Wednesday, August 19, 2009
What will they think of next!
Can you imagine being at sea zipling down the center of the ship or watching the watershow from your inside balcony or having a drink in the ice bar. Well you won't have to wait much longer. Royal Caribbean's new Oasis of the Seas and Norwegian Cruiseline's Epic will have more than you could image.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Review of MSC Orchestra
We cruised on MSC Orchestra on Jan. 10, 2009 for 7 nights. My first impressions were not that great, this was the first full sailing with passengers. The ship is very nice, no complaints about the ship at all. I also feel that inspite of the some of the bad things, we had a great cruise vacation. I also believe once a little time goes by, most of these problems will disappear.
The problems were with the crew, having found out that a brand new crew was just put on board, they moved the more experience crew to a different ship. It seemed like the crew did not know how to handle a ship of this size nor how to handle people in general and were a little rude. Here are just a few examples:
It seemed like the buffets stations were empty unless you went when it first opened. If you ask a question all you got was a shake of their head, since they didn't speak English and didn't understand was you were saying. They also didn't change the times of breakfast and lunch according to when you arrived and left ports. Many other cruiselines alter the times to make it more convenient. There was one day, when we got back from a shore excursion and went back to the boat to get some lunch (since we didn't have enough time to eat in port) and there was no food was to be found anywhere. We even asked. That's the first time that I've ever been on a cruise were there was no snacks available or any buffet open throughout the day.
When arriving at ports that required tendering (a smaller boat that takes you to the port if the boat is too big or not enough dock space) you had to obtain a tender ticket with a number on it. You had to wait for the number to be called to go down to the appropriate deck. Well instead of only have the announcement in one specific area of the ship, the announcements were heard everywhere so people were gathering around where they needed to get off making it over-crowded. Since there were so may people no one was checking to the tender numbers and everyone was just pushing to get on.
The main dining rooms were located mid-ship, where most have them either in the front or the back. I had second seating which was originally schedule to start at 8:15 nightly. The waiters and the asst waiters didn't quite have the system down yet so the first night we basically missed the show, which started at 10:00. After the first night, they moved up both first and second dinner time by half hour (7:45 for us) so that we would have enough time to make it to the show. Well that didn't work either. First seating still ran over therefore we didn't get into the dinning room until about 8 and we finished around 10:15 every night.
Thing did seem to get a little better as the week went on, but only time will tell.
The problems were with the crew, having found out that a brand new crew was just put on board, they moved the more experience crew to a different ship. It seemed like the crew did not know how to handle a ship of this size nor how to handle people in general and were a little rude. Here are just a few examples:
It seemed like the buffets stations were empty unless you went when it first opened. If you ask a question all you got was a shake of their head, since they didn't speak English and didn't understand was you were saying. They also didn't change the times of breakfast and lunch according to when you arrived and left ports. Many other cruiselines alter the times to make it more convenient. There was one day, when we got back from a shore excursion and went back to the boat to get some lunch (since we didn't have enough time to eat in port) and there was no food was to be found anywhere. We even asked. That's the first time that I've ever been on a cruise were there was no snacks available or any buffet open throughout the day.
When arriving at ports that required tendering (a smaller boat that takes you to the port if the boat is too big or not enough dock space) you had to obtain a tender ticket with a number on it. You had to wait for the number to be called to go down to the appropriate deck. Well instead of only have the announcement in one specific area of the ship, the announcements were heard everywhere so people were gathering around where they needed to get off making it over-crowded. Since there were so may people no one was checking to the tender numbers and everyone was just pushing to get on.
The main dining rooms were located mid-ship, where most have them either in the front or the back. I had second seating which was originally schedule to start at 8:15 nightly. The waiters and the asst waiters didn't quite have the system down yet so the first night we basically missed the show, which started at 10:00. After the first night, they moved up both first and second dinner time by half hour (7:45 for us) so that we would have enough time to make it to the show. Well that didn't work either. First seating still ran over therefore we didn't get into the dinning room until about 8 and we finished around 10:15 every night.
Thing did seem to get a little better as the week went on, but only time will tell.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
MSC Orchestra is almost here
MSC's newest ship, MSC Orchestra, starts its inaugural season on Jan. 2, 2009 for a 2 Night New Years Weekend Cruise. Departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and calls to Nassau,Bahamas, Fort Lauderdale,Florida .
I can't wait, we are sailing on it January 10, 2009, Western Carribean itinerary with calls to Key West,Florida, Cozumel,Mexico, Georgetown,Grand Cayman, Cayo Levantado (Samanà - D.R.), Fort Lauderdale,Florida. I will be sure to post my reviews of the ship and cruiseline.
Kids 17 & under sail free with paying adult.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
When is the best time to book a cruise?
When is the best time to book a cruise? That all depends on when you want to travel. If you are limited on when you can take a vacation because of school breaks or preset vacation dates, early is the best. I can't stress this enough. Well, how early is early? As soon as you know that you want to go on a cruise, contact your travel agent (hopefully you'll call me) to determine what's the best cruise for your needs and book it. You can book some cruises two years in advance! I recently booked a cruise for Sept. 2010 on the Oasis of the Seas. Historically, the ones that book early get the best cabin rates as well as the best selection of cabins. Don't worry if rates happen to go down, your travel agent can adjust your prices, as long as there is still is availibilty on the exact cruise.
If your thinking of going to Alaska, now is the time to start planning your cruise.
Monday, October 6, 2008
The dates for next years cruise with Nickelodeon are listed below.
Nickelodeon and Royal Caribbean have announce plans to do TWO cruises next year!
July 26 - August 2, 2009: 7-day cruise through the Mexican Riviera on the Mariner of the
Seas®
August 9-16, 2009: 7-day cruise through the Eastern Caribbean on the Freedom of the Seas®
Nickelodeon and Royal Caribbean have announce plans to do TWO cruises next year!
July 26 - August 2, 2009: 7-day cruise through the Mexican Riviera on the Mariner of the
Seas®
August 9-16, 2009: 7-day cruise through the Eastern Caribbean on the Freedom of the Seas®
NICKELODEON EXPANDS CRUISE PARTNERSHIP
WITH ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL
Two Brand‐New Nickelodeon Family Cruise Itineraries‐‐to the Mexican Rivera
and Eastern Caribbean‐‐Announced for Summer 2009
NEW YORK–August 21, 2008 – Nickelodeon and Royal Caribbean International announced plans to once again set sail together on two brand‐new, exotic cruise adventures in summer 2009. Based on the success of the first‐ever, sold out Nickelodeon Family Cruise with Royal Caribbean, the two companies are teaming up to offer families new cruises from each U.S. coast—one on Mariner of the Seas to the Western Mexican Rivera, and another on the Freedom of the Seas to the Eastern Caribbean. The announcement was made just after the completion of the first‐ever Nickelodeon Family Cruise with Royal Caribbean (August 10‐17).
“We are witnessing the coming of age of Nickelodeon families and seeing an emerging family dynamic of kids and parents wanting to spend a lot more time together,” said Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group. “Our goal is to be able to provide unique opportunities to bring families together and Nickelodeon is doing that by launching these new cruise offerings with Royal Caribbean.”
“Coming off the success of the first Nickelodeon cruise this past week, we’re thrilled to build upon our relationship with the announcement of two additional themed cruises,” said Adam Goldstein, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Royal Caribbean International constantly works to give our guest unparalleled vacation experiences which provide every family member with a very special and memorable cruise. Our partnership with Nickelodeon helps build upon this foundation.”
The 2009 Nickelodeon Family Cruises will depart from the East and West coasts: the first cruise will sail from Los Angeles, Calif. on July 26, 2009, on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas, the largest ship to be homeported on the West Coast, and will travel to the exotic Mexican Rivera (exact locations to be determined); the Eastern Caribbean itinerary will leave on August 9, 2009 from Port Canaveral, Fla., on the largest ship in the cruise industry –t he Freedom of the Seas‐‐and will sail to St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Royal Caribbean’s private island, CocoCay, Bahamas.
The Nickelodeon Family Cruise with Royal Caribbean brings families experiences that are unique to the cruise industry. Traveling to exotic destinations, the Nickelodeon Family Cruise is designed for families of all generations—kids, parents and grandparents. It brings together the entertainment expertise of Nickelodeon with the cruise specialists, Royal Caribbean. On‐board, Nickelodeon will provide families with such experiences as interactive games shows; meet‐and‐greets and performances by their favorite Nickelodeon stars; never‐before‐seen screenings and premieres of new, original Nick TV shows and movies; visits with favorite Nick characters including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Diego and Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender; and plenty of Nickelodeonʹs signature slime.
On the two new cruises, families will enjoy all of the luxurious accommodations that Royal Caribbean cruise liners offer. Mariner of the Seas offers guests revolutionary amenities, such as an on‐board ice‐skating rink, full‐size basketball court, inline skating track, the cruise line’ iconic rock‐climbing wall and the Royal Promenade, a boulevard of shops, restaurants, bars and lounges that runs nearly the length of the ship. Freedom of the Seas, the largest ship in the world, also offers a multitude of activities, including the FlowRider surf simulator, the H2O Zone water park, an ice skating rink, a nine‐hole mini‐golf course, 10‐route rock‐climbing wall, as well as the line’s other signature amenities.
Vacation packages for each Nickelodeon Family Cruise go on‐sale to the public beginning in mid‐September. Additionally, in 2009, a new sales program for travel agents will be implemented. Visit http://www.nickfamilycruise.com for more information and reservations.
WITH ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL
Two Brand‐New Nickelodeon Family Cruise Itineraries‐‐to the Mexican Rivera
and Eastern Caribbean‐‐Announced for Summer 2009
NEW YORK–August 21, 2008 – Nickelodeon and Royal Caribbean International announced plans to once again set sail together on two brand‐new, exotic cruise adventures in summer 2009. Based on the success of the first‐ever, sold out Nickelodeon Family Cruise with Royal Caribbean, the two companies are teaming up to offer families new cruises from each U.S. coast—one on Mariner of the Seas to the Western Mexican Rivera, and another on the Freedom of the Seas to the Eastern Caribbean. The announcement was made just after the completion of the first‐ever Nickelodeon Family Cruise with Royal Caribbean (August 10‐17).
“We are witnessing the coming of age of Nickelodeon families and seeing an emerging family dynamic of kids and parents wanting to spend a lot more time together,” said Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group. “Our goal is to be able to provide unique opportunities to bring families together and Nickelodeon is doing that by launching these new cruise offerings with Royal Caribbean.”
“Coming off the success of the first Nickelodeon cruise this past week, we’re thrilled to build upon our relationship with the announcement of two additional themed cruises,” said Adam Goldstein, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Royal Caribbean International constantly works to give our guest unparalleled vacation experiences which provide every family member with a very special and memorable cruise. Our partnership with Nickelodeon helps build upon this foundation.”
The 2009 Nickelodeon Family Cruises will depart from the East and West coasts: the first cruise will sail from Los Angeles, Calif. on July 26, 2009, on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas, the largest ship to be homeported on the West Coast, and will travel to the exotic Mexican Rivera (exact locations to be determined); the Eastern Caribbean itinerary will leave on August 9, 2009 from Port Canaveral, Fla., on the largest ship in the cruise industry –t he Freedom of the Seas‐‐and will sail to St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Royal Caribbean’s private island, CocoCay, Bahamas.
The Nickelodeon Family Cruise with Royal Caribbean brings families experiences that are unique to the cruise industry. Traveling to exotic destinations, the Nickelodeon Family Cruise is designed for families of all generations—kids, parents and grandparents. It brings together the entertainment expertise of Nickelodeon with the cruise specialists, Royal Caribbean. On‐board, Nickelodeon will provide families with such experiences as interactive games shows; meet‐and‐greets and performances by their favorite Nickelodeon stars; never‐before‐seen screenings and premieres of new, original Nick TV shows and movies; visits with favorite Nick characters including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Diego and Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender; and plenty of Nickelodeonʹs signature slime.
On the two new cruises, families will enjoy all of the luxurious accommodations that Royal Caribbean cruise liners offer. Mariner of the Seas offers guests revolutionary amenities, such as an on‐board ice‐skating rink, full‐size basketball court, inline skating track, the cruise line’ iconic rock‐climbing wall and the Royal Promenade, a boulevard of shops, restaurants, bars and lounges that runs nearly the length of the ship. Freedom of the Seas, the largest ship in the world, also offers a multitude of activities, including the FlowRider surf simulator, the H2O Zone water park, an ice skating rink, a nine‐hole mini‐golf course, 10‐route rock‐climbing wall, as well as the line’s other signature amenities.
Vacation packages for each Nickelodeon Family Cruise go on‐sale to the public beginning in mid‐September. Additionally, in 2009, a new sales program for travel agents will be implemented. Visit http://www.nickfamilycruise.com for more information and reservations.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Coming Soon Oct. 16, 2008 - World's Largest Cruise Night
The second World's Largest Cruise Night will be held on Thursay, October 16, 2008. This event is sponsered by Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).
Get ready to book your next cruise vacation. On this night only all the major cruiseline (Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL, Princess, etc.) will be offering specials (e.g., onboard credits, reduced deposits) if you book a cruise on Oct. 16.
Where can you book your next cruise? You can book on-line right here on the Cruise Finder on the right-hand sidebar, click here http://www.cruisetheeasyway.com/ to book on our website or you can call us at (800) 945-0383 to book or if you simply have questions.
Visit our CLIA webpage http://wlcn.cruising.org/CruiseTheEasyWay
Get ready to book your next cruise vacation. On this night only all the major cruiseline (Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL, Princess, etc.) will be offering specials (e.g., onboard credits, reduced deposits) if you book a cruise on Oct. 16.
Where can you book your next cruise? You can book on-line right here on the Cruise Finder on the right-hand sidebar, click here http://www.cruisetheeasyway.com/ to book on our website or you can call us at (800) 945-0383 to book or if you simply have questions.
Visit our CLIA webpage http://wlcn.cruising.org/CruiseTheEasyWay
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