Friday, January 16, 2009

We received our Welcome Letter


Dear Susan Clark Koenig,

Get ready to board the spectacular Royal Princess® for a voyage of a lifetime!

Throughout your journey, you'll mingle with fellow travel enthusiasts at grand celebrations, delight in authentic dining options with regional accents and enjoy fascinating lectures.

Part of your Princess experience includes a wealth of onboard entertainment and activities. We don't want you to miss a single event - so take a look below to see what's going on while you're onboard.

On behalf of the officers and crew of Royal Princess®, we look forward to welcoming you onboard and dazzling you during your Princess escape around the world!

Sincerely,
Peter Roberts
Cruise Director – Royal Princess

It included much information on the special events and activities we will have onboard. I've posted just a sample below - this is on the ScholarShip@Sea® and Guest Lecturers.
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Princess Cruises®, the leader in at-sea interactive courses, invites you to participate in one of our many fascinating enrichment lectures. Learn to take professional-quality photos of your vacation; create a unique hand-painted plate; discover how to navigate a cruise ship; craft a vacation keepsake souvenir or sit back and listen to informative presentations and inspirational real-life tales.

Princess Book Club
Meet fellow passengers and avid book readers while engaging in literary discussion at the Princess Book Club. Book selections are drawn from The New York Times Best-Seller List. Selected book titles for Royal Princess® are:
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand

Computers@Sea
Download your best digital photos and learn how Photoshop can make them even better. Unlock the secrets of the World Wide Web by surfing the internet with ease. Attach documents, photos, even short videos and e-mail them with confidence. Our Computers@Sea program offers passengers an array of fun and useful computer classes taught by our computer expert, Nancy Prince.

Learn to Play Bridge
As you journey around the globe, experienced bridge players can play bridge under the supervision of a certified Life Master Bridge Instructors and accrue points, while beginners can learn the basics of the game.

Photography Contest
Show your creativity and individual style by participating in the Royal Princess World Cruise Photography Contest. Prizes will be awarded over four segments with a grand prize. You don't have to be an expert to enter, so give us your best shot! The photo categories are:
Nature, Landscapes or Seascapes
People, Family or Friends
Architecture, Cities and Towns
Open, Creative or Artistic

Christian Religious Services
As you journey around the globe, celebrate Sunday religious services (including Palm Sunday and Easter) with Christian clergy, including a Catholic Priest.

Jewish Religious Services
When in the Mediterranean, celebrate Passover services with Rabbi Allen Mallar.

Guest Lecturers


January 20 – February 24, 2009

Russell Schweickart – Retired Astronaut
Takes you on a unique and beautiful tour of planet Earth from a distant perspective few have experienced.



Lynne Truss – Best-selling Author
What do the collapse of literacy, the breakdown of social cohesion, the beauty of a semicolon and the value of an apostrophe have in common? Keen observer of the world and best-selling author Lynne Truss humorously ties it all up in a common sense look at the world we live in.

Arthur Hiller – Director of Love Story and former Motion Picture Academy President
Countdown to the Oscar telecast show and let him regale you with tales from behind the velvet ropes, and lead you down the red carpet to the best seat in the house. And remember: "Love means never having to say you’re sorry."

Sue Cameron – Hollywood Journalist
Hollywood has never lacked for scandals: tantrums, cover-ups and murders. From Garbo to Kidman, veteran Hollywood journalist Sue Cameron has personally interviewed them all. Ask a question and she'll know the answer because she was probably with them at the time.

Dr. Dean J. Papavassiliou-Caribbean Destination Lecturer
Follow world traveler and former diplomat Dr. Dean J. Papavassiliou through the Caribbean and Central America as he explains the people, history, and culture of this wonderful and exotic region of the World.

John Maxtone-Graham – Maritime Historian
Relive heroic tales of North and South Pole explorations, the Titanic's gripping final hours and other maritime stories.

Les Evans – Former Concorde Pilot
Former Concorde pilot, talks about the glorious past of flying this technological marvel and casts his gaze forward to discuss aviation's future.

Norman Caisse – Astronomer
Embark on a fascinating journey from our own Solar System, through the Milky Way, and on to the edge of the known Universe. On clear dark nights Norman can be found surveying the South Pacific heavens. Be sure to join him on deck.

Douglas Pearson – Australasia, South Pacific and Polynesian Naturalist
South Pacific and Polynesian expert Douglas Pearson lives on the idyllic island of Moorea. His unusual selection of objects enhance his unique " menu of stories," giving depth and color to his talks.

February 25 – March 19, 2009

Donald Blair – Space Travel/NASA Expert
He amazes you with photos seldom seen by the public and explains some of the most complicated machines ever built by man – the Space Shuttle and Space Station. It's literally out of this world.

John Maxtone-Graham – Maritime Historian
Relive heroic tales of North and South Pole explorations, the Titanic's gripping final hours and other maritime stories.

Glenmore Trenear-Harvey – Espionage and Intelligence Expert
Receives regular briefings from MI5 and MI6, Britain's secret intelligence and security services. A featured speaker at conferences worldwide, he has been involved with the clandestine world for over 40 years.

Heather Clement – Japanese Cultural Historian
What obi should you wear with that kimono? What’s the difference between Shinto and Zen? How deep should I bow? Join us as Heather Clement de-mystifies one of the most advanced societies on the planet.

Marylou Blakeslee – Oceania, Micronesia Naturalist
From Australia's Great Barrier Reef to ancient turtles that swam with dinosaurs, to mammals of the South Pacific, explore the varied natural treasures this world has to offer.

Gunn Seawell & Don Schenzel – Ballroom Dance Instructors
Ballroom Dance Instructors teach the graceful movements of the Waltz, the rhythmic steps of the Salsa, and the fluid steps of the Cha Cha, among other dances.

March 20 – April 10, 2009

Michael Irving – Naval Maritime Historian
Naval Maritime Historian who has spent more time on water than on dry land. His personal favorites include James Cook, Lord Nelson, the Portuguese, the Spanish and the Dutch, and the ravages of scurvy.

Hassan Eltaher – Holy Land Cultural Historian and Expert
The story of the Suez Canal is like sailing through World History. Senior Analyst for Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs with the Government of Canada, Hassan Eltaher brings this part of the world to vivid life.

April 11 – May 8, 2009

Lainie Kazan – Hollywood Personality and Legend
You may know her from her 26 appearances on the Dean Martin Show, or her reoccurring role on The Nanny, or her critically acclaimed role in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Chanteuse and actress Lainie Kazan shares her life story, from her Brooklyn beginnings to her starring roles on Broadway.

Thomson Smillie – Opera/Broadway Lecturer
Celebrate the musical cultures of Italy, Spain and France, and learn about the turbulent life of Greek diva Maria Callas.

Debbie Fraioli – Mediterranean Cultural Expert and Port Lecturer
Explains the highlights no traveler should miss in the ancient and historical ports of Europe.

Watercolor and Calligraphy Instructor
Hone your artistic skills and then donate your finished art to a silent auction benefiting the Susan G. Komen Foundation to fight breast cancer.


PLEASE NOTE: All shows, entertainers, movies and events are subject to change without notice

Thursday, January 15, 2009

The first reports are coming in from the Tahitian Princess World Cruise. It left on the 14th, one week before ours. The itineraries are identical until we pass through the Suez Canal then they differ. Apparently there were problems at check-in when some people didn’t have the appropriate shots or their immunization records. Luckily we have gotten ours and have our paperwork all in order. A friend on that cruise just emailed that the closet and drawer space is much less than expected and to pack even more carefully.

Pack carefully for 107 days with temps ranging from 100 degrees to 40?? Ok, we’ll pack carefully and plan to store any extra clothes in the suitcases under the bed.

My Luxury Cruise & Travel office is now closed for the duration and my two agents are handling everything. Tomorrow we run the last minute errands and Saturday we pack. I’ll be glad to have everything finished. Sunday we can relax all day! The weather for Monday looks excellent for our flights – that is always a concern when flying out of Denver in the winter.

Monday, January 12, 2009

It's snowing

It’s snowing today in Denver which only adds to the anticipation of heading to tropical weather. One week from today and we will board Royal Princess in Fort Lauderdale. We will fly in the day before and spend the night at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six.

The piles of clothes are getting pretty high. We won’t actually pack until the day before we leave and I’m sure I’ll change my mind about some of the stuff in the stacks.