Carnival Cruise Line’s senior cruise director, John Heald let the cat out of the bag on his blog this evening stating that the new Carnival Magic will be based in Europe in 2011. Heald stated that the Magic will be based in Barcelona when it enters service next year and will be sailing seven-night, nine-night and 12-night itineraries to Monte Carlo, Rome, Naples, Messina, Palma, Marseilles, Venice and Dubrovnik.

Sister ship to the Carnival Dream launched in September, the 130,000-ton Magic will also carry more than 4,000 passengers. Carnival Magic is currently under construction in Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard in Trieste, Italy and is scheduled to enter service in June 2011.

This is great news for Carnival fans!

For families with children, travel to Europe can be daunting. Packing and unpacking and deciding where to go and eat is more difficult with kids in tow. However, Disney Cruise Line is setting out to make it easy for families to visit Europe.

In April, the Disney Magic will return to Europe, where it first sailed in 2007, only this time with a few new itineraries. The Magic will offer 10,11, and-12-day cruises to Scandinavia, Germany and Russia, in addition to a lineup of Mediterranean itineraries that include calls at three new ports. And in each port Disney will add its magic touch to enhance the touring experience.

Keys to culture

Each year cruise lines keep upping the ante on shore excursions, as passengers express more enthusiasm to spend money on experiences. Disney sees its return and expansion into the European market as an evolutionary step firmly based on a core Disney activity — storytelling.

Unlike other cruise lines where the hotel department handles the shore excursions, Disney places their tours in the hands of the entertainment department. David Duffy, Disney Cruise Line’s creative director for entertainment and shore excursions, summed it up this way: “We’re using our storytelling expertise to tell the great and fascinating stories of the places we’re visiting at each destination.” He added that the true objective is to provide fact-based narrative rather than fairy tales.

Indeed, the line’s return to Europe offers a treasure trove of culturally rich Italian ports such Naples, Civitavecchia (Rome) and La Spezia (Florence, Pisa, Lucca), as well as Barcelona, Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm. However, it’s the ones not normally considered children’s destinations, such as St. Petersburg, Russia and Tunis, Tunisia that are the most intriguing.

Disney realizes that for a lot of passengers it will be their first time in Europe and well-designed shore excursions are the key to a great cruise vacation. “We make our shore excursions very kid-friendly,” said Jason Lasecki, Disney Cruise Line’s public relations director.

“That’s what we do so well. If they know their children are well taken care of, parents have a good time.” Lasecki acknowledged the challenge for Disney is to keep the children engaged in the cultural significance of each port of call. “We’re looking for the sweet spot in each destination,” he added.

Sweet spot or not one thing Disney insists upon for shore excursion participants is comfort. The line goes the extra mile with comfortable transportation along with adding little touches like plentiful bottled water and cool towels. They even make gelato stops during long tours to keep the kids happy. Another nice option that Disney provides at each stop is a “Port Adventure” where youth counselors from the ship whisk the kids off for an activity allowing parents and grandparents to explore a site in more detail.

Onboard the Magic, there will be activities geared toward preparing kids for the ports, such as painting frescoes, mosaics, and Russian stacking dolls. There will also be a food tastings to familiarize the kids with what they’ll find in each port such as gelato for Italy or crepes for France.

Tunisian mystique

For the majority of passengers onboard the Magic, visiting Tunis, Tunisia will be the first time experiencing a Muslim country. Disney realizes this and will offer family-friendly lectures that will discuss Tunisian society and traditions.

Once ashore, tours and activities are clearly aimed at experiencing Tunisian culture. For example, a “Treasure Hunt” shore excursion in the white-washed village of Sidi Bou Said allows families high-octane fun while at the same time discovering the ancient history of the village. Tour participants are given a map booklet with clues for a successful treasure hunt. Along the way guests visit former palaces, receive a temporary Arabic henna tattoo, fetch water from a famous communal fountain, haggle with shop owners using local currency to buy trinkets, take a pit stop in a café where the locals smoke their hookah pipes, and have their name written in Arabic by a Wiseman.

Other tours of the area include tour of Tunis with a visit to a souk, and the Bardo Museum famous for its Roman mosaics. Also available is a visit to Carthage, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a jaunt to a Berber village, which offers a similar atmosphere to Colonial Williamsburg except it has Arabic touches of snake charmers, camel rides, and belly dancing.

Ciao Tuscany

Florence is one of the most intriguing cultural centers in Western history, in which religion, philosophy, and politics played an important part in the development of the arts. So, how do you get an 8-year-old interested in all this?

Disney developed a tour to take kids beyond just talking about history — they will actually experience it. The line is offering an exclusive “Disney Experience” at the 14th century palace — Palazzo Vecchio. “This tour is something no other cruise line has ever done in Florence,” says Duffy. The tour is actually part of a program developed for Italian school children, but Disney was able to work with the museum to come up with an English-speaking version. The tour will allow kids to enjoy works of art Michelangelo, wander through secret palace passageways, talk with actors portraying Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici or his Spanish wife Duchess Eleonora di Toledo, try on medieval clothing, and paint a fresco.

Another exclusive tour that is only offered by Disney is a medieval parade experience in Lucca complete with drummers, troubadours, dancers, flag throwers, and a cross bow contest. For those that have always dreamed of going to cooking school in Tuscany you can do that as well. The line is offering the experience at the Torre A Cenaia winery just outside Pisa. While this excursion is more adult-oriented, kids are welcomed too. The best part about cooking school in Tuscany – eating what you’ve created and (for adults anyway) washing it down with the local vintages.

Russian intrigue

When the Magic heads north to the Baltics the grandeur of St. Petersburg, Russia will be the highlight for most onboard. For the first time in Disney Cruise Line history a ship will spend an overnight in port. With the added time guests will be able to delve deep into the city’s bloody 300-year history, admire the beautiful architecture of the Winter Palace and the Peterhof, or stroll along the rivers and canals.

“The shore excursions in St. Petersburg have been two years in the making,” said Duffy. A tour of Catherine’s Palace in Pushkin is the highlight where Disney will offer an exclusive Prince and Princess Ball in the palace’s grand ballroom. Imagine all the little girls dressed up in their Belle, Cinderella, and Snow White costumes being driven to the palace’s doors in horse-drawn carriages and then dancing with Disney princess characters. “This is a very exciting time for us,” added Lasecki.

Disney will also offer guests the opportunity to experience an evening performance of Swan Lake at the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre. Another Disney exclusive tour will allow guests to experience a private performance at the Jacobsen Ballet School, where young dancers, ages 5 to 15, train for a career in the ballet.

Also, no visit to St. Petersburg would be complete without a visit to one of the world’s greatest art museums- the Hermitage. The museum’s collection includes more than three million works of art and artifacts. Disney offers a chance for kids to visit and also create their own masterpieces in the museum’s Roman sculpture section giving parents more time to explore.

The idea of heading on a family cruise often conjures up thoughts of sitting back on deck, soaking up the sunshine and splashing in the pool, but a European cruise offers something different. Cruising in this part of the world means seeing amazing sites and experiencing ancient cultures and customs. And for kids lucky enough to sail on the Disney Magic with all its family-friendly tours full of cultural enlightenment they’ll get to see that it’s a small world after all.

If you go:

In the Mediterranean, the Disney Magic will be based in Barcelona and offer four 10-day and four 11-day cruises in April, May, August and September 2010. Fares start at $1964 per person, based on double occupancy. Kids ages 17 and under traveling with 2 full-fare guests in the same cabin sail free on select Mediterranean sailings from April 24 through May 26, 2010 (taxes and fees not included).

In June, July and part of August the Magic will be based out of Dover, England and offer 12-day cruises to the Baltics. Fares start at $3,649 per person, based on double occupancy. Visit Disney Cruise Line’s Web site for more details.

Have you been pinching pennies, hoping to save up for a great vacation? Want to take a trip that feels decadent but in reality is a very savvy deal? Get ready to say, “Aye, aye, captain,” because cruise lines are offering a buffet of amazing deals that are hard to pass up.

Last minute savings
It’s clear that consumers are shopping, but they’re also changing booking behavior as they try to stretch their dollars further. Yesterday, during Carnival Corporation’s second quarter earnings call, the company cited that consumers are booking closer meaning they are waiting last minute to book. “Consumers have come to recognize the extraordinary value proposition our cruise vacations represent,” said Micky Arison, Carnival Corporation’s chairman and CEO.

Indeed, many are holding off an actual cruise purchase hoping that fares will go even lower. Will they? Perhaps. But there’s also a risk on losing out of a good deal by waiting too long.

“If vacationers haven’t made their summer plans, it’s hard to believe that there’s still incredible deals to all of the summer hot spots, including the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexican Riviera and even Europe,” says Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert who is nationally recognized as The Cruise Guy.

Chiron has uncovered some incredible deals that are hard to pass up. A few even include airfare, hotel, and onboard upgrades. It’s important to note that the following fares are starting prices, which means they are for inside cabins. You will almost certainly pay more for an outside cabin.

Alaska on the cheap
Chiron says Alaska cruise prices have started to go up, but not before offering the lowest prices, probably ever. Higher than normal airfares to Seattle and Vancouver and the controversial $50 Alaska head tax are probable reasons that made sailing to America’s Last Frontier less attractive during these tough economic times.

Still, if you’ve ever desired to visit Alaska, summer 2009 is your best opportunity. “Cruise and extended tour prices have never been lower, especially as the peak Alaska sailing season approaches,” says Chiron. He notes that the best values are on the Inside Passage sailings from Seattle or the one way cruises from Vancouver or Anchorage, as you can plan extended vacations to include Kenai, Talkeetna, Denali and Fairbanks at significantly reduced prices. One thing to keep in mind is that on roundtrip sailings from Seattle, U.S. citizens can still travel with only a birth certificate along with valid government issues photo identification.

Celebrity Cruises Infinity. This deal is one for the ages. The seven-night Inside Passage Alaska roundtrip from Seattle includes stops in Ketchikan, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau and Victoria. Prices, which were $2,899 per person, have been slashed to $899 per person. What makes this deal so amazing is that it includes round-trip air travel from select U.S. gateways! It’s one of the best deals ever seen for an Alaska cruise package on a premium cruise line. Get it while you can!

Caribbean & Mexico deals

Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas. Thank goodness the biggest cruise ship in the world doesn’t have the biggest fares. Check out the popular seven-night Western Caribbean itinerary round-trip from Miami, which includes stops in St Maarten, San Juan and Labadee (private beach) OR Labadee, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Fares used to start at $1,749 per person; now they start at $899.

Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Liberty and Carnival Valor. Both ships offer alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Miami. Ports of call include Half Moon Cay (private island), St John/ St Thomas, San Juan and Turks and Caicos OR Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios. Fares that used to start at $1,769 per person are now priced at $599.

Carnival’s “new” Carnival Splendor.Carnival’s newest ship is based in Los Angeles and offers the biggest spa of any cruise ship based in the U.S. The seven-night Mexican Riviera itinerary includes stops in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas. Fares used to start at $1,769 per person; now they start at $599.

Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas. Another great West Coast cruise option, this seven-night Mexican Riviera itinerary includes stops in, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. Fares used to start at $1,799 per person; now they start at $499.

Europe deals
European cruise prices have rebounded over the past few weeks and been raised across the board on most cruise ships. Chiron says consumers should look toward the fall months for the best deals.

Norwegian Cruise Lines Norwegian Jewel. Norwegian’s “Freestyle Cruising” goes the Baltics. The line is offering 12-night roundtrip sailings from London (Dover) to Copenhagen, Warnemunde (Berlin), St Petersburg (overnight), Helsinki and Stockholm. Prices that formerly started at $3,799 per person for the cruise only now from $2,499 and includes air from select U.S. gateways!

Celebrity Cruises “brand new” Celebrity Equinox. The much anticipated follow-up to the most beautiful ship afloat, Celebrity Solstice, sister ship Celebrity Equinox is bound to be just as fabulous. The ship debuts July 31 and is offering an amazing 13-night Mediterranean itinerary from Civitavecchia (Rome) in August and September with stops in Santorini, Athens, Kusadasi (Ephesus), Alexandria (Giza, pyramids), Ashdod (Jerusalem, Tel Aviv), Haifa and Naples (Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri). Cruise-only fares were priced from $5,599 per person; now they are priced from $2,999 per person, which now includes air from select U.S. gateways, two nights hotel in Rome, and Concierge Class accommodations.

The message is clear: Don’t miss the boat with these great deals!

What would Christopher Columbus think of all the hoopla surrounding the recent dual launch of the Costa Luminosa and Costa Pacifica in his hometown of Genoa, Italy? Both cruise ships were christened in grand Italian fashion that included airplane acrobats, lasers, music, and enough confetti to paper the entire region of Liguria. One thing is certain — ocean travel has come a long way since the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.

Costa Pacifica
The sister ship of the Costa Concordia and of the Costa Serena, the Costa Pacifica also weighs in at 114,500-tons. Likewise Pacifica accommodates 3,780 guests in 1,504 well-appointed staterooms, including 70 suites and 99 Samsara Spa cabins and suites, which have private spa access.

The ship was designed with the winter Mediterranean season in mind – hence the two covered pools and the spa solarium, which allow guests to enjoy sunny skies on days that can get chilly. Like its sister ships, Pacifica was designed by Joe Farcus, the Miami-based architect who for many years has designed Carnival Cruise Lines’ “Fun Ships,” which show off his distinctive style of glitz and glamour. Dubbed the “ship of music,” Pacifica is musically themed throughout with artwork and special lighting. The theme extends beyond interior design with a specially commissioned soundtrack by composer Mauro Pagani to a recording studio and music lessons. The ship even has a ‘maestro di musica’ in addition to a cruise director.

Among the ship’s amenities are: Samsara Spa, at 23,000 square feet the largest spa-and-fitness center at sea; three swimming pools, two with their own retractable glass dome roofs; a giant movie screen; five Jacuzzis; a Grand Prix race-car driving simulator; a chocolate bar that offers nine kinds of fruit dipped in a chocolate fountain; Playstation World; and menus created by the Italian culinary innovator and Michelin-starred chef Ettore Bocchia. As on other Costa ships, you’ll find a towering atrium and theater, Internet café and library, shopping promenade, kids club and pool and 13 bars that are always thronged with guests.

The ship’s two main dining rooms, My Way Restaurant and New York New York Restaurant, serve dinners in the traditional manner, with assigned times and assigned tables (breakfasts and lunches are open seating). The dinner menus play up Mediterranean fare, with a different region of Europe highlighted each night, and they are accompanied by an excellent selection of wines.

La Paloma Restaurant, the ship’s casual buffet restaurant, is arranged into several serving stations, which are sometimes devoted to different ethnic cuisines; it also houses a pizzeria, pasta station and ice-cream machines. Club Blue Moon is Pacifica’s pay-as-you-go specialty restaurant where for €25 guests can dine on Ettore Bocchia’s “molecular cuisine.” Another dining option is the Samsara Restaurant, reserved exclusively for passengers in Samsara Spa cabins, where guests can dine on health-conscious fare.

One really cool technical innovation stood out during the Pacifica launch – it’s called a Totem. The Totem is a large high-definition touch screen kiosk that enables guests to book all onboard activities from shore excursions to specialty restaurant reservations– and that means no long lines or waiting on the phone. There are nine Totems around the Pacifica and Luminosa. Costa President Gianni Onorato said if all goes well, kiosks will be installed on Costa’s other ships by the end of this year.

Costa Luminosa
Smaller than the Pacifica, the 92,600-ton Costa Luminosa carries 2,826 guests in 1,130 staterooms – including 52 Samsara, 718 veranda cabins, 50 suites and four Samsara suites inside the spa area. Costa calls Luminosa the “ship of light” and its contemporary interior design was conceived by Farcus who utilized rich materials and amazing light affects to bring out the ship’s incredible features. Public areas are fashioned with mother of pearl, 11,000 square feet of ebony and ivory, 20 different kinds of marble, 10,000 feet of innovative LED lights, and 120 Murano glass chandeliers.

The ship is also filled with amazing art offering some 288 original works and over 4,700 copies. The highlight is “Reclining Woman 2004”, a 2,000 pound bronze sculpture by Fernando Botero, which is the focal point of the spectacular central atrium.

Luminosa is not just the ship of light and entertainment, but also sport, wellness and outstanding cuisine that is spread over four restaurants and eleven bars. On board guests can go jogging or skating on the roller-skating track or take advantage of the state-of-the-art fitness center, featuring innovative gym equipment that includes the first at sea Kinesis circuit designed to improve fitness and muscle tone. Afterwards, guests can relax and indulge in many treatments in the 11,000 square foot Samsara Spa.

There are a host of leading-edge innovations on board including a 20-seat 4D cinema that takes guests on a wild sensory ride, a golf and Grand Prix simulator, Playstation World, and the aforementioned Totem kiosks.

If you’re planning on cruising in Europe or the Middle East, Costa’s two new editions are hard to beat. Both combine the very best of line’s innovative product: wellness, entertainment, exclusive itineraries, art, fine food and wine, relaxation, and great fun Italian atmosphere.

If you go:
Costa Pacifica will be sailing this summer and fall round-trip from Civitavecchia, Italy (Rome’s homeport) with 7-day voyages around the Western Mediterranean. Fares start at $899. In January 2010 the Pacifica will offer 12-day voyages from Civitavecchia, Italy to Greece, Israel and Egypt – fares start at $1,129.

Costa Luminosa will be sailing this summer round-trip from Amsterdam offering Norway and Baltic cruises lasting between 11 and 14 days. Fares start at $1,799. Starting in late fall the ship will offer 7-day cruises of the Arabic Gulf from Dubai – fares start at $899. All aforementioned prices are based on inside stateroom, double occupancy. Visit Costa Cruises Web site for more details.