Looks like NCL has found a place for their recently homeless Pride of Hawaii. In a press release they have anncounced the following:
NCL Corp. will, for the first time in the company's 41-year history, deploy a ship year-round in Europe. The 2,400-passenger Norwegian Jade (formerly the Pride of Hawaii) will sail a variety of itineraries in Europe year-round, extending its inaugural season in Europe that begins on March 30. The ship will now remain in Europe full time through to the spring of 2010 instead of the current seasonal deployment that was to end in November. As part of this year-round deployment, NCL is introducing three new itineraries all roundtrip from Barcelona -- 12-day Eastern Mediterranean sailings, nine-day Canary Islands and Morocco sailings, and a 14-day Eastern Mediterranean holiday cruise. "We've seen strong growth in Europe and Freestyle Cruising has been a big success with our European guests," said Colin Veitch, NCL's president and CEO. "Norwegian Jade has been very well received in her first season, and our full three-ship fleet in Europe is doing so well that we are now confident in committing a ship year-round to this strongly growing market."Norwegian Jade's new European sailings from November through April 2009 go on sale March 3. The balance of the new deployment through to spring 2010 will be opened for sale shortly thereafter. Norwegian Jade's new 12-day Eastern Mediterranean cruise includes stops in Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Ephesus (Izmir), Turkey; an overnight in Alexandria, Egypt; and Valletta, Malta. Highlights of the nine-day Canary Islands and Morocco itinerary include five ports of call: Casablanca and Agadir, Morocco; Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands; Funchal, Madeira; and Granada (Málaga), Spain.
Looks like they have a solid plan going. And it might be nice to travel to europe in the off-season and miss all the crowds that europe's summer is known for.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Romance on the High Seas!
Keeping that spark in a relationship can be an uphill battle, and for the chronically single… romance can be the last thing on your mind. Taking a romantic cruise can be just the jolt needed to bring a wave of romance back into your life. So, whether you’re simply single or hopelessly unromantic, there is hope for a romance filled vacation!
Forget the Flowers
A well planned romantic cruise can help rejuvenate the romance in a relationship and give you a chance to unwind, if not just for an evening. There is a wide array of cruising options for those seeking that romantic spark. Try a one-night dinner cruise, which can be a less expensive but a unique way to celebrate that special night. For those who want a bit more bang for their buck, consider a romantic weekend getaway to the Caribbean. Singles that want to escape the barrage of friends discussing their Valentine’s plans should consider a singles cruise. Not only will it make you the envy of your friends, but the cruise could have a potentially lasting effect on your romantic life.
Think Outside the Chocolate Box
With all the activities available on the cruise ship, the chocolate box will seem passé. Luxurious spa treatments for two, dancing the night away after a formal dinner, or cuddling up on your own private balcony while the sun sets in the horizon… these are just a sampling of what luxurious romance could await on a romantic cruise. This paired with the ability to call in room service for champagne and chocolate covered strawberries… well there’s just no comparison.
So what are you waiting for, romance is just around the corner? Surprise that special someone in your life with a romantic cruise, or treat yourself to a getaway singles cruise. At CruiseJungle.com, we don’t sell cruises, but are committed to providing information to help people in planning a cruise. Check out our Top Banana deals provided by our sponsors or sign up for a newsletter to get weekly cruise deals by email.
Forget the Flowers
A well planned romantic cruise can help rejuvenate the romance in a relationship and give you a chance to unwind, if not just for an evening. There is a wide array of cruising options for those seeking that romantic spark. Try a one-night dinner cruise, which can be a less expensive but a unique way to celebrate that special night. For those who want a bit more bang for their buck, consider a romantic weekend getaway to the Caribbean. Singles that want to escape the barrage of friends discussing their Valentine’s plans should consider a singles cruise. Not only will it make you the envy of your friends, but the cruise could have a potentially lasting effect on your romantic life.
Think Outside the Chocolate Box
With all the activities available on the cruise ship, the chocolate box will seem passé. Luxurious spa treatments for two, dancing the night away after a formal dinner, or cuddling up on your own private balcony while the sun sets in the horizon… these are just a sampling of what luxurious romance could await on a romantic cruise. This paired with the ability to call in room service for champagne and chocolate covered strawberries… well there’s just no comparison.
So what are you waiting for, romance is just around the corner? Surprise that special someone in your life with a romantic cruise, or treat yourself to a getaway singles cruise. At CruiseJungle.com, we don’t sell cruises, but are committed to providing information to help people in planning a cruise. Check out our Top Banana deals provided by our sponsors or sign up for a newsletter to get weekly cruise deals by email.
Top 10 Dumbest Cruise Questions
After spending 30 years in the cruise biz and taking almost 200 cruises, I have been privy to virtually every strange question that has been asked by a passenger. Some of these I have heard myself and some passed along by my cruise director friends. I have picked my favorite ones. Remember, these questions were asked by real passengers who were already on the ship. Also immediately following is the smart a** answer that the crew would like to give (but don’t, they just smile and nod). Enjoy.
Q. Does the crew sleep on board?
A. Of course not, late at night a water taxi picks them up and takes them home!
Q. Do these stairs go up OR down?
A. Yes!
Q. Does the ship make it’s own electricity?
A. No, don’t you see the long extension cord trailing behind the ship?
Q. Which is the sunny side of the ship?
A. The captain spins the ship around daily so everyone gets an even tan
Q. Which elevator takes me to the front of the ship?
A. Ask the elevator operator when you get on, he will take you anywhere you want to go.
Q. What do you do with the ice carvings after they melt?
A. We re-freeze the water and use it for frozen drinks.
Q. What time is the midnight buffet?
A. Usually around 11 PM or so. We tried doing it right after breakfast but most people weren’t real hungry.
Q. How do we know which pictures are ours?
A. The people who look totally clueless . . . . those are probably yours.
Q. Is this island totally surrounded by water?
A. No, part of it is surrounded by sand, but it’s all clearly marked.
Q. Does the crew sleep on board?
A. Of course not, late at night a water taxi picks them up and takes them home!
Q. Do these stairs go up OR down?
A. Yes!
Q. Does the ship make it’s own electricity?
A. No, don’t you see the long extension cord trailing behind the ship?
Q. Which is the sunny side of the ship?
A. The captain spins the ship around daily so everyone gets an even tan
Q. Which elevator takes me to the front of the ship?
A. Ask the elevator operator when you get on, he will take you anywhere you want to go.
Q. What do you do with the ice carvings after they melt?
A. We re-freeze the water and use it for frozen drinks.
Q. What time is the midnight buffet?
A. Usually around 11 PM or so. We tried doing it right after breakfast but most people weren’t real hungry.
Q. How do we know which pictures are ours?
A. The people who look totally clueless . . . . those are probably yours.
Q. Is this island totally surrounded by water?
A. No, part of it is surrounded by sand, but it’s all clearly marked.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
It's Raining Ships in April
England will be filled with cruise aficionados this April as three new ships hold their celebrated naming ceremonies.
First up is MSC Cruises, holding their ceremony on April 5 in Dover when Sophia Loren steps up to christen MSC Poesia, the company’s fifth new ship - all of which have been named by the Italian diva.
Eleven days later the focus of attention moves to Southampton where P&O Cruises’ Ventura, the largest cruise ship ever designed for the British market, will be named by Dame Helen Mirren on the evening of the 16th.
Finishing out the season is Royal Caribbean International with their inaugural celebrations for Independence of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, before she begins her first season ex-Southampton. The godmother for the April 30 launch has not been disclosed. Many guests invited to the ceremony will have a chance to stay on board for two nights providing the opportunity to spend the rest of the next day and night sampling the FlowRider surf simulator, ice skating, the rock climbing wall plus the shops, restaurants and bars of the Royal Promenade, dinner and evening entertainment.
Hope my invitation is in the mail!
First up is MSC Cruises, holding their ceremony on April 5 in Dover when Sophia Loren steps up to christen MSC Poesia, the company’s fifth new ship - all of which have been named by the Italian diva.
Eleven days later the focus of attention moves to Southampton where P&O Cruises’ Ventura, the largest cruise ship ever designed for the British market, will be named by Dame Helen Mirren on the evening of the 16th.
Finishing out the season is Royal Caribbean International with their inaugural celebrations for Independence of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, before she begins her first season ex-Southampton. The godmother for the April 30 launch has not been disclosed. Many guests invited to the ceremony will have a chance to stay on board for two nights providing the opportunity to spend the rest of the next day and night sampling the FlowRider surf simulator, ice skating, the rock climbing wall plus the shops, restaurants and bars of the Royal Promenade, dinner and evening entertainment.
Hope my invitation is in the mail!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Some Fun Cruise Facts
Hello my friends,
In my continuing research into the cruise industry I often come across some fun facts that I thought I would share with you all today. Enjoy!
On a three-day Disney Wonder cruise, 6,525 pool towels will be used and washed, enough to handle every athlete of every participating country's Olympic swimming team.
Freedom of the Seas has enough staterooms to host all, and I mean all, NFL, MLB and NBA players and coaches in one single sailing.
The average expenditure for the mass market cruise line on food is under $7.00 a day per passenger
What does it take to stock one of the world's largest cruise ships? From place settings in the restaurants to supplies in the staterooms to provisions in the kitchen, these are just some of the items needed for Grand Princess' passengers and crew:
96,396 pieces of glassware
51,612 pieces of silver-plated flatware
13,200 bath towels
8,640 boxes of facial tissue
23,000 bed sheets
59,300 wooden coat hangers
18,000 rolls of toilet paper
A year in an “assisted-living facility” costs Americans, on average, around $28,500 a year. In large cities such as Chicago, costs are even higher, topping $40,000. Living in a dedicated cabin aboard the Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas, on the other hand, rings in at a rather competitive $33,260 a year.
The average passenger spends $220 per day onboard the ship.
Morgan Robertson’s “The Wreck of the Titan,” is an unusual novel describing the doomed voyage of the luxury liner Titan, the largest and most glamorous liner ever constructed. Carrying the wealthy and prominent of her time on her April maiden voyage between Southampton and New York, she set out to break a nautical speed record. In the middle of the night, the Titan struck an iceberg and sank, killing most of the passengers as a result of an insufficient number of life boats. “The Wreck of the Titan” was published in 1898, fourteen years before the Titanic sank!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Saying Aloha
Aloha means both hello and goodbye but this is a case of goodbye. NCL Corp. is withdrawing Pride of Aloha from the Hawaii market effective May 11, and will transfer the ship to sister company Star Cruises for reflagging and redeployment in Asia this summer. At the same time, the company confirmed itineraries through 2010 on its remaining U.S.-flag ship, Pride of America. That vessel will sail every Saturday from Honolulu.
Now the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports that NCL might pull its last ship out of Hawaii if federal rules governing cruise lines aren't changed in its favor. And for good reason. Should the laws change in NCL’s favor competitors, such as foreign flagged Princess and Holland America, would be unable to include the Hawaiian Islands on their itineraries.
Looks like rough waters in Hawaii. We’ll keep you posted on any updates!
Now the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports that NCL might pull its last ship out of Hawaii if federal rules governing cruise lines aren't changed in its favor. And for good reason. Should the laws change in NCL’s favor competitors, such as foreign flagged Princess and Holland America, would be unable to include the Hawaiian Islands on their itineraries.
Looks like rough waters in Hawaii. We’ll keep you posted on any updates!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Now That’s a Cruise
If you have an extra $200,000 or so lying around, why not book a cabin on one of the most expensive cruises in history. The 108-day Inaugural World Voyage on the Seabourn Odyssey starts at $107,490 per person -- or nearly $215,000 per cabin. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. The top cabins on the trip cost around $1 million. The epic voyage, which will begin in Ft. Lauderdale on Jan. 5, 2010, is the line's first around-the-world cruise.
Where in the world does this massively expensive cruise take you? Everywhere! Destinations for this ship include: Guatemala, Hawaii, Tahiti, Bora Bora, the Cook Islands, Australia, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Greece. Would you book a cruise for 108 days? Let us know what you think!
Where in the world does this massively expensive cruise take you? Everywhere! Destinations for this ship include: Guatemala, Hawaii, Tahiti, Bora Bora, the Cook Islands, Australia, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Greece. Would you book a cruise for 108 days? Let us know what you think!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Super Savings for Spring
Thinking about booking your next cruise? Well this is the time to take advantage of the considerable discounts that many cruise lines are offering. Non profit organization, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), has issued a press release detailing the onboard credits and savings that you can receive by booking your cruise in the next few weeks. For the month of February, many member lines of CLIA are offering special rates, onboard credits, deposit waivers or other incentives designed to stimulate record cruise sales for 2008. This year's Wave Season offers a range from savings of more than 50 percent of cruise prices to onboard credits worth hundreds of dollars, stateroom upgrades and other perks. Here's a sampling of offers (unless otherwise noted, offers extend through February 29). For the full list of discounts available, please visit www.cruising.org
Carnival Cruise Lines: Special rates of $249 to $339 per person on select departure dates for three- to five-day voyages on Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration, both with new Serenity adults-only decks and Carnival Waterworks aqua parks.
Celebrity Cruises: Onboard credits of $50 to $200 per stateroom, based on the length of voyage, on cruises in Alaska, the Caribbean and Europe.
Cunard Line: Onboard credits of up to $300, plus a waiver of deposits for second guests on select Queen Mary 2 sailings and Queen Victoria maiden European voyages.
Holland America Line: Savings of up to $450 off brochure rates plus upgrades for as little as $100 depending on sailing. The View and Verandah promotion applies to the company's eight ships offering select 2008 Alaska departures.
Norwegian Cruise Line: Weekly special offers, including on-board credits and stateroom upgrades for select destinations, are offered as part of NCL's "Freestyle Resolution Sales Event" and can be found at www.ncl.com. The promotion also includes the chance to win a free cruise.
Princess Cruises: A special "Alaska Wilderness Sale" features savings of $200 per couple plus a $200 onboard credit on Princess cruise tours, with rates starting at $1,399 for an 11-day sailing. The offer is available on many Alaska sailings.
Royal Caribbean International: Onboard credits of up to $200 per stateroom on select Alaska sailings/tours for 2008.
Carnival Cruise Lines: Special rates of $249 to $339 per person on select departure dates for three- to five-day voyages on Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration, both with new Serenity adults-only decks and Carnival Waterworks aqua parks.
Celebrity Cruises: Onboard credits of $50 to $200 per stateroom, based on the length of voyage, on cruises in Alaska, the Caribbean and Europe.
Cunard Line: Onboard credits of up to $300, plus a waiver of deposits for second guests on select Queen Mary 2 sailings and Queen Victoria maiden European voyages.
Holland America Line: Savings of up to $450 off brochure rates plus upgrades for as little as $100 depending on sailing. The View and Verandah promotion applies to the company's eight ships offering select 2008 Alaska departures.
Norwegian Cruise Line: Weekly special offers, including on-board credits and stateroom upgrades for select destinations, are offered as part of NCL's "Freestyle Resolution Sales Event" and can be found at www.ncl.com. The promotion also includes the chance to win a free cruise.
Princess Cruises: A special "Alaska Wilderness Sale" features savings of $200 per couple plus a $200 onboard credit on Princess cruise tours, with rates starting at $1,399 for an 11-day sailing. The offer is available on many Alaska sailings.
Royal Caribbean International: Onboard credits of up to $200 per stateroom on select Alaska sailings/tours for 2008.
Friday, February 1, 2008
It's About Time
Seems like a cruise line has finally listened to cruisers complaints. Princess Cruise Line has updated its disembarkation process to allow a more efficient and streamlined process. Moving away from instructing passengers to listen to announcements for their luggage tag color to be called, Princess is now assigning a time and place to assemble on the final morning. Passengers are then escorted to the gangway by a staff member, eliminating the guesswork as to the actual time passengers will disembark.
Passengers now receive a letter the day before the end of the cruise that outlines their designated time to meet in an assigned public room, depending on their return air arrangements. This allows them to sleep in a little longer and enjoy a more relaxed breakfast. The program is being rolled out fleetwide and has received some great feedback already.
Hint for the rest of the industry: Jump on the bandwagon!
Passengers now receive a letter the day before the end of the cruise that outlines their designated time to meet in an assigned public room, depending on their return air arrangements. This allows them to sleep in a little longer and enjoy a more relaxed breakfast. The program is being rolled out fleetwide and has received some great feedback already.
Hint for the rest of the industry: Jump on the bandwagon!
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