Crown & Anchor Friends and Family Cruise

Image by Timothy Wildey via Flickr
FRIENDSHIP, NOW EVEN MORE REWARDING
It’s pretty special when you can share something you love with someone who’s never experienced it! 
Exclusive to Crown & Anchor® Society members only, you can earn an onboard credit of $25* simply by bringing a friend or family member who is a first time Royal Caribbean® cruiser along with you on your next Royal Caribbean 
International® cruise.  
It has to be the same cruise and your friends must be first time Royal Caribbean cruisers.  Message me for more information and how to get the OBC for your next family cruise!

Passports, are they necessary?

Another popular question among new cruisers is "do I really need a passport?"  My canned answer:  "If you depart from a US port and return to the same US port via cruise ship, technically you do not need a passport.  HOWEVER, if you are in another country and have an emergency and need to fly home, you will not be allowed to fly back to the US."

After Hurricane Irene caused so much trouble in the Caribbean this summer, I have a slight change in my perspective.  Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Lines departing San Juan the weekend of Hurricane Irene's arrival, were instructed by the port authority to depart several hours prior to the scheduled departure.  Some passengers arrived in San Juan in time for their stated departure, only to find their ship had sailed.  Normal procedure is for the passengers fly to the next port of call and join the cruise.  Things generally work out fine if you have a passport.

Passports are not required for United States citizens flying to San Juan and cruises departing San Juan do not require passports for United States citizens. Many cruise passengers take advantage of this opportunity to visit more exotic destinations.

Once the ship left San Juan passengers without a passport had limited options to catch up to their ship.  If the cruise stopped at another US territory, such as St Thomas, left behind passengers might have caught a break.

Cruises leaving New York and Boston departed early due to the arrival of Hurricane Irene.  Without a passport, cruisers going to Bermuda or Nassau Bahamas were out of luck.

The moral of this story is TECHNICALLY passports are not required for closed loop cruises, however they are STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!

Legoland Florida Opens October 15

Florida's newest theme park is opening Oct. 15. Situated in little Winter Haven, 45 minutes from Disney and the other Orlando-area attractions, Legoland Florida is aimed at kids from two to 12.  One of the most popular questions  - "Is that real?" will be asked hundreds of times a day.  Read more from Mitch Stacy in The Globe and Mail

Future Cruise Investment

Cruising is one of the most cost effective vacations for families with teenagers and children who love to eat.  For one price, you get your room, room steward, shipboard activities, nightly entertainment, children's activities, and food 24-7 in most cases. Once you have cruised with children, you know you can never take them on vacation again for one price and keep them full and happy.

For the best return on your vacation investment, consider buying  a Future Cruise Credit while on your family cruise.  For a modest investment, you are guaranteed the value of your investment applied to the deposit of your next cruise AND an additional on board credit.  

Carnival Cruise Line offers Future Cruise Vacation Vouchers for $100 during your family cruise.  Invest $100 into a FCV, use the invested $100 toward the deposit of your next cruise and depending on the length of the cruise and the cabin type, receive additional on board cabin credit - minimum of $25.  Not a bad investment return.

Princess Cruises offers Future Cruise Deposits to their guests on board.  For a $100 per person deposit you can secure your next Princess Cruise and collect on board credit for each passenger for all  7+ day cruises.  Inside cabins get $25 pp and outside cabins $50 per person on board credit. That is a 50% return on your investment for an outside cabin on your next 7 day Princess Cruise.  

Of course these are just examples and there is some "fine print" at the bottom of these certificates. Most certificates are good for at least a year from date of purchase and are combinable with other promotions.  Restrictions vary by cruise line so remember to ask questions.