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P&O Cruises offers free flights on some exotic 2015 cruises

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: Latest offers Latest offers

Published: 22 September 2014 22 September 2014

P&O Cruises is offering free London flights on a selection of 2015 exotic fly cruise holidays. The free flights, which are worth up to £1,340 per person, are available on bookings made before October 31, 2014.

The promotion is available on a variety of round world cruise sectors ranging from 14 nights to 61 nights on Arcadia or Aurora, which will have just had a £26 million refit and is the first ship in P&O Cruises fleet to receive the bold new livery design. 

Depending on the choice of ship and cruise itinerary, passengers can enjoy free flights to or from Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Dubai, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago and San Francisco. 

For those wishing to extend their stay, passengers can alter the flight date for an additional supplement.

P&O Cruises exotic fly cruises offer epic adventures to see far-flung places such as Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand’s Milford Sound, Hawaii’s famed surf beaches and Rio’s Christ the Redeemer  to name but a few. Uniting exciting destinations and the most iconic places around the globe with unrivalled relaxation, passengers can experience an extended winter holiday with a difference.

The free flights promotional offers include:

A 29 night cruise visiting 13 ports from Santiago to Sydney on Aurora starts from £2,749 per person for a Select Price with free flights to Santiago and free flights from Sydney worth £1,340 per person. Cruise departs February 5, 2015. Link: http://www.pocruises.com/rzy/

A 24 night cruise visiting 11 ports from Sydney to San Francisco on Aurora starts from £2,299 per person for a Select Price with free flights to Sydney and free flights from San Francisco worth £1,050 per person. Cruise departs March 7, 2015. Link: http://www.pocruises.com/ryw/

A 48 night cruise visiting 17 ports from Southampton to Brisbane on Arcadia starts from £4,899 per person for a Select Price with free flights to London worth £730 per person. Cruise departs January 6, 2015. Link: http://www.pocruises.com/juc/

A 48 night cruise visiting 19 ports from Southampton to Auckland on Aurora starts from £4,649 per person for a Select Price with free flights to London worth £590 per person. Cruise departs January 8, 2015. Link: http://www.pocruises.com/rxo/

A 14 night cruise visiting four ports from Southampton to Rio de Janeiro on Aurora starts from £1,299 per person for a Select Price with free flights from Rio worth £390 per person. Cruise departs January 8, 2015.  Link: http://www.pocruises.com/rxs/

Carnival Cruise Lines renews its 'Great Vacation Guarantee' through 2015

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Latest offers Latest offers

Published: 17 September 2014 17 September 2014

Carnival Cruise Lines is renewing its groundbreaking Great Vacation Guarantee which provides consumers an opportunity to receive a 110 percent refund, complimentary transportation home and a $100 shipboard credit on a future cruise if they are dissatisfied with their vacation for any reason.   In the year since Carnival originally introduced the guarantee, the line’s 24 ships have carried 4.5 million guests and the guarantee has been invoked only 47 times.

Both consumers and travel agents have lauded the guarantee -- the only one of its kind in the cruise industry -- with many travel agents citing it as an excellent sales tool to entice first-time cruisers to set sail.

“You are statistically more likely to date a supermodel than you are to invoke the Great Vacation Guarantee,” said Jim Berra, Carnival’s chief marketing officer.  “However, we believe it is important to keep the guarantee in place given its effectiveness in communicating to consumers that we stand behind our product and are extremely confident you will have an exceptional vacation experience when you sail with Carnival.”

Berra added that with more than 300 new spaces and experiences added to Carnival’s fleet under the company’s multi-million-dollar Fun Ship 2.0 enhancement program, guest satisfaction has increased considerably since the program was first introduced.

To exercise the Great Vacation Guarantee, guests simply notify the ship’s guest services desk within the first 24 hours of the voyage to receive a full refund of their cruise fare plus an additional 10 percent, along with complimentary return air transportation from the next port of call, and complimentary ground transportation and hotel accommodations (if necessary), along with a $100 shipboard credit to be used on a future Carnival cruise.  Carnival will fully handle all travel arrangements to make it a truly hassle-free experience.

The Great Vacation Guarantee is valid on all three- to eight-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Bermuda, Canada and New England through December 31, 2015, including holiday sailings.  The program applies to U.S. and Canadian residents only and guests must possess a valid passport to return to the U.S. by air.

Costa Cruises to offer free upgrades and reduced deposits on Caribbean cruises from Miami

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Latest offers Latest offers

Published: 16 September 2014 16 September 2014

Summer may have come to an end, but Costa Cruises is just beginning to heat things up with its latest promotion on Caribbean sailings this winter. The Italian-flagged cruise line is offering free upgrades and reduced deposits when Costa Luminosa and Costa Mediterranea reposition to Miami, Fla., in December for a season of unique 10-, 11- and 12-night cruises to the eastern, western and southern Caribbean.

The complimentary upgrade on select dates enables guests to sail in an oceanview cabin for the price of an interior or book a verandah cabin for the price of an oceanview, with rates starting at $799 per person, double occupancy. Reduced deposits make it more affordable for travelers to book a cabin now in anticipation of their winter or spring vacation.

"Our longer Caribbean itineraries are the best options to see the whole region in a relaxed and pampered atmosphere," said Scott Knutson, vice president, sales and marketing for Costa Cruises North America. "By offering extended cruises on two ships, we're giving guests more time to experience the Caribbean the Costa way, which means memorable ports, international shipboard ambiance, excellent service and exceptional amenities."

Guests can enjoy Costa's famous la dolce vita on the beach with calls at some of the most stunning ports in the Caribbean. Costa Luminosa’s 10-night itineraries feature stops at Nassau, Bahamas; Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Roatan, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico.

Costa Mediterranea's 11-night sailings call at Samana, Dominican Republic; Road Harbour, Tortola; St John’s, Antigua; Point á Pitre, Guadeloupe; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and also feature added variations of calls at Nassau or Freeport, Bahamas; Grand Turk; or Key West, Fla. A 12-night cruise also includes a call at St. Kitts.

Complimentary upgrades are available on these departures: Costa Luminosa's Jan. 6 and 16, Feb. 25 and March 7 and 17 sailings; and Costa Mediterranea's Dec. 11, Jan. 2, Feb. 26 and March 9 cruises, with rates starting at just $799. Rates start at $849 for Costa Luminosa's Jan. 26 and Feb. 5 departures, which feature a call at Princess Cays instead of Grand Turk, and the Feb. 15 cruise slated to call at Costa Maya, Mexico, and Belize City, Belize, instead of Cozumel and Roatan.

The 92,600-ton, 2,826-passenger Costa Luminosa is the largest Costa ship to sail from Miami. A full 68 percent of its 1,130 cabins have private balconies -- the highest percentage in the Costa fleet. The ship also boasts four restaurants and 11 bars, and offers plenty of exciting amenities including three pools, a multipurpose sports court, 4D cinema, casino dance club and relaxing amenities like the popular Samsara Spa, which features a gym, thalassotherapy pool, sauna and Turkish bath.

Costa Mediterranea's interior design was inspired by 17th-century Italian palaces, and features Murano glass accents and rich inlaid wood. The 86,000-ton, 2,144-passenger ship’s highlights include four restaurants, 12 bars -- including a Cognac and Cigar Bar -- four swimming pools, a solarium, multipurpose sports court and outdoor jogging track. The ship's two-level Ischia spa includes a fitness center, sauna and steam room.

Cruise-only fares do not include airfare or government fees and taxes. Rates are per person, double occupancy.

Norwegian Cruise Line UK in all inclusive package promotion

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: Latest offers Latest offers

Published: 10 September 2014 10 September 2014

Norwegian Cruise Line UK is launching a new “Norwegians Get It All and a Whole Lot More” promotion, an All-Inclusive Package for guests sailing in 2015 and booking between 17 September and 30 October 2014. Including speciality drinks, speciality dining, service charges, internet, treats and more, this new package will offer guests an even more enhanced level of Freestyle Cruising® than ever before, adding a value of more than $2000 per stateroom on a 7-night cruise. Additionally, guests booking a cruise in conjunction with the All-Inclusive Package will benefit from 5% saving on their cruise fare^.

Travel agents will also benefit from the offer with the chance to earn extra commission by booking both the cruise and All-Inclusive elements of the package, both of which attract a commission rate of 10%.

The package will be available on cruises of three to 14 nights* taking guests to exciting destinations including the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Alaska, Canada & New England, the Panama Canal and South America between 4 January and 27 December 2015. The package is also bookable with Norwegian’s award-winning European programme which includes Eastern and Western Mediterranean, Baltic and Northern Europe and Canary Island itineraries.

Ranging from £215 per person for a three-night cruise up to £735 per person for a 14-night cruise, Norwegian’s All-Inclusive package takes All-Inclusive cruising to the next level and includes:

• 5% OFF the cruise fare^
• Ultimate Beverage Package – a wide choice of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at bars and restaurants all over the ship
• Ultimate Dining Package – in addition to  the great choice of main dining rooms and lavish buffets which come as part of the normal cruise price, guests can experience complimentary authentic global cuisine in Norwegian’s speciality restaurants every night of the cruise
• Welcome on board bottle of wine and chocolate-covered strawberries
• 12 bottles of water for 9- to 14-night cruises and 6 bottles of water for 3- to 8-night cruises
• 250-minute internet package
  • 20 photos of any size taken by Norwegian’s on-board photographers
  • Three games of bingo
  • Service charges and gratuities associated with the package.

Sailings are available on 13 of Norwegian’s modern fleet including the recently launched Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway, as well as Norwegian Escape which is set to launch in October 2015.

Guests can also cruise on board Norwegian’s popular ship, Norwegian Epic, when she arrives in Europe for her year-round deployment in April 2015. The seven-night Western Mediterranean cruise and All-Inclusive package is priced from just £898 per person and £1248 per person including flights - based on two adults sharing an Inside Stateroom, departing on 22 November 2015 and includes an All-Inclusive add-on package of £420 per person. With 24 dining options and 20 bars and lounges to enjoy, the package will allow guests a taste of the highlights of the Western Mediterranean as Norwegian Epic travels: Fly UK / Barcelona (Spain) – Naples (Pompeii, Italy) – Civitavecchia (Rome, Italy) – Livorno (Florence/Pisa, Italy) – Cannes (France) – Palma (Majorca, Spain) – Barcelona (Spain) / Fly UK.

Francis Riley, Vice President and General Manager International, Norwegian Cruise Line, said: “We are extremely excited to have launched this incredible All-Inclusive package for our guests sailing with us throughout 2015. Our package really does put the ‘All’ in ‘all-inclusive’, allowing our guests to benefit from the value for money that it provides. With a huge array of sailings and ships available, our guests can leave their wallet at home and take their Freestyle Cruising experience to the maximum.”

“We’re also delighted to be able to offer our loyal travel partners the chance to increase their earnings with the additional commission earning opportunity that comes with the campaign.”