Princess Cruises to allow non-cruisers aboard ships on departure day

                     

Princess Cruises will be starting a new program in March which will allow non-cruisers to board ships on departure day.  This gives them the opportunity of coming onboard to wish their friends and family a "bon voyage."  This was a common practice which stopped more than twenty years ago as security procedures tightened.

Princess says visitors who sign up for the new program will get a four-course dining room lunch with wine on the ship, a tour of the vessel and a souvenir photo. They and their passenger friends/family will have access to priority embarkation.  A charge of $39 for the four-hour experience can be applied to a future Princess cruise.

The program will debut in March in the ports of Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale, and later to New York, San Francisco and Seattle. Princess says passengers will be notified about the program through the pre-cruise emails they receive from the line as their cruise date approaches.  In-port visits can be booked through a travel agent or by calling Princess beginning 120 days before a cruise and up to six days before the sailing date.

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Meetings at Sea

There is no better value than a Meeting at Sea….whether it’s corporate meetings, incentive meetings or seminars at sea.

 

 

 

Cruise lines have come to recognize the necessity to accommodate the needs of group meetings on cruise ships. Newer ships have been designed with expanded, easily accessible, dedicated meeting space. Whether your group consists of 25 or 500 participants, there are ample options on board to facilitate your group's meeting requirements. From conference rooms to boardrooms, from large lounges and theaters for awards presentations to small lounges and rooms for breakouts and cocktail parties on deck, the new cruise ships are designed for meetings at sea.  As an added advantage, you will have a captive audience……They will attend!

Are you looking for reasons why?

 

·        Meeting and Breakout Space
·        Staging
·        Audio Visual Equipment
·        Deluxe accommodations and every amenity of a deluxe hotel.
·        Confirmed dining room seating if desired
·        24-hour complimentary room service - extended menu
·        Higher staff-to-guest ratio
·        All-inclusive; all costs are upfront
·        Far less expensive than a comparable land-based program
·        No menus to plan - all food is included
·        Can be upgraded by the traveler
·        3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or more night cruises allow more possibilities
·        Airport Meet, Greet & Transfers
·        Baggage Handling
                -    Something for everyone
·        Great mix of meeting and leisure time activities to accommodate your guests
·        Captive Audience - participants can't be off-site
·        Multiple destinations while unpacking only once
·        Shore excursions, full casinos, Island golf, live entertainment, spa facilities, duty free shopping....
·        Great spouse programs, themed events, and team building opportunities 
 
What's In It For The Meeting Planner? A More Successful Program with Far Less Work!

Organizing a group meeting at sea is extremely easy in the cruise environment.  Due to their all-inclusive nature, cruises offer one stop shopping. There are no menus to plan, no airfare to arrange, no transfers to coordinate, no special activities to plan, no entertainment to locate; it's all included.  Each ship has an on-board coordinator with whom we schedule meetings, audiovisual equipment and special events in advance of the sailing.  Dining room schedules and seating can be pre-selected.

A cruise is the easiest, most cost effective meeting or incentive program to prepare


Gourmet Dining

Cruises offer multiple destinations, rather than one, relaxation for sunbathers, and good weather most of the time due to their ability to move and avoid storms. Cruises offer, guest lecturers, and lessons in gambling, wine tasting, painting, and photography. Seminars at sea in various fields and themed sailings are also available. Cruises can offer access to parts of the world which would otherwise be inaccessible other than by water. With a staff/guest ratio of one staff for every two guests, the service is unparalleled.

Multiple Itineraries with Multiple Destinations

Best of all, there are so many itineraries to choose from….. Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. There’s Alaska the Mediterranean, the Greek Isle, the Baltic's, the Rhine, the Danube, and the Scandinavian Fiords.  Winter months offer the coast of South or Central America and the Panama Canal. Let’s not forget Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti and Asia.

What makes Meetings at Sea the planner’s dream? 
The answer: The combination of a private, complimentary meeting space and the desire for something different, with the ease of planning and taking budget considerations.

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Wedding Cruises…….Marriage Renewals……

                                     

A cruise ship is a fun and exciting location for your memorable 
wedding ceremony & marriage renewals.  

Five years ago, there were practically no weddings performed on cruise ships; now there are thousands.   According to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), cruise weddings have grown at a phenomenal rate the last few years.  

    

This growth rate is not surprising. Wedding cruise packages are available through almost every major cruise line. What better way to say your vows; have your wedding and then sail off on your honeymoon!  No travel time wasted.  This is such a wonderful way to celebrate the big day and enjoy a vacation with your closest friends and family.

Putting together a cruise wedding can actually be a fairly simple process.  With packages available in over 100 beautiful ports of call, you can choose a destination perfect for you and your guests. 

Most packages vary from cruise line to cruise line. They have their own wedding planners who are very familiar with the special needs of a wedding cruise. Packages may include priority check-in for the bridal couple and their sailing guests, Wedding Coordinator, ceremony, officiant, recorded music, bridal bouquet, boutonniere with a matching bloom, keepsake marriage certificate, wedding cake, champagne, photography and one 8" x 10" wedding photograph. These amenities are flexible to the needs of the wedding couple, but just about everything relevant to a wedding can be included in wedding cruise package.

After the ceremony there is no cleanup for the wedding party. Everyone can all simply enjoy the company of one another and continue cruising. For adventurous couples and guests, a number of cruise ship activities can also booked as a group.  Booking as a group can be a good way to get a discounted price on the activities.  

Exclusive wedding service can be provided Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Windstar and HollandAmerica (Europe), as well as select ports for Carnival Cruise Line.

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Cruisin' with the Kidz

 

Cruisin' with the Kidz

Royal Caribbean
has announced Nickelodeon-themed cruises starting “summer 2008” on Freedom of the Seas. In addition to the Nickelodeon, kids will enjoy the FlowRider surf simulator and H20 Zone water playground.

Carnival
is working on a $250 million "Evolution of Fun." They are adding WaterWorks aqua parks, complete with 300-foot-long corkscrew waterslides, water spray park, and double-lane racing slides. This will be introduced first on the Carnival Inspiration and Imagination "fun ships," while a new "Circle C" program is unveiled on the line for 12- to 14-year-olds. 

 

Norwegian Cruise Line
has more connecting stateroomsthan any other cruise line; penthouses to small cabins.  Families also enjoy the "Freestyle Dining" which is  offered on every NCL onboard restaurant.  There's no need to get dressed up or eat with others if you don't want to. 

Disney
provides day care for infants and toddlers too young for the organized kids' clubs for an extra fee. Disney will debut a stage adaptation of Toy Story aboard the Disney Wonder this spring, complete with a new eight-song scoreDisney Wonder will have a nearly nine-foot-tall Rex the dinosaur as the she sails from the West Coast to Mexican ports-of-call. 

Regent Seven Seas
offers an "Ambassadors of the Environment" youth program. The program is designed to provide environmental awareness and skills on certain Alaska and Tahiti voyages. This was created by Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of Jacques Cousteau. 

Princess Cruises and Holland America
will each have six ships sailing Europe & the Mediteranean this summer. More families are realizing, despite the weak U.S. dollar that there is no easier, economical and fun way to show their children the great sights than from the decks of a cruise ship. As an added attraction, there is a pool, plenty of organized kids' activities, all the food you can eat, lodging, casino and dancing for the adults.   and all costs are all paid for in U.S. dollars

 

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