Sunday, May 22, 2016

Packing For A Cruise And Staying Stylish

Cruise Packing Secrets from Style Bloggers

How to have a trendy trip.

Go neutral. To feel chic anywhere start with a neutral base and accent with color. (Photo by A Lonestar State of Southern)

Don’t forget your poolside reading. In the mood for self-improvement? Try Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin, seen here. (Photo by Rarely Taken Seriously)

Bring a bold ensemble. Take inspiration from your destination. For a bold port-of-call like Falmouth, Jamaica, pack an outfit that makes a statement. (Photo by A Lonestar State of Southern)

Bring unique accessories. Take your look from fine to fun with accessories. They can pack a lot of outfit options into just a little corner of your suitcase. (Photo by Rarely Taken Seriously)

Solid jewel tones. Jewel tones are a classy, sassy choice to complement a vacation tan, just don’t forget the sunscreen! (Photo by The Darling Detail)

Choose a casual but photo-friendly outfit for port days. What makes the best outfit for photos? One that makes you feel like your fiercest self – trust us, it will show. (Photo by Side Smile Style)

Sandals with fringe are the only accessory a patterned bikini needs. Know when to edit an ensemble, sometimes just a little flare is enough. (Photo by Side Smile Style)

Show off sun-kissed skin. You will be feeling fit and fabulous with all that fresh air and sunshine. Sleeveless tops and fit, flare dresses for evening will showcase your relaxed glow. (Photo by B Soup)

Carry a big tote. It can double as your carry-on bag and a daypack for pool days or shore excursions. (Photo by B Soup)

Read more at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/connect/cruise-packing-secrets-from-style-bloggers/#mUFCaySBJS7i9HI4.99

Royal Caribbean Twist On The Classic...With Recipe!

A Very Royal Recipe: Epic Homemade Brownie

An Italian twist on a classic brownie.

Rich chocolate brownies are nothing short of a sweet-tooth’s staple. The version onboard Anthem of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas —courtesy of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver—kicks the classic up a notch with caramel and amaretti. The combo of salty crunch and sweet, fudgy brownie makes for one unforgettable dessert.

The Jamie’s Italian chocolate brownie is what a true brownie should be! Full of proper Belgian chocolate, we use a no nonsense 70% cocoa grade chocolate – never powder – for a grown up indulgent flavour. We also use light brown muscovado sugar which gives a warm and nostalgic caramel undertone.

If you’re making brownies at home, a top tip is don’t over bake them. If you are able to use a temperature probe and cook until the brownie reaches 75 degrees centrigrade, you’ll have a moist, gooey brownie every time. Simply the best!

Just in time for National Brownie Day, we’re giving you the recipe.

Yields: One portion

INGREDIENTS:

1 chocolate brownie

3 ½ tbsp. (1 scoop) salted caramel ice cream

1 tsp. caramelized popcorn

4 tsp. chocolate sauce batch (hot)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Spoon over hot chocolate sauce

2. Top with one scoop of ice cream

3. Garnish with caramelised popcorn

Read more at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/connect/a-very-royal-recipe-epic-homemade-brownie/#Uw92LbEZI9dbgS2i.99

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship HomePorted Out Of Southampton UK Soon?

Royal Caribbean boss: 'The UK will be getting a brand new ship in next few years'

The president of Royal Caribbean has given his strongest hint yet that the UK could see a new ship homeported out of Southampton within the next few years.

SHARELINES

Could the UK be home to a new Royal Caribbean ship in near future?

Speaking onboard Harmony of the Seas - the line’s latest addition to the fleet – Michael Bayley insisted the UK and Ireland remained “very important” to the line. “It always has, and it always will be,” he said.

“We have the fourth Oasis-class ship being delivered in 2018, and we’ve got Quantum 4 coming in 2019, and we haven’t decided where they’re going yet.

“The UK market is very important for us and I can pretty much guarantee that the UK will be getting a brand new ship in the next few years,” he added.

Bayley refused to reveal whether this would be a Quantum or an Oasis-class vessel, however he insisted that the UK “could fill an Oasis-class ship”.

Asked whether this meant an Oasis-class ship was subsequently on the table to homeport in Southampton, Bayley admitted: “It could be”.

It comes just a day after Royal Caribbean announced a new £5.5 million seven year deal with the Port of Southampton, for the City Cruise terminal to remain “the official UK home of Royal Caribbean International”.

In a statement, the line said the investment had “so far enabled Associated British Ports (ABP), owner and operator of the Southampton port, to prepare the terminal for a new generation of ships, heralded by the arrival of the latest addition to Royal Caribbean’s 25-strong-fleet”.

Meanwhile Richard Fain, chairman of parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd confessed he never believed the line would ever build a second Oasis-class ship, let alone a further two.

“When we built the first Oasis-class ship, I really thought there would only be one and I can’t believe we’re now on Oasis 3,” he said. “When we were building our fourth ever vessel [in the fleet], we were genuinely concerned that there wouldn’t be enough ports for it – it seems strange to think that now.”

Elsewhere Bayley dismissed concerns that the size of Harmony of the Seas –now the biggest passenger ship in the world, larger than both its sister ships Allure and Oasis of the Seas – could put people off cruising.

“When you look at the bookings from the UK and Ireland markets, they are outstanding. We’re pretty much sold out for Harmony – the demand is there for this class [of ship] and product. It’s a remarkable success, and that’s why we build this class of ship, and why we will continue to do so.

“At Royal Caribbean we have many brands – Azamara is small and boutique, if you don’t like the big ship experience you can go on this, and Celebrity is a phenomenal cruise line,” he added.

“People have a perception that often dissipates when they come onboard and see and experience the product.”

Fain admitted however that he did not believe the line would make any ships larger than the Oasis-class. “I can’t really see them getting bigger,” he said, but added: “I’ve said that before and I’ve been wrong before.”

Friday, May 20, 2016

Say What?!?! Harmony of the Seas By The Numbers...

Harmony of the Seas by the Numbers

What’s inside, underneath, all around Royal Caribbean’s newest ship

image: http://d38s399h0y8g1i.cloudfront.net/connect/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/HM-Crew2016-005.jpg?dcb443

Royal Caribbean’s brand new ship Harmony of the Seas may be the world’s largest cruise ship – what with all 18 decks and all – but the vacation experience this ship offers is far beyond her size. After all, what does being big really mean? Is it just about collecting records for being the world’s largest? Hardly.

Harmony has seven signature neighborhoods that present a range of experiences and adventures unmatched at sea; more slides than ever before, more dining options, more cocktails, more entertainment. Not to mention more crew to make sure that your every ask, need or whim is catered to so that all you have to do is sit back and enjoy.

Here’s a look at some surprising stats you may not know about this super-sized vessel:

The Basics

Measuring 1,188 feet long, Harmony of the Seas is 227,000 GRT and 85,000 lightweight tons, not petite. For context, if you stood her up against the Eifel Tower she would be taller, and she weighs more than 10,625 adult elephants. It took 500,000 individual parts to create this ship, which carries 6,780 guests in total. Try putting that together with an Allen wrench.

It Takes a Village

There are 2,100 crew members onboard Harmony of the Seas who hail from all over the globe, and their jobs are as varied as the nations they represent. In addition to wait staff, room attendants, entertainers, the cruise director and of course the captain himself, there is one ice skate sharpener, a face painter, seven high divers, and two tight rope walkers And let’s not forget the two robots who staff the Bionic Bar.

Say What?!?

Did you know that the Central Park neighborhood features 10,587 plants, 48 vine plants, and 52 trees which are cared for by a staff of three horticulturists? Or that Harmony has a secret deck, deck 4.5, that provides AquaTheater entertainers and divers access to the depths of the theater during performances. The Hogwarts Express has nothing on Harmony!

Fresh Feasts

If you thought hosting a dinner party was hard work, try feeding nearly 7,000 people! On a typical seven-night cruise Harmony will go through 350 tons of ice cubes (approximately 110,000 lbs. are made each day), 5,000 dozen fresh whole eggs, 100 gallons of chocolate ice cream, 2,100 lbs. of lobster tail and 2,500 lbs. of fresh salmon. Good thing the food & beverage team, with 1,056 members, accounts for almost a half of the entire crew.

Read more at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/connect/harmony-of-the-seas-by-the-numbers/#HD7o3eZU5iTOytm6.99

Booking Flights?

Cruise 101: When is the Best Time to Book a Flight?

Advice for finding the best fares.

If you are planning a cruise vacation chances are you will need to fly to your port of embarkation especially if it is located on another continent. Here are a few tips to help you find the best airfare.

Book not too early and not too late: This is an obvious one but research from CheapAir.com found that only 34% of travelers booked their tickets within the optimal window for pricing. What is that window? According to Expedia, Inc. and the Airlines Reporting Corporation for trips within North America the lowest fares are 57 days before departure. For international destinations it can range from 77 days for the Caribbean to 176 days for Europe. The further you are flying, especially if it is not one of the uber-popular routes, the earlier you should book.

Time your purchase: Do not buy your ticket on Friday. The Wall Street Journal recently found that Sunday offers the lowest average ticket price. High-fare corporate travelers are rarely competing with vacationers to buy seats over the weekend, particularly Sunday.

Compare fares: Google Flights was the community favorite in a recent survey on Lifehacker, but there are plenty of sites out there that streamline the process of comparing fares. In addition, sites have gotten better at accessing and calculating airlines different add-on fees to give you a complete picture of how much you will be spending.

Consider booking cruise and air together: Cruise lines like Royal Caribbean buy a lot of airline tickets so it is not surprising that they get lower rates based on bulk purchases. In fact, their Air2Sea program offers a lowest airfare guarantee. This means you may want to skip the independent booking. Aside from the ease of one-stop shopping, if there is an issue with your flight, the company will provide travel support. Any snafus with independently booked air travel are up to you to sort out.

Regardless of where you purchase your air travel, remember to allow plenty of time on either end of the trip to eliminate the stress of rushing. One tip, plan to arrive in your port of departure the day before embarkation, and do not skimp on time to disembark the ship and transfer back to the airport.

Alaska and Royal Caribbean International

Alaska, Land that Awes

Destinations for adventure-seekers.

You might already be pondering where to go on vacation this year. Rather than a sandy island paradise, perhaps you’re looking for something off the beaten path. If so, look no further than Alaska: it’s bold, breathtaking, the home of inspiring wildlife and rich with history.

The grandeur of the Alaskan wilderness is unmatched. You will find yourself spellbound by arctic blue glaciers, placid alpine lakes and icy rivers surging between mountains. But the view isn’t all you’ll be getting on your trip. You’ll also be retracing the steps of the spirited pioneers who created the Gold Rush of late 1800s. All in all, it’s the most dramatic history lesson you’ve ever had.

image: http://d38s399h0y8g1i.cloudfront.net/connect/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/RCI-Juneau-Alaska-20130729-_13A8005-compressed.jpg?dcb443

Hike one of the many rugged adventure trails in the capital city of Juneau, which boasts more trails than roads. You can get a #nofilter shot of the breathtaking glacial landscape from there, or get one from above, in a guided helicopter tour over the Juneau Ice Field. End the day’s adventures with an authentic Alaskan salmon bake, sharing experiences with the locals as you all enjoy fresh-caught king salmon.

image: http://d38s399h0y8g1i.cloudfront.net/connect/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/RCI_AlaskaTours_18-compressed.jpg?dcb443

In Skagway, climb aboard a vintage railcar and travel 20 miles and 100 years back in time on the Scenic Railway of the World. You can retrace the original route to the White Pass summit, along the Klondike Trail of 1889 which is still worn into the rocks. Thousands made this trek to pan for gold and search for riches. At the top—2,865 feet above mainland—the panoramic view will blow your mind. Back on sea level, keep your eye out for seals, bears, moose, caribou, and more of Alaska’s rare, majestic native creatures.

image: http://d38s399h0y8g1i.cloudfront.net/connect/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/RCI-Skagway-Alaska-20130722-_13A0942-compressed.jpg?dcb443

See Alaska’s incredible sights and historical journeys for yourself, available on a variety of Royal Caribbean itineraries.

Read more at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/connect/alaska-land-that-awes/#W21AqtTsQdOuyk74.99