If you’ve been a Carnival or Royal Caribbean fan in the past, consider stepping up to Celebrity for a more elegant feel and sophistication in dining venues, wine selection, and specialty restaurants. Princess and Holland America fans will feel right at home, and luxury cruisers looking for price-value will be impressed as well.

That said, folks who simply can’t take time for a longer cruise are opting for the Norwegian Epic and Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas which run 7-night cruises round-trip from Barcelona. Wonderful itineraries that hit all the classic ports of the Western Mediterranean — priced right and popular with families and small groups.There’s an especially terrific value on the July 29 sailing of the Epic — I can get you in a balcony cabin for under $1200 per person including all taxes (exclusive Cruise Planners block-space fare)!  Click here for a few more details then give me a call. Right now you can place a deposit for half the usually-required amount, too.

Speaking of values, I’m not sure why the brand-new Carnival Breeze is not getting more attention, but she also has marvelous Mediterranean itineraries and cruise fares. I can tell you, after spending a night aboard her sister the Carnival Magic, that she’s a beautiful choice to consider for Europe (and they don’t call them “Fun Ships” for nothing!). Check out a sample sailing here.

Princess, Holland America, Crystal, and Oceania round out the top picks. Crystal is going all-inclusive this year, so they are getting a lot more interest than usual and are working hard to break their reputation for being “snotty,” and Oceania’s “2-for-1 and Free Air” offer is pretty irresistible for the luxury budget. Don’t have anyone on the new Riviera yet – come on, you can be the first! I’ve got a bottle of wine and an extra gift for you…

Next, summer cruising out of Galveston is strong — Carnival Magic and Carnival Triumph are ever-popular for Texas families who don’t want the extra expense and hassle of flying. Here’s a tip for families with children who don’t have to start school until August 27th:  the 5-night Carnival Triumph cruise of August 18 is a super-hot deal at under $1600 total (including taxes) for a family of 4 in an oceanview cabin! Call me right away about this one, because it’s an “Early Saver” fare that won’t be around much longer.

Next: Alaska! Wow — Holland America leads the way with almost-free discounts for kids (passengers 3 and 4 in the same cabin with parents). Book by February 2 and get shipboard credit and an onboard coupon book in addition to the wave season offer. All the top lines are popular — Princess, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, and Disney — I recommend booking pretty soon, especially if you want a balcony (and who doesn’t?).

And as usual, we have a smattering of exotic cruises — a few Transatlantics, a couple of Panama Canal transits, some Hawaii, an Australia-New Zealand, and a long South America cruise for next January. No one has chosen Asia or a World Cruise segment yet, but cruise lines are sending more ships to exotic ports for the 2012-2013 winter season so there are bound to be some terrific values to explore (let’s talk!).

Fly-and-stay and tour package destinations: Paris, everywhere in Italy, and the United Kingdom remain the top places. There’s a bit of interest in Portugal/Spain, Egypt, and US national parks, too. American Express Vacations, Funjet, and Globus are the top suppliers so far — but we have lots of resources and can get you just about anywhere you want to go.

For more ideas, check out the specials at www.cruiseplanforyou.com and see my lists of “Top Bucket List Cruises of 2012″ and “Top Ten Classic No-Fail Cruises.”

Give me a call or pop me an e-mail! 972-231-0066, 866-592-7351, jmclaren@cruiseplanners.com

I have had a few people ask about ramifications of the fear factor, though, and wonder if the disaster will have an effect on prices. So far, I don’t see any movement on fares, but that might be because there are so many offers in effect right now for “wave season.” Really, this is a fantastic time to plan a cruise, and what I’m letting everyone know is that if their cruise fare does happen to go down later then I’ll get them the reduced rate.

Generally, the cruise industry expects the value of the dollar to the euro to be very favorable for American travelers this year, so they anticipate the demand will remain high. I’m still encouraging everyone to book as early as they can settle on their travel dates, especially locking in their airfares.

Someone I talked to today pointed out that now cruises will be even safer than ever as cruise lines analyze what factors contributed to the tragedy and work out how they can prevented from ever happening again. I’ll bet the crew training gets kicked up a few notches for sure, and that more attention is paid to the lifeboat drills.

Janet McLaren

Cruise Planners, American Express Travel Services Representative

972-231-0066, 866-592-7351, 469-831-3137

jmclaren@cruiseplanners.com

www.cruiseplanforyou.com

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www.facebook.com/cruiseplanforyou

The Rose Bowl parade

The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City

Crossing the Panama Canal

April in Paris

Movie-inspired places like Florence (“Room With a View”) and Rome (“Roman Holiday”)

An “Elvis movie” day at the beach (really, just anywhere! Miami Beach, the Riviera Maya, Hawaii…

Carnival in Rio

Swim with dolphins

Go whale-watching

Spend Chinese New Year in China

Gondola ride in Venice

Roberto, our handsome gondolier

Cruise Planners did NOT have ANY passengers sailing on this ship at the time, (98% of passengers were sourced Internationally:  1000 German, 500 German, 160 French)- nevertheless, this does effect the industry.

We can take comfort in the fact that albeit tragic, this was a very unusual situation…and majority of passengers/crew were evacuated safely, without harm.  There is a report of 3 casualties at this point, which of course is part of the entire investigation.  Costa Cruises is owned by Carnival Corp, which will be leading this in compliance with maritime safety and regulatory agencies.

As you all know, Safety of passengers is a huge concern of ALL the cruise lines.  It is not taken lightly, and this occurrence will only lead to greater emphasis and review of current procedures, to make even further enhancements going forward.

Some info about this specific sailing:

• The major cruise lines do MANDATORY Muster drills upon sailing the first day.
• Costa Concordia had not yet, as it sailed yesterday.
• This is different as their itinerary boards new passengers along the way, so scheduling “seems” to be an issue.  (I am certain this will be a BIG part of the investigation, after they figure out WHY the ship had the accident to begin with).
• Cruise ship design, construction and operations are governed by internationally-mandated standards designed to maximize the safety of passengers. Such standards have been adopted by all governments affected by cruising.

“Our guests expect the finest of luxury in every element of a Crystal cruise.  They have a keen appreciation for design and expect the very best in furnishings, finishes and fine appointments,” says President Gregg Michel. “By the completion of this project, within the past five years we will have redesigned every room aboard Crystal Symphony – with great attention to rich, chic details.”

Avenue Saloon

For this popular piano bar’s makeover, Crystal is bringing back the designer who created the room’s trademark intimate, “clubby” look: Kirk Nix, with LA’s KNA Design.  The piano, shutters, and warm, jazz-era atmosphere remain, but a room reconfiguration adds more seating, including antique-style, brass-tack couches and large, red wall sofa.  Rich burgundies, golds, caramels, moss greens, and creams weave through the swivel, embossed-leaf barstools, hand-tufted carpets, plush pillows, textured wall upholstery, and artwork.  Wood flooring, bar front and back, stone and wood bartop, edge-lit glass shelves, and pop-up ceiling finalize the new touches.

Palm Court

KNA is also revamping the ship’s signature panoramic lounge for high tea, dancing, cocktail parties, and casual drinks with a view.  A sleek, contemporary transformation brings the outside in, taking advantage of sweeping ocean views, while keeping emblematic room elements like palms and wicker.  In addition to a new entrance, the bar and dance areas expand with added seating and a larger, spiral-design dance floor with overhead ceiling feature.  Conversation tables; laser-cut marble flooring and carpet; lit, alabaster urns; and a studded nail and leather wall design offset the chartreuse, aqua, grey, and ivory color spectrum that plays throughout the all-new sofas and chairs.

Galaxy Lounge

Inspired by the glamorous theaters of yesteryear, Crystal is planning a grand redesign of its main theatre for live performances, Broadway-style musical productions, and lavish entertainment experiences. The elegant redo features namesake-reflective motifs, such as starburst lighting and carpeting and lit crystal-speckled wall panels that hint of the night sky.  Formal purple drapes, “old gold” walls and a subtle diamond design in upholstery, fabric wallcovering, and glass doors suggest the richness of royalty.  New, mohair chairs and sofas, cocktail tables, and ambient lighting underneath banquettes enhance the sophisticated supper club ambience.  A new, limestone floor entrance is flanked by LCD screens announcing upcoming shows and attractions.  Additional touches by London’s SMC Design include artwork niches with abstract figurative sculpture and lively lilac, pink, and crimson shades befitting of a dramatic stage.

Hollywood Theatre

London-based Adfecto’s redo of the ship’s movie theater is a visual throwback to the classic Hollywood film era, with all comfort and technical advantages of contemporary cinemas.  Plush leather armchairs with individual pull-out tables and an earth tone color palette of aubergine, ebony, cinnamon, ash grey, and ivory set the backdrop; circular-patterned carpeting, sconces lining the walls, and a new entrance reflect art deco elements.  Technical updates include boosted surround sound audio processing and an enhanced lecture and presentation control system for enrichment speaker sessions.

Bridge Lounge

The ship’s space for cards, games, and presentations receives a refined rejuvenation via all new furniture, including game tables and chairs; lighting, including striking chandelier, sconces, and recessed fixtures; floor-to-ceiling window treatments; wallcoverings and ceiling feature; presentation tools, including podium, white board, storage, video and sound system; and silver, blue, and sage color scheme, all courtesy of KNA Design.

Fantasia and Waves

A new layout for both Fantasia kids play area and Waves teen video arcade creates separate areas for crafts, relaxation, screenings (two TVs), teens, and computer usage (teens and kids separate).  Designer Adfecto has also chosen fun, asymmetrical furniture, Fatboy^TM bean bags, and vibrant colors like crimson, sapphire, and various shades of green.  New interactive white board, board games, video game stations, and video project system further refresh junior activities options.

Other ship enhancements include new electronic, “do not disturb” doorbells in all staterooms (as installed on Crystal Serenity last May) and environmentally-efficient lighting installations for all electric upgrades/changes.  All remodeling, as well as bi-annual maintenance and cleaning, will take place while dry docked at Hamburg’s Blohm + Voss shipyard from June 1 to 16.

Crystal’s passion for taking care of guests in an inviting environment of extraordinary space, quality and choices has earned the company more “World’s Best” awards than any other cruise line, resort, or hotel in history.

For more about Crystal’s conversion to All-Inclusive sailing, click here!

Call Janet at 972-231-0066, 1-866-592-7351 for more information and to book your beautiful Crystal cruise.

MIAMI – January 5, 2012 –To better meet the needs of the growing family vacation market, Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that it is revitalizing its current youth program and will implement a new best in class program fleet wide. The re-branded program will be introduced on Norwegian Gem in mid-February and will be rolled out to all of the line’s Freestyle Cruising^® ships subsequently.

“More and more families are choosing a cruise for their vacation since it represents such a good value and offers so much for the entire family.  In fact, close to 150,000 children sailed on our ships in 2010 and that number continues to rise,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “We’ve already taken family programming to the next level by offering Nickelodeon experiences on some ships.  Now, we want to make sure that we are continuing to offer the best possible experience for families. To do this, we are investing millions of dollars in revamping our youth and family programming.”

The current program, Norwegian’s Kid’s Crew in place since 1999, will be renamed and the age groups are being redefined to better address the skills and interests of children. The new age groups will be: three to five years; six to eight years; nine to 12 years; along with two teen groups: 13 to 14 and 15 to 17 years.  There will also be programming for babies and toddlers ages six months to two years.

The new fully developed and enhanced curriculum tailored to each age group is being produced in conjunction with The King’s Foundation and Camps, a United Kingdom-based organization that provides high quality sport and activity programs designed to make a positive impact on children. More focus will be placed on sporting activities, arts and crafts, theater and technology.  Activities will change every 30 to 60 minutes depending on the age group and will be set within blocks of programming time in the morning, afternoon and evening.

The new curriculum will also include creative themes, such as circus day, theater/technology/sports and port of call day.  The company has engaged Cirque Du Jour, a New York-based company that specializes in teaching children real circus skills such as scarf juggling, ball juggling, plate spinning, clowning and acrobatics. Circus workshops and shows will also be offered for the entire family.

In addition, the youth programs will be expanded to utilize other areas of the ships, including the sports courts, rock walls, theaters, lounges and public spaces and will feature more family events such as parades and scavenger hunts.

“We want to ensure our youth and teens are engaged in the programs we offer and that they are having fun,” said Richard Ambrose, Norwegian Cruise Line’s vice president of entertainment.  “We have designed this new youth program to cater to the specific interests and skill sets of children and teens to ensure that they are having the vacation of a lifetime.”

The company is also investing in its youth staff, by increasing the ratio of staff to children and establishing new criteria for the hiring of counselors, including the requirement of a college degree in recreation or child care (or the equivalent experience).

The line currently offers exclusive Nickelodeon family events, shows and activities on three ships: Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Gem (beginning mid-February).  Activities include pool games, breakfast with the characters, where kids – and adults – can eat, sing and play with SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Patrick, Diego and more;Dora’s Dance Party, where kids can join Dora and the Nickelodeon cast to dance and sing along; meet and greets with popular Nickelodeon characters, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and many more. In addition, there are also other family activities offered, including Nick Jr. story time, family trivia and special arts and crafts sessions.

Norwegian Cruise Line has already been recognized for its family programming as one of the best family cruises byFamily Circle magazine; best onboard children’s program and best cruise ship for families (Norwegian Pearl) byTravel Age West magazine; and best family-friendly staterooms by Smarter Travel magazine.

Find it here at www.inspiredtocruise.com, read travelers’ stories, and contribute your own! Hope you have some fun with it — look forward to talking with you soon about your very own inspiration…

* Thanksgiving aboard the Mariner of the Seas: Jessica said that the cruise with her parents was just lovely, and it was great that everyone could enjoy Thanksgiving without all the work. They still got to watch the Dallas Cowboys game, too, so all was well. They only had one rainy day and the islands were just beautiful plus they had a nice time taking easy tours and doing a bit of shopping.

* Las Vegas! Kirk and the gang took a “guy get-away” ahead of Christmas to celebrate his son’s 21st birthday.  Wow, did they have a blast! They splurged on a fabulous stay at the Bellagio, and thanks to Brandon’s diligent research and Southwest Airlines Vacations, they got a great deal, too. With a few fun shows and some gambling thrown in — it was a birthday to remember!

* Pre-Christmas and Christmas cruises aboard the Carnival Triumph. This cruise out of Galveston might just be THE perfect family holiday cruise. At 5 nights, it’s a little shorter and more affordable for the whole extended family to join in. Pam appreciated being able to get everyone together without anyone having to do all the work of hosting the group and cleaning, cooking, etc. Kim said the ship was SO beautiful, and the kids were thrilled with all the action — playing on the beaches, swimming with dolphins, learning to snorkel, crafts and fun in the kids’ club onboard, the water slide, getting snacks and soft-serve ice cream whenever they wanted — wow!

* New Year’s in New Orleans. Now there’s a city that knows how to party! OK, so they aren’t back yet, but if I know the Norwegian Spirit (and I think I do), then they’re having the best start to a new year ever!

Other folks are away this week onboard the Voyager, the Carnival Magic, and the Mariner, too — can’t wait to hear how much fun they had. For more about holiday cruises and how wonderful they are as family vacations click here. Still not sure? Find out more about about the value and benefits of cruising here.

Do something different! Here is Steve and his encounter with a stingray in Grand Cayman.