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P&O Cruises unveils 2017 World Cruise collection

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 26 August 2015 26 August 2015

P&O Cruises, the British contemporary market unit in the Carnival Corp & plc group, has launched its 2017 World Cruise Collection featuring two full world circumnavigations offering a choice of east or west, a 180th anniversary celebration cruise on Aurora, fly cruises and Australasian journeys, a 50-night cruise round trip Southampton to the Caribbean, USA and Amazon, Northern Lights cruises on Oriana with numerous overnight and evening calls, the companysaid in a statement.

P&O Cruises’ marketing director, Christopher Edgington, said: “P&O Cruises has a reputation for offering original and appealing world cruise itineraries which we spend a lot of time planning, based on extensive research and trends. Our round the world cruises are not a once-in-a-lifetime dream but a truly affordable and realistic holiday for “empty nesters” looking for long haul adventure and “this is the life” memories.”

World circumnavigations on Aurora and Arcadia

In the year that P&O Cruises celebrates 180 years of heritage, Aurora’s world circumnavigation will be particularly poignant. Echoing the trade routes of the British Empire, Aurora will sail a 104-night eastern circumnavigation from Southampton calling at 35 destinations in 21 countries and sailing nearly 30,000 nautical miles. Departing January 9 2017, this cruise will feature 23 new ports of call (compared with Aurora’s 2016 world cruise), four overnight stays in Dubai, Singapore, Sydney and San Francisco and seven evening calls. The cruise will also feature calls into some of the world’s most iconic destinations including sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco, sailing into Sydney Harbour and “City of Sails”, Auckland and transiting both the Panama and Suez canals.

Arcadia’s 114-night Polynesian and Asian Adventure is a full world western circumnavigation from Southampton calling at 37 destinations in 21 countries and sailing over 36,000 nautical miles. Departing January 2 2017, the cruise will feature 22 new ports of call (compared with Arcadia’s 2016 world cruise), five overnight stays in San Francisco, Auckland, Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore and nine evening calls. As with Aurora’s world cruise, Arcadia will also feature calls into some of the world’s most iconic destinations including sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco, sailing into Sydney Harbour and “City of Sails”, Auckland and transiting both the Panama and Suez canals.

Prices for the world cruises start from £10,299 per person Select Price (based on Aurora’s world circumnavigation) plus onboard spending money from £350 per person up to £1,000 per person depending on cabin grade.

Oriana’s Caribbean and Amazon Adventure

This 50-night cruise on Oriana round trip from Southampton will call at 17 destinations in 13 countries in the Caribbean, the USA and South America and will sail over 14,000 nautical miles including 1,500 nautical miles on the Amazon over six days. Departing January 3 2017, Oriana will feature 10 new ports of call, compared with her 50-night cruise in 2016. Highlights of the cruise include calls at Bermuda, New Orleans and Manaus as well as cruising the mighty Amazon.

Prices from £3,999 per person Select Price plus onboard spending money from £150 per person to £475 per person depending on cabin grade.

Northern Lights cruises

In 2017, Oriana will offer two 12-night Northern Lights cruises round trip from Southampton calling at Andalsnes, Tromso, Alta (overnight) and Stavanger as well as cruising in Romsdalsfjord. Highlights include the overnight in Alta which is known as “The Town of the Northern Lights” and a late evening in Tromso where adventurous guests can head out on a traditional husky-drawn sled.

Prices from £899 per person Select Price plus onboard spending money from £45 per person to £150 per person depending on cabin grade.

Early bird discount ending, booth availability dwindling for FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 24 August 2015 24 August 2015

Opportunities are running out of one of the best ways to target the cruise industry and maximize its benefits-the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show. Early bird registration, a 25 percent discount, ends Wednesday, September 2, and fewer than 10 Trade Show booths remain for the five-day event offering meetings, workshops, social functions and more with key tourism stakeholders and cruise line executives who decide where cruise ships call, what sells onboard and how to invest in infrastructure.

"The FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show is the place to be for anyone looking to develop cruise tourism business," said Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival Corporation and the FCCA, who will be on hand at the event, deliver the opening address and participate in a roundtable discussion with cruise line presidents, COOs and CEOs. "It lets attendees gain insight from and develop business and relationships with some of the industry's most influential players."

Taking place in Cozumel, Mexico from October 5-9, the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show will gather nearly 1,000 stakeholders from all sectors of the cruise tourism industry, along with over 100 FCCA Member Line representatives. The Conference's business sessions will include one-on-one meetings with these cruise executives, pre-selected by attendees to privately discuss with and receive personalized input from a cruise executive that can positively impact their business.

A schedule of workshops will also share the executives', presidents', CEOs' and stakeholders' insight to help attendees learn about topics such as the cruise lines' latest happenings and route for the future; creating and maintaining a successful tour product; developing a port in partnership with the FCCA, cruise lines and the private/public sectors; and increasing cruise tourism through a unified vision, collaboration between the private and public sectors, and continual product development and innovation.

The Trade Show will capture the attention of the prominent audience with Conference delegates and cruise executives entering and traveling through to access their meetings, workshops, business sessions and registration. It will also feature designated viewings for cruise executives, as well as special events like the FCCA Table Tennis Challenge hosted by Adam Goldstein, president and COO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited.

"I am pleased and excited to participate in the FCCA Table Tennis Challenge," told Goldstein. "It will combine my passions of table tennis and interacting with cruise tourism stakeholders while supporting a worthy cause."

Plus these key decision makers will interact with Conference delegates and Trade Show exhibitors during nightly social functions geared to promote networking while displaying Mexico's culture, gastronomy and destination product.

Pearl Seas offers luxury cruises to Cuba

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 21 August 2015 21 August 2015

Alan Lam reporting

Pearl Seas Cruises has just announced its 2016 Cuban itinerary. Starting 6 March, the first cruise - on the 210-passenger Pearl Mist - will depart Miami and call at various ports in Cuba. The company has lavishly advertised this new offering in the colourful Time Magazine, thus putting itself in the pole position among the US based cruise lines in the race to Cuba.

In the short to medium term, operators like Pearl Seas will have a distinct advantage, as Cuban ports are ideal to handle small to medium size ships. Ports in Cuba, including Havana, are not yet capable of handling mega-cruise liners coming from Miami. Major infrastructure upgrades will be needed before they can be accommodated. The intermediate stage is therefore the era of smaller ships for this as yet a relatively niche or specialty market. Mass-market cruises to Cuba are not yet fully functionally in terms of operational practicality.

The US government has recently granted Pearl Seas the licence to include Cuba in its itineraries, based on the so-called “People-to-People” exchange programme, permitted under the current US law. On the same principle, a dozen or so ferry companies have also been granted permits to operate between the two countries.

While it is already accepting bookings, the company is still awaiting permission from the Cuban government for this itinerary.

The Peal Seas excursions will include various Cuban cities. A seven-day cruise will cost around $7,500-$10,235, depending on types of accommodation. There is little doubt that this will be a popular product among the North American clientele.

Low interest rates hurt Crystal Cruises' sales in UK

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 20 August 2015 20 August 2015

Low interest rates hurt the sales of Crystal Cruises, the Los Angeles based luxury cruise company, in Britain, the lines general sales agent told Cruise Business.

"Whereas some people would cruise with CrystaL three of four times a year, they now do it once or twice. They use income from their investments," said Matthew Londsdale, co-owner of the line's UK general sales agent.

Speaking on board Crystal Symphony, he said that although interest rates in the UK are expected to start to rise next year, it will take a long time before they will reach the levels last seen in 2007, before the financial crisis.

He added that in his personal opinion, the strongest point of Crystal Cruises against its competitors is its consistency in delivering a high quality product.

Crystal Yacht Cruises sets lineup of adventures for new yacht, focuses on rugged experiences, unique perspectives and inclusive exploration

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 19 August 2015 19 August 2015

Crystal Yacht Cruises is charting new waters beginning with the maiden voyage of Crystal Esprit this winter. As Crystal’s latest venture embarks on December 23, 2015, discerning luxury travelers can dive into the destinations – and the waters between them – with dozens of thrilling Crystal Adventures ashore, some of which are offered complimentary. The yacht’s maiden voyage offers an inclusive post- and pre- cruise New Year’s Eve Extravaganza in Dubai, complete with three- or four-night accommodations at the extraordinary Dubai Taj Hotel and spectacular fireworks display.

The extravagantly appointed yacht will be outfitted for adventure, and is set to call in ports never before visited by Crystal’s acclaimed ocean vessels, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, which affords great opportunity for the line’s savvy globetrotting guests to gain new travel perspectives while enjoying the same standard of luxury service for which Crystal is lauded. This includes adventures on the beaches, mountains, waters and skies of each locale, expertly designed with yacht travelers in mind.

“Yacht travelers expect all of the fine nuances that make a Crystal vacation extraordinary, but with a more intimate, personalized feel. The Crystal Adventures offered with Crystal Esprit’s voyages will satisfy – and surpass – this expectation, with most options available only with Crystal Yacht Cruises,” says Crystal President & CEO, Edie Rodriguez.

On itineraries throughout the Indian Ocean/Seychelles, Mediterranean/Adriatic Coast, Holy Land and Middle East/Persian Gulf, Crystal Esprit will feature shore-side options to suit virtually any interest, with an emphasis on doing more. Among the options are:

Deep-sea fishing off the coast of Desroches, Seychelles, for the chance to make an exotic catch of Barracuda, Wahoo, Dogtooth and Yellowfin tuna and Giant and Bluefin Trevally;

One-tank scuba dive in St. Anne Island, Seychelles, geared toward certified divers, who can immerse themselves in the underwater world of shipwrecks, giant rock formations and spectacular sea life;

Rafting down the Krupa and Zrmanja Rivers in Zadar, Croatia, two of the most beautiful waterways in Europe, then picnicking in Muskovac;

Quad adventures on the rugged trails of Cyprus, taking adventurers to secluded spots most visitors don’t even know exist, with views of waterfalls and swimming at the Baths of Adonis; and

Trek to Delphi at Mount Parnassus in Itea, Greece, the imposing and sacred site once thought to be the center of the earth.

Every Crystal Esprit itinerary will also offer at least one complimentary excursion in every port, including hiking and rafting the Acheron River in Parga, Greece; ziplining through the dense forest in Ephelia (from Mahé, Seychelles); and exploring the medieval city of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia (from Piran). “In-transit” excursions allow guests combining itineraries to fully maximize their time in embarkation/disembarkation ports between voyages.

To celebrate the inauguration of Crystal Esprit, Crystal will be offering two inclusive land programs for guest who would like to extend their vacation and even ring in the New Year with Crystal. These programs include:

Seychelles’ Inclusive Dubai Program, a 2-night, pre-cruise experience inclusive with every Seychelles voyage, giving guests the opportunity to explore the wonders of Dubai, from haute couture shopping malls and traditional gold souks to desert safaris, world-class golf and complimentary entrance to the Wild Wadi Water Park.

New Year’s Eve Dubai Extravaganza, 3 or 4- night program offered to guests who sail on one of the first two Crystal Esprit sailings, includes an uninterrupted view of the spectacular Burj Khalifa New Year’s Eve Extravaganza, where the world’s tallest building lights up in a dazzling presentation of light and pyrotechnics. Offered 3-nights post-cruise on the yacht’s December 23, 2015 maiden voyage, and 4-nights pre-cruise on the inaugural 2016 voyage.

Complete itineraries and fares for December 2015 through the beginning of 2018 are now available on Crystal’s website. The routes are available for booking exclusively for Crystal Society members – Crystal’s repeat guest program – now through September 1, when books open to all travelers. The Inclusive Dubai Land Programs feature luxury hotel accommodations, all transfers from/to hotel and yacht at airports in both Dubai and Victoria, all taxes and porterage, and breakfast daily.

Crystal Cruises is the world’s most awarded luxury cruise line, having earned more “World’s Best” accolades than any other cruise line, hotel, or resort in history. Crystal Cruises has won “World’s Best Cruise Ship” in Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader Choice Awards for 21 years; been voted “World’s Best Large Ship Cruise Line” by Travel + Leisure readers for 20 consecutive years; and the “Best Luxury Cruise Line” by Virtuoso in 2014. In summer 2015, Crystal embarked on the most significant brand expansion in the history of luxury travel and hospitality, which will introduce three new classes of cruising – Crystal Yacht Cruises (December 2015), Crystal River Cruises (March 2017), Crystal Exclusive Class Ocean Cruises (late 2018)– and Crystal Luxury Air (fall 2017).