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"Instruction ends in the schoolroom but education ends only with life."...F.W. Robertson |
Cruise News 5.20.2008 ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD. said infants must be at least six months old before the first day of a cruise or cruise-tour to sail on its Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity and Azamara brands. For RCCL's transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii and certain South American cruises and related cruise-tours, the new minimum age is 12 months. In addition, women must be less than 24 weeks pregnant before the first day of a cruise for sailings operated by RCCL's three brands. RCCL implemented the new policies at the beginning of this month, saying that the changes "recognize that infants and pregnant women can often require specialized, emergency medical attention that can best be provided by land-based hospitals." 5.14.2008
HOLLAND AMERICA LINE will charge between $30 and $75 per day for use of private cabanas on the 2,014-passenger Eurodam, the line's first Signature-class ship, slated to debut in July. The ship will feature private tented cabanas on two decks: the Observation Deck in an area called the Retreat, and around the midship pool on the Lido Deck. Cabanas will be furnished with woven chaises, ottomans and upholstered settees and will be stocked with bathrobes, towels, handheld fans, an Evian spray mister and iPods preloaded with music. Chilled water and iced fruit skewers will be available to cabana guests in the morning, and in the afternoon they will get frozen grapes, chocolate-covered strawberries and a glass of champagne. The Retreat, a quiet, spa-themed outdoor area, will have 14 cabanas that will cost $45 on port days and $75 on sea days, while the eight Lido Deck cabanas will go for $30 on port days and $50 on sea days.
1.17.2008 CRUISES: Royal Caribbean Sends Voyager of the Seas to Galveston
Royal Caribbean sentsent sent its ship “Voyager of the Seas” to Galveston, Texas, this week. It’s the largest cruise ship that’s ever been based in the Gulf Coast, and it’s the first time a Voyager-class ship has been deployed in Texas. “Voyager of the Seas” will operate seven-night roundtrip sailings through April with three routes: Cozumel/Costa Maya/Yucatan; Roatan/Montego Bay; and George Town/Grand Cayman. The vessel sported a pair of longhorns (140 feet in length) as it arrived in the harbor.
1.08.2008 ALASKA ranked as the most popular cruise destination in Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associates' 2008 Travel Trends Survey. Alaska beat out the Western, Southern, and Eastern Caribbean, and Europe, to take the top slot. Mediterranean cruising was the fifth most popular international destinations category -- it was ranked #15 in 2004 and #10 in 2007 -- beating out traditional, land-based favorites such as London; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and several Mexican destinations. Carlson said in a statement that "not only is there greater [Mediterranean cruise] inventory than ever before, many U.S. travelers are finding this is the way to travel to Europe in order to get the most for their money as possible." 1.01.2008 CUNARD'S THREE QUEENS will be in New York on Jan. 13 for the first and only time together. The British line's three ships, the Queen Mary 2, the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the recently launched Queen Victoria, will sail together out of New York harbor at 6:30 p.m. The QM2 will depart from its homeport in Brooklyn, and the QE2 and Queen Victoria will depart from piers on Manhattan's West Side; the three vessels will rendezvous to sail past the Statue of Liberty during a fireworks display at about 7:00 p.m. The QE2 will then depart on its 26th and final world cruise -- it retires in November to Dubai, where it will be used as a floating hotel. 1.01.2008 DUBAI may get a second cruise terminal within the year, according to reports published in a United Arab Emirates newspaper, the Gulf News; the terminal would handle an estimated doubling of cruise traffic there by 2010. Awad Seghayer Al Ketbi, the executive director of the Dubai Convention Bureau and Heritage Division and the Dubai Cruise Terminal, would not confirm whether Dubai was building a new cruise terminal, but he said that the DCBHD has commissioned a study to determine whether a new terminal is necessary. The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing said that 165,000 cruise passengers passed through Dubai during the current season, a number that is expected to reach 350,000 by 2009-2010. Dubai's current cruise terminal opened in 2001 at Port Rashid and is able to handle up to two ships simultaneously, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing said. 11.7.2007
HOLLAND AMERICA LINE'S newest ship, the Eurodam, will be named in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on July 1 before it embarks on a 10-day maiden voyage from Copenhagen. The ship will sail its inaugural season in Europe followed by sailings in Canada and New England in the fall and the Caribbean in the winter. The Eurodam, the first of HAL's Signature-class ships, will feature two new alternative dining venues that feature pan-Asian and Italian cuisine. 11.7.2007
8.14.2007 HOLLAND AMERICA LINE will debut a new line of shops when it debuts its first Signature-class ship. Called Signature Shops, the four main stores would be the center of a substantially expanded shopping promenade and would include Merabella, offering designer jewelry collections; Fine Jewelry, specializing in diamonds and gemstones; Fine Watches; and Destination & Apparel, offering classic nautical wear and a selection of items tailored to the climate where the cruise will be, HAL said. With the exception of Merabella, which has been in place on two HAL ships since May, the new shops will debut in June 2008 on the 2,104-passenger Eurodam. 9.20.2007 CRUISE WEST said it will offer a total of 160 Alaska departures in 2008, up from 146 this year. The small ship line's Alaska cruises will be promoted with an early booking discount of up to $700 for customers who book their Inside Passage cruises by Dec. 7. Cruise West has already announced that the Spirit of Yorktown will be upgraded this fall with a new cabin category that offers private balconies, an Alaskan art collection and a refurbished lounge. Meanwhile, the Spirit of Glacier Bay, formerly the Spirit of Nantucket, will make its Alaska debut in 2008 sailing Glacier Bay Highlights cruises, and increasing the number of Cruise West ships sailing in Alaska to eight. 8.14.1007 AMERICAN SAFARI CRUISES will double its passenger capacity in 2008 with the addition of two new vessels: a 150-foot, 39-passenger vessel, the Safari Explorer, and a 108-foot, six-passenger, charter-only yacht, the Safari Legend. The Safari Explorer, which currently runs scuba expeditions in California, will undergo a multimillion-dollar retrofit before entering service as the line's largest ship; American Safari currently offers cruises on vessels of no more than 22 passengers. The two vessels are scheduled to enter service in Alaska in May, and the Safari Explorer will sail interisland Hawaii cruises beginning in December 2008.
8.14.2007 NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE became the latest cruise company to update its smoking policy. Some outdoor areas and all public interior venues, with the exception of the cigar rooms and casinos, are now designated nonsmoking. Cigarette smoking is still allowed in cabins and on balconies. The line also changed its evening dress codes and will allow passengers to wear jeans in all but one onboard restaurant during dinner. The more formal venue will vary on each ship, but it typically will be the aft main dining room.
7.24.2007 HAL ALSO SAID that its newest ship, the 2,104-passenger Eurodam, will sail Canada and New England itineraries in 2008 and will introduce Quebec City as a homeport for the line. Following its Europe launch in June, the Eurodam will offer three 10-day cruises between New York and Quebec City. On Oct. 1, 2008, the Eurodam will sail a 14-day itinerary from Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale. 7.24.2007 HOLLAND AMERICA LINE launched a program that allows guests to choose either traditional, pre-set seating and dining times, or a flexible dining schedule. HAL said that one level of the two-tiered restaurants on its ships would offer the flexible/open dining service from 5:15 to 9 p.m. daily, and that the other level would host passengers in two seatings. Richard Meadows, executive vice president of marketing and sales, said that HAL had operated a test phase of the program, called "As You Wish dining," on the Noordam and had received "overwhelmingly positive" feedback on it. As You Wish dining will be rolled out across the rest of the fleet beginning this fall.
7.24.2007 Princess To Offer Mexican Riviera Cruises
from San Francisco and Los Angeles
7.17.2007
THE SPIRIT OF NANTUCKET will become the Spirit of Glacier Bay when the Cruise West ship moves from the East Coast to Alaska in 2008. A rechristening of the 102-passenger vessel will take place in Seattle in spring 2008. The ship will then begin operation in Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park. Cruise West once operated a 52-passenger ship called the Spirit of Glacier Bay before retiring it in 2001. Dick West, chairman and managing director of Cruise West, said, "It just makes sense to reintroduce this name and get back to our roots." 7.09.07 NORWEGIAN COASTAL VOYAGE will offer departures from New York and Port Canaveral, Fla., on its new ship, the Fram, this year, marking the line's first sailings from North America. NCV said that the ship would leave Iceland Sept. 18 on a 67-day cruise from the Arctic to Antarctica, sailing along the coasts of the U.K., Canada and New England before picking up guests in New York on Oct. 9 and in Port Canaveral on Oct. 13. The 12,700-ton, 318-passenger Fram will visit Charleston, S.C.; Savannah, Ga.; and Key West, Fla., before heading to the Caribbean and transiting the Panama Canal on it way to South America and Antarctica.
6.06.07 Crystal's Caribbean Jazz Cruise Serves Up Hot Brass And Cool Blues LOS ANGELES, June 5, 2007 - From solo piano performances to trios, quartets and full seven-piece bands, the many sounds and styles of jazz will take center stage aboard the award-winning Crystal Symphony's December Jazz theme cruise. 6.06.07 Empress of the North...Majestic America Line reports that the Empress of the North will soon relocate to Cascade General shipyard in Portland, Ore. to complete repairs. The ship is being moved from Alaska Ship and Dry Dock in Ketchikan, AK due to the yard’s prior obligation to another repair project. Additionally, the company has announced that the June 30 departure has been cancelled. The ship is expected to return to service on July 7. 5.31.07
CELEBRITY CRUISES placed an order for a fourth Solstice-class cruise ship with German shipbuilder Meyer Werft, with an expected delivery date in fall 2011. The three other 122,000-ton, 2,850-passenger Solstice-class ships are the Celebrity Solstice, the Celebrity Equinox and the Celebrity Eclipse, with slated deliveries every year between 2008 and 2010. Celebrity's fleet would grow to 11 ships with the $798 million new ship-order, a testament "to the demand we've received from travel agent partners and travelers" for Celebrity, said parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises' CEO Richard Fain. All four Solstice-class ships are being constructed by Meyer Werft and will have 90% outside cabins, 85% of those with verandas.
5.31.07 "Stowaway" With Cruise West and Save 25 Percent Reintroduced Program Designed for Guests with Flexibility SEATTLE, May 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Cruise West, specializing in small-ship voyages, has reintroduced their popular Stowaway Program that offers guests with flexibility the opportunity to travel on short notice and receive a savings of 25 percent on the cruise-only brochure rate. This program is available on most cruise products including Asia, South Pacific, the Sea of Cortes, Costa Rica & Panama, Alaska and the East and West Coasts. The Stowaway Program is a straightforward process. The traveler may request 60 or more days in advance to cruise on a specific itinerary and cabin category within a 30-day window. At the time of the request a non-refundable $700 per person deposit is required. At least 30 days before departure, Cruise West will offer to confirm the guest(s) on a specific departure within that requested 30-day travel window. If the guest cannot be accommodated, the full deposit will be refunded. If the guest declines the offered departure date, the deposit amount may be applied to a future cruise or cruise-tour within 24 months. The deposit is also transferable, but is non-refundable. "We're pleased to reinvigorate this program and bring it back into the mix," said Jeff Krida, president and chief executive officer, Cruise West. "Guests who have flexibility on travel dates can enjoy a savings and a memorable cruise. With the success of the program in previous years, it just made good sense to reinstate the offer." For further details on Cruise West distinctive itineraries, excursions and land tour extensions, visit www.cruisewest.com or call 1-800-296-8307. Prices are all-inclusive with the exception of alcohol and optional excursions at select ports. Up-Close, Casual and Personal Cruising 04.25.07 Princess Opens Up P&O Australia Cruise Bookings to North America
North American travelers now can book sailings with Princess Cruises' sister company, P&O Cruises Australia.
04.25.07 Save on Norwegian Coastal Voyage Norwegian Coastal Voyage has a deals on its 2007 world cruise, Greenland, Antarctica, Norway, and Spitsbergen itineraries: AARP members get discounts up to $150 per cabin; passengers 67 and older can save $135 per person; repeat passengers can total as much as $300 per person in savings; and those who book by May 31 can save up to $1,100 per person.
04.17.07 THE PRIDE OF HAWAII will be renamed the Norwegian Jade, reflagged and redeployed to Europe in 2008, NCL Corp. said. The company said that its 2006 losses were caused by downward pricing pressure in the Hawaii market following the addition of the Pride of Hawaii to the fleet last summer, combined with an increase in foreign-flag competition in the market. The company said the withdrawal would be temporary. "We take this action with regret, but sure in the knowledge that a temporary retrenchment is the right thing to do for the good of the business and the good of Hawaii in the long run," CEO Colin Veitch said. THE NORWEGIAN JADE will be reflagged into the Bahamas registry during a wetdock in Honolulu, where the ship will be fitted with a casino and new hull artwork. It will sail 12-, 13- and 14-day eastern and western Mediterranean cruises, sailing from Barcelona, Istanbul and Athens; it will then reposition to Southampton, England, for a series of cruises to the Mediterranean, North Cape, Western Europe and the British Isles. The ship will offer a series of sailings designed specifically for the U.K. market, NCL said. The Jade will be joined in Europe by the Norwegian Gem, which will sail western Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona, and the Norwegian Jewel, which will sail in the Baltic region from Dover, England. Tour News 4.30.2008 THE ALASKA RAILROAD has added several packages this year for the adventure traveler. New packages include the Kenai Deluxe Adventure and the Alaska Fishing Sampler, programs that are geared to anglers who want to combine fishing with other activities or to anglers who might be traveling with nonfishing companions. A new Alaska Indulgence package takes visitors from the Arctic Circle to the seaport town of Seward, the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. The 12-day package includes off-the-beaten-path experiences in Denali National Park's backcountry and remote fly-in lodges. 1.11.2008 Tauck Offers Singles Savings
On Selected Itineraries And DeparturesSolo Travelers Save Up To $1,190 On 44 DeparturesNORWALK, CT (December 11, 2007) Relief is in sight for solo travelers eager to avoid the customary “single supplement” common to cruises and tours, where guest pricing is typically calculated on a double-occupancy model. For 2008, Tauck World Discovery is offering an assortment of departure dates on selected river cruises and tours where the normal “single occupancy” surcharge faced by solo travelers is dramatically reduced, or even waived outright. The special rates will apply to some 44 departures on 14 different river cruise and tour itineraries in the U.S., Europe and Canada. Tauck’s president Robin Tauck noted that the savings being offered to solo travelers are substantial. “Tauck guests can save as much as $1,100 off of our standard single pricing, and the average savings is more than $600,” said Tauck. Besides offering excellent value, the special singles-friendly departures also alleviate solo travelers’ concerns that they’ll be the only single on a trip. “Our single guests tell us that having other solo travelers along makes their trip far more enjoyable,” said Tauck. “The special pricing virtually guarantees that other single travelers will be on these departures.” The specially priced trips include a total of three river cruises, six of Tauck’s popular “A Week In…” itineraries in Europe, and five journeys in the United States and Canada. “Escorted group travel is a great, worry-free way for single travelers to see the world,” added Tauck. “With all of the details handled for you, with an experienced guide on-hand to add real depth and insight to the experience, and with the company of other like-minded travelers, it’s an incredible way to experience any destination.” Tauck welcomes singles on all of its escorted trips, although the reduced singles pricing is limited to specific itineraries and departure dates.
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