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Category Archives: Cruise News

Return to Sailing with Royal Caribbean

Wow! Back to sailing and it feels great! I just returned from sailing on the beautiful amplified Freedom of the Seas from Royal Caribbean. I thought you might like to hear a little about what Royal Caribbean is doing to ensure their clients are sailing safely.

From the moment the pandemic started, Royal Caribbean has been on top of every aspect of returning to sailing. For the Travel Advisors, they meet with us weekly and keep us up to date and informed about the latest news. As a Director and Travel Advisor, you couldn’t ask for more.

We arrived for our sailing at a scheduled time. They are scheduling groups of people to go through the embarkation process. Those guests who are vaccinated have their vaccination card scanned and viewed three times before boarding. You are also presented with a purple wristband so the staff knows you are vaccinated and allowed in those areas of the ship. The boarding process went smoothly. The Royal Caribbean app allows you to flow through your safety check, confirm you have completed viewing all the safety information, and guides you through your voyage. One of the things I enjoyed most was the new muster drill process. You show at your designated area and are individually informed of the process.

 

The crew was amazing the entire time. There were only 1037 guests on this sailing so it actually felt like we were in our own private yacht. We have 1027 crew serving us.

The majority of the guests were vaccinated. There were specific vaccinated-only locations throughout the ship. If someone was traveling with children or guests unvaccinated they needed to participate with that group only if they wanted to be with them. We wore masks in all common areas and were able to remove them in vaccinated venues and of course outside. Vaccinated people had their own pool area as well.

 

 

Many ask about the buffets. They were still there, however, the crew served you. This was at Windjammers and also on their private island, Perfect Day Cocco Cay. I personally really appreciated the service. They have created menus that would make this easy. There were also some prepackaged grab-and-go items.

Social distancing was prevalent in all venues and as soon as someone would leave a table or seating area it was sanitized and prepared for the next guest.

Overall, exceptional service! I can’t wait to sail again! Don’t wait to plan if you want to sail later this year or in the future as sailings are really filling up.

Port Canaveral Welcomes Carnival Mardi Gras Home

This week my wife Leslie and I had the pleasure to go up to Port Canaveral and welcome Carnival’s newest ship, the Mardi Gras to her new homeport. It was great to get out and see other people from the travel industry, advisors, media, and friends!  And while we actually didn’t get on the ship, it was great to see the new terminal and the Mardi Gras in port. The long-awaited return to cruising is just around the corner and we couldn’t be more excited!

 

Executives from the Carnival Corporation, the port authority, travel industry, and media were all on hand to welcome the Mardi Gras home.

Carnival’s new VIP lounge awaits, ready for a cruise?

Carnival’s new terminal was completed in mid-2020 has been sitting vacant for a year waiting to welcome her first guests.

Soon Carnival’s new terminal will be welcoming cruise guests for the first time.

Spacious and comfortable waiting areas are available to guests waiting to board their ship.

 

The port seems eerily empty, but ready for guests to return.

Port Canaveral, home to Carnival Mardi Gras

The media was out in full force to welcome the Mardi Gras home.

It was great seeing the Mardi Gras in port. Soon she’ll welcome guests on board for the first time.

Wait, is that a roller coaster on the top deck?

Yes, it is, the first-ever, roller coaster at sea, on a cruise ship!

For more information on sailing on Carnival’s Mardi Gras out of Port Canaveral contact one of our personal travel advisors today!

Current Cruise Updates and Promotions

The cruising industry has certainly taken a hard hit over the last 6 months. Avid cruisers are itching to set sail on their favorite ships to their favorite destinations, and the cruise lines can’t wait to welcome everyone back on board!

While we don’t know exactly when ships will begin to sail again, one thing we do know is that they WILL sail again! And cruise lines are currently offering not only amazing discounts when you book a future cruise (many into 2022!), but they are also very proud of their revamped Health and Safety protocols.

Below are some examples of current offers available with some of our favorite cruise lines. Click the links to learn more about each cruise line, and to view the details of these amazing offers.

All offers below are current as of the writing of this article on Friday, October 16, 2020

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines

Royal Caribbean is currently offering guests 60% off the second guest, and an additional $100 discount, plus the best part of this offer…the Kids Sail Free!

Norwegian Cruise Lines

Norwegian Cruise Lines has had a lot of flash sales lately, including a Fly Free promotion offering free airfare from over 100 cities nationwide. They also have had a few flash offers where you can receive up to 5 FREE onboard benefits, such as free drinks, free specialty dining, and free wi-fi.

AmaWaterways

AmaWaterways has offered many different promotions, including Free Air, a solo travelers special, and early booking rewards. They are also offering a complimentary sailing to honor frontline medical heroes around the world.

Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival Cruise Lines is currently offering cruises for as low as $289 per person!

Norwegian Encore at sea

Book your next cruise with Peace of Mind!

There is no doubt, COVID has impacted the travel industry in a major way. That’s probably an understatement – COVID has completely halted the travel industry. That does not mean the travel industry is gone forever! In fact, lots of destinations, resorts, and countries are starting to open back up and welcome travelers.

Over the last 5 months, I have witnessed how suppliers, resorts, destinations, airlines, and every other aspect of the travel industry have handled the crisis. And you might be surprised to learn that some of the best and hardest working in the business have been the Cruise Lines.

The cruising industry were some of the first to be affected by the COVID crisis. Undoubtedly, they’ve taken some of the hardest hits, and will most likely be the last to fully recover. Yet they have stayed strong, stayed in communication, and worked endlessly to put in place even stricter Health and Safety regulations than ever before. On top of all of this, cruise lines have also put out some incredibly generous and well thought out Peace of Mind booking policies.

Personally, as a Travel Advisor and avid traveler, I cannot wait to get back on a cruise ship!

If you love to cruise but are nervous to book a future cruise, you are not alone! This is why the cruise lines have gone to such extremes to make you feel comfortable. Take a look at the highlights of the major cruise line’s new booking policies, which allow you to book a cruise now, lock in low rates, and not lose sleep over it.

Remember to keep dreaming about travel! When you are ready to cruise again, we are ready to guide and support you through the process.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines

Royal Caribbean will let you cancel any cruise that sets sail from now through April 30, 2022. Whether it’s a booking you already have or one you make right now through August 1, 2020, you’re covered. As long as you cancel at least 48 hours before your sail date, you’ll receive a Future Cruise Credit. The credit is valid to book and sail by December 31st, 2021, or 12 months after the date that you canceled your original sailing — whichever is further.

Norwegian Cruise Lines

Cancel up to 48 hours prior: For all cruises through December 31, cancel up to 48 hours prior to your vacation start date.

100% Future Cruise Credit: Enjoy the flexibility to use your 100% Future Cruise Credit for sailings through December 2022.

Book Risk-Free: For all cruises January 1, 2021, and beyond, you can cancel up to 4 months before your sailing and receive a full refund under our regular cancellation policy.

Disney Cruise Line

To give you more peace of mind, Disney Cruise Line is launching a temporary Cruise Date Flexibility option, allowing Guests the option to change their sail date up to 15 days prior to their cruise. This means that for any new or existing cruises booked prior to August 31, 2020, for sailings through March 31, 2021, you can change your sail date up to 15 days before departure.

 

Road Trip From Orlando to Fort Lauderdale to Board the Celebrity Infinity for my Very First Cruise!

 

This past November Must Love Travel took a company trip aboard the beautiful Celebrity Infinity! We had a wonderful time filled with new learning experiences and fellowship! For me this was my very first cruise EVER! I was filled with excitement and my experienced Must Love Travel Planner friends were with me every step of the way to show me the ropes and make me a cruising pro!

 

 

For me and a few of my fellow Must Love Travel team members our journey began in Orlando Florida! A group of us had flown into Orlando to spend a few days at Walt Disney World pre-cruise. We then woke up VERY early the day of our Celebrity cruise to rent a van and have a road trip down to Fort Lauderdale where we would board the ship! The road trip festivities began with packing the car with the luggage of 6 travel professionals! We packed it to the brim but got everything to fit just right!

 

 

 

We then hit the road! As someone who has vacationed to Florida for all of my life this was actually my first time venturing to south Florida! It was really cool to take in the sights along the way of a new part of my favorite state! We shared a TON of laughs along the way!

 

Once we arrived in Fort Lauderdale we turned in the rental car and caught the shuttle to the port right across the street. After checking in I had the moment I had been waiting for, boarding the ship for the first time! It was an incredible feeling to step aboard and take in the beauty of the Celebrity Infinity!

 

 

We made our way to the buffet to enjoy lunch and got to meet up with some of our other co-workers. They made the announcement that the staterooms were ready and I went up to check out my room!  It was a very nice and comfortable room and my favorite part as the lovely veranda were I enjoyed many beautiful views as we sailed.

You can watch the adventure in our new YouTube Video!

 

 

Contact your Must Love Travel Planner today to plan your next adventure!

7 Things I Learned on My First Cruise!

Hi Everyone!

 
I am excited to share with you a great video from our Social Media Director, Megan. She joined us a few years ago and has traveled many places, but had not sailed on a cruise until our annual agent event this past fall.  She was like a kid in a candy shop. Questions galore!  It was so exciting as we all helped her prepare and enjoy her first venture on the high seas! Questions like, do I purchase the drink package or not?  How do I pay for things? What is one of the most helpful things you need on a cruise?  Can I use my cell phone?

These are great questions and ones we often hear from first-time cruises and sometimes even from people who have cruised before, but maybe have not experienced the newest technology on the larger ships.

 

Cruising is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable ways to travel and with a few insights from our very own first-time cruiser you might be calling us very soon to book your first cruise!

7 Things I Learned on My First Cruise! – Tips for First-Time Cruisers

 

This past November I embarked on a brand-new travel adventure, MY VERY FIRST CRUISE! Our 2018 Must Love Travel Agency Event took us aboard the beautiful Celebrity Infinity. This trip was my very first cruise that I had ever been on and it was such an amazing experience! I learned so much about so many new and exciting places that I had never been to before such as the Florida Keys and the Bahamas!  I got to enjoy fellowship and education time with my wonderful colleagues! I also came away from the trip with an in-depth knowledge of cruising!

 

 

 

Prior to this first cruise I was filled with so much excitement as well as so many questions. I didn’t know what to expect with this new mode of travel and was so curious as to how it all worked. Like with everything in life, we learn through first-hand experience! Through my experience onboard the Celebrity Infinity I came away with having all of my cruising questions answered!  Today I am excited to share with you 7 of the things I learned during my first cruise! I hope that this information and tips help you know what to expect whether you are about to embark on your first cruise or your 100th cruise!

 

  1. Get a Drink Package

Many cruise lines offer a drink package. We all had the option to add one of these drink plans on before our sailing. I opted not to get a drink package, I enjoy indulging in a drink or two but that’s about my limit. For me personally I didn’t feel that I would get my money’s worth out of having a beverage package. I was planning to just pay for any drinks I wanted outright throughout the cruise. When the day came to set sail, I was checking in at the terminal and received such a kind upgrade! The Celebrity crew member at check in saw on my license that I had recently celebrated my 21st birthday and gave me the drink package complimentary. What an amazing start to my first ever cruise! Here was where I had my first learning experience. I feel that I definitely made the most out of having a beverage package. What I was unaware of was the fact that even drinks such as iced tea, coffee, sodas and other fountain drinks are all additional charges. Having a drink package allowed me to get these beverages as well as enjoy some alcoholic beverages. In the end when you crunch the numbers having a drink package definitely will save you money in the long run. It is important to know that every cruise line is different in terms of what beverages are included free and what drinks are an up-charge. Different cruise lines offer different types of drink packages and many cruise lines even have different tiers of beverage plans. The best way to know which plan is best for you is to talk to your Must Love Travel Planner! Our team has already done the research and can offer you the best advice to save you money and maximize your vacation experience.

 

  1. Bring a Lanyard

On a cruise, you will be given your stateroom card, this card does so much more than just open your cabin door. This card is also your form of onboard payment, your ID, and it is loaded up with any credits you may have such as a beverage package. You find yourself using this little card all the time. With that in mind it is a good idea to have a lanyard with a clear pouch to house this card in. This eliminates the need to carry your wallet or bag with you throughout the ship. I saw many people on the ship who had cruise lanyards. I instantly made note that I needed to get one after seeing how useful this item was! The onboard gift shops will sell lanyards; however they are going to up-charge you quite a lot on the ship! I saw lanyards in the gift shop for around $20. That is why my best tip is to plan ahead and purchase your lanyards before you set sail. You can find generic lanyards and even some very cute and stylish lanyards on sites such as Amazon for right around $5. Trust me, this item will be super convenient!

 

  1. Optimize Device Charging

Staterooms on a Cruise Ship can be much smaller compared to a standard hotel room. This is just something to be aware of when planning. With proper planning, you will be able to maximize your space to the fullest! Something I encountered was the fact that our stateroom had just one outlet with 2 plugs. Only 2 devices could be plugged in and charging at one time. Once again this was just how it was on our particular ship. Many newer ships come equipped with more outlets and plugs. However, just because you are limited on outlets doesn’t mean you can’t still charge all your devices and gadgets, bring a charger block or a power strip. Devices such as these will allow you to plug multiple device into just one outlet. Another tip I can give is to bring a European adaptor if you have one. Our Stateroom also had a European outlet with two European plugs. This is common on Cruise Ships because they sail all over the world and have passengers from all around the world! Had I brought along a European adapter I could have gained a whole other outlet to use!

 

  1. Cell Phone Use Onboard

One of the things I was most curious about prior to my first cruise was how cell phones worked at sea! I ended up being able to use my phone during the entire duration of the cruise with these tips. I put my phone in airplane mode to make sure I would not get roaming charges. Be aware of the fact that your phone may still work out at sea but you might get hit with extremely high roaming charges. I recommend talking to your cell phone service carrier prior to your sailing to know your range. Even in airplane mode I was able to still call and text with people back on land because I enabled wifi calls and texts. This is a feature that most smart phones have that you can use wifi to call, text and even facetime! I purchased the ships wifi package in order to do this and found that the onboard wifi was very strong and I always got a great connection. If you are wanting to use your phone in port in a different country I would also recommend talking to your service provider before your sailing telling them where you are traveling so you can find out if you can get service. My cell phone company offers a great program where I can pay for an international plan per day. I was able to utilize this during our day in port in Nassau Bahamas.

 

  1. Motion Sickness

As a first-time cruiser, motion sickness was a fear in the back of my mind. I am happy to report I was absolutely fine during our sailing and never felt any motion sickness symptoms. My best advice to you if you are concerned with motion sickness is to just be prepared. I picked up motion sickness pills prior to sailing to keep with me as a precaution. I also bought a product called “Sea Bands.” These are bands that go around your wrist and apply pressure on certain pressure points that are supposed to naturally reduce the feelings of motion sickness. The first night of our sailing we were just getting out to sea and in this area the water was a bit choppier. I was noticing the motion more so choose to put these band on as a precaution. I felt great the entire night so I definitely think this product works wonderfully!

 

  1. Prepare to put Luggage out the Night Before You Disembark

The evening before you disembark you may be instructed to place your luggage outside of your stateroom to be collected by your host. They take your bags away so that the next day they can handle getting the luggage off the ship for you. Every cruise line has different procedures but this is definitely helpful. The morning you depart you don’t have to worry about maneuvering your luggage all around the ship! It is a great system; however, this is just something that you need to be aware of so you can plan ahead. Know that on your final evening of the cruise you will have to gather from your luggage any items that you need for that evening or for the next morning. I just had my backpack with me and I definitely had to do a lot of consolidating and reorganizing to get my essentials to fit in my small carry-on. I made it work but in the future I would definitely plan to bring along a packable tote bag that can be used for this exact purpose. With a packable tote, you can repack just those essentials for that night and the next day and not have to worry about not having enough bag space.

 

  1. Plan with Your Must Love Travel Planner!

My first Cruise experience definitely gave me the cruising bug! I saw that there is so much to do and see during a cruise vacation! You are onboard a floating luxury hotel that is whisking you away to new and exciting destinations! A cruise is multiple vacations inside a vacation! You can make your cruise relaxing, adventurous or a perfect mixture of both! There are so many options to choose from when it comes to activities to experience on the ship, to excursions you can take in port! With this in mind it is important to go into your cruise vacation with a plan and a knowledge of all of your choices so that you can guarantee you won’t miss out on anything that you really want to do. This prior research will allow you to make the most out of your vacation! The best way to do this is by contacting your Must Love Travel Planner! Our team can use their knowledge and experience to give you recommendations and tips that will enable you to get the most from your vacation! Your job is to relax and enjoy while we do the work part for you!

 

Hear more in our new YouTube Video:

 

I hope these 7 things I learned on my first cruise will answer some of your questions about cruising. I highly recommend planning a cruise vacation. I am already counting down the days until I get to set sail again! If you still have questions about a cruise, know that your Must Love Travel Planner will be your advocate and answer any questions you may have! As always, our team at Must Love Travel is happy to help you plan your next vacation! Happy Cruising!

River Cruising

Sail away to explore the world on a river cruise. Intimate, luxury, and adventure are just a few words that describe a journey aboard a river cruise.

River cruising is the fastest growing travel segment today. Most likely because it is a perfect way to see many iconic cities and historic locations. Unlike ocean cruising, your entire sailing is in view of beautiful scenery. Whether you are watching from your balcony or from one of the public areas aboard you will be engulfed in the
view.

Many river cruises are all inclusive in nature and some include excursions as well. They dock right in the heart of the city allowing ease to set out and explore.

If you are a first time river cruiser, the Rhine is a perfect choice! It is beautiful any time of year! Sailing through the Rhine gorge is one of the most scenic sections of the Rhine sailing past castles, churches and vineyards!

There are many wonderful River Cruise lines to choose from. You will want to talk with your Travel Planner and discuss the best options for you.

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