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Silver Galapagos to undergo second phase of refurbishment

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 July 2014 30 July 2014

This September, Silversea Expeditions' all-suite Silver Galapagos will undergo a second phase of refurbishment during a month-long dry dock in Panama.

The renovations will entail a complete refurbishment of all suites, corridors and the Explorer Lounge. An elegant blue and beige colour palette will create an interior décor echoing that of the recently refurbished Silver Discoverer.

These further enhancements will achieve a consistency of interior design within the expedition fleet. The 100-guest Silver Galapagos underwent an initial partial refurbishment last year, highlighted by the installation of new in-suite bathrooms featuring rich marble detailing, plus a new fitness centre, massage room, beauty salon, outdoor Jacuzzi, and Silversea's signature outdoor dining venue, The Grill.

Silver Galapagos sails Saturday to Saturday on seven-day voyages through the Galápagos Islands, following either a western or north central route. These expedition cruises offer adventurous travellers the life-enriching chance to discover a wild, pristine paradise that has long been regarded as a natural laboratory of evolution. On complimentary expeditions ashore guided by an experienced expedition team (certified by the Galápagos National Park Service), Silversea's guests may experience up-close encounters with an abundance of wildlife that includes sun-basking land iguanas, giant tortoises, blue- and red-footed boobies, colourful marine iguanas, sea lions, penguins and Darwin's famous finches.

Norwegian Cruise Line introduces All-Inclusive package

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 July 2014 30 July 2014

Norwegian Cruise Line is debuting a new All-Inclusive package that takes the line's signature Freestyle Cruising to a new level, providing guests yet another way to customize their cruise vacation. Representing more than $2,400 in value per stateroom, Norwegian's All-Inclusive package is a first for major cruise lines, and is available for a limited time for all 2015 sailings* fleetwide**, for new reservations made from August 4, 2014 through August 29, 2014. The comprehensive package includes signature dining, alcoholic beverages, unlimited soda, shore excursions, internet access, service charges and more.

"Based on the popularity of our Fly, Cruise and Stay vacations, along with our onboard dining and beverage packages, we are now offering the first All-Inclusive package for our guests who want to experience all that the freedom and flexibility of Freestyle Cruising has to offer," said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line's chief executive officer. "Always an innovator, we are making it easy for those that want everything included in their cruise vacation with the option of our All-Inclusive package."

The All-Inclusive package is available for 2015 sailings from three to 14 days in length, is priced by the number of days, and is available for all stateroom categories, including the Haven by Norwegian. When adding the All-Inclusive to a selected cruise, guests receive 10 percent off the cruise fare. For a seven-day cruise, the $899 package includes the Ultimate Dining package; the Ultimate Beverage package; shore excursion credit of $200 per person, pre-paid daily service charges; a 250-minute Internet package per person; 20 photos of any size; chocolate-covered strawberries; a bottle of wine; one bingo session and six bottles of water. For cruises from three to five days, the shore excursion credit is $100 per person; and for sailings from 9-14 days, the package includes 12 bottles of water.

As part of the All-Inclusive offer, Norwegian's Ultimate Dining package provides complimentary access to one of the line's specialty restaurants every night of the cruise, including Cagney's, the popular steakhouse; French bistro, Italian restaurant, Moderno Churrascaria, Asian-Fusion restaurant and more. The Ultimate Beverage package includes a variety of spirits, cocktails, draft beer, bottled beer and glasses of wine up to $10 and unlimited fountain soda and juices at all bars, lounges, restaurants and on Norwegian's private island, Great Stirrup Cay.

Carnival Cruise Lines and Dallas Cowboys announce multi-year partnership

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 24 July 2014 24 July 2014

Carnival Cruise Lines, Texas’ largest cruise operator, today announced an exclusive, multi-year partnership with the Dallas Cowboys, making Carnival the Official Cruise Line of the legendary NFL franchise and expanding the cruise operator’s already wide-ranging commitment to the Texas market. Carnival, which will homeport a third year-round ship in Galveston next year, will enjoy extensive branding and visibility through Dallas Cowboys-owned properties and bring its signature brand of fun to fans.

In its new role as the Official Cruise Line of the Dallas Cowboys, Carnival will add fun and memorable fan experiences to tailgaters at home games with its new “Fun Crew,” which tours the lots at AT&T Stadium on branded golf carts, offering exciting prizes to Cowboys fans, including the chance to win one of many cruise vacation giveaways. The Carnival brand will also be highly visible on digital marquees in the stadium and on other Cowboys media and online properties. Fans can also get in on the fun through a host of social media promotions and activities, giveaways and more.

The line’s partnership kicks off this week with the exclusive sponsorship of the Dallas Cowboys Training Camp Daily News Show airing regionally on Fox Sports Network. During nightly camp updates, new “Carnival 1st & Fun” segments offer an inside look at the fun firsts Cowboy’s reporter Lindsay Cash experienced on her recent Carnival cruise vacation. The segments will also be available at Carnival’s YouTube page (www.youtube.com/carnival).

“Carnival is far and away the most popular cruise line in Texas and millions of Texans have enjoyed exceptional vacations sailing with us from our homeport in Galveston,” said Jim Berra, chief marketing officer for Carnival Cruise Lines. “Partnering with one of the most successful and storied franchises in professional sports makes perfect sense for us as the avid Cowboys fan base is among the most spirited in the country, much like Carnival guests.”

“We’re thrilled to bring Carnival Cruise Lines aboard as our Official Cruise Line,” said Jerry Jones Jr., chief marketing officer of the Dallas Cowboys. “We look forward to enhancing the game-day experience for every Cowboys fan with the unique brand of fun and entertaining activities Carnival will be bringing to our home games.”

The Dallas Cowboys partnership coincides with the line’s upcoming deployment of a third year-round ship, Carnival Freedom, to Galveston in February 2015. With the addition of Carnival Freedom, which recently underwent an extensive multi-million dollar makeover, Carnival expects to carry more than 600,000 guests a year from Texas – the most of any cruise operator. Carnival Freedom will join Carnival Magic in offering seven-day Caribbean cruises and Carnival Triumph which sails on four and five-day voyages to Mexico.

Fred. Olsen teams up with UK high nobility in Poison, Murder & Mystery cruise

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 24 July 2014 24 July 2014

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, the UK based destinational operator of four medium sized ships, has teamed up with a member of British high nobility in a Poison, Murder & Mystery cruise that will sail from Rosyth in Scotland on 10 July next year.

The company wants to capitalise on the success of the Titanic memorial cruise its largest vessel, the 45,000 gross ton Balmoral operated in 2012. In the Poison, Murder & Mystery cruise thsat will be operated by the 28,000 gross ton Boudicca, the company has teamed up with Her Grace, The Duchess of Northumberland, who has a poison garden at the ducal country seat of Alnwick in the North East of England. Fred. Olsen Senior, chairman of many companies in the family's business empire, including the cruise line, also has a poison garden, located at Guimar on the Tenerife in the Canary Islands in Spain.

The cruise will include a visit to both Alnwick, where the Duchess has invested £40 million to develop the poison garden that features more than 100 toxic plants and which featured in maby Harry Potter films, plus Guimar, where a theatrical company will stage a performance of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Guest speakers on the cruise include felix Francis, som of the thriller author Dick Francis; Peter Dean who is Her Majesty's Coroner for Essex, Dr. Dan Jones, the noted poison historian and archaeologist, plus Dr Mark Siddall, curator of "The Power of Poison" exhibition at The American Museum of Natural History.

A theatrical company will travel on the cruise and passengers are encouraged to take up roles in a murder mystery that will evolve as the cruise progresses. They are also invited to try to solve the mystery and the person who does that will receive a world cruise for two persons as a prize.

The Northumberland dukedom belongs to the Percy family, whose ancestors came over to England from Normandy in 1067, in the wake of William the Conqueror. The current duke is the12th holder of the title. The ducal estate comprises two great houses, the medieval castle at Alnwick and Syon House, a splendid country house by Robert Adam, in Middlesex near London.

Brenda Kyllo names AmaSonata in Vilshofen

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 23 July 2014 23 July 2014

AmaWaterways this week celebrated the christening of its new 164-passenger vessel AmaSonata. AmaWaterways Co-Founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst joined the line’s first-ever Canadian Godmother – Brenda Kyllo of the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) – for a series of festivities in Vilshofen, Germany at the conclusion of the ship’sMelodies of the Danube sailing.

“We are honored to have celebrated yet another successful and very special christening this week, officially welcoming AmaSonata to our expanding family,” said Kristin Karst, AmaWaterways’ Executive Vice President and Co-Owner. “AmaWaterways is delighted to recognize Brenda Kyllo as Godmother to AmaSonata, as we so greatly value our relationship with CAA members and our Canadian travelers overall.”

The day’s ceremonies began with a traditional Bavarian lunch, live Bavarian music and waltzes. A traditional Bavarian shoot by professional shooters off the ship’s sundeck delighted the ship’s guests, Vilshofen locals and government officials, and AmaWaterways owners and staff. Following an afternoon of continuing entertainment, Schreiner and Karst arrived with Kyllo in a horse drawn carriage. Traditions including the signing of the ship’s guestbook, a prayer by the abbot, and the ship’s official christening preceded a closing ceremony with fireworks.

AmaSonata joins the AmaWaterways fleet alongside sister ships AmaPrima and AmaCerto, as well as AmaReina, another newly built ship that debuted in March 2014. AmaSonata features spacious staterooms and suites, multiple dining venues, onboard massage and salon services, a heated swimming pool with swim-up bar, fitness room, complimentary bicycles and many other upscale amenities and innovative design elements. The ship is already being praised online, recently featured by Yahoo! News as one of the “Eight Cruise-Ship Pools that Make You Say Wow.”

AmaSonata’s inaugural voyage set sail April 22 from Amsterdam on an unforgettable Tulip Time Cruise. The ship has since visited Prague, Budapest, and other top spots along the romantic Danube. Future itineraries include The Legendary Danube, The Romantic Danube and The Melodies of the Danube, visiting Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and other incredible destinations.