Disney Dream : First Water Coaster at Sea

Disney is synonymous with creativity, innovation and creating magical moments for family vacations.

A first-of-its kind water coaster that sends guests racing above the upper decks of the ship. An animated turtle that engages children in conversation about life in the ocean. A sophisticated lounge where the sun sets over the skyline of a different world-famous city each night. When the Disney Dream debuts in early 2011, the newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet will bring to life these innovations and more.

The Disney Dream will take family cruising to all-new heights, embracing the spirit of innovation, magical family entertainment and immersive experiences that have made Disney Cruise Line the preeminent cruise of choice for families since 1998.

Disney Cruise Line revolutionized the cruise industry with purpose-built ships designed just for families. With the Disney Dream setting sail on Jan. 26, 2011, preparations are underway to expand the one-of-a-kind family experience, utilizing technology to enhance the world-class entertainment and legendary guest services onboard. From stem to stern, the Disney Dream will offer a cruise experience that caters to the preferences of the whole family.

AquaDuck Water Coaster. . .

Disney Cruise Line debuts a cruise-industry first: a shipboard water coaster … AquaDuck! Guests aboard the Disney Dream will get swept away on an exhilarating high-speed flume ride featuring twists, turns, drops, uphill acceleration and river rapids – all while traversing the upper decks of the ship.

• AquaDuck stretches 765 feet in length – more than two and a half times the length of a football field – and spans four decks in height.
• Guests slide 13 feet over the side of the ship in a translucent “swing out” loop allowing them to look down on the ocean 150 feet below.
• Guests experience coaster-like thrills as high-powered water jets push them upwards and forwards at 20 feet per second.
• AquaDuck continues through the forward funnel, encounters a 335 foot stretch of river rapids and splashes down to an end on Deck 12.

A Virtual Porthole for Inside Staterooms. . .

Disney Cruise Line introduces another stateroom innovation with all inside staterooms on the Disney Dream featuring a Virtual Porthole that provides guests with a real-time view outside the ship. High-definition cameras placed on the exterior of the ship feed live video to each Virtual Porthole.

As guests observe the impressive outside views, they may glimpse a magical surprise: animated characters such as Peach the starfish from the Disney-Pixar hit film “Finding Nemo,” or Mickey Mouse may pop by the Virtual Porthole.

A Magical Oasis for Children. . .

Only on a Disney Cruise Line ship can children become immersed in their favorite Disney stories with the help of caring counselors, beloved Disney characters and a sprinkling of pixie dust. The celebration of children’s creativity rises to a new level on the Disney Dream with nearly an entire deck of youth spaces designed to inspire, entertain and unlock the imagination of children. There are two main spaces for children ages three to 10:

At Disney’s Oceaneer Club, children can:

• Play among larger-than-life characters from Disney–Pixar’s “Toy Story” in Andy’s Room
• Explore the Laugh Floor with lovable monsters Mike and Sully from “Monsters, Inc.”
• Dive under the sea with Nemo and friends or visit Tinker Bell’s fairy forest

At Disney’s Oceaneer Lab, children feel as though they are embarking on a great seafaring adventure in a room filled with maps, maritime instruments and swashbuckling artifacts. Here, children can try their hand at animation, become a pop star or navigate ships through digital seas.

Both venues offer magical interactions with the animated characters such as Crush, the sea turtle from the Disney-Pixar motion picture “Finding Nemo” and Stitch, the mischievous alien from “Lilo and Stitch.” The characters chat, play and joke with children in live, unrehearsed conversations from their digital undersea and intergalactic environments via 103-inch plasma screens.

Chill-Out Zones for Tweens and Teens. . .

Located inside the forward funnel is Edge – the lounge just for tweens (ages 11 to 13). This tween pad is filled with a multitude of hi-tech entertainment including the ability to create and star in photo postcards and video karaoke using green-screen technology.

Teens have their own exclusive club aboard the Disney Dream with Vibe – a trendy and inviting indoor/outdoor space created especially for guests ages 14 to 17. A “teen-only” swipe card provides access to the nearly 9,000-square-foot club.

Teens can create and edit videos, play computer games, access the onboard social media application or try their hand at spinning and mixing dance tracks. Teens have their own private outdoor deck area with chaise lounges for sunbathing, two wading pools, misters and pop jets for cooling off, and deck games such as ping-pong and foosball.

Personal Touches with Rotational Dining. . .

Disney Cruise Line continues its innovative rotational dining concept onboard the Disney Dream with elaborately themed restaurants, distinctly Disney touches, and world-class cuisine to create a magical dining experience. Throughout the cruise, guests “rotate” through three different restaurants for dinner – with their servers accompanying them, providing guests with friendly, familiar, personalized service each night. The rotational dining restaurants include:

• Animator’s Palate, a signature Disney Cruise Line restaurant that brings the magic of Disney animation into the dining room for a unique experience that will captivate the entire family.
• Royal Palace, an elegant restaurant inspired by the classic Disney films “Cinderella,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Sleeping Beauty.”
• Enchanted Garden, a whimsical, casual restaurant inspired by the gardens of Versailles and featuring a dining environment that magically transforms from day to night.

Just for Adults. . .

On the Disney Dream, while children are having the time of their lives in the elaborately themed youth areas, adults can look forward to incomparable indulgences and relaxation with exclusive areas and offerings designed exclusively for them.

• Adults can escape into The District, a nighttime entertainment area on the Disney Dream with five unique venues. This playground for grownups features sophisticated lounges, each with its own unique design, look, feel, and palate-pleasing delights.
• Senses Spa & Salon offers adult tranquility with 17 private treatment rooms, lavish spa villas with indoor treatment rooms and private outdoor verandahs, and Rainforest, a special section of the spa offering the benefits of steam, heat and hydrotherapy to relax the mind and body.
• At Palo, adult guests find epicurean excellence and an unforgettable dinner experience at sea. Every seat offers beautiful ocean vistas while a pianist softly serenades guests in an intimate restaurant setting.

The Disney Dream is scheduled to depart on its maiden voyage Jan. 26, 2011, and will sail alternating three- and four-night cruises to the Bahamas and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. During summer months, the ship will alternate four- and five-night itineraries with two stops at Castaway Cay.

Guests can book their Disney Dream cruise beginning Nov. 9, 2009.

Biggest Cruise Sale of the Year

CLIA World’s Largest Cruise Night

Many of our preferred suppliers have put together some special offers and incentives so you can take advantage of these great deals, and book the cruise vacation you’ve always dreamed of. Below is a summary of offers. Note that the offers may not start before October 14th and restrictions apply. Call or stop by for additional details.   Regent Seven Seas Cruises is offering a $100 per person shipboard credit booking incentive. Booking window October 1-November 14, 2009. Windstar Cruises is offering a $50 SBC on select Wind Surf and Wind Spirit sailings. Booking window October 14–November 9, 2009. Crystal Cruises is offering a $100 per person discount on most 2009-2010 departures. Booking window October 14–November 7, 2009. Silversea Cruises is offering a $100 per person or $200 per suite discount on any 2009-2011 Silversea Voyage. The Yachts of Seabourn is offering a $100 per booking bonus commission for bookings made during the Virtual WLCN (October 1-31) on request basis when booking is made. Disney Cruise Line is offering up to $100 OBC for January-December 2010 cruises. Booking window October 14–28, 2009. Azamara Cruises is offering up to $500 OBC on select 2010 Europe cruises. Booking window October 14–16, 2009. Celebrity Cruises is offering up to $200 OBC on select January and August 2010 cruises. Booking window October 14–16, 2009. Holland America is offering special 3-Day Sale rates on select 2009-10 cruises. Booking window October 14–16, 2009. Norwegian Cruise Line is offering ship board credits up to $250 Booking window October 13-20 Princess Cruise Line is offering reduced deposit, onboard coupon booklet & ship board credits on select sailings. Booking window Oct 14-16, 2009.

Disney Cruise Line Sets Sail for Alaska

Disney Cruise Line Sets Sail for Alaska It’s a Disney Cruise Line® first!

The Disney Wonder® Cruise Ship is sailing to Alaska for a four-month season of 7-night cruises in 2011. Departing out of Vancouver, B.C., the ship will call on popular ports such as Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.

The first Alaskan cruise sets sail on May 3, 2011, with the last cruise of the season scheduled for Aug. 30, 2011.

Bookings open to the general public on Sept. 28, 2009. If you are Castaway Club members who’ve completed five or more sailings with Disney Cruise Line, you can book as early as Sept. 21, 2009. Early bookings are available by phone only. Bookings open to the general public on Sept. 28, 2009, so let us know if you would like to be placed on a wait-list.

Book-ending the 2011 summer season in Alaska, the Disney Wonder will sail 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises from the Port of Los Angeles. The Disney Magic® Cruise Ship will once again return to the Mediterranean with 10- and 11-night cruises sailing out of Barcelona, Spain.

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Disney Dream

Bringing together innovation in superb shipbuilding and creativity in imaginative storytelling, Disney Cruise Line and Walt Disney Imagineering, along with the Meyer Werft shipyard have created a truly distinctive design. Like the existing ships, these ocean liners were designed to deliver a unique vacation that every member of the family believes was created just for them. Design details will be revealed later this fall.

The Disney Dream is scheduled to join the current fleet in 2011, followed by Disney’s second new ship, the Disney Fantasy in 2012. Together the two new ocean liners will more than double the capacity of Disney Cruise Line, each having 1,250 staterooms and a tonnage of 128,000.

You Deserve A Cruise Sale

Posted:        June 8, 2009
Author:       CLIA
Category:   Press Release | Cruise News
Topic:         You Deserve A Cruise Promotion

When times are tough, a well-deserved vacation is therapeutic, doctor says Dr. David Hubschmitt, a New Jersey-based psychologist specializing in depression, agrees that vacationing during stressful times can be a good remedy. “A well-timed vacation may offer significant benefits for mental health. The relaxation provides a much-needed change of gears in a time-starved society, and may be an ideal time to reconnect with loved ones traveling with you. For those traveling alone, vacations may lead to a higher level of self discovery.”

A well-chosen vacation, according to experts, offers significant benefits and opportunities, including:

• Relaxation,shifting gears and change of scenery are good for one’s health – physical, mental and spiritual
• There is no better time or setting for reconnecting with family and friends and renewing relationships
• A vacation is an opportunity to discover or rediscover oneself
• There’s no better time to recharge and re-energize and to look forward with confidence and enthusiasm

What makes a cruise the perfect vacation therapy? There’s the ease of planning and the convenience of having a “home away from home” for the length of the trip, plus all-inclusive pricing that delivers excellent value. The diversity of cruise experiences means that there is a vacation for every taste, interest and budget. With more than 30 domestic ports of embarkation, millions of Americans are within driving distance of a cruise. And CLIA member lines are doing everything they can to create irresistible incentives. So take a cruise; it’s good for you!

That is the key message of the summer-long “You Deserve a Cruise” promotion just announced by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and its member lines.

From June 8 through August 31, 2009, families, singles, seniors, first-time cruisers, honeymooners and groups of all descriptions will discover the important therapeutic benefits of vacationing as they take advantage of unprecedented cruise values, the latest savings and special cruise incentives.

Many cruise lines and thousands of CLIA-member travel agents are participating to tell consumers across the country that it is okay to travel – that the travel industry is vital to the economy, and they deserve to put daily worries on hold and take a break.

In fact, research, surveys of consumer attitudes and trends, and health professionals increasingly point to the beneficial effects of vacationing. Combined, these realities provide good cause to encourage consumers to take the break they deserve.

Now more than ever, a vacation is what people really need – a break from everyday stresses to get in touch with themselves, their families and what’s important, to reflect on the next steps which could be life-changing, and to renew physically and emotionally.

We are living in challenging times; we deserve the opportunity to reward ourselves while at the same time making a small contribution to the country’s well-being as well.

And, with the incredible, never-seen-before, and likely never to be seen again, values offered by CLIA member lines today, what better time could there be to get some ‘cruise therapy?

Terry L. Dale, President & CEO
Cruise Lines International Association

American Cruise Lines is offering a free category upgrade if you reserve a stateroom on a 2009 10-night Grand New England Cruise before Aug. 31.

Carnival Cruise Lines assures the lowest rate available if you book a three- to five-day cruise three months in advance, or a six-day or longer cruise five months in advance.

Celebrity Cruises is offering rates as low as $64 per day for Alaska, Europe and Trans-Panama Canal cruises, with price protection when those bookings are made by June 30.

Crystal Cruises’  “All Inclusive-As You Wish” promotion extends up to $2,000 in shipboard credits on nearly every voyage for 2009 and 2010.

Cunard is offering 30 percent off early booking fares on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria 2010 World Cruise full, liner and segment voyages.

Disney Cruise Line is giving onboard credits for verandah stateroom bookings on Caribbean cruises, with a $700 credit for most seven-night cruises sailings June 20-Aug. 8; a $400 credit for most four-night trips June 28-Aug. 9, and $300 for most three-night sailings June 25-Aug. 6.

Holland America Line is offering 50 percent off your deposit for each booked 2010 cruise, with no deposit required for the third or fourth guest, plus reduced fares on some sailings.

MSC Cruises is offering balcony staterooms on European cruises from $999 per person (savings of 60 percent), plus a “Kids Sail Free” offer, through June 30. Some Caribbean cruises are on sale for $399 plus “Kids Sail Free.”

Norwegian Cruise Line is offering weekly “Hot Deals” Atlas is also offering a 1 month NCL Sale (ends June 30th) with shipboard credit offers on every sailing. Pepsi promotion also offers complimentary soda package with 7+ day cruises.

Oceania Cruises is launching 2010 European sailings with a $2,000 price reduction off two-for-one cruise fares, with a free airfare per stateroom on all 2010 sailings to Europe.

Princess Cruises is offering free upgrades for balcony staterooms on certain cruises beginning June 15.

Royal Caribbean is offering $100 onboard credit per person on select fall Caribbean sailings booked by July 24.

Windstar Cruises offers free airfare from New York on select 2009 Europe sailings.

Sail Into Savings This Fall with Disney Cruise Line

Spread the word! You can set sail on a fun-filled weekend getaway or embark on an extended vacation in the heart of paradise with a Bahamian or Caribbean vacation with Disney Cruise Line®. If you sail during the dates below, you’ll discover great rates too good to pass up:

• 7-Night Caribbean Cruises from US $849* per person, double occupancy for most sail dates commencing Sept. 19 – Oct. 3, 2009 for Category 11

• 4-Night Bahamian Cruises from US $349* per person, double occupancy for most sail dates commencing Sept. 6-27, 2009 for Category 12

• 3-Night Bahamian Cruises from US $299* per person, double occupancy for most sail dates commencing Sept. 3-24, 2009 for Category 12

*Government Taxes and Fees and excursions are not included. Subject to availability. See Disney Cruise Line brochure for applicable terms and conditions.

Disney Dream & Disney Fantasy

Disney just announced the name of it’s two new ships:  Introducing Disney Dream & Disney Fantasy!

Like the Disney Magic® and Disney Wonder® Cruise Ships before them, the names of the two new ships were chosen with care to celebrate Disney’s unique heritage – creating incredible worlds of fantasy where your Clients’ dreams really do come true.

Walt Disney Imagineers and shipbuilders have been working full steam ahead since the fleet expansion was first announced in 2007. On March 2, 2009, construction on both ships began at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany with a special steel-cutting ceremony.

The Disney Dream is scheduled to launch in 2011, with the Disney Fantasy following soon after in 2012.

We’ll continue to post details as we receive them.

Lucky Ducks. . . Kids 50% Off Disney Cruises!

Kids 12 and under get 50% off prevailing cruise fare at time of booking

Available for 3-, 4- and 7-Night sailings on most dates March 26, 2009 through May 14, 2009 with two full-fare Guests in the same stateroom.  Government Taxes and Fees not included.

Onboard, you’ll discover something magical for every member of your crew with separate areas for kids, teens, adults and families.  There’s even a day at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island paradise.

Offer applies to new bookings only.  The number of staterooms allocated for this offer is limited.  Other offers, discounts or onboard credits do not apply.  See Disney Cruise Line® brochure for details and applicable terms and conditions. Call 1-800-942-3301 for more details and to book !

Disney Cruise Line Launches 3-D Movies at Sea

 Disney Cruise Line is revolutionizing movie entertainment at sea with the debut of Disney Digital 3-D, a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience premiering exclusively onboard the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder.

First run movies will take a new dimension! Disney Digital 3-D premiered onboard the Disney Wonder during the Nov. 20 sailing and on the Disney Magic during the Dec. 6 sailing.

This one-of-a-kind movies experience is just one of the many things included on a Disney cruise vacation. You can also enjoy Broadway shows, deck parties, fireworks at sea and an amazing kids program.

Disney offers 3, 4 & 7 night cruises to the Bahamas & Caribbean. You can also combine a cruise with a land vacation to visit the Disney theme parks.

Disney cruise special: Kids Sail Free

If you have every wanted to take your family on a Disney cruise, this is the time to book! For the first time ever, Disney is offering for kids to sail for free!

Kids 12 and under sail free on most 3-Night cruises 1/22/09 – 5/28/09 with two full fare Guests in the same stateroom. Government Taxes and Fees not included. Offer applies to new bookings only & to stateroom categories 4-12. The number of staterooms allocated for this offer is limited. Hurry, before this offer sails away! Be sure to mention booking code FREE.

Booking a 4 to 7 night cruise? The $99 Fall Offer continues.  Any guest that books a 4- or 7-night cruise on most sail dates 1/31/09 – 3/8/09 or 3/21/09 – 3/28/09 will receive a voucher in their stateroom to sail again in the fall on a 3-night cruise for $99 per person.   Offer is limited, so hurry to take advantage of these great deals!