AmaWaterways debuts 2015 Europe, Russia, Asia & Africa brochure

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 22 July 2014 22 July 2014

AmaWaterways yesterday announced the debut of its 2015 Europe, Russia, Asia & Africa brochure. The new brochure introduces three new ships, a new destination, and unique new theme cruises, as well as the return of the line’s popular wine and Christmas markets sailings.

“Heading into 2015, the entire AmaWaterways team could not be more excited, as we prepare to roll out incredible new offerings for travelers seeking unforgettable river cruise adventures,” said Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-owner of AmaWaterways.  "Ama is derived from the Latin word for love and in 2015, travelers will undoubtedly fall in love with our extensive lineup of new products, services, itineraries, ships, destinations and amenities.”

Highlights of AmaWaterways’ 2015 Europe, Russia, Asia & Africa brochure include:

Three New Ships:

–    AmaSerena and AmaVista – These anticipated new sister ships will offer travelers the opportunity to sail Europe’s most desired waterways, including the Danube, Main and Rhine. The 164-passenger vessels will feature Twin Balcony Staterooms, heated swimming pools with swim-up bars, salon services, fitness rooms, elegant glass elevators and more.

–    AmaDara – This innovative new 124-passenger ship joins AmaLotus in 2015, offering an exciting voyage along the fabled Mekong through Vietnam and Cambodia. The itinerary features a once-in-a-lifetime overnight experience on an authentic yet contemporary junk, stops at UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and time exploring the ancient Khmer empire.

New and Returning Theme Cruises:

–    In Celebration of Wine Cruise – AmaWaterways’ wine cruises continue to grow in popularity each year and make their return in 2015.  Traveling through Europe’s acclaimed wine regions, these select sailings will feature expert wine hosts, complimentary lectures, wine tastings and excursions to historic vineyards and cellars. (19 Departures in 2015)

–    Beer Cruise – A first for AmaWaterways, 2015 will bring the all-new Beer Cruise.  Hosted by beer expert Don “Joe Sixpack” Russell – author of a weekly beer column and three books – beer enthusiasts will enjoy beer pairing dinners, unique experiences, visits to famed breweries and local tastings.  The new Beer Cruise will take place as part of AmaWaterways’ March 31 Tulip Time Cruise sailing and December 14 Christmas Time Cruise itinerary. (2 Departures in 2015)

–    Art Illumination Cruise – Art aficionados and aspiring artists alike can channel their inner Monet during this inaugural journey through France’s legendary Normandy region onboard AmaLegro. After admiring the real-life backdrops of the world’s most celebrated works of art, guests may participate in complimentary painting classes led by expert instructors onboard. (Embarking August 13, 2015)

–    Jazz Cruise – Conducted in partnership with Jazzdagen Tours, this 7-night cruise onboard AmaLyra will feature exclusive jazz performances by a global assortment of musicians and immersive tours of a variety of ports, including the grand capital Vienna and charming towns like Durnstein. Guests can explore magnificent cathedrals and Baroque abbeys and take in the stunning sights of Wachau Valley. (Embarking September 22, 2015)

–    Jewish Heritage Cruises – These special itineraries dive deep into the legacy of Europe’s Jewish history and culture. Complimentary excursions include visits to well-known World War II sites, historic Jewish synagogues and sightseeing spots in some of Europe’s most beautiful cities.  Countries visited include Germany, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia.  Optional extensions in Prague on The Romantic Danube and Lucerne and Zurich on The Enchanting Rhine are also available.  (4 Departures in 2015)

–    Christmas Markets Cruises – AmaWaterways’ magical holiday cruises are a perfect way for people to spend quality time with family and friends. With sumptuous feasts, festive décor, onboard entertainment and visits to delightful centuries-old Christmas Markets in places such as Regensburg, Nuremberg and Vienna, a river cruise holiday promises extra special memories to savor a lifetime. Travelers will enjoy two itineraries in the Christmas markets, including Christmas Time Cruise (13 Departures in 2015); and Christmas on the Rhine. (11 Departures in 2015)

In addition to its regular program of sailings in 2015 – as outlined in the new brochure – AmaWaterways’ philanthropic arm, AmaCares, will offer a new way for travelers to give back.  In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the line will donate $500 per stateroom onboard its In Celebration of Life cruises on October 25 and October 28 to the American Cancer Society for breast cancer research, prevention and treatment.

In total, AmaWaterways will offer 25 distinctive itineraries onboard 20 ships visiting nearly 30 countries throughout 2015.

Nobel Peace Prize recipient Desmond Tutu to join Crystal spring 2015 South Africa voyage

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 22 July 2014 22 July 2014

World-renowned peace and human rights crusader Archbishop Desmond Tutu will bring an especially intimate perspective of South Africa – and the world – aboard Crystal Cruises’ March 13, 2015 voyage through Tutu’s African homeland.  The 1984 Nobel Laureate was considered his country’s “voice of conscience” throughout its struggle against apartheid, and is still one of world’s leading voices for freedom and justice.  Via a complimentary presentation and interactive Q & A session, the Archbishop will share personal insights about South Africa’s history and topics like “Bridging the Chasm between Black and White,” as well as speak to universal themes that can inspire all, such as the search for spiritual values in today’s world and the power of unity and goodness in business.  The World Cruise segment sails from Perth to Cape Town, where Tutu is Archbishop Emeritus.

“Our inquisitive guests are engaged travelers who will relish the rare opportunity to experience South Africa through the eyes of one of the country’s most precious sons...and perhaps take some of his inspirational spirit home with them,” says Bret Bullock, vice president of entertainment.

The son of a schoolteacher and a domestic worker, service to others is part of Desmond Tutu’s heritage.  Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Tutu has advocated for human rights and equality, acting as a spiritual and political leader during South Africa’s perhaps most tumultuous period in history.  As General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches (SACC), the often controversial Tutu pursued his objective to end apartheid and achieve racial reconciliation vigorously, and became internationally renowned for his efforts toward the cause.  He continued to bridge South Africa’s racial gap as Bishop of Johannesburg and Archbishop of Cape Town.

Still making headlines in the name of justice, Mr. Tutu now works to raise awareness for HIV/AIDS and Climate Change as chairman of the Elders, a nonpartisan group of statesmen from around the world.  Most recently, he made headlines by joining Ireland’s President Mary Robinson in the fight for environmental justice at the world’s first International Conference for Climate Change.  The Archbishop boasts some of the world’s highest honors for his contributions to humanity, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as well as honorary degrees from more than 130 worldwide universities.

Tutu is just one of 50 stimulating speakers planned for Crystal’s 25th Anniversary “Silver Celebration” World Cruise aboard Crystal Serenity.  The 108-day voyage is comprised of six 16- to 21-day segments sailing between Miami, Lima, Auckland, Perth, Cape Town, and Rio.    

This segment visits several South African cities central to Archbishop Tutu’s legacy, including Durban, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay (maiden call) and Cape Town (overnight).  Other calls include Mauritius/Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius; St-Denis, Réunion, France; Ambodifotatra and Taolanaro, Madagascar (both maiden calls); Maputo, Mozambique, and the embarkation port of Perth, Australia.  Until the August 29 “Book Now” deadline, all-inclusive cruise fares start at $9,785 per person.

Norwegian enriches onboard dining with culinary favorites, new menus and more variety

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 22 July 2014 22 July 2014

Guests setting sail with Norwegian Cruise Line this summer and beyond will have more choices and flexibility in the line's complimentary dining venues. These new offerings are a further development of the Norwegian NEXT program, focused on bringing "new enhancements, experiences and transformations" across the fleet, with the goal of elevating the guest experience and building on the success of the line's two newest ships: Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway.

The culinary enhancements include: the debut of multiple new menus in the ships' main dining rooms that offer an increased variety of selections and contemporary dishes; a dedicated "Chocoholic Night" one evening per cruise, featuring specialty chocolate-based desserts in each restaurant; and the ability for guests to make main dining reservations up to 90 days in advance.

"Dining is an essential part of cruising and an experience that our guests look forward to," said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line's CEO. "We want to make sure that we are exceeding our guests' expectations with culinary delights in our complimentary dining venues. These enhancements with such a wide variety of choice along with guest favorites and of course, chocolate, are bringing our complimentary dining venues to new heights."

The new regionally-focused complimentary dining room dinner menus vary by ship itinerary and change each evening of the sailing, ensuring that guests have a wider selection of dishes to choose from during their cruise. Featuring a sleeker design along with wine pairing recommendations and anecdotal culinary history, the new menus display several sections - starters, classic dishes, main courses, chef's signature dish and dessert - and offer an increased variety, with up to 12 starters and up to 15 entrees per evening. The menus have been carefully developed by Norwegian's culinary team with a focus on balancing popular traditional dishes like prime rib, chateaubriand, rack of lamb and escargot with current dining trends and heightened guest expectations. The new offerings include increased seafood options such as grouper, barramundi, sushi and crab dishes. Contemporary dishes include mojito shrimp ceviche, seared Atlantic scallops with fennel puree, and braised beef short ribs with Cajun shrimp. Additionally, guests can enjoy new lunch menus in the main dining room.

In the popular, complimentary dining venue, O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill on board Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Jewel, the company is introducing exclusive specialty dish nights, such as prime rib, all-you-can-eat baby back ribs, and chicken and waffles. These specialty dish nights give guests an alternative dinner venue in a casual, relaxed atmosphere.

One of the most popular additions to the new dining program is sure to be Norwegian's "Chocoholic Night," which offers a choice of up to seven signature chocolate desserts in every restaurant one evening each cruise. Ranging from the delectable warm chocolate volcano to the decadent chocolate Nutella pot de crème and the white chocolate strawberry mousse, the desserts are sure to satisfy any cruiser's sweet-tooth.

In keeping with the line's Freestyle Cruising, Norwegian is also making it easier than ever for guests to further customize their vacation experience by offering the ability to make reservations for complimentary dining rooms up to 90 days prior to the cruise date. With reservation times at 5:30 pm, 6:30 pm, 7:30 pm, and 8:30 pm, the new system provides guests the option of selecting a dining time during any evening of their cruise, for a party size of up to 12 guests.

"After a trial on Norwegian Breakaway, the main dining reservation option has been met with overwhelming support from our guests," said Frank Weber, vice president of product development for Norwegian Cruise Line. "The program has been extremely successful because it allows guests to select their experiences ahead of time if they wish to, or they can choose to simply walk up to the restaurant they wish to dine at once onboard. It's another way to offer more freedom and flexibility to our guests."

The new menus and concepts will be available on most of Norwegian's fleet by July 31, and onboard Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Sky and Pride of America by early 2015.

MSC Cruises and Chicco announce new partnership

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 21 July 2014 21 July 2014

MSC Cruises and Chicco have teamed up to bring even more happiness on vacation with a cruise tailor-made for babies. The brands, two global flag-carriers of Italian excellence, have joined forces to make a range of Chicco’s outstanding products available to families in custom-built children areas on six ships of the expanding MSC Cruises fleet.

MSC Cruises and Chicco partnered to offer an ideal vacation for families with very small children free of any practical worries. Indeed, the well-being of babies is at the heart of the partnership and everything has been thought of in order to help parents handle the schedule of a baby’s day: feeding, napping, changing and all other necessities.

“We are enthusiastically starting this new journey with Chicco, a dynamic company that marries an innovative approach with experience and tradition,” declared Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises. “With this new collaboration MSC Cruises improves even more its family-oriented offers and services. We always have the safety of our guests in mind, especially children, and Chicco embodies exactly that, as well as the ‘made in Italy’ label that both our companies proudly represent across the world. We offer tailor-made vacations mixed with incomparable hospitality. The partnership with Chicco is set in the long term as they will play an essential role also in the design of specific and innovative kids’ areas in the ships that are being built in France and Italy.”

“It is with equal enthusiasm that we have embraced the collaboration with MSC Cruises, a partner and a project in which we have found the same values and the same attention that we give to families,” commented Claudio De Conto, CEO of Gruppo Artsana to which Chicco belongs. “We are delighted and proud to have contributed our experience to design with MSC Cruises an onboard holiday fit for toddlers. Our expertise is the result of constant research with experts and especially with parents, as they know the needs of their children better than anyone else. It is a valuable knowhow that we have shared with MSC Cruises because for more than 50 years our biggest reward has been the smile of children - especially when on vacation with their parents.”

MSC Cruises has made available on board a wide choice of Chicco childcare equipment, including strollers, bottle warmers and baby backpacks for shore excursions, to make cruising even simpler for families with babies and toddlers.

MSC Cruises will also give families a “Baby Globetrotter"– a printed guide packed with information on services and mini-club activities, game ideas, kids menus and handy tips for family excursions according to the ship’s itinerary.

Furthermore, the Chicco Observatory, a developmental research lab focusing on the under threes, will provide the special training of MSC staff who will manage onboard childcare and give advice to families, in order to enjoy a relaxed and entertaining family cruise.

The collaboration between MSC Cruises and Chicco will be enhanced with the building of special areas on two Lirica class ships within the Renaissance Program*. These areas will also be found on the new ships to be built by STX France and Fincantieri.