Saying Goodbye to 2010

It is hard to believe that 2010 is coming to a close. It just seems like yesterday when we were opening a bottle of champagne and toasting to 2010. I hope it has been an incredible year for you and your family. I have had a great year with lots of opportunities and success.

Speaking of opportunities, I was lucky enough to sail on two of this years newest ships...Norwegian Epic and Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas. While these ships are completely different, they both have something for everyone. The Allure of the Seas is the World's Largest ship, however, Royal Caribbean did a great job with the traffic control and overall layout of the ship. You never feel like there are over 5,000 other people onboard with you! In terms of success, our CruiseOne Franchise has seen a great increase in sales over 2009. That is thanks to all our loyal customers that return to us cruise after cruise and refer friends and family. Thank you so much.

So, 2011 is only 5 days away? What kind of opportunities and successes are in your future? Have you thought of them? Take this time to really think about what you want 2011 to look like and what you will do to make it happen. Where do you want to travel in 2011 and how will you get there. Get the family together and map it out. It could be fun for all.

Have a great New Year's and remember to be safe. We'll see you in 2011!

~Renee

Princess Cruises Talks Alaska

Princess Cruises is among the best cruise line for Alaska Cruises and Cruisetours. Watch the video to find out why.

Vicki Freed Discusses What's New With Royal Caribbean Oasis and Allure of the Seas

During our CruiseOne National Conference, we had the opportunity to sit down with Vicki Freed, Senior Vice President of Sales with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. She gave us some insights on the future of Royal Caribbean, the differences between the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas as well as Europe 2011.

Watch the exclusive video here.

Sandals Certified

Exciting News...while at our CruiseOne National Conference this past week, all of Gerber & Associates received Sandals training. Our offices are now officially Sandals Certified.

If you are looking for a Couples Only All-Inclusive (Sandals) or a Family All-Inclusive (Beaches), we can help you. Did you know there are 13 Sandals resorts and 4 Beaches resorts?

Call our offices to learn more and to book your All-Inclusive Luxury Vacation.

Jogging or Running...which is best?

For those of you that know me personally, you know that I do not run or jog. Did you hear me? I don't run or jog...UNTIL now! With the help of an iPhone app called Couch to 5K, I am preparing to run a 5K. Hard to believe. This handy dandy app is great. It guides you through 9 nines of workouts (3 times a week). In the end, I am supposed to be able to run a 5K. Keep your fingers, toes and anything else you have crossed.

So, I just completed Week One. It got me to thinking. Just a few weeks after I complete the training, I will be onboard the Norwegian Epic for my CruiseOne National Conference. If this works, I WILL want to run while onboard. I am so excited.

My question to you is...If you run or jog and have done so on a cruise ship...which is the best cruise line and ship for running or jogging? I would love to hear all of your opinions. Please share them with us.

Man's Best Friend and Traveling

There are some of us that travel with our dog. Either on vacation, to see family or when we move. When flying with a dog, it is very important to watch the temperature outside. I never realized this until a recent article came out about the safety of dogs while flying. Maybe it's because I don't have a dog but it is definitely something to be aware of. How many of you have flown with your dog? Have you thought about the heat conditions that your dog is having?

Check out this article for more valuable information.

Art Galleries onboard ships...

For years now, people have been claiming that the art sold onboard cruise ships is not worth the money. Recently, Royal Caribbean International decided not to have Park West on their ships anymore. Now an artist is suing Park West saying that they printed and sold his work without his knowledge. Read the full article here.

So, have you ever bought something from Park West or another cruise ship art gallery? If so, do you think you got your money's worth? We'd love to know.

Looking to Fly Soon...

Are you looking to fly soon? Have you thought about baggage fees? Most airlines charge for checked bags...don't even get me started on this one! I think the concept of charging for bags when the airplanes were built to carry the bags below the plane are ridiculous. Although, I do think that they should check the size of carry on luggage before it goes on with passengers! I am seen some pretty big "checked" bags!

Here is an article concerning ways to get around the baggage fees. Maybe you will be able to use an idea or two. Click here for entire article.

Shrek Goes Cruising

That's right. DreamWorks and Royal Caribbean have joined forces. They are bringing Shrek to the high seas. This new family program will bring Shrek, Donkey and a crew of penguins onboard. This will all start in December 2010 aboard the brand new Allure of the Seas. Shrek will then be introduced to the Oasis of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas.

This is going to be something great for kids of all ages. For more details, click here.

Oasis of the Seas has effect on sister ships!

Royal Caribbean's newest and biggest cruise ship in the world, Oasis of the Seas, seems to be rubbing off on it's sister ships. The Oasis of the Seas has been such a huge success that Royal Caribbean has decided to take some of her features and put them into the Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas in early 2011. Want to know what features we are talking about? Read the entire article here.

Holland America Veendam Ship Tour

Michael and I were invited to take a ship tour of the Holland America Veendam in New Your City on May 2, 2010. Since we didn't want to leave really bright and early on 5/2 and drive up, we decided to drive up on 5/1, stay overnight and scout out some other good things to do. Here is the review.

We decided to drive up to Edison, NJ (top rated place to live) and stay the night before taking the ship tour. Michael did his research and we chose the Courtyard Edison Woodbridge as our hotel of choice. This is very conveniently located to the turnpike so getting on and off were a breeze. The hotel was in nice condition and very busy due to a family reunion. The staff were nice and attentive. Overall, a very good choice. And, at only $90 including all taxes, we couldn't go wrong!

For dinner, we decided on the Skylark Diner. Yes, a diner. Although, this is not your typical diner. It is considered a "Finer Diner". The decor is hip and has a travel theme. How perfect! This particular diner was even featured on the Food Network Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. If Guy likes it, you have to like it to. From the moment we stepped in we knew it would be good. The atmosphere was calm and not all hustle and bustle. The waiter (Mike) was incredible. I wasn't sure what to order and he pointed me in the right direction all the way to dessert. The details in the diner were great even down to the clocks on the wall from all over the world. Yes, I did have to use my World Clock on my iPhone to see if the times were correct. I found some mistakes. Mike promised that the next time I come back, they would be right. I'm counting on you.

Sunday morning we got an early start. Since the Port of Bayonne was on the way, we decided to check it out. The port is very convenient, however, if you don't pay attention to the signs, you could go the wrong way. Of course, the first two signs off the NJ Turnpike were the toughest to find. All went well from there and we found our way. I have to say this is not the most scenic of ports. They are building some new condos along the road leading to the port, this is a welcome addition. You will be driving through some abandoned warehouses (this part is straight out of a movie). Then all of a sudden, a ship appears. The Celebrity Summit was in town on this day.

Once we saw a glimpse of the Summit, it was off to the Port of NY to see the Holland America Veendam. The Veendam is an older ship built in 1996. She had a $40 million refurbishment in 2009. During the refurb, new decks were added on the rear of the ship. Lanai cabins are new...you basically have a balcony cabin where the sliding glass door opens up to a common walk way with chaise lounges. It is pretty cool. There is also the Retreat on the rear of the ship. This is a private area with a shallow pool and chaise lounges and the LCD tv above. The chaise lounges actually sit in about 3" of water. You can get some sun and if you get hot, just put your feet down and you will cool off...but don't drop your book! We even had an opportunity to eat in the Rotterdam Dining Room and experience the wonderful customer service that Holland America is known for. The food was incredible.

For photos and video of the Veendam, keep an eye out for our exclusive Cruise and Country video webcast of the ship tour coming soon.

New Cruise Survey

A new survey was just completed by Travel Leaders. The purpose was to determine what percentage of people who have been on a cruise would take another one. Well, if you've been on a cruise before, I think we know what the answer would be. Of course, you would take another cruise! Cruising is the best vacation for the value...unlimited food, top notch entertainment, the pool, fitness center and so much more. Oh, and let's not forget the opportunity to see multiple places on your voyage.

To see the full results of the survey, click here.

I want to hear from you.
If you have been on a cruise before, will you go on one again?
If you have not been on a cruise before, are you interested in trying one?

Happy Sails,
Renee

Ever Wanted to See How Chefs Work on a Cruise?

Have you ever wondered what is was like behind the scenes of the galley on a cruise ship? Most ships prepare over 10,000 meals a day during a cruise. How insane is this? In order to make things happen, they must be organized and work like a well oiled machine. I have been fortunate enough to take a tour of the galley onboard the Celebrity Century. Wow, is all I could say. The galley was stainless steel from head to toe (ceilings, walls and floors). This is just in case of a fire, nothing would burn. The cleanliness of the galley was purely amazing. You could eat off of the floors :)

Carnival Cruise Lines has just announced a new program for the Carnival Liberty, Carnival Sensation, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Pride and Carnival Fascination. It is called the Chef's Table dining option. There is a per person cost of $75 per person. The experience will include a tour of the galley and an opportunity to enjoy dining with an onboard chef. This is a great experience for anyone interested in food or how the cruise ships manage to deliver such great meals on a daily basis.

Bringing Alcohol Onboard Cruises

It is one of the most common questions in the cruise industry..."Can I bring my own alcohol onboard the ship?" The answer is no. While some people will try to sneak it onboard in very creative ways (you know who you are), the cruise line policies do not allow you to bring alcohol onboard.

If you are a wine drinker, you can in fact bring one or two bottles (check each cruise line rules) of wine per stateroom. If you take this wine to the dining room to enjoy and ask it to be uncorked, you may be subject to a "corkage fee". If you open it in your cabin, there is no "corkage fee".

How many of you bring wine onboard? Is it to save money on your alcohol bill or do you prefer a certain brand of wine? Please let us know.

Theme Cruises

In the past, you may have heard of the "Elvis Cruise" or the "Paula Deen Cruise". These are examples of a theme cruise. Theme cruises can be created around any common theme. If you are in a knitting club, you can create a knitting cruise. If you are a foodie, you can create a food cruise.

The best part of a theme cruise is that you travel with people who have similar interests to you. You have an immediate bond with people you may not know or you will be traveling with people you do know. It is a great way to have a fun vacation.

Did you know that you can even have seminars about your theme while on the cruise? Most cruise lines provide conference room space for free. This is a great opportunity to cruise with a group and have enrichment at the same time.

If you have a group that you belong to and would like to create a theme cruise, please call or email me. I specialize in creating theme cruises. Some of the theme cruises I created are:

Girly Girl Cruises - www.GirlyGirlCruises.com

Culinary Cruise - www.CooksWhoCruise.com

We just completed a Dog Lovers cruise and are working on the next one...stayed tuned. And, we are working on a really big one but can't spill the beans yet.

Let me help plan your theme cruise. Call me at 866-568-0022 or email me at RGerber@CruiseOne.com

Disney Annouces More Features for the Dream

Disney announced some new features for the new Disney Dream today. Who wouldn't want to play mini-golf with Goofy? I know I do. The course will boast some interested twists and turns. Disney also mentions some of the Adult Only Pool area...ahh, the sweet sound of the ocean and only the ocean! To read all about the fabulous features, click here.

2011 can't come fast enough! Will you be sailing on the Disney Dream? If so, when? You can join us on 12/11/11!!! If you want info on sailing with us, call or email me!

Royal Caribbean / Haiti Controversy

As you may have seen over the past few days, Royal Caribbean International has been getting a lot of bad press regarding their decision to return to Haiti only days after the earthquake. Royal Caribbean stands by their decision to return to the island in order to bring much needed supplies as well as help rebuild the economic activity on the island. Other cruise lines such as MSC Cruises have supported the decision.

Most of the islands that are visited by the cruise lines are poor countries that depend on the tourism to survive. If Royal Caribbean were to stay away from Haiti, the Haitian workers on that side of the island (Labadee) would not earn money. I also understand that any food that is prepared for the vacationing cruisers while on Labadee that is left over is given to the Haitians working the island. This is a huge advantage to Royal Caribbean continuing service to the island.

I believe that Royal Caribbean made a hard decision and one that is right. If you have any comments regarding the situation, please post here.

Cruise Line Private Islands

As you may know, we just got back from our wonderful cruise aboard the Disney Wonder. I cannot say enough about how fantastic the cruise was. For more information on our Disney cruise, you can check out our upcoming Cruise & Country Video.

One of the highlights of the cruise was stopping at Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Lines private island. If you are taking a cruise to the Caribbean or the Bahamas, most likely you will stop at the cruise line's private island as one of your ports. They are typically small islands that are owned and operated by the cruise line. The private islands are for the exclusive use of that cruise lines guests.

Most private islands have some of the same amenities such as amazing beaches with beach chairs and umbrellas, hammocks, water sports, barbeque lunch, outdoor bars, etc... The great thing about visiting one of the private islands is that you don't need to bring cash...most things can be charged directly to your cabin card. This makes it so much easier to get off the ship. Castaway Cay is the only private island where the ship will dock directly at the island. The other islands will have tenders take you onto the island.

So, what cruise lines have their own private island and what is there to know about each one? Below you will find a list of the islands. Click on the names to take you to all you ever wanted to know about each one.

• Castaway Cay, Bahamas - Disney Cruise Line
• CoCoCay, Bahamas - Royal Caribbean
• Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas - Norwegian Cruise Line
• Half Moon Cay, Bahamas - Holland America and Carnival Cruise Line
• Labadee, Hispaniola - Royal Caribbean
• Princess Cays, Bahamas - Princess Cruises

I hope you enjoy your next cruise to one of these great destinations. If you have been to one already and would like to share your experiences, please do so!

Disney Revamps Kids Programs

Just in...Disney is revamping their revoultionary kids program. Kids will be able to do activities based on their interest and not their age group. This is a first for a cruise line kids program. Click here to read the entire article.