MARCH 2008 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 |
IN THIS ISSUE
- Lines Reverese Fuel Charge
- Ruby Princess Ahead of Schedule
- Carnival Chnages Galveston Itineraries
- Royal Caribbean Project Genesis Underway
- Holland America Private Cabanas on Deck
- New "Sea View" Multimedia on Website
- Eurodam Offers New Dining Venues
- Royal Caribbean Record Fleet in Europe 2009
- Specials
- Cruise of the Month
- Featured Cruises
- Acapulco - Port Spotlight
- Key Lime Pie - Recipe of the Month
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- Destinations
- Already Booked
- Beyond the Decks
- Cruise News
- Cruise Reviews
- Bridal Registry
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BON VOYAGE!
NEWS FROM THE HIGH SEAS
CRUISE OF THE MONTH
Looks like the cruise lines have blinked in the showdown over fuel surcharges.
Cruise lines announced late Monday that they have reached a settlement with the Florida Attorney General's office, which is investigating the industry's recent use of fuel surcharges, and the company will refund more than $20 million to passengers.
In a move expected to be followed by other lines, Royal Caribbean and its sister line Celebrity Cruises will offer refunds to passengers who were forced to pay a $5-a-day fuel surcharge for recent and upcoming voyages even though they had booked their trips before Nov. 16, 2007, the day the surcharge was announced.
In a statement issued late Monday, Royal Caribbean says passengers booked before Nov. 16 who paid the fuel surcharge and have taken their cruise will receive a refund through the form of payment used to purchase their sailing. Passengers booked before Nov. 16 who paid the fuel supplement and have not taken their cruise will receive their refund as an onboard credit during their sailing.
The company did not charge the fuel surcharge, which it calls a supplement, to guests with bookings made and paid in full before Nov. 16.
The fuel surcharge will remain in place for North American bookings made on or after Nov. 16, 2007 at all three Royal Caribbean brands: Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises. The fuel surcharge applies only to the first and second passenger in a cabin and is capped at $70 per person per sailing.
The Florida Attorney General began investigating fuel surcharges at cruise lines last month after more than 150 cruisers filed complaints with the agency over the practice. Most major lines have implemented a fuel surcharge over the past four months as oil prices have shot up. Carnival Corp., the parent company of Carnival, Princess, Holland America and more than half a dozen other lines, is charging passengers an extra $5 per day. Norwegian Cruise Line has begun charging $7 per day, and a few lines are charging even more, including Windstar ($8.50 per day) and Silversea ($10 per day).
There still are a few holdouts in the rush to add fuel surcharges. Among major lines, Disney has yet to add one. And as we reported here in December, small ship and river cruise operator Tauck World Discovery has vowed not to add a fuel surcharge, despite soaring fuel costs.
© 2008 Royal Caribbean International
Ruby Princess Will Debut a Week Ahead of Schedule
The next Princess ship will debut on Nov. 8, a week earlier than originally planned.
Princess says construction of the 3,080-passenger Ruby Princess is running ahead of schedule, resulting in the addition of an extra seven-night Western Caribbean sailing in the ship's schedule.
The Ruby Princess' new inaugural voyage departing on Nov. 8 will follow the same itinerary as the old inaugural voyage that was scheduled to depart on Nov. 15. Stops include Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Princess Cays, the line's private island retreat.
Princess says passengers booked on the Nov. 15 trip can change their booking to the Nov. 8 sailing if they wish. The line has made duplicate bookings for all passengers booked on the original cruise, guaranteeing the same cabin on the new voyage. Those who wish to change sailings should call their travel agent or Princess by March 31. Passengers who wish to remain on the Nov. 15 voyage need not take any action, as their duplicate reservation will expire at the end of the month.
Ruby Princess is a sister ship to the line's Emerald Princess and Crown Princess. Like the earlier vessels, it will feature a piazza-style atrium with small-bite eateries and street entertainers, Princess' signature adults-only retreat called The Sanctuary, an Italian trattoria, a seafood and steak house, a "Movies Under the Stars" giant outdoor movie screen and 900 cabins with private balconies.
The 113,000-ton vessel will spend its inaugural season sailing to the Western Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale. It'll head to the Mediterranean next summer. Fares for the maiden season start at $699.
©2008 Princess Cruises
Carnival Shakes Things up out of Galveston, TX with Eastbound Cruises
The cruise business out of Galveston, Texas, has been growing for quite a few years. But until now, most sailings out of the Gulf Coast port have focused on the Western Caribbean. Now at least one line, Carnival, plans to mix things up with a regular series of eastbound cruises out of the city, too. The company announced today that the Carnival Conquest will sail a seven-night itinerary to the Eastern Caribbean out of Galveston starting in 2009. The 2,974-passenger ship will visit Key West, Fla., and two ports in the Bahamas: Freeport and Nassau.
Carnival says it'll offer the new trips about once a month from February 2009 through April 2010, as a complement to the ship’s existing Western Caribbean trips to Montego Bay, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Cozumel, Mexico. The addition of the itinerary means cruisers can book back-to-back cruises on the Conquest and sail two weeks out of Texas without hitting the same port twice. While Key West and Nassau may be ho-hum for East Coast cruisers who have had easy access to them for years on trips out of eastern seaboard hubs such as Miami and New York, it's a big deal for cruisers from Texas and other nearby states who sail out of Galveston regularly. ©2008 Carnival Cruise Lines |
Royal Caribbean Project Genesis Underway
Would You Pay Extra for a Private Cabana on Deck?
Holland America seems to think so. The line plans to install quite a few cabanas on the top decks of the 2,104-passenger Eurodam, launching in July -- and some will come with a cost.
"You will see a number of them on the ship," says Holland America president and CEO Stein Kruse, speaking with reporters this week at the annual Seatrade cruise convention in Miami.
Kruse says the line plans a private deck-top retreat area towards the front of the ship that will have "beautiful, almost family size cabanas" that are made of wood -- an unusual amenity for a non-luxury vessel. And for those "there will probably be a charge," he says.
There also will be smaller cabanas around the Lido deck that Kruse says will not cost extra to use.
Will charging for some of the deck-top cabanas work? "When you think of private cabanas in the cruise business, you think of Disney's private island," says industry watcher Mike Driscoll, editor of Cruise Week. "But come to think of it, people do pay for those, and it's successful."
If you've never been on a cruise and ever wondered what it would be like onboard, this is the place for you! Watch multimedia videos for the cruise lines to show you what activities and amenities are available. If this doesn't wet your cruising appetite, we aren't sure what will! So sit back, relax and perhaps check out the "Sea View."
"Sea View" Multimedia Experience
Eurodam Debuts New Dining Choices
Holland America's Eurodam, slated to launch at the beginning of July, will debut new dining choices to augment its main dining room, Lido and Pacific Northwest-themed Pinnacle Grill. The three new venues are: Tamarind, the reservations-only Asian restaurant; Canaletto, a casual Italian eatery in a section of the Lido restaurant; and Slice, an all-day pizza outlet aft of the pool.
The main restaurant, the Rembrandt dining room, will take on a new look, with its 'wave effect ceiling' that can be lit with different color lights.
The new As You Wish dining program on the Eurodam will allow guests to choose whether they want preset seating or dining times, or a completely flexible dining schedule. Guests with flexible seating can make reservations daily up to 4 pm or simply walk up during dining hours.
Royal Caribbean Unveils Big Plans for Europe in 2009
In the latest sign of the boom in European cruising, Royal Caribbean says it will send a record eight ships to the region in 2009.
Building on its record-setting schedule in Europe this summer -- the line is sending seven ships to the region -- Royal Caribbean says it will offer 70 different itineraries around the continent in 2009 that range from four- to 14 nights.
The 2009 deployment, announced late Wednesday, includes several of Royal Caribbean's largest, most innovative ships such as the soon-to-launch Independence of the Seas and two Voyager-class ships (Navigator of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas). The other vessels heading to Europe: Brilliance of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Legend of the Seas, Splendour of the Seas, and Vision of the Seas.
The announcement comes just three weeks after Norwegian Cruise Line unveiled plans to deploy a ship in Europe year-round for the first time. Other lines including Azamara Cruises also have announced grand plans for Europe in 2009.
Perhaps the biggest news in Royal Caribbean's announcement is that the line is expanding into more European home ports.
Royal Caribbean, for instance, will home port a ship in Malaga, Spain, for the first time. The vessel, the Navigator of the Seas, also will sail part of the year out of Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; and Barcelona.
The line also will offer short Scandinavian cruises on the Vision of the Seas out Copenhagen, another new home port for the cruise line. The ship also will sail short cruises out of Oslo, Norway; and Stockholm, Sweden, and Jewel of the Seas will sail longer 12-night Scandinavia and Baltic voyages that include an overnight in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Other plans for 2009:
-- The 3,634-passenger Independence of the Seas, which ties as the world's biggest ship, will return to Southampton, U.K., for her second Europe season. The ship will sail 14-night Western Mediterranean, 10- and 11-night Western Europe and Canary Islands, and four-night British Isles itineraries.
-- Brilliance of the Seas also will return for a second year in Europe, offering new Egypt and Eastern Mediterranean itineraries roundtrip from Barcelona in November and December. The trips include stops in the Greeks Isles and calls at Port Said and Alexandria, Egypt.
-- Vision of the Seas will offer a series of 10- and 11-night Holy Land itineraries from the line’s new home ports of Athens and Istanbul. Ports of call will include Haifa and Ashdod, Israel, last called at by Royal Caribbean in 2000, and Port Said.
Royal Caribbean will start taking bookings immediately for all but one of the ships. Bookings for Vision of the Seas will opened in April.
Carnival Fascination
5-day Bahmas
from Jacksonville, FL
11/01/08
$259
per person cruise only
"Spooktacular Beach Music Cruise"
ABOARD CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES
"INSPIRATION"
5-DAY WESTERN CARIBBEAN CRUISE
OCTOBER 20-25, 2008
Come join Beach Music fans on Carnival Cruise Lines beautiful ship the INSPIRATION for 5 glorious days to the Western Caribbean!
Only Carnival could create a ship that combines contemporary design, friendly service and all the amenities. Best of all, this cruise will be your best vacation value!! Eight meals and snacks a day, daytime activities, nighttime entertainment, and fascinating ports-of-call.
Entertainment will be provided by The Holiday Band and special guests Pam Russell & Ted Keaton of "Shaggy Maggie." Multi award winning vocalist Paul Craver, Lia Long, and Rhonda McDaniel. Also joining the cruise will be well known DJ’s, “Fessa John Hook” & “Jay Jenkins”. On Monday night we will have a Welcome Aboard Cocktail Party. Entertainment will be provided nightly. Also a special Pool Jam Session and Costume Party with prizes!!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
All About Cruises' 18th Annual "11-Night Alaska CruiseTour"
ABOARD CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES
"SPIRIT"
7-DAY ALASKA CRUISETOUR
MAY 16-27, 2008
4-Night Pre-Cruise Land (05/16/09-05/20/09) Carnival Cruise Lines' "Carnival Spirit" (05/20/09-05/27/09)
Seeing Alaska on a 7-day cruise is a fantastic vacation experience. We are going to make it even more of an adventure with this 11-night CruiseTour. We will start with the land tour before boarding the beautiful Carnival Spirit.
Denali National Park alone is a six-million-acre wonderland of forests, rivers and mountains, including America's highest peak, Mt. McKinley. We'll see breathtaking scenery on the tour. You know what else we'll likely see from the motorcoach? Moose, golden eagles and grizzly bears. This adventure also includes the urban and country pleasure of Anchorage, a port city nestled between the Alaska Range and the Chugach Mountains. Here you can tour the Museum of Natural History and Art, at Ship Creek Salmon Overlook, watch spawning salmon head upstream. You can even visit Lake Hood, the busiest seaplane base in the world!
Also on the tour is Fairbanks, Alaska's second-largest city. You'll feel like a pioneer here. You can even try you hand at panning for gold. Now you may not strike it rich on this vacation, but you will come home with a fortune in priceless memories.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
A Cruise to Mayberry 3!
ABOARD CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES
"FASCINATION"
5-DAY BAHAMAS
NOVEMBER 1-6, 2008
Come join Mayberry fans on Carnival Cruise Lines beautiful ship the FASCINATION for 5 glorious days to Nassau and Half Moon Cay!!!!
Only Carnival could create a ship that combines contemporary design, friendly service and all the amenities. Best of all, this cruise will be your best vacation value!!! Eight meals and snacks a day, daytime activities, nighttime entertainment, and fascinating ports of call.
We will have various Mayberry activities throughout the cruise. On Saturday night we will have a Welcome Aboard Party for all of the fans, stars and tribute artists. On Sunday (the day at sea), we will have all kinds of fun activities such as a Mayberry Trivia Contest and much more!!! Don’t miss out!! The VW Boys are joining the Mayberry Family with their mixture of Music, Magic and Comedy.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
PORT SPOTLIGHT
Acapulco, Mexico
©1998 Sealetter Cruise Magazine
Port City:
- Acapulco, Mexico
- Approximately 2,000,000
- Tropical; daytime temperatures average 80 degrees, although evenings are cooler
- Spanish is the official language, but English and several other languages are widely spoken
- The Mexican peso; U.S. dollars are widely accepted
As an international mecca for sun and fun, Acapulco is legendary. The name evokes images of blue water, rugged cliffs and picture-perfect sunsets. Whether you want to relax on a white-sand beach or shop at first-class malls and boutiques, you'll find Acapulco has just what you are looking for.
The city, built at the foot of the Mexican highlands, hugs Acapulco Bay; it is nestled between the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Sierra Madre Mountains on the other.
History
The imported goods were subsequently transported overland by mule to Mexico City and then to Veracruz, where the expensive cargo was shipped to Spain. When word of these opulent shiploads reached Europe, Dutch and English pirates began raiding and plundering the Spanish galleons.
For protection against these buccaneers, the Fuerte de San Diego was built. The star-shaped fort, which stands just outside the town center, replaced an earlier structure destroyed by an earthquake in 1776. The lucrative trade with the Far East ceased when Spain was pushed out.
Acapulco remained a remote fishing village until 1922, when a road linked it with Mexico City. But it was not until 10 years later that people began making the trip from the capital to Acapulco, where the only accommodations were boarding houses. The first hotel opened in 1934, but the real boom started after World War II. Acapulco's natural beauty soon attracted the attention of international jet-setters, giving the town--now the heart of the Mexican Riviera--its world-renowned cosmopolitan air.
Sightseeing
Located just across the Costera from the cruise-ship terminal, the Fuerte de San Diego now houses the Acapulco Historical Museum. Its many displays recall the city's earliest inhabitants.
The focal point of Acapulco Tradicional, the city's bustling center, is the z¢calo, the main plaza. The eccentrically designed Acapulco Cathedral, constructed in 1930, overlooks the square; its Byzantine towers were built atop an uncompleted movie theater.
Papagayo Park, located on the Costera in front of Los Hornos Beach, features a walk-through aviary with hundreds of species of birds, a monkey island, several rides, an aerial tramway and a botanical garden.
While you're on the Costera, visit the Centro Acapulco--a $50 million cultural and convention center sprawling across 35 bayfront acres. Its design was based on classic Mayan architecture, with fountains and landscaped gardens. The complex's Archaeological Garden is lined with excellent reproductions of pre-Columbian sculpture.
Nearby is the CICI Park, a fun place for the whole family. The park includes a wave pool, a play pool, water slides and seal, dolphin and bird shows. There are also dining facilities and a beach club. Magic Sea World, located at Caleta Beach, offers similar activities for children.
A highlight of any visit to Acapulco is watching the world-famous cliff divers of La Quebrada. Their dive into a narrow cove from atop a 130-foot-high cliff requires split-second timing. It is a spectacular feat and can be seen from the cliffs below the Calinda Mirador Hotel.
One of the best ways to see many of these sights is by taking a Shore Excursion. Check with your Cruise Director for more information.
Beaches
The traditional spots to spend the morning are Caleta Beach and Caletilla Beach, located on the west side of the bay at the end of the Costera. Their afternoon counterparts are the long, sweeping beaches of Los Hornos and Hornitos, on the Costera east of the Fuerte de San Diego. Another popular afternoon beach is La Condesa (situated between the Condesa del Mar and the Ritz hotels), which starts hopping after 1 o'clock.
Sports
Just a 10-minute ferry ride from Caleta Beach, Roqueta Island has a splendid, uncrowded beach and several places where you can rent water-sports equipment. A submerged statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico, provides interesting snorkeling just offshore; glass-bottom boat tours are also available.
The waters around Acapulco offer an angler's bounty of sailfish, marlin, shark and mahimahi. You'll find plenty of charters to choose from at the docks near the z¢calo. If golf is your game, there are two championship 18-hole courses shared by the Princess and Pierre Marqu‚s hotels. An 18-hole public course is located at the Club de Golf across from the Elcano Hotel. Tennis courts are open to the public at many of the major hotels.
Shopping
Next door to the Acapulco Plaza Hotel is Plaza Bah¡a, a three-story air-conditioned complex modeled after the luxury shopping malls in the United States. The 60 shops here carry unique Mexican designs along with well-known labels of high-quality sportswear and designer fashions.
Many shops close for about two hours in the mid-afternoon and reopen around 4 p.m.
Key Lime Pie from Royal Caribbean
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 baked 9-inch pie shell
Combine the sugar and cornstarch in the top of a double boiler. Add the water and stir to combine. In a medium bowl, whisk the lime juice and egg yolks until well mixed; add to the cornstarch mixture and whisk until blended. Place the double boiler over 1 inch of boiling water and cook, stirring, until the mixture is thick and no starchy taste remains, about 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the mixture from the hot water; let cool slightly. Whisk in the grated lime zest, vinegar and butter until completely incorporated. Pour the mixture into the pie shell; cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until cold.
Meringue
1 tablespoon corn starch
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup boiling water
3 large egg whites
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan combine the cornstarch and cold water; whisk until blended; add the boiling water and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is clear and thickened. Remove from the heat and let stand until completely cold. In a large grease-free mixing bowl beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed and gradually add the vanilla and salt; gradually beat in the cornstarch; increase the speed to high and beat until all the ingredients are fully incorporated. Spread the meringue over the cooled pie filling and bake for 10 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.