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http://www.cruiseman.com/ |
Holland
America plans snazzy decktop 'retreat' on five cruise ships
Holland America is making some
big boasts about the pool deck it plans to add to five ships starting
next year. |
The line says the new
upscale area, to be called The Retreat, will include a "first in
the industry" pool concept in which lounge chairs are placed
directly in the water.
The pool will, obviously, be
extremely shallow -- no more than eight inches in most places.
“The Retreat is
a totally new approach for us,†says Holland
America executive vice president Richard Meadows.
“We’re creating an area where
guests can relax outside in a sophisticated environment.â€
The wide-but-shallow pool that
Holland America plans for the deck will be divided into three main
sections separated by low, curving walls. The middle section will be
16 inches deep and include built-in benches in the water for sitting.
The two side sections will feature dozens of lounge chairs in eight
inches of water.
The Retreat also will boast an
outdoor movie screen, allowing passengers lounging in the water to
watch movies. It'll also have a stage for musicians and a pizza
outlet called Slice.
The Retreat will be retro-fitted
onto the back of Holland America's 1,258-passenger Statendam and the
ship's three sisters, the Maasdam, Ryndam and Veendam, during dry
docks planned over the next three years. The line also plans to add a
Retreat to the 1,316-passenger Rotterdam.
Holland America is spending $200
million to upgrade the five ships.
Windstar Encourages Guests
to Book Through Agents
Windstar Cruises is giving
cruisers a $100 per person shipboard credit certificate for any 2009
Windstar sailing when booked by Jan. 31, 2009 through a travel agent.
"Travel professionals are
our valuable partners in the cruise business and they offer the best
travel advice when it comes to travel planning," said Diane
Moore, president, Windstar Cruises. "We encourage cruisers to
use the services of a travel professional to enhance their travel experience."
RCI Lays Keel for 2nd Oasis Ship
Royal Caribbean International has laid the keel
of Allure of the Seas, the second of the line's 5,400-passenger
Oasis-class cruise ships. The keel laying ceremony at STX Europe's
shipyard in Turku, Finland, marked the placement of the very first
block of Allure of the Seas in the drydock where the ship will be built.
Both Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas
will be homeported at Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale.
Like Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas will
feature the cruise line's new neighborhood concept of seven distinct
themed areas, including Central Park, Boardwalk, AquaTheater, Royal
Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Entertainment Place and the
Youth Zone.
Port of Seattle and Carnival Corporation to sign 10-year agreement
The Port of Seattle Commission voted this week in favor of a 10-year
agreement with Carnival Corporation, the parent company of Princess
Cruises and Holland America Line. The agreement formalizes what many
cruise passengers have known for years, that Seattle is a great place
to begin a voyage, and that partnerships such as these will insure
that this remains a growing market for years to come.
Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani said, "The cruise business has
been a very lucrative investment for the citizens of King
County," he said. "In less than ten years, we've gone from
six vessel calls a year to 210, and each vessel call brings $1.7
million to the local economy. This agreement keeps the jobs and
economic growth that cruise ships bring to the region in place well
into the future."
The agreement calls on Carnival Corporation to bring a minimum of
420,000 revenue passengers a year to Seattle's new two-berth cruise
facility at Terminal 91 scheduled to open in April, 2009. Holland
America Line and Princess Cruises currently serve the Alaska market
with five homeported ships in Seattle, and will add the Pacific
Princess with 14-day itineraries for the upcoming season.
Princess Passengers Pick Favorite Caribbean Excursions
Princess Cruises is once again recognizing the important role local
tour operators play in the overall cruise experience by announcing
the winners of its 2007-08 C.R.U.I.S.E. service awards for the Caribbean.
The 10th annual awards honor passenger choices for best tours of the
season plus favorite tour guides in many of the ports where Princess
ships call.
A number of tours have topped the list for several years, and one --
the Americas Cup 12-Metre Yacht Regatta tour in St. Maarten -- has
now been voted 'Shore Excursion of the Season' for the 10th year in a row.
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NCL's Pride of America to Sail in Hawaii Through 2012
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced its 2010-2011 summer deployment
and itineraries with new choices in Europe and Alaska, along with a
long-term commitment to its profitable Hawaii deployment on Pride of
America. The line said that Pride of America's successful deployment
in Hawaii, sailing seven-day Hawaii interisland cruises round-trip
from Honolulu has been extended through January 2012. |
"For the summer of 2010, we have some of the most
diverse and interesting itineraries in the key summer destinations.
With exciting new offerings from Venice and Vancouver, we have added
to the already diverse range of choices in these popular
destinations," said Kevin Sheehan, NCL's president and CEO.
"These itineraries aboard the youngest fleet in the industry,
combined with the freedom and flexibility that Freestyle Cruising
offers, ensure that our guests will experience the vacation of a
lifetime when sailing with NCL."
In Europe, NCL will continue its largest ever deployment with three
of its newest Freestyle Cruising ships positioned there. For the
first time ever, NCL will home port a ship, Norwegian Gem, in Venice,
sailing two different seven-day Adriatic, Greek Isles and Turkey
cruises. Norwegian Jade will homeport in Barcelona and Norwegian
Jewel will sail a 12-day Baltic Capitals cruise roundtrip from London (Dover).
In Alaska, NCL is positioning three Freestyle Cruising ships,
including Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Star, sailing seven-day
Sawyer Glacier and Glacier Bay cruises from Seattle, and Norwegian
Sun sailing a seven-day itinerary between Vancouver and Whittier,
featuring Hubbard Glacier and College Fjord. Norwegian Sun's new
itinerary also features two new ports -- Icy Strait Point and Sitka.
In addition, several land packages from Whittier will be offered as
part of a pre- or post-cruise package.
NCL continues sailing to Bermuda with Norwegian Dawn sailing
seven-day cruises with three full days in Bermuda and the newly
renovated Norwegian Spirit exclusively sailing seven-day cruises from Boston.
Seabourn Offers Small Groups Private Tours
To satisfy travelers' demand for spending quality time with friends
and family, The Yachts of Seabourn has created Between Friends, a new
promotion designed to encourage small groups of three or more couples
to reconnect and share experiences while traveling together.
Guests who participate in Between Friends will receive an onboard
credit of $1,500 per couple -- a total of at least $4,500 per group
-- for private shore excursion on most 2009 European voyages arranged
through the line's Signature Service Desk. Shore excursions include
active, culinary and cultural offerings.
"In these uncertain economic times, Seabourn guests are
re-evaluating their priorities and placing more emphasis on the
things that mean the most in life," said Seabourn president and
CEO Pamela Conover. "Spending quality time with friends is a top
priority during times like these and our intimate Seabourn yachts
enable friends to share truly meaningful and memorable experiences
together. That's why we created the Between Friends promotion."
Each group of friends can tour together or separately, with their own
guide, their own driver and their own private vehicle, choosing from
hundreds of options exploring European destinations at their own pace
and on their own terms. Or they can create their own customized
experiences to match the group's particular tastes and interests.
Some examples of private arrangements include:
Joining a top Italian chef for a hands-on, three-hour cooking class
in Florence;
Going on a tasting tour in Rapallo, Italy with specialty food expert
Guido Porrati, who will introduce clients to several Italian
specialty foods, olive oils and local wines;
Sailing via private yacht to Birla, Sweden to tour Viking Age ruins,
including an in-depth tour of Gronsoo, a privately owned castle on
the lake.
Each couple will receive the $1,500 onboard credit to be applied
toward private shore excursions when they pay the prevailing fare for
the voyage, which includes an Early Booking Savings of up to 45% off
the brochure fares. Furthermore, at least one of the three couples in
each group must be first time Seabourn guests. The promotion is valid
for more than 60 departures of some two dozen cruise itineraries of
seven- to 14-days in the Mediterranean, Western Europe, Scandinavia,
Russia and the Norwegian fjords aboard Seabourn Pride, Spirit, Legend
or the newly built Seabourn Odyssey. Some restrictions apply.
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