Roundup: Oasis of the Seas — cruising colossus; earthquake off Vancouver Island; tips from the Travel Savvy Mom

Good morning, travelers! Now we’re really getting close to the Labor Day weekend. I only know about two friends taking trips -– one headed for Spain (from Atlanta) and another taking a quickie family holiday to Dana Point (from San Diego). Tell me you’re doing something fun too.

Cruise news | There’s a bit of buzz out there regarding the new largest ship in the world. Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas is sure to make cruising cool despite the naysayers. There will be four pools, including a beach pool plus two surf simulators, a teen spa and private cabanas, and you can vote for which pool you’re most likely to use on USA Today’s Cruise Log. Within the 16 decks will also be seven “neighborhoods” including a Central Park and a Boardwalk with a carousel for families. So, how much for sports decks, the first amphitheater at sea and loft suites?  Cruise Critic gives you the lowdown on the how many cabin categories there will be and what prices can run you. Oasis of the Seas is expected to launch in November 2009 and will hold 5,400 guests in 2,700 staterooms. General travelers will be able to reserve their Oasis of the Seas cruise as of Sept. 3, 2008, but Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor members will get advance booking privileges. See ship renderings and construction progress on the Oasis of the Seas website.

Canada | There was a 6.1 earthquake this morning near Vancouver Island, the 18th with a magnitude greater than 4 to hit the British Columbia region this week, said the Associated Press. Read: Earthquake strikes off British Columbia coast.

Family Travel | The Travel Savvy Mom writes Five things I learned when my daughter threw up on a plane

– Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger

[Image: oasisoftheseas.com]

Permalink | E-mail | Print | Add to My Trips

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 8:15 am by Jen Leo and is filed under Good Morning, News, Tips & Advice, Tours & Cruises. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.