Posts from — December 2009

Courtesy of Cunard Line.

Cunard Line, operator of the most famous ocean liners in the world, has once again been recognized by Porthole Cruise magazine’s seasoned cruise travellers for offering the “Best World Cruise Itineraries,” “Best Transatlantic Itineraries” and “Best Onboard Educational Programmes”- areas that the iconic British liner company has been known for throughout its modern history.

“Cunard is known around the world for our famed World Voyages, our legendary Transatlantic Crossings and our wide variety of enlightening onboard programmes, such as Literature and Liners,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “It is very gratifying to see our loyal guests and respected industry colleagues from Porthole Cruise magazine recognize us again with such esteemed honours.” [Read more →]

Courtesy of The Yachts of Seabourn.

The Yachts of Seabourn has again been honored by readers of Porthole Cruise Magazine, winning three categories in the magazine’s 11th Annual Porthole Readers’ Choice Awards. The ultra luxury cruise line was recognized as the ”Best Luxury Line,” and for having the “Best Small Ship (Seabourn Legend),” and “Best Accommodations.” Porthole’s readers also honored Seabourn last year for Best Accommodations.

The Readers’ Choice Awards were based on a survey about cruise lines and their onboard amenities, services and itineraries. Several thousand readers responded to the survey by completing mail-in ballots or visiting Porthole’s website. The list of winners is currently available online and also appears in the magazine’s November/December 2009 issue. [Read more →]

A compilation from The Cruise Web employees.

Near the end of every year, people reflect on the year that has passed and start to plan for the New Year ahead.  And one of the many ways people begin their plans is with a New Year’s Resolution. Sometimes the resolution is a summary of all the things someone wishes to accomplish in the coming years, and others are simple phrases or statements that help people stay focused on their new or continuing goals. While not every person practices making New Year’s resolutions, below is a collection of some of The Cruise Web’s employees who do.

Adam W., Cruise Consultant
Spend as much time as I can cruising.  I’d like to spend as much of my vacation time as possible on the water. Where will I cruise? That’s half the fun–planning where to go next!

Raquel G., Cruise Consultant
My resolution is to finally take my Commodore cruise with Cunard; I would really like to do the Transatlantic Crossing on the QMII or QV! [Read more →]

By John Tarantino, Senior Cruise Consultant, The Cruise Web.

Food… cruising… food… cruising… food… cruising. Everyone associates cruising with food. “Oh my, I ate so much on my cruise.” “I gained 5 pounds on my cruise.” “When I moved from the front to the back of the ship I think I felt the ship tip a bit.” There is always an abundance of food choices on a cruise.  From the vast breakfast buffets to the elegant gourmet dinners, a cruiser is faced with an endless parade of goodies!! Fear not, you can enjoy it all and NOT gain weight. [Read more →]

Courtesy of Azamara Club Cruises.

Azamara Cruises – the two-ship brand launched in 2007 with the 694-guest Azamara Journey and sister ship Azamara Quest – recently became “Azamara Club Cruises,” with a newly refined focus, and a series of new attributes designed for upmarket, experienced travelers.

“This isn’t a strategy of going ‘from good to great’,” said Azamara Club Cruises President & CEO Larry Pimentel. “This is about taking an already great product and making it exceptional.”

Tapped to take the helm of Azamara Cruises in July of this year, Pimentel spent several weeks talking with travel agents, past guests and press to determine how to make his great-to-exceptional goal a reality. He also tapped a small new team focused 100 percent on Azamara, including VP of Sales & Marketing Edie Bornstein, AVP of Hotel Operations Bert Van Middendorp, Director of Marketing Signe Bjorndal, Director of National Accounts Michelle Nevin, and an eight-member field sales team dedicated solely to Azamara. [Read more →]

The Cruise Web Cruise Consultants Sherry J. and Jen C. were awarded their NCLU Ph.D.@Sea on their Western Caribbean cruise out of Miami, Florida, the week of December 6.

Sherry and Jen were eligible to go on the Ph.D.@Sea cruise because both consultants completed Norwegian Cruise Line’s NCLU – the lines’ in-depth online training program that educates travel agents about the many components that make up the line. [Read more →]

Sales Manager Mike H. will be featured on the December 23rd episode of Home & Garden Television’s (HGTV) House Hunters.  House Hunters profiles home buyers in search of a new home because their existing residence no longer suits all of their needs.

The episode will feature Mike, with wife Amy, on the search for a place that has ample space, storage and a fenced in yard for their two basset hounds.  The reason Mike and Amy got on House Hunters is because Mike and Amy had moved in with Mike’s mother, brother and sister when the lease to their rental expired and to save money for a down payment on a new home. Amy applied online to be on House Hunters because of the inherent comedy behind their new living situation.

The episode will air on December 23rd at 9pm (EST) on HGTV.  Be sure to tune in and see if Mike and Amy were able to find a place of their own and finally move out of Mike’s mother’s house.

The Cruise Web’s own President and Founder, Frans Hansen, claimed Summit Point Kart’s 2009 Inaugural Championship League title this December.  Frans finished in the top three in seventeen out of eighteen races, including eight victories, against seventeen other series competitors.

“Racing 55 miles per hour one inch off the ground feels like 150 miles per hour,” said Frans.  Despite the speed thrill, however, it’s the “spirit of competition” and the challenge of “trying to craft the perfect pass or perfect lap,” that fuels Frans’ passion.

Frans’ father, Jerry Hansen, former owner of Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, MN, is one of the most successful amateur sports-car racers in American history. Jerry won a record twenty-seven SCCA national championships, in seven different classes! For fun, Jerry also competed in several professional races, placing third in a CanAm event, and winning six TransAm races and two Formula 5000 races. [Read more →]

Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines.

Carnival Cruise Lines, the world’s largest cruise operator, took top honors in eight categories, including Best Value, Entertainment and Best Children’s Programs, in the annual Readers’ Choice Awards sponsored by Porthole Cruise Magazine, the leading consumer cruise magazine.

The awards are based on surveys of Porthole readers who rated their favorite cruise line in a wide variety of product- and service-related categories.

Since the awards were established in 1999, Carnival Cruise Lines has garnered 109 individual honors – the most of any cruise line during this period. [Read more →]

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean Int’l

Royal Caribbean International officially named its newest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas, on November 30, during an elaborate maritime celebration designed especially for the world’s largest and most revolutionary cruise ship. Putting a new twist on one of maritime`s longest standing traditions, the global cruise line was honored to have not one, but seven celebrity godmothers – Gloria Estefan, Daisy Fuentes, Shawn Johnson, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Michelle Kwan, Jane Seymour and Dara Torres – preside over the festivities. The celebration took place throughout the seven signature neighborhoods onboard Oasis of the Seas, culminating with the traditional Champagne bottle breaking ceremony followed by a fireworks display in the AquaTheater, the ship`s dazzling oceanfront theater. [Read more →]