A New Anthem for New York

Coming to New York This Fall

Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Anthem of the Seas, was named in Southampton, U.K., April 20th in a spectacular ceremony complete with Scottish pipers, a boy band, a DJ, the cast of Queen musical "We Will Rock You" and flashing wristbands.

The sister ship to Quantum of the Seas will sail Mediterranean itineraries from Southampton, U.K. for the Summer, before crossing the Atlantic to its homeport in Bayonne, New Jersey in October.

       

(click image for flyer)

Be Among the First to Sail  Anthem of the Seas 


Those of you that follow our blog on a regular basis know that we rarely write posts about cruise offers. That's not to say that we don't know about them, but we primarily want to share information about destinations and some of our adventures, rather than focus on one particular offer.

We are making an exception to the norm here because rarely does Royal Caribbean offer discounts on their brand new ships. This is a fabulous opportunity to be among the first to experience the sister ship which has been so well received by guests and the industry watchers.

• From now through May 31, 2015, get a balcony for the price of an ocean view stateroom, plus 50% reduced deposit
• Offer valid on new Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries on Anthem of the Seas sailings departing between Nov. 10, 2015 – Apr. 18, 2016.

Learn More about Anthem of the Seas on our Microsite (Click Image Below) 

A Lady That Still Shines at 125

125th Anniversary 

Statue of Liberty

October 28, 2011

Liberty Enlightening the World

On October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated.  It was later designated as a National Monument in 1924, restored for her centennial on July 4, 1986, and now for her 125th, is undergoing a renovation of the 125 year old pedestal and the 200 year old fort base from which the statue rises.

A gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States... The Statue of Liberty is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy.

The 1886 dedication was attended by President Grover Cleveland, who proclaimed on that day that 'Liberty' would "magnify France beyond the seas." The dedication was followed by a fireworks display and New York City's first ever 'Ticker Tape' parade.

Honor History, Envision the Future

The National Park Service theme for the 125th anniversary events was 'Honor History, Envision the Future.'   The program for the day was jointly sponsored by the National Park Service and their proud partners at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Foundation, the Coca-Cola Company and Macy's. 

The goal of the celebration was  to re-create, to the greatest extent possible, the actual program that guided that day's events 125 years ago.  The day  included a naturalization ceremony, musical performances, a gun salute, a U.S. Coast Guard sponsored Flotilla, FDNY Fireboat water spout display, a presentation of "Gifts of Friendship" to a representative of the French government, and the ceremonial 'lighting' of the new 'torch webcam' that will showcase views of NY Harbor and the Statue from the vantage point of Lady Liberty's torch.  Read more about the day's events on the NPS website.

The TorchCam is LIVE - Enjoy the views! 

Several remarkable views will be just a touch of a mouse away. On clear days, three cameras will provide unobstructed panoramas and live views of the famed New York City skyline, along with a front row seat to watch views of the majestic Hudson River and ships in New York Harbor. And that's just looking out. The two remaining cameras provide truly unique views. One provides a ultra wide-angle interactive view of the famed golden torch; and the final camera looks downward.

Be Social, Join the Conversation!

http://www.facebook.com/statuelibrtynps
http://www.twitter.com/statuelibrtynps

http://www.flickr.com/photos/statuelibrtynps

How tall is the Statue and what does that tablet say?
The Statue of Liberty's statistics and symbolism

What was October 28, 1886 in New York City really like?
This day in Statue of Liberty's history

Statue of Liberty National Monument 
to Remain OPEN During Renovation
Plans for the 2011-2012 restoration of Lady Liberty

View from a Cruise Ship

The Statue of Liberty can be seen from several vantage points around the New York / New Jersey shores or islands.  Each of these views are magnificent, but in my mind, nothing is more magnificent than sailing into New York harbor at sunrise and seeing the Statue of Liberty as your cruise ship approaches.  Imagine you were one of the immigrants who had left everything, including family, to venture to the new world for a new life, and behold you saw Lady Liberty standing in your path.   It would take your breath away, as it should for everyone that understands what she stands for.

We have been fortunate to sail into and out of New York or New Jersey cruise ports on several occasions, but we won't forget the Trans-Atlantic in 2000 where not only did we see the Statue of Liberty as we sailed in from Europe, but the twin towers of The World Trade Center.  Little did we know that would be our last cruise where we'd see those towers.

There are several options for cruising into or out of New York / New Jersey cruise ports.  We highly recommend you add that to your bucket list.   We'd be happy to discuss the various options with you when you are ready to plan.

Bracing for Major Hurricane Irene

High above the Earth from aboard the International Space Station,
astronaut Ron Garan snapped this image of Hurricane Irene
as it passed over the Caribbean on Aug. 22, 2011.                  Credit: NASA

Major Hurricane Irene

Continues to Impact

Cruise Schedules

East Coast Bracing 

for Landfall

For the second weekend in a row, Irene, now a Major Hurricane, is dominating the weather and causing local governments and the entire travel industry to scramble to revise schedules to keep property and people safe from harm.

Atlantic Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook

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

200 PM EDT SUN AUG 28 2011

...CENTER OF IRENE MOVING OVER SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND...

Warnings Issued for Hurricane Irene -- See this post for current warnings, location, hazards, and other updates

      CURRENT WARNINGS       TRAVEL ADVISORIES        StormScape LIVE    

      INTERACTIVE TRACKING      CANADA HURRICANE CENTRE

Despite Hurricane Irene's weakening to a Category One status, it is still packing quite a punch and has local governments scrambling to keep property and residents safe.   The NHC is warning that all of the tropical cyclone Hazards:  Wind, heavy Rainfall, Storm Surge, Surf, and Tornadoes are forecast.

Hurricane of the Century

The GOES-13 satellite saw Hurricane Irene
on August 27, 2011 at 10:10 a.m. EDT
after it made landfall at 8 a.m. in Cape Lookout, NC.
Irene's outer bands had already extended into New England.
(Credit: NASA/NOAA GOES Project)
Click image for more dramatic images of Hurricane Irene

Many are referring to Hurricane Irene as the storm of the century.   Mandatory evacuations have begun for parts of the eastern seaboard of the United States.  The picture above, courtesy of NASA, shows why there is this great concern.   The hurricane is massive!  As we write this article, Irene is a Category Three Hurricane with winds in excess of 115 MPH.   Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 80 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 290 miles.

Ten States Declare Emergencies - Mandatory Evacuations Across the Region
Transportation Systems Shut Down

Irene will move northwest and approach the North Carolina Coast this weekend before continuing its journey north, skimming the Mid-Atlantic coast with possible landfall in New England.

Fifty-five million people are potentially in Hurricane Irene's path, from the Carolinas to Cape Cod on the U.S. East Coast, and tens of thousands are evacuating as cities including New York brace for the powerful storm to hit.

NYC Unprecedented Evacuation / Transit Shutdown

As powerful Hurricane Irene makes it way up the East Coast of the United States, New York City ordered nearly 300,000 people to evacuate flood-prone areas and subways.  The New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has begun a full system shutdown.  Philadelphia and New Jersey will also shut down on Saturday.

It was the first time the nation's largest city was evacuated. Never before has the entire mass transit system been shuttered because of a storm.  New York city has not seen a storm of this magnitude in decades.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he was confident people would get out of the storm's way.

"Waiting until the last minute is not a smart thing to do," Bloomberg said. "This is life-threatening."

President Obama spoke with reporters from the farm where he is vacationing on an island off the Boston coast.  He will be leaving the area on Saturday well ahead of the storm.

"All indications point to this being a historic hurricane," 

"I cannot stress this highly enough. If you are in the projected path of this hurricane, you have to take precautions now. Don't wait. Don't delay," Obama said.

Cruise Ship Travel Alerts

This past week, many cruises had their itineraries altered to outrun the storm.   In most cases, port orders were changed or in some cases, Bahamas ports were swapped for Western Caribbean ports.

As the weekend approaches and the hurricane bears down on many of the homeports along the east coast, ships are racing to arrive ahead of the storm.  Several itineraries have been modified to cut the current cruise short, arriving in the homeport as much as a day early.  Some ships will delay arrivals until Monday. Departures for weekend cruises vary by port with some scheduled on time while others departing a day or more late. 

Ports impacted:  Baltimore, Bayonne New Jersey, Boston, New York, 

Travel Advisory Links:

Major Cruise Ship Impact  <---- click here for latest updates

Carnival Tropical Storm Irene - Itinerary Updates
RCI Tropical Weather Update
NCL Tropical Weather Updates 
Holland America Travel Advisories
Celebrity Cruises Travel Advisories  

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

NOAA Hurricane Central 

Airline Travel Advisories

Major airlines -- including US Airways, American, United Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines and AirTran -- have dropped ticket change fees for passengers scheduled to fly to or from many cities along the East Coast this weekend. 

Airlines canceled more than 9,000 flights for the weekend and another 250 on Monday, according to the online flight tracking service Flightaware.com.

Check directly with your airline carrier for latest cancellation information

Additional Travel Woes

Transit systems in New York City, Philadelphia and New Jersey   shut down on Saturday.

Amtrak Cancels More East Coast Trains in Advance of Hurricane Irene

Greyhound has canceled or delayed a number of routes because of the storm.

Hurricane Preparedness

Each year NHC, FEMA, and other government agencies host several events to raise awareness about the dangers of tropical storms and hurricanes.  See our Hurricane Zone for links to articles we published in conjunction with this year's Hurricane Preparedness Week as well as those from past years.  For those planning to sail this weekend, be sure to read Hurricane Preparedness for Cruisers

We will continue to monitor this major hurricane and post updates.  Hurricane Zone will point to the latest information.   We have provided several links which provide up to the minute news, forecasts, advisories.

Disaster Prevention should include:

•  Developing a Family Plan
•  Creating a Disaster Supply Kit
•  Having a Place to Go
•  Securing your Home
•  Having a Pet Plan

"How To" guides for protecting your property from flooding &amp; high winds. (FEMA)

Where in the World Does Celebrity Cruise - Vol. 2

Bermuda

Yes folks, our second destination in our series on Where in the World does Celebrity Cruise in 2010/2011 is Bermuda. For those on the East Coast of the U.S., you have a destination where you can truly escape from it all without having to venture too far.

Each of the Celebrity Bermuda itineraries offers at least one overnight in King's Wharf, providing you an ample opportunity to experience a phenomenon found in few other places – beaches with pink sand.

This is Celebrity's Bermuda – so close to home yet so different from any other place. Choose from 6 to 8-night cruise vacations to Bermuda from New Jersey or San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Celebrity Summit ®

Sailing from Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey

7-Night Bermuda
4/25; 5/9, 5/23, 5/30; 6/6, 6/13, 6/27; 7/11, 7/25; 8/8, 8/22; 9/5/2010

Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey; Kings Wharf, Bermuda (overnight 2 nights); Cape Liberty, Bayonne, NJ

7-Night Bermuda & New England
5/2 & 6/20/10

Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey; Newport, Rhode Island; Kings Wharf, Bermuda (overnight); Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey

7-Night Bermuda & New England
05/16/10

Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey; Newport, Rhode Island; Boston, Massachusetts; Kings Wharf, Bermuda (overnight); Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey

6-Night Bermuda & Caribbean
10/24/10

Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey; Kings Wharf, Bermuda (overnight); Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; San Juan, Puerto Rico

Sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico

8-Night Bermuda & Caribbean

4/17/10

San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Tortola, B.V.I.; Kings Wharf, Bermuda (overnight); Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey

Form a Group Sailing to Bermuda -

We have Special Pricing thru August 31st

Please submit your Group request here.

Call me or email me requesting more details about these cruises.

Why Not Northeast 2010

Close your eyes and think about your 2010 cruise vacation

What images do you see?

Perhaps you see unusual famed pink sand beaches and vibrant pastel homes or nature trails, kayaks and white water rafting or lighthouses and lobsters or people swimming with dolphins, parasailing and relaxing on the beach.

Where might you be? Do you give up? The answer is on a Royal Caribbean cruise somewhere in the Northeast. The 2010 Northeast Deployment schedule was announced today and cruises are available for booking.

Royal Caribbean will have three ships, the Enchantment of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, and the Jewel of the Seas deployed in the Northeast for the 2010 season. The destinations include Bermuda, Bahamas, Canada, New England, and the Eastern Caribbean.

The ships will sail from Baltimore; Boston; Norfolk, VA; and Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ, on 84 cruises. You'll be able to select from five to nine-night cruises. Recognizing that many people want to avoid flying and instead depart from close-to-home ports, Royal Caribbean has launched the first year-round deployment in the Baltimore, Maryland port on the Enchantment of the Seas.

For more information about the Northeast destinations or the itineraries, consult my website or give me a call. I'd be happy to help plan your 2010 cruise vacation to one of these destinations.