This issue: On-board Review of Maasdam. See the Ship Reviews section.
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Joining the growing list of carriers offering non-traditional dining options is Carnival. It is extending its "Your Choice Dining" plan to all of its 22 ships between now and summer, 2010. There will be traditional early and late seatings as well as a new "your time" open-seating arrangement... Returning to service this fall after a month-long drydock is the 2052-passenger Carnival Ecstasy. Among the multi-million dollar differences: a large water park with a 300-foot long waterslide, an adults-only retreat, a redesigned main pool area, a teen center, and 98 new balconies... Year-'round short cruises from San Diego will be scheduled for the 2052- passenger Carnival Elation. It will conduct four- and five-day cruises half the time and three- and four-day circuits the other half. Destination: Mexico's Baja California... For the first time, Seattle has become a home port for Carnival's Alaska summer season. The 2124-passenger Carnival Spirit has scheduled almost four months of voyages that will stop at Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria Island. An on-board naturalist will educate passengers about the region's history and its animal and marine life... Baltimore joins the select list of 52-week cruise departure cities with the positioning of the 2124-passenger Carnival Pride there this fall for trips to the Eastern Caribbean and Bahamas/Florida... The poker chips will be clacking on each voyage of all 22 Carnival ships from now until October, as the PokerPro Challenge Texas Hold'em poker tournament rolls out. Grand prize is $25,000. Displays will show players' commitments, table stakes, pot amount, and community cards. They'll also identify winners at the end of each hand and add the winnings to the player's table stakes.
http://www.directline-cruises.co.uk/Carnival%20Cruises
South America schedules for winter 2010 - 2011 have been announced by Celebrity. The season will consist of visits to 13 countries and 30 ports. The 1950-passenger Celebrity Infinity will sail six 14-day trips, including dips around Cape Horn. Buenos Aires and Valparaiso will be the embarkation ports... Short getaways to the Caribbean will now be offered year-'round. Beginning next May, the 1814-passenger Celebrity Century will conduct four- and five-day Caribbean itineraries all year long from Miami. Among the places it will visit: Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, the line's private island CocoCay, Roatan, Nassau, Jamaica, and Key West... For the first time in six years, Celebrity will be sailing year-'round in the Caribbean. Beginning next year, its 2850-passenger Celebrity Solstice will alternate week-long trips from Fort Lauderdale to the Eastern and Western Caribbean... The 1950-passenger Celebrity Millennium emerges from a $10 million refreshment this summer. It will sport new carpeting throughout the ship, new upholstery in every cabin, renewed marble and stone floors, newly varnished teak, 32-inch TVs in suites, and more. It will be sailing the Alaska route this summer from Vancouver.
More than 250 destinations will be visited next year by Costa's 15 ships. That represents a capacity increase of 16 percent when its new 2828-passenger Costa Deliziosa enters service next spring. Most of the trips will be in Europe, where 14 of the liners will be stationed at least part of the year. Other itineraries will be to North America, South America, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Canada/New England, and repositioning. The carrier says that it will offer 1100 different excursions next year. Costa, which carried 1.1 million passengers in 2007, observes its 60th anniversary this year... Starting in 2010, Celebrity will offer short cruises year-'round. Its 1814-passenger Celebrity Century will conduct four- and five-day Western Caribbean itineraries from Miami... Costa held a precedent-setting double christening in Genoa this season, introducing its 2828-passenger Costa Luminosa and 3000-passenger Costa Pacifica. It calls Luminosa the Ship of Light and Pacifica the Ship of Sound. The Luminosa will have a contemporary design accented by iridescent colors, marbles, woods, mother-of-pearl detailing, and art. There will be 120 Murano glass chandeliers, 1100 decorative tiles, and 20 types of marble and granite. The theater will seat 800 passengers and feature 14,000 lights capable of creating special effects. A mega-screen will be located over the pool. The Pacifica will have a 103-cabin Spa area, a professional music-recording studio allowing passengers to create their own CDs, an atrium highlighted by musical symbols and instruments as dˇcor, a soundtrack created for the ship by Italian composer Mauro Pagani and 43 musicians, and live singers performing in the lounges. Each corridor on the ship will have its own music by masters from Chopin to Beethoven, while each lounge will feature its own international music. 22 musicians aboard the ship will be divided into orchestras, trios, duos, and pianists.
A new vessel has been assigned to Cruise West's Galapagos service. The 100-passenger Galapagos Explorer will conduct nine-day cruises from the Ecuador mainland 650 miles west to about eight of the Galapagos islands. Naturalist guides will provide continuous commentary. Cruise West's Galapagos exploration cruises depart next March and April... Cruise West is rolling out a more robust enrichment program this summer. It will be guided by a new Board of Advisors, who are authorities on oceanography, nature, science, cultures, and history... Some ships will now offer "alfresco" dining options, and all will have new food and wine choices this season.
Technology takes a front and center position on Crystal's programming this fall, as it introduces on-board Technology Concierges. They'll help passengers understand features of iPods, iPhones, BlackBerries, Kindles, Treos and GPS devices... What's expected to be Crystal's final call to Antarctica is set for the Christmas/New Year holiday. The 19-day trip, aboard the 922-passenger Crystal Symphony, will depart from Buenos Aires and conclude in Valparaiso, after visits to ports in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. Beginning in 2011, a proposed ban on the carriage of certain fuel oils will effectively prohibit the sailing of most ships in the Antarctic... The company is unveiling a new web site at crystalcruises.com. It will be layered for quicker and easier access to information needed to plan a Crystal cruise. It will have additional photography, interactive slide shows, descriptive content about destinations and shore excursions, special offers, and an on-line version of its fleetwide brochure.
The Oxford University Press has joined with Cunard to inaugurate a new on-board Science Club, where leading scientists and science writers will conduct lectures, book signings, and interviews. Among the topics: astronomy, evolution, oceanography, genetics, biodiversity. Cunard had the help of 3000 former passengers who answered surveys during the formulation of the program... A popular Queen: the maiden voyage of Cunard's next liner, the 2092-passenger Queen Elizabeth, sold out within 36 minutes after tickets went on sale. It will launch in October, 2010, from London. In addition to the maiden voyage, more than half the accommodations available on the ship's first six voyages were sold within the first two hours... With a nod toward history and a vow that its passengers "who seek a return to tradition will enjoy proper, authentic experiences to reflect the line's 170-year heritage of formality and civility at sea," Cunard has unveiled details of the Queen Elizabeth. Many public rooms will be double-and triple-height. Interiors will be detailed with wood paneling, mosaics, marble, and chandeliers. Art deco design recalling earlier QEs will be used extensively. There will be large collections of artwork and memorabilia reflecting the first QE of 1938-vintage. And a number of public rooms and decks will be named for their counterparts in the earlier ship. The first six cruises will call on 32 ports in 18 countries. Med, Aegean, Gallic, Iberian, and Caribbean regions will be visited... Just published: Cunard's 2010 - 2011 itineraries. The company will once again have three Queens under sail. The 2620-passenger Queen Mary will make 21 transatlantic crossings next year and additional roundtrip New York voyages; the 2014-passenger Queen Victoria will spend winter 2011 on the U. S. West Coast and in Panama Canal waters, calling at Los Angeles and Hawaii after summer in Europe; and the 2010-new 2092-passenger Queen Elizabeth will begin its career next October in Spain and Portugal.
Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. Those will be the names of Disney's next two 2500-passenger ships, due for launch in 2011 and 2012. The bows of the ships will have intricate patterns of art deco-inspired scrollwork, similar to the scrollwork on Disney's existing two ships. They're intended to be reminiscent of the classic ocean liners of the 1930s, with added touches of Disney whimsy, such as a Mickey Mouse medallion in the center of the design... Construction of the two ships is beginning in Germany this season. According to Disney, they're being built with families in mind, with specially designed areas and activities for each member of the family to allow for both quality time together and individual experiences. The two new ships will double Disney's Cruise Line's size... Next year will see the Disney Magic in Russia, Northern Europe, and the Med. There will be a two-month mid-summer schedule of 12-day European Capital cruises stopping at Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Berlin's port, and St. Petersburg, round trip from London. Before and after those Northern Europe trips will be a series of 10- and 11-day cruises in the Med in April, May, August, and September round trip from Barcelona.
Here's a novel approach to on-board programming. Holland America will start a book club program on sailings of 14 days and longer. Popular novels will be selected for reading and then book discussions will be hosted by resident librarians in the ships' libraries. Chosen books will often relate to ships' destinations... Replacing 20 seven-day sailings, Holland America will inaugurate ten new 14-day cruises to Anchorage, Homer, and Kodiak for the first time next summer. The 1380-passenger Amsterdam will sail from Seattle and will also visit the Inside Passage, Sawyer and Hubbard Glaciers, Ketchikan, Skagway, Sitka, Kodiak, Juneau, and Victoria... "Showroom at Sea" makes its debut this summer. A musical repertory company consisting of seasoned Broadway performers, it will be the centerpiece of Holland America's entertainment lineup. Produced by Emmy-winning artists, the concept will feature a different show and themed environment nightly. Cast members have credits with such shows as Les Miserables, Rent, and Mamma Mia. A redesigned main stage will have a seamless transition with the showroom. There will be new seating, new sound systems, new lighting, new video projections, and scenery that can leap off the stage... Next summer, Holland America will have eight ships sailing in Alaskan waters, four from Seattle and four from Vancouver.
This issue: On-board Review of Maasdam. See the Ship
Reviews
section.
In a partnership with Travelocity, Hurtigruten ships, onboard experiences, and descriptions of each sailing will be a link away from Travelocity content. The carrier this year will visit fjords
A new passenger-service position of Guest Relations Manager is being added to each MSC ship. The managers, who speak several languages, will serve as a single point of contact to handle passenger service issues... A 220-page coffee-table book about the guest experience aboard MSC has been published. It's called "Cruising in Style," and is available at bookstores, online, and onboard MSC ships... MSC will add Canada/New England to its repertoire next year. Its now-abuilding 2550-passenger Magnifica, which will enter service next March, will conduct fall foliage cruises between New York City and Quebec.
14 restaurants. 18 bars. An aqua park with three waterslides. A 200-foot tube slide. A 33' x 64' rock climbing wall. Six bowling lanes. A repelling wall. Eight different outdoor sports activities — basketball, volleyball, soccer, dodgeball, batting cage, bungee trampoline, rope course, climbing cage — on the sports deck. A squash court. Three separate kids' and teens activity areas. Illuminated arching water sprays. 60 two-deck suites and villas with private pool, health club, and lounge. Cabin windows facing corridors. Curved staterooms. Color-spectrum hull art. That's part of what awaits 4200 passengers on each cruise of the Norwegian Epic, which sets sail next May. The ship will sail from Miami on seven-day cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean... Now passengers will be able to connect with other passengers — both acquaintances and strangers — before their cruise begins, thanks to a new NCL Facebook application. Passengers booked on future cruises will be able to network with others on their sailing on a Cruise Countdown Clock application on Facebook. The social media application will show all the people utilizing the site and allow communication with each... After Alaska imposed a $50 head tax on each cruise ship passenger, NCL announced it was pulling its 1936-passenger Norwegian Sun from the Alaska market beginning next summer. It will move it to the Baltic, where it will begin 12-day trips to Copenhagen, Berlin, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, and Stockholm.
A new wrinkle in the shore excursion experience will appear on Peter Deilmann's Europe river cruises this season. A wireless communication system will allow the tour leader to speak clearly and at normal volume to tour-goers who will be wearing headsets. It will be particularly useful in places where talking is discouraged or forbidden and where the din of crowds and poor acoustics make shouting necessary or difficult.
Princess will spread its sails in Europe next year, scheduling a record 96 departures on 39 itineraries to 130 ports on six ships. Major areas: The Med, Greek Isles, British Isles, Iceland, Scandinavia, Russia, Black Sea, Holy Land... The carrier's 2010 Alaska season will see 112 sailings aboard seven ships. Departures will be from San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, and Whittier (Anchorage). Trips will range from seven to 14 days in length... There will be a doubling of Princess' capacity in the Caribbean next summer, as it places its 3110-passenger Caribbean Princess and 3100-passenger Emerald Princess into service there. The Caribbean Princess will sail from New York City on ten nine-day itineraries to Bermuda and various islands. The Emerald Princess will travel from Fort Lauderdale on week-long Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises... A new plot twist is being added to Princess' outdoor giant-screen movies — billed as "Movies Under the Stars." A Leonard Maltin Movie Club and Movie Channel, named for the well-known film critic, will give passengers an opportunity to gather after movies and discuss and critique them with other film buffs. A different popular or classic film will be showcased monthly on each Princess ship.
"Dinner and a Show" is a new entertainment concept being introduced by Regent on its two 700-passenger ships, the Voyager and the Mariner. Under the new model, the evening's entertainment for participating passengers will consist of a cocktail party and a gourmet meal in one of the ships' alternative dining rooms followed by an "intimate" cabaret-style performance in a nearby lounge.
Royal Caribbean's second 5400-passenger ship, Allure of the Seas, will be placed in Caribbean service when it's completed in December, 2010. Weekly trips from Fort Lauderdale will alternate between the Eastern and Western Caribbean. In a break from normal, each itinerary will include three days at sea. The ship will have 16 decks, themed "neighborhoods," a carousel, a zip line, an amphitheater, fountain shows set to lights, a naturally-lit boulevard of boutiques and restaurants, a tropical park as long as a football field, flower gardens, beach pool, and more. For the first three years, the main showroom production will be the Tony award-winning seven-year Broadway musical "Hairspray"... Eight Royal Caribbean ships will ply European waters next year. The four- to 14-day cruises will be positioned in the Med and Northern and Western Europe. The ships will visit 55 ports in 22 countries on 57 itineraries... Close-to-home cruising will come to four Northeast U. S. ports next year. Baltimore, Boston, Norfolk, and New York will receive 84 sailings on 14 itineraries. Among the regions to be visited: Bermuda, the Caribbean, and Canada/New England. Trips will range from five to nine days in duration... Royal Caribbean's 2010 - 2011 Caribbean season will find five ships sailing from four home ports. There will be 243 sailings from San Juan, Port Canaveral, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale. 25 ports of call will be visited on five- to nine-day cruises... Royal Caribbean will be long on short cruises in 2010 - 2011. It has scheduled 331 three- to five-day sailings. They'll encompass 20 itineraries and visit 15 ports... Some changes coming up in the line's dining program. A concept called "My Time Dining" will be on the table. It will allow passengers to eat in the main dining room whenever they wish. They will not have a pre-assigned table and can eat with whomever they wish. Children who have post-dinner programs to attend will be able to leave the meal in 40 minutes. Specialty restaurants and cabin service will also be available... "Webisodes" available at www.oasisoftheseas.com will give future passengers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to bring a cruise ship to life. In this case it's the 5400-passenger, 16-deck Oasis of the Seas, which will be launched in December... Living up to its middle name, Royal Caribbean Cruises has scheduled 101 Caribbean sailings for the 2010 - 2011 winter and spring seasons. Seven ships will offer 31 itineraries between seven and 14 days in length. There will be 28 ports visited. Points of departure will be Bayonne, Baltimore, Fort Lauderdale, Galveston, San Juan, and the Panama city of Colon.
Seabourn's 2010 - 2011 schedule has been published. With two new ships bringing its total fleet to five, the new schedule shows 44 new or not-recently-visited destinations, year-'round service in Asia for the first time, deeper itineraries in Europe, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Asia, and Africa, and a return to Indonesia. All told, there will be visits to 250 ports in 68 countries on 186 voyages over 15 months.
The butler did it. Silversea will expand butler service to all accommodations aboard its fleet by December... From jazz and the Beatles to opera, a series of music theme cruises will round out the year on three of Silversea's vessels. See Theme Cruises. The early-January inaugural voyage of Silversea's new 540-passenger all-suite Silver Spirit will be a 91-day "Spirit of South America cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles and back to New York, stopping at Rio and Buenos Aires, crossing the Panama Canal, and cruising around South America at Cape Horn. It will visit 45 ports in 20 countries. Among the entertainment/enrichment programming: Actor-writer-comedian John Cleese and Astronaut and first American woman to walk in space Dr. Kathryn Sullivan... Also appearing this fall: BBC TV and "Golden Girls" producer Terry Hughes, foreign policy fellow Bruce Riedel of the Brookings Institution, British explorer John Harrison, PBS conservation biologist Bill Toone, and BBC correspondent and anchor Michael Buerk.
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| Updates when news occurs | July-August-September 2009 issue | Entire new issue will be posted October 1, 2009 |