Cruise
The Cutting Edge
The next generation of cruise ships has moved from concept to construction as the first piece of steel was cut at the STX France shipyard for Celebrity Cruises’ newest – and boldest – ship. The ship will be called Celebrity Edge, befitting the many daring design advances and innovations of Celebrity's first new ship class since 2008. Celebrity is also announcing today the name of Edge’s sister ship -- Celebrity Beyond – signaling the incredible experience guests can expect onboard Celebrity Edge and the entire Edge Class, changing the way travellers see the world. Richard...
Princess Offers Sneak Peak at 2018 Europe Program
Princess Cruises has introduced some its 2018 offerings highlighted by top-rated journeys in the Mediterranean and North Europe. Open for sale Dec. 1, these itineraries also include the cruise line’s new “Local Connections” program, featuring enriching vacation experiences ashore and onboard that connect guests with authentic resident experts. Highlights include the maiden call of Sapphire Princess to this region, as well as roundtrip British Isles voyages aboard Royal Princess departing from Paris (Le Havre). The 2018 season features five ships sailing to 115 destinations from...
MSC Introduces First-Ever World Cruise
MSC Cruises has opened sales on its first-ever World Cruise. MSC Magnifica will depart from Genoa on Jan. 5, 2019 and complete an around-the-world voyage back to Genoa 119 days later on May 3, 2019. The itinerary crosses six continents, calling at 49 destinations in 32 countries. Throughout the voyage, guests will visit some of the most historic ports, bustling cosmopolitan cities and remote, exotic island paradises around the globe. Highlights of the cruise include: Exotic and uncharted destinations: From the warm, archipelago of Tonga and the pristine waters of Bora Bora to...
Earn More With Azamara
Azamara Club Cruises is offering agents a special booking incentive through Dec. 2, encouraging them to help clients shop for an “AzAmazing” vacation with the reward of a little shopping money of their own. When agents book a featured immersive European voyage, they will receive a $100 Amazon gift card. The card is per booking, and there is no cap. Eighteen sailings, spanning the Amalfi Coast to the Arctic Circle, departing June through September, are...
ACV Offers Celebrity Air Savings
Air Canada Vacations (ACV) has introduced an air special for travellers booking a Celebrity cruise. For any Celebrity Cruises booking made by Dec. 8 with ACV’s CruiseAir program, travel agents’ clients will save $200 off the air. Plus, the first and second passenger will receive prepaid gratuities. Cruise and air must be booked together by Dec. 8 for departures by Dec. 31. The $200 in savings is per booking (not per person) and is taken off the base price of the air. With ACV’s CruiseAir program, clients can easily add flights to their cruise packages – all flights are 100%...
MSC Bringing Opera to Cuba
MSC Cruises reports that its newly refurbished MSC Opera will homeport in Havana year-round to meet the growing demand for the destination as part of its Caribbean itineraries. MSC Cruises was actually the first international cruise line to homeport in Havana, doing so in 2015 with MSC Armonia. Now, MSC is doubling its capacity dedicated to Cuba as a destination with the addition of a second ship. MSC Opera recently went through a complete upgrade as part of MSC’s Renaissance Program, meaning that is can offer guests great “levels of comfort, service and entertainment.” As...
Norwegian Epic in Port Canaveral
Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Epic has arrived in Port Canaveral, Fla., to begin a winter season of Eastern and Western Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries ranging in length from three, four, six and seven days. Epic returned to the US after having spent a year in Europe, where it underwent an extensive renovation as a part of The Norwegian Edge fleet revitalization program. “We saw great success in Port Canaveral when we returned to the port last year with Norwegian Spirit, so we felt it made sense to take our commitment to the next level by bringing Norwegian Epic, one of our...
Take Me To The River
Ensemble Travel Group has added a new river cruise partner, AmaWaterways, to its network of preferred suppliers. Ensemble Co-President Lindsay Pearlman announced the new partnership in a closed session before an audience of several hundred agency owners and managers during the group's recent conference in San Diego. Pearlman told members, “AmaWaterway’s upper premium product has been a popular river cruise option for some of our members for years, so we’re delighted to officially bring them on board already with an impressive book of Ensemble business.” And he observed,...