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Celebrity Cruises expand private tour offering

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 17 April 2012 17 April 2012

Celebrity Cruises says it has expanded its private shore excursions programme to include over 70 ports of call around the world, offering even more ways for guests to make the most of their time ashore by enjoying the luxury and convenience of a private vehicle with a driver or a driver and a tour guide.

"By exploring a destination at their own pace, guests who opt for Celebrity Cruises’ private shore excursion options also enjoy a more immersive port experience focused on the places that interest them most, The company said in a statyement.

Now available in over 50 ports of call in Europe and over 20 ports of call throughout Alaska, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest and South America, Celebrity Cruises’ private shore excursion arrangements give guests a way to personalise the way they experience some of the world’s most compelling ports, in the comfort of a private car or van. These arrangements are available for purchase online pre-cruise, for either a half-day or full day of exploration. The day’s itinerary is at the guest’s discretion and is coordinated directly with the driver and/or guide on the day of the tour, so meals and visits to local attractions can be chosen on-the-spot.

Celebrity Cruises also offers customised arrangements in any destination it visits around the world. This allows guests to create their own full itinerary for the day, and, if they wish, include meals and entrance fees to local attractions. The itinerary, arranged in advance, can be highly flexible in terms of numbers of hours, and is offered in every one of Celebrity Cruises’ ports and destinations worldwide.

Vehicles for both options generally include a car that seats up to three guests, a van that seats four to eight guests, or a minivan that seats eight to 10 guests; this varies in different regions, which may offer alternative transportation arrangements.

Private shore excursions can be booked online a minimum of four days before the cruise, atwww.celebritycruises.com/shorex. Custom arrangements can be booked through Celebrity’s shore excursions team by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. a minimum of 30 days before the cruise.

In addition to private shore excursion arrangements, Celebrity Cruises offers an extensive range of shore excursions taken with other cruise guests, including shore excursion packages in Alaska and Europe.

MSC Divina completes sea trials

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 April 2012 16 April 2012

MSC Divina successfully completed her initial sea trials yesterday, returning to the Louis Joubert dock after 3 days on the open seas off the coast of Brittany, France. The ship performed to the full satisfaction of the MSC Cruises' team. The rigorous trials involved around 360 people and more than 60 separate tests, covering everything from speed and manageability to sound levels and vibration.

Further testing will be performed continuously up until the next big event in MSC Divina's busy schedule: the flag changing ceremony on May 19 in Saint-Nazaire.

A maiden cruise to Marseille will then bring the new ship to her grand christening on May 26. The spectacular evening of entertainment and celebration will be dedicated to the Mediterranean and the passion of its people, and will again see Italian screen legend Sophia Loren cutting the ribbon as the godmother of the MSC Cruises' fleet.

Voyages of Discovery offers discounted insurance, chauffeur service with 2013 bookings

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 April 2012 16 April 2012

To coincide with the launch of the summer 2013 brochure, Voyages of Discovery, the UK based destinational cruise brand, says it is offering every passenger a 10 per cent discount on their 2013 summer cruise and free insurance. Plus, every guest choosing a higher grade cabin can enjoy a new complimentary chauffeur service to the airport or port.

The 2013 summer programme sees Voyages of Discovery’s Discovery visit 15 brand new ports of call including Monaco (France), Husavik (Iceland) and St Helier (Jersey). Following an extensive upgrade in December 2012, the summer season will see guests able to enjoy refurbished facilities onboard the 650 passenger ship.Voyager, the second and newly added ship in the fleet will embark on its first summer season with Voyages of Discovery sailing to 12 new ports of call including Dikili (Turkey) and Ostende (Belgium), plus sailing through the Corinth Canal (Greece).

All guests booking a 2013 summer cruise will receive a 10 per cent discount on the cruise price. With fares starting from as little as £799.00 per person (based on the Iconic Iberia 11-day itinerary departing from Harwich on 15 September 2013) guests can sail from just £719 per person, that’s less than £66 per person per day.

Discovery will be departing from Harwich in May – September 2013 and from the Port of Tyne (Newcastle) for the first time in August 2013 offering guests the chance to explore areas such as the Baltic, the Mediterranean and the Faroe Islands. A one-off ‘Baltic Symphony’ cruise designed to provide guests with a comprehensive programme of classical concerts, musical talks and tailored shore excursions is available in May. Guests can meet musical artists including Nicholas Cleobury- the artistic director of Mid Wales Opera and enjoy performances from the Auralio String Quartet. Prices start from £1,499 per person for a 14-day cruise.

A number of fly-cruises are also available including itineraries that allow guests to explore Turkey, Greece, Ukraine and Russia. Voyager will depart from its new homeport of Portsmouth for a series of five no-fly cruises visiting the Baltic and Norway and will offer two special interest itineraries: The British Isles and the Chelsea Flower Show in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society providing guests the opportunity to visit the world-renowned RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the grand gardens of Ireland’s Powerscourt and the wild flowers on Orkney’s moorland when the ship docks in Kirkwall (Orkney Islands, Scotland) . Prices start from £1,299 per person for a 12-day cruise. The French Connoisseur cruise with wine expert Jilly Goolden visiting Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Nantes and Rouen. The one-off wine appreciation cruise gives all passengers the chance to join bespoke tours to vineyards and wine makers including a visit to the famed Grand Cru Classe Chateaux in Bordeaux (France). Prices start from £1,099 per person for a 10-day cruise.

A number of fly cruises are also available including visits to the Mediterranean and the opportunity to transit the small 70 foot wide Corinth Canal. Due to popular demand the Footloose programme – providing small groups of seasoned walkers the opportunity to get off the beaten track and explore untamed landscapes – will be returning for summer 2013. Available onboard Discovery’s ‘Iconic Norwegian Fjords’ itinerary and onboard Voyager’s ‘Celtic Treasures’ itinerary. Prices start from £999 per person for a nine-day ‘Celtic Treasures’ cruise.

Further highlights of the summer 2013 season for Voyages of Discovery include:

The Heritage of the British Isles cruise in partnership with the National Trust onboard Discovery. The 14-day cruise allows passengers to explore the Scottish highlands, the Lake District and Snowdonia National Parks through the specially designed National Trust shore excursions programme. Prices start from £1,349 per person for the 14-day cruise.

Gardens of Britain and the Emerald Isles cruise onboard Discovery in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society. The 13-day cruise calls at St Peter Port (Guernsey) allowing guests to wander through the famous Victorian Candie Gardens and Ullapool (Scotland) where garden lovers can head to the Inverewe Garden. Prices start from £1,399 per person for the 13-day cruise.

St Petersburg and the Baltic Capitals itineraries onboard Discovery. The cruise has two embarkation ports allowing guests the chance to cruise from either Harwich (England) or the Port of Tyne (Newcastle, England). Ports of call include Scandinavia’s contrasting capitals – Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm. Prices start from £1,499 per person for a 15-day cruise departing from Port of Tyne (Newcastle) on 31 August.

To match the distinctive range of itineraries Voyages of Discovery offers an unrivalled Guest Speaker programme within the price. New for 2013, Guest Speakers include Hugh Davis – an expert on the SOE and the sabotage agents of WW2, Commodore Peter Swan RN – the ex-director of CIS for the Royal Navy and Robin Oakley – a CNN reporter. Each cruise offers a selection of Guest Speakers who are recognised authorities on the range of subjects relevant to the ports of call visited on each itinerary, the company said in a statement.

The 10 per cent discount and free insurance are valid on all 2013 summer cruises booked before 31 May 2012. Complimentary chauffeur service applies when booking a superior cabin (category F) or above on Discovery, or a Deluxe Cabin or above (Category 00) on Voyager.

P&O Cruises unveils first winter cruise to Norway

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 April 2012 16 April 2012

P&O Cruises, which is part of the Carnival Corp & plc group, will send its 69,153 gross ton Oriana to Norway in March 2014 on what will be the first winter cruise to that country by the Southampton based company.

The 12 night cruise will start on 13 March and include calls at Bergen, Tromso, Alta and Stavanger. Excursions will include dog sledding, snowmobile safaris and visit to the Igloo Hotel. Northern Lights are an added plus that obviously cannot be guaranteed.

Such winter cruises have become increasingly popular on the UK market and this is the first time that a Carnival group brand will operate such an itinerary. Oriana will also be the largest ship that will have undertaken such a cruise.

Saga Cruises, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and in particular Cruise & Maritime Voyages have operated winter itineraries to Norway.

Engine trouble aborts Saga Sapphire inaugural cruise

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 16 April 2012 16 April 2012

Engine trouble has cut short the inaugural cruise of Saga Cruises 37,000 gross ton Saga Sapphire in Valencia in Spain, media reports say. The 1981 built ship that underwent four month refurbishment prior to entering service with the UK company ship is currently in Valencia, Spain awaiting repairs. Passengers that were on this cruise will be flown home to the UK on Monday. The cruise was delayed a week because its multi-million pound refit overran. Passengers that were due to join the next voyage have been told that they will now be flown on April 25 to Marseille.