Cruise
MSC Opens Seaside Sales
MSC Cruises has opened sales for MSC Seaside, the first ship of the cruise line’s “Seaside” generation of ships. Known as “the ship that follows the sun,” MSC Seaside – currently under construction at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy – is set to debut in December 2017 and sail year-round from Miami with a range of seven-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries. Guests sailing to the eastern Caribbean will visit St. Thomas, the Bahamas and Puerto Rico, while those heading to the western Caribbean will have the chance to explore Jamaica, the Cayman...
Silversea Offering ‘Exclusive All-Inclusive’ Packages
Silversea Cruises is now offering travellers the choice of either the most exclusive all-inclusive fares available, or cruise-only fares on featured Mediterranean and Africa voyages in 2016. From the monuments of ancient Rome to the golden beaches of Cape Town, Silversea guests can conveniently explore at their own pace with the following all-inclusive package amenities: Roundtrip economy air travel and transfers; two-night pre-cruise hotel stay (for Mediterranean sailings); three-night Safari (for Africa sailings); free Silver Shore Select excursions; free Wi-Fi (for all 2016 sailings...
Jazz Legend Hancock to Headline Cunard Sailing
Hailed as one of the greatest jazz musicians in modern history, Herbie Hancock will headline the latest in a series of Cunard Blue Note jazz at sea-themed transatlantic crossings on board Queen Mary 2 next year. The multi-Grammy Award winning star will perform three, 45-minute intimate shows in The Royal Court Theatre during QM2's eight-night crossing from Southampton to New York Aug. 1-9, 2016. Hancock's career spans over five decades, winning 14 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for River: The Joni Letters. During the westbound transatlantic crossing, Hancock will be...
Celestyal Completes Balcony Expansion
Celestyal Cruises has completed the installation of 43 new balconies on the Celestyal Crystal, which homeports in Havana for the cruise line’s winter season around Cuba, and then sails the Greek Islands and Turkey for the remaining part of the year. Eight of the ship’s existing balconies were also refurbished and extended. The mid-sized vessel now offers 53 balcony suites in total. Completed in Piraeus, Greece, the new balconies were installed over a period of 20 days in tandem with other hotel upgrades and the completion of technical maintenance. Following the refurbishment, the...
Sales Open for 2017 Ponant Summer Cruises
Travel agents can now make client reservations for summer 2017 itineraries in the Arctic, Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Baltic aboard Ponant. Nearly 50 cruises are offered across a range of program choices varying from one to two weeks, accompanied by guides, naturalists, experts or lecturers depending on the destination. Guests amenities include an open bar on all itineraries and for a limited time, up to 30% savings are offered on the brochure fare through the Ponant Bonus program. A range of curated pre- and post-cruise programs have been developed to complement each...
Jewel of the Seas Getting a US$30 Million Makeover
Royal Caribbean International's Jewel of the Seas will sail out for the summer 2016 Mediterranean season boasting a new shine as it readies to explore the “old world.” Jewel will receive a complete makeover from bow-to-stern, unveiling a fresh and thoroughly contemporary style – sparkling with ocean-facing glass elevators and floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the ship. From May through October, Jewel of the Seas will sail round-trip from Rome, on an array of Eastern Mediterranean itineraries. Along with new restaurants and technology upgrades, additions will include a...
Empress of the Seas Heading to Miami
Following a stint with sister brand Pullmantur, Royal Caribbean International's newly enhanced Empress of the Seas will return to the fleet in March, offering a series of short Caribbean getaways out of Miami. Guests can languish over daily “Sunday” brunches served with a complimentary mimosa or Bloody Mary, enjoy the flexible “My Time Dining” with no formal nights, take in the new Las Vegas-style “Sequins & Feathers” show and then party all night long in the newly re-imagined Boleros Latin Lounge. Empress of the Seas will also offer fast pier-to-ship boarding with...
Royal Caribbean Unveils The Ultimate Abyss
Royal Caribbean International has unveiled the first look at the highly anticipated The Ultimate Abyss – the tallest slide at sea, which officials say will intimidate the bravest of guests and challenge them to prove their courage aboard Harmony of the Seas when it debuts in May. Towering more than 150 feet above sea level, overlooking the AquaTheater at the aft of the ship, the pair of side-by-side slides will release adrenalin-seeking travellers into a chilling 100 foot drop that twists and turns in a serpentine-like movement as they slide nine miles an hour, approximately, from...