Seven Seas Voyager

This past June, I had the pleasure of travelling aboard Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ all-suite, all-balcony luxurious Seven Seas Voyager. I have to say, the worst part about Regent is that you eventually have to get off the ship and go home. 

Seven Seas Voyager Suite – I was in a deluxe balcony suite category D #935 mid-ship.  These suites are quite comfortable with 356 square feet of living space, including the balcony. The suite was decorated in beautiful tans with hints of a soft-minty green incorporated throughout.  Everything was very clean, not a single spot or smudge of anything.  The bathroom was also sparkling clean, the tub was large and hot water was always quickly hot. 

Canyon Ranch SpaClub^® – As I entered the spa a very sweet girl came out, introduced herself and offered us a tour!  The spa was absolutely beautiful, clean, and offered all the essential treatments of a Canyon Ranch spa.  I didn’t use their services, but I did enjoy the sauna and steam room – my favorite!  The restroom area was equipped with a water cooler, clean towels, robes and slippers, showers, shampoo/conditioners, razors, shaving cream, shower caps and bags for your clothing – there wasn’t  a creature comfort missing!  

Main Pool

Prime 7– Amazingly delicious!  The best crab cakes, steak, lobster, crab, veggies and AMAZING desserts.  I was in seventh heaven here – our steaks were always cooked to perfection exactly the way we ordered them.  The service was wonderful, a young, handsome Irishmen was the Maitre d’ who made sure everyone was taken care of.  We were able to dine here twice, it was a popular spot and hard to get a reservation, however you can be waitlisted for Prime 7 and Signatures.  Prime 7 does have the same menu every evening. 

Signatures– boast a beautiful décor and excellent service as well. The menu highlighted haute French cuisine. It seemed many people onboard enjoyed this venue.   Our favorite waiter worked in this dining room, a nice gentleman with lots of stories.  The menu did change once during the cruise.

Bergen, Norway

Compass Rose – This is the main dining room for breakfast, lunch and dinner and it offered a good variety of food.  We dined mainly as a table for two, without any problems reserving this table size. The service was as usual, great, there were only a few times where they were very busy and and we had to wait, but it was not long and not a problem at all.  The new red/cream velvet chairs are very comfortable and elegant.

Spotlight on Music Theme – We were lucky enough to experience one of Regent’s themed voyages or “Spotlight Cruises”.  In addition to the Regent Orchestra, they had a Norwegian Music Festival with a cellist, three violins, a pianist and a French horn player– they were all absolutely amazing, what a treat.  Every guest felt like they were invited to an exclusive, intimate showing for these young-talented Julliard graduates.  We couldn’t wait for the next performance.  When you see Regent Seven Seas Spotlight Cruises, know that you are in for a special treat.

Jackie On The Kayak Tour

Complimentary Shore Tours– The inclusive tours were very popular with everyone.  You do need to sign up for the tours online in advance of your cruise; it was very easy to do – if you need help your Cruise Consultant can assist you. Once onboard the process is so easy, the daily planner gives you a specific meeting time in the Constellation Theater. At the meeting location you are given a ticket with a number on it. Your number would get called and away you would go. The guides were for the most part knowledgeable and sociable; plenty of history was given on the destination, most of the tours were scheduled around onboard meal times so everyone would have the opportunity to tour and dine onboard. 

Overall everything was truly wonderful; the staff was always smiling, the rooms are absolutely perfect, the décor aboard Seven Seas Voyager is elegantly appointed throughout the entire ship from carpet to paintings.  I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

To find out more about out these vacations visit our Regent Seven Seas Cruises page.

Bon Voyage!
Jackie Lamke
Sales Assistant

World Cruise Specialty

For 11 straight years, Cruise Specialists’ founder Janet Lanterman has earned Condé Nast Traveler magazine’s top pick as the travel specialist to turn to when planning a world cruise.  Lanterman has once again been recognized for her world cruise expertise on Consumer News Editor Wendy Perrin’s prestigious list of the world’s Top 135 Top Travel Specialists.

For the eleventh year Perrin picked the travel specialists who offer the best blend of expertise, access, and good value.  Cruise Specialists’ Lanterman was recommended for readers to call when planning a world cruise because of her longtime industry insider’s guidance, knowledge of Holland America, Princess and Regent Seven Seas, and ability to arrange unique private shore excursions for their guests in destinations around the world.  

According to Perrin, the world’s top travel planners can turn any trip into a dream trip – and save you money.  Following Lanterman’s industrious lead, Cruise Specialists professionals do this by getting to know a traveler and their individual preferences to match them with the perfect stateroom and customized shore tour experiences, as well as provide value added extras such as a bon voyage gala, onboard hosts, complimentary parties, and personalized jackets and gifts.

“Our entire staff lives and breathes cruising,” said Vice President Greg Nacco.   “But more than that, they understand what it takes to match the right customer to the right cruise, and then enhance that experience with unique offerings and outstanding service before during and after the sale.”

“In 2002, I discovered Cruise Specialists when the agency won the Top Travel Specialist award from Condé Nast Traveler magazine,” said Nanette Galloni, a devoted Cruise Specialists client.  “Three generations of my family are now Cruise Specialists clients as well as a number of friends.  Why?  We receive impeccable individual service from a team of knowledgeable, well-trained professionals who are in tune with our needs and requests.  Calls to Cruise Specialists staffers - real people who obviously love their jobs - are always happy ones.  I’m a great fan of Cruise Specialists and would never look at another agency!”  

“Being a Cruise Specialists client feels like you are part of their family,” explained Alan Hesdorffer, a longtime client who has booked over 20 cruises with the agency.  “Through the years, I have developed personal relationships with my agent, the onboard escorts, and the entire Cruise Specialists team and know they will put together a great cruise experience for me every time.”

According to Tom Baumann, president of Cruise Specialists, this overall loyal sentiment among satisfied clients has helped the luxury cruise agency thrive in an otherwise challenging economic environment. “The high-touch service provided by Janet and the entire Cruise Specialists team often turns our first time clients into lifelong clients and more than that - into friends.”

Each year in her impressive annual Top Travel Specialist list, Perrin picks the travel specialists around the world who offer the best combination of specialized knowledge (based on firsthand travel experience), local connections, user-friendliness, and value for your dollar.  The specialists Perrin recommends undergo a rigorous screening process that includes a 47-question application, sample itineraries, extensive phone interviews, and client references.

We stayed on the Royal Deck, category P, cabin 301. Our river cruise cabin was approximately 172 sq ft. with ample closet and drawer space for the two of us (women) to hang our clothes and store our personal items.  Suitcases also easily fit under the beds for storage. A converter is needed for any electrical appliances (the Front desk did have some converters to loan, with no fee); the bathroom does have a hair dryer.  Due to the locations on the river, signals for the TV were sometimes down and the TV was a little hard to use, but upon asking we were provided with better instructions.  Also, laundry service is provided for a fee, there are no facilities to do your own laundry or to iron your clothes.

Side Note:  the first day you will have a safety briefing, which will be followed by an actual drill the next morning – ours was at 9am. We were a little surprised at the drill as this is not common on large cruise vessels.

The ship held 138 passengers and there was plenty of room in the Forward and Aft Lounge to accommodate everyone.  The Aft Lounge provides a latte/espresso/cappuccino machine that was surprisingly very good. There were two computers onboard, internet costs were only 15 Euros for 7 days; however with only two computers there was often a line. Salon services were also priced quite reasonably at 18 Euros for a wash & style. The Sun Deck was a wonderful place to sit and view the scenery passing by. During certain areas Avalon Waterways provided commentary - while passing through the Rhine Gorge, the ongoing narration was delightful, introducing us to the various fairy tales or stories of each castle.

Being a new ship the crew was a mix of the very experienced and newcomers. However, everything onboard the ship ran very efficiently.  The staff was friendly and really wanted to please.  The cruise director was highly experienced and having lived n Europe for 25+ years knew Europe very well.

Every evening Avalon provided a talk on the next day’s visit, along with a Daily Event Sheet for that port, including map and town highlights.  So each day we set out and were amply prepared. Our itinerary was perfect and we enjoyed every town and village we stopped at.  Our included shore excursions were a delight.  Almost all were walking tours - the guide would meet us as we stepped off the river vessel and we would be divided into 3-4 groups and provided a transmitter with earpiece, called a “Whisper” to hang around our necks.  The device picked up the narration of our tour guide, automatically tuning into their specific “talking” channel, allowing us to wander around and easily hear their words.   The local guides were knowledgeable and obviously very experienced.  My favorite cities and tours were probably Heidelberg and Strasbourg.  The visit to Heidelberg Castle was approximately 45 minutes; we saw an 18th century wine cask holding 49,000 gallons of wine!  Afterwards we had a short walking tour of the town and then explored on our own.  Strasburg lies on the border of France and Germany and was a magnificent city, rich in history.  The architecture of the new and the old was very interesting and blended together nicely. 

Food and beverages onboard overall were enjoyable. Each evening Avalon throws a Happy Hour with 2-for-1 beverages.  The complimentary free-flowing wine at dinner was appreciated and decent.  Each evening we had a choice of red & white, or both! The meals got better and better as the cruise progressed.  Fish selections were not as appealing and tasty as we are used to in the Northwest, but the red meat entrees, on the other hand were very good.

The evening entertainment was primarily a piano player and some recorded music.  Twice special entertainment was brought onboard:  a lovely classical group called LaStrada and another evening a woodcarver was carving, preparing us for the day in Black Forest Germany.
Overall it was fabulous to cruise up the river, no matter which way you looked you could see beautiful scenery on both sides of the river vessel.  I was very impressed with the ms Avalon Luminary, the ships service and overall operation of river cruising. I highly recommend a river cruise and especially Avalon Waterways.

The suites aboard Seabourn Sojourn were very spacious and the colors they used worked very well together.  The bathrooms were quite large and included a shower, separate tub and double sinks.  I have never seen a suite with so much storage space.  This will be a wonderful ship for world cruises - large closets and lots of drawer space.  Through your TV you can book your shore excursions and spa treatments right in your room.  The TV also has all kinds of music and movies downloaded on it, eliminating the need for DVD or CD players.  They do also have an iPod docking station and the rooms have wireless internet.

Main Pool, Deck 8

The food onboard was fabulous.  I dined in the alternative dining venue, Restaurant 2 most of the trip (reservations are required). Restaurant 2 features a tasting menu of about seven small courses and is different every night. The food is presented and explained in detail, and they even tell you how to eat it for the best taste.   This venue is only open for dinner and holds about 42 people with reservations staggered between 7:30pm and 8pm.

Although I only dined a few times at the main dining venue, The Restaurant, each time it had a lot of choices and the food was wonderful as well.  The Restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner – with dinner being seated at 7pm.

Sun Terrace, Deck 11

The Patio Grill is an outdoor casual dining venue located by the pool and is open for lunch and dinner.  It may be outdoor, but the dinner is sit down and you are waited on. We took advantage of some nice weather evenings and decided to dine here.  Lunch is a serve yourself environment with salads and various American foods.

The Colonnade dining venue is buffet style for breakfast and lunch and features a different theme every day. Then for dinner it turns into a sit down venue, also with a different theme every evening.

The Retreat, Deck 11

The entertainment on board was top notch and they really did a great job.  During our cruise for our main nightly entertainment we had a ventriloquist one evening, an opera singer for two evenings, a comedian for two evenings and then the rest of the evenings we had Seabourn’s own singers and dancers that do various different acts.  Before and after dinner there was always a piano player in the Observation Lounge and a singer and band in The Club. The Club was also open late every night with dancing being enjoyed by all.

Seabourn Square, Deck 7

My most favorite part of the ship (besides lounging by the pool) was the Seabourn Square.  This was a hub of activity and yet still managed to stay very quiet and peaceful.  Within Seabourn Square there is an espresso bar, Library, Internet Café and the Front Desk.  There were comfy chairs and couches to sit and read or to just look out the window and the ocean.  The front desk is located right in the middle of the square and has four desks – this would also be where you would arrange your shore tours if you didn’t want to do this on the TV in your suite.  You can also check out Notebooks and use them anywhere on the ship; you do have to purchase the internet package to get online.

The Spa at Seabourn is two levels and included a fitness area and spa suites. The fitness classes started out just ok, but did improve throughout the trip as the instructor learned everyone’s skill set.  They fitness area on our cruise was always packed.  The spa treatments were good and they had a large treatment menu to choose from.  The spa has a very tranquil area out on the back deck that included a hot tub and private pool area; many people were enjoying this area.

I was really surprised by the difference in ages on this Seabourn ship.  It was overall a pretty young crowd onboard and there were even quite a few kids. The ship doesn’t have a designated kid’s area, but they did have a Nintendo Wii and Playstation onboard for them.

I am grateful to have had this opportunity to sail onboard the Seabourn Sojourn. This is truly a wonderful product and I have now become very spoiled.  I cannot wait to go on it again!

To find a shore excursion that you can enjoy, the first step is to talk with your Cruise Specialists cruise professional. Be completely honest about the nature of your disability; about any equipment that you will need to bring; and about the kind of assistance you will need from the crew. This information is important not only for the selection of a shore excursion, but for the selection of a ship and your specific accommodations on that ship.

Once he or she has complete information about your disability, your cruise professional can help you identify shore excursions that can meet your needs. Excursions that require the use of tenders – smaller boats that transport passengers from the cruise ship to the dock – may not be the best choice. You may have an easier time when your ship is able to pull up directly to the dock.

If you can sit comfortably for a length of time, a sightseeing tour via motorcoach, trolley or train may be a good option for you. If you use a wheelchair, your cruise professional can check on whether the tour vehicle is equipped with a wheelchair lift. If the tour takes more than an hour or two, it may also be important to check on the accessibility of restroom facilities and dining options along the way.

Wherever you cruise, it’s important to research your options for shore excursions well in advance. Given enough time, your cruise professional at Cruise Specialists may be able to work with the cruise line and the shore excursion operators to make some special accommodations. To find out more about Cruise Specialists’ custom shore excursions, visit our Shore Excursion Page or contact our team for more information.

Diana & the Stateroom Window

My wife Diana and I recently travelled through Europe on an Avalon Waterways river cruise along the Danube River and the Black Sea. We had a most enjoyable time sailing from Vienna to Bucharest.

Prior to the cruise we stayed in a hotel in Vienna. Our initial transfer from our pre-cruise hotel to the ship was a little chaotic, but was amusing for us to watch at least.  Between over enthusiastic guests, luggage and guides there was a little mass confusion. Eventually someone figured it all out and we were on our way. We arrived at Avalon Waterways Artistry in about 45 minutes and went directly on board. 

Budapest by Night

This was our first river cruise so we really didn’t know what to expect.  We chose a window room on the lower deck, since we generally don’t spend a lot of time in our room anyway. The window on this level was very near the waterline and turns out that on occasion the window is sometimes three inches or so below the waterline! For us this turned out great because the window is constructed so it has this little cove around it and creates this water sloshing noise, which sounded like a waterfall or fountain and was very soothing and semi-fascinating.  The room itself was large enough to be comfortable, with two nightstands and a desk unit built into the forward bulkhead.  No coffee table, no couch as on a standard cruise ship, but we won’t miss them - the air-conditioning works great so I’m a happy camper.

Budapest

The food overall was good. The breakfast buffet on the ship is very good.  They have a custom egg chef as well as scrambled eggs on the buffet line; however the sausages are only ok.  You can get to everything reasonably well even at the busiest times.  Dinner onboard was very good and served in a fairly efficient manner.  The dining room is very noisy as the ceiling is low and the wine and beer are included and flow freely.  It can be very difficult to hear people around your table. One evening a fun Gypsy trio roamed the dining room playing Hungarian music and taking requests. One of the bonuses of sailing a river cruise is in many ports you can go back out after dinner and we took advantage of that whenever we could.

ITINERARY
Budapet, Hungary - When we first arrived the captain took the boat through the town and then made a u-turn to go back to our dock.  We docked just upstream from the Liberty Bridge on the Pest side, a very good location - half block from the tram that takes you over to Buda or into downtown Pest and one block from the pedestrian only shopping street and close to the city’s open-air market. About one hour after docking the busses pulled up for the city sights tour, which was quite enjoyable.

Kalosca Trinity Square

Kalosca and Pecs, Hungary - Next up was the two small Hungarian cities of Kalosca and Pecs. One of the oldest towns in the country Kalosca was founded in 1009 by Saint Stephen.  On our tour we visited the Kalosca Cathedral of St. Mary (actually the bus had to drop us off a few blocks from the site because the roads are too narrow), Trinity Square, the Folk Art Museum and the Paprika Museum.  Next up was the city of Pecs, where the first university in Hungary was founded in 1367.

Novi Sad, Serbia - For the first time we visited Serbia, which overall was more metropolitan that I expected. We saw the old city center which includes the Orthodox Cathedral of Saint George, the Bishop’s Palace, Liberty Square and a Mc Donald’s – also unexpected. After, we drove out of Novi Sad past Petrovaradin Fortress on to the Krusedol Monastery. We concluded with a visit to a Bulgarian winery for a tasting and tour.

Kalemagdan Fortress

Belgrade, Serbia – This capital city has about 1.6 million residents. We saw the Cathedral of Saint Sava before heading downtown to the pedestrian shopping district for some free time. Then it was off to Kalemagdan Fortress – at one time the entire city resided within the fortress walls. The evening brought us a lovely folkdance performance.

Sistov, Bulgaria –We docked in Sistov but drove 2.5 hours through agricultural land to see two cities in Bulgaria, Veliko-Taranovo and Arganassi and then onto Rousse to meet the ship.  Each home we passed had a lovely garden instead of a lawn and the countryside was great. We visited Tsarevgrad Fortress – built on an island in the river and the village of Arbanasi, where we saw the Turkish merchant Konstantsaliyata. 

Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral

Bucharest, Romania - We docked in Oltenita, which is just a wide spot in the river.  When we arrived in Bucharest I was pleasantly surprised – as I had heard it was not a very nice city but I was egregiously misinformed.  The city is extremely pleasant.  Sure it has a lot of that ugly Communist era architecture but that’s hardly their fault.  We only stopped two places, the Palace of the Parliament and the Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral.  Our tour ended at the Roman Art Museum – which has a wonderful collection of Roman sculpture, mosaics, grave makers and other things Roman.

Esztergom Basilica

During the scenic cruising portions of our trip Barbara, our Cruise Director, would be up on the Sundeck to provide commentary for part of the day when we passed interesting places like Esztergom Basilica, where Saint Stephen I (the first king of Hungary) built the first cathedral in Hungary or when we sailed through the Danube River’s Iron Gates – including a fortress and hydroelectric dams. Even without the commentary we found it interesting to see sights such as little groups of very small houses that couldn’t have been more than one room.

All in all this river cruise portion of our vacation turned out really nice, despite some rainy weather which cannot be helped. Avalon Waterways handled it seamlessly and what can be better than having your tours included each day! I hope you look forward to reading about our next adventure.

Thanks for reading!
Rod Longenberger, Cruise Specialists Client

2010 Travel Weekly Power List

Travel Leaders Group (parent company of Cruise Specialists) has held their top ten ranking for the second year in a row in Travel Weekly’s 2010 Power List of the industry’s top travel sellers.

Travel Leaders Group - #10 on 2010 Travel Weekly Power List
6442 City West Parkway
Eden Prairie, MN  55344
www.travelleadersgroup.com

2009 Sales:
1.68 billion

Employees:
1,624

Previous ranking:
10

Executives:
Chairman - Michael Batt
CEO - Barry Liben
President of Travel Leaders Leisure Group - Tom Baumann
President of Travel Leaders Franchise Group - Roger Block
President of Loyalty Travel Agency - Eric Burdon
President of Travel Leaders Corporate - David Holyoke
CFO, Travel Leaders Group - Willie Lynch

2009 Developments:

• ARC Sales of 1.17 billion
• $14.7 million in sales from hosted agencies
• Realigned its divisions creating Travel Leaders Corporate and Travel Leaders Leisure Group in addition to Travel Leaders Franchise Group, Tzell Travel Group, and Loyalty Travel Agency
• Each of the three Travel Leaders Group divisions that use the Travel Leaders brand are embedded within the consumer site for both corporate and leisure travelers
• New Travel Leaders Group website (www.TravelLeadersGroup.com)
• Tzell acquired six agencies during 2009

Cruise Specialists Cares shore tour program is an opportunity to give back to those in need during your next cruise voyage. In this video Cruise Specialists guests aboard Holland America World cruise visited the SOS Children’s Village from the port of Durban, South Africa. Donations included everything from toys to the shirts off our client’s backs. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed meeting these smiling wonderful children. Cruise Specialists Cares is part of Cruise Specialists exclusive Shore Tour Program, for more information visit our Custom Shore Excursions page.

It has been 15 years since I first cruised aboard Crystal Cruises and I love it. It has been nearly ten years since I’ve been on Regent Seven Seas Cruises and I loved that even more. Last month I sailed with seven family members aboard Oceania Cruises Insignia and I think I’m in love all over again! Our itinerary was “Yacht Haven” and it featured the French and Italian Rivera’s. This itinerary is very port intensive, visiting ten ports in ten days – but very well worth it.

PRE-CRUISE STAY
We began our journey in Rome with a two night hotel stay (very highly recommended when travelling so far) where my family feels most at home. We unfortunately lost a day due to airlines cancellations, thankfully we had the two nights – the day we did spend in Rome was wonderful. Our hotel was tucked away in the Via Veneto neighborhood which proved to be a perfect location. Close to the center of the city, quiet and filled with cafes, shops and restaurants. Cruise Specialists can book pre- and post-cruise hotels for you with fabulous extra amenities!

WELCOME TO OCEANIA
Since we boarded the Insignia early in Civitavecchia (port city for Rome) we were able to enjoy a snack onboard before our rooms were ready around 3pm. I stayed in the 300 sq. ft Penthouse Suite, perfect for two people. The bathrooms were a bit on the small side, but very manageable and well appointed. As we began to unpack and settle in with our complimentary bottle of Champagne, we heard a knock at the door. It was our butler, Ivan from Croatia. Ivan was superb, the best part of the cruise -he was soft spoken, very attentive and it didn’t take long for him to learn our routine.

The passengers onboard overall were really fun. The average age was between 55 and 60 and there were several families with kids. I believe a few couples in their 30’s and anyone over 70 had just as much energy as I did. Very refreshing!

DINING
I was travelling with a group of eight people; which could cause a problem when dining. However aboard Oceania our group ate together every night in the Polo Grill, Toscana, or the main dining room without any issues. The ambiance was certainly different in all three but the service never wavered no matter where you were. In every restaurant the food was excellent - I can’t say that we ever had a bad meal. We ate in the Terrace café each morning and the waiters were always happy and wanted to engage in conversation. You never carried your own tray from the buffet and the lines were very short and ran smoothly. We rarely ate lunch onboard, only a few times and each time we ate at the Waves Grill. This is a really small area between the Terrace café and the Lido deck, the food was very good but getting it was a bit of an issue if it was busy.

ONBOARD ACTIVITIES
The fitness center was very nice and large for a small ship, with plenty of equipment. The spa was a little small, but efficient.

I found the computer center to be very effective. There were plenty of computer stations and it was never crowded. There was always a computer available no matter what time I went in.

We only enjoyed one evening of entertainment because our group enjoyed late meals, but what we saw was very enjoyable. There was no onboard photographer - which I loved. I’m sure no one in our group even missed it!

SHORE EXCURSIONS
Another fabulous thing about Oceania Cruises – even though we tendered in six out of ten ports, no lines, no waiting… heaven!

We took two shore excursions through Oceania’s Shore Excursion desk, both in France and both wine related. The first tour was from the port of St. Tropez. Our tour visited a village named Gassin, reachable by just a short bus ride from the pier. Gassin is perched high upon a hillside lined with vineyards, it was a beautiful scene indeed. Although I recommend this tour, there was a lot of walking up and down the hills in this village, which happened to not be stated very clearly in the shore excursion description. Some of the guests were having a bit of trouble with all the walking.

Our next tour was in Sanary-Sur-Mer, and absolutely fabulous port. This was a new stop for Oceania and from the way the passengers were buzzing onboard that evening I hope they will be adding this back into their itineraries soon (Sanary-Sur-Mer is reachable from the port of Marseille). This afternoon we went on an excursion to a family winery. My only complaint -  four hours was just not enough! There were 45 people on our tour and the ship had to wait for us to get back to leave.

Oceania really does deliver a wonderful product which in my expeience is very comparable to Crystal and Regent. I would recommend it to anyone who does not like the hassle of lines and everyone who wants that country-club casual feel!

For more information and deals visit our Oceania Cruises Page.

Nina Fadelli
Cruise Specialists, Marketing

The ship has attractive glass, photography, paintings, and murals throughout the vessel.

Glass bubbles at the champagne bar

Artwork at the Garden Café Entrance

I was able to visit staterooms in every category – the Courtyard villas were ready for viewing and truly impressive.  I could easily adapt to the floor-to-ceiling view of the water from the Owner’s Suite bedroom or the equally enjoyable view from the bath! 

Owners Suite Bedroom

Owners Suite Bath

The balcony, inside and studio staterooms were all beautifully appointed with glass art panels, attractive curtains and throw pillows, duvets and colorful coverlets on the beds.  We found the new divided bathroom concept convenient for two people getting ready at the same time in the morning.  It’s also nice to have the sliding glass door for the shower instead of a shower curtain sticking to you.

Balcony Cabin BF

 The new studio staterooms are small, but made very good use of their space.  Guests in these staterooms have their own private Studio Lounge area if they want to get away from any crowds, too.

Studio Cabin

Studio Cabin's Community Lounge

The fitness center is huge and includes separate rooms for Pilates, spinning and TRX equipment.  The spa is the largest at sea and the “Recess” area for kids in several age groups is also very large.

Pulse Fitness Center - Cardio area.

In the 90 degree weather we experienced in Miami, the Aquapark was a big hit with adults and kids alike.  The three water slides were compared and contrasted – most felt the Epic Plunge was the best – and I have to say it was my favorite, too!

The Epic Plunge!

With only two days onboard, we were not able to sample all 20 restaurants and lounges.  We enjoyed lunch at the Garden Café and dinner at Shanghai’s the first day – very attentive staff and great food in both.  On the second day, it was breakfast at O’Sheehan’s, lunch at Taste, and dinner at La Cucina – another successful round!

La Cucina Restaurant

I absolutely agree with Ralph’s opinion that The Blue Man Group put on one of the best shows I have ever seen at sea!  My friend and I also enjoyed The Second City comedy improvisation show and found the Nashville Songwriters session a totally unexpected gem!  These four Number 1 hit and/or Grammy winning singer/songwriters performed their music in the Fat Cats Jazz & Blues Club while telling the stories behind them – the crowd started out small and just kept growing – they were fantastic musicians and entertainers! 

All in all, it was a very enjoyable mini cruise!

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