Heading to the Last Frontier

Inside Passage Cruising

Round-trip Seattle 

 With the passing of the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act, cruise lines are announcing their return to Alaska this summer.   Normally, cruises would have already started in Alaska, but there was a major roadblock, which was lifted by the passing of this legislation.   Read More

Carnival Corporation

Carnival Corporation (Carnival, Holland America, and Princess Cruises) has announced 7-day Inside Passage voyages from Seattle beginning in July, 2021.

Carnival Cruise Line

click images to enlarge
Carnival Miracle Sailings

Carnival Miracle will sail weekly departures starting Tuesday July 27, 2021 through September 14. There are seven 7-day cruises featuring calls in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, as well as scenic cruising in Tracy Arm Fjord. The September 14 departure is an 8-day cruise with an additional stop in Icy Strait Point. 

The cruises will be open to guests who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before the cruise; proof of vaccination is required.

Holland America Line

 

Holland Nieuw Amsterdam Sailings 

Holland America Line will resume operations to Alaska with seven-day itineraries aboard Nieuw Amsterdam, calling at Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Sitka and Ketchikan, with scenic cruising in Glacier Bay and Stephens Passage. The first cruise for the brand is scheduled to depart July 24, with 11 Saturday departures that will operate through Oct. 2.

The cruises will be open to guests who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before the cruise; proof of vaccination is required.

Princess Cruises

Majestic Princess will sail 7-day Inside Passage voyages which include ports of call in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan with scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park.  The ship will depart on Sundays starting July 25 - September 26.

In a briefing we attended yesterday from Princess Cruises, we learned that not all the protocols have been finalized.  Passengers will need to be fully vaccinated 14 days prior to sailing.  

According to Princess, passengers will be able to disembark the ship on Princess shore excursions or on their own.  They are waiting for CDC guidelines regarding masks and capacity limits, among other safety protocols which will need to be followed.   Princess Cruises will continue to update the trade, so it is best to work with a professional travel advisor so that you have the latest information.

Royal Caribbean Group

Royal Caribbean Group (Celebrity and Royal Caribbean) has announced 7-day Inside Passage voyages from Seattle beginning in July, 2021.

Royal Caribbean

Serenade & Ovation Sailings

Royal Caribbean® returns to Alaska with two fan favorites sailing from Seattle. Adventures on Serenade of the Seas® begin July 19, 2021 from her new homeport of Seattle, and the biggest ship in the region, Ovation of the Seas®, returns August 13, 2021. It’s time to take on the untamed thrills of the Last Frontier..

Plan your Alaska cruise with peace of mind knowing that all crew members and vacationers 16 years of age or older will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and everyone 12 or older after August 1, 2021  will receive a test prior to sailing. These measures are part of Royal Caribbean's commitment to the health and safety of every guest, crew member and community visited. The measures will be evaluated and updated as public health circumstances evolve. 

No matter which itinerary you choose, get ready for fjord flightseeing in Juneau, glacier gazing in Alaska’s Inside Passage, and peak seeking in Endicott Arm and Tracy Arm Fjord.

Celebrity Cruises 

 

Celebrity Summit Sailings

Starting on July 23, you’ll be able to discover the wild beauty of Alaska once again aboard the fully revolutionized Celebrity Summit. This 7-night cruise will set sail from Seattle and will visit stunning destinations including Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. 

During your journey, you’ll have the chance to get up close and personal with towering glaciers, watch whales as they breach the water, and admire the rugged landscapes of the Last Frontier from the comfort of this award-winning ship.

The same health and safety protocols will be implemented on Celebrity Summit.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Bliss Sailings

 Norwegian Bliss will sail Alaska itineraries out of Seattle starting August 7, 2021 through October 16, 2021. The itineraries include stops in Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Icy Strait Point. Each stop offers between 7 and 13 hours of port time. 

 Just like the other cruise lines, all adult guests will need to be fully vaccinated to be onboard.

Contact us to book your Alaska adventure today. 

There are many choices when it comes to sailing to Alaska this summer and next year. Alaska is often a once in a lifetime experience, so you want to get it right. As Alaska specialists, we can advise you on the cruise ship that is right for you and your guests. 

In addition, the health and safety protocols continue to evolve, and there is no need for you to concern yourself about understanding them - we will take care of that for you.

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Hope Floats in the Caribbean

Captain Kate McCue, first female captain of a major cruise line, is the skipper of Celebrity Edge, which is currently joined by several other ships in the "neighborhood" as she put it in her Instagram post. The captains from different ships and cruise lines joined together at 7:30 PM for a ship horn salute. Watch the video on IG. #HopeFloats

"On March 20th we started something special. With ships from different companies congregating in the same "neighborhood" it was a perfect opportunity to celebrate our solidarity."

We were fortunate to sail on Celebrity Edge last December, before the Coronavirus spread across the globe. Captain Kate is a bright example of the future. We wish her, all the captains, and crew calm seas. Stay healthy.   Our hearts are with you and your families as you are apart during these difficult times.

We look forward to re-booking our guests on cruise sailings once this health threat is over.

View this post on Instagram

On March 20th we started something special. With ships from different companies congregating in the same "neighborhood" it was a perfect opportunity to celebrate our solidarity. As a sign that we're all in this and we'll get through it together, we invite all ships, (currently with over 250,000 crew members onboard around the globe), to join in a horn salute at 7:30 every evening going forward. We sound our horns, to let our crew and the world know that while we are strong, safe, and healthy on board, we are thinking of those at home and hoping the same for them. Until our safe returns to our home ports, we wish them fair winds and following seas. You can follow the nightly salute at #HopeFloats . ⚓🔊💙🙏#wewillbeback #strongertogether @cliaglobal @celebritycruises @celebrityedge @royalcaribbean @azamaravoyages @meinschiffofficial @halcruises @carnival @princesscruises @msccruisesofficial @pocruises @norwegiancruiseline @maersk_official @cunardline @seabourncruise @aida_cruises @coscoshippinglinesnvrsk @cmacgm @ocean_network_express @hapaglloydag @hapaglloydcruises @evergreen_ships_official @hyundai_worldwide . 🚢Thanks to the following ships for helping to start the movement! #celebrityedge @celebrityreflection #navigatoroftheseas #symphonyoftheseas #harmonyoftheseas #oasisoftheseas #anthemoftheseas #marineroftheseas #zuiderdam #veendam #volendam #nieuwstatendam #nieuwamsterdam 🤜Thank you to our awesome Broadcast Team for this video: Bonnie, AJ, Maciej & @cruisedirectorsimon 🎬💙🎥 #lifeintheSeaSuite #seastheday #life #sea #cruise #sail #captain #beyondborders #wonderawaits #celebritycruises

A post shared by Captain Kate McCue (@captainkatemccue) on Mar 25, 2020 at 11:22am PDT

2016 in Review

As the year draws to a close, we'll take a look at some of the headlines from the past year.  2016 was a relatively quiet year in the news media, at least for the major cruise lines.  There were some bumps and incidents aboard ships, but nothing compared to some of the recent years.

The cruise lines added capacity, but at the same time explored new markets, like China, which helped to stabilize pricing, which was a goal for the industry.   Now more than ever it is important for passengers to plan ahead so that they can take advantage of lead-in pricing.   The lines have vowed not to do "fire sale" pricing close in to the sailing date.  

 "First New Cruise Ship

Learn More about ms Koningsdam (Click Image)

for 2016"

Honors went to Holland America Line as it took delivery of ms Koningsdam, on March 31, 2016, officially making it the first Pinnacle-Class ship in the fleet. The signing ceremony took place at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy. Following the signing, the Dutch flag was raised on the ship for the first time.

ms Koningsdam features a mix of time-tested Holland America favorites with some new features including the following.  The World Stage features a 270 degree LED screen surrounded by plenty of stadium style seating.  There's BLEND for the wine lovers where they can experience the art of wine-making. In the Culinary Arts Center, passengers can gather for cooking demonstrations, wine tasting and more throughout the voyage.

There are plenty of stateroom options to suit your needs.  Standard staterooms include USB ports, plenty of electrical outlets, inventive storage space and more.  Balcony cabins are double the depth of most major cruise lines providing plenty of space to enjoy on those sea days.

"Most Anticipated New Ship for 2016"

Carnival Corporation Granted U.S. Approval for Travel to Cuba (July, 2015)

World’s largest travel and leisure company granted U.S. licenses to operate direct U.S.-to-Cuba travel for the purpose of providing cultural exchange. Company intends for fathom, its new purpose-travel brand, to begin full-week sailings to Cuba, beginning in May 2016, in addition to fathom’s full-week sailings to the Dominican Republic.

Travel With a Purpose 

“We know there is strong demand from travelers who want to immerse themselves in Cuban culture, so this is a historic opportunity for us to enable more people to experience Cuban society. It is also an important opportunity for our new fathom brand to expand its positive influence in the world with this potential to add full-week immersion sailings to Cuba to its already planned full-week social-impact itineraries to the Dominican Republic beginning in the spring of 2016.” said Arnold Donald, President and CEO of Carnival Corporation.

Seven Days from Fathom Travel on Vimeo.

Introducing  Fathom™  Impact Travel 

Pioneered by Fathom™, impact travel is a whole new category of travel: it’s travel with purpose. It combines your love of cruising with your desire to make a difference. During every Fathom™ journey passengers become immersed in another culture, and work alongside its people to create enduring social impact.

With those words above, a new vision was revealed along with the birth of a new cruise line,
Carnival Corporation sailed into Havana the morning of May 2, 2016, completing the first leg of its historic inaugural voyage to Cuba that began on May 1, 2016, from Miami, the company said in a statement. It marked the first time in over 50 years that a U.S. cruise line has sailed from the U.S. to Cuba. It is also the first time in decades that Cuban-born individuals have been able to travel by sea to or from Cuba.

Introducing Carnival Vista

View Itineraries          Click to Learn More about Carnival Vista

Carnival Cruise Line introduced a new class of ships to their fleet with the introduction of Carnival Vista.  Carnival is known for their fun innovationa and the new Carnival Vista, which debuted in May is no exception. 

Vista features the cruise industry's first IMAX theater, which shows first-run movies, as well as recent hits and short films. Other wow-worthy features include a water tube slide that's more than 450 feet long (the longest for the line) and SkyRide, a suspended ride along an open-air track atop the ship.

The first cruise ship brewery also debuted on Vista at the ship's RedFrog Pub, where passengers can drink indoors or out, sipping on mass-market beers, craft-style beverages or one of three beers brewed right onboard. Carnival staples, including Guy's Burger Joint along with Pig & Anchor BBQ (in partnership with celebrity chef Guy Fieri) and the BlueIguana Cantina Mexican restaurant, are joined by a New England-inspired eatery, dubbed Seafood Shack.n open-air track atop the ship.

Our 2016 National Conference took place on Carnival Vista's December 2nd sailing from Miami.  We stopped in the Dominican Republic, Aruba, Curacao, and Turks & Caicos.   We'll feature the ship and ports in upcoming articles on our blog.

If you have specific questions about the ship, the itinerary, or cruising in general, we'd love to hear from you.

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

Industry Changes

Probably the biggest news is in response to passenger demand for improved communications at sea.   Carnival Corporation introduced new flat-fee offerings and improved bandwidth fleet-wide to meet passenger desires to stay connected to social media while at sea.   Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean were among other lines increasing speed and bandwidth.   These changes have been well received by passengers and will continue into the future as all lines upgrade their offerings.

As cruise prices stabilized, many lines have been looking to onboard expenditures as a means to increase revenue.   Items that had once been included, like room service, have started to see additional charges for example.   Some passengers aren't happy with the new trend to "nickle-and-dime" them and may look to cruise lines that have less optional charges.   Luxury lines are becoming an even better value since you know your cost of the entire trip up front.

It will be interesting to see how new players, such as Viking Oceans, impacts the industry as they grow their fleets.  They are bucking the tide to go big and instead opting for smaller ships and more emphasis on the destinations.  Of course, the river cruise industry is booming as the demand soars for this method of exploring the globe. Crystal is entering the market as well, with steel being cut for four river cruise ships during 2016.

Cruise Lines and Earth Day 2013

Earth Day 2013
 
What are the Cruise Lines Doing to Protect Our Environment?
What can YOU do?

Today is Earth Day.  For some it’s a day to reflect on the world around us and how it seems nature is hanging in the balance.  If we are honest with ourselves, we will realize that we are all a part of the problem.   Our livestyles have contributed to the state of the Earth and until recently, very little was being done about it.


How does cruising impact the Earth?

Each day thousands of passengers and crew take to the waves to visit remarkable places, ecosystems and species around the globe.   If you look at our city streets, you'll realize that we aren't always the neatest people.   Think about all the waste generated during a 7 day cruise.  It takes a lot of fuel to move these floating cities from port to port.  What impact do you think that has?   How about your favorite under the water past-time of visiting the ocean reefs of the world.  Do you thin the fish are happy to see you there?

Are these floating cities, we call cruise ships, eco-friendly?

Today we turn our focus to programs which have been put in place by many of the CLIA member cruise lines.  Here is a sample of what the major lines are doing in the name of protecting the earth.   Consult the websites of your favorite cruise line to see what they are doing.

Celebrity Cruises & Royal Caribbean

Happy Earth Day! Royal Caribbean is committed to environmental stewardship not just today, but every day. Find out how we help keep our oceans blue by running green with the help of Jamie Sweeting, Vice President for Environmental Stewardship and Global Chief Environmental Officer.

Royal Caribbean Is Celebrating Our Amazing Planet! Are You Celebrating Earth Day?

• We have a dedicated Environmental Officer on each of our ships to oversee our environmental stewardship policies and practices. 
•  We consume about 20 to 50 gallons less of fresh water per person per day on our ships, compared to the average person living in the United States
•  We are committed to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by one-third per person per day by 2015, from a 2005 baseline. In fact in 2010, these efforts translated into a 4.7-percent reduction in fuel consumption per average passenger cruise day over 2009 levels.  Our goal for 2011 is to reduce our fuel consumption by another 5.4 percent.
•  In 2010, we reduced the amount of waste landed ashore from our ships to just 1.15 pounds per person per day, a reduction of 19 percent from the previous year and 47 percent from 2007 levels. As a point of comparison, the average solid waste footprint per person in the United States is approximately 4.3 pounds per day.
• In 1996, we launched the Ocean Fund, which supports marine conservation organizations in safeguarding the health of the world’s oceans.  Since the fund’s establishment, we have contributed more than $11 million to 66 organizations around the world. 

Save the Waves® 
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Reduce the generation of waste material, reuse and recycle wherever possible, and properly dispose of remaining wastes.

The Ocean Fund

 In 1996, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (which operates Celebrity Cruises) established the Ocean Fund to support global marine conservation efforts. 

Outreach & Achievements

Keeping our oceans clean doesn't just make good business sense. It's critical to the future of our planet. And you don't have to look far to find examples of our efforts on our ships.

Environmental Initiatives

Carnival Corporation & PLC / Holland America 

In collaboration with the Marine Conservation Institute - a national and globally focused nonprofit organization based in Washington State dedicated to maintaining healthy, living oceans - Holland America Line will debut an in-stateroom video series onboard all its 15 cruise ships highlighting the importance of ocean conservation. 

The "Our Marvelous Oceans" videos can also be viewed at http://www.cleanpix.com/cleanpix/portal/WSBw-r2B-nb7 or at the Marine Conservation Institute website at www.marine-conservation.org. Find more information on Twitter, Facebook and on the blog Marine Conservation News.



Norwegian Cruise Line

Happy Earth Day! At Norwegian we are so passionate about preserving our oceans that we’ve made environmental protection one of our core company values. We’re leading the cruise industry with the innovative environmental policies and technologies we’ve implemented—from garbage, waste and recycling programs to preventing incidents involving pollution to reducing our operational impact on the environment—just to name a few. In 2011 alone we recycled: 345 Tons of cardboard, 576 tons of scrap metal, 2,035 tons of glass, 720 tons of aluminum and 476 tons of plastic!

Environmental Commitment & Protection of oceans & Shores | Norwegian Cruise Line | Norwegian Cruise Line

Cruises Impacted by Protests

Egyptian Sphinx - Courtesy Azamara Club Cruises

Middle East Protests

Impact Cruises

Once again cruises to Egypt and Tunisia are being rerouted to avoid any potential security risks to passengers, ships, and crew.

A wave of anti-American unrest swept through the Middle East on the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attack.  Uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia were sparked by the inflammatory anti-Muslim video, and there was further unrest Thursday outside the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, where protesters had scaled the walls Tuesday.

The fatal attack on the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and three other Americans has prompted the deployment of two warships to the area.

Cruise lines are closely monitoring the situation and two changes have already been announced. We will update this article with additional details as they become available.  Consult with the individual cruise lines if you are traveling to this region.

Latest Changes

Silversea has cancelled Silver Cloud's September 30 visit to Tunis, Tunisia, replacing it with a stop at Gozo Island in the Maltese archipelago.

Oceania's Marina will no longer visit Alexandria on October 3 or Part Said on October 4. Instead the ship will add Antalya, Turkey and spend an extra day in Ashdod, Israel on October 4. 


Azamara Club Cruises

Azamara Quest's scheduled stop in La Goulette (Carthage), Tunisia on October 31 wil be replaced with a full-day visit to Minorca in the Balearic Islands on November 1.

Royal Caribbean Important Announcements

Protests in Egypt September 20, 2012 Royal Caribbean International continues to closely monitor the situation in Egypt. At this time, Royal Caribbean has not changed the itinerary of any upcoming sailing that includes a port call to Egypt. We will continue to closely monitor the situation in Egypt and will contact guests or their travel agents should we make any modifications to upcoming itineraries. The safety and security, of our guests and crew members is always foremost in our minds.

Protests in Egypt
September 13, 2012

Royal Caribbean International is closely monitoring the protests currently taking place in Egypt.

In an abundance of caution, we have decided to cancel Mariner of the Seas’ next port call to Egypt. Mariner of the Seas, which departs Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, on Saturday, September 15, will no longer call on Alexandria, Egypt, on Tuesday, September 18. Instead, the ship will now call to Sicily (Messina), Italy, on Sunday, September 16, and Valletta, Malta, on Monday, September 17.

We will continue to closely monitor the situation in Egypt and will contact guests or their travel agents should we make additional modifications to upcoming itineraries.

Holland America Line

Holland America's Ryndam, which was scheduled to dock September 14 in La Goulette (Carthage), Tunisia, will visit Sardinia, Italy, instead. 

Cunard Line

Cunard's Queen Elizabeth will skip its scheduled September 15 call in Alexandria and replace it with a visit to Rhodes on September 16.

Celebrity Cruises

Protests in Egypt

September 20, 2012
Celebrity Cruises continues to closely monitor the protests currently taking place in Egypt. At this time, Celebrity Cruises has not cancelled any port calls to Egypt. We will continue to closely monitor the changing situation in Egypt and will contact guests or their travel agents should we make any modifications to upcoming itineraries.
September 13, 2012
Celebrity Cruises is closely monitoring the protests currently taking place in Egypt. At this time, Celebrity Cruises has not cancelled any port calls to Egypt. We will continue to closely monitor the changing situation in Egypt and will contact guests or their travel agents should we make any modifications to upcoming itineraries.

Travel Warnings & Alerts

U.S. State Department has not issued any Travel Warnings or Alerts, but the embassies in seven countries advised Americans to be vigilant. U.S. embassies in Armenia, Burundi, Kuwait, Sudan, Tunisia, Zambia and Egypt, posted the notices but don't report any specific threat.

Useful Links:

U.S. Department of State - International Travel

Tips for Traveling Abroad 

Travel Warnings, Country Specific Information & Travel Alerts

When traveling in a foreign country, it is wise to know about the location of U.S. Embassies

U.S. Embassies (Websites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions)
State Department's travel registration website - register travel  with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate

State Department’s Country Specific Information 

Cruise Lines and Earth Day 2012

Earth Day 2012

Are these floating cities, we call cruise ships, eco-friendly?

As we mark the 42nd Anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2012, we turn our focus to the cruise industry.  Each day, thousands of passengers sail to destinations across the globe in these vessels which  have the potential of conserving or wasting our national resources.   A lot depends on the efforts of the cruise lines and the cooperation of those that sail.

Today we turn our focus to programs which have been put in place by many of the CLIA member cruise lines.  Here is a sample of what the major lines are doing in the name of protecting the earth.   Consult the websites of your favorite cruise line to see what they are doing.

Celebrity Cruises & Royal Caribbean

Happy Earth Day! Royal Caribbean is committed to environmental stewardship not just today, but every day. Find out how we help keep our oceans blue by running green with the help of Jamie Sweeting, Vice President for Environmental Stewardship and Global Chief Environmental Officer.

Royal Caribbean Is Celebrating Our Amazing Planet! Are You Celebrating Earth Day?

Save the Waves® 
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Reduce the generation of waste material, reuse and recycle wherever possible, and properly dispose of remaining wastes.

The Ocean Fund

 In 1996, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (which operates Celebrity Cruises) established the Ocean Fund to support global marine conservation efforts. 

Outreach & Achievements

Keeping our oceans clean doesn't just make good business sense. It's critical to the future of our planet. And you don't have to look far to find examples of our efforts on our ships. 

Environmental Initiatives

Carnival Corporation & PLC / Holland America 

In collaboration with the Marine Conservation Institute - a national and globally focused nonprofit organization based in Washington State dedicated to maintaining healthy, living oceans - Holland America Line will debut an in-stateroom video series onboard all its 15 cruise ships highlighting the importance of ocean conservation. 

The "Our Marvelous Oceans" videos can also be viewed at http://www.cleanpix.com/cleanpix/portal/WSBw-r2B-nb7 or at the Marine Conservation Institute website at www.marine-conservation.org. Find more information on Twitter, Facebook and on the blog Marine Conservation News.



Norwegian Cruise Line

Happy Earth Day! At Norwegian we are so passionate about preserving our oceans that we’ve made environmental protection one of our core company values. We’re leading the cruise industry with the innovative environmental policies and technologies we’ve implemented—from garbage, waste and recycling programs to preventing incidents involving pollution to reducing our operational impact on the environment—just to name a few. In 2011 alone we recycled: 345 Tons of cardboard, 576 tons of scrap metal, 2,035 tons of glass, 720 tons of aluminum and 476 tons of plastic!

Environmental Commitment & Protection of oceans & Shores | Norwegian Cruise Line | Norwegian Cruise Line

Carnival Corp. New Smoking Policy

Star Princess - Cigars Under the Stars

Carnival, Princess, and Holland America

Introduce New Smoking Policy

Carnival Cruise Line Policy - Effective June 15th:

• Cigarette Smoking in public venues restricted to Carnival's dance clubs and designated areas within the casino and casino bar
• Smoking (including cigars) permitted in designated exterior open decks (starboard side)
• Smoking allowed in jazz clubs:     

Carnival Destiny, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Victory, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Pride, Carnival Legend, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom, and Carnival Splendor.

Carnival Cruise Line Policy - Effective December 1st:

• Smoking will be prohibited in all guest staterooms. 
• Smoking (including cigars) permitted outside - balcony cabins
• Spa staterooms remain smoke-free, including on the balconies:

Carnival Splendor, Carnival Dream and Carnival Magic

Holland America Line Policy - Effective January 15th:

• Smoking will be prohibited in all guest staterooms. 
• Smoking (including cigars) permitted outside - balcony cabins
• Smoking permitted in designated areas inside and on outside decks

Princess Cruises Policy - Effective January 15th:

• Smoking prohibited in all guest staterooms
• Smoking prohibited on balconies
• Smoking will continue to be allowed in the Churchill's cigar lounge, a section of the disco and casino and a portion of the open decks.

 In announcing the changes to smoking policies, Carnival Corporation, parent company of all three cruise lines, indicated that recent surveys indicated that only a small percentage of guests smoke.  Failure to comply with these rules could result in a $250 cleaning fee being added to your ship account.

 We just came back from our cruise on Star Princess to the Mediterranean.   It was interesting to see that on a couple nights, the casino was designated as smoke-free.   Also, in the picture above, special seating was available for cigar smokers the night of the deck party.


With the risk of fire on a ship, it makes sense to periodically review the current policies and make modifications.   For those that smoke, you'll still be able to do so in designated areas, while keeping the comfort and safety of others in mind.  

Apply Your Tax Refund To a Cruise

Have you had visions of Caribbean beaches and cruise ships in your dreams?  I'm sure that I'm not the only one that does...  

Are you are getting a tax refund?  Help the economy grow - spend some of your tax refund on yourself - on a cruise vacation.  If you've not been on a cruise before, now is the best time.

If you are like most Americans, when the economy took a turn for the worse a couple years ago, your vacation plans went out the window.   Consequently cruise prices have remained at pretty constant low prices, but are about to start increasing.   There are still several cruise line offers available for those that want to take advantage of the lower pricing.

How about Europe Instead?

Of course, you don't need to go to the Caribbean, and in fact, the best deals this summer are actually going to be on European cruise vacations.   Why is that you ask?    The cruise lines have record deployments in Europe this summer but the demand hasn't kept pace with the increased capacity.

That's not to imply that people aren't booking European cruises - they are.  However, there are larger ships and more of them, in Europe this summer than any other time before. Obviously, the cruise ships need to sail full for the companies to make a profit, so the consumer wins.

Comparing Cruise to Land-Based

I just did a quick search on my website for a short European cruise vacation the end of May.  I found a 5-Night Baltic, Copenhagen R/T on Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas with prices starting from $340pp for an inside cabin.   For those that aren't quick at math, that's $68pp per day (excluding taxes and fees).  

For comparison purposes, I did a hotel search for Copenhagen during the same 5-Night period and prices ranged from $319 Per Night.   The hotel didn't include meals or entertainment and was rated as a 4 star accommodation.    Contrasting the hotel stay and the cruise...  On the cruise it's like getting 3 nights free, all your meals, and entertainment onboard the ship.

Besides Copenhagen, you'll visit Bergen, Norway and Geiranger, Norway.  I've visited all of those locations and can assure you, you'd have a wonderful trip.  The Batlic was one of our favorite trips.


I've not discussed airfare, which is a large expense for a European vacation, especially in prime season.   Since the cost of air would be the same for the cruise and land-based vacation stay, I've excluded that from the equation.    Many of the current cruise deals for the Europe 2011 Summer Season feature reduced air, making the select cruises even more attractive.


There are many deals to Europe this Summer.   We'll feature some of the sales on our website and Facebook page.   If you are seriously considering a Europe get-away this Summer, my suggestion would be to book now while the supply is larger than the demand so that you can maximize your investment.  

The prices I've seen during my search in preparation for this article are on par with what you'd pay for a Caribbean vacation on the same or similar ships.   For the most part, the ships are the larger, newer vessels in the respective fleets.   Ships like Carnival Magic, Celebrity Equinox and Solstice, Norwegian Epic, and Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas are just a few of the choices you'll have.


Put Your Tax Dollars to Work for You on a Cruise Vacation to Remember for Years to Come.   Cruise Europe in 2011 !!