Episode #231 - Majestic Princess: An Interview With Food & Beverage Director Varun Salian!

Welcome to episode #231 cruisers! In any conversation you may havre about cruising, eventually, you will definitely discuss two things: food and beverages.  In this new episode, Scott had the opportunity to interview Varun Salian, Food and Beverage Director on Majestic Princess, during his recent fall colors cruise. Varun shares his career story with Princess Cruises and the hard work he does to make sure their guests have a phenomenal culinary experience.   There are a lot of responsibilities and logistics involved to keep his department running smoothly. He has an incredible team that not only serves the cruise guests but the crew themselves as well. It was an eye-opening interview to learn how hard everyone works in this very important department. We hope you enjoy this interview! Thank you for listening and supporting us in 2025. We have some great plans for 2026 and look forward to a fantastic year! Happy Cruising! Tommy & Scott

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your loved ones this year. It's always a delight to visit and catch up with friends, and DuVaul is one of our cherished cruise friends that we've had the pleasure of knowing for many years. Full of life, humor, and unmatched energy, DuVaul is one of Princess Cruises's favorites among cruisers. In this special episode, Scott has the unique opportunity to share the "behind-the-scenes" stories and changes that have been made to the Majestic Princess during its recent dry dock renovations. Definitely, an entertaining and insightful interview. We hope you enjoy the show and happy cruising! Tommy & Scott

Welcome to episode 229. We are so happy to interview our friend and celebrity mixologist Rob Floyd! Since 2017 Rob has collaborated and partnered with Princess Cruises where you have probably enjoyed his creative cocktails throughout bars onboard their ships, at his amazing Good Spirits bar or at Spellbound by The Magic Castle on Sun Princess and the new Star Princess.  Now, Rob has a brand new collaboration with Princess Cruises - his first book! "Sip at Sea" is a first of a kind interactive cocktail book that features embedded video tutorials where Rob teaches how to mix your favorite Princess Cruises cocktails. We dive in to find out what it means to Rob when he tells us to always "Sip Boldly!"  Along with mixing his uniquely created cocktails, Rob's gift of storytelling combines his passion and mission to "living life with flavor" to cruisers around the around the world. So many fun and interesting stories - this was a awesome nterview! "Sip at Sea", both hard cover and ebook are on Amazon.com are available today! Hardcover: https://amzn.to/42ExKsR E-Book: https://amzn.to/3IyPKOy Follow Rob Floyd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkwithrob?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== We hope you enjoy the show! Happy Cruising,  Tommy & Scott

Welcome To episode #228! On this new episode we answer some of your questions regarding the recent changes Princess Cruises has made to their "Princess Plus Package" and "Princess Premier Package" beverage programs. We believe that your cruise vacation is always better when you research and plan what is important to you and your family in advance before you board the ship. Understanding what your options  are and what fits your budget, is the key that unlocks the door to a great cruise. On this new show we go over questions that you may of not thought of and clarify the changes and benefits of the new drink packages. To us, we like having options to pick and choose. One size doesn't necessarily fit all. Hopefully, you will gain a better understanding of your options and look with great expectations on your next dream cruise  Enjoy the show! Tommy & Scott

Welcome to episode #227! Today we are taking a closer look and discuss the recent changes Princess Cruises has made to their "Princess Plus Package" and "Princess Premier Package" beverage programs. One of the best things about cruising, is you can pick and choose what you like to do. From selecting a interior cabin to a grand suite, or maybe you just enjoy having casual meals at the buffet or you can splurge for specialty dining every night, or maybe you just enjoy a glass of wine at dinner but your spouse likes trying and discovering new distilled beverages without breaking the bank. The bottom line is that you get to determine what is important to you and what makes your cruise vacation unique and special. And that is a good thing. We share our thoughts and would like to hear how you plan and create your dream cruise vacations.  Enjoy the show! Tommy & Scott

Welcome to episode #226! Carnival Cruise Line has announced their new loyalty program, Carnival Rewards, which will be launching June 1, 2026.  Benefits include priority check-in, embarkation and disembarkation, complimentary laundry services, beverages, speciality dining meals and more. Scott's first mate, Pam joins the show to give her perspective as a "loyalty rewards savvy consumer". Always watching, researching and getting the most out of these programs' benefits and why you should study and become a savvy cruise consumer too. We know that this new program has created a lot of commentary all over social media, but we would love to hear your thoughts as well.  Enjoy the show! Tommy & Scott

Welcome to episode #225!  Carnival Cruise Line is setting the bar higher and expectations for all cruise passengers aboard their ships. A few days ago, they released a letter that encourages everyone to "Have Fun, Be Safe."   "Our experience has taught us that everyone has a better time when a spirit of community and neighborliness is shown by all."  The letter's guidelines reinforces their policies and they clearly state they will take drastic measures to maintain the "comfort, enjoyment, safety or well-being of other guests or crew." We share our thoughts on this timely and important letter and commend Carnival Cruise Line for taking action. What are your thoughts?  Enjoy the show! Tommy & Scott

Welcome to episode #224! We dust off our microphones and catch up with latest scuttlebutt and cruise happenings in Southern California. The competition is heating up again and we are going to see new cruise ships and even a new cruise line coming to the west coast!  Are you ready for Real ID, renewing your passport or traveling to Europe soon? We have some updates and information for you. And finally, we share about the beautiful and stunning Sun Princess. Princess Cruises has launched its first Sphere Class ship and it is truly a luxurious ship with fine dining experiences, unique entertainment shows, and introducing Spellbound by Magic Castle, a spectacular new magical venue. Tommy shares about his time aboard this phenomenal cruise ship. Enjoy the show! Tommy & Scott

Traveling to and from a cruise port can be a challenge especially if you are unfamiliar with the area. Ride sharing services and vehicles aren't able to handle a family, luggage and such. What other options are available? Recently, Scott and his family travelled to Texas for a cruise and they hired a private car service for the first time and had a very interesting conversation with their driver. A impromptu interview was recorded about the features and benefits of hiring a private car service for your upcoming cruise. You will ride in style and comfort, and start your next cruise vacation worry free. Enjoy the show! Tommy & Scott 

Hey Cruisers!  The last few months of 2024 was a whirlwind of cruising and busyness, but still we have a lot of catching up to do and audio content to share.  The decision was made to produce a few "flashback" episodes along the way as 2025 gets underway. On this new episode, we gathered with  amazing cruise content creators to share our thoughts and excitement about our upcoming media cruise on Sun Princess!  It's a rare and unique opportunity to have Don @eatsleepcruise, Sheri @cruisetipstv, Doug @cruiseradio Ilana @lifewellcruised and JT @cruisingwithjt all in one place at the same time. It was truly such a special moment - thank you friends!  And next up, Cruise Director Corinne Steele shares her nautical journeys and things you should not miss seeing, doing and of course, eating on Sun Princess.  We hope you enjoy this special flashback episode! #sunprincess #princesscruises #cruise #cruising #food #travel #hosted Happy Cruising! Tommy & Scott