The Solstice is Coming, the Solstice is Coming!

Celebrity Cruise Line's newest and largest ship, the Solstice, left the shipyard in Germany the other day and is now undergoing several sea trials in preparation for her maiden voyage in November.

The Solstice has a very unique feature never seen before on any cruise ship: a large area called the "Lawn Club" which has about a half acre of real, growing grass! How's that for unique? The ship also boasts its new Aqua Class staterooms with extra spa-related amenities, which can really add to the relaxation factor!

By the way, there is still space available on the CruiseOne charter of the Solstice as she sails from Ft. Lauderdale for 2 nights on November 21, 2008. Be sure to contact me right away if you're interested in being one of the lucky bunch of people who will be the first to sail on this grand ship!

It's All About the Family

Let's face it: cruising is wonderful, in fact it's probably the best vacation value around, but it can sometimes get tricky when you're trying to book a stateroom and you have more than four people in your family. I have five people in my immediate family, as I am married and we have three kids under the age of 16. I grew up in a family of five, so it was always two adjacent hotel rooms for us when we would travel, but trying to accommodate all of us comfortably on a cruise ship gets a little more complicated. This is because my husband and I always insist on having a balcony stateroom, and then we need to be able to find an inside stateroom across the hall to accommodate our kids. (We've never booked far enough in advance to snag one of the limited number of "family staterooms" that are available on most ships.) The good thing, however, is that it finally seems as if cruise lines are getting smarter and more hip to the fact that many families exceed the "perfect four" of mommy, daddy, son, and daughter. Family staterooms, those that accommodate five or more passengers, are becoming more commonplace, and thus, easier to book than ever before.

Take Royal Caribbean's new Oasis of the Seas, for example. The Oasis of the Seas has several different categories of staterooms that will accommodate larger families, ranging from the Family Oceanview Stateroom with Balcony, which sleeps six; all the way up to the tony Royal Loft Suite, which sleeps six in grand style in a two-story stateroom complete with baby grand piano, indoor and outdoor dining rooms, and a huge balcony furnished with an LCD TV, entertainment area, and Jacuzzi. And if you need even more bunks, there's even the Presidential Family Suite which sleeps FOURTEEN! Now those are what I call FAMILY staterooms!!!

For more information on the fabulous Oasis of the Seas or to book, visit my website at www.serenitycruising.com or call me today at (630) 868-6719 or toll-free at (877) 823-8597.

Celebrity Cruises Discontinues Australia/New Zealand Cruises for 2009-2010

Apparently, Celebrity feels that its customers would prefer to sail from the Eastern Seaboard instead of visiting the Land Down Under, so the cruise line is discontinuing its voyages to beautiful and exotic Australia and New Zealand. The Millenium will finish her Alaska run completing cruises that were originally scheduled to be on the Mercury; then she will head down to San Juan, where she will sail to the Southern Caribbean for 10 and 11-night cruises. The Mercury will head to the Eastern Caribbean from Baltimore from November 2009 to February 2010, then she will sail to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Charleston through April of that year.

Personally, I think this has both positive and negative impacts. A positive is that with the additional sailings to the Caribbean from the east coast and San Juan, clients have more choices for longer sailings to that area, as many cruises to the Caribbean are for 7 days only. With the economy the way it is, it seems that many people would prefer to sail out of ports close to home to avoid spending big bucks on airfare so this should work out well. However, the negative is that there will be fewer opportunities for clients to sail to Australia and New Zealand, especially for those clients that sail on upscale cruise lines like Celebrity. It's really a shame, but hopefully things will turn around and Celebrity will re-deploy some of its ships to that beautiful part of the world soon.

Fred. Olsen Cruises Bans Indoor Smoking

Fred. Olsen Cruises will have smoke-free indoor environments on all of its five ships beginning early in 2009. According to a recent news article, smoking will only be permitted on cabin balconies and designated areas of outdoor deck space. The smoking policy will initially be instituted on three vessels: Boudicca, Black Prince, and Braemar, all of which will become smoke-free on January 1, 5 and 8, respectively. Black Watch and Balmoral will go smoke-free after completion of their 2009 world cruises, April 13 and May 29, respectively. Fred. Olsen currently allows smoking indoors in designated areas of certain lounges on each of the five ships.

I personally think this is a good policy and think that all cruise lines should implement this on all of their ships. Many towns prohibit smoking inside public buildings nowadays so it's really becoming quite expected that if you want to smoke, you do so outside. Most smokers probably are used to that policy anyway so to have to do the same on a cruise ship should not be a big deal. Now all of us can feel comfortable aboard a cruise ship!

WHEATON, ILLINOIS-BASED CRUISE SPECIALIST ATTENDS ANNUAL CRUISEONE NATIONAL CONFERENCE

SHEILA McPHERSON JOINS MAJOR TRAVEL INDUSTRY PLAYERS, INCLUDING NUMEROUS CRUISE LINE REPRESENTATIVES, ABOARD CELEBRITY MERCURY

Wheaton, IL – Sheila McPherson, a cruise specialist based in Wheaton, Illinois, joined top travel industry executives on an 8-night sail from Vancouver to Alaska as part of the 13th annual CruiseOne National Conference. Celebrity Cruises hosted Sheila McPherson and more than 300 other travel agents aboard the Celebrity Mercury for this unforgettable experience.

The Celebrity Mercury sailed September 14, 2008 to Ketchikan, Alaska; Juneau, Alaska; Hubbard Glacier; Sitka, Alaska; Victoria, British Columbia and Seattle, Washington. The conference, themed “Xperts in Cruising,” offered extensive training opportunities to Sheila and other attendees. The trip also included a check presentation and $6,000 donation to the Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka, Alaska, courtesy of CruiseOne and Celebrity Cruises. Executives from all major cruise lines, as well as destination convention and visitor bureaus and tour operators, attended this highly regarded event. Additionally, Sheila attended extensive training sessions, becoming expert in Alaska travel, luxury cruising, group cruising and more.

“I always look forward to attending the CruiseOne conference because of the knowledge I gain, industry players I meet, and chances I have to build value for my clients,” said Sheila. “Cruising is one of the most popular ways to vacation. Each year, the CruiseOne conference unveils new trends, innovations and opportunities for me to keep travelers ahead of the curve with deals, incentives and service they won’t find anywhere else.”

For more information about a cruise vacation visit http://www.serenitycruising.com/%20and and sign up for the weekly eNewsletter or call Sheila McPherson, your Independent CruiseOne Cruise Specialist, at ( 630 ) 868-6719 or toll free
( 877 ) 823-8597.

About CruiseOne:With more than 500 locations coast to coast, CruiseOne prides itself on providing attention to detail and expert advice to every customer. Each independently owned and operated business combines the latest technology with old-fashioned, personalized customer service. The automated best fare search program enables cruise specialists to identify excellent values on all major cruise lines. CruiseOne offers innovative and exclusive programs including Honeymoon Cruise Registry, Company and Member Cruises and much more. CruiseOne is part of World Travel Holdings, the world’s largest cruise retailer.

Another Oasis of the Seas Neighborhood Unveiled!

Royal Caribbean has raised the curtain on yet another of its neighborhoods aboard the Oasis of the Seas. The new neighborhood, Entertainment Place, is a complex of diverse entertainment venues.
A contemporary nightclub district, Entertainment Place will introduce new signature after-dark spaces in more intimate venues. The collection of venues will include Blaze, a nightclub at sea; Jazz on 4, an intimate lounge with live jazz and blues; and Comedy Live, a comedy club.
Dance enthusiasts will be able to enjoy an elegant evening in Dazzles, a dance lounge featuring musically themed evenings, dance lessons and competitions.
The late-night Entertainment Place will center around Casino Royale, what Royal Caribbean calls the largest and most sophisticated casino at sea. Guests will enter through two themed walkway entrances -- the first showcasing the 40-year legacy of Royal Caribbean International and the second, the Museum of Gaming, which immerses guests in the history of gaming. The casino, inspired by the classic casinos of the French Riviera, features dramatic sculptured architecture, crystal chandeliers and décor in jewel-toned hues of amethyst, aquamarine and ruby.
Details of Entertainment Place, as well as other entertainment offerings onboard Oasis of the Seas, were unveiled at the CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. national conference held on a cruise to Alaska this week. A video preview of Entertainment Place can be viewed at www.OasisoftheSeas.com.
"We are extremely proud that our partners were the very first to get a glimpse of the exciting new entertainment complex on Oasis of the Seas," said Brad Tolkin, co-CEO of World Travel Holdings.
Previously announced neighborhoods include Central Park, the Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone and the Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center. The seven neighborhoods (one is still to be announced) provide cruisers with the opportunity to seek out relevant experiences based on their personal style, preference or mood.

-- I am getting really excited about this ship and I think it is absolutely amazing and could potentially change the cruise industry as we know it. If you haven't yet booked your cruise on this ship, you need to do so today! Visit my website at http://www.serenitycruising/ for more details!

Sheila Sails to Alaska on the Celebrity Mercury!

I have just returned from the CruiseOne, Cruises Inc. 2008 National Conference aboard the Celebrity Mercury. We sailed into glorious Alaska from Vancouver, B.C. and returned to Seattle after 8 nights, having visited Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka, and Victoria. We also viewed the magnificent Hubbard Glacier, which, for me, was the highlight of the cruise. Since this was my first cruise aboard a Celebrity ship, I have decided to review it so that my readers can have the opportunity to gain from my experiences. What did I think? Well, read on to find out!

Since my husband had to stay home with the kids, I traveled with a friend of mine, and we shared a Category 2A Balcony Stateroom. I have to say that I was not very impressed with the stateroom, as it was very small. With two twin beds and two very small bedside tables, a desk, small glass coffee table and "loveseat", there was hardly room to walk around the room without bumping into furniture. The Mercury is one of Celebrity's older ships, and the size of the room and its furnishings reflect that fact. Many ships have now updated their staterooms to include flat-screen TVs and upgraded bed linens such as comforters, but these have not undergone such upgrades yet. Despite the cramped surroundings, the storage space was more than adequate, with two closets for hanging items and a third with shelves and drawers. The bathroom was tiny, as expected, but with adequate storage space and a decent-sized shower, it was definitely serviceable. The balcony was good-sized, and was furnished with a small square coffee table and 2 chaises. The balcony was not deep enough to accommodate the chaises if they were laid flat, but it still worked. We've been on ships where the balcony was barely deep enough to accommodate standard chairs, so this was an improvement.

The ship's public rooms were nicely decorated but in my opinion there really was not a lot of pizazz. I don't care for loud neon lights and really bold colors, but I thought that in general the decor seemed sedated. The main dining room was nice but nothing to scream about and the nightclubs and other areas were nicely appointed but nothing really took my breath away. One thing I found frustrating was that the only area of the ship that had a TV on was the casino bar, and the bar was in the middle of the casino so it tended to be very noisy when there was a lot of gaming action going on. The pool area seemed nice but the pool didn't get much use since we were in cold weather. The enclosed Palm Springs Pool area at the back of the ship was a nice place to relax and seemed to be used more often than the area surrounding the La Playa Pool midship. The Celebrity Theater had comfortable seating and good sight lines and the Navigator Club on the Sky deck and beautiful views.

The food on the Mercury was generally good and lunches and dinners in the dining room were nicely presented. The buffet in the Palm Springs Cafe served breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and also had a Sushi buffet in the late afternoon. The food at the buffet was pretty decent, exept for most of the desserts, which seemed to lack flavor. The sushi buffet offered a variety of maki, such as California Roll and Tuna Roll, and had small pieces of tuna and salmon sashimi; these tasted better than the rolls. They also offered a create-your-own stir fry station, which was a pretty good way to get your vegetables in but the choice of sauce was limited to oyster or soy, so not much variety there. My major complaint about the food on the Mercury was room service. The 24-hour menu was limited to soups, salads, sandwiches and a few hot items, and the dessert choices were also limited and uninspired. For breakfast, room service was limited to eggs (scrambled or a plain omelette only) and a selection of breakfast meats and some toast and pastries. Coffee came with non-dairy creamer only, and you could not choose the type of pastry you wanted, and muffins were not offered. I expected the choices to be better, but at least delivery was timely.

As for the ports of call we visited, I enjoyed Juneau and Sitka the best. In Ketchikan, we visited the Totem Bight State Park, which was small and sort of interesting, but not really my cup of tea. If you are interested in Indian culture and totem poles, this might be a good place for you to visit. In Juneau we took the Mendenhall Glacier Float Trip, which was disappointing because we merely floated along the lake with the glacier in the background, the mouth of which was obscured by a large land peninsula; and the rapids, which were fun, lasted all of about 10 minutes out of a 90 minute trip. The scenery was not very interesting and overall the operation was shoddily run. I would not recommend this excursion unless you like to sit and do nothing in the cold for about 90 minutes with not much to see. In Sitka we went on the Captain's Choice Wildlife and Beach Trek, which was interesting and informative. The tour lasted 3 hours and we spent about an hour on the beach of a small remote island and learned about marine life and the flora and fauna on the island. Later, back on the large and comfortable catamaran, the captain took us to an area where we saw a large gathering of bald eagles, and then we saw several whales in the water. What a sight that was, and it really was the high point of that excursion. The crew was friendly and knowledgeable, and I would definitely recommmend this excursion.

For me, the highlight of this cruise was seeing the incredible Hubbard Glacier. The enormous blue-colored wall of ice was an awesome sight and it was everything I had envisioned. The weather generally cooperated for us, as it was quite cold and rainy as we entered Disenchantment Bay, but it gradually cleared up and the sun came out for a while as we viewed the glacier from all sides of the ship. The smaller Turner Glacier also was a beautiful sight and the area really is spectacular.

Entertainment on the Mercury was rather limited. During the day, activities were the usual fare: art auctions, bingo, trivia, watercolor painting lessons and computer enrichment classes, etc.; and in the evenings you'd have the show, whether it be the singers and dancers or the comedian, or some sort of variety show; and a couple of different choices to listen to music and dance. The casino was an option, but it was small and the slots seemed very tight. It could be very easy to lose a lot of money there in the space of 8 nights, so you need to visit it sparingly unless you have a large bankroll. The shops onboard sold the usual array of items, but since we sailed at the end of the Alaska season, a large amount of Alaska-related merchandise was marked down. I personally did not care for Fith, our Cruise Director, but I heard others onboard praise him, so to each his own.

Overall, it was a good trip and I will cruise to Alaska again, although next time I plan to do a cruisetour so that I can see more of Alaska's awesome wildlife on land. If you have not yet visited Alaska and would like to take a cruise there, start planning soon because the big Alaska cruise booking season is just around the corner! I will treasure the memories of my Alaska firsts, such as icebergs, glaciers, and whales, and I look forward to seeing all of that again and more on my next trip. Take my advice and cruise to Alaska next year -- you will love it!

Holland America to revamp bars on five ships

Centrally located bars and lounges aboard five Holland America Line ships are being upgraded and reconfigured to bring a new concept to the shipboard bar scene, the company says. The highlight is a large, new space located in the heart of the ship, called Mix, that incorporates three specialty theme bars - Martinis, Champagne, and Spirits & Ales. These enhancements are part of a new $200-million Signature of Excellence upgrade to ms Statendam, ms Maasdam, ms Ryndam, ms Veendam and ms Rotterdam."A focus of this latest Signature of Excellence series of enhancements is our entertainment venues, where we've created the ultimate place to both socialize and be entertained," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. "Our guests are looking for an upscale, trendy spot where they can gather together and be part of this exciting new ambiance."A new entertainment space called Mix is set to become the destination lounge where guests can meet and mingle throughout the day and night. Mix is an open and inviting space anchored by a pianist providing entertainment for three distinctly themed areas. The bubbly will flow at Champagne, which offers a variety of 20 different champagnes and sparkling wines from around the world. The centerpiece of this bar is a cool, ice-filled counter top chilling champagne bottles that invites guests to indulge by the glass or by the bottle served in traditional silver buckets. This venue will offer events such as late champagne breakfast, pre-lunch Mimosa and Bellini hour, champagne tea time and pre-dinner champagne hour with caviar canapés. Champagne will be the ship's premier celebration venue.
Martinis serves up 25 Grey Goose martinis elegantly offered in individual shakers as well as a full range of cocktails. Guests can also enjoy a martini flight made up of several mini martini concoctions. The martini flight includes Holland America Line's signature martini, the Yellow Tulip, a mixture of Grey Goose vodka, lychee juice, pineapple juice, guava juice, coconut cream and fresh lime juice. Other martinis included in the flight are the Peartini, Cosmopolitan, Sunshine Martini, Rum Sundae and High Tide Martini. A house specialty will be a signature Martini for Two with aged Cognac served with a dish of caviar and traditional garnishes.
Spirits & Ales will feature an international selection of beers and premium whiskeys and brandies sure to entice even the most selective connoisseur. Here guests can drop by to enjoy a wide selection of beers on tap while watching sporting events or relax after some shopping in the nearby boutiques.The Ocean Bar will be enhanced to refresh its look. Guests wanting to learn new moves or brush up on their ballroom dancing skills can sign up for lessons given by the Line's experienced staff. Providing tunes from the Great American Songbook, The Neptunes - Holland America Line's resident three-piece music combo - will keep things lively as guests dance the night away and enjoy a cocktail in the luxuriously appointed lounge.
This $200 million phase in the Signature of Excellence commitment brings the latest innovations at sea to Holland America Line's Statendam, Maasdam, Ryndam, Veendam and Rotterdam. The first of the extensive dry dock periods begins with the Veendam in spring 2009 and the last will be completed on the Maasdam in late 2010. While in dry dock, ships will expand the aft deck to create a new resort pool concept, The Retreat. Enhancements will be made to all existing staterooms and additional staterooms will be added to the ships. The ships also will introduce 46 innovative lanai staterooms with direct access to the Lower Promenade Deck. New spa staterooms near the Greenhouse Spa and Salon will offer special in-room spa amenities. Overall, Holland America Line has committed $525 million to its Signature of Excellence program that redefines premium cruising, the company said.

CruiseOne, Cruises Inc. Detail 2008 National Conference

CruiseOne, a leading U.S. franchise operation of more than 550 independent cruise-only travel professionals, and Cruises Inc., the nation’s original host agency network with nearly 500 independent contractors, announced details of their 2008 National Conference, which will take place Sept. 14 though 22 onboard the Celebrity Mercury sailing throughout Alaska and Canada. Titled “Xperts in Cruising,” the nine-day program includes general sessions, targeted workshops and seminars created to enhance the attendees’ knowledge and insight to the many new products and services offered by CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. Attendees will also have the opportunity to earn CLIA credits towards their ACC and MCC.
“This year's conference will give our agents and owners the opportunity to become true destination experts and learn how to continue building their overall sales,” said Dwain Wall, senior vice president and general manager for CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. "Our independent agents and franchise owners will have the opportunity to experience the wonders of Alaska,” said Steven Hattem, vice president-marketing and sales for CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. “We are also excited to have been selected to host the next exclusive reveal for the Oasis of the Seas where Vicki Freed, senior vice president-sales for Royal Caribbean will join us to share the details of this next generation and revolutionary cruise ship from Royal Caribbean.”
Other industry attendees include: Dondra Rizenthaler, senior vice president-sales, and Jeffrey Clarke, vice president-national sales for Celebrity and Azamara; Edie Bornstein, vice president, national accounts and business development for Carnival Cruise Line; Dave Stockert, vice president-training for Holland America Line; Mike Wiersemra, vice president-sales for Viking River Cruises; Rudy Schreiber, president, and Kristen Karst, vice president-sales for Amadeus Waterways. Marc Mancini, president of Marc Mancini Seminars, will also be presenting with Terri Burke, vice president-industry relations for Norwegian Cruise Line; plus many others cruise and travel industry leaders. For more information on CruiseOne, call 800-892-3928 or visit www.CruiseOneBusiness.com. For more information on Cruises Inc., call 877-714-4072 or visit www.JoinCruisesInc.com.

Announcing New Weekly Updates to this Bog!

Hello, my blog readers! Here's some good news for you: I will now be updating this blog on a weekly basis, bringing you important and exciting news related to cruising and the travel industry as a whole.

In light of this change, be sure to visit this blog on a regular basis so that YOU TOO, can be in the know as to important developments in the cruise and travel industry!

Happy Cruising!

Disney Cruise Ship to Get Fantasia-Themed Splash Pool and LCD TVs!

The Disney Magic cruise ship will get a splash pool themed around the movie "Fantasia," new 22-inch, LCD television sets in cabins and a series of other upgrades during a nearly three-week stay in dry dock later this month. Disney says the 385-square-foot "Mickey's Splash Zone" will be added onto the Mickey Pool on the ship's deck nine. Themed around the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment in Fantasia, it will feature star- and moon-shaped fountains and splash areas (including, Disney says, an area for "children not yet toilet trained and in swim diapers"). The new televisions, meanwhile, will be mounted on swivel arms so they can be watched from different spots in a stateroom.Other upgrades to the 2,700-passenger Magic, according to a release Disney issued earlier this week, will include new waterfalls from a pair of hot tubs in the pool at the adult-oriented "Quiet Cove;" plush new chairs at the nearby "Cove Cafe;" and new registration areas to allow "radio frequency identification" at the kid-focused "Oceaneer Club" and "Oceaneer Lab" that will ultimately allow children to check in and out by tapping a sensor with with tag-embedded wristbands. Disney also plans to apply a new hull coating during the dry dock in Norfolk, Va., that is designed to reduce surface resistance in the water and improve fuel efficiency.

Princess Cruises to Open Off-Limit Crew Areas to Tours

The Love Boat line says it will launch what's billed as the industry's first comprehensive "back of the house" tour in November.
Dubbed The Ultimate Ship Tour, the guided explorations will debut on the soon-to-launch Ruby Princess and eventually spread fleet-wide. The tours will take passengers to the engine control room, medical center, print shop, laundry, photo lab and even the bridge.
All good things come with a price, of course, and cruise junkies will have to fork over $150 per person for the three-hour tours, which can be reserved on board vessels at the Passenger Service Desk. The tours will be offered once or twice per cruise, and space will be limited.
The tours include a chance to meet quite a few crew members. One stop, for instance, will be the back stage area of the ship's theater, where passengers will meet cast and production staff who will show them what goes into putting on a show. In the galley area, passengers will meet the executive chef, who will explain the process of preparing meals for thousands of people at a time.
In one of the most unusual stops, the ship's staff captain will accompany passengers to the top deck of the ship to peek inside the ship¿s funnel area. At the last stop, on the ship's bridge, tour-goers will meet the captain and learn about the navigational equipment and safety systems on board.
The 3,070-passenger Ruby Princess will be christened Nov. 6 by The Bachelorette's Trista and Ryan Sutter. The 113,000-ton vessel will spend its inaugural season sailing to the Western Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale before heading to Europe next summer.