Royal Caribbean 2012 Oslo Norway

Oslo is the oldest of the Scandinavian capital cities with a varied collection of cultural attractions and natural wonders. Situated at the head of a 60-mile fjord on the southern coast, Oslo is beautifully framed by a vast expense of woods, moors and lakes. Today, Norway's capital is a blend of 19th and 20th-century architectural styles. Woodcarvings and colorful frescoes decorate the city's buildings, and the parks and public squares are resplendent with unique works of sculpture.

2012 – Summer Europe & Transatlantic Sailings 


 VISION of the SEAS®

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On April 16, 2012, the VISION of the SEAS® sets sail on a 13- Night Eastbound Transatlantic from Sao Paolo, Brazil to Lisbon, Portugal.  Following that cruise, a special 8-Night Repositioning voyage brings the ship to its Summer 2012 homeport in Oslo, Norway.  The season will end with several short cruises in the Baltic region.

5-Night Amsterdam & Brugges

Oslo, Norway • Cruising • Bruges (Zeebrugge), Belgium
Amsterdam, Netherlands • Cruising • Oslo, Norway

9-Night British Isles

Oslo, Norway • Cruising • Paris / Normandy (Le Havre), France
Cherbourg, France • Dublin, Ireland • Liverpool, England • Cruising
Edinburgh (S. Queensferry), Scotland • Cruising • Oslo, Norway

6-Night Norwegian Fjord

Oslo, Norway • Arhus, Denmark • Cruising
Bergen, Norway • Geiranger, Norway • Cruising • Oslo, Norway

7-Night Scandinavia Russia

Oslo, Norway • Cruising • Cruising
St. Petersburg, Russia • Tallinn, Estonia • Cruising
Copenhagen, Denmark • Oslo, Norway

5-Night Repositioning

Oslo, Norway • Copenhagen, Denmark
Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany • Cruising
Visby, Sweden • Stockholm, Sweden

4-Night Short – St. Petersburg

Stockholm, Sweden • Tallinn, Estonia
St. Petersburg, Russia • Cruising • Stockholm, Sweden

5- Night Short – St. Petersburg

Stockholm, Sweden • Helsinki, Finland
St. Petersburg, Russia • St. Petersburg, Russia
Cruising • Stockholm, Sweden

Princess Cruises 2013 Carnival in Rio

What a spectacle: The Vila Isabel samba school performs during the carnival parade
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, earlier today Read more

Rio de Janeiro

Carnival

Mardis Gras concludes tonight at midnight as Fat Tuesday draws to a close and the Christian season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.  The AP photo above captures Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.  It is the largest celebration in the world with over 800,000 tourists attending the extravaganza.

Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro

Christ, the Redeemer watches over Rio de Janeiro and is one of the seven wonders of the world.   One of the best ways to get there is via a cruise ship.

2012-2013 Cruise Season

Princess Cruises has announced a new 19-day Brazilian Adventure with overnight in Rio during Carnival, sailing from Ft. Lauderdale to  Buenos Aires for the 2012-2013 season.  

Itinerary:  Ft. Lauderdale, St. Thomas, Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, Trinidad, Fortaleza, 

Salvador, 2-day Rio de Janeiro Experience (includes 2 full days & overnight), Buenos Aires.  This cruise, on the Grand Princess, begins on January 26, 2013.  The itinerary will be among the voyages that will go on sale later this month.

South American cruises have a short season with limited availability, so you'll want to plan early if Carnival in Rio is on your bucket list.

New Star Princess 2011 Itineraries

Rio de Janeiro - Courtesy Princess Cruises

 Exotics 2010-2011

Princess Cruises announced some additional sailings for Star Princess.   The added sailings are in the Exotics and Caribbean markets.

New exciting itineraries to radiant South America

• 29-day Cape Horn & Brazilian Grand Adventure (February 23) sailing from Santiago, around the southernmost tip of South America to Ft. Lauderdale
• 15-day Brazilian Adventure (March 9) staying overnight in Rio de Janeiro before sailing to Ft. Lauderdale

Closer look at 29-day Brazilian Grand Adventure

Sail onboard Star Princess® for a 29-day adventure around the southernmost tip of stunning South America before traversing the sun-swept Caribbean en route to Ft. Lauderdale. From Buenos Aires, you’ll sail around historic Cape Horn before setting sail for points north, including Salvador and Recife in Brazil and the sunny splendors of Barbados and Antigua.

Time permitting, I'd suggest arriving in Buenos Aires early so you can explore the capital and largest city in Argentina.   We looked at this city in a past post: Where is Chris - Featured Destination Sept 09

Once the cruise adventure begins, you'll have the opportunity to sail where explorers have gone before - around the tip of Cape Horn and the Strait of Magellan.  Your voyage includes an overnight stay in Rio, ideal for experiencing the nightlife of one of the world’s most exciting cities. 

Departing Rio, your voyage begins the journey north towards Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.   This will be a cruise adventure you'll remember for many years to come. 

Additional voyages in the Caribbean

• 10-day Southern Caribbean Medley (March 24, April 13)
• 10-day Eastern Caribbean Voyager (April 3 & 23)

 Learn more about these and other Princess Cruises.

Vision of the Seas 2011 Mediterranean

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Vision of the Seas®

2011 MEDITERRANEAN DEPLOYMENT

14-Night Eastbound Transatlantic
Sao Paulo (Santos), Brazil • Rio De Janeiro, Brazil • Salvador De Bahia, Brazil • Tenerife, Canary Islands • Lanzarote, Canary Islands • Seville (Cadiz), Spain • Lisbon, Portugal

11-Night Lisbon to England
Lisbon, Portugal • La Coruña, Spain • Gijón, Spain • Bilbao, Spain • La Rochelle, France • Brest, France • St. Peter Port, Channel Isl • Paris/Normandy (Le Havre), France • Southampton, England

4-Night Amsterdam

Southampton, England • Amsterdam, Netherlands • Copenhagen, Denmark

5-Night Norwegian Fjords
Copenhagen, Denmark • Bergen, Norway • Geiranger, Norway • Copenhagen, Denmark

7-Night St. Petersburg & Baltics
Copenhagen, Denmark • Tallinn, Estonia • St. Petersburg, Russia • Helsinki, Finland • Stockholm, Sweden • Copenhagen, Denmark

3-Night Berlin

Copenhagen, Denmark • Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany • Oslo, Norway

5-Night Amsterdam & Brugges

Oslo, Norway • Brugges (Zeebrugge), Belgium • Amsterdam, Netherlands • Oslo, Norway

9-Night British Isles & Normandy

Oslo, Norway • Paris/ Normandy (Le Havre), France • Cherbourg, France • Dublin, Ireland • Liverpool, England • Edinburgh (S.Queensferry), Scotland • Oslo, Norway

7-Night St. Petersburg & Tallinn
Oslo, Norway • St. Petersburg, Russia • Helsinki, Finland • Copenhagen, Denmark • Oslo, Norway

7-Night St. Petersburg & Tallinn

Oslo, Norway • St. Petersburg, Russia • Tallinn, Estonia • Copenhagen, Denmark • Oslo, Norway

7-Night Oslo to Stockholm 

Oslo, Norway • Copenhagen, Denmark • Riga, Latvia • St. Petersburg, Russia • Helsinki, Finland • Stockholm, Sweden

Splendour of the Seas 2011 Mediterranean

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Splendour of the Seas®

2011 MEDITERRANEAN DEPLOYMENT

7-Night Western Europe
Lisbon, Portugal • Gibraltar, United Kingdom • Cartagena, Spain • Barcelona, Spain • Nice (Villefranche), France • Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy • Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

8-Night Greek Isles & Turkey 
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy • Athens (Piraeus), Greece • Santorini, Greece • Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey • Mykonos, Greece • Naples / Capri, Italy • Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

12-Night Mediterranean Holy Land
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy • Naples / Capri, Italy • Athens (Piraeus), Greece • Haifa, Israel • Jerusalem (Ashdod), Israel • Rhodes, Greece • Santorini, Greece • Katakolon, Greece • Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

12-Night Mediterranean Egypt
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy • Naples / Capri, Italy • Athens (Piraeus), Greece • Rhodes, Greece • Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey • Alexandria, Egypt • Sicily (Messina), Italy • Rome, Italy

7-Night Western Mediterranean
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy • Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy • Genoa, Italy • Provence (Toulon), France • Palma De Mallorca, Spain • Valencia, Spain • Barcelona, Spain

15-Night Westbound Transatlantic 
Barcelona, Spain • Seville (Cadiz), Spain • Lisbon, Portugal • Tenerife, Canary Islands • Salvador De Bahia, Brazil • Sao Paulo (Santos), Brazil

Holiday Thanksgiving Sailings - Europe

FlowRider®, RockWalls, Zip Lines and more - talk about stuffing!

What is the reason for the season? Togetherness. Start a new holiday tradition this year – a tradition of traveling with your loved ones onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise. You can expect the highest quality vacation at a great value – personalized Gold Anchor Service®, experience, innovative amenities, plus Royal Caribbean ships sail around the globe, so you can host your holidays in a new destination each year.

Europe Sailings

Splendour of the Seas® 10-Night Mediterranean
November 21, 2009
Venice, Italy • Dubrovnik, Croatia • Corfu, Greece • Cagliari (Sardinia), Italy • Malaga, Spain • Cadiz, Spain • Lisbon, Portugal

Vision of the Seas® 14-Night Transatlantic
November 19, 2009
Lisbon, Portugal • Funchal (Madeira), Portugal
Tenerife, Canary Islands • Recife, Brazil • Salvador De Bahia, Brazil • Rio De Janeiro, Brazil • Sao Paulo (Santos), Brazil

Voyager of the Seas® 7-Night Mediterranean
November 22, 2009
Barcelona, Spain • Naples, Capri, Italy • Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy • Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy • Villefranche (Nice), France • Provence (Marseilles), France • Barcelona, Spain

SAVE UP TO 35% OFF ORIGINAL PRICES ON SELECT HOLIDAY SAILINGS AS OUR GIFT TO YOU. THERE’S NO PRESENT LIKE THE PRESENT – SO RESERVE TODAY.

Additional Thanksgiving Cruises on Royal Caribbean:

Holiday Thanksgiving Sailings - Short Caribbean

Holiday Thanksgiving Sailings - Caribbean & Mexico

Holiday Thanksgiving Sailings - Europe

Christmas & New Years Cruises on Royal Caribbean

Holiday Christmas & New Years Sailings – Caribbean, Mexico & Europe

Holiday Christmas & New Years Sailings – Short Caribbean

Based on my past experience, holiday sailings book up fast. Don't be disappointed by waiting too long to book. Visit my website to request a quote, call me, or send me an email NOW !

Warning - You Could be Denied Boarding

The day you've been waiting for is finally here. You arrive at the Miami International Airport and meet

the Carnival Cruise Line representative who directs you to a waiting shuttle bus for the ride to the Port of Miami. The excitement builds; you are just minutes away from boarding the ship for a fabulous cruise to South America. At the door to the terminal, the guard checks your Carnival Fun Pass and photo identification and directs you to the check-in line. There aren't many people ahead of you, so this shouldn't take long you think. Finally, it's your turn. You present your paperwork and passport to the agent who begins checking you in. It won't be long now. 

The port agent is very jovial as he starts processing your embarkation. All of a sudden, his face becomes serious and he asks you to wait a minute. He goes over and talks to someone else and both of them return. The second agent, his supervisor, asks if you have a visa stamp for Brazil. You tell him no, that you didn't know you needed one and in fact, you weren't planning on disembarking the ship in Brazil so why do I need one. 

An eternity passes, and he says, "I'm sorry, without the Brazilian visa stamp in your passport, you are denied boarding". You plead with him, again saying that you don't plan to leave the ship. That doesn't matter he says, and explains that they are not allowed to board any passengers without the visa stamp. He says how sorry he is but there is nothing he can do. You ask if you can't purchase the visa when you get to Brazil and he tells you that is not possible. Walking away from the counter, you shake your head, you can't believe what just happened. This can't be possible. Unfortunately, this is not a dream; it did just happen to you and in fact several more passengers recently suffered the same fate at the Port of Miami.

Passengers Headed for South America Denied Boarding

That story has been in the trade press and prompted me to write this post. Hopefully, you are reading this before heading to Miami for a South America voyage and it's not too late for you.

Update: This could no longer happen for someone going to Brazil, but I've used Brazil for this story, because that was the circumstances around this recent incident (at the time of posting).

There are other countries that require a visa of passengers entering that country. Even if you do not plan to leave the ship when it arrives for a daylong stop in that country, you will not be permitted to board the ship if you have not obtained a visa for that country.

Don't let this happen to you

Next time you book a cruise, determine in advance whether you will need a particular visa for a country on the cruise ship’s itinerary. If one such country does require a visa, and does not honor a "group visa" issued by the cruise line (like St. Petersburg, Russia does), then be sure to obtain a visa for the visa-requiring country.

How do you know if one of the countries on your itinerary requires a visa? That's pretty simple to find out. Consult the Foreign Entry Requirementson the U.S. Department of State website. While you are on their website, also pay attention to the Latest Travel Alerts and Warnings.

The direct link for Brazil Information shows some other information which you also need to check. Besides providing the information about the visa requirements, there is information about potential vaccinations you may be required to obtain for entry. In particular, if you have traveled to certain countries within the last 90 days, you'll be required to get a Yellow Fever vaccination. For example, after visiting the Galapagos in Ecuador, I would have needed to get that vaccination to go to Brazil.

Traveler's Health Topics

You'll want to check Traveler's Health on the Centers for Disease Control website. Check for any warnings and also for information about health precautions and vaccinations. If vaccinations are required, discuss with your family doctor or a doctor that specializes in infectious diseases.

Obviously you'll not have to worry about water supply or food while on the cruise ship, but when you are in port, or if you extend your stay, you'll want to be aware of health safety. We had no problems in Quito before or after our cruise to Galapagos. We drank bottled water and not the tap water as was suggested. Following a few simple tips can make the difference between a good or bad cruise vacation.

Closing Thoughts

Ideally the cruise line and / or the travel agent that books your trip will supply you with information such as visa requirements and vaccinations. If they don't volunteer that information, you can ask them for advice, however the responsibility rests with you to check for yourself. Often information changes, and it is advisable to get the latest information directly from the country's website. I hope this warning prevents you from standing forlorn at an embarkation port, denied boarding because you didn't meet necessary requirements.