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Five Common (but good) Cruise Rookie Questions

By
Chris Owen
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Royal Caribbean International's Harmony of the Seas, the world's largest and newest cruise ship, previews in Southampton, UK. General views of the ship.

Cruise vacations have gained in popularity as an easy way to see the world. Many travelers have sailed multiple times on a variety of lines offering everything from a quick spin around the Bahamas to an Adventure sailing in Antarctica or Alaska. Some book online, others seek the advice of travel professionals who specialize in just cruise vacations. All have a bunch of logical questions and here are five of them.

1. What is the cancellation policy?

Unless you book a restricted fare that required a non-refundable deposit, you should be able to cancel at any time before the final payment is due and get back whatever you have paid on pretty much any line. The day the final payment is due, the cruise line charges a penalty for canceling.

The reason is that the cruise line might have sold that cabin to someone else but thought you were buying it. Preferring to sell cabins far in advance of sailing it is inconvenient for the cruise line to have to sell that cabin now. Most people plan and buy a cruise vacation way in advance so the cruise line will probably have to discount that cabin and feel they should not suffer because someone canceled late.

That penalty increases over time to where if you cancel close to sailing, the penalty equals the total amount paid and you get back only port charges for the ports you will not now visit. If that thought bothers you, we need to talk a little about travel insurance at some point.
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2. How soon would you recommend booking to get the best availability and price?

Our Viking River

6 months ago. Seriously. As far in advance as possible. That way you get the best selection of cabins and maybe some of the lowest pricing, depending on the line and the way the wind blows. It’s best to book into less restrictive fares if you think you might change your mind, just to keep options open. That’s not always the least expensive fare but it might be worth whatever the difference was in price compared to paying penalties for changes down the line.

3. With regard to rooms, which area is the best value for what you get?

Junior Suite
Junior Suite

Personally, the choice is easy. Either an inside or a balcony. I think Oceanviews are a waste of money. The window does not open and there is a deck cam where you can see what the weather is like outside. If the price is not a problem, the balcony is a great way to go and even more so now…for non-smokers. Cruise lines are tightening up smoking regulations so there is a no smoking policy on balcony cabins. That’s either a really good thing for those who don’t smoke or something that will make smokers consider another mode of travel. Camping seems to be a popular smoking choice.

4. I don’t mind paying a bit more to be comfortable but I also wouldn’t expect to spend much time in the room?

Regardless of the room you pick, I bet you spend more time in there than you think you will right now, and rightfully so. Here you are in a wonderful, well-appointed space with a nice flat-screen tv, someone else making the bed (twice a day if you need it) and turning it down at night. If you want anything, most lines have 24-hour room service included in the price so you’ll want to be around (in your stateroom) for that. Also, if you select an inside cabin, odds are you may very well have the best sleep of your life what with the gentle rocking of the ship through the night and the fact that with the lights out, those inside cabins are pitch black.

5. What is the maximum number of people that can fit in a room on a cruise ship?

…like how many college students can fit in a phone booth? We actually have an answer for that version: 26 in an inside cabin on Caribbean Princess is the last record we heard/witnessed/OK we were there.

Better question: How many people can live comfortably in a cabin? Cruise line staterooms are equipped and rated for the number of guests they will accommodate (none of them hold 26). In standard staterooms on most cruise lines that are up to four, generally speaking. Many are rated for two and maybe the same square feet as a cabin for four but not have the beds to hold four.

Some lines have suites, family suites and other customized accommodations for larger parties.

Hurricane Season Cruises: What To Know Now And Later

By
Chris Owen
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Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30 of each year.  That’s the time when hurricanes are most likely, although end of season sees the majority of storms.  Each year brings a unique mix of tropical disturbances, most of which never make hurricane status. It’s a variable that cruise travelers should consider but surely not one to prohibit sailing this part of the year. Still, booking hurricane season cruises armed with the facts is a far wiser decision.

Lower Pricing
Historically, hurricane activity increases in August, and peaks in early September, then again in October.  Statistically, we can avoid the lion’s share of trouble by not booking hurricane season cruises at all, and many travelers simply don’t. Cruise lines know that too and commonly offer lower pricing for that reason, along with the fact that kids are back in school which reduces the number of families available to sail anyway.

hurricane season cruises
Photo- Chris Owen

Actually Kids Are Often In The Driver’s Seat
If avoiding children is a priority, hurricane season cruises can bring one of the best times of the year to sail.  Kids are back in school, so fewer will be on board.  Extend that thought to other times of the year when school is out as well.  December is also one of the most economical times to sail, with the exception of weeks that include holidays.  Historically the least expensive week of the year to sail on a large ship with a family focus: the first week of December.

Hurricanes Are Part Of The Cruise Business
Obviously, ocean cruise lines do business in the waters affected by hurricanes.  They too have statistics on hand for how many itineraries are apt to be affected by named storms and know from year to year, some will.  In place are contingency plans to provide an experience that meets or exceeds the expectations of cruise travelers at any time of the year, including hurricane season.  Due to the unpredictability of hurricanes, these plans include modifying itineraries to stay out of the way of a storm’s path; the most common effect experienced.

Be Flexible And Determined To Enjoy Travel,  Or Don’t Go
Understand that the cruise line can and will change the itinerary in order to keep out of harm’s way.  As mentioned, that might mean skipping a port or modifying an itinerary.  Does the idea of that change bother you to the point that a modified itinerary will ruin your vacation?  If so, hurricane season cruises might not be for you.  Actually, if having every single part of the day go exactly as planned is a priority, travel at any time of the year might also not be for you.

Know The Hurricane Lingo, Track The Storms
Like so many travel topics, understanding the real vs. potential vs hyped threat of a hurricane disrupting cruise plans needs to be based on accurate information. TV weather reporters are often looking for a sensational story that will keep us tuned in.  Turn to reliable unbiased sources for everything from defining terms used in the world of hurricanes to tracking storms in development, their likely track and more.  The National Hurricane Center provides reliable information, the latest satellite imagery and more.

Hurricanes Not The Only Possible Disruption
Cruise lines modify itineraries more commonly for other reasons than a hurricane bearing down on their ships.  Ships calling at the beautiful island of Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands often skip the port due to rough seas.  Running tender operations back and forth to the ship is simply too dangerous.  Ships calling at the port of Galveston, Texas are often delayed due to fog in the area that makes navigation unsafe.  Also possible to be disrupted: Your flight to the embarkation port or just flying in general.  Like when winter storms hit one part of the country, creating a cascading series of flight delays and cancellations affecting flights in entirely unaffected places, so do hurricanes.

hurricane season cruises
Photo- Chris Owen

Cruise Travel Value Highlighted By Hurricane Season
If comparing a week at a Caribbean resort vs. that time on a cruise ship, the cruise usually comes out ahead with travelers on the topic of value.  During hurricane season, another factor comes into play and is rather simple:  If a hurricane comes, your cruise ship can and will move out of the way.  Your island resort vacation was just cancelled.

Count On The Cruise Line To Do The Right Thing, At The Right Time
We have yet to see a cruise line not make accommodations for weather-related events to the best of their ability.  Most often a modified itinerary will be sailed.  Cruise lines commonly run itineraries backwards, shuffle ports or spend an extra day at sea, away from harm. However they go about dealing with each individual situation, cruise lines want us to feel confident that their reaction to a weather-related event will be appropriate.

Concerning  Travel Insurance
Generally speaking, in the event of a covered hurricane or other unforeseen severe weather, travel insurance provides coverage under the Trip Cancellation and Interruption benefit. If your trip is cancelled for a covered reason, travel insurance may refund the pre-paid, forfeited, non-refundable trip costs trip up to the limit of coverage.   Cancel For Any Reason elements of cruise line insurance commonly allow travelers to cancel and receive a credit equal to a certain percentage of what was paid to use on a future cruise.  The golden rule of travel insurance: never assume coverage details.  Also important: You must buy insurance before the storm is named, sort of like coverage for pre-existing medical conditions.

Reality Check
Booking hurricane season cruises does indeed mean that disruption to your travel plans are more likely.  Does it mean your cruise will be a horrible experience?  Not necessarily, if prepared for the worst and flexible enough to make the best of whatever comes our way.

 

http://youtu.be/RRjrz-sUXCc

Ten Enduring Carnival Vista Features

By
Chris Owen
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It should come as no surprise that the latest ship from Carnival Cruise Line is a big hit with fans of the diverse Fun Ship fleet.  That has been the case on every new class of ship the world’s most popular cruise line has ever built.  Carefully examining what has worked in the past, adding features sure to please existing fans and throwing in a few forward-thinking attractions has been a solid success formula for decades.  Now that Carnival Vista has been in service a few months, we revisit the new ship to see which enduring Carnival Vista features are most likely to stay put on sister ship coming up in 2018.
Enduring Carnival Vista Features

Enduring Carnival Vista Features: Sports Square
This popular area includes the SkyCourse, an exhilarating suspended ropes course as well as an expanded outdoor activity park that also includes a new indoor sports hangout.  The Clubhouse at SportSquare features mini-bowling, ping-pong, arcade basketball, sports video gaming and more.

Enduring Carnival Vista Features

Enduring Carnival Vista Features: Red Frog Pub And Brewery

Delicious Caribbean bites are served here, but the star is the hand-crafted beer brewed on board in the line’s first onboard brewery developed in collaboration with Miami-based Concrete Beach Brewery. The Caribbean-inspired brews include the aromatic and citrusy ThirstyFrog Port Hoppin’ IPA, ThirstyFrog Caribbean Wheat spiced and unfiltered ale, and rich and creamy FriskyFrog Java Stout.
Enduring Carnival Vista Features

Enduring Carnival Vista Features: Havana Cabanas

Highly touted in advance of sailing, the Havana Cabana areas turned out to be some of the most popular on Carnival Vista. Tropics-inspired Havana Cabanas feature accommodations with private outdoor patios – complete with lounge chairs and hammock – that face the expanded Lanai ocean-air outdoor promenade and offer magnificent sea views in addition to easy access to the Havana Bar and Pool.  

Enduring Carnival Vista Features

Enduring Carnival Vista Features: IMAX Theater

Carnival partnered with IMAX® to bring the world’s most immersive  cinematic experience to sea with the first-ever IMAX® Theatre on a ship. Guests can take in the latest Hollywood blockbusters, IMAX classics and IMAX documentary content on a screen that’s three decks high. One element of this feature that is quite unique: Carnival has an exclusive contract with IMAX and will be the only cruise line to have the high-tech facilities. 
Enduring Carnival Vista Features

Enduring Carnival Vista Features: Family Harbor

Cruise CompeteThe new Family Harbor accommodations offer an array of deluxe ocean-view, balcony and interior staterooms that accommodate up to five family members. Parents and kids have even more room to relax at the new, exclusive Family Harbor Lounge, a secluded space designed as the ultimate family hang out with large-screen TVs, games and complimentary breakfast and snacks. Selling out quickly, look for this area to be expanded on future renditions of Carnival Vista. Look for this feature to be added to other classes of ships as they cycle through dry dock remodeling too.


Enduring Carnival Vista Features

Enduring Carnival Vista Features: SkyRide

With SkyRide, the cruise industry’s first pedal-powered open-air aerial attraction, Carnival has created some of the best and highest outdoor vistas ever offered on a cruise ship.  Active lifestyle riders (you have to pedal to make it work) can climb aboard hanging recumbent-like bikes to cycle their way around the 800-foot suspended track with panoramic views from 150 feet above the sea.
Enduring Carnival Vista Features

Enduring Carnival Vista Features: The Library Bar

The intimate Library Bar offers Carnival guests indoor/outdoor options, in addition to the hoppin’ RedFrog Pub and stylish Havana Bar.  One of the few quiet areas of the ship, the Library Bar is an oasis of calm in a sea of fun.
Enduring Carnival Vista Features

Enduring Carnival Vista Features: The Vista Atrium

The centerpiece Vista Atrium sets a festive mood with its giant, multi-deck-high centerpiece, the Vista Dreamscape that delights guests with its LED screens and changing visuals to create the right atmosphere. It’s the perfect place to welcome guests boarding the ship, meet friends at the bar or enjoy live entertainment and dancing.

Enduring Carnival Vista Features

Enduring Carnival Vista Features: The Havana Bar

This popular bar on other Carnival ships is even better on Carnival Vista, specializing in mojitos and Cuba Libres plus a full bar menu. From Sabor de Habana, a sampler plate, to ceviche de mariscos, ropa vieja and pan con bistec, guests can taste authentic dishes of Cuba.
Enduring Carnival Vista Features

Enduring Carnival Vista Features: The Alchemy Bar

Poolside bars BlueIguana Tequila Bar and RedFrog Rum Bar provide innovative outdoor  cocktail options.  The inside equivalent of fun, the Alchemy Bar has mixologists preparing custom cocktails, done so well it’s basically another entertainment option.  
A variety of other features ranging from an entirely different look in the main dining room to a buffet area with strolling musicians are also solid wins for Carnival Cruise Line sure to be seen on later FunShip versions.

CruiseCompete-LogoThis article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

 

Secret Travel Agent Tools Revealed For Cruise Traveler Use

By
Chris Owen
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The Fun Ships of Carnival Cruise Line have introduced millions to the world of travel via cruise ship over the years.  As the world’s most popular cruise line grew, new classes of ships were built, reflecting an evolving cruise traveler who wanted more.  Keeping track of which ship or class of ships has features we want became a bit of a task but one we gladly invested time in.  Families wanted certain features while solo travelers, seniors, couples and others might be looking for something entirely different.

Vista Exteriors - 0001

Cruise CompeteTo help keep track of those features in most classes of Carnival Cruise Line ships, industry insiders had access to information not available to the general public.  Did you ever wonder how travel agents knew the answers to just about any question you could throw their way?  Secret travel agent tools were once the source as were dedicated telephone contacts for agents only.  That’s still the case today but some tools once secret are available for consumers as well.

 

Screenshot 2016-08-19 15.34.44Take away new Vista class ships on Carnival Cruise Line and we still have seven other classes in the existing fleet.  Each has unique features making them a good fit (or not) for everyone. Our list of Fun Ship Features details each ship in the Carnival fleet.

Want to know more about each class of ship on Carnival Cruise Line?  Click here for all the latest news.

CruiseCompete-LogoThis article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

 

Queen Mary 2 Remastered Brings New Features, Cute Puppies

By
Chris Owen
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Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2 is the world’s only ocean liner providing regularly scheduled crossings between New York and Southampton.  Since 2003, the 2961-passenger ship has carried cruise travelers back and forth across the Atlantic, much as Cunard Line has done for 175 years.  When time came for periodic dry dock maintenance on the line’s flagship, Cunard chose to do more than replace carpets, beds and slap on a fresh coat of paint.  It was a project so extensive that the word ‘remodeling’ was not quite the most accurate term for the extensive effort.  Queen Mary 2 remastered has brought a fresh look, updated accommodations, public venues and more.  The end result of the remastering project looks to be to a relevant cruise option that should appeal to a far broader audience of cruise traveler.

Cruise CompeteThose who dig deep into what makes cruise lines tick go to extremes when their interest aligns with any given brand.  Turning back our cruise history clock to a time when we sailed with kids, Carnival Cruise Line was a perfect fit.  We could not get enough of anything Carnival to help feed our obsession. Taking a break from family cruising, we sailed Queen Mary 2 from New York to Southampton during her inaugural year.  At the time, we came away with a number of impressions that seemed to hold true for the next decade or so.

  • For all practical purposes, every night is formal night.  This was at a time when formal was much more formal on other lines as well.
  • Just a few years after the blockbuster film Titanic had made it’s debut, it was no hard to imagine the scene after sailing Queen Mary 2,  probably the closest onboard experience to that depicted in the 1997 film available today.
  • Sailing mostly to the Caribbean and Mexico previously, six days at sea between New York and Southampton was an entirely different experience.  It was bitterly cold on deck in the open seas of the Atlantic.
  • Cunard Line has the most fabulous pillow mints on the planet.
  • We could have brought our dog along as Cunard Line has a few kennels just for that purpose.
  • Vueve Cliquot would from that point on be our champagne of choice.

QM2 Staterooms - 2
Queen Mary 2 remastered brings a ship that still has those elements which resonated with us at the time but has made them better.  Stop right there and we could call that project a win.  But the forward thinking people at Cunard Line took a different approach.  In addition to fine tuning the core experience that keeps Cunard fans coming back for more, new and appropriate features were added.

Queen Mary 2 Remastered New Features

  • New Kennels- We could still bring our dog along on the cruise and now she would have more friends to talk to with a dozen new kennels added as part of the Queen Mary 2 remastering project.
  • New Solo Staterooms- One would expect these to be small spaces, sized just big enough for one person.  The finished spaces proved to be nicely sized like “We could have two people in here easy”.
  • New Brittania Balcony Staterooms were added, 30  of them ranging from 242 to 248 square feet
  • New Dining Options top the list of major changes, bringing three new venues.  Carinthia Lounge and Patisserie serves  breakfast, lunch, coffee and Champagne afternoon tea by day then wine, small plates and live entertainment by night.  The Verandah specializes in French cuisine, replacing the Todd English restaurant.  A totally redesigned Kings Court Buffet provides flexibility to offer just about any food trend that might come up in the next decade or so
  • Top Level Queens Grill and Princess Grill suites on Queen Mary 2 were reworked as were their associated exclusive restaurants adding more tables for two and more space between tables in addition to a new menu.

Is Queen Mary 2 Remastered a good fit for any true fan of cruise travel?  Quite frankly, no.  This is not a ship or cruise line that a vast number of cruise travelers would enjoy.  New additions open that net a bit more but this is still very much a line and onboard experience that will most commonly be a special occasion sailing.  Retracing our heritage, we may find that our ancestors came to the new world on a Cunard ship.  Those who do not want to fly to Europe can transform the hassle and worry of travel by air into a jet lag free way to get there or back.  And then there are the puppies.

QM2 Kennels - 35

Photos- Chris Owen

CruiseCompete-LogoThis article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

 

New Reasons To Consider Cunard Line For Your Cruise Of A Lifetime

By
Chris Owen
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Cruise CompeteMilestone events have always been a good reason to take a cruise.  Weddings, honeymoons and anniversaries are lifetime events that call for something special.  Graduation, retirement or reaching a challenging goal qualify too.  But which cruise line to choose?  As cruise travel has become more mainstream, drawing travelers who might never have considered a cruise before, just any cruise might not do. We want a cruise experience the quality of which meets or exceeds lofty expectations in every way.  Cunard Line has always been on the short list of sailing options commonly tagged to celebrate once in a lifetime achievements.  After a recent remodeling so extensive it was dubbed a remastering, flagship Queen Mary 2 comes to us with new reasons to consider Cunard Line for your cruise of a lifetime.

Consider Cunard Line

One part of the Cunard remastering of Queen Mary 2 included adding a number of new features.  Not exactly a total surprise; other cruise lines do that as well, updating older ships from time to time.  Still, the QM2 remastering brought a variety of unique features and good reason to consider Cunard Line:

  • 15 new, roomy Single Staterooms bring huge value for those traveling solo.  On the few other lines that offer solo accommodations, they are small spaces, measuring barely over 100 square feet.  Big enough to sleep in but there will be no lounging here.  Cunard Line’s new solo staterooms are 159-162 square feet and feature a double bed large windows and plenty of storage space
  • 30 new Britannia Club Balcony Staterooms bring more of the most affordable staterooms with verandah’s on the ship.
  • 10 new kennels enable cruise traveler to bring along the family pet
  • Restyling of all suites and staterooms added a new, light and contemporary look.  You will no longer feel as though you are sailing on your grandmothers cruise ship.
  • Restyling the top end Grills Dining Experience meets the blows past all top end dining offerings at sea.  This is the place for your special celebration.
  • Tea and coffee makers in each stateroom and suite are just a thoughtful addition we wish all cruise lines had.
  • The Verandah dining venue  is among entirely new dining spaces with regional French cooking
  • Winter Garden now an elegant, airy gathering venue
  • The Carinthia Lounge is another new venue, this one with light fare.
  • Kings Court moves beyond “the buffet” to a chef-manned demo of food journeys

Consider Cunard Line

Consider Cunard Line: Fresh Energy

The Cunard remastering of Queen Mary 2 solidly positions the ship, if not the entire cruise line to sail smoothly into the future. Long time fans will be happy with what has been done.  At the same time, the extensive effort effectively positions Cunard Line as a viable choice for a much broader range of cruise traveler.

“The Remastering is a testament to Cunard’s attention to detail, incorporating inspiration from our past that continues to propel the powerful Cunard story, which we think will strongly resonate with today’s travelers,” – David Noyes, CEO, Cunard Line”

Drawing on 80 years of heritage from her namesake RMS Queen Mary (now a permanent hotel in California) remastered Queen Mary 2 will continue to define luxury ocean travel with the most  offerings, unique excursions, and the widest range of entertainment and leisure options available at sea today.

Consider Cunard Line
If your thoughts about Cunard Line bring thoughts of sailing with ‘the newlywed or nearly dead’, as the old saying goes about cruises in general, think again.  It’s time for another look. It’s time to seriously consider Cunard Line.

CruiseCompete-LogoThis article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

 

Norwegian Cruise Line Expands Margaritaville® at Sea Restaurants

By
John Shallo
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ncl_Esc_Mrgrtvlle_SignNorwegian Cruise Line has announced the expansion of its exclusive partnership with Margaritaville®. As a part of The Norwegian Edge™, a $400 million investment program dedicated to delivering an exceptional onboard experience, Norwegian will introduce new Margaritaville® at Sea restaurants onboard Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Breakaway this fall.

Building on its success and popularity on board Norwegian’s newest ship, Norwegian Escape, Margaritaville® at Sea onboard Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Breakaway will bring to life nostalgic island moments with a tropical menu that features signature items like the Cheeseburger in Paradise and Who’s to Blame Margarita, available à la carte, in an open air-eatery offering stunning ocean views.

“Norwegian Cruise Line has been bringing guests to paradise for nearly 50 years,” said Andy Stuart, President and Chief Operating Officer for Norwegian Cruise Line. “With the expansion of our partnership with Margaritaville to our Breakaway Class ships, our guests will now be able to enjoy the island lifestyle before the ship has even left port.”

Margaritaville® at Sea will open September 18 aboard Norwegian Getaway in the former Flamingo Grill, and on October 9 aboard Norwegian Breakaway in the former Uptown Grill.ncl_Esc_Mrgrtvlle

“We are excited to expand our relationship with Norwegian Cruise Line, allowing even more guests to escape to the Margaritaville state of mind,” said John Cohlan, chief executive officer of Margaritaville. “Norwegian shares our philosophy that combines fun with exceptional service and we look forward to continuing to take this partnership to new sea levels.”

Norwegian Breakaway revolutionized the cruise industry when she debuted in 2013 bringing the best of New York City to sea with industry first innovations like The Waterfront, a full deck promenade of restaurants, bars and lounge space which enhances the guests’ connection with the ocean; high energy Broadway entertainment with Rock of Ages and Burn The Floor; a wide variety of accommodations offerings and much more. Norwegian Breakaway sails from New York year-round, during the winter months offering seven-day sailings to the Bahamas and Florida as well as Caribbean sailings up to 14-days visiting some of the most sought after winter escapes, and seven-day sailings to Bermuda featuring three days in-port.

Norwegian Getaway, sister-ship for Norwegian Breakaway, sets sail from her home city of Miami and embodies the essence of the Magic City, the ship’s hull artwork was designed by Miami’s own David “LEBO” Le Batard and offers 26 dining options, two Broadway Shows, a thrilling Aqua Park with five heart-pounding slides, Splash Academy for kids and much more. Now through April 2017 Norwegian Getaway will sail seven-day Western Caribbean itineraries with alternating ports of call including Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras;  Harvest Caye, Belize, the Caribbean’s new premier resort-style port of call that is being developed by Norwegian and due to open in November; and much more. In Summer 2017, Norwegian Getaway will return to Europe for the first time since her delivery in 2014, and sail the Baltic Capitals from Copenhagen, giving guests the opportunity to experience the ultimate in freedom and flexibility on eight- or nine-day cruises. This spectacular itinerary will allow guests to explore UNESCO World Heritage sites, take in the picturesque Baltic countryside and experience the unique history, cultures and architecture of these famed European cities. The itinerary includes calls in Tallinn, Estonia; Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; Warnemünde, Germany which features shore excursion options to Berlin; along with an overnight in St. Petersburg, Russia.

For more information or to book a cruise aboard Norwegian Breakaway or Norwegian Getaway, contact a travel professional, call Norwegian at 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784), or visit www.ncl.com.

Zumba Brings Back Exclusive Cruise Aboard Royal Caribbean

By
John Shallo
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 The sea party is back and better than ever with five spectacular nights aboard Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas – Sails from Miami, FL. on April 23, 2017

Zumba Logo_PrimaryZumba is teaming up with Royal Caribbean International for the second year in a row to host the vacation of a lifetime aboard the Zumba® Cruise. Setting sail from Miami, FL. on April 23, 2017, the five-night Zumba Cruise onboard Navigator of the Seas will feature exclusive Zumba activities and experiences, and visit tropical destinations Nassau, Bahamas and Cozumel, Mexico.

“We were thrilled with the incredible response we got from the success of the 2016 Zumba cruise. There’s no better way to enjoy the dance and fitness activities of Zumba than combined with the Royal Caribbean experience, with features such as the ice-skating rinks, rock-climbing walls, delectable dining and world-class entertainment,” said Vicki Freed, Senior Vice President, Sales and Trade Support and Service. “We’re excited to host Zumba once again, and now on Navigator of the Seas.”

Throughout the cruise, guests will experience Zumba® at an entirely new “sea-level,” with daily Zumba-themed classes as well as master classes taught by Zumba creator Beto Perez and more than 50 additional celebrity Zumba instructors. All classes will be filled with live music to the beats of celebrity DJs and live musicians. In addition to burning calories (and having fun while doing it), vacationers can enjoy more than 20 live music concerts with some of the hottest artists, soak up the sun, relax and take advantage of the ship’s signature amenities, which include ice skating, rock climbing, nightlife, the casino, a variety of dining venues, and the rejuvenating Vitality Spa and Fitness Center and running track.

“We have been overwhelmed with requests to bring back the Zumba Cruise because the experience with Royal Caribbean was truly one of a kind and a wild success,” said Zumba CEO, Alberto Perlman. “With new destinations, new experiences and new opportunities on Royal Caribbean, we are truly excited to offer our guests and their families another opportunity to have the vacation of a lifetime and a chance for Zumba fans around the world to celebrate and dance together outside of the class setting.”

Vacationers and Zumba fans alike can get their vacation in their calendars now and take advantage of the sun while they torch calories and have fun. To browse fun memories from 2016, travelers can search for #ZumbaCruise on social media, and visit zumba-cruise.com for more details and to make their 2017 Zumba Cruise reservation.

Fathom Partners with Airbnb

By
John Shallo
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During each sailing, Fathom will visit Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba, three ports of call for which Carnival Corporation has obtained berthing approval (PRNewsFoto/Carnival Corporation & plc)
Beginning in April 2016, fathom will embark on weekly seven-day voyages from Port Miami aboard the MV Adonia, a 710-passenger vessel redeployed from Carnival Corporation's P&O Cruises (UK) brand. (PRNewsFoto/Carnival Corporation & plc)
Fathom embarks on weekly seven-day voyages from Port Miami aboard the MV Adonia, a 710-passenger vessel redeployed from Carnival Corporation’s P&O Cruises (UK) brand. (PRNewsFoto/Carnival Corporation & plc)

New Airbnb hosts in the U.S. who sign up to become a new host with Airbnb will receive a $250 credit for a Fathom cruise

Fathom and Airbnb have partnered for a “give and get” opportunity for new Airbnb hosts in the U.S. who sign up to become a new host with Airbnb will receive a $250 credit for a Fathom cruise to the Dominican Republic or Cuba.

Fathom offers uniquely different round-trip voyages from Miami to embrace what’s possible in two of theCaribbean’s most desired destinations – the Dominican Republic and Cuba. Fathom’s cruises to the Dominican Republic focus on an authentic, enriching and meaningful experience that allows travelers to participate alongside locals to address community needs. Fathom’s culturally immersive cruise itinerary in Cuba features experiences in the Cuban port cities of Havana, Cienfuegos, and Santiago de Cuba, exposing travelers to a rich and vibrant culture that until now most U.S. travelers have only seen in photographs.

“We love that Airbnb offers a marketplace of unforgettable experiences curated by their host community all over the world,” said Tara Russell, president of Fathom and global impact lead for Carnival Corporation. “In many ways, we share that same passion and deliver new memories. Today’s consumers want to have unique, immersive experiences, and I’m excited that we can now creatively make this possible even further through this natural partnership.”

Carnival Corporation Launches fathom LOGONew Airbnb hosts – who become Fathom travelers – have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact while gaining deep insight into the everyday lives, rich culture and history of both local Dominican and Cuban communities. No matter what cruise travelers choose, Airbnb provides the perfect home, apartment or private room for those who want to live like a Miami local before or after a Fathom cruise to the Dominican Republic or Cuba.

To receive the $250 Fathom credit, potential new Airbnb hosts in the U.S. may view the terms and conditions here. For more information on the partnership, please visit: https://www.fathom.org/airbnb

Prices for the seven-day trips to the Dominican Republic start at $499 per person, excluding taxes, fees, and port expenses and including all meals on the ship, onboard social impact immersion experiences, three on-shore social impact activities and related supplies. Prices vary by season. To secure a spot on future sailings, a fully refundable $300 per person deposit is required for all cabin categories and occupancy levels. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. To reserve a spot on future sailings, guests may call 1-855-932-8466 or through a travel professional. Learn more at www.Fathom.org.

Prices for seven-day itineraries to Cuba start at $1,899 per person, excluding Cuban visas, taxes, fees and port expenses and including all meals on the ship and lunch while in the three ports, onboard experiences and on-the-ground activities. Prices will vary by season. To secure a spot on future sailings, a fully refundable $600 per person deposit is required for all cabin categories and occupancy levels. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. To reserve a spot on future sailings, travelers may call Fathom toll-free at 1-855-932-8466 or work with a travel professional. Learn more at www.Fathom.org.

New Reasons To Feed Your Cruise Addiction

By
Chris Owen
-
Group Cruise Leaders

Cruise CompeteAs addictions go, it could be worse.  You could be dependent on something that might not end well.  A drug-induced escape from reality comes to mind.  Odds are, lifetime quality memories will not be produced in altered reality.  Still, have a good first cruise experience and we want more. So we book again, maybe even before leaving the ship we are currently sailing.  Doing so avoids the withdrawal process junkies of any kind go through after the high wears off.  At least in the beginning.  Over time it takes more cruise action to satisfy the need.  Cruise addicts get picky, focusing on the parts they like best.  They avoid the parts they don’t care for and can spiral down a dead end road that could ruin what was once our vacation of choice. Cruise lines, the enablers of our fixation, know this and have new reasons to feed your cruise addiction.

Your Cruise Addiction
Reflections Dining Room On Carnival Vista

Your Cruise Addiction: The Good Food Is Back In The Dining Room And It Does Not Take Forever

It started with the Golden Fleece specialty restaurant on Carnival Legend.  One alternative dining venue for ultra special occasions.  A nominal fee was charged for cuisine so distinctly different from what was served in the main dining room that it made sense.  A three pound Porterhouse steak for $15 was a steal and caught on quick.  We were hooked and other cruise lines soon followed.  Along came Princess Cruises Anytime Dining, offering cruise travelers the ability to dine when and with whomever they chose as opposed to being at the same table with the same people every night.   Norwegian Cruise Line’s Freestyle Dining began adding a plethora of choices, many for a fee, and drew fire from cruise fans convinced they ‘had to pay for the good food’. An onslaught of celebrity chefs brought a different element to at sea dining, increasing cruise line ability to charge more for what was customarily an included part of the deal.

Then they took a step back.

Additional dining venues clearly defined,  cruise lines invested more resources in the included dining room experience.  That effort leveled the playing field and brought the sizzle back to the dining room steak.  Timing was improved so cruise travelers could indeed enjoy their evening meal and make it to entertainment offered at the other end of the ship. Bonus: new dining spaces being created have have a more contemporary feel.  Going away are the large cavernous spaces where getting a drink other than coffee, tea or water takes forever. On new Carnival Vista, the bar is right in the dining room.  Still, the ‘buffet’ of today is far from the straight line institutional cafeteria that aimed simply to feed a lot of people efficiently.

Your Cruise Addiction
The Clearly Defined Suggested Attire On Holland America Line

Your Cruise Addiction: The Scary Dress Code Is Gone

For a number of cruise travelers, dressing up for dinner, or not, is a deciding factor when choosing a cruise line.  A cruise line might have well-defined guidelines for evening attire but we really don’t know what other passengers will be wearing.  It’s a huge issue with fashion-conscious travelers to the point where they might choose to err on the high side or formal, rather than be out dressed by their tablemates.  Many cruise lines don’t help matters either, describing the suggested evening attire as the ambiguous  “Casually Elegant”, “Country Club Relaxed”, or “Enjoyably Formal”.  Huh?

Good news for fans of Holland America Line: There’s a photo for the different evening suggested attire in each stateroom.  It would be nice to see that on pre-cruise documentation or the Holland America website to avoid the inevitable “Dang, I wish I had seen this photo before I packed” issue but they’re headed in the right direction and we probably wouldn’t have paid any attention to it before being on the ship anyway.  Cruise addicts who thought the only place they would feel comfortable is the buffet need to give the dining room another try, and for more reason than the dress code.

Your Cruise Addiction
The Lido Restaurant On Holland America Line’s Koningsdam

Your Cruise Addiction: The Casual Dining Experience Comes Of Age

While we still see passengers loading up a plates with enough food for a family of five then leaving half of it behind uneaten, their numbers are far less.  On an increasing number of cruise lines that’s due to one simple change: they can’t.  Not that they can’t have their fill and leave the dining area satisfied, they can, but more often they will be served by cruise line crew members.  An increasingly popular service method has crew serving the buffet cuisine for the first day or two, depending on the results of that health questionnaire we complete before boarding. That effort greatly reduces the transfer of norovirus as the well-scrubbed hand of one crew member touches serving spoons as opposed to the hands of hundreds of passengers who may or may not have.

Open kitchens bring the ability to finish menu items in front of us as opposed to being prepared in a remote kitchen and transported to the serving location.  Well spaced stations enable passengers to easily skip sections of little interest rather than standing in line, waiting while their previous selections die on the plate.  In the dining areas, tables are set with serviceware and crew stands by to bring drink orders.

 

Your Cruise Addiction
The SkyRide On Carnival Vista

Your Cruise Addiction: Top Deck Features Take A Turn In The Right Direction

As opposed to a passive, sit there and enjoy it amusement park type ride on  the top deck, cruise lines are adding active lifestyle attractions that require us to do something to enjoy them.

Speaking of addiction and getting high, the twin SkyRides on Carnival Vista roll around the top deck of the ship, out over the side and provide amazing panoramic views of everything all around…if you pedal them.  Just sit there and you go nowhere.  The SkyRide as well a full size basketball court, Sports Square with ropes course and more are popular places throughout the day.  Not that this is a first, the ships of Royal Caribbean International have had rock climbing walls for years.  Still, as new top deck attractions added industry-wide in recent years tend take little effort, this new one takes some work. That comes as a surprise to some, sending them back down to the bar to consider some other activity, but not many.

The cruise traveler of today is breaking away from the stereotypical ‘feed my gaping maw’ rendition of yesteryear.  In the process, cruising as the travel drug of choice is changing too,  offering a new respectability.  For some.  Others, still addicted to the old cruise travel experience can get it but they have to try harder.  Eventually, they too will see the light, transferring their addictive nature to this new, more constructive cruise travel of today.

CruiseCompete-LogoThis article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

 

 

 

 

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