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Look,
Up In The Sky! Carnival Dream To Offer Amazing High-Energy
Laser Shows. The 15-minute nighttime laser shows
will feature choreographed lasers projecting brilliant
aerial patterns of blue, red and green set to music.
Carnival Cruise Lines’ new 130,000-ton Carnival
Dream will introduce the line’s first outdoor laser
shows that will combine the latest in laser technology
with rock music to provide guests a unique and exciting
nighttime entertainment option. Carnival Dream’s
laser shows will be the first ever for a North America-based
cruise ship. The 15-minute nighttime laser shows will
feature choreographed lasers projecting brilliant aerial
patterns of blue, red and green set to music by popular
artists such as Styx, Rush, Van Halen, Boston and Pink
Floyd. Smoke machines will be used to enhance
the laser light effects in the starry, moonlit sky,
creating an ideal setting for guests to relax on Carnival
Dream’s expansive open deck.
Four all-weather
LaserNet ScannerPro lasers will be positioned high atop
Carnival Dream’s Lido Deck. Each high-wattage laser
will be independently computer controlled using Pangolin
Laser Designer software that synchronizes the lasers
in perfect time with the music, which will be amplified
by the 70,000-watt sound system of the ship’s Seaside
Theatre LED screen. The Seaside Theatre’s jumbo-sized
monitor will also display custom-designed graphics and
original music videos of the various artists played
during the show.
“The idea of a spectacular
laser show set to high-energy music from the deck of
a cruise ship is truly unique and will provide Carnival
Dream guests with a memorable, one-of-a-kind entertainment
experience that they can’t find anywhere else,”
said Roger Blum, Carnival’s vice president of cruise
programming.
Carnival Dream’s new laser
shows are just one of a wide range of entertainment
choices available aboard the magnificent 3,646-passenger
vessel. Last week, the line announced that Carnival
Dream will house the fleet’s first comedy club,
with comedians performing 24 shows each voyage in the
425-seat Burgundy Lounge. Other options include three
lavish production shows in Encore!, an elegant 1,400-seat
theater, along with solo musicians on Promenade Deck
and a host of live music venues.
Carnival
Dream guests are sure to enjoy Sam’s, a lively
piano bar featuring rollicking sing-a-longs, and Caliente,
a pulsating dance club with a high-tech sound and lighting
system. Exclusive to the Carnival Dream will be Ocean
Plaza, a stunning indoor/outdoor café/entertainment
venue that will showcase bands playing a variety of
music genres. Ocean Plaza also will host art, photo
and spa seminars, scrapbooking classes, magicians and
jugglers, trivia contests and more. Carnival Dream also
will feature an acrobatic troupe called Fun Force, which
will entertain guests in Ocean Plaza and at various
venues around the ship.
Carnival Dream is set
to debut Sept. 21, 2009, with the first of three 12-day
Grand Mediterranean cruises operating round-trip from
Rome, followed by a 16-day trans-Atlantic crossing from
Rome (Civitavecchia) to New York Oct. 27- Nov. 12.
From New York, Carnival Dream will operate two 8-day
Bahamas/Florida cruises departing Nov. 15 and 23, then
reposition to Port Canaveral, Fla., for a special 9-day
Caribbean cruise departing Dec. 3. Carnival Dream will
launch year-round 7-day Caribbean service from Port
Canaveral, Dec. 12, 2009. For additional information
and reservations, contact SevenSeasTravel Toll FREE
at 800-608-7777.
Queen
Mary 2 Delivers Historic Wedgwood Masterpiece, the Gift
Between Nations, to the United States. In honour
of Wedgwood’s 250th anniversary, the Gift Between
Nations will be on display at Macy’s Herald Square
in New York City before moving to Washington, D.C.
Cunard Line’s flagship Queen Mary 2 delivered
a historic item upon her arrival in New York this morning:
Wedgwood’s Gift Between Nations. The unique, large-scale
model of the world famous Washington Monument was created
by the iconic British pottery company in commemoration
of their 250th anniversary, and celebrates the long
and illustrious links between the two great nations.
Following a formal presentation to Queen Mary 2’s
Commodore Bernard Warner in Southampton, England on
29 August, the masterpiece was transported aboard the
ship’s six-day Transatlantic Crossing en route
to New York. Lord Piers Wedgwood arrived with the Gift
this morning and will be on hand during the fall tour,
which includes a prominent display in the famed Macy's
Herald Square store in New York City later this month
before its onward journey to Washington, D.C.
It
will be a focal point of a much anticipated anniversary
exhibition hosted by the Daughters of the American Revolution
in their magnificent building situated between the White
House and the Washington Monument, and will ultimately
be presented to and reside in the White House.
“We are honoured to be a part of this momentous
occasion and look forward to continuing our historic
partnership with Wedgwood,” said Commodore Warner.
“Here’s to another 250 years!”
“It is with our esteemed pleasure that we present
this Gift Between Nations to the United States of America
on our 250th anniversary year. We are delighted to showcase
the amazing craftsmanship of our company along with
the great heritage of our two nations,” said Lord
Piers Wedgwood, executive director, Waterford Wedgwood
PLC. This special event helps illustrate the longstanding
relationship between Cunard and Wedgwood, with an unmatched
lineage of trade and commerce for the two companies
across the Atlantic.
Princess
Ships Start Plugging Into Shore Power at Port of Vancouver.
Island Princess Inaugurates New Canada Place Facility
to Reduce Air Emissions.
Island Princess helped
inaugurate the Port of Vancouver’s new shore power
facility by turning off its engines and instead “plugging
in” to clean hydroelectric power from shore. The
new shore power technology at the Canada Place cruise
ship terminal enables Princess Cruises’ ships,
and other equipped vessels, to use power from the city’s
grid instead of the onboard diesel-powered engines,
reducing emissions when docking in Vancouver.
The port becomes the third in the world where
Princess Cruises’ ships can take advantage of this
innovative technology. The new shore power installation
is the very first use of this technology in Canada and
is the result of a $9 million cooperative partnership
among Port Metro Vancouver, Transport Canada, Western
Economic Diversification Canada, British Columbia Ministry
of Transportation and Infrastructure, British Columbia
Hydro, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises.
"We’ve been committed to shore power
for many years, so we’re pleased we can now ‘plug
in’ our ships at Port Metro Vancouver," said
Charlie Ball, president of Princess Tours. "We
know that local air quality issues are important to
the community, and we’re proud to join with all
those involved in realizing this important environmental
initiative."
Princess’ shore power
program made history when it debuted in Juneau, Alaska
in the summer of 2001. It expanded to Seattle in summer
2005 and is planned to roll out in other ports that
have made commitments to the technology, including Los
Angeles and San Francisco. Currently nine of the line’s
ships are outfitted with the capability to "plug
in" to a shoreside power source.
Four
Princess ships will use shore power in Vancouver during
the remainder of the 2009 Alaska season. The vessels
– Coral Princess, Diamond Princess, Island Princess
and Sapphire Princess – sail on seven-day Gulf
of Alaska cruises. To create this unique power system,
Princess has outfitted its ships with custom-built connection
cabinets that connect the ship’s electrical network
to the local electrical system ashore. Since 2001, Princess
has invested nearly $7 million in equipment alone to
enable its vessels to connect to shore power.
The ships currently equipped with this technology
include: Coral Princess, Dawn Princess, Diamond
Princess, Golden Princess, Island Princess, Sapphire
Princess, Sea Princess, Star Princess, Sun Princess.
Also known as cold ironing, shore power uses electrical
power transmitted from a landside transformer to the
vessel via four 3½-inch diameter flexible electrical
cables. The actual cable connection on a vessel is a
traditional, though quite large, plug and socket. The
length of time needed to connect a ship to shore power
and shut down the vessel’s diesel generator is
approximately 40 minutes. Once connected, the ship’s
engines are powered down and, simultaneously, the necessary
amount of power, provided by BC Hydro, will be used
to run the ship’s services while in port.
Holland
America Line’s ms Zaandam to Navigate The Hawaiian
Islands in Fall 2010. Nestled between two stretches
of sea days are back-to-back calls at Hawaii, Oahu,
Kauai & Maui - plus a call at Ensenada, Mexico.
Holland America Line’s ms Zaandam is set to
discover the Hawaiian Island chain in 2010 with Circle
Hawaii itineraries that offer guests the best of both
worlds: luxuriously relaxing days at sea and exotic
islands to explore. The 1,432-passenger ship will sail
five 14 Day roundtrip San Diego, Calif., cruises and
one 15 Day voyage from Vancouver, British Colombia,
to San Diego. The sailings are from October through
December 2010.
Nestled between two stretches
of sea days are back-to-back calls at Hawaii, Oahu,
Kauai and Maui - plus a call at Ensenada, Mexico-
before returning to San Diego. Included in the Hawaii
cruise roster is a holiday sailing departing Dec.19.
“Our Hawaiian itineraries combine the appeal of
warm-water cruising and a port-intensive Pacific island
experience,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive
vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs,
Holland America Line. “Guests will have time to
enjoy our shipboard amenities and activities, and the
convenience of visiting four ports in four days without
multiple flights or the packing and unpacking associated
with island hopping.”
Departing Sundays
from San Diego, guests will have several relaxing days
at sea before arriving at Hawaii. During this time,
they can enjoy a day at the Greenhouse Spa, channel
their inner chef at the Culinary Arts Center for a hands-on
cooking class or attend a Digital Workshop powered by
Windows® to learn how to share memorable photos taken
on the voyage. The Speaker Series offers exciting insights
into upcoming ports and includes destination-related
topics such as Polynesian music and dance traditions.
The first port call is to Hilo on the big
island of Hawaii where guests can visit one of Hawaii’s
best-known landmarks - Kilauea Volcano - with its impressive
molten lava flows. Other highlights include world-class
botanical gardens and the awe-inspiring Akaka Falls.
As Zaandam makes it way to Honolulu, the state capital,
guests can enjoy an evening at the Polynesian Cultural
Centers or other Hawaiian must-dos: whale watching,
a traditional Hawaiian luau, a stroll down Waikiki beach
or even surfing. For a more reflective view into Hawaii’s
past, guests can visit the USS Arizona Memorial from
World War II.
On route to Nawiliwili, Kauai,
cruisers are in for spectacular views as Zaandam sails
along the island’s dramatic Na Pali Coast. Upon
reaching Nawiliwili guests can visit Waimea Canyon (the
Grand Canyon of the Pacific) or get an aerial view of
the island on a helicopter tour. Thrill-seekers can
book a zipline tour through the forest canopy for a
unique perspective of the island’s inspiring natural
setting. At Lahaina, Maui, guests can explore the stunning
beaches and a magnificent volcano, or spend the day
shopping at chic boutiques and galleries.
Those sailing on the 15-day voyage departing Oct. 2
have an added call at Kona, once known as the playground
of Hawaii's royalty. Kona is synonymous with the famous
coffee that grows on the slopes of dormant Hualalai
volcano, a definite must-see for coffee aficionados.
Another highlight of this longer voyage is an evening
scenic cruise past the famous Kilauea volcano. Cruise
fares begin at $1,499 per person for the full 14-day
Circle Hawaii and $1,699 per person for the 15-day voyage.
Cunard
Line Appoints Master for New Queen Elizabeth. Captain
Christopher Wells to assume command of Cunard's newest
Queen.
Captain Christopher Wells has been appointed
Master of Cunard Line’s new 90,000-ton liner, Queen
Elizabeth, which will enter service in October 2010.
Captain Wells joined Cunard as second officer on Queen
Elizabeth 2 in 1992. Captain Wells was born and brought
up in Bournemouth, England. His love of the sea developed
when he learned to sail in Poole Harbour and resulted
in his commencing a four-year cadetship with Shell Tankers
at Warsash College in 1974. He qualified as a second
officer in 1978 and obtained his Master's certificate
in 1985. He served with Shell for 16 years.
He also found time in 1986 to join the Royal Naval Reserve.
He still undertakes two weeks' training with the RNR
each year, and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant
Commander in 1994. “It is a well deserved honour
for Captain Wells to be appointed Master of Queen Elizabeth,"
said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “His
experience on our longest serving ship QE2, and our
flagship Queen Mary 2, will ensure that guests on our
newest ship will enjoy all of the same famous traditions
offered by Cunard Line.”
After joining
Cunard and QE2, Captain Wells worked his way through
the ranks to become staff captain. He later joined Queen
Mary 2’s New Build Team and spent 18 months at
the St. Nazaire shipyard. Having seen the ship develop
from the beginning and bringing her into service as
staff captain, Wells was extremely proud when appointed
to the command of Queen Mary 2 last year.
Queen
Elizabeth, currently under construction at the Monfalcone
yard in Trieste, Italy, will be a classic Cunarder,
offering the very best of Cunard heritage and tradition
along with all of the modern luxuries Cunard guests
have come to expect. She will join her sister ships
Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria next year, ensuring
one of the oldest shipping lines in business has the
youngest fleet in the world.
Commenting on
his new appointment, Captain Wells said, “Bringing
Queen Elizabeth into her British homeport of Southampton
will be one of the proudest moments of my life, and
I very much hope that the people of Southampton and
beyond will take the ship to their hearts as they have
done with all the Cunard Queens since Queen Mary was
launched in 1934. Queen Elizabeth certainly will follow
in that great tradition." Captain Wells lives in
Barnham, West Sussex, with his wife Hedda, whom he met
on QE2, and three children.
Holland
America Line Extends 114 Day 2010 Grand World Voyage
to 128 Days with Roundtrip from Los Angeles. Guests
can combine the 14 day Holiday cruise departing Los
Angeles, Dec.23, 2009, with Jan. 6, 2010, Grand World
Voyage. Select segment itineraries include special cruise-and-air
fares.
Holland America Line’s flagship
ms Amsterdam will usher in 2010 with a 128 day round-trip
Los Angeles, Grand Holiday-and-World Voyage featuring
13 overnight calls - the most ever offered by the line.
Forty-five ports of call showcase some of the world’s
most remote and exotic regions including South America,
Africa, India the Far East and scenic cruising in Antarctica.
An optional 14-day holiday cruise, when combined with
the 114-day Grand World Voyage, creates the 128-day
roundtrip sailing from Los Angeles, departing Dec. 23,
2009. The voyage begins with calls in Mexico and Central
America, including a transit of the Panama Canal.
“Guests on Grand World Voyages seek an immersive
experience, and the 2010 itinerary creates an enriching
voyage,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive
vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs,
Holland America Line. “By adding the 14 day holiday
roundtrip Los Angeles sailing to the Grand World Voyage,
guests can enjoy a relaxing holiday and festive start
of their Grand World Voyage.”
Guests wishing
to sail after the holidays can embark Jan. 6, 2010,
at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on a 114 day World Voyage.
Amsterdam will sail the Panama Canal for a daylight
transit of the man-made wonder before beginning its
southbound exploration of Central and South America.
Three overnight stays enable guests to explore Fuerte
Amador ( Panama City), Panama; Callao (Lima), Peru,
and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Other southbound calls
include Manta, Ecuador; Callao Peru; Arica, Coquimbo,
Valparaiso, Isla Robinson Crusoe and Puerto Montt, Chile.
As Amsterdam approaches the tip of South America, guests
will enjoy scenic cruising past Darwin Channel, Chilean
Fjords, Amalia Glacier, Canal Sarmiento and Strait of
Magellan before calling at Punta Arenas, Chile. More
scenic cruising follows of Cockburn and Beagle channels,
a series of glaciers and Ushuaia, Argentina, before
the actual rounding of Cape Horn.
The itinerary
then takes a turn toward the ultimate southern destination
- Antarctica, which includes the Wilhelm Archipelago,
South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Sound. After the
three-day Antarctic experience, Amsterdam sails to Stanley
, Falkland Islands; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Montevideo,
Uruguay, where it departs on the trans-Atlantic leg
of the cruise.
Amsterdam crosses to Africa to call
at Walvis Bay and Lüderitz , Namibia , before heading
to South Africa for an overnight at Cape Town and calls
at Port Elizabeth and Durban. Upon reaching the Indian
Ocean, guests will overnight at Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles
, then head to India for overnights in Mumbai and Marmagoa
before setting off to Port Kelang, Malaysia.
Next, an intense exploration of the Far East begins,
including overnight calls in Singapore, Republic of
Singapore; Hong Kong; Xingang (Beijing), China; and
Kobe (Osaka) and Yokohama (Tokyo), Japan. Additional
calls include Sihanoukville (Kampong Som), Cambodia
; Phu My (Ho Chi Min City) and Halong Bay, Vietnam;
Shanghai, China; Cheju City, South Korea; and Kagoshima
and Hakodate, Japan. Before heading back to North America,
guests will experience Petropavlovsk, Russian Federation,
and gain a day when they cross the International Date
Line.
Guests then have the option of disembarking
in Vancouver , B.C., April 25, or Seattle , Wash., April
26, or continuing on to Los Angeles. The Grand World
Voyage features three special celebrity-guest speakers
- former television news anchor Sam Donaldson (March
28 through April 1), biographer Kitty Kelley (Jan. 28
through Feb. 7) and Grammy Award–winning musician
Doc Severinsen and El Ritmo de la Vida (Jan. 6 through
11).
Reservations are now open for all four
2010 Holland America Line Grand Voyages, with a variety
of early-booking bonus amenities offered to full-cruise
guests. Depending upon the category booked, guests who
book by Sept. 30, 2009, may enjoy shipboard credits
up to $1,000 per person, an exclusive shore event, liquor
service, complimentary luggage delivery service to and
from gateways, pre-paid service charges and welcome-aboard
champagne. Cruise fares begin at $17,999 per person
for the full 128-day Grand World Voyage.
New
holiday segments of Grand World Voyage, a 47-day Los
Angeles to Buenos Aires and a 61-day Los Angeles to
Cape Town , also are available for booking and include
airfare from select West Coast gateways and select East
Coast and Central cities for $200 more. The special
cruise-and-air fares for the 47-day segment begin at
$7,299 and for the 61-day segment at $9,299. For a cruise
brochure or for more information on Holland America
Line’s Grand Voyages call SevenSeasTravel.com today.
Celebrity
Cruises Artfully Presents 'The Essence of Equinox'.
Art collection on new Celebrity Equinox includes pieces
from Celebrity Galaxy.
An industry trendsetter
in presenting permanent, seagoing collections of museum-quality
contemporary art, Celebrity Cruises continues its tradition
aboard the new Celebrity Equinox with "The Essence
of Equinox," a collection of nearly 500 original
works. "We are thrilled to continue Celebrity's
tradition of offering our guests the opportunity to
experience and appreciate art of a caliber rarely seen
outside of museums, art galleries and rare private collections,"
said Celebrity's President and CEO Dan Hanrahan. "This
incredible series beautifully and impactfully complements
the ship's inspiring style and design."
Together
with International Corporate Art - an art consultancy
based in Miami, London and Oslo - Celebrity developed
a curatorial concept for Celebrity Equinox embodied
in "the essence of equinox," where balance,
harmony and the principle of "yin-yang" (the
existence of opposing elements to create equilibrium)
were the driving force behind the selection. With an
eye to both quality and beauty, Celebrity's platform
for the concept is evident from the varied blend of
media, artists and images juxtaposed throughout the
ship.
Comprised of new acquisitions from a combination
of internationally established, mid-career and emerging
artists, the art collection on Celebrity Equinox also
features a selection of works from the lauded collection
that graced Celebrity Galaxy prior to the ship's transition
to the TUI Cruises fleet earlier this year.
In its entirety, the collection on Celebrity Equinox
represents a scope of work created by some of the world's
most iconic artists, with many hailing from Europe and
Latin America. Within the collection are abstract expressionist
works by Joan Mitchell and John Chamberlain; pop art
masterpieces by Roy Lichtenstein; humorous urban life
observations by Red Groom; colorful geometric designs
by Sol LeWitt; organic abstractions by Terry Winter;
abstract, cartoon images by Carroll Dunham and Donald
Baechler; landscape photography by Andreas Gursky; comical
arrangements of figurines by Liliana Porter; digitally-manipulated
photographic images by Grazia Tolderi; collaged portraits
by John Stezaker and Jack Pierson; sculptures by Johan
Creten and Marina Abramovic; and works by Parisian Louise
Bourgeois, influential German painter Gerard Richter,
and the provocative Young British Artist (YBA) Damien
Hirst.
Celebrity also commissioned two bold,
site-specific installations on Celebrity Equinox. The
installation by Argentinean duo Roberto Behar and Rosario
Marquardt consists of an enormous, suspended vase -
dotted with more than 500,000 Swarovski crystals - holding
a live, 18-foot-tall tree in the upper portion of the
ship's sweeping Grand Foyer. The stunning creation is
paired with a sparkling display of the maxim "Here
Comes the Sun" spanning four decks.
In "Still
Life for Leisure," the second commissioned installation,
Los Angeles-based Jose Pardo, known for emphasizing
social interaction as art, transforms Celebrity Equinox's
Ensemble Lounge vestibule into a site for relaxation,
with a minimal cushioned bench and other furnishings
set amidst a blend of color and light. "The entire
collection on Celebrity Equinox is yet another vivid
example of our dedication to enhancing the onboard experience
for our guests with unique and stimulating works of
art," said Hanrahan.
Guests sailing on Celebrity
Equinox will enjoy a resort-like experience at sea through
the brand-defining, industry-first attributes also found
on Celebrity Solstice, including the industry's first
Lawn Club, a half-acre country-club atmosphere featuring
real, growing grass; 10 dining venues including several
created by noted hospitality designer Adam Tihany, and
all featuring menus pairing classic and contemporary
selections created by noted chef, restaurateur and Celebrity's
Vice President of Culinary Operations Jacques Van Staden;
AquaClass, the line's spa-inspired staterooms offering
exclusive access to the Mediterranean-influenced specialty
restaurant, "Blu"; the industry's first Hot
Glass Show at sea, presented in collaboration with The
Corning Museum of Glass; larger, more intuitive staterooms
influenced by a panel of five "boomer" women
with unique travel and hospitality insights, and widely
varied entertainment, including spectacular new shows
in partnership with Poet Theatricals.
Celebrity
Cruises offers comfortably sophisticated, upscale vacation
experiences with highly personalized service, exceptional
dining, and extraordinary attention to detail. Celebrity
sails in Alaska, California, Canada/New England, the
Caribbean, Europe, Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, the Pacific
Coast, Panama Canal and South America. The line also
offers unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Canada,
Europe and South America. Noted for four of the top
10 "Top Cruise Ships in the World" in the
large-ship category, as voted by the readers of Conde
Nast Traveler (February 2009 readers' poll), Celebrity's
fleet, including Celebrity Solstice, is joined by Celebrity
Equinox this year, Celebrity Eclipse in 2010, a fourth
Solstice-class ship in 2011, and a fifth in 2012.
Regent
Seven Seas Cruises Announces Full Year Program for 2010.
RSSC programs continue to offer a truly diverse collection
of luxury cruise options.
Regent
Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC) announced the line’s
full 2010 cruise program on its three luxury all-suite
ships: the 700-guest Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas
Mariner, and the 490-guest Seven Seas Navigator.
More Inclusive than Ever: 2-for-1 Fares,
Free Air and Free Unlimited Shore Excursions
Making its product even more enticing than ever before,
RSSC now offers 2-for-1 fares, free roundtrip airfare
and free unlimited shore excursions on all 2010 departures.
By adding these valuable amenities to a product that
already includes all soft drinks, fine wines, premium
spirits, onboard gratuities and governmental fees and
taxes, Regent now offers the most inclusive cruise product
ever offered by a luxury line. "This is a truly
exciting announcement for us," said Mark Conroy,
President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. "We are
basically offering our discerning world travelers the
opportunity to purchase almost every element of their
cruise vacation upfront to ensure a hassle-free, relaxed
vacation at sea and ashore that they can enjoy in the
luxury and style of a Regent experience," he added.
Limited Time Offer: Additional Savings
up to $1,000 per person
Additional savings
of up to $1000 per person are available for those booking
and depositing a 2010 Regent cruise by September 30,
2009.
Global Deployment in 2010
Varying in length from 7-night cruises in favorite cruise
areas such as Alaska, Europe and the Caribbean to an
around-the-world Grand Voyage of 119 nights, the 2010
RSSC programs continue to offer a truly diverse collection
of luxury cruise options, living up to its brand promise
of Luxury Goes Exploring® . A total of 92 cruise departures
encompass every major cruise area of the world: Asia;
Antarctica; Australia/New Zealand; the South Pacific;
India; Arabia; East, South and West Africa; North and
South America; Northern Europe; the Mediterranean; Mexico,
the Panama Canal and the Caribbean; and Alaska. Highlights
of the 2010 program include:
Four Grand
Voyages
Continuing the tradition of
offering extended voyages in the winter and fall, RSSC
will offer the following Grand Voyages in 2010:
Seven Seas Voyager will offer a 119-night World
Cruise (RSSC’s 10th such voyage) departing San
Diego on January 14, following an exclusive performance
for full World Cruise guests by America’s favorite
TV comic Jay Leno and rock ‘n roll icons The Beach
Boys. The voyage can be purchased in its four-month
entirety, or in five shorter segments from 14 to 35
nights. The World Cruise is a global circumnavigation,
crossing the Pacific Ocean to Australia via French Polynesia
and various South Pacific islands; continuing to Singapore
via Indonesia; on to Hong Kong via Brunei, the Philippines
and mainland China; sailing West via Vietnam, Thailand,
Malaysia, the Maldives, Seychelles and East and South
Africa; and finally returning home to Fort Lauderdale
via various stops in West Africa (maiden calls for RSSC),
and then transatlantic to the Caribbean and Turks &
Caicos islands.
Seven Seas Mariner will operate
a 65-night Circle South America cruise roundtrip Fort
Lauderdale, departing January 10. The Grand Voyage can
be purchased as a 2-month odyssey or in three shorter
segments from 14 to 30 nights. The voyage starts with
a two-week Caribbean and Panama Canal cruise from Fort
Lauderdale to Lima, Peru, followed by a month-long cruise
through the Chilean fjords and around Cape Horn (with
a special first-time visit to Antarctica by an all-suite
Regent ship) to the Falkland Islands, Buenos Aires and
Rio de Janeiro; ending with a three-week cruise home
via the Amazon River (up to Manaus) and North through
the Caribbean to Fort Lauderdale.
A Grand Asia
Pacific cruise of 96 nights will be offered on Seven
Seas Navigator departing Anchorage, Alaska on September
15. The voyage can be purchased in its three-month entirety,
or in five shorter segments from 15 to 22 nights. The
voyage starts with a northern transpacific crossing
from Alaska to Beijing, via Japan; a three-week journey
to Thailand via Shanghai, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Vietnam;
another three-week voyage to Sydney via Singapore, Indonesia
and the North and East coasts of Australia; a two-week
journey from Australia and Tasmania to the South and
North islands of New Zealand; ending with a three-week
transpacific crossing to San Francisco via Tonga, Samoa
and Hawaii.
Finally, a 75-night Discovery Collection
voyage on Seven Seas Mariner departing Istanbul on October
21. The voyage can be purchased in its entirety or in
four shorter segments of 14 to 25 nights. The voyage
starts from Turkey, the Eastern Mediterranean and the
Holy Land, through the Suez Canal and Red Sea to the
Arabian Gulf and the United Arab Emirate of Dubai; continuing
with an Indian Ocean odyssey via India, the Seychelles,
Mauritius, Reunion and South Africa; followed by a two-week
southern transatlantic crossing from Cape Town to Rio
de Janeiro via Namibia and St. Helena; ending with a
Christmas and New Year’s cruise through Brazil
and the Caribbean to Fort Lauderdale.
Shorter
Programs and Traditional Favorites
In
addition to the Grand Voyages, RSSC will continue to
offer more standard cruise programs in traditional cruise
areas:
Following the World Cruise, Seven
Seas Voyager makes a northern transatlantic crossing
to Southampton, England via the northeastern US and
Canadian seaboard and Reykjavik, Iceland. This is followed
by a series of 7 to 14-night cruises to the Baltic and
Russia in the summer months, punctuated by a 15-night
cruise through the Norwegian fjords to the Arctic Circle.
For the fall, Seven Seas Voyager moves south to the
Mediterranean for five 10 to 14-night cruises before
sailing transatlantic to Fort Lauderdale for four Caribbean
cruises from South Florida.
After the Circle
South America Grand Voyage, Seven Seas Mariner sails
eastbound transatlantic for a full season of Mediterranean
cruises of 7 to 12 nights in length featuring the highlights
of the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, with voyages
beginning or ending in Monte Carlo, Rome, Athens, Venice
or Istanbul. Seven Seas Navigator operates a series
of 7 to 11-night cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico and
Central America during the winter months, followed by
a full season of 7-night Alaska cruises between Vancouver
and Anchorage during the summer.
A
Refurbished Fleet of Ultra-Luxury, Medium-Sized Ships
Following a major refurbishment program involving a
total investment of around $70 million, the three-ship
ultra-luxury fleet of Regent Seven Seas is at the forefront
of luxury cruising. Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas
Mariner emerged in early 2009 from extensive refurbishment,
and Seven Seas Navigator will receive a transformational
makeover during a 22-night dry-docking in January 2010.
In addition to offering the largest lead-in suites at
sea (minimum size 301 square feet), RSSC offers the
highest percentage of private balconies of any cruise
line, including the world’s only all-suite, all-balcony
ships. All of Regent’s award-winning suite accommodations
feature walk-in closets and marble-appointed bathrooms.
Combined with the highly professional, friendly service,
the exclusive enrichment and entertainment programs,
stellar cuisine with up to four dining venues, and the
all-inclusive product, RSSC offers the luxury cruise
traveler a relaxing vacation that is second to none.
Expanded Butler Service
Enhancing
yet another level of luxury to the fleet, starting in
2010 Butler service will be expanded to include guests
accommodated in suite category C and above (currently
B and above). This change will add 85 Butler suites
for a new total of 290 fleet-wide (113 on Seven Seas
Voyager, 92 on Seven Seas Mariner, and 85 on Seven Seas
Navigator), representing over 30% of the total suites
available.
Celebrity
Cruises Launches "Celebrity Life" - Redefining
the onboard experience to create lasting memories for
guests. Life has always been good on a Celebrity
Cruises vacation, and today, the brand announced a new
program that will make it even better.
Celebrity
Cruises today announced "Celebrity Life,"
a new series of palate-pleasing, intellectually-enriching
and life-enhancing programs designed to deliver the
most unique and sophisticated onboard experience in
premium cruising. Built on long-established pillars
of the Celebrity brand - dining, enrichment, and wellness
- Celebrity Life encompasses three distinct program
categories: "Savor," "Discover,"
and "Renew." "Celebrity Cruises has always
been committed to offering the best vacation experience
for discerning travelers," said Celebrity Cruises
Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.
"Celebrity Life will provide our guests with an
array of experiences they will remember long after they
sail with us, thanks to the delivery and dedication
of our spectacular crew across the fleet."
"Savor" takes an already stellar culinary
experience to new heights, with eight new wine enrichment
events, six spirits and mixology tastings, and more
than seven different interactive programs for guests,
hosted by the ship's Executive Chef and team. "Discover"
presents an opportunity for guests to do or learn what
they have always wanted to try, but never had time to
accomplish. Whether it's ordering a bottle of Chianti
in Italian, or exploring the universe in 40 minutes,
guests can delve into a wide variety of interests. "Renew"
offers an improved, more goal-oriented approach to classes,
seminars, and treatments designed to help guests on
their journey to looking younger, feeling better and
living longer.
SAVOR THE MOMENT
Shaped by the line's award-winning chef, restaurateur
and Vice President of Culinary Operations Jacques Van
Staden, the Savor series will encompass three programs
centered around Celebrity Cruises' industry-leading
food and beverage programming: "Celebrity Vineyards,"
"Signature Spirits" and "Food as Art."
The "Celebrity Vineyards" wine enrichment
program, developed in partnership with the United States
Sommelier Association, will feature a host of immersive
wine events providing guests the opportunity to expand
their understanding and appreciation of the fascinating
world of wine. Among the varied activities are the comparative
wine workshops Celebrity introduced in 2007, sanctioned
by the renowned Riedel Crystal.
Celebrity's
"Signature Spirits" events will help unleash
guests' "inner mixologist" as they explore
the modern world of spirits and cocktails during exclusive
"Mixology 101" workshops developed in partnership
with Bacardi. The Signature Spirits events also will
offer the opportunity to experience the industry's first
"Molecular Mixology" workshop developed by
"The Liquid Chef," world-renowned Master Mixologist
Junior Merino.
Celebrity's immersive "Food
as Art" culinary arts program also includes highly
interactive and participatory cooking shows. Led by
a variety of Celebrity's shipboard chefs, the program
allows guests to serve as sous chefs in "Star Chef
Cooking Competitions," and to participate in exclusive
behind-the-scenes tours to watch the teams in Celebrity's
galleys actively preparing delectable desserts, fresh-baked
breads and a seemingly endless array of entrees. The
Food as Art program also will surprise and delight vacationers
with a special lineup of guest chefs who will set sail
with Celebrity over the course of the year.
DANCE...DISCUSS…DISCOVER
A highlight
of Celebrity Life's "Discover" series is the
opportunity to learn a new language through Celebrity's
industry-first alliance with Rosetta Stone®. Through
this new partnership, over the course of just one sailing,
either self-taught or hosted, guests can gain a working
knowledge of their choice from among 13 languages.
Celebrity's "Beyond the Podium" enrichment
series, as its name implies, will offer guests far more
than the typical enrichment lecture. The series will
be highlighted by the brand's new association with Smithsonian
Journeys, the educational travel program of the renowned
Smithsonian Institution, which is the world's largest
museum complex and research organization. Guests on
select sailings will have the opportunity to gain deep,
new insight from Smithsonian Journeys' globally recognized
experts as they speak with Celebrity guests about a
vast array of topics, including history, culture, art
and architecture, and the natural environment.
Meanwhile, iPod addicts can learn new iTunes tips and
tricks while onboard, and novice and experienced computer
users alike can boost their technological prowess through
Celebrity's "digITal" series, with courses
ranging from Photoshop and Windows XP primers, to BlackBerry
tips and blog creation.
Stargazers will be
inspired to stare skyward as they learn about astronomy,
telescope tips, and even celestial navigation through
Celebrity's new alliance with Stargeezer, a program
devoted to educating consumers about astronomy in user-friendly
fashion. Celebrity guests also will be invited to gaze
at the night skies out on deck during special stargazers'
parties and "star hunts" designed to identify
the evening's brightest constellations and planets.
Dance enthusiasts can share the stage with Celebrity's
own professional dancers during itinerary-influenced,
interactive productions whose themes include "Sizzle,"
"Groove," "Decco," and "Flava."
Additionally, in partnership with Skyy Vodka, Celebrity
Solstice and Celebrity Equinox will present "Live
@ Sky" in the two ships' Sky Observation Lounge.
In addition to participating in cultural, world
and ballroom dance classes, guests also will have the
opportunity to compete in the "Everybody Dance"
competition, culminating in a vote for "star"
dance champions on every sailing. To learn how to creatively
preserve photos of their impressive new dance moves,
or the picturesque places they visited during their
cruise, guests can participate in Celebrity's new courses
offered through the line's unique partnership with the
StoryTellersClub, designed to guide guests through the
process of creating valuable keepsakes of their cruise
vacation memories.
TO RENEW YOU
Celebrity Life's new health and wellness program called
"Renew" offers an expansion of spa and wellness
services designed to help guests feel better, live longer,
and look younger. Redefining the spa experience with
an innovative range of beauty and wellness options for
Celebrity guests, Renew offers three areas of enrichment
within the program: "Ageless," "Energy,"
and "Longevity," each with its own slate of
treatment selections, seminars and workshops. Guests
can participate in motivating classes, a variety of
seminars, and also experience results-driven spa or
fitness treatments created for each series within the
program.
Within the Ageless series are informative
seminars focused on skin renewal and youth-enhancing
lifestyle tips, in addition to medi-spa cosmetic services
such as BOTOX® Cosmetic, Restylane® and Perlane®, and
a selection of anti-aging facials, including a 24-karat
gold facial available on the fleet's latest ship, Celebrity
Equinox, to target fine lines and wrinkles.
ms
Oosterdam Completes 300th Voyage. Holland America
Line's Vista Ship Sailing Europe with Exciting New Enhancements.
Sailing
the Mediterranean from Venice to Barcelona, ms Oosterdam
recently celebrated a milestone with her 300th cruise.
The sailing came a few weeks after extensive upgrades
in Fincantieri's Palermo Shipyard in Italy to add new
guest staterooms, dining options, public areas and a
specialty wine bar. "The Oosterdam's recent enhancements
are just one more example of Holland America Line's
commitment to delivering our Signature of Excellence,"
said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president,
marketing, sales and guest programs.
"Our
guests will delight in new choices such as the Pinnacle
Bar and the Canaletto Restaurant along with enjoying
great, panoramic views in the newly located Explorations
Cafe -- powered by The New York Times." From the
creation of new eateries -- including the addition of
Canaletto, a dedicated complimentary Italian restaurant
-- to the addition of 34 new staterooms, Oosterdam reflects
spectacular and subtle additions from stem to stern.
Also among new enrichment programming are the Digital
Workshops powered by Windows. Led by Microsoft-trained
"techsperts," the innovative and complimentary
digital workshops teach the latest computer skills,
digital photography and social media applications in
a dedicated space with laptops.
Oosterdam also
added the Explorations Cafe -- powered by The New York
Times -- in the Crow's Nest, a larger Pinnacle Grill
restaurant and a Pinnacle Bar with a focus on specialty
Northwest wines. To reduce waste behind the scenes,
the ship installed an environmentally friendly, state-of-the-art
"wet cleaning machine" (for dry cleaning).
The 1,916-guest Oosterdam continues to offer several
popular Holland America Line features: the innovative
Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine Magazine,
the Greenhouse Spa and Salon, and a youth facility that
includes the teens-only Loft.
Additional
Refinements
To add to the cruising pleasure
of her guests, the Oosterdam now has an expanded and
updated shopping arcade, featuring the exclusive, chic
jewelry shop, Merabella. A new high-end home theatre-style
screening room has also been added for small group audio-visual
presentations, to view videos and DVDs, and to accommodate
private parties.
Amenities
Amenities
aboard Oosterdam represent the cruise company's focus
on providing an elegant ambiance and premium cruise
experience. Staterooms include Elemis Aromapure specialty
soaps, shampoo, conditioner and lotion and feature plush
Euro-top Mariner's Dream Beds, deluxe waffle/terry-cloth
robes, Egyptian cotton towels, flat-panel TVs, DVD players,
make-up mirrors with halo lighting, massage shower heads,
professional-grade hair dryers, fresh flowers and complimentary
fruit baskets.
For the remainder of 2009, Oosterdam
will sail alternating 12 day eastern and western Mediterranean
departures between Venice and Barcelona, a 16 day transatlantic
crossing, one 19 day Panama Canal voyage and six 7 day
Mexico roundtrip San Diego cruises.
Signature
of Excellence Defines the HAL Experience
Oosterdam's
enhancements are part of the comprehensive Signature
of Excellence product enhancement program totaling more
than $525 million. Signature of Excellence features
and amenities are evident in every aspect of the Holland
America Line cruise experience.
About Holland
America Line
Holland America Line's fleet of
14 ships offers nearly 500 cruises to 320 ports in more
than 100 countries, territories or dependencies. Two-
to 108-day itineraries visit all seven continents, and
highlights include Antarctica, South America, Australia/New
Zealand and Asia voyages; a Grand World Voyage; and
popular sailings to ports in the Caribbean, Alaska,
Mexico, Canada/New England, Europe and Panama Canal.
A 15th ship is scheduled to join the fleet in July 2010.
Fleetwide, the company features Signature of Excellence
enhancements, a commitment totaling more than $525 million,
that showcase the Culinary Arts Center presented by
Food & Wine magazine -- a state-of-the-art onboard
show kitchen where more than 60 celebrated guest chefs
and culinary experts provide cooking demonstrations
and classes -- Explorations Cafe powered by The New
York Times, teens-only activity areas and all new stateroom
amenities highlighted by flat-panel TVs and plush Euro-top
Mariner's Dream Beds.
World's Leading Cruise
Lines
The highest-rated premium cruise line
in the world, Holland America Line is a member of the
exclusive World's Leading Cruise Lines alliance, which
also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises,
Cunard Line, Seabourn Cruise Line and Costa Cruises.
Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment
to quality and value, these lines appeal to a wide range
of lifestyles and budgets. The World's Leading Cruise
Lines offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations
to the world's most desirable destinations.
Film
Industry Legends Headline Crystal Cruises Film &
Theatre Festival. Acclaimed film critic Rex Reed
and Academy Award-winning film and theatre legend Rita
Moreno will entertain guests.
Crystal Cruises
is celebrating the world of film aboard Crystal Serenity,
arriving in Venice just in time for guests to enjoy
the glamorous buzz surrounding the 66th annual Venice
Film Festival, beginning September 2. Acclaimed film
critic Rex Reed and Academy Award-winning film and theatre
legend Rita Moreno will entertain guests with inside
stories and experiences from their respective careers,
aboard the 12 day August 21 “Red Carpet Riviera”
voyage from Barcelona to Venice.
“Many
of our guests are sophisticated film and theatre patrons
who relish the opportunity to hear insights and entertaining
commentary from two of the industry’s most talented
veterans,” says Kristin Turner, manager of entertainment.
“The Mediterranean itinerary is ideal for the theme,
as so many celebrated films have been set in these picturesque
destinations.”
Rex Reed has long been
known for his sharp reviews of everything from film
to music and art, which currently appear weekly in the
New York Observer. He has served on the juries of the
Venice, Montréal and Berlin Film Festivals, and has
even appeared in films with the likes of Mae West and
Laurence Olivier. He’ll regale guests with experiences
like these in his lecture, “Legends I Have Known.”
Rita Moreno’s film career began at age
14, when she began lending her voice to Spanish-language
versions of American films. Since then, she’s appeared
in more than 100 movies, and is one of a select few
performers to have won an Oscar, Grammy, Emmy and Tony
Award. In her presentation, “The Lively Arts,”
Ms. Moreno will trace film, theatre and television from
the early days to today, adding anecdotes along the
way.
In addition to leading these interactive
sessions with guests, Reed and Moreno will give a pre-film
Q&A session. Movie trivia, plus numerous classic
films will also be featured in Crystal Serenity’s
Hollywood Theatre and in staterooms, including West
Side Story, Summertime and Room With a View. The voyage
visits Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Florence/Livorno, Rome/Civitavecchia,
Sicily/Taormina, Dubrovnik and Venice.
Crystal
Cruises Europe Celebration Savings fares start at $5,305
per person, double occupancy, and include a $1,000 per
person ‘All Inclusive - As You Wish’ onboard
spending credit. For Crystal reservations or more information,
please call SevenSeasTravel.com today.
Princess
Launches New Cruisetour to Oberammergau Passion Play.
Tour Offers Rare Opportunity to See Famed German Production,
Only Performed Every 10 Years.
Princess has
added a rare opportunity to its 2010 cruisetour lineup
in Europe – a unique cruisetour designed to include
the famed Oberammergau Passion Play, which is performed
only once each decade in this small Bavarian village
in Germany. The new 18 day “Oberammergau &
Highlights of Germany” tour features two nights
in the southern German town of Oberammergau, and includes
tickets to the event. Passengers will also visit a variety
of other top German destinations during the eight-day
land tour, including Frankfurt, the Black Forest, Munich,
Nuremberg and Berlin. In addition, the tour will connect
seamlessly with a 10-day Scandinavia/Russia cruise aboard
Star Princess. Two departures are offered on August
2 and August 12, 2010.
“This is such a
unique opportunity, one that literally only comes around
once every 10 years,” said Jan Swartz, Princess
Cruises executive vice president. “This new cruisetour
makes it easy to enjoy this famous event, plus take
in many of the other attractions for which Germany is
famous, coupled with one of our wonderful cruises through
the Baltic region. This is yet another example of our
commitment to provide our passengers with fascinating
experiences around the world.”
The Oberammergau
Passion Play has been held every ten years since 1634
in thanksgiving for deliverance from the Black Death
in 1633. The play is now performed in years ending with
a zero (except 1984 which was the 350th anniversary),
and involves more than 2000 actors, singers, instrumentalists
and technicians, all of whom are residents of the village.
All cast members have lived in the village at least
20 years and must be amateurs of high moral and ethical
principles. Villagers also make all the costumes for
the production and, as no wigs are used, participants
must grow their hair and beards for several months prior
to the performances.
The “Oberammergau
& Highlights of Germany” cruisetour is one
of Princess’ four Europe cruisetour options available
next season. Travelers can also opt for the 18 day “Europe’s
Imperial Treasures,” which features the cathedrals
and castles of four capitals that have figured prominently
in history - Budapest, Vienna, Prague and Berlin - and
includes a Star Princess Scandinavia and Russia sailing.
The 17 day “Classic Italy” tour
offers the charms of Florence and Rome, and can connect
to a number of Princess’ Mediterranean sailings.
The 16 day “Ring of Kerry” tour offers some
of the Emerald Isle’s most inspiring landscapes
with visits to Shannon, Killarney and Cork, plus a Crown
Princess British Isles cruise. Fares for the 18 day
Oberammergau cruisetour begin at $5,319 per person,
based on double occupancy. Capacity is limited on these
special tours, and could fill quickly. Additional information
about Princess Cruises is available through SevenSeasTravel.com.
Celebrity
Cruises Officially Takes Ownership Of Celebrity Equinox.
The ship will be formally named in ceremonies July 29,
and will enter service service July 31 on an 8 Night
Norwegian Fjords cruise.
As the sun rose today,
so did the number of ships in Celebrity Cruises’
award-winning fleet. At a ceremony in Emshaven, Netherlands,
Celebrity officially “took delivery” of Celebrity
Equinox, marking the official transfer of the new, 2,850-guest
vessel from shipbuilder Meyer Werft to Celebrity Cruises.
Following inspections, Celebrity Equinox will host a
series of promotional activities from Southampton, England,
for press, travel agents and other audiences. The ship
will be formally named in ceremonies July 29, and will
enter service service July 31 on an 8 night Norwegian
Fjords cruise.
“All of us at Celebrity
are extremely grateful to the countless individuals
at Meyer Werft and at some of the world’s best
architecture and design firms,” said Celebrity
Cruises President & CEO Dan Hanrahan. “All
of them worked tirelessly with us to bring this ship
to fruition, only eight months after Celebrity Solstice.
And now, we’re eager to have our guests experience
on Celebrity Equinox the exceptional cuisine and service
our brand is known for, paired with the inspiring style
and design that is synonymous with Celebrity Cruises.”
Guests who sail on Celebrity Equinox will
enjoy a resort-like experience at sea through the brand-defining,
industry-first attributes also found on Celebrity Solstice,
including the industry’s first Lawn Club, a half-acre
country-club atmosphere featuring real, growing grass;
10 dining venues including several created by noted
hospitality designer Adam Tihany, and all featuring
menus pairing classic and contemporary selections created
by noted chef, restaurateur and Celebrity’s Vice
President of Culinary Operations Jacques Van Staden;
AquaClass, the line’s spa-inspired staterooms offering
exclusive access to the Mediterranean-influenced specialty
restaurant, “Blu”; the industry’s first
Hot Glass Show at sea, presented in collaboration with
The Corning Museum of Glass; larger, more intuitive
staterooms influenced by a panel of five “boomer”
women with unique travel and hospitality insights, and
widely varied entertainment, including spectacular new
shows in partnership with Poet Theatricals.
Following the Norwegian Fjords cruise, Celebrity Equinox
will depart Southampton August 8 on a 10 night “Best
of Europe” itinerary to Rome, calling on ports
in France, Spain, Portugal and Italy, as well Gibraltar,
UK. The ship then will sail a series of 13 and
14 night “Ancient Empires” cruises through
October, featuring two new ports of call: Haifa and
Ashdod, Israel. These voyages also include an overnight
stay in Alexandria, Egypt.
On November 5,
the ship will sail a transatlantic voyage to Fort Lauderdale,
Florida, where she will begin a series of alternating
10 and 11 night “Ultimate Caribbean”
voyages through April 2010. The 11 night voyages will
stop in George Town, Grand Cayman; Cartagena, Colombia;
Colon, Panama; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; Roatan, Honduras;
and Cozumel, Mexico. The 10-night sailings include calls
on Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Basseterre, St. Kitts;
Bridgetown, Barbados; Roseau, Dominica; Philipsburg,
St. Maarten.
Celebrity Cruises offers comfortably
sophisticated, upscale vacation experiences with highly
personalized service, exceptional dining, and extraordinary
attention to detail. Celebrity sails in Alaska, California,
Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Galapagos
Islands, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and
South America. The line also offers unique cruisetour
vacations in Alaska, Canada, Europe and South America.
Noted for four of the top 10 "Top Cruise Ships
in the World" in the large-ship category, as voted
by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler (February 2009
readers’ poll), Celebrity’s fleet, including
Celebrity Solstice, is joined by Celebrity Equinox this
year, Celebrity Eclipse in 2010, a fourth Solstice-class
ship in 2011, and a fifth in 2012. For more information,
call SevenSeasTravel.com.
NCL
Norwegian Epic Cruises Closer To Completion. Norwegian’s
Biggest Freestyle Cruising Ship Celebrates Major Construction
Milestone.
In the early morning hours of Saturday,
July 11, Norwegian Epic made her first journey on water,
cruising out of her construction quay at STX Europe
in Saint-Nazaire, France where the 153,000-ton ship
has been under construction since October 2007. Beginning
at approximately 7 am, the massive 4,200 passenger ship
was accompanied by a fleet of six tugboats and taken
a short distance down the Loire Estuary. Within about
one and a half hours, the ship was moored at the outfitting
dock. Norwegian Epic’s float out represented a
major milestone in the vessel’s construction as
it indicates that the ship has now moved into the final
phase of construction and work will begin immediately
on the vessel’s interiors.
“Watching
Norwegian Epic make her first journey on the water was
a very moving experience,” said Kevin Sheehan,
Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer.
“Norwegian Epic epitomizes our continued commitment
to innovation and represents the next generation of
Freestyle Cruising, so we are thrilled to be celebrating
her float out and looking forward to her delivery in
less than a year.”
On hand for the occasion
were Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, chairman of the board of
directors for Norwegian Cruise Line and chairman, president
and chief executive of the Genting Group; Norwegian
Cruise Line executives: Kevin Sheehan, chief executive
officer; Roberto Martinoli, president and chief operating
officer; and Andy Stuart, executive vice president,
global sales and passenger services, as well as Sang-Ho
Shin, president and chief executive officer, STX Europe;
and Jacques Hardelay, general manager, STX Europe, France.
Norwegian Epic is scheduled to be delivered in
late May 2010, and will take part in inaugural events
before beginning her Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings
from her year-round homeport in Miami. The first Eastern
Caribbean sailing from Miami is scheduled for July 17,
2010 and the ship’s alternating Eastern and Western
Caribbean itineraries are scheduled through April 2011.
Norwegian Epic’s Eastern Caribbean itinerary
includes calls in Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Thomas,
U.S. Virgin Islands and Nassau, Bahamas. The ship’s
Western Caribbean itinerary includes calls in Costa
Maya, Mexico; Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras; and Cozumel,
Mexico. Guests can make a reservation by contacting
SevenSeasTravel.com at 800-608-7777.
Norwegian
Epic’s Innovations & Features:
Norwegian
Epic is changing the face of cruise line entertainment.
In another industry first, Blue Man Group will perform
in the ship’s 685-seat Epic Theater. Blue Man Group
is best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows
and concerts which combine music, comedy and multimedia
theatrics to produce a totally unique form of entertainment.
The blissful party atmosphere created at their live
events has become the trademark of a Blue Man Group
experience and will be seen for the first time ever
at sea only on Norwegian Epic.
Norwegian Epic
will have multiple, specially-designed entertainment
venues throughout the ship so that guests can choose
from a wide variety of entertainment each evening of
their cruise. No longer will entertainment be focused
on two nightly shows in one large main theater. Norwegian
Epic will offer a number of entertainment options in
specially-designed venues, some offered for the first
time ever at sea, with choices to appeal to a broad
audience.
On this ship, guests will find the
only “big top” at sea. In this intimate 265-seat
theater-in-the-round, famed producer/director Neil Goldberg
will present Cirque Dreams® and Dinner. This one of
a kind interactive theatrical dining experience will
be performed in the air, while juggling dinner courses,
with music, mayhem and acrobatic imagination. During
this two-hour show, guests will marvel in amazement
and become part of a celebration of spectacle and fantasy.
The entire experience will be unlike anything else at
sea.
Norwegian Epic will offer the next generation
of Freestyle Dining with 14 restaurant choices –
the most at sea – and 18 bars and lounges. The
ship also boasts unique nightlife options with the first
Ice Bar at sea and Spice H20 with non-stop entertainment
day and night; an expansive Aqua Park with the only
tube slide and largest bowl slide at sea -- The Epic
Plunge; seven decks of Freestyle Family Fun with highlights
including a 33-foot high, 64-foot wide extreme rock
climbing wall and the first ever rappelling wall at
sea; the most bowling lanes at sea with six in two venues;
a mixed-use sports deck with the ability for guests
to engage in eight different athletic activities; as
well as three separate kids’ and teen activity
areas and the first squash court at sea.
Norwegian
Epic incorporates several new types of accommodations
– the curved New Wave staterooms; the largest ship-within-a-ship
suite complex at sea, comprising 60 suites and villas
on two private decks at the top of the ship; a new category
of inside staterooms for the value-conscious traveler
– The Studios and Living Room; and spa and family-friendly
accommodations.
About Norwegian Cruise
Line:
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is the
innovator in cruise travel with a 42-year history of
breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising, most
notably with the introduction of Freestyle Cruising
which has revolutionized the industry by allowing guests
more freedom and flexibility. Today, NCL has the youngest
fleet in the industry with 11 purpose-built Freestyle
Cruising ships, providing guests the opportunity to
enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on the newest, most
contemporary ships at sea. NCL is presently building
Norwegian Epic, a third generation Freestyle Cruising
ship, for delivery in 2010.
Celebrity Cruises Launches New Captain's Club; Members
Are 'Center Of Attention'. Highlight of the onboard
experience is likely to be the Captain's Club Celebration.
Celebrity Cruises' Captain's Club - the top-rated
premium brand's three-tiered recognition and benefits
program designed exclusively for its most loyal guests
- has been redesigned and relaunched based on a series
of member-inspired improvements. Several new features
are rolling out across the fleet on sailings beginning
this month, while others will be introduced in intervals
over the course of the year.
"Our most
loyal guests deserve our loyalty in return, so we're
thrilled to offer them a vastly improved program,"
said Celebrity Cruises President & CEO Dan Hanrahan.
"Our new Captain's Club gives them greater recognition,
exclusive benefits, and a number of new features designed
to make them feel like the center of our attention every
time they sail with us."
New features
launching this month include the Captain's Club Celebration,
a one-of-a-kind social and entertainment event available
to all members; significantly improved Internet and
laundry benefits for Select and Elite tier members;
and a new onboard lounge exclusively for Elite members.
The brand has even introduced a new theme for the club,
which doubles as its ongoing commitment to members:
"The center of our attention."
But
these improvements are only the beginning. During the
second half of this year, Celebrity will expand the
Captain's Club with a variety of other new features,
all of which will be announced prior to taking effect.
"Our new Captain's Club was designed based on a
tremendous amount of research, feedback from our members,
and advice from our travel partners," said Hanrahan.
"We want to ensure that we deliver every aspect
to our guests' utmost satisfaction, so we're choosing
to roll out the enhancements in intervals, beginning
with improvements to the member experience onboard."
A highlight of the onboard experience is likely
to be the Captain's Club Celebration. Soon available
across the fleet, with the exception of Celebrity Xpedition,
all members will be invited to this exclusive event
once per sailing. Redesigned to be a highlight of every
cruise, the spirited affair will provide the perfect
opportunity to meet fellow members, chat with the Captain
and senior shipboard officers, experience interactive
cooking demonstrations, and enjoy the new "CC Jams"
performance by a variety of shipboard musicians.
For members interested in a quiet haven of their
own, Celebrity is pleased to introduce the Captain's
Club Lounge at Michael's Club, exclusively for Elite
members and their stateroom/suite companions each morning
and early evening. The new Lounge will offer a casual
coffeehouse-style experience from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.,
with complimentary espressos, teas and other menu items,
a variety of reading materials, and, on Celebrity Solstice
and Celebrity Equinox, wi-fi access.
Every
evening from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Captain's Club Elite
members and their stateroom/suite companions can return
to the Lounge to socialize with fellow members, participate
in a wine tasting event, or simply relax and enjoy a
quiet, complimentary drink before dinner. In recognition
of their desire to stay in touch with family and friends
while vacationing, Elite members will now receive complimentary,
90-minute Internet packages, while Select members will
receive a 25 percent discount. Also within the new program,
Captain's Club Select- and Elite-level members can now
enjoy new laundry, dry cleaning, and pressing benefits,
based on the length of their cruise (laundry and Internet
benefits upgrade from tier to tier, and are not cumulative).
Celebrity also is extending its pledge to
make members the center of attention by engaging many
in the entirely new Captain's Club Advisory Board, to
ensure its most loyal guests always have a voice in
shaping the program. Participation on the Advisory Board
will be offered online on a rotating basis to a selection
of members across all tiers.
In addition to
focusing on effectively delivering the new features
of the Captain's Club, Celebrity will continue to ensure
that members enjoy all the program benefits currently
available, too, and that they continue to have more
opportunities to achieve higher-tier status. "We
will continue to provide members in every tier of the
Captain's Club with the recognition and rewards they've
come to expect, while adding several new enhancements
over the course of this year," said Hanrahan.
"We
also want to ensure that our members have the opportunity
to quickly advance to the next tier. That's why we count
tier credits versus purely counting cruises. Tier credits
are earned simply by sailing with us, but we also award
additional credits for cruises of 12 or more nights,
and for booking certain stateroom and suite categories.
As a result, members can more quickly advance to the
next tier." "What we're rolling out today,
combined with everything we'll be adding to the program
over the course of this year, will add up to what I'm
confident will be the best loyalty program at sea,"
Hanrahan added.
Prior Captain's Club benefits
and new enhancements available at launch include:
For Classic members (1-4 tier credits): Access
to the loyalty desk and loyalty host; a premium onboard
discount booklet; access to the new Captain's Club Celebration
event; a complimentary custom air request; pre-cruise
specialty restaurant reservations; member reunion cruises;
one-category upgrades (when available); and an online
newsletter.
For Select members (5-9 tier
credits): All of the benefits of Classic membership,
plus priority embarkation, a complimentary wine seminar,
priority status to shore excursion waitlist, an invitation
to the senior officers' cocktail party, 25% off any
Internet package, complimentary pressing of two clothing
items, and discounted laundry on cruises of 12 nights
or more.
For Elite members (10 or more
tier credits): All of the benefits of Select membership,
plus a private shipboard departure lounge with continental
breakfast, priority tender service, priority waitlist
for dining room seating, elegant tea service, complimentary
use of Thalassotherapy pool use on Celebrity Mercury,
complimentary access to the Persian Garden (port days
only), access to the new Captain's Club Lounge at Michael's
Club, 90 free Internet minutes, one free item of dry
cleaning, a complimentary bag of laundry (wash, dry,
fold) and additional discounted laundry on cruises of
12 nights or more.
Celebrity Cruises offers
comfortably sophisticated, upscale vacation experiences
with highly personalized service, exceptional dining,
and extraordinary attention to detail. Celebrity sails
in Alaska, California, Canada/New England, the Caribbean,
Europe, Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast,
Panama Canal and South America. The line also offers
unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Canada, Europe
and South America.
Noted for four of the top
10 "Top Cruise Ships in the World" in the
large-ship category, as voted by the readers of Conde
Nast Traveler (February 2009 readers' poll), Celebrity's
fleet - including the new Celebrity Solstice - will
be joined by Celebrity Equinox this year, Celebrity
Eclipse in 2010, a fourth Solstice-class ship in 2011,
and a fifth in 2012. For more information, call SevenSeasTravel.com
today.
Holland
America Line Enters 2010 With Most Diverse Alaska CruiseTour
Program Yet. Thirty-one CruiseTours are 10
to 20 days in length.
For travelers
wishing to see the beauty of Alaska and the Yukon, Holland
America Line features 31 CruiseTour itineraries in 2010
exploring Southeast Alaska, the Kenai Peninsula, Arctic,
Denali and the Yukon Territory. All CruiseTours combine
an Inside Passage sailing with in-depth land tours,
designed to show guests the best of Alaska's wilderness,
wildlife, native culture and history.
Ranging
from 10 to 20 days in length, the ever-popular Great
Land and Glacier Discovery CruiseTours explore Alaska
and the Yukon by land and sea. Twenty Holland America
CruiseTours feature a Double Denali option - two nights
at a classic wilderness lodge near the gates of Denali
National Park. Many tours also feature Canada's Yukon
Territory, with its Klondike Gold Rush heritage and
pristine national parks. "More than sixty years
of experience in the region is wrapped up in each of
our cruise tours," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC,
executive vice president, marketing, sales, and guest
programs. "These are comprehensive tours. Holland
America has always sought to provide guests with in-depth
wilderness experiences."
The new 2010
itineraries and optional excursions offer a choice of
14 national parks and wilderness areas including less
visited gems such as Kluane National Park and Tombstone
Park along with popular Glacier Bay and Denali National
Parks. Holland America's comprehensive CruiseTours combine
a variety of transportation adventures to explore Alaska
and the Yukon. Guests travel by five-star cruise ships;
luxury, domed McKinley Explorer® railcars; intimate
vessels such as the mv Yukon Queen II; and comfortable
custom-built highway Explorer Coaches™ on Great
Land itineraries.
Great Land CruiseTours
The core of the company's extensive Alaska tour program
consists of 10 Great Land CruiseTours, combining a southeast
Alaska cruise with an in-depth tour of the vast interior.
The cruise sails for three or four days between Vancouver,
British Columbia, and Skagway. Great Land Klondike CruiseTours
offer 11- to 15-day adventures to Denali National Park;
Dawson City; Fairbanks and Whitehorse. Four Great Land
Wilderness CruiseTours range from 10 to 13 days and
provide a more affordable wilderness experience with
travel along the most scenic stretch of the famed Alaska
Highway.
Glacier Discovery CruiseTours
Guests who prefer a longer Inside Passage cruise with
added glacier viewing can choose among 18 Glacier Discovery
CruiseTours. Ranging from 11- to 20-days, these CruiseTours
include a seven-day sailing and most offer two-night
Double Denali stays and the Denali Tundra Wilderness
Tour. New Expedition CruiseTours are designed to provide
more off-the-beaten-track wilderness experiences. Three
itineraries highlight uncrowded, authentic wilderness
experiences in the Kenai, Denali and the Yukon. Two
tours include accommodations at small, exclusive lodges
in remote locations.
The leader in Alaska
Cruises and CruiseTours
Holland America Line
has been Alaska's leading tour operator for more than
60 years. The line has eight premium ships, offering
148 Alaska cruises in 2010. These include 60 sailings
on four ships home-ported in Seattle and 88 cruises
on four ships based in Vancouver. CruiseTours start
at $1,099 per person, double occupancy. To book an Alaska
cruise or CruiseTour, contact SevenSeasTravel.com today.
Construction
of Queen Elizabeth Begins. Queen Elizabeth will
feature the unique Cunard traditions linking her with
her sisters Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria and their
predecessors.
Today a ceremony to mark the
keel laying of Cunard Line’s new Queen Elizabeth
was held at the Monfalcone shipyard of Fincantieri near
Trieste, Italy. The second largest Cunarder ever built,
Queen Elizabeth’s keel is the third Cunard has
lain in the space of seven years. When she enters service
in October 2010, she will join Queen Mary 2 and Queen
Victoria as not only the most famous ocean liners in
the world but also the youngest fleet in passenger travel.
The keel laying involves the placement in the dry dock
of the first section of the ship’s hull.
This section is made up of six pre-manufactured blocks,
weighs 364 tons and is fitted with 104 tons of pipes,
cables, insulation and other equipment. The ceremony
followed an intensive period of design and development.
Fifty-three sections will be used in the construction
of Queen Elizabeth and she will take to the water for
the first time at her float out in December.
“We are delighted to be back here among our friends
at Fincantieri so soon after we took delivery of Queen
Victoria in 2007- the first Cunarder to be built in
Italy - and I am sure that Queen Elizabeth will be just
as popular and successful as her two sister ships,”
said Carol Marlow, president of Cunard Line. “We
at Cunard are always impressed by the commitment and
enthusiasm of everyone at Fincantieri, and we look forward
to the next year-and-a half of working closely with
them on this ship, which will be nurtured by their skill
and vision and built into a vessel equal in stature
to the other great Cunard liners,” she added.
Paolo Capobianco, director of Fincantieri Shipyard,
said, “Our company is the heir to the Italian shipbuilding
industry and the world leader in cruise ship construction
and believes, as Cunard does, in the possibility and
the need of actively matching tradition and innovation.
Building a new liner for Cunard is a special achievement
for Fincantieri and takes us right to our roots, fostering
both our determination to build once again a passenger
ship of high technological content and unmistakable
style, reflecting the best of the industry and tailored
to the needs and requirements of the ship owner.”
Queen Elizabeth will feature the unique Cunard
traditions linking her with her sisters Queen Mary 2
and Queen Victoria and their predecessors, together
with all the modern day luxuries Cunard’s guests
have come to expect and some exciting features that
will give the vessel her own style and personality.
Named after the first Queen Elizabeth, one of Cunard’s
greatest ships, the new Queen Elizabeth will reflect
her predecessor in interior grandeur, décor and style,
but with a modern twist. From the outside, her distinctive
black and red livery will hint at an experience that
differentiates a Cunard liner from a modern-day cruise
ship. This will be most evident in the ship’s adherence
to liner traditions, with elegant double and triple
height public rooms on a grand scale, luxuriously endowed
with rich wood panelling, intricate mosaics, gleaming
chandeliers and cool marbles. Art Deco features will
pay homage to the original Queen Elizabeth and will
allow the new ship to reflect a more civilized era of
travel.
Furthermore, in addition to the extensive
Cunard entertainment programme on board, Queen Elizabeth
will offer some unique strands inspired by the era of
the first Queen Elizabeth, such as country house parties
at sea, evening piano sing-a-longs and period dancing,
from traditional ballroom to the jitterbug and the jive,
all within the setting of this 21st century ship. As
successor to Queen Elizabeth 2, the ship will also reflect
this great liner through artworks and memorabilia and
its very own “Yacht Club.”
Queen
Elizabeth will also pay homage to the links that Cunard
has enjoyed with royalty and the maritime world over
the years with photography, memorabilia and exhibits.
Queen Elizabeth will depart on her Maiden Voyage on
12 October 2010 - a voyage which sold out in a record-breaking
29 minutes 14 seconds in April 2009. This 13-night celebration
will leave from Cunard’s home port of Southampton
and will call at Vigo (for Santiago de Compostela),
Lisbon, Seville (Cadiz), Gran Canaria (Las Palmas),
Tenerife (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, an overnight call),
La Palma (Santa Cruz de La Palma) and Madeira (Funchal).
Her Maiden Season will run from October 2010 to
January 2011 and include voyages to the Western and
Central Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Fares start
from just $1,195 per person for the five-night 26 November
2010 Gallic Debut voyage with ports of call at Amsterdam,
Zeebrugge and Le Havre; while the 13-night Iberian Discovery
voyage departing 1 December 2010 features fares from
$2,395 per person, with ports of call at Vigo, Lisbon,
Seville, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma and Madeira.
The world’s newest ocean liner will depart
Southampton on 5 January 2011 on her 103-night epic
Maiden World Voyage, which has just been released for
sale. This will see her make 35 maiden calls, including
Cunard’s first call ever at Port Denarau (Fiji).
In total, Queen Elizabeth will call at 38 ports in 24
countries as she makes her way west around the globe,
with maiden transits of both the Panama and Suez Canals
and calls at Los Angeles, Auckland, Sydney, Hong Kong,
Singapore, Dubai and Lisbon.
Queen Elizabeth
will be in great company as her sisters will be present
on several occasions during the voyage: she will sail
in tandem to New York with Queen Victoria before all
three Queens will meet for a Cunard Royal Rendezvous
in New York on 13 January 2011; and then she meets with
Queen Mary 2 in Sydney and Civitavecchia and Queen Victoria
again in Aruba. Full World Voyage fares aboard Queen
Elizabeth start from $19,995; Queen Elizabeth’s
Segment World Voyage fares start from $2,545. Fares
are based per person, double occupancy. For more information
and to book a voyage aboard the new Queen Elizabeth,
contact SevenSeasTravel.com.
