What makes Windstar Cruises‘ Caribbean itineraries so special?  Simply put, Windstar does it differently.   True to its moniker, the Wind Surf, roundtrip Barbados, sails into “180 Degrees from Ordinary” ports…with not another cruise ship in sight…Mayreau, Bequia, lles des Saintes.  Add in ports like St. Kitts, St. Barts, and St. Lucia, and you’ve got an amazing off-the-beaten track Caribbean vacation.  Sailing...keep reading

What makes Windstar Cruises‘ Caribbean itineraries so special?  Simply put, Windstar does it differently.   True to its moniker, the Wind Surf, roundtrip Barbados, sails into “180 Degrees from Ordinary” ports…with not another cruise ship in sight…Mayreau, Bequia, lles des Saintes.  Add in ports like St. Kitts, St. Barts, and St. Lucia, and you’ve got an amazing off-the-beaten track Caribbean vacation.  Sailing on Wind Spirit, roundtrip St. Martin …one enjoys overnights in Jost Van Dyke, a favorite destination for yachters, due to its fine beaches as well as its friendly and casual ambience, and Virgin Gorda (with a private island beach barbeque). 

Windstar has some of the most incredible Caribbean cruise itineraries in the industry.  Ports like Mayreau reach out with its aqua blue, clear water; the only inhabitants besides the few locals with warm smiles are often Windstar guests.   lles des Saintes is clean and quaint with a European touch to the village.  By no means are these your typical Caribbean party cruises that drop off thousands of guests at a time in commercial ports like St. Thomas. On a Windstar Caribbean cruise, you can avoid overdeveloped ports and avoid the crowds and experience a different Caribbean.

Better still, Windstar Cruises just put the fall/winter Caribbean cruises on sale! Combine a Windstar experience with these 2-for-1 promotional fares, and you have the best of both worlds!

We boarded Regent Cruises‘  Navigator in Vancouver on a gorgeous afternoon — people were sitting around the pool in bathing suits, which I did not expect to see on an Alaska cruise!  Of course, as we traveled north the temperature dropped considerably. By the time we reached Hubbard Glacier I was glad I took some winter clothes. We loved the ship....keep reading

We boarded Regent Cruises‘  Navigator in Vancouver on a gorgeous afternoon — people were sitting around the pool in bathing suits, which I did not expect to see on an Alaska cruise!  Of course, as we traveled north the temperature dropped considerably. By the time we reached Hubbard Glacier I was glad I took some winter clothes.

We loved the ship. It’s not the newest or most elegant in the fleet, but the atmosphere on Navigator is wonderful. The ship was completely filled to capacity with 490 guests, yet we never felt crowded and never had to wait for anything.

We had a ocean-view stateroom on Deck 5 – entry level with no balcony, but so comfortable: 301 square feet, king bed, sitting area, desk, spacious walk in closet, large marble bathroom with separate tub and shower. I did not miss a balcony on this cruise. The location was convenient as it was right on the same floor as the main restaurant and close to the usual entrance for getting on and off the ship for shore excursions.

Regent Cruise Line’s dining facilities were excellent and we loved the food. Quality of food and beverage in all venues was top notch. We loved the all-inclusive part, and enjoyed the wonderful wines and spirits. Our servers were a delight – they got to know us and we had a great time talking with them throughout the cruise. We tended to sit in the same spot to get our favorite servers, who always remembered our preferences.

We participated in many of the included shore excursions – canoeing and hiking in Ketchikan, sea kayaking in Juneau, visiting the Raptor Center in Sikta, hiking in Skagway which ended with a float trip. All were fun – but with all the food we were consuming I was hoping the excursions would be more physically challenging. We bought the excursion to Tracy Arm – definitely worth it to get close to the Sawyer Glacier.
Each day we spent some time in the cabin relaxing and reading, with the television showing the view from the bow and classical music playing. The cabin was so comfortable, and a perfect place to chill.
The onboard commentary was very interesting, we appreciated learning about the glaciers, wildlife and history as we sailed. The ship was able to get quite close to the Hubbard Glacier – I had not realized glaciers are so loud as they crack and move!

The size of the ship was small enough that we got to know other people easily – we would see the same people in the lounges or on excursions which was nice. Entertainment onboard was good – shows could have been more varied but the quality was fine.

The ship has every facility you might want – spacious well designed cabins, great staff, excellent food and beverage, pool, spa, fitness, casino, entertainment, and even a children’s program. I really fell in love with this ship.

When we disembarked in Seward, we took the Grandview Train to Anchorage. The options were train or coach, and the train is the better option. The views were stunning, the commentary was good, it was a very nice way to end the trip. We spent one night at the Sheraton Anchorage which was fine. (The hotel of choice is the Captain Cook.) Anchorage was not exciting compared to the beautiful sights we enjoyed on the cruise.

Alaska is a gorgeous place – bald eagles, glaciers calving, whales, bears, forests which go on, so many activities, and endless days as the sun set at 11pm and rose before we were up.
A Regent Seven Seas cruise is a fabulous way to see Alaska – a small luxury ship, comfortable and unpretentious, and particularly as we have a number of departures with additional amenities to offer.
Read more about Alaska cruises.

Katie Cadar
katie.c@travelstoreusa.com

Kudos to Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and Carnival  Cruise Lines who are adopting policies favoring animal welfare by switching to using cage-free eggs in their dining operations. These two largest cruise lines in the world have developed new policies in conjunction with The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).   Royal Caribbean will switch 3.2 million eggs to cage-free immediately, increasing to 6.8 million within...keep reading

Kudos to Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and Carnival  Cruise Lines who are adopting policies favoring animal welfare by switching to using cage-free eggs in their dining operations. These two largest cruise lines in the world have developed new policies in conjunction with The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
 
Royal Caribbean will switch 3.2 million eggs to cage-free immediately, increasing to 6.8 million within a year—sparing nearly 30,000 hens each year from being crammed inside tiny cages. Carnival Cruise Lines is converting more than 2 million eggs to cage-free. While this is great news, not all cruise lines are on the same page, using eggs from hens confined in cages so small, they can barely move.
 
“Many vacationers take their concern for animals, food safety and sustainability with them when they travel, and we applaud Royal Caribbean and Carnival for taking those concerns seriously by reducing their reliance on eggs from caged hens,” said Matthew Prescott, corporate outreach director of The HSUS’ factory farming campaign. California recently enacted a law that requires all whole eggs sold statewide to be cage-free by 2015.

In related news, we also posted that Crystal Cruises has committed to only using sustainably-raised seafood.

Ok — I don’t have an iPad®. (yet), but I really want one, one of these days.  I continue to be amazed as I see how people are utilizing this amazing gadget. (It’s only a matter of time.) Now Celebrity Cruises has become the first cruise line to employ the iPad®. onboard.   In an earlier post I referred to the many, often subtle, differences...keep reading

Ok — I don’t have an iPad®. (yet), but I really want one, one of these days.  I continue to be amazed as I see how people are utilizing this amazing gadget. (It’s only a matter of time.) Now Celebrity Cruises has become the first cruise line to employ the iPad®. onboard.
 
In an earlier post I referred to the many, often subtle, differences between cruise lines.  When I think of cruising on Celebrity, I’m always pleased, because I appreciate their commitment to contemporary art, and their ships are a veritable showcase of fine art that’s interesting to look at. (So many ships just put whatever on their walls.) Whether I like a particular work or not, I appreciate that someone’s aesthetic sense is at work, that each work of art displayed has been carefully selected. Good art, or art of quality, makes me happier to be around than cheap art. With more than 14,000 works of original, contemporary art on its three Solstice Class ships alone, Celebrity Cruises is the holder of one of the world’s largest corporate collections of contemporary art.

So now Celebrity invites me to enjoy its art collection with an iPad® on self-guided art tours onboard. How cool is that? I can’t wait!  On each Solstice Class ship, iPads house floor plans of every deck on the ship, with select works of art flagged on every deck.  Touch the screen to select a work of art, and the screen transitions to full details about the piece, including the title of the work, artist’s name, medium used, description and image.

Celebrity Cruises was also the first cruise line to present a menu and wine list on an iPad when it introduced its engaging “Qsine” specialty restaurant. Read more about Celebrity Cruises.

I’m often asked: what are your favorite cruise lines.  What’s yours? It’s hard for me to answer because I’ve pretty much enjoyed every cruise I’ve taken (though I no longer count, there have been over 40).  I have a pretty good idea of what to expect from each cruise line, what each brand stands for, and from each ship, and I...keep reading

I’m often asked: what are your favorite cruise lines.  What’s yours? It’s hard for me to answer because I’ve pretty much enjoyed every cruise I’ve taken (though I no longer count, there have been over 40).  I have a pretty good idea of what to expect from each cruise line, what each brand stands for, and from each ship, and I travel with an open mind, accepting each experience on its own terms, and welcome surprises that can occur while “on the road.”

What’s would be my favorite really depends on whether I’m traveling with my kids, a group of friends, or just my wife. It depends on the destination, and picking the best ship for that destination where choice is available. And it depends on what I’m looking for: to party and be engaged, to get away from it all, to feel immersed in a destination or be happy as a distant tourist.  A cruise is not always the best way to experience a particular destination, but in some areas of the world, it is a great way to do so. I still can feel the wonderful breeze onboard my Nile cruise after exploring Egypt’s wondrous sites in 100 degree heat.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gravitated to appreciating better wine and better cuisine and more creature comforts, and like most discerning travelers, am willing to pay more to get what I want.  But being able to have authentic experiences in a destination remain important for me, as well as feeling I’m a part of the location, and not an alien. There are many differences between the various cruise lines and cruise ships, though many of these can be subtle, and some of the value our cruise experts aim to provide is assisting travelers making those differentiations, based on their particular interests.

It’s a shame when someone gets the “I’ll never do that again” syndrome after they take a cruse that’s not right for them, and then feel cruise vacations are simply the wrong vacation choice for them. Not all cruise lines and ships are the same! There is a right cruise for just about everyone!  If you’ve taken several cruises, what’s your take? Are all cruises the same?

Dan Ilves, MCC, CTC
dan.i@travelstoreusa.com

European river cruises have become all the rage. While several ocean going cruise lines have struggled to fill up staterooms this year, the growing number of European river cruises have been selling out at a pretty fast clip. The slower, relaxed pace of a river cruise, combined with the luxurious all-inclusive amenities some of the newest river cruise ships offer,...keep reading

European river cruises have become all the rage. While several ocean going cruise lines have struggled to fill up staterooms this year, the growing number of European river cruises have been selling out at a pretty fast clip. The slower, relaxed pace of a river cruise, combined with the luxurious all-inclusive amenities some of the newest river cruise ships offer, the included excursions and complimentary wine with meals, have become ever more appealing to travelers of all ages.

The top river cruise companies, like AMA Waterways, continues to expand the horizons of what a river cruise vacation can be. Their newest ships have an alternative dining venue (no extra charge), double balcony staterooms where you can actually sit on your balcony (and not just barelystep on it), more bicycles than any other river cruise line, and select voyages featuring special guests. For example, you might check out the fabulous Rhine and Mosel wine cruise this fall featuring wine-master Jim Clendenen.  Plus, we offer the best values on the top-rated cruises.

While Europe is by far the top destination for river cruises, AMA Waterways has also struck gold with its new Mekong River cruises, so much so a second ship is now being completed, and next year will introduce the newest ship (with balconies) cruising Russia’s waterways.  By the way, our very own China expert, Stan Godwyn, will be escorting a Mekong River cruise next year.

If you haven’t as yet, it just might be time to ponder a river cruise vacation.

Dan Ilves
dan.i@travelstoreusa.com

One of our favorite small ship products is Aqua Expeditions that cruises the Peruvian Amazon. (Aqua is also introducing its second luxury ship shortly.) It’s an ideal trip on its own, or in combination with a visit to Peru’s other highlights. Travelers come back from an Aqua Expeditions cruise with wonderful photos of their adventure, and now the company offers...keep reading

One of our favorite small ship products is Aqua Expeditions that cruises the Peruvian Amazon. (Aqua is also introducing its second luxury ship shortly.) It’s an ideal trip on its own, or in combination with a visit to Peru’s other highlights. Travelers come back from an Aqua Expeditions cruise with wonderful photos of their adventure, and now the company offers them a bit more to complement the visual memories with aural ones as well, as well as an alternative to the cliche souvenir. 
 
Aqua Expeditions has released a music CD for guests to relive their Amazonian voyage at home. The CD is a musical compilation performed by Aqua Expeditions’ “house band” – made up of M/V Aqua’s crew – and was recorded in Iquitos, Peru, the vessel’s home port. The CD contains a collection of 12 tracks of instrumental and lyrical favorites that include Peruvian classics like “El Condor Pasa,” “Besame Mucho” and other internationally known pieces. The album cover boasts artwork by famous Peruvian artist Christian Bendayán and can be purchased onboard in the M/V Aqua’s boutique.

We know a CD isn’t a reason to takean Aqua Expeditions cruise. But it’s a great memento for what is a very special type of eco adventure. All guests also receive a Wildlife Checklist, which lists dozens of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles, insects and common plants and trees, guests  may encounter along the Amazon River, and helps them keep track of their wildlife sightings. It reads like a ‘wish list’ of the most exotic living things on Earth, and includes the elusive Pink Dolphin and the endangered Amazonian Manatee; enough to elicit a little jealousy from even the most seasoned adventurer. Read more about Aqua Expeditions.

I’ve just returned from a 7-day Tahiti cruise on Paul Gauguin cruise line. The Paul Gauguin, previously managed by Regent Seven Seas cruises but now independently owned, is a small 332-passenger luxury cruise ship that is based year-around in French Polynesia and neighboring South Pacific islands. We’ve heard glowing reports about it from our clients since new ownership this year, but...keep reading

I’ve just returned from a 7-day Tahiti cruise on Paul Gauguin cruise line. The Paul Gauguin, previously managed by Regent Seven Seas cruises but now independently owned, is a small 332-passenger luxury cruise ship that is based year-around in French Polynesia and neighboring South Pacific islands. We’ve heard glowing reports about it from our clients since new ownership this year, but it was time to experience it ourselves.

The ship is a wonderful size and very comfortable. The staff is top notch and extremely attentive throughout. I would highly recommend a balcony stateroom, as the weather and views call out to enjoy breakfast or room service on one’s balcony. Many experienced travelers onboard felt the service was at the highest level they’ve experienced. The dining experience was excellent — I wouldn’t put it on par with Crystal Cruises, but overall the kitchen does an exceptional job, and most every course was very well done.  Alternative dining is offered at La Veranda and Le Grill, and each has its set menu offered each night throughout the cruise with different culinary options. (The only departure is on Polynesian night where the restaurants all feature the same cuisine.) We particularly enjoyed the open-air dining in Le Grill, whether for lunch or dinner, the great staff, the casualness, and the open-air tropical breezes. Paul Gauguin cruises offers complimentary house wine and beer with meals, and open bars (there’s a charge for premium wines and alcohol).

A particular highlight worth noting was the onboard enrichment provided by archeologist Mark Edowwes, who gave two fascinating talks, and also led a fascinating excursion on Moorea. We learned more about the destination and culture from him in a couple of hours than we have from any other source (though I also highly recommend reading “Tahiti” by Howarth). There’s a great variety of shore excursions available, though a personal highlight was swimming with sharks in the open ocean (not available onboard, but something we can arrange for guests.)

In the evenings, there was always a featured show. Two were local dance troupes brought onboard, one a professional troupe and the other a children’s group. Les Gauguines, the Tahitian lady hosts onboard the ship, also did a dance show. The best show, however, was the cruise director’s.  Verity was a surprise and put on a terrific song performance, with great material. There is a small room with casino games, and one blackjack and one poker table. Several movies are also screened on the in-room televisions, and a complimentary DVD library is also available. Internet access was available for a fee, and the connection was quite good most of the time.

French Polynesia is a wonderful cruise destination and a great way to experience this destination. The colors of the water are incredible. With the ship spending two days in both Bora Bora and Moorea, there’s plenty of time to enjoy these islands. In addition, you spend a day in Raiatea, Taha’a/private island, and nearly a nearly a full day in Papeete (if using the cruise line’s air program). The ship has its own marina, and offers complimentary snorkel ear, waterskiing and parasailing, and also offers a scuba program. On summer cruises there’s an enrichment program for kids provided by Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society. Paul Gauguin Cruises provides one a perfect and relaxing week, with a lovely compliment of sightseeing, swimming, activities, fine dining and relaxation — what more can one ask for? If you’ve sailed recently, I’d be eager to hear your comments!

While we’ve always done well with this vacation with our clients, we are now pleased to have a special relationship with Paul Gauguin cruise line, and are offering bonus amenities next year on a number of Tahiti cruises and beyond.

Dan Ilves, CTC,  MCC
dan.i@travelstoreusa.com

It’s been over 20 years since I first visited Tahiti.  Then it was on a 7-day Tahiti cruise on the Liberte (long expired). While the Society Islands  are gorgeously beautiful, that visit was a bit of a disappointment, not because of the stunning visual candy, but because it didn’t really provide the enrichment I generally crave from my travels: good museums, better...keep reading

It’s been over 20 years since I first visited Tahiti.  Then it was on a 7-day Tahiti cruise on the Liberte (long expired). While the Society Islands  are gorgeously beautiful, that visit was a bit of a disappointment, not because of the stunning visual candy, but because it didn’t really provide the enrichment I generally crave from my travels: good museums, better opportunities to experience or gain insights into the local arts and culture, the presence of a bit of a snooty French attitude here and there, and enjoying things was always compromised by an awareness of how expensive it was.

I’m heading back next week. Recently it was my 30th wedding anniversary, and it seems like such a perfect destination to celebrate the occasion. It’s time to revisit the experience, this time on the far more luxurious Paul Gauguin cruise line.  I know there are those that would rightly point out that if I truly want to experience this paradise, a cruise may not be the best way to do so. I know. It’s not the same.  But the advantage of the cruise is that within a week I can have a comfortable trip with multi-island diverse experiences, not to mention I love being on the move at sea. 

On a land vacation, after all, I’d rather stay put for a few days and not move around so much. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Likewise, the Paul Gauguin cruise claims to provide a truly Tahitian experience.  It’s new owner, after all, is a resident there and committed to the concept of the Paul Gauguin cruises being an expression of these islands. I’m eager to find out. (And after all, I need to check out the product and see what these Tahiti cruises are all about. And our clients are raving about the revitalized Paul Gauguin cruises since the new owners took over at the beginning of this year.) More when I get back. In the meantime, we welcome your opinions!

Dan Ilves, CTC, MCC
dan.i@travelstoreusa.com

While Crystal cruise lines has only served fresh seafood (never frozen), now when guests travel on a Crystal cruise ship, they can know that only sustainable seafood is being offered them. Crystal cruise line is the first to commit to offering seafood raised and harvested in a sustainable manner, protecting marine environments, their habitats and helping preserve species for future...keep reading

While Crystal cruise lines has only served fresh seafood (never frozen), now when guests travel on a Crystal cruise ship, they can know that only sustainable seafood is being offered them. Crystal cruise line is the first to commit to offering seafood raised and harvested in a sustainable manner, protecting marine environments, their habitats and helping preserve species for future generations.

Crystal cruise lines has always excelled in providing sophisticated culinary fare in its dining room and specialty restaurants, including its sushi bar.  Read more about Crystal Cruise Line.