Merry Christmas 2014

Merry Christmas

Holidays are about families, and what better example of a happy family then the characters of Walt Disney's imagination.

One highlight for us this year was a day exploring the Museum of Science & Industry's "Christmas Around the World & Holiday Lights" exhibit along with the "Treasures of Disney".  

The holiday exhibit is an annual event at the museum while the Disney exhibit was a limited exhibit highlighting the life of Walt Disney.  

It All Started With a Mouse 

As the saying goes, Disney's success started with a mouse. Today Disney provides families with great value at the resorts and ships from coast to coast. We were fortunate to be able to sail on Disney Dream, one Disney's newest ships, during one of our recent national conferences.

There is something for everyone that loves Disney characters during a Disney land and sea vacation. Greet your favorite characters, get an autograph or a photo with them, have some Mickey Mouse pancakes or waffles for breakfast, zip around the ship on a raft in the Aqua Duct. Get welcomed aboard the ship by your cast of  Disney characters. Watch out for pirates during the Pirates in the Caribbean party.

Most importantly, spend some time together as a family enjoying all the entertainment that the Disney staff has in store for you from the time you arrive at the resort or board the ship.

We hope that your Christmas tree was filled with many special gifts this year.   Perhaps one of them contained a gift certificate for a cruise or resort stay at one of Disney parks or ships.

Even if you didn't have a Disney vacation wrapped up in a box under your tree, there's still plenty of opportunity for you to surprise your family in the New Year with a trip that they will remember for years to come.

Make some memories in 2015 with your family and friends.

Thank you for letting us be a part of your lives this holiday season and throughout the year.  We hope that you've enjoyed our gift of stories and photos from our cruise and land trips.

We would be happy to help you plan for your next vacation.

Happy Hanukkah 2014

Happy Hanukkah ! The Holiday Season has arrived. The eight-day Festival of Lights begins tonight December 16th at Sundown and continues through December 24th. At the heart of the festival is the nightly menorah (candelabrum) lighting: a single flame on the first night, two on the second evening, and so on till the eighth night of Chanukah, when all eight lights are kindled.   More info....

We love cruising around the holiday time because the ships are decorated for the season.  As you know the ship's crew is made up of many nationalities and faiths.  So too are the passengers that board the vessel for each cruise.  The cruise lines try to make the environment fitting for all regardless of their beliefs and also will accommodate special requests to help you celebrate.





Holiday time is a time for families. Regardless of the holiday that you celebrate, there is one common theme ... spending time together as a family to celebrate the holiday. As we walked along the decks of the ship and saw the decorations, we couldn't help but think about the ship's crew. For the most part, the crew will not be spending time with families this holiday season. They will be onboard providing service to passengers just like they do every day of the year.

Many of out troops have missed several holidays.   Unfortunately, not all military will be home for the holidays, so once again let us keep the troops and their families in our thoughts, that they remain safe and can one year safely return in time for the holidays.

Whether you are together for the holidays or separated by many miles, may this be a season filled with joy and happiness. Thank you to those that serve, both on the ships and in the military - our thoughts are with you and your families during this time. Happy Holidays to All.

Happy Thanksgiving 2014

Where is Chris?

HAPPY
THANKSGIVING

Allure of the Seas & Regal Princess in St. Maarten

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is here already. Where did 2014 go? As has become my tradition, I'd like to share with you some of the things that I'm thankful for and highlight some of my adventures this year.

I hope that you, your family, and friends have plenty to be thankful for this holiday season. I know that I have plenty of things to be thankful for, including my health, family, and friends and the ability to share my love of cruising with all of you. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to explore new worlds with family and friends again this year.

While this has been another tough economic year, it appears that the cruise industry has weathered the storm once again.

The value of cruising has never been stronger. Even in these tough times, more and more families have taken to the seas.  Indications are that the record discounts offered the past two years will be coming to an end.  In the meantime those discounts have made cruising an even better value, and consequently we have seen a surge in first-time cruisers.

Thankful for ... 
Sailing on Brand New Ships

Cruises Inc. and Cruise One held the 2014 National Conference on Regal Princess  which just started its inaugural season sailing to the Eastern Caribbean. Regal Princess met up with Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas in St. Maarten. The two ships side by side make an amazing photo. We've been fortunate to sail on both of these ships during their inaugural years.

This year I was privileged to be recognized among the "Best of the Best" awards at the conference. I was presented with the Cruises Inc. Best of Overall Marketing Award. What that means to you is that I'm constantly bringing the best values to my guests via the various marketing programs. Sometimes offers that cross my desk are short-lived, so it is best to subscribe to my eNewsletter and various social media sites.

We wonder what the Pilgrims, who came to the New World in Tall Ships, would think about the Allure of the Seas.  Their ships measured 110 feet, held 150 passengers at most, and took months to cross the Atlantic.  The Allure is more than 10 times that length (1182 feet), holds almost 8000 passengers and crew, and took just a couple weeks to cross the Atlantic.

Thank you for making our blog column a part of your lives in 2014.   I hope that the information we share helps you to dream about future cruises of your own. I'd be honored to help you plan those trips. I have the best job in the world - helping make dreams come true. For that, I'm truly thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving to All

Early Bird Gets the Worm

What We Learned 

at National Conference

Times are a Changing

One of the highlights of CruiseOne / Cruises Inc. 2014 National Conference, which was held onboard Regal Princess earlier this month, was the Cruise Line Panel Q&A.  Each year, we hold our conference on a different cruise ship but no matter what line it is on, the other CLIA member cruise lines participate.

This year was no different with, representatives of many lines including Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruises, Norwegian Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Holland America, to name just a few.   A subset of those lines participated in the moderated Q&A session which talked about the Cruise Industry, their business, and the outlook for next year.

Prices Are Rising 

As you might expect, the cruise lines want to sail full each sailing, so they need to monitor sales closely and adjust prices as needed.   In 2014 there was excess capacity in the Caribbean, with all the new ships, so that had pressure on pricing forcing some last minute discounting.  Cruise lines don't like to do so because it hurts their bottom line and also penalizes those that booked early.

Cruise lines are making adjustments in deployments for next year, and that over-capacity situation will not exist driving prices upwards.   Across the board the cruise lines indicated that their goal for 2015 was to have the best prices early in the sell cycle with higher prices resulting as the ships fill and demand continues.

Message to Consumers - Book Early for Best Deals

Sales for 2015 are off to a good start, so the cruise lines are confident that their strategy will work.  To be sure to keep sales on track, the lines are kicking off Wave Season early.  Normally it doesn't start until January, but many lines have already released Wave Season offers.  Wave Season is the first quarter of the year and typically has some of the best offers.   This is the time of year when people are locked inside their houses due to cold temps, so they really start to dream about getting away to somewhere warmer.
 
Of course, Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, so cruise lines have announced offers for that as well.  See our Facebook page for some highlights.

Location, Location, Location

Besides getting the best prices by booking early, there are other advantages as well.  What would you rather look at when you wake up - 4 walls or the ocean?  Would you like the smoothest ride or is a roller-coaster cruise satisfactory?

The most important thing to having an enjoyable cruise is your accommodations.  Contrary to popular thinking, you do spend a significant amount of your vacation in your cabin, so comfortable surroundings does increase your satisfaction level.    If you've ever looked at multiple cabin categories, you'll notice that location factors into the price you pay.    Mid-ship demands a higher price tag than all the way aft or all the forward, even on the same deck.  You will find the least motion mid-ship, so anyone that might not want to feel the "motion of the ocean" should definitely try to get one of these prime cabins.

Guess which cabins sell out first?   Mid-ship and higher decks - which often mean the balconies and suites  that are highly sought after.  

Delaying your booking means you get what's left.  You'll still have a great cabin and no doubt an enjoyable cruise, but perhaps it could have been even better if you were able to get your first choice in cabins.

How to Play the Game

Our goal is to help you find the right cruise for you and your guests.  With all the added capacity, there are also many choices.   It is becoming harder for the individual to sort through all the choices and offers to find the best value for your vacation dollars.   That's where we come in - that is our task and one that we really enjoy.   We love making dreams come true and hearing about your fantastic vacation afterwards.

Our website has links to all of our various social media outlets.   Most importantly is our eNewsletter which is sent out via email on average once a week.   During Wave Season, and times when there are an abundance of offers, it might be more frequent.  Some offers cross our desk and have a very short duration - so we suggest you let us know in advance about your plans so that we can watch for the best value.


We've included links here with a brief explanation of some of the resources we offer to our followers.   Please be sure to take advantage of all these opportunities, as that is the best way to stay informed.

 
If you haven’t signed up for our eSavers Newsletter yet, be sure to do so. This is just one of our communication vehicles to keep you informed about industry news and special offers for our loyal followers.




Be sure to visit our Facebook Fan Page and "Like Us" so that you can be in the inner circle of our Fans. You’ll have the opportunity to be the first to know about specials and other exclusive information, such as updates from cruise lines.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc for more ideas.

Each week we post images from our trips and participate in several travel chats on Twitter.

Take advantage of these resources to assist you in planning your dream vacations.  Of course, we are always available to answer any questions you might have about travel and the industry.

Natiional Conference 2014 in Review

Can You Find Me?

We've just returned from a very successful CruiseOne Cruises Inc. National Conference on board the new Regal Princess.  Our sailing was the inaugural North American sailing to the Eastern Caribbean.

This was our largest conference ever with more than 900 franchise owners, agents, and families attending.

Pre-Cruise (Ft. Lauderdale)

Water Taxi Tour

Shortly after arriving in Ft. Lauderdale, Saturday November 7th, we boarded a Water Taxi for a private tour of the yachts and mansions along the Ft. Lauderdale canal system.

Our guide provided background information about the properties and boats we saw along the way.   The tour is very informative and a good way to pass the time before your cruise.

Renaissance Hotel Ft. Lauderdale

Our pre-conference activities were based out of the Marriott Renaissance Hotel Cruise Port which was walking distance to the water taxi.

Following the water taxi tour, we had time to freshen up and then had a welcome cocktail party which was hosted by Crystal Cruises. 

Several of us went to dinner at Bimini Boatyard Bar & Grill which was just across from the hotel.   Despite having tables empty, we had to wait to be seated.   The food was fantastic, but we weren't crazy about the wait since we were hungry after traveling earlier that day.  

Our day had actually begun at 4:00 AM so we were really starting to drag.  Following dinner, we went back to our hotel room and went to bed.

We had prearranged transfers from the hotel to the pier, so after some breakfast, we boarded a shuttle to the port.

Welcome to Port Everglades

The town rolled out the red carpet for us with this sign at the entrance to Port Everglades cruise terminal.  As you can see, there is a lot of traffic entering the port.  Make sure you allow enough time when embarking from here.

It wasn't long after this photo was taken that we got our first glimpse of Regal Princess which would be our home for the next 7 nights.

We will update this article with links to additional stories and photos about our National Conference Cruise on board the beautiful Regal Princess.  Be sure to visit again or better you follow us here and our other social media sites to stay up to date on the latest cruise industry news and reviews.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc

Major Hurricane GONZALO Alters Cruises

Major Hurricane GONZALO

Gonzalo is now a Category Three major hurricane with additional strengthening expected over open waters of the Atlantic.  The hurricane is currently on course for Bermuda.  Interests there should monitor the approaching storm system.  Gonzalo grew to a Category Four and set sights on Bermuda.

Several cruise lines altered itineraries due to the hurricane.  In some cases, the port order was changed, in others an extra day at sea replaced a port of call, and in a few cases, Eastern Caribbean cruises became Western itineraries.   That is the beauty of cruising during hurricane season - the ship will move to avoid the storm instead of ruining your vacation with bad weather.

Weekend calls to Bermuda were cancelled and ships set sail on alternate itineraries.  Hurricane Gonzalo made landfall Friday (10/17) evening as a Category 2 hurricane with 110 mph winds along the south-central coast of Bermuda.

It was the second time in less than a week that a tropical cyclone had a direct hit on the island.  Bermuda was still cleaning up after Tropical Storm Fey hit on October 12th.  With debris laying around the island following Fey, there is an added level of hazard with Gonzalo hitting the island.

NHC issuing advisories on Hurricane GONZALO

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

Full coverage of this, and all tropical storms, can be found on our Hurricane Zone page.   There are RSS feeds from the National Hurricane Center posted there giving you up to the minute information.   For storms that impact cruises, we will bring you information on those details as well.  Please bookmark that page for further reference during the Hurricane Season which runs now through November 30th.

CATEGORY 4 Hurricane GONZALO	800 AM AST SAT OCT 18 2014 ...WEATHER IMPROVING IN BERMUDA AS GONZALO QUICKLY MOVES AWAY... ...FORECAST TO PASS NEAR THE COAST OF NEWFOUNDLAND TONIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY...
WIND:	NEAR 100 MPH...160 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS
WATCHES/ WARNINGS:	SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT... THE BERMUDA WEATHER SERVICE HAS DISCONTINUED THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR BERMUDA. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS EFFECT FOR... * ARNOLDS COVE TO CHAPELS COVE NEWFOUNDLAND
SHIP IMPACT:	Carnival Liberty at sea 10/14 (St. Thomas skipped) Carnival Breeze at sea 10/14 (La Romana, DR skipped) Carnival Conquest changed to Western Caribbean itinerary: Cozumel, Belize, Mahogany Bay (Honduras) and Costa Maya (Mexico) Disney Magic rearranged port order Norwegian Getaway ports changed to Falmouth & Cozumel Caribbean Princess changed ports to Ocho Rios,Grand Cayman,Cozumel Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas left San Juan early  Jewel of the Seas at sea 10/13 (skipped St. Maarten ) Allure of the Seas modified to visit Falmouth & Cozumel    Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Oceania have ships scheduled  to call at Bermuda this weekend and next week.   Explorer OTS (10/18) - Calling on Halifax & St. John. NB instead Norwegian Dawn - Calling on Nassau, Bahamas & Great Stirrup Cay Oceania Insignia - Departs 10/18 for Caribbean; Adds St. Maarten   We will monitor for any additional changes

     
Storm Archive       Graphics Archive

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA...IN THIS CASE WITHIN
THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...IN THIS CASE WITHIN 24 TO 36
HOURS.

Royal Caribbean said Jewel of the Seas did not call at St. Maarten on Oct. 13. The ship spent Monday at sea before returning to the scheduled itinerary, calling at Antigua on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

Explorer of the Seas departed San Juan at 9 p.m. on Oct. 13, instead of staying overnight.

Allure of the Seas is sailing a modified western Caribbean itinerary. The ship will now visit Falmouth, Jamaica on Oct. 15 and Cozumel on Oct. 17.

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND 

WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE TROPICAL STORM
WATCH AREA IN NEWFOUNDLAND BY LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY.

STORM SURGE...WATER LEVELS ON BERMUDA WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE TODAY.

SURF...LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY GONZALO ARE STILL AFFECTING
PORTIONS OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS...THE NORTHERN COASTS OF PUERTO RICO
AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC...PORTIONS OF THE BAHAMAS...PORTIONS OF
THE UNITED STATES EAST COAST...AND BERMUDA. SWELLS WILL SPREAD
NORTHWARD INTO PORTIONS OF ATLANTIC CANADA TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
THESE SWELLS WILL LIKELY CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING SURF AND RIP CURRENT
CONDITIONS. FOR MORE INFORMATION...PLEASE CONSULT PRODUCTS FROM YOUR
LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

Historical Notes:

130 PM AST SUN OCT 12 2014

...TROPICAL STORM GONZALO FORMS EAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS...
...TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS AND WATCHES ISSUED... 

TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS FOR
GUADELOUPE...DESIRADE...LES SAINTES...MARIE GALANTE...ST. MARTIN...
AND ST. BARTHELEMY...ST.MAARTIN...SABA...AND ST. EUSTATIUS...

BARBUDA...ANTIGUA...ANGUILLA...ST. KITTS...NEVIS...AND MONTSERRAT

TROPICAL STORM WATCHES FOR 

THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS...PUERTO RICO...VIEQUES...
CULEBRA...AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
 

500 PM AST SUN OCT 12 2014

...GONZALO STRENGTHENING EAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS...
...HURRICANE WATCH AND TROPICAL STORM WARNING ISSUED...

HURRICANE WATCH AND A TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR
PUERTO RICO...VIEQUES...CULEBRA...THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS...

AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

500 PM AST MON OCT 13 2014

...GONZALO BECOMES A HURRICANE WHILE MOVING THROUGH THE
NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS...
...ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING LIKELY... 

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
* ST. MAARTIN
* ST. MARTIN
* ANGUILLA

A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* PUERTO RICO
* VIEQUES AND CULEBRA
* U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* ST. BARTHELEMY
* SABA AND ST. EUSTATIUS
* BARBUDA
* ANTIGUA
* ST. KITTS AND NEVIS
* MONTSERRAT
* PUERTO RICO
* VIEQUES AND CULEBRA
* U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

1100 PM AST MON OCT 13 2014

...GONZALO CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN...
...EXPECTED TO PASS NORTHEAST OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OVERNIGHT... 

200 AM AST TUE OCT 14 2014

...HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT FINDS GONZALO STRONGER...
...EYE PASSING JUST NORTHEAST OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS...

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
* ANGUILLA

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* ST. MAARTEN
* ST. MARTIN
* ST. BARTHELEMY
* PUERTO RICO
* VIEQUES AND CULEBRA
* U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

1100 AM AST TUE OCT 14 2014

...GONZALO MOVING NORTHWESTWARD OVER THE OPEN ATLANTIC OCEAN....
...STRENGTHENING EXPECTED TO RESUME LATER TODAY... 

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

NONE

500 PM AST TUE OCT 14 2014

...GONZALO BECOMES A MAJOR HURRICANE OVER THE OPEN ATLANTIC...
...ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING EXPECTED...

800 PM AST FRI OCT 17 2014

...BERMUDA IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE LARGE EYE OF DANGEROUS
HURRICANE GONZALO...
...DAMAGING WINDS AND A LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE EXPECTED
AGAIN AFTER THE EYE PASSES... 

900 PM AST FRI OCT 17 2014

...900 PM POSITION UPDATE...
...LARGE EYE OF DANGEROUS HURRICANE GONZALO OVER BERMUDA... 

AT APPROXIMATELY 830 PM AST...0030 UTC...THE CENTER OF THE LARGE EYE
OF HURRICANE GONZALO MADE LANDFALL ALONG THE SOUTH-CENTRAL COAST OF
BERMUDA...BASED ON DATA FROM THE BERMUDA RADAR...ISLAND SURFACE
OBSERVATIONS...AND REPORTS FROM AN AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR LOCATED
IN DEVONSHIRE PARISH BERMUDA.

800 AM AST THU OCT 16 2014

...GONZALO MOVING NORTHWARD AS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE... 

Confused About What Cruise Line To Select

Stop Losing Sleep - Seek Advice of Specialist

STOP LOSING SLEEP! Seek the advice of a trusted cruise specialist to select a cruise line Every day we make choices.  Coke or Pepsi?  Coffee or Tea?  Chips or Fries?  The list goes on. Sometimes making these decisions introduces stress into our lives.  One of the benefits of taking a vacation is to get away from daily stress.  We'll guide you through the selection process.
Look Under the Covers to Narrow Selection
	You've seen their commercials; you've heard their slogans.   Even though you've never sailed before, I bet you can name these top selling cruise lines. In case you can't, they are Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean International, and Norwegian Cruise Line (top to bottom). Each cruise line has a different personality and appeals to different demographics.  In most cases, any of these three lines would be an excellent choice for your first cruise. However, you will definitely need to know differences to set proper expectations.
CLIA has 26 member cruise lines with over 260 ships  [Tweet this]
Determine What is Important to You
As a cruise specialist, the majority of my time is spent asking questions and listening to your responses.  Those answers in turn help to narrow the field of cruise sailings to a manageable short list.  Example:  If you don't want to go on a cruise where there are children, you probably won't want to book a cruise on Carnival during Spring Break. From there, factors outside our control may further narrow the selection (for example, a particular cabin type could be sold out). Homework Assignment:   Read about these three cruise lines - "All Cruise Lines" page.
Tell a friend about what you've learned and suggest that they read some of our articles as well Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc for more ideas.  Sign up for our eNewsletter to get updates.

Save the Dates National Cruise Vacation Week

October is National Cruise Vacation Month, and October 6-13, 2014 is  National Cruise Vacation Week - the World’s Largest Cruise Sale (NCVW) – an event that focuses on the pleasures of cruising. This is an annual event which has grown from a one day virtual sale ten years ago to a week-long event the past few years.

Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) has organized this event with it's member cruise lines and member agencies. This is your opportunity to learn more about cruising and the individual cruise lines as well as take advantage of several special offers that are valid for either one day or the entire month.

Continue to watch this column for more information about my participation in this annual event. We will have a web page devoted to NCVW which will point you to video links and provide information about the various cruise line offers.  Some of the offers have yet to be announced.  We will update the page with information as we get it.  You can also give us a call for the latest information or just to talk about how to plan your cruise.

There is no need to get dressed up to go to a meeting hall. Simply turn on your computer and participate in a virtual cruise night. You can participate any time during the month of October, but the early bird will get the worm so to speak.

Are you new to cruising?   Start by reading our Cruise Rookies page.  We'll be posting several more articles this month, but if you can't wait, we suggest you next visit our NCVW mini-site.  You can also search our Blog for past articles.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc for more ideas.  Sign up for our eNewsletter to get updates.

October 2014 is National Cruise Vacation Month

October is National Cruise Vacation Month

Explore the World of Cruise Vacationing
October 1 - 31, 2014
 

If you've ever thought about going on your first cruise, October is the time to begin that journey.

We're joining with member travel agencies from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) across the US and Canada to host the Virtual National Cruise Vacation Week (NCVW) which is an opportunity for travelers like you to learn more about one of the most popular vacations: cruising!

Cruising is all about you. You can find adventure, culture and education or, relax the day away. Dine on fine cuisine. Indulge at the spa. Reconnect with family. Share romantic moments. All this, in the destination of your choice, for a few days, a week or more, on a cruise that's right for you.


We have a special page with Cruise Line Videos for you to explore.   Just click the cruise line logo of your choice and watch their video.  We'll also be featuring articles about cruising all month long in addition to our normal blog posts, so be sure to come back often to explore.

There are special offers throughout the month. The highlight will be October 6-13, 2014 which is designated the National Cruise Vacation Week (NCVW). We will have a special page which lists the offers and other information.  Sign up for our eNewsletter to get updates.

Simply click on the cruise line of your choice 

and see what special deals they have to offer! 

Checkout our Facebook Page 

for more Cruising Tips and Offers

Patriot Day 2014

President Proclaims Patriot Day, Day of Remembrance  
By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107-89), the Congress has designated September 11 of each year as “Patriot Day,” and by Public Law 111-13, approved April 21, 2009, the Congress has requested the observance of September 11 as an annually recognized “National Day of Service and Remembrance”. President Obama officially proclaimed September 11, 2014, as Patriot Day.

In his remarks, the President said "America will never forget the September tragedy that shook our Nation's core 13 years ago.  On a day that began like so many others, a clear blue sky was pierced by billowing black smoke as a wave of grief crashed over us.  But in one of our darkest moments, we summoned strength and courage, and out of horrible devastation emerged the best of our humanity.  On this solemn anniversary, we pause in remembrance, in reflection, and once again in unity."

He continued, "On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 men, women, and children -- friends and neighbors, sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters -- were taken from us with a heartbreaking swiftness and cruelty.  As we come together once more to mourn their loss, we also recall how the worst terrorist attack in our history brought out the true character of the American people.”

View our WTC Memorial Album on Shutterfly

During our pre-conference stay in New York last year, we decided to revisit the site of the World Trade Center.  The site was quite different from the last time we were there.   Rebuilding of the towers was moving along nicely.  The 9/11 Memorial fountains had been completed.  Click on the link above to view the album.

Remembering 9/11/2001

Each year we recall where we were when learning about the terrorist attacks.   We were on the inaugural voyage of Norwegian Sun, thousands of miles from home in Paris, France.   Our tour bus was filled with our fellow passengers, the majority of whom lived in New York.  The transatlantic cruise, we were on, was originally scheduled to conclude in New York but ended in Boston instead.

What was to have been a celebration of our 25th Anniversary, quickly became a very unique experience as we observed the hospitality and caring from so many people across the globe as our journey home continued.

See our article from 2011, FDNY May We Never Forget, on the 10th anniversary, as we recalled our journey back to New York to visit the site of the World Trade Center attacks.  Should your cruise vacation plans include New York, we recommend spending some time at the WTC Memorial and other historic sites in the city.

Hawaii Bracing for Two Hurricanes

CPHC issuing advisories on ISELLE

Hurricane Iselle

 Hurricane Julio

Approaching Hawaii

Not one, but two Hurricanes are heading for the Hawaiian Islands.

Iselle still heading for the Big Island, maintaining hurricane intensity.  On the forecast track, the center of Iselle is expected to pass very near or over the Big Island Thursday night, and pass just south of the smaller islands Friday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 90 mph, 150 km/h, with higher gusts. Some weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, but Iselle is now expected to be a hurricane as it passes near or over the Big Island.

Update: Iselle was classified as a tropical storm 11 p.m. Thursday Hawaii Standard Time when its winds slowed to 70 mph, putting it below the minimum of 74 mph for a hurricane. The storm is weakening because of several factors, including wind shear chopping at the system and the Big Island's terrain above the water, said Chris Brenchley, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu.
 

NHC issuing advisories on Hurricane JULIO

HURRICANE JULIO
 

Early this morning, Julio strengthened to a Category 2 Hurricane.While there are no coastal watches and warnings currently in effect for this storm, interests in the Hawaiian Islands should monitor the progress of Julio.

Update: Hurricane Julio, a Category 3 storm, is about 1,000 miles behind Iselle in the Pacific.
Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph, 195 km/h, with higher gusts. Julio is a category three hurricane on the saffir-simpson hurricane wind scale. Gradual weakening is expected through Saturday. 

SURF...LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY HURRICANE JULIO ARE EXPECTED TO 
PRODUCE BUILDING SURF ALONG MOST NORTH AND EAST FACING SHORES OF THE 
MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS STARTING TONIGHT...AND CONTINUING INTO EARLY 
NEXT WEEK.

 

CRUISE SHIP IMPACT

Weather Alert for Pride of America Guests

Updated Wednesday, August 6, 2014 @ 1:30 pm ET
At Norwegian Cruise Line, the safety and security of our guests and crew is of the utmost importance. Therefore, the company is closely monitoring the paths of Hurricanes Iselle and Julio in the Pacific.

At this time, we anticipate embarkation for Pride of America’s August 9 sailing will take place as scheduled. Should there be any updates, they will be immediately posted on Norwegian's site.

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

Full coverage of this, and all tropical storms, can be found on our Hurricane Zone page.   There are RSS feeds from the National Hurricane Center posted there giving you up to the minute information.   For storms that impact cruises, we will bring you information on those details as well.  Please bookmark that page for further reference during the Hurricane Season which runs now through November 30th.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc for more ideas.

FEMA ‏@fema 

For #Iselle & #Julio updates, follow : @NWSHonolulu, @FEMARegion9, @HI_CivilDefense, @Oahu_DEM, @HawaiiRedCross

Meet Us at HPCRC Car Show 2014

Visit Our Booth
Hanover Park Car Show

Attention car enthusiasts - don't miss the Hanover Park Motorcycle & Car Show this weekend in Hanover Park, Illinois. This charitable event, which benefits children in the area, will have motorcycles and cars of all shapes and sizes as well as a vendor show.

Would you like to see some of the fastest cars in the world compete?

We'll have information at our booth about the 2015 Grand Prix voyages on Azamara Club Cruises.

Ask about Grand Prix Voyages

Monaco Grand Prix. Join us for the renowned Monaco Grand Prix, one of the world's most challenging Formula One races through the narrow streets of Monte-Carlo. The thrill of screaming engines and burning tires is matched by glamorous crowds and yachts, buzzing helicopters, and celebrities who know a good party when they see one.

Once again, Azamara Club Cruises is offering a 5 Night Grand Prix Voyage, which will be in Monaco on race day.  Whether you purchase Grand Prix tickets and watch the race, visit the Grand Casino, or other nearby attractions, your day in Monaco will certainly be one of the highlights of your cruise vacation.

Summer Celebration 2014 Recap

Streamwood Summer Celebration
A Success  

 We've just completed our ninth annual appearance at the Streamwood Summer Celebration's Business Expo sponsored by the Streamwood Chamber of Commerce.

The Summer Celebration runs the last weekend of July each year and is well attended.  The weather cooperated with a variety of temperatures but now rain.  Saturday was hot and humid, but that didn't prevent record crowds from attending the event. The fire department had their hose shooting water in the air for those that wanted to cool off.   They were closely monitoring the wind on Sunday, as gusts were as high as 35 MPH.

In addition to show-casing local businesses in the expo tent, there were plenty of activities for families. Local bands performed throughout the weekend, there was a parade on Saturday with over 100 entries this year, rides for the children and young at heart, bingo, face-painting, ice cream eating content for the children and lots more.  Many volunteers from the village make this a special event each and every year.

Lots of Interest in Land & Sea Vacations

We spoke to many couples, families, and individuals that were interested in getting away for a vacation.   As usual, we had a large supply of brochures, which we call "wish books" on hand.  One of the most popular brochures was the Royal Caribbean Quantum-class brochure which highlights this marvelous new cruise ship which will debut in the Fall. 

Unfortunately, I couldn't talk with everyone personally this year because I was splitting my time between my booth and the Streamwood Chamber of Commerce's booth.   As Vice President of the Chamber, I was kept busy getting the businesses setup on Friday, answering questions at our booth, making announcements, and  judging contests.  I'd like to thank my Executive Assistant, Donna Lenhardt, who was invaluable in getting the event setup and assisting me throughout the weekend. Also thank you to my husband Gary, who has as much knowledge about the various vacation options as I do, for manning my booth.

Special Promotion Continues

We had a special Norwegian Free for All Promotion with the 3rd to 8th passenger in the same cabin sailing for free on select sailings now through 2014.  We had other offers including an exclusive Shore Excursion $100 credit which expires on July 31st. For those looking for a Resort Getaway, see our current Resorts & Tours Specials.

To Our New Followers

We'd like to welcome new readers to our Blog, Facebook fan page, Twitter, Pinterest, and website, who stopped by to talk with us at the Summer Celebration.   I look forward to talking to you more in the future to help plan a great cruise or land vacation for you and your traveling companions. We've included links here with a brief explanation of some of the resources we offer to our followers.   Please be sure to take advantage of all these opportunities, as that is the best way to stay informed.

 
If you haven’t signed up for our eSavers Newsletter yet, be sure to do so. This is just one of our communication vehicles to keep you informed about industry news and special offers for our loyal followers.




Be sure to visit our Facebook Fan Page and "Like Us" so that you can be in the inner circle of our Fans. You’ll have the opportunity to be the first to know about specials and other exclusive information, such as updates from cruise lines.

We have several boards on Pinterest which might be of interest to you.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc for more ideas.

Each week we post images from our trips and participate in several travel chats on Twitter.

Take advantage of these resources to assist in you in planning your dream vacations.  Of course, we are always available to answer any questions you might have about travel and the industry.

Meet Us at Streamwood Summer Celebration

Meet us at the show

Once a year we participate in our local Chamber of Commerce hosted Summer Celebration.
This will be our 9th appearance at the show.  I am Chairman of the Chamber's Summer Celebration Committee once again and am excited to report that the Business Expo will be even  bigger than last year.  I will be splitting my time between the Chamber Booth and my personal one, and look forward to meeting many of our fans during the three day event.

For those in the area, it is your chance to meet us in person to discuss your vacation plans, pick up some brochures, and take advantage of our exclusive offers.   Here is one of those specials that we will be featuring during the event July 25th - 27th.  We also extend the offers to our readers - ask us for complete details.  (click the link above for times and location)

Bring the Entire Family - Learn More

Exclusive Offers This Weekend

Even if you aren't able to visit us at our booth, you can still take advantage of our special offers like this one from Celebrity Cruises.

You may be familiar with Celebrity's 123Go promotion where you select from the three amenities.  

Don't know which amenity to select?

You don't have to choose!

We are giving you All 3 Choices for a limited time only.   Click image for details.

We rarely write about our cruise and land offers in our column, but these were too good to pass up.  Don't miss out on these great deals! 

We hope to meet many of our local fans at the Summer Celebration.  This is one of the best parts of the business - being able to have 1-1 conversations in person to help plan your dream vacation.  So where do You want to go?

Click for Schedule of Events

Brochures

We get several calls for cruise ship and land vacation brochures.   In this day and age, the majority of the suppliers have cut down on printed materials and replaced them with online versions.

We stock brochures that are available from our suppliers on a regular basis and increase our stock in time for this annual event.   If you are in the area, this is a great opportunity for you to browse our "wish books".

Did you know that was how I convinced my husband to take an Alaska cruise?  He had said, "It's cold there.   We live where it's cold.  Why would I go on a vacation to somewhere that is cold?"   Well we've been back to Alaska several times since that initial look at an Alaska brochure.

What's on your wish list?   If we don't have a brochure, we'll be happy to do some research and provide you with all the details.

Come see us if you are in the area this weekend - or call us afterwards to discuss your wish list.

Arthur is First Tropical Storm in Atlantic 2014 Season

Hurricane ARTHUR
NHC issuing advisories on Hurricane ARTHUR and TS DOUGLAS
NHC News: Go “Inside the Eye” as we explain our new 5-day Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook making its debut July 1st: http://ow.ly/3mon61 

Looks like it's going to be an active 4th of July holiday weekend with three storms being tracked by the National Hurricane Center.  The 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season has finally had the first tropical depression form and increase to Tropical Storm Arthur.  The storm formed offshore the central Florida Atlantic coast.  It will continue northward along the coast and strengthen into a hurricane before continuing on to Canada.

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

Full coverage of this, and all tropical storms, can be found on our Hurricane Zone page.   There are RSS feeds from the National Hurricane Center posted there giving you up to the minute information.   For storms that impact cruises, we will bring you information on those details as well.  Please bookmark that page for further reference during the Hurricane Season which runs now through November 30th.

Tropical Storm ARTHUR	1100 AM EDT TUE JUL 01 2014 ...DEPRESSION BECOMES A TROPICAL STORM  OFFSHORE OF THE CENTRAL FLORIDA ATLANTIC COAST...
WIND:	NEAR 90 MPH...150 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
WATCHES/ WARNINGS:	A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR... * OCRACOKE INLET NORTH CAROLINA TO THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER * EASTERN ALBEMARLE SOUND A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR... * THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER TO CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VIRGINIA...INCLUDING THE MOUTH OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY * WESTERN ALBEMARLE SOUND * NANTUCKET * CAPE COD FROM PROVINCETOWN TO WOODS HOLE * DIGBY TO PORTERS LAKE NOVA SCOTIA A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR... * NEW BRUNSWICK FROM THE U. S./CANADA BORDER TO GRAND-ANSE * NOVA SCOTIA NORTH OF DIGBY...NORTH OF PORTERS LAKE...AND INCLUDING CAPE BRETON ISLAND * ALL OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND   INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN COASTAL PORTIONS OF NEW ENGLAND...NEW BRUNSWICK...AND NEWFOUNDLAND SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF ARTHUR.
SHIP IMPACT:	Carnival Splendor -- as it makes its way  up the East Coast of the US.  The Carnival cruise ship will call in at Bermuda  rather than St John tomorrow (July 5th).

     
Storm Archive       Graphics Archive

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...IN THIS CASE WITHIN 24 TO 36 HOURS. 

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE IN PORTIONS OF THE
WARNING AREAS IN NORTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA THIS MORNING. TROPICAL
STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE WARNING AREA IN NEW
ENGLAND BY TONIGHT.

STORM SURGE...THE COMBINATION OF A DANGEROUS STORM SURGE AND THE
TIDE WILL CAUSE NORMALLY DRY AREAS NEAR THE COAST TO BE FLOODED BY
RISING WATERS. THE WATER COULD REACH THE FOLLOWING HEIGHTS ABOVE
GROUND IF THE PEAK SURGE OCCURS AT THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE...

NORTH CAROLINA WITHIN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA...3 TO 5 FT
PAMLICO AND ALBEMARLE SOUNDS...2 TO 4 FT
EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA...1 TO 3 FT

COASTAL FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE ALONG CAPE COD.

THE HIGHEST WATER WILL OCCUR ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST IN AREAS OF
ONSHORE FLOW. THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DAMAGING
WAVES. SURGE-RELATED FLOODING DEPENDS ON THE RELATIVE TIMING OF THE
SURGE AND THE TIDAL CYCLE...AND CAN VARY GREATLY OVER SHORT
DISTANCES. FOR INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE SEE
PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE AND
THE NEW EXPERIMENTAL POTENTIAL STORM SURGE FLOODING MAP FOR MORE
DETAILS.

RAINFALL...RAINFALL WILL BE DIMINISHING OVER EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
THIS MORNING WITH STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES AND
ISOLATED MAXIMUM OF 8 INCHES POSSIBLE. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 2
INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA. RAINFALL
ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS RHODE
ISLAND...EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND COASTAL MAINE.

SURF...SWELLS GENERATED BY ARTHUR ARE AFFECTING AREAS ALONG THE
COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA...AND WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD ALONG THE
MID-ATLANTIC AND NORTHEAST COASTS OF THE UNITED STATES TODAY. THESE
SWELLS ARE EXPECTED TO CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING SURF AND RIP CURRENTS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE.

Historical Notes:

1100 AM EDT TUE JUL 01 2014

...DEPRESSION BECOMES A TROPICAL STORM OFFSHORE OF THE CENTRAL
FLORIDA ATLANTIC COAST... 

 500 AM EDT THU JUL 03 2014

...ARTHUR NOW A HURRICANE...
...EXPECTED TO MOVE NEAR THE NORTH CAROLINA OUTER BANKS TONIGHT...

800 PM EDT THU JUL 03 2014

...8 PM POSITION UPDATE...
...EYE OF ARTHUR PASSING SOUTHEAST OF WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA...

100 AM EDT FRI JUL 04 2014

...EYE OF ARTHUR MOVING OVER SOUTHERN PAMLICO SOUND...
...HURRICANE CONDITIONS SPREADING NORTHWARD ALONG THE OUTER BANKS...

900 AM EDT FRI JUL 04 2014

...ARTHUR BEGINS TO WEAKEN AS IT PULLS AWAY FROM NORTH CAROLINA...