EXCITING NEWS:  Royal Caribbean Fans!  We just announced an exciting and exclusive MEGA SALE. To celebrate Cruise Planners 15^th anniversary, WE ARE PICKING UP THE TAB FOR GRATUITIES (for the first two passengers in each stateroom) on all cruises booked from June 22 through June 29, 2009 that sail from July 1 to December 31, 2009.   And if that isn’t impressive enough, all deposits on these cruises will be reduced by 50%.  FREE GRATUITIES AND REDUCED DEPOSITS!  this means you can reserve your dream cruise for a fraction of the normal cost! This incrdible offer on every Royal Caribbean sailing from July 1 to December 31, 2009 is ONLY AVAILABLE FROM CRUISE PLANNERS!

But wait, there's more!  We are also offering onboard credits and reduced fares on more than 100 Royal Caribbean departures for the summer and fall cruise season.

MIAMI, February 6, 2009 – Royal Caribbean International today announced the cruise line’s 2008 Travel Partners of the Year awards. Cruise Planners (Coral Springs, FL) was named  the Home-based Partner of the Year for the second consecutive year..

Royal Caribbean International’s annual Travel Partners of the Year awards recognize top performing travel agencies in the United States and Canada. “Congratulations to all the 2008 Partners of the Year,” said Vicki Freed, senior vice president of Sales, Trade and Support Services, Royal Caribbean International. “We are delighted to recognize some of our top travel partners and spotlight their achievements in 2008. Our appreciation extends to all of our valued travel agent partners for helping to make Royal Caribbean International one of the world’s top cruise brands, and we look forward to another mutually successful year in 2009.”

Cruise Planners has continuously supported the Royal Caribbean International brand and has generated consecutive growth in annual sales, developed and marketed to new clienteles, and innovated its sales strategy to drive business to its franchised network of more than 700 travel professionals.

Effective immediately, there is a new policy in place for passengers travelling with infants and women who are pregnant on all Royal Caribbeanm Celebrity and Azamara cruises.

Infants sailing on a cruise must be at least 6 months old as of the first day of the cruise/cruisetour. However, for Transatlantic, Transpacific, Hawaii, select South American cruises/cruisetours and other selected cruises/cruisetours, the infant (as of the first day of the cruise/cruisetour) must be at least 12 months old.

In addition, Azamara Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean will not accept guests who will have entered their 24th week of pregnancy by the beginning of or at any time during their cruise or cruise tour.

MIAMI, April 15, 2008 – In its latest evolution in cruise ship design, Royal Caribbean International’s Project Genesis will bring the best of the land to sea with Central Park, a revolutionary design in which the center of the ship opens to the sky and features lush, tropical grounds spanning the length of a football field. An exquisite public gathering place featuring serene pathways, seasonal flower gardens and canopy trees, Central Park will provide cruisers with more choices in a unique outdoor space. One of the ship’s most ground-breaking spaces, this new concept is the first of seven neighborhoods to be unveiled on Project Genesis. Each neighborhood will provide vacationers with the opportunity to seek out relevant experiences in various locales based on their personal style, preference or mood.

Elegant and lively, Central Park’s central piazza will be the ship’s “town square” which evolves from a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere during the day to a gathering space for alfresco dining and entertainment in the evening, where guests will enjoy concerts and street performances. The neighborhood is lined with balcony staterooms rising six decks high with views of the Park below and the sky above.

Surrounding this social space will be an array of restaurants, with choices ranging from fine dining to casual chic. Guests will have the option of an elegant dinner at the new 150 Central Park or a picnic lunch from the more casual Central Park Café, where they can sit outdoors and people-watch. Other dining choices will include: Giovanni’sTable, an Italian restaurant; Vintages wine bar; and Royal Caribbean’s signature Chops Grille steakhouse. Several bars will be scattered throughout the Park, including the Canopy Bar, located at one of two impressive glass-domed canopies, and the unique Rising Tide bar - the first moving bar at sea. Truly an engineering feat, Rising Tide will span three decks and allow cruisers to enjoy a cocktail as they slowly ascend into Central Park and then descend back into the public spaces below. Central Park also will have stylish boutique shops, showcasing a selection of upscale merchandise.

“Building such a large vessel allowed us to add even more of the choices and amenities that our guests value and Central Park is a dramatic addition to our already extensive array of exciting features,” said Richard D. Fain,Chairman & CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “Central Park is the first of many dynamic neighborhoods on Project Genesis which will enable each guest to find his or her own space and activity.”

“Our brand identity is founded in innovation and on delivering the best cruise vacation through ‘WOW’ experiences,” stated Adam Goldstein, President & CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Central Park is a true evolution of cruise ship design and allows us to provide our guests with not only a more varied selection of balcony accommodations, but also a stunning public venue that will be a central element of the ship, both during the day and atnight.”

• Central Park is located on Deck 8 of the ship, with dimensions of 62 feet (19 meters) wide and 328 feet (100meters) long. The sophisticated neighborhood will include 334 staterooms overlooking the Park, 254 with balconies.
• Central Park will be landscaped with tropical foliage, including seasonal flowers, shrubs and trees. Drawing on the concept of unexpected surprises and intrigue, garden spaces throughout the Park will sprout from charming pathways. Drifts of Calla Lilies among Giant Elephant Ears, Red Ginger, Rabbit Foot Ferns and Zebra Calathea are some of the plant life guests will discover. Trees, some eventually reaching more than two-and-ahalf decks tall, include Black Olive, Cuban Laurel, Cherry of the Rio Grande, and Painted and Golden Bamboo. Surprises in the Park include quiet reading corners; a Chess Garden with large-scale pieces; the Pergola Garden,an interpretive garden featuring vegetation from a host of Caribbean locales; and a Sculpture garden,highlighting work by international artists. Irrigation and drainage systems will be incorporated, along with micro-climate control techniques.
• An on-site horticulturist will provide educational classes for guests seeking to learn more about flora.
• 
   The Crystal Canopies, two impressive arched-glass domes, one with a bar, will be a focal point of Central Park and provide sunlight into the ship’s inner public spaces.

• Restaurants and dining options in the Central Park neighborhood include:

•  150 Central Park – The most exclusive dining venue on the ship, 150 Central Park combines leading edge cuisine with leading-edge design. An observation window into the kitchen of this stylish restaurant will give Central Park passersby the opportunity to observe the executive chef in action. Open for dinner.
   
• Chops Grille – Continuing the tradition, Royal Caribbean’s popular signature steakhouse will offer premium cut, quality meats in an upscale, contemporary setting. Open for dinner.
  
  Giovanni’s Table – Influenced by the Tuscan countryside, Giovanni’s will be a casual new Italian restaurant concept offering toasted herbal breads, pizzas, salads, pastas, Italian sandwiches, braised meat dishes and stews. Rustic with a contemporary flair, dishes are served family style in an indoor and outdoor setting to provide an alfresco experience in Central Park. Open for lunch and dinner.
  
• Central Park Café – A casual dining choice providing a high level of variety and flexibility, Central Park Café is an indoor/outdoor gourmet market with walk-up counters. From freshly prepared salads and made-to-order sandwiches to paninis, crepes and hearty soups, guests order directly from the chefs behind the food stations. European pastries, sublime chocolates and decadent fudge round out the offerings. Open for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner and late night treats.
  
•  Vintages – Always a popular hot spot for Royal Caribbean guests on Voyager- and Freedom-class ships, the Vintages wine bar evolves into a larger space on Project Genesis, offering a variety of options for those seeking a tropical white Riesling or a mocha-inflected Merlot. Great for a pre-dinner rendezvous, Vintages also provides a selection of cheeses and a full tapas menu to accompany a robust selection of fine wines. Open for lunch and dinner.

Central Park will feature upscale retail boutiques for discerning travelers, including specialty outlets such as The Parkside Gallery, showcasing original artwork for purchase, and Picture This, a portrait studio.

When she launches in late 2009, Project Genesis will be the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world. An architectural marvel at sea, she will span 16 decks, encompass 220,000 GRT, carry 5,400 guests, and feature 2,700 staterooms. The ship will sail from her home port in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. In 2010, she will be joined by a sister ship.

Royal Caribbean International unveiled its 2009 Alaska cruise season, which will include 10 itineraries, ranging from seven to 15 nights, on 57 sailings departing from San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver and Seward, Alaska. On select itineraries, guests can extend their Alaska adventure with a land tour. Royal Caribbean's 2009 Alaska cruises and cruise-tours are now open for booking. Three Royal Caribbean ships will be deployed in the region in 2009 -- Radiance of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas.

Guests on Radiance of the Seas can extend their vacation with one of 21 Royal Caribbean cruise-tour options ranging from three to seven nights. The land tours include activities, transportation and hotel stays, all escorted by an Adventure Specialist. A new seven-night cruise-tour itinerary will highlight Seward, Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali and Fairbanks. Nineteen cruise-tour options include a segment aboard the Wilderness Express, a glass-domed railcar. Radiance of the Seas will alternate seven-night itineraries from Seward and Vancouver, while Serenade of the Seas will offer seven-night round-trips from Vancouver. Radiance and Serenade will feature a visit to Hubbard Glacier, the largest glacier in North America and the only advancing glacial formation in the state.

Sailing round-trip from Seattle, Rhapsody of the Seas will feature cruising through the Inside Passage and up the narrow 32-mile Tracy Arm Fjord in order to reach the 200 feet-high Sawyer Glacier. In addition, guests will enjoy a full-day call at Victoria. Guests on Serenade of the Seas also can extend their vacation with a three- or five-night Whistler or Canadian Rockies cruise-tour out of Vancouver. The three-night Whistler cruise-tour features a train ride to visit the 2010 winter Olympic destinations of Vancouver and Whistler, while the five-night Canadian Rockies package features Lake Louise.

Royal Caribbean also will make 38 calls at Icy Strait Point in 2009, more than any other cruise line. Icy Strait Point is adjacent to the largest Tlingit Native American settlement, and claims the world's longest zip line measuring at 5,330 feet.

Call Cruise Planners to book your Alaska adventure today! 866-912-7245

Cruise Planners, a South Florida-based national cruise agency with a franchised network of more than 700 travel professionals, recently received the first-ever "Home-Based Partner of the Year" award from Royal Caribbean International. The honor was presented in December as part of Royal Caribbean's annual ONE Awards recognizing the cruise line's top travel industry partners. 

Ken Muskat, vice president of sales at Royal Caribbean, said: "Cruise Planners is extremely deserving of being the first to ever receive this recognition from our brand.... They have a genuine interest in working together to expand the cruise category and fulfill the needs of their clients as true travel professionals."

If you enjoy dancing, you'll enjoy Royal Caribbean's newest production show!  The new show, "Invitation to Dance," will feature guests as stars aboard Explorer of the Seas. The show was created in conjunction with Louis van Amstel, Emmy-nominated choreographer for ABC-TV's "Dancing with the Stars," and Cheryl Burke, two-time winner on the show. Guests sailing on Explorer have the opportunity to compete for the honor of best ballroom dancers at sea. Guests can receive guidance of professional dancers, stylists and make-up artists. Chosen during an evening of ballroom dancing at the beginning of each cruise, four couples are selected to participate in the "Invitation to Dance" production show later that week. The finalists work with Royal Caribbean's professional ballroom couples to learn dance moves and attend costume fittings. Explorer of the Seas sails year-round from Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, N.J., on five-night Bermuda getaway cruises and nine-night Caribbean vacations.

Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas was floated out of dry dock during ceremonies at the Aker Yards in Finland where she is being built. The ship, sister to the Freedom of the Seas and the Liberty of the Seas, is slated to debut in May of 2008. This is the largest ship to home port in Europe.

Please call 866-912-7245 for more information.

As Hurricane Dean threatened the Caribbean, cruise lines were keeping a close eye and altering ship itineraries as needed to avoid the storm. Carnival Cruise Lines changed itineraries for the Carnival Destiny and Carnival Miracle. The Destiny will remain at sea today, Aug. 17, instead of a scheduled call at Antigua, and on Aug. 18 will visit Tortola instead of a sea day. The Destiny is scheduled to return to San Juan as scheduled on Aug. 19. The Miracle is set to call at Grand Turk instead of San Juan on Aug. 18, Half Moon Cay instead of St. Thomas on Aug. 19, and Nassau instead of Tortola on Aug. 20. Royal Caribbean International said it is closely monitoring the path and progress of Hurricane Dean but had not altered any itineraries. The line said it would post an update on storm information at 1 p.m. Friday on its website.

Royal Caribbean International confirmed it will test open seating dining on the Freedom of the Seas from Oct. 14 to Dec. 16. The flexible dining will be offered in the Galileo dining room, located on the top of three tiers of the main restaurant. During the test period, open seating will be offered between 6 and 9 p.m. The other two levels will continue to offer two traditional seatings. Royal Caribbean's pilot program follows the announcement on July 16 that Holland America Line will add "As You Wish" open seating on one level of its two-tiered restaurants fleetwide. The move follows a test on the Noordam and will be expanded across the fleet over the next year. Like its sister company Princess Cruises, Holland America will still also offer two traditional seatings on the other restaurant level. Open seating will be 5:15 to 9 p.m. daily. For more information, call 866-912-7245.

Royal Caribbean International has announced that the Mariner of the Seas will be deployed to Los Angeles on Feb. 22, 2009, making it the first Voyager-Class ship to sail from the West Coast. From its new homeport, the Mariner will offer West Coast vacationers 27 seven-night sailings to the Mexican Riviera. Open for booking on June 6, the Mariner of the Seas' seven-night Mexican Riviera itineraries will call on ports of call such as Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. The ship will offer onboard amenities designed to allow guests to create their own cruise adventures. Features include an onboard ice-skating rink, a rock climbing wall, and the Royal Promenade, featuring restaurants, lounges, shops and themed parades. In the evenings, guests can enjoy Broadway-style productions in the three-level Savoy Theater, as well as more than 10 lounges and discos. As the Mariner of the Seas makes its way from the East Coast to Los Angeles for the 2009 season, it will offer cruisers a journey around South America and Cape Horn. Details of these repositioning cruises will be announced in the near future.

Royal Caribbean International is unveiling Explorer Weddings, a program that combines a cruise with an exotic destination or themed wedding. Explorer Weddings allow couples to exchange vows in distinctive settings, such as next to the onboard surf simulator, on top of an Alaskan glacier, in a hot-air balloon or in a medieval castle. As an extension of Royal Caribbean's Royal Romance program, Explorer Weddings was created in partnership with The Wedding Experience. It will debut with the launch of Liberty of the Seas, which will sail its maiden voyage on May 19. The Liberty shares the title of world's largest cruise ship with sister ship Freedom of the Seas.

"More than 15 percent of Americans are choosing a destination wedding instead of a traditional land-based ceremony," said Steve Shaiken, vice president-onboard revenue operations. Explorer Wedding coordinators work closely with the bride and groom to customize their wedding or vow renewal, including creating personalized vows, if needed. They arrange the transportation and priority check-in for the couple and their guests, and even meet the couple at the pier and escort them to their stateroom to address any last-minute questions.

Couples can choose to marry at onboard locations such as the ice-skating rink, rock-climbing wall or ship's golf course, or shoreside settings, including the top of a volcano, in a rainforest, or in a vineyard, all of which would be decorated thematically for a private ceremony. As part of the basic Explorer Weddings package, the bride and groom will receive a bouquet, a boutonniere with matching bloom, traditional or customized music accompaniment, champagne and wedding cake, and a keepsake Explorer Weddings marriage certificate. The ceremony is performed by a non-denominational officiant, and a professional photographer will be on hand. Additional special requests can be accommodated. Call Cruise Planners for more information, 866-912-7245.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. exercised its option to build a second ship in its Genesis Project, the line said April 2.

Aker Yards in Finland will build the 5,400-guest, 220,000-ton ship with a projected delivery for August 2010, less than a year after the first Genesis prototype ship is due out, RCCL said. The ships would be the 23rd and 24th in the Royal Caribbean International fleet.

RCCL said it estimates the all-in cost of the ship to be approximately $1.4 billion. According to Aker Yards, the Genesis project ship will be 43% larger than the current largest ship in the world, Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas. The new ship will be longer than the Eiffel Tower and will weigh twelves times more!

Stay tuned for details about each of these exciting new ships!

Royal Caribbean International has introduced what it calls the industry's first loyalty program designed for cruisers below the age of 18. Launching on the Liberty of the Seas' maiden voyage on May 19, the Crown & Anchor Society Youth Program will offer membership benefits for younger guests every time they sail with the cruise line. Additionally, the launch of Liberty also will introduce new and exciting enhancements in Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean children and teen programming.

Teens and children will be able to enjoy tailored benefits through Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society Youth Program, as well as earn cruise credits with the cruise line. Children will automatically attain their parent's membership level -- whether Gold, Platinum, Diamond or Diamond Plus -- when enrolled in the program. Members will be welcomed at the beginning of each cruise with a Youth Ultimate Value Booklet, which includes coloring pages, puzzles, games, and special offers for onboard amenities, including Ben & Jerry's; Airbrush Tattoo; arcade games; and Y-spa, Royal Caribbean's teen spa menu.

During the cruise, members also will receive a commemorative gift of Crayola Twistable crayons or a Royal Caribbean messenger bag. Parents can enroll their children in the program by calling 800-526-9723 or visiting www.RoyalCaribbean.com/youth. In the new Adventure Theater by Camp Broadway, guests ages 3 to 17 can develop their performing arts skills and practice self-expression through Adventure Theater, an immersive program developed with Camp Broadway, New York City's renowned children's theater program. Camp Broadway taps professionals from the Broadway community. Teens and kids soon will be able to explore the magic of the theater on a Royal Caribbean ship. Each sailing will offer a series of three 45-minute Adventure Theater sessions tailored to each of the youth program's five age groups. Guests will learn performance fundamentals, music and dance techniques, and cultural elements from Royal Caribbean destinations through stories and folktales.

Cruisers of all ages can learn to spin their favorite tunes at Scratch DJ 101 classes, created by New York's famed Scratch DJ Academy. In addition, on Liberty of the Seas, teens will have their own two-hour session in Fuel -- the teens-only dance club -- where they will receive hands-on turntable instruction while trying out their DJ skills. Another program, Build and Grow with Lowe's, allows parents and 5- to 11-year-olds to build their own cruise ship. In the workshops, families construct and decorate a wooden cruise ship. Participants receive a cruise ship construction kit, which includes a Lowe's apron and safety goggles, and are awarded a certificate and a merit patch once the children deem the ship sea-worthy. The line's Fisher-Price program also features six new classes for 3- to 5-year-old Aquanauts. For example, the Chefs on Deck program helps Royal Caribbean toddlers learn the basic skills of communicating, sharing and problem-solving by taking on the various roles in a game of preparing a meal.

The Independence of the Seas, the third in Royal Caribbean International’s Freedom class of ships, will be based in Southampton, England, when it debuts in May 2008.

Royal Caribbean has announced that their second Freedom class ship will be the Liberty of the Seas. Debuting in May, 2007, the ship is scheduled to sail year round alternating Eastern and Western itineraries from Miami.

The Liberty of the Seas will have many of the amenities that Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas has including the Flowrider surfing simulator and the cantileverd whirlpools suspended over 200 feet above the ocean. The Freedom of the Seas is debuting in May, 2006.

To book on these or any of Royal Caribbean's twenty ships, call 866-912-7245 today!