June 23, 2004 -- With this installment, learn what makes Sophia Loren so "god-"ly, look for better staterooms, discover upgrade excursions, and more.
MSC Names Sophia Loren Godmother of Opera, Offers Free Passage to Kids in Europe
If anyone deserves to be godmother of two ships, it's legendary actress Sophia Loren. On June 26 she'll complete the matched set she began last year with MSC's Lirica, christening that vessel's sister-ship and MSC's new flagship, MSC Opera, at a ceremony in Genoa, Italy.
The sixth cruise ship of the MSC fleet, MSC Opera joins Melody, Monterey, Rhapsody, Lirica, and Armonia, the latter First European Cruises' European Vision, bought at auction recently as a result of that line's financial meltdown.
Built at France's Chantiers de l'Antlantique shipyard, the 58,600-ton Opera has 848 cabins, three restaurants, a grill and pizzeria, two pools, two hydro-massages, beauty center, Internet caf?pub and piano bar, casino and disco, and a theater. She'll sail in Europe until mid-November, during which time she and her fleetmates will offer free passage on almost all Mediterranean and Baltic sailings to children under 14 sharing a stateroom with two adults. In mid-November, along with Lirica she'll transfer to Fort Lauderdale for the winter Caribbean season, marking the first time MSC has operated two ships simultaneously in that market.
The cruise wing of Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., one of the world's largest container ship operations, MSC Cruises has operated just under the American market's radar since its inception in 1988. Recently, though, it's made some moves to boost its presence, including hiring a new U.S. executive team headed by Richard Sasso (formerly president of Celebrity Cruises) and placing orders for two new 2,550-passenger vessels for delivery in 2006 and 2007. Expect to hear more about this line in the coming months.
MSC Cruises: Tel. 800/666-9333, www.msccruises.com
New Seabourn Shore Excursions Offer Guests "Trophy Experiences"
Cruise lines are always upgrading their shore excursions offerings to keep things fresh and offer their guests a little something extra -- often at a "lot-of-something-extra" cost. With their new slate of shore tours, though, ultra-luxe Seabourn has really outdone itself.
Custom designed in conjunction with local experts in many of the line's 250 ports of call worldwide, and offered exclusively to Seabourn guests, the 75-plus new tours will debut between fall 2004 and the beginning of 2005. Highlights include:
- A private meal with Mrs. Gihan Sadat, renowned social activist and widow of the late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, in her Nile-side home in Cairo.
- A unique German navigation simulator that puts you at the helm of a ship, with a mind-boggling, 360-degree panoramic sea.
- A behind-the-scenes introduction to Hong Kong's Cantonese Opera, including a backstage visit to watch the artists apply their intricate and spectacular makeup.
- Travel by limousine to a Danish countryside inn, where chef Jan Petersen will prepare and serve the elaborate menu he created for the film Babette's Feast.
- A sailing trip aboard the new, high-performance V.O. 60 Volvo ocean-racing yacht in the Baltic Sea near Warnemunde.
- Game viewing in Ngorongoro Crater and touring the Olduvai Gorge, discovery site of mankind's earliest ancestors, escorted by a member of the Leakey family.
- A tour, with Egypt's Secretary General of Antiquities Dr. Zahi Hawass, of the recently discovered Tombs of the Pyramid Builders, still closed to the public.
Prices for the excursions are expected to range from over a hundred to several thousand dollars. These and other new tours will be offered on 134 cruises in 76 countries during 2005 and 2006 aboard the 208-guest Seabourn Pride, Spirit, and Legend. Early-booking savings of up to 50 percent are available on all cruises, with fares starting from $2,298 per person, double occupancy.
Seabourn: Tel. 800/929-9391, www.seabourn.com
What, Me Worried? Travel Guard Launches New Cruise-Only Travel Insurance
Worried that you'll miss your cruise because of a fouled-up connection, a bankrupt cruise line, or some other mishap? Well, Travel Guard International has a deal for you. The company's new Cruise Guard insurance policy goes beyond most cruise-line insurance plans, covering financial default of the supplier, trip cancellation and interruption, emergency roadside assistance en route to your cruise, screwed-up airline connections, emergency medical transportation, and (knock wood) terrorism.
Plans are priced contingent on several factors, including length and cost of trip and passenger age. Cost for two 40-something passengers on a weeklong Princess Alaska cruise priced out on Travel Guard's website at $138. Cruise Guard is available through Travel Guard's 24/7 World Service Center (tel. 800/826-1300) and at www.travelguard.com, and is currently only available for cruises on Carnival, Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Lines. Other lines will be added in the coming months.
Four Seasons Plans Luxury Residence Ship
Finland's Kvaerner Masa-Yards, one of the leading European shipbuilders, announced last week that it had signed a conditional contract to design and build a luxury residential ship to be operated by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Designed to be approximately 42,500 gross tons, theM/S Four Seasons will have some 100 residences aboard, ranging from 1,350 to 3,500 square feet.
"We are excited to expand our residential portfolio with this new and visionary lifestyle product," said Kathleen Taylor, president of worldwide business operations for Four Seasons. "The M/S Four Seasons will offer our guests the opportunity to experience the Four Seasons lifestyle in locations where we do not currently have a presence."
Residences will be sold as condos or timeshares, with construction of the vessel contingent on the reaching of early sales targets. The concept for the vessel is similar to that of ResidenSea and its luxury condo ship, The World, which was years in the planning before finally launching in 2002.
Lucky 7 and a European Vacation for Carnival Corporation
It's seven new ships in seven months for industry giant Carnival Corporation (www.carnivalcorp.com). A product of last year's merger of Carnival with P&O Princess Cruises, the unprecedented spree began in November 2003 with the launch of Costa Cruises 2,720-passenger CostaFortuna, got its most newsworthy jolt with the introduction of Cunard's Queen Mary 2 in January, and was followed up by Carnival Cruise Lines' 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle in February, Princess Cruises' 2,674-passenger Diamond Princess in March and 3,114-passenger Caribbean Princess in April, Holland America's 1,848-passenger Westerdam (also in April), and Princess's Sapphire Princess, which departed on her inaugural voyage June 13, 2004. Together, these ships represent nearly 18,000 total lower berths, and the surge isn't yet over: In November, Costa will launch the 2,702-passenger Costa Magica, and one month later Carnival Cruise Lines' 2,974-passenger Carnival Valor will be coming down the pike.
Carnival Corporation is one of the largest vacation companies in the world controlling twelve of the cruise industry's biggest brands: Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, and Windstar Cruises in North America; P & O Cruises, Cunard Line, Ocean Village, and Swan Hellenic in the UK; Aida in Germany; Costa Cruises in Southern Europe; and P & O Cruises in Australia.
In Summer 2005, Carnival's 110,000-ton Carnival Liberty will ring its bell on the Fun Ship line's first season of Mediterranean voyages featuring extended visits to some of Europe's most charming and historic ports. The twelve-night cruises will operate round-trip from Rome (Civitavecchia) July 20 through Oct. 12, 2005, with visits to Messina (Sicily), Barcelona (Spain), Cannes (France), Dubrovnik (Croatia), and Venice, Naples, and Livorno (Italy). Prices start at $1,499 per person, double occupancy.
Carnival: Tel. 800/CARNIVAL, www.carnival.com
Oceania Ups the Comfy Level with New Concierge Staterooms
Now in its second year of operation, Oceania Cruises - the phoenix that rose from Renaissance Cruises' ashes, with two of its ships and some of its executives - has created a new class of cabins aboard the 684-passenger Regatta and Insignia. Dubbed the Concierge Level (though it doesn't seem to really come with concierge service), the A1- and A2-level staterooms will feature a cashmere throw blanket, a welcome bottle of champagne, DVD player, upgraded bathroom amenities and toiletries, refrigerator, priority embarkation and check-in, priority luggage delivery and restaurant reservations, and more.
The Concierge package improves on the line's already pretty impressive stateroom amenities, the highlight of which is their "Tranquility Beds," an oasis of 350-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and duvet covers, down duvets and pillows, custom-designed extra-thick mattresses, and a mound of throw-pillows to prop you up during the late-late show. Spacious balconies in all suites and 60% of cabins have teak decking for a classic nautical look.
Concierge-level cabins will be available commencing with the ships' first 2005 European voyages, beginning in late April. European voyages feature free airfare and 2-for-1 cruise fares beginning at $3,399 per guest for Concierge Level staterooms.
Oceania Cruises: tel. 800/531-5658, www.oceaniacruises.com
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