An overview of Harmony of the Seas like you’ve never seen. The world’s largest cruise ship is packed with bold and unexpected lineup of experiences found nowhere else on land or sea.
The culinary opportunities offered by dining at sea have always been a major ingredient in the cruise industry recipe for success. Long before multiple eateries, some included in the deal and others for a nominal fee, a ship’s main dining room was the place to be for each and every meal. Today more than ever before, an abundant number of dining options are available to cruise travelers with no end in sight as highly competitive cruise lines continue to evolve their culinary efforts. We have reached the point where dining has risen to be a bona fide qualifying factor in deciding which cruise line is a good fit for each individual traveler.
“The industry shows no signs of slowing down, with 24 million passengers expected to sail in 2016, a dramatic increase from 15 million just 10 years prior,” says the Cruise Lines International Association trade group in their State Of The Cruise Industry Outlook, tagging continued evolution of the cruise industry as a driving factor. That evolution includes a focus on hardware with new, innovative ships being offered, each one packed with dining possibilities.
In the past, each cruise line had some superstar signature menu items that would bring passengers back for more. Travelers expected a ‘lobster night’ or ‘prime rib night’ as events not to miss and checked posted dining menus each day to be there for them. But that was at a time when the alternative to visiting the main dining room was 24-hour room service or a buffet. Today, as multiple dining venues offer a wide range of culinary possibilities, the choice is more difficult.
Today, cruise lines often have more dining venues to choose from than there are days in a standard 7-night itinerary. In top end dining offerings, cruise lines might source local ingredients from the ports visited along the way; answering the consumer call for trendy eateries at sea as well as a focus on fresh as never before.
Cruise travelers of today can get a good idea of what is on the menu in advance from a variety of sources. More importantly perhaps, they can also go deep into the theory and thought that went into those menu creations cruise lines hope will bring them back for more. Cruise line recipes are not all that hard to find. Copies of menus, photos of menu items and more are available through YouTube, Flickr, Pinterest and more.
As we might expect, there is a whole lot more to this story as cruise lines continue to differentiate themselves from one another. Look for more on this topic in future posts, covering cruise line efforts to win our loyalty, engaging us with everything from going ashore to shop with the ship’s chef to teaching us how to make their fabulous creations at home. Odds are that there is a cruise line offering that will meet just about any personal dining preference. Helping readers figure out which cruise line that might be, that focus will continue throughout the year.
This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.
If the thought of Viking Cruises brings lifetime-quality memories of a Viking River Cruise in Europe, you’re not alone. Many of our fellow passengers on board Viking Ocean Cruises first ship Viking Star came here for that reason alone. That first Caribbean sailing complete, a dozen standalone reasons to sail with Viking in the Caribbean.
This article is brought to you by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts
Carnival Cruise Line has signed an agreement with landlord Urban Commons and the City of Long Beach, Calif., to expand the Long Beach Cruise Terminal facility to accommodate larger ships in the future and enhance its terminal operations. The deal will nearly triple the size of Carnival’s current terminal facility from approximately 66,000 square feet to 142,000 square feet.
Carnival has operated the Long Beach Cruise Terminal since 2003 using a partial area of the Geodesic Dome that was the former museum housing Howard Hughes’ “Spruce Goose” attraction. The agreement gives Carnival 100 percent use of the Dome, allowing for larger ships and providing additional space needed to accommodate two-way operations, enabling embarking guests to access the terminal prior to completion of disembarkation. Construction is slated to be completed in late 2017. During the construction period, measures will be taken to ensure a continued smooth operational flow and high standard of customer service for cruise guests.
“For years we have been working toward reaching an agreement to expand the Long Beach Cruise Terminal to accommodate larger ships on the West Coast, and we’re thrilled to finally be able to move forward with our plans to assume full usage of the Dome, making Long Beach one of our largest homeport facilities,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We would like to thank the City of Long Beach and Urban Commons for their efforts in facilitating this expansion that will ultimately enhance the guest experience and build upon our leadership position as the number one cruise operator from the West Coast.”
Plans also include expansion of portside cold-ironing capacity to accommodate larger vessels. The technology enables cruise ships to plug into the local electric grid and reduce exhaust emissions while docked. In addition, Carnival is working with Urban Commons on enhancements to the area surrounding the dome and the adjacent Queen Mary attraction, as well as ways to expand parking capacity to accommodate future growth.
Currently, the recently enhanced Carnival Inspiration and Carnival Imagination operate year-round three- and four-day Baja cruises from Long Beach while Carnival Miracle sails seven-day voyages to the Mexican Riviera and 14- and 15-day cruises to Hawaii and Alaska round-trip from Long Beach.
“Your Ship Has Come In” Challenge is Travel Trade’s Largest-Ever Promotion of its Kind
Viking Cruises has announced a new promotion for the travel trade, in celebration of the company’s 20th anniversary. The Challenge, called “Your Ship Has Come In: Viking Million Dollar Voyage,” will be the travel industry’s largest-ever promotion of its kind. Running from October 17, 2016 until March 31, 2017, qualified travel agents who sell Viking’s river or ocean cruises will have the opportunity to enter the Challenge to win $1 million.
“As we prepare to celebrate 20 years of leading the industry in 2017, we wanted an extraordinary way to recognize and reward the efforts of our travel trade partners,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. “In the last two decades, travel agents have helped us launch more ships and win more awards than any other cruise line, so it seems appropriate that we should also host the biggest-ever Challenge for our travel agent partners.”
To be eligible to win, qualified travel agents must register for “Your Ship Has Come In: Viking Million Dollar Voyage” by visiting www.vrc.com/million. Upon registration, each qualified Viking River Cruises or Viking Ocean Cruises booking made from October 17, 2016 through March 31, 2017 will count as an entry in the Challenge. There is no limit on the number of entries – so each qualified booking increases the chance of winning. The winning travel agent will win $1,000,000 USD and will be chosen at random from all qualified bookings, following the end of the Challenge in March 2017. For more information and full Challenge rules, visit http://www.vikingcruises.com/terms-conditions/million-dollar-voyage-terms-conditions.html.
Referring to your cruise ship as the ‘big floaty thing’ used to be the sort of talk that would draw nasty looks from cruise travel aficionados. Being correct in our use of nautical terminology was nearly a requirement decades ago. Today we just flip on a smartphone app while on board most cruise ships and find out instantly where the dining room is, no nautical conversation needed. Still, cruise travel lingo is good to know, some terms are nautical, others more the language of travel agents and those who work with cruise lines on a daily basis.
CLIA – The Cruise Lines International Association a professional organization most cruise lines belong to
This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.
The price of airfare is frequently one of the biggest hurdles travelers face when planning a cruise vacation. Cruise lines have become really good at coming up with attractive deals. But unless driving to the port is an option, getting there usually means flying which can often cost as much or more than the price of the cruise. Today we have some tips that will save on cruise airfare to get the most out of your travel budget. Those savings can be used for shore excursions, spa treatment, beverages and more.
Check the Websites. I like Cheapoair, Kayak and CheapTickets but any three you favor can work too. The point is to get enough information in front of you to get an idea of what is available. You’ll know pretty quickly if your idea of a good flight time will cost you dearly or is a bargain. This is a good step to take before you buy the cruise and are looking at options there too. It might be worth getting the kids back in school a day late to save hundreds on airfare.
Don’t give up on the cruise line. For a long time, cruise line airfare was a horrible value. Now, some have new fare options that can be competitive and offer included transfers. More importantly, cruise line airfare often (but NOT always) offers assistance should you miss a flight for reasons beyond your control and that results in you missing the ship. Some lines (but not all) will do whatever it takes to get you there.
Visit the Airline Websites Directly. After you found what you think is the best value for you in airfare, l, visit that airline’s website directly. The sites like those listed in steps 1 and 2 often charge booking fees to pay their bills. You should be able to find the same flights on the airline site for $10 – $20 cheaper on a roundtrip flight, most of the time. You benefit from buying your cruise with a travel agent working for you. Buying directly from the cruise line is never a better value. Buying directly from the airline, though, can be.
Consider Discount Airlines. Most of them do show up on the above search engines, but not all. Southwest Airlines often has low fares or sale fares, but you have to visit their website to find them.
Fly Midweek. Most of the least expensive airfares will involve traveling on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. You may also be able to find discount fares for travel on Thursdays or Saturday. Often you can save enough here to pay for a night in a hotel before the cruise. This is always a good idea not only for the savings and getting to start vacation a day early. Scheduling flights a day early gives cruise travelers extra time between leaving home and getting on the ship which might be needed if flights are delayed. This is an especially sound strategy if flying from the northern United States the south for your winter cruise.
Use Alternate Airports. Many major cities have more than one airport to choose from. For Chicago, you can choose O’Hare or Midway. For New York, you have LaGuardia, JFK and Newark NJ. When booking your flights, consider these alternatives as they can save you money. Consider the cost of transferring from your chosen airport to the pre-cruise hotel or cruise ship too.
Use Booking Windows to Your Advantage. Most airlines have booking windows during which rates change. Generally, these are 21 days, 14 days and 7 days prior to your departure date. The closer you get to your departure date, the more your airfare will be. On the flip side, airlines like Southwest do not allow you to book more than a few months in advance so you have to wait. One way to make this work for you is to add on the cruise line airfare when you book the cruise. If you find flights and prices that work better for you later you can usually cancel your cruise line airfare without penalty. Just make sure to do so before you make final payment on your cruise.
Be Flexible on Dates. Sometimes leaving a day earlier or later can make a difference in the price. Many of the top travel sites allow you to factor this into the search, but if it doesn’t, be sure to check on your own, if you have the flexibility on dates. A bonus comes when you save on cruise airfare; those savings can be used for pre- or post-cruise hotel stays too.
Try Last Minute and Bidding Sites. If you aren’t that picky about your airline, these may be a good way to go. After you’ve found the lowest price via the above means, use that information to place a bid on Priceline, to see if you can get it a bit cheaper. Be warned though, you won’t know your airline until after you pay. Hotwire.com doesn’t make you bid, but like Priceline, it also doesn’t let you see the airline until after you’ve paid.
Sign Up For Mailing Lists. Save on cruise airfare by visiting two of my favorite travel deal websites are airfarewatchdog.com and travelzoo.com. Both list various airfares that are especially good. Sign up for their mailing lists (and those of the airlines serving your destination) to get the latest deals as they happen. If you’re worried about spam, sign up for a free email at gmail.com, hotmail.com or yahoo.com and use that. Twitter users follow @JohnnyJet for lots of good information as well as @Elliottdotorg
Photos- American Airlines
This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.
Become An Expert Cruiser! Learn insider secrets and money saving tips. Learn how to avoid the 20 mistakes that most cruisers make with the Intelligent Cruiser here (Sponsored).
We talk a lot here about traveling safely. It’s a boring topic, but worthy of consideration. Kind of like travel insurance. It’s not a fun part of travel planning but we’re going to talk about it anyway. Bear with me. Think along the lines of learning how to travel with carry-on luggage only which totally eliminates the possibility of airline handling fail. You may or may not be motivated to travel that way. Check off the boxes: you might already be doing these home safety things. If so, odds are you’ll return to a home much like you left it after your fabulous cruise vacation.
“If you can’t get a house sitter, tell your neighbors you’re leaving. Ask if one of them will be your emergency captain, in charge of calling or emailing you if something goes terribly awry.”
Stop Your Mail To Keep Your Home Safe –There are actually two schools of thought on this. SimpliSafe likes stopping your mail: “If you don’t have a house sitter doing it for you, ask the post office to stop your mail for the range of dates you’ll be away.” This assumes that the postal worker does not go…well…postal, hiding in the bushes waiting for you to return. Stopping mail is easy to do: online at usps.com. The other thought about stopping mail is a bit more complicated. Still, it follows the common thought in all this: it’s best to fake everyone into thinking you’re still there and never left. Don’t stop your mail and have someone trusted pick it up is one way to do that. Limiting your normal pickup of mail to once a week is another. Basically, you fake out the postal workers who are used to your mail piling up in the mailbox.
Yeah right, that would kinda defeat the purpose of ‘sharing’ the fabulous places you are visiting without your loser friends back home. Funny word ‘sharing’ when used like that. Wouldn’t ‘shamelessly bragging about’ be more accurate? Still, nothing gives those kids down the street the green light to stop sexting and break into your home for the real deal without parental supervision than that selfie of you and the guy driving the gondola in Venice.
Cover Flickr Photo- fdecomite
This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.
In 2015 Viking Ocean Cruises made history by launching the travel industry’s first entirely new cruise line in over a decade. On Oct 13th another milestone will be reached when Viking Star arrives in New York City for the first time. Until this time North American’s would have to take an international flight to various ports of call to experience a Viking Cruise on the ocean or rivers. Viking Cruises currently has a growing fleet of two ocean ships (with three on order) and sixty-two river cruise vessels.
On Oct 14th. Viking Star will make her way down the Eastern seaboard to San Juan, Puerto Rico, which will serve as her home-port for winter Caribbean itineraries. The ship will return to Europe in February 2017, with a transatlantic sailing from San Juan to Barcelona.
“We have always had a vision to reinvent ocean cruising – to bring destinations back to the forefront of the itinerary and to build ships that are designed to help our guests better explore their destinations,” said Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking Cruises. “Just as the Viking explorers before us, we are now looking across the Atlantic for new discoveries. Our new itineraries in North America and the Caribbean will offer travelers experiences that broaden their horizons both on and off the ship.”
Viking Ocean Cruises is appealing to cruisers who are looking for a more personal and inclusive experience. They stand out with smaller ships at 46, 700 gross tons and only 930 guests on-board and every stateroom has a veranda. Further you won’t find any casino’s, kids or pressure to buy extras. Instead, you’ll get to know your destination with delicious meals inspired by authentic regional flavors, enriching Destination Performances and fascinating lectures.
Viking’s Inclusive Value
Viking Ocean Cruises offers an all-inclusive cruise fare. This one price helps simplify your cruise vacation purchase. With a Viking Cruise, you no longer have to worry about and budget for the countless extra items or unknowns during your cruise. Because your Viking Cruise will include all the items below:
These included items are an added value of over $200 per day per couple vs. other cruise lines.
Learn More:
Cruise Addicts will be on-board Viking Star for the Oct 14th sailing from New York City to San Juan. Follow along with us as bring you live updates via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Check our homepage at www.cruise-addicts.com as we report on everything Viking Star has to offer.
Come along with Cruise Addicts as we travel with Viking River Cruises along their Romantic Danube itinerary for this special Christmas Markets cruise. Our 8-Day journey begins as we meet the Viking Jarl in Budapest, Hungary and continues as we visit other amazing places. Of course we’ll be visiting some amazing Christmas Markets along the way.
Designed for discerning travelers with interests in history, art, music and cuisine, Chairman Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers guests “the thinking person’s cruise” as an alternative to mainstream cruises. Ships are small to get guests closer to their destination, with more time in port and more overnights. On board, guests find serene Scandinavian spaces, where every room is both beautiful and functional, quiet and filled with light.
Viking offers a compelling value compared to other cruise lines. Every cruise fare includes an outside stateroom, a complimentary shore excursion in each port of call, all onboard meals, and all port charges and government taxes. Guests also enjoy many complimentary amenities as part of their fare, including: beer and wine with lunch and dinner service; Wi-Fi; and cultural performances as part of the Viking’s Cultural Curriculum® onboard programming.
For more information visit VikingCruises.com or Call Viking toll free at 1-855-8-VIKING (1-855-884-5464) or contact a travel agent.
This article is brought to you by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts
