Seattle Sailaway

We're just back from a great cruise to Alaska aboard Golden Princess. For those of you who may not have cruised before, we thought we would share our sailaway video, to give you an idea of just how much fun cruising can be.

In case you are wondering how I got the shots of the outside of the ship, when I was actually on the ship, I will confess that I "cheated".....I took them one week before we actually departed.

We have an absolutely great cruise coming up in August of 2009 on Golden's sister ship Star Princess, the Great Alaskan Scavenger Hunt 2009 version . This event is great fun, and very educational, for "newbies" and experienced cruisers alike. I will be posting more full details on it soon, but, if you would like more information before that is done, please feel free to contact us , and we will get the information right out to you.

We are also planning a "brick and mortar" seminar on Alaska and Homeland Cruising for those in the Seattle area on 16 October 2008, to coincide with CLIA's "World's Largest Cruise Night." If you would like to attend, please use the above contact information and we will e-mail you the address and hours.

If you are not in Seattle, we will be offering a virtual cruise night/webinar very soon as well. Again, contact us as above, and we will send you the details.

Until then, happy cruising! We look forward to hearing from you soon, and helping to make your vacationn dreams come true.

12 Day Australia/New Zealand 17 January 2009

As part of our spectacular September of cruise sales, we can offer you a wonderful 12 day Australia/New Zealand itinerary aboard Diamond Princess.

Interior staterooms from $1545.00 per person/double occupancy
Ocean View staterooms from $1770.00 per person/double occupancy
Balcony staterooms from $2345.00 per person/double occupancy
Suite staterooms from $2875.00 per person/double occupancy

This also includes a $50.00 per cabin onboard credit

Highlights
Picture yourself on a luxurious resort, being pampered, having every need of yours attended to and waking up in a beautiful new destination every morning. That is what you can expect when you are on a Princess cruise. Your cruise fare will include stateroom accommodations, gourmet dining, Broadway style shows, and programs for children. Also available for you to enjoy (at an extra charge) are alcoholic beverages, shore excursions, spa and salon treatments, massage therapy and fitness trainers.

For more information, or to book today, please contact us and one of our courteous cruise consultants will get back to you promptly. We look forward to helping to make your dream cruise a reality in the very near future.




and Conditions for Product ID: 184390

Princess Cruises have increased their current fuel supplement from $7 to $9 (USD) per person per day. The fuel supplement on 3rd, 4th & 5th passengers will increase from $2 to $4 (USD) per person per day. The new fuel supplements will apply to all new bookings effective June 12, 2008. The fuel supplements will not exceed $126 (USD) per person per voyage for the 1st & 2nd guests & $56 (USD) per person per voyage for the 3rd, 4th & 5th guests in a stateroom. For bookings made from April 21, 2008 to June 11, 2008, the fuel supplement of $7 (USD) per person per day for the 1st & 2nd guests; & $2 (USD) per person per day for 3rd, 4th & 5th guests will apply.

Unless otherwise stated, all prices are per person and are based on double occupancy for specific stateroom categories. Subject to availability at the time of booking for selected departure dates. Quoted savings are based on published brochure rates. Airfare, transfers, and government fees are additional unless otherwise specified. Rates are subject to change without notice. Restrictions and blackout periods may apply. Itineraries may operate in reverse order and may be subject to change. CruiseShipCenters is not responsible for errors that may occur due to the transfer of information from selected third parties, technical error, or human error.

Seven Day Mediterranean--10 May 2009--Norwegian Gem

Prices for this seven day Mediterranean cruise, round trip Barcelona, begin at $879.00 per person/double occupancy.

Norwegian is famous for "Freestyle Cruising", a cruise experience like no other. Nowhere else are you in more control over your vacation: Eat when and where you please, follow your own dress code, or take part in as many or as little onboard activities as you want. The choice is yours. Your cruise fare entitles you to accommodations, meals and entertainment aboard ship. Certain specialty restaurants are available with either nominal cover charge. Items of a personal nature are not included, such as alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, spa treatments, certain specialty exercise classes, laundry, photographs, and shore excursions.

If you would like more information, or to book today, please contact us for prompt, professional assistance. We look forward to making your vacation dreams come true.

Also, we will be giving away a free cruise for two aboard Celebrity Cruise Lines brand new ship, Celebrity Solstice, every day from 4 to 28 September 2008. Please make sure to enter for that drawing, as well as the free Caribbean cruise for two, when visiting our website.

One Week and Six Days.....Now I'm Getting Frantic!!

So now it is less than two weeks until embarkation day. Every time I turn around the weather is changing and I have to consider repacking our bags. Sure as I pack only warm clothes, it's going to be 90 degrees in Southeast Alaska, but if I DON'T pack warm clothes, it will be 30 degrees and I will freeze my tuchis off. Darned if you do, and darned if you don't. It's minus 6 degrees Celsius in the Yukon today, which is "just up the road" from Skagway, and it has been snowing for weeks.....and it is still August for one more day, and summer for three more weeks. Yikes!!

I jokingly told Yvonne and Teresa (two of our "fellow travelers") that I was going to pull out my Seahawks sweatshirt and bring it along, since they are packing Vikings and Cowboys (notice how I politely failed to call their teams by the nicknames they are known as around here.....), in order to have equal time. Forget that..I might just bring the Seahawks heavy field jacket instead. (It's nice to have worked for the team at one time, I've got all kinds of nice little goodies. Too bad I quit one year too early to have gotten the free plane ticket and Super Bowl tickets that everyone else got...oh well, there is always this year).

Other than the packing melee, we are pretty much ready. Went out the other day and picked up medications and everything else that we are going to need to take with us, so there really isn't much else to do but wait.

I'll be back at least one more time before we go. I will be blogging "LIVE FROM THE GOLDEN PRINCESS" while we are gone. The photo to the top is Golden Princess on her way out of Seattle of an evening.

Just Three Weeks to Departure

We'll be heading north to Alaska just three weeks from tomorrow. Suitcases are sitting ready to be filled, so guess that I had better get on with it (some things have been in them for weeks, but now I really need to get serious about it). I've picked up all of the electronics that I need to support the photography/videography plans that are in place, just so that I won't need to worry about not having enough memory cards with me.

The group that we will be "traveling with" is a pretty mixed one.....a couple of couples from Texas, one from Cali and one from Vegas have appeared on the roll call so far. Looking forward to meeting them in person after several months of electronic communication.

The weather both here and in Alaska has been odd this summer, so I'm not totally sure what we will be in for in a couple of weeks. Hopefully calm seas, and reasonable temps. Don't really mind if it rains, but might mind if it snows a few feet...LOL.

I'll probably be back here one or two times before we actually leave, then start my "live from...." blogging on embarkation day.

See all y'all then.

Last Minute Alaska--5 Sep 08--CEL Millenium

Cruise Deals - CruiseShipCenters

If you can leave on short notice, you can't beat the prices for this seven day northbound Hubbard Glacier cruise from Vancouver BC to Seward Alaska. If you would like more information, or to book today, please contact us today for prompt, cheerful assistance. We look forward to helping you make your vacation dreams come true.

And, while visiting our website, don't forget to enter the drawing for a Caribbean cruise for two, to be awarded in November 2008.

Ship Profile: Golden Princess

I've chosen today's ship profile for a purely selfish reason....I'm embarking on her in just a few weeks myself, for a voyage to Alaska's Inside Passage, and, since I have not yet taken a cruise on a Grand Class Vessel, I wanted to know as much about her as I could. And, now, I will share that information with all of you.

Golden Princess entered service in 2001, sister ship to Grand and Star Princess. She is 109,000 gross registered tons in size; carrying 2600 passengers (at double occupancy) and 1100 crew.

DINING: As with all but three of the other Princess Fleet (the small ships), Golden Princess offers Anytime or Personal Choice Dining. Two of the main, AKA formal, dining rooms--Bernini and Donatello--are devoted to anytime dining between 5:30 and 10:00 pm, with the Canaletto dining room reserved for traditional first and second seating dining options.

The Horizon Court offers 24 hour buffet style dining.

Room service is also available 24 hours per day, which includes the Ultimate Balcony Dinner and Ultimate Balcony Breakfast for two, for those who are staying in balcony stateroom accomodations.

And there are several specialty restaurants available, some requiring surcharge fees, some not.

A complete listing of dining options available, hours of operation and any applicable fees is linked here for your reference and convenience.

PUBLIC ROOMS: For a ship as large as she is, Golden is laid out in such a way as to suggest that there are many fewer people aboard than there actually are.

The two main show venues are the Princess Theater and the Vista Lounge. The theater has very few obstructed seats, thus giving a good view of the stage to all and sundry.

For those who don't suffer from acrophobia (fear of heights), Skywalker's Lounge is a must see. Perched at the very aft end of the ship on Deck 17, this disco offers terrific panoramic views of the sea, and is open to everyone before evening hours, at which time entrants must be 18 years of age or older. Skywalker's is accessed by a moving ramp,, kind of like the ones that you used to see in larger airports.

STATEROOMS: 711 of Golden's 1301 staterooms have balconies. There are also 22 full suites, 180 mini-suites, 1 Grand Suite and 2 Family Suites (for 8-10 passengers, depending upon age and size).

Each stateroom is equipped with television set (two in mini-suites and full suites), safes, mini-referigerators, and hairdryers. Color schemes are soft and muted in tone.

ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES: Extensive and varied, with enough availability to please even the most finicky amongst us. Casino games, bingo, Scholarship@Sea classes, winetastings, Chef's Table and cooking demonstrations, and theater/show lounge entertainment are just a few of the activities that you have to choose from whilst cruising aboard Golden.

As with all Princess ships, dress code is resort casual, with the exception of formal night(s), which are not mandatory participation in nature.

Join us for a unique Pacific Coastal cruise aboard Golden Princess in September 2009, or find another itinerary that meets your cruising dreams.

As always, please feel free to contact us at any time for assistance in planning your dream cruise. Until then, "Fair Winds and Following Seas."

Destination Profile of the Day: Athens, Greece

European crusing has gained even more popularity recently, leading to a number of ships being homeported there year round.

And one of the most popular destinations within the European continent is Greece, home of the ancient Olympics and often called the "cradle of civilization."

Athens is not, strictly speaking, a port city, but is accessed from Piraeus, on the Agean coastline.

Most of the popular tourist attractions are foot accessible in the downtown area surrounding the Parthenon/Acropolis, pictured here., and walking is the best mode of transportation, due to the large volumes of motorized traffic in the city. The city was named after the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena, and has a rich history reaching back thousands of years; to include such immortal names as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and many more. Athens became the capital of modern Greece in the year 1834.

ATTRACTIONS TO SEE IN ATHENS:

The Acropolis: This hill, with its many temples dedicated to the ancient Greek gods and goddesses of mythology, was the original starting point for the city. The remaining ruins that are visible today date mainly from the era around the 4th Century BCE. The majority of them were erected by Pericles after the Persian invasions, which destroyed the buildings previously on the site.

After climbing to the top of the hill, most will find their eyes drawn to the Parthenon, an example of Doric architecture constructed from marble brought to the city from quarries in the distant mountains. Also nearby are the Erechtheion and a museum housing carvings and friezes from the temples of the Acropolis. Unfortunately, many of the earlier archaeological finds from this treasure rich attraction are now housed in the British museum in London, due to earlier "plundering."

The Agora: The home of the ancient marketplaces and seats of Greek government, the Agora sits below the hill of the Acropolis. There are numerous ruins in this area, including the theater where many of the original Greek tragedies were performed, especially the Dionysos.

The National Archaeological Museum: This is the largest of the museums in the city, and includes such displays/exhibits as artifacts unearthed in Mycenae by Heinrich Schliemann, the discoverer of the ancient city of Troy, most famous for the Trojan War and the Trojan Horse used by the Greek invaders to trick the defenders of the city into opening their gates so that the Greek armies could enter and destroy all who lived there. Troy, of course, was immortalized by Homer's The Illiad and The Odyssey. The museum is so large and has so many worthwhile exhibitions that it is recommended to make more than one visit, in order to see all of them.

Syntagma Square: The home to the Greek Parliament, this is also where one finds the authentically clad guards at the Parliament building; and is the stepping off point for many of the city's museums which are nearby.

EVENTS AND FESTIVALS:

The Athens Festival: This festival has been held every year since 1955 at the Herod Atticus Odeon, a structure dating from the 1st Century ACE, at the foot of the Acropolis. It runs in two sections over the period from June to October each year.

Greek Dance Festival: This festival showcases traditional Greek dance (think Zorba the Greek??). The dancers in each portion of the festival are authentically costumed and perform traditional Greek dances.

THE CLIMATE: The climate is moderate, ranging from a low of 45 degrees F and a high of 55 degrees F in January, to a low of 73 degrees F and a high of 88 degrees F in July and August. Rainfall is minimal, especially in the summer months.

PRIMARY CRUISE SEASON: The primary cruise season for Greece is May through November, and quite a number of cruise ships call at both Athens/Piraeus and the outlying Greek islands.

We would love to be of assistance to you in planning a cruise to the Mediterranean/Aegean Seas which includes ports of call in Greece. Feel free to contact us at any time, and one of our helpful, knowledgeable cruise consultants will get in touch with you promptly to be of assistance.

Ship Profile of the Day--Vision of the Seas

Ship Name: Vision of the Seas

Gross Registered Tonnage: 78,491

Length: 915 feet

Double Occupancy Passenger Load: 2000

Passenger Load All Berths Occupied: 2435

Total Crew: 765, with European officers

Entered Service: 1998

Flag of Registry: Bahamas

Sister Ships: Legend, Splendour, Enchantment, Grandeur, and Rhapsody of the Seas.

Distinctive Features: Royal Caribbean signature Centrum; Viking Crown Lounge

Public Rooms of Note: Above noted Viking Crown Lounge on Deck 11. During the day, it is an observation lounge with a nearly full circle 360 degree glassed in view of whatever scenery you happen to be passing at the moment. At night, it turns into the ship's disco. The That's Entertainment Theater boasts RCI's typical Vegas style shows at night, with good views from the vast majority of seats in the theater.

Casual Dining: The Windjammer Lido Cafe boasts breakfast and lunch buffets, afternoon tea and late night snacks.

Main Dining Rooms/Restaurants: Royal Caribbean International continues the old standard of assigned seatings, assigned tables, and assigned dining rooms; not yet having opted for NCL's Freestyle or Princess' Personal Choice styles of more freedom in dining and activities. The main dining room, two decks in height, handles approximately 1000 diners per seating with huge floor to ceiling glass windows for great vistas of sea and scenery.

Service: RCI insists on service par excellence, and it shows. With few exceptions, the crew are friendly, helpful and efficient. I have personally found that, after the first day aboard, I have not had to tell the wait staff my drink preferences because they already had them memorized, and I never had to worry about finding my water glass empty, as they would silently slide in to fill it when I turned for a moment to speak to a table mate.

Tipping: As with most of the major cruise lines today, RCI prefers that you add "prepaid gratuities" to your onboard account, thereby eliminating the old fashioned hunt for tip envelopes and searching out of your stewards and wait staff on the final night of the cruise. The general amount added today is $10.00 per person in the cabin per day (or $70.00 for a seven night cruise). You do, of course, have the option to handle the tipping yourself, and/or to add additional monies to what you have authorized to your account for exceptional service.

Staterooms: Run the gamut from inside to suites, with perhaps fewer balconies than many would like to see, due to the age of the ship. The ship does boast a Royal Family suite, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, about 450+ square feet in size. Decor is tasteful and well kempt, for the most part.

Specialty Facilites: Include spa, childrens' activities centers, fitness center.

Attire/Formal Nights: There are generally two formal nights on a seven night cruise. Again, because of RCI's adhering to the more old fashioned standards of dining and dress, you will find the vast majority of the passengers participating in formal night--far more so than the more relaxed mass market lines.

Destinations: Vision of the Seas travels to Alaska for the summer season; and the Mexican Riviera for the winter season.