Cruise Deal Watch: Still some Valentines Day values available

by Chris Owen on

Norwegian Cruise Line likes to do things big. New Norwegian Epic debuted last Summer full of never before seen entertainment options that put the cruse industry on notice: These people mean business. Now, with Valentines Day fast approaching, the line has some special offers sure to ring in romance on the high seas.

Offering special savings on 12 different sailings that include Valentines Day, the line is throwing in a complementary four-category upgrade and e-coupons in on-board savings of up to $400. In addition, the line is featuring two of their special packages with Valentines Day in mind.

The Romance Package features sparking wine and strawberries in your stateroom upon embarkation, a spa pedicure and manicure for one person, two massages and tea service in your stateroom.

The Deluxe Romance Package includes sparking wine and strawberries in your stateroom upon embarkation plus a choice of Exotic Frangipani Body Nourishing Wrap for one or and Exotic Coconut and Milk Ritual Wrap for one along with breakfast in bed, a keepsake portrait and dinner for two in the ship’s exclusive Le Bistro restaurant with a bottle of wine.

Question: Who decides who gets the stuff for one? Do they flip for it?

Popular Valentines Day sailings sell out pretty fast and often demand a premium price. Checking around, we found very few extra value sailings. Actually, this was it.

Still looking for something special to do on Valentines Day? Among other options, maybe a City Boat Tour will work for you.

You’re watching ‘City Boat Tours’. See the Web’s top videos on AOL Video

Flickr photo by ses7

A different kind of Spring break cruise

by Chris Owen on

Cruise vacations are a popular option for Spring breakers looking for a good time. Major cruise line ships fill fast with party-going students, often at a premium price. It’s the stuff high school and college memories are made of to be sure. This year, a different kind of student-focused sailing will make for some different memories.

Last year, students on Ocean Classroom Foundation’s Harvey Gamage sailed to Hispaniola. There, they built a house in just one week, from foundation to roof, for a poverty-stricken family. Their effort resulted in lots of good stuff. Two of the families children had been sharing a mattress placed on a dirt floor each night before they went to bed. One of the children had been living elsewhere for lack of resources and space. When the students left, that family had a good roof over their heads and those students came away with a life-changing experience.

“This type of service immersion is an invaluable experience on many levels,” said Alyson Graham, Ocean Classroom’s educational director.

In February, 17 high school students from seven US states will begin a similar voyage in the Caribbean that will sail through Spring break and end in the land of “I made a difference” in May. Called “SEAmester Spring 2012” the immersive voyage departs from St.Thomas on February 24Th arriving in New England May 5Th.

Sailings are being planned for Summer and Fall too. See Ocean Classroom Foundation for more information.

The Ocean Classroom Foundation is is a nonprofit organization committed to sending students and their teachers to sea on voyages in which the traditions, values and adventure of maritime life provide a unique context for education.

Photo: Ocean Classroom Foundation

Beatles infest cruise ship, give back

by Chris Owen on

But this is a good thing.

Beatles Tribute Cruise 2011 is on sale now and for fans of the fab four it doesn’t get any better than this. “8 days a week” is exactly how long fans will sail on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas along with pretty much anybody who’s anybody in the world of Beatlemania.

Sailing from Miami with tribute-band The British Are Coming! and other special guests, fans will visit St Maarten, St Thomas, San Juan and Royal Caribbean’s private destination of Labadee in Haiti where Royal Caribbean is still helping, a year after a devastating earthquake rocked the island nation with donations of supplies each week.

Along for the ride is two-time Grammy award winning guitarist Laurence Juber, Beatles artist Shannon, TV and radio personality Tony Perkins, Beatles historian Tony Bramwell and Joe Johnson, the host & creator of the nationally syndicated radio show “BeatleBrunch“.

An annual event, this year’s cruise will be a fundraiser for Thrive/Survive Los Angeles to support young adult cancer survivors. On-board, a raffle will be held with close to 100 Beatles-related items to be given away during the sailing including a special Ultimate Weekend Tickets To Ride package for Abbey Road on the River along with autographed DVD’s from assorted post-Beatles artists.

For donation or ticket information contact Woody Lofton or register online.

Photo: Beatles Tribute Cruise

Luxury At Sea: Royal Caribbean Suites

by Chris Owen on

They come in all sizes. They are the top of the line accommodations. Those who book them pay a premium price. Along with them come exclusive amenities and on-board benefits. Let’s take a look at the suites of Royal Caribbean International, their layout, design and what to expect should you book one.

The size and number of suite accommodations vary from one class of ship to another. To get a good idea of a typical suite fleet-wide, today we look at a Grand Suite on Freedom of the Seas, a popular ship that sails from Port Canaveral in Florida. This is not the newest ship and surely not the oldest but pretty typical of what one might find in these exclusive accommodations although sizes and configuration do vary across the Royal Caribbean fleet.

Grand Suites in Freedom of the Seas are 432 square feet in size. That’s considerably larger than a standard balcony cabin on that ship which comes in at about 200 square feet. So right off the bat you have more space, accommodating up to five guests.

But it’s not so much the extra space that matters with a Grand Suite as it is what comes with it.

The first stop on the luxury train is the restricted-access Concierge Lounge, exclusively for Suite guests and top-level members of the line’s Crown and Anchor Society past-guest program. Inside this special area suite guests will find

  • A dedicated Concierge who is available to assist with anything they might require
  • Twenty-four-hour a day use of the Concierge Club Lounge
  • Continental breakfast every morning and open bar & hors d’oeuvres every evening available in the Concierge Club Lounge
  • Assistance with reservations for Portofino Italian restaurant & Chops Grille Steakhouse
  • Assistance with booking shore excursions, Salon or Spa treatments and Priority tickets for the ice skating show
  • Assistance with the arrangement of private parties, pre-ordering dinner wine and more

%Gallery-114635%In addition, suite guests also get priority seating in the main theater, priority tender tickets at ports that require tendering to shore, admission to a VIP area on deck, luxury spa bathrobes, upgraded lotions, shampoos, conditioners and bath gels (because you have a bathtub, not just a shower) and priority departure via the ship’s exclusive suite departure lounge.

One of the best parts (as if all of the above was not enough) is the ability to order breakfast, lunch and dinner to be delivered to your suite. Ordering off the complete in-suite menus, just a phone call to room service brings dining right into your suite.

Those same benefits apply to all suite categories except Junior Suites. Still, those too are spacious staterooms, coming in at 320 square feet on Freedom of the Seas and a great choice for families. They include a minibar, vanity area, hair-dryer, TV, phone, vanity table with an extendable working surface for laptop computers Some have sofa beds and can accommodate 3-4 guests.

Leggo my Love Boat

by Chris Owen on

What took more than 250,000 LEGO bricks, six months to build, measures 10.5 feet long and five feet high? That would be a full scale model of the original Pacific Princess Love Boat built by professional LEGO builder Ryan McNaught.

The son of a Melbourne, Australia travel agent, the 36-year-old McNaught was inspired by the many cruises he has enjoyed over the years.

“I wanted to do something with character so I chose the original Love Boat, Pacific Princess, and studied photos and deck plans to capture her features and her beauty,” McNaught said.

One of only 12 certified LEGO builders in the world, McNaught’s model shows the exterior of the famous Princess Cruises TV ship on one side. The other side is a cutaway showing everything from chefs in the kitchen to passengers working out in the health club. Captain Stubing, Gopher and cruise director Julie, along with some of the show’s most famous guests such as David Hasselhoff are on board too.

Looks like the Love Boat will be making another run too. After showing the creation in Australia, McNaught now plans to move it to Chicago for Brickworld, one of the largest LEGO conventions in the world.

Flickr photos by TheBrickMan

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