Top 10 Reasons to take a Cruise
1) Choose to cruise for VALUE. One price buys your cabin, dining, entertainment and more.
2) Choose to cruise for ROMANCE. Secluded beaches, en suite dining on a balcony overlooking the ocean and spa services for two are just some of the romantic pursuits available.
3) Choose to cruise for CUISINE. Tantalize your taste buds with gourmet fare that showcases exotic ingredients, old standbys like pizza and ice cream or spa cuisine for a healthy alternative. Depending on your mood, dine in a traditional ballroom setting, a small bistro or a casual eatery.
4) Choose to cruise for VARIETY. With over 200 distinctive ships, 3000 ports-of-call and an unbelievable array of places to see and things to do, there is a perfect cruise for you. For even more choice, consider a pre- or post-land tour.
5) Choose to cruise for ACTIVITIES. Fill your days with sightseeing, sports activities, cultural lectures, educational tours led by naturalists and historians or simply lounge by the pool and relax. At night, enjoy dance extravaganzas, musical revues, gaming or a quiet evening gazing at the stars.
6) Choose to cruise for SIMPLICITY. Don't come back from your vacation needing a vacation. Planning a cruise is simple; your CLIA-affiliated travel agency can handle all of the details. Once you're on board, nearly all expenses are pre-paid... talk about hassle-free.
7) Choose to cruise for NEW HORIZONS. Fall asleep in one destination and awake to a new horizon... and you only have to pack and unpack once!
8) Choose to cruise for FAMILY. Families love cruising. Children's programs, kid-friendly menus and tours of the ship will keep your children happy, while affording you some time alone.
9) Choose to cruise for PAMPERING. Regardless of your budget, all cruise lines pamper their guests with first-class service around the clock.
10) Choose to cruise for SATISFACTION. It's a fact that cruises have a higher percentage of satisfied customers than any other vacation experience.
© Cruise Lines International Association
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Key West...
I tell you, I really mean to write on my blog while we are on our cruises, but I get so busy I just don’t have the time. That’s why I love to cruise: It keeps me busy. Only thing bad about staying so busy is that before you know it, the cruise is over.
Well, that Carnival Fascination is a good boat, and the greatest majority of the cruise was great. But, of my 15 or so cruises, I would have to rank this one near the bottom. The food was great, the activities were a lot of fun, and our cabin steward was “off the hook.” I think I was the only one in our area he knew; every time I stepped out of the cabin to go somewhere (most of the time it was to get something to eat) he would stick his head out of whatever room he was in and ask if “Mr. Bill” was having a good time and if was everything okay. Our only complaint really was our dining staff. There were several of our group that ordered food and didn’t get it. Most of it was a second appetizer; we might have not needed it anyway, so he may have been doing us a favor, but still. And it seemed to me that they were slow delivering our food. Now, in their defense, it was just the two of them were serving 24 people. This may seem a bit petty, but when you compare it to the service we received on other cruises, it would really bring the rating down.
Shirley and I spent a lot of time ashore in Key West. Tiffany and Courtney were with us for a bit, but after our snorkeling adventure (and it truly was an adventure) and our visit to Kermit’s Key Lime Shop they were ready to get back on the ship. I needed batteries for my camera, so Shirley and I went on a search for a drug store.
When Fascination docked in downtown Key West, the clouds followed us in. We used our shipboard credits and signed up to go snorkeling. This was our third time to Key West and we had never been in the water there. We choose the “Catamaran & Snorkel” excursion. We were met on the pier by our excursion staff and lead to the 60’ catamaran tied up to the same pier. The clouds were gray and gloomy. It was announced that if we didn’t to go, they would refund our money, but we really wanted to get into the water so we stuck it out.
The ride to the snorkel site took about 45 minutes. As we motored out, Shirley pointed out a waterspout about 10 miles on the horizon. I took some video of it; it was truly a spectacular sight to say the least. We had not seen any lightning on the way to the site, but the waves were building and building from 1-2 foot swells to 3-5 foot swells by the time we reached the reef. Shirley and I donned our snorkel gear and jumped off the catamaran into the choppy sea. It was about a 4 or 5 foot drop into the water. I was a bit worried about Shirley stepping off the boat and being able to hold her mask in place, but she did it — that’s my girl.
The water was refreshing and warm despite the cool rain that was falling. Tiffany and Courtney elected to go down the stairway. It was a difficult pathway; the boat was rockin’ pretty hard and walking down the metal steps was tricky. They made it and spent sometime in the water, but the chop made it very difficult to enjoy the limited sea life below the boat, and swimming to the reef about 30 yards away against the current and the choppy waves kept it very challenging to keep the snorkel from filling with water.
I swam to the reef and took a look at the sea life. Around the reef the sea life was very plentiful. Fish of every size, color, and shape were all over the place. But unlike other places we had been in the Caribbean, this reef was 8 to 12 feet deep. Some of the reef was in less than one foot of water, but because of the choppy seas, getting close was a chore and not getting thrown into the reef would have been an almost impossible task.
After a few minutes and a couple deep dives to look at the sea life, I elected to swim back to find Shirley and see how she was doing. Part of the equipment they give you on these snorkel excursions is a vest that you can blow air into and just float. We had about 50 people on this excursion so finding Shirley among all the floaters was harder than I thought it would be. But I finally located her about 30 yards from me. She was with Tiffany and Courtney, who had had about enough of fighting the chop.
I swam over to them as they were working their way back to the boat. Both of them were able to maneuver their way back onto the boat with little difficulty. Shirley had a bit more of an adventure. As she was working her way up the metal stairs, the told up to sit on the stairs and pull yourself up step by step holding onto the ropes. Well, Shirley got all the way to the top when a very large wave came through. It lifted the catamaran up about 6 feet, then as quickly as it lifted it, the wave was gone and the boat dropped. Well, that left Shirley suspended in midair; unfortunately, life is not like the old Bugs Bunny cartoons where the character just hangs suspended in the air and moves fast enough to get back on the cliff or whatever has left them suspended. Well, the boat went down and so did Shirley, bouncing her bottom on each of the six metal steps on her way back into the sea.
I was close enough to grab her and a suspension rope at the same time and hold her from falling back into the gulf. She was able to grip my arm and, with a little (the operative word here is “little”) help from the staff, was able to get back on the steps and work her way up to the boat. She did have a few bruises and sore spots on her lower back, but it didn’t seem to affect her the rest of the trip.
After about an hour, we loaded back on to the catamaran and started our journey back to the Fascination. On the way back I could see some very ominous storm clouds starting to build that produced some lightning. The wind was still whipping up the seas to give us a bumpy ride back to Key West. I only saw one guest succumb to the choppy seas by getting sick, while the rest of the guests were enjoying the free drinks.
Once we got back to the dock, we headed to the public library. Courtney had to do some work for The Garner Citizen, and so we took advantage of the computers at the library. After about 30 minutes there, we headed to our — or at least mine — main goal at Key West: Kermit’s Key Lime Shop. Kermit takes credit for coming up with the recipe for Key Lime Pie. I really don’t care who created this true blessing from God, but Key Lime Pie will be at the Great Feast in Heaven, I know it!
At Kermit’s, I couldn’t keep my hands out of the free samples. I wanted some of everything they had. We ended up buying a couple of Key Lime Pie slices that they dip in milk chocolate, put on a popsicle stick and freeze; some sugar-free Key Lime saltwater taffy; and a couple of Key Lime-flavored stick candies for the show on the ship later.
Shirley and I strolled around Key West a little, looking at some of the building and shops. There was one homeless guy who asked Shirley to marry him, but she told him she was busy that day and could not marry him. Lucky for me I kept her busy! We went into this little mall and I had a conversation with a rather large white parrot. I think he understood me and I understood him; he said, “Hello.” This mall had a free movie about Key West and the waters around the area. I think next time we’ll take advantage of this and sit through it. We were running out of time; we had to get back to the ship before she sailed.
Well, Key West was a good port. Most of the people in my group said they would like to go there again. I think they liked the fact that there was not a lot of haggling by the locals. When you get off the ship in Nassau, you’re bombarded with merchants trying to sell you trinkets, people trying to braid your hair, or very assertive cab drivers trying to offer you a tour of the island or a trip to Atlantis. I’ll write more about Nassau later in the next blog text. As far as Key West goes, it’s a nice place to visit for a few hours, but … it’s back to the ship.
Well, that Carnival Fascination is a good boat, and the greatest majority of the cruise was great. But, of my 15 or so cruises, I would have to rank this one near the bottom. The food was great, the activities were a lot of fun, and our cabin steward was “off the hook.” I think I was the only one in our area he knew; every time I stepped out of the cabin to go somewhere (most of the time it was to get something to eat) he would stick his head out of whatever room he was in and ask if “Mr. Bill” was having a good time and if was everything okay. Our only complaint really was our dining staff. There were several of our group that ordered food and didn’t get it. Most of it was a second appetizer; we might have not needed it anyway, so he may have been doing us a favor, but still. And it seemed to me that they were slow delivering our food. Now, in their defense, it was just the two of them were serving 24 people. This may seem a bit petty, but when you compare it to the service we received on other cruises, it would really bring the rating down.
Shirley and I spent a lot of time ashore in Key West. Tiffany and Courtney were with us for a bit, but after our snorkeling adventure (and it truly was an adventure) and our visit to Kermit’s Key Lime Shop they were ready to get back on the ship. I needed batteries for my camera, so Shirley and I went on a search for a drug store.
When Fascination docked in downtown Key West, the clouds followed us in. We used our shipboard credits and signed up to go snorkeling. This was our third time to Key West and we had never been in the water there. We choose the “Catamaran & Snorkel” excursion. We were met on the pier by our excursion staff and lead to the 60’ catamaran tied up to the same pier. The clouds were gray and gloomy. It was announced that if we didn’t to go, they would refund our money, but we really wanted to get into the water so we stuck it out.
The ride to the snorkel site took about 45 minutes. As we motored out, Shirley pointed out a waterspout about 10 miles on the horizon. I took some video of it; it was truly a spectacular sight to say the least. We had not seen any lightning on the way to the site, but the waves were building and building from 1-2 foot swells to 3-5 foot swells by the time we reached the reef. Shirley and I donned our snorkel gear and jumped off the catamaran into the choppy sea. It was about a 4 or 5 foot drop into the water. I was a bit worried about Shirley stepping off the boat and being able to hold her mask in place, but she did it — that’s my girl.
The water was refreshing and warm despite the cool rain that was falling. Tiffany and Courtney elected to go down the stairway. It was a difficult pathway; the boat was rockin’ pretty hard and walking down the metal steps was tricky. They made it and spent sometime in the water, but the chop made it very difficult to enjoy the limited sea life below the boat, and swimming to the reef about 30 yards away against the current and the choppy waves kept it very challenging to keep the snorkel from filling with water.
I swam to the reef and took a look at the sea life. Around the reef the sea life was very plentiful. Fish of every size, color, and shape were all over the place. But unlike other places we had been in the Caribbean, this reef was 8 to 12 feet deep. Some of the reef was in less than one foot of water, but because of the choppy seas, getting close was a chore and not getting thrown into the reef would have been an almost impossible task.
After a few minutes and a couple deep dives to look at the sea life, I elected to swim back to find Shirley and see how she was doing. Part of the equipment they give you on these snorkel excursions is a vest that you can blow air into and just float. We had about 50 people on this excursion so finding Shirley among all the floaters was harder than I thought it would be. But I finally located her about 30 yards from me. She was with Tiffany and Courtney, who had had about enough of fighting the chop.
I swam over to them as they were working their way back to the boat. Both of them were able to maneuver their way back onto the boat with little difficulty. Shirley had a bit more of an adventure. As she was working her way up the metal stairs, the told up to sit on the stairs and pull yourself up step by step holding onto the ropes. Well, Shirley got all the way to the top when a very large wave came through. It lifted the catamaran up about 6 feet, then as quickly as it lifted it, the wave was gone and the boat dropped. Well, that left Shirley suspended in midair; unfortunately, life is not like the old Bugs Bunny cartoons where the character just hangs suspended in the air and moves fast enough to get back on the cliff or whatever has left them suspended. Well, the boat went down and so did Shirley, bouncing her bottom on each of the six metal steps on her way back into the sea.
I was close enough to grab her and a suspension rope at the same time and hold her from falling back into the gulf. She was able to grip my arm and, with a little (the operative word here is “little”) help from the staff, was able to get back on the steps and work her way up to the boat. She did have a few bruises and sore spots on her lower back, but it didn’t seem to affect her the rest of the trip.
After about an hour, we loaded back on to the catamaran and started our journey back to the Fascination. On the way back I could see some very ominous storm clouds starting to build that produced some lightning. The wind was still whipping up the seas to give us a bumpy ride back to Key West. I only saw one guest succumb to the choppy seas by getting sick, while the rest of the guests were enjoying the free drinks.
Once we got back to the dock, we headed to the public library. Courtney had to do some work for The Garner Citizen, and so we took advantage of the computers at the library. After about 30 minutes there, we headed to our — or at least mine — main goal at Key West: Kermit’s Key Lime Shop. Kermit takes credit for coming up with the recipe for Key Lime Pie. I really don’t care who created this true blessing from God, but Key Lime Pie will be at the Great Feast in Heaven, I know it!
At Kermit’s, I couldn’t keep my hands out of the free samples. I wanted some of everything they had. We ended up buying a couple of Key Lime Pie slices that they dip in milk chocolate, put on a popsicle stick and freeze; some sugar-free Key Lime saltwater taffy; and a couple of Key Lime-flavored stick candies for the show on the ship later.
Shirley and I strolled around Key West a little, looking at some of the building and shops. There was one homeless guy who asked Shirley to marry him, but she told him she was busy that day and could not marry him. Lucky for me I kept her busy! We went into this little mall and I had a conversation with a rather large white parrot. I think he understood me and I understood him; he said, “Hello.” This mall had a free movie about Key West and the waters around the area. I think next time we’ll take advantage of this and sit through it. We were running out of time; we had to get back to the ship before she sailed.
Well, Key West was a good port. Most of the people in my group said they would like to go there again. I think they liked the fact that there was not a lot of haggling by the locals. When you get off the ship in Nassau, you’re bombarded with merchants trying to sell you trinkets, people trying to braid your hair, or very assertive cab drivers trying to offer you a tour of the island or a trip to Atlantis. I’ll write more about Nassau later in the next blog text. As far as Key West goes, it’s a nice place to visit for a few hours, but … it’s back to the ship.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Cruise-Day 2
We left port on time Monday, beautiful sunset as we sailed up the St. Johns River. Some dolphins swam along side the boat as we approached Mayport Navel Station, I was wondering if they were those dolphins that were trained to plant bombs under boats? Be even if they were, they were just enjoying the swim.
Dinner 1st night on the ship was very good, I had some St. Louis Style Baby Back Ribs, and oh course for Dinner, Warm Chocolate Melting Cake. The welcome aboard show was the same one we had seen many times, but it was still entertaining. They had a comedian on also, he was funny. I went for a brief time to his "Adult" show, left after about 3 minutes, he got down in the gutter very quick.
Our at sea day was a lot of fun. Sun was shinning, nice breeze across the deck, not too hot. Courtney had won two Carnival Trophies before noon. One on a Movie Trivia game and the other a general trivia. Looks like I have my work cut out for me if I'm going to win one. Dinner was formal night. I put on my best tux. (Actually it's my only tux) and we enjoyed lobster and shrimp with a green looking stuff that I don't care for (Broccoli) and I gladly let Shirley eat mine. After all it's only fair, I had to eat three of her shrimp. For desert I had Cherries Jubilee and Warm Chocolate Meting Cake.
Today in Key West, so far we did some snorkeling off a 60" sail boat. Water was very choppy, 3 - 4 foot seas, but very very clear. While we were there, we were surrounded by thunderstorms, and go a pretty good view of a water spout. I had never see one before, it was kind of need.
Well, time to head to Kermit's Key Lime Shop to pick up a large bottle of Key Lime juice for Beth, a slice of key lime pie, dipped in milk chocolate, then frozen... some kind'a good! The back to the ship for the "Return Cruisers Party" the another great dinner, topped off by a slice of peperoni pizza.
Happy Sailing.....
Rick
Dinner 1st night on the ship was very good, I had some St. Louis Style Baby Back Ribs, and oh course for Dinner, Warm Chocolate Melting Cake. The welcome aboard show was the same one we had seen many times, but it was still entertaining. They had a comedian on also, he was funny. I went for a brief time to his "Adult" show, left after about 3 minutes, he got down in the gutter very quick.
Our at sea day was a lot of fun. Sun was shinning, nice breeze across the deck, not too hot. Courtney had won two Carnival Trophies before noon. One on a Movie Trivia game and the other a general trivia. Looks like I have my work cut out for me if I'm going to win one. Dinner was formal night. I put on my best tux. (Actually it's my only tux) and we enjoyed lobster and shrimp with a green looking stuff that I don't care for (Broccoli) and I gladly let Shirley eat mine. After all it's only fair, I had to eat three of her shrimp. For desert I had Cherries Jubilee and Warm Chocolate Meting Cake.
Today in Key West, so far we did some snorkeling off a 60" sail boat. Water was very choppy, 3 - 4 foot seas, but very very clear. While we were there, we were surrounded by thunderstorms, and go a pretty good view of a water spout. I had never see one before, it was kind of need.
Well, time to head to Kermit's Key Lime Shop to pick up a large bottle of Key Lime juice for Beth, a slice of key lime pie, dipped in milk chocolate, then frozen... some kind'a good! The back to the ship for the "Return Cruisers Party" the another great dinner, topped off by a slice of peperoni pizza.
Happy Sailing.....
Rick
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Savannah....
Well we made it to Savannah. We left Raleigh at 9:00 and got here at 3:00, with three stops. Once for a McDs McGriddle, at the South Carolina Visitor Center, and some little town for some Burger King. We are staying at the Sheraton Four Points in the Historic District. Nice hotel, my 1st time here. Staff was very nice upon check in. We are getting ready to walk down to the River Walk and check out the shops. Dinner tonight will be at the "Moon River Restaurant." We ate there the last time we were here and it was very good. Shirley got a coupon!!!! She is the coupon Queen!.. Okay, well I'll write more later..... Peace.
Rick
Rick
Saturday, September 11, 2010
I'm excited about our cruise on Monday, but Remembering today.
All I have been thinking about for the last few days is getting ready for our cruise on Monday. Packing, planning, getting the car serviced, and talking about the cruise has really be in the forefront of my thoughts, but today I want to think about something else.
As you are aware, 9 years ago today a group of Muslim extremist murdered over 3000 Americans who's only crime was, being Americans. These men, women, and children got up like they normally do and went to work. I wonder how many of them had a disagreement with someone on their way to work, who got cut off in traffic and flipped a finger at someone, or had a disagreement with their spouse over some minor issues. Who left their home and forgot to tell someone that they loved them or was in too big of a hurry to kiss someone good bye. Even the night before thought about making a phone call just to say, "hi" and put if off until the next day.
Those people, each and everyone went to work as they did almost everyday. Even the dedicated policeman, fireman, and EMS personnel went to work that morning, who deal with emergency situations everyday, never considered what would await them that morning.
Why, why us? What would cause someone to attack us in such a cowardly way? I think most of us would understand if some of our military personnel were attacked. If someone planted a bomb on a base. But these people murdered that morning, they were non-military. Some of them we conservatives, some were liberals, some were Christians, some were Jewish, some were Catholic, and some many have even been Muslim. Why, why them, why us? It just doesn't' make any sense. What did we do to them? Well I'm sure if you asked those who want to see the USA destroyed, they would tell you their radical reasons. We would strongly disagree with them, citing our reasons of how this country is good and how we make world a better place.
There is one thing that sticks in my mind about the days after 9/11. There were a lot of people in this country re-evaluating their lives. There were a lot of people who said, "I'm not going to take life for granted any more, I'm ready to get my life in order." Churches all over the country started opening their doors just for people to come in a pray. They held memorial services, the next Sunday people who hadn't been in church for years walked through the doors.
For a brief time, just a few days, we were united. It didn't matter your political affiliation or the color of your skin. We became The UNITED States of America. What happened? Here's what I believe. We have taken God and put Him out of our lives. We no longer look to God for guidance. We don't read the Bible looking for answers to life's questions. We look to the world, that's how we are brought up. Looking back, the Supreme Court ruling, Engel v. Vitale (1962). This Supreme Court case took school lead prayer out of public schools. Now we have generations of children and young adults that have never darkened the door of a church. They have been searching this world for answers to the questions of life. When I was in school, smoking in the restroom or chewing gum in class was the major offenses. Now, elementary students bring guns to school. Teachers are seducing students. Teachers and school administrators spend a great deal of their time keeping order, dealing with students who have no discipline at home, so they don't in the school. Teachers should be teaching, reading, writing, and math. Not worrying about if a child has a gun in his back pack.
We have lost God in our society. We have lost sight of the Cross. We have lost sight of the Blood that God's Son, Jesus gave up for us. As we remember 9/11 today and we think about those who died in those buildings, on the planes, and on the battle fields to protect the freedoms that we have. Think about the one's who died, unsaved. Who said, "I'll get saved next Sunday."
I pray for the days of old, but not so far in the past. The days when Americans were on our knees, families had dinner together, and attending church on Sunday was the thing that was done. Stores were closed until after church out of respect and because all their employees were at church. How can we get back to those days? It's simple. We have to look to the Cross, we have to see the blood, we have to recognise the sacrifice that Christ made for us on that Old Rugged Cross. He died and bled for our sins. He paid the price that we could never pay. If we want to remember those who died on 9/11, we have to do the things that they didn't have time to because their lives were taken away. Unexpectedly. When they went to work or got on one of those planes that morning, they didn't know it would be their last. They were unable to apologize for that argument, they didn't get a chance to say, "I love you" one last time. I hope that they were ready to step into entirety that day, are you?
Everyday, I make sure that Shirley knows that I love her. We are not guaranteed another day. We think we have time, but do we? The victims of 9/11 thought they had other days.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that none should parish. But have everlasting life." (John 3:16) If you don't know Christ as your savor, seek Him. Call a pastor or another Christian and ask them how you can have everlasting life through Jesus. And if you don't know who to call and you want to talk, Call me. 919-971-9836
God Bless You on this Day. Pray for the families of those who died on this day.
In Christ our Savor,
Rick
As you are aware, 9 years ago today a group of Muslim extremist murdered over 3000 Americans who's only crime was, being Americans. These men, women, and children got up like they normally do and went to work. I wonder how many of them had a disagreement with someone on their way to work, who got cut off in traffic and flipped a finger at someone, or had a disagreement with their spouse over some minor issues. Who left their home and forgot to tell someone that they loved them or was in too big of a hurry to kiss someone good bye. Even the night before thought about making a phone call just to say, "hi" and put if off until the next day.
Those people, each and everyone went to work as they did almost everyday. Even the dedicated policeman, fireman, and EMS personnel went to work that morning, who deal with emergency situations everyday, never considered what would await them that morning.
Why, why us? What would cause someone to attack us in such a cowardly way? I think most of us would understand if some of our military personnel were attacked. If someone planted a bomb on a base. But these people murdered that morning, they were non-military. Some of them we conservatives, some were liberals, some were Christians, some were Jewish, some were Catholic, and some many have even been Muslim. Why, why them, why us? It just doesn't' make any sense. What did we do to them? Well I'm sure if you asked those who want to see the USA destroyed, they would tell you their radical reasons. We would strongly disagree with them, citing our reasons of how this country is good and how we make world a better place.
There is one thing that sticks in my mind about the days after 9/11. There were a lot of people in this country re-evaluating their lives. There were a lot of people who said, "I'm not going to take life for granted any more, I'm ready to get my life in order." Churches all over the country started opening their doors just for people to come in a pray. They held memorial services, the next Sunday people who hadn't been in church for years walked through the doors.
For a brief time, just a few days, we were united. It didn't matter your political affiliation or the color of your skin. We became The UNITED States of America. What happened? Here's what I believe. We have taken God and put Him out of our lives. We no longer look to God for guidance. We don't read the Bible looking for answers to life's questions. We look to the world, that's how we are brought up. Looking back, the Supreme Court ruling, Engel v. Vitale (1962). This Supreme Court case took school lead prayer out of public schools. Now we have generations of children and young adults that have never darkened the door of a church. They have been searching this world for answers to the questions of life. When I was in school, smoking in the restroom or chewing gum in class was the major offenses. Now, elementary students bring guns to school. Teachers are seducing students. Teachers and school administrators spend a great deal of their time keeping order, dealing with students who have no discipline at home, so they don't in the school. Teachers should be teaching, reading, writing, and math. Not worrying about if a child has a gun in his back pack.
We have lost God in our society. We have lost sight of the Cross. We have lost sight of the Blood that God's Son, Jesus gave up for us. As we remember 9/11 today and we think about those who died in those buildings, on the planes, and on the battle fields to protect the freedoms that we have. Think about the one's who died, unsaved. Who said, "I'll get saved next Sunday."
I pray for the days of old, but not so far in the past. The days when Americans were on our knees, families had dinner together, and attending church on Sunday was the thing that was done. Stores were closed until after church out of respect and because all their employees were at church. How can we get back to those days? It's simple. We have to look to the Cross, we have to see the blood, we have to recognise the sacrifice that Christ made for us on that Old Rugged Cross. He died and bled for our sins. He paid the price that we could never pay. If we want to remember those who died on 9/11, we have to do the things that they didn't have time to because their lives were taken away. Unexpectedly. When they went to work or got on one of those planes that morning, they didn't know it would be their last. They were unable to apologize for that argument, they didn't get a chance to say, "I love you" one last time. I hope that they were ready to step into entirety that day, are you?
Everyday, I make sure that Shirley knows that I love her. We are not guaranteed another day. We think we have time, but do we? The victims of 9/11 thought they had other days.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that none should parish. But have everlasting life." (John 3:16) If you don't know Christ as your savor, seek Him. Call a pastor or another Christian and ask them how you can have everlasting life through Jesus. And if you don't know who to call and you want to talk, Call me. 919-971-9836
God Bless You on this Day. Pray for the families of those who died on this day.
In Christ our Savor,
Rick
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
1st, let me apologize for not posting in a long time. My goal was to post everyday that I was on my last cruise, but I was having so much fun, Shirley and I were so busy, I just couldn't work it into my schedule. I will try to do better this time.
We leave Sunday, Sept. 12 traveling to Savannah, Ga. We will spend the night at the Sheraton in the historic district. I love Savannah. The river walk is a lot of fun, neat shops. I really love the antique shop on the north end of the boardwalk. I don't know the name of it, but it's several floors, consignment type of a deal, many vendor with so much stuff. I love to look for old fishing equipment and musical instruments. Always looking for that one item that I pay $10.00 for, I take it to Antiques Road Show and find out it's worth much more than I paid for it. With my luck, I'll pay $10.00 and find out it's worth, $9.00.
Our cruise this time is from Jacksonville, Florida on the Carnival Fascination. We have sailed on this ship before and we have done this itinerary. The ship leaves Monday. We have a "Fun Day @ Sea" on Tuesday. Wednesday we are in Key West- Look out Kermit's Key Lime Shop, I'm on my way!!!! They have a frozen slice of key lime pie, that they dip in milk chocolate and freeze it on a stick. So, good, would make a puppy pull a fraught train. We also plan on doing some snorkeling and sailing on a 60' catamaran. Just one of the many shore excursions offered through the ship.
We will find our self in Nassau on Thursday. Yes, Nassau again. We are going to do the same thing we did last time. Take the city bus to the Sheraton and spend the day enjoying their facilities. We are in Nassau from about 12:00 PM until 10:00 PM, this will be a great opportunity to take some night photos with my new camera I got last father's day. Friday will be another "Fun Day @ Sea" and back to Jacksonville Saturday.
This is our second cruise as Carnival Platinum Guest. This is really a great program. Every day they deliver something special to your room. They have a personalized stationary in your stateroom, but the best of all... they will do our laundry, FOR FREE! So we don't bring home 87 suitcases of dirty cloths that Shirley will have to do.
This cruise will be very special, we are taking Tiffany and Courtney with us. It's been a long time since both of them have cruised with us. We took Courtney a couple cruises ago, I don't remember why Tiffany didn't go, college classes I think. I am excited about spending some time with them it will not be too long when they will be moving out, on their own and it will be just me and Shirley.
I have blocked space for several cruises in 2011. I have several private groups going and two sailing that are for Agape Travel. I have space Feb. 10 (Valentines Weekend), May 15 weekend cruise to Cozumel, Mexico on the Carnival Inspiration (Last chance for this ship, Carnival is moving her to the west coast- Great Ship), Labor Day Weekend - Fantastic deal for a HOLIDAY weekend- prices starting at $300 per person, from Pt Canaveral-Freeport and OVERNIGHT in Nassau, and Oct. 30- 7 day southern Caribbean from San Juan.
Sunday, October 30, 2011 San Juan, Puerto Rico
Monday, October 31, 2011 St. Thomas, U.s. Virgin Islands
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 Dominica, Caribbean
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 Bridgetown, Barbados
Thursday, November 3, 2011 St. Lucia, Caribbean
Friday, November 4, 2011 St. Kitts
Saturday, November 5, 2011 St. Maarten
Sunday, November 6, 2011 San Juan, Puerto Rico
Prices starting at under $500 per person for an inside stateroom.
You can hold your reservation on any of these cruises for $50.00 per person.
Well, I will write more as the cruise approaches. If you have any questions about travel or you want to book a cruise or any vacation call me (919) 971-9836.
Rick
We leave Sunday, Sept. 12 traveling to Savannah, Ga. We will spend the night at the Sheraton in the historic district. I love Savannah. The river walk is a lot of fun, neat shops. I really love the antique shop on the north end of the boardwalk. I don't know the name of it, but it's several floors, consignment type of a deal, many vendor with so much stuff. I love to look for old fishing equipment and musical instruments. Always looking for that one item that I pay $10.00 for, I take it to Antiques Road Show and find out it's worth much more than I paid for it. With my luck, I'll pay $10.00 and find out it's worth, $9.00.
Our cruise this time is from Jacksonville, Florida on the Carnival Fascination. We have sailed on this ship before and we have done this itinerary. The ship leaves Monday. We have a "Fun Day @ Sea" on Tuesday. Wednesday we are in Key West- Look out Kermit's Key Lime Shop, I'm on my way!!!! They have a frozen slice of key lime pie, that they dip in milk chocolate and freeze it on a stick. So, good, would make a puppy pull a fraught train. We also plan on doing some snorkeling and sailing on a 60' catamaran. Just one of the many shore excursions offered through the ship.
We will find our self in Nassau on Thursday. Yes, Nassau again. We are going to do the same thing we did last time. Take the city bus to the Sheraton and spend the day enjoying their facilities. We are in Nassau from about 12:00 PM until 10:00 PM, this will be a great opportunity to take some night photos with my new camera I got last father's day. Friday will be another "Fun Day @ Sea" and back to Jacksonville Saturday.
This is our second cruise as Carnival Platinum Guest. This is really a great program. Every day they deliver something special to your room. They have a personalized stationary in your stateroom, but the best of all... they will do our laundry, FOR FREE! So we don't bring home 87 suitcases of dirty cloths that Shirley will have to do.
This cruise will be very special, we are taking Tiffany and Courtney with us. It's been a long time since both of them have cruised with us. We took Courtney a couple cruises ago, I don't remember why Tiffany didn't go, college classes I think. I am excited about spending some time with them it will not be too long when they will be moving out, on their own and it will be just me and Shirley.
I have blocked space for several cruises in 2011. I have several private groups going and two sailing that are for Agape Travel. I have space Feb. 10 (Valentines Weekend), May 15 weekend cruise to Cozumel, Mexico on the Carnival Inspiration (Last chance for this ship, Carnival is moving her to the west coast- Great Ship), Labor Day Weekend - Fantastic deal for a HOLIDAY weekend- prices starting at $300 per person, from Pt Canaveral-Freeport and OVERNIGHT in Nassau, and Oct. 30- 7 day southern Caribbean from San Juan.
Sunday, October 30, 2011 San Juan, Puerto Rico
Monday, October 31, 2011 St. Thomas, U.s. Virgin Islands
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 Dominica, Caribbean
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 Bridgetown, Barbados
Thursday, November 3, 2011 St. Lucia, Caribbean
Friday, November 4, 2011 St. Kitts
Saturday, November 5, 2011 St. Maarten
Sunday, November 6, 2011 San Juan, Puerto Rico
Prices starting at under $500 per person for an inside stateroom.
You can hold your reservation on any of these cruises for $50.00 per person.
Well, I will write more as the cruise approaches. If you have any questions about travel or you want to book a cruise or any vacation call me (919) 971-9836.
Rick
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
1st day in Nassau
We had a great day at sea yesterday... The ship is just like we remember. Met our table mates at dinner, they are from Elizabeth City, NC and it's their 1st cruise, so I had fun sharing my knowledge of cruising whether they wanted to hear it or not! But they are very nice people and we are looking forward to seeing them each night for dinner.
Yesterday I won my 1st "24 karet gold plasic ship on a stick" with a close sports trivia game. Thanks to Shirley, and her knowing that in Olympic Wrestling you are not allowed to pull or twist you opponent's toes. We also got to meet the Captain of the Glory and had our photo taken with him... he still has not agreed to let me drive, but I'm working on him.
Last night at dinner Shirley and I both had the loster... uuummm some kind'a good! Then Shirley had a slice of pizza just before bed. We enjoyed the welcome aboard show. We have seen it before, but it's a nice way to get the vacation started.
There are 4 other ships in Nassau with us, three of them are Carnival ships and one Disney ship. We could see the big deck screen above the pool on the Disney ship, they were playing the movie Aladin. Even from our ship we could see the screen clearly and hear the high deff. sound.
Well, I guess that's all for now. Tomorrow we will visit the Sheraton and go para-sailing.
We
Sunday, May 30, 2010
We arrived in Norfolk yesterday afternoon and checked into our hotel, Sheraton Norfolk, Waterside. This is a very nice hotel. We got upgraded to a "Club Level" room on the 10th floor. This room was on the corner and has two spectacular views. One of the beautiful City of Norfolk and the other, the Elizabeth River. When we got into our room yesterday, we could see Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas. She was just pushing away from the dock with a load of happy cruisers on their way to Bermuda. We have never been there, but it's on our list of places to visit. I hear the golfing there is out of this world.
After we checked in we headed to the Greenbrier Mall area for dinner with Shirley's sister, Paulette and the House Family. We meet at Smokie Bones BBQ. This was my 1st experience there. It was very good... love them St. Louis style ribs! After some great conversation and reliving some past memories, me, Shirley and Paulette headed to the mall for a new hair cut for Shirley and some sunglasses for me.
We parked our car at Portside in Portsmouth to leave it there while we were on our cruise. Shirley and I took the Elizabeth River Ferry from Portside to Waterside in Norfolk. The ferry dropped us right next door to our hotel. The ride was very romantic and fun. Just looking at the lights of downtown Norfolk and the nice cool breeze made the ride very relaxing and pleasant.
I feel a little guilty about this cruise... it's just Shirley and I. We left Tiffany and Courtney at home to care for the cats. I will miss the girls on the cruise. I'm guessing that will last only two or three times through the buffet line, then they will be a distant memory. But, I think since they both worked so hard getting through college, we'll take them with us in September on our five day cruise on the Carnival Fascination.
Sometime today we will board the Carnival Glory. I'm very excited. We have sailed on her once before. It's almost like coming home to an old friend. But this time, we are VIP. This will be my 10th sailing on Carnival, so we get some extra perks. The main thing Shirley is looking forward too is the complimentary laundry service. I'm looking forward to checking in at the VIP Lounge and skipping the long lines. I'll write more about our cruise our 1st day in port when we get to Nassau.
One of the neat things about this trip is we are in Norfolk for Memorial Day weekend. This being a military town, it reminds me of why we have a Memorial Day. It is to honor those who have served and given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and our Country. Thank you, thank you to all those family's who have lost loved ones, thank you for their sacrifice. Let us not forget them, ever!
After we checked in we headed to the Greenbrier Mall area for dinner with Shirley's sister, Paulette and the House Family. We meet at Smokie Bones BBQ. This was my 1st experience there. It was very good... love them St. Louis style ribs! After some great conversation and reliving some past memories, me, Shirley and Paulette headed to the mall for a new hair cut for Shirley and some sunglasses for me.
We parked our car at Portside in Portsmouth to leave it there while we were on our cruise. Shirley and I took the Elizabeth River Ferry from Portside to Waterside in Norfolk. The ferry dropped us right next door to our hotel. The ride was very romantic and fun. Just looking at the lights of downtown Norfolk and the nice cool breeze made the ride very relaxing and pleasant.
I feel a little guilty about this cruise... it's just Shirley and I. We left Tiffany and Courtney at home to care for the cats. I will miss the girls on the cruise. I'm guessing that will last only two or three times through the buffet line, then they will be a distant memory. But, I think since they both worked so hard getting through college, we'll take them with us in September on our five day cruise on the Carnival Fascination.
Sometime today we will board the Carnival Glory. I'm very excited. We have sailed on her once before. It's almost like coming home to an old friend. But this time, we are VIP. This will be my 10th sailing on Carnival, so we get some extra perks. The main thing Shirley is looking forward too is the complimentary laundry service. I'm looking forward to checking in at the VIP Lounge and skipping the long lines. I'll write more about our cruise our 1st day in port when we get to Nassau.
One of the neat things about this trip is we are in Norfolk for Memorial Day weekend. This being a military town, it reminds me of why we have a Memorial Day. It is to honor those who have served and given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and our Country. Thank you, thank you to all those family's who have lost loved ones, thank you for their sacrifice. Let us not forget them, ever!
Monday, May 17, 2010
12 days... Glory Glory Glory... Here we come!
Well it’s only 12 days before we leave for Norfolk to go on our cruise. Shirley and I are going up the day before and staying at the Sheraton Waterside, just a few steps from the ship. I want to wake up on the 30th floor and look out my window and see the Carnival Glory, my six day escape from the real world of daily stresses. This will be our 2nd time on the Glory and our 100th time (not really, just seems like it) in Nassau. But with just a short drive to Norfolk and great cruise prices, it’s worth it.
Nassau is not a bad port. The Atlantis is a must see. Every time we go there I enjoy viewing the lobby aquarium. The short walk from the cruise ship docks and ride on the water taxi is enjoyable. There is a local narrator who gives a tour as you travel. I don’t know how much of what he says is true, but we have heard it about 20,000 times and it’s the same thing over and over…“this movie was shot at that beach, this house is owned by this Hollywood Star, and I work for tips only.” This trip Shirley and I are going to do “duel parasailing.” I have parasailed before, but this will be Shirley’s first time. She likes to fly okay, accept for the take off (my arm sill have nail marks in it from when we flew to Ft. Lauderdale for a cruise two years ago). I think she’ll do wonderful parasailing. It is very peaceful - 300 feet above the ocean, just you and the sail. (Having one or two sharks below isn’t very scary, as long as the sail stays open.)
But we need this trip. We both have been stressed due to college graduation celebrations and work. We are looking forward to our 6-day cruise. This will be my 10th cruise with Carnival so I am at “Platinum Level” which gives a few extra privileges. We get to check in at the VIP Lounge, we get go jump line for tender ports (there are none on this sailing, but it will come in handy in November when we go to the Grand Caymans!) But the one that I think Shirley is looking forward to the most, FREE LAUNDRY SERVICE! We can have the ship wash our cloths before we get home, so there will be little for us to do when we get back but unpack.
Thanks for reading my Blog. I will try to write more often to keep my readers abreast of what’s going on in the world of cruising or vacation travel. I should let you know that the State Department has issued travel warnings to some parts of China and northern Mexico because of violence, but there are plenty of other places to go… So remember Agape Travel’s motto… “Don’t just live… Travel!”
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Cruise Time... Great Deals out there
I know it's been a while since I posted. There are some really great cruise deals still out there for the late summer and fall months. I have several group spaced blocked for some upcoming cruise vacations.
Sept. 13 4 Days on the Monarch of the Seas, prices starting @475 per person
Oct. 11 4 Days on the Majesty of the Seas, starting at $340 per per son
Nov. 14 7 days, Carnival Valor, Western Caribbean, 7 days, starting $460 per person.
You can book any of these cruise vacations for $100 deposit per cabin... Also Agape Travel is going to Hawaii in Sept. 2011, we have the balconies booked, $50.00 deposit holds you space.
We are also looking into a trip to the Holy Land in 2011... keep checking back for more information.
Rick
Sept. 13 4 Days on the Monarch of the Seas, prices starting @475 per person
Oct. 11 4 Days on the Majesty of the Seas, starting at $340 per per son
Nov. 14 7 days, Carnival Valor, Western Caribbean, 7 days, starting $460 per person.
You can book any of these cruise vacations for $100 deposit per cabin... Also Agape Travel is going to Hawaii in Sept. 2011, we have the balconies booked, $50.00 deposit holds you space.
We are also looking into a trip to the Holy Land in 2011... keep checking back for more information.
Rick
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Well another WAVE month in the cruise industry. January and February are called WAVE months. The cruise industry used these months to try to fill up their ships for the summer cruise season and start filling the ships for 2010. As an independent travel agent, I feel it’s my job to help them in any way I can. If your family has a family reunion annually or bi-annually, now is the time to set it up on a cruise. Just think about it, everyone together sailing to an exciting port… spending time catching up and remembering the “good ol’ days” when life was simple and less complicated. A family reunion on a cruise ship is just that. Relaxing and fun all at the same time, But what I think is the best thing about a family reunion at sea… no one has to cook or clean up after anyone. It’s all done for you at very affordable prices. Remember the MasterCard commercials… Cruise Ticket, $500.00…. Tee Shirt, $12.00… Spending time with the one’s you love, PRICELESS!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Do you need a Pass Port?
Yes and no. According to Carnival, you do not need a pass port as long as you are leaving on a cruise ship from and returning to that same USA port. Now, pass ports are highly recommended, but not required. The only draw back to not having a pass port is, if you needed to cut your cruise short and fly back to the USA from a non-USA state or territory, you would have to have a pass port to enter the USA.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Christmas Shopping
It's hard to find that special gift for each member of your family. Color, Size, styles.... it goes on and on. My wife is tought to buy for. She never buys for herself, so if she gets a "gift card" she will used it buy items for our daughters. She doesn't wear make up or jewelry, she is challenging to buy for. The best gift that I have ever given her was a Cruise Vacation. It was our first and we have never looked back. We just celebrated our 11th anniversary, guess what she got? A cruise on the Carnival Celebration, Dec. 10. She was very happy!
So what I'm trying to say... Christmas time is right around the corner... the best gift for your family might be a cruise vacation. It's inexpensive, you will spend hours talking about it and planning for it as the date draws closer... then, when your family gets on the ship, it's 7 days of fun and food... time together.. no interruptions... just you and special time with your family. Get to know each other again... spend a week at sea.
Email me if you want more information: rick.smallworldtravel@hotmail.com
So what I'm trying to say... Christmas time is right around the corner... the best gift for your family might be a cruise vacation. It's inexpensive, you will spend hours talking about it and planning for it as the date draws closer... then, when your family gets on the ship, it's 7 days of fun and food... time together.. no interruptions... just you and special time with your family. Get to know each other again... spend a week at sea.
Email me if you want more information: rick.smallworldtravel@hotmail.com
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Family Reunions @ SEA!
Well, we are half way through the summer. By now a lot of us have been on our vacation. We have visited family members we haven't seen in years, gotten caught up on old times, and shared some memories. Remember how you found yourself trying to keep on schedule? That same schedule wouldn't allow you to spend as much time as you wanted with the aunt or uncle or cousin that you laughed with over those embarrassing childhood stories of days gone by. Remember your parting words: "Let's stay in touch and not let so much time pass before we see each other again"?
I have the answer for you--a family reunion cruise! You may have never thought of that before; most people haven't. But let me tell you, it's the most fun you can have. You don't have to cook or clean. You don't have to sleep on a couch or air mattress. You don't have to stay at dear Aunt Peg's house (who keeps the house thermostat about 2 degrees below the "broil" setting). You and your immediate family will have their own stateroom, as will everyone else. And let's face it; we all that that one person in our family who we love but we don't like to spend that much time with. Guess what--you don't have to! On a family reunion cruise, everyone can choose to do his own thing or you can do things as one group.
A cruise vacation offers a good time for every member of the family. For your grandfather who loves to golf, there are numerous courses in Nassau and Key West. For your cousins can't get enough of the water, there's swimming in one of the ship's multiple pools or perhaps diving & snorkeling in some of the world's clearest waters. As for your aunt or sister who loves to shop? The Caribbean, with its incredible prices on gemstones and perfumes, is THE place to shop 'til you drop!
You may be wondering: "But what about the kids? What will they do for fun?" No need to worry; Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney, Holland America, and Princess all have award-winning children's programs for ages 3 to 17. With activities for young and old alike, a cruise vacation is a vacation for every member of the family. There are so many exciting things to do, you'll never be able to do it all!
Remember what I mentioned earlier about no cooking? Well, on a cruise ship, you can eat virtually 24 hours a day--for no additional charge (excluding speciality restaurants found on some cruise ships). Yes, food is included, and you can eat and eat... fine dining, hotdogs and hamburgers, international buffets, round-the-clock pizza, complimentary room service, sushi... the list goes on and on.
So what is considered a "group?" It's just 8 double-occupancy cabins. The best part for you? The group leader gets to go for FREE! Get 16 cabins, and your spouse goes for free! You still have to pay government taxes and port charges of $150-$200 (depending on length of cruise), but what is such a small amount of money for an all-inclusive vacation?!
Yes, a Family Reunion on a cruise ship--now that's a vacation!!
Call or email me if you would like more information:
rick.smallworldtravel@hotmail.com or 919-696-3629
I have the answer for you--a family reunion cruise! You may have never thought of that before; most people haven't. But let me tell you, it's the most fun you can have. You don't have to cook or clean. You don't have to sleep on a couch or air mattress. You don't have to stay at dear Aunt Peg's house (who keeps the house thermostat about 2 degrees below the "broil" setting). You and your immediate family will have their own stateroom, as will everyone else. And let's face it; we all that that one person in our family who we love but we don't like to spend that much time with. Guess what--you don't have to! On a family reunion cruise, everyone can choose to do his own thing or you can do things as one group.
A cruise vacation offers a good time for every member of the family. For your grandfather who loves to golf, there are numerous courses in Nassau and Key West. For your cousins can't get enough of the water, there's swimming in one of the ship's multiple pools or perhaps diving & snorkeling in some of the world's clearest waters. As for your aunt or sister who loves to shop? The Caribbean, with its incredible prices on gemstones and perfumes, is THE place to shop 'til you drop!
You may be wondering: "But what about the kids? What will they do for fun?" No need to worry; Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney, Holland America, and Princess all have award-winning children's programs for ages 3 to 17. With activities for young and old alike, a cruise vacation is a vacation for every member of the family. There are so many exciting things to do, you'll never be able to do it all!
Remember what I mentioned earlier about no cooking? Well, on a cruise ship, you can eat virtually 24 hours a day--for no additional charge (excluding speciality restaurants found on some cruise ships). Yes, food is included, and you can eat and eat... fine dining, hotdogs and hamburgers, international buffets, round-the-clock pizza, complimentary room service, sushi... the list goes on and on.
So what is considered a "group?" It's just 8 double-occupancy cabins. The best part for you? The group leader gets to go for FREE! Get 16 cabins, and your spouse goes for free! You still have to pay government taxes and port charges of $150-$200 (depending on length of cruise), but what is such a small amount of money for an all-inclusive vacation?!
Yes, a Family Reunion on a cruise ship--now that's a vacation!!
Call or email me if you would like more information:
rick.smallworldtravel@hotmail.com or 919-696-3629
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Cruising... A great FUND RAISING EVENT, make as much as $20,000, with out an investment from your Non-profit!
If you have ever had kids in school or have friends who have kids in school, you know what the school year brings.... FUND RAISING! How many times per week do the neighborhood children or you co-workers hit you up to buy some candy, light bulbs, Christmas wrap, or pre-cooked frozen pizza? Everything you can think of is being used for fun raising events. And what's sad about it, those worth-wild organizations that need the $$$ don't make that much. I remember when my daughter was a Girl Scout, our troop only made about $.39 per box of cookies. The district council made most of the money and the baker who made the cookies. It was really sad.
Since becoming a professional cruise consultant I have learned that non-profit organizations can make a lot of money and have a lot of fund just by setting up a cruise. That's right! A cruise! How is it possible and how does it work? Well, I'll tell you.
Okay, say your Civic Organization (rotary, Moose Lodge, Lyons Club, etc...) needed to raise some $$$. At the planning meeting everyone is talking about the same ideas, over and over... Car Wash, Pancake Supper, Fish Fry, BBQ, etc.... No one thinks about a cruise. But let me explain how much $$$ can be made.
First, pick a date and length of cruise (an experienced travel agent like myself can give you guidance with this) Okay, your group has decided on a 4 day cruise from Tampa, Florida in April 2007.
Day Location Arrival Departure
Thursday, April 5, 2007 Tampa -- 04:00 PM
Friday, April 6, 2007 Fun Day At Sea -- --
Saturday, April 7, 2007 Cozumel, Mexico 07:00 AM 06:00 PM
Sunday, April 8, 2007 Fun Day At Sea -- --
Monday, April 9, 2007 Tampa 08:00 AM --
Okay, so you have your 4 night cruise all set up. Let's say the cost of this cruise after taxes and port charges is $350.00 per person. Since it is a 4 night cruise, your organization marks up the cruise, $5.00 per day or $20.00. (so a five day cruise would be $25.00, a three day cruise would be $15.00) Now the cruise cost is $370.00 per person. Your group sells 100 cabins to members and their friends, donors, the general public. If you sell 100 cabins that's 200 people. Now you have marked up the cruise $20.00 and Carnival will match the $20.00, so you now make $40.00 per person, or with 200 guest, your group has just pocketed $8000.00! But I'm not finished, for every 15 guest you get one "Birth" free. In other words. With 200 guest, Carnival will give you 13 free "Births" or 6 1/2 free stateroom. Now taxes and government fees still have to be paid. So, the base cruise rate is about $170.00 per person before taxes and fees, that is the "Birth" rate, so if you get 13 free births, that's $2210.00. Now you have just went over the $10,000 mark.
Another idea, with two of your free births (Remember two births = 1 stateroom) Sell raffle tickets for a free cruise. If you sold 2000 raffle tickets at $2.00 each, that's and additional $4000.00 more $$$ for your group!
It all depends on the time of year you cruise. Summer time the rates are higher so the profit is more, Fall and Winter the rates are cheaper. But it's all up to you.
I would be more than happy to answer your questions or come to you organization and make a presentation. No matter what part of the country you are in. I can work with groups all over this wonderful Nation.
I'm serious, you can make a good amount of $$$ for your organization with NO investment! I will handle all registrations, collecting of all money, making all the arrangements for your group. All you have to do is promote the cruise. I almost forgot! Agape Travel will provide for your group a private reception with open bar and other "goodies" for your group such as Ship Board Credits, Bottles of wine, Group Photo, etc. Call for details on this, "goodies" are based on length of cruise and time of year.
If you would like more information or have questions, call or email. 919-696-3629 or rick.smallworldtravel@hotmail.com
Until next month when the topic will be Family Reunion Cruises.
Rick
Since becoming a professional cruise consultant I have learned that non-profit organizations can make a lot of money and have a lot of fund just by setting up a cruise. That's right! A cruise! How is it possible and how does it work? Well, I'll tell you.
Okay, say your Civic Organization (rotary, Moose Lodge, Lyons Club, etc...) needed to raise some $$$. At the planning meeting everyone is talking about the same ideas, over and over... Car Wash, Pancake Supper, Fish Fry, BBQ, etc.... No one thinks about a cruise. But let me explain how much $$$ can be made.
First, pick a date and length of cruise (an experienced travel agent like myself can give you guidance with this) Okay, your group has decided on a 4 day cruise from Tampa, Florida in April 2007.
Day Location Arrival Departure
Thursday, April 5, 2007 Tampa -- 04:00 PM
Friday, April 6, 2007 Fun Day At Sea -- --
Saturday, April 7, 2007 Cozumel, Mexico 07:00 AM 06:00 PM
Sunday, April 8, 2007 Fun Day At Sea -- --
Monday, April 9, 2007 Tampa 08:00 AM --
Okay, so you have your 4 night cruise all set up. Let's say the cost of this cruise after taxes and port charges is $350.00 per person. Since it is a 4 night cruise, your organization marks up the cruise, $5.00 per day or $20.00. (so a five day cruise would be $25.00, a three day cruise would be $15.00) Now the cruise cost is $370.00 per person. Your group sells 100 cabins to members and their friends, donors, the general public. If you sell 100 cabins that's 200 people. Now you have marked up the cruise $20.00 and Carnival will match the $20.00, so you now make $40.00 per person, or with 200 guest, your group has just pocketed $8000.00! But I'm not finished, for every 15 guest you get one "Birth" free. In other words. With 200 guest, Carnival will give you 13 free "Births" or 6 1/2 free stateroom. Now taxes and government fees still have to be paid. So, the base cruise rate is about $170.00 per person before taxes and fees, that is the "Birth" rate, so if you get 13 free births, that's $2210.00. Now you have just went over the $10,000 mark.
Another idea, with two of your free births (Remember two births = 1 stateroom) Sell raffle tickets for a free cruise. If you sold 2000 raffle tickets at $2.00 each, that's and additional $4000.00 more $$$ for your group!
It all depends on the time of year you cruise. Summer time the rates are higher so the profit is more, Fall and Winter the rates are cheaper. But it's all up to you.
I would be more than happy to answer your questions or come to you organization and make a presentation. No matter what part of the country you are in. I can work with groups all over this wonderful Nation.
I'm serious, you can make a good amount of $$$ for your organization with NO investment! I will handle all registrations, collecting of all money, making all the arrangements for your group. All you have to do is promote the cruise. I almost forgot! Agape Travel will provide for your group a private reception with open bar and other "goodies" for your group such as Ship Board Credits, Bottles of wine, Group Photo, etc. Call for details on this, "goodies" are based on length of cruise and time of year.
If you would like more information or have questions, call or email. 919-696-3629 or rick.smallworldtravel@hotmail.com
Until next month when the topic will be Family Reunion Cruises.
Rick
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