Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Two Celebrity Cruises ships to get new outdoor venue

Celebrity Cruises will create a new outdoor area for two of its Millennium-class ships. The Infinity and Summit will get the new Rooftop Terrace, featuring “chic, comfortable furniture and unique artistic elements.” At night, guests will be able to watch movies on a large outdoor screen. Celebrity Cruises made a video about the ship changes, starring the captains of the Infinity and Summit: Nikolaos Frantzis and Kate McCue, respectively.  “Rounding out the unique outdoor experience will be a variety of specially curated food options available for purchase and presented in unique serving vessels, inspired by the entertainment content, the destination, or the occasion,” Celebrity said.
The Rooftop Terrace will be located to the aft of Deck 12.  Celebrity also said Tuscan Grille will replace the S.S. United States restaurant on the Infinity and the Normandie restaurant on the Summit, with artifacts from the two namesake vintage ships being relocated to other display space.
Other changes include removing the themed décor from the casino, creation of an enclosed portrait studio and makeovers of the Penthouse and Royal level suites. Renovations are scheduled for Oct. 15 to 29 for Infinity and Feb. 27 to March 12 for Summit. The Rooftop Terrace is scheduled to open on the Infinity on Dec. 5. 
For more information on making reservations on a Celebrity  and for  exclusive rates and amenities,, contact TheCruiseOutlet.com at 203-288-1884 or email: info@thecruiseoutlet.com

Liberty of the Seas to get 'boomerang style' water slide

Royal Caribbean International will install a first of its type water slide on Liberty of the Seas during a month-long renovation scheduled for February 2016.  Royal Caribbean said a collection of water slides called the Perfect Storm will include one called Tidal Wave, described as the first “boomerang style” slide at sea. The slide features a steep drop that propels riders up a near-vertical wall for a moment of weightlessness and into free fall. The pool deck will also include two new racer slides called Cyclone and Typhoon and the Splashaway Bay kids area.  The Harmony of the Seas, an Oasis-class ship due to enter service next May, also will have a Perfect Storm trio of slides: the Cyclone, Typhoon and Supercell (featuring a champagne-bowl slide). That ship will also have a thrill slide called Ultimate Abyss will stretch 10 stories. The 3,634-passenger Liberty begins sailing from Galveston, Texas, in November.
For more information on making reservations on a Royal Caribbean Ship and for  exclusive rates and amenities,, contact TheCruiseOutlet.com at 203-288-1884 or email: info@thecruiseoutlet.com

Friday, October 9, 2015

Will the Travel Industry Shift Its Focus from Millennials to Seniors?

A lot of attention has been placed on millennials in the travel industry today—and for good reason—but one potentially highly valuable and highly lucrative segment of the population may not be getting the attention it deserves. “Senior Travelers,” or those 60 years of age or older, are only growing in numbers, as Anita Mendiratta of CNN Task Group pointed out, per eTurboNews. The global share of seniors, in proportion to the world’s population, increased from 9.2 percent to 11.7 percent from 1990 to 2013, in large part due to a decrease in mortality rates and a decline in fertility rates, according to the United Nations World Population Report on Ageing. By 2050, seniors are expected to make up 21.1 percent of the world’s population, according to the same report, growing from 841 million people in 2013 to 2 billion. Seniors are expected to exceed the number of children for the first time ever in 2047. Also, as Mendiratta pointed out, a recent list sheds even more light on the world’s ageing population. According to investment group Moody’s list of “Super-Aged Societies By 2030,” Japan is the leading ageing nation. Its current population of 26.4 million elderly people (65 years of age and older) is expected to grow to 30.7 million by 2030. Germany, Italy, South Korea, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States (from 14.7 million to 20.1 million), Australia and China follow, in that order.
But it’s not just about the numbers—Senior Travelers tend to have higher levels of disposable income and stay for longer periods of time when traveling, Mendiratta writes. They are a notably big customer base for the luxury and cruise segments. They also tend to bring along their children and grandchildren, as well as form travel clubs and relationships, meaning greater potential for higher revenue per available room (RevPAR) across the travel industry. But there’s another interesting thing about Senior Travelers. In a fast-paced, technological world, they are on the other end, preferring better one-on-one personalized service to instant gratification. As Mendiratta writes, “These are the people who not only keep destinations buoyant in the off-seasons, they are the travelers that remind us that, for all of the technology at our fingertips, ours is a service industry based on sharing, caring and delivering a personally enriching experience.”  So, as millennials change the travel industry by demanding more technology and faster service, there’s a chance that trend could be subdued in the next few decades if the travel industry decides to focus more attention on the growing senior segment. Things might actually slow down. Additionally, travel companies that are mobility-friendly (rather than mobile-friendly) and offer exceptional health and wellness services could benefit greatly.
The world may be moving at lightning speed now, but there’s a chance it may slow down for seniors in the coming years, especially when it pertains to the travel industry.

For more information on making reservations on a Cruise or Land Combination package that will accommodate Millennials or Seniors, with  exclusive rates and amenities, contact The Cruise Professionals at  TheCruiseOutlet.com at 203-288-1884 or email: info@thecruiseoutlet.com

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Disney Cruise Line Announces Early 2017 Voyages

It's only 2015, but it's never too early to get excited about upcoming cruises to the Caribbean.
Disney Cruise Line unveiled details of its scheduled ports and itineraries for early 2017, which include voyages to the Bahamas and other Caribbean destinations from Florida, Puerto Rico and the Gulf Coast. Disney will sail several cruises from Florida's Port Canaveral in early 2017. The cruise line will offer three-four- and seven-night voyages to the Caribbean, each of which will include a day spent at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay in the Bahamas. Port Canaveral is located just an hour east of the Walt Disney World Resort. The 4,100-passenger Disney Fantasy will sail weeklong voyages from Port Canaveral to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, while the 4,100-passenger Disney Dream will embark on three- and four-night cruises to Nassau and Castaway Cay.  The 2,400-passenger Disney Wonder will also sail out of Port Canaveral beginning in late January 2017. Guests will also be able to sail Disney from Miami in 2017, with the 2,400-passenger Disney Magic offering cruises to the Bahamas and Western Caribbean that range from three to five nights.  The Disney Magic will also sail limited-time voyages from San Juan, Puerto Rico. In April 2017, the ship will depart on four seven-night cruises to the Southern Caribbean that will include calls in Barbados, St. Lucia, Martinique, Antigua and St. Kitts. Meanwhile, the Disney Wonder will sail two seven-night voyages to the Bahamas from Galveston, Texas in January 2017. Those cruises will feature stops in Key West, Castaway Cay and Nassau. Afterward, the ship will sail a six-night voyage to San Juan, making stops in Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Falmouth, Jamaica. The Disney Wonder will conclude January 2017 with a three-night cruise from San Juan to Port Canaveral.
For more information on making reservations on any Disney Cruise or Land Combination package and for  exclusive rates and amenities,, contact TheCruiseOutlet.com at 203-288-1884 or email: info@thecruiseoutlet.com