This makes sense!

Can you beielve that just months after revealing plans for an iLounge with MacBook workstations on board the new Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Cruises said the response has been so positive that iLounges are going onto two more ships.

Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Summit will get their iLounges next month. Each consists of a lounge for checking email, retaining social media connections and printing boarding passes; a retail space offer MacBooks, iPods and accessories; and an enrichment center where certified staff will give tips on Mac and iPod use.

This is a GREAT journey by Stan & Leone Pollard

HAPPY READING!

Every Crystal World Cruise features two exclusive shoreside events for those taking the full World Cruise. This year we were quite fortunate to take part in both of these which have given us memories to cherish for a long time.

The first one was to a race track in Abu Dhabi called the Yas Marina Circuit Formula 1 racing arena. Not having experienced much in the way of racing, this was unique for us. Not only did our motor coach drive us around the whole track (quite slowly of course) but we got to see some actual demonstrations from professional drivers. We enjoyed our drinks and canapés while we watched them zoom by. What Fun!

The second event was truly the highlight of our cruise. We got to pay a visit to Israel’s 2,000 year old Bell Caves. Just like you probably have not heard of them, we had not either. The Bell Caves are actually man made quarries which supplied building materials to the people who lived there at Beit Guvrin during the early years of the Common Era and the people who dug these caves also had as many purposes for them as you can think of. The workers would first dig a narrow hole in the hard rock layer and soon reached the soft chalk layer. As they dug deeper they widened the base of the caves, thus making them bell-shaped with a narrow opening on top. We could see these “holes” to the sky in each cave that we visited.

We left the ship at 5:30 PM and drove for 1 hour. From there we had to walk about 7 minutes through a lovely candlelit park lined with various trees to reach the cave area. When we entered the first cave, we felt like it was something out of Disneyland. The sides are rather smooth and were lightly and colorfully illuminated and it hardly looked real but it was. There was a small orchestra playing while we were served wine, orange juice, and lemonade along with 3 different canapés. We were welcomed by the senior deputy director-general of the Israel Ministry of Tourism and the ship’s Captain. We all thought this was it and we were delighted with the fact that a buffet was being set up for us on board ship when we were scheduled to return after 10 pm.

THEN an announcement was made to move to the next venue as a curtain was parted and we proceeded to the next massive cave where long dining room tables and elaborate candelabras were set up for us. As we all sat down, plates of delicious food were put on the table for us to enjoy along with more wine and soft drinks. Skewers of chicken, salads, vegetables (you name it, it was there) and we finished with delicious desserts of fruits and puddings. There was plenty of bread and even Matzohs since Passover had just begun. Who needed the ship’s buffet after all this.

While we were eating and drinking, we were treated to several live performances including traditional Israeli drummers and Fire dancers. The Black Hebrew Choir was fantastic and it was all topped off by David D’or, a well known Israeli opera singer thrilling us with his renditions of some beautiful Hebrew prayers as well as many folk songs. He finished with the traditional Hebrew Folk song “Havanna Gilah” and everyone got up and danced around in good spirits. Each of us was given a miniature drum as a souvenir along with a certificate certifying us as a Tourism Goodwill Ambassador for Israel. WHAT A GREAT EVENING!

It truly was a great evening and we were honored to be there since this is a site usually reserved only for religious visitors during this time of year. And it was one of the best Crystal events we ever attended. When we returned to the ship we all bypassed the lovely buffet that had been set up for us. We had no room for anything more. Hope one of these days you can experience this as well.

Love,

Mom and Dad

Does it get any better!

Crystal Cruises its expanding its fine dining options with ‘Perfect Choice Dining,’ a concept that maintains the line’s traditional dining experience while adding a new ‘open dining by reservation’ option.

Starting in 2011 and part of it's expansive online Priority Check-in and Planning Center (PCPC) launching in July, the Crystal Dining Room choices of classic main and late seating will be retained. But guests who choose the new open dining by reservation will be able to make nightly bookings in the main dining room in advance of their cruise.

This new option will satisfy the demand for open dining, an cruise industry trend for several years.

Always trying to keep YOU informed....

The State Department is proposing increases in the cost of passports. The proposed rule for the new passport fees was published in the Federal Register last month and will be followed by a public comment period of at least 30 days. The public will be notified of the date the new fees will go into effect. Adult first-time passports will increase from $95 plus the $25 execution fee to $135. The U.S. Passport Book and U.S. Passport Card for adults are valid for 10 years.

The proposed schedule of fees for passport application services is as follows:

* Total Cost: $135 for a first-time U.S. Passport Book for adults (age 16 and over)
* Total Cost: $110 for U.S. Passport Book renewal (age 16 and over only)
* Total Cost: $105 for a U.S. Passport Book for minors (under age 16)
* Total Cost: $55 for a first-time U.S. Passport Card for adults (age 16 and over)
* Total Cost: $30 for a U.S. Passport Card for adults (age 16 and over) who currently hold a fully valid U.S. Passport
* Total Cost: $40 for a U.S. Passport Card for minors (under age 16)
* Total Cost: $82 for additional visa pages

The fee for expedited service will remain $60.

The proposed passport “Schedule of Fees” is based on a Cost of Service Study conducted in June 2009. “It’s the most detailed study the Department of State has ever conducted of its for-fee services, and represents a cost correction from the last update of the Schedule of Fees four years ago,” the State Deoartment says.

Passport application fees are not only used to cover the costs of producing a U.S. Passport Book or Passport Card. Passport fees also cover the costs of providing emergency services for American citizens overseas in crisis situations, such as the current earthquake disaster in Haiti, helping Americans who have been the victims of crime while traveling or living abroad, and providing support to the families of American citizens who have died overseas, State says.

Are We Hungry yet?

Royal Caribbean International instituted Daily Reservations, an online system for clients enrolled in "My Time Dining.:"

You can make nightly reservations in the main dining room and include other guests at your table.

Tables for two to 10 are offered.

Guests can access, request and review their Daily Reservations in advance of sailing through the Pre-Cruise Planner or Cruise Enhancements section of RoyalCaribbean.com.

Daily Reservations are currently available for Oasis of the Seas and will be deployed on all their ship throughout the spring.

Princess Cruises Leads the Way - ONCE AGAIN!

Reviving a tradition that vanished years ago with the onset of tighter security procedures, Princess Cruises is debuting a program to give passengers the opportunity to invite their friends and family aboard ship on embarkation day.

Princess is packaging a ‘Bon Voyage Experience,’ complete with lunch in the dining room and a ship tour, for $39 per person. The price can be applied to a future cruise.

Clients can extend an invitation to their guests to join them on board during sailing day for a four-course dining room lunch with wine, a ship tour and a souvenir photo. Participants get priority embarkation and will be able to spend approximately four hours together on the ship prior to sailing.

The number of guests who will be able to participate in the ‘Bon Voyage Experience’ on any given embarkation day will be approximately 50.

Europe - Carnival - NEW SHP - 2011 YES!

The new Carnival Magic will debut with seven-, nine- and 12-day Mediterranean cruises round-trip from Barcelona from May to October 2011.

This marks Carnival Cruise Lines’ first full season of Mediterranean cruises in three years, as well as the first time the line has homeported a ship in Barcelona.

Carnival is offering an exclusive pre-sale for past customers from today until Jan. 25, including free two-category upgrades and pricing starting at $829 per person, double occupancy.

For customers new to Carnival, the line’s full range of cruise fares, including ‘Early Saver’ rates, will open on Jan. 26.

Carnival Magic’s 2011 Mediterranean schedule will encompass three seven-day departures, six nine-day cruises and eight 12-day voyages. A one-time nine-day sailing from Venice to Barcelona will operate May 1.

Each of the three itineraries starts and ends on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, which Carnival said reflects traditional vacation patterns and provides convenient opportunities for adding a pre- and post-cruise stay.

Seven-day cruises will visit Monte Carlo, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples and Messina. Nine-day cruises add Marseilles (a new port for Carnival) and Palma de Mallorca. The special nine-day cruise on May 1 will visit Dubrovnik, Messina, Naples, Civitavecchia, Livorno and Monte Carlo.

The 12-day voyages include Monte Carlo or Marseilles, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples, Dubrovnik (excluding the May 22 departure which visits Palma de Mallorca), Venice (overnight) and Messina.