Jason

Are you craving an hour or two of pampering at the spa while on your next cruise, but not sure if you want to spend that much money on yourself? With all the exotic treatments now available, spa beds are filling up, especially on sea days when passengers look for ways to fill their time with relaxing activities.
While spa appointments can conveniently be booked in advance from the comfort of your own home, you might be wise to wait until you arrive on board. Port day specials - one price for 3 treatments, for example - are offered on just about every sailing.
You can enjoy the serenity of the spa if you choose not to go for a tour or if you simply want to stay on board. A treatment can be priced as much as 40% less on a day in port when there is less demand.
Port days specials are well-advertised at the spa, in the daily newsletter, and in special flyers left at your door each evening.

Happy Monday, cruisetacular peeps! I hope you all have been enjoying the cruising stories I've shared over the past few weeks. I'm gonna take a break from them today, but know I'll have many more in the weeks and months ahead. In fact, I just finished my blog-writing schedule last night for the duration of 2013 and it's hard to believe another year is getting ready to close on us. Whew! Time is flying, wouldn't you say?
I noticed a trend on my side of town and was wondering if you all have the same thing happening where you live? I was going through my closet the other day and realized I have an overabundance of cruise ship t-shirts. Many I wear to the gym, some I use as clothing changes when doing videos for my Youtube Channel and others are archived in plastic because they're so vintage. I have Carnival Cruise Line's m/s Celebration's inaugural cruise tee, Celebrity Cruises' m/v Horizon graphic tee and even Norwegian Caribbean Line's (now Norwegian Cruise Line) s/s Norway on a tee (you can view here). Many of you may have seen these shirts in a few videos I've done, but if you do the math something doesn't quite add up...
Many of you may wonder how do I own shirts of cruise ships that are older than me? How did I find them? Where did I find them? Well, the answer lies in a hidden gem in my neighborhood - my local thrift store. Seriously, I find so many cool cruise momentous in there! It came as a suggestion from a friend of mine one day and ever since, I've been going there looking for cruise tees and sporting them like no tomorrow.
Do you shop at thrift stores? I know many people "look down" on 'em, but they are truly loaded with treasures many others have trashed (you know how the saying goes). Feel free to share what you've found that's cruise related, in your local thrift store below. And if you've never been to one, you now have some motivation to not just look for tees, but also mugs, pins and host of other cruise collectibles (you never know what you'll find)! Keep cruising and grooving and be sure to rock your new 'thrifty cruise finds' along the way! See ya next Monday with more cruisetacular coverage!

Cruise ships are floating flaming death traps of incendiary Hell, according to the media lately. Since nobody has actually died during all these cruise ship fires, they’ve switched to reminding us that after all these cruise ship fires good people are left stranded in cabins full of feces. We cruisers know how absurd all that crap is (pardon the pun). But fire is indeed the greatest threat to safety on ships, now as it has always been. Allow me to share the extent of fire team training on ships: I was asked by the captain of Wind Surf to simulate a dead passenger in a shockingly real scenario....
Via the crew stairs the second officer escorted me deep into the forward bowels of Wind Surf. We passed all manner of hallways and storage areas I had not known existed. After a several twists and turns, Barney stepped into what was obviously once a crew bar. Now it hosted a raucous pile of tables, chairs, and rolling desks. “Lay down and play dead. Easy. Don’t freak when the lights go out. Things will get nasty, but you won’t be hurt.”
Seeing me raise my eyebrows, he explained further. “It’s a surprise fire drill made as realistic as possible. The fire team won’t know if anyone is below decks or not and will systematically search every room for unconscious victims. Don’t hide in the cupboard or anything because that’s not realistic, but staying in the back is better for the drill. What makes this drill more accurate is that you’re our first American.”
“Why does that matter?”
“The fire team only has experience hauling out other crew members, and they’re all Asian. In a real fire, a guest passed out from smoke inhalation won’t weigh ninety pounds. You weigh about two hundred pounds, so you’re helping us create a much more accurate scenario. When they come for you, don’t make it too easy for them. Be dead weight.”
I carefully picked my way through the detritus of the dead crew bar to become a dead crew member. Propping my back against a cupboard, I splayed my legs out. With a satisfied nod, he snapped off the lights.
Darkness swooped in, solid, tangible. This was not the absence of light, but the presence of a thing. Just a few minutes of such absolute black made even an egomaniac feel small. Not scared, but small, insignificant. This was not a place for living men, here, deep below the surface of the sea. I strained my hearing to pick up a sound, any sound, but there was none. Not even the slap of waves descended down here, in the pit where I lay. I fancied I was in a sensory deprivation tank, but for the sharp tang of back-bar alcohol and solvents stabbing my nose.
After an interminable time, my ears tickled with the muted call of the ship’s intercom announcing to passengers the impending fire drill. Don’t panic at the alarms, the muffled voice said. Don’t panic at the smoke. Smoke?
A minute later, another sense tickled. The air became chemically dense. The smell was not of smoke, but something equally unpleasant. I mulled over what it could be when I was scared out of my wits by the sudden alarm. Hearing the ship’s horn blasting the fire alarm was nothing new—I’d heard it every cruise for years—but hearing the alarm in my current situation was something else entirely. It was downright unnerving. Red emergency lighting snapped on, pushing back the black from below rather than above. Though dim, the illumination was sufficient to see the hallway outside. The red opening pulsated in a rapidly thickening haze.
Smoke curled into the chamber, first slow, soon robust. Tendrils of white crawled across the ragged carpet, claiming more and more of the room. Behind the vanguard was a supporting wall of swirling grey, gradually thickening until I could no longer clearly see out into the hallway. The red remained, somehow undefinable.
Very slowly did time tick, tick away. The simulated smoke became hard to breathe. Not only did the unceasing klaxon urge me to rush into the red, so did instinct. The sensation was so powerful my legs twitched, itching for action, escape. I had to consciously fight the urge, for I had been charged with death. After twenty minutes came a flicker of a different color. A beam of yellow wandered across the reddishness of escape, then left. Eventually it returned with a companion. Then both vanished. Disappointment flashed through me. They had had overlooked my room.
Yet a minute later the glow materialized two phantoms of black. Backlit by blazing red, each cut a dramatic figure in full-on fire gear, complete with oxygen tanks and full face masks. Thickened by heavy layers of fire retardant gear, they seemed to move in slow motion. Beams from handheld searchlights roamed the smoke-dense room, lighting across old, clustered junk. Revealed in streaks were fallen stacks of chairs and tables upended upon each other, cobwebs flashing. I felt exactly like I was watching a movie: the heroes had just discovered the killer’s creepy lair.
Then a beam of light fell across my legs. Another zeroed in. Two bulky forms pushed through the thickness directly towards me. Heavily gloved hands grabbed me by the shoulders to haul me bodily from the floor. I drooped and flopped as awkwardly as possible, feet dragging uselessly on the floor. Undeterred, they slung my arms over their shoulders and hauled me out from behind the bar. Between the deafening klaxons their respirators labored. Though much taller than my saviors, both men worked as a single unit to compensate. No words were exchanged. None were needed; both knew what the other was supposed to do.
Don’t think for a minute that cruise ships leave fire safety to waiters playing with fire hoses. The ordeal fire teams maintain as routine is most impressive. But then, to be honest, I always wanted to be a fireman. They’re totally badass.
Brian David Bruns
Author of national bestselling Cruise Confidential
www.cruiselit.com

As an avid amateur photographer and blogger, I love to return home with photos of the ship including public areas. Readers like to know everything about a ship before its their turn to cruise, and what better way than through pictures. They want to see it all, including the cabins, pools, restaurants, the atrium and every other onboard detail. Whether its good, bad or ugly people need to know.
The absolute best time to shoot pictures is immediately upon boarding, and in order to get the best shots, plan on being one of the first on board. By arriving early, youll have an opportunity for unobstructed shots of public areas before the crowds arrive.
If youre like me, you like to make your cabin the first stop on your shipboard photo safari. I like to know that my cabin is the way I want it and that there are no immediate issues to contend with. First, take a photo of the door and the cabin number, then before dropping your stuff, take photos of the room. An uncluttered room is much more inviting to the viewer than one scattered with belongings. When snapping pictures, dont neglect the bathroom, closets, balcony and electrical outlets the most asked-about cabin features.

Then drop everything and explore the rest of the ship, starting with the most popular places first, the places where passengers tend to congregate. These would be the atrium, of course, along with the buffet area, the lido deck and anywhere else hoards of folks might congregate. Then move on to the quieter areas of the ship the library, for instance.
If all else fails and you arrive to the ship late in the day when the crowds are already in place, you can always use editing software later in the editing process to remove the un-pretty from your photos.

Happy Labor day, cruisetacular peeps! Ready for another story from this summer's highs seas adventures? Alrighty, here we go. This one comes from when I sailed Carnival Glory from Norfolk with my family and friends. If you watched The Post-Cruise Show: Carnival Glory on my YouTube Channel, you may remember me briefly talking about this story. But just in case you missed it, this is what went down...
So there we are. Night one of our cruise having a blast and we decided as one big group we would perform "We Are Family" to break in the family and friends reunion cruise. After putting in our song number and fighting over who was gonna sing lead, we were ready... well kinda. So this was "Karaoke Live" meaning you did karaoke with a live band and not a track (which all of us thought was cool). We got there about 20 minutes after it started and saw the clock ticking closer to the end time of the karaoke. Then they called a group who didn't show up. They called them again and THEN they called my family!
We were so excited! This was it, we thought. I ran right on the stage after seeing my friend Metria by the door, grabbed the mic, signaled for my crew to come on up and then... then I ALMOST popped someone with a backhand! Remember that group that was called and never showed? Well guess who came on the stage out of nowhere? Yeah... and guess what the karaoke hostess told us? That they're gonna let that group go; they would be the last ones for the night, and she was sorry... Excuse me? There are few things you don't tell me on a cruise and not being able to perform karaoke with my family is one of them! The hostess and I had a brief one-on-one conversation (where I was very calm) and she explained to me there was nothing she could do because the comedy show was about to begin approximately 15 mins later.
I was persistent. I pretty much said, "So you won't allow one more 4 minute song? I don't mean to be inconsiderate, but that still leaves roughly 10 minutes for transition for the comedy show." She wouldn't budge. We were so upset. We all wrote about it in our post-cruise surveys, and we truly thought how all that went down was all the way wrong and ALMOST deserving of a backhand, LOL! What do y'all think? Well perhaps no backhand, but I thought Carnival could have made that up to us some kind of way. Despite helping other groups (we didn't know) with their songs that evening at karaoke, it wasn't the same performing karaoke without my fam (which rarely happens since we only cruise once a year all together).
Anyway, we got over it. We're in better spirits and as many of you know, I don't dwell on the bad for too long (but I did dance on my soapbox for a few hours, hehe). Nonetheless, life has taught me a lesson I share with my friends a lot. You know it's never the problem that's the issue, but it's the perspective you have and take towards the problem. Even when the DJ stops the music, keep grooving because life is one big party that never stops... that is if you want to join in!
Note: The title of this article and use of the term "backhand" as used above are used for humorous purposes and not meant to be interpreted as a threat or any related actions to Carnival Cruise Line or any of its affiliates.

Let's just throw this out there. I only have 1 child, I am an only child, and I come from an only child. None of it was planned that way... It's just how life happened. A house over run with children is foreign to me. Martha Stewart in the kitchen, I am not.
So Trenton says "Mom, can *Sheldon and *Leonard spend the night?" (*Names have been changed to protect the innocent) "BOTH of them? Like... At the same time? (insert excited little face from your only child) Well, ok...". And so it began.
I picked the boys up, brought them home and sent them outside to play. All was going well. The kids came inside and said they were getting hungry. OK, let's make dinner.
(Trenton shot his first deer last year and was super excited. He thought it was really cool that he was providing food for the family ? He wanted to make nachos and use his deer meat.)
This is when *Sheldon says "Oh, I don't eat cheese." I am thinking Oh No! I didn't ask if these kids had any allergies. Oh crap!
"Oh, I'm not allergic. I just don't like it."
Huh? ... You don't like cheese? ... On purpose? Who doesn't like cheese on purpose?
Ok fine. How about chicken.. "no"
fish sticks... "no"
hamburgers... "no"
I name off the entire pantry and fridge... "no".
Ok, Sheldon...what would YOU like to eat for dinner?
His response... "Olive Garden will be fine."
OLIVE GARDEN !!!!! .... Are you serious?
I was defeated... I ordered Olive Garden. (A child’s spaghetti with sauce in little cups on the side for Sheldon). This is when I looked at Mark and said "Let's run! Let's just go and leave them here!" (Totally kidding... But the thought seriously crossed my mind)
I return home to find three 10 year old boys watching Pokemon on the 65 inch TV and Mark hiding in the bedroom!
The husbands point of view: Well, I was sitting there watching my TV and *Leonard comes and sits beside me and says "Hi". So I said "hi."
"I really like Channel 300."
That's all cartoons. I said. And he just stared at me! So I said, would you like me to put on cartoons?
"Yes, please"
So I type in 300 and he yells "Pokemon!!" And then this stampede happened and I realized I didn't even have a place to sit on my own couch anymore and there was a 65 inch Pokemon in our living room.... So I took refuge in the bedroom.
Ha! So I am thinking "pushover" as I am busting out the OG... Feeling like a champ.
"That's not the right sauce".
What?!
"That's not the right sauce, I can't eat that"
What do you mean it's not the right sauce?! You said marinara sauce... That's marinara sauce.
"I like the kid’s marinara sauce"
The kid’s marinara sauce and the adult marinara sauce is the same! It's marinara sauce! One plate is just smaller than the other!! (my blood pressure is rising)
"It's ok. I'll just eat the noodles"
You are going to eat plain noodles for dinner!? I HAD plain noodles I could have cooked!
DEEP breath... Ok, let's just pray and eat. That bedroom is looking better and better!
Play,Pokemon,popcorn,Skylanders, candy, Beyblade, put your PJ's on, brush your teeth.... And *Sheldon comes parading through the living room in his underwear! "You don't live here kid!! Where are your pants?!" Oh Geez! I threw some blankets and pillows at them and went to hide in the bedroom with Mark! Aaah, peace at last.
6AM... Sounds of crashing, spinning, cheering... It's just a dream... "Crash, spin, cheer" ... There is no way those kids are up ... "Crash, spin, cheer" ... Because we all have Beyblade tournaments before the sun comes up! HUGE SIGH. I open the bedroom door and all three file into the living room with the sweetest little smiles "Did we wake you Mrs. Hunt?" ... As if any effort was made in an attempt NOT too.
Are y'all hungry? ... In unison "yes".
Awesome, here's some cereal.
"Mrs. Hunt, I don't drink milk"
That's fine, I have almond milk.
"I don't really like almond milk"
So eat the cereal dry. Trenton does it all the time.
"I don't really like those cereals"
Fine. *Sheldon, what would YOU like for breakfast?"
"Pancakes"
No. How about eggs?
"Do you have biscuits?"
No
"Then I don't want any eggs"
Of course you don’t, how about cinnamon toast?
"That’s fine ... As long as you don't make it soggy"
.... This kid's going home hungry!
So I Google how to make cinnamon toast bread and NOT make it soggy. Ended up putting it in the oven and using a broiler for the first time… Ever!
Then I got interrogated on the make and model of my Orange juice! It's orange juice!!!!!!!! It comes from an orange! Just drink it!!!
So. It's noon. *Leonard has left and Sheldon is still here. I have decided his parents have been eating everything they can get their hands on since I picked this kid up and are in a self-induced diabetic coma somewhere. Imagine being able to just eat something!
In the meantime, I have applied a double amount of my Derm Exclusive wrinkle cream and booked another cruise.
And that my friend’s is why I cruise!

Travel planning has come a long way, baby! Nowadays, you can plan your entire vacation from the comfort of your home. Simply log on to your favorite travel websites and book hotels, airfare, cruises and entire vacations. The same goes for cruise excursions.
When you book a cruise, whether through the cruise line, a local travel agent or a big internet agency, you’re given a reservation number. Simply log on to the cruise line’s website, key in your reservation number, and your now in control of your own cruise. From here you can see your cabin number, your dining preferences, download brochures and fill out all the necessary immigration with just a few keystrokes.
The most convenient feature of your on-line cruise account is the ability to book your shore excursions in advance. Several weeks before your cruise, your cruise account will list all of the tours available in your ports of call, and in most cases will list the most popular ones for that destination. If you have your heart set on a particular must-see attraction while visiting a port, be sure to book your excursion before you leave home. You will be assured a spot on the tour and still have the option to cancel without penalty once aboard within the time specified on your tour ticket.
Another benefit of booking your excursion in advance of your cruise is that you will avoid the madness and mayhem at the excursion desk on board. It always amazes me how many people book a cruise and don’t think about it again until it’s time to print their documents and pack their bags, with no inkling about what they want to see or do on the ship or in port. These are the folks scrambling at the last minute to book shore excursions, many of which may be sold out.
This advice holds true for those cruisers who prefer non-ship excursions, too. Small, local tour guides, in particular, book up early due to their ability to only handle a small number of travelers in a day. Be sure to arrange your tour early in the planning process, be aware of the guide’s cancellation and refund policy, and avoid disappointment.
For more on what other cruise features are available to book in advance, read: Savvy Cruisers Pre-Book Excursions, Dining Reservations and More

Happy Monday, everyone! How are ya cruising this week? I hope with smooth seas and cruisetacular weather! So let's get back to the story telling. I saw a few comments asking when I would get back to sharing some funny stories from the high seas and your wish is my command! This story comes from the 4th of July sailing I did on Norwegian Sky from Miami to the Bahamas last month.
Okay, I just woke up. Had breakfast (I didn't have to fight anyone for a cinnamon roll... this time - haha), got my tender number and was off the ship in record time. The water was a little choppy, but we made it into Great Stirrup Cay's (Norwegian Cruise Line's Private Island) harbor just fine. Like everyone else, I wanted to get a beach chair (and a really good one at that). I walked around for a while, surveyed the land and finally saw this spot that was full of trees, had decent shade, was close to the dance floor and I decided to POUNCE!
I begin walking over and that was when I was stopped by a random guy. He asked me, "Are you actor?" He had an accent I couldn't pick up on at that moment, but I just responded with a laugh and said I wasn't an actor. Well, then I set up shop at my beach chair, grab my sister Mia and we began doing some filming for my YouTube Channel. Things were going great until this guy came back over and said, "Well if you're not an actor, why do you have a camera and doing a video?" That was when I shared with him I was a travel writer and cruise blogger and video taping is an added thing with my gig.
He laughed it off, in disbelief it seemed, and then walked away. By this time I was a little hungry so I headed over to the pavilion for just a small snack (you know how it is when you cruise... you eat every 20 minutes). But while I was away, my sister told me that this same guy (pictured above with me and his girlfriend) came BACK and told my her, "It's okay to tell me if he's really an actor. I promise not to tell anyone - I know that's Eddie Murphy!" So I came back and he screams, "EDDIE!" I then laughed and told him I've been told I favor Eddie Murphy since I was in college but I'm promise I am not him! Honestly, I think it's just the mustache I rock that makes people have that "inkling" to assume I'm him in younger form.
Then the guy asked for a picture with me, pulled out HIS video camera and would not stop filming me when I joined in with the group line dances on the beach and he wouldn't let it go. He was truly a character and when he saw me roam around the ship he just began waving and laughing. I just laughed and shook my head. Now I get it. I favor the guy some (at least some people think so), but honestly, do you think I REALLY look like him? I mean to the point where you would do all this guy did? Anyway, this was another time in my life I was mistaken for Eddie. I'm gonna start wearing a donkey outfit and setting up a booth if this keeps up! LOL Keep cruising and grooving, y'all! Catch ya on the next update!

Most cruise ships restrict access to the bridge. In this post-9/11 world, you don't want just anyone traipsing up there and playing with the controls. One would think such restrictions equate a higher level of on-sight security and maybe, just maybe, a higher level of discipline and professionalism. I'm happy to relate that such is not always the case. My first visit to a ship's bridge in an official capacity revealed an entirely different scene than I had predicted. I was ordered to report to the bridge within minutes of signing on as art auctioneer aboard the Wind Surf. As usual, crew and staff are on their own to find such areas.
Luckily the search for Wind Surf’s bridge did not take long. With only three decks of public space, and one clearly labeled Bridge Deck, even as useless a crew member as an art auctioneer could find it proficiently. I approached from an outside deck, nerves growing more taut by the minute. Gathering sign-on paperwork seemed far too trivial a task to be bothering bridge officers. Small ship or not, these men were responsible for the very lives of hundreds of people. Squinting against the glare, I stepped through the wide, open doorway.
The bridge was a long, wide chamber extending the length of Wind Surf’s beam, excluding the outside walkway and bridge wings. To the fore was an entire wall of glass stretching above an entire wall of electronics. The panels were only sparsely populated with gauges and buttons, reminding me of the low-budget bridge set from the original Star Trek. The computers the ship was originally designed around used to fill all those banks, but now could probably fit into an iPhone. The back of the room was uneven with nooks for reading paper charts, if officers were so inclined, and racks of clipboards and duty rosters and maintenance schedules and such. Overall, the bridge was spacious and bright, clean and airy. There was only one man inside. He wore officer’s deck whites, which on the Surf meant a white dress shirt with epaulets over white shorts.
And he had a guitar.
The officer sat upon a stool with his feet propped onto the electronics. He hunched forward and gazed down at his acoustic guitar. Forehead creasing above Oakley sunglasses, he concentrated on placing his fingers properly upon the strings. I stepped up to introduce myself when he suddenly threw his head back and belted out song.
“SHOT THROUGH THE HEART!—AND YOU’RE TO BLAME—darlin’ you give lo-ove... a bad name!”
His guitar thrummed into the opening riff of the Bon Jovi classic. The sound filled the chamber beautifully. I stood there, immobile and listening, astounded the song continued beyond the opening. After several long minutes a slight, handsome man in a stained boiler suit entered from the opposite entrance. He stepped up behind the singer, gave me a smile, and listened along for a moment. Finally he tapped the officer on the shoulder.
The bridge officer, whose name tag read ‘BARNEY’, ceased playing immediately. Barney did not rise, however, but merely craned his head back to look upside-down at his visitor. “We’re done painting the rails,” the newcomer said. “I’ll be in the engine room.”
“Aye aye,” said Barney, even as the other man departed. Then, surprising me even more, Barney informed me, "That was the chief officer."
No, Wind Surf was not like most ships! Good thing she was in port at the time.
www.BrianDavidBruns.com
Bestselling author of the Cruise Confidential series.

This is a big area where my husband and I differ – especially on a cruise day at sea. He is up early, out the cabin door and ready to see and do everything there is aboard the ship. I, on the other hand, like to linger over a cup of coffee in my cabin, sit out on the balcony (if I am lucky enough to have afforded one) and watch the world go by. I am in no particular hurry to do anything.
So while we attend shows together, hang out side-by-side by the pool for a little while before attending, say, a ballroom dancing class, we often find ourselves going our separate ways. He’ll go to the casino or an art auction, and I’ll find a quite place somewhere to read or write or just people watch.
One not-to-be-missed event we both agree on, however, is a beautiful sunrise or sunset. There is no work of art more beautiful than that of a setting or rising sun at sea and the spectacular soft glow of white, orange and yellow streaks in the sky.

Just because the ship’s daily newsletter lists more activities than there are hours in the day doesn’t mean you have to do it all – or much of it at all, for that matter. Yes, cruising is a social event in many ways, a great way to meet people and expand your horizons, but it’s important to remember that it’s your vacation. Do what you feel is right for you. If that means a day full of hairy chest and belly flop contests, by all means – enjoy! But, for you, if that means lounging in a deck chair gazing out at the deep blues and greens of the mesmerizing sea and dreaming the day away, then I say pleasant dreams!

Over the past few months, many of you have asked, "Shon, when can I sail with you?" I'm no genie, but your wish is my command? Here's your chance to sail with me in 2014 right from my backyard on Grandeur of the Seas! We'll be sailing to one of my favorite destinations: Bermuda! I hand-picked this special 7 day/6 night cruise that's been dubbed as the "Bermuda's Grandeur with Shon" cruise! The cruise departs on Friday, September 12, 2014 and returns on Thursday, September 18, 2014! I know the weather will be great, seas will be smooth and this cruise will go down as one you'll always remember!
I'm teaming up with Daley's Destinations based here in Maryland on this sailing; helping to give you a great price, on-board credit and even a reduced deposit*. If you book between now and Thursday, September 05, 2013, all you have to do is place a $100.00 deposit down per person to secure your spot (that's it). The other portion of the deposit - which is $150.00 per person - would not be due until Sunday, February 02, 2014 and the final payment of the cruise would not be due until Sunday, June 29, 2014. What a deal on that deposit break-down, right? And on top of that, we're throwing in free on-board credit per cabin! I promise you, this is one sailing you won't want to miss! The videos are cool, the pictures may tell the tale, but seeing it live and in person is something you'll be glad you did!

So what are you waiting for? Get your cabin booked today so we can sail to the pink sand shores of Bermuda in 2014! Bring your friends, family and even brotha man from the 5th floor! Interior cabins are currently $716.12 per person and Ocean views are running at $818.12 per person. If you save $25.00 per week every month, you'll have $100.00 per month to pay on the cruise and going this way, it'll be paid off before the June 29th deadline.
Now remember, you can only take advantage of this special promotion and pricing by booking via Daley's Destinations. For more information on this sailing, check out the e-flyer, call Daley's Destinations direct at 1-888-803-6189 and stay tuned for more updates from me. Be sure to mention you saw this cruise advertised on The Ocean Escape and they'll be sure to make sure you get to take advantage of all the good stuff mentioned above. Act fast because cabins are limited! As always, you're cruisetacular for reading! Hoping to cruise and groove with you in 2014--Shon!
*The reduced deposit of $100.00 per person is only valid until Thursday, September 05, 2013 so act fast!

July 26, 2013 ~ The day finally arrived!

Our long-awaited weekend in San Francisco was about to begin, followed by a 10-night round-trip cruise aboard the Grand Princess to Alaska's inside passage, with stops at Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria, Canada. The icing on the cake would be beautiful Glacier Bay! Once again, David and I would be joined by my brother, Norm and wife, Dana.

We found them to be great cruise buddies last summer sailing around the British Isles - their very first cruise - and we invited them along again on this Alaska cruise. Packing for Alaska was a challenge, as we needed to be prepared for cold, hot, rain, sun and everything in between. The luggage weighed in a few pounds shy of the limit, so we were good to go.
David is a fan of warm tropical destinations, and every time I raised the subject of Alaska, he resisted, saying that Alaska cruises were for old, retired people. While I don't consider ourselves to be knocking on the door of the retirement home just yet, we are creeping close to that age and, frankly, I would like to enjoy the Alaska outdoors before I'm in a wheelchair! David was still reluctant, and it was my job to make him a believer. Three days in San Francisco and a repeat cruise aboard our first-ever cruise ship were the bones I threw to him, and he finally bit.

Our adventure started off with just one slight glitch. It was 5:00 a.m.; we were packed, ready and.... waiting. Waiting for the pricey but ever-so-convenient transport we hired to take us to Logan. A call to the company revealed a mix-up in the times. It seems that when I changed our 5:30 a.m. pickup time to 5:00 a.m., they forgot to inform the driver. It was all good, though. The driver arrived within 20 minutes, we were finally on our way, and arrived exactly two hours ahead of the flight. As it turns out, Virgin America at Logan had the shortest check-in I've ever seen. We literally walked in the terminal, stepped up to the desk to check in, took a short few steps to the security check point, and made our way around the corner to the gate waiting area. No lines, no waiting!
Our 6.5-hour non-stop flight went smoothly, and our driver, Mike, of Pleasant Limo, met us on arrival. For a very reasonable rate, he greeted us in baggage claim holding a sign with our name. He was friendly and polite, and drove us safely to our hotel. Best of all, he was on time!
We chose the Tuscan Inn and Fisherman's Wharf area of San Francisco for a 3-night pre-cruise stay.

Summer prices for hotels in this area are steep, but with my magic fingers, an iPad and a Hotwire App, I was able to find a lower rate - still pricey, but lower than anything else in that neighborhood. Upon arrival, the friendly desk staff warmly welcomed us. The lobby is nicely decorated, and the complimentary wine reception held at 5:00 p.m. for all guests was a nice touch.

The room was a wee bit smaller than what I expected, but it was clean and cozy, with a very comfy queen bed. I liked the fact that the windows were dressed in white shutters rather than drapes, which added a feeling of space. The room was located inside, facing a quiet courtyard of plants and greenery, - something to consider if you don't like street noise. Complimentary morning coffee was available every morning in the lobby, and breakfast, lunch and dinner were served at the adjacent Pescatore restaurant.
We had drinks at Pescatore on the day of our arrival, and the crab cake I ordered was very good. However, breakfast the next morning was another story. While my raisin cinnamon French toast was good, my husband's eggs were overlooked, my sister-in-law's were runny, and the cream was bad, turning our cups of coffee into something that looked pretty ugly. A second attempt at coffee with fresh cream failed, so we gave up on the cup 'o Joe. That was our first and last meal at Pescatore.
We spent the rest of the day checking out Fisherman's Wharf, and had dinner outside at Alioto's. We had a covered patio table with an overhead heater, which came in handy on this cold, cloudy and blustery day in San Francisco. We found the seafood to be okay, but not nearly as good as what's found here in New England. It certainly was, however, a great place to rest and people watch.


One of the coolest things we saw was the vintage antique arcade. What a blast to the past! We thoroughly enjoyed the ride down memory lane to all the old animated coin-operated figures and games. "Laughing Sal", which I had only seen in movies, was especially a hoot!

By the time we finished, it was only 7:00 pm and the Wharf was hopping. Since our body clocks were still on East Coast time, we were all exhausted and went back to the hotel to rest up for another day.
This is just a taste of what we experienced on our recent Alaska cruise. For the full report, READ MY FULL REVIEW.
Check out my "Best of Alaska" Photos

When it comes to cruising, many of you know I have no issues just letting it all hang out. Well, I do put my belt on to suck some of it in, but when it comes to deck parties and night-life on the high seas you can bet your bottom dollar that yours truly, his whistle and party crew will be in the house ready to BAA-RING DA NOISE! A conversation I had with a fan inspired this post and I hope the words I shared with her would also encourage you to jump out of your comfort zone and live life to the fullest! YOLO!
So there I was a few months ago sitting in the karaoke lounge sailing on Carnival Glory. A fan of the blog approached and struck up a conversation with me. She was saying how she couldn't understand how I could get up in front of so many people and not seem to care what they thought of me; if they were laughing at me and even wanted to know how I "showed my face" around the ship the next morning. I simply told her this, "I stopped caring what people had to say about me when I realized no matter if I pleased 1 or 1 million, everyone was not going to like everything I did - which is fine by me. I also realize that I will never see most of the people on this cruise ever again in my life... so why not give them a show?"
She began to nod and laugh. I said, "You only get one shot to live this life here on earth, so why not spend your days laughing hard, cuttin' a rug and showing others they too don't have to just sit there but can join in!" She soon grabbed her teenage daughter, brought her to the karaoke lounge and together they took the stage singing Coldplay's smash hit, "Viva la Viva!" I gave them both a standing ovation and the mother told me, "I did it because I took what you said to heart!"

I have walked into many nightclubs on cruises where people aren't dancing and the mood needs to be that of a club and not a community music sitting center. So with all the dance floor space I see, I round up my crew, we jet for the floor and GET IT INNNN! Then before I know it, others are joining us asking if they can hang with us while we're in the club. That's when I realized that when cruising people can get so caught up into what everyone else is thinking of them, they allow strangers to hinder themselves from having a great time. Is that you? Stop that right now if it is!
Yes, now I do know that not everyone is an extrovert and/or is comfortable with displaying goofy moments in poolside games, vocal abilities at karaoke or even their gaming skills in the casino, but I do know that we all have a chance to use a cruise to help us step outside of our comfort zone, wouldn't you agree? I mean come on, you eat all that food when everyone is looking (you may not even know it sometimes, but people are watching), so why not put on a show for 'em?! Next time you hit the high seas, don't let your shy and bashful side get the best of you - shine like the brightest star in galaxies and let the ship know YOU know how to bring the noise! As always, you're cruisetacular for reading and I have nothing but love for ya! Keep cruising and grooving--Shon!

My husband really loves me. I know this because he accepts me with all the crazy ideas that come out of my head. Being from Texas, we have always cruised out of Galveston. We (really meaning I) decided we should do something different and cruise out of Florida for our summer cruise this past year. New cruise ship… New ports… New city to discover... Sounds perfect!
We’re goin’ to Miami! Woo Hoo!
There was just one small problem. My husband has never flown. Never set foot on a plane or any other metal object that actually leaves the ground. That’s ok and all, but he also has an irrational fear of heights… Oh, and he also has a HUGE anxiety problem. This was 7 years after our first cruise and my trickery days are over so I said… “Guess what? WE are flying to Miami. You’ll be fine.” He initially agreed, but as the days started ticking by he started trying to formulate plans to DRIVE us.
Nope, babe… I can’t take 4 extra days off for us to road trip to Florida and back.
Nope, All 4 of us could fit in the truck, but the luggage would be uncovered in the bed. What if it rains or we stop to eat.
Yes, we could rent a car and drive straight though, but the extra expense to park it for 8 days or to leave it in a state we didn’t rent it from is the same price as flying.
Sure we can take Mom’s van…but it’s her company van and no one else can drive it. You can’t expect her to drive 22 hours by herself.
… and so this went on FOR WEEKS.
That’s when the thought of drugging him crossed my mind. I could suggest eating in the airport, ask him to go get me a napkin and slip something in his drink. Done correctly, I could get him on the plane and buckled in before he passed out. …. But what if my timing was off? I am 5’2 with my shoes on, I certainly can’t carry him.
So there we were. “Hey, Dude. We’re flying to Miami and though I have contemplated it, I can’t figure out a good way to drug you by surprise, so… suck it up buttercup. You’re going on your first plane ride.”
All I had to do was figure out a way for him not to freak out, get thrown off the plane, and go to jail… I got this.
We arrived at the airport and got our bags checked, stripped off our shoes and were awaiting the metal detectors. (Side Note: He wore flip flops and refused to bring a pair of socks like I had suggested… Eww) I look over and Mark’s backpack is being searched. (Shaving cream, lotion, cologne, a brand new $120 bottle of face cream) They have it all lined up there on the table. “Aww crap.”
(It appears I forgot to go over the “You can’t fly with that in your carry on list”) Sooo, our son had a little bag with his books and ipod in it. I shoved all his stuff in my bag. Then sock feet and all (no time to put tennis shoes back on) ran back out to “check” another bag filled with our (his) contraband. That little adventure got me placed in the back of the line, then re-routed through the full body scanner … then they searched my hair. That’s right… my hair… twice! (We ARE from Texas.) My son was behind them saying “Mom… what are they doing to your head?!” Your guess is as good as mine.
By this time, the plane is boarding. Trenton (his first plane ride too…but he’s totally excited!) got to meet the pilot and go in the cockpit. Really awesome for the crew to take time to do this by the way!

Mark wanted NO part of the cockpit… or the pilot… or the flight attendant. He made a beeline for his seat and sat there slightly pale and silent latching, tightening, testing and rechecking his seatbelt.
The rest of us got to our seats and got all situated. I whip out one of Mark’s anti-anxiety pills and a bottle of water. (I’m all for drugging him.) He says No, he doesn’t want to take it. He can do this, he needed to experience it to get over his fear and he would be fine. All that sounds macho and perfect…what I’m really thinking is “Umm Bu!!sh!t”, but I went along with it anyway.
As the plane takes off down the runway, Trenton and I are looking out the window when I caught a glimpse of Mark out of the corner of my eye. He is gripping the armrests, his knuckles are white, and he is completely pale. I whisper… please take that pill. He says No! I am thinking “Uh Oh, This can’t be good!”
By the time we reach the end of the runway and leave the ground he is profusely sweating. Sweat is literally running down his face and dripping onto his shirt. It was seriously like a scene from that old movie, Airplane.

(This is only comical looking back, by the way.) Finally, we were in the air and he realized he survived. Without medication. Whew! One small step for man… One giant leap for the Hunt family!
I got him all settled in, turned on his movie with ear phones … (Mark, not Trenton) and all was well.
… And then we hit turbulence.
Without warning, he bolted straight up in his chair… the movie player crashes to the floor, he grabs the seat in front of him and starts glancing around frantically for … I don’t know what. Just then the pilot comes on and asks everyone to return to their seats and put on their seatbelts. I calmly pry his hands off the poor man’s seat in front of him and say “There is someone sitting there, you can’t do that.”
And then the conversation went something like this:
This really is normal…
Yes, we are going to be fine…
No, the plane isn’t going down…
It has something to do with different air currents…
Please take that pill out of your pocket and swallow it!
What the hell, if it does go down at least we are all dying together!
(In hind sight, probably not the best way to attempt to calm someone down but I was running out of ideas)
This led to him frantically pushing the “attendant” button until he managed to flag down a flight attendant for her professional opinion of whether we are all about to die or not. Finally he realized, the flight attendants were starting to serve drinks, half the people were sleeping already, the other half were reading and not another soul on that plane cared that the plane was in turbulence. “Why, oh why, Lord can’t he have a smooth flight for the first time?! You know, if this goes poorly… we won’t be flying home from Florida!”
We got the movie player retrieved, got him to drink some water, eat a protein bar for a snack….and the family of 5 crammed in the 3 seats behind us had a kid that pooped their pants. I am sure of it! Mark kept saying “What is that smell?!” Seriously?? Welcome to flying honey!
So landing was a breeze, I whipped out the Big Red gum and all was well. Good news…. We can still fly home! LOL …. And I am still married ?
FYI: If you take a power strip on board the cruise ship with you, realize as you are leaving your cabin that you forgot to pack it in the luggage you checked last night, and in a hurry shove it in your husband’s backpack with the 3 iphone chargers still plugged into it…. Going through the xray scanners at the airport…. It looks suspiciously like a bomb and can hold the line up for a while. Sorry babe ?

Heeeeeeey, everyone! How have y'all been? Wow, okay, so I haven't blogged here in nearly a month and many of you probably want to know why, right? I promise I haven't been on hiatus again. I have been a little busy this summer... more so than I was planning. I've been on 4 cruises doing a little to much twancing and I think I hit a burn out fuse and am trying to replug it in.
If you follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, then you've had a front row seat to the back, to back, to back, to back cruise madness. Don't get me wrong, I've had a blast meeting some of y'all, partying like it was 3012 and sailing to some cool ports, but just know that it has taken its toll and I think everything came crashing at once. I got sick a few times along the way, lost my voice twice and was barely sleeping which I believe is the culprit for the burn out of all things cruise from CM3K.
But no worries! Next Monday, I'll be back in action to update you ALL on everything that's been happening - cruise by cruise - so stay tuned! ? I promise I'm okay and I'm on the better side of mountain! Look for me next Monday with regularly scheduled blog posts! As always, you're cruisetacular for reading and I've got nothing but love for ya!
Cruising and Grooving,
Shon

Hey everyone! This is my first blog here and I am super excited!! I stumbled across this site by chance and loved it! I hope my blogs will offer you some valuable tips as well as some fun entertainment.
I have never been a writer… nor thought I ever would be. I am a small town Texas girl who fell in love with cruising. The first time I saw the ocean, a magical calm came over me -- and it has been calling my name ever since. I can’t break that spell. Going to the ocean is my escape. I am by no means an expert, but researching cruises and information when I am on land fuels my passion and allows me to keep sane (somewhat) until my next cruise rolls around.
So this is how it all got started….
Our son was not quite 3. My husband and I never took a “real” honeymoon and were approaching our 5 year anniversary. To put it mildly… we were broke, but desperately needed to get away. Thankfully, a good ‘ole Texas spring storm came through and took down what was left of our sad, pitiful fence in the backyard. When we received the money from the insurance company to replace the fence, I got the bright idea that if we cooked some hamburgers and bought some beer, my husband and his friends could replace the fence themselves and save us a TON of money. (You’re welcome honey!) We could use what we saved to go on vacation!
Brilliant… I know!
My husband wanted to go to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico. However, I was doing the research. Everything was so expensive… and all we had was leftover fence money! It looked like we could go to an all-inclusive resort, but we would have no money left over to actually DO anything. The extent of our vacation would be to drink ourselves silly on watered down drinks on a beach somewhere. Let’s be honest here… after a day or two…that would suck OR we could take a cruise. We would have enough money left over to still drink ourselves silly AND go on excursions in all 3 ports. Neither of us are ones to be bored so I thought this was the best deal! So I booked it. Non-refundable, of course.
I casually brought up the idea of a cruise to Mark (that’s my husband), thinking he would love the idea! This cruise thing sounded so like us! His response…no way on this earth was he ever getting on a boat for 7 days. Period.
Hmmm… what to do? What to do? … I couldn’t tell him I already spent all our money and I had no way of getting it back. I knew what was best for him… I just needed to figure out a way for him to know it too! I’m not one to lie, so I thought it best to say we couldn’t afford to do the Mexico thing so we were going to go to Galveston instead. I packed his bags (formal night clothes and all… cause that’s how awesome I am) and we set off.
Somewhere down the lonely stretch of road to Galveston from Fort Worth, I couldn’t contain my excitement any longer and let it slip that we were going on a cruise. Oh my Gracious! It got ugly in that car! By the time we reached Galveston we weren’t speaking. He finally agreed to get on the boat (thankfully because otherwise, I wouldn’t have had a ride home in a week!), but we were getting a divorce when we got off! True story.
Then something magical happened. We had the time of our lives!! The cruise ship was more than we could have ever imagined. We were upgraded from an inside cabin… to one with a porthole! We thought we had hit the lottery. Not even the waves crashing against the boat and threatening to come through the wall at any moment or the ridiculous vibration from the thrusters could spoil our fun! There was stuff to do everywhere! (Food, shows, shopping, casino, nightclubs, pools.) We fell in love with each other all over again!! Sappy… I know! We were already looking for the next cruise to book as soon as we got home. See…. I knew I was right!
That cruise in fact, probably saved our marriage. And so it began. Years later, we are still setting off together for our adventures at sea (only now he is a willing participant… minus the time I tried to move us all to St. Thomas, but that’s another blog… and now we can afford them!)
I look forward to sharing our cruising adventures with all of you!

I'm away on vacation, but will return later this month with more great tips to make your travels easier!

San Francisco, Alaska and Grand Princess, here we come!
I am getting a jump on reviewing this trip - our 2013 summer vacation - less than two days before departure. Tomorrow, I'll be busy double-checking and triple-checking my CruiseCrazies packing list to make sure I have everything covered and probably will be too exhausted to do much of anything else, let alone write.
The idea - and I'm probably over my head on this one - is to write a day-by-day review of our experiences along the way - sort of a "Live From" report. As with most good intentions, however, things don't always turn out as planned. Much will depend, of course, on internet connection, cooperation from my iPad, free time and my level of exhaustion after a day of sightseeing. If my pen runs dry or I am just having too much fun to write, don't despair. You can count on a full trip review when I return!
After months of preparation, excitement and anticipation, the day is nearly here. Our bags are nearly packed - or I should say OVER-packed - and we have to endure just one more day of work before finally escaping life's daily routine. Come early Friday morning, my brother and his wife will greet us with their cheery smiles, our hired car will scoop us up well before the New England sun rises, and promptly transport the four of us to Boston to await our non-stop flight to San Francisco.
This is a first visit for all of us to San Francisco, and we are eager to experience as much as we can in the three days we have before boarding the Grand Princess. I understand that the city is alive with the America's Cup races, and being summer, I expect the streets will be bustling. Our home base for three nights will be the Best Western Tuscan Inn. Originally booked directly with the hotel using a 30% AAA discount, I later discovered an even lower rate through Hotwire, and being one who never passes up a deal, I canceled and re-booked our two rooms, saving us a few bucks - which we will blow later on the ship. Hey, it's vacation!
My well-planned itinerary - which all in our party will follow because I tell them to - includes a 4-hour city tour with a local guide and an evening visit to Alcatraz, tickets for which were purchased the day they opened for sale. It's a good thing, too, because a week later they were gone. The rest we will make up as we go along. Armed with our mini city guide and advice from friends and acquaintances, I am sure we will have no trouble filling our time with all sorts of city splendor. Marin County, Muir Woods and Sausalito will be explored later with another local guide when we return from the cruise.
Stay tuned ...

Finally! We’re down to the final days before our long-awaited Alaskan cruise. As much as I would love to spend the time daydreaming about glaciers and wild animals, I am busy with final preparations – last minute shopping, packing and confirming of reservations. If that weren’t enough, there are other necessary pre-vacation tasks to attend to in order to avoid coming home to chaos and a mountain of projects.
Don’t overlook the chores and responsibilities that need to be completed before you leave – both at work and at home. It’ll ensure a relaxing vacation and a stress-free return home. Start by writing a detailed, prioritized to-do list of everything that needs to be done before you leave. With the most critical jobs at the top of the list, you will be certain those are taken care of. If you run out of time for the less important chores at the end of the list, it won’t matter as much if they don’t get done.
I generally make two lists. One is for me and tasks I need to complete before vacation can commence: pre-pay the bills, notify the credit card companies, stop the mail and newspaper deliveries, and other routine things. The second list is for the family member or friend who has the distinct honor of watching the house while we’re gone. If it’s a current resident manning the fort, say your young adult offspring, there are additional reminders – take out the trash, lock the doors, close the windows, feed the cat, clean up after yourself … and, of course, no wild parties.
Those are just the must-do jobs on the home front. Work is another matter with responsibilities to complete, deadlines to meet, and so forth. If this is the case and you find yourself overwhelmed and wondering how you’ll ever finish, ask your co-workers for a little help. Just remember to bring them a nice souvenir from your trip or offer to take them to lunch when you return.

Unless you have personally designed your own luggage or purchased a uniquely different set from a retailer, your luggage probably looks like mine – ordinary black, green or blue - basic and functional. Claiming your luggage on the bag carousel or in the cruise port terminal can be confusing, and it’s easy to walk away with someone else’s stuff when all the bags look alike.
Make your luggage stand out and easier to spot in the endless sea of bags. You don’t have to be an artist to individualize your bags. Try some of these simple tricks:
· Use colorful, unique name tags
· Wrap the handles in colorful tape, ribbon or store-bought handle wraps
· Accent with neon strips of duct tape
· Fasten ribbons, yarn or scarves to the bags
· Personalize it with stickers … they’re not just for kids!
A little bag decorating will go a long way in quickly identifying your bags, avoiding a mix-up and getting you swiftly on your way.

I swear I'm not turning morbid. I am, however, turning 40. Maybe that's why this and my last post are a bit on the 'end of life' side. Here's a selection from my new book, Cruise a la Carte.
***
“I saw a ghost.”
“Mm hmm,” I replied.
“Really, mate!” Rick insisted.
I looked up from my magazine, waiting casually for the flood of profanity sure to follow. I need not wait long.
“A bloody, f@*#ing goddamn ghost!” he continued. His brow furrowed deeply and he stared at the galley deck. I was about to mock him, but chose instead to bite my tongue. Rick was shaking his head slowly back and forth, eyes staring at the floor… staring at nothing. With all those curls piled so high on his head, he reminded me of a fuzzy cat watching a tennis match on television. He was truly distraught. It was very late—I was only in the galley because my evening art auction ran exceptionally late—but I sensed he was too agitated to retire.
“You’re serious?” I said.
It wasn’t really a question. Of course he was serious. Rick was serious about everything that didn’t matter. Had this been an issue of business, safety, or protocol—not that the latter matters too much—Rick would have been flighty and distant, if not downright disdainful. But things that implied secrets, cover-ups, conspiracies, and knowledge beyond the ken of man? Oh, Rick was serious about those, all right.
“I’m not biting,” I replied, returning to my magazine.
“I really did,” Rick mumbled quietly.
Quietly? Rick was never quiet. Even when he was performing a massage—he was the spa manager—he wouldn’t shut up. Made a babbler like me seem mute. Now I was paying attention. Rick continued to stare at the floor, back and forth, back and forth.
“I saw it last night, too,” Rick continued. “But I wasn’t sure. I’d been hearing stories from Natalie for weeks, but blew them off. She drinks too much…”—he ignored my snort of derision—“…but then Claudia said she saw something, too. And now I have.”
“In the spa?” I asked, now intrigued. The spa was deep in the bowels of Wind Surf, down near the waterline, back near the marina. At night it was a very quiet, very lonely place. Strange that such a small ship utilizing every cubic inch had locations that felt… well, abandoned. Everything was clean and tidy, of course, but I’d always felt that hallway to be somehow… different.
“I’ve noticed things moving behind the desk a lot,” Rick said. “Hard to tell when bloody f@*#in’ staplers move on their own when you have four employees, though. But you know the melon slices we keep in the urn of drinking water? I heard a gurgle or something and looked up in their direction. In the blink of an eye—in the blink of a bloody eye—they vanished! Then—splat! Right in front of me, right in the middle of the desk, the melons reappeared. Soaked all my paperwork and everything. Bloody f@*#in’ weird, if you ask me. But even that wasn’t enough to convince me the spa was haunted. Not ’til now.
“I was doing paperwork. It was about midnight. A bloody f@*#in’ guest walked right past me. I saw her clearly as she passed. Middle-aged, long brown hair, and a T-shirt that made her look chunky. I told her we’re closed for the night, but she just walked through the spa and into Natalie’s massage room. I followed right behind her, calling out. I was angry, actually, because I’ve had a bad time with stupid passengers complaining all bloody f@*#in’ day. I was going to give this lady a piece of my mind. When I got to Natalie’s room I flipped the light switch on… and nobody was there!”
Rick was clearly shaken. While he and I had had some pretty knock-down, drag-out fights about whether or not UFO’s were parked in the center of the Earth—coming and going through the holes at the north and south poles, Rick insisted—I sensed he was genuinely scared. This, from a former Australian special forces operative who’d been in the middle of genocidal atrocities in East Timor.
In fact, Wind Surf had more resident ghosts than merely in the spa. The cruise director and shore excursion manager both swore they’d seen an apparition floating in the hallway outside the purser’s office, mid-ship. The specter was a shadowy, yet overt, outline of a man from the waist-up. Both knew instinctively it was male, though no features could be seen on the hazy head. Both had offices with doors open to the haunted hall. Several times while doing paperwork in their respective offices on different occasions—though always late at night—they had sensed someone approaching their office. Looking up and out into the hall, they’d be shocked to see only half a man. Once spotted, the unbidden guest always faded back into the dark.
Not so with the purser, however. The Filipina had run to her office to retrieve copy paper for a busy purser’s desk. It was in the middle of the afternoon, sunlight streaming through her office window to flood the hall. Arms laden with said reams, she rushed out of the office and ran smack-dab into the phantom.
She shrieked, at first thinking she had accidentally run into a crewman. But it wasn’t a crewman—or at least none from the present. A caucasian man of average height regarded her skeptically… then vanished in a blink. The whole scenario happened so fast that, when pressed by the others, she couldn’t answer if she had seen his legs or not.
“But he seemed quite real, quite solid,” she stated resolutely. “I looked into his eyes. I saw surprise and something else… a sense of hopelessness. Though it was sunny in the hall, it felt very gloomy, very sad.”
Brian David Bruns
For more tales like this, be sure to check out my new book Cruise a la Carte. You can't go wrong, it's only three bucks!
http://brev.is/TRG5

Just about anyone who has ever been on a cruise before can relate. You've just experienced a week or more of heaven on the high seas. You arrive home to a pile of laundry, mail, bills and an empty fridge. Suddenly, this feeling you can't quite explain hits you like a brick. A feeling of gloominess, which you can only attribute to one thing - the cruise is over. No more mints on the pillow, fresh towels and a made-up bed every day, room service, gourmet meals prepared by someone else, or a serene ocean scene to lull you to sleep at night. Back to reality and life as usual. It's called the "post-cruise blues" and is a common affliction among cruisers from all walks of life. Is there a cure for this devastating disorder? You bet there is … simply book another cruise!
 
New cruisers … did you know that your ship will have a future-cruise consultant on board? Yes, while you are aboard your current cruise, you can book another cruise even before you arrive home. Don't know when - or even if - another cruise is in your future? Don't worry. You can put a $100 deposit and pick your cruise later, typically within 4 years. Along with that future cruise credit, you will also receive on-board credit, anywhere from $25 to several hundred dollars - depending on the length of your cruise and/or accommodations - money you can use for things like umbrella drinks and excursions. Besides, you have nothing to lose - you'll get a full refund if you decide not to cruise or choose to try a different cruise line.
 
So, don't despair. Turn that frown into a smile! With another cruise in the pipeline, you'll be too preoccupied with planning the next voyage to be concerned with mundane chores like laundry and bill-paying, and will give you something to look forward to!
For more on ways to beat the post-cruise blues, read today's article: Tried and True Remedies for Those After-Cruise Blues

Helloooooo, party people! Happy Monday and early Travel Tuesday! How is everyone doing? Whew! So I see I missed a post last week and I'm so sorry for that. I was having some internet issues and then tonight Baltimore turned into Niagara Falls and got poured on with rain, rain and tornadoes! Yeah... it got real here in Charm City. I almost lost To-To, but I'm glad to say I'm I'm safe and all is cruisetacular in my bachelor pad!
So last we spoke, I told y'all I was getting ready for my next cruise aboard Carnival Glory. Well, I went, I'm back and had a blast! I don't even know where to begin. From losing my voice, to staying up with my fam 'til 4:30am eating pizza, to breaking my shoe because I danced too hard in the club one night, my most recent cruise was truly one of my better and more memorable voyages! Gosh, it's a blast cruising with family and friends, wouldn't you agree? I could tell you so much more BUT I think the following videos will give you a better first-hand recap than a few paragraphs in this post can.
Check out these funny videos from my cruise! You'll REALLY see what a cruise with me is like, how my family cuts-up on a cruise AND why cruising with the Fords is more fun! ? Click here to see my entire album from the cruise on my Facebook Fan Page!
The Pre-Cruise Show: Carnival Glory
LIVE from Carnival Glory: The Party is Here!
LIVE from Carnival Glory: I've Got Burnt Feet!
LIVE from Carnival Glory: I Broke My Shoe
LIVE from Carnival Glory: Let's Do Laundry
Night Club Groovin' w/ CM3K
Carnival Glory Sailaway, May 31, 2013
Karaoke Fun on Carnival Glory
The Post-Cruise: Carnival Glory
Atrium Party Aboard Carnival Glory
And I have a BIG announcement to make! Next Thursday night, June 20, 2013, I will be hosting a cruise chat session ALL ABOUT BERMUDA here at CruiseCrazies! The details will be forth coming on the site this week, so stay tuned for all the details! As Always, you're cruisetacular for reading! Until we talk ship again next Monday, keep cruising and grooving, y'all! Much Love--Shon!

When you, dear passenger, step off the gangway for the last time, you are filled with a despondency that is barely tempered by the memories of good times. Why, oh why, you lament, does the cruise have to end? Ah, but it doesn’t have to end! Now you can book a cruise that is the last you’ll ever need to arrange. For you, the cruise will never, ever end. Indeed, it’s for eternity. Cool, huh? Not really. You’ll be dead.
My Final Cruise specializes in arranging details for those who have ‘moved on’ into the sea from cruise ships. Their website is most interesting reading.
Now, you will not be trussed in an old sail—the final stitch poked through your nose to ensure that you are, in fact, dead—and dumped overboard, where your body will sink slowly the long, long way down to the muddy ocean floor, there to be picked apart by large white crabs and other such detritus-eaters. Nope, none of that good stuff. You’re not a pirate, after all. You’ll be cremated long before any of that. My Final Cruise offers a selection of biodegradable urns, which is required by the International Maritime Organization. Prices range from $149 to $324 apiece, depending on your preferred style. After the ashes have been dropped overboard – which must be done outside of the 12-nautical mile limit – these special urns guarantee that the ashes will be dispersed in an environmentally friendly fashion, and that none of the ashes will wash up on the shore. Don’t want to traumatize any swimmers, now.
The company sells receptacles pre-approved by the necessary bodies—pardon the pun—so you don’t violate the strict oceanic policies regarding what can and cannot go overboard. The ‘scallop shell’ urn comes in three colors and costs $324.95. For cheap people such as myself, the simple ‘locker’ comes in six shades and costs an easy-on-the-funeral-budget $149.95. Of course, you have to book an actual cruise, so that’s gonna run up the final cost. You’ll probably save a lot on flowers, though, assuming you don’t buy any on board. Most cruise lines will allow such crematory activity, but must be notified beforehand. This is not something you want to pop on the captain during a champagne meet and greet. My Final Cruise can book the entire cruise for you, via an affiliate cruise agent, so you don’t have to mess with such pesky details. They can also arrange commemorative touches onboard, like a post-ceremony repast. Thus all you have to worry about is packing extra formal wear. The time of the ceremony depends on where the ship is—gotta be outside 12 nautical miles and, thusly, in international waters—and weather conditions. Under ideal circumstances, they say, it takes about seven minutes for the urn to sink.
The exact location where your ashes will be dropped is recorded in the site's database of funereal sites at sea. Via Google Earth, anybody can, uh, appreciate the location. The choice is yours whether to post a public obituary or just a simple ‘X marks the spot’. As of 2012, the site only has two marked locations, one between South Carolina and Bermuda and another just north of Saint Martin. In fact, neither marker represents a real burial at sea site yet; they are merely samples. But the company hopes to be seeing lots of dead people in their world map soon. Don’t we all.
Because of the waveblazing manner of their business, My Final Cruise has had to feel their way around a little bit. They had to brainstorm worst-case scenarios—wouldn’t that be fun?—to build a solid reputation in a sensitive new industry.
“We don’t want deaths being staged as part of a stag party or something,” explains Abbie Sturdley of My Final Cruise. The company requires customers to provide them a death certificate, even though only the Bermuda Maritime Administration actually requires one. Strudley says attempts to partner with cruise lines, which they initially pushed for, were unsuccessful. “Because it’s a sad occasion, lines don’t really want to associate with it,” she says. Still, as global environmental agencies tighten policies, she hopes that lines will start referring potential ash spreaders to My Final Cruise. Hope springs eternal!

At last the day has arrived! No, this is not the day when we embark the Grand Princess in San Francisco bound for Alaskan waters, nor is it time to pack our bags and fly to the “City by the Bay” for three days of pre-cruise sight-seeing. But it is a time of equally enthusiastic celebration. It’s the day we do the “document dance”, also sometimes referred to as the "happy dance"!
Confused? Just ask any avid cruiser who has ever been part of an on-line cruise community. The “document dance” is one of those idiosyncrasies found on cruise forums and blogs and a term fondly used by cruise fanatics everywhere to describe the joy one gets from knowing their cruise documents are ready for processing.
These days, agents or cruise lines seldom mail or hand-deliver your cruise documents. Rather, documents now come in the form of E-docs to be downloaded and printed in the comfort of your own home. Whether my documents come in paper form or cyber form makes no difference to me. I can dance either way!
Today, we received a personal email from Captain Lawes, our fearless skipper who will guide us along on our journey ship through Alaska’s inside passage to Glacier Bay. The fact that every other soon-to-be guest received the exact same captain’s message wasn’t going to burst my bubble, either. I immediately clicked on the attached link, and there was the commander’s smiling and welcoming face bidding greetings from the bridge of the Grand Princess. With excitement beyond anyone’s comprehension, I immediately went to that wonderful place called “My Princess” at Princess.com and clicked on the “Cruise Personalizer” where my booking summary was prominently displayed in all its wonderful glory.
As my eyes glazed over and drifted around the page to be sure that everything was in perfect order – that all forms were completed (check√), “Whale Watch & Mendenhall Glacier Photo Safari” excursion properly booked (check√), cabin selection (check√), dining choice (check√), etcetera…etcetera, my eyes stopped and stared at a link with just two precious words: “Boarding Pass”. This could only mean one thing – my cruise documents were ready to print! Sure enough, I clicked on the link, and there they were – those phrases that every cruiser longs for - “Print Boarding Pass, Print Luggage Tag” – indicating that our cruise is no longer a distant date on a calendar and, in fact, is just eight weeks away. Hallelujah! Start the music and let the document dancing commence!
As we still have 60 days to go before our cruise, I have not yet actually printed the documents, but just knowing they are there makes me happy.
Now – on to the packing list!
Photo Credit: alwaysbelieveblog.com