(PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI (March 28, 2019) – As Carnival Sunrise makes her debut following her $200 million transformation, Carnival Cruise Line announced today that Kelly Arison, daughter of Carnival Corporation Chairman Micky Arison and his wife Madeleine, will serve as godmother for the ship at an invitation-only ceremony in New York on May 23.

In what is sure to be a touching moment, Kelly will step into the godmother role previously held by her mother when the ship first entered service as Carnival Triumph, in 1999. In an added stroke of family ties, Kelly’s grandmother Lin Arison served as godmother to Carnival Sunrise’s sister ship, Carnival Sunshine, in 2013.

Carnival Sunrise’s naming ceremony will take place aboard the ship at the Manhattan Cruise Passenger Terminal and will serve as a platform to heighten awareness of the work of the Ehlers-Danlos Society, an organization dedicated to serving those with joint hypermobility spectrum disorders, of which Kelly is a strong advocate.  Carnival will be making a donation to the Ehlers-Danlos Society during the ceremony.

“It is truly an honor to carry on my family’s cherished tradition and join the esteemed women who have so admirably carried out their role as a Carnival godmother over the years,” said Kelly. “This ceremony will not only serve as an exciting and memorable way to officially introduce the spectacular Carnival Sunrise to the Carnival fleet but also raise awareness of an organization very near and dear to my heart, the Ehlers-Danlos Society.”

“Carnival Cruise Line is proud and delighted that Kelly will serve in this role as she officially names Carnival Sunrise,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “And given the family ties to this ship in particular, we are planning to include some special guests that mean a lot to the Arison family and have played an important part in the history of Carnival Cruise Line.”

Carnival Sunrise’s inaugural season includes four- to 14-day voyages from Norfolk, Va., and New York to Bermuda, Canada and the Caribbean through September.  The ship will then reposition to Fort Lauderdale for a winter season of Caribbean and Bahamian voyages beginning in October 2019 before heading back to New York in spring 2020.

Guests sailing aboard Carnival Sunrise will enjoy a wide range of entertainment options, along with open-air attractions like a new WaterWorks aqua park and SportSquare featuring a suspended ropes course. New dining offerings include Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse developed in tandem with Food Network star Guy Fieri, the Cucina del Capitano family-style Italian restaurant and the Caribbean-themed Red Frog Pub. 

All of the ship’s staterooms have been updated with island-inspired interiors featuring bright colors and soothing pastels inspired by the line’s Caribbean itineraries, along with new choices such as luxurious Captain’s Suites adjacent to the navigational bridge offering floor-to-ceiling windows and extended balcony grand suites.    

(PRESS RELEASE)_Miami (Mar. 28, 2019) – Regent Seven Seas Cruises®, the leading luxury ocean cruise line, today announced three guest experience enhancements.
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• The cruise line is nearly doubling internet bandwidth size across its fleet by January 2020. Significantly increasing bandwidth compared to 2018 will make free internet surfing more enjoyable for Regent guests as the internet will be faster and even more reliable on all devices. Guests will begin to benefit from bandwidth expansion starting April 2019. Signing on to Wi-Fi will be smoother through a log-in webpage that appears when guests connect to the ship’s network, and guests will have a more streamlined log-in process enabling unlimited complimentary and effortless web surfing.”
• Free unlimited valet laundry service for guests sailing in Master and Grand Suites. All guests who sail in a Master Suite or Grand Suite on the cruise line’s ships will enjoy the added benefit of free unlimited valet laundry service starting in April 2019.
• A new Digital Guest Survey will help Regent track guest experiences and feedback in real-time. The digital survey replaces end-of-cruise paper guest satisfaction questionnaires. Guests may easily provide feedback through this web-based questionnaire during the voyage and the feedback is automatically sent to the ship’s officers and company leaders in Miami. This new system will be deployed fleetwide by October 2019.

“Nearly doubling bandwidth provides Regent guests with an even faster and easier free internet experience to stay in touch and share their travel experiences with their family, friends and business associates at home while sailing around the world,” says Jason Montague, Regent Seven Seas Cruises president and chief executive officer. “Across our fleet we continue to refine the small details, such as creating a faster internet, including free valet laundry service for Master and Grand Suite guests, and deploying a tool for real-time guest feedback. This significant investment demonstrates our commitment to providing guests with an unrivaled experience.” 

These three initiatives are Regent’s latest guest experience enhancements. Over the past year Regent has completed a $125 million fleet refurbishment program, unveiled its 2020-2021 Voyage Collection with 167 itineraries and new ports, introduced new relaxed outdoor evening dining fleetwide at the Pool Grill, debuted the most immersive luxury Cuban voyage itineraries, and revealed Go Local Tours and Regent Choice small group shore excursions – all while readying to launch its fifth ship, Seven Seas SplendorTM, in February 2020.

(PRESS RELEASE)_SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (March 28, 2019) – For more than two decades, Princess Cruises has been taking guests to iconic and off-the-beaten-path global destinations on annual World Cruises, offering the ultimate bucket-list vacation. The cruise line today announced its most robust 2021 World Cruise itinerary ever with more ports and countries than ever before. 

World Travelers seeking an epic adventure around the globe need to look no further than Princess Cruises and the cruise line’s 2021 World Cruise sailing roundtrip from North America. The 111-day World Cruise will visit 50 destinations in 32 countries, across six continents, including Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, South America and North America. 

The 111-day roundtrip voyage from Ft. Lauderdale departs on January 3, 2021, and the 111-day roundtrip cruise from Los Angeles departs January 17, 2021. A 97-day World Cruise from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale is also offered, setting sail on January 17, 2021. 

“Our 2021 World Cruise marks a significant milestone for Princess Cruises, with it being our most robust itinerary,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “Guests will sail more than 34,000 nautical miles on an ultimate adventure around the globe, creating unforgettable memories.”

The 2021 111-day World Cruise aboard Island Princess is on sale now with rates starting at $19,999/person. Guests booking the 97- or 111-day World Cruise before November 30, 2019 receive early booking perks such as a $1,000 onboard spending money, free airfare, stateroom upgrade, gratuities, Wi-Fi, specialty dining and wine.

New and interesting details about the 2021 World Cruise include:

• Cruise to 50 destinations, 32 countries on six continents.
• Visits to 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Archaeological City of Petra from Aqaba, the ancient Greek city of Ephesus in Turkey and the historical city of Rabat from Casablanca.
• Island Princess will sail 34,000 nautical miles in 111 days.
• The World Cruise crosses the Equator two times.
• Maiden port calls to the beautiful seaside town of Gynthion, Greece; New Plymouth, New Zealand; and Mindelo, Cape Verde Islands.
• An optional overland excursion to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in the Australian Outback, home of the iconic Ayers Rock.

With 14 late-night “More Ashore” stays to maximize time in port, guests can take in a Tahitian sunset or make a toast to the nightlife in Singapore, plus be treated to overnight stays in ultra-modern Dubai and magical Venice.

Island Princess makes her World Cruise debut in 2021, featuring more than 700 balconies, Princess Luxury Bed in each stateroom, more specialty and casual dining options and more entertainment venues for live music and lavish production shows like The Secret Silk by Broadway Legend Stephen Schwartz. World Cruise guests will be treated to Encounters with Discovery speaker series that includes authors, artists, explorers and more, as well as culinary demonstrations, cooking classes, special-themed menus, foreign movies and regional folkloric shows to bring the destinations to life.

(PRESS RELEASE)_SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, USA / TRIESTE, ITALY (March 27, 2019) – Princess Cruises and Fincantieri announced today the signing of the final contracts for the construction of two next-generation 175,000-ton cruise ships, which will be the largest ships ever built so far in Italy, with deliveries scheduled in Monfalcone in late 2023 and in spring 2025. This announcement follows the initial signing of a memorandum of agreement between the two parties in July 2018.

The vessels will each accommodate approximately 4,300 guests and will be based on a next-generation platform design, being the first Princess Cruises ships to be dual-fuel powered primarily by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). LNG is the marine industry’s most environmentally friendly advanced fuel technology and the world’s cleanest fossil fuel, which will significantly reduce air emissions and marine gasoil usage.

“Princess Cruises continues to grow globally -- adding new ships to our fleet built by our long-time trusted ship building partner, Fincantieri, who brings decades of expertise to these next-generation cruise ships,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises President. “Even more exciting is that these two ships are being designed to include our MedallionClass platform, powered by OceanMedallion, the most advanced wearable device available within the global hospitality industry.”

Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, commented on the announcement: “This result proves, once again, the trust we receive from the market, which allows us to look to the future with ambition. It honors our great work focused on innovation thanks to which we have been able to offer to the client a record-breaking proposal not only in terms of size. Besides we firmly believe that a new class of Princess Cruises’ ships, one of Carnival Group’s top brands, can stem from this promising project. In fact, for Princess Cruises, we have received orders for 21 ships, another unprecedented result in this industry.”

Considered a breakthrough in the vacation industry and recently honored with a CES® 2019 Innovation Award, the OceanMedallion is leading-edge technology that delivers personalized service on a large scale through enhanced guest-crew interaction, as well as enabling interactive entertainment. Guests are currently experiencing Princess MedallionClass vacations onboard Caribbean Princess and Regal Princess. By the end of the year, MedallionClass vacations will be activated on three additional ships, Royal Princess, Crown Princess and Sky Princess.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and United Nations reported that growth in the number of people cruising between 2004 and 2014 outpaced land-based vacations by over 20 percent, and CLIA projects 30 million people will take an ocean cruise in 2019, an all-time record. These stats signal a bright future for the cruise industry, as well as for professional travel advisor partners enthusiastic for more inventory to meet the growing demands for cruising.

With five ships being built over the next six years, Princess Cruises is the fastest growing premium cruise line in the world.

 (PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, Fla. – March 27, 2019 – Virgin Voyages, the new lifestyle brand set to disrupt the travel industry, is returning to its Virgin brand roots and creating an incomparable music experience on their first ship, Scarlet Lady. Due to set sail for its inaugural season in 2020, Scarlet Lady will be equipped with an on ship record shop called Voyage Vinyl, The Groupie, a private karaoke and gaming lounge, and perfectly curated music and performances by up-and-coming artists as well as music trendsetters for Virgin Voyages’ Sailors to enjoy.

Virgin Voyages’ residency program will feature performances by world-class talent on ship, in-port destinations and at The Beach Club at Bimini. Just last month, Virgin Voyages announced that the Grammy and Oscar-winning DJ, songwriter and record producer, Mark Ronson, has committed to four performances at The Beach Club at Bimini in 2020. Based on Sailor demand, the company has expanded

the star-studded residency music lineup to include the multi-platinum chart-topping artist,  DJ, producer/ remixer,  MK (Marc Kinchen), who has committed to one performance in 2020. The Grammy-nominated electronic music duo Sofi Tukker, known for their smash-hit Best Friend, will also join the Virgin Voyages residency program.

With the Virgin brand’s deep-rooted history in music, Virgin Voyages’ sonic identity will come to life aboard Scarlet Lady. Each space on Scarlet Lady will have a unique energy, thoughtfully developed by industry legends and brought to life by up-and-coming talent and special guest performances. The Virgin Voyages sonic identity will have a home in electronic music, but will also incorporate other music genres, ensuring that all Sailors will find a sound they love. The brand defines electronic, as not solely a traditional “EDM” sound, but will incorporate all electronically programmed sounds, even those of more classic eras, and the early innovators of the sound from rare disco tracks, through to 80’s sounds and other important periods of electronic sound. That means timeless classics from varying genres will be artfully blended with the new and rising artists.

​As part of Virgin Voyages’ fierce approach to music, the brand also announced the expansion of their Creative Collective from design, food and entertainment to now include music, working with some of the most creative and transformative artists in the industry.

Virgin Voyages’ new music Creative Collective to include WhiteLabel Creative, a group of music industry insiders that specialize in sensory branding and cultural programming for hospitality and lifestyle experiences. WhiteLabel Creative is responsible for developing the background sonic palettes across the ship and securing DJs for The Beach Club at Bimini’s residency program.

Leaning into Virgin’s history in music, something old is new again with Voyage Vinyl, the record shop aboard Scarlet Lady. Voyage Vinyl will be the go-to spot on board for Sailors to experience music from all eras and genres. Voyage Vinyl features personal listening stations for Sailors to enjoy their favorite albums both current and classic. Sailors looking for something unique can also shop for limited-edition curated albums and special editions of classics. Sailors can also purchase music magazines, headphones and record players.

Voyage Vinyl will also double as a performance spot for live sets mixed by Scarlet Lady’s resident DJs.

Sailors can let loose at The Groupie, Virgin Voyages’ bookable karaoke, gaming and movie lounge. Designed by Roman Coppola, The Groupie was designed as a modernist take on a Japanese-style karaoke room for Sailors to enjoy singing along to their favorite tunes with friends.

Celebrating Music Launch

 Virgin Voyages announced its music strategy in a panel discussion at Winter Music Conference and will partake in the local music scene by taking over a part of Gramps, 176 NW 24th St, Miami, in Wynwood for five days from 4-11 pm Tuesday, March 26 - Saturday, March 30.  Bargoers will have the opportunity to create their own art as a takeaway item at a vinyl spin art station. Virgin Voyages will also have an epic Instagram moment where visitors can hop on a giant turntable and insta their hearts away in a photo booth. Bargoers will receive a keychain to a special lockbox at Gramps, where they can try their luck to win special Virgin Voyages swag, vinyl record players, vintage records and more.

Future sailors and travel partners are invited to check out Virgin Voyages by visiting www.virginvoyages.com.

(PRESS RELEASE)_CALABASAS, CA – (March 26, 2019) – AmaWaterways today announced the launch of “myAmaCruise,” a new mobile app designed to expand the ways guests can engage with and share their AmaWaterways river cruise experiences. Available for download on the App Store or Google Play prior to embarking on all AmaWaterways’ European and Vietnam and Cambodia itineraries*, “myAmaCruise” makes it easy for guests to access information about their itinerary, store their photos in one simple and accessible location and share those memories with family and friends back home. Noteworthy features include:

·       Live Itinerary Tracking, an interactive map that follows the ship’s journey throughout the cruise and showcases details of each stop

·       Mobile Daily Cruiser, up-to-date information regarding onboard activities, details on the shore excursions available and port of call information

·       Personal Cruise Album, a library of photos taken, with tagging on an itinerary map, which can be easily shared with family and friends during and after the cruise

·       Email Postcards, a fun way to help guests connect with those at home -- at the touch of a button -- automatically sending e-postcards with images in each new port visited during their cruise

“As we continue embracing innovation in all areas of our business, it is very important that we use technology to meet the evolving needs of our guests,” said Rudi Schreiner, president and co-owner of AmaWaterways. “We were the first river cruise line to offer complimentary Wi-Fi throughout our ships and with this new app, we’re happy to now provide even more ways for our guests to stay connected and share their experiences with friends and family.”

In addition to the launch of the app, AmaWaterways has enhanced cellular data plans throughout its European ships and added more viewing options on its stateroom Entertainment-On-Demand system than ever before. Combined with fiber optic land lines in every European port where a ship docks for a minimum of six hours, AmaWaterways now offers the fastest Wi-Fi on Europe’s rivers, making it easy for guests and groups to roam on the river. Those staying in spacious suites on the revolutionary AmaMagna will also enjoy mobile Wi-Fi devices that allow complimentary internet connection as they explore the most breathtaking and culturally rich towns and villages throughout Europe. On board, guests will delight in the expanded Entertainment-On-Demand system, which will offer hundreds of movies and TV shows with new releases being added each month.

“With the ‘myAmaCruise’ app, our guests will now have all the information they need to make the most of their trip, in new and exciting ways,” said Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-owner of AmaWaterways. “With so many diverse, included excursions and beautiful destinations to visit during an AmaWaterways journey, ‘myAmaCruise’ makes it easier for our guests to share the memories being made in real time.”

*excluding Portugal

(PRESS RELEASE)_Deerfield Beach, Fla., March 22, 2019 – Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, the only provider of daily, two-night cruises from the Port of Palm Beach to Grand Bahama Island, has announced it will no longer use plastic straws and stirrers on board its fleet – Grand Classica and Grand Celebration – and instead offer paper straws upon request. Rolled out in February 2019, this plan will translate to the removal of            at least 2 million straws and stirrers annually.

According to the UN over 8 million tonnes of plastic ends up in the ocean each year, wreaking havoc on the marine wildlife, fisheries and tourism and costing at least $8 billion in damage to marine ecosystems.

As part of Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line’s larger environmental initiative, the elimination of single-use plastics is one of several ecological efforts the Palm Beach-based cruise line offers – including providing guests with eco-adventure opportunities at Loggerhead Marinelife Center and Manatee Lagoon.

“By going straw-free, we are able to eliminate a substantial amount of plastic waste from entering the ocean,” shares Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line CEO Oneil Khosa. “Our commitment is to not only provide guests with a great experience but also offer sustainably responsible practices that reduce the footprint of our cruise ships.”

In addition to moving away from single-use plastics, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line has partnered with two of Palm Beach’s leading wildlife centers to offer guests fun ecological adventures with an educational twist. Guests can choose from two Eco-Discovery Tours – Pre-Sail or Post-Sail – which both offer tours of the Loggerhead Marinelife Center and Manatee Lagoon.

The Manatee Lagoon, a Florida Power and Light (FPL) Eco-Discovery Center, showcases South Florida’s manatees and their fragile ecosystem. The center is dedicated to educating the public about these gentle giants and inspiring the community to preserve and protect Florida’s environment and wildlife for future generations.

The second stop in each package is the family-friendly Loggerhead Marinelife Center, which specializes in the rehabilitation of sea turtles. The center features an outdoor turtle hospital and exhibit hall, which cruise guests can explore with a special behind-the-gate tour. Guests will also be able to meet some of the hospital’s charming turtles as they learn about the center’s impactful conservation efforts.

In addition to the two wildlife centers, the Post-Sail tour also includes lunch at the waterfront Marina Village, kayaking or paddleboarding around Peanut Island and the opportunity to snorkel in the Lake Worth Lagoon. Both the Pre-Sail and Post-Sail packages offer the perfect beginning or ending to a memorable Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line cruise experience.

(PRESS RELEASE)_Seattle, Wash., March 21, 2019 — Holland America Line guests looking to bask in the Mexican Riviera’s sun-kissed climate and vibrant culture will have 20 cruises and three ships to choose from between October 2019 and April 2020. A seven-day series of itineraries will be offered aboard Oosterdam and Eurodam, while Maasdam’s popular EXC In-Depth Voyages expand to Mexico in 2020. All of the regular-season cruises conveniently sail roundtrip from San Diego, California.

Each itinerary features three Mexican ports of call, including an overnight at Puerto Vallarta, providing extra time to take a zip-line tour through the lush Sierra Madre Mountains, go whale-watching in Banderas Bay or take a side trip to one of Mexico’s enchanting Pueblos Magicos. All cruises also include calls at the popular Mexican ports of Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas.

“Mexico continues to be a top cruise choice among our guests because it offers such a rich experience, from warm weather and beautiful beaches to diverse cultural and culinary landscapes,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “By visiting several iconic ports within this captivating country, we’re able to provide guests with an authentic, immersive experience that leaves them with a deeper understanding of this colorful part of the world.”

Oosterdam kicks off the season Oct. 6, 2019, with one of 14 seven-day cruises offered through April 18, 2020, including two holiday departures Dec. 21 and Dec. 28. Guests can enjoy an identical itinerary aboard Eurodam Oct. 19, Nov. 2 and Nov. 9, 2019. Cruisers interested in a longer sailing can extend Eurodam’s Oct. 19 voyage by embarking four days earlier at Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for an 11-day cruise that adds a call at Santa Barbara, California.

(PRESS RELEASE)_VALENCIA, Calif., March 19, 2019 – Luxury cruise line Cunard has announced that three of the leading wine connoisseurs and oenologists, will join Queen Victoria’s second annual ‘Voyage Du Vin’ on board Queen Victoria, setting sail in September. This round trip, 14-night voyage departs from Southampton, England, on September 6, and returns on September 20, 2019.

Oz Clarke, Will Lyons and Charles Metcalfe will headline the two-week voyage, which will sail to some of the leading wine regions of France, Spain and Italy including calls to Vigo, Mallorca, Livorno (for Florence) Cannes, Barcelona and Gibraltar. Guests will have numerous opportunities to go ashore and explore the diverse cultures, tastes and experiences each destination has to offer. Wine experts include:

Oz Clarke is one of the world’s foremost wine connoisseurs, has written several award-winning books, and is generally regarded as leading Britain's wine revolution in the 1990’s and 2000’s. Clarke said: “Whether you’re an existing wine buff, or simply have a love of fine wine, fine holidays and good times, the Voyage du Vin 2019 is sure to delight. I’m already looking forward to joining Queen Victoria in September.”
 
Will Lyons is an award-winning columnist and broadcaster who has publishes a weekly column on wine, formerly in The Wall Street Journal and now The Sunday Times. His humorous, informed, down-to-earth writing has been recognized in both the Glenfiddich and Roederer wine writing awards.
 
Charles Metcalfe is the International Wine Challenge’s co-chairman and is one of the best-known wine critics in Britain.

​“We are delighted to have this group of experts join the second annual Voyage du Vin,” said Josh Leibowitz, SVP Cunard North America. “This is an extraordinary way for wine enthusiasts to taste some of the world’s leading wines and visit the regions where they were made, all while travelling in style on board the iconic Queen Victoria – only on Cunard.”

Along with talks from the experts, guests will experience daily wine tastings, pairings and fine dining, featuring over 400 wines from 23 countries.

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.