Top Sail Journeys

The Disaster Could Have Been Avoided

2012-01-20T11:05:00.000-05:00

Great Article from CruiseMates .... and what I want to know is: What about all the other ship's officers? Chief Officer? Second Officer? Safety Officer? Chief Engineer? I know the Captain is God on a ship, but really ... weren't any of the disciples there?

What the Media is Missing in Concordia

The Concordia incident is the worst tragedy in modern cruise industry history. But most of the focus has been on the actions of the captain abandoning a sinking ship, as well as a chaotic situation due to an uninformed crew. What has been completely overlooked is the sequence of events before the grounding of the ship.

Is this enough to sink a ship?

Everyone on that ship should have been saved, with all of their possessions. The biggest mistakes (yes, plural) the captain made happened long before he ran away.

Costa Concordia is structurally identical to the Carnival Splendor - the ship that went dead in the water off the coast of Mexico two years ago. But in that case the captain sent up a Mayday immediately and Carnival rightly chose to keep everyone onboard and tow the ship to safe harbor. Those people were inconvenienced, but they didn't suffer, and they survived in whole. I now fully understand the SOLAS "ship as a lifeboat" concept.

Had this captain called Costa when he first hit the rocks this entire event would have gone entirely differently.

The first obvious mistake Schettino made was not checking the charts for the route he took near Giglio. We know the ship made a similar sail-by last August. Reports say he was given the coordinates by a colleague, but he reportedly went off that course, and did not check the local charts.

Next mistake: there are usually several people on the bridge; a navigator, a watchman and the person steering the ship - not always the captain. All of them had to have known when they hit the rocks. At that point the ship should have been stopped to check the hull integrity.

We know the ship was sound for at least 40 more minutes. Was the ship going to sink from the damage that was done? It is unlikely because of the fully watertight sections. If the ship had been stopped slowly it could have been towed upright to safe harbor and everyone evacuated. This is the "ship as the lifeboat" SOLAS protocol adopted in July 2010.

But the ship continued on at full speed for 40 minutes before Schettino took action. It is said he stopped the ship, dropped the anchors to stabilize her, turned her around and then headed to shore. With an already damaged hull these are aggravating measures. Once again, he should have stopped the ship and raised a Mayday.
The captain turned the ship to the left to return to Giglio, but unlike cars which lean in on turns, ships lean out. The meant the ship was listing to the right, towards the shore. As it came in closer the current pushed the keel out and the ship tipped into the rocks. Had he turned the ship the other way the outcome might have been different.

But the ship appears to have been further damaged when it keeled over - making it take on water even faster, and once the water breached the open decks it filled very quickly until it stabilized. It is actually surprising, but a testament to the bouyancy of the ship, that it has not already sunk to the great deep.
This already indentifies three points were it is likely Schettino made bad decisions and violated statutory procedure. And while the media is focused on Schettino abandoning ship, in fact his most egregious acts - leading to loss of life - happened long before left the ship.

Was the Crew Uninformed?
No, they were abandoned. I am a former crewmember who knows that every crewmember is assigned a duty for boat drill and given instructions for that duty only; solely to make sure passenger lifejackets are fastened correctly and lined up in neat rows to board the lifeboats.
Crews are trained by a staff of safety officers whose sole job is to handle emergencies. A ship this size should have between six and 12 safety officers. Training is predicated on the presence of these officers to run the lifeboats. It also assumes the ship will be upright, according to SOLAS standards, so all lifeboats are available.

Where were the safety officers at this point?

Why wasn't the ship left in an upright position for evacuation?

Why is no one asking these questions?
The answer is that the safety officers were likely on the bridge - checking the ship's stability and waiting for the captain to take action. Do you think the captain told them he was going down to get on a lifeboat and escape the ship? Or did he say "Wait here, I am going to investigate the situation,"? How could he get away if they had not been left on the bridge?
Next - the media is not reporting Costa is a multilingual cruise line. All ship operations (including safety drills) are conducted in Italian, German, French, Spanish and English in that order. In addition there were natives of Brazil, Korea, India and more.
Plus, this ship picked up passengers in four ports on this itinerary (this does not happen on U.S.-based cruises) and with a 24 hour window to hold a boat drill, the ship had decided to delay the drill for 696 people just boarded in Civitavecchia until after even more people were scheduled to board in Savona.

Is Costa to Blame?
No. Any ship's captain has full discretion over routing decisions. They are the ruling class in the open sea. This captain chose to sail by Giglio without telling Costa. He chose to continue at full steam for 40 minutes. He then chose to turn the hobbled ship and head back to Giglio without sending a mayday. Reports say he didn't call the "home office" until the ship was already crashed on the shore. The captain also failed to give the abandon ship signal. There are a lot more details to be revealed here - and what amazes me the most is what the media is not asking about the events leading up to the grounding, like "Was this a sinking ship?"

Are Cruise Prices Going Lower?
I read a report this morning that a certain web site owner says "Cruise Prices Headed Way Down." While I don't disagree this will happen short term, experience has shown that experienced cruisers are fully aware of the industry's safety record, which is far better than flying or driving. People do not stop flying after air or car accidents. Therefore, any discount in prices will be short-lived and mostly confined to Costa. Operations at other cruise lines remain as safe as ever.

So, if there are bargains to be had - grab them while you have the opportunity.

A few "Weird Souvenirs of the Day"

2011-12-12T17:43:00.000-05:00

Limiting myself to only one "Weird Souvenir of the Day" can be very difficult, but since I wouldn't want you to miss out on some of the retail opportunities offered in Central Europe, I've compiled photos of several souvenir possibilities that didn't win a spot in my daily blog.

I'll start with fashionable head wear found in Budapest:

Then there is cooking attire offered in Passau:

And some fun shoehorns in Regensberg:

Not to be outdone by important home decor accessories, which I might have found in Vienna, but am not sure.

Hope you all get your Christmas shopping done on time, I did!

Budapest

2011-12-10T13:42:00.000-05:00

Budapest actually consists of what used to be two different cities, Buda on one side of the Danube, and Pest (pronounced pescht) on the other. The Chain Bridge uniting them was built by one of the Hapsburgs (Joseph, I think) because he was in Pest when his mother was dying in Buda on the other side of the river. Since it was the middle of the winter he couldn't cross the Danube, due to ice floes, and was unable to get to see her before she died. Being a King of virtually unlimited resources, he decided that wasn't going to happen again, it was time for a real bridge, and 20 years after the bridge was completed the two cities became one.

Although the country of Hungary is about the same size as the state of Indiana, it seems that warring factions have been trying to conquer it since, well, since I couldn't quite make out when. I think it was first the Turks, then the Ottomans came and burned the place down, then the Magyars (I probably have this in the wrong order), several fortresses have been built up and then blown up or burned down, the Hapsburgs ruled for about 500 years, but then came the Germans and the Soviets drove off the Germans but then they forgot to go home for 50 years. It's really very confusing. I'll have to read more about it, the guide had a pretty thick accent (but his English is 100% better than my Hungarian).

It is a city of beautiful palaces, bridges, opera houses, monuments, academic and parliamentary buildings, contrasted by bullet holes in many of the buildings and rubble or ruins from whoever last tried to seize it. These guys have had a tough time of it over the last 1500 years, but they just keep trudging on.

There is one very disturbing monument, the shoe monument, which commemorates where the Nazis lined up Jews in on the bank of the Danube and had them take off their shoes, then shot them so their bodies would fall in the river and be carried away. Just another tragedy amongst so many, but this memorial is very poignant. There are a number of other monuments to those who were lost in the Holocaust, but this one really brought it home. I know I'll never be able to truly conceive of the horrors, there is absolutely nothing in my personal life I could begin to compare it to - I've never lived through years of terror and brutality - but this monument spoke to my heart.

On to happier thoughts. Now who would have thought to bring a bathing suit to Budapest in December? Silly me! There are three thermal spas on the Buda side that are very popular. If I were going to stay here any longer a bathing suit would have to be my next purchase.

As it is, I'm going home tomorrow morning VERY early, my cab will be here at 5:45 AM, so I've said all I'm going to say for tonight. I don't even have the energy to download the weird souvenir of the day. But maybe I can do it during my layover in Philadelphia tomorrow.

To those who have read my blog, thank you. I hope it helped bring the experience to life for you and that you'll have the chance to do a similar trip in the future.

Things I've Learned About "Christmas Market" River Cruising

2011-12-09T16:22:00.000-05:00

Probably not a comprehensive list, but a couple of useful facts (I hope).

Don't expect non-stop onboard entertainment, you have come here to visit different cultures, not to be amused by stage acts, ice skating shows, parades, etc.
Learn as much as you can about the countries you will be visiting in advance by following suggested reading guides, or even renting pertinent movies. We visited the home where Oscar Shindler was born, "Shindler's List" - for example - would be an excellent movie to watch before coming over.
Pack one or two "dressy" tops - although the formal evenings on board are not as sartorial as they are on the large, ocean-going vessels, it's nice to have a sparkly top (for the women) to go with a pair of dark slacks. Other than that it's not about fashion, it's about warmth.
Bring a long coat for Christmas Market Cruises - lot's of outdoor time, legs get cold. It can also be rainy or snowy, so a pair of shoes that are meant for those conditions is a good idea. But maybe buy gloves, scarves, hats or mittens at the Christmas Markets - you'll need them and they make a good souvenir.
Thank you Mom for insisting I take your travel umbrella. As usual, you were right.
The staff will bend over backwards to help you in any way they can - and they are very adaptive to changes in conditions.
Leave more room in your suitcase (applies to almost everywhere I travel).
There's always more to see than you have time for. But do everything you can.
Unlike ocean cruises, you can book returning air flights that depart early in the morning; many passengers are on a 2:45 AM bus to the Budapest airport (ouch!).
Buy travel insurance, it looks like mine will cover at least some of my losses from being pick-pocketed!
Googling information isn't very helpful (to me) if the answer comes up in Hungarian.

I set foot in Slovakia today by walking over the bridge, but the 24 hour bug I had came back so I can't say more than that I have set foot in Slovakia. I skipped the tour into Budapest and stayed in bed. Have also been trying to keep away from other passengers as much as possible. Kind of a shame that I got sick on the way over to Europe, but nothing to do about it but soldier on. I am looking forward to Budapest tomorrow, even though it won't be with Viking River Cruises. I'll check at the concierge desk at the Radisson for a 1/2 or full day tour.

Austria - I'll Have to Come Back

2011-12-08T16:38:00.000-05:00

Well there's no question about it, Austria is not a place you can see in just one short trip, I suppose no country is. One day port calls work a bit better for small Caribbean islands, but when you get to countries like Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Australia, Japan,etc. well, that's like making a port call in New York and then saying you've seen the United States.

The city of Vienna is one of the most beautiful I've ever visited. Another monument, palace, memorial, concert hall, opera house, museum, cathedral or statue everywhere you look. Rococo mixed with baroque and classical styles. The Lippizaner Stallions, Mozart, Strauss, the Hapsburg dynasty, Schonbrunn Palace, AND the Swarovski Crystal store (ooh ahh). The mountains we passed through on the way here were were spectacular with the fog hanging over them. Not a bright, sunny day, but the mist coming over the mountains was compelling.

Today started with a city tour in the morning and then I went to Schonbrunn Palace this afternoon. Of course there was another Christmas Market in the courtyard at Schonbrunn so I filmed the carolers for a little while. Having spent the last two hours trying to get the video to upload, I'm giving up, maybe I can get it to load on FaceBook. Here's me in front of the palace - yes, it's still cold.

Did I mention the pastries in Vienna? OMG. Here's one I saw in a window, it was an actual TV playing inside a confectionery box.

And, of course, there's the Hotel Sacher - home of the infamous Sacher Torte. Rumor has it that George Clooney is in town filming, wonder if he's staying there. Nah, probably the Intercontinental.

Sorry there was no blogging yesterday. Fever, chills, headache but thankfully it was only a 24 hour thing. I missed seeing Melk Abbey, but due to the revised schedule of the cruise (owing to the low level of the Danube) it was a five hour excursion, mostly sitting on a bus. I stayed in bed and drank fluids. Next time I cruise the Danube I'll put Melk Abbey on the MUST BE SEEN list.

And there will be a next time! This has been so fabulous that I am planning a group Christmas Markets Cruise for next year (and I just know that the water level on the Danube will be back to normal - or maybe next year I'll do the Rhine ... decisions, decisions!).

Back to the ship, and next stop is Budapest, except that the ship can't make it all the way to Budapest (low water levels again) so we'll go part of the way by bus. We're actually going to be docking in a small town in Hungary (Komarom), from which you can walk over to Slovakia, so I may just do that as I had planned an extra day in Budapest anyway, due to flight departure times. An unexpected chance to visit Slovakia - who would have expected it? I'll play it by ear.

Oh you were wondering what the weird souvenir of the day was? Some lucky family member might just get this in their Christmas stocking! I'll just have to choose the right victim. Actually, I don't think the souvenirs I've purchased will fit in my luggage and this is giving me concerns. Maybe a relative will be spared.

The Poor Father With Three Daughters

2011-12-06T11:47:00.000-05:00

So once upon a time there was a poor farmer who had three daughters, but he couldn't marry them off because he had no money to give them a dowry. Well, one Christmas Eve someone sneaked up to a window of the farmer's house and dropped off a bag of gold coins so the farmer had a dowry for his first daughter. The farmer was overjoyed.

The next year it happened again, another bag of gold coins. The father was elated that he could marry off his second daughter, but wondered his who benefactor was.

The next year the farmer stayed up all night watching the window, but the secret benefactor, knowing the farmer was watching the window, climbed up to the roof top and tossed the bag of gold coins down the chimney where it landed in some stockings that had been left to dry.

So there you have it ... the foundations of another Christmas Legend.

******************

Brrrrrrrrrrr.

Regensburg was cold. The city marks the northernmost boundaries of the Roman Empire, but by the time the Romans got this far north Roman civilization was falling apart, the emperor didn't have the money to pay his troops, (not to mention that togas don't give much protection against the cold) so the troops pretty much gave up the fort and the Barbarians they had been fighting against took over - thus creating a region known as Bavaria. Barbarian - Bavarian ... get it?

Part of Roman Wall around the city.

Regensburg was not bombed during the war (WWII) because there was nothing here of military significance other than an arms factory about 50 miles away. (Most bombers are accurate within 50 miles.) The only thing that was blown up was an ancient bridge built by the Romans, and that was blown up by the Nazis to keep the American troops from advancing to Regensburg. Damn Nazis, it was a perfectly good bridge for about a fifteen hundred years.

Also went to the Thurn & Taxis Palace, which is still being used, in part, by the somethingth generation of Thurns und Taxis. The current heir apparent is a race car driver of some accomplishment. Inside the courtyard was, yep another Christmas Market!! More gingerbread, ornaments, nativities, angels, etc. This time there was a bit more handmade stuff.

The weird souvenir of the day looks like this:

haven't figured out the connection with Christmas.

Saturday at the Christmas Market

2011-12-04T16:49:00.000-05:00

It seems like it's been a journey of a thousand steps, but I finally walked on board the Viking Prestige yesterday. HOME - yippee!!! - for the next week anyway. Viking River Cruises had to change ships (we were supposed to be on the Viking Legend), because the water level in the Danube is unusually low and the Viking Legend has a deeper draft. I haven't heard any complaints.

So finally it was Saturday and finally I was on the ship and the main excursion was to the Christmas Market (what else?) . That was fine with me; I'd gone yesterday, but I came over here to go to the Christmas Markets didn't I? And what woman can resist shopping (again)?

We were all warned to be very careful of pickpockets. The place was jammed. We were tighter than pickles in a jar. Coney Island on a weekend packed. 50 times more people than the day before. I bought a Christmas thinga-ma-jig and then headed back to the ship's meeting point because I didn't want to fight the crowds. I don't like Times Square or other enormous gatherings of homo-sapiens. I need a little personal space. Stopped in a store to buy a little embroidered patch and when I went to pay for it found that my money was gone. Just gone. Not there any more. Missing. Absent. Kaput. Vanished.

They DID warn us! Crap.

It takes a lot of skill to get money from a snapped close pocket inside a snapped closed wallet underneath a zippered and snapped up jacket. But they did. Turns out I was tag teamed, one guy distracted me in the middle of buying the whatchamacallit, while the other went in for the money.

So this morning was spent at the police station with a translator filing a report. I think (read hope, pray, am wishful that) this is covered by my travel insurance, but we'll find that out later. Nonetheless I filed the report and the lieutenant was cute and very tall, with good posture. They usually charge you 10 euros to file a complaint but he didn't charge me. Very cute. Nice eyes too. But according to my translator he had a terrible Nuremberg accent.

In the event you believe that this trip is entirely about shopping you are wrong. We took a tour of Nuremberg today, saw the parade grounds where Hitler rallied his troops, found out why he chose Nuremberg for this and learned a little bit about the architecture of the Nazi regime. We also visited the old fortress (nobody ever goes to go to an old city without visiting it's fortress, I mean, without fortresses, castles and cathedrals why would people go to Europe? I promise, it's not for the weather). We also learned the reason the road into the fortress bent to the left (because most invading armies were right handed and used that hand for their swords, leaving their right sides unprotected from arrows). Clever.

Despite being pick-pocketed I did find a weird souvenir of the day for you. I don't usually equate Albert Einstein with Christmas ornaments, but to each his own.

Tomorrow I might tell you the story about the poor father who didn't have dowry money to marry off his daughters. Yes, this is a Christmas story.

Night!

Nuremberg

2011-12-03T11:46:00.000-05:00

Here in Nuremberg the streets all have funny names and the maps don't seem to have anything to do with the street signs. I eventually found my way from the hotel to the Christmas Market by stopping lots of Germans who spoke a little bit of English. I think the "20 minute walk " I was told it would take by the concierge took closer to an hour. Holding up a map up with the Christmas Market circled helped when stopping strangers for directions. Having gotten myself there, mostly by people pointing me in the approximate direction, it was fun to see all the millions of Christmas ornaments. I'm a little skeptical that they are all made in Germany, and suspect that at least a few had the "Made in China" label removed. Still, the hustle and bustle, the gingerbread, the sparkle, the history of the Angel (in Germany an angel gives out the gifts, not a fat man in a red suit) it's remarkable and cheerful.

Then it was time to go back, and suddenly I realized I had not planned for this. How to get back? I didn't even remember the name of the hotel I was in, much less the street (or platz or whatever) it was on, so I couldn't stop a cabdriver and say take me to the mid-grade hotel with the glass front door. It was just another hotel, there are hundreds of them. Dilemma. Could I reverse the route that I hadn't been able to follow to get me to the Christmas Market in the first place? It was my only option. I won't say there weren't some wrong turns along the way, but damn was I happy when that lobby came in to view. I've had quite a nice long walk today, thank you.

Has anyone seen the little, black cord that says Kodak right at the very end near the plug? I really need it. I hate searching for it over and over again, when all I seem to find is my reindeer socks. It was supposed to be in the plastic bag with the camera.

May have to use my cell phone as camera.

Yesterday's weird souvenir of the day was golf balls: happy face golf balls, American flag golf balls, 8 ball golf balls, football golf balls, soccer ball golf balls. No I did not buy any, but if you want them they're available at the Jacksonville airport.

Getting There

2011-12-03T06:18:00.000-05:00

The adventure begins! As we all know, getting there is no longer half the fun. It’s exhausting, bad for your skin, dries out your eyes and nine times out of ten you’re going to get a crick in your neck. The food is , well airplane food – ‘nough said. Your hair will feel stringy and all you’ll want is a shower and a bed when you land. Added to that I developed a minor intestinal disorder that would have made the transatlantic flight hellish if couldn’t find a doctor. Thank God I had a five hour layover in Philadelphia (which I had previously dreaded) and there was a minute clinic close to the airport. The taxi driver to the clinic yelled at me for giving him such short fare (“I waited in the taxi line for three hours for a lousy $10 fare?!) Welcome to the city of brotherly love. I’m not sure what he thought my options were, and I did give him a $4 tip, although I should have thrown it at him or given it to him in pennies.

Anyway, got to the Doctor (minute clinic is more like an hour and a half clinic), got prescriptions and was directed to a local CVS “within walking distance”. That is if you set out in the right direction, which I didn’t. Half a mile down the thoroughfare (lugging all my bags ) I asked a DHL driver coming out of a DHL building if this was the right way, he said “No you’ll have to go back the way you came and take a left at the corner.” (Oh crap.) Off he went … but miracle of miracles, he did a U-turn, came back, and offered me a ride to the drugstore. I know, never take a ride from a stranger, but he was a DHL employee, I'd seen him come out of the building, I needed to get the prescriptions filled and somehow get back to the airport. I scanned the back seat for rope, duct tape, garbage bags, meat cleavers and chainsaws, saw that there were handles on the insides of the doors, and gratefully hopped in. Well Chris drove me to the drugstore, waited for me (no meter running), and then gave me a ride to the airport. Who would have dreamt it? He wouldn't let me pay him. I owe Chris a debt of gratitude and will pay his kindness forward. I did buy him a BIG bag of M&M’s and a bottle of water.

Another piece of good luck – I had a row on the airplane all to myself – three across! You know how you get to your seat and give the evil eye to anyone boarding after you to keep them from sitting in YOUR row. Almost never works, but this time it did! So after some warmish pasta I actually slept on the plane. The Zurich airport is very confusing. Several of us passengers needed to get to Gate A, there was a sign that said Gate A to the right and another sign across from it that said Gate A to the left.. Doesn’t leave you many choices.

Can’t hook up my camera to my computer yet because the cord is in my cabin and passengers are not allowed in their cabins until 3:00 PM. So not photos for now, but tomorrow should have several.

Packed and (Almost) Ready

2011-11-30T17:11:00.001-05:00

♫ I've got Euros, I've got tickets, I've got stuff packed - who could ask for anything more? ♫

I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait!

Off to a River Cruise

2011-11-29T13:27:00.000-05:00

In just two more days I'm off to do a river cruise on the Danube from Nuremberg to Budapest! This opportunity only came about two weeks ago, so I've been in kind of a whirlwind ever since. Got to make sure my groups are all up to date, my outstanding payments are made, and all clients are as well taken care of as possible before I go. You just can't leave a business when you are the one and only chick in charge.

I've wanted to do this cruise for at least five years. Especially during the Christmas Markets which are supposed to be wonderful - guess I'll find that out for myself. I LOVE Christmas. Love giving. Love the spirit of kindness and sharing, love families coming together, love the sights and sounds, the anticipation. And I buy gifts all year ... I see something in July that I think "oh, my brother will love that" and I buy it when I'm thinking of it. Then in December I go through the box of stuff in my closet and see what I've already bought and for whom. One year I had to dust off my presents because I wrapped them so early.

I'm sailing with Viking River Cruises, which sent me a very nice document package including a great travel wallet that will come in very handy once I'm exploring. Things keep disappearing while I try to decide what to pack. I've lost my camera at least five times in the last week alone (where the he** does it disappear to?). Just had it this morning when I hooked it up to my new computer (bought a lightweight notebook - much better for traveling than the old trusty dinosaur I've dragged through at least six countries). Still looking for the cord that connects my flipcam to my computer. I was going to do a video on packing for a cruise, but not much point if I can't post it. At least I will print out the packing list that's on my website so I don't forget my toothbrush. I'm a little discombobulated.

My goal this trip is to become an expert on Christmas Market cruises. I don't want to miss ANYTHING! Viking River Cruises even has Cultural Courses on board. For example:

• Hands-on demonstrations in cuckoo clock-making, wooden shoe-carving or glassblowing
• Classes in cooking specialties like apple strudel and Alsatian flammkuchen
• Traditional performances of folk music and dance, or waltzes by Strauss
• Tastings of local cheeses, coffees, liqueurs and other delicacies

I ordered several books on Germany, Austria and Hungary from Amazon.com, but of course will not have time to read them all before I go. Am halfway through the first of four - at least I'm trying.

Okay, you get it. I'm excited. I've got to buckle down to real work now. Keep an eye on my blog for the sights and don't forget to look for the weird souvenir of the day. Maybe you'll win it!

CruiseWorld 2011 - What a Show!

2011-11-07T13:34:00.000-05:00

Wow! I just returned from an information packed 4-days at CruiseWorld 2011 in Ft. Lauderdale. It was so tempting to keep driving past FLL to Key Biscayne, my home of 40 years (I moved to Jacksonville, FL last week), but in a heretofore undiscovered burst of discipline, I headed to the Broward County Convention Center instead.

The Convention Center is enormous (600,000 square feet) and Cruise World only took up part of it, but I know I walked several miles in my gray suede pumps on day one. I'll spare you any gory pictures, but the first day blisters were enormous and painful. A heartfelt thank you goes out to Joanie Ogg for the blister bandages! By the end of the day I felt like there were nails being pounded into my little toes with every step. I limped home to my brother's house, my head full of new ideas, but suffering from "de agony of de feet".

With Diane Churchy-Horan of AMAWaterways

In addition to gathering tons of information and about 40 lbs of new brochures, I also made some great contacts at the convention. Here I am with Diane Churchy-Horan of AMA Waterways, one of the premier river cruise lines in Europe. Having determined to increase my focus on river cruises in the coming year I was really glad to finally meet Diane and hope to get to know her well. AMA Waterways sails the rivers of Europe, Russia, Vietnam, Cambodia and beginning in June 2012... Africa! Imagine taking an African Safari & Wildlife Cruise ... this really sounds over-the-top! Check out the MS Zambizi Queen - what more could one ask?

I also got to know Eric Molina of Viking River Cruises, probably the best known and most sailed river cruise ships in the world. Like AMA Waterways, Viking River Cruises offers classical Danube, Rhine & Volga river cruises, but they also have cruises in China & SE Asia; not to mention the great cruises down the Nile in Egypt. My clients who have sailed with Viking River Cruises have invariably come back to me with rave reviews, I wish I could have recorded them for you to hear.

With Eric Molina - Viking River Cruises

BUT ... speaking of recording testimonials so that other people can listen to them, apparently there is a free program on the internet that allows you to do just that and add it to your web site (one of the amazing internet offerings that various seminars revealed to me this week). It's going to take awhile to figure out all the new technology I heard about - it seriously has my head swimming - but I'm going to stop blogging now and get started on one or two of the new items on my three page "To Do & To Learn" list!

Next up - touring the Norwegian Epic!

2011-10-27T14:04:00.001-04:00

This was sent to me by my brother, it's too intriguing not to share!

Salt Mine – An Astounding Subterranean Salt Cathedral

Deep underground in Poland lies something remarkable but little known outside Eastern Europe. For centuries, miners have extracted salt there, but left behind things quite startling and unique. Take a look at the most unusual salt mine in the world.

From the outside, Wieliczka Salt Mine doesn’t look extraordinary. It looks extremely well kept for a place that hasn’t mined any salt for over ten years but apart from that it looks ordinary. However, over two hundred meters below ground it holds an astonishing secret. This is the salt mine that became an art gallery, cathedral and underground lake.

Situated in the Krakow area, Wieliczka is a small town of close to twenty thousand inhabitants. It was founded in the twelfth century by a local Duke to mine the rich deposits of salt that lie beneath. Until 1996 it did just that but the generations of miners did more than just extract. They left behind them a breathtaking record of their time underground in the shape of statues of mythic, historical and religious figures. They even created their own chapels in which to pray. Perhaps their most astonishing legacy is the huge underground cathedral they left behind for posterity.

It may feel like you are in the middle of a Jules Verne adventure as you descend in to the depths of the world. After a one hundred and fifty meter climb down wooden stairs the visitor to the salt mine will see some amazing sites. About the most astounding in terms of its sheer size and audacity is the Chapel of Saint Kinga. The Polish people have for many centuries been devout Catholics and this was more than just a long term hobby to relieve the boredom of being underground. This was an act of worship.

Amazingly, even the chandeliers in the cathedral are made of salt. It was not simply hewn from the ground and then thrown together; however, the process is rather more painstaking for the lighting. After extraction the rock salt was first of all dissolved. It was then reconstituted with the impurities taken out so that it achieved a glass-like finish. The chandeliers are what many visitors think the rest of thecavernous mine will be like as they have a picture in their minds of salt as they would sprinkle on their meals! However, the rock salt occurs naturally in different shades of grey (something like you would expect granite to look like).

Still, that doesn’t stop well over one million visitors (mainly from Poland and its eastern European neighbors) from visiting the mine to see, amongst other things, how salt was mined in the past.

For safety reasons less than one percent of the mine is open to visitors, but even that is still almost four kilometers in length – more than enough to weary the average tourist after an hour or two. The mine was closed for two reasons – the low price of salt on the world market made it too expensive to extract here. Also, the mine was slowly flooding – another reason why visitors are restricted to certain areas only.

The religious carvings are, in reality, what draw many to this mine – as much for their amazing verisimilitude as for their Christian aesthetics.

One remarkable carving is a take on The Last Supper. The work and patience that must have gone in to the creation of these sculptures is extraordinary. One wonders what the miners would have thought of their work going on general display? They came to be quite used to it, in fact, even during the mine’s busiest period in the nineteenth century. The cream of Europe’s thinkers visited the site – you can still see many of their names in the old visitor’sbooks on display.

These reliefs are perhaps among some of the most iconographic works of Christian folk art in the world and really do deserve to be shown. It comes as little surprise to learn that the mine was placed on the original list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites back in 1978.

Not all of the work is relief-based. There are many life sized statues that must have taken a considerable amount of time – months, perhaps even years – to create. Within the confines of the mine there is also much to be learned about the miners from the machinery and tools that they used – many of which are on display and are centuries old. A catastrophic flood in 1992 dealt the last blow to commercial salt mining in the area and now the mine functions purely as a tourist attraction. Brine is, however, still extracted from the mine – and then evaporated to produce some salt, but hardly on the ancient scale. If this was not done, then the mines would soon become flooded once again.

Not all of the statues have a religious or symbolic imagery attached to them. The miners had a sense of humor, after all! Here can be seen their own take on the legend of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. The intricately carved dwarves must have seemed to some of the miners a kind of ironic depiction of their own work.

The miners even threw in a dragon for good measure! Certainly, they may have whistled while they did it but the conditions in the salt mine were far from comfortable and the hours were long – the fact that it was subterranean could hardly have added to the excitement of going to work each morning.

To cap it all there is even an underground lake, lit by subdued electricity and candles. This is perhaps where the old legends of lakes to the underworld and Catholic imagery of the saints work together to best leave a lasting impression of the mine. How different a few minutes reflection here must have been to the noise and sweat of everyday working life in the mine.

River Cruise & Safari in Africa

2011-10-21T19:41:00.000-04:00

The mighty Zambezi river, a luxury cruise ship and a visit to Victoria Falls and/or an African Safari. Hold on to your hats, AMAWaterways is introducing a new product that will blow you out of the water! Photos and more info to come!

Putting Things Off

2011-10-03T14:24:00.000-04:00

I'm a great procrastinator. I can find a million things to do rather than make plans for myself ... one of the most difficult things for me to do is to make a decision about taking my own vacations (although they're usually "busman's holidays"). I've been wanting to do a "Christmas Markets Cruise" along the Danube for a couple of years now. I have the air mileage on American Express, what keeps me from booking? Indecision. The inability to get out of my own way.

This weekend I had a "come to Jesus" moment. At 10:30 on Saturday morning my neighbor started screaming for help (remember I live in Florida where windows and balcony doors are frequently open). She was screaming like the building was on fire or someone was attacking her. I rushed over in my nightgown...it was Saturday morning, I was kicking back and relaxing ... to find that her husband had fallen and hit his head. He was face down on the floor of the balcony, bleeding heavily. The neighbor handed me the phone and I dialed 911. Long story short, our terrific Key Biscayne Fire & Rescue dept. was there in under five minutes (which seemed like hours) and he had the best treatment you could ask for. He's fractured his neck in two places and has several stitches in his head. Fortunately there is no paralysis. His prognosis is good - there was a lot of praying going on.

Moments before all had been as normal. Now their lives - at least for awhile - are turned upside down. It can happen just that quickly. Fortunately they had recently returned from a long dreamed of vacation by motorcycle from Miami to Boise, Idaho, so that wasn't lost to them.

I have so many stories like this, the couple who planned to cruise to Hawaii after they retired (but he suddenly died from a heart attack), my Mom's planned trip to Australia which was cancelled when my brother passed away. I could go on, but you get the idea.

I'm going to book that Christmas Markets cruise this week. I hope some of you will come with me. I think it will be special!

Yet Another Thing Not to Do On a Ship

2011-09-01T11:41:00.000-04:00

Now this was a tour boat, not a cruise ship, but it's still horrifying - why do people do what they do? The parenthetical comments are mine.

Tour boat passenger tosses boy into water to toughen him up

Horrified passengers looked on as a California father told his crying seven-year-old son to “toughen up” and ended up throwing him into the harbor on a tour boat, according to police.

The former Marine sergeant Sloane Briles, 35, was arrested for child endangerment and resisting arrest.

According to police "The father hit him several times and then threatened to throw him overboard if he didn't stop crying The crowd on the boat became very angry at the father for hitting the kid and extremely angry when he threw him overboard." (Where was the boat's captain during this abuse?)

The father eventually jumped in after the boy—who was not an expert swimmer—but he had already been rescued. The father become so combative during his arrest that deputies claimed they had to tackle him to the ground.

The boy was released unharmed into the care of his mother, who divorced Briles in 2007. He was only “roughhousing” with the boy, she told the New York Daily News. (Who does she think she's kidding?)

Don't Try This Yourself

2011-08-30T11:46:00.000-04:00

Rick Ehlert is a 44 year old California man who owns a 50-ft yacht and has boating experience. Last November he was aboard the Holland America Ryndam, enjoying several cocktails. In this frame of mind he stepped through a door that was clearly marked "Authorized Personnel Only" and found himself at the stern of the ship where the mechanism to raise and lower the 18-ton anchor is accessed. Ehlert then spent the next 12 minutes going through an elaborate process that he knew would result in a free-fall for the anchor.

Ehlert didn't know what was going to happen after the anchor dropped, but it could have been catastrophic. The anchor could have caught in hard ground on the ocean floor and caused the ship to turn suddenly - tipping radically and causing furniture, glassware, china and people to topple over throughout the ship. Or the ship's hull might have ripped open, flooding at least one compartment and doing millions of dollars in damage. The anchor could have destroyed miles of coral reefs, or it could have just reached the end of its chain and broken off.

Everything Ehlert did was caught on a surveillance camera - and so there is no way for him to deny his actions. His only excuse is that he was drunk, but he knew what he was doing. Now Ehlert has thrown himself upon the mercy of the court by agreeing to plead guilty to a felony charge of attempting to damage the ship. The plea agreement means that Ehlert could face as many as 20 years in prison and/or a fine of $250,000. (How about some court mandated alcohol counseling?)

Fortunately there was no damage to the ship, which carries 1260 passengers and 560 crewmembers. Crewmembers were able to restore it to its proper position within a matter of minutes.

Is being drunk an excuse for his actions? It took him 12 minutes to accomplish this deed. He wasn’t too drunk to protect himself with gloves, find a wrench and operate the system. But he was drunk enough not to consider the possible catastrophic consequences, in terms of both lives and property, of his actions.

What do you think?

Here We Go Again - Hurricane Season

2011-08-24T11:21:00.000-04:00

Okay, one more time...

The official Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30. Hurricane season is not a reason to cancel cruise plans or to slip into panic mode. Here's why a cruise may be a better choice than an island destination during hurricane season:

Suppose you have chosen a lovely Eastern Caribbean island on which to vacation in say, September. To your regret this lovely Eastern Caribbean island winds up in the direct path of a hurricane while you are enjoying your week in a tropical paradise. Unfortunately, resorts and islands tend to remain fixed objects (at least prior to the hurricane) and can not pick up and move to a safer location. Two things may, and probably will, occur:

You will be evacuated home - end of room service and frothy drinks with pineapple slices, umbrellas, fancy glasses, maraschino cherries and little plastic swords or
Your resort will batten down the hatches, usually the island will lose electricity, experience coastal flooding and sustain significant wind damage.You will enjoy the remainder of your vacation without air conditioning, hot meals, icy drinks and running water. The roof of your room may leak.

On the other hand, rather than limit your vacation to one island, for your vacation you choose to take a week long cruise to the Easter Caribbean, visiting several islands. Once again, that nasty old hurricane comes barreling towards the Eastern Caribbean, presenting an unsettling forecast for your itinerary. In this case, ships having a tendency not to stay rooted where they are, the captain and cruise line will make a decision to change the itinerary to avoid the storm. You'll still be on board a beautiful luxury cruise, the drinks will continue to pour, the a/c to work and wonderful meals will be served in the dining rooms. You will have top class entertainment, the casinos will remain open, shops will be selling souvenirs and sunblock and the ship will function as usual. True, you may not get to visit the islands on your original itinerary, you may spend an additional day or two at sea rather than in port. But 99% of the time your vacation will not be cancelled, you will not be evacuated home and you will not spend the remainder of your holiday wearing a garbage bag that has been re-purposed as a rain slicker.

Now let's say you've made your choice to cruise but you can't get to your cruise or island destination, (which it turns out was not in the way of the storm, but the storm is heading for your home state of New York or North Carolina) because your airline or cruise line stops offering service for at least 24 consecutive hours due to severe weather. This is very similar to Newark Airport shutting down at Christmas because of a blizzard - but that was soooo last year. THAT'S WHY YOU BUY INSURANCE WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR BOOKING.

To maximize vacation protection from storms and hurricanes, travelers should buy insurance when they make their travel plans and before a storm or hurricane is announced. Once the National Weather Service issues a warning for a storm or hurricane, it is considered a foreseeable event. Policies purchased on or after the warning date do not cover losses related to that event.

So continue to book, continue to travel, take advantage of some extremely good pricing available RIGHT NOW for this fall, winter and even next spring. Don't panic. Don't hide in the closet.

And if the above still doesn't reassure you, book a European River Cruise - the Danube is lovely this time of year!

Proving to Myself That Cruising is Still a GREAT Value

2011-08-15T14:13:00.000-04:00

As cruise lines have begun to "unbundle" services and found ways to charge additional for some services that were pretty much included in the days of yore, I've gotten to be a bit cynical and wondered if passengers were still really getting great value for their money.

Recently I went on a road trip from Jacksonville, FL to Syracuse, NY with my Mom to bring some family heirlooms to one of my nephews. Think basic road trip with a geriatric parent in tow (well, actually I didn't tow her, I let her ride in the front seat). Here are cost breakdowns for just the northbound leg of the trip (yes, I did bring her back too):

Holiday Inn: $95.15
TownePlace Suites $151.51
Residence Inn $165.39
Grand Total $412.05

Add in fuel costs (the automobile of choice we drove gets about 30 mpg) of $170.26 and it cost us $582.31 for the oh-so-fun experience of driving across America's interstates and listening to books-on tape. Note I am not including meals, entertainment (well, books-on-tape were from the library) but I promise there were no showgirls, comedians, trapeze acts, room service, sexy legs contests or other activities. I even had to make my own sofa bed in some of the above hotels (rather than share a King with Mom - where's my cabin steward?!). Three days of driving with Mom essentially came to $206 per person. Not including Diet Cokes and Cheetos.

So I think I can stick with the argument that cruising is still a very good value given that you can get three night cruises starting from $249 (depending on the season). Sign me up for the next 3-night cruise to Syracuse (or Denver for that matter).

Real Questions, Asked by Real Passengers

2011-08-11T12:16:00.000-04:00

Here are a few honest-to-goodness questions from passengers to onboard staff collected by Cruise Directors over the years (the answers were not actually spoken, but it was difficult not to laugh).

Q. Does the crew sleep on board?
A. Of course not, late at night a water taxi picks them up and takes them home!

Q. Do these stairs go up OR down?
A. Yes!

Q. Does the ship make it’s own electricity?
A. No, don’t you see the long extension cord trailing behind the ship?

Q. Why doesn't my cabin look over the ocean? I paid for an oceanview!
A. Because we haven't left the dock yet.

Q. Which is the sunny side of the ship?
A. The captain spins the ship around daily so everyone gets an even tan

Q. Which elevator takes me to the front of the ship?
A. Ask the elevator operator when you get on, he will take you anywhere you want to go.

Q. What do you do with the ice carvings after they melt?
A. We re-freeze the water and use it for frozen drinks.

Q. What time is the midnight buffet?
A. Usually around 11 PM or so. We tried doing it right after breakfast but most people weren’t real hungry.

Q. How do we know which pictures are ours?
A. The people who look totally clueless . . . . those are probably yours.

Q. Is this island totally surrounded by water?
A. No, part of it is surrounded by sand, but it’s all clearly marked

It's Past Their Bedtime, (But Who Cares? We're On Vacation!)

2011-05-03T10:44:00.000-04:00

Carnival Cruise Lines, the family friendliest cruise line (okay, next to Disney - but, hey, Carnival has 25 ships while Disney has three and a half) has announced Camp Carnival Night Owls. Kids camps that will take care of your kids while you dance, gamble and karaoke the night away until as late (early?) as 3:00 AM!

Called Camp Carnival Night Owls, the program will offer supervised activities from 10 p.m. on for three age groups.
For age 2 to 11 years, the program will operate until midnight and cost $13 per child with a 15 percent gratuity. The program will operate until 1 a.m. for those age 6 to 8 years and cost $20 with a 15 percent tip. And for kids age 9 to 11 years old, the program will end at 3 a.m., when children can be delivered back to their staterooms. That program will cost $33 plus the 15 percent. Participating children will also receive a gift backpack.

As the cruise lines learned years ago, when the children are happy, EVERYBODY is happy. So here's just one more reason to take the family cruising. There's something for everyone - even the littlest night owl.

Kids Are Free!

2011-05-02T12:48:00.000-04:00

Well, actually I've heard that it costs over $200,000 to raise a child to age 18 in the US today, but that's not where I'm going here. There have been a whole host of opportunities lately to promote vacations and cruises under the "Kids Sail Free" and "Kids Stay Free" banner. The latest of these showed up in my mailbox today under "Kid-Tastic Florida Vacations from GoGo Worldwide Vacations (bookable through me!):

Orlando

Coco Key Hotel & Water Resort

7 nts from:

$215*

INCLUDES 7 nights, Coco Key Hotel & Water Resort. FEATURES shuttle to Walt Disney World® theme parks. BONUS 7th night free & kids 12 & under stay free.

Orlando

Buena Vista Suites

4 nts from:

$235*

INCLUDES 4 nights, Buena Vista Suites. FEATURES shuttle to Walt Disney World® theme parks & buffet breakfast daily. BONUS $50 food & beverage credit & kids 13 & under stay free.

Orlando

Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa

5 nts from:

$265*

INCLUDES 5 nights, Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa. FEATURES shuttle to Walt Disney World® theme parks. BONUS 5th night free & kids 12 & under stay & eat free.

Orlando

Villas of Grand Cypress

3 nts from:

$279*

INCLUDES 3 nights, Villas of Grand Cypress. FEATURES Sea World® 1-day pass. BONUS 3rd night free & kids 12 & under stay, play & eat free.

Orlando

Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate

4 nts from:

$299*

INCLUDES 4 nights, Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate. FEATURES shuttle to Walt Disney World® theme parks & full American breakfast for 2 daily. BONUS 4th night free, resort discount card & kids 18 & under stay free.

Orlando

Sheraton Vistana Resort, Orlando

4 nts from:

$319*

INCLUDES 4 nights, Sheraton Vistana Resort. FEATURES shuttle to Walt Disney World® theme parks. BONUS 4th night free & kids 17 & under stay free.

Orlando

Sheraton Vistana Villages

4 nts from:

$319*

INCLUDES 4 nights, Sheraton Vistana Villages. FEATURES shuttle to Walt Disney World® theme parks. BONUS 4th night free & kids 17 & under stay free.

Orlando

Caribe Royale Orlando

5 nts from:

$345*

INCLUDES 5 nights, Caribe Royale Orlando. FEATURES shuttle to Walt Disney World® theme parks. BONUS $75 food & beverage credit & kids 13 & under stay free.

Upgrade to a 2 bedroom villa for just $265 additional.

Orlando

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress

4 nts from:

$375*

INCLUDES 4 nights, Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. FEATURES shuttle to Walt Disney World® theme parks. BONUS 4th night free & kids 17 & under stay free.

Upgrade to lake view for just $42 additional.

Orlando

Nickelodeon Suites Resort

6 nts from:

$535*

INCLUDES 6 nights, Nickelodeon Suites Resort. FEATURES shuttle to Walt Disney World®, Sea World® & Universal Orlando® theme parks & Nick Studio shows. BONUS 6th night free, buffet breakfast for 4 daily & kids 18 & under stay free.

Fort Lauderdale

Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel

4 nts from:

$199*

INCLUDES 4 nights, Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel. EXCLUSIVE save up to 25%. BONUS 4th night free, room upgrade & $50 food & beverage credit, kids 18 & under stay free.

Fort Lauderdale

Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa

3 nts from:

$299*

INCLUDES 3 nights, The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa. BONUS $25 food & fun credit daily, continental breakfast for 2 daily & kids 5 & under stay & eat free.

Upgrade to deluxe for just $18 additional.

Key Largo

Ocean Pointe Suites

3 nts from:

$249*

INCLUDES 3 nights, Ocean Pointe Suites.BONUS guaranteed room upgrade & kids 16 & under stay free.

Key Largo

Holiday Inn Key Largo

4 nts from:

$249*

INCLUDES 4 nights, Holiday Inn Key Largo. BONUS 4th night free & kids 12 & under stay & eat free

Key West

Hyatt Key West Resort

4 nts from:

$619*

INCLUDES 3 nights, Hyatt Key West Resort & Spa. BONUS 4th night free & kids 18 & under stay free.

Upgrade to Courtyard for just $68 additional.

Daytona Beach

The Shores Resort & Spa

3 nts from:

$255*

INCLUDES 3 nights, The Shores Resort & Spa. BONUS $100 dining credit & kids 17 & under stay free.

Upgrade to ocean view for just $36 additional.

Miami

Miami Beach Resort & Spa

5 nts from:

$299*

INCLUDES 5 nights, Miami Beach Resort. BONUS 5th night free & kids 12 & under stay & eat free.

Miami

Fontainebleau Miami Beach

4 nts from:

$379*

INCLUDES 4 nights, Fontainebleau Miami Beach.BONUS 4th night free & kids 17 & under stay free.

Key Largo

The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne

5 nts from:

$465*

INCLUDES 5 nights, The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne. BONUS 5th night free & kids 11 & under stay free.

Upgrade to bay view for just $56 additional.

Palm Beach

Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island

4 nts from:

$329*

INCLUDES round-trip airfare, 3 nights, PGA National Resort & Spa.

Palm Beach

Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach

3 nts from:

$375*

INCLUDES 3 nights, Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach. BONUS 3rd night free & kids 17 & under stay free.

Palm Beach

Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort

4 nts from:

$339*

INCLUDES 4 nights, Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort. BONUS 4th night free & kids 17 & under stay free.

Fort Myers

The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club

4 nts from:

$269*

INCLUDES 4 nights, The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club. BONUS 4th night free & kids 18 & under stay free.

Fort Myers

Marco Beach Ocean Resort

4 nts from:

$319*

INCLUDES 4 nights, Marco Beach Ocean Resort. BONUS 4th night free & kids 14 & under stay free.

Upgrade to 1 bedroom partial gulf view for just $51 additional.

Fort Myers

The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club

4 nts from:

$269*

INCLUDES 4 nights, The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club. BONUS 4th night free & kids 18 & under stay free.

Orlando

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

3 nts from:

$349*

INCLUDES 3 nights at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge and complimentary airport transfers. FEATURES kids 17 & under stay free. BONUS save up to 25%. Ask your Vacation Experts about adding Disney theme park tickets to your vacation and skip the lines and go straight to the magic! Valid for travel 4/22-8/13/11. Book by 5/28/11.

Orlando

Disney's Beach Club Resort

3 nts from:

$415*

INCLUDES 3 nights at Disney's Beach Club Resort and complimentary airport transfers. FEATURES kids 17 & under stay free. BONUS save up to 30%. Ask your Vacation Experts about adding Disney theme park tickets to your vacation and skip the lines and go straight to the magic! Valid for travel 4/22-8/13/11. Book by 5/28/11.

Walt Disney World Resorts

Disney's Boarkwalk Villas

3 nts from:

$419*

INCLUDES 3 nights at Disney's BoardWalk Villas and complimentary airport transfers. FEATURES kids 17 & under stay free. BONUS save up to 30%. Ask your Vacation Experts about adding Disney theme park tickets to your vacation and skip the lines and go straight to the magic! Valid for travel 4/22-8/13/11. Book by 5/28/11.

Orlando

Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort

3 nts from:

$479*

INCLUDES 3 nights at Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort and complimentary airport transfers. FEATURES kids 17 & under stay free. BONUS save up to 30%. Ask your Vacation Experts about adding Disney theme park tickets to your vacation and skip the lines and go straight to the magic! Valid for travel 4/22-8/13/11. Book by 5/28/11.

Orlando

Disney's Polynesian Resort

3 nts from:

$499*

INCLUDES 3 nights at Disney's Polynesian Resort and complimentary airport transfers. FEATURES kids 17 & under stay free. BONUS save up to 25%. Ask your Vacation Experts about adding Disney theme park tickets to your vacation and skip the lines and go straight to the magic! Valid for travel 4/22-8/13/11. Book by 5/28/11.

Orlando

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

3 nts from:

$535*

INCLUDES 3 nights at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and complimentary airport transfers. FEATURES kids 17 & under stay free. BONUS save up to 30%. Ask your Vacation Experts about adding Disney theme park tickets to your vacation and skip the lines and go straight to the magic! Valid for travel 4/22-8/13/11. Book by 5/28/11.

Orlando

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

3 nts from:

$645*

INCLUDES 3 nights at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando® & 3 day theme park ticket. FEATURES early park admission† to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ & skip the regular theme park lines for FREE*

Orlando

Hard Rock Hotel

3 nts from:

$699*

INCLUDES 3 nights at Hard Rock Hotel® at Universal Orlando® & 3 day theme park ticket. FEATURES early park admission† to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ & skip the regular theme park lines for FREE*

2011-03-30T10:16:00.000-04:00

Three Cheers for Crystal's All-Inclusive Sailings

2011-03-24T16:14:00.000-04:00

Crystal Cruises recently announced that beginning in April 2012, their "all-inclusive" service will be further enhanced. According to a recent e-mail: "Our all inclusive means that Crystal will offer complimentary fine wines and premium spirits throughout the ship and open bar in all lounges. There will be prepaid gratuities for dining staff, penthouse butler service, specialty restaurants, etc. Gratuities in Silk Road and Prego will be eliminated."

The currently offered 2-for-1 fares will include:

Free air
Fine wines, premium spirits and beers throughout the ship
Open bar service in all lounges
Pre-paid gratuities for bar, dining, and housekeeping staff as well as Butler service in our Penthouses
Complimentary specialty restaurants; enjoy Nobu Matsuhisa’s Silk Road and Sushi Bar, and Piero Selvaggio’s Prego, for free
Non-alcoholic beverages including bottled water, soft drinks, specialty coffees and more!

What a welcome relief from the current trend towards "un-bundling" (the practice whereby you now pay an additional fee for the "good" ice cream vs. the self serve variety, there is now a charge for room service in some categories on one line, in-cabin movies have gone to pay-per-view, new "serenity" areas on certain lines carry an additional admission fee, participation in fitness classes is added to your shipboard account and there is even a charge to reserve the "better" seats in the theater). Not to mention the multitude of "specialty" (read: additional cost) dining venues!

My hat is off to Crystal for charging an honest price and giving the type of service on which the industry built its reputation.

*Exceptions are for rare wines in the Vintage Room [though there will be no tipping] and shore excursions. Air will be complimentary from most gateways.

** Opinions are like belly buttons; everyone has one. This is mine.

Booking Air With Your Other Travel Arrangements

2011-03-23T19:13:00.000-04:00

Most of the time I don't book air for my clients. This seems a little odd, since my goal is to provide the very best, most inclusive and most personalized service for every passenger who books with me - so there must be a reason. Actually there are several reasons, some have to do with me, some with the passengers and most with the airlines.

I've given this speech so many times, I guess I might just as well write it down. And I welcome comments! Let me know if you think I'm wrong, if I should make exceptions or if you have a better idea!

So here is my reasoning:

Clients will almost certainly get better pricing if they book their own air. Most people like to get the best value for their money. In the last ten years nobody has called and said "I'd like to book a cruise for the highest possible fare". If an agent or a tour company books your air however, they have no choice but to mark up the available rate because the airlines don't pay commissions. Any agent who books air will mark up the price by a minimum of $30-$40 per person, frequently more. You get better value by booking it yourself. And most people who are relatively adept at the internet have the ability to do so.
The airlines have made it very difficult to provide a pleasant booking experience. Between the time you book your flight and the date of travel it is not unusual for

flight times to change
flights to be canceled and/or renumbered
price supplements to occur
new service charges (i.e. fuel surcharges & luggage fees) to be introduced.
equipment (aircraft) to be changed - resulting in revised seating
Flight connections to be rendered "illegal" (meaning there is not enough time between the time the first flight arrives and the second flight departs - usually at least 30-45 minutes, depending on the airport and whether it is a domestic or international flight)
ability to select seating to be removed

All of the above generally result in a call to the agent who booked the flight - and frequently there's nothing the agent can do about it.

Airlines make agents look bad and have cost me business. A few years ago 12 passengers of mine were flying from Buenos Aires to Los Angeles. The departure time for the first leg of the journey was changed, resulting in an "illegal" connection in Mexico City - only 15 minutes between flights. This air was booked through a wholesaler (the only way I could add a service fee) and the wholesaler did not advise me of the change. My clients were stranded in Mexico City overnight, missing onward connections to Korea and other international points. After seven hours on the phone with Aero Mexico and Mexicana - and having the wholesaler deny any responsibility or assistance - hotel rooms and meal vouchers were arranged for the travelers and they flew out the next day. None of them have ever booked with me since. Some have requested that I remove their names from my database. Prior to this experience they had booked with me once a year for several years.

So there's the long, sad story. Let me know what YOU think - should I revise my policies?

Dorothy Says It's Time to Visit OZ

2011-03-03T14:43:00.000-05:00

Australia that is. Carnival Cruise Lines recently announced that it would send a ship (the 2,124 passenger Carnival Spirit) to Australia for the first time in late 2012. The Carnival Spirit itineraries will include 8-12 night sailings to the Pacific Islands and 13-night sailings to New Zealand.

In a "mine is bigger than yours" move Celebrity Cruise Lines issued a press release last Tuesday stating that it would send a BIGGER ship, the Celebrity Solstice (2,850 passengers), to Australia for the 2012-2013 season (the Celebrity Century, 1,814 passengers, will be there this coming winter).

On the heels of that announcement Holland America rang in today with the news that it would send TWO ships, the 1,926 passenger Oosterdam and the 1,432 passenger Volendam to Australia in the winter of 2012-2013 (Mine may not be bigger, but I have two of them).

No word yet from Royal Caribbean, but since they usually win the "bigger" contest can we expect their press release next? I'm predicting it!

So, should your travel wish list include the land of Kangaroos & Emus (and mine certainly does - been there once but it was far too brief a visit); look for good airfares - there should be some great cruise deals down under in a year or so!

Don't Skip the Travel Insurance

2011-03-01T12:23:00.000-05:00

Travel Guard North (a travel insurance provider) recently issued a study on - what else - what cruise ship travelers worry about most. The answer ... missing the ship! It's true; in a nod to the ever increasing inefficiency of the airlines, cruisers worry most not about the highly publicized storms at sea, or the headline-making noroviris, but about flight cancellations and delays.

Top Sail Journeys recommends two solutions to reduce or eliminate this (and other) travel concerns:

Plan to fly to your port of embarkation one day prior to sailing. In addition to reducing concerns about late arrivals this also gives you time to adjust to jet lag - and an opportunity to explore the city from which you are departing.
Always purchase travel protection insurance! The insurance Top Sail Journeys offers through Access America covers you for up to $1000 in travel delay to cover additional accommodation and travel expenses due to a departure delay of six or more hours. It also provides $500 for expenses resulting from a covered delay that causes you to miss your scheduled flight or cruise, even if you miss your cruise due to the cancellation or delay of your scheduled flight.

Access America also offers a 24-hour emergency assistance hotline (toll free in the USA or or policy holders can call them collect from outside the country) to assist you with unexpected situations.

Never travel uninsured - I don't!!

Weird Travel Story of the Day

2011-02-01T18:17:00.000-05:00

Canadian Man Travels with Life Size Dolls

A Canadian man with 14 life-sized dolls said the artificial women have joined him on vacations to Niagara Falls, Stonehenge and the Grand Canyon, according to UPI.

The married father-of-two said he enjoys activities with his dolls including horseback riding, sky diving and motorcycling, He says his wife understands that this is just a hobby. (Makes you wonder what HER hobbies are!)

The man has paid as much as US$3,200 for each of his 14 dolls and he's spent $2,000 on clothes for the faux-girls.

The author did not make this up. Da Bear has not been willing to comment.

Da Bear at Sandals & Beaches Training

2011-01-26T17:17:00.000-05:00

Da Bear really got into the spirit of training at the Sandals seminar. Toted his briefcase to class and was sporting his intellectual look.

But then he decided to flirt a little with the model; claims he was only checking to make sure her sunscreen was properly applied and also wanted to make sure no sand fleas got in her glass of wine. Naughty bear.

Work, Work, Work

2011-01-25T20:46:00.000-05:00

Da Bear's off to a Sandal's & Beaches seminar, briefcase in hand. Always learning - we don't JUST do cruises you know!

Da Bear Visits Sunset Cove Beach Resort

2011-01-24T23:04:00.000-05:00

Having finished lunch and looked at a lot of fish through the floor, Da Bear was pretty pumped about visiting Sunset Cove. It's a fun, pet friendly (he really liked that), family friendly little resort located at Mile Marker 100 (that's how they tell directions in the Keys). Lots of brightly painted cottages, animal statues scattered throughout the property (zebras, giraffes, dinosaurs, other things you don't usually expect to see in the Keys) and a big area where you can barbecue and set up your own BYOB party. Perfect for a group!

Da Bear hung out on the welcome signs,

wanted to wade in the ocean, but couldn't figure out how to do it without getting his feet sandy, tried to mingle with the fish (but forgot his snorkling gear),

and decided to play in the fountain. We had to get him out of there ... we all know that bears eat fish, but this looked like it could go the other way.

It was touch and go, but nobody got wet and he's back on land, safe and warm. All in all, a good trip to a unique little property that personifies the best of the Florida Keys. I think he'll be back! Didn't get to go kayaking and I think he wants to look for salmon!

Da Bear

2011-01-24T17:35:00.000-05:00

Those who have looked at Top Sail Journeys' page on FaceBook have now seen Da Bear. In case you haven't met him yet, he's a fairly handsome kind of bear, bit of a paunch, but a good listener and a swell traveling companion. Here he is, waving hello (has a bit of a regal wave, doesn't he?).

Da Bear and I took a little jaunt down to Key Largo this weekend, feeling a need to escape from work and all the realities of life. We were, in fact, in a "Keys" frame of mind and as it's only about an hour and a half away, and it had been a long time, and we didn't have anything much else to do ... well, hell Da Bear said lets go and so we did.

We futzed around for awhile and then met friends at a very "Keysey" little restaurant called the Pilot House which is "World Famous" for its glass floors (allowing you to see what you'll shortly be consuming). Turns out the flooring wasn't all glass (that would be impractical) but there were lots of glass squares you could peer through. I think it would help keep kids entertained. Not a very sunny and bright day, but we really liked the food, the service and of course the company with whom we shared the afternoon.

Da Bear loved looking at all the signs around the restaurant and insisted on having his picture taken with the following:

Kind of gives you a feeling for the atmosphere of the place.

Next it was off to a little seaside resort, but we'll save that for tomorrow. Stay warm, Da Bear is!

Cutting Edge Cruising

2011-01-18T21:05:00.000-05:00

Everybody seems to have heard about the new Disney Dream now making her home in Port Canaveral, but does everyone know what some of the elements that set her apart from your basic (ho hum) cruise ship are?

If you can dream it (it seems) Disney can do it! (Who comes up with this stuff????)

The AquaDuck water roller coaster: one of the most visible new features on the Disney Dream, it’s also just plain fun—for kids and adults. This water roller coaster starts near the ship’s rear stack and takes guests above the pool area, through the front stack and back over the pool deck to the rear stack again. Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
The Animator’s Palate, a restaurant on both Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, returns but in a very new form. This time the entire room changes during the course of the meal into a giant scene from “Finding Nemo,” complete with a Crush the Turtle character who individually interacts with guests as he “swims” by their tables on giant video screens. Dude!
The Walt Disney Theater has been described as one of the largest and most sophisticated at sea. It will offer performances of three 55-minute Disney production shows, which include brand-new versions of two existing shows, “Villains Tonight” and “Golden Mickeys,” as well as a completely new musical, “Disney Believe.”
A giant video screen on Deck 12 shows movies outdoors. Can't get enough Disney movies!
The pool deck doubles as a venue for the ship’s on-deck parties (the pools are covered by decking during these events). On one night during each cruise, Disney presents Mickey’s Pirates in the Caribbean, an on-deck party, which will be followed by Buccaneer’s Blast, a fireworks display, and Club Pirate, where adults and kids will be encouraged to dance the night away (dressed as pirates, of course). Yarrrrr!
Disney Dream has kids clubs that are some of the largest (if not the largest) afloat. They've addressed the “teen” issue with a new venue called Vibe, a special key-card-access-only club for teens (age 14-17) featuring large spaces to dance, play computer games, watch a 103-inch plasma TV, or lounge in the sun (part of the area is located outside near the bow of the ship, and includes two hot tubs). (Mom, Dad, please go a-w-a-y!!)
Other kids’ venues include the “It’s a Small World Nursery” (ages up to 3), which features places for the youngest set to play games, play with toys and nap, supervised by a staff of counselors. Then there’s the Disney Oceaneer Club (for kids ages 3-7), which features a unique Magic Play Floor, a giant video game player on the floor of the main rotunda. There are also several different play areas, including Andy’s Room (from “Toy Story”) with oversized replicas of the toys; Monster’s Academy, based on the animated feature “Monsters Inc.”; and Nemo’s Submarine, a walk-in model of a submarine, with games and toys. I'm never growing up!!
Two workshop areas for kids lead into the Oceaneer Lab (for kids ages 7-10). This space, centered on a giant compass, has several different activities, including a ship simulator game (the kids pretend to steer the Disney Dream), a media lounge, a sound studio, a crafts section, and a Pirate Game, which kids can play individually or as a group. A “tween” area club called Edge (for kids ages 10-13) is located in one of the ship’s funnels.
Did I mention the youth spa "Chill"?
Disney has developed some entertaining surprises throughout the ship, including “Enchanted Art,” where your clients will encounter framed scenes of Disney animated features that will quite literally come to life as they move past them. Eeeek!

Inside staterooms come equipped with Virtual Portholes, which use live footage of the sea from video cameras positioned around the ship. At select times, animated Disney characters will make an appearance in those portholes. (Oh no, what if Goofy sees me in my undies!)
And lest you think this is all about kids ... well, big kids too. The Disney Dream includes an adult “neighborhood” which starts with The District Lounge, a bar area, then flows into a champagne bar called Pink, decorated with art depicting pink champagne bubbles. Guests also can choose to spend time in the cozy Skyline Lounge, which will feature “windows” (actually large video screens) overlooking famous city skylines.
Also for adults, Evolution, the ship’s sophisticated dance club decorated with a “butterfly” theme, has a large dance floor and bar, video screens and special lighting effects, all designed to evoke an edgier New York or Las Vegas nightspot. A special “food” bar also will be located in The District where guests will be able to get snacks throughout the night. They also can pull up a stool at 687, a modern pub named after the Disney Dream’s hull number.

And did you know there's an adults only beach and bar on Castaway Cay? It's splendid!

I haven't gotten into the sophisticated optional dining venues (I'm a big fan of dinner that comes in a ready to open bag) but they're there, created by Michelin and AAA five diamond chefs.

This ship is named right - isn't it time to live the Dream???

2011-01-12T09:56:00.000-05:00

The latest newsletter - you guys up above the Mason-Dixon line might be feeling the need for a cruise about now!

Become a fan of Top Sail Journeys on Facebook!
Click here: Top Sail Journeys/Facebook

Cruising in 2010 - The Year in Review

2011-01-10T16:37:00.001-05:00

As usual, the year had it's highs and lows, it's foolish pranks and a crisis or two. Cruising began recovering from the recession of 2008, but it seems that it was an accident prone year. The amount of new tonnage on order for 2012 and 2013 is keeping the shipyards in full production mode. Here's the roundup:

Cruise West ceased operations after nearly 30 years, a devastating blow to a wonderful family owned operation.
Royal Caribbean introduced the 225,282-ton, 5,040-passenger Allure of the Seas along with 2009 sister Oasis of the Seas. Allure of the Seas claims to be 2" longer than Oasis of the Seas.
Carnival Splendor suffered engine room fire resulting in stranded passengers and cancellation of 10 future cruises.
A California RV salesman released the anchor on Holland America's Ryndam while the ship was under way. He reportedly admitted to the act, claiming he was drunk at the time. I don't think drunkeness is an arguable defense.
President Obama signs the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010, designed to enhance the personal security of American passengers aboard cruise ships.
NCL introduces its 153,000-ton, 4,200-passenger Norwegian Epic, which includes outstanding entertainment by the Blue Man Group, a great restaurant selection, and a lot of other fun stuff. Guess size counts.
The eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano screws up the world's travel plans for a month, but Celebrity Cruises makes a bold PR move by sending brand-new ship Eclipse to rescue stranded British travelers in Spain, before she's even christened.
A 14-year old passenger from Carnival's Carnival Victory was killed by stray gunfire during a gang shootout in St. Thomas. St. Thomas reacted with improved security measures and reiterated it's great track record as a vacation destination.
Princess ordered two 141,000 ton, 3,600 passenger ships for 2013 and 2014.
NCL announced construction of two 143,500 ton ships for 2013 and 2014 - where are they going to put them all!
NCL takes first steps toward becoming a public company, announcing an initial public stock offering.
Disney took delivery of its new, 128,000-ton, 2,500-passenger Disney Dream which will debuted to the public yesterday.
Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas was bounced around by wind and big waves off Alexandria, Egypt, resulting in bumps, bruises and the accompanying hysteria and landlubber's fear that the ship was sinking.
Expediton ship Clelia II is hit by a big wave near Antarctic, limps toward port.
The port of Philadelphia, citing declines in ship interest, decides to get out of the cruise business, while Savannah, Georgia and Brownsville, Texas start studying their options to get in. Jacksonville, Florida gets a bigger ship, newer ships head to Orlando.
Alaska reduces its ridiculously high cruise-passenger tax rate under pressure from the cruise lines, which were taking their business elsewhere. Oceania and Princess commit to future Alaska calls.
Cunard debuts its 90,400-ton, 2,092-passenger Queen Elizabeth at a gala Southampton ceremony, with the actual Queen Elizabeth presiding. Loved her hat.
Oceania's 65,000-ton, 1,258-passenger Marina the line's first purpose-built ship ever, completes sea trials en route to a January 2011 debut. We'll get back to you if Oceania ever hires a female executive.
Costa lays the keel for its new, 114,500-ton, 3,780-passenger Costa Fascinosa (Can anyone say Carnival Fascination in Italian?)
Carnival plans cruise world's first private label beer for pub aboard new Carnival Magic.
MSC debuted the 86,600-ton MSC Magnifica, its eleventh vessel, and orders another new 137,936 ton, 3,300 passenger ship for 2012. I hope somebody is building some new islands in the Caribbean to send all these ships to.
Holland America introduces its 86,000-ton, 2,106-guest Nieuw Amsterdam.
Seabourn debuts its new, 32,000-ton, 450-passenger Seabourn Sojourn, a sister to last year's Seabourn Odyssey.
Royal Caribbean makes deal with DreamWorks for new, family-oriented onboard entertainment.
Princess's 113,000-ton, 3,070-passenger Emerald Princess loses power after leaving Ft. Lauderdale, and drifts around for four hours.
Carnival begins offering year-round cruises from Charleston, SC, and plans big Bermuda season for 2011.
In the Gulf of Mexico, Carnival Ecstasy swerves to avoid hitting a drifting buoy , sending passengers and unsecured objects flying. Hysteria and videotape at 11.
Two disasters: 1) Huge waves strike Louis Cruises' 40,876-ton, 1,464-passenger Louis Majesty off the coast of northern Spain, killing two passengers 2) three crewmembers are killed when high winds force Costa's 1,494-passenger Costa Europa into pier at the Egyptian port of Sharm el-Sheik, piercing the ship's starboard hull.
Silversea introduces new, 36,000-ton, 540-passenger Silver Spirit, a decidedly five-star ship that, through a typographical error, is listed as getting only four stars in the new Frommer's Cruises and Ports of Call. Oops.
Royal Caribbean takes heat (by those who hadn't done their homework) for continuing calls at the resort of Labadee, Haiti, after the January earthquake wreaks havoc in and around the country's capital, Port-au-Prince — this despite the fact that its ships were also delivering relief supplies.

Fuel Surcharges May Be Reinstated

2010-12-23T12:26:00.000-05:00

Cruise Line Fuel Surcharges Coming Next? That's My Prediction.

With the price of fuel rising (again) and cruise fares expected to remain low this winter, I would not be at all surprised to see the cruise lines reinstate fuel surcharges. All of them have retained the right to do so, and have a disclaimer to that effect on existing reservations. I'm not a financial genius (if I were I wouldn't be selling cruises), but I'm just waiting for the ball to drop.

$100-per-barrel oil could renew airline surcharges

Crude oil is nearing $100 a barrel, which could force major airlines to impose fuel surcharges or raise fares. "Every dollar that fuel rises erodes their earnings," said Jim Corridore, an equity analyst at Standard & Poor's. "It's not good news to see fuel prices back up. Once we start approaching $100 a barrel, you'll start to see fuel surcharges come back." Bloomberg (12/22)

The Elf Keeps Going

2010-12-23T12:16:00.001-05:00

Last night he gift wrapped the kid's bedroom doors, and then got a little tangled up in the paper and ribbon and left a mess in the living room. Note: he's been drinking - see the beer bottle.

The Elf on the Shelf

2010-12-22T13:45:00.000-05:00

My sister's kids have an Elf on the Shelf. For those of you who are not well versed in Elves, the Elf on the Shelf shows up awhile before Christmas; an ambassador for Santa, if you will. He keeps an eye on the girls and boys and reports directly back to Santa each day. Every morning he is found in a different place in the house (because he needs to watch the kids from all around) and they have to find him.

Well, we're not sure what got into the Elf this year (maybe he ate some bad fairy dust), but he's turned quite mischievous. No longer a quiet observer, he's taken Christmas into his own hands. So far he has

Held a snowball fight in the family room with the Grinch

Eaten my sister's Milano cookies (something no sane person would attempt)

Led all the animals on safari

Ziplined across the living room (he saw pictures of Dorothy doing this on the Allure of the Seas and wanted to try it himself)

Used my sister for target practice (really bad elf)

And done a little cross-dressing (an elf of questionable taste), stealing clothes from my niece's doll and make-up from my sister:

Fortunately, when he decided to go fishing it was only for pretzel gold-fish.

The elf needs an attitude adjustment, but there's not much time before Christmas. I've suggested he be handcuffed and returned to Santa (express mail), but he's a wily one and hasn't yet been caught.

Am thinking he needs a one way cruise to the North Pole. Wonder what he'll do tonight?

Anybody have any ideas what to do with this reprobate? I should think my sister would be afraid to go to sleep at night. What could be worse than an elf gone over to the dark side?

Too Many Ships? Bah Humbug!

2010-12-21T14:19:00.000-05:00

Too many ships in Florida bringing down pricing? Bring it on!!!

From an article in Travel Mole (www.travelmole.com)

South Florida: too many ships?

More and more cruise ships sailing out of Port Everglades may create a problem, at least for owners but certainly not for travelers.

“The abundance of berths will mean more choices aboard top-rated ships -- and often at surprisingly low prices,” concludes The Miami Herald.

Three more new ships -- from Holland America, Celebrity and Seabourn – are arriving in South Florida. This winter, there could be as many as three dozen ships carrying 90,000 passengers at any given time.

That’s driven prices down for cruisers.

Even on upscale lines, prices sometimes fall below US$100 per person per day, double occupancy.

Accidents such as an engine fire that disabled the Carnival Splendor are not expected to impact prices, say cruise officials who think most would-be cruisers think such problems are rare.

By David Wilkening

Royal Caribbean More Than Fair to Brilliance Passengers

2010-12-13T21:01:00.000-05:00

From a report this morning in Travel Pulse - an online newsletter for the travel industry: "Royal Caribbean International will refund cruise fares to passengers onboard Brilliance of the Seas, which listed during a severe storm Dec. 12 as it approached Alexandria, Egypt. The company is also giving them an onboard credit of $200 per stateroom and $400 per suite."

Now I think that's more than fair. When was the last time you saw an airline offer to refund passengers for an unpleasant incident, much less offer them credit (so they could pay for pillows and blankets?) on a future trip. I think they've done the right thing. I've never heard of Amtrak giving credits for future trips. Does Greyhound do that?

As for the captain putting the passengers, crew and ship in danger ... I just don't believe that. According to the reports the rough seas lasted for 10 minutes (TEN minutes). I'm not a certified cruise ship captain, but I've been out in a few boats and I know squalls can develop. I know you have to expect the unexpected at sea. I know that the sea is very big and my ship (whatever ship I'm on, even the Allure of the Seas) is very small. I respect that. I was on a huge cruise ship coming out of port in Amsterdam when the ship took a roll and every bottle in the bar fell and smashed. It gave us all a jolt, but at no point were we in danger. Let's not exaggerate. "The ship laid over on its side"? I don't think so, but I'm willing to believe a 15 degree tilt. Many people voluntarily take a 15 degree tilt (or further) on cruise ships after a couple of hours at the bar.

It's not that I don't have sympathy for the two passengers with broken bones, but when a sudden jolt hits, people can fall and people are breakable. Even on vacation.

So what's with all the fuss lately about ships in storms, ships losing power, ships rocking and rolling? "The wave of bad news for the cruise lines is due to a combination of factors, experts say -- poor winter weather, simple coincidence and the increased availability of cell phone cameras and laptops that spread dramatic pictures quickly. "(ABC News) "People ran to their computers to report this," said John Deiner, managing editor of CruiseCritic.com. "They didn't wait until they got into port, they wanted people to know right away." Of course headlines like ABC's "Horror on the High Seas" don't help.

And I think that's largely the case. Whether the news bureaus decide to focus on the cruise lines also depends on what else is going on in the world. Today poor weather is a highlight and this event increases the thrill factor. That's what sells newspapers - if anything sells newspapers these days, I hear subscriptions are down substantially. There's a headline for you "Newspaper Subscription Take Headlong Slide" or how about "Newspapers Facing Their Final Demise"?

I heard also that there was a pile-up on I-40 due to the storm conditions in the mid-west. But I don't see anybody selling their cars or canceling their Christmas trips over the river and through the woods. Anybody turning in their season tickets for their favorite football team because the Metrodome roof caved in?

For centuries men (and women) have gone down to the sea in ships. That's why there are shipwrecks. There wouldn't be car wrecks without cars. No train wrecks without trains. There hasn't been a shipwreck of disastrous proportions that I can think of offhand since the Windjammer ship "Fantome" sank off of Belize in 1998. That's a whole 'nother story, give me a call and we can go through it.

The news media nearly destroyed tourism to Miami in the 1980's - to the point that some hotels blocked news broadcasts from the more sensationalist networks. We live in an era where everything is supposed to be padded, protected, coddled and preserved. Don't ride your bicycle without a helmet, send your child to school with a peanut butter sandwich or drink hot coffee from McDonalds.

Yes the ocean can be a dangerous place, it's also fascinating, alluring, mysterious, beautiful, soothing, timeless, tempting and exciting. Save me a cabin - I'll go!

The above is an opinion, feel free to disagree; opinions are like belly buttons - everyone has one.

Stupid Passenger Tricks - The First in an Intermittent Series

2010-12-01T10:28:00.000-05:00

I've decided to write a series on dumb passenger tricks. The series will appear intermittently as these episodes are reported . Most stupid events that occur on ships are directly related to quantities of alcohol consumed. The following was inspired by the report I read this morning on Travel Weekly Daily Bulletin, which I am quoting verbatim:

Drunk passenger drops anchor

(Cruise)

A drunk passenger aboard Holland America Line’s Ryndam released the vessel’s stern anchor as the cruise ship was returning to Tampa from Costa Maya, Mexico, on a weeklong western Caribbean itinerary last weekend.

Although deploying the anchor could have caused significant damage, the Ryndam was unharmed.
The FBI has charged Rick Ehlert, 44, of Thousand Oaks, Calif., with attempting to "damage, destroy, disable or wreck a vessel." That’s a felony charge.

The ship was in motion with about 1,950 passengers and crew onboard at the time of the incident.
A subsequent review of the ship’s surveillance video showed Ehlert entering a restricted work area, donning work gloves and releasing the anchor at 5:30 a.m. on Nov. 27 while still dressed in his formal attire from the previous evening. Ehlert was traveling with his girlfriend.

Once the ship docked in Tampa, he was met by agents of the FBI and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service and admitted to being drunk, throwing a life buoy overboard and disabling the anchor.
He claimed to own a 50-foot boat that had a similar anchor system.

Holland America confirmed that the details in the FBI affidavit "accurately reflect what happened, to the best of our knowledge."

Wonder what Ehlert’s bar tab was for that night?

— Gay Nagle Myers

And was it worth being carted off by the FBI and having your actions made public for all the world to see?

There's Nothing to Do (nothing at all) Part II

2010-11-29T16:40:00.000-05:00

I forgot about miniature golf. If all else fails you can scare up a rousing game of miniature golf. Par 3 course. Pictured is the additional putting green.

Sculptures of Beaded Dresses seen from aft elevators

Glass Birds in Central Park

Not feeling like Arnold Palmer? So take a few lessons in the casino, do a little karaoke, or just a sing along with others. Participate in a trivia contest, or have a slice of Sorrento's pizza and a cup of coffee from Starbucks while you people watch on the Promenade. Buy yourself a little real or faux jewelry, grab that new Coach purse or wallet you've had your eye on, and then relax in a bar that travels up and down three stories while you drink. (No matter how much you drink, you are not imagining that the bar is rising and falling. It really is.)

Get the kids together and do a little hula hooping, bean bag tossing, coloring and playground climbing on the Boardwalk.(After you ride the carousel.) You might also stop for an airbrushed tattoo and then build a stuffed animal to call your very own.

Britto Sculpture by Pool

Don't forget to ooh and aah at all the sculptures and other art work around the ship. And we haven't even gotten to the wine tastings and the magicians.

I also forgot to mention that this village-in-a-ship stops with surprising frequency at various Caribbean Islands. (Who woulda thunk it?) So if you're that bored you can always get off the ship for a few hours. Maybe you can find a museum, rum factory or old sugar plantation to tour. A dolphin or two to swim with. A horse to ride through the surf, or a submarine to ride underneath it. Perhaps some windsurfing, snorkeling, hiking, para sailing, or whatever it is you do on gorgeous tropical islands. If you can't think of anything, give me a call.

Nope, nothing to do, nothing at all.

And the Fun Just Keeps On Going

2010-11-29T02:16:00.001-05:00

There's Nothing to Do on Allure of the Seas
(nope, nothing at all)

This is for every potential passenger who has ever told me they don't like cruising because it's "boring". Here's what I've done in two days:

zip lined across the ship
watched a parade
had one of the best meals ever (and a couple of other meals as well)
shopped
was mesmerized by an ice skating show
saw a 3D first-release movie
learned to surf
had a "chair massage"
strolled through Central Park
watched a superb theater production "Blue Planet"
took in a live comedy act
made a donation in the casino
explored the sauna
tried to climb the rock wall
perused the library
did a little Wii bowling
danced some 70's era disco
enjoyed one helluva parade
oohed and aahed over a diving exhibition
saw a fountain show (fountains synchronized to music, light and video
listened to a little live Calypso music
walked miles and miles - top to bottom and end to end of one BIG ship
took a salsa lesson
attended a lecture by noted artist Peter Max
shot some hoops
watched a second ice skating show
took a yoga class
got a Coney Island hot dog
rode a merry-go-round
had some ice cream

I think I slept a couple of hours and toured a few cabins as well. Now if there's not something there to amuse just about everyone (did I mention the kids zone, water park and teen disco, not to mention video games and in room movies?) - well you just need to build your own amusement park.

How could you not have fun on this ship? They have fairy princesses, dragons and knights in shining armor. Not to mention penguins, pandas, lions, and animals I haven't watched enough cartoon movies to name.

They have manicures, pedicures, saunas, teeth whitening and acupuncture (I'm thinking of having all my medical and dental work done on cruise ships in the future).You can select from 106 flavors of Coca-Cola products from one vending machine or choose either chocolate or vanilla ice cream from another. Zoltar the Magnificent can tell your fortune.

So if you can't think of anything thing to do, you're all wet, and I'll meet you at the water park to prove it.

Till then ...cowabunga dude, I'm going to learn to hang ten. Have fun or go home!

All Out Amazing, Allure of the Seas!!

2010-11-28T17:20:00.003-05:00

Now THIS is a Ship!!

Twin Smokestacks of the Allure of the Seas

Although its sister ship, the Oasis of the Seas, has been in service for over a year now, I don’t think any journalist has yet to adequately describe the brilliance of the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. It’s preposterous to think that I could, not having ever published anything more than a newsletter, but somewhere, somehow, somebody should try (harder). Maybe it’s like so many other major destinations (Leaning Tower of Pisa, Niagara Falls, Great Wall of China – know what I’m talking about?); despite seeing lots of pictures, going to seminars, reading lots and lots of articles – you just haven’t seen it until you’ve seen it with all your senses. I could not have imagined these ships. They are immense in size, spectacular in organization and masterful in ingenuity. All day I’ve been trying to figure out what I could say about the Allure of the Seas, and perhaps at the core of it I have to say that I was wrong. Huh? Who me?

When Royal Caribbean first announced these ships, I was dead set against them. The concept horrified me. Too big, too ostentatious, severely overtaxing to the islands they visit … you get the picture. About three years ago Royal Caribbean held a naming contest for the first ship in this class (which became “Oasis”); at the time my submissions ran towards “Monstrosity of the Seas”, “Behemoth of the Seas” or possibly even “Disaster of the Seas”. None of these submissions won, as you can see.

Other Ships at Port Everglades Suffer Big Ship Envy

This ship should have it’s own spot on the map. It is Coney Island at Sea, with a little Las Vegas and Orlando mixed in. But that’s too simple a recipe - add a dash of Asia, a little Latin America and a good cup of Caribbean too. It’s a wonderland of sights, activities, foods and entertainment. I don’t think you can do it all in a week, but you’ll get a lot of exercise trying. Let's talk size (again): one circuit of the running track is about ½ a mile. Lay out all 17 decks side by side and that's got to put it somewhere around 4 square miles (I think - feel free to correct my math), not all decks being equal. Whatever. In short, I think this ship may be larger than the island on which I live ... or maybe it just seems like it ... but make no mistake about it, this is one BIG ship.

Wine-by-the-Glass Vending Machine

And with more to do. My town doesn’t have a 1,380-seat theater, jazz club, ice skating rink, comedy club, rock climbing wall, zip line, cupcake shop, or casino. I don’t think my grocery store carries 106 flavors of Coca-Cola products (there is a 106 flavor Coca-Cola dispenser on board) and I know they don’t have wine-by-the-glass vending machines. They do have a carousel, but so does the ship. Let’s see, what else: a daily paper, chapel, library, conference center, television studio, surfing, water park, miniature golf course, art gallery, spa, fitness center, acupuncturist, medical spa (Botox, Restylane, Perlane) and teeth whitening.

Did I mention Dreamworks Studios and Shrek?

Mercedes Benz on the Promenade

Posing With the Passenger

The first thing to catch my eye was the classic Mercedes Benz parked on the “Boardwalk” and carrying two teddy bear passengers – they hooked me right there. Actually, the first thing that hooked me, now that I think about it, is that embarkation took less than 10 minutes – and eight of them were due to having my bag searched - I forgot to remove my nail scissors.

Bottom line for tonight … new wonders around every corner, an adrenaline jolt just watching the ship pull out of port, passengers who know more about cruising than I think I’ll ever know. But hey, this sailing is 90% travel agents and 10% media and cruise industry, so that may not be remarkable. Nonetheless, I’m impressed. Okay, the cabin is small; in fact I’m glad I’ve lost a few pounds, because every pound counts in these cabins. I’m glad I’m traveling with a skinny friend. But I don’t intend to spend much time in this cabin. I’ve got a lot of ground to cover in the next 24 hours!!!

Still on the Trip

2010-10-27T13:30:00.000-04:00

Well, long time no blog, huh? I do have a couple of semi-valid reasons. They’re may not convince you, but they worked for me:

1. There’s just so much to see! I don’t ever want to go inside and work on the computer. I want to look at mountains, search for bears and elk and big horned sheep. (And shop.)

2. The internet availability has been truly lousy almost everywhere we’ve gone. I have no idea how many potential sales I’ve lost, but that was a risk I was willing to take in exchange for the opportunity to go across Canada and down the California coast with my Mom.

3. I’ve had raging tendinitis in my right arm and hand – typing or writing is uncomfortable. If anyone remembers my blog last year, I had brought along about 200 Christmas cards to write, and I wound up writing about 120 of them. This year I did the same and haven’t tried to write even one. Have put ice on my arm and taken aspirin instead.

So, to get on with it…

When we left Chateau Lake Louise it had started to snow. It’s been about 10 years or more since either of us had seen the white, powdery stuff – or the dirty, slushy stuff for that matter. Pretty neat. Within an hour after we left the hotel and were back on the Icefields Parkway it was coming down faster than dandruff in a Head & Shoulders’ commercial. I was driving, thus not taking pictures, will have to wait for Mom’s photos to be developed to add them to the blog.

Mom still has a film camera, she doesn’t believe in digital. She’ll also never get a decent candid shot, since in order to take a photo she has to

1. Reach down and find her tote bag

2. Unzip her tote bag

3. Fish the bag holding her camera out of the tote bag

4. Unzip the bag the camera is in

5. Fish out the camera

6. Turn it on

7. Focus

8. Shoot

Hair turns gray before she gets the shot, but God Bless her, she tries! Here she is in some Godforsaken outpost called Hornepayne. When you go to sleep in payne, you wake up in payne. Best to get back on the train.

So we did get back on the train from Jasper to Vancouver for one more night. The cabin is just as tiny as I remembered it, but it was only one more night. This time we combined stuff we’d need just for the night in one suitcase (brilliant) and put the other suitcase in baggage. We’re learning. Gave us about another square foot of breathing space.

Here's a shot of the cabin, on the left are the berths, on the right is the door to the toilet. Somehow Mom got the bottom bunk again. Don’t know how she keeps winning that coin flip.

Did I mention the food? Food on board the train is surprisingly good. I have no idea how they put out such tasty meals in a tiny little kitchen like that, but I promise you that it’s very good. We’ve had waffles with fresh berries, French toast, turkey and all the trimmings (during Canadian Thanksgiving), lamb chops, roast beef … they even had little blue potatoes, something I’d never seen before (no gourmet here), and guess what? They tasted just like potatoes.

The Vancouver Hotel is more of a business hotel than the others we’ve stayed at to date. That makes sense, it being in the heart of one of Canada’s major cities. True to form however, it has a magnificent lobby, rooms are not cookie cutter, there is outstanding service and lots of history and elegance. The hotel is conveniently located across the street from Tiffany’s and very close to Coach, Luis Vuitton, Burberry’s, and other stores that contribute to the natural beauty of the setting.

We hate to say goodbye to Canada - the wide open spaces, the glorious mountains and the fresh, clean air have been intoxicating.

Always Looking for New Business

2010-10-26T10:41:00.000-04:00

We interrupt this blog for a commercial message. I've found out about a new service that promotes localbusinesses called Thumbtack.com They claim that they can help move me higher in Google search engines as a cruise travel specialist, so in a fit of selfless promotion I'm giving it a whirl. We've all got to make a living don't we?

Since I'm becoming computer challenged with all these new marketing options I hope I've inserted their link correctly. Why couldn't I find some little angel (kind of like a guardian angel, only this would be an IT angel, to sit weightlessly on my left shoulder, with IT manual in hand (which she's memorized anyway) and say "Oh Dorothy, you need to load this program (but watch out for that other one, it's a Trojan horse), then set these parameters, and discontinue this tool, uncheck this box in your options menu, then reset your modem, turn around three times, click your heels and you'll be home in Kansas. Just a short plane trip away from Miami.

Any IT angels please fell free to apply. (305) 361-6772.

And along these lines... does anyone actually read this blog? Are my talents better used elsewhere? Should I go buy a new navy blue suit and start pounding the pavement? If you follow my blog please make a comment or sign up as a follower. It's a little demoralizing thinking you're doing all this extra stuff and nobody is appreciating it! Sign up as a follower, leave a comment , e-mail me, pass me a note in a stuffy Village Council meeting. Give me a hug in the grocery store. Provide feedback - even if it's to say you didn't like the outfit I had on yesterday in the grocery store. (I probably didn't either).

And that's all for our commercial message.

The Icefields Parkway and Lake Louise

2010-10-16T21:42:00.000-04:00

wow. Wow. WOW. WOW!!!! With every kilometer this road just got prettier and prettier! No billboards cluttering up the scenery, and lots of beautiful overlooks. Nearly no traffic at all because we're visiting off season (but the weather is sunny and gorgeous). If we stopped at even one fifth of the spectacular viewing spots we never would have made it to Lake Louise. This is amazing. Here are just a few samples of the scenery:

Mom and I are in awe. Haven't seen any big horn sheep or bears, but we've seen scenery that just makes you want to cry - it's that magnificent. Snow capped mountains, waterfalls, crystal blue skies, and evergreens as far as the eye can see. If I weren't such a big fan of the ocean ...

And then we get to Lake Louise ... it takes your breath away. Here's a photo taken through the window in our room (as you can see from my reflection in it)

And one without my reflection ...

The lake is spectacular (have I already used that word too much?) and I could stare at it for a month. Our room is great, the old Canadian Pacific Railroad hotels have all been purchased by Fairmont Hotels. They include the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec, Empress in Victoria, Chateau Lake Louise, Banff Springs and Vancouver hotels among others. The thing about these hotels is the glamor of them. In the 1920's guests would check in at the Banff Springs hotel with letters of credit for $50,000 for a three to four month stay (it wasn't easy to get to, but once you did you never wanted to leave).

The lobbies are enormous and opulent -- they make you feel tiny. The detailing in the banisters, the friezes, the tapestries, and in the carved archways, the intricately designed inlaid floors - everywhere there is something to be seen and there are lots of stories about the railroad, the British Royal Family (Louise was Queen Victoria's fourth daughter, for those of you not up on your monarchy) and the glamorous movie stars who have stayed here. These buildings are works of art in themselves. There are photos of Marilyn Monroe arriving with Gregory Peck, tales of the first cabin built on this spot, of the original hotel (both the Banff Springs and Lake Louise hotels burned down in the late '20's), and of the royally appointed governor of the province. The place is full of Lord this and Lady that interspersed with pioneers, explorers, woodsmen and indians. Just walking around the hotels is like being in a museum.

There's a trade off in that the rooms in these hotels tend not to be as big as modern hotel rooms, but I'll take it.

With no other plans in mind, we went off to see the Banff Springs Hotel on Thursday. Even more spectacularer (not a spelling mistake) than the Chateau Lake Louise in terms of the building itself, and the scenery, again, is gorgeous. But I'm glad we decided to stay at Lake Louise and not Banff. Especially since one of my life's goals is to dip my toes in every major body of water in the world - cross off Lake Louise!

Made It To The Mountains!

2010-10-16T20:16:00.000-04:00

And boy oh boy was it worth the trip. Jasper, Alberta is a lovely little town, with a picture postcard train station. Its main industry is tourism, and everyone is exceptionally nice and friendly. Great restaurants and bakeries, one of them had a write up in O! magazine. (Terrific croissants.) There's only one ski mountain, but tons and tons of hiking and riding trails as well as lakes, ponds, streams and rivers. Mom and I are not going hiking, riding, fishing, swimming, skiing, canoeing or spelunking. Mom left her cane in Florida and we've been looking for a "souvenir of Canada" one in every store we've seen. Meanwhile I am her cane.

Got the rental car, figured out which pedal was the accelerator and off we went.

Stayed the first night in the mountains at the Fairmont Jasper Lodge, which is not one of the old Canadian Pacific Railroad hotels. This didn't get off to a great start, they claimed my reservation was canceled on Sept. 24th, did not have an easily accessible room for Mom, and put us in a cabin out in the back of beyond. Little on the shabby side for a Fairmont Resort, was not impressed with the broken concrete entrance to our cabin or the frayed cushions:

Nope, that wasn't making a big impression on me at all.

BUT ... what did make an impression, and I'm sorry I don't have a photo of it, is the GINORMOUS elk that we saw when we came back from dinner! It was waiting for us to go by in the car, and we were waiting for it to cross. I've been reading the signs around Jasper that say you should not get between a buck and a female during mating season, not even in a car. And there were three females on the other side of the road. So we waited. He waited. We waited. Eventually he strolled across the drive, head held high, all the time in the world. WOW!!! He must have had 20 points - we could have almost touched him we were so close. I thought about going back out and getting a photo but was afraid I would scare him with the flash and I didn't want to spook a very large wild animal, with hooves and horns (many, many horns - probably teeth too, but he wasn't smiling so I don't know for sure) in a dark, unfamiliar setting. Especially since I'm not much of a runner these days.

I checked at the front desk the next day. They told me that the elk are easily spooked and that I did the right thing. But what a picture that would have been - I'd have been a shoe-in for the next opening at National Geographic!!

Then we were off for Lake Louise ... oh, wait until I tell you about the Icefield Parkway ...

Day Two – On the Train

2010-10-13T11:33:00.000-04:00

Rockin’ & rollin’ night – and stopping and going and chugga, chugga, followed by nothing followed by more chugga, chugga. Turns out most people find it hard to sleep the first night on the train, the second night they’re all exhausted and sleep really well, no matter how much noise or motion. Mom asks questions that I don’t know the answer to, which (I think) she does so that I’ll find out and tell her, instead of her having to ask the question directly. I noticed this pattern over in Italy many years ago; after traveling with her for two weeks back then I asked “Why do I have to ask ALL the questions?” To which she replied “Because you speak Spanish”. Pointing out that we were in Italy at the time made no difference. Sometimes you need to know when to give up.

Now I keep hearing things like “Why does it make all that noise on the straight parts and it’s quieter on the turns? Why is that light red and the others are green but they don’t have yellow? What does it mean when there are two green lights and one red light? What do they call those yellow trees? I now have all the answers to the above questions. I also know that freight trains have priority over passenger trains, that there appear to be more cows than people in Saskatchewan, that the porters sleep wherever there is available room on the train, and that there is only one cabin on the train that accommodates three people. I know why it’s called a drawing room, I know the names of all of our waiters and porters. I know that Saskatchewan had the rainiest summer ever and the ground is so soggy in low lying areas of farms that the big heavy harvesters were sinking into the mud. As a result there is a lot of unharvested wheat which may result in higher bread prices. I know there’s a couple on board who are traveling around North America by train in 30 days.

Let’s get back to this cabin. Out of curiosity on Sunday I did a rough measurement of it. Don’t worry, this didn’t take long. The cabin is about 8’ long by 5 1/2’ wide. About 44 sq. ft. I think prison cells are larger, but I don’t know that from personal experience (yet). The top bunk cranks up into the ceiling during the day and has a net of woven straps that’s hooked up at night so that the person in it won’t fall out. There are also about five hooks that you can pop out from the wall, and would work well if you hang up a bunch of your stuff with wire hangers, but we don’t have any wire hangers. I’ve found out that those who just buy a sleeper seat get a curtain that shuts them off from the companionway, but not a door. Cabin F on each car has about one and half more feet than the others, which may not sound like much to you, but it will after three nights … I promise.

Winnipeg, Manitoba – it was Canadian Thanksgiving so not much was open, but just to stretch our legs and get off the train, we took a three hour tour of the city. Winnipeg is nicknamed Windypeg, I’ll let you figure out why. Largest French-speaking population outside of Quebec. Gorgeous legislative building. These pictures prove I was there.

Have not even set foot in a souvenir shop, so no weird souvenirs (yet). I keep hoping.

The Trip Across Canada Begins!

2010-10-12T18:46:00.000-04:00

We were off like a herd of turtles in a storm of thunder … well, not really. This trip is unlike any other I’ve ever taken, and not only because I’m traveling with my mom, who at 89 (and ¾) years old is a little less spry than she was at 30). Frankly I was never that interested in a long train ride, having spent my share of time on the Long Island Railroad, and with a second class student rail pass in Europe. But if Mom wanted to go, I’d go. As it turns out, it’s incredible!

We arrived in Toronto with a number of hours to spare, hoping to take a ½ day tour of the city. Well that didn’t exactly work out, but we did have quite a long and scenic tour of the airport in trying to find a tour desk to book said city tour. We did eventually find that you can take an express bus into Toronto, right to Union Station, for about $26 – very comfortable and a good savings from the cost of a taxi (about $50). At the station we checked our bags in with a porter – and there’s no receipt. You just give your bags to the porter and in a blind leap of faith believe that they will be delivered to your cabin. I was skeptical. The porter said “trust me, I promise you they’ll be there”. Trust him? I’ve never met this kid, I’ll probably never see him again, and I’m supposed to TRUST him? We’d just seen three men about his age enter the airport in cuff links and under armed guard – being deported. Why should I believe this guy? What if I never see my brand new knee socks again?

It came down to either belief in a complete stranger or rolling two large suitcases behind me, and my mother in a wheelchair in front of me, while carrying a laptop and an overnight bag on my shoulder. Try this yourself, you will either lose your suitcase or your mother, a tough decision to make.

The Royal York hotel, right across from the station is a lovely place to stay if you want to come in a day early. We went and had a light lunch of carrot-ginger soup. The Royal York grows all its own vegetables on the roof! I couldn’t believe it – but there’s even a tour of the rooftop gardens. We missed it, but if they give a tour then I guess they’re not lying. How do they do that in winter? Greenhouses?

The “Canadian” (name of the train across Canada) passengers have a comfortable lounge in which they can wait for the train. Coffee, tea, juices, water and sodas are free. They have wi-fi, there are newspapers and a television (mostly hockey – this IS Canada).

To my utter relief the suitcases were in our cabin, but it wasn’t easy to get around them. I don’t recommend this for larger (girth wise) people. The cabin has a little sink and a separate toilet, shared shower is down the hall. There’s about 14” of space between the beds and the afore mentioned sink. The “closet” is about 8” wide. No drawers. A little storage shelf up top. I flipped mom for the bottom bunk and I guess I lost because I’ve got the top one. I think that was going to happen anyway.

Maneuvering is tricky, but we’re managing. I recommend packing light for anyone planning to do this trip – there’s really not much room for any luggage. It’s easier if only one person tries to get changed at a time instead of sharing the space. But it’s cozy – and certainly friendly.

Let’s go back to the trust issue – you can’t lock the door when you leave your cabin. The hall porter’s explanation was that they didn’t have enough keys. That sounds a little lame but it was the best we were going to get. No high-tech programmed key cards here.

Weird souvenir of the day: I’m going to have to disappoint you here. No souvenir, but there is a grown man on the train traveling with his doll. No joke. It sits across from him at meals. About a 3’ rag doll. I was going to get a picture today but I saw him getting off the train – carrying the doll in a blanket. I did not make this up.

The best (or worst) thing so far … there’s no internet on the train. I have clients trying to reach me to book, I have clients who want to re-fare their booking. There’s just nothing I can do. No cell phone coverage, no internet. Nothin’.

Was planning to send this in Winnipeg, but turns out we didn't have wi-fi available on the train, only in the station, so had to wait until Jasper. Stay tuned. More to come. .

Choo choo … chugga chugga, … choo choo!!

We're Battening Down the Hatches!!!

2010-09-28T17:17:00.000-04:00

Village of Key Biscayne

STORM ALERT: Miami-Dade Under Tropical Storm Warning Until Further Notice

Key Biscayne and the rest of Miami-Dade County are under a Tropical Storm Warning as of 11:00 am Tuesday, September 28, 2010 and until further notice. The weather will begin to deteriorate later today with the worst conditions expected on Wednesday, September 29. Be aware that localized flooding may occur on the Key in low-lying areas on Wednesday. The confluence of a high tide at 1:26 pm and a full moon will cause the storm drainage system to work more slowly. (Terrific.)

(The wind began to switch, the house to twitch, and suddenly the hinges started to unhitch ...)

Precautionary measures are being taken in public areas to prepare for expected heavy rain/localized flooding and strong winds.

The Police and Fire Rescue Departments are fully staffed.

The Public Works Department has checked drainage system pumps in flood-prone areas so they will be ready to handle heavy rains.

Building, Zoning and Planning Department personnel will sweep the Village this afternoon to notify contractors that construction site materials should be secured.

Village generators are ready to be deployed, if necessary.

Now is the time to secure any outdoor items (furniture, umbrellas, potted plants, etc.) that may become airborne in high winds.

Please be advised that emergency vehicles, school buses and other high-profile vehicles cannot safely cross the Powell Bridge in winds of 45 mph or higher.

If the power goes out I can't work. Is that good or bad?

Great Deals in the Caribbean!

2010-09-23T13:47:00.000-04:00

This just out from USA today ... given the long cold winter just ahead - now may be the time to book!

Looking for a deal on a winter cruise? Here's the good news: Fares for Caribbean voyages are down from where they were a year ago.
The bad news? Fares for winter sailings in just about every other region of the world are up notably.
That's the word this week from Howard Frank, vice chairman of industry giant Carnival Corp., the parent company of more than half a dozen lines including Carnival, Princess, Holland America and The Yachts of Seabourn.
"With the exception of Caribbean itineraries, pricing for North American brand bookings during (the upcoming) 13 week period is significantly higher than a year ago," Frank told Wall Street analysts Tuesday during a conference call to discuss third quarter earnings.
Frank says fares for winter cruises in the Caribbean are lower largely as a result of significant increases in capacity in the region, which has seen the arrival of a number of major new ships including Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Epic. Industrywide capacity in the Caribbean for the first quarter of 2011 will be 15% ahead of a year ago, he notes.

Just When You Thought Airline Travel Couldn't Get Any Worse

2010-09-14T22:11:00.000-04:00

Warning: the SkyRider may be coming.

According to industry sources this new seat is set at an angle with no more than 23 inches between a passenger’s seat and the one in front.

The new airplane seat would give passengers an experience akin to riding horseback and is being touted as “A design that could appeal to low-cost airlines that have floated the idea of offering passengers standing-room tickets on short flights,” said USA Today.

Thankfully (long sigh) the SkyRider isn't headed for an airplane cabin immediately. But be warned, its designer, Aviointeriors, an aircraft seat design firm based in Italy, says several airlines - even a few in the US - have expressed interest.

"We feel extremely confident that this concept will ... have great appeal to airlines for economic purposes," Dominique Menoud, director general of Aviointeriors Group, told the newspaper. "For flights anywhere from one to possibly even up to three hours ... this would be comfortable seating," he said. "The seat ... is like a saddle. Cowboys ride eight hours on their horses during the day and still feel comfortable in the saddle."

I am sooooo looking forward to high speed rail transportation in the US!

Hurricanes

2010-09-01T16:19:00.000-04:00

Lots of clients ask me about cruising during hurricane season. Isn't it dangerous?

Contrary to popular thought, hurricane season is a GOOD time to go cruising in the Caribbean. Think of it this way: if you're in a Caribbean resort - say St. Thomas for example - and a hurricane comes bearing down on Charlotte Amalie you've got two options: evacuate or dig in. If you evacuate, it's "vacation over" you're going home. If you dig in, you'll very likely wind up in a nice resort with no electricity (thus no a/c, movies or frosty blender drinks) and possibly no plumbing. No fancy meals, no using the pool, no soaking in the Jacuzzi. Having fun yet?

Now lets look at a cruise sailing to St. Thomas when a hurricane starts driving its way toward the island. Only one thing happens - the ship changes course. If you're sailing in the Eastern Caribbean your ship may head toward the Western Caribbean or vice versa. Maybe you'll lose a port call and spend another day at sea - worst case scenario. I know I would rather spend another day at sea enjoying a massage in the Spa, watching a movie under the stars, testing out the casino or seeing a show than a day (or days) hanging out in a torn up resort. Or frantically trying to get the next flight out, standing in long lines at the airport, fighting the crowds and using your suitcase for a pillow. And partly because of the misconception that cruising during hurricane season is dangerous, prices tend to be at some of the lowest points of the year! 'Nuff said.

For those who want to keep track of the latest storm(s) here's one of my favorite storm tracking sites.

Stay dry!

River Cruises Are Hot

2010-08-28T17:36:00.000-04:00

And the word is catching on as more travelers realize that this is one of the most enjoyable ways to explore Europe! For those who have cruised the Mediterranean, river cruising brings you to countries that you can't reach on ocean-going vessels - like Austria, Bulgaria, Switzerland and Hungary. They allow you to explore the heart of countries whose shores you've visited, such as France, Germany, Belgium or The Netherlands. There's so much more to see!

Those who are far more learned in geography than I can tell you that most European capitals are not on the coast, but located on the banks of the great European rivers which, for centuries, provided the main source of transportation throughout the region. When the ship docks you're right in the midst of the city, and tours are included in the cruise fares! You can also enjoy time in well known regions outside the great cities; like Provence, the Balkan and Carpathian Mountains, or the Mosel River Valley. Many river cruise lines also offer land extensions a little further inland to Munich, Prague or even Transylvania. I wanna go, I wanna go!

I'm determined to do my first river cruise within the next year. It's a goal. I'd love to cruise the entire Danube from Luxembourg all the way to Bucharest; but I don't think my boss will give me 21 days out of the office. (She doesn't even give me Saturdays and Sundays off at the moment.) So my next best choice would be a Christmas Markets cruise that visits the magical cities of Vienna, Linz, Nuremberg and Budapest when they're all lit up with holiday decorations, maybe dusted with snow (yes, even though I'm a Florida girl) and the streets are filled with carolers. Anybody want to join me?

Two days ago I received a flyer with some wonderful rates on AMA Waterways for sailings that still have space for 2010. A 12 day land & river tour of the Danube with pricing starting from $1499 on Nov. 11 or 20th. A 7-night sailing from Amsterdam to Basel with 2 nights in Lucerne and 2 nights in Zurich from $1599. There are several more, but I'm not trying to made this an advertisement.

Wish I could do them all, but then I wouldn't be in the office to answer calls (guess I could get a satellite phone, couldn't I?). Well, like I said, I doubt my boss would let me.

Roger and out.

www.topsailjourneys.com

It's All Going to the Dogs!

2010-08-05T11:49:00.000-04:00

As a dog lover, and Foster Mother to three dogs here on Key Biscayne, I like this idea:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) - Pluto never had it so good: The next major attraction to open at Walt Disney World won't be for the kids - it will be for the dogs.

Best Friends Pet Resort, scheduled to open Aug. 27, will offer not just boarding, but also bedtime stories and a water park for dogs.

The luxury facility will accommodate way more than 101 Dalmatians. With more than 50,000 square feet of space, half of it outdoors, it has room for 270 dogs, 30 cats and assorted other animals, including birds, potbellied pigs and small mammals like hamsters and guinea pigs. (Sorry, no turtles, snakes or lizards.)

Standard indoor boarding for dogs runs $37 nightly. For additional fees, you can get services like doggy play group or bedtime stories for pooches accustomed to snuggling up with children while a parent reads aloud. (On the Best Friends reading list: "The Poky Little Puppy.")

Upgrades for dogs include vacation villas with outdoor patios and flat-screen TVs for watching videos like "Homeward Bound" ($59), or 226-square-foot luxury suites ($76) with private outdoor play yards and personal pet concierges.

Cats can choose between two- and four-story condos.

In addition to the water park, Best Friends offers play groups, outdoor runs, walking trails and areas for playing ball or Frisbee.

Pets can be left for the day without overnight boarding, and owners can drop by to visit or play on their way from hotels to the park.

"We know that people who bring their pets with them to Disney want to see their pets," said Deb Bennetts, spokeswoman for Best Friends, which operates more than 40 pet-boarding facilities around the U.S. "If they were simply going to board their pet, they would board their pet at home. They want to see and interact with their pet while at the resort, so we've made it easy for them to do that with all of this wonderful outdoor space."

The Best Friends resort will replace five existing kennels at Disney World and will be located on Bonnet Creek Parkway within the Disney complex directly across from the Port Orleans resort.

Cabin for One?

2010-07-08T21:35:00.000-04:00

A giant is finally awakening in the cruise business. The single passenger market, which I have firmly believed is a sleeping giant, is beginning to be recognized! According to some statistics, over 50% of US households are headed by single women - a market that has been discriminated against by forcing single passengers to pay a 100% surcharge to cruise. For years I've been telling passengers that it all began with Noah and his ark, where the animals came on two by two by two. (You have to wonder at the wisdom of Noah in inviting two termites aboard a wooden ship, but I digress).

I've mentioned in previous blogs that Norwegian Cruise Lines is setting the trend with single occupancy cabins ... now Silversea, a trés luxury line, has announced it is reducing its single supplement -- to just 10 percent of the base fare for a range of cabins on four upcoming voyages, and to 25% on nine additional voyages. Earlier this year I saw a similar effort by Avalon Waterways.

Over 50% of US households ... I'll take that kind of market share any day. Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America & Princess -- are you listening? Build it and they will come!

Get Ready Texas!

2010-06-24T12:58:00.000-04:00

Texans, spread the word! Carnivals NEWEST ship, the Carnival Magic is coming to Galveston! The Carnival Magic will debut in Europe in May 2011, offering seven-, nine- and 12-day Mediterranean voyages from Barcelona May 1 to October 16, 2011; followed by a 16-day trans-Atlantic crossing from Barcelona to Galveston departing October 28, 2011.

After October, guests can choose from two different week-long itineraries from Galveston, including seven-day western Caribbean voyages to Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, and week-long eastern Caribbean cruises to Nassau, Freeport, and Key West.Starting Nov. 14th 2011,

The Carnival Magic will debut in Europe in May 2011, offering seven-, nine- and 12-day Mediterranean voyages from Barcelona May 1 to October 16, 2011; followed by a 16-day trans-Atlantic crossing from Barcelona to Galveston departing October 28, 2011. How many of my Texas clients have been looking for a transatlantic sailing that terminates in Galveston? A whole stampede of them!

So my dear Texans, trade in your Stetsons for a swimsuit and come on aboard! Fun for all and all for fun!

Horrors! Miami Losing Cruise Capital of the World Title

2010-06-16T11:32:00.000-04:00

Travel Weekly claims that Miami may be losing its "Cruise Capital of the World" title - as soon as 2012. Well, isn't 2012 when the world is supposed to end anyway?

Regardless, this has to be the last straw. I'm moving. Anybody want to buy a condo in Key Biscayne?

NCL Recategorizing Ships

2010-05-25T15:37:00.000-04:00

Recategorization: Is this a word? It seems to be the trend amongst the cruise lines with breaking news that Norwegian Cruise Lines is joining the movement.

Carnival completed it a year ago, you used to know where a Cat 4C cabin was without looking, now not so much. As of April 1, 2011 (or is this a joke?) NCL will implement standardized categories across its ships, introducing such rare and exotic new birds as Categories MA-MC (mini-suites), T1 (studio), etc.

Confused? Ships are getting bigger and more complex, the Royal Caribbean Oasis Class ships have over 36 different cabin categories, the Norwegian Epic looks like it will have over 45 categories. Recommendation: stick with an agent unless you want to wind up under the disco or next to the kid's playroom!

Royal Caribbean & Celebrity the Brothels of the Industry?

2010-04-09T12:39:00.000-04:00

In recent months Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have instituted the practice of requiring passengers to pay gratuities at time of booking in order to obtain "open" dining. I've tried to think of other industries where you tip the provider before you get service ... manicures? no, .... haircuts?, no ....massage? no ....restaurants? no ..... hotels? no. In fact there is only one industry I know of where you put your money on the bedside table before you get serviced. So I guess Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have determined their niche within the cruise industry.

Kind of makes me think of Spirit Airlines with their carry on luggage fee and Ryan Air with their pay toilets. Hey, maybe Royal and Celebrity could consider pay toilets too. Why not add a service fee if you speak to a Purser at any time during your cruise? Why not coin operated exercise machines in the fitness center? There are so many more nickel and dime opportunities to drive away passengers!

This is the Final Straw

2010-04-07T15:06:00.000-04:00

Spirit Airlines has just announced that it is going to charge $45 for CARRY ON luggage ($30 if paid in advance)!! For me this is the final straw in the insanity. Where they come up with these ideas is beyond me.

What's next? Charging according to height? Additional charges to board the plane first? It's time for high speed rail in the US. It can't happen soon enough. The airlines have passed ridiculous on the meter and have arrived at absolutely, completely insufferable. Are airline executives stuck on stupid?

NCL Power Hour Right Before Prices Increase

2010-03-29T17:07:00.001-04:00

NORWEGIAN OFFERS A POWER HOUR

OF SAVINGS BEFORE PRICE INCREASE

Norwegian Cruise Line is giving customers one extra hour to book a cruise vacation before the line implements its largest rate increase in company history with prices going up by as much as seven percent fleet-wide on Friday, April 2, 2010. The company’s call center will stay open until 1 a.m. the morning of the increase giving everyone a last chance to book current pricing on the line’s 10 Freestyle Cruising ships along with its newest and largest ship, Norwegian Epic.

Price increases will take effect on more than 125,000 rates across the fleet on every ship and every sail date through 2012. For instance, a seven-day Hawaii cruise on Pride of America will go up from $1,389 to $1,489; a 12-day cruise on Norwegian Sun through the Baltic will rise from $3,099 to $3,319; and a seven-day Alaskan vacation on Norwegian Pearl will change from $1,699 to $1,819. Prices are based on double occupancy in a balcony stateroom.

He who hesitates pays the cost!

2010-03-25T18:12:00.000-04:00

Remember when you used to get these great looking ticket packages in the mail? The nice folders with your luggage tags, documents, shore excursion information and other goodies? Sad to say, but even Cunard has announced that it's moving to e-docs, in an effort to provide "excellent customer service". That brings to mind one of my mother's favorite signs in a restaurant: "In order to improve customer service, we have changed to self-service."

It's the end of an era. Perhaps even more so than watching the QE2 sail off into retirement. The cruise lines are quick to tell you that it's environmentally friendly (which it is), but I have to wonder how much they're worrying about the environment and how much they're worrying about the costs of printing and postage. Change is inevitable, but I will look back fondly at the old documents I used to receive.

Up to a 2-Category Upgrade

2010-03-17T15:00:00.001-04:00

Up to a 2-Category Upgrade

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