Win Family Vacation to ESSENCE Music Festival®
Win a family vacation for you and your family. You and 9 members of you family can win a free New Orleans vacation with hotel accommodations.
One lucky grand prize winner will receive up to ten concert tickets per night to the ESSENCE Music Festival® in New Orleans, a $2,000 cash prize, and three-nights accommodations at a local Comfort Inn or other Choice hotel. This year’s ESSENCE Music Festival® will take place July 2 – 4, 2010 and will feature award-winning singers and high profile R&B recording artists. Last year’s ESSENCE Music Festival® drew over 400,000 fans and this year, ESSENCE and Comfort Inn want to make you and your loved ones part of the celebration.
For more information, or to enter the “A Family Affair” sweepstakes, visit http://www.comfortinnfamilyaffair.com/essence.
Nickelodean Cruise Vacation with Norwegian
Traveling families have more options when it comes to cruise vacations. Cruise lines have been catering more to families with children and the special needs that they have. Norwegian Cruise Lines have teamed up with Nickelodeon to provide a themed family cruise that children will enjoy.
Beginning in April on Norwegian Jewel and this summer on Norwegian Epic, Nickelodeon and Norwegian experiences for the entire family will include: character meet and greets; interactive game shows; and more. The three-year partnership also includes select specialty Nickelodeon-themed cruises each year, featuring Nickelodeon TV stars, show premieres and continuous themed-entertainment on the ship.
Each cruise will feature live Nickelodeon-themed interactive shows, including: SlimeTime LIVE! with Nick’s signature slime; Nick Live! Poolside entertainment; character breakfasts and meet and greets; Nick-themed dance parties; and more. Nickelodeon-themed elements will also be incorporated into Norwegian’s Kids’ Crew program.
In addition to the year-round programming on Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Epic, special Nickelodeon-themed cruises will be offered annually where families can immerse themselves in everything Nickelodeon all day, every day. These unique cruises will include: special appearances by the Network’s live talent; show premieres; more live game shows; even more opportunities to visit with kids’ favorite Nick characters; and much more. The first of the Nickelodeon-themed specialty cruises is scheduled on Norwegian Jewel later this year. More details and an on sale date will be released soon.
To book a cruise on Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Epic or any of Norwegian’s ships, go to www.ncl.com, call 800-327-7030 or contact a travel professional.
Solo Cruise Vacation Cabins on Norwegian Cruise Lines
You may really enjoy those family cruise vacations that offer room for the family, but sometimes you might want to travel solo. Or there may be the occasion when you are planning a large family reunion. Some members of the family may want to have their own solo cabin without having to pay an extra. Norwegian is one cruise line that is offering cabins designed for those that want to cruise solo. Norwegian Epic’s Studios are the first staterooms designed and priced for single occupancy, starting from $799 on the ship’s seven-day alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. These specially designed and priced Studio staterooms available on all of Norwegian Epic’s sailings with no single supplement.
The Studios on Norwegian Epicare a private key-card access complex on two decks consisting of 128 staterooms and the Studio Lounge. This unique and thoughtfully designed concept provides comfort and convenience for the solo traveler. Each Studio stateroom, at approximately 100 square feet of living space, features a contemporary design with a full-size bed and separate areas for the bathroom, sink and shower. In addition, guests in the Studios have private access to the exclusive Studio Lounge. Here, guests can grab a cup of coffee in the morning, meet up with fellow cruisers and plan their day or relax with a drink in the evening. Since many of the Studio staterooms are connecting, there is also the opportunity for friends to travel together while giving each their own private space.
Disney Cruises-Kids Get to Have Things Their Way
Disney Cruises have decided to redo the way what kids can eat and activities they can participate in during the cruise vacation. Before activities and food choices were segmented by age group. Now Children can choose the activities and food without the age group restrictions.
On Disney Cruise Line, children can personalize their cruise vacation by selecting activities and events, regardless of age. Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab are open to children age 3 to 12 on the Disney Wonder and age 3 to 10 on the Disney Magic.
While Disney Cruise Line will continue to recommend activities that appeal to specific maturity levels and ages, the entire menu of offerings is open to every child. With this evolutionary approach to shipboard youth activities, children and parents choose programs based on the specific interests of each child to create a customized and very personalized experience. Best of all, children of different ages — siblings, extended family and friends — can participate in youth activities together throughout their cruise.
The majority of children’s events and free-time activities occur within dedicated youth spaces on the ship and on Castaway Cay. As always, Disney Cruise Line youth activities are supervised by specially trained, experienced counselors.
Specific program information is available to guests on the day of check-in at the Youth Activities registration desk located in the Disney cruise ship terminal building prior to boarding, or onboard in the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab.
Source: DisneyCruiseNews.com
Nickelodeon and Royal Caribbean Go Cruising Together
Taking its way to high seas, Nickelodeon has teamed with Royal Caribbean Cruise lines to bring many of the fun Nickelodeon characters and shows to the Nickelodeon Family Cruise. August will be the first of these Nickelodeon themed cruises that is scheduled to have fun activities and excitement for the entire family.
Some characters that guests are promised to see are SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. There will be games with a Nickelodeon twist. Food menus will also be inspired by many of the different Nickelodeon shows.
Nickelodeon is not the first child-themed network to venture into cruises. Disney Cruises have been a source of entertainment for families for years. Nickelodeon is now following in the path of Disney and getting into the cruises business and it is sure to bring a lot of smiles little faces.