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Carnival Miracle delivers aid to Mexican hurricane victims

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 07 October 2014 07 October 2014

Starting her year round programme, Carnival Miracle, which departed on 4 October from Long Beach, California, was the first cruise ship to call at Cabo San Lucas. Alan Lam reports.

As well as carrying guests, the ship also carried urgently needed aid to the beleaguered communities, recently battered by hurricane Odile. The ship brought bottled water, tinned food, cereal, personal articles and paper products, among others, to local residents.

“We have been in contact with officials at Cabo San Lucas and have sent our team there to evaluate the situation,” said Gerry Cahill, President and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines. “The residents, together with local authorities, both state and federal, have worked very hard preparing the destination in time to receive visitors and revitalise the economic contribution tourism brings to the region. At the same time the local residents still needed emergency supplies.”

Highlighting the importance of cruise tourism to the local economy, Carlos Joaquín González, vice Minister of Tourism, declared that the destination was ready to receive visitors, as most of the region’s restaurants and shops were now open for business.

The new Carnival Miracle year round Mexican Riviera cruise programme includes three one-week itinerary options, with calls to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas.

Voyages of Discovery rebrands and charts new itineraries

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 07 October 2014 07 October 2014

Voyages of Discovery, the destinational niche brand owned by All Leisure group in the UK, announces rebranding and launches new brochure with a simpler, more relaxed approach to travelling the world. Following extensive customer research, the brand will be introducing simplified cabin categories, brand new packages and exciting new itineraries as well as a new butler service from November 2015. Plus, Voyages of Discovery is offering agent 10% commission on all the new packages, including butler service.

Colin Wilson, group sales director, says: “It was made very clear from our extensive customer research that passengers wanted a simpler, easier approach to their cruise booking. Simplified cabin categories, moving from 20 down to 11, will make it easier to pick the right one. A new butler service will add a touch of luxury for passengers travelling in the Owners Suite. Guests in Junior or Balcony suites will also be able to upgrade to this exclusive extra from just £435 per person.”

He also adds: “Similarly, ‘add-ons’ including spa and drinks packages will allow guests to personalise their trip and make their own decisions about what is important to them. We also introduced a new logo and new website with a more contemporary look with simplified search functionality, improved content and tablet and mobile phone capabilities, will further enhance the experience from the very outset.”

The new brochure, with its fresh look, includes 14 exciting new itineraries through the Atlantic, Caribbean, South and Central America – including cruising the Panama Canal – and across to Africa and Iberia. Highlights include Voyager’s maiden visit to Mexico’s Pacific coast and Algeria, along with a journey along the North East Coast of South America to explore unique ports of call including Suriname, Guiana and French Guiana.

Exciting new itineraries include:

Atlantic Showcase

Join Voyager on this 14 day cruise to extend the summer as she heads south from Gaudi’s Barcelona, making her maiden call in Algeria, before travelling to Morocco, beautiful Maderia and ending the journey in the dramatic volcanic Canaries. Highlights of the cruise include the UNESCO world heritage site of ancient Tipasa, Portugal’s hidden gem Porto Santo, and wandering the narrow streets of Rabat’s old Kasbah and souks. Prices start from only £1,020. Departs Barcelona, 28^th October 2015.

South America’s Wild Coast

Alternatively, join Voyager as she makes a special journey along South America’s ‘Wild Coast’. An opportunity to explore the beauty between the Orinoco and Amazon deltas, guests will experience the former Dutch colonies of Suriname and Guyana before enjoying beautiful Caribbean islands including Tobago, Trinidad, Grenada and Barbados. Prices for this 13 day cruise start from £2,070 per person. Departs Bridgetown, 24^th November 2015.

Colours of Central America

This brand new itinerary features all new ports of call for Voyager. Join her on this exciting itinerary and discover the atmospheric cities and untamed beauty of Central America, as the ship sails from colonial Cartagena to cosmopolitan Acapulco. Guests will travel up the beautiful Caribbean coast, through the extraordinary Panama Canal, to the sublime shores of the Pacific, dotted with national parks, palm-lined beaches, coffee plantations, tiny villages and forested mountains. Prices start from £2,070 for this 14 day cruise. Departs Cartagena, 31^st January 2016

Prices for all cruises include all relevant overseas transfers, meals and entertainment and the guest speaker programme on board the ships.

Princess Cruises launches 50th anniversary 'Inspiring Stories' contest

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 06 October 2014 06 October 2014

Princess Cruises is inviting past guests to join in celebrating its 50th anniversary by participating in an “Inspiring Stories” essay contest and sharing a moving experience that occurred on a Princess cruise vacation. The winner will ride on the line’s first-ever float in The Rose Parade on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, Calif.

The author of the winning entry, and up to three guests featured in the story, will be awarded a four-day trip to Pasadena, Calif., to join the cast members of The Love Boat as they “cruise” down the five-and-a-half-mile parade route on January 1, 2015.

“Since the Rose Parade theme is ‘Inspiring Stories’, we want to uncover an amazing experience one of our guests has had aboard a Princess cruise,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “We often hear stories from our guests about reconnecting with loved ones, celebrating milestone occasions, falling in love or getting married, and we’re looking forward to selecting one to represent the wonderful memories that are made on our cruise ships every day.”

The winner will also receive a $1,500 gift card, tickets to the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game, as well as airfare and hotel accommodations for up to four people.

The contest runs through Friday, October 31, 2014, and the entry form, sample stories, rules, prize description and eligibility details are available at http://www.princess.com/inspired.

The Rose Parade has been a world-renowned tradition since 1890 and is broadcast to approximately 80 million viewers around the world every New Year’s Day. The Princess Cruises float will be 60 feet long and 24 feet high, and will be covered by more than 24,000 flowers and natural materials. Depicting the cruise line’s newest ship Regal Princess symbolically sailing through some of the world’s most fascinating destinations and iconic landmarks, the float will pay tribute to The Love Boat television show that made Princess Cruises one of the most famous names in cruising.

The “Inspiring Stories” essay contest is one of many special activities planned for the line’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2015. Anniversary festivities will be held across the line’s fleet of 18 cruise ships and will officially kick off with the November 5th naming ceremony for Regal Princess in Ft. Lauderdale before she sets sail for her maiden season of Caribbean cruises.

The contest is open to all legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Colombia, who are at least 18 years of age or older as of time of entry, and who have taken a cruise vacation on any Princess cruise prior to September 1, 2014.

Passat Kreuzfahrten ceases trading

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 04 October 2014 04 October 2014

Passat Kreuzfahrten, the German operator of the 1975 built 16,500 gross ton Delfin, has ceased trading, the company says on its website.

The ship terminated its last cruise for the company in early September and Passat is now working to restructure its business.

The company and Cruise & Maritime Voyages in the UK signed a cooperation agreement late last year, whereby the British companu took over certain marketing functions of Passat. The German company also became a cooperation partner of Kristina Cruises, the Finnish operator,after it had been forced to sell its only ship at the turn of the year.

This is the second small German cruise operator to go out of business within a few months. In the summer, Ambient Kreuzfahrten ceased trading after it had failed to reach targeted level of bookings for cruises on board the 17,000 gross ton Azores it had chartered from Portuscale Cruises, the Lisbon based company.

Peter Deilmann Kreuzfahrten has also reported weaker than anticipated sales,but the company continues to operate the 1996 built 22,500 gross ton upper end of the market ship Deutschland as before.

New South Pacific focused venture Island Escape Cruises unveils classic design

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 04 October 2014 04 October 2014

Island Escape Cruises, the South Pacific focused small ship luxury cruise line, founded by Peter Bissett, has unveiled the classic design of its expedition vessel currently under construction. The ship’s exterior, with an unmistakable classic profile, harkens back to the 1930s, the era of the Titanic. Alan Lam reports.

The 46-metre long, 24-pax ship, scheduled for delivery in August 2015, will carry three launches for disembarking passengers in remote locations on shore excursions. It will also be equipped with single and double kayaks, snorkeling gears, a diving compressor, and a helicopter.

Its destinations will include cruises to Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and New Zealand. According to the company, the itineraries will be on sale from as early as November 2014.