Your can read the article here.

Dietmar Wertanzl, President and CEO of Cruise West joins us to talk about small ship cruising and their upcoming Around the World cruise.

Matt Orwoll, Editor of Travel + Leisure Magazine  returns with part two of his Worlds Worst Travel Scams.

Jason Davis, Piano Entertainer on the Carnival Glory was recently off the ship and spoke to us about life aboard.

Check out some behind the scenes footage of Cruise Radio.

Powered by Podbean.com

Secrets to Booking the Best Cruise Vacation Learn How to Sort Through All the Cruise Ship ‘Sale’ Hoopla

Column by STEWART CHIRON, CEO of CruiseGuy.com.  Follow him on Twitter at  Twitter.com/CruiseGuy

Feb. 2, 2010— A new year is finally here and who doesn’t need a vacation from 2009? The cruise industry fared extraordinarily well, all things considered. Belts were tightened, top-to-bottom expenses were reviewed and necessary adjustments were made.

Unlike 2001, no major cruise lines filed for bankruptcy, went out of business or were acquired. Many brand-new cruise ships, eight in fact, entered the North American-based fleets in 2009. This includes the first two luxury ships introduced in six years — Yachts of Seabourn’s Odyssey and Silversea’s Silver Spirit — as well as Celebrity’s second ship in its Solstice Class, Equinox. The big cruise news in 2009, without a doubt, was the introduction of the largest, longest, widest, tallest most expensive cruise ship ever built, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas.

Expect nine cruise ships this year, including Oasis of the Seas’ sister ship, Allure of the Seas, Celebrity’s Eclipse and Seabourn’s Sojourn. The most notable debut for 2010 will be Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic, which is 65 percent bigger than any ship in its fleet and the sixth-largest ship in the world when she debuts.

Many people asked if this was the best time to make such pivotal debuts. Keep in mind that the ships were ordered during much different economic times and they couldn’t just halt construction. Cruise ships are built for the next 30 years and not just the next three. They’re coming whether we’re ready for them or not! The Right Cruise Ship at the Right Price For cruising, it’s vitally important to ensure you get the right ship at the right price. The overall enjoyment of your vacation depends on it, so choose wisely. There really is a cruise ship for everyone. January, February and March are typically the busiest months for cruise bookings and many “special” deals magically become available. But not all sales are created equal. Evaluate deals based on their merits, not their hype. Cruise lines and agents may use cabin upgrades, shipboard credits, prepaid gratuities, shore excursions, free airfare and “value added” coupon booklets that include discounts on shipboard purchases to entice bookings. Ascertain the true value of the offers by breaking down the costs, because there may be inclusions of no value to you but that could add hundreds or thousands of dollars to your cruise’s cost. One cruise line, for example, touted free shore excursions for most of 2009 and into 2010. Most of the tours they offered weren’t (aren’t) free. There were some free tours in each port but most were reduced, not free. Another cruise line touts two-for-one pricing, including free air. But when you separate the air and the cruise, you realize the air is far from free. The coupon booklets offered by certain lines often don’t include any valuable discounts and certainly not to the degree offered. Value, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. So to help guide you through the world of cruises, here are my top five tips for booking:

No. 1: Research online but don’t book via the Web. There are many deals, including specials for residents, military, seniors, etc., that may not be available if booked online.

No. 2: Use a travel agent. There isn’t one advantage to booking directly with a cruise line. You’ll never receive the professional and, most importantly, objective advice that an experienced cruise agent can provide. A true cruise specialist will be able to match you with the best ship and deal. Best Dates for Cruises

No. 3: Be flexible with your dates. Cruise prices may vary by sailing date. If possible, check a few dates before and after your desired sailing date to ensure maximum savings.

No. 4: Book early. Don’t wait. Book your cruise as soon as possible. Some of the most desired specialty itineraries such as Europe and Alaska require you to book in advance to avoid paying higher air and cruise fares. The difference can easily be thousands of dollars.

No. 5: Consider travel insurance. A cruise is an investment of money and time and should be protected. Besides providing protection against cancellation, policies also cover interruption and travel delay, and are worth serious consideration. Purchasing travel insurance isn’t necessary on most cruises until final payment time because there is no risk up until that point. Consult your agent for specific details. Insurance can be purchased through the cruise lines or separate, third party companies. Consider both options because prices for similar coverage may differ significantly. Buying a cruise is like buying a car. It’s an investment not only of money but also your time. You’ll be on these ships for three, four, seven nights or longer, so you need to make the right decisions. Do your research and these can be vacations of a lifetime that can be repeated over and over to your dream destinations.

 Why not save a few bucks along the way, too?

This work is the opinion of the columnist and in no way reflects the opinion of ABC News.

Stewart Chiron, the Cruise Guy, is one of the world’s leading cruise industry experts. He has been in the industry for more than 20 years and a regular contributor on trends and deals for leading news organizations, including ABC News. His Web site, CruiseGuy.com, offers details, deals and tips aboard all of the major cruise lines to destinations around the world.

 Copyright © 2010 ABC News Internet Ventures

Some of the features that were added were:

Serenity (Adults Only): You guessed it, no kids allowed! This is in the aft part of the ship and is a paradise just to escape. There are a couple of hot tubs, a sea of comfortable deck chairs, a drink service station, shade and servers waiting on you hand and foot.

Dining: A couple new features were added to the poolside cafe called the Coconut Grove Bar and Grill. Talking to a staff member we were told that the dining area was fitted with new tables, buffet area’s, floors, fixtures and a Mongolian WOK grill station was added.

In March, the ‘Your Time’ dining program will be added to the formal dining rooms where you can eat when you want. Currently the formal dining rooms have regimented dining where you eat at 6 or 8 pm.

Aqua Park: On the back of the ship a water park area was added that now has a 300′ yellow Twister slide, two 82′ racing slides and a splash zone for the kids.

Balcony Rooms: 98 rooms were fitted with balconies during the renovation stint. I found it amazing that they could retrofit a ship to add so many balconies, most rooms being aft of the ship. A lot of the ship’s room amenities were replaced too. One replacement I noticed in the room was the TVs went from your standard television to flat screens.

Overall the ship is in good condition but my personal feeling is that it will be one of the next to go. The ship is almost 20 years old and with so many ships being released with state of the art features, these older boats may not be the next best thing to some cruisers.

Mark Orwoll, Editor of Travel + Leisure Magazine talks to us about some of the Worlds Worst Travel Scams.

Carrie from CruiseBuzz.net shares her Top 5 Reasons To Cruise.

Francois Guillaume Jr. Executive Director of The Haitian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida shares his story of escaping Hotel Montana just minutes before it crumbled during the earthquake in Port au Prince, Haiti.

In Cruise News, the Carnival Miracle had a little cosmetic damage over the past week…. get the full report.

Be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter and thank you so much for making Cruise Radio apart of your day!

Powered by Podbean.com

This marks Carnival’s first full season of Mediterranean cruises in three years, as well as the first time the line has home-ported a ship in Barcelona. To commemorate the line’s return to Europe, for the first time ever Carnival is offering an exclusive pre-sale for past guests from January 19 to January 25, including complimentary two-category upgrades, along with special pricing with rates starting at just $829 per person, based on double occupancy.

For consumers new to Carnival, the line’s full range of cruise fares, including highly attractive Early Saver rates will open on Tuesday, January 26. The 130,000-ton Carnival Magic will offer a host of features popularized on its sister ship Carnival Dream, including a WaterWorks aqua park, a stunning café/live entertainment venue called Ocean Plaza; Serenity adults-only retreat; spacious, modern facilities for children and teens; and a wide range of stateroom categories.

 Several innovations unique to the Carnival Magic will be announced in the coming months. “Our past guests and travel agent partners have provided a tremendous amount of feedback in terms of their desire for more Mediterranean cruises from Carnival,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival’s president and CEO. “This extensive program in 2011 will offer an excellent variety of itinerary lengths and options for consumers to experience and explore one of the world’s most beautiful and fascinating regions aboard the new Carnival Magic.” Cahill added, “Making the decision to return to Europe is an indicator of our confidence in the increasing willingness of North Americans to travel internationally as we move toward 2011.”

Carnival Magic’s 2011 Mediterranean schedule will encompass three seven-day departures, six nine-day cruises, and eight 12-day voyages round-trip from Barcelona May 10 – October 16, 2011.

 A special one-time nine-day voyage from Venice to Barcelona will operate May 1-10, 2011.

Each of the three itineraries start and end on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, which reflects consumers’ traditional vacation patterns and provides convenient opportunities for adding a pre- and post-cruise stay. Seven-day cruises will feature Monte Carlo, Monaco; and Livorno, Rome (Civitavecchia), Naples and Messina, Italy. Departure dates include July 3, 10 and 17, 2011. Nine-day cruises will call at Marseilles, France – the line’s first call at this charming coastal town – followed by Monte Carlo (excluding the August 26 departure); Livorno, Rome (Civitavecchia), Naples, and Messina; and Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Voyages will operate June 3 and 24, August 5 and 26, September 16, and October 7, 2011.

The special nine-day cruise departing May 1 will visit Dubrovnik, Croatia; Messina, Naples, Rome (Civitavecchia), Livorno; and Monte Carlo. The 12-day Grand Mediterranean voyages will feature Monte Carlo or Marseilles; Livorno, Rome (Civitavecchia), and Naples; Dubrovnik (excluding the May 22 departure which will visit Palma de Mallorca); Venice (overnight call) and Messina.

 These voyages will depart May 10 and 22, June 12, July 24, August 14, September 4 and 25, and October 16, 2011. On the Carnival Magic’s Mediterranean cruises, guests can sample the region’s renowned cuisine, experience unique sightseeing opportunities, view stunning architecture and visit centuries-old historical landmarks and museums. All three itineraries will operate round-trip from Barcelona, a bustling, cosmopolitan city whose modern cruise terminal is considered one of the finest in Europe.

As the line’s newest ship, Carnival Magic will offer a host of on-board amenities and facilities, including Ocean Plaza, an indoor/outdoor café and live entertainment venue with full bar service, a patisserie and a dance floor; Serenity, an exclusive adults-only retreat offering magnificent sea views; and The Lanai, a wrap-around promenade encircling the ship with cantilevered whirlpools that will extend over the ship’s sides.

Carnival Magic will also build upon the line’s distinction as the family cruise leader, with dedicated facilities and programming for children in three age groups – Camp Carnival (2-11), Circle “C” (12-14) and Club O2 (15-17) – along with a miniature golf course and an expansive WaterWorks aqua park with multiple water slides and other features. Extensive formal and casual dining options, including two two-level main dining rooms, an expansive poolside Lido restaurant, an elegant steakhouse serving U.S.D.A. prime dry-aged beef, a sushi bar, and complimentary 24-hour stateroom service, will also be available.

High-tech features aboard the Carnival Magic will include the Fun Hub, a comprehensive intranet portal and shipboard social network, along with ship-wide Wi-Fi access. Health-conscious guests will enjoy a 23,750-square-foot Cloud 9 Spa featuring a thalassotherapy pool, thermal suite and elaborate spa and gymnasium facilities. Carnival Magic will also feature 1,845 staterooms – the most ever on a Carnival ship – and will offer a wide range of accommodation categories. These include the affordable cove balconies, located on Deck 2 and closer to the water line, and a wide range of staterooms including deluxe ocean views with two-bathrooms, some of which feature five berths. The past guest promotion is capacity controlled and available until midnight Monday, January 25.

A valid past guest number is required at the time of booking. The promotion applies to new individual bookings for stateroom categories 4A and higher. Offer is capacity controlled and certain restrictions apply. Upgrades are available within specific stateroom accommodation types (i.e., interior to interior, ocean view to ocean view, balcony to balcony, etc.). Ship highlights and itinerary details are available at www.carnival.com/magic. Itineraries for Carnival Magic beyond October 2011 will be announced at a later date. For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.

In this episode, The Cruise Guy, Stewart Chiron, sets the record straight about all the media hype criticizing Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines for continuing service into their private beach in Labadee, Haiti.

Julie Watson, Communication Consultant for VisitJacksonville.com talks about things to do if your cruise is departing out of Jacksonville, Florida. 

Chris Elliott, founder of Elliott.org joins us to talk about the Top 5 Travel Mistakes.

Author Daniel Hall talks to us.

Powered by Podbean.com

1. Everything is all inclusive
2. You only have to unpack once
3. It’s impossible to get a DUI on a cruise ship!
4. Where else can you walk out of your back door and basically spit in the ocean?
5. Does someone clean your room twice a day at home?
6. Where else can you wake up in a different city every day (without teleporting)?
7. If you want to work out, there is no gym membership required

I checked my email after getting back into town today and someone asked me a question about dining on a cruise ship and it’s a common questions that I get asked a lot. 

How much do I have to pay for my meals on a ship?

A big misconception of cruising is that people think they have to pay for every little thing.  The good news is , you don’t!  Especially when it comes to on board dining.

When you book your cruise, you are booking a all inclusive package that includes three meals a day, more if you want.  The dining on a cruise ship consists of a buffets, regimented forms of dining, and little restaurants scattered through the ship (pizza, sushi, tacos).

While most of the restaurants are free, there are some that come with charges (alternative dining).  These restaurants are commonly a step up in atmosphere, food quality and service.  Most of the steakhouses for example come with a surcharge that is not included in your cruise price.  Typically the surcharges range from $25 and up. 

So you won’t go broke eating on a cruise ship because the food is included. Just don’t eat too much!

From the Cruise One Studios in Jacksonville, Florida…….

Stewart the Cruise Guy joins us to talk about Haiti and post earthquake. (since the show, RCCL, along with many other cruise lines have jumped aboard to support the Haiti relief fund)

In Cruise News, we talk about Carnival Cruise Lines no longer allowing the ‘Cougar Cruise’ to prowl on their ships.

Scott Lara talks to us about his trip to Haiti.

We revisit passenger Laura talks with us about her recent sailing on the Carnival Dream.

Don’t forget to stay in the loop with Cruise Radio by signing up for our newsletter!