We gave our Azamara Cruise section of the website a nice overhaul today.

There was a noticable improvement made to the Azamara Cruise Destination selector and we also created a new destination page that allows you to quickly see offer results for each of their top itinerary locations.

We also posted a new Azamara Cruise Comment section that currently has one of our comments from Robert made during his trip to the Mediterranean.

Please feel free to take a look at the updated section. We have the best prices in the industry on our reserved group space so time is of the essance before cabins fill up!

Enjoy,

Westside International Travel

Carnival Cruises Vs Other Cruise Lines

We recently built a nifty Carnival Cruise Comments area in our Carnival profile area for our customers and travel partners to leave feedback on.

This will help our visitors see what others think about Carnival and should bring each visitor one step closer to finding out what the true cruise experience is all about.

Feel free to drop a comment at the bottom of this page http://www.westsideintltravel.com/carnival-cruises/ and please let us know what you think about Carnival and their advantages and disadvantages.

Thanks!

Korsoer, Denmark – The world’s largest cruise ship, set sail on Sunday, having lower its smokestacks to squeeze under a bridge in Denmark.

The Oasis of the Seas — which rises almost 20 stories high — passed below the Great Belt Fixed Link with the slimmist of margins as it left the Baltic Sea on its maiden voyage to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Bridge operators said that even after lowering its smokestacks the enormous ship had less than a two foot clearance gap.

Oasis of the Seas is nearly 40 percent larger than the cruise industry’s next largest ship at 220,000 tons. Five times larger than the Titanic, with a price tag of close to $1.5 billion, Oasis of the Seas has seven neighborhoods, an ice rink, a small golf course and a 750 seat outdoor amphitheater. It has 2,700 cabins and that can accommodate 6,300 passengers and 2,100 crew members.

Accomodations include new to the industry loft cabins, with floor to ceiling windows, and 1,600 sq ft luxury suites with balconies overlooking the ocean or promenades.

The ship has four swimming pools, volleyball and basketball courts, and a youth zone with theme parks.

Oasis of the Seas features several themed areas on board. One of them will be a tropical environment, including palm trees and vines among the 12,000 plants on board. They will be planted after the ship arrives in Fort Lauderdale.

In the stern, a 750 seat outdoor theater, modeled like an ancient Greek amphitheater, doubles as a swimming pool by day and an ocean front theater by night. The pool has a diving tower with spring boards and 2 thirty-three foot high dive platforms. An indoor amphitheater seats 1,300 guests.

One of the “neighborhoods,” named Central Park, features boutiques, restaurants and bars, including a levitating bar that moves up and down three decks, allowing customers to get on and off at different levels.

The Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas is due to make its U.S. debut on Nov. 20 at its home port, Port Everglades in Florida.

Here are some amazing photos of the ship just clearing under the bridge:

Check out our Disney 2009 & 2010 Cruises Today ->

Disney Cruise Line in 2011 will start Alaska sailings aboard the 2,400 passenger Disney Wonder, which will operate out of Vancouver, B.C. The ship will offer seven night roundtrip itineraries that call in the Alaskan port towns of Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway and visit the beautifully scenic Tracy Arm. With this new itinerary, families will be able to enjoy all that Alaska has to offer them.

The first of 18 cruises the Disney Cruise Line plans for 2011 will  from Vancouver on May 3, 2011 with the last cruise of the season scheduled for Aug. 30, 2011.

Disney’s move into Alaska comes as several other cruise lines pull ships from the region due to what they have called a difficult environment to work in. Carnival C ruise Line owned Princess and Holland America, as well as Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line have all announced cutbacks in their capacity for 2010.

In anticipation of the new Alaska sailings, Disney says it will add a new venue called Outlook Café atop the Disney Wonder during a dry dock this month.  Located on deck 10, the 2,500 square foot indoor lounge will offer a place for passengers to watch for wildlife, such as scouting for whales as the ship sails along Alaska’s scenic Inside Passage. The venue will have floor to ceiling, curved glass windows.

The Alaska cruise announcement is for the 2011 cruise season only. Disney has said nothing has been determined  for the cruise line’s schedule beyond that year.

Also, check out Disney’s new itineraries for 2011 for the Mexican Riviera Cruises and Mediterranean cruises.

So pack up that Chevy and Contact the Westside International Family Vacation Specialists Today!

Specialists at Westside International can assist with all of your Local Driving Vacation needs. Whether you are travel in the east coast, mid-west or looking for beaches on the west coast, they’re stocked full of all sorts of ideas and vacation ideas for you to book your next driving vacation.

Family Vacation Specialists - Westside International Travel

View All Crystal Cruise 2009 Offers Now –>

Coming this September, Crystal Cruise Line will unveil the vastly upgraded Crystal Symphony after it’s 25 million dollar make over. Carrying 922 guests and 50,000 tons, this luxury vessel will have elegant new interiors, and deck spaces, along with redesigned Penthouses, pool areas, elevators, Lido Cafe, Prego Italian restaurant, and many other areas as well.

The Crystal Symphony’s two 982 square foot penthouses with large verandas will be completely changed and transformed into an elegant style much like residential apartments with quality fabrics, details and finishes. The suites open to an entrance lobby, his/hers walk in closets, private study area, living room, state of the art audio/video system, and a dining room with floor to ceiling windows. Both the master and guest bathrooms will feature rare marbles and designer fittings.

All Crystal staterooms will receive new sofas, which will provide additional seating and add third berths for families. This year, the Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity received plush new Simmon’s mattresses with sanitary protectors.

During the September drydock, Crystal is also upgrading elevators, a new crew restaurant, new lighting systems and other behind the scenes improvements. Medical center improvements include digital x-ray equipment, which will enable onboard doctors to efficiently share x-rays with guests’ personal physicians. A major upgrade is also in the works for the ship’s onboard broadcast production studio, which will enhance Crystal’s extensive television programming with added clarity and visual quality.

Crystal Cruises in 2009

When it comes to getting the best bang for your buck, cruise line companies in 2009 have really stepped up to the plate and have some unbelievable deals for you to take advantage of.  Royal Caribbean Cruises in 2009 have been releasing special hot offers on a weekly basis and coupled with their fantastic on board ship experience, you will surely have  a blast whether cruising with family, friends, business or on your own deep sea adventure. Crystal Cruises in 2009 have put together several elegant offers that will please both first-time cruisers and expert travelers alike.

When it comes to having fun, Carnival Cruises in 2009 are known for exactly that. They have even inherited the ship naming of “Fun Ships” due to the family fun environment on their vessels.  To read more about all of the fantastic 2009 Cruises that Westside International Travel has in store for you today, visit their site at http://www.westsideintltravel.com/

Fantastic 2009 Cruise Options

Westside International Travel loves All Inclusive Packages!  In this challenging economy we believe that all inclusive packages are a great way to plan an affordable vacation that will please the entire family.

On many of these packages the kids stay and eat free when staying in the same room with parents, which means there only cost is the airfare.  And the all inclusive resorts, besides being absolutely gorgeous, always include day and evening activities and entertainment.  Some of the packages can even include tours.  On those that don’t we can pre plan day trips for you and include it in the cost of the trip so there are no surprises when you get there.  And with our payment plan…it is even easier to plan and pay ahead of time.

One of our very special vendor partners stands out in the area of All Inclusive Vacations.  This vendor really knows the all inclusive business like few others out there.  Our choice to refer our special clients to is Apple Vacations.  They have been doing all inclusive for years and have the best inclusions with their packages!  Most other suppliers charge extra for transfers in these packages, but Apple Vacations always includes the transfers.  They have representatives that will meet and greet you upon arrival and escort you to the transfer, so there’s no confusion of how to get to your resort.  Once at your resort there will be a representative stationed there daily to answer questions or help you with day trips that you might want to book after you arrive.

And if you are having any concerns about the resort, that representative will be an extension of our services to make sure your concerns are taken care of and you have the best vacation ever.

Because they so many hotel nights under contract, Apple Vacations  prices are fantastic.  We love to use them for  Mexican Vacations , especially to Cancun, Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta , and Cabo San Lucas,  but you will find a long list of resorts if you are looking for  Caribbean Apple Vacations, as well.  Take a look …we know you will find something that interests you whether you are on tight budget or looking for a deluxe vacation.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Crystal Cruises have offered increased options this summer for it’s youngest luxury cruisers.  Crystal is to expand the hours and programming of its Junior Activities Programs.  From designing their own “Sistine Chapels” while cruising Crystal Destinations such as Italy, to photo sessions in Russian costumes en route to St. Petersburg, children on board the Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony this summer will enjoy creative, sophisticated programs that showcases the ships’ destinations.

Crystal’s Fantasia and Waves children’s and teens’ facilities, rare in luxury cruising, have long featured a number of organized events and top video games and toys for the kids.  Up to 10 Junior Activities Directors on each sailing supervise the programs during summer months and holidays.  The expanded junior programs includes:

Longer Hours – With Crystal’s multi port itineraries, the Junior Activities program now features more organized games and events on port days, in addition to sea days and evenings packed with fun and educational choices.

Destination Related Enrichment – As with Crystal Cruises Crystal Visions Enrichment Program lectures and exclusive Creative Learning Institute, children’s activities include options relevant to each voyage.  On a cruise visiting Monaco, kids can learn key French phrases from the Berlitz language instructor.  On a Baltic cruise, scavenger hunts promote interested facts about Stockholm.  Children will also create memory books with maps and photos of the countries they visit as a souvenir of their travels.  For teens, there are destination themed dance parties hosted by a special guest DJ.

Kids’ menus, including complimentary ice cream bars and babysitting services are available.

Check out Crystal Cruises 2009 specials available nowand be sure to take advantage of our vacations payment plan page to make any vacation more affordable over time.

More top Crystal Cruise pages to check out at Westside International are:

• Crystal World Cruises
• Crystal Family Cruises
• The Crystal Society
• The Crystal Vintage Room
• Crystal Cruise Videos
  

Legendary singer and songwriter James Taylor had guests dancing aboard the Queen Mary 2’s June 19 eastbound Transatlantic Crossing, where he performed two Cunard Command Performances before standing room only audiences in the ship’s 1150 seat Royal Court Theatre.

Taylor and his band arrived in Southampton, England, having sailed the six day voyage from New York en route to begin a 10 week, 22 concert tour visiting nine European countries.
Before the concerts, guests got a closer glimpse inside the life of the music icon during a live interview session with Cunard Entertainment Director Ray Rouse. Taylor graciously greeted, signed autographs for and took photos with hundreds of adoring fans.
The Transatlantic Crossing fulfilled a lifelong dream for Taylor, who has said his favorite place to be is in the middle of the North Atlantic.
Taylor’s family also joined James on this voyage. His wife Kim, twin sons Rufus and Henry, and his mother Trudy Taylor.
James Taylor now becomes part of Cunard’s history of welcoming world famous entertainers, including Elizabeth Taylor, Rita Hayworth, Rod Stewart, Carly Simon, Shirley Bassey, Harry Connick, Jr. and Lenny Kravitz.