Carnival CEO Micky Arison is quoted as saying that the company decided to exit the niche cruise market some time ago.  That strategy began with the transfer of Swan Hellenic’s Minerva II to Princess Cruises.  Minerva II will not be replaced, and as a result the line will be shutting down once the transfer of Minerva II is complete in a few weeks.

According to Mr. Arison, while both Swan Hellenic and Windstar Cruises offer excellent products they do not fit into the company’s future growth plans.

Carnival expects the transfer of Windstar Cruises to be completed in the second quarter.

You’ll also find some great specials from all of the cruise lines and tour companies that we represent and even coupons for some great items and reduced deposits on many sailings.

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In addition, over the upcoming months we are going to be offering special merchandise from various cruise lines to our readers.  Please stay tuned to this space for more details.

In a puzzling turn of events, Swan Hellenic has announced that they will be transfering the Minerva II to Princess Cruise Lines next year. The transfer has caused many in the industry to scratch their heads in bewilderment, as the Minerva II is Swan Hellenic’s only ship, and they currently don’t have any ships on order.

The 680 passenger ship will be renamed Royal Princess and join it’s sisters Pacific Princess and Tahitian Princess. All three ships were originally R class ships built for Renaissance Cruises.

After a two week drydock for interior modifications, the new Royal Princess will begin sailing 12 day Mediterranean, Holy Land, and Black Sea itineraries from Europe. Current plans are for Royal Princess to operate in Europe and on exotic worldwide destinations just like the last Royal Princess operated by Princess Cruise Lines. Built in 1984 that ship now sails as P&O Cruises’ Artemis.

But the question now is what next for Swan Hellenic?

A spokesman for the cruise line says that the line is profitable, but that the decision to transfer Minerva II to Princess was purely commercial. Since Princess Cruises can support more capacity and already has the two sister ships Tahitian Princess and Pacific Princess it can add ships without incurring more costs. The decision was made by parent company P&O Cruises International because they felt that the ship could be more profitable elsewhere in the company.

The announcement of Minerva II’s transfer was made now in order to give Princess time to promote the vessel, plus, there would still be time to get a program out for Summer 2007 if the Swan Hellenic brand continues.

According to a spokesman for P&O Cruises and Carnival UK the company could buy or charter a replacement but the options also could include possibly selling the business if they aren’t able to find a suitable ship.

The other question brought up by this transfer is what about Oceania Cruises?

Oceania operates three other R Class ships and announced back in November that they were in advanced negotiations for a fourth ship that they intended to name Marina. Unconfirmed rumors were that the ship in question is the Pacific Princess, but with Princess now acquiring Minerva II is the Pacific Princess deal still in the works?

This year, cruisers can take advantage of Wave Season promotions offered by nine member companies of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the cruise industry’s premier marketing organization.

Cruise lines are celebrating Wave Season with attractive advance-purchase incentives that include stateroom upgrades, two-for-one fares, onboard credits, upgrades from economy to business class air and discounts of up to 60 percent

You can read more after the jump.

“A recent poll of CLIA’s member agencies indicates that more consumers are booking their cruise vacations four to six months in advance,” said Terry L. Dale, president and CEO of CLIA (www.cruising.org). “Now more than ever, consumers should book early to ensure they can spend their vacation enjoying the ship, stateroom and itinerary that best suits their vacation needs.”

CLIA’s member cruise lines visit some 1,800 worldwide ports of call on nearly 150 ships that range from 3,000-passenger floating resorts to intimate luxury yachts carrying 150 guests.

Wave Season promotions offered by CLIA’s member cruise lines include:

CRYSTAL CRUISES For all 2006 European cruises booked by March 31, luxury line Crystal Cruises is introducing reduced Business Class upgrade fares. Crystal’s program offers fares that are approximately 50 percent lower than unrestricted Business Class to Europe. Fares of $1,099 to $1,299 are one way and in addition to their published coach class air tariffs.

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE Holland America Line’s “View & Verandah” promotion rewards cruise guests with generous upgrades that range from one to seven categories – a value of up to $300. Travelers can book an ocean-view stateroom for the price of an inside stateroom or a Deluxe Verandah stateroom for the price of an ocean-view stateroom.

MSC CRUISES MSC Cruises is offering travelers special promotional rates for interior staterooms on its seven- and 11-night voyages that sail from Fort Lauderdale. Prices start at $545 for seven-night cruises and $945 for 11-night itineraries. These promotional rates reflect savings of up to 50 percent or more off the published brochure tariff.

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE Norwegian Cruise Line is offering discounted rates, stateroom upgrades and onboard credits on every 2006 ship and itinerary for all bookings made between now and February 28, as part of the line’s annual “Sale of All Sails” promotion. Savings include up to four-category upgrades and a $50 shipboard credit on select sailings.

RADISSON SEVEN SEAS CRUISES Radisson Seven Seas Cruises is featuring two-for-one savings on three Seven Seas Mariner sailings, including a seven-night Caribbean itinerary from Fort Lauderdale on March 13; a nine-day cruise from Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean on March 20; and a 15-day Panama Canal itinerary from Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco on April 3.

SEABOURN CRUISE LINE Seabourn Cruise Line is offering guests 60 percent savings on a 12-day Sunny Spain & Morocco cruise departing March 28, 2006, from Lisbon to Madeira on the all-suite Seabourn Pride. The line is also offering 50 percent savings on the ship’s 18-day Mediterranean Odyssey cruise departing Istanbul on May 2, 2006.

SILVERSEA CRUISES Silversea Cruises has rolled out its highly successful Silver Sailing program that features savings of up to 50 percent off the cruise-only fares on select luxury cruises throughout the year. Savings are available for some of the most sought-after itineraries in Alaska, the Caribbean, Mediterranean, South America, and the Far East.

SWAN HELLENIC Swan Hellenic is offering savings opportunities of up to 49 percent on its 65-day Faces of South America cruise scheduled for January 2007 aboard Minerva II. The roundtrip Barbados cruise includes stops at 34 ports in Ecuador, Peru, Argentina and Brazil. Guest lecturers will be onboard to enrich the destination experience.

(Source: Cruise Lines International Association – CLIA)

There’s more deals available too, we’re posting them here as we get them.

While some companies have decided not to return to New Orleans his year, Swan Hellenic’s Minerva II will arrive in New Orleans on February 22. The visit will be just in time for the start of Mardi Gras which begins on February 23. In addition the Minerva II will also host New Orleans mayor Ray Nagen who has been instrumental in the city’s post-Katrina recovery efforts.

More details and Swan Hellenic’s release after the jump

Award-Winning Swan Hellenic Discovery Cruises, is amongst the first cruise companies to confirm their visit to the port of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina and is honoured to be hosting the Mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin on board to mark the ship’s arrival to the city.

Having played an instrumental role in the recovery of the city, Mayor Ray Nagin is scheduled to give a talk about his experiences. Complementing Swan Hellenic’s existing Guest Speaker programme, Ray Nagin will give Swan’s passengers an insight and understanding of the city and its surroundings in the context of its regeneration.

Tony Dyson, Managing Director of Swan Hellenic, comments: “We are very much looking forward to our call into New Orleans in February and supporting the city on its path to recovery. We are working closely with our local agents to ensure we operate our excursions programme and delighted to be welcoming Mayor Ray Nagin aboard Minerva II.”

Docking in New Orleans on the 22 February 2006, Minerva II’s arrival coincides with the 150th anniversary celebrations of the annual Mardi Gras. Although on a slightly smaller scale than usual, the 2006 Mardi Gras will begin on 23rd February and run through until Tuesday February 28th with 30 of the 34 parades organised last year still set to take part in the festival.

New Orleans is the first port of call on Swan Hellenic’s two week ‘Isles of the Deep’ cruise, which runs from 23 February until 10 March 2006 through the Caribbean. It will visit Progreso for the ancient Mayan ruins, George Town, Port Antonio, Guarano Bay, Willemstad, La Guaira for Caracas, El Guamache, Port of Spain and Bridgetown.

For more information and pricing on this or any other sailing of the Minerva II please visit us at www.mycruiseplanner.net