(PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, Fla. — January 31, 2019 — Virgin Voyages, the new lifestyle brand set to disrupt the travel industry, today released itinerary details and cabin designs for the company’s first ship, Scarlet Lady. With four and five night voyages to the Caribbean, Sailors will set sail in sleek uber yacht style with Virgin Voyages’ patent pending cabin design featuring the Seabed, a completely new transformational bed that converts from full-sized bed to lounger. The Seabed allows Sailors the unique opportunity to transform their cabin from a quiet hideaway to relax to a place to revel among friends.
The Scarlet Lady will sail a variety of Caribbean voyages befitting of any curious traveler’s tastes, with four and five-night Havana After Dark itineraries featuring an overnight stay in Havana, Cuba; five-night Mayan Sol voyages to Costa Maya, Mexico and five-night Dominican Daze voyages to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Sailors will be able to explore more with extended hours in port with an overnight or a late-night sailaway on all voyages. Cabin Design While at sea Sailors can enjoy all of the action of the Scarlet Lady and retreat to their private hideaway overlooking the ocean, with 93 percent of cabins offering an ocean view and 86 percent featuring a Sea Terrace. The sea will be the headlining star of the cabins aboard the Scarlet Lady with Virgin Voyages’ exclusive patent pending cabin layout designed by PearsonLloyd with Virgin Voyages’ Design team, which uses intelligent architecture to optimize space and views of the ocean. The cabin is custom-created to accommodate the Seabed, the first-ever transformational cabin bed at sea, specially engineered and handcrafted by Walter Knoll in Germany. The concept of the Seabed came from the convivial nature of cruising, and gives Sailors more space for social gatherings in the cabin-- and eliminates the unspoken awkwardness of inviting new friends over with no place for them to sit but on the bed. Instead, Virgin Voyages Sailors can enjoy their cabin in two distinct ways as a place to revel or a place to relax. “We didn’t want to create the same old box of a bedroom that our Sailors would only use to lay their head down at night, we wanted to reshape the entire cabin experience,” said Dee Cooper, senior vice president of design for Virgin Voyages. “Whether it’s sleeping, socializing or stargazing they desire, our cabins will transform to match our Sailors’ whims. Stylish yet somehow still informal, these cabins change the face of modern sea travel.” With clever cabin lighting, the mood lighting will automatically adjust to enhance the time of day based on where the ship is in the world, reflecting the blue seas and the gold to purple sunsets of the Caribbean waters. The cabins will feature PIR presence sensors that automatically detect when someone has left the cabin and go into energy saver mode, where blinds will close and air conditioning will adjust to an eco-saver temperature, conserving energy to support the company’s commitment to operate one of the cleanest fleets at sea. (ROYAL CARIBBEAN)_While cruising with Royal Caribbean, travelers looking for thrills can catch waves without ever having to leave the ship! Beginners and experienced surfers are able to hang ten by boogie boarding or standup surfing on any one of 19 FlowRider surf simulators in the cruise line’s fleet. Pair that with great views and the ocean breeze, the surf is always up on Royal Caribbean ships.
(PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI (Jan. 30, 2019) – Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras – already creating buzz among cruise fans – is now open for sale of its inaugural schedule for 2020.
Mardi Gras will offer a diverse schedule with six- to 15-day sailings visiting top destinations throughout Europe and the Caribbean beginning in summer 2020. Guests can choose from more than 20 different stateroom categories and multiple levels of spacious and luxurious suites, more than on any other Carnival ship. A range of stateroom options provides guests the opportunity to further personalize their vacation experiences and includes special staterooms and suites such as Family Harbor, Havana Cabana and Cloud 9 Spa accommodations, as well as a wide selection of suites, balcony, ocean view and interior staterooms. “For Mardi Gras, we’ve developed some truly exciting and diverse itineraries that will provide our guests with opportunities to experience and explore top destinations in Europe and the Caribbean,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “These itineraries will serve as the perfect complement to the unique shipboard experience that Mardi Gras will offer. We’ve begun releasing some of the new stateroom designs to our guests and travel agency partners as part of today’s announcement and plan to share additional details over the coming weeks.” Exciting Inaugural Season Mardi Gras will offer an exciting inaugural schedule providing guests with myriad opportunities to experience and explore stunning and historic destinations. The schedule includes: · A nine-day maiden voyage from Copenhagen to Southampton Aug. 31 – Sept. 9, 2020 calling at Kiel (Hamburg), Germany; Gothenburg, Sweden; Oslo, Norway; Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Zeebrugge (Brussels), Belgium; and Le Havre (Paris), France. · A 14-day trans-Atlantic crossing from Southampton to New York Sept. 9-23, 2020, with stops at Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain; and Funchal (Madeira) and Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. · A six-day cruise round-trip from New York to Portland, Maine and Saint John, New Brunswick Sept. 24-30. · A 15-day Carnival Journeys voyage departing New York Sept. 30, 2020 and arriving in Port Canaveral, Fla., on Oct. 15, 2020, calling at Amber Cove, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Aruba, Curacao, and Grand Turk, positioning the vessel for year-round voyages to the Caribbean. Year-Round Caribbean Departures from Port Canaveral Following a special eight-day Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral on Oct. 16, 2020, Mardi Gras will kick off its seven-day program from the Space Coast Oct. 24, 2020, offering two different three-port, seven-day itineraries, alternating weekly to the eastern and western Caribbean featuring some of the region’s most beautiful and popular ports. · Eastern Caribbean cruises will visit San Juan, Amber Cove and Grand Turk. · Western Caribbean sailings will stop in Cozumel, Costa Maya and Mahogany Bay (Isla Roatan). Additional Informative and Reservations Additional details on the six themed zones that will provide Mardi Gras guests with scores of ways to Choose Fun and have a great Carnival cruise vacation are scheduled to be announced over the coming weeks. (PRESS RELEASE)_This Super Bowl Sunday, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line (BPCL) will host a special at-sea screening of the most anticipated sporting event of the year. Cruisers can watch the Los Angeles Rams face off against the New England Patriots alongside a festive tailgate buffet, awesome drink specials and the usual cruising fun that Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line is known for. Taking place on Sunday, February 3, the party will begin with a tailgate at 4 p.m. followed by the game playing at 6:30 p.m. in the Crow’s Nest, which will be decked out in both teams’ colors and regalia. For football enthusiasts who are still looking for last minute places to watch Sunday’s game, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line’s Triple Play offer, starting as low as $159 per person for a two-night cruise, is a great way to join friends and family for the country’s most watched sporting event in a whole new way! For more information on the Triple Play Offer and The Big Game Super Bowl Party, click here: https://www.bahamasparadisecruise.com/deals.php (PRESS RELEASE)_SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (January 28, 2019) – Princess Cruises, a pioneer in building cruise ships specifically designed to include an array of the most sought-after shipboard features – the private balcony – continues to innovate by introducing the cruise industry’s largest balconies at sea, available when sailing in the Sky Suites onboard the new Sky Princess, launching in October 2019.
Two Sky Suites accommodations available now for booking onboard Sky Princess, as well as the cruise line’s next new ship, Enchanted Princess, are centrally located on the top decks – the apex of the ship and feature the largest private balconies ever offered by any cruise line. Measuring 1,012 square feet (starboard side Sky Suite) and 947 square feet (port side Sky Suite), the furnished balconies will provide a private vantage of the ship’s Movie Under the Stars screen and create the ultimate space for entertaining. The two suites will also offer 270-degree panorama views and have sleeping capacity for five guests, and more room for gathering -- making them ideal for families. “We’ve lead the way on many innovations in the cruise industry, evolving to meet the needs of today’s vacationer and of all of our new stateroom innovations, we’ve never seen such immediate demand as we are for these Sky Suites,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “Our global fleet offers one of the highest percentages of balcony staterooms in the industry, across all cabin categories and now we’re eager for the arrival of the industry’s largest balconies at sea, inviting guests to relax privately or host their very own en-suite celebrations in style.” (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI (Jan. 25, 2019) – Following tremendous response to Carnival Cruise Line’s first-ever cruises from San Francisco, the line is adding five voyages from the port to Carnival Miracle’s previously announced inaugural schedule in 2020.
Including the five new voyages, Carnival Miracle will now offer a total of 27 voyages within the wide-ranging program which includes four-day long weekend sailings to Ensenada, Mexico, 10-day cruises to Alaska and 15- and 16-day voyages to Hawaii from March to September 2020. All voyages are now open for reservations. These newly added sailings are part of Carnival’s ongoing expansion in the West Coast. Carnival carries more passengers from California than any other cruise operator and will further bolster its leadership position with the debut of the new Carnival Panorama from Long Beach in December 2019 and new cruise programs from San Diego beginning in December 2019 and San Francisco in 2020. Today’s announcement coincides with the San Francisco debut of the Carnival AirShip, a 128-foot-long blimp which, after a busy month of flying across California, will now pass over iconic landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, the Port of San Francisco, Fisherman’s Wharf, and other hotspots throughout the city. (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI (Jan. 25, 2019) – Carnival Cruise Line today revealed the first look at design details for the highly anticipated Mardi Gras, the line’s most innovative ship set to debut in 2020 and the first cruise ship in North America powered by LNG. Mardi Gras will offer an extensive array of popular Carnival guest favorites along with new exciting experiences highlighted by six themed zones. Throughout the ship’s 20 decks and in each of these distinctive areas, guests will find fun, memorable ways to create their own personalized vacation with dining, libation, entertainment, recreation, and relaxation options. The accommodations on Mardi Gras will include more than 20 different stateroom categories and multiple levels of spacious and luxurious suites. Mardi Gras will also include the most expansive open decks on any Carnival ship, and a spectacular atrium that will serve as the hub of the ship as well as a stunning focal point where guests will be welcomed on board. “When our guests Choose Fun and book a vacation on Mardi Gras, they are going to find many firsts and exciting experiences, all enhanced by the fun atmosphere our great Carnival crew deliver on every cruise,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We’ve specifically designed Mardi Gras to invite everyone to create their own personalized fun vacation experience with options to suit every age, mood or taste.” Six Exciting and Distinctive Zones Add to the Fun The six zones of Mardi Gras’ design will invite guests to stroll throughout the ship to enjoy new only-on-Mardi Gras features along with signature elements that have made Carnival America’s Cruise Line, all enjoyed amidst a festive, social and community-driven atmosphere with opportunities for guests to relax, recharge and reconnect with family and friends. The six areas will be themed around Grand Central, French Quarter, La Piazza, Summer Landing, Lido and The Ultimate Playground and highlights include: · Grand Central (Decks 6-8, mid-ship): Creating a sense of wonder the moment guests step on board, the transformative Grand Central takes the traditional atrium concept to new heights, combining a day-to-night entertainment complex with spectacular three-deck-high floor-to-ceiling windows and a bar overlooking the starboard side of the ship that will be the perfect venue for socializing and people watching amid sweeping ocean vistas. Steps away are Bonsai Sushi and Bonsai Teppanyaki which are being expanded from designs on existing ships to reflect their popularity with guests. There’s also the first-ever dedicated Punchliner Comedy Club where guests can enjoy nightly shows, and the always popular Piano Bar 88 for sing-a-longs that bring guests together in an intimate feel-good setting. (PRESS RELEASE)_Seattle, Wash., Jan. 22, 2019 — For many, a cup (or two) of coffee is a daily staple, and now guests aboard Holland America Line ships can indulge in a specialty blend created exclusively for the premium cruise line in partnership with Beukenhorst Coffee USA Inc. The West Palm Beach, Florida, micro-facility of the Dutch coffee house Beukenhorst Koffie worked with Holland America Line to introduce Rotterdam 1873, a small-batch roasted coffee blend that pays homage to Holland America Line’s legendary luxury. Named for the city and year Holland America Line was founded, Rotterdam 1873 is a rich coffee blend of the best Indonesian and Central and South American Arabica coffee beans. Rotterdam 1873 is available by the cup in all revenue venues, while guests looking to take home a souvenir from the cruise can purchase a regular or decaffeinated 12-ounce bag of the Rotterdam 1873 beans in Explorations Café and Grand Dutch Cafe. “As an innovator in premium cruising, Holland America Line is continuously looking to create unique experiences, and we’re excited to be the first cruise line to introduce our own branded, specialty coffee that guests can not only enjoy on board, but take home as well,” said Orlando Ashford, president Holland America Line. “With Rotterdam 1873, we crafted a luxurious, small-batch coffee available only on our ships that will resonate with guests for its rich flavor and premium quality.” Rotterdam 1873 is roasted fresh in small batches in Beukenhorst Coffee USA Inc.’s West Palm Beach facility and supplied to the ships. For more than 20 years, Holland America Line has been serving Beukenhorst Koffie imported from the Netherlands in the Lido Market, Dining Room and other venues where complimentary coffee is served. “Beukenhorst Koffie has worked with Holland America Line for many years, and it was an exciting opportunity to work together to create a personalized, premium coffee experience through our small-batch roasting process,” said Hans Wiggemans, co-founder of Beukenhorst Coffee USA Inc. “Our hope with having Rotterdam 1873 available for purchase is that guests will go home and reminisce about their Holland America Line cruise each time they enjoy a cup of our coffee.” The Dutch have been roasting coffee since the 16th century, with signature blends from various regions. Arabica coffee is believed to have been the first species of coffee to be cultivated 500 years ago in Arabia. The Dutch, famous for their seafaring, brought the plant from Arabia to Java where the island became a leader in coffee production. About Beukenhorst Coffee USA Inc. In 2017 Beukenhorst Coffee USA Inc. opened an espresso equipment showroom, training center and small-batch micro-roastery, 4th Wave Brew, to be able to fill the increasing demand for small-batch specialty coffees. Beukenhorst Coffee USA Inc. creates specialty blends, cold-brew coffee and private label projects using the freshest, cleanest and purest coffee available. Beukenhorst Koffie was founded in 1784 when Albert Beukenhorst settled in Winterswijk, the Netherlands, as a coffee roaster and retailer. Today, the company continues to roast Arabica coffee beans through a traditional slow roasting drum system, giving the beans time to develop their taste while retaining the important flavors. (PRESS RELEASE)_VALENCIA, Calif., January 22, 2019 – Stage, film and TV superstar Alan Cumming joined Cunard as part of the luxury cruise line’s famed Insights program on the January 3, 2019 Transatlantic Crossing aboard flagship ocean liner Queen Mary 2. While on the seven-night voyage from New York to Southampton, England, Cumming offered a Q&A session with guests and introduced a screening of Instinct, the hit TV series on CBS in which he plays Dr. Dylan Reinhart. “Nowadays we don’t understand the idea of experiencing travel,” said Cumming. “[The Crossing] takes seven days because that’s how long it takes to get across the Atlantic. There’s a line from Shakespeare in ‘As You Like It’ where Rosalind says of Jacques, ‘You have gained your experience,’ and I really think that about this journey—you gain your experience. You gain your experience, and you understand what it means to travel this journey across the world.” Cunard has a long history of hosting stars of stage and screen onboard their iconic ships. Luminaries such as Elizabeth Taylor, Rita Hayworth, Wes Anderson, and Tilda Swinton have all sailed with the line. Sting performed a set in Queen Mary 2’s Royal Court Theatre; Ed Sheeran wrote part of his last album on a Crossing; and Francis Ford Coppola sailed recently to work on his book while at sea. In December 2017, Queen Mary 2 hosted the first ever major movie premiere with the star-studded event for 20th Century Fox's "The Greatest Showman" starring Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Rebecca Ferguson, and Zendaya. Cunard’s extraordinary upcoming special event cruises host a variety of Insights speakers including Transatlantic Fashion Week, Literature Festival at Sea, World Space Week, Voyage du Vin and Dance the Atlantic. For more information about Cunard, or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Advisor, call Cunard Line at 1-800-728-6273 or visit www.cunard.com. WHAT: Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line will offer furloughed federal employees and families that are currently impacted by the government shutdown a complimentary buffet lunch and afternoon aboard the ship free of charge.
WHEN: *Monday, Jan. 21-Thursday, Jan. 31 (every day except Jan. 25 & Jan. 26) *OR until the shutdown is concluded, whichever occurs sooner 12-3 pm WHERE: Aboard both vessels, Grand Celebration and Grand Classica Port of Palm Beach 1 East 11th Street Riviera Beach, FL 33404 Additional Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line requests that federal employees call customer service info: at 800-374-4363 to reserve their lunch and visit and that they provide a federal ID at port terminal visitor check in. |
ABOUTStay current with the latest news from the cruise lines. Gerry is Travel Editor at Aqua South Florida
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