Celebrity Cruises unveils 2014 cruises from Southampton and Harwich

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 08 March 2013 08 March 2013

Celebrity Cruises has today announced its 2014 sailings from the UK with brand new itineraries to Spain and the Canary Islands and to the Norwegian Fjords. The new sailings will go on sale from 21 March 2013.

Both Celebrity Eclipse and Celebrity Infinity will return to their summer homeports of Southampton and Harwich respectively. Marking the second year running of the two ships being based from the UK, Celebrity Eclipse, recently voted best large ship by consumers in the 2013 Cruise Critic UK Cruisers’ Choice Awards, returns to Southampton for its fifth season in 2014.

 Jo Rzymowska, associate vice president and general manager, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises - UK and Ireland, commented: “It is always an exciting time when we announce our new sailings and the new destinations and experiences that our guests can enjoy. The 2014 summer season sees the UK playing host to two of the six Celebrity Cruises ships based in Europe plus new additions to the sailings, including more overnight stays, allowing guests to experience the local nightlife and explore the regions more fully. Our 2014 UK departures set the bar high when it comes to offering a modern luxury holiday without the hassle of flying and we are pleased to continue to offer our guests new and exciting destinations.”

Celebrity Infinity will repeat the increasingly popular 12-night European Immersive Wine Cruises for the third consecutive year, taking in some of Europe’s most renowned wine producing regions. New for 2014 is an overnight stay in La Rochelle in France for the world-famous Bordeaux region. In addition, the ship will sail a series of new 14-night Iceland and Fjords cruises, as well as an 11-night British Isles cruise, visiting ports including Waterford (Ireland) and Holyhead (Wales). A longer 14-night British Isles cruise, with an overnight in Dublin (Ireland), also allows guests to make the most of the city’s nightlife.

 When Celebrity Eclipse returns to its summer homeport for the fifth season, it will include a new 10-night itinerary to Spain & Canary Islands and further highlights, including:

• 14-night Scandinavia and Russia cruise which also takes in a stop at Le Havre on the 70^th anniversary of the D-Day landings in nearby Normandy. Prices from £1,249 per person (based on two sharing an interior stateroom)
• 14-night Canaries & Azores sailings with calls including Ponta Delgada (Azores), Tenerife (Canary Islands) and Fuerteventura (Canary Islands), from £1,199 per person (based on two sharing an interior stateroom)
• 14-night Mediterranean sailings taking in the summer sun at ports including Rome (Civitavecchia, Italy), Malaga (Spain) and Lisbon (Portugal). Available from £1,199 per person (based on two sharing an interior stateroom)
• The eight-night Norwegian Fjords itinerary which includes calls in Bergen, Flam and Geiranger (Norway). Available from £749 per person (based on two sharing an interior stateroom)

Guests onboard both ships can relax in the onboard Elemis AquaSpa or solarium, head to the Celebrity iLounge internet café to use, learn about or buy a range of Apple products, or enjoy the collection of original, contemporary art. Culinary onboard offerings include healthy-eating specialty restaurant Blu, an ice-topped Martini Bar and the award-winning Qsine, the novel restaurant first introduced to Celebrity Eclipse to much acclaim.

“Meine Nacht” attracts 1,000 travel agency staff in seven cities

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 07 March 2013 07 March 2013

TUI Cruises, the German premium market cruise line, has held a series of events called “Meine Nacht (“My Night’) to promote the company to members of the travel trade.

The events took place at the end of February in Hannover, Dresden, Berlin, Dortmund, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart and Munich and about 1,000 travel professionals attended them.

Students from the Art School at Wandsbek and School of Design at Schwerin had created artistic impressions of the Mein Schiff fleet that decorated the venues were the events were held.

TUI Cruises arranged the series of events for a second time. It has a fleet of two vessels plus two newbuildings on order that will be delivered in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

 

Thomas Cook to close 195 UK, Ireland travel shops

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 07 March 2013 07 March 2013

Thomas Cook, the loss making listed tour operator, has decided to close 195 travel shops in the UK and Ireland to cut losses and to adapt its business model to growing use of the Internet by is customers.

Thomas Cook, which is headquartered in London,  is a major retailer of cruises.

The store closure will affect 902 retail sales personnel, while 115 of the stores to be  closed trade as The Cooperative Travel and the remaining 80 as Thomas Cook, Travel Weekly reports in a newsletter.

Mein Schiff 3 to feature concert hall, Oasis class inspired suites

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 07 March 2013 07 March 2013

Mein Schiff 3, first of the two newbuildings TUI Cruises has an order at STX Finland in Turku, will feature the first sea-going cocert hall. To be called the Klanghaus, the two deck high room will be located on the port side midships on deck 4.

Meanwhile, the two deck high Himmel & Meer suites on deck 14 are heavily influenced by penthouse suites of Royal Caribbean International’s two Oasis class cruise ships. The cabins on Mein Schiff 3 will be of 40sqm on two levels plus have a 29sqm veranda on the upper level.

TUI Cruises is a Hamburg based premium market cruise line that is 50/50 owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and TUI AG. The 97,000 gross ton Mein Schiff 3 is due to enter service in 2014 and Mein Schiff 4 that is expected to be of 99,300 gross tons, will join it a year later.