Where is Chris - Story Telling

Today is National Tell a Story day, so we'll take you back to how I fell in love with Cruising.   My friend Sue called me and asked if I'd like to go with her to a local travel show.  I said, sure, sounds like fun.   We visited several booths and filled in entries for give-a-ways.  Shortly after the event, I received a phone call telling me that I'd won a cruise on a Windjammer ship.   The trip was for two, so my husband and I decided to accept the prize.   We had to fly to the embarkation city on our own dime, but the cruise fare was paid for.   They had an option to pay $25 for a stow away night (the night before the ship sailed).   So, we decided that was the way to go to avoid any stress from missed flights or other delays.

If you've ever been on a Windjammer (or similar) vessel, you probably know that it's pretty casual.  The attire for the day was bathing suits and bare feet.   Dressing up meant putting on our shoes.

There was a passenger talent contest, a toga party, and a pig roast among the highlights of the trip.  We did have to pay for drinks, but after a couple of 151 rum drinks, you didn't really need to have many.   We had a fabulous time and as they say, the rest is history.

Here are some images from our first cruise - can you guess the destination we sailed to?

Where is Chris (scroll over image)     Learn More (our visit)

Gather the kids and talk about your first family vacation, if you've had one.   Where did you go?  What did you do?   What was the most fun?   If you haven't taken a family vacation yet, perhaps you can talk about where you'd like to go.    #KeepTheKidsEngaged

We hope you are enjoying this series of  "Where is Chris" posts.  We'd love your feedback on our social media.

Where is Chris?

Here is today's post: See if you can guess where I am. 

As promised, we've updated yesterday's post, Where is Chris - Pretzel Day, with the answer to the puzzle.  Revisit that post and just scroll over the image to reveal the answer.  You can also click on the link below the picture to read more.    

Make sure to follow us on our social media, so you don't miss any destinations. 

If you can't wait for tomorrow for the answer, you can take my quiz in my Instagram story.

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More to See at Sea Than Ports

Click images to enlarge

Look Beyond the Destination

Seeing Cruising in a New Light

Exploring the world by cruise ship is a passion that we've had for more than 30 years.  On our first cruises, each destination was a new adventure.  We had not been to the ports of call before, so everything was brand new.

After all those years, we still do have some new ports to explore, but more often than not, we find ourselves visiting some of the same destinations.

Keeping Cruising Exciting

How does one keep cruise vacations exciting? Several ways come to mind, such as cruising to new destinations, booking brand new ships, or trying different shore excursions.

Learning to See at Sea

The image above is the view that the captain has on Caribbean Princess.  What a marvelous view it is, especially on a beautiful day.  In this image, there are some beautiful clouds above the horizon just off the bow of the ship.   There isn't any island in sight - you can look for miles, but all that you'll see is ocean and clouds.   You can become one with nature in these peaceful surroundings.

We often give ourselves a photo shoot assignment during our cruise.  In this series of photos, which we used for a past #FriFotos Twitter chat, the theme was #Sky.

(For those that don't know:  #FriFotos is a weekly Twitter photo forum by @Frifotos_ https://twitter.com/frifotos_We even had the chance to co-host in the past.)

There are many Twitter travel chats, so get a stock of photos and join in with some or your personal favorites.

Stormy Skies

Sea days are a favorite time during a cruise for us.  It gives us time to really relax and unwind.  When in ports, we tend to be "on" since we have easy access to the internet and our always-connected life style (checking on our guests needs for example).

It is a little more difficult when at sea, we have to go to our cabin and get connected.   Even on stormy days, one can enjoy the view - especially if the storm is in the distance.

Painting the Sky With Color

Our favorite time of day is dusk when Mother Nature puts on a light show for all to see.   This image, captured off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, has the sky on fire.

We highly recommend being on your balcony or up on the open decks when the evening is approaching so that you can experience this magical light and, if you want to, capture your own memorable images.


So Much More Than Ports


Hopefully this shows you that even if your ship is sailing to familiar ports, there is so much more to See at Sea.   Make some time during your cruise to lay out on deck and watch the clouds go by.

Do you remember trying to figure out what shapes could be seen in the clouds when you were young?  Why not do that again now, or even share that experience with other family members or friends?

If you like Travel & Photography join us each Friday!  If you like Travel & Food join us for #FoodTravelChat each Wednesday!

 

National Plan A Cruise Month Promotions 

Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now. We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.

A Cruise Can Take You There (click for mini-series)

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Where have you explored? 

#FoodTravelChat

Join us every Wednesday evening at 8pm EST for lively conversation about food travel brought to you by @FoodTravelist It's a tasty world & we're dishing it up!

Love That New Ship Smell

Remember when you bought your first brand-new car?  You opened the door and were greeted by that amazing new car smell.   How would you like to experience that same sense of smell on a brand-new cruise ship?

What's It Like Sailing on a Brand-New Ship

We can't share that new-ship smell with you here, but we can share some of the sights and sounds from onboard Carnival Cruise Line's newest ship, Carnival Vista.  Watch this video to experience this brand-new ship, which is currently in Europe, but soon will be sailing to the Caribbean out of the port of Miami.   We will be onboard in December for it's first Caribbean sailing during our National Conference.


     

When sailing on a brand-new ship, you are among the first to experience the latest innovations.  As you've seen in this video, Carnival takes things to new heights - literally in their latest fleet addition.  

If you've ever thought you'd be bored on a ship, guess again.  When we started cruising over 30 years ago, we would never had imagined the types of activities that are now commonplace on most cruise lines.   What do you like to do on vacation?  Odds are you can find it onboard a brand-new ship.

 

National Plan a Cruise Month Continues

 

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.

#CruiseSmile #Sweepstakes – A Cruise-A-Day Giveaway (click here)

National Plan A Cruise Month Promotions 

Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now.

We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.  Click here to see current offers. 

Sailing From Cologne

click images to enlarge

All Aboard 

Artistry II 

Sails from Cologne

Onboard lunch was served starting at 12:30 PM with final all aboard at 1 PM.  Shortly after that, the ship sailed from Cologne.

We had the usual buffet lunch in the main dining room with a selection of entrees, soups, and desserts.

Afternoon Activities - Sights Along the Rhine

The Largest Fair on the Rhine is a fair in Düsseldorf, drawing more than 4 million visitors annually. It is one of Germany’s biggest fairs. It took place the third week in July (2015 dates: July 17-26) on the left bank of the Rhine River, in the district Düsseldorf-Oberkassel. The fair features beer and food tents, amusement park rides, vendors, all of which we could see from our vantage point onboard our ship.

Shown here is Alpina Bahn, a transportable classic eight roller-coaster for families. It is possible to operate up to five trains simultaneously. The five trains consist of five cars for four people in two rows.  This was just one of the many sights seen along the Rhine River as we sailed away.

Galley Tour

Besides watching the scenery along the Rhine River, we took a peek inside the ship's kitchen where all the fantastic meals were prepared in a small space.  Go behind the scenes in our article: Avalon Artistry II Galley Tour.

Wheel House Visit

There was also an open house in the wheel house.  Here we were able to see how the ship is operated.  The First Captain was on hand to answer questions.   

It was a very enjoyable afternoon sailing along the Rhine River on our way to our next port of call in The Netherlands.

Additional photos can be found on our Rhine & Moselle Shutterfly page

 

Cologne Sail-away

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

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

More to See at Sea Than Ports

Click images to enlarge

Look Beyond the Destination

Seeing Cruising in a New Light

Exploring the world by cruise ship is a passion that we've had for more than 30 years.  On our first cruises, each destination was a new adventure.  We had not been to the ports of call before, so everything was brand new.

After all those years, we still do have some new ports to explore, but more often than not, we find ourselves visiting some of the same destinations.

Keeping Cruising Exciting

How does one keep cruise vacations exciting? Several ways come to mind, such as cruising to new destinations, booking brand new ships, or trying different shore excursions.

Learning to See at Sea

The image above is the view that the captain has on Caribbean Princess.  What a marvelous view it is, especially on a beautiful day.  In this image, there are some beautiful clouds above the horizon just off the bow of the ship.   There isn't any island in sight - you can look for miles, but all that you'll see is ocean and clouds.   You can become one with nature in these peaceful surroundings.

This week's #FriFotos theme is #SKY and we've posted some of our images from our trips. 

(For those that don't know:  #FriFotos is a weekly Twitter photo forum by @EpsteinTravels @TravelDesigned @CharlesYap. Theme is revealed every Tuesday 12pm ET.)    Recently, @spencerspellman joined the team as a permanent co-host.  We even had the chance to co-host one week late last year.)

Stormy Skies

Sea days are a favorite time during a cruise for us.  It gives us time to really relax and unwind.  When in ports, we tend to be "on" since we have easy access to the internet and our always-connected life style (checking on our guests needs for example).

It is a little more difficult when at sea, we have to go to our cabin and get connected.   Even on stormy days, one can enjoy the view - especially if the storm is in the distance.

Painting the Sky With Color

Our favorite time of day is dusk when Mother Nature puts on a light show for all to see.   This image, captured off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, has the sky on fire.

We highly recommend being on your balcony or up on the open decks when the evening is approaching so that you can experience this magical light and, if you want to, capture your own memorable images.


So Much More Than Ports

Hopefully this shows you that even if your ship is sailing to familiar ports, there is so much more to See at Sea.   Make some time during your cruise to lay out on deck and watch the clouds go by.

Do you remember trying to figure out what shapes could be seen in the clouds when you were young?  Why not do that again now, or even share that experience with other family members or friends?

If you like Travel & Photography join us each Friday!

Follow #FriFotos on Twitter and Facebook

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc
Want to learn more about Disney Dream, see our photo journal:
 

Calling All Youth to Assemble for Fun

We Call Upon the Youth

Of the World

To Assemble at 

Camp Carnival

For a Fun Cruise

At the conclusion of the Olympics, the IOC President calls upon the youth of the world to assemble in four years time at the next venue city for the Olympic Games.  In the meantime, youth of all ages are called to bring their families on a Carnival Cruise and assemble at their age-appropriate Club onboard to experience their Fun Ship.

Click to enlarge image

Camp Carnival 

It’s everything they love about summer camp and their favorite babysitter, all in one! Camp Carnival offers tons of activities designed for children in three different age groups: 2 to 5 years, 6 to 8 years, and 9 to 11 years.  On embarkation day children can be registered into their specific program and participate in the Welcome Aboard Party.

Club O2

Click to enlarge image

During the day, trained camp counselors work with small groups of children to be sure they are having fun.   The children get to meet others in their age bracket, play together, and have special meals together. When the sun goes down,  Camp Carnival Night Owls (fees apply) is open so kids get to stay up late having fun, while their parents also enjoy themselves well into the night.

Most people speak highly of Camp Carnival, but in the following post by John Heald, Carnival's Senior Cruise Director, one parent didn't like the choices of activities.   Several people responded with positive things to say about the program.  Also, John mentions about changes which will be introduced due to a new partnership.

Click for Mini-Series Articles / Images

Camp Carnival Comments from John Heald Blog

Tip: Sign up for Camp Carnival when boarding so that your children will be able to attend the evening's Welcome Aboard Party.

This concludes our Embarkation Day coverage of our Carnival Conquest cruise.  We'll now look at the rest of the cruise and more about the ship in future posts.

What Would You Like to See on Third Oasis-Class Ship

Submit Your Ideas On our Facebook Page

As Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas begin the first signs of visible construction, Two Sisters Under Construction, it would be easy to overlook a third new build that is about to start. Construction of the third Oasis-class ship will begin in September 2013 at the STX France shipyards. The ship is expected to be delivered to Royal Caribbean sometime in 2016.

It is too early for details to be released, but amongst the reader's comments on the blog article Building New Cruise Ships: Unique & Unusual Stories, written by Adam Goldstein, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean, he asked readers what they would like to see on the new ship.  You'll have to see that article for some of the examples posted so far.

What Would You Like To See On New Oasis Ship?

As you know, Royal Caribbean has taken the best features from Oasis and Allure and, via the Royal Advantage program, are introducing them fleet wide.  Our assumption is that the new Oasis-class ship will preserve the features of her sister ships, but there's always room for new innovation as well.

We thought it would be fun to build our own list of things we'd like to see on the new ship.  There is so much to do on the current Oasis-class ships, and so many innovations already in existence today... but what is missing?   If you were part of the planning committee, what ideas would you bring to the table?

Submit Your Ideas - Click the Image above to Enter Them via our Facebook Fan Page

We'll Gather Them and Bring them with us to our National Conference next month and share them with the Royal Caribbean Executive Team.

Just For Teens

New WOWs  Around Every Corner

Grandeur of the Seas

Revitalization

Here's your chance to see where teens have fun on Grandeur of the Seas as we continue our WOW Button Tour.  Normally the teens area is off limits to adults, but during our private tour of the revitalized Grandeur, Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean staff hosted an open house and we're taking you behind the scenes to explore the facilities.

Adventure Ocean® Youth Program

 

Royal Caribbean's teen program isn't some structured set of classes or rules – these "almost adults" deserve a vacation all their own. So the program gives them the freedom they deserve to join pre-planned events throughout the day or simply hang out in teen-only spaces – with Adventure Ocean staff that keep the good times coming.

 

Ages 12 to 14

Get active with rock climbing competitions, dodgeball and Dance Dance Revolution, then take it down a notch at BBQs and movie nights. Plus, the chance to let your star shine with open mic nights, talent shows and Scratch DJ Academy.

Ages 15 to 17

Join new friends at theme nights, pool parties and teen dinners. Feeling the competitive spirit? Bring it on the karaoke stage, on the Wii or at the basketball court and see who takes home the glory.


 

Teen-only Hang Outs

Whether you want to chill out or all-out dance, drop by teen-only spaces where you can hang out late. Start at the teen lounge, a laid-back hideaway, and then amp up the energy at the teen-only nightclub.

During the Grandeur revitalization event, there weren't many teens onboard, but even so, there was a special program designed for those that were.   The sample activities shown here are representative of the kinds of offerings for teens during Royal Caribbean cruises.   See more images of  Adventure Ocean on our Facebook Page.

Also see related articles:  Oh To Be Young Again and Grandeur Tour Deck 10.

Navigating the Allure of the Seas

Who's Afraid of
The Big New Ship?

In this article, we'll try to alleviate your fears about finding your way on the largest ship afloat ... Allure of the Seas.

 

Welcome Aboard

Allure of the Seas

Navigating the Ship

Allure of the Seas has 16 decks which can be a little daunting at first, but you will find that this ship is one of the easiest ships to navigate.   There are several reasons why navigating the ship is easier than you might imagine.

When you embark the vessel, you'll be given a pocket guide to the Allure of the Seas.  It has the usual fold-out map of the ship as you might expect, but  it has much more than that.  It is a miniature guide to all that the Allure has to offer.   You will refer to this pocket guide throughout your cruise. This is just the beginning of the ways Royal Caribbean assists you in navigating the ship.

Where is Chris?  Let's check the digital sign...

Digital Signage

Royal Caribbean had the passenger in mind when building the Allure of the Seas.  We've heard about many innovations, such as the Neighborhoods, the Zip-Line, and AquaTheater, but perhaps the biggest innovation was the various technologies deployed throughout the ship.

• Get up-to-the-minute, real-time communication for departure information, restaurant availability, entertainment information, mustering and more.
• Use the interactive screens to map your way to virtually anywhere on the ship.

Touch the screen to begin navigating the ship.   Unlike most ships, that just have the floor plan of the deck you are on, you'll be able to map from your current location to another point on the ship, even if it's on an entirely different deck.

Real-time Planning

The captain on the Azamara Journey told us that the digital signage is intelligent.   Not only will it show you the navigation to your destination, but it will provide an alternate route if the situation is warranted.  For example, if there are already a number of people waiting for an elevator in one location, it will route you to another elevator where you won't have to wait.  Now, that's innovation!!

Standard Deck Layout Signs

I know what you are thinking ... what happens when the computers go down?   There are still the usual deck layout signs for those that don't want to play with a touch screen.  They aren't as much fun or efficient, but they will do the trick, especially if the computer goes down or power is out.

Deck Layout

Of course, Royal Caribbean built in redundancies for power and computers, so hopefully we won't have to write any articles about those situations in the future.

You'll find the 3-D ship deck plan near the elevators, so that too can be checked while you wait for the elevator.   Where is that... forward or aft?

 SIGNS SIGNS ... 

EVERYWHERE SIGNS

You'll find directional signs , such as the one shown here to the left, in various public areas of the ship (for example along the Royal Promenade).   These will direct you to nearby attractions, restrooms, etc.

"Signs, signs, everywhere signs..."  words from a famous song years ago.  In that song, it goes on to say "can't you read the signs?"  Well, fear not, even if you aren't by a sign, odds are that if you look puzzled, a friendly crew member will be glad to help you find your destination.    Once you get your bearings of a few major landmarks on the ship, you shouldn't have any difficulty navigating.