So do I need a passport or not?? May 27, 2009

Basically – yes, you need one.   If all was well in the world and there wasn’t even a remote chance of you missing your cruise ship or getting injured or sick and being left in a foreign port and you just flew in and out of Florida or other US port… then you could get away without a passport.  But really you want to go to Europe some day and just incase one of those terrible things happen – you need to just get a passport.   You need a passport to fly into the US from anywhere outside of US – (San Juan PR okay… it’s a US territory)  

Carnival sent out a letter explaining it – here is a part of that:

There has been much attention on the new travel requirements for U.S. Citizens going into effect on June 1, 2009, and we would like to clarify this for you.  While the new Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires valid passports for land and sea travel, a final ruling was issued allowing leniency for “closed-loop” cruises, i.e., sailings that both originate and terminate in the same U.S. port.

U.S. citizens taking “closed-loop” cruises are not required to have a passport but will need proof of citizenship and a government-issued photo ID, such as an original or certified copy of a birth certificate and a driver’s license.  Children will also be required to carry a birth certificate and a photo ID if over the age of 15.

Although a passport is not required for “closed loop” cruises, we strongly recommend all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel), a passport card or an enhanced driver’s license (EDL). Having these documents will enable them to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port in the event they miss their scheduled embarkation or to fly back to the U.S. if they need to disembark the ship mid-cruise due to an emergency.  

If a cruise begins and ends in different U.S. ports or begins and ends in a foreign port, a valid passport or other recognized WHTI-compliant document is required. A valid passport is required if you are traveling on any of our Europe cruises.

For more information, a complete list of WHTI-compliant documents or to obtain a passport application, visit www.travel.state.gov

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that ALL guests need proof of citizenship in order to travel and failure to present a valid document at check in will result in denied boarding and no refund will be issued.  

 

 

So there you have it – RECOMMENDED – but not required on round-trip US departure cruises.

Cruise line Gratuities going up… January 22, 2009

Well – it’s probably about time really.  I’ve been booking cruises for 7 years and the expected gratuity for the service providers on cruise ships has been in the neighborhood of $10 a day per guest.  It’s gone from pay them cash in little envelopes to the cruise line just charges it to your hotel tab daily and you pay with the credit card you check in with.  Royal Caribbean and Celebrity had held off from the automatic gratuity thing until mid January and now they are doing it also.  They pushed the envelope with that announcement and said $11 something and now NCL is changing theirs  to $12 per guest, regardless of age.  This amount is split between the room seward, and his assistant, and the dinner waiter and his assistant and the mater’de that takes care of your section of the dining room.  

This amount may seem high, but when you realize that none of these ships are flagged in the US… minus the one in Hawaii – these workers are not getting minimum wage or overtime pay etc….  It’s still a great gig for them, as if they go back to their countries with great English stills they can get great jobs upon thier return.  

I just got off a ship and am desparately missing having my room cleaned twice a day and wishing someone would ask me what I would like for dinner… and dessert.

Cruise Line start to take off fuel supplement charges – a bit of good news! December 8, 2008

This off Royal Caribbean site – that includes Celebrity and Azamra:

We have suspended our fuel supplement for Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, anywhere in the world.

The decision reflects the recently sustained lower price of fuel.

Effective Monday, December 8, guests making new bookings for sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, will not be charged the fuel supplement.

Guests already booked on sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, will receive a refund of any fuel supplement paid, as follows:
• Guests with existing bookings for sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, and who are now paid in full, will have the supplement automatically refunded to them in the form of an onboard credit during their sailing.
• Guests with existing bookings for sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, and who are not yet paid in full, will have the supplement automatically removed from their outstanding balance.
We reserves the right to reinstate fuel supplement charges if the price of West Texas Intermediate fuel exceeds $65 per barrel, on the quarterly milestone dates mentioned in the company’s October 24, 2008, press release.

 

 

The bad news – as of May 2009 – if the price of oil keeps going up – they will add them back. BUMMER!

Princess Cruise line news – policy and enhancements July 24, 2008

POLICY HIGHLIGHTS 

 

Deposit Requirements

 Princess has lowered the passenger deposit requirements for new bookings on summer 2009 voyages and beyond. Now all bookings will require a deposit of just 20% of the cruise or cruise tour fare, reduced from the previously announced 30% requirement. The World Cruise deposit will remain at 10% for the initial deposit.

 

New Fuel Supplement

Because of the continued rapid escalation of fuel prices, six of Carnival Corporation & plc’s brands, including Princess Cruises and Cunard Line, increased their current fuel supplement from $7 to $9 (USD) per person per day. The fuel supplement for third and fourth passengers will increase from $2 to $4 (USD) per person per day. The new fuel supplement will apply to all new bookings effective June 12, 2008. The fuel supplement will not exceed $126 per person per voyage for the first and second passengers, and $56 per person per voyage for the third and fourth passengers in a stateroom.

 

Air Policy Disclosures

Due to the volatility of the airline price changes, we want to highlight the fact that all air prices are not guaranteed until full payment is received by Princess. This is not new, but rather a re-communication of our existing policy. As long as a passenger has paid for their cruise and air in full, they will not be required to pay any additional air costs.

 

Platinum Vacation Protection

Starting with voyages departing in summer 2009, Princess is pleased to introduce Princess Platinum Vacation Protection. Our Platinum Plan provides a future cruise credit value of 100% of the normally non-refundable charges if you must cancel for a reason that is not eligible for 100% cash reimbursement. And, upgrading to our new Platinum Vacation Protection plan (or Travel Care Gold for voyages prior to the summer of 2009) will also double coverage for medical expenses, lost baggage and emergency medical evacuation. Also note that Princess purchases the Platinum coverage for Platinum and Elite Captains Circle members who purchase the standard program- a savings of up to several hundred dollars.

 

 

PRODUCT ENHANCEMENTS 

 

Star Princess and Caribbean Princess to Add Popular Amenities

The upcoming makeovers of Star Princess and Caribbean Princess will include a transformation of the Deck 5 atrium into the inviting piazza-style street café including Headline Entertainers as currently found on Crown Princess and Emerald Princess, a new wine bar concept including a walk-in cheese humidor and a fully stocked wine store. Additionally, we will add the company’s signature adults-only Sanctuary and showplace Crown Grill steak and seafood restaurant, along with a more centrally located casino and seven new suites. Star Princess will also receive a Movies Under The Stars screen during her September dry dock in San Francisco and Caribbean Princess will follow in January 2009.

 

Complimentary Hot Chocolate and Mid-Morning Bouillon

We are pleased to offer our passengers in cold weather itineraries, complimentary Hot Chocolate and mid-morning Bouillon. These special offerings are currently available on board our ships in Alaska.

 

Evian Misting Stewards

Launching in August, passengers will be able to take pleasure in being misted by our new Evian Misting Stewards while enjoying the sun on deck. This service is offered in our warm weather itineraries and is sure to be a hit with our passengers.

 

Waffle Stations

Available in late August, passengers can enjoy fresh waffles made to order at the Waffle Stations located in the Horizon Court buffet. Unlike other operations, Princess Cruises will offer fresh waffle creations for breakfast, brunch and throughout lunch. What better way to start the day!

 

Complimentary Lemonade

Complimentary Lemonade will be available later in 2008 on board all Princess ships.

 

In support of our ongoing partnership with Nintendo, Princess was the first cruise line to launch the new Wii Fit device on all vessels. Representatives from Nintendo of America introduced and trained cruise and teen staff on the popular Wii Fit through participative and interactive training courses. Family and adult tournaments are now featured on all vessels fleet wide.

 

Airlines – will you pay extra for window seat? May 22, 2008

If this photo represents flying to you… stop reading here. 

Where will the airlines stop in this new wave of setting the base price for a ticket and then surprising the traveler with new add on’s. 

First step that most of the airlines jumped on- is the second bag checked cost $25.  Now American is going to charge $15 for the first bag.  (tickets issued after June 15th)  How about getting a window seat… I’m an aisle person myself, but would you pay extra for a window.  It’s coming.

Of course all these extra’s are not for everyone, if you are a loyalty member with a little status, the airline doesn’t impose these things on you.  Loyalty pays in many ways in the travel industry. 

 It’s hard to remember how we used to make fun of airline food and how terrible it was, and now we are just grateful to get anything to snack on while we are stuck on the tarmac waiting for our gate to open as the clock tics and our connecting flight leaves without us.  I may be a little sensitive to this – this week as my hubby was stuck at SFO forever this week, and his flight kept getting delayed over and over.  Delays seem more common place lately – global warming… unusual weather? I don’t know … Mechanical issues?  Not sure, but it does put the adventure back into travel.

United Airline messing with business travelers… April 21, 2008

My husband travels alot – and this news is not exciting!  He uses United for a huge percentage of his business travel.  Read on…

United Adds Saturday Stay, Raises Ticket-Change Fees
Mon Apr 21 2008, by TravelTrade Staff

United Airlines is increasing business travel fares by requiring a Saturday night stay in about 65% of markets and will boost ticket-change fees to offset fuel costs.

The Saturday-night stay requirement has been tacked on to all tickets where United competes head-to-head with other legacy carriers, impacting business travelers, who usually don’t want to spend a Saturday night in their destination.

In addition, United’s fee for passengers to change tickets will rise from $100 to $150.

Last week, United added an additional $20 roundtrip fuel charge in markets that already had a fuel fee. A $10 surcharge was added in markets where no fee had been in effect.

 

 

Fuel Cost rising – Travel Vendors passing the cost on… April 20, 2008

After the recent news of the Cruise lines giving money back to customers after they charged fuel supplements on bookings already made.  NCL can stand proud on this one, as they didn’t do what the other did.  They only charged the fuel supplement on bookings made after the announcement.

NCL annouced this week that come May 1st – their fuel supplement charge that they started this past fall at $7 will go up to $9 per person (for first two passengers in each room) per day.  So on a 7 day cruise that’s $126 extra for a couple to cruise.  All of this makes looking at advertised prices a little tricky.  A cruise that’s posted for $699 – is going to cost a couple about $1589 with taxes.  (Cruises don’t include air unless you add that…)  Here in Oregon where we aren’t used to sales taxes… makes it even harder to tell someone the total price of their trip.

Carnival Corp (includes Princess, Holland, Seabourn, Cunard, Costa and Carnival) raised their fuel charge to $7 per person per day for all bookings made after TODAY April 20th.  They had been at $5 a day- same as Royal Caribbean and Celebrity.   At the present moment RCCL and Celebrity are still at $5 a day.  Kudos to them if they can stay there.

NEWS- Royal Caribbean is raising their also.. up to $8 – All bookings made after May 1st. That includes Celebrity and Azurmara (never sure if I’m spelling that right, new cruiseline…)

Then there is air…

Just got a message saying the United is charging a fuel supplement on their Hawaii flights, all fares - $40 per person.  Yikes!

Need to start shopping for that electric car so I can still afford to travel!!

RCCL – central park idea, real trees, grass- MORE WOW April 16, 2008

Just saw this on USA TODAY:

USA TODAY exclusive: Future Royal Caribbean ships will boast a ‘Central Park’

What mind-blowing innovation does Royal Caribbean plan for its next ship?

The Cruise World has been abuzz over the question for more than a year, and now it finally has an answer: A massive “Central Park” at the center of the vessel that boasts soaring trees, live grass and outdoor restaurants.

The new area, which Royal Caribbean plans to announce this afternoon at a press conference in New York, will be the central feature of the line’s so-called Project Genesis ships launching in 2009 and 2010.

“This is very different from anything on any of our ships,” the line’s executive president, Harri Kulovaara, tells USA TODAY in an exclusive interview. “This is going to have real gardens, grass and trees. It has taken a lot of engineering.”   

Indeed, even for Royal Caribbean, a longtime leader in cruise ship innovation, it’s an unprecedented undertaking. Billed as a “town square” for the coming ships, the new Central Park areas will take the place of the Royal Promenades found on the line’s latest vessels. But they’ll be twice as wide as the Royal Promenades and soar nearly twice as high — a feat of engineering unthinkable just a few years ago.

Still, perhaps the biggest talker of the day is the fact that the entire Central Park area, which will run the length of a football field down the center of the ship and be lined with five decks of cabins, will be open to the air six decks above.

In other words, if it’s raining outside of the ship, it’ll be raining in the ship’s Central Park, too.

“We have done a tremendous amount of work in studying the micro-climate, including the wind conditions and the heat conditions,” says Kulovaara, noting that the ship will sail year-round in the generally pleasant air of the Caribbean. “We have drainage systems so we easily can handle a tropical rainfall and an irrigation systems for all the trees and plants.”   

Another big talker is that the 254 cabins overlooking the park will have balconies, allowing passengers to sit outside at night and people watch. The Royal Promenades on earlier Royal Caribbean ships are lined with three decks of cabins but do not have balconies.

Kulovaara notes that passengers on the top pool decks of the ship also will be able to look down into the Central Park area from a bridge above.    

Kulovaara tells USA TODAY that the Central Park is designed to be a peaceful place for passengers to hang out during the day, noting that there will be quiet reading corners, a sculpture garden and an area for playing chess. But at night the park will morph into an active gathering space for alfresco dining and entertainment that will include outdoor concerts and street performances.

In a sign that Royal Caribbean plans to shake up its traditional dining system onboard ships, Kulovaara says the park will be surrounded by “five or six” restaurants with indoor and outdoor seating that will range from an elegant fine dining venue called 150 Central Park to casual chic eateries such as the Central Park Café.

Other dining choices that Royal Caribbean will announce today include an Italian restaurant called Giovanni’s Table, a Vintages wine bar (pictured above) and Royal Caribbean’s signature Chops Grille steakhouse. There also will be several bars scattered throughout the Park, including what’s billed as the first moving bar at sea. Called Rising Tide, it will slowly glide up-and-down three decks, from the base level of the Central Park downward into lower areas of the ship (see illustration below; click on the image to make it bigger). A range of stores are planned, too.

The 225,000-ton Project Genesis ships, now under construction in Turku, Finland, will be the largest cruise vessels ever built. Nearly 50% larger than the current record holders, Royal Caribbean’s Freedom class ships, they’ll have room for 5,400 passengers at double occupancy.

Royal Caribbean long has been an innovator in cruise ship design, unveiling the first atriums at sea in the 1980s and the first indoor promenade in 1999. Other firsts include rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks and, most recently, a pool for surfing. The gigantic size of the coming Genesis ships has led to speculation that the line planned more ground-breaking new features, but until now the line has been mum on its plans for the ships.

Royal Caribbean says the Central Park area is one of seven “neighborhoods” that the line plans for the ships, part of a new strategy to divide up passengers based on their personal tastes and interests. The line will unveil other neighborhoods over the next year.

Illustrations courtesy Royal Caribbean 

Hallelujah -Celebrity goes non-smoking in staterooms and balconies!! April 12, 2008

 

Big news for non-smokers like me that have not loved the smoking in staterooms policy of all cruise lines until NOW.  Read on…

Fri Apr 11 2008, by TravelTrade Staff

Celebrity Cruises will ban smoking in staterooms and on stateroom verandas beginning Oct. 1. The cruise line will also reduce the number of public areas in which guests can smoke onboard.

The new policy was created after Celebrity polled past guests and found a large demand for more smoke-free areas, the line said. Smoking will continue to be allowed on the port side of one lounge per ship and a designated slot machine area in each ship’s casino. Outdoor areas include the port side of the pool deck and sundecks on each ship, the port side of the Sunset Bar on Celebrity Century and on Celebrity’s Millennium class of ships and the port side aft outside of Winter Garden on Celebrity Galaxy and Mercury.

Celebrity’s new Solstice class of ships, which launches with the Solstice later this year, will follow the new policy beginning with the first sailing. The Solstice’s Lawn Club and the Sunset Bar at the Lawn Club will be smoke-free.

The new policy goes into effect on Celebrity’s fleet on the first day of each new sailing following Oct. 1. Violations to Celebrity’s smoking policy may result in a $250 cleaning fee charged to the guest’s onboard account.

“We pay careful attention to what our guests have to say, and approximately 90% of them have told us they are non-smokers,” said Dan Hanrahan, Celebrity Cruises’ president and CEO. “By increasing the number of smoke-free areas onboard while still designating areas for those who smoke, our aim is to make the onboard experience as pleasant as possible for all of our guests.”

New ideas with NCL -it starts after June 1st March 31, 2008

They are calling it Freestyle 2.0.  What does that mean?  They took some suggestions from travel partners and guest and came up with these ideas:

1 -new menus, lobster in the main dining room twice per cruise

2- soft serve ice cream machines – yeah I love those.

3- a chocolate fountain… not a huge fan myself

4- memory foam mattress toppers – nice touch, upgraded linens and top sheets.  That might sound weird, but they were doing duvets without top sheet.  Guess people didn’t like it.  After traveling in Switzerland I was totally sold on the not top sheet idea myself!  

5-Balcony and above category rooms get fresh baked cookies at turndown on the last night of cruise. Special color keycards, that give them priority restaurant reservations and reception hotlines.  (They will still have lifeboats for all….. hee hee)

6- Suites and Villas…. a ton of stuff: pillow menu, MP3 player connections, upgraded mattresses, plush bathrobes, bubbly in the room – plus more.

7- New educational classes – fun idea- a class on humor hosted by Second City… interesting

8-Drink flags on the deck chairs, just saw this at the Marriott in Palm Springs and thought it was a great idea.  They are also making quiet zones and times on the deck – like that idea too.

9- Kids will like the new x-box stations at the video arcade and enhanced teen center.

Hope the menu change is good, as that has been the weak spot for NCL. 

Sail on!!