A little extra to spend on your honeymoon cruise: Wedding Registry & Gifts

Norwegian Cruise Line

With seven weddings to attend this year,  I’m in store for a lot of celebrations.  Since I love to travel and talk about travel, I always enjoy asking the couple where they decided to go on their honeymoon.

One of my good friends got married last year and I gave her a Carnival Cruises gift card as part of her wedding gift.  It was her first cruise, and I couldn’t be more excited for her to find out all the joys of cruising. She and her husband were incredibly sweet to tell us that she used the gift card for a city tour in Boston.  She even took pictures and sent them to us showing her appreciation.  The gift card worked out great as she was able to pick what she wanted to spend it on.

There are a few ways to a gift to someone if going on a cruise for their honeymoon including a way for couples to “ask” for a little help in paying for things on their honeymoon cruise.

Click to read more ...

More food options for Vegetarians on Holland America

ms Eurdoam Rembrandt Dining Room

Holland American announces new Vegetarian-Only Alternative Menu

Holland America announced today that they are expanding their vegetarian options on board.  The new features include a new vegetarian-only menu.  The additions will be a welcome to vegetarians as it can be a constant struggle trying to find something to order on a dining room menu when many times there is only one main vegetarian entree offered a night.  In a study published by Vegetarian Times, it showed that 7.3 million Americans are vegetarians.  In addition, according to the study, 22.8 million follow a vegetarian-inclined diet.  

Click to read more ...

By Land or by Sea

Cliffs of Moher

I recently got back from a trip to Ireland. Before this trip, I had visited Ireland on a cruise.  I enjoyed my time so much that I wanted to go back and explore more.  I wondered how it would compare to visiting it on a cruise.  As a follow up to my last blog post, Hungry for More!, here’s a recap of my experiences of cruise vs. land travel.  

Click to read more ...

Hungry from more Ireland

My first trip to Ireland was while cruising on the Celebrity Century in 2008.  I was trying to decide whether or not to go to Ireland for 10 days or take the cruise that included stops in Ireland, Norway, and the Netherlands.  Since I love cruising, I opted for the cruise and thought, this way I can see if I like Ireland and then can always come back for a longer visit. 

Click to read more ...

Cruise Ships have mommies too!

Celebrity Chef named Godmother of Oceania Cruises’ newest ship

Oceania Cruises, Marina

Prior to making their maiden voyage and in maritime tradition, a godmother is named for a new cruise ship. The godmother christens the ship in order to wish the passengers and crew safe travels.

In that tradition, Chef & Philanthropist, Cat Cora has been named as Oceania Cruises’ Rivera Godmother.  Oceania continues to hold true to their word that the Riviera was “purposely built for epicureans” with over 10 different dining venues plus the Bon Appétit Culinary Center for hands-on learning by naming Cora as the godmother. The christening ceremony will happen on May 11th in Barcelona where Chef Cat Cora will name the ship.

Click to read more ...

Healthy Recipe from Seabourn: Seared Spice Crusted Tuna

Seared Spice Crusted Tuna with Vegetables Escabeche & Coriander Puree

 

Seared Tuna is a dish that you’ll typically find when you go out for sushi.  I love adding it on top of a salad or just having it plain as it’s a great source of protein. It’s a healthy and low calorie option when considering dinner entrees.

The recipe is one that you'll find when cruising with Seabourn. In addition to the tuna, the recipe adds flavors to the overall dish with the vegetables esabeche and coriander puree. The recipe calls for slices of tuna sashimi to be quickly seared along the edges.  The edges are covered in salt and coarse ground fennel seeds before searing and it creates a crusty affect once seared.

Click to read more ...

Welcome 2012!

 

2011 was an exciting year for me with the launch of my FreshCruiser website, blog, and twitter feed. I worked hard to define my niche with the goals of writing about something I love, cruising!  Writing about fun, active and healthy cruising has been wonderful and I love these aspects of the cruise industry.  I'm looking forward to the year ahead and hope you'll enjoy reading!

Wishing you a Happy & Healthy New Year filled with visiting new places and experiencing new cultures!

Click to read more ...

Taking a look at Cunard Line’s Healthy Menu Options

Photo Credit: Cunard Line

Cunard Line provides cruisers on the Queen Mary 2 with healthy dining options with Canyon Ranch Spa Selections on the menu. If you’re worried about trying to eat healthy on an upcoming Cruise, when dining on the Queen Mary 2, you will find an abundance of health-conscious options.  

On the menu, next to each of the Canyon Ranch Spa Selections, Cunard gives guests valuable nutritional information on each dish. Diners will be able to find out the calories, fat, and fiber.  This is an important aspect, as I may be watching my calorie intake, while another cruiser may be looking for low fat dishes. The selections also take into account portion size and fresh seasonal selections.  

According to a Cunard press release, “In an effort to provide guests with a more complete experience, Canyon Ranch chefs worked closely with Cunard Culinary Ambassador and Executive Chef Jean-Marie Zimmerman to design spa selections for Queen Mary 2 restaurants.”

“Our superb menus are complimented by Canyon Ranch cuisine that is both nutritious and created with the highest gourmet standards,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line.

Photo Credit: Cunard Line

Sample Menus from Queen Mary 2’s Britannia Restaurant
CANYON RANCH SPA SELECTIONS

Lunch
Appetizer — Fennel Soup with Celeriac 90/4/1
Entrée — Baked Cod with Macaroni and Cheese 405/12/6
Dessert — Freshly Sliced Watermelon 120/tr/6

Dinner 
Appetizer — Artichoke Salad 65/5/2
Entrée —Sausage Stuffed Chicken with Fig Demi Glace 390/13/2
Dessert — Poppy Seed Cake 160/8/tr
Nutrition Key: Calories / Fat Grams / Fibre Grams
 
Click here to check out more of Queen Mary 2’s menus. Look for the Canyon Ranch Spa Selections.

Photo Credit: Cunard Line

According to the Canyon Ranch Spa Club’s chefs and nutritionists, they created meals that emphasize healthy eating with: 
Quality Carbs & Fiber
•    Meals focus on healthy carb-rich vegetables, fruits, legumes and moderate portions of whole grains.

Protein Power

•    All meals, including vegetarian options, are balanced with protein-rich food.
Healthy Fats
•    We use fats that are beneficial to health, including extra-virgin olive oil, canola oil and omega-3 fatty acids. We have never used trans fats or other artificial ingredients in our cooking.
Salt Sense
•    Our food is seasoned with herbs and spices to keep the use of salt at a minimum.
Sweetener Savvy
•    We use a variety of sweeteners in moderation; we do not use artificial sweeteners.
 
The above “pillars” focus on eating well without having to sacrifice flavors. I was glad that they addressed limiting salt and sweeteners. For cruisers who need to watch their sodium intake, it would be great to also showcase any low-sodium dishes on the menu. 

The daily selections are great guidelines when ordering to know what the healthier items are on the menu.  As sometimes the item you think is healthy, it ends up having many hidden fats and calories in the sauce or extras.  You eliminate the guessing and might be surprised at how much you like these items even though they are considered “health-conscious”. 

In preparation for the Queen Mary 2’s eighth birthday in January 2012, Cunard Line announced this week the planned enhancements that will take place as part of the refit. Major updates and redesigns during the 14-day refit includes new carpets, curtains, bedcovers and linens. Click here to read the full press release. 

FreshCruiser Tip: Seek out healthy options!  Some cruise lines have a dining area just for healthy "spa" selections that you might miss if you're not looking for it.