Thursday, November 29, 2012

Royal Princess Private Cabanas


Oh My! 

The 3,600 passenger Royal Princess will launch in June 2013 with private cabanas.


Passengers who reserve a private cabana can order a gourmet "Cabana Picnic" and bottle of wine with prices starting at $40 for two - and the charge for the cabana will start at $50 for a half day.

The Royal Princess will be Princess Cruise lines largest ship ever. Stay tuned.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Dancing With The Stars On Board Holland America


Holland America Cruise Line has announced a new “Dancing with the Stars” experience which will be featured on board its premium cruise ships next year. 


Six theme cruises in 2013 and early 2014 will feature “Dancing with the Stars” events including dance lessons; a chance to meet the dancers, ask questions and take photos; and a production starring celebrities and the famed dance pros, complete with glamorous costumes and routines from the TV show.

Currently scheduled to appear on select sailings are two-time champion pro dancers Mark Ballas and Kym Johnson, pros Tristan MacManus and Lacey Schwimmer, and some of your favorite celebrity competitors. More dance pros and celebrities will be announced.

In addition to the theme cruises, every sailing on all 15 ships in the Holland America fleet will feature an exclusive “Dancing with the Stars” program, including dance lessons and an opportunity for some lucky guests to dance center stage in an exciting dance-off performance. 

These activities will feature the ships’ professional dancers and will be developed in collaboration with the show’s dancers and choreographers.

The “Dancing with the Stars” theme cruise sailings

  • Feb. 16, 2013, Eurodam, seven-day Eastern Caribbean
  • June 22, 2013, Veendam, seven-day Canada and New England
  • June 30 and July 7, 2013, Oosterdam, seven-day Alaska
  • Jan. 5, 2014, Nieuw Amsterdam, seven-day Eastern Caribbean
  • Jan. 12, 2014, Nieuw Amsterdam, seven-day Western Caribbean


Source: TravelPulse


Friday, November 9, 2012

MSC Cruise Savings For Active, Retired Military Personnel


Active and retired military personnel can take advantage of savings on select 2012-13 Caribbean and winter European sailings. Plus there is an additional savings of 10% off cruise-only fares.

Cruise rates start from $399 per person for select 7 night sailings and $599 for a 10-night cruise. The rates on select 7 night winter 2012-13 Mediterranean cruises range from $299 to $699. The early booking rate adds up to 60% off.

The rates are available on select Mediterranean sailings of MSC Splendida, and MSC Poesia in the Caribbean.

Book by November 14th to receive this special savings.

http://www.msccruises.com

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Cruiser Sues Line Over Early Wake-Up Call


Good luck with that!


Thomson Cruises is facing a lawsuit this week from a British vacationer who says an early wake-up call on a Thomson ship ruined his trip.


The Derby Telegraph says David Bookbinder, 71, of Derbyshire, is asking for a full refund for his Red Sea cruise on the Thomson Celebration after being forced to get up before 5:00 a.m. on the day of a stop in Israel to clear immigration.

Continue reading

Silversea Offers Fare Guarantee


Silversea introduces a new Fare Guarantee program for cruises departing on or after June 1, 2013




The line's new "Silver Privilege" fares are also available for new bookings starting this month. The program offers a single price for cabins separate from extra add-ons such as optional air travel, transfers, hotels and land programs.

Silversea's easy to understand fare structure offers one simple price:


  • Plan your cruise vacation in advance
  • Take advantage of the best suite availability
  • Have peace of mind knowing the fare will be protected if reduced 


Under the terms of the guarantee, customers who book early will be entitled to any future price reduction for the sailing. Customers must request an adjustment from Silversea if the fare for their cabin drops, and the line says it will make the adjustment by one of several methods that include a shipboard credit, suite upgrade, future cruise credit or fare reduction.

http://www.silversea.com/


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

RCL Overturns Ban on Cruise Passengers Bringing Wine Onboard


(ˆ◡ˆ) Saw this today on Cruise Critic 

After years of forbidding passengers from bringing their favorite bottles of wine or sparkling wine on-board with them, Royal Caribbean is reversing its stance. Effective immediately, passengers on all Royal Caribbean ships can bring up to two bottles of wine per cabin on-board during embarkation.

Bottles must be 750 ml each or smaller, and passengers who want to drink their wine in public spaces such as bars or restaurants must pay a $25 corkage fee per bottle.

Additionally, each bottle must retain the original manufacturer's seal and exhibit no signs of tampering.

Royal joins sister company Celebrity Cruises, as well as other lines including Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line, in allowing passengers to bring a limited number of wine or champagne bottles on-board with them.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Silversea Cruises Opens Reservations For 2014 Voyage Collection


More than 200 cruises will visit more than 500 destinations on seven continents. Among the highlights are the new Fare Guarantee Program and Silver Privilege fares. 




For a limited time on most 2014 voyages, guests can save an additional 10% when combining two or more consecutive voyages.

Also noteworthy for 2014 are Silver Whisper’s 113-day World Cruise, three voyages that feature extended stays in Myanmar, and Silver Explorer’s first-ever expedition cruises through the Northwest Passage, the Russian Far East, Japan, South Pacific and French Polynesia.

Plus, Silversea is offering 95 new ports of call, which include 83 just for Silver Explorer.
Collectively, the line’s other ships will offer 12 new destinations -- Melilla and Almeria, Spain; Haugesund, Norway; Eskifjordur and Djupivogur, Iceland; Koror, Palau; Ponce, Puerto Rico; Sept-Îles and Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada; Alotau, Papua New Guinea; Kavala, Greece; and Trujillo (Banana Coast), Honduras.

The schedule and fares for new new Silver Galapagos will be available when the expedition cruises open for sale in the coming weeks.

The 2014 World Cruise departs Jan. 6 from Los Angeles and will visit 54 destinations in 29 countries, with 12 overnight stays. Following a westward path across the Pacific, Silver Whisper will call on Polynesia and lands Down Under, including Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Australia and New Zealand. From there, it will sail up to the remote island of Koror and then head west to spend a month exploring China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, India and three days in Myanmar. Silver Whisper will conclude the global tour in Barcelona.

In a first for Silversea, the luxury expedition ship Silver Explorer will sail the Northwest Passage, the famed shipping route that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Canadian Arctic. The ship also will embark on its first-ever voyages to the Russian Far East, Japan, South Pacific and French Polynesia.

Source: TravelPulse


When To Book A Caribbean Cruise For Best Price


Cruise Market Watch has posted an info-graphic to guide cruisers on how far in advance you should book, and the season to set sail for the best deal on a Caribbean cruise.  


The graph provides a framework for planning, from which you can then narrow down your specific destinations, cruise duration, cabin type and ship segment. 

Check it out!



Thursday, November 1, 2012

Cruise Lines Access Private Island Hurricane Damage


Norwegian Cruise Lines, Princess Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean and Holland America have reported damage to their private islands in the Bahamas. 


Norwegian Cruise Line's Great Stirrup Cay will reopen next week after accessing damage to structures, landscasping as well as beach erosion. Visits to Great Stirrup Cay by cruise ships Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Pearl were cancelled this week.

Princess Cruises private beach report Princess Cays on Eleuthera, Bahamas experienced beach erosion, roof damage to structures and landscaping, and also the observation pier was lost in the storm. Princess Cays is expected to be open for visits by November 11th.

Holland America's Half Moon Cay located off the Southeast coast of Nassau sustained minor damage to structures, beach erosion and landscaping.

Royal Caribbean's CocoCay suffered minor damage to facilities and the beach area. RCL reports the island will be open for cruise guests.

Disney Cruise Line is still assessing damage on its island, Castaway Cay. The big story this past week was the damage on the Disney Fantasy cruise ship.

Cruise passengers reported being terrified aboard the Disney Fantasy as it sailed back to Port Canaveral last week during Hurricane Sandy. Other cruise lines managed to stay out of harms way during Hurricane Sandy, and one Norwegian cruise was extended due to not being able to get into port.

I personally cannot imagine why the cruise line decided to return to Florida in dangerous high seas. The video taken by one passenger has over 600,000 views - and it's pretty scary. Disney is known for being family friendly, and this particular cruise was a really bad PR nightmare.


Royal Caribbean Now Offering Weddings and Vow Renewals


"Sweethearts at Sea"  - The Bahamas has cleared Royal Caribbean to conduct legal weddings aboard their cruise ships while at sea. 



Brides and grooms looking to marry on board a Royal Caribbean ship will be married in a manner that is legally recognized by the Bahamas through the newly passed Marriage Act. The act allows for marriages while in international waters, which is defined as outside the 12-mile limit of the territorial waters of any nation. The actual location of the ship when the marriage takes place is then recorded in the Marriage Record book of the Bahamas.

Couples wishing to share this special moment with friends and family can enjoy the Sweethearts at Sea promotional offer, inclusive of a ceremony performed by the Captain, photography and more, when booking 12 or more staterooms on a 2013 Royal Caribbean International sailing during the special introductory offer.

More about Sweethearts at Sea at Royal Caribbean Blog