Cruise news rodeo roundup

by Chris Owen on


Sometimes there are little nuggets of information floating around out there that are not quite enough for a post but surely worthy of consideration if you are in to cruise vacations. Here are some from this last week, in-your-face rodeo style, just so we keep up to speed.

Norwegian Cruise Line entered into an agreement with Special Needs Group Inc. for them to be the exclusive mobility and oxygen equipment supplier for the line. Norwegian and pretty much all cruise lines do a good job of handling the needs of guests with disabilities. Locking in to one supplier will surely give them the consistency and reliability that one single company can offer. That’s also a score for ship security too. With one supplier delivering equipment to their ships, that could reduce the number of different vendors entering the security cloud that surrounds all ships in port.

Speaking of handicapped people, the battle rages on at CruiseCritic.com (@CruiseCritic) over a passenger who booked a suite thinking “butler service” would be the same as “I brought my nurse with me” and was terribly disappointed when not only uncared for but put off the ship about as fast as the cruise line could.

This week we also brought you a series commemorating the 99th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic which occurred April 15, 1912. Today’s cruise industry exists and operates in many ways as a result of the Titanic tragedy. This week we took a look at the legacy left behind that affects cruise passengers on every sailing of every ship.
Carnival Corporation ships from Princess Cruises and Cunard Line will be plugging in at the Red Hook pier in Brooklyn soon as all parties in the matter came to an agreement on how it would get paid for and have finalized plans. The bulk of the $15 million price tag for cleaner air because plugging in means turning off ships engines in port, will be paid for by a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. One reader commented “Sure, just like the government, if they can’t fix it, throw money at it” but local residents, happy to not wear gas masks around the house, are thrilled.

“It’s deal time at Celebrity Cruises” says Gene Sloan (@CruiseLog) of USA Today’s Cruise Log. During the line’s Mediterranean Fly and Sail Event, running right now which “includes reduced rates on both cruises in the region and the airline flights needed to reach them” adds Sloan.

Over at Celebrity sister-line Royal Caribbean International (@RoyalCaribbean), things are heating up over their new all-you-can-drink program. Apparently, a good number of takers on the deal thought/interpreted/scammed that to meaning all-me-and-my-friends-can-drink. The cruise line was not amused. New rules for the plan call for everyone in the stateroom to pay the $29 per person, per day charge to get it.

The UK’s John Honeywell (@CaptainGreybeard) notes “Surely they must have anticipated only one half of a couple signing up and then attempting to buy drinks for his or her partner?” You would think so. The line has been offering all-you-can-drink packages for group cruises for quite some time but requires “all or nothing” compliance with all members of the group taking the package in order to get it.

Captain Greybeard was also onboard the new Carnival Magic which sets sail on May 1st for a first-hand look at how the ship is coming along. Gadling will be on board for that inaugural sailing bringing you information on the latest, greatest ship from Carnival Cruise Lines. We will also be bringing you port-of-call reports ala Gadling which will no doubt be something entirely different than you might have seen elsewhere. Here’s a preview

Kid Rock cruises to a different theme

by Chris Owen on

In the travel business we say “there is a cruise for everyone” and I really do think that’s true. Each cruise line promotes what they do to a different demographic. Some passengers like an old-fashioned lazy Caribbean cruise while others may enjoy an active, healthy lifestyle sailing using the ship as simply a method of transportation. In many ways the experience is quite similar though, regardless of the cruise line. If the difference between cruise lines seems a bit blurry you might want to consider a theme cruise.

On a theme cruise like-minded individuals gather to totally immerse themselves in a seagoing event that can last from a few days to a week or longer. Often, a lot of how it goes, how deep that immersion is, depends on who organizes and promotes the event.

Sixthman specializes in full-ship charters and recently wrapped up the Kid Rock’s Chillin’ The Most Cruise 2011. While some promoters may book blocks of cabins in a group-cruise sort of way, Sixthman does it a bit differently.

“We charter the full cruise ship, so anyone who books on one of our theme cruises will book through Sixthman, not through the cruise line” said Sixthman CEO Andy Levine adding “
The cost of a theme cruise is more than if a guest booked through the cruise line because it includes all entertainment, live shows, onboard activities, and more.”

How involved the promoter is in the onboard experience makes a big difference too. Remember, you get all the activities, entertainment and dining options that a given ship provides. The theme package stacked on top of that cruise line experience is what makes these different.

“Sixthman cruises are different from other theme cruises because we go out of our way to make sure all of the guests are happy. They get a full festival experience and end up building lasting relationships with other guests and artists. Each event builds a community.”said Levine.

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Some theme cruises have various levels of immersion that can be booked with more access to performers costing more.

“We also offer proximity to the artists – the performers who sail with us are open with their fans and enjoy hanging out around the ship. We don’t create a “VIP” environment – everyone who books has the same “backstage pass”-like advantages”concluded Levine.

So, interested in a theme cruise? Here is some more information you need to know.

Who might like a theme cruise
Have you ever been to a concert or event that was just so good you wished it would never end? Do you have a favorite author, film star or sports figure you can’t get enough of? Do you struggle to keep you hobby from overtaking your real life? Are you interested in a group of people that share the same lifestyle, focus or desires?

Theme cruises offer up close and personal time with whatever the theme might be. Sometimes called “special interest cruises” or “full ship charters” these sailings bring together people of all ages, sizes, shapes, colors and backgrounds with one thing in common: their interest in whatever it is that sailing is all about.

Who offers theme cruises
Some are organized by non-profit organizations for fund raising, others are simply put together by a small group interested in something cool then marketed to everyone in hopes of bringing together more people interested in that same something cool. The organization defines the idea and a travel agency sells it for them.

There are also travel companies that specialize in full ship charters like Sixthman who creates theme cruises with an emphasis on celebrating music and fan communities or Atlantis Events who organizes gay and lesbian cruises with being gay or lesbian the common denominator. Other travel companies do partial charters or simply book blocks of cabins on a ship as a large group. In most cases, unlike simply picking a ship and sailing date like you might with a cruise line, these have to be booked through whoever is handling them.

ThemeCruiseFinder.com is a good place to start with a wide variety of past and upcoming theme cruises listed.

Photo courtesy Sixthman

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Mexico spring events feature surf competition

by Chris Owen on
Mazatlan, Mexico has been in the news around the world of travel for all the wrong reasons. Cruise lines stopped going there because of crime incidents that were of concern not long ago. But many Gadling readers who have been there tell a much different story.

Theirs is a story of a beautiful place with great people, fabulous food and a lot to do and see. As Mazatlan prepares to celebrate what they call a “Vibrant Spring Calendar of Events” its only fair to feature their side of the story too.

A good first stop if considering travel to Mazatlan would be their web site, GoMazatlan, where a great deal of information is available. A quick click to AboutMazatlan and we see several airlines fly there every day and that there is not one day of the year less than 80 degrees. That’s a good start.

Mazatlán hosts a year-round calendar of events that include international sporting tournaments, culinary fairs, eclectic cultural festivals and holiday celebrations.

New this year, is the Quiksilver Surf Clásico Mazatlán, an international surf, music and fashion festival taking place June 1 – 5. The five-day event brings the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 2011 Star event schedule where athletes will compete for an $85,000 purse. Back on shore, spectators enjoy a full schedule of fashion shows, culinary fairs and live music performances.

“We are proud to showcase such a diverse array of spring events that reflects the vibrant spirit of Mazatlán and its people,” says Carlos Berdegué, vice president of the Mazatlán Hotel Association. “Premier events like these alongside our rich heritage draw thousands of visitors who are welcomed into the warmth and vitality of daily life in Mazatlán.”

Here are some other events coming up this Spring

Mazatlán’s International Bike Week 2011 runs April 27 through May 1 when more than 15,000 Motorcycle fans gear up for five days of high-octane fun and adventure for the 16th annual event. Featuring bike parades, stunt exhibitions, drag races, custom bike competitions, accessories and apparel expos, as well as live music, entertainment, local restaurant sponsors, free contests and giveaways this one looks like a lot of fun.

Jose Limon Dance Festival – The 135-year-old Angela Peralta Theater sets the stage for one of the year’s most anticipated performing arts events April 29th through May 5th. The festival honors the legacy of pioneering Sinaloa dancer and choreographer, Jose Limón and includes expositions, literary presentations and the Summit of Academies, a nationwide assembly of dancers.

ArtWalk is for lovers of fine art who will find much to explore on the first Friday in May. Old Mazatlán’s art galleries and workshops will be open for free tours, exhibit debuts, and lectures by visiting and local artists.

Marina Mazatlán Fishing Tournament Mazatlan is recognized worldwide as a first-class fishing destination,drawing top anglers from around the world for the premier Marina Mazatlán tournament. Complete with festive dinner receptions, onshore events and an official awards ceremony, international anglers are sure to be hooked.

Not just Mazatlan has events, festivals and attractions open and ready for travelers, Cozumel, Mexico also has beaches, shopping, activities, Scuba diving, and more. Check their web site out too at ThisIsCozumel.com.

Flickr photo by marlinphoto

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10 stupid assumptions about cruise vacations

by Chris Owen on

It’s almost funny sometimes, the things people get stuck in their heads about any number of topics that turn out to be stupid assumptions. We often just assume things that are convenient. Like that driving rules are the same everywhere, until we go someplace where they drive on the “wrong” side of street. Then, all of the sudden, after our little world has been thrown off a bit, we adjust. Assuming can be dangerous on land but we can always drive back home if we totally fail. At sea, you’re pretty much stuck there with your bad assume-induced decision so let’s see if we can avoid some of the more common assumptions about cruise vacations.

The scary part, I want to tell you right up front, is that these 10 stupid assumptions about cruise vacations that actually do happen.

  1. “I bought travel insurance because I am sailing during hurricane season” Well that’s nice, did you buy shoes because it was sunny one day too? Most travel insurance does not cover acts of God (like hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and second-comings) so that false sense of confidence you have is not going to help much if you decided not to go on a cruise because a hurricane looms. Being afraid of hurricanes is a good. Being afraid to cruise during hurricane season is not. Cruise lines will modify itineraries and take you someplace else before the rare occasion happens and they cancel a cruise. Cruise lines don’t make money when ships sit empty. They want to make money. Making money ranks just below keeping you and the ship safe. Even if they did cancel the cruise they would most likely refund your money and/or book you on a different sailing.
  2. “I know final payment is due but surely they will give me more time” Wrong. Cruise lines are more strict all the time on getting paid. Rightfully so too. They ask little of us. They want us to have a good time and go all out for that. There are a bunch of different ships going different places on sailings of varying length, one of which will be perfect for us. They want to be paid on time. If paying for your cruise that you booked a year ago, on time, is not possible, maybe we should not be going on this vacation in the first place. Maybe we need to be a bit more realistic and pay the rent first.
  3. “I have a big group of people I have brought along with me, I will probably get a discount” Your group of 12 people may not fit around the family dining room table but they are not a “big group” on a cruise ship. A big group would be 100 or more of your closest friends. Get that many and yes, there should be a discount of some sort.
  4. “I bought travel insurance just in case my daughter breaks up with her boyfriend“– I actually learned this one the hard way. One of my daughters had invited along a boyfriend which we agreed to pay for. Right after booking I thought “I’m not really sure if this relationship will last until the cruise. I’ll get travel insurance, just in case” To my surprise, travel insurance does not cover “being dumped by your girlfriend” which happened a couple weeks before the cruise. Here’s the scary part: I had been a travel agent and state-licensed insurance agent for five years when that happened and knew better. I just did not think about it, like a lot of people do, and assumed I was covered.
  5. “I bought a modified cabin, where’s my nurse?” This one does not come up much. Most people who are handicapped at a level that requires constant care research like its their job and know exactly what is ahead of them. Recently, a handicapped person booked a cruise in a modified (handicap-accessible) cabin. They booked a suite that came with butler service. They either assumed or misunderstood that the higher level of service would take care of their needs. In reality, the “higher level of service” they required translated into the job description of a day nurse. Constant care is not what a butler does. Shining your shoes, yes. Helping you go to the bathroom, no. See CruiseCritic.com for all the gory details, they pretty much own this story.
  6. “Seasick pills will be free, I’ll get it on the ship” I have had people tell me they just assumed it would be free because the cruise line does not want you to get sick and wants you out there gambling and spending money. Reality? You will get sick, go to the ship’s medical center and pay $200 for a shot that will help only marginally more than any number of preventative measures you could have taken care of before getting on the ship for less than $10 ashore.
  7. “I booked Carnival’s Early Saver Fare but changed my mind and want my money back“ – This does not come up all that often but when it does, it’s sad. What part of “Non-refundable deposit” don’t you understand? Carnival’s Early Saver fare is great for people who have their minds made up and are going on that cruise no matter what. It’s also great for those who have their minds made up, say 75% of the way, and cruise on Carnival a lot. This is not the fare for people who will likely want to make changes to their booking be it change to a different date, change guests, or just about anything else.
  8. “Wow, I can’t believe how much my bill was at the end of the cruise”– There is a lot to be said about the all-inclusive nature of a cruise vacation. On a purely financial basis, you know about how much your entire vacation will cost right up front. But alcoholic beverages, spa treatments, shore excursions and other on-board purchases NOT included in the price can add up. That’s nothing to be scared of, just something to consider adding to that number floating around in your head as to how much this vacation is going to cost you.
  9. “I got a great deal on my cruise. NOW I will look a the details” – Travel agents know there is a group of people out there that are concerned primarily with price at the time of booking. Make that “obsessed with the price of the cruise at the time of booking” Nothing else matters but getting the best deal which, to them, means the lowest price. So very wrong. Its all about value, not price. But price alone is easy and fast to compare, click and buy. We all live in that world at one time or another. That works well for buying an air ticket or reserving a rental car. But to consider only price when booking the cruise part of the deal means you ignore other variables that can make a huge difference in the overall total cost in the long run.
  10. “I’m sure they will tell me what visas I need” or “I just won’t get off the ship”, I don’t need a visa” Either one of those will get you denied boarding on your European cruise and no refund will be given to you other than the port charges for the ports you won’t be going to. If a visa is required by any country on your itinerary and you don’t have it, the cruise line will not board you, not refund your money and you will have to get back home on your own. Not a big deal if you were driving to the port but if you flew to Barcelona from Denver that can mean a huge last-minute airfare bill to pay and no, travel insurance would not cover that either. It is totally your responsibility to know what documentation you need to enter a country. Not the cruise line, not your travel agent and surely not your click-to-book cruise broker.
There are things we assume that don’t get us in trouble and things that do. Assuming we will get good service on a cruise vacation, whatever “good service” means to us, is fair. Assuming the cruise line will make grand gestures to please you, like automatically lowering your fare if the price goes down after you buy, is not fair.

Flickr photo by quinet

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Ten stress-free travel tips for people who hate to travel

by Chris Owen on

To many people, traveling is a joy, something to look forward to, plan for and have fun with. Those who travel a lot have their routine down pat and often keep luggage packed, ready for the next trip. Those who do not travel much probably don’t because they don’t like the whole business of traveling. Aside from people with really challenging handicaps, people in prison or celebrities, most people should not have a lot of trouble with traveling.

Lets take a look at some great travel tips from those who don’t travel much but enjoy travel and have figured out how to make it as stress-free as possible.

  1. Get a passport. Duh. Unless your trip finds you walking through a National Park, you need a passport. Cruise travelers that are U.S. citizens slide under the law by booking closed-loop cruises that begin and end in the U.S. The problem is that the birth certificate they use for identification to get on the ship will not get them on a plane. Flying? You must have one. A U.S. passport is simply the best identification you can have.
  2. Buy the largest carry-on sized luggage you can find and keep all the most important things you need with you on the plane, train or bus. To arrive at your destination wondering if your luggage made it is probably one of the biggest stress-inducing moments of any trip.
  3. Huddle for space is a game we play when traveling with our two kids. On airlines where seats are not assigned, find a row with three vacant seats, I sit on one end, put a kid on the other end, leaving the seat open in-between. Quickly, we stow carry-on luggage above and take our seats with what stuff we will have with us during the flight between us. Now we huddle over that center seat, pretending to discuss something very important and remain that way until the cabin door is closed. You would be surprised how many people will walk on by, even on a full plane, looking for a different seat. It does not work all the time but it’s worth a shot.
  4. Have a backup plan on flights that includes airlines, flight numbers and times in case your flight is late/canceled/diverted. You will be the prepared person at the airline ticket counter with complete information, asking good questions that require a direct answer. “OMG what am I going to do?” is not going to get you on the next flight out. People that say anything remotely like that are politely told to take a seat and they’ll “let you know”.
  5. Buy travel protection of some sort. You may not need travel insurance but travel assistance that provides emergency evacuation might be the ticket for you. A cheap travel insurance company with basic medical coverage and cancellation insurance is a good idea that will keep you from kicking yourself for not buying better coverage later.
  6. Line it all out in an itinerary you make for yourself. I mean type up every detail of your itinerary on your computer with your own hands, not something you get from a travel agent or company. The physical act of organizing it all in a document you have created organizes it in your mind as well.
  7. Do everything ahead of time that you can. Boarding passes, luggage tags, joining frequent flyer clubs, anything that can be done ahead of time online do that. While you are there, on line, on those travel service provider sites, copy important information you might need down the road like emergency numbers, baggage weight and size requirements and the line. Alaska Airlines suggests to use kiosks for check-in and to print boarding passes ahead of time too. Most airlines have a page of tips that hold good information for those who don’t really like traveling but are trying to make the best of it.
  8. Be prepared for security checks. You know they are coming at various times throughout your journey. Use a carry-on bag with outside pockets you can put stuff you want to have readily accessible, contents of your pockets and anything else you would have to take off to go through a security check.
  9. Go early to critical places like airports before flights. You want to be seated close to the gate (the door people walk through to get on the plane) and close to the gate’s ticket counter (the place people go when there is a problem) so that you can respond to airline announcements quickly and efficiently. Procrastinators lose big time on this one.
  10. Be alert by doing whatever it takes to stay that way. If you are traveling with others you can take turns being alert OR being plugged in to whatever devices amuse you but you can’t do both effectively. Banking sleep the week before traveling helps more mentally than physically but find someone who knows about stress reduction and “sleep” will be a hot topic with them.

Do you have tips along these lines that work for you? Tell us about them below. Give us the secrets, we won’t tell anybody. For more travel tips, check Gadling’s Travel Tips in 100 Words or Less.

Flickr photo by TheSeafarer

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