July 2009

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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