Celebrity Solstice Deals!

Since Celebrity's Solstice was ahead of schedule, they added 3 additional sailings before the originally-planned inaugural cruise. While these sailings have been open for sale for some time, they haven't yet sold out, and offer some remarkable values.

For example, insides start at just $699/person, oceanviews at $849/person, and balconies at $949/person. This is for a brand-new ship in an entirely new class. If you can get away this November/December, and are a Celebrity fan, I *highly* recommend checking out these offers! Best pricing can be found on the sailings between November 23 (which is the inaugural, by the way) and December 14.

Email or give me a call for more details or to book!

Once Again It’s Happy Hour Time… With a Twist

It's time to post next week's Happy Hours. Royal Caribbean's offerings are pretty typical, and for sale on Tuesday, October 7 only.

However, Celebrity has mixed things up a bit, offering second passenger at 50% off on the applicable sailings booked between Monday, October 6 through Friday, October 10. Fares starting as low as $599! If you can sneak away to Europe this fall, these are incredible offers.

Royal Caribbean Happy Hour Specials for October 7, 2008

Celebrity Happy Hour Specials for Week of October 6, 2008:

11/21/08, Celebrity Century, 10 Nt W. Mediterranean, 1st Guest from $999, 2nd Guest from $499
12/1/08, Celebrity Century, 14 Nt Transatlantic, 1st Guest from $1,199, 2nd Guest from $599
11/3/08, Celebrity Galaxy, 11 Nt E. Mediterranean, 1st Guest from $899, 2nd Guest from $449
11/14/08, Celebrity Galaxy, 10 Nt E. Mediterranean, 1st Guest from $649, 2nd Guest from $324
11/24/08, Celebrity Galaxy, 11 Nt E. Mediterranean, 1st Guest from $599, 2nd Guest from $299
12/5/08, Celebrity Galaxy, 14 Nt Transatlantic, 1st Guest from $699, 2nd Guest from $349
10/18/08, Celebrity Summit, 14 Nt Mediterranean Legacies, 1st Guest from $799, 2nd Guest from $399
11/1/08, Celebrity Summit, 14 Nt Classical Mediterranean, 1st Guest from $999, 2nd Guest from $499
11/15/08, Celebrity Summit, 14 Nt Mediterranean Legacies, 1st Guest from $799, 2nd Guest from $399
11/29/08, Celebrity Summit, 14 Nt Transatlantic, 1st Guest from $599, 2nd Guest from $299

Celebrity Mercury & Millennium - Out with Australia, in with Baltimore and Charleston in 2009/2010!

Celebrity Cruise is discontinuing its Australia and New Zealand cruises scheduled for late 2009 and 2010 on Celebrity Millennium, and adding new itineraries for the ship and Celebrity Mercury from Baltimore and Charleston!

The Celebrity Millennium will take over and enhance theend-of-seasion 2009 Alaska sailings previously scheduled for the Mercury, including a 12-night wine themed cruise from Vancouver and a 16-night Panama Canal cruise on October 10, 2009, from San Diego to San Juan, where Millennium will offer a series of 10- and 11-night Southern Caribbean cruises roundtrip beginning October 26, 2009

Celebrity Mercury, from November 2009 to February 2010, will sail a series of 12-night Eastern Caribbean cruises from Baltimore. After, it will offer 10- and 11-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Charleston through April 2010. The new Celebrity Mercury itineraries replace the Southern Caribbean cruises from San Juan previously slated from November 2009 to April 2010.

This is absolutely fantastic news for those living near Baltimore and Charleston. While I regret the fact that Celebrity won't be in Australia/New Zealand in 2009/2010, this brings some terrific opportunities closer home. I'm also sure they will return at a later point in the future.

And if you were thinking of Australia/New Zealand for that season, consider moving that up and sailing this year - there are some remarkable values for the 2008/2009 season just about to get underway!

Good News and Update on Exclusive Solstice Charter!

Hello from somewhere between Victoria, BC and Seattle onboard the Celebrity Mercury!

Wanted to give you all an update on the exclusive Celebrity Solstice 2-night pre-inaugural charter on November 21, 2008. We do still have a very few cabins available, but not many.

However, was just given confirmation on big news! We have been able to successfully negotiate with Celebrity to be able to give you Captain’s Club credit for this sailing! That means that, while you will not receive any Captain’s Club benefits on the charter, the cruise will count toward your elite status!

So, if you’re getting close to that Select or Elite status, what a perfect way to experience a new ship AND get credit in just a 2-night sailing.

If you’re wanting to book, call me at 303-690-8937, or email at amber@cruiseresource.com. I’ll be traveling back to the office on Monday, but will be back in on Tuesday (or by email while I’m enroute).

Oh, I almost forgot to mention: I’ll definitely be onboard this sailing as well! Look forward to seeing you all on November 21!

September 16 Happy Hour Fares

If it is Thursday, it must be time for the Happy Hours for next week to come out!

Here are the specials from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, valid only on Tuesday, September 16, 2008. While I will be out of town, feel free to email or call me to reach my covering agent to book these deals while I'm gone. If you email me by Sunday, September 14, I'll be able to take care of booking these while onboard the Mercury on September 16.

Royal Caribbean Happy Hour Specials for September 16, 2008

Celebrity Cruises Happy Hour Specials for September 16, 2008

September 9 Happy Hour Fares

If it is Thursday, it must be time for the Happy Hours for next week to come out!

Here are the specials from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, valid only on Tuesday, September 9, 2008. Call me for more information or to take advantage of these specials!

However, if you're looking at Royal Caribbean for the rest of the year, remember also that for bookings made between now and Sunday, September 7, all new bookings will give you two new Royal Caribbean robes!

Royal Caribbean Happy Hour Specials for September 9, 2008

Celebrity Cruises Happy Hour Specials for September 9, 2008

Celebrity and Royal Caribbean Happy Hours!

Since my newsletters are a bit missing right now until I can find a new marketing assistant, I've been at a loss on how to get you the information on such things as the Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Happy Hours. A regular reader of this blog and my newsletters suggested I upload them and post them here. What a great idea!

So when I'm in town, each week either late on Thursdays or on Fridays, I'll post the next week's Happy Hour specials!

For my solo occupancy readers, do know that the prices listed are double occupancy. But scroll down on the sailing in which you're interested, and at the bottom, it lists the applicable single supplement. For example, on this week's Royal Caribbean Happy Hour, the Legend of the Seas' 13-night sailing on 10/5 is at a 150% supplement! You match the reduced supplements with the lowered fares, and it's often a terrific combination.

Do know that the prices listed are for cruise fare and port charges. Taxes and fuel supplement are still additional.

Hopefully this will work to get the information out to you each week in a timely manner, and we'll figure out a way to get the newsletter back with all the specials. But continue to watch here for other specials, both for double and single occupancy.

Royal Caribbean Happy Hours for September 2

Celebrity Happy Hours for September 2

Celebrity’s Week-Long Savings Event!

In honor of Labor Day, Celebrity is offering a week-long savings event!

Book a select 2008 cruise in Europe, Australia/New Zealand, Canada/New England, Panama Canal or Hawaii between August 25 and September 1, and take advantage of significant savings! In addition, if you book a balcony cabin or above, and receive a $150/cabin onboard credit! The ships included in these offers are the Summit, Century, Galaxy, Millennium, Infinity, Mercury and Constellation!

If you've not yet booked a getaway for later this year, and are looking at these regions, give me a call this week for the details!

EXCLUSIVE Celebrity Solstice Preview Sailing!

I was just informed that our family of companies will have an EXCLUSIVE 2-night preview sailing on Celebrity Solstice! No one else will be offering this sailing.

This newest class of ship from Celebrity will begin public sailings on November 23. However, you can sail on her before anyone else!

Our charter is for November 21, 2-night cruise to nowhere departing from Ft. Lauderdale. We are only offering balcony cabins or above, with pricing starting at $349/person, double occupancy. The ship won't be full, as only balcony cabins or suites are being offered, so it's a great way to enjoy this ship over a nice weekend with extra-special attention from the crew.

If you are interested in this exclusive preview, please email me at amber@cruiseresource.com or phone me at 888-SAIL-123 (888-724-5123) or 303-690-8937 NOW! Bookings will open on August 1, and I expect them to go quickly.

Celebrity Allows Online Booking of Specialty Restaurants

Celebrity's specialty restaurants have long been a popular feature onboard their Millennium Class ships and Century. For good reason! These restaurants give a truly special experience and excellent menu beyond what is found in the regular dining rooms.

In the past, only Captain's Club members could make reservations for these restaurants prior to boarding. However, that's all changing. Today, Celebrity announced that they'll be rolling out online reservations availability to all their specialty restaurants, beginning with the Millennium.

In addition to making reservations for yourself and up to a total of 6 people (you'll need their reservation numbers), you'll be able to make changes online, make payments (even on separate credit cards), and check the status of your request.

They've set up a web site for more information at www.celebritycruises.com/specialtydining. However, when I checked it a little bit ago, it wasn't yet live.

Not mentioned in the announcement was whether or not Captain's Club members would continue to receive priority in these bookings, or if that benefit is now moot.

As someone who has long counseled people to go immediately to the restaurant upon boarding to make their plans, this will be a convenience for many. But be forewarned, it will likely make it even more difficult to get reservations on popular nights during a cruise. So if dining in these restaurants is a favorite part of your cruise experience, it'll be even more important to plan ahead!