The Cruise Cellar

Egg-stra Value of Cruising!

2011-08-23T10:09:00.000-07:00

A quick note on the value of cruising that came to me as I paid for breakfast this morning. I belong to a networking group that meets every Tuesday morning, The Portland Resource Group. We have breakfast at a local breakfast stop, good food but very much your typical breakfast spot. As I paid my bill for an omelet, hash browns, toast and coffee, the bill came to $12.00, I thought about the fact that your food is included on a cruise. What would that have been worth?

Breakfast for two: $24.00
Tip@ 15%            $ 3.60 (your gratuities on a cruise for the entire restaurant staff for the day $6.75)
Total per day        $27.60
For seven days      $193.20

That folks - is just for breakfast. Breakfast! Sometimes we forget about the expense of food on vacation because we don't see it until our card statements arrive after we get home. You might say that you don't spend that for breakfast but remember, that was breakfast in Beaverton, OR. Not in Hawaii. Not at a hotel. Not food I had to unwrap or eat with a plastic spork. And that was for one meal! Just saying......

There is no way I am NOT going on this vacation!

2011-07-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

OK – you grammar geeks are cringing but I hear this from clients all the time. Usually about the time they decline the optional travel protection I offer on EVERY BOOKING. After having a personal experience in this arena I thought it would be good to put some thoughts out on the topic.

First a little background on why this matters to you….

The non-refundable cruise fare –

This is a trend that is picking up some steam in the cruise industry. For those of you not familiar with cruise bookings, the traditional terms on a cruise booking is a refundable deposit at the time of booking with final payment due about 75 days prior to sailing. The usual deposit on a 7 day cruise was about $250. If you cancelled prior to final payment, you get your deposit back.

If you think about it, that is a pretty good deal. You lock in your rate and your accommodations (and your position on upgrade lists, dinner preference, etc.) and if you need to cancel prior to final payment, you’re not out any money. The cruise line is assuming the risk of your cancellation and they have a pretty good handle on the percentage of bookings that cancel. The cruise lines are good at is keeping track of how individual sailings are selling. It is more complex than it sounds because every week has its own variables (number of groups, seasonal impacts, air lift into specific cities).

Carnival was the first major cruise line to create a standard non-refundable rate as a lead in rate. It has been very successful. They guarantee the lowest rate on the category and in exchange they put restrictions on cancellations or changes. Basically, if you want to change dates, they charge you a $50 per person administrative fee. If you cancel, they charge you the administrative fee and give you a future cruise credit for the balance of your deposit. If they drop the rate on your category, you send them a form and they put the difference on your on-board account. The other big caveat is that you have to book the rate online (direct with Carnival or via your travel agent, you know my preference).

This makes great sense for Carnival. It reduces the “churn” on a sailing. Churn describes how many bookings it takes to actually sell a cabin and make that booking stick. Cabins coming in and out of inventory is the churn. It also means that the risk of cancellation moves from the cruise line to you. They also don’t have to deal with people calling in every week to check to see if the rate on their cabin has changed. Every one of those calls costs the cruise line money. Just because you don’t get charged for a toll free call doesn’t mean the phone companies give it away! Plus you have to pay people to take those calls.

This rate makes sense if you have a good handle on your plans and have no expectation that changes will be required. I do like to remind people that life doesn’t always give a rip that you have a vacation planned!

Time to give you my personal story. I know, long preamble! Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address was how long? Well, I am not expecting this to be carved in stone any time soon!

I was gratiously invited by Royal Caribbean International to tour the Rhapsody of the Seas while it was in Seattle. The cruise lines make these events available to agents so we can become more familiar with their product. It usually involve a lunch, an update on developments at the cruise line and a tour of the public spaces on the ship.

I have sailed on the Rhapsody of the Seas and a couple other ships in the Vision Class but it has been a while. I know the ship has been updated since I was on her last. Royal Caribbean does an outstanding job maintaining their ships but memories fade, ships change and I consider it part of my value as a cruise specialist to keep up with how the product is shaping up.

I was planning on combining a little business with pleasure and getting together with some friends and relatives while I was in Seattle. Hotel rates in Seattle can get pricey pretty quick so I decided to see if I could get a good rate through one of the ”opaque” channels.

A definition is probably in order. The opaque channel refers to places where you can book rooms but not discover the name of the hotel until after you have committed to a purchase price. Hotwire and Priceline are two of the biggest names in this market. The positive being that you can sometimes get some good rates. The con being these are non-refundable rates. You bought it, you own it.

I found a good rate on a 4 star, boutique hotel in downtown Seattle so I booked it. It turned out to be the Doubletree Arctic Club hotel. I took a look at the hotel and thought it looked like a nice place to spend a weekend. I was pretty proud of my purchase!

The next day, Royal Caribbean cancelled the tour. I now had a non-refundable reservation at a nice hotel and no reason to go. Splendid! As I had mentioned, life doesn’t really care about your hotel purchase strategy! I can’t fault Royal, they had a very legitimate reason they needed to cancel and I was the one who booked a non-refundable rate. I decided I deserved a break and spent the weekend in Seattle and had a great time. But life does not always work out that way.

So I learned a lesson from personal experience that I had been preaching to my clients for years. Lesson one is that you need to know your cancellation time lines and you need to think about the risks of non-refundable rates. All cruises have cancellation penalties after final payment which is why I always recommend purchasing travel protection.

Lesson two is that you need to think about when it makes sense to purchase travel insurance. My recommendation is to purchase insurance prior to experiencing the risk of a loss. You buy insurance to protect you against the unexpected. You can’t buy car insurance after the accident and expect them to pay for your car to get fixed! If you are purchasing a non-refundable rate, consider purchasing the protection then. Your risk is starting right away, your coverage should to. Remember, all insurance has limitations on coverage, you cancellation will have to be for a reason your policy covers.

In conclusion (I know, you were wondering if this day would ever come), non-refundable rates are a calculation of risk and rewards. Hotels and cruise lines love them because you are the one assuming the risks. That might be OK but you need to think that through and mitigate your risks, if necessary. Travel Protection might help with that risk mitigation but check your coverage and make sure you review your coverage. And if in Seattle, consider the Doubletree Arctic Club. Great little boutique hotel in downtown Seattle with a great clubby feel, comfortable rooms and a great lobby bar!

Is the time right for "Up Market" cruising?

2011-04-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

Quick update for you on some trends I am seeing on the cruise front. I have gotten several updates lately from cruise lines that operate on the upper end of the market (Azamara, Seabourn, etc). I think it is interesting that they are pulling back from using the word "Luxury" when talking about their products. It seems that during a recession, people are still excited about these wonderful products, they just feel that using the word luxury is a turn off. You are going to see terms like "inclusive", "up market" or "up scale".

For you non-marketing folks, I am sure you are saying "looks like a duck, walks like a duck...". So true. But maybe the time has come to try one of these products. For those folks that like smaller ships - they might be right for you. If you feel that some of the larger cruise lines are "nickel and diming" you, you might prefer the more inclusive pricing. If you want to spend more time in ports of call, longer itineraries, more unique destinations - these lines might be good for you.

Here is the best way to think about cruising upscale. If you are used to cruising on Holland America, Princess or Celebrity, you can't compare the prices on those lines to upscale products. You are looking at apples and oranges. The itineraries are different. What is included in the pricing is different. The service levels and sizes of the ships are different. You need to ask yourself what experience are you looking for? If you are completely loving what you are doing on your current line - why change? After all, the customer satisfaction numbers for all the cruise lines are incredibly high - especially when compared to other vacation options.

Then again, maybe you are looking for something different. Something a little more exclusive. Something with a few more special "touches". Something where the staff has the chance to get to know YOU a little better because there are less of you and more of them!

But where to start? Option one is always call me and lets talk about it. Option 2 is to check out our Sealuxe site. It is a great place to explore what this end of the market has to offer!

The Allure of Entertainment

2011-03-21T21:42:00.000-07:00

I thought I would make some comments about the entertainment aboard my recent cruise on the Allure of the Seas. Royal Caribbean is doing it again! They are changing some of the underlying paradigms around cruising and most of the time, their efforts are successful.

First paradigm to be crushed - the entertainment in the Theater. In most cases - I am not a big fan of the Broadway reviews that have crossed the main theater stage on most cruise ships. I know the cruise lines all put some big money and pride into designing these shows but they have never been my thing. I know - it is personal preference and some people love them but I also think that form of entertainment was missing RCI's target market. Most people younger than baby boomers have never seen the TV variety shows that this form of entertainment reminds me of.

In its place, Royal Caribbean is staging full length Broadway shows, Hairspray on the Oasis and Chicago on the Allure. On the plus side, they have picked shows that are approachable and, trust me, the costuming - what there was of it, in Chicago was very sexy. The staging and performance were top rate. I don't know that I loved the show itself but it was very well done.

For you traditionalist, there is still a full production show done later in the week that integrates all the talent on the ship, including participants in the aqua show. With the number of people on the stage, I think they dragged some waiters on stage too. I was struck by the technical quality of Blue Planet. The show was great but the technical underpinnings were jaw dropping. Well worth seeing.

I found myself drawn to the pub. I know - SHOCKING! Since the voyager class ships (Voyager, Mariner, Navigator, etc) I have always loved the environment in the pubs. They are located on the Royal Promenade and usually draw a fun crowd that throw a lot of requests out to the entertainer. Our guitarist did some fun selections from the 60's, 70's and 80's. Many good nights were spent in this venue (from what I remember).

I was a bit disappointed with the Schooner Bar. Usually this haunt has a piano bar feel that works the Billy Joel - Elton John song book. Unfortunately, the artist on our cruise strayed into Broadway hits and other themes that only parts of the audience seemed to be engaged in. It was a bit over the top for me. Too much time watch Glee. I think they messed with success and it didn't work for me. Probably a paradigm that did not need to be touched.

I didn't get to take in the Aqua show (yes, an aqua show!). The nights I was planning on seeing it were cancelled because of winds. Makes total sense. No need to risk injury for a show. I need to go back aboard the Allure or Oasis to catch that one!

An addition to this class of ship was the Jazz Bar. I loved it. Nice intimate venue with some good jazz. I will admit to being a jazz novice but that is probably true of most of the passengers. I loved the whole vibe.

Last but not least, I need to mention the ice shows. Frankly, I was dragged into my first Royal Caribbean ice show. Ever since, I have been a huge fan. They do a bang up show in a very small space. You need to see it to appreciate it.

Now a little about logistics. Because of the number of people on board, Royal Caribbean does recommend reservations. Their website allows you to reserve seats from home (no charge - just a way to control the crowds and eliminate lines. I need to highly recommend that you take advantage of the website. The system is supposed to be set up so that everyone can see every show once during the week. Unfortunately, on our cruise, everything was sold out by Tuesday. 10 minutes before show time, they open up the show for those who don't have reservations. We got into almost every show we wanted to see except the Comedy Club (which only holds 130 people). Still, it will be less stressful and you will spend less time in lines if you book in advance. Don't wait till the last minute!

I can honestly say that this ship has entertainment for everyone. I thought the quality was there throughout. Kudos to RCI for that. The logistics and ticketing system needs a little work but in the end our group got into almost everything they wanted to see.

Think about this ship if you have a group that has a diverse age group. Everyone will find something they like!

The Big Ship Dilemma

2011-03-13T16:11:00.000-07:00

NCL Norwegian Epic

In October I had a chance to cruise on the NCL Norwegian Epic. I also got a chance to tour the Oasis of the Seas again (thanks to Royal Caribbean International). Recently, I cruised for a week on the Allure of the Seas, with part of my family.

It was a great chance to experience a great ship and I decided I needed to break my updates up so that they would not get too long. The question I wanted to address in this post is this - Is a big ship the right ship for you?

Allure of the Seas

I have always believed this to be true: There is a ship for everyone but not everyone is right for every ship. You want to see a cruise line executive dance? Ask them to describe their target market - who is the right client for their line. I have to give props to Gerald Cahill, CEO of Carnival Cruise Line. He has a very specific target for Carnival Cruise Line and states it. Most of the rest of the execs end up giving you a bunch of blah, blah, blah - that neither rules anyone in or anyone out. I know, they need to fill cabins and it creates space for people like me to be an independent advisor to my clients and help them find the right cruise. The other problem is that demographics are not the whole story. Two people might have the same income and age but the way they view themselves and what they want to experience could be wildly different things.

That is why it was fun to experience the Allure of the Seas with my family. We had a good mix of cruisers. Some of us had been on several cruises. Some of us had been on one or two and one member of our group had never been on a cruise. It is invaluable for me to see a cruise through different eyes than my own. Let's be honest, when you live in an industry, you sometimes start to miss the little stuff that a first time cruiser really digs.

So is a big ship the right ship for you? For most of you, I think the answer is yes. But there are some people who are not going to get it.

If you have never been on a cruise - I think a big ship experience will blow your mind! Especially if you have put off cruising because you think you might get bored. The great thing about these ships is they have the space to include so many experiences. Rock climbing walls, flow riders, zip lines, specialty restaurants, diverse entertainment - you name it. It might ruin you for smaller ships but it also might get you over your phobias and help you realize that the core of the experience, the value that every cruise gives you, is worth it and you don't need as many bells and whistles to have a great time.

I also think most other cruisers will like the ship. Groups will love it because everyone in the group will find something they like. Families will love it for the same reason - something for everyone. Couples will love it because you can find quiet spaces that you can enjoy that are outside the bump and hustle of other areas.

So who do I think might want to avoid the big ships? I think I came across a few types that might want to think twice. If you are mobility challenged I think you have to consider the distances involved in moving around these ships. Don't get me wrong, I think both NCL and Royal Caribbean have put a lot of effort into mitigating this issue but you can't make a big ship small. Having the space to create all of these experiences means you have distances between the venues.

Another group who I might caution are people who don't like crowds. I don't mean lines. There are actually very few lines on these ships. But some people just don't like the sensory overload that big ships create. It is just too much input for some people.

The other group that should think about selecting a smaller ship are the crusty cruisers. You know who you are. You are the people who are all worked up about being "nickel and dimed". You are the ones that liked ships like the Song of Norway, the original Love Boats, the SS Norway. There is absolutely no way that those ships delivered the diversity of experiences that new ships do but these are the folks that will tell you that on their first cruise, they had to row the tenders or fill the oil on the engines. They are the ones who wonder where the promenade deck is because they want to walk around the entire ship (even though they never actually did that). They will tell you they had dinner with the Captain every night. That every night was a formal night and people liked it that way!

I know - I am pushing it a little. But honestly, if you like the cruise experience without all the other amenities, if you never use the specialty restaurants, if you were fulfilled with the cruise experience when dining was traditional and ships looked like ships - admit it to yourself - you are not looking for what the big ships were built to offer.

That doesn't mean that many - maybe most, people won't be completely happy with the big ships. It just means it might not be right for you. This comes back to the old phrase, "Cruiser - know thyself"! Talk it through with your cruise specialist. They can give you guidance about what these ships are really like.

I think I will be looking forward to experiencing the Allure of the Seas and the Norwegian Epic again. I wish more of my clients thought as much about the ships as they do about the itinerary but part of my job is to question them on those needs that they might not have thought much about. After reading this you might be more excited about big ships - maybe less. Just remember - there is a ship out there for you. Let's find it!

Dealing with the Carnival Splendor

2010-11-13T13:14:00.000-08:00

If you are regular readers of this blog, I imagine you are wondering what I think about the Carnival Splendor. I wish I could tell you that I am privy to insider information but I am not. I consciously decided not to post anything about this incident because I felt I had nothing of value to add. I was not going to make light of the serious situation and I wasn't going to point out reports that were obviously sensationalized to up the TV ratings. What I knew was that a lot of nervous people were experiencing a trial they did not expect and a ship full of crew was doing their best to make the most of a bad situation.

I would like to point out that the Internet and print media covered this event fairly. Gene Sloan of USA Today posted regularly and professionally on the incident. My criticism would be directed at members of the TV media, who as a group, demonstrated a willingness to overstate, over report, sensationalize and generally demonstrate a lack of journalistic professionalism.

I am encouraging everyone to read John Heald's Blog:

http://johnhealdsblog.com/2010/11/12/smoke-on-the-water-part-1/

Mr. Heald is the senior cruise director for the Carnival Cruise Line. He writes a wonderful blog and does a great job of demonstrating humor and a keen insight into human nature. I have read the portion of his blog dealing with this incident. When I first heard that the Splendor was in trouble my first thought was that I was glad Mr. Heald was on the ship. If you are going to be in a sticky situation - best to be surrounded by the best. His blog highlights the professionalism of the Carnival Splendor staff. Reading his blog made me proud to be a member of the cruise industry and confident about putting my clients into the hands of these wonderful people.

Thanks to John and all the members of the Carnival Splendor team, the Coast Guard and the US Navy for their great work during this incident.

Expanding the world of cruisers - This could be Epic!

2010-11-02T10:01:00.000-07:00

I have given it a week to soak it. I am talking about my experience on the NCL Norwegian Epic. My conclusion? The world of cruising is expanding and that is a very good thing!

I was on the NCL Norwegian Epic for the Annual CruiseOne/Cruises Inc. National Conference. Yes, I know - work, work, work but somebody HAS to do it. It was probably our best conference ever. Thanks to the World Travel Holdings Team and our hosts at NCL for all of their great work. It was a great opportunity to experience the Norwegian Epic. Frankly, one that I might not have taken if it wasn't for the conference.

You might ask why I wasn't keen on seeing the Epic. I will admit to a lot of prejudice about this ship and some pre-conceived notions about NCL. NCL has truly been an innovator in defining the cruise experience. Freestyle Cruising is the umbrella term that NCL uses to communicate a different cruise experience. As with any innovation, Freestyle has attracted people to cruising that wanted a less regimented more flexible approach to cruising but it has also driven some traditional cruisers away. I was skeptical about some of the innovations that NCL had announced about the Epic. My experience has proven to me that there is a market for the Epic and I think it will draw a new audience to cruising.

First some interesting numbers. 36 million people visit Las Vegas every year. Only 14 million people cruised in 2009. The cruise industry would love to get a chunk of those Vegas visitors to cruise. There is a constant discussion in the cruise industry about how to get more people to try cruising. Looking at those numbers, it is a great opportunity for the industry. People choose Vegas for a lot of reasons and cruising for a lot of reasons. So is the Epic going to change people's minds?

I think it will. As I mentioned, I didn't have the Norwegian Epic on the top of my cruising bucket list. I wasn't actively promoting it to my clients. To be honest, I didn't have a clue about who the audience of this ship was going to be. I came away with the firm belief that if you like the Vegas experience, you will be very comfortable on the Norwegian Epic.

This isn't about the Vegas that you saw in the movie Casino or Bugsy Siegel's Vegas. I am talking about the today's Las Vegas. More than casinos - Vegas today is about variety. Food, entertainment, night clubs, pool parties, oh, and casinos. Vegas has always been about bright lights and distractions but now there is a lot more to do than gamble and hit the buffet.

The Norwegian Epic is a floating entertainment venue. There are a number of activities available during the day but the ship comes to life at night. The Epic is packed with every possible entertainment option including some great shows from The Blue Man Group, Second City and The Legends Show - straight from Las Vegas. It also has some great intimate night clubs, Fat Cats Jazz and Blues Club, Headliners Comedy Club to name a couple. If you like the dance scene, Bliss Ultra Lounge gets hopping late and stays that way for as long as you like!

As regular readers have heard me say before, this ship is not for everyone. In order to create space for all these entertainment venues, you will find that the cabins are on the small side. Much has been written about the balcony cabins and the bathroom design changes. I will admit - I think NCL worked a little too hard and the cabin innovations they came up with don't really work. But you are not on this ship to spend a lot of time in your cabin. You pick this ship to be entertained. If you are sailing as a single, there is pricing just for you that don't include an expensive single supplement. If you are cruising as a couple, the cabins work fine (as long as you aren't too tall). Talk to me if you are thinking about sailing with someone who is not your significant other. I would also recommend looking at suites if you are traveling with third and fourth passengers. You are going to need the extra space.

Some cruising regulars might not like all the components of Freestyle. Yes, you do need to get reservations at the specialty restaurants and yes, there are cover charges. I don't think this is a big deal for those who are used to going to Vegas and pulling out their wallet frequently. Frankly, you will pull out your wallet less and it will take far less of a hit on the Epic than in Las Vegas!

So what are my conclusions. If you love the traditional cruise experience with traditional dining, a conventional ship design and conventional cabins - we might want to have a serious talk before going on the Epic. If you have been on Freestyle ships and liked them - you are going to love the Epic. If you have never been on a ship but love going to Vegas - you are going to love the Epic. If you like variety and making choices or just floating around the ship looking for something to strike your fancy - you are going to love the Epic.

Freestyle is about choice. Trust me, you will get all the options you desire on the Norwegian Epic! If you are interested in deals available on the Epic, contact me or visit my CruiseOne website!

Looking for reason in hurricane season

2010-09-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

I was watching the news this morning and guess what - THERE ARE HURRICANES IN THE ATLANTIC! OK, I will admit it, hurricanes are serious storms that cause devastation and loss of life. They are nothing to be messed with and I don't want to be anywhere near one. But I also thought it would be a good time to put some things in perspective.

First - arm yourself with some facts. Here is a great link to the National Hurricane Center with some great charts on hurricane activity: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastprofile.shtml. You are all smart enough to look at these very good charts, so I am not going to restate them. The great thing about these charts is that they lay out when hurricanes happen, where they happen and how strong they are.

Here are important things to remember about hurricanes and cruising.

Hurricanes do occur and the cruise lines do everything they can to avoid them. They don't put their customers, crew and massive investment in their ships at risk. Plus, they have options. Unlike hotels, you can move a cruise ship out of the way of a hurricane. Which would I rather do - try to catch a flight out of a resort that is about to be hit by a hurricane or deal with a change in itinerary? Frankly, re-building my shore excursion plan seems a lot less inconvenient then sleeping in the ballroom of a resort waiting for the storm to pass.

The peak time for hurricanes is late August, September and October. If you are really nervous about hurricanes - don't cruise in those months. You will also give up some very attractive rates. Life is about trade-offs. This happens to be one of them!

Don't fall for media hype. It seems that hurricane season occurs during a down news cycle. You might also notice from the charts that there are as many Pacific storms as Atlantic storms. Yet we here little about Pacific storms. I won't be cynical but when most of the population lives east of the Mississippi, Atlantic storms are news and Pacific storms are not.

Be prepared and flexible. If you are going to cruise during hurricane season, you need to understand that you might have to change your plans. Focus on the fun of cruising and the fun you will have with the people you are traveling with. You will still be with friends, family and your significant other. If you are going to be a traveler, you need to pack patience with every trip. Consider it an exercise in giving up a little control and going with the current!

The most important advice - purchase travel protection! I recommend it on every trip but you really need to have it during hurricane season. It is inexpensive protection to make sure that you are covered for expenses if your trip is impacted by a storm. Let's be honest - you are a lot more likely to have your trip impacted by something mundane like illness or a missed connection than a hurricane but if you buy travel insurance, you have some coverage for all of those events.

My last bit of advice - work with a travel professional. We can help you prepare and work you through alternatives. We can walk you through the "what-ifs" and help you prepare. We can offer you alternatives in travel protection and a multitude of plans that will target your specific needs.

Our Annual CruiseOne National conference occurs every October. Yes, some years we have had to change itineraries or course to avoid storms yet every cruise has been a great experience. I can tell you about my experiences.

A couple last things to remember. Hurricanes are big but the seas are bigger! Storms are usually pretty easy to avoid. Also, hurricanes are big but they don't move very fast. Cruise ships are faster.

You always want to respect the sea and respect Mother Nature. I don't mess with hurricanes. But you CAN cruise and respect hurricanes at the same time.

Before you call - a very short list of important cruise thoughts....

2010-08-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

I love working with my clients. Nothing is more fun than coming up with a cruise that fits them perfectly. Ultimately, that is the value I provide. All the ingredients are out there and available to everyone. My job is to combine them with my experience to produce something uniquely tailored to a specific client. Like a wine that pairs perfectly with your meal!

As I interact with clients, we often need to have a couple of conversations to land on the "right" cruise. We both come into the conversation with opinions about cruise lines and itineraries. As we both evaluate cruise ideas, my objective is to get on the client's mental "page", so I can be of the maximum effectiveness.

Here is the one thing I don't want you to think about. I always get the question, "What is your favorite cruise line?" I "get' the question - it is the answer that is meaningless. If I am going on a cruise, it matters. Unfortunately, if you are going on a cruise - my tastes really don't matter that much. You are the one that needs to be happy on your cruise! I can use my knowledge and experience to match your desires to the right cruise.

Here are some questions that really help me do the best job for you:

When - This is a biggie! It makes no sense for either of us to research a cruise you can't take. The closer we can get to when you can go - the more we focus on cruises you might like.

Who - Are you going as a couple, a family or a bunch of friends? The cruise you take when it is just you and your significant other might be totally different than the one you take as family. Ages and the number of cruisers are great to have. It helps me look for the right configuration of cabins. The great thing about cruising is it accommodates different budgets. Part of the group might want inside cabins and part might want suites. They all can be happy and not feel financially stretched.

Why - If you need sun NOW, one set of ideas comes to mind. If you just want some time to re-charge your batteries, that will be a totally different list. If just haven't had a vacation in a while - that is another list. If you have a strong desire for destinations - please let me know that. If you don't, tell me what kind of memories you want. There are romantic destinations, there are adventurous destinations. There are even "I always wanted to see" destinations. Don't forget - your cruise ship is one of your destinations. Ships are more than transportation, they have a character of their own. You want that to fit into your memories as well!

How did the last cruise go? - This can yield us some amazing information. If everything was perfect - that can be short hand for what to do this time. Maybe you want some more space on this cruise. Maybe you want more of a focus on cuisine. Maybe you want this cruise to be less formal. All the cruise lines have different characters. It might create a new list of options you hadn't thought about.

Notice I didn't mention price. Let's talk about that. Budget is a key factor for every vacation but price and budget don't mean the same thing. The reason I left budget out is because it can sometimes become a mental brick wall that separates you from the vacation you want. Once I have a good idea what you want to do, I can come up with a range of ideas for you. Cruise pricing is based on so many factors that trying to figure out a price is like trying to figure out where the stock market is going. Many have tried, few have succeeded. If we both agree on what experiences you want, the pricing will be what it is. We can adjust from there.

I can sense the skepticism! OK, here is what I know for sure. I can guarantee you that on your last cruise, you can tell me what a great time you had but you can't tell me what you paid. I am pretty confident that you have smiling pictures of your friends, family and companions. You don't have a picture of your cruise fare or your on-board spending account! If we don't come up with a price that you feel good about - we can adjust, maybe the cabin, maybe the date, maybe the line. We will be making adjustments. I can be much more effective as a consultant that way.

One cost will always be part of your next cruise that nobody thinks about. That is the cost of your vacation time. That vacation time might not get replenished until next year. As you work, you are investing in your next vacation by building that vacation time. My job is to make sure you get the most out of that investment! That is what the cruise lines pay me to do!

Alaska's head taxes driving down tourism

2010-07-19T14:35:00.000-07:00

Interesting article on the impact of Alaska's head tax on tourism:

http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2010/07/its-official-cruise-tourism-to-alaska-this-year-is-plunging/100318/1?csp=Travel

This was pretty predictable but, as normally happens in campaigns, Alaska's citizens were sold a bill of goods. One thing is always true, if you want less of something - tax it. Unfortunately, Alaska decided they wanted less tourist and less tourist dollars.

Of course, the campaign emphasized all the negative aspects of the cruise industry and minimized the impact on the state. It was thought that the cruise lines would "eat" the taxes or consumers would absorb it without blinking. They were wrong on both counts.

Tourist don't "have" to go to a Alaska or go on vacation for that matter. Cruise lines are making business decisions based on where they can generate the most profit on their ships.

You might be saying to yourself, does $50 really make a difference. Good question, because it is not the whole story. You might remember that line item on your last cruise invoice that was "port charges" or NCF (non-commissionable charges). This is a miscellaneous category that deals with charges for customs and immigration, harbor pilots, docking fees, etc. For Alaska, these charges add up to $235. In the Mexican Riviera - they are more like $159. That is money that you get charged as a cruise passenger that the cruise line passes through and doesn't make profit on. I don't know about you but all of my money is the same color - I don't pay taxes and fees with a different color money. It all comes out of my wallet the same way!

Alaskans are learning a lesson in the black and white world of global competition. Alaska is unique and wonderful and I highly recommend taking an Alaskan cruise. But they are not the only game in town. There is a world full of wonderful cruising opportunities.

That is not to say that cruise tourism is without cost. I get that. I also get that the tourist dollars that come to Alaska only come in seasonally from May to September. I also know that the law of unintended consequences can be very blunt and unyielding. I also know that you don't kill something good because it is not perfect. I think the cruise lines and the State of Alaska need to sit down and negotiate how to preserve the beauty of Alaska AND grow the state tourist industry.

Will the Allure of the Oasis lead to an Epic change in cruising?

2010-07-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

OK, I worked all day on that title. It is a not so subtle dig at all the press lately surrounding the launch of the Royal Caribbean International Oasis of the Seas, the recent launch of the NCL Norwegian Epic and the upcoming launch of the Allure of the Seas.

I have been on the Oasis and you know from my posts that I think it is a game changer - nothing like it has ever hit the market before. I am looking forward to cruising on the Epic this fall and have just secured space on the Allure next February. There is no doubt that they are an exciting development in cruising.

What I find interesting is the reaction of the press and the over reaction of many seasoned cruisers on various blogs. The press is acting like these were the first ships ever launched and the bloggers are bouncing from over rot exultation to prophetic posting on the collapse of cruising as we know it.

Let's get real. I think these ships will appeal to a market that might have been cautious about cruising in the past. The Oasis is a destination in itself. It truly is a resort at sea. The Allure will include some refinements (like the Broadway show Chicago) adding to the legacy of her sister, the Oasis. From the feedback I have received on the Norwegian Epic, I think this ship will set new standards for entertainment and variety. Those are great things. I think they will draw new people to cruising.

No, these are not the first ships ever launched but you would think it from reading the articles and postings from the media. They are an obvious refinement of the appeal of cruising. Such refinements have always been a part of ship design. Balcony cabins were one example of this refinement. They opened the perspective of cruising. Cabins could be a place to be enjoyed. Instead of always looking inward towards the ship, passengers could spend private time looking outward at the sea. These new ships are another step in that direction of expanding the appeal of cruises.

One concern that I always get from people who have never cruised is that they might get bored. Sea days are often seen as something to be avoided. These ships will explode this concern. With all the amenities on these ships, you will have to work at being bored on these ships!

Now, a moment for the hyperventilating cruise bloggers. Armageddon is not upon us. You will not be forced to sail on these ships. No, they might not be for you. If you like traditional cruising - there are plenty of great ships out there for you! This will not be the overall trend of cruising. Most itineraries will not support the number of passengers that will be needed to fill these ships week after week. One great aspect of the cruise industry is that there is a huge amount of diversity out there. You can find the cruise that matches your desires. Just because you are not interested in these developments doesn't mean that no one will like them. Different strokes for different folk!

My advice, spend time thinking about what you want to experience on your vacation and then talk with a cruise specialist you trust. They will be able to match the atmosphere, the itinerary and the ship to what YOU want from your vacation. That is what really matters. Your leisure time is limited. Get the most out of it!

Misc. comments on the world of travel......

2010-05-23T17:12:00.000-07:00

Sorry about my lack of blogging lately. If you don't have something important to say, don't say anything. Frankly, that is why I talk so little! (OK, everyone who knows me, stop laughing!)

The Mariner of the Seas leaves LA.

Royal Caribbean announced that they are moving the Mariner out of LA. It was a disappointment but not totally unexpected. We had heard rumblings and also noted the soft pricing. RCI regularly gets premiums vs. there competition with the Voyager and Freedom class ships. That wasn't happening in LA. I attribute this to three problems:

1) H1N1 Flu scare. This was at its height shortly after the Mariner moved to LA. I think it put a damper on the enthusiasm the travel industry in the West had with the Mariner's arrival. It also makes cruisers nervous and impacts future bookings. If you don't know when the ship is going to go back to the itinerary you want, why would you book the cruise?

2) Drug related violence in Mexico. OK, this reinforced a comment on education - Americans don't study enough geography. The violence is centered on the border but people freaked out about going to resorts on the Mexican Riviera. It would be like cancelling a ski trip to Idaho because it has been raining in San Francisco. People make decisions on emotion. When they can't read a map, it is hard to get over the fear of the unknown.

3) The California economy - The "drive market" - people within driving distance from the pier, is a big percentage of the Mexican Riviera market. With unemployment and fiscal instability in State Government tanking the confidence of the California consumers - it is easy to see why they weren't booking travel.

I will miss the Mariner. It is one of my favorite ships. For those looking for a great cruise - take advantage of the repositioning cruises around South America. They sold out fast when they moved the Mariner to LA!

SALE SALE SALE!!!! - If your e-mail inbox is anything like mine - it is being filled to capacity with special offers and cruise sale announcements. This is sending very mixed signals to consumers. It creates the impression that cruises are a distressed product and the cruise lines must be desperate. In my opinion, it makes cruisers even less likely to commit, wondering if the next offer will beat the one on the table.

Consumers need to understand what is truly driving these sales. Yes, there is soft demand for some itineraries and the cruise lines are trying to firm them up. But the cruise lines are also trying to capture market share. As cruisers come back into the market, the cruise lines are trying to be first to market and get as many of them booked on their ships as possible. That takes the consumer out of the market and not available to their competition for a while.

Short sighted? Somewhat. Brand building? No. Predictable and maybe necessary? Probably. I am sure the marketing people at the cruise lines are seeing the future through the same foggy lens that everyone else is. you can't always get demand, supply and pricing lined up exactly, 52 weeks a year, for every ship in the line.

What is a consumer to do? Let's start by asking the most obvious question. Why are you considering a cruise? If the answer is "because I want to save the most money possible", that would be a bit odd. If the answer is "I want a great vacation and a great value", OK, makes sense to me. Nobody wants to pay more than they need to but you also need to be realistic.

We all want to buy low and sell high in the stock market but every market expert will tell you that you can't time the market perfectly. I think cruise pricing is the same way. If you get a price that meets your budget with the accommodations you like and the itinerary you want - buy it! Five years from now, I will almost guarantee that you will have forgotten the price you paid. You will have the memories of places seen, experiences enjoyed and the loved ones you shared them with. Do you want to risk that for a $50 difference in a fare you won't even remember?

Music that makes you want to cruise

2010-02-20T18:58:00.000-08:00

Talk about a tough list! I realize that half of the people reading this will agree with half my selections. Half of the people out there will think I have half a mind. Half of you are probably about half right! But which half? Maybe this is why I always struggled with statistics!

You can’t come up with a list like this and expect not to generate controversy. I respect your right to disagree. That doesn’t mean I have any respect for your musical taste. I have seen enough Karaoke on cruise ships to know that musical talent is a very rare thing. That is why we have so many music critics. Feel free to post your comments and alternative selections.

The pop selections –
Occasionally a random pop song will come out that makes me think of cruising. Some of them never even mention the water or are more related to sailing than cruising. To me, they surface that feeling of tranquility that only the sea can give you. Sorry folks, Come Sail away from Styx didn’t make the list. Some things are too cheesy – even for me!

10. Crosby Stills Nash – Southern Cross
I close my eyes when I hear this song and I can almost see the sea going by as the ship “is nicely making way”. Makes you want to get a frosty adult beverage and enjoy some time on the balcony!

9. James Taylor - Mexico
Nobody knows better than me that cruising is about more than going to Mexico and the Caribbean but songs about cold drinks and hot, sunny weather get me in the mood to cruise!

8. Earth, Wind and Fire - September
OK – this song has absolutely nothing to do with cruising. Maybe it is on my list because almost every band on a cruise ship has it on their set list. I will be honest, I have heard a couple of Filipino bands absolutely butcher it but in general, the beat is so good that even a bad band can get a group dancing with this one. (Love the video – the costumes are…well…unique!)

The Kenny Collection –
For those of you who are country fans or listen to country radio, you know that you can’t swing a dead cat in a country music venue and not hit a few people who are big Kenny Chesney fans. He is this generation’s Jimmy Buffett. Just goes to show you. Write a few hit songs; tour like a maniac every summer and you to can buy a mansion on St. Johns.

7. Outta here (can't find a good video)
It just has that beat that makes you remember there are times where you just need to leave your problems behind and decompress. It might not make your problems go away – but it will probably help put them in perspective.

6. No shoe, no shirt, no problem
No, this is not the dress code on NCL. But I think it does make me think about being in the Caribbean. One of my favorite stops is Dominica. It is not only an island, but an attitude. Material possessions seem to have little meaning. As long as you have enough to get by and enough to help out your neighbors occasionally – you got enough. Funny, everybody there has a smile on their face.

5. Old Blue Chair
When I listen to this song, I hear perspective. Some places in the world were made to make us stop, get off the playing field, get up in the bleachers and see the big picture. Everyone has a different place that gives them that perspective. For some, it is the mountains. For me it is the ocean. It’s pretty hard to take yourself seriously when you are looking at something the size of the ocean.

The Jimmy Buffett Collection –
OK, nobody defines MY sound of cruising like Mr. Buffett. The mix of good lyrics, Caribbean rhythms and one particular perspective about what should be important in life. Let’s face it, most of the characters in his stories are pretty flawed. Then again, must of us are pretty flawed.

4. One Particular Harbour – My one Particular harbour is St. Thomas. Yes, it is too commercial, too many jewelry stores and not being able to fly home with liquor as a carry on has taken some of the fun out it for me. But the beauty of the sun setting over a harbour with sailboats at anchor really can’t be beat.

3. Boat Drinks – “I got to fly to St. Somewhere”. Nothing tells me I need to get to a ship more than when I start to identify with this song. I don’t even live in Michigan anymore!

2. A Pirate Looks at Forty –“I’m an over 40 victim of fate, arriving to late”. I think all of us that are over 40 look back at life and wonder what we would have done different if we possessed the wisdom we do now. The essence of the human condition. Youth is wasted on the young. Then again, we wouldn’t be the people we are today without the lessons we learned the hard way.

The ultimate Cruise Song –

1. Bob Marley – One Love “Let’s get together and feel alright”. The national anthem of Jamaica – or so it would seem. God knows that the Caribbean is a vacation paradise. But for the people who live there, there is as much or more hardship as you will find in any part of the world. Yet they have blessed us with their rhythms and often treat us like honored guests, even if our behavior doesn’t deserving it.

Many people tell me the Caribbean of today is nothing like it was 30 years ago. I often think, you could say that about any place in the world. There is an old phrase; you never dip your toe in the same river twice. I seems pointless to lament something that doesn’t exist anymore. Accept the beauty that is. Treat people with respect, treat their homes with respect and thank them for sharing the beauty with us. Make a friend. Help them put food on their family’s tables and open yourself to the lessons that travel will teach you.

Balancing the role of salesman and advisor

2010-01-24T13:03:00.000-08:00

I lost a sale this week. Not because I was recommending the wrong ship or cruise line. The client actually booked with the cruise line I had recommended. Not because the cruise line had a better price. Actually, we had the same price and I had a shipboard credit the cruise line wasn't offering. I have to decide if I am mad at the client, the cruise line or at myself.

First, I absolve the cruise line of blame. The client's relative called the cruise line. The call center agent told them they needed to book the cruise immediately so that is what the client did. The cruise line is motivated to close sales. The agent the client was talking to might not be in that job 3 months from now. They need to sell a cruise now.

I can't blame the client because I did not ask the right questions. I did not figure out who the buyer was. Obviously, it was the client's relative - who I never talked to. The value I thought I was providing was to the client - who was not the buyer. Salesmanship 101 says you find the buyer and work with them.

If you have been following along, you realize who needs to take the hit on this one. It's me! Needless to say, my philosophy is different from the cruise line. The agent for the cruise line was working the sale in front of them. I am trying to get long term clients. I am spreading the cost of acquiring that client across multiple cruises - because I know my retention rate is high and I want to work with clients that are happy to refer me to their friends. I have to balance the value I add as a trusted consultant with my skills as a salesman. Obviously, my ability to close the sale was incorrectly balanced with my desire to be a good consultant. Those skills would have come together if I asked the client why they were not ready to buy. That might have brought out an objection or concern that I had not been able to surface.

You might wonder why I make this a topic for my blog. I think it is important for clients to realize that when I put my time into being a consultant, I don't get paid until I book the cruise. You don't pay any more to work with me and in some cases, we can find you a better deal. You also get independent advice, I can recommend the right cruise line for you, not the cruise line I happen to work for. In the end, the cruise line pays me to be your consultant. If you book with them direct, you pay the same but don't get that advice. So basically, you decide what value I contribute. No matter what value you put on my service, you paid the same and got less.

Life in this business is always, "Win some, Lose some". If you are good, you win more than you lose. I just hate realizing that I lost, and the client lost too.

How best to help Haiti

2010-01-20T11:31:00.000-08:00

I am sure everyone is aware of the current humanitarian crisis in Haiti. Without a doubt our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and we encourage everyone to contribute what you can to assist in the relief efforts.

There has been some controversy of over the response of Royal Caribbean to these events. For those of you who have not seen the news stories, Royal Caribbean has decided to continue to make stops at their private island off the north coast of Haiti. Click here for the news release from Royal Caribbean.

Some news reports have questioned whether Royal Caribbean should be visiting Haiti during this crisis. They wonder if stopping in Haiti while rescue efforts are underway sends the wrong signal. I wonder, what signal would you prefer to send?

Here is a quick summary of what Royal Caribbean is doing. They are delivering supplies on every ship that visits Haiti. They are giving Haitian relief organizations 100% of the revenues generated from their visits to Haiti. They are continuing the employment of the direct staff on the private island and assuring that the subcontractors providing services are able to continue the employment for their employees in Haiti. They are continuing a strong commercial relationship that has been in place for 30 years.

I would never attempt to tell you how you should feel about visiting Haiti at this time. Every person has the right to their own views on such matters. I only ask that you think about what is best for the people of Haiti. Combining aid with continued economic opportunity makes sense to me. Providing aid but then putting people out of work doesn't seem to make sense. Especially if you are doing it because you are concerned with the public relations impact in the United States and what some journalist might say about it to sell papers or increase website visits.

I applaud Royal Caribbean for their efforts. I also request that you keep the Haitian people in your thoughts, prayers and deeds. There are many great aid agencies out there that could use your assistance.

Wave Season Basics

2010-01-07T12:36:00.000-08:00

If any of you follow cruising on the internet you have probably seen references to "Wave Season". If you still receive that paper stuff called "mail" you will probably start seeing your mail box fill up with direct mail from your favorite cruise lines.

Actually, this is an attempt by the cruise lines to assist with the rising cost of health care. They have entered into a vast conspiracy to improve the fitness level of postal workers. All that extra direct mail is sure to get their hearts pumping as they walk their routes!

The true economic value of this initiative will have to be balanced against the costs of replacing suspension systems on those postal vehicles. God knows my postal person never exits her vehicle unless she is stopping for a donut or taco!

Surprisingly, I digress. I thought it would be helpful to do a primer on Wave Season. Wave Season is the campaign that kicks off the new sales calendar for the cruise lines. It used to be like the Holiday shopping season for retailers. A lot of the year's business was booked in the first quarter of the year. It seems to have moderated in the past few years but there is still a noticible increase in business in January and February.

The question is, is this the best time to book? Here comes my favorite answer - it depends.

Here are some general guidelines that I have.

If you know when you want to travel, you have a good sense of the itinerary that interests you and you want the best selection of cabins and dining times - wave season is a great time to book. There is no crystal ball in this business. I can't tell you what sailings are going to book up fast and which one's are going to be slow. I can tell you that there will be less cabins available after wave season then before. Many people don't realize that upwards of 80% of the cabins sailing to Alaska are sold by the end of February.

Another reason to think about booking during wave season is if you need a special cabin. If you need a triple, quad or connecting cabins, they are in limited supply. Book those early. If you want to be mid-ship or aft facing (one of my favorite locations), book now.

If you are very flexible about timing, itinerary and cabin, I can't tell you that a better deal won't come along. There are always weak dates on a ship's calendar. Being creatures of habit, the seven day sailings that leave regularly on Saturday and Sunday tend to book up at a consistent pace. The 8 day sailings where the sailing date is different from week to week or "one-offs" on the schedule (unique sailings) always prove more of a challenge for the cruise lines. Great for you if you have that kind of flexibility but don't expect to get a mid-ship quad cabin AND first seating for dinner AND have it connected to the lowest priced inside cabin on the ship. Somebody deposited money on that cabin months ago.

Whenever you decide to book, call a cruise specialist. My e-mail box gets a special offer from a cruise line on a daily basis. We can help you find that perfect cruise and it won't cost you any more than if you went directly to the cruise line. Sometimes, we can even do better. It's worth the investment of a phone call or email.

It's all about expectations...

2009-12-12T13:02:00.000-08:00

I am going to go back to my wine analogy for this entry. I actually think I can keep this one short...but I have said that before!

When I buy a box wine, I have a certain expectation about what I am going to be getting. I wasn't looking for a unique wine. I was looking for a respectable wine at a good price to sip while eating dinner at home or watching the tube.

When I am going to a friend's house, I don't bring along a box wine as a gift. If it is the thought that counts, the thought was obviously "you really didn't matter enough to me to put out more effort than to bring my everyday, sit around in my boxers, wine". Hopefully, I bring along a wine that I think my friend might like but maybe wouldn't have thought to pick up himself.

I would like you to consider your cruise line selection the same way. Sometimes, you might just want to get away. Find a good value on a good line that goes someplace sunny. That is great! We can all go for that.

Sometimes, you want to go on a special trip, maybe an anniversary. You should get a little more selective. You wouldn't go into a wine store and say, "It's my anniversary. I want to get a bottle of wine for dinner. What's the cheapest wine you got?". I would hope you would think about what you might be having for dinner? What kind of wine does your wife like? Does a certain winemaker or vintage bring back good memories?

There ARE differences in cruise lines. Some are great products that are designed to appeal to a broad audience. There target is diverse. They are trying to cover a broad spectrum of people. That means they are looking to meet the expecations of a lot of people. That means finding the common denominator.

Some lines are focused at a different audience. They are not trying to be at the lowest price point. They are trying to be a little more discriminating. They want to give their clients the little extras. That means a little higher service level. That means a little more refinement. It probably doesn't mean tons of pool games.

Other lines are focused on bringing the luxury resort to cruising. That might mean smaller ships or gourmet cuisine or more exotic ports. That also means a higher price point and probably not the board list of amenities a larger ship might have.

If you want to be happy with your cruise experience, spend some time thinking about the experience you want. If you don't spend some time on that, the only thing you have to compare is price. Everybody wants a good price. But you want to have the experience you are expecting to be aligned with the price you pay. When you get a box wine, you have a certain expectation. When you buy a $60 bottle of pinot noir, you expect a different experience.

Once you have the experience in mind, call a cruise specialist. I would love it to be me. If not me, someone who can guide you to a line, ship and itinerary that matches the experience you want. Then, like a fine wine, your vacation will age into some fine memories.

Oasis of the Seas – We’re not in Kansas anymore!

2009-12-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

Step aboard the Oasis of the Seas and you feel like Dorothy opening the door into OZ. The world goes from black and white to color and you realize you’re not in Kansas anymore.

This truly is a destination

When Royal Caribbean introduced the Voyager Class ships, they were truly revolutionary. That special place in the industry can still be seen in the premiums these ships earn. When the Freedom Class ships were introduced they had some great new features (flowrider, etc.) but I couldn’t get beyond the feeling that these where just Voyager ships with a gland problem. Some nice refinements but more evolutionary than revolutionary.

Scale

The statistics on this ship quickly inform you that it’s not your run of the mill cruise ship. You can easily wrap your brain around the numbers. Until you step on board, you can’t wrap your senses around it. It is literally jaw dropping. And that experience continues as you explore all the decks of this ship.

Logistics

My first concern with this ship was how you could keep it manageable. We have all experienced frustrating delays during cruises. Tendering just isn’t possible on a ship this size and Royal Caribbean was smart to build itineraries where the Oasis could be docked.

The embarkation experience can also be a choke point for cruise lines. Royal Caribbean has always been a logistical leader and I felt if anyone could pull this off, it would be them. The goal is to get the “curb to ship” timeframe down to 15 minutes. I think they might not be there until they get all the bugs worked out but from looking at the beautiful new terminal at Port Everglades, it won’t be because the facility can’t handle it.

Since our cruise was a two night agent event, we handled our own bags. I am anxious to see how the experience will be with more bags, porters and the new cheesy, printed on your printer, taped/stapled, origami bag tags. Royal Caribbean has announced that they will be going to a new system where luggage tags are mailed to you in advance of sailing – as long as you complete your on line registration two weeks prior to sailing. I am all for cost containment and eliminating extra expenses but I think that putting more possibilities for error into a process that is already confusing will negatively impact the customer experience.

Reservations

Another way that the Oasis team is minimizing lines is by letting people make reservations for ship activities online before they even get on the ship. With this many passengers, it is just not feasible for all the passengers to be in the same place at the same time. It probably wouldn’t be fun, anyway. The ship is designed to have many intimate public spaces that will cater to different people with different taste. Not everyone will be interested in a jazz club or a comedy club or karaoke, but on a ship this size you will be able to find what you are interested in. Having the reservation system in place allows everyone to experience what they want to experience without rushing around to get in line. Reservations will also be available on board the ship. There is a kiosk in the Royal Promenade to assist with reservations. Your sign and sail card is used to confirm your reservation. No need to worry about carrying tickets around.

Signage

Having good signage on ships has also been a trademark of Royal Caribbean. They have taken it up a notch on the Oasis of the Seas. Royal has installed touch screen panels near the elevators that can direct you to anywhere on the ship – including to your cabin. Very handy after a night at Bolero’s drinking majitos. It operates like Google maps for a cruise ship, with arrows showing you where to go. No more mindless wandering to discover you were headed to the wrong end of the ship.

Neighborhoods Matter

The Oasis is divided into a series of neighborhoods. This is not just a gimmick. It makes a lot of sense. Different neighborhoods have a different feel and also different activity levels. You will want to think through what neighborhood makes the most sense for you.

Central Park

Central Park is a neighborhood for those who are looking for a quiet, peaceful atmosphere.

The inside balconies (I know, new term!) look out over the Central Park, filled with wonderful plantings and a wandering paver pathway.

The restaurants in Central Park offer the option of Al fresco dining. Trish and I had a relaxing respite from the Oasis Death March (trying to look at all the new cabin categories that were open for viewing), at Vintages.

It was a great way to unwind, enjoy a glass of wine and people watch.

Boardwork

The Boardwalk neighborhood is another distinct environment with a totally different tone. Inside balconies in this area look out over the carousel and all the other activities going on in the Aquatheater. With activities going on into the evening, there will be always something going on outside your balcony. Great if you want to keep track of things from your room. Maybe not desirable if you are an early-to-bed type, or have small children that you might want to put down for the night.

Family Alternatives

The designers of the Oasis have outdone themselves in creating family compatible cabins
Capacities from 5 to 8 passengers are available in inside cabins, ocean view, balconies, and suites – literally every price point you could imagine! This creates great options for clients that need more capacity than a quad cabin allows.
As spectacular as I think this ship is, it might not be the cruise ship for everyone. Yes, it has something for everyone, it just might not be right for everyone. It is a big ship, and some people prefer a smaller ship. Frankly, no one builds a ship that is perfect for everyone. That is a benefit not a problem. You can find the ship YOU are looking for.

I can see the Oasis being a great alternative for many people. The size of the ship allows for a smorgasbord of amenities. Over a week, as your moods and preferences change, the vast choice of amenities allows you to find the part of the ship that appeal to you at that moment.

An extra destination on every itinerary!

Oasis has blown apart every convention of what a cruise vacation could be. It is beyond revolutionary – it is paradigm shifting.

Many clients don’t spend time thinking about the differences between the ships and cruise lines. They focus on the ports to the exclusion of the cruise experience. They fail to realize that even on a port day they spend 16 of 24 hours of that day on the ship. More than 2/3rds of your vacation is going to be spent on the ship.
Oasis is the first ship that is truly a destination. They need to change the name of sea days to Oasis days.

Beyond the Generic

In the past, when comparing alternatives for clients, it was sometimes difficult to justify a premium for one mass market cruise line over the other. Most mass market cruise ships would do a great job for clients who were looking for that experience. Yes, the different lines emphasize some attributes over others, so that created some differentiation. The Oasis changes the game. It creates an experience that you can only get on one ship (and in the future, two ships with the Allure of the Seas). You can’t duplicate it on any other ships. Not many new ships have been able to achieve that. The Oasis of the Seas will be the biggest for a while, but it’s distinction of being a game changer is an achievement that will be hers alone for a long time!

Venice doesn't look like much from a bus window....

2009-11-15T10:03:00.000-08:00

A quick post with a small piece of advice. We all know that the cruise is the main course in your travel meal but don't forget the appetizer and dessert!

What I mean is your port of embarkation and disembarkation. Although this is where you start and finish your cruise, you really don't get to see much of those cities. I can't imagine spending all the money to fly to Europe and only seeing the parts of Venice that I can spot between the airport and the pier. It just makes sense to spend some time in these magnificent cities.

In the industry (doesn't that sound uppity) they call these 'pre' and 'post' cruise stays. There are a bunch of different ways to approach this. All the cruise lines have hotel programs. The advantage is that they often include transfers to and from the hotels in their packages. This has a "one call does it all" appeal. I can also tell you that the cruise line gets a good premium on their packages.

Another alternative that some cruise lines offer is the "cruise-tour". These are typically longer itineraries (3 to 5 days) that include tours and other destinations. Two advantages to this are that you get to see more and you get to get adjusted to the time zone. It is bad enough that some of our fellow citizens have given us the honor of being called "ugly Americans". Let's not add "Zombie Americans".

If you are thinking about doing something less structured, we can help you put together a custom package. This gives you the opportunity to be in the part of the city that you most want to see and have the free time to experience the destination the way you want to. We have several quality vendors that we work with to make these arrangements. I call this the "roll your own" approach. Don't ask me were I came up with that analogy. Let's just leave it with this explanation, I went to college in Oregon in the '80's.

Pre and Post stays aren't just for when you are traveling to Europe or Asia. Don't forget some of the great cities we have in the US. New York, New Orleans, Miami, Seattle. Which of these cities doesn't deserve a little exploration?

I was about to add Victoria and Vancouver, BC on to that list. Great cities to visit but they aren't part of the US, yet. Just kidding. We know how much our Canadian neighbors love their colorful money. They spend loons, we elect them.

When it comes down to it, there is one cost that every vacation includes. That is the cost of your vacation time. Whatever you decide to do, that time isn't coming back. It is spent. Get the most out of it!

Don't be the rebel without a clue when it comes to group bookings!

2009-11-01T07:39:00.000-08:00

This is going to sound weird, especially for those who are not familiar with group bookings. But human nature is a strange beast and some of that strangeness really comes out when it comes to booking a vacation.

First, let's all get on the same page. Cruise lines love to set up groups and give incentives to promote them. Some of those incentives go to travel agents but some of them go to the group leader that actually sets up the group. Typically, these arrangements are negotiated between the travel agent, the group leader and the cruise lines.

It comes down to a division of labor. The more the group leader is willing to do, promote the group, get people lined up, decide on a cruise line, ship, itinerary, collect payments, the more the travel agent is willing to pass the group incentives on to the group leader. The bigger the group gets, the more interested the cruise line gets about throwing more money in the pot. These are case by case discussions. If a ship isn't selling well in a given week, the cruise line incentives go up. If the cruise line has a hot new ship, sailing a popular itinerary during peak season - they aren't all that interested in creating incentives for groups. The world of profit and loss is pretty black and white.

Groups are good business for us in the cruise business. If you have someone bringing you multiple cabins, it is usually a good thing. But you always end up with a rebel in the group. They are sure they can find a cabin for cheaper. It seems to become a mission, to prove the group leader could have gotten a better deal. Very seldom does it work out being a better deal but the group rebel always needs to declare victory and ignore reality.

Cruise lines know that group business is very profitable for them and are not interested in cutting the legs out from under a group leader who has brought them business. OK, there are specific cases where you run into issues but here is what is normally true:

Groups have at least as good a price as you can get directly from the cruise line. Usually better.
Groups typically have some amenities associated with them (on board credits, or price reductions or wine in every cabin). Those amenities only come when you book into the group.
Groups often want to dine together. The cruise lines can only do this if everyone in the group is booked into the group.
If the travel agent has agreed to share any bonuses with the group leader, only those booked into the group are part of that deal.

So why do people spend their time searching the Internet for a better deal that frankly does not exist? Again, I think this one of those human nature questions that makes no logically sense. It has to be some kind of control issue or some deep seeded need to "beat the system". It's like betting on the long shot at the track. It might only come in once in a blue moon, but boy are you proud when it does.

I have actually turned clients away if they tell me they are searching for a better price on a cabin that their friend or relative has set up a group for. Frankly, it just doesn't make sense. It is a waste of my time and their time. Honestly, if they take my best price to the agent that set up their group - a good agent will show them why they have a better deal. Plus I don't want a client that booked with me to find out when they get on board that they can't eat dinner with the rest of the group and they didn't get any of the group amenities. It would be a disservice to the client.

So here is my advice to the Group Rebel. Take a deep breath. Trust your group leader. Even if that person was never your favorite relative and once said something nasty about Aunt Mildred, they are not going to be making a fortune off the one cabin you are booking. If you are not the trusting type, make sure you know the whole deal. Don't muck up everything for the whole group just so you have a sense of control. Five years from now, you want to remember the fun you had with your friends and relatives. The rest of the details will be left in the wake.

Carnival Pride

2009-10-25T11:36:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make some quick comments on the Carnival Pride. I don't want to do a full review because we were on the annual CruiseOne conference on the Carnival Pride and didn't really get to fully partake in the cruise experience.

Joe Farcus, the interior architect of Carnival ships, is probably the best person to talk about his vision for the Carnival Pride. Here is a link to a video where Joe talks about the Carnival Pride:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1599926468?bclid=1612732333&bctid=1618618414

As Joe mentioned, "Beauty" is the central idea behind his vision of the Pride. You know the old phrase, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". That holds true on the Carnival Pride. There is a big dose of Renaissance influence on this ship. Many Rubinesque nudes and a large number of cherubs. I will say, I learned something while on this cruise. I learned that cherubs have junk. Frankly, I could have done without seeing cherub junk. I am sure the cherubs were proud of their junk but frankly - TMI.

As I mentioned, participating in a conference makes it hard to fully partake in a cruise. With all the wining and dining going on, you spend more time talking about cruising than actually cruising.

We did have a few highlights that I want to pass on. One was the Blue Lagoon Island in Nassau. Royal Caribbean treated us to a day on the island and a dolphin encounter. Nassau has never been one of my favorite ports. Pretty commercial and crowded for my taste. We thoroughly enjoyed Blue Lagoon Island! It was a great day, sitting in the shade, drinking an icy beverage and enjoying the company of Elaine and Jimmy, our friends and fellow NY Giants fans! We also enjoyed the Dolphin encounter. It gave us a chance to interact with a very nice dolphin named Princess and her trainer. The encounter did not involve swimming with the dolphins so non-swimmers would be totally comfortable with this experience. You did get to pet the dolphin and got a big sloppy kiss. Trust me, a diet of small fish does nothing for a dolphin's breath.

The other great experience I wanted to pass on was dinner at the supper club on the Pride, David's. David's is an alternative dining venue which does have a cover charge of $30. I found it to be well worth the money. The food was wonderful and creatively prepared. The room was quiet, perfect for great conversation. Combine good wine, great company and superbly prepared steak and you can pretty much guarantee that I will be happy!

The Carnival Pride is a Spirit class ship that has a nice flow and is pretty easy to navigate. We spent most of our conference time in the theater and in the secondary lounge, the Butterfly Lounge. The Theater had great sight lines and worked well for our presentations. The Butterfly lounge was actually a little claustrophobic for me. I think this had more to do with the number of people we had in the room than the room itself.

Sailing out of Baltimore was a first for us. Baltimore is part of the home porting strategy that Carnival and several cruise lines have implemented. The idea is to put ships closer to major population centers. This lowers the price point for people in the area by eliminating the need to purchase airline tickets. The pier in Baltimore was very well organized and Carnival did a great job of keeping everyone informed on the progress of embarkation. This can be one of the most stressful experiences for new cruisers. Keeping the information flowing and making things very organized helps lower the overall stress level. You still need to be patient - unfortunately, we live in a c- world where not everyone makes the effort to listen to instructions.

We stayed in a hotel in the Inner Harbor area across the street from Camden Yards. It is a beautiful park. I could see coming in for a home stand and then taking a cruise. Because of the tides and a low bridge, the ship arrives and departs on a rather strict schedule. Remember to consult the itinerary when making air arrangements.

As usual, Carnival did a solid job on the cruise and an excellent job hosting our conference. I highly recommend the concept of meetings at sea and would be happy to talk through options if you think it would work for your organization.

Many of the CruiseOne agents on board had not sailed on Carnival for several years. They were impressed with the overall service level and the quality of food on board. The only complaints I heard were about the flow of the buffet. I must admit that the breakfast buffet didn't have a huge variety. Trust me, nobody starved. I had my fill for breakfast and also enjoyed the pizza and burgers on board.

One of the ports we visited was Port Canaveral. Port Canaveral is about 1 and 1/2 hours from Orlando. We were hosted by Disney. Considering the transit times, you can squeeze in a visit to one of their parks, but not much more than that. Of course, the Disney experience is always memorable. They just entertain in a matter that no one else can duplicate. Disney is Disney. You pay Disney prices but you get Disney value.

All in all, we had a fun and productive time on the Carnival Pride. The combination of a well designed ship and a good crew goes a long way to making any cruise a memorable experience.

Carnival Insider View - Kelly Herlein

2009-10-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

Kelly Balfour Herlein is our local partner representing Carnival Cruise Lines. You might wonder what a Business Development Manager does. Kelly calls on travel agents in order to promote Carnival and train travel agents on her product. She also supports us in our efforts to sell Carnival Cruises to our customers.

Kelly has always been a great partner and has become a good friend. She has always been open to our ideas on getting people interested in cruising generally and Carnival specifically. Thanks to Kelly for being our guest blogger and providing her perspective on Carnival.

CC: If you were talking to someone who had never cruised on Carnival before, how would you describe what makes Carnival different and special?

Kelly: Carnival is a unique vacation; this is not just for College kids and Young Adults. Carnival is young at heart, but this doesn't mean you need to drink adult beverages to have fun! There are many different types of activities and styles for ALL ages to choose from. One of the largest groups we host are reunions. High school and Family. I myself have hosted a friends and family group on the Carnival Elation and we all had a blast. There were 63 of us and we all came from different backgrounds and life styles. Plus I have learned that friends and family are brutally honest and if something was wrong or not to their likings I would know about it! I'm happy to report back that we went again the following year to the Western Caribbean on the Carnival Valor.

CC: Of the Carnival ships you have been on, which one has been your favorite and why?

Kelly: One of my favorite ships is the Carnival Spirit. The Carnival Spirit will be sailing from Seattle round trip to Alaska next summer!This ship is on of my favorites because it a little more subdued than our other ships. The Carnival Spirit has nice elegant class. Plus the ship is 80% balconies and who doesn't want a great deal on a balcony. This ship is very customer friendly and all of the decks go straight through from stern to bow. The galley is at the aft of the ship. The Carnival Spirit also has an amazing 8 day itinerary in the fall and winter. She sails to the Exotic Mexican Riviera. I will say all of our ships have unique character and there is something one very ship that I enjoy.

CC: The first time you cruised on Carnival, was there an experience that you didn't expect that really impressed you?

Kelly: The first time I was on a ship I was worried I wouldn't know what to do;how to order food how to find my state room and where to get on and off the ship at each port. I was extremely impressed when all of these things came naturally due to the wonderful and extremely professional staff. They explained everything as though it was there first time to say it.

CC: What has been your favorite public space on a Carnival ship?

Kelly: I have many favorite public spaces. One a few of our ships we have an alternate dining restaurant called "The Supper Club" this is a phenomenal dining experience with mouth watering food. Another area I enjoy is the "Piano bar" this is a fun area to sing along with others even if you don't have a good voice, like myself. I also love the comedians. Who doesn't like to laugh and they are good! These are only a few things I like I could go on for ever!

CC: Which Carnival cruise would be on the top of your cruising bucket list?

Kelly: The cruise at the top of my bucket list would have to be Northern Europe. I didn't get a chance to do this in 2007 and I hope this itinerary will be back in 2011. I must say that for some guest its not the itinerary that makes the difference. It is the friends and family you sail with and the new people you meet while your traveling.

CC: What was the most embarrassing thing to happen to you on a cruise?

Kelly: The most embarrassing thing that has happened to me would be on the Carnival Paradise. I hosted a Seminar at Sea and I brought my finance with me. We were in the main show lounge when we were being served our beverages and the waiter must have mis-balance his tray because before you know it a red bull went flying off his tray along with two glass of red wine that nearly spilled all over my evening dress. Before I even looked at my finance I said " wow that was a close one I almost had wine all over me" my finance looked at me and he had red wine everywhere, it was even dripping down his poor face. The waiter was extremely apologetic and took care of his dry cleaning and held our seats while we went to change. Throughout the rest of the cruise we would see the waiter and he felt so bad he kept buying my finance drinks. The waiter still didn't know I worked for Carnival until the last day on the cruise when I hosted a cocktail party for all of my agents.The waiter came in to serve all of us and you could just see it in his eyes.I told him we were very pleased with his service and we are all human; easy for me to say I wasn't the one with wine on me. Long story short, it doesn't matter who you are I was happy to have my finance taken care of.

CC:What was the funniest thing that you have seen on a Carnival cruise?

Kelly: My Mother likes to dance and one night at dinner the waiter saw this and pulled my Mom out into the middle of the dining lounge and she danced with all of the waiters.

CC: If you had one shot at convincing a non-cruiser to try Carnival, what would your best argument be?

Kelly: If your reason for not cruising is you can't swim, you may get motion sick and or you think there isn't enough things to do, then I have some answers for you:

1) You are cruising and not swimming, you are suppose to stay on the ship.Those that choose to swim are few and far between and shouldn't be left alone.
2) If you think you'll be motion sick I always ask people if they get car sick sitting in the front seat of a car. If so then bring some motion sickness pills and or a patch and you will be set!
3) There are so many things to do on the ship you will have to come back to enjoy all the activities we have to offer. Contact your local travel agent and they can give you a list of all these activities.

Thanks again to Kelly for her thoughts on Carnival!

We will sell no line......before its time.

2009-10-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

Long time no post! I know, I should be more consistent. I will try to do better in the future.

I am overloaded with thoughts and ideas for this post. The key theme is Carnival Cruise Lines. Since I last posted, we spent a week on the Carnival Pride for our CruiseOne/Cruises, Inc. National Conference, I had a chance to catch up with Kelly Herlein, our Carnival Business Development Manager and I have read a lot of comments about Carnival that I would like to weigh in on.

As I have often mentioned, I firmly believe that wine and cruises have a lot in common. Both are infinitely diverse. Both can be a decedent luxury or an every day staple. Both are highly subjective and open to passionate argument. But here is something I firmly believe. A wine that is well constructed shouldn't be criticized just because I don't have a taste for it. I might not like it. I might not choose to purchase it but someone out there will probably love it. Cruise lines should be given the same respect.

I am always amazed that only 20% of the people in the USA have been on a cruise but 100% of people consider themselves cruise experts. When I tell people I am a cruise specialist, two things usually occur. First I am asked, "What is your favorite cruise line". Then I am told what the best cruise line is.

Having been on over 30 cruises, I feel pretty comfortable discussing many different cruise lines. I am always amazed by people who have only been on one line but have no problem pointing out all the issues with cruise lines they have never experienced. It would be like having enjoyed one bottle of Chardonnay and then expounding on the relative value of french wines vs. Chilean wines. Personally, I try not to demonstrate my ignorance by talking about things I have no clue about. Being clueless seldom stops people from expressing their views on different cruise lines.

I seldom find people to have more passionate opinions about a cruise line than Carnival. Carnival seems to be a brand that everyone has something to say about. Since this is my blog, you get my take.

I will now do something unique in the debate on Carnival. I will give you an INFORMED opinion based on RECENT experience. Typically, when I get a negative comment about Carnival, I ask when that person had been on Carnival. The answer is usually never or not since some time last century or occasionally I get, "well I have never been on Carnival but my Aunt Mabel hated it". I happen to know that Aunt Mabel is a lovely woman who is avoided on holidays, occasionally falls off her meds and is found wondering the streets in a robe and likes to consume Thanksgiving dinner with the aid of a blender and a straw.

Here is what I will say about Carnival. First - they didn't get to the size they are by delivering a bad product. Second - They know their market and make decisions based on what that market is looking for. Third - They are concerned about what their market thinks about them, not what the rest of the cruise industry thinks about them.

If you are interested in the cruise industry history, I highly recommend reading "Devils on the Deep Blue Sea" by Kristoffer A. Garin. It is a great look at the genesis of the cruise industry and the players that built the industry. This book gets into the good, the bad and the ugly. It also shows how Carnival Cruise Lines help build the cruise industry in Miami, almost from scratch.

For Carnival, that history hasn't always been pretty but they have constantly built on their own success. The Carnival of today would not be recognized by the early cruise pioneers.

Here is what I hear Carnival Executives say about their line. They are a contemporary cruise line that is focused on providing cruises to a broad market that is based on delivering a great value at an affordable price. Main Street America is their market and they are the Fun Ships. They focus on being the best product in that market place. I think they do a great job of fulfilling that mission.

I understand that many people get great enjoyment looking down their noses at Carnival. I think that Carnival cries all the way to the bank. I won't tell you that Carnival is for everyone. It's not. I won't tell you that any cruise line is right for everyone. That is the fun part about this industry. Its strength is its diversity. I will tell you this. If you want a great cruise at a great price that will appeal to cruisers from 7 to 70. Think about Carnival.

Further proof that God protects the stupid

2009-09-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

This is one of those stories that I wonder why I give any more publicity to but I couldn't let it go without comment.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/cruises/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=68498346.blog&csp=Travel

The above article describes the rescue of a passenger who jumped off a ship and was lucky enough to be rescued by the crew of the Disney Wonder. Congratulations to the Captain and crew of the Wonder for succeeding in rescuing someone who, if the world was a just place, doesn't deserve the oxygen he wastes. According to the story, he threatened his wife that he would jump, and when she told him to go ahead, he did. Boy, I bet she felt REALLY bad about that! Sounds like his moment of glory, as I am sure he was proud of his bravery, lasted until he hit the water and had a "now what do I do" moment.

Three quick points need to be made:

1) it is never a good idea to threaten to kill oneself if the person giving the OK is the beneficiary on your life insurance.
2) Most Coast Guard rescue crews agree that jumping from nine stories into the ocean is not wellness enhancing.
3) Your odds were probably better to be run over by the Disney Wonder than to be rescued by her crew.

I do not wish to diminish the actions of the rescuers involved. It sounds like the crew of the Carnival Sensation, the Disney Wonder and the Coast Guard went above and beyond the call of duty to perform this successful rescue. Thankfully, there training and execution prevented a tragic loss of life. I do want to point out that their lives were put at risk by a selfish act of stupidity.

I am not sure why human stupidity always seems to rise to the level of "news" when it occurs on a cruise ship. I am pretty sure that it goes on in every town across America on a daily basis. I also know that excessive drinking is not limited to the cruise industry. Speak to any policeman on the street and he will have some unfortunate stories to tell you. I suppose this is a case where because the word "cruise ship" is involved, it is automatically news.

Maybe it is good news that these situations occur infrequently enough that they are considered news. Suicides in Las Vegas apparently occur frequently enough that they are no longer news. I just wish our news sources would find something more important to fill their blogs with.

Finding the 86% Solution - Fighting Everyday for the Freedom To Cruise!

2009-08-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a great presentation from our business partners at NCL (Norwegian Cruise Lines). They had a ton of great information segmenting the cruise industry and defining what different generations are expecting from the cruise lines and from cruise specialist. Very interesting but my objective is not to bore you with the highly compensated opinions of marketing consultants.

I am trying to solve the problem that all the brightest minds in the cruise industry have struggled with. The biggest question in the industry is, "How do we get the 86% of people who have never been on a cruise to give it a try"? I think they have been asking the wrong people. I am sure they have employed the best marketing minds, the best sales minds, the best anthropologist, Mensa members all. I think they should go the complete opposite direction. They should talk to me!

I won't bother you with stating my credentials. My varied job history (flipping burgers, making pizza at Chuck E. Cheese, learning COBOL for some reason) should qualify me as the anti matter to all the great minds I discussed earlier.

Here is my theory - the only logical reason more people have not cruised is that the evil cruisers of the world have deliberately conspired to keep the masses from discovering cruising by creating ridiculous arguments against cruising. I figure if they can convince you that politicians are looking out for your best interests - they can convince you of just about anything!

The goal of this conspiracy is to keep all the joys of cruising to themselves. They want the best selection of cabins on all the new ships. Selfish, yes. But also very cunning. They have been fighting a defensive battle against the cruise lines for years, who keep building new ships and filling them with more and more amenities. They have worked overtime as the cruise industry has expanded across the world. Considering the variety of cruise lines, the vast selection of itineraries, the incredibly high satisfaction rate of cruisers, they are definitely the Dirk Dastardly of the seas. I have decided I must do battle with this evil where ever I find it. Since rational arguments and wonderful vacations have not seemed to foil these villains, it is time for me to resort to weak attempts at humor!

So let's start crushing these sad excuses for arguments. I always love this one, "I might get bored". The logical arguments about how many different things there are to do aboard a cruise ship don't seem to be getting through. Discussions of work out facilities, pools, hot tubs, specialty restaurants, coffee bars, lounges, casinos, spas, movies under the stars work for most of cruisers. I am going in a totally different direction. Just how interesting do you really think your lives are? As I thought. Unless you happen to be a spy, a member of the Special Forces or part of the Secret Service - I think you really need to get over yourself. Really - your life is not all that interesting. Your life will be there when you get back. Maybe you need a break from the constant thrill-fest that goes on in your cubicle every day.

The next one that gets me is "I will be to confined". Now, this might have worked years ago on the old Love Boat. Those ships weren't all that large. Now - not so much. The Mariner of the Seas is 1,021 ft. long. That is over three football fields. Do you feel "confined" in a football stadium? Trust me, the drink guy comes around a lot more frequently at the cruise ship pool than at the football stadium.

I think the whole confined thing is a cover for a fear of commitment. The unique thing about a cruise is that you are in it for the duration. If a week long cruise is too much of a commitment for you, try out a 3 or 4 day cruise. Think of it as shacking up. If you have severe commitment phobia, consider a 2 night cruise. They have them periodically. It can be your fling. I promise you, the cruise ship won't follow you around afterward asking you what went wrong. Cruise ships are just that way. They are just not that into you.

Now this last one is a little tricky. A bunch of people are concerned about becoming sea sick - or as the industry likes to call it "Motion Discomfort". I don't get motion discomfort but I know that you folks are out there and I feel nothing but empathy for you. Nobody wants to feel like that.

For the rest of you, let's get to the base of this fear. I have talked with some of you and your excuses are legendary. I will ask if you get sick in cars - you tell me no. I will ask you if you get sick on planes - again you say no. Then I ask where have you experienced motion discomfort. I usually get one of two answers. One is "I was on a fishing boat once in the North Pacific". If you don't get sea sick on a 20 ft fishing boat pitching around on the North Pacific, you should be named seafarer of the year. The second excuse is "I got sick on the MV Coho once".

For those of you from outside the Northwest, the MV Coho (Black Ball Ferry Line) is a car ferry that goes from Port Angeles to Victoria, BC. I will admit, prior to cruising, it was the largest ship I had ever been on. The strait it crosses does get a little dicey at times. Now let's put it in perspective. The Coho is 341 ft. long. The Mariner of the Seas, as one example, is 1,021 ft. long! The main engines on the Coho produce about 2/3rds the power of the bow thrusters on the Mariner! The Mariner also has stabilizers that help keep the ship from moving too much. We are talking about grapes and watermelons. It would be like me telling you I was qualified to drive an Abrams Tank because I once drove a Yugo. It takes some pretty good weather for these ships to really move. Yes, you do feel the motion but it is more likely to rock you to sleep. Worst case, pick up some Dramamine from the drug store. Let's be honest, we pop pills for everything from headaches to back pain to needing to lose a quick 5 pounds but we get all worried about putting on a patch for a cruise ship!

There is no logical reason NOT to try cruising. There are yachts with 12 passengers. There is the Oasis of the Seas with 5000 passengers and every size in between. 70% of the planet is covered in water and most of it has a cruise ship floating on it. You can go from casual all the time, from kayaks and whale watching to 6 star resorts. Just tell me the vacation experience you want to have and we will find something that fits your style. Don't let the Dick Dastardly's of the world win - get on a ship!

Lots of deals - but are they for you!

2009-07-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

I have a parable for you...

I take Trish to a nice restaurant for a night on the town. We get a great table because I actually plan ahead and get a reservation. The hostess shows us to our table and hands us the menus. She presents me with the wine list. I tell her that won't be necessary.

Trish gives me a quizzical look. I pull a bottle out of a brown bag from under the table. Sure it is a little dusty but I am confident that it is a fine vintage of Thunderbird. The truck probably took the long way around from the "winery", just to give that bottle a little extra time to age.

I couldn't believe it when Trish's jaw dropped to the table. I am confused. The guy vomiting outside the drug store had given this vintage his highest recommendation! It also was the best deal on the bottom shelf of the wine aisle. A promising evening seemed to be taking a turn for the worst.

It is probably not hard for the reader to see where I went wrong. Never take wine advice from a man who spends his day looking for the most comfortable sidewalk to sleep on. Price might not always be the best indicator of value.

I realize that this might seem a bit self serving. I do get paid a commission based on price. I was also not stripped of integrity when I decided to work at a job based on commission. My long term well being is based on my clients coming home happy, booking future cruises with me and referring my name, with confidence, to their friends. This happy circle only is completed when I put my clients on the right cruise for them.

I also realize that budgets, available time and expectations put constraints on us all. We might choose one cruise experience when travelling with our children and a totally different one when celebrating an anniversary. The key factor always needs to be matching the client with the right cruise.

The cruise industry is full of deals right now. I want my clients to take full advantage of their power in the market place. I merely ask that they look beyond the price tag to see if the experience is what they are expecting. The great thing about cruising is that the cruise lines have differentiated their products. This is not like an airline seat which anyone can survive for a few hours. This is your home for a week.

My job is to take a little time and make sure I know what cruise experience you are looking for. Maybe you want to spend a little less on this cruise. That works for me. Maybe you want to spend a little more. That is OK too. We will find you value.

I will guarantee you this. Ten years from now, when you are looking at pictures from your cruise, the first thing on your mind won't be what your cabin fare was. It will have been the right experience or the wrong experience. You don't get that time back. Work with me to make sure we get it right!

I am picking up hints of pink....

2009-06-21T13:17:00.001-07:00

As my readers might be aware, a big influence on the "voice" of this blog is Michael Alberty, the owner of Storyteller Wine Company. Michael is awesome at describing the experience around wines. I wanted to bring that sense of "experience" to the cruise blog world. Still I often wonder how exactly he found out what river rocks taste like. Trust me, probably not a guy I want to follow around and see what he is "tasting".

Every cruise is a unique experience. No company does a better job of expressing that than Carnival. Trish and I were able to get a taste of that experience again when we toured the Carnival Splendor. The Splendor was in Astoria, OR for a port visit. The first time a Carnival ship had visited Astoria - hopefully not the last.

A couple of things stuck with me about this visit. First, people will step into a line where ever it forms. We were waiting for the Carnival security folks to give us temporary IDs for the ship and passengers started getting in line behind us. Trish was nice enough to step out of our line and make sure passengers weren't waiting behind us.

The second thing that struck me was the consistent focus that Carnival brings to their ship design. Part of that is the influence of Joe Farcus, the chief designer/architect behind the interiors of Carnival ships. Every ship has central idea that is the jumping off point for the design. Behind that central idea is the brand identity of Carnival. They are the Fun ships. The designs should be fun.

The intent of the Carnival experience is to take you out of the work/home environment that you occupy all year and pull you into something totally different - something fun. I can't think of many people who complain that their lives are too fun.

There is no doubt that these central ideas come off better on some ships than others. I happen love both the Carnival Conquest and the Carnival Spirit. For those who think that all Carnival ships are wild and over the top, I think you would be surprised by those ships. On the Splendor, the first thing that comes to mind is the color pink. There is a lot of pink on this ship. Check out John Heald's blog for an interesting interview with Farcus on why so much pink. To summarize, Farcus explains that pink is a color that invokes health and life. OK, that makes this one of the healthiest ships I have ever been on!

I will admit that after a few minutes, the pinkness faded into the background. I think you begin to look past it or maybe your retinas just surrender and decide to no longer pay attention. Then you start to see some enhancements that Carnival has made to this ship. The Splendor is considered the first in it's class. Carnival has made some subtle changes to this ship from its Conquest class.

The biggest change is in the spa and the adjacent spa suites. This is for you spa addicts out there who feel that walking down the hall to the spa was way too much of an inconvenience. These cabins have special spa amenities and access to the spa.

All the other features that have come to define the Carnival experience are here and updated. Trish and I were impressed with the Seaside Theatre, the water slide and the kid's splash pool.

The Atrium has a great bar area that is open for several decks with a bank of panoramic elevators. There was a very good jazz band playing when we walked by. I resisted my craving for a dirty martini and time to take in a jam session.

Carnival also replaced the fish and chips area with a Rotisserie. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to sample the fare. I was left with the impression that Carnival had done a great job integrating the elements its fans have grown to love with some new features that will become hits.

A great new ship, the convenience of being able to sail the Mexican Riviera from Long Beach. I think Carnival has a hit on their hands.

The World comes to Portland

2009-06-20T19:14:00.000-07:00

The World, the condominium cruise ship, came to Portland this week and became an icon in two days. I thought it was interesting that people referred to it as "HUGE". Actually, as modern cruise ships go, The World is a fairly modest size. Luxury yes, huge no.

Of course, we don't get a lot of cruise ship visits in Portland. There is not a permanent cruise ship terminal and Portland is located 90 miles down the Columbia River, it really isn't very practical for regular cruise ship visits. We get more regular visits to Astoria as ships move up and down the coast for the Alaska season.

It was interesting the amount of media exposure the ship received. Maybe it got the dream machine moving for some people. When you work in the industry you tend to forget that only 15% of the U.S. Population has been on a cruise. We still have a lot of work to do to educate the masses on the value of cruising.

I tried to find a Youtube of the skit that Steve Martin did on Saturday Night Live. I think it was titled "What is that over there". That was about the limit of the dialogue. Pretty much Steve Martin saying "What the hell is that?" Portland seemed to become a little enthralled with the whole spectacle of a cruise ship docking downtown. A lot of pointing and gawking.

You really wanted to pull people aside and say, "You can cruise, maybe not on this ship, but we can get you on a very nice ship and on your budget". I still think many people think of cruising as something that is out of their price range. Yet they think nothing of flying off to Hawaii, renting a condo and spending a week. I often tell people to add up what they spent on food and entertainment and see what that vacation really cost. Not to mention that Mom still got stuck cooking and cleaning. Great vacation for mom - just ask her. Same work - better view.

The mission continues - spreading the message of cruising to the masses. Knowing that they will discover what we have discovered. It is a great value. It is great fun and you can't believe how relaxing it is to be on a ship at sea!

A blog connects to a blog

2009-06-17T16:46:00.000-07:00

One of our friends and clients just got back from a cruise on the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas. Carly was nice enough to allow us to link to her blog. She has some great video of the fun they had on their vacation. Enjoy: http://carly-turley.blogspot.com/

Readers Beware - Don't believe everything you read

2009-06-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

I clearly remember walking out of the courthouse after a day on jury duty. I am a voter, a taxpayer and I firmly believe that there is an obligation to participate in the system. What I was thinking was how terrifying the idea of a "jury of my peers" was. Let's be nice about it - we live in a C-minus world!

Now, you might wonder why I am bringing this up in my blog. I ask you this question, if you HAVE been on jury duty - would you consider walking around the room and asking your "peers" which cruise you should go on? Unfortunately, many of our clients have fallen in a similar trap. They are called message boards.

I don't want to be an elitist. I honestly feel that spreading the word about cruising is a big part of my job. The more you can get people talking about cruising, the more interest you can generate, the better it is for the industry. I do feel there is a difference between an informed opinion and a generic post. It comes back to who wrote the post.

I am not going to come down on any specific message board. I have seen some very informative, well written posts. I have seen some great discussions that were fair and thought provoking. I have also seen some blatant mis-information. I have seen the same things on internal message boards that could only be accessed by cruise professionals. The issue is, you have no way of knowing if the post writer has the ability to slap two brain cells together.

Imagine the following string of posts:

Carbuyer: I am looking at buying a reliable car. I am considering a Honda. What are your thoughts?

RetiredNProud: I hate Hondas

Trailerparklover: I had a Honda once - best lawnmower I ever had!

Carbuyer: Hey RetiredNProud - why don't you like Honda? Bad experience? Have you owned one?

RetiredNProud: My Aunt Margaret had one once back in '58. Remember that horse collar grill. It was ugly. Never ran right. She sold it. Later she bought an Accord. she loves it.

Shadowyposter: Honda's are great! Did I mention that they pay me to post on these boards.

Proudtoscam: I always buy a Honda and complain later that it only had one spare tire. If I ever had two flats, I would be in big trouble. They give me a free oil change. Works every time!

Carbuyer: Um, thanks for all of the "valuable" feedback.

The point I am making is you have no way of knowing if a poster on a message board knows anything about the topic they are commenting on. There is no editor to validate information and correct errors. We spend a lot of time correcting bad information.

Unfortunately, a reader can get an idea in their mind that because someone posted it, it must be true. You spend time convincing people that what they read was incorrect.

Here is my advice. Just like you wouldn't ask a lawyer to evaluate your flu symptoms and you wouldn't ask a doctor about what your will should say, you should get your cruise advice from a trusted source.

Has the person been on a cruise lately? How much time do they spend understanding developments in the industry? Are they recommending a cruise because that is what they would go on or have they asked you enough questions that you are confident they are recommending a cruise that YOU will be happy with.

I am not trying to tell you that being a cruise specialist is equivalent to being a brain surgeon. But a true professional devotes time and energy into staying current on the industry. I am just asking you to evaluate your source of information. As my dad used to say, "Don't believe everything you read".

The Inside Scoop - On Princess Cruises

2009-06-05T15:17:00.000-07:00

As much is it might seem like I always have something to say, I thought it would be good to take a step back and let someone else talk for a while.

I am initiating what I hope to be a continuing series of posts from my friends who work at the cruise lines. I thought it would be great to get their perspectives on what they love about the line they represent.

My first guest post-writer is John Jerkovich. John was one of the first cruise line reps who took an interest in us when we started our CruiseOne franchise. He was the local Carnival Business Development Manager at the time. Frankly, we were a little snobby about selling Carnival but John turned us around. I thank him for enlightening me - and I have a long list of Carnival passengers who would thank him as well.

John got out of the cruise industry for a short time (silly boy) and then came on board as our Princess District Sales Manager. We were happy to have him back supporting our efforts.
He has years of experience in the cruise industry which belies his boyish appearance. He started his career with Holland America before moving on to Carnival. He has seen it all and granted our request to share some thoughts with us.

The Cruise Cellar: If you were talking to someone who had never cruised on Princess before, how would you describe what makes Princess different and special?

John: The comfortable and relaxing nature of Princess; you feel as though someone has prepared the ship with just you in mind; it's almost as if you were returning to visit the home of a close friend, who truly welcomed your visit and wanted to host you.

The Cruise Cellar: Of the Princess ships you have been on, which one has been your favorite and why?

John: I love the Caribbean Princess - for being a larger ship; she's very easy to find your way around; all of the lounges were close together and that made for fun evenings. The Movies Under the Stars was my favorite spot for outdoor relaxation during the day - getting a tan and being entertained - what a combo!

The Cruise Cellar: The first time you cruised on Princess, was there an experience that you didn't expect that really impressed you?

John: The friendliness of the non-hotel staff (you naturally expect hotel and restaurant staff to be friendly!!)...the deck attendants, the maintenance workers, painters and engine room machinists - if they saw a guest - they would pause to greet them.

The Cruise Cellar: What has been your favorite public space on a Princess ship?

John: I enjoy the martini bar before dinner - 'Crooner's' - it is intimate for conversation, great for people watching and the cocktail music sets your mood for enjoying the ship.

The Cruise Cellar: Which Princess cruise would be on the top of your cruising bucket list?

John: A South America cruise tour is on the list for my next Princess adventure; I think it would be amazing to follow Magellan's path and go around the tip of S. America on a spectacular ship. I'd want to see it all: Buenos Aires, Santiago, Rio, the Amazon River, the Andes, Cape Horn; I might have to save up some vacation time!

Thanks to John for sharing his views on Princess Cruises!

Tim's Exotic Bucket List of Cruises

2009-05-19T16:04:00.000-07:00

OK, for you people who don't read for comprehension the title had the word "Exotic" not "Erotic". Trust me, one of those goes in the column titled "things that make you go...brrrrrr!

I thought for this posting, I would come up with seven cruises that are both exotic and encompass the whole world. I bet some of you didn't think I could come up with seven cruises on seven different continents. Since "exotic" is in the eye of the beholder, I get to pick the list. I would love to get comments from you on a exotic cruise you would put on your bucket list!

Here is my list:

Africa - Regent Seven Seas, Seven Seas Voyager, 13-night Trans-Atlantic Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro. This is one of those bucket list, two continents for the price of one deals. How could you pass it up. Antarctica - Crystal Cruises, Crystal Symphony, 19-Night Antarctic Holiday, Buenos Aires to Valparaiso . Just because I am sailing to the edge of the world doesn't mean I have to sacrifice gourmet food and a world class spa! I have my standards. Check out this itinerary:

OK, this could be a South America pick too, but it still looks like a great cruise!

Asia - Cruise West, Spirit of Oceanus, 24 Night Grand Asia, Kobe, Japan to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Small ship cruising has always fascinated me. The great aspects of cruising without all the crowds. I can't think of a better way to see a part of the world that has so many touch points in history yet remains shrouded in the mystery that distance often creates.

Australia - Oceania Cruises, Nautica, 18 Night Southern Cross, Singapore to Sydney.

Australia...it's a country and a continent! Amazing, Mate. The land down under, where all the men look like Hugh Jackman and all the ladies look like Nicole Kidman. Well, that is what they tell me but the cruise wouldn't be on my bucket list if I had been there!

Europe - Hurtigruten (formerly Norwegian Coastal Cruises) Nordstjenen, Artic Adventure . OK, I said exotic. The Fjords of Norway seem like about as exotic a destination as you can find in Europe! They also have cruises to Greenland but that was a whole other continent discussion.

And before my brother brings it up, no that is not a picture of me before I lost weight. It is a seal. So there!

North America - American Safari Cruises, Safari Spirit, La Paz Roundtrip. I can't think of anything better than waking up on a yacht, having an early breakfast, getting the crew to put a kayak in the water and going for a paddle. The water is flat, the breezes are light and and the water is warm. Sounds like heaven!

South America - Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Xpedition, 13 Night 13-Night Galapagos Island and Machu Picchu, Quito to Lima. I can't think of anything more fun than exploring two of the most interesting and inaccessible parts of South America in one trip. The natural wonders of the Galapagos and the man made wonder of the lost city of Machu Picchu. Add in the all inclusive nature of the Celebrity Xpedition and you can see why this trip is on my bucket list!

Well, for better or worse - that is my list. Full disclosure - this list changes about once a week when I pull out a brochure to review. So many cruises, so little time. If I was Paul Allen, I wouldn't have these problems but the rest of us need to save and dream and reward ourselves with experiences that bring us special joy.

Post your ideas for your cruise bucket list!

Cruise Advice - Making the Most of Sea Days

2009-05-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

I think I may have discovered a new phobia for the world of psychiatry. Since I have no concept of how to publish a scientific paper, I will have to reveal my insight to the world here in The Cruise Cellar. The phobia I discovered will be named "Oceano-dies-aphobia or the fear of sea days. Symptoms often present in first time cruisers.

As with all fears, this affliction can not be explained with rational thought. Fear of sea days can be cured with intensive therapy. We will start with a four day cruise with one sea day, move up to a seven day cruise with two sea days and later progress to trans-Atlantic crossings or cruise to Hawaii. OK, I already sense some of you beginning to get sweaty palms. Breath people! It will be OK. I am here to help!

Seriously, I think Oceanodiesaphobia is one of the reasons more people have never tried a cruise. The unknown is probably one deterrent. I think another is a fear of being "hemmed in" on a ship. Maybe a fear of boredom.

Frankly, I can't believe a fear of boredom could possibly be the real reason. Really, could a cruise be any more boring than what most of us do to pay the bills? Are our daily lives SO exciting that we are worried that a cruise will not fulfill our need for an adrenaline rush. In my days of creating business process flows, I don't remember thinking, "Gee, I am so happy to be in this generic conference room, drinking bad coffee, documenting what these people do every minute of their work lives. I am sure glad I am not on a cruise!"

Whatever the reason for this underlying fear of sea days - let's work on the cure. There are so many ways to occupy your time, I can't believe you couldn't find more than a few things that will keep you busy.

Certain activities get a bad rap. I will be the first to admit that I have been cruising for 20 years and never played bingo. I am not going to knock bingo - it's just not my bag. But some folks love it. The cruise staff doesn't expect everybody to want to do everything. They do a great job of coming up with a bunch of diverse activities to appeal to different interests.

I will now do a self-serving plug for cruise specialists. Part of our job is to find a cruise line, itinerary and ship that match your interests. An independent cruise specialist can pick from all the lines to find the best fit for you. Work with a cruise specialist and make sure they know what you like to do. They can tell you if a specific cruise will be a good match for you.

Of course, for this to work, you must know thyself. Also, spend some time with a deck plan. Start from the top, you will probably have a list of activities before you make it past the pool deck.

If you are active, look for ships with a large fitness center. Attend an aerobics class. Some ships put on spinning classes and pilates. Some even have lap pools. Many ships have putting greens. Many also have sport courts. Walkers and joggers will find courses laid out on the promenade or sun decks. Of course, Royal Caribbean has upped the ante with rock climbing walls and a flow rider on their largest ships. After all that calorie burning - I would suggest a trip to the spa for massage!

For people who are less active, the daily cruise newsletter will give you a completely different list of activities to keep you occupied. If you are a foodie, many cruises have cooking demonstrations or food display demonstrations. What some artist can do with a watermelon or a chunk of ice is amazing! For wine lovers, there is often a wine tastings during the week. For trivia lovers, there is usually trivia contests galore.

I find the art auctions to be fascinating. Again, I have never bought any art at sea. I often look at some of the items and ask "where exactly would that go in my house". I am captivated by all the "woman in various states of disrobing" who appear to wander around the artist's homes.

If you were an alien who landed in a cruise ship art gallery you would deduce that women are preoccupied with bathing. They are either headed to the bathtub, in the bathtub or just got out of the bathtub. Other than that, they roam around in next to nothing. They play piano in next to nothing. They lounge around in next nothing. And they are always posing. If I walked in the door and saw Trish in any of these poses, my reaction would be "Why is the heat so high and are all of your clothes in the wash?" Yes, I am a total romantic, can't you tell?

If you are a sun worshipper, the pool deck will probably be enough to keep you happy. Need I say more? Many cruise lines are adding special adult pool areas. These are focus areas for major pampering. We all love our kids but we don't always have to love everyone else's kids.

I am not an over-the-top sun worshipper (too pale, too Irish - I do much better in the soft light of a pub) but I will tell you that a good book, the MP3 player on shuffle, and a Malibu and diet on the side table, will keep me occupied for an afternoon!

Did I mention the casinos are open all day during a sea day. Poker and blackjack tournaments abound.

In conclusion , don't fear the Sea Day. Give your mind and body a chance to reconnect. A change of pace, from hectic to relaxed or from relaxed to engaged or from engaged to reflective - might be just the right medicine for you.

Of Swine and Such

2009-05-05T17:14:00.000-07:00

I have been avoiding the whole swine flu issue even though it has had an impact on cruising. Actually, even I thought it would be in poor taste to take a humorous slant on a pandemic. Since the TV coverage was laughable in its ignorance and overblown hyperbole, I just didn't think I had much to add. Most Caribbean itineraries I reviewed were only impacted by one or two port days. On the west coast, we were not so lucky.

Since Mexican ports are the prime draw of these "fun in the sun" cruises, the cruise lines were not left with many options when a travel advisory came out from the powers that be. Fortunately, the cruise lines didn't hire Joe Biden as media consultant. They actually did a pretty good job of coming up with alternative ports of call. That meant heading north rather than south and suddenly a trip to the Mexican Riviera became a journey to the "Moss"ican Riviera to visit the peoples that inhabit the land of the woolly sock and sandals.

I am an Oregon native, so I can pick on the people of the Northwest because I suffer from the same lack of sun that seems to cause paleness and a loss of fashion sense. Go to any airport in the country and you will see it. The people headed for LA are fashionable dressed, tan and other than the uncomfortable stick up their ass, seem pleasant enough. The folks headed for Miami are a combination of tourist (come on, we can all spot them) and casually elegant folks in loose fitting natural fibers and loafers with no socks. The people heading to Portland or Seattle will look like homeless people in woolly sweaters that are 4 sizes to large, hand woven wool skull caps with fringe ties hanging down past their ears, baggy pants suitable for a long hike in the mountains, wool socks and sandals. If you don't see them, you might smell them - a strange combination of wet dog, faint body odor and pot smoke. "Yes, dear - that would be Humboldt County, spring harvest '08, buds - no seeds, or leaves - before the rains, I believe".

I know them and I love them, in their disdain for corporate success, their desire to be organic and an uncanny ability to find a good coffee or micro brew within a two mile radius. You just don't want to sit next to them in a plane for 4 hours.

So people headed for the sun in Puerto Vallarta suddenly found themselves heading North to San Francisco, Astoria, Victoria and Seattle. Now these are all great destinations but trust me, you will be taking the sun screen back home.

This leads me to the point of this column - I know, you were wondering about that. If you happen to be suffering from insomnia at some point, pull out a cruise brochure and read the fine print. I will never pass for a member of the bar but one good read of all the fine print and you will quickly discover that the cruise line commits to, well, absolutely nothing. As long as John Heald shows up, tells you what a wonderful time you are having, cracks a couple jokes about newlyweds, throws an occasional hot dog at you and conducts a hairy leg competition, you pretty much got more than their lawyers committed them to.

Now, you know it really isn't that bad but for very good reasons, the cruise line can not commit to an itinerary. Gee what would be the best reason for that. Can you say "HURRICANES!" It boggles my mind that people complain about changes to itineraries that are made to avoid bad weather. Would you want to sail through a hurricane. If that makes a Captain with a lifetime of experience who grew up in the North Atlantic nervous - I will take whatever is behind door number 3.

Trust me, the cruise lines would prefer you to visit the ports you were expecting to visit because, god knows they haven't seen enough paper mache fruit, straw hats or white people with braided hair and burnt scalps. But they have a responsibility to keep their customers safe and protect the pretty large investment they have in that floating resort.

So what is a passenger to do? Usually, the cruise lines come up with a reasonable compensation package and when they had time to react, they offered to move passengers off to other sailings. I totally get that people have been looking forward to a certain trip and they have been suddenly thrown off their strides. But frankly, being on a ship where your food is taken care of, the casinos open, entertainment ongoing, someone is cleaning up your cabin and the bars open, doesn't sound like Gitmo.

You should expect some form of compensation and everyone has their own opinion of what that should be. Anyone who understands negotiation knows you need to operate from a position of strength. This does not mean staging demonstrations aboard ship. As much as us American's hate to admit it, ships are not democracies. They are benign dictatorships, ruled by the Captain. You are going to get a lot farther by calmly stating your case to the staff and working towards a resolution. Time is on your side. Once you are off the ship, you can still follow up with the cruise line customer relations staff. Here is where working with a cruise specialist will be of assistance. They can help you navigate the cruise line bureaucracy.

While on the ship, I suggest focusing on making the most of your vacation. You can't always control events but you can control how you react to them. Find the silver lining, which shouldn't be tough with hundreds of people trying to pamper you. You could have it worse. Think about sitting in a hotel waiting for a hurricane to hit. I prefer to be sailing in the other direction.

Ruby Red - Brilliant with a warm soothing finish

2009-05-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

I was rolling around different blog ideas this week. I was looking for a topic that I could state briefly and share experiences that I feel are unique to cruising. Trish, Vicky and I came up with a pretty good list. The clincher came when we were looking at Cassie's blog. I would describe Cassie to you but I want to keep this entry brief. That would never do justice to Cassie. Read her blog, that is all I will say!

We came across pictures of "Movies Under The Stars" from our trip on the Ruby Princess. Remembering it, I can almost feel the light warm breeze of that night. Princess does a great job with Movies. They put nice cushions on the lounge chairs. Bar staff hands out bags of popcorn to everyone. It is just a great environment.

The highlight of "Movies" for me was catching the Monday Night Football Game. For all the wives who can't get their husbands on a cruise, have them read this!

Imagine, comfy lounge chair, warm tropical breeze, beautiful starry sky, frosty beer in one hand, bag of popcorn in the other. FOOTBALL on a gigantic jumbotron! Does it get any better than that? If you felt like it, you could have taken this all in from the hot tub. No, I'm not kidding. This could be you!

Cruise Advice - Making the Most of Day One

2009-04-28T16:57:00.000-07:00

For everyone who has seen my desk, there is absolutely no way for me to claim to be an organizational genius. I will accept that as a "focus" area for further development. But even a planning-challenged person like me can make the most of his first day on the cruise. You just need a little guidance.

First, start your cruise off right by getting a good night's sleep. We live on the West Coast, so we always fly to Florida the day before the cruise. There are so many good reasons to do this. Only those with a totally misguided confidence in our airline industry would believe there is no risk to taking a red-eye to Florida and expecting their bags and themselves to actually arrive on the same day. And nothing says "party on the cruise" like crashing at 8:30 PM on the first night of the cruise because you are suffering from jet-lag. I mean, the soups are good, but you really don't want to fall asleep in them.

When arriving at the pier, repeat after me. TIP THE MAN. Now some ports are more aggressive than others but accept this, the lubricant of the travel industry is tips. Unless you want to see your bag floating in Government Cut, TIP THE MAN.

And now the premise for my first book "Zen and the Art of Cruise Travel". One must experience enlightenment while checking in at the pier. When 2,000 people all have to get on a ship from one gangway, delays will occur. Accept this, like the shore accepts the tide, grasshopper.

This next comment is going to sound sexist, and until men start carrying purses, it probably is. They give you a key card for a reason. They tell you to keep it handy. Don't stick it in the bottom of your PURSE! Keep it in your friggin hand until you are on the ship and headed to your cabin, WHEN YOU WILL NEED YOUR KEY!

OK, sorry...pet peeve. You are now on the ship and have a little time to relax, grab a little snack at the buffet and check out the ship. This is as good a time as any to mention a couple of things about buffets. You might not realize this but the ship is fully stocked and will not run out of food on the first day. I also don't think it is physically possible to eat the equivalent of your cabin fare at one buffet. Please stop trying. Sampling the fare is fundamentally different than eating your weight in shrimp. Etiquette issue number two, I think some people are trying to develop a metaphysical connection with the macaroni salad. The presence of Macaroni salad shouldn't come as a "shock" to anyone. I have never been thrown off my game by a buffet item. If you like it, take a modest spoonful. If you don't, move on. If you don't know what it is, sample it or move on. Don't attempt a Vulcan mind meld with it. Frankly, in most cases, the salad has the advantage. Keep it moving people!

Better yet, check to see if they are serving lunch in the dining room. You will have a nice relaxing lunch. Leave your confrontation with the mindless buffet people for a day when you have a better reserve of patience. By the way, it is better not to think about the fact that the lady in front of you, who can't choose between salads, might someday be part of a jury of your peers. Just let that go.

The next excitement comes with the lifeboat drill. We all want to get through this as quickly as possible. None of us looks good in orange life jackets. Let's shoot for "wham, bam, thank you, ma'am". I will admit, my mind starts to wander during life boat drills. Try this, look around the room and try to decide who we should cut loose in a real emergency. Come on, admit it, you have done it. The expression "thin the herd" comes to mind.

Also, please don't revert to high school. This is no time to exhibit your disdain for authority. Just follow instructions, be where you are supposed to be, when you are supposed to be there and they will re-open the bars a lot sooner!

After that, most of the rest of the day is fun and games. The sail away party is fun. Checking out the ship is always fun and the real relaxation of being at sea has just begun. Spend a little time reading your itinerary to become familiar with dining times, locations and such. The first night is sometimes a great opportunity to check out the specialty restaurants. Most people don't think about hitting those on the first night and tables will probably be available.

Another pet peeve of mine sneaks in. You don't have to be early for dinner and you don't have to be late, either. Just be on time and respect the waiters. Everyone knows that the first night takes a little more time while people find their tables. Have a little patience, sit down and have a nice dinner. You're on vacation - enjoy yourself.

After that, enjoy your night. You had a good night's sleep, so you have a lot energy. You don't have to drive home! Your vacation is off and cruising. Make the most of it.

The Difference is in the Elevators

2009-04-23T09:53:00.000-07:00

There is definitely a difference between being on a cruise and going to a land based resort. One place you see it is on the elevators.

When was the last time someone talked to you on an elevator in a hotel? Most of us practically face the elevator wall to avoid interacting with people. On a cruise, it is amazing how people will start up conversations on elevators. For first time cruisers, this can be a little unnerving. No need to worry, such behavior is contagious but does not appear to be dangerous.

I have a theory on why this occurs. When you check into a hotel, you are probably in line with people who are checking out. All the guest in a hotel are on their own schedules. For some it is their first day, some are in the middle of their stay, some are already on their way home.

On a cruise, everyone is on the same schedule. You are all sharing the same experiences - checking out the ship. Finding the different amenities. Trying to figure out bow, stern, port, starboard. You starting your journey together. It creates an instant camaraderie amongst the passengers. It's one of the things that makes cruising unique.

Do I Look Like Tony Robbins?

2009-04-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

When you work in a service industry, you get used to wearing a lot of hats. If you really want to have a successful cruise, you need to plan the entire experience the client is going to have. It starts with the first call and doesn't end until they get home. Even then, we love to start working with our clients to plan the next cruise.

For 99.9% of our clients, we really love helping them plan trips. We love knowing that we helped them create memories that will last a lifetime.

But of course, you also have that .1%. In some cases, I take total and complete responsibility. We all want to be perfect and do it right every time but we are human and mistakes are going to happen. All you can do is work your butt off and resolve the situation to the client's satisfaction. If you do that right, sometimes you end up with a client for life.

I do sometimes wonder which business card I handed to people. What was my title? Marriage counselor, financial analyst, decision maker, organizational consultant, family arbitrator, geographer, space/time continuum specialist, nutritionist and finally, life coach.

I am sure there are many reasons for this. One key reason is people aren't exactly sure what a cruise specialist does. The world has embraced the Internet and ATM machines and google, and consolidating supply chains, firmly believing that if you have a broadband connection and infinite time, you could probably pull off a successful appendectomy. I am not saying you can't, but frankly, I don't want to find out by being your first.

Geography literacy does not appear to be a strength of the American educational system. I often get off the phone and would love to immediately log on to amazon.com and send the previous caller a globe. I once had a client ask me if the 7 day cruise around the Hawaiian islands departed from Portland. You want to ask, "do you have any idea where the Hawaiian islands are? Do you think you could get there and back in seven days?" The next question should be, "When was the last time you saw a cruise ship in Portland, Oregon". As much as I would love it to be a home port, we get a ship here about once a decade.

Planning group cruises is prime turf for practicing skills as a family mediator. It is amazing how many people will freely tell you how much they dislike other members of their families. You also become privy to certain relatives dysfunction that I really didn't need to know. We once had a client ask us if there was any way we could limit the food intake of family member. I have seen dining request forms, seating charts, bedding request but the cruise lines have failed to come up with "slap the fries out of Large Aunt Marge's hand" form - obviously a gross oversight on their part. I mean the waiters are willing to please but I would hate to see a poor waiter running out of the buffet with a mounded plate of food being chased by a lady on a scooter, death grip on the handle bars, mumu flapping in the wind.

I also get a good share of Star Trek fans, strangely they seem to be brides-to-be. My business card must have said "Scotty" because they seem to believe that I can flick on the transporter and get them from Portland to Miami, Florida immediately. The conversation tends to go like this:
Bride: Like, I want to leave on a Caribbean cruise on a Sunday.
Me: Is your wedding scheduled for a Saturday?
Bride: Like, OMG! How did you know?
Me: This isn't my first time at the rodeo. Are you having an afternoon wedding?
Bride: Like, you really are good at this!
Me: I assume you are having a reception afternoon?
Bride: LOL, of course! With a cake and a DJ (my cousin Dennise, she like could be Lindsey Lohan's next girlfriend), and lots of PINK!
Me: Do you plan on leaving at 8:00 pm?
Bride: Like - what is wrong with you! - we want to party the night away and be the last one's to leave!
Me: Well, how are we going to get you to the airport an hour and a half early for a 10:15 PM flight - because if you want to get to Miami before the ship leaves, you are going to need to take a red-eye. You can't get a non-stop flight to Miami, so the only way to get there on time is to catch a red-eye.
Bride: That is soooo, like, unfair. What a colossal downer! Like - can't you fix that!

This is where I wish my name was, Scotty. Or maybe Einstein - If only I could break the time space continuum. I bet I would sell a lot of cruises! Did the Theory of Relativity get him to any good beachs.

And finally, the Tony Robbins reference. Some people really need to help with decision making. I realize that cruises are a sizable investment, but honestly, can we learn some basic decision making skills! How about some priorities. How about some decision criteria. How about buying a clue?

I love the people who give you a solid list of what they want in a cruise, you come up with an exact fit and then they suggest five other cruises that have nothing to do with the original list they gave you! The dates don't even match! You feel like a hamster on a wheel.

So, I guess there is one more title I should add to my card, pain in the tush! I think that some people just need them to get them to a yes or no decision. When all the questions are asked and the answers are presented, I think some people just need them to ask - do you want to book this cruise now?

Ultimately, I don't mind being that person who shoves them into the pool. That is the great thing about cruising. I am confident that if I do my job right - they are going to come home happy with memories to fill their own cruise cellar.

The should start arming the piano player

2009-04-10T22:54:00.000-07:00

If you haven't figured it out already, I won't be getting a high score from Mr. Hazel - my senior English teacher. A great teacher, actually one of the best I ever had, who drilled his students at Jesuit High School on the structure of a properly written theme. That was many moons ago and, honestly, I have killed a lot of brain cells since then. Please don't let my lack of structure reflect poorly on Mr. Hazel. He did his best and honestly he didn't have a lot to work with.

But the stream of semi-consciousness continues.

People always ask about the entertainment aboard a cruise ship. This is another case where beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Having been on over 30 cruises, I can tell you that I have seen just about everything, from the very good to the frightfully bad. I can also tell you it never impacted my enjoyment of the cruise.

The path to success, grasshopper, leads through the garden of openness. Get you brain around that one! If you are open and don't have a lot of preconceived notions, you will find something you like. On one cruise, it could be the production show. On another it might be a top 40's band. Maybe a comedian. Maybe a piano player.

Years ago, Trish and I started to frequent the piano bars on cruise ships. It really is a great form of entertainment and one that you don't find much at home. I will tell you that there are some piano players that are good singers, there are some that are good players but you rarely find one that is a good singer and a good player. But you almost always will get a good entertainer.

I have one request. Before you go to the piano bar, take five minutes and think of some songs you would like to hear. Every piano player worth his tux will be open to requests. But, please - let me put some emphasis on this - PLEASE, do not request Billy Joel's Piano Man!

Don't get me wrong. I love Billy Joel. At one point (before the Christy Brinkley era or BCB) I had every Billy Joel album. The initial collection was vinyl AND 8-track. I even remember where the 8-track clicked over to a new program right in the middle of "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant". I remember looking in old discount racks for Cold Spring Harbor - I never found it. I have his greatest hits box set. I have no ill will towards Mr. Joel or the Piano Man.

I am simply defending the artistic integrity of the piano bar. For us PB (piano bar) veterans, we have all heard the request from the back of the bar. Some poor soul slurs out "play Piano Man". You notice the rest of the veterans roll their eyes. Watch as the piano player smiles like he just got a death sentence, "The good news is - you won't have to live in prison till you rot - the bad news is you'll have to spend 20 years talking exclusively to lawyers until they mercifully get around to sticking a needle in your arm". I swear the last time I heard a request for Piano Man, I heard a faint call of "Dead Man Walking" in the background. One time I think the piano player actually threw up a little in his mouth. Thank your lucky stars they don't allow the piano players to carry weapons. There would be a lot of blood stains to get out of the carpet.

You need to understand. If you play in a piano bar, you are destined to play Piano Man, twice a night, every night, every week, for as long as you have a contract to play on a cruise ship. It is like the only song that some people know. I remember hearing one piano bar player actually demand a tip before he would play Piano Man. He made it clear, it better be a big tip. Something tells me he was at the end of his contract and wasn't planning on being back.

It's not the song. It is actually a great song. I hum along every time I hear it. It's just so, 20th century. Some songs hold up over time. Some songs are forgotten and then revived. You think to yourself, I always liked that song. The Piano Man just refuses to go away long enough for us to enjoy it again.

You have options. Ray Charles, Elton John. Tons of songs sound great on piano. There are many Billy Joel songs that haven't been played to death. "Summer, Highland Falls" is one of my favorites. "New York State of Mine" always sounds good. "She's always A Woman to Me" will work. Just not the Piano Man, PLEASE!

The Legend of Adonis - What do you get when you cross green shorts, Vangelis and the Carnival Spirit

2009-04-08T13:59:00.000-07:00

Since I am not privy to the educational background of my readers - which I assume to be exceptional - I should start with a definition of Adonis -Adonis was a handsome young man, of beauty comparable to that of Endymion, Ganymedes, Narcissus, Hyacinthus 1, Atlantius (also called Hermaphroditus), Hylas or Chrysippus. The son of a Greek goddess.

If you have ever seen the statue of Adonis, you might comment that it must have been cold wherever it was carved. Either that or he needed to find a tunic and give the family jewels some needed coverage. A very small leaf would do.

But I digress! This is the story of a modern Adonis that illustrates a strange phenomena of cruising. You will, for some unknown reason, see the same people again and again on a cruise. With more than 2,000 people on a ship, you wouldn't think this was true. The opposite also occurs - you will never see some people until the last day of the cruise - and then you wonder, where have they been all week?

We saw Adonis on the first day of our cruise on the Carnival Spirit. I won't provide dates, to protect the Adonis. If by some strange coincidence, Adonis reads this, I would love to talk to you and take another cruise with you! Call me!

We had boarded the ship prior to 1:00 pm and our cabin was not yet ready. We had a nice lunch at the buffet and were getting our bearings by touring the ship. We were enjoying the sun by the pool when we noticed a couple walk right up to the pool, drop their bags and immediately disrobe. Under their clothes, he had on some swim trunks and she had on a bikini. They immediately landed on some loungers and began to worship the sun.

It was a little cool for sunbathing, only suited for those people who flew in from Wisconsin and hadn't felt warm since last summer, but that wasn't what caught our eye. Adonis had long wavy hair, a good physique and swim trunks that could best be described as green, 1980's vintage, running shorts. You know, the ones with the slits up the side. You remember them and probably regret any photographs that remain displaying them. None of us were pretty in the 80's.

We glanced at each other with that look that expresses the unspoken word "interesting..." and didn't think much about it.

The next day, Trish, our friend Vicky, and I found the kiddie pool. Our son, Garrett, who has developmental delays, loves the kiddie pool. It is in a perfect spot on the Spirit. We could keep an eye on Garrett in the kiddie pool and Ryan on the Water slide. We grabbed some loungers, ordered up the Mimosas and started working on the tan.

Then we saw him. Que the "Chariots of Fire" theme. Adonis was out for a run on the deck, hair blowing in the wind, striding with a deliberate, focused form - in the green, 1980's running shorts. We immediately knew, our cruise experiences were going to be intertwined.

From that point forward, everywhere we looked - Adonis. During the day in his infamous shorts, at night - always appropriately dressed. If it was formal night - he was formal, 50's night- he was slicked back, cowboy night - jeans and a western shirt. If you were bouncing through channels on the TV, there he was in the cruise video. Prior to the show - there he was catching the attention of the camera man. At the pool - in the hairy chest competition (sadly, or fortunately, he didn't have a shot). Never did there seem to be an event on the ship that Adonis didn't find.

On the second to last night of the cruise, Trish's aunt decided to treat us to dinner at the Supper Club. We were settling in at our table. The drinks had been delivered and we were taking in the view of the deck. Almost on cue, I could have sworn I heard the theme from Chariots beginning to swell. Then, around the corner, I see him - Adonis, on an evening run, striding deliberately, as if on a beach, running in his skivvies. I almost dropped my Manhattan. We all saw him at the same time and started to giggle.

The next day, Adonis actually walked up to me in the gift shop. He quipped about his wife running up the bill on the shipboard account and then bounded off. I don't know if I even had a chance to reply.

First off, I am not one of those, "walk up to you in the store and start a conversation" guys. Maybe I am Scandinavian in some way but I like to be introduced. Nothing formal. I wouldn't say I am standoff-ish. I just have some boundaries I like to maintain. If I was a girl, I would have been a wallflower. One should be prepared when approached by Adonis, I should think. I had nothing witty to say. A moment lost forever, right there in the duty free store.

There is a great moral behind the story of Adonis. This man LIVED his cruise. No one was going to cheat him out of a minute of his vacation. I LOVE that! That is the way every vacation should be. I don't care what he paid for his cruise. I don't know if it was his first or hundredth. He got everything out of it. He even won the free cruise in the final raffle!

So here is to Adonis. I raise my glass of Malibu and Diet to toast you. I hope our paths cross some day. I know that no one will have more fun on a cruise than you!

A Favorite Hidden Gem

2009-04-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

Every ship I have been on has a public space that is just wonderful but no one seems to know about. I love that part of cruising. Discovering a spot like that and passing it on to people. I would like to hear about a spot you have found. Send me a comment on this posting. I'll start!

On the Ruby Princess, we found a lounge that no one else seemed to find. It was named Adagio, next door to Sabatini's, Sun Deck (Deck 16), aft. I think people don't find it because it is connected to Sabatini's and they assume that it is part of the restaurant.

It is a wonderful clubby room with comfortable chairs, soft lighting and a great bar. If you have reservations at Sabitini's or if you just want to have a good cocktail and a pleasant conversation give it a try.

The Norwegian Gem - Cruising with the New York Giants

2009-04-04T13:27:00.000-07:00

When I write about cruises, I am not going to give you a blow by blow description of the cruise. There are some wonderful reviewers out there who can relate to you every fact, detail, square footage, gross ton and every autobiographical detail of the current Captain Check my favorite links for sites, including my own, that have all of that detail. I want to describe the experience. I want you to see cruises as unique memories. Experiences, that if I describe them well, will give you a sense of what the cruise was like.

As we step into my Cruise Cellar today, I want to tell you about my experience on the Norwegian Gem and the New York Giant's Champion's Cruise. This cruise was be a unique opportunity, something that not everyone will have the chance to do. Like a rare French wine from a winemaker long since forgotten. I can relate the experience but I probably will never be able to locate another bottle for my cellar.

Trish and I took my Father in Law, Tom, on this cruise as a Christmas, birthday, Father's Day, next Christmas present. He is a former season ticket holder and life long Giant's Fan. As a typical Giants fan, he can relate every last minute detail of a laundry list of Giant failures. He will also mention, in passing, some achievement like, say, three Super Bowl victories, before turning his attention to the overwhelming likelihood of them going 2-14 next year and breaking his heart like a jilted prom date. I think it took him three days after the last Superbowl victory to finally admit the Giants won and the Supreme Court was NOT going to overturn the victory and anoint Al Gore Superbowl Champion.

I will be honest, this itinerary was never on my cruising bucket list. Nassau, Freeport, Pt. Canaveral and Norwegian's private island, Great Stirrup Cay. The ship embarked from New York City so it was nice being able to take a non-stop from Portland to JFK. It re-enforced to me that itinerary is important but there so many reasons to cruise beyond the ports of call.

Time for one of my annoying tangents. Can we talk about New York City? If you have never been there - you need to go. You need to experience one of the great cities of the world. Is it paradise? - No. Is there something for everyone? - Yes. Do you need to experience American style population density? - Yes.

I will admit, I have a love/hate relationship with New York. I feel like I have only experienced small slices of the sausage that is New York. I also know that I want to visit many times but never live there. I know many New Yorkers, I am even married to one, and without exception, they are some of the most friendly people you will ever meet. They are also abrasive, opinionated and have the annoying habit of adding a "y" to every name (Timmy, Tommy, Pauly, Theodorey - it doesn't matter). I can't get over the diversity of NYC, the opportunity to see a true cultural melting pot. You can see all the best and worst that humanity has to offer. I enjoy the experience but always feel like an alien. An observer, not a participant. As a west coast boy, it will never feel like home, but it will always have a magnetic draw.

And now, back to the cruise. There were more memories packed into this week than I could possibly relate. The opportunity to rub shoulders with Giant greats, Carl Banks and Ottis "OJ" Anderson (http://www.ottisanderson.com/). Getting to listen to chalk talks with Dominik Hickson, Lawrence Tynes and Steve Smith. Watching Barry Cofield conduct a fan Olympics on the sports deck (grown men should not play dodge ball). Sailing by the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, early in the morning on the last day of the cruises, and snapping off a couple of shots for my son, Ryan to take to show and tell.

If you ever get the opportunity to attend this type of event, you should. Every cruise has an interesting dynamic among the passengers. You share a journey. You are cruising on the same time line. Your first day of vacation is their first day of vacation. You discover the same ship they discover.

When you cruise with a group - that dynamic is magnified. You have something in common from the first minute - in our case, it was The New York Football Giants. You become a clan within a city that happens to be sailing on the ocean blue, much like Little Italy exists independently but as a part of the city. It makes the conversations easy and friendly.

I was very impressed with all the players and employees of the Giants. All personable. All friendly. All open to interacting with the fans. They were fellow cruisers who happened to be professional football players.

If they have another Giant's cruise - I will be very tempted to attend. The fans were so passionate, the players, so engaging, the atmosphere, so uplifting. My favorite moment was re-living the three super bowls with the players after watching the wonderful videos from NFL Films. It was enthralling to hear the inside stories and share the experience that few will ever have with the players that shaped the events.

I came away with a new respect for professional football players. I realize these guys are the cream of the crop but they were smart, dedicated athletes who compete in an uncompromising, violent sport. Standing next to Carl Banks and Barry Cofield you suddenly realize how big these men are. I imagined having to tackle Ottis Anderson running at you full speed. I am just glad I stopped playing football in high school. Probably the right decision for me.

Memories are tricky things. You are always a better football player in your mind than you were on the field. We all think we can sing until we here a recording of that karaoke session. Fortunately, our cruises are always better in our memories than they probably were. It gives the universe a balance that it needs.

Your Best Cruise Memories

2009-04-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

When I talk to people about cruises, we seldom start out discussing their cabin category or the price they paid or anything like that. What we end up talking about is memories. I would like to hear your most memorable cruise moment. I look forward to reading your posts!

A blogger finds his muse

2009-04-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

Why should you read my blog? A very good question, and one that I asked myself for a very long time. Everywhere I looked, people were advising me to write a blog. It will be good for your business - it will make people think you're an expert - it's the next big thing! Blah, blah, blah.

I kept asking myself why any of that would be interesting to read. It's not like this is the only blog about cruising. Do a search sometime. You can find a ton of wonderful cruise blogs, some of them that I read regularly and some written by friends of mine. I just didn't get inspired to write my own. What could I add to the conversation?

Like many important events in my life, the enlightenment came while drinking! We can get into that sordid part of my life later. I was at a social event for my wife's BNI networking group at a wine store named Storytellers (I will post a link to their site). Storytellers will probably be a posting all on its own. I was listening to the owner, Michael Alberty, talk about wines. He was so descriptive without being pretentious. He is, by no means, a wine snob. All you had to do is listen to him for five minutes and you could hear his passion for wine.

Someone asked Michael how he decided which wines to include in his e-mail newsletter. He talked about how he looked for quality wines that were distinctive but also had great stories behind them. Stories about the winemaker, stories about the vineyard. Stories about who introduced him to the wine. There were so many good wines out in the world but not all of them had interesting stories.

That was when I had an epiphany! I felt the same way about cruises. There are a ton of great cruise ships out there. There are more itineraries than anyone could ever experience. But all the cruise reviews I was reading were saying the same thing over and over. The food was like this, the dining room was like that, the cabins were this, the spa was that. Great information but not very inspiring and never got to the heart of why I like to cruise.

Like wine, cruises are about what you are looking for at the time. I won't try to bore you with my view of wines. Trust me, I am a wine drinker but no expert. But sometimes I want a red, sometimes a white. Sometimes I like a fruity wine, sometimes a dry wine. I will say this - I don't always want the SAME wine. I feel the same way about cruises.

The great thing about cruising is that the industry has so much variety. You have yachts that hold 12 people. Soon the Oasis of the Seas will hold 5000 people! Some are luxury, some are great values at a great price. The question is, what do you decide to write about?

I decided to write about cruises that have a story. I wanted to build a virtual cruise cellar, just like you would build a wine cellar. A little of this, a little of that. A fine red wine that should be enjoyed with a candle lit dinner. A white wine you drink with friends on the deck. The big bottle of swill that you buy because the price is right. My cruise experiences are a vault of memories that are incredibly varied. Some have aged well. Some were great at the time, but I probably wouldn't buy a case of them. But some of those memories make great stories. I hope you enjoy my posts and start building a cruise cellar of memories of your very own.