This issue: On-board Review of Oosterdam. See the Ship Reviews section.
Welcome to Cruise-News.com, measured as
the Web’s leading source of timely cruise news and information
by Google, Yahoo, and MSNLive
Now in our 18th year
July-August-September,
2008
LATE BREAKING
CRUISE NEWS
Here's all the news you want to know from all the carriers you want to know about
Fresh from a $19 million makeover, Azamara's 694-passenger Azamara Journey will sail the Caribbean during the 2009 - 2010 winter season. It will visit 23 ports in 15 countries and will conduct two Panama Canal transits to/from San Diego. Miami will be the home port. The company also announced its 2009 Europe schedule, which includes 20 new ports and additional overnight stays. A series of seven- to 15-day trips will visit 91 ports in 36 countries. Home ports will include Athens, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Rome, and Venice.
Add Baltimore to the select list of cities receiving 52-week cruise ship service. Starting in 2009, the 2124-passenger Carnival Pride will sail to the eastern Caribbean and to the Bahamas/Florida on seven-day circuits... Galveston will get a new seven-day itinerary in 2009 and 2010. The 2974-passenger Carnival Conquest will sail, about once a month, to Key West, Freeport, and Nassau. During the remainder of the time, the ship will continue its Western Caribbean itinerary to Montego Bay, George Town, and Cozumel... Port Canaveral will be home base for Carnival's new 3652-passenger Carnival Dream, due there shortly after its launch in the fall of 2009. The 130,000-ton ship is the largest the company has constructed... The 3006-passenger Carnival Splendor debuts this summer. It will sail in Europe until fall, when it will reposition to Fort Lauderdale for seven-day Caribbean trips. It will begin year 'round seven-day Mexico cruises from Long Beach, California, next March. Among its food highlights: Indian, Steak, Asian, Mongolian, Italian, New York Deli, Coffee Shop, Rotisserie, and American food themes and themed late-night buffets... Carnival's Web site has a new look. Videos, virtual tours, gift purchases, tour purchases, and more cover the line's 22 ships. The site is www.Carnival.com
With this summer's Alaska season barely hitting its stride, Celebrity announces that it will position three ships there in 2009. For the first time, there will be a 14-day round trip from Los Angeles to Alaska and a 10-day roundtrip from Vancouver. Other parts of the schedule include weekly Friday departures from Seattle and weekly Sunday departures from Vancouver. The 1950-passenger Infinity, 1870-passenger Mercury, and 1950-passenger Millennium will conduct Celebrity's schedule... Celebrity has scheduled three new fall foliage cruises to Canada for 2009. Ten ports will be visited during the series, which will be round-trip from New York aboard the 2034-passenger Constellation... The clean sea air will almost be matched with cleaner air aboard Celebrity ships as it converts to smoke-free cabins, smoke-free verandas, and more smoke-free public areas this fall. The company reports that 90 percent of its passengers are now non-smokers. After the new policy is implemented, the only smoking-allowed places will be the port side of one lounge per ship, a slot machine area in each ship's casino, the port side of the pool deck and sundecks, and very limited other areas... The 1814-passenger Celebrity Century will conduct 29 short Western Caribbean itineraries this winter, departing from Miami. They'll run four and five days in duration and will call at two ports... For the first time in five years, Celebrity will place five vessels in the Caribbean for the 2009 - 2010 winter season. They'll call at 26 ports during sailings ranging from seven to 14 days. Fort Lauderdale and San Juan will be the departure ports... The 1870-passenger Celebrity Galaxy will leave the fleet next May to become the first ship of TUI Cruises, a joint venture of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and a German company, TUI AG. It will cater to German-speaking passengers and offer German-favored foods, entertainment, and amenities. It will sail the Baltic during the summer and the Caribbean in the winter... A record number of Panama Canal itineraries is set for late 2009 through spring 2010. There will be 18 one-way trips to or from Fort Lauderdale, Miami, San Diego, Seattle, and Valparaiso... A series of first-ever Antarctica trips is set for next year, when the 2050-passenger Celebrity Infinity conducts eight sailings at the 2009 - 2010 year-change. They'll call at 26 ports in 13 countries. Departure ports will be Fort Lauderdale, Valparaiso, and Buenos Aires... During the 2009 - 2010 southern summer, Celebrity will conduct 14 sailings in Australia/New Zealand, Hawaii, and the South Pacific. Its 2038-passenger Celebrity Millennium will visit 33 ports in eight countries. Itineraries range from 11 to 19 days.
Costa achieved a record 1.1 million boardings last year on its 12 ships. It has another five on order. The company is observing its 60th anniversary this year... It achieved another record when its level of customer satisfaction last year reached 98 percent... Each of Costa's ships will be stationed in Europe this summer, leaving from Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Kiel, Hamburg, Venice, Rome, Genoa, and Trieste.
They'll sail to the Eastern Med, the Western Med, Northern Europe, and transatlantic and repositioning cruises.
New ocean, new name. The 104-passenger Spirit of Nantucket, which had been based on the East Coast, has been renamed Spirit of Glacier Bay, in recognition of its new deployment. It'll sail three- and four-day cruises from Jneau to Glacier Bay National Park and Haines. Before and after the summer Alaska season, the ship will be based in Seattle. Cruise west this summer will have eight ships, eight itineraries, and 160 departures in its Alaska service... An inaugural "Taste of the Pacific Northwest" series will highlight culinary traditions and wines of Oregon and Washington. There will be four autumn departures on the 84-passenger Spirit of Discovery, round trip from Portland... San Francisco Bay wine tours will return for another season. They depart from San Francisco on the 138-passenger Spirit of Yorktown in September and October. There will be both five-day and four-day itineraries. In each case, visits to wineries, tastings, estate-tours, and special meals will be part of the package
New for 2009 will be calls to Israel and Egypt, Asia itineraries on both the 940-passenger Crystal Symphony and 1080-passenger Crystal Serenity, and a return to the Amazon for the first time in three years... Eight new 403 square foot penthouses will be created from 12 former staterooms during Crystal Serenity's next drydock in November. They'll have butler service, a large balcony, a stocked bar, whirlpool bath, DVD, CD, and more. Following the conversion the ship will have 72 penthouses and 32 penthouse suites... Next year, Crystal will offer 61 itineraries visiting 185 ports. They'll range from seven to 106 days in length.
Cunard will be 170 years old next year. And its new 2009 schedule will take it to 75 ports in 34 countries. There will be more than 60 departures around the world, including 25 transatlantic crossings via the 2620-passenger Queen Mary 2. The new 2014-passenger Queen Victoria will inaugurate 11 new itineraries including 18 maiden calls. Among them: cities in Norway, Sweden, and Italy, and Boston, Quebec City, and Halifax on fall foliage trips... The April 2009 crossing of the Queen Mary 2 from New York to London will feature the winners of the 2008 Jose Iturbi International Music Competition. The young pianists and singers will perform classical music throughout the cruise and participate in discussions.
Most Disney passengers can now check in for their homebound flights while on board their vacation ships. That will eliminate the need to do so at the Orlando airport following their cruises. Checked luggage bound for participating airlines will not have to be picked up, either. It will be transported from ship to outbound flight... Disney will have a long cruise season at its home port, Port Canaveral. It signed a 15-year contract extension to expand its terminal and to base its two future ships there. More than 3.5 million Disney passengers have sailed through Port Canaveral since the company inaugurated service in 1998
Classic cruise posters from 1895 onward are now available at Holland America's online shop. They're 24 inches by 36 inches and include scenes promoting Paris-New York crossings, the Statue of Liberty at the end of a crossing to New York, and widely-remembered others. Prices and details are available at www.hollandamerica.com...
Ever wondered how many origami animals you can make from towels? Well, Holland America's cabin stewards are experts at the subject, often surprising passengers with bed-top figures they find when they return to their cabins. Now Holland America has published an 88-page book entitled "Towel Creations — Holland America Line 40 Designs" — a step-by-step guide on how to shape seahorses or frogs just like the pros... Looking ahead to 2009, Holland America reports that its ships will sail some 500 cruises to 320 ports on all seven continents. Of those, 20 will be brand new to Holland America. Of the company's 35 home ports, 11 are in North America. Cruises will range from two to 117 days in length. The 135-year-old company operates a fleet of 14 ships... Three new ports in Quebec — Gaspe, Baie-Comeau, and Sept-Iles — will be on the schedule during 21 Canada and New England cruises this summer and fall. They'll sail primarily from Boston, Montreal, Quebec City, and New York on the just-launched 2104-passenger Eurodam and the 1258-passenger Maasdam... Holland America's Culinary Arts Center Program is flourishing. It recently marked the seventieth chef, restaurant critic, culinary educator, or cookbook author to appear at demonstrations, tastings, cooking classes, and talks... Free workshops about digital photography will be offered by Holland America and Microsoft aboard each ship in the fleet.
This issue: On-board Review of Oosterdam. See the Ship
Reviews
section.
Seven North American segment departures will be available late this year on the 318-passenger Fram's 67-day North-to-South Pole-to-Pole expedition cruise. The ship will travel along the east coast of the U. S. as it makes its way from the Arctic Circle to Antarctica The cruise leaves from Reykjavik and will stop in Sydney and Halifax in Canada and Bar Harbor, Gloucester, Martha's Vineyard, Newport, New York City, Charleston, Port Canaveral, and Key West in the U. S.
Majestic America has signed the Wilderness Best Management Practices Program for Tracy Arm and Ford Terror Wilderness in Alaska. Under its terms, the company agrees to minimize speed and wake around paddlers, agrees to share schedules with other operators in order to avoid crowding in any particular destination, agrees not to schedule large ships in particularly sensitive areas, and agrees to include the wilderness management guidelines in its training programs and its policies and procedures documentation. The six-ship fleet sails primarily river and coastal itineraries.
For On-board Review of Queen of the West, see the Ship
Reviews section.
MSC's new flagship, the 2500-passenger Poesia has entered service. 80 percent of its staterooms are outside, and 65 percent have a balcony. It has 16 decks, more than four acres of public space, two pools, four hot tubs, a spa, and restaurants and bars throughout the ship's public areas. Initially, it will sail to Greece, Turkey, and Croatia on seven-day cruises from Venice... On tap for a December debut: the 3959-passenger Fantasia. The largest ship built by a European firm, it will sail in the Med from Barcelona and Genoa
NCL says it has thrown away the rule book in the design of its two 4200-passenger ships under construction in France for a 2010 introduction. 100 percent of the outside cabins will have balconies. Each bathroom will be divided into separate toilet compartments, bath/shower compartments, and vanity/sink areas. Perhaps the most unusual feature will be curving cabin walls, giving an architectural feel far from the rectangular look aboard current ships. Back-lit domed ceilings and concealed contour lighting will further distinguish cabins from those on earlier ships, the company says. In reference to their curved shapes, NCL calls the cabins "New Wave Staterooms"... Many new 2009 summer deployments have been announced by NCL. In Alaska, three ships will offer weekly round trips from Seattle and Vancouver; in Bermuda, two ships will ply weekly between the British island and either New York City or Boston, while a third will operate five- to seven-day trips from Baltimore, Charleston, or Philadelphia; in Europe, three ships will be deployed. They'll serve the Western Med from Barcelona, the Baltic capitals from London, and the Canary Islands and Morocco from Barcelona... No more day-of-departure comment forms to fill out. From now on, NCL passengers will receive an emailed post-cruise comment form. That'll cut down on last-minute paperwork and permit a calmer, pressure-free response... A record 160 Alaska excursions will be offered this summer, in buses, boats, hummers, SUVs, jet boats, floatplanes, skiffs, and on foot... NCL describes its new nightclubs for ships being launched in 2010 and beyond as "Riviera Chic, Ibiza Style, Miami Trendy, and Vegas Flair." They'll be day-night multiple-use rooms. Some will have bowling, dining, ice bars, glass elevators, beach clubs, 35-foot waterfalls, adults-only retreats, and giant TV screens displaying active images like charging bulls and synchronized swimmers to the beat of "dynamic" music.
Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth will be the centerpoint of three southern and eastern Africa cruises planned aboard the 513-passenger Deutschland in December and January. They'll be 13, 15, and 18 days in length... For 2009, it's two new Med itineraries for the Deutschland. There will be a seven-day Venice to Rome trip and a 12-day Rome round trip.
To reflect its new deployment on worldwide itineraries, Princess' 670-passenger Tahitian Princess will be renamed Ocean Princess next year. Primarily devoted to South Pacific sailings for the past six years, it will sail to Alaska this summer, a world cruise in early 2009, and Northern Europe next summer... All seven continents are on Princess' Northern Winter/Southern Summer agenda for 2009 - 10. It has announced 110 sailings on 10 ships to more than 180 cities. There will be 11 brand-new ports. Destinations include Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia - New Zealand, Europe, Hawaii, India, Tahiti, North America, South America, and a world cruise. The 10 ships vary in size from 60 passengers to 3100 passengers... Adult-only "Sanctuary" zones, which Princess describes as "pockets of tranquility," will open between now and 2010 on all ships in the fleet. Passengers will be attended by "Serenity Stewards," who will provide chilled face towels, water atomizers, beverages, MP3 players loaded with personalized music, smoothies, snacks, and more. Spa services and massage cabanas will also be available... The 2600-passenger Star Princess and 3110-passenger Caribbean Princess will be remodeled to incorporate features that are popular on Princess' newer ships. Beginning this fall, their atriums will be converted into piazza-style street cafˇs. An adults-only Sanctuary, a steak/seafood restaurant, and a more centrally located casino will also be constructed a deck higher, where the ships' central entertainment areas are... For passengers who'd like to spend vacation time in Panama as well as just pass through it on the canal, Princess will offer a second day in port there on 23 of its 44 canal sailings on four ships in 2009 - 2010. Most of the "second-day" cruises will be between San Francisco or Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale... Pacific Coastal sailings during 2009 - 2010 will include wine country cruises and a number of San Francisco/Los Angeles/Vancouver/Seattle/Victoria stops. Many of the cruises are being scheduled in conjunction with spring and fall repositioning trips between the Caribbean and Alaska... During the 2009 - 2010 winter, Princess will operate 129 cruises in the Caribbean and Mexico's west coast. They'll range from seven to 14 days and will be conducted by six ships in the Caribbean and two in the Pacific
Two — one 116-day and one 121-day — world cruises, new northern Europe itineraries, and "Discovery Collection" voyages to Africa, the Middle East, India, and South America highlight Regent's plans for 2009. The year will see Regent's most diverse deployment in its history, visiting more than 300 ports on seven continents. The company now has five medium-sized ships... A multi-million dollar upgrade of entertainment programming has resulted in the addition of professional ballroom dance teams, new productions, larger live orchestras, cabaret revues, permanent casts of singers and dancers, and a roster of headline entertainers.
This issue: On-board Review of Navigator. See the Ship
Reviews section.
The east coast cities of New York, Boston, Baltimore, and Norfolk will have 66 Royal Caribbean cruises to choose from during the summer and fall of 2009. There will be 17 itineraries to Canada, New England, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. Three ships will be devoted to the service: The 3634-passenger Explorer of the Seas, the 2110-passenger Jewel of the Seas, and the 2446-passenger Grandeur of the Seas... To mark its 20th season of Alaska sailing next summer, Royal Caribbean will place three ships in the region, offering 57 sailings. Points of departure will be Vancouver, Seattle, Anchorage - Seward, San Francisco, and San Diego. Most trips will be seven days in length. The 2501-passenger Radiance of the Seas, 2501-passenger Serenade of the Seas, and 2435-passenger Rhapsody of the seas will be used on the Alaska service... Central Park goes to sea next year. When Royal Caribbean floats its first 5400-passenger Project Genesis ship late in 2009, it will have a 328-foot long real park, longer than a football field. There will be lush, tropical grounds, pathways, foliage, flowers, shrubs, and trees. Overlooking the park will be 334 staterooms, reading corners, a Chess Garden with large-scale pieces, a sculpture garden, boutiques, and at least five restaurants and bars. A sister ship will be inaugurated in 2010... Short Caribbean cruises of two to five days will be conducted 360 times during 2009 - 2010. There will be 18 itineraries aboard five ships. Departures will be from Tampa, Port Canaveral, Port Everglades, and Miami... The 3634-passenger Independence of the Seas has entered service. It will sail 14-day Mediterranean itineraries round trip from London. It will return to Fort Lauderdale for its initial Western Caribbean sailings starting in November. Among its highlights: a surf simulator, a water park, cantilevered whirlpools suspended above the ocean, a full-size boxing ring, heated pools, and an ice rink... Looking ahead to the 2009 - 2010 Caribbean winter season, Royal Caribbean will offer 31 itineraries on 264 sailings. They'll range from six to 14 days. Departures will be from Miami, Port Everglades, Port Canaveral, New York City, Galveston, San Juan, and Colon in Panama. Nine of the company's 21 ships will be dedicated to the Caribbean next winter... A return to South America during the 2009 - 2010 southern summer will result in nine trips aboard the 2501-passenger Radiance of the Seas. Itineraries will range from 11 to 15 days. The ship will depart from Valparaiso and Buenos Aires... Oasis of the Seas has been chosen as the name of the 5400-passenger behemoth that Royal Caribbean will launch late next year. It will have 16 decks and encompass 220,000 gross registered tons... The San Diego/Los Angeles to Mexico market will be served by 55 departures during the 2009 - 2010 season. Cruise length will vary from four to seven days... A busy winter lies ahead for Royal Caribbean. It has scheduled more than 1100 sailings, with calls at 240 ports. Among the non-Caribbean highlights: 17 trips to Hawaii, the South Pacific islands, Australia, and New Zealand; two transpacific crossings; 16 Mediterranean voyages; 19 Asia sailings; and several repositioning cruises.
Seabourn's newest ship has just sailed through two oceans and it won't even have its inaugural cruise until next June. The steel hull of the future 450-passenger Seabourn Odyssey, which was built near Venice, was towed down the Adriatic, around the heel of Italy, and up the Mediterranean to Genoa, where it will be completed... The 208-passenger Seabourn Legend will conduct five mid-winter cruises between Fort Lauderdale and Panama, Belize, and Costa Rica. The two-week trips' shoreside tours will concentrate on what Seabourn calls "pulse-pounding pursuits" like tree climbing, snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, and river rafting
Relaix & Chateaux, Silversea's culinary partner, will create a number of new signature and specialty dishes and wine- inspired menus. There will also be a collection of new shore options with a culinary and wine focus and on-board cooking demonstrations. Relaix & Chateaux is a group of 475 fine hotels and gourmet restaurants in 55 countries.
Late News || Newest Brochures || Theme Cruises || News Log || Future Ship Log || Newest Ship Log || Ship Reviews || Links to Agents || Contact || Archive
| Updates when news occurs | July-August-September 2008 issue | Entire new issue will be posted October 1, 2008 |