Windstar Cruises, a leader in yacht-style cruising, announces the debut of its new all-suite yacht, Star Pride, and the 2014 Pride Voyage Collection. The new voyages open for sale today, and feature four new itineraries exclusive to the all-suite yacht, including Windstar’s new itinerary through the Black Sea. Star Pride’s nine distinctive voyages highlight small-ship ports throughout the Mediterranean seas and French Riviera, tucking into tiny harbors and hidden coves that others can’t reach. The collection features voyages from May 5 to October 21, 2014.

“We are thrilled to welcome Star Pride to our fleet in Spring 2014, enabling Windstar to cruise a global set of itineraries to new destinations including our new Black Sea Tapestry voyage,” said Hans Birkholz, Windstar Cruises’ chief executive officer. “With a maximum of 212 guests on board, Star Pride delivers our promise of the private yacht experience in a casually elegant setting, all while exploring some of the world’s most legendary destinations and hidden harbors.”

The four exclusive Star Pride 2014 European voyages include:

Black Sea Tapestry

For the first time, Windstar offers the enigmatic, once hidden, wonders of Europe’s Black Sea in signature Windstar yachting style. This seven-day, roundtrip voyage from Istanbul, Turkey departs June 13, 20; and September 8, 2014, and visits five new ports including Yalta, Sevastopol, and Odessa, Ukraine; Constanta (Bucharest), Romania; and Nessebar, Bulgaria. Highlights include: Istanbul’s elegant Blue Mosque; Swallow’s Nest Castle in Yalta; the intriguing Potemkin Steps in Odessa; Sevastopol’s beautiful beaches; and medieval Nessebar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its impressive collection of historic churches.

Pride of the Aegean

Explore the breadth of the Aegean Sea, from the southernmost azure tip of Crete to the soaring spires of Istanbul, in one comprehensive nine-day sailing departing from Athens, Greece or Istanbul, Turkey on June 4, and 27; August 30; September 15 and 24; and October 3, 12, and 21, 2014. Star Pride visits Monemvasia, Chania, Santorini, and Rhodes, Greece; and Bodrum, Kusadasi, and Cesme, Turkey. Highlights include: Chania’s beautiful Venetian mansions and churches; the whitewashed buildings and blue domes of Santorini; the ancient Acropolis of Lindos in Rhodes; Cesme’s 14th century Genoese castle, as well as the marble, myths, and magic of Athens and Istanbul’s world-famous Grand Bazaar.

Riviera Enchantment

Discover the glamour, the enchantment, the excitement, and the exquisite élan of the world’s most famous yachting playgrounds on this seven-day voyage roundtrip from Rome, Italy departing May 21; and August 6, 2014. Rome sets the stage for this exciting cruise which visits some of the world’s most glamorous ports along the French Riviera including Cannes, France; Monte Carlo, Monaco; and Portoferraio, Portofino, and Portovenere, Italy. For an added thrill, guests sailing on the May 21 departure can add Windstar’s Grand Prix Cruise Package and experience the perfect combination of luxury cruising and Formula One racing.

Venetian Passageways

Uncover the wonders of Venice, the Queen of the Adriatic, as Windstar overnights in this magical city on this nine-day voyage along the ancient trade routes through the narrow Corinth Canal, to the ancient oracle of Delphi, and into the majestic fjords of Montenegro. Star Pride departs July 6; and August 21, 2014 from Athens, Greece or Venice, Italy visiting Hydra, Corinth Canal, Delphi/Itea, and Zakynthos, Greece; Butrint, Albania; Kotor, Montenegro; and Dubrovnik and Hvar, Croatia.

Also new for 2014, is Windstar’s Sicilian Splendors voyage. Sail around the Isle of Sicily and discover wonders from the ruins of Pompeii and Capri’s Blue Grotto to Baroque marvels and the breathtaking beauty of the Amalfi Coast with this 10-day sailing roundtrip from Rome, Italy departing May 11, 2014. This new 2014 voyage visits five new ports including Catania, Porto Empedocle, and Trapani, Italy; and Valletta and Gozo, Malta; as well as Lipari (Sicily), Sorrento, and Capri, Italy, and also spends one romantic night at sea. Highlights include: the ancient city of Syracuse in Catania; historic tapestries and armor in Valletta’s Palazzo Parisio; and some of the world’s best-preserved Greek ruins at the Valley of the Temples in Porto Empedocle.

In addition, Star Pride will offer many Windstar favorites including:

• Classic Italy & Dalmatian Coast: Discover the magic of Venice, the grandeur of Rome and the captivating island of Capri before cruising the privileged waters of the Ionian Sea with visits to the breathtaking fjords of Montenegro and the sundrenched shores of Croatia on this eight-day cruise departing from Rome or Venice on July 15 and August 13, 2014.

• Glitter & Glam of the Rivieras: From the sparkling cities of Marseille and Portofino to the chic style of Monaco and Cannes, Star Pride explores the legendary ports of the world’s most privileged yachts on this seven-day voyage departing from Rome or Barcelona on July 23 and 30, 2014.

• Enchanting Greece & the Amalfi Coast: This seven-day cruise departing May 28, 2014, explores the idyllic islands, charming cobbled villages, spectacular scenery, and intriguing history of the heart of the Mediterranean.

Star Pride, with a guest capacity of 212 in 106 suites, will undergo several upgrades and changes in styling and décor to align with Windstar’s brand. Star Pride will showcase many signature Windstar experiences, including the line’s famous Sail Away party, Yacht Deck Barbecue gala and Open Bridge policy.

For more information about these new itineraries, hotel and land packages, and to book, contact a travel professional, call Windstar at 800-258-7245 or visit www.WindstarCruises.com.

Reported by © www.expertcruiser.com – Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.

Princess Cruises announces that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge will name Royal Princess, the newest addition to the line’s fleet. The ceremony at which The Duchess will name the ship will take place in Southampton on Thursday, June 13, and will be the highlight of week-long inaugural celebrations to welcome the vessel into service.

The spectacular ceremony will uphold British ship-naming traditions including the blessing, a performance by the Royal Marines Band and the pipers of the Irish Guards, together with contemporary highlights. Alan Buckelew, the line’s president and CEO said “It is a great honor for Princess Cruises that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge has accepted our invitation to become the Godmother to Royal Princess. We are delighted that the Duchess will launch our new ship and can think of no better way to celebrate our company’s British heritage and our commitment to the country.”

Royal Princess will arrive at the Ocean Terminal in Southampton on Friday, June 7, where she will commence a series of events for customers and travel agents, including a special naming gala on the evening of Wednesday, June 12. The ship’s inaugural celebrations will conclude with her maiden voyage on June 16.

The 3,600-passenger Royal Princess is a new-generation ship. Among the special features found on board will be a greatly expanded atrium, the social hub of the ship; an over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending 28 feet beyond the edge of the ship; plush private poolside cabanas that appear to be floating on water; the new Princess Live! television studio; the largest pastry shop at sea; a special Chef’s Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; and balconies on all outside staterooms.

The inaugural period of Royal Princess also includes two short preview cruises prior to and following the naming. After her maiden voyage the ship will sail Grand Mediterranean cruises throughout the summer, followed by Eastern Caribbean cruises beginning in the autumn. More information and video previews of the ship are available at www.princess.com/royalprincess.

Reported by © www.expertcruiser.com – Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.

Windstar Cruises is offering the last Sail & Stay promotion of the year for 2013 European voyages with 2-for-1 cruise fares, plus two complimentary hotel nights. This exceptional offer which ends at midnight Saturday, April 27 features two nights in one of Windstar’s hand-picked luxury hotels in some of Europe’s most wonderful cities. The two complimentary hotel nights can be used before or after the voyage and are offered in the following cities: London, Rome, Dublin, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Stockholm, Istanbul, Cairo, Athens, Lisbon, and Barcelona. In addition, Windstar’s Facebook page will feature an exclusive offer for its fans.

With so many options, there is something for everyone. For example, guests wanting to extend their vacation in Stockholm, Sweden after sailing the eight-day voyage Best of the Baltics will stay at the Scandic Anglais Hotel in the heart of Stureplan, and step back in time in the Old Town. For those looking to further relax after they step of Casablanca & the Canary Islands, Hotel Botanico in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands may be the best choice. The hotel is situated close to a number of local beaches, and also includes: The Oriental Spa Garden, which offers a choice of relaxing Asian-influenced spa treatments. Whether on land or at sea, guests will always enjoy the Windstar style of pampering without pretense, extraordinary destinations, and casual elegance.

To learn more about the featured voyages and hotels in Windstar’s last 2013 European Sail & Stay promotion, contact a travel professional, visit the website or call Windstar Cruises at 800-258-7245.

Reported by © www.expertcruiser.com – Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.

Princess Cruises is offering a way for passengers to ease the cost of getting to their dream Europe or Alaska cruise with a special “Sky High Savings” sale that offers airfare savings of up to $1,000 for two. Running from April 4-19, the promotion also offers up to $2,000 off the cruise fare per stateroom, as well as up to $100 in free onboard spending money per stateroom. The “Sky High Savings” sale offers deals on cruises throughout Europe, including sailings to the Greek Isles, British Isles and Scandinavia & Russia. Travelers will also save on cruises and cruisetours to the natural wonders of Alaska, where they can explore the best of the state by land and sea.

In addition to special fares, passengers booking balcony staterooms or above will receive an onboard credit of $100 (for sailings 10 days or longer) or $50 (cruises up to nine days), and those booking interior or oceanview staterooms can get credits of $50 (cruises 10 days or longer) to $25 (cruises up to nine days). More information about the cruise sale and pricing can be found at www.princess.com/sale.

Samples of the available Sky High Savings cruise deals include:

• Greek Isles cruise – 12 days: $1,779 interior (was $2,379); $2,379 balcony (was $3,379). Air savings: $500

• British Isles cruise – 12 days: $1,839 interior (was $2,439); $2,539 balcony (was $3,439). Air savings: $400

• Scandinavia & Russia cruise – 11 days: $1.869 interior (was $2,369); $2,669 balcony (was $3,369). Air savings: $400

• Gulf of Alaska cruise – 7 days: $899 interior (was $1,259); $1,559 balcony (was $2,159). Air savings: $250

• Alaska cruisetour – Denali Explorer – 10 nights: $1,476 interior (was $1,730); $1,976 balcony (was $2,340). Air savings: $150

Air savings available to passengers booking Princess eZAir flights in conjunction with the cruise. Princess eZAir gives passengers easy and full control of their flights and the ability to seamlessly coordinate them with their cruise itinerary. Featuring real-time pricing and flight availability, immediate flight confirmation, competitive airfares, and next port protection in the event of flight delays, the innovative program provides passengers and their travel agents the ease of a single booking source for both air and cruise reservations. Travelers using Princess eZAir can choose air carriers and flights, as well as select their preferred cabin level and seating, all with no extra customization fee.

All cruise and air prices are per person, based on double occupancy and include government fees and taxes. The “Sky High Savings” sale runs through April 19, 2013, and is available to residents of the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico. Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company’s website at www.princess.com.

Reported by © www.expertcruiser.com – Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.

Windstar Cruises announced today that its owner, Xanterra Parks & Resorts^®, has reached an agreement with Seabourn, a cruise company that operates six luxury cruise ships, to purchase three of their ships: Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Legend, and Seabourn Spirit. Under the project name Global Windstar, the expansion will double the size of  Windstar’s recently renovated, three luxury sailing yacht fleet, making the company the market leader in small-ship cruising with 300 or fewer passengers, with a total of 1,230 berths. The purchase on February 15, 2013, is one of several recent Xanterra Parks & Resorts^® acquisitions, including VBT, an adventure travel company, and The Grand Hotel in Tusayan, AZ, adjoining the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

“Windstar Cruises has experienced four straight years of revenue growth. This expansion is the perfect way to build on the momentum following our recent fleet-wide renovation, providing us with the much needed capacity to match the accelerating demand for our intimate style of yacht cruising,” said Andy Todd, chief executive officer of  Xanterra Parks & Resorts, owner of Windstar Cruises. “Global Windstar enables us to extend our unique small-ship experience throughout the world.”

The delivery of the three 104 all-suite ships, which hold 208 passengers each, will take place over the next two years in the Mediterranean. The Seabourn Pride will be the first ship to enter into Windstar’s luxury fleet in April of 2014.  Following a Windstar branded renovation, which will give the ship a new name and casually elegant look, the Pride with set sail a month later in May 2014; voyages are expected to go on sale in May of this year. Windstar Cruises will take possession ofSeabourn Legend in April 2015 and Seabourn Spirit in May 2015. These two yachts are scheduled to start sailing in May of 2015 following their dry-dock period.

“Windstar is proud of its heritage in sailing, but what our guests are most enthusiastic about is our intimate, yacht style of cruising. This style is the core of our brand experience and the new ships are a perfect fit to build on that foundation,” added Hans Birkholz, chief executive officer of Windstar Cruises.

The fleet expansion will provide Windstar Cruises access to new destinations such as Asia and South America, in addition to the fifty countries the company already sails to. Known for visiting hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world, Windstar will continue to focus on the unique destinations that large ships cannot call on.  The opportunities of Global Windstar are already evident with the recent announcement of  Windstar’s return to Tahiti in May of 2014. Tahiti has been one of the top destinations requested by Windstar guests and travel partners.

Windstar’s shoreside operations will continue to run out of the company’s Seattle, WA headquarters. Additional details, including itineraries, onboard experiences, and renovation details will be released in the coming months. For the most up-to-date information, please visit WindstarCruises.com, Windstar’s Facebook page, and blog.

Reported by © www.expertcruiser.com - Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.

Windstar Cruises announced today that they will return to the South Pacific in the summer of 2014. Beginning May 2, 2014, Wind Spirit, the line’s recently renovated 148-passenger sailing yacht, will sail seven-day voyages from Papeete, Tahiti. Wind Spirit will sail 28 voyages in Tahiti, with the last voyage on November 7, 2014, before returning to Panama and Costa Rica for the winter season. The line’s return to the French Polynesia Islands marks the first time Windstar has had a ship sailing in Tahiti since 2002.

“Windstar’s return to Tahiti has always been the number one request from our guests and travel partners, even more than a decade later,” said Hans Birkholz, Windstar Cruises’ chief executive officer. “We’ve listened and made the decision that now is the perfect time to come back to the beautiful islands of French Polynesia.”

The week-long voyage will begin in Papeete, Tahiti – the world’s definition of paradise. Wind Spirit will sail to the following islands:

• Moorea – the beauty of this unforgettable island of love lies in drama and adventure.
• Taha’a – this fragrant island is known for its abundance of vanilla and offers a glimpse of the traditional tranquil life of the Tahitians.
• Raiatea – recognized throughout Tahiti as the ‘Sacred Island,’ it also serves as the cultural heart of French Polynesia.
• Huahine – known as the Garden of Eden, with lush forests, untamed landscape and quaint villages.
• Bora Bora – an island paradise in the South Pacific and known worldwide for its natural beauty.

This will be the first time the recently renovated Wind Spirit will sail the South Pacific. With six sails that cover 21,500 square feet, the French-built sailing yacht is ideal for cruising in the French Polynesia Islands under the power of warm breezes and tall billowing sails. Guests can enjoy the aqua blue water of the South Pacific Ocean at the back of the yacht with Wind Spirit’s watersports platform, which offers paddle boards, kayaks, water skiing, wind surfing, snorkeling equipment and more.

Guests will delight in the immersion of the South Pacific culture, brought to life in Windstar style. Local entertainment, such as traditional Tahitian dancers, will come on board for a magical evening to remember. Regional dishes will be incorporated into Windstar’s signature deck barbecue, held under the sails and stars one night per cruise. Shore excursions will be tailored to give guests experiential and romantic options delivered in true French Polynesian style.
“We’ve looked at what was popular with our guests in the past and we blended it with our luxury small-ship experience today to deliver the best product possible,” said Birkholz. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to return to Tahiti.”

Windstar’s voyages from Tahiti go on sale to the public in mid-March 2013. To book a cruise, contact a travel professional, call Windstar at 800-258-7245 or visit WindstarCruises.com.

Reported by © www.expertcruiser.com - Your online consumer guide for cruise travel and information.