Friendly faces at Baristas, the coffee shop in deck 14.

I spent half an hour up at Baristas yesterday talking to, well, the baristas.

So far, they’ve all been from Italy, and some of them have had long careers on ships. The guy pictured left in the photo above, Gianni, started working on ships in the 1980s and has served on Sitmar, Royal Viking Line, Silversea, Crystal and more. He’s from Verona, Italy, and has been exceptionally friendly to every guest who steps up to the counter.

Oceania Cruises spas are operated by Canyon Ranch.

For some, skipping the elevators and taking the stairs up and down the 11 public decks on Oceania Riviera will be enough exercise during their cruises.

For those who want a bit more, however, the Canyon Ranch SpaClub fitness facilities feature more than 50 pieces of cardio and weight training equipment, plus a variety of fitness classes and instruction.

Use of the fitness facilities is free, but Spin Classes cost $11 for up to an hour of instruction.

Oceania

I am comfortably lodged into stateroom 9006 on Oceania’s new Riviera. As on Marina, staterooms are exceptionally attractive and comfortable. Last year at around this time, I was on Oceania Marina in stateroom 9107.

Measuring 282 square feet, Concierge Level Stateroom 9006 is spacious with smart design for storage, living space and work space.

Jacques, the first restaurant ever created, on land or sea, by celebrity chef Jacques Pepin.

Today on Oceania Riviera, Frank del Rio, chairman and ceo of Prestige Cruise Holdings, invited journalists for lunch in Jacques, the first restaurant ever created, on land or at sea, by celebrity chef Jacques Pepin.

Frank is understandably proud of the cuisine on Oceania Cruises. He told us that the dining experience is Oceania Cruises’ “core” and that all dining venues are, and will remain, free of charge for Oceania guests.

Cruise Specialists President, Tom Baumann and his wife Deann along with Voyage Ambassadors Henk and Lucia Barnhoorn were onboard the ms Prinsendam for Holland America Line’s Mariner Appreciation Week. Tom and Deann were excited to join guests during this special celebration.

On every HAL cruise a special Mariner reception and loyalty ceremony takes place to recognize those guests that cross the sailing threshold of 100 days, 300 days, 500 days and 700 days. This ceremony was extra special with 584 loyal Holland America Line Mariners onboard. The top Mariner had sailed with Holland America Line 1,741 days prior to the start of the 62-day 2012 Grand Mediterranean Voyage…read the full article here Mariner Appreciation Week Aboard Prinsendam.

To celebrate our 25th anniversary, Cruise Specialists is inviting our friends and clients to join us on a special hosted cruise to Alaska this summer.  The 7-night Alaskan cruise will depart Seattle on June 16, 2012 and visit the Inside Passage; Juneau, Alaska; Glacier Bay National Park; Sitka, Alaska; Ketchikan, Alaska; and Victoria, BC.  

Cruise Specialists has been planning reunion cruise trips for the NNCA (Navy Nurse Corps Association) since 2002.  The Cruise Specialists team of Lynne Cox, Laura Rebman and founder Janet Lanterman organized and escorted the NNCA group’s first cruise to Alaska in 2002 with 900 NNCA members onboard.  Since then, Cruise Specialists has planned numerous large group cruises for the association.  The Navy nurses most recently set sail on a Holland America Western Caribbean cruise in March 2012 and presented a beautiful plaque to the Cruise Specialists team for all their hard work over the years!

Click the image for a larger view of Cunard’s new Queen Mary 2 info graphic, which features factoids about the flagship’s iconic Transatlantic Crossings

On April 15, we will remember the centennial of the sinking of the Titanic. Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line, has written a touching story about how Cunard will remember the day. I recommend you read Guided by a greater hand…

Alaska.

It’s the largest of the United States by area, but also the least densely populated, meaning much of this great state remains as it always has been: a land of immense natural beauty, untouched by the ravages of time and modern civilization. Towns like Skagway recall the former thrill of the Gold Rush era, while many of Alaska’s cities and towns lie nestled along mist-covered inlets, teeming with wildlife, charm and personality.