Blount Small Ship Adventures Sets Bahamas, Heartland Cruises

Blount Small Ship Adventures is offering new itineraries in 2014. In March and April, the Grande Caribe will sail to the Bahamas, while in May and June the Grande Mariner will navigate the Mississippi, Ohio and Illinois rivers to New Orleans by way of Chicago. The 11-night "Bahamian Out Islands" cruise, departing March 28 and April 11, visits 12 ports, including Nassau, Spanish Wells and Governor’s Harbour. Blount President Nancy Blount will sail on the March 28 departure. Rates begin at $3,999. The 15-night "Chicago to the Big Easy" cruise departs May 15 and June 2. Rates begin at $4,999. Guests who book a 2014 cruise by Aug. 30, 2013 will receive a 10 percent discount on all Caribbean itineraries. For more information and to make reservations. Contact TheCruiseOutlet.com at 203-288-1884 or email at info@thecruiseoutlet.com

Silversea Introduces Free Streamed Movies for Guests

Silversea Cruises has launched a complimentary service that lets guests stream movies and live television news on their mobile devices when sailing on the Silver Cloud. The service can be accessed on any Wi-Fi-enabled laptop, smartphone, tablet, or e-book reader. It includes access to classic and recent Academy Award-winning films, with more than 80 percent of the movies offered in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. A limited supply of iPad minis is also available on a first-come, first-served basis to Silver Cloud guests wishing to borrow a tablet during the voyage. By the end of 2013, the service will be rolled out to four additional ships — Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, Silver Wind and Silver Galapagos. In the coming months, the company is also planning to add international newspapers to its menu of streamed media offerings. For more information and to make reservations. Contact TheCruiseOutlet.com at 203-288-1884 or email at info@thecruiseoutlet.com

Where’s the (Angus) Beef? On Norwegian Cruise Line

Where’s the beef? When Norwegian Cruise Line answers that old advertising question, it wants you to think of its shipboard restaurants. That’s because two specialty restaurants are now serving Certified Angus Beef brand steaks. The premium beef is available in Cagneys Steakhouse and Le Bistro French restaurants on 10 ships, including the new Norwegian Breakaway. Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Spirit will begin serving the steaks by August.  "There is no better steak available and, as a New Yorker who knows a good steak, it was an obvious choice to bring these high-quality selections to Cagney’s Steakhouse and Le Bistro," said Norwegian CEO Kevin Sheehan.  The cuts feature 10 quality specifications, including marbling, maturity and consistency, and are aged 28 days. Selections include a 14-ounce, dry-aged center-cut strip loin, an 18-ounce, bone-in rib-eye, and an eight-ounce center-cut filet.  For additional information and to make reservations, contact TheCruiseOutlet.com at 203-288-1884 or email at info@thecruiseoutlet.com

Celebrity Xpedition Loses Galapagos Permit After Lobster Violation

Celebrity Cruises cancelled the June 2 departure of the Celebrity Xpedition in the Galapagos due to a dispute over the transport of frozen lobster. The line said it hopes to resolve the situation in time to operate the June 9 cruise. The Galapagos National Park cited Celebrity Xpedition for the transportation and storage of 12 kilograms of frozen lobster tails while out of season. The adventure ship’s license to enter Galapagos National Park has been temporarily suspended. "While we anticipate that our license to sail in the Galapagos will be restored shortly, the situation is still fluid," Celebrity said in a statement. We will be contacting guests booked on the June 9 cruise to provide them with the most updated information. Celebrity said guests on the June 2 sailing will receive a full refund and a future cruise credit for 50 percent off another Celebrity Xpedition cruise within the next two years. Future cruise certificates will be mailed to guests home address or travel agent within two to three weeks. Additionally, Celebrity will refund air transportation costs if the air was purchased through Celebrity. The line will reimburse airline change fees to those who did not purchase air through Celebrity. Booked guests or their agents can call 888-829-4050 for more information; "Celebrity Cruises is truly sorry for this unexpected impact on our guests vacation, the company statement said. "Celebrity Cruises is committed to complying with the rules and regulations of the Galapagos, which are put in place to protect and safeguard this unique and pristine environment."  

For more information on crusing the Galapagos Islands, contact TheCruiseOutlet.com at 203-288-1884 or email info@thecruiseoutlet.com

More river cruises canceled as floods devastate Central Europe

River cruise lines are canceling more departures as heavy rains have caused some of the worst flooding in decades in Central Europe. Torrential rains over the past week have risen rivers to dangerously high levels. Parts of Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic have been inundated with floodwater, and tens of thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate. According to reports, between 10 and 15 people have died due to the flood surge. River cruise operators said that segments of the Main and Danube rivers have been the most affected by flooding, and consequently they have canceled sailings in the region. Viking River Cruises has canceled three departures on June 9 — the Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremburg) cruise aboard the Viking Prestige; the Danube Waltz (Passau to Budapest) cruise aboard the Viking Legend; and the Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremburg) cruise aboard the MS Vienna. The company has also altered 15 departures between now and June 16, ranging from passengers having to sail on different ships than originally scheduled (due to ships being unable to get to their destinations until the floodwaters subside) to adding land arrangements. Most of Viking’s itineraries are bypassing a visit to the German city of Passau, which was hit particularly hard by flooding. Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection has also canceled departures due to the flooding: the June 7 Grand Danube & Prague on the River Ambassador; the June 9 Enchanting Danube Passau to Budapest; and the June 16 European Jewels on the River Empress. Several of Uniworlds cruises in progress have been impacted, either by itinerary alterations or cancellation of the remainder of cruises. In the case of acruise cancellation, guests are being given a full refund and a future cruise credit. "The rise and fall of water levels can change rapidly, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely," Avalon Waterways over the weekend canceled three departures over the next 10 days. Impacted passengers were offered full cruise refunds along with a discount voucher for a future cruise. On current sailings in Central Europe, Avalon has made adjustments such as having passengers transfer from one ship to another to be able to continue sailing, or combining a sailing with hotel stays. Avalon said it is offering passengers compensation depending on the number of cruise days affected. AmaWaterways had not yet canceled any departures but had been transferring passengers from one ship to another, as vessels have not been able to pass through the Main-Danube Canal in southern Germany.
Devastation from the flooding threatens to surpass that of the 2002 floods, which cost Germany an estimated $15.3 billion and Austria an estimated $4 billion in damages, the Wall Street Journal reported. German Chancellor Angela Merkel toured the Bavarian city of Passau on Tuesday and pledged an initial $130 million in federal emergency aid to the flood-ravaged region, according to the Journal.
For more information on River Crusies in Europe, contact TheCruiseOutlet.com at 203-288-1884 or email at info@thecruiseoutlet.com

Flooding disrupts river cruises in Central Europe

Heavy rains have led to severe flooding across Central Europe, forcing river cruise lines to amend or cancel itineraries until the floodwaters subside. Emergency operations are under way in Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic to deal with record levels of flooding, the BBC reported. Segments of the Main and Danube rivers have been the most affected by the heavy rains, according to river cruise operators. Avalon Waterways over the weekend made the decision to cancel three departures in the region over the next 10 days. Impacted passengers were offered full cruise refunds along with a discount voucher for a future cruise. On current sailings in Central Europe, Avalon has made adjustments such as having passengers transfer from one ship to another to be able to continue sailing, or combining a sailing with hotel stays. Avalon said it is offering passengers compensation depending on the number of cruise days affected. "We continue to monitor the water levels and will make revisions to itineraries as necessary," Patrick Clark, managing director of Avalon, wrote in an email. "If the rain decreases in intensity, then we are hopeful operations can return to normal." As of the weekend, AmaWaterways had not canceled any departures but transferred passengers from one ship to another, as vessels have not been able to pass through the Main-Danube Canal in southern Germany. "In some other areas, we are experiencing delays and we have implemented itinerary changes," noted Ama President Rudi Schreiner. Torrential rains have risen rivers to dangerously high levels. Several cities in the region have been impacted. The Czech capital of Prague is on high alert amid fears that its historic center could flood, the BBC reported.  
For more information on booking river cruises in Europe or in the US, contact TheCruiseOutlet.com at 203-288-1884 or email at: info@thecruiseoutlet.com