CardinalTravels

Social Media Showing Off The Norwegian Breakaway

cardinaltravel — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:00:16 +0000

Don’t you just love social media? Remember the days when you had to wait for the event to be over and the newspaper to come out before you saw pictures of it? Those days are gone! With sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram; we can see whats going on almost as its happening. Of course, we also have to thank smart phones for helping out with this feat.

This past week the Norwegian Breakaway was christened in New York City. She is the largest cruise ship to be positioned full time in New York. The build up to the event on May 8, 2013 was huge and everyone in the cruise industry was talking about it. Norwegian Cruise Line also set up a live video theme of the ceremony. At one point, I saw a tweet that there were almost 6,500 viewers on the live feed but that number dropped as they experienced a few technical problems with it.

Then she set sail and we have been seeing pictures and comments come in over twitter and other social media sites. I sorted through some of the tweets and picked out my favorites to show. The picture above was tweeted many times and I can’t seem to find the original person who tweeted it to give credit.

Norwegian Cruise Line was busy posting pictures to their Instagram page. It looks like they are proud of her and want to show her off. Here are some of the pictures from their account.

She has arrived! #norwegianbreakawayis docked in #nyc! Check out the view of the city.

The @rockettes just christened #NYC’s newest ship, #norwegianbreakaway! Time to celebrate!

The incredible Slam Allen is lighting up the room with another amazing performance at Fat Cats On#norwegianbreakaway

Enjoy the most beautiful view of the Freedom Tower in #nyc from deck of#norwegianbreakaway!

You can even chill at Fat Cats on the Waterfront on #norwegianbreakaway!

Ok I know what some of you are thinking; These are professionally taken photos from the cruise line to make their ship look good. For this reason I sat down and searched twitter for passengers pictures of the ship. There were plenty to chose from so here are some of my favorites.

Love The WaterFront, great idea! #norwegianbreakaway @CruiseNorwegian #cruceros http://t.co/bhdYfF3INd—
Raisa Rivas (@raisarivas) May 11, 2013

Craving upscale privacy on your cruise? Check out The Haven on #NorwegianBreakaway. It even has its own pool area! http://t.co/TbhsTepYal—
Nancy Schretter (@kidtravel) May 10, 2013

Cool public gathering spots like this one exist all over the #NorwegianBreakaway. http://t.co/gE1nl9Bc3K—
CruiseLineFans.com (@CruiseLineFans) May 10, 2013

Teppanyaki Japanese grill #NorwegianBreakaway http://t.co/ewQlGboGGn—
Mike Faust (@CruiseCurrents) May 08, 2013

#NorwegianBreakaway's Atrium Chandelier. http://t.co/bTC1obIdGd—
CruiseLineFans.com (@CruiseLineFans) May 08, 2013

Wow'd by #norwegianbreakaway! @nclandy @NCLBreakaway #waterslide anyone? http://t.co/4GXk5d21xN—
Jennifer Doncsecz (@travelgaljd) May 10, 2013

Now this is a BIG ASS SHIP!! Saw the #NorwegianBreakaway leave for it's 1st voyage to Bermuda from the NYC harbor. http://t.co/kEVDm8CmM0—
ÐλƦƦ¥Ł (@RiverRoadFlip) May 13, 2013

Quite possibly the most popular feature aboard #NorwegianBreakaway: Self-serve wine dispensers… http://t.co/hszROvceCR—
Gray Cargill (@SoloFriendly) May 13, 2013

@CruiseNorwegian #norwegianbreakaway
sails under the #Verrazano Bridge #NYC. http://t.co/8sCVbPevbc—
Family Cruisers (@FamilyCruisers) May 13, 2013

I think those are some impressive photos from people who were already lucky enough to sail on her. I can’t wait to get my turn to see her in person

Author Nathan Nehmer: nate@cardinalcruiseandtravel.com

Cruising is Loving New York

cardinaltravel — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:59:44 +0000

The cruise industry is showing the Big Apple some lover these days. Well maybe it not just New York City but the area surrounding it. Two new ships will be calling this area home in the near future. Both of these ships sound spectacular and innovative as well. And both of these ships are causing the whole cruise world to talk.

Norwegian Breakaway

Norwegian Breakaway

The first one to arrive is actually on her way here as I type this. The Norwegian Breakaway, from Norwegian Cruise line, will arrive in New York on May 7, 2013. She will be sailing year-round from Manhattan Harbor with itineraries to Bermuda, Florida and the Bahamas, and the Southern Caribbean.

There are so many exciting features on this ship. From areas like the Aqua Park & Sports deck, 678 Oceanplace, and The Waterfront (a boardwalk community right on the ship). Entertainment on the Breakaway will include three Broadway shows: five-time Tony nominated ROCK OF AGES; the dance sensation BURN THE FLOOR; and CIRQUE DREAMS & DINNER JUNGLE FANTASY. If you want to be pampered in an exclusive “ship with-in a ship”, maybe The Haven is for you. You can read more about the haven in an earlier post: A Look at The Haven on the New Norwegian Breakaway

Quantum of the Seas

Quantum of the Seas

The second ship to call the New York area home will be the Quantum of the Seas from Royal Caribbean. Launching in 2014 She will sail out of the New York Harbor from her homeport of Cape Liberty on 7- to 12-night itineraries during the winter 2014/15 season. The Quantum of the Seas is currently being built Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. Knowing Royal Caribbean’s style and history, with the Oasis class ships, we will be talking about this ship a lot more before it launches.

RipCord by iFly

A few weeks ago, Royal Caribbean released some of the innovated features that will grace this ship. We are talking about skydiving at sea, hanging out over the edge of thee boat in a glass pod, and inside cabins with a view of the ocean. I wrote about these features in an earlier blog post: Quantum of the Seas Dazzles.

Virtual Balcony

Northstar

Bumper Cars SeaPlex

There will be more information coming on the Quantum of the Seas to build excitement for her launch.

To learn more about the Quantum of the Seas click here.

It is clear that the cruise industry is excited about the New York area market, and why not? It is a large market with many people who wouldn’t have to travel to catch their ship. For those who are from a “non-cruising” market, like me, New York provides a great place for a pre or post cruise stay. Either way I say, “Keep them new ships coming!”

Author: Nathan Nehmer nate@cardinalcruiseandtravel.com

Driven by Memories

cardinaltravel — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:28:40 +0000

I a previous post, Why I Became a Travel Agent, I gave a few of the reasons that I love being a travel agent. I wanted to take some time and dive into one of the reasons a little deeper. The one that drives me the most is when I help people make memories they will have for a long time.

I love to hear about people’s trips when they get back. There isn’t much that excites me more than hearing someone say they had a time of their life. Then they go on telling you about all the fun stuff they did while they were there. It is great to sit back and listen, or read, and picture in your mind of what it must have been like. I like to think about it as experiencing it myself through my clients.

I don’t just like to hear about the good of your trip though, I also want to hear about the bad as well. I want to hear about things that drove you nuts, annoyed you, or even what you absolutely hated. These are the things that help me the next time you come to me to plan your vacation. The next time we will plan to avoid those things that you may not have liked.

I think of my clients as being in a relationship with me. I strive to learn more about them in order to provide a vacation made just for them. There isn’t an online booking website out there that does that. The next time you start looking to plan your vacation, go ahead and look at those online websites but also go ahead and give a travel agent a call. You maybe surprised on price, in a good way, and the personal service you get will be worth the call.

Quantum of the Seas Dazzles

cardinaltravel — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:08:48 +0000

Royal Caribbean International is at it again. The cruise line on April 16^th released some of the new innovative feature of their new ship, Quantum of the Seas, set to launch in November of 2014. She will sail out of the New York Harbor from her homeport of Cape Liberty on 7- to 12-night itineraries during the winter 2014/15 season. If some of these new features don’t make you say wow, then it must take a lot to impress you.

Quantum of the Seas

“This new generation of ships gave us an opportunity to make another leap in vessel design. Innovation has always been part of our DNA and we have taken advantage of all that creativity to design Quantum cruising,” stated Richard D. Fain, chairman & CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. Innovations were plentiful on the company’s Oasis class ships. From balcony stateroom on the inside of the ship, to the 7 different “neighborhoods”, to the zip line on board the ship, they had their work cut out for them to make a splash with their new class of ships.

Industry first on the Quantum of the Seas include:

RipCord by iFly, the first skydiving experience at sea which allows everyone from first-time flyers to seasoned skydivers to enjoy the sheer thrill and exhilaration of skydiving in a safe, controlled, and simulated environment.
RipCord by iFly
North Star, an engineering marvel, takes guests to new heights – literally – with a jewel-shaped, glass capsule, transporting them on a spectacular journey more than 300 feet above the ocean and over the sides of the ship to deliver awe-inspiring 360-degree views.
NorthStar
The largest indoor active space at sea, SeaPlex has new features that will impress guests of all ages. You can experience a circus school with flying trapeze, or play basketball on a full-size regulation basketball court. By night, the first-ever bumper car and roller skating offerings deliver fun and excitement. Guest can dance the night away to music provide by a DJ in a floating booth.

Bumper Cars SeaPlex

They didn’t stop here! They also gave the staterooms some of their innovating touches as well. These are just as exciting as the public space features.

Virtual Balcony staterooms virtual balconies to interior staterooms offering expansive real-time views of the ocean and exciting destinations.
Virtual Balcony

Family-Connected staterooms deliver more flexibility, using three different stateroom categories that connect to form a special layout that provides separate bedrooms and bathrooms for all. These accommodations allow families and groups of friends traveling together to enjoy the best of both worlds when it comes to together and alone time.
With Quantum of the Seas, Royal Caribbean introduces the largest variety of stateroom categories, including new Studio staterooms, some with balconies for single travelers, three Junior Suite categories and larger Loft Suites.

Don’t worry they are not getting rid of the popular thing you already see on their ships. Their venues and experiences popular with families such as the Rock Climbing Wall; FlowRider surf simulator; the award-winning Adventure Ocean children’s program; the Royal Babies and Tots Nursery; and the DreamWorks entertainment and events featuring the characters from animated movies: Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar; will all be back on Quantum class. They have also promised to keep the information on new and exciting features on the Quantum of the Seas coming. It’s going to be a fun few months.

To learn more about the Quantum of the Seas click here.

Author: Nathan Nehmer

Pictures and information courtesy of Royal Caribbean.

Why I Became A Travel Agent

cardinaltravel — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:11:56 +0000

I get asked often, how did you become to be a travel agent? The first few times I was asked this, I probably looked like that deer you see in your headlights when you are driving home. Why would someone ask this question is what I thought? Then one day I was talking to doctor and I asked him, “How did you decide to become a doctor?” Half way through that question I paused for a second and realized I need to make sure I have my answer ready for when I’m asked why I became a travel agent.

First, a little about my background, I grew up on a farm in a small Wisconsin town not too far from Madison. We grow vegetables and flowers to sell at the farmer’s markets in and around Madison during the summer. How does a rural farm boy become interested in travel? I’m not real sure but as I think about it more reasons come to mind.

I LOVE to travel!

Being a Wisconsin farm boy and working all summer long, I love to get away in the winter. My preferred destination is anywhere warm and near water. Hawaii is one of my favorite places because of the tropical weather and the laid back atmosphere. What is a better way to escape a Wisconsin February than to fly to Hawaii?

I LOVE to research trips.

I love to sit down and start learning about a destination. It doesn’t mater if I’m going there or not; I want to learn more about it.

Your big online agencies are not always the best

Yes, I am talking about those sites like Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity. Going back to the part of me researching my trips, I often found that these sites were not the cheapest way to book a trip. They often do not provide you with all the flights that are available and if you have a question…well, I hope you can give up a half a day to sit on hold when you call them.

I LOVE helping others make memories

Last but certainly not the least, I LOVE helping others plan a vacation they will remember for years. I strive to make their vacation planning easy so they can sit back and relax leading up to their vacation. I am there to help if problems arise during their travels. Finally, I love to hear about their vacation when they get back. Nothing makes me happier than to hear about an awesome time clients had on their vacation.

A Whale Tale

cardinaltravel — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 12:00:02 +0000

Today my wife Amy (@amyn231 on Twitter) takes over the blog to talk about one of her two favorite marine mammals, the humpback whale. We have seen our fare share of whales on our trips to Hawaii. Here she talks about the best experience we had seeing whales.

A Whale Tale

I love the ocean and am enthralled by dolphins and whales, I have been for years, and this is probably one of the reasons I love visiting Hawaii so much. The only problem with my love of these animals is that I have battled motion sickness my whole life. I’ve sucked it up and taken different medications for motion sickness and have been on snorkeling, dolphin, and whale watching cruises, but some of the best whale action I’ve seen is from land.

Whales from the Kilauea Light House- Kauai

I’ve seen whales in Kauai at the Kilauea Lighthouse and from Dukes Canoe Club in Nawiliwili. However the best I’ve seen is from the pool at the Castle Halii Kai at Waikoloa located in the Waikoloa Beach Resort on the Big Island. OK so the rules said that you couldn’t reserve seats by the pool, but I’ll admit I broke that rule. I made sure we were the first to the pool when it opened to get the chairs that we could turn around and look over the cliff at the ocean.

Pool at Castle Halii Kai

Within an hour it started…..tour boats started to arrive and the humpback whales started to put on a show with breaching and tail slaps constantly throughout the day. It seemed as if there were hundreds of them off that cliff, but I’m sure it was just a normal sized pod. We would stop reading our books and turn off our cell phones and just watch them and take pictures, we didn’t need binocilars, it was truly magical. The best part was we got to see more whales than anyone on those tour boats, didn’t have to pay hundreds of dollars and I didn’t get sea sick. Sometimes the best moments on the islands are free.

Author: Amy Nehmer

For information on Castle Halii Kai at Waikoloa and the Big Island email: nate@cardinalcruiseandtravel.com. We will be happy to talk to you about our favorite destination.

3 Things to Check Out On Kauai

cardinaltravel — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:31:56 +0000

I was going through a flash drive that I had used to save some information from a computer that was dying fast. I came across a bunch of blog posts that were written. Some were published on an old account that has since been deleted and some were never published for some reason. I will be sprinkling these posts in here and there. This first one is one of them that was published on the old account. Please enjoy!

Kauai is the oldest and furthest west island of Hawaiian Islands. It is the 4^th largest of the main Hawaiian Islands with just over 562 square miles. Don’t let Kauai’s small size deter you from a trip there; there is plenty to keep you interested in this island paradise. Known as the Garden Isle, Kauai is a nature lover’s paradise. Here are 3 things that may interest the traveler to Kauai.

Ho’opulapula Haraguchi Rice Mill

This is a tour I had the pleasure of taking, with my wife, on our trip to Kauai in 2009. On this tour you will have a look at the process and challenges of growing taro, a pant grown for its starchy tuber. Taro is pounded to make poi, the creamy purple paste you are told you have to try when you attend a luau. You also get to tour the historic rice mill that is filled with many artifacts from the days they grew rice in the Hanalei Valley. Lyndsey does a great job on this tour as she doesn’t read from a script and tells of her families personal experiences farming the land. You can check out more at www.HaraguchiRiceMill.org

Taro Leaf and Root

2. Allerton Gardens

Part of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens, Allerton Garden and Mcbryde Garden are located in the Lawai Valley on the south side of Kauai. I definitely recommend paying the $45 dollars for the Allerton Garden tour. Visit http://ntbg.org/gardens/allerton-tours.php for more information.

Tree from Jurassic Park Located in Allerton Gardens

Kilauea Lighthouse

Kilauea Lighthouse

The Kilauea Lighthouse is on the northern most point of Kauai. The light house was built in 1913 and was used till 1976. During the months of January through March this is a great spot to see whales. You can visit the lighthouse on a self guided tour, but you can’t go up inside to the light itself. There is a $5 entry fee but it is so worth it!

Whales off from Kilauea Lighthouse

Carnival Triumph in the News Again

cardinaltravel — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:31:54 +0000

A severe storm in Mobile, Alabama yesterday was blamed for the Carnival Triumph breaking loose from her moorings while she was in wet dock getting repairs from engine room fire that blasted her into the news. This all comes almost within a year since the Triumph made news by getting caught up in a legal mess last March (Thoughts on the Carnival Triumph Fiasco) . Carnival can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to this ship.
I couldn’t help to think if this were my car, I’d be looking to get rid of her. But then again, I didn’t pay around 450 million dollars to have my car built. I also don’t use my car as my main source of income and don’t have passengers booked to spend their vacation in my car.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the shipyard workers injured in this accident and the one, who as of last night, is still missing.
If what they say about bad luck coming in strings of three is true, the Carnival Triumph maybe now one of the safest ships to sail on (When she starts sailing again).

Photo from: dailyjournalonline.com

Author: Nathan Nehmer nate@cardinalcruiseandtravel.com

The Cruise Family Announces Plans to Form New Cruise Line

cardinaltravel — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:00:12 +0000

The Cruise Family, a group of cruise experts and bloggers on Twitter, announced today they plan to form a new cruise line.
The news was broke in a press conference held in the cruising hot bed of Cleveland, Ohio. Spokesman for the group, Mike Faust, says “The new line will offer a great vacation while helping to save the environment and fight obesity at the same time.” He adds, “We plan on making our ships as green as possible.”
Reports say that their first ship, which has yet to be named, will be powered by a unique source. All indications point to pedal power being used to propel the ship. When asked, Faust explained “At this time, we are not ready to release the details on how the ship will be the cleanest cruise ship sailing. I will say however, we will have the fittest passengers ever by the end of the cruise.”
The cruise line expects to be operating in the waters of the Great Lakes and will offer some very exciting ports of call. Faust explains, “This is a region we think could use an expanded cruise option!”
The Cruise Family expects to release more details of this venture on the Cruise Family Reunion held this July 5th. They invite everyone to join them on this fun-filled 3 day cruise.

APRIL FOOLS

Deflating the 10 Reasons to Never Cruise Part 2

cardinaltravel — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 12:00:39 +0000

In a previous post, Deflating the 10 Reasons to Never Cruise Part 1, I went through the first 5 reasons a blogger gave for never cruising again. I pointed out that with an open mind and careful planning you can minimize some of these reasons. Today I am going to continue with this for reasons six through ten.

6) There’s always someone in your way.

I don’t really even know what to say to this point that was brought up. Everywhere I go there are always people in my way. It is part of life. From the grocery store, to county or state fairs or any vacation destinations you go to (once again unless you go someplace really remote).

WARNING! Meant to be Funny, Please Don’t Try This.

7) The boat will make you sick, literally.

This is a concern with a lot of people. The newer ships do have stabilizers on them, however they don’t prevent all people from getting sick. There are many options to combat the motion sickness ranging from medicine like the patch behind the ear to Meclizine. There is also loads of information in cruise forums on natural ways to combat motion sickness.

8) You’re never in one place long enough to get to know it.

Here once again is where doing your homework comes in. Some cruise lines spend more time in certain ports. Some even overnight in a port and you can spend more than on day there. For example the Royal Princess on its 2014 European season will spend 2 full days in St. Petersburg.

Rendering of the Royal Princess at Night

Even if you don’t spend as much time there; if you want to get to know a place, skip the tourist shops and stuff like that and go out to get to know the place.

9) It all adds up.

I haven’t been on any vacation where the cost didn’t add up. On a road trip across the US gas, snacks, hotels, and tolls can add up. If you go camping, you have to buy all the gear to do that. Going to a resort you have to pay for meals and resort fees. Pictured here is a screenshot of the gas cost estimator from AAA predicting my cost to drive to Orlando. This doesn’t include anything but gas, and believe me there would be a hotel night. I am not driving straight through with 2 small children.

10) You have no choice.

There is plenty of choice when it comes to cruising. Your biggest choice should come in your planning stage. Do your research, talk to a travel agent ho specializes in cruises, or visit a cruise forum to make sure you are picking a cruise line/ship that fits what your lifestyle is. If you make the right choice then, you will find that the choices really open up during the cruise because you will like more of the options offered to you.

I believe there is a cruise line, ship or itinerary for everyone. It just takes a little work to find it. It may not be on one of the mainstream large cruise lines. Maybe it is a river cruise, or a barge cruise in the French countryside. It could even be a luxury cruise on a small ship or yacht. The choices are endless so take some time to research what’s best for or call a travel agent and talk to them about cruising. They would be happy to show you the possibilities.