Regent Seven Seas Training Event - June 2011

Following a Travel Weekly/Aspire incentive, a small number of agents were invited to Southampton where we were wined and dined at Ennio’s, a delightful Italian restaurant close to the City Cruise Terminal, with an overnight stay at the De Vere Grand and in-terminal training on the Regent product, followed by a ship visit and lunch on board Seven Seas Voyager.

The training took the form of a talk and slide show by 2 members of the Regent sales team covering the whole Regent product including very strong reasons for upselling to Regent from the more main stream cruise lines, when one takes into account their all-inclusive cruises on offer. Now including all beverages, excursions, gratuities and even flights! Agents should bear in mind, they said, the price it costs to ‘get off the ship’ rather than just ‘get on the ship’ and receive commission on the whole package. So take account of everything a client might spend on holiday – not just the cruise cost. They suggested a few tips to achieve this, eg having quoted a mainstream cruise price, ask the client how much they might add to their holiday for excursions, tips, pre/post dinner drinks, wine with meals etc and have them write down those prices themselves and add it to their cruise price and then compare with Regent’s all-inclusive – obviously, having found an itinerary to suit! The difference might not be that different. Regent do offer price comparisons in their sales literature.

Following the training we and another 50 or so agents were invited to board the Voyager and discover it’s pleasures. For the size of ship, taking only 700 guests there is a huge amount of room on board, after all a ship of this size could take up to 2000 passengers! The ship is elegant and with fine dining without a surcharge, there is the opportunity to enjoy an exquisite meal served on the finest Versace crockery. Being a fairly large ship she offers the usual on deck games, a library, huge keep centre and gym, spa and tiered theatre – everything a traditional cruiser would require.

After a leisurely 2 hour tour guided by Regent’s UK Sales Manager, Anthony Daniels, we had lunch in the Compass Rose, Voyager’s main restaurant. A very nice meal of Lobster Timbale, Pumpkin Soup, Chilean Sea Bass or Filet Mignon of Aberdeen Angus Beef followed by a perfect Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake – delightful.

Many thanks to Graham and all at Regent for putting this together – it really was educational!

Peter Ruck, ACE Ambassador of the Year 2011, Baldwins Travel

ACE UK Cruise Convention early feedback!

The fifth ACE UK Cruise Convention took place in Southampton last week, 3-5th May and since then ACE has been inundated with positive feedback. The offical feedback questionnaire is going out to members on 10th May but we wanted to share the amazing emails we've had so far!

GARSTANG TRAVEL

Just wanted to let you know that one of our cruise specialists who attended her first Cruise Convention last week and had her first experience of RCCL on the Independence (AND LOVED IT!) confirmed a booking on Saturday on Independence for £9000.00 – 4 passengers who are new to cruise in Balcony cabins!

This just proves that sending front line staff on theses conventions to gain first-hand experience and get enthusiastic about the ships is paramount…

The other staff member who attended also confirmed 2 bookings worth £8500.00 for CCS on Saturday… So it was well worth our investment in sending staff to Southampton!

Thank you to ACE for allowing us the opportunity to continue to gain valuable experience, training and motivation in cruise.

BON VOYAGE
Just wanted to drop you a quick email to say Thank You for what I think was the best convention yet! I thought the speakers and business sessions were really useful, and it all seemed to flow really seamlessly.

OPODO
I just want to say thank you for all your hard work last week, the cruise convention was great and very well organised, and if I am honest I feel better arranged and set up than CLIA in the USA this year.

GO CRUISE
The convention itself was really enjoyable, and it was good to see the different ships. The food at the Oceana club on Wednesday night was really enjoyable, and a fantastic improvement on last year.

FRED. OLSEN
I just wanted to say congratulations on an excellent UKCC, and I hope that you have now recovered from last week’s exertions! Once again, I found it a tremendously beneficial and enjoyable event, and it was lovely to be able to showcase Balmoral to agents and journalists on the first ever ‘Columbus Day’, and the feedback we have received has been extremely positive.

IDEAL CRUISING
I just wanted to drop you a line to say a HUGE Thank you for a FANTASTIC time had at the UKCC !!!! It was a fantastic opportunity & I loved every minute of it !! Can’t wait for next year !!!

CRUISE TRADE NEWS
I thought the entire convention was a great success.

MAIL NEWSPAPERS
Well done on a ‘grand event’, truly a successful few days. The general feedback I heard whilst I was in Southampton was all extremely positive.

NCL
Congratulations on a great event. I very much enjoyed participating and found the couple of days very useful.

TRAVEL CHANNEL
Being able to meet all the cruise lines in one place was the best part for me as I was able to catch up with people I hadn’t seen in a while and meet others I didn’t know.

FREELANCE JOURNALIST
It was well organised, as always, and there were some really good sessions on the first morning and yesterday's trade fair was really buzzing. All good for networking!

Baldwins Travel voted Top Travel Agency

The Baldwins Travel Group is in celebratory mood after being voted the
‘Travel Agent of the Year for London and South East for the 4th year running.

The Baldwins Travel Group - which has stores in Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Uckfield & Sevenoaks Travel - walked away with the Top Prize at the recent Agent Achievement Awards in London. In addition, the company also won the prestigious National Cruise Agent of the Year 2011 for the whole of the UK.
No doubt awarded for the tremendous cruise knowledge the staff have following ship visits and online training organised through ACE and the various cruise companies - some having reached the high ACE Ambassador standard.

The prestigious Agent Achievement Awards are recognised as the travel industry's highest accolade, recognising excellence and achievement in the UK's travel agency community. Handed out annually, they are based on nominations and votes from key players in the UK's holiday industry.

Baldwins Travel’s Business Development director Nick Marks said Baldwins Travel Agency’s success at this year's awards could be put down to the hard work of its 45 experienced and knowledgeable members of staff.

"You could say we're on top of the world - in more ways than one! Winning the awards is a spectacular achievement and being recognised by our peers in the travel industry is a real honour," he said. He continued “We are so proud of our staff – all of whom have contributed with their knowledge, expertise and travel experiences. They are simply outstanding! Customers who use our business are served by the best in the business.”

Baldwins Travel is no stranger to awards success, having won the London & South East prize five times before (in 1997, 2004 and 2008, 2009 &2010) and being runner-up on no less than seven other occasions.

P&O Azura March 2011 - 'one of my best cruises – ever'.

Having seen and been on board the Azura for a day visit while in Southampton at the ACE Convention last June, there was something about this ship that attracted me to her. I vowed to have a cruise on her at some time in the future. In March 2011, I joined her on her transatlantic voyage from Barbados to Southampton.

Our charter flight, arranged by P&O Cruises took off more or less on time at 8.25am (4.25am Barbados time) it was comfortable with an attentive crew. About 90 minutes into the flight, the main meal was served (6.00am Barbados time) I feel that the meal served was not appropriate for the time of day and a hot breakfast would have been more suited.

On arrival at Barbados, coaches met us on the tarmac and conveyed us directly to the ship. The baggage was transferred directly from the aeroplane to the ship. This is one area of their service where P&O really excel. Check-in at the pier was fast, courteous and professional.

The ship itself is beautiful, the furnishings the décor – a mixture of modern and traditional – easy to get around and spotlessly clean. I immediately felt at home.

My cabin too was spacious, well furnished, and comfortable and kept in tip top condition by a most friendly and conscientious cabin steward.

The food in the main restaurants and buffet was excellent, with plenty of choice, well presented and professionally served. So good was the food in the main-stream restaurants that I didn’t even bother to explore any of the other alternative dining facilities.

Special diets are taken care of with care and attention and nothing was too much trouble with staff providing special requests in this regard.

The entertainment on board, along with the guest lecturers were mostly of an extremely high standard. The Highlight of the evening entertainment was the outstanding performances given by the Headliners – The on-board singers and dancers. Never before have I seen such talented performers.

The very approachable Cruise Director and her friendly enthusiastic team were highly visible around the ship day and night – always well dressed and eager to provide information and to assist with queries.

On a trans-Atlantic journey such as this, there are quite a few days at sea and when the weather is good, deck space and sun loungers are at a premium especially around the pool areas. Whilst there is a policy concerning the reservation of sun-loungers, this is not enforced.

Bar prices, shore excursions, and items for sale in the shops were reasonably priced. Internet access and photographs on board were expensive.

As a smoker, I appreciated the smoke-free environment inside the ship. However, staff in the Pursers Office and those working on the decks are at odds with each other as to where the designated smoking areas on board actually are. There is also a lack of ash trays on the promenade deck.

Having sailed on Ventura, and indeed I enjoyed my cruise on that ship, I can quite honestly and without reservation say that my experience on-board Azura was superior in all aspects. Azura is a ship that will suit everyone and surely must be the pride in the fleet for P&O Cruises.

One of my best cruises – ever.

I most certainly will be back on-board the Azura and soon.

Willie Fulton, Knock Travel in Belfast

Disney Dream - Inaugural Cruise 22nd-26th Jan

Friday 21st January
Arrived to a disappointingly rainy Orlando and caught the Magical Express to Disney's Polynesian Resort, one of 22 in the 47 square miles that Disney World occupies. We discovered a beach area and watched the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom in the distance.

Saturday 22nd January
A day at Disney World! I've never been a particularly 'Disney' person, I didn't have a little mermaid lunchbox and didn't think I knew half the characters but I do have a love for theme parks so I set off in optimistic spirits. I had a fantastic time, 8 rides in one day plus a 'move it shake it' street party parade - to my amazement I knew who all the characters were and found myself being swept up by the Disney spirit and dancing with Chip and Dale in front of the Magic Kingdom castle before heading off to Space Mountain. We had dinner at Epcot, another park (there are 4!) accessible by mono rail or boat. Epcot was great - it has rides including Soarin over California, Mission to Mars, Test Track and the Nemo ride including Turtle Talk with Crush the turtle. Epcot has the world showcase - areas of the world such as Mexico, Norway, England, Italy, China and Japan where you can have lunch or dinner and experience a Disney version of the country. We dined in Mexico with real Mexican waiters and a smouldering fake volcano in the background!

Sunday 23rd January
Off to the ship! We were transferred to Port Canaveral by the Disney Cruise Line Express, a bus with port holes for windows and a video with Disney characters showing us what to expect on board the ship. The ship can take up to 4,000 passengers with 1,458 crew, or 'cast members' as they are often referred to. Check-in was quick and I headed straight to my deluxe outside veranda stateroom - it had a large balcony, storage room under the bed, two double wardrobes and a split bathroom/toilet. Lunch was in the Cabana buffet restaurant featuring ocean views, a bar and about five different serving areas with piles of fresh seafood, steak, roast turkey, salads and desserts. Tea, coffee and soft drinks are available 24 hours a day, free of charge.

We then toured the staterooms including the 'Roy O' suite with an enormous lounge, balcony with jacuzzi, two bathrooms and bed area with a TV which appears by remote control. I was actually looking forward to seeing the inside staterooms as I had heard a rumour about magic portholes - I saw a deluxe inside stateroom which had space under the bed for storage, it was a nice size and had a porthole over the bed with a live video feed showing the scene that would be there if there was a window, with Disney characters making occasional appearances.

I took in a quick tour of the rest of the ship, found 'Flo's cafe', the 'eye scream' parlour, nemo's reef swimming area for little kids, and looked on in awe at the enormous TV screen overlooking the main family pool. Then came the inevitable evacuation drill which was painless and quick and I had time to check out the gym facilities. The gym is great, it has ocean views and state-of-the-art equipment and a steam room in the changing rooms all free to use.

I managed to catch the end of the 'golden mickeys' show in the Walt Disney Theatre which was impressive - stage performances from Disney characters interspersed with Disney film clips and music.

The Dream has two speciality restaurants - Palo and Remys. I dined at Palo, it costs $20 to upgrade, not including alcohol and has a lovely Northern Italian menu with Venetian decor. Next door is Remys, a smaller, more exclusive restaurant with a french menu which costs $75 to upgrade.

Monday 24th January
Nassau, Bahamas. The plan for the day was outlined in the daily programme, delivered to cabins the night before along with the obligatory towel-in-the-shape-of-something-Disney. We visited Atlantis, an enormous resort with a huge aquarium and aquapark. The Michael Jackson suite costs $25,000 a night at the Atlantis!

I visited Shutters on Deck 4 where you can swipe your 'key to the world' card (your cruise card) and find the photos taken by the onboard professional photographer for you to view and purchase.

It was the Royal Palace for dinner - passengers are given a table and a three restaurant rotation so they visit the Animators Palate, Royal Palace and Enchanted Garden on each night but the servers stay with you for each place. The Royal Palace had a great menu including Escargot and Wild Boar!

That evening was 'Pirates of the Caribbean' night with kids running about wearing bandanas, fireworks on top deck and a show with a very good Captain Jack Sparrow followed by a club night for everyone.

I headed off to District, the adults-only bar area with a number of different club/bars including Skyline and a sports bar.

Tuesday 25th January
Castaway Cay day! I was excited about seeing Disney's private island - I discovered that only about 48 people actually live on the island, all of whom are Disney employees who are joined every other day by the cruise line passengers. There are therefore plenty of sunloungers for everyone, the island is small enough to walk around but you can also hire a bike or take the tram. There is an adults only 'serenity' beach and a family beach with water slides and a lunch time BBQ all included in the cruise price.

After enjoying the sunshine I decided it was high time I tried out the aquaduck on the ship - a water slide that goes right around the ship, it was great fun but apparently its much faster if there are two people on your lilo!

After all the excitement and sunshine I chilled out in my stateroom, missing Animators Palate which was a shame as I discovered it includes animated interaction from crush the turtle from 'finding nemo' who actually talks to diners! I enjoyed room service (again, all included in the price) and my on-demand TV with the latest disney and hollywood movies.

Wednesday 26th January
Home time! Breakfast in Animators then down to collect my suitcase, through customs then onto another magical express. We had time to visit Epcot again before heading off to Orlando Airport and home to a very cold UK.

In summary, the Dream has loads on offer, not just for the most demanding of children but also for adults in need of a break and some entertainment. The longer cruises include a day at sea and I feel this is well needed considering there is so much to experience on board as well as shore side. The service and Disney culture are fantastic, each and every 'cast member' that I came across were very friendly and committed to ensuring everyone was enjoying themselves. The fact that Disney is an entertainment company at heart shines through and their innovative use of new technology is impressive, including ipod docks in the rooms and WIFI access across the ship. The aquaduck is a nice touch and keeps everyone very entertained,and there are also places to get away from it all and enjoy some peace!

Bring on the next launches this year - P&O Adonia, Carnival Magic, Celebrity Silhouette, Costa Favolosa, Oceania Marina, Seabourn Quest and Compagnie Du Ponant’s L’Austral!

Flo Powell
Director
ACE

The ACE Allure Adventure - November 2010

ALLURE OF THE SEAS

Having dreamt since last year of seeing the biggest ship in the world, can you imagine how thrilled we were getting our invitations to sail on Allure of the Seas?! Last year Flo, Penny and Bill were lucky enough to attend the festivities onboard Oasis of the Seas, this year it was the turn of myself, Natalie and Kat...............’here come the girls!’

After a couple of action filled and very entertaining days in Fort Lauderdale we boarded the ship on November 23rd. Check in was a dream, I was so impressed with the cruise terminal at Port Everglades and with so many check in desks we were through and onto the ship in no time.

See Picture 1 Allure of the Seas

We located our lovely stateroom with balcony on deck 12, with the help of one of my favourite features on the ship. It’s a very small (in comparison to the rest of the ship) but, fabulous idea. On each deck, outside each group of lifts was a large touch screen which enabled the customer to look for directions to a specific cabin, entertainment venue, restaurant or bar etc. These systems also gave information on what was going on around the ship at any given time and where it was being held, an amazing addition to the service on board.

When our unpacking was completed, it was time to explore. First stop was the Boardwalk with the only carousel at sea and beautiful it was too. The Boardwalk was also host to Jonny Rockets, Rita’s Cantina Mexican restaurant, Candy Store, Boardwalk Dog House, gift store, leisure wear shop, donut station and even an ice cream parlour. The most impressive part of the Boardwalk though was the awe-inspiring Oceanside seating of the AquaTheatre. Sitting eating an ice cream Sunday in the beautiful Miami sunshine looking out over the port and the divers practising for the Aqua Show later in the week...BLISS!#

After attending the Muster later that evening, we were invited to dine in the opulently designed main Adagio Dining Room along with our fellow British and Irish colleagues. Not before a pre dinner cocktail on the main promenade. The Schooner Bar, Boleros, the Champagne Bar or Bow and Stern Pub all provided ample pre dinner drinks opportunities. Dinner was delicious and the service, second to none, as is always the case with Royal Caribbean. As an super organised individual, along with my ACE and PSA pals, I pre booked the evening entertainment before boarding and was lucky enough to attend Headliner Showtime on the first night, starring Ronn Lucas. Ronn Lucas has been entertaining fans for more than a decade with his incredible and unique talent, he mixed stand up comedy, improvisation, audience interaction and astonishing voice gymnastics as a professional ventriloquist, such fun!

Day 2 was a welcome day at sea, a time for relaxing and taking advantage of all there is to do onboard the ship. Natalie and Kat were up with the larks, had seen the sunrise, conquered the rock climbing wall, had breakfast at Jonny Rockets and sampled the Flowrider* surf simulator. That was all before 10am! Next came the Move It Move It Parade in the Royal Parade, one of the most colourful and entertaining (daytime) activities. Everyone loves a parade, but a parade with all the characters from DreamWorks* movies was certainly like no other parade I had ever seen! I am delighted to have been in the audience of such an amazing spectacle. After the magical mayhem of the last hour I attended the UK and Ireland agent update, looking at the current market and getting some insight into the very exciting future of Royal Caribbean.

See Picture 2 Move It Move It Parade

The self service Windjammer Marketplace was an incredible place to have lunch, so much choice and delicious delights to tempt anyone. The area itself was large and spacious, but never impersonal as the service was as incredible as in any eating place on the ship. Now was the time I really wanted to explore this fabulous ship, Royal Caribbean had kindly opened around twenty staterooms for viewing, these ranges from Interior Staterooms to the Presidential and Royal Loft Suites. With such a range of staterooms there will definitely be something for everyone.

My next stop, was one of my favourite places on the ship and a place that is unique to the Oasis class of Royal Caribbean ship, Central Park. This tranquil area in the middle of the ship, open to the elements was breathtaking. Just sitting amidst the trees and plants, taking in the atmosphere with a cold glass of wine was heavenly. The perfect place to relax and get away from it all. Tucked into this oasis was the Park Cafe, Vintages alternative restaurant, Chops Grill, Photo Studio and The first Britto store at sea where guests enjoyed a new cultural onboard experience, filled with colour, innovation and spirit.

See Picture 3 Photo of Central Park

After tearing myself away from the delights of Central Park we hit the pool deck. Having been spoilt for choice as to where to soak up the sun, we went for sun beds at the back of the ship in the solarium. A lovely sedate area with plenty of sun beds, cabanas, whirl pools, bar and a small plunge pool for the comfort of guests in this area and here we stayed until it was time to change for dinner.

After a fabulous cocktail party thrown by Royal Caribbean for all our UK and Irish agents, dinner was again served in the main Adagio Dining Room, a delicious dinner was had by all and joyously concluded by the waiting staff singing Happy Birthday to our very own Natalie who was 29 today! After dinner we had booked to see the Ice Games Ice Show which was in the style of the classic board game Monopoly. A spin of the giant dice took us all on an ice adventure that was created exclusively for Allure of the Seas. The show included original costumes, scenery and lighting. The international cast of world class skaters totally amazed the audience with their artistry, phenomenal skill, athleticism and precision.

Happy Thanksgiving day three. Having started out with a leisurely breakfast on the balcony and as it was our last full day onboard this fabulous ship, we all decided to go out with a bang! Being in one of the most exciting places in the Caribbean (on board Allure of the Seas), inspired us to have a go. Looking to challenge ourselves at the Rock Climbing wall, take a leap of faith on the zip wire or surfing USA on the FlowRider, I am pleased to say Natalie and Kat did all three! Unfortunately my shoes were unsuitable therefore I had politely decline all physical activity. I did spectate though and was the official photographer that morning.

See Picture 4 FlowRider
See Picture 5 Rock Climbing
See Picture 6 Zip Line

Having watched all that excursion, exhausting it was too, I took the opportunity of lying down for the rest of the afternoon on the pool deck. Ordering daiquiris, being entertained by the resident Calypso Band and soaking up some rays by two of the pools on the ship, was blissful! The pools were spacious and occupied by adults only as the children were being wonderfully catered for in the H2O Zone, one of the ‘funest’ and most colourful places on the ship.

After a relaxing afternoon, we were invited to watch a fabulous taster show in the Aquatheatre, including acrobats, synchronised swimmers, divers and an amazing soundtrack. A wonderful introduction to how incredible the whole show will be in full. The spectacular AquaTheater in the Boardwalk on featured an awe inspiring athletic and artistic masterpiece. Where we witnessed the discovery of an ancient underwater civilisation that gracefully navigates the water, flies high above it and dives to its depths. This AquaTheater extravaganza included fountains and orchestral music that swell and dip with the song of the sea.

See Picture 7 Aqua Show

To celebrate Thanksgiving a dinner was held in the Adagio dining room. Turkey anyone? This evening’s entertainment took the shape of a west end show, not just parts of a show, but the whole shebang. Allure of the Seas delivered that whole stage production of Chicago, WOW indeed! This was one of the highlights of the cruise for me, being a huge stage musical buff, the acting, staging, musician and singers were absolutely top notch. I really did forget I was onboard a ship and was transported to the West End.

Being the last night on board, I thought it only polite to see as many of the night venues on the ship as possible therefore we had drinks in the Schooner Bar, Mojitos in Boleros, a martini in the fabulous Casino, 90s dancing in Dazzles and finished off the evening with DJ Drag@n in Blaze night club, at least that’s what I think he was called anyway! I stumbled off to bed at around 2.30am. Zzzzzzzz

Rudely awoken by my alarm on day 4, not long after getting into bed, we decided that a lazy breakfast in the Windjammer Cafe was just what the doctor ordered. After breakfast it was time to collect our belongings and disembark, one last walk through Central Park later, we had our luggage and were disembarking Allure of the Seas.

As a new citizen of Royal Caribbean’s floating nation, we embarked on a journey like no other, an unforgettable cruise to nowhere (the captains words not mine). As the ship is split into different neighbour hoods, not one individual place felt too big or over facing. Size does matter in a lot of respects but, this ship is not just about being the biggest in the world, but is all about the onboard experience and the unique products it has to offer.

Adele Fitzpatrick-Foster
Head of Membership Services, ACE

Cruising in Hawaii - Brendan O'Connor

I was so very fortunate to “live” in Hawaii for 2 months and have firsthand knowledge of cruising the Hawaiian Islands.

I was based in Honolulu and worked for Royal Caribbean International as a Guest Services Purser, the only cruise line then that offered inter-island cruises to all 4 Hawaiian Islands.

Honolulu is the port for the Island of Oahu, and the other 3 Islands are Hilo (otherwise known as The Big Island), Kauai and Maui (known as the flower island).

Maui was my favourite island and I did not like Honolulu that much as I felt it was over commercialised, however, I would certainly recommend that your clients take a Hawaiian Cruise as no two islands are the same.

The Hawaiian Islands are a cluster of Islands in the North Pacific Ocean and you can visit Hawaii anytime of the year. Summer is between April and November when it is warmer and drier while winter is between December and March and is a bit cooler. The weather however, can be quite unpredictable with rain at anytime in short, sharp bursts!

Golfing enthusiasts will be impressed by the quality of the golf courses on all 4 islands and others will want to be driven along the 11 mile crater rim of the 5,000 ft high Kilauea Volcano near Hilo.

Shore excursions are a plenty, passengers can take a journey to the Waimea Canyon, Waikiki Beach, or to the Volcano National Park. Surfing and Scuba Diving are very popular here too.

I would suggest selling a Balcony Stateroom to your clients as the views are breathtaking and the Aloha Welcome is very friendly and courteous. Sailaways are special too.

Today NCL are the only cruise line that offer round-trip cruises from Honolulu with the Pride of America based there throughout the year. NCL also offer stopovers in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco or New York. The Pride of America offers a 10 night fly/cruise “freestyle” package for 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Other cruise lines that feature Hawaii are Holland America Line and MSC Cruises.

Warm Regards
Brendan O’Connor, Belfast.
ACE Ambassador of the Year 2010