Few vacations offer a greater value than a cruise+ vacation. You don’t have to worry about packing and unpacking, booking a hotel or wandering around an unfamiliar city in search of a restaurant or things to do. Cruises provide it all: meals, accommodations and entertainment. Sail into new ports of call while you sit back, relax and get pampered, all at an affordable price.

Compare the costs and benefits of a Cruise Vacation to those of a typical land vacation package.

Make cruising your next vacation!

Set your TIVO! Royal Caribbean will unveil their newest and most innovative cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas. ABC’s “Good Morning America” will be there to welcome Oasis of the Seas into her home port of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and give viewers an exclusive first glimpse of the highly anticipated ship during a special live broadcast.

GMA fans across the country can tune in on Friday, Nov. 20th, 2009 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. (EST) on ABC to join “Good Morning America” for a never-before-seen sneak peek at the seven distinct neighborhoods and many spectacular elements and features on board the Oasis of the Seas. Some of these unique features include Central Park, the first park at sea with nearly 12,000 plants and trees; Boardwalk, a family oriented environment with a hand carved carousel; a thrilling zip wire ride that races diagonally over Boardwalk 90 feet above the deck; 28 multilevel loft suites boasting floor-to-ceiling windows; and the Aqua Theatre – an amphitheatre style space that serves as a pool by day and a dazzling oceanfront theatre at night.

But wait! We are driving down to Dania on Nov. 11th to take the first photos of the exterior of the ship as it arrives into Ft. Lauderdale. Then, I will be on the Oasis of the Seas on Nov. 19th for an overnight stay, and plan to upload photos and videos from the ship, as long as the Wifi connection is working, so I hope to have lots for the public to see before this Good Morning America broadcast.

Make sure and check our blog, Flickr and You Tube accounts for more images of the ship. As we mentioned in previous posts, November 19th, we will be able to upload images of the interior of the Oasis of the Seas. We can’t wait to share them with you!

Posted :          July 16th, 2009
Author :        Carnival Cruise Line
Category :    Press Release 

MIAMI  (July 16, 2009) – The new Carnival Dream will take seagoing technology to an entirely new level with the introduction of the FunHub, a comprehensive shipboard intranet portal featuring the cruise industry’s first on-board social network, along with access to a wide variety of information on the ship’s services, facilities and daily activities.

The 130,000-ton vessel, Carnival’s largest ship, is set to debut Sept. 21.

Access to the FunHub will be available via 36 state-of-the-art stations located on decks 3, 4 and 5, including 12 within Ocean Plaza, Carnival Dream’s spectacular indoor/outdoor café and entertainment venue.

The FunHub locations will provide guests with free and convenient access to an informative ship-specific intranet portal, and an exclusive shipboard social network, both of which will be available on a 24/7 basis. Guests may also access the sites via their personal laptops or via 10-inch netbooks which are available for rent and can be used anywhere on board.

Carnival Dream’s on-board social network mirrors the experience one finds on other social networking sites. Guests can create a personal profile and use the application to meet and interact with others on board, send and receive private messages, create groups based on interests, and invite friends to attend shows or participate in on-board events. Guests can also create their own private or public discussion group, inviting others in their traveling party or friends they meet on board to participate.

Designed as a convenient resource for wide-ranging information specific to the Carnival Dream, the intranet portal details the ship’s numerous on-board activities, including entertainment options, daily events and youth programs. Carnival Dream’s extensive food and beverage offerings are showcased with sample menus, hours of operation and more. A filtering application is available to assist guests in planning their day.

The portal also includes weather updates for that day and the next port of call; the latest news and sports scores; biographies of key shipboard personnel; ship and cruise director announcements; fun, interactive polls; helpful three-dimensional ship maps, and a frequently asked questions section.

A year-long collaboration involving Carnival’s hotel operations, marketing, IT and guest experience departments, the Carnival Dream’s on-board social network and intranet portal are available on any guest computer or Wi-Fi enabled device free of charge.

“Carnival is the industry leader in cruise ship technology and social networking and the FunHub sets a new standard,” said Ruben Rodriguez, Carnival’s executive vice president of marketing and guest experience. “The FunHub provides Carnival Dream guests with an exciting and convenient way to keep in touch, meet new friends and learn all about this spectacular addition to the ‘Fun Ship’ fleet,” he added.

Internet access to sites outside the FunHub also is available through all FunHub locations. Netbooks are available free of charge when purchasing a special Internet package on board.

Cell phone service, along with bow-to-stern wireless access where guests can check e-mail and surf the Web from any shipboard location, including their staterooms, will be available, as well.

To showcase its newest and largest ship, Carnival has created a new micro-site at carnival.com/dream with exclusive images, video, interviews and blogs highlighting the ship’s many on-board innovations and features.

The line’s largest ship, the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream is slated to debut Sept. 21, 2009, with the first of three 12-day Grand Mediterranean cruises operating round-trip from Rome (Civitavecchia), followed by a 16-day trans-Atlantic crossing from Rome (Civitavecchia) to New York Oct. 27 – Nov. 12.

From New York, Carnival Dream will operate two eight-day Bahamas/Florida cruises departing Nov. 15 and 23, then reposition to Port Canaveral, Fla., for a special one-time nine-day Caribbean cruise departing Dec. 3. Carnival Dream will then launch year-round seven-day service from Port Canaveral, Dec. 12, offering weeklong voyages to the eastern and western Caribbean.

Posted:         July 15th, 2009
Author:        MSC Cruise
Category:    Cruise News

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (July 15, 2009) – MSC Cruises has added five new theme cruise sailingsto the Baseball Greats, Polka and Big Band themes already planned for MSC Poesia’s 2009-10 Caribbean season.

“Guests have always raved about our theme cruises and the wonderful experiences they offer,” said Richard E. Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises (USA), Inc. “These new additions to the upcoming Caribbean cruise season provide even more variety to the existing 7- and 10-night roundtrip itineraries from Fort Lauderdale.”

President’s Cruise: Nov. 10, 2009– 5-night “Caribbean Escape” itinerary. Rick Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises (USA), Inc., will be the featured guest onboard MSC Poesia’s first sailing in the Caribbean.

Latin Music: Jan. 23, 2010– 7-night “Eastern Caribbean Enchantment” itinerary. Rumba, samba and mambo aboard MSC Poesia to Carlos Oliva and Los Sobrinos del Juez as they perform traditional salsa dance hits and unique arrangements of pop and disco favorites with a Latin beat. Salsa dance lessons and live performances by a hot lineup of Latin music stars are sure to add plenty of flavor and rhythm to this Latin music cruise festival at sea.

Comedy: Jan. 30, 2010 7-night– “Eastern Caribbean Enchantment” cruise itinerary. “Laughter is the Best Medicine” featuring the songs and remarkable impressions of Scott Record. The laughter continues well into the evening nightly in the ship’s comedy club with onboard performances by our featured comedians. Participate in the game show  “Bonk!” (an interactive game show that is part general knowledge, part physical mayhem and all comedy).

Country Music: Feb. 20, 2010– 7-night “Eastern Caribbean Enchantment” cruise itinerary. Boot, scoot and boogie to music by various country artists. Line dancing lessons also will be offered onboard.

Oldies Music: March 20, 2010– 7-night “Eastern Caribbean Dream” itinerary, featuring a performance by The Lettermen – Tony Butala, Donovan Tea and Mark Preston – one of the most popular vocal groups in history. Their 45-year career of unique sound spans the big band vocal and the early rhythm and blues rock groups. The Lettermen will perfom one grand show onboard during this old time rock-and-roll festival at sea.

Plus, The Fabulous Stingrays, a party band performing songs spanning the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, will keep onboard guests rocking and rolling to the sounds of the oldies all night long. Other activities will include an Elvis look-alike contest, dance competitions, trivia games and a lecture on the rock-and-roll era.

Festa Italiana: April 10, 2010– 7-night “Island Treasures & Ancient Temples” itinerary. This celebration of all things Italian features entertainment by opera singers and contemporary Italian vocal artists. Dance the night away or simply sit back and enjoy performances by bands that play Italian and Italian-American favorites. Activities include Venetian mask making, a pizza throwing contest, tarantella dancing and more.

Guests have the opportunity to learn the secrets of making delicious European dishes during cooking demonstrations by top Italian chefs. They can also take a lecture on Italian Art and Architecture, Italian Automobiles or Italian Fashion and Design.

The new themes are in addition to several previously announced theme cruises:

• Baseball Greats: Nov. 20, 2009– 10-night “Dazzling Dutch Caribbean & The Panama Canal”
• Big Band: Dec. 10, 2009– 10-night “Remarkable Rainforests & The Panama Canal”
• Polka: Jan. 9– 7-night “Eastern Caribbean Enchantment”
• Baseball Greats: 7-night sailings: Jan. 16, 2010 and Feb. 6, 2010 “Island Treasures & Ancient Temples”; March 6, 2010 “Eastern Caribbean Enchantment”; April 3, 2010 “Eastern Caribbean Dream”
• Big Band: Feb. 27, 2010– 7-night “Island Treasures & Ancient Temples”

Posted:           July 17th, 2009
Author:         Holland America Cruise Line
Category:     Cruise News

Seattle, July 17, 2009 – Sailing the Mediterranean from Venice to Barcelona, ms Oosterdam recently celebrated a milestone with her 300th cruise. The sailing came a few weeks after extensive upgrades in Fincantieri’s Palermo Shipyard in Italy to add new guest staterooms, dining options, public areas and a specialty wine bar.

“The Oosterdam’s recent enhancements are just one more example of Holland America Line’s commitment to delivering our Signature of Excellence,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “Our guests will delight in new choices such as the Pinnacle Bar and the Canaletto Restaurant along with enjoying great, panoramic views in the newly located Explorations Café — powered by The New York Times.”

From the creation of new eateries — including the addition of Canaletto, a dedicated complimentary Italian restaurant — to the addition of 34 new staterooms, Oosterdam reflects spectacular and subtle additions from stem to stern. Also among new enrichment programming are the Digital Workshops powered by Windows. Led by Microsoft-trained “techsperts,” the innovative and complimentary digital workshops teach the latest computer skills, digital photography and social media applications in a dedicated space with laptops.

Oosterdam also added the Explorations Café — powered by The New York Times — in the Crow’s Nest, a larger Pinnacle Grill restaurant and a Pinnacle Bar with a focus on specialty Northwest wines. To reduce waste behind the scenes, the ship installed an environmentally friendly, state-of-the-art “wet cleaning machine” (for dry cleaning).

The 1,916-guest Oosterdam continues to offer several popular Holland America Line features: the innovative Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine Magazine, the Greenhouse Spa and Salon, and a youth facility that includes the teens-only Loft.

Additional Refinements
To add to the cruising pleasure of her guests, the Oosterdam now has an expanded and updated shopping arcade, featuring the exclusive, chic jewelry shop, Merabella. A new high-end home theatre-style screening room has also been added for small group audio-visual presentations, to view videos and DVDs, and to accommodate private parties.

Amenities
Amenities aboard Oosterdam represent the cruise company’s focus on providing an elegant ambiance and premium cruise experience. Staterooms include Elemis Aromapure specialty soaps, shampoo, conditioner and lotion and feature plush Euro-top Mariner’s Dream Beds, deluxe waffle/terry-cloth robes, Egyptian cotton towels, flat-panel TVs, DVD players, make-up mirrors with halo lighting, massage shower heads, professional-grade hair dryers, fresh flowers and complimentary fruit baskets.

For the remainder of 2009, Oosterdam will sail alternating 12-day eastern and western Mediterranean departures between Venice and Barcelona, a 16-day transatlantic crossing, one 19-day Panama Canal voyage and six 7-day Mexico roundtrip San Diego cruises.

Signature of Excellence Defines the HAL Experience
Oosterdam’s enhancements are part of the comprehensive Signature of Excellence product enhancement program totaling more than $525 million. Signature of Excellence features and amenities are evident in every aspect of the Holland America Line cruise experience.

 When you travel on a Celebrity Solstice Class ship, you have the rare opportunity to experience the art of glass blowing up close. As you sit on the top deck adjacent to the Lawn Club, you and a small number of guests will look on as gaffers from the Corning Museum of Glass carefully manipulate molten glass inside the 2,300 degree furnace, watching as a special, heat-resistant camera placed inside the oven broadcasts the images to large overhead screens. Then, in a moment of pure drama, you’ll gaze in awe as the glass emerges and the gaffers coax it to life, in much the same way that the Hot Glass Show breathes life into this ancient craft.

The Corning Museum of Glass is committed to helping support developing artists and students who aspire to work in one of the world’s most compelling mediums, through education and scholarship programs. The Hot Glass Show, which has been in existence over 10 years, is one of their many outreach programs. At the end of each sailing, Celebrity Cruises and The Corning Museum of Glass will auction off a few of the best pieces created by these artists during the live show, with proceeds being donated to Celebrity Cruises Glassmaking Scholarship Fund, which gives emerging artists the opportunity to study with the world’s best gaffers at The Studio, the museum’s glassmaking school.

MIAMI– July 13, 2009 – In the early morning hours of Saturday, July 11, Norwegian Epic made her first journey on water, cruising out of her construction quay at STX Europe in Saint-Nazaire, France where the 153,000-ton ship has been under construction since October 2007. Beginning at approximately 7 am, the massive 4,200 passenger ship was accompanied by a fleet of six tugboats and taken a short distance down the Loire Estuary. Within about one and a half hours, the ship was moored at the outfitting dock. Norwegian Epic’s float out represented a major milestone in the vessel’s construction as it indicates that the ship has now moved into the final phase of construction and work will begin immediately on the vessel’s interiors.

“Watching Norwegian Epic make her first journey on the water was a very moving experience,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “Norwegian Epic epitomizes our continued commitment to innovation and represents the next generation of Freestyle Cruising, so we are thrilled to be celebrating her float out and looking forward to her delivery in less than a year.”

On hand for the occasion were Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, chairman of the board of directors for Norwegian Cruise Line and chairman, president and chief executive of the Genting Group; Norwegian Cruise Line executives: Kevin Sheehan, chief executive officer; Roberto Martinoli, president and chief operating officer; and Andy Stuart, executive vice president, global sales and passenger services, as well as Sang-Ho Shin, president and chief executive officer, STX Europe; and Jacques Hardelay, general manager, STX Europe, France.

Norwegian Epic is scheduled to be delivered in late May 2010, and will take part in inaugural events before beginning her Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from her year-round homeport in Miami. The first Eastern Caribbean sailing from Miami is scheduled for July 17, 2010 and the ship’s alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries are scheduled through April 2011.

Norwegian Epic’s Eastern Caribbean itinerary includes calls in Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and Nassau, Bahamas. The ship’s Western Caribbean itinerary includes calls in Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico.

Norwegian Epic’s Innovations & Features
Norwegian Epic is changing the face of cruise line entertainment. In another industry first, Blue Man Group will perform in the ship’s 685-seat Epic Theater. Blue Man Group is best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows and concerts which combine music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a totally unique form of entertainment. The blissful party atmosphere created at their live events has become the trademark of a Blue Man Group experience and will be seen for the first time ever at sea only on Norwegian Epic.

Norwegian Epic will have multiple, specially-designed entertainment venues throughout the ship so that guests can choose from a wide variety of entertainment each evening of their cruise. No longer will entertainment be focused on two nightly shows in one large main theater. Norwegian Epic will offer a number of entertainment options in specially-designed venues, some offered for the first time ever at sea, with choices to appeal to a broad audience.

On this ship, guests will find the only “big top” at sea. In this intimate 265-seat theater-in-the-round, famed producer/director Neil Goldberg will present Cirque Dreams® and Dinner. This one of a kind interactive theatrical dining experience will be performed in the air, while juggling dinner courses, with music, mayhem and acrobatic imagination. During this two-hour show, guests will marvel in amazement and become part of a celebration of spectacle and fantasy. The entire experience will be unlike anything else at sea.

Norwegian Epic will offer the next generation of Freestyle Dining with 14 restaurant choices – the most at sea – and 18 bars and lounges. The ship also boasts unique nightlife options with the first Ice Bar at sea and Spice H20 with non-stop entertainment day and night; an expansive Aqua Park with the only tube slide and largest bowl slide at sea — The Epic Plunge; seven decks of Freestyle Family Fun with highlights including a 33-foot high, 64-foot wide extreme rock climbing wall and the first ever rappelling wall at sea; the most bowling lanes at sea with six in two venues; a mixed-use sports deck with the ability for guests to engage in eight different athletic activities; as well as three separate kids’ and teen activity areas and the first squash court at sea.

Norwegian Epic incorporates several new types of accommodations – the curved New Wave staterooms; the largest ship-within-a-ship suite complex at sea, comprising 60 suites and villas on two private decks at the top of the ship; a new category of inside staterooms for the value-conscious traveler – The Studios and Living Room; and spa and family-friendly accommodations.

For more posts about the NCL Epic, click here.

For more picturs of the NCL Epic, visit our Flickr account

Posted:         July 17th, 2009
Author:         Princess Cruise Line
Category:     Cruise News | Oberammergau

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (July 17, 2009) — Princess has added a rare opportunity to its 2010 cruisetour lineup in Europe — a unique cruisetour designed to include the famed Oberammergau Passion Play, which is performed only once each decade in this small Bavarian village in Germany.

The new 18-day “Oberammergau & Highlights of Germany” tour features two nights in the southern German town of Oberammergau, and includes tickets to the event. Passengers will also visit a variety of other top German destinations during the eight-day land tour, including Frankfurt, the Black Forest, Munich Nuremberg and Berlin. In addition, the tour will connect seamlessly with a 10-day Scandinavia/Russia cruise aboard Star Princess. Two departures are offered on August 2 and August 12, 2010.

“This is such a unique opportunity, one that literally only comes around once every 10 years,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “This new cruisetour makes it easy to enjoy this famous event, plus take in many of the other attractions for which Germany is famous, coupled with one of our wonderful cruises through the Baltic region. This is yet another example of our commitment to provide our passengers with fascinating experiences around the world.”

The Oberammergau Passion Play has been held every ten years since 1634 in thanksgiving for deliverance from the Black Death in 1633. The play is now performed in years ending with a zero (except 1984 which was the 350th anniversary), and involves more than 2000 actors, singers, instrumentalists and technicians, all of whom are residents of the village. All cast members have lived in the village at least 20 years and must be amateurs of high moral and ethical principles. Villagers also make all the costumes for the production and, as no wigs are used, participants must grow their hair and beards for several months prior to the performances.

The “Oberammergau & Highlights of Germany” cruisetour is one of Princess’ four Europe cruisetour options available next season. Travelers can also opt for the 18-day “Europe’s Imperial Treasures,” which features the cathedrals and castles of four capitals that have figured prominently in history — Budapest, Vienna, Prague and Berlin — and includes a Star Princess Scandinavia and Russia sailing. The 17-day “Classic Italy” tour offers the charms of Florence and Rome, and can connect to a number of Princess’ Mediterranean sailings. The 16-day “Ring of Kerry” tour offers some of the Emerald Isle’s most inspiring landscapes with visits to Shannon, Killarney and Cork, plus a Crown Princess British Isles cruise.

Fares for the 18-day Oberammergau cruisetour begin at $5,319 per person, based on double occupancy. Capacity is limited on these special tours, and could fill quickly. Call for details.

You sit at the table, several glasses of wine arrayed before you. As you lift the first to your lips, you pause, deeply inhaling the perfume that emanates from deep inside. A sip yields more than wine…it communicated a complex story of grapes, soil, climate and passion. Fifty years ago, Claus Riedel was the first to understand that the wineglass was not just the teller of that story, but an integral part. Now, thanks to the Riedel Comparative Wineglass Workshop, a collaboration between Riedel and Celebrity Cruises, guests of Celebrity can gain insight into the role a wineglass plays in revealing all aspects of wine.

The program, the first of its kind to be offered by a cruise line, is based on the premise that each vintage is a living, breathing entity, embodying a complex set of characteristics. Riedel Crystal, long acknowledged as one of the world’s foremost producers of fine crystal, stumbled upon the degree to which the size and shape of their wine glasses emphasized the harmony among these attributes quite by accident. But once they realized how their different styles of crystal could impact different vintages and varietals, they began to do some serious research, eventually fine-tuning specific collections to enhance that magic interplay among the senses. And now, certified and specially trained by Riedel professional, Celebrity’s Cellarmasters and Sommeliers conduct a fascinating workshop that demonstrates the profound effect wineglasses have on the perception of wine.

Introduced last year, the Riedel Comparative Wineglass Workshop has proven to be one of the most popular enrichment programs onboard. Riedel Wineglass Workshop is $87 pp and includes a set of 4 Riedel Vinum Series glasses, a $116 value.

Celebrity has various other wine program during each cruise. Guests new to wine can partake in a Wine Appreciation program, Celebrity’s version of Wine 101, which introduces 5 different styles.

Celebrity also offers a Walk Around the World program, in which Sommeliers unearth the secret of 12 vintages from different regions around the world. For those who like to combine the pleasures of fine dining and fine wine, the Connoisseurs dinner, which is hosted by on of Celebrity’s Cellarmasters, features a 5-course meals, each course paired with a specially selected vintage from their extensive wine cellars.