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Luxurient Travel Blog
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Vinnie the Cruise Dog's Musings.. 11/3/2006 4:45:40 PM Link | | Add comment Vinnie the Cruise Dog's
Cruise Blog
By
Rich Skinner, Vinnie's Owner & Co-owner, Cruise Holidays of woodinville
I have a passion for cruising and for visiting exciting places. On our travels we have found many folks who share common interests and who enjoy the fruits of a great travel vacation. This blog will pass along personal experiences and my opinions about things taking place in cruising and in travel in general. I have been connected with the cruise industry since the early 1980s and have worked at both a major cruise line and have owned a cruise travel agency since 2003. Comments and e-mails are always welcome. Rich@luxurient.com.
Vinnie the West Highland Terrier won the Cruise Holidays national award for best marketing idea of 2006 for his booklet "Vinnie the Cruise Dog's Guide to Cruising," and he's been full of himself (but then he always is). What really galled Vinnie was that his parents got to cruise on the ms Westerdam in the Eastern Caribbean and he didn't! But, he's given permission for a recap of his master's recent cruise.
We decided to attend a "Networking" cruise onboard Holland America's Westerdam after the national Cruise Holidays conference in Miami. Unexpectedly, the store won four major awards at the conference-more than any other Cruise Holidays store in North America (Best Marketing Idea, Best Year-to-Year Sales Growth, Golden Anchor and Navigator Club Silver Award). So it was with high spirits we boarded the Westerdam for a great seven-day cruise getaway.
We like the Westerdam because we cruised on her a year earlier from Rome to Barcelona-and that vacation was fabulous. We had been to the Caribbean many times before, but this itinerary was different from any of our previous cruises. Port calls included Grand Turk/Caicos, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten and the private Holland America Line island at Half Moon Cay.
Embarking at the modern Port Everglades cruise terminal, the Westerdam was parked next to the Radiance of the Seas and together they added their unique appeal to the skyline of Fort Lauderdale. Arriving at the terminal around 2:00 PM, most of the early rush for embarkation was avoided. By filling out cruise information online, much longer and slower embarkation lines were avoided. It took about 15 minutes to check-in, have card keys (complete with embedded mag strip photos), answer a rather silly questionnaire about whether or not we were experiencing any symptoms of flu, and clear the X-ray/metal detector screening lines before entering the grand Westerdam.
White gloved stewards helped bring our carry-on luggage up to our balcony stateroom up high on Rotterdam deck. Heading up to the Lido buffet in time for a late lunch, we were joined by a large number of our fellow passengers who had the same plan. We even met a lady from Florida who had sewed herself a Holland America Line vest from disassembled fabric tote bags from previous HAL cruises.
After a great deli lunch, and a complete ship tour, it was time for lifeboat drill. Holland America Line is very serious about shipboard safety and attendance at the drill is mandatory--which is a good thing. Then, it was time for the sail-out through the Fort Lauderdale cut into the Atlantic, complete with horns, whistles and bells from the condo lining the shores. Now, we were "officially" on our cruise and looking forward to a great week under the warm Caribbean sun. Linda and I unpacked and began planning shore excursions and our strategy for maximizing our cruise experience.
Tip of the Day
Two important things to do after first boarding the ship. First is to visit the Spa and make massage, or other treatment appointments right away. Usually appointments for days when the ship is at sea fill very fast. Secondly, on Holland America, make your reservation for the Pinnacle Grill for dinner. On our cruise they had a waiting list of 100 passengers who waited until after the first day to make a reservation.
Rich Skinner
Co Owner
Cruise Holidays Woodinville
425 487 4001
www.luxurient.com
| Vinnie the Cruise Dog's Musings.. 11/3/2006 4:43:58 PM Link | | Add comment Vinnie the Cruise Dog's
Cruise Blog
By
Rich Skinner, Vinnie's Owner & Co-owner, Cruise Holidays of woodinville
I have a passion for cruising and for visiting exciting places. On our travels we have found many folks who share common interests and who enjoy the fruits of a great travel vacation. This blog will pass along personal experiences and my opinions about things taking place in cruising and in travel in general. I have been connected with the cruise industry since the early 1980s and have worked at both a major cruise line and have owned a cruise travel agency since 2003. Comments and e-mails are always welcome. Rich@luxurient.com.
Vinnie the West Highland Terrier won the Cruise Holidays national award for best marketing idea of 2006 for his booklet "Vinnie the Cruise Dog's Guide to Cruising," and he's been full of himself (but then he always is). What really galled Vinnie was that his parents got to cruise on the ms Westerdam in the Eastern Caribbean and he didn't! But, he's given permission for a recap of his master's recent cruise.
We decided to attend a "Networking" cruise onboard Holland America's Westerdam after the national Cruise Holidays conference in Miami. Unexpectedly, the store won four major awards at the conference-more than any other Cruise Holidays store in North America (Best Marketing Idea, Best Year-to-Year Sales Growth, Golden Anchor and Navigator Club Silver Award). So it was with high spirits we boarded the Westerdam for a great seven-day cruise getaway.
We like the Westerdam because we cruised on her a year earlier from Rome to Barcelona-and that vacation was fabulous. We had been to the Caribbean many times before, but this itinerary was different from any of our previous cruises. Port calls included Grand Turk/Caicos, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten and the private Holland America Line island at Half Moon Cay.
Embarking at the modern Port Everglades cruise terminal, the Westerdam was parked next to the Radiance of the Seas and together they added their unique appeal to the skyline of Fort Lauderdale. Arriving at the terminal around 2:00 PM, most of the early rush for embarkation was avoided. By filling out cruise information online, much longer and slower embarkation lines were avoided. It took about 15 minutes to check-in, have card keys (complete with embedded mag strip photos), answer a rather silly questionnaire about whether or not we were experiencing any symptoms of flu, and clear the X-ray/metal detector screening lines before entering the grand Westerdam.
White gloved stewards helped bring our carry-on luggage up to our balcony stateroom up high on Rotterdam deck. Heading up to the Lido buffet in time for a late lunch, we were joined by a large number of our fellow passengers who had the same plan. We even met a lady from Florida who had sewed herself a Holland America Line vest from disassembled fabric tote bags from previous HAL cruises.
After a great deli lunch, and a complete ship tour, it was time for lifeboat drill. Holland America Line is very serious about shipboard safety and attendance at the drill is mandatory--which is a good thing. Then, it was time for the sail-out through the Fort Lauderdale cut into the Atlantic, complete with horns, whistles and bells from the condo lining the shores. Now, we were "officially" on our cruise and looking forward to a great week under the warm Caribbean sun. Linda and I unpacked and began planning shore excursions and our strategy for maximizing our cruise experience.
Tip of the Day
Two important things to do after first boarding the ship. First is to visit the Spa and make massage, or other treatment appointments right away. Usually appointments for days when the ship is at sea fill very fast. Secondly, on Holland America, make your reservation for the Pinnacle Grill for dinner. On our cruise they had a waiting list of 100 passengers who waited until after the first day to make a reservation.
Rich Skinner
Co Owner
Cruise Holidays Woodinville
425 487 4001
www.luxurient.com
| Luxurient Traveler Notes - May 22, 2006 5/22/2006 12:41:18 PM Link | | Add comment Luxurient Traveler Notes
May 22, 2006
The Luxurient Traveler is the alter ego of Cruise Holidays of Woodinville. The "Traveler" comes across a lot of fun and interesting material and enjoys sharing with like minded adventurers. As long as there is any interest, we will have the "Traveler" pass along interesting tidbits.
Summer's Alaska cruising season is underway, and it looks like it will be another barn burner. Little space remains, but it is possible to still book that great Alaska cruise with a little date flexibility. Cruise Holidays of Woodinville has extra goodies on the Westerdam's Sept, 3rd 10th and 17th Seattle departures. Things like dinner in the Pinnacle Grill (gourmet yummy!) bottles of wine and shipboard photos!
About 85 Wine Diva's from Woodinville had a great time on a three-day Vancouver-Victoria-Astoria-Seattle coastal cruise on the Oosterdam. Holland America wasn't at their best when boarding was delayed in Vancouver. Like the start of any new season, a lot of folks at the terminal didn't know what was happening and they passed along faulty information. After some delay (the ship faced headwinds coming up the coast and was about six hour late arriving in Vancouver) everyone boarded and started to get into the spirit (spirits?) of the group.
One couple was especially happy when they were presented with about two cases of wine not used for the group. That couple smartly had added a seven-day Alaska cruise on the back of the three-day shortie. I'll bet their ship neighbors became good friends over a glass or two of excellent Washington State wine.
Two cruise counselors from Cruise Holidays of Woodinville had the opportunity to visit the new Freedom of the Seas (the world's largest cruise ship) in Port Liberty, New Jersey. They joined the record-setter for a special Mother's Day two-night cruise to nowhere. Special guest entertainer was Jon Secada. Our reviewers enjoyed watching the world's first shipboard surfing pool and they participated in the hot tubs cantilevered 14 stories over the surface of the ocean.
Generally, the Freedom of the Seas received good reviews. The children's water park, the martini bar, the latin-flavored lounge and the Grand Promenade received special comment. This ship also features the largest climbing wall at sea, an onboard ice skating rink, the first boxing ring at sea and room for nearly 4,000 passengers.
Because the Today Show and USA Today had major coverage of the new ship, Royal Caribbean scored a major PR coup-even while the new Poseidon movie debuted to poor reviews in theatres across the country. There's a lot of curiosity about this new mega-ship and as a result it is priced higher than all other Royal Caribbean vessels, but it is off to a great start.
It seems that last year's bad hurricane season is hurting this Fall's Caribbean season. Big Boys like Carnival and Royal Caribbean are talking about some serious discounts for Fall departures. There's a lot of capacity in Florida, Texas and even Louisiana and bargain seekers should be able to find some great deals from September until Christmas.
Speaking of the Holidays, Holland America has some great prices on either Mexican Riviera or Caribbean cruises over Christmas or New Years, or both. The cruise lines go all out to add decorations and special activities to spice up their holiday sailings. A lot of people enjoy having a no pressure break over Christmas or New Year's. Many families are taking these cruises as a great way to spend time together in a stress-free environment. And, it's always sunny and warm in Mexico and the Caribbean in December and January.
Every week or so we'll pass along some of the Luxurient Traveler's observations about cruise and land vacations. We are always open to suggestions and questions. Just e-mail Rich@luxurient.com who is the conduit to the Luxurient Traveler. Good sailing, fabulous travels and a good life to all.
Rich Skinner
Co Owner
Cruise Holidays Woodinville
425 487 4001
www.luxurient.com
| Rich & Pastor Linda's Great Adventure 11/11/2005 5:16:19 PM Link | | Add comment This past May was an awesome time and for Pastor Linda and me. What really made the month monumental was our "trip of a lifetime" cruise from Rome to Barcelona. It was so much fun traveling with Linda's brother Lee, our niece Robin, her husband Mark and their three teenagers along with my cousin Thomas and his wife Marilyn. It was a family group ready for a wonderful adventure, and that's what was in store.
Linda's biggest challenge was limiting herself to three large suitcases for our two-week cruise-tour. We were a funny sight, with six suitcases all roped together so we could roll them up to the airline check-in. British air had to check a couple of times to make sure our 747 could hold our baggage load!
Both Linda and I had previously visited Rome, but not with family. We were looking forward to two-days exploring the Vatican and ancient Rome, along with a little bit of modern Roma thrown in. For months, I had worked on arranging the perfect accommodations, the perfect tours and other logistical arrangements. With fingers crossed we arrived at our Rome hotel to find all ten of us made the trip and were safely checked in at the hotel. We capped with celebration with a quick walk over to the Spanish Steps, and then on to a great family-style Roman restaurant (owned of course by Sicilians) for a three-hour dinner.
Our hotel was located close to the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Plaza Tritone and the Via Veneto shopping area. The folks at Boutique Express, our hotel and transfer suppliers did a great job. Plus, our hotel was close to the Hard Rock Café of Rome-a target for t-shirt buying by our teenagers.
Our guide Max was a fountain of Roman knowledge. He expertly led us to Vatican City and a four hour tour of the museum and St. Peter's Square. After hearing all of the inside scoop about the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel-including the scandal involving the Pope's chief financial Cardinal (ask us in private). What an awesome experience to see what St. Peter and St. Paul started 2000 years ago in Rome! We even had a long distance view of the new Pope at his weekly audience for about 100,000 folks in St. Peter's Square.
That afternoon Linda volunteered to lead us to a "special discount store" somewhere in downtown Rome. We wandered around for a couple of hours in search of this store, but when we found it-it was nothing special, but we had a lot of fun exploring to find it. We stopped for refreshment at a sidewalk café and had our picture taken with a traveling stuffed toy marmot named Scooter-a photo that is now part of Scooter's website.
We boarded Holland America's new Ms Westerdam in Civitavecchia, Rome's port city, and Linda was surprised to find that I had upgraded us to a suite. She was blown away when she boarded and found we had an enormous balcony and a prime location in the stern of the ship. Linda was especially impressed when she found out that both our dry cleaning and our laundry was free!
Our first day was at sea sailing down the Italian coast and through the Straits of Messina and past the menacing Stromboli Volcano. Our entire group spent the day enjoying the many activities available on the ship. Linda had a massage in the spa, our grand nephew began his record setting pace for consuming free pizza in the Lido, Mark, our niece's husband actually won money at the slot machines and everybody caught a little afternoon nap time in the warm Mediterranean sun by the aft pool.
The next morning we arrived in Croatia cruising up a fjord looking a little like Norway or Alaska with steep hills arising from the water. This strife torn place showed no or little signs of the war from a few years earlier. In fact, in Dubrovnik, the only differences we could see were in the appearance of new red tiles on a number of roofs. Everyone ambitiously walked the walls of the city, going back hundreds of years when pirates and invaders might have threatened this ancient port city. We paused for lunch at a nice outdoor restaurant just outside the city walls and met fellow travelers from California and British Columbia.
Our ship next headed south to the Greek Island of Corfu. We arrived on a Sunday and it became clear that everybody, after church, headed for the town square and the dozen or so outdoor restaurants where it was time to see and be seen. Linda was so excited about a great photo taken from an abandoned fort that she failed to see the Greek equivalent of poison oak which attacked her shins. Fortunately, Linda received good doctor's care from the ship's physician who supplied her with an anti-rash crème, and it didn't stop her from getting a complete pedicure and skin treatment that took the discomfort away.
The Westerdam was docked directly across the pier from the Windstar and she regaled us with a display of here beautiful sails as she departed for her next port. It was fun to see a 148-passenger luxury sailing vessel, next to our 1800-passenger ultra-modern cruiseship. Both ships are part of Holland America Line.
The next port of call was Malta. An island nation which has been invaded many times and has a wonderful history of crusaders, the Knights of St. John, the moors, the Romans and even the Phoenicians. Malta's capitol, Valletta, stands like a fortress built to withstand the Turkish Empire, or Napoleon or some other would-be conqueror. Although in today's world Malta depends upon tourism as its number one industry, with ship repair and building in second place. Short of fresh water, this small island nation has created a clean, bustling and comfortable society, even though their taxes are sky high. Oh, when they built the Malta stock exchange they put a wine bar in the basement, so brokers could drown their sorrows or celebrate depending upon the day's stock results.
Heading north, we sailed for Palermo, Sicily. We were advised not to ask the locals about their history with the mafia, so we didn't. We did find a great gelateria (ice cream store), a nice Italian wine store, and the local cathedral was striking. Palermo is a busy city and pedestrians must be careful not to become a victim to drivers who all appear to be involved in the Sicilian grand prix. A highlight was when Mark attempted to purchase a goat's bell in a flea market, but his bid was so low the seller was offended and wouldn't even look at him until Mark left. The teenagers thought their dad was very amusing and they razzed him endlessly about his poor bargaining techniques, and they gave him the nickname of "Big Stingy."
We enjoyed another day at sea as we cruised north between Corsica and Sardinia. The weather turned a little windy and the seas became a little rough, the only time in our two weeks we had less than perfect weather.
It was clear, warm and exciting when we pulled into Monte Carlo's harbor. The formula one grand prix was scheduled for the weekend and we had the opportunity to see the screaming F-1 cars in their qualifying laps. After climbing to the top of the palace's hill, Linda and I had a first-hand look at grand prix racing and the thousands of fans it was attracting. We also enjoyed a wonderful lunch at an outdoor restaurant which featured both Italian and French specialties. We also took a tour which brought us to the medieval village of Eze, and on a scenic mountain-top route to Nice, Villefranche and back to Monte Carlo. We watched the Silver Sea Silver Shadow set sail from Nice to her next destination. We also found a wonderful grocery store called Carrefour which was a little like a French version of Larry's Markets, only much bigger-we purchased great bread, cheese and wine of course. We enjoyed all of our purchases as we watched the twinkling lights of Monte Carlo as we departed for Marseille.
In France we opted for a shore excursion to the beautiful town of Aix en Provence. This is a university city with a charming old town section. The Oriental Flame trees were awesome as we strolled along the famous Mirabeau promenade. Our gang stopped by a bakery--who wouldn't with the great smells of fresh pastry and bread issuing forth. We added another sidewalk café to our list and enjoyed great French style coffee as we took notice of the passing pedestrians who were enjoying the Ambiance of Aix.
Our next to last port was Palma, the capitol of Majorca. We decided to go on a land tour to Valdemar and around the island's north shore. Michael Douglas (the actor), Georges Sand (the writer) and Frederic Chopin (the composer) all lived in Valdemar and their legends remain. Valdemar is a lovely small town with clean and attractive shops, restaurants and art galleries. Leaving town we climbed along the edge of the rugged cliffs which have protected Majorca for centuries. After about an hour of amazing scenery we arrived at Majorca's largest winery for a tasting. The tasting turned out to be much more extensive with excellent wine, great bread and local olives grown in the neighborhood all in abundance. The winery was located at the former summer home of the Bishop of Barcelona and featured a 15th century chapel and kitchen and a dining area in a beautiful garden.
With some sadness we spent our last night onboard the Westerdam. Earlier we had multiple birthday celebrations for Lee and Marilyn and me. We ate in the Pinnacle Grill, where Lee attempted the 28 ounce T-bone steak. Mark jr., our 13-year-old completed his record with the consumption of 50 pieces of pizza over 10-days. The rest of us just settled for night after night of wonderful food and great service. We all actually won a little in the casino and Linda found a new watch, some jewelry and a few dozen other things in the shipboard boutique. Everyone knows that Linda is famous for her giggling and laughter, but I think new highs were met in both frequency and intensity for our entire entourage. All agreed the ship and her crew were outstanding in service and in quality. We would highly recommend the Westerdam for anyone seeking a great cruise vacation experience.
For our final stop in Barcelona we spent two nights in the Duc de la Victoria hotel in the Gothic quarter of the city. This was an ideal location just off the famous Las Ramblas Boulevard and near the Plaza de Catalunya where the huge Corte Inglais department store is located.
We purchased a two-day hop-on, hop-off pass on the double-decker bus routes which cover the city. This was a great way to sample the sights and then return later to spend more time in those places that seemed to be most interesting. We spend nearly an entire morning at the unfinished Sagrada Familia cathedral being fascinated by Gaudi's architectural genius and his vision from the late 19th century, still contemporary today. They don't plan on being finished for 30-40 more years, but I think that's probably optimistic. We also visited Gaudi's home and park and purchased one of his colorful mosaic lizards, his trademark.
Barcelona is a big and energetic city. The Olympic site, the port district, the Picasso museum and dozens of great museums give the city a unique quality. The people are friendly and have a high tolerance of tourists. We even ventured into the Barcelonetta area in search of great paella, and we found it! It's also true that restaurants don't usually open for dinner before 8:30 PM and that most locals eat from 10 PM until midnight.
As we were flying home, Linda and I agreed we had enjoyed a vacation of a lifetime, with a wealth of great memories. We're already looking at 2006. One of the cruise/tours we're considering is from Prague to Paris, with river cruising along the Danube, Rhine and Moselle rivers in Germany around the first of June. We'll have more about this trip later. Or. Perhaps we'll do an around-Hawaii cruise on the new Pride of America in August.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this vacation narrative. It's tough turning sixty, but doing it in style is the best way to go!
Rich Skinner & Pastor Linda
Luxurient Travelers
Rich Skinner
Co Owner
Cruise Holidays Woodinville
425 487 4001
www.luxurient.com
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Lagoon 440
To ensure all our guests are offered the best possible experience, we have created a fleet exclusively made up of the Lagoon 440 sailing catamaran. | St. Maarten Netherland Antilles
In the north of the Caribbean's Lesser Antilles chain lies St. Maarten / Sint Martin, a small territory shared by two cultures, two countries, and thousands of tourists each year. | British Virgin Islands
Located in the northeastern Caribbean, The British Virgin Islands are known for their beauty and calm waters. | St. Vincent and the Grenadines
The 30 islands and cays that comprise the Grenadines are among the most popular Caribbean sailing destinations for the rich and famous, but are off the beaten path for most other visitors. They shouldn't be. | The Abacos of the Bahamas
The Abacos are a group of islands and cays forming a boomerang-shaped chain which stretches nearly 130 miles from Walker's Cay in the north to Hole-In-The-Wall in the south. |
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