Grand Princess Back in Action
Grand Princess was on a hiatus that was the most extensive dry dock ever in the history of Princess Cruises. The passengers set sail in the ship Fri 6th May, 2011. The dry dock transformed Grand Princess totally in the duration of the dry dock. The extensive revamp made it one of the most talked about ships in the media lately and the daily updates on video regarding the remodeling procedures carried out daily, attracted close to half million views. The Grand Princess Dry dock journal had posted twenty six videos as well as the three hundred photographs in total of the daily progress of the revamping procedure. The progress was watched by hundreds of thousands of fans while the ship was docked in Bahamas. The Skywalkers nightclub on the stern of the ship was removed, and the atrium of the [...]
European Cruising Scenario at a Low
North American Cruise brands were hoping to grow their European client base, and charge higher fares this year. This was the reason brands such as Carnival Corp and Royal Caribbean International increased their presence in Europe this year. This was termed the great European cruise Migration of 2011, and attracted a good bit of attention in the recent months. For example, Carnival Corporation had almost twenty per cent of capacity of its North American brands in Europe, as opposed to 17 per cent last year. Royal Caribbean International has eleven ships, which is half their fleet, in Europe in 2011. The number of was eight last year. However, the demand for cruises has fallen down drastically in Europe. This was partly due to the rising costs of air travel, as also the period of unrest in ports [...]
Royal Caribbean Launching first direct connection from Stansted
Royal Caribbean International will shortly launch a direct cruise connection from the Stansted Airport in London. This is a first for the cruise line, and will prove beneficial for cruise passengers from the United Kingdom. From Stansted, BA charter planes will be used to connect to Venice. Starting in June, there will be flights that provide connections with Voyager of the Seas on seven night itineraries on the Adriatic Sea. It was stated by Jo Rzymowska, General Manager for UK and Ireland that this move was essential as cruise passenger feedback had proved that flight connections from convenient locations are a major deciding factor for people when choosing their cruise experience. The addition of direct connections from Stansted London will open the market up to millions of potential cruise [...]
Oceania Nautica
Ships that are part of the Oceania Cruises’ fleet have a feel that is reminiscent of the old English county Manors. Oceania Nautica is no different, and the décor in this mid size ships is totally elegant but casual. The abundance of flower arrangements, sweeping central stair cases contribute to the feeling of classiness, whereas the wing chairs, overstuffed sofas, toile and Brocade fabrics covering the windows, all of these contribute to the intimate and cozy feeling in the interiors. The effect is very much like a stay at an English Manor. Oceania Nautica Cabins: There are private balconies aboard the Oceania Nautica that have tables and chairs outfitted. The living spaces have seventy five per cent of all exterior cabins. The cabins come with a vanity desk as well as an area for seating, [...]
Saga Pearl II becomes Spirit of Adventure
Saga Holidays, which specializes in over 50’s cruise journeys, has recently announced that Saga Pearl II, will be transferred from the Saga fleet to the Spirit of Adventure brand, a sister brand of Saga. The cruise ship, which was a recent addition to the Saga fleet, had a mysterious “farewell voyage” held recently. The 446 passenger, 18, 591 ton Saga Pearl II will be the first shake up of the fleet, and will be transferred in May. Spirit of Adventure has only one small 352 passenger ship of the same name, has been marketed as a separate entity from the Saga brand. The Saga Pearl II will be named Quest for Adventure, and will be replaced by Saga Sapphire, which will be added to the fleet on Mar 26. The Spirit of Adventure brand has specialized in off beat itineraries, and have been marketed [...]
Windstar Cruises Being Sold
Windstar Cruises is in the process of being sold. This was three weeks after Ambassadors Int’l, the Seattle Based parent company of the cruise line filed for bankruptcy. The three ship line is being sold for close to $ 40 million. The Cruise line is being sold to a private equity firm known as Whippoorwill Associates Inc., which is based in White Plains, New York. It is expected that the sale will be completed by May 23. The sale does have some impediments for completion. Bloomberg reported recently that creditors of Windstar had the argument in bankruptcy court that the sale should be completed only after a delay of at least 30 days, so that the buyer can be investigated closely. The buyer is the largest shareholder of the cruises as well. However, in a ruling made on 19th April, a judge [...]
Norwegian Jade
Norwegian Jade is a Jewel Class ship that is part of the fleet of Norwegian Cruise. The cruise ship is part of the freestyle ship design that has been evolving since quite some years. The Jade is one of the best options for cruisers who like quality in their experience. The interior locations for a number of public restaurants and others spaces have been improved sufficiently, and there have been new categories of accommodations added into the ship. Norwegian Jade, like other ships part of the Jewel Class for ships, has a great number of dining options, more than a dozen of the best. The entertainment on offer is simply top class. The spa facilities are expansive, with huge spaces and thermal suites with teen and children areas. The pools in the ship come with water slides, and come with a [...]
Jamaica sees increase in Cruise Tourists
In the busy winter season in the last year, the island of Jamaica saw close to a double digit rise in cruise ships arriving to the island ports. The announcement was made by the tourism minister of the country on Tuesday. The rebounding cruise ship passenger numbers is a great piece of news for Jamaica, as the country is dependent on tourism. In addition, unlike other islands in the Caribbean, Jamaica has a reputation for crime that has not done much for tourists. The main tourist incoming is from cruise ship passengers. Last year had seen the numbers of cruise ship visitors to the island of Jamaica decrease by 1.4 per cent in the last year, from 910, 000. It is also hoped that the numbers will rise even more in the coming years, as a cruise port has opened in Falmouth Parish. The port is [...]
Carnival Magic – What awaits us?
A couple of weeks prior to the May 1st christening ceremonies of Carnival Magic, workers are putting the final touches to the 3, 690 passenger, 130, 000 ton ship. The naming ceremony will be held in Venice, and the ship will sail for its maiden voyage in the Mediterranean. The ship is currently housed in the Fincantieri shipyard located close to Trieste in Italy. There are close to fifteen hundred technicians as well as five hundred additional crew members aboard the ship. These workers are now busy painting, varnishing, drilling and polishing. Workers are also building sets in the Showtime Theater, and rehearsals for new shows are being held. Every possible system is being tested. Cruise Industry experts agree that the ship will be an impressive addition to the fleet of Carnival Cruises. [...]
Princess Restores Egyptian Port Calls
Princess Cruises have announced that the previously removed Egyptian port calls will be reinstated on all itineraries. It was in February 2011, due to the political situation in the country that the cruise line made changes to the itineraries for eighteen sailings that would have made calls in Egypt right till November. Ships such as Pacific Princess, Ocean Princess, Dawn Princess, Star Princess and others have all included Egypt again in the list of ports to be called on the itineraries. The first Egypt call for Princess will be scheduled in May 15 t h. The situation in Egypt is considerably calmed down compared to the wide spread protests held earlier in the year. The tourist areas, at least are unaffected. This was stated by Jan Swartz, executive vice president of Princess Cruises. He welcomed [...]