Episode 20: A European Tour Part 1 (Pre-Cruise Cities of London, Paris, Disneyland Paris and Venice)10/31/2011 This is part one of our interview with Scott and JC, who just returned from an Eastern Mediterranean cruise and a pre-cruise tour of some great European cities.
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Our cruise news this week features stories about new cruise terminals in the Dominican Republic and Port Canaveral as well as stories from Disney and the port of Baltimore. Carnival is funding the terminal in the Dominican Republic, which will likely be similar to their port in Grand Turk. The new terminal in Port Canaveral will be large enough to host Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class ships.
Disney's recent earnings release highlights the Disney Cruise Line as helping the company's profits for the quarter. Disney's ability to charge high rates for their newest ship is certainly a contributor. Our last story is about how Carnival Cruise Lines has extended their contract with the port of Baltimore for an additional 2 years, strengthening another regional cruise port. We learn about the cruise port of San Juan from James' friend, Harry, who grew up in Puerto Rico. He explains the architecture of the old city and details some of the attractions such as El Morro and the Cathedral. A note: after the episode was recorded, we learned that Ponce de Leon is, in fact, buried in the Cathedral. Our cruise news this week includes stories from Greece and about whether or not cruises are becoming less inclusive. The taxi strike in Greece has continued, with increasing disruption of cruise passenger touring, not only in Athens, but also Crete and Thessolonica. Drivers have vowed to march on Monday, and negotiations have failed. Cruise lines have been forced to redirect ships and, in many cases have had to cancel shore excursions as the drivers have blocked roads, even laying down oil in certain cases. Airport have also been affected.
A recent article asks if cruises are still inclusive with the increasing popularity of specialty restaurants and room service charges as well as extra fee services and events. We discuss Norwegian Cruise Line's recent policy changes to room service and pizza delivery as well as the declining quality of the "free" food on cruise ships. We tour Barcelona, giving you a full itinerary with details every step of the way from the airport and cruise ship and back. We include prices and specific stops for public transportation as well as taxi and airport information. Attractions highlighted include the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi architecture, the Gothic Quarter, Cathedral of Barcelona, Santa Maria del Mar, Picasso Museum, Las Ramblas and the Maritime Museum. This week we discuss the cruise port of New Orleans which is close to our hearts (and home), including attraction details, food options and hotels. We also report on recent cruise news.
Our good friend, Scott, joins us to review his recent experience on the Norwegian Spirit out of New Orleans. We find out all about the dining options, staterooms, decor, itinerary and more. We also discuss recent cruise news including the tragic sinking of the Bulgaria.
In this episode, we talk about your options for touring ports including cruise sponsored shore excursions, private tours and ports on your own. The news includes stories about Royal Caribbean's planned stops in Ravenna, MSC's return to Tunisia, and Mobile and Norfolks' woes in attempting to lure cruise lines.
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CruizeCast CrewA travel podcast with a focus on cruising. Archives
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