Cruise
NCL’s Bliss A Sure Winner At Sea
As the first cruise ship specifically designed with features and amenities for sailing in Alaska, Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) new Norwegian Bliss is taking the cruise experience up a notch, reports assistant editor, Greg Coates in this week's digital edition of Travel Courier. The 4,000-passenger Bliss is the third ship in the line’s Breakaway Plus class and 16th in its fleet. Unique features include a large, 180-degree Observation Lounge – perfect for Alaska cruises – the largest racetrack at sea and the line's most extensive Haven to date. Speaking with Travel Courier...
Ensemble Expands Small Ship Program
Ensemble Travel Group has expanded its small ship program by welcoming three new niche partners to its network of preferred partners – American Queen Steamboat Company, Hurtigruten (pictured), and Victory Cruise Lines. The move comes after careful analysis of the experiential marketplace, as well as input from members across Canada and the US. “While each partner delivers unique features to our cruise portfolio, they all command a high price point and are in a growth mode by upgrading their respective fleets in the last year or so, both of which are key to our members’...
TravelBrands Launches Facebook Contest For Agents
TravelBrands Cruises, by Encore Cruises, has partnered with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) to give travel agents a chance to win prizes based on bookings made between May 14-25. Prizes include a free seven-night cruise for two aboard the Norwegian Bliss and multiple sets of $50 in Loyalty Rewards points. To participate in the contest, agents will receive one ballot for every NCL booking made by phone and two ballots for every booking made online during the contest period. Members of the “Your TravelBrands BDM” Facebook group will earn double ballots. Agents who answer fun Norwegian...
Carnival Has New Agent Promotion
Carnival Cruise Line is running a promotion for travel agents that offers special rates for third and fourth guests in the same stateroom and waives non-commissionable fees for those guests. The promotion runs through May 31 and is available on select cruises through fall 2018. “As we grow #thelist we’re looking to activate initiatives that benefit both consumers and our travel partners,” said Adolfo Perez, Carnival’s senior vice-president of sales & trade marketing. “This is a fantastic opportunity for agents to get their clients great rates on Carnival’s fall...
Windstar Expands Its ‘Concierge Collection’
Windstar Cruises has doubled its number of Concierge Collection shore excursions for 2018, increasing the total number of these unique tours to 90. Concierge Collection excursions are intimate, small group experiences that range in size from just four to 12-16 guests, most often under 10. The program is designed for those travellers who are looking for experiences off-the-beaten path that offer the opportunity to live life like a local for a day, whether it’s halibut fishing in the deep waters off Icy Strait Point, Alaska; flying over the expansive vineyards of the Medoc Valley in...
Scenic Unveils 2019 European Collection
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours has launched its 2019 Europe River Cruise collection highlighted by early booking offers and new on-board experiences and shore excursions. These include: Free air on every cabin and selected 11-plus day sailings such as the 11-day Beautiful Bordeaux and 15-day Romantic Rhine & Moselle. Fly for US$295 on every cabin on the 11-day Gems of the Danube with Prague or eight-day Delightful Douro sailings. Fly for US$495 on every cabin on the eight-day Windmills, Tulips & Belgian Delights, eight-day Rhine Highlights, 11-day Black Sea Explorer...
UnCruise Rolls Out New Cruise Adventure
With 15 years’ experience operating river cruises on the Columbia and Snake Rivers in the Pacific Northwest, UnCruise Adventures is changing course to inject more outdoor adventures into the trip with a new Rivers of Adventure itinerary. The 86-guest S.S. Legacy is newly outfitted with adventure gear -- kayaks, skiffs, paddle boards, custom boat launch – and an expedition team for eight departures beginning Aug. 24. Eight-night adventure cruises sail one way between Portland, Oregon and Clarkston, Washington (and reverse) with one night hotel included in Portland. The ship...
Carnival Expands Cuba Offerings
Carnival Cruise Line has expanded its cruises to Cuba with the addition of 23 three- to five-day sailings to Havana in 2019-20 aboard five different ships departing from four East Coast homeports -- Carnival Sunshine from Charleston, Carnival Triumph from Fort Lauderdale, Carnival Paradise from Tampa and Carnival Victory and Carnival Sensation from Miami. The 3,002-passenger, 102,853-ton Carnival Sunshine will be the largest cruise ship to ever call in Havana while offering the first-ever cruise to Cuba from the Port of Charleston. These new sailings complement previously announced...