A New Face of Rhapsody

      One of Royal Caribbean's oldest ships, the 1,998-passenger Rhapsody of the Seas, has emerged from a month-long, $54 million makeover that the line says has transformed it into a "virtually new" vessel.
The top-to-bottom overhaul in a Singapore shipyard brought the 78,491-ton Rhapsody of the Seas a number of new venues that have debuted on newer Royal Caribbean ships including five of the line's most popular restaurant concepts and a nursery for babies as young as 6 months old.
 
     The line also added the infrastructure needed to support a new aerial show in the ship's five-deck-high Centrum atrium; a new Diamond Lounge for Crown & Anchor Society loyalty members; a Concierge Lounge for suite guests and top-tier loyalty guests; shipwide Wi-Fi; and an outdoor LED movie screen on the pool deck. In addition, all cabins were completely refreshed and received new flat-screen televisions.

     The new eateries include Italian trattoria Giovanni's Table and Izumi Asian Cuisine -- both concepts that first rolled out on Royal Caribbean's Oasis class ships. Also new is a Park Cafe deli-style restaurant (another Oasis class innovation), a Chop's Grille steakhouse and a 14-passenger Chef's Table. All but the Park Cafe come with an extra charge.

     The makeover also brought a new atrium bar concept called R Bar first introduced onboard Royal Caribbean's Splendour of the Seas, and the line also overhauled the ship's iconic Viking Crown Lounge.
Rhapsody of the Seas this week will embark on a 15-night voyage from Singapore to Sydney before sailing across the Pacific via Hawaii to Alaska for the summer season. In Alaska, Rhapsody of the Seas will sail every Friday on seven-night, round-trip cruises from Seattle, calling at Juneau and Skagway, Alaska, and Victoria, B.C.

     Built at the Chantiers de L'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, the 14-year-old Rhapsody of the Seas set sail on its maiden voyage on May 19, 1997.

Treasures of Machu Picchu

By Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times

March 18, 2012

Reporting from Cuzco, Peru — —

As many a Peruvian traveler can tell you, climbing Machu Picchu is easy, especially if you take one of those tourist buses that do most of the work. It's embracing Cuzco that can be hard.
Cuzco (often spelled Cusco) usually is the Peruvian city you fly into before catching the train through the Sacred Valley to those famous mountaintop ruins at Machu Picchu. But Cuzco is much more than a gateway.

In the 15th century, it was the capital of the Incan empire, a wealthy city whose stone buildings, which still form the skeleton of the city, were chiseled and placed with astounding precision. Then in 1533, with the Incas weakened by civil war, Spanish soldiers showed up with rifles and horses to grab the gold and silver and slay those who resisted. They built a colonial capital atop the Incan city, constructing Catholic churches over the most revered Incan temples. Spain ruled until Peru won independence in the 1820s.

Nowadays, the city's population is 300,000 to 400,000, a blend of Spanish and native Quechua bloodlines, and Cuzco's stone skeleton is enveloped in one of the most muscular tourist economies in all of South America. Catering to jet-setters and backpackers alike, the city hums with swishy restaurants, cheap hostels, upscale boutiques, tacky souvenir shops and hundreds of posh hotel rooms, yet you still see campesinos bearing sheaves of barley or peddling embroidery on street corners. When the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice arrives each June, revelers take to the streets for the Inti Raymi festival, a scene that looks like Mardi Gras with llamas.

Cuzco is not for the faint of heart or lungs, nor for the traveler who wants everything easy, tidy and genteel. Not only does it stand between you and that beloved Incan mountaintop, but it also stands about 11,000 feet above sea level — about 3,000 feet taller than Machu Picchu — because of the tilt of the Sacred Valley.
"That causes a very interesting situation in your body," guide Enrique Medina reminded me soon after my arrival in May. "Take it easy, have a coca tea and drink a lot of water."
And while you're at it, tune out the fast-talking touts and peddlers who will otherwise mar your views of native Cuzco, colonial Cuzco and even crossroads Cuzco.
This was my third visit to Cuzco in 24 years. I came home with these lessons in mind.
The streets and the museums deserve equal time.
History is so alive in the city's streets, among the throngs at the San Pedro Market and at the sprawling Sacsayhuaman ruins, it might seem a shame to spend too many hours indoors. But especially when Cuzco gets cold, you can't ignore Qorikancha (also spelled Coricancha), the former Incan headquarters that was later converted into the Convento de Santo Domingo de Cuzco or the Monastery of Santa Catalina, whose 13 remaining nuns may be outnumbered by the mannequins on display.

The same goes for the elegant Museo de Arte Precolumbino, or MAP, and the larger but humbler Inka Museum. Also, authorities last year announced plans to display hundreds of Machu Picchu artifacts, collected by explorer Hiram Bingham, in the Casa Concha mansion on Santa Catalina Ancha Street, but the timetable remains unclear.

Eat your potatoes.
Nobody knows more than the chefs of Cuzco about potatoes, corn, alpaca or cui (a.k.a. cuy, a.k.a. guinea pig). On the courtyard of the Pacha Papa restaurant, you listen to a harpist while digging into an alpaca brochette.
At the MAP Café, the kitchen mixes traditional and molecular cuisine, which in my case resulted in too-sweet gazpacho followed by a tasty salmon main course. At Chicha, a pricey, busy upstairs restaurant opened in 2009 by Peruvian celebrity chef Gaston Acurio, great pork medallions await.
See Barrio San Blas, and think about sleeping there.
Stand in the Plaza de Armas. Turn toward the nearest hill and march past the cathedral and up the narrow, cobblestoned street. For a hearty breakfast or lunch in the company of backpackers from around the planet, pause at Jack's Café on Choquechaka Street.
Then continue, and in no time you'll be in San Blas, a hillside barrio that spills down to the plaza and where global visitors mingle with Cuzco's artistic types. Grab a snack at the tiny, orange-walled Café de Mama Oli (199 Plazoleta Nazarenas), and peek at the lobby of the Hotel Monasterio, where rates routinely run $400 and up a night. This old monastery, built in the 1590s, was converted 47 years ago into a lodging with two courtyards and museum-worthy art. (If you go in March, stay three nights and pay upfront, you can get rooms here for as little as $235.) Then have a look at the Amaru Hostal, a block away, with pleasant, modest rooms for about $50 a night. (I wish I'd slept there instead of at the Andina Classic Cuzco Plaza, where I paid about $140 for a tiny room.)
Beware the plaza, behold the cathedral.
In pictures, the Plaza de Armas looks great — a big sun-splashed rectangle with fountains and grass and strolling vendors and benches for weary travelers. Up close, it's just as pretty, but it can be a sort of battlefield. To cross it, you'll need to fend off the school-aged girls selling woven goods and massages, school-aged boys shining shoes and forcefully hawking little paintings that will never hang in the Hotel Monasterio. If you don't want to buy, avoid eye contact and get into that big, brooding building with the green doors, the cathedral.

Begun in the 1550s and completed in the 1660s, it includes a 25-foot-high "Last Supper" painting by Marcos Zapata behind the main altar. Look closely and you'll see Christ and his disciples sitting before plates of roasted vizcacha (comparable to chinchilla). You'll also see a chapel dedicated to Our Lord of the Earthquakes, not a surprise, given that major quakes struck the city in 1650 and 1950

Alaska and Disney - What a Team

Alaska is one of the top destinations for cruisers.  Families are becoming increasingly popular in a region that in the past has shown a majority of older, more established couples.  Disney Cruise Line will be joined in Seattle by Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Princess Cruises. Don't be surprised if you now start running into Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse on the Seattle Waterfront.  But, enjoy it while you can - next year, Disney will move to Vancouver.

Disney will offer 15 sailings this summer from Seattle with stops at the Tracy Arm Fjord, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, as well as the Canadian city of Victoria.  Disney will be offering some fun extras this year as well.  Kids can pan gold with Donald Duck in Ketchikan, soar over the Juneau Ice Field by helicopter, land on a glacier, and help prepare the sled dogs for mushing.

Whether you are aiming for a high-adventure, fun-filled cruise or a relaxed and luxurious experience, I can help you cross this fabulous destination off of your bucket list.

Contact Michelle at 210-858-6399 or mjackson@cruiseholidays.com.

Alaska - The Last Frontier

I cruise to Alaska every summer and it has become the highlight of my year.  Some people think once you've been there, done it - why go again?  I can honestly say it is the most relaxing, beautiful and exciting cruise destination I have been to - and I cruise several times a year.

While Alaska has approximately 300 days of rain per year, the summers in this beautiful region are perfect to me.  The weather can change in an instant, from rainy and chilly to sunny and warm.  My best advice?  Dress in layers!

Eagles are plentiful here.  Look at the trees and if you see a golf ball, that's an eagle.  It is so wonderful to see them sitting together in pairs, or protecting their nests.  When they soar past the ship, they are definitely a sight to behold.  I've also seen whales, dolphins, salmon, sea otters, sea lions here.  Sadly, I've not yet seen a bear, although many people have.  I just never seem to be looking in the right direction.

Another amazing thing in Alaska is the glaciers.  I've flown over them, landed on them, walked on them, and seen them from a ship.  No matter how I see them, they are glorious and fantastic.  Hearing the crackling sounds and watching them break off and fall into the waters below.

I will return to Alaska in a few short months, happy to leave the 100 degree temps behind and welcome the beautiful natural scenery of the Pacific Northwest.

If you would like to join me in Alaska, or go on your own, please let me know.

Michelle Jackson - Cruise Holidays

(210) 858-6399

mjackson@cruiseholidays.com

River Cruising - Another way to travel!

River Cruising is the up and coming way to travel.  There are many great companies out there, each with their own plethora of amenities and benefits.  So, what is so "HOT" about River Cruising?

River Cruising is a much more relaxing and calm atmosphere as opposed to the activity, fun-filled ocean liners.  Both are great vacations and can be enjoyed by everyone.  River ships provide an intimate atmosphere with a huge amount of culture.  Most river cruise passengers have and still do sail on ocean liners.  River cruising provides them the opportunity to cruise on a smaller ship, usually carrying less than 200 passengers, as well as pulling right up into the port of small European towns.

One bonus of river cruising is that shore excursions are most often included in the price, including an experienced tour guide.

River ships are limited in their height due to the locks and low bridges they encounter along their journey.  But, every cabin has a view and in fact, most new ships are offering larger cabins with balconies and suites. 

In comparison to the large ocean liners, which host rock-walls, several swimming pools and whirlpools, etc., river ships have limited public space, but still provide some areas to hang out indoors and out on the sun deck. 

The most popular river cruising is in Europe, especially the Danube and the Rhine.  Other popular destinations include Russia's Volga, China's Yangtzee, and Egypt's Nile.  The Mekong, between Vietnam and Cambodia, is increasing in interest and the Mississippi River Cruises will begin again this year.

The new river ships for 2012 are:

Viking River Cruises:     This cruise line is debuting four innovative, energy-efficient "Longships" beginning in March.  These ships offer suites with separate bedrooms and living rooms; 3/4 of the cabins have full balconies or French balconies, or both.

Uniworld:   The new 60-passenger River Saigon began  operating on the Mekong in January.  This ship features 30 cabins, all with French doors that open onto a spacious promenade, with a pillow menu and massage room.

AmaWaterways:  AmaWaterways will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year with the debut of the 164-passenger AmaCerto in April.  Most cabins will have Twin balconies, which is a combination of a French balcony and a step-out balcony.  This ship also features a pool with "swim-up" bar.

Avalon:  In March, we will see the new 166-passenger Avalon Vista and the 128-passenger Avalon Visionary.  Both are "Suite Ships".  These ships will sail the Danube, Rhine and Main Rivers.

American Cruise Lines:  The new 140-passenger Queen of the Mississippi is currently under construction and will debut in August.  This ship will be a sternwheeler and will take us back to the Victorian splendor of past Mississippi riverboats.  The ship will sail up the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, with fabulous stops in ports such as Memphis, St. Louis, and New Orleans.

If you are interested in more information regarding River Cruising or any other travel related options, please email me at mjackson@cruiseholidays or call me at 210-858-6399.

Best Cruise Ships of 2012

As you prepare to cruise in 2012, read about the top rated ships for the year - rated by Frommers.  Which will you board?

Ships of the Future:     Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class

Royal Caribbean's 5,400 passenger sister ships Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas are more than just the biggest cruise ships ever.  They're also the best designed, most imaginative, most experentially diverse, and most forward-thinking megaships out there - they're living up to the cliche of being "cities at sea".

Beauty Queens:     Celebrity's Solstice Class

Introduced in consecutive years, from 2008 to 2011, the 2,850-passenger Celebrity Solstice, Equinox, Eclipse and Silhouette are the most stylish megaships ever built.  Outside, their form is both massive and sleek, while inside a unifying high-end aesthetic ties the many moods and experiences of their public rooms into a satisfying whole. 

Best for Families:  Disney Cruise Line's Disney Dream & Disney Fantasy

Disney Cruise Line's 2,500 passenger Disney Dream (launched in 2011) and her soon-to launch sister ship Disney Fantasy (debuting in February 2012) are the first new ships Disney  has debuted since 1998's Disney Magic and 1999's Disney Wonder - and they're totally worth the wait.  As elegantly designed, entertainingly whimsical, and functionally practical as their older fleetmates, they also offer to raise the bar with more space (they're about 50% larger, more and larger kids' facilities, more dining options, more adults-only retreats, more high-tech wizardry, while still retaining that classic Disney mix of old-time nostalgia and wide-eyed, childhood wonder, all wrapped up in an operation that ticks like a Swiss watch.

Bringing Back the Mississippi:  Great American Steamboat Company's American Queen

Beginning in mid-April 2012, the 436-passenger American Queen will be again sailing the Mississippi River. American Queen is the largest stern-wheeler ever built - a grand wedding cake of filigree and curlicues crowned with two huge fluted smokestacks.  Ornamentation and decoration are everywhere, framing an assortment of vintage period furniture and antiques.  She looks so authentically 19th century that it's hard to imagine she was actually built in 1995.

Refined Relaxation:  Seabourn's Odyssey Class

The 450-passenger sister ships Seabourn Odyssey (launched in 2009), Seabourn Sojourn (2010) and Seabourn Quest (2011) update the classic Seabourn experience, whose watchwords have always been calm, relaxing, smoothe and uber-professional.  Like all the Seabourn ships (and all true luxury ships), they're less about knocking passengers over the head with gimmick and nonstop activity.  Instead, the Seabourn experience is more about providing a relaxing venue as staff members scurry around bringing you things:  a cup of tea and a cucumber sandwich in the afternoon, suntan lotion while you're out by the pool, a drink when you want from the bar (gratis), and even a moist wipe for your sunglasses, if a server spots a smudge.

The Entertainment Ship:  NCL's Norwegian Epic

Though not even close to being a perfectly conceived and executed vessel, the 4,200-passenger Norwegian Epic makes this list for three reasons:  1)  Along with Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas, she's the best ship at sea for entertainment, featuring innovative production shows, fantastic music, and best of all, performances by the Blue Man Group; 2)  she offers NCL fun, casual, unconventional experience; and 3) she's the best ship today for solo travelers (128 super-mod cabins are designed for hipsters traveling alone).

Midsize, MidMarket Luxury:  Oceania's Marina Class

We live in the era of the super-megaship, with new vessels carrying 3,000 or 4,000 passengersand drawing crowds through big-budget wow.  Oceania's 1,250-passenger Marina (launched in early 2011) and upcoming sister-ship Riviera (launching in May 2012), on the other hand, hark back to an earlier era of cruising, when you could walk from bow to stern without breaking a sweat and where the vibe was more quiet romance than blockbuster adventure.

The Finest of the Fine:  Silversea's Silver Spirit

Launched in December 2009, Silver Spirit was Silversea's first new ship in nearly a decade.  And like Seabourn's Odyssey-class ships, it represents a refinement of the line's already refined experience.  She's 27% larger than Silversea's previous generation of ships, and the luxury line has taken advantage of this space to add new dining options (six restaurants in total, including a supper club and a Japanese venue), an 8,300 square-foot spa, a greater percentage of stateroom verandas (95% of the ship's staterooms have 'em) and new lounges - all while giving passengers a huge amount of personal space.

Casual Luxury:  SeaDream Yacht Club's SeaDream I & SeaDream II

If Seabourn and Oceania are the Fortune 500-style of luxury cruising, SeaDream represents the Steve Jobs model in a turtleneck-and-jeans kind of way.  Dress codes on SeaDream I and SeaDream II steer clear of the traditional tux and sequins dress up night by favoring "yacht casual wear" - jackets for men, perhaps, but never ties.  Itineraries are designed to favor small yachting ports, and the ships often stay late or overnight in port to give passengers an opportunity for nightlife.

Mass-Market Fun:  Norwegian Cruise Line's Jewel Class

The 2,390-passenger Norwegian Jewel, Jade, Pearl and Gem - some of today's most fun and contemporary ships at sea - are the ideal megaships for Generations X and Y.  Each ship has a super-social atmosphere, creative decor, 10 restaurants (from teppanyaki to Tex-Mex), and music and pop culture references tailored to a surprisingly youngish demographic.

Fun Ship 2.0:  Carnival's Carnival Breeze

The third of three sister-ships, the 3,646 passenger Carnival Breeze will stand out by being the first Carnival vessel purpose-built to showcase the line's new "Fun Ship 2.0" initiative, which aims to transform its onboard experience for a new era of mass-market cruising.  Fun Ship 2.0 will add a poolside burger joint created by spikey-haired restaurateur and Food Network star Guy Fieri; a sports bar created in partnership with videogame maker EA Sports; a Mexican Cantina bar; a comedy club concept created with comedian and TV personality George Lopez; a pharmacy-themed bar prescribing cocktails custom-made for what ails ya, and more.

A New Lease on Life:  Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas

Launched in 2001, the 2,100 passenger Radiance of the Seas has always been a particularly good-looking ship, with an open, airy feel that belies her relatively large size.  Still, an 11-year old vessel normally doesn't make a best of the year list - and this one wouldn't have either, had Royal Caribbean not sent Radiance to British Columbia's Victoria Shipyards last summer for a nearly tip-to-toe rebuilding so radical that it practically amounted to a relaunch.

Safety on the Seas

With the tragic events that occurred off of the coast of Italy this past week, all of the major cruise lines are reviewing their training and emergency procedures.  Here are a few quotes from a few of them:

Royal Caribbean:    
By coincidence, half of our Captains and most of our Hotel Directors arrived in South Florida for our annual Fleet Operations leadership conference over the weekend. This gave our Chairman Richard Fain and me a timely opportunity to underscore both our excellent 42 year safety record and more importantly to emphasize the imperative of keeping our record intact into the future. 

In the upcoming weeks we will communicate by text and video about many of the key elements of safety. Many readers who know us well will not be surprised by our focus on and commitment to safety.  Those who have less experience with us should learn some interesting and compelling facts about how we prepare our ships and crew for safe operation every day.   For example, the rigorous preparation and ongoing training that every Captain in the Royal Caribbean International fleet must undergo.

Norwegian:
We operate all of our vessels to meet and exceed the requirements of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention and the International Safety Management Code maritime standards, the international safety requirements which govern the cruise industry.  Our Captains are experienced seafarers with an average of 33 years at sea.  We further ensure that our Captains regularly undergo rigorous simulation training on navigation and bridge operations.

Carnival Corporation (Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Costa):
This is a terrible tragedy and we are deeply saddened. Carnival Corporation & plc offers our sympathies and heartfelt condolences to all of the Costa Concordia guests, crew members and their families.  Carnival Corporation & plc and Costa Cruises are committing our full resources to provide assistance and ensure that all guests and crew are looked after.