CruiseOne/Cruises Inc. Rank Top Romantic Cruise Adventures
Published on: February 12, 2010
CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. compiled a list of the Top Five Romantic Cruise Adventures for 2010. They are as follows.
Most Innovative Gift Registry Program: Carnival Cruise Lines. Couples planning their wedding, honeymoon or vow renewal onboard a Carnival cruise can visit carnival.honeymoonwishes.com to set up a free gift registry. Friends and family can make purchases on all major credit cards and can create a printable card announcing their gift to the couple. The Carnival Registry also gives couples access to a free wedding website, free wedding journal, wedding announcements, save-the-date cards, shower ideas and an online photo album.
Most Unique, All-Encompassing Wedding Offerings at Sea: Celebrity Cruises. The travel retailers recommend a wedding ceremony performed seaside by the ship’s captain at the Lawn Club on the Solstice-class ships. Celebrity also offers a variety of Nautical Nuptials packages that include wedding planning, save-the-date packages and thank-you gifts delivered to your guests onboard. CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. also recommend that women book the Bridesmaid Tea Party and men book the Cognac & Cigars Package.
Most Intimate Couples Spa Treatment: Costa Cruises. Costa offers a Tantric ceremony in the Samsara Spa onboard Costa Serena, Concordia, Luminosa, Pacifica and Deliziosa. The ceremony takes place in a private, lavish Couples Spa Suite and includes a Shanti Foot Cleaning Ritual, the choice of one couple’s spa treatment and a bathing ritual. Couples can add champagne and strawberries for the completion of the ceremony. Pricing is $506 per couple.
Most Decadent Romance Package: Norwegian Cruise Line. The line’s Deluxe Romance Package, priced at $329, includes sparkling wine and strawberries upon arrival, the choice of an exotic spa treatment in Mandara Spa, two 25-minute massages, afternoon tea service, breakfast in bed, a keepsake formal portrait and dinner for two in Le Bistro with a bottle of wine.
Most Romantic Itinerary: Uniworld. Starting at $1,999 per person, Uniworld’s “Paris & European River Romance” sailing is an 11-day Paris-to-Nuremberg tour that combines seven nights on the river and two nights at a Paris hotel. The cruise sails on three rivers -- the Moselle, the Rhine and the Main. Stops include tours of winemaking villages, medieval towns and a visit to the Romantic Road. This itinerary is part of Uniworld’s Epicurean Adventure program, which includes private tastings and cooking demonstrations. All Uniworld sailings include evening al fresco dining, river-view staterooms, Egyptian cotton linens, European-style bedding, L’Occitane bath products, complimentary wine during dinner, complimentary bicycles to enhance sightseeing and more.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
2010 And Beyond As Viewed From the Bow
For many of us cruisers of the Blue Marble, viewing 2009 from the fantail now falling away and disappearing over the horizon, we generally feel some sense of relief or comfort that we survived the "big one". For the most part we did! And it could have been a lot worse. Still, for a number of folks, the collateral damage continues to be real and I know all of you more fortunate cruisers of The Blue Marble hope they find some peace in all of this and maybe even join us on a voyage some day.
Looking forward, the cruise industry for all appearances, navigated some rough seas but appears to be emerging from the dark days with new vessels and itineraries and even more in 2011 and 2012. These will be exciting times for the industry.
As for the the theme of this blog in 2010, we will continue on with news from the cruise industry, it's relationship to the environment, some good old science to help us stay on course and a few opinions on occasion to poke fun at the "whiners outside the fence line".
Check back soon for new updates from the "Greenhouse Gas Zone" and shortly I'll begin the series, "The Cruise Industry And The Environment".
One final note. In the midst of the misery of 2009, when we were all wondering when "it" will bottom out, I passed on a quote I once saw to those seeking some comfort at the time: "It's always darkest just before it goes pitch black".
Looking forward, the cruise industry for all appearances, navigated some rough seas but appears to be emerging from the dark days with new vessels and itineraries and even more in 2011 and 2012. These will be exciting times for the industry.
As for the the theme of this blog in 2010, we will continue on with news from the cruise industry, it's relationship to the environment, some good old science to help us stay on course and a few opinions on occasion to poke fun at the "whiners outside the fence line".
Check back soon for new updates from the "Greenhouse Gas Zone" and shortly I'll begin the series, "The Cruise Industry And The Environment".
One final note. In the midst of the misery of 2009, when we were all wondering when "it" will bottom out, I passed on a quote I once saw to those seeking some comfort at the time: "It's always darkest just before it goes pitch black".
Saturday, November 7, 2009
SOME BLUE MARBLE RULES
Good day fellow cruisers of the Blue Marble. Before we dive into any future posts, we need to cover some rules or “ism’s” that are hard at work on the Blue Marble.
Blue Marbleism #1 – “Stuff”. These are the materials that currently make up the Blue Marble that have been here since the beginning of time along with whatever additional celestial debris that has arrived here since. The Blue Marble is, at the end of the day, all that we have. There’s no “greener grass” that we know of elsewhere under the Milky Way.
Blue Marbleism #2 - “Quality of Life”. It appears that former cave dwelling hominids kicked off the quality of life movement that survives today (except perhaps for the Taliban who continue to live in caves due to their aversion to Hellfire missiles). Fundamental improvements like indoor plumbing, sewage treatment, refrigeration and “muscle cars” are all the domain of man and no other creature has that kind of leverage over its habitat. The archeological record shows that “home improvement” went into overdrive shortly after someone gave H. erectus his first Bic lighter give or take a few hundred thousand years.
Blue Marbleism #3 - “Environmental Baggage (EB)”. Forgive me Rene Descarte but, “I think, therefore I waste”. Examples of EB related stuff are: The aforementioned Bic; dwellings made from anything other than snow, ice or mud; the use of petroleum; the internal combustion engine; McDonalds; and bottled water for something to wash down that burger and fries. There are many other EB generators to cite (like cows, the print media and Indiana University tailgaters) but I just don’t have the blog space.
Blue Marbleism #4 – The “Biosphere”. A really neat system of checks and balances amongst the Blue Marble’s collection of ecosystems that (barring any significant celestial interventions) was kind of chugging along under Mother Nature’s watchful eye until you know who flicked his Bic. She has a limited tolerance for our EB.
Blue Marbleism #5 – “I want what you have”. This purely human “ism” is in contrast to the rest of the animal kingdom where, “I want you” (as in you’re my dinner) prevails. Unless some new science drops in on us, we all won’t be able to have everything. As such, years from now, some of us will likely return to the caves (Along with the vigilant Taliban. I don't mean necessarily “with them” as in targets of opportunity but you know, metaphorically.).
Blue Marbleism #6 – “Stewardship”. This is a process whereby a very, very small portion of H. sapiens (reported ancestor to H. erectus) has tried to minimize the impacts of #3.
Blue Marbleism #7 – “The Rabbit Hole”. #5 which has its roots in #2 soon creates more of #3 that, when unchecked, disturbs the equilibrium in #4 leaving it up to #6 to appease Mother Nature. Without stewards of the Blue Marble, Mother Nature will, I promise you, blindly exact her revenge regardless of species, race, creed, color or place of national origin. She will cough us up like a hairball.
So what does any of this have to do with “Cruising and the Environment”? You my fellow cruisers of the Blue Marble I believe are our future stewards. Only through cruising will you be able to witness some of the Blue Marble’s most magnificent and yet sensitive ecosystems. I also believe that the cruise lines you seek passage on share your concerns about sustaining those ecosystems for those who have not yet seen what you have seen. They should continually seek to exceed your highest expectations in doing so.
We all have to make it last as long as humanly possible. If you need a refresher as to why, see #1.
Good day fellow cruisers of the Blue Marble. Before we dive into any future posts, we need to cover some rules or “ism’s” that are hard at work on the Blue Marble.
Blue Marbleism #1 – “Stuff”. These are the materials that currently make up the Blue Marble that have been here since the beginning of time along with whatever additional celestial debris that has arrived here since. The Blue Marble is, at the end of the day, all that we have. There’s no “greener grass” that we know of elsewhere under the Milky Way.
Blue Marbleism #2 - “Quality of Life”. It appears that former cave dwelling hominids kicked off the quality of life movement that survives today (except perhaps for the Taliban who continue to live in caves due to their aversion to Hellfire missiles). Fundamental improvements like indoor plumbing, sewage treatment, refrigeration and “muscle cars” are all the domain of man and no other creature has that kind of leverage over its habitat. The archeological record shows that “home improvement” went into overdrive shortly after someone gave H. erectus his first Bic lighter give or take a few hundred thousand years.
Blue Marbleism #3 - “Environmental Baggage (EB)”. Forgive me Rene Descarte but, “I think, therefore I waste”. Examples of EB related stuff are: The aforementioned Bic; dwellings made from anything other than snow, ice or mud; the use of petroleum; the internal combustion engine; McDonalds; and bottled water for something to wash down that burger and fries. There are many other EB generators to cite (like cows, the print media and Indiana University tailgaters) but I just don’t have the blog space.
Blue Marbleism #4 – The “Biosphere”. A really neat system of checks and balances amongst the Blue Marble’s collection of ecosystems that (barring any significant celestial interventions) was kind of chugging along under Mother Nature’s watchful eye until you know who flicked his Bic. She has a limited tolerance for our EB.
Blue Marbleism #5 – “I want what you have”. This purely human “ism” is in contrast to the rest of the animal kingdom where, “I want you” (as in you’re my dinner) prevails. Unless some new science drops in on us, we all won’t be able to have everything. As such, years from now, some of us will likely return to the caves (Along with the vigilant Taliban. I don't mean necessarily “with them” as in targets of opportunity but you know, metaphorically.).
Blue Marbleism #6 – “Stewardship”. This is a process whereby a very, very small portion of H. sapiens (reported ancestor to H. erectus) has tried to minimize the impacts of #3.
Blue Marbleism #7 – “The Rabbit Hole”. #5 which has its roots in #2 soon creates more of #3 that, when unchecked, disturbs the equilibrium in #4 leaving it up to #6 to appease Mother Nature. Without stewards of the Blue Marble, Mother Nature will, I promise you, blindly exact her revenge regardless of species, race, creed, color or place of national origin. She will cough us up like a hairball.
So what does any of this have to do with “Cruising and the Environment”? You my fellow cruisers of the Blue Marble I believe are our future stewards. Only through cruising will you be able to witness some of the Blue Marble’s most magnificent and yet sensitive ecosystems. I also believe that the cruise lines you seek passage on share your concerns about sustaining those ecosystems for those who have not yet seen what you have seen. They should continually seek to exceed your highest expectations in doing so.
We all have to make it last as long as humanly possible. If you need a refresher as to why, see #1.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
THE GREENHOUSE GAS ZONE
And You Thought I Was Kidding About The Maldives
From MSNBC.com
Maldives calls attention to the threat climate change poses to island nation
Maldives Holds Underwater Cabinet Meeting
The Associated Press updated 7:26 a.m. CT, Sat., Oct . 17, 2009
GIRIFUSHI, Maldives - Members of the Maldives' Cabinet donned scuba gear and used hand signals Saturday at an underwater meeting staged to highlight the threat of global warming to the lowest-lying nation on earth.
President Mohammed Nasheed and 13 other government officials submerged and took their seats at a table on the sea floor — 20 feet below the surface of a lagoon off Girifushi, an island usually used for military training.
With a backdrop of coral, the meeting was a bid to draw attention to fears that rising sea levels caused by the melting of polar ice caps could swamp this Indian Ocean archipelago within a century. Its islands average 7 feet above sea level.
"What we are trying to make people realize is that the Maldives is a frontline state. This is not merely an issue for the Maldives but for the world," Nasheed said.
As bubbles floated up from their face masks, the president, vice president, Cabinet secretary and 11 ministers signed a document calling on all countries to cut their carbon dioxide emissions.
Urgency
The issue has taken on urgency ahead of a major U.N. climate change conference scheduled for December in Copenhagen. At that meeting countries will negotiate a successor to the Kyoto Protocol with aims to cut the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide that scientists blame for causing global warming by trapping heat in the atmosphere.
Wealthy nations want broad emissions cuts from all countries, while poorer ones say industrialized countries should carry most of the burden. Dozens of Maldives soldiers guarded the event Saturday, but the only intruders were groupers and other fish.
Nasheed had already announced plans for a fund to buy a new homeland for his people if the 1,192 low-lying coral islands are submerged. He has promised to make the Maldives, with a population of 350,000, the world's first carbon-neutral nation within a decade.
"We have to get the message across by being more imaginative, more creative and so this is what we are doing," he said in an interview on a boat en route to the dive site.
Nasheed, who has emerged as a key, and colorful, voice on climate change, is a certified diver, but the others had to take diving lessons in recent weeks.
Three ministers missed the underwater meeting because two were not given medical permission and another was abroad.
And You Thought I Was Kidding About The Maldives
From MSNBC.com
Maldives calls attention to the threat climate change poses to island nation
Maldives Holds Underwater Cabinet Meeting
The Associated Press updated 7:26 a.m. CT, Sat., Oct . 17, 2009
GIRIFUSHI, Maldives - Members of the Maldives' Cabinet donned scuba gear and used hand signals Saturday at an underwater meeting staged to highlight the threat of global warming to the lowest-lying nation on earth.
President Mohammed Nasheed and 13 other government officials submerged and took their seats at a table on the sea floor — 20 feet below the surface of a lagoon off Girifushi, an island usually used for military training.
With a backdrop of coral, the meeting was a bid to draw attention to fears that rising sea levels caused by the melting of polar ice caps could swamp this Indian Ocean archipelago within a century. Its islands average 7 feet above sea level.
"What we are trying to make people realize is that the Maldives is a frontline state. This is not merely an issue for the Maldives but for the world," Nasheed said.
As bubbles floated up from their face masks, the president, vice president, Cabinet secretary and 11 ministers signed a document calling on all countries to cut their carbon dioxide emissions.
Urgency
The issue has taken on urgency ahead of a major U.N. climate change conference scheduled for December in Copenhagen. At that meeting countries will negotiate a successor to the Kyoto Protocol with aims to cut the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide that scientists blame for causing global warming by trapping heat in the atmosphere.
Wealthy nations want broad emissions cuts from all countries, while poorer ones say industrialized countries should carry most of the burden. Dozens of Maldives soldiers guarded the event Saturday, but the only intruders were groupers and other fish.
Nasheed had already announced plans for a fund to buy a new homeland for his people if the 1,192 low-lying coral islands are submerged. He has promised to make the Maldives, with a population of 350,000, the world's first carbon-neutral nation within a decade.
"We have to get the message across by being more imaginative, more creative and so this is what we are doing," he said in an interview on a boat en route to the dive site.
Nasheed, who has emerged as a key, and colorful, voice on climate change, is a certified diver, but the others had to take diving lessons in recent weeks.
Three ministers missed the underwater meeting because two were not given medical permission and another was abroad.
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