Norwegian Epic’s maiden cruise is a transatlantic crossing due to depart June 24 from Southampton, England and to arrive for Inaugural activities scheduled to take place in New York from July 2 to 4, 2010.

In another “first” for Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic, the largest LED chandelier at sea is now installed in the ship’s Epic Casino, which is also the largest at sea. The chandelier, which will change colors to all in the spectrum – up to 255 possible variations – has a height of 21 feet, diameter of nearly 11 feet and weighs two metric tons. Built in Vienna, Austria by Kalmar, a leading glass crystal maker who has designed some of the largest chandeliers for hotels and palaces around the world, it is fitted with approximately 40,000 crystal glass pieces of various shapes and sizes – and spans vertically to three decks, with vantage points from the casino, Teppanyanki restaurant, Wasabi Sushi Bar, Malting’s Whiskey Bar, Shaker’s Martini Bar, and the Atrium. The design is of spiraling oval discs, each up to 30 feet in circumference, and 112 suspended crystal encrusted balls of up to one foot in diameter, which orbit the main structure at varying heights.

The chandelier is the most energy efficient at sea. It is completely illuminated by LED technology, using over 10,000 diodes. It is fully dimmable to most effectively enhance the lead crystals and the lighting effects are currently being programmed by UK-based Project International. The impressive structure, which will be the focal point of the ship’s Atrium, took a team of people three weeks to install.
For those that are inspired by the techno music of Blue Man Group and cannot live on a cruise without a guitar solo of their own, Norwegian Cruise Line will offer another first at Sea. A “Check-In-Rock-Out” program on the Norwegian Epic will enable guests to rent a Gibson guitar and play it in their stateroom.
For $10 per day, passengers get the guitar and a private amplifier with headphones.
Guests can rent the equipment at the Fat Cats Jazz and Blues Club. The package includes a Line 6 Pod device, which features controls and special effects so that players can select the type of sound they want to create. Monster Cable supplies the headphones and cables.
For those guests that need a lot of physical challenges other than a fully equipped gym, the Norwegian Epic will feature and extreme rock climbing wall, 33-feet high and 64-feet wide. The wall will be accessible on two levels with varying degrees of difficulty, rated according to official U.S. climbing grades. The extreme rock climbing wall will be part of Norwegian Epic’s 7 decks of Freestyle Family Fun. Other highlights include the first rappelling wall at sea; the most bowling lanes at sea with six in two venues; three separate kids’ and teen activity areas; and a mixed-use sports deck featuring a full-size basketball court, volleyball, soccer, dodge ball, a batting cage, bungee trampoline, rope adventure course and a 24-foot tall enclosed climbing cage called the Spider Web.

On July 10 the Norwegian Epic will then start its 7 day alternate eastern and western Caribbean round trip iitinerary from Miami. For more information on the unique features and accommodation of NCL’s Epic check out our video.

Sea Princess Stars in National Geographic Channel’s Hit Series “World’s Toughest Fixes”
The June 3 Episode Will Take Viewers Behind the Scenes During Princess Cruises Ship’s Drydock

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (June 1, 2010) – The immense job of drydocking Sea Princess will be featured in the June 3 episode of National Geographic Channel’s (NGC) top-rated show, World’s Toughest Fixes.  TV viewers can go behind the scenes as host Sean Riley follows the entire process from the time the Princess Cruises ship enters the drydock to the final sea trials.

Airing on Thursday, June 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NGC, the show was filmed while Sea Princess was in a regularly scheduled drydock at BAE Systems San Francisco Ship Repair last September.  The episode focuses on the enormous task of completing a multitude of drydock projects in just 15 days, with emphasis on several technical “fixes” on the bottom of the ship that could only be accessed when the ship is out of the water.

“This is a unique opportunity for audiences to really appreciate the amazing around-the-clock effort needed to keep our ships in top shape to deliver the experience our passengers expect,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president.  “We’re excited that the National Geographic Channel was interested in featuring this rare behind-the-scenes project.”

One of the network’s most popular shows, World’s Toughest Fixes takes viewers inside some of the most daunting repair jobs with Riley, a professional master rigger, as he works with many of the world’s top mechanics to show how they tackle these challenging fixes. World’s Toughest Fixes airs Thursdays at 9pm ET/PT on NGC.

Riley joins the Sea Princess drydock crew on a number of tasks, adding his own elbow grease and expertise along the way and tries out several drydock jobs.  He helps strip and power wash the hull, tries his hand at upholstery work and joins the team working high up on the ship to seal the windows.  He even gives viewers an up-close view inside the tail shaft housing as he crawls in to show the audience the work being done.

Throughout the episode viewers will get a glimpse of the buzz of activity on a ship in drydock, including a look at installation of carpet and floors, the stripping of wooden decks, and even a glimpse of the ship’s new adults-only Sanctuary which was constructed during the drydock.

Sea Princess sails the Alaska Itinerary from San Francisco for the summer and then repositions to the Caribbean via a Mexico and Panama Canal Itinerary.

Miami   -    May 27, 2010   —   

Norwegian Cruise Line today announced that its largest and most innovative ship Norwegian Epic is sold out on its June 24, 2010 seven-day transatlantic sailing from Southampton, England to New York City. The line has launched a wait list for those interested in sailing on the transatlantic should cancelations occur. The ship, the largest to berth in the Port of New York, will arrive at Manhattan Cruise Terminal’s Pier 88 on Thursday, July 1. Country music legend Reba McEntire will christen the ship on Friday, July 2 followed by a two-day inaugural sailing. On Sunday, July 4, Norwegian Epic will serve as the host venue for the 34th Annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks event. The event includes a national, one-hour, live entertainment broadcast on NBC-TV beginning at 9 p.m. ET and takes place on board Norwegian Epic where invited guests will have a front row view of the fireworks display.

“We are on the edge of our seats in anticipation of the debut of Norwegian Epic to the world in only a few short weeks,” said Kevin Sheehan, chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Guests on the transatlantic sailing will be among the first to experience all of Norwegian Epic’s innovative features including her more than 20 dining options and world-class entertainment.”

The company released a sneak peak video of Norwegian Epic on its YouTube channel on Wednesday, May 25 showcasing the finishing touches being made. The video is viewable at www.ncl.com/youtube.

Norwegian Epic will sail alternating seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from Miami beginning July 10, 2010 through April 2011. Norwegian Epic’s Eastern Caribbean itinerary includes calls in Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and Nassau, Bahamas. The ship’s Western Caribbean itinerary includes calls in Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico. From May through October 2011, Norwegian Epic will sail a seven-day Western Mediterranean itinerary from Barcelona, Spain with ports of call including: Florence/Pisa (Livorno); Rome (Civitavecchia); Naples, Italy; and Palma, Majorca, Spain.

For more information on Norwegian Epic and to book a cruise, call Norwegian at 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784), visit http://epic.ncl.com, or contact a travel professional.

Norwegian Epic

World-class entertainment is Norwegian Epic’s hallmark. For the first time at sea, Blue Man Group will perform their exhilarating fusion of comedy, theatrics and paint, exclusively on Norwegian Epic. In the only “big top” at sea, Cirque Dreams” and Dinner, written and directed by Neil Goldberg, will present a one-of-a-kind interactive theatrical dining experience with music, mayhem and acrobatic imagination. Legends in Concert, the original and world’s greatest live tribute show, will be featured for the first time at sea in more than a decade on Norwegian Epic, along with The Second City® Comedy Troupe and Howl at the Moon Dueling Pianos Show.

In addition to world-class entertainment, the 4,100-passenger Norwegian Epic will incorporate many innovations including several new types of accommodations  the curved New Wave staterooms; the largest Villas suite complex at sea, comprising 60 suites and villas on two private decks at the top of the ship; and spa and family-friendly accommodations. Kids will have a blast with Nickelodeon” at Sea offering Nickelodeon-themed family entertainment and programming including: character meet and greets; interactive game shows; and more.

The ship also boasts unique nightlife options with the first Ice Bar at sea and Spice H2O with non-stop entertainment day and night; an expansive Aqua Park with the only tube slide and largest bowl slide at sea — The Epic Plunge; seven decks of Freestyle Family Fun with highlights including a 33-foot high, 64-foot wide extreme rock climbing wall and the first ever rappelling wall at sea; the most bowling lanes at sea with six in two venues; a mixed-use sports deck with the ability for guests to engage in eight different athletic activities; as well as three separate kids’ and teen activity areas. In addition, Norwegian Epic will offer the next generation of Freestyle Dining with more than 20 dining options and 20 bars and lounges.

About Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line is the innovator in cruise travel with a 43-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising, most notably with the introduction of Freestyle Cruising which has revolutionized the industry by allowing guests more freedom and flexibility.

Today, Norwegian has the youngest fleet in the industry with 10 purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea.

Norwegian is presently building Norwegian Epic, the company’s largest and most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship to date, for delivery in June. Norwegian Cruise Line is the official cruise line of Blue Man Group, debuting for the first time at sea on Norwegian Epic, as well as the official cruise line of Legends in Concert.

Miami – (May 27, 2010 ) – Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Mercury will become the second ship in the fleet of TUI Cruises, a cruise brand established in 2008 through a joint venture between Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and TUI AG, tailored for the German market. The new ship, to be named Mein Schiff 2, will become sister ship to Mein Schiff (the former Celebrity Galaxy), which set sail in May 2009.

“Celebrity Mercury has been a cherished member of the Celebrity family since she entered service in 1997, and has offered countless guests outstanding vacation experiences,” said Celebrity Cruises President & CEO Dan Hanrahan. “We are dedicated to offering the same impeccable service our brand is known for right up until the ship transitions to TUI Cruises, and we are confident that the ship’s future with TUI Cruises is very bright.”

Hanrahan assured that the future for the crew on Celebrity Mercury is equally bright. “With the rapid growth and momentum of the Celebrity brand, and the fourth member of our five-ship Solstice Class fleet, Celebrity Silhouette, launching in July 2011, we have abundant opportunities for the fine crew on Celebrity Mercury to transfer to another Celebrity ship.”

Celebrity Mercury joined the Celebrity Cruises fleet in November 1997, and was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany – builder of Celebrity’s widely heralded, new Solstice Class fleet. The 77,713-ton ship carries 1,898 guests (double occupancy) and 909 crew.

“The timing for expanding the TUI Cruises fleet could not be better,” said TUI Cruises CEO Richard J. Vogel. “Mein Schiff has firmly established its place in the German market, and now, it is time to broaden and further develop the concept. The cruise industry has shown its resilience in the midst of the economic crisis, and we look forward to growing it further, with our expanded fleet and our unique ‘premium all-inclusive’ concept.”

Celebrity Mercury will complete its scheduled sailings through the February 14, 2011, itinerary. Guests with individual bookings and named group bookings on Celebrity Mercury on or after February 26, 2011 have the option to either cancel their booking or move to any Celebrity Mercury sailing from Baltimore from October 18, 2010, through February 14, 2011, with the exception of the December 20, 2010 itinerary.

Guests who pursue this option will receive an onboard credit of $75 per stateroom for inside or ocean-view accommodations; $100 per stateroom for veranda or Concierge Class, and $200 per suite.

Guests with reservations affected by the transition will be proactively contacted by Celebrity Cruises. Guests with questions specific to impacted bookings are welcome to call 1-888-281-9343.

Celebrity Mercury will enter service with TUI Cruises in May 2011, as Mein Schiff 2, following an extensive refurbishment resulting in additional verandas, an expanded spa and fitness area, inclusion of a teen bar, and a host of design elements and other attributes consistent with those found on Mein Schiff.

Mein Schiff 2 will spend her first cruising season in the Baltic and Nordic regions. Full itinerary details will be published when bookings open June 1, 2010.

Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. has agreed to provide seller’s financing in the event that alternative financing is not fully available at the time of delivery. Additionally, the company will recognize a gain related to the sale of the Celebrity Mercury, but the gain is not expected to have a material effect on the company’s annual earnings.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a global cruise vacation company that operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Club Cruises, CDF Croisières de France, and TUI Cruises through a 50 percent joint venture. The company has a combined total of 39 ships in service and three under construction. It also offers unique land-tour vacations in Alaska, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Latin America and New Zealand.

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Princess cruises announced that contracts to build two 3,600-passenger ships have been finalized with Italy’s Fincantieri shipyard!

The new Princess ships are scheduled to enter service in spring 2013 and spring 2014.  At an estimated 141,000 tons, the as-yet-unnamed ships will be the largest in the Princess Cruises fleet.

The ships’ design will be evolutionary, in keeping with the themes of their newest vessels, but with some exciting new features and innovations.  For example, all outside cabins will feature balconies, bringing the percentage of balconies on the ships to 80 percent of all staterooms.

In addition, the signature Piazza – the popular Italian-inspired atrium featuring complimentary dining, entertainment and retail – will be expanded, as will the popular Sanctuary, spa, and restaurants.

“We’re pleased that in this challenging economic environment, the order for these new ships is a testament to the confidence in the growth potential of the Princess brand,” said Alan Buckelew, president and CEO of Princess Cruises. “These new ships will include the features from our newest ships that have been so well received, and take them to the next level,” he added.

Some amenities and features on the Oasis of the Seas will appear on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas and the Liberty of the Seas in early 2011 when both ships are scheduled to go into dry-dock, said Royal Caribbean International.

“We had such an amazing reaction to so many of the features on Oasis, that our intent over time is, to roll them across the fleet,” said Lisa Bauer, Royal Caribbean International’s senior vice president of hotel operations.

Both ships will get 18.5-foot outdoor video screens similar to the ones in the Oasis’ Aqua Theater. The giant screen will overlook the main family pool area where the Freedom and Liberty show movies and programs. For the direction challenged the Wayfinder navigating system will be installed. This touch-screen sign system that give information on activities and provide directions to any room or venue on the ship has been highly acclaimed by passengers. A  nursery for children ages 6 months to 36 months and the Cupcake Cupboard, which Bauer said “can’t bake fast enough” on the Oasis to meet demand for the $2.50 cupcakes, will also be part of the upgrade.

Broadway-style entertainment will also be maintained on both ships.

Independance of the Seas, the newer of the three Freedom class ships, will be upgraded at a later date depending on the popularity of the upgrades on the Freedom and Liberty of the Seas.

MIAMI, May 20, 2010 – Royal Caribbean International is providing guests with more options than ever before to explore European destinations across 55 ports in 22 countries.  Just in time for summer travels, the global cruise line is touting new shore excursion opportunities that feature the ability to make private tour arrangements as well as exclusive family-friendly tour options. Royal Caribbean also will be expanding its existing shore excursion services by nearly doubling the number of “Easy” tours for accessible sight-seeing throughout the 57 unique itineraries currently available – soon to be 109 unique itineraries when a record setting 11 Royal Caribbean ships will be deployed in Europe in 2011.  Dedicated to providing unique travel experiences, Royal Caribbean’s enhanced offerings will empower guests to create European cruise vacations that meet their individual styles, needs and preferences. 
            For those guests that enjoy more flexible vacation schedules Royal Caribbean is introducing new customizable half- or full-day private shore excursions. Each of the excursions offers guests the opportunity to travel in private vehicles on their own or with an English-speaking guide to provide tour commentary and local insight.  Featuring the same convenience and peace of mind that comes with booking Royal Caribbean’s group shore excursions, guests can enjoy the private tours in 13 ports-of-call throughout Egypt, Finland, Greece, Israel, Italy, Sweden and Turkey, in addition to previously introduced private tours offered in Russia.  For those travelers who do not want to be limited by a schedule, Royal Caribbean excursion specialists will create custom arrangements to fit individual styles and interests, or simply provide a private vehicle for an existing tour.  Both private and custom arrangements accommodate up to 10 people and can be initiated online. 
            As the leader in family travel, Royal Caribbean continues to cater to guests of all ages by introducing new hands-on activities that are fun for children, parents and grandparents alike.  To accommodate multigenerational travels, the global cruise line is debuting new half-day excursions designed specifically with families in mind.  Examples include gastronomic experiences such as “Pizza Making for Families” in Sorrento, Italy,  featuring a city tour followed by a pizza making class and lunch to enjoy the family’s culinary creations, as well as “Sea Kayaking” in Dubrovnik, Croatia, where guests can explore the outdoors and admire the historical city walls from a unique perspective, a kayak at sea level. 
            Royal Caribbean continues to pioneer accessible cruise travel by introducing 14 new additional “easy” tours for a total of 33. Featuring vehicles adapted with access ramps or lifts when available, new and existing “easy” shore excursions cater to individuals who have difficulty walking or standing for extended periods, or who use wheel chairs full time.  European sightseeing is extended to new bounds for these guests with engaging activities, such as exploring the quaint town of Trogir from Split, Croatia, wine tastings in Sardinia, and coach tours highlighting historical landmarks and local artistry, such as Florence’s famed Michelangelo Square and leather factories.
            In addition to enhancing new experiences for guests, the global cruise line is adding to its contribution to its destination partners.  Royal Caribbean is pre-purchasing Chorus Pass tickets from the Venetian Chorus Association, a non-profit entity tasked with safeguarding, conserving and restoring the architectural and artistic heritage of churches in the city of Venice, to invest in maintaining the cultural heritage represented in more than 1,000 pieces of art.  Guests onboard Brilliance of the Seas will receive a complimentary Chorus Pass ticket ($13 value), providing access to 16 of most important churches in Venice, with the purchase of each Shuttle Bus Pass. 
            Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 21 ships currently in service and one under construction. The line also offers unique cruisetour land packages in Alaska, Dubai, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and South America.

On Saturday May 15th 2010, I was priviledged to view the ms Rotterdam, Holland America’s flagship in Vancouver Harbor. The latest Signature of Excellence enhancements at Holland America Line have managed to rejuvenate a vessel which saw its maiden voyage in 1997. I sailed the Mediterranean on her that year and still retain fond memories. The enhancements certainly live up to expectations.  The most dramatic alterations are the 39 new innovative lanai staterooms, all in soothing earth tone decor. These staterooms allow guests direct access to the Lower Promenade Deck outfitted with two reserved deck chairs for each room. Additionally 32 verandah staterooms have been built on the aft portion of the ship.

“By refurbishing and enhancing staterooms, we’re able to meet the latest trends sought by our guests,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs, Holland America Line. “The latest Signature of Excellence installment enhances our premium product and the stateroom modifications update the layout and décor of the rooms while remaining elegant.”

 Thirty-two new Spa Staterooms were created from existing Verandah deck staterooms. The rooms, so named because of their proximity to the Greenhouse Spa and Salon and special in-room spa amenities, offer their own ambiance, providing unmatched relaxation, privacy and serenity. Décor reflects the natural elements of the earth with soft earth-tone hues and light, fresh accent colors echoing nature’s own. Soothing patterns adorn the bed runner and pillows and graphite-colored carpeting tie together all the elements. A counter-top water feature in each stateroom provides a natural, ambient background sound and artwork reflects serene images in nature. Exclusive spa treatments are offered only in these staterooms.

On the outside ”The Retreat” has been added at the stern of the ship on Lido deck. It offers an area of relaxation for sun worshippers in an aquatic evironment with a big screen TV for entertainment. I can imagine this to be an excellent area to relax on a warm tropical evening. The Oasis, also in the stern on Sky deck, is a great addition for the younger set to relax with their own kind.

The Ship capacities at 58,885 tons, has changed somewhat to 1,404 guests in 658 staterooms. The tonnage in today’s cruise environment, tending to ever larger ships of 150,000 tons and more , classifies the ms Rotterdam  as a small luxury vessel in contrast to 1997 where I classified her as a mid sized ship.

For photos of my visit to the ms Rotterdam in Vancouver please follow the link.

A Vancouver, Canada law firm has asked permission to launch a class action suit against British Airways (BA) on behalf of Vancouver flyers to recover potentially substantial amounts of money. The suit alleges that a large portion of the taxes charged  on air tickets  was never remitted to any taxing authority and instead went straight to the bottom line of the carrier. If the suit goes forward other airlines will most likely be added. Perhaps this will have an effect on all travel suppliers that are not transparent in the charges embedded in the cost of their product.

Princess Cruises has announced that its superliner Sea Princess will be based in Australia over the 2011-12 cruise season, taking the size of the locally based Princess fleet to an unprecedented four ships.

Sailing from Sydney between October 2011 and March 2012, the 77,000-ton Sea Princess  will offer cruises to New Zealand, Japan and Tasmania.

She will join Dawn Princess, Sun Princess and Sapphire Princess in sailing Australian waters.

Sea Princess  move to Sydney means that the popular Sun Princess  will head north to Brisbane from September 2011 until February 2012, becoming the first Princess Cruises’ ship to be based in the Queensland capital.

Sun Princess  cruises from Brisbane will include seven two-week sojourns to New Zealand, two 11-night South Pacific cruises to Fiji and an exciting new 41-night voyage to Asia, featuring visits to Brunei, Vietnam, Japan and China including Beijing.

Meanwhile, Dawn Princess will return to Melbourne for another summer season, offering cruises to New Zealand, around Australia and to Tahiti and Hawaii.

Announcing Princess‘ expansion in Australia, Princess Cruises President Alan Buckelew said Australian interest in Princess Cruises’ ships was at an all-time high.

“Since Princess Cruises based its first superliner, Sun Princess , in Australian waters full time in late 2007, it’s been clear that Australians love the cruise line’s relaxed style of cruising as well as the exotic destinations that it offers,” Buckelew said.

“Dawn Princess debuted full time in Australia in late 2008 and has been just as successful as Sun Princess, so we think the time is right to introduce their sister ship, Sea Princess , into the Australian market.

“Meanwhile Sapphire Princess , the youngest ship to be deployed in Australian waters, attracts a large number of Australians and Americans on its trans-Tasman voyages each summer.”

A sister ship to Dawn Princess and Sun Princess, Sea Princess first debuted in the Princess fleet in 1998. She carries 1990 passengers and offers 975 staterooms, including more than 400 with private balconies. Her other features include two showlounges, four pools, two main restaurants, a steakhouse, pizzeria and 24-hour café as well as a giant poolside moviescreen.

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (March 25, 2010) — Princess Cruises has added nine new choices to its lineup of optional land excursions for Alaska cruisetours, giving travelers opportunities for fresh adventures, including discovering how local hunters and trappers live, exploring by ATV, riding a dog cart, visiting a true Eskimo village or learning to cook Alaska cuisine.

In total, the optional land excursion program features 96 tour choices that cruisetour travelers can add to the land portion of their trip. These activities are currently open for purchase and offer a range of experiences from easygoing to exhilarating — including cultural tours, nature hikes, kayak adventures and flightseeing tours.

Cruisetour passengers can get additional information about the land excursions from a new section on Princess’ web site, http://www.princess.com/learn/cruisetours/alaska/land_excursions, offering full details on the program and tour listings.

“Just like shore excursions from our ships, these optional land excursions are selected to give cruisetour guests some uniquely Alaska adventures and experiences,” said Charlie Ball, president of Princess Tours. “And because these tours are all operated by Alaskan companies, travelers will be able to experience the state from a true local perspective.”

Land excursions operate from each of Princess’ own wilderness lodges — Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge, Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge and Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge — as well as from additional locations featured on some cruisetours, such as Anchorage and Coldfoot (for Arctic Explorer cruisetours).

New land excursion options debuting this season include:

Wilderness Living Adventure & Dog Cart Ride (Denali) – How did the hunters, trappers and woodsmen of old travel and live in the wilderness of Alaska? This tour provides a look at many Alaskans who make their living in the wilderness near Denali. The hosts share stories about their lives, particularly what winters are like in Denali. A dog cart ride takes travelers down a rustic trail for a taste of sledding and possible views of Mt. McKinley.

Anaktuvuk Pass Adventure (Coldfoot) – Guests can visit a true Eskimo village with this tour to the Nunamiut village of Anaktuvuk Pass. Travelers fly northwest from Coldfoot to Anaktuvuk Pass, nestled in the heart of the majestic Brooks Mountain Range and the Gates of the Arctic National Park. Once in the village, guests will get a first-hand look at life in Anaktuvuk Pass as it exists today.

A Taste of Fairbanks – An evening at Chez World Cooking School will show travelers how to prepare food the Alaskan way. Whether they fully experience the class with hands-on participation or simply watch the overhead monitors, students will learn the secrets behind Alaskan delicacies such as salmon, reindeer sausage, halibut, crab, moose, and caribou, as well sourdough bread and pancakes. Students will get to taste the entrees of the day plus take home recipes and a chef’s apron.

Susitna River Airboat Adventure (Mt. McKinley) — Travelers can experience parts of the lovely Susitna River that others can’t with this airboat excursion. Piloted by a captain who knows the waters well, the airboat can navigate through narrow channels, moving through inches of water and in some cases no water at all. Participants will enjoy the beauty of the Susitna while looking for wildlife and their tracks, and can even bring home a souvenir animal track casting. On clear days, they can also marvel at spectacular views of Mt. McKinley.

Sea Kayaking at Columbia Glacier (Copper River) — This opportunity to paddle into the massive Columbia Glacier icefield offers an experience that travelers will never forget. From Valdez participants take a scenic ride to Columbia Glacier for a kayaking expedition up close to the glacier, plus lunch on the beach. The excursion could also result in sightings of wildlife such as seals, sea otters, bald eagles, sea lions, whales and bears.

Chatanika Gold Camp & ATV Ride with Dinner (Fairbanks) — The early miners never traveled like this! Following a hearty dinner at Chatanika Gold Camp, travelers take a 2.5 hour ATV ride along a mining trail used by early miners to access the surrounding gold fields. The approximately 15-mile route follows a ridge line and offers beautiful views of the distant mountains and valleys.

Explore Historic Seward (Kenai) — From Kenai, travelers can enjoy a drive down one of the nation’s most scenic highways and past parts of the Iditarod National Historic Trail. At the end of the road at Resurrection Bay is the historic city of Seward, gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Travelers will have plenty of time to see the town, visit local attractions or browse the quaint shops and art galleries.

South Denali 65-Mile ATV Adventure (Mt. McKinley) — An ATV adventure along dirt roads carved out of the wilderness by the area’s first prospectors, this tour takes travelers far into the back-country of south Denali with its cascading waterfalls and scenic wonders. Participants can also try their hand at panning for gold in Peters Creek.

Scenic Koyukuk River Float (Coldfoot) – It’s not too often that travelers can enjoy a scenic float trip 60 miles north of the Arctic Circle! This tour takes passengers down the Middle Fork Koyukuk River through the Brooks Mountain Range, where they can relax as their raft floats through the vast wilderness of Alaska and a guide shares the rich history of the region.

Optional land excursion information is available through the passenger’s online Cruise Personalizer. Tours are currently available for pre-purchase by calling 1-877-325-7552. As many tours fill up quickly, passengers are encouraged to make excursion selections as early as possible.

Scandinavian Port Receives Highest Satisfaction Marks from Passengers

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (March 16, 2010) — Princess Cruises has named Copenhagen as its “Port of the Year” for 2009 — a distinction awarded as the result of passenger satisfaction surveys. Copenhagen is the first port outside of North America to earn this honor.

The annual award is given to one of Princess’ 33 worldwide turnaround ports that earn the highest scores for the year, as rated by passengers on each cruise. A turnaround port is where a cruise ends and the next one begins.

The honor recognizes that a port has provided the service, facilities and personnel that have enhanced the passenger experience while boarding or disembarking the ship. In total, the voting measured passenger satisfaction scores from 14 calls in Copenhagen during the summer 2009 season.

“A turnaround port offers passengers their first or last impression of their cruise with us, so it’s very important that they have a good experience as they travel through the local facilities,” said Dean Brown, Princess executive vice president of corporate services. “Copenhagen has been recognized as the highest ranked port for 2009, but they’ve also been one of the highest ranked ports in years past. It’s clear that our passengers appreciate the level of service and efficiency that the port and their staff provide.”

This is the fifth year for the award, and previous Port of the Year designations have gone to Los Angeles, Whittier, Vancouver and Brooklyn.

Copenhagen serves as home port for Princess Scandinavia & Russia itineraries. Star Princess will begin the 2010 cruise season on these popular itineraries on May 12.

Princess Cruises Announces Largest Europe Program Ever for 2011
Season Includes Most Princess Ships to Sail in Europe, 42 Unique Itineraries and 135 Ports
More Than Half of Ports Include Opportunity to Visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site

SANTA CLARITA, Calif.  — Princess Cruises has unveiled its most extensive Europe season ever for 2011, with more ships, departure choices and itinerary options than in previous years. In total, seven vessels will offer 42 itinerary choices, including seven new routes, with calls at more than 135 ports.

More than half of these ports feature access to notable attractions designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These remarkable places that make up the planet’s cultural and natural heritage range from Italy’s Amalfi Coast and the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg to the birthplace of Apollo on the island of Delos (from Mykonos) and the 16th-century Suleymaniye Mosque (in Istanbul).

In addition, Princess has enhanced overnight offerings to give passengers extra time in fascinating ports throughout Europe, such as Venice, Istanbul, St. Petersburg, Alexandria, Dublin and Edinburgh on various routes.

The line’s 2011 program includes seven new itineraries, offering fresh vacation opportunities in each major cruise region. Among the new routes are an expanded 11-day Scandinavia & Russia itinerary featuring calls in ports such as Oslo, Berlin, Stockholm and a two-day stay in St. Petersburg. The season also features new seven-day Interlude voyages that can be combined for longer sailings, visiting boutique ports in the Mediterranean.

“As a leader in Europe cruises we constantly aim to design an intriguing range of vacation choices, but next year our lineup may really challenge passengers to choose among some outstanding options,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “Whether they want the amenities of a large ship or the intimate experience of a smaller vessel; a short, seven-day getaway or an extended adventure over several weeks, there’s a Princess cruise to match.”

The 2011 Europe program ships and routes:

Ruby Princess returns with the line’s signature 12-day Grand Mediterranean itinerary and Greek Isles routes.

Star Princess also cruises the Mediterranean, taking over the 12-day Egypt, Greek Isles and Mediterranean itineraries.

Emerald Princess returns to Europe with a new 11-day Scandinavia & Russia itinerary including the best of the Baltic region with Princess’ signature two-day experience in St. Petersburg

Crown Princess sails to the British Isles on two 12-day itinerary options, as well voyages to Norway and Iceland from seven to 12 days.

Grand Princess offers three new itineraries featuring a selection of Mediterranean and Northern Europe voyages, ranging from seven to 17 days.

The intimate Ocean Princess offers new seven-day Greek Isles and Mediterranean Interlude itineraries that can be combined into 14-day or longer voyages, giving passengers the opportunity to explore boutique ports such as Cephalonia in Greece, and Koper, Slovenia.

Small sister ship Pacific Princess sails to the Holy Land and Black Sea, and offers experiences in classic destinations such as Egypt, Israel, Ukraine, Greece and Turkey Overnight Calls and Two-Day Experiences — More itineraries than ever offer passengers more time to explore port highlights and enjoy a more immersive experience. All 12-day Mediterranean voyages have been enhanced to include an overnight stay in Venice, while the 12-day Black Sea & Crimean Coasts route now features an overnight stay in Istanbul. Passengers on 12-day Holy Land voyages can explore more of Egypt and Israel, with calls in two ports in each country. In Northern Europe, overnight calls in Dublin and Edinburgh are featured on select voyages, and 11-day Scandinavia & Russia sailings offer two full days in St. Petersburg on every voyage.

New ports – Princess ships will add five new European ports this season, including the charming city of Aahus, home to the tallest cathedral in Denmark; Motril (for Grenada), on Spain’s beautiful coast of Andalusia and within reach of the stunning Alhambra palace; the Mediterranean port of Sete, France; the resort city of Aghios Nikolaos on Crete (Greece), and cosmopolitan Antwerp, Belgium.

Mediterranean and Greek Isles – Princess ships offer 21 different itineraries through the storied waters of the Mediterranean, including six new routes. Both Ruby Princess and Star Princess will offer the line’s signature Grand Mediterranean and Greek Isles itineraries, as well as Egypt & Aegean sailings, giving passengers 30 different cruises to choose from in the Mediterranean. Grand Princess offers roundtrip voyages from Southampton to the Western Mediterranean, including new Canary Isles and Mediterranean & Adriatic sailings.

Seven-Day Interlude Voyages – Ocean Princess offers the small ship experience on a number of Mediterranean options, including new week-long Interlude voyages that are specially designed so they can be combined into longer 14- or 21-day sailings without repeating a port.

Holy Land and Black Sea – Pacific Princess also offers an intimate cruise experience as it sails to the unforgettable ports of the Holy Land, plus Mediterranean Collection voyages and a Black Sea & Crimean Coasts itinerary.

Scandinavia & Russia – Emerald Princess returns to the Baltic region to debut a rich new 11-day itinerary that features the best of the region with calls in Oslo, the new port of Aarhous (Denmark), Berlin, Tallinn, a two-day experience in St. Petersburg, Helsinki, and Stockholm.

Northern Europe — A selection of 14 different itinerary options throughout Northern Europe offers passengers cruise options to the British Isles, Norwegian fjords, and even Iceland and Greenland. A new seven-day Norwegian Fjords Interlude adds to a lineup that includes sailings from Southampton aboard Crown Princess, Grand Princess and Ocean Princess; plus the opportunity to travel on top-of-the-world voyages aboard Ocean Princess to explore the beauty of Iceland and Greenland, or sail on a week-long Ireland & Scotland Interlude.

Princess also offers three European cruisetours which combine certain sailings with a fully-escorted land tour to explore the Italian destinations of Rome and Florence, Ireland’s wild west and the breathtaking Ring of Kerry, or the imperial treasures in Budapest, Vienna, Prague and Berlin.

The 2011 Princess Europe season opens for bookings on March 25, 2010. Launch Fares for seven-day Europe sailings start at $1,199 per person, based on double occupancy.

Affordable New Cruisetour Options Offer More Flexibility and Extra Time at Denali

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (February 19, 2010) — Princess Cruises is introducing four new “A la Carte” Alaska cruisetour options for this summer’s season, offering more affordable and flexible options for independent-minded travelers. These new cruisetours spend an extra day at one of the Denali-area Princess lodges, and do not include excursions, giving travelers the time to customize their own daily schedules.

The four A la Carte tours range from 10 to 12 nights, offering at least three nights in the Denali area. All cruisetours feature a northbound “Voyage of the Glaciers” Gulf of Alaska cruise aboard Coral Princess or Island Princess, departing from Vancouver; combined with a three-, four- or five-night land tour to the heart of Alaska, featuring stays in Princess’ two Denali-area wilderness lodges and exclusive Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail service. All tours will visit both of the state’s top attractions: Denali National Park and Glacier Bay National Park.

Travelers choosing these itineraries will not be scheduled on the Denali National Park tour or other activities usually included with cruisetours, and instead can choose to add any of four park tour options or a variety of other area excursions offered at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge.

“These new A la Carte cruisetours are designed specifically with the value-conscious, independent traveler in mind,” said Charlie Ball, president of Princess Tours. “With fewer ‘extras’ included, we can offer a more affordable tour option with greater flexibility for travelers who prefer to discover the wonders of Alaska at their own pace. Passengers can truly customize their vacation to suit their own interests, whether they want to spend extra time viewing Denali’s fascinating wildlife, hike through the spectacular wilderness or try an exhilarating pursuit such as river rafting.”

The four A la Carte cruisetours itineraries are:
Tour 101 — 10 nights (Two nights at Denali lodge, one night at Mt. McKinley lodge)
Tour 102 — 11 nights (Two nights at Denali lodge, one night at Mt. McKinley lodge, one night Fairbanks)
Tour 103 — 11 nights (Two nights at Denali lodge, two nights at Mt. McKinley lodge)
Tour 104 — 12 nights (Two nights at Denali lodge, two nights at Mt. McKinley lodge, one night Fairbanks)

All A la Carte tour options are available throughout the May to September Alaska season, with fares beginning at $899 per person.

Princess offers a variety of land/sea Alaska experiences with itineraries ranging from 10 to 15 nights. All cruisetour options feature at least two nights in the Denali National Park area, stays in Princess’ own riverside wilderness lodges, and a seven-day Voyage of the Glaciers sailing with Glacier Bay National Park.

Passengers Can Once Again Invite Friends and Family Aboard Ship On Embarkation Day

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – Reviving a signature tradition from the early days of cruising, Princess Cruises is debuting an innovative, new program giving passengers the opportunity to invite their friends and family aboard their ship on embarkation day to wish them “bon voyage” and get a taste of the onboard experience.

Called the “Bon Voyage ExperienceSM,” the program is a new twist on the departure celebration of bygone days, when friends and family would routinely come aboard to see off passengers. Because of increasingly tighter security procedures, this practice disappeared more than two decades ago, but it’s now back — complete with lunch in the dining room and tour of the ship.

Unique in the cruise industry, the Bon Voyage Experience enables passengers to extend an invitation to their guests to join them onboard during sailing day for a four-course dining room lunch with wine, a ship tour and even a souvenir photo. Passengers and their guests can enjoy priority embarkation and will be able to spend approximately four hours together on the ship before it sets sail. The cost for the program is $39 per person, which can be applied toward a future Princess cruise.

The program will debut in March in the ports of Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale, and then roll out to New York, San Francisco and Seattle.

“Long-time cruisers will recall the fun of the bon voyage send-off with their family and friends, and we’re excited to re-introduce a new, modern version of this experience,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president.

Cruise passengers will be notified about the program through the pre-cruise emails they receive from Princess as their cruise date approaches. In-port guests can be booked through a travel agent or by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, beginning 120 days before the cruise and up to six days before the sailing date. Once registered, guests will be able to input their required security information through the line’s Cruise Personalizer.

The number of guests who will be able to participate in the Bon Voyage Experience on any given embarkation day will be approximately 50.

The roll-out schedule for the launch of the Bon Voyage Experience is:

Sapphire Princess – March 6 in Los Angeles

Crown Princess — March 6 in Fort Lauderdale

Coral Princess – March 7 in Los Angeles

Emerald Princess – March 7 in Fort Lauderdale

Island Princess – March 10 in Fort Lauderdale

Ruby Princess – March 10 in Fort Lauderdale

Golden Princess – March 14 in Los Angeles

Royal Princess – March 27 in Fort Lauderdale

Star Princess – April 10 in Fort Lauderdale

Caribbean Princess – May 18 in New York

Sea Princess — June 1 in San Francisco During the Alaska season, Sapphire Princess, Golden Princess and Royal Princess will offer the program in Seattle, beginning in May.

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (May 10, 2010) — Princess Cruises will introduce a distinct Kiwi flavor on its upcoming season of cruises to New Zealand, with passengers experiencing a taste of the local cuisine, entertainment and culture as they explore the North and South islands.

Passengers on Sun Princess and Dawn Princess’ New Zealand cruises will be able to feel the spirit of Aotearoa the “Land of the Long White Cloud” throughout their voyage, enjoying features such as Maori dance performances, local cuisine and seminars on the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Fiordland National Park.

The new programs and menus will be featured on 18 New Zealand sailings, beginning on Sun Princess October 13 and starting on Dawn Princess December 8.

“Our goal is for passengers to feel the essence of New Zealand throughout their time onboard,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “We hope our passengers will gain a deeper understanding of what makes New Zealand so special.”

Highlights of Princess’ New Zealand cultural program include:

New Zealand Cuisine – New Zealand’s cuisine will be a focus on each sailing, with Kiwi dishes marked on the menu with the country’s iconic silver fern. Dinner will include items such as Braised New Zealand Lamb Shanks on Lentil Ragout, while lunch menus will feature the country’s Colonial influence with Fish & Chips and Shepherd’s Pie. Passengers can even start their day with a new breakfast selection — famous NZ Bacon & Egg Pie.

Wine and Beers — Bars will feature local Steinlager and Rheineck beers, while the wine lists will include a selection of New Zealand’s acclaimed wines.

New Zealand Island Night – This festive evening will feature a New Zealand theme, with local food (Lolly Log Cake, for instance) and drink selections (Kiwi Caipirinha among them).

Chef and Bartender Challenge – A new activity debuting on New Zealand sailings, this TV-style challenge features the ship’s chef and bartender facing off in a competition to make two dishes or five drinks with a secret New Zealand ingredient in just 30 minutes.

Enrichment and Education – Destination experts will travel with each ship to give passengers information about ports of call, while a park ranger will provide narration as the ship sails through Fiordland National Park. Princess is also working with Tourism New Zealand to present an onboard exhibit where passengers can learn more about local history and culture.

In Port Cultural Programs – In select New Zealand ports, Maori cultural performers will offer afternoon presentations demonstrating aspects of their culture and heritage. Maori masters will offer workshops in Kapa Haka dance traditions, tiki warrior rituals, Waiata chants, and lessons in Maori language.

Entertainment — While the ships are in port in Tauranga and Auckland, passengers can enjoy performances from local entertainers. Maori bands and other local performers are also being added to the lineup. The ships’ movie and TV screens will be showing films with a local twist, such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Piano as well as NZ documentaries and sporting events.

In my years of escorting cruises I observed two groups of people. Those that strike out on their own and are quite comfortable doing so and those that, at least initially, require some assistance to feel comfortable. This group generally is new to travelling in foreign countries and coping with different customs or language. Usually this latter group will travel with an escort several times because of the security and camaraderie of the group. But eventually will feel comfortable enough to strike out on their own and become members of the the first group. For those still belonging to the second group Vacation.com, one of the largest North American consortia of independent travel agents has put together a selection of cruises escorted by professional travel agents.

These vacation vignettes, as they are called, are an exclusive cruise vacation created by Vacation.com and sold only through member agencies. You will not find these special packages online or at an agency that is not a member of Vacation.com.

Each Vignette features:

• Services of a Concierge Host
• Bon Voyage Cocktail Reception
• Exclusive Shore Event classified by many as highlights of the cruise

These concierge-hosted sailings deliver something special that anyone who loves to cruise would want — a genuinely unique, creatively packaged cruise vacation experience at an attractive price, escorted by a host with extensive experience hosting luxury travel guests and knowledge of the destinations on the itinerary. The Concierge Host understands how to unobtrusively yet effectively meet and exceed each guest’s expectations.

In an industry where past trends have been to low initial prices, but higher add-ons, Azamara Cruises is bucking the trend by including more in the initial price.

As of April 1/2010 Azamara, which added Club to its name last fall, will include sodas, bottled water, specialty coffees, wine with meals and gratuities in the fare. This is a welcome change for passengers who in the past have complained of being ‘nickeled and dimed’ to death once on board a ship. Azamara is also considering to offer more time in ports with overnight stays. For example  on the 14 night  “Best of Italy” cruise on October 2/2010, there are overnight stays in Sorrento, Florence and Venice. Again this will be welcomed by many guests who would like to explore local activities in the evening when many European towns become alive. From personal experience all three towns are difficult to fully explore on a 9am to 5pm schedule. Where possible port shuttle buses are apparently also being considered which again would be a great plus for passengers who would like to return to the ship more often before continuing their onshore explorations.

Suite guests, in addition to  English butler service, will also receive complimentary dining in the specialty restaurants, Prime C and Aqualina.

With these steps Azamara is positioning itself among the ‘upmarket’ more inclusive cruise lines.

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When the Norwegian Epic is launched 80 day from today the 153000 ton 4200 guests (dbl occupancy) cruise ship will not only feature some of the most innovative and flexible accommodations ever – from new Studios specifically designed and priced for the solo traveler and exclusive access to The Studio Lounge to private Villas – but also 20 different dining options the most intriguing of which is the Cirque Dreams and Dinner Show. The first dinner show at sea will not only feature a fixed menu for 274 diners but a 2 hour up close and personal acrobatic and comedy show that will see 50 costume changes throughout its duration. As one observer at the land practice session put it “you will probably forget to eat your dinner”. The dinner show will probably be priced at $15-$20.

Further information on Norwegian Cruise Line’s largest ship to date can be found here

The Governor of Alaska and cruise line representatives seem to have reached a tentative agreement to reduce by 25% the “head tax” for Alaska cruise ship passengers to $34.50, in exchange for discontinuing a lawsuit brought by the cruise lines.  The tentative agreement is subject to ratification by the legislature probably as part of a tourism marketing bill. It may however be too late for the 2011 Alaska Cruise season which will see a drastic reduction in sailings over the 2010 cruise season. Most major operators have reduced 2011 capacity as they reposition ships to the hopefully more lucrative European market. Among the major repositionings is Royal Caribbean which will relocate 10 of its 22 ship fleet to Europe. Princess Cruise follows suit with 7 ships, the Crown and Grand out of Southampton, the Emerald out of Copenhagen for the Baltic and the Ruby and Emerald in the Mediterranean.  The Ocean Princess and Pacific Princess will sail smaller more intimate ports. Norwegian Cruise Line will locate the new Epic in Europe as will Carnival with the Carnival Magic. The norm will also be longer cruises and port stays with the shorter 7 day cruises in short supply.

The upshot of it all is:  if you are looking to cruise to Alaska do it in 2010 rather than 2011 because prices are most likely to go up. If a Europe Cruise is on the horizon for you in 2011 then expect larger than already large crowds in popular European destinations. The crowds in the popular Turkey destination of Ephesus in November of 2009 already shocked us compared to those of earlier years.

Norwegian Cruise Line announced that due to increased year-to-date booking volumes it will raise fares up to 7% fleet-wide as of April 2. The 10-ship line cited strong interest in particular in its new ship, the Norwegian Epic, debuting in June and for the ‘Pride of America’, its Hawaii-based ship.
“Our first quarter Wave season promotion definitely persuaded consumers to book a Norwegian cruise vacation as we saw heavy call volumes translating to exceptional bookings,” Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Kevin Sheehan says in a statement.
Norwegian joins a growing list of cruise companies hiking prices as business rebounds from the downturn of 2009. The announcement comes just weeks after industry giant Carnival announced plans for its own across-the-board price hike of up to 5%, effective March 22. Like Norwegian, Carnival cited soaring bookings.
The announcement of a price increase should motivate the few waiting for last minute specials. They are not going to materialize. Instead prices will be higher later this year because of the lack of supply in cabins.

Again the Celebrity Mercury cruise ship, which was  plagued by a massive outbreak of stomach illness last week, has been struck by the suspected norovirus.
At least 55 of 1,880 passengers on the current voyage of the Charleston-based Celebrity Mercury have fallen ill according to reports in Charleston’s ‘The Post and Courier’.
The latest voyage began last week Saturday, a day later than scheduled, after the ship went through a thorough cleaning and disinfecting following last week’s outbreak, where at least 419 of 1,830 passengers were hit by the gastrointestinal illness.

The Cypriot-owned Louis Majesty (formerly NCL Majesty) sailing between Barcelona and Genoa with approximately 2000 passengers and crew on board was hit by 26 ft high rogue waves off the coast of Marseilles on Wednesday Mar 3/2010. The waves smashed glass windshields killing two male passengers and injuring several people. The ship is now making its way back to Barcelona according to a Louis Cruise Line spokesman.

Last Sunday the third ship in the Celebrity Solstice class left the building of the Papenburg Meyer Werft where it had been under construction for the last year.  According to Celebrity the 122,000-ton, 2,850-passenger ship will have some on-board facilities appropriate for the European market and will enter service in late April sailing out of Southampton, England where it will be based for the summer.  This decision by Celebrity indicates a desire to capture more of the growing European cruise market. The Eclipse will sail a series of Canary Islands, Scandinavia – Russia and Spanish Mediterranean voyages through the summer and fall of 2010 before heading to the Caribbean for the coming winter where it will be based in Miami starting in November.  By my experience having sailed in the Mediterranean on the  Celebrity Solstice in November of 2009 the Eclipse should attract a loyal following pleased with the many innovation this class of ship has to offer.

Last minute resumption of negotiations between Lufthansa and it’s pilot’s union has resulted in a strike being averted. The strike started as planned on Monday the 22nd of February in the morning and was to run until midnight Thursday Feb. 25/2010. However It was postponed late Monday to await the results of new negotiations that had been started. This is undoubtedly good news for many travelers booked on Lufthansa including those presently at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Royal Caribbean International Swine Flu Statement April 27, 2009

We’ve been closely monitoring all developments regarding the Swine Flu, to help ensure the health and well-being of our guests and crew members.Health authorities from a variety of nations are investigating the situation and we remain keenly attuned to their progress. We maintain close working relationships with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and our industry association, and we’re working in close coordination with them.It is important to note that health authorities have not raised concerns regarding the ports of call we visit in Mexico. None of our sailings have been altered and none are scheduled to be.Our ships visiting Mexico are taking pro-active measures, such as: Placing a notice in the daily, onboard newsletter to provide our guests with basic information regarding this matter. Placing a letter, along with a fact sheet from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in each guest stateroom Providing hand sanitizers throughout the ship. And, conducting enhanced sanitizing of all high-touch areas. We’re also asking guests to follow the advice of medical experts regarding the best ways to help prevent flu and other illnesses: Washing hands thoroughly with soap and hot water – often. Covering the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Putting used tissues in waste baskets. If tissues are not available, coughing or sneezing into upper sleeves, not one’s hands. Like our guests, we take all health matters seriously and we’ll continue to closely follow all developments regarding the Swine Flu. Additional information regarding Swine Flu is available at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: www.cdc.gov

Serenade Of The Seas To Sail Year-Round From San Juan

Miami -  Royal Caribbean International today unveiled its 2010-11 year-round Caribbean season, comprising of 243 sailings aboard five of the world’s most innovative cruise ships. Twenty-four distinct itineraries, ranging from five to nine nights, will include visits to 25 captivating ports of call and offer virtually unlimited choices – onboard and on-shore – for family and adventurous vacationers. Serenade of the Seas will expand from seasonal to year-round service at San Juan, Puerto Rico, while Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas will continue regular sailings from Port Canaveral and Miami, respectively. Together, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas will offer vacationers a choice of a Saturday or Sunday departure for an unparalleled cruise experience from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. General bookings for Royal Caribbean’s 2010-11 year-round Caribbean cruises are now open. Additional seasonal Caribbean deployments will be announced in the near future.

Royal Caribbean shore excursions also will offer guests an expansive variety of optional diversions to complement their days in port. Guests can snorkel in Barbados on Tiami Five Star Catamaran & Turtles; visit ancient Mayan ruins from Cozumel on Tulum Mayan Ruins Express; zipline through the trees of Jamaica’s Laughland River Gorge on the Chukka Canopy Experience; delve into the Yucatan Peninsula’s jungles and beaches at Costa Maya on ATV Jungle & Beach Adventure; or simply take in the sun on balmy, breezy Orient Beach during a call at St. Maarten on St. Martin Beach Rendezvous. On itineraries featuring a call at Labadee, Royal Caribbean’s private beach paradise on Haiti’s northern coast, guests will be able to race each other on the Dragon’s Tail Coaster, an alpine coaster to open in summer 2009 that winds down the adjoining mountainside.

Having sailed seasonally from San Juan since 2003, Serenade of the Seas  will begin year-round service in April 2010 from the Puerto Rican city-port with two alternating seven-night Southern Caribbean itineraries through December 2010. No port of call is repeated on the two itineraries, presenting vacationers the option to combine two consecutive cruises into a grand 14-night Southern Caribbean odyssey. One itinerary will call at Curacao, Aruba, Dominica and St. Thomas, while the other at Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Maarten and St. Croix.

From May 2010, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas will continue alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries departing respectively on Saturdays and Sundays. On January 30, 2011, Liberty of the Seas will begin alternating a six-night Western Caribbean, departing every other Sunday, and an eight-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary, departing every other Saturday. The two ships feature the cruise line’s exclusive onboard amenities, including the FlowRider surf simulator, the H2O Zone water park, a boxing ring, cantilevered whirlpools, an ice-skating rink, and the four-bedroom, four-bath Presidential Family Suite. With eight restaurants and more than 15 bars and lounges, these Freedom-class ships offer guests more ways to enjoy a memorable Caribbean cruise vacation.

From Port Everglades, vacationers can choose a Saturday or Sunday departure aboard one of the world’s largest and most revolutionary cruise ships in the industry, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. In 2010, Allure of the Seas will cruise its inaugural season, mirroring Oasis of the Seas alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean roundtrip itineraries. Oasis of the Seas also will sail two special holiday cruises, a five-night voyage departing December 18, calling at Labadee and Falmouth, Jamaica; and a nine-night voyage departing December 30, calling at Labadee, Falmouth, St. Maarten and St. Thomas.

Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, debuting in November 2009 and 2010 respectively, will feature Royal Caribbean’s new neighborhood concept, seven themed areas throughout the ship that offer different experiences for guests to choose, based on their personal styles, preferences or moods. Inspired by seaside entertainment esplanades, Boardwalk will engage the entire family – whether young or young at heart – with eateries, retail outlets, carnival games, and an original, handcrafted carousel – a first at sea. Nine decks above, the first zip-line at sea will whisk guests from end to end on a thrilling aerial adventure. Boardwalk will lead to the AquaTheater at the stern of the ship, where the amphitheater – another first at sea – will offer a guest pool area by day and a performance venue at night, featuring dramatic acrobatics, synchronized swimming, water ballet, professional high-diving, and elaborate fountain shows synchronized to music and lights.

Onboard every Royal Caribbean ship, guests enjoy the cruise line’s award-winning Broadway-style musical revues from Royal Caribbean Productions, acclaimed Adventure Ocean kids and teen programming, world-class gaming in the Casino Royale, and Royal Caribbean’s renowned friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service from every staff and crew member.

Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 20 ships currently in service and two under construction. The line also offers unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, South America and New Zealand.

Effective Feb 26, 2009, guests who purchase NCL’s BookSafe Travel Protection Plan for any NCL cruise departing on or after 1st May, 2009, are eligible for reimbursement of any cancellation fees if an insured guest loses their job as long as the person has been an active employee at the same company for at least one year. “In this challenging economic environment, we are offering a safety net for guests who want to book a cruise, but are uncertain about what the future holds in terms of their employment,” said Andy Stuart, NCL’s executive vice president of global sales and passenger services. “Our BookSafe plan enables guests to book with confidence knowing that they will receive a full refund if they need to cancel their cruise because of job loss.”

AMA Waterways, long associated with luxury European river cruising, in September this year will sail the Mekong River on “La Marguerite”. The seven-night cruises to Vietnam and Cambodia are packaged with pre- and post-cruise land stays for a 15-day package starting at $3,999 per person, including international air from LAX and SFO.
The 92 passenger La Marguerite is presently under construction but will offer luxury accomodation in 46 Staterooms ranging in size from 226SF to 443SF suites with balconies. Amenities will satisfy all the requirements of a fine hotel
The package will include air on Cathay Pacific to Hanoi with a 3 night stay and included sightseeing. From there guest will fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia for a two night hotel stay including tours to Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. On the seventh day guests will embark La Marguerite on Tanle Sap Lake with numerous excursions planned for the duration of the cruise. On the final night at Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), there will be a farewell cocktail party and dinner. Guests disembark for a city tour and one night in a hotel.

To date, NCL has revealed that the Epic will have a nightclub scene that “rivals the experiences of Las Vegas, Ibiza, the Riviera and South Beach.” Staterooms will have innovative curved walls.
Staterooms will open for booking later this month.

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Royal Caribbean’s Mariner Of The Seas Arrives In Los Angeles
Cruise Line Introduces West Coast’s Largest And Most Innovative Cruise Ship

Miami -  The largest ship ever to offer cruise vacations from the West Coast arrived into Los Angeles today. At 1,020 feet long and 142,000 gross registered tons, Royal Caribbean International’s Mariner of the Seas will sail year-round from the Port of Los Angeles offering a seven-night Mexican Riviera itinerary with ports of call at Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan, Mexico. Mariner of the Seas is one of the cruise line’s Voyager class of ships, which revolutionized the cruise industry by introducing innovative amenities such the iconic rock-wall, an ice-skating rink, a full size basketball and sports court, an inline skating track and Royal Caribbean’s signature Royal Promenade, a boulevard of shops, restaurants, bars and lounges that runs nearly the length of the ship.

“We are excited to be introducing one of the industry’s most innovative ships to the West Coast  giving more vacationers the opportunity to conveniently experience the Royal Caribbean difference,” said Adam Goldstein, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “From the very beginning, we have been guided by the principles of ‘Why Not’ – why not ice-skate across the equator or why not rock climb 200 miles out at sea? With Mariner of the Seas’s arrival in Los Angeles, we invite West Coast travelers to the Nation of Why Not and ask them ‘why not go out and see, do and be more than they had ever thought possible on a vacation’.”

Mariner of the Seas offers guests the chance to relax in the adults-only Solarium, swim in the two swimming pools or six whirlpools, or sunbathe in the main pool area, which served as the canvas for pop art sensation Romero Britto. Britto transformed the 25,000 square-foot pool deck into an outdoor art exhibit replete with whimsical figures and playful patterns. This one-of-a-kind pool deck also features a side gallery chronicling this project from initial inspiration to final construction. Offering an experience that caters to active travelers or multigenerational family vacations, Mariner of the Seas also features a nine-hole miniature golf course, interactive golf simulator, the full-service Mariner of the Seas Day Spa and a state-of-the-art fitness center.

In the evening, guests can enjoy one of the 16 bars and themed lounges and seven restaurants, including a 1950s-style Johnny Rockets Diner and Royal Caribbean’s signature specialty restaurants; Chops Grille steakhouse and Portofino Italian restaurant. Guests also can enjoy a myriad of entertainment options from top-rated Broadway-style productions in the Savoy Theatre to world class gaming in the Casino Royale.

Throughout, all guests will experience the line’s hallmark Gold Anchor Service, which helps make each guest vacation a unique and unforgettable experience with friendly and engaging service from the staff and crew.

For younger guests, Royal Caribbean’s award-winning Adventure Ocean youth program offers scheduled activities throughout the day that enriches and entertains kids. Teens have their own dedicated onboard areas such as Fuel, the teen disco; The Living Room, a place where they can relax and hang out with their friends; and The Back Deck, an outdoor lounge.

Mariner of the Seas will sail a seven-night Mexican Riviera itinerary, round-trip from Los Angeles with ports of call at Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan.

Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 20 ships currently in service and two under construction. The line also offers unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, South America and New Zealand.

Today, NCL – one of the most award-winning cruise lines on the planet – announces the name of our new, innovative F3 ship. Introducing Norwegian Epic. She’s the next generation of Freestyle Cruising and offers an experience at sea like never before. What a perfect opportunity to give your clients access to the future of cruising.

•  Norwegian Epic is the largest Freestyle Cruising ship ever built with room for more than 4,200 guests     •  Inaugural sailings begin summer 2010     •  Exclusively dedicated to year-round sailings from Miami to the Caribbean through April 2011             - Western Caribbean includes Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatán, Bay Islands,         Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico             - Eastern Caribbean includes Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Thomas,         U.S. Virgin Islands; and Nassau, Bahamas     •  Group block reservations for travel partners open mid-March 2009     •  On sale later this spring

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection announces an incredible 2 for 1 Air Offer for all of their Europe, Russia, and Egypt River Cruises departing in 2009. For any bookings made to these destinations between January 15 and February 27, 2009, Uniworld will offer each travel companion a FREE Air Ticket for International economy travel to Europe, Russia, and Egypt when the first traveler pays Uniworld’s 2009 published brochure rates. The only item that the companion traveler is required to pay is government taxes and fees of up to $200. Air is available from most major U.S. gateway cities, as well as from the following Canadian gateways: Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary.To take advantage of Uniworld’s great offer, simply book and deposit on or before February 27 2009. And if booked on or before January 31, 2009, they can combine this with Uniworld’s Early Booking Discount with another savings of up to $600 per couple!According to Uniworld’s President, Guy Young, “Uniworld offers a wonderful, all-inclusive, value-packed river cruise package, and as such, we wanted to assist our customers with their air travel arrangements as well, especially during these challenging economic times.  Our 2 for 1 Air Offer should make it possible for anyone who dreams of having a first-rate vacation experience in Europe, Russia, and Egypt a reality.”About Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection Los Angeles-based Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, the premier river cruise company, was recently named to Travel+Leisure’s World’s Best Top 10 Small Cruise Lines, Condé Nast Traveler’s 2009 Gold List and their Reader’s Choice Awards for World’s Top 10 Small Cruise Lines. Uniworld features intimate, elegant boutique, hotel-style cruise ships with an average capacity of 134 guests, an award-winning staff with a ratio of one staff member for every three guests, world-class cuisine, and expertly planned itineraries with custom-blended shore excursions. The company offers over 500 departures on more than 40 itineraries sailing on 12 rivers in over 20 countries throughout Europe, Egypt, China and Russia. For more information, contact your Preferred Travel Professional. Call  1-877-325-7522,http://www.cruisingdeals4u.com/River-Cruise/Uniworld/Uniworld-Europe-2-for-1-Airfare-USD.html

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) today announced its 2010-2011 winter deployment which includes a continued year-round commitment to Europe with Norwegian Jade sailing from Barcelona and the addition of Norwegian Jewel, joining Norwegian Gem, sailing from New York, giving guests the opportunity to choose from among NCL’s newest ships, purpose-built for Freestyle Cruising.

NCL will continue its popular sailings to the Caribbean from New Orleans on the newly refurbished Norwegian Spirit and to the Mexican Riviera from Los Angeles on Norwegian Star. In addition, NCL has also released its 2010-2011 repositioning voyages which include the Panama Canal, Pacific Coastal and Transatlantic. These cruises go on sale January 22, 2009.

“Having Norwegian Jade homeported in Barcelona for the winter gives guests another option for exploring the many different ports in Europe, during a time of the year when it is less crowded and the weather is mild,” said Kevin Sheehan, NCL’s president and CEO. “By bringing Norwegian Jewel to New York, along with our newest ship, Norwegian Gem, we are giving guests more choice and more ways to escape the cold Northeast winters without the hassle of air travel.”

In Europe year-round, the 2,402-passenger Norwegian Jade will sail alternating 12- and nine-day cruises from its homeport of Barcelona, Spain. The 12-day Eastern Mediterranean sailings include the following ports of call: Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Ephesus (Izmir), Turkey; an overnight in Alexandria, Egypt; and Valletta, Malta. The nine-day Canary Islands & Morocco sailings include stops in Casablanca and Agadir, Morocco; Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands: Funchal, Madeira; and Granada (Málaga), Spain. Since there is no port repetition between the two itineraries, they can be easily combined to create a port-rich 21-day European tour.

The 2,376-passenger Norwegian Jewel homeports for the first time in New York, along with the 2,380-passenger Norwegian Gem; both ships will sail a series of 10-day Eastern Caribbean cruises with stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; Philipsburg, St. Maarten and Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and seven-day Bahamas & Florida cruises with stops in Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida; Great Stirrup Cay (NCL’s private island) and Nassau, Bahamas.

Norwegian Spirit, which underwent a multi-million dollar refurbishment in 2008, returns to New Orleans sailing a series of 24 seven-day Exotic Western Caribbean cruises. Ports of call include: Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Santo Tomás de Castilla, Guatemala; and Belize City, Belize. Norwegian Star sails back to Los Angeles for a series of 24 seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises with stops in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Repositioning cruises in the 2010-2011 deployment include:

• On April 10 (New York to Venice) and October 30 (Venice to New York), 2010, Norwegian Gem sails a 14-day Transatlantic with stops in Ponta Delgada, Azores; Lisbon, Portugal; Seville (Cádiz) and Granada (Málaga), Spain.
• On April 10, 2010, Norwegian Pearl will sail a 14-day Panama Canal from Miami to Los Angeles. Ports of call include: Cartagena, Columbia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Huatulco, Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and a daylight transit through the Panama Canal.
• On April 11, 2010, Norwegian Jewel sails a 15-day Transatlantic from Miami to London (Dover), England. Ports of call include: Ponta Delgada, Azores; Lisbon Portugal; Vigo and La Coruña, Spain; Waterford, Ireland; and Guernsey, Channel Islands.
• On April 11, 2010, Norwegian Spirit embarks on a 12-day Caribbean Escape from New Orleans to Boston. Ports of call include: Costa Maya, Mexico; Santo Tomás de Castilla, Guatemala; Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstand, Curacao; and Hamilton, Bermuda.
• On April 24, 2010, Norwegian Pearl  sails from Los Angeles to Vancouver with stops in San Francisco, California; Astoria, Oregon; Victoria and Campbell River, British Columbia.
• On May 1, 2010, Norwegian Star repositions on a seven-day cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver, British Columbia with stops in Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska through the Inside Passage.
• On September 8, 2010, Norwegian Jewel sails from London (Dover), England, to New York. Ports of call include: Lerwick, Shetland Islands; Thorshavn, Faroe Islands; Reykjavik, Iceland; St. John, Newfoundland; and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• On October 2, 2010, Norwegian Star sails on a seven-day British Colombia and U.S. West Coast cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles. Ports of call include: Campbell River and Victoria, British Columbia; Astoria, Oregon; and San Francisco, California.
• On October 10, 2010, Norwegian Dawn departs from New York to Miami on a 12-day Caribbean Escape with stops in Samana, Dominican Republic; Willemstad, Curacao; Oranjestad, Aruba; Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras; and Belize City, Belize.
• On October 23, 2010, Norwegian Spirit  sails a 15-day Caribbean Escape from Boston to New Orleans. Ports of call include: Samaná, Dominican Republic; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Basseterre, St. Kitts; Bridgetown, Barbados; Willemstad, Curacao; Oranjestad, Aruba; Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico.
• On September 19, 2010, Norwegian Pearl  sails a five-day Pacific Coastal from Vancouver to Los Angeles with stops in Astoria, Oregon and San Francisco, California.
• Norwegian Star  will sail four 14-day Panama Canal sailings from Miami to Los Angeles and Los Angeles to Miami on November 20 and December 4, 2010 and January 1 and January 15, 2011. Ports of call include: Cartagena, Columbia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Huatulco, Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and a daylight transit through the Panama Canal.

To book one of these new itineraries, guests should contact us at 877 325-7522. Further information can be found online at www.chtravel.com.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is the innovator in cruise travel with a 42-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising, most notably with the introduction of Freestyle Cruising which has revolutionized the industry by allowing guests more freedom and flexibility.

Today, NCL has the youngest fleet in the industry with 11 purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea.

NCL is presently building a new third generation Freestyle Cruising ship known as F3, for delivery in 2010.

Carnival Cruise Lines is the largest and most successful cruise line in the world, carrying more passengers than any other. 

But “Today’s Carnival” is a vastly different company than the one started from humble beginnings nearly four decades ago. Carnival was launched with a converted trans-Atlantic ocean liner and a dream of entrepreneur Ted Arison, a pioneer in the modern-day cruise industry who set out to realize his vision of making a vacation experience once reserved for the very rich accessible to the average person.

The rest, as they say, is history.

THROUGH THE YEARS . . .

1972 – Maiden voyage of Carnival’s first ship, the TSS Mardi Gras, which runs aground on sandbar outside the Port of Miami

1975 – Carnival purchases Empress of Britain, enters service as the TSS Carnivale

1978 – The Festivale, formerly the S.A. Vaal, undergoes $30 million refurbishment, begins service for Carnival as the largest and fastest vessel sailing from Miami to the Caribbean (the ship has since been retired from the fleet)

1982 – Debut of the Tropicale, the first new cruise ship the cruise industry has seen in many years; ship marks the beginning of an industry-wide multi-billion-dollar shipbuilding boom (the ship has since been retired from the fleet)

1984 – Carnival becomes first cruise line to advertise on network television with the premiere of new advertising campaign starring company spokesperson Kathie Lee Gifford (then Johnson)

1985 – Debut of 46,052-ton Holiday

1986 – Launch of 47,262-ton Jubilee (the ship has since been retired from the fleet)

1987 – The 47,262-ton Celebration enters service (ship to leave fleet in April 2008)

Carnival earns distinction as “Most Popular Cruise Line in the World,” carrying more passengers than any other

Carnival Cruise Lines undertakes its initial public offering on Wall Street, raising approximately $400 million to fuel future expansion; entity later becomes Carnival Corporation & plc, a multi-line worldwide cruise conglomerate

1990 – The 70,367-ton Carnival Fantasy – the first and namesake vessel in the highly successful “Fantasy-class” — enters service as first new ship ever placed on three- and four-day Bahamas cruise program from Miami. Eventually, Carnival would construct eight “Fantasy-class” vessels, the most cruise ships in a single class.

1991 – Launch of 70,367-ton Carnival Ecstasy

1993 – Carnival introduces its third 70,367-ton SuperLiner, Carnival Sensation

1994 – Debut of 70,367-ton Carnival Fascination

Carnival’s parent company renamed Carnival Corporation to distinguish between it and its flagship brand, Carnival Cruise Lines. Company is later renamed Carnival Corporation & plc following the combination with P&O Princess Cruises, creating the world’s largest cruise vacation group by far.

1995 – 70,367-ton Carnival Imagination enters service

1996 – Carnival’s launches sixth “Fantasy-class” vessel, the SuperLiner Carnival Inspiration

Carnival debuts the first passenger vessel to exceed 100,000 tons, the 101,353-ton Carnival Destiny, at the time the world’s largest cruise ship

1998 – Carnival Cruise Lines introduces seventh “Fantasy-class” vessel, the Carnival Elation, the first new cruise ship deployed on the West Coast 

The eighth and last in the “Fantasy-class” series, the Carnival Paradise, enters service

1999 – Debut of the 102,000-ton Carnival Triumph, Carnival’s second “Destiny-class” vessel

2000 – A third “Destiny-class” vessel, the 102,000-ton Carnival Victory, is launched.

2001 – Carnival introduces a new class of vessel with the launch of the 88,500-ton Carnival Spirit, the first new “Fun Ship” ever positioned in the Alaska and Hawaii markets

2002 – A second “Spirit-class” vessel, the Carnival Pride, is launched

Carnival’s third “Spirit-class” ship, Carnival Legend, enters service

Debut of the 110,000-ton Carnival Conquest, at the time the largest “Fun Ship” ever constructed. 

2003- Second 110,000-ton “Conquest-class” ship, the Carnival Glory, begins year-round seven-day cruises from Port Canaveral, Fla., July 19.

2004 – Carnival Miracle, the fourth in Carnival’s “Spirit-class,” begins a series of 12 voyages from Jacksonville, Fla. – the first “Fun Ship” sailings from that port – Feb. 27, 2004.

A third 110,000-ton “Conquest-class” ship, the Carnival Valor, begins year-round seven-day service from Miami Dec. 19, 2004, becoming the largest “Fun Ship” ever based at that port.

2005 – A fourth 110,000-ton “Conquest-class” vessel, Carnival Liberty, debuts July 20, 2005, operating Carnival’s first-ever Mediterranean cruises.

2007 – Carnival Freedom, the line’s fifth 110,000-ton vessel, debuts in Europe, operating by 12-day voyages to the Mediterranean, Greek Isles, and Turkey.

2008 - The 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor debuted in July 13, 2008, operating Carnival’s first Northern Europe cruise program.  The ship launches year-round seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises in March 2009.

2009 – Carnival Dream, a 130,000-ton vessel to be the largest “Fun Ship” ever constructed – is scheduled to enter service Sept. 21, 2009, beginning a new class of vessel for the line.

2011 - A second 130,000-ton SuperLiner, Carnival Magic, is slated to debut in June 2011.

 

On May 2, 2009 Uniworld Boutique River Cruises will host its First Annual President’s River Cruise onboard the new, ultra-luxurious River Beatrice, sailing along the Enchanting Danube. Guy Young, President of Uniworld, will be hosting this eight day event sailing from Passau, Germany to Budapest, Hungary. “This trip is going to be extra special in so many ways.  In addition to all of the wonderful inclusions guests receive when traveling with Uniworld, we are going to be offering several one-of-a-kind exclusive inclusions only available during this cruise,” states Young. “This is going to be an unforgettable experience for all who travel with us.  I look forward to introducing the beautiful new River Beatrice and sharing this experience with our valued travelers,” adds Young.Space is limited, so book early. In addition, if travelers book and pay-in-full by January 31, 2009, they can save up to $600 per stateroom. Plus at the time of booking, one complimentary stateroom category upgrade will be given, based on availability, at a value up to $2,800 per couple, excluding owner’s suite. The Enchanting Danube River Cruise only prices start from $2,799 per person. Highlights include: 7 nights onboard the NEW, ultra-luxurious River Beatrice, in a riverview stateroom with extra comforts including plush robes and slippers, L’Occitane body products special travel set, an exclusive gift from Valrhona Chocolate, and fresh fruit delivered daily All meals prepared fresh daily using the finest ingredients brought onboard from the itinerary’s ports of call Complimentary fine wine, beer, and soft drinks with dinner, bottled water in the staterooms, and 24-hour specialty coffees and teas President’s Welcome and Farewell Cocktail Receptions and Dinners  Fully-hosted tours with English-speaking local guides in Passau, Salzburg, Melk, Durnstein, Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest Exclusive excursions fully hosted by local, English-speaking guides and onboard events only available during the President’s Cruise including: Cocktail Reception at Artstetten Castle with Princess Anita von Hohenberg, royal descendant of the Habsburg lineage, plus a guided tour of the Castle’s Museum and Crypt A visit to the Spanish Riding School in Vienna to observe a morning training Mozart and Strauss Concert at Palais Auersperg in Vienna Dinner at Griechenbeisl – one of the oldest restaurants in Vienna where such noteworthy people as Beethoven, Schubert, Wagner, Strauss, Brahms, and Mark Twain once dined Onboard Viennese Waltz lesson Special onboard local entertainment, insightful lectures, and interactive demonstrations An all English-speaking, world-class attentive staff with a ratio of one staff member for every three guests Al fresco evening dining on the sun deck (weather permitting) Complimentary use of bicycles All transfers on arrival and departure days About Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection Los Angeles-based Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, the premier river cruise company, was named to Travel+Leisure’s World’s Best Top 10 Small Cruise Lines, Condé Nast Traveler’s 2008 and 2009 Gold List and their Reader’s Choice Awards for World’s Top 10 Small Cruise Lines. Uniworld features intimate, elegant boutique, hotel-style cruise ships with an average capacity of 134 guests, an award-winning staff with a ratio of one staff member for every three guests, world-class cuisine, and expertly planned itineraries with custom-blended shore excursions. The company offers over 500 departures on more than 40 itineraries sailing on 12 rivers in over 20 countries throughout Europe, Egypt, China and Russia. Phone 1 877 325-7522 today for a quote or booking

MIAMI, January 9, 2008 – Royal Caribbean International guests can Rumba, Samba, Cha-Cha, Waltz or Swing into the spotlight in “Invitation to Dance,” the cruise line’s newest production show featuring guests as stars aboard Explorer of the Seas. Created in conjunction with Louis van Amstel, Emmy-nominated choreographer for ABC-TV’s “Dancing with the Stars,” and Cheryl Burke, two-time winner on the show, “Invitation to Dance” transports the world of professional ballroom dancing to the high seas.

Guests sailing on Explorer of the Seas have the opportunity to compete for the honor of best ballroom dancers at sea. With the guidance of professional dancers, stylists and make-up artists, guests may just realize their true calling while on vacation.

“Invitation to Dance’ is another example of Royal Caribbean’s dynamic and innovative approach to offering engaging entertainment and activities for our guests,” said Peter Compton, vice president, Entertainment and Guest Activities, Royal Caribbean International. “With all the excitement surrounding competitive dancing on television, we are now challenging our guests to live out a dream while enjoying their cruise vacation.”

Chosen during an evening of ballroom dancing at the beginning of each cruise, four couples are selected to participate in the “Invitation to Dance” production show later that week. The finalists work with Royal Caribbean’s professional ballroom couples to learn slick dance moves, attend costume fittings, and receive star treatment in preparation for their Royal Caribbean stage debut. Showtime is an exciting evening in the spotlight for the dancing couples as they join the Royal Caribbean cast on stage and compete against each other for the applause and support of their fellow guests.

Explorer of the Seas sails year-round from Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, NJ, on fivenight Bermuda getaway cruises and nine-night Caribbean vacations.

Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 21 ships currently in service and three under construction. The line also offers unique land-tour vacations in Alaska, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, South America and New Zealand through its cruisetour division.

Royal Caribbean International guests can Rumba, Samba, Cha-Cha, Waltz or Swing into the spotlight in “Invitation to Dance,” the cruise line’s newest production show featuring guests as the stars aboard Explorer of the Seas. “Invitation to Dance” transports the world of professional ballroom dancing to the high seas with a little help from guests.

Shanghai - Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. today announced it is opening two new offices in China, in the cities of Beijing and Guangzhou.

The new offices, which will open in the coming weeks, will be the second and third the company operates in China, joining its Shanghai facility, which opened in July 2007. The new offices will highlight the growing importance of the China marketplace and its role in the company’s international growth strategy.

The new offices will widen the company’s reach into more regions of China. They will be located in the central commercial districts of both cities and in close proximity to many travel agencies. This will allow the company to better serve a broader spectrum of local customers and the local travel agent communities, with faster, more seamless and more customized services.

“Our first season sailing from Asia was a great success, and our new offices will help us extend our reach to many more customers and travel agents throughout China,” said Michael Bayley, senior vice president, International, for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “Having a second consecutive season in Asia, and eventually, a year-round deployment there, reflects our commitment to the China market and the importance of the entire region to our global growth.”

The new offices will support three of the company’s brands, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises. Royal Caribbean International’s Legend of the Seas will sail out of Shanghai, beginning in February 2009, departing from the new Shanghai cruise terminal. Similarly, Azamara Cruises’ Azamara Quest will call in Chinese cities such as Canton and Shanghai, beginning in January 2009, during its first season of sailings in Asia.

Royal Caribbean International was recently named the “Best Luxury Cruise Operator” in Travel China Weekly’s  Industry Awards 2008, after its first year of operations in China. The awards recognize the best in the tourism industry and acknowledge their contributions to China’s tourism industry.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a global cruise vacation company that operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Cruises and CDF Croisieres de France. The company has a combined total of 38 ships in service and six under construction. It also offers unique land-tour vacations in Alaska, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe and South America.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. will play a key role at “Seatrade Med 2008″ and will confirm its increasing commitment to Europe and the Mediterranean.

With an unprecedented 22 ships sailing in Europe in 2009, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. will offer cruisers more choices than ever before.

“The international markets show the greatest growth potential, with Europe and the Mediterranean representing the ideal center,” said Michael Bayley, senior vice president, International, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Bayley made his comments during his opening address at the Seatrade Med convention, being held in Venice, Italy, this week. “Extending our deployments and our seasons in Europe and the Mediterranean reflects our commitment to, and the importance of, the region as an integral part of our international growth strategy. We see strong development opportunities in Europe and the Mediterranean as a destination, as well as a source market, and we are making the necessary investments to further grow our market share in these key regions.”

Royal Caribbean International has announced plans to deploy a record eight ships to the region for summer and fall of 2009. Vacationers can select from four- to 14-nights itineraries aboard some of the world’s most innovative cruise ships: Independence of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest Freedom-class ship; two Voyager-class ships, Navigator of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas; as well as Brilliance of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Legend of the Seas, Splendour of the Seas, and Vision of the Seas. Totaling 70 distinct itineraries and 87 ports of call in 32 countries, Royal Caribbean International will offer vacationers unprecedented choices throughout the Mediterranean Sea, Northern and Western Europe and a variety of transatlantic sailings.

In May 2008, Royal Caribbean International’s Brilliance of the Seas began sailing year-round in the Mediterranean, a first for the brand. Departing from Barcelona, Spain, the ship offers an array of cruise options and destinations.

With its largest European deployment ever slated, in 2009, Celebrity Cruises will be offering guests the opportunity to take the ideal cruise on a premium brand. For the first time in the line’s history, five ships will visit the region in a single European season. They will include the brand’s two newest ships, Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox. Joining them will be Celebrity Constellation, built in 2002; Celebrity Summit, launched in 2001; and Celebrity Century, which underwent a $55 million revitalization in 2006. The line will visit 76 ports in 29 countries, five of which are new to Celebrity Cruises. Celebrity’s ships will sail from six different homeports, and spend overnight port calls in eight different ports.

Azamara Cruises will offer deluxe cruise experiences onboard both their ships, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, in the Mediterranean between April and December 2009. No other deluxe brand offers the number of ports that Azamara Cruises’ ships will visit next year, nor matches the breadth of distinct itineraries. Azamara’s seven- to 15-night Europe itineraries will visit 91 ports in 36 countries, and depart from five different homeports. Overnight calls will be offered in seven ports and late-night departures (10 p.m. or after) will be offered in 10 ports, allowing guests to capture more of the flavor of each locale’s nightlife and a more immersive destination experience.

Additionally, all six Pullmantur Cruises’ ships and CDF Croisieres de France’s Bleu de France – both Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. brands – will operate in the Mediterranean in 2009. 

“With 22 ships deployed in Europe, 20 of which are in the Med, in 2009, we are clearly demonstrating our commitment to the region,” Bayley added. “We are not only dedicating more ships, but some of our newest and the most innovative ships to Europe and the Mediterranean. We are also focusing on enhanced products and onboard options that will further increase the satisfaction of our growing number of international guests. These factors increase our confidence that the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. brands will continue to grow their market share in Europe and the Mediterranean in 2009.” Participation in Seatrade Med 2008: In addition to Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. will also be represented at Seatrade Med by:

Harri Kulovaara, executive vice president, Maritime, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., speaking on A Grand Design

Kevin Douglas, associate vice president, Newbuild and Revitalization, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., speaking on Cruise Shipbuilding and Refurbishment

John Tercek, vice president, Commercial & New Business Development, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., speaking on Ports and Itineraries

Jamie Sweeting, vice president, Environmental Stewardship, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., moderating the session: The Green Agenda

Lina Mazzucco, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Italy General Manager, will participate in the Cruise Agent Training Day.Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a global cruise vacation company that operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Cruises and CDF Croisieres de France. The company has a combined total of 38 ships in service and six under construction. It also offers unique land-tour vacations in Alaska, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe and South America.

NCL continues sailing to Bermuda with Norwegian Dawn sailing seven-day cruises with three full days in Bermuda and the newly renovated Norwegian Spirit exclusively sailing seven-day cruises from Boston.

Pride of America’s successful deployment in Hawai`i, sailing seven-day Hawai’i inter-island cruises round-trip from Honolulu, Oahu, has been extended through January 2012.

In 2010-2011, NCL will sail the following itineraries:

• Europe
  • Norwegian Gem
    • Seven-day Greek Isles, round-trip from Venice, Italy
      • Ports of call include: Split, Croatia; Corfu, Santorini, Mykonos and Iraklion (Crete), Greece.
      • In 2010, Norwegian Gem sails April 24; May 8 and 22; June 5 and 19; July 23, 17 and 31; August 14 and 28; September 11 and 25; and October 9 and 23.
    • Seven-day Adriatic, Greece and Turkey, round-trip from Venice, Italy
      • Ports of call include: Dubrovnik, Croatia; Nafplion and Athens (Piraeus), Greece; and Ephesus (Izmir), Turkey.
      • 2010 sail dates are: May 1, 15 and 29; June 12 and 26; July 10 and 24; August 7 and 21; September 4 and 18; and October 2 and 16.
  • Norwegian Jade
    • Seven-day Western Mediterranean, round-trip from Barcelona, Spain
      • Ports of call include: Monte Carlo, Monaco; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Rome (Civitavecchia), and Naples, Italy; and Palma, Majorca, Spain.
      • 2010 sail dates are: April 18 and 25; May 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30; June 6, 13, 20 and 27; July 4, 11, 18 and 25; August 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29; September 5, 12, 19 and 26; October 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31; and November 7 and 14.
  • Norwegian Jewel
    • 12-day Baltic Capitals, round-trip from London (Dover), England
      • Ports of call include: Copenhagen, Denmark; Berlin (Warnemünde), Germany; Tallinn, Estoria; St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm (Nynashamn), Sweden.
      • 2010 sail dates are: April 29; May 11 and 23; June 4, 16 and 28; July 10 and 22; and August 3, 15 and 27.
• Alaska
  • Norwegian Pearl
    • Seven-day Glacier Bay, round-trip from Seattle, Washington through the Inside Passage
      • Ports of call include: Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, Alaska; and Victoria, British Columbia.
      • 2010 sail dates are: May 9, 16, 23 and 30; June 6, 13, 20 and 27; July 4, 11, 18 and 25; August 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29; and September 5.
  • Norwegian Sun
    • Seven-day Alaska Northbound from Vancouver, British Columbia to Whittier, Alaska through the Inside Passage and Hubbard Glacier
      • Ports of call include: Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Icy Strait Point, Alaska.
      • 2010 sail dates are: May 2, 16 and 30; June 13 and 27; July 11 and 25; August 8 and 22; and September 5.
    • Seven-day Alaska Southbound from Whittier, Alaska to Vancouver, British Columbia through the Inside Passage and College Fjord
      • Ports of call include: Sitka, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, Alaska.
      • 2010 sail dates are: May 9 and 23; June 6 and 20; July 4 and 18; August 1, 15 and 29; and September 12.
  • Norwegian Star
    • Seven-day Sawyer Glacier, round-trip from Seattle, Washington through the Inside Passage
      • Ports of call include: Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway, Alaska; and Prince Rupert, British Columbia.
      • 2010 sail dates are: May 15, 22 and 29; June 5, 12, 19 and 26; July 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31; August 7, 14, 21 and 28; and September 4, 11, and 19.
• Bermuda
  • Norwegian Spirit
    • Seven-day Bermuda, round-trip from Boston, Massachusetts
      • Port of call: King’s Wharf, Bermuda.
      • 2010 sail dates are: April 23 and 30; May 7, 14, 21 and 28; June 4, 11, 18 and 25; July 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30; August 6, 13, 20 and 27; and September 3, 10 and 17.
  • Norwegian Dawn
    • Seven-day Bermuda, round-trip from New York, New York
      • Port of call: King’s Wharf, Bermuda
      • 2010 sail dates: April 11, 18 and 25; May 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30; June 6, 13, 20 and 27; July 4, 11, 18 and 25; August 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29; and September 5.
• Hawai’i
  • Pride of America
    • Seven-day Hawai’i Inter-Island, round-trip form Honolulu, Oahu
      • Ports of call include: Kahului, Maui; Hilo and Kona, Hawai’i and Nawiliwili, Kauai with an evening sail by Kilauea Volcano and an afternoon cruise of the Napali Coast.
      • Pride of America sails every Saturday through January 2012.

To book one of these new itineraries, guests should contact us at 877-325-7522.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is the innovator in cruise travel with a 42-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising, most notably with the introduction of Freestyle Cruising which has revolutionized the industry by allowing guests more freedom and flexibility.

Today, NCL has the youngest fleet in the industry with 11 purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea.

NCL is presently building a new third generation Freestyle Cruising project known as F3, for delivery in 2010.

 

 

 

Miami – December 5, 2008 – Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. today announced the suspension of its fuel supplement for Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, anywhere in the world.

The decision reflects the recently sustained lower price of fuel.

Effective Monday, December 8, guests making new bookings for sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, will not be charged the fuel supplement.

Guests already booked on sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, will receive a refund of any fuel supplement paid, as follows:

Guests with existing bookings for sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, and who are now paid in full, will have the supplement automatically refunded to them in the form of an onboard credit during their sailing.

Guests with existing bookings for sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, and who are not yet paid in full, will have the supplement automatically removed from their outstanding balance. The company reserves the right to reinstate fuel supplement charges if the price of West Texas Intermediate fuel exceeded $65 per barrel, on the quarterly milestone dates mentioned in the company’s October 24, 2008, press release.The company announced on October 24, 2008, that no fuel supplement would be charged for new bookings made on or after November 10, 2008, for sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2010, unless there is an upturn in fuel prices. Today’s announcement does not affect those previous terms.Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a global cruise vacation company that operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Cruises and CDF Croisieres de France. The company has a combined total of 38 ships in service and six under construction. It also offers unique land-tour vacations in Alaska, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe and South America.

ONE MONTH TO ARRIVAL OF ‘THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SHIP OF THE WORLD’

 

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (NOVEMBER 24, 2008) – The final countdown for MSC Fantasia has officially started.

 

There are less than 30 days to go to the christening ceremony of MSC Cruises‘ flagship in Naples on December 18. The most beautiful ship in the world will be christened by Sophia Loren, the icon of Italian style in the world, who has already christened five other elegant MSC Cruises’ ships.

 

MSC Fantasia at 133,500 gross registered tons, measures 1,092 feet long, 196 feet high and 124 feet wide. It can cruise at a maximum speed of 23 knots, carrying 3,274 guests (double occupancy) in its 1,637 cabins.

 

The 290,000 square feet of common areas include:

-         5 swimming pools – including “I Tropici,” with a retractable roof

-         12 whirlpool baths and 1 Acqua Park with 150 fountains

-         5 restaurants –including “La Cantina Toscana” – with the finest Italian wines;  “El Sombrero Tex Mex” to enjoy the taste of tacos and margaritas; and even a very elegant “Belle époque” style a la carte French restaurant.

 

Guests will have the opportunity to choose among 19 bars, such as the Manhattan Jazz Bar, with a perfect New York style, and the Sports Bar, where guests can support their team together with friends.

 

MSC AUREA SPA’s 17,384 square feet will ensure total relaxation of body and mind.

 

And fun is also guaranteed onboard, from “L’Avanguardia” theater with 1,650 seats, the casino, the disco and to the virtual area with a Formula 1 simulator and a 4D cinema. There is a children’s playroom dedicated to a North Pole theme.

 

For the first time onboard, guests will find the new MSC Yacht Club: 99 suites, between 247 and 570 square feet, furnished as a luxurious yacht; a large lounge with a breathtaking view of the sea; a Conciergerie with Swarovski crystal stairs; and other reserved spaces. Personal butlers will provide the most exclusive services such as taking care of the luggage, booking excursions, in-suite dining, choice of cigars, liquors and champagne.

 

Elegance and class are the elements which distinguish all the new spaces on the flagship, which, as always, have been designed by the studio De Jorio Design International. The most important contemporary design styles dominate all the ship’s spaces and reveal the great attention given to detail, and the quality of the materials.

 

MSC Fantasia is also an entirely ecological ship with environmentally friendly paint, modern technology for the treatment of black and grey waters and a system of energy saving in cabins and common areas.

 

MSC Fantasia is the tenth ship of the MSC Cruises fleet. After the inaugural ceremony, it will call at Genoa from where it will leave on Dec. 20 for its maiden voyage 9-day Mediterranean cruise, calling at Rhodes, Alexandria of Egypt, Messina and Naples. Twelve-day Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean cruises will be available all through winter 2009.

 

For more information about MSC Fantasia, visit the special website, www.mscfantasia.com.

Snow Flurries Again Provide Holiday Magic, Along with a Gingerbread Housebuilding Challenge and Turkey Carving Training from the Experts

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (December 1, 2008) — As the holidays draw near, Princess ships are preparing for another festive season at sea, and weather conditions are again pointing to unusual snow flurries onboard. After an extremely popular debut last year, snow will again magically fall in the ship’s atriums, transforming the vessels into a winter wonderland throughout December.

“What’s better than the romance of a white Christmas, especially when it’s an unexpected surprise?” said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. “Our snowfalls were such a huge hit last year that this has now become a new tradition on Princess ships.”

The innovative snow-making process creates falling flakes that vanish on contact, letting passengers enjoy the excitement of snow flurries without the need to bundle up. Princess’ daily snowfall will occur on all ships except for the lines’ three small vessels — Pacific Princess, Tahitian Princess and Royal Princess – which do not have large, multi-story atriums.

Even when the snow isn’t coming down, Princess ships will feature a merry atmosphere. Vessels are decked out in holiday decor — even including a Christmas tree on the vessels’ masts — and strolling carolers fill the air with the sounds of the season.

Passengers can once again participate in a “gingerbread challenge,” where teams test their holiday housebuilding skills in a fun-filled competition to construct the most creative gingerbread structure. Or they can test their holiday craft skills by creating a personalized photo ornament. And new this year is a turkey-carving demonstration from the onboard culinary experts to prepare passengers to do the honors at their next holiday feast.

Special events also include a reading of “The Night Before Christmas” by either the captain or cruise director, and a holiday variety show adds a seasonal element to the ship’s entertainment offerings. For those who can’t get enough of Christmas carols, the ships’ Princess Pop Star talent show will feature a holiday edition where competitors can croon their favorite seasonal songs.

Religious services are held as well, and passengers can attend midnight mass or an inter-denominational church service performed by onboard clergy. Passengers will receive a stocking turndown gift and can enjoy classic holiday films or even relax in front of a traditional burning Yule log … on their stateroom television!

Holiday Feasts – Each Princess ship’s culinary team will delight the senses with spectacular holiday displays and will serve up several delicious feasts. A sumptuous Christmas brunch includes complimentary eggnog. On Christmas Day, passengers will sit down to a dinner of traditional holiday fare including roast turkey and all the trimmings. Freshly prepared stolen and Christmas cookies (even some for Santa) round out the seasonal treats.

Christmas For Children – Junior cruisers can count down to the big day with special holiday activities. Santa Claus makes an appearance with his sack full of toys, and a fun-filled holiday fair in the atrium offers youngsters the opportunity to try their hand at Christmas cookie decorating, balloon making, face painting, games and other competitions. The youth centers will host holiday parties for each age group, and kids can make decorations to display on the center’s Christmas tree. Youngsters can get creative with other holiday-themed arts and crafts projects throughout the cruise, and they will have an opportunity to sing Christmas carols for passengers. For parents who want to stay up later to celebrate the holidays, free late-night group kid sitting sessions will be available on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Hanukkah – Ships will also offer festivities for passengers celebrating the Festival of Lights. A special area of the ship is reserved for those participating in Hanukkah events and ships will display menorahs and fresh flower arrangements decorated in blue, silver and white. Children will enjoy themed arts and crafts pertinent to the holiday.

Happy New Year – Passengers will ring in a fun-filled 2009 with festive New Year’s Eve parties, complete with music, confetti, noise-makers and a balloon drop to count down to the new year. Earlier in the evening, the dinner menu will feature special treats just for New Year’s Eve. On New Year’s Day, football fans will be pleased to know they won’t miss the holiday’s traditional college bowl games, as the telecasts will be shown (as available by satellite) in a shipboard lounge or on some vessels’ giant Movies Under the Stars top-deck screen.

The 17-ship Princess fleet will cover the globe this holiday season, with sailings to the Caribbean, Mexico, the Panama Canal, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, South America, Hawaii and the South Pacific.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available by calling 1-877-325 7522.

 

Line Voted Best for Itineraries and Onboard Boutiques

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - Princess Cruises has received top honors in three categories of Porthole Cruise Magazine’s 2008 Annual Readers’ Choice Awards. The line won Best Central American Itineraries, Best Australia/New Zealand Itineraries, and Best Onboard Shopping.

The awards represent the eighth year in a row that the line has been recognized in an itinerary category and the second year that Princess took top honors as having the best Central American itineraries.

“We’re very pleased that Porthole readers continue to think of Princess for itinerary excellence,” said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. “Princess ships have been traveling the globe for decades, and our experience has enabled us to create the very best itineraries.”

In 2009-10, Princess’ Central American itineraries will include a new “Two-day Canal Experience” on Panama Canal transits of 15 days or longer, featuring a second day in port so passengers can enjoy both the engineering wonder of the Canal and further discover the country of Panama.

Down Under, Princess will continue its program of Australia/New Zealand sailings with a series of cruises between Sydney and Auckland aboard Diamond Princess, plus two ships, Sun Princess and Dawn Princess, based in the region year round.

“And we’re also delighted that Porthole readers singled out our outstanding onboard boutiques,” said Swartz. Offering a wide selection of gifts and cruise memories, Princess’ onboard boutiques offer duty-free shopping for jewelry, accessories, fragrances, cosmetics, apparel, fine gifts, liquor, cruise souvenirs and sundries.

Porthole, a bimonthly magazine published for experienced cruise passengers, reaches more than three million readers annually. For more information on Porthole Cruise Magazine, visit www.porthole.com.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent by calling 1-877-325-7522, or by visiting http://www.cht-caribbean-cruise.com/cruise_princess.htm.