The highly anticipated NCL Epic cruise ship will feature Nickelodeon-themed family entertainment and programming all year long including character meet and greets; interactive game shows including SlimeTime LIVE! with Nick’s signature slime (yes, someone will get slimed!) and Nick Live! Poolside entertainment; live family shows; Nick-themed dance parties; themed cruises and much more. Nickelodeon entertainment will also be featured on Norwegian Jewel beginning in April.
Archive for the ‘Norwegian’ Category
NCL Epic To Feature Nickelodeon Themed Entertainment
Monday, March 1st, 2010
Short on Time? Here’s a Recap of Travel in the News
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Virgin America announces bag fee change – the airline has changed its baggage fee to a flat $25 rate (up from $20,) for all checked items (excluding the first and second bag for First Class travelers; and the first bag for Main Cabin Select and Main Cabin Refundable Fare travelers).NCL Epic Headed to Europe
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
In a surprising move, Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that the Epic will sail in the Caribbean in 2010, but rather than sail the Caribbean year round, the ship will head to Europe in May 2011 and spend the season there through October. The ship will sail a seven-day Western Mediterranean itinerary from Barcelona, Spain from May through October 2011. Ports of call include: Florence/Pisa (Livorno); Rome (Civitavecchia); Naples, Italy; and Palma, Majorca, Spain, along with two full days at sea. Fares for Norwegian Epic’s Mediterranean itinerary are from $699 per person. The ship will then return to the Caribbean for 23 seven day cruises from November 5th, 2011 through April 7, 2012.
Bookings for the NCL Epic 2011 and 2012 cruises are open to NCL past passenger on January 27th, 2010, and to the general public the next day.
This is the first time I have scene the trend reverse. With the slower economy, several cruise lines were leaving ships close to home, so this is a good sign that companies are banking on growth in oversees travel. I can report that our company has seen a 45% increase in sales to Europe over past 3 weeks. We attribute much of that to great 2 for 1 airline promotions and aggressive early booking discounts offered by tours operators such as Globus tours, Trafalgar tours and Insight Vacations.
NCL Cruise Deals
Thursday, January 21st, 2010
The Year of the Freestyle Vacation
Celebrate 2010 All Year Long
Any Sailing. Any Destination. But Hurry. This offer ends March 14. (And the best staterooms go first.)
Get up to a 6-Category Upgrade
PLUS
Get on-board savings certificates worth up to $400
PLUS
Special Bones Offer Every 2 Weeks – Hurry Offer ends March 14, 2010
Freestyle Cruising. Feel Free…
… to enjoy specialty dining options of every kind; from casual to fine
… to dine when, where, and with who you’d like
… to experience exciting Vegas-style shows, our award-winning casino and over a dozen bars and lounges
… to unwind in our relaxing spa, take an amazing Shore Excursion or immerse yourself in unlimited family fun
On-board savings certificates are only valid on 2010 sailings. One Coupon Book per reservation. Fares shown in U.S. Dollars. Fares are cruise only, per person, based on double occupancy. Offer is for New FIT Reservations and New Group Delegates (booking with names within a Group Block), booked within the booking window. Qualifying FIT reservations can be included into existing Group and count towards Tour Conductor Credits. Promotion can not be held as group block. Upgrade varies based on ship, sail date, category booked and is not applicable to Mini-Suites, Suites & Villas bookings. *Onboard credit offer valid for reservations made 9 months or greater prior to sailing. Onboard Credit may be spent for ANY onboard purchases. Onboard Credit amount is per stateroom for Suites and Villas, based on cruise length booked and will be applied to the 1st and 2nd guest in the stateroom. Mini-Suites are excluded. Onboard Credit has no cash value and is not transferable. Singles paying 200% of the rate are eligible to per stateroom onboard credit amount. Onboard Credit offer combinable with Latitudes savings (DMPP6), Residents, Seniors, Union & Military programs. Upgrade offer combinable with Latitudes, Residents, Seniors, Union & Military programs. Standard air add-ons are available. Available on GDS booking source. $99 rate for 3rd – 4th guests apply to select Norwegian Sky sailings. Guests who cancel and rebook must accept this promotion’s Terms and Conditions. All cancellation fees will follow NCL schedule listed in the brochure. Cancellation fees are applicable based on the booking/sailing date and accommodations; NCL strongly recommends the purchase of Travel Protection on all bookings. Onboard service charges are additional and will be automatically added to onboard account. Government taxes and fees are additional
“Epic” Opportunity for Single Cruisers
Friday, January 15th, 2010
Cruises are one of the best ways to meet people, yet up to now cruises for singles were quiet expensive. Prices are often 150 to 200% more than the double occupancy.
Things are about to change! Norwegian Cruise Line just announced a completely new concept to make cruising more attractive to solo travelers on the company’s largest and most exciting Freestyle Cruising ship to date, the Norwegian Epic, launching this July.
Each Studio stateroom, at approximately 100 square feet of living space, features a contemporary design with a full-size bed and separate areas for the bathroom, sink and shower. There is also a flat screen TV and small desk.
These Studios cabins will have private access to the exclusive Studio Lounge. Here, guests can have a cup of coffee, kick back, watch their favorite show or sporting event on the big screen tvs, or have a drink before dinner. Since many of the Studio staterooms are connecting, there is also the opportunity for friends to travel together, while giving each their own private space.
Great concept, but is 100 square feet big enough? Probably not, if your claustrophbic, but if you want to meet people and spend very little time in your cabin, it’s a great option. The cabin will have a window where you can see out to the corridor, but others cannot see in.
Currently no other cruise line sailing in the Caribbean waives the single supplement charge on all sailings. Some do offer it on select sailings, while Holland America Line does offer a cabin “share” program to match single travelers, but then you have to be willing to room with someone you don’t know in order to save money on the cruse fare, leaving these studio cabins as the best option out there for single cruisers.
These specially designed and priced Studio staterooms available on all of Norwegian Epic’s sailings – with no single supplement – go on sale Monday, January 18, 2010.
More information and posts about the NCL Epic
NCL Epic Update – Inaugural Sailings Just Announced
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009Norwegian Cruise Line revealed that it will showcase the new Norwegian Epic to travel partners and media in both Europe and the United States during five inaugural sailings, prior to the ship entering weekly service to the Caribbean in July, 2010 from Miami.
Following delivery in mid-June, 2010, Norwegian Epic will sail to Rotterdam for a two-night inaugural cruise departing on June 19, followed by a one-night cruise from Rotterdam to London (Southampton) on June 21, and then a two-night inaugural cruise from London (Southampton) on June 22. Following her transatlantic crossing from London to New York on June 24, the ship will be christened in New York on July 2, followed by a three-night inaugural cruise over the Fourth of July weekend.
Once in Miami, the ship will sail a two-night inaugural cruise on July 8. The ship’s first seven-day Eastern Caribbean voyage is scheduled for July 10 and is currently on sale, along with the ship’s alternating Western Caribbean sailings. Call 800-942-3301 for the best fares.
Norwegian Epic is currently under construction at STX Europe in France. At 153,000 gross tons, the ship is Norwegian’s largest with 19 decks, spanning 1,068 feet in length and 133 feet in width with a 28.5 foot draft, staffed with approximately 1,730 crew members.
For more information on Norwegian Epic & video on, click here
Biggest Cruise Sale of the Year
Saturday, October 10th, 2009| CLIA World’s Largest Cruise Night |
Many of our preferred suppliers have put together some special offers and incentives so you can take advantage of these great deals, and book the cruise vacation you’ve always dreamed of. Below is a summary of offers. Note that the offers may not start before October 14th and restrictions apply. Call or stop by for additional details.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is offering a $100 per person shipboard credit booking incentive. Booking window October 1-November 14, 2009. Windstar Cruises is offering a $50 SBC on select Wind Surf and Wind Spirit sailings. Booking window October 14–November 9, 2009. Crystal Cruises is offering a $100 per person discount on most 2009-2010 departures. Booking window October 14–November 7, 2009. Silversea Cruises is offering a $100 per person or $200 per suite discount on any 2009-2011 Silversea Voyage. The Yachts of Seabourn is offering a $100 per booking bonus commission for bookings made during the Virtual WLCN (October 1-31) on request basis when booking is made. Disney Cruise Line is offering up to $100 OBC for January-December 2010 cruises. Booking window October 14–28, 2009. Azamara Cruises is offering up to $500 OBC on select 2010 Europe cruises. Booking window October 14–16, 2009. Celebrity Cruises is offering up to $200 OBC on select January and August 2010 cruises. Booking window October 14–16, 2009. Holland America is offering special 3-Day Sale rates on select 2009-10 cruises. Booking window October 14–16, 2009. Norwegian Cruise Line is offering ship board credits up to $250 Booking window October 13-20 Princess Cruise Line is offering reduced deposit, onboard coupon booklet & ship board credits on select sailings. Booking window Oct 14-16, 2009. |
Cruise Ship Dining Options
Sunday, August 23rd, 2009When discussing dining aboard various cruise ship, 
I have to start out with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL,) as they were the first to introduce Freestyle Cruising, which meant a break from traditional dress codes and dining options on cruise ships, to a flexible option. So the first major change was that you did not have to dine at 6 or 8 p.m. You could choose to dine anytime between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Another big difference was that you did not have to sit at the same table, with the same people every night. Some vacationers really enjoy meeting new people, but other, myself included like to have some romantic time in a table for two. Norwegian also began offering a selection of restaurants. Some NCL ships offer up to 13 dinner options. Not all are free, but many are. Experienced cruisers know that sometimes you are just not in the mood for what is on the menu in the main dining room. On NCL you can choose Italian, Mexican, a steakhouse and more. Five restaurants are currently free of charge, the others range from $10 to $20 per person.
Carnival Cruise Line calls their dining options “Your Choice Dining.” You can select the traditional early seating at 6 p.m. or the late dining at 8:15 p.m. or you can choice Your Time Dining. With this option you show up at the dining room anytime between 5:45 and 9:30 p.m. There are no reservations required. It is possible you will have to wait a bit for a specific table size, such as a table for 2. Most Carnival ships now have a steakhouse, sushi bar and European Style cafe. The new Carnival Dream which debuts this September, will have more dining options than any other Carnival ship. One new venue will be “The Gathering,” which is a two-level eatery offering breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. It will offer Italian, Asian, Mongolian, Tex-Mex and new choices including a pasta and burrito bar. where you can make your own custom dishes from their selection of meats and accompaniments.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCI) announced earlier this year enhancements to their dining program. In addition to main and second seating, there are 2 new plans: My Time Dining and My Family Time Dining. As with other cruise lines flexible plans, you will not have a preassigned table in the main dining room. The difference is RCI will allow you to make reservations or you can choose to arrive at whatever time you want. For those with children ages 3 to 11, the My Family Time Dining will offer an expedited 40 minute dinner during the main seating dining. Then around 6:45, a youth counselor will come to gather the kids that want to go back to the kids club for evening activities. This is a great program, as I cruise with my two nieces each year, and it never fails that in the middle of dinner, my sister has to get up and take the kids to the Adventure Ocean Club, and by the time she gets back her dinner is cold or gone from the table. This new program ensure parents will enjoy their dinner and children can get to the kids club to enjoy their time as well. Royal Caribbean requires that guests pre-pay gratuities if they elect these flexible dining options. This means you will pay the gratuities at the time you pay the final payment for your cruise.
Princess Cruise Line: Princess also offers traditional dining at 6 or 8:30 p.m. Their other option is called “Personal Choice Dining.” You can also make reservations at the same time each day, or you can show up at the dining room when you are ready to eat. If you like your waiter, you can reserve the same table each night of the cruise by speaking to the Maitre D’. As with Royal Caribbean, Princess automatically charges gratuities of $10 per day per guest for those that have Personal Choice Dining to be shared among wait staff. However, it is charged to your ship board account, rather than having to pay up front like RCI.
Some clients prefer that cruise lines not “nickel and dime them” by charging for the specialty restaurants, but I always remind them these are just options for those that want something different – there are always plenty of free meals throughout the ship.
I applaud cruise lines for giving vacationers options. Some people really look forward to sitting at a large table at the same time every night and meeting new people. They also enjoy the fact that the waiters gets to know their likes and dislikes during the cruise. Others prefer the private time for two. The only draw back about dining at any time, is perhaps having to wait for a table for 20 to 30 minutes during peak dining times if you did not pre-reserve a table, but how many of us have waited in line our favorite restaurant?
Shortly after this blog we posted, we received information on Celebrity Cruise Line’s Flexible dining program…click here for details.
NCL Epic 2010
Saturday, August 1st, 2009
NCL Epic Update – Press Release from NCL Cruise Line… In the early morning hours of Saturday, July 11, Norwegian Epic made her first journey on water, cruising out of her construction quay at STX Europe in Saint-Nazaire, France where the 153,000-ton ship has been under construction since October 2007. Beginning at approximately 7 am, the massive 4,200 passenger ship was accompanied by a fleet of six tugboats and taken a short distance down the Loire Estuary. Within about one and a half hours, the ship was moored at the outfitting dock. Norwegian Epic’s float out represented a major milestone in the vessel’s construction as it indicates that the ship has now moved into the final phase of construction and work will begin immediately on the vessel’s interiors.
“Watching Norwegian Epic make her first journey on the water was a very moving experience,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “Norwegian Epic epitomizes our continued commitment to innovation and represents the next generation of Freestyle Cruising, so we are thrilled to be celebrating her float out and looking forward to her delivery in less than a year.”
On hand for the occasion were Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, chairman of the board of directors for Norwegian Cruise Line and chairman, president and chief executive of the Genting Group; Norwegian Cruise Line executives: Kevin Sheehan, chief executive officer; Roberto Martinoli, president and chief operating officer; and Andy Stuart, executive vice president, global sales and passenger services, as well as Sang-Ho Shin, president and chief executive officer, STX Europe; and Jacques Hardelay, general manager, STX Europe, France.
Norwegian Epic is scheduled to be delivered in late May 2010, and will take part in inaugural events before beginning her Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from her year-round homeport in Miami. The first Eastern Caribbean sailing from Miami is scheduled for July 17, 2010 and the ship’s alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries are scheduled through April 2011.
Norwegian Epic’s Eastern Caribbean itinerary includes calls in Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and Nassau, Bahamas. The ship’s Western Caribbean itinerary includes calls in Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico.
Norwegian Epic’s Innovations & Features
Norwegian Epic is changing the face of cruise line entertainment. In another industry first, Blue Man Group will perform in the ship’s 685-seat Epic Theater. Blue Man Group is best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows and concerts which combine music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a totally unique form of entertainment. The blissful party atmosphere created at their live events has become the trademark of a Blue Man Group experience and will be seen for the first time ever at sea only on Norwegian Epic.
Norwegian Epic will have multiple, specially-designed entertainment venues throughout the ship so that guests can choose from a wide variety of entertainment each evening of their cruise. No longer will entertainment be focused on two nightly shows in one large main theater. Norwegian Epic will offer a number of entertainment options in specially-designed venues, some offered for the first time ever at sea, with choices to appeal to a broad audience.
On this ship, guests will find the only “big top” at sea. In this intimate 265-seat theater-in-the-round, famed producer/director Neil Goldberg will present Cirque Dreams® and Dinner. This one of a kind interactive theatrical dining experience will be performed in the air, while juggling dinner courses, with music, mayhem and acrobatic imagination. During this two-hour show, guests will marvel in amazement and become part of a celebration of spectacle and fantasy. The entire experience will be unlike anything else at sea.
Norwegian Epic will offer the next generation of Freestyle Dining with 14 restaurant choices – the most at sea – and 18 bars and lounges. The ship also boasts unique nightlife options with the first Ice Bar at sea and Spice H20 with non-stop entertainment day and night; an expansive Aqua Park with the only tube slide and largest bowl slide at sea — The Epic Plunge; seven decks of Freestyle Family Fun with highlights including a 33-foot high, 64-foot wide extreme rock climbing wall and the first ever rappelling wall at sea; the most bowling lanes at sea with six in two venues; a mixed-use sports deck with the ability for guests to engage in eight different athletic activities; as well as three separate kids’ and teen activity areas and the first squash court at sea.
Norwegian Epic incorporates several new types of accommodations – the curved New Wave staterooms; the largest ship-within-a-ship suite complex at sea, comprising 60 suites and villas on two private decks at the top of the ship; a new category of inside staterooms for the value-conscious traveler – The Studios and Living Room; and spa and family-friendly accommodations.
For more posts about the NCL Epic, click here.
For more pictures of the NCL Epic, visit our Flickr account
NCL Cruise Deals
Friday, July 17th, 2009With NCL’s Pity the Procrastinator Sales Event, you can get great low rates on the best available Inside, Oceanview, or Balcony Staterooms. The faster you book, the better the stateroom they get, and the better the value. It’s that simple.
You can receive up to a 6-category upgrade FREE on virtually all destinations if you book during this Sales Event. (That’s right, FREE)
Plus, 3rd and 4th guests sail from $99 per person. Hurry, book now before the chance passes you by.
Offer available on all 2010 & 2011 cruises.
