2009

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Wow, summer is here and it seems a lot of people are putting off making their cruise travel plans.  Well, sometimes it pays to wait and this might be one of those times.  Cruise Planners Cant Wait To Cruise has just announced its biggest sale of the year.  We asked the cruise lines to sharpen up their pencils and give us their best deals.  And they came through with the hottest offers of the summer.  There are over 15 major cruise lines participating in this sale and more offers than we’ve ever seen.  Ship board spending credits range from $50 to $400.  There are a bunch of 2 for 1 fares and free airfare specials.  Family vacation?  We even have a Kids Sail Free program.  And one cruise line is even offering unlimited free shore excursions.  The good news is that these offers are available on a huge variety of cruise lines and ships from short to long and from economy to ultra-luxury.  And departures are available throughout the rest of the year and into 2010. The not-so-good news is that like summer, these specials must come to an end.  So, put away the lawnmower and pick up the phone because it’s time to get some Cruisitude.

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http://www.oasisoftheseas.com/chairmans-blog/ 

Here are some comments on the photos  from the cruise industry trade group Seatrade Insider Newsletter:

From bird’s-eye views of Central Park to a dizzying look down on the AquaTheater’s diving platform, astonishing images of Oasis of the Seas are posted on the blog. The AquaTheater pool sports more equipment than the space shuttle, Fain quips. And the air conditioning components ‘look more like artwork.’

Shots of the Rising Tide Bar show the feature that will continuously move between the atrium and Central Park. The area where the zipline will fly, a Crown Loft and many other elements of the world’s largest cruise ship are on view for the first time.

The massive propulsion pods and a gigantic bow thruster are among the technical components depicted. Fain notes the four thrusters together can provide more power to move the ship sideways than most ships have for total propulsion power.

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Pass the Ketchup
Dining options on Carnival Dream, debuting in September, range from a two-level casual eatery featuring a new Italian pasta station and a burrito bar to Ocean Plaza, an indoor/outdoor café and live music venue.

In outlining the ship’s food selection, Carnival Cruise Lines emphasized that most choices are included in the fare. Exceptions are the reservations-recommended steak house and specialty coffees and select patisserie items.

The two-level buffet restaurant’s new pasta bar gives a choice of noodles, sauce and ingredients, and the burrito bar will let diners create an oversized wrap with a choice of chicken, beef, shrimp, salsa and other accompaniments. The venue, The Gathering, also houses a 24-hour pizzeria with seven kinds of pies, a Mongolian wok for custom-made stir-fries, a tandoori oven, a New York-style deli, a different featured international cuisine daily and a 35-item salad bar.

An expanded 24-hour room service menu, free of charge, includes new choices such as medium rare roast beef and brie on French baguette and grilled fresh mozzarella and portobello mushroom on focaccia. A complimentary sushi bar is found on the Promenade Deck.

Ocean Plaza, the new café and entertainment venue, will offer WiFi access and a dozen kiosks to access FunHub, the recently announced intranet portal and on-board social network. The centerpiece is Plaza Café, a patisserie serving specialty coffees, milkshakes and baked-on-board cakes, pies and cookies.

The Chef’s Art Steakhouse is a 139-seat venue with prime dry-aged USDA beef selections ranging from a nine-ounce filet to a 24-ounce porterhouse, along with lobster tail, lamb chops and other choices. The service charge is $30.

Carnival Dream’s two-level Scarlet and Crimson main dining rooms will present six appetizers and soups, two salads and six entrees each night. Always-available ‘Carnival Classics’ include char-broiled steak with a signature rub, grilled chicken and pasta dishes and what Carnival calls the cruise industry’s most popular dessert, warm chocolate melting cake, as part of a six-choice dessert menu.

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Networking socially.

Welcome to Chirs Silman’s CantWaitToCruise Blog.  It’s funny. Networking has always been a social activity: happy hours, cocktail parties and business networking events. But those were in-person, up-close and dressed-to-impress types of events. These days we’re online. A lot. And being online is more prevalent than ever. (You’re reading this online, aren’t you?) Now we have a term for this ongoing conversation, and if you haven’t heard already, it’s called social networking. And there’s a lot of it out there in the world.

Want to jump in and join the conversation? Don’t know where to begin? Well, travel lover, good news. Go to www.cruisitude.com. It’s a community created for cruise enthusiasts like you. It’s a place where you can upload your travel photos and videos, or post your thoughts. Invite your friends or make some new friends. It’s all about travel, cruising and you. What’s your cruisitude? Go. Click. Join.

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Royal Caribbean joined the Cruisitude movement. You should too!  We’ve teamed up with Royal Caribbean to deliver you an exclusive offer that is valid through August 15, 2009. You can get a 50% reduced deposit, pre-paid gratuities plus an onboard spending booklet, not to mention another wonderful add-on such as free spa treatment or specialty dining. Why not book now? There are many incredible ships and hundreds of sailings available all the way through 2010. And if you belong to any group, club or even a large family ask us how you can cruise for free with our group cruise program. 

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Another “cutting edge” travel website was just announced.  It leads to the question of “how many websites does a person need to visit to get information about travel offers?”   Since we focus on the cruise business, let’s take a look at this particular segment to see if we can shed some light on the question.

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Thank you for visiting Chris Silman's Can't Wait to Cruise Blog!  Celebrity and its sister company, Azamara Cruises continue to provide exceptional cruise experiences at great prices.  Celebrity treats you famously with its signature white glove service and premium cruise experience.  Azamara’s more intimate ships, Journey and Quest offer a deluxe ambiance in a “country club casual” setting.  If you still are planning to travel between now and the end of the year, then our Super Sale is right up your alley.  Cruise Planners is offering free, pre-paid gratuities and an onboard coupon book for new bookings on cruises departing in 2009.  But you must book by August 31^st.  In addition to these offers, several Celebrity departures include up to $100 onboard credit.  Super Size your cruise vacation plans during our Super Sale.

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Norwegian Cruise Line pioneered the Freestyle concept and now offers it on all 12 ships.  Dine in as many as 10 restaurants on board that cater to your schedule.  Flexibility and choice is the key onboard with shows and events carefully planned around you and not the other way around.  NCL boasts the newest fleet of ships on the high seas and visits great destinations like the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Bermuda, and Europe, Greek Isles, Hawaii and more.  Choose from family friendly accommodations or treat yourself to an over-the-top luxury suite.  Whatever your budget and available time, there is probably an NCL ship that fits the bill.

During Cruise Planners White Hot Freestyle Sale you can get up to $250 onboard credit on select sailings as well as 50% reduced deposits fleet wide.  But you must book with Cruise Planners between September 20th and October 4th.  And remember the early bird gets the best stateroom!

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Great news from Royal Caribbean and Cruise Planners!  Can't wait to cruise? Call Chris Silman at 888-239-9150 today!

Royal Caribbean International is reminding vacationers that they can enjoy the benefits of booking early and the peace of mind of receiving the best advertised prices with the line’s Best Price Guarantee program. By booking early, vacationers have access to a much wider selection of staterooms and availability on their desired departure date. If the guest then finds a lower fare advertised by Royal Caribbean for the same ship, sail-date and stateroom category, they can receive the difference in price as an onboard credit to spend on beverages, cocktails, spa services, specialty dining and other shipboard purchases. Any dollars not spent will be refunded at the conclusion of the cruise.

“Best Price Guarantee gives guests peace of mind, allowing them to plan ahead, book early and get the staterooms and excursions that they want with no worries that a better deal will come along after they’ve committed,” said a Royal Caribbean spokesperson.

Guests can take advantage of Royal Caribbean’s Best Price Guarantee immediately from the time of booking to up to 72 hours prior to sailing. If after the cruise is booked, a qualifying advertised lower price is found, their cruise specialist at Cruise Planners will advise the cruise line. The difference in pricing will be provided in the form of an onboard credit. For reservations outside of the final payment period, onboard credit may be replaced, upon request, with a reduction to guests’ outstanding balance or a refund, as applicable. A limited number of pricing programs are excluded from the Best Price Guarantee program and it does not apply to group bookings.

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