Category — Family Cruising

By Karolina Shenton, Manager of Marketing and Sales Operations, The Cruise Web, Inc.

Summer is coming and the kids will soon be out of school. It’s time to plan that epic vacation for your family; the one you’ve always dreamed of doing. You’re excited as you daydream of all the possibilities. But then something mysterious happens. You start to remember all those impossibly long family road trips and hotel stays when you were a kid. If you have a sibling, you recall hours of back seat bickering with your brother or sister and staring out the window watching the world go by, asking “are we there yet?” All of a sudden, you’re motivation starts to wither away. No matter how much of a super-parent you consider yourself, the challenges of family travel are enough to dissuade the most super of parents. There is, however, a better way: family cruises.

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By Judi DiGioia, Sales Manager of Training, The Cruise Web, Inc.

To bring in the New Year, my family and I decided to take a 7-night cruise to the Bahamas on the Norwegian Jewel, and this sailing was a perfect selection for my family. We live in Baltimore, so the New York cruise terminal was easy – easy to drive, easy to find, easy to drop off and easy to pick up. The Jewel was particularly nice since I was traveling with my 83-year-old mother, and 9-year-old son, Dominic. With such a wide age range, it’s not so easy to make everyone happy at once, but the activities and accommodations were all family-friendly and had us smiling everyday. The youth program and Nickelodeon activities gave Dominic entertainment options all day and well into the evening. The highlight of his trip was being slimed on stage, followed closely by getting a whipped cream pie in the face. The spa, casino and games had my mother very happy, and relaxed. We all enjoyed the excellent evening shows and I was most pleased that there was always something to do together, if we chose.  [Read more →]

By Julie Atkins, Manager of Client Services and Group Administration, The Cruise Web, Inc.

Whether it’s your birthday, your wedding, your anniversary or any other celebration, gathering your group together to celebrate at sea with a group cruise provides an ideal setting to ensure your entire group is taken care of.  With so many inclusions like meals, entertainment, transportation, activities for adults and children and exciting destinations, it’s the perfect way to combine your celebration with a vacation. [Read more →]

A compilation by The Cruise Web employees.

For such a small island, there sure is an awful lot to do in Bermuda! Read on to find out the favorite activities and experiences of The Cruise Web’s employees.

Jen C.
Bermuda offers some of the best shipwreck diving and snorkeling, so I definitely recommend these as a daytime activity.  For those a little more adventurous – most of the cruise lines offer a “Night Snorkel” which allows you to see marine life that you will never see during the daytime and experience the effects of bioluminescence.  I definitely recommend this for experienced divers and snorkelers looking for something different.

Adam W.
Crystal and Fantasy Caves are “cool” places to visit during the hot months on the Island.  Horseshoe Bay Beach is a great place to experience a very popular pink sand beach! [Read more →]

By Julie Atkins, Manager of Client Services & Group Administration. The Cruise Web, Inc.

Service is very important when it comes to vacations, so much so that it can make or break your trip. After a few vacations, our expectations become loftier and our definition of “great service” changes. Luckily, cruise lines are also raising the bar and finding ways to exceed our expectations, taking their service from ordinary to extraordinary.

One of the reasons I enjoy cruising is definitely the service. From the moment you step aboard you find friendly attentive crew standing by to welcome you aboard (often with a glass of champagne) or guide you to your cabin. Then after you relax and enjoy a refreshing cocktail, it’s off to your stateroom where your luggage has already been delivered – all without you having to lift a finger. Upon arrival to your room you notice that there is a plastic mat on top of your bed to ensure that you do not dirty your bed as you unpack your luggage. After all, who wants to sleep in a dirty bed? [Read more →]

A compilation by The Cruise Web employees.

In honor of this month’s “Service” theme, we’ve compiled several stories of above and beyond service as experienced by our employees on cruise vacations.

Tina C.
When I stayed in the Courtyard Villa on the Norwegian Epic my butler James was so amazing. My sundress strap broke and I asked him to take it to the cleaners on the ship. He said, “No, I will have my friend Ming sew it for you.” The next morning he brought it to me and it was perfect. I feel like he went far above and beyond.

Beth T.
Azamara Club Cruises is a wonderful line, and when I sailed on the Azamara Journey with my husband a few years ago we had a butler that went above and beyond for us. Not only was he extremely friendly and attentive the entire time, but when we first got on the ship we found out our clothes had been tossed all about and were quite wrinkled. We were discussing this in our cabin and he overheard us and offered to have them complimentary pressed for us. It is that type of service that really sticks out and makes a cruise even more memorable! [Read more →]

A compilation from The Cruise Web employees.

When on a cruise or touring a new destination, everyone loves to indulge in the local foods and treats, usually breaking away from our healthy eating! The Cruise Web staff has come together to share with you some secrets behind our favorite treats, both on and off the ship! We would love for you to share some of your favorite “treats!”

Chris R.
My favorite treat is a tough one, because there are so many and I like to take advantage of all of the treats. So here are my treats, in no particular order: A midnight slice of pepperoni pizza, soft serve ice cream by the pool, Celebrity’s Sorbet Parade, an after-dinner drink of Frangelico, NCL’s Midnight Chocolate Buffet, and waffles with whipped cream and fruit for breakfast. I’m sure I’m missing some, but that just means I have to go on another cruise so that I can refresh my memory. Happy Halloween! [Read more →]

A compilation from The Cruise Web employees.

Halloween is the perfect time of year to let loose and step into an alter ego! The staff at The Cruise Web has taken a walk down memory lane and picked some of their own personal favorite costumes from Halloweens past and present. Do you have a favorite costume that you or someone you’ve seen has worn? We would love to hear your favorites! Plus it’s a great way to get ideas for this Halloween in case you haven’t started creating your costume yet!

Karolina S.
My 9-month-old daughter, Sophie, will be celebrating her first Halloween this year! Sophie will be an adorable little Tiger! My husband and I recently became members of FONZ (Friends of the National Zoo) and have been visiting the zoo with Sophie. When at the zoo, Sophie enjoys the colors and sounds of tigers, which helped us to decide on her first costume! We’ll be accompanying Sophie as tiger handlers! [Read more →]

Sometimes the best word to describe a suite is, well, sweet! Cruises vary widely depending on the type of cabin booked, and there’s no denying that the suite is in a class of its own. From the moment passengers step into a suite, it’s clear that their vacation is going to be extraordinary. The following suite experiences represent some of the sweetest as remembered by The Cruise Web’s employees:

Raquel Grinnell
The Penthouse Suite on the Celebrity Solstice has the most amazing bathroom I’ve ever seen at sea… There’s a flat-screen TV in the bathtub area so you can bubble-bath and watch a movie at the same time!!! As a European, I also loved seeing a bidet. The master closet was also amazing; more beautiful and organized than mine at home! I really liked the decor, as well — very sleek and modern with quiet golds and browns, dark wood finish on all the furniture and the kicker of course is the big hot tub and bar area for entertaining out on the balcony.

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By The Cruise Web, Inc.

In December of 2008, I went to the Bahamas on the Norwegian Gem and got to stay in one of their Courtyard Villas. We were picked up by limousine early that morning in DC and started heading to New York. When we arrived at the port, we announced that we had a Courtyard Villa. Upon hearing that, the special treatment began. They quickly checked us in and asked us to wait in a private lounge with refreshments, which was nice since we had been driving all morning.

Upon boarding, we were greeted with champagne and mimosas. We kept moving as we were so excited to explore the ship and see our villa, which was located on the 14th deck. The elevator even had a special slot that wouldn’t let you push the button to your floor unless you inserted the platinum (VIP) room key.

The Courtyard was absolutely gorgeous. There was a warm natural water pool (no chlorine to irritate the skin!) in the center and a Turkish steam bath and traditional sauna at the far end. It resembled a greenhouse with plants and an earthy décor. Besides the courtyard, there was a private sun deck where you could lounge on oversized cushioned deck furniture. On top of that, the deck and courtyard attendant brought us anything we needed. [Read more →]