Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Fiona Named Godmother of Allure of the Seas

For weeks there has been heavy speculation regarding the next godmother for Royal Caribbean's newest ship, the Allure of the Seas. Would it be Oprah? Would it be Catherine Zeta Jones from the movie Chicago? We were all guessing until today.

Royal Caribbean chairman and CEO Richard Fain along with President and CEO of RCI, Adam Goldstein announced today that the godmother of the largest cruise ship in the world is Princess Fiona. In case you are not up to speed with your animated movies, Princess Fiona is the star of the very popular Dreamworks Shrek movies.

While personally I think this is the perfect fit for the Dreamworks and Royal Caribbean partnership, what do you think? Is Princess Fiona a worthy godmother?

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Holiday Cruising

Maybe you’re looking to escape the kitchen, maybe you’re looking to avoid the in-laws, maybe you’re looking to flee the cold weather, or maybe it’s the only week everyone in your family is able to vacation together.  Whatever the reason, the December holidays are always prime cruising time!  But what’s it really like to be at sea for the holidays and is it worth the premium cost?  Absolutely!

 Spending Christmas or Hanukkah on a cruise is likely to be a holiday you will never forget. Ships are decorated from bow to stern with festively draped garland, extravagantly ornamented trees, and exquisite menorahs. Music fills the air as carolers sing about dreidels, decking the halls, and dashing through the snow.  Now’s your time to brush up on the words, because singing along is definitely encouraged!  Count on Santa and his elves to drop by too!

 The holidays are such a busy time of year that often the activities we’d like to share with our families, particularly our children, are often lost in the hustle and bustle of all there is to do!  But when you’re at sea for five or seven days with no “to do” list and there’s an itinerary of all sorts of planned activities available, the opportunity for quality family time abounds!  Imagine being able to sit with the kids and enjoy classic holiday movies on a big screen, or decorate crispy, buttery cookies to be enjoyed with rich hot chocolate.  Yum! Or huddle the family together for a holiday story of hope.  For some it may be the story of a baby being born in Bethlehem, and for others it could be the miracle of the oil that burnt for eight days in the holy Temple. The kids will enjoy creating themed arts and crafts which will make the perfect souvenir of your holiday at sea.

 Special meals and traditional foods are served in beautiful dining rooms and the best part is that you don’t have to clean the kitchen afterwards! Many ships have a priest or rabbi onboard to preside over traditional religious services.  If this is an important part of your holiday celebration, be sure to confirm with the cruise line you are considering.  All this and hot sun, warm waters, and balmy breezes too! Are you beginning to think this sounds pretty good?  There is still availability on select Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Celebrity ships.  Because nothing is quite like spending the holidays at sea!"

Thursday, November 04, 2010

Allure of the Seas

Several days ago Royal Caribbean took delivery of their newest addition, Allure of the Seas.  Departing Turku, Finland on October 29th, she has already begun her journey towards her homeport of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. She is expected to arrive on Thursday, November 11th.  There was a lot less fanfare to mark the occasion compared to a year ago, when her sister Oasis of the Seas made the same trip. Ah, but isn’t that always the case when a sibling comes along? So how does little sis distinguish herself from her much adored and popular big sister? Not to worry.  Allure of the Seas has charms all her own and will undoubtedly capture the hearts of everyone that gets the chance to step onboard!