Win a two week vacation at the JW Marriott Miami with a seven day Caribbean cruise in a sweepstakes from Marriott Rewards and CruisesOnly. The sweepstakes is open from September 1 through October 31, 2010 to all U.S. Marriott Rewards members in the 50 states + DC, age 21 or over. 

Enter sweepstakes at http://mr.cruisesonly.com/promotion/marriott_rewards/sweepstakes/epicgetaway.asp

Grand Prize

7-night stay at the JW Marriott Miami

• Concierge-level suite with welcome gift
• Dinner for two at The Trapiche Room

7-night Caribbean cruise from Miami on the Norwegian EPIC

• Balcony stateroom
• $500 free onboard spending
• $1,500 spending money for flights and other expenses.

The promotion advertising says the cruise and hotel stay can be done in different trips, so you can have a 14-day trip or two seven day trips by November 30, 2011.

The prize fine print

Quantity, Prize, Approximate Retail Value (ARV) and Odds: (1) Grand Prize:

1. A seven (7)-night Caribbean cruise for two (2), in a balcony stateroom for two (2) on Norwegian Epic, all in Sponsor’s sole, subjective discretion, including port charges, government fees and cruise taxes. A cruise vacation includes ship accommodations of Sponsor’s choice, ocean transportation, onboard meals, some beverages and most entertainment aboard the ship. The cruise prize is awarded “as is” and is subject to availability and blackout dates.

2. A seven (7)-night vacation at the JW Marriott® Hotel Miami in Miami, FL subject to availability and blackout dates.

3. $1,500 in “spending money.”

4.  A $500 onboard credit

Winner will be responsible for all other expenditures not specifically mentioned here including, without limitation, transportation to /from departure port or hotel as they may apply, alcoholic and some other beverages, gratuities, shore excursions, telephone, incidentals, personal expenses and travel/medical insurance. Winner must book travel through cruisesonly.com who will contact winner. Grand Prize travel must be completed by November 31, 2011, or it will be forfeited in its entirety. The cruise/hotel prize is awarded “as is” and is subject to the Terms and Conditions of the cruise line and hotel. Winner may be asked to supply a valid, major credit card at hotel check-in or on board the cruise ship to cover any expenses not specifically mentioned in these Official Rules.

ARV: $8,000.

Marriott Rewards and CruisesOnly Epic Land and Sea Giveaway

The Nation’s 11^th Annual Caribbean Cruise

Holland America Westerdam, December 14-21, 2008, Fort Lauderdale

I took my first cruise last year on Holland America’s Oosterdam ship to Alaska (not The Nation cruise). The room was small, the views were incredible, and my wife was quarantined to our room for the first 3 days of a 7 day cruise as she came down with an incredible case of food poisoning about 3 hours after leaving Seattle.  Thankfully we had a verandah for her to sit outside once she was feeling well enough to get out of bed.  Oh, and it was not the cruise ship food that made her sick!  Once she could eat again, the Holland America dining options for food were a treat.

Rather than song and dance shows I would prefer to be educated and have thoughtful discussion when stuck with a large group of people in a confined space.  A Caribbean cruise with intelligent speakers discussing the really important questions and issues of our time is a vacation idea that caught my attention today. 

The Nation’s 11^th Annual Cruise is billed as the ‘Bye, Bye (G.W.) Bush Caribbean Cruise’.   I laughed this morning when I heard presidential candidate Ralph Nader on Democracy Now refer to our President as King George.

The Nation Cruise could be your ‘Loveboat’ adventure or a week of purgatory depending on your political leaning –

port (The Nation) or starboard (National Review).

The Nation Cruise 11^th Annual Caribbean Cruise information links:

Itinerary

Speakers

Pricing