2019 Cruise Line Expansion

So 2019 has seven plus one ship scheduled to set sail.
I am sure you are asking what does this plus one mean. The Norwegian Joy will join her sister ship the Bliss in Alaska. Although technically she is not a new ship. She was released in 2017 for the Chinese market. She will be getting a $40 million dry dock overhaul to make her over for the North American market. She will start her season out in Alaska and will sail from the West Coast year round.

Norwegian Joy (photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

The Norwegian Encore will be the second Norwegian ship to market this year with a launch date set for Fall 2019. It is in the last ship in the Breakaway Plus class of ships and will make 17 cruise ships for Norwegian. It will feature an observation lounge. "Experience sheer awe from our 180-degree indoor Observation Lounge - offering Norwegian's most expansive views at sea. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide spectacular vistas while cruising past spectacular seascapes, landscapes and cityscapes. And with a full-service bar, you can toast to colourful sunsets with your favourite cocktail."

Observation Lounge (photo courtesy of ncl.com)

Costa will be bringing the Smeralda to life in October 2019. It is named after a popular tourist destination in Italy. What will be on the ship is being kept a secret it will however be sailing the Western Mediterranean.

 Costa Smeralda (photo courtesy of cruisecritic.com)

The Sky Princess will debut in 2019 for the Princess cruise line and will sail the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. "Crowning the heights of Sky Princess®, each of the ship’s two Sky Suites hosts up to five guests, dazzling you with a 270-degree panorama throughout your voyage. Complementing the exquisitely appointed interior living spaces, a luxuriously furnished 700-square-foot balcony – the largest at sea – invites you to relax privately or host your own celebrations or catered events."

Sky Suite (rendering from Princesscruise.com)

Carnival will have a new ship in 2019 also with the Carnival Panorama. It will be setting sail on the West Coast. Seems like the West Coast is finally getting some love with newer ships. It will be sailing out of Long Beach, California and will have some of Horizon and and Vista as they are it's sister ships but with a West Coast Vibe.

Carnival Panorama (photo courtesy of cruisebuzz.net)

The next ship will be the MSC Bellissima and this ship will also start out in the Mediterranean, They will be featuring Cirque de Soleil on the ship 2 times a night six days a week. MSC has an exclsuive partnership for Cirque de Soleil at Sea.  They will also feature F1 simulators for the Formula One Racing Fan. So much to see and do.

Bellissima (photo courtesy of cruiseweb.com)

The Spectrum of the Sea will be the new Royal Quatum Class ship and will be doing Asian Itineraries. "Discover a Far East adventure full of new feats and firsts on Spectrum of the Seas℠, the first of the Quantum Ultra Class ships. From high-flying virtual reality thrills in the Sky Pad℠ and custom juice drink creations crafted by robots at the Bionic Bar®, to revolutionary Golden Suites accommodations with exclusive amenities like private dining rooms, lounges and a Solarium. Not to mention karaoke performances in your own private 3D cinema in the brand new Ultimate Family Suite."

Last but not least will be the MSC Grandiosa will also be doing the Mediterranean. There are definitely not a lack of itineraries or ports in this area. I am doing my second next year with some ports the same and some different and different cruise line. They will also feature the Cirque de Soleil with 2 shows a night six days a week.

Photo courtesy of CruiseWeb.com

So as you can tell based on my last two blogs we are definitely not lacking in choices of Ships and more to come. I can even tell you new ships scheduled right into the 2020'2. Virgin is hitting the cruise market with the launch of their first ship in 2020.

There is so many places that you can now see and visit from the comfort of a cruise ship. Only having to unpack once.

I am always ready to help you make your next cruise experience as seamless and as magical as possible

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Expanding Cruise Lines

The cruise lines are expanding and each one seems to want to make the biggest ship ever or have the best entertainment on board.
2018 will see new eight new ships. The first out the gate was Royal in March with the Symphony of the Seas currently sailing the Western Caribbean. I must say this family suite is so on my bucket list, which means I am going to have to travel more times in a year.

Ultimate Family Suite (courtesy of rcl.com)

The second to make it to market is the Carnival Horizon in April currently sailing for Bermuda and the Caribbean from NY. There association is with Dr. Seuss so they have created a very kid friendly water park with many famous Dr. Seuss characters.

Dr Seuss Waterworks (courtesy of carnival.com)

The third ship is the Norwegian Bliss that was also released in April and is currently sailing in Alaska. A first at sea with a go-kart track on the ship

racing at sea (courtesy of metro.co.uk)

The fourth ship is the Seabourn Ovation which set sail in May and is currently sailing in Europe, It is an ultra luxury cruise line. They are smaller ship sailing with only 600 passengers and in luxurious accommodations.

Wintergarden Suite (courtesy of seabourn.com)

The fifth ship to launch this year is the MSC Seaview in June sailing the Mediterranean and then it will move to South America. MSC has catered to Europeans but is slowly becoming a North American player in the cruising industry. MSC has a partnership with Lego for their kids club area.

lego play area (courtesy of msc.com)

The sixth ship to launch this year is the Viking Orion in June sailing the Australia and the Mediterranean. This another luxury line with a capacity of only 930 passengers. Viking also happens to be a river cruise company as well. This ship has added a planetarium to their open space.

The Observatory (photo courtesy of cruisecritic.com)

The seventh ship will launch in December and will be the Nieuw Statendam from Holland America. The ship will be based in the Caribbean with alternating itineraries. This ship will have on board cooking shows and hand on workshops. Holland America tends to cater to an older crowd of cruisers.

Spa Inside (courtesy of Holland America.com)

The last ship of 2018 and certainly not the list will be the Celebrity Edge which is set to launch in December as well. It is set to sail in the Caribbean also with alternating itineraries. The highlight of this new ship is the Magic Carpet. "The highlight of our outward-facing vision is the Magic Carpet, an extraordinary venue that changes mood, function, and even its location. This incredible engineering feat is the world’s first cantilevered, floating platform that reaches heights of 13 stories above sea level, so you can soar over the open ocean. With breathtaking views, a full bar, and space for live music performances, it truly is a destination itself."

Stateroom with an infinity veranda (celebritycruise.com)

I would like to try a few of these ships I see many more cruise's in my future. Which ship would you chose if you could chose just one? Looking forward to your comments.

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Cruise Comparisons

So I have spent time discussing NCL and Royal cruise lines as they are the two that I have personally sailed so far. I have 2 more NCL cruises scheduled and 1 on Celebrity. However today I am going to talk about a mid level cruise line Azamara.
Azamara has more included than the basic lines. I priced out a Mediterranean itinerary sailing September 28, 2019 on the Azamara Journey for twelve days. I will be using it compare to my NCL Epic Mediterranean that I will be sailing on in July 2019 for seven days.
The Azamara Itinerary is as follows:
Day 1 Barcelona Embark
Day 2 St Tropez
Day 3 Monte Carlo
Day 4 Livorno (Florence/Pisa)
Day 5 Civitavecchia (Rome)
Day 6 Sorrento
Day 7 Amalfi
Day 8 At Sea
Day 9 Kotor
Day 10 Dubrovnik
Day 11 Zador
Day 12-13 Venice
An Interior Stateroom for 2 people would cost $11692.00 CAD and you would receive $250 USD per person as on board credit.
With this cruise you have included standard spirits, international beers, 2 red, 2 white, 1 rose and 1 sparkling wine by the glass each day. As well as your juice and pop, coffee and tea. You can purchase drink packages if you would like more.
Gratuities are included in the cruise price so there is no extra to pay unless you want to tip the staff more.
They do have specialty dinning that is not included at 3 restaurants and the packages to add them run between $70 per person and $250 per person.
The last item is internet which is $19.95 per day for unlimited access.
Keep in mind you still have to pay for excursions but they are for smaller groups, part of that is smaller ships as well. You can use your on board credit to pay for these excursions.

Azamara (Photo courtesy of cruisemaven.com)

My cruise in July 2019 will be a seven day on board the NCL Epic
The itinerary is the following:
Day 1 Barcelona Embark
Day 2 At Sea
Day 3 Naples
Day 4 Rome
Day 5 Florence/Pisa
Day 6 Cannes
Day 7 Plama de Mallorca
Day 8 Barcelona Disembark
A balcony stateroom for 2 Adults and 2 children is $6664.61 CAD
A beverage package costs $89 usd per day for the ultimate package there are packages for just soda as well. You also have to add an 18% gratuity to this amount as well.
Gratuities are $14.50 USD per person per day.
Specialty dinning has many options on this ship. You can purchase a 3 or more day package to try out different options. A 3 day package is $69 USD per person.
Unlimited internet is $25.50 USD per day.

NCL Epic (photo courtesy of ncl.com)

If you add in the drink package and the gratuities the NCL package gets closer to $8517 CAD. Now in my case as it is a group booking I had the opportunity to add two inclusions to my package and I chose the drink package and the gratuities as my options. Not everyone has these options available. 

So for more money you can cruise on a smaller ship a more intimate ship and have more included in the over all price. Your ship will be less crowded. Now keep in mind that these smaller more luxurious ships are not as kid friendly as the bigger mass ships are. They do have children's clubs etc but there are usually not many children on board.

Azamara also offers ports that the bigger ships can not always get to which is nice if you decide cruising is the only way you wish to travel. They also offer overnights in port so you can get the opportunity to explore a cities nightlife not just what it is like during the day.

To book either of these cruises of any cruise contact me today!!

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Golf Group Getaways

I know my last blog was about cruising and I will get back to that shortly as I want to discuss some of the middle and higher end cruise lines with you. But right now I want to introduce you to my latest adventure.I have secured group space for an ultimate Winter Vacation. A trip that I am hoping will become an annual occurrence.
I have dubbed this a golf getaway but if you do not want to golf you do not have to, it is just an added perk. Spend a week in Punta Cana the Dominican Republic having an awesome time at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Hard Rock has a program where you receive resort credit based on the room you book You may use this credit to play golf on their signature gold course, spend the day at heir spa or enjoy water sports and excursions. You have only to pay the taxes. So if you like to golf and your partner does not there is no reason why you can not have fun on this trip.
This space is booked from February 9th to February 16th 2019. Flights from Montreal with Air Transat are included. Prices start at $2451.00 CAD per person depending on which room category you chose as well as the occupancy.

Her are some of the pictures I took when I was visiting the resort for a Gala back in April.

There is so much to do at this Resort and to see. The shopping the dining and the playing is spectacular.

Book by August 10th 2018 and get a $25 CAD per person discount

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and can service clients anywhere in Canada but I meet with clients in the SDG area

Cruise Excursions

In my last blog I discussed what is included and not included on some cruises. Today I am going to talk a bit more about excursions. I have done 2 cruises so far and have done a few different options for my tours.
In Tortola a fellow agent used a contact she had on the island to arrange a group tour for forty of us. Two vehicles with drivers, included beverages brought us to the beach after showing us a few sites with stunning views and had us back to the ship in time. In St Thomas four of us got off the ship and negotiated with a taxi to again take us to a beach and to come and pick us up at a certain time to take us back to the ship. He was running a bit late and called the restaurant/bar he left us at, we still made it back to the ship. We did get a bit of a scare.
Now for my Royal cruise I booked all of my excursions through Royal. I did enjoy their system for getting everyone off the ship and into the right tour. It was very efficient. Although you did sometimes have to wait for a while to be called but you were at least a couple of hundred in the auditorium. I did find some excursions pricey and honestly you can spend more on these than the actual cruise depending on what you want to see and do.
So here I am 154 days before my cruise and trying to decide what the six of us are going to do. My children will be 9, 11, 13, 14 and I will be 45 and my mom will be 69. We need to take a lot into consideration. So I am going to compare a few and maybe some of you will chime in with your personal feedback.
This blog will feature the first port of my December cruise which happens to be Roatan. Honduras.
The first options I have looked at are with the Norwegian so the cruise line itself. They have ten excursion options from $59 CAD per adult up to $307 CAD per adult. Some offer children's pricing and some do not allow children on them at all. So again something I will have to take into consideration with the wide range of my group.The excursions also run from 2 hours up to 6 hours. The options are as follows: The best of west Roatan, Ultimate Resort Gateway, Ultimate Big French Key Beach Experience with Lunch, Sightseeing for people with limited mobility, South shore Zip line Adventure,  Ultimate Extreme Adventure Combo, Ultimate Fishing Adventure, Boss Underwater Adventure, Semi Submarine Adventure, and Black Pearl Golf Course.
The second options I have looked at are with Shore Excursions. There prices range from $29 USD per adult to $159 USD per adult. An hour and 45 minutes is the shortest with 5 hours being the longest. They have the same issues with adults and children as the cruise line does. They have 21 options available so double what the cruise line has to offer. The options are as follows: Roatan by Land & Sea, Roatan Zip and Splash Beach Break, Zuperman Zip line and Beach, Glass Bottom Boat, Exclusive Two-Tank South Island Dive, Reef Snorkel by Boat, Roatan Fun & Sun Tour, Roatan Zip line Adventure, Zip & Snorkel Adventure, Zip line, Horseback Ride & Shipwreck Snorkel, Roatan Zip, Eco walk & Beach Break, Roatan Zip & Eco Walk, Eco Walk & Suspension Bridges, Eco walk & Beach Break, Snorkel & Kayak Combo, West End Island Beach Tour, The Path to our Past and Future Tour, Catamaran Cruise, Padi Discovery Scuba, Roatan VIP Free Style Private and Private East End Tour & Garifuna.
The third option is my own website there are 21 options for just shore excursions in Roatan. There are also other tours available but they usually mean finding your own transportation and coordinating arrival times etc.. much more carefully. The price range for these tours is from $33.47 CAD per adult to $176.51 CAD per adult. The time on them range from one hour to six hours. The options are as follows: Zip n' Dip Canopy Tour, Hanging Bridges Eco Tour & Beach Break, Paradise Beach Club Day Pass, Bodden's Beach Break Bus, Roatan West Bay Beach Break Excursion, 1 tank full dive west side Island plus ground transportation, relax with a professional massage, Roatan Hiking Adventure With Butterfly Garden & Beach, Tour & Day at a Private Beach, Wildlife Rescue Park & Beach, Best of Roatan plus Sol y mar Beach Excursion, Tour & Day at a private beach Cub, West Bay Beach with Lunch, Small group tour with dolphins, snorkeling by land & Sea, Small group glass bottom boat tour, Private tour to animal Sanctuary & Lagoon, Small Group West Bay Beach Tour, Mangrove Cruise, West Island Tour, East Island Tour, Snorkeling Tour, Roatan Zip lines Beaches and Monkey Park.
Fourth option is of course doing your own research finding places you want to go and then grabbing a taxi to the place or places you want to visit. Some of the items that showed up on my google search and trip advisor were as follows: Scuba & Snorkeling, Boat Tours, Sightseeing Tours, Fishing Charters & Tours, Water Sports, Donnie Johnson Monkey & Sloth Hang Out, Dolphin Encounter, Half Moon Bay, Shark Diving and Dolphin and Whale Watching.

 Snorkeling in Roatan (photo courtesy of ncl.com)

 (photo courtesy of ncl.com)

(photo courtesy of ncl.com)

So many choices and options and again I can not stress how much value you get in having a travel agent that can help you navigate all the options and make your vacation dreams come true by helping to take away some of the stress,

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and can service clients anywhere in Canada but I meet with clients in the SDG area

Cruising- What you get

December 2018 my family will be aboard the Norwegian Getaway Western Caribbean cruise. The cruise starts and end in Miami with ports in Roatan, Belize, Costa Maya and Cozumel.I do hold group space on this cruise and it is not too late to join us. Final payments are due by September and you can chose from 2 perks to cruise.

NCl Getaway (photo courtesy of NCL.com)

When planning a cruise there are many things to consider and take into consideration. There are different levels of "all inclusiveness". Norwegian, Royal and Carnival are less inclusive. While some of the more moderate lines are more inclusive such as Azamara, Celebrity and Cunard and then you have the more expensive lines that are even more inclusive such as Oceania and Seabourn just to name a few.

What I mean by this having sailed Norwegian and Royal you can eat at any buffet or main dining room no problem it is included in the cost of the cruise. However both lines offer specialty restaurants, at these restaurants you pay a fee to eat at them. Now you can also buy dining packages or sometimes you can get them included as part of your cruise offer. Same thing applies to drinks everyone can help themselves to juice, water, milk and coffee it is included in your cruise price. Pop, specialty coffees,  smoothies, fresh juice, beer, wine and specialty drinks these are all extra. Again both lines have different levels of drink packages that you can order or sometimes you can get drink packages included as a bonus offer.

Gratuities are expected on a cruise you are expected to pay a certain amount per day per passenger, These are not included in your cruise price and are charged to your account when you board in USD. You can however prepay them. Drink and drink package also have an 18% gratuity attached. You can also chose to pay more directly to your cabin attendant or your servers in the dining room.

Excursions are another option that is not included in your cruise price. First and foremost just because the ship stops in a port does not mean you have to get off. If you want to stay on the ship you can. If you want to get off you can get off. In your daily newsletter you will know what time you can get off the ship and what time you have to be back on at. So this means you have options.

Option # 1 is book an excursion with the cruise line. They will offer many choices for each port with a different range in price, duration and activity level. These excursions come with a guarantee they will get you back to the ship in time or they will get you to the next port of call. Cruise ships can not wait long for late passengers as they receive rather hefty fines/charges if they do not leave a port on time.

Option # 2 you get off the ship hire a taxi and go where you wish. You can research in advance what you would like to see or do. You may even take a train, bust etc,, The problem with this is of course making sure you get back on time and don't get stranded or lost.

Option # 3 is nook an excursion but not through the cruise line. This option will also have many options available to chose from. You can get off the ship and there will be many locals ready and willing to set you up with many tour options. Many of the same tours the ship offers. Keeping in mind you can often barter with price this way. Also you are still the one who ultimately has to make sure you get back to the ship on time. Another option is using your travel agent to book something for you. There are companies that specialize in shore excursions and who even offer the same guarantees the cruise ship supplier offer. Some of them even have advantages of private groups which the ships can not usually offer. On one of my excursions on the Mediterranean sent out 6 buses of at least 40-50 people on the same tour. Now think if another ship or two docks the same day you do and also offers the excursion they are busy. You also have options with some travel suppliers that have day trips which again are perfect for a cruiser and sometimes offering better pricing
Travel agents all offer the same pricing. If Deck C cabin 2 is $500 with Royal direct it is $500 with me the travel agent. If they are offering perks to book that cabin the travel agent will have the same perks. The only real time pricing would be different is if an agent has group space booked and did so relatively early their pricing and incentives could better otherwise we are all the same.
By booking with a travel agent you are getting an added value in the service that is provided.We can explain all the little extras I have just touched on in this blog that you may or may not stumble upon on your own. So hopefully you will not have sticker shock when all the extra's get added. We can help you with pre booking things so that everything is taken care of and runs smoothly. Most cruises start in a port and return to the same port at the end of the sailing, but there are some who do not. Do you know how many people who get stranded at the end of a cruise they booked themselves because they missed that detail, These are the things that can turn a pleasant vacation into a nightmare. So honestly what does it cost you to go to a small business owner a reputable travel agent and let them help you make your dream vacation come true.

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and can service clients anywhere in Canada but I meet with clients in the SDG area

Freedom of the Seas - Palma de Mallorca

There are not as many tours in Palma de Mallorca as there were in some of the other ports. Here were some of the options available. Mallorca Beach Transfer, Kayaking Mallorca's West Coast, Segway in Palma, Best of wine Tasting and Palma Aquarium Family Discovery. We had signed up for the Aquarium visit but it was cancelled due to lack of interest. With my mother not feeling well still with her knee and back we made the decision to stay on board the ship and do more exploring, with the added benefit of a lot lee people on board.
We started out our morning in one of the 2 hot tubs that are canter-levered over the side of the ship. We were the only two in the tub and the view was amazing. The soak in the hot tub actually made my mother feel better.

 the sunrise

 my mom

 this side you can see other ships in port

 dome top

We decided to go up and check the sports deck. We saw Basketball, mini golf, the Flo Rider and more. There were people playing mini golf but the Flo Rider was closed at the time, so I did not get to see it in action.

 Mini golf

 Rock Climbing Wall

 Multi purpose courts

Flo Rider

I decided to check out the arcade and my mom decided to sit out on the deck. I enjoy playing some of the games and could be there for quite a while. Thankfully I gave myself a limit and when it was spent I was done. Key cards make it easy not to be accountable for what you are spending. But you can keep track of it on the television in your room.

We decided to have lunch at Johnny Rockets. An awesome diner. Unlimited fries and onion rings. We had hamburgers and milk shakes. There are mini jukeboxes at the tables and at the hour the waiters perform a show. This restaurant also has a nominal fee. It was another experience. The only problem with this restaurant was the location. It is hidden at the back of the ship we almost missed it.

 Menu

 Menu

 Mini Juke Box

 Fries and Rings

 Smiley Face Ketchup

 Hamburger

Dance show

In the afternoon we went to Schooners Bar where they had different games, coloring and social connections going on. This had been going on all week but this was the first opportunity we had ti participate. Not many people were here because so any were ashore. In the late afternoon early evening 90% o the ship went to shore to attend a a free Gypsy King Concert because of the President's cruise. Again we skipped because we felt it would be too crowded for my mother and that seating is any would not be comfortable. We stopped at the Italian restaurant for a slice of pizza in the afternoon. 

 Schooners (nautical themed)

 Schooners

Italian Restaurant

After supper my mother headed to the casino. Mary and another agent kept her company while I sat in Schooners bar away from the smoke and read. The casino is the only place on the ship for smoking so all of them end up there. I am not a big gambler so skipping the casino is a good thing or I probably would have lost a lot.

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and can service clients anywhere in Canada but I meet with clients in the SDG area