Tropical Storm Nora Forms in Pacific

TROPICAL STRORM NORA

FORMS IN PACIFIC

NO THREAT TO LAND

Graphic courtesy of NOAA (Nora) 2 AM PDT Wed 9/23

(click for updated map and additional information)

The 14th tropical storm of the season has formed in the Pacific. The storm is 645 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. It is moving slowly and current wind speed is 40 MPH.

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>

200 AM PDT WED SEP 23 2009...THE 14TH TROPICAL STORM OF THE SEASON FORMS... NO THREAT TO LAND...

UPDATE: 200 AM PDT FRI SEP 25 2009... NORA NOW A REMNANT LOW...THIS IS THE LAST ADVISORY...

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MPH... 55 KM/HR... WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GRADUAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST IN THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS. .

This post will track Tropical Storm Nora until it is no longer tracked by the NHC.

Local Weather Statements

<more details> <click for updated chart><NWS - Local Weather><NASA Hurricane Tracking>

Cruise Ship Tropical Storm Updates:

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

It is too early for cruise line advisories on this storm, but you may want to bookmark this post for future reference.

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking:

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

Cruise lines will stay clear of any danger, as safety of passengers and crew are their top priority. We will update this post as any new information is released.

Now is Time to Plan Your Next Cruise

Today I want to call your attention to three cruise sales featured in my current newsletter.

Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean International have teamed up with our company to offer our clients amazing deals that make now the right time to plan your next cruise vacation.

15% Off Shore Excursions when you book a Carnival Caribbean Cruise

Available now through 9/22/09.

PLUS: Free Upgrades on select sailings.

Carnival Sale Details

Norwegian Cruise Line's NOW Sale

Up to $250 Onboard Credit

PLUS: 50% Reduced Deposit

NCL Sale Details

Book a Royal Caribbean Mediterranean Cruise

15% Off Shore Excursions!

Available now through 9/22/09.

PLUS: Book a Balcony or above andreceive a FREE Spa Treatment!

Royal Caribbean Sale Details

Click on the links above to get more details on these offers. Don't miss offers like these in the future, make sure to signup for my weekly eSavers Newsletter.

Where is Chris - Featured Destination Sept 09

It’s a gorgeous morning where I am. The sun is shining, and the trees are gently swaying in the warm breeze. Back home, the wind is howling and the snow is blowing. I am very thankful that I am here.

Where is Chris? I’m not going to tell you right away. Close your eyes and imagine you are standing next to me while I paint a picture of what I saw today and we will see if you can figure it out.

Arriving early in the embarkation port ...

I decided to fly in a few days early before my cruise started to visit a city I had heard about but never visited. It is a diverse city and inexpensive to explore and enjoy. There is plenty of entertainment, places to see and things to do. You will not be disappointed in exploring it.

Exploring the neighborhoods ...

The first thing I do after breakfast is get a map of the city. With a map, I can plot out what I want to see without wandering and getting lost. The city is divided into neighborhoods and each one has a map of the things to visit in their area. I decided to just explore some of the neighborhoods since there is another destination that I want to see before my cruise starts.

Exploring Microcentro...

You will spend plenty of time in this part of the city since it is the hub of the government, banks, services and everything that makes this city tick. The area’s defining feature, that connects two neighborhoods, is the pedestrian thoroughfare that is crowded by day with shoppers and at night the performance artists thrill tourists and locals alike.

The biggest attraction/destination is situated in an old restored building that houses valuable and artistic murals. It offers an extensive list of choices – stores of fashionable clothes, leather articles, books, jewelry, souvenirs and many more things. It has movie theatres and a graceful dining area offering all types of options. It also houses a famous Ballet School.

Exploring a classy neighborhood ...

Another classier neighborhood is lined with handsome apartment buildings and is home to fine shops, art galleries and restaurants. This neighborhood grew up around an area that covers 4 square blocks and has one of the city’s most visited attractions. The ancestors of the city’s aristocracy are buried here. The Recoleta Cemetery is a virtual crypt city of tall and elaborate tombs and mausoleums. The monument most people seek out is the simple dark marble crypt belonging to the wife of the dictator Juan Peron and the heroine of the city’s working class- Eva Peron.

Where am I ?

If you haven’t figured out by now, the city I am spending a few days in is Buenos Aires, Argentina. Buenos Aires is either the starting point or is in the middle of various cruises. Some of these cruises sail around the tip of South America and end in Valparaiso, Chile.

It is the capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southern shore of the Rio de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent. It has a population of around 13 million and is considered the richest city in South America and the Southern Hemisphere.

Time for you to continue the exploration ...

Let me help you plan a cruise vacation to South America which starts or ends in Buenos Aires. Extend your stay before or after the cruise so that you can visit the many diverse neighborhoods of this city on your own. I have selected a couple itineraries that you might consider in February, 2010.

Select from these Celebrity Infinity Cruises or contact me for other choices ...

14-Night South America, Buenos Aires to Valparaiso

14 Night Antarctic Cruise, Buenos Aires R/T

Let us CUSTOM DESIGN a SOUTH AMERICA CRUISE VACATION for YOU.

e-mail us: cpappin@cruisesinc.com to start planning YOUR cruise

Regent Seven Seas Inclusive Sale

Prices Increase October 1st

Book Regent Cruises NOW

With many 2010 cruises already sold out, time is running out to take advantage of Regent Seven Seas Cruises inclusive special offers. After September 30, 2009, prices will be increasing on nearly half of the voyages. Features of the sale include the following:

Unlimited Complimentary Shore Excursions

Free Air & 2-for-1 Fares

Additional $1,000 per guest savings

Guests will still be able to enjoy Unlimited Complimentary Shore Excursions and Included Air, but 2-for-1 Fares plus up to an additional $1,000 per guest savings will no longer apply on select 2010 cruises effective October 1, 2009.

Contact me NOW to book YOUR cruise as space is limited. Checking my inventory, I see that many cruises are already sold out, and some suite categories are already waitlisted!

Regent Seven Seas Cruise - Information & Itineraries

Offer expires September 30, 2009. Discounts and amenities are per person based on double occupancy. Additional terms and conditions apply - contact me for complete details.

Azamara Luxury Exclusive Sale Promotion

Azamara Luxury Sale Promotion
Receive UP to $500 in Onboard Credit

Click Here for Current Featured Cruise Sales

Book an Ocean View stateroom or above on any mentioned Azamara departure and receive UP to $500 in Onboard Credit (per stateroom). This is an exclusive WTH offer through September 30, 2009 . (click on the link above for more details)

Ocean View Staterooms - $200 Onboard Credit per stateroom
Veranda Staterooms - $400 Onboard Credit per stateroom
Suites - $500 Onboard Credit per stateroom

Select from Azamara Journey® 14-Night Transatlantic cruises between Miami and Barcelona or a 12-Night Caribbean cruise from Miami.

Select from Azamara Quest® 24-Night cruises between Athens and Singapore.

For itinerary details along with terms and conditions for this offer, see my website or give me a call to discuss. I'd love to help you plan a wonderful cruise aboard one of these luxury Azamara vessels.

Become a Fan on Facebook

Celebrity Xpedition - Galapagos - Great Offers

Galapagos Great Offers

Celebrity Xpedition

Take advantage of these special offers on October & November Sailings

If you haven't read my articles on our Celebrity Xpedition to Galapagos last year, I suggest you do so. I am often asked what my favorite cruise vacation is and my answer is usually "the one I'm on now". If you pressure me more, I will tell you that it was our Xpedition to the Galapagos.

One hundred fifty years ago, a man wrote about his quest that took him to a place where he would discover how life evolved thousands of years ago. You have the opportunity to follow in his footsteps and discover a land that is inhabited by species that can be found nowhere else on earth.

What do you think it was like to come face to face with a Red Marine Iguana or a Giant Galapagos Tortoise? What was it like seeing one of those cute Sea Lions or Galapagos Penguins?

You don't have to guess - you can find out for youself if you take advantage of one of the following special offers that Celebrity Cruises has announced.

Celebrity Cruises Itineraries & Pricing

Captain's Club Elite members receive 10% discount on a Celebrity Xpedition to Galapagos.

Celebrity Xpedition is an all-inclusive cruise vacation. Purchase the entire land/sea package and you can forget about doing any planning of daily activities. Your only decision will become do I want medium or high intensity activity in our next Galapagos island.

Celebrity Xpedition staff greets you at the airport in Quito, Ecuador and puts you on a motor coach to your nearby hotel. You explore Quito for two days before being escorted to the airport where you board a charter flight to Baltra, the starting point of your sea portion of the vacation.

Onboard the vessel, all meals and entertainment are provided as is the case on most cruises. In addition to that, you can belly up to the bar with your newly made friends for cocktails any time you want. It is hard to spend money onboard the ship. Most things are included except for items in the gift shop or a massage from the spa attendant.

Celebrity Xpedition was just refurbished, adding some additional cabins and sprucing up the ship. I think you will truly enjoy the improvements. I can't say enough about the ship's staff and naturalists - they are the best in the industry.

Call me today before the limited space is sold out.

Reflections on 9/11

May We Never Forget

September 11, 2001 is a day that we will never forget. It was our 25th wedding anniversary. We were on Norwegian Sun's maiden voyage which started the day before in Southampton, England for a Path of the Vikings Transatlantic voyage. The Sun was docked in Le Harve, France and we had taken a shore excursion to Paris. What could be more romantic than spending your anniversary in Paris, France?

We had a lovely lunch on a river cruise. We had done some shopping and toured the sites of Paris. It was now time to board our motor coach for the trip back to Le Harve to rejoin our vessel. While in one of the local shops, we'd heard some buzzing as the news of the days events had started to trickle in.

One of the passengers asked our French-speaking bus driver to turn on the radio. What happened next, I'll never forget. He started to make dive-bombing motions with his hands, trying to tell us about a plane crash. Even though we couldn't understand his speach, we started to understand that something tragic had taken place.

He changed the radio station and found one that was broadcasting in English. A pall fell over the bus as we heard the news. Most of the passengers were from the New York area since the cruise was to end in New York.

Back onboard the Sun, security was tightened and CNN was on all television sets throughout the ship. The mood went from festive (celebrating the new ship) to very somber.

The captain was one of the best we've had. He directed the staff to open the phone lines and internet for 48 hours so that every passenger could call home to check on loved ones. It was a very organized process that was implemented without any prior planning. Later in the week we learned that our disembarkation port was changed from New York to Boston and once again everyone was allowed to call home to inform family and friends of the change.

There were festivities planned for all our ports of call. In most cases, those still took place, but the opening remarks were concerning the attack. Every country we visited had their flags at half-staff in memory. All of the tour guides began their introductions by expressing condolences.

We had ports of call in New Foundland and Halifax, Canada. There we met folks that had taken stranded air passengers into their homes and fed them when the planes were grounded. Clearly the world had united in response to the events of 9/11.

Eight years have passed since that terrible day, but the memories are fresh as yesterday. We sailed out of New York on a couple recent cruises. We visited the site of the World Trade Center and saw the rebuilding and the various memorials. Reflecting on the past with a hope for a new rebuilding is perhaps the best way to remember.

When we pulled into Boston harbor at the conclusion of our maiden voyage, we were greeted by U.S. Coast Guard gun boats which escorted us safely into the harbor. It was good to be home but it was strange to have the military presence. The escorts continue to this day as the cruise lines and the government attempt to keep us safe from harm. It is everyone's duty to be watchful so that the events of 9/11 don't occur again.

Each of our cruises are memorable in some way. It seems that some cruises are remembered more than others. The maiden voyage of Norwegian Sun will remain one with very vivid memories.