BREAKING NEWS!!!!

We're getting word that Princess Cruise Lines will be announcing changes to their already announced 2008 Alaska itineraries, travel agents should be receiving a notification in the next day or so if they have clients that will be affected.

Here's what's happening- Originally Sun Princess was to sail to the South Pacific , offering sailings from various Australian ports from November 2007 to March 2008. In March 2008 Sun Princess was to head to San Francisco to sail 10 day round trip itineraries to Alaska. Sun Princess instead will remain in the South Pacific offering sailings from Freemantle, Hobart, and Sydney. We are getting mixed reports right now as to whether Sun Princess will continue to operate under the Princess banner in Australia or if she is being transferred to the P & O Australia fleet.

Dawn Princess' schedule after May 2008 was extremely unclear... until now. Princess had published a 4 day sailing departing May 9th from Vancouver to Ketchikan and ending in Seattle - This was the sailing SeaSocks 2008 was scheduled to be on. Princess had already announced the Dawn Princess would be headed to Australia in November of 2008, but had published no other information for the period between May 13, 2008 and November 2008. It now appears that Princess will be announcing that they are canceling several Dawn Princess sailings including the previously announced May 9th sailing from Vancouver. For the 2008 Alaska season Dawn Princess will return to San Francisco to offer the 10 day round trip sailings to Alaska that she had been sailing for the last several years.

As a result of Princess' sudden cancellation of the May 9th Dawn Princess sailing, there will be some changes to SeaSocks 2008. Folks who were on SeaSocks 2007 as well as those who have already made reservations for SeaSocks 2008 will be contacted shortly so that we can discuss the situation as well as their options for next year. Once those folks are notified we'll post more details about our revised plans for SeaSocks 2008. We'll also have more information on this week's podcast.

The Mail Buoy Episode 63 While we hate to think about it, at some point your cruise will come to an end.  While it's a sad time, there are a lot of moving parts that are running to ensure that your disembarkation process is a smooth one. So this week we talk about some of the things that you should know about as  your cruise begins to wind down.  You might be surprised to know that some of your disembarkation process begins days before the end of your cruise.  On may lines you need to be thinking about tipping, in particular prepaying your gratuities a few days before the end of your cruise. Just how does the whole disembarkation process work?  We talk about all of the things that go on during your last few hours onboard, including just how the cruise line determines who gets to disembark first. Now that you know about getting off the ship, you need to look into actually getting on one!  So go check out the Deal of The Week or one of our two groups!  Sign up for our Weekly Specials, this week we had fantastic deals onboard Liberty of The Seas. As always you can find the show in iTunes or click below to download this week's show or play it right in your browser window.

Posted in Podcast — by Michael on 05/22/07 (0) Comments

Celebrity Orders Fourth Solstice Class Ship From Meyer Werft From Meyer Werft shipbuilding: The American cruise company Celebrity Cruises (Miami), a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., has placed a contract for a fourth large cruise ship with MEYER WERFT in Papenburg. After ordering the first ship of the Solstice class as early as in the summer of 2005, and number two and three in February and July 2006, a contract for building the fourth cruise vessel has now been signed. The fourth ship is scheduled for delivery in the autumn of 2011. The first unit of this class will be completed in the au-tumn of 2008, the following ships in the years 2009, 2010 und 2011. The ships for Celebrity Cruises will have a length overall of 315 m, a width of 36.8 m, and a tonnage of 122,000 gt. They will be able to accommodate 2,850 passengers in 1,425 cabins. The standard cabins will be extremely spa-cious; more than 90 % will be outside cabins, 90 % of which will have their own balconies. The vessels will be equipped with diesel engines and pod propulsion systems. The over-all output of the engines will be 67,200 kW (approx. 90,100 hp). MEYER WERFT already built five cruise vessels for Celebrity Cruises in the early and mid 1990s.

Posted in Celebrity Cruises — by Michael on 05/21/07 (0) Comments

The Mail Buoy Episode 62 There was a lot of cruise news this past week.  Most of it was just quick stories, but wow were there a lot of them. Part of the reason for so much news this week was that a lot of ships were christened in the last 7 days.  On Mother's Day Emerald Princess was christened by 4 - yes 4 godmothers!  MSC Orchestra was christened on Monday, Liberty of The Seas, and Delphin Voyager on Friday, and Costa Serena and Fram on Saturday. Royal Princess' "resident" Lorraine Arzt has been named godmother for the ship, Mrs Arzt is a big fan of Princess and typically spends as long as 10 months a year on their ships. From one notable woman to another, Karin Stahre-Jansen has been named the first female captain of a major cruise ship.  Royal Caribbean recently named her captain of Monarch of The Seas. Costa is celebrating it's Diamond Anniversary Jubilee with savings of as much as 60% off on their 2008 European itineraries, and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra will be onboard Crystal Serenity on her November 9, 10 day Trans-Atlantic from Lisbon to Miami. Cruise lines agree to not dump untreated waste water within the confines of the Olympic National Marine Sanctuary. Princess opens the new King Salmon restaurant at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, while Carnival introduces a new contest to name their new spa. Sea Princess has some engine trouble that forces a cancellation, and Empress of the North will cancel 3 sailings to repair damage from her grounding earlier this week. Finally, Disney joins the growing list of lines offering onboard cellular service and Celebrity will be returning to Australia and the South Pacific for a second year. The Deal of The Week is back!  You'll be able to find the details here soon.  Don't forget to take advantage of the opportunity to Crash Deb's Vacation (and get a great deal too!), or get a taste of Alaska cruising on SeaSocks 2008. As always you can find the show in iTunes or click below to download it or play it right in your browser window

Posted in Carnival Cruise Lines,Celebrity Cruises,Costa Cruises,Crystal Cruises,Disney Cruise Line,General News,MSC Cruises,Majestic America Line,Podcast,Princess Cruises,Royal Caribbean International — by Michael on 05/21/07 (0) Comments

Carnival Has Contest to Name New Spa Carnival Cruise Lines is holding a contest to name the new Carnival Splendor’s luxurious 21,000-square-foot health spa, the largest and most elaborate in the “Fun Ship” fleet, which will bring an entirely new dimension to the seagoing spa experience. Offering a host of innovations, the expansive facility will take personal pampering to a new level with such features as Carnival’s first spa staterooms and suites, a thalassotherapy pool, thermal suite, and a diverse menu of Middle Eastern and Asian therapies administered in spacious, modern treatment rooms. The grand prize will be a cruise for two in a Carnival Splendor spa suite including complimentary spa services for the entire voyage. Carnival’s “Name Our Most Spectacular Spa Ever” contest asks consumers to help find a name befitting the truly exceptional elegance of this sophisticated haven of relaxation and rejuvenation. Representing a new class of vessel for the line, the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor is slated to debut in July 2008 operating Carnival’s first Northern Europe cruise program. Click "more" to learn about the spa planned for Carnival Splendor as well as contest details.  Plus bookings are now open for Carnival Splendor's 2008 season, call us at 888-86-9827 to make your reservation! Most Luxurious Spa in Carnival Fleet Spanning the forward portion of two full decks with large picture windows providing panoramic sea vistas, Carnival Splendor’s spa will also feature 68 exclusive spa staterooms and suites – Carnival’s first – accessible by an exclusive stairway and private elevator. Including the spa cabins and suites, the Carnival Splendor’s expansive health and wellness facility will encompass more than 40,000 total square feet. Guests who book Carnival Splendor’s spa accommodations will receive a number of exclusive amenities and privileges, including unlimited use of the facility, thalassotherapy pool and thermal suite, priority spa appointments with a pre-cruise concierge consultation, complimentary fitness classes, and special Carnival Splendor spa logo towels, bathrobes, and slippers for use during the cruise. One-of-a-kind Carnival Splendor in-stateroom amenity items, along with personal yoga mats and fitness bands for use during the cruise, are also included. Prominently positioned within the spa will be a thalassotherapy pool where guests can immerse themselves in ionized water heated to an ideal temperature, while pulsating water massage jets create a feeling of total serenity. Adjacent to the pool will be a Thermal Suite consisting of four climate-controlled rooms, each of which is set to varying degrees of warmth and coolness and then infused with soothing essences of eucalyptus, rosemary, lavender and other aromas to leave guests feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Extensive Menu of Therapies, Expansive Treatment Rooms The spa will offer a sophisticated menu of exotic Asian, Middle Eastern and European-style therapies, including several new options. Treatments will take place in 17 private treatment rooms, which include two VIP facilities exclusively for couples. In addition, the Carnival Splendor’s spa will feature a post-treatment area where guests can relax on Asian-style beds while enjoying stunning sea views. Carnival Splendor’s spa also includes a complete state-of-the-art gymnasium with Lifecycle exercise equipment, including treadmills and weight training, stair climbing, and rowing machines. A beauty salon offering complete hair and nail services and various products, along with a men’s barber/grooming area, a teeth-whitening venue, and special areas for manicures and pedicures round out the spa’s wide-ranging facilities and amenities. Carnival Splendor dining rooms will also feature the line’s recently updated Spa Carnival Fare selections, healthy gourmet-style menu items that are lower in fat, calories, cholesterol and fat content. Exciting European, Caribbean Itineraries Carnival Splendor is slated to debut July 13, 2008, with a series of 12-day Northern Europe cruises from London (Dover) through Aug. 30, followed by a schedule of 12-day Mediterranean cruises from Rome (Civitavecchia) through Oct. 17, 2008. The ship will then sail on a trans-Atlantic crossing departing Rome (Civitavecchia) Oct. 29 and arriving Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Nov. 14, positioning the vessel for a series of seven-day exotic Caribbean cruises from that port beginning Nov. 22, 2008. ‘Name Our Most Spectacular Spa Ever’ Contest Details To be eligible for Carnival’s “Name Our Most Spectacular Spa Ever” contest, participants must submit their suggestion via an entry form available on the micro-site created for Carnival Splendor, carnival.com/splendor. All entries must be received between May 18 and June 15, 2007, to qualify. The grand prize is non-transferable and has no cash value. The contest is open to legal residents of the United States and participants must be at least 21 years old to enter. Entries will be judged by a panel of Carnival executives and the winner will be notified within 30 days of the end of the contest period  In the case of duplicate winning entries, the entrant who first submitted the winning entry, based on date and time received, will be selected. Void where prohibited by law. Certain other restrictions apply.  Additional rules are posted on carnival.com/splendor. Carnival is currently accepting reservations on all of the Carnival Splendor’s various European and Caribbean itineraries.

Posted in Carnival Cruise Lines — by Michael on 05/19/07 (0) Comments

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