MIAMI, May 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Let's face it.
Everyone deserves a day at the beach, preferably in a tropical
place where you can dip your toes in soft sand and clear waters.
And now here's a well-kept secret:
With itineraries in places such as the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, Bermuda, Hawaii, the Mediterranean, South America and the South Pacific, cruise
ships make it easy to get to some of the best beaches in the
world.
Cruise ship captains and other officers, when they get some time
off, are likely to head to the sand and surf. They have their
favorite beaches.
Steve Howarth, captain of Oriana
from British line P&O Cruises, smiles with fond family memories
when he thinks of Cane Garden Bay Beach in Tortola. "There is soft
white sand, warm seas, palm trees for shade, and it's where my son
built his first-ever sand castle when he was a year old," Howarth
says. The beach is about five miles from the port in Road Town.
On the other side of the world, Bas van
Dreumel, captain of Holland America Line's Maasdam, has a
soft spot for Cottesloe Beach in the port city of Fremantle, near
his hometown of Perth, Australia.
"Cottesloe is one of the nicest white beaches for our crew and
guests for some R & R," van
Dreumel says. "Plus you can purchase fish & chips and
enjoy the uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean."
For Pierre Camilleri, hotel
director on Carnival Cruise Line's newest ship, Carnival Vista, a
goal is finding a great place to swim. Trunk Bay on St. John,
U.S. Virgin Islands, is his
favorite swimming spot in the world.
"The gorgeous clear waters, soft white sand that feels like
powder and swaying palm trees along the shore create a striking,
peaceful natural spot," Camilleri says. "This bay revives my body
and soul with its tranquility and beauty." Trunk Bay is easily
accessible on a shore excursion from the popular Caribbean port of Charlotte Amalie, St.
Thomas.
Nearby, when he gets a few free hours you'll find Renato Bendinelli, captain of another Carnival
Cruise Line ship, the Carnival Fascination, making a beeline to
famous Orient Bay Beach from the Caribbean port of Philipsburg on St. Maarten.
"It's a world-famous, sought-after spot where beach chairs are
plentiful, the ocean is bright blue and the sand is soft and
powdery. Plus, you can head downtown for French food," Bendinelli
says. He also enjoys Maho Beach
close to the island's airport, which brings the thrill of watching
jumbo planes fly only a few hundred feet overhead.
"Some of the most beautiful beaches I have visited are on the
Isle de Pines in New Caledonia in
the southwest Pacific," says Kevin
Boag, hotel director on P&O Cruises Australia's Pacific
Eden. "It's a place I'm sure our guests will remember for a long
time."
From the tender pier you can head left for a gentle stroll to
the stunning white sand beach of Kuto Bay or right to the beach at
Kanumera Bay, a family friendly patch with amazing areas to snorkel
and pine trees for shade, Boag advises.
Rio de Janeiro's famous Ipanema
beach gets high marks on the people-watching spectrum from officers
on South America cruises on brands
such as Italian line Costa Cruises, ultra-luxury line Seabourn,
German line AIDA Cruises and the ocean liners of Cunard. If you can
distract yourself from the buff bodies and skimpy bikinis on
display on the two-mile stretch of golden sand, there are
impressive views of the towering Two Brothers peaks.
On Australia and New Zealand itineraries, John Scott, captain of Holland America Line's
Eurodam, recommends a beach break in New
Zealand's Bay of Plenty.
From the port of Tauranga on North Island, Maunganui Beach is
about a 20-minute walk from the dock and has sun, sand and surf –
plus the bonus of great ice cream.
"At the northern end is the stunning Mount Maunganui and behind
the beach don't miss a stop at Rush Munro, New Zealand's oldest ice cream maker," Scott
says.
Champagne Bay in the remote island nation of Vanuatu has long been voted the best beach in
the South Pacific and is a favorite of Michael Mihajlov, destination director for
Carnival Australia. "This perfectly undisturbed white sand beach
lies within an undeveloped, perfectly natural bay," Mihajlov says.
"It's beach nirvana."
Darren Bowland, captain of
Holland America Line's ms Koningsdam, says it's no surprise that
guests give high marks to the line's private island, Half Moon Cay.
"It's fantastic, with a lovely white-sand beach, clear turquoise
waters and no outside interruptions. I always hear from guests that
this is the perfect, quintessential Caribbean island experience. You know what? It
really is."
On Mexican Rivera cruises, isolated Lover's Beach near
Cabo San Lucas and the tiny beach
haven of Yelapa Beach near Puerto
Vallarta are favorites of the Princess Cruises destination
team. Recommended on Western
Caribbean itineraries is an excursion from Cozumel to Tulum. Plan some time to relax in the white
sands and dip in the emerald sea of Tulum beach, below the unique sight of the
cliff-top ruins of an ancient Mayan city.
"There are few places in the world that compare to Myrtos Beach
on the little island of Kefalonia in the Ionian sea of Greece," says Paolo Viscafè, captain of the
Costa Pacifica.
"When I saw this island for the first time I was fascinated by
the view of the unspoiled and beautiful beach from the mountain
above. The silence was as timeless as the ancient history of this
place," Viscafè says. Captain's tip: For an unforgettable
experience head to the terrace of a sea-view taverna to sample
local products such as cheese and olives with a glass of Robola
wine.
For those who like an active beach vacation you can't do better
than Hawaii's Waikiki Beach, says
Wesley Dunlop, captain of the Aurora
from P&O Cruises.
"I was lucky enough to visit on the Aurora's recent World Cruise
and the thing that I loved about it was the plethora of activities
available there, everything from surfing, canoe paddling,
snorkeling, scuba, jet skis, parasailing, kite surfing," Dunlop
says. "You name it, it's available! Combine this with miles of
golden sand, clear blue waters and some fantastic restaurants and
in my mind that is hard to beat."
Captain Marco Carsjens, master of
Holland America Line's Rotterdam,
daydreams about the beautiful pink sands of Bermuda, including the famous, crescent-shaped
Horseshoe Bay in Southampton Parish.
"You can catch amazing views from cliff-top trails above, and if
you go exploring, there are small and secluded coves such as Port
Royal Cove with its shallow water and interesting rock formations,"
Carsjens says, adding wistfully, "I wish I had more time at the
beach."
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SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc