Welcome to Quantum of the Seas!

Welcome to the newest and most innovative ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet!  Quantum of the Seas recently had her float out of the Meyer Werft ship builders in Papenberg, Germany.  Let me tell you - she is a BEAUTY!

Her hull is a lovely light blue, a change for Royal Caribbean.  (RCCL)  She's just stunning but what's amazing is what's inside.  

RCCL is always known for their cutting edge ships with the most innovative range of ships.  They were the first for the Royal Promenade, the FlowRider, ice skating at sea, etc.  With the Quantum you'll enjoy true smart technology. 

Isn't it amazing?  It's certainly different and truly new.  I really, really, REALLY want to sail on her.  I love the Rip Cord by iFly - being able to sky dive on the ship...and safely.  I mean! Don't forget the North Star.  Want to ride high in the sky and over the edge of the ship.  I know what some of you are thinking.  NO WAY.  Not this kid - YES please!  Then there is Two70°. It's a revolutionary space to gather and enjoy with expansive views in the daytime and at night is transformed into greatness.  This new technology will change the background to match the entertainment that is shown.  Really breathtaking.  

I know - this sounds like a commercial for Royal Caribbean.  It does except that I am just so excited for this ship.  I'm a complete cruise addict but there is something about this ship I just love.  I really enjoyed the float out video.
  

In 82 days you can sail on her.  (I wish I was...meh.) Check out the video's and if you are very lucky, you'll experience this grand lady yourself.

Happy cruising,
Mary

Norwegian Cruise Line - All Inclusive?

I received a mailer last week from NCL about an all inclusive deal.  WOW.  I looked at their website and found this:

Sailing with Norwegian is easier than ever. Purchase one of our 2015 all-inclusive packages as an add-on to your next cruise and save up to $600 on a complete vacation experience that includes unlimited dining and beverage packages, shore excursions, gratuities and more. That's over $2400 in value!

Discover What's

INCLUDED

Each All-Inclusive Package add-on comes with:

• Ultimate Dining Package
• Ultimate Beverage Package
• Bottles of water for your vacation
• Gratuities associates with package and Service Charges
• Shore excursion credit of $200 per person on 6+ day cruises (or $100 per person on 3-5 day cruises)
• 250 Minute internet package
• 10% off cruise fare
• 1 Bottle of wine
• Bingo session (3 games)
• 20 Photos, any size
• Chocolate covered strawberries

 Now you will pay a little bit more for this package but it's a lot of freebies...er..sort of freebies.  It's worth the money.  Here's an example-a 7 day Caribbean cruise on it's new ship, Lady Getaway.  (I call all ships by their feminine moniker of "Lady".)

I searched for a third week of March in  2015 on Getaway. It's an eastern itinerary, 7 day cruise in a mid-ship balcony for two.  ALL inclusive as above.  $2389.  Yes it's a little pricey but remember, it's a BRAND NEW ship and you get all of the above freebies.

IF i could, I'd book it in a minute...but as I'm saving for our February 2016 cruise, that is unlikely.  

Happy cruising, Mary

I have all the money in the world but don't want to take a cruise...said no one EVER!

Hi Fellow Cruisers!  

Do you have the ability to cruise on a moment's notice?  Why am I asking?  Because there are a wide range of deals on many cruises in late August, September and October.  I know because I've been dreaming of a last minute cruise although I don't have the funds to take it.   (Hence my title.)

I've been to sites on Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Carnival and Holland America.  So many great cruises, so little money.  <---- be="" font="" me.="" that="" would="">

Want an example?  If you're not fussy about the room, and want to cruise in a  interior/inside room for 4 nights to the Bahamas, here is what your money will get you in August.  Port charges and taxes are not included in these quotes. This is based on per person, double occupancy:

RCCL: $129
NCL: $229
Princess: $309
Carnival: $309
Disney: $760
Holland: No 3-4 day Bahamas cruise.

So you see there is a wide variety of prices for a 4 day Bahamas cruise.  BUT, if you have the time and could sail next week, you could take advantage and sail for almost nothing.

I'm always looking, I mean ALWAYS looking for deals.  I'm not a travel agent but I hope that will be my career after retirement from my real job.  

I work to cruise!
Mary

The dog days of Summer

As the summer wanes, my thoughts turn to fall, and naturally, cruising.

August sales bring a deep discount to the Alaskan cruise itinerary. Late August and September are the least expensive times to cruise the Alaskan waters.

September/October means repositioning cruises. When the cruise lines move ships from their summer itinerary to its 

winter one, you can get a great deal to ride from the old to the new location. 

A great example would be from Barcelona (summer season Mediterranean cruise) with a couple stops then to Ft. Lauderdale or Miami. Many sea days which is heaven to me!!

Another fun itinerary would be a Halloween cruise. Let your imagination run wild. Love a masquerade? This is the cruise for you ! ( I would love it!)

No matter your cruising wish, talk to those who are knowledgeable about cruising. Knowing what you're looking for and what time of the year is the best, can save you a lot of money. Maybe enough for a Halloween  short cruise!

Happy Cruising, 

Mary

Bad Reviews? What's a cruiser to do?

I've been tracking the reviews on Adventure of the Seas.  We are set to cruise her in February 2016.  I wanted to try the Allure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's largest ship in the fleet.  (Until Quantum of the Seas rolls out in November.)  I've cruised Adventure's sister ship, Explorer of the Seas, in 2004 and 2005 and loved her. So what's the problem?  

Adventure was second behind Voyager when the premiered.  She is a steel hulled ship with no glass balconies.  That's one issue for me.  My biggest complaint from what I read?  She's looking dated.  When I pay good, hard-earned money to cruise, I expect certain luxuries.  I don't expect to find grayed, fringed towels and sheets.  I expect the furniture to look crisp and clean and not worn and outdated.  The carpet should be clean and not worn in places.  The summation - Adventure needs a true dry-dock overhaul.

Royal Caribbean took her out of service for a quick retrofit this winter.  She hasn't had a real dry-dock overhaul in years.  It's showing. They did put on a new pool deck, updated touch screen technology, and put in a specialty restaurant, Giovanni's Table.  (Italian...a plus!)  That's all good and well, but she needs a total facelift.  

At what point does Royal Caribbean listen to their cruisers?  There are many complaints, MANY complaints.  I am really concerned about cruising this ship.  My friends picked the itinerary and so picked this ship for the southern Caribbean.  I'm excited to see the ports of call on this trip, just wish I could be excited for the ship.  

You have to understand me for a moment.  I cruise by the SHIP, not the ports of call.  The ship is the destination and I could care less if I got off in port.  Seriously.  So what's a cruiser to do?  I will continue to monitor the reviews and keep an ear out for dry-dock talk.  I don't want to disappoint our friends, but if Adventure of the Seas doesn't improve, I may have to cancel this cruise and book on another ship.

Happy (or is it?) Cruising,
Mary

So you want to cruise?

As an avid cruiser....(cough...cruise addict) I enjoy helping the cruise world newbies.  There's nothing better than sharing my love (cough...cough...addiction) of cruising with someone.  I can get quite animated (cough...obnoxiously excited) talking about different cruise lines, cruise ships and ports.

It all depends on what you're looking for.  Do you want to get your feet wet by taking a short cruise?  Are you looking for a certain destination or do you want to go all out on a luxury cruise line?

Getting the best results is all about knowing what you want, and just as important, having realistic expectations.  Don't expect perfection, although I have had perfect cruises; and don't expect doom and gloom either.  

One of the most amazing questions that I hear is the worry of getting a)sick, b) stranded in the ocean, or c) gaining weight.  Let's address those issues.

There is the possibility of getting sick anywhere you go.  The Novovirus is not exclusive to cruise ships.  It can happen wherever people gather in large numbers, however, a ship IS a closely-contained unit.  That's why you will find hand-sanitizing stations all over the ship, especially in the dining room.

Getting stranded...I dream of getting stranded as long as there is water, food and air conditioning.  Not the kind of Carnival Cruise Line fame with people being stranded with no toilets, not enough food, etc.  That wouldn't be fun.  The chances of getting stranded are so minimal it's laughable.  Any time you travel you have the chance of getting stranded, but really, what are the odds?  Not very high in my estimation.

Gaining weight.  Now this is has a higher probability of happening.  The food...oh the food!  Not to mention the empty calories in alcoholic drinks.  I recommend losing 5 pounds prior to the cruise.  Then is you gain ten, it's not really that bad.

If you don't cruise for fear that "something" could happen, you will not experience the sheer joy of it.  Cruising isn't for everyone but count me in.  The best times in my life, I've had on the sea.

Happy cruising,
Mary
 

Monday Dreaming...Christmas Cruises

It's Monday, and I'm working.  Ok, apparently I'm writing this and not really working but I'm caught up.

One of my cruise dreams, of which are many, is to take a Christmas cruise. I have many reasons why this would be ideal.

• The cruise itself would be the gift, therefore, I wouldn't have to go through the hassle of Christmas shopping for our immediate family at least. (And...you could buy them someone on the ship or give money.)
• Taking the whole family, 3 adult kids, 2 spouses and 3 grands plus hubby and I would really be a dream come true for me.
• There is something magical about a Christmas decorated ship.  I have seen many pictures and it's just stunning.  
• I hear the Captain says that something has been sighted and Santa and his sleigh comes by boat to visit all the children and children-at-heart.  (SQUEEE!)
• Not having to put up a Christmas tree, etc. would be heavenly.
• Leaving the snow and cold behind is wonderful any time of the year, but at Christmas it would be so magical!

 
 I could go on and on.  I want this so bad.  I just pray someday we can afford it!!  Santa, did you hear that?  My most important Christmas wish is to see you, in the Caribbean, on a cruise ship.  

Happy cruising...er...dreaming,
Mary

From www.cruisemates.com

Drydock or Retrofit?

When a ship needs a facelift, she goes into either dry-dock for an extensive makeover or will have a retrofit which is basically a quick fix.

According to www.shipcruise.org, it takes 3 years to build a ship but only 3 weeks to a month for an overhaul. For the cruise line, it's a great chance to update technology, make some cosmetic changes or add new restaurants and shops.  You can imagine the revenue loss during that time but the rewards will be greater when the public cruises on the "new and improved" cruise ship.

So what's a retrofit? It's a refurbishment basically.  Like some cruise ships, they may have cut out a portion of the hull and installed ready made balcony cabins.  This is true on older ships especially when there were few balconies on board. They may add something that is on newer ships but lacking on older ships, like the adult-only Solarium pool. It's a great way to appeal to the cruise audience without having to pay for a huge dry-dock bill.  Time is money.

Adventure of the Seas, of Royal Caribbean's voyager class, recently went into a retrofit.  They added some features found on their Freedom and Oasis class of ships.  Giovanni's table, a fee for use restaurant, was added along with new technology.  Flat screens replaced the older clunky models of televisions, and some old carpeting was replaced.  The pool deck was redone as well as adding a large outdoor movie screen.  She was out of commission for about a month and a half.  Not bad when you consider the many customers she will lure in.

There are things I wish would have been changed.  I would have moved the concierge lounge.  It's currently a windowless closet of a room. Oasis concierge lounges have windows and an indoor-outdoor seating. I would have liked to see the furniture replaced as they are outdated and getting worn.  

However, beggars can't be choosy and I'll enjoy the upgrades on our Adventure cruise in 2016.

Happy Cruising,
Mary

Amazing acts of kindness on every cruise!

I'm a "glass is half full" kind of cruiser.  Because of that trait, I tend to have an amazing time on a cruise.  I know there are those who haven't enjoyed it or have had really horrid things happen to them. (Clothes stolen?  Another story to come!)

The biggest complaint I hear is about the food.  I'm not a foodie and I'm not picky.  

• The chef cooks for me, that's top-notch in my book.  
• A waiter wants to BRING the food to me.
• After my meal the waiter will clean up, bring me dessert and others will wash the thousands of dishes?

SIGN ME UP!!!!

Of course there are better meals than others, and not everyone will like what's on the menu.  Know this, you can choose from something that's not on the menu (ask your server) or even from the kids menu if you want something light.  Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it's not available.   

Are you a big eater?  Ask for another meal, another lobster tail, or another steak.  Still hungry?  There are many other food options before and after dinner.

My favorite?  Going to the Royal Promenade and getting a couple ranger cookies (yum!) and milk to take back to the my personal balcony.  Heaven!  

Even better, order room service!  You can get warm chocolate chip cookies and milk.  Happy, Happy!

Remember, not all cruises are the same nor are all cruise lines.  Take the best of what you experienced and forget the bad.  Keep our "picky" sides at home and just relax and enjoy your cruise!

Happy Cruising, Mary

The Bermuda Triangle of Cruising

Every once in a while you find someone that booked a guarantee cabin (meaning that cabin category or above) but then something weird happens and the person finds out there actually in a lower class than what they booked. 

To me this falls into the "Bermuda triangle of  weird cruise happenings " that happens not very often, but certainly once in a while.

This person was complaining about it on the Cruise Critic boards for Royal Caribbean.  She should've gotten at least a Junior suite if not higher because of her guarantee booking.

The week before the cruise she finds out she is in the balcony state room which is below her booking and makes no sense.  

While this isn't exactly bait and switch, it certainly leaves one to wonder how in the heck did this happen?

Because of the new customer service center that is not housed in the US, there have been all kinds of problems regarding bookings. Is this the norm? Absolutely not. Can it happen? Absolutely so. 

Luckily for this cruiser, she was able to get a large onboard credit on her account to compensate for the mistake and she ended up having a wonderful cruise!

The moral of the story? Double check your booking, call the cruise line if you're not sure, double check your account online and leave nothing to chance.  

By the way, if they can't correct the mistake make sure that you get some kind of compensation, call Travelers United, they will fight on your behalf or call the cruise line corporate office.

Happy Cruising,

Mary

Cruise Addicts Read On...

Not sure if most of you would understand this extremely frustrating feeling?

These are my address tags for my suitcases.  It's completely true.  I will do almost anything to cruise. (Hey!  Keep it clean now...)  Sometimes I get this OVERWHELMING desire to cruise.  I can't seem to help it.  After the number of cruises I've been on, (14 with one booked)  you'd think that I would have gotten it out of my system, right?  I'm afraid that's not true.  Today, I've spent the morning trying to price a 5 night cruise for either early December or March of 2015.  Now I know that I can't go...but it's just that I have such a yearning to go.  Like an addict, the need to cruise is so overwhelming that while my brain ticks off the many to-do lists for my home, my heart only sees one thing, a future cruise.  

I'm sure I drive my hubby insane with it.  Patient man, that one!  He loves to cruise but not in the obsessive way that I do.  Here's my office at work for example.

I truly have a sickness...I'm a cruising addict. I have to send myself to cruisers anonymous.  Hi, my name is Mary and I'm an addict!

Happy Cruising!
Mary

Will the Upgrade Fairy hit you on your next cruise? One can only hope!

I've been talking to my friend, Anna, who has a cruise coming up on the Allure of the Seas.  I've also helped a friend book a cruise on the NCL Getaway.  I, myself, have cruised Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and AMA Waterways river cruise in Europe.

Pete, the NCL Getaway cruiser, was looking for the best rate he could get for his money.  I had him book an aft (back of ship) mini-suite for a decent price for a 7 day cruise.  It was $300 more than a balcony but I had my reasons.  

Firstly, he is cruising in early February and that is prime time for a chance that the upgrade fairy might hit, or at the least a chance for an upsell. I know what you're thinking...just what is an upsell?  It's the chance to upgrade at a nominal fee.  

When I took my boyfriend-now hubby- on his first cruise on NCL Jewel, I also booked an aft mini.  We cruised the end of January and kept asking if an upsell was possible, please CALL ME!! And she did!  I was able to go from the mini-suite to a forward facing PENTHOUSE!  Yes, I'm yelling this because I was so excited.  What did I pay?  A measly $300 total.   This is what that $300 bought me:

We could have had a party for 35 people and we would have had room to spare.  The suite was #9500 and it came with a butler (Maurice) and a concierge (Alex) and the best room stewards I've ever had.  It spoiled my hubby for life since it was his first cruise.

So new or fellow cruisers, what does this mean to you?  

First, always let your travel agent (TA) know that you would love the chance for an upgrade or upsell.  Some cruise lines are more likely than others o give them out.  My thoughts:

• Choose the time of year wisely.  Oct/Nov, Jan/Feb are the least expensive times to cruise for a reason.  Most ships aren't booked and they are more likely to give you that much coveted upgrade.  
• Cruise lines usually upgrade from inside to outside room, outside to balcony, balcony to mini-suite, and mini-suite to better suite.  By booking either a guaranteed rate (you can't pick the room but you have a much better chance of a better room or suite), or a coveted room like the aft or hump (areas in demand).
• Remember, be happy with whatever you book because the upgrade/upsell fairy is very choosy.
• Most importantly, I always prefer a suite but I am happy cruising in a shoebox if that's all I get.  A cruise is a cruise and that beats ANY DAY working!

IF you have any questions, please let me know.  I'm not a travel agent but a complete cruise addict.

Happy Cruising!
Mary