April 2011 Newsletter

Cruise Notes from Mary
Mary Engram, CTA/MCC Travel Consultant
April 2011


Thanks for all the positive feedback I received on the first issue of my newsletter. As long I you want them, I will continue to write them. I am currently packing my suitcase (multi-tasking between work and packing I should say) for a 15 day transatlantic cruise onboard Regent Seven Seas Regatta. My flight leaves out of LAX tonight and I am really excited about the trip. My thought is to do “Live from Regent” posts along the way so stay tuned.

But don’t worry that I won’t be accessible to you. As always I will have my laptop with me and checking emails daily. The only downside is I won’t be available by phone until April 8th. But that won’t stop me from taking care of your travel needs, so just shoot me an email and I will take care of the rest.
IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT THE SMOOTH JAZZ CRUISE 2012
At that time Smokey was booked, Jazz Cruises envisioned having the show on the pier at Crown Bay in St. Thomas. They talked it over with Holland America and the Port Authority of St. Thomas and it all seemed to work. Since that time, they learned the following:
We will be sharing the docking berth with the Allure of the Seas, one of the largest passenger ships in the world, and it will not sail until 6 pm.
The wind component in St. Thomas, even on a very nice day, can be quite forceful.
Despite assurances to the contrary, Holland America Line will not be able to “service” the show in a manner consistent with our standards.

For these reasons, the Smokey Robinson show has been cancelled. However, Jazz Cruises wants to make it clear that Smokey Robinson, his managers and agents have all worked hard with Jazz Cruises to figure out a way to make this work and carry none of the blame for the cancellation. Jazz Cruises will announce Smokey’s replacement soon.

Cruise News

The Sapphire Princess is doing some new round-trip LA Pacific Coastal cruises this year, which is pretty neat. However, I REALLY like the round-trip LA Pacific Coastal cruises that they are coming out with for 2012-13. The ship is in a port every single day (I prefer port days to sea days) including an overnight in San Francisco which features a mid-day arrival (great for cruising under the Golden Gate Bridge). The other itinerary I like even better is the Los Angeles to Vancouver route. It stops in Astoria, Santa Barbara, Seattle, and Victoria, BC. Who else loves these new itineraries? I am putting together a group so let me know if you are interested in joining me.
Princess Cruises will sail from Galveston to the Western Caribbean between December 22, 2012 and April 27, 2013. The 7-day itinerary will include the ports of Costa Maya, Roatan, Belize City, and Cozumel.

Oceania Cruises' new 2012 European Collection includes a 1-night hotel stay prior to each cruise. Here are a few more details about this special amenity:

There are four different levels of accommodations that will be assigned to guests depending on whether they purchase OS/VS/OC, Penthouses, Concierge Level Staterooms or all other categories.
Multiple hotels will be used in all cities and the hotel will be assigned at time of booking. You will be advised of the name of the hotel at that time and it will also appear on the booking invoice issued. We are unable to accept requests for specific hotels.
Guests who choose not to take the hotel stay will receive a $250pp credit up to $500 per stateroom, regardless of the category in which they've booked. Singles will receive a $500 credit.
When the free hotel stay offer expires on Aug 31, the $250pp credit also is no longer available.
For guests who are traveling together, every effort will be made to keep the entire group at the same hotel. Our ability to do this may depend on what suite/stateroom categories the guests purchase, when the guests book and what hotels are available at time of booking.
Both cruise-only and air sea guests may take the free hotel stay. No air deviation fee will be assessed.
For guests taking the free hotel stay, free transfers are provided from the hotel to the ship. The charge for transfers from the airport to the hotel will be automatically added to the booking for your clients' convenience and you may decline this if they wish to make other arrangements.
Kudos to Holland America Line for launching a new Stateroom Direct Service program that gives guests access to their staterooms as early as 11:30 am.
Carnival Cruise Lines move the Carnival Elation from Mobile, Alabama to New Orleans and the Carnival Ecstasy from the Crescent City to Port Canaveral

Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas was the setting for Jenny McCarthy’s directorial debut, a short film called “The Allure of Love,” and a second film starring James Brolin

Princess’ New Royal Princess will have a Glass-Bottomed Walkway extending 128 feet above the sea. The ship will also feature a new adults-only pool surrounded by seven private cabanas that will require a fee to rent. Two additional pools will flank a tropical island that will become an outdoor dance club at night, complete with a water and light show. All outside staterooms on Royal Princess will have balconies, which means that 80 percent of the ship’s staterooms will have balconies.
Adam Goldstein, Royal Caribbean President and CEO announced a new feature to his 'Why Not?' blog. Via Royal Caribbean International's Facebook page, you can 'Ask Adam' and at the end of the month he will answer selected questions which will be posted on RCL’s Facebook wall.
Celebrity Cruises Revised their Itineraries to Egypt
Celebrity Constellation
12-Night October 25, 2011 > Alexandria replaced with overnight at Haifa 14-Night November 6, 2011 > Alexandria replaced with Marmaris
Celebrity Silhouette 12-Night August 10, 2011 > Alexandria replaced with Haifa 12-Night August 22, 2011 > Alexandria replaced with overnight at Haifa 12-Night September 3, 2011 > Alexandria replaced with overnight at Haifa 12-Night September 15, 2011 > Alexandria replaced with overnight at Ashdod 13-Night September 27, 2011 > Alexandria replaced Limassol and Haifa12-Night October 10, 2011 > Alexandria replaced with overnight at Haifa

Celebrity Solstice will sail to Australia and New Zealand in the winter of 2012-13. The Solstice will transition to Australia/New Zealand via the Suez Canal and Southeast Asia before arriving in Sydney in early December. The sailings will include multiple overnights in ports including Dubai and Cochin, India.

Norwegian Pearl will sail from New York beginning in October 2012, offering 7-day Bahamas and Florida cruises, along with three 12-day Southern Caribbean voyages. Norwegian Gem will continue to homeport in New York and Eastern Caribbean and Eastern Canada and Quebec cruises.

Holland America will deploy Ms Oosterdam to Australia for 2012-13 season.

St. Kitts Tourism Authority announced the Allure of the Seas will call at Port Zante on December 30.

Carnival Splendor To Cruise A 15-Day Hawaii Voyage From Long Beach on January 13th 2013 which include the ports of Hilo, Maui, Honolulu, Kauai, and Kona.

Cruise Deals

A CruiseTour is a Great Option to see more of a particular destination
I was talking to one of my clients about a cruise to Asia or India and she mentioned that she
wanted to visit go farther inland to visit areas not offered on the cruise. Did you know that cruisetours are an option that might afford you that option? Many of the cruises in Europe and Asia allow you to combine a cruise with a land package. That’s what I call a deal because it combines the two and you have the best of both worlds.

Royal Caribbean “WHODUNIT MYSTERY CRUISE”
Oasis of the Seas® 7-Night Western Caribbean - April 2, 2011
Rhapsody of the Seas® 7-Night Alaska Sawyer Glacier - May 20, 2011
Enchantment of the Seas® 5-Night Bermuda - September 3, 2011
Monarch of the Seas® 3-Night Bahamas Halloween Cruise - October 21, 2011
Majesty of the Seas® 3-Night Bahamas Halloween Cruise - October 21, 2011
Voyager of the Seas® 7-Night Western Caribbean - December 3, 2011

Client Corner
As you know, I am always interested in getting feedback about my client’s trips. I can’t be everywhere so you are my eyes and ears on each trip you take. Therefore I decided to add a section to my newsletter entitled “Client Corner” where you can tell others about your experiences. And don’t worry, I will always ask permission before I publish anything and will respect your privacy by using only your initials and not your name.

I recently had a client return from a cruise to Jordan and Luxor and she shared the following regarding a tour company she use. I have no doubt you will find her review informative and entertaining. So a big thanks to AR as the first “client corner” submittal.

I wanted to thank you so much for all of the arrangements you made for our trip to Petra and Luxor in January of 2011. The reason why we booked with Memphis Tours is that we wanted to visit both Petra and Wadi Rum while we were in Jordan and the cruise line did not offer both in one tour. The guide met us promptly when we got off the ship and we preceeded to Petra. What a treasure! We could have spent more time there but the guides kept us on track knowing that we had more to see in the afternoon. Upon leaving Petra we were hungry and although lunch was not planned at that time our guide easily found us a buffet restaurant which served our purpose perfectly.

We then headed towards Wadi Rum and was met by our new guide by the side of the road. Again we were impressed by how well everything was timed out. We jumped into the pickup truck and headed into the desert where we saw baby camels, climbed some huge rock formations, rode some camels, and fell in love with the desert. The next time we are there we will definately arrange for an overnight tour. Keeping us on schedule, our driver headed back to the highway were we were met by our original guide who took us back to the ship safe and sound. What an awesome, fun filled day.

The next day was Safaga, Egypt. Again, we were met on time as we got off the cruise ship. Our driver followed the caravan to Luxor where we were met by our English speaking guide John. (Yahia Abdou Ahmed). John did an excellent job of explaining everything and looked out for us. He is very knowledgeable and is an asset to your company. We went to the Valley of the Kings in the morning and was pleasantly surprised by a boat trip across the Nile to our restaurant for lunch. Having lunch on the banks of the Nile is a memory I will not soon forget. That was not part of the itinerary but definately much appreciated. In the afternoon we went to Karnak. What an impressive place. After we dropped John off, we made our way back to the ship.

Both days went off without a hitch. Making plans over the internet, on a trip of a lifetime, you worry about what could go wrong, but nothing did. We felt very safe and well taken care of and the food was excellent where we ate in both countries.

We highly recommend Memphis Tours for any plans you have.

Sincerely,
AR

p.s. The only area for improvement for our trip would have been that the driver in Safaga did not speak English. It would have been nice to ask questions along the way because the trip to Luxor was fascinating. Other than that, it was perfect.


Ship Tour of Oceania Marina

I have to say Oceania Marina is a beautiful ship. This ship is understated elegance throughout with restful and muted colors accented by vivid art and fabrics. Rich wood tones, plush custom designed carpets, varied and high end fabric and furniture, Murano and Lalique glass accents were set throughout the ship. I was also impressed by the amount of light flowing into the public areas. But at the same time, there is still a feeling that you are relaxing in someone’s home that is typical of all Oceania vessels.
There are additional restaurants, public rooms and a state of the showroom. The pool space has plenty of deck chairs including plush queen size chaise lounges. There are art noveau chairs, flowing drapes, hard woods, marble and granite. Most of the wood is dark wood, like mahogany, throughout the ship.
So ... What's New? Dining
Marina has a culinary arts center -- with a focus on workshops and audience participation. It consists of 24 state-of-the-art food stations, complete with induction cook tops and utensils. On every itinerary, Marina will host hands-on workshops that will be planned in conjunction with Bon Appetite magazine Red Ginger, an Asian-fusion restaurant features dishes from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and other Asian nations. Jacques is another new restaurant named after Jacques Pepin, Oceania's executive culinary director and one of the original "superstar" chefs.La Reserve is a 24-seat wine-themed restaurant for wine-pairing but also doubles as an indoor/outdoor venue for wine tastings and other events. Marina offers a total of 10 restaurants including restaurants currently found on other Oceania ships -- the Grand Dining Room, Waves, Toscana, Tapas on the Terrace and Polo Grill. Six of the restaurants are open-seating while the other four require reservations. But the good news is all restaurants are included in the price of the cruise. No additional surcharge. The Grand Dining Room seats 650, menus rotate every 16 days, and Canyon Ranch-spa cuisine can be selected for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Cabins
The ship has 3 Owner's Suites, 8 Vista Suites, 12 Oceania Suites (a new category), 20 Window Suites, 122 Penthouse Suites, 466 standard balcony cabins and 14 inside cabins. Wheelchair-accessible accommodations will be available in every cabin category. Owner's and Vista Suites have outdoor whirlpools.Both standard verandah cabins and Penthouse Suites will be larger than those on Marina’s sister ships, with verandah cabins at 282 square feet (compared to 216 square feet) and Penthouse Suites at 420 square feet (versus 322 square feet). Bathrooms in all of the cabins are larger with marble sinks and separate showers and tubs, even in standard categories. In addition, the overall cabin color schemes is browns, creams, blacks and greens.
Ship Tour of Golden Princess

A comfortable ship, Golden Princess feels comfortable with a tasteful decor of beige, accented with soft pastels. The Piazza is the perfect onboard hub, surrounded by the International Cafe for coffee and anytime snacks. Next door is the International Café serves coffee and snack and the nearby Vines Wine bar services tapas and drinks.
Dining
Bernini and Donatello are the main dining rooms. They appeared a bit cramped to me but railings divide the rooms into manageable areas. Nice drapes and carpeting absorb much of the background noise and each dining room is its own enclosed room, rather than a tiered multi-deck space like on larger ships. The decor is lovely and floral, with paintings of country gardens. The Horizon Court is located on Deck 14 and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet-style. Prego Pizzeria serves fresh pizza and you can find burgers and hot dogs at the Trident Grill. And of course, soft serve ice cream with all the toppings can be found at Sundaes Ice Cream Bar.The two specialty restaurants, Crown Grill and Sabatini's are next to each other, and for an additional fee, you can have a top-notch meal.
Public Areas
The Sanctuary is an adult only area with cushy lounge chairs and touches of greenery.Movies Under the Stars is a great place to enjoy a concert, sporting event or movie at night. It is especially nice because there is a retractable cover so you are always comfortable no matter what the weather is outside. .There are 4 pools in total. The teens-only sun deck satisfies the teens while the splash pool area is great for pre-schoolers.There are 3 show lounges -- the Princess Theater, Vista Lounge and Explorers Lounge.The Fun Zone (a children's area for ages 3 to 7 and 8 to 12) and Off Limits (the daytime teen room), provides supervised activities for the children. However, I should point out that Golden Princess was sailing a longer cruise to Hawaii and definitely catered to an older clientele.
A nice feature onboard Golden Prices are the 6 Laundromats available for guest use. They are located on passenger decks and have washers, dryers, ironing boards, sinks and vending machines for detergent (as well as change). A load is $1 for either wash or dry.
The Hearts and Minds wedding chapel on Deck 15, aft, has a lovely backdrop of a manicured garden, which opens to reveal a large, flat-screen TV. This venue also doubles as a meeting room with a high-tech sound system. The room is also wired for Wi-Fi and has a webcam to broadcast lectures or vows to friends, family and colleagues off-ship.

A Note about Golden Princess Cabins The balconies are larger on Caribe and Dolphin Decks than on the Baja Deck. But from the Baja Deck you can look down on the balconies on Caribe and Dolphin Deck and from the Caribe Deck you can see those on the Dolphin Deck. In addition, many of the mid-ship and forward balconies are visible from the bridge.Tastefully decorated in beige, cream, muted pink, baby blue and other soft colors, standard cabins come with flat-screen TV's, in-room safes, mini-refrigerators, hair dryers and desks. Mini-suites add a sitting area with pull-out sofas, second flat-screen TV's and bathrooms with tubs. Mini-suite and suite passengers automatically receive bathrobes. Suites come with upgraded faux teak balcony furniture. The Grand Suite features an enormous whirlpool tub, sitting/dining area with wet bar and walk-in closet.
Thought for the Month
"Is it possible that the only reason people get lost in thought is because it's unfamiliar territory?"

The official name of Japan is Nihon or Nippon, which translates as “Land of the Rising Sun.” I pray that Japan rises quickly from the devastation, with brighter days of sun ahead. You may not know them individually, but as a nation we can pray for one another.

Well that’s it for now.

Love and Hugs

Mary Engram,
Your Personal Travel Consultant
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