October-November-December,
2011
LATE BREAKING
CRUISE NEWS
Here's all the news you want to know from all the carriers you want to know about
A brand new sternwheeler will hit the Mississippi and tributary rivers in 2012. It's the 140-passenger Queen of the Mississippi. Seeking to recreate the grandeur of past riverboats with its looks and features, it will have six themed lounges, a library, a dining salon, and balconies, plus elevator service to all decks. It will sail, beginning in August, from New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, St. Paul, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh on seven-, 10-, and 14-day cruises.
Year-'round departures from New York will begin next April, with eight-day cruises to the Caribbean and Bahamas. The three-itinerary schedule will be Carnival's first 52-week Big Apple venture. The 2124-passenger Carnival Miracle will conduct the sailings.
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Celebrity is introducing wine-and-dine packages, which will allow passengers to visit a collection of specialty restaurants. Two goals of the packages are to allow passengers to pre-plan their trips more accurately and to allow for a variety of dining-room experiences... A new wrinkle in restaurants is coming to Celebrity. It is opening an interactive open-air grilling restaurant, "The Lawn Club Grill." What makes it different is that the 58-seat, grass-covered space will allow diners to be paired with the ship's professional chefs to prepare their meal. They'll be able to grill, build their own pizzas, perform other cooking tasks, and receive an apron as a memento. The idea premieres on the 2886-pasenger Celebrity Silhouette.
Adding to the nine new ships it has ordered from the Fincantieri shipyard in Venice since 2000, Costa has placed an order for a tenth. It will have a gross tonnage of 132,500 and will carry 4928 passengers in 1854 cabins. The ship, which will be completed late in 2014, will be the largest Italian-built cruise ship.
A 50 percent increase in
overnight stops highlights Crystal's 2012 itineraries. Most of its
trips will now begin with a shipboard overnight stay in port, while 86 percent
of the voyages will include at least one two-day call. Next year
the carrier's two ships will visit 182 ports in 59 countries on 60
itineraries. 20 of the ports will be first- time calls. There will
be more shorter cruises, ranging from seven to 19 days, plus a 94-day world
cruise. Overnights will be included in New York, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires,
Istanbul, Sydney, Perth, Montreal, Edinburgh, Tahiti, Sorrento, and many other
ports...
"Voluntourism" is the name Crystal is giving to some of its excursions whose
participants will volunteer to assist people in need in Italy, Greece,
Croatia, Israel, the Canary Islands, and Southern California. In Livorno,
Italy, they'll tend grounds at a home for disabled persons; in Ashdod, Israel,
they'll gather-pack -redistribute fruit and vegetables for a food bank; in
Navplion, Greece, they'll assist with daycare for abandoned children in
communal homes; in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, they'll produce a party for
developmentally-challenged people who live in residential centers; in Santa
Barbara, they'll collect produce in orchards that will go to the hungry; in
Athens, they'll aid the nurturing of injured turtles; in Dubrovnik, Croatia,
they'll garden with elderly inhabitants of a 660-year old shelter.
The craft of songwriting and honing lyrics and melodies into polished recordings was taught by six musicians during daily seminars recently aboard the 2620-passenger Queen Mary 2. At the end of the transatlantic cruise, the budding song writers presented their works to an audience of 800 fellow passengers and recorded their products onto a keepsake CD using professional equipment. The activity attracted so many participants and was so popular that it now has become a staple. For 2012 schedules, see Cunard.com/songwriting. Passenger participation will extend drama and poetry during the coming year...Cunard's schedule of 2013 World Voyages has been announced. The Queen Mary 2 will ply the Med, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and Southern Africa. The 2014-passenger Queen Victoria will head westward through the Panama Canal, the South Pacific, New Zealand, Australia, Jordan, Egypt, and beyond. They'll both depart from London in January and visit 55 ports in 28 countries...An initiative allowing passengers opportunities to support local community ventures and wildlife programs will continue during 2012. The Queen Mary 2 will visit a school feeding project in Cape Town and a charity center for orphans and single women in Dubai. Queen Elizabeth passengers may go to a children's home in Malaysia and a child-abuse foundation in Thailand.
Disney's next ship is
nearing the finish line for a Florida debut in March. The 4000-passenger
Disney Fantasy, sister ship to 2011's new Disney Dream, will conduct seven-day
cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, each stopping at the company's
private party island, Castaway Cay. It will have three pools, one of
which is reserved for adults; youth clubs for different ages; a nighttime
entertainment district for adults; split bathrooms in most cabins; dining rooms
full of Disney magic and interaction with Disney characters; live shows full of
more Disney magic and characters; a shipboard rollercoaster known as an
AquaDuck; and much more. The ship — fourth in Disney's fleet — will be
14 decks high and will be almost as long as four football fields...
With its fourth ship ready to be launched soon, Disney Cruise Line has
published a directory of 2012 cruises that contains new itineraries and three
new home ports, New York City, Seattle, and Galveston. From New
York, there will be 20 cruises. Eight will be eight-day trips to the
Bahamas and nine will be five-day cruises to Canada, plus three two-day
around-new York samplers. From Seattle, there will be 14 seven-day trips
to four cities in Alaska plus Victoria in British Columbia. From
Galveston, there will be 12 seven-day trips to the Western Caribbean. In
addition to the new ports, there will be a few changes at established ones.
From Los Angeles, a series of trips will go to San Francisco on seven-day
Pacific Coastal voyages. There will be a new cruise to Hawaii.
Mexico cruises will continue in between. From Port Canaveral, the
company's two newest ships — the 4000-passenger Disney Dream and
4000-passenger Disney Fantasy — will sail on Eastern and Western Caribbean
cruises of three-, four-, five-, and seven-day durations.
This issue: On-board review of Disney Dream. See "Ship Reviews" section.
Starting in spring, 2012, Hebridean's new 79-passenger Royal Crown river ship will inaugurate seven-day Rhine and Danube river cruises. The ship will have a lounge, a fine dining restaurant, library, sundeck with bar, concierge, and three grades of cabins. Drinks and shore excursions are included in the fare. Guest speakers will be aboard each departure.
Seared cajun tuna steak with plum tomato confit and horseradish rosti potatoes; beef strip loin with Hache sauce served with carrot and celeriac-bacon purees; roasted chicken with sausage cornbread stuffing; grilled salmon with miso, garlic, sesame, and cilantro, served in a spiced tomato broth with kale; a chocolate platter of chocolate cornflakes, creamy white chocolate mousse and a bitter-sweet chocolate slice; sauteed opakapaka on a bed of bleeding heart radishes, served with baby turnips stuffed with black trumpet mushrooms, sauteed morel mushrooms and basil-thyme oil. That's what passengers can expect on various Holland America ships as the company's Culinary Council of six master chefs from around the world prepare their best dishes this season. They'll be on the main dining room menu of the company's 15 ships... Five 14-day Asia voyages plus one additional 14-day China/Korea trip and a combo 28-day Asia-China-Korea cruise will highlight the 2012 schedule of the 1432-passenger Zaandam.
This issue: On-board Review of Maasdam. See "Ship
Reviews"
section.
Stops at Tunisia, Egypt, and Bahrain have been canceled until the end of the 2011 - 2012 cruise season.
Smoking in passenger cabins will be verboten on all of NCL's 11 ships starting
in January. The line is basing its new policy on changing preferences
among its passengers, it says. Balcony cigarette smoking will continue to
be allowed, but not cigars and pipes. So, starting at the new year,
indoor smoking will only be permitted in the casino,. It is prohibited in
all other public interior spaces. Some ships have enclosed cigar bars,
which will be open for cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoking. Regulations will
vary and will be posted in public outdoor spaces.
Oceania has shifted the maiden voyage of its new 1250-passenger Riviera. It will now leave in late April, 10 days later than originally planned, on a 12-day trip from Athens to ports in Israel, Egypt, Greece, and Turkey. Among the new ship's features: 10 dining venues, a hands-on Bon Appetit culinary center, artists in residence teaching fine arts, a coffee bar, a large spa, and many lounges.
San Francisco and Los Angeles will host a new series of more than 50 sailings to Hawaii during the 2011 - 2012 and 2012 - 2013 seasons. A large selection of on-board activities and learning opportunities will be offered because of the available time at sea. Lei making, ukulele playing, hula dance lessons, Hawaii-themed culinary demonstrations, and Kona coffee tastings are among the Island-themed events to be held on board. Each cruise will visit each of the four major islands of Hawaii. The 2600-passenger Golden Princess and 2670-passenger Sapphire Princess will sail on 14-day schedules from Los Angeles, while the 2600-passenger Star Princess and 2600-passenger Grand Princess will make 15-day circuits from San Francisco.
Regent Seven Seas will move its 30+ annual calls at Fort Lauderdale to neighboring Miami next fall, where it will join its sister company, Oceania Cruises. Miami will provide it with a dedicated terminal and the ability to start cruises on any day of the week, the company said... Next year's schedule looms large for Regent. There will be three summer "Grand Voyages," calling on 12 new ports. There will be 23 Europe trips on the 700-passenger Seven Seas Voyager. The 700-passenger Seven Seas Mariner will have overnights in Barcelona, Venice, Tel Aviv, Monte Carlo, and Instanbul. The 490-passenger Seven Seas Navigator will spend most of its year in North America, with the San Francisco - Alaska season, a New England/Canada season, and a San Francisco - New York cruise through the Panama Canal.
Joining the many carriers with on-board art auctions, Royal Caribbean will open an art program aboard most of its 22 ships. Its proprietary $120 million art collection will be part of the program, which will include the customary auctions, art-inspired events, tours, gifts, souvenirs, and seminars... A $300 million remodeling program will begin soon and extend through 2014 to update 15 ships. Revitalizations will result in new dining and entertainment options, wi fi, iPod docking stations, flat-panel television, digital wayfinding systems throughout the ships, a babies and tots nursery, new stateroom categories, Asian/chops/casual/Mexican/hotdog, and other restaurants, and many improvements to public areas and cabins. The Radiance, Splendour, Rhapsody, Grandeur, Serenade, Legend, Vision, Navigator, Voyager, Explorer, Adventure, Brilliance, Independence, Mariner and Enchantment of the Seas will receive the enhancements.
Seabourn's
just-published 2012 brochure reveals that its six ships will travel to 379
ports in 103 countries across six continents. Together, they'll make 212
voyages. Trips will last from seven to more than 100 days. 50 of
the ports will be visited for the first time.
Silversea Cruises' Overland excursions will increase next year. Silversea is adding 19 new mid-voyage land tours to the 30-plus it already offers. They're designed to immerse travelers with the people, history, wildlife, and natural attractions that lie just beyond the ports of call. As such, they will not be partial-day shore tours, but will consume full days or multiple days. Examples: two nights at the Amazon Ecopark Jungle Lodge in Brazil, a safari at the Gorah Elephant Camp in South Africa, two days at the Sossusviei Desert Lodge in the sand dunes of Namibia, and visits with China's giant pandas at the Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Centre and Tibet...Silversea is making a pitch for single travelers. On several 2012 trips, the single-supplement fare will be only 10 percent above the per-person, double-occupancy fare. In addition, each cruise will have a reception for single travelers and hosts will serve as dance partners, dinner companions, and escorts on shore excursions for single female passengers...Silversea has scheduled 20 "Grand Voyages" for 2012. They are 24 to 4 days in length. Among the itineraries: Africa and the Med, Asia and Australia, the Med and Northern Europe, South America, and a 115 day world cruise that departs Fort Lauderdale in January.
Swan Hellenic's 350-passenger Minerva is to be refurbished. Six cabins will be removed, 32 cabins will have balconies added, and technical upgrades will improve the ship's efficiency and maneuverability.
Viking River Cruises has contracted for two additional ships in the Longships class for delivery in 2012. That will bring the total of new vessels to six. Viking Suites will consist of two full-size rooms, each with 270-degree views. 22 suites will have French balconies. Some lounges will have floor-to-ceiling windows that can be rolled aside. The ships will be named the Viking Aegir and the Viking Embla. Each is built for 190 passengers. Previously, four new ships had been announced by Viking River Cruises. Part of a $250 million fleet development system, they'll be set to launch, also, in mid-2012. Each will be 443 feet long and will have 95 staterooms. They're being designed by the same maritime architects that created the Disney Dream and the Yachts of Seabourn. Hybrid engines, solar panels, an onboard organic herb garden, an indoor/outdoor lounge, and multiple dining areas are part of the design. The four ships will be named Viking Freya, Viking Idun, Viking Njord, and Viking Odin. The carrier currently has 19 vessels.
A 550-passenger vessel, the Voyager, will join the fleet during 2012. 86 percent of its cabins will be outside. Initial cruises will be in Central and South America — including the Amazon — and the Caribbean, beginning in November.
July-August-September,
2011
LATE BREAKING
CRUISE NEWS
Here's all the news you want to know from all the carriers you want to know about
American Cruise Lines, which plans to bring back river cruising on several U. S. rivers, has published its first brochure. It's a 58 pager titled Small Ship Cruising Done Perfectly and lists 2011 and 2012 schedules. Among the rivers it will ply: the Columbia, Snake, Mississippi, Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee. Departure ports include New Orleans, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, and Portland.
For the first time, Boston will be Carnival's home base for an extended schedule of trips. The 2974-passenger Carnival Glory will conduct four-day and five-day round trips to eastern Canada and the Canadian Maritimes. Beginning next June, the ship will sail from Boston's recently remodeled cruise terminal to St. John, New Brunswick, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. A special week-long trip will add Portland, Maine, and Sydney, Nova Scotia (instead of Halifax). Following its $11 million facelift, Boston port officials hope that the city will become a convenient drive-to home port for millions of Northeastern residents.
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A first-ever Asia season for Celebrity starts in a year and a half. For the winter of 2012 - 2013, it will place the 2034-passenger Millennium in nine countries, including Vietnam, China, and Thailand. There will be a series of 14-night open-jaw cruises between Singapore and Hong Kong. Overnight stays are scheduled in Singapore, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, and elsewhere. The season will also include two 14-day sailings roundtrip from Singapore with overnight stays in Bali...Celebrity's largest-ever summer in Europe is scheduled for next year. It will place five ships in European service. They'll visit 70 ports in 22 countries, sailing on 19 Mediterranean itineraries. There will be six departure ports, including Venice, Southampton, Amsterdam, and Barcelona.
Entering service this summer is Costa's new 3800-passenger, 114,000-ton Costa Favolosa, said to be the largest ship ever to fly the Italian flag. The 15th ship in Costa's fleet, it was built at the Italian port of Marghera. The ship will sail seven-day trips from Venice through the summer. It's the fourth of five new ships that the company has added between 2009 and 2011. In 2012, the 3000-passenger Costa Fascinosa will complete the fleet expansion program.
An all-inclusive pricing policy will become standard on Crystal cruises starting next spring. That means that the price of the ticket will include wines, liquors, open bar service in all lounges, and gratuities for housekeeping, bar and dining staff, and butler service. Also to be included: bottled water, specialty coffees, soft drinks, fresh juices, dining in specialty restaurants, ice cream, frozen yogurt, gym, steam, saunas, whirlpools, fitness classes, golf lessons, keyboard classes, language classes, computer and technology classes, art classes, lecture series, movie rentals, shuttles to some cities, self-service laundries, and additional services and amenities...Following a $25 million re-do, the 1070-passenger Crystal Serenity re-enters service this season on a series of Baltic, British Isles, North Cape, and Med cruises. It will sport new appointments in every cabin, including flat-screen television, blu-ray players, and electronic "Do Not Disturb" signs; three re-done retail spaces; a re-furnished pool deck; mood lighting; new carpeting in public areas; and more.
A new series of politicians, entertainers, best-selling authors, and an astronaut have been added to Cunard's 2011 Insights Programme. Among them: sexologist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, ocean liner author Bill Miller, astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman, crime novelist P. D. James, mystery author Baroness Ruth Rendell, CNN correspondent Kitty Pilgrim, former U. K. Minister of State Lord Jeffrey Archer, former Assistant Navy Secretary and ambassador Chase Untermeyer, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and others... All three of Cunard's Queens will rendezvous in Southampton on June 5, 2012, to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen... Itinerary changes are in store for the year beginning in spring, 2012. The 2620-passenger Queen Mary will conduct 25 transatlantic crossings; the 2092-passenger Queen Elizabeth will sail in the Med, Israel, Egypt, the Greek isles, the Baltic, and a on a new 36-day transpacific voyage from Los Angeles; the 2014-passenger Queen Victoria will make Southampton its home port for the year, sailing to the Black Sea, Turkey, Norway, Russia, Morocco, and Bulgaria.
With its fourth ship due next March, Disney will be going further afield than ever in 2012. It has established three new home ports for next year: New York, Galveston, and Seattle. It will sail 20 new trips from New York, including eight-day trips to the Bahamas and five-day cruises up the New England coast to Canada. From Galveston, there will be 12 seven-day excursions to the Western Caribbean. Seattle will have 14 seven-day visits to Alaska and Victoria, B. C. The traditional ports of Los Angeles and Port Canaveral will see some changes. From Los Angeles, a series of cruises will go north instead of south, visiting San Francisco instead of mid-Mexico ports. And Port Canaveral will get the new 4000-passenger Disney Fantasy joining the 2011-launched 2500-passenger Disney Dream. The Fantasy will alternate Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries on seven-day trips while the Dream will sail three-, four-, and five-day trips... Initial details of the new Fantasy are being unveiled. It will set sail on March 31. Among its features: an AquaDuck shipboard water coaster that zooms riders on a 700-foot journey above the sun decks and over the sea; an Animation Magic dinner show; an adult-only European-themed nighttime entertainment district; an Aladdin-themed musical spectacular in the 1340-seat main theater; and a boutique salon for kids. Additional details will be announced.
This issue: On-board review of Disney Dream. See "Ship Reviews" section.
The Rotterdam to Rotterdam. Fittingly. In its first ear-'round Holland deplo yment, Holland America will put the 1404-passenger Rotterdam into service from Rotterdam, the city of its roots. The schedule starts in September, 2012. During warm seasons, the Rotterdam will conduct 10- to 14-day regional sailings. In the winter, it will transition to 34- and 90-day trips to warm-weather spots... A number of new itineraries and maiden calls highlight Holland America's 2012 Europe schedule. Seven of the company's 15 ships will be there, conducting 103 departures from the northern tip of Norwa to the Med. Many will include overnight calls. Cruise lengths will range from seven to 20 days.
This issue: On-board Review of Maasdam. See "Ship
Reviews"
section.
Stops at Tunisia, Egypt, and Bahrain have been canceled until the end of the 2011 - 2012 cruise season.
NCL-branded merchandise has been made available at a new online shopping portal. The company has established nclgiftshop.com as its landside "store." It purveys items that on-board shops sell... A novel twist: next summer passengers will be able to board the 4100-passenger Norwegian Epic's seven-day Mediterranean cruises at whichever port is most convenient for their vacation, Barcelona or Rome. The new flexibility will allow every passenger to visit every port — Rome, Florence/Pisa, Nice, Provence, Barcelona — without having to plan schedules around fourteen-day hiatuses or travel out of their way
After Oceania's newest ship, the 1250-passenger Riviera, debuts next April, the carrier will be oised to achieve a formidable goal. It plans to call at 330 ports in Europe, Australia - New Zealand, Asia, and the Americas... Oceania's web site has had an extreme makeover. It features a new home page, additional destination ages, and more informational choices. It's at www.oceaniacruises.com.
New cruises for San Francisco and Galveston, an added ship in Alaska, and the largest deployment in Europe in the company's history highlight Princess' new 2012- 2013 schedule. From San Francisco, there will be new round trips to Hawaii, more Pacific Coastal voyages, and a series of Mexico and Alaska trips; from Galveston, the Western Caribbean will beckon; in Alaska next year, seven ships will ply its scenic waters; and in Europe there will be 57 itineraries to 116 destinations aboard seven ships. Other major itineraries will include the Panama Canal, the South Pacific, Asia, India, Africa, New England, and round-the-world... The third ship to be named Royal Princess is under construction. The 3600 -passenger ship will debut in the spring of 2013. It is being built in Italy. A design element added as construction got under way is an over-water Sea Walk, a top-deck glass-bottomed enclosed walkway extending more than 28 feet beyond the edge of the vessel, 128 feet above the sea. A similarly cantilevered SeaView bar will be located on the opposite side of the deck. An adults-only pool, two additional pools, movies under the stars, and an outdoor dance club with a water and light show will also be on a top deck. Inside, there will be 260,000 square feet of public space, including an expanded atrium and multiple dining and entertainment spots. All outside cabins will have balconies.
Next year's schedule looms large for Regent. There will be three summer "Grand Voyages," calling on 12 new ports. There will be 23 Europe trips on the 700-passenger Seven Seas Voyager. The 700-passenger Seven Seas Mariner will have overnights in Barcelona, Venice, Tel Aviv, Monte Carlo, and Instanbul. The 490-passenger Seven Seas Navigator will spend most of its year in North America, with the San Francisco - Alaska season, a New England/Canada season, and a San Francisco - New York cruise through the Panama Canal... A concierge plan is being introduced across the fleet. It will provide passengers with an additional point of service to handle travel concerns.
The Northeast U. S. will receive new itineraries, more shorter sailings, and longer port calls in Bermuda as part of a reshuffling of Royal Caribbean 2012 service there. Boston, Baltimore, and New York City will be home ports for a three-ship fleet that will conduct five- to 10-day trips. From Boston, the 2110-passenger Jewel of the Seas will operate six seven-day Canada cruises in the fall. From Baltimore, the 2730-passenger Enchantment of the Seas will conduct six- and eight-day Bermuda and Northeast trips during the spring and summer. From New York, the 3840-passenger Explorer of the Seas will operate five- and nine-day Bermuda and Caribbean service in the spring and summer...With the summer of 2011 in full swing, Royal Caribbean has unveiled its summer of 2012 Alaska schedule. It will have two ships there, the 2416-passenger Radiance of the Seas and the 2501-passenger Rhapsody of the Seas. Radiance will sail seven-day one-way trips between Vancouver and Seward, while Rhapsody will embark on seven-day round-trips from Seattle...Europe will have a record number of sailings next year. An all-time high of 12 ships will sail there next summer. Among the 12 home ports: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Rome, and Southampton. The fleet will visit 101 ports in 34 countries on itineraries ranging from three to 16 days. The 2012 total is 23 more ports and seven more countries than this year... Thirteen ships will sail the Caribbean from nine ports in 2012 - 2013...Royal Caribbean has chosen a city in China to home-port one of its largest vessels. The 3114-passenger Voyager of the Seas will be based in Shanghai beginning next June, from where it will sail on a variety of itineraries ranging from four to 10 days. It will travel to ports in Japan and Korea. The Voyager will depart for Sydney in October. During its Shanghai term, it will offer a variety of Chinese-passenger centered products, including more Chinese language
A new web site is debuting at www.Seabourn.com. It's planned to make using the site more intuitive, easier, and user friendly... The 450-passenger Seabourn Quest takes to the waves this summer. Until its 109-day world cruise that leaves from Fort Lauderdale in January, it will be based in the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea. Among its top features: a two-level spa with heated loungers, cocooning recliners, an aroma steam bath with salt inhalation, an herbal bath, bio-sauna, Finnish sauna, outdoor sofas and lounges, an 11,000 square foot walk pool, and more.
Silversea Cruises' 382-passenger Silver Shadow has emerged from a major makeover. Completed in a Singapore dry dock, its accommodations feature new carpets, headboards, curtains, mattresses, and veranda furniture. Refreshed public areas contain new upholstery, carpeting, curtains, and wall treatments. The spa has new wood flooring and new tiling. The restaurant's hardwood floor was reconditioned. An upgraded sound system was added to three lounges. All corridors, landings, and staircases got new carpeting. Outdoors, the jogging track got new synthetic turf and the pool area received new deck furniture and a new sound and light system for evening entertainment. A large awning was installed over the outdoor dining area... The 115-day world cruise of the 382-passenger Silver Whisper will depart Fort Lauderdale in January for 45 ports in 27 countries. To make the at-sea days more enriching, the carrier has booked a wide array of expert lecturers. Among them: former anchor of 20/20 Hugh Downs, author Bill Bryson, military historian/intelligence expert Nigel West, former Member of Parliament Daniel Silke, explorer Robin Hanbur-Tenison, World War II scholar James Bradley, historian Philip Hurst, BBC consultant Tim Hughes, world affairs commentator Mark Elovitz, and many others.
Four new ships have been announced by Viking River Cruises. Part of a $250 million fleet development system, they'll be set to launch in mid-2012. Each will be 443 feet long and will have 95 staterooms. They're being designed by the same maritime architects that created the Disney Dream and the Yachts of Seabourn. Hybrid engines, solar panels, an onboard organic herb garden, an indoor/outdoor lounge, and multiple dining areas are part of the design. The four ships will be named Viking Freya, Viking Idun, Viking Njord, and Viking Odin. The carrier currently has 19 vessels.
April-May-June,
2011
LATE BREAKING
CRUISE NEWS
Here's all the news you want to know from all the carriers you want to know about
Connecticut-based American Cruise Lines plans to bring back river cruising on several U. S. rivers. It says it will inaugurate Columbia and Snake River cruises from Portland, Oregon, and Spokane/Clarkston, Washington this summer aboard the 120-passenger Queen of the West. Next year, it plans seven- and 10-night Mississippi, Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee River paddlewheeler cruises on a brand new 140-passenger riverboat currently under construction. Departure ports include New Orleans, Memphis, Pittsburgh, and Minneapolis.
Carnival's most expansive top-deck sports and recreation area will highlight the new 3690-passenger Carnival Magic when it debuts in May. It will have a nine-hole miniature golf course on two levels, a zig-zag in-the-sky ropes course with passengers tied to safety harnesses to negotiate rope bridges and suspended beams, an outdoor fitness area with a full array of exercise equipment from from stationary bicycles to rowing machines to punching bags, an 800-foot long jogging path, basketball, volleyball, soccer, ping pong, and more. It will be called SportSquare. The ship will spend its first season conducting 12-day Mediterranean cruises and will move to Galveston in November to begin a seven-day Caribbean service.
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A new "Qsine" restaurant, whose modern cruise menus and wine lists are presented on iPads, is part of the just-completed rehab of Celebrity's 1950-passenger Infinity. The same restaurant was added to the 2034-passenger Constellation last year. Additional new Infinity features: aqua-class accommodations in conjunction with spa programs, a Mediterranean-themed "Blu" restaurant, an iLounge and iLearn classes, additional cabins, an ice-topped martini bar, a creperie, new furnishings, new carpeting, flat-screen TV, and an expanded collection of original, contemporary art. A similar remodel job will be conducted on the 2034-passenger Celebrity Summit in January, 2012... Celebrity is preparing for the rollout of its newest ship, the 2886-passenger Celebrity Silhouette. It takes to the waves in July from Hamburg, Germany, with a series of naming festivities. During the summer it will be based in Rome, conducting 12- and 13-night Holy Land cruises. In the fall, it will move to New York City.
Changes to Costa's Mediterranean itineraries have been announced. For the rest of the year, calls will be discontinued at Tunis, Alexandria, Haifa, and Ashdod. Replacing Tunis will be Palma de Mallorca in Spain or Cagliari in Italy. Alexandria, Haifa, and Ashdod calls will be replaced by visits to Limassol in Cyprus, Rhodes in Greece, and Marmaris, Alanya, and Antalya in Turkey. The company said it plans to return to those ports next year... Costa's next ship, the 3000-passenger Favolosa, is set to begin service in July. It's the fourth of five new ships that the company has added between 2009 and 2011. In 2012, the 3000-passenger Costa Fascinosa will complete the fleet expansion program.
More than 300 shore excursions will be available on the 94-day 2012 world cruise of the 1070-passenger Crystal Serenity. It will visit 35 ports after it leaves Los Angeles next January... Ole! Crystal has published a 211-page Cruise Atlas in Spanish. It outlines the carrier's entire 2011 cruise lineup, including itineraries, prices, and ship information. Crystal says that Spanish is the primary language in 23 countries containing some 400 million people... Jewish Heritage cultural explorations are planned in more than a dozen cities this year and next. They'll explore Jewish life, past and present, around the world. Participating cities include Mumbai, Miami, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Berlin, Hamburg, St. Petersburg, Rome, Dublin, Jerusalem/Ashdod, Odessa, and Shanghai...
All three of Cunard's Queens will rendezvous in Southampton on June 5, 2012, to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen... Queen Mary 2 guest speakers for the rest of this year include: theatrical general manager Steven Rivellino, former Member of Parliament-BBC correspondent-author Martin Bell, former U. S. Presidential attorney Jeffrey Weinberg, former MP Lembit Opik, White House correspondent Ken Walsh, and Voice of Formula 1 Murray Walker... 171-year-old Cunard made history this year when it named its first female captain. She's Inger Olsen, 43, who was raised in the UK's Faroe Islands. She joined Cunard in 1997 as first officer on the Caronia. In 2001 she transferred to partner-firm Seabourn, where she became staff captain of the Seabourn Pride in 2003. Her Captaincy is on the 2014-passenger Queen Victoria, which entered service in 2007...Itinerary changes are in store for the year beginning in spring, 2012. The 2620-passenger Queen Mary will conduct 25 transatlantic crossings; the 2092-passenger Queen Elizabeth will sail in the Med, Israel, Egypt, the Greek isles, the Baltic, and a on a new 36-day transpacific voyage from Los Angeles; the 2014-passenger Queen Victoria will make Southampton its home port for the year, sailing to the Black Sea, Turkey, Norway, Russia, Morocco, and Bulgaria.
Hard on the heels of Disney Dream's inaugural early this year, Disney is planning for the debut of its sister ship, the 2500-passenger Disney Fantasy, next April. The ship's keel was laid in Germany in February. It will have many of the same attractions as the Dream (See extensive On-Board Report about the Disney Dream in this issue), including an AquaDuck water coaster, children's areas, retreats for adults, themed dining rooms, virtual portholes in inside cabins, original Disney technology and entertainment, and more. It will sail out of Port Canaveral on alternating seven-day eastern and western Caribbean itineraries. Each trip will include a stop at Disney's private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay.
This issue: On-board review of Disney Dream. See "Ship Reviews" section.
A new simplified boarding process should have most passengers ok'd for boarding and access to their staterooms by 11:30 a. m. on their day of departure, well in time for a lunch in the Lido cafe. There will be no more checking of carry-on bags and waiting in public rooms until staterooms are prepared. Holland America calls the new program "Stateroom Direct Service," and says that it will be available on all of its 15 ships... Three 30-day Circle Hawaii, Tahiti, and Marquesas Islands cruises will be conducted this year and next round trip from San Diego. The 1848-passenger Westerdam and the 1404-passenger Rotterdam will make the explorations.
This issue: On-board Review of Maasdam. See "Ship
Reviews"
section.
NCL will ply the Caribbean with five ships in 2012/2013. They'll sail from Miami, Tampa, and New Orleans... The 1936-passenger Norwegian Sun has re-entered service following a multi-million dollar renovation. A new Brazilian steakhouse, the Moderno Churrascaria, has been added, décor in cabins and carpets in public areas have been pdated, Kids Crew facilities have been improved, and a number of water/power/lifeboat upgrades have been completed. The ship now has 14 dining venues and 10 bars and lounges. It will be based in Copenhagen this summer, conducting nine-day Baltic Capitals cruises.
Oceania's web site has had an extreme makeover. It features a new home page, additional destination ages, and more informational choices. It's at www.oceaniacruises.com.
The third ship to be named Royal Princess is under construction. The 3600 -passenger ship will debut in the spring of 2013. It is being built in Italy. A design element added as construction got under way is an over-water Sea Walk, a top-deck glass-bottomed enclosed walkway extending more than 28 feet beyond the edge of the vessel, 128 feet above the sea. A similarly cantilevered SeaView bar will be located on the opposite side of the deck. An adults-only pool, two additional pools, movies under the stars, and an outdoor dance club with a water and light show will also be on a top deck. Inside, there will be 260,000 square feet of public space, including an expanded atrium and multiple dining and entertainment spots. All outside cabins will have balconies... The most significant transformation ever" of a Princess ship will take place this season aboard the 2590-passenger Grand Princess. The ship, which entered service in 1998, will get a new Piazza Atrium, a tea lounge and library, a full-service pizzeria, a new nightclub called One5 because it's on the 15th deck, 10 new suites, a remodeled casino, remodeled boutiques, enhancements to the spa and wedding chapel, and a new martini lounge. The One5 lounge will replace an 18th deck Skywalker nightclub — which gave the ship a distinctive profile — whose removal will result in greater fuel efficiency and better operational performance. Grand Princess' home port this summer will be Southampton, from where it will cruise a variety of European itineraries... Galveston returns to the Princess home port lineup next year for the first time in four years. It will host 19 departures to the Western Caribbean aboard the 3070-passenger Crown Princess. The season will run from December, 2012 through April, 2013.
Highlights of next year's summer cruise selection have been announced. They include trips to the Greek Isles, Land of the Midnight Sun, and Dubai on the 700-passenger Seven Seas Voyager; The Med, Florida, and transatlantic on the 700-passenger Seven Seas Mariner; and Alaska, San Francisco-New York City, and Canada/New England on the 490-passenger Seven Seas Navigator...Concierge Service will be extended, effective next spring, to passengers in additional suite categories.
Royal Caribbean has signed a letter of intent to construct two 4100-passenger ships. They'll be built in Germany for delivery in the fall of 2014 and the spring of 2015. The 158,000 Gross Registered Tons vessels will offer new activities, features, and entertainment concepts, according to Royal Caribbean. There will be grand and intimate spaces, invigorating and serene options, a large variety of dining spaces, family-centered themes, energy efficiency, and the latest in environmental technologies. The company is calling the new generation of ships Project Sunshine.
The new 450-passenger Seabourn Quest will join the fleet this season. Its first two journeys will be a short Monte Carlo round trip and an 11-day voyage from Monte Carlo to Barcelona. It will spend the summer on a series of Med cruises, following up with a 109-day maiden world cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Venice, via South America, South Africa, the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the Med. The ship will have four dining locations, six bars, accommodations ranging from 295 sq. ft. to 1682 sq. ft., and balconies in 90 percent of the cabins.
In an expansion of its "Silver Perspectives" enrichment program, Silversea will present almost 200 guest lecturers, chefs, and destination experts this year. They'll appear on more than 160 cruises this year... Silversea Cruises has formed a partnership agreement with Slow Food Promozione of Italy which will focus on highlighting the Italian heritage of La Terrazza, a specialty restaurant on the company's 296-passenger Silver Cloud, 296-passenger Silver Wind, 382-passenger Silver Shadow, 382-passenger Silver Whisper, and 540-passenger Silver Spirit. Slow Food is dedicated to promoting greater enjoyment of food through fostering a better understanding of its taste, quality, and production. Silversea and Slow Food will source food products from around the world that meet the standards of linking "pleasure and food with awareness and responsibility."
January-February-March,
2011
LATE BREAKING
CRUISE NEWS
Here's all the news you want to know from all the carriers you want to know about
A fleetwide network of 22 Carnival Punchliner Comedy Clubs has been added to the company's fleet. Located in ships' aft lounge, each comedy club will schedule between 10 and 20 35-minute shows on each voyage, depending on length of cruise, with at least two comedians performing each night... California will host three Carnival ships beginning this fall, when the company inaugurates 15-day Hawaiian sailings and a series of five-and nine-day Mexico cruises from Los Angeles on the 2124-passenger Carnival Spirit. At nearby Long Beach, the 2052-passenger Carnival Inspiration will begin three- and four-day voyages to Mexico this fall. The line's 3006-passenger Splendor also sails from Long Beach on seven-day itineraries to Mexico.
Rolling out a number of cruise industry firsts to be introduced aboard the new 3030-passenger Celebrity Silhouette (2011) and Celebrity Reflection (2012), the fourth and fifth of its Solstice Class ships, Celebrity expects they'll be clearly marked as "ahead of the curve." Among the features: AquaClass butler-served suites that include entry to the "Blu" specialty restaurant; 245 additional loungers on an expanded pool deck; a Lawn Club space with adjoining restaurant that allows passengers to grill their own food selections; a bakery and pastry porch; an art studio where passengers can receive instruction in drawing, painting, beading, and food-preparation; many themed bars and restaurants, with both traditional and at-will dining options; an internet center; and a variety of cabin options, where 85 percent of the accommodations will have balconies. When the Silhouette debuts this July, it will be deployed on Europe trips in the summer, followed by Caribbean itineraries in the fall and winter... More than 60 theme cruises in the Caribbean and Europe will feature guest experts and immersive onboard experiences this year. Artists, chefs, and wine experts will lead an array of subject-field authorities. (See more in "Theme Cruises" section.)... Celebrity will conduct a major upgrading of the 1950-passenger Celebrity Infinity when it enters drydock in November. It will emerge as a "Solsticized" ship, meaning it will have features common to its Solstice Class of ships. Among the new features: a steakhouse, a creperie, an ice-topped martini bar, a gelateria, a wine bar allowing passengers to select a beverage at the touch of a button, suites and staterooms with new furniture/TV/bedding/carpeting, new color schemes/carpeting/modern design in public areas, spa accommodations, a Mediterranean "Blu" restaurant, additional verandas, and more... Celebrity will expand its "Celebrity Life" onboard activities program. It will have Smithsonian Journeys speakers on 99 cruises, additional pool game activities, outdoor evening DJ and dancing, and continuing culinary and wellness offerings.
Costa's next ship, the 3000-passenger Favolosa, is set to begin service in July. It's the fourth of five new ships that the company has added between 2009 and 2011. In 2012, the 3000-passenger Costa Fascinosa will complete the fleet expansion program... Travelocity and Expedia, two of the major online travel retailers, have signed marketing agreements with Costa. The result will be that itineraries and information about current and future Costa operations and ships will be available to patrons of the travel marketers.
68 global itineraries have been announced for Crystal's two ships for 2012. Among them: a 94-day "Epic Islands and Empires" Pacific Rim world cruise, Christmas cruises in Australia/New Zealand and the Med, late fall options in the Med, more Baltic cruises, transatlantic cruises from New York and Miami, and more overnight stays in popular destinations. Both ships will be in Europe during the 2012 summer, so there will be no Alaska season next year. This year there will be a summer-long Alaska schedule from San Francisco... Hands-on instruction will be the order of the day on Crystal's 15th annual wine and food series this year. Celebrity chefs and culinary masters will guide passengers through cooking classes, wine tastings, savory presentations, and shoreside epicurean explorations... California coastal cruising has proven popular enough that Crystal will replace two 2011 Mexico cruises with two California circuits. The 922-passenger Crystal Symphony will call at Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and San Diego on late November and early December cruises. It will overnight in San Francisco. A short stop in Ensenada will also be included.
Cunard this season begins a web video series. It will play videos about some of the line's favorite features. Initial subjects include the Queen's Grill and Princess Grill suites, Royal Nights themed balls, White Star service, the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, and celebrity chef Todd English. They're available at cunard.com/videos... Art and memorabilia are two pervasive elements underlying the new 2092-passenger Queen Elizabeth, which begins its first full year of operation in 2011. The artwork is highlighted by art deco pieces, maritime paintings, and works reflecting Cunard's ties to the Royal Family. They include flourishes, wood paneling, intricate mosaics, chandeliers, cool marbles, an 18.5 foot marquetry panel depicting the bow of the original Queen Elizabeth, an antique 1930s art deco globe on a large carved walnut stand, plaques listing the masters of the QE series, a silver model of the ship, murals, and more.
Disney's first new ship in a dozen years, the 2500-passenger Disney Dream, begins service this season. Initially, it will sail from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas on three-, four-, and five-day cruises. Among its new features: AquaDuck, a first-of-its-kind water coaster, which will provide high-speed thrill rides with ups and downs and twists and turns; Virtual Portholes, that offer a "window" to the world with real-time outside views from inside staterooms; Enchanted Art, which provides Disney storytelling and looks like other hanging art pieces around the ship but is actually a framed television screen with technology that recognizes the presence of passengers and begins a story; and Remy, a top-deck restaurant for adults. It will have a 1340-seat theater, Pirate parties on deck, and fireworks at sea choreographed to a dramatic score featuring songs from "Pirates of the Caribbean."... Hot on the heels of the Dream will be the 2500-passenger Disney Fantasy. It premieres in April, 2012. It, too, will have an AquaDuck water coaster, children's areas, wide-ranging entertainment, multiple dining options, and lots of Disney stories, characters, and innovations. Its first itineraries will be from Port Canaveral on seven-day cruises alternating between the Eastern and Western Caribbean. Each trip will include a stop Disney's private Bahama island, Castaway Cay... The latest cruise line to test the California and Alaska waters is Disney. Starting this summer, its 2400-passenger Disney Wonder will sail 18 seven-night cruises from Vancouver plus a number of Vancouver-Victoria-San Francisco-Los Angeles positioning cruises.
Gills Cruise Centre, one of the UK's oldest and largest cruise travel agencies, has published a new "Rough Guide to Mediterranean Cruises with Royal Caribbean." It contains links to Western Med cruise holidays to the French Riviera, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, and Lisbon. Other sections cover Rome, Florence and other popular Italian sites. Links to the history and oceanography of the Med are included. Points of interest are described in detail, lists of potential activities in each place are catalogued, and regional dining specialties are highlighted. Click on Gill's Cruise for more information.
If you notice a few more taste tempts in Holland America dining rooms, it may because of the line's new Culinary Council, composed of top chefs from around the world. They'll share their insights and expertise to create and tweak menus and culinary offerings. A goal of the council will be to develop new and innovative learning experiences for passengers who enroll in the company's popular Culinary Arts program, held in fully-equipped kitchens that have been constructed on each ship... A new partnership with New York's famous Le Cirque restaurant will result in "An Evening at Le Cirque," in each of the Pinnacle Grills aboard Holland America's 15 ships. The menu, fanciful orange china, table decor, wine offerings, and even cr¸me brulee will be faithfully recreated. In addition, there will be special LZ Cirque demonstrations on each ship's Culinary Arts Center... Hawaii and Tahiti explorations round trip from San Diego are on the horizon for this year and next. The1848-passenger Westerdam and 1404-passenger Rotterdam will conduct three voyages.
This issue: On-board Review of Maasdam. See the Ship
Reviews section.
Add Hurtigruten to the list of carriers with past-passenger clubs. The line is forming the "1893 Ambassador Program," named for the year of the company's founding. It will have special offers and perks for members... Revamped exploration cruise choices, more shore excursions, a new brochure (also see the Brochures page), and a wide roster of theme cruises will mark Hurtigruten's 2011 season. The line will sail six-, seven-, and 12-day cruises among 34 ports along a 1250-mile route between Bergen and Kirkenes. Themes (also see the Theme Cruises page) will include opera, Arctic celebrations, birds, composer Edvard Grieg, polar explorers, and more... Hurtigruten will observe the anniversaries of polar heroes Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen on summer voyages. Nansen was a polar explorer, scientist, and humanist who was born 150 years ago this July. A July Climate Voyage aboard the Fram will go from Reykjavik to Svalbard in eight days. Amundsen was a pioneer aviator who completed a voyage to the South Pole in 1896. A 13-day Polar Bears-Islands-Fjords trip departing Spitsbergen for Bergen in September will trace a path similar to the one forged by Nansen.
MSC will have 10 of its 11 Italian-ambience ships sailing in the Mediterranean during 2011. They'll conduct seven-, eight-, 10-, and 11-day trips to 70 ports. Other trips will visit Northern Europe. Among the Med places that will be called on are: Rome, Genoa, Marseille, Barcelona, Istanbul, Alexandria, Dubrovnik, Malta, Tunisia, and Morocco.
Two new 4000-passenger ships will be constructed by NCL, for delivery in 2013 and 2014. The 144,000 gross ton vessels will be the largest ever built in Germany, where the Meyer Werft yard in Papenburg will build them for about $1.7 billion. The shipyard has constructed seven of NCL's current fleet of ships... Big NCL expansions are coming next year to Alaska and Bermuda. The carrier will deploy two ships in each area next summer. The 2376-passenger Norwegian Jewel and 2394-passenger Norwegian Pearl will each conduct seven-day trips from Seattle to the glaciers and cities of Alaska, plus to Victoria or Vancouver, British Columbia. In Bermuda, the 2348-passenger Norwegian Star will sail from its new home port in New York City, while the 2224-passenger Norwegian Dawn will depart from Boston, both on seven-day schedules... The largest European deployment in NCL history is set for 2012 and 2012. Four of the carrier's ships will be based there during peak seasons, with two of them there for the whole year. The 2018-passenger Norwegian Spirit and 2402-passenger Norwegian Jade will be the year-'round ships, while the 4100-passenger Norwegian Epic and the 1936-passenger Norwegian Sun will continue seasonal sailings from Barcelona and Copenhagen, respectively.
This season marks the inaugural of Oceania Cruises' newest ship, the 1258-passenger Marina. A twin, the Riviera, will follow in April, 2012. The ships will feature 10 dining locations, six of which will be open-seating restaurants. Choices will include a seven-course Italian eatery, a Thai and Vietnamese restaurant, a Polo Grill for beef, a coffee bar in the library, and a wine tasting center. There will be a 24-place Bon Appetit culinary center, where instructions will be offered by a complement of chefs. Rooms will feature 700- and 1000-thread count linens. Outside, double-chaises with canopies will line the pool deck. The spa club and gym will be Canyon Ranch units. One of the main design elements in the public areas will be a Lalique crystal grand staircase. The ship's initial domestic cruises are from Miami to San Francisco and return via the Panama Canal.
A new ship — the RV Saigon Pandaw — will join the fleet this December, bringing Pandaw's complement to seven river ships. It will be identical in design to the Orient and the Indochina, which were built over the past two years in Saigon. It will have 30 main and upper deck staterooms of 200 square feet and will combine colonial and modern design. Pandaw started river cruising on the Mekong in 2003.
Green power. That's what Princess, San Francisco's largest cruise operator, now has. Instead of keeping ships' engines running 24 hours a day while in port, nine of Princess' vessels can now "plug in" to shore power, a much cleaner, environmentally-superior choice. San Francisco built a shore-power station and Princess outfitted its ships to be compatible with it at a cost of $7 million. Only three other ports in the world currently have plug-in power for ships: Juneau, Seattle, and Vancouver... Princess will resume its love-boat affair with Alaska next year, when it returns to a four-ship summer schedule there. For the past two years, it had reduced service to three ships, prompted by a local head tax and concerns over the state's business climate. The state has re-thought both the head tax and some of its business-inhibiting policies... A dean of cruise ship historians, John Maxtone-Graham, will appear on seven South America and Europe Princess sailings this year. The best-selling maritime author and popular public speaker will discuss the history and lore of famous ocean liners, tales of historic explorations, the Titanic's final night, and more.
Regent has modified its early-year schedule in the Asia Pacific region. It has set new trips between Mexico and San Francisco, Sydney and Bali, Bali and Beijing, Beijing and Hong Kong, and Hong Kong and Bangkok.
The world's co-largest ship, the 5400-passenger Allure of the Seas — sister to 2009's Oasis of the Seas — enters service this season. It features the Broadway production of "Chicago," aerial and ice shows, 26 dining options, the first floating Starbuck's coffee salon, a Guess Accessory store, a Britto Gallery, additional retail venues, facilities to check in for flights and print boarding passes, and 3D movie screens. The 16-deck ship has seven themed areas, including Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Entertainment Place, and Youth Zone. It will sail seven-day Western Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale... Five ships will be revitalized during 2011. Major enhancements will be performed this year on the Radiance of the Seas, Splendour of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, and Freedom of the Seas. The company calls the changes part of its "Royal Advantage" program to provide more "wows." Among changes on various ships: new specialty restaurants, private lounges for members of the company's loyalty club, babies and tots nurseries, flat-panel television sets, ship-wide wi-fi, and upgrades to public areas.
The new 450-passenger Seabourn Quest will join the fleet in May. Its first two journeys will be a short Monte Carlo round trip and an 11-day voyage from Monte Carlo to Barcelona. It will spend the summer on a series of Med cruises, following up with a 109-day maiden world cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Venice, via South America, South Africa, the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the Med. The ship will have four dining locations, six bars, accommodations ranging from 295 sq. ft. to 1682 sq. ft., and balconies in 90 percent of the cabins.
Silversea's 2012 schedule contains more than 200 voyages. They'll visit some 450 destinations in more than 100 countries on seven continents. The 381-passenger Silver Whisper will conduct a 115-day world cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Monte Carlo, via South America, Africa, the Far East, Arabia, and Europe. The 296-passenger Silver Cloud will spend the summer in Northern Europe and the fall in the Med. An Alaska summer series awaits the 382-passenger Silver Shadow. A 64-day circumnavigation of South America opens the year for the 540-passenger Silver Spirit.
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