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A Visit to California

Posted on June 18, 2013 in Allison-Shane's Blog

My friend, Richard Joseph, recently made a visit to Dana Point, California and visited the Laguna Beach area… here are his exploration notes and recommendations. The song came on the radio and I couldn’t get it out of my head. “26 miles across the sea Santa Catalina is the place for me….” It was the [...]

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Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge christens new Royal Princess

Posted on June 14, 2013 in Allison-Shane's Blog

On June 13, in Southampton, UK, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge christened the new ship Royal Princess as she smashed a bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne against it’s hull and pronounced, “I name this ship Royal Princess. May God bless her and all who sail in her.” Alan Buckelew, Princess Cruises president and CEO [...]

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EUROPA’S Best 2013 in Antwerp- An extraordinary culinary event

Posted on June 11, 2013 in Allison-Shane's Blog

Oh, what I wouldn’t give to have sailed on this voyage… over 30 well known chefs, winegrowers, chocolatiers, fromagiers and pâtissiers from all over Europe recently gathered together on Hapag-Lloyd’s Europa for an onboard culinary event. EUROPA’S Best 2013 brought together the shining stars of the culinary world (see the participant list below) in Antwerp [...]

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Royal Princess, launching in June 2013- Image courtesy of Princess Cruises

A Once In a Lifetime Experience, a Voyage on an Inaugural Cruise – Seven Interesting Things about Inaugural Cruises

Posted on May 31, 2013 in Allison-Shane's Blog

For those of us who love to cruise, inaugural cruises rate high on the to-do-experience list. These elite voyages often involve champagne christenings, celebrity godmothers and brand-new ship facilities and amenities. (Plus the cache of telling your friends you were on an Inaugural cruise.) Here are some reasons we love these cruises: The cruise lines [...]

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Pre-booking begins today for Quantum of the Seas!

Posted on May 28, 2013 in Allison-Shane's Blog

Here’s some big news! Royal Caribbean’s ship, the Quantum of the Seas, set to launch in November 2014, has opened up pre-bookings today to Crown and Anchor Members. If you are a repeat passenger on Royal Caribbean, and are interested in finding out more about the ship or want to be among the first to [...]

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CLIA and major lines adopt the Passenger Bill of Rights

Posted on May 24, 2013 in Allison-Shane's Blog

You’ve probably heard me make mention of CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) in various blog posts here over the years. They are the world’s largest cruise association, dedicated to the promotion and growth of the cruise industry. CLIA is composed of 26 of the major cruise lines serving North America. Earlier this week, they adopted a [...]

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Azamara’s Fascinating Evening Adventures

Posted on May 17, 2013 in Allison-Shane's Blog

Shore excursions are very high on the list of reasons why people take cruise vacations; with such a fascinating array of options available worldwide, I am always looking to find new experiences for our AllThingsCruise readers. The latest to catch my eye is from Azamara; they have a series of excursions called the AzAmazing Evening [...]

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Canada/New England cruises via the Royal Princess; Caribbean via the Regal Princess

Posted on May 17, 2013 in Allison-Shane's Blog

Here’s an update on what to expect from the latest Royal Caribbean ships: Princess’s new ship, the Royal Princess (premiering next month) will be offering Canada/New England cruises from New York commencing in the fall of 2014. Four seven-day itineraries will be offered on the ship (the largest to sail the route); they will be available [...]

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New Galápagos Cruise and Land Packages for Silversea

Posted on May 10, 2013 in Allison-Shane's Blog

The Galapagos are some of the most interesting and exotic parts of South America, and a dream trip for many who love to cruise. Historically, however, the stumbling block for many vacationers has been that the length of time needed for an expedition to these regions has been prohibitive- vacationers simply did not have enough [...]

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The QM2 in Liverpool- Image courtesy of Cunard

Queen Mary 2 Travel Diary- Moments Of Sophistication and History

Posted on May 9, 2013 in Allison-Shane's Blog

Cunard never disappoints; their ships are unfailingly beautiful, luxurious and complete with amenities, yet they capture a glamour of days gone by. I have been lucky enough to sail on this line several times, and am posting a travel diary I wrote during one of my voyages- a six-day sailing on the QM2. I hope [...]

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