Nintendo Wii Fit Game Onboard Princess Cruises

Princess Passengers First to Experience Wii Fit Game
Published on Modern Agent: June 25, 2008

Princess Cruises has installed the Nintendo Wii Fit game system, just a month after it made its U.S. debut. Princess is the first cruise line to offer passengers the chance to get their hearts pumping with the new release from Wii. All Princess ships, which have long featured Nintendo Wii systems onboard, have added the Wii Fit balance games, challenging passengers to video game tournaments such as the ski jump, Hula Hoop or soccer. Family competitions will be held onboard, including some on the huge poolside video screens. Youth and teen centers will also offer Wii Fit activities. “We’re very excited to partner with Nintendo to bring the Wii Fit experience to our passengers,” said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. “Our onboard team has just finished training with the experts at Nintendo to ensure that we’re able to offer passengers the best possible experience with this innovative fitness game.”

Wii Fit can track users’ progress, which lets people see how they’ve improved while challenging them to better their scores and stay motivated. The Wii Fit Balance Board is a precisely engineered platform that senses both weight and shifts in movement and balance. It connects wirelessly to the Wii console and serves as the centerpiece for more than 40 activities in areas like yoga, aerobics, strength training and balance. Virtual trainers talk users through the motions and makes suggestions for improvements. On ships equipped with Movies Under the Stars screen, the Wii tournaments are shown on the giant poolside screens, offering a larger-than-life gaming experience. The 300-square-foot screens are featured on Caribbean Princess, Crown Princess, Emerald Princess, Grand Princess, Sea Princess and the upcoming Ruby Princess.

To make your reservation on a Princess Cruise contact Amy at
A Room With A View - Cruise & Travel!
800-571-3159 or amy@aroomwithaviewtravel.com

Innovation and Imagination Abound on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Of The Seas

What does a Coney Island style boardwalk, a Central Park, Ampi(Aqua)theatre, Rising Tide Bar, Loft Suites and Royal Promenade have in common? The exciting new Oasis Of The Seas! Oasis will be launched late 2009 and the anticipation is palpatible with RCCL fans. This ship will definitely be the destination onto itself. If you are new to cruising, would I recommend this ship for your first try? Definitely not! But, for those die-hard RCCL fans and mega ship lovers, this is a dream come true.
The books will open in August and Crown and Anchor members will have an exclusive booking window before the general public.

I could write more about Oasis, but truthfully, it’s probably more exciting to look at the site (watch the video!) www.oasisoftheseas.com

After you’re done checking out Oasis Of The Seas, make sure to contact Amy at A Room With A View - Cruise & Travel to make your reservation! 800-571-3159 or amy@aroomwithaviewtravel.com

NCL’s Norwegian Pearl Receives Environmental Award

NCL’s Norwegian Pearl Receives Environmental Award
Published on Modern Agent: June 4, 2008

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Pearl recently received the Cruise Ship Environmental Award from the Port of San Francisco. In 2007, Norwegian Sun was honored with the same award. The port’s program annually recognizes cruise ships whose onboard environmental systems help decrease air and water pollution. The three categories evaluated are air emission reduction, wastewater treatment and recycling and disposal programs for solid waste. “It’s an honor for Norwegian Pearl to be recognized by the Port of San Francisco for the environmental standards and practices we have in place to protect the waters on which we sail and earn our livelihood,” said Colin Veitch, NCL president and CEO. “We have shown our commitment to maintaining the highest level of environmental protection standards by using low-sulfur fuels, reducing air emissions, efficiently and effectively treating our wastewater and recycling and disposing properly of solid waste while in port.” “The Port of San Francisco is pleased to acknowledge the officers and crew members of Norwegian Pearl for going above and beyond the existing regulations to preserve and protect the air and water quality of San Francisco Bay and beyond,” said Peter Dailey, maritime director for the Port of San Francisco. “We sincerely appreciate Norwegian Cruise Line’s commitment to safeguarding the environment.”

Contact Amy at A Room With A View - Cruise & Travel to make your reservation onboard the Norwegian Pearl. 800-571-3159 or amy@aroomwithaviewtravel.com

Disney Cruise Line Reduces Deposit on Select Cruises

Disney Cruise Line Reduces Deposit on Select Cruises
Published on Modern Agent: June 10, 2008

Disney Cruise Line is offering a reduced deposit offer for any Disney Cruises booked now through June 15, 2008. Clients will pay a 50 percent reduced deposit on any sailings Sept. 1, 2008 to Dec. 30, 2009 for Categories four through 12. Travelers booking a three- to four-night cruise will now pay a $100 deposit, per person as will passengers booking a seven-night land/sea vacation. Clients booking a seven-night Caribbean cruise will now pay a $125 per person deposit.

Contact Amy at A Room With A View - Cruise & Travel to make your reservation!
800-571-3159 or amy@aroomwithaviewtravel.com

Holland America, Microsoft Introduce Digital Workshops

Holland America, Microsoft Introduce Digital Workshops
Published on Modern Agent: June 9, 2008

Holland America Line partnered with Microsoft on new digital workshops that will teach passengers how to “show and tell” their vacation memories online. The Holland America Line Digital Workshop, powered by Microsoft Windows, is available on the Amsterdam and the Oosterdam, and will be offered on the Westerdam in June and the line’s new Eurodam in July. It will be expanded fleetwide within 18 months. The free workshops, led by Microsoft-trained “techsperts,” will show how to take better vacation photos, make movies, edit pictures and create scrapbooks using a variety of Microsoft services. Guests will learn how to share digital memories through email, blogging and social networking.

The program, which has its own dedicated space on each ship, kicks off with a 50-minute session. Called “Just Shoot Me,” the session provides tips and tricks on how to take pictures, and introduces passengers to onboard editing and movie-making resources available on the cruise, including Windows Live Photo Gallery and Windows Movie Maker. The “Just Shoot Me” session will be followed by “jargon-free” interactive sessions, also 50 minutes long, designed for smaller groups to try out the technologies in a hands-on environment.

These workshops include “On the Download,” which instructs on how to move images from a digital camera to a Windows-based personal computer; “Put Your Best Face Forward” on how to crop and color-correct digital photos and create panoramic pictures by stitching photos together using Windows Live Photo Gallery; “Home Away From Home,” which offers instructions on to add music, special effects and titles to videos and publish to a DVD using Windows Movie Maker. Other courses include “Show and Tell,” on how to upload photos to a personal Web page and how to email photos using Windows Live services; “Your 15 Minutes of Fame” on how to turn a vacation journal into a blog by creating a basic Web page and blog entries; and “A Click Ahead,” on how to design a photo card and a basic scrapbook. Guests can choose to attend all or some of the workshops, which will be offered at various times and days throughout each cruise. Multiple workshops will be held every day. In addition, one-on-one coaching, called “Techspert Time,” will also be available for over 20 hours each week.

To make your reservation on a Holland America ship, contact Amy at A Room With A View - Cruise & Travel 800-571-3159 or amy@aroomwithaviewtravel.com

Carnival Freedom to Operate Year-Round from Fort Lauderdale

Carnival Freedom to Operate Year-Round from Fort Lauderdale
Published on Modern Agent: June 9, 2008

Carnival Cruise Lines’ 2,974-passenger Carnival Freedom, which was originally scheduled to operate only seasonally from Fort Lauderdale, will now operate the program year-round starting in November. The ship had been scheduled to return to the Mediterranean in 2009. Carnival Freedom’s year-round schedule from Fort Lauderdale begins Nov. 22 with six-day cruises departing Sundays and visiting Key West, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios, while eight-day voyages departing Saturdays alternate to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. The eight-day Eastern Caribbean voyages visit five ports: San Juan, St. Thomas/St. John, Antigua, Tortola/Virgin Gorda and Nassau. Western Caribbean cruises include Cozumel, Mexico; Limon, Costa Rica; and Colon, Panama. Lynn Torrent, Carnival’s senior vice president of sales and guest services, said that while the plan had been for Carnival Freedom to return to Europe next year, the strong performance of the line’s Caribbean fleet made the new deployment a compelling choice. Both of the eight-day cruises offer visits to ports that are usually available only on cruises of 10 days or longer. In addition, these cruises depart on Saturdays and return on Sundays, which allow them to fit into the traditional one-week vacation pattern.

Contact Amy at A Room With A View - Cruise & Travel to make your reservation today! 800-571-3159 or amy@aroomwithaviewtravel.com

SuperClubs Guaranteed Getaways Programs

SuperClubs Highlights Guaranteed Getaways Programs
Published on Modern Agent: June 2, 2008

For more than a decade SuperClubs’ Guaranteed Getaways program has guaranteed travelers a reimbursement for the total value of disrupted nights should a hurricane occur during their stay during Hurricane Season (June 1-Nov. 30) when staying at SuperClubs’ eight Super-Inclusive resorts: Grand Lido Resorts & Spas, Hedonism Resorts, Breezes Runaway Bay, and Breezes Montego Bay in Jamaica; Breezes Bahamas; and Breezes Curaçao. The No Hurricane Guarantee will also issue a voucher for a future stay will be issued for the same number of disrupted nights for use during the same month the following year, excluding airfare.

SuperClubs’ Sunshine Guarantee provides guests with a voucher for each day “the sun doesn’t show its face” that is a credit voucher equal to that day’s Super-Inclusive room value, good for one year towards another SuperClubs vacation. Their Satisfaction Guarantee stipulates that a SuperClubs guest at any Caribbean resort who is not 100 percent satisfied with the holiday, they must notify the general manager of the problem immediately. If the situation is not rectified in two days, SuperClubs will issue a credit voucher for the entire value of the unused portion of the hotel stay, redeemable for one year at any SuperClubs resort.

Contact Amy at A Room With A Viewto book your SuperClubs vacation today!
Toll Free 800-571-3159

10 Best Cruises For Families

I saw the following slide show on Travel + Leisure’s website and thought that it gave some great information for families looking to cruise.
http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/10-best-cruises-for-families/1

I can personally vouch that cruising is a terrific family vacation option. My boys, at the ripe ages of 11 and 14, have been on 5 cruises. A friend recently asked how they like Walt Disney World compared to cruising? Although they really enjoyed their vacation at WDW, they still like cruising better. There’s just so many things to do on a cruise ship today, not to mention visiting and exploring all the different ports of call. Choosing a cruise as a family vacation not only benefits the kids. It’s one of the least stressful options to vacation with children and for multi-generational family vacations. When we took our boys on their first cruise, they were 5 and 8 years old. My parents and my grandma went along.
Even though we sailed on an older ship, we all had a great time. Everything was new to the kids and I recall being amazed how much they wanted to go to the children’s program onboard. My great grandma was 89 at the time and was a trooper. She went along on shore excursions and even went to the fitness facility to use the exercise bike. We all enjoyed dining together and going to the shows.
I don’t think that there was one disagreement or arguement the whole trip. The previous year, we rented a condo in Florida with my parents and let’s just say that I needed a vacation after that vacation. Anyway, my great grandma had such a wonderful time that she announced that she wanted to take our whole family (including her older sister and my brother’s family) on a cruise for her 90th birthday. Even with the addition on another senior and more kids (and cruising during Easter holiday) it was smooth sailing. A cruise vacation offers something for everyone…whether young or young at heart. And, you can do all or most of your planning before you travel. It’s also a very pampering vacation. The cooking, cleaning, driving, navigating and entertaining are all done for you. What other multi-destination vacation can you say that about?

To plan and reserve your next family vacation, contact Amy at A Room With A View - Cruise & Travel
800-571-3159

The Johnson Family’s Wild Ride at Walt Disney World

Otherwise known as Walt Disney World in 4 days! My family and I just returned from a 3 night, 4 day trip to Walt Disney World. Not a lot of time to take in the 4 major parks, 2 waterparks and Downtown Disney, but we accomplished our mission (or, at least mine.) So, yes, it is possible to squeeze all of the wonders of the World in a short amount of time, but with a few caveats. You need a lot of energy and stamina, a plan or itinerary, older kids and some good walking shoes!

My family consists of myself, my husband and two sons, ages 11 and 14. My boys were totally in to trying out all of the major rides and attractions. We made every one (sometimes twice!) But, had they been a few youngers (or worse yet, in strollers) we wouldn’t have been able to do everything we did in 4 days. I have to say that it probably helped that they are boys and not girls, as the need for shopping was kept to a minimum and the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique was not on our agenda! (Getting ready in the morning doesn’t involve as much grooming time either.) We’re a “long-legged” family, so we covered a lot of ground at a faster pace than most. In short, if your family consists of male children, 10 years or older, that can keep a good pace and are focused on getting to the next ride, then you too can see all of WDW in 4 days! (This is intended to be tongue in cheek!)

Here’s how we did it…

Day 1: Flew non-stop to Orlando, arriving at noon. Took the Magical Express to Pop Century. Checked in, dropped off our luggage and caught the next bus to Epcot. I had previously made reservations for dinner at Chefs de France for that evening, and therefore decided that afternoon and evening would be spent at Epcot. We had the basic Disney Dining plan and headed over to a snack stand to get some refreshments before going on our first ride. Spent the afternoon in Future World going on rides, etc. and then went to World Showcase for some dinner and sight-seeing. We dined at Chefs de France and then wandered around World Showcase for awhile taking in the beautiful flowers and topiaries present during the spring. Headed back to Future World for some more rides and IllumiNations.

Day 2: Got up at the crack of dawn since we had Extra Magical Hours at Magic Kingdom that morning.
Had a granola bar/protein bar in our hotel room while getting ready. My husband ran down to Pop’s cafeteria to buy some refillable souvenir mugs to use for coffee and soda. Took the bus to Magic Kingdom. Our plan of hitting the major rides first turned out be a success. We were able to get on all of the big rides with little or no wait time before the park got busy. We then ran to do some other rides or shows and when need be, got a Fast Pass. Took the bus back to Pop, used our counter service for lunch there, changed into our swimming suits and went to Blizzard Beach for the afternoon.
Spent the afternoon swimming, sliding, plunging and plummeting. Showered and dressed for dinner back at our hotel room and then went back to Epcot for our dinner reservations (6:45 p.m.) at San Angel Inn (located in the Pyramid in Mexico.) After dinner, did some repeat rides until 9 p.m.

Day 3: Slept in an extra hour (unti 8 a.m.) and went to Disney Hollywood Studios in the morning. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster was first on our list, with Tower of Terror being second. Again, did both with hardly a wait. Walked around, did other rides like Star Wars, etc., went to the Indiana Jones stunt show and ate lunch afterwards. Went back to Pop, changed into our swimming suits and went to the other waterpark, Typhoon Lagoon. Note: if I had an extra day, I could have spent an entire day at Typhoon Lagoon (lounging on a beach or in a wave pool.) My kids said that they preferred the water slides/rides at Blizzard Beach. At night, we went to Downtown Disney for our dinner reservation at Wolfgang Puck’s (our favorite restaurant of the 3 that we dined at.) We walked around for awhile after dinner, but decided to go back to Disney Hollywood Studios. Another note: You can not take the bus from Downtown to another park, only to resorts. So, we had to take a bus to All-Stars and then from there to Hollywood.

Day 4: Our flight departure time was for 7:30 p.m. so we planned to spend the entire day at Animal Kingdom. We got there early as there were extra Magical Hours that morning. Expedition Everest was top of the list. Did that two times in a row since there was no wait and then went directly to the Safari (the animals are more present in the cooler morning time.) Again, we hit the rest of the rides on our list, including Dinosaur, Primeval whirl and the Kali River Rapids. Went to lunch at Flametree Barbeque to use up our last counter service, and then went to the 3D show, It’s Tough To Be A Bug.
Note: All of the 3D shows we saw were very fun, and refreshing breaks from walking around in the hot sun. With time to spare, we went back to the Pop to swim for awhile before the Magical Express took us back to Orlando Intl. Airport.

Some final tips…

Do: Pack some snacks/breakfast items even if you have the Dining Plan. It saves time in the morning to avoid going to a cafe or restaurant for breakfast. The earlier you get to the parks, the less lines and wait times for the major rides.

Do: Arrange for an early wake up call on the Extra Magic Hour Park days.

Do: Plan your itinerary around those Extra Magic Hours.

Do: Make dinner reservations ahead of time. Plan to have dinner in several parks so that you can spend some evening hours at those parks after dinner.

Do: Bring a variety of walking shoes, athletic sandals, etc. (saw a lot of Crocs) for all the walking during the day. Wear light weight clothes that dry fast (after getting soaked on the water rides.)

Do: Leave the bag/backpack at the hotel if you want to avoid getting bogged down by having your bag checked at the entrance. My husband wore cargo shorts…it’s amazing how many things you can fit in those pockets!

Do: Purchase the Dining Plan as part of your vacation package. It is definitely worth it! The entree’s at some restaurants were as much or more as the cost of the dining plan per day.

Do: Stay at one of the Disney properties. It’s so much more convenient and you get the benefit of the Extra Magic Hours. Not to mention, it’s just more fun!

Do: Go to the main or more popular rides/attractions first thing in the morning before they get too busy.

Do: Have a Magical time at Walt Disney World or DisneyLand!

Do: Contact Amy at A Room With A Viewto make your reservation for the wonderful world of Disney!
800-571-3159

NCL Reveals Details of F3’s “New Wave” Staterooms

NCL Revails Details of F3’s “New Wave” Staterooms
Published on Modern Agent: April 25, 2008

NCL Corp. revealed that its new 150,000-ton F3 ships will feature “New Wave” staterooms with curved architecture and open layouts. The New Wave balcony and New Wave deluxe staterooms are “a completely fresh take on bathroom design, contemporary curved architecture and open living space,” the company said. “From the introduction of the first Caribbean cruise more than 41 years ago to the launch of Freestyle Cruising in 2000 and beyond, NCL has always blazed a trail of innovation,” said NCL President and CEO Colin Veitch. “We have thrown away the rule book with the design of F3 and today are revealing the very first element with our New Wave staterooms. Gone are the regimented typical designs and in place are sleek staterooms that are totally outside the box, designed for the needs of tomorrow’s guests.” The most distinctive design element is curved walls and lines. The bathroom features a separate shower stall, separate water closet and a modern vanity top sink. The staterooms feature an earth-tone palette accented with color, dark wood, concealed contour LED lighting and back-lit domed ceilings. All the amenities and comforts of NCL’s Freestyle 2.0 enhancements are included, with upgraded bedding, linens and towels, Euro pillows, Elemis bathroom products and MP3 connectivity upon request. Balcony and deluxe staterooms have bathrobes, a customized fruit menu, a fresh-baked cookie at turn-down on the last night of cruise, an escort to the stateroom on embarkation day, priority restaurant reservation and reception hotlines, and a color keycard for ship-wide recognition.

“Today’s announcement is just the first chapter in a series of innovations we will be revealing about our new F3 ships leading up to their launch in 2010,” Veitch said. “These ships will further deconstruct the traditional cruise ship experience with innovations in design, accommodations, luxury and entertainment to create a cutting-edge resort vacation experience unlike any other at sea.” New Wave Deluxe staterooms also feature a seating area, a flat-screen TV, a mini-bar, a balcony and expanded living space. The New Wave Balcony rooms also have the new bathrooms, curved walls, seating area, flat-screen TV, mini-bar and balcony. New Wave Standard staterooms will have the new bathrooms, flat-screen TV and mini-bar; most inside staterooms will feature the back-lit domed ceiling. The two 150,000-ton F3 ships will each have 4,200 passenger berths, representing the largest ships in NCL’s fleet. The new ship design will offer 60 percent more guest space than NCL’s largest ships to date, which will be used to provide more onboard activities, amenities and stateroom options. One-hundred percent of outside staterooms will feature private balconies for a total of 1,415 balcony staterooms.

To make your reservation, contact Amy at A Room With A View - Cruise & Travel!
800-571-3159