Craft beers go cruising!

The craft-beer juggernaut continues to roll with Florida microbrews finding homes on various cruise line.

This follows trendy chefs bringing their restaurants aboard cruise ships. 

Specialty food & beverage offerings at sea continue to rock on!  

Happy Birthday Princess Cruises!

On New On y, Princess Cruises kicked off its 50th anniversary celebration with its debut in the 126th Rose Parade. 

he cruise line's float, "50 Years of Inspiring Travel," was awarded the Craftsman Trophy for Exceptional Achievement in Showmanship and Dramatic Impact.
The six original cast members of The Love Boat television show rode on the ship’s bow down the five-and-a-half mile parade route. In addition to paying tribute to the television show that made Princess Cruises famous, the Rose Parade float depicted the line’s newest cruise ship, Regal Princess.

Romantic Southern Ohio River Getaway

You can barely see the river front on the  right hand side

Located along the Ohio River, the historic Lafayette Hotel, built in 1918, has unique architecture. 

Couples enjoy modern-day amenities like cable TV and WiFi, as they sink away to another time in themed rooms with Victorian and riverboat décor. 

Locally, couples can explore the old riverboat town of Marietta and take a ride on the Valley Gem Sternwheeler. 

One of a kind local restaurants, a brew pub, trolley tours and the Fenton Glass Factory are also enjoyable activities in the area.

Cruise Trends 2015-More Surcharges in the Restaurants

Once upon a time, there were main dining rooms, where everyone could enjoy a sit down dinner with no additional fees. Then along came specialty restaurants with a nominal cover charge. They were followed by restaurants with charges akin to a fancy dinner out at a land-based restaurant. (Think Remy on Disney Cruise Line, with a per-person fee of $75.) Now, the latest trend is surcharges on top of cover charges. Holland America Line's Pinnacle Grill was an early adaptor with its supplement for caviar. In Chops Grille on Quantum of the Seas, Royal Caribbean has begun to levy an additional fee on dry-aged steaks ($18 or $19 extra, depending on the cut) and Maine lobster ($21). In Le Bistro on Norwegian Cruise Line's ships, there is a $10 per-person up charge on the Cote de Boeuf for two, the Fruits de Mer and the lobster tail. The cruise lines say it's all about choice; we say it's yet another way of gouging more money out of the passenger. However, we all agree these surcharges are more likely to proliferate than to go away.

I like to use "fairly inclusive" when describing big boat cruises. 

There are some all inclusive packages but extra fees are involved. 

Bon Voyage! 

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou!

Water lilies at the Hawaiian Botanical Garden

That’s Happy New Year in Hawaiian! 

Wouldn’t you rather spend this time of the year in the islands of Aloha! 

Your travel sales consultant can make that happen! 

River cruising USA style

The Queen's Grand Staircase

How about sailing the "Big Muddy" aka the Mississippi River and follow in Mark Twain's footsteps? 

Here's a preview of American Queen cruises. 

Contact your cruise travel consultant today. 

Tulip time European river cruises are hot

A recent survey* of over 1,300 top travel agents conducted by Amras River Cruises confirmed what it has been experiencing since its launch: that river cruises of the Dutch waterways beginning in Amsterdam during tulip season are the most popular for 2015.

Great space & deals are still available for spring 2015 sailings!

Contact your river cruise specialist today!