Photo Contest August 11, 2017 – Venice

posted by Wayne
August 19, 2017

Contest Photo – Rialto Bridge and Grand Canal

We were thrilled with the response to last week’s photo contest which asked for the name of the bridge and body of water shown in the contest photo (photo on right).  The correct responses to this two part question were Rialto Bridge (or Ponte Rialto) and Grand Canal.  The Grand Canal is the body of water that snakes through the center of Venice and is equal to a city’s main street.  The ornate and picturesque Rialto Bridge is at the heart of Venice.

More views of the grand canal

More views of the grand canal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We (Wayne and Rachelle) were in Venice for 3 days where we boarded the Celebrity Constellation for a 9 night cruise in the Adriatic Sea.  The cruise ended in Rome (Civitavecchia) where we spent another 3 days.

Gondola passing under a small bridge

Small waterway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Until you have actually experienced Venice, it is hard to conceptualize a city whose walkways and bridges are interwoven with waterways and whose “main street” is a grand canal.  Our hotel, just a 5 minute walk from St Mark’s Square, was located on a small waterway frequented by serenading gondoliers.  As picturesque as the gondolas are from afar, a close inspection reveals superb maintenance and great attention to design detail.

Gondolas up close

Gondola up close

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Venice, there are basically 2 different modes of water transportation:  water taxis and water buses.  Water taxis are private, point-to-point hires just as a land taxi would be.  They will take you right to your door if requested. Water buses, like land buses, run on a schedule and have multiple lines and designated stops.  Depending on the line, they can be pretty crowded.

 

 

ACTV “bus” line

Alilaguna “bus” line

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Pat Horne of Edison, NJ, whose name was randomly drawn from those who responded correctly. Pat will receive a $25 credit towards a trip booked through Just Cruises Plus.

 

Romance in St Mark’s Square

 

Call us to help you plan your next vacation which includes Venice!

Royal Caribbean’s New Price Program

posted by Wayne
June 23, 2017

Are you a Royal Caribbean Fan?  If yes, you must read this.

Beginning July 1st, Royal Caribbean will offer an additional discount if you are willing to forego your deposit if you cancel  your cruise.  However, all is not lost.  If you cancel and rebook another date with Royal Caribbean, your deposit less $100 per person will be moved to the new date. This new program will take effect on July 1st.

The key information, that is, how much you can save by taking the no refund route, will not be available until July 1st.

On the Edge

posted by Wayne
March 17, 2017
Artistic rendition of the Infinite Veranda

Artistic rendering of the Infinite Veranda

There was so much hype leading up to the announcement of Celebrity Edge, Celebrity’s new class of ship which is scheduled to debut at the end of 2018.  Now that we’ve seen the plans, we understand what all the fuss is about!

This groundbreaking ship is truly on the cutting edge in the world of cruising:

~~~ Its Infinite Veranda allows passengers to turn their entire stateroom into one open-air veranda by opening the glass door barriers (they fold to the side like French doors). Alternatively, you can enlarge your stateroom by leaving the “french doors” open and closing a second set of veranda doors which seal off the wind.

~~~ The Magic Carpet is a covered platform attached to the starboard side of the ship. It moves up and down on the side of the ship and stops on certain decks, adapting to each of those decks as an extension of what already exists (an extension to the pool area, an extension of one of the new restaurants, Raw on 5, a platform to streamline stepping onto a tender, etc.)

Artistic rendering of the Magic Carpet

Artistic rendering of the Magic Carpet

~~~ Suite passengers on the Edge have use of exclusive public spaces called “The Retreat”.  There is an exclusive lounge, sundeck, pool bar and pool along with Luminae, Celebrity’s suite-only restaurant.

~~~ Celebrity has introduced two new Edge-class suites. The 950 sq ft Edge Villas are awesome 2 story luxury residences that surpass any “suite” we’ve seen. The 1880 sq ft, 2 bedroom Iconic Suites are positioned above the bridge and enjoy sweeping panoramic views.

~~~ Celebrity has been moving n the direction of open air spaces on all of their ship classes.  The Edge expands on this theme with the Rooftop Garden, a space artfully decorated with tree-top sculptures. It’s a place where you can relax with a good book, grab a bite to eat, dance under the stars or watch a movie.

There is still quite a bit of information about the Edge that has not yet been released – as we receive more information we will provide updates.

The Edge will begin its season with an East/West Caribbean itinerary.  Reservations are available for sailings from December 2018 through April of 2019.  Pricing and promotions are competitive with other Celebrity ships, so call now to reserve your space!

Harmony of the Seas Inaugural Photos

posted by Wayne
November 17, 2016
Harmony of the Seas docked in Nassau

Harmony of the Seas docked in Nassau

Jonathan just returned from the Harmony of the Seas’ inaugural sailing!  He describes this new Oasis class ship as “amazing” and says “you have to see it to believe it”!   The Harmony, Royal Caribbean’s 3rd ship in the Oasis class, will be doing 7-night East and West Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale.

Call or email us to plan your next vacation on this magnificent new ship!

 

Harmony of the Seas has a bionic bar like the one found on the Anthem of the Seas

Harmony of the Seas is the first of the  Oasis class ships to host bionic bartenders.

Harmony's Pool Deck

Harmony of the Seas pool deck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harmony of the Seas has two 10-story slides overlooking Boardwalk

Harmony of the Seas has two 10-story slides overlooking Boardwalk!

Bermuda Trip Ends in Bayonne

posted by Wayne
October 21, 2016
Grandeur of the Seas

Grandeur of the Seas

A category 3 hurricane hit Bermuda last week.  The Grandeur of the Seas was scheduled for a five night cruise to Bermuda and had to be diverted.  Royal Caribbean selected Bayonne as the alternate port.  Is Bayonne for Bermuda a good trade?  Before you scoff, let’s see what happened with the passengers.

First, they were given 100% credit toward a future cruise.

Second, Royal Caribbean provided a free ferry to Manhattan.

It seems to us that the Grandeur’s passengers got an all-expense paid trip to New York City.  Imagine the cost for 2 nights at a hotel and 3 meals per day.

Our clients who were aboard the Grandeur were very happy and can’t wait to book their next Royal Caribbean cruise.

We applaud Royal Caribbean for this more than fair offer.

Rivers of Europe Presentation – RSVP

posted by Wayne
October 14, 2016
Tapestry II on Seine River in Les Andelys, France Photo taken by Rachelle August 2016

Tapestry II on Seine River in Les Andelys, France
Photo taken by Rachelle – August 2016

What’s Hot and What’s Not?

Europe!  It’s both hot and not.  Rachelle and Wayne were in France this August.  We went to a local restaurant for lunch in Isigny-sur-Mer, very near to the Normandy beaches.  There was only one table occupied.  The owner came over to our table and personally thanked us for coming to France.  She said that there have been very few Americans in her restaurant this year.  By the way, we found everyone we encountered in Normandy to be very warm and welcoming.

While Normandy, as well as other areas of Europe, is starving for American tourists, the river cruise ships in Europe are consistently filled to capacity and more are being built as you read this.  There are very few “not so good” river cruise companies.  Most are very good.  However, in our opinion there is one that stands out for value.  Avalon ships ply most of Europe’s rivers and provide passengers with unmatched cuisine and well-appointed staterooms together with exquisite service.

One of the difficulties of river cruising is deciding upon which river to cruise.  Some emphasize history and culture while others excel at scenery and still others have themes like wine tasting.

If you are considering a river cruise, you won’t want to miss the presentation by Doug Brown of Avalon Waterways and Globus Family of Brands.  He has been on the most popular rivers of Europe and will give an overview of those rivers.  The size of the audience will be limited, so we ask that you RSVP now if you want to hear Doug’s very informative talk.

October 29, 2016 at 1:30 PM

RSVP:  Call 215.364.3310 or email just-cruises@comcast.net

Photo Contest September 10, 2016 – Amalfi

posted by Wayne
September 17, 2016
Contest Photo - Amalfi

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 squre

Amalfi’s town square

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amalfi's Cathedral

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

View from the hills of Lipari

 

Entering Taormina’s main street

View of Mt. Etna from Taormina

View of Mt. Etna from Taormina

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking down a street in Pompeii

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

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!

 

 

 

Anthem of the Seas docked at Cape Liberty

Anthem of the Seas docked at Cape Liberty

This cruise is sold out.  We are accepting wait-list requests only.

Join us on the fabulous Anthem of the Seas February 19, 2017.  This 7-night cruise, sailing from Cape Liberty, NJ, includes multiple dance sessions led by three passionate and experienced dance instructors – Carol Feldman, DJ Pete Burdack and Billie Jo Burdack.

Dancing is optional, so whether you’re a dancer or not, come join us for a fantastic time aboard this amazing ship.  The Anthem is a destination in and of itself – an experience you will not want to miss!

Call or email now to reserve your stateroom and take advantage of this exclusive opportunity.  When you reserve your cabin we will check current promotions and will book you under the best value promotion. This cruise is sold out.  Accepting wait-list requests only.

* Price includes all taxes and fees. Gratuities and optional insurance are extra.

More about Carol Feldman

Carol Feldman has been teaching and dancing since 1992. She began her teaching at a country western club called Oakley’s. She has continued to teach in many clubs in the New Jersey area including Prospector’s, Michael’s Cafe and Katmandu to name a few. She ran dances for many years at the Hightstown Ballroom. She teaches regularly at Hillbilly Hall and often for Central Jersey Dance in Princeton. She hosts frequent dance workshops and often volunteers in the dance community. She was awarded the Christopher Nardone Spirit of Giving Award in 2006 for her work in the dance community.

More about Pete Burdack

Whether it’s line dancing, west coast swing, lindy or two step, Pete is known for his energy and enthusiasm on the dance floor. Needless to say, he transfers that intensity to his DJ style. Pete consistently delivers the “wow” factor not only for the dancers but for the spectators who just want to listen to music and be part of the scene. It is no wonder why he can be heard a several large dance venues and organizations including but not limited to the Colorado Cafe, Rhythms of the Night, and Central Jersey Dance Society.

More about Billie Jo Burdack

While Billie graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Pre-Law, her true passion is dance! She has been dancing for over 20 years – training and competing in several dance forms. While growing up, her main dance training focused in Ballet/Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical/Contemporary, and Tap. She later began to study Modern and Hip-Hop. Billie began teaching dance in 2003. In 2004, she was awarded the DIVA-In-Training Scholarship Award for best solo in any category and in 2008 became certified as a Group Groove Instructor. While she still continues to teach dance in her root forms, since 2010 she has expanded her training, competing and teaching backgrounds to include American Ballroom / Latin and Swing. Billie brings true dance style and technique to any dance floor. With experience teaching students age 2 through adult, she works well teaching any dancer no matter age, experience or level.

Call us: (215)364-3310 or (800)78-7489

Email us: info@justcruisesplus.com

Additional Information

Click on image for cruise details

 

 

 

Click on more details about your ports of call

Click on image for more details about your ports of call

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Experience North Star and the Bionic Bartenders

We took the videos below while aboard the Anthem of the Seas’ sister ship, the Quantum of the Seas.   Click below to experience North Star and the Bionic Bartenders.

Photo Contest – February 19, 2016

posted by Wayne
February 28, 2016
Contest Photo - Eetcafe The Paddock in Aruba

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

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

Coral Princess Docked in Aruba

 

 

Aruba's colorful port

Aruba’s colorful port

Natural Bridge - Aruba

Natural Bridge – Aruba (bridge collapsed in 2005)

 

 

The Answer is Cuba

posted by Wayne
January 23, 2016
Street in Havana - photo from Globus Journeys collectoin

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.