Sailing from Luxembourg

Catching Up with Ship

Once again, our ship moved from where we last left it in Grevemmacher around 1:30 PM.  Since Luxembourg excursion was optional, not all passengers disembarked after lunch.  Those that stayed onboard got several hours of extra cruising along the Moselle river.

Artistry II made a technical stop in the village of Riol to pickup passengers who had been on the Luxembourg excursion.

 
 

Evening Sailing to Cochem

 We had some time before dinner to enjoy the view from our cabin.   As you can see from both pictures, this is wine country and vineyard after vineyard lined the river banks.

After our usual Port Talk by Mark, our Cruise Director, it was time for dinner in the main dining room.   We had a lovely view of the vineyards along our route.

Dinner - Main Dining

(click images to enlarge)

The main entree choice that we selected was Grilled Skewer of Beef, Pork, and Chicken.  This wasn't your typical dinner selection on most cruises we've been on previously.  It was excellent, by the way..


Click on the menu to the left to see alternative choices as well as more details about our meal.

As usual, there were two soup choices and several other starter choices.  

We completed our meal with a Belgian waffle accompanied by berries.   Note:  you can order this off the breakfast menu as well - highly recommended.

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

Sailing from Luxembourg

 

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Sail-Away from Strasbourg

Strasbourg Reflections

Lights from a nearby ship and a bridge, which we will soon pass under, reflect in the waters as the captain and crew prepare for our departure from Strasbourg.   Our ship arrived here at 3 AM last night and now, shortly after 10 PM, we bid good-bye.

Our next stop will be Mannheim, Germany (technical stop only) at 7:30 AM.

click on images to enlarge

Captain at the Controls 

Since we didn't sail until after dinner, it was possible to be on the Sky Deck for the actual sail-away and see all the action first hand. The previous nights we had sailed sometime during dinner.

 Sailing Under the Bridge

Shortly after departing we were sailing under the bridge that could be seen while we were docked.  As you can see, there's plenty of clearance in this case.  Everything on the Sky Deck is designed to collapse if necessary for any bridges that have low clearance.  Even the ship's bridge can retract if necessary.

 Approaching the Locks

During our cruise, we would go through 35 locks, some of them multiple times.  After passing some river ships docked along our path, we saw a bridge in the distance.  Once beyond that bridge, we could see the locks straight ahead of our ship.

It was now almost 11 PM, so we decided to head to the cabin to get some sleep, as tomorrow was another day of exploring with an early start.

We hope you are enjoying this virtual tour of the Rhine & Moselle Rivers.

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

Strasbourg - Sail-Away

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Welcome Aboard Allure of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Allure of the SeasSM Day 1

First in a series of articles about our 7 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Allure of the Seas. Virtually tour with us as we explore the Allure of the Seas and all she has to offer.  We'll highlight some of our adventures on land and sea during the week. 

Allure of the Seas & Emerald Princes - Ft. Lauderdale

Waking early Sunday morning, we went out on our hotel balcony to see the  Allure of the Seas and Emerald Princess completing their docking maneuvers.  Soon we would be onboard the Allure for our National Conference cruise.

We left the Hyatt Ft. Lauderdale hotel around 10:45 AM with another agent couple. After returning their rental car, the shuttle took all of us to Pier 66, which is within sight of the hotel.  We had to wait while for the shuttle, so we got to the pier around 11:30 AM.   By noon we were onboard the ship.


Embarkation Process

Most of you are aware that Allure of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world at present.  She and her sister ship, Oasis of the Seas, are the latest ships in Royal Caribbean International's fleet.   Allure is coming up on her one year anniversary, while Oasis celebrates her second birthday this year.  Fully loaded, these ships accommodate around 6,000 passengers.  Allure sailed at full capacity for our sailing.

The amazing thing is that Royal Caribbean guarantees that you won't have a long wait for embarkation.   This was our second cruise on Allure, and they delivered on their promise both times.  

We are Diamond members, which means there would be a special line for us at embarkation, but we didn't even need to go in that line.   After passing through security, we headed to the check-in lines where we were directed to a gentleman holding up his sign indicating that he was open and waiting for guests.  

The embarkation stations are grouped by deck making for a very efficient process.  After giving the check-in agent our completed paperwork, showing our passports, providing the credit card for onboard purchases, and having our picture taken for our cabin keys, we were off for our first photo opportunity, the Welcome Aboard photo.  He had given us our cabin keys, The Cruise Planner (pictured above), and a fold-up pocket guide map of the ship.   These can be very useful throughout the ship, but if you read our past article, Navigating the Allure of the Seas, you'll discover that there are more efficient ways to find your way around.

Getting Onboard

After our photo, we gathered our carry-on bags and headed to the gangway.   We showed our cabin key several times, including having it scanned, and then we were headed up the gangway to the Allure's entrance.  At the top of the gangway, it's time to sanitize your hands and step aboard the ship.  Cabins weren't ready for occupancy, so it was time to explore the open public areas.

What's the first thing you do when you get onboard - read our next article to see what we did on Allure of the Seas...

Sail Away From Civitavecchia

Star Princess Prepares to 

Sail from Civitavechia, Italy

Having completed our two-night pre-cruise stay in Rome, Italy, and our train ride to the pier, we were anxious to get on board the Star Princess for the actual cruise portion of our vacation.   These next posts will describe our Mediterranean adventure in detail.  We hope you enjoy your virtual cruise of the Mediterranean and Greek Isles.

Monday, May 30th was a beautiful day in Civitavecchi, Italy, as the Star Princess prepared to depart on its 12-Night journey to the Mediterranean ports with a special emphasis on the Greek Isles.

Passengers were up on the outside decks, soaking in the sun's rays and watching as last minute activities took place getting ready for our departure.   


As it turned out, we were not on deck when the actual sail-away took place, because we had early seating dinner (6 PM).  The ship departed shortly after that.

There were still some people in the pool as Star Princess was concluding final preparations for our departure.  The sun would be out for several more hours yet, so if you didn't have to be at dinner, there was certainly no rush to leave.

We had already completed the mandatory safety drill, where we learned about a situation that occurred on the previous sailing, which would have an impact on us for the first few days.   There had been an increased report of gastrointestinal illness on the last cruise, attributed to people eating meals on shore.   Consequently, the ship had undergone an extensive sanitation process when it docked in Civitavecchia.   

In addition to the sanitation, special food handling procedures had been put in place.   We hadn't paid much attention to it when we first got onboard, but after we heard the announcement during the safety drill, things made sense.

In the buffet, as well as other food venues, the wait staff was serving food.   Passengers were not allowed to handle food on the serving line - this included even such things as rolls and condiments.   After two full days, the ban was lifted and life onboard returned to normal with no outbreaks during our cruise.   While it was inconvenient for the first days, taking longer to get through the food line for example, we commend Princess Cruises for proactively handling the situation to prevent any further problems on our cruise.

Welcome aboard ... the Mediterranean adventure begins in earnest now.  Be sure to visit both our blog and Facebook Fan page often for more stories and photos of our journey.

Additional Reading:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (advice about any health advisories here and abroad)
Traveler's Health (CDC Travel specific topics)
Facts About Noroviruses on Cruise Ships  -  gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses can be prevented

Wash hands often. Wash hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers and before eating or preparing food.  Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer along with hand washing.

Norovirus outbreaks, when they occur on a cruise ship, always make the news.  The truth is these outbreaks can occur anywhere there are groups of people in a small area such as nursing homes, restaurants, catered events, hotels, and cruise ships.

 Vessel Sanitation Program - prevention and control of spread of gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses on cruise ships

 

Additional photos can be found on our Facebook Albums.




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DreamWorks Sail Away Party on Allure

Sail Away Party - Aqua Theater - Allure of the Seas

DreamWorks Characters
Start the Party
Allure of the Seas
Sail Away

Following the mandatory safety assembly, it was time to get ready to sail.  To start the party in a unique fashion, we decided to join the party in the Aqua Theater.   There was another party underway on the Royal Promenade.


Party Celebration

The cruise entertainment staff, along with the DreamWorks cast of characters,  got the party started with a flag parade and then one by one the DreamWorks characters joined them on stage.

Under the stage where the performers are standing is the pool that is used for the aerial water shows and dancing waters.

King Julien XIII

The first Madagascar character to join the party was King Julien XIII, a ring-tailed lemur who has light gray and white fur, big yellow eyes, tiny whiskers, a black nose, thin black eyebrows, fox-like ears, a long black-and-white striped raccoon-like tail and wears a crown.  


Since he loves to dance, sing, and party, he was the perfect one to get the celebration going.

Alex the Lion

Alex the Lion, the alpha lion of his heard, showed more interest in dancing than in hunting, much to the disappointment of his father who tried to teach him to hunt.


No hunting was going on poolside, but  there was lots of dancing as Alex joined the cast on stage.  By now the audience was getting into the party spirit.  


One by one the cast of Madagascar and other DreamWorks movies joined in the celebration on stage, each appearance bringing roars from the audience.   Some folks from the audience were chosen to come onstage and join in the dance.

Shrek and Fiona

All Parties Come to an End



It probably isn't a surprise to most that Shrek and Fiona were the grand finale to the sail away party.   They are shown here waving good-bye as the party comes to an end.


We have plenty more pictures and details to share with you about the party.   To see the rest of the pictures, become a fan of our Facebook Fan Page.


It's not everyday that you go on a cruise and party with the DreamWorks characters.   Royal Caribbean has entered into a partnership with them so this is only the first of many times you'll be able to see them on board Allure of the Seas.   In fact, rumor has it that they have moved in.

The Bon Voyage Experience

THE BON VOYAGE EXPERIENCESM

Princess Cruises revives a nostalgic cruising tradition with the new Bon Voyage Experience, allowing family and friends to come aboard and wish passengers a wonderful trip before they sail!

As a Princess Commodore, I've received advanced information about an exciting new program starting this spring aboard many of Princess Cruise Ships.

If you are a long-time cruiser, you may recall the bon voyage experience when family and friends joined you onbaord for a send-off on your cruise journey.

Reviving a signature tradition from the early days of cruising, the Bon Voyage Experience is an innovative new program giving passengers the opportunity to invite their friends and family aboard their ship on embarkation day to share the fun and excitement of sail-away day. The program allows booked passengers four hours to show off their stateroom and other signature Princess innovations.

For just $39 USD per person, participants will enjoy priority embarkation, a guided ship tour, a souvenir photo, and a delectable four-course lunch (wine included) in one of the ship’s beautiful main dining rooms. In addition, each participant will receive a $39 Future Cruise Credit (FCC) to be used on a Princess booking made within 3 months of the Bon Voyage Experience.

To ensure that guests are able to get the most of their visit onboard, program participants will be allowed priority embarkation. If participants are friends or family of booked passengers, this benefit will be extended to their sailing friends so they can enjoy the day’s festivities together.

Depending on the ship and itinerary, participants should be able to enjoy up to 4 hours onboard (until approximately 3:00 pm on most itineraries). When making a reservation, exact times for embarkation and disembarkation will be shared.

The Bon Voyage Experience will debut in March in the ports of Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale and roll out to New York, San Francisco and Seattle. The schedule for the launch of the Bon Voyage Experience is:

• Sapphire Princess on March 6 in Los Angeles
• Crown Princess on March 6 in Fort Lauderdale
• Coral Princess on March 7 in Los Angeles
• Emerald Princess on March 7 in Fort Lauderdale
• Island Princess on March 10 in Los Angeles
• Ruby Princess on March 10 in Fort Lauderdale
• Golden Princess on March 14 in Los Angeles
• Royal Princess on March 27 in Fort Lauderdale
• Star Princess on April 10 in Fort Lauderdale
• Caribbean Princess on May 18 in New York
• Sea Princess on June 1 in San Francisco

During the Alaska season, Sapphire Princess, Golden Princess and Royal Princess will also offer the program from Seattle, beginning in May.

Have your family and friends come aboard

and wish you a wonderful trip before you sail!

I am happy to see the return of an old tradition. Cruising was meant to be a special vacation, originally afforded only to the "well to do". Thankfully it is now an experience that can be enjoyed by most people. The return of this old tradition allows an opportunity for friends and family to briefly experience life onboard a cruise ship, and perhaps take away some of the mystery about what it's like to take a cruise vacation.

For more information about Princess Cruises, Click HERE

NCL Dawn Bermuda - Sail Away from NY

When we awoke the sky was a bit threatening, but the sun came out and burned the clouds away leaving a beautiful blue sky with billowy, puffy white clouds. The New York City skyline is magnificent especially when it is framed by clouds.

The railings along the pool-side decks were lined with passengers as we sailed past the NYC skyline on the port side and New Jersey on the starboard side. Off in the distance, on the starboard side stood the Statue of Liberty, torch reaching into the blue sky. The highlight of the sail-away was sailing close to the statue as we headed out to open sea.

We have had several opportunities to sail past the Statue of Liberty, the first being upon return from a Trans-Atlantic many years

ago. That time, the sun was just rising and the torch really glowed in the morning light. Perhaps a more striking image was that on that past cruise, the World Trade Center buildings were still standing and they too were glistening in the morning light.

On that day in September, 2001, the New York skyline was changed forever, but through it all, the Statue of Liberty still stood fast in the harbor with her torch lighting the way to freedom for so many people that have come before us, and those that will follow. How fitting that we had visited Ground Zero on this trip so that we were now reminded about what the Statue of Liberty reall means to all of us.

After passing the Statue, the crowded thinned out and the party kicked into full gear. The band played on the stage by the pool and the BBQ was ready to be served. The menu consisted of hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken along with all the trimmings. Since we hadn't had any food when we first got onboard, we were starting to get hungry, so we decided to partake in the BBQ. There's nothing like good old outdoor cooking - and to think it wasn't in our backyard, but on a cruise ship. We'd actually have BBQ lunches several times throughout the cruise, since we spent some of our free-time poolside.

The cruise was officially started; we looked back in the distance and saw the New York City skyline fade away. In my next post, I'll take you inside the El Dorado Spa for a closer look.