Priebe's Travel

Archive for the ‘Cruise News’ Category

Think cruising is just for the “over fed and nearly dead” crowd? Think again. Joanna Hall explains why cruising is a top way to travel.

Cruising the high seas has long been regarded by travellers as a romantic throwback to a bygone era of travel, where the salt air, the open ocean, and the anticipation of an exotic new port of call merge to create a unique experience.

While the romance of cruising still exists, today it has evolved from a mode of long distance travel to an experience in itself many. It’s also a multibillion dollar industry, with a wide variety of ships and itineraries on offer designed to lure all types of travellers, and fit most budgets.

Yet there are people who haven’t yet crossed the gangway for a high seas holiday for a variety of reasons, their concerns ranging from the potential for seasickness to the idea of being stuck on a ship for a long time with people they may not like.

While these concerns are valid, the positives of cruising by far outweigh the negative, so if you are considering a cruise for your next holiday, here are the top five reasons why you should go.

Read more: Priebe’s Travel
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Michael Priebe, Owner, Priebe’s Travel

LIQUOR POLICY
Carnival’s liquor and beverage policy allows adults, 21 and over, to bring on board one bottle of wine or champagne on embarkation day only. If you choose to consume the wine/champagne with dinner at one of the restaurants, a $10 corkage fee is charged; $14 for the steakhouse.

BEVERAGE POLICY
On embarkation day, each guest may bring a small quantity of non-alcoholic beverages on board and only in their carry-on luggage. A small quantity is considered a maximum of 12 bottles and/or cans, 20 ounces each or less.

“BOTTOMLESS BUBBLES” UNLIMITED SODA PROGRAM
Carnival gives each guest an option to purchase a “Bottomless Bubbles” unlimited soda program which will allow you unlimited soft drinks and juices for the duration of the cruise at a one-time purchase price. The Program can be purchased the first day at any lounge.

Prices, including a 15% gratuity, are as follows:
Child Rate Per Day $4.50 (17 years of age and younger)
Adult Rate Per Day $6.00 (18 years of age and older)

Please review the following link for all the details and relevant restrictions:


Carnival’s Liquor and Beverage Policy

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Michael Priebe, Owner, Priebe’s Travel

First let’s make sure everything is in order. With your cruise invoice in hand:

• Check the spelling of your names.  This is a correction that needs to be made immediately.
• Confirm the ship and the sail date.  Do not take this detail for granted.
• Mark on your calendar final payment due date.  Cruiselines do not extend final date payments.  If you do not pay you could lose your cruise.
• Make the decision now on travel insurance. You have 14 days from your deposit to include pre-existing conditions on most travel insurance policies.  Most Cruiselines give you till final payment to buy insurance.  It is a huge peace of mind for a little price.

Now relax, you just planned a wonderful vacation!  SO, relax and begin looking forward to your cruise vacation.  It is easy to get excited when you visit the cruiselines’ websites.

If you have a reservation number then you are already in their system.  Go online to take a look at the cruise ship you will be sailing, view your itinerary, and see all the excursions available at the ports you’ll be visiting.

The “log-in” links to the major cruiselines are below. Have your booking number, ship name, and date of sailing, in front of you. You should find all that information on your invoice.

Cruiselines for the most part have stopped sending out documents and are now encouraging their guest to go online and register themselves.  You save precious vacation time by checking in online before you board.  This is very easy to do while you are logged into your cruise.  Just click on the links and follow the procedure by adding in the additional information needed.

For those that don’t have access to the Internet, or do not want to do this yourself, we will take care of this for you.

Additional information needed to prepare your cruise boarding papers:

• Name, number, address, and relationship of someone not traveling with you in case of emergency.
• Credit card for on board expenses.
• Travel Documents - For either a passport or a driver’s license, you will need the number, date of expiration, and state of issue. IMPORTANT NOTE: If using a driver’s license, a birth certificate is also required.  Cruiselines require a birth certificate for each guest without a passport.  The birth certificate must match the photo id, if not, then must include documents of name change.  For those who ask “Do I need a passport?”  we strongly recommend you get a passport!  Right now you can cruise from a United States port and return to the same port (closed loop) without a passport.  If for any reason your trip is interrupted and you need to fly home while out of United States territory, you will need your passport to be allowed on the plane.

That is it.  Once final payment is made and your boarding papers prepared and printed, there is nothing left to do but pack your bags.  Please remember if you buy travel insurance don’t forget to bring your Travel Insurance Policy Card with you when you travel.  That is your 24/7 concierge service while you travel!

Login to see your cruise.  Below are direct links to your cruiselines login pages.  Enjoy your vacation!

Carnival Cruise Line Guest Login

Celebrity Cruises Guest Login

Disney Cruise Line Guest Login

Holland America Line Guest Login

Norwegien Cruise Line Guest Login

Princess Cruises Guest Login

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Guest Login

Dee Priebe  |  www.PriebesTravel.com  |  www.facebook.com/vacationplanner

USA TODAY’s Gene Sloan just returned from a preview cruise on the new Disney Dream? Question about the Disney Dream? Click Here.

Let me first say that the Disney Cruise Line’s much-ballyhooed new ship, the Disney Dream, is a wondrous vessel. One of the most spectacular ever built (see our new comprehensive photo tour for a glimpse at its many marvels). But one person’s dream ship, of course, can be another’s nightmare.

To wit, as a “fair warning” to those thinking of booking, we hereby offer the Cruise Log’s list of Five Things on the Disney Dream that Could Drive you Nutty (lest you think we’re USA TODAY’s version of that little-known dwarf from Snow White, Snarky, rest assured we’ll be back later this week with a less irreverent companion list: Five Things on the Dream that will Leave you Dreamy):

1. Disney show tunes playing around-the-clock in hallways. True die-hard Disney fans will love this, but for the small remainder of us, it just might be a wee bit over-the-top. Three days after debarking the vessel, A Whole New World from the movie Aladdin remains on Continuous Loop in my head (please, make it stop!).

2. Disney-dominated cabin TVs. Yes, Disney, we know you own ABC, ESPN and The Disney Channel, but can we get a little diversity here? And I don’t mean the two extra channels that play Disney animated classics and animated features. Given the hallway situation mentioned in item No. 1, it’d be nice to fall asleep to something without a Disney song attached to it.

3. (Disney-hopped) kids. I love kids. I have three of them myself (ages 11 to 15). But with a stunning 1,500 extra pull-out bunks for children in a vessel with just 1,250 cabins, this is one ship that is going to be jam packed with the little ones. Even on last week’s far-from-full preview cruise, my head was spinning.

4. (Disney-hopped) kids high on soda. Kudos to Disney for not nickel-and-diming passengers with extra charges for soda and other drinks. It’s a great touch. But (free) soda machines on the pool deck? That’s all we need: The 1,500 kids mentioned in item No. 3 running around pumped full of sugar.

5. The omnipresent Mickey. We’ll get letters on this, for sure, but put me down in the camp that says the “hidden Mickey” phenomenon is just completely out of control. Do I really need mini-Mickey heads stamped into the plastic water cups at the buffet and woven into the carpets?

Cruise Loggers, am I a Disney-dumping spoilsport? Tell us what you do — and don’t — want to see on a Disney ship.

Have you heard the talk? Royal Caribbean’s newest ship “Oasis of the Seas” is being released in 2010. The Oasis introduces the first neighborhood concept.

Central Park - How about an Inside Balcony Room overlooking the tranquil and peaceful combination of nature and nautical. You can people watch with views of Central Park’s piazza which is the ship’s town square. Evenings bring great dining, entertainment and street performances. During the day you can enjoy quite reading corners, pleasant walks, and other surprises hidden among the winding paths of Central Park.

Royal Promenade – You can have an Inside Cabin with a window looking over the heart of the ship, or the Oasis’ Royal Promenade: Pizzeria, Coffee Bar, Pubs, Bars, and shopping. The Rising Tide is a feature in the Royal Promenade.

The Rising Tide – is a destination in itself as a levitating bar that ascends and descends over three decks.

Boardwalk – Dedicated to family fun time. The Boardwalk brings you the first ever Carousel at sea, the one of a kind AquaTheater and two rock climbing walls. There are games, amusement attractions, casual dining including Johnny Rockets and Seafood Shack, a donut shop, a candy shop and more. And YES, you can have an inside balcony room overlooking it all.

Pool and Sports Zone, Zip Line, Flow Riders, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness, Entertainment, Youth Programs, Loft Suites, I can go on and on but you will want to experience this resort for yourself.

The Oasis is sailing the Caribbean and we have secured the best rate for you. Join us in December of 2010 for special rates and every room will receive $100 room credit. Grab a flyer at Priebes Travel and be sure to call for your reservation.

To see larger pictures click on the slideshow below:

Thinking about taking a cruise someday? Do you want to compare the different cruise lines to see which one might fit you best? Have you heard cruising is one of the greatest values you can find for a family vacation? Its true, with excellent accommodations, food, entertainment and unending new places to see.

All the top cruise lines will be together in one room bringing beautiful pictures, a wealth of information, and most importantly, exclusive offers for the night!

You are invited to join me Wednesday, October 14 at 4:00pm to 8:00pm at the Garden Pavilion, McClellan Park. Please let me know if you are coming Dee@ShipsAndTripsTravel.com

Hope to see you there!

Dee