Two Princess ships will sail to the Caribbean during summer 2010, more than doubling the line’s capacity for the season. Passengers will have the option of five itinerary choices, as well as sailing from New York and Florida.
Caribbean Princess returns to offer the popular nine-day itinerary from New York to Bermuda and the Caribbean, while Emerald Princess will sail on seven-day roundtrip cruises from Fort Lauderdale to the Western and Eastern Caribbean. Together, the two ships will offer 30 departures to the sun-filled islands of the Caribbean.
Caribbean Princess from New York — Caribbean Princess‘ summer season from New York will feature 10 departures between May 2 and July 29, 2010. Eight of the nine-day voyages sail roundtrip on an itinerary that includes Bermuda (West End), St. Thomas, Grand Turk and San Juan. Caribbean Princess will also offer two sailings to St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Grand Turk and San Juan. In addition, the ship sails on a special seven-day Eastern Caribbean & Bermuda sailing from San Juan to New York featuring calls in Bermuda, St. Thomas and Antigua.
Emerald Princess from Fort Lauderdale — Emerald Princess will sail on week-long Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, departing from May 9 to September 12, 2010. The ship will offer nine Eastern Caribbean departures calling at Princess Cays, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and Grand Turk, alternating with 10 Western Caribbean sailings to Princess Cays, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.
Launch Fares for nine-day Caribbean Princess summer Bermuda & Eastern Caribbean cruises begin at $1,099 per person, and seven-day sailings on Emerald Princess begin at $699, based on double occupancy. A $50 per person Captain’s Circle Launch Savings discount is available to Princess past passengers on bookings made by December 31, 2009. Sailings open for booking on May 14, 2009.
Cruise West is revitalizing the overall guest experience this spring with several significant enhancements collectively called ‘Spirit Of Distinction.’ ‘Compass,’ a more robust enrichment program guided by a world class Board of Advisors, will be introduced for the enjoyment of all guests. The launch of ‘Palate’ Wine & Food Program will include an updated, award-winning wine list with food pairings and United States Sommelier Association certification for onboard servers. Several vessels will also offer the option to dine “alfresco,” and all sailings will enjoy new menu items. The well-appointed new Explorer Class cabin category, replete with upscale, eco-friendly amenities, will be added to three of the lines’ nine ships.
Designed to enhance the overall guest experience through meaningful and topical presentations, the renewed onboard enrichment program, Compass, will be introduced on all Cruise West itineraries. Four tenants comprise the points of Compass: science, culture, history and immersion. The Board of Advisors that will guide the new program includes world-renowned Oceanographer Dr. Don Walsh and noted Naturalist Brent Nixon. In addition, leading experts in diverse fields will serve as guest lecturers to complement the on-board Exploration Leaders’ provided narratives. Enrichment doesn’t end onboard. Guests will have additional opportunities to be immersed into the natural environment through an increased number of zodiac excursions on select itineraries. A hallmark of the Cruise West experience is engaging and thought-provoking presentations aboard every sailing. The Exploration Academy, a component of Compass, will serve as an enhanced training program for Cruise West Exploration Leaders, further developing their knowledge base and skills. Tools include an e-based Enrichment Program of power point presentation modules that cover such diverse subjects as the culture, history, wildlife and geology of region(s) visited.
Guest won’t whine about the wine list or refreshed menu items! Following the theme of exploration, Cruise West introduces Palate, designed to help diners discover the synergy between wine and food. All Cruise West ships will feature a delectable culinary experience through distinctive food and wine pairings with menu selections that highlight the cuisine of the Pacific Northwest. A tempting wine list featuring bottles selected by Chairman Dick West will include wines from Wine Spectator’s “Top 100 Wines of the World” and Seattle Wine Awards 2008 “Gold Medal Winners.” Additionally, in affiliation with the United States Sommelier Association, onboard servers will participate in a certificate course to ensure service delivery is up to the highest standards. Lastly, guests will have a choice of three distinct dining options at lunchtime. Alfresco dining will be offered on the Spirit of Oceanus, Spirit of Yorktown, Spirit of Endeavour and Spirit of ’98, weather permitting, in addition to regularly scheduled lunch in the Dining Room and Light Fare luncheon served in the Lounge. Menu items will include fresh grilled favorites, salads, and a carving or taco bar.
The new Explorer Class cabins, formerly AAA cabins, are intended for guests accustomed to a higher level of creature comforts. The “eco-friendly” amenities, a natural extension of the company’s motto of good environmental stewardship, include ultra soft Bamboo (a sustainable resource), fiber linens and towels, cotton waffle weave bathrobes, water conserving Speakman “Easy Jet” adjustable stream showerheads, and hypoallergenic down duvets. In addition to special amenities, guests traveling on Alaska itineraries will receive a copy of the book Mr. Alaska, written by Cruise West’s founder Chuck West. Explorer Class cabins will be rolled out in spring 2009 onboard the 96-guest Spirit of ’98, 102-guest Spirit of Endeavour, and the 138-guest Spirit of Yorktown.
The delivery ceremony to mark the handover of Costa Luminosa, scheduled to take place at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Venice on Thursday, has been cancelled as the builder is concerned that a strike announced by trade union association Fiom would disrupt the event.
Fincantieri said in a statement: ‘There were grounds for serious concern that what should have been a day of celebration would be jeopardised by forms of unusual protest announced by Fiom in opposition to the renewal of the supplementary company contract signed by the other trade unions – Fim, Uilm and Ugl – on April 1.’
In the agreement with the other unions Fincantieri guaranteed it would maintain employment levels and production sites as its first objective.
The post-delivery showcase celebrations planned by Costa Cruises after the handover will still go ahead, including a mini-cruise May 2-5 from Venice.
Costa Luminosa will be named together with Costa Pacifica in Genoa on June 5.
In accordance with the recent travel advisory from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommending against non-essential travel to Mexico, Holland America Line, in an abundance of caution, has decided to cancel its upcoming calls to Mexican ports in April and early May.
Of the line’s 14 ships, a total of five ships (and five sailings) are impacted by these changes. Four are the current sailings of the ms Ryndam, ms Statendam, ms Westerdam and ms Zuiderdam. The May 1, 2009 cruise of the ms Veendam will also be impacted.
The itinerary planning team at Holland America Line is developing alternate itineraries for these sailings and the new ports of call will be announced as they are confirmed.
If the CDC travel advisory changes prior to the conclusion of any of these five sailings, the cruise line may consider re-instating the original itineraries if possible.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. today announced it is temporarily suspending its port calls in Mexico. The decision was made in an abundance of caution, and allows additional time to better understand the full impact of the Swine Flu.
The suspension involves the company’s Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises brands. Royal Caribbean International has four ships currently making regularly scheduled port call in Mexico – Enchantment of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas. Two additional Royal Caribbean International ships were scheduled to make upcoming Mexican port calls as they repositioned – Serenade of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas. Celebrity Cruises had one ship scheduled to make upcoming Mexico port calls as it repositions – Celebrity Infinity.
All but one of the affected ships will either make alternative port calls or spend additional time at sea. Royal Caribbean International’s Mariner of the Seas will sail a fully revised itinerary, visiting Canada and the U.S. West Coast. The temporary suspension takes effect immediately and will be in effect for the immediate future. It will be regularly reviewed in light of any Swine Flu developments.
“Like our guests, we take all health matters seriously,” said Dr. Art Diskin, chief medical officer for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “Although authorities have not raised specific concerns regarding the ports we visit in Mexico, we want to err on the side of caution. We’re taking proactive steps onboard our ships to help ensure the health and well-being of our guests and crew members, and this is just one more step in that process. We apologize for the disruption these changes will cause our guests, and we appreciate their understanding.”
The company has been closely monitoring Swine Flu developments and is utilizing its Influenza Prevention and Response Plans. That plan was developed by its office of Medical and Public Health in coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health experts. The plan is based on three pillars: Preparedness and Communication; Surveillance and Detection; and Response and Containment.
The company’s onboard activities regarding the Swine Flu include:
- Providing guests with Swine Flu information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Screening embarking guests and crew members regarding recent visits to, or travel through Mexico, contact with people ill with the Swine Flu, and for recent flu-like symptoms
- Conducting enhanced sanitizing of all high-touch areas onboard
- Providing hand sanitizers throughout all ships
- Asking guests to follow the advice of medical experts regarding the best ways to help prevent the spread of flu and other illnesses – via proper and frequent hand washing, and covering the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
- And, if necessary, onboard medical staff can isolate and treat guests or crew members who display flu-like symptoms, using the supply of anti-viral medications kept onboard all ships.
Older Articles »
