Travel Dynamics Group Blog

Oasis of the Seas will be introduced in Dec. 2009 as the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world. How much larger than her Freedom class mega-ship predecessors? Try a whopping 40% larger, and unlike anything afloat today. An architectural marvel at sea, she will span 16 decks, carry 5,400 guests, and feature 2,700 staterooms, some suites are even split-level lofts! Her bragging rights abound, featuring seven distinct neighborhoods. Oasis of the Seas will home-port in Ft. Lauderdale, sailing a 7-day Eastern & Western Caribbean itinerary.

Central Park
At the center of the ship, the innovative design of Central Park opens to the sky and features lush tropical grounds spanning more than the length of a football field. Elegant and lively, Central Park’s piazza is the ship’s town square, which evolves from a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere during the day to a gathering space for dining, entertainment, and street performances in the evening. Central Park features several alfresco dining options and more than 300 staterooms, which rise six decks to overlook the Park. Quiet reading corners, specimen gardens, and other hidden surprises await guests among the winding paths.

Boardwalk
With a nod to Coney Island, this neighborhood is dedicated to family fun and nostalgia, the new groundbreaking Boardwalk is a slice of old-world charm with a modern twist. With its one-of-a-kind outdoor AquaTheater, the first ever Carousel at sea, and two massive rock-climbing walls, the Boardwalk offers enough games, amusement and attractions to keep everyone entertained. Surrounded by casual restaurants, including Johnny Rockets and the Seafood Shack, a coffee and donut shop, bars, candy shop and more, Boardwalk is the place to be for the entire family.

Royal Promenade
The most expansive promenade at sea - continues to be the heart of the ship. Except now, it’s better than ever. For the first time, the Royal Promenade will have a mezzanine level that overlooks the space below and adds to the excitement of the Promenade. Featuring Rising Tide; a levitating bar that ascends and descends over three decks, and enough shops and restaurants to entertain even the most traveled of travelers. By morning, enjoy a relaxed atmosphere over coffee, and people watch. The ambiance becomes more energetic and vibrant in the afternoon with shopping, lunch, or drinks in the pub. In the evening, the energy rises with parades, nightlife, and entertainment for everyone. It’s a destination unto itself.
 

Pool and Sports Zone
H2O Zone – aqua park for kids and families; Sports Pool – for lap swimming and watersports; Beach Pool – sloped ocean-like entry; Main Pool – perfect for simply sunbathing and taking a dip; Private Cabanas; 10 total whirlpools, eight whirlpools and two cantilevered whirlpools; Solarium – a tranquil adult environment featuring plush seating and loungers, the Solarium pool, two traditional whirlpools and two cantilevered whirlpools.
Sports Deck:
Zip Line – a thrilling experience which takes riders across the open-air atrium suspended nine decks; Miniature golf course; Two huge FlowRider surf simulators; Sports court – for basketball, volleyball, ping pong and more.

With a myriad of cruise ship firsts, and 2,700 spacious staterooms, this 16-deck marvel proves that the impossible, is possible and the unimaginable becomes real. We’ve never seen anything like it, she isn’t just a ship, she’s a collection of amazing experiences that challenge all limitations. 

We can reserve your space - be one of the first to sail on this engineering marvel! You’ll have to see it to believe it.  

  
An Alaskan cruise from Seattle was the perfect choice for a family vacation, with my parents in their 60’s, brother and pregnant sister-in-law in their 30 & 40’s and four-year-old niece. A mass market cruise was an obvious choice to keep it easy, affordable and free of stress. Royal Caribbean would have been my first pick but I chose Celebrity based on itinerary. I’ve sailed many cruise lines including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, & Crystal. My favorites? Royal Caribbean & Crystal.  

Celebrity Infinity

What’s new?  Although I couldn’t find it anywhere on their website, while onboard I read that Celebrity will be changing their dress code to formal and smart casual for every evening, doing away with casual dress altogether. They also state that you are expected to adhere to the dress code in the public areas throughout the evening. They will have a tough go with this considering the number of families and casual couples cruising them these days. They warn that jeans are never allowed in the dining room and have a sign stating so at the dining room entrances. In spite of the policy we saw many people wearing jeans there, even on the formal nights. Many people want to be casual and just don’t care about dress code anymore. It will be interesting to see how they will enforce their new dress code with what I call a Norwegian “freestyle” generation of cruisers emerging on the cruise scene, I wish them luck. 
  

The Ship - Excellent, beautiful, no complaints what-so-ever. The Infinity is in great shape, not tired or worn in any way, with a lovely fusion of contemporary, Old World & Art Deco styles. The Cabins – were in great shape, well appointed, spacious enough with more than enough closet & storage space. The beds were very comfortable and our stewardess was amazing and extremely warm, friendly and accommodating.
 
The Cuisine 
Trellis Dining room– a beautiful two-deck dining room, beautifully decorated with a glass wall for outstanding light and ocean views. The food unfortunately left a lot to be desired, hit and miss at best. With a table of six we all agreed that for the first few days the food was unremarkable. It did improve as the cruise neared the end but my overall rating would be just ok, needs improvement.

Picky side notes: When ordering an entree that included asparagus as a side dish, the tips were always missing from the stalks. Who serves tip less asparagus stalks?  As it turned out they were snipping and saving them for the last formal night when they served asparagus soup full of, you guessed it, asparagus tips!  One other bit worth mentioning is the eggs Benedict. My Dad & I tried it a couple of times in the dining room and it was inedible. The English muffins were so hard they couldn’t be cut with a sharp knife, forget about eating it. The eggs were either hard boiled or undercooked, very bad, worst ever.  Eggs Benedict certainly isn’t going to make or break a cruise, but it demonstrates the inconsistent quality of food.

Buffet – choices and quality fair at best, we all had a couple of “the worst we ever had” there, so we stopped going. For breakfast, the cook-to-order omelets were the best thing going both at the buffet and dining room.

The Service - Outstanding.  I can’t say enough about the friendliness of the staff throughout the ship and most especially in the dining room. Our wait staff was unbelievable, hands down the best wait staff I have ever experienced, Crystal included in the judging. I’m a firm believer that traditional dining with early and late seating at the same table, with the same wait staff is a big part of a great cruise experience. The waiters get to know you, what you like, what you don’t like and you very quickly feel as though you are in your favorite local restaurant where they’ve known and welcomed you for years. What Celebrity lacks in cuisine they more than make up for in service.

Attentive Staff - Everywhere throughout the ship the staff made my niece feel like a princess, as though she were the only person on the ship that mattered. Truly, they were so kind and accommodating to her that it made the entire vacation a huge success for everyone. It is still what we all talk about when reminiscing about the cruise, the staff is amazing and obviously encouraged to go out of their way for the children.  It works. When the four-year-old is happy, everyone is happy.

The Spa - Fitness buffs will be love the glass-enclosed fitness center offering a nice variety of workout equipment and organized classes.  The 25,000 sq. ft. AquaSpa is normally reserved for adults only, however it having the only covered pool on board children are allowed there on cold weather cruises. The best part for me was the ultra relaxing Thalassotherapy pool, a saltwater Jacuzzi pool that is hotter than the hot tubs.

The Entertainment - Fantastic, we all loved the Broadway style productions, some more than others of course but we quickly began making sure we headed for the theater right after dinner, very enjoyable. 

Embarkation & Disembarkation

A breeze! We arrived at the pier around noon with hundreds of pounds of luggage between us. As expected a porter quickly unloaded everything and whisked us into line, we were on board sipping our welcome champagne within 20 minutes of arrival at the pier. Disembarkation- I had booked a flight departing at 11:00am from Seattle, one hour earlier than Celebrity’s earliest recommendation. It was no problem, I had ample time to grab a cab and get to the airport for the recommended check-in. I had my family enter my flight number and time as theirs so we were all the first off the ship at 8:15am.  Incidentally a taxi will you cost you about $40 between the airport and pier, most cruise lines charge $25 per person for transfers. Definitely no need to book your transfers through the cruise line in Seattle, much faster and less expensive to go it alone by cab. 

For those with much later flights who wish to tromp around Seattle there is luggage service right there at the pier, they will hold your bags until 3pm for a few dollars a bag, very convenient! 

Overall a great time was had by all and we would certainly sail Celebrity Infinity again.

Yes, it’s a big country.  As we all know, it is as large as the United States, and oh, so interesting.  I’ve been traveling to Australia off and on for almost 30 years, and have never failed to enjoy my trip.  Here are some of the highlights of my latest trip, which was with other Aussie specialists, to re-investigate the land down under.  Our air was with Qantas Airways, and was excellent in every respect.

SYDNEY is, and always will be, a glorious city with everything to offer.  With water, water everywhere, it’s a sight to behold.  There are many hotels, and there is much to do, so time must be allowed for all.  For the sake of luxury all the way around, consider one of the four following hotels – the Park Hyatt, which is built right on Sydney Harbour; the Observatory, an Orient Express hotel that backs up to Darling Harbour; the Intercontinental, in a wonderful location with excellent views; and the Four Seasons, another lovely place to stay with service at the forefront.  Take a harbour cruise, or perhaps a flight-seeing plane over the harbour and broadwaters.  Walk around The Rocks, the historical section of Sydney.  Take a side trip to the Hunter Valley for a day of wine tasting, or perhaps a jaunt up to the Blue Mountains for a relaxing day or two of pure beauty.  Once you think you have done everything that Sydney has to offer, go for a ride on the back of a Harley Davidson.  Pure fun!

Staying in New South Wales, consider a trip to Byron Bay.  This small town is a charmer; impossible to not enjoy.  We stayed at the best in the area, and one of the best in the country, The Byron.  This fantastic resort consists of rain forest accommodation in well-appointed one bedroom units, from which you can walk to the beach in five minutes.  A large pool, a Jacuzzi, and wonderful spa await all who stay at the Byron, besides excellent food and drink.  The people who are a part of this community strive to “live off the land” amongst themselves, supporting each other through food and product purchases at their weekly market.  Everything is home grown, and tastes like it.  A meal in this area brings with it a freshness that has almost disappeared from the modern-day table.

A few other quickie notes on Oz…

New properties to be noticed – Qualia, a new island resort on the northern tip of Hamilton Island in Queensland.  The resort consists of 60 villas, private plunge pools, access to personal trainers…and so much more.  A wonderful way to see the reef and surrounding area.

Consider, too, Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island, off Adelaide in South Australia.  This just-opened property simply sparkles.  It is the first luxury accommodation built on Kangaroo Island, and sits on a cliff with magnificent views over the and the Galapagos-like island.

Luxury by sea can be found with an expedition cruise on Orion.  This cruise line is the master of the unusual…consider cruising the top of Australia, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia and Norfolk Island, or any one of many more cruise itineraries. 

…and lastly, for gold-plated luxury on the Gold Coast, try a stay at Palazzo Versace, the first anywhere resort that has been created under the watchful eye of Donatella Versace.  It is beautiful…marble floors, room décor and amenities in the best of Versace, and access to Gold Coast and Surfers’ Paradise activities. 

Now I’m busy formulating plans for my next trip to Australia.  I must warn all who read this, though…it’s habit forming.

Gail and I just returned from a week in France; half the time being spent in Carcassonne in South Western France the other half in my favorite of all cities, Paris.

Throughout this trip I was surprised, again, at how friendly and warm the French people were; especially considering that we were Americans. Everywhere we went, whether it be the cafes, asking for directions on the street or for help in the train stations, the French people generally speaking, could not have been any more helpful.  I have decided that the generalization that the French don’t like Americans is just that, a generalization.

I don’t know what "they" think of us politically, and frankly I don’t care. I am not a politician. I can’t say what they think of "us" generally, though I can speculate. Again I don’t care, I am one person, not a country, nor do I wish to represent one. I am a tourist, someone who loves to travel and experience other countries, cultures & cuisines. I like to meet new people, I’m a traveler with an open mind who likes to experience things for herself. I believe that we have everything to do with how people respond to us and I happen to think that the French are surprisingly funny and very warm. All of them? Of course not. All of us? No. I do think that we should stay away from generalizations and create our own experiences without prejudice.

 I went into France without any preconceived notion that they wouldn’t like me just because I am an American.  I took with me the attitude that if I try to communicate with them in their language and smile a lot, then maybe they would want to communicate with me, and they did. I didn’t expect them to speak English, though with my English-French dictionary in hand I secretly hoped that they would, following my attempts to speak theirs, and they did.  I knew I wasn’t pronouncing their words correctly but I tried not to care. I had a few well rehearsed French sentences prepared to display my good intentions. In spite of the fact that
every time I opened my mouth to speak French I was sure it sounded like nails on a chalkboard I did my best not to let the horrible sounds stop me from trying.  I pushed back the lingering comments I have heard before, from Americans, about how the French treat “us”. I kept an open mind.

 

 March 9 Arrival

Travelled from San Diego to Salt Lake City on Jet Blue to meet my dad for a ski adventure. My parents live in Boston, so it’s great to meet in the middle and spend some time together. The flight arrived on-time and I found my father without any trouble. I decided not to bring my skis with me but instead to demo a new pair for the trip. I love not having to wait for "Oversized Luggage"!

Thankfully, Dad rented a giant SUV (essential for accommodating luggage/equipment and navigating snowy roads) and we are off to Park City!

Location is Key!

After a 45 minute drive, we arrive at our hotel, Park City Peaks Hotel (formerly the Radisson) and are   greeted by a friendly staff in the cozy reception area. This is our second time staying in this hotel. It’s not terribly fancy but it fits our needs perfectly–clean, comfortable rooms, pool, jacuzzi, and restaurant. Most importantly, it is located within 2 minutes of 3 terrific ski resorts (Park City, Deer Valley, and the Canyons) and about the same distance from Historic Main Street.

 A note: I’ve been skiing in Utah 5 or 6 times and have stayed in several different areas. On my first trip, my family stayed at the Park City Resort right on the mountain. It was fantastic being able to ski right to our condo at the end of the day. I would recommend staying at a resort such as Park City of you have small children. However, if you don’t want to be tied to one resort (or pay the premium rates that accompany the convenient location) I would recommend the following option: Stay in the town of Park City (at a place like Park City Peaks) and you will have the freedom to drive to all 3 of the mountains in Park City (Park City Mountain Resort, The Canyons, and Deer Valley). In addition, you can easily make the 45 minute drive to Big Cottonwood Canyon (Where Solitude & Brighton are located) and Little Cottonwood Canyon (Where Snowbird & Alta are located).

Not recommended: staying in Salt Lake City and driving to different resorts every night–there is very little to do in SLC at night.

March 10, 2008 Park City           

Dad and I wake up and go downstairs to enjoy the complimentary hot buffet that the hotel offers. Very tasty and convenient.

We gear up and drive to Jan’s to rent skis. The helpful staff quickly hooks me up with a sweet pair of Rossignols and poles and we are off to hit the slopes.

Parking at Park City is quick and easy. We buy tickets and are on a high-speed lift in no time.

And then I remember why we came all this way. The day is perfect–40 degrees at the base (30 at the top), sunny, with nice snow. The trees glisten with melting ice. We choose an intermediate level trail for our first run–I haven’t skied in over a year and I’ve never been on these skis–and it’s glorious. The snow feels like silk beneath my skis and the sun feels fantastic. We decide that "go big or go home" will be our motto for the trip. We jump on some black diamonds, Read the rest of this entry »

Is Cabo worth the cost?
I hadn’t had much desire to go to Cabo, one, because it’s overpriced considering what little it has to offer for me; two because there isn’t a wide diversion of things to do there unless you’re a serious golfer, sports fisherman or after a world class spa vacation (if that’s your thing, it’s Palmilla). There is the desert, constant sunshine & beaches of course but with the majority of beaches unsafe to swim, the sun & sand didn’t seem a sole reason to go, especially when you consider the price tag.

The Corridor
The "Cabo corridor" runs along 25 miles of desert coastline between the charming old town of San Jose Del Cabo, (closest to the airport) and Cabo San Lucas, where you’ll find the marina, nightclubs & modern new shopping mall. Cabo was possibly first made famous by hard rocker Sammy Hagar’s nightclub, Cabo Wabo. Since then it has become a playground for those who seek championship golf and world class spas, not an unintentional plan by the government. If you’re a night club enthusiast (a big draw for Cabo) you may want to stay close to Cabo San Lucas, the cab fare here will run about double what you would expect to pay in major US cities. If you stay further east down the corridor be sure to check that your hotel offers complimentary shuttles into town, as many do have pre-scheduled transfers with the last return usually no later than 11pm.

Hotel site inspections - anyone can find the stats & location on each hotel, here’s what stood out to be remembered after a quick tour.

Palmilla - hands down, my favorite. Tropical oasis, beachfront & all oceanview, lush gardens, secluded & exclusive, dream weddings & honeymoons. Stunning oversized rooms with amazing balconies & beautiful day beds, luxuriously appointed, seperate areas for families and couples seeking childless experiences. Last but far from least what will be remembered is the SPA. A wide variety of unique and new spa rituals are offered Read the rest of this entry »

Cruise In Luxury Experience Luxury The Only Ultra-Luxury Cruise Ship In Alaska This Summer: Silversea’s Silver Shadow will be offering land packages that enable you to see not only Denali National Park and the Canadian Rockies while providing luxurious amenities in Alaska, the Land of the Midnight Sun. Ultra Luxury Reinvented: Silversea Cruises, one of the world’s premier cruise lines, has ordered a fifth luxury ship (540 person occupancy) that is set to debut in late 2009.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises Voted the "#1 Small-Ship Cruise Line" by Condé Nast Traveler’s 2007 Readers’ Choice Awards poll. The 2008 and 2009 worldwide itineraries will offer shoreside explorations and a wide variety of modes of transportation including rail, kayak, catamaran, jet boat, mountain bike, helicopter, and even hot-air balloon rides. Catch some waves in Maui while learning to ride the pipe on a surfboard, travel by canoe across Helsinki’s placid sounds, deep-sea raft near the Arctic Circle, or enjoy a drink at Honningsvåg’s famous Ice Bar. Vacationers can opt for an escorted tour through historic Berlin via Rolls-Royce or rev a Harley-Davidson around sunny St. Maarten. You can also take a more rustic approach and explore the vivid wildlife of the African landscape atop the backs of elephants on safari, participate in evening game drives, take bush walks, and bird watching. Travel lightening speed from Tokyo to Osaka aboard Japan’s Shinkanse (bullet train). For a more leisurely voyage, opt for a 19th century Victorian railway ride though Kent, England or take the famous Viceroy railway across scenic Sri Lanka. Airborne adventurers can drift 1,000 feet over historic Stockholm or soar above Kenya’s Masai Mara national reserve in hot-air balloons. Helicopters provide travelers with breathtaking views of Central American waterfalls and rainforests, as well as Italy’s stunning Amalfi coast.

Featured Destinations Hot Spots 2008: Dubai & India Dubai’s world-renowned mix of cosmopolitan culture and warm desert atmosphere have made it a one-of-a-kind destination where visitors can place bets at the Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest horse race, or watch a camel race after debarking in Dubai’s architecturally astounding port. More adventurous types can take an overnight safari and sleep in a Bedouin tent. Unveil the mystery of the Near East during a cruise to India aboard a Seabourn yacht, where ports of call provide an up close look at fabled cities such as Casablanca, Morrocco; Carthage, Tunisia; Hanoi, Vietnam; the Arabian Sea; Djibouti, Djibouti; Goa, India; and La Digue, Seychelles.

A New Experience
More and more cruise ships are expanding the onboard experience with offerings such as yoga classes, private training sessions and boxing rings. The focus on well-being and health continues as many cruise ships now offer onboard spa resorts for the ultimate in relaxation and decadence.

A “Royal” Debut
The news in cruising does not stop there. The largest ship to be positioned in Europe will debut this May in the United Kingdom. Her name is Independence of the Seas from Royal Caribbean and her deck will feature a new state of the art H2O Zone® waterpark complete with sculpture fountains, ground geysers and a cascading waterfall. The ship also boasts full size sports courts and each stateroom comes with a full size flat screen television.

Hot Destinations For 2008
Destinations on the rise for 2008 include Asian ports such as Singapore
Kuala Lumpur, Vietnam and Hong Kong. These highly accessible cities are burgeoning centers for entertainment and awe-inspiring beauty. Royal Caribbean chose the grand city of Singapore to unveil the Rhapsody of the Seas last year and Princess has chosen to keep their new Diamond Princess in nearby ports in Asia. Princess also features an extraordinary 3-day land tour from Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City that includes a flight to Cambodia where one can visit the world heritage site of Angkor Wat.

Antarctica
Another destination that is exploding in popularity is scenic Antarctica. A cruise to Antarctica will leave you breathless with spectacular views of snow-covered glaciers, floating icebergs and perhaps a glimpse of the elusive emperor penguin.

Eastern Mediterranean
On a warmer note, cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean provide a stop in Croatia’s Dubrovnik where cruisers can see some of the most beautiful beaches in the world - not tourist-packed like many Caribbean destinations. Heading southwest, cruisers can delight in a 12-night Western Mediterranean cruise departing from Barcelona on luxury cruise line Azamara who this month announced a variety of new itineraries for the year. Those in need of a serious vacation should be on the look-out for Azamara’s world cruise that will be unveiled in 2010.

New: “The Lawn Club”
In other cruise news, one of the most unique and innovative onboard experiences is sure to tickle your toes. Celebrity’s Solstice ship will introduce “The Lawn Club,” a country club with real growing grass 13 stories above the sea! The over half acre of luscious green grass plays host to a hot glass blowing studio and the relaxing “Sunset Bar” that offers breathtaking views.

Singles Cruises
If you want to travel solo, yet not feel alone while on a cruise, a singles cruise could be your best bet. Singles cruises are a great way to meet fellow travelers through private meet and greet events, cocktail gatherings and themed parties aboard the cruise ship. Check out Crystal Cruise Lines’ singles packages for the cruise adventure of a lifetime. Book Singles Cruises

Luxury Cruises
For those looking for an all-inclusive luxury cruise, Regents Seven Seas has some truly one-of-kind cruises with shore excursions such as a three-night exploration in Patagonia, hot air ballooning over the Egyptian pyramids, private Regatta sailing in Melbourne or an exclusive luncheon at l’Hotel de Paris. Aside from unique shore excursions, Regents Seven Seas offers luxury and pampering like no other cruise line. Book Luxury Travel

Online Booking
Online travel purchasing has never been easier, especially since over half of all travel was booked online in 2007. www.traveldynamicscruises.com

Whether it is Singapore, Galapagos or Croatia that you decide to sail to this year, we wish you the best adventure. Check back with us for more hot tips and great deals for 2008. For help planning your cruise of a lifetime, speak to a Travel Dynamics Cruise Specialist (1-877-551-4646) for expert cruise advice and service. You can also visit us online at: www.traveldynamicscruises.com