Riverboats and liners plan returns to NOLA, Carnival updgrades its image with haute cuisine, Radisson adds a fuel surcharge, Italian-based MSC floats its first megaship, Disney retools Magic, head to the North Pole for the Holidays -- plus the latest on Crystal, Silversea and Seabourn.
Delta Queen Sets Dates for Return of Fleet, Keeps Prices Steady
Delta Queen Steamboat Company (tel. 800/543-1949; www.deltaqueen.com), the cruise line most affected by the Hurricane Katrina disaster, has announced its plans for 2006, which include the return to service of all three of its paddlewheel riverboats, the continuation of nearly all its planned routes, and extended discounts to lure passengers.
The company's ships were all out of harm's way when Katrina hit, but inability to operate in New Orleans forced the line to cancel most fall and winter sailings.
"We lost about six weeks of booking activity in September and October due to hurricanes Katrina and Rita," said Delta Queen president Bruce Nierenberg. "Because of this, we've extended all advance-purchase discount offers for 2006 cruises that were due to end on October 31, 2005 until December 31, 2005. Additionally, all 2006 voyages booked before the end of 2005 will be sold at 2005 rates."
New spring startups dates are as follows: The classic. 174-passenger Delta Queen, built way back in 1927, will begin her spring sailings on April 21, departing from Baton Rouge on a 7-day voyage to Memphis. The 414-passenger Mississippi Queen will follow on April 23, departing from Memphis on a special quilting theme cruise. The 436-passenger American Queen will begin her spring season from Baton Rouge on May 30, sailing nine days to St. Louis.
RiverBarge Excursions and Royal Caribbean Returning to New Orleans in December(s)
RiverBarge Excursions (tel. 888/462-2743; www.riverbarge.com), which operates the 198-passenger river barge R/B River Explorer, has just announced plans to return to New Orleans this December, operating its previously scheduled itineraries.
The small vessel, which rode out Katrina in the safety of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, is sailing the Ohio, Cumberland, and Upper Mississippi rivers through the fall. She'll return to New Orleans in early December to begin a series of sailings on the Lower Mississippi and along the Texas Gulf Coast.
A full year later, Royal Caribbean's (tel. 800/327-6700; www.royalcaribbean.com) 1,950-passenger Grandeur of the Seas will mark her return to the Big Easy after being moved out of New Orleans to a new homeport in Tampa. She'll sail 7-night western Caribbean cruises to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Costa Maya.
Chef Georges Blanc Creates Signature Dishes for Carnival's Plates
Don't tell Carnival they ain't got class. For several years, the Fun Ship line (tel. 800/227-6482; www.carnival.com) has been busy upgrading its image, rolling out a more mature advertising campaign to replace the old steel-drums and dancing-fish routine, creating a "Presidential Wine Club" to bring the veritas of vino to the masses, and introducing extra-spiffy "Carnival Comfort Beds" in all staterooms. Latest effort? Hiring acclaimed French chef Georges Blanc to create signature selections for the line's main dining rooms, Lido restaurants, and reservations-only supper clubs.
"Georges Blanc is one of the world's most innovative and celebrated chefs," said Carnival president and CEO Bob Dickinson in announcing the partnership, "and Carnival is extremely honored and pleased that he will lend his extensive and wide-ranging culinary expertise to enhance our guests' dining experience."
A fourth-generation chef and restaurateur, Blanc is one of France's most highly decorated culinary icons, running six restaurants (including his namesake restaurant in Vonnas, one of the flagships of the Relais & Chateaux chain) and consistently earning three Michelin stars. Famous for combining tradition with contemporary touches, he's the recipient of almost every award you can win in France, including the Legion of Honor, the National Order of Merit, Commander of the Agricultural Merit, Commander of Arts and Literature, and Gault et Millau's 1981 Cook of the Year.
For Carnival, Blanc will create a variety of entrees, appetizers, and desserts, all of which will be indicated by a special notation on each menu. Dinner items will include milk and corn fed chicken with caramelized garlic and asparagus; grilled tiger shrimp with ginger-lemon oil; veal foreshank osso-buco with mushroom polenta; and broiled sea bass with spring vegetables and egglplant tapenade. Appetizers will include Alaskan king crab in a fresh asparagus chartreuse; feuillete of escargots bourguignonne with herbs; and bay scallops in truffle butter.
In the supper clubs aboard Carnival Conquest, Glory, Valor, Liberty, Spirit, Pride, Legend, and Miracle, Blanc will create a six- to seven-course degustation menu featuring samplings of the George Blanc Signature Selections, including pan-seared Maine lobster with tomato confit and porcini in ginger oil; free-range chicken and foie gras terrine with candied grapefruit; and filet of aged prime beef a la beaujolais.
Several Carnival chefs have traveled to Blanc's restaurant in Vonnas for two weeks of intensive training. Meanwhile, teams of chefs from Blanc's restaurants will visit the line's ships to introduce the signature selections to onboard galley and dining staffs. The new menus will be introduced on a few ships during the first week of November, then rolled out fleetwide over subsequent weeks.
Radisson Seven Seas Announces Fuel Surcharge for 2006
In March 2005, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises (tel. 800/285-1835; www.rssc.com) became the first North American cruise line to implement a fuel surcharge in the face of rising gas prices, tacking $2.85 per person, per day onto the cost of all cruises. Now comes word that the line has implemented a $5 per person, per day charge on all 2006 sailings that are not fully paid by October 31, 2005.
Additionally, the line will impose a $45 per-flight ($90 round-trip) air-fuel surcharge on passengers whose cruise fares include air travel. These apply to Paul Gauguin's 2006 Tahiti cruises, Seven Seas Mariner's 2006 Grand Asia Pacific cruises, and Seven Seas Navigator's and Seven Seas Voyager's 2006 Europe sailings, and go into effect October 31. The air fuel surcharge will also apply to guests who take advantage of the line's free-air promotions.
MSC's First Megaship Heads Toward Completion
MSC Cruises (tel. 800/666-9333; www.msccruises.com), the Italian line with big eyes for the U.S. cruise market, reached a milestone on October 15 as its first megaship, the 89,600-ton, 2,550-passenger MSC Musica, was floated out of her construction dock at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France. Scheduled to enter service in June 2006 after several months of fitting out and sea trials, the vessel is about 50 percent larger than MSC Opera and MSC Lirica, the two vessels MSC currently has positioned in the U.S. market. A sister-ship to Musica, dubbed MSC Orchestra, is slated to join the fleet in 2007.
Citing the vessel's 242,000 square feet of public space, Richard E. Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises USA, says, "MSC Musica will have all the amenities, venues, and spacious areas that a megaship can offer but without the crowds. And, of course, every element will reflect the company's Italian roots."
Among Musica's features will be:
- Balconies on about 65% of the total staterooms.
- A three-deck waterfall in the central foyer, with a piano suspended on a transparent crystal floor above a pool of water.
- A13,000-square-foot spa/beauty facility offering aerobics, yoga, and treatments like aromatherapy, thalassotherapy, hydro-massage, and a Turkish bath.
- Several dining options, including two restaurants, a Sushi Bar, an a la carte restaurant, and a pizza/grill.
- A variety of bars/lounges, including a cigar room, wine-tasting bar, and coffee bar, as well as a 46-foot-long bar in the casino and a well-being and fitness center bar.
- Sports and fitness facilities including a tennis court, golf simulator, jogging track, and miniature golf.
Musica's July 1 inaugural season will run from her launch through October 12, featuring 7-night round-trip cruises from Venice calling at Bari (Italy), Katakolon (Greece), Izmir and Istanbul (Turkey), and Dubrovnik (Croatia). After an 11-night Mediterranean cruise departing October 28, Musica is expected to reposition to the U.S. for the 2006-07 Caribbean season.
Disney Wrings Magic from Dry Dock, Adding New Features
Disney Magic, the first vessel launched by Disney Cruise Line (tel. 888/325-2500; www.disneycruise.com) back in 1998, emerged from a ten-day drydock on October 15 with several new attractions in place.
Up on deck, by the Goofy Pool (aka the family pool area), Disney followed the lead of Princess and Carnival in adding a jumbo 24-by-14-foot LED movie screen, attached to the forward funnel and broadcasting movies, TV shows, and major sports events.
In the spa, three new deluxe treatment suites were created, each with an indoor treatment room connected to a private outdoor veranda with personal hot tub, open-air shower, and lounge. Nearby, the fitness area of the spa/gym doubled in size, with new exercise equipment, an area for spinning classes, and private salons for Pilates instruction and one-on-one beauty and fitness consultations.
For kids, a new Ocean Quest kids' room features a scaled replica of the ship's bridge, complete with window-like LCD screens that broadcast the same live view the captain is getting up on the bridge itself. Kids can sit in a traditional captain's chair and participate in a simulation game where they steer the ship in and out of various ports around the world. Other options include computer or video games, arts and crafts, and movie-viewing on several screens. It becomes the fifth dedicated kids venue aboard Magic, along with the Flounder's Reef Nursery, Oceaneer Club, Oceaneer Lab, and The Stack, the latter a hideaway for teens.
The vessel has already returned to service, sailing 7-night cruises to the eastern and western Caribbean from Port Canaveral, Florida, year-round.
Norwegian Coastal Voyage Heads Toward North Pole for Holidays
Dreaming of a white Christmas? Norwegian Coastal Voyage (tel. 800/323-7436; www.norwegiancoastalvoyage.us) can pretty much guarantee you'll have one aboard a new holiday cruise up the Norwegian fjords, set to depart December 27 from Trondheim.
The itinerary, which hugs the fjord-indented coast to Kirkenes, makes extended stops at Bodo, Svolvaer, Tromso, Alta, and Honningsvag, all north of the Arctic Circle. Excursions include dogsledge riding, snowmobiling, concerts, visits to art gallery and museums, and a visit in Alta to learn about indigenous Sami culture. On New Year's Eve, passengers will attend a special dinner atop the sheer 1,000-foot granite cliffs of the North Cape plateau, facing the Arctic Ocean, with wine, music, dancing, midnight fireworks, and a troll show put on by local children. Chances of seeing the Northern Lights during the voyage are very good, and the prices aren't bad either, ranging from $991 to $2,871 per person. A $70 per cabin discount also applies for AARP members and can be combined with a senior savings of $103 per person for travelers age 67 and up. Additionally, passengers traveling solo will not be charged the traditional "single supplement" fee for occupying a cabin alone.
The cruise is being offered aboard the 15,000-ton, 674-passenger Midnatsol (Midnight Sun), the line's newest ship, with contemporary Norwegian art in the public areas; a two-story, glass-enclosed panoramic lounge; restaurants, bars, Internet Café, Jacuzzi, saunas, and fitness room; and 23 suites. Shipboard lectures are given on polar expeditions, the Northern Lights, and Norwegian fishing industry, and the itinerary's five special excursions are available at a package rate of $635.
Crystal, Silversea Detail 2007 World Cruise Itineraries
Got a spare $40,000 or $50,000 and nothing to do for a couple months? If going on a massive bender in Thailand isn't your style, maybe a world cruise aboard a luxury cruise line will do the trick. Recently, both Silversea Cruises (tel. 877/215-9986; www.silversea.com) and Crystal Cruises (tel. 888/799-4625; www.crystalcruises.com) announced details of their extend-o-treks for 2007, both their most extensive ever.
Silversea is set to offer its first ever complete round-the-world, sailing from Fort Lauderdale on January 15, 2007, crossing three oceans and seven seas, and visiting 61 ports on six continents before arriving in New York on May 22 -- 126 days later. Divided into nine segments, the cruise will feature visits to Robinson Crusoe Island, Easter Island, Pitcairn, Moorea, Tahiti, Huahine Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Bali, Phuket, Sri Lanka, Cochin, Mumbai, Dubai, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Rome, Casablanca, Gibraltar, and the Azores. A partnership with Gourmet magazine will bring aboard wine experts (including Gourmet wine consultant Michael Green) to lecture, guide guests on vineyard excursions, and conduct tastings. Fares for the complete world cruise start at $52,794 per person, and include transfers, special World Cruise shoreside events, baggage handling, $1,000 per guest onboard credit, and eight shore excursions. Nine segments of the cruise are also bookable separately, with all guests sailing at least 71 consecutive days receiving a $500 onboard credit, plus a special 7% Extended Voyage savings. Guests sailing at least 55 consecutive days receive a $250 per guest onboard spending credit, plus the standard 5% Extended Voyage savings.
Crystal's journey, sailing January 12 from Miami and touching down 109 days later in Southampton, England, is set to visit 44 ports of call in 27 countries. That's the most ever offered by the line, though in fact Crystal Serenity's route skips significant portions of the globe, circumnavigating South American and Africa and offering many ports in Europe and the Middle East, but completely skipping the South Pacific, Australia/New Zealand, and Asia. Highlights will include the Chilean fjords, the Suez and Panama Canals, Cape Horn, Machu Picchu, Buenos Aires, Patagonia, Rio (during Carnaval), South Africa, Oman, Dubai, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Istanbul, and Casablanca, plus safaris in Kenya, Botswana, and other locations. The cruise is offered in seven segments of 12 to 19 days. Guests receive one complimentary shore trip per segment, a gala departure party in Miami, private car transfers, complimentary air transportation, and a $1,000 per-person shipboard credit. Fares will be released on November 10, but for comparison's sake, the 2006 world cruise is currently selling for $42,790 per person, double occupancy. That cruise, scheduled to depart January 18, 2006, currently has some 300 world cruisers signed aboard, plus scores of authors, entertainers, chefs, Olympians, filmmakers, fitness instructors, art historians, and former diplomats who will offer shows, lectures, and demonstrations. Greatest name recognition goes to entertainers Debbie Reynolds and Michael Feinstein, TV personality Art Linkletter, and Olympics gold medalist Dorothy Hamill, who will each sail aboard one of seven segments of the cruise.
Silversea and Seabourn Debut New Alternative Dinner Options
More innovation in the luxury sector, this time in the kitchen.
Come December, luxe line Silversea Cruises (tel. 877/215-9986; www.silversea.com) will offer a new twist on cruise dining, offering menus that pair food with wine -- and not the other way 'round. Developed in consultation with master sommeliers trained in the member establishments of Relais & Châteaux-Relais Gourmands, the distinguished association of boutique lodgings and restaurants, new menus will be standard fare at alternative restaurants aboard all four of its ships: Saletta aboard Silver Cloud and Silver Wind, and Le Champagne aboard Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper. Someliers will describe the origin and craft of each vintage, then offer dishes created especially to bring out the wine's full richness. Guests will enjoy a different glass of wine with each course, and a fee will be charged to their onboard accounts, the rates varying depending on the wines presented.
Starting in March 2006, the Veranda Cafe aboard all three vessels at Seabourn Cruise Line (tel. 800/929-9391; www.seabourn.com) will be transformed each evening into a semi-casual venue called "2," serving five- or six-course tasting menus made up of small plates designed to be served two to a course. Starters might include a bouquet of spring rolls with soy, Thai and chili dipping sauces, and a soba noodle and seaweed salad with sesame vinaigrette. Next, an aromatic lobster bisque "presse" graced with black truffle cappuccino, combined with a savory seafood croquette dressed with white truffle oil. A salad of baby mesclun leaves in orange vinaigrette with tapenade croutons accompanies a selection of prawn variations with a sweet mustard dip. Then, for the main course, you might get grilled striped bass with a roasted vegetable medley beside braised beef short ribs with celery-potato mash and beef jus. End the meal with two little sets of toppers: goat cheese pops with caramelized honey and drunken grapes is paired with a port wine shooter and lemon sorbet, followed by a dessert duet combining iced white and milk chocolate pralines with vanilla beignets sauced with caramel apple, fudge, and chocolate. Six different tasting menus will be offered, many times reflecting regional influences of the areas being sailed. As in each ship's open-seating restaurant, a selection of wines will be poured free of charge. Sommeliers will also suggest premium wines for purchase. As part of yet another program, guests may prepurchase "Vintage Seabourn" packages, giving them access to premium wines at a discounted rate.
"We pour complimentary wines, and quite a nice selection of very good ones, on board all our Seabourn yachts," noted Seabourn president Deborah L. Natansohn. "But each ship also carries a remarkable collection of rarer or more unusual wines, ones that people interested in wines might want to explore."
Two Vintage Seabourn packages are available: The $150 Vintage Seabourn Silver collection covers three bottles, which guests may select from a menu of six premium whites and six reds, including one dessert wine. The $300 Vintage Seabourn Gold package gets you six bottles selectable from a larger menu of options. Vintage Seabourn can be purchased before or during your cruise, and can also be bought by friends, family, or associates as gifts for embarking passengers.
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