Cruise Specialists Blog

Friendly Folk At Baristas, Oceania Riviera’s Complimentary Coffee Bar

Ralph Grizzle — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:15:05 +0000

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 Riviera serves Illy coffee, free of charge, at Baristas, which overlooks the pool deck.

When Marina was under construction in Genoa, I asked Frank del Rio why a coffee bar in this enviable spot on the ship? Why not a wine bar? He told me that Oceania’s guests weren’t huge consumers of alcohol, that their focus, generally, was on seeing the destinations and enjoying the ship. Okay, works for me. Think I’ll go up and have a macchiato and catch up on a little maritime history with Gianni.

A frothy cappuccino.

Staying Fit On Oceania Riviera: The Canyon Ranch SpaClub

Ralph Grizzle — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:17:51 +0000

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.

Resistance training at two Kinesis stations.

TechnoGym Elliptical Trainers

The onboard entertainment console has an iPod/iPhone docking station, plus television and built-in heart-rate monitoring.

TechnoGym makes some of the world's best fitness equipment.

Concept2 Rowing machine and TechnoGym treadmills.

The spa features a range of dumbbells up to 50 pounds.

There are a number of TechnoGym recumbent and upright bikes.

Exercise balls and bands.

Oceania Riviera Stateroom 9006: Attractive, Roomy, With Concierge Access & Deep Balcony

Ralph Grizzle — Fri, 11 May 2012 07:00:36 +0000

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.

The look is certainly familiar in this Category A Concierge Level Veranda Stateroom, measuring 282 square feet and, as implied, featuring a veranda as well as a sitting area with sleeper sofa, large flat-panel television, marble bath with Bvlgari toiletries, tub – and shower with a rainforest shower head.

Oversized marble and granite bathrooms feature a tub . . .

. . . and a separate shower.

. . . as well as Bvlgari toiletries.

The stateroom also comes with a host of amenities, including priority dining reservations at Riviera’s four speciality restaurants, including Red Ginger; priority embarkation and disembarkation (which makes a difference on a ship carrying 1250 passengers); and a dedicated concierge lounge, where guests may use the services of the concierge and enjoy light snacks, coffees and other goodies.

Also in my stateroom: a laptop computer for use during my voyage.

Concierge Level Stateroom guests receive use of laptop computers with wireless internet (connection charges apply).

Plus, a stocked mini-bar.

The mini-bar includes free and unlimited soft drinks and bottled water, replenished daily.

Other than that, I don’t think anything has changed in this category stateroom, but certainly there could be changes here, considering that we reported earlier that there are 727 differences between Riviera and Marina.

Concierge Level Staterooms include a welcome bottle of champagne and the use of cashmere lap blanket for those chilly evenings.

Dining With Frank Del Rio At Jacques On Oceania Riviera

Ralph Grizzle — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:40:28 +0000

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.

“We think everyone should be able to experience all of the restaurants,” he said.

To assure efficient service and quality cuisine, each of the restaurants on Riviera (and sister Marina) has its own galley. In between courses, Frank took us on a tour of the galleys, which were in full-on lunch mode.

Cuisine is such an essential ingredient to the success of Oceania that half of Riviera’s staff (400) work in areas directly related to food services.

In Jacques: Artichoke Salad over Thinly Sliced Foie Gras with PeÌrigord Black Truffle Vinaigrette

Heart of Boston Lettuce with Shallots and Roquefort Cheese

Half Maine Lobster baked in the shell with Mustard Mushroom Cream Sauce

Grilled Salmon with Chive potatoes and Hollandaise Sauce

Half of Oceania Riviera's staff works in food-related services.

Made in Jacques: Mille Feuille, a baked puffed pastry with Madagascar Vanilla and Light Cream

The proof is in the pudding - or make that Mille Feuille.

Holland America’s Mariner Appreciation Week

Alysia Murillo — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:04:47 +0000

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.

Cruise Specialists To Celebrate 25th Anniversary on Special Summer Cruise to Alaska

Vickie Meeuwsen — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:22:23 +0000

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.

This unique cruise will be hosted by Cruise Specialists Founder Janet Lanterman and Voyage Ambassador Ellen Bethel and will include:
• Exclusive parties
• A commemorative gift
• A $50 beverage card per stateroom
• An optional two night pre-cruise hotel and wine tasting package in Seattle, Washington

Cruise Specialists 20th Anniversary Cruise

Several hundred longtime clients and new friends joined Cruise Specialists on a similar 20th Anniversary Cruise to Alaska in 2007 and many took the opportunity to bring along their entire extended family for a once in a lifetime trip to Alaska. Once again, Cruise Specialists is offering special pricing to bring along a third and fourth person in your cabin.

Find out more about the upcomingCruise Specialists 25th Anniversary Cruise

Read about Alaska’s impressive glaciers

Avid Cruiser Voyages: Alaska’s Glaciers

Ralph Grizzle — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:12:40 +0000

Wave for the camera! For some in this photo, taken in 2006, seeing the glaciers of Alaska was the last thing on their bucket lists. At least two people had terminal illnesses. © Ralph Grizzle

There’s more than one reason that so many people choose to sail to Alaska more than once. We can think of three reasons to cruise Alaska multiple times: Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier, and the Sawyer Glaciers (okay, make that four reasons). To get a glimpse of the grand and imposing natural glaciers that grace the 49th state is probably the primary reason that people cruise to Alaska. And while most cruises are likely to call on Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier, or the Sawyer Glaciers at some point during the course of their voyages, not every Alaskan cruise features glacial scenic cruising. So if your reason for going is to see glaciers, pay attention when choosing your itinerary.

Alaska

Of all of the glaciers in Alaska, Glacier Bay National Park remains the quintessential experience, with the sprawling Margerie Glacier being the most visited by cruise ships. Stays here typically last an entire day and are punctuated by hours of scenic cruising for varying vantage points of the glaciers. This day is an experience to remember. Passengers may be bundled in wool blankets or only in T-shirts, depending on the weather. On cool days, waiters stroll the decks offering a variety of concoctions, some with alcohol, some without, to chase away the chill. On warm days, you can always get glacially cold concoction.

Ralph Grizzle enjoying a cold drink on a warm day at Margerie Glacier in 2003.

On a memorable trip to Glacier Bay aboard Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam in 2006, we sat on the teak promenade deck relaxing in the line’s steamer-style chairs, wrapped in multicolored blankets and sipping on the line’s signature split pea soup. Then, it happened.

Celebrity Millennium alongside Hubbard Glacier, Alaska. Photo courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

At first it sounded like a thunderclap: sharp, piercing and filled with power. Gradually, the face of the ice started to change before us, loosing texture and definition until it became almost featureless. Gravity took hold, and the better part of a 50-foot section of the face of the glacier slid into the sea with a thunderous splash that made even the 932-foot long Zuiderdam bob up and down in the oncoming swell. It’s just one of many memorable experiences we’ve had in Glacier Bay. Because access is so tightly controlled to Glacier Bay, with cruise lines bidding on (and paying top-dollar) for the few spots that open each season, a suitably impressive alternative was found in Hubbard Glacier. Located farther north than Glacier Bay, Hubbard is more imposing at first glance simply due to its sheer size. Ships can also get slightly closer to Hubbard, since it doesn’t exist in the narrow spits like Glacier Bay.

Alaska

The Sawyer Glaciers are a bit of a double-edged sword. Located at the end of Tracy Arm fjord just a few hours south of Juneau, their prime location makes them an included feature on many itineraries. The trouble lies within Tracy Arm itself: Although exceedingly beautiful to the point of rivalling Norway’s famous Geirangerfjord, Tracy Arm is often so choked with ice that navigating a large cruise ship through the channel is often impossible. This causes most ships to stop halfway down the fjord, rotate using their thrusters, and retrace their steps out again.

Sun Princess sailed to Alaska for many years before finding a second home cruising the South Pacific. Photo courtesy of Princess Cruises

But there is hope for those wanting to see the beautiful North and South Sawyer Glaciers: Some lines, like Norwegian Cruise Line, offer excursions to the glaciers that depart from Juneau on smaller, faster, purpose-built vessels. This multi-hour excursion whisks guests right to the glaciers themselves, then returns further up the fjord to your waiting cruise ship. Not only do you get to view these magnificent glaciers up-close and personal, but boarding your cruise ship in the middle of a misty fjord is endlessly memorable.

Reunion Cruises – Families, Corporations and More

Vickie Meeuwsen — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:00:36 +0000

Navy Nurse Corps Association Thanks Cruise Specialists with a Special Plaque

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!

Reunion Cruises
Cruise Specialists has been successfully organizing reunion cruises for the past 25 years for families, corporations and affiliate groups. Whether your group is large or small, we can work with you to:
• Select the right cruise line and itinerary for your group
• Secure cabins near each other
• Reserve private meeting/celebration space on the ship
• Organize special events onboard
• Plan private trips on shore
• Offer special discounts and incentives based on your group size

Please contact our team of knowledgeable cruise consultants if you have any questions about what it takes to plan a group cruise.

Continuing A Tradition: Cunard’s Iconic Transatlantic Crossings And A Special Memory Regarding Titanic

Ralph Grizzle — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:21:15 +0000

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…

The centennial comes just weeks before Cunard Line’s flagship Queen Mary 2 sets sail on her eighth Transatlantic cruise season beginning May 2012. This year she will sail 19 classic seven-day crossings between New York and Southampton, and six nine-day extended voyages between New York and Hamburg. For a schedule, contact us.

The only liner to provide regularly scheduled Transatlantic service, Queen Mary 2 is one of my favorite vessels, and a Transatlantic cruise, which I have done three times now, ranks among my favorite experiences.

I enjoy Transatlantic cruises for a variety of reasons:

No jetlag, at least in one direction, assuming you’re flying back home. Of course, you could go both ways on the ship. My preference: West to East where you gain an hour each day.
Rich in classic British traditions, including my favorites, fish & chips and pints of ale.
Relaxed pace of onboard life. With no ports, except for the departure and arrival seven days later, you don’t have to plan your days ashore.
Admiring the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s beautiful out there in the middle of the sea.
Sailing into New York.

Have you crossed the Atlantic by ship? If so, please share your stories on our Facebook page.

Avid Cruiser Voyages: Alaska’s Inside Passage

Ralph Grizzle — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:06:24 +0000

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.

Let’s face it: Alaska is also notable for its average annual precipitation. In fact, the town of Ketchikan is known as the “Rain Capital of Alaska,” with roughly 230 days of precipitation per year. But this is one destination where you actually want it to rain. Alaska under sunny skies is breathtaking, but nowhere as beautiful as on a cloudy day, with the mist and fog rolling in off the mountains.

Alaska is also one of the quintessential cruise destinations. Along with the Caribbean, Alaskan cruising helped give birth to the modern cruise industry as it exists today, with ships plying these waters since the turn of the last century. And no itinerary is perhaps more emblematic of the Alaskan cruise experience than the Inside Passage, Roundtrip from Vancouver.

Onlookers gather along the promenades at Vancouver's Canada Place Cruise Terminal to bid farewell to Holland America's Zuiderdam as she sets off on another Inside Passage run. Photo © Aaron Saunders

Departing from Vancouver’s Canada Place Cruise Terminal, with its iconic white sails and extensive promenades, your sail-away is a memorable event. Onlookers gather along the viewing areas to see the ships off, waving and cheering as each ship sounds its horn and backs slowly into Burrard Inlet. Even though Vancouver sees cruise ships from April to October each year, big departure days are such an event that businesspeople will stop at Canada Place on their way home to watch the sail-aways, mingling with tourists who have come to see the great ships off.

Passengers aboard Holland America's Rotterdam snap photos as their ship makes its way under the Lions Gate Bridge with just a few feet to spare. Photo © Aaron Saunders

The send-off pierside is matched as each ship sails past Stanley Park, Vancouver’s trademark attraction. This gives way to the impressive Lions Gate Bridge, which all ships entering or leaving Vancouver must sail under. Even after dozens of sailings, passing under this bridge never gets old for us, and remains one of cruising’s most photographically amazing departures, as your ship clears the bridge with just feet to spare and sails off into the setting sun, bound for the magnificent Inside Passage.

The hallmark of the traditional Alaskan cruise experience, the days spent transiting the Inside Passage will stay with you forever. The gateway to Alaska, the Inside Passage covers over 25,000 miles of coastline in British Columbia, and 500 miles of Alaskan coastline. Extreme tidal fluctuations and narrow passages necessitate on-board pilots, who assist the ship’s officers in navigating at all times.

The upshot of this for passengers is an ever-changing cruising experience. Even if you’ve sailed the Inside Passage before, you’ll find that no two cruises through this exquisite region are alike. During our sailings, we’ve had everything from crisp sunshine framed by flawless blue skies to moody and ethereal clouds that hang so close to sea level that you feel you might be able to reach out and touch them.

But all of this is merely a prelude of what’s to come.