Friday, April 17, 2009

TAUCK TOURS - TOUR MANITOBA, CANADA FOR FREE AIRFARE - BOOK BY JUNE 15



But if you book by June 15, to take advantage of FREE AIR on 10/29, 10/31 and 11/4 departures from select U.S. cities. Tauck Culturious combines nature with nurture to turn your 7-day adventure in Manitoba, Canada into the trip of a lifetime.

NOTE: CRUISES INC books tours from tour operators, every day, for it's cruise clients ! Making sure the client receive the package expected and the opportunity to purchace our Trip Cancellation Insurance.

CALL TODAY TO BOOK YOUR COLLETTE VACATION ! (434/800) 237 3832

DID YOU KNOW ? Sandals Resorts are the hot draw for visitors to Jamaica



Per Travel Agent Magazine:

Sandals Resorts are the hot draw for visitors to Jamaica, with properties all over the island !

NOTE: CRUISES INC books tours from tour operators, every day, for it's cruise clients ! Making sure the client receive the package expected and the opportunity to purchace our Trip Cancellation Insurance.

CALL TODAY TO BOOK YOUR SANDALS VACATION ! (434/800) 237 3832

DID YOU KNOW ? SEVEN GREAT REASONS TO BOOK A CRUISE NOW !



CLICK TITLE TO READ INFO

DID YOU KNOW ? COLLETTE VACATIONS INCLUDE RIDE TO AIRPORT



COLLETTE VACATIONS

Beginning May 1, door-to-door private airport transfer service will be available within 50 mile radius of 75 US ports !

NOTE: CRUISES INC books tours from tour operators, every day, for it's cruise clients ! Making sure the client receive the package expected and the opportunity to purchace our Trip Cancellation Insurance.
CALL TODAY TO BOOK YOUR COLLETTE VACATION ! (434/800) 237 3832

OCEANIA SAVINGS IN EUROPE FOR 2010 ! BOOK BY AUGUST 31 !



CLICK ON TITLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OCEANIA CRUISES

OCEANIA announces 2010 Europe
* 30 new ports
* 24 new itineraries

1 EXTRAORDINARY OFFER
$ 2,000 price reduction off
2 for 1 cruise fares with Free Airfare

NEW IN 2010: Unlimted complimentary soft drinks and bottle water !

CALL TODAY TO CONFIRM YOUR 2010 EUROPE PLANS BEFORE AUG 31 (434/800) 237 3832

Airline Baggage fees claims to be the reason for reduce lost luggage




Article by Michael Fabey of Travel Weekly, March 30, 2009, says that recent reports back up what airline executives have been saying for months: Airline fees for checked bags are apparently prompting many flyers to travel with fewer bags, leading to a drop in lost and mishandled baggage.

DUE YOU BELIEVE THIS HOLDS AS A POSSIBLE TRUE STATEMENT ?

Thursday, April 16, 2009

DID YOU KNOW ? NO PASSPORT COULD LEAD TO DENIAL FOR ENTRY ON YOUR CRUISE SHIP



This happened to my associates' customers last week !!

Customer book a Celebrity Panama canal cruise, which was to sail last week. Client called associate a month ago, double checking that NO PASSPORT required, so associated called Celebrity and they said NO ! Associate also checked the government website !!

Client gets to pier, along with others, who only had passport cards, and they were denied boarding.

My associate called Celebrity direct and spoke with supervisors and they all agreed there was NO reason to deny boarding and they should be able to cruise. The pier captain OVERODE the corporate people and said no boarding, leaving them stranded with a bunch of other people as well. They even spoke to a high up individual from Celebrity in Miami and they agreed they can sail but the pier can overide the cruise line.

My associate got them rooms in Miami for the night, and they got passports the next morning, and flew to the Grand Cayman to catch the ship the next day.

All this was costly to my associates' customers !

The passport people advised my associate that they were not at fault and a passport wasnt required for this cruise . However the pier can overide anyone.

The moral for this is, don't trust the cruiseline or even the customs regulations, because the authority at the pier has FINAL SAY .

CRUISES INC SUGGEST GETTING A PASSPORT TODAY ! If you don't have a passport, that special cruise will come along, and you'll have to MISS THE BOAT !

Disney Wonder Getting New Home at Port of Los Angeles



Disney Wonder Getting New Home at Port of Los Angeles

Cruise Ship Will Arrive for Extended West Coast Stay in 2011
Disney Cruise Line® has announced plans to reposition the Disney Wonder® Cruise Ship from its base in Port Canaveral, Fla., to the West Coast in 2011.

A two-year agreement, with a three-year extension option, will be considered by the Port of Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners on April 2, 2009.

With the port's proximity to the Disneyland® Resort, you'll be able to offer Clients even more magical Disney vacation choices - both on land and sea!

The addition of a new homeport for Disney Cruise Line is part of the overall expansion plan for The Walt Disney Company. Two new ships, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, will arrive in Port Canaveral, Fla., in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

CALL TO CONFIRM YOUR DISNEY CRUISE TODAY (434/800) 237 3832

HAVE YOU BEEN A DISNEY CRUISE ? PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE !

DID YOU KNOW ? ABOUT ROYAL CARIBBEAN'S ALLURE OF THE SEAS



Royal Caribbean Announces Allure of the Seas' Inaugural Season
Vacationers Have Choice of Saturday and Sunday Departure on Revolutionary Oasis-Class Ships

MIAMI, Fla., March 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Royal Caribbean International today announced the inaugural season of Allure of the Seas, 42 sailings to the Eastern and Western Caribbean on seven-night voyages every Sunday beginning December 12, 2010. Allure of the Seas, and sister-ship Oasis of the Seas, constitute the Oasis class of ships and will be the world's two largest and most revolutionary cruise ships when they debut in November 2010 and 2009, respectively. With the arrival of Allure of the Seas, vacationers will have a choice of a Saturday (Oasis of the Seas) and Sunday departure for an Oasis-class cruise vacation. Bookings for Allure of the Seas' inaugural season will open on April 2, 2009 for Diamond and Diamond Plus level members of the Crown & Anchor Society and April 8 for all Crown & Anchor Society members. General bookings will open on and April 13.

"Through the last four decades, Royal Caribbean has earned a history of innovation and redefined cruising with each new class of ships we launched," said Adam Goldstein, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "Allure of the Seas and sister-ship Oasis of the Seas represent the ultimate expression of our vision and determination to provide an experience unlike anything found on land and sea. With Allure of the Seas, we will offer family and adventurous vacationers two spectacular ships from which to choose for an unforgettable cruise."

Allure of the Seas will depart from her homeport of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale and alternate a seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itinerary. Both itineraries will feature three days at sea for guests to enjoy all the revolutionary onboard amenities found in the seven "neighborhoods" that comprise an Oasis-class ship. On the Eastern Caribbean itinerary, Allure of the Seas will call at St. Thomas (Charlotte Amalie), St. Maarten (Philipsburg), and Nassau, Bahamas. The ship will call at Falmouth, Jamaica; Cozumel, Mexico; and Labadee, Royal Caribbean's private beach paradise on the northern coast of Haiti, for the Western Caribbean itinerary.
Architectural marvels at sea, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas will span 16 decks, encompass 220,000 gross registered tons (GRT), and host 5,400 guests at double occupancy with 2,700 staterooms.

Each ship will feature the cruise line's new neighborhood concept, seven themed areas throughout the ship that offer different experiences for guests to choose, based on their personal styles, preferences or moods. Inspired by seaside entertainment esplanades, Boardwalk will engage the entire family - whether young or young at heart - with eateries, retail outlets, carnival games, and an original, handcrafted carousel - a first at sea. Nine decks above, the first zip-line at sea will whisk guests from end to end on a thrilling aerial adventure. Boardwalk will lead to the AquaTheater at the stern of the ship, where the amphitheater - another first at sea - will offer a guest pool area by day and a performance venue at night, featuring dramatic acrobatics, synchronized swimming, water ballet, professional high-diving, and elaborate fountain shows synchronized to music and lights.

Enhancements to the cruise line's signature Royal Promenade, the heart of the ship, will include a mezzanine level that overlooks the main promenade below. Natural light will cascade into the Royal Promenade through the overhead Crystal Canopy sculptured-glass domes, and illuminate the boulevard of boutiques, restaurants, bars and entertainment lounges. The Rising Tide bar, the first moving bar at sea, will offer guests the opportunity to enjoy a cocktail as it slowly ascends into Central Park, the neighborhood above.

Central Park, a revolutionary design in which the center of the ship opens to the sky, will feature lush, tropical grounds spanning the length of a football field. With its serene pathways, seasonal flower gardens and canopy trees, Central Park will evolve from a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere during the day to a gathering space for alfresco dining and entertainment in the evenings.

The Pool and Sports Zone will feature a sloped-entry beach pool (exclusive to the Oasis-class) and two larger FlowRider surf simulators. Building on the Royal Caribbean's popular Vitality wellness program, guests will be able to soothe mind, body and soul in the Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, which also includes a dedicated spa area just for teens. Entertainment Place will include the cruise line's signature after-dark spaces in more intimate venues that offer a variety of entertainment options. And the Youth Zone will offer a wealth of kid- and teen-friendly adventures, featuring the cruise line's first nursery for infants and toddlers (six months or older).

The Oasis class of ships also will debut a new portfolio of 37 categories of accommodations, many with views unique to the ship. Park View and Boardwalk View balcony staterooms offer inward facing accommodations overlooking the two open-air neighborhoods. Another industry-first, Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas will introduce 28 contemporary bi-level loft suites with double-height, floor-to-ceiling windows for incomparable vistas of the sea. The lofts will feature LCD televisions, separate vanity areas, a guest bathroom downstairs and an upstairs master bathroom featuring his and hers shower heads, fog-free mirrors, and limestone mosaic tile accents.

Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 20 ships currently in service and two under construction. The line also offers unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, South America and New Zealand.

CALL TODAY ! (434/800) 237 3832

PRINCESS & HOLLAND AMERICA TO CUT # OF SAILINGS IN ALASKA CRUISES IN 2010





Princess and Holland America to Cut Alaska Cruises in 2010

On March 24, Carnival Corp. reported a reduce capacity in Alaska in 2010. Two of the lines, slated to cut cruises, are major Alaska players Holland America and Princess. Carnival Cruise Lines already announced changes to its 2010 Alaska itineraries, as has rival line Royal Caribbean.

Princess will reduce Alaska capacity by 16 percent (about 48,000 passengers) next year. The line has eight ships deployed to Alaska in 2009, but will drop to seven ships in 2010. According to spokeswoman Karen Candy, Star Princess will not be returning to Alaska in 2010 -- its new destination has yet to be announced -- and Sapphire Princess will take over its sister ship's seven-night, roundtrip, Seattle cruises. So in 2010, only three ships (Diamond Princess, Coral Princess and Island Princess) will offer Gulf of Alaska cruises between Vancouver and Whittier (compared to four in 2009), and two (Sapphire Princess and Golden Princess) will offer seven-night, roundtrip, Seattle itineraries. The sixth and seventh ships, yet to be named, will offer 10-night cruises, roundtrip from San Francisco, and 14-night cruises, roundtrip, from Seattle.

Holland America has a similar plan, as we learned from spokeswoman Sarah Scoltock. While it will keep eight ships in Alaska this year and next, it will decrease the number of ships sailing Gulf of Alaska cruises between Vancouver and Seward from three ships to two and will have four ships sailing, roundtrip, from Seattle. One of those, Amsterdam, will offer new, 14-night cruises with calls in less-frequented ports, including Homer and Kodiak, and -- for the first time ever for a big-ship cruise line -- regularly scheduled calls at the port of Anchorage (rather than the feeder ports of Seward or Whittier). While the number of ships will remain the same, Holland America will move ships around -- such that, ultimately, it will bring 11,000 fewer guests to Alaska.

Although both lines have yet to announce details of their 2010 land-tour offerings, fewer cruises starting or ending in Whittier and Seward will certainly mean less business for the buses, trains and hotels that both cruise lines own in Alaska. However, more Seattle roundtrips will be good news for travelers on tight budgets.

ANOTHER GOOD REASON TO CHOOSE TO CRUISE TO ALASKA IN '09. CALL TODAY !

PER ROYAL CARIBBEAN: A cruise to Alaska without a Cruisetour is only half a vacation !

HAVE YOU BEEN ON AN ALASKA CRUISE ? PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE ! DID YOU INCLUDE A TOUR TO DENALI AND ON THE RAILROAD ? PLEASE SHARE WHY OTHERS WILL WANT TO INCLUDE A TOUR WITH THEIR CRUISE IN ALASKA !

CARNIVAL OFFERING NEW DINING TIMES - ANY TIME DINING TOO !




Carnival Cruise Line has added a new dining choice to your clients' options and is now in affect for most sailings as of April 1st, 2009.

SAMPLE TIMES ABOARD CARNIVAL MIRACLE: "Your Choice Dining" features three dining options: (1) Early Dining at 6 p.m.; (2) Late Dining at 8:15 p.m.; (3) our NEW "Your Time" Dining.

"Your Time" Dining gives your clients the freedom to dine whenever and with whomever they like. Just like their favorite restaurant, they simply come to the dining room between the house of 5:45 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. and we'll seat them at a table just right for their party.

WHICH DINING DO YOU PREFER ? SET DINING OR ANY TIME DINING AND WHY ?

DID YOU KNOW ? CARNIVAL WILL NOW OFFER CONFIRMED DINING.



As of today, March 31, Carnival is offering Confirmed dining. Previously dining was not confirmed on Carnival did day of sailing.

DID YOU KNOW ? ROYAL CARIBBEAN - CHANGES TO CROWN & ANCHOR SOCIETY BENEFITS

NEW CHANGES NEW CHANGES, so below may have changes, such as ... Per RCI today ...
* Grand Suite and higher, even if not diamond plus member, will be allowed in the Conceige Lounge, each night, 5-8pm.
* Diamond members - If your ship does not have a Diamond Lounge, you will get free wine & champagne & 25% of other beverages from 5-8pm each evening, in select lounges (this will be announced in the RCI paper each day). So Diamond members NOT loosing all their benefits ! YIPPY ! I've been on 20 cruises with RCI !

And the changes below, now do NOT begin till Sept 1.------------------------------



Starting July 1st there will be some changes to our Crown & Anchor® Society benefits. Due to limited capacity, the Concierge Lounge has not been able to accommodate our growing membership, challenging our ability to provide the optimum experience for our guests. Therefore the Concierge Lounge will now be accessible to our suite and Diamond Plus guests only. Diamond Members cruising on Freedom class, Oasis of the SeasSM, and Allure of the SeasSM will continue to be able to experience exclusive access to a dedicated Diamond Lounge on these ships, which feature a complimentary 'happy hour' from 5:00-8:30pm daily.

ONBOARD BENEFITS (Effective July 1st, 2009)

GOLD - After 1st completed cruise; PLATINUM - After 5th completed cruise credits; DIAMOND After 10th completed cruise credits; DIAMOND PLUS - After 24th completed cruise credits

GOLD - Ultimate Value Booklet*, SeaPass Card recognition, Recognition at the combined Captain's Cocktail Party/Welcome Party**

PLATINUM - All the benefits of Gold, plus:Private Departure lounge, Priority Check-In, Platinum & Diamond event; Complimentary robes for use onboard (subject to availability)

DIAMOND - All the benefits of Platinum, plus:Priority wait list for shore excursions and spa treatments; Priority departure; Diamond Lounge on Freedom class, Oasis of the SeasSM , and Allure of the SeasSM; Diamond Event once per cruise on ships without a Diamond Lounge

DIAMOND PLUS - All the benefits of Diamond, plus: Personalized amenity; Behind-the-scenes tours; Concierge Lounge Access§

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

GOLD - Extra Cruise Credits for suites†; Extra Cruise Credits for 12 night+ cruise/cruisetour†; Member contests; Member cruises; Crown & Anchor ® Desk for membership inquiries; Quarterly savings certificates; Member-only section of the website

PLATINUM - All the benefits of Gold, plus: Special phone number for pre-cruise planning benefits‡; Complimentary custom air fee‡; Discounts on balconies and suites‡ ; Receive equivalent of Captain's Club member recognition when you sail our sister lines Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises.

DIAMOND - All the benefits of Platinum, plus: Priority wait list for dining room seating‡.

DIAMOND PLUS - All the benefits of Diamond, plus: Loyalty Specialist Access
Preferred seating request in the main dining room; Membership card, luggage tags, and lapel pin.

HEY, ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISERS, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THESE BENEFITS ?

AZAMARA CRUISES - HURRY - PRICING WON'T LAST !



Europe / Cruisetours

Prepare for a history lesson unlike any you've ever imagined with the enchanting lands of Europe. Bari, Italy; Barcelona, Spain; Taormina, Sicily; Sete, France; St. Petersburg, Russia; Santorini, Greece; Valletta, Malta. You can even explore Alexandria, Egypt. Bring the past to life and sail with Azamara on a voyage to Europe. Let Azamara show you the best of Europe from both sea and land when you extend your vacation with a Cruisetour. Cruise only pricing starting from $1,199 — Cruisetour pricing starting from $2,479 on QS 09/06/09 Tour 3B.

Asia

Explore the intrigue of the far away lands of Asia as this spectacular voyage takes you to out-of-the-ordinary locations such as Bangkok, Vung Tau, Puson, and Kyoto. Azamara Quest 14-Night Southeast Asian experience Cruise only pricing starting from $1,999.

HURRY,CALL WITH CREDIT CARD IN HAND TODAY ! (434/800) 237 3832

EXCLUSIVE - FOR EXISTING CRUISES INC CUSTOMERS ONLY - Up to $ 50 onboard credit !



RECEIVE $ 25 ONBOARD CREDIT FOR YOUR BALCONY CABIN ! $ 50 FOR SUITES !

* EXCLUSIVE FOR EXISTING CRUISES INC CUSTOMERS ONLY !
* MAY & JUNE SAILINGS ONLY !
* ANY CRUISE LINE/RIVER CRUISE/TOUR OPERATOR !
* ANY ITINERARY OF 7 NIGHTS AND LONGER !
* NOT APPLICABLE WITH SELECT CRUISE LINE PROMOTION: upgrades, onboard credit, groups, etc.
* BOOK BETWEEN 4/15/2009 TO 04/29/2009 !

Check out options at: www.vivianwebb.com
Then call ASAP ! (434/800) 237 3832