Celebrity Apex Embarkation Day

Welcome to Port Everglades

Celebrity Apex sails from Port Everglades Terminal 25.  When we first arrived, our shuttle bus driver first went to where Celebrity Reflection was docked.  Everyone on the bus started yelling this is the wrong terminal.

We gathered our hand luggage and checked our bag with a porter.  If you download the Celebrity app, like we did, the embarkation process will be quick and efficient.  Here are highlights from embarkation day.

Prior to arriving at the pier we used the Celebrity app to complete the check-in documents. There are a series of health questions to answer as well as uploading a copy of your vaccination record. 

During the check-in process on the app an embarkation time is generated.  This allows for less congestion making social distancing possible.   Since our group was having a general session with the CEO of Celebrity at 2 PM, we were given priority boarding which superseded the generated times.

Upon arrival at the pier we showed our passports, vaccination cards, negative Covid-19 test results, and the express check-in on the app. After going thru security, we had to show our passports and express check-in on our app a couple more times and then we were on the ship. 

Once we were onboard the ship, we put our masks away as they were not required onboard unless passengers wanted to wear them. The crew wore masks the whole time. On land, masks were recommended.

The embarkation process went very smoothly for the most part.  Celebrity representatives ask you to have all the necessary documents ready to be checked, but there are always a few people that aren't as organized.  That was the only delay as they fumbled around trying to find all their documentation.

After boarding we headed to our cabin and dropped off our carryon baggage.  We then went up to Oceanview Café for some lunch.  We'll dedicate another post to the café.

Not a Fan of Muster Drill?

It's not our favorite thing to do on a cruise either, but safety is the number one priority of the cruise line and crew.  However, thanks to Covid-19, the muster drill has changed.

We watched the required video on our Celebrity app and then could go to our assigned muster station (which can be found on your cabin card) at your convenience.  They simply scan your card and you are all set.

If you have any questions, they will answer them there.

Thanks to the new protocols, embarkation is a smooth process giving you more time to enjoy the ship while maintaining a safe environment for guests.

#2021TogetherConference

Mini-Series

Click on the image on the right to continue our mini-series on Celebrity Apex and our national conference cruise.   Our ship was only 65% full but the crew was at 100% staffing.   This is a great time to be cruising.

Cruising has always been the best vacation value and it still remains so.  Also, it is one of the safest things you can do right now.   The cruise line controls the  environment and with new protocols in place they have been providing safe vacations for thousands of guests for several months now.

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Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday afternoon at 4 PM Eastern for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat

Most Anticipated Ship of 2018 Arrives Florida

Celebrity Edge Arrives  

Port Everglades (Ft. Laudedale) Florida

Photo Credit:   Barbara Julian, Celebrity Cruises

As the sun rose on Ft. Lauderdale, Florida this morning, November 19, 2018, Celebrity EDGE, the most anticipated ship of this year, arrived to Port Everglades.  Our General Manager, Drew Daly, and Barbara Julian, from Celebrity Cruises, were on the jeti capturing some of the first images as she made her way into port.   The traditional fire boat salute escorted the ship into port.

We have the privilege of sailing on Celebrity Edge next week, along with fellow travel professionals and press.  Follow us on our social media, and here, for an inside look at this brand new ship.   This is the first ship to be designed in 3D.  She is much more than a ship, she is truly a work of art.

“Celebrity Edge is one of the most exciting, innovative and transformational ships I have ever been involved with,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO of Celebrity’s parent company, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “The new features and refined design will establish a new baseline for ships from here on out.”

Bookmark this Page - we will be posting more soon

BLOG POST LINK (click title)	Photo Albums / Videos
Celebrity Edge Revealed	First Glimpse
Xcited to Meet Celebrity Edge	Concierge Cabin
Setting Sail on Celebrity Edge	Resort Deck
Introducing Infinite Veranda	Solarium
Celebrity Edge Resort Deck	Magic Carpet
How Suite it is on Celebrity Edge	Edge Villas    Sky Suite      Luminae Royal Suite    Iconic Suite
Pamper Yourself on Celebrity Edge	Edge Spa & Fitness

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Where have you explored? 

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Behind the Scenes Seafarers' House

Welcoming

Mariners

of all Faiths

“To Offer Refuge, Resources, Renewal and Respect to the Maritime Community Through Multi-Faith Service.” 

- Mission of Seafarers’ House

http://www.seafarershouse.org/



Visit to Seafarers' House

CLIA's Cruise3Sixty Conference continued today with various activities planned for the agents attending.  I decided to take the opportunity to tour Seafarers' House which is located about 10 minutes from Port Everglades.

I had the opportunity to meet two of the instrumental figures at Seafarers' House: Rev. Ronald Perkins, Port Chaplain, and Lesley Warrick, Executive Director.   They explained their mission to us and gave us a behind the scenes tour of their facility.

About Seafarers' House

According to Rev. Perkins, "Seafarers’ House at Port Everglades is open throughout the year as a safe, friendly place where mariners can connect with their communities and families, relax, seek guidance and get emergency help if needed. We provide access to pastoral care and counseling, emergency assistance, local ground transportation and everyday items through our pastoral team and our on shore and on board services.  Every mariner that arrives in Port Everglades is welcome at our center.  Those who may not be able leave their ships due to time constraints or visa restrictions have access to our services from their vessels through our ship-visiting program."

Some of the ways they help mariners:

• pickup from ship in one of their vans
• can attend mass and other religious services
• use of WiFi
• shop for favorite items to take on board
• transfer paycheck home to family

Critical Mission

Being away from family, friends, and other loved ones is hard.  If you've ever been away from someone you love for even a couple days, you can probably imagine what it is like to be away for months on end.  Granted, the crew members make new friends, and have their extended families on board the ship, but it just isn't the same.

Crew members on a cruise ship are always expected to have a smile for passengers.  No matter how down they might feel themselves, they need to do so, or their livelihood could be at risk.

This is where Seafarers' House comes in. It could take on many forms, ranging from offering a helping hand, a listening ear, or providing a gift for the holidays.

You Can Help

I promised Rev. Perkins that I'd spread the word about the good work they are doing at Seafarers' House. Until this FAM trip, I wasn't even aware of their organization, and how the things they do behind the scenes helps my clients and I have an enjoyable vacation. The mariners that are helped by their organization are much more likely to make your trip enjoyable if their problems have been resolved.


Your contribution to Seafarers’ House allows them to make a difference, one seafarer at a time.  In 2014 Seafarers’ House provided 1,900 ship visits, served more than 2,100 mariners with personalized pastoral care sessions, and distributed more than 1,400 shoeboxes for Christmas.

By the way, those of us on this behind the scenes tour had the opportunity to make some shoeboxes to be distributed.  I'll be posting more pictures on my Facebook page, so be sure to visit me there as well.


Thank you Father Perkins and everyone at Seafarers' House for what you do for Mariners.

Natiional Conference 2014 in Review

Can You Find Me?

We've just returned from a very successful CruiseOne Cruises Inc. National Conference on board the new Regal Princess.  Our sailing was the inaugural North American sailing to the Eastern Caribbean.

This was our largest conference ever with more than 900 franchise owners, agents, and families attending.

Pre-Cruise (Ft. Lauderdale)

Water Taxi Tour

Shortly after arriving in Ft. Lauderdale, Saturday November 7th, we boarded a Water Taxi for a private tour of the yachts and mansions along the Ft. Lauderdale canal system.

Our guide provided background information about the properties and boats we saw along the way.   The tour is very informative and a good way to pass the time before your cruise.

Renaissance Hotel Ft. Lauderdale

Our pre-conference activities were based out of the Marriott Renaissance Hotel Cruise Port which was walking distance to the water taxi.

Following the water taxi tour, we had time to freshen up and then had a welcome cocktail party which was hosted by Crystal Cruises. 

Several of us went to dinner at Bimini Boatyard Bar & Grill which was just across from the hotel.   Despite having tables empty, we had to wait to be seated.   The food was fantastic, but we weren't crazy about the wait since we were hungry after traveling earlier that day.  

Our day had actually begun at 4:00 AM so we were really starting to drag.  Following dinner, we went back to our hotel room and went to bed.

We had prearranged transfers from the hotel to the pier, so after some breakfast, we boarded a shuttle to the port.

Welcome to Port Everglades

The town rolled out the red carpet for us with this sign at the entrance to Port Everglades cruise terminal.  As you can see, there is a lot of traffic entering the port.  Make sure you allow enough time when embarking from here.

It wasn't long after this photo was taken that we got our first glimpse of Regal Princess which would be our home for the next 7 nights.

We will update this article with links to additional stories and photos about our National Conference Cruise on board the beautiful Regal Princess.  Be sure to visit again or better you follow us here and our other social media sites to stay up to date on the latest cruise industry news and reviews.

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

Navigator Redeploys to Caribbean for Winter 2011-12

Labadee, Haiti Royal Caribbean's Private Island   Courtesy: RCI

We previously reported that Royal Caribbean has one of its largest European Deployments to date in Europe this Summer and had planned to homeport Navigator of the Seas in Barcelona for the Winter, sailing a 14-day eastern Mediterranean itinerary, including calls in Egypt. Royal Caribbean announced plans to redeploy the ship to the Caribbean for Winter 2011-12.

Navigator of the Seas will now homeport in Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale), FL for the Winter 2011-12 Season.    Itineraries are now open for sale.


Revised Schedule

• 14-night, trans-Atlantic itinerary from Rome to Port Everglades, FL (11/6)
• Five to Nine-Night Eastern & Western Caribbean Itineraries (starting 11/20)
• 6-Night Western:  Grand Cayman, Historic Falmouth Port, and Labadee, Haiti
• 8-Night Eastern:  St. Maarten, St. Kitts, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Labadee, Haiti
• 7-Night Eastern: St. Maarten, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Labadee, Haiti
• 7-Night Western:  Grand Cayman, Historic Falmouth Port, Cozumel, Mexico and Labadee, Haiti
• 9-Night New Years cruise adds St. Thomas to 8-Night Eastern
• 15-night return cruise to Rome on April 14, 2012

For more information about these itineraries, click here.

Gator Park

Post Cruise Shore Excursion - Gator Park

Everglades National Park

Gator Park in the heart of Florida's Everglades National Park was our post-cruise destination for a few hours before heading to Miami International Airport.   The shore excursion was arranged during our West Indies cruise on Azamara Journey.   Since our flight wasn't until 5 PM,  instead of going directly to the airport, we opted for the shore excursion.

Gator blends in with surroundings

Alligators, Birds, Crocodiles

Florida Everglades is home to hundreds of bird species as well as thousands of alligators, and crocodiles.  During a visit to Gator Park, you'll get up close views of alligators and bird species for certain and you may have an opportunity to see some of the other inhabitants in their natural setting.

Airboat Ride

The highlight of the excursion to Gator Park is a 45 minute airboat ride through the Everglades.  Each airport holds up to 20 people, 4 per row.  Every seat is a great seat. While your guide will be pointing out alligators and other things of interest along the way, each person has the opportunity to be on the lookout.  You never know what you'll see during your boat ride.  

You'll be able to stand up when the pilot / guide slows down to point out alligators or other marine life.

One of our group holds an alligator

Weather plays a role in how active the alligators and other wildlife are in the park.  The weather had been on the cool side for several days, and the alligators were a little sluggish.   That was fine for us since that provided plenty of opportunities for us to see them coming out for some sun on this gorgeous day.


We've been to Gator Park before but still enjoyed our visit there.   Following the airboat ride, we had some lunch, which we ordered when we arrived at the park.   Then we watched a wildlife show which included alligator wrestling and if you were feeling brave, you could actually hold an alligator and have your picture taken with it.   Actually, you didn't have to be too brave as the alligator's mouth was secured so that you didn't have to worry about being its lunch.


There are more pictures on our Facebook Fan Page.  If your flight leaves after 3 PM, consider a shore excursion to Gator Park if your cruise offers the tour.   Another option on our cruise was a Miami City Highlights tour.  Both tours concluded at Miami's airport about the same time.   We still had plenty of time before our 5 PM flight, but did enjoy our little diversion visiting the gators of Florida.

Today Show Broadcasts Live from Allure of the Seas

Tune in to NBC's TODAY on Friday, November 19th between 10:00 am and 11:00 am Eastern, when hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb will broadcast live onboard Allure of the Seas. 

The TV personalities will lift the curtain on the distinguished line-up of entertainment and innovative onboard amenities that differentiate Allure from Oasis of the Seas®. Don't miss it!

 

Just as they did when Oasis of the Seas arrived in Flordia, the crew of the TODAY show will broadcast live from Allure of the Seas.   This will be your first opportunity to see the Allure of the Seas as final preparations are made for the first revenue guests to arrive in December.

We will update this post later today with highlights from their visit.

Don't forget ....  We will be on the Allure of the Seas for one of the pre-inaugural cruises and will bring you our pictures and videos from the latest entry in Royal Caribbean's fleet.

Meanwhile, you can check out our other posts about Allure of the Seas by searching this blog for "Allure".

As promised, here are three video clips from the TODAY Shows visit on the Allure of the Seas today.   You'll get to watch them experiencing the ship, including a quick zip from one end of the Boardwalk to the other.

Related Blog Post (click link):  TODAY Ship Shape Swimsuits on Allure

Video:  Kathie Lee, Hoda Go Cruising

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Video: 'Alluring' Activities are Fourth-hour Fun

From taking a ride on the zip line to getting a 14-karat-gold facial, Kathie Lee and Hoda check out all the activities aboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas.   Watch this video to check out the activities.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Video: Kathy Lee, Hoda's Fantasy Cruise

The TODAY hosts tour the Allure of the Seas cruise ship and imagine all their favorite actives aboard the ship.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

We hope you have enjoyed these clips from the TODAY show. Allure of the Seas is an amazing ship, just like her sister, the Oasis of the Seas. One of the myths about cruising is "there is nothing to do". We'd be amazed if you could still say that after watching these videos.

See you soon from onboard the Allure of the Seas.

Welcome Home Allure of the Seas

Allure of the Seas Welcome Event
(Photos Courtesy Royal Caribbean)

ALLURE OF THE SEAS

ARRIVES IN 

FORT LAUDERDALE

November 11, 2010 
 Veteran's Day

To commemorate Veteran's Day, the W. Broward H.S. Marching Band performed a selection of musical pieces and displayed an American flag as part of the events to welcome Allure of the Seas.

It was a gorgeous Veteran's Day in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area today as Royal Caribbean's latest entry into their fleet, Allure of the Seas, peeked over the horizon providing all gathered with their first look at this engineering wonder.   The Allure weighs in at 225,000 gross registered tons and measures the length of four football fields.   She is 16 decks high and boasts 7 neighborhoods just like sister ship Oasis of the Seas.

While the two ships are identical in structure, there are unique features on each vessel.  Some of the primary differences include food and entertainment offerings which we have been describing as we watched the ship cross the Atlantic.

If you couldn't be in Dania, Florida live for the arrival, this YouTube video is the next best thing. About all I have to say is Welcome Home Allure of the Seas, Welcome home.



We will continue our coverage of Allure of the Seas in future blog posts. We will be onboard the Allure for one of the pre-inaugural sailings, so watch our Facebook Fan Page for Exclusive pictures.

Allure of the Seas Arrives in Fort Lauderdale

Allure's Captain Zini about to Sail into Port Everglades

ALLURE OF THE SEAS

ARRIVES IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

Thursday, November 11, 2010

For those in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, area, your chance to see the largest ship afloat for the first time occurs today.  Head over Thursday morning to John U. Lloyd Beach State Park at 6503 N. Ocean Drive in Dania Beach.

From the jetty there, Allure is expected to come into view starting at around 8:00 am. By around 8:30 am, it is set to arrive at the mouth of the inlet, and at around 9:00 am, it is scheduled to pull into Terminal 18 at Port Everglades.

We have been following Allure of the Seas journey from Finland to its homeport in Port Everglades.   The ship behaved flawlessly.   Despite the massive hurricane, Tomas, which stood in its path, the ship made record time and was even able to make an unscheduled stop in the Bahamas to pick up a technician to do some early maneuverability testing.

In the following video the two captains that had the privilege of  sailing these new wonders across from Finland compare notes.  We learn from Captain Zini that the Allure is actually 5 mm (or about 2 inches) longer than the Oasis.    That being the case, the Allure of the Seas therefore becomes the largest ship afloat.

Video:  Two Views from the Bridge: Captains Tour Allure

The take out Captains of the two largest cruise ships in the world share their experiences as Allure of the Seas prepares for her Transatlantic Crossing.

I hope you have enjoyed the journey of the Allure's crossing along with us. We are counting the days until we will actually be onboard the largest ship afloat. Keep watching our Blog and Sign up for our Facebook page for more exclusive information about the Allure of the Seas.

Allure of the Seas Construction Update

Allure of the Seas Under Construction - Courtesy Royal Caribbean

Allure of the Seas is well on her way to being complete! The update from the shipyard in Finland is that Allure is pieced together to meticulous detail and finished in preparation for her transatlantic crossing and inaugural sailing.

Allure of the Seas, the second ship in the Oasis-class, is ahead of schedule.  There are over 2000 workers assembling the vessel, which will join it's sister ship, Oasis of the Seas, as the largest cruise ship afloat. An architectural marvel at sea, she will span 16 decks, encompass 225,282 gross registered tons, carry 5,400 guests at double occupancy, and feature 2,700 staterooms.

Just like the Oasis of the Seas, there will be seven distinct themed areas, which will include Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone. The ship will alternate a Western Caribbean with an Eastern Caribbean seven-night itinerary from her home port of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The ship's inaugural voyage will be a 7-Night Western Caribbean itinerary, sailing on December 5, 2010. Allure of the Seas' new cruise for the inaugural season is now open for booking.  Prior to that there will be several pre-inaugural voyages ending with  a  4-Night Caribbean-Eastern Cruise  on December 1, 2010.   You can still be among the first to experience Allure of the Seas - check our website or contact me for current availability.

Video: News from the Shipyard

UPDATE: September 17th
The news is good from Finland, where construction is ahead of schedule and the final touches are being made before the launch of Royal Caribbean’s newest ship Allure of the Seas.

Video: Allure Construction Update:Building Up Anticipation

UPDATE: September 25th
The news continues to be good from Finland, where construction is ahead of schedule.  The Allure completed sea trials this week in the Baltic.  According to reports she handled well in the12 foot swells. 

Dating back to the first days of sailing, the placing of coins on a new ship promises good luck. See where they keep Allure's lucky coins, which have been with the ship since her keel-laying.

Video: The Luckiest Spot on Allure: A Tradition of Good Fortune

Welcome Home Oasis of the Seas, Welcome Home

Click for Additional Photos

OASIS OF THE SEAS
ARRIVES IN
FORT LAUDERDALE

Welcoming Oasis of the Seas to Fort (Celebration Details)

Fort Lauderdale Inlet Webacm (watch ships arrive)

Friday, November 13, 2009, Dateline Fort Lauderdale, Florida

For the last fourteen days, we have been watching the Oasis of the Seas journey from Finland to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The day we have been waiting for has finally arrived.

For some people Friday the 13th is an unlucky day, but for Royal Caribbean International, the hope was that this day would actually be quite the opposite. The world's largest cruise ship's revised schedule called for completion of its 14-day Trans-Atlantic journey with the pulling into its new berth in Port Everglades, Florida.

The Oasis of the Seas didn't disappoint - it arrived right on schedule

Those who wanted to watch the arrival of Oasis in Port Everglades, accompanied by a flotilla of fireboats and private vessels, could do so at John U. Lloyd Park, Dania Beach. (see link above).

As you can see from the photo above, it was a glorious day in Fort Lauderdale, as the Oasis of the Seas was escorted into the harbor with the traditional fireboat salute. I will be posting more pictures as they arrive from additional sources who were onhand for today's events.

Captain Bill gives final report from the bridge before arriving in Fort Lauderdale. In this video, you see the arrival from crew's perspective.

Captains Log Day 14 Video: Home at Last (click here)

View Video from Arrival of Oasis of the Seas

See More Oasis of the Seas PHOTOS on my FACEBOOK PAGE - BECOME a FAN

I hope you have enjoyed our coverage of the Oasis of the Seas Atlantic Crossing as much as we have enjoyed bringing it to you. Royal Caribbean and STX Europe should be very proud of their accomplishments. The ship handled the rough North Atlantic seas, facing hurricane force winds and waves, without much of a problem. The only issue was that it delayed the arrival into Florida by two days.

We will conclude our coverage of Oasis's Journey with stories and pictures of today's activities. There is still time for you to take advantage of our exclusive OBC offer (see below). Don't miss your opportunity to explore this amazing ship first-hand.

I guess the only thing left to say is ...

Welcome Home Oasis of the Seas, Welcome Home !!

Related Blog posts:

Oasis of the Seas - Almost Home

Oasis of the Seas - Entertainment

Oasis of the Seas vs North Atlantic
Oasis of the Seas Continues Journey
Oasis OTS Ducks Under Great Belt Bridge
Oasis of the Seas - Crossing the Atlantic
Oasis of the Seas Heads for Home
Oasis of the Seas Takes to Water

Watch Additional Oasis of the Seas Videos Here!

EXCLUSIVE LIMITED TIME OFFER
November 15th at midnight (EXTENDED!)

Book a 7-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise aboard the Oasis of the Seas by November 15th and receive $100 Onboard Credit Learn more about Oasis of the Seas and applicable sail dates.