Princess Coastal Sailings for 2009-10 include:
Wine Country Coastal - A seven-day opportunity for passengers to steep themselves in the California wine regions of Santa Barbara and the San Francisco area as well as the microbreweries of Astoria, Oregon. Passengers can explore the world of food and wine with themed excursions as well as special onboard presentations from a guest wine expert and guest chef who will offer demonstrations, wine tastings and special meals. The cruise aboard Sapphire Princess departs from Los Angeles on May 8, 2010, sailing to Vancouver with calls at Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Astoria, Seattle and Victoria.

British Columbia and West Coast Coastal - This weeklong voyage explores the west coast from the fall foliage of British Columbia to the shores of Southern California. The Vancouver to Los Angeles cruise calls at Nanaimo, Victoria, San Francisco, Catalina Island and San Diego. Golden Princess sets sail on September 20, 2009.

West Coast Escape - A five-day escape from Los Angeles to Vancouver, this Golden Princess sailing offers the opportunity to visit Catalina Island, San Francisco and Victoria. Golden Princess sets sail on May 9, 2010

Private Cabanas Offered on Holland America Line's ms Eurodam

SEATTLE, May 7 -- Guests on Holland America Line's new ms Eurodam who want to enjoy the outdoors in the comfort of their own private haven will delight in the cabanas on the Observation and Lido decks of the company's first Signature-class ship. The airy, tented cabanas are located on Observation Deck in an area called the Retreat and around the mid-ship pool on Lido Deck. Furnished with modern woven chaises, ottomans and upholstered settees, all cabanas come stocked with bathrobes and plush towels, handheld fans, an Evian spray mister and iPods™ preloaded with great music. Chilled waters are available and guests can look forward to iced fruit skewers in mid-morning and frozen grapes, chocolate-covered strawberries and a glass of champagne in the afternoon.

The Retreat
The 14 cabanas in the Retreat offer guests a spa-like private area where they can relax and recharge surrounded by healthy refreshments and luxurious leisure amenities. Fresh fruit, salads, wraps and juices are available at the Retreat, with light breakfast options offered as well.

Lido Cabanas
Eight cabanas around the Lido pool offer a private respite in a lively area of the ship. Lunch at the Lido cabanas will be served upon request from a menu of poolside favorites from the Terrace Grill or Lido Restaurant.

Discounted select services from the Greenhouse Spa and Salon are available on port days to guests who book the cabanas. The cabanas may be rented for the day or for an entire cruise. The Retreat cabanas are $45 on port days and $75 on sea days, while the Lido cabanas are $30 and $50 respectively.

The 2,104-guest Eurodam debuts this summer with European inaugural festivities, including a July 1 naming ceremony in Rotterdam with Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, followed by a maiden voyage in the Baltic region. The ship will offer its first trans-Atlantic cruise and sail Canada/New England in the fall, followed by Caribbean itineraries the remainder of 2008.

Berth of a Nation 
 

May 6 - Cruise ships may finally be closer to actually docking at Grand Cayman.
If things now remain on track, the island may have its first two berths at the end of 2009. 

No Longer Just Passing Through 
May 7 -  Princess Cruises announced customers will have three itinerary options on their 2009-2010 Panama Canal cruise program. The line will operate the classic 10-day full transit itinerary, their 10-day round trip partial transits from Ft. Lauderdale, and a new "Two-day Canal Experience" on their 15-day or longer full transit itineraries.

Jewish Heritage Focus Set for New European Crystal Adventures

LOS ANGELES, May -- For summer 2008, Crystal Cruises has expanded its Jewish Heritage programs in Northern Europe. The luxury line has set five excursions, including a new tour in Berlin that transports guests on a heartrending excursion to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in Orianenburg, which served as a prototype for all the camps that followed. These thought-provoking and eye-opening excursions -- which will prove fascinating to Jews and non-Jews alike -- are also available in Dublin, St. Petersburg and Stockholm aboard virtually all of Crystal Symphony's Northern Europe itineraries from June through August.

"Our experience is that these Crystal Adventures sate guests' interests in their roots and culture, as well as prove captivating to many of our intellectually curious travelers who want to delve more deeply into Jewish history and the Holocaust," said John Stoll, director, land programs. "This is just one of the many special interest areas we've explored and expanded with niche excursions. In 2008, we're even offering a Jewish heritage tour in Mumbai, which showcases an array of Indian synagogues and other important Judaic cultural sites. For many, this kind of experience provides a common bond among global travelers."

The tours, which feature in-depth visits to Jewish Old Towns, museums, synagogues and Jewish families, include:

Berlin (from the port of Warnemunde):
NEW Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp & Berlin Highlights -- Visit Sachsenhausen, the camp that housed political prisoners and dissidents beginning in the 1930s, where thousands of prisoners perished from starvation.

Echoes of the Past: Berlin's Jewish History -- Explore Berlin's Jewish heritage, visiting the Jewish Old Quarter and the New Synagogue, whose stone was laid in 1988, exactly 50 years after the "Night of Broken Glass."

St. Petersburg
The Jewish Highlights of St. Petersburg -- Travel to the Great Choral Synagogue, the second largest in Europe, listening to a concert performed by the synagogue's cantor, and visit a local family active in the Jewish community.

Stockholm
Jewish Stockholm -- Pass through the walls of the 19th-century, 1,000-seat Great Synagogue, with a memorial wall to 8,500 victims of Jewish relatives residing in Sweden, continuing on to one of the few the Jewish museums in Scandinavia.

Dublin
Historic Jewish Dublin -- Browse through the Irish Jewish Museum, formerly an old synagogue, officially opened by President Chaim Herzog of Israel, who was raised in Dublin, and travel on to President Herzog's former home and site of the first Jewish Day School.

It's Still Too Good to Sell 
May 6 -  It's the stuff sitcoms are made of. One member of the household puts stuff in the box for the rummage sale, and another thinks it's too good to let go of and puts it away again. Star Cruises, the owner of Pride of Aloha, has had it on the market for sale when it wrapped up its service for NCL America in Hawaii, but NCL has stepped in and decided they will again operate the ship, so it will be chartered back to Norwegian Cruise Lines and returned to service for them under its original name of Norwegian Sky in mid-July. It will also again be registered in the Bahamas with an international crew

Fuel Supplement Increase

Effective for all new bookings on April 21, 2008, the fuel supplement will increase from $5 to $7 per guest, per day (based on double occupancy). In addition, a fuel supplement of $2 per guest per day will apply to third, fourth, and fifth guests.

The fuel supplement was necessitated by significant rises in fuel prices which have dramatically increased Carnival's operating costs. Unfortunately, we could not continue to shoulder this huge cost burden and it was necessary to implement a supplement to partially offset a portion of soaring fuel costs.

Implementing this fuel supplement was a difficult decision and we hope that our guests will understand that this is a necessary step in today's challenging economic environment.

Voluntary Refund

Carnival announced a voluntary refund of the company's fuel supplement on March 31, 2008 for applicable U.S. bookings that were made prior to November 7, 2007 under an agreement with the Florida Attorney General's Office. The fuel supplement, announced November 7, 2007, was applied to all U.S. bookings for voyages departing on or after February 1, 2008.

The company will now refund the fuel supplement for those guests who were already booked at the time the supplement was announced. Refunds for affected guests will be implemented based on cruise departure date according to the following schedule:

For cruises departing on or prior to April 4, 2008, guests will receive a refund in the same form they used to purchase their cruise.

For cruises departing from April 5, 2008 through June 23, 2008, guests will receive an on-board credit.

For cruises departing on or after June 24, 2008, guests' bookings will be adjusted to eliminate the fuel supplement.

Carnival Splendor Offers Array of International Cuisines

The Pinnacle, a reservations-only supper club, will have a glass dance floor suspended over a mini-atrium. Modeled after New York's top steakhouses, The Pinnacle's menu includes a nine-ounce filet, a 14-ounce strip loin, and a 24-ounce porterhouse, along with lobster tail, veal and lamb chops, Dover sole and surf-and-turf with seared lobster and grilled filet mignon. The Pinnacle will also serve dry-aged USDA prime steaks and other dishes.

The main dining rooms, the Golden Pearl and the Black Pearl, offer six appetizers and soups, two salads and six entrees. Broiled lobster tail will be served once each voyage. Additionally, Carnival Classics - a selection of popular appetizers, entrees and desserts - are available daily. Traditional steakhouse accompaniments will be available, such as creamed spinach, wasabi-mashed potatoes and sautéed mushrooms. The Carnival Splendor will also feature a rotisserie on Panorama Deck.

 

 Loyal Princess Passengers Receive New Launch Discounts

 Princess Captain's Circle Members Rewarded with Extra Discount for Early Bookings

  Loyal Princess passengers who book early to reserve their favorite destination and accommodations can now receive extra savings with the line's new Princess Captain's Circle Launch Savings benefit. This new discount offers Circle Members up to $300 off when they make their cruise reservations shortly after new cruise schedules are announced. The program offers one of the industry's best past passenger values, as it can be combined with other promotional fares.

Debuting with summer 2009 itineraries, the savings vary by destination and apply to all cabin categories. The program is offered to Circle Members at all membership levels - Gold, Platinum and Elite. For 2009-2010 departures, Europe and Alaska cruises must be booked by September 30, 2008 and all other destinations must be booked by December 31, 2008.

"We have many loyal past passengers who routinely book their sailings soon after we announce our new schedules," said Jan Swartz, Princess' senior vice president of customer service and sales. "So we created this new discount to offer them extra rewards for their loyalty and for booking their cruises early. And unlike many other cruise industry discounts, these savings apply even if the passenger qualifies for other offers - whether a special group rate or subsequent fare specials."

Once booked, Launch Savings remain in effect, and can be applied to most other subsequent promotions, allowing past passengers to always have the best fares for which they qualify. The savings can be combined with Escape Fares, group rates, regional promotions, and other past passenger discounts.

The Princess Captain's Circle has received acclaim for offering some of the richest loyalty benefits in the cruise industry. Among the many perks available to the most loyal past Princess cruisers are a free mini-bar set up, free Internet packages, free laundry services, priority tender embarkation, complimentary wine tasting, a boutiques discount, and preferred embarkation and disembarkation.

Call CruiseOne for your next Princess cruise and take advantage of this Princess Loyalty Program.

 

Tahitian Princess to be Renamed Ocean Princess 

SANTA CLARITA, Calif.

Tahitian Princess, one of the small ships in the Princess fleet, will be renamed in 2009, becoming Ocean        Princess. The new name is intended to reflect the ship's new deployment on worldwide itineraries. The renaming will take place while the ship is out of service during a routine maintenance period in Singapore in November 2009.

 

Pacific Princess, another of the line's small vessels, will provide cruises from Papeete, Tahiti, where the Tahitian Princess has been based.

Tahitian Princess, along with our other two small ships, has developed a loyal following of passengers who enjoy a more intimate cruise experience, and also the opportunity to visit some off-the-beaten-path destinations," said Jan Swartz, Princess' senior vice president of customer service and sales. "As this ship is now sailing on itineraries around the world, we felt its name should reflect a more global theme."

Tahitian Princess joined the Princess fleet in 2002, and has been primarily deployed on sailings in the South Pacific, particularly French Polynesia and Hawaii. Beginning this summer, the ship sets off on new worldwide deployments, featuring a Connoisseur's cruise in Alaska, a world cruise in early 2009 and a season of unique Northern Europe sailings next summer. Following the 2009 renaming, Ocean Princess will sail on a series of Asia voyages to be announced separately.

 

 2009-2010 Cabin Deposits Reduced to 20%

    Great news for cruisers!

    Princess Cruise Lines... has lowered the cabin deposit requirements for new bookings on summer 2009 voyages and beyond.

Effective immediately, all bookings* will require a deposit of just 20% of the cruise or cruisetour fare, reduced from the previously announced 30% requirement. We understand the challenges of today’s economic environment, and are pleased to make this change to help you close more sales, more easily. The World Cruise deposit will remain at 10% for the initial deposit (see schedule below for full deposit details).

*Excludes the World Cruise and World Cruise segment voyages longer than 44 days. For passengers booking the Full World Cruise or segments longer than 44 days prior to the second deposit date, the deposit will continue to be split into two payments as shown below:

Full World Cruise  and Segments longer  than 44 days 2009 Dawn Princess  World Cruise 2010 Pacific Princess  World Cruise 1st Deposit 10% initial deposit 10% initial deposit 2nd Deposit 20% due December 1, 2008 20% due June 1, 2009

 

Celebrity Schedules Renovation for Galaxy

Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Galaxy will undergo an approximately $4 million makeover during its scheduled dry-dock in Freeport, Bahamas, from April 18 through May 2, 2008. During that time, the ship's two-level main dining room will be completely refurbished, with new contemporary carpeting, reupholstered and newly varnished chairs, new waiter stations, and new floor-to-ceiling columns. The adjacent RendezVous Lounge will be enhanced with new upholstery, as will the Martini Bar. The Celebrity Theater will be completely refurbished, with new carpeting and upholstery throughout.

 

The casual dining and buffet areas will be revitalized with new chairs, carpeting, upholstery and lighting. The neighboring pool deck area will get new teak decking and new glass tiles surrounding the pool. The retail area also will be enhanced, with refurbished jewelry boutiques and brighter, more contemporary new product-display areas throughout. The Stratosphere Lounge -- an observation area by day and dance club by night -- will get new carpets and upholstery. Contemporary new carpeting will be laid in 250 staterooms, and new sinks and upholstery will complement the same work that already has been completed in the balance of the ship's staterooms. Additionally, Celebrity Galaxy's Michael's Club jazz/piano bar already has been entirely refurbished. 

 

 NCL Announces New Wave Staterooms

Norwegian Cruise Line Throws Cruising A Curve

 

 

Today at Aker Yards in France, NCL Corporation revealed the cruise industry's most innovative living space at sea - New Wave Staterooms by NCL. Designed for its next generation of Freestyle Cruising ships, F3, the New Wave standard, New Wave balcony and New Wave deluxe staterooms represent a giant leap forward in cruise ship accommodations with a completely fresh take on bathroom design, contemporary curved architecture and open living space.

"From the introduction of the first Caribbean cruise more than 41 years ago to the launch of Freestyle Cruising in 2000 and beyond, NCL has always blazed a trail of innovation," said Colin Veitch, NCL's president and CEO. "We have thrown away the rule book with the design of F3 and today are revealing the very first element with our New Wave staterooms. Gone are the regimented typical designs and in place are sleek staterooms that are totally outside the box, designed for the needs of tomorrow's guests."

The New Wave staterooms most distinctive design element is its curved walls and lines creating a modern and chic experience. NCL has maximized the living space with a bathroom that is completely unique with a separate shower stall, separate water closet and a modern vanity top sink. The staterooms feature a sophisticated earth-tone palette accented with a splash of color and rich, dark wood. Concealed contour LED lighting and back-lit domed ceilings set a relaxing vibe.

All the amenities and comforts of NCL's Freestyle 2.0 enhancements are included with upgraded bedding, linens and towels, Euro pillows, Elemis bathroom products and MP3 connectivity upon request. Balcony and deluxe staterooms have bathrobes, a customized fruit menu, a fresh-baked cookie at turn down on the last night of cruise, an escort to the stateroom on embarkation day, priority restaurant reservation and reception hotlines and special color keycard for ship-wide recognition.

"Today's announcement is just the first chapter in a series of innovations we will be revealing about our new F3 ships leading up to their launch in 2010," Veitch said. "These ships will further deconstruct the traditional cruise ship experience with innovations in design, accommodations, luxury and entertainment to create a cutting-edge resort vacation experience unlike any other at sea."

  The two 150,000-ton F3 ships will each total 4,200 passenger berths, representing the largest ships in NCL's fleet. The new ship design will offer 60 percent more guest space than NCL's largest ships to date, which will be used to provide guests an even wider range of on-board activities, amenities and stateroom options. The ships' cabin mix will be the richest of any NCL ship with 100 percent of outside staterooms featuring private balconies. In total, each ship will have 1,415 balcony staterooms.

  More details about the F3 ships including other innovative accommodations, public spaces, dining, entertainment/nightlife, cutting-edge technology and casino will be announced leading up to the launch of the first F3 ship in 2010.

NCL Corporation Ltd. is the holding company for various subsidiary companies involved in owning and operating the ships of Norwegian Cruise Line.

NCL is building two new third generation Freestyle Cruising ships for delivery in 2010. NCL today has the youngest fleet in the industry, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy the flexibility of Freestyle Cruising on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea, and has recently added its latest new ship, the 2,400 passenger Norwegian Gem.

 

New cabin styles Interior Cabin

Balcony Cabin

 

 

 Royal Caribbean Offers "My Dining Time"

• Tue, 05/01/2008 - 16:36 — Ron

 

Now that you've reserved your Royal Caribbean cruise, how about enjoying some freedom of choice in your dinner options. On select ships and sailings, we're featuring My Time Dining* in our Main Dining Room. This great new option allows you more flexibility to plan your daily activities. Want to linger awhile at the pool and catch the day's last rays? No problem. Worked up an appetite on a shore excursion and want to dine early? Done. Our My Time Dining option is all about convenience and flexibility. You can choose to dine between 6:00 and 9:30 pm each evening. For your convenience, we will accept reservations once onboard the ship.

Here's some additional information to keep in mind: Dinner is served in the Main Dining Room. It features the same menu as traditional seating and the same impeccable service as traditional seating. You must pre-pay gratuities to participate - this includes tips for your waiter, assistant waiter, head waiter and stateroom attendant. You will not receive a table assignment or permanent table mates. You will have the ability to request a certain waiter. My Time Dining waiters share their gratuities amongst the other waiters; but feel free to reward your waiter with an extra tip for providing excellent service.

You will be seated with the party you arrive with; you can request to be seated with other guests or alone. Once dinner service begins for your table, no additional guests will be seated (to provide you with a smooth, non-disruptive meal). Reservations are recommended in order to avoid a delay in seating. When reserving your cruise, you will need to provide your reservation number and the number of guests participating in the My Time Dining option.

My Time Dining is available on the Brilliance of the Seas from February 22 - July 18, 2008, Freedom of the Seas October 15, 2007 - December 28, 2008 and Serenade of the Seas from March 8 - June 7, 2008.

*My Time Dining is subject to availability, you must prepay your gratuities to participate, and for group reservations My Time Dining is only available for groups of 20 or less.

 

 

Celebrity Schedules Renovation for Galaxy

  

 

Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Galaxy will undergo an approximately $4 million makeover during its scheduled dry-dock in Freeport, Bahamas, from April 18 through May 2, 2008. During that time, the ship's two-level main dining room will completely refurbished, with new contemporary carpeting, reupholstered and newly varnished chairs, new waiter stations, and new floor-to-ceiling columns. The adjacent RendezVous Lounge will be enhanced with new upholstery, as will the Martini Bar. The Celebrity Theater will be completely refurbished, with new carpeting and upholstery throughout.

The casual dining and buffet areas will be revitalized with new chairs, carpeting, upholstery and lighting. The neighboring pool deck area will get new teak decking and new glass tiles surrounding the pool. The retail area also will be enhanced, with refurbished jewelry boutiques and brighter, more contemporary new product-display areas throughout. The Stratosphere Lounge -- an observation area by day and dance club by night -- will get new carpets and upholstery. Contemporary new carpeting will be laid in 250 staterooms, and new sinks and upholstery will complement the same work that already has been completed in the balance of the ship's staterooms. Additionally, Celebrity Galaxy's Michael's Club jazz/piano bar already has been entirely refurbished.

 

Celebrity Cruises Revamps Smoking Policy

  

 

Miami - April 10, 2008 - Cruise enthusiasts may praise the virtues of “sea air,” but to many of them, what matters more is clean air. As more hotels and restaurants worldwide implement stricter smoking policies in order to promote healthier air, Celebrity Cruises also is taking action. Beginning October 1, 2008, guests on Celebrity's ships will enjoy fresher air as a result of a new policy that disallows smoking in Celebrity's staterooms or on stateroom verandas. The policy also will reduce the number of public areas in which guests can smoke onboard.

“We are proud to be the first premium cruise line to set a new standard toward creating an environment of cleaner air on our ships,” said Celebrity Cruises President & CEO Dan Hanrahan. “We pay careful attention to what our guests have to say, and approximately 90 percent of them have told us they are non-smokers. By increasing the number of smoke-free areas onboard while still designating areas for those who smoke, our aim is to make the onboard experience as pleasant as possible for all of our guests.”

The new policy, created after Celebrity polled past guests, will result in a cleaner, fresher and healthier environment on Celebrity's ships. Designated indoor areas where guests can smoke cigarettes include the port side of one lounge per ship and a designated slot machine area in each ship's casino. The new policy also designates outdoor areas where guests can smoke. These include the port side of the pool deck and sundecks on each ship, the port side of the Sunset Bar on Celebrity Century and on Celebrity's Millennium class of ships, and the port side aft outside of Winter Garden on Celebrity Galaxy andCelebrity Mercury. Celebrity's new Solstice class of ships, launching with Celebrity Solstice late this year, will follow the new policy beginning with the first sailing. Celebrity Solstice's Lawn Club and the Sunset Bar at the Lawn Club will not allow smoking. Violations to Celebrity's smoking policy may result in a $250 cleaning fee charged to the guest's onboard account and may also be addressed through the line's guest conduct policy.

 

 

Planning Your Cruise Based On Cruise Line Inventory

 Fri, 04/11/2008 - 02:39 — jparsons

 

 

We have some very important information for you regarding the changes that will occur over the next few years in the cruise industry. These changes have come about due to economics and how the world economy may affect your cruising choices. Obvious changes have occurred already such as fuel surcharges, etc. What we are going to give you is some insider information that will possibly change the way you plan your future cruises.

We are currently researching the inventory count for 2009 worldwide. When we finish this research, we will be reporting how this may affect your planning. We had hoped to have this information completed for you this week, but new information arrived yesterday that affects our computations.

We view our responsibilities here at CruiseOne go way beyond just booking you onto cruises. We are your advocates and our goal has always been to supply with the most valuable, cost effective way to vacation. There will be some unusual and atypical changes occurring in “09.” Ships will be deployed to different regions of the world. The cruise lines have made decisions which will position their inventory to best serve them.

We believe that planning wisely will best serve you. Doing so will allow you to take advantage of pricing changes that will occur due to the overstocking in some regions and under stocking in others.

Even though 2009 is a bit far off at the moment, we are suggesting that this phenomenon that will occur might affect the choice you make for this year's cruise as well. As soon as our research is completed, we will notify you via email as to the results and we will also offer you some insight on how we think you may want to plan the future.

Ron Scavron
         Owner - CruiseOne

 Royal Caribbean Offers "My Dining Time"

 

Now that you've reserved your Royal Caribbean cruise, how about enjoying some freedom of choice in your dinner options. On select ships and sailings, we're featuring My Time Dining* in our Main Dining Room. This great new option allows you more flexibility to plan your daily activities. Want to linger awhile at the pool and catch the day's last rays? No problem. Worked up an appetite on a shore excursion and want to dine early? Done. Our My Time Dining option is all about convenience and flexibility. You can choose to dine between 6:00 and 9:30 pm each evening. For your convenience, we will accept reservations once onboard the ship.

Here's some additional information to keep in mind: Dinner is served in the Main Dining Room. It features the same menu as traditional seating and the same impeccable service as traditional seating. You must pre-pay gratuities to participate - this includes tips for your waiter, assistant waiter, head waiter and stateroom attendant. You will not receive a table assignment or permanent table mates. You will have the ability to request a certain waiter. My Time Dining waiters share their gratuities amongst the other waiters; but feel free to reward your waiter with an extra tip for providing excellent service.

You will be seated with the party you arrive with; you can request to be seated with other guests or alone. Once dinner service begins for your table, no additional guests will be seated (to provide you with a smooth, non-disruptive meal). Reservations are recommended in order to avoid a delay in seating. When reserving your cruise, you will need to provide your reservation number and the number of guests participating in the My Time Dining option.

My Time Dining is available on the Brilliance of the Seas from February 22 - July 18, 2008, Freedom of the Seas October 15, 2007 - December 28, 2008 and Serenade of the Seas from March 8 - June 7, 2008.

*My Time Dining is subject to availability, you must prepay your gratuities to participate, and for group reservations My Time Dining is only available for groups of 20 or less.

 

 

Royal Caribbean to Build 4th Freedom Class Ship

 

Mon, 04/21/2008 - 18:47 — Ron

After acquiring two huge new Genesis-class cruise ships that will dwarf current cruise ships Freedom, Liberty and the soon-to-debut Independence of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is apparently planning to build a fourth Freedom-class vessel.

Aker Yards announced on March 3rd that it has signed a preliminary deal with Royal Caribbean to build the fourth Freedom-class cruise ship for delivery in the second half of 2011.

"The placement of the order is still subject to a number of conditions, including board approval and finalisation of terms and conditions," Aker Yards ASA said in a statement.

Royal Caribbean's decision to buy a fourth Freedom-class ship instead of a larger design will give the cruise line more flexibility in deployment. There currently are a rather limited number of ports that will be able to accommodate Genesis-class vessels.

The Freedom class is currently the largest cruise ship afloat at 160,000 tons and capable of carrying 3,600 guests. The Genesis class ships, first of which will debut in autumn 2009, will run 220,000 tons and carry 5,400 passengers

 

 

Royal Caribbean 2009 European Sailings

 

Wed, 03/19/2008 - 15:43 — Ron

 

 

Brilliance of the Seas will sail alternating 12-night round-trip Mediterranean-Venice and Mediterranean-Greek Isles voyages from Barcelona, Spain between May and November, 2009. From November through December, Brilliance of the Seas will sail 11-night and 12-night Egypt and Eastern Mediterranean voyages from Barcelona. Four-night Spain Pre-Cruisetour packages featuring Madrid and Barcelona are offered on Brilliance of the Seas sailings departing from Barcelona. Packages range from 15- to 16-nights in length.

 

Independence of the Seas will sail various cruise and cruisetour lengths and itineraries, round-trip from Southampton, England. The Europe season will begin with a 4-night Ireland voyage followed by a 10-night Canary Islands voyage. Independence of the Seas will then sail ten alternating 14-night Mediterranean Treasures and Italian Mediterranean voyages, with another 4-night Ireland and 10-night Canary Islands sailing in the mix. Additionally, four 11-night Canary Islands voyages will finish up Independence of the Seas' Europe season. Four-night Paris and London Pre-Cruisetour packages are offered on most Independence of the Seas sailings. Packages range from 14- to 18-nights in length. Independence of the Seas will reposition to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on a 13-night Transatlantic beginning in Southampton on November 23, 2009.

 

Jewel of the Seas begins the European season with a 13-night Transatlantic from Miami, Florida on May 4, 2009. Jewel of the Seas is slated for seven 12-night Scandinavia & Russia round-trip sailings and cruisetours from Harwich, England from late May through August, 2009. Additionally, Jewel of the Seas will sail one 12-night British Isles/Norwegian Fjords cruise and cruisetour round-trip from Harwich, England on June 22, 2009. Four-night Paris and London Pre-Cruisetour packages are offered on most Jewel of the Seas sailings. Packages range from 16- to 17-nights in length. Jewel of the Seas will reposition to Boston, Massachusetts on a 12-night Transatlantic beginning in Harwich on September 2, 2009.

 

Legend of the Seas will begin the Europe season on June 1, 2009 with two alternating itineraries; 12-night Italy & Croatia and 12-night Greece & Eastern Mediterranean voyages and cruisetours, round-trip from Rome, Italy. Legend of the Seas' Europe season ends in mid-October. Five-night Italy Pre-Cruisetour packages featuring Venice, Florence, and Rome are offered on most Legend of the Seas sailings out of Rome, Italy. Packages are 17-nights in length.

 

Navigator of the Seas begins the European season with a 14-night Transatlantic from Miami, Florida on April 16, 2009. Navigator of the Seas then sails a 5/5/4-night pattern (Monday/Saturday/Thursday) round-trip from Barcelona, Spain. These sailings and cruisetours are short Western Mediterranean, short Italian Riviera, and short Riviera Treasures voyages and will run from April 30, 2009 through May, 2009. Beginning in early June, 2009 through September, 2009 Navigator of the Seas will sail alternating 7-night Eastern and Western Mediterranean voyages round-trip from Rome, Italy, departing on Sundays, with one 8-night Western Mediterranean sailing on June 6, 2009. On October 4, 2009, Navigator of the Seas will sail a 6-night open-jaw Western Mediterranean voyage from Rome, Italy to Malaga, Spain. From October 10, 2009, Navigator of the Seas will sail alternating 5-night Short French Riviera and Short Canary Island voyages and cruisetours round-trip from Malaga, Spain until the Europe season ends in early November, 2009. On November 9, 2009, Navigator of the Seas begins a 12-night westbound Transatlantic from Malaga, Spain, to Miami, Florida. Four-night Spain Pre-Cruisetour packages featuring Madrid and Barcelona are offered on most Navigator of the Seas sailings departing from Barcelona, Spain. Packages range from 8- to 12-nights in length. Five-night Italy Pre-Cruisetour packages featuring Venice, Florence, and Rome are offered on most Navigator of the Seas sailings departing from Rome, Italy. Packages range from 11- to 12-nights in length.

 

Splendour of the Seas will begin the European season with a 12-night voyage from Lisbon, Portugal to Venice, Italy departing April 13, 2009. Splendour of the Seas will sail alternating 7-night round-trip voyages and cruisetours from Venice, Italy beginning May 2, 2009 through mid-November, 2009, departing on Saturdays. The two alternating itineraries include Greek Isles and Greek Isles & Turkey. Interspersed with the 7-night pattern, Splendour of the Seas will offer one 6-night Greek Isles voyage round-trip from Venice departing on July 11, 2009 and one 8-night Greek Isles & Turkey voyage on July 17, 2009. At the end of the Europe season, Splendour of the Seas will sail a 10-night open-jaw Mediterranean voyage from Venice, Italy to Lisbon, Portugal on November 21, 2009, and then a 14-night westbound Transatlantic from Lisbon, Portugal to Sao Paulo (Santos), Brazil departing December 1, 2009. Three-night Italian Lakes, Verona, and Venice Pre-Cruisetour packages are offered on most Splendour of the Seas sailings. Packages range from 9- to 13-nights in length.

 

Voyager of the Seas will sail 7-night round-trip Mediterranean voyages and cruisetours from Barcelona, Spain during the majority of her Europe season, May through late November, 2009, departing on Saturdays. Voyager of the Seas will begin the European season with an 11-night Best of Europe voyage from Southampton, England to Barcelona, Spain departing May 13, 2009 and end the season with a 14-night westbound Transatlantic voyage from Barcelona, Spain to Galveston, Texas departing November 29, 2009. Four-night Spain Pre-Cruisetour packages featuring Madrid and Barcelona are offered on most Voyager of the Seas sailings. Packages are 11-nights in length.

 

Please note that some select European Short Baltic or Winter Mediterranean sailings will not be open at this time. We will follow up with information on these ships, dates and itineraries by next month.

 

Celebrity and Azamara to Offer Weddings at Sea

 

04/01/2008 - 14:50 — Ron

 

 

Both Azamara Cruises and Celebrity Cruises ships will soon be offering legal, captain-led wedding ceremonies at sea, beginning later this year. This will complement their existing vow renewal and in-port wedding offerings. The ceremonies will be conducted by the captain's of the vessels.

The ability of the two sister cruise lines to offer weddings is a result of the recent re-registration of seven of Celebrity's eight ships in Malta, where Azamara's two ships also are registered. Maltese government regulations have changed to allow for captains to perform legal marriages while the ships sail the seas of the world. Both cruise lines belong to the Royal Caribbean International family of cruise lines.

Guests to be married at sea by Azamara and Celebrity captains will be offered a variety of packages that include anything from private receptions in their ship's specialty restaurant to cake, champagne, and more. Basic captain-performed wedding packages begin at $2,500.

Guests should book their wedding in advance of their sailing in order to allow time for the processing of licenses and other legal documents.

Additional wedding options include Celebrity's cruisetours to Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge and The Hotel Alyeska. There, guests can be married or renew their vows near the hanging glaciers of the Girdwood Valley or with Mt. McKinley as a backdrop. These ceremonies are available from June to September, as part of a Celebrity Cruises pre- or post-voyage cruisetour.