Cruising with Laura

I have a Valid Passport. Can I be Denied Entry to Canada?

2011-05-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

You can still be denied entry to Canada even though you may have a valid passport.
Canada Immigration -- Not So Groovy

Canada Bargains and Features

Visit the Passport Center

Write About Your Trip to Canada

Are Canada's Entry Requirements Fair?

Boomers planning a trip to Canada had better revisit their memories. Let's say you got busted for smoking marijuana in college, which, at least in my time -- the 1960's and 1970's -- was almost as prevalent as that other national pastime. "Getting busted" for it was part of the game. But that bit of youthful indiscretion may come back to haunt you now, in a most surprising manner.

You are considered "unfit" to enter Canada. In the words of the Canadian government, you are "criminally inadmissible." This applies to anyone as well who has been convicted of a DUI, shoplifting, driving dangerously, simple assault ... or anything that can be considered a "misdemeanor" in the United States. It doesn't matter if it was 40-some-odd years ago. It doesn't matter if you've been going to Canada for the last 20 years with no problem. If you have a record, you won't get in now.

It isn't that the laws are any tougher than they have been over the last 40 years; it's the technology that's better. Canadian immigration officers can plug into your history in the same way that local cops can. This is the result of a post-September 11 agreement between the U.S. and Canada, and it's been very effective.

It's long been known that U.S. immigration procedures are difficult, but entering Canada for U.S. citizens has been a snap. Until now.

Steve Dasseos, chief executive officer of TripInsuranceStore.com, says that no travel insurance policy will cover it either.

"Every policy has a clause that excludes government regulation or prohibitions. Every policy. It might be worded differently in each, but no policy will cover it."

For example, TravelGuard's exclusion says: "In addition to the General Exclusions, this coverage does not cover loss caused by: ... (vii) any government regulation or prohibition..." TravelEx's policy, worded differently, says: "Benefits are not payable for Sickness, Injuries or losses of You, Your Traveling Companion, Business Partner or Family Member: ... k) resulting from a governmental regulation or prohibition..."

Even a "cancel for any reason" policy won't be of help here, because the terms require that you cancel a minimum of two days before your trip begins, meaning two days before you leave your home.

Similarly, if you're planning on entering Canada via cruise ship, be warned that you won't get any refunds on your cruise fare if you're turned away for being "criminally inadmissible." Says Erik Elvejord, spokesperson for Holland America Line, which operates several Alaska cruises departing from Vancouver and Canada/New England voyages from Montreal, "If a guest is denied entry into a country because of current requirements, it's unfortunate, but we don't provide refunds for it."

What happens if you board a cruise in New York and your cruise ends in Montreal, and you're in an "Inadmissible Class" and don't know it? Lucy Perillo, who operates Canada Border Crossing Services, an agency which helps expedite the "rehabilitation" process, says that your first clue will be that you can't get off the ship for your shore excursions in Halifax or Prince Edward Island. And it will be computerized, in the system. When you get to Montreal, you will be allowed to transit to the airport, usually accompanied and put into a secure area. If you had planned on two-night post-cruise stay, forget it.

"It's also important to note," she says, "that Canada doesn't require a passport for entry. We still accept a photo ID and certified birth certificate. The U.S. requires a passport for re-entry. Some people mistakenly think that by using the photo ID and birth certificate, their entry to Canada will be easier. It's not. If you're in the system with a past conviction, the form of ID you use doesn't matter." For more info: www.bordercrossing.ca.

If you think you might be at risk, there are ways that you can "rehabilitate" yourself. It can, however, take up to 18 months; even fast-tracking it can still take up to six. It requires going to a Canadian consulate and filing a ton of paperwork (including court documents, current police statements that you're "clean," your own statement as to why you were convicted and three letters from "persons of standing in the community"). It can cost up to $1,000 CDN, depending on the infraction.

For more information on the infractions considered serious enough to make you "criminally inadmissible," and the steps you need to take to rehabilitate yourself, check geo.international.gc.ca.

River Cruising is on a Roll!!

2010-11-17T11:33:00.000-08:00

The rising tide of river travel is sweeping in as a mainstream vacation choice for Americans who enjoy a convenient and hassle-free way to travel iat an unhurried pace, experience multiple destination stops with easy access to city centers, hotel-style accommodations and gourmet dining. Frequent cruisers report that river cruising is more sociable than ocean-going cruises, because of smaller numbers of passengers, open seating arrangements in dining rooms and shore excursions shared with small groups and they praise all-inclusive features such as daily shore excursions and wine with meals. Add the hotel like cabins, small spas, fitness facilities and intimate environment of the ships themselves and the satisfaction rate is one of the highest in the industry.

I concur ... River Cruises are, in a word, AMAZING and an incredible way to immerse yourself in the art and culture of a country in an intimate and joyful way. You will not only gain a personal view of the towns and villages but you will be able to taste and experience them in a personal manner without having to make your way there via a tour bus after having arrived via a large ship in a port far removed from the place you wanted to visit.

There are several companies that do a fabulous job of providing that all-inclusive experience that river cruising provides.

AMAWATERWAYS: From the tulip fields of Holland to the Temples of Southeast Asia, AMA Waterways is offering myriad opportunities to experience many of the great waterways in Europe, Russia and Southeast Asia in 2011 aboard new snips, following new itineraries and offering enhanced amenities.

AVALON WATERWAYS: Avalon Waterways, part of the Globus family of brands, is a major force in Europe and is famous for its Rhine and Danube itineraries and will be introducing the industry’s first Suite Ship, the Panorama in May of 2011.

UNIWORLD Boutique River Cruise Collection consistently scores high marks from clients and is offering over 500 departures on 40 itineraries sailing on 11 rivers in 18 countries throughut Europe, Russia, China and Egypt for 2011. The 11 day Portugal, Spain & the Douro River aboard the Douro Sprit is highly anticipated as well as the move back to Russia.

TAUCK WORLD DISCOVERY offers 12 itineraries for 2011on ships that carry no more than 118 passengers. Offerings include cruises on the Rhone River and Themed cruises such as two 8-day Christmas Market Cruises along the Rhine and Danube and the Family Riverboat Adventure aboard the Swill Jewel which will travel from Budapest to Slovakia, Austria and Germany, offering kid-friendly activities en-route with one very special sailing on Jyly 9 which will be accompanied by Elisabeth von Trapp who will perform many “sounds of music” onboard and host a special event in Salzburg.

I hope this has peaked your interest in River Cruising. Please contact me and let's get you started on the trip of a lifetime!

To clients considering booking direct

2010-10-01T14:21:00.000-07:00

There are myriad reasons to use a travel specialist and I could go on for pages but Mr. Richard Turen, Contributing editor for Travel Weekly has written an article in far better syle and prose than I ever could.

CLICK HERE

TRULY UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF YOUR TRAVEL AGENT

2010-09-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

Search the word "CRUISES" and you will find, literally, millions of sites, posts, blogs and confusing information. It can be overwhelming for even a professional and folks, I am here to tell you , it isn't going to get any easier, it is only going to get more confusing and that is where the travel agent becomes invaluable.

In recent weeks, major changes in the cruise industry regarding how, when, where you book, deposit requirements, cancellation policies and procedures and itineraries have been implemented with promises of more and even more complex procedures to come.

In addition, ALL the major cruise lines have made it abundantly clear that they will no longer allow discounting or rebating or any other dilution of their product. AND booking windows have shortened, cabin "hold" times have been shortened, cancellation policies have changed dramatically and many "traditional" itineraries have changed or been eliminated. Group policies have changed as well. Many ships have re-categorized their cabins and the new MEGA ships have brought a whole other aspect to the cruise market. A good agent will help you sift through the myriad changes and opportunities.

For years, since 9/11, the cruise and travel industry has kept their pricing and options very liberal and open with the intention of gaining more passengers and travelers. Prices have been extremely low, so low in fact, that many brick and mortar agencies have had to close their doors, many tour companies and some cruise lines had "gone under" and have left many passengers either stranded or looking for last minute substitutes for the vacation they had planned. The people that were left in the worst position are those that didn't use the services of a reputable and well educated travel agent, especially for cruises. Many of these people had no one to turn to when things went sour and many of them didn't have travel protection insurance and lost all their hard earned vacation dollars.

It does not cost you any more to deal with a good and reputable agent than it does to go directly to the cruise lines or a .com and the true value is AMAZING. You will find someone who is interested in what you are looking for from your cruise vacation, will help match you and your likes and dislikes with the best ship and itinerary to fit your needs and will be there if there are any issues that require assistance.

A good agent will show you the true value of a cruise and will explain the value of travel protection insurance ... I will give you a quick example: I had clients who had flown to New York for a cruise. Upon arrival the husband complained of a stiff back and numb leg. That evening, while coming down the stairs at their hotel, his leg gave out and he fell down 10 - 12 stairs, he was taken to the emergency room via ambulance and told that he needed to go home and seek the care of an orthopaedic doctor because he had injured a disk in his back. Travel Protection Insurance has proven invaluable to them as they could have been out over $5,000 for the cruise alone. Their policy price? Less than $170 per person. Much Less than the ambulance to the hospital.

Everything I have been speaking about, hopefully has shown you why the services of a good travel agent are invaluable. We do the leg work, we are here if you need us, we will make sure that you get the best value for your vacation dollar and we will go the extra mile to make sure that you have been matched with the best cruise line, the best ship and the bet cabin for your cruising pleasure.

June 3 Episode to Take Viewers Behind the Scenes During Princess Cruises Ship’s Drydock

2010-06-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

Sea Princess Stars in National Geographic Channel's Hit Series “World’s Toughest Fixes”

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (June 1, 2010) – The immense job of drydocking Sea Princess will be featured in the June 3 episode of National Geographic Channel’s (NGC) top-rated show, World’s Toughest Fixes. TV viewers can go behind the scenes as host Sean Riley follows the entire process from the time the Princess Cruises ship enters the drydock to the final sea trials.

Airing on Thursday, June 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NGC, the show was filmed while Sea Princess was in a regularly scheduled drydock at BAE Systems San Francisco Ship Repair last September. The episode focuses on the enormous task of completing a multitude of drydock projects in just 15 days, with emphasis on several technical “fixes” on the bottom of the ship that could only be accessed when the ship is out of the water.

“This is a unique opportunity for audiences to really appreciate the amazing around-the-clock effort needed to keep our ships in top shape to deliver the experience our passengers expect,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “We’re excited that the National Geographic Channel was interested in featuring this rare behind-the-scenes project.”

One of the network’s most popular shows, World's Toughest Fixes takes viewers inside some of the most daunting repair jobs with Riley, a professional master rigger, as he works with many of the world's top mechanics to show how they tackle these challenging fixes. World’s Toughest Fixes airs Thursdays at 9pm ET/PT on NGC.

Riley joins the Sea Princess drydock crew on a number of tasks, adding his own elbow grease and expertise along the way and tries out several drydock jobs. He helps strip and power wash the hull, tries his hand at upholstery work and joins the team working high up on the ship to seal the windows. He even gives viewers an up-close view inside the tail shaft housing as he crawls in to show the audience the work being done.

Throughout the episode viewers will get a glimpse of the buzz of activity on a ship in drydock, including a look at installation of carpet and floors, the stripping of wooden decks, and even a glimpse of the ship’s new adults-only Sanctuary which was constructed during the drydock.

More photos of last fall’s Sea Princess drydock are available in the Sea Princess Drydock Journal. Behind-the-scenes photos of the World’s Toughest Fixes crew at work during the shoot are available on the Princess Flickr photostream.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by Laura Vucich @ 800-201-0412 or 928-708-0670

NCL EPIC TRANSATLANTIC SOLD OUT!

2010-06-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

NORWEGIAN EPIC JUNE 24 TRANSATLANTIC SOLD OUT

Sneak peak video of ship’s finishing touches revealed on YouTube

MIAMI – May 27, 2010 – Norwegian Cruise Line today announced that its largest and most innovative ship Norwegian Epic is sold out on its June 24, 2010 seven-day transatlantic sailing from Southampton, England to New York City. The line has launched a wait list for those interested in sailing on the transatlantic should cancelations occur. The ship, the largest to berth in the Port of New York, will arrive at Manhattan Cruise Terminal’s Pier 88 on Thursday, July 1. Country music legend Reba McEntire will christen the ship on Friday, July 2 followed by a two-day inaugural sailing. On Sunday, July 4, Norwegian Epic will serve as the host venue for the 34th Annual Macy's 4th of July Fireworks event. The event includes a national, one-hour, live entertainment broadcast on NBC-TV beginning at 9 p.m. ET and takes place on board Norwegian Epic where invited guests will have a front row view of the fireworks display.

“We are on the edge of our seats in anticipation of the debut of Norwegian Epic to the world in only a few short weeks,” said Kevin Sheehan, chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Guests on the transatlantic sailing will be among the first to experience all of Norwegian Epic’s innovative features including her more than 20 dining options and world-class entertainment.”

The company released a sneak peak video of Norwegian Epic on its YouTube channel on Wednesday, May 25 showcasing the finishing touches being made. The video is viewable at www.ncl.com/youtube.

Norwegian Epic will sail alternating seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from Miami beginning July 10, 2010 through April 2011. Norwegian Epic’s Eastern Caribbean itinerary includes calls in Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and Nassau, Bahamas. The ship’s Western Caribbean itinerary includes calls in Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico. From May through October 2011, Norwegian Epic will sail a seven-day Western Mediterranean itinerary from Barcelona, Spain with ports of call including: Florence/Pisa (Livorno); Rome (Civitavecchia); Naples, Italy; and Palma, Majorca, Spain.

For more information on Norwegian Epic and to book a cruise, call LAURA VUCICH @ 800-201-0412 OR 928-708-0670
Norwegian Epic

World-class entertainment is Norwegian Epic’s hallmark. For the first time at sea, Blue Man Group will perform their exhilarating fusion of comedy, theatrics and paint, exclusively on Norwegian Epic. In the only “big top” at sea, Cirque Dreams™ and Dinner, written and directed by Neil Goldberg, will present a one-of-a-kind interactive theatrical dining experience with music, mayhem and acrobatic imagination. Legends in Concert, the original and world’s greatest live tribute show, will be featured for the first time at sea in more than a decade on Norwegian Epic, along with The Second City® Comedy Troupe and Howl at the Moon Dueling Pianos Show.

In addition to world-class entertainment, the 4,100-passenger Norwegian Epic will incorporate many innovations including several new types of accommodations – the curved New Wave staterooms; the largest Villas suite complex at sea, comprising 60 suites and villas on two private decks at the top of the ship; and spa and family-friendly accommodations. Kids will have a blast with Nickelodeon™ at Sea offering Nickelodeon-themed family entertainment and programming including: character meet and greets; interactive game shows; and more.

The ship also boasts unique nightlife options with the first Ice Bar at sea and Spice H2O with non-stop entertainment day and night; an expansive Aqua Park with the only tube slide and largest bowl slide at sea -- The Epic Plunge; seven decks of Freestyle Family Fun with highlights including a 33-foot high, 64-foot wide extreme rock climbing wall and the first ever rappelling wall at sea; the most bowling lanes at sea with six in two venues; a mixed-use sports deck with the ability for guests to engage in eight

different athletic activities; as well as three separate kids’ and teen activity areas. In addition, Norwegian Epic will offer the next generation of Freestyle Dining with more than 20 dining options and 20 bars and lounges.

About Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line is the innovator in cruise travel with a 43-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 in June. Norwegian Cruise Line is the official cruise line of Blue Man Group, debuting for the first time at sea on Norwegian Epic, and the official cruise line of Legends in Concert.

High resolution, downloadable images are available at www.ncl.com/pressroom. For further information on Norwegian Cruise Line, visit www.ncl.com, follow us on Facebook and Twitter or contact us in the U.S. and Canada at 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784).

Price Guarantee?

2010-05-17T16:29:00.000-07:00

When it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Last Friday, NCL announced a new "Best Price Guaranteed" program which, in brief, gives you a 48-hour fare guarantee.

This "Guarantee" isn't necessarily a good thing for cruisers because potentially it is far more restrictive than previous policies. From the press release:

Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that it is launching a “Best Price Guaranteed.” program designed to ensure that anyone booking a cruise with Norwegian can feel confident they will receive the best price.* If a travel partner or guest finds a lower advertised price from Norwegian for the same cruise within 48 hours of booking a fully deposited cruise, the guest will receive 110 percent of the price difference in on-board credit, or the cruise line will re-price the cruise at a lower rate.

If a lower price is found, travel partners/guests need only to complete the “Best Price. Guaranteed” claim form and submit it online within 48-hours of making a fully deposited booking. If it meets the guarantee criteria and the travel partner/guest chooses to receive an on-board credit, Norwegian will automatically attach the credit to the guest’s on-board account.

It sounds GREAT but the truth is that it is extremely rare that fare reductions happen that soon after booking. The exception being those which are booked after the general final payment date for that sailing, meaning those in the last 8 weeks or so before sailing.

Today, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and AZAMARA followed with their own offering. From their press release:

We are pleased to introduce a new program that aims to do just that. We call it the "Best Price Guarantee" program. With our Best Price Guarantee, if you or your client finds a lower cruise fare advertised by us within 48 hours of booking the same cruise* with Azamara Club Cruises, Celebrity Cruises or Royal Caribbean International, we will give your client an onboard credit in the amount of 110% of the difference between the two fares. Your client can enjoy this credit during their cruise.

To take advantage of this offer, you or your client simply need to complete the Best Price Guarantee claim form online within 48 hours of booking the client’s cruise. If the information submitted meets the criteria, we will automatically add the onboard credit to the client’s reservation.
Beginning Monday, May 17, more information will be available online. As a travel agent partner, you will be able to find the Best Price Guarantee claim form and more details at www.cruisingpower.com. Your clients will be able to access the form and more at our consumer websites:

• www.azamaraclubcruises.com/bestpriceguarantee

• www.celebritycruises.com/bestpriceguarantee

• www.royalcaribbean.com/bestpriceguarantee

This new program replaces our previous price protection policy and will give your clients the comfort to book with confidence, knowing that within a 48-hour period, we will honor our Best Price Guarantee.

REMEMBER TO READ THE FINE PRINT!

Mariner of the Seas Sets Sail Around Sotuh America

2010-05-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

Sadly, the Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas, one of the lovliest of the Royal Caribbean fleet will be saying goodbye to the West Coast and will begin an exciting series of itineraries starting on January 16, 2011.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN ANNOUNCES

NEW 2011-12 DEPLOYMENT FOR MARINER OF THE SEAS

Mariner of the Seas to Augment Record-setting Europe Deployment in 2011

MIAMI, April 22, 2010 – Royal Caribbean International today announced the redeployment of Mariner of the Seas, which will take effect in January 2011. Mariner of the Seas will offer a short South America season before debuting in the Mediterranean as Royal Caribbean’s record-setting 11th ship in the region for summer 2011. Mariner of the Seas will homeport at Rome (Civitavecchia) from March through October 2011, replacing Splendour of the Seas, which will now homeport in Venice, offering 10- and 11-night Greek Isles and Turkey itineraries for the season. Mariner of the Seas will then return to North America for the 2011-12 winter season, offering seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries from Galveston, Texas, replacing Voyager of the Seas. As a result, Voyager of theSeas will herald Royal Caribbean’s return to New Orleans in winter 2011-12, offering vacationers another Gulf Coast port to embark on a memorable seven-night Western Caribbean cruise.

The Mexican Riviera has traditionally been an important market for Royal Caribbean
International, with the Port of Los Angeles and Mexican local, state and federal government
agencies, and their private sectors playing a supportive role as valued partners. While Royal
Caribbean International looks forward to returning to the region in the future, Mariner of the Seas will sail its final round-trip Mexican Riviera itinerary from Los Angeles on January 9, 2011.

Guests currently booked on Mariner of the Seas’ Mexican Riviera sailings from January 16,
2011, and onward will be contacted with the following offer. Until May 6, 2010, affected guests can opt for a full refund of any fares paid, or enjoy $200 onboard credit per stateroom ($400 per suite category stateroom) when they rebook their vacation, at the same fare or lower prevailing fare, on a Mariner of the Seas sailing before January 16, 2011, or on the same 2011 departure date aboard Voyager of the Seas, sailing from Galveston. More information is available at www.RoyalCaribbean.com/MarinerOfTheSeasRedeployment.
On January 16, 2011, Mariner of the Seas will reposition from Los Angeles on a 16-night
itinerary to Valparaiso, Chile, followed by a 14-night voyage that cruises the Straits of Magellan and Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America to Sao Paulo (Santos), Brazil. The ship will then offer a short Brazilian cruise season, before crossing the Atlantic to debut in Europe at its new seasonal homeport of Rome (Civitavecchia), where Mariner of the Seas will sail seven-night Western Mediterranean and 12-night Mediterranean Holy Land and Mediterranean Egypt itineraries. In November 2011, Mariner of the Seas will debut at Galveston to offer Texas vacationers two roundtrip seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries through April 2012. Mariner of the Seas’ new 2011 Europe and South America, and 2011-12 Western Caribbean itineraries, Splendour of the Seas’ new 2011 Europe itineraries, and Voyager of the Seas’ new 2011-12 Western Caribbean itineraries will be opened for booking in the near future.

Guests aboard Mariner of the Seas’ new 2011 Holy Land itineraries can choose a variety of
shore excursion options, at an additional charge, that visit some of the most sacred sites in Israel, including Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Wailing Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and many others. “Grand Overland” takes guests on the most comprehensive overview of this fascinating region with an overnight stay in Jerusalem. On the Egypt cruises, “Grand Egypt Tour” offers guests a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the awe-inspiring Pyramids and mysterious Sphinx at Cairo, and the Valley of the Kings in Luxor. Guests also should not miss the largest collection of Roman ruins in the eastern Mediterranean and the iconic Library of Celsius on “Best of Ephesus.”

Voyager-class Mariner of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas are two of the world’s 10 largest and most innovative cruise ships at sea. Both ships feature the cruise line’s iconic rock-climbing wall, the Studio B ice-skating rink, nine-hole mini-golf course, an in-line skating track, a full-size basketball court, and the Royal Promenade, a boulevard of boutiques, restaurants and lounges and bars. Voyager of the Seas features the cruise line’s signature Portofino Italian restaurant, while Mariner of the Seas offers a second specialty restaurant option, Chops Grille steakhouse.

Call me for some wonderful booking specials for the 16 Night & 14 Night South American itineraries.

OASIS OF THE SEAS - IN A WORD FANTASTIC

2010-04-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

We had the pleasure of sailing this fantastic ship in January 2010 ... there were a group of 10 of us and for the most part, we loved the ship.

I have broken this review down into Positives & Negatives from my own point of view.

Embarkation was an absolute breeze ... less than 15 minutes from the moment we arrived at the terminal until we were on board ... something tells me it would have even been quicker but the cameras at the desks were down so we had to "wait" to get our pictures put on our cards until the next embarkation stop ... horrible inconvenience ;-)

We entered through the middle (main) entrance to the Grand Atrium/Promenade deck and was at once impressed with all the Eye Candy, glitz and glamour. We were "assaulted" by the fantastic smell of pizza from Sorrento's and since the others in our group were a little behind us time wise we immediately had to give it a try. Far and away some of the best pizza this girl has ever sampled and you can have it any way or combination that you want. ... so good I can still taste it. There was a fantastic guitar player but while we could hear him, we never actually located where he was playing.

This ship is BEAUTIFUL, no doubt about it, everywhere you look there is something to be discovered and enjoyed, we were still "finding" things on our last night. The artwork strategically placed throughout the ship was a continuing source of oooooo's and ahha's. There is a great book in each cabin to explain about the artwork and, I believe there is also a self guided tour you can take to see it all.

Muster Drill, the most hated part of any cruise for us was a total and complete surprise. There are no life jackets in your cabin and we were assigned to the dining room on deck 5, had a nice seat and were provide with a short and sweet video that explained how the life jackets would be issued if/when needed and where to present ourselves if evacuation was required. All in all, maybe 10 minutes from start to finish. This was wonderful.

We have never seen better entertainment on board a ship from a full Broadway production of Hairspray (most excellent) to the Oasis of Dreams Aqua Show (amazing divers and acrobats and special effects that definitely had that WOW factor) to ABBAcadabra (almost missed that one because I thought it was a magic show but managed to get to it the next evening) that was one of the best tribute shows I have ever seen and their harmonies and music were perfect, to the Frozen in Time Ice Show featuring some of the best skaters and acrobats in the world and amazing quick change routine by Tatia and Gorge, who have always been some of my favorite skaters to the final production we saw Come Fly with Me with special effects and acrobatics and sets that will astound. The singers and dancers, costumes and special effects were absolutely first rate ... no complaints here. The obviousr side effect may very positive by raising the bar on entertainment throughout the industry ... no more of thos old stale "the showers are so small, all you have to do is soap up and spin to get clean" comedians :-)

Also fabulous was Boleros where many of the Latin folks hung out and the energy was exhilarating and contagious, bar service quick and everyone had a great time there every evening. Smoking is allowed on one end of this club. We are not "clubbers" so really didn't check out the other night life venues but Boleros was right on the Promenade and you just gravitated toward that high energy music. The theatre is a masterpiece of design, acoustics and beauty. The colors are astounding and while the best seat for Come Fly with Me is balcony, Deck 5, I don't think there is a bad seat in the house. All the columns are located on deck 5 and have no seats behind them so you have an unobstructed view from just about everywhere. The set designs are truly fabulous and high tech and the small but very talented "orchestra" was amazing. DEFINITELY MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR THE SHOWS YOU WANT AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE (BEFORE BOARDING) they fill up quickly and if you are not there 10 minutes prior to start they will give your seat away!

Izumi restaurant is FANTABULOUS ... great food and service and very reasonable for top quality Japanese and Sushi ... we ate there twice during our 7 night cruise. Great ambiance as well.

Giovanni's Table was delicious and of course there was wayyyyyyyyy too much food and we all left totally stuffed.

150 is a FIXED MENU but some folks may like that ... I was not that knocked out by it but food is such a subjective thing.

Buffet food was adequate, not enough salads and ethnic foods for our palates but most people would like it.

Our cabin seemed to be about 3 inches narrower over all which made it a little crowded and storage has been reduced by doing away with drawers on the night stands, only 3 drawers at the vanity, narrow and small "cupboards" that are too shallow to put anything of size in smaller closet with less shelf space and VERY poorly designed sliding doors that don't allow for full opening to the closet. BUT the beds were to die for and our cabin steward was a GEM. Additionally hubby loved the large Flat Screen TV's in our cabin, the rounded shower doors that actually have room to comfortably shower and no clinging shower curtains, comfortable deck chairs on the the balconies and partitions that can obviously be opened with the a key from one to the next.

We loved the Spa Deck of the ship and managed to grab a couple of "cocoons" (convertible top PAPASAN chairs) and had great food and service out there, actually managed to nap a little and the peace and quiet was a great change from the other areas of the ship.

We also didn't feel that we were high pressured to purchase anything which is a plus for us.

Finding your photos is usually an hours long process and just when you think you found them you turn to tell your mate and someone has moved them. The OASIS HAS THIS DOWN TO A FANTASTIC SCIENCE: When you look for your pictures you only have to find your portfolio ... every picture taken of you anywhere on/off the ship by the ship staff will be there! After teasing me that they have a wall of Wizards in the back to figure out whose pictures go in each portfolio the photo manager told me they use a face recognition software starting with the picture they take for your cruise card ... WOW!!!! Great improvement over having to scan walls and walls and walls of pictures looking for yours!

Parades were colorful and fun, stupid passengers just walking through them kinda cracked us up ... but hey, they even do that on street parades!

Boardwalk was fun, rode the Carousel ... best part was the "Evolution carvings" show how a Carousel Horse is carved ... fabulous.
Another HUGE Plus is the interactive screens located at different spots on each deck so that you can locate a specific cabin, restaurant, etc.

NEGATIVES:

Due to the size of the Promenade area and the height of it the noise level is almost deafening and you feel the need to yell at people you are walking or talking with ... some type of buffering is definitely called for.

It is difficultto arrange alternative dining venues for more than 6 persons, even trying to arrange for them to sit at different tables did not help and it took the Diamond Concierge, several Maitre' d's to work issues out, plus we had rescheduling of shows, and total inconvenience on embarkation day to even start the process ... Susan and I were sent from one end of the ship to the other and one floor to another when trying to work things out and we truly heard "it's not my job" more times than you could count. We had tried for several months to do this online to no avail so had to wait to do this onboard. Even in the main dining room getting tables set up for large groups is almost impossible. Extremely LOUD in the dining room ... My Time guests are relegated to level 5 which is actually smaller so I cannot imagine how loud it was on deck 4 & 6.

There is no retractable cover over Central Park and as it was raining the first 2 nights we had to walk through the rain to get to our dining venues, Giovanni's and 150 ... and there are no convenient restrooms to these Central Park dining venues so you had to walk back outside in the rain and walk a block or so to get to them ... inconvenient at best, poor planning over all.

150 has a FIXED MENU which is not thoroughly explained in any thing that we read about this ship ... no deviations, no exceptions for the vegetarian or non-beef/fish eater. Service was slow and our waiter would take 5 - 10 minutes explaining each course AFTER he put it on the table so that it was cold by the time we actually got to taste it. This may be a GREAT chef but many people in our party left and went to the buffet because they were not satisfied by their meal.

There is an overall shortage of personnel in the main dining room and buffet area and again, the noise levels in both areas are enough to give you a headache. In the buffet area the tables are so close together that when they push the refreshment carts and cleaning cards through people are "in the way". And it was always hard to find a place to sit in the buffet area. Bussing seemed to require a passenger asking for it, so tables were often dirty and cluttered with used dishes.

I am sure that it is due to huge numbers of passengers but it seems that there are too many "specialists" when you require assistance ... basically the "it's not my job" syndrome so you feel that you are being shuffled from one place to another too often. And, I am sure that it is because this ship is new but there were few ship personnel that actually knew where things were located and also we noticed that the staff just didn't have that RCCL smile and greeting we are used to, they all seemed harried and overwhelmed and, quite frankly, overworked (our cabin steward hadn't had a day off in 14 days counting our cruise).

Food and service in the main dining room was mediocre at best. We had My Time dining, called and made our reservations well in advance, were seated almost immediately and then basically ignored for quite some time. Wasy too much time elapsed between placing our drinjk orders and receiving our drinks which would finally show up after we were almost done with dinner and they were consistently warm and therefore not that tempting. We learned to get a drinjk at the bar before coming in to dinner and bring it with us. The food was not much better in quality and selection from the buffet area, water glasses were rarely refilled, requests our group for soda or additional bread and butter were left unfilled and when the food did come it was usually barely warm not hot and we were basically given the bum's rush to hurry up and eat so that others could have our table.

It is the conclusion of most of the people in our group that the wait staff just had far too many people to care for with too many tables. As for the quality of the food, it is hard to judge when it arrives cold. Several I also believe that, on a ship of this size (or any larger ship), the dining rooms are just not set up to handle people that come at different times. This type of "restaurant" atmosphere is more conducive to smaller ships.

Between midnight and 5 there is little in the way of food available unless you are willing to pay for room service. Room service menu is adequate and surprisingly quick.

Seating in the Aqua Theatre could be handled differently. No one is suppose to be allowed to "hold" seats but it is not enforced and it is a row of chairs with backs and then a row of benches alternating down to the pool with the first several rows from the pool being designated as "splash rows" ... people were holding seats for 10 - 12 or more people and we could not, (even arriving 25 minutes early) get a decent seat and when we mentioned to one of the "ushers" that people were holding seats he basically said too bad, so sad, you should have gotten here sooner ... NOT THE RIGHT ANSWER!!! But, the show was fantastic, we stood along the railing to watch it ... sore feet, happy eyes!

Another area that didn't seem adequately staffed was the casino. Rarely did we see anyone coming around offering drinks or bussing the area and again, paper and dirty ashtrays seemed the norm.

Also drink pricing was not consistent. An Absolute Martini cost one price in Boleros, $3 more at 150 and less at Izumi. Pricing should be consistent throughout the ship.

Suites and Balconies located off Central Park and the Aqua theatre: I can see how people in those interior balconies and suites feel it is too noisy and that they have no privacy ... it does not appear that the glass used is not reflective so that even during the day you can see right into each cabin ... so if you have to keep the curtains drawn why wouldn't you just pay for an interior????

Be Sure You LOCK in those prices!

2010-04-22T14:13:00.000-07:00

Well, you found it, the cruise you were looking for at a really good price (hopefully you called me) but you didn't put down that deposit. You just wanted to think about it for one more day.

So, you call back the next day only to find out that the pricing has changed and it will cost you more for the same cabin you were thinking about yesterday.

Cruise prices are on the way up. For a couple of years they have been extremely low, in some cases lower than they were right after 9/11 but the economy is improving and the prices are going up. There will be less cruise ships in Alaska this summer than there were last year and fewer for the summer of 2011, another reason for the upsurge in pricing for those itineraries.

Cruising is becoming even more of a desirable vacation than in the past. The advent of the new Super/Mega Ships such as the Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas and the NCL EPIC are causing a huge rise in the numbers of people choosing to cruise and the law of supply and demand is fully evident in the cruise market.

So, when you get that great price, make sure to put your deposit down ... if you don't you may find that the pricing has changed over night!

When to Get the Best Cruise Bargains

2010-04-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

When is a BARGAIN really a bargain?

We all do it; BARGAIN HUNT. We want to know that we got the best value for the money that we spent and we LOVE to brag to our friends and family that we found a great deal on whatever it was.

But, a bargain is only a bargain, only a great deal, when you truly do get what you were looking for and not a knocked off version of the product you wanted. It has happened to us all, we found what we thought was a good bargain but it turned out not to be the right thing, the right color, fit, style or size but we were motivated by the price and failed to really pay attention to the true value of the “bargain”.

This is true with everything we spend our money on and it is especially true of vacation expenditures. When we are looking to spend our vacation dollars we want the best value but we are constantly tempted by those websites and ads that tell us we can save 50% - 70% or even more and get the top of the line accommodations and treatment as the person who pays more.

In truth, with travel, you will usually find the best value with the aid of a qualified travel specialist. And, with cruises, travel specialists usually have access to specials that even the cruise lines won’t tell you about. They may have group pricing, block space or a special value added cruise that you won’t find through any other outlet. You should find a good travel specialist and continue to work with them. Loyalty to your agent will find you among the first people contacted when these specials arise and will get you on their e-mail and mailing list so that you are made aware before anyone else that there is a special group going to Australia/New Zealand or that that Egypt River Cruise is going to be offered at a 2 for One special for only three days.

Early savings

Last-minute specials may save you money on airfare, but cruise lines offer their best deals early. Most cruise lines open at what they feel will be the lowest price for that cruise, which will go up as the sail date nears and the ship fills. Many cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Azamara, Silversea, Crystal, and Costa, and many others offer early booking specials at reduced rates.

Financial savings isn't the only reason to book early. By booking early, guests can secure their optimal stateroom category, position, meal time, and shore excursions. If you have your heart set on staying on a certain deck or taking a specific tour, you will have more success tailoring your cruise to suit your needs if you book early. Wait until the last minute and the best rooms will be taken and the most popular shore activities sold out. Plus, by booking in advance, you'll have extra time to hunt for a great deal on your airfare to your departure port.
Selling out

How early is early? As cruising continues to rise in popularity, many sailings are selling out months in advance. Cruise lines begin selling cabins roughly 12 to 18 months before a cruise departs, and you'd do well to start thinking about your next cruise a year in advance as well. Popular cruises, such as Christmas and New Year's, Alaska, and summer Baltic sailings tend to sell out as early as six months or more in advance. For best availability, bookings should be made as soon as possible after the cruises are made available for sale.

So you should book your cruise six to 12 months or more in advance for the best prices and best availability on the most popular cruises. However, this advice is not a hard and fast rule.

The flip side

You'll certainly get the best value for your dollar by booking close to a year in advance, but low rates are not limited to early bookings. Cruises often release discounted prices for sailings that are not selling out quickly or that have extra space in certain cabin categories. Guarantee rates and other deals can come out at any time. For example, SilverSea offers Silver Sailing Savings on select itineraries, there is no predictable pattern as to when they may become available. You can find these savings through a travel agent or a cruise line's promotional e-mails or website.

However, you take a risk by booking discounted sailings, especially at the last minute. You may not be able to choose your cabin type or location and could very well end up in an undesirable cabin. In addition, popular shore excursions, dining times, and even spa appointments may have sold out by the time you're ready to book. Only you can decide if your great price also brings great value.

When to book

If you want a good price and the largest number of options, our advice is to book your cruise close to a year in advance. This may involve some habit changes on your part. Many travelers do not plan more than a few months ahead, but the effort will reap rewards when you can successfully book your ideal cruise at a budget-friendly rate. And my promise to you is tht if the price drops before your final payment is due, I will do my level best to get that lower price for you. Conversely, if you book in advance and the price goes up, you have the advantage of locking in that lower rate and having that great bargain that others may not have.

However, if your schedule does not permit an early booking, you may still be able to find good prices later on with special promotions. You'll need to be flexible with dates, destinations, and cabin types, but at least you'll have paid bargain prices.

So the best time to book depends on your priorities. Figure out if your cruise preferences outweigh your desire for rock-bottom prices, and you'll know whether you should book ASAP or can afford to wait around. In the end, as long as you pay a price with which you feel comfortable, you'll feel that you got a good deal on a cruise vacation.

Think You Don't Need a Travel Agent?

2010-04-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

I received an interesting call from a woman today who wanted to know if I could help her. She had booked directly with a cruise line, air, hotel, tour and purchased the cruise line insurance as well.

When she FINALLY received her air schedule it was apparent to her that there was no room for any delays and that she would be arriving at her point of departure less than 90 minutes prior to the sailing time for her transatlantic cruise. When she called the cruise line they wanted $150 per person to make the required changes.

This became an issue when her plane was held up in Charlotte and they were still sitting on the ground as the ship apparently was pulling away from the dock in Ft. Lauderdale. She had called the cruise line from the plane and said they were less than helpful (call back at 5P to see if they will hold the ship for you) and then suggesting that "she and her husband disembark their current flight, pay for tickets to Portugal, find a nice hotel and enjoy themselves for 6 days while waiting to catch up with the ship, oh, and by the way, here is the phone number for the insurance company, they will POSSIBLY reimburse you for the tickets to Portugal and the ensuing hotel bills."

Well, unfortunately, because I had not booked her cruise, flights or hotel, I cannot help her, although I did try to give her some "guidance". Had I been her agent there are several things that I could have done:

I would have checked her air schedule the moment it came to my desk and would have realized that the air schedule would not allow for the client to make it to the ship on time if there were any issues or delays and I would have been able to go to the cruise line and fight for a better schedule for them.
I would have made sure that she understood that, according to the cruise line contract, cruise ships are not required to wait for late arrivals, even if they have booked the flights. This is a common misconception and it is usually assumed that the ship will wait for you if you are late arriving via plane or shore excursion that was arranged by the cruise line.
I would have recommended that the client purchase 3rd party travel protection insurance because a 3rd party vendor works for the client and has a vested interest in helping them whereas the insurance sold by the cruise line is not nearly as comprehensive nor do they really work for the client
I would have made sure that this "trip delay" did not happen because I would have recommended my clients fly in a day before the ship left so that they had time in the event there were any delays.

As it stands now, this woman receive an e-mail from the cruise line stating that she had CANCELLED her trip by being a "No Show" and the likelihood of her receiving any compensation has been lessened because of this. I hope that she has kept the phone records of her calls and that she has documentation from the plane delay but chances are slim to none that she will be fully compensated for her cruise, air and hotel.

Think you don't need travel protection insurance? Think again!

2010-04-21T12:39:00.000-07:00

My fellow Cruise Specialist and good friend Amber Blecker posted this to her blog and I think it is worthy of reprinting.

I have had to personally use my travel protection plan for many reasons from having my luggage munched to breaking an elbow and an ankle but this is something that could happen to anyone no matter how well you plan your life and your trip:

The Accidental Medical Tourist

Some trips are just meant to be more memorable. And this one was. As I planned for Australia and New Zealand, I had it all figured out. A mixture of an amazing cruise on Crystal, land tours hitting spots I’d longed to see and which weren’t included in the cruise itinerary. Big adventure combined with total indulgence.

My article on a day of bungee jumping followed by an evening of complete pampering at one of Conde Nast’s top 10 spas in the world was already sketched out in my mind. Two days of wine touring in some of the best wine regions in the world. Maori culture. Snorkeling with whale sharks and dolphins. And penguins too! A heap of new knowledge with which to help my clients. Plus a visit with my best friend. Who wouldn’t be excited?I t didn’t work out that way.

Instead, I got a reminder about how things can change. And practice in dealing with some of the worst that can be thrown at a traveler. Coping my way through it all on my own. Where was my travel agent when I needed her? In all honesty, even with all the resources I had at my disposal, I can’t imagine going through everything without an agent on my side. Even if that agent had to be me.

I thought of and tried out a lot of potential titles for this article. When bad things happen to good travel agents? Nope, that’s a bit too conceited. Up in the air and down under? Cute, but not right. The Accidental Medical Tourist. Yes, that’s the one.

Medical tourism is a huge market and growing every year. I just didn’t expect to be included in those numbers. Not now. Not without coming home looking “rested” or at least nipped and tucked.

My long time readers and clients will know that I’m a huge proponent of travel insurance for a number of reasons many of which are due to personal experience. Heading down to South America a couple years ago, a flight got cancelled and I had to be put up for 24 hours and re-arrange the schedule. Before that, in China, I’d contracted pneumonia and bronchitis, ended up on IV antibiotics in Beijing and had to stay over several extra days until ready to fly. Along with other assorted personal travel glitches. Not to mention everything from noro incidents, hurricanes, missed port calls with cancelled excursions, and family emergencies which my clients have faced. Now I have yet another reason to help those on the fence about trip insurance realize it really is an important part of travel for everyone.

For years, I’ve talked with my clients facing long plane rides about strategies to make it safer and easier on them. Limit alcohol and caffeine. Drink lots of water. Move around as much as possible. Choose airlines with as much leg room as you can. Upgrades using points as the best use of all those accumulated miles in your account if you can. Purel everything. And so forth. I’ve personally flown the two longest non-stop flights in the world (Los Angeles to Singapore and Singapore to Newark)… four times. I think of a Transatlantic flight as only one good James Patterson novel in length. So you think I’d be fine on a routine flight from San Francisco to Sydney, especially with a lay-flat business class seat, right? Wrong. Long story very short, when I arrived in Sydney and deplaned, I couldn’t breathe. Had a hint of something not quite right on the plane, but it became painfully clear (pardon the pun) when I exited the plane and started walking to immigration. Was taken on a gurney by paramedics straight from the luggage hall in Sydney International to the closest hospital, exiting out through the back halls of customs with a personal customs officer as my escort. It was definitely one way to get around the sometimes onerous agricultural inspections in Australia. But I wouldn’t recommend it.

As you may have guessed, I had developed blood clots in my lungs on the flight. Both lungs. Probably caused by deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in my legs or pelvis, but no way to know for sure. Perhaps I didn’t move around enough (I was sleeping very soundly) or wasn’t fully hydrated. Could even be a genetic predisposition to which we were previously unaware. Maybe just one of those things we’ll never know. Regardless, there I was, in the hospital. Alone. In a foreign country where they speak a form of English. Thankfully. This all happened two days after the health care vote in the US. Let’s say treading the mine field of questions asked by the medical professionals who were responsible for my care that first day may have been one of the most difficult parts of the experience. Combine that with the hospital ward to which I was admitted which wasn’t sex-segregated and a young Indian “gentleman” who leered at me across the room from his hospital bed every time his mother left the room, and that first day was rather interesting.I had unintentionally become a medical tourist in a foreign hospital.

Most medical tourism these days is well planned, quite comfortable, and to save money over similar procedures in the US. Not me. I had to do things the hard way.So, being all alone as the solo traveler I usually am, who did I call when I first obtained my diagnosis and was admitted? Did I call family? My closest friend who happens to live in Australia? Of course not. I called my trip insurer. And then emailed them quite a lot while they coordinated my care, discharge, changes in plans and eventual evacuation back home when I was finally cleared to fly again. Oh do I love unlimited Blackberry international email! Not to mention Skype!I have to thank all the individuals who helped make this incident more bearable. The medical staff at both the public and private hospitals were fantastic. The ER physician in particular who wouldn’t give up without a clear diagnosis was amazing. The thoracic physician and his assistant whose descriptions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream almost made up for missing it at the Sydney Opera House. Jean-Philippe, the General Manager of the Sydney Harbour Marriott who, when he learned I had just been discharged from the hospital, brought me slippers and a gift of lovely bath toiletries so I’d feel more comfortable during my stay at his hotel. The wonderful doctor and nurses on Crystal Symphony who brightened my cruise every day at 5P when I’d visit. Roland, Josef and Bart made everything happen and be memorable in the incomparable Crystal way. Of course my new friends from the Avenue Saloon, Sushi Bar and Vintage Room who kept me laughing and sane throughout, and whom I now miss terribly. And Kristin, who though she was on the other side of the continent, listened every time I had an emotional break down and whom I know would have been at my side if I’d really needed her.But the good memories and experiences wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for my trip insurance. While yes there were times when I had to navigate the bureaucracy of it all, just like everyone, they still made it work all the while making sure to keep me safe and monitored. I wasn’t alone. They watched out for me.Of all the scenarios involving pulmonary emboli, I was extremely lucky. I know one of my 9 lives is gone forever. I’m thankful to be here. So for those who think they can travel without insurance, think again. This or other medical events can happen to anyone. At any time. On a 14 hour Transpacific flight in business class or a 2-hour hop on Southwest to Ft. Lauderdale. In the car driving to the port. Or to your favorite Aunt Betty at home when you’re on a cruise in St. Thomas. My primary insurance is picking up much of the medical costs, but the trip insurance is covering the tens of thousands of dollars in evacuation expenses to get me home, my considerable deductable, the housing in Sydney while I recuperated, the upgrade to a private hospital and other uncovered medical items, the cancelled flights, excursions and other plans, and the dozens of other miscellanea. I won’t be flying for awhile. But I’m home, recovering, and financially no worse for wear. I have memories which will last me a lifetime. Just very different ones from what was planned. Unlike William Hurt in “The Accidental Tourist” I embrace all the unknowns about travel. I’m always the enthusiastic traveler. As The Accidental Medical Tourist in my own life story, I found the joy in the situation and what unfolded. Not the trip I planned. But probably even more memorable in many ways. I was free to enjoy what could be achieved on this trip thanks to trip insurance. Be an explorer, but be covered.Yes, I did get a lot of new information about Australia and New Zealand. I know Sydney far better than I’d planned (which is a very good thing). I did get to most of the ports and tasted the wine (and chocolate!), even if it wasn’t as much as I’d hoped. I learned more about what my clients who are physically challenged face on a cruise and can now better guide them in these areas. Because I went at a slower pace in ports, I got to talk more with people even as I “did” less. So I ended up learning even more in unexpected places. A successful trip for any travel agent I’d have to say. And even a success for this adventurous traveler.I can’t wait to go back and do all those planned activities and experiences I missed. And I will. I can because I had trip insurance.Maybe now since I’ve already been a medical tourist, I should investigate the nip and tuck in Singapore next time I head out that way… Nah. Not quite yet at least. Ask me again in 10 years.