The Celebrity Century,

in THIS Century!

In 1997, my whole family cruised on the Celebrity Century for a family reunion in honor of my parents 30th wedding anniversary. It was a huge success! Everyone (new and experienced cruisers alike) LOVED the Century. Everyone was impressed with its service and atmosphere (decorated in the rich nautical colors that you think a Classy Ship at sea should be).

12 years ago, the Century was considered a huge ship, by standards today, she is small and intimate. It amazes me that even after the introduction of “Mega” ships, the Century is still impresses

After a total revitalization 6 years ago, the Celebrity Century She still is the classy ship that she was 12 years ago, only better!!! And yes, small and intimate are 2 perfect ways to describe her. Yet she is large enough to offer every amenity that larger ships offer, only with a bit more class and style. In fact, ALOT more style!

We were fortunate enough to be staying in the Royal Suite, but I can testify to the fact that the interior rooms were just as elegant and classically styled. Warm, rich colors and woods make every stateroom feel like a Penthouse suite! Ocean View rooms have very large windows that make you feel as though you are in a verandah stateroom. The designers of the Century should be applauded!

Our favorite places on the Century:

The Martini Bar - Great Martini selection served on an Ice Bar.

The Murano Restaurant - Table side cooking and elegant service.

The Aqua Spa - New and Improved Gym and Spa.

Healthy Cafe - Great option for healthy meals!

Sushi Bar - Open every night from 5 - 8 for the perfect snack!

The Hemisphere Lounge - Great Music till the wee hours!

The Grand Restaurant - Still my favorite dining room on the Seas!!

So many great attributes. I plan on doing my next Girls Getaway on the Century in Fall 2010. And I have no doubt that every one will be impressed!!!

For more information on the Celebrity Century, click here!

Meet the Carnival Dream

SO many new ships! But only 1 FUN SHIP! The Carnival Dream has some unique features...the Dreams' midship Lanai is like adding another dimension to deck space. For those who like a bit of adult time, the "adult only" sun deck is a place to relax on thick padded chairs in peace!
The nightlife is something to see! Exciting Clubs all off the same corridor, allowing easy access to all without running from one end of the ship to the other. And for those Casino lovers, it is big and beautiful!

For those traveling as families, this is also the ship for you! Teens will love the club and arcade. The perfect "hideout" to have their special time! Camp Carnival is inviting and fun for all ages! Boasting the largest waterpark at sea, the twisty slide is sure to keep the kids busy for hours!

The Carnival Dream is a great ship at a great value.

Visit CruiseOne to book your Cruise Vacation today!

Disney does it again!

DANGER!! Once your kids see this, you will be required to book it!

You can always rely on Disney to “Do it Right”! But Disney Cruise Line has even outdone Disney! The New Disney Dream will join it’s sister ships and sail families to exotic islands on this luxury ship! I am not sure about you, but I could just float around at sea on this ship!

Take a sneak peek at the AquaDuck Water Coaster! Exciting stuff for kids and adults! Disney Cruises is sure to give Royal Caribbean and NCL alot of innovative competition! Sure, other cruiselines have waterslides...but just watch this video. But be careful, it may be dangerous to have your kids watch! They will BEG you to book this Cruise!

The Disney Dream is now accepting reservations with interesting offers to book 1 year in advance. Make your reservations today! Be sure to find the best deals HERE!

The New Carnival Dream!

Frank and I were honored to be part of the Carnival Dream Inaugural. It was exciting to be part of it! When a ship arrives in Manhattan, it arrives with the glamour and prestige it deserves, and the Carnival Dream deserves it! A perfect option for families and adults. A Cruise Ship that caters to everyone!

Oscar-wining actress Marcia Gay Harden christened Carnival Cruise Line's largest ship by swinging a specially made New York Yankees baseball bat, signed by Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, at a human-sized plastic replica of a Moet & Chandon champagne bottle. At the same time, an actual bottle of champagne was smashed into the vessel's hull.

The 3,646-passenger Dream is Carnival's largest ship and the first in a new class of Carnival vessel. It is a ship perfect for families and adults. Innovative, traditional and FUN!

The Dream boasts 19,000 square feet dedicated to children's facilities, including the four-slide Carnival WaterWorks aqua park, with the longest slide at sea. The space dedicated to children is fantastic! Impressive! Even those “water park” fans will be impressed by the water park on the Dream! But the fun for kids doesn’t stop there! The Kids clubs are inviting and exciting

The Ocean Plaza, an indoor/outdoor cafe and entertainment area that is home to the FunHub, where the line's new, onboard social networking system can be accessed. Sporadic FunHubs (computers for online networking) are for all to hop on the internet and get in touch with friends.

The ship also introduces the Lanai, a half-mile, open-air promenade on Deck 5 that has lounge areas and whirlpools that cantilever over the ship's side. Very refreshing. It is actually an addition to the pool decks of a ship, with the feeling of the “promenade”. Clever addition. Added sun space with an adult feeling. The Casino and Crimson dining room also impress. Classy, fun and enchanting. A perfect mix!

Speaking of Adult...the spa sun deck is a very exclusive refuge for adults only. Very “south beach” and luxurious, it offers everything a top notch spa in Miami has. Definitely completes the Spa feeling

We stayed in a Balcony Stateroom and were very pleased. Colors were toned down, room was spacious and the balcony was a breathe of fresh air (literally!). Bed was comfortable, storage was plentiful and the blow dryer was strong. Nothing more to say!!! We were happy.

This ship is a dream. If you are going to sail Carnival, do it...Dream it!!!

Click here for my CruiseOne website for the best deals on this amazing Carnival Dream!

Walking for a Cure on the Girls Cruise

I have been running these “Girls Getaways” for may years. I have met many women with many different back rounds and history. But I can tell you that there is one thing they all have in common..and that is that someone they love has been touched with cancer (if not themselves)!

I personally have 2 girl friends with breast cancer & one with ovarian cancer. It definitely touches close to home. I have heard such great stories of “courage and hope” not only from my friends but from so many of the Girls on my GIrls Getaways.

On our last Girls Getaway, I was so excited and moved to hear that Carnival does a “Walk for the Cure” on each sailing, every week throughout their fleet! But it doesn’t stop there! Every ship in the Carnival Cruise line Corp. also hosts a fundraising “Walk for the Cure”! I say Kudos to them!

This is how it works...every walker pays $ 10 on their shipboard account. That money goes directly to the Susan G Komen Foundation. Each participant receives a t-shirt (although they could have been cuter!) and is eligible to walk at a designated time. That might not sound like the most fun to you..but it actually is alot of fun. It is such a great feeling to meet so may others that are also walking, but it is such a good feeling to be “giving” when you are so blessed to be fortunate enough to be on a cruise vacation.

Carnival Cruises raises about $ 1000 average per ship. With 40b ships sailing sper week (among many Cruise Lines) that is approx. $ 40,000 per week! It is a great feeling to be part of that! I am so glad that Carnival offers the opportunity to “be part” of that. I might not be one to walk 5 miles..but I certainly can contribute for 30 minutes on a cruise vacation!

I think the concept is generous and brilliant! I think Carnival Cruises should be applauded! Check it out! http://bit.ly/ondeckfrcure

Girls Getaway Cruise 2009

This summers Girls Getaway Cruise started with extreme apprehension!

For days before the cruise, the whole North East watched Hurricane Bill’s every move. Many worried that this storm would ruin their weekend summer vacation plans. Rented beach houses, amusement park plans, camping or hiking for the weekend. Hurricane Bill had the power to destroy everyones plans. Including ours!

My phone was ringing every 5 minutes! I was constantly reassuring my Girls “No need to worry...the Captain would never take a chance with a Hurricane. Carnival would make sure to keep the Triumph, its crew and passengers safe.” I do believe that 100%...but I will admit that I said a little prayer everytime I got off the phone! Yes, I was watching the Weather Station VERY CLOSELY!

Everyone decided to stick with our plans and boarded the Carnival Triumph. As we sailed away from Manhattan in the gorgeous evening sky, I found myself confidently reassuring my Girls once again. We were starting our Cruise Getaway and not even Bill could put the brakes on our fun!

*On our Girls Getaways, everyone has thier own agenda...

*Some are coming on with friends to feel stress free for the weekend.

*Some women come on in the hopes of meeting other like minded women and relaxing.

*Mothers come on with daughters who have been away at college, so they can reconnect and spend quality time together.

*Some Girls are celebrating important birthdays or even upcoming weddings!

No matter what you came for, they all have one thing in common... they came to laugh!

Even though some Girls choose to stay in small sets, is a nice feeling to seeing familiar faces while on your Getaway. Our first evenings cocktail party is designed to introduce and get comfortable. We started this Girls Getaway Cruise with “The Gossip Girl Game”. The objective to win - Meet the most Girls and find out the Best Gossip! And let’s not forget that the Girl who gave the BEST Gossip also wins!! It is a fantastic way to tell fun, unexpected information about yourself and learn the same about others! It was a room full of laughter and absurdities! FUN!

Our first day at sea was relaxing. It was actually nice ot get out of the oppresive heat as we sailed up north toward Canada. Perfect sun, calm seas and great weather for sunbathing. Others spend the day in the Spa. We had quite a few winners in the Casino! And one lucky Girl treated herself to quite the diamond necklace! I watched from the top deck as a group of our Girls danced the reggae beat around the pool and laughed hysterically at the “Hairiest Chest” contest. That’s the best thing about our Girls Getaway Cruises..Everyone does exactly what THEY want to do! So many choices. So much fun!

We were informed by the captain in the late afternoon that we wouldn’t be making it to our Port of Call (St John, NB) due to Bill. He had planned to head south and avoid meeting Hurricane Bill at sea. Sounded good to us! 2000 people onboard and not one complaint! No one was interested in coming face to face with Bill.

I could go on and on telling you about the perfect weather we had as we sailed for the whole 4 nights and days. I could tell you all the exciting details about our Midnight Martini Party, Project Runway Show, TV Trivia games and dancing till all hours....but you will have to join us on one of our Getaways to find out all the details!

Girls Getaways is not just about a vacation. It’s about bonding: sleepovers at your best friend’s house, staying up all ight giggling about cute boys at school, mother/daughter lunches that last longer than the time it takes to eat a chicken caesar salad (dressing on the side). On Girls Getaways we’re not about the details. We’re about the memories and the emotions. It’s all about you!

Join us on our Girls Getaway to Bermuda - May 2010! CLick here for details!

Payson Coopers' Transformational Jewelry

I have gone through phases throughout my life. Not just “Diet phases”, “Health Food phases”, “Gardening phases”...but also “Jewelry phases”.

As a teen, I was into gold. Gold chains, charms and hoop earrings. Typical teen stuff. Stuff I would hunt for in Claires Boutique. It was fun. Fun shopping and Fun jewelry. I never wanted to spend alot on my jewelry, mostly because I didn’t have much to spend, but also because it had a life span of about 1 month with me before I lost it!

Then I got engaged. My first introduction to DIAMONDS!! That started another phase. A much more expensive phase. That first diamond was so brilliant and filled with promise of a wonderful life...and also just beautiful to look at! In the years to follow, diamonds were my jewelry of choice. Diamonds, gold and Emeralds were a 10 year phase! Okay, maybe 15! Okay...the diamond will probably always be a phase!

I would not even consider wearing anything that wasn’t real gold. I didn’t have a huge collection. I had collected a few pieces at important holidays or celebrations, and was very happy and appreciative. A pair of Diamond studs, a ring or two. Not much, but all the basics. After time, I realized that my “basics” were repeating themselves and started to loose their delight. They started becoming merely “staples”. I wanted the fun back!

So here I am, in my “I like things different, more variety” phase. OF course, it would be a great thing if I could have entered this phase with a bigger variety of diamonds and stones...but this thing called “reality” seems to always interfere!

The “reality” is that money IS an object! So I started to appreciate the value of nice jewelry that wasn’t diamonds! And realized the true value of jewelry that was different and unique. Forget the Canary Diamonds, forget the Pink Diamonds....the world is full of beautiful jewelry that isn’t diamonds! How about Glass Jewelry? White Gold? Silver? Semi precious stone? Silver? Swarovski? The options are endless!

I have acquired some amazingly fun, stylish bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings over the past few years. I love to collect while traveling. I love to find unique accents that will make people notice and ask “Where did you get that?”!

So there I was, at Savor the Success’ “Rock the World Event” when I found the most interesting, inspiring Jewelry Collection. Payson Cooper was preseting her Transformational Jewelry line and I was impressed! I love when something makes me say “I HAVE TO HAVE THAT!” And I did, have to have that!

Payson Coopers' Transformational Jewelry was fresh and inspirational. Simple yet high quality pieces that actually makes you feel good. Jewelry that makes a statement. I have entered a new phase! The “Jewelry that expresses how I feel” phase. I immediately felt a connection to her line. I feel like I have built my life around my passion and it is evident that she has designed her Jewelry with her passion. And she has done so very successfully, because I can feel how much she cares about each piece.

I bought my first Transfomational piece right then and there! I am the lucky owner of the “expect Miracles” bracelet you see above. I wear it every day and it reflects my faith and passion about life. I couldn’t have said it better! She read my mind! Ever person should have a powerful, meaningful, beautiful reminder hanging on their neck or wrist or wrapped around their finger. I have mine! I think I will start getting them for my hubby and kids! Be sure to get your inspiration!

Payson Coopers Transformational Jewelry can be seen by clicking here!