OCEANIA CRUISES' NEW MARINA TO FEATURE FIRST SUITES AT SEA

OCEANIA CRUISES' NEW MARINA TO FEATURE FIRST SUITES AT SEA

DESIGNED BY TOCAR FEATURING FURNISHINGS FROM RALPH LAUREN HOME

Glamorous Owner’s Suites Offer 2,500+ Square Feet of Palatial Luxury

NEW YORK, December 11, 2009 — When she debuts in winter 2010, Oceania Cruises’ new Marina will be the first ship to offer luxury suites completely appointed from furniture and fabrics to lighting and bedding using the acclaimed Ralph Lauren Home collection.

To accomplish this industry first, the cruise line tapped New York-based Tocar Interior Design because of the award-winning partners’ keen familiarity with the Polo Ralph Lauren esthetic. Susan Bednar Long, co-founder and president, previously oversaw the decoration of flagship retail stores for Polo across North America. Christina Sullivan, co-founder and vice president, began her career at Polo in the store design department, where she launched Double RL Collection Shops across the U.S.

“To appeal to discerning travelers we wanted the best suites on Marina to feel like a luxurious estate home. We thought out-of-the box, insisted on the finest craftsmanship and sought out the most talented residential designers,” stated Bob Binder, Oceania Cruises’ president. “Tocar has designed the first suites at sea exclusively using furnishings from Ralph Lauren Home.”

Norwegian Gem returns to NYC for Winter Cruise Season

NORWEGIAN GEM RETURNS TO NEW YORK FOR WINTER CRUISE SEASON

MIAMI – December 10, 2009 – On Saturday, the Big Apple welcomes back Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest Freestyle Cruising ship, as she returns for the winter cruise season, sailing seven-day Bahamas & Florida and 10-day Eastern Caribbean cruises direct from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in the heart of New York City.

Beginning Saturday, December 12, the 2,380-passenger Norwegian Gem will set sail on the first of 10 seven-day Bahamas & Florida cruises with stops in Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida; Great Stirrup Cay (Norwegian’s private island) and Nassau, Bahamas.  The cruises are from $649 per person and sail on December 19, and 26, 2009; February 13, 20, and 27; March 6, 13, 20, and 27 and April 3, 2010. 

The ship will also sail a 10-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary on January 3 and 24; and February 3, 2010 with stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; Philipsburg, St. Maarten and Tortola, British Virgin Islands. 

These Eastern Caribbean cruises are from $699 per person. 

Norwegian Gem also offers two one-night cruises, great for those who want a quick getaway or want to sample Norwegian’s signature Freestyle Cruising, on January 2 and 23 from $159 per person.

Family Cruising

If you’ve vacationed with your children you know the look - a couple of bleary-eyed, bedraggled parents returning back to the hotel at 6 p.m..  In tow, are 2 hyper-active offspring wearing mouse hats or whale t-shirts sporting cotton candy hair extensions.  Next it’s the big choice:  wash them up and suffer through another dinner or collapse in the hotel room with another room service or take-out pizza meal.  And today’s receipts for all this fun?  Well,  let’s just say it cost more than your first car did?

If this is how you define vacation in your household, maybe it’s time for something different.  How about an experience where EVERYONE actually gets a vacation?  The answer is quite simple and does not end with the words “Park”, “World” or “Land”. But it does end with the word “Happy”.  On a cruise it is possible to make everyone happy with their vacation.

Contemporary cruise lines figured out quite a while ago that if you can keep the kids happy and occupied, then the parents follow right along.  Over the years, children’s programs on board ships have blossomed from having one children’s counselor on board over the holidays to full blown year round programs and separate facilities for the different age groups.  Every year from 6 months to 16 years is covered and child care is offered at various levels.

Cruise lines are now savvy enough to plan nighttime activities for the children so their parents can enjoy the facilities of the ship in a relaxed style simply unavailable at most land-based resorts.  Cruises are an exceptionally good idea for single parents as they have a controlled environment and child care on the ship,  but have the freedom and time to make new friends around the ship.  Extended families also love ships because cousins and friends can hang together on the ship while the adults reconnect. 

Before you plan your next road trip, let a cruise expert fill you in on the many choices and the “secret” affordability of family cruising.  Oh, did we forget to mention that all meals, snacks, entertainment, accommodations and transportation are included in one upfront price?  This year take a cruise and leave the mouse hats, maps, and (cotton candy remover) shampoo at home. 

Cruise Planners World's Largest Cruise Event

It’s that time of year again!  National Cruise Vacation month is being celebrated this month. But at Cruise Planners, we have taken the party to a whole new level.  From October 12 to 19^th we are showing our Cruisitude by holding a gigantic World’s Largest Cruise Event Sale.  We have special offers from 7 of the most popular cruise lines and knock-your-socks-off promotions ranging from shipboard credits to 2 for 1 airfares.  But don’t procrastinate because these limited time offers will sail away with you.

Royal Caribbean Promo end August 14th

Royal Caribbean joined the Cruisitude movement. You should too! We’ve teamed up with Royal Caribbean to deliver you an exclusive offer that is valid through August 14, 2009. You can get a 50% reduced deposit, pre-paid gratuities plus an onboard spendin

New Royal Caribbean / Cruise Planners Exclusive

Royal Caribbean and Cruise Planners exclusive offer: 50% Reduced Deposit, Prepaid Gratuities by us, $25.00 Restaurant.com Gift Certificate, and on select sailings and selection destinations Free Spa Treatments, Onboard Credits, Specialty Restaurant Dinner

Mickey and Minnie to Get New Ship Cousins

Mickey and Minnie to Get New Ship Cousins

Funny Questions from Cruise Passengers onboard the Ship

Here are a few humorous questions from passenger to onboard staff collected by Cruise Directors over the years (the answers are probably the ones in their heads and not on their lips). But the questions are real: Q. Does the crew sleep on board? A. Of

Cabins... it's all about location, location, location

All cabins are created the same, right? Not so fast, world traveler. Experienced cruisers have learned a few secrets about determining the best stateroom choices. It’s true that most contemporary and premium class ships being built today offer “co

Alternative Dining

Just returned from a one week Caribbean cruise. In the elevator during the early part of the trip, I overhead two middle-aged ladies chatting about dining on board. The gist of the conversation was about the alternative restaurant options on board. One

II for Tea and Tea for 2!

There is only one passenger ship that can rightly claim to be “iconic”. Named after a reigning monarch, the Queen Elizabeth 2 recently retired after 41 years of service with Cunard to start a new life as a floating hotel and conference center in Duba

Cruise Myths

Cruises: Hits and Myths What do the “Abominable Snowman”, the “Loch Ness Monster” and “Booking Cruises Directly with the Cruise Line is Cheaper” all have in common? Answer: They are all myths. While we may not be experts on the first two subj

Favorite Rum Drink Recipes

Drink recipes for the Mojito, Cuba Libre, Bahama Mama, Pina Colada, and more Rum Fun

9 New Ships for 2009

This year will be exciting with the introduction of 9 new cruise ships. The biggest and most discussed new vessel is Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas. Slated for her first voyage this spring, this floating city will rank as the largest cruise ship in