October 1, 2009

An “Oasis” of dining options

Oasis of the Seas will have 24 dining options

By: Johanna Jainchill – June 25, 2009

Royal Caribbean on Wednesday said the Oasis of the Seas will offer a record 24 ways to dine.

And passengers can begin making dinner plans long before the Oasis sets sail. The reservations system opens at RoyalCaribbean.com on July 7; the 5,400-passenger ship’s maiden voyage departs Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 12.

Restaurants will include typical choices such as a casual Italian eatery as well as Royal Caribbean signatures like Vintages wine bar and Chops Grille.

It will also introduce new dining concepts like the indoor/outdoor Seafood Shack in the ship’s Boardwalk neighborhood. The Seafood Shack will serve seafood and over-sized desserts, with cover charges of $7.95 for lunch and $9.95 for dinner.

Also on the Boardwalk, the Donut Shop and Ice Cream Parlor will serve snacks all day.

Royal Caribbean International CEO Adam Goldstein said he is most excited about 150 Central Park, the Oasis’ “most exclusive dining venue.” The restaurant will provide an intimate ambience and offer a tasting menu with wine pairings, for a $35 cover charge for dinner.

In the Royal Promenade, the Mondo Café will offer coffee, sandwiches and pastries from countries such as Italy, Spain and Cuba. Mondo Café will be open late at night.

New in the Solarium will be a bistro by that name. Solarium will offer “health-conscious” fare for breakfast and lunch in a casual setting, said Royal Caribbean. At night, the restaurant will serve dinner and offer dancing under the stars, for a $20 cover charge.

Also for the health-conscious, the Vitality Café will feature healthy snacks, sandwiches, wraps and fruit for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant will be situated at the entrance to the Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center.

Oasis’ main dining room, the three-level Opus, will have a 1920s theme and feature French art deco design.

An Asian restaurant, Izumi, will have a sushi bar and hot-rock cooking. Izumi will be open for lunch and dinner at a la carte pricing.

Book RCCL’s Oasis of the Seas today…call 1-800-473-6170

www.homeportcruises.com

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September 24, 2009

Oasis of the Seas: RCI Unveils Dining Options

Royal Caribbean Unveils “Oasis of the Seas” Dining Venues
Wed Jun 24 2009, by Travel Trade Staff

Going by neighborhood, dining venues aboard Oasis of the Seas will include:

The Boardwalk will offer family favorite Johnny Rockets, as well as a new alternative the 50s style diner, the surf-themed Seafood Shack. Also, on the Boardwalk will be the Donut Shop, which will offer a rotating selection of 10 to 15 varieties of free donuts every day, as well as complimentary coffee. Also in the Boardwalk will be the Boardwalk Bar, a full-scale bar that will also offer salads and sandwiches, and the 50s-styled Ice-Cream Parlour, which will offer up to 15 different flavors.

Five dining options will be offered in Central Park, including the semi-formal 150 Central Park, the Oasis of the Seas’ most exclusive dining venue. Also in Central Park will be the line’s signature steakhouse Chops Grill and a new Tuscan eatery, Giovanni’s Table, which will offer family style Italian dining. Park Café will be a quick service concept offering sandwiches, made to order salads, soups, full meals and crepes on certain days. Central Park also will feature the familiar Vintages wine bar, but new to the Oasis, Vintages will offer a tapas menu, perfect for wine pairings.

On the Royal Promenade, guests will find Café Promenade, which offers coffees, pastries and sandwiches, as well as Sorrento’s, which offers pizza on most Royal Caribbean ships. However, on Oasis, Sorrentos will offer made to order pizzas so cruisers can choose from a selection of toppings and watch as a chef makes the pizza on the spot.

For those seeking healthy dining options, the Solarium Bistro will be offered in the Pool & Sports Zone. Here, guests will find healthy buffet selections for breakfast and lunch, and health food menu for dinner. All items served in the Solarium Bistro will be 500 calories or less. Also in the Pool & Sports Zone, will be Wipeout Café, which will offer all-day soft serve ice-cream, as well as hamburgers, hot dogs and other quick service sandwiches.

Vitality Café will be found in the Vitality Zone and will offer healthy snack items such as wraps, fruits, juices, smoothies, energy drinks and more.

Other dining venues found onboard, which will not be linked to a specific neighborhood, will be Windjammer Marketplace and Izumi Asian Cuisine. While Windjammer is an old favorite for RCI guests, Izumi is a new concept that will offer Japanese cuisine, as well as a sushi bar.

While reservations are not required for any of the specialty restaurants, Goldstein does recommend them. In doing so, he announced that as of July 9, guests will be able to go online before their cruise and make reservations for any of the specialty dining venues available on the Oasis.

“We are trying to make it resemble how you would dine out at home,” Goldstein said.

My Time Dining

With all the attention put on the specialty restaurants, “we have not forgotten about the Main Dining Room,” said Kenneth Taylor, director of fleet restaurant operations. Taylor added that RCI expects the Main Dining Room to continue to be very popular, especially with the cruise line’s new My Time Dining option in place.

With My Time Dining, “we’ve designed entertainment and dining to be on your schedule, which is why we think My Time Dining will be successful,” Taylor added.

As part of My Time Dining guests can choose when they want to dine, as well as request a specific waiter or table. One entire deck of the Main Dining Room will be dedicated to guests who choose My Time Dining. As of May 1, guests can choose My Time Dining at the time of booking.

Mike – Homeport Cruises Co.

1-888-225-6732

Oasis_of_the_Seas

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September 5, 2009

55 – The New Senior Age for Cruise Discounts

Get the best deals afloat if your are 55 or older.  Only one person in a cabin needs to be 55 to qualify everyone in that cabin for the senior rate.

Check out our deals on-line: Homeport Cruises Co.

Search on-line: Click-to-Search

Then give us a call: 1-888-225-6732

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July 14, 2009

Carnival Self-Service Check-In @ Miami

Carnival launches self-service check-in at Port of Miami
By: Johanna Jainchill July 07, 2009 – Travel Weekly – The National Newspaper of the Travel Industry

As part of an effort to streamline the embarkation process, Carnival Cruise Lines installed self-service check-in kiosks at the Port of Miami.

Carnival said that if passengers respond positively to the kiosks, they will be installed in other year-round homeports.

Citizens of the U.S., Canada or a Visa Waiver Program country embarking on a Carnival ship from Miami can use the kiosks if they have pre-registered online.

As in an airport, passengers enter their booking information and swipe their passport or credit card to check in. Then they pick up their cabin key at a nearby desk.

The kiosks also accept cash deposits for passengers’ shipboard accounts.

Homeport Cruises Co – www.homeportcruises.com

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June 9, 2009

Celebrity Cruises “Equinox” float-out

Celebrity Equinox

Mike/Homeport Cruises Co.

1-800-473-6170

www.homeportcruises.com

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June 9, 2009

$70 Oil = Cruise Line fuel surcharges?

THE RISING PRICE OF A BARREL OF OIL

The price of oil is nearing $70 per barrel.  When the cruise lines removed fuel surcharges last year they did so with the caveat that IF the price goes to $70 a barrel they can re-impose fuel surcharges of $10 per person/per day or more.  What will happen?  Who knows?  It’s simply one more intangible cost of travel as we cruise through the current worldwide recession.

Mike/Homeport Cruises Co.

1-800-473-6170

www.homeportcruises.com

2009

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June 8, 2009

Carnival Dream

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Dream’s 2 Level Serenity
Our new 130,000 ton Carnival Dream will offer a host of innovations including the largest adults-only retreat in our fleet! Created as an ocean going oasis for relaxation, the Carnival Dream’s 11,250 square foot Serenity area will encompass levels, a first for CCL , and it will accommodate up to 200! Clients can select from 7 different styles of seating from plush chaise lounges and chairs to shaded sun loungers and even hammocks. Carnival Dream’s Serenity area will also feature a full bar on the lower level in a shaded area while the upper level will offer whirlpools providing magnificent sea views. Design-wise, Serenity will offer a decidedly understated décor with decorative latticework, teak-style decking and other contemporary features creating an atmosphere of tranquility and comfort. The Serenity experience will be enhanced by a series of custom windscreens specially created for this area. Spanning the forward section of Sun Deck 14 and Sky Deck 15, Serenity is accessible via a glass elevator within Carnival Dream’s expansive 23,750 square foot Cloud 9 Spa as well as by 2 staircases.

Mike/Homeport Cruises Co.

1-800-473-6170

www.homeportcruises.com

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June 2, 2009

Princess Movie Club

Princess introduces Leonard Maltin Movie Club

By: Jerry LimoneMay 28, 2009 – Travel Weekly

Leonard MaltinPrincess Cruises and film critic/historian Leonard Maltin have collaborated to launch the Leonard Maltin Movie Club.

On all ships in the fleet, Princess will showcase a film chosen by Maltin each month. After watching the film on the pool deck or in the Princess Theater, viewers can gather for a discussion about the film.

Upcoming films include “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Slumdog Millionaire” and “The Wrestler.” Princess said it plans to announce the monthly featured film on its website, so passengers know beforehand what film they will see.

Also, passengers can watch popular and classic movies in their staterooms on the new Leonard Maltin Movie Channel.

Book your Princess Cruises vacation today: Homeport Cruises Co. 1-800-473-6170

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May 29, 2009

Carnival: Pre-Registar the grandkids before you sail!

Youth Program Pre-Registration
Parents can now enjoy the convenience of pre-registering their kids on line before cruising which will allow children and teens to join the various activities immediately upon boarding. A link to pre-register for the youth program will appear after Fun Pass is completed. Currently only Camp Carnival and Circle C are active and Club O2 will go live shortly; we will keep you posted. Guests must register at least 72 hours prior to departure. If this window has passed, a message will appear indicating that pre-registration is not available but registration may take place onboard. Children under 2 years old and under are not eligible for pre-registration.

Mike – Homeport Cruises Co.

1-800-473-6170

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May 7, 2009

Add Insurance to your cruise…

Don’t forget to pack your travel insurance!
Emergencies can happen while traveling.

What if there’s an emergency back home and you have to cut your trip short?
What if you become too sick to take your trip, or need medical assistance while on your trip?
What if your luggage doesn’t show up when you do?
What if you lose your wallet or identification?

Travel insurance and assistance plans through Travel Guard can be there for you before, during and after your trip. Covering more than 6 million travelers a year for more than 20 years, Travel Guard’s unmatched level of service and commitment can provide important coverage for you during your travels should the unexpected occur.
When you purchase a comprehensive travel insurance plan, you can travel with coverage for trip delay, trip interruption, baggage, medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation, as well as 24/7 emergency medical and travel assistance.
We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance for your upcoming trip. We can provide you with a quote in just a matter of minutes. Give us a call today at 800-473-6170 or purchase on-line.

Insurance is underwritten by National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, PA, a Pennsylvania Insurance Company (NAIC # 19445). It is currently authorized to transact business in all states and the District of Columbia. The Policy will contain reductions, limitations, exclusions and termination provisions. Assistance Services provided by Travel Guard Assist. All coverages may not be available in all states.

This is a brief description of the insurance benefits and travel services provided. Insurance is underwritten by National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pa., with its principal place of business in New York, NY. The Policy will contain reductions, limitations, exclusions and termination provisions. All coverages may not be available in all states. Travel Assistance Services are provided by Travel Guard Assist.

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