Thursday, August 22, 2013

Celebrity Millennium's remaining 2013 Alaska cruises canceled

Celebrity Cruises called a premature end to the Alaska season for the Celebrity Millennium, canceling the ship's remaining four cruises on its schedule. Celebrity acted after mechanical problems with the ship's propulsion units kept it in port for at least part of the last two cruises between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska. The canceled cruises, in addition to the current one, were scheduled to depart Aug. 23, Aug. 30, Sept. 6 and Sept. 13. Celebrity is in the process of contacting passengers on those cruises and rebooking or refunding them. Affected passengers are being offered a full refund and a 25% future cruise credit. The next scheduled sailing of Millennium will be a Panama Canal transit cruise from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale on Sept. 22.
For more information about the Millennium and making reservations on other Celebrity shis, contact TheCruiseOutlet.com at
info@thecruiseoutlet.com or call 203-288-1884

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Sun Princess cruise canceled at last minute

The first cruise of the Sun Princess after a two-week, $30 million renovation was canceled abruptly because the ship's electrical switchboard malfunctioned. According to several U.K. media reports, about 2,000 passengers were booked on the ship, which was scheduled to leave Singapore on Aug. 20 on a 14-day voyage to Australia. Most of those taking the cruise are from Australia, the reports said. In a statement, Princess said, "Regretfully, we've made the decision to cancel the cruise scheduled to depart today in order to carry out the necessary repairs." The 18-year-old Sun Princess had been fitted with new restaurants, decor and elements that reflect its predominantly Asian itineraries. Guests on the canceled cruise will get a full refund and a 100% future cruise credit.

Celebrity cruise canceled due to propulsion problem






Celebrity Cruises canceled the rest of a cruise between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska, after the Celebrity Millennium developed a propulsion problem. The Millennium had left Vancouver on Aug. 16, but has been moored in Ketchikan since Sunday because one of its two propulsion units failed. Guests are being flown home and will get a 100% refund and a 100% future cruise credit. "Our engineers, along with expert consultants from the motor’s manufacturer, and our marine operations team in Miami, have continued working around the clock to resolve the mechanical issue onboard Celebrity Millennium," a statement said. "Regrettably, as of this time, they have been unable to find a satisfactory solution." The Millennium spent three days of its previous cruise stuck in Seward while another propulsion problem was repaired. Celebrity has not said if the two problems are related. Thirty Celebrity employees are flying to the ship to assist disembarking guests.

Disney Cruise Line allows shorts in dining rooms





Disney Cruise Line will drop language prohibiting shorts in the communications to guests about suitable dining room attire. The change applies to the three "rotational" restaurants on Disney ships, such as Animator's Palate, but not the extra-charge restaurants such as Palo or Remy. Disney spokesman Mark Sadowski said the change was driven by feedback from guests. "We started hearing more and more that's what they wanted," he said. "Especially in warmer climates, its just a natural attire." Other cruise lines that carry large family contingents, including Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and Princess Cruises, all discourage shorts in the formal dining areas for dinner, although Norwegian says it really doesn't have a dress code. Sadowski said swimwear will continue to be prohibited in the dining rooms. For more information on a Disney Cruise, contact TheCruiseOutlet.com at 203-288-1884. Special programs and promotions available.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Sex or a Good Book? Men and Women Differ on How to Relax on Vacation




How do you relax when you’re on vacation? According to a new survey, one in four women would rather read, while 34 percent of men would rather have sex. Perhaps that not so surprising, but that tidbit and other male-female disparities are detailed in the fourth annual "Relaxation Report" issued in conjunction of National Relaxation Day on Aug. 15. The survey also found that 45 percent of men feel relaxed when they get home from vacation while 43 percent of women feel tired and need a vacation from their vacation. It’s definitely interesting, although not all too surprising, to see a distinction between how men and women like to relax while on vacation," Most Americans age 35 and older said it typically takes them two or more days to settle into their vacation. Nearly two out of three prefer to take at least a full week’s vacation rather than taking days off here and there.Men and women also choose different dream celebrity traveling companions. Forty percent of women would like to travel with comedian Ellen DeGeneres, while 42 percent of men lean toward singer Taylor Swift and actress Scarlett Johansson. When asked which male celebrity Americans would want to vacation with, men and women both agreed with 22 percent on actor Hugh Jackman. When it comes to a musical companion, 18 percent of men and women chose Justin Timberlake while Rihanna got votes from 13 percent. Meanwhile, one in four Millennials (age 18-31 years old) choose sleep as the activity they want to do more while on vacation, but only 14 percent of Americans 65 and older want to sleep more on vacation. Nearly one in four parents prefer sleeping more on vacation than non-parents. In fact, for parents, getting more sleep is more of a priority than having sex (23 percent and 20 percent respectively).

The survey was conducted by ORC International among 1,008 American adults, ages 18 and older, between Aug. 1 and Aug. 4, using the CARAVAN landline-cell phone combined sample methodology.

No Smoking on Disney Cruise Balconies, Offenders Will Be Fined



Disney Cruise Line will prohibit smoking on stateroom balconies effective Nov. 15. However, portions of open-air decks on each ship will continue to be designated as smoking areas. Guests found smoking in their staterooms or on their verandahs will be charged $250 for air filter replacement, carpet extraction, verandah cleaning and cleaning and replacement of drapes, comforters, blankets and pillows. Guests and travel agents with verandah stateroom booked will be contacted by email about the change, and guests will be reminded of the policy when onboard. For more information and to make reservations for a Disney Crusie, contact TheCruiseOutlet.com at 203-288-1884 for exclusive rates and promotions.

Friday, August 16, 2013

Norwegian Buys 75 Acres in Belize for $50 Million Cruise Destination






Norwegian Cruise Line is planning to build a $50 million cruise destination on two adjoining islands in southern Belize. The master plan is still under development, but the company said the project will likely include a floating pier, an island village with open-air structures on raised platforms, a marina, a transportation hub for tours, a lagoon for water sports and a beach area. The development will be designed to be environmentally friendly and promote the nature, art, adventure and music of Belizean, Mayan and Garifuna history and culture, the company said. The 75-acre parcel, called Harvest Caye, was previously was earmarked for a resort development with an air strip. Norwegian first considered building on Crawl Caye, a small island also near Belizes Placencia peninsula, but that plan was rejected by the government, which then worked with the cruise line to find the new location. Norwegian confirmed the Harvest Caye land purchase and plans on Aug. 14. As our fleet continues to grow to 15 ships by 2017, we expect that we will double the number of guests sailing on our Western Caribbean itineraries and, once this new destination is complete, bring four times as many guests to Belize than we do today, said Norwegian President and CEO Kevin Sheehan. Norwegian retained IDEA Inc. of Orlando to design the destination and oversee the project. IDEA is a designer of branded ports of call and destinations and has worked with private developers, government ministries, and independent agencies to create branded destinations in Alaska, Florida, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Mexico, St. Kitts, Honduras, Bahamas and Jamaica. Norwegian has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Belize that calls for adherence to environmental standards and job creation for Belizeans. The new destination is expected to create up to 1,000 jobs. Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow has said that Belize needs to decentralize cruise tourism in an effort to reduce overcrowding, so the new destination will help relieve tourism pressures in Belize City. However, the project is facing some local opposition. The Belize Tourism Industry Association is against establishing a major cruise port in southern Belize because it could damage the environment in an area that should remain an eco-friendly low-impact destination, For additional information and to make a reservation for any Norwegian Cruise, contact TheCruiseOutlet.com for exclusive rates and offers. Call 203-288-1884 or email at info@thecruiseoutlet.com



 


 


 

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Crystal Serenity to Get Allergy-Friendly Staterooms


Crystal Cruises has announced plans for industry-first hypoallergenic accommodations, dubbed Deluxe PURE Staterooms. The cruise lines is partnering with PURE Marine Solutions, sister company of allergy-friendly hospitality firm PURE Global, for a comprehensive transformation using a patented hypoallergenic process. During Crystal Serenity's "Extreme Makeover" drydock in November, each of the ship's current 70 "AA" verandah rooms will undergo PURE's seven-step air and surface purification process to remove allergens and reduce the risk of common irritants. Afterward, a medical grade air purifier will continue to filter out 99.9% of all impurities and dust. These Deluxe PURE Staterooms will be available to guests at no additional cost, and will debut November 27 and be designated as "P1" and "P2" in April. Imagine returning to your room after a full day ashore in a bustling city like Rome or Bangkok, and then slipping into your purified sanctuary of ultra-clean air and hypoallergenic bedding, says Jack Anderson, Crystals senior vice president, marketing & sales. For guests who suffer from allergies, have mild respiratory issues such as asthma, or who simply desire a respite from the air quality in many cities, these staterooms will become a haven of fresh air for no additional cost." Crystals housekeeping staff will be trained in any daily maintenance routines required. Every six months, PURE specialists will also re-service the rooms, ensuring spaces are kept to the highest of hygiene levels indefinitely.

For exclusive information on this program and rates and to make reservations for a Crystal Cruise, call TheCruiseOutlet.com, at 203-288-1884 or email: info@thecruiseoutlet.com