Voyager of the Seas completes successful Asian season with Singapore stopover

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 24 October 2013 24 October 2013

Royal Caribbean International’s Voyager of the Seas has wrapped up her second consecutive Asian season with an overnight call in Singapore today, with a total of over 5,800 international guests disembarking and embarking here for the turnaround.

The 137,276 gross ton cruise ship which is the largest based in Asia, arrived at Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore this morning with more than 2,800 guests onboard on a 16-night cruise from Tianjin. She will depart tomorrow with another 3,000 guests on a 14-night cruise bound for Sydney, where she will kick-start her winter Australian season. The guests for both sailings are mainly from Australia, Europe and America, who had the opportunity to tour Singapore’s famous tourist attractions with Royal Caribbean’s shore excursion packages such as the Botanical Gardens which encompass the world’s largest orchid collection, the city’s fashionable shopping belt Orchard Road, a traditional bum boat ride along the Singapore River, Chinatown, Little India and Esplanade, Singapore’s iconic performance arts complex at the waterfront.

Prior to her arrival in Singapore, Voyager of the Seas has enjoyed a successful Asian season largely based in Shanghai and Tianjin from this March to October, which has grown its sailings from 21 to 31 over last year, and its guest numbers up by 37.5% from 65,000 to 104,000. The ship will homeport in Sydney in the following months where she will be offering nine- to 14-night itineraries to New Zealand, Fiji and New Caledonia. She will then return to Asia next April for another season in North Asia.

Seven Seas Voyager emerges from drydock with stylish new interiors

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 24 October 2013 24 October 2013

Regent Seven Seas Cruises announced today that Seven Seas Voyager has emerged from her scheduled dry-dock with a dramatic, breathtaking new interior decor and refreshed exterior decks. The all-balcony, all-suite 700-guest capacity vessel unveiled her new look on October 23 when she set sail on a 10-night cruise from Rome to Venice.

Radiating a new sense of warmth, the ship's public spaces are resplendent with elegant new furnishings, rich upholstery, custom-milled carpeting and hand-selected accents. From the bold yet soothing tones of the Observation Lounge, to the inviting sophistication of Horizons, every area exudes a sense of style and elegance. The refurbishment was over-seen by Frank J. Del Rio, the line's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, who flew to Marseille, France for a final inspection before Seven Seas Voyager set sail.

"Regent Seven Seas Cruises has always set the benchmark for luxury cruises and the Seven Seas Voyager just raised the bar considerably. The ship is nothing short of breathtaking," said Kunal S. Kamlani, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. "Seven Seas Voyager is ushering in a new era of design sophistication for the line and is now undoubtedly the most beautiful ship afloat," he added.

As part of the ship's refurbishment all Penthouse Suites received stunning new décor with custom-crafted elegant furnishings, plush carpeting, curtains, wall coverings, furniture, lighting, original artwork and outdoor furniture.

Horizons, the ship's nightclub and bar, and the Observation Lounge each underwent a complete, radical transformation. The venues now sport distinctive new bars, chic new furnishings, tony carpeting, lustrous wall coverings, and new lighting throughout.

The Constellation Theater, the ship's two-deck high, state-of-the-art show theatre was rejuvenated with new carpeting, all new upholstery, wall coverings, cocktail tables, wall sconces, banquettes and chairs.

Of course, the ship's exterior decks received just as much as attention as the interiors. New teak was installed on the balconies of all 350 suites and teak decks in common areas were re-surfaced and re-finished to brand-new condition. The Pool Deck, as well as the ship's outdoor relaxation areas on Decks 5, 11 and 12, now feature brand new resort furniture and stylish accents. The Pool Grill and La Veranda also received eye-catching upgrades with new mosaic tiling, new wall coverings and awnings.

Appearing continuously on annual "world's best" and "top" awards lists by noted media including Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Cruise Critic and more, Regent Seven Seas Cruises' fleet is comprised of three all-suite ships that carry from 490 to 700 guests in luxury to ports in Australia, Europe, Asia, South America, South Pacific, Alaska, New England, Canada, Africa, and the Caribbean.

Additionally, Regent Seven Seas Cruises recently announced an expansion to its industry-leading all-inclusive product by offering free Wi-Fi fleet-wide including Seven Seas Voyager as part of a multi-million dollar Internet investment upgrade. Beginning with Winter 2014-2015 sailings, concierge-level and higher guests will receive up to 500 minutes of free Wi-Fi.

Guests can choose from up to four, open-seating gourmet restaurants, including Compass Rose, serving an exceptional variety of European-inspired Continental cuisine; Prime 7, a contemporary American steakhouse; Signatures, a classic French dining experience that rivals the finest Parisian restaurants; and Sette Mari at La Veranda, which offers an extensive menu of authentic Italian specialties. With some of the highest space-per-guest ratios in the cruise industry, accommodations include such requisite amenities as down comforters, Egyptian cotton linens, flat-screen television, DVD players and Wi-Fi access. Penthouse and higher-category suites aboard all three ships are equipped with iPads.

Check the pictures from the RSSC blog:

http://rsscblog.com/2013/10/24/sevenseasvoyagerrefurbishment/

Guy Fieri sails with Carnival Cruise Lines for new Food Network television special

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 24 October 2013 24 October 2013

Guy Fieri and his family take to the sea for fun, adventure and killer food aboard the Carnival Breeze in a new television special, Guy's Family Cruise, premiering on Food Network Monday, October 28 at 9 p.m. ET (8 p.m. CT).

Guy's Family Cruise follows the Fieris during their Caribbean adventure - making stops in Miami, the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos Islands, and Jamaica aboard Carnival Cruise Lines' largest and newest ship, Carnival Breeze.

In the hour-long Food Network special, Guy and his family experience many of the amazing attractions available on Carnival Breeze. Guy, along with his two sons and nephew, work the line at his namesake eatery, Guy's Burger Joint, a popular complimentary poolside dining spot featured on several Carnival ships that offers delicious hand-crafted burgers, along with fresh-cut fries and special recipes the chef created exclusively for Carnival.

The family dines together at the ship's Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse and indulges in Italian family-style favorites at Cucina del Capitano. While at sea, they have some fun at WaterWorks, slipping down the 312-foot Twister slide and getting soaked by the 300-gallon PowerDrencher splash bucket. As the guys check out SkyCourse, a suspended ropes course with breathtaking views to the sea 150 feet below, Guy's wife spends time at Cloud 9 Spa and enjoys some much-deserved "me" time at Serenity, an adults-only retreat. The ship ultimately docks at the picturesque Caribbean port of Ocho Rios, Jamaica where the family enjoys some sun-splashed activities and samples the local cuisine.

"Our family vacation on Carnival Breeze was awesome for the entire Fieri Krew," said Fieri. "I'm stoked that we brought the cameras along so that everyone can see all of the off-the-hook food and cool things you can do on board and in port on a Carnival cruise."

"Guy has been such a great partner to Carnival and we were excited to host the Fieris' first-ever family cruise on Carnival Breeze, just as we have done for millions of families over the past 41 years," said Jim Berra, Carnival's chief marketing officer. "Whether you're new to cruising, a Carnival veteran or big fans of Guy, this new special provides television viewers an authentic look at how one family can enjoy a multitude of delicious dishes, fun activities and exciting entertainment on a Carnival cruise vacation."

Beginning today, fans can get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look and learn more about the Fieris' family cruise by clicking here<http://www.carnival.com/fieri-family-vacation.aspx>.

30th Cruise Shipping Miami is scheduled March 10-13, 2014

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 23 October 2013 23 October 2013

Cruise Shipping Miami, http://www.cruiseshippingevents.com/miami, the cruise industry's annual international conference and exhibition that draws more than 11,000 attendees and over 900 exhibiting companies from 100-plus countries, is scheduled March 10-13, 2014. The 2014 show marks the event's 30th anniversary, and organizers are continuing a campaign that began in 2012 to expand and enhance the show's conference and trade show offerings.

The cornerstone of http://www.ubm.com's http://www.cruiseshippingevents.com, Cruise Shipping Miami features a three-day trade show at the Miami Beach Convention Center that runs Tuesday through Thursday, and a four-day conference that offers sessions Monday through Thursday.

"We are continuing to tweak the conference lineup this year following last year's redesign, based on customer feedback and research, with a sharp focus on trend-related topics and bringing in new speakers and panelists for new perspectives," said Daniel Read, director of UBM's Cruise Shipping Portfolio. "And for the exhibition we're adding new pavilions and creating additional opportunities for buyers and suppliers to interact."

The current conference lineup includes four core tracks, or "streams," including Shipbuilding, Operations and Technology; Destinations and Ports; Market Segments, and Product Development. As individual conference sessions are developed and streams are refined, updates will be issued.

In addition to national pavilions, the massive trade show, which covers all four halls of the convention center, also features business sectors highlighting information technology, ship design and refurbishment, ship services and hotel operations, ship equipment, amusements and recreations attractions, entertainment and destinations.

New this year is the Grand Tasting Pavilion, an interactive exhibit for the Food & Beverage sector. The Grand Tasting Pavilion will offer F&B buyers and suppliers a focused venue to showcase food and food-service products, discover new trends and, of course, sample the merchandise.

Also new this year is the Cruise Trends Theater, a product and services platform that offers exhibitors and attendees an opportunity to present innovations from all industries impacting the cruise business including entertainment, food and beverage, sustainability and technology. Participants receive 30 minutes to present their concepts in the Cruise Trends Theater directly to key cruise industry stakeholders and interested media.