Welcome Aboard Majestic Princess

Exploring the Ship

Thirty minutes after arriving at the Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal, we were checked in for our cruise and in our cabin.   We dropped off our hand luggage, took a few pictures of our cabin, and Sydney from our balcony, and headed to get something to eat.,

This Welcome Aboard sign and characters made from fruit and vegetables, greeted us on the buffet line.  Since we had early seating dinner, at 5:15 PM, we just had something light to hold us over until then.

Throughout the cruise, the buffet line was decorated with #CruiseFruitArt like these.  The crew is very talented.  We've seen decorations like these before, but none that were as elaborate as the ones on Majestic Princess.  We'll post some more of these pictures as we continue our blog posts from this trip.

After lunch, our next stop was the Lotus Spa for a tour of the facility and to book our spa activities for the cruise.   Hot Stones massages and pass to the thermal suite, Enclave, were the two spa activities we booked.   It is a good idea to book as soon as you get onboard the ship so that you can get your preferred date and time for your spa appointments and so that there is still availability in the thermal suite.  See the next post for more about the spa.

Additional photos can be found on our Australia & New Zealand Shutterfly page

Transfer to Pier
Cabin B201



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

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A Cruise Line is Born

Welcome to the new Viking Cruises

Just Announced May 17, 2013

Torstein Hagen, the visionary founder of Viking River Cruises, the world's largest and fastest growing river line, told the assembled travel agents, journalists and past passengers the company would launch its ocean-oriented cruise line in May 2015.  The announcement came at a gala banquet in Beverly Hills, California.

Click on this interactive image to start exploring the new cruise line and the first of its ships, Viking Star.



Viking Cruises, the new name of Viking River Cruises, announced the launch of its ocean product line, Viking Ocean Cruises, marking the introduction of the travel industry’s first new cruise line in nearly a decade.

Destination is Key Focus

Developed from the ground up to return the focus of cruising to the destination, Viking Ocean Cruises will begin sailing in May 2015 with its first vessel—Viking Star—embarking on maiden voyages in Scandinavia and the Baltic; and the Western and Eastern Mediterranean.

Leveraging extensive feedback and input from Viking River Cruises passengers, Viking Ocean Cruises was developed with experienced travelers in mind. Itineraries are curated for maximum time in port, often with late evenings or overnights, so guests can experience local nightlife or evening performances. Ports include both cosmopolitan cities and “collector ports,” and appeal to those with an interest in history, art and culture.

Small Ship Sailing with Unparalleled Value

All-inclusive pricing provides unparalleled value—with every cruise fare including a veranda stateroom, shore excursions in each port of call, all onboard meals, and all port charges and government taxes. Passengers also enjoy many complimentary amenities as part of their fare, including: beer and wine with lunch and dinner service; wi-fi; self-service laundry and 24-hour room service—a value of more than $2,400 per couple for an average cruise. 

Continued Fleet Expansion

Viking Cruises has aggressive expansion plans in both the ocean and river cruise categories, with a second ocean ship on order for delivery in 2016 and conditional orders and options for four more additional ocean vessels. The ocean ship order follows the company’s continued rapid fleet expansion in the river cruise sector, with 10 new river ships recently christened in March of this year and 12 new river ships planned to launch in 2014.

Earlier this year Viking set the World Record for the most ships launched on a single day: World Record Ship Launching

Working Closely With Viking to Launch New Cruise Line

Bookings Now Open for Viking Star 

Carnival Beards Make More Changes

Future Carnival Vacation
Certificates Eliminated

Those that travel frequently are aware that loyalty has its rewards. Many of you may have gotten to your destination without incurring airfare costs by turning in miles.

The cruise industry also has loyalty programs and other incentives.

Until this announcement from Carnival Corporation, passengers on most Carnival Ships could stop at the Future Carnival Vacation Desk, fill out a form, pay a minimal deposit, and get a certificate to use on a future Carnival cruise. As a reward, you would earn an onboard credit when redeeming the certificate at a later date.

The certificates had an expiration date, several years into the future, which would allow you ample time to decide on when and where you wanted to cruise. There was no need to determine that while on your current cruise.

Effective with sailings on or after September 27, 2012, Carnival has discontinued the program.  Certificates that are out in the field will be honored through the expiration date on the form.

Guests can still book a confirmed booking while on most Carnival ships.  NOTE:  There are no Future Carnival Vacations desks on Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Sensation, Carnival Spirit and Carnival Victory.

Receive Up to $200 OBC

3,4, or 5 day cruise	6 day cruise	7,8,9, or 10 day cruise	12+ day cruise
$50 OBC per stateroom	$75 OBC per stateroom	$100 OBC per stateroom	$200 OBC per stateroom

There has been quite a buzz in the online communities since Carnival made this announcement. The attractive benefit of the previous program was that you didn't have to decide destination or timeframe ahead of time. You just had to decide that you wanted to do another cruise in the future on Carnival, and when the time was right, call you agent to make a confirmed booking. The OBC can be combined with other offers, but in reality, there is little benefit to tying up your money in advance, and it could actually become a disadvantage if you were to find some different cruise that you'd rather take. Be sure to be familiar with all the restrictions before you decide to book under the new program.

Get a Toaster With Carnival Cruise Deposit

 Value-Add Incentives for Cruise Bookings
 New Carnival Cruise Rules Start August 1st

What would you think if your travel agent gave you a toaster when you booked a Carnival Cruise?

Do you remember opening a bank account and getting a toaster?
If you do, don't admit it because you will be telling your age.

Value-Add Incentives

Definition: A value-add is a booking incentive provided by a travel agency that offers a value to
the consumer above and beyond what Carnival includes in the rate.

In lay terms, your travel agent gives you a gift to thank you for your business.  Prior to the rule changes which are about to take effect, this gift could have taken many different forms but was limited to a percentage of the cruise fare.  (I'll spare you all the gory details.)

New Rules


Effective August 1, 2012, value-add booking incentives may only be non-cash equivalent items and have a value equal to or less than USD 25.  What that means is you won't be seeing advertisements like the one above any longer.    An onboard credit (OBC) would have a cash-equivalent (as would bar coupons, photo credits, gas cards).


Cash-equivalent add-ons are no longer permitted.


Existing marketing plans that have had previous approval from Carnival, will be allowed to continue through the end of 2012, so some ads may not disappear right away.

What does this mean to the Consumer?

You could very well get that toaster from your agent.  Well, not really likely - but I think we've made our point.

After all, how many tote bags does one need?   After awhile, if you've been a faithful client,  your agent may run out of fresh ideas when they look for a welcome aboard gift for your embarkation day.

Bon Voyage bar credit and photo coupons (i.e. cash equivalent), airline miles, third party cash back offers, reduced or waived deposits, free or discounted insurance, free or discounted shore excursions, free or discounted hotel nights, reduced airfare, gift cards or anything that equates to a cost associated with the cruise are all banned.

Carnival believes they are leveling the playing field between all agencies, since value-add incentives were getting excessive in some cases.   So this should make it easier for consumers to compare "deals".

What does this mean to the Travel Agent?

It means their hands are tied.   For those guests that don't drink, and have been on many cruises, there are definitely fewer choices that can be used as a thank you gift.   The agency that offers the "best toaster" might get the business or guests that aren't concerned with personal service and advice, may just bypass the agents completely and book with the cruise line.   

(see examples of banned promotions above)


Carnival believes that this change is a step which ensures that all of their Travel Partners have the equal ability to sell their product at the same great rate.


What does this mean for Carnival?


Time will tell - one thing for certain, they better adjust their budgets for the downturn in bar credit and photo credit sales.

Obviously Carnival is attempting to control what the consumer pays for their cruise this way.  

It will be interesting to see what other cruise lines do in response.   It will also be interesting to see how passengers react to the changes.   They may not even notice the change for some time, especially first-time cruisers that have nothing to compare against.

Final Thoughts

We will continue to work with our guests to find them the best value for their vacation dollars.  We are happy that great service and advice doesn't fall under cash-equivalent value-add.   Maybe Carnival is right - once the prices are equalized, the only differentiation is service. Therefore we feel that we have an edge after all with these new rules.   We'll just have to be creative with thank you gifts now.

You still have a couple days to take advantage of our July OBC offer - if you want to book one last Carnival cruise under the old rules.

Seek Help From Travel Professional For Cruise

One of the most frequently asked questions that I get is  

Why should I book my cruise vacation with you?   

Also, along the same lines, there is a belief that 

it will cost more to book your cruise through a travel professional, like myself.

I could address the question and correct the myth about costing more to use a travel professional  myself, but I came across this video in one of my travel industry emails, and thought I'd share it with you so that you can hear the answer from someone other than myself.

In this video ....

Mark Murphy speaks with WGN Chicago’s Steve Sanders about the benefits of using a travel agent

Mark Murphy talks to Steve Sanders of WGN Chicago about using a travel professional versus online booking. Mark discusses how in most circumstances using a travel agent costs no money and some of the benefits of seeking help from a travel professional.

I've also posted another video from the same email about River Cruising on my Facebook Fan Page.  Become a fan to stay updated about industry news and special offers.

Hopefully this video has helped to clear up some of the myths about using a travel professional to plan your cruise vacation.    As they say in the video, a cruise vacation, like any other major purchase, should involve seeking the help from a professional so that you can make an informed decision about your purchase.  You can Meet your Cruise Specialist on my website and Facebook page.   Click the contact tab.

Cruise West Continues Restructuring

Port of Seattle, Washington

Seattle-based Cruise West is continuing it's restructuring of the company as it attempts to survive.  We first broke the news several days ago that the Spirit of Oceanus' world cruise had been terminated in Newfoundland, Canada.   (Cruise West Undergoing Restructuring).

We have learned that the Washington state Employment Security Department has received a legally required layoff notification from Cruise West.. The department says Cruise West laid off 24 employees last Wednesday and another 41 were to be laid off starting last Friday.  This isn't a surprising event since new bookings were suspended when the original news broke.

Meanwhile other sources indicate that the Spirit of Oceanus might be on the chopping block, which would make sense based on the termination of the world cruise.   Cruise West has been very silent throughout this process but the announcement released September 8th did indicate some cruises would continue through October.

UPDATE: Spirit of Oceanus Sold

When Cruise West abruptly terminated the 335 day world cruise on Spirit of Oceanus last week, it was rumored that the ship would be sold.    We now know the rest of the story...

Spirit of Oceanus has indeed been sold by ship management company International Shipping Partners (ISP), on Cruise West's behalf, to a group of  Danish investors. The ship will be renamed Sea Spirit, and will be available for long-term charter according to ISP.   Full story: ISP Insider

So ends the story of the Spirit of Oceanus.  Secrecy continues surrounding the various changes at Cruise West.   No word yet on the fate of the other ships in the fleet or the company itself.

If you are scheduled to sail on Cruise West, keep a close eye on this developing story.

Cruise West Undergoing Restructuring

New Bookings Suspended

Spirit of Oceanus Cruise Terminated

Cruise West announced the continuation of restructuring of the company.  Passengers on the Spirit of Oceanus' Voyage of the Great Explorers terminated their world cruise in Newfoundland, Canada.

A recorded message indicates that the cruise line has not been sold and that the call center is temporarily closed as the company restructures.

According to the line's press release, "Additional assets may be sold and other steps are being pursued towards a restructure. As part of this process, Cruise West has suspended accepting any new bookings." 

The statement indicated that some cruises will continue:


"The Spirit of Endeavour will sail from Seattle on the British Columbia Cruise and the Spirit of '98 from Portland, or along the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Cruise West will also complete cruises or land tours already underway in Alaska."

According to information on the Cruise West website, impacted guests who have not yet traveled on the Spirit of Oceanus world cruise should file a claim with their third-party insurance company, contact their credit card company, or if payment was made by check, contact info@cruisewest.com.

The statement indicated that executives would not take media calls at this time and will be releasing additional details in the future.   We will monitor this developing story and report any updates.

For more information, call the company's emergency number at 888-396-0280, email info@cruisewest.com or visit www.cruisewest.com.

Why 3rd-party Travel Insurance Important

This unfortunate situation, for passengers impacted by the terminated cruise, underscores the importance of purchasing third-party travel insurance at the time your cruise is booked.    Cruise line failures are rare, but when they occur, passengers can be stranded in remote parts of the world.  Fortunately, this cruise was terminated in one of the scheduled ports of call, perhaps minimizing the impact on the guests.  


About Cruise West

Cruise West offers small-ship experiences to guests.   We hope that they will be able to obtain the necessary funding to continue operations.  We wish them success in their restructuring efforts.    Stayed tuned for more information as it becomes available.

Disney Dream Pixie Dust and Luxury

Inside Stateroom - Virtual Porthole (photo courtesy Disney Cruise Line)

Disney Dream Accepting Bookings Now

The Disney Dream Cruise Ship is scheduled to set sail in 2011 but the excitement has already begun. This year we've seen new ships from several cruise lines, with each one introducing new innovations. The Disney Imagineering Team has been hard at work coming up with their own set of new innovations for the new Disney ships.

Have you ever cruised in an inside cabin before? If you like sleeping in the dark, an inside cabin can't be beat. Perhaps you loved the inside cabin. However, wouldn't you have liked to have a porthole?

With a sprinkle of Pixie Dust, a new concept was born... the Virtual Porthole. You may be deep inside the ship's interior, but through the magic of Disney, you have a “window” to the world. How is that possible? Well, thanks to high-definition cameras placed on the exterior of the ship, you'll be able to "see" outside even in an inside cabin. Who knows, a surprise character might even appear looking into your porthole.

Staterooms on the new ship are luxurious, spacious, and designed for families. That's great news in an age where more and more families and extended families are cruising together. Don't leave the kids at home. Take the entire family on a Disney Adventure onboard the Disney Wonder, Disney Magic, or in the not too distant future, the Disney Dream.

In fact, bookings are already open for Disney Dream. I know, the ship isn't even built yet, but there already is quite a stir about the new ship, so be sure to get your favorite accomodations by booking early.

I'll continue to bring you more information about the Disney Dream in the months ahead. Email me if you'd like to be on a special mailing list for the Disney Dream.

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes - Call Us to Make Your Dream Come True

Streamwood Summer Celebration - Exclusive Princess Sale

Streamwood Summer Celebration

Princess Cruise Sale Thru August 1st

If you are in the Greater Chicagoland area, the village of Streamwood is holding their annual Summer Celebration this coming weekend. The festival starts Friday, July 24th and runs through Sunday, July 26th.

We will have a booth in the Expo Tent. Expo hours are different from the fair, so be sure to check the schedule. The fair grounds are located at Hoosier Grove Park, 700 W. Irving Park Road, Streamwood. More details about the Streamwood Summer Celebration.

We have setup an Exclusive One Week Princess Cruise Sale in conjunction with the celebration. This sale offers great savings and exciting extras including reduced $100 pp deposits and onboard coupon book worth up to $325 in onboard services. More information about the coupon book (click here).

Besides the coupon book, we still have block space on several Princess Cruise itineraries to popular destinations. If you book one of those select sailings, you'll also receive an onboard credit and other exciting offers.

Book between July 25 - August 1st

to take advantage of this Exclusive Cruise Sale. Visit us at the Expo, email, or call for more details. I hope to meet those of you who are in the area at the Summer Celebration.

Holland America 2010 Mexico Cruises

Holland America Line
2010 Mexico Cruises - Now Available for Booking

The excitement of the Mexican Riviera and wildlife-rich Sea of Cortez await you on a Holland America Line Mexico cruise vacation. Revel in the pulsing energy of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Acapulco, and then relax in the quiet beauty of the Sea of Cortez with unique, off the beaten path destinations like La Paz, Loreto, and the Copper Canyon. Throughout Mexico discover historic sites, shop for local treasures, and enjoy all manner of beach and water activities. Perfect for family vacations, our award-winning shore excursions and onboard amenities allow every guest to experience a tailor-made Mexican cruise fiesta.


Holland America Line offers a variety of Mexico cruise itineraries from 7 to 14-days, all beginning and ending in downtown San Diego where the pier is conveniently located just minutes from the airport on beautiful San Diego Bay. Begin and end your cruise sailing past Coronado Island, Cabrillo National Monument and Point Loma.

Holland America Line will have two ships in the Mexican Riviera for the 2010 sailing season: Oosterdam and Zaandam. The sailing season goes from January 2nd with Oosterdam sailing a 7-day round-trip from San Diego and ends with a 14-day repositioning cruise from San Diego to Vancouver again aboard Oosterdam.

More information about Oosterdam Itineraries

More information about Zaandam Itineraries


Whether this is your first trip to the Mexican Riviera or a return trip, you will truly enjoy the color and scenery of this part of the world. We have been there several times, and keep returning there. Experience it in style on one of Holland America's ships.

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Viking River Early Booking Offer

Early Booking Discount Offer! Ends May 31, 2009

Have you ever considered trying river cruising? If so, take advantage of this special offer for booking your 2010 cruise. Viking River Cruises itineraries and services provide an excellent value.

Receive the following benefits when reserving your 2010 river cruise vacation by the end of this month:

• All-inclusive 2-FOR-1 fares starting as low
  as $1,156 per person


• Per-day rates starting at $132—including
  accommodations, tours & meals—less per day
  than many hotel rooms


• Air savings of $1,000 per couple off brochure
  prices—reduced roundtrip international air
  including all government taxes, fees, surcharges
  & transfers, now starting at $495 per person


• Complimentary wine: special with our
  2010 Early Booking Discount


• Cancel-for-any-reason Travel Protection
  Program covers your entire vacation—cruise,
  land & air—when purchased all through Viking


• Price Guarantee: pay in full by May 31, 2009 to
  lock in price & savings


• Service Guarantee: the only river cruise line
  to guarantee its award-winning service


• Space is limited—get your first choice of
  itinerary, ship & departure date
  

Hurry! Limited-time Offer! Just book & pay in full by May 31, 2009. Various restrictions apply; contact me for complete details.

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Norwegian Epic Sneak Peak

THE NEXT GENERATION OF FREESTYLE DINING IS HERE

A few days ago, I announced the ability to begin booking on Norwegian Epic. Now, I'm offering you a sneak peek at this new ship.

Click on the banner or on the link to learn more about Norwegian Cruise Line and while you are there, once again, click on the banner to go to a customized website that provides an insider's look at this engineering wonder.

This is not just another new ship. This is a step forward. This is cruising re-imagined, with a ship unlike any other. This is world-class entertainment that is way beyond your expectations. A wide array of accommodations, with different levels of suites and staterooms having keycard-only access to private lounges, exclusive pool decks and the spa. And every oceanview stateroom is a Balcony Stateroom. Plus, discover the most diverse collection of restaurant choices ever assembled at sea. This is Norwegian Epic – the most spectacularly innovative ship in NCL's fleet or, quite frankly, any other.

Be one of the first to experience the Norwegian Epic.

Will Cruise Prices Rise or Fall

Will Cruise Prices Rise or Fall? Should I Book Early?

Those are very good questions. Despite the bad economy, cruise ships are still sailing near capacity. It is always a good idea to book early if you are concerned about location and type of cabin accomodations. The best cabins always go early. In addition, the cruise lines offer incentives, such as onboard credits or special pricing, for booking early.

The way pricing works in the cruise industry is as the ship fills up, the prices rise. Recall that I said the ships are sailing full, so expect to pay top dollar at the last minute for certain cabin categories, that’s only if you can even get a cabin at the last minute.

You aren’t penalized for booking early when you book with us. Should the prices fall, we can usually get your price adjusted. There are exceptions to this, such as one day only sales which might be restricted to new bookings only.

Azamara Cruises has actually formalized this with their Azamara Assurance program. If the price of your selected cruise drops, they'll honor the lower rate. Speaking about Azamara, there are currently great offers to Europe. With up to 2 for 1 savings on select Europe sailings, this is the perfect chance to reconnect with someone special in gorgeous Europe, starting at just $135* per day.

Europe is still a great destination for a cruise, this year and next. The Princess 2010 Europe sailings which I announced in an earlier post, are available for bookings as of today.

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