Princess Cruises is marking Memorial Day with a sale on more than 60 worldwide cruise vacations. Beginning today and running through May 28, the Memorial Day Sale features air savings to intriguing destinations such as Hawaii and Tahiti, Asia and Europe. Passengers can save up to $700 in air savings for two passengers. More information about the cruise sale and pricing can be found at princess.com/sale.

Examples of cruise deals include:

• Tahiti cruise – 10 days: $1,879 interior; $2,469 balcony (air savings up to $350)

• Asia cruise – 10 days: $1,269 interior; $1,999 balcony (air savings up to $250)

• Greek Isles cruise – 12 days: $1,079 interior; $1,579 balcony (air savings up to $200)

• Mediterranean cruise – 12 days: $1,229 interior; $1,629 balcony (air savings up to $200)

• Hawaiian Island cruise – 15 days: $1,599 interior; $2,299 balcony (air savings up to $100)

In addition to the Memorial Day Sale, Princess is also reminding passengers that the line offers a special onboard credit program with benefits for active military members and veterans. This credit of up to $250 (depending upon the length of the cruise) is available year round, and can be combined with the credit available through the Memorial Day Sale. Past passengers who have qualified for retired or veteran-status Military Personnel Benefits on previous sailings will have this discount automatically applied to their booking. Air savings are available to passengers booking Princess eZAir flights in conjunction with the cruise. Princess eZAir gives passengers easy and full control of their flights and the ability to seamlessly coordinate them with their cruise itinerary.

All cruise prices are per person, based on double occupancy and include all applicable government fees and taxes.The Memorial Day Sale runs from 12:01 a.m. PT on May 23 through 11:59 p.m. PT on May 28, 2013 and is available to residents of the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico. Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237), or by visiting the company’s website at www.princess.com.

Reported by © www.expertcruiser.com – Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.

“There are some amazing cruise deals from cruise lines this fall,” says Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert who is nationally recognized as The Cruise Guy.

Chiron has uncovered some incredible deals that are hard to pass up. A few even include free airfare, free hotel, pre-paid gratuities, and discount shore excursions. It’s important to note that the following fares are starting prices, which means they are for inside cabins. You will almost certainly pay more for an outside cabin.

Here are the deals:

Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess – 7-night Southern Caribbean from Ft Lauderdale to Princess Cays (private beach), Curacao and Aruba. Prices were from $1799 per person now they are from $499 per person.

Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Dream - 7-night Eastern or Western Caribbean from Pt Canaveral (Orlando) to Cozumel, Roatan, Belize and Costa Maya OR Nassau, St John/ St Thomas and St Maarten. Prices were from $1749 per person, now from $399 per person.

Azamara Club Cruises’ Azamara Journey sailing on December 12, 2012 – 11-night Burma and Andaman Sea Islands from Chenai (Madras), India to Singapore (overnight) with stops at Pt Blair, Rangoon Myanmar (Yangon, 2-overnights) and Phuket. Prices were from $6998 per person, now from $2499 per person. This includes roundtrip air from select US gateways, 2-nights hotel, prepaid gratuities, 50% off shore excursions!!

Princess Cruises’ Star Princess sailing on December 5, 2012 — 17-night South America from San Francisco to Valparaiso (Santiago) with stops at Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, San Juan Del Sur, Puntarenas, Quito (Manta), Callao (Lima) (overnight) and La Serena (Coquimbo). Prices were from $2665 per person, now from $1395 per person.

The message is clear: Don’t miss the boat with these great deals!

Reported by © www.expertcruiser.com - Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.

It’s a blissful thought: sailing off into the sunset on a cruise vacation. Cruising can be an exciting and affordable vacation option. Of course, it’s important to find the right cruise at the right price for your getaway. After all, there are more than 160 ships in the fleets of the 24 major cruise lines and thousands of itineraries worldwide.

Here’s what to consider when selecting your cruise.

Style of ship and cruise line

Cruise lines have their own distinct personalities and ships that reflect them. The size of a ship really does matter. Large ship cruise lines Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International provide a party atmosphere with glitz and high energy. Small ship operators like Silversea Cruises and Seabourn focus on quiet luxury and a more refined experience.

To make sure a line’s usual clientele and ship size is a good match for you, check over the line’s brochures and site. It also doesn’t hurt to visit the bustling online message boards at Cruise Critic and Cruisemates – member postings can offer valuable insight regarding a particular ship and cruise line.

Where to go

Cruise ships can take you almost anywhere on the planet, from the Caribbean or Europe to Asia or Antarctica, so explore a range of possibilities before settling on a preferred route. When you’ve found a trip you love, go over the schedule carefully. If traveling internationally make sure you have valid passports, visas, and any required immunizations.

If you need to fly to your cruise port make sure you allow enough time to get to the ship. Ideally you should try to get to the port at least a day in advance; this added buffer allows you to start off your hard-earned cruise vacation with less stress.

When to go

The holidays, spring break and summer are high season and that usually means higher prices. The shoulder seasons of mid-fall and early spring offer great cruise deals, and may be even more appealing than high season. An Alaska, European or Caribbean cruise in May or September, when the kids are in school, translates into fewer people in port.

Just before and after shoulder season, cruise lines move their ships from one home port to another in a strategic fleet movement that’s called “repositioning.” Of course, those ships don’t move around empty; instead, what you get is a “repositioning cruise” (or “repo cruise”) — a unique, one-way itinerary that is available only once a year. Repositioning cruises are often highly discounted meaning they are a great value.

Lastly, some of the cheapest cruises come during the Caribbean’s hurricane season, particularly in September and October. The price can come at a cost though — your itinerary may be changed and your cruise could be shortened or prolonged.

Pick a stateroom

Consider your itinerary when reserving a stateroom. If you can afford to splurge, a balcony stateroom provides you a private space to relax and get away from the crowded decks. Still, not all cruises are ideal for balconies. A trans-Atlantic crossing doesn’t make a lot of sense for a balcony since the ship is at sea for days and the weather is often cold or too windy to enjoy the space. On the other hand, the appeal of a balcony on an Alaska, Caribbean, European or South American cruise offers amazing scenery that should not be missed. Smaller inside staterooms are adequate for budget-minded cruisers who seem more likely to spend most of their time utilizing the ship’s public spaces.

A great cabin can make or break your cruise. If you’re on a romantic getaway don’t assume you’ll get a bed for two. Check with the cruise line to make sure you reserve a stateroom that offers a queen or king bed option, not fixed twins or pull-down pullman beds.

Lastly, study the ship’s deck plan. Passengers with disabilities might want to book near elevators. Watch out for staterooms with obstructed views – usually the lifeboat deck and those with close proximity to noisy areas like lounges, discos, theaters, pool areas, room service and steward service areas. Staterooms midship on lower decks are best for those prone to seasickness.

Getting the best price

Cruise lines offer travelers a host of discounts, so consider every source when looking for a deal. Check out your credit card as many offer discounts or points towards cruises. Look at all the clubs you belong to, from AAA, airline frequent flier programs and college alumni associations, to union memberships — see if they offer any deals or special rates for members. Also, if you’ve previously cruised with a cruise line you may be in for a repeat cruiser discount.

The majority of cruises are booked by travel agents. Big online agencies like Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz along with large cruise-only agencies offer competitive prices on a number of cruises. Still, many cruisers prefer to use a local travel agent, but make sure you shop around. Visit Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) at Cruising.org and search by ZIP code. When you talk to an agent, ask about last minute specials and if they are holding any group space on various cruises. But keep in mind for popular itineraries the best prices are often booked months in advance.

Lastly, watch your spending once onboard. Cruise lines do not make the bulk of their profits from the actual cruise fare – they make it from onboard spending options like bar tabs, spa services, shore excursions, and boutique purchases.

Don’t be vexed when choosing a cruise vacation. If you do a little research on options and pricing you can board the ship without a care in the world. And that’s the only way to cruise.

Reported by © www.expertcruiser.com - Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.

Bon voyage!

Why are some cruise travelers smarter than others? Simply put, they’ve been there, done that, and through trial and error have concocted strategies that avoid travel mishaps. Here are some tips that guarantee smooth sailing from cruisers in the know.

1. Loyalty=perks
Los Angeles area resident Janice Williams loves to reap the sweet rewards of being a repeat cruiser. On her last repeat cruise, she saved more than $1,000 from a single coupon. That coupon was from Princess Cruises’ “Captain’s Circle,” the line’s program for past guests. Williams is loyal to Princess because she feels the line offers the best past passenger perks in the business.

Most cruise lines confer membership in a loyalty program as soon as passengers complete their first cruise. Members then receive mailings urging them to book another cruise at a special discount. On board, members also receive special treatment; perks can include gifts, upgrades, credits, cocktail parties, in-room bar set up, complimentary laundry service, free Internet, dinner with the captain and free shore excursions.

2. Plot for the perfect stateroom
One thing smart cruisers know is that picking the right stateroom is essential to truly enjoying the cruise. Laney Adams of Ocala, Fla., always studies the ship’s deck plan before booking a stateroom. “It’s the only way to prevent problems with noise along with finding a stateroom with easy accessibility around the ship,” says Adams.

Passengers with disabilities might want to book near elevators. Watch out for staterooms with obstructed views – usually the lifeboat deck and those with close proximity to noisy areas like lounges, discos, theaters, pool areas, room service and steward service areas. Staterooms midship on lower decks are best for those prone to seasickness.

3. Keep watching your fare
The cruise line will never call you if they have lowered the price of your cruise. Therefore, it can really pay off to keep tabs on the price of your cruise after you book. Just ask Scott Larsen of Fairfax, Va.

Last year, Larsen booked a September cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas. He went for the least expensive option: an inside cabin. In July, Larsen was thinking about upgrading his cabin, so he checked the Internet for the current cabin rates. He discovered that the prices had dropped quite a bit. In fact, an outside cabin was now going for $1 less than the price he booked for his inside cabin.

Larsen called Royal Caribbean to see if he could upgrade to the outside cabin. The cruise line told him the upgrade was possible, but he would need to make arrangements through the travel agency that handled his booking: Travelocity. Larsen then contacted Travelocity and the changes were made. Larsen notes that had he chosen to keep the inside cabin, Royal Caribbean would have refunded him $200. He says, “I really prefer the upgrade and I am really happy with the outcome.”

4. Book shore excursions, spa services before you sail
Shore excursions often fill up quickly, and services like spa appointments can be overbooked in the blink of an eye. Savvy cruisers surf the Web long before they sail. When cruising to Alaska last summer Gerry Altmire booked his family’s shore excursions on Holland America’s Web site prior to sailing. “We avoided a lot of disappointment by booking early because the popular flightseeing tours sell out quickly,” said Altmire.

Advance bookings are convenient, and they make for a personalized vacation. Best of all, they save you from rushing around the ship trying to nail down reservations in the first hours of your cruise. Instead, you can actually sit back and enjoy your cruise from the minute you step on board.

5. Notify your credit card company
As credit card fraud has become more global and more sophisticated, so have efforts to ferret out illegitimate charges. Sometimes large purchases will raise a red flag, as I found out when I purchased an emerald in Cartagena, Colombia. The bank called my home to make sure I was the one using the card. Fortunately, a family member was there to let the bank know that I was indeed in Colombia, thus preventing my card from being put on hold.

A stamp of approval in advance of departure will make charging much easier overseas. If you are planning to travel to far-flung destinations, call your credit card company or the bank that issues your card and let them know your travel itinerary — both dates and destinations. Make a note of your card number and the overseas customer service number, and keep them in a safe place separate from the card. That way, if the card is stolen, you will have the necessary information to make a report.

Even with advance notification, you may not be able to spend as you please while you are abroad. Certain charge patterns will still arouse suspicion, and your card may be subject to spending limits, so you should always carry a second credit card.

6. Get to the port a day early
If you live far from the embarkation port, get there a day early. I’ve heard too many stories of people traveling on embarkation day, arriving late and literally standing at the pier, watching their ship sail off without them. That was literally the case for Dini and Tony Saponara of Toronto whose flight from Canada was delayed due to bad weather. Sadly the Carnival Sensation sailed off without them and they were unable to catch up to the ship. Padding your travel time may cost a bit more, but it pays off in the assurance of a stress-free start to your vacation.

7. Carry-on savvy
Upon boarding, you’re separated from your luggage for an indeterminate amount of time. Until then, you’re stuck wearing what you’re wearing. “I always bring a change of clothes and a swimsuit in my carry-on bag so I can change and start enjoying the ship,” says veteran cruiser Nina Lewis of Miami. A lot of first-time cruisers don’t realize it sometimes takes hours for luggage to be delivered to your stateroom. So, take Nina’s advice — bring a change of clothes so you won’t miss any ship time stuck in your traveling clothes.

8. Don’t skip travel insurance
Robert Smith and his wife were on the trip of a lifetime. The couple flew from Arizona to their destination in Europe to embark on a cruise tour of the Baltics. During the cruise Robert injured his leg and thought things would be fine – unfortunately his condition gradually worsened. Eventually Robert needed immediate medical attention. The ship had to disembark the Smiths in St.Petersburg, Russia where Robert was quickly admitted to the hospital.

His wife immediately called their travel insurance company, Travel Guard, to inquire about their coverage for the missed portions of their trip and other expenses they incurred. Upon their safe arrival home, Travel Guard reimbursed them for missed portions of their cruise, medical bills, a hotel stay for his wife while Robert in hospital, and upgraded plane tickets for the medical evacuation home so his wife could sit by him. The Smith’s were fortunate they had excellent travel insurance coverage.

Most cruise lines offer travel insurance, as do several independent third-party insurers like Travel Guard. It’s important to understand that ordinary medical insurance coverage doesn’t travel the same way aboard ship as it does within the United States. Sometimes coverage doesn’t extend to foreign travel at all. Medicare beneficiaries should always purchase travel insurance when they cruise, because they do not have Medicare coverage outside the country.

9. Affordably staying in touch
“I can send text messages from the middle of Caribbean!” marveled teen Amy Green, who was thrilled to have full coverage for the majority of her Disney Cruise Line voyage. Her cell phone looked normal and didn’t indicate it was roaming. Her, provider, it turns out, charges $2.49 a minute while roaming. When Green’s bill arrived a month later, her parents were horrified to see that she owed $225! Using the phone in your stateroom can be even worse as the service can cost between $2-$10 a minute. Internet access onboard is the lowest cost option to stay in touch from the ship; however, to reap the best savings you need to purchase in blocks of time – 60 minutes can cost $25 on up. The most economical way to stay in touch is when you get into port – phone rates are much cheaper on land.

Don’t be vexed when planning your cruise. If you do a little research on options and pricing you can board the ship without a care in the world. And that’s the only way to cruise.

© www.expertcruiser.com – Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.

Sometimes when I return from a cruise vacation, I feel completely burned out.

Don’t feel sorry for me. On those vacations, I’ve I hiked through rain forests, ridden down zip lines, trekked atop a glacier, snorkeled with stingrays and meandered through Egyptian pyramids. But eventually I returned home to stacks of bills, dead houseplants and a cat that had hurled all over the white carpet. Worse yet, I now had to cook, clean and go back to being the family boss. In short, it was no fun to come back to reality after a vacation in Floating Fantasyland. Sometimes it took weeks to shake off the Post-Cruise Blues.

How to deal with the letdown? Here are some tips.

Before the cruise

• Pad your vacation time. Add a day or two of stay-at-home time to each end of the cruise. You’ll need the time before the cruise to put the house in good order, and you’ll want some time to yourself after the cruise to unpack, unwind and catch up on household tasks.
• Pay bills before you leave. Electronic payment takes the worry out of this task; just queue the payments, and your bills will be paid automatically while you are away. If you pay bills the old-fashioned way, write out the checks and have them ready to mail upon your return, or have a trusted friend or family member mail them as they come due.
• Get your house shipshape. Put your house in order before you go. The last thing you need to come home to is a mess. Do the cleaning and laundry, put the mail and newspapers on hold, make arrangements for your pets, and don’t forget to have someone water your plants. For more tips, read my article “When your home is alone.”
• Figure out what you want from your vacation. If you’ve planned for a week at sea reading best sellers when what you really enjoy is nonstop adventure, you’re setting yourself up for a downer vacation and a good dose of the post-cruise blues. So define what you hope to achieve from your vacation, then arrange to make that happen. If your trip turns out as you hoped, you are more likely to return home satisfied, refreshed and ready to go again.

During your cruise

• Have fun. This sounds obvious, but some people lead such harried lives that they have trouble switching into vacation mode. Others miss the fun because they don’t plan ahead or because they dwell on the negative. I recently saw some people ruin their day in Rome after learning that the Vatican Museum was closed for a holiday. The closing was clearly noted in our cruise documents – the people just hadn’t seen it, and they couldn’t get past their disappointment. Instead of enjoying a wonderful sunny day in the Eternal City, they spent the entire day complaining. If you find yourself sliding into this kind of funk even before you get home, put yourself in the capable hands of the cruise director, who will help you find some ship and shore activities to enjoy.
• Be realistic about your schedule. Everyone has high hopes for their cruise vacations, but you should have realistic expectations — and that includes knowing the limits of your schedule. Don’t try to see everything and don’t be disappointed if you don’t see all the sights you had hoped to see. Also be clear about your sightseeing style. If you’re traveling with family members who like to explore every nook and cranny of a place, while you are happy seeing the main attractions, for heaven’s sake split up. If you let them drag you all over the place, you’ll be miserable, so set up your own sightseeing and do it at your own pace.
• Watch what you eat and drink. Let’s face it, a cruise vacation often means eating or drinking more than usual, but nothing ruins a homecoming like five extra pounds and a hangover. Try to return to your normal diet as your vacation starts winding down; that way you won’t spend your first days home in withdrawal from overindulgence.
• Get your sleep. Try to get a good night’s sleep every night so you don’t return home sleep-deprived. This isn’t always easy on a cruise. Not only are there late-night activities to enjoy, but your sleeping environment is unfamiliar. I’ve found it helps to bring my own pillow and alarm clock; earplugs and an eye masks can help, too. But my best sleep aid is my sound machine, which blocks out all background noise. Also, try to follow your regular sleep schedule, at least toward the end of the cruise. It will make your re-entry to the work world much easier.
• Be a tourist. Buy tacky souvenirs and take silly photos. When you look at these mementos later, you’ll find they remind you of the good times and help filter out the bad experiences — or at least make them seem funny.

Back home

• Ease back into your regular routine. Jumping right back into the rat race can exacerbate the post-cruise blues, so give yourself some space for a few days. Start back in with the routines you enjoy. If you planned your homecoming well, the nastier chores will wait.
• Treat yourself. Have something to look forward to when you get home. Schedule a massage, plan a night on the town or invite friends over for a get-together. I use food and drink to extend my vacation. My daughters and I just returned from Italy, and we’ve been preparing lots of Italian fare to relive our good times. While we’re eating pasta and pizza, we talk about the trip. After dinner, we look at our photos and laugh at our funny souvenirs.
• Count your blessings. There are far worse things than post-cruise blues. Be thankful for your family and what you have to come home to. A vacation is a wonderful thing, and an attitude of gratitude certainly helps keep things in perspective.

The truth is, it’s perfectly normal to feel let down after a cruise vacation. After all, everyday life is pretty boring by comparison. But there is one consolation: Now you can start planning your next cruise vacation. So here’s my last hint: Send away for some big, fat cruise brochures before you leave on your trip. They’ll be waiting for you when your return home — right there in that big stack of bills.

By Anita Dunham-Potter (editor@www.expertcruiser.com)

© www.expertcruiser.com – Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.

The top-of-the-ship views are spectacular, the interior exquisite, and the ambiance totally French – but it is the cuisine and service that make the Disney Dream’s new French restaurant Remy authentic. The idea for Remy was spun off the popular Disney movie Ratatouille and Remy is without question a Parisian experience at sea.

Dressed in long white aprons, black jackets and bow ties the pedigreed service staff has worked at the finest restaurants in Paris from Le Cinq at the Four Seasons Hotel George V to Le Bristol. The gourmet cuisine is by award-winning chefs, Chef Arnaud Lallement from l’Assiette Champenoise, a Michelin two-star restaurant just outside Reims, France, and Chef Scott Hunnel from award-winning Victoria & Albert’s at Walt Disney World Resort. Both chefs have collaborated to create a French-inspired menu featuring superior products and seasonal ingredients sourced from around the world. However, it will be French-trained Chef Patrick Albert who will be the executive chef for Remy and will provide diners with epicurean excellence each day aboard the ship.

Dinner at Remy is a lavish and leisurely affair. Tables are elegantly set with Frette linens, Riedel glassware, Christofle silverware and china made exclusively for Remy, with gracious accents such as purse stools for women’s handbags. There is also a private Chef’s Table dining room, Chez Gusteau that seats eight. The intimate room is furnished with rich décor inspired by the film – bold, red carpet, chairs and drapes with touches of gold, opulent chandeliers, and scenes of Paris on the walls. Chez Gusteau has its own entrance to the kitchen to allow the chefs easy access. Guests also may be seated in the glass-walled wine room amid more than 900 bottles of wine.

Diners will start off with a signature chilled Taittinger Champagne cocktail made tableside. There are two tastings menus to choose from that include wine pairings, or order a la carte from the menu. The menu is complemented by a stellar wine list. The restaurant offers two wine lists: a special French list with 200 vintages from most every region in France, and Remy’s Vault, a separate and exclusive wine list with rare wines from all over the world. Select wines from the French list also are available by the glass. From Remy’s Vault, 22 wines are selected as the best of the best. The list includes a 1947 Château Cheval Blanc, a single bottle retails for $25,000. Yes, there are $25,000 bottles of wine on a cruise ship! If that’s too much you can always pay $13,000 for a 1961 Château LaTour.

Artistry comes from the kitchen with focused tastes such as smoked bison with fennel salad and blood oranges; lobster with vanilla, bisque and lobster roe foam; wild loup de mer; Australian Wagyu; a tomato tart with Parmesan espuma; coastal turbot with vin jaune sauce and gnocchi, and young pigeon pie with foie gras, spinach and tomato. Simple sweet endings like a vanilla-poached pear or a dark chocolate praline with cocoa sherbet pair beautifully with post-prandial coffee service including French press and grand crème.

An additional charge of $75 per person is required to dine at Remy, in addition to the cost of wine and alcoholic beverages. Wine pairings selected from the French list are an additional $99. If you love French cuisine this is an experience not to be missed as Remy may possibly end up being the first restaurant as sea to be awarded a Michelin star. Time will tell.

By Anita Dunham-Potter (editor@www.expertcruiser.com)

© www.expertcruiser.com – Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.