Cruise
MSC Splendida On The Move To China
MSC Cruises reports that it will deploy MSC Splendida to China as of May 2018, a move being made in conjunction with the cruise line's opening of a new management and operations team based in the region. Built in 2009, Splendida will become one of the largest ships operating in the region with 1,637 staterooms – 76% of which feature a balcony – and can accommodate a total of 4,363 guests. In its new positioning, MSC Splendida will join MSC Lirica, which has been serving the Chinese market since May 2016 and recently moved its homeport to Tianjin for the winter season. MSC...
Miss USA Named Carnival Godmother
Miss USA Deshauna Barber has been named godmother of Carnival Cruise Line’s newest and largest ship, Carnival Vista. Barber made history earlier this year when she became the first woman serving in the US military to win the title of Miss USA. Barber will officially name the 133,500-ton vessel during a shipboard ceremony that is part of an overnight gala event honouring Operation Homefront and featuring an exclusive invitation-only concert by seven-time Grammy-award winning artist Carrie Underwood. The festivities will include overnight accommodations, meals, activities and...
ACV Offers Air-Inclusive Oasis of the Seas Packages
Air Canada Vacations (ACV) is now offering air-inclusive packages on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas sailing weekly out of Port Canaveral. The cruise includes alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries and will be the first time that an Oasis-Class ship has a home port in Port Canaveral – repositioning from Fort Lauderdale in November. ACV’s air-inclusive packages include a specialty dining dinner for two adults worth approximately US$60. Flights for these packages are offered onboard Air Canada Rouge with prices starting at $1,309 (plus $579.92 taxes) for March...
MSC Serving You
As part of its ongoing “MSC Serving You” trade initiatives, MSC Cruises has launched a new and improved group program called EZ Groups, applicable to all Caribbean and European sailings. Based on feedback from agent partners, the newly enhanced program allows agents to create customizable and valuable experiences for their group clients while benefiting from discounted group rates, enhanced amenity points menu of offerings and greater earning potential. The top 10 highlights of MSC Cruises’ EZ Group program include: Earn Up to Eight Amenity Points – Travel agents are now...
Sailing Beyond Borders
Celebrity Cruises has boldly set a course into the trouble waters of the US Election, launching its new advertising campaign at the conclusion of the first debate between presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on Sept. 26, reports Bob Mowat in this week's digital edition of Canadian Travel Press. Dubbed Sail Beyond Borders – http://www.celebritycruises.com/htmlpage/beyond-borders – the campaign's narrative offers a clear and powerful message: “Far from the talk of building walls. Far from the threats of keeping people out. Far from the rhetoric of fear is a world...
Remastered Queen Mary 2 Makes Boston Debut
Queen Mary 2 gave a royal welcome to Boston’s top Instagram dogs, Nacho (@NachoDogg) and Bear (@KnoxandBear), who recently enjoyed the new kennels on the remastered ship at Boston’s Black Falcon Cruse Terminal. Cunard’s flagship ocean liner sailed into Boston to debut its significant refit costing in the region of US$132 million. The luxury liner has been remastered with new contemporary interior designs and guest experiences, many of which take their design inspiration from the original Queen Mary, which debuted into service 80 years ago. As the only passenger vessel to carry...
Agents Big Winners With GLP Worldwide
GLP Worldwide has completed a series of “Travel Insider” events in Vancouver, Cambridge, Ont. and Toronto with one lucky agent in each city winning a grand prize of a cruise. Attending agents learned about GLP Worldwide’s new and completely revamped lineup of customized programs, as well as GLP’s new website and agent portal. Prize winners were: Vancouver, Rita Telford, Travel Best Bets, Treasures of Panama & Costa Rica; Cambridge, Sandy Matthews (pictured), Expedia Cruiseshipcenters, Jewels of the Cyclades; and Toronto, Jamal Nasir, Canadian Globetrotters, Canary...
Tauck Boosts Travel Agent Support
Tauck is helping travel agents navigate the crowded and sometimes confusing European river cruising market with new sales materials that spell out the differences between its river cruises and those offered by other lines. In addition, the company is encouraging agents to gain first-hand experience on its river cruises (and land tours) by enhancing its “Agent Rewards” travel incentive program. The Tauck sales materials are contained in a three-piece mailing comprised of a River Cruising Sales Guide, a poster highlighting Tauck's cruise innovations and exclusive-to-Tauck onshore...