Winter Wonderland?

When you live in the midwest, you either A.) love winter or B.) plan a late winter/early spring warm weather getaway!
It’s only the 5th of December, and already we’ve been hit with multiple inches of snow twice. My children even had a 2 hr. school delay today. (See the picture of our backyard below.)

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I do admit to enjoying the first few snowfalls…especially around Christmastime. However, once that ball drops on New Years Eve, I’m ready for the snow to melt away. I find myself getting cabin fever and dreaming of white sandy beaches instead of white icy stuff. The only thing that keeps me sane is having some type of sunny vacation planned. For the past few years, my Rx for the “fever” has been cruising to different ports in the Caribbean. Before that, it was all-inclusive resort stays in Mexico and the Caribbean. The sun, the blue water, the warm breezes, the flora, the fauna…the pina coladas! (Can’t you just smell the coconut scented sunscreen right now?) Not only is the actual vacation my therapy, but also the planning of the vacation.
(And, you wonder why I’m a travel agent?) I love researching the ship or resort, the destination or ports of call and the excursions. With the internet, it’s like taking a virtual pre-vacation. Anything to get through the bleak winter days!

In just two short months, I will be sailing on the Celebrity Summit to Southern Caribbean ports of call….Bonaire, Aruba, Grenada, Dominica and St. Maarten. I’ve had this trip planned for awhile. As usual, we have other people traveling with us. This is a very good reason for booking a cruise early. The availability and early booking pricing is usually much better. I know that the rates on our sailing have gone up quite a bit since we booked. However, if you are flexible about your time frame, destination and ship or resort, there are still some very good last minute options out there (excluding holidays and spring break time.)

So, have you made a reservation for your “therapy session” yet? Don’t wait too long! Give A Room With A View - Cruise & Travel a call today!

Cruise Lines Implement Fuel Surcharges

Skyrocketing fuel prices have caused numerous cruise lines to institute fuel surcharges. Carnival Corp. started the ball rolling.

Carnival Corp.has stated that due to rapidly increasing fuel prices, they have now implemented a fuel supplement fee to all voyages departing on, or after 2/1/08. The fuel surcharge will be instituted on all six brands within Carnival Corp: Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Seabourn Cruises.

The fuel surcharge of $5 per person, per day, will not exceed $70 per passenger, per sailing (and will be applied to the first and second passengers in a cabin.) The fuel surcharge will be collected at the time of the final payment. Cruises that have been already paid in full will also have the fuel surcharge applied.

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NCL Corp. will begin levying a fuel supplement fee effective on all new NCL and NCL America bookings made on or after Dec. 1. The additional fee will be $7 per person, per day, for the first and second guests in a stateroom and $3 per person, per day, for any additional guests in the same stateroom. “With oil prices skyrocketing, the fuel supplement is a necessary step for us,” said Colin Veitch, NCL’s president and CEO.

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Oceania Cruises is implementing a fuel surcharge of $7 per guest, per day, for all reservations that are not paid in full by Dec. 1, 2007. The surcharge applies to all currently published sailings through April 2009. “At the time that we set our current pricing, oil was trading at approximately $60 per barrel and it is now quickly approaching $100 per barrel,” said Bob Binder, president of Oceania Cruises. “This is the first time we have implemented a surcharge and I hope our guests will understand the root cause of this necessary action.” The fuel supplement is effective on Dec. 1 for all new reservations and existing reservations that have not applied final payment. Guests choosing to pay in full prior to Dec. 1 will be exempt from this surcharge.

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Royal Caribbean International (Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises) announced the implementation of a fuel supplement fee of $5 per person, per day on sailings for departures on 2/1/08 or after. The fuel surcharge will only apply to the 1st and 2nd passengers sailing in a cabin, and will not exceed $70 per person, per sailing. The fuel supplement fee will be due at the time of final payment. RCI will not apply the supplemental fuel fee to bookings already paid in full prior to 11/16.

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Sister companies Windstar and Majestic America also announced fuel surcharges of $8.50 per person, per day. The surcharge applies to all currently published sailings through March 2009 that have not been paid in full by Dec. 15. Majestic America said the surcharge applies to new bookings made after Dec. 15 and to existing bookings that are not paid in full by the same date.

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Crystal’s fuel surcharge is $7 per guest per day for all 2008 reservations that are not paid in full by Jan. 1. “Escalating fuel costs continue to affect virtually everyone, and the impact on Crystal Cruises’ daily operations is no exception,” said Crystal President Gregg Michel. “We set our 2008 cruise fares in late 2006, yet the price of fuel rose 66 to 70 percent from February to November 2007.” Crystal is protecting 2008 bookings that are made and paid in full prior to Jan. 1 and the current fare, without the fuel surcharge. There will be no change to the current fuel surcharge of $5 per person, per day that is currently in effect for all 2007 voyages.

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Viking River Cruises is adding a fuel surcharge of $7 per guest, per cruise night for all reservations that are not paid in full by Dec. 19. The surcharge will apply to all currently published sailings through December 2008.

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Uniworld Grand River Cruises and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines said they will implement cruise fuel surcharge. Uniworld will charge $7 per guest, per cruise night, on 2008 Europe cruise programs and $10 per guest, per cruise night, on Russia and Ukraine programs. It will waive the fuel surcharge for all existing and new bookings if paid in full by Dec. 31. “The cruise fuel surcharge has become necessary due to the rise in fuel prices, which has had a significant impact on our operation,” said Guy Young, CEO and president of Uniworld. “The implementation of the cruise fuel surcharge was a difficult decision, and we hope all our valued customers will understand the need for this increase in light of today’s global economic environment.”

Fred. Olsen will implement a fuel supplement on all cruises, effective Dec. 21. The charge will be £2.50 (approximately $5.05) per person, per day, and will apply to all new bookings made on or after Dec. 21. There will be no additional charge for passengers booked in upper berths, and there will be a cap of £50 (approximately $101) per person for long cruise itineraries.

Bush Administration Set to Reduce Holiday Air Delays

Bush Administration Set to Reduce Holiday Air Delays
Published on Modernagent: November 16, 2007

President Bush and U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters announced several new measures to reduce air travel delays over the upcoming holiday season. President Bush said that the military will make available some of its airspace over the East Coast for use by civilian airliners this Thanksgiving. These new routes will help relieve air congestion from Maine to Florida for nearly five full days surrounding the holiday. He also said that the Department of Transportation (DOT) is imposing a holiday moratorium on all non-essential projects, so that the FAA can focus its personnel and equipment exclusively on keeping flights on time. The FAA is also partnering with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to reduce bottlenecks in the New York metro area. Authorities will make a series of operational adjustments — such as new procedures that will increase the number of planes that can land at the busy JFK and Newark airports in bad weather and implementing a moratorium on non-essential maintenance and operations — to keep the air travel system running at full capacity.

These policy changes will increase airspace and airport efficiency and help reduce delays caused by weather and holiday congestion, Secretary Peters said. In addition, President Bush said that the federal government is using the Internet to provide real-time updates on flight delays. He said that the government is also proposing to double the amount of compensation passengers receive when they are forced off over-booked flights.

The DOT also issued new proposals to increase passenger rights and protections before the next winter travel season. These include a new proposal to require airlines to create legally binding contingency plans for extended tarmac delays, respond to all consumer complaints within 30 days, publish complaint information online, and provide on-time performance information for their international flights in addition to their domestic flights. Secretary Peters also announced that the DOT is proposing to require airlines to include all cancelled flights and tarmac delays in their monthly delay reports, something they are not currently required to do. In addition, the department is issuing a second notice of proposed rulemaking to increase the required financial compensation for passengers involuntarily “bumped” from their flights.

The Air Transport Association of America (ATA) applauded the administration’s efforts to improve air service and reduce delays. Continental Airlines also issued a statement applauding the moves. For more information, visit www.dot.gov, www.fly.faa.gov or www.whitehouse.gov.

Holland America to Celebrate 25 Years in Tampa

Holland America to Celebrate 25 Years in Tampa
Published on Modernagent: November 16, 2007

Holland America Line’s 1,258-passenger Veendam on Nov. 18 will host a celebration marking the line’s 25 years of operations from the port of Tampa. The ship is one of five to sail from Tampa for the line since 1982, when Holland America first sought an alternative gateway to South Florida cities. The Veendam today operates seven- and 14-day cruises from Tampa, and is expected to carry some 23,800 guests on 19 cruises in 2008. Veendam’s direct economic impact on the region is estimated at $48 million annually. Passengers and crew are expected to spend more than $6.7 million in shops, restaurants, hotels, museums, local sightseeing attractions and taxicabs. The line also works with more than 180 businesses in the area. Since 1982, Holland America has carried more than 600,000 passengers through Tampa while the overall impact on the region is estimated at more than $355 million.

To book your Holland America cruise, contact A Room With A View!

Carnival’s 12 Fun Days of Christmas Sale Starts Today!

Why not give the FUN gift of a Carnival Cruise this year?

Starting Monday, December 3rd through Friday, December 14th, Carnival will be offering a different spectacular deal each day.

Each day of the sale, Carnival will be offering a different deal. The deals will be open through the end of the day through midnight everyday. At midnight, the deal will change to the new offer for the following day and so on. In order to take advantage of Carnival’s offers all bookings must be made on the day they are offered. Starting Monday, December 3rd plan on visiting Carnival.com for the deal of the day.

With 12 days of offers and lots of surprise deals, you might just get what you have been looking for!

For More Information or To Make Your Reservation,
Contact: A Room With A View - Cruise & Travel
262-424-8982 or 800-571-3159
amy@aroomwithaviewtravel.com

Viking River Cruises Offers Specials Through Dec. 18

Viking River Offers Specials Through Dec. 19
Published on modernagent: November 19, 2007

Viking River Cruises is offering several specials through Dec. 19. The company is featuring roundtrip international air to China from $320, including taxes and fees, for China cruise-tour programs with sailings of five or nine nights on the Yangtze River. Europe roundtrip air is offered from $395 with select sailings in March and April. Early-booking discounts are up to $1,000 per stateroom.

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

NCL Narrows Search for Norwegian Gem Godmother

NCL Narrows Search for Norwegian Gem Godmother
Published on Modernagent: November 19, 2007

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced five finalists in its Search for the Latitudes “It” Girl contest, the winner of which will be named godmother of the new Norwegian Gem. Finalists were selected from more than 500 online video entries submitted by Latitudes members (past NCL guests) showcasing why they should be named the ship’s godmother and how they embody the qualities of an “It” Girl. Finalist videos are now posted at www.gemitgirl.com and the public is invited to vote for their favorite “It” Girl finalist through Dec. 7. The five finalists will taken to Norwegian Gem’s christening ceremony on Dec. 18 in New York City where the winner will be announced and will christen the ship. Additionally, the winner will receive a seven-day cruise for six in Norwegian Gem’s Garden Villa.

The contest finalists are Lauren Kampf, 22, from Oakland, N.J.; Shannon Maxey, 29, Virginia Beach, Va.; Cindy Cardella, 31, Fairfield, N.J.; Louise Strong, 44, South Hero, Vt.; and Mary O’Dea, 75, from Milford, Pa. NCL also is recognizing five entrants as honorable mentions — Leah Goodman, 23, of Radford, Va.; Meghan Hasselberg, 28, of Arlington Heights, Ill.; Kristin Mueller, 30, of Minneapolis, Minn.; Alane Aihara, 44, of Makawao, Hawaii; and Marlene Ebeo, 69, of Pearl City, Hawaii.

To make your reservation on the NCL Gem, contact Amy at A Room With A View - Cruise & Travel!