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

'GETAWAY' COMING SOONER THAN EXPECTED

Norwegian Getaway (Norwegian)

Good news today from Norwegian: Passengers will be able to "getaway" on Getaway sooner than expected. "Norwegian Getaway will be delivered in late January 2014, earlier than originally scheduled, and will sail a seven-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary from Port Miami year-round. Carrying 4,000 passengers, Norwegian Getaway will be the largest ship to home port year-round in Miami and will embody a unique Miami vibe."

We're marking our calendars already!

Here's more from the release:

“We are pleased that Meyer Werft will deliver this incredible vessel three months earlier than scheduled,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s president and chief executive officer. “Norwegian Getaway is going to offer a fantastic cruise opportunity sailing to the Eastern Caribbean.”

THE ALASKA WILDS IN LUXURY AND STYLE

By Bob and Sandy Nesoff
Members: American Society of Journalists and Authors
Special to Cruising Squared

Part 2 of 2
Read Part One

The Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska (Nesoff)

For adventure buffs there really isn’t much left to explore on this planet and it’s too early for true space tourism. Of course there are some jungles in Africa and South America, but for real luxury while sampling the “wilds,” try Alaska.

The 50th state is so huge that there was a standing joke about an argument between a Texan and Alaskan. The Alaskan finally said: “If you’re not quiet, we’ll split our state in two and make Texas the third largest in the country.”

That pretty much tells it all. There are cities-Juneau, Anchorage-and little hamlets too numerous to name. Much of the state is reachable only by air or water as there is no comprehensive highway system. The old Alcan Highway brings many visitors up north, but the best way to sample both luxury and wild territory is by cruise ship out of Seattle.

TRAINS, TOO?

Pam gets ready to board (Photo: Gerry)

Notice anything different about the blog? Like, that picture of Pam sitting on the train, for example?

We're proud to announce Cruising Squared has expanded! Of course we'll continue to keep you up to date on all things cruise, but will also now include our favorite way to cruise on land: Train travel. We've been hooked on riding the rails since we took an 8,500-mile odyssey on Amtrak several years ago. It covered two weeks, and our itinerary took us from Fort Worth to Chicago, Chicago to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Seattle, Seattle to Chicago, and back to Texas, with overnights stays at Chicago, Disneyland and Seattle.

Besides the chance to see the country up close and personal, at a leisurely pace, there are other benefits as well. The food is good and you meet the most interesting people. On our trip, we shared our travel with a former CIA operative, a retired oil company executive and a couple from California we stayed in touch with for many years after.

No, you can't be in a hurry. And it can include a fair amount of shake, rattle and roll. But isn't there something unique and nostalgic about boarding a train, hearing the whistle and watching the world go by? It's somewhat akin to cruise travel in that way.

We decided to get reacquainted with trains recently when Pam wanted to go to New York on Amtrak. So we booked a trip on the Silver Meteor, which goes from Miami to the Big Apple. It was an amazing trip, and we'll share the highlights right here. We hope you'll come along for the ride. All aboard! -- Gerry and Pam

LOTS TO TWEET ON #SEATWEETUP CRUISE

(Credit: Norwegian)

What's a social media cruise without lots of social activities? Norwegian's second annual #SeaTweetup cruise sets sail Oct. 12 to the Bahamas, and passengers will be plenty to tweet about. To kick things off, MillerCoors will host a "poolside beer and food pairing session infused with trivia," along with cocktail parties throughout the cruise sponsored by Bacardi.

Other highlights of note:

• In Nassau, the group will be greeted "by the Ministry of Tourism, board a private bus and enjoy a day of cultural delights including a traditional Bahamian breakfast and island tour. Following the tour, attendees will convene at Señor Frog's where they can enjoy the casual vibe of the popular tourist spot and complimentary WiFi to update their social media followers.

HOLIDAY RIVER CRUISING IN EUROPE

European Christmas Market (Credit: AmaWaterways)

At AmaWaterways, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The river cruising company has two holiday-themed river cruises in Europe guaranteed to get you in the spirit of the season. "From caroling along cobblestone streets of Europe to sipping seasonal hot spiced-wine, AmaWaterways lights up the Rhine and Danube Rivers this holiday season ... Starting in late November, vendors sell local food, hot wine, and sweet desserts like gingerbread and pastries. Local artisans create wooden toys, handmade crafts ornaments and more." Details about the cruises offered:

BREAKAWAY TAKING FITNESS TO NEW LEVEL

The Mandara Spa Salt Room (Norwegian)

Fitness will reach a whole new level -- or rather, two levels -- on Norwegian's newest ship, Breakaway, debuting next April. This week Norwegian released details of the Breakaway's spa and fitness facilities, which span 23,000 square feet over two decks.

The Mandara Spa and thermal suite will feature the first-ever salt room at sea. What a salt room? From Norwegian: "Popular in top spas around the world, salt room therapy has been proven to alleviate respiratory and skin ailments, strengthen the immune system, promote better sleep and have a long-term positive impact on overall lung function. Spa guests visiting the Salt Room will be immersed in a dramatic grotto setting as they enjoy this unique, indulgent and beneficial spa experience. The tranquil thermal suite also offers guests spectacular unobstructed views of the ocean, the opportunity to melt away on one of the 13 heated loungers, vitality pool, whirlpools, sauna, solarium and steam room, along with a full-service salon and barber shop."

More details from Norwegian:

OCTOBER IS NATIONAL CRUISE VACATION MONTH

Hard to believe, but next week we swing into October, which also signals the start of National Cruise Vacation Month. The Cruise Lines International Association reports "more than 5,000 travel agencies in the U.S. and Canada are expected to participate in the event through special events, including online travel agency promotions throughout the month and special live, in-person travel agent events such as Cruise Nights at travel agencies and in partnership with other local businesses."

But the headline for the month is "save big on cruise travel." You can start your hunt for bargains on CLIA's special NCVW page, www.cruising.org/vacation/welcome to find exclusive deals during National Cruise Vacation Week, Oct. 21-27, from participating member cruise lines. Promotions include "up to $13,000 in bonus savings on a luxury cruise, $1,500 per couple savings on a river cruise in Europe, two-for-one pricing, free airfare, complimentary shore excursions, and up to $500 in shipboard credits. Twenty-five CLIA member lines representing more than 200 cruise ships are offering deals on cruises with a wide array of choices in itineraries, price and length of cruise." -- Gerry

PRINCESS UNVEILS 'ROYAL' TOP DECK FEATURES

The Royal Princess (Credit: Princess)

If you thought the SeaWalk debuting on the new Royal Princess is a way cool idea,how about a Bellagio-style water and light show, and an island oasis amid fresh water pools? Those are some of the new features Princess unveiled today for their newest ship, coming in June, 2013. This video previewing the top deck features provides more details, as does their release below. With entertainment like this, Princess may find their biggest challenge is getting passengers to leave the ship!  -Gerry



Among the new top-deck features of Royal Princess are:

LOTS OF CHOICES IF YOU LIKE STAYING ACTIVE

As you know, cruises offer something for everyone. Like to exercise and stay active? No problem! Royal Caribbean has you covered. Take your choice: Hit the gym; climb a rock wall; try surfing or go for a jog. Look for Pam and I by the pool, cheering you on. (Well, somebody has to do it!) Here's more in this week's video:

ORNSTEIN JOINS CRUISE PLANNERS

Jodi Ornstein

Congrats to Jodi Ornstein, who joins Cruise Planners - American Express Travel as the company’s new director of marketing. They note that Ornstein joins Cruise Planners from the editorial department of The PPI Group, publisher of Porthole Cruise Magazine. With more than a decade of experience as the managing editor at The PPI Group, Ornstein supervised the editorial process of Porthole Cruise Magazine as well as numerous custom publications for major cruise lines. "We are thrilled Jodi has joined our Cruisitude Revolution as her experience will certainly add new dimensions to our marketing team,” said Vicky Garcia, executive vice president of sales and marketing. Welcome aboard, Jodi! -- Gerry