Princess Cruises announced today that Ruby Princess will be delivered earlier than expected from Fincantieri ship builders in Italy. The ship will now debut one week prior, on November 8, allowing for a new inaugural voyage. The 113,000-ton Ruby Princess is a sister ship to Emerald Princess and Crown Princess. Read for more details…
Princess Cruises announced that the Caribbean Princess will return to New York in summer 2009 for a second season of round-trip sailings to Bermuda and the Caribbean. In August, the ship will change itineraries and head north for round-trip Canada/New England sailings. Read for more…
At a cost of 1.2 billion dollars a piece, each vessel will carry 4,200 passenger berths, representing the largest ships in NCL’s fleet. The vessels design will have “more refinement” of the company’s successful Freestyle Cruising components. Other than that you won’t recognize anything else. Read for more details…
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced today it will begin the roll out of Freestyle 2.0 on Norwegian Jade’s first Mediterranean cruise which starts on March 30, 2008. Freestyle 2.0 is the company’s fleet-wide initiative to further improve the guest experience. The enhancements include a major investment in the total dining experience; upgrading the stateroom experience; new wide ranging on-board activities for guests of all ages; and additional recognition, service and amenities for balcony, suite and villa guests. Read for more details…
Silversea Cruises announced on Tuesday the name for it’s new 540 passenger, all-suite ship — it’s the Silver Spirit. The 36,000 ton vessel is set to join the fleet in December 2009. Read for more details.
Holland America Line announced on Tuesday that it will continue its traditional ties to the Netherlands when Queen Beatrix names the new Eurodam on July 1 in Rotterdam. Read for more details…
Cruise line executives speaking at the annual Seatrade cruise convention in Miami today presented a surprising rosy outlook despite the U.S. economy’s bleak outlook. 12.6 million passengers took cruises in 2007 with 10.3 million of those coming from North America. The industry expects an increase in worldwide cruise passengers this year to 12.8 million people — as lines plan to add eight new ships in 2008 and more than 35 new vessels in the next four years. Read for more…
What keeps some cruise line executives up at night? Would you believe the media? Specifically the consumer media, in other words people like me. Read for more…
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and its subsidiary lines Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises announced a deal with Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum whereby the cruise lines will refund $21 million worth of fuel surcharges that they levied on cruise passengers. Royal Caribbean says this affects an estimated 300,000 bookings. Read for the latest and find out if other cruise lines will follow…
Cruise vacations are becoming increasingly gourmet in terms of the quality of food as well as the style in which it is served. The Saletta restaurant onboard Silver Wind takes gourmet to the highest epicurean standards. Silversea has partnered with Relais & Châteaux to concoct a fine dining experience with a world view. Read for more…
Today I was lucky enough to experience one of Silversea’s “Silver Collection” shore excursions in St. Lucia. The Silver Collection tours are exclusive and unique and are only available to a handful of guests. For example, my “Best of St. Lucia” tour was only open to just 20 guests that allowed for a truly enjoyable experience. Read for more details…
What is ultra-luxury? Simply defined it is the exceptional service and exquisite surroundings. If you seek a small ship setting that is elegant and luxurious, with gourmet food, and fine European-style service Silversea Cruises is for you. Italian-built and -decorated, the Silver Wind has 7 passenger decks and is designed so that all public rooms lie aft and all cabins are forward to ensure a very peaceful setting — the smartest cruise ship design afloat. Read for more…
I am aboard the lovely Silver Wind for a quick hop around the Caribbean. For the next three days I’ll be blogging from the ship. I boarded the vessel in St. George, Grenada and will sail to St. Lucia and Barbados. The 16,800-ton Silver Wind is the epitome of boutique ambiance holding just 296 passengers and 210 crew members. 
This ultra-luxury vessel has the highest passenger-to-crew ratio of any ship making service personable and impeccable – clearly the best afloat! Read for more…
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced today that they are assigning the Norwegian Jade (formerly the Pride of Hawaii) to be deployed in Europe year round until the spring of 2010. This is the second deployment change in two weeks for the line. NCL recently announced that the Pride of Aloha would be transferred to parent company Star Cruises. Read the details…
Ultra-luxury cruise operator Silversea Cruises announced today that its new expedition ship (originally acquired as World Discoverer II) will be renamed HSH Prince Albert II, in tribute to Prince Albert of Monaco. The vessel’s inaugural season will feature polar expeditions. Read for more details…
Congratulations to Marion Cotillard, godmother of the Costa Serena, 
for winning the Oscar for her amazing portrayal of French singer Edith Piaf in the film La Vie en Rose. Marion christened the Costa Serena last May in Marseille.
Carnival announced its new Circle C program that complements its other youth groups including Camp Carnival which is aimed at younger children and Club O2 which is targeted to teens between 15 and 17 years of age. Carnival Cruises says the programs are expected to attract some 600,000 children in 2008. Read for more…
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) stated today that it is withdrawing Pride of Aloha from the Hawaii market effective May 11, and will transfer the ship to Star Cruises for reflagging and redeployment in Asia this summer. The developments follow the withdrawal of Pride of Hawaii from the NCL America fleet for reflagging and redeployment in Europe as Norwegian Jade. Read for more…
Looks like John Mayer is having way too much fun on his annual “Mayercraft cruise” onboard the Carnival Valor. John blogged about his cruise on his official blog Find out what his fellow cruisers blogged about and check out some really fun photos. Read for more…
Majestic America Line announced that children ages 12 and younger can sail free when they share a three- or four-berth cabin with two adults aboard Empress of the North, Queen of the West and American Queen during 2008. Itineraries include Alaska, the Columbia and Snake rivers and the Mississippi River.
Florida’s attorney general is reviewing whether cruise line companies, including Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Cruises International adequately disclosed fuel surcharges. Attorney General Bill McCollum’s office said it has received 150 complaints from customers regarding the surcharges. The office confirmed that it is reviewing these complaints. Read for more information…
Academy Award winning actress Helen Mirren will name P&O Cruises’ newest vessel, the Ventura, in Southampton, England, on April 16, prior to the ship’s maiden cruise to the Mediterranean. Mirren, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of England’s Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 film “The Queen,” will not press a button to break the bottle in the traditional manner, P&O said. Instead, she will instruct a team of the U.K.’s Royal Marine Commandos, who will rappel down the side of the ship and break the bottle. How “Rambo” of them. Read for more details…
Costa Cruises North America president and CEO, Lynn Torrent has been named senior vice president of sales and guest services at Carnival Cruise Lines. This is the former position held by Vicki Freed who jumped ship to Royal Caribbean just over a week ago. Torrent will begin her new position with Carnival on March 3. Read why this is an excellent choice for Carnival…
Congratulations to Marion Cotillard, godmother of the Costa Serena, for her Oscar nomination. Cotillard was nominated for portraying French singer Edith Piaf in the film La Vie en Rose. If you have not seen this movie you’re missing out. This is one of the best biopics ever made and Marion’s performance will leave you mesmerized. Read for more…
The Royal Navy ship HMS Endurance has located the wreck of the G.A.P. MV Explorer which sank in November off Antarctica. The Explorer wreck is positioned at the northwest end of the Bransfield Strait, at a depth of approximately 1,130 meters (3707.35 feet). 
Royal Navy officials say that the depth of the wreck poses no hazard to shipping. Read for more details…
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