Uncorked: Fine Wine at Sea

Wine is the drink of choice these days amongst many beverage aficionados. It’s not just the big, bold delectable taste that has people coming back for more; it’s also the social aspect that wine often brings to the table that has people raising their glasses. From wine tastings to wine dinners to wine tours and wine cruises, this tasty grapey goodness is today’s latest craze. We recently hosted a pre-wedding dinner in the wine cellar of a restaurant.

Cruise lines have done an amazing job integrating wine onto their ships. Of course wine has always been available at sea, especially in the main dining room with dinner, but hop on any cruise ship today and you’re sure to see a wine tasting event on the activity schedule. Onboard wine tastings are quite popular these days. The tasting is often held in a shipboard lounge with either a sommelier or a staff member with a vast knowledge of wine. A nominal fee often applies and includes a number of wines to taste. Wine tastings are a great way for the novice to acquire a new skill or for the wine expert to refine their palate. Wine and food pairings take these onboard wine tastings one step further in showing what type of wine goes with what type of food. Wine isn’t just for dinner anymore but is also enjoyed at lunch and after dinner as well. Speaking of dinner, you’ll not only find a wide range of everyday wine in the main dinning room, but when you choose to dine in one of the specialty restaurants (found on many of today’s cruise ships), you will often find an upgraded wine list with reserve collections and older vintages. For example, Oceania Cruises wine cellars hold a vast collection of over 150 vintages that even the most discerning oenophiles will appreciate.

Another way to enjoy cruising and wine together is on a specially themed wine cruise. Holland America, Crystal, Regent Seven Seas and Silversea are the masters of hosting wine themed cruises and offer many sailings throughout the year, to a variety of destinations. Some of the events also feature celebrity chefs along with wine and food pairings. Highly regarded wine experts provide insight and education into the fascinating world of wine. One can enjoy enlightening guest lectures, wine tastings, wine and food pairings, and even optional private tours to world-class wineries and cellars.

River Cruising offers yet another aspect of wine enjoyment where passengers can enjoy the many fine and boutique wines and accompaniments produced in the areas in which they are cruising.

Crystal Cruises has something very unique just for lovers of fine, rare wines. Onboard the Crystal Symphony and the Crystal Serenity is The Vintage Room. This unique enrichment experience focuses on wine, with food specially prepared and paired to complement the specific fine wines selected for the evening. The room is available for dinner on a first come, first served basis and is also available for private parties all at an additional fee.

Not only can you enjoy great wine on your cruise, but now you can enjoy that same wine in the comfort of your own home. Many of the cruise lines including Norwegian Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, and Celebrity Cruises are creating proprietary wines that are available for sale on board and some are even available on-line.

So grab your glass and raise a toast to a great combination of wine and cruising. These two classics go perfect together and are sure to please just about everyone.

CELL PHONES ON THE HIGH SEAS

It is almost impossible to go anywhere without being able to reach out and touch someone. Cellular telephone communication is just one of today's modern communication methodologies. It is not at all unusual to see people driving and talking on their cell phone. The most unusual cell conversations we've seen were a youngster on a skateboard talking on his cellphone and a young lady riding on horse back and talking on the phone. Whether we have to stay in communication as much as we do is a subject for another discussion but here we're just going to look at the cost of maintaining communication while on a cruise ship.

Many of today's modern cruise ships are equipped to enable those who need to STAY IN COMMUNICATION to do so. On a recent Caribbean cruise we used our cell phones a lot. After all, we did have to keep our business going and we did have to stay in contact with family and friends and we did have to send and receive our e-mails on our Blackberry. All this at a cost. When our cell phone bill arrived, we found out just how expensive today's communication can be. The use of shipboard cellular service over that two week period was more than the monthly cost of our cellular service.

Believe me, I'm not saying don't use your cell on a ship. There are times when, for business or personal reasons, you must communicate. If ya gotta do it, you gotta do it. But, if it can wait, let it wait! Avoid the un-necessary expense and shock when the bill comes in after that wonderful cruise.

Consider the pros and cons before reaching out:

Pros - Maintain Communication with; business associates and customers, family and friends parents and children and emergency situations.

Cons - Expense, ability to escape the world's hustle and bustle, personal privacy, don't even think about texting.

Alternative, save your conversation till you're in port where the roaming charges are much lower. You might even find that your cellular provider has service there.

Travel Insurance

When your personal cruise specialist or travel agent asks you if you would like to buy travel protection insurance, think at least twice before you say “Oh they’re just trying to make more money on something I don’t really need." They are doing you a great service in making that offer.

What is Travel Protection Insurance?

Very simply, travel protection insurance protects you against loss of your travel investment. The loss of investment can range anywhere from lost luggage to trip cancellation and more. We never travel without it.

Some of the major things travel protection insurance can protect you against:

Trip cancellation and interruption
Missed connections and Trip delay
Loss of baggage and/or personal effects and Baggage delay
Accidental and sickness medical expenses
Emergency medical transportation

Other coverage may apply for:

24-Hour Medical and Medical monitoring assistance
Medical evacuation
Emergency medical and prescription payments assistance
Transportation of dependents and family visits
Transportation of mortal remains
24-Hour Legal and travel assistance
Travel document assistance
Emergency cash transfer and message center assistance

Some insurers provide coverage for pre-existing conditions while others don’t. Be sure to buy the insurance that best covers you and your travel companion(s). For example, if a member of your party is diabetic, be sure to buy insurance that will cover pre-existing conditions in case any complications arise from their diabetes.

Cruise line and independent insurer insurances may differ greatly and you need to fully understand these conditions before buying either.

Our tip to you -

BUY THE INSURANCE!

Special Occasion Gifts

Ok Folks, for those of you who have family that do not live close to you (and many of us Senior Pearls are in that situation), have you started your Christmas, Chanukah or other Holiday Shopping?

I’m going to tell you that many of us are tired of trying to guess what size to get for the grandkids, what toy or gadget they don’t already have 3 of, figuring out the latest style so they will wear whatever we spend hours to pick out or sending the check in the mail because we don’t know what else to do and we don’t want to spend all day in the Mall. We’re tired of trying to figure out what their parents need or what color their house is painted this week so we can pick out the perfect towels, tablecloths, etc, etc. Christmas shopping has become a chore and really cuts into our social schedule - so here’s my idea – No Malls, No long lines at the Post Office and No Guessing – Give the gift of lasting memories! Book a family cruise for the Holidays or for Winter, Spring, Summer or some other vacation time in 2008. And the BONUS IS – you get to spend time with the family while they can still participate in other activities – you don’t have to entertain them, nor do you have to cook and clean up after them – you can just ENJOY them. PERFECT – I SAY!! Hmmm, with the right arrangements, you can get a package that will cover Christmas and Birthdays, Anniversaries, graduations, whatever – Are You with me?

Let’s face it – what will be a lasting memory from grandma or grandpa? Will it be the fashion item or gadget that they can’t live without this week or a great vacation on a cruise ship?? What do you think??? Trust me, it’s a great value for money!

Oh, and just in case some of your children or older grandchildren see this – we love you all but we really don’t need anything else to dust, wear nor cook-in. We’ve got passports. HINT, HINT!!