Eight Perspectives on San Francisco

A cruise is a cruise is a cruise, right? Not if you're a highly selective Budget Travel reader. By a margin of 494 votes, BT readers declared Royal Caribbean International (RCI) king of the cruise lines, praising its cheery staff, good value, diverse itineraries, and whale-size roster of activities. RCI's larger-than-life ships may have something to do with it. The Allure of the Seas, which debuts this December, will share the title of world's largest superliner with its slightly older sister, the 2009 Oasis of the Seas. Meanwhile, nine other ships in RCI's fleet are roughly double the size of the Titanic, with at least 15 decks, plus novelties such as mall-like promenades, water parks, ice rinks, and full-blown parades. Up on the pool deck, a daily carnival takes place with blissed-out septuagenarians in hot tubs, mobs of women doing the Macarena, and parents teaching their kids how to dog-paddle. Hard to imagine, right? We set sail on the 3,114-passenger Explorer of the Seas, part of the company's midsize Voyager class, and on a five-night journey from New Jersey to Bermuda, we asked a range of passengers for their insights into why—exactly—everyone and their mother loves this line. royalcaribbean.com, rates start at $379 per person, double occupancy, for a five-night sailing but more typically are $750 to $1,200 depending on the season, itinerary, and ship. THE GOOD SPORTS Angelyn, 16; Bret, 23; Leanna, 20; and Ryan Caldwell, 25; of Thousand Oaks, Calif. It's no surprise that the four Caldwell kids utterly dominated the Explorer's 34-foot-high rock wall: The southern Californians are accustomed to a steady diet of biking, surfing, and bouldering. Though the gang has rented vacation houses in Mexico and Hawaii, this cruise—their first—surfaced as an ideal way to gather the extended clan, including parents, grandparents, and cousins, following Ryan's graduation from Drexel University in Philadelphia this June. Team Caldwell and friends, all 15 of them, hit the high seas running. "We feasted and exercised round the clock," says Ryan. In addition to daily gym sessions, the family also managed to squeeze in plenty of entertainment, including karaoke and an adult scavenger hunt. On one of the last days, the Caldwells were spotted on the sidelines of a parade headed down the ship's simulated Main Street; they were high-fiving and even hugging employees dressed as monkeys and elephants. Says Ryan: "At that point, we'd all become friends." Best Tip Bring walkie-talkies. "We didn't have them," says Walt, the Caldwells' father, "and it would have helped us find each other." THE NEWLYWEDS Wendy Champion, 29, and Vito Ciancia, 31, of North Brunswick, N.J., minutes after their shipboard ceremony The fact that Wendy Champion and Vito Ciancia decided to make things official after a 13-year courtship was reason enough for a special ceremony. "We wanted to do something memorable—and affordable," says Vito, a systems administrator at New York University. "And we loved the idea of celebrating with our closest family and friends for several days," adds Wendy, a sales manager for a technical publishing company. So while the Explorer was docked in Bermuda, the wedding party gathered in the white chapel at the top of the ship and the Ciancias said their vows (the legal documents had been signed a few days earlier at City Hall in North Brunswick, N.J.). Wedding pictures were snapped on the pool deck, and then the party of 32 piled onto a chartered catamaran for a day of champagne toasts and snorkeling. Wendy was dressed for the occasion in a white bikini with mrs. ciancia spelled out in rhinestones across the bottom and a veil that somehow managed to stay perfectly in place—even after several jumps into the water. Later that night, as the Ciancias cut their wedding cake in the ship's dining room, the veil remained on, looking remarkably fit for the occasion, especially with traces of seaweed still stuck in it. Best Tip Pack a watch. "We had a hard time finding clocks on the ship," Wendy says, "and since we weren't using our cell phones, we almost never knew what time it was." THE CAROUSERS Matthew Pascarelli, 30, and Lauriel White, 25, of Merrick, N.Y., drinking Lava Flows (a piña colada/strawberry daiquiri combo) Matt Pascarelli and Lauriel White set off on their first cruise together with a strict schedule in mind: Eat, sunbathe, nap, drink, and dance. Joining the couple—he's an accountant at BNY Mellon, she's an account executive at a pharmaceutical company—were Matt's parents, who were celebrating their 30th anniversary, and his three siblings and their mates, all from upstate New York. This was everyone's first time on RCI (some had taken a Disney cruise before), but it wasn't long before everyone fell into a groove. Each morning about 11 a.m., the group would descend upon the pool deck to lounge on towel-covered chairs and enjoy the ocean views. Every evening, they made the most of the ship's nightlife. Matt and Lauriel belted out Billy Joel songs at the piano bar ("Hey, no need to be too cool," says Lauriel); Matt and his father came out $400 ahead at the blackjack table. And as a capstone to an incredible trip, Matt's mom and Lauriel had their own bonding moment: doing lemon-drop shots until 4 a.m. Best Tip Turn on the TV. "There's so much happening on the ship, you can't get to everything," says Lauriel, "but events like the belly-flop contest and the kids' pirate parade get recorded, so you can watch them right in your room." THE CRUISEAHOLICS Melvin, 81, and Betty Luce, 80, of Ridley Park, Pa., at the ship's Schooner Bar It was a passion for The Love Boat that inspired Betty Luce to book her first cruise with husband Mel back in 1984, and it's been smooth sailing ever since. This Explorer of the Seas trip was the couple's 45th cruise, their 32nd aboard Royal Caribbean. Over the years, the Luces have tested the waters on several lines, passing through the British Isles, Greece, Norway, Hawaii, Alaska, and all of the Caribbean in the process. But when RCI started sailing out of New Jersey in 2004, just two hours from their front door, it became their favorite. Along the way, the Luces have found a rhythm: Betty reads novels on the balcony while Mel walks the ship ("The helipad is always the best forward-looking view except for the bridge, and almost no one knows about it"). And they usually book their next cruise before the end of the current one, a clever loyalty tactic that earns them a $250 discount and a $100 shipboard credit per person. Even dinner—always the 6 p.m. seating—has its own comforting routine: "We don't have to look at the dessert menu," says Mel. "We get ice cream every time: two scoops of vanilla for me, two scoops of chocolate for Betty. What can I say? We know what we like." Best Tip Check out cruisecritic.com for the latest cruising news and reviews. And for a look at the underbelly of the industry—illness outbreaks, garbage dumping—Mel's go-to is cruisejunkie.com. THE RAUCOUS RETIREES Sue, 62, and Mike Boyd, 61, of Parkersburg, W.Va., with seven fellow recent retirees They streamed onto the ship in matching fluorescent T-shirts. The retirees, as they called themselves, all live in Parkersburg, W.Va., where 9 out of 10 worked for the Wood County school district; several, including Mike Boyd, the director of secondary schools, and his wife, Sue, a seventh-grade geography teacher, had wrapped up their careers just days before. Along with Mike's niece and her entourage of family and friends, the party topped 39. At breakfast, Mike, Sue, and crew would look over the ship's broadsheet, the Cruise Compass, and plan out their activities (trivia contests, stand-up acts). Naturally, the educators couldn't help but absorb some new lessons, such as how to uncork champagne without creating a pop. On the last day in the hot tub, chanting, "No more Mondays, every day Sunday!" they reveled in the fact that this was just their first taste of a very bright future. Best Tip Pay the extra 20 percent for a balcony room, advises Sue: "The water view from your bed reminds you that you're on the ocean." THE FAMILY AFFAIR The Nooitgedagts, of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, on formal night: Heather Zaleski, 27; Hippy Nooitgedagt, 72; Colton Hummer, 15. Center: Pete Nooitgedagt, 39; Gavin Hummer, 9; Nanci Nooitgedagt Hummer, 44. Bottom: Griffin Hummer, 12; Janet Nooitgedagt, 70; Bill Mills, 32 For years, vacations for the Nooitgedagt (pronounced noy-ka-dot) family consisted of all-American road trips; Hippy, a retired trucker from Pennsylvania, would take his wife, Janet, and their kids, Nanci and Pete, to hear country music in Tennessee, or to commune with history at Valley Forge in honor of the bicentennial. Then, in 1991, Janet won a trip for two on Norwegian Cruise Line's Norway, and the couple converted to cruising for good. On their most recent outing—their seventh with Royal Caribbean—Janet and Hippy were joined for the first time by the entire clan. The group was gathered for Janet's 70th birthday and tested just about every service on the ship. That ranged from the kids' clubs to the restaurant options ("They brought us as many lobster tails as we wanted in the dining room!" Gavin says). The family's whopping bar bill perhaps best speaks to how much fun they had—and explains how all-inclusives find their profit margins. The Nooitgedagts hope to return to RCI next summer, for a nine-night Caribbean cruise. "Where else can you find a floating resort that offers such a great vacation for such a good value?" Janet asks. Best Tip Going as a group? Don't be shy about asking for discounts. When the Nooitgedagts booked their trip a year out, it cost over $13,000 for their party of 11, but they paid closer to $10,000 in the end, thanks to last-minute negotiations. —additional reporting by Caroline Patience and Megan Stride

JANUARY The Nile at New Year's Start the year off right sailing a traditional felucca down the Nile from Aswan to Luxor. The cruise focuses on archaeological wonders like the Philae Temple (gct.com, 15 days from $2,095). APRIL Tulip season in Holland and Belgium Explore the medieval city of Brugge, stop and smell the 7 million flowers blooming at Keukenhof Gardens, and snap shots of 16th-century windmills—on the canals from Amsterdam to Antwerp (uniworld.com, 10 days from $2,243). Dry season on the Mekong Cruise past floating village markets, dense jungles, and 12th-century temples from Siem Reap, Cambodia, to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (amawaterways.com, seven days from $1,599). JUNE Summer on the Yangtze Wind past the 4,000-foot-high walls of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze in early June, when the heat isn't yet scorching, reservations are easy to snag, and fares are reduced (victoriacruises, eight days from $1,260). OCTOBER Autumn wine cruises Sip Beaujolais in France or Riesling in Germany (paired with local artisinal cheeses), visit wineries, and watch the foliage change along the Rhine (avalonwaterways.com, 10 days from $3,569). Oktoberfest Hoist steins with 6 million beer-obsessed revelers from around the world in Munich; then retreat to your cabin and private balcony for a cruise from Nürnburg to Amsterdam (amawaterways.com, 11 days from $2,832). DECEMBER Christmas markets Sample brandy-filled chocolates and shop for handicrafts at traditional markets in Budapest and Vienna on a Danube River holiday cruise (vikingrivercruises.com, 10 days from $1,622).

Readers' Choice Favorite river cruise line: Viking River Cruises READERS' TOP QUESTIONS Why am I hearing so much about river cruising these days? Imagine sailing the Nile past the temples of Luxor, floating by medieval castles on the German Rhine, or tooling along the Mekong through aging French colonial towns in Laos—all from your own private balcony. If this sounds pretty appealing to you, you're not alone. About 215,000 North Americans will sail on riverboats this year, up nearly 60 percent since 2004. The spectacular growth has led to a surge of options across Western Europe and in far-flung destinations like China and Russia. It's also ushered in a host of impressive improvements. Outfitters are introducing new ships with larger cabins and upscale touches such as floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies. Even on older boats, however, river cruising has inherent perks: The ships are smaller, so the service tends to be more personal and the atmosphere among passengers is more familiar. Also, on most lines all excursions, food, and drinks (including beer and wine at meals) are included in the cost of the trip, so there's no need to touch your wallet once you set sail. How do I choose the best company for me? Here's a fact that might help simplify things: 75 percent of North American passengers travel with one of just five river cruise operators. Chances are, you will, too. Of the five, the winner of our Readers' Choice poll, Viking River Cruises (vikingrivercruises.com), is the largest, with 24 percent of the entire market and a reputation for generous promotions, including frequent two-for-one deals. Although it's headquartered in Los Angeles, Viking specializes in European itineraries, with 18 ships that cruise most of the Continent's major waterways. Uniworld River Cruises (uniworld.com), the next-biggest, has a more boutique, upscale ambience (think plush guest robes and designer body-care products) to go along with its slightly higher prices. The bargain of the bunch is Grand Circle Travel (gct.com), which hosts group tours for "mature Americans" that tend to be cheaper and longer, albeit on ships that are a bit older and smaller. The most cosmopolitan is Avalon Waterways (avalonwaterways.com): One third of its passengers hail from English-speaking countries other than the U.S., and it has the newest fleet in the game, averaging just 2 years old. Rounding out the top five is AMA Waterways (amawaterways.com), which focuses on European destinations—and local wines. Thoughtful pairings are served at every meal. See five popular river-cruise itineraries in Europe. How can I get the best deal? Unlike the price slashing you'll find on big-ship ocean cruises, which have thousands of cabins to fill, last-minute discounts on riverboats are rare—all the more reason to plan strategically. If your travel dates are flexible, you can often find two-for-one deals in the off-season (which in most of Europe is late autumn to early spring). If not, consider inviting friends and family and angle for a bulk discount. Every operator has one. With Avalon, for instance, a group's 16th passenger comes along for free. Finally, think about booking your trip à la carte instead of buying one of the packages that operators typically offer, which often lump together cruising, land tours, and hotel accommodations. Booking just the boat portion of the trip can save you big. Uniworld's 12-day Highlights of China & the Yangtze package, for example, starts at $3,099. But only three nights of the itinerary are actually spent aboard a riverboat. You could choose to book the cruising portion separately, through Uniworld's charter, Victoria Cruises (victoriacruises.com), plan the rest of your trip yourself, and sail for as little as $470. What about extra costs? The travel world is rife with hidden fees these days—except here, for the most part. Some companies include port charges (a standard fee of about $100 to $150 for a seven-night European cruise) in the original listed price, but others mention it only in the fine print and charge passengers separately. As mentioned, alcoholic drinks are free during mealtime on most ships, but if you're craving a cocktail at some other point, that will be extra, too. One thing to note: Gratuities aren't automatically added on to river cruise bills as they are with ocean cruises. At the end of a river cruise, envelopes are passed around with suggested (but entirely voluntary) tip amounts written on the front. Can I bring my kids along? Keep these guidelines in mind: If you're under 50, you'll be considered young; if you're under 30, you'll be a downright novelty; and if you're under 4, then sorry. No dice. Some companies, however, are starting to offer family-travel incentives. Uniworld, for example, is introducing two new itineraries this fall in which 4- to 18-year-olds travel for half price. That said, whether you want to bring them is another matter. FREE FOR ALL Little extras that make all the difference. Wi-Fi Get connected at no cost aboard Viking and AMA. Bicycles Explore European port cities on complimentary wheels from AMA and Uniworld. Headsets Tune in to your tour guide (on, yes, your free excursion!) with AMA and Grand Circle. MORE TRIP COACH Volunteer Vacations National Parks Cooking Schools

Readers' ChoiceMost beautiful wine region in the world Fred Frank, a hulking man with hands the size of softball gloves, is delicately pouring me a glass of his dry Riesling. He's the third generation of winemaker to tend to this vineyard, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars, on the banks of wispy, wishbone-shaped Keuka Lake in Hammondsport, N.Y. (9749 Middle Rd., drfrankwines.com, tastings free). As I admire his spread—not to mention his wine—Frank tells me genuinely, "I feel blessed every time someone actually finds us here—we just had a dirt road running by until four years ago." That may be true, but it's a little hard to believe, considering that New York's Finger Lakes region, 9,000 square miles of rolling hills in the state's panhandle, contains 117 wineries, a concentration second only to Napa Valley, Calif. But these days, while Napa is all high-gloss and limousines, the Finger Lakes have something rarer and, some would argue, more valuable: a community of unpretentious winemakers like Frank. Which might explain whyBudget Travelreaders picked it as the world's most beautiful wine region—beating out heavyweights like France's Loire Valley, Italy's Piedmont, and, yes, Napa. Related: Check out our list of the Coolest Small Towns in America! As a born-and-raised Californian, this choice came as a particular, almost troubling, surprise, and it begged a question: What had I been missing? From my home in New York City, the Finger Lakes are a straight five-hour shot northwest up I-80 and I-81 toward Ithaca, so on a midsummer afternoon, I set off to find out. It's dark when I arrive at the 30-roomInn at Glenora Wine Cellarsin the small town of Dundee, and it rains all night (5435 Rte. 14, glenora.com, from $119). The next morning the skies have cleared, and when I walk out my front door, I'm immediately confronted with row after row of glistening, sun-speckled vines sloping toward Seneca Lake, one of 11 slender bodies of crisp blue water that give this region its name. Across the lake, I see more vineyards, a few cottages, and woods. My first stop is at Frank's vineyard, agreed by most to be the first true home of Finger Lakes wine. Forty-eight years ago, Frank's grandfather, an Austrian immigrant named Konstantin, arrived in the region and began a minor revolution. Rather than toiling away with the area's Concord grape—good for jelly, but it smacks about as subtly as a sledgehammer when it's bottled and corked—as most vintners were doing, Konstantin grafted European vines onto the tough local root, bringing old-world refinement to New York. Related: See four other worthy wine regions. Frank gives me the tour, and I buy a few bottles of his family's award-winning Riesling and then drop by Heron Hill Winery, not two minutes away (9301 County Rte. 76, heronhill.com, tastings from $2). The interior is done up like the inside of a wine barrel, and I grab a place at the bar to try the chardonnay. "Lots of people in this industry are real self-important," pourer Dan Jimmerson tells me, "but not up here." Jimmerson's words echo throughout the weekend as I sample the laid-back beer and burgers at the Market Street Brewing Companyin Corning (63 W. Market St., 936-beer.com, burgers from $7) and see the occasional Amish buggy rattling down the road. On my last day, I meet a couple who relocated from Modesto, Calif., to start Red Tail Ridge Winery in Penn Yan (846 State Rte. 14, redtailridgewinery.com, tastings from $2). Vintners Nancy Irelan and Mike Schnelle looked all over until they found this land on the western shores of Seneca Lake, where they built their LEED-certified, geothermally regulated winery. "This place is still so young we can get in on the ground floor and be part of a great community," Irelan tells me over a glass of her pinot noir. What she's found is that the nature of this place is written in the land, like the grapes themselves. And by this measurement, the Finger Lakes are spectacular—perhaps, even, the most beautiful in the world.