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Top 10 Great 'Wave Season' Cruise Deals From $159 - Big Savings Kicks Off 2012 Wave Season

2011-12-30T06:14:00.004-05:00

Cruise Wave Season 2012

Top 10 Great 'Wave Season' Cruise Deals From $159 - Big Savings Kicks Off 2012 Wave Season

December 30, 2011 - (CruiseWire) - Big Savings Kicks Off 2012 Wave Season during the Cruise Direct Online( http://www.cruisedirectonline.com/ ) Annual Wave Season Cruise Super Sale

Cruise Travelers can enhance the value of their cruise vacation by getting more than just major discounts. Free cabin upgrades, shipboard credit among incentives to book during Wave Season.

The holiday season is about over and in just a few days, before we know it, 2012 will be here. And Cruise Direct Online is giving cruise travelers a great reason to continue celebrating well into 2012.

For the 2012 "wave season," the Cruise Direct Online Wave Season Cruise Super Sale kicks off, offering travelers up to 65 percent off cruise vacations, and up to $500* in onboard credits. These savings can be found on most cruise vacations to exciting destinations from the Caribbean and Bahamas to South America, Europe and Asia. Along with the markdowns, cruisers can get additional perks, such as free stateroom upgrades, onboard credits and more, from cruise lines participating in the popular "Wave Season" sales.Cruise Direct Online customers already save an average of $1,000 or more by taking a cruise versus a land vacation, and the Cruise Direct Online Wave Season Cruise Super Sale brings further opportunities to save. Cruise Travelers can find exclusive bonus offers, made in conjunction with Cruise Traveler Magazine®, that can mean hundreds of dollars in additional savings alone.

Customers who book a qualifying cruise for sailings departing between March 1, 2012, and August 31, 2012, receive onboard credits for up to $500*, based on the length of the cruise, the cruise line's specific offer and stateroom purchased.

25 of the World's most popular destinations are represented during Wave Season.

Alaska - Antarctic - Asia - Australia/ New Zealand - Bahamas - Bermuda - Caribbean - Canada / New England - Central America - Cruise to Nowhere - Europe - Galapagos Islands - Hawaii - Mexico - Pacific Coastal - Panama Canal - Repositioning - River Cruises - South America - South Pacific - Tahiti - Transatlantic - World Cruises

Travelers who book during the Cruise Direct Online Wave Season Cruise Super Sale can also take advantage of up to a 35% percent discount from cruise line prices on shore excursions through Shore Tour Deals. Visit www.shoretourdeals.com

About Wave Season
The cruise industry's "Wave Season," runs between January and March, when the major cruise line brands promote their very best cruise deals for the new year. Many advertise some great offers during wave season, and if you're a smart cruise shopper, you should take advantage of these offers to get a great deal on your next cruise vacation.

Why Wave Season?
Historically, sales patterns indicate January through March are when most cruise travelers book their vacation. Winter's chilly and snowy weather get cruise travelers dreaming about warm, Caribbean island getaways, or Summer's Europe and Alaska adventures. So, bookings reach peak velocity. To capitalize on this cruise booking state of mind, Cruise Direct Online offer extra incentives -- typically free perks like onboard spending credits, reduced deposits, stateroom upgrades and reduced cruise fares, as time has proven that these type of incentives are the driving force that get cruise travelers to book those cruises now.

Top 10 Great 'Wave Season' Cruise Deals From $159The cruises below include accommodations, meals, and onboard activities.

Alaska

7-Night Glacier Northbound Alaska Cruise from Vancouver to Whittier
Cruise Ship: Coral Princess
2012 Departures:
May: 14, 28, Jun: 11, 25, Jul: 9, 23, Aug: 6
Ports of Call: Vancouver, British Columbia - At Sea - Ketchikan, Alaska - Juneau, Alaska - Skagway, Alaska - Glacier Bay, Alaska - College Fjord, Alaska - Whittier, Alaska from $ 649 * ($92 per night)

Caribbean

6-Night Caribbean Cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale
Cruise Ship: Carnival Freedom
2012 Departures: Nov: 13, 27, Dec: 11
Jan: 8, 22, Feb: 5, 19, Mar: 4, 18, Apr: 1 More...
Ports of Call: Fort Lauderdale, Florida - Key West, Florida - At Sea - Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - Ocho Rios, Jamaica - At Sea - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
from $ 299 * ($49 per night)

Europe

7-Night Mediterranean Europe Cruise from Savona to Savona
Cruise Ship: Costa Concordia
2012 Departures: Nov: 28, Dec: 5, 12
Jan: 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb: 4, 11, 18 More...
Ports of Call: Savona, Italy - Marseille, France - Barcelona, Spain - Palma de Mallorca, Spain - Cagliari, Italy - Palermo, Italy - Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy - Savona, Italy
from $ 349 * ($49 per night)

Hawaii

7-Night Hawaii Cruise from Honolulu to Honolulu
Cruise Ship: Pride of America
2012 Departures: Jan: 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb: 4, 11, 18 More...
Ports of Call: Honolulu, Hawaii - Maui (Kahului), Hawaii - Maui (Kahului), Hawaii - Hilo, Hawaii - Kailua Kona, Hawaii - Nawiliwili, Hawaii - Nawiliwili, Hawaii - Honolulu, Hawaii from $ 849 * ($121 per night)

Mexico

7-Night Mexico Cruise from Long Beach to Long Beach
Cruise Ship: Carnival Splendor
2012 Departures:
Jan: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb: 5, 12
Ports of Call: Long Beach, California - At Sea - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - At Sea - At Sea - Long Beach, California
from $ 349 * ($49 per night)

Bahamas

3-Night Bahamas Cruise from Port Canaveral to Port Canaveral
Cruise Ship: Monarch of the Seas
2012 Departures:
Jan: 6, 13, 20, 27
Ports of Call: Port Canaveral, Florida - Nassau, Bahamas - Coco Cay, Bahamas - Port Canaveral, Florida
from $ 159 * ($53 per night)

Panama Canal

14-Night Panama Canal Cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles
Cruise Ship: Coral Princess
2012 Departures: Dec: 6
Jan: 3, 31, Mar: 27, Dec: 1
Ports of Call: Fort Lauderdale, Florida - At Sea - At Sea - Aruba, Netherlands Antilles - Cartagena, Colombia - Panama Canal - Fuerte Amador, Panama - At Sea - Puntarenas, Costa Rica - At Sea - At Sea - At Sea - At Sea - At Sea - Los Angeles, California
from $ 999 * ($71 per night)

South America

7-Night South America Cruise from Santos to Santos
Cruise Ship: Vision of the Seas
2012 Departures:
Mar: 2, 23
Ports of Call: Santos, Brazil - At Sea - Punta del Este, Uruguay - Montevideo, Uruguay - Buenos Aires, Argentina - At Sea - At Sea - Santos, Brazil
from $ 699 * ($99 per night)

Bermuda

7-Night Bermuda Cruise from New York to New York
Cruise Ship: Norwegian Star
2012 Departures:
Apr: 29, May: 6, 13, 20, 27, Jun: 3, 10 More...
Ports of Call: New York, New York - At Sea - At Sea - King's Wharf, Bermuda - King's Wharf, Bermuda - King's Wharf, Bermuda - At Sea - New York, New York
from $ 499 * ($71 per night)

Canada / New England

7-Night Canada / New England Cruise from New York to New York
Cruise Ship: Carnival Glory
2012 Departures:
Sep: 15, 22, 29, Oct: 6
Ports of Call: New York, New York - Boston, Massachusetts - Portland, Maine - Saint John, New Brunswick - At Sea - Halifax, Nova Scotia - At Sea - New York, New York
from $ 409 * ($71 per night)

Please Note: All prices, dates, and other details listed here were valid at the time of publication. However such information may have changed since that time. Check with your Travel Agent for the most up-to-date prices and information about the cruise you have an interest in exploring.

Want more deals like this? Browse Cruise Direct Onlines' Cruise Sale. Visit www.cruisedirectonline.com today!

Sign up for our Cruise News and Cruise Deal Alerts to receive our bargain hunters newsletter packed with cruise deals, special offers and feature articles.

Visiit Alaska Cruisetour Experts ( www.alaskacruisetourexperts.com ) for the Best Alaskan Cruises and Cruise Tours - 2012 Alaskan Voyages to Explore.

Alaska cruises is our passion and we would love the opportunity to share that passion with you. at www.alaskacruisetoursonline.com they are dedicated to searching the web for only the very best sources to cruise Alaska and we have picked our favorite Alaskan cruises to share with you. People who know and appreciate an Alaska cruise will understand immediately that we are offering nothing short of a world-class cruise experience to Alaska. Through our boutique and family-friendly website, we are always ready to help with your Alaskan cruise needs. Talk to us. Travel with us. Let us guide you on your journey to experience the world's premier frontier destination.

Raye & Marty Trencher's Cruise Tips - Courtesy of Cruise Traveler Magazine

January through March is the cruise industry's busiest booking period, referred to as "wave season". It's the one time of the year when cruise lines present their best deals . Nearly 75% of all bookings for the entire year are taken during "Wave Season".

As these cruise deals offer great savings and additional amenities, such as free cabin upgrades, shipboard credits and more, you have to act quickly, to get the best choice of sailings and accommodations. This is especially true since cruise fares steadily rise as the sailing date approaches, and this year you may not find as much last minute discounting as in the past.

The Caribbean continues to have way too many ships sailing in the Winter ( where else can they go ) so, along with Hurricane Season, you should be able to find some terrific deals.

More than anything else, during "Wave Season" always book with your travel agent and not directly with the Cruise Line.

During peak periods, the cruise line hire on hundreds of sales agents to man their call centers. Many do not have the training and experience to properly advice customers on what's best for them. Further, they can only speak about their cruise line and ships.

Whether you buy from the cruise line or a travel agent, the price is likely to be the same. Some Travel Agents can get you a better price on Princess Cruises and Holland America sailings . And your travel agent is likely to offer bonus extras, like pre-paid gratuities, discount on shore excursions and shipboard credit. Shipboard credits, where available from the cruise line, are house credits that are placed on your stateroom's account for you to use during your cruise vacation. You can use the credit towards merchandise, lounges and in some, but not all cases, for Spa Treatments or Shore Excursions.

The cruise industry's "Wave Season," runs between January and March, when the major cruise line brands promote their very best cruise deals for the new year. Many advertise some great offers during wave season, and if you're a smart cruise shopper, you should take advantage of these offers to get a great deal on your next cruise vacation.

Alaska Shore Excursions Planning Guide

2011-12-23T07:36:00.001-05:00

Alaska Cruise Tips

Alaska Shore Excursions Planning Guide

Thinking about an Alaskan Cruise or Cruise tour?

Check out the Things To Do and See when you cruise Alaska

Alaska Cruise Ship Reviews : Consumer driven Cruise Ship Reviews, ratings, rankings,

buying guide and more. Cruise Reviews Online

Alaska Cruises and Cruisetours Alaska Sea and Land Vacations. The wilderness awaits

at a great price.. Alaska Cruisetour Experts

Top 25 Alaska Cruises What Are The Top 25 Alaska Cruises? Ship Reviews,

Cruise Guide & Exclusive Deals! Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity

Best Alaska Shore Excursions Why pay Cruise Line prices Over 200 choices, Better Tours & Service.

Shop and Compare. Save as much as 35% from Cruise Line Prices.

Alaska Cruise Tips - Shore Excursions

from Raye & Marty Trencher

Certified Alaska Cruise Experts

We all know that you visit Alaska to take in the breathtaking scenery, and for the whales, sea otters, and seals in the sea and the bears, deer and moose on the shore. Alaska is a huge place, and much of it can only be seen from the water. Say Alaska and a variety of images and impressions come to mind: towering mountains, watchable wildlife, icy blue glaciers, endless wilderness, vibrant Native culture, leaping salmon, hardy outdoors; America's last frontier. Often, visiting Alaska has as much to do with what people may feel as with what they will see. There is a mystique that surrounds Alaska. To some it represents a dream, a trip of a life time, a life altering event, a chance to reach out and touch something inside themselves that is wild and beautiful like they imagine Alaska to be. Alaska...where whales, sea lions, otters, eagles, bears and an incredible diversity of wildlife can appear almost from out of the blue. It's just one of the thrilling aspects of our Alaska - the opportunity to observe an endless variety of wildlife in their natural habitat. EVERYTHING’S BIGGER IN ALASKA, INCLUDING THE ADVENTURE. In the Land of the Midnight Sun, why not use every extra minute of daylight to get more than just a suntan. From the blue ice of a massive glacial field to the stunning grandeur of the scenery and wildlife, everything in Alaska is huge. Including the adventures. Therefore, an Alaskan cruise or cruisetour is the best way to see the bays, glaciers, and wildlife. However, because of its size, you will miss a lot if you only visit the popular ports-of-call, such as Skagway, Juneau or Ketchikan. Do more. Take in the cultural, historical and adventure experiences that can only be had inland in Alaska. Many cruise passengers go beyond just a 7 day cruise and explore before or after their cruise, the inland parts of the state by railroad , or motorcoach. You've traveled far from home, so you don't want to miss seeing Denali National Park and the breathtaking views of Mt. McKinley! Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have a huge selection of land and sea combination programs, known as cruisetours. Many of the tours feature private glass domed railroad cars that travel through the wilderness between Anchorage and Fairbanks. The rail tour between Anchorage and Fairbanks includes a stopover at Telkeetna and Denali National Park. These pre-and post-cruise options. also features visits to Kenai, Cooper River, Canadian Rockies, even Prudhoe Bay. Princess Cruises have their own wilderness lodges at or near the most popular National Parks in the interior of Alaska. There are exciting, adventurous things to do in Alaska. The cruise lines call them Shore Excursions or if your on a cruise tour: Land Excursions. You can reach hidden lakes and the back country via helicopter or by float plane! If you are a fishing aficionado or want to fish a pristine lake high in the mountains, a small float plane will land right in the middle of the lake and you can fish to your heart's content. Or you can fish for King Salmon with a private guide. Perhaps in Juneau visit the Mendenhall glacier, and go Whale Watching, in just a few hours. Other shore excursion options include ziplining, dog sledding, sea kayaking, mountain biking, even, if your up to it: heli-hiking. Take a helicopter to a mountain top and the pilot drops you off. Then go hike down the mountain, and be picked up later. The views are spectacular and the experience fun. Most cruisers sail the Inside Passage calling on 3 or 4 ports-of-call during their 7 day cruise. You'll find the Eagle Rehabilitation Center in Sitka a town who's heritage is Russian and you can take a tour and learn about their culture and history. Stop at Skagway, you'll want take the White Pass & Yukon Route narrow gauge railway. This railroad, in operation since the 1898 follows the path of the Yukon gold rush. Near the White Pass Summit on the Yukon Highway is the beautiful Yukon Suspension Bridge over the Tutshi River. Visit Juneau , See the Mendenhall Glacier and the Mount Roberts Aerial Tramway, which lifts you 1800 feet above the city. Ketchikan's waterfront, is a great place to visit the shops and restaurants along Creek Street. If you add up all the things to see and do when you cruise Alaska, the number exceeds over 350 options! Cruise lines offer shore excursions, as it is an important profit center for them. However, booking a shore excursion from the cruise line can get expensive. One way to save a few dollars is to check out Shore Tour Deals. You can search and compare, find and book top Shore Excursions where ever you cruise worldwide. Browse By Port, Cruise Ship, Departure Date and Duration. Read shore excursion reviews by consumers and professional travel writers. Even, speak to a Trip Advisor who specializes in Shore Excursions Whether you enjoy history, nature, adventure or simply sightseeing, here you can learn more about the 300+ ports cruise lines visits each year, as well as key points of interest, favorite activities and the full range of independent shore excursions offered by 4 shore excursion experts to help you explore. Compare prices side-by-side and choose the shore excursion that's right for you and your family. Rates can be as much as 35 percent less than those charged by the cruise line. It pays to check them out. While other web sites sell cruises and other forms of travel, Shore Tour Deals utilizes this expertise and offers multiple choices, so you can select the highest quality shore excursions delivered by local experts at a price to fit just about any budget. Since these companies are not like a cruise line, focused on a revenue producing and profit maker, as shore excursions, independent sightseeing and shore excursion firms allow you to travel in much smaller groups offering a more personalized experience. Compare Shore Excursions Using Shore Tour Deals

Compare Cruise Prices Using Cruise Connect

Shore Excursions - How to avoid being overcharged for shore excursions and still have a quality experience on your cruise

2011-12-16T07:20:00.000-05:00

Raye & Marty Trencher's Cruise Tips

Shore Excursions ( land based sightseeing and adventure tours ) are part of the experience of cruising. They are also a profit center and big part of the cruise line's income. Once you've book your cruise, you will be inundated with emails and promotions from the cruise line touting the shore tour experience at each port of call your cruise ship visits.
You'll be told to book your shore excursion(s) early, as space sells out quickly for the most popular tours. However, before you book those tours through the cruise line, consider how much they cost. Many are overpriced and over crowded. Say, your one of those large mega cruise ships. You know the one's with 5000 or more passengers. Imagine, if you will the crowded busses, people packed shoulder to shoulder, and attractions and adventure activities teaming with thousands of people. Take for an example a gondola ride in Venice. On any given day, hundred's of gondola's meander down the canals. Looks like rush hour in New York of Los Angeles. Bumper to bumper gondolas! Nothing like what you saw in the movies or commercial. Not exactly an intimate experience, let alone you paid too much for the privilege. ( €80 [$104] for 40 minutes )

You could save as much as $100 in a single port-of-call by taking a do-it-yourself approach to cruise shore excursions. Visit 3 ports of call on your cruise and the savings add up. Just think what you can do with an extra $500.00 in your pocket.

However, you have to do your homework. You need to plan ahead. Know what you want to do in each port of call prior to sailing. Visit independent tour operators and shore tour providers on the internet. Compare side by side prices, details and read what people have to say about the company you are considering. Research the possibilities thoroughly. Find out everything there is to know about the most popular or out of the way sights or activities. Visit the cruise line's own web site and choose those tours you want. Jot down the details and prices. Use that information when you compare prices and features against other shore excursion vendors. Once you understand the itineraries, prices and shore excursion descriptions, go back online and visit companies like Shoretrips, Shore Excursions Group or Port Promotions. These vendors will arrange a shore excursion for you, often at a savings of over 25 -35% what the cruise line charges and you can read reviews of trips other cruise travelers have booked.

Finally, if you are looking for independent shore excursions as an alternative to the cruise line high prices and crowded tours, and want to compare prices and features side-by-side, you'll want to visit http://www.shoretourdeals.com/ The site touts itself as Your Ultimate Guide to Discounted Shore Excursions for hundred's of Ports-Of-Call. Some of the most popular shore excursions include those in the Caribbean, Alaska, Canada and New England, Europe, Mediterranean, Hawaii, Mexico and Mexican Riviera, Panama Canal and Bermuda.
They have a Cruise Shore Excursion Comparison Shopping Tool where you can find and book top Shore Excursions where ever you cruise worldwide. Browse By Port, Cruise Ship, Departure Date and Duration.

When it comes to shore excursions, Each port-of-call features tours that appeal to diverse interests. Whether you enjoy history, nature, adventure or simply sightseeing, it's likely there is a shore excursion for it.
Do your research and can learn more about the 300+ ports cruise lines visits each year, as well as key points of interest, favorite activities and the full range of independent shore excursions offered by 4 shore excursion experts to help you explore. Compare prices side-by-side and choose the shore excursion that's right for you and your family.
Do it yourself, save money and have a great time.

Additional Resources

More About Shoretrips

More About Shore Excursions Group

More About Port Promotions

More About Shore Tour Deals

Cruise Line Shore Excursion Information ( official sites )

Compare prices between cruise lines and Independent tour operators.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Princess Cruises

Royal Caribbean

Windstar Cruises

Cruise Direct Online Announces Their Exclusive Black Friday thru Monday Sale! Sneak-a-Peek Now!

2011-11-21T09:01:00.000-05:00

Cruise Direct Online Announces Their Exclusive Black Friday thru Monday Sale! Sneak-a-Peek Now!

Why limit your hunt for the best cruise deals to just one day? Cruise Direct Online's Black Friday Sale runs from Friday to Monday, so you can take your time and pick the very best cruise vacation that meets your every need and results in one amazing vacation. A cruise vacation we might add, that comes to you at an affordable price.

Sneak-a-Peek
To get you thinking about those calm blue waters of the Caribbean or Mexico. Or, that classic European cruise or perhaps an Alaska Cruisetour, you can now sneak-a-peek at Cruise Direct Online's Black Friday Sale, right here, right now. Get a jumpstart on everyone else, see the most up to the moment cabin availability, sailing dates and prices – Book it Now – you will be saving time and money with exclusive cruise vacation specials that are part of our Black Friday Sale.

Special Features
From discounted cruise deals that offers hundreds of dollars off, onboard spending credits, complementary specialty dining, and more. We’ve got some of the hottest cruise vacation deals around and you can book them now! Forget about waiting till Friday. Start your Black Friday early – sneak-a-peek at some of the best cruise, and cruisetour vacation specials and start planning your dream vacation now.

Why are cruises and cruisetours a great Black Friday offer?
Your about to gather your family for Thanksgiving to celebrate this multi-generational holiday, so now is the perfect time for you to talk around the table about an unforgettable family reunion vacation. What a great opportunity to sit down and discuss it. However, you can also decide when and where you’d like to cruise, choose the best cruise vacation deal from our Black Friday Sale, and book it now – then surprise everyone with your choices when they sit down at the Thanksgiving table.

What are the best cruise deals?
If you are looking for a romantic weekend getaway, a multi-generational family reunion at sea, or travel to Europe to cruise the Baltics or the Mediterranean, the best cruise deals offer a good combination of dollars off savings, free cabin upgrades, onboard spending credits, even a free spa treatment or specialty dining night out.

Over 12,000 cruise sailings from 24 cruise lines. All in one place. Our place.
There’s no need to spend hours hunting all over the internet for Black Friday cruise travel deals. We’ve located some of the best cruise deals available – and you can browse them all, book them online or call a cruise specialist toll-free and ask all your questions.

Check out our Best Buys!
Here are just some of the hottest cruise deals. Cruise Direct Online has handpicked the best cruise deals available from the worlds leading cruise lines – from quick getaways to weeklong adventures. Choose from the hottest deals, then let one of their Professional Cruise Consultants help you book the Dream Vacation you're after, at the best price available! Note: some cruise deals are on offer now and beyond Black Friday, so check back often at their web site ( http://www.cruisedirectonline.com/ ) for the most up-to-the-moment cruise deals available.

7-Night Caribbean Cruise
Mar 18, 2012
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Pearl
$449 USD

11-Night Alaska Cruise
May 13, 2012
Holland America Line
ms Zaandam
$1119 USD

9-Night Europe Cruise
Jan 31, 2012
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Jade
$469 USD

Featured Best Buys

7 NT Bahamas from $339 USD
14 NT Holiday Hawaii from $1399 USD
7 NT New Years Cruise from $699 USD
10 NT Eastern Caribbean from $689 USD
14 NT Panama Canal from $1199 USD
7 NT Western Caribbean from $499 USD
13 NT Transatlantic from $809 USD
12 NT Norwegian Fjords from $2029 USD

Top 10 Great 'Wave Season' Cruise Deals From $159 - Big Savings Kicks Off 2012 Wave Season

2011-11-11T09:28:00.007-05:00

Top 10 Great 'Wave Season' Cruise Deals From $159
Big Savings Kicks Off 2012 Wave Season during
Cruise Direct Onlines' Annual Wave Season
Cruise Super Sale
Cruise Travelers can enhance the value of their cruise vacation by getting more than just major discounts. Free cabin upgrades, shipboard credit among incentives to book during Wave Season.
November, 2011 – The holiday season is just around the corner and soon, before we know it, 2012 will be here. And Cruise Direct Online is giving cruise travelers a great reason to continue celebrating well into 2012.
For the 2012 “wave season,” the Cruise Direct Online Wave Season Cruise Super Sale kicks off with an ADVANCED SALE , offering travelers up to 65 percent off cruise vacations, and up to $500* in onboard credits. These savings can be found on most cruise vacations to exciting destinations from the Caribbean and Bahamas to South America, Europe and Asia. Along with the markdowns, cruisers can get additional perks, such as free stateroom upgrades, onboard credits and more, from cruise lines participating in the popular "wave Season" sales.
Cruise Direct Online customers already save an average of $1,000 or more by taking a cruise versus a land vacation, and the Cruise Direct Online Wave Season Cruise Super Sale brings further opportunities to save. Cruise Travelers can find exclusive bonus offers, made in conjunction with Cruise Traveler Magazine®, that can mean hundreds of dollars in additional savings alone. Customers who book a qualifying cruise for sailings departing between March 1, 2012, and August 31, 2012, receive onboard credits for up to $500*, based on the length of the cruise, the cruise line's specific offer and stateroom purchased. Travelers who book during the Cruise Direct Online Wave Season Cruise Super Sale can also take advantage of up to a 50% percent discount from cruise line prices on shore excursions through Shore Tour Deals.
Total Stateroom Price
Onboard Credit
$750 - $1,499.99
$50
$1,500 - $2,999.99
$100
$3,000 - $5,999.99
$200
$6,000 - $7,499.99
$400
$7,500+
$500
*Onboard Credit Offers are per stateroom, not per person and include all destinations and most cruise lines ( call us for exceptions )
About Wave Season
The cruise industry's "Wave Season," runs between January and March, when the major cruise line brands promote their very best cruise deals for the new year. Many advertise some great offers during wave season, and if you're a smart cruise shopper, you should take advantage of these offers to get a great deal on your next cruise vacation.

Why Wave Season?
Historically, sales patterns indicate January through March are when most cruise travelers book their vacation. Winter's chilly and snowy weather get cruise travelers dreaming about warm, Caribbean island getaways, or Summer's Europe and Alaska adventures. So, bookings reach peak velocity. To capitalize on this cruise booking state of mind, Cruise Direct Online offer extra incentives -- typically free perks like onboard spending credits, reduced deposits, stateroom upgrades and reduced cruise fares, as time has proven that these type of incentives are the driving force that get cruise travelers to book those cruises now.
Top 10 Great 'Wave Season' Cruise Deals From $159
The cruises below include accommodations, meals, and onboard activities.
Alaska
7-Night Glacier Northbound Alaska Cruise from Vancouver to Whittier
Cruise Ship: Coral Princess
2012 Departures:
May: 14, 28, Jun: 11, 25, Jul: 9, 23, Aug: 6
Ports of Call: Vancouver, British Columbia - At Sea - Ketchikan, Alaska - Juneau, Alaska - Skagway, Alaska - Glacier Bay, Alaska - College Fjord, Alaska - Whittier, Alaska
from $ 649 * ($92 per night)
Caribbean
6-Night Caribbean Cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale
Cruise Ship: Carnival Freedom
2012 Departures: Nov: 13, 27, Dec: 11
Jan: 8, 22, Feb: 5, 19, Mar: 4, 18, Apr: 1 More...
Ports of Call: Fort Lauderdale, Florida - Key West, Florida - At Sea - Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - Ocho Rios, Jamaica - At Sea - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
from $ 299 * ($49 per night)
Europe
7-Night Mediterranean Europe Cruise from Savona to Savona
Cruise Ship: Costa Concordia
2012 Departures: Nov: 28, Dec: 5, 12
Jan: 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb: 4, 11, 18 More...
Ports of Call: Savona, Italy - Marseille, France - Barcelona, Spain - Palma de Mallorca, Spain - Cagliari, Italy - Palermo, Italy - Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy - Savona, Italy
from $ 349 * ($49 per night)
Hawaii
7-Night Hawaii Cruise from Honolulu to Honolulu
Cruise Ship: Pride of America
2012 Departures: Jan: 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb: 4, 11, 18 More...
Ports of Call: Honolulu, Hawaii - Maui (Kahului), Hawaii - Maui (Kahului), Hawaii - Hilo, Hawaii - Kailua Kona, Hawaii - Nawiliwili, Hawaii - Nawiliwili, Hawaii - Honolulu, Hawaii
from $ 849 * ($121 per night)
Mexico
7-Night Mexico Cruise from Long Beach to Long Beach
Cruise Ship: Carnival Splendor
2012 Departures:
Jan: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb: 5, 12
Ports of Call: Long Beach, California - At Sea - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - At Sea - At Sea - Long Beach, California
from $ 349 * ($49 per night)
Bahamas
3-Night Bahamas Cruise from Port Canaveral to Port Canaveral
Cruise Ship: Monarch of the Seas
2012 Departures:
Jan: 6, 13, 20, 27
Ports of Call: Port Canaveral, Florida - Nassau, Bahamas - Coco Cay, Bahamas - Port Canaveral, Florida
from $ 159 * ($53 per night)
Panama Canal
14-Night Panama Canal Cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles
Cruise Ship: Coral Princess
2012 Departures: Dec: 6
Jan: 3, 31, Mar: 27, Dec: 1
Ports of Call: Fort Lauderdale, Florida - At Sea - At Sea - Aruba, Netherlands Antilles - Cartagena, Colombia - Panama Canal - Fuerte Amador, Panama - At Sea - Puntarenas, Costa Rica - At Sea - At Sea - At Sea - At Sea - At Sea - Los Angeles, California
from $ 999 * ($71 per night)
South America
7-Night South America Cruise from Santos to Santos
Cruise Ship: Vision of the Seas
2012 Departures:
Mar: 2, 23
Ports of Call: Santos, Brazil - At Sea - Punta del Este, Uruguay - Montevideo, Uruguay - Buenos Aires, Argentina - At Sea - At Sea - Santos, Brazil
from $ 699 * ($99 per night)
Bermuda
7-Night Bermuda Cruise from New York to New York
Cruise Ship: Norwegian Star
2012 Departures:
Apr: 29, May: 6, 13, 20, 27, Jun: 3, 10 More...
Ports of Call: New York, New York - At Sea - At Sea - King's Wharf, Bermuda - King's Wharf, Bermuda - King's Wharf, Bermuda - At Sea - New York, New York
from $ 499 * ($71 per night)
Canada / New England
7-Night Canada / New England Cruise from New York to New York
Cruise Ship: Carnival Glory
2012 Departures:
Sep: 15, 22, 29, Oct: 6
Ports of Call: New York, New York - Boston, Massachusetts - Portland, Maine - Saint John, New Brunswick - At Sea - Halifax, Nova Scotia - At Sea - New York, New York
from $ 409 * ($71 per night)

Please Note: All prices, dates, and other details listed here were valid at the time of publication. However such information may have changed since that time. Check with your Travel Agent for the most up-to-date prices and information about the cruise you have an interest in exploring.

Want more deals like this? Browse Cruise Direct Onlines' Cruise Sale.
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The Best Alaskan Cruises and Cruise Tours
2012 Alaskan Voyages to Explore.
Alaska cruises is our passion and we would love the opportunity to share that passion with you - Welcome to alaskacruisetoursonline.com We are dedicated to searching the web for only the very best sources to cruise Alaska and we have picked our favorite Alaskan cruises to share with you. People who know and appreciate an Alaska cruise will understand immediately that we are offering nothing short of a world-class cruise experience to Alaska. Through our boutique and family-friendly website, we are always ready to help with your Alaskan cruise needs. Talk to us. Travel with us. Let us guide you on your journey to experience the world's premier frontier destination.
Cruise Tips
January through March is the cruise industry’s busiest booking period, referred to as “wave season”. It’s the one time of the year when cruise lines present their best deals . Nearly 75% of all bookings for the entire year are taken during "Wave Season".
As these cruise deals offer great savings and additional amenities, such as free cabin upgrades, shipboard credits and more, you have to act quickly, to get the best choice of sailings and accommodations. This is especially true since cruise fares steadily rise as the sailing date approaches, and this year you may not find as much last minute discounting as in the past.
The Caribbean continues to have way too many ships sailing in the Winter ( where else can they go ) so, along with Hurricane Season, you should be able to find some terrific deals.
More than anything else, during "Wave Season" always book with your travel agent and not directly with the Cruise Line. During peak periods, the cruise line hire on hundreds of sales agents to man their call centers. Many do not have the training and experience to properly advice customers on what's best for them. Further, they can only speak about their cruise line and ships. Whether you buy from the cruise line or a travel agent, the price is likely to be the same. Some Travel Agents can get you a better price on Princess Cruises and Holland America sailings . And your travel agent is likely to offer bonus extras, like pre-paid gratuities, discount on shore excursions and shipboard credit. Shipboard credits, where available from the cruise line, are house credits that are placed on your stateroom's account for you to use during your cruise vacation. You can use the credit towards merchandise, lounges and in some, but not all cases, for Spa Treatments or Shore Excursions.
© 2011 Cruise Direct Online. A Travel Direct Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - Fla. Seller of Travel Reg. No. ST-31254

New website gives consumers an edge. Travelers can now compare shore excursion prices and details side-by-side between 4 top sightseeing operators and all the major cruise lines.

2011-11-05T10:12:00.000-04:00

In The News

New website gives consumers an edge. Travelers can now compare shore excursion prices and details side-by-side between 4 top sightseeing operators and all the major cruise lines.

Travel Direct announced a new web site: http://www.shoretourdeals.com/ targeted to consumers who want to shop for the best deals on sightseeing tours for ports of call that their cruise ship visits.

Shore Excursions (aka Sightseeing Tours, or Shore Tours ) are one-day tours offered in various port cities, and include many options for adventure and entertainment when you reach a port of call. They are a great way to enhance a guests cruise experience while seeing more of the ports on their cruise.

At Shore Tour Deals, consumers will find a wide variety of exciting, appealing, and enriching shore excursions at prices, in most cases, lower than those of the cruise lines.

Consumers who are looking for independent shore excursions as an alternative to the cruise line high prices and crowded tours, can research, and compare over 5500 Shore Tour Deals in one place. Real-time Shore Tour Deals can be booked online and in most cases, consumers will pay less than the cruise lines, as much as 50% less. Shore Tour Deals offers the Ultimate Guide to Discounted Shore Excursions for Cruise Line Ports-Of-Call such as the Caribbean, Alaska, Canada and New England, Europe, Mediterranean, Hawaii, Mexico and Mexican Riviera, Panama Canal and Bermuda. Consumers can find and book top Shore Excursions worldwide. Consumers can get exclusive discounts on the most popular shore excursions without the hassle of searching all over the Internet.

Browse By Port, Cruise Ship, Departure Date and Duration.

Consumers can shop thousands of destination activities, and pre and post cruise things to do! Each port features tours that appeal to diverse interests. Whether they enjoy history, nature, adventure or simply sightseeing, here consumers can learn more about the 300+ ports All The Top-Brand Cruise Lines visit each year, as well as key points of interest, favorite activities and the full range of independent shore excursions offered by 4 shore excursion experts to help consumers explore. Travelers can compare prices side-by-side and choose the shore excursion that's right for their family.

Shore Excursions - Consumers Save up to 50% off typical Cruise Line prices.

While other web sites sell cruises and other forms of travel, Shore Tour Deals focuses on the expertise of 4 shore excursion experts and offers multiple choices, so consumers can select the highest quality shore excursions delivered by local experts at a price to fit just about any budget. Since these companies are not like a cruise line, focused on a revenue producing and profit maker, such as shore excursions, independent sightseeing and shore excursion firms allow you to travel in much smaller groups offering a more personalized experience often at a better price.

In fact, for groups of 4 or more, travelers can usually arrange a private shore excursion for less than the cost of a large cruise line tour. The site also offered a large number of unique cruise excursions that cannot be purchased from the cruise line.

To help consumers navigate the Shore Tour Deals web site, consumers can use the web site's Cruise Shore Excursion Comparison Shopping Tool to compare shore excursion rates and details at companies such as Shoretrips, Shore Excursions Group, Port Promotions, or Viator. The site even includes links to the cruise line's own sightseeing tour listings so consumers can compare cruise line prices to the independent tour operators. Travelers can view shore excursions based on a number of criteria, depending upon the company chosen. Consumers can view excursion types, sizes, small group excursions, scenic, cultural and shore excursions for very active people.

"Our goal is to provide access to exceptional travel experiences to cruise passengers in the ports they visit around the world. To accomplish this, we have gathered four of the most experienced sightseeing tour operators, who have compiled an exceptional array of tours delivered by local experts with decades of experience serving travelers and delivering excellent tours" says Marty Trencher of Shore Tour Deals. "We're Introducing a whole new way to finding shore tour, shore trip and excursion deals when shopping for a cruise. These companies are experts in providing exceptional shore excursions. They understand that in today's fast paced world, vacations have become an increasingly important way to relax, reconnect with family and friends, and experience new and interesting places. With this in mind, they provide the highest quality tours by performing extensive research, site inspections, and detailed reviews. While other companies also offer excursions, we strongly believe you should check these four companies out and determine for yourself, if their expertise and approach set them apart. The large cruise lines sell shore excursions - typically in very large groups visiting high traffic sites. These companies focus on smaller groups visiting more interesting and authentic locations using more personalized local operators. While the cruise lines are experts in delivering cruises, these companies are experts in delivering shore excursions." he added.

Consumers can find more information at the companies shore excursions web site; http://www.shoretourdeals.com/ Shore Tour Deals is part of a family of travel-related web sites, such as Cruise Direct Online, Cruise Reviews Online and Cruise Traveler Magazine, all part of Travel Direct Corporation.

Princess Cruises Station Debuts on Pandora Internet Radio

2011-10-29T07:01:00.000-04:00

New Princess Cruises Station Debuts on Pandora Internet Radio

“Princess Cruises Radio” Will Help Listeners Relax or Rejuvenate with Personalized Music Tracks

"We know that music is a powerful way to help people relax and escape into a different mindset, and so it seemed quite fitting for Princess to create an entire radio station around music that does just that."

Santa Clara, CA October 28, 2011

To offer passengers a unique way to get away from their everyday routine – whether or not they’re on a cruise – Princess Cruises has launched its own radio station on Pandora Internet radio.
A first in the cruise industry, the new Princess Cruises Radio (http://www.princess.com/radio) features three musical options – the “Relax” station playing soothing easy listening music, the “Rejuvenate” station with more lively, up-tempo sounds, and the “Escape Completely” station for a blend of both relaxing and energizing tracks. Listeners can choose which option they prefer by sliding a controller shaped like a Princess ship.

The music featured on the new Princess station is wide-ranging, but the playlist is heavily inspired by the sounds of the 60s, 70s and 80s eras that evoke memories of good times for many of the line’s passengers – music that reminds them of positive life events and celebrations. Artists might include John Mayer, Bonnie Rait, Bill Withers, Michael Bublé, Marvin Gaye, Elton John, Paul McCartney, and many others. Pandora’s own algorithm then expands the playlist to include an infinite stream of similar songs.

“We know that music is a powerful way to help people relax and escape into a different mindset,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “And so it seemed quite fitting for Princess to create an entire radio station around music that does just that.”

Pandora is free, personalized radio streamed over the Internet that helps listeners discover new music mixed in with music they already know. Pandora is only available in the U.S. because of royalty and licensing guidelines determined by artists, labels and publishers.

Complementing Princess Cruises Radio is a series of a videos available through the Pandora station called “Escape Breaks” that offer visitors brief, relaxing cruise-related moments – from watching a sunset to seeing an Alaskan glacier calving into the sea. The videos are available at http://www.princess.com/escape_breaks.
End of story.

About Princess Cruises:
One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company operating a fleet of 16 modern ships renowned for their innovative design and wide array of choices in dining, entertainment and amenities, all provided in an environment of exceptional customer service. A recognized leader in worldwide cruising, Princess carries 1.3 million passengers each year to destinations around the globe ranging in length from seven to 107 days.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through this professional travel agent, Cruise Direct Online, by calling 800.365.1445, or by visiting the company's website at http://www.princesscruisesonline.com/.

Princess Cruises is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. An exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises and Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, World’s Leading Cruise Lines inspires people to discover their best vacation experience. Together, they offer a variety of exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations. Visit these cruise lines and read about the 30 Top Cruise Deals from Cruise Traveler Magazine

Thinking About Taking A Cruise? Now would be a great time to explore the possibilities during Nation Cruise Vacation Week.

2011-10-19T07:24:00.000-04:00

Thinking About Taking A Cruise?
Now would be a great time to explore the possibilities during Nation Cruise Vacation Week.
Billed as the "World's Largest Cruise Sale" 25 cruise lines, including ocean going and river cruise operators, members of the Cruise Lines International Association, offer special savings during this annual event. Some extend the offers beyond just this week, so great bargains can be found for not just last minute cruises to the end of this year, but for sailings that depart for the entire 2012-2013 cruise season.

How much can you save? Well that depends on the cruise line, destination and time of the year. Short weekend getaways to the Bahamas or Mexico offer a small savings, say $50 off the normal rate, while a luxury cruise in the Mediterranean may offer as much as $5,000 off the regular price.

During Nation Cruise Vacation Week, it's common to find additional 'sweeteners" to entice you to book now: shipboard credits of $50 to $300, and balcony stateroom upgrades. Some sailings include complimentary shore excursions, airport transfers, and reduced deposits. For luxury cruise lines like Crystal Cruises: 2-for-1 cruise fares. free airfare, complimentary wines, spirits and gratuities. For a more contemporary experience, you can find 3 day cruises to the Bahamas from as little as $249, and 7 day sailings starting at $399, during Nation Cruise Vacation Week.

So, Are You Now Seriously Thinking About A Cruise

Do these incentives, reduced rates and other amenities make you want to hop-on-down to your neighborhood travel agent and book a cruise now! Wait. How do you know your getting, not just a good, but a great deal?

For seasoned travelers, especially those that have cruised before, cruise sales are nothing new. In this economy they happen virtually every week of the year. Cruise lines constantly bombard past guests and those that have signed up for e-mail notices for this deal or that. A savvy traveler knows that he or she needs to compare the most current offers with those previous promotions, as well as compare prices between cruises lines that visit the same destination and have virtually the same itinerary.

Our recommendation: If you're looking to take a cruise next year, now is the best time to start planning, and be prepared to look beyond the price. Where you go. What time of the year you travel. The type of cruise ship, accommodations, onboard services and amenities. Your cruising lifestyle, as well as your budget should play a role in your decision making process. If you just jump at the bargain price, you might be disappointed. Staying in an inside cabin, next to the laundry and disco, will surely make for an unpleasant experience. Likewise, if you choose an itinerary that focuses more on shopping ashore, rather than backcountry adventure, you'll find your spirit unfulfilled.

To find the perfect cruise just for you, that not only includes a great deal, but makes your vacation dreams come true;

•Find a good cruise agent. Not an ordinary one. Not a call-center reservationist. But a travel agent experienced in cruising. One that has been there, done that. As an example, if your planning to cruise Alaska or want to take a land and sea tour that includes a 7 day cruise, combined with a rail and motorcoach to the interior of Alaska, talk to an Alaskan Cruise Expert. Not someone who primarily sells Caribbean cruises. Just like there are doctors who specialize in one type of medical treatment like cardiology, so do travel agents. If you have lots of questions, don't book online with one of the cruise line websites, or their reservations center. Their staff are order-takers not travel consultants. Instead, turn to an experienced travel agent, who can help you every step of the way.
•Visit the CLIA official website and learn more about National Cruise Vacation Week. You can even find a list of experienced cruise travel agents in your neighborhood.
•Research, and read the reviews. Cruise reviews written by consumers and professional travel writers are an excellent resource. Find them at Cruise Reviews Online ( http://www.cruisereviewsonline.com/ )

•If you're looking to cut costs and find some great money-saving tips, read "20 Winning Strategies To Finding The Best Cruise Deals" from Cruise Traveler Magazine ( http://www.cruisetravelermagazine.com/ )
•Use cruise price comparison tools, like the one found at Cruise Direct Online ( http://www.cruisedirectonline.com/ ) These days, there is no need to spend hours searching all over the Internet, find everything you're looking for with a price comparison tool - cruises from brand-name cruise lines, view side-by-side comparisons of ships, the itinerary, a cruise review, traveler ratings, sailing dates, discount prices, special offers and cruise tips, are available on one easy to read page.

It's National Cruise Vacation Week, and Princess Cruises is offering a special Pre-Season Sale on a selection of 45 popular 2012 European vacations.

2011-10-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

It's National Cruise Vacation Week, and Princess Cruises is offering a special Pre-Season Sale on a selection of 45 popular 2012 European vacations. The weeklong promotion, which runs from Monday, October 17 to Sunday, October 23, includes free balcony upgrades plus as much as $100 in onboard credit per stateroom.

Itineraries included in the sale will take passengers to some of Europe's most sought-after destinations, including Mediterranean favorites such as Venice and the Greek Isles, as well as some of the splendors of Northern Europe, including St. Petersburg.

In addition to special fares, passengers booking interior or oceanview staterooms can receive an onboard credit of $25 (cruises up to nine days) to $50 (cruises 10 days or longer), and in balcony staterooms or above can get credits of $50 (cruises up to nine days) or $100 (for sailings 10 days or longer). All onboard credits are offered per stateroom.

"For anyone thinking about seeing the wonders of Europe next year, this is the perfect time to book," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. "This promotion offers a great selection of European itineraries, featuring many of the dream destinations that are on so many people's bucket lists."

Examples of savings on balcony staterooms include:
11-day Scandinavia & Russia - $2,490 (was $2,840)
12-day British Isles - $2,690 (was $3,040)
12-day Grand Mediterranean - $2,740 (was $2,990)
12-day Holy Land - $3,090 (was $3,640)

Sale fares are also available on fully-escorted land and sea cruisetours in Europe, beginning at $4,799 for a 17-night Classic Italy cruisetour.

All cruise prices are per person, and onboard credits are per stateroom. This promotion is not combinable with past-passenger offers.

The Pre-Season Sale runs from 12:00 am PST on October 17 to 11:59 pm PST on October 23, and is available to residents of the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico. Deposits made during this promotion are non-refundable and non-transferable. The promotion is not combinable with past-passenger offers.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through Cruise Direct Online, by calling 800.365.1445, or visit the company's website to view the details of this promotion.

About Princess Cruises:
One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company operating a fleet of 16 modern ships renowned for their innovative design and wide array of choices in dining, entertainment and amenities, all provided in an environment of exceptional customer service. A recognized leader in worldwide cruising, Princess carries 1.3 million passengers each year to destinations around the globe ranging in length from seven to 107 days.

Princess Cruises is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises and Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, World's Leading Cruise Lines inspires people to discover their best vacation experience. Together, we offer a variety of exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.

For 2012 the best advice we can give is book your cruise sooner rather than later.

2011-10-15T07:50:00.000-04:00

For 2012 the best advice we can give is book your cruise sooner rather than later.

In March of 2011, Raye & I cruised on the Allure of the Seas, with the inaugural stop in Falmouth, Jamaica. We were so impressed with the ship, when we got home, we immediately booked our entire family ( 10 of us ) on the sister ship Oasis of the Seas, for February 2012. Prices since then have gone up significantly. Booking early saved us hundreds of dollars.

We are also seeing higher prices for other sailings next year. Prices are rising faster than the tides and we don't expect to see a lot of deep discounting by the major cruise line brands in 2012.

If you are waiting for lower prices, you may likely find a higher price and less of a choice of popular accommodations onboard. The best staterooms ,mid-ship, balcony and prime ocean view locations may already be sold.

Wait to the last minute and you'll have trouble finding affordable flights, as many airlines have cut back their capacity to save money. If you plan on cruising overseas, now is definitely the time to book your cruise and secure your air flights. It's going to get very expensive and difficult to find the best flights, times and prices, the closer you get to your sailing date.

So, our best advice, book early. If the cruise lines do offer a better deal down the road, you can always ask your Travel Agent to contact the line and ask for a price reduction for your cruise. It doesn't happen all the time, but in some cases you can get the prevailing lower rate.

A Personal Perspective About Steve Jobs

2011-10-07T09:36:00.000-04:00

A lot of people will be writing and commenting on the passing of Steve Jobs.
I have a personal perspective of what Steve Jobs meant to our family.

When my son Darren was thirteen, I bought him his first computer. It was an Apple IIc. By today's standards, not much. Back then, however it was breakthrough technology. It brought the personal computer to our home and for our son, it was the start of a great career. Little did he know it at the time, but if not for Steve Jobs, he might not be where he is today, a very successful computer industry consultant who spent years working for one of Apple's competitors.

As he grew up, our son was able to learn and adapt to changing computer technologies. Many brought to life by Steve Jobs. He applied that knowledge all through his school years. He even build custom built personal computers in his garage while in College. He later went on to work for both the retail and software segments of the computer industry. As Steve Jobs vision evolved, new products and services came of age, as did my son and millions of others. Steve Jobs' principle of using computer technology to make things easier to do, and creating ways to better communicate are the part of the legacy Steve Jobs left us. He not only inspired his people to develop some of the most innovate products around, he brought to our family a whole new way of living. Our children and grandchildren now grow up with simple, user friendly and easy to understand devices, that Steve Jobs envisioned way before they became a reality. Our four year old grand daughter, Mia, even knows how to use an iphone.

I had the opportunity years ago to visit Apple's corporate offices in Cuppertino California. At the time I was a marketing executive with a major accounting software firm looking to migrate their products to the Apple MacIntosh platform. I meet Steve Jobs and Guy Kawasaki and the experience was an eye opener. Though I spent little time with Mr. Jobs, I did spend time with Guy. He could not stop talking about all that was Apple. At the end of meeting, he handed me his business card and I noticed his title. Software Evangelist.

In the early days of the Macintosh computer, the primary function of an evangelist was to convince companies like mine to write software products for the Macintosh. When people needed help from within Apple, evangelists were there to help. I found the term "evangelist" quite interesting. As Apple grew up, the term meant even more.

Steve Jobs believed in evangelism as an advanced form of word of mouth marketing in which companies develop customers who believe so strongly in a particular product or service that they try to convince others to buy and use it. The customers become advocates, actively spreading the word on behalf of the company. If you stop and listen carefully to owners of Apple products, you will hear that evangelism come across.

That trip to Apple's headquarters and what I heard is what inspired me, to buy my son's first computer, that Apple IIc. And the rest as they say, is history.

By the way, we still have that computer, tucked away in our basement. Never to be sold, always to be remembered, as the start of my son's outstanding career and will stand in memory of the person who's vision brought it and all the Apple devices that followed to all of us.

Thanks Steve Jobs.

As Cruise Prices Fall, So Do Some Of the Most Popular Shore Excursions in the Caribbean.

2011-10-06T06:39:00.000-04:00

As Cruise Prices Fall, So Do Some Of the Most Popular Shore Excursions in the Caribbean.
Cruise Travelers Head South for Warmer Weather and Amazing Shore Tour Deals Experiences.

It's no secret that some of the best travel bargains during the fall can be found on a cruise, as ships in Alaska and Europe reposition to warmer waters like the Caribbean for the winter. To help cruise ship passengers get the most bang for their buck on a fall getaway to sunnier climes, Viator– the leading resource for more than 9,000 tours and activities in 800-plus destinations in more than 150 countries – has new discounts on shore excursions in popular Caribbean ports of call.

Viator's selection of Caribbean shore excursions allows travelers to ditch the masses and customize their itinerary with activities that are more affordable and less crowded than those offered by the ship. "Cruise Port" pages highlight port and destination information including local area maps, customer reviews and suggestions on the best things to see and do with limited time in town:

Ocho Rios Cruise Port
Jamaica offers many land-based shore excursions, ideal for travelers looking to shake off their sea legs. The country is known for much more than its bobsled team – although Viator offers a Bobsled Tour at Mystic Mountain (from $65.99). The Dunn's River Falls and Beach Horseback Riding Tour (from $74.99), a 40 percent discount off the recommended cruise ship price, visits a waterfall and features horseback riding on the beach. Passengers can save 40 percent off a tour of the Green Grotto Caves, where explorers can see stalagmites, stalactites and a subterranean lake (from $39.99).

St. Lucia Cruise Port
One of the most lush and unspoiled Caribbean islands, St. Lucia is the ideal spot for adventure enthusiasts. Viator's rainforest aerial tram and zipline canopy tour (from $88.99 – a 30 percent discount off the cruise line offerings) also includes a guided rainforest hike. The entire family will enjoy a more moderate alternative, the aerial tram and rainforest trek (from $74.99 – a 25 percent discount). The Catamaran Day Sail is a relaxing way to explore St. Lucia's natural beauty with stops at a 19th century coco plantation, the World Heritage-listed Pitons, and Sulphur Springs, the Caribbean's only drive-in volcano (from $104.99 – 25 percent off cruise ship prices).

St. Maarten Cruise Port
St. Maarten is a shoppers' paradise, but for passengers hunting for more than duty-free savings, there are many activities to enjoy. Travelers save 10 percent on a snorkeling and sightseeing safari, including the opportunity to pilot a two-person inflatable boat (from $84.99). Those who dream of being part of the crew onboard a professional racing yacht can participate in the St. Maarten 12 Metre Challenge (from $104.99). And for those with a thing for Captain Jack Sparrow, a three-hour tall ship swashbuckling adventure, the Pirates Day Cruise, is sure to please (from $78.99).

Roseau Cruise Port
Dominica is an outdoor-lover's paradise, with mountainous hiking trails, remote waterfalls and mysterious boiling lakes. Travelers can tube down one of Dominica's epic rivers (from $62.99 – a 20 percent savings) or paddle down the Layou River on an ocean kayak adventure (from $78.69). The Half Day Jeep Safari includes a stop at the volcanic Wotten Wavern Sulphur Springs, a swim in a freshwater mountain crater lake, and a hike to a breathtaking waterfall (from $62.99 – 10 percent savings). For a unique and authentic cultural experience, travelers can dig in and learn to cook delicious local Caribbean delicacies in a private home (from $99.99).

Viator's Caribbean shore excursions are run by tour operators who are pre-screened for value, quality and service and maintain the same, or better, licensing and insurance coverage required by the cruise lines. Additionally, Viator's “Worry-free Shore Excursions” pledge provides travelers with the added peace of mind that they will return to port in time for their ship's departure, but if not, Viator will provide transportation to the ship's next port-of-call.

Viator's worldwide selection of shore excursions can be accessed through shoretourdeals.com, an App for iPhone and a mobile site.

About Viator®
Viator is the world's leading online resource for travel experiences, providing access to more than 9,000 tours, attractions and activities in 800-plus destinations in more than 150 countries. Viator – the Latin word for traveler – offers a one-stop shop to plan, research and book trip activities via its Web and mobile platforms with resources such as nearly 300,000 traveler reviews, ratings and photos, suggested itineraries and the Viator Travel Blog. Viator's in-house travel experts hand-pick trusted local operators to ensure quality, value and service, all backed by a low-price guarantee. Viator sells its products through shoretourdeals.com and more than 2,000 affiliated sites that include major hotel chains and airlines, online travel agencies, city-specific sites and more. Viator is a privately held company, with lead investment from The Carlyle Group, one of the world's largest private equity firms. Founded in 1995, Viator is headquartered in San Francisco with regional offices in Sydney, London and Las Vegas.
About Shore Tour Deals®
While other web sites sell cruises and other forms of travel, Shore Tour Deals utilizes there expertise and offers multiple choices, so you can select the highest quality shore excursions delivered by local experts at a price to fit just about any budget. Since these companies are not like a cruise line, focused on a revenue producing and profit maker, as shore excursions, independent sightseeing and shore excursion firms allow you to travel in much smaller groups offering a more personalized experience. Over 5500 Shore Tour Daily Deals in One Place. Real-Time Shore Tour Deals you can book online and in most cases, pay less than the cruise lines. Shore Tour Deals® - Your ultimate guide to discounted shore excursions for ports in the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, and Bermuda. Find and book online, top shore excursions worldwide. Why pay more for your shore excursions? Cruise travelers can save as much as 35% off cruise line offered sightseeing tours.. Unbeatable deals. Cruise travelers can earch, view and compare shore excursions and tours from the 4 top sightseeing companies that focus exclusively on shore excursions. Find shore excursion and cruise tours deals and specials for Ports in the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, and Bermuda.

Source: Viator and shoretourdeals.com

Look for breakaway cruise travel deals on these websites, but hurry, these deals may sail away before you know it!

2011-09-25T11:33:00.005-04:00

Look for breakaway cruise travel deals on these websites, but hurry, these deals may sail away before you know it!

Published:
Sunday, September 25, 2011, 9:30 AM
By Raye and Marty Trencher, Editors and Publishers
Cruise Traveler Magazine

----These days Flash , 24hour and 3 Day Cruise Sales are all the rage. Royal Caribbean was among the many cruise lines featured recently by cruise travel websites that feature flash sales. So was Carnival, Princess, Holland America and Norwegian cruise lines.

Booking a cruise months ahead of time may get you a better choice of cabin availability, but if price is what drives your cruise travel decision then last minute cruise deals are your salvation.

Welcome to a whole new world of Internet cruise travel bargain websites, where Flash, 24hour and 3 Day Cruise Sales drive the business. Such limited-time offers use the calendar and the clock to count down the time you have left to book your favorite cruise.

We scoured the Internet, impartially shopped for you, and came up with 6 web sites that will sell you deals for cruises, cruisetours and shore excursions. Five take you directly to the cruise lines official web sites and the sixth takes you to a site where you can compare rates side-by-side from as many as 5 of the largest internet based sellers of travel.

A word of caution about this article -- the information was correct at the time it was published. However, due to the subject matter, the deals mentioned could very well have expired. That's how fast things are happening in the cruise business these days. So, don't delay. If a cruise is what you want to do on your vacation, take advantage of these cruise deals now.

Cruise Tip - If you know what you want, have done your homework, then book your cruise quick, online or over the phone. Take too much time, and either way, it may sail away before you know it.

Our 6 Favorites

So, here are 6 web sites to look for cruise travel bargains. Just be sure to compare all offers, from among several web sites, and always, before you put any money down, read the fine print. Many of these offers have rule and restrictions. Most require full payment or a deposit at the time of booking, and once paid may be non-refundable.

1. The Sales Event: Royal Caribbean has a weekly set of last minute deals they call the "Sales Event". Discounts of as much as 70% off their published brochure rates are not uncommon. Promoted as "sizzling savings help you cool down at seas" we found a 4 night Western Caribbean cruise for $299. per person plus tax ( inside cabin ), a 7 night Alaska cruise for $609, a 15 night Suez canal cruise for $829, a 10 night Hawaii cruise for as low as $1099. 7 night Canada and New England for $499 and the biggest bargain of them all: a 14 night transatlantic cruise for $479!

Cruise Tip: All rates shown in this article are for inside cabins, based on double occupancy and rates will be higher for outside, balcony and suite accommodations. Not all sailing dates to the same destination are priced the same. Not all cabins of the same type are priced the same. You need to closely examine all the cruise deals, take note of any hidden fees and taxes to compare apples to apples. So, be sure to do your due diligence and read all the fine print before booking a cruise.

Royal Caribbean
Open their site, look for the "deals and gifts" tab, click on "hot deals" and away you go, should you want to visit Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Bermuda, Canada and New England, Northern Europe, the Greek Isles and other Mediterranean ports of call.

Or, you could take a combination land and sea tour, known as a cruise tour of Alaska for $1539. per person. Reserve up to Sept. 30, 2011, and receive a $200 onboard credit when you sail.

Perhaps soak in the sun on an Adriatic cruise and Enjoy up to a $2,000 credit when you also book a round-trip flight using Royal Caribbean's ChoiceAir® program.

Don't want to fly? Sail from a departure port close to home. Why not set sail from your own backyard? Take advantage of Royal Caribbean's exclusive resident rates to set sail on your vacation adventure.

Florida residents can cruise to destinations in the Bahamas and the Caribbean, plus many other getaways, practically from their own backyard. Ships depart from Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Port Canaveral and Tampa.

And if the Tri-State Area may be home, it's also a good starting point for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Visit their web site to take advantage of their exclusive rates available to residents of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. Set sail from Cape Liberty Cruise Port in New Jersey to tropical destinations in the Caribbean and Bermuda.

Royal Caribbean's Official Website

Travel Agent that specializes in Royal Caribbean Cruises

Cruise Tip: If you have lots of questions, you actually need to call and speak to a travel agent to get all the facts about these bargains. Flash , 24hour and 3 Day Cruise Sales all have booking restrictions and may not be suitable for you. So, get professional advice, often free for the asking and just a toll-free phone call away.
Here's a link to a Travel Agent that has over 2500 professionals working throughout the United Sates and Canada. Their web site specializes in Flash , 24hour and 3 Day Cruise Sales. With over 116 retail locations their website features a selection of more than 10,000 cruise and vacation options as well as shore excursions and other travel products at some of the best price available. Their collection of TOP100 Cruises® highlights the most popular ships, departure dates and itineraries. Since they purchase large blocks of staterooms far in advance, their cruises often offer the lowest prices and additional bonuses such as onboard spending money and other value-added extras.

Whether you're researching your first cruise vacation, or you're an experienced cruiser, their team of professionally trained Cruise Consultants will match your tastes with the right cruise, at the best possible price. If you choose the convenience of booking directly on their website, they have Cruise Consultants that will still be there to answer any questions and to enhance your vacation with expert advice.

2. The 3 Day Sale - Right now, Princess Cruises is having an "Endless Summer Sale" but they post 3 Day Cruise Sales often, and brand them with catching names. Your best bet is to sign up for email alerts for the latest deals they offer. Getting advanced notice allows you to shop desired cruise vacation destinations, ahead of the crowd.

Some Examples: Classic Southern Caribbean: Roundtrip San Juan - 7 days $499. per person. plus a bonus of $25 shipboard credits. Other Caribbean cruises that depart from Ft. Lauderdale, similarly priced. California Coastal: Roundtrip Los Angeles - 7 days $499. per person. Alaska & Far East: From Beijing to Vancouver - 19 days $1549 per person. China & Japan: Roundtrip Sydney - 42 days $6595 per person.

Cruise Tip: Shipboard credits, where available from the cruise line, are house credits that are placed on your stateroom's account for you to use during your cruise vacation. You can use the credit towards merchandise, lounges and in some, but not all cases, for Spa Treatments or Shore Excursions.

Princess Cruises
Open their site, look for the "search for cruises and fares" box, click on "start here" and your on your way, should you want to visit Asia, India and Africa, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Tahiti and the South Pacific, Canada and New England, Northern Europe, the Greek Isles and other Mediterranean ports of call.

Princess Cruises Official Website

Travel Agent that specializes in Princess Cruises.

3. The 72 Hour Sale - Who else but Carnival would come up up with this?

Get away, fast: Carnival sells 3, 4, 5, and 7 day getaways to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, Canada, you name it. Promoted as "A lot of paradise for a lot of vacation fun."

Carnival's offers include free cabin upgrades, reduced rates and bonus extra's.
The 72 Hour Sale offers are always changing, as this sale is frequently repeated. So take a look at what's offered this time around. If it's not what you're looking for, sign up for e-mail alerts, so next time you've got advanced notice of what's on offer.

Some examples: A 2 day Bahamas cruise for only $169 per person. 5 day Caribbean from $249 per person. 4 Day Baja Mexico from Los Angeles from $289. 7 Day Bermuda from Baltimore, $699. per person.
The early saver gets the fun! Book a Carnival cruise and save up to 20 percent.
Carnival invites cruise travelers to save up to 20 percent on their cruise vacation if they book early. With Carnival's "Early Saver" program and Price Protection, they guarantee you'll get the best rate. If you are ready to book, this option can save you some real money. Money you could put to paying for a shore excursion or spa treatment.

Carnival Cruise Line Official Website

Travel Agent that specializes in Carnival Cruise Line

4. The Early Advantage - While technically not a Flash sale, cruise travelers who are partial to Holland America can reap the benefits of booking early with their "Early Advantage" program.

If you believe planning in advance pays off, especially if you are ready to book your cruise ahead of time, you'll receive Early Advantage benefits from Holland America that include up to 50% savings and best stateroom selection. Bring a friend or family member along and they’ll also enjoy free or reduced cruise fares for 3rd /4th guests sharing your stateroom. Some times as low as $99 each for bringing the kids along and for their 3 day sale they even offer 3rd/4th guests FREE, on select sailings.

Some examples: Caribbean Voyages: 7 Days from:$449. per person. Panama Canal Voyages, Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale 10 Days from $699 per person New Zealand and Australia Voyages 14 Days from $999 per person. Europe Voyages 7 Days from: $899 per person.

Holland America Line Official Website

Travel Agent that specializes in Holland America Line Cruises

5. The NOW sale - Norwegian Cruise line calls it's Flash sale, the NOW sale. Cruise travelers can get up to $250 shipboard credit, a reduced deposit and 3rd /4th guests sharing your stateroom for as low as $99 each.

Some Examples: 6 day Croatia and Greece from $699 per person. 7 Day Caribbean from an incredible $389 per person. 7 days Canada and New England $499 per person. 6 day Bermuda from $449. per person. Look for last minute cruises and hot deals under the "specials" tab at their web site.

Norwegian Cruise Line Official Website

Travel Agent that specializes in Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises

6. Sail, sail away: You've spent hours surfing the internet in search of the best cruise deal. Every web site you visited proclaims to have the best deal. But how do you know that's true?
For most web sites, it's nearly impossible to tell if you're getting a cruise deal or not. That's because there are many variables that affect the price and value of your cruise experience.

Ever cruise ship is different. Some are new, some are old. Some are big. Even gigantic, like the Oasis of the Seas with nearly 6,000 people on board. Others are more intimate, like Windstar's Wind Surf with 150 guests. Prices, onboard amenities, accommodations, entertainment all vary from ship to ship. The itinerary isn't often the same. It can be very confusing.

So, what if you were able to compare side-by-side all the variables for the same destination and number of days sailing. Would that help?

A good starting point to accomplish that goal is Cruise Connect,, to compare deals across multiple web sites all at once, to see what and who has the best deals. The site lets you compare cruises from brand-name cruise lines, view side-by-side comparisons of ships, the itinerary, cruise review, traveler rating, sailing dates, discount prices, special offers and cruise tips. you can view photo's of ships and staterooms, public areas and more. Check out the onboard activities and shore excursions. Compare cruise itineraries, ships and cabins, compare the cruise deals, read cruise ship reviews, then make a decision. The site allows you to shop among 30 Top name-brand cruise lines. The site is an aggregator of cruise and cruisetour bargain websites. An aggregator efers to a web site that aggregates specific types of information from multiple online sources.

This site lets you search for low fares for flash , 24hour , 3 Day cruise sales, close to home departures and multiple ports-of-call, get email alerts when destinations you're looking for go on sale, and see a list of low cruise fares that will at least let you know if you're close to getting a good deal. Also, you can compare price and cabin availability side-by-side.

Cruise Tip: So many deals, so little time: As we mentioned, these limited-time offers give you a lot to choose from, what with hundred's of cruises, and cruisetour vacations. So, to make your decision process as painless as possible, focus in on the deals that fit your lifestyle, budget and travel plans best. Don't jump at the cheapest price. Make sure the cruise ship you choose has the entertainment, atmosphere, dining options and ports of all that you value most. Not every cruise line attracts the same audience. So, if you want to party hardy, into the wee hours of the night, choose Carnival, not Holland America. Holland America tends to attract many more seniors and the bars and lounges tend to empty out early. On the other hand, if you want a classic cruise experience with a good mix of passengers of all ages, look at Princess.

There You Have It.
Our pick for the top 6 cruise travel web sites for flash , 24hour , 3 Day cruise sales

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2011-09-24T15:21:00.000-04:00

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Princess Cruises’ to offer 2012-2013 Caribbean and Panama Canal Sailings | News | Breaking Travel News

2011-09-22T18:49:00.000-04:00

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2011-08-16T08:55:00.000-04:00

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2011-08-16T06:17:00.000-04:00

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Allure of the Seas: A high energy, warm, friendly and spirited social environment for people of all ages, but especially for families who want it all. Fun for the kids and adults too!

2011-04-24T18:35:00.001-04:00

Ask The Experts :
All About Royal Caribbean Cruises Allure of the Seas - Super Cruise Review
April 10, 2011 - Raye and Marty Trencher, Editors and Publishers, Cruise Traveler Magazine

Allure of the Seas
Super Cruise Review Of The World's Largest Cruise Ship
STATEROOMS, ENTERTAINMENT, ACTIVITIES, PORTS OF CALL and DINING OPTIONS

To read the complete review, with photo's from the ship and pictures we took, visit:

"Allure of the Seas provides a high energy, warm, friendly and spirited social environment for people of all ages, but especially for families who want it all. Fun for the kids and adults too!"

From Our Notebook: When a new cruise ship is placed in service, often, the cruise line will invite members of the Press, VIPs, and Travel Agents aboard for a short 2 day "familiarization" cruise to "nowhere" prior to taking on paid guests. Shortly thereafter, dozens of so-called cruise reviews appear all over the internet. And, if you've read most of them, you suspect they are nothing more than a repeat of the ship's features and highlights right out of the brochure. Maybe helpful, but short on insight.

These reviews tell you what you'll see and do onboard, but rarely do they take you on an in-depth tour of the ship, take you behind the scenes, nor comment on the cruising experience from a consumers point of view.

Let's face it, there is not much you can learn about a cruise ship, especially the world's largest cruise ship, in just 2 days. Plus, the staff knows your a VIP, so their interaction with you is not necessarily what paying passengers might experience on a full 7 day cruise.

When we write an in-depth cruise review, we evaluate a new cruise ship from the consumer's perspective, looking at not only the onboard venues, but the ports of call and service levels that you would typically encounter on your 7 day voyage. Thus, rather that taking the 2 day "junket" and writing a review based on a 2 day high-speed tour, we chose to book the cruise at our own expense, in this case a 7 day Western Caribbean cruise [ March 27, 2011 ], so we can, and you can, fully appreciate the experience as a cruise traveler. We also preferred to wait a few months from the inaugural to sail on the vessel. That way, the staff has time to adjust to their new surroundings and management has an opportunity to work on polishing up all the details.

It's Your Once In A Lifetime Cruise Vacation!

Chances are you've saved up for months, even years, to splurge on perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime cruise vacation. You don't want to be disappointed. We understand. Thus, the timing of our sailing and this feature story are in-depth "super" cruise review of Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas. Super, because like the ship, this is no ordinary review.

And, if you're thinking Raye & I got some insider deal, or travel industry discount on this cruise, think again. We paid full price. All total, we spent nearly $4800 on the cruise fare, airfare, taxes, specialty restuarants, spa, photo's and more.

As cruise travelers, we understand with so many travel options out there, it can be overwhelming. So, let our cruise review help you plan a more rewarding and fulfilling cruise experience.

Now, everything you read here is just our opinion. You should not just rely on what we think. Read more reviews. Talk to your neighbors or friends who've been on the ship. Way all the pros and cons, then decide if this ship is right for you and your family.

When you read one of our cruise reviews, you can be confident that what you read will help you perfectly plan your vacation, make it hassle-free, and that your cruise will be filled with moments and memories you’ll never forget.

"Twenty years from now, you will be most disappointed by the things you did not do, then by the things you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover" -Mark Twain

THIS MONTH'S FEATURED CRUISE SHIP - ALLURE of The SEAS
Each month we feature a different cruise ship. Perhaps the latest, greatest, biggest one afloat or a more intimate new yacht-like vessel. If your interested in sailing on the latest cruise ships you came to the right place.

Let's Get Started Here...
Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas Cruise Review.
Stateroom, Activities, Ports of Call, Entertainment and Dining Options. The World's largest cruise ship!

March 27, 2011 - Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas
Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale - 7 Days - Western Caribbean
Ports-of-Call: Labadee, Haiti: Falmouth, Jamaica: Cozumel, Mexico

Read on. Then, let us know what you think. We value your opinion.

Departure Port : Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Along with the world's largest cruise ship, you need the world’s largest cruise terminal.

The new $75 million Port Everglades terminal in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was expanded to more than three times its original size, big enough so arriving and departing passengers can go through processing procedures quickly. 90 check-in counters were built to speed passengers through the check-in process in 15 minutes or less. Our timing: 12 Minutes. Fastest boarding process we have ever experienced! Even less time to disembark.

CRUISE HOPPER HINT: It could take as long as four hours for your luggage to reach your stateroom. So be sure to take what you need in a carry-on, or you might find yourself with out the proper change of clothes for dinner. Remember with over 6,000 guests it could be as much as 15,000 pieces of luggage to deliver. No doubt, it is the biggest collection of luggage ever at sea. ( our luggage arrived within 90 minutes of the time we came onboard )

Day Before Arrival: We recommend you arrive in Ft. Lauderdale the day before the ship sails. Especially if you are traveling during the Winter months. As we all know, weather can play havoc with flight schedules. Departures due to mechanical problems with aircraft often occur. Travel time from your home town to the departure port could be as much as 5-7 hours. The ship sets sail on time, so if you are delayed and arrive at the pier late, you may find yourself waving goodbye at the pier as the ship sails off into the sunset.

There are a number of hotels in and around the airport and cruise port in Ft. Lauderdale. We stayed at the Hampton Inn. Reasonably priced, they included a complimentary breakfast and free internet connection. They will pick you at the airport and take you to the pier at no charge, in one of their hard to miss Pink Flamingo courtesy vans/

Allure of the Seas

This ship is unique in it's own right!

As you can see from the photo above, Allure of the Seas "open in the middle" superstructure features a sixty foot wide, open-air center. The ship’s upper 10 decks feature inside balcony staterooms overlooking Central Park and the Boardwalk. These separate port and starboard sides separate this ship from any you have ever seen!

We recommend you take your time to explore the magnificent features and facilities that Allure of the Seas has to offer. Don't go running around the entire ship when you first come aboard in Ft. Lauderdale. There is simply so much to see and do. Pace yourself. To make the most of your time on board, we suggest you pick up a copy of the "Live The Allure" Ship Guide. This self-guided interactive tour of the ship will help you explore and discover the ship. The book contains fun facts, behind-the-scenes stories, great pictures and serves as a great memento of your cruise vacation.

As you explore the ship, if you lose site of where you are, take a look at the deck numbers in each lobby area. There's a circular sign with a little arrow. This arrow always points forward. Use the touch screens located at each bank of elevators to find any venue. Touch one on the list and a map with directions from where you are to where you want to go, appears.

By The Numbers:
Allure of the Seas
Staterooms: 2,706
Passenger capacity: 6,296
Number of employees: 2,165
Restaurants/snack bars: 24
Cost to build: $1.4 billion
Starting price cost for a seven-night Caribbean cruise in March: $1,260,

per person plus taxes, for a Balcony stateroom. ( less for an inside cabin )

"There never seem to be crowds or long lines. Amazing for a ship of it's size".

Check out the new tech features such as the touch screen touch-screen panels near each elevator bank - you can type in your cabin number and it gives you directions or you can pull up the daily activity sheet or dining options. Also on the sea pass card is a photo gallery #. This coordinates with folders in the photo gallery. Each time your picture is taken onboard, your card is scanned and the picture ends up in your folder. So, by the end of the cruise, all pictures are in one place and all you have to do is go find your folder.

Royal Caribbean's Allure Of The Seas,
The World's Largest Ocean Liner.
( by 2 inches! )

Spanning 16 decks, 2,700 staterooms including 28 duplex "New York-style loft" suites and registered at 225,000 tons, On our cruise Allure carried 6,100 passengers and has seven distinct neighborhoods .

It has a rock climbing wall, ice-skating rink, Flow rider surf simulators , a zip line suspended 9 decks high and an aqua theater. Showcasing seven entire neighborhoods, including a Central Park and a Coney Island-style Boardwalk.

21 swimming pools and hot tubs, two rock-climbing walls, a basketball court, golf course, running track, gym and a day spa that provides everything from teeth-whitening to couples massages.

Right In The Neighborhood
Allure of the Seas has zones or separate areas for different activities. This helps spread out 6.100 guests who were aboard our sailing, so the the ship seemed much smaller than it really is. These zones, themed “neighborhoods.” as they are known onboard, include: Central Park, Boardwalk, Royal Promenade, Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and the Youth Zone. Boardwalk, Royal Promenade and Central Park — are the most interesting. There, you will find a variety of accommodations, activities, shops and restaurants.

Cruise Hopper TiP:

There is also a Youth Zone (children and teen areas), a huge Pool and Sports Zone. You will find 4 large pools, including a Beach Pool featuring a gently sloping "shore" leading down the water for beachside sun bathing at sea! With a total of 21 pools and hot tubs, each pool offers a particular type of watery fun and relaxation . On deck 16 forward, is The Solarium, an adult dedicated area where you can enjoy some peace and tranquility surrounded by views of the ocean. There's a small pool, waterfall, and two serene whirlpools, streams of running water with a faux rock bottom and shady palms. The area is virtually covered in glass, so the temperature is several degrees warmer than at the other pool areas. More about the ship's neighborhoods later on.

ALLURE of the SEAS - FAST FACTS
225,282 GRT ● 1,187 feet (360 meters) long ● 208 feet (64meters) wide
213 feet (65 meters) high from the water line ● 30 feet (9.1 meters) draft ● 22.6 knots cruising speed 16 passenger decks ● 24 passenger elevators ● 4 bow thrusters with 7,500 horse power each 5,400 guests (double occupancy) ● 6,296 guests total ● 2,165 crew (From over 71 countries) The ship's population of 8,461, which comprises all those passengers,
plus 2,165 crew, is bigger than some small towns in America!

Allure of the SEAS Cruise Review
STATEROOM, ENTERTAINMENT and DINING OPTIONS

STATEROOM CHOICES
Total Staterooms: 2,706 ● Balcony: 1,956 ●Outside: 254 ● Interior: 496
Staterooms with additional berths: 683 · Wheelchair accessible staterooms: 46

CRUISE HOPPER TiP: Stateroom costs will run 15-20 percent more to sail on the Allure compared to other Royal Caribbean ships. Interior cabins starting at $729 per person, $979 for balcony staterooms. Prices vary by stateroom location, season and sailing date. Mini Suites, Suites and Loft Staterooms will cost you more. Much, much more. Be sure to ask if any promotional fares are available if you are a senior, a member of the military or reside in a state with a promotional fare. Interior balcony staterooms recently were offered with as much as $200 onboard spending credit to spur on sales.

Royal Caribbean Brings Urban Living Concept to Sea with Cruise Industry’s First Lofts

The evolution of cruise ship hardware has been mindboggling over the past few decades, especially in the realm of accommodations. Inspired by urban living ideals, Royal Caribbean broke the mold yet again with the introduction of the industry’s first two-level loft suites on Oasis of the Seas and followed suit on Allure. Think funky city apartment, only this one floats and happens to have incredible sea views from double-height windows.

Dramatically redefining cruise ship accommodations, the lofts are the highest accommodations at sea and offer spectacular views of the ocean with floor-to-ceiling windows, ensuring the view will be enjoyed from every corner of the space. Other features among these coveted 28 lofts include a unique modern design accented with abstract, modern art pieces, spacious living areas on the lower level with contemporary detailing, and a private balcony with sun chairs and stunning views to help guests unwind. “We have 28 loft suites and when I first saw them, I immediately wished we had built more,” said Richard Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

CRUISE HOPPER TiP: Allure of the Seas has 2,706 staterooms, ranging from a 149-square-foot interior cabin to the luxurious Royal Loft Suite that can accommodate six. On most ships all balconies face the ocean, but on Allure, they not only face the ocean, some are interior balconies overlooking the open-air Boardwalk and Central Park neighborhoods. Families should consider staterooms in the Boardwalk neighborhood, while the more upscale Central Park area is best for couples.

Fresh, chic and super functional, each loft measures 545 square feet (51 square meters) and larger. The impressive design includes an upper-level bedroom that overlooks the living area below. The downstairs sitting area has a couch, chaise lounge, LCD television, guest bathroom, 17-foot windows and balcony that opens up to sweeping sea views. Up top, the loft bed floats like a dream behind transparent panels for open views through the floor-to-ceiling windows -- wake up and soak up the scenery without even hopping out of bed. The upstairs master bathroom features his and her shower heads, fog-free mirrors, and limestone mosaic tile detailing. Beds are outfitted with white, luxurious duvets complemented by tropical blue and green accents that tie in to the loft’s natural surroundings. The signature lofts rounds out a new portfolio of 37 categories of accommodation options, many with views unique to Allure of the Seas.

Following is a breakdown of the various accommodation types along with the features that matter most:

Loft Suites
• Royal Loft Suite: In addition to the 25 Crown Loft Suites onboard Allure of the Seas, the exclusive Royal Loft Suite accommodates groups of six and is the largest of all lofts onboard Allure of the Seas. Spanning 1,524 sq. ft. (141 sq. m.), it features its own Baby Grand piano, indoor and outdoor dining rooms that seat eight, private wet bar, a library and extended 843-square-foot (78.3-square-meter) balcony with its own LCD television, entertainment area and Jacuzzi. The Royal Loft Suite can be connected to a Crown Loft Suite to accommodate a total of ten guests, providing a whopping 2,069 sq. ft. (192 sq. m.) of space.

Allure of the Seas’ Suite Accommodations
• Sky Loft Suite: The Sky Loft Suites are larger than the standard lofts and though they stand as singular units, these staterooms can be connected together to satisfy larger groups and families. The Sky Loft Suites, identified as Corner A (722 sq. ft./67 sq. m.) and Corner B (770 sq. ft./71 sq. m.), feature more living room space, separate dining rooms that seat four, spacious balconies with sun loungers, and dining tables that seat four.
• Crown Accessible Loft Suite: The Crown Accessible Loft features the same amenities as the standard Crown Loft Suites, but measures slightly larger, at 737 sq. ft. (68 sq. m.), and offers an elevator for the convenience of guests with special needs.

In addition to the loft suite accommodations, Allure of the Seas offers a variety of suites that appeal to guests looking for extra space and even more amenities and services than offered at the standard stateroom level. While each suite varies in scope, all of the following suites provide guests with private balconies, LCD televisions and more.

• Royal Suite: The only one of its kind on Allure of the Seas , this spacious suite sleeps four and features one bedroom, two baths, a separate living area with its own Baby Grand piano, plush seating, a full bar, and a 52” LCD television. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors lead to the suite’s large outdoor balcony with woven chaise lounges. The private master suite offers an alternative sitting area with large windows facing the sea and a large jetted tub to help guests unwind after an action-packed day.

• Presidential Family Suite: Another one-of-a-kind accommodation onboard Allure of the Seas., it can sleep 14. With a total of four bedrooms and four baths, the space is similar to the Presidential Family Suite onboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom-class ships. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows face the ocean and a spacious balcony provides enough room for the entire group to enjoy the outdoor dining area, large LCD screen, and private jetted tub.

• AquaTheater Suite: All six of the AquaTheater Suites available onboard Allure of the Seas feature private wrap-around balconies overlooking the Boardwalk, the AquaTheater, and the ocean, offering outdoor ocean-front dining areas for six, and an outdoor bar ideal for entertaining. These new family suites accommodate up to eight guests and have two bedrooms and two full baths.

• Owner’s Suite: Each of the 10 owner’s suites accommodates four guests and is designed with one bedroom, living room and bath. Guests are pampered with a private balcony, outdoor dining table for four and an interior sitting area with a convertible queen sleeper sofa for two.

• Royal Family Suite: Sleeping eight, Allure of the Seas’ Family Suites with balcony feature a master bedroom and bath and a guest room with private bath. All four suites also offer a private balcony with outdoor dining and lounge area that seats four.

• Grand Suite: The Grand Suites with balconies are the most abundant suite accommodations available on Allure of the Seas. The 30 suites feature one bedroom, full bath, and a separate living area outfitted in contemporary décor, with stonework used throughout the entry and bathrooms. Private balconies boast not only great views, but comfy woven chaise lounge chairs and a whirlpool tub for two.

• Outside-Inside Balcony Staterooms: Allure of the Seas has two distinct neighborhoods, where staterooms are open to the sky above. Boardwalk ( shown below ) and Central Park have hundred's of these most unusual accommodations.

Inside balconies set the framework for the Boardwalk neighborhood; with Rita's Cantina, Johnny Rockets, The Carousel, Donut Shop, Hot Dog Stand, Shops and the AquaTheatre.

These balcony staterooms may not be for you... If you enjoy looking out into the ocean, want complete privacy and don't want to have to close your curtains each evening, an ocean facing balcony may be best for you. However, if you like to look out and see what the rest of your fellow passengers are doing and don't mind the fact that others can look in on you, then these staterooms give you a birds eye view of what's happening along the Boardwalk, the AquaTheatre or down Central Park.

We don't recommend these staterooms if you have young children. They could become easily distracted by the noise, and may not be able to nap properly. For a few hundred dollars more, you can have all privacy you want and ever-changing views of the ocean. Ocean viewing is great for an early morning breakfast watching the sun rise or romantic moonlight gazing at night off your balcony.

Not everyone can afford a suite!Those interested in reserving a standard stateroom aboard Allure of the Seas – interior or ocean view, with or without balconies – enjoy the same level of stateroom innovations found in the suite and loft suite categories onboard. In particular, the bedroom area of all staterooms feature additional under-bed storage, shelf units, expansive closets that include retractable clothing and shoe shelves, and flip up bedside tables to provide more space and functionality as needed. The bathrooms feature a fresh design concept, providing an open space feel with clear glass shower enclosure, and additional shelves and ledges throughout. What about accommodations for the rest of us?

ENTERTAINMENT and DINING OPTIONSWhen she arrived in Ft. Lauderdale in December 2010, Royal Caribbean International’s newest ship, Allure of the Seas, introduced the most unique and varied collection of entertainment and activities ever offered for guests of the cruise line. From Broadway shows and heart-pounding diving and acrobatic exhibitions, to comedy acts and popular theme nights and parades, the world’s largest and most revolutionary cruise ship really does offer something to entertain all ages, interests and personalities.

The AquaTheater - a pool by day, theater by night - offers spectacular sea-side entertainment in a venue so technologically advanced it will amaze your eyes and your senses. Plus, with two Rock-Climbing Walls, a thrilling Zip Line suspended across the Boardwalk, loft suites and a two-story, adults-only solarium - there’s only one word to describe this ship - incredible! >>

As the first theater of its kind, this dazzling oceanfront amphitheatre-style venue is the home to one of the most incredible, jaw-dropping shows we have ever seen at sea. Seating 600 guests and boasting the largest and deepest pool at sea, ( 17.9 ft ) containing near 500 tons of water. AquaTheater hosts a variety of entertainment, including live music, fun themed events, fountain shows and cabarets, with the most exciting attractions being two elaborate dive shows that take place each day and night.

• OceanAria: Set against the backdrop of the ocean beneath the twinkling nighttime sky, two towering dive platforms some 59ft above the water level frame the amphitheatre. This breathtaking dive show will leave you wowed after every performance. The most professional and talented cast of Olympic and NCAA champion athletes from around the world were selected for this show, including divers, synchronized swimmers and gymnasts. Set to an original soundtrack and synchronized with fountain shows, lighting and special effects, the all-star cast performs a heart-pounding, dramatic spectacular, making this majestic venue come alive and will bring you to your feet will applause. Often.

• Let You Entertain Me: A Dreamworks Animation inspired production features characters from the movie Madagascar and OceanAria in a fun filled show with aquatic stunts and acrobatics. Great fun for the whole family.

Also taking place at the AquaTheatre: fountain shows, live afternoon music, singing performances. Even a belly-flop contest you can join! The Cruise Director, hosts a Q&A session with the Captain and Officers of the ship.

Amusements for Adults Chicago: the Musical stars performers from Broadway and West End productions and costs no extra. The Blue Planet aerial acrobatic show has some truly magnificent sets. Again, costs no more. Arguably, these shows set the highest standard we've seen at sea.

The AMBER Theater
As the cruise line’s most dramatic and spectacular theater yet, the Amber Theater features a thrust stage and a proscenium extending into the audience to create one of the more interactive environments we have ever seen at sea. Seating 1,350 guests, the Amber Theater presents three different shows, each performed several times throughout each sailing : Broadway's razzle-dazzle hit musical CHICAGO is no doubt be one of the star attractions onboard Allure of the Seas. Licensed exclusively to Royal Caribbean, the show is 90 minutes long. Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring CHICAGO's slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today's tabloids. Boasting an incredible cast of talented performers, who were selected during a four city audition tour in London, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, this fabulous 90-minute show was performed four times throughout our cruise and will thrill audiences with original costumes, sets, lighting designs and the hottest, high-energy numbers of the Broadway version produced with Royal Caribbean’s unique stamp.

CRUISE HOPPER TiP: Zach Stafford, Allure of The Seas Activities Manager told us the most important thing a guest could do is to be sure to check out and use the online reservations system ( http://www.royalcaribbean.com/ ) for shows, spa, specialty restaurants and other activities.

"Book your shows and dining choices as early as possible. If you wait until you get onboard you may be disappointed when you can't get in to see the show when you want, or dine at the hour of your choice at a specialty restaurant" he said.

Our advice: When you make a reservation online for the shows, it goes on your SeaPass card. When you get to the show, the crew is waiting with handheld scanners - they scan your card and see that you have a reservation and you're in. "walk-ins" are not seated until everyone with reservations is seated.

What's a SeaPass Card?
Allure of the Seas operates on a "cashless" system, meaning your boarding card, (also known as your SeaPass card), will be used as a charge card to make all onboard purchases. Normally to activate this SeaPass account, most guests provide a credit card, (American Express, Optima, MasterCard, Visa, Discover and Diner's Club), to have these purchases charged to at the end of their cruise. A running tab of all your purchases will be kept under separate folio numbers for each guest and an itemized statement left in your stateroom the night before disembarkation. If you provided a credit card and there are no discrepancies, the amount will be charged to your account on the morning of disembarkation.

• Blue Planet: A spectacle of music, dance and aerial acrobatics, within an amazing set which replicates the wonders of the world. From giant mountains to underwater scenes ( see photo above ) and an incredible "living" Tree, ( see our photo ) It's a journey of soaring heights, interactive video and powerful singing and dancing during this spectacular 45-minute show, which was performed four times during each cruise. This was our favorite show . We recommend you book it in advance, at www.royalcaribbean.com BEFORE you leave home. The show Brings the Amber Theater to life, this visually stunning show combines the unique aerial, dance, gymnastic and vocal talents of Royal Caribbean’s incredible cast, coupled with the immense talent of the cruise line’s award winning costume, video and scenic designers. This show is mesmerizing. Don't miss it!

• Headliner Showtime: Offered three times throughout each cruise, guests are entertained by fabulous acts taking the stage at the Amber Theater, including world class singers, musicians, magic and juggling acts.

On our cruise, we had an opportunity to visit with one of our favorites: Tribute. The guys perform a Salute to the Temptations. No doubt you may have seen them before. The group has been together for 19 years and performed on a number of cruise ships. When they sing ' The Way You Do The Things You Do" and " You're My everything", you could swear they were the Temptations.

Fun For The Whole Family

DreamWorks® movie characters come to life on board.

Royal Caribbean International and DreamWorks Animation® teamed up to bring families memorable moments filled with your favorite characters from Shrek®, Madagascar®, Kung Fu Panda™ and more. From 3D movies to ice and aqua shows, the DreamWorks® Experience is exclusively onboard Royal Caribbean ships. It's amazing how the Dreamworks® Animation characters appeal to guests of all ages. We saw hundreds of Adults without children lined up along the parade route as much as an hour prior to the start of the festivities.

There they are: Shrek, Princess Fiona, Puss in Boots, Po from Kung Fu Panda, King Julian, The Penguins and more. The cast of characters host a sailaway party, perform in parades, an ice show, an aqua show and host character breakfasts with your kids. When you least expect it, one of them appears to greet you and your children and pose for pictures.

The Dreamworks® highlight is a 20-minute paradealong the Royal Promenade.

CRUISE HOPPER TiP: For the best view of the parade, get seats in front of Sorrento's Pizza Parlor. That puts your family "center stage" to see the parade up close.

Let You Entertain Me: The Madagascar-themed show is a spectacle of penguins, high divers , acrobats and synchronized swimmers held in the open-air, oceanfront AquaTheatre.

How to Train Your Dragon© is also aimed at young ones and is staged on the ship's ice rink. The story revolves around a hapless young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons who becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon himself, and learns there may be more to these creatures than he thought.

Madagascar Aqua Show: Performed three times each cruise, this themed show is light-hearted and humorous dive show provides fun and surprises the whole family will enjoy. The Aqua Theater’s cast of divers and Madagascar Characters showcase their comedic sides, combining crazy poolside antics with exhibition Olympic-style diving, all performed to an upbeat and dramatic soundtrack.

CRUISE HOPPER TiP: The first three rows are considered in the "splash zone", so if you don't want to get wet, sit about 6 rows up - center stage, best seats in the house!

Studio BIce Shows

Impressive is an understatement. These incredible ice shows feature a cast of professional skaters from around the world. On Allure of the Seas guests enjoy a spectacular ice show featuring the characters from "How to train A Dragon".

Ice-Skating
When the professionals aren't practicing or putting on one of their remarkable shows, Allure has open skating hours for onboard guests. There's no charge to use the rink, no reservations necessary and all levels of skating are welcome - they even provide the skates.

First time on the ice? They offer skating lessons for beginners. Or, if you've been at this for a while, you can join u special Advanced Skating Sessions. They also offer Family Skating, Teen Skating, and even Disco or Rock 'n' Roll Skating. All skaters are requested to wear long pants and socks for their own comfort and safety.

• How To Train Your Dragon Ice Show: This Dreamworks animation adventure takes to the ice during a breathtaking show of spectacular choreography, theatrics, costumes and music. Highlighting the adventures of Hiccup the Viking Boy and Toothless the Dragon. Performed by The Allure of the Seas International Ice Cast, the show features top-rated figure skaters from around the world, this not-to-be-missed ice show will be available several times during each cruise.

• Ice Games: See the classic board game Monopoly brought to life in a fantasy tale which features amazing costumes, video and lighting effects to enchant and entertain.

• Rock and Roll and 70's Disco: Themed Skate Sessions. Skate to your favorite tunes and lessons are available too.

Comedy LiveLocated in the Entertainment Place neighborhood, Comedy Live is one of the signature after-dark venues onboard Allure of the Seas. The adult comedy club is a fun and intimate space with décor inspired by a New York subway station.

• Comedy Shows: Nightly performances by talented stand-up comics will provide sidesplitting laughs and antics. Two comedians will take the stage each night during one-hour long shows performed two to three times nightly.

Theme Nights and ParadesWith a Royal Promenade almost double the width of those found onboard Voyager- and Freedom-class ships, Allure of the Seas continues the tradition of Royal Caribbean’s signature theme nights and parades, and make them even bigger and better!

• Disco Inferno Street Party: Throughout the Royal Promenade on the Atlas Bridge, Rising Tide Bar and the mezzanine, guests will dance to the music of the 70’s in this Disco-themed street party.

Editor's NotebookWith so many exciting entertainment options and venues to choose from, Royal Caribbean has definitely made it easier for guests to plan accordingly, so as not to miss any of the onboard thrills, spills and chills. Show schedules are available pre-cruise at www.royalcaribbean.com, allowing guests the opportunity to customize their cruise experience by pre-booking all shows in advance of boarding. You don't want to miss this opportunity to see and do what you want, when you want it. Pre-plan it all online.

CRUISE HOPPER HINT: At the Royal Caribbean website, guests can view all show schedules by show name, day and time and make reservations as far out as three months prior to the sail date for shows at venues including the Amber Theater, Studio B ice-skating rink, Comedy Live and the AquaTheater. Utilizing the latest technology, all reservations booked online will be recorded to each guests’ Seapass card, which will be scanned upon arrival to the selected venue at show time and will serve as the show “ticket.” While guests are encouraged to take advantage of this new pre-booking ability, a traditional Box Office and a ticketing system via the in stateroom television also will be available for onboard reservations.

Central Park
Central Park is a unique public space combining nature with nautical. A sea-going first.

Elegant, serene and lively, Central Park's piazza is the ship's town square, which evolves from a tranquil and peaceful "tropical "atmosphere during the day to a haven of tranquility beneath the stars, a gathering spot for dining, entertainment and street performances in the evening. Definitely one of the most romantic spots for a stroll onboard.

Central Park features several al fresco dining options ( Park Cafe, Giovanni's Table, Chops Grill and 150 Central Park ) and more than 300 staterooms, which
rise six decks to overlook the Park. Quiet reading corners, specimen gardens with over 12,000 plants from over 100 different plant species, and other hidden surprises await guests among the winding paths.

There are plants that bloom at different times of the year to provide continuous color. And a full time horticulturist and three gardeners to take care of it all.

Bringing the outdoors in, Central Park offers guests a tranquil outdoor space open to the sky like never before.

Royal Promenade
The Royal Promenade Neighborhood - the most expansive promenade at sea - continues to be the heart of the ship. A signature feature on many Royal Caribbean ships, except on Allure, it's much bigger and wider. The Royal Promenade has a mezzanine level that overlooks the space below and adds to the experience. This where the street parades take place.

Move it! Move It! the Dreamworks Animation Parade features more than 70 performers and 13 larger than life characters from Dreamwork's movie hits. You will find Shrek and Fiona, Puss in Boots and King Fu Panda and the Penguins in the parade.

On the Promenade you'll find the Champagne Bar, The Rising Tide Bar, The British style Pub "The Bow and Stern' , the On air club for live sports coverage, karaoke, trivias, and Nintendo Wii games. There is the second level Schooner Bar with great views of the Promenade below. Cafe Promenade is where you go for coffee and snacks at any time day or night. You can also get Pizza at midnight if you wish at Sorrento's. Move on along the starboard side of the Royal Promenade and you'll find Bolero's. If you love Salsa and Latin dancing this is the place.

At the far end you will find Focus, the photo galley and the Guest Services desk. The 40 members of Guest Services speak 14 languages and are available 24-7 to answer any of your questions and assist you.

The Cupcake Cupboard...
offers cupcake decorating lessons for the kids as well as adults. Try one of these delicious freshly baked cupcakes. They are out of this world!

The Promenade features Rising Tide, a levitating bar that ascends and descends over three decks, and enough shops and restaurants to entertain even the most traveled of travelers. By morning, enjoy a relaxed atmosphere over coffee and people watching. The ambiance becomes more energetic and vibrant in the afternoon with shopping, lunch or drinks in the pub. In the evening, the energy rises even more with parades, nightlife and entertainment for everyone. It's destination unto itself.

CRUISE HOPPER HINT: Passengers who aren't up to soaring along on a zip line nine decks high, can take a more leisurely ride, and go much more slowly up and down three decks with a cocktail at the moving bar, Rising Tide. Try a frozen Mudslide. A great frozen drink concoction: Absolut Vodka, Bailey's Irish Cream and Kahlua blended with Island Allure Ice Cream $7.00 )

Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center
You've taken a cruise to leave behind the daily grind of work and home. What better place to to soothe your mind, body and soul, than this state-of-the-art setting designed for the healthy lifestyle, combines the most advanced spa and anti-aging therapies, the latest fitness equipment and healthy dining options.

Guests can enjoy the benefits of a relaxing massage or share the experience in one of our many couples massage suites. Restore your body in the Thermal Suite or rejuvenate with a pampering spa treatment.

If you're looking to energize your body, then head to the Fitness Center. Try the latest equipment or one of several classes, including: spinning, pilates, yoga and our favorite the Kinesis class: a full-body, no-impact workout.

Hungry after a good workout? Try the Vitality at Sea Café, where you'll find healthy snacks, juices and smoothes, plus nutritious entrees. The Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness neighborhood is perfect to strengthen your body, soothe your mind and renew your spirit.

Are you a runner?
If so, Allure of the Seas has an outdoor running track. One lap equals 0.43 miles and it's fun to read the encouraging messages all the way.

Pool and Sports ZoneMore options than you can imagine! A fun-filled zone for all ages, taking up an entire deck with multiple pools, rock-climbing walls, miniature golf, ping-pong, two FlowRiders® and a basketball court.

You can choose from four pools: the H2O Zone, where kids can enjoy a giant octopus with its water-spraying tentacles and a separate wading pool for infants and toddlers; the sports pool, dedicated for laps and waterspouts; or the new beach pool, with a sloped entry that simulates wading into the ocean. Or bask by the traditional pool, with more sun loungers than any other ship afloat.Mini-Golf, 2 FlowRiders®, and a full size basketball court.

Editors Note: The unique beach pool at sea has a sloped entry where you can wade into the water or relax with a beach chair under an umbrella, while gentle waters roll gently beneath. There is a whirlpool on each side of the Beach Pool. On a couple of nights the pool turn into an adult beach nightclub.

When you've worked up a thirst, you can stop by one of the four pool bars, or retreat to cool off in the Solarium. Surrounded by glass and standing two decks high, this is the perfect place for adults to relax.

The new Solarium Bistro offers sit-down dining areas with healthy entrees and at night it transforms into a unique specialty restaurant.

And don't miss the ultimate, spine-tingling rush - riding on the Zip Line! There's nothing like zooming over the Boardwalk, speeding along 82ft of free open space, a mere nine decks below.

The Sports pool and H20
On the port side, the Sports Pool is dedicated to aquatic activities and sports. Guests can participate in lap swimming sessions, water basketball, water polo tournaments and sign up for scuba diving lessons.

The H20 Zone on the starboard side is the children's water park. Here your kids can splash away in a fun-filled environment packed with squirting fountains, spray cannons, tipping buckets and even a waterfall.

Parents of little ones will find the Baby Splash Zone, which allows kids still in diapers.

The Teen Zone
This is the place your teenage kids can meet new friends, relax or be active. all parent-free! In the Living Room teens will find comfortable seating, Nintendo Wii games. At Fuel teens can dance the night away to DJs and the Back Deck is an open air venue for parties beneath the stars.

Allure Dunes
There's a nine-hole golf course for the family and a small children's course with fun animal characters to entertain them.

Not one, but two FlowRiders®, surf simulators. Private and group lessons are available for a fee and you can have your picture taken as you "wipe out" or conquer the surf! Zip Line at Sea. Travel along 82 feet of free open space., 9 decks above the Boardwalk. If you keep your eyes open during the trip, the views are amazing.

Youth Zone - Adventure Ocean Youth Entertainment ProgramsRoyal Caribbean has a great reputation and is renowned for it's facilities for kids and teens. Its next to impossible to cover all the youth activities in one review. But we'll give it a try.

On Allure of the Seas the Adventure Ocean® youth program, has even more space dedicated to youth activities then other ships in the fleet. 28,000 square feet! and 39 youth staff members. From vibrant teen areas to fun learning environments for our smaller guests, it's easy for your kids to make new friends in this neighborhood - and enjoy non-stop action day and night!

Here's where kids can be kids and parents can be worry-free. Activities are in dedicated spaces for age-appropriate groups with professional and caring staff to engage curious young minds. Aquanauts for 3 -5 years olds, Explorers for 6-8 years old and Voyagers for 9-11 year olds. The Youth Zone takes family vacationing to a whole new level. Kids ages 3 to 11 will love the Adventure Science Lab, the Imagination Studio and the new Adventure Ocean Theater. And teens will enjoy lots of hang out areas just for them. Guaranteed to be fun-filled, the Youth Zone is one of the coolest youth spaces on sea or land! All of the Adventure Ocean activities are free, except for those under three. There is a printed daily schedule for each age group, with all the planned activities for the day listed.

About the Staff
According to Royal Caribbean, All Adventure Ocean team members hold a 4 year University degree in education, recreation or a related field. The staff comes from all over the world. Each activity conducted by the team is designed to both entertain and enrich, providing kids with opportunities to learn new skills., interact with others of their age group and try new fun activities.

CRUISE HOPPER TiP: Children must be fully toilet-trained before they can join the Aquanauts. No pull-ups or diapers are allowed at Adventure Ocean activities. The Youth Zone can accommodate special needs children, but can't provide 1-on-1 care. The parents are welcome to stay with their children if they wish.

The Royal Babies and Tots is a drop off nursery with one dedicated nursery staff for every four children. The number is adjusted based on demand. The charge is $8 per hour and is open from 9 am until about midnight. Infants and toddlers ( 6 months or older ) can be left in the care of trained team members, participating in a range of fun playgroups created by Pisher-Price® and Crayola®

Adventure Ocean has six age groups:
Royal Babies and Tots - 6 months to 3 years
Aquanauts - ages 3 to 5
Explorers - ages 6 to 8
Voyagers - ages 9 to 11
Tweens - ages 11 to 12
Teens - ages 13 to 17

The Aquanauts have Fisher-Price toys in their activity/play room. The Explorers Nintendos and Wiis, and use the art room, science lab, and Adventure Ocean theater for their activities. The Voyagers also use all of the same facilities as the Explorers, but also use the Flow Riders and sports courts. The Adventure Ocean staff do not have any activities for those 3-11 at the pools, but all three age groups interact with the DreamWorks Animation Characters.

Tweens and teens have their own schedule ( printed daily ) and six dedicated staff. You will find them on deck 15. There is a Living Room area, which is a lounge with TVs, games, computers, and a music/recording studio. They also have a teen night club, and outside back deck near the table tennis, sports court, and Wipe Out cafe.

Entertainment PlaceIntroducing Entertainment Place, a neighborhood filled with more entertainment options than you can imagine. Here you'll find a mix of large, pulsating spaces and smaller, intimate venues that deliver a variety of entertainment every night.

Play your favorite game of chance at the elegant Casino Royale, which rivals any land-based casino in style and sophistication. Enjoy one-of-a-kind ice shows at and a variety of themed events throughout the week at Studio B or take in a show at the Amber Theater, featuring CHICAGO, on one of the most dramatic and spectacular stages we've seen.

If you feel like moving to the latest club music, there's Blaze, the hottest nightclub at sea, or get cozy at Jazz on 4. For late-night laughs, head to Comedy Live. ( Adult-rated ) Then there's Dazzles. From big band to disco, Dazzles offers countless fresh musical experiences - complete with dancing lessons and lively competitions. Now that's entertainment!

The 14 member Allure of the Seas Orchestra in Dazzles preformed, as we danced the night away to some of our favorite dance music.

Allure of the Seas’ Offers the Greatest Variety of Dining Options

When it comes to Allure of the Seas one thing is for certain - there's no shortage of delicious dining options. Whether you're looking for a cozy dinner setting or an intimate elegant atmosphere, Allure of the Seas has just the thing. From authentic Italian seafood at the Giovanni’s Table to spectacular steak at Chops Grille, from My Time Dining\and My Family Time Dining your pallet will be pleasantly pleased, and you can enjoy these delicacies at your leisure.

One thing never changes. There are always passengers eating around the clock, keen on "getting their money's worth," as Weber put it.

They can repent by hitting Allure' state-of-the-art fitness center or jogging track. Morale-boosting signs spotted overhead along the track include this: "Tonight's dessert can be guilt free." The ship has 24 dining venues, 235 cooks and five executive sous chefs who are kept very busy 24/7, 7 days a week!

When it comes to dining, not everything is FREE...

Almost half of Allure’ eateries either have a la carte pricing or a cover charge, ranging from $4.95 a person for a burger-and-shake at Johnny Rockets to $35 for an elegant eight-course menu at 150 Central Park.

Onboard dining experiences include - sushi, tapas, an upscale steakhouse. There's also a doughnut shop, ice-cream parlor , even a cupcake boutique. Counting Calories? The Solarium Bistro serves lunch and dinner entrees with less than 500 calories. But on a cruise ship, whose counting!

Each of the specialty dining locations has its own galley, cooks and wait staff. There is no central kitchen commissary, so each venue works just like a stand-alone restaurant you'd find back home. The tradition of formal nights at sea still holds, but we noticed some people get dressed up, some don't. And those that due, tend to return to their stateroom right after dinner and change into something more casual for the remainder of the evening. So, do you need to bring a dark suit, wear a tux or evening gown. You can, that's up to you.

More About Dining Options

Allure of the Seas is the pinnacle of an amazing culinary evolution, offering a plethora of choice, both in cuisine and timing, dine where and when you want and with whom. Allure of the Seas boasts an amazing 24 dining options throughout the ship that ensure there’s something great to eat day and night, 24/7. Stroll over to your favorite neighborhood and sample a different venue for every meal, from sushi to steaks, crepes, seafood and pasta. Guests can enjoy the ambience and the full menus of the main restaurant, but set their seating time with the new My Time Dining program. With no pre-assigned tables, guests can make daily reservations for the time that suits them, or just walk in when the whim hits. Additionally, My Family Time Dining is geared to parents and children ages 3-11 with an expedited 45-minute dining service during early seating only.

“Allure of the Seas offers the greatest variety of dining options in the cruise industry and compared to most hotel resorts in the world as well,” says, Frank Weber, vice president, Food & Beverage Operations, Royal Caribbean International. Weber has worked in the hospitality business for 25 years, the past seven with Royal Caribbean.

The opportunities offered by Allure of the Seas have allowed Weber and his team to create a multitude of restaurants throughout the ship. Out-of-the-box thinking and an impressive level of efficiency are second nature to Weber and his team, who understand how to offer guests fresh, delicious food of immense variety, while keeping the behind-the-scenes nuts and bolts of the operation running smoothly.

Editor's Notebook: The quality, atmosphere, and presentation at the specialty restuarants is far better then in the main dining room. These smaller, more intimate dining venues are well worth it, if you are looking for more than a typical cruise ship meal.

An impressive feat of organizational finesse, there are 20 separate galleys around the ship, plus onboard facilities ranging from a butcher shop to a fish prep room and a commissary kitchen – a Royal Caribbean first – which takes care of all the major prep work for all the galleys of the ship. Nearly 1,100 cooks, waiters, assistant waiters, bartenders, bar servers and cleaners in the food and beverage operations on board Allure of the Seas, running venues that range from the spectacular three-level Adagio dining room, which is divided into three independently-operating 650- to 1,100-seat restaurants, to the most intimate venue, the 14-seat Chef’s Table, an exclusive venue for private parties.

The 3056-seat Adagio Dining Room on the Allure of the Seas is a 3 story, 1920's Art Deco style venue. This huge main dining room is spread over three decks, with assigned seating for dinner served at 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm on decks 3 and 4 and My Time Dining on deck 5.

CRUISE HOPPER TiP: If you choose My Time Dining, you can dine anytime between 6 pm and 9:30 pm, and you should make advance reservations each evening to avoid waiting in line, akin to what you might do at a busy chain restaurant back home. "My Family Time Dining" is a great program. Choose the 6:00 pm seating, sign up at Adventure Ocean, and your kids will receive their meals within 40 minutes. Adventure Ocean counselors will pick up the kids at the end of their meal and take them to enjoy kid-friendly activities while their parents finish dinner at their own pace.

“I could have never imagined I’d be involved in such an amazing and groundbreaking project as Allure of the Seas,” says Weber. “I am very proud we can offer guests so much choice and such great taste.”

For the most high-end dining experience, head to 150 Central Park, ( $35 per person up charge ) where Chef de Cuisine Maureen "Molly" Brandt, a talented and award-winning young female chef, is at the helm. The menu is different here. Chef Molly serves up a 6 course "tasting" menu of dishes she has chosen for you. Everyone is served the same dishes. There are no items to choose from or substitutions allowed ( unless you have dietary issue ).

When we dined we started with a salad of chilled white and green asparagus, followed by smoked tomato soup, then fresh pea ravioli, seared tuna, wagyu strip loin and for desert: Rhubarb Gateau. Some people enjoy exploring new ways to dine. Some don't. So 150 Central Park may not be your cup of tea. Nevertheless, if you like to try it, it is great dining venue and a meal that offers a unique experience.

Giovanni's Table an informal, family focused specialty dining venue is a must for lovers of hearty Italian fare. Raye and I found this restaurant the best of all. Inside you will find an authentic Italian feel to the place, with Tuscan inspired artwork, while outside is ideal for those who prefer dine al fresco. Try the Ossobuco Alla Piemontese. Veal ossobucco au jus, with tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese polenta and sautéed green beans. Delicious! Note: There is a $15 fee per person charge to dine at Giovanni's Table.

Casual venues are plentiful as well for sandwiches, wraps and salads, as well as coffee, donuts and ice-cream sundaes. For the health-conscious, not only has the entire Royal Caribbean fleet been transfat-free for three years, two outlets especially focus on healthy eating – the spa’s Vitality Café and the Solarium Bistro, where each dish is less than 500 calories. Across the board, menus offer more “super foods” such as tomatoes, broccoli and berries, more interesting vegetarian options (such as East Indian dishes), and sensible Tapas-style servings.

Here’s where to find all the palate-pleasing new choices aboard Allure of the Seas:

THE BOARDWALK

· Rita's Cantina: A casual indoor/outdoor Mexican style restaurant on the Boardwalk; taco's, burrito's, enchilada's, seafood, specialty dishes of the southwest with flavors from Southern' California's famous taquerias and over-sized desserts plus a vast selection of ‘margaritas’

· Boardwalk Bar: The main bar on the Boardwalk; offering fruit, salads and sandwiches

· Boardwalk Donut Shop: A classic haunt for casual snacks and delicious treats

· Ice Cream Parlor: A variety of ice cream flavors and toppings take center stage against a backdrop of 1950s kitsch

· Johnny Rockets: ‘50’s-style Diner with server-entertainers

· Boardwalk Dog House, which specializes in wieners, bratwursts and sausages.

The Boardwalk: Johnny Rockets, the Boardwalk Donut Shop, Rita's Cantina, Dog House, the Carousel and Smile, a novelty photograph shop where you can dress up and be photographed in outlandish costumes. What Fun!

CENTRAL PARK

· 150 Central Park: A trendy, upscale and intimate restaurant with a tasting menu with customized wine pairings
· Giovanni's Table: An Italian trattoria with both indoor and alfresco seating featuring Italian classics served family-style
· Park Café: An indoor/outdoor gourmet market featuring salads, sandwiches, soups, pastries and to-die-for fudge
· Vintages: A wine bar with pre-dinner tapas and cheeses along with a robust selection of fine wines
· Chops Grille: Royal Caribbean’s signature steakhouse with views of Central Park, and premium cuts or quality meats

ROYAL PROMENADE

· Sorrento's Pizzeria: Featuring New York style pizza, with both made-to-order pies and by the slice
· Café Promenade: Offering Seattle’s Best coffee, fruit shakes, pastries and sandwiches all day
· The Cupcake Cupboard: Featuring fresh-baked gourmet cupcakes as well as parties and design classes

POOL AND SPORTS ZONE

· Solarium Bistro: A health-conscious dining option for lunch and healthful fare and dancing under the stars in the evening
· The Wipe Out Café: A casual self-service buffet with pizza, hamburgers, sandwiches and fresh salads
· Izumi Asian Cuisine: Featuring mouthwatering flavors and a sushi bar with hot-rock cooking

Samba Grill: In the evening the Solarium Bistro is magically transformed into the Samba Grill, a Brazilian churrascaria, where waiters dressed as gaucho's bring a variety of grilled meats to your table until you tell them you've ate enough. Go hungry. There are 9 different servings, plus a salad bar and desert. ( $25.00 per person up charge ) It was so filling, Raye & I could not finish it all.

VITALITY AT SEA SPA AND FITNESS CENTER
· The Vitality Café: Offering healthy snacks, sandwiches, wraps, fruit and smoothies.

THE CLASSICS, Royal Caribbean hasn’t forgotten the classics of its fleet:
· Adagio Dining Room: The ship’s main restaurant features a three-tier venue with a 1920s Art Deco style; flexible My Time Dining and traditional assigned seatings.

· Windjammer Marketplace: A casual buffet fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner

· In-Stateroom Service: Order from the complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, or choose an original Johnny Rockets hamburger or Ghirardelli chocolate cookies from the new Dine In Delights menu

Internet, E-mail, And Smart Phones
Allure of the Seas offers Wi-Fi hot spot connections throughout the ship, dedicated internet stations and limited connections for your smart phone. The ship even lets you access the internet from your stateroom. Wireless keyboards interact with the in-stateroom tv. Connection speed onboard is not as fast as the connection you have at home. Due to the nature of satellite communications at sea, you will notice a difference. The system does not support high bandwidth applications such as Skype, VOIP, Remote Access and most VPN connections. Devices such as Iphones, Itouch, IPOD and Blackberry devices are not currently supported. Some smart phone are, depending upon your carrier. Check with your carrier if they have connectivity while onboard a cruise ship. We have AT&T and they do. So, we had no trouble using our HTC smart phone for voice and data connections. You will pay a premium per minute for this service, but it still is much cheaper then using the ships phone in your stateroom. Internet rates are .65 cents a minute with some packages that reduce the cost to as little as $30 cents a minute if you buy a bulk amount of minutes. If you buy a package and don't use all the minutes, your will not a refund for the unused portion.

Ports of CallSome ports of call are more attractive then others. So, when evaluating them, try a balanced and objective approach; read at least a dozen or more of both the positive and negative comments online, then decide if the port of call meets your expectations.

Labadee, Haiti

This private port of call, for Royal Caribbean guests only, offers a wide variety of beach activities like jet skiing, a zip line, parasailing, snorkeling and even a roller coaster! There is also an Haitian Cultural Tour. All of which are "extra" costs. The beach is long and wide, but parts of it are sandy, other parts rocky, so be sure to bring along a pair of rubber swim shoes. Cruise Hopper tip: You will find the best beach on Labadee, at Columbus Cove.

Lunch is served at three separate areas of the beach. hamburgers, hot dogs, salads and side dishes. Behind the bar and outdoor dining areas you will find the Artisan Village. There is where local Haitians sell their wares. Mostly t-shirts, wood carvings, art work, hand made jewelry, straw hats and the like. Be prepared, the vendors are aggressive and some are very pushy. So, if that sort of behavior turn you off, don't worry, its easy to avoid it.
On the other hand, if your up for it, you can haggle with the locals and get yourself some pretty good deals. Raye likes to buy local jewelry ( never pays the asking price ) and I like to view the art, so we set out to find it. By the way, these vendors only except cash. As with any "locals" Island shopping experience, buyer beware. Once you've bought it, you cannot return it. All sales final.

Falmouth, Jamaica

This was Allure of the Seas' first port call at Falmouth, Jamaica.

Online, Royal Caribbean describes the port this way....
"Step off the ship and step back in time. It may not appear so at first glance, but quaint Falmouth was an economic powerhouse and center for dramatic social change during the English Colonial Period. Founded as Martha Brae Point in 1769 by local English planter Thomas Reid, Falmouth became the shipment hub for sugar plantations covering the hills of Jamaica’s North Coast. From the wharfs of Falmouth, sugar, molasses, rum and coffee were sent to England, while ships making their way from across the Atlantic dropped anchor in the bustling port town to deliver other necessities of 18th century life. In today's Falmouth, visitors still enjoy 19th-century Georgian architecture as well as river bamboo raft rides, arts & crafts shopping, and flavorful local fare".

But all is not what meets the eye.

The Historic Port of Falmouth is a work-in-progress. The port and infrastructure are still under construction. It's not finished. Not even close.

Royal Caribbean in cooperation with the Jamaica National Heritage Trust is in the process of creating this new destination, Historic Falmouth Jamaica, with thematic design and architecture reflecting the Georgian architectural era of Falmouth at its peak as described above.

Construction of the shops in the port are not complete and were not open during our visit. In the interim, Royal Caribbean has done a good job of improvising. Local craft vendors have set up tables and displays outside the unfinished buildings. Shuttles , taxis and shore excursion buses are available to take passengers to where ever they wish to go. The shops offer a variety of hand-made arts and crafts, jewelry and paintings. The fabrics and clothing are colorful and there is no shortage of trinkets and souvenirs.

During this pre-opening phase we did enjoy the local street market, stilt walkers, wood carvers, cultural dancers, Reggae, Calypso and Caribbean music preformed by local bands. We were entertained by a military-style youth marching band when the ship arrived. And on departure we had a waving crowd of locals send us off.

CRUISE HOPPER TiP: If you have called on Jamaican ports such as Ocho Rios or Montego Bay, you know what to expect. Many of the local vendors are to put it gently, very aggressive. They sometimes get right in your face. However, many of the vendors will bargain with customers. A part of the shopping experience, some enjoy. Inside the gated-secured-port complex, it was obvious that vendors were instructed not to be pushy, rude or aggressive. They were not. However, step out of the complex and walk directly across the street and you enter a local street market. Such rules do not apply. So, be warned.

Cozumel, Mexico

The Conquistadors first saw Mexico from the shores of Cozumel while searching for gold. Today, visitors to the island continue to seek out gold and silver jewelry in the shops of San Miguel while having a great time in its many local bars and restaurants. Plus, the waters around Cozumel's sheltered coral reefs make this one of the best snorkeling areas in the world.
CRUISE HOPPER TiP : Don't miss the opportunity to explore the ruins of the ancient Mayan city of Tulúm, majestically perched above the turquoise Caribbean. The site was occupied as far back as 600 A.D. However, it was most densely populated around 1200 A.D. You will be struck by the pyramid-shaped El Castillo, which dominates the city from atop a forty-foot cliff. The nearby Temple of the Descending God provides equally excellent insight into the architecture of the Mayan people, who gained considerable achievements in the arts and sciences, only to decline and vanish for no apparent reason.

Allure of the Seas docks several miles from downtown. So, if you want to visit Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, Carlos and Charles, or have a bite to eat at Las Paleras, its a $7.00 per vehicle cab ride to downtown.

Final Thoughts
Allure of the Seas is only one of two ships in the world where you can truly match your shipboard interests to your budget. There really is a cruise ship perfectly suited for you and your family. Never before has there been such an extensive offering of cabins, activities, amenities, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and even special savings.

Depending upon your interests, your athletic ability, or your passion — and the size of your budget— just about everything you could dream of doing while at sea, can come true. Are you an active try-anything type personality. Then, this ship is for you! First, there is the zip line, then not one, but two flow-riders, two rock-climbing walls, 4 swimming pools , the ice rink, and if you just want to slow down for a few minutes, try the carousel.

You can take the family (all the kids- ranging in age from infants to teens), enroll them in planned and supervised all-day kid-friendly activities, while cruising the sunny Caribbean. When they return home, your kids will be raving about it to their friends.

Are you looking for nonstop action, never-ending entertainment, Broadway-style shows ( CHICAGO ), a high diving Aqua show, bountiful breakfast and lunch buffets, a different specialty restaurant every night and a sports deck with not one, but two, FlowRiders, a full size basketball court, 9 hole mini-golf course, ping pong, even a zip line? Look no further, it's all there.

CRUISE HOPPER TIP: Families are the focus here. The shipboard experience aboard Allure of the Seas will keep everyone in your family entertained, fed, active and we think, very happy. The number one thing to do for your Allure of the Seas vacation is to pre-plan everything. That way you can maximize your time and not miss a moment, nor be disappointed. Family cruisers have so many options when it comes to Allure of the Seas , planning up front is a must. Visit http://www.royalcaribbean.com/ to set up your dining options, onboard sport activities, shore excursions and spa treatments.

If yes, then you should check out Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Allure of the Seas. For families, Disney, Carnival Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line all have good programs, but none completes the "package" as well as Royal Caribbean. Disney Cruise Line is also a good competitive choice, but it does not have a casino and your older kids may not be as interested in “everything Disney” as the "Mickey Mouse Club" kids. The New Disney Dream does have the Aquaduck water ride, three main dining rooms - Enchanted Garden, Royal and Animators Palate - offering rotating dining. Your wait staff accompany you as you dine in each of the restuarants. There are two-adults only specialty restuarants: Italian themed Palo and French-inspired Remy ( $85.00 per person up charge ). But in the end, Allure and it' sister ship Oasis of the Seas has more. More Variety. More Dining. More Fun. More for adults, but plenty of reasons to bring the kids!

But what if your traveling without kids? Does Allure of the Seas offer a romantic, ultra-luxurious and intimate experience at sea? Yes it does.

And the two of you will hardly notice others. Do you want to dine at restaurants that rival some of the best dining establishments ashore. There's Giovanni's Table, Chops Grill, 150 Central Park, Samba Grill, or Izumi for Asian cuisine. How about a window table looking out on Central Park, watching gentle sea breeze flutter the trees. You'd swear you weren't on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean. Candle-light dinner doesn't get any more romantic then on your private balcony, gazing at the moon, while sipping a good glass of wine or champagne. Stop by Vintages wine bar and sample some of the best producing wines in the world. Raye and I did it all.

Adult entertainment. Allure has that too! Entertainment Place they call it.

The Amber Theatre is beautiful. It seats 1,380 guests and is equipped with theatrical features that make you feel like your seeing the show on Broadway. You should definitely make reservations early for Broadway's longest running show, CHICAGO: The Musical and a must see, what could aptly be described as mesmerizing: Blue Planet. The amazing group of singers, dancers and actors are as artistically talented as can be and put on two great shows.

Blue Planet was our favorite. This is a spectacle of music, dance and aerial acrobatics on an amazing and visually exciting set that showcases the wonders of the world, from giant mountains to underwater scenes and a "living" tree that will challenge your senses. The set moves to extend out toward the audience and aerial artists appear and reappear as if by magic. It's a challenge to full describe the sensory experience in writing, but this show is in a word: mesmerizing. Don't miss it.

There is so much diversity of entertainment options. Whether you like to relax to smooth jazz, dance the night away or take in some side-splitting ( adult rated ) comedy, this ship is the place for you. We spend two nights at Jazz on 4, took in the comedy of Dan Wilson and AJ Jamal ( note this show contains adult language, verbal sexual conversation and is not suitable for anyone under 18 ) and danced to a 14 piece orchestra at Dazzles.

There's piano melodies with Glenn Hogue high up at the Viking Crown Lounge, A summer breeze concert out at the Aqua Theatre, pub entertainment with Jimmy Blakemore at the Bow & Stern, a 50's and 60's Rock n' Roll Party, and moonlight serenades with the Fresh Sound Duo as you stroll Central Park.

You can sit out on the deck and view the movie: Grease or see the headliner show staring Tribute, A salute to the Temptations, in the Amber Theatre. Oh. Did I mention this is just what was happening on Day 4 of our cruise. Cruise Compass, the daily planner ( everyone gets one ) is 6 pages long, chock-a-block full of Adult things to do.

The best part of it all, you can get lost in your own corner of this sea-going world and have the most romantic time of your life.

Allure of the Seas is an enlightening, life-changing, out-of-the-ordinary shipboard entertainment experience — unlike any other.

Even super luxury cruises on say, Regent Seven Seas, Silversea Cruises or Seabourn can't match the options and nonstop, high-energy activities and entertainment. They cannot even offer the sheer number of cabin choices, including a two story loft, found on Allure of the Seas.

What Did it Cost?
Here's a breakdown of what our cruise costs. Inside, and ocean view staterooms will cost less, while Jr. Suites and Suites will cost more. Prices vary by sailing date, category and location on ship. Bring the kids and you'll pay a reduced rate for 3rd or 4th passengers sharing the stateroom with you.

CATEGORY D7 - Balcony Stateroom

Cruise Fare @$1265 per person$2530.00
Taxes/Fees @91.00 per person$ 182.00
Insurance @89.00 per person$ 178.00
Specialty Dining @100 per person$ 200.00
SPA $ 275.00
Pictures $140.00
Drinks $60.00
Gifts $80.00
Shore Excursions $220.00
Sub Total $3865.00
Airfare $ 800.00
1 Night Hotel Stay $149.00
Total $4814.00 $688 a day!
Amounts rounded off to nearest dollar

The bottom line: Cruising on Allure is not cheap. But the experience is unique. Only you can decide if it's worth it. A cruise can be a really good travel deal if you are careful about the extras; expensive if your not.

May not be for you. May be the perfect vacation for others.

If, however, you are looking for a more "social" experience with your fellow cruisers, something more upscale, more traditional, more stately or an ultra-luxury experience and are willing to pay for it, ( thousands more per week than Royal Caribbean ) then some other cruise lines are worthy of consideration. On the other hand, if the adventure of sailing on the world's largest cruise ship, a destination unto itself, intrigues you, then go for it. You will not be disappointed.

Allure of the Seas provides a high energy, warm, friendly and spirited social environment for people of all ages, but especially for families who want it all. Fun for the kids and adults too!

Decide what you want, what you can afford and then be sure to talk with a trusted and reputable travel agency with a veteran cruise specialist on their staff.

Article Footnote
It takes a lot to impress Raye & I when it comes to a cruise ship. Having sailed to the far corners of the world, it is often hard to find a ship that meets not just some, but most if not all, your needs. We were so impressed with and thoroughly enjoyed Allure of the Seas, that on the last day of the sailing we called the kids. Actually, they're all grown up with 5 grand children ranging in age from 4 to 20. We may of had one too many "mudslides", but we recall invited them all, including their parents onboard for a family cruise next February. Nearly a dozen of us!
Oh my, talk about putting your money where your mouth is.....

© 2011 Cruise Direct Online Online, Cruise Traveler Magazine. A Travel Direct Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Photo Credits: All photo's ®2011 Royal Caribbean International or Raye & Marty Trencher

National "Plan Your Alaska Cruise Vacation" Month

2011-04-06T08:13:00.000-04:00

National "Plan Your Alaska Cruise Vacation" Month^tm

New National "Plan Your Alaska Cruise Vacation" Month^tm encourages travelers to use the services of a Professional Certified Alaska Travel Expert to help plan their Alaska Dream Cruise Vacation.

What is it?

National "Plan Your Alaska Cruise Vacation" Month is a free service which connects consumers shopping for an Alaska Cruise or Alaska Cruisetour vacation experience, to highly skilled and certified travel agents who specialize in Alaska destinations and Alaska Cruises and Cruisetours tailored to consumer preferences.

National "Plan Your Alaska Cruise Vacation" Month lets consumers bring the help and expertise of a travel professional to the planning process based on the accommodations, activities and level of adventure cruisers seek both onboard and ashore.

Use the free tools and discover amazing Alaska cruise travel opportunities for your friends and family. Find your Alaska dream vacation by consulting a Certified Alaska Cruisetour Expert Today.

Why you need Certified Alaska Travel Experts^tm to help you plan your Alaska Cruise or Cruisetour?

If you're searching for the best Alaska cruise deals, you will need to browse through a lot of stuff to find what you're looking for these days on the internet. This is especially true with regards to planning an Alaska Cruise or Cruisetour vacation.

In addition to knowing the "Where and Why Now of Alaska" cruising, many Alaska sailings offer exclusive bonus extra's like onboard spending cash, free cabin upgrades, and more. Certified Alaska Travel Experts can find those special rates and some rates you may not of though about, like discounts based on residency, age or past cruising experience.

Only Alaska Certified Travel Agents are experts and have the ability to save you not only time and money, but can relieve you of all the stress, and hassles, associated with vacation planning! They can help you with everything from planning to packing, from discount rates to departure dates, virtually everything you need to know about Alaska and Alaska cruises and cruise tours. They can find great Alaska cruise deals for you. They know where, when, and how to get them.

Not only have they "been there and done that", they are Certified by the the Alaska Travel Industry Association as Experts in travel to Alaska and are Certified Alaska Cruise and Cruisetour Experts. Trained and focused on the newest Alaska destinations and the most exciting ship and land experiences to Alaska available in 2012.

During National "Plan Your Alaska Cruise Vacation" Month take advantage of their expertise when planning your next Alaska dream vacation!

More often than not, Certified Alaska Travel Experts can not only match or beat the price you find online, but can usually provide added value! The bottom line is that travel professionals are just that, professionals -- Contact one of our Alaska Travel Experts today.

Month-Long Event Planned

It’s more important than ever to plan ahead. So, a new month-long event sponsored by Alaska Cruisetours Online has been registered – National "Plan Your Alaska Cruise Vacation" Month.
To occur annually during the Months of October ( for the upcoming summer season ) and May ( for the following year ), this bi-annual event is aimed at encouraging travelers to take an Alaska cruise or Cruisetour vacation with the help of Certified Alaska Travel Experts.

National "Plan Your Alaska Cruise Vacation" Month^tm is scheduled for May 1 -31, 2011, and then again, October 1-31, 2011. The timings coincide with an important booking window when many vacation travelers should be planning their Alaska summer vacation plans.

Several million consumers request travel offers via email or online each year. However, ultimately, it is the valuable advice, guidance and first-hand "been-there, done that" experience that Certified Alaska Travel Experts are able to share with travelers that matters most. Furthermore, these professional agents know how to get the most value for your hard-earned vacation dollar and have extra leverage dealing with the cruise lines, so they can more often then not, get a great price for you and your family.

National "Plan Your Alaska Cruise Vacation" Month has the winning combination of Certified Alaska Travel Experts from Alaska Cruisetours Online working hand-in-hand with Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, NCL, Carnival, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, to provide the traveler with a great Alaska cruise experience.

To support National "Plan Your Alaska Cruise Vacation" Month, Alaska Cruisetours Online, a leading Alaska Cruise and Cruisetour specialist, has developed and sponsored the program.
Visit their web site: http://www.alaskacruisetoursonline.com/

2012-2013 Complete Cruise and Cruisetours Released By Princess

2011-03-17T19:34:00.000-04:00

3/17/2011

Princess Cruises Announces Full 2012-2013 Cruise and Cruisetour Season
Company's Largest Deployment Announcement Details Itineraries to Alaska, Europe, Caribbean, Panama Canal, South America, Asia, South Pacific and Australia & New Zealand

Highlights Include New Cruises from San Francisco and Galveston, Ship Added to Gulf of Alaska, and Largest Europe Deployment

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (March 17, 2011) -- Princess Cruises today opened its entire 2012-2013 season for booking, offering an extensive selection of worldwide sailings -- a total of nearly 600 cruise options on 150 itineraries to more than 300 destinations around the world.
For the first time, the line has simultaneously launched its full slate of cruises which include Princess' largest Europe deployment, an expanded Alaska schedule, new sailings from Galveston, more South American options with two ships sailing around Cape Horn, and more West Coast sailings to Hawaii, Mexico and along the California coast than ever before.

A detailed overview of Princess' 2012-2013 cruise season can be found here.

"We know that many of our passengers are advance planners, and would like to see the full breadth of our cruise itineraries to decide where to vacation next with us," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. "So for the first time we've released all of our itineraries at once so they have the entire world at their fingertips as they're planning their next cruise."
Among the line's offerings for the 2012-2013 season, Princess will begin sailing to the Hawaiian Islands from San Francisco, will offer longer 14-day Australia & New Zealand itineraries, and will once again sail to the Western Caribbean from Galveston, Texas. More ships will sail in South America and Alaska, and several ships will make regional debuts, including Grand Princess' first ever sailings on the West Coast and Caribbean Princess' maiden European deployment. Cruisetours combining a cruise and land experience will enable passengers to more fully explore Alaska, Europe, Canada and New England, Asia, Australia and South America.

Highlights of Princess' 2012-2013 season include:

ALASKA
Princess draws on more than 40 years of experience cruising the 49th state, offering Gulf of Alaska and Inside Passage sailings with an extensive selection of cruisetours to the heart of Alaska. The 2012 program will include a seven-ship deployment, including a fourth ship added to the Voyage of the Glaciers route, and three ships sailing the Inside Passage. All cruisetour options will continue to include Alaska's top two attractions -- Denali and Glacier Bay National Parks, and Princess will take more passengers to Glacier Bay than any other cruise line.

EUROPE
The largest Europe deployment in Princess history, the 2012 season offers a wide selection of sailings through the timeless cities of the Mediterranean, the splendor of Scandinavia and Russia and the intriguing ports of Northern Europe. The season features seven ships sailing on 57 itineraries to 116 destinations, including Caribbean Princess' European debut and new 14-day Baltic and 16-day Land of the Midnight Sun routes. And 12-day Mediterranean and Greek Isles cruises will continue to offer overnight stays in one of the continent's most sought-after destinations -- Venice. Two new ports will debut -- Korcula, Croatia on the 12-day Mediterranean Collection on Pacific Princess and Nessebar, Bulgaria (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) on the 12-day Black Sea & Crimean Coasts route.

CARIBBEAN
Princess' Caribbean schedule will feature five ships sailing to the best of the sparkling waters of the Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean. Passengers can choose from 115 voyages sailing to 22 destinations on 10 itineraries. The season includes Princess' return to the Texas Gulf Coast with the debut of Crown Princess sailing out of Galveston.

PANAMA CANAL
Princess continues to be the leader in Panama Canal cruising, with two ships, eight itineraries -- including both full and partial transits -- and 40 voyages aboard Coral Princess and Island Princess.

MEXICO & PACIFIC COAST
The 2012-2013 season will feature more Pacific coastal sailings than ever before, plus Mexico sailings from both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Five ships will sail on 31 departures of nine itineraries sailing to 14 destinations. A new seven-day California Coastal itinerary will feature the best of the Golden State with an added visit to Catalina and an overnight in San Francisco.

HAWAII, TAHITI & SOUTH PACIFIC
The dazzling islands of Hawaii and Tahiti headline a season with more Hawaiian Islands sailings than ever before including new voyages from San Francisco. The full program includes eight ships offering 12 itinerary choices with 56 voyages to 32 destinations. Among the highlights are an expanded Hawaiian Islands program with three ships sailing roundtrip from Los Angeles and San Francisco, Grand Princess making her West Coast debut, and two sailings of the popular 28-day Hawaii, Tahiti & Samoa itinerary previously introduced with the fall 2011 schedule.

ASIA, INDIA & AFRICA
Princess' Exotics program includes sailings throughout Asia plus passages through the Suez Canal and across the Indian Ocean. Five ships sail on 28 sailings of 21 itineraries to 54 destinations. Other highlights include Bangkok once again featured as a homeport on the line's 16-day Southeast Asia & China itinerary, plus the line's first call in Aomori, Japan.

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
"Down Under" cruising expands with a new longer itinerary, plus three ships based locally for Aussie-style cruising. Four ships will sail on 40 voyages of eight different itineraries. Highlights include a new 14-day Australia & New Zealand itinerary -- adding Wellington and Picton -- and a new 33-day Round Australia & New Zealand itinerary. Featuring the largest Australia deployment of any North American line in the region, Princess ships will also offer more New Zealand cruises than any other line.

SOUTH AMERICA & AMAZON
The lively Latin culture of South America takes center stage with Princess 2012-2013 cruise season, offering three ships sailing on 18 voyages of 11 itineraries. Highlights include two ships -- Star Princess and Grand Princess -- both sailing an around Cape Horn itinerary between Buenos Aires and Santiago, and a new 19-day Brazilian Adventure route that stops for an overnight in Rio during the world-famous Carnival. Pacific Princess will once again offer cruises up the mighty Amazon River.

CANADA & NEW ENGLAND
The North Atlantic Coast voyages offer dramatic scenery and historic attractions. Two ships sail on three favorite Princess routes visiting 12 destinations. The 11 departures include Caribbean Princess sailing roundtrip from New York, and Emerald Princess offering 10-day Classic Canada & New England sailings between New York and Quebec.

WORLD CRUISES & CIRCLE PACIFIC
Three ships will offer world voyages, including Pacific Princess rounding the globe on a 107-day voyage from Ft. Lauderdale to Venice on January 27, 2013; Sun Princess setting sail on her first-ever global circumnavigation with a 104-day sailing from Sydney on May 16, 2012, and Dawn Princess offering a 75-day Circle Pacific itinerary that departs July 27, 2012.

For more information contact Princess Cruises or Cruise Direct Online ( http://www.cruisedirectonline.com/ )

Princess Cruises Previews Newest Ship - Royal Princess Announced as Ship's Name

2011-03-16T05:34:00.000-04:00

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (March 15, 2011) -- As the first steel plate was cut today marking the official start of construction of Princess Cruises' next ship, the line unveiled the vessel's profile, released preliminary details about some of its features, and revealed its name -- Royal Princess.
This will be the third time the name Royal Princesshas been given to a Princess ship.
Debuting in spring of 2013, the new 141,000-ton, 3,600-passenger Royal Princessis the first of two new-generation ships for Princess which are being built by Fincantieri at their Monfalcone, Italy shipyard. The prototype design is an evolution of the line's classic style of ships, while including some new features and expanded signature spaces.

A new design element revealed today is an over-water SeaWalk^SM, a top-deck glass-bottomed enclosed walkway on the ship's starboard side extending more than 28 feet beyond the edge of the vessel. From here passengers can enjoy dramatic views, including to the sea 128 feet below. On the ship's port side, passengers will find a similarly-unique cantilevered SeaView bar, featuring cocktails with unbeatable vistas.

Also on her top decks, Royal Princesswill feature a new adults-only pool surrounded by seven plush private cabanas that appear to be floating on the water. Two additional pools will flank a tropical island that will offer pool seating by day, and by night will become an outdoor dance club, complete with a dazzling water and light show. Princess' signature adults-only haven, The Sanctuary, will be expanded both in size and amenities. The popular poolside theater, Movies Under the Stars, will play a starring role mid-ship with an expanded size and high-definition viewing.

"Princess passengers will easily recognize our next ship as a natural progression in our fleet," said Princess President and CEO Alan Buckelew. "We're taking the best features of our newest vessels that have been such customer pleasers, and taking them to the next level. Just as the original Royal Princess ushered in a new era for our company with its innovative design, we expect our new Royal Princess to do the same."

Inside the ship, one of the line's hallmark venues, the Piazza atrium, will be significantly expanded. This area will be the multi-faceted social hub of the vessel, combining always-changing quick bites and light meals, beverages, entertainment, shopping and guest services.
All outside staterooms on Royal Princesswill have balconies, which means that 80 percent of the ship's staterooms will include this desirable feature.

Royal Princesswill include 260,000 square feet of inside public space with multiple dining and entertainment venues, as well as other special features and amenities which will be revealed over the coming months.

A video preview of Royal Princess is available at http://www.princess.com/royalprincess Artist renderings of the ship are available on Princess' Flickr page.

A sister ship to Royal Princess will be launched in spring 2014.

# # #

Editor's Notebook: The first Royal Princess which debuted in 1984 was widely-acknowledged as defining a new era in innovative cruise ship design. While she left the fleet in 2005, the name was passed to one of Princess' small ships in 2007, and this vessel is being transferred to a sister company at the end of April.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through this professional travel agent, Cruise Direct Online by calling 800.365.1445, or by visiting the company's website at http://www.cruisedirectonline.com/.

AIRFARE INCREASES SEND A WAVE OF TRAVELERS TO CRUISE PORTS CLOSE TO HOME

2011-01-26T16:44:00.001-05:00

AIRFARE INCREASES SEND A WAVE OF TRAVELERS TO CRUISE PORTS CLOSE TO HOME

Raye and Marty Trencher

Cruise Traveler Magazine

January 2011

Cruising from the United States to exciting destinations has never been more convenient. And with airfares on the rise, sailing from a U.S. port is one of the best ways to stretch your vacation dollar. With over 25 departure ports to choose from, families can find the perfect cruise! Cruise Travelers can choose from hundreds of voyages to destinations like the Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean, Canada/New England, and Mexico, even Hawaii! All with the convenience of a short drive. All total, there are 24 departure ports in the United States and Canada that are ready to welcome cruise travelers.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, due to the increase in oil prices, airfares have increased in the past few months and are steadily increasing this year. The average domestic fare rose to $341 (including taxes and security fees).That's a 13% increase from the prior year! The price of oil has gone from less than $20 ten years ago, to near $80 per barrel today.

A family of four flying to a cruise port from the Northeast to say Miami, might spend $1364 just to get there. Then another $3800 for the cruise ( including the cruise fare, taxes, tips, shore excursions and some on board spending etc. ) . That's a lot of money, especially in this economy.

But there are ways to save a lot money without having to drive very far or be limited due to budget constraints, to a small cramped inside cabin for 4.

The trend toward cruising close to home has been steadily growing every year since the first oil crisis more than two decades ago. Cruising close to home allows travelers living within driving distance to avoid the added expense of airfares, airport parking, baggage fees etc. Travelers also save money on hotel stays since they don’t have to fly in the night before their cruise departs. In the winter arriving the night before is a must, as you could be stranded at the airport and never get to the pier, or arrive late and be waving from the dock as you ship sails off into the sunset. Finally, these days flying includes long security lines, extra fees, flight delays and wasted hours at the airport. Who needs all that stress!

Popular homeports to catch a cruise include, from the East Coast: Baltimore , Boston , Cape Liberty , Charleston , Ft. Lauderdale , Jacksonville , Miami , New York City , Norfolk , Philadelphia , Port Canaveral , Port Everglades ,and Tampa. From the West Coast: West Coast Astoria , Los Angeles , Long Beach ,San Diego , San Francisco , and Seattle, From The Gulf Coast: Gulf Coast Galveston , Houston , Mobile , and New Orleans.

Today, cruises visit over 500 ports worldwide and practically every destination accessible by water. You can embark on your cruise vacation from a wide variety of over 24 North American ports close to home without having to fly to exotic locations around the globe. According to the CLIA, ( Cruise Lines International Association ) member lines have announced exciting winter, spring and summer itineraries to a host of destinations that include visits to some of the most exciting ports in New England, Canada, Mexico, Alaska and the Caribbean – and many of these itineraries begin from convenient North American homeports. And during "Wave Season" the cruise lines are offering some cruise deals that offer an extra $200 off select sailings, kids-sail-free deals, pre-paid gratuities, up to $500 in free onboard spending, reduced booking deposits, or free stateroom upgrades.

The Benefits of Cruising

Close to Home:

No flight expenses
No airport hassles
No need to check in, and out of hotels
The ability to stretch your vacation dollar
A short drive to a perfect vacation
Year-round cruising possibilities for 3 to 12 day vacations
These ports will get you to the Caribbean, New England, Alaska, The Bahamas or Mexico for the ultimate getaway.

More Information on this subject: http://www.cruisedirectonline.com/close_to_home_cruises.htm

Big Savings Kicks Off 2011 Wave Season during Travelocity's 12th Annual Cruise Super Sale

2011-01-17T10:39:00.000-05:00

Big Savings Kicks Off 2011 Wave Season during Travelocity's 12th Annual Cruise Super Sale

Travelocity Enhances the Value of Cruise Vacations by Offering More than Just Major Discounts

January 17, 2011 – The New Year’s festivities may be over, but Travelocity® is giving travelers a reason to continue celebrating. Just in time for the 2011 “wave season,” the Travelocity Cruise Super Sale kicks off this week, offering travelers up to 65 percent off cruise vacations, and up to $500* in onboard credits. These savings can be found on most cruise vacations to exciting destinations from the Caribbean and Bahamas to South America, Europe and Asia. Along with the markdowns, cruisers can get additional perks, such as free stateroom upgrades, onboard credits and more, from cruise lines participating in the popular sale.

Travelocity customers already save an average of $1,000 or more by taking a cruise versus a land vacation, and the Cruise Super Sale brings further opportunities to save. Travelocity’s Cruise Super Sale exclusive bonus offer, made in conjunction with American Express®, can mean hundreds of dollars in additional savings alone. Customers who book a qualifying cruise with their American Express Card by February 10, 2011, for sailings departing between March 1, 2011, and August 31, 2011, receive onboard credits for up to $500*, based on the length of the cruise and stateroom purchased. Travelers who book during the Cruise Super Sale will also receive a 15 percent discount on shore excursions through Port Promotions.

Total Stateroom Price	Onboard Credit
$750 - $1,499.99	$50
$1,500 - $2,999.99	$100
$3,000 - $5,999.99	$200
$6,000 - $7,499.99	$400
$7,500+	$500

*Offers are per stateroom, not per person and include all destinations and cruise lines with the exception of Disney Cruise Lines.

“Cruise vacations are always a great value, and there’s no better way to display that than launching the Cruise Super Sale,” said Matt Lee, Vice President of Travelocity’s Cruises. “In addition to the exclusive sale offer, customers can also find special offers from cruise lines, such as onboard credits or upgrades that will help make their trip one they won’t soon forget.”

The Cruise Super Sale is also backed by Travelocity’s Low Price Guarantee on cruises, which promises to refund the difference between the price paid on Travelocity and any qualifying lower rate found within 24 hours of purchase for the same date, ship, and cabin category. See the Travelocity website for complete terms and conditions of the Low Price Guarantee. Travelocity has never charged cancel or change fees for cruises, and has recently eliminated cruise booking fees, making cruising even more affordable in 2011. With one of the industry’s most comprehensive options for a cruise vacation and exclusive partnership discounts, Travelocity is the only destination for travelers looking for unmatched value.

Source: Travelocity
_______________________________

For more information on these exclusive offers including a list of qualifying sailings and to book a cruise with your American Express® card, Click Here and visit Cruise Direct Online. a Travelocity Affiliate

New Ways To Cruise The World - 7 New Ships Debut

2010-12-25T08:02:00.000-05:00

7 New Ways To Cruise The World - New Ships Debut.

The Disney Dream, debuts Jan. 26, 2011: the third and largest ship in Disney
Cruise Line's family-oriented fleet, will carry as many as 4,000 passengers
on three- to five-night cruises from Port Canaveral, Fla., to the Bahamas.
Disney Cruise Line debuts the first-ever shipboard water coaster, AquaDuck,
an exhilarating high-speed flume ride featuring twists, turns, drops,
acceleration and river rapids. The Disney Dream carries on the spirit of
innovation with a cruise industry first for all inside staterooms. Magical
Portholes offer a "window" to the world with a real-time view outside the
ship. High-definition cameras placed on the exterior of the ship feed live
video to each Magical Porthole. The live video feed corresponds to the
stateroom location - either port or starboard and position on the ship, from
bow to stern.

Disney Cruises Disney Dream 128,000 tons 4,000 passengers

Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Magic, May 1, 2011: a 3,690-passenger "fun
ship" that will make seven-, nine- and 12-day Mediterranean cruises May 1
through Oct. 16 before starting seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean
cruises Nov. 14 from Galveston, Texas. Features include the
11,250-square-foot adults-only Serenity area; Seaside Theatre; a massive
"Cloud 9" spa; WaterWorks aqua park with a 303-foot-long, four-deck-high
corkscrew waterslide; and special family cabins designed to accommodate five
passengers. Onboard innovations will include a white-knuckle ropes course
suspended above Deck 12.

Carnival Carnival Magic 130,000 tons 3,690 passengers

Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Silhouette, debuting July 23, 2011: the newest
Solstice-class ship, the 2,886-passenger with a seven-night cruise from
Hamburg, Germany, to Rome, will introduce classes in pizza making -
including the dough toss - and a grill-your-own-steak option at its Lawn
Club Grill. She cruises Europe, then repositions for 12 - Night Eastern and
Southern Caribbean cruises out of Port Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey.

Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Silhouette 122,000 tons 2,884 passengers

Seabourn's newest luxury yacht, the 225-suite Quest, debuts June 9, 2011:
The ship will make a three-day, pre-inaugural voyage round trip from Monte
Carlo on June 9. The 2011 itinerary includes a 36-day grand voyage from
Monte Carlo to Istanbul, Turkey, on June 12. Seabourn Quest's maiden season
will include seven-day Eastern Mediterranean cruises, operating alternately
between Athens and Istanbul, and Venice and Athens, as well as a seven-day
Black Sea voyage. On January 5, 2012, Seabourn Quest begins a 109-day World
Cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Venice on a unique eastbound course via South
America, South Africa, the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, the Middle East,
and the Mediterranean.

Seabourn Cruise Line Seabourn Quest 32,000 tons 450 passengers

Oceania new ship, Marina, debuts February 5, 2011: The 65,000 ton Marina is
more than twice the size of other Oceania vessels, and carrying a maximum of
1,258 guests in 629 staterooms. The new decor is more contemporary and
elegant than that of the current ships, with a grand lobby featuring design
accents by Lalique.The ship's inaugural schedule includes a 13-day Maiden
Voyage Jan. 22 from Barcelona to Miami, where inaugural activities are
planned. On Feb. 8, Marina departs on the first of two 18-day Panama Canal
transits that visit San Francisco or San Diego, both new ports for Oceania
Cruises. Marina operates a 12-day Caribbean cruise, round-trip from Miami,
departing March 16, before sailing along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard and on to
Europe to begin her inaugural Mediterranean season.

Oceania Cruises Marina 66,000 tons 1,258 passengers

Costa Cruises Costa Favolosa debuts July 2011: the Costa Favolosa will be
114,500 GRT with a passenger capacity of 3,780. This will be the 16th ship
for the Costa Cruises fleet and it will be similar in size to the Costa
Pacifica which was launched in 2009. The Costa Favolosa is set to make her
debut on a three-day mini vernissage cruise departing from Venice on July 4,
2011, and calling at Dubrovnik (Croatia) and Koper (Slovenia). This will be
followed by her grand inaugural cruise, which leaves Venice on July 7. This
10-day itinerary will visit Israel, Greece and Turkey with stopovers in
Bari, Corfu (Greece), Haifa (Israel), Izmir (Turkey) and Dubrovnik
(Croatia). Throughout the 2011 summer season the Costa Favolosa will offer
seven-day cruises from Venice and Bari to Olympia (Greece), Izmir and
Istanbul (Turkey), and Dubrovnik (Croatia).

Costa Cruises Costa Favolosa 114,500 tons 3,780 passengers

Though it was introduced in mid December, this ship is really new for 2011:

Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas debut December 12, 2010: The Allure
will sport the first GUESS store at sea, STARBUCKS as well as a new dining
concept exclusive to this ship - a Brazilian churruscaria restaurant and a
version of the Broadway musical, CHICAGO. DreamWorks Animation® favorite
characters from Shrek®, Madagascar®, Kung Fu Panda movies entertain kids of all ages. The Allure of the Seas is the world's largest cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean International Allure of the Seas 220,000 tons 5,400
passengers

Cruise Direct Online: Norwegian Declares 'Free Upgrades For All' During Wave Promotion

2010-12-13T20:37:00.000-05:00

Cruise Direct Online: Norwegian Declares 'Free Upgrades For All' During Wave Promotion

Special offer also includes up to $400 in on-board savings and targeted offers to select destinations

To celebrate Wave Season, Cruise Direct Online is featuring Norwegian Cruise Line's "Free Upgrades For All" Sales Event (http://www.cruisedirectonline.com/free_cruise_cabin_upgrades_for_all.html).
All new reservations booked from today through March 27, 2011 on select sailings on any of the line's 11 Freestyle Cruising ships will receive an up to a four-category upgrade, along with e-coupons in on-board savings of up to $400. In addition, bi-weekly promotions beginning January 3, 2011 will feature special offers on select ships and destinations.

Special Wave season offers make this the perfect time to book a cruise for 2011. A cruise vacation already represents a great value and now when combined with these Wave offers and signature Freestyle Cruising, there's no better time to plan a cruise vacation.

To book a cruise, call Cruise Direct Online at 800.365.1445, visit http://www.cruisedirectonline.com/

About Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line is the innovator in cruise travel with a 44-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising, most notably with the introduction of Freestyle Cruising which has revolutionized the industry by allowing guests more freedom and flexibility.

Today, Norwegian has 11 purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on some of the newest and most contemporary ships at sea. The Company has reached an agreement for two 143,000-gross ton vessels for delivery in 2013 and 2014.

Norwegian's largest and most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship, Norwegian Epic, debuted in June 2010. Norwegian Cruise Line is the official cruise line of Blue Man Group, debuting for the first time at sea on Norwegian Epic, as well as the official cruise line of Legends in Concert, Second City® Comedy Troupe, Howl at the Moon Dueling Pianos, Gibson Guitar, and Nickelodeon, the number-one entertainment brand for kids. Cirque Dreams" & Dinner is also featured on board Norwegian Epic as the first show of its kind at sea under a big top.

Breaking News: Warm Blue Seas Cure Common Winter Cold!

2010-12-12T09:44:00.000-05:00

Breaking News:

Warm Blue Seas Cure Common Winter Cold!

by Raye & Marty Trencher

Cruise Traveler Magazine

Right about this time many of us are tired of the winter cold, and shoveling mounds of snow. We have a touch of "cabin fever" and yearn for warmer temperatures. If we could, we would would run off to the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico or the South Seas--anywhere the temperature was warm and you didn't have to fight your way through the next snow storm! We are looking for a way to get away. Now.

So what's the cure for Winter Cold and Cabin Fever?

Look for "Winter Cruise Deals" and you will find a perfect warm weather vacation experience. You might even come home with a tan, in the middle of Winter! Your neighbors will no doubt be jealous.

There are over 300 cruise ships sailing in warm waters this winter and the over abundance of cruise ships, large or small, means lower prices until the these ships move on to places like Europe, Asia or Alaska in the Spring. With all of these cruise ships, many of the cruise lines are featuring new and different itineraries, home ports, and destinations.

If you really want a bargain, now is the time to book a cruise. During Wave Season ( January through March ), cruise lines put out their most attractive offers, looking to get as many people committed to sail during the new year. You can also wait until after the rush is over to see if rates will go down again in April or May. Your choice of the best accommodations and locations on the ship will be limited. But, if you don't mind where you are sleeping on the ship, a last minute cruise deal may be just the thing for you.

Bargains seem to be everywhere. The Caribbean and the Bahamas are popular choices, with many seven-day cruises going to the eastern and western Caribbean, for as low as $399 per person, based on double occupancy and three, four and five-day weekend getaways to the Bahamas abound for as low as $159! Now these are for inside cabins. Ocean view, Balcony, Mini-suite and suites cost more. For those on the western coast of the United States or Canada, the Mexican Riviera and Baja are a good choice.

And If you want get away for more than a week this winter, it is summertime south of the equator. Think about South America, Australia, or the South Pacific. You can't get much further away from Winter's cold than in Bora Bora, French Polynesia! We know, we've been there on a Windstar cruise. Absolutely the best!

So, the prescription for curing the Winter Cold... Warm blue seas, tropical islands and a rum punch. Works better than chicken soup.

Find Help In Navigating Through All The Cruise Deal Offers During Wave Season

2010-12-11T08:34:00.001-05:00

Searching for and evaluating all the cruise deals on offer during wave season, especially senior, family or group offers, has always been challenging. But a new Cruise Finder at Cruise Direct Online just made the process a little easier. This new tool will help cruise travelers find the cruise that is best suited to their individual needs. Cruise Travelers can compare up to 4 offers side by side helping consumers navigate the complicated cruise travel marketplace.

Wave Season is the annual cruise sales period from January to March when a majority of cruise vacations are sold both by online and traditional "Brick and Mortar" travel agents.

The new information can be found at , http://www.cruisedirectonline.com/cruiseconnect.htm and offers features such as:

cruises from up to 24 brand-name cruise lines
side-by-side comparisons of ships, sailing dates
compare the ports-of-call
read a "Cruise Critic" cruise ship and cruise line review
find discount prices, special offers for seniors, families
see if you qualify for resident rates based on where you live
Are you in the Military or community service, such as a Teacher, EMT , Police Officer or Firefighter, you may qualify for special rates
sruise tips, answers to your questions and expert advice
all on one easy to read page. Compare and save!

To show you how it works, Cruise Direct Online chose 4 cruise lines ( Disney, NCL, Royal Caribbean and Carnival ) and 4 cruise ships ( Disney Wonder, Norwegian Sky, Monarch of the Seas and Carnival Sensation) that sail to the Bahamas to compare side-by-side. Prices varied from $229 to $519 for an inside cabin on a 3 day cruise in the same general time period ( August ) and remarkably one cruise came out on top, charging only $215 for a 4 day cruise out of Port Canaveral. One extra day at a cheaper price! You can also read about what others who sailed on these ships had to say. 63 cruise reviews in all. You can choose any destination or cruise ship to compare side by side to 4 others. The results can be found at http://www.cruisedirectonline.com/cruiseconnect.htm

There is also a section for first-time cruisers 'What to know before you go" with tips, a cruising guide and travel advice.

If you've never cruised before, you probably have a boatload of questions. That's why you need this indispensible first-time cruiser's guide, filled with useful cruising tips, expert advice, and more. Find answers to your most pressing questions, get advice on how to choose the perfect ship, cruise line, and stateroom, use the cruise destinations guide to plan your trip, and learn more about the action-packed activities that await onboard. Get your sea legs before you sail with these first-time cruiser tips.

How do I know I am getting a good cruise deal?

Consumers spend countless hours surfing the internet in search of the best cruise deal. Every web site they visit proclaims to have the best deal. But how do you know that's true? For most web sites, it's nearly impossible to tell if you're getting a great cruise deal or not. That's because there are many variables that affect the price and value of your cruise experience.

Ever cruise ship is different. Some are new, some are old. Some are big. Even gigantic, like the Oasis or Allure of the Seas with nearly 6,000 people on board. Others are more intimate, like Windstar's Wind Surf with 150 guests.

Prices, onboard amenities, accommodations, entertainment all vary from ship to ship. The itinerary isn't often the same. It can be very confusing.

So, the new Cruise Finder allows consumers to compare side-by-side up to 8 variables for the same destination and number of days sailing. Would that help consumers make more informed choices? The information provided with the Cruise Finder makes the cruise travel marketplace more transparent than ever before, so it is easier to evaluate the value and cost of cruising.

Compare cruises from brand-name cruise lines, view side-by-side comparisons of ships, the itinerary, cruise review, traveler rating, sailing dates, discount prices, special offers and cruise tips. View photo's of ships and staterooms, public areas and more. Check out the onboard activities and shore excursions.

After reviewing the data, you can choose to book online or speak with a professional travel agent who can help you determine which cruise best meets your vacation and budget needs.

Exercise Extreme Caution Before Bargain Shopping For A Cruise Vacation

We pride ourselves on being savvy bargain hunters. Online coupons, online discounts, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Cruise Tuesday and the ease in how we comparison shop on everything from a blu-ray DVD player to a cruise vacation has made it faster than ever for consumers to hunt down bargains. However, there are some things that are more important than just getting the cheapest cruise deal.

Cruise travel is a perfect example. There’s an array of online travel companies offering cruise deal quotes.

Travelocity, Expedia, Priceline, or Cruise Direct, just to name a few.

Although there is an appeal in convenience and a supposed bargain, cruise travel isn’t a one-size-fits-all vacation. The “right” cruise for you involves much more than cost; much like an electronics buyer doesn’t just consider cost when purchasing a new 50 inch 3-D HD TV. If typing in your criteria and clicking the “buy now” button on the cheapest 3-D Television you can find sounds unwise, then planning your cruise vacation this way should seem just as misguided.

Of course, cost should be a consideration when booking a cruise, but consumers should also consider:

Determine the Vacation Value

“You get what you pay for” is an apt adage for just about anything we purchase these days. What one cruise travel company touts as a bargain vacation is usually nothing more than a cruise line offering an inside cabin, at the very bottom of the ship, next to the disco and miles of walking to the nearest elevator to get to the ship's dining room or entertainment venues. Cruise costs are priced based on the deck and location of a cabin and the type of accommodation: inside, outside, balcony or a suite. Book the wrong sized cabin for your family and for 7 days you may feel like sardines in a can. And, you can't ask for another room like at a hotel, because the ship likely to be sold out. Many cruises will appear to be similar, visiting the same ports-of-call, but the shipboard amenities, size of accommodation, caliber of food and service, even the most subtle variation can result in a significant cost, value, and benefit difference.

Determine What Your Travel Needs Are

There are many types of Cruises: adventure and wildlife ( Alaska ), sunshine and shopping ( The Caribbean ), exotic ( Asia and the Far East ), cultural and historic ( Europe ).

Each of these types is also available in dozens of unique itinerary variations. Some cruise ships cater to an older crowd ( Holland America ), others to party-hardy cruisers ( Carnival ). Some are more family-friendly ( Royal Caribbean, Disney ). It might seem daunting to evaluate the benefits and features associated with each type of cruise, but that is truly the only way to guarantee that you obtain the best cruise for your specific need. Opting for the cheapest cruise, regardless of whether it actually meets your need, can actually ruin you vacation plans.

Consult with a Knowledgeable and Experienced Professional

A cruise vacation, or any vacation for that matter, when purchased correctly, can lead to a fun, exciting and most memorable experience. However, it is also costs a lot of your hard-earned money, and you want to make sure that every dollar is going toward an experience that is best for you and your family.

A cruise travel expert can help you navigate the waters, lay out the best travel options, and recommend a cruise that bests accommodate your needs. Best of all, if you have a question or concern about your vacation, you aren’t limited to speaking to a telemarketer or looking up the answer at an online “FAQ” page.

Think Twice Before Buying A Cruise Direct From The Cruise Line

Want to book your cruise directly with the cruise line? Think again.

Calling the cruise line does not always result in the lowest cost or the right choice. It does, however, mean that you will connected to a call center and the person answering the phone is never the same person when you call again. As with any telemarketing organization, there is often high turnover in these positions, so you might never develop a relationship you can rely on, nor get the answers you seek.

When you are considering a cruise vacation, you probably want to count on a travel agent to assist you in understanding the many options available. For instance, what type of cabin should you choose? Should you pay for travel insurance or not? Should your teenager kids have their own cabin? How large a cabin do I need? Do I really want a balcony cabin at a higher cost? Why should I choose this cruise ship over another?

You won't get those answers from the cruise line. You see they represent only their product. They aren't going to help you compare their offerings to others in the business. The telemarketer on the phone may only be interested in getting you to book as quickly as possible, so he or she can get on to the next person waiting in the queue.

Although it is possible that you might attain the best price directly from the cruise line, it is also likely that you might not. More importantly, you might get what appears on the surface to be a better deal, but on closer examination is not as good as you originally thought.

You may qualify for a special rate based upon where you live, or based on your age ( seniors of kids ). You may be serving in the military, a community service worker: teacher, firefighter, or police officer. There are special offers out there just for you. But if you don't know to ask for them, you won't get them, as often the cruise line's telemarketer doesn't volunteer that information. Their interest is self-serving. Get you to book a cruise at the highest cost possible.

Travel agents, on the other hand, especially those that specialize in cruise vacations have a lot of clout in the industry. They are able to negotiate group rates and offer you a cruise vacation, one that fits your needs, that costs hundred's of dollars cheaper than you can by going to the cruise line direct. And, you don't even have to belong to the "group" to get the deal. Anyone can "Book In" and pocket the savings.

Travel Agents earn a commission (10-15% of the cruise fare) when they sell a cruise. If you book direct from the cruise line, guess what? The cruise line is not going to cut the price, and pass the savings onto you, even though they pocket that commission as extra profit. In most cases travel agents do not charge for their services, so why not take advantage of their knowledge and experience and get your 15% worth.

Your travel professional has spend quality time with you, knows you and understands your needs. Someone at the cruise line you have never talked to before might not know enough about you to recommend the best choice for your cruise vacation. If they don’t know you, how will they know what to recommend? A cruise travel advisor who knows you and your family needs is in a much better position to make sure you know which cruise line, ship, itinerary and price meets your needs.

So, if you are wondering if you might get a better deal on your cruise vacation if you buy direct and cut out the middleman. You won't.

New Alaska Cruisetour Just for Fishing Fans in 2011

2010-12-02T09:18:00.000-05:00

New Alaska Cruisetour Just for Fishing Fans in 2011
14-Day Cruise Vacation Package Includes Excursions to Some of State’s Most Famous Fishing Grounds

Alaska Cruisetours Online ( www.alaskacruisetoursonline.com ) December 01, 2010 - Princess Cruises has introduced a new Alaska cruisetour option just for fishermen (and women) as part of the 2011 season. This new 14-day land/sea vacation includes special excursions just for anglers, with opportunities to cast their lines in some of the state’s premiere fishing spots.

Participants on the new tour can try their hand at salmon fishing in the Inside Passage from Ketchikan, bottom fishing for halibut near Juneau, and river fishing on two Alaskan rivers – the Kenai and Talkeetna – on excursions from Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge and Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge.
“Fishing is such an iconic part of the Alaska experience, that it made sense to offer a special tour especially for those who want to focus their time on the sport,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “We include a variety of fishing experiences so our passengers can get a taste of the array of fishing opportunities found throughout the state.”
The new fishing cruisetour includes a seven-day Voyages of the Glaciers cruise through the Gulf of Alaska featuring scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park, plus two nights at the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge, two nights at the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, two nights at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and one night in Anchorage. Participants will not only enjoy fishing tours throughout their vacation but also scenic travel via Princess Rail and a Natural History Tour in Denali National Park.
Fishing excursions include:
Alaska Sportfishing Expedition (Ketchikan)
Participants can experience the thrill of fishing in the "Salmon Capital of the World" in the calm, protected waters of the Inside Passage. Passengers will travel in a large, heated cabin cruiser and can test their salmon sportfishing skills on a five-hour expedition to troll for king salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, and silver salmon, depending on the season.
Halibut/Bottom Sportfishing Adventure (Juneau)
This excursion takes a small group on a journey to experience bottom fishing for halibut, Pacific cod, arrow-tooth flounder and nearly a dozen species of rockfish, depending on the season. The five-hour experience includes fishing in 180 to 350 feet of water with bait or plastic lures near the ocean’s bottom. Bottom fishing appeals to anglers of all experience levels, as fish are easy to hook and usually very abundant. During the trip to the fishing grounds, participants may also spot some of the region’s other wildlife, including whales and sea lions.
Kenai Upper River Sportfishing (Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge)
Famed for its trophy-sized fish, the beautiful upper Kenai River is one of the finest recreational areas in Alaska. Tour participants can experience world-class fishing surrounded by dazzling mountain scenery aboard a non-motorized drift boat or raft. Anglers will be catching either sockeye salmon, Dolly Varden or rainbow trout, according to the season.
Alaska Sportfishing (Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge)
Both experienced and novice fishing fans will enjoy testing their luck on the Talkeetna River. Anglers will travel by boat to a secluded fishing spot in the shadow of Mt. McKinley, where they will cast for king, silver or red salmon, rainbow trout, grayling and Dolly Varden, depending on the season. An experienced guide will steer the group to the area’s optimum fishing holes.
All tours follow fishing seasons and regulations as determined by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). Fishing licenses are not included in the package price; participants can purchase appropriate licenses at each location or directly from the ADF&G. Passengers must be at least 12 years old to participate in the cruisetour.
Fares for the new fishing cruisetours begin at $3,248 per person, based on double occupancy.
Additional information about Princess Cruisetours to Alaska is available through: Alaska Cruisetours Online ( www.alaskacruisetoursonline.com ) a professional travel agent, by calling them at 800.365.1445, or by visiting the company's website at http://www.alaskacruisetoursonline.com/fishing
About Princess Cruises in Alaska:
One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess is a global cruise and tour company operating a fleet of 17 modern ships renowned for their innovative design and wide array of choices in dining, entertainment and amenities, all provided in an environment of exceptional customer service. Princess is a leader in Alaska travel, offering immersive land/sea vacations that feature the state’s “must see” attractions, including Glacier Bay National Park and Denali National Park. Princess owns and operates five wilderness lodges nestled in scenic riverside locations throughout the state, as well as a fleet of deluxe motorcoaches and glass-domed Princess railcars – giving travelers the opportunity to combine cruise, rail and lodge options to see all the best of Alaska.
Princess Cruises is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Their exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises and The Yachts of Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, World’s Leading Cruise Lines inspires people to discover their best vacation experience. Together, they offer a variety of exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.

Cruise Direct Express Smoothes and Simplifies the Online Vacation Search.

2010-11-17T16:56:00.000-05:00

-- Travel Direct Corporation, today announced a new online travel service that pulls together the Internet's best cruise deals in one place. Just in time for the industry's "Wave Season", the new service; Cruise Direct Express^sm gives cruise travelers immediate direct access to the available inventory of 15 of the top cruise line brands.

Cruise Direct Express offers consumers a rich selection of destinations, cruise lines, ships and up-to-the-moment cabin inventory, plus the best cruise line offered discount prices – including hard-to-find internet specials – all in one place. The service lets cruise travelers with a few clicks purchase a cruise from brands they trust. With Cruise Direct Express cruise travelers also have the opportunity to receive valuable special offers, such as cabin upgrades, and onboard spending credits.

With Cruise Direct Express cruise travelers get the best priced cruises and most convenient options by going straight to the source.

Cruise Direct Express has search technology that can access all of the cruise inventory available from up to 15 cruise brands, which conventional search engines, crawlers and shopping bots cannot. Because the cruise lines have made their inventory available through their own sites, Cruise Direct Express can access this information. The technology is designed to search all of the cruise lines databases for cabin inventory and up-to-the moment pricing. And make them available in real-time.

Cruise Direct Express Online Benefits Cruise Travelers:
Offering a huge selection of the Web's best cruise deals. To find the best cruise price with the same destination, itinerary and sailing date, cruise travelers must flip from cruise line site to cruise line site on their browsers, with Cruise Direct Expresss' search technology consumers are offered an alternative.

Cruise Direct Express Smoothes and Simplifies the Online Vacation Search.What's the most annoying thing about doing vacation research online? It has to be copying and pasting all the information you need for note-taking from multiple cruise line web sites.

Cruise Direct Express searches the sites' databases of the cruise lines themselves – sites like Carnival, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Crystal, Regent, Holland America, Windstar, Disney, Crystal, Oceania and Norwegian Cruise Line – for their best cruise offers. Cruise travelers do not have to jump from site to site to look for the best cruise line bargain. Cruise Direct Express allows users to see all the deals and to make informed choices. Switching back and forth between cruise line web sites can be a pain. With Cruise Direct Express all the major brand cruise lines are all together at one home port.

Gathering Information Is Easier and Faster.
Those with limited internet time will find Cruise Direct Express especially useful for getting the necessary travel information and signing off quickly.

Easy to use interface enables comparison of cruise ship itineraries, sailing dates, up-to-the moment cabin availability and prices. The Cruise Direct Express search engine(s) allows cruise travelers the option to troll through thousands of discounted fares and special deals the cruise lines have on offer, and they can tailor the search terms ( price, cruise line, sailing date, duration, departure ports and destinations ) according to their own personal travel needs.

With Cruise Direct Express cruise travelers can check prices of competing cruise lines to make sure they always find the cruise line's best deals. Consumers save money by comparison-shopping.

Cruise Direct Express brings cruise travelers all the information they need to book a cruise from the cruise brands they trust.

A Personal Cruise Travel Advisor is part of every sale. When a cruise traveler books their cruise online, a personal Cruise Travel Advisor is assigned to their account: The Cruise Travel Advisor offers fair and impartial advice. Cruise Direct Express features all the major brand cruise lines - but doesn't promote one particular cruise line over another. Choosing the right cruise experience is the number one priority.

The Cruise Travel Advisor;
1. Will review the proper immigration/passport/birth certificate documentation necessary for their cruise.
2. Arrange any special needs -- such as a handicap-designed stateroom, or a special diet.
3. Inform cruise travelers of their dining choices and arrange for any special occasions they might be celebrating like a birthday or anniversary.
4. Will explain the importance of travel insurance to cover the unexpected such as trip delays, missed Cruise Direct Expressions and lost or delayed baggage.
5. Will review General Information materials that cover over 18 "Things to Know Before You Go".
6. Will point out their stateroom on the deck plan ( all deck plans are available online ).
7. Will Inform cruise travelers when final payment is due and the deadline to request air deviations and arrange pre-or-post cruise land packages.
8. Advise about tipping; packing; clothing; flights and schedule options; shore excursions, etc.

Cruise Direct Express is available for free from the company’s internet site www.cruisedirectexpress.com

If sales during World’s Largest Cruise Night 2010 (WLCN) are any indication, consumer confidence is on the rebound.

2010-11-15T11:37:00.002-05:00

CLIA, CRUISE LINES AND TRAVEL AGENCIES GENERATE MILLIONS IN SALES DURING 2010 “WORLD LARGEST CRUISE NIGHT

Proactive Physical and Online Promotions Capitalize on Heightened Consumer Awareness for Expected $47+ million in New Sales, Over $6 Million in Potential Commissions

Fort Lauderdale, FL — November 15, 2010 — If sales during World’s Largest Cruise Night 2010 (WLCN) are any indication, consumer confidence is on the rebound. CLIA member cruise lines and travel agencies report an expected $47+ million in sales resulting from WLCN events on October 13 and virtual promotions throughout October, generating over $6 million in potential commissions, according to a new survey of participants*.

“Consumers across North America have responded strongly to World’s Largest Cruise Night, the cruise industry’s largest annual promotion, and to the many outstanding offers from CLIA member travel agencies and cruise lines,” said Bob Sharak, CLIA’s EVP, Marketing & Distribution. “This is a strong signal that the innovative vacation experiences and remarkable value offered by the cruise lines, combined with the marketing and promotional efforts of CLIA member travel agencies results in a successful sales formula. The result is a win-win-win situation for cruise lines, travel agents and, especially, the traveling public.”

CLIA agents reported that over 50,000 consumers attended physical WLCN cruise events held by a record 1,432 agencies this year. The events were diverse and held in travel agency offices, hotel ballrooms, restaurants, corporate offices and other venues. The CLIA travel agent survey reveals that agencies offering such physical WLCN events have already generated, or anticipate generating, a total of 21,475 bookings for an estimated $26 million in sales, potentially yielding more than an estimated $3 million in travel agency commissions. Over 95 percent of agents who registered to participate with a WLCN event indicated that they did so, a similar participation level as 2009.

CLIA introduced the Virtual WLCN option in 2007, expanding it into a month-long opportunity for agents this year. Nearly 3,200 agencies participated in 2010, sending email invitations to consumers inviting them to visit their customized WLCN Web site with cruise line videos, agency contact information and special offers. Agents surveyed project over 19,000 bookings and nearly $21 million in actual and future sales as a result of the leads and contacts generated through four weeks of Virtual WLCN participation. According to participating CLIA travel agencies, CLIA’s 2010 online and traditional WLCN events combined are projected to generate nearly 41,000 bookings and $47 million in sales, resulting in a more than $6 million in potential travel agency commissions.

“CLIA’s travel agent members and the cruise lines responded to WLCN like never before, recognizing the opportunity to build the foundation for a highly successful year ahead. It is obvious that their promotions and WLCN marketing initiatives resonated with a huge, untapped desire on the part of a broad range of consumers to shake off economic worries and travel again,” said Sharak. Participating cruise lines and agents echoed CLIA’s enthusiasm. Joni Rein, vice president of worldwide sales for Carnival Cruise Lines, said: "The WLCN event was a huge success for us as we took twice the number of bookings that day as compared to last year's event. We believe much of that increase was due to the exclusive booking offer we made which included best available upgrades, along with shipboard credits on our European sailings. That clearly helped our travel partners close the sale and earn more commissions. We were pleased that so many partners participated and demonstrated their interest in Carnival Magic's European program."

Scott Brandner, manager of sales promotions at Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, said: Uniworld was excited to participate in this year’s WLCN event and it was a resounding success. During the week after WLCN, we saw significant bookings made in conjunction with the cruise night and our phones were buzzing! Each year we see a significant rise in our number of bookings in conjunction with WLCN and we look forward to next year."

“For the past three years, Cruise Planners has taken CLIA’s World’s Largest Cruise Night and turned it into a week-long event. This year demonstrated our largest participation ever, with over 10 nationwide live cruise nights, 50 virtual cruise nights, 200,000 direct mail pieces, 300,000 emails and 20 cruise line presentations. The theme, appropriately, was the ‘The Greatest Cruises on Earth,’ complete with various cruise line ‘shows’ and unique consumer benefits. Preliminary results show very strong double digit increases in deposited bookings over 2009 – but, historically, the true value of this event will be felt for months to come with even more incremental bookings. We could not have orchestrated such a successful event without the strong support of CLIA in terms of offers, online videos and agent training,” said Terri Burke, MCC, CTC, senior vice President, relationship marketing for Cruise Planners/American Express.

Candie and Dick Steinman, two Cruises Inc. Independent Contractors who founded Gateway Cruise and Travel Club in Fort Myers, Florida, felt that World’s Largest Cruise Night not only helped them gain business, but also gained them credibility in their community. “Having representatives from Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises join us for World’s Largest Cruise Night showed our Gateway community members that we are knowledgeable and respected in the cruise and travel profession. We received a lot of interest in future cruises after our event, and are meeting with a group this week to discuss future bookings, and a possible family reunion group!”

And, Charlie Funk, of Just Cruisin Plus in Nashville, commented: "We promoted WLCN to our 7,000 email subscribers. We used a drop-in format from 3:00 to 5:30 pm and had about 50 people attend. We took reservations and deposits for about $28,000 from those who attended over the next two days and have booked more since. In addition, we booked and deposited about $20,000 from those who received the email about the event, could not attend and asked us to extend the promotions we were using at the event. In a time when some agencies are reporting slower call traffic, we have been quite busy."

In 2009, travel agents report that WLCN drew consumers to 1,309 travel agency events that generated an estimated 40,000 bookings, $45 million in cruise sales and a potential $5.9 million in travel agency commissions. In its first year in 2005, CLIA’s WLCN promotion attracted 25,000 consumers to 400-plus agency events, generating an estimated 7,273 bookings, $9 million in cruise sales and $1.2 million in travel agency commissions.

# # #

About CLIA

The nonprofit Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is North America's largest cruise industry organization. CLIA represents the interests of 25 member lines and participates in the regulatory and policy development process while supporting measures that foster a safe, secure and healthy cruise ship environment. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research and marketing communications to promote the value and desirability of cruise vacations and counts as members 16,000 travel agencies. .

Princess Europe and Alaska 21 Day Advanced Wave Season Sale* - Extraordinary Savings! : Princess Cruises Cruise Deals Up to 70% Off Brochure Rates - Plus Value-Added Savings Bonus!

2010-11-14T09:28:00.001-05:00

Nov 14,2010 - Princess Europe and Alaska 21 Day Advanced Wave Season Sale* - Extraordinary Savings! : Princess Cruises Cruise Deals Up to 70% Off Brochure Rates - Plus Value-Added Savings Bonus!
There’s nothing as relaxing and rejuvenating as a cruise with Princess. And when you book select voyages now, you’ll get incredible " Wave Season" Cruise Sale discounts plus special perks: like onboard spending credits, cabin upgrades, onboard coupon books and reduced deposits that make a cruise or cruise tour vacation with Princess irresistible.

November 12, 2010 - Starting Monday November 29, 2010 Cruise Direct Online is having a 21 Day Advanced Wave Season Sale on Princess Cruises. The annual "wave season" promotional sales period for the cruise industry ordinarily starts in earnest on January 1st. However, Cruise Direct Online is getting a head start on the competition by rolling out special incentives for those who book early. Cruise Direct Online is out to break all records as cruise travelers eagerly take advantage, not only of outstanding prices, but of such value-added features as generous credits for shipboard spending, accommodations upgrades, early booking discounts and more.

Cruise Direct Online is promoting a special sale that lasts for just 21 days, but offers all 2011 Europe and Alaska sailings of Princess Cruises. The sale gives cruise travelers the opportunity to save hundred's of dollars plus receive an added-value bonus on all 2011 Europe and Alaska Cruises and Cruise Tours when they book their Princess Cruise with Cruise Direct Online.

"Wave season sets the pace for the year and our Advanced Wave Season Sale will be a good predictor of cruise demand for the coming year" said Marty Trencher of Cruise Direct Online. "As the trend has been for cruise travelers to book farther out in advance, we decided to start the "Wave Season" a little early, so both families and couples can shore up their vacation plans with best choice of accommodations, sailings and incentives."

Cruiser travelers who book a stateroom on any Princess departure, in any stateroom category starting Monday November 15, 2010 for 21 days will get a reduced deposit and $325^ in coupon savings ($650 value for a couple ) when they book a 2011 Alaska or Europe vacation with us! This is an exclusive 21 day Wave Season Sale available only at Cruise Direct Online ( www.cruisedirectonline.com ).

This exclusive offer also gives cruise travelers up to $200 shipboard spending credit+ when they book a balcony stateroom or higher category. And during this event, cruise travelers get a balcony upgrade from as low as $199 on 2011 Europe sailings with more than 40 itineraries to choose from! Or, they can explore Alaska on a 7- to 10-day cruise or 10- to 15-night Cruise Tour that features glacier viewing, endless wilderness, spectacular wildlife and more. Princess cruise tours are a great vacation value, with options that start from just $299 more than a 7-day cruise!

Those that reserve their stateroom during this sale get a 50% reduced deposit, as low as $100. per person! Having a reduced deposit, combined with onboard spending credit and stateroom upgrades give cruise travelers great value.

For more information, cruise travelers can contact a Certified Travel Expert by calling 800.365.1445 or inquiring online at Cruise Direct Online's dedicated web site: http://www.princesscruisesonline.com/

About Wave SeasonThe cruise industry's "Wave Season," runs between January and March, when the major cruise line brands promote their very best cruise deals for the new year. Many advertise some great offers during wave season, and if you're a smart cruise shopper, you should take advantage of these offers to get a great deal on your next cruise vacation.

Why Wave Season?Historically, sales patterns indicate January through March are when most cruise travelers book their vacation. Winter's chilly and snowy weather get cruise travelers dreaming about warm, Caribbean island getaways, or Summer's Europe and Alaska adventures. So, bookings reach peak velocity. To capitalize on this cruise booking state of mind, Cruise Direct Online offer extra incentives -- typically free perks like onboard spending credits, reduced deposits, stateroom upgrades and reduced cruise fares, as time has proven that these type of incentives are the driving force that get cruise travelers to book those cruises now.

*Some restrictions apply. This offer is not combinable with Future Cruise Credit promotions and select promotions. Eligible cruises and cruisetours: Princess Cruises 2011 Alaska and Europe sailings. Third and fourth berth guests are not eligible for this offer. Reduced deposit of $100USD per person applies to each of the first two passengers in a stateroom. Offer is combinable with Launch Fares, group, regional and past passenger fares. Offer is not combinable with other cruise promotions. Other restrictions may apply. Promotion Code: CNT (CNS for Canada).

^Total value of coupons combined in Onboard Savings booklet is $325USD. Maximum two coupon booklets per stateroom.
+Shipboard credits, where available from the cruise line, are house credits that are placed on your stateroom's account for you to use during your cruise vacation. You can use the credit towards merchandise, lounges and in some, but not all cases, for Spa Treatments or Shore Excursions.

Are You More Likely To Get Up Early Than Sleep In? - New survey uncovered clear differences between how men and women relax.

2010-10-26T07:12:00.001-04:00

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (October 25, 2010) -- Most relaxing Americans put a priority on having fun rather than sleeping while they are vacationing, according to a recent relaxation survey commissioned by Princess Cruises. With the busy holiday travel season upon us, many Americans may be looking for a little rest and relaxation in between, which, according to the survey findings, means different things to different people. The Princess Cruises "Relaxation Report" uncovered some surprising insights as to how Americans pursue leisure. The "Report" showed that 55% of vacationers preferred to get up early rather than sleep in on vacation, while 44% chose to sleep late.
Besides putting a priority on leisure time versus sleep time, the "Relaxation Report" also reveals that 6 out of 10 Americans prefer a spontaneous, go-with-the-flow itinerary rather than a set-schedule of activities while on vacation (selected by 38%). And, two-thirds (67%) of Americans prefer to relax on the beach rather than at the pool (26%). To aid in relaxation, Americans choose reading (25%), having a drink (20%) and listening to music (19%).
Princess Cruises, one of the best-known names in cruising, fielded the survey to gain some insights into relaxation habits while on vacation. "Because Princess is committed to providing our passengers a relaxing and rejuvenating vacation experience, we thought it would be fun to get some feedback about just what helps people relax during their precious time off," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president.
Men vs. Women
The "Relaxation Report" also uncovered clear differences between how men and women relax. Men prefer to start their vacation day by getting up early (58%) rather than sleeping in (41%), while women are divided, with 51% preferring to rise early and 47% preferring to sleep in and catch some Z's. Men prefer to relax by having a drink (25%), reading (18%) and listening to music (17%). Women, on the other hand, prefer to relax by reading (32%), listening to music (21%) and by having a drink (15%). When drinking on vacation, men prefer beer over wine (41% vs. 27%, respectively), while women prefer a glass of wine over a beer (45% vs. 27%, respectively). Also, more men than women choose watching TV (15% vs. 11%, respectively) and exercising (15% vs. 9%, respectively) as ways to aid in their relaxation.
Despite their differences, men and women have their agreements too. Both men and women choose country music as their favorite vacation tunes (25% and 22%, respectively), both prefer viewing a sunset (65% and 67%) over a sunrise (30% among both genders) and would rather relax on the beach (68% vs. 60%) than at the pool (25% vs. 26%).
Country is King
When it comes to tunes, country music was the clear winner with 24% of Americans preferring those songs over all else, followed in popularity by soft rock (21%), classical (17%), jazz (13%) and pop (12%).
Turn Off and Power Down
Contrary to popular belief, while mindlessly surfing the Internet or flipping through the television may sound like good ways to relax, in reality Americans couldn't disagree more. Most Americans (97%) do not choose the Internet or the television (87%) as primary ways to relax while on vacation.
East vs. West
When asked to choose between viewing a sunset or a sunrise while on vacation, the responses varied based on where Americans reside. While 4 in 10 adults from the Northeast (40%) would rather see a sunrise, less than 1 in 3 of those in the Midwest (29%), in the South (27%) or in the West (27%) would choose dawn over dusk. There are also some regional differences when it comes to vacation reading preferences. A larger proportion of adults from the Midwest would rather read a magazine (47%) than would adults from the West (37%), the South (36%) and the Northeast (35%). Conversely, those from the Northeast (59%), the West (56%) and the South (54%) are more likely to choose a book than those from the Midwest (45%).
Vacation Barometer
How do you know when it's time to take a vacation? Americans identified three key factors that lead to a getaway: being tired (30%), cranky (28%) and restless (22%).
About the Survey
The "Relaxation Report," commissioned by Princess Cruises, is based on findings from an Ipsos poll conducted Aug. 26, 2010 - Sept. 12, 2010 (due to the Labor Day holiday, no interviews were conducted between Sept. 1 and Sept. 8). For the survey, a nationally representative sample of 2,000 randomly-selected adults aged 18 and over residing in the U.S., was interviewed by telephone via Ipsos' U.S. Telephone Express omnibus. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate within ±2.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire population of adults in the U.S. been polled.
About Princess Cruises
One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company operating a fleet of 17 modern ships renowned for their innovative design and wide array of choices in dining, entertainment and amenities, all provided in an environment of exceptional customer service. A recognized leader in worldwide cruising, Princess carries 1.3 million passengers each year to destinations around the globe on cruises ranging in length from seven to 107 days. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL; NYSE:CUK).
About Ipsos
Ipsos Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals. Ipsos conducts strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research, but elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research.

Cruise Line and Ship Ratings, Rankings and Reviews. Where To Find Who's Best Online.

2010-10-24T08:49:00.000-04:00

From movies and books to restaurants and travel destinations, in today’s world, we all want to know what someone else thinks or has experienced before we try or buy. The same holds true for cruise vacations. Potential passengers want to know how cruise lines rated among seasoned travelers, how cruise lines rated among professionals in the industry, and how cruise lines rated in the media.

So how can consumers get a hold of cruise line ratings or find out how cruise lines rated in specific categories? Look no further than the web.

There are several informative websites available today offering everything from ratings and reviews to feature articles, on just about every cruise line across the country, if not the world.

Using these websites to find out how cruise lines rated is a great tool to use before you choose a cruise line or cruise ship. This is an especially important tool for first time cruisers, as ratings can give you an excellent idea of exactly what to expect before you board.

When cruise lines are rated, a wide variety of elements are considered such as the type of ship, size of ship, destinations, accommodations, amenities, activities, entertainment, price, service, excursions, ports of call, passengers, etc. In most cases the rating system is on a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 meaning “Outstanding.” In other cases, stars are used to rate cruise ships. Five star cruise ships offer the utmost in luxury.

Some of the top sites to find out how cruise lines rated include:
http://www.cruisecritic.com/ , www.cruisereviewsonline.com , http://www.cruisereport.com/ , http://www.cruisedirectonline.com/ , and http://www.cruisemates.com/

Cruisecritic.com offers more than just ratings and reviews, this site has several search functions to help you find everything from bargains and discounts to theme cruises, and exotic itineraries. The site also includes features, news, planning tools, and a variety of cruise message boards where fellow cruisers can exchange stories and information. http://www.cruisecritic.com/

Cruisemates.com offers two types of ratings: star ratings and value ratings. Star ratings are based on one question — “how good is this ship?” One star is the worst, five stars is the best. Cruisemates.com takes everything from age and accommodations to food, service, and entertainment into account when rating the
worlds cruise ships. Value ratings or “thumbs up” ratings are all about the “Bang for your Buck.” Five thumbs up means the ship is an excellent value while one thumb up means you won’t find much of anything that resembles a value here. http://www.cruisemates.com/

Ratings, rankings, and popularity contests — at Cruisereviewsonline.com find out which cruise ships are at the top and which ones are not. Get other information on cruise lines, as well as information, ratings and rankings on embarkation ports, and ports of call. http://www.cruisereviewsonline.com/

Cruisereport.com offers the lowdown on cruise lines from A to Z. Unbiased reviews, cruise searches, quotes, and feature articles are just a few of the sites extras. You can also search for “the perfect cruise,” and browse through news pieces about cruising. After checking out their ratings and reviews, you can also search for discounts and deals. With more than 50,000 visitors per month, http://www.cruisereport.com/ has information on roughly 8,500 current sailings.

Cruisedirectonline.com relies on reader surveys to help keep ratings in check. In addition to offering information on how various cruise lines rated in all categories, visitors to the site will find top ten and top thirty lists, as well as feature articles about the best of the best in the world of cruising. The site has other information about discounts, as well as information on roughly 12,000 sailings. Cruise Direct Online has been featured in Frommer’s Budget Travel Magazine, and on MSNBC, CNBC, MSN Money, and more! http://www.cruisedirectonline.com/
Source:
http://www.allaboutcruisesandmore.com/cruise-lines-rated

Cruise Direct Expresss gives cruise travelers immediate direct access to the available inventory of 15 of the top cruise line brands.

2010-10-22T09:11:00.000-04:00

-- Travel Direct Corporation, today announced a new online travel service that pulls together the Internet's best cruise deals in one place. The new service; Cruise Direct Express^sm gives cruise travelers immediate direct access to the available inventory of 15 of the top cruise line brands.

Cruise Direct Express offers consumers a rich selection of destinations, cruise lines, ships and up-to-the-moment cabin inventory, plus the best cruise line offered discount prices – including hard-to-find internet specials – all in one place. The service lets cruise travelers with a few clicks purchase a cruise from brands they trust. With Cruise Direct Express cruise travelers also have the opportunity to receive valuable special offers, such as cabin upgrades, and onboard spending credits.

With Cruise Direct Express cruise travelers get the best priced cruises and most convenient options by going straight to the source.

Cruise Direct Express has search technology that can access all of the cruise inventory available from up to 15 cruise brands, which conventional search engines, crawlers and shopping bots cannot. Because the cruise lines have made their inventory available through their own sites, Cruise Direct Express can access this information. The technology is designed to search all of the cruise lines databases for cabin inventory and up-to-the moment pricing. And make them available in real-time.

Cruise Direct Express Online benefits cruise travelers: Offering a huge selection of the Web's best cruise deals. To find the best cruise price with the same destination, itinerary and sailing date, cruise travelers must flip from cruise line site to cruise line site on their browsers, with Cruise Direct Expresss' search technology consumers are offered an alternative.

Cruise Direct Express smoothes and simplifies the online vacation research.What's the most annoying thing about doing vacation research online? It has to be copying and pasting all the information you need for note-taking from multiple cruise line web sites.

Cruise Direct Express searches the sites' databases of the cruise lines themselves – sites like Carnival, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Crystal, Regent, Holland America, Windstar, Disney, Crystal, Oceania and Norwegian Cruise Line – for their best cruise offers. Cruise travelers do not have to jump from site to site to look for the best cruise line bargain. Cruise Direct Express allows users to see all the deals and to make informed choices. Switching back and forth between cruise line web sites can be a pain. With Cruise Direct Express all the major brand cruise lines are all together at one home port.

Gathering information is easier and faster.
Those with limited internet time will find Cruise Direct Express especially useful for getting the necessary travel information and signing off quickly.

Easy to use interface enables comparison of cruise ship itineraries, sailing dates, up-to-the moment cabin availability and prices. The Cruise Direct Express search engine allows cruise travelers the option to troll through thousands of discounted fares and special deals the cruise lines have on offer, and they can tailor the search terms ( price, cruise line, sailing date, duration, departure ports and destinations ) according to their own personal travel needs.

With Cruise Direct Express cruise travelers can check prices of competing cruise lines to make sure they always find the cruise line's best deals. Consumers save money by comparison-shopping.

Cruise Direct Express brings cruise travelers all the information they need to book a cruise from the cruise brands they trust.

A Personal Cruise Travel Advisor is part of every sale. When a cruise traveler books their cruise online, a personal Cruise Travel Advisor is assigned to their account: The Cruise Travel Advisor offers fair and impartial advice. Cruise Direct Express features all the major brand cruise lines - but doesn't promote one particular cruise line over another. Choosing the right cruise experience is the number one priority.

The Cruise Travel Advisor;
1. Will review the proper immigration/passport/birth certificate documentation necessary for their cruise.
2. Arrange any special needs -- such as a handicap-designed stateroom, or a special diet.
3. Inform cruise travelers of their dining choices and arrange for any special occasions they might be celebrating like a birthday or anniversary.
4. Will explain the importance of travel insurance to cover the unexpected such as trip delays, missed Cruise Direct Expressions and lost or delayed baggage.
5. Will review General Information materials that cover over 18 "Things to Know Before You Go".
6. Will point out their stateroom on the deck plan ( all deck plans are available online ).
7. Will Inform cruise travelers when final payment is due and the deadline to request air deviations and arrange pre-or-post cruise land packages.
8. Advise about tipping; packing; clothing; flights and schedule options; shore excursions, etc.

Cruise Direct Express is available for free from the company’s internet site www.cruisedirectexpress.com

Looking for a lower rate after you booked your cruise? New cruise policy says you may not get one!

2010-05-25T07:36:00.002-04:00

If you already booked and placed a deposit for your cruise, a new policy could affect your plans to hold out for the posting of a lower rate and requesting a price change. As it has always been, cruise lines have the sole discretion to lower the price or not at the time you request a price-reduction. On occasion, more often than not, in the past, they have done so. Perhaps no more.

Royal Caribbean recently changed the price guarantee for its three brands, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara, giving guests just 48 hours to find a lower price after they book. Royal Caribbean will no longer offer price reductions up until 72 hours before departure.
Under the new rules, guests who find a lower price will receive 110% of the difference as onboard credit. (The lower rate must be publicly advertised by a Royal Caribbean brand cruise line.)

The new policy is similar to those of Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Lines, ( Carnival owns Princess, Holland America, Seabourn, Cunard and other brands ) which also give guests 48 hours to find a lower fare and offer 110% of the difference in onboard credit if they do find a lower price.

What does this mean for passengers? Cruise lines often adjust prices based on consumer demand and cabin availability. So, if you book a cruise month's in advance you will most likely see prices change as you get closer to the sailing date. However, with this policy, past 48hours after you book, you will not get a rate adjustment to the prevailing rate at the time the cruise line lowers the price. The price you paid is the price you paid. Period. The new lower price is for new bookings only, put in place to sell the unused space.

However, you do have some options. If you have not paid in full for the cruise and you have not entered into a penalty phase for cancellation, you could just cancel your cruise and rebook under the lower rate. The upside.. you save money. The downside... you may not get to keep your cabin assignment and the choice of cabin category and availability may be limited. Some cruise line's rules may prohibited this tactic. If you are a past passenger and have cruised with the line a number of times, you could contact the cruise line and make an issue of the lower price. In the interest of good business, they may lower your rate. If your Travel Agent does a significant amount of business with the cruise line, they may have the necessary clout to affect the price-reduction for you. All of these options, come with a certain degree of risk and may or may not work for you.

You could also wait until the last minute, usually within 60 days of sailing to book your cruise at a reduced rate. Many of these last minute deals include shipboard credits or other incentives to book. Your choice of accommodations may be very limited. The cabins available may be inside, or next to the laundry, stairs, elevators ( lifts ) or below or above the disco. Or, a great balcony or mini-suite cabin becomes available in the last minute when someone cancelled their cruise.

With this new policy, you will likely find just like with airline seats, that the people next to you on the ship either paid more or less than you did for the exact same accommodations.

In the end its up to you. To get a good price, book early for the best choice of accommodations, perhaps take advantage of early-booking savings and other amenities, or wait to the last minute, get a better price and take you chances on getting just the accommodation you want.

Alaska Cruisetours Online Announces their 2011 Alaska Cruise and Cruisetour Programs

2010-05-03T09:51:00.000-04:00

Alaska Cruisetours Online Announces their 2011 Alaska Cruise and Cruisetour Program

Twenty Two Ships from Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Norwegian Cruise Lines to Offer Gulf of Alaska and Inside Passage Sailings for 2011 including new Alaska offers from Disney Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises.

Ninety Eight Cruise Tour Choices Give Travelers Many Ways to Enjoy the Wilderness; Affordable Options Start at Just $299 for Three Days at Denali National Park.
(May 03, 2010) -- Whether it’s mushing dog sleds across glaciers or flightseeing over the Arctic Circle, Alaska Cruise tours Online will offer guests an unrivaled Alaska adventure vacation in 2011.

Travelers can choose a seven-night northbound or southbound itinerary between Vancouver, Whittier or Seward, Alaska, via the Inside Passage, or a seven-night roundtrip Alaska itinerary from Seattle. As well as a 10 Alaska cruise from San Francisco.

Alaska Cruisetours Online 2011 Alaska programs offer travelers a full range of cruise and cruise tour options from 7 cruise lines, whether they want to just cruise the Inside Passage, Gulf of Alaska or visit ports-of-call such as Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, Sitka, Anchorage, Homer, Haines or Kodiak, Alaska.

On select itineraries, guests will enjoy a day ashore at Icy Strait Point near Hoonah, the largest Tlingit Indian village in Alaska. They can visit the Native Heritage Center to learn Tlingit history and culture through exhibits and live performances. They can also go wildlife watching, flightsee above Glacier Bay, book a charter fishing excursion or ride the world's longest zip line.

Guests can also explore; Vancouver, Victoria or Nanaimo, British Columbia in Canada. Most cruises feature scenic cruising in Glacier Bay, the Tracy Arm fjord and past the Hubbard Glacier – North America’s largest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Alaska native guides, naturalists and park rangers come aboard at key times to share their knowledge of local culture, history, glaciers and wildlife with guests. There are more than 250 optional shore excursions so travelers can maximize their Alaska experience with everything from sea kayaking and wildlife watching to history, art and cuisine. Guests can go mushing across a snow-covered glacier on a dog sled in Juneau or and cheer on lumberjack teams in Ketchikan as they compete in events such as axe throwing and log rolling. In Skagway, guests can choose to hike the first two miles of the Chilkoot Trail, the centerpiece of gold rush history, and raft down the Taiya River and then voyage from Icy Strait Point to Point Adolphus, the region’s premier whale watching destination, on a whale and marine mammals cruise.

Guests can also choose to explore Denali National Park in depth, plan independently, or take a fully escorted cruise, or venture off the beaten path. The season opens for sale May 13th with special rates that include adding three days at Denali to a cruise for just $299.

“Alaska Cruisetours Online 2011 Alaska cruises and cruise tours offer travelers a variety of ways to take in Alaska’s wonders, from mild to wild. They can explore by cruise ship, deluxe motorcoach, glass domed private rail cars and even by float plane.”

The 2011 lineup offers 10- to 15-night cruise and land vacations that combine a seven-night cruise with a pre- or post-cruise tour into Alaska's majestic and wild interior. Guests can explore the Alaskan frontier aboard signature deluxe motorcoaches and glass-domed train cars, which offer dazzling glass windows, affording guests sweeping vistas and breathtaking views of Alaska’s untamed landscape as it unfolds.

Most packages feature overnights in Denali with included activities into the National Park for the chance to spot grizzly bear, caribou, wolf, moose and dall sheep – known as the “Big Five” – and include overnights at charming and rustic lodges. With Princess cruises exclusive Direct to the Wilderness program, guests step right from their ship onto luxury railcars that transport them directly to the Denali area.

The season includes a total of 326 Alaska departures aboard 22 ships sailing during May to September.

New to Alaska cruising for 2011 is Disney Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises.

Disney Cruise line will sail north weekly on roundtrip Vancouver cruises to picture-perfect Alaska and guests can behold all kinds of wildlife, from bald eagles and bears to sea otters and whales—and surrender to scenic nature views, ice-blue glaciers, gushing waterfalls, snow-capped mountains and pristine fjords.

Disney Cruise Line's 7-Night Alaskan Cruise sails aboard the Disney Wonder to where fur traders and gold prospectors once walked, where land animals and sea life abound. From the historic gold-mining town of Skagway to the ice fields of Juneau's Mendenhall Glacier, the Alaska & Pacific Coast ports of call offer a magical adventure. Ports of call include Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Tracy Arm and Vancouver, Canada—plus 2 days at sea.

For a more luxury cruise experience, Oceania offers for the first time 10, 12 and 14 day Alaska cruises.

"America’s largest state, Alaska truly knows no bounds. Stretching beyond the imagination, it is a land of staggering natural beauty. Virgin forests blanket the hills, snow-mantled mountains soar high into the sky, and ancient glaciers creep toward the sea, oblivious to the passage of time. Even the cities, so youthful and spirited, blend in seamlessly. Alaska remains a beacon for those who hold Mother Nature dear, and Oceania's Regatta will explore from north to south, even calling upon Anchorage itself and charmingly remote Kodiak."
Oceania's Regatta will cruise the breathtaking fjords of the Inside Passage and the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska’s unique treasures unfold. Guests can stroll the wooden sidewalks of Skagway, an authentic gold rush town. Ride a horse drawn trolley through Ketchikan, the “Salmon Capital of the World.” Learn about Tlingit Indian traditions and totem poles in Sitka. Hike along Mendenhall Glacier on the outskirts of Juneau, the state capital. Explore the glaciers of College Fjord and natural wonders just outside Seward. The deeper you delve into Alaska, the more amazing its culture and beauty become.

Featured Cruise Line

For 2011 Princess Cruises combines a seven-day "Voyage of the Glaciers" cruise with three to eight additional nights on land exploring Alaska's interior. Travelers can choose from four types of land and sea packages -- Denali Explorer, On Your Own, Off the Beaten Path and Connoisseur. All Princess cruise tours include the company's exclusive wilderness lodges, rail or motorcoach travel, plus the top two attractions in the state -- Glacier Bay National Park and Denali National Park, where visitors spend at least two nights exploring the wonders of this area.

Cruises -- Princess offers three itineraries to the majestic glaciers, historic towns and scenic waters of Alaska with sailings from seven to 10 days.

Voyage of the Glaciers -- The line's famed Gulf of Alaska route between Vancouver and Whittier (for Anchorage) features calls at Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway with daylight cruising in Glacier Bay National Park and the 16 glaciers of College Fjord (or Hubbard Glacier on southbound sailings). Diamond Princess and Coral Princess sail on Saturdays and Island Princess offers new Wednesday departures for a total of 54 sailing choices between May 18 and September 17, 2011.

Inside Passage from Seattle -- Golden Princess and Sapphire Princess offer convenient weekend departures on seven-day roundtrip itineraries from Seattle along the scenic Inside Passage with calls at Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria, B.C. Passengers will enjoy dramatic glacier viewing in either Glacier Bay National Park (Golden Princess) or Tracy Arm (Sapphire Princess). The two ships will sail on 37 departures between May 14 and September 17, 2011.

Inside Passage from San Francisco -- Sea Princess again sails from the "City by the Bay" on 10-day roundtrip cruises. The ship offers 13 voyages from San Francisco featuring the scenery of Glacier Bay National Park or Tracy Arm, stops at Victoria and Juneau, plus two other calls in Ketchikan, Skagway, Haines, Sitka or Icy Strait Point. Departures sail between May 10 and September 7, 2011.

Cruise Tours -- Princess cruise tours offer passengers a complete land and sea Alaska experience with vacations ranging from 10 to 15 nights. All cruise tour options include at least two nights in the Denali National Park area, stays at Princess' own riverside wilderness lodges, and a seven-day Voyage of the Glaciers sailing including Glacier Bay National Park.

Denali Explorer -- Featuring multiple nights at the line's own Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and/or Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, these tours also offer the exclusive Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail service between the Whittier cruise terminal and the dramatic Denali National Park area. Most also offer the opportunity to explore Fairbanks or Anchorage.

On Your Own -- A new option for independent-minded travelers, these tours offer a more affordable and flexible way to see the Heart of Alaska. Tours do not include any pre-planned excursions, giving travelers time to create their own experience.

Off the Beaten Path -- For those who want to explore Denali and beyond, these tours offer options to the Kenai Peninsula with stays at Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge or Wrangell-St. Elias National Park with stays at Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge. Passengers can even choose to venture to the state's far north into the Arctic Circle and Prudhoe Bay.

Connoisseur -- These cruise tour options offer the services of a professional tour director and additional time for passengers to experience the Great Land. Travelers can choose from more of these extended itineraries in 2011, with most meals and enhanced sightseeing options included as well.

Gulf of Alaska cruises and cruise tours for 2011 are available for reservations on May 13, 2010.

Fares begin at $649 per person for an inside cabin for seven-day cruise only voyages, and $948 for an inside cabin and a 3 night land stay for cruise tours.

Rates do not include government fees and taxes. All cruise lines reserve the right to impose a fuel surcharge at anytime, even after the cruise or cruise tour is fully paid for. At the present time, there are no fuel surcharges.
For more information visit www.alaskacruisetoursonline.com or call 800.365.1445 for more information.

New Israel Overnight on Crystal Holy Land Cruise

2010-04-09T06:49:00.000-04:00

New Israel Overnight on Crystal Holy Land Cruise
This fall, ultra-luxury line Crystal Cruises introduces its first ever overnight visit to Ashdod, Israel to its aptly named "Ruins & Relics" Mediterranean itinerary. The expanded call in Israel, along with an overnight stay in Egypt, gives luxury travelers the opportunity to more fully immerse themselves in the ancient cultures of the Holy Land, including such archaeological wonders as the Great Pyramid, King Herod's tomb and Pompeii and Herculaneum. The 12-day cruise aboard Crystal Serenity departs Athens for RomeOctober 19, also visiting Naples and Sicily, Italy and Valetta, Malta.
Ashore, guests have dozens of options to visit significant historic sites where Christian, Jewish and Islamic religions were founded. Suiting most any interest, Crystal Adventures offer a birds' eye view of Masada or Mount Etna from a helicopter, visits to Israel's Western (formerly Wailing) Wall and Temple Mount, and even three-night excursions to the Rose City of Petra. Archaeology buffs can visit sites including the excavations at Pompeii and Caesarea, the priceless treasures of King Tutankhamen and Athens' lofty Acropolis.
"The destinations featured on this voyage offer more than five millennia of history and culture to explore," says Bill Smith, Crystal's senior vice president of sales and marketing. "Given our guests' penchant for enriching exclusive and unforgettable travel experiences, the additional time to enjoy the rich heritage of the destination is significant."
On board, experts in world affairs, including former White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater, will host enriching presentations and workshops.
Per person, promotional Two-for-One cruise fares start at $5,940, double occupancy, and include free air transportation from more than 20 North American gateways – free Business Class Air for penthouse guests, and $1,000 per person 'All Inclusive – As You Wish' shipboard credits.
Crystal Cruises has been voted the "World's Best" by the readers of Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler magazines more than any other cruise line, resort or hotel in history. In the latter publication's February issue, Crystal Serenity was again voted the Best Large-Sized Cruise Ship in the World.
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For more information or Crystal reservations, contact Cruise Direct Online, a travel agent, call 800.365.1445, or visit www.crystalcruises.com.

AARP Selects Norwegian Cruise Line as a Preferred Cruise Line Provider

2010-04-09T06:45:00.000-04:00

AARP Selects Norwegian Cruise Line as a Preferred Cruise Line Provider

Relationship gives AARP's millions of members access to preferred rates on cruise line's signature Freestyle Cruising fleet, the youngest in the cruise industry

AARP and Norwegian Cruise Line today announced a new relationship that will give AARP members access to special rates on the cruise line's fleet of Freestyle Cruising ships, including the line's newest and most innovative ship, Norwegian Epic. Norwegian Cruise Line has the youngest fleet in the industry and sails to destinations around the world, including the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, Bermuda and more.
"AARP members live active lives and want options when it comes to travel," said John Wider, president and chief executive officer of AARP Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of AARP. "Cruising is popular among our members, so we are pleased to make more options available to them through this new relationship with Norwegian Cruise Line."
When booking a cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line, AARP members will receive a five percent savings for reservations made at least nine months prior to sailing. Norwegian also is making available a limited time offer to AARP members who book a cruise from April 1 through April 30, 2010 for travel anytime in 2010. The offer includes a $50 on-board credit per stateroom and a 50 percent reduced deposit on select cruises to Bermuda, Canada & New England, Western Mediterranean and the Bahamas from New York.
"When looking at travel options, AARP members should consider the incredible vacation experience that cruising offers," said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line's chief executive officer. "Add to that our signature Freestyle Cruising experience, along with the newest, most contemporary ships at sea, and I am confident that AARP members will have the vacation of a lifetime when choosing to sail with us."
Norwegian Cruise Line's Freestyle Cruising experience gives guests the opportunity to customize their cruise vacation to suit their needs. This includes the choice of up to 21 restaurants offering traditional and contemporary options and a wide variety of cuisine styles; a variety of amenities including world-class entertainment; and the widest selection of accommodations at sea, including more family-friendly interconnecting staterooms and suites than anyone else.
Norwegian Cruise Line is the innovator in cruise travel with a 44-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising, most notably with the introduction of Freestyle Cruising which has revolutionized the industry by allowing guests more freedom and flexibility.
Today, Norwegian has the youngest fleet in the industry with 10 purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea.
Norwegian is presently building Norwegian Epic, the company's largest and most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship to date, for delivery June 2010. Norwegian Cruise Line is the official cruise line of Blue Man Group, debuting for the first time at sea on Norwegian Epic.
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For more information on Norwegian Cruise Line or to book a cruise, AARP members can call Norwegian at 866-953-1936, see a Travel Agent or visit www.ncl.com/aarp

New Ships in the Old World: Celebrity Cruises' Solstice Class Ships to Summer in Europe

2010-04-09T06:34:00.001-04:00

New Ships in the Old World: Celebrity Cruises' Solstice Class Ships to Summer in Europe

Summer 2011 Europe and Alaska itineraries to open for sale, offering loyalty program members opportunity to be first to experience newest ship

For those who have swooned over Celebrity Cruises' stylish new Solstice-class ships since their introduction in 2008, the year 2011 will be the summer of love. Inspired by its new brand platform, "Designed for you," Celebrity Cruises has created a destination line-up for the summer of 2011 that will place all four of its Solstice-class ships – including Celebrity Silhouette, which will set sail next year – in Europe at the same time, for the first time.

The move marks the return of the widely lauded Celebrity Solstice – the class's flagship vessel – to Europe. Celebrity's 2011 Europe season also will include a series of new seven-night Mediterranean voyages on Celebrity Constellation, which will undergo a series of refreshments inspired by the Solstice-class vessels, later this month. Celebrity's 2011 summer voyages and cruisetours will open for sale beginning tomorrow and continuing through the coming weeks. Celebrity's Captain's Club members can be the first to book voyages on Celebrity Silhouette in Europe and, in a Solstice-class first, in the Caribbean out of Bayonne, New Jersey, in the winter of 2011-12. Celebrity opened its summer Bermuda voyages – 7-night roundtrip sailings from Bayonne, New Jersey, on Celebrity Summit – on March 10.
"We believe our summer destination line-up perfectly complements our commitment to designing cruise vacations around our guests' interests – a commitment that is central to our brand platform, 'Designed for you,'" said Dan Hanrahan, President and CEO, Celebrity Cruises. "Our guests told us what they wanted in ship design, cuisine, accommodations and innovations, and we designed our Solstice-class ships around those desires. Our guests said that they want to experience that same style on our other ships, and we committed to invest $200 million to "Solsticize," or refit, our Millennium-class ships to reflect some of the Solstice-class venues and design attributes. Now, we have designed a dynamic new cruise calendar valued by discerning cruisers and reflective of the same level of service and sophistication we offer onboard."
When Celebrity Silhouette sets sail for the first time in July 2011, she will offer a unique maiden voyage from Hamburg to Rome and a special nine-night Mediterranean voyage. Then, she will offer a series of 12- and 13-night Holy Land sailings roundtrip out of Rome. Celebrity Equinox also will sail from Rome, offering 10- and 11-night roundtrip Mediterranean cruises.
Celebrity Solstice, offering summer Caribbean voyages out of Fort Lauderdale in the summer of 2010, will return to Europe next summer with a series of 12 night round-trip itineraries out of Barcelona, and Celebrity Eclipse – launching next month in Southampton, England – will offer a similar line-up from that same port in 2011. The 2011 Europe cruises on Celebrity Solstice, and Celebrity Equinox will open for sale to the general public beginning tomorrow; Celebrity Eclipse is already open for booking.
In another Solstice-class first, Celebrity Silhouette will sail from Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey, offering cruisers throughout the Northeast easy driving access to a vacation on the newest ship in the line's award-winning fleet. After Celebrity Silhouette makes her debut in Europe, she will homeport in Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey during the winter of 2011-12, with a series of 12-night Caribbean voyages. Members of Celebrity's loyalty program, Captain's Club, will have exclusive first-booking rights to Celebrity Silhouette's 2011-12 summer and winter itineraries, beginning tomorrow, through April 19. Additional details for Captain's Club members can be found at www.celebritycruises.com/bookingevent. Beginning April 20, the bookings of Celebrity Silhouette will be open to the public.
With a number of guests and travel agents expressing strong interest in having a variety of lengths of Mediterranean sailings, and to showcase its soon-to-be "Solsticized" Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity designed a series of back-to-back seven-night cruises roundtrip out of Athens. Guests can take these separately or as a 14-night cruise. Three sets of the cruises will sail in September and October, and with only one or two sea days per cruise, the itineraries offer guests the opportunity to fully experience the culture-rich "Holy Land" and Greek isles. The summer 2011 season also will mark the first time that Celebrity will have six ships in Europe, with Celebrity Mercury sailing in the region as well. In total, Celebrity will visit 70 total ports in 23 countries in Europe, including six new ports: Leknes (Lofoten) and Longyearbyen, Norway; Bari and La Spezia, Italy; Bodrum, Turkey; and Kotor, Montenegro. CelebrityConstellation's and Celebrity Mercury's 2011 Europe voyages will open in the coming weeks.
Cruisers who wish to make the most of their time in Europe can choose from a variety of cruisetours, land tours offered pre-cruise that are combined with the cruise itself for a longer, more in-depth experience of a destination. In Europe in 2011, Celebrity will offer a new four-night Greece package on Celebrity Constellation out of Athens. The package features Athens, Delphi (with an overnight in Itea) and Olympia. Additionally, Celebrity will offer a variety of escorted cruisetour packages with colorful, immersive experiences in various cities:
A four-night Madrid and Barcelona package

A five-night Venice, Florence and Rome package

A four-night Paris and London package

A three-night Paris and Amsterdam package

Celebrity has designed a variety of shore excursions to round out the cruise experience by contrasting the new-world style and design of Celebrity's ships with the old-world culture of Europe. Can't-miss examples include:
In Ephesus, Turkey, the famous ruins of Ephesus, the largest collection of Roman ruins in the eastern Mediterranean, including the iconic Library of Celsus.

In Israel, during itineraries offering overnight stays, two-day overland tours of some of the most sacred sites in the Holy Land, including Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Wailing Wall, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

In Cairo, Egypt, trips to the awe-inspiring Pyramids and Sphinx. Itineraries with two days in Egypt offer overland tour options to explore further into this fascinating country.

In Naples, Italy, a trip to explore either the ruins of Pompeii, a venue that every world explorer should visit at least once in their lifetime, or a trip to the intriguing Isle of Capri, the world's most romantic European spot – or both.

In Florence, Italy, tours of Michelangelo's "David," Ghiberti's "Bronze Doors" and numerous architectural wonders including the Ponte Vecchio, Duomo and Pisa's Leaning Tower and Field of Miracles.

In Berlin, Germany, a visit to the Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag, which served as Germany's Parliament building until the early 1930s, and Potsdam Square, where the Berlin Wall used to stand.

When Celebrity Cruises' 2011-12 Alaska season opens for sale on Tuesday, April 13, cruisers will find more opportunities to enjoy the breathtaking scenery from the privacy of their stateroom verandas. For the first time, Celebrity Century, which was redesigned to offer an additional 314 verandas in 2006, will sail in Alaska, alongside seasonal favorites Celebrity Millennium and Celebrity Infinity. Replacing Celebrity Mercury in the region will be Celebrity Century, which has 73% more veranda and Concierge Class staterooms. To complement the increase in available verandas, Celebrity has designed a dynamic line-up of itineraries, cruisetours and shore excursions to offer something for every discerning cruiser seeking a premium Alaska vacation experience, including two wine-themed cruises along the Pacific Coast and a new 18-night cruisetour package.
Discerning cruisers seeking the opportunity to experience British Columbia and Alaska in style can choose from a total of 17 repeating seven-night Alaska Hubbard Glacier cruises on Celebrity Century. In addition to the expanded number of veranda staterooms, the 1,814-guest vessel's 2006 "makeover" also included the unveiling of Murano, Celebrity's popular European-style specialty restaurant, and the first "ice" Martini Bar at sea. Visiting Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan, and cruising by the awe-inspiring Hubbard Glacier, the cruises sail roundtrip out of Vancouver from May to September. Preceding the season will be an eight-night coastal cruise along the Pacific Coast, sailing from San Diego to Vancouver on May 14.

Celebrity Infinity will continue to offer seven-night Tracy Arm Fjord cruises roundtrip out of Seattle, Washington, from May to September of 2011. The itinerary also will include calls at Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, Alaska, as well as a cruise through the Alaska Inside Passage. Bookending Celebrity Infinity's seven-night pattern will be two 10-night Ultimate Alaska voyages roundtrip out of Seattle on May 10 and September 16.
Building on the popularity of past years, Celebrity Millennium will present seven-night alternating northbound and southbound cruises between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska, from May to early September. These cruises will visit Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway, and will cruise by Hubbard Glacier. Celebrity Millennium's 2011 Alaska season will start with a 10-night West Coast wine cruise from San Diego, California, to Vancouver on May 3, featuring an overnight call in San Francisco, followed by a roundtrip seven-night Hubbard Glacier cruise roundtrip out of Vancouver. At the end of its northbound/southbound season, Celebrity Millennium will offer another wine cruise, sailing for 10 nights from Vancouver to San Diego with another overnight call in San Francisco, as well as calls to Monterey and Catalina Island, California.
Celebrity has designed 21 Alaska cruisetours to offer cruisers a variety of land tour experiences like no other into the interior of Alaska. New in 2011 is a vacation-of-a-lifetime experience, "The Ultimate Cruisetour – Canadian Rockies & Alaska," an 18-night package being offered to guests sailing on Celebrity Millennium. The experience features a six-night pre-cruise Canadian Rockies tour, a seven-night northbound Alaska cruise, and a five-night post-cruise Alaska land tour. Highlights of the Canadian Rockies portion include rail travel through the Rockies, accommodations at Victoria's acclaimed Fairmont Empress, and a two-night stay in Denali.
All cruisetours include hotel accommodations, in-tour transportation and baggage transfers, and some meals. In Alaska, Celebrity's local tour directors travel with the guests as they enjoy the luxury of Celebrity's glass-domed Wilderness Express railcars and deluxe motorcoaches.
While sailing on any of Celebrity's Alaska cruises, a wide range of shore excursions have been designed to offer discerning cruisers enriching experiences of Alaska's scenery, culture and history, from train tours to cycling, from culinary extravaganzas to whale-watching. Examples include "Pilot's Choice Glacier Exploration" in Juneau, where guests have an opportunity to take in the beauty of a breathtaking glacier from the viewpoint of a helicopter, and "Wild Alaska: Culinary Extravaganza" in Icy Strait Point, where guests can savor wild Alaskan salmon or locally caught Dungeness crab. Ketchikan's "Saxman Native Village and Lumberjack Show" offers guests a way to experience demonstrations of totem-pole carving and a fun-filled competition by lumberjacks, two hallmarks of Alaskan culture.
For more information on Celebrity's cruises, cruisetours and shore excursions, travelers are encouraged to visit www.celebritycruises.com/sailwithus.
Celebrity Cruises is designed for discerning cruisers, with modern, sophisticated environments, impeccable service, enriching and inspiring onboard programs, and world-class cuisine. The ultimate in premium cruising, Celebrity sails in Alaska, Bermuda, California, Canada/New England, Europe, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, and year-round in the Caribbean and the Galapagos Islands. Celebrity also offers immersive cruisetour experiences in Alaska, Canada, Europe and South America. Celebrity's mega-series of honors include being named the top mega-ship line in Conde Nast Traveler's annual Readers' Choice Awards (November 2009). Celebrity's fleet currently consists of nine ships. Its $3.7-billion investment in building five stylish Solstice Class ships between 2008-2012 represents the largest newbuild commitment for a single brand in industry history.
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For more information, call Cruise Direct Online, a travel agent, dial 800.365.1445 or visit http://www.cruisereviewsonline.com/.

SOURCE Celebrity Cruises

CLIA'S 35TH ANNIVERSARY PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON REMARKABLE STORY OF GROWTH & EVOLUTION OF CRUISE INDUSTRY

2010-03-16T07:57:00.000-04:00

Fort Lauderdale March 15, 2010 — From 30,000-ton converted transatlantic steamers carrying a few hundred passengers to 225,000-ton vessels carrying 5,400 guests; from small inside cabins to exclusive duplex suites; from one or two main dining rooms to dozens of eclectic culinary venues, including celebrity chef signature restaurants; from shuffleboard and ping pong to wave riding, waterparks, rock climbing, bowling and ice skating; from tiny windowless gyms to 20,000-square foot luxury spas: Cruising is not what it used to be.

As Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) celebrates its 35th anniversary as the industry's leading trade association this year, a spotlight is shining on a remarkable story of the impressive growth and evolution of the modern cruise industry.
Founded in 1975 just as a handful of passenger shipping companies were struggling to figure out how to survive, CLIA's history parallels, and helped shape, a dramatic transformation in cruising, cruise ships, consumer expectations for vacationing, and the travel agency distribution system. It is the story of extraordinary technological advancement, bold marketing innovations and steady success despite significant challenges and obstacles. Most of all, it is the story of visionaries who dared to think big and, as a result, created a uniquely new industry out of the reinvention of their own marginalized and obsolete businesses.
"Aside from computers and online technology perhaps, I don't know of an industry that evolved and transformed so profoundly and quickly as cruising. It would be hard to invent a story of such innovation and change," said Terry L. Dale, president and CEO of CLIA.
Today, CLIA's 25 member cruise lines, which represent approximately 97 percent of cruises sailed by North American's operate more than 200 ships of all sizes in every part of the world. At least 118 of the vessels have been built since 2000; virtually all the others have been continually refurbished and modernized. Together, they will carry over 14 million passengers in 2010 and have an economic impact on the United States alone of more than $40 billion, positively affecting all 50 states. In 2010, CLIA members will introduce 12 new ships ranging in capacity from 101 guests to 5,400 passengers, for a total investment of $6.5 billion. In all, 26 new vessels will enter the fleet between 2010 and 2012, representing an investment of nearly $15 billion and a net increase in capacity of 18 percent. But it was not always so.
In 1959, more travelers flew across the Atlantic Ocean than sailed on ocean liners, marking the quick demise of passenger shipping, the dominant means of travel that had thrived for centuries. By 1975, many shipping companies had begun experimenting with new ways to use ocean liners in order to stay in existence and newcomers, known as the South Florida "upstarts" had envisioned new concepts of vacationing at sea, first using existing ships and then quickly introducing new, purpose-built vessels imaginatively designed for leisure cruising.
The seeds of a new cruise industry had been sown and CLIA was formed from a number of previous trade organizations to bring the industry together and promote a new kind of vacation. Warren Titus, an industry legend and president of Royal Viking Line, one of the new luxury cruise companies that was founded in 1973, was named CLIA's first chairman. Remembering the time he said, "To the best of my knowledge it was the first time an industry like ours joined together and tried to work together in the interest of the whole."

From the beginning, CLIA has always been about nurturing, educating and preparing travel agents, through training and Certification, for competitive challenges, making profits and being ready to take on whatever the future may hold. In 1975, 74 percent of agent commissions came from air travel; today, earning a living from the airlines is virtually impossible. On the other hand, the cruise industry, from the beginning, recognized that travel agents represented the most effective sales force possible and made sure to win their loyalty. As Bob Kwortnik, CLIA's first director of training, put it, "We showed them how to make money" by selling what was, for many, an unknown product. Today, among CLIA's 16,000 agent members, those who have enrolled in training and Certification programs report an average increase in cruise sales of 261 percent. Cruise commissions in 2009 are estimated to have topped $2.5 billion.
The product agents were selling for the first time - the cruise industry - evolved quickly. In 1970, some 500,000 vacationers cruised. In 1977, Princess Cruises served as the setting for "The Love Boat," a TV series that, until 1986, came into the homes of millions every Saturday evening. By 1980, 1.4 million vacationers had joined "The Cruise Revolution," CLIA's marketing theme at the time, and the advent of convenient air-sea vacation programs provided new appeal. By 1990, CLIA member lines welcomed 3.6 million guests, and in 2010, 14.3 million are forecast to cruise, including 3.6 million from international markets, one of the industry's fastest growing segments. Since 1980, the number of cruise passengers on CLIA member lines has grown at an average annual rate of 7.4 percent, a remarkable accomplishment considering the period encompassed economic downturns, high interest rates, oil crises, wars, September 11and the current financial crisis.
As the number of passengers grew, the CLIA fleet not only grew but was transformed. Norwegian Caribbean Line and Royal Viking Line were among the companies introducing the first new ships built for cruising. In 1988, Royal Caribbean's revolutionary Sovereign of the Seas, with a nine-deck atrium, luxury spa, full-scale theater and other innovations, helped turn ships into authentic vacation destinations. In the 1990's a boom in new ships led to the first to top 100,000 tons - the Carnival Destiny. RCI's Oasis of the Seas, introduced in 2009, weighs in at over 225,000 GRT.
New technologies enabled not just larger ships but bold new concepts in facilities, resulting in today's CLIA fleet that features seagoing waterparks and full-scale luxury spas, often with their own private spa suite accommodations. There are shipboard bowling alleys and ice skating rinks. The largest ships offer several entire neighborhoods, each with its own theme or character, attractions and activities. Entertainment can feature world-acclaimed stars and groups, from Second City to Blue Man Group. In dining, the emphasis is on choice and flexibility, sometimes with a dozen or more options, and, increasingly, sophisticated and exciting enrichment programs are a regular feature of shipboard life.
Technology has also enabled the cruise industry to take a leadership position in finding solutions to environmental, health and safety issues. Rigorous recycling, energy conservation, ecological hull coatings, window tinting, propulsion and hull design, and partnerships with leading environmental organizations have helped create a new generation of increasingly "green" cruise ships. Thirty-five years of innovations in ships and shipboard activities as well as the globalization of operations and itineraries and, most importantly, a continued commitment to provide the very best value across all price categories of cruising have helped to change consumer expectations, not only of cruising but of all vacationing. The popularity of international and multi-destination travel, interest in a variety of dining and entertainment experiences, demand for active and enriching vacations, and the insistence on quality and value are all expectations that modern cruising, by meeting them, can take pride in helping to nurture.
Essential to the cruise industry's growth was an evolving trade association. Throughout its history, CLIA has both spearheaded change and adapted to it. The first classroom training sessions of the 1970's have evolved into a comprehensive, multi-faceted training and Certification program featuring classroom, online, DVD/video, and textbook options as well as learning opportunities at CLIA events, other industry meetings and traveling seminars like Training Fest. In 2010, CLIA will present nearly 50,000 training events in over 150 cities across North America. Today, a record eleven thousand travel agents are currently enrolled in Certification programs pursuing their CLIA Certified Cruise Counsellor designations.
In 1991, CLIA launched its first National Cruise Vacation Month, followed later by World's Largest Cruise Night, two high visibility consumer promotions that continue to drive interest and awareness for the latest innovations in cruise vacations. The association's hugely popular annual conference and trade show, cruise3sixty, to be held this year in Vancouver, June 2-6, has set attendance records each of its five years of existence and provides incomparable opportunities for learning, networking and socializing with industry leaders and peers. The CLIA Hall of Fame, a centerpiece of cruise3sixty, was introduced to pay much deserved tribute to those individuals who have contributed the most to the industry. And, CLIA's Travel Agent Advisory Board is a further example of the priority the association places on its agency partnerships.
"The North American cruise industry and all its members can be very proud of their accomplishments," Dale concluded. "This is a truly amazing story and one that will continue to be even more exciting, thanks to continued innovation and strong industry partnerships."

There Are Dozens of Ways To Sail from Home to Europe and Beyond

2010-02-25T15:10:00.000-05:00

THE INCOMPARABLE EXPERIENCE – AND BUILT-IN VALUE – OF TRANSOCEAN CRUISING

CLIA Member Lines Offer Dozens of Ways To Sail from Home to Europe and Beyond

Today's world of cruising is global, with many members of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) offering voyages in Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, South America, Asia, the South Pacific and beyond. As cruise ships large and small are seasonally repositioned from one cruising destination to another, vacationers have dozens of opportunities to enjoy one of life's most memorable and unique experiences – a voyage by ship from one continent to another.

With the large majority offered in spring and fall as transatlantic crossings – as CLIA lines reposition vessels between the Americas and Europe – these trans-ocean voyages often also represent exceptional value for money spent.
A transocean cruise is a sea journey like no other: a unique opportunity to experience the awesome beauty of blue water ocean in surroundings of total comfort, with all the pleasures – fine dining, entertainment, enrichment – of a modern cruise ship. Depending on the route, a transocean cruise may include port visits in the Caribbean, South America, Hawaii, the far reaches of arctic Canada and elsewhere along the way.
Cunard Line is the only company that offers regularly scheduled transatlantic crossings – on the Queen Mary 2 from April to November – but more than a dozen CLIA lines offer the opportunity to savor this legendary experience on repositioning voyages. Some companies, like Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Holland America Line have numerous ships crossing the Atlantic or the Pacific this spring, from ports in North and South America. In June, travelers will have the chance to sail across the Atlantic, from Europe to America, on the maiden voyage of the world's second largest ship, Norwegian Cruise Line's 4,200-passenger Norwegian Epic.
The following is a sample of transocean cruises available in 2010. Vacationers are encouraged to visit the Websites of CLIA member lines for more complete information on itineraries, other transocean voyages, and to discover what other opportunities are offered. Prices quoted are per person double occupancy.
AZAMARA CLUB CRUISES

Azamara Journey – From Miami to Barcelona, departing April 11, prices for veranda staterooms from $1,999; from Rome to Miami, departing November 15, prices for veranda staterooms starting from $1,799. Special offers include: Up to 50 percent off brochure prices on certain sailings; Club Veranda stateroom for price of a Club Oceanview stateroom, based on availability (booking must be made by March 31, 2010)
CELEBRITY CRUISES

Celebrity Century – 14 nights from Miami to Barcelona departing May 20, starting at $899 for an inside stateroom; 14 nights from Barcelona to Miami departing October 25, starting at $799

Celebrity Equinox – 14 nights from Fort Lauderdale to Rome departing April 19, prices from $899; 15 nights from Rome to Fort Lauderdale sailing October 31, starting from $1,299

Celebrity Constellation – 14 nights from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale departing November 6, prices from $999

Celebrity Eclipse – 13 nights from Southampton to Miami departing October 31, from $1,199
COSTA CRUISES

Costa Atlantica – 17 nights from New York City to Copenhagen departing May 5, prices from $899.

CUNARD LINE

Queen Mary 2 – Twenty-one transatlantic crossings, April-November, including classic six-day voyages between New York and Southampton, plus a seven-day option as well as eight- and nine-day crossings to Cherbourg and Hamburg, starting at $895 with savings of up to $600 per person on select Early Booking fares
CRYSTAL CRUISES

Crystal Symphony – From Los Angeles to Sydney, departing February 28, fares from $3,790. From Dubai to Athens, departing May 12, fares from $7,200. From London to New York, departing September 5, fares from $5,710. From New York to Los Angeles, departing November 2, fares from $4,930. The line is offering shipboard credits of up to $1,000 per person

Crystal Serenity – From Dubai to Athens (part of the 2010 World Cruise), departing March 15, fares from $12,425. From Rome to Barcelona, departing October 19, fares from $5,080. The line is offering shipboard credits of up to $1,000 per person
DISNEY CRUISE LINE

Disney Magic – 14 nights from Port Canaveral to Barcelona departing April 10, from $699; 14 nights from Barcelona to Port Canaveral, sailing September 18, $1,649 for a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom
HOLLAND AMERICA LINE

Ms Eurodam – 16 days from Fort Lauderdale to Rome departing April 3, from $899

Ms Noordam – 13 days from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona departing May 14, from $899

HURTIGRUTEN

MS Fram – 19 days from Lisbon to Oslo, featuring the Norwegian fjords, sold in three voyages: nine days between Lisbon and Dover departing April 1, starting at $1,161; a special 10-day Norwegian fjord voyage departing April 9, from $1,568; and an 11-day Baltic Adventure departing April 18 from $4,169. The line is offering a special Suite Deal for the Baltic Adventure, with 25 percent off suites, plus free airfare

MSC CRUISES

MSC Poesia – 18 nights from Fort Lauderdale to Hamburg departing April 27, early booking rates start at $999; 18 nights from Kiel to New York departing September 4, early booking rates from $1,199
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Norwegian Epic – Seven day transatlantic crossing, a maiden voyage, from Southampton to New York departing June 24, rates beginning at $859
OCEANIA CRUISES

Insignia – 15 nights from Rio de Janeiro to Barcelona departing April 3, rates begin at $2,599; 15 nights from Barcelona to Rio de Janeiro departing December 6, from $2,699

Nautica – 24 nights from Bangkok to Beijing departing March 1, prices starting at $7,299; 35 nights from Cape Town to Singapore departing December 11; from $9,299

Regatta – 14 nights from Miami to Barcelona departing March 21, rates begin at $2,099; 14 nights from Barcelona to Miami departing November 13, from $2,699
PRINCESS CRUISES

Crown Princess – 14 days from Fort Lauderdale to Rome departing May 1; 14 days from London to New York departing September 3

Grand Princess – 15 days from Fort Lauderdale to London departing April 9; 16 days from London to Ft. Lauderdale departing September 25

Ruby Princess – 16 days from Ft. Lauderdale to Barcelona departing April 19; 16 days from Venice to Fort Lauderdale departing October 8

Star Princess – 18 days from Ft. Lauderdale to Copenhagen departing April 24
REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES

Seven Seas Mariner – 16 nights from Fort Lauderdale to Monte Carlo departing March 22, from $5,770

Seven Seas Navigator – 20 nights from Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco departing May 6, prices starting at $7,865; 18 nights from Seward to Tianjin departing September 15, from $8,775

Seven Seas Voyager – 14 nights from Fort Lauderdale to Reykjavik departing May 12, rates begin at $7,105; 15 nights from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale departing November 8, from $6,945
ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

Navigator of the Seas – 14 nights from Miami to Rome departing April 10; 14 nights from Rome to Fort Lauderdale departing October 23

Independence of the Seas – 14 nights from Fort Lauderdale to Southampton departing April 11

Voyager of the Seas – 14 nights from Galveston to Barcelona departing April 18; 14 nights from Barcelona to Galveston departing November 7

Adventure of the Seas – 13 nights from San Juan to Barcelona departing May 2; 14 nights from Barcelona to San Juan departing November 28

Jewel of the Seas – 13 nights from Miami to Harwich departing May 6; 14 nights from Harwich to Boston departing September 4
SEABOURN CRUISE LINE

Seabourn Spirit – 13 days from Fort Lauderdale to Lisbon departing March 19 from $2,799

Seabourn Legend – 13 days from Fort Lauderdale to Lisbon departing April 8 from $3,200

Seabourn Legend – 13 days from Malaga to Fort Lauderdale departing November 20, from $2,999

Seabourn Odyssey – 13 days from Nice to Fort Lauderdale departing December 6 from $3,599
SEADREAM YACHT CLUB

SeaDream I – 13 days from San Juan to Malaga departing April 30, priced from $2299; 12 days from Malaga to San Juan departing October 14, from $2299

SeaDream II – 12 days from Barbados to Malaga departing April 25, from $2299; 12 days from Barbados to Malaga departing November 8, from $2299
SILVERSEA CRUISES

Silver Spirit – 14 days from New York to Southampton departing April 23, fares from $6,238

Silver Cloud – 15 Days from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Barcelona, Spain, departing April 14, fares from $4,398

Silver Whisper – 12 Days from Southampton, U.K. to New York City, New York, departing Sept 2, fares from $4,598

Silver Shadow – 16 Days from Vancouver, British Columbia to Tokyo, Japan, departing Sept 12, fares from $7,197 A free Economy Promotional Air Package is also available from select East, Central, and West Coast gateways
WINDSTAR CRUISES

Wind Surf – 14 days from Barbados to Lisbon departing March 21, starting from $1749; 14 days from Lisbon to Barbados departing November 14, starting from $1749 Wind Star – 14 days from St. Martin to Lisbon departing April 10, starting from $1849

Wind Spirit – 14 days from Lisbon to St. Martin departing November 20, starting from $1849

Alaska Cruisetours Online Is Introducing 4 New Princess "Alaska A la Carte" Cruise Tours

2010-02-19T18:57:00.000-05:00

Alaska Cruisetours Online is introducing "Alaska A la Carte" cruise tours featuring four new Princess Cruises “A la Carte” Alaska cruisetour options for this summer’s season, offering more affordable and flexible options for independent-minded travelers. These new cruisetours spend an extra day at one of the Denali-area Princess lodges, and do not include excursions, giving travelers the time to customize their own daily schedules.
These new Alaska A La Carte cruise tours, offer a more affordable tour option allowing guests to customize their vacation as they wish. Great flexibility for travelers who prefer to discover the wonders of Alaska at their own pace.

The four Alaska A la Carte tours range from 10 to 12 nights, offering at least three nights in the Denali area. All cruise tours feature a northbound “Voyage of the Glaciers” Gulf of Alaska cruise aboard Coral Princess or Island Princess, departing from Vancouver; combined with a three-, four- or five-night land tour to the heart of Alaska, featuring stays in Princess’ two Denali-area wilderness lodges and exclusive Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail service. All tours will visit both of the state’s top attractions: Denali National Park and Glacier Bay National Park.
Travelers choosing these itineraries will not be scheduled on the Denali National Park tour or other activities usually included with cruise tours, and instead can choose to add any of four park tour options or a variety of other area excursions offered at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge.

“These new A la Carte cruise tours are designed specifically with the value-conscious, independent traveler in mind,” said Charlie Ball, president of Princess Tours. “With fewer ‘extras’ included, Princess can offer a more affordable tour option with greater flexibility for travelers who prefer to discover the wonders of Alaska at their own pace."

"These new tours allow our guests to customize their vacation as they wish. They can spend extra time viewing Denali’s fascinating wildlife, hike through the wilderness, helicopter sightsee around Mt. McKinley or take a back country jeep tour, perhaps go river rafting.” added Marty Trencher, Managing Director and a Certified Princess Alaska Expert with Alaska Cruisetours Online.

The four A la Carte cruisetours itineraries are:

Tour 101 – 10 nights (Two nights at Denali lodge, one night at Mt. McKinley lodge)

Tour 102 – 11 nights (Two nights at Denali lodge, one night at Mt. McKinley lodge, one night Fairbanks)

Tour 103 – 11 nights (Two nights at Denali lodge, two nights at Mt. McKinley lodge)

Tour 104 – 12 nights (Two nights at Denali lodge, two nights at Mt. McKinley lodge, one night Fairbanks)

All Alaska A la Carte cruise tour options are available throughout the May to September Alaska season, with fares beginning at $899 per person.

Alaska Cruisetours Online offers a variety of Princess land/sea Alaska experiences with itineraries ranging from 10 to 15 nights. All cruisetour options feature at least two nights in the Denali National Park area, stays in Princess’ own riverside wilderness lodges, and a seven-day Voyage of the Glaciers sailing with Glacier Bay National Park.

Additional information about Alaska A la Carte Cruisetours is available through Princess Cruises or contact this professional travel agent, Alaska Cruisetours Online by calling 800.365.1445, or by visiting the company's website at http://www.alaskacruisetoursonline.com/