Just Cruises Plus

US Map

We have hand-picked the following cruises that sail from US ports and have interesting itineraries that appeal to us.

Cruises From Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

1/9/22 Celebrity Equinox, 12-night S. Caribbean

Ports of Call:  St. Croix, USVI; Basseterre, St. Kitts; Roseau, Domenica; St. George, Grenada; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia and St Johns, Antigua

2/14/22  Vision of the Seas, 11-night S. Caribbean

Ports of Call: Puerto Limo, Costa Rica; Colon, Panama;  Cartagena, Columbia; an overnight in Oranjestad, Aruba and Willemstad, Curacao

Cruises from Cape Liberty, New Jersey

5/15/21 Celebrity Summit, 10-night Bermuda, Newport and Charleston

Ports of Call:  Newport, RI; overnight in Charleston, SC; 2 overnights in King’s Wharf, Bermuda

6/4/21, Celebrity Summit, 9-night Bermuda and Charleston

Ports of Call:  Charleston, SC; 2 overnights in King’s Wharf, Bermuda

7/11/21  Celebrity Summit, 7-night Newport/Bermuda

Ports of Call:  Newport, RI; 2 overnights in King’s Wharf, Bermuda

1/31/22  Anthem of the Seas, 11-night S Caribbean

Ports of Call:  San Juan, PR;  Philipsburg, St. Maarten;  St. Johns, Antigua;  Castries, St. Lucia;  Basseterre, St. Kitts

Cruises from Honolulu, Hawaii

8/14/21 and 1/22/22 Pride of America,  7-night Hawaiian Islands

Ports of Call:  Sail round trip from Honolulu, 2 days in Maui, 2 days on the Big Island (Hilo one day, Kona the next), 2 days in Kauai and an afternoon cruise along the spectacular Napali Coast

Cruisetours in Alaska

8/9/21  11-night Southbound Cruise-tour

Land Portion:  Anchorage, Denali, Talkeetna and Alyeska

Ports of Call:  Seward, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan, Inside passage, Vancouver

Land Packages Within the United States

For those who prefer to travel within the United States in 2021 and 2022, land tours and packages have been a hot request.  Think Tauck Tours, Globus, Insight, Disney and Collette.  Some tour operators offer small group or private travel options, for example, if you would prefer to travel exclusively with family and friends.   Let us know what you have in mind and we’ll find options for you!

For more information or any requests, please call us at (215)364-3310 or email us at info@justcruisesplus.com.

Bergen, Norway

Viking continues to offer the Traveling Virtually with Viking series which we are posting here for your enjoyment and enrichment.  These are mostly destination-focused webinars that represent a mixture of River, Ocean and Culinary Experiences.  This week, enjoy experiences ranging from an exclusive culinary journey in France to a “tale of two cities” in Budapest; from a Rhine river cruise to an Ocean Cruise in the Fjords of Norway.  To sign up for an event, simply click on the name of the event.  This week, we translated times into Eastern Time.  When you click on any of the links, Viking expresses in Pacific Time.

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

12:00 PM ET – Tour Scenic Fjords, Towns & Cities on Viking Homelands

3:00 PM ET – Travel to Switzerland, Virtually

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

12:00 PM ET – Learn about A Tale of Two Cities in Budapest

3:00 PM ET – Exclusive Culinary Journey – Culinary Delights of France

Thursday, August 27, 2020

12:00 PM ET – Sail to Lands Rich in Tradition with Passage to E. Europe

3:00 PM ET – Explore Castles & Cathedrals on Rhine Getaway

Friday, August 28, 2020

12:00 PM ET – Travel to Vienna, Virtually

3:00 PM ET – Sail the Colorful Caribbean with West Indies Explorer

Viking is offering a Traveling Virtually with Viking series which we are posting here for your enjoyment and enrichment.   These are mostly destination-focused webinars.  From the charms of Portugal along the Douro River to the iconic cities along the banks of the Mississippi, you can pick and choose which webinars to participate in based on your interest.   To sign up for an event, simply click on the name of the event.  Note that times are based on Pacific Time, so remember to adjust for your time zone.

Monday, July 13, 2020

9:00 AM PT – Explore the Mighty Mississippi

12:00 PM PT – Sail on the Iconic Western Mediterranean

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

9:00 AM PT – Discover the World of Viking

12:00 PM PT – Journey to the Extraordinary with Viking Expeditions

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

9:00 AM PT – Experience the Magic of Viking Christmas Market Cruises

12:00 PM PT – Enjoy the Douro’s Beauty & History

Thursday, July 16, 2020

9:00 AM PT – Discover Holland & Belgium on Tulips & Windmills

12:00 PM PT – Explore the Remarkable Sights of the Galapagos Islands

Friday, July 17, 2020

9:00 AM PT – Immerse Yourself in History & Culture on the Mississippi

12:00 PM PT – Travel to Vienna, Virtually

Destination Puzzle – View of the Arno River in Florence, Italy

If we go by the sizable response we received to our June 19th destination puzzle, we apparently have many puzzle enthusiasts out there.  We received a flood of responses to our question about the photo’s location.  Most respondents correctly named the city of Florence, Italy.  Some also knew the river was the Arno River.  The winner of the contest is Bill Kelly of Warminster, PA, whose  name was randomly selected from those who responded correctly.  Bill will receive a $25 shipboard credit on his next cruise.

We love Florence!  We love the muted colors of the city, the art, the architecture and the cobblestone streets.  The city is small enough to walk most places.  The must-see Duomo is located in the center. Walk to Palazzo Vecchio to see the replica of Michelangelo’s David, hang out in Piazza Signoria, where one can sit for hours and people watch.  The Accademia Gallery houses the original David along with other works of Michelangelo’s including some unfinished. The history of the artwork housed here is fascinating – it is well worth a visit to this Gallery with a good guide.  Stroll across the iconic Ponte Vecchio. Sit at an outdoor cafe.  We miss Florence and look forward to going back.

If you missed the June 19th puzzle and want to give it a try, click here.

Replica of David’s Michelangelo in front of Palazzo Vecchio located in Piazza della Signoria.

Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, aka Duomo

Amazing view from the tour bus parking lot

Ponte Vecchio spanning the Arno River.

Click here for the Destination Puzzle

We have not missed a beat throughout this pandemic crisis.  All of our clients are being served with the utmost care.  So far, our service had been strictly by telephone and email to meet the legal requirement of Pennsylvania.

We have some clients who like to plan their cruise in a face-to-face environment. Therefore, in accordance with state guidelines, we will be opening our office for visitors by appointment only beginning Wednesday July 8th.  We will wear masks and we ask that our visitors do the same.  Our pandemic office hours are weekdays from 10AM to 3PM.  If you need to come in at a different time, call and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

In the meantime, we have been visualizing all of the destinations we look forward to experiencing.  We thought it would be fun to share with you a photo of one of our treasured destinations – in jigsaw puzzle format.  Once you complete the puzzle, email us (info@justcruisesplus.com) by next Thursday with the photo’s location.   We will select from all who respond with the correct photo location – the winner of the drawing will receive a $25 shipboard credit which can be used on a future cruise.

We are looking forward to seeing you and helping to plan your next travel adventure.  Until then, we are still here to serve you by phone and email!

Cuba’s Classic Cars

The Trump administration has (suddenly) ended the cruise lines’ already limited access to Cuban ports.  We think it was outrageous and irresponsible that the Trump administration implemented this policy with no advance warning.

We took advantage of the limited window of opportunity to visit Cuba.  We found the people to be very friendly toward us and there were hints of a nascent capitalism.  There were non-state owned restaurants that served wonderful food.  We rode in a 1956 Crown Victoria taxi owned by the driver.  These are the folks who will be most hurt by the travel ban. More about our visit to Cuba.

We feel very sorry for the people currently on ships that were scheduled to visit this island museum where cars from the 50s comprise about 1/4 of all cars in Cuba.  We also recognize that there are many disappointed people booked on future cruises to Cuba who will miss this unique opportunity, at least for the foreseeable future.

How the Different Cruise Lines are Handling the Change in Policy

*Sailings on or before 9-2-19.  Sailings after 9-2-19 will automatically be canceled and deposits refunded.  Customers affected may book a future NCL cruise with a %20 discount.

Cuba’s classic cars are everywhere

Rachelle and Wayne couldn’t resist one of Royal Caribbean’s Going, Going, Gone sales.  A four night cruise, with a full 12 hours in Cuba was only $349 for an ocean view room.

After a very leisurely sail from Miami to Havana, a distance of 99 miles, El Morro greeted us at the crack of dawn on the third day of the cruise.  As we crept slowly toward our pier, we felt like we were entering the “Twilight Zone”.  Roads along the shore side hosted US built cars from the 30s, 40s and 50s.  Beautiful buildings came into view, many in poor condition after nearly 60 years of communist rule.  We couldn’t wait to see more of this living museum.

Hemingway’s Study at Finca la Vigia

When traveling to Cuba, you can’t simply get off the ship as you would in most ports.  We had to take an excursion through Royal Caribbean thanks to new regulations promulgated by our government.  Since one of Wayne’s favorite books is “The Old Man and the Sea”, we elected to take an excursion related to Ernest Hemingway.  Our Cuban guide was excellent but the tour itself was just “OK”.  Our friends who traveled with us took an Arts and Culture tour which they loved although they noted that there was a lot of walking.  Folks with mobility issues should only take tours that involve motor transport.  The streets in colorful Old Havana are either cobblestone or are in rough shape.

Our 1956 Crown Victoria and Driver

Once we completed the tour, our visa requirements were met so we were free to roam as we pleased.  We negotiated a ride from the proud owner of a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria (stick shift) to take us to Jaimanitas on the outskirts of Havana where Cuban architect Jose Fuster constructed a dreamlike streetscape inspired by the works of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudy (Sagrada Familia in Barcelona).

Main entrance to Fusterlandia

Many people ask us whether we felt safe.  The answer is a clear “yes”.  We walked through the crowded narrow streets of Old Havana totally at ease.  We found the people to be exceptionally friendly although we must note that there are many new “entrepreneurs” selling food and various trinkets.  They are not aggressive and a simple “no thank you” will suffice to get them to move on.

We ate lunch at a local waterfront restaurant (excellent food, so-so beer) and were serenaded by three fairly elderly male singers with musical instruments.  They were not allowed in the restaurant so they played outside with a clear plastic sheet separating us.  Three Cuban songs, including Guantanamera, charmed us into giving them a few dollars which they very much appreciated.

Other than traffic police, there were few police and we saw no soldiers.  However, when getting off the ship and going through Cuban customs, we felt uneasy.  The Cuban officials bordered on rude.

The money situation is slightly complicated and would be boring to read but if you intend to travel to Cuba, we will review it with you.

Right now Cuba is not for everyone.  You must take a tour or cruise and engage in cultural or educational tourism.  While Cuba has beautiful beaches, you’re not likely to sit on one sipping a daiquiri or Cuba Libra (both invented in Cuba).  If you are a curious person, this should be on your future travel list.  You’ll close your eyes and wake up in the 1950s.

More Car Photos From Our Trip

Contest Photo – Amalfi

We were surprised at how many people identified Amalfi in our photo contest.  We can’t seem to stump our well-traveled friends!  The winner of the contest is Chuck Diefenderfer of Jekyll Island, GA, whose name was randomly selected from the 27 correct responses.

Amalfi’s town square

Amalfi’s Cathedral

Amalfi was one of the very picturesque ports on our 7 day cruise along the Amalfi Coast aboard the Star Flyer, a real sailing ship.

It is a prime tourist port with lots of shops and restaurants.  It has a rich history dating back to the 6th century.  It’s most well known attraction is the Cathedral of Amalfi with works by Michelangelo and Bernini.  In Amalfi, we had some of the best olives that we’ve ever tasted at a local restaurant — and they were free.

Amalfi is a good jumping off point for Ravello, a popular spot along the Amalfi coast.  One can take a bus to Ravello from Amalfi, but beware of traffic during summer months!

On our trip, we also visited the “picture postcard” island of Lipari, one of 7 small islands of the Aeolian archipelago.  We opted for the only excursion offered by the ship, a motorcoach tour of the island which offered us many opportunities to take wonderful photos from high in the hills.  We also stopped at “Marisa”s Place where we sampled Malvasia, the local wine, as well as many flavors of delicious cookies.

It would be inaccurate to classify Messina as a picturesque port.  While we found that Messina itself has little to offer, an excursion to Taormina is a must from this port.  The town is perched on a terrace overlooking the sea so we got wonderful photos.  The highlight is the Grecian theater famous for its size and acoustic qualities.  It is still used for open air performances.

View from the hills of Lipari

Entering Taormina’s main street

View of Mt. Etna from Taormina

Looking down a street in Pompeii

Sorrento is another port, beautiful on its own, where one can enjoy shopping and restaurants.  However, the main attractions are nearby and you will have difficult choices.  We chose to visit Pompeii, buried by the  eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D.  You will walk the streets of Pompeii and visit wealthy patrician homes just as they looked almost 2000 years ago.

Herculaneum is another (smaller) city destroyed by the eruption that buried Pompeii.  Folks who went there told us that it was a great experience.  Workers are still excavating the town.

The third choice for Sorrento  is the famed Capri.  Those who chose this tour  raved about the beauty of Capri and they said a highlight was a visit to the Blue Grotto.  You need to get to Capri by boat so you should be aware that it can be a rough trip.  However, the waters were quite calm for the folks who visited Capri from our ship.

Picturesque Ponza Waterfront

The final port on our itinerary was the picturesque fishing village of Ponza which, according to legend was the home of Circe who seduced Uslysses.  This port was teeming with vacationing locals.  While in Ponza, you could easily take a local boat to one of the beaches, take a different boat to visit Ponza’s grottos or simply walk through the town.  We ate lunch at a restaurant overlooking the tiny harbor where two Star Clipper ships were anchored – our Star Flyer and the larger Royal Clipper.

Call for more info about the Amalfi Coast.  This was one of our favorite destinations!

Contest Photo – Eetcafe The Paddock in Aruba

Only five people out of a total of 22 responses correctly identified the location of the photo submitted by Joe Baum.  The winner of the drawing is Paul Crager of Philadelphia, PA who will receive a $25 gift card.  The photo is of a restaurant called Eetcafe The Paddock located in Aruba.  While we’ve never eaten there and cannot give an opinion of the restaurant, we highly recommend Aruba, the “A” in the ABC islands.  You’ll find picturesque beaches (Eagle Beach is very wide with fine powdery sand), friendly people and great shopping in this Dutch island.  You can visit in the fall since hurricanes are rare this far south in the Caribbean.  You are less than 20 miles from South America when in Aruba.

Hoiberg Mountain

We have included several other great photos taken by Joe on his visit to Aruba.  We especially like the one of Hooiberg mountain, the major landmark of Aruba.  Natural Bridge was another landmark until it collapsed in 2005.

Coral Princess Docked in Aruba

Aruba’s colorful port

Natural Bridge – Aruba (bridge collapsed in 2005)

Street in Havana – photo from Globus Journeys collection

We were looking for the word “Cuba” in your response to our question “Guess why Royal Caribbean brought her (Empress of the Seas) back?“. It’s one of the worst kept secrets that Royal Caribbean is bringing back the Empress of the Seas for cruises from Miami to Cuba. After all, could they let Carnival have Cuba by themselves?  Fathom Impact Travel, a Carnival subsidiary, has already announced cruises to Cuba beginning in May of this year. Globus has also begun a Cuba program and has created a few different land itineraries.

Royal Caribbean hasn’t announced dates nor have they officially admitted that the Empress of the Seas will be sailing to Cuba. However, it would be bizarre to bring back a relatively small 27 year old ship for Caribbean cruises when they have the stunning Allure and Oasis of the Seas already serving the Caribbean with much success.

Want to be among the first to visit this beautiful but slightly dilapidated island? You should know a few things.

1. You will go as a traveler, not a tourist. A traveler interacts with the inhabitants; a tourist rides a bus and sees the sights.

2. Don’t expect to go to a beach and sip Cuba Libres. This is still not allowed. You will have direct contact with Cuban people in person-to-person cultural exchanges.

3. It won’t be cheap. Expect to pay around $2000 per person for an oceanview stateroom plus taxes plus $150 for a Cuban visa.

4. Buy euros. Fidel charges more to exchange US dollars.

Do we think a trip to Cuba at this point is worth it?  You bet!  Cuba is the world’s biggest car museum.  Cars from the fifties and sixties are common in Cuba. The food is fantastic, the art is amazing and you will become immersed in the sounds of son (Cuba’s popular music).

Still want to be among the first in more than a half century to visit this up and coming jewel of the Caribbean?

Email us and we will contact you when Royal Caribbean makes an announcement.  Or, if you’d like to consider a “people-to-people” cultural exchange through Globus, we can help you with that, too (tours through April and part of May are already sold out).

Forty-seven people mentioned “Cuba” in their responses. The winner of the drawing is Sue Bass of Levittown, PA. She will receive a $25 gift card.

While we wait for Cuba:

The Empress of the Seas has some very low priced cruises on 4 (Bahamas) or 5 (Western Caribbean) night cruise beginning in April.