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Carnival Miracle to launch year-round Mexican Riviera sailings, Legend to operate line's Alaska program in 2015

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 22 May 2014 22 May 2014

Carnival Cruise Lines has made two exciting enhancements to its West Coast cruise operations, deploying two highly attractive Spirit-class ships featuring a variety of Fun Ship 2.0 innovations as well as a huge number of balcony staterooms.

The new deployments include Carnival Miracle introducing year-round seven-day Mexican Riviera departures from Long Beach, Calif., beginning in October 2014, and Carnival Legend operating the line’s Alaska program from Seattle in May 2015. Carnival Miracle and Carnival Legend will also offer four Hawaii cruises in 2015-16.

Carnival Legend recently underwent an extensive makeover that added a host of new features, including WaterWorks, highlighted by Green Thunder, the fastest and steepest water slide at sea, and the RedFrog Pub, a Caribbean-inspired watering hole serving the line’s private label draught brew, ThirstyFrog Red. The full-service Bonsai Sushi restaurant offering Asian specialties and Cherry On Top, a confections and novelty store, were added, as well.

Carnival Miracle also offers a wide range of innovations, including the Serenity adults-only retreat featuring its own pool and full bar service, the Punchliner Comedy Club presented by George Lopez with up to 20 family-friendly and adults-only shows each week, a wedding chapel, a luxurious 14,500-square-foot health and wellness facility, and an enclosed corkscrew water slide full of exhilarating twists and turns. Carnival Miracle will also undergo a dry dock in March 2015 that will add a huge variety of additional Fun Ship 2.0 features.

Carnival Miracle and Carnival Legend each offer fun, supervised programs for children ages 2-17, as well as nearly 850 ocean view and balcony staterooms – perfect for viewing the beautiful passing scenery.

“Carnival is the leader in West Coast cruising with more ships and itineraries than any other cruise operator. With these new deployments, we’re providing two spectacular Fun Ship 2.0-equipped ships with even more fantastic features for our guests to enjoy, as well as additional opportunities to experience the rich diversity of this popular sailing region,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO. “Our travel agent partners have expressed an interest in a greater variety of West Coast options so we are very pleased to provide these attractive, value-packed ‘Fun Ship’ cruises to market to their clients,” he added.

Year-Round Mexican Riviera Cruising

Carnival Miracle will introduce year-round Mexican Riviera cruising from Long Beach on October 4, 2014.

The program will encompass three different week-long itineraries, including a new three-port, seven-day cruise featuring Mazatlán on the majority of departures. In addition to the call in Mazatlán, the new three-port itinerary will feature the stunning Mexican resort destinations of Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta.

The full day call at Mazatlán will provide guests with ample opportunities to explore this scenic seaside destination, which features world-class beaches and sportfishing, as well as the Malecon, an outdoor promenade lined with shops, restaurants and centuries-old architectural structures.

Carnival Miracle’s year-round schedule from Long Beach also includes two other itinerary options. The first is a seven-day, two-port itinerary that features a stop in Cabo San Lucas, along with a two-day overnight stay in Puerto Vallarta. While in Puerto Vallarta, guests can explore this tropical paradise known for its beautiful beaches, excellent diving, and sizzling nightlife. The second alternate itinerary includes a visit to Puerto Vallarta, along with a two-day call at Cabo San Lucas, known for its white-sand beaches, turquoise waters and the distinctive El Arco (The Arch), a 30-foot-high rock formation where the Pacific Ocean joins the Sea of Cortez.

Carnival Legend to Alaska

Following its inaugural season in Australia, Carnival Legend will operate the line’s seasonal Alaska program beginning in May 2015. In total, 16 week-long Alaska cruises will operate from the Port of Seattle from May 26 to September 8, 2015, departing each Tuesday.

Port calls on these voyages include the popular Alaskan towns of Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, as well as Victoria and cruising Tracy Arm Fjord or sailing Glacier Bay. Carnival Legend will also operate a special one-time eight-day Glacier Bay voyage departing Vancouver May 18 and arriving in Seattle May 26, 2015.

Each of these destinations offers a rich history and culture, along with awe-inspiring natural wonders, including calving glaciers, magnificent fjords and native sea and animal life. A wide range of shore excursions – from helicopter flightseeing and rainforest canopy tours to hiking, canoeing and kayaking expeditions – are also available. Carnival Legend will also feature an on-board naturalist who educates guests on the region’s colorful history and points out animal and marine life from the ship’s bridge.

Say Aloha to Hawaii

Carnival will offer four Hawaii sailings in 2015-16 – an 11-day cruise on Carnival Legend departing from Honolulu in May 2015 and three 15-day voyages aboard Carnival Miracle operating round-trip from Long Beach in October and November 2015, and November 2016.

The 11-day Hawaii voyage on Carnival Legend will depart Honolulu May 7 and arrive in Vancouver May 18, 2015, with extended stops in Kauai, Maui, Hilo and Kona, along with an overnight call in Honolulu.

Carnival Miracle’s three Hawaii cruises will operate round-trip from Long Beach departing October 17 and November 28, 2015, and November 16, 2016. On these sailings, guests can visit the stunning island destinations of Maui, Honolulu, Kauai, Kona and Hilo, as well as Ensenada, Mexico.

These voyages provide guests a variety of opportunities to get an “up close and personal” look at the Aloha State, from hiking across volcanic rock formations and relaxing on some of the world’s most famous beaches to learning more about rich Polynesian cultures and getting a bird’s eye view of the lush countryside via a breathtaking helicopter tour.

Sapphire Princess launches cruise season from Shanghai

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 22 May 2014 22 May 2014

Carnival plc today celebrated the start of the inaugural season of Princess Cruises’ Sapphire Princess from its new summer home port of Shanghai. This marks the first China homeport cruising program for the line, and brings an entirely new premium cruise experience called Princess Class to the rapidly-expanding China cruise market.

During the four-month season, which runs through August, the line will carry approximately 70,000 guests on 24 unique cruises with itineraries ranging from three to five days. The voyages will visit famous cities in South Korea and Japan, including Seoul (Incheon), Busan, Jeju Island, Fukuoka (Hakata), Kagoshima, Okinawa and Nagasaki.

“We’re excited to be the first line to offer a genuine premium cruise option to Chinese vacationers,” said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises. “We know that they are discerning travelers, and have a great desire to explore and learn through travel and unique experiences. We’re well-positioned to provide this to them aboard Sapphire Princess.”

In preparation for the first season, Princess conducted extensive research into what Chinese travelers value, which include a high priority on food and amenities, an exceptional shopping experience, and service in their own language. As a result the line created an experience called Princess Class.

Delivered by the ship’s dedicated and caring crew, many of whom are Chinese speakers, Princess Class aims to enrich the travel experience for each guest aboard Sapphire Princess by augmenting the international offerings found on Princess ships around the world, with unique cultural, culinary, entertainment, and inspirational programs.

Special features include the World Leaders Dinner, Tai Chi at sea, ballroom dancing, Ocean View Hot Pot dinner option, “Princess Night” stateroom amenities, a large selection of subtitled Hollywood movies, a variety of Chinese satellite TV channels, and an unparalleled shopping experience. In addition to the only 24-hour buffet at sea in China, a wide variety of traditional Chinese dishes will also be offered for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Designed to appeal to multigenerational groups, a “Touch of Class” enrichment series includes the Sommelier Wine Excursion featuring a rare collection of Super Tuscan and Bordeaux wines, The Art of International Entertaining, Mixology: The Art of the Cocktail, and Adventures in English, among other topics.

“Princess Cruises has blazed many trails in the cruise industry, continuously evolving to meet the needs of today’s vacationers, and we’re doing so in the China market as well,” said Cherry Wang, Carnival plc country director for China. “The innovations we’ve developed for our first cruise season here are behind the already promising demand for our Shanghai-based voyages. A place on Sapphire Princess is this summer’s hot travel ticket.”

The 116,000-ton Sapphire Princess carries 2,670 guests and, at 952 feet long, has 18 decks and 28 premium suites, with over half of the ship’s staterooms featuring private balconies. The ship also includes five pools, a casino, duty-free shops, fitness center and spa, sports deck, children’s and teen’s centers, library, internet café, art gallery and a golf putting course, among other features.

Norwegian expands Freestyle Dining reservations

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 21 May 2014 21 May 2014

Norwegian Cruise Line is making Freestyle Dining easier than ever for guests sailing aboard the line's contemporary vessels. Starting today, cruisers can make specialty dining reservations 90 days prior to embarkation, 45 days earlier than the previous reservation window. Guests staying in The Haven, Norwegian's exclusive ship-within-a-ship key card access suite complex, or in any suite category, can make specialty dining reservations 100 days prior to their cruise.

As a part of the Norwegian NEXT program, focused on bringing "new enhancements, experiences and transformations" across the fleet, Norwegian is elevating the guest experience onboard and make it easier and more convenient for guests to create the vacation of their dreams. Along with enjoying new menus in complimentary dining rooms and Garden Cafes that offer more variety and choice fleet wide, the new specialty restaurant reservations feature provides guests even more freedom and flexibility onboard.

Norwegian's ground-breaking entertainment options on Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway - including Blue Man Group, Broadway shows Rock of Ages, Legally Blonde and Burn the Floor, along with immersive dinner shows such as Cirque Dreams and Dinner and The Illusionarium - are also now available for reservations 90 days in advance of embarkation.
Those guests of Norwegian Epic looking to plan some time pre-cruise for relaxing and renewal will also be able to make spa reservations 90 days in advance as well, ensuring that they have more time to look forward to an Elemis Signature Facial or Hot Stone Heaven Massage treatment.

Guests who wish to make dining, entertainment or spa reservations for their upcoming cruises can sign onto myNCL.com to do so.

Regal Princess sets sail on inaugural voyage

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 20 May 2014 20 May 2014

The newest cruise ship to join the Princess fleet, Regal Princess, arrived in Venice on May 20 to welcome guests on the maiden voyage. Sister ship to the acclaimed Royal Princess, her 7-night inaugural cruise includes stops in Corfu, Mykonos and an overnight call in Istanbul.

“We’re absolutely delighted to welcome another addition to the Princess family with Regal Princess,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “This new ship now expands our fleet to 18 vessels that visit worldwide destinations, and guests traveling aboard Regal Princess will truly have a special experience while enjoying her exciting features including the showpiece atrium, exceptional dining, relaxing Lotus Spa and innovative features like the over-water SeaWalk.”

Throughout the summer, the new ship will sail on Princess’ signature Grand Mediterranean cruises, with two itinerary choices. Regal Princess will debut in North America in November, when the traditional naming ceremony will take place, followed by a season of Eastern Caribbean cruises.

Regal Princess, a sister cruise ship to Royal Princess, will offer its 3,560 guests a variety of enticing features, including:

The SeaWalk – The ship’s most distinguishing design element is an over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed enclosed walkway on the ship’s starboard side extending more than 28 feet beyond the edge of the vessel. From here guests can enjoy dramatic views, including to the sea 128 feet below.

Dramatic Atrium – The social hub of the ship, the soaring atrium offers a vibrant collection of always-changing quick bites and light meals, beverages, entertainment, shopping and guest services. Features such as Bellini’s Italian cocktail bar, Ocean Terrace seafood bar, and a gelateria add to the Piazza’s lively atmosphere.

Chef’s Table Lumiere – Princess has set a new standard for the chef’s table experience with the Chef’s Table Lumiere in which guests will be magically surrounded by a curtain of light – providing a soft wall of privacy that envelopes diners as they savor the chef’s special menu.

Princess® WaterColor Fantasy – The ship’s central pool area features daily and nightly performances of four separate themed sequences comprised of dancing fountains, special music and live performers. The Movies Under the Stars screen is also incorporated as an additional show element.

Princess Live! – The ship’s television studio features programming throughout the day from 8 am until midnight. Guests can enjoy live talk shows, demonstrations and performers here, including the daily Wake Show.

Super Tuscan Wines – More than 20 choices of these headline-making wines from Tuscany are available in Sabatini’s. Ranging from recognizable Super Tuscans such as Masseto, Solaia or Tignanello to some lesser known vintages such as Castello del Terricio 'Cappuanino' or Il Bruciato Bolgheri, these wines are featured by the bottle and in a Sabatini’s Super Tuscan Wine Tasting event, where guests can enjoy the rare opportunity to sample the wines accompanied by delicious small plates from the Italian restaurant.

Horizon Bistro Pastry Shop – At the Horizon Court’s dedicated pastry shop guests can indulge in fresh-baked goodies throughout the day and even get to see Princess’ pastry chefs in action as they demonstrate their skills in chocolate work and cake decorating.

Private Cabanas – Private cabana options give guests the opportunity to personalize their relaxation time, with elegant cabanas in The Sanctuary and poolside cabanas at the Retreat Pool. Cabana guests looking for a gourmet treat can order one of the ship’s new cabana picnic baskets, packed with artisan edibles paired with a premium wine.

Two new features of Regal Princess include an additional aft pool and access to the exterior promenade on deck 7, enabling passengers to walk the length of the ship.

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises simplify planning with new digital platform

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 20 May 2014 20 May 2014

Recognizing that vacation time is precious and every moment counts, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises have developed an all-new planning tool that allows guests to seamlessly and intuitively plan all aspects of their cruise vacation quicker and easier than ever before. The cruise lines are once again leading the industry with the totally revamped Cruise Planner, a tool that makes it possible for all reservations, activities and entertainment to be booked well in advance of departure, ensuring no vacation time needs to be spent on planning. In addition, Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas’ Dynamic Dining reservations also are open and available for guests to book.

With the new Cruise Planner, planning and personalization is simplified with a game-changing approach that eliminates guess work with a modern, user-friendly format enabled for desktops and tablets. Complete with an extensive search and filtering feature that makes it possible for guests to easily navigate and research products and opportunities available on their specific booked itinerary, Cruise Planner is the ultimate resource for vacation planning. Whether a seasoned cruiser or a traveler setting sail for the first time, guests will appreciate Cruise Planner’s quick and easy menus that dive deep into the vacation options available, enabling access to restaurants and beverage packages with just one click, and the ability to browse hundreds of shore excursions by day, port, activity type, number of guests, and more. Cruise Planner even provides custom activity recommendations and featured product displays to spark ideas and inspire more ways to enjoy the cruise vacation.

“Planning a vacation should not be a complicated process” said Adam Goldstein, President and COO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “With the new Cruise Planner we are transforming the way our guests plan their experience. By taking cues from the technologies and resources that our guests use every day we have created a tool that is simple and intuitive to use and will transform our guests experience from the moment they begin planning their vacation. Once they step onboard, we want our guests to have nothing to do but simply enjoy themselves, and Cruise Planner makes that possible.”

Guests can use the platform to explore each and every activity that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises offer both on and off the ship, and make changes to activities and reservations up until four days prior to their sail date. A streamlined order history, shopping cart with a categorized summary, and printable calendar that is color-coded for each member of the traveling party, keeps track of everything so that guests can easily and visually plan their cruise.

Guests booked on Royal Caribbean International can now see the all new Cruise Planner by visiting http://bit.ly/18S7tcq. Guests on Celebrity Cruises can see the platform on June 10.

Cruise Planner was developed in partnership with Isobar a global digital marketing agency consisting of nearly 3,500 digital pioneers in 63 offices, across 37 markets worldwide.