Ferry proponents’ relationship with City Hall has grown more collaborative since Bladholm’s press conference last April. But a funding gap remains.
The interlocal agreement sending $1.5 million in Manatee County Tourist Development Council funds toward the Anna Maria pier rebuild does not stipulate that docks be built for a ferry, according to the city.
Cloud 9 Spa
The Cloud 9 Spa is Carnival’s branded spa experience, found on its newer ships. It offers a more upscale, premium version of the standard cruise line spa. It features a thalassotherapy pool, thermal suites and relaxation areas. It also has special “experience showers” that offer a soothing fragrance element. In addition, the Spa has four steam chambers with a variety of aromatherapy oils.
Guests can enjoy a variety of massage and beauty treatments at the Cloud 9 Spa, with additional fees. The spa is open from early in the morning until late in the evening, giving passengers plenty of opportunities to relax and rejuvenate during their trip. Generally, spa services cost extra and must be booked in advance.
Passengers who book a cabin in the Spa will get exclusive access to the facility and will be eligible for exclusive spa packages and discounts (applicable to the first two adult guests of a Cloud 9 Spa stateroom). The first guest in a Spa cabin will receive free entrance into the Thermal Suites, Hydrotherapy Pool and Large Hot Tub Spa area. All other Spa guests must pay per day or per sailing ticket prices for entry to these facilities. Age policy for body treatments is 18 years. This is in addition to the standard age requirement of 13 for hair, nails and facial services.
SkyRide
If you love to take Instagram-worthy shots of New York City, this is the place for you. It’s part ride, part museum and a really cool venue to see the city in an entirely different way.
You’ll see everything from the Brooklyn Bridge and Empire State Building to the Statue of Liberty, and even the New Jersey shoreline. If you want to learn more about NYC there’s a great exhibit with interactive props. Plus there’s a ride at the end that is a bit like Soarin from Epcot.
Each cabin holds up to six people. They’re suspended from a moving cable, and two employees control the cars at each of the three stations. At Fantasy Forest and Frontier Adventures, a giant wheel that has a pulley-like groove changes the direction of the cable. At the drive station (which includes the ride’s drive unit), an employee checks the latch of each car to make sure it’s securely clamped onto the cable. Then, the car rolls down a ramp to accelerate, and it clamps on the steel tracks above.
Serenity
In 2517, humanity has spread to the far reaches of the universe and colonized many planets. But on the backwaters of the Alliance, a remnant of the old world, frontier justice still holds sway. Captain Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds, a former soldier from the losing Independent side of a devastating war against the Alliance, runs a spaceship called Serenity, with first mate Zoe Washburne, pilot Hoban “Wash” Washburne and mercenary Jayne Cobb. Their lives of petty crime are interrupted when a psychic passenger, River, warns that the Alliance is pursuing them.
Mal and his crew find a hiding place in the mining colony of Haven. There they meet Shepherd Book (Ron Glass) who tells them that the Alliance agent pursuing River is likely an “Operative.” The crew decide to broadcast their location to alert other ships of their danger, but just as they’re about to start, a message designed to trigger River’s mental conditioning appears on TV and the Operative takes their ship.
After the sun goes down, the fun continues with award winning onboard entertainment and activities. Get your groove on at a lively singalong party, play all your favorites at the arcade or sip classic cocktails by the pool deck. Hangouts for kids and teens also get a major upgrade at the new, completely redesigned Adventure Ocean(r) Youth Program and Living Room.
Onboard Bars
Onboard bars and lounges serve a whole range of drinks on your cruise. You’ll find everything from old-school favorites to fresh-pressed juices, barista-crafted specialty coffee and phenomenal mocktails. On some ships alcohol is included in your fare while other lines charge extra for alcoholic beverages.
On your cruise you’ll find a host of bars to enjoy, from the classic Madmen-esque Ari’s Bar on Christina O to IJE’s high-tech nightclub. There’s also the Rolling Stone Rock Room on ms Eurodam, named for legendary music magazine and featuring an eight-piece band that gets people up dancing.
For wine lovers, embark on a wine tasting course where you’ll learn the difference between pinot and port or syrah and chardonnay. You’ll meet fellow wine connoisseurs and even take home a bottle to remember your voyage by.
On a sea day, the activities are nonstop from dawn until dinner. Yoga, bingo with the diva, karaoke and trivia are just a few of the options that are offered. A full list of daily activities is updated on the ship’s app and can be accessed from your cabin or by logging in to the boat wifi. On port days the events are scaled back but the ship still has plenty to do.