On a recent shipyard visit to the soon-to-be launched Quantum of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's chief executive, Richard Fain, was asked why there was a 10-metre pink bear on the top deck.
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Apart from the fact she (surely it must be female?) is gorgeous, fun and eye-catching, the bear is part of a vast contemporary art collection on the ship.
The theme of the $5.6 million, 2980-piece collection, is "What Makes Life Worth Living" and it was curated by Australian artist Lawrence Argent (who also created the bear). Argent studied at RMIT in Melbourne and lectures on sculpture at the University of Colorado Denver.
Not many artists have their work seen by thousands of people each week, particularly people who might not visit art galleries in their everyday lives. Argent says: "The bear engages those that have a fear of thinking they don't know what art is and turns it into an approachable entity."
For the more technically minded, the bear is made of 1340 stainless-steel triangles and weighs about eight tonnes.
Other artworks onboard Quantum include a huge installation by Paul Villinski called Crossing, a wall of 210 butterflies representing 30 different species. Each butterfly is made of aluminium, stainless steel, acrylic and enamel.
Royal Caribbean International has a huge art collection across its fleet of 21 ships. For the past 20 years, it has employed a company called ICArt to find new and seasoned artists to create works. Quantum's sister ship, Anthem of the Seas, which will launch in April 2015, will be just as brilliantly decked out.
Meet the crew
NAME: Peter Bos; Dutch, living in the United States.
POSITION: Captain, Holland America Line's Oosterdam.
MY TYPICAL DAY: Emails, visual inspection rounds, port state, flag state, Lloyd's and public health audit/inspections preparations, follow-ups, compliance programs, crew training, socialising with guests, voyage planning, arrivals and departures.
FAVOURITE CRUISE MOMENT: Any wildlife sightings.
FAVOURITE CRUISE PORTS: Alaska, Iceland, Scandinavia, Antarctica, Tasmania, New Zealand - all moderate-climate ports.
TIPS FOR PASSENGERS: Find the crow's nest or highest, most-forward public area and look out for wildlife when at sea. Relax. Leave your iPhone, tablets and laptops at home. Wash your hands frequently and do not overeat.
Sound waves
Tickets are already on sale for next year's BRAVO - Cruise of Performing Arts, which will be held on Radiance of the Seas and departs from Sydney on October 24, 2015. Stars from classical music, opera, musical theatre, jazz and more will perform on the eight-day cruise.
The impressive line-up of local and international talent includes Katherine Jenkins, James Morrison, Liz Callaway, David Hobson and Suzanne Johnston, to name just a few.
Suite dreams are made of these
"The ship within a ship", an exclusive enclave on board large, resort-style ships, is a concept that's been embraced by MSC Cruises (the Yacht Club) and Norwegian Cruise Lines (the Haven).
From next year, Celebrity Cruises will be offering its Suite Class to passengers who are looking for extra pampering. Services include a private restaurant, unlimited drinks, complimentary dining in all the speciality restaurants, a butler, free Wi-Fi and, of course, the best suites on the ship.
Deals
OFFER OF THE WEEK
Save $3000 on ecruising travel's 23-night fly/stay/cruise package from Honolulu to Sydney, departing October 2, 2015. Included are flights to Hawaii, five nights at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, and 23 nights sailing with port calls in French Polynesia and New Zealand. From $4429. Phone 1300369 848, see ecruising.travel.
MORE BARGAINS
CRUISE GURU has great fares on Pacific Jewel's eight-night South Pacific cruise, departing Sydney on October 7. From $778. Phone 13 13 03, see cruiseguru.com.au.
CRUISECO's 18-night fly/cruise/stay package includes 16 nights on NCL's Norwegian Star, departing Copenhagen May 11, 2015, and visiting nine ports in seven countries. From $5895. Phone 1800 225 656, see cruising.com.au.
Etiquette
How to be sip shape
Rules about age limits for drinking on cruises can be confusing. On Australian-based ships it is the same as on land - you must be 18 to be served alcohol. But this varies overseas, depending on the cruise line and where you are cruising. On US ships cruising in US waters you must be 21, but on US ships in Europe, it might be 18 or 21. The best thing to do if you are planning to cruise with 18-year-olds who like a cold beer or two is to check the policy with the line before you book.
