Cruise Holidays Irish Cruise Blog

Dublin cruise holidays increased in 2011

The number of people embarking on cruise holidays to Dublin has risen in 2011 according to new results released this week.

According to the report, published in Afloat magazine, the Dublin cruise industry performed well in 2011, with an increase of 7.5 per cent in passenger levels over the past year.

These increases were spread across 87 different cruises scheduled during 2011 and came against a backdrop of financial difficulty for mainland Ireland.

In total, an impressive 135,000 passengers and crew came to the Irish capital, generating a total of €35 million - €55 million (£29 million – 46 million) to the local economy.

More significantly still, the number of high-spend cruise passengers visiting the capital since the start of the millennium has now reached 750,000 with a total revenue of €400m in that period.

The Dublin cruise season traditionally operates from April to October and recently received a boosted after MSC Cruises announced that the MSC Lirica will sail to ports in Dublin and Cork from next August.

 

Royal Caribbean introduce wine by the glass

Royal Caribbean is taking aim at wine aficionados with a new wine-by-the-glass system on two of its ships.

The line says the 48-bottle WineStation system by Napa Technology, added to Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas, is the largest of its kind at sea and gives crise holiday passengers access to more premium wines by the glass than are available on any other vessel.

Newly installed at the Vintages wine bars on the 3,634-passenger ships, the automatic WineStations will carry wines from Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Caymus, Penfolds, Torres, Robert Mondavi and other wineries, the line says. Passengers can serve themselves at the stations by swiping their keycard.

WineStation systems are designed to preserve wine in open bottles for 60 days in a climate-controlled environment.

Royal Caribbean says it plans to roll out the system on more ships in the future.

Attenborough's Frozen Planet creates surge in cruise interest

If like me you’ve been watching David Attenbourough’s Frozen Planet over the past few weeks, you’ll understand why there seems to be an increase in interest for Antarctic cruises.

The programme, which sees documentarian David Attenborough exploring the natural history of the Arctic and Antarctic continents, has been a big hit with television audiences.

Spread across seven episodes, the series has averaged eight million viewers for its time slot – which equates to nearly a third of the overall television audience.

This in turn has seen interest in trips to the frozen planet of the Arctic and Antarctic continents growing, according to travel agents across the UK and Ireland.

With liners like the Azamara Quest travelling through the Antarctic, more typical sun worshippers may be opting for a cruise holiday through the unknown instead of their typical beach holiday in 2012.

Did you watch Frozen Planet? Would you ever be tempted to go on a cruise holiday there?

P&O Cruises adds seven new cruises in 2012

P&O Cruises has added seven new cruise itineraries in 2012, all departing from and returning to Southampton.

The cruises range from a three night cruise break on Ventura to a 28 night Caribbean cruise on Adonia. Also included are itineraries to the Canary Islands, Western Mediterranean and Atlantic Coast.

The new cruises are:

Ventura:

N217N, three night cruise break, July 20 - 23, 2012
Southampton, Zeebrugge, St Peter Port, Southampton
Prices from £349 per person

N217P, four night cruise break, July 23 – 27, 2012
Southampton, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, St Peter Port, Southampton
Prices from £449 per person


Adonia:

D215N, 15 night Western Mediterranean cruise, October 7 - 22, 2012
Southampton, Alicante, Barcelona, Sete, Livorno, Alghero, Port Mahan, Gibraltar, La Coruna, Southampton
Prices from £1,649 per person

D216N, 13 night Canary Island cruise, October 22 – November 4, 2012
Southampton, Madeira, La Palma, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Tangiers, Lisbon, Southampton
Prices from £1,349 per person

D217N, 28 night Caribbean cruise, November 4 - December 9, 2012
Southampton, Madeira, Virgin Gorda, St Maarten, Antigua, Martinique, Barbados, Grenada, Bonaire, Aruba, St Vincent, St Lucia, St Kitts, Tortola, Ponta Delgada, Southampton
Prices from £2,599 per person

D218N, 14 night Atlantic coast cruise, December 9 - 23, 2012
Southampton, Madeira, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Casablanca, Cadiz, Lisbon, Southampton
Prices from £1,329 per person


Oriana:

X301N, 24 night Caribbean cruise, January 6 - 30, 2012
Southampton, Ponta, Delgada, St Maarten, Antigua, St Lucia, Barbados, St Kitts, Horta, Southampton
Prices from £1,999 per person

All prices are per person and based on two adults sharing on a full board basis including all main meals and entertainment.

Celebrity Cruise introduces supreme luxury suites

Celebrity Cruise Line's new suites are the largest ever created by the cruise holiday company - but are they about to set a new standard for luxury on board accommodation?

Set to feature on the new 3,052-passenger liner the Celebrity Reflection, the deluxe suites will be offered as part of Celebrity Cruise Line's elite Solstice Class Line – reserved for the most affluent of travellers.

Each suite is spread across a 1,636-square-foot of space and has been created as part of a $3.7 billion expansion of the Celebrity Cruise Line services that began in 2008, with the promise that a new ship would be launched every year.

They could be just the tickets to set the company apart from its competitors for pure luxury too with each one equating to more than half the size of the entire top deck of each liner.

Aside from the usual luxury features, the bathroom of the suite has to be seen to be believed with a view of the ocean that promises a better vantage point than even the one afforded to the captain himself.

These new suites signal a contrast to the cruise industry's previous focus on low cost deals, and could signal the start of further luxury offerings for cruise holiday enthusiasts.

What do you make of this giant suite?

Cunard Cruises Queen Mary 2 Refit

Entertainment Director of Queen Mary 2, Paul O' Loughlin, takes viewers through key areas in the first stages of the Hamburg refit 28 - 30 November 2011.

 

Princess Cruises – Festive at Sea

For the fifth year in a row, Princess Cruises ships are expecting snow flurries to set the stage for a festive holiday season at sea. No matter where they are sailing, passengers won't miss out on a white Christmas as snow magically falls in the ships' multi-story atriums, transforming them into winter wonderlands.

The innovative snow-making process creates falling flakes that vanish on contact, letting cruise passengers enjoy the excitement of snow without the need to bundle up. Princess' daily snowfall will occur on all ships except for the lines' two small vessels, Pacific Princess and Ocean Princess.

The shipboard snowfall is one of many ways Princess ships will surround passengers with a merry atmosphere. With the halls decked out in holiday décor, including a Christmas tree on the mast and strolling carolers filling the air with the sounds of the season, Princess ships will offer a festive cruise experience from bow to stern.

The Christmas spirit will be found in activities throughout the ship. Passengers can challenge themselves with a gingerbread house-building competition to see who can construct the most creative structure. Or they can express their creativity with holiday card making, enjoy the entertaining cheer of a Christmas variety show, and even pick up tips at a turkey-carving demonstration to prepare themselves to do the honors at their next holiday feast.

Passengers can join in the sounds of the season by participating in a special holiday-themed Pop Choir, and the ships' Piazzas will feature seasonal entertainment. Movies Under the Stars screens will show favorite holiday films, as well as a virtual Yule log that will turn the giant screens into the "world's largest holiday fireplace." Stateroom televisions will also add the traditional burning Yule log broadcast for a warm and cozy touch inside the room. And of course Santa is expected to make a visit, with passengers receiving their own stocking on Christmas Eve.

Religious services will be held as well, and passengers can participate in Catholic mass or a non-denominational church service performed by onboard clergy.

"The festive atmosphere onboard makes the holidays one our passengers' favorite times to cruise," said Jan Swartz, Princess executive vice president. "Our welcoming crew members take the worry out of all holiday preparations, and what better way to celebrate than with a winter snowfall -- even on a tropical cruise vacation." Swartz added that space is still available on select holiday sailings.

Holiday Feasts -- Each Princess ship's culinary team will delight the senses with spectacular holiday displays and will serve up several delicious feasts. Christmas dinner features traditional holiday fare including slow-roasted Vermont turkey with chestnut stuffing and cranberry chutney. Special desserts include English Christmas pudding and gingerbread soufflé and Christmas cookies also make an appearance. Passengers can also try a taste of traditional holiday dishes from around the world as the Horizon Court serves up some favorites based on the cuisines of crew members' home countries.

Christmas For Children -- Younger cruisers can anticipate the big day with a full schedule of holiday activities. The youth centers will host holiday parties for each age group, and kids can make decorations to display on the center's Christmas tree, or can try their hand at cookie decorating. Youngsters can get creative with other holiday-themed arts and crafts projects throughout the cruise, and they will have an opportunity to sing Christmas carols for passengers. Naturally, Santa Claus makes an appearance with his sack full of toys, and, in what has become a holiday tradition, a senior officer will read "The Night Before Christmas" on Christmas Eve.

For parents who want to stay up later to celebrate the holidays, free late-night group kid-sitting sessions will be available on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve.

Hanukkah -- From December 20-28 passengers can celebrate the Festival of Lights onboard with special Hanukkah activities. Ships will organize services, and passengers will find menorahs and fresh flower arrangements in blue, silver and white on display. Kosher meals are available upon request, and kid's centers will host activities for young cruisers, including a reading of "Sammy Spider's First Hanukkah."

Happy New Year -- Passengers will count down to a fun-filled 2012 with festive New Year's Eve parties, complete with music, confetti, noise-makers and a balloon drop to ring in the new year. Earlier in the evening, the dinner menu will feature special treats just for New Year's Eve. On New Year's Day, football fans can follow the action of the day's traditional college bowl games, as the telecasts will be shown (as available by satellite) on the giant Movies Under the Stars screens or in shipboard lounges.

Holiday Shopping -- Passengers who love to shop will not miss out on the holiday sales just because they're at sea. Princess will provide a wide array of holiday shopping and gift-giving opportunities on board including tax- and duty-free fine jewelry, watches, fragrance, cosmetics and fine art. New this year on the days after Christmas and New Year's, the Princess boutiques will open early in the morning to offer shoppers "door-busters" and other holiday discounts and specials.

  

Cunard Wedding Packages

For the first time in Cunard Cruises' 171 years guests can now get married at sea.

The Cunard's Wedding package will include:

~ Elegant Wedding Ceremony Venue
~ Romantic Ceremony at Sea conducted by the Captain
~ Two fresh floral arrangements for the ceremonial room
~ Bridal Posy (a choice of roses, lilies or an exotic arrangement)
~ Bridegrooms Boutonniere (a choice of rose, lily or exotic arrangement)
~ One tier 8" Wedding Cake (a choice of vanilla or chocolate sponge)
~ Traditional wedding music
~ Commemorative Wedding Certificate
~ Commemorative Printed Wedding Menu
~ Bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne
~ Bride & Groom's Champagne Breakfast in Bed
~ Wedding Invitations and Thank You Cards for your voyage guests
~ Services of Your On Board Wedding Coordinator
~ White Star Bellmen to escort Bride to ceremonial room
~ Pressing Service for Bridal outfits
~ Priority Check-In and Luggage Delivery
~ Priority Embarkation and Disembarkation for the bridal couple

Price and Booking:

Wedding Package: $2,500
License Fees: $575
Additional Marriage Certificates: $50 (Pre-Voyage Certificate)/ $65 (Post-voyage Certificate)

Have you ever thought about getting married at sea? Would you choose Cunard Cruises?