Posts from — August 2009

Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises.

Celebrity Cruises’ Captain’s Club – the top-rated premium brand’s three-tiered recognition and benefits program designed exclusively for its most loyal guests – has been redesigned and relaunched based on a series of member-inspired enhancements. Several of these new features are rolling out across the fleet on sailings beginning this month, while others will be introduced in intervals over the course of the year.

“Our most loyal guests deserve our loyalty in return, so we’re thrilled to offer them a vastly improved program,” said Celebrity Cruises President & CEO Dan Hanrahan. “Our new Captain’s Club gives them greater recognition, exclusive benefits, and a number of new features designed to make them feel like the center of our attention every time they sail with us.”

New features launching this month include the Captain’s Club Celebration, a one-of-a-kind social and entertainment event available to all members; significantly improved Internet and laundry benefits for Select and Elite tier members; and a new onboard lounge exclusively for Elite members. The brand has even introduced a new theme for Captain’s Club, which doubles as its ongoing commitment to members: “The center of our attention.”

But these improvements are only the beginning. During the second half of this year, Celebrity will expand the Captain’s Club with a variety of other new features, all of which will be announced prior to taking effect.

“Our new Captain’s Club was designed based on a tremendous amount of research, feedback from our members, and advice from our travel partners,” said Hanrahan. “We want to ensure that we deliver every aspect to our guests’ utmost satisfaction, so we’re choosing to roll out the enhancements in intervals, beginning with improvements to the member experience onboard.”

A highlight of the onboard experience is likely to be the Captain’s Club Celebration. Soon available across the fleet, with the exception of Celebrity Xpedition, all members will be invited to this exclusive event once per sailing. Redesigned to be a highlight of every cruise, the spirited affair will provide the perfect opportunity to meet fellow members, chat with the Captain and senior shipboard officers, experience interactive cooking demonstrations, and enjoy the unique “CC Jams” performance by a variety of shipboard musicians.

For members interested in a quiet haven of their own, Celebrity is pleased to introduce the Captain’s Club Lounge at Michael’s Club, exclusively for Elite members and their stateroom/suite companions each morning and early evening. The new Lounge will offer a casual coffeehouse-style experience from 8AM to 10AM, with complimentary espressos, teas and other menu items, a variety of reading materials, and, on Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox, wi-fi access.

Every evening from 4PM to 6PM, Captain’s Club Elite members and their stateroom/suite companions can return to the Lounge to enjoy socializing with fellow members, participate in a wine tasting event, or simply relax and enjoy a quiet, complimentary drink before dinner.

In recognition of their desire to stay in touch with family and friends while vacationing, Elite members will now receive complimentary Internet packages, while Select members will receive a significantly discounted rate on any Internet package. Also within the new program, Captain’s Club Select- and Elite-level members can now enjoy new laundry, dry cleaning, and pressing benefits, based on the length of their cruise. (laundry and Internet benefits upgrade from tier to tier, and are not cumulative).

Celebrity also is extending its pledge to make members the center of attention by engaging many in the entirely new Captain’s Club Advisory Board, to ensure its most loyal guests always have a voice in shaping the program. Participation on the Advisory Board will offered online on a rotating basis to a selection of members across all tiers.

In addition to focusing on effectively delivering the new features of the new Captain’s Club, Celebrity will continue to ensure that members enjoy all the program benefits currently available as well, and that they continue to have more opportunities to achieve higher-tier status.

“We will continue to provide members in every tier of the Captain’s Club with the recognition and rewards they’ve come to expect, while adding several new enhancements over the course of this year,” said Hanrahan. “We also want to ensure that our members have the opportunity to quickly advance to the next tier. That’s why we count tier credits versus purely counting cruises. Tier credits are earned simply by sailing with us, but we also award additional credits for cruises of 12 or more nights, and for booking certain stateroom and suite categories. As a result, members can more quickly advance to the next tier.”

“What we’re rolling out today, combined with everything we’ll be adding to the program over the course of this year, will add up to what I’m confident will be the best loyalty program at sea,” Hanrahan added.

Prior Captain’s Club benefits and new enhancements available at launch include:

For Classic members (1-4 tier credits): Access to the loyalty desk and loyalty host; a premium onboard discount booklet; access to the new Captain’s Club Celebration event; a complimentary custom air request; pre-cruise specialty restaurant reservations; member reunion cruises; one-category upgrades (when available); and an online newsletter

For Select members (5-9 tier credits): All of the benefits of Classic membership, plus priority embarkation, a complimentary wine seminar, priority status to shore excursion waitlist, an invitation to the senior officers’ cocktail party, 25% off any Internet package, complimentary pressing of two clothing items, and discounted laundry on cruises of 12 nights or more.

For Elite members (10 or more tier credits): All of the benefits of Select membership, plus a private shipboard departure lounge with continental breakfast, priority tender service, priority waitlist for dining room seating, elegant tea service, complimentary use of Thalassotherapy pool use on Celebrity Mercury, complimentary access to the Persian Garden (port days only), access to the new Captain’s Club Lounge at Michael’s Club, 90 free Internet minutes, one free item of dry cleaning, a complimentary bag of laundry (wash, dry, fold) and additional discounted laundry on cruises of 12 nights or more.

By Brandon Biss, Senior Cruise Consultant, The Cruise Web.

My First Luxury Experience: Part 1

Onboard Ambiance: The Peace of Mind of All-Inclusiveness
Many myths exist in the luxury cruising world: very formal, stuffy, snobby, only the high-society of life books on them, etc. This is not the case. Dress aboard Silversea vessels is very similar to most cruise lines. Attire ranges from country club casual to formal depending on the night. I noticed that the average age of the guests was younger than my recent cruises on the larger lines. Many were very friendly, well educated, and very well traveled. I found that most people were intrigued and interested in my “story” as opposed to “snubbing” me because I was younger. I received a guest manifest at disembarkation and noticed that only half were from North America. This resulted in a diverse and enriching guest interaction experience.

The benefit of an all-inclusive, luxury cruise experience isn’t in the cost. You will never drink enough alcohol, eat enough lobster, or save enough on gratuities to make up the price-difference over a contemporary cruise line. The benefit is in the mindset. I can’t remember a decision I had to make besides which entrée or drink to order. There were no costs for a lobster or steak upgrade. If you consume wine, the pairings were included and an important addition to the meal. I indulge in a fine meal once or twice per month. Aboard the Silver Cloud, it was a nightly occurrence. [Read more →]

By: The Cruise Web, Inc.

On August 7, thanks to one of The Cruise Web’s clients, two of The Cruise Web Cruise Consultants Jen Crivelli and Adam Wolf were able to attend a practice session of their favorite NFL team The Baltimore Ravens.

The practice session took place at the Ravens’ training field at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland, the Ravens’ usual pre-season spot. Jen and Adam arrived around 11am for the Ravens’ morning practice session. As they watched the likes of Joe Flacco, Todd Heap, Ed Reed and the rest of the Ravens team run through their plays, Cruise Consultant Jen Crivelli was approached by CBSSports reporter Clark Judge to be part of a CBSSports exclusive “Ravens: 1 Man 1 Fan” video where Jen was able to share her excitement and hopes for the 2009-2010 Ravens season.

After the morning session, Jen and Adam were able to get some photos with Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, safety Ed Reed and tight end Todd Heap. Jen and Adam had this to say about their photo-friendly players:

On Ed Reed:
“Quarterbacks and wide receivers fear him, and he is always a threat to turn a defensive play into a touchdown in a hurry.” -Adam
“I’m very impressed by Ed Reed. He’s like a wrecking ball on the field – don’t get in his way!” – Jen

On Todd Heap:
“He plays tight end the way it is supposed to be – he can make the big plays down the middle and block well.” – Adam
“I’ve been a fan of Todd Heap since his first season with the Ravens.” -Jen

And on Joe Flacco:
“Joe had an amazing Rookie season last year, and I can’t wait to see what he can do this season with one year under his belt.” – Jen

After the quick photo op, Jen and Adam returned home excited for the start of the 2009-2010 Ravens season.

The Cruise Web, Inc.
reply@cruiseweb.com
1-800-377-9383

The Cruise Web is excited to announce the newest addition to our list of world-class preferred cruise line supplier partners — MSC Cruises.  The Cruise Web’s preferred supplier partnerships means that The Cruise Web can offer you, our client, the best values and benefits with MSC Cruises and all of these leading cruise lines.

True to their slogan, ‘Beautiful. Passionate. Italian.’, MSC Cruises offers European charm and Italian elegance. From the genuine warmth of the Italian officers, to Italian-inspired décor and flavors of Mediterranean cuisine, guests enjoy a truly European experience. [Read more →]

By Karolina Shenton, Marketing & Sales Operations Manager, The Cruise Web.

As my husband and I embarked upon our Baltic adventure with Regent Seven Seas Cruises, I was filled with both excitement and curiosity. I was curious about what adventures these new ports would hold for us. Although I am originally from Poland and have seen a lot of the Baltic coast, I have yet to visit Russia, Estonia and Finland, which only added to the anticipation of this voyage, and to be able to experience these ports on a true 6 star cruise line, truly made this a trip of a lifetime. [Read more →]

By Brandon Biss, Senior Cruise Consultant, The Cruise Web.

Wow…I’ve been with The Cruise Web six years! During that time, I have traveled quite extensively. Because of the opportunities The Cruise Web provides, I have cruised on most of the cruise lines that our company sells. However, I have not traveled on any of the luxury lines (Silversea, Seabourn, or Regent) until this past cruise. I selected this specific cruise for two main reasons: The Cruise Web’s excellent relationship with Silversea and my wish to visit the Baltic capitals:

Cruise Line: Silversea
Cruise Ship: Silver Cloud Voyage 1914
Itinerary: Stockholm Roundtrip
Sail Date: June 25 – July 4, 2009
Stateroom: Midship Verandah Suite 540 [Read more →]

By Arthur Balin, Senior Cruise Consultant, The Cruise Web.

Nowadays there are so many cruise options to choose from. There is a tremendous amount of pressure to make sure you choose the cruise that best fits your needs and wants – this does not always mean least expensive. People always ask me what is my favorite cruise, and even though I do have some favorites, what is right for me might not be right for you. So, how do you get the best value for your money while making sure that you and your family have the best possible cruise vacation? [Read more →]

by Frans Hansen, President, The Cruise Web

Executives from Ensemble Travel Group made a special trip to the Nation’s Capitol in July to recognize and celebrate The Cruise Web, Inc. as Ensemble’s number one sales producer in all of North America!

For all of its hard work and success, the entire Cruise Web staff was treated to after-work cocktails and an exquisite buffet at Washington, D.C.’s Old Ebbit Grill – a grill established in 1856, that is a popular among politicians, journalist, celebrities, and locals, and was also a favorite to Presidents Grant, Cleveland, Harding, and Theodore Roosevelt!

Ensemble Travel Group is a cooperative organization with over 800 travel retailer owner/members, which helps The Cruise Web provide special reduced pricing and value added amenities to our customers. These amenities vary by sailing, and include benefits such as on-board credits, complimentary shore excursions or spa treatments, exclusive cocktail parties, or even specially hosted cruise tours.

Frans Hansen
President
The Cruise Web, Inc.

Courtesy of The Yachts of Seabourn

The Yachts of Seabourn has been honored as the “2009 World’s Best Small-Ship Cruise Line” by readers of Travel + Leisure, in the magazine’s 14th annual readers’ survey. The ultra-luxury cruise line – which launched its fourth yacht, Seabourn Odyssey, in June – has been frequently hailed as tops on the seas from refined and discerning travelers around the world.

The annual World’s Best Awards, whose 14th iteration appears in the August 2009 edition of Travel + Leisure, is held in high regard throughout the travel industry. Cruise lines are ranked based on ratings in the following categories: cabins, food, service, itineraries/destinations, activities, and value.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to have been named the World’s Best Small-Ship Cruise Line by readers of Travel + Leisure, whose discernment is reflected in their choice of reading material – as well as in their eye for excellence in the luxury cruise industry,” said Pamela Conover, President and CEO of The Yachts of Seabourn. “With this award and the recent launch of Seabourn Odyssey, 2009 is shaping up as quite a year. Being named ‘World’s Best’ is an honor for all of us, particularly the hard-working crew who consistently assure that Seabourn delivers the finest cruise experience in the world.”

The 2009 World’s Best Awards recognition is merely the latest from readers of Travel + Leisure, who also bestowed the title of “Best Small-Ship Cruise Line” on Seabourn in 2005 and 2006. Late last year, Seabourn was named “Best Small Ship Cruise Line” at the Virtuoso Performance Awards, chosen by the industry’s leading luxury travel specialists. Seabourn was also honored as one of the “2007 World’s Best Values” by the readers of Travel + Leisure.

Courtesy of Crystal Cruises

For a record 14th year, Crystal Cruises has been voted “World’s Best Large-Ship Cruise Line” by the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine.  The ultra-luxury line is the only cruise line, resort or hotel to have won the prestigious award each year since the awards’ inception.   Crystal Cruises’ 2009 World’s Best Score of 88.94 is the highest of any cruise line – large or small.  A Crystal cruise is the only vacation experience to have been voted #1 by Travel + Leisure readers for 14 years.

The World’s Best Awards are featured in the magazine’s August 2009 issue based on a first quarter 2009 survey of thousands of discerning world travelers.  Subscribers were only permitted one vote each, and were asked to rate cruise lines on cabins, food, service, itineraries/destinations, activities and value, plus an optional vote for families. [Read more →]