Crystal Cruises is planning a magical winter wonderland holiday with a new Antarctica Christmas/New Year's cruise. In addition to three days sailing Antarctic waters, the December 21, 2013 Buenos Aires-Valparaiso voyage aboard the award-winning Crystal Symphony sails through Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Falkland Islands, Drake Passage, Cape Horn, and the Chilean Fjords, with multiple excursions to the Antarctic continent. Generous booking savings are available until August 30 for the unique voyage -- the only one of its kind for 2013 and 2014.

Crystal is one of the few cruise lines permitted to sail to Antarctica, due to the strict environmental regulations, for which Crystal has incurred extra cost and planning efforts.

"We are always very environmentally conscious of the destinations we visit," says Anita Hodson, Crystal's director of nautical and port operations. "We're thrilled to be able to meet the new standards required to bring guests to this spectacular region this year.

Guests can fly, hike, and zodiac over and on the icy continent, viewing Air Force homes, penguin breeding grounds, and the gorgeous glacial scenery of King George and Ardley Islands. Extremely-limited Crystal Adventures also explore more of Antarctica, taste local specialties, and overnight at the Chilean Eduardo Frei Antarctic Base (INACH).

The 18-day cruise is filled with opportunities to explore nature in all ports, from seeing volcanos, waterfalls, humpback whales, and marine elephants to kayaking the Strait of Magellan and visiting working farms in the Falklands and Patagonia – as well as to explore wine, cuisine, and culture in major South American cities. Onboard speakers include an Antarctic expedition book author, climate change researcher, shark conservationist, and CBS News correspondent.

The itinerary visits Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Puerto Madryn, Port Stanley, Ushuaia (overnight), Punta Arenas, Puerto Montt, and Valparaíso. As guests' warm and cozy home for the holidays, Crystal Symphony will be luxuriously decorated throughout, offering abundant space to celebrate with gourmet Christmas feasts, a champagne New Year's gala, religious services, junior cruiser events (including Santa), and more.

Similarly decked-out and celebratory Crystal Serenity will spend the holidays cruising the tropics, with a round-trip Miami voyage also departing December 21, and calling in Turks & Caicos; Curacao; Santa Marta and Cartagena, Colombia; Roatan Island, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and Key West, Florida.

All-inclusive cruise fares begin at $9,740/person for South America and $7,430/person for the Caribbean and include $600 and $800 per person in savings, respectively, if booked by August 30.

The renowned Crystal Experience has been voted "World's Best" by readers of Conde Nast Traveler for 19 years and Travel + Leisure for 17 years, more than any other cruise line, hotel, or resort in history.

Source: Crystal Cruises

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Viking Cruises today announced it has cut steel in the construction of its first ocean cruise vessel, Viking Star, marking a major development toward the company's ocean product. The steel cutting took place at Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard outside Venice, Italy. Viking Star is scheduled to be delivered in early 2015, with maiden voyages beginning in April 2015.

"This is a big step towards realizing our ocean cruising plans," said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. "With our new ocean cruises, we are applying the same principles behind our award-winning river cruises—small, intimate ships with destination-focused itineraries that allow guests to experience privileged access excursions and onboard cultural experiences."

The ship was designed by experienced nautical architects and engineers, including London-based SMC Design and Los Angeles-based Rottet Studios. The 47,800gt ship will have 464 cabins and accommodate 928 guests. Viking Star is one of two ocean ships on order; both will be built by Fincantieri at its Marghera shipyard.

Viking's foray into ocean cruising marks the introduction of the travel industry's first entirely new cruise line in nearly a decade. Itineraries for maiden voyages starting in April 2015 include cruising in Scandinavia and the Baltic; and the Western and Eastern Mediterranean. Guests on the 928-passenger all-veranda Viking Star will experience cruising with destination as the focus, maximum time in port and an onboard cultural enrichment program ideal for an experienced traveler with an interest in history, art and culture.

Viking Cruises has aggressive expansion plans in both the ocean and river cruise categories, with a second ocean ship on order for delivery in 2016 and with conditional orders and options for four more additional ocean vessels. The ocean ship order follows the company's continued rapid fleet expansion in the river cruise sector, with 10 new Viking Longships christened in 2013 and 12 new Viking Longships planned to launch in 2014.

Source: PRNewswire

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After months of drifting across the North Atlantic, a luckless, abandoned cruise ship spotted drifting off the coast of Ireland may have finally sunk beneath the waves.

The Lyubov Orlova, a 328-foot-long (100 meters) vessel named after a Russian screen siren from the 1930s, was built in 1976 and chartered for expeditions to polar waters.

But after the ship was abandoned in 2010 in Newfoundland, Canada, the Lyubov Orlova was sold for scrap to an outfit in the Dominican Republic, Phys.org reports.

While the ship was being towed to its Caribbean destination in January 2013, the towline snapped in rough seas and the crew was unable to reconnect the line, leaving the ship to drift eastward across the Atlantic Ocean.

With no crew, no warning lights and no GPS system, the ship appeared doomed. But in February, the ship was spotted by the Atlantic Hawk, an oil industry supply ship, which managed to attach a towline.

Transport Canada, however, ordered the Atlantic Hawk to release the vessel since it was by then in international waters and no longer under Canadian jurisdiction.

Months passed with no sign of the Lyubov Orlova until it was spotted by the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, a Defense Department mapping service, drifting some 1,300 nautical miles (2,400 kilometers) west of the Irish coast, Gizmodo reports.

The ship hasn't been seen in months, and some speculate it may have finally sunk.

The star-crossed ship hasn't had an easy life: In 2006, it ran aground off Antarctica and had to be towed to safety by a Spanish icebreaker.

The Lyubov Orlova was seized in St. John's, Newfoundland, in 2010 because of a financial dispute between the ship's Russian owners and a charter company. The crew, bereft with no pay and nothing to eat, were forced to rely on food donations from Canadians for several months before returning to Russia.

A French environmental organization, Robin du Bois, labeled the Lyubov Orlova an imminent threat to health and safety.

"In case of a collision or sinking or any accident, the Lyubov Orlova will immediately release fuel … other toxic liquids, asbestos ... mercury and other non-degradable floating waste," the group declared in a statement.

The Irish Coastguard received a signal in March from the emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) of the Lyubov Orlova. An EPIRB is activated when it contacts water, the Irish Examiner reports.

By Marc Lallanilla, Life's Little Mysteries Assistant Editor, LiveScience.com

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Normally I travel unannounced, to avoid any special treatment, as my goal is to report objectively and glean advice that will apply to every traveler. On this voyage aboard Oceania Cruises’ 1,258-passenger Marina, however, everybody knows I’m here. My presence on this cruise has been promoted in the brochure for the past year. I’m here as an “enrichment lecturer,” sharing the hard-earned travel tricks and strategies I’ve learned over 24 years of reporting for Condé Nast Traveler. I gave my first of two “Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know” talks yesterday, and this evening there’s a “Wendy Perrin Get-Together” for all the Condé Nast Traveler readers on board. Even though my cover is blown, though, I still think I’m able to report objectively—not because I’m having a normal cruise experience (I’m definitely not), but because I’m getting to know so many passengers who are telling me all about their experiences on this trip.

Who takes a 20-night cruise from Lima, Peru, to New York anyway? How are they different from the people you’d find on a typical Caribbean or Mediterranean cruise? First of all, it’s an international crowd, with 23 nationalities represented (not counting the officers and crew). The largest contingent is from the U.S. (554 passengers); after that, from Australia (159 passengers), Canada (157), New Zealand (73), Germany (62), the U.K. (44), the Netherlands (26), and Switzerland (31).

Second, there are no kids; this is a cruise for couples—mainly well-traveled retirees. “I’ve got a bucket list that’s getting longer rather than shorter,” one Australian told me, echoing what I’ve been hearing a lot. Passengers chose this sailing because they wanted to see Machu Picchu (which many did pre-cruise), transit the Panama Canal, and spend time in New York. Clearly, it’s possible to do those three things in less than 20 days, but this crowd has time on their hands and relishes the relaxed pace of life on the ship. For most of them—especially the non-Americans—this cruise is actually part of a longer trip. One couple is continuing on to Canada and then England aboard the ship; they’re disembarking in Southampton on June 11.

Third, everyone I’ve spoken to is a frequent cruise-goer, and nearly everyone has sailed with Oceania before. (One couple even had three future Oceania cruises booked before they boarded this one.) Veterans of Oceania’s smaller vessels (the 684-passenger Insignia, Nautica, and Regatta) say they miss the intimacy of those ships—the small size makes it easier to get to know fellow passengers and makes for a friendlier crew and a greater sense of community—whereas those who have sailed on Marina before say they’re back for the food. This ship has an array of restaurants that you can’t find on small ships, and passengers have literally come back for the miso-glazed sea bass at Red Ginger, the Asian restaurant, or the soupe de poisson Marseillaise at Jacques, the French restaurant created by Jacques Pépin. “I don’t think I’ve ever in my life eaten this consistently well for this long,” says my husband, Tim. Granted, for us every other meal back home is the kids’ leftover macaroni and cheese or something with the word “nugget” in it. Seriously, though, on how many other cruise ships can you order “Grilled Florida lobster medallions, sliced Black Angus filet mignon, tomato on toasted ciabatta, garlic roasted jus and remoulade dipping sauce with parmesan-dusted truffle fries” at the poolside snack bar?

By Wendy Perrin, Conde Nast Traveller

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River cruise giant Viking's move into ocean cruising became official late Thursday as the company unveiled details of a new line to be called Viking Ocean Cruises.

Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen told travel agents and media at a California event that the new company would be upscale and focus on destinations in a way that has been lost across much of the cruise industry in recent years.

"It is our view that in the race to build bigger ships, many cruise lines have lost sight of the destinations to which they sail," Hagen said. "With our new ocean cruises, we are applying the same principles behind our award-winning river cruises to our itinerary and ship design; privileged-access excursions; and on-board experiences to make destinations the true focus."

As USA TODAY has previously reported, Viking has ordered two 928-passenger ships for the new line and has conditional orders and options for up to four more. Hagen on Thursday said the first of the 47,800-ton vessels will begin sailing in May 2015 and be called Viking Star. It'll sail maiden voyages in Scandinavia and the Baltic; and the Western and Eastern Mediterranean, he said.

Viking is a leader in river cruising but until now has not operated ocean cruises. The company's fast-growing Viking River Cruises line operates more than 30 vessels, including 10 new ships unveiled in March at a record-setting event in Amsterdam. The company has 12 more river ships on order for 2014.

Viking Ocean Cruises will be the first major new ocean line to debut in nearly a decade and enters an arena dominated by a handful of big players such as Miami-based Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises. Carnival Corp. owns 10 brands that offer ocean cruises including Carnival, Princess, Holland America and Seabourn, and accounts for nearly half of the worldwide ocean cruise business. Royal Caribbean owns five ocean cruise brands including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara.

Viking Ocean Cruises likely will compete most directly with Azamara, which operates two upscale, 710-passenger ships, and Oceania Cruises, which has four upscale ships that carry from 684 to 1,250 passengers.

Hagen said fares for the first Viking Star sailings in 2015, which open for sale today, will start at $2,999 per person for a 10-night trip in the Mediterranean. The line also is offering discounted airfare from the USA to Europe starting at $695 per person.

The 47,800-ton Viking Star is being billed as an upscale vessel that initially will sail in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.(Photo: Viking Ocean Cruises)

Hagen also announced that Viking Ocean Cruises will offer a level of all-inclusive pricing that is relatively rare in the ocean cruising world. In addition to all on-board meals, fares will include shore excursions in every port of call; beer and wine with lunch and dinner; and even wi-fi access -- something that can cost up to 75 cents a minute at other lines.

Hagen said Viking is keeping the new Viking ocean ships relatively small so they can have direct access into most ports around the world, and so passengers have an easy time getting on and off the vessels. The ships will have an understated elegance and modern Scandinavian design, he said. Cabins will be large for a cruise ship, with the smallest of five cabin categories having 270 square feet of space. In addition, every cabin will have a balcony.

Fourteen two-room suites on the ship will range from 757 to 1,448 square feet and offer sweeping views from wrap-around private balconies

By Gene Sloan, USA Today

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A ceremony on Wednesday 15 May was held to mark the keel laying of the largest cruise ship ever built for the British market will take place at the Monfalcone shipyard of Fincantieri near Trieste, Italy. The 141,000-ton cruise ship will enter service in 2015.

This next-generation ship will offer a stylish and innovative new design, with an unprecedented number of passenger facilities together with many iconic signatures of the P&O Cruises brand. She will offer the “best of the best”, combining favourite classic features of ships such as Oriana and Aurora, the wide choice and variety of Ventura and Azura and a host of new concepts which will include some yet-to-be-announced “sophisticated wows”. In delivering the ultimate P&O Cruises experience, the ship will be designed to attract many thousands of newcomers and will equally resonate with existing passengers by delivering the sense of P&O-ness for which the brand is held in such high regard. At the same time, the ship will be designed to deliver much greater levels of operational and environmental efficiency.

The keel laying will involve the placement in the dry dock of the first section of the ship’s hull. This section is made up of 6 pre-manufactured blocks, weighs 408 tons and is fitted with 214 tons of pipes, cables, insulation and other equipment.

The ceremony follows an intensive period of design and development. 74 sections will be used in the construction of the ship.

In a speech, Carnival UK CEO David Dingle said: “Each of our new ships has been exclusively designed for the British market. We have ensured that each anticipates the subtly changing trends in what British passengers expect from their cruise holiday - and is equipped to meet those expectations for many years to come. Our success in adapting to the market’s changing needs is why our ships continue to fill and why the whole cruise sector ultimately continues to buck any downward trend. We cannot wait to see this ship finished and underway.”

Fincantieri Shipyard Director Carlo De Marco said: “We are proud to be on the world stage together with P&O Cruises in this endeavour, which will undoubtedly be a marvellous opportunity not only for Monfalcone shipyard but for Fincantieri as a whole. Indeed, this is another occasion to further strengthen our relationship with this well-established ship owner. It will be an honour and a pleasure, to celebrate in 2015 the delivery of this ship and together the tenth anniversary of the collaboration between P&O Cruises and Fincantieri, started in 2005 with Arcadia.”

P&O Cruises Managing Director, Carol Marlow , will give the order to lay the keel with the words: “Diamo il via alla posa del primo blocco della più grande nave, la migliore, mai costruita per il mercato Britannico!” [Please lay the keel of the biggest and best ship ever built for the British market!]

By Breaking Travel News

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You certainly can’t accuse this business of not insuring against all possible incidents on the water.

Cruise ship company Jacobite Cruises, based in Inverness, is in line for a six-figure payout if one of its boats is damaged by the Loch Ness Monster.

Jacobite Cruises owner Freda Newton now hopes Nessie will keep away from the firm’s boats if she makes another appearance so she doesn't have to make a claim on her £1 million insurance package.

She said: ‘I don't know what the odds of this actually happening might be, but this is Loch Ness.

‘How silly would we look if it did and we weren't covered for it? I hope we never have to make a claim and if Nessie does make another appearance, she gives our boats a wide berth.’

The deal was struck with local firm Towergate Moray Firth. Director Bob Jack said: ‘This is probably the most unusual insurance request we have ever had, but we are delighted to provide cover.

‘I'm sure everyone who sets sail on the loch would settle for a sighting of Nessie rather than a much closer encounter. We wish Jacobite, their passengers and crews many more happy voyages on the loch without any claims on this policy.’

Jacobite Cruises owns three vessels, offering daily trips on Loch Ness and annually carrying around 10,000 sightseers. Its insurance policy comes on the 80th anniversary of the first Nessie 'sighting'.

The first modern ‘sighting’ of the monster was by Aldie Mackay, manager of the Drumnadrochit Hotel in Inverness. Her account was reported in a local newspaper on March 14, 1933.

Nessie has been the subject of many 'sightings'. Some experts believe that the beast represents a line of long-surviving plesiosaurs, a type of carnivorous aquatic reptile from millions of years ago.

The creature is similar to other supposed lake monsters, though its description varies from one account to the next, and there have been hundreds of supposed 'sightings' over the years.

One of the most accepted explanations is that the monster is in fact a giant sturgeon, which can grow up to 12ft long. Others include eels, bird wakes, seals, trees, logs, submarines and dogs.

By Mark Duell, The Daily Mail

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Effective with the first cruises in 2014, Crystal Cruises will eliminate smoking in all indoor areas, except for its Connoisseur Club smoking lounge. Outside smoking will be allowed in a limited number of designated spaces.

The revised policy begins with the January 5th v4301 and January 8th v4201 voyages of Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, respectively, and eliminates smoking in all staterooms and suites, the Crystal Cove lobby lounge and Pulse and Luxe nightclubs.

In keeping with lifestyle trends, most areas of Crystal ships have been non-smoking for several years, including restaurants and main entertainment lounges, as well as stateroom and suite verandahs. Crystal eliminated smoking in its popular Avenue Saloon and Casino in 2013.

“We have received considerable feedback and we listened. Our policies have evolved as lifestyles have changed,” says Gregg Michel, Crystal Cruises’ president. “The majority of our guests worldwide are non-smoking, and travelers are used to more non-smoking environments today.”

Crystal will continue to offer the Connoisseur Club, the only remaining interior smoking area, and designated spaces on exterior open decks for cigar, pipe and cigarette smoking.

Source: Cruise Industry News

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Windstar Cruises is enhancing the luxury small-ship experience by offering two new packages to its Signature Sailings, the company’s unique collection of themed cruise and land experiences. Tastes & Traditions of the Mediterranean and Enchanting Castles & Gardens, like all of Windstar’s Signature Sailings, are a blend of intimate shore excursions, exclusive onboard experiences, and hotel nights at beautiful properties, pre and post-cruise, all centered around one idea.

Windstar Cruises, famous for sailing to hidden harbors and the secluded coves of the world, has made a commitment to providing the best small-ship cruise experience, revising every itinerary in the past two years and buildings its product development team to enhance the land experience.

“We are constantly striving to provide the best Windstar experience for our guests. These packages are tailored for guests who want a more enriched vacation experience from start to finish,” said Hans Birkholz, chief executive officer of Windstar Cruises. “Each Signature Sailing is different; we’ve taken some of our most popular voyages and added unique aspects to make them a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Windstar’s current Signature Sailings features the following:

Source: Cruise Industry News

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Oceania Cruises announced its line-up of "Signature Sailings" for 2013 featuring Master Chef Jacques Pépin, travel industry veteran Wendy Perrin from Condé Nast Traveler, acclaimed jazz artists, wine and culinary experts and much more.

With hands-on classes, culinary demonstrations, concerts, bridge tournaments and food and wine tastings, the line is creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences for its guests.

Wine & Food Celebrations Aboard Marina and Riviera

Epicureans onboard two Wine & Food Celebration voyages will enjoy presentations from celebrated chefs and wine connoisseurs, culinary demonstrations, wine tastings and more.

On Marina’s May 6th Wine and Food Celebration cruise, South American wine expert Daniel Soto will host wine lectures and tastings featuring the best of South American wines. Soto will be joined by chef and culinary author Paulette Mitchell, who will demonstrate classic South American dishes.

During the Caribbean segment of the cruise, Bacardi Rum’s Brand Ambassador Kate Dahlen will be onboard to host a tasting of Bacardi’s best and share the rich history of rum in the Caribbean. The executive culinary team from Grand Cayman’s Ritz Carlton will join Marina’s onboard team to demonstrate some favorite Caribbean dishes. Guests will also have the opportunity to attend wine lectures, tastings and pairing presentations featuring flavors of America with wine expert Karen King and the executive chef of the Bon Appétit Culinary Center, Kathryn Kelly.

In addition, the May 6th departure features special guest lecturer Wendy Perrin from Condé Nast Traveler, who will be sharing her latest crop of “Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know.”

On Riviera’s June 23rd Wine & Food Celebration cruise, Chef Kelly will be joined by several culinary experts, including the Culinary Institute of America’s Master Baker Eric Kastel, who will share the secrets of great bread making.

Renowned New York wine educator, businessman and sommelier Tony Didio will lead a series of wine lectures, tastings and wine pairing presentations throughout the voyage. To complement the wine experience, Master Cheese Expert Max McCalman will be onboard to share the secrets of great cheeses and advice on wine and cheese pairings.

Recording artist and Cape Coral restaurateur Valerie Elam will join both the May 6th and June 23rd cruises to perform for guests during the wine events.

Marina “Grand Panama Canal” – May 6, 2013; 20 days, Lima to New York City

Riviera “Mediterranean Grandeur” – June 23, 2013; 10 days, Monte Carlo to Rome

Wine Connoisseur Cruise

Guests onboard Marina’s “Baltic Odyssey” voyage will enjoy master winemaker Armando Fumanelli, owner of the famed Italian winery Marchesi Fumanelli, who will host a series of wine lectures, tastings and pairings featuring the best of Italian wines and flavors. Located near Verona, the setting of Romeo and Juliet, the Fumanelli winery has been creating exceptional wines since 1470. Young actors from Verona’s drama academy will be onboard to perform during select Fumanelli wine dinners offered at La Reserve by Wine Spectator.

Marina “Baltic Odyssey” – September 3, 2013; 10 days, Copenhagen to Stockholm

Jacques Pépin Cruise

Master Chef Jacques Pépin serves as Oceania Cruises’ executive culinary director. On Riviera’s “Mosaic Masterpiece” sailing in September, guests can see the master up close at a culinary demonstration and take part in a question and answer session with Oceania Cruises’ culinary enrichment director, Chef Kathryn Kelly. Pépin will also host classes in the Bon Appétit Culinary Center.

Riviera “Mosaic Masterpiece” – September 19, 2013; 10 days, Barcelona to Lisbon

Explore Europe to the Tune of Gifted Musicians

Jazz Festival Cruise

As Riviera sails the Aegean Sea, she will play host to stars in the jazz world performing both contemporary and traditional jazz music throughout the sailing. Featured performers include acclaimed singer and master entertainer Clint Holmes, who was named Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year three times, vocalist Rene Marie, jazz vibraphonist Christian Tamburr, pianist Scott Giddens, bassist Billy Thornton and drummer Grey Wyser-Pratte.

Riviera “Aegean Gems” – May 5, 2013; 10 days, Venice to Athens

Summer Music Festival Cruise

The breathtaking fjords of Norway and the lush green coast of the Emerald Isle are colorful backdrops for the enchanting sounds of gifted musicians performing throughout Nautica’s 12-night sailing round-trip from London.

Guests will enjoy a line-up of classical programs featuring David Coucheron, the youngest concert master for a major symphony in the U.S., and his sister Julia, who is music director for the Fjord Cadenza Academy. Guests will also enjoy a special rock orchestra concert featuring the music of Steve Miller. Composed by Steve Miller and Rune Bergmann, this concert wowed audiences for two nights last summer in Los Angeles and will feature some of the original musicians from the California production.

The popular vocal group The Fabulous Platters will also perform on the cruise.

Nautica “Isles & Fjords” – August 15, 2013; 12 days, London to London

Get Competitive While Crossing the Panama Canal

Bridge Games

With accredited teacher Joyce Ryan from the American Contract Bridge League onboard to conduct classes and tournaments, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy and perfect their bridge game.

Regatta “Ultimate Panama Canal” – August 22, 2013; 21 days, San Francisco to New York

Experience Oceania Cruises as a Guest of Honor

Oceania Club Reunion Cruise

Loyal past guests of Oceania Cruises are the guests of honor for a special Reunion Cruise, which features exclusive cocktail parties, celebratory dinners and private shore excursions, among other surprises.

Marina “Baltic Odyssey” – August 24, 2013; 10 days, Stockholm to Copenhagen

Source: Luxury Travel Magazine

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MSC Cruises' growth in the cruise industry spurred the line's decision to respond to the requests of the travel agency community and consumers for a year round presence in the North American market.

The announcement came during the christening celebration for the line's twelfth new ship, MSC Preziosa, in Genoa, Italy this past Saturday. MSC Divina, sister ship of MSC Preziosa, was christened last spring and will now sail year round from PortMiami beginning November.

MSC Cruises record breaking growth is unmatched in the industry. The line began an investment program in 2003 committing 6 billion Euros to its expansion. Since then the line has acquired two vessels and built ten new ships resulting in one new vessel entering the fleet nearly every year. For the past eight years, the line has offered seasonal late fall and winter sailings from North America.

The extension of MSC Divina's scheduled seasonal sailings to year round sailings illustrates the company's commitment to the North American market.

"The popularity of our introduction of MSC Divina to this market among agents and consumers alike has been nothing short of tremendous," said Richard E. Sasso, President & CEO MSC Cruises USA. "We listened to their requests and are pleased that the vast expansion of our line allows us the ability to fulfill their wishes," said Sasso.

This will mark the first time MSC Divina has sailed from North America and the first time the line has sailed from PortMiami.

"PortMiami looks forward to welcoming MSC Cruises and its newest ship, MSC Divina, this fall and we are absolutely thrilled with the news she will homeport with us year round," said Bill Johnson, PortMiami Director. "MSC Divina's 12-month schedule sailing from PortMiami will be a major enhancement to Miami's year round cruise offerings to popular Caribbean destinations."

The itineraries for the ship will be announced shortly.

Source: Cruise Industry News

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The Cunard Line has loosened its evening dress code to allow more informal nights on its cruise ships.

The British-American cruise line, known for its long-standing commitment to formal dress codes, has refined its evening wear options of ‘formal’, ‘semi-formal’, and ‘elegant casual’ to simply ‘formal’ and ‘informal’.

The new relaxed measures will take effect before its ships the Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria begin their sailing seasons in April and May of this year.

Peter Shanks, Cunard’s President and Managing Director, said the decision was in response to growing travel trends, “where everything seems to tend towards the casual”. Formal dress requirements will now be limited to three times a week on Transatlantic Crossings and twice a week on sailings to the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and beyond.

The formal nights will be accompanied by four or five informal evenings, where ties are now optional but jackets will still be required.

Travellers wishing to opt out of dressing formally will be allowed to access the ships’ main buffet restaurants as well as the Winter Garden and Garden Lounge bars, but restricted from entering other areas of the ships.

Research carried out among passengers led the cruise line to continue offering formal nights on board.

“Dressing up heightens anticipation and brings an extra special sense of occasion to an evening at sea. Our passengers tell us it makes all the difference to their enjoyment of a big night out on board,” said Shanks.

‘Smart casual’ remains the dress code of choice by day among Cunard’s passengers.

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By Soo Kim, Telegraph.co.uk

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On the heels of power and propulsion difficulties facing Carnival Cruise Line cruise ships Triumph, Dream, Legend and Elation, it is now being reported that another cruise ship operated by a Carnival Corporation brand, P&O Cruises, is suffering propulsion problems.

Passengers are reporting that the P&O Ventura has broken down several times over the past three days and is having major problems with one of its two propulsion units. The situation sounds similar to the problems which the Carnival Legend as it limps back from a Caribbean cruise to Tampa with only one of its propulsion system working. (Its has been pointed out to us that the Legend has two Azipod systems, whereas the Ventura has conventional diesel engines).

I first heard of the Ventura's problems in an article by U.K. cruise blogger John Honeywell (Captain Greybeard) who writes:

"P&O's Ventura continues to make its way across the Atlantic at reduced speed thanks to a fault with the power to its starboard propeller, is expected to reach Southampton on schedule next Saturday, after missing a visit to Madeira scheduled for Tuesday.."

Several people are leaving comments on the popular Cruise forum:

The Ventura is ". . . broken down and just drifting!"

". . . they are now moving again but have been given no explanation."

P&O commented ". . . We are currently working with the manufacturers and shore support to identify and rectify an issue with the starboard propulsion motor on Ventura. We can assure everyone that power and services on the ship are unaffected."

" . . . looks like still having problems, the person on board has now said that as they were floating around so long and now cant seem to get over 18kts they now cant go to Madeira but will be diverting to Ponta delgada."

The media is in a frenzy reporting on all of Carnival's problems. But, so far, no one is reporting on the problems facing Carnival Corporation's P&O Ventura.

Carnival Corporation is the world's largest cruise owner and operator in the world. It operates: Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Seabourn in North America; P&O Cruises (UK), and Cunard in the United Kingdom; AIDA Cruises in Germany; Costa Cruises in Southern Europe; Iberocruceros in Spain; and P&O Cruises (Australia) in Australia.

The Ventura was built in Italy and is owned by Carnival Corporation. It is flagged in Bermuda and was launched in 2007.

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By Jim Walker, Cruise Law News

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AIDA Cruises has announced its initial voyage for its new generation of ships being built at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, 86 days in 2015, from Japan to Germany.

The company is publishing information about the 86-day voyage of the new AIDA vessel from March 22 to June 16, 2015 in an exclusive brochure, also presenting initial details of its new generation of ships.

On this unique cruise from Japan to Germany, AIDA guests will get to visit 39 ports in 22 countries on 3 continents. To ensure ample time for discovery, the ship will even stop at some of the ports for a few days, e.g. at the Japanese ports, as well as in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. Further highlights of the voyage include South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Sicily and Barcelona.

The ships of the new 2015/2016 AIDA generation offer their guests more room, more comfort and greater individuality, with a choice of 16 different cabin variations, for example.

In addition to excellent service, guests staying in the suites will have lots of space to move around. These suites will have a living area of up to 50 square meters, 2 bathrooms, a walk-in closet, as well as a sun deck with an area of up to 82 square meters.

The individual space concepts of the Panorama cabins are entirely suited to the needs of the guests. It goes without saying that each Panorama cabin will have its own veranda, including a sea view. Guests staying in the Panorama cabins will have exclusive enjoyment of the ultimate luxury of a private island on the patio deck. There they can relax on the protected sun deck with its oceanic landscape or enjoy a delicious sundowner at the Patio Bar with a view of the Captain.

The Lanai Deck 8, which accommodates the particularly spacious Lanai cabins, is named after the Hawaiian island of Lanai. The beautiful conservatory is like a living room flooded with light. Sliding open the large glass door then makes the veranda twice as big.

AIDA’s new generation of ships will also set new standards with regard to protecting the environment from 2015. One innovation in the cruise sector is the MALS technology, for example. This enables the ship to glide on a cushion of air bubbles, leading to a substantial reduction in frictional resistance and, therefore, much lower fuel consumption.

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Source: Cruise Industry News

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According to data from the 2013 Cruise Industry News Annual Report, MSC Cruises will become the third largest cruise company by capacity this year, trailing only Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International.

With the delivery of the MSC Preziosa, the Italian brand will carry over 1.45 million passengers on 12 ships this year.

That number propels MSC past Costa Crociere, Princess Cruises, and even Norwegian Cruise Line – to third on the capacity lists, with a 9.4 percent capacity increase over 2012.

With Carnival and Royal Caribbean carrying well over three million passengers each, MSC won’t be catching them anytime soon.

Interestingly, MSC is achieving its third place number with just 12 ships, over Norwegian’s 12 ships, compared to Princess, with 17 ships, which sail longer cruises.

By market, MSC will have over 50 percent of its capacity in the Mediterranean, 14 percent in South America, 12.5 percent in Northern Europe, and the rest in Africa, the Caribbean, Canary Islands and Red Sea.

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Source: Cruise Industry News

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Billionaire and professor Clive Palmer and his Blue Star Line shipping company held a press conference in New York City on Tuesday morning to unveil the new blueprints of the Titanic II, which was first announced in 2012.

It will make its maiden voyage on 2016 from Southampton, England to New York, carrying 2,600 passengers in 850 cabins. It will employ about 900 crew and include 18 lifeboats — enough for everyone on board.

A picture of the Titanic II Grand Staircase is handed out to the media before Australian billionaire and chairman of the shipping company Blue Star Line, Clive Palmer, discusses plans for the company's planned Titanic II cruise ship at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City on February 26 2013. The ship was designed by marine engineering company Deltamarin Ltd. of Raisio, Finland, and is scheduled to be completed by 2016 by the CSC Jinling Shipyard Co. in China. (File/UPI/Titanic II Handout)

The Titanic II has kept various features based on the class system of the early 1900s. Like the first ship, it will have a gym, Turkish baths, a squash court, a grand staircase and swimming pools. It will also retain the dining rooms for second and third class, as well as Captain Smith's sitting room, bedroom and quarters.

A picture of the Titanic II Gymnasium is handed out to the media before Australian billionaire and chairman of the shipping company Blue Star Line, Clive Palmer, discusses plans for the company's planned Titanic II cruise ship at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City on February 26 2013. The ship was designed by marine engineering company Deltamarin Ltd. of Raisio, Finland, and is scheduled to be completed by 2016 by the CSC Jinling Shipyard Co. in China. (File/UPI/Titanic II Handout)

Passengers will also be given 1920s-area costumes, which will be included in state rooms upon arrival and will be a part of the ticket fee, to help recreate the experience. First class passengers will not be able to mingle with those in second or third class, but will be able to spend a few days in different quarters, which will require people to change clothing. "It will really help you pretend you are in the movie," Palmer said.

A picture of the Titanic II third class dining is handed out to the media before Australian billionaire and chairman of the shipping company Blue Star Line, Clive Palmer, discusses plans for the company's planned Titanic II cruise ship at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City on February 26 2013. The ship was designed by marine engineering company Deltamarin Ltd. of Raisio, Finland, and is scheduled to be completed by 2016 by the CSC Jinling Shipyard Co. in China. (File/UPI/Titanic II Handout)

Although the ticket price hasn't been yet announced, he's already received offers as high as $1 million to be on board the first voyage. As for how much the project costs, Palmer was shy to say. "We aren't going to divulge the cost because I have enough money to pay for it," Palmer said. "Cost isn't what it is about. It's about creating a memory of the Titanic."

A picture of the Titanic II swimming pool is handed out to the media before Australian billionaire and chairman of the shipping company Blue Star Line, Clive Palmer, discusses plans for the company's planned Titanic II cruise ship at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City on February 26 2013. The ship was designed by marine engineering company Deltamarin Ltd. of Raisio, Finland, and is scheduled to be completed by 2016 by the CSC Jinling Shipyard Co. in China. (File/UPI/Titanic II Handout)

From a safety standpoint, a Blue Line representative said, "It will be the most safe cruise ship in the world when it launches." But then, so was the Titanic. "Anything will sink if you put a hole in it," said Palmer, noting the company is looking into preventing worst-case scenarios. "I'm not super-superstitious. We are staying true to the original Titanic and a lot of those designs and full experience that never saw the light of day, but there will be some updates too."

Australian billionaire and chairman of the shipping company Blue Star Line, Clive Palmer, discusses plans for the company's planned Titanic II cruise ship at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City on February 26 2013. The ship was designed by marine engineering company Deltamarin Ltd. of Raisio, Finland, and is scheduled to be completed by 2016 by the CSC Jinling Shipyard Co. in China. (File/UPI/John Angelillo)

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By Kristen Butler, UPI.com

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Plans to build a life-size sailing replica of the Titanic look set to go ahead after it was revealed that the shipyard chosen to build the ocean liner has begun upgrading its facilities in preparation of the forthcoming construction work.

Titanic II is to be built at CSC Jinling Shipyard Company in Nanjing, China, and is being funded by Australian billionaire businessman Clive Palmer.

The ship will take three years to build and will be constructed to the same dimensions as the Belfast-built White Star liner - 270 metres long, 53 metres high and weighing 40,000 tonnes.

It will have nine floors and 840 cabins, accommodating 2,400 passengers and 900 crew members, along with Turkish baths, a swimming pool and gymnasiums.

Its exterior will be an exact replica of the ill-fated vessel but engineers will incorporate the latest technology when it comes to engines and electronics.

It will also remain faithful to the classifications of the original ship with passengers able to buy first, second and third class tickets.

The shipyard’s director Ge Biao, told China's Xinhua news agency: 'It's difficult to replicate a luxury liner, but Jinling Shipyard has a history of 60 years of building various kinds of vessels with high quality.'

Titanic II is expected to make its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in 2016 along the same route that the original ship sailed.

A spokesman for the shipyard, Li Wenbao, told the Sunday Times newspaper: 'The liner will be equipped with advanced technologies including the latest life-saving and communications systems, to meet the requirements of modern navigation.'

Mr Palmer’s company is reported to have been inundated with enquiries from potential passengers, with some offering up to $1m (£640,000) for a chance to be on the maiden voyage.

The original Titanic set sail from Southampton on April 10, 1912 and was thought to be unsinkable at the time.

But the ship hit an iceberg in the Atlantic on April 14, 1912 and sank the following morning, killing 1,517 passengers and crew.

A special cruise recreated the voyage of the Titanic last year to commemorate 100 years since the ship sank.

MS Balmoral set sail from Southampton with the exact same number of passengers as the famous liner that sank on its maiden voyage.

Passengers onboard the 12-night cruise included relatives of people who died onboard the Titanic and a memorial service was held at the spot where the original ship struck an iceberg and sank.

By TravelMail Reporter, Dailymail.co.uk

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An abandoned Russian cruise ship, drifting in the sea with no crew or warning lights, has turned up off the west coast of Ireland.

The MV Lyubov Orlova – once used by the Soviet Union for polar cruises and expeditions - was being towed from Canada to a scrapyard in the Caribbean in January when a cable snapped setting it adrift in international waters.

At the time, the Canadian authorities said it was decided not to pursue the drifting vessel as there are no people aboard the ship and there was a serious concern for the safety of Canadian sailors involved in the salvage operation, given the weather and dangerous sea conditions.

Transport Canada later claimed the ship was no longer Canada's responsibility because it had drifted out of the country's jurisdictional waters.

A week or so later on February 1st, the derelict vessel was intercepted by the Atlantic Hawk, a supply craft used by the Canadian energy firm Husky Energy, only to be cut loose once again in response to fears of a possible collision.

Following this incident, Transport Canada insisted the vessel no longer posed a threat to "the safety of offshore oil installations, their personnel or the marine environment".

“The vessel has drifted into international waters and given current patterns and predominant winds, it is very unlikely that the vessel will re-enter waters under Canadian jurisdiction,” it said.

However, earlier this week, maritime officials admitted they did not know the location of the ship as its global positioning system was no longer functioning. Since then there have been conflicting reports as to the ship whereabouts.

That was until a document from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency obtained by the AFP news agency yesterday said the Lyubov Orlova had now been spotted about 1,300 nautical miles from the Irish coast.

The ice-strengthened ship - named after the Soviet star of the same name – was built in 1976 by the Russian-based Far East Shipping Company.

She served as an expedition cruise ship before being abandoned dockside in St John’s, Newfoundland.

By Eoin Burke-Kennedy, Irish Times

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SEATTLE, Feb. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Windstar Cruises announced today that its owner, Xanterra Parks & Resorts®, has reached an agreement with Seabourn, a cruise company that operates six luxury cruise ships, to purchase three of their ships: Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Legend, and Seabourn Spirit. Under the project name Global Windstar, the expansion will double the size of Windstar's recently renovated, three luxury sailing yacht fleet, making the company the market leader in small-ship cruising with 300 or fewer passengers, with a total of 1,230 berths. The purchase on February 15, 2013, is one of several recent Xanterra Parks & Resorts® acquisitions, including VBT, an adventure travel company, and The Grand Hotel in Tusayan, AZ, adjoining the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

"Windstar Cruises has experienced four straight years of revenue growth. This expansion is the perfect way to build on the momentum following our recent fleet-wide renovation, providing us with the much needed capacity to match the accelerating demand for our intimate style of yacht cruising," said Andy Todd , chief executive officer of Xanterra Parks & Resorts, owner of Windstar Cruises. "Global Windstar enables us to extend our unique small-ship experience throughout the world."

The delivery of the three 104 all-suite ships, which hold 208 passengers each, will take place over the next two years in the Mediterranean. The Seabourn Pride will be the first ship to enter into Windstar's luxury fleet in April of 2014. Following a Windstar branded renovation, which will give the ship a new name and casually elegant look, the Pride with set sail a month later in May 2014; voyages are expected to go on sale in May of this year. Windstar Cruises will take possession of Seabourn Legend in April 2015 and Seabourn Spirit in May 2015. These two yachts are scheduled to start sailing in May of 2015 following their dry-dock period.

"Windstar is proud of its heritage in sailing, but what our guests are most enthusiastic about is our intimate, yacht style of cruising. This style is the core of our brand experience and the new ships are a perfect fit to build on that foundation," added Hans Birkholz , chief executive officer of Windstar Cruises.

The fleet expansion will provide Windstar Cruises access to new destinations such as Asia and South America, in addition to the fifty countries the company already sails to. Known for visiting hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world, Windstar will continue to focus on the unique destinations that large ships cannot call on. The opportunities of Global Windstar are already evident with the recent announcement of Windstar's return to Tahiti in May of 2014. Tahiti has been one of the top destinations requested by Windstar guests and travel partners.

Windstar's shoreside operations will continue to run out of the company's Seattle, WA headquarters. Additional details, including itineraries, onboard experiences, and renovation details will be released in the coming months. For the most up-to-date information, please visit WindstarCruises.com, Windstar's Facebook page, and blog.

Source: Windstar Cruises

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He said, “Let’s go on a cruise,” and because I loved him and cruising both, I said yes.

I had a few cruises under my belt, so I had visions of a large ship, limitless buffets, lavish stage productions.

He had other ideas.

He showed me the brochure from Windjammer Barefoot Cruises. He pointed to SV Polynesia, a 248-foot schooner that looked, well, small.

Booked it anyway.

We flew from Ohio to Miami, then on to St. Maarten, where we boarded the tall ship along with about 120 other barefoot adventurers. Quarters were close, the cabins didn’t even have locking doors and sleeping arrangements were the always-romantic bunk beds.

It turned out to be one the best cruises I ever took. The beauty of our very small ship:

1. Getting to know almost all of our fellow passengers. I know, that isn’t always a good thing. But we sailed with a ski club from Idaho, and those folks knew how to party.

2. Getting to know most of the crew. They hung out with us in the bar, danced with us under the stars. We helped them hoist the sails. Some of us actually got to sail the ship. (My boyfriend pointed out that I once took the helm of his boat, heading to the Lake Erie islands, and ended up in Canada by mistake.)

3. Visiting ports off the beaten path. Our itinerary included St. Bart’s, St. Eustatius and Anguilla. Not your typical T-shirt selling, diamond-and-emerald hawking ports, at least not when I visited.

4. Communing with nature. I felt a lot closer to the water than I did aboard a big cruise ship, but that’s probably because our cabin was below decks. Still, how many big cruise ships anchor in a port and put out a plank so you can dive right in? And at night, we were welcome to sleep out on deck under a canopy of stars. There is something to be said about lying on the deck of a very small ship bobbing in the vast sea and staring into an even vaster universe.

5. Interesting entertainment. One night, it was hermit crab races. On another, a steel drum band from one of the islands boarded the ship and we danced into the wee hours. And then there was the toga party. Extra sheets were dropped off in each cabin, and we were encouraged to add our own unique twist, so to speak, to our togas. There was a parade, prizes and a lot of unruly behavior. Try that on formal night on some of the mainstream cruise ships!

On the last day of our cruise, I didn’t want to leave.

Windjammer Barefoot Cruises went out of business before I got the chance to sail with them again. But I’ve come across another small ship cruise line promising a similar unique experience for the cruiser.

Island Windjammers offers six-day sailings on the 101-foot Diamant out of Grenada, calling on the Windward Islands of Carriacou, Bequia, Union Island, Tobago Cays and Mayreu. (When was the last time you saw those islands listed in an itinerary?)

The company has just added the 120-foot Sagitta to its fleet, sailing out of St. Maarten on six-day voyages and visiting the Leeward Islands of Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Barts and St. Eustatius.

No crowds aboard these beauties: Diamant accommodates 12 passengers; Sagitta, 24.

Fares are $1,799-$1,999 per person, double occupancy, and include port charges and taxes. Meals, snacks, and beer, wine and rum punch are included in the price. Sagitta also boasts an owner’s suite, for those who might want a little more luxury, for $2,199-$2,399 per person.

Six days at sea not enough? Both ships also offer several extended cruises, and this summer they’ll sail together on a 12-day itinerary.

There are even a couple of themed cruises scheduled.

Like rum? Learn its history, how it’s made and how to concoct the perfect cocktail on a rum-themed cruise July 7 aboard Sagitta, or Dec. 13 on Diamant. Rum expert Dave Russell of www.rumgallery.com will be aboard.

Sagitta’s Solo Sojourn, sailing Nov. 10, promises no couples, no kids — and no silly games. It’s not a singles cruise, but an opportunity for the solo traveler to sail with like-minded adventurers.

By Sy O'Neill, Palm Beach Post