Carnival Cruise Lines and Razorfish tohave announced the launch of a groundbreaking new social commerce Facebook application that allows users to easily view, compare, select and share Carnival cruises with their Facebook friends.

The application, the first of its kind in the cruise industry, allows users to engage their social network in their vacation planning through personalized newsfeed updates and even invite friends to book the same trip.

The application, available on Carnival’s official Facebook fan page (www.facebook.com/carnival), enables the user to explore all available Carnival cruise options without leaving Facebook by providing the functionality to sort cruises by date, duration, port of call, and accommodation type. Once users decide on a particular cruise, they can share the detailed cruise information with their Facebook friends by simply clicking a button. Users can also customize their newsfeed messages, which include a link to the cruise, to invite friends to book the trip as well.

“A Carnival cruise is a very social experience and this application is a natural extension of our efforts to engage our nearly 250,000 Facebook fans in a unique and exciting way,” said Jim Berra, Carnival’s chief marketing officer. “By allowing our customers to share their cruising plans with Facebook friends, we are making it easier for them to plan group trips and encourage others to join in the fun.”

Once users have taken advantage of the Facebook application to choose and share their Carnival cruise plans, they will be directed to the appropriate shopping cart page on Carnival.com to finalize the transaction.

It is no secret among my close friends that I am a country music fan. I love all that mooning and crooning. So when I hear about a country music cruise I am excited.

Here’s the scoop:

The Grand Olee Opry Country Classics Cruise sails Jan. 30 – Feb. 6, 2011. With a recently updated itinerary, the music-filled adventure will now take guests to the Eastern Caribbean aboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas.

Grand Ole Opry stars Charley Pride, Jim Ed Brown and Jeannie Seely are set to entertain during the seven-night voyage. Additionally, newcomer Chris Young, nominated for the Top New Solo Vocalist award by the Academy of Country Music, will be part of the line-up along with special guest Helen Cornelius. This marks the Opry’s 14th annual cruise and its first on Royal Caribbean International.

“We always have the time of our lives meeting the fans and enjoying our fellow artists’ music on board the Opry Cruise,” Pride said. “It looks like the 2011 cruise is going to be better than ever.”

Fans of the classics will experience private shows by the artists performing their own hits in addition to all-time country favorites throughout the week. Additional musical fun onboard will include classic country karaoke with celebrity guests and an exclusive cocktail party with fellow Opry Country Classics Cruise guests. Departing from Port Canaveral, guests will visit three ports of call: St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in the Bahamas.

For more information on each artist on the cruise, details about ports of call, on board activities, and more, visit oprycruise.com. Prices for the Opry Country Classics Cruise start at $1,158 per person, government taxes and fees are additional. To book this cruise and participate in all the private Opry functions, contact Corporate Travel Service Inc. at (866) 653-OPRY (6779).

Boarded the Norwegian Epic yesterday morning and have been aboard for about 24 hours. Here are some first impressions:

The decor of the ship of lovely. Very tasteful throughout.

As advertised, there are tons of bars (21 in fact) and restaurants and all seem very popular. They serve sushi, steaks, teppanyaki, Chinese noodles, Irish  fare (O”Sheehan’s Pub is named for the CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line), Italian and even Churrascaria (Brazilian/Portuguese meats). The only thing lacking is an out-and-out Mexican restaurant, but I am sure you can get that in the Lido.

We had a fabulous press lunch yesterday in Cagney’s Steak House, one of the premier specialty restaurants ($25 add-on) and the chopped salad and filet mignon were excellent, as expected.  In the evening, we attended the new Cirque Dreams & Dinner show. The food was ordinary but the show was top-notch with a great series of acts…if you have watched other Cirque shows, you know there is often a lot of drivel between the acts and this was no exception. The whiny, high voice of the leading character was downright annoying…but the acts more than made up for that.

This ship can carry 4,000 passengers and definitely appeals to children. So, I can envisualize a cruise with maybe 300 children aboard. So I am amazed that the outdoor pool facilities are so, so limited. There is an aqua area with lots of splashy stuff and two aqua-tubes (sure to be a big hit), but very little actual swimming space. And, the so called “main pool” is in an adult area and is thumbnail size. It is sure to be invaded by kids looking for more places to swim. There are several hot tubs and the kids seem to fill those up, too. I have to go out this afternoon and take another look at those limited swimming areas. There is very little shade anywhere on the open decks.

Our cabin is a typical balcony cabin featuring those new wavy walls. I really don’t care about the waves one way or another, but I can tell you that this cabin is too small for two people. If one is sitting down at the dressing table to put on makeup or dry hair, the other person cannot walk through.

Heading off for lunch now. We have a group interview with the Blue Man Group this afternoon and get to see their show this evening. I am really looking forward to that.

So, you are going to take a cruise out of Miami or Ft. Lauderdale to the Caribbean? Have you considered coming into South Floridar a few days early to explore the city, the beaches and all of the area attractions? It is a way to make your trip even more enriching.

Whenever we go on a cruise departing from Europe, we always go in a few days early to explore the city we are leaving from…be it Barcelona, Rome, or London. Same for Asia. Those days before the cruise are always wonderful…and they allow us to wind down a bit before we board the ship. When we do get on board, we are fully ready to enjoy all aspects of the cruise.

Miami and Fort Lauderdale are both part of a fascinating area. In reality, they are only 30-40 minutes apart. Southeastern Florida is a real melting pot. I hate to us that cliché, but it is so true. Everywhere you hear people speaking different languages. Their skins are of many different hues. They are wearing all types of clothes. (Oh my, ALL types of clothing. The people-watching here rivals that in Vegas!) But they all seem to be enjoy being here. This applies to the locals as much to the visitors.

There are a couple of ways to explore this area. One is to explore the larger area. This might mean doing a series of day trips: To the Everglades, to South Beach, to the Zoo and other attractions, or heading south to the Keys. Or you can do something a bit more concentrated, like we are this week, just staying in and exploring Miami Beach.

I have been coming to Miami Beach for years, but usually for meetings at its first-class convention center. I can tell you all about the hotels around the CC and restaurants, too. But I hardly knew anything about Lincoln Road (except where to eat) and I had NEVER set foot on the beach.

Dee and I have only been here one day and now I have walked Lincoln Road from end to end, sampled many nifty restaurants (and more to come), and taken a great walk on the beach. And I still have tonight and one more day here. Today was shopping day, tomorrow is beach day. The weather is cooperating and we are blessed. And I never realized so many other people vacationed here in the summer!

Next time you plan a cruise, do plan to arrive early. You won’t regret it.

My sister-in-law Dee and I arrived in Miami Beach, Fla., at 5 p.m. yesterday. Because most people were off work, the taxi ride from Miami airport to the Doubletree Surfcomber ($32) was very fast. As fast as I ever remember. We got off the plane at 5 p.m. and were checking in at 6 p.m. It was raining steadily at the time.

We are here in Miami for a few days before boarding the new Norwegian Epic cruise ship for its Miami inaugural cruise. And we decided to do what a lot of other passengers do, arrive a few days early and see the local sights.

We are fortunate in that the Doubletree Surfcomber on Collins Avenue, near the convention center, is in a perfect location for enjoying South Beach. It is just a few doors from the chi-chi hotels, the Delano and the National, and the Ritz-Carlton is at the corner, so we are in good company. This block is also fairly quiet, unlike the neighborhoods further south on Collins Avenue.

Best of all, we are just a short walk from all the shops and restaurants on Lincoln Road, the pedestrian walkway that is the heart of Miami Beach. So, first thing we did last night was walk over there for dinner. We were thinking Italian, so we stopped at an outdoor table at Rosinella and each enjoyed a great chopped salad, eggplant parmesan appetizer and a glass of wine as we watching the Miami Beach nightlife heating up. The cost of our meal was $31 each, including tip, which we thought quite reasonable.

We turned in early, slept well in very comfy beds, and headed out this morning for what I thought was going to be a quick walk in search of breakfast. Turned out the expedition lasted until 3 p.m.! It was supposed to rain, but was sunny all day. We walked the entire length of Lincoln Road, hitting just about every store on both sides. We had a late breakfast as the Van Dyke (eggs Florentine and eggs Portobello, no less) and then kept right on going.

Finally, at about 2 p.m. we headed back to our hotel but first stopped at the Walgreen’s at the corner of Collins and Lincoln to stock up on such necessities as wine and diet Coke. This is the largest Walgreen’s I have ever seen and is only a block from the beach. It is open 24 hours a day.

After that, we were a bit hungry so stopped at few doors down from Walgreen’s at the Pizza Bar. This was another great “find.” They sells huge slices of gourmet pizza for $4-$5 a slice. The slice was so big that Dee and I shared it. Along with two fountain sodas, our entire tab was $8. And the pizza was delicious!

So that’s it for now. Our hotel is right on the beach so we are heading out there now for a couple of hours of sun and people-watching. Then back over to Lincoln Road for dinner. We are thinking Tapas or Thai tonight.

Here is the information about the places mentioned in this article:

Doubletree Surfcomber Hotel

1717 Collins Ave.

(305) 532-7715

Rosinella Italian Restaurant

525 Lincoln Road

www.rosinella.net

(305) 672-8777

Van Dyke Cafe

846 Lincoln Road

(Corner of Jefferson and Lincoln)

(305) 534-3600

Walgreen’s South Beach

100 Lincoln Road

(Corner of Collins and Lincoln)

Pizza Bar

1627 Collins Ave.

(305) 672-6880

They will deliver!

The Norwegian Epic is finally here. She arrived in New York today and begins a week of inaugural festivities. I am flying to Miami next week to sail in her Miami inaugural June 8-10. Look for plenty of blog posts from me then. I am very excited about this new ship.

Here is the announcement that just arrived:

Norwegian Epic, the largest ship ever to dock in the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, arrived today for her official inaugural festivities following her maiden transatlantic seven-day voyage from Southampton, UK. Norwegian Epic with a height of 200 feet cleared the Verrazano Bridge by approximately 24 inches at 7:40 a.m.

The 153,000 gross tons, 4,100 passenger Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Cruise Line’s largest and most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship ever, enjoyed a smooth and successful first sailing before arriving in New York this morning. The ship, billed as the world’s largest floating entertainment venue with world-class entertainment unlike anything before seen at sea, will be officially christened by country music superstar Reba McEntire at 2 p.m. ET on Friday, July 2. Comedian and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star Jeff Garlin will serve as host of the ceremony.

The ship, which is docked at Pier 88 at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, will then sail on a two-day preview sailing, before returning to the pier the morning of July 4th to host the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® Spectacular. To register for the live webcast of the Christening Ceremony, click here.

For more information on Norwegian Epic as well as to book a cruise on the ship, please call Norwegian at 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784), visit http://epic.ncl.com, or contact a travel professional.

Hey guys, here are some more good deals for you solo cruisers…and to a very exotic destination. Do take advantage.

P&O Cruises is offering solo cruisers the opportunity to sail the South Pacific for a fraction of the usual fare on selected cruises.

The specials are ideal for mature travelers looking to enjoy holidaying with friends, with the added luxury of their own cabin.

The fares are available on a range of cruises departing from Sydney, Brisbane and Newcastle,  Australia, and sailing to some of the South Pacific’s most spectacular ports. Deals include:

A 10-night cruise from Sydney onboard P&O Cruises’ newest addition, Pacific Jewel. Departing August 17, the cruise visits five popular South Pacific ports including Mystery Island. Fares start from $1799* per person complete single. (Cruise No. J026.)

A 7-night cruise from Brisbane onboard P&O cruises’ Pacific Dawn. Departing August 21, the cruise visits South Pacific ports in New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands and Vanuatu. Fares start from $1199* per person complete single.  (Cruise No. W030)

A 10-night cruise from Newcastle on board P&O Cruises’ Pacific Sun. Departing September 8 and 18 and October 8 and 18, the cruise visits three South Pacific ports, including the Isle of Pines and Emerald Bay. Fares start from $1299* per person complete single.

All fares include accommodation, main meals and entertainment. For more information and bookings contact a  travel agent or book online at www.pocruises.com.au.

Once again, NCL is breaking ground with is new Norwegian Epic ship.

Norwegian Cruise Line announced this week that the Epic will feature a pre-cruise online reservation system for select on-board entertainment. Norwegian Epic will feature such outstanding entertainment as the  Blue Man Group, Cirque Dreams & Dinner, The Second City Comedy Troupe, Legends in Concert, Howl at the Moon Dueling Pianos Show and Nickelodeon at Sea.

To book tickets for many of these performances, Norwegian Epic guests can pre-book reservations prior to their cruise. Booked guests can go to the Norwegian website, www.ncl.com, log in to the “My NCL” section and visit a special entertainment page where they can select and reserve their desired performance. Pre-booking will be available for performances of Blue Man Group, Cirque Dreams & Dinner, Legends in Concert, The Second City Comedy Troupe, Nickelodeon SlimeTime Live!, Breakfast with Nickelodeon and the Murder Mystery “Presumed Murdered.” Guests may make a reservation for each show once per sailing.

Online bookings open 45 days prior to sailing date. Reservations for entertainment events with no cover charge are valid until 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. At that time, all unclaimed reservations with be released to guests on a first come first serve basis. Cancellations of reservations for entertainment events which have a cover charge must be made no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled start time to receive a full refund. If cancellation occurs with less than 24 hours notice, the full price of the ticket will be charged. Once on board, guests may still make reservations for available shows through the ship’s iTV system or by contacting the Box Office.

“Norwegian Epic will redefine cruise ship entertainment with its wide variety of world-class entertainment,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “We believe there will be a huge demand for the on-board entertainment and to ensure that guests can see the performances of their choice, we created a special pre-booking mechanism. We feel that this will further the Freestyle Cruising experience, offering guests unsurpassed flexibility and convenience.”

Guests will have many entertainment options and venues to choose from on board Norwegian Epic. Blue Man Group will perform eight shows per sailing; Legends in Concert, six performances; Legends Unplugged, three shows; Nickelodeon SlimeTime Live, three shows; Cirque Dreams & Dinner will be performed 12 shows per cruise; Second City, 14; Howl at the Moon, four shows; and there will be Breakfast with Nickelodeon on three mornings per sailing. Amongst the 13 entertainment venues is the first big top at sea, the Spiegel Tent, which will be home to Cirque Dreams & Dinner, created and directed by Neil Goldberg. A special Murder Mystery, called “Presumed Murdered,” presented by The Second City will also be featured in the Spiegel Tent one time per cruise.

Online reservations for entertainment are currently being accepted for Norwegian Epic’s June 24 transatlantic sailing. The ship begins alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean seven-day sailings from Miami on July 10. To book a cruise on Norwegian Epic, visit www.ncl.com; call 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784); or contact a travel professional.

Reading the blogs written by cruise executives can be enlightening. Often they break news sooner (we receive the official press releases later) and they add insightful comments.

Just yesterday Adam Goldstein, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) posted on his Why Not? blog the very interesting news that RCCL will be dropping Park West as its on-board art auctioneers.

Here is the actual statement:

…our contract with Park West Art Services has expired and we have decided not to renew it. There is a wind-down period in effect and the art auctioneers will finish on different ships at different times over the next few months. We are evaluating what if any art-related programming we may offer in the fleet in the future beyond Oasis of the Seas where Art Actually is our provider of art tours and art for purchase onboard.

Park West has been sued by several patrons for unscrupulous practices (among other things) and is now fighting a class action suit. I think RCCL is wise in getting out of its contract while it can.

I, for one, believe that art auctions have had their run. They were entertaining in the beginning but have become bothersome. The auctioneers often use high-pressure tactics and often don’t readily disclose all of the fees they slap on art purchases. That said, I must admit that I have bought several pieces from cruise art auctions over the years and they grace the walls of my home. But I have a couple still in their tubes that I wonder why I ever bought. It doesn’t leave me with a good feeling.

On the same blog, guest poster Lisa Bauer, senior VP of hotel operations, announced that RCCL has obtained the rights to produce “Chicago” on its new Allure of the Seas. They did this because “Hair Spray” has been so successful on the Oasis of the Seas. Now they beginning casting and rehearsals…and they hope Richard Gere will show up!

Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that one of music’s most iconic performers, Reba McEntire, will christen the company’s the Norwegian Epic, the hottest new ship of the year. The christening ceremony will take place in New York on July 2 on board Norwegian Epic.

McEntire, who recently hosted the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, has achieved legendary status in the music world having sold over 55 million albums worldwide; earned 34 #1 singles and won 15 American Music Awards, 12 Academy of Country Music Awards, nine People’s Choice Awards, seven Country Music Association Awards and two GRAMMY Awards. She is also an avid cruiser and has taken several family cruise vacations, most recently on Norwegian Gem in the Mediterranean.

Norwegian Epic is an innovator in cruise ship entertainment, featuring world-class entertainment on board such as Blue Man Group, Cirque Dreams & Dinner, Legends in Concert, The Second City, Howl at the Moon and Nickelodeon at Sea. In keeping with its focus on exceptional entertainment, the line decided it was only fitting that an entertainer – particularly one as celebrated as Reba McEntire – christens the ship.

“I met Reba and her family on Norwegian Gem and saw how much they were enjoying the freedom and flexibility that Freestyle Cruising offers. Later, I discovered that they are frequent customers on our ships which is why I believe that Reba is the perfect choice to christen our largest and most innovative ship, Norwegian Epic,” said Kevin Sheehan, chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “We are more than thrilled that such a celebrated performer as Reba, who also has experienced our product firsthand, will serve as Norwegian Epic’s Godmother.”

Inaugural festivities for Norwegian Epic will take place in New York at 2 p.m. ET on July 2. In addition, Norwegian Epic will serve as the host venue for the 34th Annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks event taking place on Sunday, July 4. That event includes a one-hour nationally-televised broadcast on NBC-TV beginning at 9 p.m. ET.

For more information on Norwegian Epic and to book a cruise, call Norwegian at 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784), visit http://epic.ncl.com, or contact a travel professional.