Cruise
Princess ‘Twice as Nice’
Princess Cruises has launched a “Twice as Nice” sale offering double onboard spending money and savings of up to $1,000 per stateroom on cruise vacations six days and longer to all destinations, sailing Summer 2016 through Spring 2017. In total, there are more than 700 voyages on sale. The sale offers guests booking an interior or oceanview stateroom up to $300 onboard spending money per stateroom (“nice”) and guests booking a balcony, mini-suite or suite up to $600 onboard spending money per stateroom (“twice as nice”). Sample deals include: Western Caribbean cruise...
TravelBrands’ ‘SeaU’ Largest Ever
The TravelBrands team recently returned from a one-week seminar at sea aboard the Norwegian Getaway, along with travel partners from across Canada and 12 of its preferred cruise line suppliers. With more than 150 participants, this year's “SeaU” was the largest in Encore history. “We had such a fantastic week. Our cruise line partners had the opportunity to showcase their product lines and more importantly, to spend quality time with our travel agent partners,” commented Nathalie Tanious, vice-president of cruises. “This is the ultimate networking opportunity for our...
Milestone Reached for Silversea’s New Muse
Silversea Cruises celebrated the milestone keel-laying ceremony of its newest ship, Silver Muse, last week (Dec. 10) at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy. The ceremony is a long-standing maritime tradition celebrating the start of a ship's construction. The action of welding a coin into the keel of the ship is said to bring good luck during the build and to the captain and crew during its later life. Silversea took this one step further by welding eight coins into the keel of Silver Muse. Each coin represents one of the seven continents that Silversea ships sail to, along with a...
Grease is the Word at Royal Caribbean
Rydell High is coming to Royal Caribbean International. The cruise line reports that Broadway’s hit musical Grease will hit the stage aboard Harmony of the Seas (pictured under construction at the STX France shipyard), sailing across Europe as of May 2016, and Independence of the Seas, which returns to its homeport in Southampton, England next summer. The all-new production, specially adapted by Royal Caribbean Productions, will boast a soundtrack of crowd favourites such as “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” “Born to Hand-Jive,”...
Book Three and Cruise for Free With Emerald
Emerald Waterways is offering agents an early holiday gift – book three European or Southeast Asia river cruises with 2016 departures and earn a free, eight-day river cruise for two. Bookings must be made between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31 to be eligible. To submit bookings for the promotion, agents should e-mail booking references, full agent details and three preferred dates they wish to travel in 2016 to [email protected]. Submissions for the free cruise must be received by Jan. 15, 2016 to be eligible. Final free cruise details and a confirmed sailing date will be sent to the...
Cruise Industry Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
The cruise industry shows no signs of slowing down with nearly 24 million passengers expected to sail in 2016, a dramatic increase from 15 million just 10 years prior (2006), or even 1.4 million when Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) began tracking passengers in 1980. CLIA released its 2016 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook yesterday, revealing that global cruise travel is continuing to grow and evolve at a record pace. CLIA member cruise lines are scheduled to debut 27 new ocean, river and specialty ships in 2016 for a total investment of more than US$6.5 billion in...
Cunard Redefines Informal Dining on QM2
Cunard has announced plans for a major redesign of the Kings Court dining venue onboard flagship Queen Mary 2. During QM2's extensive refit from May 27 to June 21, 2016, Kings Court will be completely transformed with “a more open, intuitive central buffet area and reconfigured seating arrangements to create a relaxed self-service experience with a refined yet informal ambiance.” Enhancements are planned to both the service and culinary offer in Kings Court with the newly refreshed venue featuring new menus, the convenience of pre-set tables and waiter-served drinks. Cunard...
Cunard Introduces Stylish Carinthia Lounge
Cunard has plans to transform Queen Mary 2’s Winter Garden into an elegant, airy and versatile new venue – the Carinthia Lounge. Named after Cunard’s Carinthia ships, the new lounge will take shape during Queen Mary 2’s multi-million dollar refit from May 27 to June 21, 2016. Designed to be one of the most “stylish and talked-about destinations on Queen Mary 2,” officials say the Carinthia Lounge will transition seamlessly throughout the day, from a serene and cheery lounge serving light breakfast and lunch dishes, to an elegant evening destination. “It will become the...