by embarkations were Miami, Port Canaveral, Port Everglades, Galveston, Los Angeles, New York, Tampa, Long Beach, Seattle and Honolulu.

While returning to New York from Bermuda on Friday, Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) Norwegian Crown experienced a mechanical problem with the vessel’s starboard propeller shaft.  While this has had no impact on the safe operation of the ship it has unfortunately affected the speed of the ship.  The reduction of speed resulted in a delayed arrival into New York, with the ship arriving Monday, August 27 at 6 a.m. instead of its scheduled arrival on Sunday, August 26.

NCL stated that a team of divers inspected the propeller shaft this morning and, unfortunately, the inspection revealed damage to the seal in the starboard propeller shaft, which will require a replacement of the seal versus a repair.  The line says engineers have started the necessary repairs and are estimating a departure sometime this afternoon. The Crown is fully operational with all restaurants, lounges, entertainment venues and spa open for passenger use.  Nevertheless, the delayed departure has disrupted the original itinerary for the cruise.  As a gesture of goodwill the line is extending a 50 percent refund of the cruise fare paid and a 20 percent future cruise credit (based on the fare paid for the disrupted cruise) toward a future cruise with NCL. NCL will also be refunding government taxes and fees of approximately $34 to the guest’s on-board folio.  NCL says if a guest prefers not to sail, NCL will, of course, provide a full refund of the cruise fare paid plus all applicable taxes.

Sometimes when I return from a cruise vacation, I feel completely burned out.

Don’t feel sorry for me. On those vacations, I’ve I hiked through rain forests, ridden down zip lines, trekked atop a glacier, snorkeled with stingrays and meandered through Egyptian pyramids. But eventually I returned home to stacks of bills, dead houseplants and a cat that had hurled all over the white carpet. Worse yet, I now had to cook, clean and go back to being the family boss. In short, it was no fun to come back to reality after a vacation in Floating Fantasyland. Sometimes it took weeks to shake off the Post-Cruise Blues.

How to deal with the letdown? Here are some tips.

Before the cruise

• Pad your vacation time. Add a day or two of stay-at-home time to each end of the cruise. You’ll need the time before the cruise to put the house in good order, and you’ll want some time to yourself after the cruise to unpack, unwind and catch up on household tasks.
• Pay bills before you leave. Electronic payment takes the worry out of this task; just queue the payments, and your bills will be paid automatically while you are away. If you pay bills the old-fashioned way, write out the checks and have them ready to mail upon your return, or have a trusted friend or family member mail them as they come due.
• Get your house shipshape. Put your house in order before you go. The last thing you need to come home to is a mess. Do the cleaning and laundry, put the mail and newspapers on hold, make arrangements for your pets, and don’t forget to have someone water your plants. For more tips, read my article “When your home is alone.”
• Figure out what you want from your vacation. If you’ve planned for a week at sea reading best sellers when what you really enjoy is nonstop adventure, you’re setting yourself up for a downer vacation and a good dose of the post-cruise blues. So define what you hope to achieve from your vacation, then arrange to make that happen. If your trip turns out as you hoped, you are more likely to return home satisfied, refreshed and ready to go again.

During your cruise

• Have fun. This sounds obvious, but some people lead such harried lives that they have trouble switching into vacation mode. Others miss the fun because they don’t plan ahead or because they dwell on the negative. I recently saw some people ruin their day in Rome after learning that the Vatican Museum was closed for a holiday. The closing was clearly noted in our cruise documents – the people just hadn’t seen it, and they couldn’t get past their disappointment. Instead of enjoying a wonderful sunny day in the Eternal City, they spent the entire day complaining. If you find yourself sliding into this kind of funk even before you get home, put yourself in the capable hands of the cruise director, who will help you find some ship and shore activities to enjoy.
• Be realistic about your schedule. Everyone has high hopes for their cruise vacations, but you should have realistic expectations — and that includes knowing the limits of your schedule. Don’t try to see everything and don’t be disappointed if you don’t see all the sights you had hoped to see. Also be clear about your sightseeing style. If you’re traveling with family members who like to explore every nook and cranny of a place, while you are happy seeing the main attractions, for heaven’s sake split up. If you let them drag you all over the place, you’ll be miserable, so set up your own sightseeing and do it at your own pace.
• Watch what you eat and drink. Let’s face it, a cruise vacation often means eating or drinking more than usual, but nothing ruins a homecoming like five extra pounds and a hangover. Try to return to your normal diet as your vacation starts winding down; that way you won’t spend your first days home in withdrawal from overindulgence.
• Get your sleep. Try to get a good night’s sleep every night so you don’t return home sleep-deprived. This isn’t always easy on a cruise. Not only are there late-night activities to enjoy, but your sleeping environment is unfamiliar. I’ve found it helps to bring my own pillow and alarm clock; earplugs and an eye masks can help, too. But my best sleep aid is my sound machine, which blocks out all background noise. Also, try to follow your regular sleep schedule, at least toward the end of the cruise. It will make your re-entry to the work world much easier.
• Be a tourist. Buy tacky souvenirs and take silly photos. When you look at these mementos later, you’ll find they remind you of the good times and help filter out the bad experiences — or at least make them seem funny.

Back home

• Ease back into your regular routine. Jumping right back into the rat race can exacerbate the post-cruise blues, so give yourself some space for a few days. Start back in with the routines you enjoy. If you planned your homecoming well, the nastier chores will wait.
• Treat yourself. Have something to look forward to when you get home. Schedule a massage, plan a night on the town or invite friends over for a get-together. I use food and drink to extend my vacation. My daughters and I just returned from Italy, and we’ve been preparing lots of Italian fare to relive our good times. While we’re eating pasta and pizza, we talk about the trip. After dinner, we look at our photos and laugh at our funny souvenirs.
• Count your blessings. There are far worse things than post-cruise blues. Be thankful for your family and what you have to come home to. A vacation is a wonderful thing, and an attitude of gratitude certainly helps keep things in perspective.

The truth is, it’s perfectly normal to feel let down after a cruise vacation. After all, everyday life is pretty boring by comparison. But there is one consolation: Now you can start planning your next cruise vacation. So here’s my last hint: Send away for some big, fat cruise brochures before you leave on your trip. They’ll be waiting for you when your return home — right there in that big stack of bills.