Where is Chris - Social Media Day

#SocialMediaDay 2020  

This year, more than ever, social media is playing a huge role in our lives.  While we have been cocooning, during this pandemic, we've been removed from daily live interactions and have turned to social media to stay connected.  In person meetings have become virtual.  Homes have become offices and schools.  When this is over, don't be surprised if social media and virtual interactions remain a huge part of our lives.

To Our New Followers

We'd like to welcome new readers to our Blog, Facebook fan page, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, and website on this #SocialMediaDay.   We look forward to socializing more with you in the future to help plan a great cruise or land vacation for you and your traveling companions. We've included links here with a brief explanation of some of the resources we offer to our followers.   Please be sure to take advantage of all these opportunities, as that is the best way to stay informed.

Where is Chris

Where is Chris    Learn More

Here on our blog we've posted regular (usually daily) challenges for you to guess the destination featured in the image included in the article.   We've also included ideas on how you might #KeepTheKidsEngaged using the topic or destination as a foundation for activities.

The idea for today's destination came from an event that occurred on this day in history. In 1972 The first leap second is added to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). 

Can you guess where I'm standing in this image?   If not, we will reveal the answer tomorrow (just scroll over the image with your cursor).

Kids might not know the destination, but they can learn about telling time with one of these activities.

Our Cruise Diaries is another area you should explore. We feature some of our favorite trips with information, images, and videos to help you explore dream destinations.

 

If you haven’t signed up for our eSavers Newsletter yet, be sure to do so. This is just one of our communication vehicles to keep you informed about industry news and special offers for our loyal followers. By signing up for our newsletter you are also entered into our quarterly contest to win a free trip.

Be sure to visit our Facebook Fan Page and "Like Us" so that you can be in the inner circle of our Fans. You’ll have the opportunity to be the first to know about specials and other exclusive information, such as updates from cruise lines.

Our Instagram posts often feature content being shared in real time during our trips. For now, we have to share from our archives, as travel has been put on hold.   If you like watching videos, be sure to also follow our YouTube channel.

We have several boards on Pinterest which might be of interest to you.

Many of our posts are shared on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but we also include unique content on all social media outlets. For best experience, follow us on all our social media.

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Where have you explored? 

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

Each week we post images from our trips and participate in several travel chats on Twitter.

Take advantage of these resources to assist in you in planning your dream vacations.  Of course, we are always available to answer any questions you might have about travel and the industry.

Welcome New Followers

#SocialMediaDay 2016 

To Our New Followers

We'd like to welcome new readers to our Blog, Facebook fan page, Twitter, Pinterest, and website, on this #SocialMediaDay.   We look forward to socializing more with you in the future to help plan a great cruise or land vacation for you and your traveling companions. We've included links here with a brief explanation of some of the resources we offer to our followers.   Please be sure to take advantage of all these opportunities, as that is the best way to stay informed.

 
If you haven’t signed up for our eSavers Newsletter yet, be sure to do so. This is just one of our communication vehicles to keep you informed about industry news and special offers for our loyal followers. By signing up for our newsletter you are also entered into our quarterly contest to win a free trip.




Be sure to visit our Facebook Fan Page and "Like Us" so that you can be in the inner circle of our Fans. You’ll have the opportunity to be the first to know about specials and other exclusive information, such as updates from cruise lines.

We have several boards on Pinterest which might be of interest to you.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc for more ideas.

Each week we post images from our trips and participate in several travel chats on Twitter.

Take advantage of these resources to assist in you in planning your dream vacations.  Of course, we are always available to answer any questions you might have about travel and the industry.

Stained Glass Off the Beaten Path

Inspired by #FriFotos

#greatINDOORS

Museum Willet-Holthuysen

Amsterdam

This week we had the distinct privilege of co-hosting the Twitter travel event #FriFotos.    #FriFotos is a weekly photo forum by @EpsteinTravels @TravelDesigned @CharlesYap. Theme is revealed every Tuesday 12pm ET.

As usual, we went through our photo archives preparing the the big day, where we get to share some of our images taken during our travels.   A subset of those images contained images of #stainedglass windows from places across the globe.  (Click on any of these images for a closer look).

We've already posted articles with a sampling of images captured during our visit to Yusupov's Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia and also Canterbury Cathedral in England.  You'll admit that those are well known destinations.   In this article, we go off the beaten path.

Inside Canal House

One of the less known attractions in Amsterdam is Museum Willet-Holthuysen a canal house at Herengracht 605 which has been turned into a museum.

The museum houses the extraordinary art and craft collection collected by Abraham Willet (1825-1888).  The exhibitions include ceramics, glassware, silver, furniture, expensive trinkets, paintings, prints, drawings and photographs.

Looking Outside

The garden, which can be seen through the stained glass windows, was laid out as an early 18th-century city garden in the French style.  According to their website, they are not certain how the garden looked when the family was in residence.

All Things Glass Across the Globe

We have several more images of the stained glass, including some more close-up images.  Thanks to the inspiration from #FriFotos, we have just started a Pinterest page, where we'll add more images like these from all across the globe.   As the name implies, it won't be limited to images of stained glass windows.   Anything made from glass, including glassware, chandeliers, and blown glass, will be pinned for your enjoyment.  We welcome your feedback as well.

Our Stained Glass Journey Thus Far:

Stained Glass Around the World
Stained Glass Around the World Part 2

Where will we be next?


Follow #FriFotos on Twitter and Facebook

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc for more ideas.

In Search of Best Cruise Fruit Art

Cruise + Fruit + Creativity

 = #CruiseFruitArt

Welcome aboard - your cabin is being prepared - join us in the buffet for lunch while you wait.

We've just completed our series on Hurricane Preparedness and decided that we should find something a bit lighter to talk about.  So, looking through our photo archives, we stumbled upon this image from our Celebrity Century cruise to the Arctic Circle & North Cape.  Furthermore, we decided that we'd create a new Pinterest board and start pinning more of these Fruit Art images.

Hello Come In - Welcome Aboard

When we entered the buffet, these fruit people greeted us and we definitely felt welcome.  Creations like these are made by some very talented crew members, whose only mission is to make every moment on board the ship enjoyable.  

Special Presentations

Turning back the clock a bit, besides finding fruit art in the welcome aboard buffet, it wasn't unusual for there to be an evening set aside during the cruise to showcase the work of these talented individuals.  This image was captured on Celebrity Zenith, which is no longer part of the Celebrity Cruises fleet.   One evening the late night buffet featured these fruit creations.

Grand buffets are pretty much a thing of the past, but there still are many opportunities to view the handiwork of talented crew members.

Watermelon Art

Some of our favorite fruit art was carved out of watermelons.   This image was captured during our Carnival Conquest cruise which happened to coincide with this year's Superbowl game.  Just look at the intricacy of this design.

We have many more example of watermelon fruit art in our new Pinterest board.

We are doubtful that the ship on the right is sea worthy.   However, it definitely is worthy of inclusion in our Cruise Fruit Art collection.

Help Us Find Cruise Fruit Art

Click here to visit our Pinterest board and see more of these fun fruit sculptures.   Do you have any images that you'd like to contribute?  

Two Ways to Contribute

• Follow our Pinterest Cruise Fruit Art board (Add your pins by first asking to be a contributor - follow instructions on the board)
• Follow us on Twitter  @ChrisPappinMCC (Include #CruiseFruitArt  in your Tweeted image)

Which cruise line has the best fruit art? 

We'll start things off with several images from our archives. Include information about the Cruise Line in your pin / tweet so that we can see who has the most creative artists.

Dining at Sea - Part 1

What's Your 

Favorite Food 

on a Cruise

Whether you have cruised before or not, I'm sure you are aware that there's plenty of great food to be had on a cruise ship.  The first thing you'll find when you get onboard is that your cabin is not ready, but don't worry, the buffet is open and ready to serve you.  But that is just the beginning of what lies ahead.   We'll take you on a culinary journey onboard several cruise ships over several posts.  If you can't wait, we've posted some similar stories previously as well.

Myth #4 – All There is to do is Eat – I’ll Gain Weight

While it is true that there are several dining options on every cruise, we've examined this myth about nothing to do but eat previously.  Now, let's focus on the second part of that myth - that you'll gain weight.

It is possible that you could gain weight on a cruise, but if so, that will not be the cruise line's fault. There are healthy menu options on the main dining menus and while not every venue serves food for the health conscious, there are plenty of options for you to chose from.  In addition, there are full service health and fitness facilities on each ship so that you can continue your exercise routine.

One of the things the cruise line pays close attention to are any dietary requirements of their passengers. 

We took this picture during a galley tour on Azamara Journey.  The special requests consist of some religious requests, because it was during Jewish holidays, and also some specific ingredients that needed to be avoided for another passenger.

Be sure to let you cruise specialist know if you do have any special requirements so that it can be noted on your reservation and advance preparations can be made if necessary.

What's for Dinner 

You might want to start with our previous article

 

In addition, we've started a new Pinterest Board where we'll be sampling some of the food and venues that we've had the pleasure of dining at in the past.