Sunday, February 28, 2010

Insider Cruise Secrets Revealed

 

This information will absolutely transform the way you cruise! 
This guide will work with any cruise line, any ship, and any itinerary worldwide! 

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Celebrity Eclipse Welcomes Qsine Restaurant

Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Eclipse is unveiling the newest, and most innovative, member of its dining roster.  Qsine will join the ranks alongside Tuscan Grille, Blu, Murano  and Silk Harvest.

The menu, designed by Chef Jacques Van Staden, prides itself on giving unique twists to your usual fare. Staden's motto: "Make the ordinary, unordinary."

On the menu:

Sushi Lollipops - Nigiri sushi with soy center, wasabi mayonnaise and pickled ginger-radish salad.

Meatball Trilogy - Kobe beef with ceddar and marinara sauce; veal with mushrooms and marsala sauce; and turkey with cranberry and sage gravy.

Chitinis - chinese selections served in martini glasses.

Tresviche - tiger shrimp and bay scallops with lemon juice, tequila, cilantro, tomatoes and japaleno oil.

Popcorn Fish Chips - Boddington's-battered codfish and chips served with malt vinegar or aioli.

Slider Party - mini-grilled Kobe beef patties with aged Wisconsin cheddar served on brioche buns with "Qsine's original slider sauce" and garnishes.
 
Taco Royale - Black Angus sirloin steak, homemade taco shells, caramelized onion-poblano, and do-it-yourself fresh guacamole, with a stone mortar and pestle.

Lava Crab - Alaskan King crab, sweet yellow corn and scallions with Hataifi and Old Bay sauce, served in glasses over heated red stones.

Qsine will be open from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., for a cover charge of $30 per person.

Source: Travel Agent Central

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Carnival Raising Prices March 22

After announcing record wave season bookings, Carnival also revealed it will raise prices across the board effective March 22, 2010.

Carnival President/CEO says the increase will vary by sailing date - and will top out at 5%. The price increase will vary by sailing date, and top out at 5%.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Celebrity Cruise Passengers Sick at Sea

Nothing worst than being sick at sea . . .

Celebrity Cruises is still investigating what caused an outbreak of upset stomach and diarrhea among 450 passengers and crew members abroad the Mercury.

Unfortunately this is not the first time Celebrity's Mercury has come down with passenger illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the Mercury was responsible for two of the 15 recorded outbreaks of illness on U.S. cruise ships last year, both caused by norovirus.

Actually Holland America had the worst outbreak last year with 7 outbreaks on 5 different ships. Obviously being the worst and second worst is NOT a list any cruise line would want to be mentioned on.

If the outbreak was caused by  "norovirus", studies have shown that the virus is spread through dirty bathrooms on cruise ships.

I have not sailed on the Mercury, but have sailed on two other Celebrity ships. I found the rooms to be extremely clean, and the food was great. The cruise passenger cabins are cleaned everyday, but one has to wonder what goes on below in the crew cabins - who is actually cleaning those cabins? 

CNN -  More than 400 fall sick on Caribbean cruise

Discovery Cruise All-Inclusive Cruise Product

Discovery Cruise Line is introducing a new All-Inclusive Cruise product


The new product includes two all-you-can-eat buffet meals on the roundtrip cruise and all-you-can drink alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on the ships starting at $49.99 per person.

This is valid on the Fun Day cruise - Two day, one night cruises are available from $69.99 per person.

Discovery is also offering a new 10 a.m. departure from Port Everglades, Ft. Lauderdale, music and a V-Jay, movies and more.

http://www.discoverycruiseline.com/

Monday, February 22, 2010

Celebrity's New Tech iLounge

The new iLounge feature will be on Celebrity Eclipse when it launches in April.

The iLounge is composed of three main areas - 26 contemporary workstations where guests can check their e-mail, retain their social media connections, or print boarding passes; a retail space offering cruisers the opportunity to see and try out the latest MacBooks, iPods and accessories; and an enrichment center where certified staff will offer guests tips on Mac or iPod usage.

Celebrity will offer in the Celebrity iLounge a series of engaging new courses designed to suit its guests' interests - including do-it-yourself photo books, movie editing and web design, through programs including iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and iWeb.

Whether cruise guests are savvy or novice users of Mac or iPod products, Celebrity's certified staff will be well-equipped to assist, following more than 125 hours of training in operating systems, applications, and products.

They also will be poised to illustrate to guests the differences between Macs and PCs. As an Authorized Apple Reseller, Celebrity will have products available for guests to purchase, including iPods, MacBooks, and essential accessories.

Located on deck six of Celebrity Eclipse, the Celebrity iLounge will house the 26 MacBook Pro's, classroom and retail area, in addition to display pods, a 56-inch flat-screen TV for use during classes, and an accessible workstation.

The Celebrity iLounge also will be presented on Celebrity Silhouette, which launches in 2011.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Using Mind Mapping to Choose a Vacation Cruise

Ran across this interesting article today, and thought I would share . . .

A vacation cruise can be a relaxing and enjoyable way to see different parts of the world. Yet, with the myriad of options for cruise lines and packages available, choosing the ideal vacation cruise can be a challenge.

Mind Mapping is an incredibly useful tool for sorting through the various options available for vacation cruises because of its intuitive and highly visual format for organizing information.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Crystal Cruises New European Itineraries

Due to popular demand Crystal Cruises has added to its 2010 European cruise collection and is now offering two Black Sea voyages this summer.


The 12-day itineraries, aboard Crystal Serenity, depart from Venice on July 19 and August 24 and hit Istanbul as the final stop. Other ports of call include Katakolon and Navplion, Greece; Nesebur, Bulgaria; Yalta, Sevastopol and Odessa, Ukraine.

Two-for-one fares start at $6,470 per person and include $1,000 per person "All Inclusive-As You Wish" shipboard credits.

Visit www.crystalcruises.com

Featured Cruise Deal

Carnival Cruise Lines – Carnival Elation – 4 Night Baja Mexico from $254

Family fun with Club O2 for teens, Club Carnival for kids, and three swimming pools. Numerous dining venues from formal dining rooms, casual buffet restaurant to sushi bar and 24-hour pizzeria.

Over 9 bars & lounges, 2 pools – one with a poolside stage perfect to take in the live band. ... read more

Royal Caribbean Doubles 2011 Capacity in Australia

Royal Caribbean International will double its capacity in Australia in 2011, homeporting two ships in Sydney starting in October. 


Rhapsody of the Seas, currently in its third Australian summer season, will be joined by Radiance of the Seas and offer cruises in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific during the summer months.

Royal Caribbean is focused on capturing a greater share of the Australian market: cruising by Australians will represent as much as 5% of the global cruise market by 2020. This according to Access Economics.
 
Rhapsody of the Seas is currently sailing in Australasian waters and will depart for Alaska at the end of the season on April 12, returning in October this year for summer 2010-11.

The company will release itineraries for the two-ship 2011-12 cruise calendar in late March 2010.

Source: Travel Agent Central

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Yachts of Seabourn E-Ticket Option

The Yachts of Seabourn are going environmentally friendly with the introduction of their new "Click & Sail" option.


This provides a single e-pass document over the company's website, which can be printed and presented at check-in.

Guests can log on to the "Already Booked" section of the website and will receive instructions on how to download the e-pass.Temporary pre-printed paper luggage tags will be sent by mail.

Visit www.seabourn.com

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Princess Cruises New Ships on Horizon

 Carnival Corporation has signed an agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for the construction of two new cruise ships for Princess Cruises.

The new ships will be able to accommodate 3,600 passengers each and are scheduled to launch in spring 2013 and spring 2014.

No names have been selected for the ships yet, but details will be announced at a later date.

Source: Travel Agent Central

VIRTUAL CRUISE SHIP TOURS

Take vacation planning to a whole new level by taking 360° virtual tours of your favorite cruise ships, from the comfort of your own home. ...


Tour your favorite ship

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Royal Caribbean Offers New Dining Program

Royal Caribbean launched its new dining-made-simple program, Daily Reservations. This new feature is an online reservation system for guests enrolled in the cruise line's My Time Dining program.

Guests can make night-time reservations in the main dining room for themselves as well as for others at their table.

They also have access to view their reservations in advance of their sailing through the Pre-Cruise Planner or Cruise Enhancement sections of RoyalCaribbean.com.

My Time Dining is the cruise line's option for diners who do not want a pre-assigned table. Guests have the flexibility to make reservations in the main dining room whenever they like during dining hours.

Currently Daily Reservations is only available on Oasis of The Seas but it will be installed throughout the entire fleet by Spring.

Source: Travel Agent Central

Monday, February 15, 2010

Princess Guest Bon Voyage Program

Princess Cruises is allowing cruise passengers to invite their friends and family aboard their ship on embarkation day to wish them "bon voyage" and get a taste of the onboard experience.

The new program is called "Bon Voyage Experience’, and starts in March for the ports of Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale and will then include ports of New York, San Francisco and Seattle.

"Long-time cruisers will recall the fun of the bon voyage send-off with their family and friends, and we're excited to re-introduce a new, modern version of this experience," said Princess Cruises Executive Vice President Jan Swartz.

Prior to sailing, cruise passengers will be notified about the new program. Guests will have to be registered and give the required security information. 

Stranded Disney Cruise Ship Returns

More than 2,400 Disney cruise ship passengers are back on land after gale-force winds kept them in the Bahamas for an extra day.

The delay left hundreds of other passengers waiting before they could head out to sea and begin their vacations.
When Disney informed the waiting passengers that their seven-day getaway on the Disney Magic had turned into a six-day cruise, many expressed disappointment.

Source: Family Friend Travel

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Holland America Culinary Arts Center

Holland America Line's Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine Magazine, continues to grow. This year over 65 culinary pros are joining the ranks of this popular program.

Some of the celebrity chefs on the 2010 roster include:
Dean James Max, executive chef of 3030 Ocean on ms Westerdam, March 28-April 4.

Marisol Koczal Simon, culinary educator, author and chef aboard ms Prinsendam, APril 9-26.

Lon Symensa, executive chef, Buddakan, sailing on ms Eurodam, May 9-19.

Martin Blunos, UK television personality and chef sailing on ms Eurodam, May 29-June 8.

Lars Kronmark, executive chef instructor at the Culinary Institute of America, sailing ms Nieuw Amssterdam, July 4-14.

Tre Wilcox, executive chef and Top Chef contender, sailing aboard ms Statendam, July 25-August 1.

For the full list visit www.hollandamerica.com

Friday, February 12, 2010

Allure of the Seas New Debut Date

Royal Caribbean today announced its next cruise ship, Allure of the Seas, will debut one week earlier than expected.

The line says the 5,400-passenger sister to the Oasis of the Seas now will set sail on its maiden voyage on Dec. 5 instead of Dec. 12. The inaugural itinerary is a seven-night cruise to the Western Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale.

Passengers booked on the original inaugural sailing date will be contacted by their travel agent or a Royal Caribbean representative and given the opportunity to move their cruise to the new Dec. 5 sailing date. Passengers will also be re-accommodated in the same cabin catagory, and have until the end of February to make the change.

At 225,282 tons, Allure of the Seas will share the title of the world's largest cruise ship. Like sister ship Oasis, it will have 2,700 cabins and room for nearly 6,300 passengers.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Bahama Mom Cruise

What mom doesn’t need a vacation?
Many moms would love to run off, just for a few days, for a little R&R.

The question is:
  • Where do they go? 
  • Better yet, who do they go with? 
  • If dad, or grandma, stays home with the kids, who does mom travel with?
A solution is presented by Moms on Vacation Travel Club. With Moms on Vacation, mothers all over the country can set up a group trip, save money and make new friends – all while getting that much needed rest, relaxation and even a little pampering.

The Moms on Vacation Travel Club is happy to announce its first official cruise to the Bahamas! What better time to treat yourself to a mom vacation than during the month of May?

Moms who book will be cruising on the Royal Caribbean, Monarch of the Seas. This cruise runs from May 14th through the 17th (3 nights).

The total cost of this cruise (not including flight fees) is $295. Moms on Vacation Travel Club is happy to help locate the least expensive flights for anyone booking a cruise. The price includes all taxes, meals, and non-alcoholic beverages. Gratuities are not included.

Moms On Vacation Travel Club

Friday, February 5, 2010

Cruising with Condoleezza

Another cruise to add on our "Theme Cruising" blog postings

World Leaders Travel has unveiled its 2010 World Leaders Symposium, an educational travel event from Moscow to Istanbul.
Some of the heavy-hitters on the roster of speakers are former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of Defense William Perry, former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, and other leading figures in fields that range from technology to cultural history.

The event features a 10-night cruise aboard Silver Wind (shown above), with shore excursions in Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Turkey.

It will begin with a three-night stay at The Ritz-Carlton in Moscow. Visitors will attend a gala dinner with Gorbachev. Guests are flown to Istanbul where they will board Silver Wind. The ship will make a roundtrip voyage and upon return guests will stay at the Ciragan Palace Kempinski Hotel for two nights.

The event will be held August 30 to September 15.

Visit www.worldleaderstravel.com

Source -Travel Agent Central 

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Beatles Cruise

BritBeat, a Beatles Tribute based in Chicago, is inviting fans to embark on a Beatles Tribute Cruise, setting sail March 28.

BritBeat will be aboard, entertaining guetss with a special Costume/Dance party and a set list of popular Beatles tunes.

Mingle with renowned Beatles artists, photographers, authors and ex-girlfriends on a six-night journey aboard Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas.

The vessel calls at Belize City, Costa Maya and Cozumel.

Guests can look forward to band trivia, karaoke and autograph sessions, as well as an auction of Beatles memorabilia for the Dara Roberts Fund.

Source: Travel Agent Central

Visit www.beatlestributecruise.com

Mediterranean New Cruising Hot Spot

Currently the Mediterranean is the hot spot for growth in the cruise industry.

Royal Caribbean announced the Grandeur of the Seas to Palm de Mallorca in May 2011.

Norwegian Cruise Lines new ship Epic (shown above) will be sailing out of Barcelona from May to October 2011.

And the Carnival Magic will also be based in Barcelona when it debuts.

Costa's newest ship - the Favolosa will deput in the Eastern Mediterranean. The maiden voyage will sail from Venice on July 7, 2011 on a 10 day cruise to Israel, Greece, Turkey and Crotia.  Costa Favolosa regular schedule will be operating 7 day cruises from Venice and Bari to Turkey, Greece and Croatia.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Eco-Friendly Wildlife Nature Cruises

Small ship operator Cruise West specializes in photography-themed and “Whales and Wildlife” cruises.

Aside from the popular Alaska cruises, Cruise West has expanded their destinations to include:

Antarctica, the Galapagos Islands, European Rivers, Panama Canal & Costa Rica, British Columbia, Mexico’s Sea of Cortes, and Columbia & Snake Rivers.

Newest offering includes Voyages of the Great Explorers - a collection of 24 individual voyages that will circumnavigate the globe in 335 days, beginning March 5, 2010 in Singapore.

Visit Cruise West Site

Single Travel Cruises and Vacations

Singles Cruise
Travel Single . . . Never Alone
Offers guests private meet and greet singles events, cocktail mixers, lectures, theme parties, a separate dining area for our group and ongoing activities organized by our dedicated cruise directors.

Singles who book with us can choose from a variety of cruises and itineraries planned throughout the year with anywhere from 100-400 singles onboard. Our singles are not all necessarily looking for love – some are looking for new friends to travel with.

Cruising For Love
Cruisingforlove.com is not a dating service but a way for everyone who is single to join in the fun of a cruise to the Caribbean, Alaska or Europe by going in a group.

We offer payment plans to make your travel dreams come true, and with our creativity and roommate - matching service - you'll be able to cruise at a very affordable price. We offer singles a safe and comfortable way to cruise with other singles and we'll help you from start to finish.

Singles Travel International

We're more than just another singles cruise company - We cater to the single traveler at heart.

We have sailed the high seas on the new, luxurious QM2 with our guests and have sipped fine wine in Napa. We dined like royalty at a private club in Madrid and played with the "Rich & Famous" on the Costa del Sol. We spent the weekend in New Orleans for their 30th annual Jazz & Heritage Fest, we visited Montreal during the "Just for Laughs" festival and made it to Quebec City just in time to kick off their International Summer Festival.

Cruises for Gamers

What do you get when you cross a Gamer and a Travel Agent?

Gamer Adventures was created to offer gamers and their families and friends a fun way to combine gaming and everything and everybody else.

A vacation to the Caribbean and Mexican Riviera with games - lots and lots of games.

Check out Gamer Adventures

Murder Mystery Cruises

THE MOST DIABOLICAL COMEDY MURDER MYSTERY ON THE HIGH SEAS!!!!!!

Enjoy an elegant experience at sea, while MURDER and MAYHEM LURK all around you, and even INVOLVE YOU!

As the clues unravel, try to solve the spectacular mystery of "whodunit" - before it's too late! Whodunit creates a Live Murder Mystery aboard the most beautiful ships in the world that you become a part of ... as well as try and solve.

There are times during the murder mystery cruise that you will be following the deadly saga and other times when you are free to just enjoy the cruise.

http://www.whodunitcruises.com/

Motorcycle Cruises to the Caribbean


TAKE YOUR BIKE ON A CRUISE AND RIDE OFF ON THE ISLANDS THROUGHOUT THE CARIBBEAN!

Clients who love roaring engines may book Motorcycle Cruises

ETA Motorcycle Cruises
sail on multiple dates from Port Everglades, FL, and Bayonne, NJ.

ALL TYPES OF MOTORCYCLES ARE WELCOME INCLUDING: Harley-Davidson®, BMW®, Honda®, Yamaha®, Suzuki®, Custom Bikes & Choppers! Sorry... due to the ship's hull configurations, we are unable to accommodate Trikes.

For more info click here