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Princess
Debuts "Department of Romance"
Long known as a leader in romance, Princess Cruises is stepping up
its commitment to love. In celebration of the 30th
anniversary of the hit TV series The Love Boat, famously set aboard a
Princess ship, the company is debuting a new Department of Romance
made up of a "dream team" of romance experts, and is
launching a number of new "romantic pursuits" on its ships
and on its web site.
Princess has tapped noted relationship experts to serve in its new
Department of Romance - prominent dating and romance guru Trish
McDermott, everyone's favorite couples therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer,
seasoned wedding planner Alba Carreras, and America's favorite Love
Boat captain, Gavin MacLeod. Together, these authorities will
guide and inspire the line's passengers to rediscover romance, and
incorporate it into their everyday lives.
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Royal
Caribbean debuts renovated Majesty of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International's Majesty of the Seas has reentered
service this week, following a 28-day scheduled drydock in the Bahamas.
The newly refurbished ship is resuming its year-round four- and
five-day schedule of Bahamas cruises from Miami.
The bow-to-stern renovation included adding several new dining and
entertainment options, as well as an overhaul of the guest suites and
staterooms; the Majesty Day Spa and ShipShape Fitness Center; the
conference rooms; the pool deck; the theater; the Casino Royale; and
the Adventure Ocean youth area, which included adding the
teen-focused Fuel Nightclub and Living Room lounge to it.
Carnival
Fantasy cancels sailing after barge strikes hull
A commercial tow barge struck the Carnival Fantasy Sunday morning
Feb. 11th, while the cruise ship was sailing on the Mississippi
River towards its homeport of New Orleans, leaving a 15-foot gash on
the ship's hull. The damage has forced Carnival to cancel the ship's
next itinerary.
Carnival said that the crew of the barge lost control and the barge
collided with a river bank before striking the port side of the
Fantasy. The cruise line said there were no injuries to guests or
crew members, and while there is damage to the Fantasy's hull, the
ship remained fully operational and returned to New Orleans' Erato
Street Cruise Terminal where passengers on the vessel were debarked.
Costa
Maya zooms to No. 2 in Mexico
Puerto Costa Maya, which began receiving ships in 2001, is now the
second busiest cruise port in Mexico, according to a report citing
official figures.
Cozumel leads, with a 38% share of the 6.11m passenger visits to
Mexican ports in 2006. Costa Maya’s share was 13%
last year.
Sea
of Cortez port plans a cruise berth
Mexico’s Guaymas is marketing itself in a bid to
become the newest cruise destination on the Sea of Cortez. The port
is building cruise facilities that should be ready to receive ships
in early 2008, port director Jose Luis Castro Ibarra told Seatrade Insider.
An investment of 90,000 Mexican pesos (US$8.2m) is going into a
200-meter pier and a terminal that will offer telecommunications
facilities and booths selling handicrafts and jewelry.
Regent
in talks to extend Gauguin contract
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is in discussions to extend its management
agreement for the Paul Gauguin through 2010, president Mark Conroy
told Seatrade Insider.
Regent’s current contract with the owners of the
French Polynesia-based ship runs through 2008. Conroy said the vessel
is running well, at occupancies close to 100%.
Imagination
sets new route from Miami
Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk and Nassau are the destinations on a new
five-day route from Miami that will be operated by Carnival Cruise
Lines’ Imagination.
Departures for the new itinerary will be on Mondays beginning Aug.
13. Prices start at $289.
In addition, Imagination operates four-day cruises departing
Thursdays for Key West and Calica, and five-day cruises sailing
Saturdays for Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios.
Carnival
names its 130,000gt newbuilds
Carnival Cruise Lines will call its 130,000gt newbuilds Carnival
Dream and Carnival Magic. Carnival Dream is due to enter service in
October 2009, with Carnival Magic to follow in June 2011.
The 3,652-passenger ships will launch a new class for the Carnival
brand which has four ships on order, all at Fincantieri.
The 110,000gt Carnival Freedom is set to debut March 5 in Europe, and
the 112,000gt Carnival Splendor is scheduled to enter service in July 2008.
Queen
Mary 2's 2007-2008 Caribbean Season Sets Sail from the Big Apple
As Queen Mary 2 continues to significantly expand her presence in New
York, Cunard Line announces an extended series of 12 ten-day voyages
to the Caribbean from the Big Apple, as well as two 13-day sailings
to Panama and the Caribbean and a 14-day Caribbean Celebration voyage
featuring Christmas Day at sea and New Year's Eve in the port of St.
Thomas. Like Queen Mary 2's legendary Transatlantic crossings,
these voyages resonate with the singular elegance and sophistication
of a Cunard ocean liner experience. In addition, the ship's
faster speed allows her to sail farther south than other ships out of
New York, affording more Southern Caribbean port stops, such as
Barbados, on ten-day voyages. For the rest of this article
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