Norwegian Breakaway with her Peter Max New York themed hull

Ah, that new ship smell which hits you when you first step onboard a brand new ship!  OK, so maybe it’s not the same as a new car, but you get the idea.  As I mentioned previously, it’s always exciting to see a new ship; any new ship.  Norwegian Breakaway offers it’s company’s brand distinction of ‘Freestyle Cruising’, which means a host of options.  Most notable is with the dining.  This ship offers 27 dining venues and all are ‘Freestyle’, meaning that none are assigned to you.  Also of note are the charges; 11 of the 27 are included in your fare (no extra charge), but the rest have an additional charge (click here for complete dining guide).  The dining is such a major part of this cruise that I’ll do a separate post on that later. The myriad of dining choices is nearly rivaled by the selection of entertainment venues, as well.  In fact, one place even combines the two with the Spiegel Tent which is a sort of dinner show with a Cirque Dreams show taking place overhead during your dinner (yes, this is at an extra charge).  There is, of course the main show lounge, Breakaway Theater, for big productions.  Rock of Ages is currently being featured and Ihave to say I found this a very ‘interesting’ selection for a large, mainstream cruise ship.  It’s billed as edgy, or adult, but will surely catch many off guard with it’s use of risqué dress with sexual overtones and several ‘F bombs’ dropped during the dialogue.  Regardless, I guess with Freestyle you

Fat Cat’s Jazz & Blues Club

are free to approve, or simply venture elsewhere.  Moving along, there are other great options such as Fat Cat’s for jazz & blues, Headliners for comedy, disco in Bliss, or a great outdoor option at Spice H2O for the cool set (or those who want to at least try to feel ‘cool’).  Of course there is the usual cruise ship inclusions of the casino and a host of great bars, too.

When it comes to accommodations, I have to say that our standard balcony cabin was more spacious than many I’ve seen.  There was a full-size sofa, good storage space, and a very nice sized bathroom.  It was interesting that there was no chair in the cabin.  There was a dual purpose ottoman for sitting at the dresser which also had a fitted hard top cover to use as a side table and it opened up for storage inside.  Clever and practical, but a simple chair with back support would be preferred by most folks, I think.  As for other accommodations, there are many choices, with the most notable

The Haven private pool deck

being The Haven.  This is an Norwegian trademark and functions as a cruise within a cruise.  The Haven are suites and deluxe cabins in their own private access area, located forward on the top of the ship.  Here you’ll find your own private pool area, private lounge area, private dining room, and private deck all for Haven guests only.  It has great snob appeal and is honestly a great appeal to non-snobs, too!  Their concept is to cater to those who would want a deluxe more intimate experience (think Seabourn, or Silversea), but would appreciate the amenities of a large ship, such as multiple entertainment options and facilities for kids (The Haven is perfect for grandparents bringing on the whole family for an inter generational cruise experience). Another Norwegian exclusive for accommodations is the Studio.  Here they have built a good number of single occupancy cabins for solo travelers who don’t want to pay the usual high single supplement in a standard cabin.  These cabins are cozy, but very well designed and even have their own lounge area where you can mix & mingle if you so desire.  This makes such good sense and I think they’ve done very well so far (this is the second Norwegian ship with Studio cabins).

So enough factoids.  Did I like the ship?  Yes!  Norwegian Breakaway has great facilities and really seems to ‘flow’ well to me.  It’s very large, but does not really ‘feel’ all that large.  Most areas have a very open design and this seems to bring it all together, rather than being chopped up into multiple locations as on some ships.  Most of the décor is quite pleasant and not ‘in your face’ like you may find elsewhere on other ships.  The only ‘over the top’ feature is the huge waterpark and ropes course on the back of the top deck, but then that’s just another example of having something for everyone!  Overall, I found it all much more appealing than my last Norwegian experience a few years ago.  They have different management now and have honestly been trying to upgrade their product and make improvements the last few years and it shows.  This is good for us to see as we’ll have a Norwegian ship sailing from Houston starting next year.  While it won’t be a brand new one like the Breakaway, it will have the Norwegian Freestyle trademarks and facilities so we’ll look forward to this new option for our Texas clients! In the meantime, the Norwegian Breakaway is sailing from New York to Bermuda this summer and will offer itineraries to the Bahamas & Florida from New York in the winter.  In early 2014, she’ll be joined by a twin sister, Norwegian Getaway, which will be based in Miami for year-round sailings to the Eastern Caribbean.

I think we’ve all heard “do as I say, not as I do”, right?  Funny how that rings true, time after time……

Whether boarding your ship in Miami, or Barcelona, we always suggest that you fly in the day before.  The airlines track record has become less stellar in the last few years and the lost and/or delayed baggage claims are noticeably worse these days, too.  So for these reasons, we have heard too many ‘stories’ which illustrate why you should listen to us and GO THE DAY BEFORE (not to mention you are a bit more rested to begin your cruise and you eliminate the stress of maybe ‘missing the ship’).

So my last blog was about MY upcoming agent preview cruise of the new Norwegian Breakaway in New York.  Even though I have preached the ‘day before’ thing for years, I booked flights to go the day of the cruise itself, arriving at a safe sounding 11:45am for our 4:00pm departure (and besides my traveling companion had to work, so that going the day before thing was not an option this time).  Our Southwest flight was scheduled to depart at an eye-opening 6:05am, but it was worth the EARLY hour to arrive in plenty of time for the cruise.

The flight left the gate right on time for our first leg to New Orleans.  After we backed out from the gate, the captain turned the plane toward the runway, just as expected.  However, we did not proceed and  instead just sat there for about five minutes.  Then came the announcement “Well folks it seems that New Orleans is in the midst of some thunder showers right now and we’re in contact with our dispatch folks to see how soon they think it will be safe for us to continue”.   Note:  “thunder showers” is pilot speak for “STORMS and it is too bad to tell you just how bad it really is right now”.  Sure enough, in a few minutes we were advised that we would be pulling back into the gate, as ‘dispatch’ thought it would be at least 30 minutes before we could proceed.

If you’ve been in this position, and most of you surely have, you first think “well, that’s it, we’re going to misconnect “ (and now we’re going to miss our ship).  Depending on how you are wired, it may take a few seconds, or maybe a few minutes, but eventually you probably realize that “hey, if we are delayed due to weather there, then the plane we are connecting to should be delayed, too! (hope, hope)”.  Sure enough, after we took off, the announcement came that Newark, Nashville, and Orlando passengers would all make their connections as those planes were being delayed, too.  “Whew” was our first thought and since we did not have checked luggage, the ‘but will our luggage make the short connection” question was irrelevant this time.

After having the flight attendants be seated three separate times during our short, bump ridden flight, we finally arrived almost exactly an hour behind schedule.  We dashed to the connecting gate, different than originally posted, and made it JUST as they were about to begin boarding.  Again, WHEW.

Our arrival was just more than an hour behind the planned time in New York, but we made it to the ship just past 2:35pm (the requested boarding time was no later than 2:00pm, but we were welcomed just the same).  Many of the activities and specialty dining options, which could be reserved only onboard, were already filled by the time we arrived.  Disappointing and unfortunate, but at least we made it and could enjoy the next two days onboard this truly wonderful ship.  However, there was anxiety and stress which would have all been moot if we’d simply gone a day early.  The point being
“Do as I say and always GO THE DAY BEFORE!”

Details and photos on the cruise to follow in my next post.

Norwegian Breakaway with it’s Peter Maxx custom painted hull

It’s always exciting to see a new cruise ship!  Most cruise lines host a travel agent ‘preview cruise’, or cruise to nowhere to showcase their new vessel.  Such is the case this week in New York with Norwegian Cruise Line’s new Norwegian Breakaway.  I’ll be fortunate enough to participate in tomorrow’s cruise, which will return on Sunday.  With all the tools of technology available today, the cruise line created a cell phone app just for our departure, loaded with all kinds of ship info, deck plans, onboard events, and a host of info to boost our excitement (and I have to admit the excitement angle has worked!).

Look for updates and photos this weekend, as our time permits, but in the meantime USA Today has some nice photos; take a peak…photo tour  

A quote that comes to mind that reminds me of my tour with Tauck would be:
“If you settle for ordinary you are just a tourist”. There is nothing ordinary about Tauck Tours. Tauck offers exclusive destination experiences that are truly all inclusive with the personalized service of a tour host and takes you to those out of the way places the other tour companies don’t.

Tauck specializes in ‘destination immersion’

On my Tauck River Cruise, we had several “Tauck Exclusives” that made the River Cruise even more special. We visited a family ranch in Camargue in the delta of the Rhone River. Imagine a provencal lunch served by family members in traditional costumes and being serenaded by a trio of guitar players during the wonderful noon feast. After lunch we had the opportunity to see the bulls and the guardians in action with a demonstration of a Camargue style bullfight. These young men were crazy, being chased by this wild bull through the ring. It was an amazing day that only Tauck could offer. On two other occasions we were given 20 Euros to spend to enjoy the local culture and food! A wonderful lunch in Avignon was enjoyed and in Lyon, the gastronomical capital of France, we enjoyed a “private food tasting”. We then sampled the wonderful foods that were awaiting us at the various stalls at France’s largest indoor food market all on the generosity of Tauck.

With Tauck you can not go wrong—they travel the world. This family run business offers the best! So if you never want to settle for ordinary, travel in good company, leave your worries at home and get what you pay for and then some …travel with Tauck…you won’t be disappointed and you will never travel with anyone else!

I found a gem of a hotel in Hotel Moliere in Paris. Built in 1840 the hotel is in a prime location just off the Avenue de l’Opera and around the corner from the shops and cafes of the Rue de Rivoli and the Louvre. Who could ask for a better location! With all the major attractions of Paris at your doorstep! The metro is close by and if I can maneuver my way through the Paris metro system anyone can!

Hotel Moliere Paris

A welcoming reception staff helped with dining and shopping suggestions and reconfirmed travel arrangements for my departure. This gem of hotel offers complimentary internet service and along with the lobby lounge there is a small living room just off of the reception and small breakfast room. Continental breakfast is included in some rates. Rooms are are decorated in fabric prints on the walls with coordinating curtains hung from the ceiling draped over the window that open to the street. Bathrooms are marble and stone and new! This small hotel is a great value for a city that charges an arm and leg for hotel nights. Stay at the Hotel Moliere right in the heart of it all and you won’t be disappointed!

John recently returned from a Tauck River Cruise in France.

Lush Gardens of Vienne!

Little did I know that they saved the best until last!  Our last day of the cruise was by far the best!  The morning started in the charming city of Vienne filled with lovely gardens, shops and sidewalk cafes.   I really don’t understand how all the sidewalk cafes stay in business. It seems like there are three to four on each block!   Impressive Roman ruins, like the Temple of Augustus and the 13,000-seat theater cut into the hillside, once again are from the days of Julius Caesar’s reign of the area.

Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse

We boarded the motor coach for Lyon and had no idea what would be in store for us.   Lyon, the “gastronomy capital” of France has the largest indoor food market in France.   There was stall after stall of food vendors offering meats, cheeses, breads, wines, seafood, pastries, candies ….you name it and it was there, you could eat it.   A private tasting of meats, cheese, pates, bread and of course wine was enjoyed.   I then enjoyed some local favorites of Lyonnaise potatoes, potato cakes, cheeses, bread, wine and topped it off with a macaroon!   I was in food heaven.   The food was wonderful and Tauck made it such a special time with the private tasting and then giving each guest 20 Euros to sample the food!   The last afternoon was spent visiting the old town of Lyon and soaking in the local culture.   It was a great day of food and culture that I will always remember.

Note:  John was onboard the Swiss Emerald with Tauck River Cruises last week, sailing from Arles to Lyon, France.

A dreary day, but great time on the Rhone River

We are floating up the Rhone towards Lyon and enjoying every minute of it.
Avignon was our second stop and the Palais de Papes (Palace of the Popes)
dominates the city.   This walled city dates back to the 14th century and I
always wonder how they built all this stuff so many years ago. Shopping and
sidewalk cafes dot the streets and we enjoyed all.   I enjoyed a typical
french lunch at a local restaurant compliments of Tauck which they gave
each guest 20 Euros to immerse themselves in the local French food…and
we did it was wonderful.

Viviers – unique trees lining the street into the city center

Viviers, a small ancient city of about 4,000 is a maze of small
cobblestone streets and not much life as most of the people have left the
town and moved to the countryside.   We did visit a local potter and
purchased two bowls that would of cost three times the cost in the U.S.   I
will enjoy those and put the chocolate sauce, carmel or basil mustard that I bought in Avignon in them…YUM! Lyon will be our last stop and hoping for better weather but on the river all things are good and relaxing!

Note: John is onboard the Swiss Emerald with Tauck River Cruises this week, sailing from Arles to Lyon, France and will be posting blog updates as his time allows; check back for more!

Who would of thought that a Roman Ampitheater would be in the middle of Arles in Southern France?   Arles, the southern most point of our Rhone River cruise, became a Roman colony in 49 BC when Julius Caesar took over the region.   Arles is also known for Van Gogh.  He settled here in 1888 and entered into his period of uniques light colors of the region.

Camargue, outside of the city, is Western Europe’s largest river delta and home of more than 400 species of birds including the pink flamingo.   The famous Camargue black bull and the Camargue white horse are also found here.

A wonderful walking tour of the city in the morning and a “Tauck exclusive” afternoon at the ranch of the Laurent Family where we dined on a provencal lunch and watched the bulls and horses in action.   It was a truly amazing day in Arles.

Note:  John is onboard the Swiss Emerald with Tauck River Cruises this week, sailing from Arles to Lyon, France and will be posting blog updates as his time allows; check back for more!

Elegant was the first thing that came to mind once I entered the Swiss Emerald of Tauck River Cruises. The two-story reception area with the marble floors, rich woods, and crystal chandelier greet you as if you are in a fine hotel. The dining room and lounge are forward from the reception; the staterooms and bistro are aft.

Elegant Interior of Tauck Swiss Emerald

My junior suite (cabin 302) is one of the nicest cabins I have ever had.
There is plenty of closet space with a safe, mini bar, and plenty of nice wooden hangers. A queen size bed with nice reading lights, along with a glass top dressing table and then a table and two chairs are situated in front of the french balcony. The marble and granite bathroom are what I would consider one of the best I have had on a cruise. Molton Brown toiletries, thick towels, and blow dryer await you.

I have found a good friend in the self serve coffee/cappucino/espresso machine in the bistro. It is open 24 hours and offers continental breakfast in the morning starting at 6 am and later a light lunch; cookies, tea, coffee are available 24 hours. A bistro dinner is served each evening and you must make your reservation by 2 pm to be one of the lucky ones to dine in this small venue. But more on the food later. Today we will explore Arles, our first port, and learn more about “cultural immersion”, as Tauck calls it.

Note:  John is onboard the Swiss Emerald this week, sailing from Arles to Lyon, France and will be posting blog updates as his time allows; check back for more!

OK, I did it! When I was planning for my trip to France,
I was trying to decide what to take and what luggage to use. With today’s restrictions from the airlines on luggage you really have to plan ahead.

I am going to France for 8 days and my business partners said no problem. “Just take a carry on”. I said “for 8 days?” You can do it, I was told. Could I really pack for an 8 day trip to France with just a carry on and a backpack… Well guess what I did! I will breeze through customs in France not having to wait for my bag!  

No more lugging a large suitcase! Au-revoir!