7 ways to avoid gaining 7 pounds on a Cruise

It’s the oldest joke in the cruise comedy playbook. “Did you know that the average passenger gains 7 pounds on a week long cruise, 1 pound a day, yeah you come on as guests you leave as Cargo” …… insert fake laugh. Side note, if you hear a Cruise Director or Comic use that joke, please boo them as that has been used zillions of times for over 20 years and you know what, it’s not even funny!

Seriously though, the temptations to gorge your self on tasty treats while cruising are endless and sadly many do gain a few pounds when taking a cruise. This has given the industry a bit of a bad rap when it comes to health and fitness. Cruise Lines are working hard to change that image but regardless of your opinion on the topic, it’s not that difficult to stay fit on a cruise and with the right motivation even actually lose weight.

Ever since I’ve moved to California I have been surrounded by health and fitness, I’ve always been into it but I’ve been more interested than ever lately and have even picked up some new knowledge recently.  So in this blog I wanted to combine some of my new practices with what I know about cruising. Nothing groundbreaking here, just good clean, easy fitness advice. Eat right, drink smart and try to workout 5 times on a 7-day cruise. It’s much easier than you think.

 So here they are my 7 ways to avoid gaining 7 pounds on a weeklong cruise.

1.     Eat a healthy breakfast – It’s common knowledge that eating breakfast every day, boosts your metabolism and is key to losing weight, but where many falter on a cruise is at the breakfast buffet. I myself have been guilty of reaching for the chocolate croissant, pancake, biscuit and gravy, bacon, extra cheese; it’s all right there and you’d never eat this stuff at home, so why not indulge? Well you should indulge, but do it the smart way by ordering Room Service! Every ship has free room service breakfast, you usually only have to fill out the card and put it on your door. This will greatly help your portion control and keep you from reaching for that chocolate croissant. I recommend that you eat room service or in the main dining room for breakfast every day. Switch it up and do what works for you, but this is the best way to eat smart portions and it makes it much easier to choose healthy options. Also always order the fruit plate. If you start your day right and your already halfway there.  So Main Dining room and Room service for breakfast, healthy options 5 of 7 days, indulge twice, go ahead and have 1 chocolate croissant, remember 1 not 3.

2.     Beach or Destination Workout – If you’re on a Caribbean or beach cruise, this is an easy workout that will save you time, money and will make you feel incredible in your swimwear. Try my easy beach workout, and do it right when you get there so you can relax the rest of the time. Start with a light stretch and then a 20-minute walk or preferably run or jog, do whatever you can handle, but this is not your typical beach stroll I want you to shake it up. Walk or run 10 minutes to one side of the beach, whenever 10 minutes is up, stop and do, 10 pushups, 10 squats, and 10 jumping jacks, then run/walk back the other way 10 minutes and repeat, the pushups, squats, and jumping jacks at the other end. Then take 10 minutes and swim in the ocean, do whatever your body can handle. I always travel with my goggles this way a cheap and easy workout is always available, but even if you don’t’ have your goggles, swim 5 minutes out and 5 minutes back. Even just tread water or doggie paddle if you have to, but 10 minutes in the water is sure to get the blood flowing. There, you’ve just done a simple easy yet very effective workout that cost you nothing, and now you have the whole day to enjoy all while on a workout high. If your going to Alaska just ask the crew where the best hiking trail is and there you go, a most memorable day and oh, by the way a great workout. If you’re in Europe, just try to take an active tour that has a lot of walking.

3.     Skip the Calorie Bombs – What’s a Calorie Bomb? Those god awful high fructose, high calorie drinks everyone is sucking down and wondering why they’re not losing weight. You know what they are: Pina Colada’s, Strawberry Daiquiri’s, Coco Loco’s, Frappuccino’s, Mocha blah, blah. All these drinks are terrible for you and full of sugar. No one can process that much sugar and not gain weight. These are what the pros call empty calories; but Andy I want to drink on my cruise what can I do? Drink like they do in Los Angeles and sub the Calorie Bombs for one of these guilt free cocktails: Try a Vodka and Soda with a splash of Cranberry Juice, or Tequila, Lime, splash of OJ, Splash of Soda water aka the “Skinny Margarita”, or a Bacardi Silver and Diet Coke, even Miller 64 beer. Personally I just drink good quality Vodka on the rocks with a lime, when it’s high quality stuff you can drink it on the rocks and it has so few calories and gives you much less of a hangover. The “healthy drinks” list get’s longer every day. Indulge just be smart about it. There are ton’s of lower calorie cocktails, just ask the bartenders or the fitness instructor’s, if none of the listed drinks appeal to you.

4.     Try a fitness class – Running on a Treadmill, so 1985, come on there’s millions of fun and usually free fitness classes on every ship now. Try some Yoga, Pilates, Spin, TRX, or even Boot Camp. Even just once on a 7 day cruise will count to your goal of 5 workouts and when your doing something new time flies and you don’t’ even realize your working out. Who knows you may just find something you love in the process.  

5.     Take the Stairs – My Mom takes the stairs on every cruise, every time, never takes the elevator. I think she’s crazy, but she doesn’t gain weight on a cruise and really only does that and walk. But, if you’re a normal person and the idea of schlepping up and down those stairs every time for 7 days seems like way too much, try my easy stair/elevator policy. 3 up and 4 down: Every time your only going up 3 decks or less and every time your going down 4 decks or less you have to take the stairs. Otherwise you can ride the elevator. This is so easy to do, will actually save you time maneuvering around the ship and you’ll be slipping in mini workouts and burning calories all day and night. Another bonus is you won’t be the jerk who is only going up one floor on the elevator!

6.     Fun Fitness – Really all fitness should be fun, but it’s easy to find a fun workout on a ship. Dance Classes abound and as long as they are 30 minutes or longer of high power cardio that can count as 1 of your 5 required workouts. If the idea of attending a dance class makes you want to jump overboard try this fun workout that will also get you to know the ship better. Take the stairs down to the bottom deck, walk all the way to the top deck, then walk to the jogging track, wherever it is, jog or walk one mile on the track. Then walk to the fitness center, no elevator. Jump on the Elliptical machine for 10 minutes, go at a fun pace, but try to push yourself a little. When that is complete walk to the Rock Climbing Wall and climb at least one time, preferably twice. If your ship does not have a Rock Climbing Wall, when done with the elliptical go do 15 pushups, 15 squats, and try to do 5 pull-ups. This kind of workout will be over before you know it and you won’t even feel like your working out. You’ll be moving all over the ship and by the time you’re done you’ve just had an amazing workout.

7.     Vegetarian for a day – Many fitness experts recommend you have one day a week that is meat free. I love meat but I have been trying this policy lately and finding it actually really enjoyable and surprisingly easy to do. I feel light and fit at the end of the day and have been keeping the weight and cholesterol levels down. Cruise Ships have lots of veggie options now and I really think you’ll find this a very easy thing to do. One warning; just because your skipping the meat for a day doesn’t mean you need to eat 6 bagels and a block of cheese. Dairy and carbs are fine, but you’re really your looking to eat more whole grains and mainly pile on the vegetables. Only one day, I promise it’s easy and you may surprise yourself and find you like it.

There you have it, 7 easy ways to stay fit and avoid becoming a cruise ship cliché.

Till next time,

Keep it on Cruise Control.

-Andy Steinhauser

*Readers let’s keep the conversation going, do you have any great cruise fit tips you’d like to share?

Nothing But a Good Time ...

If you saw my last webisode, “All About the Breakaway” I was busy fawning over the most recent announcements from Norwegian Cruise Lines and reminding everyone that the next big one comes very soon, well just last Thursday we finally got to learn about the entertainment. If you haven’t seen the webisode, take 2 minutes to watch it and get caught up. The big question is after the massive success of the Entertainment onboard the Norwegian Epic, how could Norwegian top it? By bringing not one, not two, but 3 Broadway caliber shows to the Breakaway.

I have to say, I’m pretty impressed, and I’ve seen it all when it comes to cruise ship entertainment. It’s usually always good, you can rely on talented singers and dancers, enjoyable concepts, for the most part, and all in bite size portions that are designed to get guests back out and having fun around the ship. Well the Breakaway is going all out and practically making the entertainment the reason to cruise, not just an enjoyable afterthought. The Breakaway will take cruise ship entertainment to a whole new level, read on as I break it down and weigh in:

If your totally unfamiliar with the subject matter, follow this link and get caught up on the Breakaway press releases then read on to see my thoughts on the matter:

http://breakaway.ncl.com/latest/press-releases/

Rock of Ages – This is by far the biggest get for Norwegian since the Blue Man Group. If you haven’t seen it, Rock of Ages is awesome. I haven’t seen the movie and it’s not getting the best reviews, but I have seen the play and I loved it. It’s got classic 80’s songs, amazing talent, hilarious jokes, a great story and all around it’s a huge party. This is not your typical Broadway show; it’s more like a rock concert. The big question is will it work on a cruise ship? I think it will. The show is a two act show and it will have to become a “Vegas Version” which means it has to be under 90 minutes and there will have to be some content altered to cater to the youngsters in the crowd, the original show is a strong PG-13, but I can see it being easily adapted without watering it down too much. I do feel it will be a big hit and become the lines highest rated show. It’s very current and I think it will have a very broad appeal. I’m also excited to see how they cast the show and the talent that will get on-board. I expect it will be done right and delivered properly. Norwegian is really good about their casting, and they pay their talent well, so I suspect it will be impressive.

Burn the Floor – In my opinion this is a great second show. Logistically it makes a lot of sense, since there is very little set and the performers can also do spotlight shows in the Manhattan Room dining venue very easily. Ballroom Dancing is only getting hotter and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. I think this will be a big hit as well, and even the non-ballroom fans will enjoy the show.

Cirque Dreams and Dinner – Jungle Fantasy – I have to say I’m a little disappointed Cirque Dreams, the company who creates the shows on Epic and Breakaway, isn’t developing an entirely original show for the Breakaway, however the performers they get to work in these shows are so unbelievable, it doesn’t really matter what the “concept” is, it’s still going to blow everyone away. Cirque Dreams and Dinner on the Epic is currently the cruise lines highest rated show, and it’s the only show you have to pay to see. That says a lot about the talent of the performers, it will be impressive.

The Second City – I personally love the Second City, it’s always hilarious to me. With that said, I often found that many guests didn’t’ feel the same way. I would receive a lot of mixed reviews. However, there is no denying that The Second City has the talent and if they make all new original content, not recycle the same show, which is what has unfortunately been done over the years on many ships on Norwegian, they have the chance to really deliver. The humor is sharp and can be very current, funny and enjoyable. I’ll be watching closely and waiting to hear, but I’m putting my friends at The Second City and Norwegian on Alert, and warning them, that they must create all new shows this time or the guests will revolt and there will be empty seats to fill in the Headliners club.

Howl and The Moon – Definitely a great idea to bring the Dueling Pianos concept back from the Epic. Howl at the Moon is hilarious, tons of fun and a big party, perfect for a night out on the town or ship; this will be a big hit again.

Slam Allen Blues Band – A natural, I know Slam very well and he is one of the nicest and most talented performers I know. He truly gives it his all every night and the guests know it. He has ardent fans and they will follow him to the Breakaway, and if you haven’t experienced it, make a point to reserve at least one night of your cruise to visit Slam and the Band, and with a Broadway show like Rock of Ages, in residence, you never know who will be rocking out in the Fat Cats, this place will be jumping on the Breakaway.

Well there’s my two cents regarding the Breakaway entertainment. Last I saw Norwegian CEO Kevin Sheehan, he promised me they were going to do everything right on the Breakaway and so far he and his team are living up to the promise. The Breakaway is shaping up to be a real game changer. I can’t wait to see what get’s announced next, till then look for a good deal and book, because this ship is going to rock, literally!

Till next time,

Keep it on Cruise Control.

Andy Steinhauser

Readers what do you think about the Breakaway announcements, are you excited or disappointed? Let me know 

Your Hired!

More than any other question I’ve been getting from readers and visitors to my website, is about working on a ship and where to find a job on a cruise ship. Well I’ve got lots of information in that department and it’s way too much for one blog. So what I’ve decided to do over the next few weeks begin discussing various careers at sea and I’ll provide the direct links on where you can apply. Wether it be for yourself, a recent grad you may know, a friend who needs a fresh start, or your man-child who you need to get out of the basement, working on a cruise ship is an amazing experience that can be incredibly beneficial to many different aspects of you or your loved ones life.

Today I’ll start by talking about a job that many don’t’ even realize exists at sea, Retail. That’s right every cruise ship has gift shops onboard that sell everything from “Toothpaste to Tanzanite”: Jewelry, T-Shirts, Alcohol, Tobacco, Candy, souvenirs you name it, it’s there and 99% of the time it’s all at tax and duty free prices. Gift shops at sea are big business and an important aspect to a cruise lines overall bottom line so these jobs aren’t going anywhere. In fact due to the staggering amount of new cruise ships being launched and considering with each new ship cruise lines only expand the onboard shopping experience retail crewmembers are more in demand than ever before.  Read on for what you should know before you apply or if you’re just interested in learning more about how cruise ships really work.

Working Retail at sea is not like on land. Even though they are the size of some malls the stores are called usually the gift shops and because of this there is a popular slang title for gift shop attendants, don’t’ mention this if you have an interview but from here forward I will use the slang; we call those that work in the gift shops “Shoppies”. Shoppies traditionally come from all over the world, Europe, India, South America, Canada, yet there are few Americans. This is most likely due to the fact that as an American working at sea you are taxed Federal Tax and therefore automatically make less money so that makes it less desirable for American’s. Also working retail at sea is much more difficult than land and you may disagree but American’s don’t have the best global reputation for work ethic. On land typically you show up to your retail job, fold some clothes, sell some stuff, cash out your drawer, maybe tidy up and then just go home and forget your day even happened. Well being a shoppie is more a way of life than a part time job. First of all, it’s only the Shoppies who work together to make the entire operation happen; they stock all the shelves, load and unload all the merchandise, and entirely manage the inventory. Its much more complex and labor intensive than showing up to the Gap and having a Sabarro on your lunch break. Shoppies often work 10-hour days, and they don’t make an hourly wage, overtime or get tips.

Okay, so I’ve sacred you a little, but it’s not slave labor. When you work on a cruise ship in general your pay check will be much less than on land, however you have to consider that you have basically zero living expenses and your opportunity to save money is much greater than on land. Also as a shoppie due to the port laws, you are off nearly every port of call. The gift shops close upon arrival and re-open when you leave port, so you have a great opportunity to explore the ports of call, actually better than most jobs at sea. However be aware on inventory loading day, usually the homeport, say Miami for instance, you will be working, arguably harder than most. This practice is commonly called “stores”. However, no job at sea is without its give and take and every job has it’s own “stores”.

What I also like about the shoppie position is that it’s a great way to start, get a leg up in your career, try something new, meet new people and there are great opportunities for career growth if you have the right attitude and work ethic.

The kind of experience you would need to be considered for a “shoppie” position would be retail experience obviously, and luckily for most that’s easy experience to obtain. Also foreign languages are a huge plus, so stay in that Spanish Class and get fluent. Additional skills and specialties that are coveted by employers are: high end jewelry sales experience, make-up and perfume specialist, university degrees, inventory experience, excellent health and the ability to lift 50 pounds, liquor and tobacco product knowledge, work ethic, positive attitude and most importantly customer service skills. Remember your there to serve the guests with a smile, every day, no matter what is happening with your personal life, a certain level of toughness is needed for anyone that wants to work on a cruise ship, it’s not for the weak and lazy.

Interesting to know, most all cruise lines actually contract out the gift shop operation to a third party, which means you would not be hired by the cruise line directly, however upon employment and assignment you are governed and held to all cruise line specific rules and regulations. There are actually three companies that I know of that have various contracts with the cruise lines. They are: Dufry worldwide, you may recognize that name from the duty free shops in the airport, same company. They also have land-based jobs in the Caribbean and around the world. Harding Brother’s Retail, a British Based company that has a few ships and cruise lines. Yet by far the largest company with the most retail jobs at sea is a company called Starboard Cruise Services, they have the most contracts with the cruise lines and hopefully for you lot’s of open positions.

So after carefully reading all this if you’re interested or have someone that you think might be a great candidate, get your resume together focus on highlighting the skills I’ve mentioned and follow the links below to apply directly to all the major players. Remember Starboard has the most positions, however I recommend applying to all three.

If you’re not interested in being a “shoppie” stay tuned because there are many more positions I’ll be opening the door to in the near future. Attention: Dancer’s, Singers’, Musicians, Child Care workers, Entertainer’s, Hairstylists, Massage Therapists, Waiters, Chef’s, Bartenders, your information is coming soon!

Good luck with all that you dare to dream and till next time…

Keep it on Cruise Control,

Andy Steinhauser

Links:

Starboard Cruise Services:

http://www.starboardcruise.com/shipboard-opportunities.php

Starboard Cruise Services
8052 N.W. 14th Street
Miami, FL 33126
Attention: Human Resources
Tel: (786) 845-7536 / Fax: (305) 715-9789

Harding Brothers:

http://hardingretail.co.uk/vacancies.aspx

Dufry Worldwide (not as many positions open)

http://careers.dufry.com/Search.aspx

Top 10 things to do for an Adventurous/Active Cruiser:

 1. Edgy Shore Excursion – Nearly ever cruise has at least one wild excursion, so try zip lining, swimming with the dolphins, parasailing, wave runner tour, get active.

2. Be Part of the Show – There are most likely game shows, audience participation segments of shows in the theater or at least karaoke every night on nearly every cruise ship, go on, be part of the action.

3. Get Sporty – Climb the rock wall, participate in the sports tournament, ride the waterslide, take that dance class go for it!

4. Late night make out under the stars – head to the outer deck to sneak away for a magical kiss under the stars, have your moment you deserve it.

5 .Be an adventurous eater – Weather in the port of call or on-board, try something you’ve never eaten before.

6. Learn to Play Craps – You’ve always wanted to, here’s your chance. Cruise ships have some of the only casino’s anywhere in the world where the dealers will teach you how to play the games, check when the lessons are offered or go when it’s not crowded and they will teach you. Craps is much easier than it looks, and then at night you can finally join the screaming loud table in the casino.

7. Hit the Dance Floor – Here’s a tip if you’re a bad dancer. On a cruise most likely you’ll never see these people again, so go ahead make a fool of yourself. I’m sure there’s a dancing opportunity every night on any ship you go on.

8. Learn a new skill – On nearly every ship there will be an interesting class of some sort, well go attend. Now a days flower arranging, cooking classes, foreign language lessons, dance classes, scrapbooking and more are regular offerings.

9. Day Life – Why should nightlife have all the fun? Cruise Ship pool decks are usually rocking all day long, so join in the fun and have an afternoon pool party; you’ll have no problem finding fellow revelers.

10. Late Night Hot Tub Party – Why do you think it’s featured on every reality show, it’s fun. Try the hot tub one evening with your new friends, have a drink and relax under the stars, it’s a great way to wrap up a fun trip.

All right cruisers, let me know about your recent adventures, have you completed the top 10, is there anything I left off the list?

Let's Get This Party Started!

I always get the question, “what is the best party cruise?” To which I reply, “It depends on what you’re looking for”. I’ll do my best to give you some advice and perhaps point you in the right direction if you’re looking for a good time on the high seas.

Party Cruising 101

It’s no denying that drinking and partying are part of every cruise. If you want that type of experience, it’s entirely up to you, and from my years of experience on the high seas, many of you do.

I’ve worked on all types of cruises, some party-oriented, some not so much, but rest assured, no matter what cruise ship you are on, party people will find other party people whether they are in the nightclub, piano bar, casino they always seem to gravitate towards each other. However, some ships and itineraries stand out above the rest.

First off, any short cruise (5 days or less) is always a better party. The motto “we’re here for a good time not a long time” seems to always hold out. If you’re looking for a guaranteed party, stick with a short cruise. Also there are certain times of year the party is better than others, I call it “Party Season”.

In general “Party Season” includes:

1.     Holiday weeks - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Years (my personal favorite).

2.     Spring Break, (late February through early April).

3.     Summer Peak Season (late May through August).

The above-mentioned cruises find a bigger cross section of guests and more mixed generations of families, so if you’re looking to please the whole family and you have young adults who you know want to party, choose a “Party Season” cruise.

Now let’s get more specific.  Music-themed and specialty cruises are the biggest parties, as they have very few, to zero kids or people acting like “mature” adults. Check out http://www.sixthman.net/ to find which theme suits you best. I’ll cover the topic of music and themed cruises in a later blog, but know that they are the best for an oceanic party, mostly because they gather so many people with common interests and those interests are usually music, partying and travelling, yeah they are pretty cool.

In my opinion the Norwegian Epic consistently offers the best overall party at sea, it’s always a good time. However, the ship is in Europe for the summer, so that may be out of budget or interest for some.

If you’re on a tight budget, a weekend cruise is your best option for a good time and a quick getaway, my favorite short cruises are:

1.     Norwegian Sky – Year-round Freestyle cruising out of Miami, it has six restaurants and a bustling nightclub and pool scene. It’s hopping every weekend.  Your best bet for a great party any weekend.

2.     Majesty of the Seas – Royal Caribbean’s resident party ship, year round also out of Miami. This ship is getting a little “long in the tooth” but it’s still a good time and you’re sure to a have a great party pretty much every weekend.

3.     Explorer of the Seas (Seasonal) – out of Bayonne NJ operates 5 night cruises to Bermuda and that may be a great option for Northeasterners. The ship is beautiful, huge and I absolutely love Bermuda! You have an overnight stop and there are tons of things to do both onboard and ashore. The ships get together and offer a dockside festival and there are bars on the pier, but if you can afford it a ferry or cab ride to the main city of Hamilton is well worth it. Hamilton has tons of great bars and clubs that kick till pretty late in the evening they are pricey but so much fun.

Some of you may be wondering, “Where are the Carnival Ships?”  Carnival is in a category of its own when it comes to partying so here’s my take on the worlds largest cruise line: Carnival actively recruits the party crowd. Their whole premise is very simple … FUN! It’s the most successful cruise ship marketing campaign ever and still holds up after all these years.

The majority of the Carnival ships are geared for partying full time, so you can count on the fun ships to deliver on their promise. However be advised some of their hardware is a little dated, and just like any great retailer who keeps costs low, understand that lower prices sometimes come with some give and take. You shouldn’t have the same expectations for a cruise that is much less expensive. You wouldn’t go on a Carnival ship expecting an atmosphere similar to Holland America and vice a versa. If you want to choose a Carnival cruise for a good time at a great price you won’t be disappointed. If you want to revel in the latest advancements the industry has to offer, choose the Oasis or Allure of the Seas, the Epic, or even one of Carnival’s newest and priciest and avoid the 20 year old ships.

Please understand I’m not trying to undermine Carnival in any way as I mentioned they offer a great price point and many great inclusive features on all their ships, and again overall it’s a really good value. I’m just giving you honest feedback. I have many friends who work on Carnival and they love it and it’s party hardy demographic and spirit, and I’m sure as in all cruise ships if you want to avoid it, you certainly can, however you probably wouldn’t have made it this far in the article if your looking to avoid the onboard party scene.

All right, so that’s my two cents on Carnival, but I’ve got one more secret and my best advice for cruise loving party animals, or for those looking to finally give this whole cruising this a shot.

Norwegian Cruise Lines one and two-night cruise getaways. A few times a year Norwegian offers these from New York City (NYC) or Miami, FL when a ship is repositioning to or from another destination or to get a ship back on a Saturday or Sunday departure date. Without a doubt, these are some of the wildest parties I have ever seen at sea. The whole experience is amplified! Upon disembarkation of the ship the next day I would find many guests who probably spent about an hour in their stateroom. The nightclub and casino are usually open till 5:00 am and the tax and duty free shopping for liquor and cigarettes is out of control. So if you want to taste a freestyle cruise and just rock out for a night or two with your friends, take a Norwegian one or two-night getaway, you will not regret it.

Remember travel agents are still an important part of the cruise industry; they are educated and have a lot of experience personally testing the ships out. A travel agent can be incredibly helpful in picking the right cruise for you, saving you time, money and delivering the right product for you. There are so many choices in cruising now a days, so check with a trusted travel agent and let them help guide you to the one that’s right for you.  When you want to invest your money you go to a financial advisor think of using a travel in the same way.  Choose to spend your vacation dollars wisely and have a travel agent do the some of the legwork for you.

Well, that’s my take on partying hard on the high seas. I hope you have a blast and find whatever you’re looking for in a cruise!

Till next time,

Keep it on Cruise Control

-Andy Steinhauser

*Readers did I leave anything off the list? Let me know write me at Ask Andy http://andyscruisecontrol.com/#_

When you’re on a cruise be sure to Get Off …

…The beaten path every now and again. 

This is the first of a few blogs I will do over the next few weeks and months highlighting some of my and my fellow crew members favorite off the beaten path restaurants, cafes, bakeries, beaches and all sorts of hidden secrets that could take you months to find. This week I’m going to focus on Alaska. Now I know in my webisode I mentioned that Alaska is going to most likely be cheaper next summer due to the increased tonnage, but it’s a very popular destination and one of my all time favorites. Anyone that is sitting at home sweating out a boiling summer should consider a trip to Alaska. That’s you Georgia, Florida, Texas, Arizona; it’s cool and comfortable, filled with interesting characters and a very colorful history. There’s something for everyone to do, from adventure hikes on Glaciers to smooth and easy train rides through the mountains even world class shopping right at your cruise door steps. Alaska has it all and with Norwegian Cruise Lines bringing Nickelodeon characters like Sponge Bob Squarepants and Disney Cruise Lines even entering Alaska, it’s younger spirited more family friendly than ever. No more tumbleweed's around the nightclub at midnight. Unless you choose a cruise that is more geared to adults and less to families, read Holland America and Celebrity, which also offer their own unique advantages to visiting the 49^th state in the union.

My personal connection with Alaska began late in the summer of 2003 when I started my cruise career onboard the Vision of the Seas in Vancouver, I only got to have 2 weeks in Alaska and didn’t get to see very much, however I had the opportunity to return for two full seasons many years later. I always had a wonderful time in Alaska, did so many adventurous things and managed to meet all sorts of interesting people and find all the little secret spots. I’m a huge supporter of independent and family owned businesses and Alaska abounds with that spirit. All over the state you’ll find great family owned cafes, shops, and more. Some are amazing, some maybe not so much, the following list is by no means the definitive say on independent Alaska, but just a few of my personal favorites. 

One of my favorite stops in Alaska is Skagway, most ships stay the longest in this tiny port, which is actually the birthplace of little girl many of you may have heard of, Sarah Palin. Regardless of your politics there is no denying the deliciousness and quirky independence of one of my favorite places. When I was a cruise director I would go on stage and tell thousands of people to stop by my number 1 dont' miss spot of Skagway and I never once got negative feedback.

So here it is don’t miss spot number 1:

Sugar Mammas Cupcakes – This tiny independently owned and operated cupcake shack took the city by storm back in 2008 and has been dolling out the most delicious and creative cupcakes in the state every since. The most popular and always delicious is the red velvet, however the menu changes daily and the owner operator Deb is always cooking up interesting flavors and bizarre treats. If it’s there, try this one: maple bacon cupcake, not for vegans but OMGoodness is it delicious. The store is also a bit of a novelty shop, featuring everything from slightly raunchy post cards, vintage toys, sunglasses and even occasionally roller skates. Stop by and see Deb and the gang and be sure to try a cupcake made with their signature secret recipe “love”. Like your mamma used to do.

Skagway is not for dieters, there are pizza parlors, breweries and fudge shops on every corner and most all are good, however there is one restaurant and one dish in particular that stands out above the rest for me.

Stowaway Café French Fries – Stop by the Stowaway Café located right off the big pier, not the town pier, for a number of great dishes always served with a smile, but in my opinion their French Fries, served with a secret dipping sauce, there horse radish and hot sauce in there for sure (I know but trust me it’s amazing), for some of the best French Fries you’ll ever have in your life. I don’t know what it is, but they are AWESOME, crispy, full, golden dark brown, just amazing. God I want some French Fries right now.

Juneau – Juneau is full of awesome dive bars and jewelry stores also adventure abounds in the surrounding parks and rivers, so after your shopping or outdoor adventure pick a dive bar and try an Alaskan Amber or any Alaskan beer on tap, you have to get it on tap to truly experience it. Look for a bunch of crew members loitering outside a bar that usually means it’s a dive bar that is welcoming to tourist and it probably has Wi-Fi, so you can check your e-mail if you’re feeling withdrawal. Other than a mandatory beer stop, if you have an early call you can try one of my favorite treats ever.

The Paradise Café & Bakery, located next to the Harley Davidson Store is full of delicious treats, coffee, lunch and amazing breakfast, their quiche and scones are unbelievable, but they also have a cookie that is out of this world. The Pumpkin Cookie, soft with the most delicious icing, screw your diet, try a cookie you won’t regret it. Warning these sell out quick, go early and if you have a late call and you can’t make it till after 4, don’t count on getting a cookie, but they do have other great treats and you may get lucky.

Icy Strait Point: This teeny tiny port of call is a relative new port for Alaska but you may have a ship that stops there. My suggestion is to take a tour don't worry you’ll still have some time to shop around, this is pretty rugged Alaska. They have a dive bar right in the entry to "town" called The Office. The Office has the best steamed crabs you’ve ever eaten, it’s usually full of people sitting at plastic tables, eating crab legs from paper plates, and they are amazing. The Juke Box also has some deep cuts for those music heads out there so spare a few dollars for some great tunes and soak in a true Alaskan experience, nothing fancy just good a** seafood.

Ketchikan: Ketchikan if you happen to get one of the very rare sunny days is one of the most beautiful places you’ll ever see. However, even if it’s raining wildlife and fun abounds. The tour options and shopping opportunities are out of this world. If I had to give you one off the beaten path stop, try “Burger Queen” no not Burger King, Burger Queen, it’s right across the street from the pier and is usually littered with crew members a sure fire sign that it’s good. They have awesome old fashioned burgers, fries and out of this world Onion Rings, but if you want something unique, my friend Yvette Sechrist, no relation to Ryan, but also a true port expert says the must try is the Halibut Burger, fresh fish, light bread, special sauce a quote from Yvette “It’s the best fish sandwich I’ve ever eaten EVER” That means you better try it. You’ll thank us later.

Many of you will also stop in Victoria, a stunning pacific northwest Canadian city that usually falls at the end of your cruise and sometimes is a night stop, the crew love a night stop because it’s one of the only times you get to see a city at night. But it is such a beautiful city it doesn’t matter when you go. The best thing to do there is the Butchart Gardens. It’s just unbelievable what they have done with the place. I’m not a huge garden fan and I love it, I've been three times and would go again also if your there at the right time of the season, usually around July onwards they have a fireworks show that is not to be missed. This is a heavily promoted attraction and for good reason, it really is that great. Sorry I don’t have a more unique off the beaten path stop for victoria but didn’t want to leave you high and dry. If you can’t go to the Gardens, a stroll around the city is worth it, and something unique and free you might like to see is the floating houses, this great little neighborhood of teeny tiny houses that are all around a series of docks and the houses are literally floating, it’s really cool and makes me wonder why other lake communities haven’t copied the idea, when they do, remember who told you they should.

So again this is by no means the definitive list and be all end all Alaskan cruise to do list, these are just a few of my expert recommendations and some off the beaten path options for the independent minded cruiser.

Keep it on Cruise Control.

Till next time.

-Andy