Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and USA Today newspaper have launched the Reporter at Sea contest, looking for a talented citizen journalist (blogger?) to cover the pre-inaugural voyage of the Oasis of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Oasis of the Sea

Oasis of the Sea has 16 decks and can carry 5,400 guests in 2,700 staterooms.  It’s themed around a neighborhood concept, with specific themed areas:  Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa & Fitness Center, and Entertainment Place.

Starting today, and running through October 9, 2009 at 11:50 pm (Eastern Time) you can submit a creative video that is no long than 45-seconds that showcase your reporting skills, and giving RCCL a reason to choose you to be their reporter at sea for this preview sailing on the Oasis of the Sea.  One winner will be chosen from the United States, and additional winners from Canada, Germany, Mexico, and the United Kingdom will also be chosen.

After the entry deadline, the judges will select 10 finalists from each of the above countries, based on creativity and quality, as well as the entrant’s ability to entertain, effectively bring to life and clearly explain travel or cruising concepts, and articulate why he/she should be chosen to represent their country.

Following the judges narrowing the field, the selection process moves online.  Voters will have the opportunity to choose their favorite video between October 20-25th, with the winner from each country announced on November 4th.

What’s the prize?

The winner and a guest will be flown to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on November 18th, 2009, where they will have overnight accommodations in a local hotel and a $200 allowance for food.  The next day, they’ll board the ship for a 3-night cruise with balcony cabin stateroom.  During the cruise, the winner will experience the sailing right along with Gene Sloan, USA TODAY’s cruise editor, and receive behind-the-scenes information and access to write blogs posts and video clips.

Sounds like a lot of fun, huh?  Who’s going to enter?

Photo credit:  Courtesy of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

Post from: Fly Away Cafe

It was with that frame of reference that I picked up Cruise Confidential:  A Hit Below the Waterline: Where the Crew Lives, Eats, Wars, and Parties? One Crazy Year Working on Cruise Ships by Brian David Bruns.  Bruns left life on land to pursue life on the sea – all to follow the woman of his dreams, and this book chronicles his training and life as a waiter for Carnival Cruise Lines.

I’ve cruised many a time before, and while I knew there was a hidden side to life at sea, this book was a real eye opener.  Oh sure, there were the usual stories about silly and/or demanding passengers, tedious and mean co-workers, raucous exploits during precious downtime, and tales of schedules and life just not working out the way it was supposed to.  Working in the airline industry, I could relate and chuckle to the stories, although these guys have it much tougher than those of us in the air.

And while the front of the ship workers seem to have it pretty darn sweet, the wait staff, of which Bruns was a part, works grueling, seemingly never-ending shifts in pretty intolerable conditions.  From crappy quarters to sleep in, to barely any time to sleep at all, this book will give you a new appreciation for those who bust their butts to give you great service.

There’s also just enough stories of drunkenness, crew antics, infighting and sex to keep up the pace, but for me the real story was how passengers, taking advantage of all the cruise lines have to offer, actually make life difficult for the wait staff.  I never realized that asking for another piece of toast, or a lingering over a cup of coffee, made the job tougher for these hard working people.

But here’s the unanswered question for me:  Bruns bio says that he’s married, but never mentions his wife’s name.  I’m dying to know, did he wind up with the girl?

This is an easy read, full of fun and silliness, and not pretending to be more than it is.  Give it a go.

Photo credit: Amazon

Post from: Fly Away Cafe

The Buenos Aires Guide – Be careful when booking you’re hotel, or you may wind up at one that rents by the hour.

Nerds Eye View – Pam is off at BlogHer with a bunch of other Seattle travelbloggers.  While I had to miss the event due to a scheduling matter, I’m keeping up on the travels via her blog.  I loved this section of their trip through Cody, Wyoming.

Travellious – My pals over here spent three weeks in Italy shortly before I did.  While I love, love, LOVE the food in Italy, I could relate to the urge for a food quintessentially American – onion rings.

Tripso – Cruising may not be the luxury experience we hope for.  Read about the five dirtiest cruise ships before making your plans.

LA Times – Commuting airline crew members who “live” in RV’s in the parking lot at LAX.  Yep, this is a real glamour job.

Gadling – Always a great stop for great photography, but this photo taken from the edge of the Grand Canyon made me realize how insignificant we all are.

Wanderlust and Lipstick – Beth gives some solid advice for a young woman about to embark on her first solo trip.  I’m reading Beth’s book on solo travel right now, so look for a review and more solo travel tips in the coming weeks.

Photo credit: irrezolut @flickr

Post from: Fly Away Cafe

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The image of the submarine varies. Let it be Jules Verne’s submarine, the Nautilus from the book 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the claustrophobic World War II U-boat searching the Atlantic for it’s next target, a nuclear-era stealth “boomer” playing blind man’s bluff with the Soviets, or a deep sea exploration sub diving to uncharted regions of the ocean for an underwater documentary film.

Yet most people probably don’t know that you can take a ride in an actual submarine.  Not in a simulator, not at a museum or in a pool, but in the open ocean.

Atlantic Submarines operates submarine tours in 8 destinations in Hawaii, the Caribbean and Guam.

All of the submarine tours visit local reefs, marine parks or, in some cases, shipwrecks. The Aruba submarine tour, for example, passes over two WW-II wrecks, while the Maui tour in Hawaii visits the Carthaginian, a replica of a 19th century vessel that was sunk off Lahaina to create an artificial reef.   My recent tour was in Cozumel, Mexico, diving on the one of the world’s most extensive natural reefs. 

Most of the Atlantic submarines dive to depths of 100-120 feet, and carry up to 48 passengers in their standard 65-foot (19.8m) submarine .  In Waikiki, they operate their 100-foot, 64-passenger Atlantis XIV, the world’s largest passenger submarine.

After a short boat ride, usually about 20-30 minutes, you arrive at the transfer point.  Once on site, the sub surfaces from the previous tour and the transfer boat ties up to the sub.  Passengers are efficiently transferred from the submarine to the boat and visa-versa. 

Anticipation rises as you climb aboard the submarine and are directed toward one of the two hatches.  To descend into the submarine, you need to turn around and climb down a short ladder into the sub’s hull.

Two rows of molded back-to-back seats facing outward line both sides of the submarine, and passengers are directed where to sit.  All the seats offer the same view, but seats up front allow you to also watch the sub operators in action.

My 40-minute submarine dive started with some brief safety instructions, information about our submarine and recommendations as to what to watch out for during the tour.

Within seconds, we heard “Dive, Dive” over the PA system, followed by a klaxon sounding and we were gently descending into the ocean’s depths.  Rows of windows offer great outward viewing for an unforgettable experience as you watch marine life pass by.  On some tours you may experience sea turtles and sharks swimming past your window, in others, colorful fish, anemones and other reef life, such as long sea fans and soft corrals swaying with the currnet.

Many people assume that viewing the ocean will be similar to an aquarium with its artificial lights. But in the ocean, at depths over 40 feet or so, the water filters much of the sunlight so everything has a bluish-green tint. 

As the sub descended deeper, there was no sense of claustrophobia as most people were mesmerized by the views out of their window. The electronic depth gauge clicked off our depth in feet, eventually reaching our maximum depth – 103 feet (31m).

The ride is comfortable and seems virtually motionless. The operators were able to hover the sub even in the strong Cozumel currents, giving people a chance to see large sea fans or spectacular orange corrals. 

And even as a scuba diver, I thought the Atlantis submarine tour was an enjoyable and very memorable experience. 

After the tour, each passenger was given a certificate to document their trip to 100 feet below the ocean’s surface. 

If you take the tour, remember, a submarine is referred to as a “boat, not a “ship”. And don’t let the music playing from the movie Jaws as you descend into the sub unnerve you. Just sit back, relax and enjoy your “dry” dive.

Atlantic Submarines

• Aruba
• Barbados
• Cozumel
• Grand Cayman
• Guam
• Hawaii (Oahu, Maui, Kona)

Prices – Vary by destination – about $100.00 for adults, some destinations offer discounts for teens, $65.00 for children 4-14. Children must be at least 4 years old and a minimum of 3 feet (0.91m) tall. You can pre-book your tickets on the Atlantis Adventures website as most tours offer a discount or around 15%.

Jon Rochetti is the writer of the Washington DC-based travel blog, The DC Traveler, for PlanetEye.

Images – ©2009, Jon Rochetti

Post from: Fly Away Cafe

As part of your trip planning process, make sure that you have all your paperwork in order.  If you’re flying be air, or on a cruise ship, you’ll be asked for some of these documents before boarding.  Don’t forget them — you’re won’t be able to leave home without it!

Here’s what you need:

• Passport or Green Card
• Notarized permission to travel letters for all minors (under 18 years of age) not traveling with BOTH parents.
• Any required Visa for countries you will be visiting.
• Sufficient medication for the duration of your trip, in its ORIGINAL container (with the prescription label on it).
• Receipts or registration for any recently acquired electronics.  This may not be necessary, but if there is any doubt about whether you purchased the goods abroad (and therefore need to declare it), a receipt will answer that question quickly.  “Recently acquired” is usually defined as under six months.
• Proof of Rabies vaccination for any dogs traveling with you.
• If you are traveling with a lot of expensive jewelry, copies of receipts or appraisals.  Again, this is for the purpose of establishing that you owned the items prior to leaving the country, should it become a question.
• Valid driver’s license, and international driver’s license if needed, along with proof of insurance.
• Insurance and other health cards and information

And, of course, don’t forget your itinerary, tickets, boarding pass, credit cards, travelers checks and register and money.

Photo credit:  SXC

Post from: Fly Away Cafe

In a one-hour special, Travel Expert Peter Greenberg and crew investigate the strengths and weakness of the cruise industry, and they spend a week about the Norwegian Pearl, one of the newest ships from Norwegian Cruise Line.  These ships are mini cities and self-contained resorts, complete with shopping malls, swim parks, casinos and clubs for guests and living quarters for staff and crew.  Greenburg was granted access to both above deck and below, and he shares a side of industry that most of us will never see or experience.

I asked him if budget conscious and value-demanding travelers should be considering a cruise vacation.

Here’s what he said:

If you look at the nearly suicidal pricing being offered by many cruises, it is representative of a buyer’s market of unprecedented proportion — and length. And, if you’ve never taken a cruise — and even if you’re a veteran cruiser, this special lifts the veil on the inner workings of the cruise ship industry. Prices have never been lower– some seven day cruises are being sold at just $249! –  but this is the one special you really need to watch before you ever book that cruise. . . .

I’m taking that as a qualified yes, but will be watching the special to be sure.

Cruise Inc:  Big Money on the High Seas airs on CNBC on Tuesday, March 24th, at 9 and 10 pm (ET), and March 25th at 1 am. It will repeat on Sunday, March 29th at 10 pm.   Check out the website which offers additional video, profiles, and additional information.

Whether you’re an experienced cruiser or merely curious, this documentary promises to be an eye-opening look at the industry, so get this on your viewing calendar or set your recorder.

Photo credit: SXC

Post from: Fly Away Cafe

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is a popular Mexico travel destination, appreciated mostly for it’s location on the Pacific Ocean.  It is a port of call for many cruise lines.

Given its location on the ocean, Puerto Vallarta is very popular with boaters, and sailboats are a common sight. 

Enjoying a sunset cruise, whether on a private vessel such as this one, or on one of the many rentals, is a popular way to spend an evening.

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Post from: Fly Away Cafe

Special onboard events are designed to encourage mixing and mingling and include costume and other parties and special events, along with special tours in every port. 

The ship leaves Sunday, October 26th from San Pedro Pier in Long Beach and returns Sunday, November 2nd.  Pricing starts at $840/person.  If you’re traveling alone and looking for a roommate, Singles Travel International has a complimentary roommate matching service.

This Halloween cruise is sure to include lots of tricks (sorry, couldn’t resists inserting a bad pun here) and treats!

NOTE:  Do you have a Halloween event in your area of the world that’s unusual, special, fun, silly, irreverent, or notable?  At Flyaway Cafe we celebrate Halloween all month long as I share holiday events from around the world.  While I can’t guarantee to write about every event, you can email me suggestions and information about Halloween where you are.

Photo credit:  SXC

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Post from: Fly Away Cafe

Bateaux Parisiens is a cruise company that conducts sightseeing, lunch, and dinner cruises on the Seine, along with operating a river-boat shuttle called Batobus.

I opted for an evening sightseeing cruise, and for an hour we cruised the Seine while the hostess pointed out a number of attractions.  The commentary was pleasant and informative, and not filled with the typical puns and drivel that you so often get on tours.

Schedules vary, but details and information can easily be found in the city.  At the time I was there the sightseeing cruise operated every half hour until 10 pm, and cost €11.  It was easy to walk up and get a seat.  Reservations required, however, for lunch and dinner cruises.

Thanks for the contribution, Jon. 

Photo credit:  Jon Rochetti

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Post from: Fly Away Cafe

In fact, that type of vacation is one of the reasons people love Hawaii – sun, sand, surf, and stepping on the treadmill of ordinary life.

But at some point, you’re going to want to do something else.  I had a handful of ideas of those “other things” and one of the top of my list was whale watching.  Only problem — I was there on the very early end of the season, and the whales weren’t in town.

It didn’t take but a heartbeat to come up with another idea – if I couldn’t see whale, how about some dolphins?!  I remember watching these graceful and playful creatures as they’d swim alongside a cruise ship.  They’d play in the water, jumping about, almost like they were mocking us.

But I’m also sensitive to not disturbing marine habitat.  They were there first, after all, and I was just interested in viewing, not disrupting them.  Find a tour that appreciated the delicate and important balance between man and nature was important.

The Hoku Nai’a Wild Dolphin Watch Cruise offered by Star of Honolulu seemed to offer a good choice.

The day started off with an early morning pick up (a little after 7 am) at my Waikiki hotel.  "Pick up" meant transportation to west Oahu (our cruise departure location), and was in a comfortable air-conditioned motor coach.  There were a couple of guests from my hotel booked on the cruise, and we picked up a additional guests at stops at other Waikiki hotels.  If you have a car and want to drive, you can meet directly at the harbor, but it was easy and comfortable to just leave the driving and timing to someone else.

The morning ride occurred during morning commute traffic — yes, such a thing exists even in the islands!  The time passed easily as people napped. chatted, or watched an island video played on the motor coach player.   I appreciated that our hosts were available to point out a few sights along the way, answer questions, but did not barrage us with silly puns and inane patter.  Silence is golden at that time of morning.

We were all awake and ready to board by the time we reached Wai’anae Boat Harbor in west Oahu. 

The Hoku Nai’a is a new two-deck catamaran (in photo above), and was custom built to allow for viewing marine life without disturbing them.  On the day of my cruise, there were only about 25-30 passengers (it was off-season), but the boat will hold 149 passengers.  I’d expect it to be much busier during peak season.

As we all wandered around checking out the boat, and locating a spot to sit for departure, we were briefed in some safety information, told a little bit about where we would be going and what to expect, and served some beverages.  Once our crew had everything in order, we were on our way.

But did we see dolphins?  Keep reading. . . .

Riding out to the spot where dolphins had been sighted allowed us a great chance to relax, enjoy the weather, and look for all sorts of other wildlife.  We were given a handout showing a variety of marine life that we might encounter.  We saw a variety of seabirds and fish, but the schools of flying fish were a favorite of all of the guests.

The boat skipper had a general idea of where we were going, and as he was in radio contact with scouts who could point him to the right area with a little more precision.  The crew continued to interact with all the guests, answering questions, pointing out things, and generally making us feel like welcome guests rather than annoying tourists.

When we approached the sighting area, the boat slowed and everyone gathered at the railing to watch.  It wasn’t long before we saw Spinner dolphins swimming, jumping, and playing.  We could see them in the distance, watching as they swam closer, seemingly as curious about us as we were about them.  The crew was great about continuing to point out where we could see them, but it didn’t take must looking at all — they were all over the place.

We did not encroach upon the dolphins’ area, stopping far short.  The crew was very clear that we would only go so close, and that was a matter of protecting them.  Some companies give a sly wink and a nod to environmental rules about man meeting marine life, but this cruise makes clear its commitment to an eco-friendly encounter.

Although we had quite awhile to watch the dolphins, if you love these guys, it could never be long enough.

On the sail back to the harbor, we had lunch (included in the price of the cruise).  The crew fired up the barbecue, grilling burgers for guests.  You picked up your burger and then continued to a table with all the fixings you could want.  I opted for the Hawaiian approach, choosing a Taro bun, and adding grilled pineapple, along with the more standard choices.  Add some chips (there were a variety) and a brownie for dessert, and it was a perfect shipboard lunch.  A refreshing punch was always available, and additional beverages are available for purchased.  (NOTE:  vegetarian option available with 24-hour notice.)

We had no young children on the cruise, but when there are, a keiki program is offered for the young ones.  I took a brief look at some of the activities, and it was almost enough to make me wish I was six years old again.  The Hawaiian culture honors family and children, and that carries over into many of these activities.

Honolulu Star offers a "Dolphin Check."  If you don’t have a dolphin sighting, you receive a free return sailing. (lunch and transportation optional).

The Wild Dolphin Watch cruise operates year round, with a daily sailing at 9:30 am, returning at 11:30 am.  Cruise price is $65 for adults and $39 for children, and includes lunch and non-alcoholic beverages.  Hotel pick up can be added for $20 roundtrip from Waikiki hotels.  Hotel pick up starts at 7 am, returning around 1 pm.

Your hotel will be happy to book the cruise, however, I’d recommend making reservations online before your arrival.

I enthusiastically recommend this activity.  The company is reputable and responsible, managing the difficult balance of providing a quality experience for guests and protecting sea life.  Even a somewhat jaded guest, prepared to dislike anything that seemed remotely like a "tour" was overheard to say, "I’d do this again!"  I’m with him!  I’d do it again, too!

Photo credit: personal collection

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