Showing posts with label Greek Isles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Greek Isles. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

More Royal Deployments

Jewel OTS
Jewel of the Seas Departures

We attended the 51st weekly update from Royal Caribbean today and there were more deployment announcements in addition to an update from CLIA regarding ongoing efforts to work with CDC to resume sailing (more on that in a separate post).

As of today, Royal Caribbean's  Summer / Fall 2021 Jewel of the Seas deployment from Cyprus, Greece is available for booking.   They have worked closely with the Greek government and health authorities to establish the necessary health and safety protocols to begin sailings.  As with other cruises which have already been announced, the initial sailings will operate at a reduced capacity.  


Los Angeles Sailings

Probably the biggest news among recent deployment announcements was the return to the West Coast this Winter with sailings from Los Angeles on Navigator of the Seas.   These will be open for booking as early as next week, after some final arrangements have been made.  See the statements from Royal Caribbean below for more details about the impact of this reposition of Navigator of the Seas.


Navigator of the Seas
Navigator of the Seas Departures

Navigator of the Seas to Homeport in Los Angeles this Winter

 

Statement

After announcing our return to the west coast from Los Angeles, California, with Navigator of the Seas, we originally shared that cruises would open for sale as of March 31st, 2021; however, an opportunity presented itself to bring Navigator to Los Angeles even sooner! We’re thrilled to announce Navigator of the Seas will now be sailing from Los Angeles, California this winter – beginning November 2021.

 

What You Need to Know

  • Ship: Navigator of the Seas
  • New Homeport: Los Angeles, California 
  • Season: Year-round beginning November 2021
  • Booking Eligibility: Open to all markets | No limitations
  • Open for Sale: Week of April 12, 2021 (subject to change)

 

Navigator of the Seas Cancels Short Caribbean Sailings

 

Statement

As a result of this new opportunity, we’ve made the decision to cancel Navigator’s short Caribbean sailings. The compensation options for the various sailing windows are included below for your reference. No action is needed on your end, as email notifications will be circulated to all affected guests and associated travel agencies today.  

What’s The Offer

Compensation for impacted guests:

  • Oct 15, 2021 – Nov 1, 2021 – Cancelled and 125% FCC or request for refund
  • Nov 5, 2021 – April 29, 2022 – FIT business will be automatically transferred directly to Freedom of the Seas on or before April 23, 2021
    • Groups will likely take longer to transfer most likely by early May
    • Sail date remains unchanged – embark port changes from FLL to MIA
    • Itinerary ports of call remain unchanged
    • Price protection or repriced to prevailing if rate is lower
  • Dec 6, 2021 and Dec 10, 2021 – Cancelled and 125% FCC or request for refund
    • Alternate sailing on Freedom does not exist
  • NOTE: Deadline to request a refund is April 20, 2021

Note:  We've added links for both these ships itineraries, but they may not be updated in our system as of yet.  Please call or email if interested in these itineraries.   Initial sailings will be capacity controlled, so don't wait to book.



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Thursday, March 29, 2012

Celebrity Cruises Sisters Meet in Europe for 2013 Season


Where Europe vacation dreams
become a reality.
2013 Europe Deployment

Celebrity SilhouetteSM

Celebrity Silhouette – honored with a Gold award for "Best Premium Ship" in Travel Weekly's annual Magellan Awards, and the first to enhance Celebrity's industry-first Lawn Club with The Lawn Club Grill, The Porch, The Alcoves and the Art Studio – will offer a blend of 10- to 13-night roundtrip sailings from romantic Venice, as well as voyages to and from Venice and/or Rome. With one to two days at sea on each sailing, the itineraries were expressly designed to offer a destination-rich vacation, including towns along the Adriatic coast, as well as multiple locations in Greece and Turkey.

DESCRIPTION SAIL DATE(S) 2013 ITINERARY
15-Night
Transatlantic Cruise
Apr 14 Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Cococay, Bahamas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Phillipsburg, St. Maarten; Madeira (Funchal), Portugal; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

12-Night Eastern
Mediterranean &
Greek Isles Cruise
Apr 29; Jun 03; Aug 12; Sep 26
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Valletta, Malta; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Mykonos, Greece; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Rhodes, Greece; Santorini, Greece; Chania (Souda), Crete, Greece; Venice, Italy (overnight)
11-Night Italy &
Croatia Cruis
May 11; Jun 15 Venice, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Catania, Sicily, Italy; Valletta, Malta; Kotor, Montenegro; Split, Croatia; Venice, Italy (overnight)

12-Night
Adriatic Cruise
Jul 31 Venice, Italy (overnight); Koper, Slovenia; Ravenna, Italy; Split, Croatia; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Kotor, Montenegro; Bari, Italy; Valletta, Malta; Catania, Sicily, Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
13-Night
Adriatic Cruise
Jun 26 Venice, Italy (overnight); Koper, Slovenia; Ravenna, Italy; Split, Croatia; Kotor, Montenegro; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Bari, Italy; Corfu, Greece; Valletta, Malta; Catania, Sicily, Italy; Naples (Salerno), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

10-Night Eastern
Mediterranean &
Greek Isles Cruise
Jul 09
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Valletta, Malta; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Mykonos, Greece; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Santorini, Greece; Venice, Italy (overnight)
12-Night Italy &
Croatia Cruise
Jul 19 Venice, Italy; Ravenna, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Rome
(Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Catania, Sicily, Italy; Valletta, Malta; Kotor, Montenegro; Split, Croatia; Venice, Italy

12-Night Eastern
Mediterranean &
Greek Isles Cruise
Sep 03 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Valletta, Malta; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Mykonos, Greece; Santorini, Greece; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Rhodes, Greece; Chania (Souda), Crete, Greece; Venice, Italy (overnight)
11-Night
Adriatic Cruise
Sep 15 Venice, Italy (overnight), Koper, Slovenia; Ravenna, Italy; Split, Croatia; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Kotor, Montenegro; Valletta, Malta; Catania, Sicily, Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

11-Night
Adriatic Cruise
Oct 08 Venice, Italy (overnight), Koper, Slovenia; Ravenna, Italy; Split, Croatia; Kotor, Montenegro; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Valletta, Malta; Catania, Sicily, Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
12-Night Eastern
Mediterranean &
Greek Isles Cruise
Oct 19 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Valletta, Malta; Mykonos, Greece; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Rhodes, Greece; Santorini, Greece; Chania (Souda), Crete, Greece; Venice, Italy (overnight)
13-Night
Adriatic Cruise
Oct 31 Venice, Italy (overnight); Koper, Slovenia; Ravenna, Italy; Split, Croatia; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Kotor, Montenegro; Bari, Italy; Corfu, Greece; Valletta, Malta; Catania, Sicily, Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
13-Night Italy &
Adriatic Cruise
Nov 18 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Corfu, Greece; Kotor, Montenegro; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Ravenna, Italy; Venice, Italy (overnight); Catania, Sicily, Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
14-Night
Transatlantic Cruise
Dec 01 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy;
Provence (Toulon), France; Barcelona, Spain; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Fort Lauderdale, Florida




Celebrity EquinoxSM

Celebrity Equinox – named "Best Overall" in the discerning Cruise Critic's Cruisers' Choice Awards (North America), and one of three Solstice Class ships to mesmerize guests with The Hot Glass Show offered in association with The Corning Museum of Glass – will present a full season of 12-night sailings roundtrip from Barcelona, Spain, with the majority of the cruises featuring visits to Florence (Livorno), Naples and Adriatic ports, in addition to an overnight stay in Venice. The ship's alternating itineraries include visits to Naples, Athens, Ephesus (Kusadasi), the Greek Isles and Valletta, Malta.


DESCRIPTION SAIL DATE(S) 2013 ITINERARY
15-Night Eastbound
Transatlantic Cruise
Apr 15 Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Nassau, Bahamas; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Lanzarote, Canary Islands; Lisbon, Portugal; Gibraltar, United Kingdom; Barcelona, Spain

12-Night Venice
Overnight Cruise
Apr 30; Oct 08, 20 Barcelona, Spain; Nice (Villefranche), France; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Kotor, Montenegro; Venice, Italy (overnight); Dubrovnik, Croatia; Barcelona, Spain

12-Night Venice
Overnight Cruise
May 17 Barcelona, Spain; Nice (Villefranche), France; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Venice, Italy (overnight); Kotor, Montenegro; Barcelona, Spain
12-Night Venice
Overnight Cruise
May 29 Barcelona, Spain; Nice (Villefranche), France; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Venice, Italy (overnight); Kotor, Montenegro; Naples/Capri, Italy; Barcelona, Spain
12-Night Italy &
Greek Isles Cruise
Jun 10; Jul 28; Sep 14 Barcelona, Spain; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Santorini, Greece; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Mykonos, Greece; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Valletta, Malta; Barcelona, Spain

12-Night Venice
Overnight Cruise
Jun 22
Barcelona, Spain; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Venice, Italy (overnight); Kotor, Montenegro; Naples (Salerno), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Nice (Villefranche), France; Barcelona, Spain
12-Night Venice
Overnight Cruise
Jul 4,  16; Sep 26
Barcelona, Spain; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Venice, Italy (overnight); Kotor, Montenegro; Naples/Capri, Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Nice (Villefranche), France; Barcelona, Spain

12-Night Venice
Overnight Cruise
Aug 09 Barcelona, Spain; Nice (Villefranche), France; Florence/Pisa
(Livorno), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Kotor, Montenegro; Venice, Italy (overnight); Dubrovnik, Croatia; Barcelona, Spain
12-Night Venice
Overnight Cruise
Aug 21 Barcelona, Spain; Nice (Villefranche), France; Florence/Pisa
(Livorno), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Dubrovnik, Crotia; Venice, Italy (overnight); Kotor, Montenegro; Barcelona, Spain
12-Night Venice
Overnight Cruise
Sep 02 Barcelona, Spain; Cannes, France; La Spezia, Italy; Rome
(Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Kotor, Montenegro;
Venice, Italy (overnight); Dubrovnik, Croatia; Barcelona, Spain
12-Night Italy &
Greek Isles Cruise
Nov 01 Barcelona, Spain; Valletta, Malta; Athens (Piraeus), Greece;
Mykonos, Greece; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Santorini, Greece; Naples/Capri, Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Barcelona, Spain
12-Night Venice
Overnight Cruise
Nov 13 Barcelona, Spain; Nice (Villefranche), France; La Spezia,
Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Kotor,
Montenegro; Venice, Italy (overnight); Dubrovnik, Croatia;
Barcelona, Spain
14-Night Westbound
Transatlantic Cruise
Nov 25 Barcelona, Spain; Cartagena, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Seville
(Cadiz), Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Fort Lauderdale, Florida


Sunday, February 12, 2012

Sailing Into Venice by Cruise Ship

A View Worth  Getting Up Early For
A View Worth 
Getting Up Early For

We have been cruising for about 30 years and have had many early arrivals into port.  Most of the time, we are still in bed as the ship pulls into the harbor.  If we have a balcony, we may go out on the veranda to get a glimpse as we arrive.  More often than not, we are already docked when we go out for our first look around.

The Captain or Cruise Directory usually says something about the next port the night before we arrive.  They usually describe the weather and call passengers attention to anything that stands out in their minds.  

Don't Miss Sail Into Venice ...

"We should be arriving in Venice around 7 AM and I encourage you to be up on deck to watch the sail in" said the captain.  "This is a view that you won't want to miss.  It will be one of your highlights of the entire cruise".  

7 AM, are you kidding me?  I'm on vacation and we don't get up that early.  (those were the thoughts going through our mind, however...) If the Captain is making this big a deal about it, then we should probably listen to him or we'll regret it later.  After all, we did get up on deck by 5 AM for sail into the Panama Canal and we haven't regretted that  to this day, many years later.

OK, we'll get up, but we aren't going alone.  Our traveling companions were going to be up there with us.  The four of us found a good vantage point out on deck and got ready for our arrival.

First Glimpse

First Glimpse Venice
The picture above was our very first image of Venice as we started sailing into the harbor.  The skies were still overcast from the evening as the sun hadn't started to rise yet.   Even the sun is still asleep, what are we doing up?  All we could see from our vantage point was a beacon.

And then it happened...   We started to see the cathedral spires and other buildings in the distance.  As we got closer, we could see bridges and canal passages that darted between buildings.   The harbor was full of life as boats of all sizes darted along side of us.   Some were carrying passengers while others had various supplies.   There was a fisherman who glanced up as we sailed past his small boat.

The captain has a pretty good view as we sailed in.  On Star Princess, the bridge has a glass enclosed platform, on each side of the ship, where the captain or other staff can get a birds-eye view of our surroundings.  We were seeing the same thing as he was, just a little later as the ship moved slowly along the lagoon.

Sailing Past Iconic Buildings
Sailing Past Iconic Buildings

Continuing our sail in along the Venetian Lagoon, we pass The Doge's Palace, a gothic palace which was the residence of the Doge of Venice, the supreme authority of the Republic of Venice.

Just beyond Doge's Palace is St. Mark's Square, perhaps the most well-known attraction in Venice.

The Captain was right - what a view from this perspective of all the sights of Venice.   This was only the beginning, as we hadn't even arrived at our docking place yet.  After breakfast, we'd set out to explore the city on water from two other vantage points - from the water, in a water taxi and later a gondola,  and on foot.

Venice Cruise Terminal
Venice Cruise Terminal

Two other ships had already arrived in Venice ahead of us - Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas and Seabourn Spirit.  We would sail past both ships before finally docking in our berth.


The journey along the Venetian Lagoon had taken about an hour.  Many lasting memories had been captured on film and in our minds during that time.  We are so grateful to the Captain who encouraged us not to miss this sail in.

We've painted an image in words here, but words alone don't do justice to this experience.   Check out our  Venice photo albums on Facebook, starting with our arrival:   Arriving in Venice by Cruise Ship

Come back again to read more about our time in Venice.   Search our blog for other pictures and stories about our Mediterranean & Greek Isles Cruise or see:  Diary of Cruise with Chris to Greek Isles.

Why not plan your own Venetian memories today?  We'd be glad to offer our advice and help you plan.


Med & Greek Isles Cruise Diary

Additional photos can be found on our Facebook Albums.




Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.





@ChrisPappinMCC


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Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

Where is Chris?
HAPPY
THANKSGIVING

Allure of the Seas
 
It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is here already. Where did 2011 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.

The photos above are from some of our cruises this year.  The highlight of the year was our Mediterranean and Greek Isles cruise on Star Princess.   We spent two nights in Rome before the cruise and one additional night after returning to Rome by train from Venice, Italy.  If you can't guess where I am in the picture above, I'm in Fira, Santorini, Greece.  Our ship can be seen in the background. Learn more about our cruise in our article: Diary of Cruise with Chris to Greek Isles
 
Cruises Inc. and Cruise One held the 2011 National Conference on Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas which just ended its inaugural season sailing to the Eastern and Western Caribbean on alternate weeks.  We have written several articles on the Allure and posted many photos on our Facebook Fan Page.


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 2011.   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

Monday, September 26, 2011

Adriatic Coastal Drive

Scenic Drive
Along Adriatic Coast
to Krka National Park


Our day in Split, Croatia, began with a tender ride from the Star Princess to the pier where our guide and a motorcoach awaited our arrival.  Our ultimate destination, Krka National Park & Waterfalls, was approximately two hours away from the pier.

If you haven't already read about our tour to Krka, see our blog post, Off the Beaten Path Krka National Park, and be sure to view our photo album on Facebook: KRKA National Park & Waterfalls.

Our journey onward from the pier went through the Croation countryside, which has a beauty all its own.  Special points of interest to look out for on this exceptional bus journey include the limestone plateaus and river canyons.The Adriatic coast attracts tourists from all over the world.

We invite you to sit back and enjoy a virtual trip from the pier in Split to Krka.

Which Side Has the Best View

Stepping aboard our tour bus, we wondered which side would offer the best view for this two hour journey.  Since the bus wasn't completely full, we were able to spread out, which meant we could have someone on both sides of the bus.  In fact, the entire back seat was empty, so that's where my husband camped out with his trusty digital SLR in hand.  We hope you enjoy seeing the Adriatic coast through our lenses.

Facebook Photo Album:     Adriatic Coastal Drive to Krka

Having just left the Greek Isles the day before, with white-washed buildings and blue-domed churches, the first thing that struck us was the red clay roof tiles on the houses.  It reminded us of houses on the west coast of the United States, perhaps those in California.

The next thing that captured our attention was the various shades of blue waters as we drove along the scenic winding roads by the Adriatic Sea.  Separating the houses from the sea were white sandy beaches that were, for the most part, untouched in this early morning light.   From our vantage point looking down from the winding road, both the sea and the white sand seemed to go on infinitely.

Picture Perfect ...

Boats of every size, from small row boats to yachts, were seen in the marinas and small inlets along the path to Krka.  Their white shapes provided contrast to the green landscape, crystal clear blue waters of many shades, and the red-roofed buildings.  Even the sky cooperated, having cleared up after an early morning gentle rain that had fallen before we arrived.

It wasn't long before we arrived at Krka National Park.   The two hour drive seemed to pass quickly, perhaps because it had been so scenic.  We hope you enjoyed your ride to Krka.  If you are still longing for more images, click the link above to view our Facebook album.   When we return to our visit to Croatia, we'll be at a hotel near Krka for our lunch stop.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Off the Beaten Path Krka National Park

Krka National Park  & Waterfalls Split, CroatiaKrka National Park  & Waterfalls Split, Croatia

Krka National Park 
& Waterfalls
Split, Croatia

Continuing our 12-Night Mediterranean & Greek Isles Cruise, our next port of call was Split, Croatia.  Here we ventured off the beaten path one more time to Krka National Park & Waterfalls.  Our day began with a big drive, almost two hours from boarding the bus at Split pier, onwards through the Croation countryside to the glorious national park.  We'll talk about the countryside in another post - this one will focus on the park itself.

Adriatic coastThe Adriatic coast attracts tourists from all over the world and you'll quickly see why as you enter Krka National Park, a breath-taking natural wonder. This vibrant area was declared a national park in 1985, one of seven in Croatia, and is named after the river that runs through all 35,000 acres. Krka River, with its seven magical waterfalls, travels two thirds of its way to the sea through canyons.


The Sounds of Nature

Close your eyes and listen intently to the sounds of nature that surround you...    One of the 222 species of birds sings out in the silence, searching for a mate.    The water rushing is getting more intense;  a waterfall must be just around the bend.  A gentle breeze ruffles the leaves.  You continue walking and silence returns, but only for an instant as once again you hear water rushing.

The park is a natural haven for over 400 species of animals, including Adriatic salmon, and thousands of different types of plant life but the true spectacle are the waterfalls.  Skradinski Buk, the part of the park we visited, features the largest and most dramatic waterfall in Krka National Park at 151 feet in height and approximately 1,312 feet wide.

Footpaths that meander above and below the falls offer the most dramatic and extensive views of this natural wonder. Swimming is allowed in some pools at certain times (your Guide will be able to advise you) so you may want to pack your swim gear and towel just in case you get the urge to jump in and cool down.

We leave you with a sampling of images...  


More can be found on our Facebook Fan Page in our album:



Med & Greek Isles Cruise Diary

Additional photos can be found on our Facebook Albums.




Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.





@ChrisPappinMCC


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Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers



Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat