Travel Agent Show - some of what I learned...and new ships!

Recently I spent several days in California at a Travel Agent Seminar.  Everyone in the biz was there:  AmaWaterways, Viking, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, MSC, NCL, etc.  It was a great show and I went to several 'round table" discussions with these vendors.
I learned some new stuff and even won some prizes.

Celebrity, who is owned by RC, showed us a funny clip from the Dark Knight.  
http://fandan.co/2dc2SY6

Thank you Mr. Freeman!

Yes, a travel agent will help you fill that "Bucket List" with buckets-of-fun.

Let your travel agent "get to know you".  Make sure you share the complete picture of what you desire as there is a different cruise geared for YOU than the one for ME.  Every line has it's specialty and you will be doubly blessed with a great vacation if you book on the one that fits your lifestyle the best.  Answer the following questions in advance for your TA: 

• Is fancy dining your thing? 
• How about the onboard entertainment? 
• Is it the Ports of Call? 
• Do you want an all-inclusive?
• Are you a seeker or an indulger?
• Don't drink much, maybe you are looking for the price to include something else?

If your TA doesn't care enough to get to know you, call me!

Have you heard of MSC?

There are so many new ships being built right now and MSC has the most.... 11 actually!  In 2017, look for the "Seaside" to be cruising out of Miami.  How about a Christmas Cruise?  It is scheduled to debut Dec. 23rd and it is heading to their NEW, Private Reserve on one of the Bahama Islands.  This marine reserve will bring something new to your cruising habit.

Did you know that if you are currently in another lines loyalty program, they will match it for your first cruise on MSC?  Yes, if you are diamond...you can get the equivalent status on a MSC ship for your first MSC cruise.  How awesome is that?  Let's not even talk about their new technology, specialty restaurants (including one for chocolate) and onboard bowling!  I am ready to book, are you?

that is all for now.... I can't wait to meet you...let's make a date...what ship?

GOOD MORNING from San Diego!  Time Change....YUCK!

Hello...today I get to start a Travel Agent conference in beautiful San Diego, CA.  This means I also get to experience the joys of time zone changes...yippee.

I tried the usual "best advice"...I flew out to CA several days beforehand thinking it would help.  But even with four prior days, I am still getting up at 5:00am here (which is my 8:00am) as I usually get up at 6:30am EST.  So at least I am doing some sleeping in.  The hardest part is staying up past CA time of 9:00pm.  And we all know, no one wants to miss the fun at night, especially on a cruise.

Being from Florida, most of my cruises are out of my own time zone.  I did deal with it on our Alaska vacations.  There really isn't too much one can do.  I have heard of some starting a few days before their vacation, adjusting their "body time zone". They start going to bed at a different time and getting up like they are on vacation time. What is best?  What have you tried? I would love to hear feedback on how you deal with it...if it has ever worked.

I always feel bad for the passengers coming to Florida to embark on their vacation. They get to deal with waking up, staying up and stomach groaning issues.  But of course it is a cruise and there is nothing that will stop you from having a great vacation. So if you are traveling from another time zone, try to figure out how to trick your body for a week....haha. 

 

My usual thinking is....it is vacation, I will just deal with it.  I will be exhausted and when I get home I will just have to work through it.  Sometimes we catch a little catnap on a sea day to refresh ourselves.  It seems to help.

I think dining is the one thing you do not really have to deal with. Now every cruise line offers dining options that will work with your stomach pains and groans and the mind telling you it is hungry.  How?  You EAT!  There is always something to cure this problem! Between multiple dining times, open seating, specialty restaurants and buffets this is not a problem.  Actually, the problem is to not eat ALL the time!

Wouldn't it be cool if your cruise was on something like a DVR?  Like we do with our TV shows.  We wake up late and we hit "start over from the beginning" or we could skip something we don't want to do like we skip over commercials.  

Wait...is there something you don't like?