Thursday, December 30, 2010

The Two Coolest Ships of 2010

Two of the coolest ships ever built debuted in 2010 and I was fortunate to have experienced both on their special gala inaugural sailings. I've been on ALOT of ships since 1983 - where I was singing and dancing for my supper on the fondly remembered Emerald Seas - and through the years the innovations of the day have never ceased to amaze. Remember when cruising had "just" an early or late seating dining and a midnight buffet? Or when bingo ruled as the top activity? We can look back on the cruise experience of yesterday with a heartwarming smile, but today's era of cruising is all about the wow and the wow is innovation - with more deck space to fill as the ships grow larger, the suites bigger, the atrium's taller and the capacity greater. Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line have been at the forefront of this evolution and with Allure of the Seas and Norwegian Epic, their creativity and imagination have soared to new heights. Allow me to take you on a little journey of what I experienced - and what you can too - on these two great divas of the seas.

Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas


Me and Vicki Freed
Just love her...Royal Caribbean's Senior VP Sales, cruise Veteran
Vicki Freed.
Me and Adam Goldstein
Royal Caribbean President Adam Goldstein with me in the Central Park neighborhood of the ship.
Me and Richard Fain
Royal Caribbean CEO Richard Fain - very funny - a terrific wit and truly nice man.

Was I skeptical about what it would be like cruising on a 225,000-ton mammoth that carries 5,600 passengers?   You bet.   Did this mammoth called Allure of the Seas win me over?   YOU BET!  Lucky for my partner and I we got to experience the inaugural sailing in November 2010 of this newest, largest ship in the world – usurping the previous record held by Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas in 2009 by a mere 5 centimeters in length (the Allure captain’s bragging rights no doubt).

While I haven’t sailed Oasis and personally prefer smaller ship cruising, Allure completely won me over in many ways – particularly in entertainment and in its magnificent design - never feeling overwhelmed by size.   The “neighborhoods” that have been created onboard include the Boardwalk,  a throwback to Coney Island days featuring a carousel and birds eye views of the zip lining fun above (yes real zip lining on a cruise ship); Central Park complete with lush foliage and live trees, surrounded by shops and restaurants, along with a dazzling “Aqua Theater” outdoor amphitheater, home of one of the best shows anywhere at sea – the water spectacular extravaganza called “Oceanaria”, with high flying acrobats, divers and Cirque style thrills, and a backdrop of glittering fountains.  With the ship’s innovation of balcony staterooms facing the neighborhoods in addition to the traditional ocean views, I loved my position in the very aft (rear) of the ship – facing the Aqua Theater, Boardwalk and ocean beyond.  I was able to view the Oceanaria show right from my balcony – best seat in the house!  Check out the video I made of highlights from the show from the perspective of my balcony.  What a thrill!




How cool it was to see  DreamWorks honcho Jeffrey Katzenberg onboard to launch the film company’s new partnership with Royal Caribbean.   Allure of the Seas introduced their famous movie characters who are onboard each sailing interacting with guests… favorites such as Fiona and Shrek, Puss n’ Boots, the Penguins from “Madagascar”, and Po of ”King Fu Panda”.  The eye-popping, dazzling and fun-filled  Move It! Move It! parade features these characters prancing on the Royal Promenade with guests of every age group gawking in giddy delight.



Taking the characters one step further, Royal Caribbean’s legendary ice shows bring the animated film “How To Train Your Dragon” to life recreating the film on ice in a children’s spectacle.  I’ve always loved Royal Caribbean’s ice shows, previously seeing incarnations on both Freedom and Liberty of the Seas.   Their second ice show on Allure, is based on the board game Monopoly, and is not to be missed.   Take a look at the fabulous photos captured from our front row seat.



Entertainment continues with their main stage productions - a superb (but shortened in length) recreation of the Tony Award winning Broadway musical, “Chicago”, an acrobatic show called “Blue Planet” and a wildly fun adults-only late-night dance party called Club Twenty, transforming the ship’s serene and posh Solarium into a South Beach like themed oasis.   This ship is geared for families and Allure boasts the largest dedicated youth area of any ship afloat, including an outdoor water park area and multiple supervised programs divided into age groups.   Kids will find their cool factor in every turn.   One thing for sure – no matter what age child or adult, you can’t be bored on Allure of the Seas.  

Balcony, Outside and Interior staterooms throughout are well designed with ample storage area and featuring the latest technologies.   Deluxe accommodations include the Royal Loft and Royal Suite, both exquisite and exceptionally large (averaging 1,500 and 1,700 square feet respectively), with personal affection for the AquaTheater Suite with Balcony (accommodating up to 8 guests) – a wraparound oceanview outdoor space that screams out party and entertaining.  

Dining presents over 24 venue options aboard Allure.   As I was onboard just two nights, I could not possibly sample as many restaurants as I would like to have, however, I experienced the very fine Brazilian churrascaria (sumptuous meal with superb service) and the main dining room which did not disappoint.    The afternoon lunch buffets were exceptional.   Great layout and splendid choices of international favorites.   

You would think the check-in embarkation process would be a nightmare on a ship this size.  Those trepidations I was weary of quickly disappeared the moment we arrived inside the Fort Lauderdale ship terminal.   This terminal was specifically created for Oasis and Allure of the Seas and I kid you not when I tell you the process of checking in was a breeze.  They have it down to a science with multiple counters and in less than 20-minutes we were checked-in and onboard sipping champagne ready for our weekend of fun.

Whoda thunk we’d have celebs onboard our sailing?  Allure of the Seas was home to Adam Sandler and  Katie Holmes (Suri and the nannies too) shooting the upcoming motion picture “Jack & Jill” throughout the ship.   Although I never personally got to see them, there were film crew everywhere and it was fun to see the extras and tech guys run about.


Film Announcement
It was very cool seeing a major motion picture being filmed onboard during our sail.

Jack & Jill
When certain locations or rooms were being used for the film, we'd see signs like these.

And Kathie Lee & Hoda spent time onboard filming their terrific piece that aired on the Today Show, November 19. 



Discover our exciting world of Royal Caribbean. It's everything you want to know from life onboard to exciting destinations, plus our agency's very HOT offers.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Norwegian Cruise Line's Epic

Epic lives up to its name in every proportion and is without a doubt the sexiest ship afloat.   If you fancy today's hip Las Vegas scene of hi-tech ultra-lounges and posh rooms and suites, mixed with brand-name entertainment never before at sea, this is the cruise vacation for you.  But wait - there's so much for kids too!

Check out my SPOTLIGHT FEATURE on Norwegian Epic including pics, vids, and write-up of my cruise. You'll also find everything from deck plans and dining to our agency's very HOT offers on Norwegian Cruise Line.

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Gary's Can't Miss Promotions
Book by February 28 for value that's never been better! Depending on ship, sailing date and stateroom category you'll receive any one or more of the following:
  • Up to a 4 category UPGRADE or Balcony stateroom for the price of Oceanview!
  • Coupon booklet worth over $400 of onboard savings!
  • $50 to $250 Onboard Spending Credit per stateroom
  • Up to $500 Onboard Credit plus Special gift for Suites & Villas!

Certain restrictions and terms & conditions apply. Offers subject to availability and are capacity controlled. Ships Registry: Bahamas and USA.

Emirates Airbus A380: A Dynamic Double-Decker

Take a mixture of sexy, stunning, luxurious and sleek and combine it with hi-tech wizardry in an enormous setting and you have the truly amazing Emirates A380. This double decked mammoth is like a fine hotel in the sky. From the moment you arrive in the First Class Lounge at JFK you are treated to a sumptuous display of delicacies, wines, champagnes, canopies, snacks and the like and that is just the beginning of what is to come. The flight crew are stunning - graceful red and cream costumes evoking the destination - friendly and all smiles. You can tell they take pride in flying and they shared wonderful stories with me of royalty and celebs onboard. One fun ditty is that Tom Cruise bought out the whole 8 seats of first class on 777 last week so that he would have the cabin all to himself.



First Class is a dream....the Spa Shower is bigger than a NY bathroom, big enough for a seat in the shower, full length and vanity mirrors and toiletries galore. Guests can spend up to 30 minutes at a time in here (water can run for 5). Toilets are housed in separate bathroom facilities. The seats in the 14-seat cabin are equipped with all the comforts you can imagine and enough gadgetry on the rear console of the seats to keep one occupied for the long haul. Biz Class is housed behind First and while fabulous in its own right, I did kinda feel it was a little compact, as if they could have reduced the amount of seats down from its 76. But what lies behind these two cabins in the rear is the Onboard Lounge, the scene where you can hang out for the entire flight if you like. With 2 sofas (complete with seatbelts - so no worries for turbulence), and a well stocked bar, snacks, 42 inch screen, mood lights and attendant, it felt like the place to be for sure. This Lounge is for use by First & Biz class passengers only. Downstairs (by spiral in the rear or dramatic staircase in the forward) you'll find Economy Class, which impressed me so. Great seating options for lots of leg room, and color palettes of purple and coral against gray. Very attractive. I even got to view the cockpit - GIGANTIC - and very very cool.

Ask Gary, The Travel Expert

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Jason from Merrick asks:
With the internet making it so easy for the consumer to book travel, is there an advantage to using a travel agent?


Jason, the answer to that is an unquestionable YES. The benefit of working with an experienced, reliable travel professional will enhance your travel experience in every respect. Speaking for our agency, not only can we obtain the most competitive rates, we often find additional savings through our contracts, programs and affiliations and provide many benefits one would not get booking on their own. These perks to the traveler vary depending on the trip type but can include complimentary room upgrades, free breakfasts for two, early check-in/late check out, onboard cruise credits, pre-or-post cruise hotel stays, special savings on international air and business class, and so much more. Besides those important perk benefits, a great agent is a true travel consultant – one who will guide you from the idea stages in planning and creating itineraries all the way through that special call to welcome you home. It’s helping you zoom in on the right choice for your particular getaway needs and being on top of your trip even while you are away to ensure everything is meeting and exceeding your expectations. Being up to snuff on the latest travel trends, what’s hot, what’s not, renovations and new openings, what hotel rooms or ship cabins to stay in and what to avoid, up and coming places soon to be on the radar, there is so much knowledge from first-hand experience an agent will advise a client on. And of course troubleshooting any problems - we are a traveler’s advocate – the go to person when there are weather delays and you need to get on a flight. The agent is there as your champion and representative for any customer service issues encountered wherever your travels take you. It’s all in a day’s work for us – it’s what we do. We are problem solvers and that alone is an invaluable asset. Sure you can book travel online. But in cyberspace you won’t find the kind of assistance a great agent provides.

Karen from Huntington asks:
I’m getting married this summer and still deciding on the honeymoon. We’re thinking of an exotic trip maybe to Tahiti or Fiji but my fiancé really loves the idea of a cruise. What do you think is the better choice?


Karen, there’s no reason you can’t do both. One of the most romantic ways to experience the Polyniesian islands is by ship, combined with a stay in a resort hotel on an island such as Bora Bora or Moorea. The ship I am referring to is the glorious 332-passenger Paul Gauguin – intimate, newly renovated (they spent $25 million in 2009) and built especially for sailing the waters of the South Pacific. Summer months are the ideal time to go but depending on the date you are thinking about, there’s various itineraries of different lengths to choose from (7 to 14 days) each incorporating different island groups and regions of the destination. With that in mind, there’s nothing more romantic than combining the cruise with a stay in an over-water motu (bungalow) for a couple of nights. A honeymoon of pure bliss guaranteed!

Fran from Long Beach asks:
What’s your favorite place that you traveled to?


Fran, I am often asked that question and it’s tough to answer with one favorite specifically because there are so many incredible places that have a left a mark, whether it be because of a special experience or event while there, or the people I have met, or the sheer beauty of the destination, etc. For example, experiencing the French and Italian Riviera for 2 ½ weeks in a combination of sailing and hotel stays was one of the most exciting and unforgettable trips I ever took. I was on Star Clipper, an authentic 4-mast clipper ship (and one of my personal favorite cruise lines), sailing to St. Tropez, Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo, Portovennere, Portofino, Corsica, Sardinia and more in this amazingly beautiful part of the world. Onboard I met people from many countries who have remained good friends and the memories of this trip will last forever. Everywhere and anywhere in Italy rates on my “top” list – although the Amalfi coast and Positano captured a very special place in my heart. Along with the Greek Islands. I loved visiting Scandinavian capitals such as Copenhagen and Stockholm and breathtaking St. Petersburg, Russia with its vibrant colors and majestic palaces. And I must say that driving the Canadian Rockies (Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper) totally and unexpectedly blew me away as one of my favorite week’s of travel. I also got to visit many cities in India on a trip in 2009 that completely captured my soul. I was enraptured by the spirit of the people and India is truly one of the most magical places I have been. You can view my article and see pics of the trip here[LINK} So for me it is hard to define an overall “one” favorite place as so many cities, countries, islands, and regions have been unique and special experiences.