Cruise Lines Archives - Page 2 of 6

Embark on an Unforgettable Family Cruise Experience with Explora Journeys

“The Unvarnished Traveler” by Brian Raymond Welcome to the world of Explora Journeys, the new luxury cruise line that sets sail this July. Designed with families in mind, Explora Journeys offers an inspiring and inclusive adventure for all ages. In this article, we will delve into the remarkable features that make Explora Journeys the perfect choice for multi-generational travelers. From thoughtfully designed accommodations to exciting activities and a commitment to environmental stewardship, get ready for an extraordinary journey filled with cherished memories. ……

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:34:25-05:00May 13th, 2023|

MSC: Delivering Cheap Cruises and Meeting Guests’ Expectations

“The Unvarnished Traveler” by Brian Raymond When it comes to providing value for your money, MSC truly understands its audience. After experiencing a cruise with MSC, it becomes abundantly clear that they know their demographic inside out and deliver exactly what they desire. During our conversations with many of our fellow guests, the two words that they used over and over to describe their primary reason for choosing MSC was because of their “cheap fares.” ……

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:34:26-05:00May 12th, 2023|

MSC – Hits and Misses – Things to know before you book

“The Unvarnished Traveler” by Brian Raymond Let’s be upfront. We usually sail upper premium cruises (Celebrity) and luxury cruise lines. So normally our expectations are pretty high, but for this cruise we have tempered our expectations appropriately. This time we were interested in experiencing something different and wanted to see what MSC Cruises had to offer. MSC is based in Switzerland and is one of the largest cruise lines in the world. ……

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:35:06-05:00April 24th, 2023|

Our first MSC Cruise vacation

"The Unvarnished Traveler" by Brian Raymond Later this month we'll be taking our first cruise on MSC Cruises. In the past, we've only cruised on upper premium and luxury lines. We prefer a more mature clientele without the noise and activities that little ones bring. In addition, we enjoy a higher quality of cuisine and service that tends to be found on upscale cruise lines. However, this year we are going to explore two mass-market large-ship cruise lines and travel on the MSC Meraviglia (4,500 passengers) and the Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas (5,494 passengers). We've reset ......

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:35:07-05:00April 9th, 2023|

What is “Wave Season” and what do the cruise lines offer?

During Wave Season, cruise lines offer discounts, reduced deposits, and other promotions to entice travelers. It’s the perfect time to book your dream cruise. With so many deals and discounts available, it’s easy to find the perfect cruise to fit your budget. ……

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:35:11-05:00February 24th, 2023|

Crystal Cruises and a new name, Crystal, new website and a launch date

Crystal Cruises has announced its return with a new shorter name, ‘Crystal,” a new website, and new itineraries. Its first sailing is on the Crystal Serenity for a 12-day voyage from Marseille, France to Lisbon, departing on July 31, 2023. The Crystal Symphony’s first voyage will depart Athens, Greece, on September 1, 2013, for a 7-day cruise to Istanbul. ……

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:35:14-05:00February 4th, 2023|

Celebrity Cruises confuses passengers by promoting no perks pricing

UPDATE: Celebrity "Always Included" offering includes beverages, WiFi, and gratuities but ADVERTIZED rates don't include those perks Celebrity has changed its pricing once again and it is confusing buyers. After introducing its "Always Included" program several years ago, which included its Classic Beverage package, Wifi, and gratuities. Celebrity is now promoting bare-bones fares which do not include anything - no Classic Beverage package, no WiFi, and no pre-paid gratuities. (Suite guests receive the Premium Beverage package and premium WiFi, and pre-paid gratuities unless they select a bare-bones rate.) Celebrity's guests have come to expect the "Always Included" perks in ......

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:35:17-05:00November 21st, 2022|

Hey Celebrity Cruises, what the hell are you doing? You are screwing up!

Let me start off by saying Celebrity Cruises has been one of our favorite cruise lines for many years and for many reasons. However, now Celebrity is making BIG MISTAKES which can damage their brand. So what’s wrong? This would be illegal in the US or Europe as False Advertising For what I’d suspect is some misguided headquarters-based bean-counting accountant’s bad decisions, Celebrity is advertising drinks with premium spirits, while they don’t have those premium spirits on the ship and are substituting other spirits, sometimes with cheap substitutes. But they are still selling and charging for the drinks as ......

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:35:18-05:00October 31st, 2022|

St-Paul-de-Vence – A must see medieval village

One of the many highlights of our Azamara cruise was our stop in Nice. While I’ll cover Nice in a separate article, here I want to talk about our excursion to Saint Paul de Vence – a visit I’d highly recommend. Vence or St Paul or Saint Paul de Vence (it has been referred to by all three names) has been called the “second most beautiful village in France,” and for good reason. It is a few miles from the coast and about a 45-minute drive from Nice. But let’s start with some history. History Much of the ......

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:40:41-05:00May 20th, 2022|

Where has Brian been?

Many of you have emailed or called during the last few months and asked what happened to Brian? Where is he? Well, I’m here, I’m fine and right now I’m sailing on the Celebrity Equinox. Let me explain where I’ve been these last several months. It’s been quite a while since my last article. But I’m glad to be back writing again. In case you wondered what happened, well it has been a lot of things. First, in September I had surgery where my my L1 – S1 vertebrae were fused with 8 long screws and 4 rods. I’m ......

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:40:44-05:00April 5th, 2022|