Cruise Holidays Irish Cruise Blog

Cruise Sale next week

Still got the January blues? Need something to look forward to? Well good news - Cruise Holidays are having a SUPER SALE DAY next Thursday, the 27^th of January, at their Tour America office at 62/63 Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1.

Head there before 3.30pm for a cruise presentation from a travel specialist. Book your cruise holiday at the best possible price PLUS receive a €50 Holiday Voucher when you book a holiday to the value of €2,000 or more for 2 people.  Enjoy complimentary food and personal service and start 2011 in the right way.

 

 

 

See Europe with Azamara

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

 

See Europe in style next summer with Azamara Club Cruises. Departing Dublin on August 29^th 2011 and taking in France, Spain and Portugal, this ten-night luxury cruise holiday costs just €2111 per person.

 

To see what Azamara has to offer check out this video.

 

 

 

NCL Cruise Special

An amazing two-day cruise special starts tomorrow with NCL offering a whopping £300 off per stateroom. This outrageous offer is valid on all NCL vessels and ends on the 28^th of May.

When you have booked your cruise holiday why not also take advantage of the pre-cruise reservation system for on-board entertainment. Guests booking on Norwegian Epic can now pre-book reservations for performances of Blue Man Group, Cirque Dreams™ & Dinner, The Second City® Comedy Troupe, Legends in Concert, Howl at the Moon Dueling Pianos Show, Nickelodeon™ at Sea,  Nickelodeon™ Slime Time Live!, Breakfast with Nickelodeon™ and the Murder Mystery “Presumed Murdered” lunch in the ship’s Spiegel Tent.

Guests can make a reservation for each show once per sailing prior to their cruise simply by visiting www.ncl.com, logging in to the “My NCL” section and visiting a special entertainment page where they can select and reserve their desired performance. Online pre-booking opens 45 days prior to sailing date.

“Norwegian Epic will redefine cruise ship entertainment with its wide variety of world-class entertainment,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer.

“We believe there will be a huge demand for the on-board entertainment and to ensure that guests can see the performances of their choice, we created a special pre-booking mechanism.  We feel that this will further the Freestyle Cruising experience, offering guests unsurpassed flexibility and convenience.”

To avail of this amazing cruise offer with NCL call Cruise Holidays on Dublin (01) 8173558 or Cork (021) 7010001

Cruise the Med for £1

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

 

MSC Cruises are offering passengers the chance to cruise in 2011 for just £1. When one adult books a 2011 Mediterranean cruise paying full brochure price, the second passenger sails for just £1!!

Prices start from £299 for three nights for the first passenger. Offers are based on two sharing a cabin and bookings must be made between 14 April and

10 May 2010. Children already cruise for free with MSC so now all you have to do is choose the perfect vessel for you trip.

 

The fleet comprises three ship classes, each unique in size and capacity and designed to appeal to different passenger types. For families and couples flagships

MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida offer children’s facilities, a huge choice of pools, entertainment facilities and many bars and restaurants to be enjoyed.

The Musica Class is slightly smaller then in comparison offering similar amenities in a more compact environment, and the Lirica Class is the most intimate among the fleet and a favourite with first timers. Happy Sailing!

Last minute bookings can save €€€

 

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

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It pays to wait according to the New York Daily News. The news provider claims cruisers can save as much as 60 per cent if they book at the last minute, availing of bargains on all-inclusive packages and hotel rates.

If you have a flexible diary and can holiday at any time then this option could save you thousands of Euro. The self-employed, the retired and the recently redundant are all eligible to get these discounts.

Freelance writer Donna Airoldi told the paper she saved between 40 and 60 per cent last year by booking her four holidays just three days before the departure date.

However it is worth noting that while the cruise itself may come in at a fraction of the cost, flights that are excluded from the package could end up costing you more.

But overall it may well be worth the expenditure.

 

Titanic Cookbook; good idea or bad taste?

 

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

 

A cookbook has been published based on the menu enjoyed by passengers of the Titanic shortly before she sank.

 

RMS Titanic: Dinner is Served is written by Yvonne Hume, a great-niece of the first violinist in the ship's orchestra. John Law Hume was one of the musicians who played on deck in an attempt to quell the rising panic as people were loaded into lifeboats – a scene recreated in James Cameron's Oscar-winning film Titanic.

 

Ms. Hume disagrees with those who think the cookbook morbid, saying: "The whole subject is romantic," she told a newspaper in Scotland. "There are many Titanic societies across the land, and these enthusiasts get together and have Titanic-themed evenings."

Apparently the passengers aboard the 'Titanic memorial cruise' will also experience the original menu and while first class guests dine on oyster, secnd class will have ragout of beef and third class plum pudding.
 
Miles Morgan Travel are organising the cruise and spokeswoman Tara Plumley said: "We will also be organising the high teas that were so popular on board the Titanic. The chefs with the Fred Olsen line are keen to be as accurate as possible."

MSC Cruises New Offer

 

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

 

MSC Cruises have launched a new all inclusive beverage package on all their ships, allowing passengers to enjoy free drinks on board at all restaurants, at the self service buffet and at the bars and cabin mini bar.

 

Oliviero Morelli, MSC Cruises Product and Operation Director for UK and Ireland comments, ‘The MSC Cruises’ all inclusive beverage package has been created to offer even more value for our guests. For a set price our passengers can enjoy free food, beverages and entertainment. There’s no better time to book an MSC Cruises holiday and see more of the world without breaking the bank!’

 

To help celebrate the launch MSC Cruises is offering these packages for free with all balcony cabins booked this month on sister ships MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia (offer ends 31 March 2010).

 

The packages include selected wines, beer, cocktails, soft drinks, mini bar (excluding champagne) and ice-cream and water.

 

Prices start from £999 pp including fly/cruise and all inclusive drinks package and the itineraries included in the MSC March 2010 offer include:

 

MSC Splendida on all seven night Mediterranean cruises, departing from March to November 2010, sailing to France, Spain, Tunisia, Malta and Italy.

 

MSC Fantasia on all seven night cruises, departing from March to October 2010 calling at ports in Italy, Tunisia, Balearic Islands, Spain and France.

 

Tweet your way onto a Celebrity Cruise

Tweet your way onto luxury cruise ship, Celebrity Eclipse, with the latest competition from Celebrity Cruises.

UK and Ireland Twitter users can enter by saying in 140 characters why they should be given the chance to be one of the first to see the new vessel at the @CelebrityUK twitter profile.

The winners will get to sail the 26 mile journey from the Papenberg ship yard in Germany along the River Ems to Eemshaven in Holland

The journey begins in mid-March 2010, a month before the vessel arrives in the UK for its inaugural celebrations and naming ceremony in Southampton.

The competition closes on February 14 at 23.59.

One of the judges will be the line’s UK and Ireland head of marketing Jo Briody.

Briody said: “We’re offering avid cruise fans online the chance to extend their social media interaction to the ultimate cruise lover’s experience.

“Anyone using twitter can tell the @CelebrityUK Twitter feed why they should get the chance to see new ship, Celebrity Eclipse, before anyone else.

“We’re looking for succinct creativity, recognition of the innovations onboard the ship, and to engage with the biggest fans of Celebrity Cruises. It really is the chance to tweet your way to the trip of a lifetime.”

 

P&O offer great savings

P&O Cruises are going all out for 2010 with their new ‘wave’ campaign. Starting on December 28 and running until January 31 P&O are offering huge incentives to potential customers.

 

Some of the wave offers available are double discounts on Azura and Ventura superior deluxe balcony staterooms, with savings of up to £1,000 per couple, double on board spending money – of up to £150 per person – on 25 selected departures between April and June, and ‘Cruise Ahead’ promotion offering an extra 5% discount if paid in full at time of booking.

 

Carol Marlow, P&O Cruises’ managing director said: “Our ‘January Sail’ promotion offers increased value for money in a time when people are looking for ways to save without compromising on experience or quality.”

Cruise Monte Carlo

A new seven-night cruise has been announced on luxury cruise line The Yachts of Seabourn. Taking in Monte Carlo and other hotspots throughout the Mediterranean, Seabourn Legend will take cruisers on an exciting journey from the 17^th - 24th May 2010, to coincide with the end date of the Monaco Grand Prix.

 

Motor enthusiasts can enjoy the event which runs from the 13^th-16^th of May and then hop aboard for a week of relaxation visiting Europe’s chicest island and city ports including Portofino on the Italian Riviera and Nice in France.

 

Seabourn Legend is renowned for its intimate atmosphere and personalized service and seems perfect for this unique voyage. Leaving Monte Carlo on 17^th May 2010, prices start from £1,799 per person based on double occupancy. This includes flights, in resort transfers, all fine dining, open bar, fully stocked mini-bar and tips and gratuities. For bookings contact Tour America.