AN INTERVIEW WITH C.L.I.A.'S CEO

Recently we wrote about a new blog from Christine Duffy, president and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association. Ms. Duffy was kind enough to answer a few questions for Cruising Squared about her blog, which you can find here. Here's the Q&A:

Christine Duffy

Cruising Squared: What were the reasons behind creating this new blog?
Christine Duffy: “I wanted to create the blog to communicate with anyone interested in cruising. I want to be able to offer my insights and perspectives on a timely basis to those interested in learning more about our growing industry, whether they’ve never taken a cruise or they’ve taken 100 (and some have!) More and more, people are turning to the Internet for information. I think it is important to provide a place online for stakeholders to get information on our industry, directly from the source.”

CS: What do you hope the blog will accomplish?
Ms. Duffy: “I hope the CLIA CEO Blog will help people learn more about the cruise industry, and foster interesting dialogue through engagement with guest bloggers, commenters, and readers on ideas and issues relating to cruising.”

CS: What are the major issues CLIA is currently addressing?
Ms. Duffy: “CLIA focuses on all aspects of the cruising industry, such as the ever-changing globalization of cruising, training top-notch travel agents, and innovation to go above and beyond when it comes to environmental stewardship so everyone can continue to enjoy those beautiful ocean views! Right now, CLIA is focused on further strengthening what is an already exceptional safety record, packaging and marketing the plethora of specialty and theme cruises our lines offer, training the next generation of travel agents, and helping deliver more meeting and incentive business to our cruise line partners.”

CS: What’s the most satisfying aspect about your job?
Ms. Duffy: “Cruising is one of the safest, most affordable and enjoyable vacation experiences available today. I am proud to represent an industry that provides such great value and experiences to consumers who want to see the world and spend time with their family and friends. The cruise industry has so much to offer to so many! At CLIA, we say that there is a cruise for everyone and that’s what makes my job so exciting. The cruise industry is a dynamic, growing global industry and we’ve only begun to scratch the surface. There are so many different choices in itineraries, price, and length of cruise. Also, there is no other vacation experience that boasts a satisfaction rate of 94%!”

Thank you again for your time and we are certain everyone who loves cruising will find your blog a welcome addition to the cruise scene! -- Pam and Gerry

'FASTER TO THE FUN' ON CARNIVAL

Did you hear about the new priority boarding option from Carnival? Called "Faster to the Fun," it enables passengers to express board via special security lanes and get settled in their staterooms as soon as they board. There are other perks as well, included below from the Carnival website. The price is $49.95 per cabin. Would you pay extra to get "Faster to the Fun"? Here’s what it includes:

Priority Security, Check-in and Express Boarding
Bypass lines & have exclusive security screening lanes. If you arrive after general boarding has begun, you may bypass the General Boarding line & board via the Faster to the Fun lane. The quicker you are on the ship, the quicker you get to hold a frosty drink.

PRINCESS SURVEYS HOW AMERICANS RELAX

Have anything planned for Aug. 15? How about just kicking back with your favorite leisure-time activity? The reason: Aug. 15 is National Relaxation Day. We don't know about you, but that's just what the doctor ordered around here.

To celebrate, Princess Cruises commissioned a report that pointed out the differences in how generations view relaxing. One example: Baby Boomers tend to use all the vacation time they have coming; Millennials on the other hand, not so much (for them it's a vacation when the boss is gone).

There was also this: "Looking ahead to the end of summer, Princess Cruises queried Americans on what they most need to escape from before fall. The No. 1 response was hot weather (50 percent), followed by high gas prices (38 percent) and political campaigns (36 percent)." Ask the same question a month or two from now and I bet "politics" jumps to number one!

Here's the complete release:

DECK CHAIR BROUHAHA CONTINUES

The brouhaha over deck chairs continues. On the heels on Pam's post about the crackdown on saving deck chairs comes a new report that Norwegian is the latest to weigh-in on the issue. It seems kind of sad that cruise lines have to enforce rules when common courtesy would suffice. -- Gerry

WHERE DO YOU DREAM ABOUT GOING?

If you could cruise to anywhere in the world, where would you go? High on our list would be the Greek Isles, Rio, Asia, Tahiti ... the list goes on and on. This week's video from Royal Caribbean will put you in the mood to make your list, then reserve a stateroom! Let's roll the tape ...

WELCOME A NEW BLOG FROM C.L.I.A.

Christine Duffy

As cruise bloggers, you probably know Pam and I think blogging is a great venue for sharing information and connecting with others, both industry insiders and people who cruise. When we heard about a new blog just launched by Christine Duffy, CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association, we wanted to extend her a warm welcome! For those who might not know, CLIA is "the international cruise industry’s largest trade and travel agency association, comprised of 26 cruise lines, nearly 16,000 travel agents and agencies, and 120 executive partners." Headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, they do a terrific job of representing the cruise lines on many major issues affecting the industry.

According to Ms. Duffy, "My new blog will allow me – and others in the cruise industry, through their guest contributions – to share perspectives on the latest industry issues and trends." She added, "Also, via my Twitter feed, I will share current, relevant information on our industry and contribute to the dynamic conversations happening already."

We're hoping to catch up with Christine and post an interview soon. In the meantime, congrats on your new blog! -- Gerry and Pam

CARNIVAL BREEZE, SAVING DECK CHAIRS

Photo: Cruising Squared

Having a reserved seat on your own cruise ship balcony makes sailing the high-seas even more divine.

Not being able to find a lounge chair near a pool deck because  absentee passengers have saved most of them by tossing a towel, book or beach bag onto them for hours and hours?

Annoying?

Bad manners?

Your right as a passenger?

Arlene Satchell, Sun Sentinel writer and travel expert asks for opinions as Carnival Cruise Lines is about to test a new system for saving (or not being able to save) pool deck chairs.

I know my opinion.

What's yours?

Read her story:

Carnival tests program to stop lounge chair-saving – Travel – Sun-Sentinel

Tell us in the comments or tell Arlene by 5:00 p.m., today, @asatchell@tribune.com.

Sail on! -- Pam

TCM CLASSIC 2013 CRUISE ANNOUNCED

If there's one thing Pam likes as much as cruising it's classic movies. So what could be better than combining the two? This week it was announced the 2013 Turner Classic Movies Classic Cruise will be setting sail Jan. 21 from Miami. Even better, it's happening on one of our favorite cruise lines, Celebrity, aboard Constellation. More details from the website:

"Join TCM Hosts Robert Osborne and Ben Mankiewicz for the classic movie adventure of a lifetime! You'll savor five nights on board the luxurious Celebrity Constellation—watching films, seeing the actors and talent who made them, hearing their stories from behind the scenes, enjoying special panels, and sharing it all with other passionate movie fans like you.  With multiple TCM-themed daily events and activities you’re bound to make new friends as you kick up your heels on this unique vacation experience. It’s classic movie paradise at sea."


There's also this video:



Quick aside to Robert Osborne: Want to make sure Pam makes the scene? Schedule a showing of "Romance on the High Seas." --Gerry

DISNEY CRUISES AND ODDLY NAMED SYNAGOGUES

The Disney Magic at Castaway Cay.
Photo: Nesoff

By Bob & Sandy Nesoff

Special to Cruising Squared

Editor's Note: Bob & Sandy Nesoff are an award winning team of journalists who have written about travel for more than 40 years.  They've covered the world from Africa to Tahiti to countries throughout Europe.  Their articles encompass everything from adventure travel to luxury travel.  They were among the first journalists to visit Croatia just after the shooting stopped.  Bob has been listed for more than a decade in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the Media and Communications.  Sandy is in Who's Who in the East. Bob's book, "Spyder Hole," is available at http://sbpra.com/bobnesoff/ , Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble at BN.com.  Also available through RedRoom.com.

New York City was once the premier cruise center of the United States.  Until recently anyone driving along the West Side Highway could easily see the dilapidated and rotting piers where once the great liners of days gone by would ingest and disgorge tens of thousands of vacation bound passengers.

Miami moved in to fill the gap for Caribbean cruising and trans-Atlantic voyages from the Big Apple existed only in fond memory.

Not any more.

The New York/New Jersey corridor has once again come into its own with regularly scheduled, year-round cruises from Bayonne and the West Side terminals.  While Celebrity Cruises has made Bayonne its port, Disney and others have brought their floating cities in to New York.

NORWEGIAN ANNOUNCES NEW 'LEGENDS' LINEUP

J Lucas

Marva Scott

Barrie Cunningham
(Credit All: Norwegian)

Passengers on Norwegian Epic rave about the series, "Legends in Concert," featuring tribute artists who perform as famous entertainers, like Elvis Presley and Lady Gaga. Norwegian has just announced the next round of tribute concerts, which begin Nov. 3 on Epic's return to Miami for sailings to the Eastern Caribbean. The lineup includes J Lucas, performing as Michael Jackson, Marva Scott, portraying Donna Summer, and Barrie Cunningham, who'll take the stage as Jimmy Buffett.

Performers will do six, 45-minute shows in the Epic Theater over three days during the seven-day cruise. Additionally, "a Legends 'Unplugged' show is performed on three additional nights in the Manhattan Room, the ship's New York-inspired supper club." The celebrity performers change every four months.  --Gerry

PIN SOME RELAXING IMAGES AND WIN A PRIZE

Are you a "pinner"? For those in the social know, that's a user of Pinterest. If so, Princess Cruises has launched its first Pinterest contest, asking users to create a board with images of what it means to "escape completely."

"The top five boards will win a Sanctuary Relaxation Kit, complete with a Lotus Spa plush robe, skin nourishing milk bath and an iPod with a $50 iTunes gift card. The contest runs from August 1-14, 2012 – leading up to National Relaxation Day on August 15."

I'm pretty sure the Cruising Squared board would have  a deck chair, an ocean view, a cocktail and a good book, or game of "Sorry."

Here are the entry details from Princess:

SPORTS LEGENDS COMPETE ON OASIS

Royal Caribbean is catching the Olympic spirit with a little competition of their own aboard Oasis of the Seas. The participants are legendary sports figures Michelle Kwan and Greg Louganis. You can even register to win a cruise by voting for your favorite on the line's Facebook page. (We can't believe one of the events is cupcake decorating. Talk about game on!!) Here are the details, and a video from Royal Caribbean:

"It's 'game on' this summer when world-class figure skating champion Michelle Kwan and world-champion diver Greg Louganis go head-to-head in the first-ever Royal Deck-athlon at sea onboard Royal Caribbean International's Oasis of the Seas. The skating and diving legends are facing-off in two commercial spots that will air on NBC-owned stations throughout the country. Viewers will be directed to visit the cruise line's Facebook page to see the legends compete in a series of 10 events onboard the world's most revolutionary cruise ship including: surfing the FlowRider; climbing the rock wall; skating in the ice rink; diving at the AquaTheatre; zip lining across the Boardwalk; table tennis, mini-golf and basketball in the Sports Zone; playing blackjack in Casino Royale; and cupcake decorating in the Cupcake Cupboard.

"Consumers can get in the game by voting for their favorite competitor at the cruise line's Facebook page. Fans can vote once a day until August 12 for the chance to win daily prizes as well as the ultimate grand prize - the opportunity to recreate their own Deck-athlon on a seven-night Caribbean cruise for two on Oasis of the Seas or Allure of the Seas."