Fiji and Auckland, Pre-Cruise Travel

We’re off again, this time to the land Down Under, a trip that has long been on our bucket list. First, however, I must say a few words about the Costa Concordia tragedy. All of us in the travel industry grieve for the lives lost and passengers affected by this terrible incident. At the same time, we must also say that despite what happened to that ship as an apparent result of one captain’s actions, cruising remains a safe and wonderful way to travel. We have received reassuring emails from virtually every cruise line, including Costa as to the extreme safety precautions that are always mandated, and we have absolute confidence in all of them. Like you, we will anxiously watch to see how the Costa case unfolds.

For our trip to the other part of the world, Ben and I wanted to break the flight up a bit, so we planned accordingly. First, we allowed time in Los Angeles for a drive up to Chatsworth and a visit at AMA Waterways headquarters. Thank you, Angie, for the tour of your wonderful river cruise company! It was a treat to meet many of the staff members who have helped make are association with AMA so enjoyable…and to stretch our legs a bit.

At LAX later that evening, we met up with five of the seven couples traveling with us to Fiji. The other two couples would join us in Auckland, although one didn’t make it on time--but that’s another story to follow in my next blog! The cool thing about this group is that we know them all, but from different walks of life: one couple from our Aviano Air Base days in the 1970s; another from two Air Force assignments in the 80s; one from my years at the Institute of Texan Cultures; and the rest from Ben’s work at Southwest Research Institute. Why do I mention this? Simply to express the joy this cruise business has brought us in renewing and continuing friendships made over the years. A gift and a blessing!

The Fiji stopover made a huge difference in our flight time and stamina. The flight from LAX ended up being just 10 hours long, not much further than flying to some European airports from San Antonio, (notwithstanding that international dateline crossing thing, of course). Ben had booked us on an Air Pacific flight that stopped there anyway, and we were only charged about $100 per person for the two-day deviation. Good move. One important thing we learned was that Air Pacific limits carry-on bags to 15 pounds and DOES weigh them. Some in our group ended up checking another bag; others needed to reorganize.

Ben had found and booked a lovely hotel for us about 30 minutes from the Nadi airport, the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa. Although beaches are better on some of the 300+ other islands comprising this country, the stretch of beach along this hotel row (Wyndham, Sheraton, and Hilton) was pretty darn nice, too; plus, it was very convenient for this quick stay. Our plan included daily breakfast, and the hotel offered several dining venues for other meals.

For our full day in Fiji, several of us booked a Captain Cook cruise to a private island where we could sun, swim, snorkel, dive, kayak, and eat a delicious beach BBQ lunch. Another couple opted for a tour of an orchid farm and traditional village. A great way to get over jetlag!

Finally, we were off on the remaining three-hour flight to Auckland and our two-night stay at the Crowne Plaza downtown. The hotel location put us within walking distance to the port, the Sky Tower (the tallest man-made structure in the Southern Hemisphere), and various restaurants and cafes, pronounced with one syllable here. One of our group found a delightful seafood restaurant called Kermadec overlooking the harbor where we all dined that first evening on local specialties. An excellent choice.

For our full day in Auckland, we purchased tickets for the Hop On-Hop Off Explorer Bus which took us to the Big 14 attractions in the city with the option to visit any of them at our leisure. (Admission fees applied.) Those spending time at the Auckland Museum attested to impressive collections. Ben and I decided to focus on Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter &Underwater World, Bastion Point & Mission Bay Lookout, Trinity Cathedral, and Parnell Village, where several of us enjoyed a delightful lunch in this quaint district.

Later in the afternoon, Ben and I rode to the Sky Tower’s main observation deck for a cocktail and magnificent city views. Another couple managed to snag last-minute dinner reservations, which proved to be very limited. All of us witnessed some of the brave souls dropping from the top of the tower to the ground. Not me! Nor did we sign up for the bungee jumping ride outside our hotel that created a slingshot-like experience for those sitting in the baskets provided. So, did you know that bungee jumping was born in New Zealand?

Following our cool and cloudy first day in New Zealand, embarkation day dawned sunny and mild. After a quick breakfast at a nearby café, Ben and I decided to walk down to the pier to check out our ship. What a beautiful a sight she presented on her last day in Auckland for the season! We boarded with six of the seven other couples in our group later that morning to begin 12 nights sailing to ports in and around both New Zealand and Australia. Stand by for the story of couple number eight!

Cruises Inc Agents of the Year 2010!

[Following is my first post from our National Conference cruise, delayed because of technical issues.]
 The Cruises Inc National Conference Cruise is well underway on the new Norwegian Epic. Today, I will post a brief blog while we are docked in Costa Maya, but I confess this one is to brag a bit.

Last night [Sunday, October 17] was Awards Night for both Cruises Inc (independent contractors like Ben and me) and our sister company CruiseOne (franchise owners). Drum roll, please! Ben and I were honored to receive Cruises Inc. top producer awards for AMA Waterways, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Princess Cruise Line.

We were also recognized as million dollar sellers.

Best of all, we were named Cruises Inc Agents of the Year 2010--a total surprise, since we first received this honor back in 2004. We feel, however, that we must share it with our wonderful clients who continue to value us as their agents, and we send a huge thank you from this amazing ship! We must also thank our corporate staff at Cruises Inc and our parent company, Wolrd Travel Holdings, for the tremendous support they continue giving the agent community.

And kudos to NCL for going the extra mile to ensure a great conference for us. With over 800 onboard in our combined companies, we comprise the largest group yet on the Epic. Despite the logistical challenges, NCL is doing a fantastic job in accommodating all our needs.

More on this amazing ship in my next posts.

Memorial Day 2010

Happy Memorial Day to each of you, as we pause to remember those who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice.

According to history.com, “Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who died while serving in the American military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.” I invite you to read more about this holiday’s special significance. 

My husband Ben served our country in the Air Force for 22 years; both our fathers served during World War II; and two of my nephews are members of the Army National Guard with two tours of duty in Iraq under their belts. With strong family ties to our military, we join our nation in offering grateful thanks to all who serve and to the families who have lost loved ones in course of duty.

Although it sometimes seems incongruous, cruise lines (like retail stores) see any holiday as an excuse for a sale, and Memorial Day is no exception. Several lines are either in the midst of promotions now or begin them this week.

Cruises Inc. has partnered with Disney for an exclusive deal for bookings made June 2-4 for all sailings PRIOR to September 30, 2010, with no blackout dates included. You’ll get $50 per cabin onboard credit on the Disney Wonder’s 3, 4, and 5 night itineraries, and $75 per cabin onboard credit on all Disney Magic itineraries. Disney is not known for offering a whole lot of deals, since those two ships nearly always sell out; so the onboard credit is a bigger deal than it may seem.

A Princess three-day sale begins June 2 for fall 2010 Caribbean cruises (on the Crown, Emerald, and Grand), with fares beginning at less than $80 per day for inside cabins. In a separate promotion, the line is offering up to $100 cash back per cabin on select fall sailings. (With this offer, deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable.)

Holland America’s current last-minute “Flash” promotions include select sailings to Alaska, Bermuda, and Europe.

Offers also look enticing on various Norwegian Cruise Line itineraries like the Jewel’s Canada/New England cruise roundtrip from New York on September 12; the Pride of America’s roundtrip Honolulu cruise November 20, and the Jade’s 9-day roundtrip Barcelona itinerary to the Canary Islands and Morocco on December 3.

Speaking of NCL, the Norwegian Epic’s debut is almost here and you can get a sneak peak of work in progress on YouTube.  Let us help YOU become one of the first to cruise on this amazing new ship!