Royal Caribbean Announces 2012-13 Caribbean Cruises

Royal Caribbean International has announced its 2012-13 Caribbean cruises schedule. Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, the largest cruise ships at sea, as well as Freedom of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Monarch of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas will continue sailing a range of Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries year-round from five convenient drive-market ports, the line reported.

Six additional ships—Adventure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas—will offer even greater flexibility with four- to 12-night Caribbean itineraries, departing from four domestic U.S. ports in winter 2012-13.

Royal Caribbean’s 2012-13 Caribbean cruises onboard Adventure of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, and Explorer of the Seas are open for booking immediately, while 2012-13 sailings onboard Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas and Monarch of the Seas will open throughout next week.

In 2012, Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas will continue to alternate between seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. Every weekend, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas sail from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, while Freedom of the Seas sails from Port Canaveral along the Space Coast.

Throughout winter 2012-13, Brilliance of the Seas will take over for Serenade of the Seas and join Adventure of the Seas to offer vacationers two ships to embark on a round-trip, seven-night Southern Caribbean cruise from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Explorer of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas continue their year-round departures from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ, and Baltimore, respectively, to the Caribbean. Explorer of the Seas offers New York-metropolitan vacationers seven-night Bahamas and nine- to 11-night Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries. In mid-April 2013, vacationers also can choose a five- or six-night Bermuda or a nine-night Bermuda and Caribbean itinerary. Enchantment of the Seas, on the other hand, will sail seven-night Bahamas, nine-night Eastern Caribbean and 12-night Southern Caribbean itineraries throughout the season.

Gulf Coast vacationers will again have three convenient regional ports to embark on a Caribbean cruise in winter 2012-13. Sailing seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries, Navigator of the Seas will replace Voyager of the Seas as a new seasonal product from New Orleans, while Mariner of the Seas will sail round-trip from Galveston again. Jewel of the Seas will continue four- and five-night from Tampa, where the new five-night itinerary will alternate calls at Cozumel and Grand Cayman or Cozumel and Key West.

Liberty of the Seas also will offer four- and five-night Western Caribbean itineraries from Port Everglades. Additionally, Monarch of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas will continue to sail three- and four-night Bahamas getaways from Port Canaveral and Miami, respectively. These quick getaway cruises call at Nassau and CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.

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We sell Value, Not the Price Tag

Often times as travel consultants, we receive requests from clients with a specified budget in mind. Sometimes a client’s budgetary requests are reasonable while others may have some unreasonable expectations. In today’s economic environment, we all need to have a financial budget in mind. In fact, I encourage my clients to state what their budgets are up front so that I may be able to make recommendations that will fit their expectations. Sometimes, what I’m able to recommend as a consultant comes in a little higher or below what a client has researched via Expedia, Orbitz, or Travelocity.

However, unlike Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity, many travel consultants offer personalized services, expertise, and value through our extended relationship with vendors. In a number of cases, you will find travel consultants that specialize in a specific travel type or travel destination. Travel consultants spend hours researching destinations, educating themselves, and establishing relationships with hoteliers, cruise representatives, and airline reps to better serve our clientele; a clientele we hope are not mere window shoppers.

Often times, what we can’t beat in price, we can beat in value. You will never catch Orbitz, Expedia, or Travelocity, calling the general manager of a hotel requesting a little more in personalized services or discounts on spa treatments, wine and food tastings, or added amenities. It is very rare that you see Orbitz, Expedia, or Travelocity, continuously rewarding repeat clients with gift cards or gift certificates to their favorite restaurant or even tickets to an amusement park. I can never recall a time in which either online agency suggested that I not travel to places like Costa Rica or Panama during their rainy season or even advising on what type of travel documents I will need or how much I would have to pay in entry fees into a country. At the same time, we don’t utilize every vendor available on the market. We utilize trusted vendors that we believe will take care of our clients.  (Please read our previous post on why you need a travel consultant.)

Veteran travel editor and well known owner of Elite Travel International, Stacey H. Small, writes in Agent@Home magazine, “This year, I resolve to focus even more on getting my clients the best possible value for their dollar. This does not necessarily mean getting them the cheapest price, since what they expect from me is more for their money than they can get if they were to book direct” (p 36). This is the goal of any reputable travel consultant.

We are in the business of offering our clients the experience, not the price tag. We want to give our clients the gift of value, relaxation, and appreciation. We don’t want to just book you and send you on your way. That mindset short changes the client and is bad for business in the long run. We want to retain you as clients. We want to make you happy and we want to hear your lovely stories and view your photos upon returning from vacation.

I get excited when I know I’ve done my job well and pleased a client. If a client mentions that they have researched and spotted something cheaper than what I’ve offered, I always ask for a copy of what they have been able to find. I do this to ensure we are not comparing apples to oranges and to also see if a vendor can meet or beat a competitor’s price. It is always in a client’s best interests to share this information because we will go to bat for you. Hotels and cruise lines are constantly changing prices or marketing special promotional rates.

Because of the individualized attention I give to clients along with the added value, many of my clients are more willing to purchase a package that may come in slightly higher than Orbitz, Expedia, or Travelocity because they know that they are safe in my hands. They know that I will go out of my way to address a problem if anything occurs during their travels. They are also aware that I will take care of them after their return. Your dollar is definitely stretched further with a dedicated travel consultant.

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Travelers’ Philanthropy Handbook Issued by Center for Responsible Travel

A new how-to guide, “The Travelers Philanthropy Handbook,” created by the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) and written by 30 experts in the field, promises to bring new efficiencies to the important world of travelers’ philanthropy.

“Over the last decade, a growing number of travel companies have begun to channel corporate and guest contributions into local community and conservation projects,” said Martha Honey, co-director of CREST, the policy-oriented research institute based in Washington, D.C., and at Stanford University. “Yet many of these give-back initiatives are frequently ad hoc, uncoordinated, and unmeasured. Done effectively, travelers’ philanthropy can raise significant funds and have a considerable impact on a region, while making the donor feel better about their footprint and the company they traveled with. It’s a win-win.”

The purpose of the handbook, according to Honey, is to provide best practices, share success stories and realize the full potential of travelers’ altruism. With a foreword by Nobel Peace Laureate Dr. Wangari Maathai, the 250-page handbook includes original essays, case studies, and surveys by some 30 experts, including Toni Neubauer, founder and president of Myths and Mountains; Lars Lindkvist, director of Basecamp Explorer; Julie Klein, environmental affairs director at Vail Resorts; and Jane Crouch, responsible travel manager for Intrepid Travel. Other experts include tourism professors Sam Ham and Kristin Lamoureux; David Western, former Kenya Wildlife Service director; Mark Spalding, president of The Ocean Foundation; and David Abernethy, professor emeritus in political science at Stanford University. These writers describe the evolution of travelers’ philanthropy, and explore a wide range of success stories, challenges, lessons learned, and best practices.

The first study of its kind, the handbook has been praised for its timeliness and practicality by critics from the World Bank, Condé Nast Traveler, United States Institute of Peace and Tourism Cares. “It’s an excellent compendium of sound practical advice and should be considered essential reading for all of us concerned about maximizing the benefits of tourism for local communities and conservation,” said Erika Harms, executive director of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and senior advisor on tourism at the United Nations Foundation. Kevin Doyle, Condé Nast Traveler news editor, said he considers it to be “the most user-friendly and comprehensive assemblage of information I’ve seen on how the travel industry and travelers themselves can give back to the communities they touch.”

Travelers’ philanthropy has been one of CREST’s core focuses since 2003, when it launched http://www.travelersphilanthropy.org/, a website that accepts donation on behalf of travel companies looking for guidance, community and 501c3 tax-deductible status. CREST’s Travelers’ Philanthropy “tool kit” also includes a video documentary, training courses and an experts’ bureau. CREST is hosting its Third International Travelers’ Philanthropy Conference in Costa Rica, July 20 to 23, and is currently involved in two field projects in Costa Rica designed to strengthen travelers’ philanthropy in Monteverde and the Osa Peninsula. The handbook is available in a free, downloadable format on the CREST website, http://www.responsibletravel.org/. It can also be purchased in CD-ROM and book format. For more information, visit http://www.responsibletravel.org/.

Source: Travel Pulse

Spacation Anyone...It's Imperative that you Treat YOU!

Unfortunately there are moments when the ills of the world get the best of us.  It can be work related, a family or medical crisis, or even the results of another’s actions imposed upon us.  Sometimes these events get the best of us and knock the wind out of us.  I can definitely relate to this feeling.  Recently I was involved in a pretty bad hit and run car accident.  Though I can’t remember too many of the details involved, my body and mind can feel the results.  Unfortunately, it is paying a toll on my soulfulness.  L  Yeah I know.  I shouldn’t allow such things to get me down.  I won’t.  In fact I was just thinking, while resting at home, that it would be lovely to just book a flight and take a spacation.

I may be unable to take advantage of a spacation immediately due to physical therapy sessions but a date has been marked off on my calendar.  If you’re able bodied, why not take one yourself. 

Spa vacations, or spacations as I call them, are refreshing.  They renew the spirit and mind.  The primary purpose of a spacation is to feed one’s soul and rehabilitate one’s health.  There are over 12,000 locations within the United States in which you can take advantage of a spacation and even more abroad.  There are spas all over the world that can cater to your specific needs and desires.  From yoga and meditation to mud baths and massages; take your pick.  We are more than excited to get you there.

During the beginning stages of planning a spacation, consider your interests and what you would like to achieve.   Consider the location as well.  Together we can work on narrowing down your choices and begin to research locations and prices.  Our goal is to get you reacquainted with your peace of mind while also giving you the biggest bang for your buck.

It is imperative that you take a holistic approach in taking care of your wellbeing.  You will come out refreshed, energized, sharp, and happier.  Many nations are plagued with unhealthy bodies that have succumbed to stress related illnesses.  Please do yourself a favor and love yourself enough to take a break.

Feel free to visit us at http://www.simplypleasurabletravel.com/ or contact me directly at kbarnes09@vacation.com so we can begin designing your next travel experience.