Princess Cruises has announced the inaugural itineraries for new Royal Princess, which will depart for its first sailing from Southampton to Barcelona on June 16, 201 for a series of 12-day Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona to Venice on 23 June next year.  First, the new ship will sail a pair of three-day preview sailings from Southampton, available for booking at a later date.

“It is fitting that the new liner will operate between Barcelona and Venice, which is one of the company’s most popular itineraries,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises’ executive vice president reports Opodo Travel News.

Maiden season voyages onboard Royal Princess which will debut new features including Bellini‘s Italian cocktail bar, the Ocean Terrace seafood bar and the Celebrations gift shop will go on sale in March 2012.

 

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Starting in April, 2012, Cunard ships will soon be enabling guests to celebrate an unforgettable wedding day at sea, conducted by the Captain, aboard Queen Mary 2.  Held mid-Atlantic on a classic trans-Atlantic Crossing aboard Queen Mary 2, this is the first time in Cunard’s history that it will be possible to marry on board, and demand is already high.

“There is nothing quite as special as the setting of a Cunard ship,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line.  “Saying ‘I do’ at sea aboard Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth or Queen Victoria promises so much more than a land-based venue. With a backdrop of the world’s most exotic coastlines in the Mediterranean and across the world, or the extraordinary sense of timelessness that you only experience mid-Atlantic, a Cunard wedding promises the happy couple a ceremony of classic style and sumptuous luxury.”

Couples wishing to wed at sea can choose any of Cunard’s worldwide voyages lasting seven nights or more  on, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria. In addition to Crossings, destinations include the Mediterranean and Scandinavia, Canada and New England, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Hawaii, the Far East and Australia.

In true Cunard form. only one wedding will be arranged per day and only on days at sea. A dedicated on board wedding coordinator will take care of everything from hairdressing, make-up and manicures in the spa, to the wedding ceremony itself, as well as photography and video, and the reception afterwards.

Exclusive to Cunard are “Finishing Touches” to reflect individual requests and preferences, from an accompaniment by the ship’s own harpist, to a beautiful ice sculpture.

Choosing to marry on one of the three largest Cunard ships ever built creates an exceptional setting for a wedding of any style and Cunard’s Wedding Package is all-inclusive.   The main package includes the ceremony conducted by the Captain, traditional wedding music, a White Star Bellman escorting the bride, floral arrangements, Veuve Clicquot Champagne and, of course, the wedding cake as well as priority check-in and luggage delivery.

A never-to-be-forgotten day is available for $2,500 plus a marriage license fee of $575 plus any “Finishing Touches”  such as a Bride and Groom’s Champagne and Caviar Breakfast in Bed, or a three-tiered fruit cake.  In addition, wedding gifts of fine wines, champagne and spa treatments can be purchased in advance and arranged for on board.

What’s included in the Wedding Package:

• Priority luggage delivery
• Press service for bridal outfits
• Priority embarkation (and disembarkation) for the bridal couple
• Services of a wedding coordinator on board
• Two fresh floral arrangements for the ceremonial room
• Bridal bouquet and bridegroom’s boutonniere, with a choice of roses, lilies or exotic flowers
• One-tier wedding cake
• Traditional wedding music
• Elegant wedding ceremony venue
• White Star Bellman to escort the bride to the ceremonial room
• Ceremony at sea conducted by the Captain
• Commemorative wedding certificate
• Commemorative printed wedding menu
• Bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne
• Bride & Groom Breakfast in Bed
• Wedding invitations and Thank You cards for voyage guests

Shanks continued, “And the ships are so much more than simply a setting for the ceremony itself – they are also honeymoon destinations, offering newlyweds a fresh view to wake up to each morning and a trousseau of unforgettable destinations to discover together ashore.”

What better way to begin a lifetime together than via the world of Cunard.

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Before today,  17 bodies had been found and 15 people were listed as missing from the grounded Costa Concordia.  Today four more bodies were found and experts expected all the remaining bodies to be recovered from the fourth deck, where passengers gathered once the decision was made to abandon ship.

“Bodies of victims have been located. It seems there are four. The operation to recover them is underway,” the office of the official tasked with the cleanup operation said, reports FoxNews.

Costa Concordia’s captain, Francesco Schettino, is still under house arrest and faces charges of manslaughter and abandoning ship before all passengers were evacuated.

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Royal Caribbean Productions is currently holding talent auditions in Atlanta, hiring singers, dancers and gymnasts who have a passion for entertainment and travel. Royal Caribbean Productions creates, produces and manages the largest premium entertainment operation at sea from full Broadway musicals to Las Vegas style production shows, and even ice and aqua spectaculars.

“No single production company provides more exciting opportunities to both entertainers and audience members,” says AtlantaCityBizList.

Royal Caribbean Productions finds and trains talent from around the world to participate in shows, events and spectaculars onboard Royal Caribbean International and Azamara Club Cruise ships. An audition can lead to an international journey of a lifetime and a fulfilling long-term career working with award-winning creative professionals from Broadway, West End Theaters, broadcast TV and film.

“What other job requires you to travel all over the planet while your bank account grows by thousands of dollars every month? There simply is no other job that offers these kind of life-changing benefits,” says HowToWorkOnACruise, a web site run by Liz Aceves from Mexico City, Mexico and Derek Baron from Boston dedicated to helping would-be cruise ship crew members get a start in the business.

“Without knowing the specific steps involved, cruise lines just won’t notice you and your resume won’t even get a first glance,” cautions HowToWorkOnACruise, offering specific advice on how to make it happen.

Another good place to start would be pretty much any cruise line and their dedicated website for entertainers.  Carnival Cruise Lines has one as does Princess Cruises and others.

Disney Cruise Line asked crew members what the best part of working on a cruise ship is.  See their answers here:

Flickr photo by Port of San Diego

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Preparing for an upcoming cruise vacation by taking advantage of the resources provided by cruise lines and travel agents can make for a richer, more memorable vacation experience to be sure.  In the first of this series all about Getting Ready To Sail, we talked about the advantages of completing online registration with the cruise line immediately after booking and the benefits gained from doing so.   Yesterday, we talked about one of those benefits with many cruise lines; a series of informative emails. Today, we move on to ways of getting to know your fellow passengers, even before getting on the ship.

Probably the king daddy of social interaction is the CruiseCritic roll call boards where those booked on pretty much any sailing of any major cruise line can meet beforehand.

Quick Intro to CruiseCritic:
Cruise Critic is a critically acclaimed interactive community of five million rabidly avid and first-time cruisers who enjoy the fun of planning, researching and sharing their passion for cruising. If you do not belong to this, you need to join now, that’s just all there is to it.

While the information from CruiseCritic is not official, it is often very accurate.  Still, if someone from CruiseCritic says its OK to jump off the ship into the ocean, better check with your travel agent first.

On the CruiseCritic website is a wealth of information to explore and the roll call boards are just one part. There, you will find many of the other passengers booked on your cruise that are CruiseCritic members and have signed up for the roll call which serves a couple purposes.

First is interacting with other passengers to “get to know them” before boarding and meeting them in real life.  Some roll calls have been going a long time and members have become good friends well before shaking hands in person.  Some roll calls have been going long enough that those not really into the social scene know who to avoid once on the ship.  That has value too.

In addition to CruiseCritic, other cruise-related sites can be helpful but next in line for your attention should probably be the Facebook page of either the sailing, ship or cruise line you are going on.  If that happens to be a Carnival Cruise, then John Heald‘s Blog should be the first stop.  There,  the veteran cruise director carries on a lively banter with future, present and past guests in a fun and easy to read way.

At Royal Caribbean, President and CEO Adam Goldstein has a blog that gets updated frequently too, also covering a number of topics and opening the door for discussion.

Last year,  Princess Cruises ran a year-long blog about some of the most fascinating travel experiences around the world, Princess Cruises ongoing travel bucket list blog, 50 Essential Experiences.  Now available in book form, it is destined to be a coffee table favorite or desk reference for a variety of ports of call, to be referred to when planning a cruise vacation.  This year, Princess continues this social element in a way beneficial to those getting ready to cruise with the line’s Inspired To Cruise series, also scheduled for a year-long run that features a new reason to cruise, gradually sharing a total of 52 inspiring passenger stories about what compelled them to take a cruise vacation.

This week, Princess revealed story #8 on its blog “Inspired to Cruise,” featuring a daughter who surprised her father with a trip to the one special place on his travel bucket list.

In the story, “Surprising my Dad with His Dream Trip,” found at , Karen Hannan of DeKalb, Illinois, decided to book a cruise to Alaska as an unexpected gift for her father, who had always wished to visit America’s “last frontier.” In the process the father/daughter team not only explored the wonders of the 49th state, but also found that the cruise became a surprise bonding experience.

The blog also showcases a short “Escape Inspiration” video about a favorite moment at sea. This week’s video, introduced by Jonathan Nuttall, customer services director aboard Pacific Princess, takes a look at Alaska’s amazing wildlife.

Other posts in this series-

• Getting ready to sail: Completing pre-cruise registration can reap huge rewards (chriscruises.net)
• Getting Ready To Sail: PenPals for a while (chriscruises.net)

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Norwegian Cruise Line this week announced that it has formed a strategic relationship with concert-at-sea promoter Sixthman to work closely developing and delivering high quality music experiences on their fleet of ships.

“We have been impressed with the range of events Sixthman has produced and believe strongly in this growing segment,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “Sixthman’s expertise and relationships will help us further extend our position as the leader in cruise ship entertainment.”

The new partnership allows Norwegian and Sixthman “to work with the many travel partners and music and theme cruise producers in expanding this growing and exciting segment of the cruise business by delivering the highest quality, unique experience for fans,” said Norwegian in a statement.  Also in that statement:

Norwegian’s rich history of innovation, particularly in the evolution of onboard entertainment began with the line’s early roots as the first to bring Broadway-style shows and celebrity entertainers aboard its ships to its most recent success with Norwegian Epic featuring brand name entertainment such as Blue Man Group, Legends in Concert, Cirque Dreams & Dinner, and Howl at the Moon, all never before offered at sea. This partnership with Sixthman provides an opportunity to continue to evolve cruise ship entertainment by offering unique musical experiences.

Sixthman, founded in 2001 by industry leader Andy Levine, has pioneered the destination event movement by hosting guests on more than 43 full-ship charters over the past 11 years. Based in Atlanta, Sixthman has partnered with artists such as KISS, Kid Rock, Lynyrd Skynyrd, John Mayer, Zac Brown Band, 311, Lyle Lovett, Barenaked Ladies, Sister Hazel and many others, as well as brands such as VH1, Graceland and Turner Classic Movies. The mix of intimate artist interaction within environments shared by like-minded communities has ignited a passionate, loyal and growing following for the cruise events and festivals Sixthman produces.

Indeed, Norwegian’s Cirque Dreams and Dinner and Blue Man Group show top our list of ten at-sea shows not to miss as unique and, yes, innovative.

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When Carnival Cruise Lines new Carnival Breeze debuts this Summer, many elements of the line’s FunShip 2.0 initiative will be on board.  Already we have seen several of the inventive venues at work on Carnival Liberty not long ago.  Released recently, Carnival has video on the Thrill 5D Theater

Carnival Breeze’s Thrill 5D Theater will  be an exhilarating, multi-dimensional experience that will make guests feel like they are actually in the movie. The theater combines a high-definition 3D projection system with 4D elements such as squirting water and bubbles, and original special effects that will tickle guests’ legs, blow air on their necks and poke them in their seats. Seats within the theater will shift back and forth, move from side to side and also vibrate, creating an exciting “fifth-dimensional” element.  Guests will receive special 3D glasses that deliver a truly immersive movie-going experience.

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Tickets went on sale this week for the sixth annual Simple Man Cruise, hosted by Lynyrd Skynyrd, sailing Halloween weekend, from October 27 to October 31.   Lynyrd Skynyrd and friends will set sail from Miami to Key West and Great Stirrup Cay aboard Norwegian Pearl, with some of their biggest fans to give them an unforgettable up-close-and-personal musical experience.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Lynyrd Skynyrd for the sixth straight year. The Simple Man Cruise has become a family reunion for fans from all over the world,” said promoter Sixthman president Andy Levine.

Sixthman’s  Simple Man Cruise started in 2007 and was such a hit that guests have been returning year after year, and the artists love coming back to play for some of the most loyal fans in the country.  This year the Doobie Brothers and Outlaws join the line-up of more than fifteen national and regional bands to add their special southern rock sounds to the Simple Man Cruise experience.

Prices start at $750 per person and include entertainment on five stages throughout the ship, meals, and access to many Norwegian Pearl amenities, such as their two pools, hot tubs, massive spa, rock climbing wall, and fitness center.  For a full list of all the performers aboard the cruise, visit www.simplemancruise.com.

Sixthman, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a Destination Event Company whose mission is to energize core fans by creating moments that make life rock.  Since 2001, we have been pioneering themed cruise experiences for bands, brands and their fans and are proud to be celebrating our 11th year and the accomplishment of executing over 40 full ship charters, hosting over 80,000 guests for near 400,000 days on vacation at sea with world class artist and brand partners such as KISS, Kid Rock, Lyle Lovett, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Zac Brown Band, 311, Sister Hazel, Turner Classic Movies, VH1 along with engaging festivals such as The Rock Boat and Cayamo. What is Sixthman? Click here: http://vimeo.com/19267800 | Live Loud with us at www.sixthman.net.

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The British Virgin Islands (BVI) love cruise ships and depend on the income generating calls they make at a number of islands geared to handle the crowds with ease.   To keep pushing that idea, a delegation headed by Minister of Communications and Works Mark Vanterpool met with Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) in Miami Florida at the corporate offices of Norwegian Cruise Line to enhance BVI relations with the cruise industry.

“The FCCA was keen to develop a partnership with the BVI to the mutual benefit of the destination and the cruise lines visiting the Territory,” said Michele Paige, President of FCCA reports SKNVibes.

Cruise lines, concerned with passenger experience noted the importance of a passenger’s first impression on arrival at the cruise pier, the need to make Road Town more pedestrian friendly as well as a need to showcase more historical and cultural activities to enhance passengers’ overall experience.

“It is our goal to upgrade the BVI cruise infrastructure and the overall cruise visitor experience,” BVI Minister Vanterpool confirmed.

In addition to the meeting with FCCA, the delegation held a separate meeting with senior executives from Norwegian Cruise Lines regarding their interest in the BVI as a port of call . Other cruise lines present at the meeting included Celebrity Cruises, Carnival, Disney Cruise Lines, and Royal Caribbean International.

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Preparing for an upcoming cruise vacation by taking advantage of the resources provided by cruise lines and travel agents can make for a richer, more memorable vacation experience to be sure.  Yesterday, in the first of this series all about Getting Ready To Sail, we talked about the advantages of completing online registration with the cruise line immediately after booking and the benefits gained from doing so.

One of those benefits with many cruise lines is a series of informative emails, sent out at the optimum time to bring us information like when we can book shore excursions and all about them.  We sail on Grand Princess, a newly refurbished Princess Cruises ship on March 3rd.  Already we have received a series of emails that provided information not found elsewhere.

First was a welcome aboard email from the line’s President and CEO;

Thank you for choosing to sail again with Princess Cruises®. As one of our valued past passengers, we particularly appreciate that you are allowing us to provide you with another fantastic vacation experience.

We look forward to hosting you onboard the recently revitalized Grand Princess, now with exciting new features including the Crown Grill, The One5 nightclub, Alfredo’s pizzeria, and Leaves tea lounge and library on your March 3, 2012 sailing to the Caribbean.

As always, your travel agent at Princess Cruises is your best source to answer any questions and provide suggestions on how to make the most of your upcoming vacation. We hope the information below will also help you get excited and get ready to escape completely. Keep an eye on your email inbox in the weeks ahead for at least three additional messages.

And remember, you can visit your Cruise Personalizer anytime for the latest information on your booking, voyage information, pre-reservations or Travel Summary.

Sincerely,

Alan Buckelew
President & CEO, Princess Cruises

At the same time came an email from the Captain of the ship.  All of these emails contain a recap of our booking including the status of our travel documents, access to shore excursions available on our itinerary,  the ability to book spa treatments and more.

Greetings from the bridge of Grand Princess. Our crew can’t wait to bring you and your fellow passengers to some of the most amazing places on your sailing to the Caribbean.

Please take a look at this email for more information about your cruise aboard the newly revitalized Grand Princess, and be sure everything is in order for your embarkation.

I’m looking forward to welcoming you aboard soon!

Sincerely,
Captain Anthony Herriott
Grand Princess

Getting closer to sailing, the focus turns to life on the ship and ashore with special emphasis on shore excursions with quick, easy links to the Princess website and the available excursions for our voyage

We’re thrilled that you’ve chosen to explore the world with the destination experts!

From outdoor adventures to historical walking tours, Princess Shore Excursions are available to help you maximize your time in every port of call. Read about each city’s most fascinating points of interest by logging into the Cruise Personalizer, then easily pre-reserve and secure your top choices.

Booking tours early helps you save, as prices are often more expensive onboard. No payment is required to pre-reserve, and as an added convenience, advance bookings can be canceled without penalty up until the closing time for cancellations, as published onboard.

We look forward to meeting you onboard soon!

Getting close now, an email from the ships’s Hotel Manager and Maitre ‘d welcoming us on board

With your cruise just around the corner, we wanted to help you become more familiar with Grand Princess.

Please read below for a taste of the food and dining experiences you can look forward to – including the new Crown Grill, Alfredo’s Pizzeria and Leave’s tea lounge and library onboard the recently revitalized Grand Princess.

Also, be sure to take a look at the videos about the special features you’ll find on Grand Princess, as well as new interactive deck plans.

We look forward to welcoming you onboard!

Richard Harry
Hotel General Manager

Fabio Marcotti
Maitre

Finally, just the other day, we received this last minute email from the ship’s Cruise Director and past-guest Captain’s Circle host

With your embarkation just two weeks away, we hope you’re getting excited for your upcoming cruise aboard Grand Princess!

Throughout your vacation, you’ll get to enjoy an exciting array of entertainment options, along with interesting enrichment classes, special events and more. Plus, you’ll get to find out more about the benefits of one of the most rewarding loyalty programs at sea. Please take a look through this email to find out more.

We look forward to personally meeting you onboard soon!

Billy Hygate
Cruise Director

Grazielle Turbay
Circle Host

That last one even listed films that will be playing on the ship when we are on board.

These are good things, free things, included in the price that many cruise travelers do not pay attention to but can add a great deal of value to the onboard experience by familiarizing us with the ship before boarding.  We have recommended doing just that, including getting a good idea of if not memorizing the deck plans.  Once on board, things will look different but knowing where venues are  in relation to our cabin or other major areas like dining rooms and shopping can make for a better experience.  Rather than spending that first day or two (or three or four for some) bumping into walls, getting lost, that study time will pay off in you being in the right place at the right time, relaxed and ready to go at whatever pace you may feel like setting for the day.

Here is more on that Grand Princess Makeover that we’ll be reporting on first-hand soon:

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