Introducing Celebrity Select Dining

Now Available to

Pre-Reserve Online Fleetwide

Celebrity Cruises Announces Flexible Dinner Option

Starting this Fall

Celebrity Select Dining is a new flexible dining option that allows you to choose when you dine on a day by day basis. You’ll still be seated in the ship’s main dining room, order from the same dinner menu, and enjoy the same amazing service that you’re accustomed to onboard Celebrity Cruises, but with more flexibility.

Once you’ve chosen Celebrity Select Dining in your reservation, you can make your day by day reservations pre-cruise, reserve once onboard or simply come to the dining room whenever you’d like to have dinner.*

Celebrity Select Dining debuts onboard Celebrity Equinox, beginning with the September 26, 2009 sailing. All other ships in the fleet will introduce the program during the first quarter of 2010.

Historically, guests on most cruise lines decided at the time of booking whether they wanted early or late seating for dinner in the main dining room. Sometimes that meant rushing to dinner after a relaxing spa treatment or cutting that shopping trip short so that you could get back to your cabin to change for dinner.

With this new program, plan your dinner around your daily activities. If you want to spend some extra time sightseeing in port, you’ll have the option to dine a little later that evening. Celebrity Select Dining is all about flexibility. You can choose to dine in the Main Dining room at any time between 6:00 and 9:30 pm each evening. If you wish, you can dine at different times throughout the cruise - the flexibility is yours.

For those that like to plan in advance, make your day by day dining reservations online before your cruise. Celebrity Cruises recommends online reservations for the best possible dining experience. Reservations will be accepted onboard the ship also.

Key Highlights of Celebrity Select Dining SM

• Same amazing service as traditional seating
• Same menu as traditional seating
• Still seated in the Main Dining Room
• Pre-paid gratuities are required to participate — this includes tips for your waiter, assistant waiter, dining room management, and all stateroom service.
• You have the choice to either dine with other guests or just with your own party
• Once Celebrity Select Dining is selected in the cruise booking, day by day reservations can be made pre-cruise online on celebritycruises.com
• Reservations are strongly encouraged in order to avoid a delay in seating, and can be made online pre-cruise up to 4 days prior to sailing, or onboard with the Maitre ‘d
• Only groups of 20 or less can be seated at one time
• Celebrity Select Dining is subject to availability

*Celebrity Select DiningSM is subject to availability, and gratuities must be prepaid in order to participate. Only groups of 20 or less can be seated at one time.

To make your reservations for Celebrity Select Dining, contact your travel agent or visit www.celebritycruises.com/celebrityselectdining.

Celebrity Cruises Overview & Itineraries

Hurricane Jimena Approaches Category 5

Satellite Image Courtesy of NOAA (NESDIS) - Hurricane Jimena - August 31, 2009 - AVN Enhanced <more images>

Hurricane Jimena Grows in Strength - Heading Towards Baja

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

We continue to monitor this dangerous hurricane as it tracks toward Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and the surrounding area. Click on the following link for ongoing updates several times a day.

Monitoring Hurricane Jimena in East Pacific

Hurricane Hunter aircraft have flown through Hurricane Jimena and measured the current sustained maximum wind spead to be 150 MPH with higher gusts. It is very close to becoming a Category 5 (the highest designation on the Saffir-Simpson Scale ).

Tropical Storm - winds 39-73 mph (34-63 kt)
Category 1 - winds 74-95 mph (64-82 kt)
Category 2 - winds 96-110 mph (83-95 kt)
Category 3 - winds 111-130 mph (96-113 kt)
Category 4 - winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt)
Category 5 - winds 156 mph and up (135+ kt)

JIMENA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA AND PORTIONS OF WESTERN MEXICO DURING THE NEXT 2 DAYS... WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES.

A DANGEROUS STORM SURGE ALONG WITH BATTERING WAVES WILL PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA.

Cruise Ship Itinerary Changes

As you might expect, there have been itinerary changes made to keep passengers and crew a safe distance from the hurricane's path. Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean have cruise ships in the area and have modified itineraries:
The Carnival Elation August 29 departure from San Diego will visit Catalina on Tuesday and Ensenada on Wednesday.
The Carnival Splendor August 30 departure from Long Beach will visit Catalina on Monday and Ensenada on Tuesday.
Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas August 30 departure sailed west to avoid the storm for the planned sea day, and will inform the passengers of additional changes later today as they continue to monitor the storm.

Updates: <CARNIVAL> <Royal Caribbean>

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking:<Interactive tracking map> See where ships are relative to tropical storms.

Our continuing coverage of this powerful hurricane can be found on: Monitoring Hurricane Jimena in East Pacific

In addition, NHC advisories are updated via RSS feed for both Jimena and Kevin (which has now become a tropical depression).

Carnival Fascination Gets a Make-Over

Carnival Corporation announced that Carnival Fascination will undergo a multi-million-dollar renovation in January 2010 that will include the addition of a new water park, adults-only retreat, and resort-style main pool area, as well as 98 balconies added to existing ocean view staterooms. Two other ships, Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Sensation are also receiving additional balconies during dry docks this year. Carnival Seansation's work has been completed and Carnival Ecstasy will have the work completed in October.

The refurbishment includes a number of exciting open deck features, including Carnival WaterWorks with 82-foot-long racing slides, a splash zone and the aqua park's signature design element - a 300-foot-long Twister water slide. The main pool on Lido deck will also be transformed with oversized umbrellas, colorful tile work and thatched roofing, creating a relaxing, resort-style atmosphere. An adults-only retreat, Serenity, completes the outdoor improvements.

The refurbishment will also include upgrades to the Sensation and Imagination main dining rooms, with the Sensation dining room being reconfigured for Your Time Dining.

The majority of the additional balcony staterooms will be located aft with several of them featuring extended balconies. Twenty-four balconies will be located mid-ship and twelve near the stern. Several of the existing suites will be retrofitted with larger, extended balconies.

Prior to the January dry dock, a new Circle “C” facility for 12- to 14-year-olds will be added on Atlantic Deck 8. The facility will include plasma screen TV’s displaying movies and music videos, a high-tech sound and light system, gaming consoles and a touch-screen jukebox.

Carnival Fascination sails four and five day cruises from Jacksonville, Florida. These new enhancements will be introduced for the first time on the February 1, 2010 sailing. Reservations are open for the 98 new balcony staterooms, so contact me right away if this intersts you.

Carnival Fascination Sailings

Monitoring Hurricane Jimena in East Pacific

Chart Courtesy of NOAA: 800 AM PDT (Jimena) MON AUG 31, 2009

<more details> <click for updated chart>

Hurricane Jimena Forms in East Pacific

JIMENA IS A TROPICAL DEPRESSION

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

Hurricane season got off to a slow start, but since Mid-August, there has been plenty of activity in both the Atlantic and Pacific. In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Danny has now broken up, but in the Pacific, we have a tropical storm that has the potential for being a major hurricane.

In Other News, Tropical Storm Kevin has now become a Tropical Depression and public advisories have been discontinued. <more details about Kevin>

As a service to my clients and my blog readers, we'll provided continual updates on tropical storms and any cruise line advisories that are posted. For convenience, RSS feeds are also added so that you can get up-to-date information between posts. <NHC Active Storms>

800 AM PDT SAT AUG 29 2009... JIMENA NOW A HURRICANE... COULD BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE BY TOMORROW...

UPDATE: 800 AM PDT FRI SEP 04 2009... JIMENA WEAKENING OVER THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA... THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION JIMENA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 27.7 NORTH... LONGITUDE 111.8 WEST OR ABOUT 40 MILES... NORTHEAST OF SANTA ROSALIA MEXICO...

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 30 MPH... 45 KM/HR... WITH HIGHERGUSTS. GRADUAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST... AND JIMENA IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A REMNANT LOW LATER TODAY...

JIMENA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN MEXICO AND THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE BAJA PENINSULA DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO. ISOLATED MAXIMUM STORM-TOTAL AMOUNTS OF UP TO 30 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...

This post will track Jimena until it is no longer tracked by the NHC.

Local Weather Statements

<more details> <click for updated chart>

<NWS - Local Weather>

<NWS - Mexico>

<Cabo San Lucas (weather.com)>

< Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (Spanish) >

<NASA Hurricane Tracking>

Cruise Ship Tropical Storm Updates:

<CARNIVAL> <Norwegian Cruise Line> <Royal Caribbean>

(Aug 30) Carnival Cruise Line Advisory:
We are closely monitoring the progress of Hurricane Jimena which is currently located about 250 miles southwest of Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.

Due to the location of the storm, we will make the following itinerary changes:

The Carnival Elation August 29 departure from San Diego will visit Catalina on Tuesday and Ensenada on Wednesday.

The Carnival Splendor August 30 departure from Long Beach will visit Catalina on Monday and Ensenada on Tuesday.

Additional information will be available later today. We will navigate our ships at a safe distance from the storm at all times.

Rest assured, we will navigate our ships at a safe distance from the storm at all times. Our number one priority is the safety and comfort of our guests and crew.

(Aug 30) Royal Caribbean International:
Mariner of the Seas which departed August 30th for Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Villarta is scheduled to be in the area of the hurricane later this week.

The ship will sail west to avoid the storm and Monday will be a sea day as planned. Royal Caribbean will decide Monday afternoon whether or not to alter the ship's itinerary based on the latest weather forecast.

Continue to monitor this post for updates on this cruise as well as the hurricane.

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking:
<Interactive tracking map> See where ships are relative to tropical storms.


Cruise lines will do everything to keep passengers and crew safe. A cruise is rarely cancelled because of weather, even hurricanes. The cruise lines monitor progress of any storms both in their main offices and onboard the vessels. They work closely with the various weather services, such as NOAA and NHC, to make determinations about itinerary deviations.

Continue to watch this post, I will provide updates as conditions change. If you are on a cruise this week in the area, be sure to monitor the storm closely.

Where in the World Does Celebrity Cruise - Vol. 4

The Caribbean

Yes folks, our next destination in our series on Where in the World does Celebrity Cruise in 2010/2011 is the Caribbean. You don't have to worry if you can't spare a whole week. Celebrity has short cruises to the Caribbean to accomodate your busy schedule!

Escape from every day life not far from home. All you have to do is relax on your cruise vacation in the Caribbean. Choose from 4 to 7-night Western Caribbean cruise vacations.

Sailing from Miami, Florida
Celebrity Century®

4 Night Western Caribbean
1/28, 2/11, 2/25, 3/11, 3/25, 4/8, 4/22, 11/18, 12/2, 12/16, 12/20/10, 1/27, 2/10, 2/24, 3/10, 3/24, 4/7 & 4/21/11

Miami, Florida; Key West, Florida; Cozumel, Mexico; Miami, Florida

5 Night Western Caribbean
1/4, 1/18, 2/1, 2/15, 3/1, 3/15, 3/29, 4/12/10

Miami, Florida; Key West, Florida;
George Town, Grand Cayman; Miami, Florida

5 Night Western Caribbean
1/23, 2/6, 2/20, 3/6, 3/20, 4/3, 4/17/10

Miami, Florida; Ocho Rios, Jamaica;
George Town, Grand Cayman; Miami, Florida

5 Night Western Caribbean
5/10, 11/8, 11/22, 12/6/10, 1/3, 1/17, 1/31, 2/14, 2/28, 3/14, 3/28, 4/11, 4/25/11

Miami, Florida; Roatan, Honduras;
Cozumel, Mexico; Miami, Florida

5 Night Western Caribbean
11/13, 11/27/10

Miami, Florida; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; Miami, Florida

5 Night Western Caribbean
12/11/10, 1/22, 2/5, 2/19, 3/19, 4/2, 4/16/11

Miami, Florida; Falmouth, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; Miami, Florida

5 Night Western Caribbean Holiday
12/24/10

Miami, Florida; George Town, Grand Cayman; Falmouth, Jamaica; Miami, Florida

5 Night Western Caribbean Holiday
12/29/10

Miami, Florida; Nassau, Bahamas; Cococay, Bahamas; Key West, Florida; Miami, Florida

7 Night Western Caribbean
5/3/10

Miami, Florida; George Town, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; Playa Del Carmen, Mexico; Cococay, Bahamas; Miami, Florida

For longer Celebrity Cruises to the Caribbean see:

Where in the World Does Celebrity Cruise - Vol. 1

No matter when you want to go, or how long you want to cruise, a Celebrity Cruise ship can take you to somewhere in the Caribbean. I hope you noticed that all three of the Solstice-class ships will be deployed in the Caribbean. Having been on Celebrity Solstice for it's inaugural, I can confirm that she is a magnificent cruise ship - one that will exceed your expectations.

Form a Group Sailing to the Caribbean - We have Special Pricing thru August 31st

Please submit your Group request here.

Call me or email me requesting a flyer with more details about these cruises.

Tropical Storms in the Central North Pacific

Chart Courtesy of NOAA CHC 9:49 PM HST Wed Aug 26, 2009

Click for Hawaiian watches, warnings and advisories.

CENTRAL NORTH PACIFIC

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

Much of the focus the past week or so has been on the Tropical Storms in the Atlantic. That doesn't mean that the Pacific is exempt from tropical storms and hurricanes this time of year. We have been watching that area closely also, but fortunately, the storms that developed became disorganized before threatening any land or cruise ship interests.

Once the NHC begins to monitor a storm, we'll add RSS feeds to this blog so that you can monitor the storm between posts. When developments become significant, we'll write a detailed article to help you plan your cruise vacation in the area.

UPDATE: 500 AM HST FRI AUG 28 2009...HILDA MOVING WEST AND DISSIPATING TO THE SOUTH OF HAWAII... THE DISSIPATING DEPRESSION IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 14 MPH...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE UNTIL HILDA DISSIPATES IN 24 TO 36 HOURS...

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS... HILDA IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE WEAKENING...

Local Weather Statements

<More Details> <Warnings and 5-Day Cone >

<NWS Hawaii Forecast>

<NASA Hurricane Tracking>

Cruise Ship Tropical Storm Updates:
<CARNIVAL> <Norwegian Cruise Line> <Royal Caribbean>

Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America is the only ship in the area at the time, and is out of harms way, so there have been no ship advisories issued.

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking:

<Interactive tracking map> See where ships are relative to tropical storms.

Cruise lines monitor weather forecasts and take passenger and crew safety into consideration. During hurricane season, there may be itinerary changes due to tropical storms, so be sure to monitor any storms in the area of your cruise vacation.

Continue to watch this blog for any tropical storm updates during this season.

Tropical Storm Danny Forms in Atlantic

Map Courtesy of NOAA - (Danny) Position as of 11 AM Eastern, Wednesday

< Click for Updated Map > <NHC Active Storms>

Current Atlantic Tropical Storm Watch

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

NOAA’s National Hurricane Center is now tracking the fourth named storm of the 2009 Atlantic Hurricane Season. We will also monitor this storm and provide updates including any cruise itinerary changes that become necessary.

1100 AM EDT WED AUG 26 2009...THE AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER EAST OF THE BAHAMAS BECOMES TROPICAL STORM DANNY...

UPDATE: 500 AM EDT SAT AUG 29 2009...DANNY RAPIDLY BECOMING ABSORBED BY AN EXTRA TROPICAL LOW... THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED ...

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS... THIS IS THE LAST PUBLIC ADVISORY ISSUED BY THE NHC ON THIS STORM....

LARGE SWELLS FROM THE EXTRA TROPICAL LOW ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE U.S. EAST COAST DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO....

Local Weather Statements

<More Details> <Warnings and 5-Day Cone >

<Bahamas Weather>

<Bermuda Weather Service>
<Baltimore, MD NWS> <Bayonne, NJ NWS>
<New York, NY NWS>

<Atlantic Canada Weather>
<Canadian Hurricane Centre>

<NASA Hurricane Tracking>

Cruise Ship Tropical Storm Updates

<CARNIVAL> <Norwegian Cruise Line> <Royal Caribbean> <Holland America>

(Aug 29) Carnival Cruise Line:
This storm has weakened significantly and we are not anticipating any itinerary changes at this time for the following cruise departures: Carnival Triumph departing from New York on August 29; and Carnival Pride departing from Baltimore on August 29.

The Carnival Miracle cruise that departed from New York on August 28 will visit Nassau on Monday, Half Moon Cay on Tuesday and Grand Turk on Wednesday.

(Aug 27) Carnival Cruise Line:
We are closely monitoring the progress of Tropical Storm Danny. All of our ships are operating at a safe distance from the storm. Our number one priority is the safety and comfort of our guests and crew.

We are not anticipating any itinerary changes at this time including the following cruise departures: Carnival Miracle from New York on August 28; Carnival Triumph departing from New York on August 29; and Carnival Pride departing from Baltimore on August 29.



(Aug 29) Royal Caribbean International: At this time, no Royal Caribbean International itineraries are being affected by Tropical Storm Danny. (NO CHANGE FROM AUG 28TH STATEMENT)


(Aug 28) Royal Caribbean International:
At this time, no Royal Caribbean International itineraries are being affected by Tropical Storm Danny. Royal Caribbean will continue to closely monitor weather conditions and will update this information again tomorrow, August 29 at noon.

Explorer of the Seas is scheduled to depart on Saturday, August 29, for its five-night sailing to the Caribbean. Earlier this week, Tropical Storm Danny showed some signs of unpredictability. However, the most recent weather forecasts available predict that the ship will be able to depart Cape Liberty and head south to Bermuda as scheduled.

(Aug 26) Royal Caribbean International:

Given the current location and projected path of Tropical Storm Danny, we are not altering the itinerary of any ship, and providing the following guidance regarding one sailing:

Ships sailing from Baltimore, Maryland Grandeur of the Seas, is scheduled to depart on Thursday August 27, for its nine-night sailing to the Caribbean. However, guests on this sailing are encouraged to monitor these updates for any possible modifications to the itinerary.

(Aug 26) Holland America: Regarding Tropical Storm Danny, we are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to watch the storm's development.

Please note the following ship itinerary information:
ms Maasdam - Scheduled to turn in Boston on Saturday, August 29. No changes have been made to the published itineraries.
NOTE: There have been no other advisories made at this time.

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking: <Interactive tracking map> See where ships are relative to tropical storms.

Cruise lines will do everything to keep passengers and crew safe. A cruise is rarely cancelled because of weather, even hurricanes. The cruise lines monitor progress of any storms both in their main offices and onboard the vessels. They work closely with the various weather services, such as NOAA and NHC, to make determinations about itinerary deviations.

Continue to watch this post, I will provide updates as conditions change. If you are on a cruise this week in the area, be sure to monitor the storm closely.