Big Question Hovers Over the Cruise Ship Industry

Cruise lines were ready for a busy year, with continued deals, expanded river jaunts and hot new locales. How the Costa Concordia disaster affects the industry is still unknown.

The first quarter of 2012 was supposed to be a sweet spot for passenger cruise lines. Wave season, as it's known, marks a time when cruise companies and travel agents roll out deep discounts on cruise vacations and rack up lots of sales.

But that changed Jan. 13, when the Costa Concordia struck rocks off the western coast of Italy, killing at least 11 passengers in one of the worst cruise-ship tragedies in recent times. Images and videos of the listing liner have been shown appeared continually on TV and online in the media, often accompanied by interviews with survivors, who say panic and chaos took hold during the ship's deadly slide.

Continue with article - A big question mark hovers over the cruise ship industry - latimes.com

iCruise iPad App Available for Wave Season

iCruise has offered apps for iPhone and Android, but has now added an iPad app just in time for "Cruise Wave Season"  which runs from January to March.

iCruise created over 20,000 new images that were not optimized for the iPad, and deck plans are rendered properly taking advantage of the iPad’s “pinch and zoom" functionality.

The new iPad app allows you to track a ship, along with receiving updates. More features include 12,000+ itineraries, 25 destinations, route maps, port photos and re-sizable deck plans from 30 cruise lines.

A new update feature is the Revelex-powered ability for live online pricing, availability and booking on 13 cruise lines including: Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Azamara, Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise, Holland America, Princess, Seabourn, Crystal, Cunard, MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises.

iCruise has targeted the smartphone/tablet market with free iPhone, iPad, Android apps, mobile website, and plans to develop an app for Kindle Fire later this year.

Cruise Finder™ App - Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.Requires iOS 3.2 or later

Is Wave Season Still Best Bet For Cruise Deals?

Getting a killer price on a cruise in the first quarter of the year used to be as common as seeing chocolates dominate store shelves before Valentine's Day, but these days, the rules may be changing.

Many travelers wait for wave season -- the period from January to March, when cruise lines have traditionally offered their best deals -- to book their vacation at sea. Is that still a good strategy today? The views are mixed.

Read Is 'wave season' still the best bet for cruise deals? - CNN.com

Princess Cruises Wave Season Promotions

Princess Cruises is ringing in the new year with two ways for passengers to save on this summer’s vacation during the annual “Wave Season” booking period through February 28.


Travelers can choose to enjoy their own private balcony for the cost of an oceanview stateroom with the “Balcony Bonanza” promotion, and those planning travel to Alaska can save up to 25 percent on a land and sea cruisetour with the “Denali on Sale” event.

Balcony Bonanza -- Passengers will discover just why a balcony stateroom is the only way to travel for many cruisers. For the price of an oceanview stateroom, cruisers can enjoy the fresh air and sweeping ocean vistas of a private balcony on select summer 2010 cruises and cruisetours to Europe, Alaska or the Caribbean. Balcony Bonanza pricing begins at just $899 per person for a seven-day Caribbean sailing, with balconies on a 12-day Europe sailing starting at $2,799.

Denali on Sale -- Travelers who book their Alaska vacation with Princess can now can save up to 25 percent off select Alaska cruisetours featuring the state’s spectacular Denali National Park. All Princess cruisetour itineraries include at least two nights in the Denali area, with lodging at Princess’ own wilderness lodges, plus a cruise featuring the dazzling ice of Glacier Bay National Park.

The promotion features a variety of 10- to 15-night itineraries, including the popular Direct to the Wilderness rail service, which gets travelers to the wilderness faster, plus options in the Kenai and Copper River areas.

Passengers can also take advantage of Princess’ special roundtrip packages that include air from Seattle or Vancouver, and two family cruisetour options with special amenities and tours included just for family groups. Cruisetour fares for a 10-night vacation begin at $1,274 per person.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com

Wave Season Cruise Deals - Catch Em' While You Can

Wave Season occurs the first few months of every year. This is the peak booking period for cruise vacations, and all the major cruise lines offer exceptional deals during what we in the industry refer to as the Wave Season.

For the month of February, there are still many specials available on cruise rates, onboard credits, and even deposit waivers on some cruise lines. You can save more than 50%, and here's a sampling of offers that have been extended through February 29, 2008 - and some specials extend even longer . . . Linda

Azamara Cruises: Onboard credits valued at $300 to $800 on any 2008 Europe sailings booked at an ocean view or higher category of stateroom.

Carnival Cruise Lines: Special rates of $249 to $339 per person on select departure dates for three- to five-day voyages on Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration, both with new Serenity adults-only decks and Carnival Waterworks aqua parks.

Celebrity Cruises: Onboard credits of $50 to $200 per stateroom, based on the length of voyage, on cruises in Alaska, the Caribbean and Europe.

Costa Cruises: Savings of as much as 60% on 423 sailings throughout the world in honor of the line’s Diamond Anniversary.

Crystal Cruises: Ten percent savings on new bookings of all verandah and non-verandah staterooms; five percent savings for penthouse accommodations. The savings apply to virtually all of Crystal Serenity’s Mediterranean cruises this summer. This offer has been extended to bookings made through March 31.

Cunard Line: Onboard credits of up to $300, plus a waiver of deposits for second guests on select Queen Mary 2 sailings and Queen Victoria maiden European voyages.

Holland America Line: Savings of up to $450 off brochure rates plus upgrades for as little as $100 depending on sailing. The View and Verandah promotion applies to the company’s eight ships offering select 2008 Alaska departures.

Hurtigruten: Savings of up to $3,600 per person on the company’s Expedition cruise to Antarctica, a 22-day voyage that also features the Falkland Islands, plus savings of up to $500 per person on cruise-only fares for Norwegian Coastal Voyage.

Majestic America Line: Complimentary stateroom upgrades and free airfare on select departures of American Queen (March sailings) and Queen of the West. The offer is good for bookings by February 28; Early Advantage Savings are available for bookings by February 22.

MSC Cruises: “Senior Saver” offers on Caribbean sailings and Senior Saver rates beginning at $599 per person on European itineraries, a 50% savings. At least one person in the stateroom must be 50; children 17 and under sail free.

Norwegian Cruise Line: Weekly special offers, including on-board credits and stateroom upgrades for select destinations, are offered as part of NCL's "Freestyle Resolution Sales Event" and can be found at www.ncl.com. The promotion also includes the chance to win a free cruise.

Princess Cruises: A special “Alaska Wilderness Sale” features savings of $200 per couple plus a $200 onboard credit on Princess cruise tours, with rates starting at $1,399 for an 11-day sailing. The offer is available on many Alaska sailings.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises: Shipboard credits of up to $500 per suite in addition to normal published offers for new guests of Regent. The offer applies to sailings in Europe, the Mediterranean, Alaska and Tahiti.

Royal Caribbean International: Onboard credits of up to $200 per stateroom on select Alaska sailings/tours for 2008.

Seabourn Cruise Line: Seabourn Cruise Line is offering 2-for-1 business class airfare from 38 North American gateways, plus savings of up to 40% for cruises of nine to 15 days in Europe aboard its Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend.

Silversea Cruises: Forty percent savings on cruise-only fares for a wide variety of voyages worldwide is part of the line’s “Silver Sailings” program. For last minute shoppers, this includes the 14-day Silver Cloud cruise from Mahe to Dubai, departing February 23.

Windstar Cruises: Wind Spirit, Wind Star and Wind Surf will all feature special rates and savings on cruises in the Caribbean, Europe and throughout the Mediterranean.

Notice: Travelers Reminded of New Document Requirements Beginning January 31, 2008
Documents Proving Citizenship, Identity Will be Required when Entering U.S. Through Land and Sea Ports.
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