An Alluring New Ship

The Allure of the Seas will sail seven-day, alternating eastern and western Caribbean itineraries beginning Dec. 12, 2010, Royal Caribbean International said Monday.

The 220,000-ton, 5,400-passenger Allure and its sister-ship the Oasis of the Seas will be world’s two largest cruise ships when they debut: the Oasis this November and the Allure one year later.

Both ships will be based out of Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades, with the Allure leaving on Sundays and the Oasis on Saturdays.

Both Allure itineraries will feature three days at sea, and in the eastern Caribbean will call in St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and Nassau. In the western Caribbean, it will go to Falmouth, Jamaica; Cozumel, Mexico; and Labadee, Royal Caribbean’s private beach on the northern coast of Haiti.

Bookings for the Allure’s inaugural season open on April 2 for Diamond- and Diamond Plus-level members of the Crown & Anchor Society, Royal Caribbean’s frequent cruiser program, and on April 8 for all Crown & Anchor Society members. General bookings will open on April 13.

Royal Caribbean Gives Back!

Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara cruises are offerring great deals for our local heros! In addition to military rates, Active employees of local, state or federal law enforcement agencies or fire departments in the US now can book a cruise at fares up to 20% off the best prevailing rate on select sailings with each brand. And they can bring their families along for the trip! Companions in the same stateroom also are eligible to receive the special rate. 
In order to take advantage of this speacial promotion, police officers and firefighters booking at the special rates will be asked to provide proof of employment (badge or ID card) when booking and at embarkation. Call your travel agent for more information!

A New Celebrity

Celebrity Cruises is giving its loyalty program members the first crack at reserving cruises on Celebrity Eclipse, which enters service in April next year.
Captain’s Club members can take advantage of this exclusive booking window through March 9. Sailings open to the general public the following day.
Celebrity Eclipse will begin sailing in Europe before repositioning to the Caribbean for the winter 2010/11 season.

Big Happenings in California

Royal Caribbean International’s 142,000gt Mariner of the Seas arrived at Los Angeles today, becoming the largest cruise ship to operate regularly on the US West Coast. The vessel will sail weekly Mexican Riviera itineraries, year-round. Ports are Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlán.

Also joining the year-round weekly Mexican Riviera lineup, starting late next month from Long Beach, is Carnival Cruise Lines’ largest and newest ship, the 113,000 gt Carnival Splendor.  There are abundant great deals for Mexico cruises available throughout the year.

New Disney Magic

CELEBRATION, FL – New enhancements are now in place on the Disney Magic as the ship returns from dry dock. The 2,700 passenger cruise ship received a series of upgrades from Sept 6 - 24, 2008.Here is a glimpse at what’s new onboard the Disney Magic:

Indulgence and Relaxation: Quiet Cove, the serene pool retreat reserved for the enjoyment of adults, received a makeover including upgrades to Cove Café, the pool and the deck area. Cove Café, the ship’s sophisticated coffee lounge, now features a new seating area with plush, comfortable chairs providing the perfect venue to relax while sipping a cup of gourmet coffee. Meanwhile, the adult pool was outfitted with soothing, cascading waterfalls from the two hot tubs. Teak deck and lounge chairs with plush cushions line the pool, creating an inviting, stylish ambiance in line with the Vista Spa and Salon.

Fun for the Little Ones: The Oceaneer Club, a Neverland-themed play space for 3-7 year olds, and the Oceaneer Lab, a whacky and interactive laboratory exclusively for 8-12 year olds, were enhanced with new registration areas that make the check-in process more efficient and hassle-free. This sets the stage for incorporating Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in the youth activity areas later this year, which will further enhance and streamline the check-in process. The technology uses RFID tags embedded on wristbands, allowing children to simply tap a sensor to check in and out of the clubs.
Even the youngest cruisers now have a splashtacular time in “Mickey’s Splash Zone,” a new toddler water playground inspired by Fantasia’s Sorcerer’s Apprentice. This 385-square-foot extension to the Mickey Pool on deck 9 features star- and moon-shaped interactive fountains, a soft play surface and whimsical splash zones; creating an inviting environment for children not yet toilet trained and in swim diapers.

New Conveniences: The guest staterooms onboard the Disney Magic received an infusion of technology with the installation of flat-screen LCD television sets. The new 22-inch units are mounted on a swivel arm to allow easy viewing from multiple locations within the stateroom.

A leader in the family cruise segment, Disney Cruise Line offers three-, four- and seven-night itineraries to The Bahamas and the Caribbean. Land/sea vacation packages that include a stay at the Walt Disney World Resort are also available. To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit

www.disneycruise.com,or call Disney Cruise Line at 888/DCL-2500.www.disneycruise.com,or call Disney Cruise Line at 888/DCL-2500.

Carnival’s Destiny

When the 2,642-passenger Carnival Destiny begins a new schedule of four- and five-day cruises from Miami on Saturday, Sept. 27, it will not only provide consumers with an exciting new “Fun Ship” vacation option but will also be the largest ship to be deployed year-round on short cruise itineraries.

The 2,642-passenger Destiny — at one time the largest cruise ship in the world — is by far the biggest and most elaborate Carnival vessel ever to sail short itineraries full time. The ship is nearly 50% larger than the largest Carnival ships now operating voyages of five or fewer days, the 2,052-passenger Fantasy Class ships.

On its new Miami-based schedule, Carnival Destiny departs Thursdays on four-day cruises to Key West, Fla., and Cozumel, Mexico; Mondays on five-day cruises to Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands; and Half Moon Cay, a private Bahamian island; and Saturdays on five-day voyages to George Town, Grand Cayman; and Ocho Rios, Jamaica

 

 

Solstice Sets Sail

The most widely heralded ship to enter the cruise market this year, Celebrity Solstice, departed Meyer Werft shipyard yesterday in Papenburg, Germany, as the largest ship ever built by the longtime shipbuilder. In a milestone event known as “The Conveyance,” the 2,850-guest Celebrity Solstice made its way down the River Eems, as tens of thousands of area residents lining the river banks cheered and photographed the historic event.

No New NCL Ships on the Horizon?

Rumors of a dispute between Norwegian Cruise Line and Aker Yards in France have surfaced in the last several days from Europe.  It is believed that conflict over cost increases and final delivery price of the first of two planned F3 Class ships for NCL may result in a cancellation or significant delay in delivery.  The first of these 150,000 ton vessels was due to start service in 2010.

A Duke Bows to the Queen

Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh will make a farewell visit to Queen Elizabeth 2 in her homeport of Southampton on November 11, the ship’s last day in the UK before leaving on her final voyage that evening. .

QE2 will depart for Dubai where she will become a hotel and entertainment center. The QE2 had been the flagship of the Cunard fleet for 35 years.  She was launched by Her Majesty The Queen at Clydebank in 1967.

Fun Ship to Quebec

Carnival Cruise Lines will operate a trio of cruises along the St. Lawrence River next summer aboard the Carnival Triumph. The nine-day sailings, round-trip from New York, are set for June 25, July 23 and Aug. 20.

In addition to Quebec City, Baie-Comeau and Havre St. Pierre, the offers a day of scenic cruising along the St. Lawrence. The program includes a 16-hour stay in Quebec City, with an optional excursion to Montreal.

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