News from the Cruiselines
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14 Cruiselines Have Scheduled Alaska Sailings for 2010
by Mike Miller, Publisher,
www.AlaskaCruisingReport.com
Fourteen cruiselines
have advised
www.AlaskaCruisingReport.com they will dispatch vessels to Alaska in
2010. Here's the complete list (so far) of major, mid-size, and
small-ship cruise lines you can choose among. You can call for
information or view their websites at the following locations:Large
to "Mega" Cruiseships
Carnival Cruiselines: 1-800-437-3111; www.carnival.com. Vessel: Carnival Spirit (2,124 guests. Departures from Seattle and Vancouver.
Celebrity Cruises: 1-800-437-3111; www.celebritycruises.com. Three vessels: Infinity (1,950 guests), Mercury (1,870), Millennium (1,950). Departures from Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Seward, and Vancouver.
Holland America Line: 1-877-SAIL HAL; www.hollandamerica.com. Eight vessels: Amsterdam (1,380 guests), Oosterdam (1,918), Rotterdam (1,316), Ryndam (1,258),Statendam (1,258), Volendam (1,432),Zaandam (1,432), Zuiderdam (1,916). Departures from Seattle, Seward, and Vancouver.
Norwegian Cruiseline: 1-866-234-0292; www.ncl.com. Two vessels: Norwegian Pearl (2,394 guests) and Norwegian Star (2,244) will sail seven-day Inside Passage Sawyer Glacier and Glacier Bay cruises. Roundtrip departures from Seattle.
Princess Cruises: 1-800-PRINCESS; www.princess.com. Eight vessels: Coral Princess (1,970 guests), Diamond Princess (2,670), Golden Princess (2,600), Island Princess (1,970), Pacific Princess (670), Sapphire Princess(2,670), Sea Princess (1,990), Star Princess (2,600). Departures from San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, and Whittier.
Royal Caribbean International: 1-800-327-6700; www.royalcaribbean.com. Three vessels: Radiance of the Seas (2,100 guests), Rhapsody of the Seas (2,000), Serenade of the Seas (2,100). Departures from San Diego, Seward,
Seattle, and Vancouver.
Mid-Size
Cruise Vessels
Regent
Seven Seas
Cruises: 1-800-285-1835; www.RSSC.com. One vessel: Seven
Seas
Mariner (700 guests). San Francisco, Seward, and Vancouver.
Silversea Cruises: 1-877-215-9986; www.silversea.com. One vessel: Silver Shadow (382 guests). Departures from: Departures from: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seward, and Vancouver,
Small
Cruise Vessels
The Boat Company: 1-360-697-4242; www.theboatcompany.com; Two vessels: Liseron (20 guests), Mist Cove (24). Departures from Juneau and Sitka.
Cruise West: 1-800-888-9378; www.cruisewest.com. Company will deploy multiple vessels to Alaska in 2010 but ships and routes have not yet been finalized.
Discovery Voyages: 800-324-7602; www.discoveryvoyages.com: One Vessel: Discovery (12 guests. Departures from Whittier into Prince William Sound.
Departures from Whittier and Cordova.
Lindblad Expeditions: 1-800-EXPEDITION; www.expeditions.com. Two vessels: National Geographic Sea Lion and National Geographic Sea Bird, each 62 guests. Departures from Juneau, Sitka and Seattle.
Maple Leaf Adventures: 1-250-FUN SAIL; www.MapleLeafAdventures.com. One sailing vessel: Maple Leaf (9 guests). Departures from Prince Rupert, B.C. and from Juneau.
Carnival Cruise Lines' 2010 Alaska Voyages
Will Operate Round-Trip From Seattle
For the first time ever, Carnival Cruise Lines will operate a schedule of seven-day Alaska cruises round-trip from Seattle beginning in May 2010.
In total, 17 week-long Alaska cruises will operate from the Port of Seattle from May 11 to Aug. 31, 2010 departing Tuesdays aboard the 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit.
Port calls on these voyages include the popular Alaskan destinations of Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, as well as Victoria Island, British Columbia, and cruising Tracy Arm Fjord.
Each of these destinations offers a rich history and culture, along with awe-inspiring natural wonders, including calving glaciers, magnificent fjords and native sea and animal life.
The Carnival Spirit also features an on-board naturalist who educates guests on the region’s colorful history and points out animal and marine life from the ship’s bridge.
Prior to the start-up of the new program, Carnival Spirit will operate two special voyages – a six-day Inside Passage voyage from Vancouver to Seattle departing May 5, 2010 and a seven-day Glacier Bay cruise from Seattle to Vancouver Sept. 7, 2010. Both voyages include a cruise through the Inside Passage along with port calls at Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan; and the seven-day cruise also includes a day of cruising in Glacier Bay.
Kids sailing on Carnival Spirit can enjoy three different children’s programs – Camp Carnival for ages 2-11, Circle “C” for ages 12 to 14, and Club O2 for 15- to 17-year-olds – with facilities and counselors dedicated to each group. Many activities in these programs feature fun, educational activities with an Alaska theme.
Reservations are currently being accepted for Carnival’s 2010 Alaska cruises from Seattle. For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit www.carnival.com.
Cruise West Awarded 8 Entries Into Glacier Bay Nat'l Park
Cruise West, the largest American-owned cruise line, has been awarded eight cruiseship entries to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve by the National Park Service. The cruise line also holds two tour vessel permits that allows 105 entries of its smaller vessels. This is the highest number of tour vessel entries allocated to one cruise line.“Cruise West is unique as we hold both kinds of ship permits – a cruise ship permit for the Spirit of Oceanus (over 100 tons), and a tour vessel permit for the remainder of our fleet (ships under 100 tons), said Chairman and Managing Director Dick West.
Seven of Cruise West’s ten Alaska cruise itineraries feature the waters of UNESCO World Heritage Site Glacier Bay National Park. Cruises range from four to 25 days and operate May through early September. Guests with additional time can extend their cruise with a fully guided land tour to Anchorage, renowned Denali National Park and Preserve and Fairbanks or stay at a rustic lodge in the heart of Denali.
For additional information call 1-800-689-1783 or visit www.cruisewest.com.
'Movies Under the Stars' Comes to Alaska Cruising
Princess
Cruises' signature “Movies Under the Stars” poolside screens have
become such a popular feature since debuting in 2004, that the line
will add the dramatic 300-square-foot movie screens feature to most of
the fleet over the next several years.– including three vessels scheduled
for
Alaska cruising in 2009. Princess was the first cruise
line to
introduce this unique entertainment experience aboard its ships and
Movies Under the Stars has subsequently revolutionized movie-watching
at sea.
Movies
Under the Stars, which shows movies, concerts, sporting events and
other special programming throughout the day and evening, will be
installed aboard Golden
Princess, Sea
Princess, and Star Princess
when these vessels visit Alaska during the 2009 cruising season.
The
giant
LED (Light Emitting Diode) screen is more than 300 square feet in size
with a 69,000-watt sound system and has sufficient lighting power to be
seen clearly at mid-day.
During
evening hours, Alaska's "midnight sun" will not be
problem.
In
addition
to movies, passengers can enjoy a variety of special programs on the
giant screen, including sporting events, Academy Awards, video game
contests with Nintendo’s Wii, a variety of event concerts with artists
such as Tina Turner and Elton John, and even midnight showings of cult
films such as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
World's Leading Cruise Lines Group Launches New Website
World’s Leading Cruise Lines (WLCL) – comprised of Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, and The Yachts of Seabourn – has created a new website to provide a one-stop resource for exploring the full range of quality cruising experiences available to consumers today.
Created to enhance awareness with both consumers and travel agents, WLCL’s new website www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com provides insight into each brand’s fleet, shipboard experiences and popular destinations. Videos featuring each brand are provided as well as links to member lines.
“Each brand contributed content and imagery, allowing guests and travel agents to more fully appreciate the diverse features and amenities offered by the World’s Leading Cruise Lines, each a leader in its specific market segment,” said Bill Harber, Carnival Corporation’s Director of Marketing.
Carnival Corporation is the largest cruise vacation group in the world, with a portfolio of brands in North America, Europe and Australia, comprised of AIDA, Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, (Publisher's note: Holland America Line, Ibero Cruises, Ocean Village, P&O Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia, Princess Cruises, and The Yachts of Seabourn. (Cruiselines in bold face have operated in Alaska for decades.
(Publisher's note: Cruiselines shown in bold face type operate in Alaska and have done so for decades)
Silversea "Pops the Cork" With 11 New 2009 "Wine Cruises" - Including Alaska!
Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises is toasting the New Year with an enticing new collection of 11Wine Series voyages for 2009 – including Alaska!
On each wine-themed cruise, discerning travelers with a passion for fine wines will enjoy sampling great vintages and learning about the tradition and art of winemaking in special tastings and lectures conducted by wine professionals, vineyard owners, winemakers and other epicurean specialists from renowned establishments, including California's Justin and Wente wineries, Italy's Castello Banfi and Chile's Santa Alicia Winery, to name a few. On many voyages, guests will also have the chance to explore some of the world’s most celebrated wine regions on guided shore excursions.
"Our Wine Series cruises are a great way for guests to broaden their understanding and appreciation for one of life's most cherished luxuries – fine wine," said David Morris, Silversea's executive vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. "We've invited top experts from some of the world's most acclaimed vineyards and wineries to visit and interact with our guests, guiding them through entertaining tastings and lectures that add a unique and enriching dimension to their cruise experience."
Listed below are the 2009 Wine Series cruise destinations, (Rates are per person, double occupancy and do not include port charges.)
Alaska & Pacific Coast
Silver Shadow departs July 20 on a 12-day, roundtrip voyage (#3917) from San Francisco with calls in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Wrangell and Victoria. Wine series hosts: Eric and Arel Wente, owners of California's Wente Vineyards. Silver Sailing fares start at $6,646. ßß
Silver Shadow departs August 25 on a 9-day, roundtrip voyage (#3921) from Vancouver with calls in Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Wrangell and Victoria. Wine series host: Master Sommelier Joe Spellman of California's Justin Vineyards and Winery. Early Booking Incentive fares start at $5,775.
Other "Wine Cruise" destinations include Mediterranean, Northern Europe and The Baltic, South America, and Transoceanic.
For more information on Silversea Cruises, contact a travel agent.
Princess Introduces Digital Photo Kiosks Fleetwide
As travelers increasingly add digital cameras to their packing lists, Princess Cruises has made it easier than ever for its passengers to print or save those precious vacation memories right on board with new self-service digital photo kiosks.The entire fleet of Princess ships – including Alaska-bound vessels - now features state-of-the-art machines from Pixel Magic Imaging, a leader in digital imaging and photo kiosks. The user-friendly stations offer passengers the opportunity to make high-quality prints of favorite photos in a variety of sizes, or save their images to a CD at the touch of a button. The kiosks accept all popular forms of digital media, enabling owners of most types of digital cameras to access the service's many features.
A Pixel Magic digital kiosk is located adjacent to the onboard photo services desk on each ship. The machines offer a range of printing options, including editing functions to crop or enlarge images plus add boarders and other special effects. Prices for kiosk services begin at 45 cents for a 4x6 print.
Additional information is available by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com.
Alaska Adventure Cruise Company Maple Leaf Gives 1% For The
Planet
Cruises and cruise-tours can be an eco-friendly way to travel, notes
one cruise executive whose company is active in the BC/Alaska cruise
scene. For example, Kevin Smith's Maple
Leaf Adventures is a tour organization that
offers Alaska
adventure cruises aboard a sailing ship. and is the first cruise
company in the world to give one percent of its Alaska ecotour revenues
to conservation through "1% For The Planet."1% For The Planet, set up by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard and Craig Matthews, owner of Blue Ribbon Flies, is an alliance of businesses who donate a percentage of sales (not profits) to environmental conservation. It currently has 961 company members who donate to 1,628 environmental organizations worldwide. Musician Jack Johnson is a member, as are clothing companies Patagonia and Mountain Equipment Co-op.
Maple Leaf Adventures’ tours are similar to Galapagos cruises or African safaris, but instead explore the islands, fjords and rainforests of southeast Alaska. Wildlife viewing, nature interpretation and cultural history are paramount. A small group of guests travels aboard the 92-foot classic schooner Maple Leaf and on frequent shore explorations, accompanied by expert naturalist, chef, captain and crew.
“We’re thrilled to see Maple Leaf Adventures leading the way in the travel industry,” says Terry Kellogg, executive director of 1% For The Planet. “Experiential travel can be good for the planet, when it’s done on a small scale, with strong environmental ethics, and enriched by opportunities for guests to learn.”
For more information, contact Maple Leaf Adventures at 1-888-599-5323 or visit www.MapleLeafAdventures.com
Alaska-Bound NCL Cruiseship Offers (Are You Ready for This?) Onboard Bowling!
"NCL, Where You're Free to Whatever" is part of Norwegian Cruise Line's brand identity capturing the essence of the company's unique Freestyle Cruising, which allows guests to do whatever they want, whenever they want. Starting with the 2007 summer cruising season NCL's newest Freestyle Cruising ship - Norwegian Pearl - has been offering the industry's first onboard bowling alley! The Pearl is one of three NCL vessels in Alaska during the 2009 spring-summer-fall cruising season.More information about Norwegian Cruise Line and its Alaska programs are available from www.ncl.com.
Carnival Cruiselines Features "Water Wars"
Through an exclusive agreement with Minnesota-based “Water Wars,”
Carnival has becme the first cruise line to feature the
popular water balloon-themed attraction, currently found in amusement
parks in 22 countries throughout the world.The “Jr. Dyno Water Wars” units consist of two custom-built “battle stations” in which participants propel water balloons through the air via catapults in an effort to splash their competitors.
First available on Carnival’s Imagination and Fascination, the units have undergone fleetwide installation - including Alaska - and have been located on ships’ open decks adjacent to main pool areas.
“Water Wars” is the latest poolside activity aboard Carnival’s ships which also feature swimming pools, cascading water slides, and acres of deck space for sunning and relaxing. The attraction is particularly popular among the 525,000 children who sail with Carnival each year.