Carnival Magic

New Carnival features well received on Magic

By Donna Tunney www.travelweekly.com

 

ONBOARD THE CARNIVAL MAGIC — A gleaming Carnival Magic, straight out of the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, made its way past the ancient structures of Venice last week, bound for the open Adriatic on its inaugural cruise.

And while the Dream-class ship has many of the same features as its predecessors, it also has pointed Carnival Cruise Lines in an important new direction.

As Gerry Cahill, the line’s president and CEO, put it: “We’re going after the ‘destination within a ship’ idea, and this is a new concept for us.”

The largest and most obvious “destination” on the Magic is the SportSquare, an outdoor recreation zone that has several “branded experiences” within.

First, there’s SkyCourse, a 230-foot-long ropes course suspended above the ship’s top deck. On the afternoon the Magic left Venice, about 185 passengers had already completed the course, said Mark Tamis, the line’s senior vice president of hotel operations. It has the capacity to handle 1,400 people each day.

SkyCourt, meanwhile, is a fenced area for basketball, volleyball and football that offers a mix of free play and structured tournaments. SkyFitness is an outdoor weight-training circuit, and Turf on Surf is a miniature golf course.

“What we did was try to create more places where passengers can have memorable experiences,” said Cahill, who sailed on the inaugural voyage with his family.

Some of these new products are likely to be replicated on other Carnival ships, he said.

The notion of onboard destinations isn’t limited to fitness activities: The addition of two major restaurants brings the concept indoors.

The Caribbean-themed Red Frog Pub, featuring the line’s new, private-label ThirstyFrog Red beer; live music; and games such as darts, checkers and chess, was a big hit with passengers, who pay for items from its menu. Cucina del Capitano (Italian for the Captain’s Kitchen), a family-style Italian restaurant, was also popular.

“These are places where we believe guests will want to hang out,” Cahill said.

The ship’s WaterWorks area is geared toward families who want to play together — and get wet together. A 300-gallon Power Drencher tips over every few minutes, drenching and delighting the kids (and adults) who wait underneath for the big tub to fill up and spill over.

There are other differences that Carnival’s repeat customers will notice about this ship. Efforts were made to make the Carnival Magic “lighter, brighter and more open,” Cahill said.

The changes pleased a passenger from Minnesota, who had been on two other Carnival ships in the Caribbean in recent years. “This is way nicer,” she said.

An exceptionally cheery passenger from New York applauded the ship for its casino.

“I was playing Texas hold ’em with a group of Russians,” he said. “I bluffed them all, and I walked away with $600.”

The Magic is also notable because it is the last Carnival ship for which Joe Farcus, the line’s longtime designer and the man responsible for Carnival’s whimsical “entertainment architecture,” is scheduled to be the lead designer.

Farcus will continue designing for Carnival’s sister brand, Costa Cruises, and he said last year that he would have a hand in some areas of Carnival’s next ship, the Carnival Breeze, which is due in 2012.

Passengers by and large praised the Dream on its maiden voyage, although a few noted that the crew, who haven’t worked together before, seemed a little unsure of their tasks, or perhaps a bit slow in completing them. But the guests on this voyage — 65% from the U.S. and the remainder from Europe — were a forgiving bunch.

“What’s not to like?” said a guest from the Washington area.

The Carnival Magic will operate a series of Western Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona through mid-October. In November it will reposition to Galveston, Texas, and begin a winter series of Caribbean cruises

BBB Warns of Deceptive Travel-Related Promotions

 

 

Better Business Bureaus across the United States and Canada are warning consumers about an increase in deceptive travel-related offers.

Consumers are contacting the BBB to inquire about travel companies that promise “too-good-to-be-true” travel deals. These offers arrive unexpectedly in consumers’ mailboxes, or over the telephone, office fax machine or Internet.

Typically, the consumer is told that they have won a “free” trip and must call a number to claim their prize. Or they receive a fax at their place of business promoting an unbelievable vacation deal that looks as if it came through inter-office channels. Others were contacted by someone offering a travel club membership, allegedly worth thousand of dollars.

According to BBB experiences, some bogus promoters have been known to take consumers’ money, without providing the travel or trip that was promised. Other promoters advertise rock-bottom prices, but hide certain fees until the deal is sealed. Some promise luxurious accommodations and services, but deliver far less. Still others don’t reveal that the deal includes an obligation to sit through a timeshare pitch at the destination. Finally, some promoters guarantee consumers that they can get a full refund if they decide to cancel the trip, but fail to make good on their promise.

Consumers are encouraged to obtain the names, addresses and telephone numbers for the lodgings, airlines and cruise ships advertised in a vacation promotion.

Fraudulent travel deals can be hard to distinguish from legitimate ones. Their intent is to lure people into buying vacations that they otherwise would not consider.

The BBB recommends that consumers get the details of the promotion in writing, including the refund and cancellation policy, before they send a check or provide credit card number information. If asked to provide a credit card or bank account number for verification or identification, the BBB says to reconsider. This information can be used to make fraudulent charges or debits to the consumer’s accounts.

If you are tempted to respond to online travel solicitations, the BBB recommends that you not judge the agency solely by the appearance of its website. Online travel scams are increasing in part because it is easy to disguise your identity in cyberspace.

There are some things to look at when booking with a travel agency.

1) Are they an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau and in good standing? The Better Business Bureau  ensures businesses that are accredited hold the required licensing to operate in that field

2) Travel Agencies conducting business in Florida and California (whether physically located there or not) are required to have Seller of Travel licenses unless they are an ARC appointed agency or an ARC Verified Travel Consultant, or an IATA Appointed agency. The ARC is the Airlines Reporting Corporation and places strict requirements on travel agencies to have insurance, bonding, and certain financial strength in order to be members. If a travel agceny or agent does not hold these certifications, you are potentially being placed in a risky financial situation

If you want more information, contact www.seawardtravels.com or your local Better Business Bureau

Oceania Cruises-Meet the Marina

By  Ralph Grizzle of AvidCruiser.com

Meet Marina

Like her older fleetmates, Oceania Cruises 1,250-passenger, 66,084-ton Marina offers a calm, adult cruise experience, with none of the flashy theme-park attractions you increasingly find on the big mainstream ships, and no concessions made to kids at all (literally: she offers no children’s center or children’s programming whatsoever).

From stem to stern, Marina’s vibe is upscale, mature, and unhurried. Activities and announcements are few, and guests are mostly left alone to do what they like. She is what Oceania has always been: a midpoint — experientially and price-wise, Marina’s also very roomy, with one of the most generous passenger-space ratios in the business — higher than on any mainstream or premium ship.

Inside, Marina goes for a classic look: part club, part cruise ship, part upscale home. Even the ship’s most consciously showy space, the two-story atrium, is done with a kind of jewel-box sensibility: Its centerpiece double-stairway was created by French crystal and glassware designer company Lalique, which embellished it with a crystal chandelier, pillars, medallions and a central flower vase.

Public rooms tend to be understated and comfortable, and the ship is designed with a number of little nooks perfect for hiding out and reading. The lovely library, tucked away on a top deck behind the Barista’s coffee bar, is designed like a classic home library, with wooden bookcases, a faux fireplace, leather club chairs, and elaborate ship models.

Martini’s, a piano lounge and cocktail bar carried over from the earlier Oceania ships, is laid out with widely spaced cocktail tables, chair and sofas perfect for quiet conversation.

Step Into Oceania Marina’s Staterooms

Marina’s staterooms all have a real sense of space too, and are designed with traditional wood wall panels and desks, comfortable sitting areas, spacious and elegant marble bathrooms, and (in all but a handful of cabins) balconies.

You’ll certainly sleep well on Oceania Marina. I did. Bedding is crispy white and comfortable.

Each room is centered around a super-comfortable “Prestige Tranquility Bed,” whose pillow-top mattress is wrapped in 1,000-thread-count Egyptian cotton linens and topped with a plush down comforter. The only downsides to the standard staterooms are that closet space could be a little more generous (though there’s plenty of extra storage under the bed), and that the ceiling height in the shower is too low for really tall people, of whom I’m one. I joked that I was clean from the nose down, although with a slight tilt of the head, I could get all 6’5″ of me under the showered. Read Oceania Marina: A Look At Category A Veranda Stateroom #9107

The ship’s Owners Suites take a detour from the “classic” look, and instead go for a “yacht meets 1930s safari movie” feel. Spreading out across the whole 105-foot beam of Decks 8, 9, and 10, they’re designed with furniture, fabrics, and bedding from the Ralph Lauren Home collection, and include showy touches like Art Deco furniture, zebra-print upholstery, 1930s and 40s glamour photos, a full bar, baby-grand piano, and chrome Kleig lights on wooden tripods. In all, the suites include a dramatic entry foyer and sitting room, a separate bedroom, a large living room, a private fitness room, an enormous balcony with Jacuzzi tub, and a marble-and-granite bathroom with another Jacuzzi. Read Oceania Marina Owner’s Suite Decked Out In Ralph Lauren: Interview With The Designer

Less showy and less spacious but more sleekly stylish are the ship’s Oceania and Vista Suites, designed by American furniture icon Dakota Jackson, who also designed the exterior of the custom Steinway baby-grand in Martini’s.

Oceania Marina Stateroom Specifics

• Standard veranda staterooms measure 282 square feet – the largest standard veranda staterooms in the cruise industry, according to Oceania. Both Veranda- and Concierge-level accommodations feature a sitting area and private teak balcony furnished with a chaise lounge, armchair and occasional table.
• Penthouse Suites measure 420 square feet with living/dining room separate from the sleeping area, walk-in closet and bathrooms with a double vanity.
• Oceania Suites, a new category of accommodations for Oceania Cruises, measure 1,030 square feet. The layout is comprised of a large living and dining area, media room and separate bedroom. As a highlight, a large veranda features a hot tub.
• Vista Suites range in size from 1,200 to 1,500 square feet and offer the same features as Oceania Suites but with the added benefit of floor-to-ceiling windows affording sweeping views over the ship’s bow.
• Owner’s Suites offer 2,000+ square feet of palatial luxury. Marina is the first ship to offer suites completely appointed from furniture and fabrics to lighting and bedding using the acclaimed Ralph Lauren Home collection. New York-based Tocar, Inc. penned a design that exudes a rich, clubby and refined sophistication.

In addition to the standard stateroom amenities, suite guests enjoy the added luxury of Champagne upon arrival, 1,000-thread-count linens, 42” plasma TV, Hermès and Clarins bath amenities, butler service, and en-suite delivery from any of the ship’s restaurants.

Other stateroom amenities include a flat-panel TV, lap-top computer with wireless access, refrigerated mini bar, security safe, writing desk, plush terry robes, bed slippers, and marble and granite bathroom.

Rich woods, marble and granite, fine wool carpets and lustrous leathers adorn public rooms. Facilities include 10 dining venues – six of which are open-seating gourmet restaurants, an array of bars and lounges, a full-service Canyon Ranch SpaClub and fitness center, swimming pool and hot tubs.

Dining On Marina

Marina shines when it comes to her restaurants, of which five, plus a buffet restaurant, number of casual snack spots.

Specialty restaurants require reservations but come with no additional charge — a nice perk that differentiates Marina from the mainstream and premium lines, all of which tack on an extra fee for their best dining options.

The most high-profile of the specialty restaurants is Jacques, the first restaurant ever created, on land or sea, by celebrity chef Jacques Pepin. Designed with the feel of a French country bistro, the restaurant focuses on traditional French country cuisine. Decor offers a light, airy atmosphere with traditional oak floors, antiqued furniture, and paintings by the chef himself.

Designed with the feel of a French country bistro, Jacques Pepin is most high-profile of Marina’s specialty restaurants.

Other specialty restaurants include the Mediterranean Toscana and the Polo Grill steakhouse (both carry-overs from the line’s earlier ships) and Red Ginger, an excellent pan-Asian spot with a hip urban design. Read Red Ginger: Yum A ‘Licious | Cruise Reviews, Ship Reviews by The …

There’s also the main Grand Dining Room, designed with a classic Hollywood grandeur and operating on an open-seating basis — just drop in whenever you get hungry during its open hours.

For folks who like to cook their own meals, Marina offers the only hands-on teaching kitchen in the cruise business, created in collaboration with Bon Appétit magazine and outfitted with 12 cooking stations (each with burners, a cutting board, and sink). Classes accommodate 24 guests (two at each station), cost $49 per person, and cover topics like modern Greek cuisine, Southwestern cuisine, American classics, homemade pasta and more.

Other activities and entertainments on board are low-key, tending toward casual art classes at the Artist Loft, enrichment lectures by visiting experts, the occasional Ping-Pong tournament, and just lounging around the restful pool deck.

Guests can also get treatments at the beautiful Canyon Ranch SpaClub, a 10,000-square-foot facility that offers a variety of Asian therapies, various massages and facials, a Thermal Suite with specialized saunas and steam rooms, a thalassotherapy pool, a private sundeck, a salon, and a small gym where guests can take group or private fitness classes, or exercise on their own.

At night, there’s dancing at Horizons nightclub, a pianist at Martinis, gambling in the casino, and a string quartet in the atrium, plus magicians, comedians, and other guest entertainers at the main Marina Lounge — all low-key and classy, the way Oceania’s passengers like it.

Oceania will introduce a sister ship early next year. Riviera will have only a few tweaks. Says del Rio: “It’s hard to improve on perfection.”

If you would like to book a cruise on the Oceania Marina, or any Oceania Cruise, contact Seaward Travels at www.seawardtravels.com or 866-610-5481

Oceania Cruises Marina: A Personal Work Of Art

 

By  Ralph Grizzle of AvidCruiser.com

On Oceania Cruises’ new Marina an unusual scene plays out. Bob Binder, the company’s president, and Frank del Rio, the founder of Oceania Cruises, are performing a job normally reserved for the ship’s carpenters. Dressed in custom-tailored suits, del Rio and Binder heft heavy pieces of framed art, arranging and rearranging, moving one frame of art from a wall in the hallway into a space they’ve chosen in the main restaurant.

Carpenters stand by ready to help, but clearly the cruise executives are in charge. After all, Binder and del Rio chose every piece of art on Marina, and that in itself is telling. Seldom, if ever, will you find executives with such a strong and, literally hands-on, approach. When I remind del Rio that I had seen him a few years earlier measuring spaces on Regatta for art pieces, he replied, “Yeah, we do that all the time,” and then jokes as he is helping Binder place a piece of art on the wall: “They just don’t trust us with a hammer.”

Marina debuted with a big splash in February 2011. The naming ceremony represented a victory for Frank del Rio. In less than a decade, del Rio and his team have built a highly successful cruise line in the upper-premium segment, positioned between premium cruise lines like Holland America, Celebrity and Princess and luxury lines like Silversea, Seabourn and Regent.

As the first ship ever built for the Oceania brand, Marina could be defined as a game-changer. The new ship, however, is something much more than that. Oceania’s Marina is a league-changer, further blurring the lines between upper-premium and luxury.

If you would like to book an Oceania Cruse, contact Seaward Travels at www.seawardtravels.com or Call 866-610-5481 in the US, 0207 993 2648 in the UK or 02 8069 7227 in Austalia

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Celebrity Cruise lines to Sail in Asia

Celebrity to begin Asia cruising in late 2012

By Donna Tunney

Celebrity will operate Asia cruises for the first time during the winter 2012-13 season with the deployment of the 2,000-passenger Celebrity Millennium.

The ship will operate a series of 14-night open-jaw cruises between Singapore and Hong Kong, along with two 14-night sailings roundtrip from Singapore with overnight stays in Bali, Indonesia.

Bookending the ship’s first Asia season will be two transpacific voyages. The westbound cruise will coincide with the total solar eclipse in November 2012.

In April 2013, the Celebrity Millenium will reposition from Hong Kong to Shanghai, then continue eastbound across the North Pacific to Alaska and will call at various ports in China, Japan, and Russia.

The ship will begin its Asia itineraries as a “Solstice-ized” vessel, following a drydock in April 2012 during which 70 of its Concierge Class staterooms will be refitted into Celebrity’s spa-inspired AquaClass staterooms. An additional 37 AquaClass staterooms will be built, the line said.

“Visiting the Far East for the first time is the result of constantly listening to consumers, who have told us they’re eager to vacation in the region with Celebrity,” said Celebrity CEO Dan Hanrahan.

If you would like more information, or to book a cruise contact Seaward Travels at

866-610-5481 or visit www.seawardtravels.com

Camp Carnival: The Most Fun a Kid Could Have at Sea

by MommyMusings

This summer, my family took our first cruise together on the Carnival Fantasy. One of the highlights for my six-year-old daughter was Camp Carnival– the children’s activity program included with every Carnival cruise.

Things to know about Camp Carnival

Camp Carnival is separated into three age groups.  Toddlers (2-5 year olds) and Juniors (6-8 year olds) have their own dedicated play rooms, while Intermediates (9-11 year olds) have activities all across the ship. Each group has its own schedule of age-appropriate activities. My daughter’s favorites included t-shirt coloring, making a memory book, building (and erupting) a volcano, dance time and the talent show.

You must register your child before you can send them to Camp Carnival. This is an easy process that can be done once onboard- I recommend registering as soon as you get on the boat. You will need to take your child (along with anyone in your party who will be dropping off/picking up) to Camp Carnival headquarters to fill out a release form.  From there, you are given a schedule and can drop off/pick up whenever you please- as long as Camp Carnival is open.

Camp Carnival doesn’t run all day. On sea days, Camp Carnival is closed between 12:00pm-2:00pm & 3:45pm.-4:45pm. This ensures family time if you have a kid (like mine) who wants to stay all day. We used this time to eat lunch as a family, hang by the pool and play miniature golf. Camp closes every night at 10:00pm. There is after-hours care for $6/hr until 3:00am.

Camp Carnival gives kids a safe place to play, while giving parents some time to themselves. There is a very strict sign in/sign out process as well as a video monitor outside the play area to spy on your child (for ages 6-8). For parents with toddlers, there is pager system that alerts you if your child needs something.

The counselors are well trained and awesome! All Camp staff  are either college educated in a related field or have professional child-care experience.

Being that this was a family vacation, I didn’t expect to use the service more than once or twice during our trip. That all changed after “T-shirt Coloring” on our first night at sea…my daughter was hooked! From that point, I realized she would rather make friends and play games then hang out with me on the Lido deck.

I don’t know why I was surprised.

Special thanks to Carnival Cruise Lines for hosting my family

Part 2 of the 50 Essential Experiences..The Travel Bucketlist

Posted by Peter Roberts

October 12, 2010

Peter makes a friend.

 As the door opened, I could see that our welcoming committee consisted of 90 excited dogs.When Royal Princess pulled into Skagway, the morning was young enough that a mist still clung to the edges of the harbor.  With each successive hour, the trails of fog gave way to rays of sun and by afternoon the sky shown clear – a perfect day for a helicopter “flight seeing” tour and an encounter with some speedy pooches.

I’d been working aboard the ship for the season in my capacity as cruise director, but hadn’t yet had the opportunity to experience one of the state’s singular sports – dog mushing.   An animal lover all my life and big fan of the outdoors, I was intrigued to interact with Alaska’s most unique athletes and see their remote summer camp high up on a glacier.  I was thrilled that we were finally on our way.  Our bus ride to the airport doubled as a safety orientation, and on arrival we were fitted with life vests and moon boots and placed in helicopter groups.

Nestled into the chopper, no sooner had I placed the headset over my ears than we soared upward.  I watched as the Alaska gold rush town shrank away from us, along with the rest of civilization. 

With nothing in my line of sight but crystal blue sky, I had a moment to reflect on my good fortune.  I was, after all, en route – by helicopter – to an experience most people wouldn’t even know to dream about – except perhaps just after the annual Iditarod race, when the results of this grueling 1,150-mile race from Anchorage to Nome form only a momentary blip on the media landscape.

Ahead, the rugged terrain gave way to ice fields, which gave way to mountains, then majestic valleys, and finally to massive glaciers.  We soared across them all, snapping photos by the dozen along the way. Some 20 minutes into the flight, we rounded a corner that put Denver Glacier into view.  Moving closer, small dots that flecked the glacier came to form tents and kennels in neat rows.

Sailing across the snow in Skagway.

The blades of our helicopter quit their chop, chop, as we settled onto the ice.  As the door opened, I could see that our welcoming committee consisted of 90 excited dogs, barking and jumping on and off their kennels.  Though I never imagined I’d need sunglasses in a place with such excessive snowfall, the fine weather and sunshine resulted in a searing glare off the white ice.  Got shades?  Check.

After a brief orientation, we met our mushers and were introduced to each member of our team of 10 Alaskan huskies.  The dogs practically danced with excitement to meet us.  For them, this was a summer holiday, a period of relative relaxation before their training started for the Iditarod.  They didn’t look as I had expected: a uniform collection of well-groomed steeds like I had seen in a movie.  These were different than the dogs I’d had as pets – they were working dogs, bred to race.  No characteristic was an accident; it was chosen, cultivated.  Speed.  Intelligence.  Strength.  Endurance.  A hybrid of so many breeds, including the native Inuit dog.  Once acquainted, I sat in the sled, which triggered the dogs to pull on their harnesses. The musher jumped on the back, released the anchor and away we sped across the ice. The pace was breakneck.  Some 10 minutes later, we stopped to admire the vista. Then it was my turn to have a go at driving the team, and with the help of my musher we were off again, with the dogs hardly registering that they now had a novice in command.  The sun’s glare was intense, but the snow field glistened and bits of ice flew up as our sled’s runners cut across the glacier.

View from the sled.

I felt very at one with nature, as if I had gone back in time.  Now I knew firsthand how the early Alaskan settlers traveled.  We could have been at the North Pole, it seemed so remote and apart from the everyday world.  I’ve ridden in many forms of transportation in my journeys, but never had I traveled with such a sense of place.  This WAS Alaska.

And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, we returned to camp for some puppy play time.  Holding the latest litter of future sled dogs in our arms, feeling their soft fur and little wet tongues, was the perfect end to our time on the glacier.  The helicopters fired up, and soon we were heading back to Skagway.  I sat back as the images of the day played back like a movie in my mind.  Was that really me on that sled?

I’d been in Alaska all season, but never had I felt so connected to the Great Land.  It was a magical way to finish up my time there, and also the perfect way to get a really unique Christmas card picture!

Peter’s perfect Christmas card photo.

Review of the Carnival Sensation

Like the company’s seven other Fantasy-class ships, the Sensation became part of the “Evolutions of Fun” ship refurbishment program with a completed refit in February 2009. All Fantasy-class ships will undergo numerous upgrades, including: expansions to the children’s waterparks; new designs and features to pool areas; the creation of Serenity adults-only deck areas; fully remodeled staterooms and suites, complete with new baths and flat-screen televisions; and the addition of atrium lobby bars, coffee bars, miniature golf courses and multipurpose conference facilities.

Sensation, built in Finland in 1993, is Bahamian-registered with a gross tonnage of 70,367, a length of 855 ft, a 103-ft. beam and a cruising speed of 21 knots. She sails with Italian officers and an international crew of more than 900, and can accommodate 2,052 passengers.

Sensation leaves Port Canaveral, Florida, every three or four days for the Bahamas. Ports of call include Nassau and Freeport, and both departures include a sea day.

In decor, Sensation, like Ecstasy, is somewhat less glitzy than the rest of her brassy fleetmates. Fiber optics, sound and colors galore create what flamboyant Joe Farcus calls a “sensual environment.” Ostensibly, this runs the gamut from elegant (the Oak Room) to kitschy (the decor in the Touch of Class lounge). The Polo Lounge suits those seeking a quiet refuge from the constant sensory overload everywhere else. Truth to tell, Sensation can satisfy a variety of tastes. The seven-story atrium and the enclosed promenade overwhelm with wavy lines and dot perforations pouring out streams of multicolor neon, and fiber-optic trees seem to grow out of the double-sided sofas flanking the promenade. The two-deck show room presents Vegas-style entertainment, and the casino features Vegas-style games. Lounges abound. Activities can number 100 a day, ranging from bingo to belly-flop contests. With her huge spa, three pools (one with a water slide and water spray), umpteen whirlpools, fleetwide golf program, and one of the best children’s programs afloat, Sensation keeps her captives busy.

The two dining rooms offer all three meals with hustling waiters more likely to offer comic relief than punctilious service. A new flexible dining program called “Your Choice Dining” provides the choice of Early assigned seating at 6 pm, Late assigned seating at 8:15 pm or open seating between 5:45 and 9 pm. Requests are made at the time of booking. Casual dining options have expanded as well, with a bistro to bolster the 24-hour pizzeria and lido restaurant. An Internet cafe is up and running.

The standard cabin on this 1,026-stateroom ship ranges from 183 to 190 sq ft, among the largest in this price category. All cabins include phones, TVs, stereos and ample stowage. Suites add whirlpool tubs. Sensation also offers 54 private balcony staterooms, and 98 additional balconies were added in February 2009, many grafted to the ship’s side, creating an unattractive profile when seen from ashore.

Courtesy of STARS Service online

Agent Note: After inspecting this ship last month, I was truly impressed with the recent refurbishment Carnival completed. This is a very nice ship for the 3 and 4 day itinerary, and I recommend it to families and people like for a nice quick getaway. The food is excellent, the cleanliness is great and the staff are amazing!

Review of the Allure of the Seas

Professional Review for Allure of the Seas

When she launches in December 2010, Allure of the Seas will share the title of the world’s largest and most revolutionary cruise ship with sister-ship Oasis of the Seas.

The ship’s first voyage will be a 7-night Caribbean cruise that sets sail from Fort Lauderdale on 5 December 2010.

An architectural marvel at sea, Allure of the Seas will span 16 decks, encompass 220,000 gross registered tons, carry 5,400 guests at double occupancy, and feature 2,700 staterooms.

The Allure of the Seas will not be a carbon copy of its sister ship. The Allure will be distinctive primarily in its Boardwalk neighborhood, where Rita’s Cantina, a Mexican restaurant with Southern California flair, will take the place of the Seafood Shack. Rita’s, which at $4.95 per person will cost less than Seafood Shack’s $8.95 cover, fits with the ship’s Western Caribbean itineraries to Mexico. It will also bring some nightlife to the neighborhood, with live guitar and dancing.

The Allure also will feature a new specialty restaurant for Royal Caribbean, the Samba Grill, a Brazilian-style churrascaria. The Solarium Bistro, housed in the adults-only Solarium, will become the Samba Grill at night, a change from Oasis of the Seas.

On the Oasis, the Solarium Bistro serves healthier choices for all three meals, and by night offers dinner and dancing under the stars for a $20 cover charge. The Solarium Bistro will still serve lighter fare for breakfast and lunch on the Allure, but will transform into the churrascaria at night, with waiters in gaucho costumes serving grilled meat off skewers while live music is playing. Samba Grill will carry a $25 cover charge. The venues will also offer a vegetarian option—an extensive salad bar for $15.

In order to give families more all-inclusive food options on the Boardwalk, a specialty hot dog counter—the Boardwalk Dog House—will be added in the space that the doughnut shop occupies on the Oasis. The doughnut counter will be next to the ice-cream shop on the Allure. The Boardwalk Dog House will specialize in wieners, bratwursts and other sausages, with many toppings to choose from. The hot dog counter adds a free food option. The area’s other restaurants, Rita’s and Johnny Rockets, both carry surcharges.

Another addition to the Allure will be the first Guess store at sea. The apparel shop will be located on the ship’s Royal Promenade, where the Focus photo store is on the Oasis. The Focus store will be in the photo gallery area on the Allure.

Another addition setting the Allure apart from the Oasis will be kiosks in the Promenade enabling passengers to view, print and e-mail their bills and onboard schedules (such as spa appointments and dining reservations). The kiosks are similar to the Totems on Costa Cruises ships.

And playing on the latest fad in film, the Allure will have a 3-D movie screen in its main theater. The 3-D screens will be installed on the Oasis, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas by January 2011.

The Broadway musical Chicago will be the headline show in Allure’s 1,340-seat main theater. There will also be two ice shows in Studio B: Ice Games, a performance inspired by the board game Monopoly, and a performance based on the DreamWorks film How to Train Your Dragon.

The ship also will introduce a new water show, Let You Entertain Me, in its outdoor AquaTheater. The show features the characters of DreamWorks’ Madagascar and a new diving show called Ocean Aria.

In all, Allure will have four franchises between the musical, ice shows, diving shows and the Dreamworks character entertainment, which will also include parades and character meals as well as first-run 3-D movies.

Central Park on the Allure will lay claim to a first, as well: Miami-based artist Romero Britto will have a gallery on the Allure, his first at sea, that will feature his original artwork, posters, books and a specially designed Britto teddy bear that will retail for $70.

Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas will be home-ported at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The terminal has been expanded to allow passengers to debark and embark the 5,400-passenger ship simultaneously.

-Star Service Online