Princess Red, White & Blue Cruise Sale

Princess Cruises is celebrating Independence Day with a “Red, White & Blue Sale,” offering cruise deals on North American departures 

Cruise deals are available until July 8, and offer cruise discounts of up to 40%, plus up to $100 free onboard spending money

Cruises depart between September and December 2013

More than 100 cruise departures are featured in the sale, including cruises to the Caribbean, Hawaii, Panama Canal, the California Coast, Mexico, Canada & New England and the West Coast. 





In addition to special fares, passengers booking balcony staterooms or above will receive an onboard credit:

• $100 for sailings 10 days or longer
• $50 seven- to nine-day cruises
• $30 one- to six-day cruises

And those booking interior or oceanview staterooms can get credits:

• $50 cruises 10 days or longer
• $25 seven- to nine-day cruises
• $15 one- to six-day cruises

More info and cruise schedules at Princess Cruises  

Blount Offering 10% off Caribbean Cruises

When you cruise with Blount Small Ship Adventures, every day is filled with possibilities

Photo courtesy of Blount Small Ship Adventures

Blount operates two U.S. registered ships, each with a capacity of 88 passengers. Enjoy free wine and beer during lunch and dinner PLUS they have a BYOB policy, and provide mixers and set-ups for cocktails available throughout the day.

Passengers booking any 2014 Caribbean cruise by August 30, 2013 will save 10% 

Two new itineraries: 

• An 11-night "Bahamian Out Islands" cruise, departing March 28 and April 11, visits 12 ports, including Nassau, Spanish Wells and Governor's Harbour. Line president Nancy Blount will join the March 28 sailing. Rates from $3,999



For more information, and additional cruises visit blountsmallshipadventures.com

Carnival Cruise Line Replaces CEO

In a move marking the end of an era and suggesting continuing upheaval at the world's largest cruise company, Carnival Corp. announced that Micky Arison, the son of company founder Ted Arison, is being replaced as CEO.

Arison, 63, had held the post since 1979, and will continue as chairman of the board. Arnold W. Donald, who has served on the company's board for the past 12 years, will assume the CEO title.

The news came on the same day that Carnival announced second quarter profits of $41 million, due largely to lower fuel and administrative costs. However, despite deep discounting, passenger traffic remains low, particularly on the flagship Carnival line.

The development follows a string of bad news for Carnival. 

Earlier this year, an engine room fire knocked out the Carnival Triumph's main power, leaving the 2,758-passenger ship dead in the Gulf of Mexico. Passengers described horrible conditions as the ship was towed to Mobile, Ala., and Arison, who owns the Miami Heat basketball team, was criticized for attending a game while the crisis was ongoing.

The following month, the company ended a voyage of the Carnival Dream early after the ship's backup emergency diesel generator failed. Carnival was forced to charter airplanes to fly the ship's 4,300 passengers back to Florida from the Caribbean island of St. Maarten.

And all this came after the sinking last year of the Carnival-owned Costa Concordia. The incident, which killed 32 people, dominated global headlines for weeks.

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AT&T New SmartPhone Plan Exclusively for Royal Caribbean

Until now, cell phone use on-board cruise ships has been expensive due to roaming charges 


AT&T has launched a new plan for its smartphone users exclusively for Royal Caribbean cruises where affordable data usage while at sea would be possible.  





The new plans by AT&T are as follows

• AT&T Cruise Ship Calling: Includes 50 minutes for $30 per month
• AT&T Cruise Ship Calling and Messaging: Offers 50 minutes of talk and 100 text/picture/video messages sent for $60 per month
• AT&T Cruise Ship Calling, Messaging and Data: Includes 50 minutes, 100 messages sent and 100MB of data for $120 per month
• AT&T does require the package be activated for at least one month, although cruisers could sign up for the service before they leave for their cruise and then call and deactivate the package after their cruise is done.  This rate is in addition to your normal contract rate.

The new package is limited to the cruise ships of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.  

Here's a full list of supported Royal Caribbean cruise ships

Adventurer of the Seas
Allure of the Seas
Brilliance of the Seas
Enchantment of the Seas
Explorer of the Seas
Freedom of the Seas
Grandeur of the Seas
Independence of the Seas
Jewel of the Seas
Legend of the Seas
Liberty of the Seas
Majesty of the Seas
Mariner of the Seas
Navigator of the Seas
Oasis of the Seas
Radiance of the Seas
Rhapsody of the Seas
Serenade of the Seas
Splendour of the Seas
Vision of the Seas
Voyager of the Seas

The new AT&T packages are available when passengers are at sea - See Cruise Ship Packages at bottom of web page at AT&T Wirless site 

Source: Royal Caribbean Blog

Crystal Offers Lowest Fares On Worldwide Voyages

Book by June 28, and enjoy the best savings on European cruises

• Up to $1,850 per person savings when booked by June 28, 2013
• 2 for 1 Cruise Only Fares - limited time savings
• Complimentary gratuities, speciality restaurants, fine wines, champagne, premium liquor, and non-alcoholic beverages
• Complimentary gratuities for housekeeping, bar, dining and Penthouse butler staff
• Optional air add-ons also available

More details here 

Tere Moana 2014 Cruise Sailings

The m/v Tere Moana is the newest ship in the Paul Gauguin Cruises fleet, and accommodates just 90 guests

If you are a past guest of The Gauguin, reserve select sailings by September 30, 2013, and you'll receive double  Paul Gauguin Society savings, for a total of 10% off final cruises fares. 

Lisitings of eligible dates aboard The Moana

March, 15, 2014: Colón, Panama to Philipsburg, St. Maarten  (7-night voyage)

March 29, 2014: Philipsburg, St. Maarten, to Lisbon Portugal  (14-night voyage)

May 24, 2014: Rome Civitavecchia), Italy, to Athens (Piraeus), Greece  (7-night voyage)

June 28, 2014: Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy to Nice, France (7-night voyage)

August 23, 2014: Barcelona, Spain, to Nice, France  (7-night voyage)

November 1, 2014: Lisbon, Portugal, to Philipsburg, St. Maarten (14-night voyage)

December 13, 2014: Roundtrip Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica (7-night voyage)

http://www.pgcruises.com/

Holland America Bases Eight Ships in Caribbean For 2013-14

Holland America Line is basing eight ships in Fort Lauderdale and Tampa for its 2013-14 Caribbean season

 Half Moon Cay

All Fort Lauderdale itineraries will call at Half Moon Cay, the line’s private Bahamian island. 

From October through April, Eurodam, Maasdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Ryndam, Veendam, Westerdam and Zuiderdam will sail a total of 109 seven-, 10-, 11- and 14-day cruises that can be combined into voyages up to 25 days. The itineraries explore the Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean, as well as a partial transit of the Panama Canal.

• New to the region, Veendam will sail one seven-day Eastern Caribbean round-trip from Fort Lauderdale departing April 24 to Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay.
• Eurodam returns to the Caribbean on alternating round-trip Fort Lauderdale seven-day Eastern and Western itineraries. The Wastern Caribbean itinerary visits Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay, while the western route calls at Half Moon Cay, Grand Cayman, Key West and Falmouth or Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

• The Maasdam offers a range of seven-, 10-, 11- and 14-day round-trips from Fort Lauderdale; the 14-day route calls at St. Thomas, St. Bart’s, St. Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Curaçao, Bonaire and Half Moon Cay.
• Also departing round-trip from Fort Lauderdale, Nieuw Amsterdam sails alternating Eastern and Western routes. The eastern route calls at Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay, while the western itinerary visits Cozumel, Half Moon Cay, Grand Cayman and Key West.
• Noordam offers seven-, 10- and 11-day round-trips from Fort Lauderdale cruises. The 11-day Southern Caribbean itinerary includes St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Barbados, Martinique, Dominica, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay.
• The only ship sailing round-trip from Tampa, Ryndam offers seven-day Western Caribbean cruises and two 14-day Southern Caribbean itineraries. The 14-day itineraries call at Key West, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. John’s, St. Lucia, Aruba, Grand Cayman and Curaçao or Bonaire.
• Westerdam sails a repeating round-trip Fort Lauderdale seven-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary to Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Maarten and Half Moon Cay.
• Zuiderdam features 10- and 11-day Panama Canal itineraries round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. The 10-day route includes a partial canal transit and calls at Half Moon Cay; Aruba; Curaçao; Colon, Panama; and Puerto Limón, Costa Rica. The 11-day cruise features Half Moon Cay; Aruba; Curaçao; Cartagena, Colombia; a partial Panama Canal transit; Colon and Puerto Limón.

The voyages are available for booking. Cruise fares range from $499 per person, double occupancy, for a seven-day itinerary cruise to $2,799 for a 25-day journey.

Source: Theresa Norton Masek via Travel Pulse

Seabourn Yacht Penthouse Spa Suites

Seabourn Quest, Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Sojourn are all adding Penthouse Spa Suites

Seabourn Quest now features four Penthouse Spa Suites each with a private verandah; living and dining room seating four people; a separate bedroom; walk-in closet; floor-to-ceiling windows onto the verandah; two flat-screen TVs; and a bathroom with tub and spa shower.

All photo's courtesy of Seabourn Blog

In addition, the suites will feature a bar with healthy snacks, mixed nuts, flavored water and fruit juices; choice of four fragrances by L’Occitane diffused during turndown service; spa music; a menu of Molton Brown spa products in the bathrooms; a menu of bath sponges; and designer soaps by Hermes, L’Occitane, Baudelaire and Salvatore Ferragamo. 

Guests who book the suites will also receive assistance from a spa concierge with reservations for personalized treatments.

Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Sojourn will both be re-fitted with the penthouse suites during their next dry dock periods. 


Seabourn Blog 
http://blog.seabourn.com/seabourn-introduces-new-elegant-penthouse-spa-suites

Deadly Floods in Central Europe Cancel River Cruises

River cruise lines continue to cancel departures and change itineraries in Central Europe due to floods. 

Photo courtesy of www.destination360.com

The town of Passau, Germany, at the confluence of three rivers and popular on many river cruise itineraries, was submerged by the worst flooding in five centuries. Local news outlets reported 12 deaths.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection cancelled the June 16 “European Jewels” departure on the River Empress. The ship was currently in Budapest and unable to get to Amsterdam by June 16. Previously cancelled were the June 7 departures of the River Ambassador on the “Grand Danube & Prague” and “Danube Discovery & Prague” trips and the June 9 “Enchanting Danube” cruise on the River Beatrice. Guests will receive a $500-per-person future cruise credit whether they rebook or cancel. Uniworld said it expects to operate all other cruises scheduled to depart June 10-16 due to “careful planning by our European operation team (and in some cases with us swapping ships).” 

Scenic Cruises said four ships were in dock waiting for the river levels to drop. “The Rhine, Main and Main-Danube Canal may be navigable again by mid-week. The stretch between Kelheim and Melk is expecting to reopen by this weekend,” Scenic said in a statement. “These estimates are provided by the waterways authorities who dictate whether or not navigation is possible and if ships must remain docked.” Scenic Cruises is part of Scenic Tours, a large Australian tour operator, so guests continued their vacations on the company’s luxury coaches, which took them to scheduled excursions and exclusive events.

Previously, Avalon Waterways cancelled five cruises and is offering a full refund and $500 credit. Two June 7 departures were cancelled—the “Blue Danube Discovery” and “Jewels of Central Europe,” both on Avalon Luminary. Also cancelled is the June 8 departure of “Magnificent Europe” aboard the Avalon Tranquility, the June 9 departure of “Magnificent Europe” on Avalon Vista and the June 10 departure of “Austrian Highlights & Bavaria” on the Avalon Affinity. The company previously cancelled the June 2 departure of the “Legendary Danube” cruise aboard the Avalon Visionary. 

Viking River Cruises cancelled the June 9 “Romantic Danube” sailing on Viking Prestige and the June 9 “Danube Waltz” departure of the Viking Legend. The company is sending guests and their travel agents email notifications and is offering a $500 credit to rebook on another cruise or a full refund and a $500 per person future cruise credit. For details, call 877-523-0579 from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time Monday through Friday or 818-216-2453 after hours. Viking also changed the itineraries and ships on 16 other cruises, saying guests will be met at the airport and transferred to the appropriate vessel, regardless of whether they purchased transfers from Viking. In addition, a Viking representative will also be stationed at the original port of embarkation to transport guests to the correct vessel or hotel in some cases.  

Tauck cancelled the May 30 and June 6 departures of “The Blue Danube” cruise and will provide refunds. Departures currently operating include the June 2 “Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat” and the June 2 “Grand European Cruise.” If those itineraries change, guests can choose to remain onboard or depart early with a full refund.

AmaWaterways said June 3 that it has not cancelled any cruises and is operating on schedule. Avalon said disruptions have been minimal in some cases. “For example there are Avalon ships on either side of the Main-Danube Canal and we have been able to ‘swap’ vessels and transfer passengers from one ship to another so they could continue sailing,” the line posted. “In other instances, we have combined partial sailings with hotel stays. In virtually all instances, the ports, excursions and highlights are being visited or experienced by our guests. We are also providing our travelers compensation depending upon the number of cruising days that may have been affected.”

Source: TravelPulse

Celebrity Cancels Second Galapagos Cruise Due to Lobster Violation

Well, here's something you don't hear everyday - cruise cancelled due to frozen lobster - read on . . . 

Celebrity Expedition

Celebrity Cruises has cancelled the June 9 departure of the Celebrity Expedition in the Galapagos Islands after its permit to sail in Galapagos National Park was suspended for 45 days. 

The cruise line was cited for the transportation and storage of 12 kilograms of frozen lobster tails in the Galapagos while out of season. Along with the cancellation of the June 9th cruise, the June 2nd  cruise was previously cancelled.

A Celebrity spokeswoman said the lobster was purchased legally during the season from local fishermen certified by the national park. “No purchases of lobsters were made out of season,” the company said. “A new regulation published by the park stated that the lobsters must be consumed within five days after the end of season. The violation is for having the frozen lobster tails in our freezer after the season ended.”

Despite the 45-day suspension, Celebrity hasn’t cancelled other cruises yet because it is negotiating to restore the permit as soon as possible. The line posts updates on the situation on its website.

Guests booked on the June 9 cruise will get a full refund and a 25% credit for another Celebrity Xpedition cruise. The credit is based on the amount they paid for their June 9 cruise and may be used within two years. 

Future cruise certificates will be mailed to guests’ home address or travel agent within two to three weeks. Celebrity will refund air costs if purchased through the cruise line. Those who did not purchase air through Celebrity will be reimbursed for airline change fees. Those booked on the June 9 cruise can call 888-829-4050.

Source: TravelPulse

RCI Opens Quantum Of The Seas For Booking

Royal Caribbean officially opened booking for it's newest cruise ship that is still under construction, Quantum of the Seas, to the general public.  

Last week members of Royal Caribbean's loyalty program were given special access to book the new ship ahead of everyone else.

Royal Caribbean has cruises available from November 2014, when the ship debuts, through April 2015.  

Quantum of the Seas' inaugural cruise is not listed as available for sale on the Royal Caribbean web site, which may indicate the inaugural cruise has sold out already.

On the Bahamas cruises, the ship will call at Port Canaveral, Fla., Nassau and CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas. 

The Eastern Caribbean cruises will include San Juan, Puerto Rico; Samana, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas; St. Kitts; and St. Maarten. The Southern Caribbean cruises will call at San Juan, St. Maarten, Martinique, Barbados and St. Kitts. On most sailings, the ship also will visit Labadee, Royal Caribbean's private beach on the north coast of Haiti.

If you're interested in booking your spot on one of the first cruises Quantum of the Seas embarks on, you can call Royal Caribbean directly, consult a travel agent or book online.

Source: Royal Caribbean Blog

Disney Magic Special Rates Via Miami

Enjoy Special Rates on Select Sailings from Miami on the newly re-imagined Disney Magic

Now you can enjoy special rates on select 5-Night Western Caribbean sailings from the new departure port of Miami, Florida. 

5-night Western Caribbean cruise with stops at Grand Cayman and Cozumel, Mexico, as well as 2 relaxing days at sea.

Rates for inside cabins start at $125 per day based on double occupancy - available on most 5-Night sailings November 1 to November 29, 2013, excluding November 24, 2013. 

The number of staterooms allocated for this offer is limited, so book through July 31, 2013 to take advantage of these special rates. 

Enhanced onboard experiences included with your cruise:

• Enhanced Kid's Spaces like Disney's Oceaneer Lab and Disney's Oceaneer Club, featuring Marvel's Avengers Academy.
• Revitalized Adult Entertainment District, with Fathoms nightclub, O'Gills Pub sports bar and Keys piano lounge.
• Luxurious staterooms, designed with your family's comfort in mind.
• Diverse dining options, including the Brazilian-themed restaurant Carioca's and the re-imagined Cabanas and Animator's Palate, featuring the Animation Magic dinner show where your drawings come to life.
• Splash-tacular upper decks including the all-new AquaDunk thrill slide, AquaLab water play area and Twist n' Spout kids slide.
• And so much more!

Visit Disney's site for more info