Disney Cruise Line returning to New York, Miami and Galveston in 2016

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 18 May 2015 18 May 2015

In the fall of 2016, Disney Cruise Line will return to New York for a limited time with sailings to the Bahamas that include a visit to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. New seven-night Caribbean cruises from Miami and a return to Galveston, Texas round out the season.

Bookings for the new itineraries open to the public on May 20, 2015.

Return to New York

On Oct. 7, 2016, the Disney Magic will sail from New York on an eight-night Bahamian cruise that includes stops at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay; Nassau, Bahamas; and Port Canaveral, Florida, which is located just one hour from the Walt Disney World Resort.

On Oct. 15, 22 and 29, 2016, the Disney Magic will sail from New York on seven-night cruises that stop at Castaway Cay and Port Canaveral.

Adding to the magic on each of these Bahamian cruises will be the opportunity to visit the Walt Disney World Resort when the ship stops at nearby Port Canaveral. Each guest on these sailings will receive a one-day Walt Disney World Park Hopper ticket and round-trip transportation for the short trip between the ship and the resort.

On Oct. 2, 2016, the Disney Magic will sail from New York on a five-night cruise to Halifax, Nova Scotia and Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. In these charming Canadian ports, guests can soak in splendid natural vistas, explore historic sites, visit quaint cafes and shops, and browse Canada’s oldest farmer’s market.

New seven-night cruises from Miami

For the first time, Disney Cruise Line guests will be able to enjoy a season of seven-night voyages from Miami to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. On Nov. 20 and Dec. 4, 2016, the Disney Magic will sail from Miami to the Western Caribbean including Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Castaway Cay.

On Nov. 27 and Dec. 11, the Disney Magic will sail to the Eastern Caribbean including Tortola, St. Thomas and Castaway Cay. On Dec. 23, the Disney Magic will sail to Tortola, San Juan and Castaway Cay.

Additional Miami sailings include a four-night Bahamas cruise departing on Nov. 16, a five-night Bahamas cruise departing on Dec. 18, and a six-night Western Caribbean cruise departing on Dec. 30, 2016. Each sailing will include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

Return to Galveston

In late 2016, Disney Cruise Line returns to Texas with a line up of seven-night itineraries, including Bahamian sailings that stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. On Nov. 18, Nov. 25, Dec. 9, Dec. 23 and Dec. 30, 2016, the Disney Wonder will sail on a seven-night Bahamian itinerary from Galveston to Key West, Castaway Cay and Nassau.

On Dec. 2, the Disney Wonder will sail on a seven-night Caribbean itinerary from Galveston to Falmouth, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. On Dec. 16, the Disney Wonder will sail from Galveston on a seven-night cruise to Cozumel, Costa Maya and Grand Cayman. Two four-night sailings to Cozumel on Nov. 10 and Nov. 14, round up the sailings from Galveston.

Most of the late 2016 cruises include either Halloween or winter-holiday events that bring special entertainment, activities and décor to the Disney Cruise Line ships.

Viking Star christened in homeport Bergen

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 18 May 2015 18 May 2015

Marking a significant milestone in the arrival of the travel industry's first entirely new cruise line with a brand-new tonnage in a decade, Viking Ocean Cruises (www.vikingoceancruises.com) christened its first ship, the 930-passenger Viking Star on May 17. The ceremony – which took place in Bergen, Norway – occurred in conjunction with a citywide celebration for Norwegian Constitution Day and featured parades, parties and a public concert in the harbor that was attended by approximately 20,000 local residents and visitors.

In addition to the public fanfare, Viking Star's arrival in Bergen is noteworthy because it marks the first time in 10 years that a Norwegian-flagged passenger cruise ship has chosen Norway's second-largest city as its homeport. Furthermore, the mayor of Bergen, Trude Drevland, served as ceremonial godmother and offered a blessing of good fortune and safe sailing for Viking Star – a naval tradition that dates back thousands of years.

"We believe the arrival of Viking Star signals a new era in destination-focused cruising, and I could not be more proud that she will call my favorite city in the world 'home,'" said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. "This is a ship that was built for exploration and designed with our Scandinavian heritage in mind, and our guests will experience it from the moment they step onboard."

Viking Star's christening was the culmination of a maiden voyage that began April 11 when the ship set sail from Istanbul. Over the last five weeks, she made stops in what will be regular ports across the Mediterranean and Western Europe, including Athens, Santorini, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Venice, Barcelona, Seville (Cadiz), Gibraltar, Lisbon, Paris (Rouen) and London. Yesterday in Bergen, Viking Star was positioned in the harbor to serve as the backdrop for a first-of-its kind floating concert. As thousands of attendees gathered along the waterfront last night, they were treated to performances by world-renowned artists and musicians – all of whom have a personal connection to Bergen – including Norwegian soprano Sissel, actor Bjarte Hjelmeland, singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche, acclaimed violinist Charlie Siem and comedy duo Ylvis. Following the concert, christening ceremony, and a fireworks show, Viking Star set sail on a special journey to Oslo and from there will continue on to Copenhagen, Berlin, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Helsinki and Stockholm.

Destination cruising with Viking Star

Classified by Cruise Critic as a "small ship," Viking Star has a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons and accommodates 930 passengers in 465 staterooms – each with its own veranda. Engineered at a scale that allows direct access into most ports, guests have an easy and efficient embarkation and disembarkation, allowing them more time to spend enjoying each destination. With early reviews already in, Carolyn Spencer Brown of Cruise Critic has called Viking Star a "game changer," and Gene Sloan of USA Today proclaimed "you're going to love Viking Star."

Light-filled with modern Scandinavian décor, Viking Star was designed by experienced nautical architects and engineers, including the same interior design team responsible for the award-winning fleet of Viking Longships. Throughout the ship, details were incorporated to pay homage to Nordic heritage and to help guests immerse themselves in local surroundings. A glass-backed infinity pool off the stern offers unobstructed views; indoor-outdoor spaces offer more options for al fresco dining than any other vessel in its class; huge windows and skylights blur the lines between inside and out; and a wrap-around promenade deck nods to a bygone era of classic ocean liners.

Onboard Viking Star, clean lines, woven textiles and light wood evoke the Viking spirit of discovery and connection to the natural world. A carefully curated collection of Norwegian artwork adorns the walls of the restaurants and public spaces. In the two-deck Explorers' Lounge at the bow of the ship, the décor was inspired by ancient Viking trade routes and navigation methods – imagery of star constellations and astronomical maps are complemented by antique globes, astrolabes and sofas with cozy pelts. In the Spa, the holistic wellness philosophy of Scandinavia is in mind – from the Nordic ritual of the hydrotherapy pool and the first Snow Room at sea, to materials inspired by Scandinavian nature: Swedish limestone and black slate; juniper and teak wood details; recycled and etched opaque glass; and cast iron. In the Wintergarden, blonde wood "trees" stretch their branches up to the glass ceiling, forming a lattice canopy over a serene space where guests can enjoy afternoon tea service. And in the Viking Living Room, a geometric garden was inspired by the wild lichen of Norway's Finse Mountain Plateau.

Viking Ocean Cruises guests enjoy curated itineraries that are designed to best showcase the destinations that they visit, with a complimentary excursion in each port and an onboard cultural enrichment program that includes academic lecturers, local speakers and interactive demonstrations. Viking Star is one of three ocean cruise ships on order; two additional ships, Viking Sea and Viking Sky, are currently under construction.

Booking details

From now through May 31, 2015, Viking is offering U.S. residents 2015 Special Savings and 2016 Early Booking Discounts with 2-for-1 pricing on cruise departures and savings of up to $750 per person on international air. Viking Inclusive Pricing provides unparalleled value—with every cruise fare including a veranda stateroom, shore excursions in each port of call, all onboard meals, and all port charges and government taxes. Passengers also enjoy many complimentary amenities as part of their fare, including: beer and wine with lunch and dinner service; wi-fi; self-service laundry and 24-hour room service—a value of more than $2,400 per couple for an average cruise.

Meyer Turku plans to expand production capacity - report

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 18 May 2015 18 May 2015

Meyer Turku shipyard, the German owned cruise ship builder in Finland, plans to expand its capacity, the Turun Sanomat daily reports on its website.

Among the plans is an option to extend the graving dock in which ships are built so that two vessels could be built at one time. The current size of the dock is 365m by 80m.

The company is considering also other investments to improve the performance of the yard, Jan Meyer, Managing Director of Meyer Turku was reported as saying. However, the investments decisions would depend on future workload.

Meyer Turku has just delivered Mein Schiff 4, second in a series of four 99,300 gross ton cruise liners for TUI Cruises in Hamburg. The contract has options for two additional ships. Furthermore, Carnival Corp & plc has signed a preliminary agreement with the shipyard to construct two of the nine ships it recently said it would order in the near future.

Jan Meyer was reported as saying that the agreement with Carnival also included options and that the initial contracts for the two ships should be confirmed during the summer.

Costa Luminosa begins new North European itinerary from Stockholm

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 15 May 2015 15 May 2015

Costa Cruises' Costa Luminosa made its maiden call at Stockholm, Sweden, today as it repositioned to the Baltic Sea for the summer on a new seven-day itinerary. The 92,000-ton, 2,260-passenger ship will cruise a series of 15 "Jewels of the Baltic" voyages through mid August, visiting four iconic Baltic cities.

The ship's arrival in Stockholm was celebrated with a ceremony whose participants included Elena Basile, Italian Ambassador to Sweden, Stefan Hansson, Chairman of the board of Ports of Stockholm, Thomas Andersson, CEO Stockholm Visitors Board, Henrik Ahlqvist, Manager Cruise & Ferry & Deputy Harbour Master, and Andrea Tavella, Sales & Marketing Director North Europe of Costa Cruises.

"Each year we work to propose something unique to our guests. Our aim, with the Costa Luminosa, is to offer a new way to enjoy North Europe. We have focused on quality, choosing few but select and incredibly charming cities in the Baltic Sea that guests can discover in the best way possible, thanks to the long stopovers that include overnight stays. Stockholm is the departure port and one of the strong points of this itinerary," states Andrea Tavella, Sales & Marketing Director North Europe of Costa Cruises. "During the two-day stopover, our guests will be able to fully enjoy an extensive tour of this splendid city. In the summer we expect to bring about 30,000 visitors to Stockholm. While most of these guests will be Italian, Spanish and French, we also expect a good number of Scandinavian customers".

Costa Luminosa, entered into service 2009, is one of the most beautiful and elegant ships of Costa Cruises fleet. One of the highlights is "Reclining Woman 2004", a wonderful sculpture by Fernando Botero, which is the focal point of the spectacular central atrium.

The one-week itinerary, "Jewels of the Baltic", departs from Stockholm, with a one-day and one-night stopover; from there the Costa Luminosa will continue to Helsinki (Finland); then two days and one night in St. Petersburg (Russia); a day call to Tallinn (Estonia) and return with one day and one night again in Stockholm.

Guests from North America can take advantage of reduced fares on Costa Luminosa's departures on May 23; June 6, 20 and 27; July 11 and 25; and August 1 and 8. Rates start at $499 for inside cabins and $799 on balcony cabins. Fares are per person, double occupancy.

In Stockholm, guests can choose from among a wide choice of excursions: a boat trip to the 14 islands comprising the city; or a bicycle trip in the royal gardens of Djurgården; a visit to the Royal Palace and the old city; a panoramic tour from the 130-metre-tall Sky View; a visit to the Vasa Museum, with the world's only fully preserved seventeenth-century ship; an evening at the Ice Bar; or shopping in the many design shops.

Helsinki (Finland) can be visited by boat or bike. Some of the many places of interest include the Parliament, the National Museum, Finlandia Hall, designed by the famous architect Alvar Aalto, and the new Opera Theatre. From Helsinki guests can discover the old city of Porvoo, with its historic centre and characteristic small wooden houses.

The two-day and one-night call to St. Petersburg, the Venice of the North, will allow guests to admire all its unique main attractions, including the Hermitage Museum, the beautiful palaces on the Neva, like the Winter Palace, the Nevsky Prospect, and The Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood. Guests can also attend a classical dance show or take a cruise on the city canals.

Tallinn instead is famous for its medieval historical centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The heart of the capital is also its Town Hall, a Gothic structure dating back to the 1400s, and next to Raeapteek, Europe's oldest municipal pharmacy that's still open for business.

Cruise fares are per person based on double occupancy, capacity controlled and do not include taxes and fees.