Cruise Holidays Irish Cruise Blog

Princess Cruises returns to Galveston, Texas

Princess Cruises will head to Texas next autumn, operating Western Caribbean cruises from Galveston during the autumn 2012 to spring 2013 cruise season.

The line will also cruise from Fort Lauderdale and offer several ways to sail through the Panama Canal, including full and partial transits.

The Crown Princess will be based in Galveston, sailing seven-day itineraries to Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico. Trips will run between December 22nd, 2012, and April 27th, 2013. Currently, Carnival and Royal Caribbean run cruises from the Gulf of Mexico port.

Based in Fort Lauderdale, Ruby Princess, Caribbean Princess, Emerald Princess and Grand Princess will sail Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries.

In addition, Coral Princess and Island Princess will offer eight itinerary options on Panama Canal sailings, including both full and partial Canal transits. Several trips include two-day canal visits – a full canal transit combined with a full day at Fuerte Amador, at the Pacific entrance to the canal. These 14- and 15-day itineraries sail between Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles or San Francisco.

 

Crystal Cruises to visit Slovenia

Crystal Cruises has now added Slovenia to its cruise itinerary.

As part of its November 16 “Italian Splendor” sailing, ultra-luxe Crystal Serenity will visit medieval Koper, Slovenia’s largest coastal town. 

Six new shore excursions, spread throughout the tiny Italo-Slavic nation, provide an in-depth exploration of the history and culture well beyond the Adriatic port. 

Fairytale castles, oenophile indulgences, coastal hamlets, and underground geological wonders are all part of the authentic local experiences planned.

“Slovenia is a largely-undiscovered European gem that has suddenly become trendy in the travelsphere,” says Thomas Mazloum, senior vice president operations. 

“Offering travellers new, intimate global experiences, delivered in our signature luxury style, are at the heart of Crystal’s six-star ethos.”

Cruising Takes off in China

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

Great article in USA Today about the emergence of a new cruise demographic, the Chinese.

Carlito Gayya, a Filipino bartender with 18 years' experience on cruise ships is quoted as saying:

"The Chinese are very shy and low-profile. They're not big drinkers and sleep and wake up early," complains Gayya, 50, working the Silver Shadow, an Italian-run luxury cruise ship.

As China's middle class expands, so too do cruising holidays and luckily China has already some of the best port facilities in the world.

"We thought China would be far behind, but we came here and were amazed," Gayya says of the Tianjin International Cruise Home Port. "It's gorgeous, clean and like an airport," he says.

There were 223 international cruise ship sailings in China in 2010.

"The social benefits are more important than the economic returns, as we want to raise our city's image to both travelers and investors," says Ning Fang, office director of the $20 million Tianjin port. 

The port opened in June and expects 31 cruise ship visits this year. Tianjin is Beijing's nearest port, so it’s the perfect stop for visitors to get to the Great Wall of China

"More and more Chinese want to try a cruise and have the economic capacity to pay," Ning says, noting that the cheapest trips, a week's cruise to South Korea and Japan, cost about $1,000.

Ning, 40, said the Hollywood film Titanic inspired her to take her first cruise, despite that ship's icy demise.

"As a woman, I think a cruise would be very romantic. I want to take my family to Europe," she says.

After the four main ports Shanghai, Tianjin, Xiamen and Sanya — at least seven other Chinese cities have expensive plans for dedicated cruise ports, says Zheng Weihang, secretary-general of the China Cruise and Yacht Industry Association.

In 2010, Chinese cruise passenger numbers reached 400,000 and will easily top 1 million by 2015, Cheng believes.

Zheng says the first domestic Chinese cruise company will emerge this year. There's plenty of room, says Leo Liu, China managing director for Royal Caribbean International, the leading cruise line in China.

"We see China as potentially one of the largest markets in the world. The growth rate is difficult to imagine in other markets," he says.

"Chinese cruisers are younger than cruisers in the U.S. They spend more on gaming, shopping and shore excursions than their U.S. counterparts, and they drink less," he says.

Crystal Cruises to visit Libya

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

Crystal Cruises is lifting the veil on the dramatic, mysterious wonder that is Libya. Libya’s doors have been closed to American tourists since the U.S. imposed sanctions on the country almost 20 years ago.  However the authorities rceently lifted the ban on tourist visas and Crystal has added Tripoli to its November 16 “Italian Splendor” Mediterranean cruise. 

Enlarging an itinerary already steeped in wonders of antiquity and cultural immersion, the addition of Tripoli enables travellers to visit what some consider the last unspoiled country in North Africa.  Beginning and ending with overnights in Venice and Barcelona, the 11-day voyage also boasts visits to Dubrovnik and Sicily, Naples, Civitavecchia (for Rome), and Livorno (for Florence and Tuscany).

“Libya is enigmatic, exotic, and incredibly rich in history,” says Bill Smith, senior vice president, sales & marketing.  “Providing a rare glimpse into this Middle Eastern nation will add tremendous depth to travellers’ experiences of ancient corners of the world.  With over a thousand miles of Mediterranean coastline to the north, Egypt to the east, and central Africa to the south, Libya is truly a crossroads of cultures, past and present, which no world traveller should miss.” 

Guests can explore Libya’s largest city, Tripoli; see some of the best-preserved cities and archaeological relics in the world from Roman, Greek, Byzantine, Phoenician, and Arab-Islamic civilizations; mix with local and tribal ethnicities; feast on traditional cuisine; and sift through the sand of the Saharan desert, which covers roughly 90% of the country. 

Would Libya entice you to visit? 

An Epic Experience with Crystal Cruises

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

Would you pay almost $50,000 to sail around the Pacific on a luxury ship? Crystal Cruises is hoping you will.

The luxury line has announced plans for an epic cruise holiday in 2012 that will sail around the Pacific Rim on the 1,080-passenger Crystal Serenity.

The 94-day "Epic Islands & Empires" sailing will kick off on January 18, 2012 in Los Angeles and will include stops in 35 ports from California to Hawaii, the South Pacific, eastern and western Australia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Russia, Alaska, British Columbia and back to California.

The voyage will include the Serenity's maiden call in Newcastle, Australia; and a return to South Korea for the first time since 1994. The trip also comes with a three-day inclusive overland outing in Beijing.

Fares for the sailing start at $48,405 per person, based on double occupancy, for reservations made before February 28, 2011. The fares include first class air travel to the ship from select cities as well as on-board spending credits.

Celebrity Voyages in Australasia

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

Celebrity Cruises has just announced it is set to return Down Under in 2011-12 with Celebrity Century itineraries to Australia and New Zealand.

The 1,814-guest Celebrity Century is ideal for offering guests spectacular views of the scenic Australasia region as tt was refitted in 2006 to add 314 new verandas, the elegant Murano restaurant and the truly “cool” Martini ice bar.

“This marks a significant expansion of Celebrity Cruises’ diverse array of global holiday options,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Dan Hanrahan. “We’re thrilled to return to Australia and New Zealand. It’s a region our guests and trade partners around the world have said they wanted to experience again with Celebrity Cruises, pairing our award-winning dining, exceptional service and high style with the beauty, charm and diversity of the area. This move further exemplifies our ‘Designed for you’ platform, and how we fulfil what cruisers desire.”

The exotic new cruises feature a total of 36 ports in six countries: Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, French Polynesia, the U.S. and Mexico. The line-up includes 10 distinct itineraries, with six varied departure ports, including Sydney and Perth (Fremantle), Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; Honolulu, Hawaii; San Diego, California, and Ensenada, Mexico.

Celebrity Cruises’ new series begins 2 October, 2011, with two consecutive 15-night Hawaii sailings from San Diego, followed by a 10-night Hawaii cruise from Ensenada to Honolulu. An 18-night “Pacific Jewels” voyage departs Honolulu 11 November, followed by five 12- and 13-night New Zealand cruises between Sydney and Auckland, including a festive holiday sailing departing Sydney 24 December. These offer a more destination-rich experience for cruisers, with only three days at sea, versus five on most competing lines’ itineraries.

Cruisers also have the opportunity to experience a rare, 36-night circumnavigational voyage – a first for Celebrity Cruises – through two combinable 18-night sailings: One will sail around the southern portion of Australia, featuring an overnight stay in Sydney and transits through three sounds – Milford, Doubtful and Dusky – in New Zealand’s World Heritage-designated Fiordland National Park. The second of the combinable 18-night sailings takes cruisers around Australia’s northern coast, and features a visit to the idyllic island of Bali, Indonesia – marking yet another first for Celebrity Cruises. The new series also includes two tantalising, 18-night Trans-Pacific voyages visiting the French Polynesian islands and Hawaii.

Among the ports Celebrity Cruises will visit for the first time are Geraldton, Broome, Darwin, Cairns, Brisbane, Adelaide, Albany, Bunbury and Perth, Australia, in addition to Burnie, Tasmania, and Bali.

Celebrity Cruises’ new itineraries replace the previously announced series of 12-night Caribbean cruises from Baltimore on Celebrity Century. Guests with individual and group bookings that are named and deposited on Celebrity Century departing between 1 November, 2011 and 21 March, 2012, have the option to cancel their booking, or move to the same category of accommodations on a comparable Transcanal voyage on Celebrity Infinity, either 28 October, 2011, or 27 March, 2012; Celebrity Century’s Hawaii sailings 2 or 17 October, 2011, or 2 or 20 April, 2012; 10- or 11-night Caribbean cruises on Celebrity Equinox in 2011, or entirely new 12-night Caribbean sailings from Cape Liberty, New Jersey, on Celebrity Silhouette, the line’s fourth Solstice Class ship, entering service in 2011. Holiday sailings are open only to guests currently booked on Celebrity Century’s double-holiday voyage of 23 December, 2011. Guests with applicable bookings who opt to shift to one of the eligible sailings will receive a $200 per stateroom or $400 per suite onboard credit.

 

Celebrity Voyages in Australasia

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

Celebrity Cruises has just announced it is set to return Down Under in 2011-12 with Celebrity Century itineraries to Australia and New Zealand.

The 1,814-guest Celebrity Century is ideal for offering guests spectacular views of the scenic Australasia region as tt was refitted in 2006 to add 314 new verandas, the elegant Murano restaurant and the truly “cool” Martini ice bar.

“This marks a significant expansion of Celebrity Cruises’ diverse array of global holiday options,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Dan Hanrahan. “We’re thrilled to return to Australia and New Zealand. It’s a region our guests and trade partners around the world have said they wanted to experience again with Celebrity Cruises, pairing our award-winning dining, exceptional service and high style with the beauty, charm and diversity of the area. This move further exemplifies our ‘Designed for you’ platform, and how we fulfil what cruisers desire.”

The exotic new cruises feature a total of 36 ports in six countries: Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, French Polynesia, the U.S. and Mexico. The line-up includes 10 distinct itineraries, with six varied departure ports, including Sydney and Perth (Fremantle), Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; Honolulu, Hawaii; San Diego, California, and Ensenada, Mexico.

Celebrity Cruises’ new series begins 2 October, 2011, with two consecutive 15-night Hawaii sailings from San Diego, followed by a 10-night Hawaii cruise from Ensenada to Honolulu. An 18-night “Pacific Jewels” voyage departs Honolulu 11 November, followed by five 12- and 13-night New Zealand cruises between Sydney and Auckland, including a festive holiday sailing departing Sydney 24 December. These offer a more destination-rich experience for cruisers, with only three days at sea, versus five on most competing lines’ itineraries.

Cruisers also have the opportunity to experience a rare, 36-night circumnavigational voyage – a first for Celebrity Cruises – through two combinable 18-night sailings: One will sail around the southern portion of Australia, featuring an overnight stay in Sydney and transits through three sounds – Milford, Doubtful and Dusky – in New Zealand’s World Heritage-designated Fiordland National Park. The second of the combinable 18-night sailings takes cruisers around Australia’s northern coast, and features a visit to the idyllic island of Bali, Indonesia – marking yet another first for Celebrity Cruises. The new series also includes two tantalising, 18-night Trans-Pacific voyages visiting the French Polynesian islands and Hawaii.

Among the ports Celebrity Cruises will visit for the first time are Geraldton, Broome, Darwin, Cairns, Brisbane, Adelaide, Albany, Bunbury and Perth, Australia, in addition to Burnie, Tasmania, and Bali.

Celebrity Cruises’ new itineraries replace the previously announced series of 12-night Caribbean cruises from Baltimore on Celebrity Century. Guests with individual and group bookings that are named and deposited on Celebrity Century departing between 1 November, 2011 and 21 March, 2012, have the option to cancel their booking, or move to the same category of accommodations on a comparable Transcanal voyage on Celebrity Infinity, either 28 October, 2011, or 27 March, 2012; Celebrity Century’s Hawaii sailings 2 or 17 October, 2011, or 2 or 20 April, 2012; 10- or 11-night Caribbean cruises on Celebrity Equinox in 2011, or entirely new 12-night Caribbean sailings from Cape Liberty, New Jersey, on Celebrity Silhouette, the line’s fourth Solstice Class ship, entering service in 2011. Holiday sailings are open only to guests currently booked on Celebrity Century’s double-holiday voyage of 23 December, 2011. Guests with applicable bookings who opt to shift to one of the eligible sailings will receive a $200 per stateroom or $400 per suite onboard credit.

 

Celebrity Voyages in Australasia

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

Celebrity Cruises has just announced it is set to return Down Under in 2011-12 with Celebrity Century itineraries to Australia and New Zealand.

The 1,814-guest Celebrity Century is ideal for offering guests spectacular views of the scenic Australasia region as tt was refitted in 2006 to add 314 new verandas, the elegant Murano restaurant and the truly “cool” Martini ice bar.

“This marks a significant expansion of Celebrity Cruises’ diverse array of global holiday options,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Dan Hanrahan. “We’re thrilled to return to Australia and New Zealand. It’s a region our guests and trade partners around the world have said they wanted to experience again with Celebrity Cruises, pairing our award-winning dining, exceptional service and high style with the beauty, charm and diversity of the area. This move further exemplifies our ‘Designed for you’ platform, and how we fulfil what cruisers desire.”

The exotic new cruises feature a total of 36 ports in six countries: Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, French Polynesia, the U.S. and Mexico. The line-up includes 10 distinct itineraries, with six varied departure ports, including Sydney and Perth (Fremantle), Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; Honolulu, Hawaii; San Diego, California, and Ensenada, Mexico.

Celebrity Cruises’ new series begins 2 October, 2011, with two consecutive 15-night Hawaii sailings from San Diego, followed by a 10-night Hawaii cruise from Ensenada to Honolulu. An 18-night “Pacific Jewels” voyage departs Honolulu 11 November, followed by five 12- and 13-night New Zealand cruises between Sydney and Auckland, including a festive holiday sailing departing Sydney 24 December. These offer a more destination-rich experience for cruisers, with only three days at sea, versus five on most competing lines’ itineraries.

Cruisers also have the opportunity to experience a rare, 36-night circumnavigational voyage – a first for Celebrity Cruises – through two combinable 18-night sailings: One will sail around the southern portion of Australia, featuring an overnight stay in Sydney and transits through three sounds – Milford, Doubtful and Dusky – in New Zealand’s World Heritage-designated Fiordland National Park. The second of the combinable 18-night sailings takes cruisers around Australia’s northern coast, and features a visit to the idyllic island of Bali, Indonesia – marking yet another first for Celebrity Cruises. The new series also includes two tantalising, 18-night Trans-Pacific voyages visiting the French Polynesian islands and Hawaii.

Among the ports Celebrity Cruises will visit for the first time are Geraldton, Broome, Darwin, Cairns, Brisbane, Adelaide, Albany, Bunbury and Perth, Australia, in addition to Burnie, Tasmania, and Bali.

Celebrity Cruises’ new itineraries replace the previously announced series of 12-night Caribbean cruises from Baltimore on Celebrity Century. Guests with individual and group bookings that are named and deposited on Celebrity Century departing between 1 November, 2011 and 21 March, 2012, have the option to cancel their booking, or move to the same category of accommodations on a comparable Transcanal voyage on Celebrity Infinity, either 28 October, 2011, or 27 March, 2012; Celebrity Century’s Hawaii sailings 2 or 17 October, 2011, or 2 or 20 April, 2012; 10- or 11-night Caribbean cruises on Celebrity Equinox in 2011, or entirely new 12-night Caribbean sailings from Cape Liberty, New Jersey, on Celebrity Silhouette, the line’s fourth Solstice Class ship, entering service in 2011. Holiday sailings are open only to guests currently booked on Celebrity Century’s double-holiday voyage of 23 December, 2011. Guests with applicable bookings who opt to shift to one of the eligible sailings will receive a $200 per stateroom or $400 per suite onboard credit.

 

Carnival roundtrip to Hawaii from California

 

 

Carnival Cruises has announced it will sail roundtrip voyages from California to Hawaii in 2011 and 2012.

Carnival Spirit will operate two 15-day sailings to Hawaii from Los Angeles and San Diego. Both Hawaii departures include day-long stops at five ports: Hilo, Maui (Kahului), Honolulu, Kauai (Nawiliwili) and Kona. The trips will take place on Dec. 2, 2011 (from Los Angeles) and April 13, 2012 (from San Diego).

Carnival also announced it will resume cruises out of Los Angeles' San Pedro cruise terminal to the Mexican Riviera in 2011 for the first time in eight years. The line will offer five- and nine-day voyages to Mexico, also on the Carnival Spirit, between September 2011 and January 2012.

Carnival already operates two ships year-round from nearby Long Beach, Calif. -- the 2,052-passenger Carnival Paradise (operating three- and four-day Baja cruises) and the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor (sailing week-long Mexican Riviera cruises).

With the addition of the Spirit, Carnival will be the only cruise operator to home-port three ships in the Los Angeles area.

Carnival Spirit's new five-day voyages will include two days in Cabo San Lucas. The ship's nine-day departures will feature a two-day call in Cabo San Lucas as well as visits to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and La Paz.

 

Carnival roundtrip to Hawaii from California

 

 

Carnival Cruises has announced it will sail roundtrip voyages from California to Hawaii in 2011 and 2012.

Carnival Spirit will operate two 15-day sailings to Hawaii from Los Angeles and San Diego. Both Hawaii departures include day-long stops at five ports: Hilo, Maui (Kahului), Honolulu, Kauai (Nawiliwili) and Kona. The trips will take place on Dec. 2, 2011 (from Los Angeles) and April 13, 2012 (from San Diego).

Carnival also announced it will resume cruises out of Los Angeles' San Pedro cruise terminal to the Mexican Riviera in 2011 for the first time in eight years. The line will offer five- and nine-day voyages to Mexico, also on the Carnival Spirit, between September 2011 and January 2012.

Carnival already operates two ships year-round from nearby Long Beach, Calif. -- the 2,052-passenger Carnival Paradise (operating three- and four-day Baja cruises) and the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor (sailing week-long Mexican Riviera cruises).

With the addition of the Spirit, Carnival will be the only cruise operator to home-port three ships in the Los Angeles area.

Carnival Spirit's new five-day voyages will include two days in Cabo San Lucas. The ship's nine-day departures will feature a two-day call in Cabo San Lucas as well as visits to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and La Paz.