​Someone once said a stay-cation is like a cruise.

I'm not sure I agree, but I think there are similarities and differences

1. Staying at home you have a plethora of food in your fridge. You can make exactly what you want. If you want a midnight buffet, you can have one. Some of you may even have your own personal chef. On a cruise ship you have several options, buffet, sit down dinner, or poolside snack.
2. Entertainment choices at home seem endless. You can choose from a variety of movies and shows at home, especially if you have Netflix, Hulu, or Apple TV. You also have the option to stream new movies. If you want to turn on music, you can dance to what ever you want. If you play and instrument, you can perform your own live music. On a cruise ship you have live entertainment, but it may not be to your liking. You also have access to various movies, bingo, slots, and poolside entertainment
   
3. At home you have several educational experiences from taking a class, foreign language, to learning things on YouTube. There are some educational experiences on a cruise, especially when visiting a new city. You learn about the people, maybe take a cooking class, and sometimes get to try a new language.
   
4. At home you have access to the travel channel. You can go anywhere almost anytime. There are many programs they take you all over the world. When on a cruise, you also get to see many different places.
   
5. At home you can pick up a book any time. You can read in your back yard. When you're on a cruise, you might read a book. It could be on a beach, by the pool, or in your room.
   
6. Exercising at home is pretty simple: take a walk, put on an exercise video, run on the treadmill, or ride your bike. On a cruise ship you have a gym to go to, but you might have to wait for a machine. There are also a lot of active cruises that incorporate exercise into the itinerary including biking, kayaking, and hiking.
   
7. Shopping around your hometown is nice because you are familiar with the stores and there is usually a lot of them to choose from. On a ship, you might be inundated with specials on travel items such as hats, sun glasses, jewelry, and alcohol. At port, the stores are waiting for you, but you have a lot of competition from all the other cruise ships that docked at your port the same day.
8. Meeting new people may be a challenge at home. However, you can invite your neighbors over. It might have been awhile since you saw them. On a cruise ship, you have an opportunity to meet people from all over the world. You might be assigned to a table with people from a different country or meet some new people on an excursion. The sky is the limit for cruisers.

It doesn't matter how you vacation at home or on a ship. Make sure you are comfortable and enjoy your time. However, during the COVID-19 you might have to choose a stay-cation. During your time at home, take time to dream about where you want to go next. You might even turn on your TV and watch National Geographic or Rick Steves' Travel Show to get some ideas. For ideas on what to do during the Stay At Home period, check out- Silver Linings during COVID-19.

​Princess Updates their cruise policy. Pause of global ship operations extends thru June 30th; Compensation packages offered for cancelled cruises

After extensive review of the global landscape, we have extended our pause of global ship operations through June 30, 2020. This was an extremely difficult decision; however, it is the responsible thing to do in light of the continuing COVID-19 situation and is consistent with our commitment to making the health and safety of our guests and crew our highest priority.

In addition to cancelling all cruises and cruisetours departing through June 30, 2020, there are a number of modifications to our global deployments, most notably including:

• All 2020 Coral, Grand, Pacific and Royal Princess Alaska cruise and cruisetour itineraries departing after May 11, 2020 have been cancelled. The shortened summer season has made it not viable to operate our five Princess Wilderness lodges, trains and motorcoaches in 2020. These fleet changes also result in several of our ships not returning to service until later in the fall.
• Alaska cruises roundtrip San Francisco on Star Princess and Los Angeles on Golden Princess departing after May 11, 2020 have been cancelled. We remain optimistic that Emerald Princess and Ruby Princess will still be able to offer roundtrip cruises from Seattle in the late summer. We will, of course, continue to evaluate our plans in the weeks ahead.
• Enchanted Princess sailings in Europe through July 31, 2020 have been cancelled due to the significant impact the COVID-19 outbreak has had on Italy and our shipbuilding partners.
• Sun Princess sailings are cancelled through September 4, 2020 due to rescheduling of the 2020 Summer Olympics.
• Diamond Princess sailings departing May 11 through August 4, 2020 are cancelled.

Please note that each ship in our fleet will have a unique return to service date, based on the previously published cruise itineraries, with some modifications, departing after July 1. Details about the canceled voyages can be found here.

We know that the past several weeks have been challenging for you and your clients with bookings affected by the COVID-19 situation. We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as these decisions were unavoidable, particularly given the recent order from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other government restrictions in response to the current global pandemic.

To support you in managing your clients, we kindly ask that you review our rich compensation package for those whose bookings were canceled, as well as our extremely flexible cancellation terms for those still booked on voyages beyond June 30th.

Guidance on May 11—June 30, 2020 bookings canceled by Princess

You or your client should not cancel cruises sailing May 11–June 30, 2020. Their booking has been automatically canceled by Princess. You and your client should receive an email regarding the cancellation which will cover their two compensation options. Your client will default to Option 1, the richer compensation value, shown below.

For those who have paid in full, we hope your client will stick with us by accepting Option 1, which requires no action from you or on your client’s part, and give our team a chance to shine at a later date by transferring the money paid on a cruise or cruisetour as a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) plus an additional 25% bonus FCC that can be used on any voyage through May 1, 2022. Alternatively, your client can request Option 2 and receive a refund for all money paid on your booking through this online form. If we don't hear from you by May 31, 2020, your client will automatically receive Option 1.

If you have not paid in full, Option 2 will be your default and any money paid will be refunded to the original payment form.

If clients paid Princess anything toward a booking, that will be refunded to the original method of payment. This includes upgrades, Princess EZair, prepaid shore excursions, special service items, gratuities, taxes, fees and port expenses.

Given the volume of requests and the care being dedicated to make sure each one is handled accurately, it may take approximately 60 days from the date we receive your client’s preference for FCCs and refunds to be processed. Please allow sufficient time for us to manage this process and know we are doing everything in our power to expedite where possible.

Updated: Cruise with Confidence final payment & cancellation policies
For full details and FAQs, click here:

Cancel up to 30 days prior for cruises sailing Aug. 1—October 15, 2020

• Cancel up to 30 days before sailing to receive the full amount paid either as a future cruise credit and/or as a refund to the original payment method.
• Final payment due date moves to 60 days prior to departure; no fees assessed prior to 60 days and all deposits are refundable. Applies to new and existing bookings on cruises and cruisetours.
• Beginning with October 16th, the final payment date returns to our published policy.

Cancel up to 48 hours prior for cruises sailing through July 31, 2020

• Cancellations can be made up to 48 hours prior to receive the full amount paid as a Future Cruise Credit and/or as a refund to the original payment method.
• Final payment remains at 60 days prior to departure.

We know these have been trying times and we will continue to do everything we can to support you and your clients, as we navigate through these extraordinary circumstances.

Per Princess Cruise Lines  4/14/2020  John Chernesky

A cruise is one of the best values around because all major expenses (lodging, meals, snacks, activities and entertainment) are included. However, there are some items -- mostly of a personal or optional nature -- that are out-of-pocket expenses. Those extra purchases can quickly run up your bill.
Cruise lines tempt travelers to come on-board with sometimes low upfront prices and then charge extra for everything from massages and fruity cocktails to on-board activities and meals outside the main dining room. "All-inclusive" is a term that really only applies to a handful of high-priced luxury cruises.
If you want the full cruise experience, you'll need to set aside some cash to cover these extra expenditures, or make a vacation budget and stick to it. To make sure the incidentals don't break the bank for you, here are 10 things that will cost you extra onboard -- and how to find discounts and savings.
1. Shore Excursions
What You'll Pay: Prices for these excursions range from about $35 for a quick city and shopping tour to more than $300 for some all-day tours, overland programs including meals and snacks, and such over-the-top offerings as helicopter flight. Most tours are priced somewhere between $50 and $175, depending on length and activities involved.
Savings Tip:You also have the option to tour independently at a fraction of the cost -- or even for free, if you go on a self-guided walking tour. Before setting sail, visit the websites of your ports' tourist boards to get ideas on things to see and how to get around on your own in port. Online travel guides and apps can also help you plan your time ashore.

2. Alternative Dining
 What You'll Pay:  All ships offer free dining in the ship's main dining room and buffet venue, but most ships today also are sporting more and more extra-fee venues. You'll pay extra for everything from casual, family-style Italian to exclusive chef's tables and restaurants designed by celebrity chefs. Even room service, once free 24/7, now comes with a surcharge on many lines, with fees applied for certain items, during certain hours or all the time. Lines like Norwegian and Royal Caribbean tack a fee to all room service orders.
Most alternative restaurants charge in the range of $15 to $50 per person, but a chef's table experience or wine-paired meal could be upward of $100 per passenger. Some lines, like Norwegian, are starting to move toward a la carte prices in their alternative venues.
Specialty desserts (ice cream, gelato, cupcakes and other fancy pastries), special dishes in the main dining room (such as high-quality cuts of steak and whole lobsters), dinner theater, pizza delivery and even pub grub will cost extra.
Savings Tip: Don't go! You can typically find 24/7 dining for free onboard, and main dining room meals are often quite good, with multiple courses and decadent desserts. The newest, largest ships often have additional casual, fee-free eateries. Carnival is a good cruise line to choose if you want variety in free dining options.

3. Alcohol and Other Beverages
What You'll Pay: At meals, water, iced tea, milk, coffee, tea and juices are complimentary, but alcoholic beverages are not included in the cruise fare on most lines (with the exception of some luxury lines and river cruises, as well as select itineraries on two ships in the Norwegian fleet). Plus, many will also charge for soda, bottled water, certain juices and specialty coffees (cappuccinos, lattes and espressos). Your drink tab can quickly add up as you'll be paying restaurant -- not grocery store -- prices for your beverages, as well as an automatic gratuity on your bill in the range of 18 percent.
Savings Tip: Many vessels advertise discounted "daily drink specials" or offer happy hour specials. If you're ever offered a drink in a souvenir glass, ask for the drink in a regular glass instead; you will likely save a few bucks. Look for events with free booze, such as Champagne art auctions or captain's cocktail parties. At meals, you can order a bottle of wine and save whatever you don't finish for the next night, which can be cheaper than ordering wine by the glass.
Most lines offer beverage packages (everything from just soda to multiple bottles of wine and unlimited alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks), but you need to make sure you drink enough to actually save. If you chug soda or bottled water, some lines will let you bring your own. You can typically bring a bottle or two of wine onboard, but you might have to pay a corkage fee if you drink it in a restaurant.

4. Spa and Salon Treatments
What You'll Pay: Cruise line spas charge rates equal to high-end salons, and you might be shocked by the prices. A 50-minute massage is typically about $120 to $180, with more exotic treatments running into the $200 to $400 range (not to mention medi-spa treatments, which can start in the four-figure range). Plus, rates don't include an automatic gratuity that typically runs 18 percent. Passes to thermal suites average $25 to $40 per day, with cruise-long packages also available. Beware of sales pitches: Most shipboard spas are operated by Steiner's of London, and the staff (who work on commission) often give you the hard sell to persuade you to buy their pricy products.
Savings Tip: Take advantage of spa discounts, typically offered on embarkation and port days. Check your ship's daily program for spa-treatment specials that might be available one day only or during certain hours. Some lines offer progressive discounts if you book multiple treatments all at once. Resist that product sales pitch, or better yet, ask up front not to be bothered with sales pitches at all.
5. Onboard Activities
What You'll Pay: While many onboard activities are free, other special activities incur extra fees. Among them are fitness classes like Pilates, yoga and spinning ($12 to $30 per class); wine-tasting events; after-hours group babysitting for the youngest children (about $5 to $8 per child, per hour); behind-the-scenes tours; and bingo and casino play (as much as you're willing to lose). New attractions like laser tag, escape rooms and IMAX movies often come with an extra fee.
Savings Tip: You can certainly keep entertained with free activities. Attend the production shows, live-music performances, cooking demos, pool or trivia games and free lectures -- or simply spend your time chilling by the pool, reading a book or chatting with your travel companions. Many of the top entertainment offerings -- Broadway productions, onboard surfing and water-sliding, live music and comedy acts -- incur no extra charges (though reservations might be required). If you're intrigued by the for-fee activities, set a budget and choose the ones you find most interesting.

6. Laundry
What You'll Pay: As at land-based resorts, laundry and dry-cleaning charges on a cruise can be steep (approximately $3 to $5 to wash a shirt, for instance). Check to see if there is a self-service launderette, and use it. (Typically, washing and drying one load of clothes comes to between $2 and $4.)
Savings Tip: You have two options here: Pack enough changes of clothes for the cruise and do the wash back home, or bring your own travel-sized detergent, wash necessities in your cabin sink and hang-dry them in the shower. If you're really motivated, you can also find a laundromat in port -- it could be a cultural experience!

7. Tipping
What You'll Pay: Tipping Policies vary by line; most mainstream cruise lines recommend about $13 to $15 per person, per day, to be distributed among those who provide key services: dining room waiters, assistant waiters and cabin stewards. If you have a suite, be prepared to tip extra.
Additionally, bar tabs are automatically charged a 15 to 18 percent gratuity; some lines also add on a 15 to 18 percent gratuity to spa services. When the maitre d' performs a special service, such as arranging for a birthday cake to be brought to the table, he should be tipped as well. Travelers on ships catering to Brits and Australians will find that tips are typically built into the cruise fares, though of course you can give tips for exceptional service.
Savings Tip: Generally, tipping is not an area where you can save money. You can adjust the auto-gratuities at the ship's purser's desk or choose to tip below the recommended amount if you feel you've received subpar service.

8. Souvenir Shopping Onboard and in Port
What You'll Pay: Most people purchase something to remember their cruise, and it can be tough to pass on the beautiful -- and expensive -- figurines, perfumes, designer fashions and leather goods if your budget doesn't allow for them. Even tacky trinkets and T-shirts can add up if you're buying for your extended family-and-friend network. Prices can range from a $5 tee to a piece of jewelry valued in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Savings Tip: Avoid temptation by not browsing in the boutiques onboard and ashore if you cannot afford to buy. Typically, bargain tables appear on ships toward the end of a cruise, so wait for the latter portion to buy onboard if you're so inclined. If you do plan to purchase jewelry, clothing or duty-free liquor onboard, check the prices of merchandise at stores back home, and bring a list so you can compare prices. (The prices on ships are not always deals.)
Don't invest in a piece of art at an onboard auction unless you've done your research in advance and know the value of what you're purchasing.
In port, good, inexpensive souvenirs include handicrafts from outdoor markets and street vendors, and local products such as coffee, jellies and candy purchased at grocery stores in port, where souvenirs are generally less expensive. Many souvenir stores carry the same products, so compare prices before buying.

9. Photos and Camera Equipment
What You'll Pay: Cruise travelers are often lured into dropping big bucks at the onboard photo gallery, where an 8x10 photo can easily cost $20 or more. Buying additional batteries, memory cards and other camera supplies onboard will likely cost you more money than it would back home.
Savings Tip: If you're worried about blowing your budget on photos, just say “no thanks”when the ship's photographer asks to take your picture. Or resist the urge to "just check out" the photo in the gallery -- once you see the printed version, you're more likely to want it. Take your own pictures, and rely sparingly, if at all, on the ship's photographers. If you do plan on buying a lot of professional photos, look for packages or ask about any specials on offer.
On the equipment side, buy plenty of batteries and other camera supplies at home where they're cheaper -- and bring more than you think you will need, just in case.
 
10. Internet
What You'll Pay: Whether you bring your own laptop and take advantage of shipboard Wi-Fi or park yourself at the computer center onboard, you will pay high rates for often slow internet connections. On the up side, connection speeds are improving, and  select cruise lines can offer land-like speeds.
Cruise lines are no longer consistent in how they package or price Wi-Fi. Some lines charge 75 cents a minute for pay-as-you-go plans and offer packages that reduce the cost to around 55 cents a minute for buying internet time in bulk. Other lines charge daily rates based on how much bandwidth you use and which types of sites you can access; for example, a social media plan on Carnival might be $5 a day, while a premium plan with no streaming is $25 per day. An unlimited plan, including streaming, on Disney is $89 for 1,000 megabytes.
Savings Tip: Many cruise lines offer Wi-Fi packages as an added perk when booking certain promotions. Also look for free Wi-Fi access in port; you might need to buy a cup of coffee or a snack at a cafe to access it. You can also find cheaper internet centers in port. Some cellphone plans offer free or package data plans in foreign ports that might be cheaper than the cruise ship options.

11. Parking: If you drive to the port, you'll see that parking rates vary. They may be $25/day or more. It is best to find a hotel to park at that includes parking in its fee.

Get help planning your next trip from Judy Peterson  Peterson Travel Pros

Be careful when you are offered an upgrade to your cruise cabin.  It may be a great offer, but there are some things you need to take into consideration.

1. You're choosy about cabin location. Usually you cannot choose the location of your upgrade room or suite. If you prefer to stay midship on a lower deck to ease seasickness, have purposefully booked rooms near or connecting to travel companions or are picky about decks because you want to minimize noise, you should stick with the cabin you booked and not risk an upgrade.

2. You need an accessible cabin. Cruise ships have limited wheelchair friendly cabinsand very few accessible suites. You can't guarantee that an upgrade would be available in another accessible room, so if you need this type of cabin, book the one you want and say no to potential upgrades.

3. You'll lose your perks. This advice is specific to travelers who spot a price drop on their booked sailing and want to take advantage of the reduced fares to upgrade to a better cabin. Cruise lines will generally let you do this, but they'll consider it a rebooking -- meaning you will lose any promotional offers attached to your original booking and be subject to whatever the current promotion is. For example, if you booked an outside cabin at a certain rate that included a free beverage package and prepaid gratuities, but now see an offer for a balcony cabin at the same price, but the only advertised perk is $50 onboard credit, you can take the upgrade but will forfeit the better freebies of the original promotion.

4. It costs too much. When a cruise line offers you an upsell, be sure to compare the new cruise fare (your original plus the upsell price) with the advertised fare for the upgraded cabin. You might find that the upgrade is not that good of a deal, or it will break your vacation budget. Just say no if what you'd pay in total for the better room is not a price you would've considered when you first booked your cruise vacation.

5. It's not enough of an upgrade. An upgrade isn't always as dramatic as an inside cabin to a suite. You might get moved from a balcony cabin to a different balcony cabin that has a better location (according to the cruise line -- but not always to you). It's up to you if this kind of move is worth it. We've also heard of upgrades from balcony cabins to Concierge-level veranda staterooms (typically identical rooms with perks of questionable value). This type of upgrade might be fine if it's free and you get the extra amenities, but isn't always worth paying for.

When to Say Yes to a Cruise Cabin Upgrade

1. The upgrade is free or reduced-price. If you're not picky about location but would enjoy the extra space of higher-category cabin, say yes to that upgrade if it's free or at a reduced price that is still well within your travel budget. You can easily check fares online to see what the new room would cost if you booked it directly and can compare with the upsell offer to assess the value of the offer.

2. You'll move up to the next cabin type. More space is almost always worth any minor trade-offs (like being far from the elevator or subject to more noise from surrounding decks). If you can move from an inside to an outside or from a balcony to a suite, for free or for cheap, we say go for it.

3. You will definitely utilize the extra space. Are you trying to squeeze four people into an inside cabin, or are traveling with lots of family who plan on hanging out in your room? Have you always wanted a huge suite so you can throw a cocktail party for the friends you made on the Cruise Critic boards? Definitely take that upgrade if your cruise will be enhanced by having the extra space for a higher-category room.

4. You will get extra perks. As we said above, you have to read the fine print about which perks you will or won't get when you upgrade to a spa- or concierge-level cabin or suite. However, if your upgrade does come with perks (for example, VIP treatment or exclusive access to restaurants and lounges), those extra amenities can add even more value than just the bigger cabin alone.

Cruise Critic
Erica Silverstein
1/29/2019

For help booking a cruise, visit www.petersontravelpros.com

Did you know that Singapore was voted the number one cruise destination in Asia?

Singapore is the springboard to exceptional experiences. With a buzzing downtown just twenty minutes’ drive from Singapore’s cruise terminals and Changi Airport, Singapore is truly within your fingertips as soon as you land. And it has never been easier to reach Singapore with increased flight connectivity from North America including the longest non-stop flight in the world from New York to Singapore.

The new Jewel Changi, set to open in April 2019, adds more to your experience when they cruise to/from Singapore. The Jewel Changi is a destination in itself, and connects Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and offers visitors a wealth of experiences, such as a 131-foot tall cascading Rain Vortex, a five-floor terraced garden, and it will be a shopping paradise and foodies heaven.

Tropical climate and calm waters make Singapore a perfection destination anytime of the year. You can feel like a “Crazy Rich Asian” for a day on a guide tour, get lost wandering amongst tall super trees at Gardens by the Bay, explore the world’s largest orchid garden. Or they can seek one-of-a-kind experiences at the ethnic enclaves, such as Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam.

Singapore is the urban oasis and gateway to Southeast Asia that inspires travelers to think beyond tomorrow while being the ideal place for first-timers in Asia. Singapore is where you can fulfill your passions and be inspired by new possibilities.

One of the best ways to see Asia is to combine a pre-cruise visit to Singapore, followed by a cruise to Bangkok, Thailand and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  Princess cruise line offers an affordable 7 day cruise on the Sapphire Princess. Below is an example of a sailing on February 23, 2020.  There are several more options.

Please contact Peterson Travel Pros for more information. http://www.petersontravelpros.com