Timeline Photos

September 20, 2011

	Fancy a free upgrade? Celebrity Cruises is running an Asia Upgrade Offer, allowing guests to book an Oceanview Stateroom for the price of an Interior on select Asian sailings between Oct-Apr.
	River cruise itineraries in Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Borneo and China have been detailed in the newly-released Pandaw 2017/18 program.
	Voyages of Discovery has put out it 2017 brochure featuring 17 new ports of call.
	European travel giant TUI has flagged the sale of its Specialist division, which includes more than 50 different brands including canal boat operation Le Boat as well as yacht holiday businesses Sunsail & The Moorings.
	Two river cruise ships have been added to Crystal Cruises order with Lloyd Werft Group, bringing the total to eight new vessels, a day after a steel-cutting ceremony for four of the new-build river yachts.
	Star Cruises will introduce two mega cruise ships to the Chinese market between 2019 and 2020. The 201,000 tonne vessels will be designed with Chinese characteristics and the cruise line has claimed they will be “the first purpose built cruise ships deployed for the contemporary Chinese market”.
	Here’s a christening which certainly didn’t hold back. Aidaprima was welcomed by Carnival Corporation & plc with a show in Hamburg of lights, music and fireworks for an audience of 1.6 million.




	NSW Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres has confirmed the government is looking at a range of docking options for cruise ships in Sydney Harbour, saying Garden Island is unlikely to be a suitable solution in the long term. More in today’s Cruise Weekly shortly.









	Costa Cruises’ Costa Diadema has unveiled a children’s area dedicated to Peppa Pig. The dedicated area will be rolled out across nine other vessels this summer.
	This group of agents were among the first to experience a new Scenic Enrich activity, ‘The Best of The Sound of Music and Salzburg Show’. Cruising on board the newest Scenic Space-Ship, Scenic Amber, participants set off from Passau to spend seven days exploring Germany and Austria on a famil.
	Travelmanagers took home the Cruiseco ‘Top 5 in sales’ award and were acknowledged as a member of Cruiseco’s ‘Million Dollar Club’, both for the second consecutive year.
	Viking Ocean Cruises will for the first time visit Australia as part of the company’s inaugural world cruise. Viking Sun will berth in Sydney for an overnight stay as part of the 141-day voyage.
	Scenic has released a South East Asia River Cruising booklet for agents to detailing Scenic Spirit and Scenic Aura’s on board inclusions and itineraries on the Mekong and Irrawaddy.
	APT has expanded its Kimberley Coast cruising offering with the addition of a new ship for the APT portfolio, L’Austral. Check out the new brochure.
	Here’s a special to brighten up your Thursday: Royal Caribbean International is offering up to 30% off, plus up to US$200 of on board credit. The promo applies to bookings made by 14 May on Oasis or Allure of the Seas Caribbean departing 01 Jul-30 Apr.
	Fancy a reserved dining area, among other perks on Princess Cruises? The line will introduce a new premium stateroom category in Dec on Emerald Princess, offering Club Class Dining, priority embarkation and disembarkation, the new Princess Luxury Bed and more.
	P&O Pacific Eden captain Gavin Pears and the ship’s senior officers participated in Fremantle’s ANZAC Day Parade on Monday, joining the local community in commemorating the ANZAC tradition of service and sacrifice during the ship’s day in port.
	The APT girls glamming it up 1920’s style! #aptdiamond #aptthebest #aptunforgettable
	One of the many castles in the Rhine Gorge @aptouring #aptdiamond #aptunforgettable #aptthebest
	Look who is sitting on my bed! @aptouring #aptdiamond #aptunforgettable #aptthebest
	Ready to start our APT adventure on AmaVenita #aptunforgettable #aptdiamond #aptthebest @aptouring
	A canal boat cruise is a great way to get a feel for Amsterdam @aptouring #aptdiamond #aptthebest #aptunforgettable
	Regent Seven Seas Cruises has unveiled its collection of itineraries for 2017-18 with the four ship fleet set to make more than 100 voyages during the season. Highlights include the 30-night Grand Northwest Passage which will take a rare summertime excursion through Canada’s Northwest Passage.
	TravelManagers’ personal travel manager Kathy Myatt thoroughly enjoyed the major prize she nabbed during her very first suppliers function. It was during the Tauck World Discovery brochure launch that the Queensland-based agent scored a seven-night river cruise adventure exploring Switzerland, France and Amsterdam.
	Crew on Carnival Legend waved goodbye to Sydney yesterday afternoon as the ship set sail for Hawaii following its extended summer season Down Under. Carnival Legend Legend has carried more than 50,000 Australians on 20 round trip cruises from Sydney over the past six months.
	To mark The Queen’s 90th birthday today CUNARD has released a series of never-before-seen photos of Her Majesty. The photos, which record each of the Cunard events that she attended, include The Queen attending her first Cunard event in 1938 when she was just 12. This one captures her as a princess launching RMS Caronia in 1947.
	METH AT SEA: The part-owner and skipper of Kimberley Quest II Jeff Ralston has been charged with intending to deal methylamphetamine on board the vessel, according to reports by ABC News. Police raided the luxury ship in Wyndham on Monday, alleging that 23 grams of the drug and five smoking implements were found.
	Avalon Waterways is kicking off a new category of European river cruising next year with Active Discovery cruises to debut in company’s 2017 brochure. The active itineraries include biking, hiking and canoeing along the Danube, with eight departures set to operate between Jul and Oct 2017.
	Gold Coast-based Ignite Travel Group – well known for its My Holiday Centre portfolio with brands such as MyFiji, MyBali and My Queensland Holiday, has launched a new MyCruises brand with hand-picked ocean, river and specialty cruises. MyCruises offers complete holiday packages, including pre & post stay, flights, ground transfers, upgrades, extra room nights, credits and tours.
	Holland America Line celebrated the delivery of MS Koningsdam over the weekend with an official handover ceremony at Fincantieri’s Shipyard in Marghera, Italy. The ship sailed from the yard on Sunday to make its way to Civitavecchia in Rome for its premier voyage this week.
	Four extra departures have been added to Ovation of the seas’ maiden Australian itinerary for its 2016/17 season. Interest in the newbuild surpassed expectations with more than 90% of summer sailings booked out. Final deployment details for the new itineraries will be released in the coming weeks.
	Viking River Cruises has altered two itineraries heading to Brussels in light of this week’s terror attack. The 27 and 30 Mar ‘Rhineland Discovery’ sailings aboard Viking Kara and Viking Kvasir will now travel to the Netherlands for a two-night stay at the Grand Hotel, instead.
	Dream Cruises has unveiled the artwork set to debut on its new-build ship, Genting Dream.






	Crystal Cruises has announced the acquisition of a 200-passenger polar-class “megayacht”. The new megayacht will be named Crystal Endeavour, in honour of Captain James Cook’s HMS Endeavour. The newbuild is due for delivery in August 2018.
	Royal Caribbean International will expand its global fleet, overnight announcing the acquisition of Galapagos-based tour operator, Ocean Adventures. The purchase will be made through Royal Caribbean’s Celebrity Cruises brand.
	BREAKING NEWS: Royal Caribbean has axed a second Bali port call due to heightened security concerns. According to a trade update obtained by Cruise Weekly, Radiance of the Seas will now spend an extra day at sea instead of making its scheduled 17 March stop. This follows Monday’s bypass of Benoa by sister company, Celebrity Cruises’ megaliner, Celebrity Solstice. More details in today’s Cruise Weekly.



	Happy 30th birthday Scenic!
	Disney Cruise Line has announced two new vessels will join its fleet, slated to be completed by 2021 and 2023. Ship names, itineraries and design plans will be revealed at a later date.
	Captain Cook Cruises delivered much needed supplies to Fiji’s Lau Islands last week aboard the MV Reef Endeavour, following the devastating category five cyclone which tore through the island nation last month.
	Say hello to the new Managing Director of Uniworld River Cruise Collection Australia, Fiona Dalton! Dalton will take the reigns from early May.
	P&O Pacific Pearl has found a new home with British-based operator Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV), where she will be renamed Columbus and commence operations from 09 Jun.


	Viking River Cruises christened six of its new Viking Longships at a waterfront celebration in Amsterdam this week, naming prominent travel trade partners as the ships’ “Viking Godmothers”. Photo credit: Peter Knego




	Vivid Sydney is coming to town! Captain Cook Cruises is offering early bird savings of up to 35% off its cruises during the anticipated festival of lights. Vivid runs 27 May – 18 Jun Book here: www.captaincook.com.au
	P&O Pacific Pearl Cruise Ship has launched an all-new party concept for kiwis on its five-month New Zealand deployment! Cruisers have been advised to pack black for the Nero All Black Party, with All Blacks gear expected to be a popular outfit choice for the deck soiree.
	Did you know that provisions for a week long voyage on the MS Oasis of the Seas includes 10,272 new rolls of toilet paper, 3,355kg of cheese, 330 cases of pineapples, 861kg of coffee and 46,800 eggs! And to keep the party going there’s 31,900 bottles and 900 cans of beer, 820 bottles of vodka, 765 bottles of rum and 3,360 bottles of white wine. Royal Caribbean International
	The team at Royal Caribbean International Australia welcomed Explorer of the Seas to the Aussie fleet and celebrated her maiden season by presenting the captain and crew with a specially commissioned painting of the ship in Sydney Harbour.
	Something tells me this little guy would rather be on board…
	Have you completed our travel agent cruise survey? Share your experiences and you’ll be in the running to win GoPro cameras and HOYTS cinema vouchers. Enter here: http://v9.smpsurveys.com/survey.jsp?KEY_SURVEY=c957e3ab-b22c-4dbe-894a-ebc66fcbd1fa&locale=en&UID=
	Azamara Club Cruises vp of marketing and sales hinted that the cruise line is looking to bring a new learning and incentive platform over from the US to Australia called The World Academy, which will allow agents to sail for free after they use the portal and sell three cruises.
	#VirtualReality has entered the retailing space with Cruiseabout Australia announcing a collaboration with Royal Caribbean International and Carnival Cruise Line Australia to showcase to customers in store what life is like on board a ship via Samsung virtual reality headsets.
	Take our cruise industry survey for travel agents and there’s the opportunity to win GoPro cameras and HOYTS movie vouchers. Enter via the link below http://v9.smpsurveys.com/survey.jsp?KEY_SURVEY=c957e3ab-b22c-4dbe-894a-ebc66fcbd1fa&locale=en&UID=












	Delish! Chicken Marsala
	All aboard!
	World surfing champ Layne Beachley challenged guests to “Beat the Beachley” at a FUNdraiser for The Layne Beachley Foundation on board Carnival Legend recently. Guests set out to beat Beachley’s times for basketball, putt-putt golf and sliding down water slides. This was followed by a special Dr Seuss at Sea lunch where the competition winners were announced. Carnival Legend Carnival Cruise Line Australia
	CHEF CURTIS STONE has debuted his first restaurant, dubbed SHARE by Curtis Stone aboard Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess. #RubyPrincess
	Agents who join Carnival Cruise Line’s new Facebook group, Carnival Fun Zone, and enter the online competition will be eligible to win a twin cabin on Carnival Vista’s 10-night Mediterranean cruise departing 21 Jun.
	MSC Cruises has confirmed it will go ahead with construction of two additional Meraviglia class vessels at the STX shipyards in Saint-Nazaire, France.
	Aussie actress and comedian Jean Kittson will be godmother of Scenic Azure, which is being christened in Porto, Portugal in Apr this year.
	#BREAKING: Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises will join the Norwegian Cruise Line Holding office in Sydney by 31 Mar, transitioning from Wiltrans & The Cruise Office. More in tomorrow’s Cruise Weekly.
	A fire has broken out on Evergreen Tours’ newest ship, Emerald Belle, significantly damaging the vessel. Although Emerald Belle was due to launch in April, the firefighting system on board was not yet operational. Agents with client bookings will be notified to discuss options over the next 48 hours.
	Coral Expeditions is going to Asia! The Aussie-founded expedition cruise line has launched seven expedition itineraries in South East Asia charting the coastlines of Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.
	Crystal Cruises’ “Crystal Getaways” now include five shortened segments of Crystal Serenity’s “Southern Celebración” World Cruise.
	MSC Cruises has suspended calls in Turkey until further notice “amid growing concerns by guests as a result of the recent tragic events in Istanbul”.
	If the thought of going back to work tomorrow makes you want to book a holiday, MSC Cruises’ annual 96-Hour sale is on until midnight 29th January with savings of up to 50%



	Crystal Serenity leave the Mediterranean in mid-2017 to sail throughout North America. She will be replaced by Crystal Yacht Cruises and Crystal River Cruises, which will bring Crystal Esprit and five luxury river yachts to the Mediterranean region nearly year-round.




	What is this? A cruise ship for ants? A non-buoyant Pacific Aria was showcased at the Museum of Sydney on Wed in anticipation of the cruise line’s Australia Day event – where LEGO certified professional Ryan McNaught, will build a model of Pacific Eden in the forecourt of the museum.










	Congrats to Roger Chen, who has taken up the role of chairman for Carnival Cruise Line in China.
	We’re about to jump on board to tour Azamara Quest!
	A 300-litre barrel filled with a specially created cocktail will be brought on board the Queen Mary 2 Age of Discovery World Voyage. The cocktail will be aged on board on open decks and unloaded at the end of the cruise and join The Savoy Collection. Guests will be able to sample a non-aged version of the cocktail.
	A reader sent in this snap from Stockton as Azamara Quest cruised into Newcastle earlier this week.


	The staterooms and suites on Oceania Cruises’ Sirena will feature custom-designed, mattresses – The Ultra Tranquility Bed – when the ship launches in Apr 2016.
	P&O Cruises Australia’s newest ship Pacific Eden completed a trifecta of maiden visits this week. Pacific Eden stopped in for the first time at Eden (Sun), Mornington Peninsula (Tue) and Portland (Wed).
	TravelManagers Australia is investing in the cruise market with the appointment of a cruise strategy executive, Lisa Humphries.
	Ponant – Yacht Cruises & Expeditions will venture to the Kimberley for the first time in 2017 with L’Austral.
	Kogan.com has announced an expansion into the cruise sector. The company emailed its more than 2.3 million customers with a range of initial offers, with the portfolio comprising 4,000 cruises on “more than 20 of the world’s best cruise lines”.
	Wendy Wu Tours has introduced a dedicated Asia River Cruise brochure for 2016/17. The program stretches across China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and India. Luxury vessel Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer in China has been introduced for 2016, along with the Oberoi MV Vrinda in India.
	Check out the winning entry of Lindblad Expeditions’ latest incentive! United Travel at the Mount, from Mount Maunganui, New Zealand won AU$1,000 for their entry, captioned “On a stormy night deep in the heart of Mount Galapagos…A beautiful red/yellow breasted penguin Lindy I believe…was discovered by Julia and Amanda surrounded by some rather interesting wildlife.”
	Active Travel is offering a buy-one-get-one-free deal on Indian River Cruises in Apr, for bookings by 26 Feb. Alternatively, solo pax can cruise without paying a supplement.
	Would you like an upgrade with that? P&O Cruises Australia’s “Biggest Ever Offer” is back, with the cruise line offering up to five inclusions on cruises booked by 25 Feb. Itineraries include a 10-night Papua New Guinea cruise roundtrip from Brisbane on 31 Oct, 2016 from $899 per person quad share
	P&O Pacific Eden visited Eden, her namesake port for the first time over the weekend. The visit was the first cruise call of the year for the town, with Pacific Eden on an eight-night roundtrip Sydney itinerary which visits only regional towns.
	Carnival Cruise Line is ditching holiday weight-gain with the help of personal trainer Shannan Ponton. Ponton who will be aboard two Carnival cruises departing Sydney in Apr and Nov and will run a new nutrition advice seminar, in addition to his Biggest Bootcamp at Sea classes and motivational seminar.
	Would a Flaming Vegas brighten up your Wednesday? Master mixologist Dale DeGroff has created a new cocktail menu for Holland America Line to be served up on MS Eurodam this month and fleetwide by Spring. Creations include the Gallery Gimlet, Hemingway Daiquiri, Yuzu Margarita and The Ritz Cocktail.
	P&O Pacific Aria’s call into Mystery Island yesterday was called off as P&O opts to stay “well away from Cyclone Ula”. The vessel instead took a more northerly course on the way to Mare, where was scheduled to arrive at 0800 local time today.
	Cruise Holidays has reported a strong 2015, with double-digit sales growth and more than 60 members across the country. Les Farrar, managing director of parent company Your Travel & Cruise Pty Ltd, has also announced a new partnership with Travel Training Australia which offers agents access to exclusive training modules.
	The two massive icebergs blocking ship access to Mawson’s Huts in remote Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica have broken up allowing Chimu Adventures to run its first expedition to the destination in five years.
	Oceanwide Expeditions has added two new journeys to the Ross Sea in 2017. Ortelius will sail from South America to the Antarctic Peninsula, crossing the Polar Circle before heading to Peter I Island and the Bellingshausen Sea into the Ross Sea.
	WAIT. That doesn’t look right! Is it the cruise ship of the future you’re laying your eyes on right now? Well, perhaps! It’s a conceptual project developed by architect Gianluca Santosuosso dubbed the MORPHHotel. Built around a flexible spine, the hotel changes shape based on the ocean currents. It would slowly travel around the world, docking wherever the tide is flowing to let passengers board or disembark.
	MSC Cruises rang in 2016 in style by docking four of its ships together at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, giving more than 12,000 guests aboard front row seats to a spectacular fireworks display!
	Fiji and Bali have been revealed as new destinations for Paul Gauguin Cruises in 2017. Luxury ship m/s Paul Gauguin will sail 16- and 17-night Fiji and Bali itineraries. Return trips between the two destinations will start on 29 Apr 2017.
	WIN: Travel agents will go in the draw to win a Samsung tablet for every Hurtigruten cruise or expedition booked through travel specialists, BENTOURS. Bentours will announce a winner per month from January until March.
	Lindblad Expeditions has confirmed it will be spending $28 million to purchase and revamp the Via Australis expedition ship. The company plans to use the vessel for trips to the Galapagos Islands in place of National Geographic Endeavour.
	Azamara Quest arrived Down Under for the first time last week with more than 600 passengers on board. Quest docked in Cairns last night and will depart this evening for Townsville.
	Did you celebrate aboard the Superstar Virgo as part of Ecruising.Travel’s POSH Club special event?
	Australia is set to achieve a record cruise season over coming months with more newcomers and luxury vessels boosting the number of cruise ships visiting local waters. Cruise Lines International Association Australasia chairman Gavin Smith said February and March will see a host of new boats Down Under.
	Crystal Esprit christening: Crystal Cruises officially welcomed Crystal Esprit to its fleet on Sunday with a christening ceremony held at Eden Island Marina in Mahé, Victoria, #Seychelles.
	MSC Cruises has revealed plans to create a new private island experience in the #Bahamas for exclusive use by passengers. The company is planning to spend $200m on the island and will build a private pier for its ships to dock as well as a village with restaurants, bars and shops, an amphitheatre, zip line, bike pathsand a spa with massage huts.
	Newly launched US website cruise.me aims to streamline the process of comparison shopping online for cruises. Website co-founder Stephen Chip said the point of difference with the website was being able to “see cruise itineraries on an interactive map”. What do you think of the new site?
	INCENTIVE: Every Princess Cruises trip sold by agents in Australia and New Zealand before March will put the consultant in the running to win a seven night Mediterranean cruise or an eight night Caribbean voyage.
	Would you be game enough to venture down a slide towering more than 45 metres above sea level? Those on board Royal Caribbean International’s Harmony of the Seas will have the chance to do just that on tallest slide on the high seas known as The Ultimate Abyss when the ship debuts in May.
	Carnival Cruise Line Australia has named Richard Morse as senior vice president of hotel operations. Morse joins Carnival early next month after 36 years with Marriott International.
	These Aussie travel agents recently had the chance to experience Evergreen’s Emerald ‘Star Ship’, Emerald Sun, on the eight day Delights of the Danube River Cruise.
	Tomorrow MSC Cruises will become the first global cruise line to home port in Havana, #Cuba. “#Havana has never seen a ship this size,” ceo Gianni Onorato, said.
	Darwin, Northern Territory will host its largest contingent of Chinese cruise ship passengers today with about 400 tourists from China among the 700 visitors arriving on board Superstar Virgo.
	BREAKING: “Massive growth in 2015” has prompted P&O Cruises Australia to appoint Sture Myrmell as full-time president, effective from the start of next year.
	Solo travellers cruising on board Carnival Cruise Line Australia’s Carnival Spirit for the inaugural singlescruising.com.au trip have just returned from a very successful nine night South Pacific voyage.
	Construction has started on Silversea Cruises’ Silver Muse with a milestone keel-laying ceremony in Genoa, Italy.
	MSC Cruises has become the first line to operate voyages from Abu Dhabi’s brand new cruise terminal, which officially debuted on the weekend with a departure by MSC Musica.
	Customer demand for Antarctic cruises is stronger than ever, with passenger numbers for Chimu Adventures to the icy continent more than doubling since 2008.
	From 2017 Hurtigruten’s expedition ships will operate new voyages to the Amazon rainforest, Canada and even the world’s longest fjord.
	Celestyal Cruises has added 43 new balconies to its Celestyal Crystal as part of an extensive refurbishment program.
	Premium French cuisine will be on offer on board Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, with the launch of the new Verandah restaurant.
	P&O Cruises is taking Australia’s greatest sporting rivalry to sea, announcing the inaugural State of Origin Cruise.
	The imminent closure of Creative Holidays will not impact the travel corporation’s cruise operations, with the company insisting that Creative Cruising is “fully operational and focused on future growth potential”.
	Port Burnie in Tasmania is set to receive a $1.5 million upgrade to make way for larger cruise ships coming into the region.
	Next year’s Australian Cruise Association annual conference will take place September 7 to 9 at Sydney’s Four Seasons Hotel. Who’s coming?
	Eastern Europe Travel has released what it says is its best offer in a long time, with a 15 day Danube Cruise and Hotel tour starting at just $3,437 per person or $229 per day.
	A man was given “urgent medical attention” by British forces after he was bitten by a fur seal on an island in the southern Atlantic Ocean. The British patient was visiting South Georgia with a Russian cruise ship the MV Akademic Sergei Vavilov, when he sustained a major arm injury.
	Chinese conglomerate HNA has suspended its #cruise operations in #China, three years after launching HNA Tourism & Yacht Management Co Limited to “redefine its business areas.”
	CroisiEurope River Cruises has ordered a third paddlewheeler river boat for 2018. Its innovative design will allow the vessels to cruise in low water, with the first of the paddlewheelers, the Loire Princess now operating in France.
	Viking Ocean Cruises is expanding its ocean cruising offering, launching five new itineraries to North America and the Caribbean.
	Celebrity Cruises is scrapping its formal nights on board and replacing them with evening chic. The move is designed to bring about a feel of “sophistication and relaxation”, rather than “stuffiness and structure”. Do you think this is the right choice? Do you prefer traditional formal or evening chic?
	The high seas are about to get a little more rock ‘n roll, with Def Leppard hosting a dedicated music cruise next month aboard the 3,502 passenger MSC Divina. The cruise will include calls to Grand Bahama Island and Half Moon Cay – a private island in the Bahamas. MSC Cruises


	Lindblad Expeditions sent in this photo of ACT travel agents who are hoping to win $1,000 in the company’s current consultant incentive. To enter simply snap a creative photo of an individual or your entire agency with Lindblad Expeditions mascot Lindy the pelican. The promotion closes at the end of the month, for all the details head to expeditions.com/lindy.
	A fire in the engine room disrupted cruising on the Grand Princess 20 miles off the coast of Hilo, Hawaii last week. The blaze was put out within an hour and no one was injured.
	.:: COMPETITION TIME ::. Want to win a whole year’s subscription to Travel Bulletin? It’s easy! Just find the hidden Travel Bulletin cover in today’s Cruise Weekly edition.
	We’re about to tour this beauty!
	Carnival Corporation’s new Fathom “social impact” brand will feature a range of rich on-board experiences when it debuts aboard P&O Cruises UK’s 704-passenger MV Adonia next year. Fathom will operate “impact travel” voyages to the Dominican Republic and “cultural exchange” trips to Cuba, with the inaugural cruises slated for Apr 2016.#Carnivalplc
	Diamonds are truly a cruiser’s best friend – particularly on board Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas where the world’s first Tiffany & Co. store afloat opened last weekend.


	Nice, Rome, Florence, Sorrento, Sicily, Crete and Santorini are must see destinations ticked off the bucket-list for a group of #agents hosted on Azamara Quest recently as the boutique ship sailed the Mediterranean. The agents had the chance to get to know Quest intimately ahead of her locally based deployment. Azamara Quest #FamTrip
	Luxury cruise line Seabourn is poised to return to Alaska in 2017, with Seabourn Sojourn to offer a series of 11-14 day itineraries from Vancouver,British Columbia and Anchorage. The voyages will be the first time Seabourn has cruised in the region since 2002, with senior vice president of marketing and sales, John Delaney saying the move has “been a long time coming and highly anticipated.”
	Royal Caribbean International is today celebrating the arrival of its Explorer of the Seas in Melbourne for the very first time, with the 3,800 passenger ship claimed to be the largest cruise vessel to be based in Australian waters. Explorer has travelled down under from Southampton in the UK where she has been based since Apr this year after undergoing a US$80m refit. #ExploreroftheSeas
	Soon to debut, Scenic’s own launch vessel for Southeast Asia continues to take shape ahead of its inaugural departure on the Mekong River. Onboard features of the 68 passenger #ScenicSpirit include a pool, steam room, bar and open-air cinema. Pictured on the Sun Deck of Scenic Spirit at shipyard 76 in Ho Chi Minh City from left are Scenic’s Max Miller, Jane Moggridge, Charlie Done, Alison Rooke, Liz Glover and Mike Kaye. #Mekong #HoChiMinhCity #SiemReap
	Channel 9’s Today Show Australia will host a “ground-breaking television event” on Wed 25 Nov, broadcasting live from Sydney Harbour during P&O Cruises Australia Five Ship Spectacular. #today9
	Viking Cruises Australia overnight confirmed orders for two more newbuild vessels from Italy’s Fincantieri shipyard, with the expansion set to see the Viking Ocean Cruises fleet grow to six vessels.
	New ocean cruise brand enters the waters. #DreamCruises to debut first ship #GentingDream in November 2016.
	MSC Cruises new Meraviglia class ships will feature shows from Cirque du Soleil, with two performances nightly in a custom-built theatre under a new partnership with the global entertainment giant.
	Pitbull has officially taken up his duties as #godfather of Norwegian Cruise Line’s new Norwegian Escape. Pitbull, who’s pictured doing a celebratory fist-bump with Norwegian ceo Frank Del Rio during the ceremony in #Miami, Florida, performed a pier side concert with Escape’s hull artwork forming a backdrop for the “epic event”.
	Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings ceo Australasia, Steve Odell, was in Hong Kong last week and accepted an #award for Oceania Cruises in the #WorldTravelAwards. Oceania was named “Australia’s Leading Cruise Line,” with executive vice president of international business development, Harry Sommer confirming that Australia is “one of our most important and fastest growing markets”.
	P&O’S #PacificDawn made history this morning when she became the largest ever cruise ship to sail under Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge. The 2000-passenger vessel which berthed at Victoria Dock is one of a flotilla of four Carnival Cruise Line Australia vessels visiting #Melbourne during the Spring Racing Carnival.
	Fancy a #Titanic cracker? A 103-year-old biscuit which survived the 1912 sinking of the famed transatlantic liner on its first voyage has been sold at auction for more than A$30,000. Bringing the phrase “a tough cookie” literally to life, the biscuit was part of a survival kit on one of the Titanic lifeboats. Manufactured by Spillers & Bakers, the biscuit was auctioned in London this week by Henry Aldridge & Sons, with a spokesman saying “I couldn’t imagine anything less appetising. “But if you’re in a rowing boat in the middle of the ocean, you’d certainly eat it with the rest of them,” he added.
	Carnival Cruise Line Australia sales staff have freaked out consultants at more than 100 travel agencies in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney this week, with a “spooktacular” sales blitz to make the most of #Halloween. Half price deposits and onboard credit of up to $400 per cabin are on offer for bookings made up to 09 Nov – while Carnival Spirit will also celebrate the creepy American tradition tomorrow by entering Sydney Harbour with a giant redback spider on her bow. #CarnivalHalloween
	Princess Cruises has announced a new “Style at Sea with TLC” guest experience as part of its partnership with the Discovery cable network. Created with the help of fashion expert Stacy London, the “branded content program” provides how-tos and style advice, to help answer many of the questions women ask when preparing for a cruise holiday. #StyleAtSeaWithTLC
	Cruise Lines Industry Association Australasia has opened nominations from agents for three categories in the 15th annual Cruise Industry Awards. Tickets to the event will go on sale later this year, with the nomination forms now available at http://cruising.org.au/industry-awards.asp CLIA Australasia #CruiseAwards


	Parents, don’t be surprised if onboard your next P&O Cruises Australia voyage you see a grown man in the Kids Club enjoying LEGO. That man is Ryan McNaught, one of only 13 LEGO Certified Professionals – that’s right, it’s his job to play with LEGO as well as share the joys of the little toy bricks with people of all ages, including how to make a round ball using straight-edge bricks (pictured). McNaught has recently spent much of the recent school holidays onboard Pacific Pearl and Pacific Jewel enlightening families on new ways to enjoy LEGO and showing off some of his most prized masterpieces. Keep an eye out for him on your next P&O Cruises voyage
	The first Royal Caribbean International ship for the 2015/16 season – #RadianceoftheSeas – was the company’s first ship to arrive for the summer is now on its first departure. Ship number two – #CelebritySolstice – for brand number two Celebrity Cruises, arrives this coming Wednesday 21 Oct. The third brand to be represented – @AzamaraVoyages – and third ship #AzamaraQuest arrives in Sydney on 14 Jan next year.


	Royal Caribbean International has this week rolled out a refreshed website featuring a new-look homepage aimed at making the platform easier for users to navigate. Along with plenty of information on cruise fares, destinations and itineraries, the revamped site incorporates passenger feedback and a breakdown of deals valid for any particular passenger on any particular voyage.
	In a widely-speculated move, Norwegian Cruise Line has announced it will deploy the #NorwegianBliss, one of its forthcoming new ships, exclusively to the China market. The Breakaway Plus-class ship will be fine-tuned to suit the Chinese market, with dining options including Mandarin, Cantonese and Continental. Construction on the 4,200-passenger ship began last month, with Bliss due to enter service early in 2017.
	BREAKING: @PrincessCruises has named the third in its latest line of new ships Majestic Princess. See @cruiseweekly.
	BREAKING: Princess Cruises has chosen Majestic Princess as the name of the third in its latest line of new ships.
	Carnival Cruise Line Australia executives welcomed in #waveseason this week by hosting industry guests to a gathering at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. Local boss Ann Sherry told attendees it was just the start of a massive cruise season for Carnival and Australia. #cruising
	Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings today formally debuted its new Australian office, having assembled a crack team of sales, marketing and operations leaders headed up by Steve Odell, former Silversea vp Europe and Asia Pacific. Harry Sommer (pictured with Odell), who’s NCL’s executive vice president of international business development, is in Sydney to kick off the operation which will grow to about 40 people over the next few months. Norwegian Cruise Line


	Viking indulged guests to a private viewing of Masterpieces from the Hermitage: The Legacy of Catherine The Great, held at the National Gallery of Victoria. http://www.webserver/cruise-w/news/viking-rolls-out-master-artworks/27756 Viking Cruises Australia
	SHARE WITH US: APT has created a list of its top seven “Selfie Spots” around the world, with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police coming in as its favourite. What are your favourite spots in the world to snap a world-beating selfie? Comment below.
	The button has been pushed by Norwegian Cruise Line to mark construction of the line’s second Breakaway Plus class ship. Due for delivery in the northern spring 2017, #NorwegianBliss will offer capacity for 4,200 passengers.
	Just launched now and in celebration of its four-millionth passenger, P&O Cruises is giving away up to $8 million in cash and onboard credit to travellers booking a cruise before 25 November. Four travellers have the chance to win $1 million each, with another $4 million being distributed as onboard credit. P&O Cruises Australia


	During her whistle-stop tour of Sydney, Princess Cruises president Jan Swartz ducked in to the local office to greet the team and provide a briefing on the exciting times ahead as part of the line’s 2017 Winter season.


	Guess who’s coming on board Crystal Serenity…
	Who doesn’t love a good deal? Check out these #cruise deals from Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises here: http://bit.ly/1kvhEsM
	Australian-based Shoretours has launched #food and #wine #cruises for 2015, with a choice of two February itineraries aboard Rhapsody of the Seas. For details. see http://www.webserver/cruise-w/news/food-wine-cruise-to-visit-australias-foodie-hotspots/18864
	FlowRiders, new restaurants, virtual balconies and probably some fluoro blue cocktails coming to Voyager of the Seas this summer… http://www.webserver/cruise-w/news/ride-the-never-ending-wave-on-australias-first-surfing-experience-at-sea/18810
	What are you doing on 25 November 2015? Watching P&O’s first-ever five-ship display in Sydney Harbour! Bring the family, but prepare for a BIG crowd… http://www.webserver/cruise-w/news/po-cruises-adds-new-homeports-new-destinations-and-new-itineraries-in-biggest-ever-year-of-cruising/18794
	P&O launches its biggest ever Australasian season! Check out the new program with new ships, new cruise options, and new ports. See more here: http://bit.ly/1qOwLf3
	Princess Cruises has ordered another new ship – a sister to the new Royal Princess and Regal Princess. Wonder what they’ll call this one? http://www.webserver/cruise-w/news/princess-cruises-to-add-new-ship-to-fleet-lines-third-royal-princess-class-vessel-to-be-delivered-in-2017/18751
	Who gets nervous in tight places? Check out Silversea Cruises navigate the Corinth Canal. Talk about a tight squeeze! See more here: http://bit.ly/1s8UZ6K
	Happy 30th anniversary! P&O Cruises Australia has cruised to the beautiful Isle of Pines for 30 years. See how they celebrated here: http://bit.ly/1s8SzEZ
	Take the kids on a holiday where they’ll learn something! The #Galapagos is perfect for animal lovers. More family cruise ideas here: http://www.webserver/cruise-w/blog/best-cruises-for-aussie-families/18711 #travel
	There’s a #cruise to suit any #family – cheap, fun, educational, kids sail free. Find your ideal #ship here: http://www.webserver/cruise-w/blog/best-cruises-for-aussie-families/18711
	Who doesn’t love a good selfie! Check out this super selfie at sea by Carnival Cruise Lines’ ambassador Shannan Ponton. See more here: http://bit.ly/1rV0upl
	Costa Concordia after its arrival inside Genoa’s Voltri Port, Italy, 27 July 2014. The Costa Concordia dismantling operations are predicted to last two years. Photo: EPA/PAOLO ZEGGIO
	APT christened the new 164-passenger river vessel, MS AmaSonata, in Germany. The celebration included a traditional Bavarian lunch, live Bavarian music and a traditional Bavarian shoot by professional riflemen off the ship’s sundeck. See: http://www.webserver/cruise-w/news/apt-and-amawaterways-celebrate-amasonata-christening/18650


	After a Hurtigruten cruise, go on a thrilling snowmobile safari along a frozen fjord in Norway before watching the skies for the magical Northern Lights! Find out how to book this combo at http://bit.ly/1pOIwSi
	Take an overnight #husky tour to get to your Arctic wilderness lodge, before or after a Hurtigruten #cruise. Find out about this amazing adventure at http://bit.ly/1pOIwSi
	Costa Concordia has finally left its watery home of the last two-and-a-half-years and is on its way to a Genoa scrapyard. Salvage operators began towing the enormous vessel – twice the size of the Titanic – early yesterday after a mammoth operation stabilising and refloating the vessel. Concordia struck underwater rocks and capsized in January 2012, killing 32 passengers.


	Aww… Baby Victoria cuddles her new P&O bear – her mother Daisy will be an assistant nurse at the new Aneityum Dispensary, which is being built through P&O Pacific Partnership’s biggest project in #Vanuatu, working with Save the Children. See details on www.webserver/cruise-w
	For all you foodies out there, check out Norwegian Cruise Line’s revamp of their menus and culinary favourites. See more here: http://bit.ly/1n6UQ1P
	Norwegian Cruise Line has announced the order of two new Breakaway-Plus class #cruise ships, with capacity for 4200 passengers each. See more here: http://bit.ly/1qCaMrX
	Love #cruising and cooking? We have a perfect cruise for you! MasterChef winner, Julie Goodwin will be hosting a Celebrity Cooking Cruise. See here for more information: http://bit.ly/1qWX0lI
	MORE BREAKING NEWS: Pacific Aria revealed as the name of P&O’s new #cruise ship, Earlier today, in the sands of Sydney’s Bondi Beach, it announced its other new ship to be named Pacific Eden #pacificeden #pacificaria
	BREAKING NEWS: Pacific Eden revealed as the name of one of P&O’s new #cruise ships #pacificeden
	LIVE from Bondi Beach: #P&O using a sand artist to reveal the names of its 2 new #cruise ships.


	Love a bit of adventure? Check out Hurtigruten ‘s new polar bear watch excursion in the Arctic. See more here: http://bit.ly/1qlWDiA
	UNICEF is thanking MSC Cruises for their €3 million donation. See more here: http://www.webserver/cruise-w/news/msc-cruises-donates-e3-million-to-unicef/18428








	Need adventure in your life? Check out the five best places to explore on an #expedition #cruise, according to Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic. See more at http://www.webserver/cruise-w/news/five-places-best-discovered-onboard-an-expedition-ship/18341 #cruiseweekly



	Don’t like all those modern ships? Go retro on a #Mississippi River Paddlewheel #cruise. See http://buff.ly/1pBKvhq #cruiseweekly
	Explore underwater by watching LIVE images projected on a big screen on a NG Orion cruise. See http://buff.ly/1pLsTLI
	How gorgeous is this wintery Christmas with Tauck! #cruise Find out more at: http://www.webserver/cruise-w/news/christmas-in-july-with-tauck/18315




	Ever wanted to hug a shark? This is one of the activities you can try on a Caribbean cruise onboard Allure of the Seas or Oasis of the Seas, on a shore excursion from the port of Falmouth in Jamaica. We left this lady to it… See more about this cruise on Cruise Weekly’s photo blog: http://bit.ly/1iLEK72


	Meet Pierre our waiter at L’Atelier du pied de fouet where we had dinner tonight while in Paris. An unexpected burger joint on Rue de Babylon, French version of classic burgers. Great food and very reasonable prices, thoroughly enjoyed Pierre’s company as he recommended other restaurants for us to try and shared recipes from his mother. A delightful experience.


	Looking for adventure? A third expedition ship will join the (Australian owned) APT fleet in October this year – the MS Sea Explorer. It’s bound for Scotland, Norway and beyond!
	Arrived in fabulous Budapest today the final stop on the Avalon Illumination christening voyage. #suiteships
	Castle in Bratislava, Slovakia. One of the fascinating stops on a Danube river cruise. #suiteships
	Beautiful shot of godmother Deborah Hutton, adding an Aussie touch to the launch of Avalon Illumination in Europe.



	Creepiest “towel animal” ever? #cruise
	What do you think about P&O’s announcement to bring across two ex-Holland America ships to Australia in 2015? http://www.webserver/cruise-w/news/more-ships-to-be-added-to-po-cruises-fleet/17883
	Curious about Celebrity Century, which will be based in Sydney for the first time this summer? We are heading to the US today to review it for you!
	Pacific Pearl is making a record four calls in South Australia this week, including: – its maiden visit to Robe today – its maiden visit to Adelaide (on Tuesday) – its first time berthed at Kangaroo Island (yesterday) – P&O Cruises’ first ever visit to Port Lincoln (on Easter Sunday) The cruise line last visited Adelaide in 2011. P&O’s Senior Vice President Tammy Marshall said the visits mark the start of a closer relationship with South Australia.
	Who’s ready for the first FlowRider at sea in Australia & NZ??
	Why cruise when you can cycle? Wait, no, that doesn’t sound right! But that’s what we did today between Durnstein and Melk, Austria, with #APTouring. Photo-blog coming soon!
	APT has introduced a limited series of private concerts by Vienna’s Mozart Boys Choir, in the newly refurbished City Palace, for guests on its ‘Royal Experience’ European river cruises in 2014. We had a preview last night – sensational!
	Swim-up bar on a river cruise? APT is bringing it to you! Later tonight, we will bring you lots more preview photos of APT’s new AmaReina in Europe. Be the first in Australia to see it!!!






	Uniworld gone wild! The new rivership SS Catherine has a jungle-themed mosaic in the indoor swimming pool, which is inside the Leopard Bar nightclub!
	Cruise Weekly editor “Cruisey Louisey” has landed in France and checked in to Uniworld’s sparkly new SS Catherine. Stay tuned for the christening, taking place in 12 hours, with French actress Catherine Deneuve as godmother! Until then, this dreamy jet-lag-zapping bed awaits… Bonne nuit!
	Here we are arriving in Ha Long Bay on a foggy morning. Today is Nha Trang, a fantastic beach destination in Vietnam. A great Silversea itinerary.
	This week we departed from Hong Kong on one of our favourite ships, Silver Shadow.
	This week Cruise Weekly is in Amsterdam, where Viking River Cruises has just made it into the Guinness Book of Records for most ships christened in one day! TEN, yes, 10.
	DUBAI Tourism is firmly focused on the rapidly growing cruise sector, with its already huge terminal facilities undergoing significant expansion. Currently Dubai is able to handle five large ships and more than 9000 passengers a day, but has two more terminals under development. “We want to become the Miami of the Middle East,” according to Hamad Bin Mejren from the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, who spoke to CW in Dubai yesterday at Arabian Travel Market. The vision is that Dubai will be the cruise hub of the region, aiming to attract more homeported vessels to allow visitors to experience various Middle Eastern ports. And the figures speak for themselves, with cruise ship calls growing from just five in 2003 to 115 this year – and projections this will climb to 145 in 2015, with a total of 500,000 cruise passengers. The turning point, according to Bin Mejren, was in 2006 when Costa Cruises and German operator AIDA decided to homeport ships in Dubai during the northern winter. Royal Caribbean soon followed and TUI Cruises will also join the Dubai trend this year, with DTCM saying “we are doing all we can to make our region attractive for cruising”. The Dubai cruise terminal facilities offer a great experience, with shops, VIP lounges, money exchanges, conference rooms and even free wi-fi internet access. Mejren said that negotiation with other cruise companies about Dubai homeporting are also underway – and the emirate is also a popular port of call for round-world cruises. The amazing hotel infrastructure in Dubai provides for easy pre and post accommodation and the city’s aviation connectivity also makes fly-cruises very simple to package. Cruise visitors are also able to experience a range of unique ground activities such as desert safaris, spa treatments and even skiing. Pictured above on the Dubai Cruise Terminal stand at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai yesterday are, from left: Suresh Babu, Senior Executive, Cruise Tourism; Hamad Mohammed Bin Mejren, Dubai Tourism Executive Director of Business Tourism; Jamal Salem Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Director, Cruise Tourism; and Saeed Bin Touq, Cruise Tourism Officer.
	This has to be the best service on a ship in Australia!! Celebrity Century has 1 crew member for every 2 passengers AND these personal butlers are available to suite guests. Yes please!

	Christmas on Radiance of the Seas
	Want to win a nine night cruise for two people to New Caledonia onboard the new Carnival Spirit? Simply send us a quirky caption that best represents this week’s photo. Full details in today’s Cruise Weekly issue. Subscribe for free at www.webserver/cruise-w.
	Want to win a nine night cruise for two people to New Caledonia onboard the new Carnival Spirit? Simply send us a quirky caption that best represents this week’s photo. Full details in today’s Cruise Weekly issue. Subscribe for free at www.webserver/cruise-w.
	Want to win a nine night cruise for two people to New Caledonia onboard the new Carnival Spirit? Simply send us a quirky caption that best represents this week’s photo. Full details in today’s Cruise Weekly issue. Subscribe for free at www.webserver/cruise-w.
	Want to win a nine night cruise for two people to New Caledonia onboard the new Carnival Spirit? Simply send us a quirky caption that best represents this week’s photo. Full details in today’s Cruise Weekly issue. Subscribe for free at www.webserver/cruise-w.
	Want to win a nine night cruise for two people to New Caledonia onboard the new Carnival Spirit? Simply send us a quirky caption that best represents this week’s photo. Full details in today’s Cruise Weekly issue. Subscribe for free at www.webserver/cruise-w.
	Want to win a nine night cruise for two people to New Caledonia onboard the new Carnival Spirit? Simply send us a quirky caption that best represents this week’s photo. Full details in today’s Cruise Weekly issue. Subscribe for free at www.webserver/cruise-w.
	Want to win a nine night cruise for two people to New Caledonia onboard the new Carnival Spirit? Simply send us a quirky caption that best represents this week’s photo. Full details in today’s Cruise Weekly issue. Subscribe for free at www.webserver/cruise-w.
	Want to win a nine night cruise for two people to New Caledonia onboard the new Carnival Spirit? Simply send us a quirky caption that best represents this week’s photo. Full details in today’s Cruise Weekly issue. Subscribe for free at www.webserver/cruise-w.

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