More News

MSC Cruises to upgrade Aurea experience drinks package

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

MSC Cruises, the Geneva based cruise shipping company, said it is upgrading the drinks package included in its Aurea onboard experience. "From 1 May 2014, all Aurea guests will receive the all-inclusive Allegrissimo drinks package as standard – giving them unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks from the bar list, including spirits and cocktails, as well as free ice-cream. Currently, Aurea guests receive the Cheers! package, which includes drinks during lunch and dinner," the company said in a statement.

All guests already booked to travel with an Aurea Experience will be automatically upgraded to the Allegrissimo package. The Aurea Experience offers an expansive range of benefits and is aimed at guests seeking relaxation and pampering.

As well as 24-hour room service and the option of breakfast in cabin, some of the other benefits include a complimentary spa package (featuring access to the Thermal Area for the entire cruise, Balinese massage, Solarium and welcome cocktail); luxurious cabin with wellbeing products, bathrobe and slippers; access to an exclusive sun deck, flexible dining in a dedicated restaurant area; and priority boarding.

MSC Cruises introduced its 'experienced-based’ pricing structure earlier this year. Guests now choose cabin type and one of four categories of experience – Bella, Fantastica, Aurea and Yacht Club – ensuring they get the very best holiday to suit their needs and budget.

Regal Princess completes successful sea trials

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

Regal Princess has accomplished another major milestone in preparation for her May 20 debut, with the completion of her sea trials. The new cruise ship set out to sea from her construction dock at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, and was put through her paces with a series of maneuvers to test her propulsion, steering and navigational equipment. After a successful five days of trials, the ship is now back in the shipyard for further exterior and interior finishing. Regal Princess will be ready for her maiden voyage from Venice, a seven-day Mediterranean cruise to Athens including stops in Corfu, Mykonos and an overnight call in Istanbul.

Throughout the summer, the new ship will sail on Princess' signature Grand Mediterranean cruises, with two itinerary choices.

Regal Princess, a sister ship to Royal Princess, will offer guests a variety of enticing features, including a soaring atrium, the social hub of the ship; a dramatic over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending more than 28 feet beyond the edge of the vessel; plush private poolside cabanas; the Princess Live! television studio; a dedicated pastry shop; a special Chef's Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; and balconies on all outside staterooms.

Norwegian Epic to sail from Southampton in fall 2015

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

Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that Norwegian Epic has added two sailings to and from Southampton, England in 2015, marking the first time that the ship has visited the port since the inaugural celebration in June 2010.

Norwegian Epic, named Best Ship for Sea Days by Cruise Critic and Best Overall Cruise Ship by the readers of Travel Weekly two years in a row, will sail one six- and one seven-night Iberian Peninsula itinerary. The ship's six-night sailing will depart Barcelona on September 20, 2015 and arrive in Southampton on September 26, 2015, with ports of call including Cartagena, Spain; Granada (Malaga), Spain; and Lisbon, Portugal.

Following a 15-day dry dock in France, Norwegian Epic will embark on a seven-night Iberian Peninsula cruise from Southampton to Barcelona on October 11, 2015. The ship will visit ports of call including Vigo, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Granada (Malaga) and Cartagena, Spain.

Guests sailing on Norwegian Epic will have the opportunity to experience the ship's 21 dining options including signature steakhouse, Japanese Teppanyaki, Brazilian Churrascaria and Italian, along with 20 bars and lounges, including the Svedka Inniskillin Ice Bar, the first ever true ice bar at sea. In addition, Norwegian Epic is also home to innovative entertainment, and a variety of activities including an Aqua Park with the first bowl slide at sea. Whether guests are embarking on a family vacation, romantic escape or a solo getaway, Norwegian Epic offers a variety of flexible accommodations ranging from Studio staterooms specially designed for solo travelers, to balcony staterooms and opulent suites in The Haven by Norwegian, the ultimate in luxury accommodations.

Beginning April 2015, Norwegian Epic will homeport year-round in Barcelona, sailing seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries in the summer season and 10-night Canary Islands & Morocco and six-, 10-, 11- or 12-night Western Mediterranean itineraries during the 2015 and 2016 winter season.

Carnival to add third year-round ship in Galveston

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

Carnival Cruise Lines will add a third year-round ship in Galveston when Carnival Freedom launches a seven-day cruise schedule in February 2015, marking the first time that a cruise line has deployed three year-round ships in Texas.

Carnival’s repositioning of Carnival Freedom represents a 38 percent capacity increase for the line in Galveston, carrying more than 600,000 guests a year from that port – the most of any cruise operator.

Prior to its arrival in Galveston, Carnival Freedom will undergo a previously announced makeover that will add an array of innovative new features that are part of the line’s fleetwide Fun Ship 2.0 product enhancement initiative.

With the addition of Carnival Freedom, Carnival will offer three highly innovative and exceptional ships sailing year-round from Galveston that offer a huge variety of exciting features. Carnival Freedom will join Carnival Magic, which offers seven-day Caribbean cruises, and Carnival Triumph sailing four- and five-day departures to Mexico. Together, these three ships will operate nearly 200 four- to seven-day voyages annually from Galveston, providing consumers with an array of cruise lengths, departure days and itineraries for “Fun Ship” cruising from Texas.

“Galveston is already one of our most popular embarkation ports and with Carnival Freedom we’re not only dramatically expanding capacity in the market but also providing consumers with yet another exciting opportunity to experience our spectacular Fun Ship 2.0 innovations on a Texas-based ship,” said Gerry Cahill Carnival president and CEO. “In partnership with the Port of Galveston and the local community we have been able to increase our passenger counts five-fold since we first launched service from Galveston in 2000. Additionally, we are extremely grateful for the support of our travel agent partners who have played a key role in the growth of our Texas cruise program,” he added.

“We are thrilled to have an additional member of the Carnival Cruise Lines fleet, Carnival Freedom, call the Port of Galveston its new home,” said Galveston Port Director Michael Mierzwa. “For the past 14 years, the Port and Carnival Cruise Lines have enjoyed a wonderful partnership. Not only does home-porting these three ships represent the largest-ever capacity commitment by a cruise line to Texas but it also reinforces the partnership that we have fostered with Carnival through the years.”

Princess announces 2015-2016 Americas sailings

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

Today Princess Cruises announced its 2015-2016 Americas cruise itineraries including Caribbean, Canada and New England, Panama Canal, Mexico, Hawaiian Islands and West Coast cruises. The array of cruise vacations departing from U.S. ports range from three to 28 days and go on sale May 13.

In total, 12 ships will sail on more than 230 departures on 48 itineraries to 86 destinations. Guests will have the opportunity to sail on Princess’ two newest cruise ships to the Caribbean - Royal Princess and Regal Princess while for the first time ever, two of the line’s largest sister ships, Crown Princess and Ruby Princess, will be positioned together on the West Coast. In addition, Princess will offer a nostalgic 50th anniversary cruise to Mexico and an all-new, five-day Mexico sampler cruise with an overnight stay in Cabo San Lucas.

“The close-to-home departure ports, combined with the variety of cruise lengths and some of our most exciting ships, will offer our guests some amazing vacation experiences,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president.

Full Details of Princess Cruises’ 2015-2016 America’s season include:

Canada & New England Cruises

Guests can enjoy the fall foliage on two ships sailing from the East Coast in September and October. Regal Princess will sail on seven-day voyages roundtrip from New York to the New England ports of Newport, Boston and Bar Harbor, and the Atlantic Canadian ports of Saint John and Halifax. Caribbean Princess will sail on the line’s popular 10-day itinerary between New York and Quebec, including an overnight in Quebec and calls to the charming seaside villages of Gaspé and Ville Saguenay, Quebec in addition to the ports of Newport, Boston, Portland, Saint John and Halifax.

Caribbean Cruises

Offering sailings to the Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale and Houston, five ships will offer a variety of options to explore this vibrant region.

Princess’ two newest ships, Regal Princess and Royal Princess, will be returning to the sunny and picturesque Caribbean for the 2015-16 season. Regal Princess will offer both seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages that can be combined for a longer cruise vacation aboard our newest vessel in the Caribbean, while Royal Princess will sail on the line’s most popular Caribbean itineraries - the 10-day Southern Caribbean Medley and 10-day Eastern Caribbean Voyager - which can also be linked for a longer 20-day cruise.

Emerald Princess will sail on a series of four-, five- and seven- day Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages, which guests can combine to customize and create a longer Caribbean cruise, in addition to two special eight-day holiday cruises visiting either the Eastern or Southern Caribbean. Ocean Princess will offer the unique small ship cruising experience on a special 14-day holiday Caribbean cruise to exclusive ports less-frequented by larger vessels including Virgin Gorda, Tobago and St. Vincent.

Caribbean Princess will return to Houston for voyages to the Western Caribbean.

Panama Canal Cruises

Coral Princess and Island Princess will once again bring guests through the iconic Panama Canal. Guests can choose from either a 10-day voyage sailing roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale including partial transit of the canals, or a longer 15-day voyage between Ft. Lauderdale and Los Angeles to experience the full-transit of this wonder of engineering.

Smaller ships, Pacific Princess and Ocean Princess will also join the Panama Canal line-up on several departures of a 17-day itinerary – offering a choice of ship size to see the Canal.

West Coast Cruises – Hawaii, Mexico & Coastals

On the opposite coast, four ships will be deployed from three homeports – Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver – to the tropical waters of Hawaii, Mexico and along the charming California coast.

A nostalgic 50th Anniversary cruise to Mexico, where the line first sailed, will take place on Pacific Princess departing December 3, 2015 - the same day Princess Patricia departed on its first-ever cruise in 1965. The itinerary will include a blend of some ports of call from the maiden itinerary such as an overnight call in Puerto Vallarta, as well as Mazatlán and Manzanillo, with some of our newer destinations including La Paz and Loreto located along the Baja Peninsula.

Crown Princess and Ruby Princess will become the largest sister ships to sail from the West Coast this season offering a variety of destination options including Mexico, Hawaii, and California Coastal voyages sailing from Los Angeles. Grand Princess will return to San Francisco for voyages to Mexico, Hawaii and cruises along the West Coast. Star Princess will also offer voyages to Hawaii roundtrip from Vancouver during the spring and fall, in addition to cruises sailing along the West Coast.

Crown Princess will offer a fall departure of the increasingly popular 28-day Hawaii, Tahiti and South Pacific itinerary which allows west coast guests to visit the idyllic South Pacific islands of French Polynesia and Samoa without a flight.

Three- and four- day Getaway voyages will return on three different ships with departures on Crown Princess and Ruby Princess, in addition to fall departures on Star Princess. Passengers will also have the option of an all-new five-day Getaway itinerary, offered in November and December on Star Princess that includes an overnight in Cabo San Lucas allowing guests more time to explore the port’s pristine waters or relax on one of the white-sand beaches.