Stacey and Jason Bandish were looking forward to some much needed sun and fun on their September Caribbean cruise. The Pennsylvania couple boarded Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas in Port Canaveral in a festive mood and felt at ease when they handed over all their luggage to the porter, which would later be delivered to their stateroom. As the ship headed off into the sunset the festive mood turned into frustration when their luggage never showed up.

Missing bag quandary

After dinner the Brandishs realized their bags were never delivered to their stateroom. Immediately they informed their cabin steward to see if he could find the missing bags. When the couple returned from the evening show they were happy to see their luggage had arrived, but there was one piece missing. Even worse it was the carry-on bag carrying important prescription medications. Ironically, this was the bag that Stacey Bandish kept with her during her airline flight to the port.

The couple went to the Purser’s Desk to inquire about their missing bag. They were informed that there was a group of luggage being detained after being X-rayed because they contained irons. Personal irons are banned on cruise ships because they are considered a fire hazard. The Bandishs did not pack an iron, but thought their bag must be in the group –it wasn’t. They were then told to file a report with Guest Services.

At this point Stacey Bandish’s allergies were acting up and she was beginning to worry about not having her medications. Shortly after filing the report and returning to their stateroom they received a call from Guest Services stating that the bag had been found and they could pick it up. After receiving the bag they realized something was terribly wrong – all the contents inside were wet. “We were amazed that there was no warning of the luggage being ruined – or what had happened,” said Stacey Bandish.

Luggage overboard

A frustrated Jason Bandish returned to Guest Services to find out why the bag and all its contents was water damaged. He was then told by a crew member that there was an “incident” and that the bag had fallen into the water while being loaded on the ship. The crew never could explain why the couple was not informed of the incident and subsequent damage when picking up the bag. Bandish was then told to return in the morning to file a personal property report.

The damage to the bag’s contents was devastating – five expensive prescriptions and a number of over-the-counter medications that were packed in daily dose pill containers were destroyed along with costly cosmetics, personal grooming items and appliances, and small electronic equipment. Additionally, Stacey Bandish’s beaded jewelry was damaged.

Fortunately, most prescriptions were able to be quickly refilled by the ship’s medical staff; however, not all items were available and some that were re-filled were substitutions from original prescriptions. Unfortunately, the interruption and substitution of medications led to some health problems. On the fifth day of the cruise Stacey Bandish had an asthma attack and had to be put on additional medications by the ship’s doctor. To add insult to injury much of the couple’s time in port was used to fill prescriptions and over-the-counter medical supplies not available onboard the ship.

When the Bandishs returned home they wrote a letter to Royal Caribbean detailing their issues along with an itemized list of what was destroyed along with the current replacement costs – a whopping $2,150. A Royal Caribbean luggage department employee wrote back stating that jewelry and electronics were not covered in any claims. Additionally, the employee noted that receipts must be provided for each item and that the receipts could not be older than six months from the sail date in order to be accepted.

After going back-and-forth with the cruise line she was told they would pay $990.62 in cash along with a $700.00 future cruise credit. An e-mail to Bandish from Janelle Valentino, a senior executive in Royal Caribbean’s Guest Services, stated that the offer was “fair and far above what we normally cover according to your Cruise Ticket Contract and we stand behind this decision.”

Feeling cheated the Bandishs contacted ExpertCruiser for help.

Royal Caribbean speaks

I spoke with Cynthia Martinez, manager of corporate communications for Royal Caribbean. She wasn’t sure how the luggage ended up in the water, but she noted that 13 guests in six staterooms also had their luggage damaged. According to Martinez, Royal Caribbean’s liability limit that is stated in the ‘Cruise Ticket Contract’ is $300, but they went way above that amount for the Bandishs.

Martinez says the line replaced medication that totaled $483.60. Additionally, visits to sick bay were covered at a cost of $295. The line also covered daily hair styling in the salon for Stacey Bandish at a cost of $212.00. Overall, the Bandishs will receive $990.62 for the aforementioned expenses and a $700 future cruise credit.

The couple is disappointed by Royal Caribbean’s stance. Is the compensation fair? It all depends how you look at it. The line did promise to cover the onboard expenses and tried to pamper Stacey Bandish with daily salon visits since all her hair styling equipment was destroyed. Unfortunately, the monetary compensation doesn’t cover all items lost – including the very piece of luggage destroyed. I have mixed feelings about future cruise credits in these situations. Basically, it’s telling the guest that receives it to spend more money to recoup the loss.

An ounce of prevention…

Stacey Bandish admits she made a big mistake handing over her carry-on bag to the porters. It’s a common error many cruisers make once they get to the pier – they get too comfortable and let down their guard. After all, the bag is there next to the ship, it will get to my stateroom damage free, right? Au contraire. I’ve witnessed cruise line luggage handling that rivals the bag thrashing showcased in the old Samsonite gorilla commercials.

Never check medication and expensive items, always carry them with you. That way you’ll be able to enjoy your cruise and sail off into the sunset without a care in the world.

Seven of the world’s largest cruise ships are docked in St. Thomas today – Oasis of the Seas and Carnival Dream (both on first visits), Celebrity Millennium, Sea Princess, Norwegian Pearl, Costa Atlantica, and Sea Dream One. Interestingly, local news is reporting the world’s largest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas, is not carrying the most passengers – it’s Carnival Dream with a full load at 3,800 passengers versus Oasis’s 3,400 passengers.

Related story:

Is Oasis of the Seas worth the high fares?

With seven themed neighborhoods, from the open air Central Park with live plants and trees to a Boardwalk with a Coney Island feel, including a carousel and a zip-line, Oasis of the Seas is so much more than the world’s largest cruise ship – it’s on another level and has changed the face of cruise travel. But will cruise travelers want to sail with 5,400+ passengers and pay high fares for the experience?
Oasis split personality

Oasis touts a range of innovative and revolutionary features set to change the face of cruise travel forever. With its split superstructure creating wide open interior spaces, Oasis has captured the imagination of cruisers and non-cruisers alike. “Until you get onboard you don’t realize how it all came together the grandeur of it,” says Royal Caribbean International’s chairman and CEO, Richard Fain.

Fain’s assessment is correct.

The moment I stepped onboard Oasis, I was blown away by the architectural magnificence of the two football fields long Royal Promenade. The décor is original and exquisitely designed with amazing crystal canopies that flood natural light down from the Central Park neighborhood high above. These areas are filled with shops, restaurants, cafes, live trees, and the Rising Tide Bar, which travels vertically between the Royal Promenade and Central Park.

Oasis has four pools: Two are made to feel like a beach, with sloped entries you can walk into just as if you were walking into the ocean. A pool situated at the very back of the ship (the deepest at sea) is by night an outdoor amphitheater, hosting a water ballet and diving shows that feature professional divers who will jump from as high as 72 feet up. During the day guests can swim or take scuba lessons in the pool, or choose to relax on loungers located on the surrounding tiered platforms. If all this isn’t gimmicky enough the ship has a bagpiper, psychic and tattoo parlor, and a horticulturalist.

The Youth Zone features 28,700 square feet just for kids and teens, with Kids Avenue, a central boulevard connecting various themed play areas; a nursery for infants and toddlers; and a theater for children. For kids of all ages there’s ice skating, rock climbing and two FlowRiders to surf on, but it’s the zip-line that’s the coolest thing on any ship anywhere. All these high-octane activities certainly affords parents time to enjoy the adults-only retreat, the gorgeous open-air Solarium. Adults have their own swimming pool and six whirlpools—four of them cantilevered 136 feet above the ocean. Nearby there’s the amazing spa and gym.

There are 25 restaurants and 37 bars with 60 percent of the dining venues being complimentary while the 9 specialty restaurants charge for fare from $4.95 at Johnny Rockets to the $75 for Chef’s Table. Perhaps the most intriguing restaurant is 150 Central Park where for $35 you can dine on a ten-course tasting menu by Chef Keriann Von Raesfeld, a 23-year old “culinary phenom” that the line has hired in the hopes of creating their own celebrity chef. After dinner guests can hit the casino with gaming tables and nearly 500 slot machines, or see a show in the 1,380-seat theater for Broadway-style productions including “Hairspray” or take in an ice show at the Studio B arena.

Oasis has revolutionized cruise ship accommodations, with 37 different categories and unique offerings such as duplex “loft suites” that have 18-foot windows looking out to the ocean. Other staterooms will have views of the line’s seven “neighborhoods,” such as Central Park, the Boardwalk, home and other venues.

During my two-night media preview cruise I was accommodated in one of the Central Park balcony staterooms. At first, it seemed ideal with views of the treetops and café scene below. However, it quickly became apparent that noise, lack of privacy, and heat during the day made the balcony a bust. Guests assigned to Boardwalk view staterooms had a much worse time with noise from screaming zip-liners above to the boisterous carnival scene below to the loud LCD screens around the aft pool.

Every superlative to describe the ship is on target. Oasis is so huge it doesn’t feel like a cruise ship, it barely seemed to move and it’s possible with all that’s going on onboard to rarely acknowledge the ocean. It’s almost the anti-cruise.

Technology enhancements

It is natural to focus on Oasis’ size. Will it take hours to get on and off? Will it be hard to get into shows, restaurants? Will it fit into ports? With Oasis, size is not the story behind the ship. The technology created to move and plan for the masses is nothing short of amazing.

Starting with embarkation in Port Everglades with the world’s largest cruise terminal that offers 91 check-in counters with the goal to get passengers from curbside to the vessel in just 15 minutes. Royal Caribbean was careful to choose ports where Oasis could dock directly and not have to tender guests ashore. Current ports include: Nassau, St. Maarten, Labadee, and St. Thomas. Eventually, Falmouth, Jamaica will be added along with Costa Maya, Mexico. Other ports are expected to build facilities to accommodate the Oasis-class ships over time. Of course, getting guests on and off the ship was given careful planning – there will be gangway elevator buttons, escalators that go right into port, and multiple shore side security screening areas.

Then there’s the onboard safety command center with an electronic mustering system that scans a guest’s Sea Pass cards for attendance purposes. Best of all, guests no longer have to lug life vests to the drill as they are stored in the direct proximity of the muster stations. There’s also automatic electronic counting in all the restaurants, which is then relayed to dozens of monitors around the ship letting guests know which venues are available or full.

“Larger doesn’t mean less personalized but the ability to make it more personalized,” adds Fain. Since Oasis is so large with so many options the line’s website offers guests who tend to be control freaks the ability to plan out all their cruise activities from ship to shore. The website also lets the company know if there’s a huge demand for one activity and allows them to augment in that area.

More impressive is the environmental savings per passenger, Oasis uses 30-40 percent less energy than ships Royal Caribbean built 10 years ago. Green practices such as the use of 14,000 square meters of solar panels atop the Viking Crown Lounge, enough to power the entire promenade area, are commendable.

Big ship, big fare

Royal Caribbean is betting large and hoping that more cruise vacationers open up their wallets and live up to the corporate motto: “Why Not?”. Oasis of the Seas is the most expensive cruise ship ever built, costing some $1.4 billion. It’s no surprise then that fares for the ship have also followed the costly course.

Fares for Oasis’s Dec. 5 sailing range from $1,649 per person based on double occupancy for an inside stateroom to $16,659 for the luxurious 1,524- square-foot Royal Loft Suite. “You have to really want to sail on Oasis and willing to pay the price,” says Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert who is nationally recognized as The Cruise Guy. He notes that Oasis’s inside stateroom fare is double the cost of sailing in similar digs on Celebrity Solstice and Emerald Princess.

Fain defends the higher prices because of all the ship’s unique offerings. “We plowed some of the savings from economies of scale back into the ship that’s how we get the higher prices. We could have taken the savings and built something safer, but that’s not our style.”

Style or not, in an economy with double digit unemployment, and with Royal Caribbean’s competitors offering steep discounts it remains to be seen if Oasis’s higher pricing holds. Chiron believes that will be determined in the coming weeks to see if all the media hoopla surrounding the ship has made an impact. Chiron adds, “Once people are exposed to Oasis, they’ll better understand what this amazing ship has to offer and bookings are expected to pick up without having to lower prices.”

A cruise vacation is a great way to travel as a family, since many elements of the trip are conveniently wrapped up into one stress-free package. From accommodations and meals to entertainment and activities, the almost all-inclusive cruise experience is a tremendous value. The value aspect is precisely why cruising continues to attract more families and keep them coming back for more. It’s no surprise then that cruise lines are investing heavily in more family-friendly features and innovations in their youth programs.

Still, there are ships that stand out more than others. Here are the top ten ships for kids.

Disney Magic and Disney Wonder

Disney Cruise Line is the gold standard when it comes to kids cruising. Both the line’s vessels have nearly a full deck area devoted to the little ones, with activities that are overseen by a large number of counselors.

There are separate areas for each age group. The Oceaneer Club has separate activities for 3- to 5-year-olds and 6- to 7-year-olds. The Oceaneer Lab has interactive activities for kids ages 8 to 9 and others for kids ages 10 to 12. Kids 10 to 14 who don’t want to participate in organized activities can visit the Ocean Quest area, where they can chill out and play video games, create arts and crafts or just watch a movie.

The coolest part is the scaled replica of the ship’s bridge, where youngsters can “steer” the ship in and out of ports around the globe. For teens, there are the Aloft area (on the Disney Wonder) and The Stack area (on the Disney Magic); each area is a combination dorm room and apartment offering music, games, large-screen TV, a lounge area, Internet area and shipboard programs like animation, moviemaking, karaoke, fitness classes and pool parties just for teens. There is also a large arcade area. Outdoor fun includes the popular Mickey’s Pool, which has a winding water slide and a sports deck area where kids can let off steam.

Both ships offer a 3-D cinematic experience in both the Walt Disney and Buena Vista Theatres where guests can enjoy first-run, full-length 3-D films such as Walt Disney Pictures’ “Bolt” and “Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience.” This past spring the Disney Wonder premiered a lavish theatrical production, “Toy Story-The Musical.”

Also from July 9 through August 2 Disney Channel stars will be onboard for “Disney Channel Summer at Sea.” Disney Channel stars will participate in onboard deck parties, join guests for Q & A and autograph sessions, preview screenings of Disney Channel programming and participate in live musical performances. Disney also has abundant shore excursions geared toward kids and their families.

Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Independence of the Seas

Royal Caribbean’s Freedom-class ships are tough to beat for all their onboard active offerings. All offer rock-climbing walls, ice-skating rinks, in-line skating tracks, basketball and tennis courts, miniature golf, water parks and a totally cool surfing park. Royal Caribbean’s Adventure Ocean Youth Program offers specially designed programs for babies and kids from 3 to 11 and teens from 12 to 17. For the tiniest cruisers, parents and babies 6 to 36 months old can participate in the Fisher-Price Aqua Babies and Aqua Tots programs, interactive playgroup sessions developed by early childhood experts at Fisher-Price. For the older kids, the program is divided into five groups: Aquanauts (ages 3 to 5), Explorers (ages 6 to 8), Voyagers (ages 9 to 11), Navigators (ages 12 to 14), and Guests (ages 15 to 17). Every program blends educational activities with games and arts and crafts for a unique onboard experience for the kids.

Teens in Adventure Ocean have their own area called the Living Room that offers a place to relax or take part in games, sports, theme parties and movies. When teens want to boogie, they have their own nightclub called Fuel.

One ship that is sure to be on the list next year is Royal Caribbean’s new vessel, Oasis of the Seas. Launching in November, Oasis will be the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world. It will also offer a huge Youth Zone neighborhood covering a massive 28,700 square feet. The ship will also launch the cruise line’s first nursery for infants and toddlers (six months or older). Oasis will also introduce the first zip line at sea stretching 82 feet in length and suspended nine decks above the exciting Boardwalk area and the first beach pool at sea, featuring a true-to-form sloped entry and colorful beach chairs and umbrellas — the ultimate beach experience!

Ruby Princess, Emerald Princess, Crown Princess

Princess Cruises has one of the best children’s programs afloat and the line continues to add even more fun to its already terrific list of kids’ activities. Princess Pelicans (ages 3 to 8) have their own play area that offers a small rock-climbing wall, beanbag chairs, crafts area and a splash pool. The Shockwaves program, for 8- to 12-year-olds, also has its own area, which includes plenty of table games and lots of space for sitting and chatting, making crafts and playing games. Shockwaves kids can also participate in the Junior Chefs@Sea program, which takes kids to the ship’s galley to learn cooking from the executive chef and staff.

The Remix area for teens is a mature living-room setting similar to a coffee shop. It comes equipped with air hockey tables, foosball and PlayStation2 consoles. Teens also have an outside whirlpool (no adults allowed) and a small arcade room across the hall. A bonus is the teen makeover program, run by youth counselors and boutique staff in conjunction with Clinique, which teaches skin care to both girls and boys and makeup techniques to the girls. Princess also has a Youth Security Program, in which staff in their early 20s watch over the teenagers. These highly trained personnel continually monitor the hallways and public areas to make sure kids don’t get out of hand.

Outdoor fun includes great pools and a sports court, where kids can play basketball or tennis, and a nine-hole miniature golf course. Lastly, there is “Movies Under the Stars” where kids can lounge on a deck chair, eat popcorn and watch movies on the giant 300-square-foot screen.

Carnival Freedom and Carnival Splendor

Camp Carnival offers morning-til-night activities in its expansive indoor play areas, which are stocked with a wide variety of games, toys and activities that focus on art, reading, science, geography and physical fitness. Kids are divided into four age groups: Toddlers (ages 2 to 5), Juniors (ages 6 to 8), Intermediates (ages 9 to 11), and Teens (ages 12 to 14). Outdoor play areas offer mini-basketball hoops, jungle gyms and other playground equipment, as well as game rooms offering the latest video and arcade games.

Kids who like to have fun in the sun also enjoy acres of deck space for outdoor games and activities such as ping-pong, volleyball and shuffleboard, along with many swimming options, including children’s wading pools and main Lido Deck pools, which have cascading water slides. Also poolside is a giant 300-square-foot screen lights up with a variety of programs throughout the day and night, including first-run movies. Carnival also offers YSPA, a youth spa program that offers teen-specific body and beauty treatments. Club 02 teen program is for kids ages 15 to 17 and has dedicated facilities and energetic counselors.

Over the next several months “Laser Tag” will be implemented onboard the Carnival Freedom and Carnival Splendor. The game is played in a large inflatable arena that is over 50 feet long. Inside the arena kids can battle among obstacles and go through a maze lit by glowing black lights. Laser guns use “sensors” that are worn around the player’s arm, which makes it easy for players to move throughout the arena’s maze.

Another ship that will be on next year’s list is the Carnival Dream. Slated to launch on September 21, the Carnival Dream will be Carnival’s biggest ship and will offer more than 19,000 square feet of space catering just to kids, ’tweens and teens. There will be expansive indoor and outdoor play areas to a sprawling aqua park housing the 303-foot-long, four-deck-high corkscrew water slide — the longest slide at sea!

With all the inventive program offerings on board these top 10 cruise ships, you no longer have to listen to the kids complaining, “I’m bored!” These ships are hip — and that’s something family cruisers can stand up and cheer about.