CruiseNews

The challenge of visibility and awareness is required to win over Royal Caribbean if it was to return to Thessalonica, Greece. Royal Caribbean Vice President John Tersek was visiting Thessalonica and spoke to local officialls about the possibilities of the port as a cruise destination. Royal Caribbean is considering giving Thessalonica a second chance and returning after the departure of Navigator of the Seas from the city a few years ago. Back then, Navigator of the Seas had only made half of her stops to Thessalonica in order to avoid extensive paperwork due to local port authority regulations. "I see that Thessalonica is very well placed, but the condition is becoming a recognizable tourist destination, so first priority should be to promote the tourism of the location," said Mr. Tersek during press conference. Mr. Tersek declined to say when if Royal Caribbean intends to bring cruise ships back to Thessalonica, noting simply that Royal Caribbean has completed the itineraries until 2012. "Any change will take place after 2013" he stated. The new mayor of Thessalonica knows that the city must do more to entice Royal Caribbean to retun, "Depends on us whether it's Royal Caribbean Cruises. We are confident that any cruise ship come in Thessalonica will not want to leave," he said, while noting that the port has more than sufficient infrastructure for any size ship. Click here to view the article

Evoking the simpler days of sock hops and poodle skirts, Time Life and Jazz Cruises have teamed up with Carnival Cruise Lines to once again host Malt Shop Memories, a musical extravaganza featuring live performances from chart-topping 1950s and 1960s artists aboard the Carnival Inspiration in October 27-31, 2011. Featured performers on the four-day cruise from Tampa include The Beach Boys, Chubby Checker, Little Anthony & the Imperials, Jay Black, Shirley Alston Reeves of the Shirelles, Lou Christie and many more. It will be a nostalgic trip down memory lane as participants enjoy captivating musical performances and meet and greet opportunities and autograph sessions, and a host of activities associated with that era, including a fun-filled sock hop and a recreation of that high school highlight, prom night. "Jazz Cruises is excited about teaming with Time Life and Carnival for this trip to a fun-filled musical era highlighted by stellar live performances by the greats of that period. The Malt Shop Memories cruise will provide cruisers with intimate and unique personal encounters with the artists, which for many will realize a dream dating back to when they were teenagers," said Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of Jazz Cruises. In addition to four days of fun and nostalgia, Malt Shop Memories participants can enjoy all that the 2,052-passenger Carnival Inspiration has to offer, including a diversity of dining choices, a luxurious spa, full casino gambling, a WaterWorks aqua park, a tropical, resort-style pool deck, and 12 lounges, bars and nightspots. A variety of shore excursion choices during the call in Freeport are also available. Click here to view the article

Royal Caribbean International announced the deployment of Serenade of the Seas to Dubai for its winter 2012-13 season. Serenade of the Seas will offer vacationers 17 sailings, departing every Monday on seven-night United Arab Emirates and Oman itineraries from December 2012 through April 2013. Serenade of the Seas will replace Brilliance of the Seas and offer vacationers a different Royal Caribbean International ship, aboard which guests can explore the cultures and heritage of the two Middle Eastern nations. Additionally, vacationers can choose a Royal Caribbean cruisetour to explore and experience more inland attractions. Serenade of the Seas winter 2012-13 Dubai cruises and cruisetours are currently open for booking. Vacationers can choose the Arabian Explorer cruisetour itinerary, which combines a four-night escorted land tour with Serenade of the Seas’ seven-night cruise. Destinations featured on the land tour will be Dubai, Al Ain and Ras Al Khaimah, where guests can enjoy ‘dune bashing’; savor dinner and entertainment at a Bedouin desert camp; and visit the Hili Archaeological Gardens and the Ali Ain National Museum. Royal Caribbean cruisetours take the stress out of planning a vacation; are escorted by an expert tour director; and includes transfers, transportation, hotel accommodations, breakfasts, and select meals. Serenade of the Seas’ seven-night itinerary also calls at Fujairah and Abu Dhabi in the U.A.E., as well as feature overnight stays in Muscat, Oman, and Dubai at the conclusion of the cruise. Vacationers also can choose a 15-night Mediterranean and Suez Canal transit cruise, departing December 2, 2012, from Malaga, Spain, to Dubai; and a return 15-night return to Barcelona, departing April 15, 2013. Click here to view the article

Aruba Ports Authority is satisfied with the increase in cruise arrivals as of January of this year. Nearly forty (40) thousand additional cruise passengers visited the island of Aruba during the months of January, February, March, April and May, compared to the same period of time in 2010. This augment includes a record breaking visit of one hundred and one thousand three hundred and sixty three (101,363) cruise visitors during the month of March. For the first five (5) months of the year the amount of calls made to Aruba increased by twenty (20). The port welcomed two hundred and three (203) calls, compared to one hundred and eighty three for the same period in 2010.A total of three hundred and sixty eight thousand eight hundred and sixty (368,860) cruise visitors have arrived in Aruba until May of this year, this is a total of thirty eight thousand seven hundred and ninety five (38,795 ) people more than the same time last year. A total of one hundred and fifty five thousand and eighty five (155,085) crew members arrived during the period from January until May 2011, representing a growth of thirty seven thousand nine hundred and forty five (37,945) crew members. Click here to view the article

World-renowned chefs share exclusive entree and dessert selections This summer, tantalizing new dishes from Holland America Line's esteemed Culinary Council will begin to be featured on the main dining room menu of the line's 15 ships. The six Culinary Council chefs are each providing recipes for signature dishes and desserts that showcase their expertise and specialties. Culinary Council members include Council Chairman and Holland America Line Master Chef Rudi Sodamin, along with renowned international chefs Jonnie Boer, David Burke, Marcus Samuelsson, Jacques Torres and Charlie Trotter. "Our Culinary Council is a 'dream team' of chefs from around the world, and the exceptional dishes they have shared are unique expressions of their cultural backgrounds, skills and passion for the culinary arts," said Richard Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guests programs. "We continuously strive to provide our guests with exclusive experiences, and offering them the chance to enjoy the delights of these celebrated chefs during their cruise is an incredible opportunity." Culinary Council chefs and a selection of their dishes to be featured: Master Chef Rudi Sodamin created a seared Cajun tuna steak with plum tomato confit and horseradish rosti potatoes. He also contributed a veal chop with creamy Porcini sauce served with baby vegetables and homemade spatzle. Jonnie Boer, head chef of De Librijie in Zwolle, the Netherlands, shares his expertise with a beef strip loin with Hache sauce served with carrot and celeriac-bacon purees, and roasted Parisian potatoes. For dessert, his brioche toast with caramelized apricot will be served warm with clove ice cream. David Burke, a chef, artist and inventor, prepared roasted chicken with sausage cornbread stuffing served alongside roasted vegetables with bacon, green beans and apple cider–chicken gravy. Burke also created a spice-crusted prime rib and whipped potatoes, accompanied by sauteed asparagus and baby carrots. Marcus Samuelsson blended culture and artistry in his grilled salmon with miso, garlic, sesame and cilantro, served in a spiced tomato broth with kale. For dessert, Samuelsson created a rich chocolate cake accented with bourbon- and blueberry-infused whipped cream. Jacques Torres, one of the world's most respected chocolatiers and pastry chefs, will delight guests with a chocolate platter featuring chocolate cornflakes, creamy white chocolate mousse and a bitter-sweet chocolate slice. The dessert menu also will highlight Torres' crepes with caramelized pears served with warm raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream. Charlie Trotter, winner of 10 James Beard Foundation awards, created sauteed opakapaka, also known as crimson snapper, on a bed of bleeding heart radishes, served with baby turnips stuffed with black trumpet mushrooms, sauteed morel mushrooms and basil-thyme oil. Another featured dish is Trotter's grilled venison loin with dates served with seasoned quinoa, salsify puree and broccoli rabe. "When we came together on the Culinary Council, it was our vision to bring unique dishes to our guests that would expose their palates to new and exotic flavors," said Sodamin. "All of the chefs developed outstanding dishes that our guests are going to be talking about long after their cruise is over." Besides sharing their insights on menus and culinary offerings, the Council will consult on the line's Culinary Arts Center enrichment program to help create new and innovative learning experiences for guests. About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)] Holland America Line's fleet of 15 ships offers more than 500 cruises to 354 ports in 98 countries, territories or dependencies. Two- to 110-day itineraries visit all seven continents and highlights include Antarctica, South America, Australia/New Zealand and Asia voyages; a Grand World Voyage; and popular sailings to ports in the Caribbean, Bermuda, Alaska, Mexico, Canada/New England, Europe and Panama Canal. Fleetwide, the company features Signature of Excellence enhancements, a commitment totaling more than $525 million, that showcase the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine — a state-of-the-art onboard show kitchen where more than 60 celebrated guest chefs and culinary experts provide cooking demonstrations and classes — Explorations Cafe powered by The New York Times, Digital Workshop powered by Windows, teens-only activity areas and all new stateroom amenities highlighted by flat-panel TVs and plush Euro-top Mariner's Dream Beds. World's Leading Cruise Lines Holland America Line is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises and Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, World's Leading Cruise Lines inspires people to discover their best vacation experience. Together, we offer a variety of exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations. Visit us at www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com. Click here to view the article

Helpful How-To Guide for Making Towel Animals at Home Carnival Cruise Lines’ “towel animals” – whimsical terry cloth creatures that greet guests as they return to their staterooms each evening – are an iconic element of the “Fun Ship” vacation experience. For guests who want to make their own towel animals at home, Carnival has published its latest edition of Towel Creations, a helpful how-to guide with step-by-step instructions for creating a veritable zoo of towel origami, everything from frogs, swans and elephants to monkeys, scorpions and rabbits. And with the purchase of the latest edition of Towel Creations, Carnival fans will not only learn the “tricks of the trade” for making 40 different towel animals but also help some very special children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, one of the world’s premier centers for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic diseases. One dollar from the sale of each book will be donated to St. Jude through Carnival’s Care to Play program, whose goal it is to raise $3 million over a three-year period. “Towel animals have become synonymous with the Carnival vacation experience and the Towel Creations series has been very successful with upwards of 40,000 books sold each year,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival’s president and CEO. “We’re thrilled to publish the fourth edition of the popular how-to guide while raising money for one of our favorite charitable partners, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” he added. It’s been 20 years since Carnival debuted its first towel animal — an industry first that has since been much replicated across the cruise industry. And with 10 million Carnival towel animals folded each year, each creation is the culmination of hours of training and creativity from Carnival’s housekeeping staff, who service more than 29,000 staterooms fleetwide. Towel Creations is available in the gift shops aboard all Carnival ships, as well as from the line’s stateroom stewards. The book can also be ordered via the Gifts & Services section of carnival.com and delivered to guests’ staterooms. The cost is $14.95. Click here to view the article

The Port of Saint John, New Brunswick, kicked off its 2011 cruise season with a day-long visit by the Carnival Glory, which calls at the historic port as part of its four- and five-day eastern Canada cruise program from New York. The occasion was commemorated with champagne reception on board attended by dozens of dignitaries, VIPs and media. In the photo, Chair of the Saint John Port Authority Stephen Campbell presents Carnival Glory Captain Agostino Fazio with a highly detailed nautical telescope – a new tradition for first-call festivities in Saint John. Carnival Glory will operate its popular four- and five-day eastern Canada schedule through September 5 followed by a series of seven-day fall foliage cruises from New York that also include a stop in Saint John. Carnival Glory will make 26 calls to Saint John in total this summer and fall, accounting for nearly 75,000 visitors to the port. Click here to view the article

P&O Cruises has announced a new four-night lifestyle cruise from Brisbane to Auckland this October offering passengers the chance to spend time with a raft of exciting celebrities and experts - from a kitchen queen to an Olympic gold medalist and even a pet behaviourist. Sailing from Brisbane on October 1, the lifestyle-themed cruise on superliner Pacific Dawn will feature motivational talks and hands-on classes designed to entertain and inspire passengers during the trans-Tasman crossing. Passengers will have the chance to listen to rugby league legend Paul Harragon’s stories while New Zealand’s triple Olympic medal-winning boardsailer Barbara Kendall will be reminiscing about her sporting glory in motivational talks. Meanwhile, cookbook author Kim McCosker of “4 Ingredients” fame will be offering intimate galley experiences as well as cooking demonstrations. Proving P&O Cruises’ lifestyle sailings have something for everyone, pet behaviourist Dr Joanne Righetti will also be onboard ready to solve any problems passengers have with their pets back home. In between expert celebrity advice, passengers can relax in Pacific Dawn’s Aqua HealthSpaFitness centre, dine in the superliner’s “Salt Grill by Luke Mangan” restaurant or simply relax and soak up a few days at sea. Fares start from $249* per person quad share and $369* per person twin share. Click here to view the article

In conjunction with the arrival of DreamWorks Animation's 3-D feature film "Kung Fu Panda 2" in theaters, Royal Caribbean International is celebrating Pandamonium aboard Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas with a series of onboard red-carpet premieres. Through August 2011, guests of the four ships can enjoy ample screenings of "Kung Fu Panda 2" in 3-D, in addition to the year-round DreamWorks Experience, which first launched aboard Allure of the Seas, and features entertainment, character meet and greets, unique events and parades, a dedicated DreamWorks Animation channel on RCTV, and kids programming rooted in the popular DreamWorks Animation movies. In the above photo, Cruise Director Ken Rush and Po the Dragon Warrior welcome guests at the red-carpet premier of "Kung Fu Panda 2" aboard Allure of the Seas. Click here to view the article

Norwegian Cruise Line announced that a second embarkation option has been added to Norwegian Epic's seven-day Western Mediterranean itinerary sailings from April 29, 2012 through October 17, 2012. Guests will have the flexibility to begin their cruise vacation in either Barcelona, Spain or in Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, where a limited amount of staterooms will now be available for booking. A full range of staterooms will be offered including the two-bedroom family villa, courtyard penthouse, spa suite and studios. The alternative seven-day cruise will start in Rome(Civitavecchia), Italy and call on Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Nice (Villefranche), France; Provence (Marseille), France; and Barcelona, Spain as well as a relaxing day at sea. The Rome embarkation cruises go on sale with balcony staterooms starting at $1,299 per person, based on double occupancy, and will give guests the convenience of selecting an embarkation port that works best for their vacation. The Mediterranean offers a unique taste of European culture, from exploring the ancient coliseum in Rome to visiting an entire village buried in volcanic ash in Pompeii. The 4,100-passenger Norwegian Epic is home to world-class entertainment, such as Blue Man Group and Cirque Dreams and Dinner, and also offers the next generation of Freestyle dining with 20 restaurants on board. The ship offers a range of amenities including the first ice bar at sea, an expansive Aqua Park, rappelling and rock wall, casino, spa and fitness center. Click here to view the article

Celebrity Cruises is launching a three-day sale this week to promote select Celebrity Silhouette European sailings. The sale is planned for May 10 through 12, and will feature discounted pricing on the newest Celebrity ship, which launches this summer. Consumers can save up to 65 percent on 12-night vacations priced from $799 per person based on double occupancy. In addition, the line if offering 50 percent reduced deposits on Celebrity Silhouette sailings that depart August 10 through October 10, 2011. And there’s a bonus in this promotion for the trade. Travel agents who book Celebrity Silhouette can earn a $100 gift card—a $50 gift card for every booking of a 2011 Europe cruise during the three-day sale and an additional $50 gift card for every booking of select Israel and Eastern Mediterranean sailings on Celebrity Silhouette. Click here to view the article

The new P&O cruise ship will have two traditional fore-and-aft funnels P&O Cruises has announced an order for a new 141,000-ton cruise ship to be based on the recently-designed platform for Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess and Regal Princess, which will be introduced in 2013 and 2014, respectively. The new P&O ship will accommodate 3,611 passengers in lower berths. What is most interesting about the design is P&O’s reversion in the new ship to a more traditional appearance in that she will feature two conventional funnels carrying the P&O colours. This is unusal in that P&O went straight from three funnels with the Strathnaver and Strathaird, the first P&O ships to carry the now traditional white hull in 1931-32, to one funnel in the Strathmore, Strathallan and Stratheden of 1935-38. The last important P&O ship to have had two funnels arranged fore and aft was the original Oriana, built for the Orient Line in 1960. Previous to that, the most famous two-funnelled P&O ship was the Viceroy of India, delivered in 1929. The last major P&O ship to have been built with two funnels was the Viceroy of India in 1929 To be built at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone yard, the new ship will cost about €560 million, or €155,000 per lower berth. Ushering in a new era for P&O Cruises, the ship will offer a stylish and innovative design and an unprecedented number of passenger facilities, along with many of the line’s classic and iconic features. Specifications will be announced at a later date. The original Oriana was built for the Orient Line in 1960 and became a P&O ship in 1965 Commented Micky Arison, Carnival Corporation & plc’s chairman and CEO, “P&O Cruises is Britain’s number one cruise operator, and is synonymous with high quality holidays that celebrate its rich British heritage. The UK continues to be a key growth market and innovative vessels such as this new P&O Cruises ship – targeted specifically to British clientele – underscore our commitment to leading the expansion of this important cruise region. With a progression of highly successful new ships introduced over the last 15 years, P&O Cruises is uniquely experienced in designing vessels to meet the specific needs and aspirations of British passengers.” P&O Cruises Managing Director Carol Marlow said, “This next-generation ship will deliver the ultimate P&O Cruises experience, with ‘sophisticated wows’ and new features to attract thousands of newcomers to our brand, and equally to resonate with existing P&O Cruises passengers by giving them the ‘P&O-ness’ they recognise and love. She will offer ‘the best of the best,’ combining the favourite classic features of Oriana and Aurora, the choice and variety of Azura and Ventura, and a host of new ideas and concepts which together will deliver to our passengers the holiday of a lifetime, every time they travel with us.” Two funnels have made quite a comeback in the past decade or so. Starting with the original Disney Magic and Disney Wonder in 1998-99, these were followed by six Holland America “Vista” types (Zuiderdam through Nieuw Amsterdam) in 2002-10 and joined by five Celebrity Solstice class ships in 2008-12, then Disney Dream this year and Disney Fantasy to follow next. Cruise ships have now entered a size bracket where two funnels have become relatively common once again. Indeed, after the new P&O ship is delivered there will be sixteen ships carrying two funnels in the fore-and-aft mode. Meanwhile, the last of the traditional two-funnelled ships, NCL’s Norway, was retired in 2003. Click here to view the article

The sleek silhouette of Celebrity Cruises’ new Celebrity Silhouette has emerged from Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, where numerous area residents lined up to be among the first to see the fourth in Celebrity’s stylish, five-ship Solstice Class fleet. Celebrity Silhouette sets sail in July of this year, enhancing guests’ precious vacation time with a host of industry-first venues and experiences within The Lawn Club, including the interactive “Lawn Club Grill,” where guests can select and grill their own meats side-by-side with Celebrity’s expert chefs, or have them cooked to order; the relaxing, private, wi-fi-equipped cabanas called “The Alcoves”; “The Porch,” a breezy, casual dining spot offering sandwiches, coffees and captivating views of the sea and the ship’s lush lawn, and “The Art Studio,” where vacationers can bring out their inner artist. The ship also will present another entirely new venue, “The Hideaway,” an intimate, quiet space reminiscent of a childhood tree house. Click here to view the article