A CHANCE TO 'CROSS THE POND'

If you have never made the trip on the Queen Mary 2 "cross the pond," you may have your chance. Pam and I have made that journey, and it's an unforgettable experience. Cunard in inviting you to enter their "Cross the Pond" sweepstakes for a chance to win a 7-day Transatlantic crossing from New York to Southampton. The winner will have a balcony stateroom plus round-trip airfare and ground transfers. Go here to enter. -- Gerry

WIN A CRUISE ON THE RHINE FOR CHRISTMAS

A few posts ago we reported on AmaWaterways' Christmas on the Rhine river cruise. Now you have a chance to win that trip on their Facebook page. Here's how: From now until Nov. 16, 2012, visitors to AmaWaterways' Facebook page can become a fan and submit an entry form. One randomly selected Facebook fan will win a seven-night "Christmas on the Rhine" cruise from Dec. 27 – Jan. 3, 2013. The prize includes one double occupancy cabin, cruise fare and port charges. The cruise fare includes all onboard meals; wine, beer and soda with every dinner; daily shore excursions; in-room direct Internet access and Infotainment; ship-wide Wi-Fi; guided bicycle tours, and more. Good luck! -- Gerry

WEBSITE ANSWERS 'WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?'

There's a new website in town, and it aims to answer that age-old travel question, "What should I wear?" Appropriately named DressCodeFinder.com, it brands itself as "the first searchable database of dress codes for restaurants, bars and nightclubs." After an exhaustive search gathering dress standards across the country, they are launching with over 70,000 venues. According to their release, for each venue, the site lists the dress code ("business casual", "smart casual", "jacket and tie", etc.) along with specific guidance ("jeans acceptable", "avoid tees"), photos, and comments posted by other users. Using the data they already have, they rank Beverly Hills, CA as America's best dressed city. So what does that make Palm Beach -- chopped liver? -- Gerry

ACCOMODATING SPECIAL DIET NEEDS

While some -- mostly comedians -- think the chemicals and additives in our food have a preservative effect on our bodies, many cruise passengers who have serious dietary needs want to avoid those. Since food is a major part of any cruise, Royal Caribbean takes those special dietary needs seriously as well. That's the topic of this week's video:

MON PETIT CAFE: A 4-STAR FIND IN NYC

One of our favorite things is finding a new restaurant where the food is sublime and the service friendly. On our recent visit to New York we found both at the Mon Petit Cafe. Open since 1984, they describe themselves as  a "cozy, cute French bistro with an authentic French vibe." Located at the corner of Lexington and 62nd, we enjoyed a late night dinner that was culinary perfection. We have to agree with their website: "Dinner is warmly candle-lit and romantic and provide the perfect atmosphere for any occasion." 

Warmly lit and romantic (Photos: Gerry)

We elected to start our meal with two appetizers. Pam choose "Gâteaux de Crabe Sauce Tartare" (Crab cakes with tartar sauce) while I opted for "La Soupe à L’Oignon Gratinée" (French onion soup with croutons and Swiss cheese). For the main course, we had to go with our absolute favorite fish -- "Filet de Sole Meunière ou Almandine" (Broiled sole in a lemon-butter sauce with almonds and jasmine rice). It was without a doubt the best prepared sole we have ever had. Cruising Squared rates it 4 stars! -- Gerry

'CONQUEST' 2.0 MAKEOVER COMPLETE

If you cruise out of New Orleans, you'll be pleased to know Carnival Conquest has completed a multi-million dollar "Fun Ship 2.0" makeover. It's part of a $500 million, fleet-wide enhancement program. Next year, Carnival Destiny will get a $155 million makeover – "Carnival’s most ambitious ship transformation ever." In addition to the new features, it will get another 182 new cabins. In fact, it's getting so many changes it will even get a new name -- Carnival Sunshine and will be based out of New Orleans starting next November. Here's a list of what you can expect to find on Conquest:

SANDY CHURNS THE OCEAN AT PALM BEACH

Pam observes the waves (Photos: Gerry)

When Pam and I made our usual Sunday morning trek to Palm Beach, we were not expecting to see giant waves. The usually calm ocean waters were heaving to and fro, especially down around The Breakers. Water covered most of the beach, and even the lifeguard stations had been moved to the grass along Ocean Drive. The mighty forces of water, up close and personal. On this day we were glad to be watching from the land instead of a ship! -- Gerry

Lifeguard stations were moved inland

What happened to the beach?

TOP WINE DESTINATIONS NAMED

Tuscany (TripAdvisor traveler photo)

Admit it -- when you are checking out a new travel destination, one of your first stops is TripAdvisor, the website that features millions of traveler reviews and opinions. One of the other things TripAdvisor does is issue  "Top 10" lists on a variety of topics. One of their latest is announcing the winners of its 2012 Travelers’ Choice Wine Destinations awards. Thirty-two award winners were determined "based on their popularity as wine destinations, taking into account travelers’ reviews and opinions for local wineries, restaurants, attractions and accommodations." Of course, Pam and I have to visit each and every one to give our own opinion.  Here they are:

Travelers’ Choice Wine Destinations – U.S.:

Sonoma County, California
Napa Valley, California
Willamette Valley, Oregon
Finger Lakes, New York
Long Island, New York
Paso Robles, California
Temecula Valley, California
Walla Walla, Washington
Palisade, Colorado
Plymouth, California

Travelers’ Choice Wine Destinations – Europe:

Tuscany, Italy
Aquitaine, France
Provence, France
Umbria, Italy
Sicily, Italy
Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Burgundy, France
Champagne-Ardenne, France
Costa de la Luz, Spain
Porto District, Portugal

For the complete list of 2012 Travelers’ Choice Wine Destinations winners, go to http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Wine.

NEW SHIPS FOR HOLLAND AMERICA, CARNIVAL

New ship alert! Carnival has announced it has two more ships on order -- a 99,000-ton ship for its Holland America Line brand and a 135,000-ton vessel for its Carnival Cruise Lines brand. According to their release, Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri will construct "a 2,660-passenger ship for Holland America Line scheduled for delivery in fall 2015 and a 4,000-passenger ship for Carnival Cruise Lines scheduled for delivery in winter 2016." Both the Holland America ship and the Carnival ship will represent a new class of vessel for both. Currently the company has nine new ships scheduled for delivery – two for 2013, two for 2014, three for 2015 and two for 2016. -- Gerry

THIRD 'OASIS-CLASS' SHIP POSSIBLE

(Photo: Gerry)

Cruise Industry News is reporting Royal Caribbean has confirmed in their earnings report they are indeed looking into possibly ordering a third Oasis-class ship to join Allure and Oasis in their lineup, which might debut in 2016. Given the spectacular success and customer acceptance of the first two, it's a logical move. As they say in TV, stay tuned. -- Gerry

WELCOME CATHERINE ALIA TO THE WORLD

Catherine Alia Barker

Pam and I would like to interrupt this blog for a very special announcement. Please join us in welcoming a beautiful new baby girl to the world. Catherine Alia Barker was born October 22 to proud parents Brittany and Brandon Barker. As you would expect, the beaming grandparents are on Cloud 9. For this occasion it seems fitting to cite a traditional Irish blessing:

"May all the blessings of our Lord touch your life today.
May He send His little angels to protect you on your way.
Such a miraculous gift, sent from above.
Someone so precious to cherish and love.
May sunshine and moonbeams dance over your head.
As you quietly slumber in your bed.
May good luck be with you wherever you go.
And your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow."

-- Gerry and Pam

THE FINE ART OF CRUISING

Companies like Royal Caribbean have made cruising a fine art. Literally. They have invested some $200 million into artworks aboard their ships. We passengers who are art lovers are the beneficiaries. Below is a new video from Royal Caribbean that goes into their artist-in-residence program, providing a unique opportunity to actually meet and interact with the artists they promote. Ask Pam to tell you about the bidding war she got into at a ship-board art auction. Who won? Hint: The painting is hanging in our study. -- Gerry

'QUEEN ELIZABETH' GETS TRAVEL AWARDS

The Grand Lobby atrium on Queen Elizabeth (Cunard)

Congratulations to Cunard, whose cruise ship Queen Elizabeth was recently voted “Best Luxury Cruise Ship for Entertainment” and “Best Luxury Cruise Ship for Atrium Design” out of 550 entries for this year’s Travel Weekly Magellan Awards. If you are looking for elegance on the high seas, you can't go wrong with the "white glove" service you experience on any of Cunard ships. And if you haven't enjoyed one of their shows from a private box in the Royal Court Theater, add that to your bucket list. Champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries -- need we say more? -- Gerry

NORWEGIAN LAUNCHES 'LET'S CRUISE' OFFER

It's getting down to the wire for those Cruise Vacation month specials. Here's the latest from Norwegian: "Norwegian Cruise Line celebrates the last week of National Cruise Vacation Month by launching a last chance 'Let’s Cruise' limited time offer on all sailings fleet-wide, starting today. Guests who book any Norwegian cruise vacation by Wednesday, October 31, 2012, can receive up to $250 per stateroom to spend on board (based on cruise length and stateroom category). Additional savings include reduced deposits on all of Norwegian’s sailings of three days or longer and an e-coupon booklet worth up to $300 in on board savings."

PRINCESS PROMOTES N.C.V.W. SALE

The deals are coming fast and furious for National Cruise Vacation Week. Princess Cruises is offering an Escape Completely Sale October 22-29. "More than 200 cruise departures are on sale, and passengers can enjoy a free balcony upgrade as well as 50 percent off their cruise deposit. Featured destinations include Caribbean cruises as well as cruises to Alaska, Europe, Hawaii and the Panama Canal. Cruise departures run from January to July, 2013." More information about the sale details and pricing can be found at www.princess.com/sale. -- Gerry

'VOTE FOR VACATION' AND BOOK A CRUISE

As we reported earlier, October is National Cruise Vacation Month, which means all kinds of great deals on cruises. Over at Cruise Planners - American Express Travel, the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network, they are celebrating with The World’s Largest Cruise Event (WLCE) from October 21-27, 2012. Taking a cue from the election hoopla, their campaign is titled "Vote for Vacation," just to remind us of the importance of taking those vacation days and experiencing the joy of cruising. For more information on those incredible deals, visit www.cruiseplanners.com. And please, keep reminding us! -- Gerry

A VISIT TO THE MECCA OF ART DECO IN NY

Pam and I are huge fans of art deco, the design style that had its roots in 1920s Paris and flourished worldwide in the 30s and 40s. When you talk art deco in this country, the best known icon of that era has to be the Chrysler Building in New York. So naturally that was a "must" stop on our recent trip there. Visitors are welcome in the magnificent lobby, but you have to have an appointment with one of the businesses there to go any further. Our pictures speak for themselves. Happy Friday, all! -- Gerry

CRUISE SPOTLIGHTS BALLROOM DANCING

Dancing and cruising just seem to naturally go together. That popular combination will be in the spotlight on  Crystal Cruises' March 31 "Big Band and Ballroom Dance" voyage. Guests will find triple the number of its Ambassador Host dance partners, from the normal four aboard every sailing, to 12, as well as double the usual amount of dance instructors, along with the legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra. It promises to be a toe-tapping time all the way from Miami to Lisbon aboard the Crystal Serenity. Fares booked by October 31 start at $2,210/person, double occupancy. Guys, better throw in an extra tux. -- Gerry

'BREAKAWAY' BOW LOCKED AND LOADED

Norwegian Breakaway’s construction, underway in Germany, celebrated a milestone October 17 when the ship’s bow was lowered into place. The bow, known as block 73, weighed 361 tons, measured 72 feet long, 101 feet wide and over 39 feet high. The process of putting the bow in place was efficiently completed in just 30 minutes. (Credit: Norwegian)

NORWEGIAN ORDERS 'BREAKWAY PLUS' SHIP

Norwegian orders "Breakaway Plus" (Norwegian)

Norwegian's new "Breakaway"-class ships are a success before they hit the water. Even though Norwegian Breakaway doesn't debut until May of next year, and her sister ship, Getaway, in 2014, Norwegian has announced another ship is on order.

Dubbed Project Breakaway Plus, German shipbuilder MEYER WERFT GMBH  will build a new cruise vessel, for delivery in October 2015, with the option for a second ship for delivery in spring 2017. Here are the details from Norwegian:

SURPRISE! PRINCESS GUEST WINS FREE CRUISE

A few posts back we told you about the Princess Cruises campaign to "Escape Completely." Recently  a passenger aboard Ruby Princess got "surprised completely" when he was randomly selected and his stateroom steward placed a “Golden Ticket” under his pillow. "He then was asked to join a special cocktail party where Princess crew members asked him to reveal his surprise – a free Caribbean Getaway cruise for two!" The moment was captured on video:



"The Campaign to Escape Completely," which launched September 18, offers consumers the chance to win free cruises and gifts through a series of consumer emails and a “Ballot Box Trivia Challenge.” The campaign runs through November 6. -- Gerry

CRUISING AMTRAK IS FIRST CLASS

There is much to share with you about our recent land-cruise from West Palm Beach to New York City, and share I will.

Of course, there is the dining experience (specifically the food offerings), the lounge car, the in-car attendants, climate control in the roomette and much more.

But, something really unexpected occurred when we arrived at Penn Station for our return trip.

Penn Station, First Class Lounge, New York City.
(Photo: Gerry)

Naturally, there was semi-chaos in that busy station as I hovered over our luggage as Gerry zipped around trying to find the exact spot for luggage check and track assignment.

My first tip at Penn Station?

MARTINI-TESTING IN NEW YORK

Martinis in New York (Photo: Pam)

In our continuing effort to find the best French Martini on the planet (somebody has to do it!), Pam and I dropped by the bar at the Grand Hyatt in New York. Located in Midtown, overlooking 42nd Street, it offers a glitzy yet elegant respite from a full day of shopping, dining and exploring the Big Apple. The window-side table offered a bird's eye view of the hectic pace of people and taxis moving up and down 42nd St. But back to the French martinis. On a scale of four stars, we would have to say two-and-a-half. And very pricey. But it's New York, right? To be continued ...  -- Gerry

WIN A CRUISE IN PARADISE

How does an all-expenses paid trip to the South Pacific aboard a luxury cruise ship sound? I thought so. That's the prize some lucky person will claim in the Ensemble Travel Group South Pacific Experiences – Tahiti Dreams Travel Contest. As an added incentive, we understand Paradise is beautiful this time of year - or any time. Good luck!

 Here's the release with all the details:

"The online contest offers the chance to win a seven-night cruise for two on the m/s Paul Gauguin, including roundtrip tickets from Los Angeles (LAX) to Papeete, Tahiti on Air Tahiti Nui, plus all oceanview accommodations and shipboard meals, complimentary select beverages/wines, use of all sports-related equipment and facilities, and gratuities for the ship's staff. Air Tahiti Nui, which offers 8-hour nonstop flights from Los Angeles to Tahiti, is Conde Nast Traveler's No. 3 Top Small Airline.

NEW CRUISE OPTIONS FOR CELEBRITY CENTURY

For breathtaking scenery, it's hard to beat the coastline that stretches from California to Washington. Add some vintage wine to the mix and what's not to like? That's the idea behind Celebrity's just-announced "Sale of the Century," which features new cruise options on Celebrity Century. Those include:

• A four-night getaway departing San Diego April 18, with visits to Santa Barbara and Catalina Island, California, and Ensenada, Mexico.
• A five-night escape departing San Diego April 22, with visits to Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Ensenada, complete with a day at sea.
• A new eight-night Coastal Wine Cruise departing San Diego April 27, with visits to Santa Barbara, Monterey and an overnight stay in San Francisco, along with a day at sea, prior to visits to Astoria, Oregon and Victoria, British Columbia, ending in Vancouver, Canada.
• Celebrity Cruises has expanded Celebrity Century’s Alaska season, adding two new seven-night sailings departing roundtrip from Vancouver May 5 and May 12.

HORROR FANS INVITED ON 'SHIP OF FEAR'

Attention movie horror fans: Your cruise has arrived. Dubbed "Ship of Fear: A Horror Cruise," it features shock rocker Alice Cooper plus directors and actors from such fright films as Child's Play, Candyman, Phantasm, Fright Night, The Lost Boys, Gremlins, Friday the 13th, The Howling, Pet Sematary and others. It's planned for October 28, 2013, chartered aboard Carnival Victory out of Miami. The cable channel Chiller is a presenting sponsor, and the host is writer/director Tom Holland. Reservations and information at www.ShipOfFear.com or calling 855-770-1313. Special rates available until December 31, and start at $729 per person. More from the press release:

ON REFLECTION, IT'S 'GAME ON'

Celebrity Reflection (Celebrity)

When Celebrity's newest ship, Reflection, makes her debut later this year, it will be "Game On" for passengers who enjoy board games, both classic and interactive. That's the name of their game room, redesigned and upgraded to include "a brand new interactive gaming experience." Passengers can compete on six new, 32-inch touchscreen display tables, choosing from eight different digital games for up to four players. Of course, they can also enjoy the more conventional gaming experience as well.

Game On's options include:

CELEBRITY 'POPPING UP' AT SAN FRAN CAFE

From the Stable Cafe website

You ever popped in to a "pop-up restaurant"? If you happen to be in San Francisco Nov. 14-15, you'll have a chance. That's when Celebrity Cruises will debut the "first ever" pop-up restaurant from a cruise line. Celebrity’s Director of Culinary Operations, Chef John Suley, and his team, will present "a very special menu rich with unexpected flavors, delicate textures, and of-the-moment culinary techniques. Artful, decadent dessert and locally inspired beverages will complete the experience."

The setting is the Stable Cafe, and attendees will be entered into a giveaway to win a 7-night Alaska cruise for two on the Celebrity Solstice in 2013. Tickets are available online at http://celebritycruisespopup.eventbrite.com. Seating is limited. Proceeds from tickets go to the Celebrity Cruises Scholarship at The Culinary Institute of America. -- Gerry

PRINCESS SHIPS IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT

Princess will have their holiday finest on display (Princess)

It may not be Halloween yet, but Princess is already in the Christmas spirit. Their holiday sailings include indoor snow, strolling carolers and plenty of holiday cheer with the Caribbean Sea as a backdrop. Choices include two Christmas cruises – one through the Panama Canal on Coral Princess departing December 15 and the other to the Southern Caribbean aboard Emerald Princess departing December 17. New Year’s choices include sailings to the Panama Canal aboard Coral Princess and Island Princess on December 29 and 30. And the best part? They'll do all the cooking and cleanup. -- Gerry

FOOD ROYALLY FIT FOR A KING

We all know cruising is FUN, and visiting new ports FANTASTIC, but maybe above all else, there's the FOOD. So many choices, so little time! Like most cruise lines, Royal Caribbean takes its food seriously, and so do their world-class chefs. You can feel their passion in this week's video:

NORWEGIAN A 5-TIME WINNER IN EUROPE

Congrats go out to our friends at Norwegian, who had a "five-peat" by being named “Europe’s Leading Cruise Line” by the World Travel Awards for the fifth consecutive year. The 19th annual awards recognize travel companies for "delivering an outstanding customer experience and are voted by travel agents and consumers worldwide."  Norwegian has four ships that offer cruise vacations through Europe ranging from seven to 14 days. -- Gerry

AMTRAK REPORTS RECORD RIDERSHIP

Like us, more people are choosing to travel by train. The stats bear it out. For the 2012 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, Amtrak carried more than 31.2 million passengers, the highest annual ridership total since America's Railroad started operations in 1971 and the ninth ridership record during the last ten years. In comparison to 2011, passengers grew 3.5 percent, ticket revenue jumped 6.8 percent ($2.02 billion) and system-wide on-time performance increased to 83 percent, its highest level in 12 years.

"People are riding Amtrak trains in record numbers across the country because there is an undeniable demand to travel by rail," said President and CEO Joe Boardman in their press release. "Ridership will continue to grow because of key investments made by Amtrak and our federal and state partners to improve on-time performance, reliability, capacity and train speeds."

To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Railroad iron is a magician's rod, in its power to evoke the sleeping energies of land and water." -- Gerry

COG RAILWAY OFFERS SCENIC FALL VISTAS

The Mount Washington Cog Railway

Who doesn't like fall foliage? The first appearance of red, yellow or orange and an army of "leaf peepers" will take to the woods. If your plans take you to the Northeast, consider a ride on The Mount Washington Cog Railway, located six miles from Bretton Woods, NH. Billed as the world's first mountain-climbing Cog Railway, built in 1869, and using "eco-friendly, vegetable-based fuel," The Cog offers a three-hour excursion on the Northeast¹s tallest peak. "The alpine rail ride includes about one hour at the 6,288-foot summit that overlooks the dramatic fall colors of The Mount Washington Valley. Cog tickets also give passengers free admission to The Mount Washington Observatory at the summit and the Cog Museum at the base Station."

Passengers can save $5 off the Cog¹s full price tickets ($62) on the last train of the afternoon (excluding Columbus Day weekend) through November 4th, 2012. For more info visit www.thecog.com or call: 603-278-5404. -- Gerry

AMTRAK LAND-CRUISING FROM WEST PALM

Cruising on the sea is a passion, but there are others as well.

Land-cruising on the Amtrak from South Florida to New York at the end of September was a most enjoyable adventure. Train travel is unique and takes time, but given the state of airlines at this juncture, Gerry and I decided it was time to jump aboard.

We did and I would like to share a few land-cruising tips.

Our boarding station was in West Palm Beach and to say it is easy is an understatement. The station is small, so it is simply a matter of ticketing, getting bags checked, locating your car and stepping up.

We opted for a roomette and were advised to check our large bags and bring only a small tote aboard. Taking them at their word (they are the professionals, right?), we did our best to comply. Honestly, it wasn't as easy as it sounds. It is amazing how much a person needs for a 24-hour journey up the eastern seaboard.

The roomettes in the sleeping car are quite small, but adequate and better than attemtping to sleep in the coach car.

NORWEGIAN RELEASES PUZZLE APP

In our technology-driven world of iPads, smartphones and mobile devices, apps rule. Which is why we think Norwegian is smart by coming out with a new free puzzle game app for both Apple and Android. This even have a new video that describes it:



"Start off easy, or challenge yourself with a hard puzzle. Solve quickly, then try to beat your time. When you finish a puzzle, save it to the library, share it with your friends on Facebook, or email it and invite them to play and dream about their own Norwegian cruise."

Features include:

• Over 100 Free Puzzles
• 3 levels of play/complexity
• Timer to track your best times
• Unfinished puzzles automatically save - Never lose your place
• Perfect for all ages
• Intro videos of our ships & destinations
• Save a puzzle as your own desktop wallpaper
• Send to your friends or post to Facebook

RIVER CRUISING SPOTLIGHTS HISTORY, CULTURE

Relax on a floating hotel

By Brian Wilson

Cruising Squared U.K. Correspondent

River cruising may not have the glamorous image of sea cruising – but things are changing – what with new ships, even more exciting destinations and tours – more and more people are giving river cruising for the first time.

Let’s start with the boats – if all your experiences are on ocean liners that have 2,000 or more passengers, river cruise boats will seem small as they only hold 100-160 passengers.

The best way of thinking of it is as a “floating hotel.”

Many of the more recently refurbished boats have been specially designed by naval architects and interior designers so guests can enjoy all the amenities that they would expect of a top class hotel. But this “hotel” is very special; as it journeys through some of the world’s most beautiful scenery and you can “steep” yourself in history and culture.

NEW SHIP TO JOIN 'ALLURE,' 'OASIS'?

Rumors have been flying around the Internet this past week about speculation Royal Caribbean will soon order a third Oasis-class ship to join Allure and Oasis. Stories here and here have reported on it. Mum's the word at Royal Caribbean. As they say in TV land -- stay tuned. We just hate an unsolved mystery! -- Gerry

HOLLAND AMERICA CHEFS GATHER IN NY

Master Chef Rudi Sodamin
(Credit: Holland America)

When a group of chefs get together, they don't dish the dirt, they dish the dish, so to speak. That was the case when Holland America Line's Culinary Council had its annual meeting aboard ms Eurodam in New York last week. After the formalities concluded, the chefs held an interactive cooking demonstration. Media and travel industry guests were treated to a gourmet lunch, which included: Grilled Lime Marinated Scallops, a Parfait of Salmon and Tuna Tartares, Cod with Lemongrass Reduction, Lamb Loin with Artichokes and Red Wine Kalamata Olive Sauce, and Esterel Cake topped with a layer of fresh raspberries. I think Pam and I left New York about a week too soon! -- Gerry

SUNDAY CUPCAKES IN NEW YORK

Imagine our delight on our recent trip by train to New York when we found cupcake heaven -- otherwise known as Magnolia Bakery -- within a stone's throw of our hotel in Grand Central Station. Having been to their original location on Bleecker Street in  the West Village on  a previous trip, we were well acquainted with their pastry prowess. What better way to enjoy a Sunday in New York than a cupcake picnic in Central Park? --Gerry

Decisions, decisions! (Photos: Gerry)

MISSING THE TENDER PUTS PASSENGERS AT THE END OF THEIR ROPE

Note: Al Hayward has cruised more than 100 times. He offered to share his experiences with us here. Thanks Al!

By Al Hayward
Special to Cruising Squared

Many years ago my wife and I were sailing with a large group of travel professionals on a 10-day Caribbean Cruise. At the time I was the owner of a travel agency on Singer Island called Ocean Travel. In those days it was not unusual for a ship to call on 2 ports in the same day. This day my wife and I went ashore via tender on a morning stop of one of the French Islands. Maybe Martinique or Guadalupe. I looked at the schedule in the ship's bulletin and thought I remembered when the last tender left to pier.

After buying a bottle of rum and poking around in the shops we stopped to have a drink in one of the outdoor cafes. About 12:30 or so my wife became concerned about missing the last tender. I said not to worry, the bulletin said it was at 1 PM. So we walked back to the pier and guess what? No tender in sight. Plus we could see the smoke coming from the ship which was about 1/2 mile out. (I was mistaken- it was 1 PM that the ship sailed. Not last tender)

CELEBRITY NAMES 'REFLECTION' GODMOTHERS

In accordance with a thousands-year-old tradition, new ships are assigned godmothers to bless and guide them safely. To mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month in a unique way, Celebrity Cruises is honoring four of its own employees as godmothers for their newest ship, Celebrity Reflection. Celebrity notes: "Like the godmothers of every prior Solstice Class ship – all with remarkable life achievements, including overcoming breast cancer – the cause is of great personal interest to the selected employees."

The four godmothers of Celebrity Reflection will preside over the naming of the ship in Miami on Dec. 1, where they will be joined by the godmothers of each of Celebrity Reflection’s sister ships. Here are more details from the Celebrity press release:

The godmothers of Celebrity Reflection are:

A SUNNY SOJOURN IN VENICE

This is our globe-trotting friend Mo enjoying a sunny
vacation in Venice, Italy. On the other side of
the camera is husband Brian. You never know where
our Bath, England correspondents will show up next!

NORWEGIAN LAUNCHES INSTAGRAM CONTEST

(Credit: Norwegian)

If you are one of the thousands who share photos via Instagram, you'll love this: Norwegian has announced they are the first cruise line to launch a contest utilizing Instagram. The “Norwegians Snap and Pack” Instagram Sweepstakes is running in conjunction with AOL through the end of October and "invites vacationers to submit a picture that best represents a Caribbean vacation experience and embodies cruising like a Norwegian for a chance to win one of seven Caribbean cruises."

As part of the Caribbean celebration,   Entrants may submit their photo via the Instagram Smart Phone Application by tagging @norwegiancruiseline and including hash tag #snapandpack or via the AOL Travel desktop application at http://travel.aol.com/snapandpack.

Norwegian offers these details on their caribbean cruises:

ALL ABOARD FOR 'TITANIC II' IN 2016

The first Titanic

The Daily Mail is reporting this story about plans to build "Titanic II." Quoting from the article: "It has been a hundred years since the Titanic sank to the floor of the Atlantic Ocean but fascination with the world's most famous liner shows no sign of abating. A mining magnate from Australia has announced plans to build an exact replica of the original Titanic ship with a view to offering holiday cruises on the ill-fated liner's original route from Southampton to New York." The work is being done in China, with a launch set in 2016. Passengers will even buy first, second and third class tickets, just as the original Titanic offered. Watch for our review of the accomendations -- in steerage. -- Gerry

CARNIVAL'S (FILL IN THE BLANK) CONTEST

One thing you have to love about the social web sites, like Facebook, are all the new contests they have generated. One of the latest comes from Carnival Cruise Lines, who today launched a new contest on social site Pinterest called “I’d Rather be Carnival Cruising to _______” that will award "one lucky winner a seven-day 'Fun Ship' Caribbean cruise for two."

Here are the details from Carnival:

"Starting today, participants can visit http://www.carnival.com/pinterest and begin by choosing one of four cruise destinations – the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska or Hawaii. Participants are then encouraged to tell a visual story of what their dream cruise to that location would look like by pinning various images to their newly created contest board.

PERFECTING YOUR DINING EXPERIENCE AT SEA

You didn't really think all that wonderful food and great presentations we experience dining on the cruise just happen, did you? On Royal Caribbean ships, there's a ton of work that goes into that delicate piece of fish positioned just so on that bed of rice and garnish. See for yourself in this latest video:

GHOSTLY LADY APPEARS IN CRUISE PHOTO

Who doesn't love a good ghost story? Even better when it's about a ghostly sighting on a cruise ship. An article in the British newspaper, The Sun, reports on the mysterious "lady in white" reputedly seen aboard the retired ocean liner Queen Mary, now a hotel in Long Beach, California. When a guest looked at her photos, there was the image of the famous spirit, known for haunting the ship for the last 50 years, along with other phantom passengers. It's said the lady loves to dance in what used to be the first class lounge. If she loves to party, she can join us anytime! -- Gerry