Cunard Line Announces 2011 Program

Combining 170 years of experience with the youngest, luxury fleet at sea—flagship Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and the soon-to-be-launched Queen Elizabeth—Cunard has announced its most extensive range of voyages to date, with a greater choice of itineraries, departure dates, and overnight stays. Guests will have more opportunities to experience the new golden age of ocean travel with the classic traditions and legendary White Star Service for which Cunard is renowned.

The line’s flagship, Queen Mary 2, will continue to offer extended Transatlantic Crossings between New York and Southampton, as well as to Hamburg; Queen Victoria will journey across the Atlantic for a second Americas season in early 2012; and new to the voyage schedule will be visits to the Holy Land aboard both Queen Victoria and the new Queen Elizabeth.

“Three new ocean liners in just six years demonstrates the deep resonance of the Cunard brand to guests looking for the best in luxury cruising and the ability to experience a unique sense of heritage and tradition,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “With the addition of Queen Elizabeth, we can now offer guests even more legendary voyage options, featuring the signature Cunard ocean travel experience.”

Queen Mary 2: The grandest ocean liner at sea, Queen Mary 2 will continue to offer her legendary Transatlantic Crossings in 2011, sailing 21 in total, with most voyages now seven days between New York and Southampton. Eight- and nine-day extended Crossings between New York and Hamburg also will be available. In addition, “Grand” voyage options are available, roundtrip from New York, combining classic European itineraries with a Crossing on either side.

Guests on the elongated Crossings will enjoy additional time to explore the extensive onboard offerings, including lectures through the award-winning Cunard Insights programme; stargazing in the only planetarium at sea; afternoon tea served in the Queens Room or a spin around the dance floor during a Royal Nights themed ball; taking in a performance or workshop by members of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; or perusing the 8,000 volumes in the largest library at sea.

Queen Mary 2 also will offer two voyages to the Atlantic Isles and Iberia, seven voyages in Northern Europe with trips to Norway from Southampton and Hamburg, and an 8-day Around the British Isles voyage. After her annual Getaway for the Fourth of July holiday, she returns to New York in the fall for an enhanced 10-day Canada & New England voyage, which now features an overnight stay in Quebec, and in December, a holiday-timed Caribbean Celebration.

Queen Victoria: Queen Victoria once again begins her 2011 season with a series of voyages to the Mediterranean and Canary Islands, roundtrip from Southampton. Additionally, she will offer five voyages to Northern Europe, including two 12-day St. Petersburg & Baltic Capitals itineraries which feature overnight stays in St. Petersburg, and a new Gallic Overture voyage, taking in Ireland, France and Spain. After repositioning to Venice at the end of the summer, she will once again be based in the Mediterranean for a series of 12-day sailings between Venice, Rome and Athens. These popular itineraries cover the very best of the region, including one voyage to the Black Sea, three voyages to Turkey and the Greek Isles, and two voyages to Egypt and the Greek Isles, with most featuring an overnight in either Istanbul or Venice.

New for 2011 is a Holy Land Explorer voyage, offering calls in Egypt and Israel. The 12-day voyage, roundtrip from Rome, provides the opportunity to visit historic Cairo, Jerusalem and Galilee. Queen Victoria then journeys across the Atlantic to start her second Americas season in 2012. In addition to a return of the 17-day voyage from Los Angeles to New York, she will offer three 15-day Panama Canal transits between Los Angeles and Ft. Lauderdale, two 14-day voyages to Hawaii, and an 11-day partial Canal voyage roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale. She will then head back across the Atlantic on an eight-day Transatlantic Crossing.

Queen Elizabeth: The eagerly anticipated 2011 maiden voyages for Queen Elizabeth will offer a wide-ranging series of itineraries in Europe and beyond from her home port of Southampton, with a total of 52 maiden calls in her first full season. Included in next year’s line-up are four sailings to the Mediterranean and one Voyage to the Holy Land, which includes calls in Jerusalem, Galilee and Cairo. Also available will be a series of 14-day Baltic voyages that include a full day and overnight call in St. Petersburg, two 7-day Fjord departures, an 11-day voyage to the North Cape, a maiden Around the British Isles voyage, plus a number of voyages to the Atlantic Isles and Canary Islands. Rounding out her 2011 season will be a series of 5-day Getaway voyages and two visits to the United States on roundtrip voyages from Southampton. Growing interest in overnight calls will see the newest Cunarder also stay overnight in Amsterdam, Venice, New York, and Quebec.

See Cunard’s 2011-2012 voyage schedule online for complete details. Reservations for Cunard’s 2011 and 2012 voyages will open for booking on Apri 26l for Cunard World Club Members and April 27 for non-members. For more information and to book a voyage, consult your Travel Professional, call toll-free 1-800-7-CUNARD, or visit Cunard.com.

Celebrity Silhouette Takes Shape

Before boarding Celebrity Eclipse on Wednesday evening, our group was invited in side Meyer Werft shipyard to witness the next all-important step in the progress of Celebrity Cruises' Solstice Class. As the first steel was cut for Celebrity Silhouette, building of the fourth vessel in the series has begun.

It may only look like a slab of steel right now, but it won't be long before Celebrity Silhouette takes the place of Celebrity Eclipse as the tallest building in Papenburg.

Celebrity Eclipse, The “Conveyance”

The village of Papenburg, Germany has one less “high rise” at the edge of town today.

Celebrity Eclipse sailed from the Meyer Werft shipyard on schedule Thursday morning at 9:00am for its “conveyance”—backwards—up the River Ems. The tugs were in place and, from our viewing area on the outside deck aft of the Oceanview Café on Deck 14, we could hear the sounds of “Time to Say Goodbye” as the Eclipse’s horn signaled our departure.

It was an exciting event and one that was actually moved forward a day due to the weather forecast. We boarded Celebrity Eclipse on Wednesday night and, while Thursday was a somewhat overcast morning, the crisp air was perfectly still, as it has to be for a successful conveyance. Ships the size of Celebrity Cruises’ Solstice-class, of which the Celebrity Eclipse is the third, move at a sedate 4 knots up the river to dock in Eemshaven, The Netherlands to prepare for sea trials. Winds and tide levels are crucial to a successful 22 kilometer conveyance.

Asked how wide and how deep the river must be, Mr. Bernard Meyer, the managing partner of Meyer Werft smiles and responds, “Wide enough and deep enough.” He notes that the absence of wind is critical because a ship the size of Celebrity Eclipse acts like a giant sail in heavy winds on the river. When you see how truly narrow the locks and bridges are—with mere feet on either side of the ship’s hull—it’s easy to admire the skill of the tugboat captains and Celebrity Eclipse’s captain.

And so, with thousands of spectators lining the riverbanks, and bicyclists actually “passing” us on the roadway, we reached our destination on time and with the paint on Celebrity Eclipse’s hull intact.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience as you can tell from the images below. Who’d have ever guessed my first river “cruise” would be on an ocean-going cruise ship?

On the river, with a tug guiding Celebrity Eclipse stern first:

Below: Celebrity Eclipse passes through Meyer Werft lock


Below: Passage of the bridge in Weener, where a section has been removed temporarily

Below: Passage of Jann Berghaus Bridge (drawbridge), Leer

Cruising in South America

The recent devasating earthquake in Chile has brought that country, and much of South America under closer scrutiny lately. To most North Americans, the continent is quite exotic and fairly unknown.

While most South America cruises tend to be lengthy—if you have trouble adjusting to travel due to the negative effects of jet lag, South America voyages are ideal—you often travel in the same time zone as your hometown when visiting countries there. Not having to overcome jet lag means you can hit the ground running and get the most out of your vacation from the moment your plane lands.

Research is high on my list of things to do when preparing for a cruise to foreign ports. Guidebooks are naturally a good place to start, as is the Internet. However, one of the best sources of information is someone who's already been there. In my case, I began my research for a cruise to South America in my own kitchen by interviewing my husband. Mel, who traveled extensively throughout South America for over a decade. To give me a start, Mel compiled some Tips for South America Cruise Travel.

Whether you choose to discover South America on a cruise along the Atlantic, Pacific, or both coasts, plan to spend some time before or after your cruise meeting the locals and sampling the beach, cuisine, and nightlife of South America's treasures. BrazilMax, an award-winning online travel guide to South America's largest country focuses on what they call roots tourism–eco, cultural, historical, rural, adventure, business, etc. Their aim is to help travelers plan their trips and better understand Brazilian society and culture.

Easily one of the world's most recognizable landmarks, Christo Redentor (pictured above) is an icon to the warmth of Brazil.

What's Cruise Diva Doing In Germany?

For a change of pace, I’m not at sea. Not exactly, that is.

I’ve gone to Germany, Papenburg to be exact, to the Meyer Werft shipyard to board Celebrity Eclipse for the “Conveyance.” This milestone event marks the first time this sophisticated, new Solstice Class ship sets sail from Meyer Werft shipyard and cruises—backward!—down the River Ems, with tens of thousands of area residents lining the riverbanks to watch and cheer her on.

Not your typical “river cruise,” the conveyance promises to be quite an experience. While Celebrity Eclipse hasn't been completely fitted out, and still has sea trials ahead of her after reaching Emshaven, Netherlands, I'll be reporting my impressions.

Also on board will be the ten winners of Celebrity’s “Eclipse of a Lifetime” sweepstakes, which drew more than 200,000 entrants. Our Celebrity Cruises hosts scheduled to be on hand include President & CEO Dan Hanrahan and VP of Culinary Operations Jacques Van Staden, who is sure to talk about Qsine, the new dining venue on Celebrity Eclipse.

I have my camera in hand, so check back for updates. Depending on the weather, we'll either stay onboard Celebrity Eclipse tomorrow or disembark and head to Amsterdam.

Where's Cruise Diva?

Every year, about 300,000 tourists come to Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany to see first hand how state-of-the-art shipbuilding works and I'm about to join their ranks. Tourists are particularly captivated by the huge luxury cruise ships and the complex production line at the shipyard and so, in cooperation with the Papenburg Tourism Ltd, a Visitors Center is operated to provide a detailed insight into the production process at the yard by means of exhibits, videos, a mock-up cabin, etc. And every time a ship is conveyed down the river Ems, large crowds are attracted to witness this spectacular event.

Are you interested in visiting Meyer Werft? If the web cam on their Internet site has whetted your appetite, simply book your tour, check out the Visitors Center, and get a close look at the cruise ships under construction in the building docks of the yard.

From 1995 to the present, Meyer Werft has delivered five Century- and Solstice-class cruise ships to Celebrity Cruises. Until 1996 the Mercury and Galaxy were the biggest cruise ships built in Germany, which was a great success for Meyer Werft and the country's ship building industry. This weekend will see Celebrity Eclipse, the fourth of Celebrity's Solstice-class ships, leave Meyer Werft for a conveyance and Cruise Diva will be on board.

10 New & Exciting Theme Cruises

An exciting slate of new theme cruises is awaiting just over the horizon. No matter where your interests lie, there is most likely a theme cruise out there just waiting for you. Sail with luminaries and other guests who share your passions.

These cruises, and many more, can be found at ThemeCruiseFinder.com, which is designed to provide a comprehensive search portal for travelers interested in taking part in one of the many theme cruises currently available:

1. Sail with Pat Conroy: Pat Conroy uses stories to explore the great themes of life. His honesty and his remarkable command of the language of the heart have won him devoted readers around the world. (April 17, 2010; Crystal Cruises)
2. Michelin-Star Chefs: Tom Aikens - Youngest British chef ever awarded two Michelin Stars; owner of Tom Aikens Restaurant in the U.K., named eighth best restaurant in the world. (Sept 17, 2010; Crystal Cruises); Michael Mina - Founder of the Mina Group, with 11 concept restaurants including two-Michelin-Starred Michael Mina in San Francisco. (Sept 5, 2010; Crystal Cruises)
3. Guiding Light Cruise: So Long Springfield: The "So Long Springfield at Sea" cruise will bid farewell to the soap opera "Guiding Light" (July 31, 2010; Carnival Cruise Line)
4. Air Supply: Featuring Christopher Cross and John Waite, for fans of these '70's iconic performers, this is a can't miss event. (Oct 31, 2010; Royal Caribbean)
5. Great Alaska Marathon Cruise: Run the world's only staged maritime marathon! Every day brings a new distance, new terrain and new racing experiences. By the end of the week you'll have run the marathon distance (26.2 miles) and have seen some of the world's most beautiful landscapes. Finally, a running vacation. (July 11, 2010; Holland America Line)
6. "little people - BIG SHIP": Celebrity Fan Cruise with Amy Roloff - Amy has become well known from her show on the Discovery Channel: "little people - BIG WORLD." (June 26, 2010; Royal Caribbean)
7. Bon Appétit Travel Series: Kurt Gutenbrunner -This hosted sailing will provide guests with the opportunity to enjoy private events with the celebrated guest chef on board exclusively for this group. Mix and mingle with Chef Gutenbrunner during exclusive epicurean experiences and interactive demonstrations that will reflect the taste and style of the region, as well as his own culinary character. (Oct 9, 2010; Regent Seven Seas Cruises); Shaun Hergatt - Executive Chef and Partner of SHO, Chef Hergatt, brings his passion for hospitality and his stellar culinary background to this unique Bon Appétit Travel Series cruise. His distinctive style of boldly flavored, innovative dishes based on the flavors of Australia has won praise in the US and abroad. (Sept 22, 2010; Regent Seven Seas Cruises)
8. Malt Shop Memories Cruise: A 4-night cruise highlighting music from the 1950s and '60s. Appearances include Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Lesley Gore, The Original Drifters, The Platters and Lou Christie. DJ Jerry Blavat, also known as the "Geator with the Heater," serves as host of the cruise and emcee of special events. (May 13, 2010; Carnival Cruise Line)
9. The Swingers Cruise: We're not talking about dancing! (Jan 23, 2011; Windstar Cruises)
10. Dr. Ruth Westheimer: Dr. Ruth is a psychosexual therapist who pioneered speaking frankly about sexual matters on radio with her program, Sexually Speaking. (July 6, 2010; Cunard Line)

And last, but certainly not least... a somewhat controversial theme cruise returns to sea:

• 3rd International Cougar Cruise: Come join the 3rd International Cougar Cruise, for younger men/older women! (Dec 3, 2010; Norwegian Cruise Line)

Exceptional Booking Volumes Spurs Fare Increases For NCL

This may be a trend in the making, so you might want to start making your cruise vacations a bit sooner than later.

Only a little over a week after Carnival Cruise Lines announced upcoming fare increases spurred by strong booking numbers, Norwegian Cruise Line reports they too experienced an unprecedented year-to-date increase in booking volume during their “Year of the Freestyle Vacation” wave season promotion in January and February. In addition, group business was up close to twofold. The company also saw a strong interest in its new ship debuting in June, Norwegian Epic, and for its Hawaii-based ship, Pride of America. Because of this demand, prices are set to increase fleet wide up to seven percent as of Thursday, April 2, 2010. That’s 2 percent higher than the “up to 5 percent” announced by competitor Carnival.

“Our first quarter wave season promotion definitely persuaded consumers to book a Norwegian cruise vacation as we saw heavy call volumes translating to exceptional bookings,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line chief executive officer. “As we move out of wave season, consumers and travel partners can expect to see our prices rise across the fleet, especially for our new, highly anticipated ship Norwegian Epic.”

About Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line is the innovator in cruise travel with a 43-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising, most notably with the introduction of Freestyle Cruising which has revolutionized the industry by allowing guests more freedom and flexibility. Today, Norwegian has the youngest fleet in the industry with 10 purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea.Norwegian is presently building Norwegian Epic, the company’s largest and most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship to date, for delivery in June 2010. Norwegian Cruise Line is the official cruise line of Blue Man Group, debuting for the first time at sea on Norwegian Epic. For more information on Norwegian or to book a cruise, call 866-234-7350, visit NCL.com ,or phone a travel professional.

Silver Spirit: Scheduled Departure From Valparaiso, Chile on March 8

SPECIAL NOTE FROM SILVERSEA CRUISES:

We have been closely monitoring the situation in Chile and are pleased with the current progress. Based on the information we have received from our local ground operators, things are rapidly returning to normal in Santiago and the Silver Spirit is expected to depart Valparaiso as scheduled.

However, guests who have made independent flight arrangements to Santiago are urged to contact their travel agent or airline directly to reconfirm their schedule as flights are operating, but sometimes to an altered timetable. If you are a Silversea air/sea guest and have questions regarding the status of your flight to Chile, please contact our offices at 1-800-722-9955

Also, as a courtesy to embarking guests who may have difficulty with a transfer to Valparaiso, there will be limited transportation available from The Ritz-Carlton Hotel to the pier departing sharply a t 2:00PM on Monday, March 8. The ship will sail at 10:00pm as per our published schedule unless we know there are a large number of guests who are delayed and we have been provided this information.

Watch The MSC Magnifica Christening Live

The count-down is underway and even though most of us can't be in Hamburg in person, we can watch the christening of MSC Cruises' MSC Magnifica live on MSC Web TV. The christening celebration includes an evening (although it is afternoon here in the US) of entertainment and celebration both onboard and ashore through a live broadcast shown on two giant screens. Renowned Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti, adult contemporary/soft rock/pop artist, performs on stage during the christening while MSC Cruises' traditional godmother, Italian screen legend Sophia Loren, participates in the ribbon cutting. Ramazzotti is one of the most popular Italian singers and songwriters selling more than 40 million records in his 25-year career.

Get the popcorn ready and hare in the excitement of this terrific event today, March 6, at 2:30 PM (EST) live at www.mscwebtv.com/.

MSC Magnifica combines the intimacy of her three Musica Class sister vessels with the state-of-the-art facilities and comfort of the company's larger flagships. MSC Magnifica offers 16 bars and lounges, four restaurants. A magrodome making it possible to enjoy one of the four pools throughout the year regardless of the weather. Other features on board include a high-tech 4D cinema, mini-bowling alley, the Balinese inspired MSC Aurea Spa and more. The new addition to the MSC Cruises' fleet will sail the Eastern Mediterranean beginning March 20, for 7-night itineraries departing Venice, Italy and calling at Bari, Italy; Katakolon (Olympia) Greece; Izmir, Turkey; Istanbul, Turkey; and Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Open-Air BBQ on Carnival Dream is a Big Hit

A new open-air barbeque on The Lanai aboard the Carnival Dream has proven to be a huge hit, attracting upwards of 700 hungry passengers each day. Located along the ship’s expansive outdoor promenade, the new barbecue option was introduced a few weeks ago and features a variety of popular grilled items, from sliders and chicken to quesadillas and hot dogs, along with salads, homemade chips and salsa, and traditional barbecue accompaniments.

The new al fresco venue is just one of several casual dining choices on board Carnival Cruise Lines' newest and largest ship. The huge 3,646-passenger Carnival Dream also has a 1,700-seat poolside eatery called The Gathering that features an Indian tandoori, burrito bar, Mongolian wok station, a custom-made pasta venue, a New York-style deli, extensive salad and dessert bars, and Carnival’s ever-popular 24-hour pizzeria. These casual alternatives complement multi-course full service meals available in the Scarlet and Crimson main dining rooms and The Chef’s Art Steakhouse serving prime steaks and other fine cuisine.

Carnival Dream operates year-round 7-day Caribbean service from Port Canaveral, Florida, carrying an estimated 200,000 guests annually from that port.

Update on Star Princess Departure from Valparaiso, Chile

From Princess Cruises:

We can confirm that all passengers able to reach Star Princess are now onboard and the ship has prepared to sail from Valparaiso. Our decision to remain in Valparaiso was a necessary one due to the closure of the airport over the weekend and subsequent reduced flight schedules through today, and allowed many additional passengers to reach the ship.

This delayed departure does require us to alter the remainder of the itinerary. Regrettably, we will be dropping the ports calls of Punta Arenas and Stanley, and the scenic cruising of Cape Horn. The new itinerary will continue to call in Ushuaia on March 8, Montevideo on March 12, and Buenos Aires on March 13. For details of the times in each port, please contact Princess Reservations.

Passengers who were unable to join Star Princess in Valparaiso may continue to secure alternate flight arrangements and join the ship at one of the ports on the new itinerary. Princess Reservations is in the process of making call-outs to passengers, advising of this option. If you have made plans to join the ship, please contact Princess Reservations with your flight schedule and planned port of embarkation.

Again, we thank you for your patience and understanding and we hope you are able to join us onboard Star Princess.

Where In The World Is Copenhagen's Little Mermaid?

If your Baltic cruise includes a call in Copenhagen this year, you might be in for a disappointment. The Little Mermaid, Denmark's biggest tourist attraction and, for many visitors, the symbol of Copenhagen and Denmark won't be perched on her stone at Langelinie in Copenhagen Harbor. For 95 years she has greeted visitors from around the world, but now it is the little lady's turn to take a trip abroad. When the World Expo is held in Shanghai in 2010, it will be with The Little Mermaid as a main attraction.

She is a hard one to find a substitute for in Copenhagen, but Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has agreed to do the job. While The Little Mermaid is in Shanghai for the World Expo 2010 from May 1st to Oct 31st, an exchange installation by Weiwei, the Andy Warhol of China, will take her place in Copenhagen. His artwork can best be described as a multimedia installation, which registers, documents, and articulates the movements and changes that occur during the time The Little Mermaid is away. The installation is active around the clock and the reproduction of images happens in several layers at once. Incorporated in the piece are a number of technologies such as cameras and web connections.

Exact dates of the departure of The Little Mermaid and arrival of Ai Weiwei's art installation were yet to be announced last week; however, The Little Mermaid is expected to leave Copenhagen in April. Her presence at the Expo is a gesture of cultural generosity and also an invitation to a cultural dialogue between Denmark and China. While she is gone, visitors to Copenhagen will be able to see an original copy of the sculpture in Tivoli Gardens.

Rogue Waves Kill Two in Mediterranean

Two cruise ship passengers were killed when a 26-foot wave smashed into the Cypriot-owned Louis Majesty off the coast of France yesterday. A statement issued by the Greek coast guard says six other people suffered relatively minor injuries in the incident. It also says the freak "rogue"waves hit the ship near the Mediterranean port of Marseilles, France as the ship was sailing from Barcelona, Spain to Genoa, Italy with 1,350 passengers and 580 crew on board. The victims have been identified only as a German and an Italian man.

Louis Cruise Lines spokesman Michael Maratheftis told Fox News that the ship was hit by three "abnormally high" waves up to 26-ft high that broke glass windows in the vessel's forward section. The ship has safely returned to Barcelona where the injured could be treated in local hospitals.

Operated by Louis Cruise Lines, the 18-year-old Louis Majesty sailed for years as Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Majesty until it was retired from the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet last October.

Celebrity Eclipse Makes Her First Public Appearance

In order to witness the next solar eclipse, you have to wait until July 11, 2010. But if you’re in the area of Papenburg, Germany, you can catch a glimpse of Celebrity Eclipse right now.

The third in Celebrity Cruises' stylish, $3.7-billion Solstice Class fleet, Celebrity Eclipse showed off her sleek profile Sunday as she emerged for the first time from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. Celebrity Eclipse will enter service April 26 and, following two "short break" cruises, will offer a series of Canary Islands, Scandinavia/Russia, and Spanish Mediterranean sailings roundtrip from Southampton, England. The new vessel will offer Caribbean cruises roundtrip from Miami beginning in November.

I'll get a first look late next week when I board Celebrity Eclipse for the "conveyance," as she sets sail backwards on the River Ems from the shipyard. Although the ship won't be totally complete at that time, hopefully the Internet service will be up and running for daily blog reports.

Important information for passengers on Star Princess March 2nd voyage from Valparaiso

Statement From Princess Cruises:

We have appreciated your patience over the past few days. We wish to confirm that Star Princess will sail from Valparaiso on Thursday, March 4 at 12:00 noon. We have made the decision to delay embarkation in order to provide additional time for our passengers to reach the ship. Embarkation will begin 8:00am on Thursday, March 4 and the ship will leave midday Thursday on a journey to Rio de Janeiro. Once the departure time is confirmed and the ship is underway, the Captain will make announcements as to the impact on the remainder of the itinerary.

For passengers still at home, we encourage you to continue to work with the airlines to rebook your flight to arrive in Santiago on or before 8:00am on Thursday, March 4. For those passengers with Princess Air, we're working with the availability given by the airlines to attempt to book flights when they become available.

For passengers in Chile, please arrive at the pier in Valparaiso at 8:00am on Thursday for embarkation. Due to earthquake-related port congestion, Star Princess has moved from the pier to an anchorage position in the port of Valparaiso. The ship will remain at this anchorage position for the remainder of Tuesday, March 2 and for the full day of Wednesday, March 3. Therefore, we kindly request you arrive for embarkation at 8:00am on Thursday morning. If you have any questions or require additional information, please call our Chilean ground handler at 09 7 897 27 85. Again we thank you for your patience and understanding and we hope you are able to join us on board Star Princess.

Star Princess in Valparaiso, Chile: Updated Status

Statement from Princess Cruises:

Star Princess arrived in Valparaiso, Chile—the terminus of a 12-day South America/Cape Horn cruise—as scheduled this morning, Tuesday, March 2. Because air flights are continuing to operate in and out of Santiago on a limited basis over the next several days, we recognize that passengers are having difficulties reaching Star Princess as planned. Therefore we will hold the ship in Valparaiso until noon on Thursday, March 4, giving arriving passengers additional time to meet the ship.

At that time, Star Princess will depart on a revised itinerary for the next cruise, calling at the ports of Ushuaia, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, and ending in Rio de Janeiro on March 16. Passengers who are able to embark Star Princess in Valparaiso at the time of sailing on March 4 will sail on the revised itinerary, and will be advised after departure on their cruise details.

Passengers who are currently onboard Star Princess and are unable to fly home because of limited air flights, have two options. They can disembark the ship as planned on March 2, or they can remain onboard for the next cruise (for a charge of $50 per person, per day for standard inside or outside staterooms and $75 per person, per day for balconie accommodations and above), and can disembark from any of the ports on the sailing up to and including Buenos Aires.

We are providing updates to passengers as we receive new information, and we appreciate their patience and understanding as we manage this unforeseen situation. In the meantime, our thoughts are with all those affected by the tragic earthquake in Chile.

MSC Cruises Signs Letter of Intent for MSC Favolosa in 2012

A mere three days after the MSC Magnifica flag ceremony at the STX Europe shipyard in Saint-Nazaire (France), MSC Cruises signed a letter of intent for the delivery of a new ship in June 2012, to join the eleven new vessels built over the past seven years. MSC Cruises’ worldwide CEO, Pierfrancesco Vago, said, “We are immensely proud to announce the signature of a letter of intent for the building of a new ship, MSC Favolosa.” Measuring 1,094 feet in length and 125 feet wide, MSC Favolosa will have 1,751 staterooms and be able to travel at speeds of up nearly 24 knots.

Award-winning naval architects De Jorio Design International is once again designing the newest addition to the Fantasia class. The ship will herald a state-of-the-art concept in space management. Two additional lifts to improve flow of the guests and a total redesign of decks and restaurants to offer guests on board unprecedented comfort and the highest space ratio per guest. The MSC Yacht Club, this “ship within a ship,” will be enlarged and redesigned as well as the Aft Lounge, adults-only area surrounding the Aft Infinity Pool, the casino and the disco.

To achieve the highest environmental standards, substantial investments will onboard also include more efficient evaporators, chillers, a new generation of propulsor motors, and an additional bow thruster to improve maneuverability.

For more information about MSC Cruises, visit the MSC Cruises USA website, call 877-665-4655, or contact a local travel professional.

Update on Star Princess Turnaround in Valparaiso, Chile: March 2

Statement from Princess Cruises:

Star Princess will end its current cruise in Valparaiso, Chile as scheduled on Tuesday morning, March 2. The cruise terminal is open and operational.

The airport there is operating on a very limited basis, and the vast majority of inbound and outbound flights have been cancelled. We are closely monitoring the situation.

Should the airport remain closed on Tuesday, we plan to keep Star Princess is Valparaiso for at least another 24 hours so our passengers who are unable to fly out, will be able to stay onboard until flight operations resume. Passengers who are already in Valparaiso will also be able to embark and stay on board the ship.

At this point we plan to operate the following cruise, which is sailing to Rio de Janeiro. We will keep passengers informed of any changes to the itinerary, but the earliest we would sail from Valparaiso would be Wednesday, March 3 at 6 pm.

Passengers who have booked their outbound or inbound air through Princess are being re-booked, and any modification to pre- or post packages have been taken care of.

For passengers onboard who had made independent travel plans in Valparaiso, we have assisted them by checking on the status of their hotel, and have provided them with this information.

This is a fluid situation and can change at any time. We are continuing to provide updates to our passengers as we receive new information.

Oceania Marina Floats Out & Welcomes A Baby Sister Ship

According to Frank Del Rio, chairman and CEO of Oceania Cruises’ parent company Prestige Cruise Holdings, “The only thing better than one new ship is two new ships.” So, to kick off the float-out of Oceania Cruises’ new 65,000-ton, 1,258 passenger Marina at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy last week, the cruise line celebrated by starting construction of its sister ship on the very same day. Marina is scheduled to begin service in January 2011 and her sister ship, to be named Riviera, will launch in April 2012.

Marina is the first new ship purpose-built for Oceania and promises upscale new features. Unusual for a mid-size cruise ship, Marina will have ten dining venues, including six specialty restaurants for which there are no surcharges. Highlighting the importance of food, Marina will also boast a Culinary Center where instructor chefs will hold culinary demonstrations and classes. Libraries are an outstanding feature of the trio of Oceania’s smaller ships and Marina’s library will take it up a notch by adding a coffee bar with a wall of windows overlooking the pool deck. The pool itself will feature double chaises with canopies and flowing curtains for a South Beach vibe.

A leader in the trend for luxury beds afloat, Oceania will introduce a new bedding system aboard Marina. The new Prestige Imperial bed, will eventually be rolled out fleetwide. The mattress will feature a 1.5-inch layer of memory foam, topped by a 2 inch thick a gel cushion, and wrapped with chamomile-infused padding. Bedding will include 1,000-thread count sheets in suites and Concierge-level staterooms. Standard accommodations will have 700-thread count sheets.

For additional information, call 800-531-5658 or visit Oceania Cruises online.