I just thought I'd keep you all up to date. On June 20th I'll be aboard the Caribbean Princess for a Seminar at Sea. This is not only a great way to keep up with the latest at Princess Cruise Lines, but it's fun! By the way, if your company has meetings or seminars that usually take place at hotels, you might want to consider having that meeting aboard a ship. It will almost certainly be less expensive.
When I return I'll post some pictures and my onboard experiences on my blog.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Princess Cruise lines Newest Commodore
I'm very proud to announce that I've have achieved prestigious Commodore status in Princess Cruises Academy training program being certified as an expert cruise professional. As a Commodore, I join an exclusive group of travel agents who are now recognized by Princess at the Academy's highest level for their unique qualifications and knowledge as a cruise planning professional. I earned this distinction after completing the minimum 25 courses necessary to graduate from the program.
To become a Commodore, travel agents must fulfill 25 required and elective classes, representing approximately 15 hours of total course work covering worldwide destinations, onboard programs, and customer service skills. As they complete courses, agents receive their “stripes” through four levels: First Officer, Staff Captain, Captain and finally Commodore. Agents can continue to take elective courses to expand their knowledge and keep their Commodore status current.
Princess Academy is the cruise industry’s most comprehensive online training program available to travel agents in the U.S. and Canada. Agents who complete the extensive coursework become experts on a wide range of topics, offering travelers full knowledge of important details about a Princess vacation such as the different passenger amenities on the line’s 17 ships, the company’s worldwide destinations and the many special programs available onboard.
“I'm thrilled to be a Princess Commodore and expand my expertise about cruising. The knowledge I've gained makes me a more valuable resource for my clients, and enables me to recommend the very best vacation which matches all of their needs,”
For more information on Princess Cruises going out of your area call your newest Princess Commodore today at 888-452-9805 or visit our website at www.jhammond.cruiseone.com
To become a Commodore, travel agents must fulfill 25 required and elective classes, representing approximately 15 hours of total course work covering worldwide destinations, onboard programs, and customer service skills. As they complete courses, agents receive their “stripes” through four levels: First Officer, Staff Captain, Captain and finally Commodore. Agents can continue to take elective courses to expand their knowledge and keep their Commodore status current.
Princess Academy is the cruise industry’s most comprehensive online training program available to travel agents in the U.S. and Canada. Agents who complete the extensive coursework become experts on a wide range of topics, offering travelers full knowledge of important details about a Princess vacation such as the different passenger amenities on the line’s 17 ships, the company’s worldwide destinations and the many special programs available onboard.
“I'm thrilled to be a Princess Commodore and expand my expertise about cruising. The knowledge I've gained makes me a more valuable resource for my clients, and enables me to recommend the very best vacation which matches all of their needs,”
For more information on Princess Cruises going out of your area call your newest Princess Commodore today at 888-452-9805 or visit our website at www.jhammond.cruiseone.com
Monday, June 8, 2009
Passport Needed
On June 1, 2009, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), was fully implemented (parts have been in effect for a couple of years - flying in or out of the US to foreign countries.) This final phase deals with land border crossings between the US and Mexico and the US and Canada but also cruises which is what we are about.There is something called a "closed loop exemption" specifically for cruise passengers. In short, if your cruise begins and ends at the same US port, passengers will still be able to use a certified copy of a birth certificate and a gov't issued ID photo ID such as a driver's license (proof of citizenship and a photo to show you are who you say you are.) But it also depends on where the cruise goes.
If you are sailing a typical Caribbean cruise, for example - departing and returning to the same Florida port - this is a "closed loop." But if you were sailing a repositioning cruise from Boston to Miami for example, with several ports on the trip - Bermuda, Nassau, etc - this is not a "closed loop" and you would actually need a passport to board the ship. Another example is an Alaska Cruise North or South bound (Anchorage to Vancouver), again a passport will be required. Even Anchorage to Seattle does not fall into a "closed loop" by definition.
The place to read "the rules and requirements" is http://www.travel.state.gov/. Yes, your agent should advise you properly but it is ultimately up to the traveler to present the proper documentation when checking in to board the ship.
Our best advise - "BITE THE BULLET" and get a passport. They are good for 10 years so it is a one-time expense for that time period (about $100), and then you do not have to worry about which cruise does or does not require one.
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