August 11, 2004 - In this latest roundup, you'll learn what line is making its existing longer, how to rock out with your favorite 70's bands, how to see the more of the Middle East and more.
Royal Caribbean Revives Trend of "Stretching" Older Ships
In the mid-1990s, the practice of "stretching" older ships was fairly common -- literally sawing them in half like magicians' assistants, inserting a new midsection, then welding them back together again. The reason? Cruise lines with 1,200-passenger ships wanted to compete with the new 2,000-passenger megaships, like Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas.
How time does move on. This week, Royal Caribbean (tel. 800/398-9819; www.royalcaribbean.com) announced that Enchantment herself would be undergoing a stretching in July 2005, increasing her overall length to 990 feet, her tonnage to 80,700 (from 74,140), and her passenger capacity up to 2,252.
Enchantment's appointment with the rack follows close on major renovations to the line's Monarch and Empress of the Seas, reported in this space over the past few months.
The additional space afforded by the stretch will be partially filled by new public areas, including a new specialty restaurant, a new Latin-themed lounge (Boleros, which is gradually being added across the fleet), and the extra-cost Latte'tudes coffee shop, selling specialty Seattle's Best coffee drinks and Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Additionally, the ship's pool deck, main dining room, shopping area, casino, jogging track, fitness facility, spa, and art gallery will be expanded and revitalized.Following her operation, Enchantment will sail a special series of summer cruises from three Northeast ports before resuming her regular schedule of 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale.
Seventies Rockers Journey, Styx, and REO Speedwagon to Perform on Carnival R&R Cruise
Attention 40-somethings: You now have the opportunity to relive your teenage years for a full week without worrying what your colleagues think. On November 27, Carnival's 2,758-passenger Triumph departs Miami carrying 1970s arena-rock legends Styx ("Come Sail Away"), Journey ("Don't Stop Believing"), and REO Speedwagon ("Keep on Lovin' You").
In addition to onboard concerts, the Carnival cruise (tel. 800-CARNIVAL; www.carnival.com) features Q&A session with the band members, rock 'n' roll cocktail parties, and limited-edition band memorabilia -- and oh yeah, it sails somewhere too, visiting Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Ocho Rios (Jamaica).
Prices start at $1,299 per person based on double occupancy. Special rates for third and fourth guests sailing in the same stateroom are also available.
MSC Purchases Ex-Festival Ship at Auction
It's been a busy season for MSC Cruises (née Mediterranean Shipping Cruises, née MSC Italian Cruises). In April, the Geneva-based company purchased Festival's European Vision after that company's financial meltdown; in May it hired former Celebrity president Richard Sasso to head its North America division; in June it launched the new 58,000-ton Opera; and now it's made its latest news deadline by purchasing European Stars, sister-ship to Festival's Vision, at auction in Barcelona.
Renamed Sinfonia, the 58,700-ton, 1,566-passenger vessel becomes the seventh in the MSC fleet, along with Opera, Lirica, Armonia (ex-European Vision), and the older vessels Melody, Monterey, and Rhapsody. Built at France's Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in 2002, Sinfonia will undergo unspecified renovations before beginning a series of 7-night Mediterranean cruises in March 2005.
Sinfonia's purchase is the latest indication that MSC (tel. 800/666-9333; www.msccruises.com) -- the cruise branch of Mediterranean Shipping Company, one of the world's largest container ship operations -- has big plans for itself. Until now a minor player in the North American market, the line has just leased new office space in Fort Lauderdale, and this winter it will for the first time have two ships -- sister-ships Lirica and Opera -- in the Caribbean for the winter season.
Two other new MSC vessels are currently on order with France's Alstom Marine shipyards for delivery in 2006 and 2007.
NCL Announces Itinerary for Pride of America
Is it too early to start celebrating next Fourth of July? Apparently not for NCL (tel. 800/327-7030; www.ncl.com), which is giving us all eleven months' lead time on Pride of America's inaugural season.
The ship, which suffered storm damage at the shipyard during its construction, was originally scheduled to launch this past July. Those sailings are being covered by Pride of Aloha, reflagged to U.S. registry to allow inter-island Hawaii cruises. (See stories here and here.)
Due for delivery on June 6, 2005, Pride of America will sail several inaugural cruises before taking up a schedule of 7-day roundtrip cruises from Honolulu beginning July 23, 2005. In addition, she'll offer 3-day and 4-day inter-island cruises between Honolulu and Maui for those wishing to spend part of their week's vacation on land and part at sea. Concurrently, Pride of Aloha will also begin allowing embarkation in either Maui or Honolulu, the former on Saturdays, the latter on Sundays.
A third ship, the foreign-flagged Norwegian Wind, will continue sailing 10- and 11-night itineraries roundtrip from Honolulu, visiting Hawaiian ports as well as Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati.
A third U.S.-flagged vessel, Pride of Hawaii, is now officially in the works and will hit the water in April 2006.
Windstar Leaves Tahiti in Its Wake, Heads to Central America for 2005
The big motor-sail ships of Windstar (tel. 800/258-7245; www.windstarcruises.com) are on the move following the company's March decision to leave to Tahiti market for 2005. Just announced are a pair of new itineraries focusing on Costa Rica and the so-called "Mayan Riviera," the Mayan cultural zone that spans parts of eastern Mexico, Belize, and Honduras.
Between January 16 and April 3, the 308-passenger Wind Surf will sail 7-night cruises roundtrip from Cozumel, visiting the Honduran Bay Islands of Isla de Utila and West End (Roatan Island); the Honduran mainland ports of Puerto Cortez and Omoa; Belize City; and Costa Maya, Mexico. Snorkeling and water sports share the spotlight with visits to Mayan ruins, with naturalists on board to offer insight.
The smaller, 148-passenger Wind Star will offer 7-night Costa Rica cruises departing from Puerto Caldera, visiting the Pacific-coast Costa Rican ports of Playa Flamingo, Quepos, Bahia Paraiso (Drake Bay), Curu Reserve, and Tortuga Island, plus San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua. For these cruises, think rain forests, wildlife sanctuaries, and beaches.
Windstar offers a unique cruise experience, giving passengers the delicious illusion of adventure aboard its fleet of four- and five-masted semi-sailing ships, along with first-class cuisine, service, and itineraries. Do the sails actually make these ships go? Not really (they have diesel engines for that), but they sure do look pretty.
Short-Cruise Operator Discovery Offers Bahamas Music Festival Packages
Discovery Cruise Line (tel. 800-866-8687; www.discoverycruise.com) which sails daily roundtrip excursions to Grand Bahama Island, is offering sail-and-stay packages for the first annual Grand Bahama Island Jazz, Rhythm & Blues Festival, September 23-26, featuring Lou Rawls, The Stylistics, Roy Ayers, The Impressions, the Ambasah Jazz & Caribbean Band, and the Edwin Elliott Quartet.
Prices for a four-day, three-night stay at the Crowne Plaza start at $280 per person, double occupancy. The same package at the Sheraton and Westin run from $360 and $420, respectively. Packages include ship travel from Ft. Lauderdale, onboard meals, hotel stays on the island, and admission to all scheduled concerts.
On a weirder note, Discovery is also celebrating the Miami Heat's acquisition of former L.A. Lakers star Shaquille O'Neal by extending the bed in its Lucaya Suite to accommodate his 7' 1" frame, just in case. "We are certain Shaq will learn about Grand Bahama soon," said Discovery's general manager Hanns J. Hahn, "and we want our ship to be able to accommodate him when he is ready."
Added Hahn, "We cannot recall having anyone that size on Discovery, but the suite is available to anyone else of Shaq's size too."
Old German Line Revisits U.S., Hopes Americans Return Favor
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (tel. 800/334-0284; www.eurolloyd.com), heir to the classic steamship lines Hamburg-Amerika and North German Lloyd, has announced that three of its vessels will offer more frequent bilingual sailings to appeal to the U.S. cruise market.
The vessels affected are the 408-passenger luxury ship Europa and the 184- and 164-passenger expedition vessels Hanseatic and Bremen.
According to Sebastian Ahrens, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' managing director, the bilingual sailings will be phased in gradually. "Creating a bilingual trip means adding further staff; supplementary programs such as lecturers and entertainment; and making arrangements for excursions that are specially skewed toward a U.S. audience."
Luxurious Silversea to Visit Beirut, Libya, Syria in 2005
Following Silver Whisper's successful first visit to Beirut in June, ultra-luxe Silversea Cruises (tel. 877/215-9986; www.silversea.com) has announced further visits to the Middle East for 2005.
"Our inaugural visit to Beirut last month was a tremendous success," said David Morris, Silversea's senior VP of North American sales. "Many guests described it as the highlight of their cruise," whether they went sightseeing in town or visited the Roman ruins at Baalbeck in the Beqaa Valley.
Once a stylish cosmopolitan capital, Beirut was a bullet-riddled no-man's land for twenty years after the start of civil war in 1975, but the calming of hostilities has sparked rebuilding, restoration, and a renewed effort to draw visitors. Though the U.S. State Department still retains its travel warning for Lebanon, things are starting to bounce back, with the country's respected music festivals once again drawing crowds in summer.
Guests' reaction to Silversea's first visit has prompted the line to schedule Beirut visits again for 2005, and to expand its regional offerings.
On May 11, 2005, the 296-guest Silver Wind sails from Rome to Istanbul on a 15-night "Monuments & Empires" cruise, calling in Lipari (Italy), Valletta (Malta), Tripoli and Benghazi (Libya), Alexandria (Egypt), Tartous (Syria), Rhodes (Greece), Kusadasi (Turkey), and Beirut. Advance-Payment Bonus fares start at $8,076 per person, double occupancy.
On October 30, 2005, the 382-guest Silver Shadow sails from Athens to Port Said, Egypt, on an 8-night "Echoes of Ancient Civilizations" cruise, calling in Kusadasi and Antalya (Turkey), Rhodes (Greece), Tartous (Syria), and Beirut. Advance-Payment Bonus fares start at $3,571 per person, double occupancy.
Visits to Syria and Libya are the first ever scheduled by Silversea, and are a rarity in the cruise business. In March, small-ship line Clipper Cruises was the first to plan a stop in Libya following the State Department's lifting of travel restrictions on Americans. Clipper Adventurer will visit Tripoli in May 2005.
On the other side of the planet, the luxury line has also announced a new land program that will allow passengers on four January and February South America cruises to visit Easter Island. Called Rapa Nui ("navel of the world") by its Polynesian inhabitants, Easter Island is located some 2,000 miles west of Chile in the Pacific Ocean and is best known for its famous maoi stone heads, the tallest standing more than 30 feet high and weighing 18+ tons.
Guests on Silver Wind's Jan. 6 and Jan. 22 Buenos Aires/Valparaiso cruises and Silver Shadow's Jan. 31 Lima-Valparaiso and Feb. 11 Valparaiso/Buenos Aires cruises can opt for four- or five-night extension packages that includes a stay at the Hotel Iorana, Easter Island; two nights at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Santiago, Chile; roundtrip air transportation; and transfers and a tour of Santiago. Extension packages start at $2,230 per person.
Seabourn Gives Details of October's "Great American Food & Wine Festival"
Feel like sailing from New York to Nassau in October, and learning something about cooking along the way? Ultra-luxe Seabourn (tel. 800/929-9391; www.seabourn.com) has a cruise for you aboard the 208-guest Seabourn Pride.
The 13-night cruise starts in Quebec on October 10th, and includes calls at Halifax, Boston, Newport, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore before ending at Alexandria, Virginia, on October 23rd. The last six days of the cruise will feature cooking demonstrations by guest chef Charlie Palmer of Aureole in New York and Las Vegas, kitchen 22, and others nationwide, as well as Robbin Haas, chef/owner of the Latin-flavored restaurant Chispa in Coral Gables, Florida. Signature dishes created by the guest chefs will be featured on menus in the ship's open-seating restaurant and the casual alternative Veranda Café. The ship will also host wine tastings featuring vintages from some of America's most prestigious vineyards, plus optional culinary excursions in the ports of call.
Fares start at $3,695 per person, double occupancy.