The Prince of Packing Procrastination!

Don't let the smile fool you...
Cruise Man 3000 is a HUGE packing procrastinator! 

I have been procrastinating since I could remember. In my high school days, college days, and even my cruising days. As you all know, I am getting ready for my next cruise (yes, the cruise countdown is on) and I wanted to know what the "normal" way of packing was when it came time for a cruise. Now I normally pack the night before. I know it's risky, but I feel if you're within a four hour radius from your cruise port--as I am for this next cruise--then that's okay, right? Well, I took to Twitter and Facebook to see what my cruise friends do when preparing for a cruise vacation, and this is what they had to say:

You all know David Stern (@StarshineCruise), my "RCI Go-To Man?" Sure you do. Well, he said he normally packs the night before the cruise but he used to pack as far as a week in advance. I used to be that way, too? Well, no, I have always been a night before kind of guy, lol. But I'm happy to know he and I share in the procrastinating realm of packing. But my friend from Connecticut, Craig Kell, said he packs a least three weeks prior to sailing. Man, he's not a firm believer in last minute packing (maybe his packing zeal will trickle down a few states). One Facebook fan on her A-game, Denise Jiles, says she begins a month in advance (good thing we don't live under the same roof, haha)!

One of my favorite gals on the West Coast, Carrie Finley-Bajak (@CruiseBuzz) told me that she has learned from some past mistakes, so days in advance is her packing choice. She never told me what the past mistake was, but I hope she didn't fall asleep while packing (talk about making a b-line for your ship)! And my pal from the Mid-West, Mikey Faust (@MikeyCruiseBlog), even chimed in with his methods. Mikey told me he feels comfortable knowing his bags are packed at least a week before the cruise. He doesn't like the added stress that can overwhelm him when trying to gather things at the last minute. And the cruisetastic peeps over at Cruise Legend (@CruiseLegend) say they pack at least a day in advance, but make a list of what to bring weeks prior.

You would think I'd get the message by now, right? To pack in advance... and I think I have. I have started gathering things, but nothing's in a suitcase. They may sound like nothing to you, but I'm patting myself on the back for having that much done, haha. Pray for me, y'all. Pray I will be packed by Friday (at least that's two days in advance). Be sure to share your packing tips below, or on the Facebook fan page! Happy packing and cruising--Shon!

Port of Call Review: Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida

Video Credit: The Ocean Escape YouTube Channel

Let's talk about the happiest port on earth: Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida! Now, when thinking about this port what's the first thing you think of? For many, many years, I never pictured this port of call as a destination for a cruise, but many cruise lines have been ushering more and more ships into the waters closest to mouse town in recent years. Common, popular, and normally sold-out cruise routes leaving from the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast (typically embarking from Baltimore, Maryland or New York, New York) are week-long Bahamas and Florida cruises. Each have variations in where they call in the Bahamas, but normally all ships sailing down the Eastern Seaboard normally stop in Port Canaveral.

Like my Mickey Ears?
No matter which cruise ship bring you into Port Canaveral,
you have to go give Mickey and company a visit! 

Before setting sail on one of these unique Bahamas cruises, I never looked at Port Canavaeral as a port of call, but a port of embarkation. I've sailed from Port Canaveral before and thought there wasn't really much to do there in the immediate cruise ship terminal area, but it wasn't until I returned to the port on Norwegian Gem when I realized there was more to do there than I could ever imagine. So don't arrive with a "We're not somewhere exotic, so there must not be anything cool to do here" attitude.

The Ron Jon Surf Shop is a cool place to visit...
Tiki statues and all!

No matter what your taste is, this port of call has more than enough for whatever your palette may desire. Of course, there's Disney World and all the theme parks within the happiest place on Earth. But don't forget about other amusement parks like Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. Are you and animal lover?Do you have an aquatic and marine desire? Well Sea World might be the best place for you! Want to get lost in space? Then head on over to the Kennedy Space Center which can be seen from your ship at the port. Check out the close-by Water Cove Market for some shopping and CoCo Beach for some fun in the sun. The beach is actually right behind the Ron Jon Surf Shop--a pretty neat place to roam around (they have a Starbucks inside and an aquarium with sharks and eels)!

Nothing like finding just a nice beach to lay out on, right?
Be sure to check out CoCo Beach--it'll hit the spot!

No matter if you're looking for thrills, some sand to be a beach bum, or an aeronautical adventure, this port of call has everything you could ever want and so much more! One thing to keep in mind is Orlando is approximately 50-60 minutes away from the Port Canaveral cruise terminal; so be sure you allow yourself enough time to and from the ship. May you come to enjoy this city as much as I have with your travels into her welcoming waters! Your Port Canaveral charted-ships await--hop on yours today!

What the Hull?

Currently sailing as Grand Celebration, former Celebration
was the smallest ship I have ever sailed... or was it?
Photo Credit: Cruise Critic 

How small have you sailed when a cruise ship for a vacation? I was pondering this last week for a few reasons. I was trying to really hound in on which ship size is my speed.... and some house cleaning helped, too (haha). I was doing some spring cleaning last week and came across the pictures from when I sailed Celebration from Jacksonville some years ago. Then I said, "I can't believe I sailed a ship that small!" I will never forget the look on my face when I pulled up to the Port of Jacksonville. Having just disembarked Star Princess the cruise prior, Celebration did not even compare in size. We were solo in ports for the duration of our cruise--so we weren't blown out by any other ships--but she was truly a ship I will always remember (to date, she's the last Carnival Cruise Line ship I've sailed).

I remember sailing bigger ships, like Norwegian Epic, and having a great time, but feeling lost in the masses. Then on the smaller ships, such as Celebration, I felt too cramped and too close to everyone else on-board. You know what I'm talking about? Then it dawned on me (after all these years), I love mid-sized cruise ships. I mean it only took me a lifetime to have my Ah-Ha Cruise Moment, haha (thanks, Oprah)! Ships that are similar to the frame of Norwegian Jade, Carnival Spirit, or Radiance of the Seas are my cups of sea indeed! What does your cup of sea taste/look like?

Then there's Regal Empress (no longer in service). She's definitely a toy
compared to what's on the high seas today, right?
Photo Credit: SS Maritime

So, Celebration isn't the smallest ship I've been on... Regal Empress clearly takes the cake. What's your preference? I know 'big' is the new trend, but I'm not breaking my neck to sail Allure of the Seas or any other mega-liner out there... at least for now. Be sure to share your thoughts below, or on Facebook. Happy cruising--Shon!

Cruise Ship of the Month Highlight: May 2012

m/s Nieuw Amsterdam sails long and tall--one of the best contemporary
ships afloat to date.
Photo Credit: Forbes

New York and Amsterdam are not just associated together from historical interactions, but they are contemporary partners in maritime. This month, The Ocean Escape welcomes history-rich m/s Nieuw Amsterdam into the cruise ship of the month spotlight for May 2012. Launched in 2010, this sleek vessel has been gracing the globe with "a signature of excellence" for two years, come this July. Amsterdam shaped her, New York showers her, and once you step aboard, you're going to love her!


Caring just over 2,000 passengers and slicing through the ocean at an impressive 23.9 knots, m/s Nieuw Amsterdam is easily one of the more notable sophisticated cruise ships in this day and age. Equipped with an array of tantalizing eateries, areas for every member of the family--children, teens, and adults alike, and even industry-distinct spa staterooms, she will keep you coming back for more visits to her 930 foot long frame. 


Want to sail her soon? No worries, she'll take you to all the places you love and dream of. Currently, Holland America Line has her playing a game of ping-pong between the Caribbean and the Mediterranean--exchanging Florida for Spain or Italy, depending upon the season, as ports of embarkation. Are you a sea lover? Yes? Well be sure to hop on her transatlantic sailings that last up to two weeks in some cases--it'll be the voyage of a lifetime!


With this ship, you'll not only get to see tastes of the old and new world together in rarity, but you will be ambushed with top-of-the-line service (and a cherry on top if you're vacation deprived). m/s Nieuw Amsterdam is the fourth edition issued by HAL. HAL liked the first one, loved the second, made the third one the charm, and ensured the fourth time around was over the top! Be sure to explore and see all this ship has to offer to you and your family on her very own website. She awaits your arrival! Bon Voyage!

A Royal Christmas for CM3K?

The sea is calling... but will CM3K answer royally?
Photo Credit: Otherside, The Blog

I promise the Earth is still spinning, and yes, you are reading The Ocean Escape. Many of you know Royal Caribbean and I don't have the best of "fruiseships," but all that may change this year... but nothing's definite. So why is this change of relationship changing now? Well, I'll let you know.

For the past six years, my family has made it our business to sail the high seas over the Christmas holiday. This tradition began with Carnival Fascination and Norwegian Pearl (we did a back-to-back cruise from Miami), and we have not looked back. So this week, the family got together on Skype to discuss which ship will be our destination this Christmas. We looked at NCL (of course), Cunard's Queen Mary 2, and... wait for... Royal Caribbean! I know, right? Me and RCI?

You know Royal Caribbean may have some Ford family love this year... but we don't want to do a short cruise. We're looking to sail from Christmas into the New Year and we want a decent sized ship. Now I'm going to ask for some suggestions. What do you think? Do you have a favorite RCI ship that you think we should sail? Well, comment below, on Facebook, or Twitter and your pick may become mine! I can't make any promises, so don't get mad if I make a last minute B-line for NCL, but I'm interested to see what you all suggest. Your royal ships await--Shon!

Big Apple or Sunny Orange?

Video Credit: The Ocean Escape YouTube Channel

When will I stop talking about Northeastern cruise ports? Um, that would be never, haha. It may be with bias, but you have to agree, some exciting itineraries await you in this part the country (Bermuda, Canada & New England, just to name a few)! Does Northeast come to mind when you think of cruising? Yes? No? Sometimes? For some it does not, as a great Twitter friend of mine expressed last week. I have a host of great cruise friends on Twitter, and one of them ushered comments mimicking the preceding. He name is Mikey Faust--hailing from the Buckeye State. He shares:


"When I think of cruising, I automatically think of cruising out of Miami into the beautiful Caribbean Sea. I think a lot of people just don't think about cruising from other ports not in Florida."


Mikey went on to share that he has sailed from the Northeast once--leaving from New York City--but wouldn't bite the Big Apple first. Instead, he prefers drinking a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice--sailing from the Floridian ports into the vivacious Caribbean. And I get where he's coming from. Florida is a great place to dive into the Caribbean, but as someone who is not too keen with flights longer than two hours, I don't mind the 15 minute drive to the Port of Baltimore, haha. What's your preference? Do you agree with Mikey's comments?

No matter if she's leaving from Jersey or Jacksonville, cruise ships will be sailing until the end of time to treasured regions all over the globe. But pick the port that works best for you! Cruising is one of those travel genres where one size does not fit all, and ports of embarkation are no exception. Despite my weekly sermons about the Northeast, pick the port that you feel most comfortable sailing from. So, stop waiting around and get on the web to find your next cruise vacation! Ready? Go! May you have smooth sailing and lasting memories on the high seas! Much Love--Shon!

Who's Next?

Former Empress of the Seas standing steady in
the Port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (July 2006).
Photo Credit: Public Fotki

So do you all remember when Philly closed its berths for cruise ships? Yeah, and then remember when Mobile, AL was left to fend for itself when Carnival jumped ship last year? So who do you think is next? Is another cruise port in danger of seeing ship depletion? With cruise lines dishing out more ships than ever before, it looks like there could be some ships in ports that once were or currently bare, right?

With some cruise ports being close to others sailing similar routes, we (as cruisers) may find it better to sail from one port over another. For example, in the Northeast, it may be easier for me to sail from Baltimore versus New York. Many regions resemble this trend, but let's just look at the East Coast. With the East Coast, ships sail to Bermuda, Canada & New England, the Bahamas, and Caribbean see ships from the Atlantic ports. But only a few of the ports along the Eastern Seaboard survive.

On the East Coast, only five cruise ports are all year round and others are seasonal. But, if Florida can do what these other regions are doing, why can't other home-port cruise regions survive with full ship-port deployment? Why isn't Norfolk, Boston, and Philly all year round along with the ports of Baltimore, New York/New Jersey, and Charleston? If Florida can do it, why can't the other ports? Florida dishes out a host of ships to almost the same places over and over again from a total of six cruise ports (including West Palm Beach).

Public interest, cruise line investment, and a host of other variables come into play with this, but I wonder what you all think. So why is this? This is just a question that came across my mind and I want to open it up to you. Be sure to comment below and share your thoughts. Thanks, cruise fans!

Cruise Ship of the Month Highlight: April 2012

Golden Princess shines bright in all parts of the globe!
Photo Credit: Princess Cruises

April showers bring... Golden flowers? Yeah, that's right. The Ocean Escape has changed the old familiar saying and we are dancing in a shimmering gold rain this month. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Golden Princess into April's top honor of Cruise Ship of the Month!

Golden Princess hit the high seas back in 2001 and has provided many guests the opportunity to 'escape completely' for over a decade. She weighs 109,000 gross tons, lays out to be 951 feet in length, and has room for just over 2,500 eager cruisers just like you and me! The dining options on this floating resort are truly endless! There are nine casual spots, three specialty restaurants, two anytime dining locales, and even a traditional dining room to satisfy your hungry palette Stop holding your breath, because eating is not the only thing to do aboard this vessel.

This ship comes equipped with three pools, a host of hot tubs, an adult-only zone called The Sanctuary, a nine-hole golf course and I could go on and on; but I'll let you see more of the cool things this ship has awaiting your arrival. And if you're looking for a cruise that sails waters outside of the traditional Bahamas, Caribbean, or Europe, then this is your ship! Princess Cruises currently has her sailing through the waters of Alaska, Hawaii, Tahiti, and the South Pacific. So be on the look-out for her on the West Coast!

In addition to other cruise ship staples such as casinos, bars, and theaters, Golden Princess brings you an escape that is bigger and better than many other ships on the high seas. You can get the big ship feel without being attacked by the masses on this ship. Make it your business to virtually explore and book a cruise vacation aboard this award-winning vessel. I promise you will love her so much--you'll just have one word to describe this princess: Golden. 

That Sail-away Feeling...

There's nothing like high-seas peace.
Hop on-board a cruise today for your taste!
Photo Credit: Shon "Cruise Man 3000" Ford

Where can you find me on Tuesday evenings from 8:00pm-10:00pm? Well, if you follow me on Twitter, then you know I am a HUGE fan of The Biggest Loser and watch from week-to-week. Last week's episode took me back to December 18, 2011--the date I embarked aboard Norwegian Gem. Yeah, I know I've been talking about this ship for a while, but if you spent a week aboard her, you'd be talking about her for eons. Okay, back to The Biggest Loser connection. So the contestants had to attend a group exercise class--a Zumba lesson. It looked like fun, but nothing I'd hit the gym to do. I have never done Zumba, but the music alone can get your legs moving like two high-speed propellers.

It was the music that really had me smiling... then frowning all in the same sense. That music was so inviting, vivacious, and nostalgic. It reminded me of a cruise ship band position smack-dab in the middle of the lido deck, pool-side, playing music that was very up-beat. The kind of music that sounds the alarm to my brain and let's my body know I am officially on vacation. It made me sad for a while because I missed that "Oh, this is great, and I love seeing us leave land behind with a fruity drink in my hand knowing paradise awaits me" feeling. Let's call that the sail-away feeling for short. If you've cruised before, then you know what I'm talking about... at least I hope you do, lol.

I quickly turned that frown into a smile because May is literally a month away. I'm not smiling just for the May flowers; but I'll have the opportunity to get my sail-away feeling back when I step aboard Norwegian Star heading to Bermuda! I cannot wait and pray that sail-away feeling lasts for a long time. I even love the band playing while sailing into port; I get that "I'm on vacation" feeling time-and-time again without fail. So I hope you hit the high seas soon and experience why I get sad when I hear Caribbean and Latin inspired music. Your music-blasting boats await! Bon Voyage!

No Longer Cruise Man 3000 Pounds!

Cruise Man 3000 before, 210 pounds!

Wow, what a journey I have been on the past seven months! I have officially lost 50 pounds and I am feeling great! My goal was not to get skinny or thin, it was to get healthy. Living a healthy lifestyle is truly no easy task--as we all know--especially in this day and age. The day and age of fast food, low-activity, and many, many cruise ship buffets. Being a cruise enthusiast and addict, the temptations that await me when I step aboard one of today's innovative ocean-going vessels are endless. But we all have self-discipline and control that will help lead us to the results we wish to see.

So, let me answer the repeated question many of you have been asking: "What did you do?" Well, I did a lot... but it all boils down to four words: diet, exercise, hard-work, and dedication. Seriously, that was it. I did not go on any fad-diet plan or take diet pills. I just counted my calories using MyFitessPal and started going to the gym. I changed up my work=out routine from week-to-week, sought counsel from nutrition & fitness experts, relied on God's strength. We've been hearing it all these years, and I am living proof that diet and exercise really does work!

I want you to make your mind up that YOU (YES YOU) can do whatever you want. No matter what it is. It could be going on your first cruise vacation, starting a business, or like me, living healthy from day-to-day. For me, the healthy life had to be something I wanted first. Once I believed I could do it, I stopped walking and sprinted until I crossed the finish line. When you set your mind on something, keep it set! Many people may not have your back, they may even make comments that are mean, but NEVER GIVE UP! Keep pressing on and you too will be a winner! Much Love--Shon!

Cruise Man 3000 today, 160 pounds!
Photo Credit: Photography by Cady Clas