Cruise guests sailing onboard the m/s Paul Gauguin can purchase Hinerava Tahitian Pearl designs from Kelly Hinerava Bailey.

Sailing on Paul Gauguin Cruises offers cruise guests  five-star service, comfort and luxury while sailing in Tahiti and French Polynesia. Although the scenery takes center-stage, visitors on Paul Gauguin have a lot to look forward to. One facet of the Paul Gauguin cruise experience is total immersion in the the local culture, which includes lessons abou the  Tahitian Pearl.

For those cruise guests that have a love for the beauty of the Tahitian Pearl, the luxury line is proud to present Hinerava (meaning Tahitian Beauty).

Designer Kelly Hinerava Bailey, who was raised in Tahiti started her company Hinerava in early 2011. Since then she has created many island-vintage-inspired creations using Tahitian pearls. She is gaining attention for her “island-chic”   Tahitian Black Pearl designs.

Cruise guests sailing on Paul Gauguin can purchase her jewelry onboard.

Tahitian pearls are some of the most exotic and desired pearls in the world. Hinerava strives to bring the delicacy and elegance of the Tahitian Black Pearl to each unique and original creation.  The island-vintage inspired jewelry is exquisitely sophisticated yet casual enough for everyday wear, an impression the artist terms as “island-chic”.

• What’s buzzing at Paul Gauguin Cruises
• Tahiti, French Polynesia & the South Pacific
• Ambassadors of the Environment youth program offered on Paul Gauguin Cruises
• Meet Me In Tahiti with Paul Gauguin Cruises | #CruiseChat Recap

Sapphire Princess is undergoing quite an extensive makeover from January 9 to February 4, 2012. in Victoria, BC.

Sapphire Princess in her winter home in Los Angeles. Photo by Carrie Finley-Bajak.

There are many improvements and enhancements underway on Sapphire Princess.  Cruise guests can look forward to signature Princess Cruises upgrades like Movies Under the Stars and a complete makeover of the Sapphire’s atrium, which is getting   transformed  into the Piazza (my favorite place in the ship), featuring the International Café, Vines Wine Bar and Alfredo’s Pizzeria.

Also part of the renovation are several relocated and upgraded venues, including the Art Gallery, Internet Café and Library, and the Photo-Video Gallery. New carpet and upholstery will be installed throughout the ship, and staterooms will feature new flat-screen televisions.

Cruise guests embarking on Sapphire Princess on February 4th will be the first to enjoy the transformed ship.

The Sanctuary on Princess Cruises. Photo by Carrie Finley-Bajak,

Highlights of  Sapphire Princess’ makeover include:

• Piazza Atrium – The ship’s atrium space will be redesigned to include this signature Princess feature — a European-inspired social hub of the ship combining always-changing quick bites and light meals, beverages, entertainment, shopping and guest services.
• Alfredo’s Pizzeria – Introduced last year aboard Grand Princess, Alfredo’s will expand to its second location on Sapphire Princess.
• Movies Under the Stars – Sapphire Princess will be the final ship to introduce Movies Under the Stars on board. The giant poolside movie screen.
• The Sanctuary – Sapphire Princess is the final ship to receive The Sanctuary, an adults-only retreat (and my favorite hangout).  Added prior to drydock, the Sanctuary space is ready for passengers.

Keep up with the buzz online to watch the transformation. Princess Cruises is featuring a daily photo highlight of the transformation on its social media outlets, including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Google+.

What is your favorite Princess Cruises Signature Feature?

Reflections | Travel Talk on Twitter Celebrates One Year Anniversary

 feliz Aniversario >> Til hamingju með annivesary >>  Maligayang anibersaryo  >> Joyeux anniversaire

No matter what language you use to say “happy anniversary” to my Travel Talk on Twitter friends, it all means the same: Congratulations for a great year. Our little BIG chat turns one. It is amazing to see the math behind this community. Check out a hashtag report about #TTOT on any given Tuesday, you will be amazed at the level of interaction and the volume (millions) of impressions that are generated.

Cheers from @CruiseBuzz Carrie

Wait, you don’t know what #TTOT is?

Read how it started …

In January 2011 a mixed crowd of travelers and companies (spearheaded by Melvin from Travel Dudes) started #TTOT = Travel Talk on Twitter. The motivation was to create a travel event on Twitter that did not solicit sponsors and potential conflict of interest issues. TTOT was an immediate hit reaching multiple countries, generating a lot of buzz.

And what does #TTOT  have to do with cruising?

Thanks for the welcome Melvin!

And what #TTOT topics did you cover during the year?

We have covered some fun topics. What was your favorite?

• Best in Travel 2012
• Winter Travel Comment
• Museums
• Customs from Around the World
• Family Travel
• Festival Travel
• Expat Travel
• Group Travel
• Visa & Immigration
• Music & Travel
• New 7 Wonders
• Islands
• Cruise Travel
• World Heritage Sites
• Travel Websites
• Lakes & Oceans
• Beach Travel
• Volunteer Travel
• Capital Cities
• Train Travel
• Gap Year Travel
• Travel Technology
• Luxury Travel
• Epic Journeys
• Overnight Travel
• Romance travel
• Modern wonders of the world?

Want to read more about #TTOT Travel Talk on Twitter?

• The Success of Travel Blogging and Social Media – First Hand Experiences
• Why be proud of Travel Talk on Twitter
• #TTOT posts on CruiseBuzz
• Online Travel Communities – a look at #TTOT the social travel hashtag

Buzzing

What I have learned from Costa Concordia

A week has passed since the Costa Concordia tragedy. And just when I thought that the news had peaked, one more body has been found by divers searching the Costa Concordia shipwreck. The death toll is now 12.

Safety First

With every news report, email, query, tweet, post, status update or comment I encounter brings me right back to square-one asking myself, “what would I do?”

I cruise a lot. In fact when I am not on a ship, I am writing about cruising, pitching a new cruise related story, or dreaming of new cruise itineraries. Now since the Costa Concordia tragedy, I have had to put myself on mute while I wait for facts and confirmed news.  As much as I want to, there is little I can do to help the search and recovery efforts, and for some reason I have not been asked to fly to Italy to interview the Captain (but I am available.)  So I wait.

Drilled. But how much will I recall in a real emergency?

My little cruiser on a boat in Cabo

@CruiseJess: all dressed for mustering: compliant and ready to "fall-in."

I ask myself “how much do I really know about cruise ship general emergency procedures?” Sadly, the answer is not much beyond what I have learned at mustering, which does not really answer my deeper questions, which are:

1. Do I go collect my kids at kids club? I know the protocol is no. But do I really think that I can resist? What about the wrist band? My kids have tried taking those off only to be quickly returned to a staff member to get one on.
2. Do I go to the cabin to get my life jacket? How about my valuables in the safe? At what point do I not do that and head to the muster location? But which muster station?
3. If the ship is listing and the electricity is out, what should I do? Do I jump in and help everyone or do I fall-in and follow instructions? What is the chain of command?
4. Is there really an announcement that says “abandon ship?”
5. If I hear everyone shouting “abandon ship” what does that mean? Jump overboard, head to a lifeboat?
6. At what point does a tender become a lifeboat?

Where to get more information about cruise ship safety

• Coast Guard: Ensuring Cruise Ship Safety
• Cruise Ship Disaster Puts Focus On Safety Concerns
• International Maritime Organization
• Maritime laws including rules about mustering 

What is an exotic cruise destination?

Exotic describes someone or something that is foreign or unusual. So that means that an exotic cruise offers an itinerary that is unique (not offered week after week). For a non-cruiser that could mean just about anywhere. But for the experienced cruise traveler what means a destination that is off the beatern-path.

Fruit sellers - Taling Chan Floating Market Thailand - photo by avlxyz

Choose a Southeast Asisan cruise itinerary to discover  the floating market of the Taling Chan district of Bangkok, Thailand or visit the  French colonial buildings and opera theaters of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The Great Wall of China. Photo by Carrie Finley-Bajak.

A wonder and an item that shows up on a blot of ‘bucket lists” is a visit to China’s Great Wall. Northern routes will take you from Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dalian, and Eastward to South Korea and Japan.

Exotic Asia cruising: Shanghai. Yùfó Chán Sì, literally Jade Buddha Chan Temple) is a Buddhist temple in Shanghai, China

WuXi, near Shanghai.

East meets West: tour guide Jack at Taiqing Palace in China.

Taoist Monks near Mt. Laoshan at Taiqing Palace. Photo by Carrie Finley-Bajak.

Hakata, Japan.

Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul, South Korea.

 Popular posts about cruising in Asia on Cruise Buzz:

• Going ashore with Silversea Cruises: The water town of Zhujiajiao
• Photo recap of top sites in Shanghai
• Exploring ashore with Silversea Cruises in Qingdao, China
• Qingdao China cruise port overview
• Pre cruise photo recap: 24 hours in Seoul, South Korea
• Cruise Review Silversea Cruises Voyage 3126
• Port Profile: Incheon for Seoul, South Korea - Cruise Buzz
• Hong Kong - Cruise Buzz … and more
• China and Japan via Princess Cruises - Cruise Buzz (and more)