In my last blog posting I mentioned the many benefits of taking a Christmas/Hanukah and/or New Year’s sailing. All the work done for you, as well as it being cost-effective, hassle-free and a wonderful time for families to “reconnect” while having a fun and relaxed time, as opposed to doing all the work yourselves! While everyone is back home getting stressed, you will be blissfully at sea, getting pampered! You can even do your Christmas shopping in those fabulous Caribbean duty-free shops!
I will start here with Carnival Cruise Lines and in the next week or so continue with the other major cruise lines, so I hope you check back and let me know if you have any questions.
All of Carnival Cruise Lines’ 22 ships will operate holiday cruises in 2007, and each will have oversized Christmas trees, wreaths and other traditional touches. There will also be special programs as well as entertainment.
These special holiday cruises are of various duration and will include four- and five-day Caribbean/Bahamas cruises from Miami; four-day Baja cruises from Long Beach, CA; seven-day Caribbean cruises from Miami and five- and seven-day Caribbean cruises from Tampa.
When boarding the “Fun Ships,” passengers will find themselves in a festive ambiance, with the atrium and promenade areas decorated for the holidays. A highlight of these cruises is an elaborate revue in each ships’ main show lounge evoking a “home away from home” atmosphere with cozy sets featuring faux oversized fireplaces, large comfortable sofas, Christmas trees with decorations created by the kids from the “Camp Carnival” program, and, of course, a visit from Santa! There will also be caroling with both guests and crew strolling throughout the ship singing classic and contemporary holiday songs, while popular holiday-themed movies such as “The Polar Express” are shown on the in-stateroom televisions. It's a lot of fun!
Best of all, no cooking! Holiday menus include the traditional oven roasted turkey with all the trimmings and freshly baked pecan pie, among many other selections.
On New Year’s cruises, there are celebrations, including the traditional countdown and complimentary noisemakers, party favors and champagne and you don’t have to worry about enjoying the bubbly and then having to drive home!
These sailings are a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the “Fun Ships” to the fullest and enjoy the family during the holidays. Check with your cruise specialist about these sailings, as they book up quickly and before you know it, the holidays will be upon us!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Do you believe it is already mid-October? While many, especially those fortunate enough to live where there are beautiful fall foliage colors look forward to this time of year, dread can quickly set in when remembering the holiday season will be here before you know it.
Of course, you could look forward to a cruise over the Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year’s holidays, as well as Thanksgiving. How does the Caribbean sound? More and more people are turning to these holiday cruises, as they are totally hassle-free -- and they are fun!
Imagine the holidays without crowded stores, supermarkets, cooking, loading the dishwasher and not having to entertain all those relatives? Does being catered to on a cruise in the Caribbean with the gentle tropical breezes of the tradewinds, the scent of tropical flowers and the magnificent ports of the Caribbean, each with its own special charm, sound enjoyable to you? You could even do all your Christmas shopping there in the countless duty-free shops!
Thanks to many of the cruise lines, this does not have to be a fantasy! In fact, it is the perfect solution for extended families to also make this into a family reunion, with none of the hassles. There are specially prepared menus, including Christmas dinner, lighting of the candles for the Menorah and of course, Santa and gifts! All you have to do is enjoy the holidays and the family.
The New Year’s cruise is also celebrated onboard and what could be more fun than counting down to the New Year, enjoying some bubbly, without having to worry about driving home. There are onboard parties and there is nothing better than celebrating at sea.
In the next few weeks, I will be writing about what some of the cruise lines are doing more specifically for the holidays, so start thinking now about how you want to spend them, doing all the work or having someone do everything for you while you are pampered in the sunny Caribbean. These holiday cruises book up quickly; so don’t wait until next year for a holiday at sea.
If you have experienced a “holiday at sea,” please share you experience with us. Was it enjoyable for you? Did the entire family go? Would you do it again?
Of course, you could look forward to a cruise over the Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year’s holidays, as well as Thanksgiving. How does the Caribbean sound? More and more people are turning to these holiday cruises, as they are totally hassle-free -- and they are fun!
Imagine the holidays without crowded stores, supermarkets, cooking, loading the dishwasher and not having to entertain all those relatives? Does being catered to on a cruise in the Caribbean with the gentle tropical breezes of the tradewinds, the scent of tropical flowers and the magnificent ports of the Caribbean, each with its own special charm, sound enjoyable to you? You could even do all your Christmas shopping there in the countless duty-free shops!
Thanks to many of the cruise lines, this does not have to be a fantasy! In fact, it is the perfect solution for extended families to also make this into a family reunion, with none of the hassles. There are specially prepared menus, including Christmas dinner, lighting of the candles for the Menorah and of course, Santa and gifts! All you have to do is enjoy the holidays and the family.
The New Year’s cruise is also celebrated onboard and what could be more fun than counting down to the New Year, enjoying some bubbly, without having to worry about driving home. There are onboard parties and there is nothing better than celebrating at sea.
In the next few weeks, I will be writing about what some of the cruise lines are doing more specifically for the holidays, so start thinking now about how you want to spend them, doing all the work or having someone do everything for you while you are pampered in the sunny Caribbean. These holiday cruises book up quickly; so don’t wait until next year for a holiday at sea.
If you have experienced a “holiday at sea,” please share you experience with us. Was it enjoyable for you? Did the entire family go? Would you do it again?
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Prices Fall this Autumn on Repositioning Cruises!
If you’re looking for a good deal on a cruise, and who isn’t, this is a great time to find them. During the fall there cruise lines have what are called “repositioning cruises,” when cruise lines move their ships from one part of the world to another due to the change in seasons. For instance, many ships sailing in Alaska and Europe are returning to warmer climes for the next sailing season.
This may mean a repositioning transatlantic sailing from Europe with some European port calls, a crossing of the “Big Pond” as well as some Caribbean calls before arriving in Fort Lauderdale, Miami or wherever their winter homeport is. This allows for a lot of sea days, which may not be for everybody, but many people love, because they get to completely relax and enjoy the sea experience. Of course, there are plenty of onboard amenities, if you choose to enjoy them or simply do nothing at all!
Ships repositioning from Alaska typically sail via the Panama Canal to warmer weather ports and some from Canada do trans-Pacific crossings to Hawaii.
The reason I am telling you this is most of the cruise lines offer excellent discounted rates on these cruises, so contact your cruise specialist and get all the details! A fall cruise is a great way to relax pre-holidays and get a very good deal at the same time.
This may mean a repositioning transatlantic sailing from Europe with some European port calls, a crossing of the “Big Pond” as well as some Caribbean calls before arriving in Fort Lauderdale, Miami or wherever their winter homeport is. This allows for a lot of sea days, which may not be for everybody, but many people love, because they get to completely relax and enjoy the sea experience. Of course, there are plenty of onboard amenities, if you choose to enjoy them or simply do nothing at all!
Ships repositioning from Alaska typically sail via the Panama Canal to warmer weather ports and some from Canada do trans-Pacific crossings to Hawaii.
The reason I am telling you this is most of the cruise lines offer excellent discounted rates on these cruises, so contact your cruise specialist and get all the details! A fall cruise is a great way to relax pre-holidays and get a very good deal at the same time.
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