White Sand Beach Villas

Our Star Clippers cruise adventure has begun!

Yesterday, the eight of us flew to Barbados and we all arrived safely, with all of our luggage, within a couple of hours of each other. As we came from San Diego, Michigan and Florida, that was pretty remarkable.

Our living area

On this trip with us are several relatives. There are our daughter Paula Palazzolo and her husband Sam, my sister Beth Brewer and her partner Tim Wilbur, my husband’s brother Carl Janssens and his wife Vicki, and Chet and I. Oh yes, and Bob, the traveling SATW bear is with us, too. So it is going to be a fun group.

We had decided to come into Barbados a couple of days early so that we could all “decompress” a bit for beginning our cruise. So we booked two nights at the White Sands Beach Villas (www.wsbvillas.com) in St. Lawrence Gap and are we pleased! The units are luxurious and are located right on the beach. I mean, right on the beach…how perfect. I have already been swimming twice today.

The view off our terrace

We came upon this place when we were seeking alternatives to the very expensive hotel rooms in Barbados (single rooms in season often cost $400 and up per night). We discovered that two couples sharing the expense of a condo was a much better deal. We have big balconies overlooking the beach, large living areas with flat-screen TVs, fully appointed kitchens with granite counters and nice bathrooms.

There is also free wireless internet, a lovely swimming pool and free local phone calls. It is really a nice way for a group to be able to socialize together.

Because these villas are only a couple of years old (there are only 22 units in the building), they are not well known. So to boost their rentals, they are now listed with hotels.com, Expedia and soon with Travelocity. You can also book directly through their website.

We also really enjoy being in the small, funky community of St. Lawrence Gap where we can walk to lots of shops, markets and restaurants. Tomorrow I will post more about this fun little area that is reminiscent of Key West.

For many years now, the single supplement has been a real drag for single people who wish to cruise, but stay alone in their cabin. After all, we all know that roommates are not all they are cracked up to be.

So this news just came out and I welcome it:

Continuing its history of innovation, Norwegian Cruise Line today announced a completely new concept to make cruising more attractive to solo travelers on the company’s largest and most exciting Freestyle Cruising ship to date, Norwegian Epic, launching this July.

Norwegian Epic’s Studios are the first staterooms designed and priced for single occupancy, starting from $799 on the ship’s seven-day alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. These specially designed and priced Studio staterooms available on all of Norwegian Epic’s sailings – with no single supplement – go on sale Monday, January 18, 2010.

“Historically, the cruise industry has not embraced the large number of people who enjoy traveling solo,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer.  “We are breaking the mold of traditional cruising once again by offering a stateroom designed and priced specifically for solo travelers, making cruising a more attractive travel option.  We invite all solo travelers – whether they are first-time cruisers or cruising veterans — to sail on our incredible new Freestyle Cruising ship, Norwegian Epic.”

The Studios on Norwegian Epic are a private key-card access complex on two decks consisting of 128 staterooms and the Studio Lounge.  This unique and thoughtfully designed concept provides comfort and convenience for the solo traveler.

Each Studio stateroom, at approximately 100 square feet of living space, features a contemporary design with a full-size bed and separate areas for the bathroom, sink and shower.  In addition, guests in the Studios have private access to the exclusive Studio Lounge.  Here, guests can grab a cup of coffee in the morning, meet up with fellow cruisers and plan their day or relax with a drink in the evening.  Since many of the Studio staterooms are connecting, there is also the opportunity for friends to travel together while giving each their own private space.

For more information, stay tuned. For more information on NCL, go to www.ncl.com.

This news came to us from the Cruise Brothers online travel agency. It is worth sharing:

Several weeks ago a new process for cruise line luggage tags was introduced by Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara cruise lines. This new process took away the agency’s ability to print luggage tags in advance and it put the cruise line in charge of printing and mailing luggage tags for its clients.

This new process worked very well at first (for a couple weeks), but as the demand for tags grew the process began to fail. It seems after just a few weeks this new process had a critical melt-down. As recently as January 5 the agency was told there was an equipment failure, and that new equipment, to correct the problem, has been ordered.

As of  January 7, Royal Caribbean had issued a company wide memo stating that they can not keep up with the demand to print and mail luggage tags to agency clients. So, as of now they will not be printing tags until they get the bugs out of their wonderful new system.

The memo goes on to say that we need to tell our clients that “luggage tags will be available at the pier.” At this time there is nothing the agency can do to produce “in-house” luggage tags for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity or Azamara bookings.

So until Royal Caribbean gives agencies the ability to once again print luggage tags or gets the bugs out of their luggage tag system, luggage tags will only be available at the pier.

This question came into All Things Cruise and here is how I answered it:

We are booked for a 14-night Land/Sea Cruise on the Island Princess and I would like to know how I can make the most of our time on this trip and how to optimize our time on the ship. There are four of us traveling (two couples.)

Dear Sharon,

First, pardon our delay in answering your query. We are just getting this personal advice gig up and running and still have a few kinks to work out.

First, congratulations on booking your cruise to Alaska on Princess. This company has been sailing in Alaska for the longest amount of time and runs excellent Alaska programs. You are going to have a wonderful anniversary celebration.

Here are some suggestions for maximizing your experience:

Do your homework. Read up a bit on the history of Alaska and the ports you will be visiting. It is really nice to have a map of the Inside Passage with you when you are sailing through it so I suggest you buy one of these in advance. You can buy these online or in some travel bookstores.

Choose your shore excursions carefully and book them in advance so you are not disappointed. Most people love the experience of walking on a glacier.

Take advantage of the specialty restaurants on board. As you are going to be celebrating your anniversary, be sure to plan a special dinner or two with your friends in one of these lovely restaurants. Make your reservations early, on the website in advance if possible, or on the day you board the ship.

If you are not happy with your dining companions (if you are at a table larger than four) or where your table is situated, do know that you can go to the maitre d’ and ask for a change. Do not hesitate to do this if you are unhappy in any way…it can make a huge difference in the quality of your cruise.

Be sure to bring good binoculars. Alaska is all about the scenery and the animals and birds you will see.

Also, bring good bug repellant for the land portion of your trip. Remember that the state bird of Alaska is the mosquito.

The word “silhouette” conjures up images of light and shadow, and sleek profiles in the world of design and fashion, so it’s fitting that Celebrity Cruises has named the fourth ship in its stylish Solstice Class fleet Celebrity Silhouette. And what better date to announce it than on winter solstice?

Like its widely acclaimed sister ships – Celebrity Solstice, which was named “Best Premium Ship” and “Best Rookie Ship” in Travel Weekly’s annual awards gala just last week; Celebrity Equinox, which set sail in July 2009; and Celebrity Eclipse, which will enter service in April 2010 – the 122,000-ton Celebrity Silhouette will offer the series of brand-defining, industry-first attributes that guests, travel agents and press have praised about Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox, including a half-acre Lawn Club with real grass, a glassblowing show and studio developed with The Corning Museum of Glass, unrivaled dining venues offering trendsetting cuisine and design, and widely varied entertainment.

Like its sisters, the 2,850-guest Celebrity Silhouette will have larger staterooms – 90 percent outside, and 85 percent with verandas – and spacious bathrooms, as well as several categories of accommodations, including Celebrity’s ConciergeClass and spa-inspired AquaClass staterooms.

“Countless guests and travel partners have asked us to reveal the ship’s name over the past few months, which is yet another indicator of the widespread interest in these stunningly designed ships,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Dan Hanrahan. “The enormous response to our unique new sweepstakes is a powerful indicator, too.”

Cruise lovers interested in being among the very first to see Celebrity Silhouette while under construction in Germany actually have a chance. By entering Celebrity’s “Eclipse of a Lifetime” sweepstakes, running through January 14, 2010, 10 winners and their guests will be the first individuals outside of the line’s employees to board Celebrity Eclipse when it sets sail for the very first time; the first to have exclusive, up-close-and-personal views of the construction process of Celebrity Silhouette at Meyer Werft, one of the most modern shipyards in the world; first to be led and hosted throughout Celebrity Eclipse by Celebrity’s President and CEO Dan Hanrahan; first to nestle into the ship’s AquaClass staterooms; first to sample the ship’s innovative cuisine created by the line’s VP of Culinary Operations and Chef Jacques Van Staden, and the first to have the chance to interact with the ship’s senior officers.

To enter, visit the Celebrity web site, at www.celebritycruises.com and click the “Eclipse of a Lifetime” tab to access the entry form and sweepstakes rules. Or, click www.celebritycruises.com/EclipseSweepstakes. The sweepstakes runs through January 14, 2010. Winners will be announced January 28, 2010. This sweepstakes is open only to residents of the U.S. and Canada. See Official Rules on the site for complete information.

For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.

This is the time of year when most of us give some serious thought to doing good. We try to help others as best we can either through donations or actions.

The cruise lines also do a lot of good through their various philanthropic programs. My good friend, cruise writer Marcia Levin, compiled the following list of what various member lines of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association Foundation (FCCA), do to help others:

• As one of South Florida’s largest employers, Carnival Cruise Lines believes being a member of a community means giving something back. As such, the company and its employees have supported a variety of charitable, philanthropic and arts-related organizations, primarily in the state of Florida, since Carnival’s inception in 1972.

This support is made through both the Carnival Foundation, which coordinates the company’s philanthropic efforts, as well as its volunteer service group, the “Friends Uniting Neighbors (F.U.N.) Team,” comprised of employees who work with local charities.

In the past five years alone, Carnival and its employees have contributed more than $30 million to many of South Florida’s leading charities, including the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Diabetes Research Institute, the Wellness Community, and the March of Dimes. Carnival also supports numerous organizations that benefit children, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Miami Children’s Museum, Safe Space, Florida Literacy Coalition, and the Children’s Home Society; and cultural organizations such as the New World Symphony, National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, the Miami Art Museum, Miami Children’s Museum and many more.

• Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s top three charities are the United Way, Make-A-Wish of America and City Year. For all three of these organizations they provide in-kind resources: their employees volunteer, assisting the charity in various capacities; the company uses its ships for fundraising events, hosting Wish Children in a Wishes at Sea program; and it donates cruises on all three brands (Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara) for charitable partners to auction.

• For the past 42 years, Norwegian Cruise Lines has been committed to delivering dream vacations and creating memories of a lifetime. NCL supports local charities through cruise donation programs. The company donates more than 100 cruises a year to organizations that have a broad, community-wide appeal in the areas of health and welfare, children’s issues, arts and culture and civic programs.

NCL also works with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. When a Make-a-Wish child chooses a cruise as their wish, NCL aids the Foundation in booking the family’s cruise and trying to make it an unforgettable experience. For example, one child loved to cook so the line set up a special opportunity for the child to assist an executive chef. The wish family then got to enjoy the special meal they prepared.

• The cast and crew of Disney Cruise Line support many charitable organizations that nurture the lives of children and enrich their environment. Outreach programs help children in the port communities Disney Cruise Line visits, as well as in Central Florida.

Crew members volunteer with children in Nassau and St. Thomas as a part of the Reading Together program. Volunteers have donated books, computers, school supplies and holiday gifts to children in the ports of call. The crew has also given their time cleaning up beaches and making very special visits to deserving children.

Other activities include participation in the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Add-A-Dollar program onboard both ships, as well as in Disney’s Environmentality Challenge, which encourages youth in the Cayman Islands to take an active part in protecting the environment.

• Holland America Line has raised more than $1 million in less than two years through On Deck for the Cure. The company also donates hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in cash sponsorships, reduced rate cruise donations and in-kind shipboard events to a broad range of charitable organizations internationally, nationally and in key ports. Through company-sponsored events, members of the Holland America Line family are involved with non-financial community programs such as Toys for Tots, the Union Gospel Mission, United Way, New Beginnings, Puget Sound Blood Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, American Lung Association, Ronald McDonald House and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. In addition, Holland America Line’s innovative Ship to Shelter program – the first of its kind – collects shipboard items such as toiletries, cookware, dishes, televisions and mattresses and donates them to local charities. By partnering with local non-profit organizations such as relief agencies, missions and shelters, items that would otherwise be thrown away are shared with those in need.

• Costa supports a series of initiatives and research projects by means of donations and in-kind, particularly for the sick and for people with disabilities. In 2006, €220,000 was set aside for these projects, excluding the value of the cruises offered as prizes and the cost of the events hosted on board.

Charitable work carried out during the year includes  work in the field of health and scientific research such as teen drug use, down syndrome, multiple sclerosis, local charities in Genoa and a variety of Italian social and cultural programs. Costa also supports the Komen for a Cure foundation on a national level and Amigos for Kids in South Florida.

Costa supports the World Wildlife Foundation for the protection of three of the most endangered marine ecoregions in the world including areas of the Mediterranean Sea, the Greater Antilles and Northeastern Brazil.

• Charities MSC Cruises has contributed to this year include the International Golden Compass Award Dinner-Seafarer’s House, Kids in Distress, National Italian American Foundation, Camillus House and United Way, Hats Off 2 Kids-Pediatrics Leukemia, Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, Urban League of Broward County and a variety of charitable golf tourneys.

Norwegian Cruise Line spread holiday cheer by taking part in The Ellen DeGeneres show’s 12 Days of Giveaways with a huge surprise for the entire audience: a seven-day Freestyle Cruising vacation for two.

Norwegian Epic

Airing today,  on day 11 of the 12-day series on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” the cruise giveaway to more than 300 in-studio audience members was also in celebration of Norwegian declaring 2010 as “The Year of the Freestyle Vacation.”

The audience cheered and jumped up from their seats as Ellen announced that they would all receive a cruise for two aboard Norwegian Cruise Line while four ship officers distributed the bright yellow cruise packets to the audience. A video clip of the giveaway can be seen at www.ellentv.com.

“We are thrilled to present Ellen’s audience members with a cruise on one of our signature Freestyle Cruising vessels as part of our ‘Year of the Freestyle Vacation’ promotion,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “Ellen is one of the funniest, most engaging personalities on television today. We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate 2010 as the year to take a Freestyle vacation than by giving away cruises to Ellen’s entire audience so that they can experience Norwegian’s signature Freestyle Cruising for themselves.”

With Freestyle Cruising, Norwegian provides a more flexible cruising experience, so guests have the freedom to enjoy their cruise with a variety of choices. Sailing to destinations in the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Alaska, Bermuda and Mexican Riviera, Norwegian Cruise Line offers up to 20 dining options, luxury accommodations,  nightlife, and a variety of family activities, including the only bowling alleys, first rappelling wall and largest bowl slide at sea.

The company is preparing to welcome its largest, most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship to date, Norwegian Epic, next summer.

Norwegian is offering at-home viewers the opportunity to book a Freestyle vacation similar to the one provided to Ellen’s audience. For more information and to book a Freestyle vacation, fans of the Ellen show should visit www.ncl.com/ellen.

Norwegian’s “Year of the Freestyle Vacation” promotion offers up to a six-category upgrade and on-board savings certificates of up to $400 for bookings from now until March 14, 2010 on any of the line’s 10 Freestyle Cruising ships.

In addition, bi-weekly promotions will feature special offers on select ships and destinations. The first offer from January 4-17, 2010 includes reduced deposits and kids from $249 for bookings on Norwegian Epic’s seven-day cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

For further information on Norwegian Cruise Line, visit www.ncl.com, call (866) 234-7350 or contact your preferred travel agent.

Listen up, single cruisers. Here is a deal for you:

Single travelers can experience the beauty and tranquility of the Caribbean with special rates for MSC Cruises’ 7-night sailings on the new MSC Poesia.

Single guests can book an interior, oceanview, or balcony stateroom for one on select MSC Cruises’ 2009-10 Caribbean itineraries with rates starting at $649. This limited-time offer expires on January 31, 2010.

This special single promotion offer is applicable for Categories 1, 4, and 6 on the following MSC Poesia itineraries from Fort Lauderdale:

· 7-night-”Island Treasures & Ancient Temples” on February 13 and March 13 to Key West, Florida; Playa del Carmen, Mexico; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Nassau, Bahamas; single rate begins at $749 and $699, respectively;

· 7-night-”Eastern Caribbean Enchantment” on February 20 and March 6 to San Juan, Puerto Rico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and Nassau, Bahamas; single rate begins at $699 and $649, respectively;

Rates are per person, cruise only and subject to availability; government fees and taxes are additional.  For more information, visit www.MSCCruisesUSA.com or contact your preferred travel agent.

One of the small ships of Princess Cruises, the 710-passenger Royal Princess, will depart the line’s fleet in spring 2011, transferring to sister company P&O Cruises in the U.K. The ship will be renamed Adonia.

As a result, five sailings in April and May will be cancelled, and in place of these a 26-day South Pacific and Andes Explorer cruise will be offered prior to the transfer.

The ship’s 2010 cruise program includes sailings to the Amazon, Caribbean, Panama Canal, Alaska, Hawaii and French Polynesia.

With the transfer of Royal Princess there will be one less Princess ship in Alaska for the 2011 season, though full details are not yet available. During summer 2010, the ship will sail on 14-day roundtrip “Connoisseur” cruises from Seattle to Alaska.

The following 2011 sailings are being cancelled:

· April 6, 2011 10-day Tahiti & Polynesia

· April 16, 2011 10-day Tahiti & Polynesia

· April 26, 2011 12-day Hawaii & Tahiti

· May 8, 2011 10-day Hawaiian Islands

· May 18, 2011 1-day coastal

The new 26-day cruise that replaces these sailings will depart April 6, 2011 and travel between Papeete, Tahiti and Fort Lauderdale. Ports of call will include Bora Bora, Moorea, Pitcairn Island (for scenic cruising), Easter Island, Pisco (San Martin), Lima (Callao for Machu Picchu overland excursion), Quito (Manta), Panama Canal Transit, San Blas, and Limón. Fares begin at $4,145 per person, double occupancy.

The ship will then go into a drydock in the Bahamas to change its livery prior to joining the P&O Cruises fleet in May 2011.

Royal Princess joined the Princess fleet in 2007, having originally been built in 2001.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company’s website at www.princess.com.

On Saturday, the Big Apple welcomes back Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest Freestyle Cruising ship, as she returns for the winter cruise season, sailing seven-day Bahamas & Florida and 10-day Eastern Caribbean cruises direct from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in the heart of New York City.

Beginning Saturday, Dec. 12, the 2,380-passenger Norwegian Gem will set sail on the first of 10 seven-day Bahamas & Florida cruises with stops in Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida; Great Stirrup Cay (Norwegian’s private island) and Nassau, Bahamas. The cruises are from $649 per person and sail on December 19, and 26, 2009; February 13, 20, and 27; March 6, 13, 20, and 27 and April 3, 2010.

The ship will also sail a 10-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary on January 3 and 24; and February 3, 2010 with stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; Philipsburg, St. Maarten and Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

These Eastern Caribbean cruises are from $699 per person.

Norwegian Gem also offers two one-night cruises, great for those who want a quick getaway or want to sample Norwegian’s signature Freestyle Cruising, on January 2 and 23 from $159 per person.

Norwegian Gem features 13 dining options including guest favorites such as Cagney’s Steakhouse, and Norwegian’s signature French restaurant, Le Bistro; 13 bars and lounges; a bowling alley; rock climbing wall; a two-story Wii wall; two swimming pools including one kid’s pool and six hot tubs; a complimentary kid’s club and teen lounge; a casino; a full-service spa with 18 treatment rooms and indoor thalassotherapy pool; and fitness center.

Norwegian Gem offers an extensive choice of staterooms. Guests can cruise in style in one of two impressive Garden Villas, each spanning approximately 5,000 square feet. These  offer a spacious living room, dining room and three separate bedrooms, each with a private bathroom. Garden Villa guests also enjoy their own private sun beds, hot tub and steam room in their private garden, plus butler and concierge service.

Norwegian Gem also features the Courtyard Villa suite complex with private courtyard complete with lap pool, hot tub, male and female steam rooms and a small fitness area. These 10 villas also share a private sundeck with sun beds and hammocks. Positioned high atop the vessel, the villas tout sweeping views of the ocean and an impressive assortment of amenities typically found at five-star land-based resorts.

High above everything else are two Deluxe Owner’s Suites offering a master bedroom, en-suite bathroom, and dining/living area, together with a large balcony accessible through the bedroom and dining/living area.

For families of all sizes, Norwegian Gem offers a large number of staterooms (including suites and mini-suites) that can interconnect to create a two-, three-, four- or five-bedroom area.

In 2010, Norwegian Gem will spend her summer in Europe sailing from Venice, for the first time in the company’s history, embarking on a series of seven-day Greek Isles and seven-day Adriatic, Greece & Turkey cruises.

For more information or to book a sailing on Norwegian Gem, call Norwegian at (866) 234-7350, visit www.ncl.com or call a travel professional.