Special ship spaces: in these days of cookie-cutter cruise liners, unique onboard places help differentiate vessels

Cruise Travel, Nov-Dec, 2003 by Georgina Cruz

If asked to define a cruise liner, Gertrude Stein might have replied. "A ship is a ship is a ship." However, my definition, one that those who have been lucky enough to be cruise passengers might agree with, is "a ship is special, special, special."

In addition to the joy and romance of sailing, what makes vessels special is their spaces: the facilities and amenities--ever more noteworthy with each passing year--that translate into the most comfortable and pampered way of travel yet devised by man, a mode of transportation that truly makes getting there more than half the fun.

A case in point is Le Champagne, the wine-tasting room aboard Silversea Cruises' Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper. Special with a capital S. this intimate, ocean-view room was as sparkling as the fine crystal of the wine glasses arranged for a tasting on its tables one afternoon in the Indian Ocean during a "South Africa & Beyond" voyage. Wolfgang Zehnter, head sommelier, welcomed guests to a tasting of three wines: two chardonnays from America (one from Napa and one from Oregon) and a pinot noir from Australia--all from the line's array of complimentary wines.

The surroundings were as exquisite as the fruit of the vine: warm cherry-woods; parquet floors accented by Oriental carpets in jewel tones; floral arrangements with red, white, and pink anthuriums (to echo the color of wine?); fine wood and glass cabinets filled with bottles from the best wine-producing regions of the world. Etched-glass panels on a wall are inscribed with quotes about champagne from writers, actors, and other famous people including Dora Perignon himself, who once exclaimed, "Come quickly, I'm drinking stars!"

"Our guests are always surprised to find a room like this on a ship, appointed so nicely," said Mark Iannazzo, the Silver Shadow's cruise director. "In addition to the scheduled wine-tastings on each voyage, it's the perfect after-dinner retreat--some of our guests won't go anyplace else." If he were a guest on the ship, Zehnter commented, he'd "sit here from early in the morning till the wee hours every day."

Located next to the Terrace Cafe, where bountiful breakfast and lunch buffets and alternative themed dinners are served, it is the ideal spot for a pro-dinner toast with bubbly while trading stories and comparing notes after a day of touring. The most requested champagnes, Zehnter said, are Moet & Chandon's Brut Imperial, poured on a complimentary basis, and Moet & Chandon's Dom Perignon, from the line's Connoisseur's List, with a price tag of $100 a bottle.

If, as Hugh Johnson, the English wine writer, once remarked, "everyone should try one of the world's great wines at least once a year just to remind oneself of all the poetry and magic that such a bottle brings," then one should sip it at Le Champagne at least once in a lifetime.

Other extra special ship spaces not to be missed include those below. The list steers away from restaurants, spas, and show lounges for space considerations (a book would be needed if those were included). Instead, we limit ourselves to unique, offbeat spaces you would normally not expect to find on ships, but that contribute immensely to the cruising experience.

* The hulls are alive with the sound of music. Notes--the industry's first music library, featured on all of Celebrity Cruises' Millennium Class ships--is a two-level enclave with nearly 1,500 digital selections of music in varying styles with individual listening stations and headsets. How special is that? Well while visiting Majorca during a Western Europe sailing on the Constellation, for instance, we were able to listen to Chopin's "Raindrops Prelude" right after visiting his and George Sand's accommodations at the monastery in Valldemosa, where he composed this melancholy piece and most of his Preludes.

With capacity for 20 guests, Notes is an inviting space, decorated with musical instruments, a chandelier in the shape of sheet music, and other themed decor elements.

If you would rather listen to your favorite music by the pool, recently introduced Apple IPOD rental availability on the Millennium Class ships allows you to download a series of selections in Notes and take them along for listening ondeck or elsewhere.

* How cool is this? Very! Imagine coming in from the heat after a day of exploring a Caribbean island and settling down to an ice-skating show, complete with snow flurries and other special effects, Royal Caribbean International introduced ice rinks with its groundbreaking Voyager of the Seas in 1999. The 40- by 60-foot rinks with seating for 900 spectators--plus mini Zamboni-like machines to resurface the ice--showcase well-received, contemporary, 45-minute production shows during each voyage. The dynamic spectacles spotlight triple jumps and other exciting maneuvers. The cast features champions from the U.S., Canada, and other nations and features many skaters who have toured with Ice Capades and Holiday On Ice--a wonderful way to spend an evening during a cruise.