Carnival Fee For Early Embarkation

Would you pay an extra $49.95 to get on board sooner?

Well Carnival is testing out a new program "Faster to the Fun" for cruisers who want to avoid the long lines at the cruise port. Other benefits include express luggage delivery, early or late disembarkation, priority dinner seating, tender priority, and express access to the ships guest service desk. The additional cost is per stateroom - not the number of occupants in the stateroom.

According to guest surveys, Carnival states there is a strong interest in a fee-based package that provides the same priority access and benefits that Diamond and Platinum level members get for free. The "Faster to the Fun" designation shows up on the printed boarding documents via the online registration.    

The new program rolls out on the Carnival Imagination's sailing on August 20th, and the Carnival Liberty sailing on August 25th.

"Faster to the Fun" can be purchased in the shore excursion section of carnival.com located at www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/101031.

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Save 50% on Cruise Shore Excursions

The only time I take cruise sponsored excursions is for snorkeling and diving - other than that, I'm off on my own. Anyone who has cruised lately knows the cost of most excursions are very expensive - especially for families - so here's an alternative to getting the best price! Sue

CruisingExcursions.com is a British company known to have the best rates for cruise shore excursions - many excursions are at at 50% or more savings. 


The company offers excursions by cruise line/destination port and features the Caribbean, Alaska and Asia. The site lists rates in British Pounds, however if you calculate the exchange rate, you will still save. You can easily use http://www.x-rates.com/calculator.html to calculate the conversion.

NCI Offers Free Kids Excursions

Norwegian Cruise Line is offering free shore excursions for children 12 and under when their families book a 2012 cruise through May 13.

Teen-agers 13 to 17 years old will receive half-off shore excursions when in the same stateroom with a paying adult on the same excursion.

The offer applies to all 2012 sailings fleet-wide for all ports of call. However, the offer excludes motorized flight tours, golf, Orlando theme parks and Atlantis in the Bahamas.

All shore excursions for adults and children related to this offer must be pre-booked online prior to sailing. The children and teen rates will automatically be deducted in the shopping cart upon checkout.

http://www2.ncl.com/

Oceania New European Tours and Excursions

Oceania Cruises announces more than 1,000 new tours and shore excursions. 

 Choose Three Different Ways to Explore

With the start of the Europe 2012 season, Oceania Cruises is offering three sightseeing options - and package highlights include:

·         A la Carte – As before, individual shore excursions can be purchased in advance or onboard the ship. However, starting with the 2012 Europe season, guests who book excursions prior to sailing will enjoy 10% off on-board prices.

·         Your World Collection – This option offers guests the flexibility to select a combination of excursions that most appeals to them and save 25% off on-board prices. The minimum number of excursions per package varies based on the number of ports on the itinerary. For example, on a voyage with eight ports, the minimum is five excursions.

·         Unlimited Passport Collection – Designed for travelers who wish to fully experience a destination in depth, this package offers unlimited shore excursions throughout the voyage – a savings of up to 40%.

Guests pay a set fee for the entire cruise and will be able to book an unlimited number of excursions. Package prices will vary based on the number of ports on the itinerary. For example, the package price for a cruise with seven ports is $699 per person. As an added bonus, guests who purchase the Unlimited Passport Collection also receive discounts on limited-availability tours.

Exclusive Early Booking Window

Guests in suites and concierge-level staterooms enjoy a 60-day advance priority booking period. Travelers who purchase either the Your World or Unlimited Passport collections also receive priority confirmation of their selections. This added benefit is designed for those who wish to ensure they have a place reserved on the most popular tours in marquee cities such as Venice, Rome, St. Petersburg and Istanbul.

All excursion packages are fully refundable until sail date and must be purchased in advance of sailing to enjoy the maximum savings. Packages will be non-refundable thereafter. A la Carte tours will remain fully refundable up until 36 hours before the excursion.

Visit www.OceaniaCruises.com

St Lucia Shore Excursion via Jade Mountain

St Lucia's Jade Mountain resort is offering cruise ship couples a “Whisk Her Away to Jade Mountain” daytime excursion featuring a private helicopter ride from Castries to the resort in Soufriere. 

The ride features views of the island's west coast before landing at the Jade property located on a rugged hillside above the sea.

Guests will enjoy a specially designed, four-course lunch with a choice of wines and cuisine prepared by Executive Chef Jonathan Dearden. Jade Mountain's menu features fresh seasonal ingredients, including organic produce grown on the resort's Emerald Estate farm. The excursion is priced at $2,799 per couple (two passengers) or $3,099 for four people. 

Tours can also be booked via private speedboat for $1,999 per couple (two passengers) or $2,499 for four passengers.  For more information, call 800-223-1108.

7 Major Cruise Trends for 2011

Cruise ships are sailing at full capacity with the expectation of 16-million passengers - an increase of 6% compared to last year.

With many new ships on the horizon for this year, CLIA (Cruise Line International Association) reports new cruise trends for 2011 . . . 

1. Cruise passengers are looking for more choices in their cruise dining experience. These choices include local food sources, guest celebrity/top chefs - and even more onboard speciality restaurants.

2. Private or exclusive shore excursions - and onboard experiences targeting families, children, sports, and active vacationers.

3. Shorter cruise durations. Many travelers are opting for several shorter cruises rather than the longer cruises - especially transatlantic

4. Top brand onboard spas, and unique spa treatments

5. Theme cruises focused on food/wine, culture, music and art

6. Passengers are booking cruises farther in advance - average 5- 6 months

7. Biggest growth expected from familes/multigenerational groups, baby boomers, first time cruisers, along with corporate groups and organizations