Did you know that less than 20% of Americans have ever cruised?!  Whether you're a first-time cruiser or experiened cruiser looking for your next adventure, come out to Borders in Naperville on Wednesday, October 13th from 5-8:00 p.m. for my World's Largest Cruise Night event!  Put in on your calendar now, so you don't miss out!

What can you expect during my World's Largest Cruise Night event?
-Major promotions from almost every cruise line during the entire month of October, ranging from reduced deposits, onboard credits, and/or free balcony upgrades (and more!)!  Expect even MORE promotions if you book your next cruise on October 13th!  I'll be announcing promotions as they are released on my blog & on Facebook, so stay tuned...

-Giveways and raffle prizes

-The latest in family cruise options (and how they're making your vacation easier!)

-What's so cool about the newest ships?:  the Disney Dream, Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas, Norwegian Cruise Line's Epic, and more!

-Details on how your charity or non-profit organization can benefit when others' cruise!

-Bring the whole family to Borders for this event-I'll have activities to keep the kiddos busy while you browse!

Special thanks to  Michelle Eichenberg & Borders in Naperville for letting me host this event at their wonderful store!  What better opportunity to check out the latest travel guides and select The Perfect Novel to read while lounging and enjoying the Caribbean sunshine on your stateroom's private balcony? 

Looking forward to seeing you there!  :)

Much as I'd love to, I'm just not able to take a cruise on every ship, on every cruise line.  Sad, but true...

But, as a travel agent, I am offered opportunities to participate in 'ship inspections' on just about every cruise line!  What the heck IS a ship inspection, anyway?  Basically, we get a scheduled, (usually) guided tour of a particular cruise ship while it is at port, usually combined with lunch onboard.  Every cruise line does things a little differently, some better than others...In general, we get to see a selection of staterooms in various categories, the restaurants, kids' areas, pools, spa, theaters, and  fitness center. 

Because these traditionally take place while the cruise line is preparing to load & depart with a whole ship full of passengers, things can be a bit rushed and we don't always get to see everything we'd like to!  But, it IS a valuable  opportunity to see them in action and that can tell us a lot in itself...

In April, I had the opportunity to participate in ship inspections on the Carnival Freedom and Star Princess, so be sure to check out my photos! 

I will be touring the Carnival Liberty (same class as the Freedom) and BRAND NEW Norwegian EPIC in Miami in September, so stay tuned for more photos and details!

I want to share a recent Cruise Critic article with you because it has a lot of important points about the realities of booking a cruise these days. 

Here's my take-away from this article:  don't wait for 'The Deal to Eclipse Any and All Other Possible Deals' when you're ready to book a cruise! 

Why?  There are almost always promotions (early booking incentives!) & great deals to be had if you book your cruise 9-12 months in advance.  If you wait, you risk facing:

-Rising cruise fares (Carnival & NCL raised their in Spring 2010-others will follow!)
-Fewer deals/promotions (the cruise lines WANT you to book early, so they can plan better, so their early booking incentives are generally the best!)
-Losing your preferred stateroom category & location

Cruises are still a great deal for your vacation dollar and a wonderful way to eliminate lots of the hassles of vacationing.  Your onboard activities, meals (including room service!), select beverages, entertainment, and accommodations are all included in the price.  Plus, unpack ONCE, and visit multiple destinations in one vacation!  Generally, you pay a deposit of around $100-300 per person, then your final payment isn't due until 90 days prior to sailing.

Want to sail for free (except for taxes)?  Then organize a group cruise, where generally every 16th berth (bed, so basically half a stateroom) is FREE!  A group is a minimum of only 8 staterooms  at double occupancy, which is perfect for family reunions, couples' getaways, multiple families vacationing together, etc. 

A good deal isn't a good deal if it isn't the right cruise line, itinerary, and stateroom category for YOUR needs!  Let me help! :)

I'm going on a cruise and you can all come along!  But, only if you want to have fun...a lot of fun! 

Join me on The Pleasure Cruise, February 5-10, 2011 on Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas!  Bring your spouse, your partner, your significant other, or that special someone in your life and GET THE HECK OUTTA HERE with us! 

The Pleasure Cruise is a one-of-a-kind couple's dream escape from the ordinary.  Because don't we all need that every once in awhile?!

This cruise has been designed by yours truly, the travel expert, and my fabulous friend Melanie, the relationship enhancement specialist (independent Passion Parties consultant), to combine the many benefits of a cruise vacation with secrets guaranteed to ignite a fire in your relationship!

Why The Pleasure Cruise?

-Almost everything you need for your vacation is included:  all your onboard meals (even room service!), most onboard activities and entertainment (movies, live shows, rock-climbing wall, fitness center, pools, & more!), stateroom category of your choice, etc.

-The cruise lines LOVE groups and take very good care of them.  We've arranged for you to have a great rate, bottle of wine in your stateroom, an exclusive cocktail reception, fun samples from Passion Parties, and much more!

-Opportunities for fun excursions in Cozumel and Costa Maya, either with our exciting group or on your own.

Prices for The Pleasure Cruise start at just $613.76 per person and that is INCLUDING taxes & fees for a 5-night cruise vacation!  And kill 2 birds with one stone, because we've scheduled The Pleasure Cruise conveniently close to Valentine's Day...

Book your stateroom by July 31st, 2010 and benefit from Early Booking Incentives, including a discount on Passion Party products!

Kids 17 & under Sail FREE in the same stateroom with 2 full-fare paying adults on most 7-night Mexican Riviera sailings January 23-March 20, 2011!  You just pay government taxes and fees. 

This itinerary sets sail from Los Angeles and visits Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, & Cabo San Lucas, plus spend 3 days at sea to enjoy all of the ship's amenities.
The Disney Wonder was even ranked #1 in Crew & Service in 2010 by Conde Nast Traveler!

Important note:  this is a great promo for these sailings on the Disney Wonder.  However, this is NOT the new Disney Dream arriving in January 2011!  Our family sailed on the Wonder in January 2010 and it is still a wonderful ship-you'll get more nights for your money than the Dream at the moment.   Just fyi! :)

What's included in your fare on a Disney cruise? 
-Your choice of stateroom category (window, no window, balcony, etc.) in staterooms larger than the cruise-industry standard.
-Most onboard meals, including room service, breakfast, lunch, and
dinner in one of 3 themed restaurants (adults-only restaurant Palo is an additional charge).
-Most onboard beverages, including soft drinks (unique to Disney!).  Alcoholic beverages are additional.
-Most onboard entertainment and activities, including 3 live Disney shows, first-run and 3D movies, a variety of pools, and character meet & greets.

As always, there are a limited number of staterooms in each category available for the Kids Sail Free promotion and you must book by July 31st, 2010.  But book early for your preferred category!

Contact me anytime for a quote for this promotion! 

Ah, Royal Caribbean, you are very smart, indeed!

Norwegian Cruise Line has a partnership with Nickelodeon and a new ship (Epic), Disney Cruise Line has a partnership with, naturally, anything Disney and a new ship (Dream) and now Royal Caribbean follows suit with a Dreamworks Animation partnership onboard the Allure of the Seas!

Dreamworks Animation is responsible for such hits as the Shrek movies, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon.  This new partnership with Royal Caribbean means lots of fun character events (meet & greets, photo opps, meals, etc.) and exclusive new onboard shows such as How to Train Your Dragon on Ice and the Madagascar Aqua Show, which features high divers, swimmers, and acrobats.

Please let me know if you're interested in taking a cruise aboard any of these amazing new ships!  But, keep in mind that these same cruise lines are offering great deals on their older-but-still-fabulous ships  because of the new ones! 

Happy Sailing!

Then let me help you put a group cruise together! 

BTW, a group is generally considered 8 or more staterooms on most cruise lines.

Why cruise with a group of family members, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, classmates, random people you met on the street, etc.? 

Everyone benefits:
-Receive special group pricing
-Generally every 16th person in the group sails FREE!  (based on 8 staterooms at double occupancy)
-Use group points towards onboard receptions, stateroom gift baskets/wine, or onboard credit (good for spa, beverages, etc.).

Best of all, I can handle ALL of the details for you.  Recommending the best cruise line, ship, and destination for your group, organizing deposits & payments, finding unique & discounted shore excursions, dealing with your cousin Bob so YOU don't have to...

Cruises have something for everyone, so they are great for multi-generational gatherings like family reunions.  But what about a bachelorette party cruise (think of all that quality spa time you could get with your onboard credit!) or a destination wedding cruise (get married on or off the ship for far less than a land-based wedding!).  The possibilities are endless.