MichaelWSmith.com

17Jul

INSPECTION CRUISE BLOG – Day 7: The Final Wrap-up From The Ship.

July 17, 2015 MichaelWSmith.com 66

The Oasis of the Seas… Day 7 – Somewhere Just Southeast off of Florida…

Let’s call this one: The Final Wrap-up From The Ship.

Today, was day 2 of our trek back from St. Maarten. Another day at sea means another day of me spending lots of time on the Flowrider practicing my skills for next year. Not-so-much surfing, but more on the boogie board. I think I took 12 total slides today. So much fun. Today’s also the hottest day of the trip. It’s amazing, the closer we get back to the North, the hotter it’s gotten. But I’ll say this… it’s summer. It’s hotter in Chicago this week than it was in the Caribbean. So if you’re concerned about the HEAT of a cruise to the caribbean… DON’T BE. On the ship, there’s sea breezes that will cool you down. There’s pools to jump in and plenty of water around every corner to drink. Did I MENTION THE ICE CREAM MACHINES?!?!?!?!

Today wasn’t t hat different than yesterday. Great meals, awesome hang-out time with the family, and some really fun shows (No, I didn’t take part in the International Belly Flop competition… but I did go watch it and it was quite hilarious. A 72 year-old man won.

Thinking about the days at sea with next year’s cruise I now know the spots where we can meet up and plan on having our groups hang out. For example: NO ONE hangs out on the chairs at the back of the ship, next to the Flowriders. It’s empty. Makes it a great spot for the teens to hang out and take their shots at some games, flowrider competitions, and put-put, basketball, etc… etc…

For more chilled out, hang times and social spots we’ll recommend that our group members hang out in Central Park. That’s where I know I’ll be during my “down” time. Central Park at night has live violin players quietly.

Want to have a good breakfast on the days at sea? Go to the Main Dining room, Windjammer Marketplace, Park Cafe, Wipeout Cafe or Promenade Cafe. Windjammer gets busy after 9 am, but before 9 am it’s pretty empty.

I do feel the need to call out the entire ship’s crew. The service level on every level has been top notch. Better than any cruise I’ve been on (nobody tell Hunky Dory, you had to be there). At every touch point the service has surpassed our expectations. Every single one. I can’t speak for other Royal Caribbean ships, but this crew, has gotten it RIGHT!

This ship has everything that we’ll need to make this cruise the best one we’ve ever hosted – it’s going to be a different experience from our last few cruises – and that’s what I think is going to make it great. When I get back to my office I’m going to take the time to answer each and every question that we were sent in one blog entry / FAQ and will give a lot of my suggestions for planning you 2016 MWS & Friends Cruise.

If you haven’t already booked your reservation don’t delay – book now. Go here for details: http://www.michaelwsmithcruise.com or call 1.855.476.4889 and ask our friends at Inspiration Cruises for more information.

Now it’s time for me to get back to the office. I’ll be seeing many of you in Asheville, NC at THE RETREAT in less than 2 months!

I’ll write a quick update tomorrow on the below listed social media pages to give everyone an idea on how the disembarkation process goes in Ft. Lauderdale!

Blessings from The Spirk Family as we close-out the #InspectionCruise for the @MWSCruise2016

DLS

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Follow my trip on the following social network profiles:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mwscruise
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/mwscruise/
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelWSmithEvents
Periscope: Live Videos via twitter – MWS Cruise / (Android and iOS App available)

Do YOU have any questions about the MWS & Friends 2016 Cruise? Ask them here and I’ll answer them throughout the cruise: https://michaelwsmith.com/caribbean-cruise-questions/

Thinking about booking the cruise? Get details and reserve your cabin today: http://www.michaelwsmithcruise.com

16Jul

INSPECTION CRUISE BLOG – Day 6: Somewhere East of Cuba

July 16, 2015 MichaelWSmith.com 60

The Oasis of the Seas… Day 6 – Somewhere East of Cuba…

Let’s call this one: The Blog About What Will Make This Cruise “DIFFERENT” Than Ones We’ve Ever Done Before, THE CONCERTS & SHIP ENTERTAINMENT.

Well, here we are, on our way back to Ft. Lauderdale from the islands and I have to say that I’m more excited about next year’s Michael W. Smith & Friends cruise than I was when I first stepped foot onto this ship (which I was already pretty excited). The reason for my excitement is that this cruise is going to feed people’s lives in so many ways. The exclusive concerts, bible teaching, and fellowship moments that you’ve all come to know and love will all be there – even more actually. The cruises full array of entertainment will also be in place – so not only will you get to do the MWS & Friends programming, but you’ll get to schedule whatever ELSE you want to do. Let me explain how this is different than years past.

In previous years we’ve been on ships that were smaller. The theater’s on those ships were lounges, which were small and not really geared for a typical MWS Concert experience. Those theater sizes also made it so that Michael and his guests would have to perform all of their concerts / speaking / teaching TWICE so as to accommodate the entire ship. As a result of that schedule, we had to shut down all of the ship’s standard entertainment experiences, Michael and his staff had to work twice as hard, and we actually had to cut out different concerts or teaching moments because there simply wasn’t time to accomplish everything we wanted to do, while having to do it twice so EVERYONE could participate.

The Oasis of The Seas has a theater that is a 2/3 thrust theater that seats just over 1,400 guests (the 2/3 thrust stage is a technical term… sorry – that means that everyone is surrounding the stage, not just straight back. Everyone is CLOSE to the stage. It’s also REAL theater seating, not a lounge with inefficient couches. The space is just built for WHAT WE DO! There aren’t any seats that don’t have a clear, close view of the stage. Michael and his guests will get to lead morning devotions, Laura Story will get to lead a women’s bible study thought the week (something we’ve wanted to offer for years, but have never been able to do), The teens will get to have their own exclusive place to hang out, EVERYONE will get to go see the full broadway production of CATS on the ship (it was pretty unbelievable seeing it… we’re talking actual Broadway actors and vocalists on-stage, not B-level talent folks – TOP NOTCH). Did I mention the return of our cruise favorite SMITTYOKE? We’ll have locations on the ship that our group can hang out and just TALK. But also, if you’re coming on the cruise and you just want to rest and be with you significant other or family, you can do that here. The dining options as I’ve explained in my previous blogs are second-to-none (Personal favorite, GIOVANNI’S TABLE, in Central Park, deck 8 – the crab ravioli and stuffed Italian shrimp were unbelievable.)

There’s all of your standard cruise fair going on, there’s dance parties, Bingo, duty-free shopping, the Boardwalk activities, the Flowriders, the zipline, the kid’s AdventureOcean Club (my daughter has gone almost daily from 2 to 5 pm… they take such good care of the kids, it’s awesome to watch her come up to us with email addresses of the parents, of her new friends from the ship). Then there’s the four pools, the 12 HUGE hot tubs (2 of which may be the biggest hot tubs I’ve ever seen – they hang out over the side of the ship, so that when you look down over the edge all you see is water), the Solarium for adults who just want to “chill”. For families, the Dreamworks Animation “Move It, Move It, Parade in the Royal Promenade was a fun 20 minute party that you don’t want your younger kids to miss… for the guests who are not interested in that… you can’t even hear it anywhere else on the ship. All cabins are so quiet, it’s just amazing the way they’ve separated these spaces.

In coming weeks, we’ll develop a couple suggested schedules and an FAQ that will tell you how to go about using Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner to build your schedule, because you do need to reserve your spots in the bigger shows/events in advance. That way you’ll be able to ensure that you get to do everything that you want to do. Our goal will be to get you a preliminary MWS & Friends schedule and the FAQ during the month of August to help our group be first in line for your theater and dining reservations if you want to make them.

Some people have mentioned that they feel almost overwhelmed by the amount of things going on. What I’ll tell you about THAT is this… YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING THAT YOU DON’T WANT TO. YOU DON’T HAVE TO TAKE PART IN ANY ACTIVITIES THAT YOU DON’T CHOOSE. The ship, their staff, and their crew are VERY respectful and they actually work hard on keeping the atmosphere fun and lighthearted. I’ve tried to do far more on this cruise than I would EVER do normally, and more than I’d recommend that you do. My goal was to be able to tell you about as much as possible so I can answer as many questions as possible.

I will say this, my personal favorite show so far has been the FROZEN IN TIME (no, not THAT “FROZEN”), Ice dancing show. I went into it fully expecting it to be subpar and cheesy… but once again this ship has shown me, that, that’s not how they do things. My daughter’s favorite show was the high diving show OASIS OF DREAMS at the back of the ship. Just realized I’m typing about a cruise ship and I just mentioned an ICE-DANCING show and HIGH-DIVE show… wow. This is crazy!

Again, none of the big, main theater shows will interfere with MWS & Friends activities, and if any of the “other” shows do, we will give you suggested times to reserve your tickets to see those, so you don’t have to miss any MWS concerts or experiences.

OK, now before I sign-off… I want to encourage you to bring your family and friends on the cruise this year. I’ve been sending a group of my family’s friends telling them all about this cruise and I think we’re going to have a big group of them coming along next year now.

I mean it, if you haven’t booked your cabin yet, do it sooner rather than later… the earlier you book, the faster you can reserve your calendar, and the better experience you will have! Go here for details: http://www.michaelwsmithcruise.com.

Two more blogs to go this week, make sure you watch out for them.

Final wrap-up (Friday)
Disembarkation (Saturday)

BLESSINGS FROM THE CARIBBEAN SEA!

DLS

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Follow my trip on the following social network profiles:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mwscruise
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/mwscruise/
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelWSmithEvents
Periscope: Live Videos via twitter – MWS Cruise / (Android and iOS App available)

Do YOU have any questions about the MWS & Friends 2016 Cruise? Ask them here and I’ll answer them throughout the cruise: https://michaelwsmith.com/caribbean-cruise-questions/

Thinking about booking the cruise? Get details and reserve your cabin today: http://www.michaelwsmithcruise.com

15Jul

INSPECTION CRUISE BLOG – Day 5: ST. MAARTEN

July 15, 2015 MichaelWSmith.com 64

The Oasis of the Seas… Day 5 – St. Maarten….

Let’s call this one: St. Maarten is AWESOME!

Today we ported in St. Maarten, which is actually going to be our FIRST day in port on the MWS 2016 Cruise. Today wasn’t all just me exploring as I took some time to meet with a local church organization who we are probably going to partner with to have the Cruise choir sing with next summer. They’re pretty excited to meet you all and are such great people. I think we all hatched a plan today that is going to leave a great mark on this island and it’s people! Can’t wait to see what is going to happen while we’re here. More information coming on this in the next few weeks.

Again, I have a lot of advice to give on this island and one of the biggest suggestions I have is to tell you that the beaches are awesome, the shopping pretty great, and Maho Beach’s plane landings is world famous and truly something that you need to experience. It’s crazy to be in the water and have a jet liner fly right over you and land (literally only 30 feet above you). Scary, yes. Fantastic, yep!

Another suggestion is that after you go to Maho beach head over to the main shopping area in Phillipsburg and go to that beach. Two chairs, free wi-fi is quite cheap and you don’t need the ship’s excursion to do it. The views are beautiful and the water bright blue and crystal clear.

Tonight we’re already headed out into the Caribbean for two days as we head back toward Ft. Lauderdale (two days at sea that will be filled with me scaring myself while trying the rock walls, probably trying to surf again (don’t laugh), and scream my head off on the zip line (again). As for right now, I’m off to watch the Ice Skating show “Frozen In Time” (no, not THAT FROZEN). But it is an ice show on an ice skating rink – on a ship – this should be interesting.

Tomorrow’s blog will be regarding the ship entertainment and how it will work with our group’s additional schedule.
Friday, will be a wrap-up of the week.
Saturday, I’ll go through everyone’s questions that were asked pre-cruise.

BLESSINGS FROM ST. MAARTEN!

DLS

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Follow my trip on the following social network profiles:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mwscruise
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/mwscruise/
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelWSmithEvents
Periscope: Live Videos via twitter – MWS Cruise / (Android and iOS App available)

Do YOU have any questions about the MWS & Friends 2016 Cruise? Ask them here and I’ll answer them throughout the cruise: https://michaelwsmith.com/caribbean-cruise-questions/

Thinking about booking the cruise? Get details and reserve your cabin today: http://www.michaelwsmithcruise.com

14Jul

INSPECTION CRUISE BLOG – Day 4: FOOOOOOD

July 14, 2015 MichaelWSmith.com 68

The Oasis of the Seas… Day 4 – FOOOOOD….

Let’s call this one: FOOD FOR THE FOODIES…

G’Tuesday from a port in the Virgin Islands! Today we spent the day in a port that isn’t on our cruise. So, I won’t dive too much into THAT.

OK, one of the most consistent topics that people submitted questions about prior to the cruise was how the food works on a ship like this. After all there are 20+ restaurants and places to get food and beverages on the ship.

The Oasis of The Seas “experience” is definitely designed to SPREAD people out across the ship, so not everyone shows up in one location expecting. Something they do VERY well. There are restaurants for every taste. Some are 100% included like a standard cruise, There’s a main dining room (Grand and Silk), Some cost a little bit extra, some are order a’la carte like a normal restaurant, others are pay a cover charge and you get five courses, there’s of course the standard all you can eat buffet as well (The Windjammer Marketplace). I don’t want to bore you by going through every single one… but I can say that the restaurants that you pay a bit extra for are intimate, quiet, and higher quality than most restaurants you’ll find at home. The main dining room is BIG and they serve the food fast and it’s pretty great – of course you can eat as much as you want – but I’m actually preferring some of the smaller establishments more.

Again, I’ll go into GREAT detail about individual experiences in an FAQ that I’ll develop upon my return, but I can say this… the food experience has been awesome. I’ve actually been trying to eat healthy this run and it’s been pretty easy. If you eat at some of the smaller cafe’s where they serve you instead of you serving yourself it’s easier to keep your portions under control. And also the options are a bit more selective. (Aside: Please note, I will admit that the Strawberry Vanilla Swirl ice cream has been a bit of a villain on the cruise for me, I just can’t walk by the thing without getting a cone).

No two restaurant locations are the same. It makes for a much better experience. My favorite indulgence on the ship has been at a restaurant called Sabor. Tomorrow we’re going to the Italian Restaurant “Giovanni’s Table” in Central Park. It looks like a little Italian place you’d find in New York City. So cool.

Specifically during the MWS Cruise next summer we will have one dining time for our group in the main dining room so that all of us can eat together if we want. However, I’ll tell you this… you’re missing out if you eat there every meal. In a few weeks we will announce the full MWS Cruise schedule and I’ll also post my recommended meal and entertainment schedule for you so that you can start making your reservations for the non-MWS events/concerts and restaurants on the ship. Ultimately you can make your restaurant reservations starting pretty early and I recommend that you do that as early as possible. It’s an advantage that you’ll have by booking earlier than others…. OPTIONS!

Which leads me to the discussion about on-ship entertainment, concerts, and special music performances. That’ll be the blog I’ll share on Thursday. Tomorrow I’m going to talk about St. Maarten because that’s where we’re visiting on our cruise!

Wednesday, I’ll blog about St. Maarten and Excursions
Thursday’s blog will be regarding the ship entertainment and how it will work with our group’s additional schedule.
Friday, will be a wrap-up of the week.
Saturday, I’ll go through everyone’s questions that were asked pre-cruise.

BLESSINGS FROM THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS!

DLS

P.S. – scroll down for a picture from an excursion we did today… if you can do an excursion that includes these guys DO IT. So fun and so much personality!

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Follow my trip on the following social network profiles:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mwscruise
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/mwscruise/
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelWSmithEvents
Periscope: Live Videos via twitter – MWS Cruise / (Android and iOS App available)

Do YOU have any questions about the MWS & Friends 2016 Cruise? Ask them here and I’ll answer them throughout the cruise: https://michaelwsmith.com/caribbean-cruise-questions/

Thinking about booking the cruise? Get details and reserve your cabin today: http://www.michaelwsmithcruise.com

13Jul

INSPECTION CRUISE BLOG – Day 3: There’s a “FEW” (hundred) things to do.

July 13, 2015 MichaelWSmith.com 57

The Oasis of the Seas… Day 3 – Day At Sea heading down to the Virgin Islands.

Let’s call this one: There’s a “FEW” (hundred) things to do.

Happy Monday folks! I can say that with a pretty big smile on my face, because my Monday was AWESOME! I spent my Monday doing things that I never thought I’d do. Much less on a cruise ship. We’re on our way from the Bahamas down to The Virgin Islands, not a short trip. So today was a “Day at Sea”.

This morning we woke up at 6:30 to prep for my daughter and I’s “Flow Rider” Lessons. See the pictures below to understand how THAT went (and despite that picture it was so much fun! Then I played mini-golf against Kennedy… she thinks she won (ummm… not-so-much). Although it is the hardest 9 hole course I’ve ever played. Then I did something that I was SCARED-TO-DEATH of, I zip lined across one the Boardwalk atrium, actually about 100 feet above it (I’m deathly scared of heights so this was a victory for me. Then I went on an exploration of every deck of the ship. I posted pictures of each deck on the below listed Facebook pages. Go check them out if you want to see them. Ultimately today has been another great day on the ship. i’ve found lots of great places that we will use as gathering spots during the MWS Cruise.

There are activities for everyone. Cupcake lessons, got it! Ice Skating, did it. Quiet spaces for devos and reading, LOTS of them. Hang out spots for friends to get to know one another and enjoy each others company, EVERYWHERE! Services that will match anyone’s tastes… to many to even describe.

I’ll hit my suggestions in a detailed FAQ after the cruise… I don’t want to bore you with a 100 page blog tonight.

ONE COMPARISON TO THINK ABOUT… BECAUSE IT MATTERS TO THE SPIRK FAMILY.

Every night we order milk and cookies via room service.
Our previous cruises have typically taken 45 to 60 minutes to deliver.
Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas Staff took 8 minutes.
#WINNING!

Blogs for the rest of the week….

Tomorrow, I’ll dive into the whole “meal” process.
Wednesday, I’ll blog about St. Maarten and Excursions
Thursday’s blog will be regarding the ship entertainment and how it will work with our group’s additional schedule.
Friday, will be a wrap-up of the week.
Saturday, I’ll go through everyone’s questions that were asked pre-cruise.

BLESSINGS AND GOOD NIGHT FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN (We’ll be in the Virgin Islands tomorrow).

DLS

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Follow my trip on the following social network profiles:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mwscruise
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/mwscruise/
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelWSmithEvents
Periscope: Live Videos via twitter – MWS Cruise / (Android and iOS App available)

Do YOU have any questions about the MWS & Friends 2016 Cruise? Ask them here and I’ll answer them throughout the cruise: https://michaelwsmith.com/caribbean-cruise-questions/

Thinking about booking the cruise? Get details and reserve your cabin today: http://www.michaelwsmithcruise.com

12Jul

INSPECTION CRUISE BLOG – Day 2: The Big Boat… I mean SHIP!

July 12, 2015 MichaelWSmith.com 51

The Oasis of the Seas… Day 2… Port Day…

Let’s Call This One… The Big Boat… I mean SHIP. It’s a SHIP!

So today we were in a port that doesn’t match up with where we’re going (the 2016 cruise is the first year the Oasis is cruising the itinerary that we’re going to do with MWS & Friends – so the cruise I’m on doesn’t match up PERFECTLY with the ports. But I’ll be able to tell you all about St. Maarten when we get there on Wednesday – so I’ll save the EXCURSION blog for Wednesday.

OK, so the big elephant in the room is that the size of the ship seems overwhelming to many of you. And I won’t lie, it did me too when we first talked about the Oasis of the Seas. But I can honestly say that moving around the ship and using all of it is EASIER than the previous ships we’ve cruised on. Here are some stats to think about.

Remember the MS Masdaam and MS Westerdam held approximately 1,550 guests. This ship holds around 5,000.

Here are some stats to help it make more sense.

There are 24 elevators that go from decks 2 all the way to deck 17 on the Oasis of the Seas (Our previous cruises only had 8 elevators total on the ships)
There are 4 sets of top-to-bottom stairwells on the Oasis of the Seas (Our previous cruises only had 2).
There are 7 decks of the Oasis of the Seas that host entertainment and walking spaces where you can literally walk from end-to-end without walking among cabins.
There are over 20 restaurant / food service stations on the ship to match anyone’s tastes (1 Lesson though… don’t tell your daughter that wasabi is avocado… it’s a BAD parenting decision – some of the restaurants do cost a little extra, but many are included. In a few weeks I’ll post an FAQ that will outline each restaurant on the ship. (our previous cruise ships had about 5).

All of that to say, moving around the ship is FAST and EASY. My wife and I have literally felt like this ship is easier to understand than the ships we’ve cruised the last 3 MWS & Friends cruises. Also, we’ve officially found our favorite spot, more about THAT tomorrow when I outline the “DAY-AT-SEA” experience and ship entertainment. Tomorrow I’ll also post images of each level’s maps as they have them on the ship itself. So easy – you’ll see!

Something cool from tonight at dinner, our server was talking to us and asked what I did for a living and I told him we were bringing 1,500 people on the ship next summer with Michael W. Smith he immediately got visibly excited. He started naming all of this favorite Christian singers and bands. He asked for my email and Facebook page so that we can stay in touch and he could tell his other crew members about what’s coming. Reactions like that are why I LOVE MY JOB. This is a guy that works really hard ALL YEAR – only gets 6 weeks at home a year in the Philippines and now he’s genuinely excited to meet all of you next summer. Again, we get to come on this ship and be a light and encouragement to the crew and the people around us who might not know us or WHY WE BELIEVE! Just awesome! If ever there was a moment that I think it clicked how great this cruise is going to be, it was in his reaction.

Just awesome. More experiences, more opportunities. Just MORE!

Tomorrow is our first full “DAY AT SEA” as he we head down to the Virgin Islands. I’ll hit the ship activities and entertainment then….

UNTIL THEN….BLESSINGS FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN / CARIBBEAN!
DLS

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Follow my trip on the following social network profiles:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mwscruise
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/mwscruise/
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelWSmithEvents
Periscope: Live Videos via twitter – MWS Cruise / (Android and iOS App available)

Do YOU have any questions about the MWS & Friends 2016 Cruise? Ask them here and I’ll answer them throughout the cruise: https://michaelwsmith.com/caribbean-cruise-questions/

Thinking about booking the cruise? Get details and reserve your cabin today: http://www.michaelwsmithcruise.com

11Jul

INSPECTION CRUISE BLOG – Day 1: First Impressions of the Ship…

July 11, 2015 MichaelWSmith.com 60

Let’s call this one: The First Impression!

This is my first cruise that I’ve been on where I had the privilege of going through the normal check-in and ticketing process. Every other cruise that I’ve ever been on has been for “work” so we get on the ship at about 8 am so we can begin setting up. I prepared myself for a horrible experience. I was worried about how long we’d be sitting in lines. I mean this ship can have 5,000 people on it. That sounds crazy.

Now there are LOTS of suggestions that I’ll tell you about when I write up a full review and create an FAQ based on my families “inspection” cruise. Little example – your cruise documents will tell you that check-in is between 12:30 and 3:30 pm. Welllllll… I’ll tell you that you can check in starting at 10:30 am. We got to the ship terminal in Ft. Lauderdale at 11:00 am and there were already people checking in. The entire check-in process took 5 minutes. With 3 of those minutes being them inspecting my backpack (I have a few hundred chargers with me. It’s amazing how many wires I have so I can live wirelessly (that makes NO sense).

So now we’re on the ship and my initial impression is WOW, in every sense. They have amazing spaces for EVERYONE. Have kids? Go to the Boardwalk. Want somewhere quiet? Go pull up a chair in Central Park. Looking for a great place to do a devotion with your wife/husband? Go to the Solarium Lounge. Want to feel the energy of the ship? Go to the Royal Promenade. There are so many amazing places on this ship, I’m trying to figure out what space I want to hang out during my quiet time (pssst… Solarium is going to be the SPOT on a casabella staring out at the ocean – full 180 degree view from the front of the ship). THE ONLY MOMENT where I felt the number of people on the ship was during the safety drills right before we left port, obviously it’s required and after it’s done you have everyone spreading back out all over the ship all at one time. Complete honesty – On the other ships that we’ve been on I’ve felt more “crowded” than on this ship so far. Hard to believe that, but it’s true.

So, as I crawl into bed at the end of our “embarkation” day – I’m already sitting here thinking about different ways and spaces that we can have special “moments” on this ship unlike anything we’ve ever done before. More meaningful. More intentional. Just MORE.

Looking forward to the rest of the week. And I’ll write each night – working on focusing on different topics each night. Not just “what we did” today. If you want that… you can follow my posts on the social networks and links mentioned below.

BLESSINGS AND GOOD NIGHT FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN (heading over to Nassau for a port day tomorrow).

DLS

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Follow my trip on the following social network profiles:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mwscruise
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/mwscruise/
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelWSmithEvents
Periscope: Live Videos via twitter – MWS Cruise / (Android and iOS App available)

Do YOU have any questions about the MWS & Friends 2016 Cruise? Ask them here and I’ll answer them throughout the cruise: https://michaelwsmith.com/caribbean-cruise-questions/

Thinking about booking the cruise? Get details and reserve your cabin today: http://www.michaelwsmithcruise.com

07Jul

MWS TEAM MEMBER BLOGGING ALL NEXT WEEK FROM THE SHIP…

July 7, 2015 MichaelWSmith.com 49

BLOGGING/INSPECTION CRUISE – Entry #1:

The One Where I Tell You About Myself and What To Expect In The Blogs Next Week…

OK, so I guess, first an introduction is in order. My name is Derek and I have worked with Michael W. Smith for 8 years now. My daughter is Kennedy and my wife is Kate and we live in Spring Hill, TN. So, if there are random people in some pictures that I post over the next week, it’s probably my two girls. I’ve had the privilege of getting to know many of you on some of Michael’s past cruises and am look forward to getting to know many more of you on the 2016 cruise. I’ve been on every Michael W. Smith & Friends cruise that Smitty has ever hosted, so I have a pretty thorough knowledge of how we “do things” and the various experiences that our guests have had.

So let’s get started. I won’t send these blogs out to you via email, instead I’ll post them on MichaelWSmith.com and on the below listed social networks – so if you want to see the full detail of my trip please feel free to go there and read daily, starting the evening of Saturday, July 11th.

This Saturday, July 11th to the 18th, I’m taking my family on the OASIS OF THE SEAS so that our team will be able to plan and answer your questions about NEXT SUMMER’S MICHAEL W. SMITH & FRIENDS 2016 CARIBBEAN CRUISE. It’s my hope that after this cruise you’ll be more excited than ever, for next summer. It is also my goal to get the answers to many of your questions about what an MWS Cruise on the OASIS OF THE SEAS will be like.

I’ll tweet (a lot), I’ll Facebook (often), and I’ll blog daily – so follow the profiles below if you want to get a taste of what you’ll get to experience on Michael W. Smith & Friends 2016 Caribbean Cruise. Most importantly if you have any questions that you want answered, you can be specific in asking them and I’ll get you the answers.

We’ve already received a lot of questions and I’m going to do all that I can to answer them next week. Great questions have included:

What’s it going to be like cruising on a ship this size?
What’s a Flo-Rider?
Am I going to get lost on the ship?
How many ice cream machines are there? (I’m going to need to figure out the answer to this one FIRST)
What’s the schedule for all of the MWS & Friends events and exclusive content?
What are the recommended excursions on the cruise?

I’m really excited to get onto the ship and start answering all of your questions!

Follow my trip on the following social network profiles:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mwscruise
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/mwscruise/
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelWSmithEvents
Periscope: Live Videos via twitter – MWS Cruise / (Android and iOS App available)

Do YOU have any questions about the MWS & Friends 2016 Cruise? Ask them here and I’ll answer them throughout the cruise: https://michaelwsmith.com/caribbean-cruise-questions/

Thinking about booking the cruise? Get details and reserve your cabin today: http://www.michaelwsmithcruise.com

Blessings and You’ll Be Hearing From Me Again on Saturday!
Derek
Team MWS Member

26Jun

HOPE OF HEAVEN – New Song for Compilation Album

June 26, 2015 MichaelWSmith.com 67

Dear Friends,
I am thrilled to be a part of a new project called “Living Hope,” an album featuring many Christian artists with songs centering on the idea of “hope”. The song I contributed is called “Hope of Heaven” and it talks about how we look forward to the day of rejoicing when we can praise God in his presence and His kingdom’s glory is revealed.

The Living Hope album was put together by a restaurant chain called Pizza Ranch whose vision is “to glorify God by impacting the world.” Pizza Ranch will be selling the CD for $5 in their 190 restaurants across the Midwest this summer with a goal of spreading the message of Hope to their guests and communities.

The album can also be purchased for download at www.pizzaranch.com/livinghope.

16Jun

PRESS RELEASE: New Music Video & Tour Information

June 16, 2015 MichaelWSmith.com 102

“Sky Spills Over,” the latest music video and radio single from GRAMMY ® Award Winner Michael W. Smith, debuted to viral backing from WAYFm.com, FOX News and Guideposts.org. “Sky Spills Over” has climbed into the Top 25 on both the Billboard AC Indicator and National Christian Audience Charts.

The video was a family affair for Smith featuring several of his grandchildren along with his son, Ryan Smith, serving as the director of the music video. Fans took to social media to share the video as the impact resonated with viewers.

After recent shows in Nigeria and South Africa to the Ukraine, as part of the “SOVEREIGN WORLD TOUR,” Smith joined Reba McEntire and Amy Grant to perform for former First Lady Barbara Bush’s 90th birthday in Kennebunkport, Maine. Continuing to support Bush’s commitment to reading and education, the celebration raised a total of $17.3 million for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

This fall, Smith will continue his “SOVEREIGN WORLD TOUR” with dates in the U.S. as well as in Brazil, Japan and Indonesia. In late September, Phillips, Craig & Dean and Mark Lowry will join Smith in a 10-city tour being billed as the “Celebration of Songs & Hymns Tour.” Concert information is always available at www.michaelwsmith.com.