Cruise Holidays Irish Cruise Blog

Young Adults considering cruise holidays

New research suggests cruise holidays are starting to appeal much more to younger people.

Although cruises are often associated with older travellers, a survey by Mintel suggests that 40 per cent of people between the ages of 15 and 24 would consider taking a cruise in the future.

The research highlights the fact that only four per cent of 15 to 24-year-olds have been on a cruise before, compared with 32 per cent of people aged 65 to 74.

Tom Rees, senior travel and tourism analyst at Mintel, said: "Young adults like the idea of an adventure at sea and the house party atmosphere of an onboard holiday can appeal to many young package holidaymakers as a change from resort-based trips.

"The key is getting the product right. Given the market trend towards shorter cruises departing from UK ports, short themed breaks or even floating music festivals, promoted through social media, can be a way to attract a younger clientele."

Interestingly, Mintel's survey shows that young people see cruises as a good way of discovering new destinations, while more than a quarter think they offer a good way to meet new people.

What do you think of this shift in attitude? Could music festivals on a cruise ship work?

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UNICEF ambassador to help launch MSC Divina

MSC Cruises is set to roll out the red carpet this month, with UNICEF goodwill ambassador Maxim Vengerov featuring at the christening of their newest vessel, MSC Divina.

Vengerov, who is also a classical violinist, will feature alongside a variety of star names who will be present at the event in Marseille on May 26th. The 37-year-old Russian will then give a speech to the waiting masses before releasing hundreds of balloons to mark the festivities.

MSC Cruises chief executive Pier Francesco Vago and MSC fleet godmother Sophia Loren will also be in attendance at the event, and will join Vengerov for a special question and answer session planned for the day.

The presence of these stars at the special naming event comes as MSC Cruises and UNICEF look to promote the "Get on Board for Children" initiative.

This a fund created to deal with the poverty seen in the infamous favelas of Brazil, with the group campaigning for better educational facilities for children.

No word has yet been given on whether Vangerov will perform at the christening.

Have you ever been on a cruise holiday with MSC Cruises?

Princess Anne to Join P&O Cruises Celebrations

P&O Cruises today announced that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal will conduct a review of the P&O Cruises fleet as part of The Grand Event on Tuesday July 3, 2012. Princess Anne will take centre stage to what will be the pinnacle to celebrations which mark 175 years of heritage.

The Royal family has long been linked with P&O Cruises with Her Majesty the Queen naming Oriana at her launch in 1995 and Princess Anne named Aurora in 2000 and Oceana in 2003.

Her Royal Highness will visit Southampton and join guests on Oriana. Following the reception, she will sail on THV Patricia, one of the vessels of Trinity House, a maritime charity where the Princess Royal is a Master of the Corporation.

Each of the seven ships in the P&O Cruises fleet will then depart on a Grand Event cruise and passengers on board will enjoy a special deck party to see them off in style with flutterfetti and daytime pyrotechnics from the quayside. They will leave their berths in Southampton in order and process down the Solent into Southampton Water.

The P&O Cruises fleet will then move into formation to pass THV Patricia at Charlie Anchorage and salute HRH The Princess Royal as they are photographed from the air before they sail onwards to their various destinations.

P&O Cruises managing director, Carol Marlow, said: “We are honoured to have HRH The Princess Royal visit us on this, one of the most significant days in our history, as all our seven ships gather in their home port on the same day for the first time ever to celebrate 175 years of heritage. As one of our esteemed godmothers* she is intrinsically linked with P&O Cruises and we are privileged that she has agreed to conduct our Fleet Review.

“Thousands of people are expected to line the shores to witness this historical occasion, joining over 15,000 passengers and 6000 crew on board the seven ships.
“I am sure that this magnificent Fleet Review with Her Royal Highness in celebration of 175 years of heritage will go down in British maritime history, providing long lasting memories as we look forward to the next stage in our company’s history, with a new ship being launched in 2015.”

The Grand Event is part of a year of celebrations in 2012, marking 175 years of heritage. P&O Cruises can trace its roots back to 1837 when the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company was awarded the Admiralty contract to carry mail to the Iberian Peninsula and beyond. Today P&O Cruises has a fleet of seven ships offering cruise holidays tailored to British tastes.

Guests onboard the seven cruises celebrating the anniversary will have a host of event to look forward to including special on board entertainment, a 175th Anniversary gala dinner, heritage art display, guest speakers, heritage presentations and more. There will also be a price draw on each cruise for one couple to win a full world cruise of their choice in 2013.

Cunard Host First Transatlantic Wedding

A couple of cruise holiday enthusiasts took the plunge on a recent trip aboard the Cunard liner the Queen Mary 2 - after tying the knot in the mid-Atlantic.

The happy new couple, Barry Maloney and Denise Holding, became the first pairing to marry aboard a Cunard cruise during a transatlantic voyage from Southampton to New York.

Captain Kevin Oprey oversaw the ceremony, with the newlyweds invited up to the bridge after the main event where they were allowed to sound the ship's whistle.

According to the Seatrade Insider, the pair, who own a riding centre in the UK, had been together for nearly 30 years prior to the forming their new union on the recent cruise.

However it was the chance to wed aboard their favourite ship that ultimately proved too good an opportunity to miss.

Do you think getting married at sea is a good idea? Would you do it?

Ship enters Dry Dock for Extensive Overhaul

 

Royal Caribbean International continues to bring the cruise line’s most innovative features and popular venues first introduced on Oasis-class ships to its fleet with the revitalization of Grandeur of the Seas this month. With a host of new dining venues, a new baby and toddler nursery plus a giant outdoor cinema screen are just a few of the stunning new features awaiting guests on Grandeur of the Seas  when it emerges from dry dock as part of the cruise line’s extensive revitalisation programme.

Following a five-week long, $48 million refurbishment at the Navantia ship yard in Cadiz, Spain, the 2,446-guest Grandeur of the Seas will sail an 11-night Mediterranean itinerary roundtrip from Barcelona, Spain. From there she will spend the summer offering a variety of Mediterranean itineraries from Venice, Italy and Provence, France. In winter 2012/13 Grandeur of the Seas will offer Southern Caribbean cruises from Colon in Panama and Cartagena, Colombia.

Returning to service on 31 May with new entertainment options, restaurants, children’s programmes, technology advancements and more luxurious accommodation options that were originally introduced to industry acclaim onboard Royal Caribbean International’s recently introduced Oasis-class ships, Grandeur of the Seas is set to wow guests with its fresh new look and cutting edge facilities.

The revitalisation also introduces:

• Wi-Fi availability throughout the ship
• Flat-panel interactive televisions in all staterooms
• A new Concierge Lounge for suite guests and top tier loyalty guests
• A Diamond Lounge for Crown & Anchor Society loyalty programme members
• Transforming the Viking Crown Lounge including new menu featuring bite size delectables
• Digital, interactive way-finding system

The Centrum – a five story atrium in the centre of the ship has also been transformed into a major entertainment area featuring a range of daytime activities, nightly shows and aerial performers. The Centrum’s Champagne Bar has also been reinvented as the R Bar, a retro bar that will feature signature cocktails and trained mixologists.

Dining options onboard Grandeur of the Seas have nearly doubled with the addition of five highly acclaimed restaurants including:

• Giovanni’s Table: An Italian trattoria featuring classic dishes served family style (open for lunch, $15 per guest, and dinner, $20 per guest)
• Izumi Asian Cuisine: Featuring mouth-watering flavours with hand rolled sushi, as well as hot-rock cooking, the pan-Asian cuisine restaurant is an authentic dining experience (open for lunch, $3.00 per guest, and dinner, $5.00 per guest plus a la carte menu pricing)  
• Park Café: An outdoor gourmet market featuring customized salads, sandwiches, soups and pastries (open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, complimentary)
• Chops Grille: Royal Caribbean’s signature steakhouse, offering premium cuts and quality meats (open for dinner, $30 per guest)  
• Chef’s Table: An exclusive and intimate event co-hosted by the Executive Chef and Sommelier for a five-course, wine-pairing fine dining experience (open for dinner, $95 per guest).  

While the speciality restaurants onboard are a small additional cost, guests have the option of choosing from several different dining packages which range from $50 to $120 per guest, and save at least 25 per cent compared to the sum of the individual restaurants’ cover charges. All main and buffet restaurants are included within the price of the cruise.

Grandeur of the Seas is the third of six Vision class ships to undergo extensive revitalisations.

Grandeur of the Seas enhances Royal Caribbean International’s already announced European 2013 holiday offerings, which includes Brilliance of the Seas, Splendour of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, and Serenade of the Seas.

Saw stars set for Horrific cruise offering

Fans of the Saw horror film franchise could be in for a terrifying treat this summer, with gore enthusiasts invited to set sail on the first official Saw movie cruise.

Departing from New York on August 11th, holidaymakers will embark on a spine-tingling five-night trip, which takes in Saint John, New Brunswick, Halifax and Nova Scotia along the way.

While travelling on this visceral voyage aboard the 2,974-passenger Carnival Glory, fans will also be treated to a whole host of Saw-related delights.

Chief among these is the appearance of various stars from the franchise including Costas Mandylor, who played the villainous Hoffman and, more importantly, the iconic puppet seen throughout the film series.

With plenty of photo and dining opportunities available to enjoy alongside the stars, the trip also offers three distinct packages to those would-be cruisers out there.

Available options include cocktail parties, photo sessions and private meals with the actors which are all available alongside specially organised question and answer sessions.

Other activities include a special trivia quiz, movie screenings and mini golf and volleyball tournaments with the onboard stars of Saw.

The themed cruise comes just months after Norwegian Cruise Lines announced plans to host a special Kiss-themed cruise.

What would be your ideal themed cruise?

Holland America presents ‘Our Marvellous Oceans’ videos

In collaboration with the Marine Conservation Institute, Holland America Line has released an in-stateroom video series onboard all its 15 cruise ships highlighting the importance of ocean conservation.

Titled "Our Marvelous Oceans," the series was developed to educate Holland America Line guests on important marine conservation issues and feature topics that relate to the oceans around them.

"Our partnership with the Marine Conservation Institute is instrumental in our continued quest to help protect and preserve the oceans on which we sail," said Richard Meadows, executive vice president of marketing, sales and guest programs at Holland America Line. "These videos are just one more element in our extensive conservation program, and we hope our guests take a few moments to watch them and learn more about our efforts and what they, personally, can do while on board and once they leave our ships."

The additional short videos address important ocean conservation issues in key Holland America Line cruising regions, protecting ocean life, destructive fishing practices, climate change, and Holland America Line's environmental protection efforts.

"Holland America Line has been a committed partner in marine conservation. These short videos will help spread the word on all that we, Holland America Line, and its guests can do to protect the marine environment," said Dr. Elliott A. Norse, president and founder of the Marine Conservation Institute.

"This is just one element of the program, but it will extend our message to hundreds of thousands of guests every year. We thank Holland America Line for its dedication to protecting our oceans."

The video series is an extension of "Our Marvelous Oceans," a three-year program announced in 2010 that commits to the exclusive use of sustainably-sourced seafood on Holland America Line's menus, guest and staff education, and support for critical marine conservation biology research. Support for the Marine Conservation Institute's education program also includes annual grants to graduate students and young scientists working in historical marine ecology.

 

 

 

Celebrity Cruises Secures Rights To Air Eagerly Anticipated Olympic Games Onboard, ‘LIVE’ From London 2012

   
It’s estimated that more than one-billion people will tune in for this year’s Olympic Games in the host city of London, and Celebrity Cruises has arranged the rare opportunity for guests sailing on its modern luxury fleet to be among them.

From the eagerly anticipated Opening Ceremony July 27th to the celebratory Closing Ceremony August 12th, Celebrity will broadcast ‘live’ via satellite the swimming, diving, gymnastics, rowing, cycling, athletics, and basketball events, in addition to airing daily compilations of highlights from all 26 sports featured in the Games of the XXX Olympiad. On Celebrity ships sailing in North America, the events initially airing live also will be re-broadcast during more convenient times of day forguests to enjoy.

Whether sailing on Celebrity Constellation in Scandinavia and Russia; in Iceland and the Fjords on Celebrity Eclipse; in the Eastern Mediterranean on Celebrity Equinox; in the Adriaticon Celebrity Silhouette; in the Mediterranean from Venice on Celebrity Solstice; in Bermuda on Celebrity Summit; or in Alaska on Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Infinity and Celebrity Century, Celebrity’s guests can stay on top of the Games while vacationing.
       
Celebrity’s guests will be able to view the Olympic Games within the comfort of their stylish staterooms and suites, or in several hip bars and lounges on every Celebrity ship (with the exceptionof Celebrity Xpedition, which sails year-round in the Galapagos Islands). The specific locations and event times will be listed within each Celebrity ship’s daily newsletter.

 

 

Royal Caribbean to host Drag Queen Cruise

It was recently announced that Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas will play host to the "Disco Queens on the High Seas", a pageant for a half dozen drag queens, this September.

The western Caribbean cruise will feature nightly entertainment hosted by Darcel Steven and Orlando-area performers Ginger Minj, Chantel Reshae and Aysia Black.

Other activities onboard include the 1st Miss High Seas 2012 Drag Pageant during the cruise, and the event will judged by nationally known drag queen Tommie Ross. Organizers of the event are looking for six contestants for the pageant, which will include an evening gown competition, a swim wear competition and disco-themed performance competition.