Ship Mate - Another App Find

Any of you who love to travel know that planning and anticipating the trip is also part of the trip itself. We had planned two cruises with my husband's family for over a year aboard Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. I had decided I wanted to be as paperless as possible as well as very organized since I was the travel agent for our group. I found several apps that were helpful in achieving these two goals, one of them being Ship Mate for Royal Caribbean. This app helped me keep a countdown of days until my cruises, plan my cruise and activities during the sailings, it helped me meet others on our sailings via the "Chat with Others" feature, and it let me keep deck plans right on my iPhone to view whenever I needed them. The feature I used every day while cruising was the "Daily Planner" that reminded me of ports and times, excursions, parties, shows, etc. This app is so powerful and I look forward to using it the next time I cruise and using even more of the features it offers. Check out what Ship Mate can do for you while planning and sailing.

The cruise industry has consistently served the U.S. with one of the most preferred vacation options for decades. Despite the poor economy, passenger growth has averaged over 7% since 2000 and customer satisfaction has far exceeded other vacation categories. Cruise ships offer something for everyone. One of the only complaints from cruisers is that there are too many options, particularly for first-timers. Passengers feel overwhelmed with the number of activities and locations throughout the ship. This frustration is exacerbated at the ports as cruisers are bombarded by solicitors and options. The solution to this madness – the Ship Mate mobile app.

Ship Mate's motto is, “don't wait to start your cruise.” Available for Apple and Android devices, the mobile app encourages users to start enjoying and preparing for their cruise months before boarding. Users are able to virtually explore every corner of the ship with detailed deck maps, location descriptions and colorful pictures of the ship's many attractions. The app also contains detailed information on over 800 ports worldwide, including weather, history, maps, web cams, and advice on where to go eat, drink and shop. Some ports even offer exclusive Ship Mate deals simply by showing the app. Cruisers are using Ship Mate to take advantage of the limited time that they have at each port.

You'll likely find yourself opening the app on a daily basis to check your Countdown, Ship Locator, and Deck Cams. Feel the excitement build while tracking your ship as it navigates the planet, bouncing from oasis to oasis. And use the live web cams to transport yourself from that stiff, ergonomic desk-chair into a warm, poolside cabana. You'll know the exact number of days (or hours) until your vacation becomes a reality by using Ship Mate's personalized Cruise Countdown feature. For the “Type A” cruisers out there, Ship Mate offers some handy utility features like the interactive Packing Checklist, Budgeting Feature and Customizable Itinerary.

If the information that you're looking for isn't in the app, you'll likely get help from fellow passengers using Ship Mate's Chat feature. Cruisers are eager to share their knowledge and to meet others in the ship and port-specific chat rooms. You'll also get unbiased reviews throughout the app left by previous ship mates – and don't forget to impart some cruise wisdom of your own once you're back on the mainland.

And the best part about Ship Mate – it doesn't require internet access. You can turn it on “airplane mode” and avoid the outrageous fees charged by cruise ships. There's a version for every major cruise line - just search for “Ship Mate” in your app store.

Become part of the Ship Mate community by following them on Facebook, Twitter, or their Blog.

I cannot recommend an app like this for your next cruise vacation enough. It has everything you need to keep you organized and informed all in one place.

Confessions Aboard A Cruise Ship

This is a great article about what goes on with those working aboard ship... and good for a laugh.

Confessions of...A Cruise Ship Musician
It's not all Salty Dogs and sunsets for the folks working your favorite boat—take it from a former drummer in an on-board band.
By as told to Andrea Minarcek, April 2011 issue

(Courtesy walterpowers/myBudgetTravel)

Setting off for a summer job on an Alaskan cruise ship in 2007, Mike Minarcek had modest expectations: to meet a few nice people, make a few bucks, and put his university music degree to work. He had no idea what he was in for.

For the Love of Disco: As a drummer for the main theater's scripted show, I played the same 10 songs nearly every night, one terrible medley after the next. Occasionally, though, I'd work one of the clubs, where we had more say in the set list. The passengers' preferred dance numbers—"Shout," "The Electric Slide"—would have been annoying under any other circumstance, but we were so happy to get a break from the theater show's monotony that we'd gladly take any old request.

A Boatful of Nudists Is Not as Sexy as You Might Think: For two weeks every summer, our cruise line hosted a nudists-only sail. Employees were offered the option to skip it and stay over at a hotel in Seattle instead. My curiosity got the better of me, so I agreed to stay on the ship. Almost immediately, I regretted it—especially after one guy bumped into me. Not pleasant. It's just plain bizarre seeing people do ordinary things in the buff: playing shuffleboard, scoping out the dinner buffet, doing the "Y.M.C.A." But eventually, I got so used to all the nudity that it seemed weird when clothed passengers arrived.

Double-duty Blues: "All hands on deck" is more than a figure of speech. You can fit only so many employees on a ship, so we musicians often had to pitch in on random tasks. During safety demonstrations, we had to stand out on deck for hours wearing life jackets, pointing at exits, and smiling like chimps. Not surprisingly, the clothing-optional cruise came with even more unpleasant chores. I respect people's right to go nude if they want, but not when it means I have to Saran-wrap an entire theater full of seats to protect their bare bums. (I pity the late shift that had to remove it after the show.)

The Drum Set Takes the Cake: At the end of each cruise, passengers filed into the ship's ballroom for a fancy final dinner. The meal itself was wonderful, but for some reason, the powers that be decided to have the theater band "perform" during a portion of the dinner. Not play music, mind you—perform. In place of actual instruments, we were handed very large, cumbersome, fake instruments made of food. The trumpet was a strawberry on the end of a celery stalk (with gumdrop valves!), and my drum kit included a large wooden cake atop a tripod of bread sticks. Every week, we had to dance with these things on stage like idiots to a song so cheesy that I've blocked it from memory. That was always the night we musicians did our hardest drinking.

Cabin Fever: There's a reason the quality of cruise-ship entertainment has dwindled in recent years. Quite frankly, the schedule stinks. You work every day, mostly all day. Your living quarters are like matchboxes, and there's only one tiny room where employees are allowed to socialize. It's called the Officers' Bar, and it's perpetually filled with smoke and sticky with spilled booze. There are always loud parties going on in there because, honestly, you start to lose it a bit when you’ve been at sea a while. At least I did. —Interview by Andrea Minarcek (Mike’s sister)Read more: http://www.budgettravel.com/feature/confessions-ofa-cruise-ship-musician,7152/#ixzz1lolnxm8X

Stuck in an Airport

http://www.travelchannel.com/video/tonys-airport-tips-16248

Anthony Bourdain has a good tip about making sure all your "devices" are loaded up with stuff to do to keep you busy at the airport. Whether you are waiting for your flight, your flight has been delayed or canceled, you've got to have something to keep you mind off it .... and that gate agent with the fake smile saying everything is ok....

Sail the Med Aboard Celebrity Equinox with Bob Eubanks!

Cruise aboard Celebrity Equinox with Bob Eubanks, Host of The Newlywed Game! This fantastic cruise is a 10-night Eastern Med Cruise August 3-13th, 2012. This sailing offers up to $250 on board credit plus reduced depsoits. Sign up by December 1st to be entered in a drawing to win extra cruise bonuses.

The intinerary for this sailing is awesome:
Fri Aug 3 Rome (Civitavecchia) leave 5 pm
Sat Aug 4 Sicily (Messina) Italy docked 10 am - 7 pm
Sun Aug 5 Seminars@Sea
Mon Aug 6 Athens (Piraeus) docked 7 am - 6 pm
Tues Aug 7 Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey
Wed Aug 8 Rhodes Greece docked 7 am - 6 pm
Thur Aug 9 Santorini, Greece tendered 7 am - 6 pm
Fri Aug 10 Mykonos, Greece tendered 7 am - 6 pm
Sat Aug 11 Seminars@Sea
Sun Aug 12 Naples/Capri, Italy docked 7 am - 6:30 pm
Mon Aug 13 Rome (Civitavecchia), 4:30 am

Please let me know if you'd like more information or prices on cabins. The link below also has a little more info on the great events taking place on this sailing. Contact me at amy@luxeconcierge.net or 805-550-8932.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Join-Bob-Eubanks---space-going-fast-.html?soid=1102390974131&aid=sJP2stMXwcE

How To Deal With Common Air Travel Snafus...

...and beat them! Part 8 of 8 in a series.

YOU LOSE YOUR PASSPORT

Perhaps you got pickpocketed or lost your day pack. Either way, your passport has gone the way of your cash and credit cards. Talk about headaches.

Why it matters: Without a U.S. passport, you won't be able to return to the country. (Vacations are nice, but who wants to become an accidental expat?)

How to deal: Passports can often be issued at a U.S. embassy on the same day if you can prove your identity (the U.S. Department of State has a full list of embassies and consulate offices around the world). Of course, it's hard to prove your identity when your wallet—and everything in it—is MIA. The best first step in this situation is to go to a police station to get a statement declaring your situation. Take this statement to the embassy, and they should be able to retrieve your information in their system. You will need to pay a fee (around $135) to replace your passport.

Trick to avoid the problem: Stash your passport in a hotel safe or stuff it in a security pouch, such as the Rick Steves Silk Money Belt, which you can wear under your clothes (from $10, Amazon). Insider tip: Before you depart, sign up for the U.S. Department of State's free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. Store your passport number and other details in its online database, making it easy for you to receive emergency assistance from a U.S. embassy or consulate during an emergency. Alternatively, e-mail a scan of your passport to yourself at a Web-based account, which you can access if you lose your passport and you need to look up its number and issue date to request a new one.

How To Deal With Common Air Travel Snafus...

...and how to beat them. Part 7 in a series of 8.

YOUR LUGGAGE, OR SOMETHING INSIDE, IS DAMAGED

Your suitcase isn't insured by the airline for wear and tear. But if something inside your bag is damaged, it may be covered.

Why it matters: On domestic flights, a passenger can recover up to $3,300 for damaged or lost contents of luggage. Liability on most international flights is less, strangely enough, at about $1,500 a passenger.

How to deal: Report a claim within 24 hours, or else you may lose your chance to file for reimbursement. Be prepared to itemize your belongings.

Trick to avoid the problem: Never pack anything fragile or difficult to replace in your checked luggage. For instance, airlines almost never cover jewelry or electronics. Even breakable items such as musical instruments that aren't packed in hard-sided cases are usually not covered by U.S. airlines. Just ask Dave Carroll, the musician who made a famous YouTube video about how his guitar was damaged to the tune of $1,200 by United baggage handlers. Insider tip: If your bag's contents are critical, ship them by a service such as FedEx or UPS. Because of rising checked-baggage fees, major shipping services are increasingly competitive in their rates. Just be sure to call your hotel first to make sure it will accept your package for delivery without charging a fee.

How To Deal With Common Air Travel Snafus...

...and beat them! Part 6 in a series of 8.

YOU DON'T FIT IN YOUR SEAT

If you're super tall or extremely overweight, you may not fit in the typical airplane seat.

Why it matters: Consider how flight attendants on a recent Horizon Air flight forced a six-foot-nine-inch-tall passenger to leave a plane because his legs were blocking the aisle. The airline later apologized, saying it should have instead had the flier trade seats with another passenger in the roomier exit row. Plus-size passengers have also been in the news in recent years: Airlines increasingly insist that passengers who can't fit in a seat with a seatbelt extender buy an additional seat.

How to deal: When you have trouble fitting in your seat, ask a flight attendant if he or she could arrange for a swap between you and another passenger who may have more legroom or free space on either side.

Trick to avoid the problem: Check in online 24 hours prior to departure and select a seat assignment in the roomy exit row. If that's not possible, call the airline, explain your problem, and buy an adjacent seat. Insider tip: If you do buy a second ticket, ask the gate agent what your airline's policy is on refunding the price of the spare seat if it turns out that you can sit comfortably without it—some airlines will reimburse the cost if they have made a note ahead of time in the reservations system.