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.
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!”
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!
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:
Arthur Balin
My wife and I have sailed in quite a few suites on different cruise lines, but our favorite has to be our suite on Regent Seven Seas Voyager. It was most spacious and comfortable with a large marble walled bathroom and a large sitting area. The clincher, however, was the location: aft of the ship with oversized balcony and full panoramic view. I can still vividly remember watching the sun go down over the rocky cliffs of Corsica and sipping champagne served by our butler. Suite life indeed!
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.
Taking a baby on vacation may seem more challenging than rewarding, and in my experience it’s a bit of both. I always joke when I get back from vacation with my daughter that I need another vacation on my own! When Erin was six months old we decided to take her on her first cruise.
Hollywood Beach, FloridaI chose Holland America because they had the most suitable itinerary, sailing on the Eurodam. When choosing an itinerary with babies or young children, the Caribbean is a very good choice. We visited St Thomas, Tortola and Grand Turk which are best known for their soft sandy beaches. We went for 7 nights and traveled in the month of December.
Warm weather and sunny skies can only mean one thing, it’s time to hit the beach! And with so much cruising experience, it’d just be downright selfish if we didn’t share our favorite beaches. Without further ado, our favorite beaches and beach experiences:
Adam Wolf
My favorite beach is Magens Bay located on the north shore on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Magens Bay beach is a state park…the beach is heart shaped and is approximately 1 mile long, featuring serene turquoise waters, beautiful white sand, and plenty of shaded areas under the trees…typically there are no waves or currents at the beach. Lifeguards are on duty during the day and there is a bar, gift shop, and great bath facilities…don’t miss eating breakfast there at the snack bar. National Geographic magazine called it one of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world!
During a recent seminar at sea onboard Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas attended by myself and several fellow agents, I was lucky enough find out just how much time, money, and sheer sweat goes into the large-scale production shows on a cruise. By coincidence, on the first day of our cruise one of the agents from my office ran into an old friend of his, Drake DeLucca. They had gone to performing arts school together, and Drake just happened to be one of the stars of the show on our cruise! Because of Drake and Royal Caribbean’s generosity, we all had a very revealing view of what happens behind-the-scenes to put on a production costing millions of dollars.
