Thursday January 26, 2012, airlines have been mandated to be more transparent to consumers. This is a result of the Airline Baggage Transparency and Accountability Act. This article details what Senator Jim Webb’s legislation includes.

The most important part and in laymen’s terms, you must get a total price for your flights. Many people think the “deal of the day” price of $49 each way is a great deal. The issue is that price does not include all of the taxes and fees. Sometimes, a ticket for $98 round-trip can end up costing you $200 or more! Additionally, there have been limited seats at that price.

Open Allies for Airfare Transparency called for the DOT to quickly provide consumers with clearer information about all the fees they face. “Otherwise, consumers face another year, or longer, of confusion and complexity, with no meaningful way to compare offerings across airlines to secure the best deal on the all-in price of air travel,” said Art Sackler, executive director of the group.

So, let’s see tomorrow what this legislation does for transparency to you – the consumer.

Rx 4 Fun Travel LLC does not do air-only bookings. We will, however, monitor air rates for clients and advise on the best time to buy. Visit our website and search air rates at the top right: BOOK NOW.

Take a look at this funny video of flying; makes you want to cruise!

We will design a Signature Event-At-Sea tailored and customized to your particular business or industry. 

Over the last 20 years there has been a growing debate about crime and safety on cruise ships.  Most of the time you will never know a crime has been committed and most people who go on cruises will not fall prey to cruise ship crimes.  But for too long the laws regulating cruise ship crimes have been lax and nebulous, and victims and family members of victims have been gathering support for more legal intervention on cruises for US citizens.

The problem has always been that cruise ships sail through international waters and this is out of the United States’ jurisdiction. But thanks to a new law that has been passed by the Senate and House and signed by President Obama, US citizens are more protected on cruise ships than ever before.

The name of the new bill is the “Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act”, and even though it was signed in 2010, it will not go fully into effect until 2012.

So what changes will be made?

The bill requires that every cruise ship that departs from a United States Port has the following:

  * 42 inch railings all around the ship on every deck
  * Peepholes on all cabin doors
  * Security latches on all cabin doors
  * Video surveillance all over the ship
  * Security training of cruise ship personnel
  * Medical personnel who meet guidelines established by the American College of Emergency Physicians
  * Crimes must be reported to the US Coast Guard
  * The FBI must be contacted in events of homicide, assaults, or missing persons
 
So what ships will be required to abide by the law’s regulations?

Any ship that carries more than 250 passengers, leaves from a US port, and offers overnight accommodations.  In 2012, any ships that have failed to meet all the requirements of the new safety laws will not be allowed to enter the United States.
 
In addition to adding these laws to the US side of things, the US is now taking these issues to the International Maritime Organization in London to further ensure the safety of all cruise passengers.

Since this law has passed, many other countries like Great Britain, Philippines and Australia have incorporated similar safety features and practices into their legislation as well.

For too long cruise lines would just overlook crimes on their cruise ships and leave the victims to fend for themselves.  But now with this added accountability, cruise lines are actually embracing the new changes, and most already have the stated requirements. 

This law was long overdue, but the cruise lines have realized that if they cannot ensure the safety of their passengers it will start to hurt their bottom line in the future.

Signature Events at Sea will design an exclusive cruise event for you without the worry of your guests’ safety.

Denyse H. Turner, Event Producer/Planner
Signature Events At Sea (a div of Rx 4 Fun Travel LLC)

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How about creating holiday memories with your family and friends by getting away for Halloween? Enjoy a Masquerade Ball on a floating resort! It’ll be the best Halloween you’ve ever had!

Here are a couple of HALLOWEEN cruises to choose:

Sleuths will come together to celebrate Halloween early aboard a Royal Caribbean 3-night Bahamas cruise with an added twist: a Whodunit Mystery. Suspicious characters will lurk all around the ship while passengers try to unravel the clues!

The Majesty of the Seas sails from Miami, FL on 10/21/11.

The Monarch of the Seas sails from Port Canaveral, FL also on 10/21/11.

How fun!

We are in the last days! Call us right away at 888-412-6090 to reserve a cabin on one of these sailings. Full payment will be required at time of booking.

Denyse H. Turner

Event Producer/Planner

Signature Events at Sea (a div of Rx 4 Fun Travel LLC)

When I was new to the travel industry, I wanted clients desperately. I would work on any requests that came my way, never asked for a service fee, and ended up feeling overworked and underpaid.  I recall many times where I would spend hours researching an itinerary for someone, only to have them tell me they’ve changed their mind, something’s come up, or never return my messages. Then, there were the “price shoppers”. ”Is this the cheapest price”? The ones that questioned every single quote I gave them and basically wanted me to do the work of an online booking engine, finding the cheapest deal possible.

It can be easy to get frustrated with price shoppers and time wasters. It’s tempting to place the blame on them, but the truth is, it was my own fault.  I failed to set boundaries with them and they walked all over me.  When I stopped pointing my finger at someone else, owned what I was doing to attract undesirable requests, everything changed.  

What I realized is that I needed to create a few hoops for potential clients to jump through before I put any effort into their vacations plans. They needed to work a little before I worked for them.  I designed a system to do just this.  It’s not perfect, but it makes a huge difference and most of the people that come through the system, end up being ideal clients, who value my services, are willing to pay a fee, and book lucrative travel.  There are a lot less of those who disappear without warning.

Just a quick footnote: I don’t put every single client through this system….only brand new ones. If they are repeat clients, or a solid referral, I don’t bother with the system.  It’s a judgment call for the travel professional.

The Time Waster and “Price Shopper” System consists of 3 parts:

1.  A Travel Interest Survey:

I noticed that I spent a lot of time in an initial conversation with a new potential client asking the exact same questions. I started to write down the questions I asked a new person and put these together into a “Travel Interest Survey”. Then I asked them to complete the survey on their own time, so they weren’t wasting mine. The beauty of it is – if they don’t complete the survey, I forget about them, move on and feel good knowing they would have wasted a LOT more of my time.

Here are a few questions in my survey:
 - How many travelers and if kids are included, what are their ages?
 - Is this is a special occasion?
 - Do you have specific dates, or a window of time?
 - How long do you want to travel?
 - Do you know where you want to go or do you need me to recommend a destination?
 - What was your favorite hotel/resort and why?

2.  The “Interview With Denyse”.

The average person has no clue what a travel professional does. So rather than get frustrated with him or her, OR waste an hour of my precious time explaining what I do, I created a document that lists common questions about what I do, how I work with clients, why I got into the business and do what I do, and how I get compensated.  Then I answer each question.

3.  Free Consultation and Travel Planning Deposit

In the beginning it felt difficult to ask a brand new potential client for a fee to get started working. So, I would give them one freebie.  I would offer a free, 30-minute consultation. And this is where the Travel Interest Survey and “Interview With Denyse” played in beautifully.

So here’s my system for clients requesting travel other than cruises:

1) A potential client sends an inquiry through website.

2) I reply with a “thank you for your inquiry” e-mail. I indicate the best way to begin is by scheduling a free, 30-minute consultation. I note the two things to be done before the consultation:  A) Complete a “Travel Interest Survey” and B) “Interview With Denyse”.  

3) I schedule a free consultation by sending a selection of 3 or 4 dates and times that are available. I also remind that I will cancel the appointment if I do not receive the completed Travel Interest Survey before the meeting.

4) If a survey is not completed, I send one last email asking if they would like to reschedule the appointment, or not. If they do complete the survey, I review before the appointment and then put together a few itinerary options that I use as talking points and get a better feel for budget and travel tastes. 

5) I hold the consultation, discuss the options, get more of an idea of what’s desired, and indicate that in order to proceed, a $200 trip planning fee/deposit is payable. That deposit is non-refundable, but will come off the price of the itinerary when booked.

This system effectively filters out a vast majority of clients that waste travel professionals’ time and stretches them thin.  

My system for Signature Events at Sea is somewhat different as it has its own marketing in place.

Denyse H. Turner
Event Producer/Planner
Signature Events at Sea (a division of Rx 4 Fun Travel LLC)

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AMA Waterways is launching its second Mekong River ship this month.

Like with its first 94-passenger Mekong ship La Marguerite, AMA Waterways will be partial owner of the Amalotus, as well.

The 124-passenger Amalotus expands the line’s pioneering success on the Mekong with 7-night cruises from Siem Reap, Cambodia, to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, part of the line’s Vietnam, Cambodia and the Riches of the Mekong program.

The custom-designed vessel will offer a restaurant named Outside Cabin.

What an encounter to experience private events while cruising up close and personal in China on a brand new ship!

Denyse H. Turner
Event Producer/Planner
Signature Events at Sea (a div of Rx 4 Fun Travel LLC)

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Having a balcony on a cruise will give you a quiet place to relax and enjoy beautiful views of the ocean. The most popular balcony cabins to get on a cruise are aft balconies (back of ship). While these are usually the most expensive, besides suites, they are usually the largest and also offer you the best chance at getting a call from the upgrade fairy.

Being on a Signature Event at Sea allows plenty of time to network with families and friends and meet new people.  There will be times, however, that you will want “alone time”. Your private balcony is the best place for that!

While you have your own private place to enjoy on the ship, there are some important things to remember when having a balcony stateroom.

The most important thing to be reminded of is that you have neighbors. I have read some absolute horror stories of what people have done on their balconies.  Ask yourself, would you want your neighbor doing this?

  * Don’t feed the seagulls. Imagine spending a relaxing afternoon on your balcony only to have the room above you feeding the birds. We all know what happens when you are directly under a bird too long, it’s not fun.

  * If you are a smoker, don’t smoke your neighbors off their balcony. Some cruise lines have already made a no smoking policy on balconies because of this.

  * Please do NOT ever peek over the divider to see what your neighbors are up to. You would be surprised how many cruisers do this.

  * Private things that belong in the bedroom should stay in the bedroom.

  * If it is late, try to keep your voice down and don’t yell. Many cruisers love to keep their doors open and listen to the waves as they fall asleep.

A good rule of thumb would be to act like you would like everyone around you to act. Having a balcony on a cruise can really be that place to get away from it all and just relax. Don’t ruin it for the rooms around you.

Denyse H. Turner
Event Producer/Planner
Signature Events at Sea (a div of Rx 4 Fun Travel LLC)

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Viking River Cruises is proud to announce that it has ordered two more ships in the Viking Longships class for delivery in 2012, bringing the total of new vessels to six. This will mark an unprecedented number of ships launching in a single season, an accomplishment that eclipses Viking’s own record of four ships christened into the fleet in 2001, excellent for Signature Events at Sea. 

“Ever since we announced the introduction of the Viking Longships earlier this year, the response has been overwhelming,” stated Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking River Cruises. “To accommodate the demand, we have decided to accelerate the new builds schedule and bring two more Viking Longships into the fleet in 2012.” 

Expertly designed by Yran & Storbraaten, the team behind The Yachts of Seabourn, these new vessels offer state-of-the-art engineering, design and comfort.

  * A radical new patent-pending design which allows for full-size staterooms combined with full-size verandas

  * Large suites with a veranda outside the living room and French balcony in the bedroom

  * Two sumptuous 445 sq. ft. Explorer Suites with private wraparound verandas and 270° views

  * Our all-new Aquavit Terrace—an indoor/outdoor area at the bow of the ship for viewing, relaxing and casual dining

  * French balcony staterooms featuring floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors

  * Quiet, environmentally friendly hybrid engines, solar panels and an organic herb garden on the large sun deck

  * Deluxe amenities like premium bath products and high-definition in-room entertainment

  * Fine cuisine, exemplary service and immersive, culture-rich itineraries—all the things you have come to expect from Viking

Experience a Signature Event at Sea on a new Viking River Cruise ship.

Photos courtesy of Viking River Cruises

Denyse H. Turner
Event Producer/Planner
Signature Events at Sea (a div of Rx 4 Fun Travel LLC)

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Back in May, we announced that we had spent 27 hours becoming Certified to provide private events on cruise ships. For the past 90 days, we have been working hard to set up a whole new system for our clients. We are still in the midst but we do have an information site for you!!

Signature Events at Sea, will offer the following trade secrets:

• Get PAID to speak while traveling the world!
• Get low group rates for guests and a FREE cruise for the group leader – worth up to $3000!
• Expand your database of fans and build lucrative lifetime relationships with them. Excellent for celebrities!
• Earn profits on the front end, back end and the never end!
• Host your own Comedy Cruises, Internet Marketing Conferences, Product Creation Launches/Trainings, Workshops, Conference or Themed Vacations.
• Bring value to your guests with your products or services.
• Create a lifetime of memories for everyone who attends.
• Start cruising FREE with as few as 15 guests!

 Let us share the SECRETS of how you can be the “Guru” at your own fun mega-event, sailing to exotic ports of call in The Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii or Europe…….instead of in some stuffy hotel conference room!

We also share other secrets most people don’t know about cruising!

Denyse H. Turner

Event Producer/Planner

Signature Events at Sea (a div of Rx 4 Fun Travel LLC)

A relatively new ship from the Italian cruise line MSC Cruises, MSC Poesia (poetry in Italian) was christened in April 2008 in Dover, England. The choice of Dover underlines the port’s importance for the line as well as the increasing importance of the U.K. market for cruising. The 964-ft ship weighs in at 92,490 tons.

The 2,550-passenger Poesia with an international crew of 987 passes the summer in Northern Europe, based at Kiel in Germany. In the fall she will cross the North Atlantic for fall foliage cruises from New York into the St. Lawrence as far as Quebec, followed by a winter season to be based at Fort Lauderdale for winter cruises of various lengths in the Caribbean. Here, she will be heavily marketed to North Americans. She takes over from her sister ship, Orchestra, in the Caribbean with itineraries that combine the Dutch Caribbean and the Panama Canal and the Eastern Caribbean.

The Poesia itself should be a draw for year-round cruising; the third ship in the Musica class is perhaps the most beautiful of all, elegant and sophisticated. The interior design includes sophisticated shades of blue, green, rose and purple, coupled with well-polished brass and solid teak in the public areas. A signature feature is the atrium waterfall behind the central, transparent stage that makes the space a preferred gathering area day and night.

The 13-deck ship has 236,000 sq ft of public spaces, two pools and four hot tubs, and a 13,000-sq-ft spa, plus minigolf, deck tennis, deck quoits, shuffleboard and a jogging track. Movies are shown on deck ahead of the forward pool at night. Although passengers who have sailed on MSC’s Orchestra and Musica will feel at home on Poesia, there have been a few changes.

Public spaces are executed in Italian style and incorporate plenty of woods and marble. The spaces include a three-deck-high atrium with bars and a crystal piano set on a small stage before a waterfall, a two-level show lounge and night club for stage entertainment and cooking demonstrations, a wine bar, English-style pub, library, card room, Internet Center and a cigar lounge. The ship has very good facilities for younger children, including a pool and a Stone-Age Dinosaur-themed play area, and a virtual reality center for teens.

Italian maitres d’hotel are in charge of the two main restaurants, both which offer assigned tables at two seatings, the standard practice on all MSC ships. The menu is geared to Italian and European tastes, and the pasta and pizzas are freshly prepared. Otherwise, the food is fair to good. The buffet restaurant serves breakfast and lunch and the atrium bars serve coffees and pastries. Recently, informal open-seating buffet dinners are now available, something that families have asked for. The pizza and kebabs are fresh and complimentary. Coffee and tea are now offered around the clock. There are three alternative restaurants, with reservations and fees, Tex-Mex, the Kaito Sushi Bar with a Xen garden and L’Obelisco, with an Italian menu plus steaks. The dinosaur-themed children’s outside area includes a puppet theater.

MSC Poesia features 1,275 staterooms, of which 80% are outside staterooms and 65% have a balcony. Amenities for the standard cabins are satellite TV, radio channels, personal safe and minibar. Breakfast in the cabin during normal hours is brought at no charge but at other times, the limited room service menu exacts a charge.

An environmental consideration is the ship’s hull, which is coated with special paint that saves on fuel consumption and leaves no “footprint” underwater. The ship’s primary competition is Costa for the European market, and all the mainstream lines that serve the Mediterranean and Caribbean markets. It’s important to realize that this ship offers a European cruise experience, even in the Caribbean and for the fall season out of New York. That will appeal to some and may turn off others.

Photos courtesy of MSC Cruises

Denyse H. Turner

Event Producer/Planner

Signature Events at Sea (a div of Rx 4 Fun Travel LLC)

A ship of dramatic and open spaces, Explorer of the Seas offers something for all cruisers. It is exciting and energetic enough to truly be considered a city at sea.

A Royal Caribbean cruise liner, the Explorer is 1,020 ft in length and measures 137,308 tons. Once she shared the distinction of largest cruise ship in the world with her four sisters. Then she was outsized by the 154,000-ton Freedom of the Seas trio, which has since been surpassed by the 225,000-ton Oasis of the Seas (December 2009) and Allure of the Seas (December 2010).

Completed in 2000, this Bahamian-registered vessel carries 1,176 international crew members and 3,114 passengers double occupancy.

Sailing year-round out of Cape Liberty Cruise Port in New Jersey (Bayonne), Explorer makes mostly 9- and 10-night Eastern Caribbean and 11- and 12-night Southern Caribbean sailings to popular ports in the winter months, then in the warmer months makes 5-night trips to Bermuda, docking at Kings Wharf for two days, and occasionally 9-night Bermuda and Bahamas and Bermuda and the Caribbean.

In the late summer and for the fall foliage season, 9-nighters aim north for New England and Eastern Canada. Happily, the Explorer docks at most ports, and in the few instances she does not, expect to wait your turn to make the tender transfer to and from the ship.

Passengers enter the ship via the remarkable Royal Promenade, a four-story-high street that meanders past cafes, bars and shops while passengers peer down from their inward-facing cabins above. This space is the pulse of the ship, and it seems at first to be Mall of America gone to sea, but ultimately it is extremely successful and fun, no matter the hour.

The ship’s size allows for a plethora of unusual activities, including a rock-climbing wall, in-line skating track and a large ice skating rink.

There are a variety of other spaces onboard to relax, including a sedate Cigar Club, the relaxing Aquarium Bar with its walls of fish tanks, and the Gothic-themed Chamber Night Club, where large gargoyles scowl at your dancing. Overall, the decor is typical Royal Caribbean, with varying pastel shades and lots of marble and glass that is generally inoffensive but also forgettable.

One notable exception is the ship’s three-story dining room, where a grand staircase links each level. With fluted gold columns rising the height of the room to an eye-catching gold sunburst design on the ceiling, this imposing room is majestic and elegant. The lounge, divided up into smaller sections onboard, is also attractive and offers commanding views of the ocean and the passengers from on top of the 15 decks. On deck, there are three pools, offering a choice between the quieter solarium area and the lively center area where the music plays and passengers bake.

Back aft, there is a full-size basketball court, volleyball court and dodge ball underneath the rock-climbing wall in addition to a miniature-golf course and golf simulator, making for an unusual scene that hardly seems possible on a ship. Even the promenade deck is unique, bulging out from the hull at places and allowing passengers to walk all the way to the bow as in the movie Titanic.

Entertainment choices are as varied as you’d expect given the space, and the ship’s main show lounge is well-designed with a minimum of poor seats. Other spaces include a large gym and spa, a wedding chapel, a secondary show lounge, the usual Royal Caribbean Schooner Bar, a sports bar, an expansive casino and even interactive scientific laboratories, among other choices. Children have extensive facilities and will love this ship.

Dining is not the strong point of the ship, although food is bountiful and always available somewhere onboard. The choice is one of two seatings or My Time Dining, arranged at the time of booking to then choose the dining time at dinner during regular hours. The ship’s one true alternative restaurant (Portofino’s, serving Italian food) is small for so many passengers.

A Johnny’s Rocket diner is extremely popular as well, and Ben & Jerry’s has an ice-cream outlet. A large Lido area serves standard steam-table fare with the more appealing seats found in the after section. Service is friendly and usually efficient. But the variety of true dining choices is less than one would expect on such a huge ship.

The Explorer’s 1,557 cabins, 937 of which are outsides, are well laid out and generally of good size, and all have twin beds convertible to queen size. TVs, radios, personal safes, minibars and hair dryers are standard. Balconies are incorporated into the steelwork of the vessel, and hence feel more private and secure than on some competitors’ ships.

There are 138 cabins with interior views into the Royal Promenade, perfect for people-watchers and being watched from neighbors across the way. Lots of cabins connect for families.

This dynamic ship has been creatively designed and provides a truly astounding variety of activities, making this an excellent choice for those seeking to satisfy many tastes on an invigorating megaship cruise. Norwegian Cruise Line is the only other year-round operator out of New York. Lots of the clientele drive up, and there is plenty of safe parking; Newark Liberty Airport is just a few miles away.

Photos courtesy of Royal Caribbean

Denyse H. Turner

Event Producer/Planner

Signature Events at Sea (a div of Rx 4 Fun Travel LLC)