Cruise
Shay Mitchell Named Royal Caribbean Ambassador
Royal Caribbean International is teaming up with award-winning actress and avid traveller Shay Mitchell to be the brand’s Adventurist ̶ an adventure adviser and storyteller for the cruise line. In addition to embarking on inspirational journeys with the brand and sharing her experiences, Shay will collaborate with Royal Caribbean experts to develop a series of destination experiences for the ultimate Caribbean cruise, to be revealed this fall. As a seasoned traveller, Shay will personally set sail on board one of Royal Caribbean’s ships this month to begin shaping the new,...
Carnival Expands Cuba Program
Following strong response to its first-ever cruises to Cuba announced earlier this year, Carnival Cruise Line has added five more voyages featuring extended calls in Havana in 2018. The new voyages include three five-day cruises to Havana and Cozumel or Key West departing Feb. 17, July 2 and Sept. 5; a six-day sailing featuring Havana and Grand Cayman departing Aug. 26; and an eight-day voyage with stops at Havana, Grand Cayman and Cozumel departing Aug. 18. All of the voyages include a day-long call and overnight in Havana with the eight-day cruise of Aug. 18 offering two full days...
Australis Showcases the ‘End of the World’
Small-ship adventure cruise line Australis has good news for agents with wanderlust clients interested in sailing to the “end of the world” – it is launching a second ship next year, Ventus Australis, sister ship to Stella Australis. Operating September through April, Australis itineraries showcase the natural wonders of Patagonia and Cape Horn, with departures from Punta Arenas, Chile, and Ushuaia, Argentina. Australis offers three-, four-, five- and seven-night all-inclusive cruises, with itineraries following in the footsteps of Magellan, Drake and Darwin and featuring such...
Agents Can Win With Carnival
Carnival Cruise Line has launched an “Agentpalooza Rockin’ Moments” contest for travel agents on its trade Facebook page, through Sept. 1. As part of the contest, Carnival will post videos featuring highlights from the line’s recent “Agentpalooza” tour and then ask questions related to each video. The first 25 agents to respond each week during the first three weeks of the contest will win a $50 Amazon gift card. During the final week of the contest, the line will select the 10 best posts of rockstar agent photos based on creativity, costuming and Agentpalooza spirit with...
Another First For Scenic
Scenic's recent redesign of two of its France-based Space ships – Scenic Diamond and Scenic Sapphire – included numerous improvements, from reducing the number of cabins/guest to 78/155 while keeping the same crew count for even greater personal service to adding Culinaire - a private cooking emporium offering tailored cooking classes. And as it continues its history of leading the industry with new possibilities, Scenic is now the first and only river cruise line to offer a therapeutic salt lounge – added during the rebuilds. The three-station salt lounge offers guests a...
Stress-Free Cruising With ACV
Following a special $49 offer for its CareFree Plan, Air Canada Vacations (ACV) is now launching CareFree for cruises. The added value proposition is aimed at providing travellers with more peace of mind when booking their next cruise holiday. Travellers who purchase CareFree with air and cruise get free regular seat selection, year-round Price Drop Guarantee and a $50 waiver on administrative change fees. The plan is applicable to any destination or cruise line, as well as to kids. The year-round Price Drop Guarantee is a one-time, cash back offer of up to $200 per passenger if the...
It’s A Perfect Time To Book A Winter Cruise
While it's still only August, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) wants to let everybody know that it's not too early to start thinking about winter travel. And to help things along, CLIA has unveiled the top seven highlights of winter travel and why cruisers should book a holiday getaway now. CLIA president and CEO, Cindy D'Aoust observes: “The 2017 winter season has many opportunities to create a memorable cruise holiday. Cruise lines continue to offer special holiday itineraries, destinations and onboard celebrations enticing travellers to set sail this winter and...
Windstar Delivers on ‘Star Promise’
Windstar Cruises has made good on a 2016 promise to the travel agent community with a new program aptly named “Star Promise.” According to officials, the agent-centric initiative was developed to set Windstar on a course to be the best travel agent partner in the industry for small ship cruising. The Star Promise initiative revolves around four cornerstones of delivery: an Extraordinary Guest Experience for travel agents’ clients; Fresh Sales Tools and Support to help travel agents build their Windstar business; Outstanding Educational Programs for both veteran Windstar agents...