Royal Caribbean Cruise Concierge

Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor for Kids!

2007-05-03T09:38:00.000-07:00

Effective May 19th (with the inaugural sailing of Liberty of the Seas), children under 17 will new be eligible membership in the Youth Crown and Anchor Program with Royal Caribbean! They'll receive special gifts onboard, their own savings coupon book and other special benefits just for kids. You can enroll now, so visit my website at www.askourcruiseagents.com to Get Out There!

Spend a Day in Cozumel Paradise!

2007-04-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

I frequently get requests for things to see and do in port besides the standard cruise line shore excursions. Cozumel has one of my favorite places in the world...and I'm going to share it with you!

Paradise Beach is a 10 minute $10 cab fare away from where the ships dock or tender. They offer a little slice of heaven on the beach! There is no cover charge for use of the lounge chairs and facilities, but you are expected to purchase drinks or food while you're there. The guacamole and chips are awesome! For an $8 fee, you can enjoy unlimited use of a floaty raft, water toys (including a water trampoline!) and snorkel equipment. Jet skis are available to rent next door. Right on the beach they have hair braiding and massages available.

I suggest getting there around 10 am to claim a good spot. If there are many ships in port, the beach can get pretty crowded by noon. The restrooms are clean and showers are available to rinse off after a swim. Cabs are readily available for your return to the port. Allow some time for shopping before returning to the ship!

This is my own personal "Happy Place" and I hope you'll enjoy it, too! For more information you can visit their website at: www.paradise-beach-cozumel.com

Wedding Night Excitement

2007-04-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

My wedding was boring. Traditional white dress and tux, big 80's hair, and your standard "till death do us part" vows. If I had it to do all over again, I would definitely do something like the Royal Caribbean Explorer Wedding Packages. They offer "extreme" wedding vow exchanges, like on the Flowrider or the Rock Wall onboard Freedom or Liberty of the Seas, or at various locations in their ports-of-call, like on a glacier in Alaska or even in a European castle. My 20th anniversary is coming up...maybe I can talk the hubby into doing something "extreme" to celebrate. I'll use any excuse to cruise! :)

Hey, High Rollers!

2007-04-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

Do you love to spend time in the casino during your Royal Caribbean cruise? You just may be invited to join Club Royale by one of the Casino Managers onboard! Membership perks include discounts on a future cruise, free drinks and special tournaments. This new program was just announced and is now available fleetwide. Somehow, I don't think my nickle slots will earn me an invite?!?

Cruise Dining With Kids

2007-03-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

One of the most frequent questions I get about cruising with kids is "Which dining time is best?" The answer really depends on what your family expects to get out of their cruise vacation.

If you're looking forward to having a family dinner together each night to reflect on the days activities, book early dining. You'll start your meal at 6 pm and the children's activities in the kid's club start around 7. Most of the options on the children's menu are single plated, so they can eat their dinner, take a quick trip up to the club (with a parent, if they're young) and then the adults can enjoy dessert and coffee at their leisure.

If your kids are always on the go and you are looking forward to some "adult time", book late seating. They can grab dinner at either the buffet, pizza counter or from room service and head to the kids club at 7 pm. You'll still have time to get ready for dinner or have a cocktail before your 8 or 8:30 seating. This is the best option for parents who are worried that their children won't have the patience for an hour and a half or two hour meal.

Whichever seating you select, keep in mind that there are plenty of dining options to choose from onboard. You can skip the dining room altogether and just enjoy the more casual buffet each evening. Or, for a special treat, book Portofino's (Italian) or Chop's (Steakhouse) for a 5 star meal at sea.

I can assure you that whatever you decide, you won't go hungry!

Royal Caribbean Europe 2008 is now on sale!

2007-03-15T07:13:00.000-07:00

Royal Caribbean has some exciting stuff available for 2008 in Europe! Back in the old days (20 years ago...man, I am getting old!), all of the cruiselines would send their oldest, smallest ships over to Europe for the summer. That's why I was so excited to see that Royal Caribbean's newest, biggest ship, Independence of the Seas, will be sailing a variety of itineraries throughout Europe in 2008! Another interesting move on their part is sending Navigator of the Seas out on 5/5/4 night sailings from Barcelona, Spain and Rome, Italy. I don't know about you, but I can't usually get away for the 10-14 nights that a traditional CruiseTour takes, so this is a great way to combine a short cruise with a few nights in either Spain or Italy. I'm ready to get out there! The Europe sailings are available to book now and it looks like Caribbean, Panama Canal and Canada/New England will go on sale 4/2/07.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

2007-03-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

I love to cruise and have over 20 years of experience in the travel industry, so I'm excited to have this forum to share information, tips and tricks about cruising on Royal Caribbean! Visit my website anytime at www.askourcruiseagents.com