PRESS RELEASE_MIAMI (February 27, 2018) – Carnival Cruise Line will offer 17 new sailings to Cuba aboard Carnival Sensation in 2019.  The five-day Cuba voyages will be the line’s first to operate round-trip from Miami and feature a day-long call in Havana as well as stops at popular Caribbean and Bahamian ports,  including Grand Turk, Grand Cayman, Nassau, and the private destinations of Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays.

The voyages complement a series of voyages to Cuba departing from Tampa aboard Carnival Paradise taking place in 2018-19.

“Our inaugural cruises to Cuba aboard Carnival Paradise from Tampa were met with exceptional guest response and we’re thrilled to expand upon the program with our first Cuba cruises from Miami featuring Havana and some of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean and The Bahamas,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Cuba is a sought-after destination and we’re delighted to provide our guests with even more opportunities to experience and explore this fascinating island,” she added. 

Carnival Sensation’s Cuba schedule includes:

·       four five-day sailings to Havana and Grand Turk departing May 20, Sept. 9, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16, 2019

·       five five-day voyages featuring Havana, Nassau and Half Moon Cay departing June 17, July 15, Aug. 12, Sept. 23, and Nov. 4, 2019

·       a five-day cruise to Havana, Nassau and Princess Cays departing April 22, 2019

·       seven five-day cruises to Havana and Grand Cayman departing May 6, June 3, July 1 and 29, Aug. 26, Oct. 7 and Dec. 2, 2019

 The 2,052-passenger Carnival Sensation underwent an extensive multi-million-dollar dry dock last year that added a variety of popular food and beverage concepts, including Guy’s Burger Joint developed in tandem with Food Network star Guy Fieri, the poolside RedFrog Rum Bar and BlueIguana Tequila Bar, BlueIguana Cantina serving authentic tacos and burritos, the cocktail pharmacy-themed Alchemy Bar, and the Cherry on Top sweets shop.

These complement the ship’s diverse array of onboard features, including a WaterWorks aqua park, a Serenity adults-only retreat, 24-hour pizzeria, fun supervised programs for kids in three age groups, and the Seuss at Sea program operated exclusively with Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

Guests sailing on Carnival’s Cuba cruises can select from nearly 20 different shore excursion experiences that showcase the island’s vibrant culture, majestic beauty and centuries-old architectural landmarks.  A variety of Cuban-themed activities and entertainment, including the sizzling Amor Cubano:  A Caribbean Dance Romance Playlist Productions show, Havana-inspired deck parties, trivia contests and salsa lessons, are also offered.  There’s also a lecturer on board who discusses the country’s rich history and culture.

The visits to Havana comply with regulations of the U.S. Department of Treasury that permit travel operators to transport approved travelers to Cuba to engage in activities as defined by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Foreign Assets Control.

RELEASE_VALENCIA, Calif., February 27, 2018 -- Luxury cruise brand Cunard has announced its partnership with Rocky Mountaineer to offer passengers unmatched experiences in Alaska. Recently it was announced that the legendary Cunard experience will return to Alaska in 2019, for the first time in over two decades.

The Rocky Mountaineer railroad is the only of its kind to travel its historic routes and is celebrated for the majestic views of mountains and curious wildlife. Since 1990, Rocky Mountaineer has welcomed over 2 million passengers. The supreme experience onboard the all-dome fleet offers opulent, historic storytelling, top-notch cuisine, and a first-hand look at the vast and untouched wild beauty that lies in the Pacific Northwest.

“As we return to Alaska for the first time in twenty years, we are excited to partner with the Rocky Mountaineer, ensuring our passengers enjoy the remarkable scenery and Alaskan wildlife in the utmost of luxury both by land and by sea,” said Josh Leibowitz, Senior VP, Cunard North America.

Rocky Mountaineer tours are offered pre-and post- voyage and includes either three or five nights’ accommodation and two full days aboard the train. The expedition travels through a spectacular array of scenery with glacier and snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies, through winding river canyons, mountain passes and remarkable tunnels. Highlights include the Continental Divide, Kicking Horse Canyon, Spiral Tunnels and the rushing waters of Hell’s Gate in the Fraser Canyon.

More information on Cunard’s Alaska voyages can be found here: www.cunard.com/cruise-types/alaska-cruises.

PRESS RELEASE_MSC Cruises, the world’s largest privately owned cruise line, has revealed an inspiring choice of cruises for guests looking to get away for the 2019/2020 winter season, from October 2019 to March 2020. With 17 modern ships and an array of picturesque destinations in every corner of the globe, MSC Cruises has an itinerary for every guest looking for the perfect winter cruise getaway.

A NEW TWIST FOR EXPLORING THE MEDITERANNEAN  

With sales opening on March 5, 2018, MSC Grandiosa is one of two ships to come into service in 2019 and will be spending her inaugural winter season in the Western Mediterranean. MSC Grandiosa is named to signify magnificence and grandeur, a fitting name for this even richer, ultra-modern mega-ship.

MSC Sinfonia will offer longer cruises of 11, 12 and 14 nights in the Mediterranean for those vacationers looking for a longer break in the winter sun. New for this season will be a spectacular 14-night cruise that calls at the historic port of Haifa, Israel with two full days to discover the ancient cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. This brand new itinerary also includes calls to Mediterranean favorites from Civitavecchia (Rome), Messina and Genoa to Barcelona and Marseille, as well as the beautiful Greek island of Rhodes, southern Cypriot city of Limassol and Heraklion, Crete with its ancient archaeological sites.

MSC Sinfonia will also be sailing a brand new 12-night cruise from Genoa to exotic destinations across the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Destinations include the sun-drenched island of Tenerife, unique Moroccan city of Tangier — known for its huge local markets, the Dar el Makhzen museum of Moroccan artefacts, and its white-washed hillsides. Other highlights of this beautiful itinerary include the historical Roman-Spanish city of Cartagena, Gothic-tinted Portuguese city of Funchal and Civitavecchia, close to Rome, Italy.

NEW ITINERARIES FOR NORTH AMERICA

Before MSC Bellissima begins cruising from Miami, MSC Cruises has introduced new itineraries from New York. MSC Meraviglia will offer two 10-night round-trip itineraries from New York, calling at Bar Harbor, Boston, and Portland before moving onto Canadian ports like Charlottetown, Corner Brook, Halifax, Quebec, St. John and Sydney. Cruisers can discover the stunning scenery on the East Coast of North America as MSC Meraviglia sails the region for the first time. Prior to arriving in New York, MSC Meraviglia will complete a 17-night transatlantic cruise from Kiel, Germany with ports of call in Denmark, the United Kingdom & Ireland, Iceland and Canada.

EVEN MORE WAYS TO DISCOVER THE CARIBBEAN

The Caribbean continues to be the world’s most popular cruise region, and for winter 2019/2020 MSC Cruises will deploy six ships in the Caribbean, offering a wider choice of ships, itineraries and experiences than ever before.

PRESS RELEASE_MIAMI, Feb. 20, 2018 – As the only North American luxury cruise line to be granted permission to offer voyages to Cuba, Regent Seven Seas Cruises is adding more visits to the Caribbean island on two itineraries in 2019 and 2020. Seven Seas Mariner will offer the line’s first immersive Cuba itinerary on her October 15, 2019 voyage, calling on Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba, providing guests more opportunities to engage in group, people-to-people activities intended to enhance contact with the Cuban people, and to immerse in the island’s culture. Havana is also being added into Seven Seas Navigator’s April 25, 2020 voyage.

“We are proud to have been the first North American luxury line to call on Cuba and are delighted to offer more opportunities for travelers to visit such a historic and culture-rich destination,” said Jason Montague, president and chief executive officer of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “On these eight future sailings that visit Cuba, guests will be treated to informative presentations from experts and scholars, as well as enjoy our distinctive, highly personalized service from every member of our exceptional staff and crew.”

As part of Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ most-inclusive luxury experience, guests have the widest selection of free and unlimited, expertly crafted Cuba shore excursions in compliance with the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s (OFAC) regulations. Guests can meet with the people of Cuba and explore the island’s music, art, history and culture while enjoying as many shore excursions as their time allows.

In Havana, guests can walk in the storied steps of Ernest Hemingway and learn about the city’s Baroque, neoclassical and Renaissance architecture. From Cienfuegos, guests can visit Valle de los Ingenios (Valley of the Sugar Mills) and Trinidad, both deemed World Heritage sites for their well-preserved, Colonial-era architecture, and learn about traditional pottery methods at a family-owned workshop along the way. Santiago de Cuba will offer even greater context to events that changed the course of Cuban history, where guests can visit San Juan Hill and learn about the 18th century battle which led to the end of Spanish rule.

Seven Seas Mariner made Regent’s maiden call on Havana in April 2017. Travelers can choose among eight future itineraries that offer guests an opportunity to visit Cuba. Seven Seas Mariner’s October 10, 2018 voyage, will call again on Havana on its trans-Panama Canal voyage to the South Pacific, while the ship’s new October 15, 2019 voyage will offer three Cuban ports. Caribbean itineraries that also visit Havana are Seven Seas Navigator’s November 11, 2018 and April 25, 2020 voyages; and Seven Seas Voyager’s December 6 and 16, 2018, February 6, and March 5, 2019 voyages.

PRESS RELEASE_​Seattle, Wash., Feb. 22, 2018 — Due to its overwhelming popularity, Holland America Line is bringing O’s Reading Room to all 14 ships in the fleet around the world. Introduced as part of special onboard programming developed in partnership with O, The Oprah Magazine. By May 2018, guests on all ships regardless of cruising region will have the opportunity to read the latest book club selection and participate in discussions on board.   
 
The first novel to go fleetwide - “An American Marriage” by award-winning author Tayari Jones - was recently announced as the latest selection in Oprah’s Book Club. Guests on board Holland America Line ships will share the same experience with millions of readers.
 
“Our guests are fanatical readers, and O’s Reading Room quickly became one of the most popular activities on ships with O, The Oprah Magazine programming,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “We’re excited that we can now offer this experience to all of our guests. Oprah’s personal passion for reading is evident by the books she chooses, and we’re privileged to feature the same selection as Oprah’s Book Club.”
 
Jones is the author of several other novels, including “Leaving Atlanta,” “The Untelling” and “Silver Sparrow.” Her writing has appeared in Tin House, The Believer, The New York Times and Callaloo. A member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers, she is a recipient of the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, Lifetime Achievement Award in Fine Arts from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, United States Artist Fellowship, NEA Fellowship and Radcliffe Institute Bunting Fellowship.
 
Jones is scheduled to join Holland America Line’s March 3, 2018, O, The Oprah Magazine’s Adventure of Your Life Cruise” to the Caribbean aboard Nieuw Amsterdam. She embarks with a collection of the magazine’s editors and visionaries who will share stories, inspire guests and impart their knowledge through special programming. O, The Oprah Magazine’s books editor Leigh Haber will be on board to lead the discussion of “An American Marriage” with Jones during O’s Reading Room.
 
On non-theme cruises, guests who are interested in participating in O’s Reading Room can bring “An American Marriage” on board. Book club discussions are led by a member of the ship’s staff, and selections change periodically throughout the year. The latest O’s Reading Room selection is listed on Holland America Line’s website on the O, The Oprah Magazine's Year of Living Well page.
 
Holland America Line and O, The Oprah Magazine Partnership
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Holland America Line and O, The Oprah Magazine's exclusive partnership unites the soul-stirring power of travel with O's deep commitment to connection and personal growth. Two remaining Adventure of Your Life Cruises with Holland America Line and O, The Oprah Magazine also will feature members of the magazine’s editorial team, along with visionaries to be announced. The remaining cruises depart Aug. 11, 2018, on a seven-day Alaska itinerary and Oct. 28, 2018, on a seven-day Caribbean sailing.
 
To further enhance the programming, more than 300 Holland America Line cruises sailing in North America this year offer a variety of engaging activities developed with the magazine's editors including meditation, exercise, healthy eating, the onboard book reading room and more.

PRESS RELEASE_MIAMI (February 22, 2018) – Carnival Paradise is undergoing an extensive, multi-million-dollar refurbishment that will add a wide variety of spaces and innovations, including a spectacular water park, 38 new cabins, 98 balconies to existing staterooms, and an a host of exciting food and beverage concepts.

Following the month-long dry dock, which takes place in Freeport, The Bahamas, Carnival Paradise will resume its year-round schedule of four- to eight-day cruises from Tampa, Fla., March 26, 2018. 

The new features include:

·       Guy’s Burger Joint: a free-of-charge poolside venue developed in partnership with Food Network personality Guy Fieri serving hand-crafted burgers and fresh-cut fries enjoyed amidst a décor that celebrates the chef’s California roots and love of car culture.

·       RedFrog Rum Bar: a poolside watering hole offering the quintessential Caribbean vacation vibe with refreshing Caribbean rum-based frozen drinks and beers, including Carnival’s own private label draught brew, ThirstyFrog Red. 

​Watch a hyperlapse tour of the world’s largest ship, Symphony of the Seas under construction at STX Shipyard in France. The ship is scheduled to be delivered in March 2018.

             Travelzoo Has Special Deals on Avalon Cruises Through Feb. 28


PRESS RELEASE_LITTLETON, Colorado – February 21, 2018 – The company that reinvented river cruise ships is now reinventing the river cruise experience. In 2019, Avalon Waterways is increasing opportunities for travelers to enjoy its collection of Active DiscoverySM river cruises, including a NEW itinerary on the Rhône River. Next year, Avalon Waterways is also introducing a completely revamped Avalon Choice® program, offering travelers “Classic,” “Discovery” and “Active” options on every river cruise itinerary and a new AvalonGo App.

“Along the Danube, Rhine & Rhône Rivers, Avalon travelers can now hike, bike and engage in their surroundings in unimaginable ways, thanks to our unique Active Discovery cruise collection,” said Pam Hoffee, managing director of Avalon Waterways. “From action-packed experiences to interactive discoveries, these vacations offer something for all interests, energy and fitness levels, allowing our guests to tailor their vacation to their personal taste and pace.”

Avalon’s Active Discovery cruises engage and immerse travelers in two ways:

1)  ACTIVE: Exploration in Motion. For the traveler who thrives on motion and action, Avalon Waterways has created a broad menu of energetic excursions that include everything from taking a jogging tour through Amsterdam, a biking tour around Vienna or even a canoe trip on the Danube.

PRESS RELEASE_MIAMI (February 20, 2018) – For its newest ship, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Cruise Line’s talented in-house entertainment team has partnered with leading creative directors from Broadway, Los Angeles and London’s West End to create three brand new shows that are designed to raise the bar on cruise ship entertainment.

Part of the line’s popular Playlist Productions revues, the new shows make maximum use of the ship’s sophisticated and interactive LED screens while showcasing the talents of the shows’ performers to deliver unforgettable evenings of high-caliber entertainment.

Three new shows – Soulbound, Celestial Strings and Vintage Pop – will debut on Carnival Horizon when it enters service in April 2018. A fourth show, Amor Cubano:  A Caribbean Dance Romance, has been brought to Carnival Horizon following an incredible debut on Carnival Vista last year.

“Carnival Horizon promises to be a spectacular addition to the fleet and we’ve made the entertainment and activity options equally spectacular with such an array of fun choices, morning until night,” said Sarah Beth Reno, Carnival’s vice president of entertainment. “Whether you’re enjoying an amazing Playlist Productions show, checking out the hilarious entertainers at the Punchliner Comedy Club or participating in our legendary deck parties, our team will make sure your Carnival Horizon vacation is one you’ll never forget,” she added. 

The Playlist Productions shows on Carnival Horizon include:

PRESS RELEASE_VALENCIA, Calif., Feb. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In partnership with The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation, Cunard will again pay tribute to the forgotten heroes of World War II, honoring our nation’s veterans with a unique enrichment program on board a Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic Crossing that will travel from New York to London on July 20-27, 2018.

On this 7-night voyage, guests will have the opportunity to attend lectures and interact with several WWII veterans, hearing first-hand about their experiences during America’s involvement in the war. From the “Battle of the Atlantic,” to the conflicts in Normandy and Pearl Harbor, these distinguished war heroes will engage in discussions and Q&A’s, giving guests a very personal glimpse into the human elements of wartime service.

 “Last year our guests were spellbound by the veterans' moving personal accounts of their wartime service, resulting in standing ovations every day,” said Josh Leibowitz, senior vice president, Cunard North America. “Cunard prides itself on offering one-of-a-kind, world class entertainment and enrichment programs, and we are honored to welcome back The Greatest Generations Foundation on the July 20th Transatlantic Crossing."

World War II veterans scheduled to be on board will include:

• Steve Melnikoff, who experienced the full horrors of Normandy when he served in 1st Battalion, 175th Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division and who earned three Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts for his service.
• Stuart Hedley, who served in the United States Navy and recalls leaping from his ship and into the water during Pearl Harbor and coming up amid debris and burning oil and swimming for his life towards the shoreline.
• Harold Angle, who served as First Sergeant E-5 in the 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division, and who marched down the Champs-Elysées on August 29, 1944 in the Liberation of Paris.
• Michael Ganitch, who served as a Senior Chief Quartermaster in the United States Navy and witnessed Pearl Harbor.
• James Blane, Corporal of the 4th Marine Division of the United States Marine Corps and served in the battles of Kwajalein (Roi-Namur), Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima.
• Peter DuPre, who served as a medic in the 114th General Hospital Unit in Kidderminster, England during WWII, where he treated wounded servicemen from all areas of Europe, including those who had been wounded during the Battle of the Bulge.
• John Foy, who served in the 87th Infantry Division joining General George Patton’s Third Army in liberating Europe. John served as a front-line machine gunner in the Battle of Northern France and later the Battle of the Bulge
• Kenneth Barclay, who served as Lieutenant Colonel O-5 in the “Fighting 69th” Regiment, where he served in Hawaii, Saipan and Okinawa during the war.

 
Q&A’s and other discussions with the World War II veterans will cover topics including:

•  D-Day: The Invasion of Normandy, 1944
• The Longest Winter: The Battle of the Bulge, 1944
• I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941
• Miracle at Midway, 1942
• Blood Sand: The Battle for Iwo Jima, 1945
• Okinawa 1945: The Last Epic Struggle of World War II

 
Jeremy Hubbard, current co-anchor of FOX31 Denver News will join the voyage and act as a moderator of the panels and lectures. Prior to joining the FOX31 Denver News team, Hubbard, a native of western Colorado, worked as a New York-based correspondent for ABC News where he contributed and reported for all ABC News broadcasts including: Good Morning America, World News with Dianne Sawyer and Nightline.