Norwegian Cruise Line and Nickelodeon are offering the ultimate family cruise vacation with two “Nickelodeon All Access Cruises” setting sail in 2011. These special Nickelodeon-themed cruises give guests access to seven days of slime-filled entertainment all day, every day aboard Norwegian Jewel, sailing from New York on February 20, 2011; and on the cruise line’s newest and most innovative ship, Norwegian Epic, sailing from Barcelona on July 24, 2011. Families who book an All Access Cruise between August 23, 2010 and September 13, 2010 will receive a special offer of up to $250 in on-board credits, based on stateroom category; and half off the deposit (excluding the Garden Villa and other suite categories).
Norwegian and Nickelodeon have partnered to provide families with a once-in-a-lifetime cruise vacation that is all Nickelodeon, all week long. Exclusive Nickelodeon family programming featured on the two “Nickelodeon All Access” cruises includes:
- Ultimate sliming experience offers a chance for the whole family to get slimed together.
- Meet & greets with the stars of Nickelodeon’s hottest live-action shows. Special cruise guests have included stars from iCarly, True Jackson VP, and the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants.
- This year’s star line-up is still to be announced, but promises to be just as exciting.
- Special viewings and premieres of never-before-seen episodes of Nickelodeon’s hit TV shows like iCarly, Victorious and SpongeBob SquarePants.
- Meet & greets with some of your favorite Nickelodeon characters including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Aang the Last Airbender and many more!
- Nickelodeon’s signature messy game shows like Slime Time LIVE! and poolside events.
- Breakfast with Nickelodeon characters every day of the cruise.
- And much more!
- Plus, families can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Freestyle Cruising®.
The non-stop excitement and thrills of the “Nickelodeon All Access Cruise” are only available on: Norwegian Jewel sailing President’s Day holiday, February 20, 2011, round-trip from New York to Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida; Nassau, Bahamas; and Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian’s private island or Norwegian Epic departing on July 24, 2011 from Barcelona with ports of call including Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Rome (Civitavecchia), and Naples, Italy; and Palma, Majorca, Spain. Starting rates are from $899 per person double occupancy on Norwegian Jewel and from $1299 per person double occupancy on Norwegian Epic.
Book now to receive up $250 in onboard credit. The on-board credit limited time offer includes $250 per stateroom when sailing in a Garden Villa, available on Norwegian Jewel; $150 for suites; $100 for mini-suites and deluxe balcony staterooms; $75 for balcony staterooms; $50 for ocean view and $25 for inside staterooms.
I just had the opporunity to tour the NCL Epic. The new Epic is NCL’s first venture into the “megaship” and they really hit it on target. The décor is modern yet elegant and it doesn’t feel like a megaship. My opinion was that it was warm and welcoming while offering lots of different venues. I liked the Manhattan Dining Room for its décor and it has a bandstand and dance floor. I like the idea of dinner and dancing and after dinner they offer one of the many shows on the ship. There’s a Pub in the center of the ship that offers great food with no surcharge and there’s pool, knockhockey and a bowling alley! There’s a really cute small outdoor café near the pool in addition to the Lido Deck buffet that is also complimentary as well as Taste Restaurant. Others do have a surcharge but it’s minimal at $10-25 per person. The Bistro, Cagney’s Steakhouse and others are well worth it. There are many very appealing bars including the Ice Bar for Martinis. Entertainment includes Blue Man Group, a Cirque de Soleil-type show under a tent, a comedy club, jazz and blues club, a very lovely casino and much more.
Cabins are not the largest I’ve seen but they have round beds and are quite colorful and pretty.
Throughout the world there are many different places to see and experience, but have you ever thought about experiencing an Ice Bar? We’ve all heard of ice sculptures and such, but an Ice Bar? Now people have the ability to go to Ice Bars and get a brand new experience in the night life scene.
When you walk into an Ice Bar you are going to be greatly surprised by your surroundings. The bar is literally made out of ice, as well as the decor and seating areas. In some locations even the glasses are sculpted out of ice. The area is typically kept around °F (-5°C). Patrons usually enter through an air tight door that keeps the frozen air in. The drinks are usually made with chilled vodka.
So, where can you actually go to an Ice Bar? There are not many built throughout the world, as these bars take constant maintenance. Generally you’d be more likely to find Ice Bars located in cooler regions throughout the world, as it helps keep the maintenance down due to cold temperatures, but you can also find Ice Bars in the following cities:
● Barcelona
● Mexico City
● Panama City
● Monterrey
● Orlando
● Amsterdam
● London
● Paris
● New Dehli
● Hong Kong
● Miami
These are just a few of the Ice Bar locations throughout the world. Currently there are about 2 dozen ice bars throughout the world.
Where is the newest ice bar? A cruise industry first, onboard the new Norwegian Epic cruise ship. A $20 cover charge covers admission into the Ice bar along with a faux fur coat, 2 drinks and 45 minutes to enjoy the experience.
Next time you are in one of these cities, why not plan a visit? They are truly a unique experience.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s highly anticipated new ship, the Epic is arrives in the U.S. First stop? The Big Apple! Reba McEntire will christen the line’s most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship to date in New York today.
NCL Epic will also host the 34th Annual Macys 4th of July Fireworks show while in New York. This national, one-hour event will be televised on NBC at 9 p.m.
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.
The ship has multiple, specially-designed entertainment venues throughout, 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. The 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.
The ship 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.
Visit our blog and Youtube channel for more on the NCL Epic
The NCL Epic will sail Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises out of Miami from July through April 2011. The ship will then offer a transatlantic sailing in April and spend the summer in Europe, before returning in the fall of 2011 to offer Eastern Caribbean itineraries once again.
**Up to $200 ship board credit on all NCL bookings made before July 15, 2010.
NCL is now in possession of the NCL Epic. It is the largest ship of the NCL fleet. The ship will visit Rotterdam and Southampton and then sail to New York where country singer Reba McEntire will officially name the ship on July 2nd. The ship will also play host to the Macy’s 4th of July fireworks show which will be televised. The inaugural Caribbean cruises begin in Miami on July 10th.
NCL provides a variety of supervised activities for children, no matter what their age. The Kid’s Crew® program has four categories and provides complimentary activities based on the age of the child or teen at the time of sailing.
Youth Staff is carefully chosen from educational and recreational programs at their respective universities. Each staff member is CPR- and First Aid-certified, so children will be safe and secure at all times. Let’s review the different age category programs.
Juniors (ages 2-5 years)
The wee ones have a space of their own, supervised by our trained Youth Staff. Since attention spans are often limited at this age and they can tire easily (sounds like most of us, actually), activities are fun and engaging, like storytelling, arts and crafts, and treasure hunts.
First Mates (ages 6- 9 years)
This age group is a bit more independent and our programs accommodate their growing curiosity and need for activity and entertainment. NCL offers the standard activities like crafts, but also the latest computer games and Wii. (If you don’t know what this is, get a kid to show you…BTW – the Wii Fit Yoga is fantastic.)
Navigators (ages 10-12 years)
These cruisers are becoming intrepid and NCL facilitates their expanding horizons and social awareness with team-building challenges, parties, scavenger hunts and, of course, all the latest computer games and Wii. On Norwegian Epic, they’ve pulled out all the stops for the young ones with a gigantic kid’s area and a special section just for tweens, known as Recess. Recess area will include:
Wii™, computers, video games, PlayStation®3
Interactive, light-up dance area
Karaoke performance stage that doubles as a surround sound cinema
Extended hours so mom and dad have time for their own fun
Teens (ages 13-17 years)
Teens have a desire to exert some control over their vacation experiences. On Norwegian Cruise Line, teen cruisers enjoy their very own teen center. Here they can hang out with fellow teens and take advantage of air hockey, foosball, video jukebox, televisions and Wii games. Activities and games vary by ship. (There’s no Teen Center on Norwegian Majesty, at this time.)
For this energetic crowd, NCL provides themed facilities to grab teen’s attention. They can feel like they’re in the New York Subway in Norwegian Jewel’s Underground Teen’s Club or in the Metro Center on Norwegian Pearl. Or they can visit the Leopard Lounge on Norwegian Gem, a cool place where teens can have fun. They can see who’s on board at Connections, on Pride of America. The rest NCL’s ships (except Norwegian Majesty) boast Teen Clubs that have activities all day and turn into teen discos at night. Norwegian Epic will have the hottest under-21 club yet, Entourage. It’s sure to be filled with all things important to 13-17 year-olds, including self-serve food and soda stations. More about Entourage:
For teens ages 13-17
Designed like an adult lounge
PlayStation®3, air hockey, pinball, foosball, a video jukebox
Large flat-screen TVs
At night, transforms into a nightclub with music, dancing and trendy seating arrangements
Here’s a quick and handy reference table that shows the variety of activities available, based on each age grouping. Activities vary per sailing.
Juniors (Ages 2-5)
First Mates (Ages 6-9)
Navigators (Ages 10-12)
Teens (Ages 13-17)
Arts and Crafts
Arts and Crafts
Arts and Crafts
Computer Games
Storytelling and Painting
Computer Games
Scavenger Hunt
Team-building Challenges
Treasure Hunt
Pizza-making party
Computer Games
Sports Activities
Family Activities
Wii
Team-building Challenges
Wii
Parties
Sports Activities
Video Arcade
Family Activities
Wii
Parties
Video Arcade
Movies
Parties
Dance Club
Family Activities
Youth Programs – Hours of Operation (ages 2-12)
Embarkation Day: from 8 pm to 10:30 pm
Sea Days: from 9 am to 10:30 pm
Port Days: departure from port to 10:30 pm
*These hours may vary by ship and itinerary.
Pools and Play
Mom, dad, grandma and grandpa and any other family member can have fun with their junior cruisers at the splash pools on Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Jewel, Pride of America, Norwegian Star and Norwegian Spirit. In addition, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Spirit and Norwegian Star offer themed wet and wild fun areas with slides, water squirters and splash areas.
Splash pools for the pint-sized crowd are available on many of our ships. They might even find their very own hot tub and waterfalls. Everyone enrolled in the Kid’s Crew® program can take advantage of jungle gyms and tunnels on Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Majesty, Norwegian Pearl and Pride of America.
Social Time section
Norwegian Cruise Line also offers Freestyle Free Play for all age groups to socialize and have fun together. Since our programs are separated by age group, this is the time for all the kids in the family to get caught up. The designated time slots are the first hour of Kid’s Crew®, two hours in the afternoon and the last half-hour of Kid’s Crew®.
Arcades and Games
Arcades can be found on all ships, so everyone will have a chance to blast some aliens or fly their own plane. Children of all ages, and even grandparents, will have fun playing pinball. Really. And don’t forget that on some ships your customers can experience our bowling alleys at sea.
Welcome to Norwegian Epic’s Shangri-La at the top of the ship. This entertainment mecca is reserved exclusively for Deluxe Owner’s Suite, Courtyard Villa, Courtyard Penthouse, Penthouse and Spa Suite guests. Hidden away and accessible only by glassed-in private elevator and keycard, passengers will find endless ways to dine, swim, exercise, lounge in the sun, dance, party under the stars and play. When you’re not ordering cocktails and lunch by the pool, you can dine in either the elegant Epic Club or the more casual outdoor Courtyard Grill. When it comes time to let loose, you can choose from the uptown, chic atmosphere at The Epic Club Lounge or the hot, South Beach-inspired scene at Posh’s beach club, with its bottle service and music that gets the groove going with non-stop energy.
Are you ready to enter Hogwarts Castle? The Grand Opening for Wizarding World of Harry Potter is set for June 18th. Over 20 acres will offer unique shopping, dining and attractions.
Travel & Leisure lists the World’s Top adventure trips, which included a multi-sports adventure in Yellowstone National park, an African Safari with Abercrombie and Kent and an Antarctica cruise with Lindblad. Click here for the full story. I think some of A&K’s Extreme Adventures should have made the list, including Whale shark diving in Belize, a Camel safari in Kenya and Following the Step of Larence of Arabia in Jordan while riding your own camel.
Holland America offers 22 warm water cruises over the holidays. Departing between Dec. 17 and Dec. 31 aboard seven ships — ms Westerdam, ms Maasdam, ms Eurodam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Ryndam, ms Prinsendam and ms Noordam — options abound for Caribbean cruises with 13 holiday sailings from Ft. Lauderdale and Tampa over one or both holidays. Itineraries include exploring the southern Caribbean via a seven-day cruise with stops in such exotic ports as Aruba, Curacao and Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private Bahamian island. Or try seven days exploring the rich waters of the eastern Caribbean and legendary ports of call such as Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. Finally, holiday cruisers can settle into several western Caribbean options with stops that may include Belize, Montego Bay, Georgetown, Costa Maya and Key West. Per person fares begin as low as $999 pp, double occupancy. Taxes are additional.
Relais & Chateaux launches iPhone Application. Available as a free-of-charge download the Relais & Chateaux app boasts multiple services, including the geolocation of member properties, availability, a telephone tab that connects directly to Relais & Chateaux properties, proposed itineraries to help get the most out of a stay, and Google Maps.
Hard Rock announced plans this week to build a $300 million dollar hotel and casino on the boardwalk in Atlantic City.
LAN Ecuador to begin operations to the Galapagos Islands offering daily flights from Quito and Guayaquil starting in September.
Norwegian Cruise Line is raising prices as much as 7% on several cruises. Book before April 5th to lock in lower rates.
Continental Airlines is adding daily non-stop flights from Newark, NJ to Munich, Germany beginning this Saturday. Fares to visit the German Christmas markets in November and December were quite reasonable at this time.
Norwegian Cruise Line and USA Today are offering the chance to win a 7 day cruise on the new NCL Epic. Do you have a special talent? Singers, dancers, comics – any type of performers are welcomed to enter, if you are over the age of 21. Enter now through April 25, by submitting a video of one minute or less at www.epicstar.usatoday.com. To read more about the contest, click here. Read more about the New NCL Epic cruise ship.
Norwegian Cruise Line announced last week, that its largest, most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship to date, Norwegian Epic, will feature an extensive number of complimentary Freestyle dining options – 11 out of 21 total – that are included in the cruise fare. The additional 10 dining options will have a nominal cover charge.
Guests on board Norwegian Epic can select from a variety of cuisines, dining styles and atmospheres on board with a total of 21 dining options. Those that will be free of charge are:
• Taste: the atrium restaurant serving traditional and contemporary cuisine;
• Manhattan Room: reminiscent of an elegant supper club complete with music, dancing and entertainment;
• O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill: serving American favorites and comfort food, 24 hours;
• Garden Café: Norwegian’s signature action station casual restaurant;
• Great Outdoors: the pool-side grill;
• Spice H20: serving Latin and Asian-influenced cuisine in the adults-only complex;
• Atrium Cafe and Wine Bar:
• Studio Lounge: serving snacks and light fare;
• Epic Club: the elegant, exclusive eatery available to Norwegian Epic’s Suite and Villa guests;
• Courtyard Grill: the more casual, outdoor area of the Epic Grill, open for breakfast and lunch; and
• 24-hour room service.
In addition, Norwegian also announced the cover charges for Norwegian Epic’s specialty dining/entertainment venues:
• La Cucina: Tuscan-style eatery serving regional Italian specialties, $10 per person;
• Cirque Dreams & Dinner: two shows nightly including a three-course meal, $15 for general seating/$20 per person for preferred seating; A dining spectacle filled with live music and remarkable entertainers. Cirque Dreams® and Dinner presents a mix of acrobatics, singing, comedy and specialty acts. It’s the Big Top meets the Moulin Rouge and performers might climb to the ceiling only to suspend upside down in order to ring a dinner bell, announce the next course or even pour a cocktail.
• Shanghai’s: Norwegian Epic’s new Chinese restaurant serving a delicious mix of Chinese dishes and noodle bar specialties, $15 per person;
• Shanghai’s Noodle Bar: a la carte pricing;
• Wasabi: expansive sushi and sake bar, a la carte pricing;
• Le Bistro: Norwegian’s elegant bistro serving classic French cuisine with an American flair, $20 per person;
• Moderno Churrascaria: expansive salad bar and choice of a variety of meats served by tableside passadors, $18 per person;
• Cagney’s Steakhouse: the line’s signature American steakhouse, $25 per person;
• Teppanyaki: the largest signature Japanese experiential restaurant at sea, $25 per person; and
• Pizza delivery: $5, available 24 hours around the ship
MTV selects Madrid, Spain as the host city for the MTV EMA’s on November 7, 2010.
Continental to start charging for food in economy class on flights under six hours in duration.
Crystal Cruise Line to begin offering open dining by reservation in 2011 on all ships.
Celebrity’s new ship, the Eclipse leaves dockyard two days early due to an incoming storm. Ship is headed towards Southampton while last minute work is being done to the ship. The Eclipse is a sister ship to the Solstice.
CDC issues a “don’t sail” recommendation for the Celebrity Mercury sailing out of Charleston due to an outbreak of the Norovirus on a third consecutive cruise. The cruise line will cut it’s current trip short by one day to allow clean up and inspections to take place.
NCL Epic reveals dining options onboard the new ship. 11 restaurants will be complimentary.
If a compromise is not met, British Airways cabin crew is set to strike for 7 days beginning on Friday March 20th, potentially disrupting travel for thousands during the Spring Break and Easter holidays.
Johnny Rockets opens in 2 new Six Flags theme parks: Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California and Six Flags Texas in San Antonio. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is Northern California’s only combination of wildlife, oceanarium and theme park, featuring interactive animal encounters and daring roller coasters. Six Flags Fiesta Texas offers some of the best live theme park shows in the country, as well as access to White Water Bay Water Park.
Disneyland offers spring and summer deal with free nights. This May through September, vacationers can receive two extra nights of hotel accommodations and two more days of theme park adventures for free when they purchase a three-night, three-day Disneyland Resort vacation package. This special vacation package provides guests five days and nights of Disneyland Resort experiences, for the price of three.
Save $100 off per person on Globus Monograms USA vacations booked by April 6th. See the most famous national parks of Canada & the U.S.—or discover its vibrant cities on a getaway vacation. Sample Cajun fare in New Orleans or dig into a New England lobster feast. See a dazzling Broadway show in New York or hike the beautiful Canadian Rockies in Western Canada. The choice is yours!
Norwegian Cruise Line and Nickelodeon are offering the ultimate family cruise vacation with two “Nickelodeon All Access Cruises” setting sail in 2011. These special Nickelodeon-themed cruises give guests access to seven days of slime-filled entertainment all day, every day aboard Norwegian Jewel, sailing from New York on February 20, 2011; and on the cruise line’s newest and most innovative ship, Norwegian Epic, sailing from Barcelona on July 24, 2011. Families who book an All Access Cruise between August 23, 2010 and September 13, 2010 will receive a special offer of up to $250 in on-board credits, based on stateroom category; and half off the deposit (excluding the Garden Villa and other suite categories).
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.
The ship 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.
Navigators (ages 10-12 years)
For this energetic crowd, NCL provides themed facilities to grab teen’s attention. They can feel like they’re in the New York Subway in Norwegian Jewel’s Underground Teen’s Club or in the Metro Center on Norwegian Pearl. Or they can visit the Leopard Lounge on Norwegian Gem, a cool place where teens can have fun. They can see who’s on board at Connections, on Pride of America. The rest NCL’s ships (except Norwegian Majesty) boast Teen Clubs that have activities all day and turn into teen discos at night. Norwegian Epic will have the hottest under-21 club yet, Entourage. It’s sure to be filled with all things important to 13-17 year-olds, including self-serve food and soda stations. More about Entourage:
Pools and Play
Welcome to Norwegian Epic’s Shangri-La at the top of the ship. This entertainment mecca is reserved exclusively for Deluxe Owner’s Suite, Courtyard Villa, Courtyard Penthouse, Penthouse and Spa Suite guests. Hidden away and accessible only by glassed-in private elevator and keycard, passengers will find endless ways to dine, swim, exercise, lounge in the sun, dance, party under the stars and play. When you’re not ordering cocktails and lunch by the pool, you can dine in either the elegant Epic Club or the more casual outdoor Courtyard Grill. When it comes time to let loose, you can choose from the uptown, chic atmosphere at The Epic Club Lounge or the hot, South Beach-inspired scene at Posh’s beach club, with its bottle service and music that gets the groove going with non-stop energy.
