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The Royal Caribbean Fan Blog

Oasis of Dreams Rehearsals - The Royal Caribbean Fan Blog.

When the ocming of Oasis of the Seas was announced to the world, one of the first features highlighted was the Aqua Theater. Situated at the very end of the ship, the seating bowl spills outward from the end of Boardwalk. The Aqua Theater hosts more unique features in one location than most new cruise ships do through their entire design. As the name implies the theater is centered around a large diving pool. Three tiers of diving platforms flank the pool on two sides. A trampoline emerges from the adjacent stage and adds a different dimension to what the show offers. A "fly gallery" allows actors to fly into and out of the area, even emerging from under the water. Under the water are three stage platforms. These rise above the water to allow for the entire stage space to be used or sink quietly for dramatic effect.

In our video here, you see the Aqua Theater from a deck ten stateroom balcony over Boardwalk. The cast is rehearsing a few hours before a show. The video screens were being replaced on this cruise so you might notice they are missing from the right side of the theater house. As a people watcher this view was one of the attractions of the cabin. Love Royal Caribbean?

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Introducing Carnival Aficionados, Hosted by Karen Ward!

Carnival Aficionados

A year ago I had the pleasure of meeting Karen Ward, a savvy and veteran cruiser aboard the ships of Carnival Cruise Line. It did not take long to realize she does not simply enjoying taking a cruise but makes each one a total experience. For years now, she has hosted her entire family of 35 on an annual cruise, handling every detail of the planning all the way down to scavenger hunts aboard ship. Now I'm excited to introduce Karen Ward as our blogger for Carnival Aficionados! The latest feature on our cruise community, you can follow her adventures at sea and more at www.CarnivalAficionados.com! Join me in welcoming Karen and support the Carnival Aficionados blog by joining us today!

Travel Prizes: An Unlikely Give-away.

Not So Subtle Suggestive Marketing

Caveat Emptor. If something seems too go to be true it is. When somebody offers free travel the wise consumer assumes the worst and usually gets it. At a bridal fair my fiance and I took a trip down the rabbit hole that are the travel giveaways. Instead of a giveaway people are lured to pay a deposit to attend a marathon sales pitch for a dubious package of discount travel options costing over twelve thousand dollars, protected by a virtually unbreakable contract. The travel given away is virtually impossible to access, not remotely free and ultimately not even a bargain compared to options available without hours of hassle. I took a trip down the rabbit hole so you won’t have too.

First, the booths. You have seen them. Booths at malls, bridal and county fairs. They offer you a chance to play a game, scratch off a ticket, spin a wheel, tap a button on a computer. Seemingly as often as not you “win.” A delightfully friendly person takes you to a waiting table to discuss what you have won, which is usually a nondescript cruise or trip. In this case the event was a bridal fair at TPC San Antonio with my fiance. I knew there would be a host of travel promotions there and I was not disappointed.

There were four types of travel booths at the bridal fair. One was a legitimate travel agency another an independent agent. The agency was a well known company in the area and was offering a traditional raffle for a honeymoon cruise which was awarded at the end of the days bridal show. The independent agent was promoting her services. However the other two types of booths were the ones you need to be leery of.

The booths “giving away” travel are not travel agencies as a rule. Rather they are marketing companies seeking to use their games to lure you into paying typically $20 per person to attend “appointments” for sixty to ninety minute sales presentations. The booths featured either a classic “spin the wheel” or a game run on a tablet.

My fiance and I tried two booths. The first was “giving” away a cruise, the other a “trip.” I won my game for a trip, my fiance her own for a cruise. Both booths worked identically in every detail. Those we saw not winning the games were given the same spiel we were. The only difference was the introduction leading to the same goal of securing a deposit for an appointment. The staff at the booth will make a very big point to tell you that they are not selling timeshares. You will absolutely NOT receive anything at the time you play. And you will only receive what you are promised, and the $20 per person refunded, if you attend and IF you stay for the entire presentation. Some booths suggested you will get other rewards at the end of the presentation as well but the booths we tried made no mention of that.

The presentation my fiance and I attended was tied to the cruise won at the bridal fair. The location was an office with a different business name than that of the brochure the appointment setter provided at the bridal fair. From the moment we entered the lobby every moment of our time, conversation, and environment was carefully managed. Absolutely everything inside the office is calculated for effect, tightly choreographed and controlled. Starting just inside the front door and coating seemingly every square inch of the office were color photos. In each photo was a smiling couple standing before a colorful background, holding a portfolio. My fiance and I were ushered into a room with several other couple, a white board, and a sign saying to turn off our cell phones.

There were three other couples and a single male attending with us. A sales person began the hour of what I’ll just call “sales washing” the people there. He walked through it deftly with a casual touch that did not trigger unease and never dwelled on any detail long enough to allow those listening to consider them. A wall of numbers were presented on the whiteboard
to support the “value” of the travel club’s cost. From time to time the salesperson would preempt skepticism by offering limitations, such as dealing with taxes, or booking in and out of peak season.

On Wednesday, we continue deeper down the rabbit hole.

Do you have experiences with travel prizes and timeshare presentations? Share with us in our forums!

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