Ricky Oneill - Nolavipcruises

**ELEGANT & STUNNING!!**

When you need something more than just a “place to sleep” before your cruise in Galveston, this definitely fits the bill!

I honestly can’t remember the last time I stayed in a hotel room with floor-to-ceiling windows like this. When I walked in and saw the room, my jaw hit the floor!

The hotel is located right in the heart of The Strand. I could see one of the cruise ships just a few blocks away, so if your ship is sailing from one of the nearby terminals, you may even be able to walk. You’re also surrounded by some of the best restaurants and attractions on the island. Shuttle to cruise port is $15 per person (take Uber or Walk)

The hotel serves Illy coffee!! My favorite!!

I will say that pre-cruise hotel prices in Galveston can run on the **VERY HIGH** side, and this hotel is no exception. Without the discounted conference rate, this would have been way outside of my normal hotel budget.

With the Galveston cruise port continuing to boom—and Icon of the Seas making Galveston its home port beginning in August 2027—I definitely think the island needs more hotel options to keep up with the demand.

And, of course, I brought one of my room sprays from Elegant Embers. It was the perfect finishing touch for an already beautiful room! Im thinking there's a partnership opportunity here. 😉

**BOOKED! 🚢**

**MSC World Atlantic Inaugural Sailing — November 13, 2027**

There’s something exciting about being among the first guests on a brand-new ship. Of course, inaugural sailings sometimes require a little extra patience while the crew works through the kinks and certain shows or experiences may not be completely ready yet—but being part of the ship’s first voyage makes it worth it!

MSC World America was one of the most fun ships I’ve sailed on, especially because I got to experience it with my parents. Now I’m dying to get Joel onboard her new sister ship when she launches next year!

We were originally booked for December 2027, but we took advantage of one of the biggest perks of booking your next MSC cruise while onboard: the flexibility to change your sailing date and receive a price match.

That is **HUGE** with MSC because, under normal circumstances, the only way to take advantage of a lower price is to cancel and rebook. That isn’t always ideal when you already have the cabin you want or booked an excursion that has since sold out. There’s no guarantee you’ll be able to get those things back.

Now we’re officially booked on the inaugural sailing!

Who else is already booked on MSC World Atlantic?

A NEW cruise line 🐭 may be coming to Galveston & Carnival Adults-Only Cruises coming Permanently…

That was one of the interesting things we heard at the CLIA Cruise Industry Event.

Carnival continues testing Adults Only cruises. Right now they are invite only Casino events but the company is looking to offer this full time in the near future. Carnival has been adding additional slots and tables all throughout the ship to accommodate a ship full of casino palyers!

I also learned that MSC Seascape, sailing from Galveston, currently has the highest customer satisfaction score in the entire MSC fleet—and apparently, it’s not even close.

One of the best moments for me was when an MSC Sales Manager walked up and said, “I know you!”

MSC has become the cruise line I sell the most, so it feels amazing to know they’re noticing the work I’m doing (100% because of my clients)

Of course, I also took the opportunity to share some honest feedback about a few things that could be improved. I was glad to hear that the company is already aware of many of the roadblocks and concerns I brought up.

It’s always a good sign when a cruise line is willing to listen, acknowledge the issues, and be receptive to feedback.

Driving down to Galveston for the weekend...

I’m registered as a travel agent in Florida, which means a lot of the industry events and trainings I’m invited to can be a little difficult to attend while living in Texas.

This weekend, there’s a Cruise Group Travel Certification training in Galveston, where we’ll get to meet Business Development Managers from several of the cruise lines.

A big part of my success as a small business selling travel comes from the relationships I’ve built with these managers. They can be incredibly helpful when a client has an issue. I’ve had multiple exceptions to policies made on behalf of my clients because of those strong relationships.

We’ll end the weekend with an escorted ship tour of Symphony of the Seas.

Really looking forward to this!

Would You USE This?

Be honest: When you go to the beach on a cruise excursion, do you do the "hide the phone under the towel" trick and pray for the best? 🙈🗳️

​Someone sent me this and I'm looking for feedback. It’s a heavy-duty, hard-shell lock box with an integrated steel cable that tethers directly to your beach lounge chair. The idea is that you can lock up your phones, cash, and ship cards, allowing everyone (especially solo travelers!) to jump in the water together without worrying about theft.

It cables directly to your lounge chair so you can all go enjoy the water together stress-free.

​What do you think—would you USE this on your next cruise port day?

Thank you Lee!

Virgin Voyages has been named Travel + Leisure's #1 Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line for the FOURTH consecutive year! 🌊✨

That makes Virgin the only cruise line to achieve this incredible streak since the category was introduced.

The ABSOLUTE Best Cruise Excursion I have ever done was with them!