MSC Wishes You “Happy Birthday” With a Free, 7-night Caribbean Cruise

MSC Cruises wants you to celebrate your upcoming birthday with a special gift–a free, 7-night Caribbean cruise. If you celebrate your birthday onboard MSC Poesia between Nov. 14 and Dec. 19, your cruise is on them and your companions pay from only $529 per person plus government fees and taxes (GFTs). Guests celebrating a birthday can choose from select dates and itineraries on bookings made by

Two New Ships Reach Milestones: Allure of the Seas & Disney Magic

Royal Caribbean International's newest ship Allure of the Seas passed under the Storebaelt Bridge (Great Belt Bridge) in Denmark yesterday as she makes her transatlantic journey to her homeport in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The ship, which had to retract its funnels in order to pass beneath the bridge, had only a few feet of clearance as it made its way under the bridge.Later in the day, another

Maiden Voyage Fit For A Queen

Not all new ship Maiden Voyages are created equal and some are a disappointment to passengers who anticipate something special. That wasn't the case as Queen Elizabeth completed her 13-night Maiden Voyage in Southampton, England last Tuesday. As well as enjoying the distinction of being the first to sail on Cunard Line’s new Queen, guests were also treated to several surprises during the

Royal Caribbean Gets The Keys To Allure of the Seas

Yesterday was a big day at STX Europe shipyard in Turku, Finland as Royal Caribbean Intl took delivery of the newest addition to the cruise line's fleet, Allure of the Seas.With Captain Hernan Zini at the helm, Allure of the Seas departs Turku today, starting the 13-day countdown to her U.S. debut into her homeport of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Thursday, Nov. 11. Allure of the

Disney Dream’s Spectacles Take Cruise Ship Family Entertainment to New Heights

Talk about elevating cruise ship entertainment to new heights: A little mermaid soars over the stage in a stunning aerial ballet … Pirates rappel from atop the ship’s funnel during a swashbuckling adventure … The evening sky lights up with a dazzling spectacle of sound and color. When the Disney Dream sets sail in January 2011, Disney Cruise Line is more than just raising the bar with

New Cruise Review: Holland America Line's ms Ryndam

This is what's called a two-fer. First, after an earlier Bermuda cruise on Veendam this year, Karen Segboer shares her unique perspective about Holland America Line’s S-class Ships: Antithetical Asymmetricies Aboard the Ryndam on (what was to be) a Western Caribbean cruise from Tampa.For more about that itinerary and what happens when bad weather is in your path, Karen shares her thoughts and

The Art & Soul of a Cunard Liner: Queen Elizabeth

Welcome aboard for an exclusive Cruise Diva profile of Cunard Line's newest regal vessel, the third liner in Cunard Line's 170-year history to bear the name Queen Elizabeth.We hope you enjoy your illustrated "virtual" tour as much as we enjoyed spending time on board in Southampton for the naming events.

Norwegian Cruise Line To Build Two New Next Generation Freestyle Cruising Ships

Following the successful launch of Norwegian Epic, the company’s largest and most innovative ship to date, Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that it has reached an agreement with MEYER WERFT GMBH of Germany to build two new next generation Freestyle Cruising ships for delivery in spring 2013 and spring 2014, respectively. Each of the 143,500 gross ton vessels (pictured here in an artists'

New Cruise Review: Norwegian Epic

This was Vincent & Mary Finelli's seventh cruise on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, but their 87th cruise overall.There have been a lot of changes in cruising since Vincent's first transatlantic sailing in 1956 on the Greek Line's Olympia, a 22,000 gross tons liner. Vincent says changes have occurred not only in the size of the ships, but in the activities and entertainments they feature. Norwegian

Savannah As A Cruise Port?

After eyeing the success of Charleston, SC as a port of call and homeport, television stations in Georgia, such as WRDW here in Augusta, are reporting the possibility that Savannah could become a cruising homeport as well. Pictured here is Carnival Fantasy docking in Charleston.The city of Savannah awarded a $129,500 contract to the consulting firm BEA Architects of Miami to do a market study

Family Vacations - Getting To Know Your Family Again

By Leah Kennedy

What does your family enjoy doing on vacations? Maybe a cabin in the woods during winter or a white sandy beach during summer? Whatever your family enjoys, a family vacation is a chance to get to know your whole family again and have quality time to spend together.This is an opportunity to really talk with your kids and find out whats going on in their day-to-day lives. Kids

Regent Seven Seas Cruises Redefines The All-Inclusive Concept

Although Regent Seven Seas is already recognized by Condé Nast Traveler readers as the “most inclusive ultra-luxury cruise line” because airfare, all-suite accommodations, gourmet cuisine, open bars, sightseeing excursions, gratuities, and taxes are included in the fare, Regent has just raised the “all-inclusive” bar even higher by offering their guests complimentary overnight accommodations at

Disney Fantasy Maiden Voyage Set; Reservations For Disney Cruise Line 2012 Itineraries Now Open

While we're waiting for Disney Dream to "float out" at the Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, later this month, Disney Cruise Line has announced that Disney Fantasy will sail her maiden voyage on April 7, 2012, bringing even more innovation, unique guest experiences, and personalized service for which Disney Cruise Line is known.A sister ship to the Disney Dream, the Disney Fantasy will

A Cruise Review With A Twist! Emerald Princess, A Wedding Love Boat

As Pat Fernandez says, “This will not be the average cruise review, where someone describes food, stateroom, embarkation procedures, ports of call, and the typical how good or bad each moment was. This is my daughter’s wedding at sea.”Join Pat, his daughter Jennifer, her new husband Byron Wyatt, their family, and friends aboard Princess Cruises’ Emerald Princess for a special occasion and share

Jamaica Me Crazy

"Island time" is a pretty well-known concept in the Caribbean where a slower pace prevails than in most of North America. Nowhere is it more pronounced than in Jamaica where it's not uncommon to hear, "no problem, mon" even when problems are clearly apparent.When my husband was in Jamaica on business last month I asked him to swing past the Falmouth Port area, where it had recently been reported

Princess Cruises Increases Alaska Deployment In 2012

Princess Cruises has announced a small step in the “revival” of the Alaska cruise market and it’s a positive move that we’re pleased to see. After two years operating just three ships on its Voyage of the Glaciers route, Princess will be returning a fourth ship to its signature itinerary for the 2012 summer season. The decision by Princess to increase its Alaska capacity was prompted, in part, by

Carnival Magic’s “Name the Dish” Contest: And The Winner Is...

Carnival Cruise Lines has a winner! Following several days of on-line voting, “Il Bacio del Mare” (Kiss of the Sea), submitted by Ted Fazioli of Salem, NH, was chosen the winner of Carnival Magic’s “Name the Dish” contest. The contest invited consumers to come up with a creative moniker for a delectable new menu item in Cucina del Capitano, the family-style Italian restaurant featured on the new

Silversea Dramatically Reduces 'Solo Traveler' Fares on Select 2011 Voyages

Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises has reduced the single supplement on more than 20 sailings in 2011 to just 10%-25% (above the per-person, double-occupancy fare) for Vista, Veranda, and Midship Veranda suites. Initially launched last summer on select 2010 voyages, the line's specially reduced Solo Traveler fares proved such a popular incentive with independent travelers that the company is

Norwegian Cruise Line Parties In Pink To Promote Breast Cancer Awareness

If you are boarding a Norwegian Cruise Line ship this month, pack something pink. NCL has announced that their popular fleet-wide White Hot Party, the line’s signature dance party, on board its Freestyle Cruising ships turns pink for the remainder of the month of October to help commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month.The White Hot Party is a heavenly theme party held on board Norwegian’s ships

Where the Water Meets the Hull: Carnival Magic Floated Out

With less than seven months until her maiden voyage, the new 130,000-ton Carnival Magic reached a major construction milestone when she was “floated out” earlier this week from her outfitting quay at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.The initial stages of a cruise ship’s construction take place in a dry dock facility. Once exterior outfitting is completed, the dry dock is flooded with

Queen Elizabeth Naming: “Pomp & Circumstance Fit For A Queen”...

As Alastair Greener, Queen Elizabeth's Entertainment Director put it, “Nobody does that like the British.”At a question-and-answer session the day before the Queen Elizabeth naming ceremony, Peter Shanks, CEO and Managing Director of Cunard Line, told those of us in the American media group that his mission was to make the hairs on the back of our necks stand up during the proceedings. He

Princess Cruises’ Ships Are Plugging Away In San Francisco

Island Princess helped inaugurate the Port of San Francisco’s new shore power facility by “plugging in” to electric power from shore last week. The new shore power technology at the Port of San Francisco cruise ship terminal enables Princess Cruises’ ships, and other equipped vessels, to use power from the city’s grid instead of the engines to power the ship’s onboard services—reducing emissions

Queen Elizabeth: The Royal Naming Ceremony

In a royal ceremony with as much pomp, pageantry, and nostalgia to satisfy the most avid Anglophile, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II gave Cunard Line’s new Queen Elizabeth her name and bestowed her blessing upon the liner. The christening began yesterday with performances by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and the Massed Bands of the Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, and Fanfare

Queen Elizabeth: Ready for Her Name

In Southampton on a sunny, crisp autumn English day, the newest Cunard liner awaits naming by Her Majesty The Queen.

On Board Queen Elizabeth: Art & Memorabilia

Art plays a large part in cruise ship décor and on no ship is it more important than on the new Queen Elizabeth. I’ve only been on board for a day, but I’ve already seen that signature art deco style pieces, such as a mural at the Reception Desk by Academy-Award winner, author, and art deco expert Arnold Schwartzman (above), mingle seamlessly with contemporary art commissioned for the ship,

British Airways vs Delta: Seat Wars to London to See The Queen

By the time you read this my British Airways flight will have landed in London's Heathrow Airport and I'll be in Southampton to attend the gala events aboard Cunard Line's Queen Elizabeth, including her royal naming ceremony where she'll be christened by Her Majesty The Queen.In the past my luck with British Airways has been rather spotty, despite having Club World (Business) class tickets. The

Meeting A Queen

Last week, during a handover ceremony on board Queen Elizabeth at the Fincantieri Monfalcone shipyard, Cunard Line took delivery of the new 92,400-ton vessel. Aboard the second largest Cunarder ever built and the third new liner for the luxury cruise line in six years, the Italian flag was ceremonially lowered and the Blue Ensign was raised, marking the entry of another magnificent Cunard liner

Princess Cruises to Welcome Film Critic Leonard Maltin Aboard Coral Princess

An executive at a small-ship luxury cruise line once told me that his ships featured movies on deck long before the introduction of big-screen Movies Under The Stars (MUTS) on Princess Cruises ships. That may be so, but there is no denying the cachet of the Times Square-style screen versus one put up temporarily and the popularity of watching a film in the sea-going equivalent of a drive-in

Disney Dream Nears Completion

In just a few weeks—on Saturday, Oct 30, 2010—Disney Dream, to date the biggest cruise ship built by Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, will leave the yard's covered building dock (pictured here). The floating-out manoeuvre is supposed to commence around 5 pm and Disney Dream is scheduled to float out of the dock for the first time. In Disney fashion, the event will include a unique

Princess Cruises Launches “50 Essential Experiences: The Travel Bucket List” Blog

Everyone with the urge to travel has their own bucket list of places they want to go and even those of us who travel frequently have places we have yet to see. Cruise Diva has the Norwegian Fjords and North Cape at the top of her list. To celebrate those travel destinations, Princess Cruises has launched a new blog that will reveal the top travel bucket list experiences recommended by the line’s

Celebrity Cruises Serves Up ‘Delicious’ Holiday Sailings & Onboard Credits

We’ve dropped everything to share this onboard credit offer because the booking window is so short—there are only three days to make a qualified reservation. Travelers who select top-rated premium line Celebrity Cruises for their festive holiday vacation are destined for a series of “delicious” experiences and, for a limited time, can also enjoy an attractive onboard credit. Vacationers who book

Europe Travel Alert

The State Department issued an alert yesterday for U.S. citizens regarding the potential for terrorist attacks in Europe. Current information suggests that al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks. European governments have taken action to guard against a terrorist attack and some have spoken publicly about the heightened threat conditions.Terrorists may elect to

Oceania Cruises’ New Marina Completes Successful Sea Trials

Oceania Cruises’ new 1,250-guest Marina has passed a critical milestone on the way to her January 2011 launch by successfully completing sea trials on Sept. 26. During the sea trials, which included three days of sailing the Mediterranean, technicians and engineers from the Fincantieri shipyard along with Oceania Cruises’ marine and technical teams evaluated the vessel’s speed, maneuverability,

Silversea's Redesigned Website Features Functionality & Content By Fodor's

Silversea Cruises has launched their dramatically redesigned website this week at Silversea.com. With special effects designed to capture the essence of luxury travel, the site opens to a muted-silver seascape that comes alive when colorful animated photography fades in and out as if being revealed by a curtain drawing across a stage. From there, images by award-winning photographer Dana Neibert