Tag Archives: guests

Get Ready For An Awe-Inspiring Alaskan Adventure

Posted: March 2, 2022

Countries, Onboard Features, Press Release, , , , , , ,

Royal Caribbean International is returning to the Great Frontier for an unprecedented 28th consecutive season to discover America’s most picturesque shoreline, taking guests on an awe-inspiring Alaskan adventure.

Royal Caribbean Deployment Alaska

Australia’s own Explorer of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas will respectively sail seven-night itineraries that bring the Alaskan seascape to life and the state’s rocky enigmatic inland within reach.

Explorer of the Seas will sail roundtrip from Seattle, while Radiance of the Seas will sail between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska.

In 2017 Royal Caribbean guests will be taken to roads less travelled with an innovative set of cruise tours, before or after their unforgettable cruise. Guest will stay overnight in picturesque Alaskan escapes for the ultimate upclose experience .

The Kantishna Select Wilderness & Wildlife cruise tour will bring out your adventurous inner self, guided by local experts you will see the sights of Denali’s pristine wilderness. The cruise tour comprises two nights of élite accommodations at a Kantishna backcountry lodge, nestled in an idyllic setting on the bend of a river the wilderness lodges, directly after the cruise.

Kantishna Air Taxi (Denali National Park and Preserve, AK)

Kantishna Air Taxi (Denali National Park and Preserve, AK)

The Katmai Bear Trek & Kantishna Fly Over cruise tour is the icing on the cake for your Alaskan experience, you may even encounter the famous American Brown Bear hunting in its natural surroundings with an unexpected close and free view in the Katmai Park and Preserve.

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Alaska Adventure Collection     

Royal Caribbean is renowned for enriching the cruise experience by combining ships with vigorous immersive adventures in unbelievable destinations globally.  The prospects of discovery are uncovered with Princess Cruises where you traveling through timberlands, within botanical gardens, over glaciers, up mountain passes and across lakes.

Guests have a vast range of destinations and excursions to add to their “travel bucket list”, including:

  • Icy Straight Point: The world’s longest zipline with a 402 metre vertical drop, the ZipRider transports brave riders from mountain peak to harbor-side beach at almost 100 km/h.

Icy Straight Point

  • Juneau: Bald eagles, bears, caribou, and sea lions, are part of the Alaska Big 5 wildlife list, but whale watching in Stephen’s Passage is one of the most awe-inspiring wildlife experiences ever. Guests can enjoy this all-new shore excursion that brings them up-close-and-personal with humpback whales, sea lions, harbor seals, and more.

Juneau

  • Ketchikan: The largest wilderness in Alaska is the 2.3 million acre Misty Fjords which captures the breathtaking landscape from glacial blue lakes to waterfalls, rising to snowcapped peaks. The floatplane aerial view reveals the nuances of nature’s colour palette and textures, awarding the bragging rights travellers relish.

Ketchikan

  • Skagway: This town is so associated with the exhilaration of the Gold Rush and has become synonymous with rugged adventure. Travellers can take in the Tongass National Rainforest from the comfort of 4×4 vehicles or visit Musher’s Camp for a hands-on lesson in dog sledding.

  • Victoria, British Columbia: The 100 year old Buchart Gardens is one of Canada’s National Historic Sites having grown from a single rose bush to a verdant 55-acre oasis. Guests can also enjoy self-guided tours of this enchanting botanical display.

Victoria, British Columbia

Explorer of the Seas, the 15-deck, 1,557-stateroom ship which accommodates 3,840 guests was invigorated in 2015 to convey signature Royal Caribbean improvements like the FlowRider surf simulator, virtual balconies for interior staterooms and a variety of new dining experiences onboard.

Radiance of the Seas, the 13-deck, 1,071-stateroom ship accommodating 2,466 guests offers a 20 square metre, poolside movie screen, additionally to the signature rock-climbing wall, spa and multiple dining venues for which the cruise line is famous.

An Excursion For Every Passion With Costa Cruises

Posted: September 25, 2022

Countries, Onboard Features, Press Release, , , , , ,

Want to visit the Uffizi Gallery or savour Barolo in the Langhe on a cruise?

You can with Costa excursions!

Looking for the perfect trip to discover all the secrets of Mediterranean destinations? Whether you’re wild about gourmet wine and food tours or a lover of art, adventure or nature, you won’t be able to resist Costa Cruises special proposals to fully experience the most amazing Mediterranean destinations with everyone’s passions in mind.

In fact, the Italian cruise company proposes a wide selection of shore excursions, no matter what you’re looking for, when the fleet’s ships make calls to Mediterranean destinations. An opportunity for guests to take full advantage of all the special benefits that will make their vacation all the more exclusive: disembarkation priority and privileged entrance to museum and sites; guaranteed quality by qualified operators and multilingual guides; total assistance and safety; guaranteed price and rescheduling of excursions in case of changes to the itinerary.

However, the most important privilege is being able to use the time available as efficiently as possible: the experts at Costa Cruises have come up with shore excursions that will allow guests to discover the most interesting attractions on the itinerary, and not only in the cities where ships make calls, but also in the surrounding areas. A wide variety of unique choices, which only Costa can offer, to fully satisfy all those visiting destinations for the first time as well as guests who have already experienced the vacation spot but want to find out even more.

During Costa cruises gourmets will be able to choose from among various wine and food excursions in each of the Mediterranean destinations, and all with an eye on experiencing the best local dishes and delicacies. For example, guests can spend an afternoon tasting wine and cheese in Minorca, and thrill to the discovery of a real gem: Binifadet, a wine cellar founded in 1979, where they can savour the island’s best wines, cheeses and unique wine marmalade. Instead, to become more familiar with the real tastes of Sicily, there’s nothing better than an exclusive excursion to Palazzo Federico, one of the most beautiful historic residences of the old town of Palermo, where descendants of the old noble family still live today. The hosts will open their doors to guests, helping them to discover the treasures of the palace as they walk through magnificent halls and view splendid works of art, while also tasting specialities of Palermo’s traditional cuisine. Or Costa guests can enjoy a tour of the tapas in Barcelona, the “panisse” in Marseilles, and savour real pizza in Naples or focaccia in Genoa. And another excursion that can’t be missed is the one to the Langhe, from Savona, where Barolo wine and truffles take centre stage.

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Instead, all those with a craving for culture will be spoiled by the number of choices, with visits to the most famous museums, palaces and archaeological sites that will be even more enjoyable by skipping long queues. For example, in Florence, which can be visited when ships call on La Spezia, Costa proposes a visit to the Uffizi Galley, which hosts masterpieces by Botticelli, Caravaggio, Raffaello and Leonardo da Vinci, before venturing into the historic centre of the city. Not to mention a tour of Rome, to visit the Vatican Museums, the Imperial Fora and the Sistine Chapel. At Volos, in Greece, guests will enjoy a unique cultural experience, climbing to the top of the Thessaly hills, the site of a complex of 24 monasteries built at the top of sandstone cliffs, called “The Meteora”. Some of the numerous attractions include the archaeological sites of Pompeii, Ercolano, Olympia and Segesta; in Athens, guests can’t miss a visit to the Acropolis, and the temple of Poseidon, just like it’s a must to visit St Mark’s Square in Venice. Other new excursions include the Sassi of Matera, the Gaudì palaces in Barcelona, the Postojna Cave, or Erice, the Royal Palace of Caserta, the Palaces of the Rolli in the historic centre of Genoa and Lucca.

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Travellers always looking for adventure won’t be able to resist the most breathtaking excursions. Starting with the one by jeep to the amazing marble quarries of Carrara, on the Apuan Alps, or a catamaran tour on the crystal-clear waters of Majorca or Croatia, off-road adventures in Malta, Santorini, Mykonos and on the Etna volcano, or a horseback riding excursion in the Mijas mountain range, near Malaga.

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For nature lovers it’s a good idea to arm themselves with camera and comfortable shoes to immortalize the beautiful panoramas that will unfold before them during all the “green” excursions in the Mediterranean: in Salerno guests can walk for 3 hours along the Path of the Gods, an amazing panoramic trail overlooking the Almafi Coast, which also offers a magnificent view over Conca dei Marini. In Dubrovnik guests can enjoy a kayak adventure in the fascinating Kolorina Bay, getting a close-up view of the island of Lokrum and Betina beach. Other must-do excursions include bicycle tours, the perfect idea for bike enthusiasts and for all those who just want to have fun, with the help of Costa guides: guests will be able to find out all about magnificent cities such as Marseilles, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Genoa, but also to enjoy incredible panoramas, such as on the eastern Ligurian Riviera along a bike path created on the old coastal railway line running between the villages of Framura, Bonassola and Levanto.

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Sport buffs, on the other hand, will be thrilled to visit the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, during the stopover in La Spezia, that also includes an exciting ride on a simulator, or to go to Camp Nou, the stadium of Barcelona.

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Style and Beauty Experts Give Carnival Guests the Inside Running for Melbourne Cup

Posted: September 24, 2022

Australia, Countries, Press Release, Tips and Advice, , , , ,

Carnival Cruise Line has added two of Australia’s leading beauty and style experts to an already strong field of onboard talent during this year’s Melbourne Cup cruise on Carnival Spirit.

Stylist to the stars Penny Hunt and Beauticate website founder Sigourney Cantelo – both former Beauty Editors at Vogue – will ensure Carnival Spirit’s 2600 guests will be ready to put their best foot forward at Flemington for Cup day and Oaks day following a series of onboard beauty and style workshops, including a fashion presentation and the latest looks from high street brands.

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Having judged Fashions on the Field at Melbourne Cup, been the Fashion Editor for Men’s Style magazine, Fashion and Beauty Editor at Mindfood Magazine and a style consultant for the Seven Network, Penny will be in good stead to oversee Carnival Spirit’s fashion parade at sea. Hunt has styled many famed faces including Cate Blanchett and Asher Keddie as well as host of Australia’s Next Top Model, Jennifer Hawkins, and Sonia Kruger for Dancing With The Stars. She has appeared as a fashion and beauty expert for Channel Nine’s Morning Show and spent over six years glamming up TV’s best for the annual Logie awards.

Sigourney’s website Beauticate is devoted to the whos and how tos of style and make up featuring some of Australia’s most beautiful women such as Jessica Gomes, Samantha Harris, Jessica Hart, Delta Goodrem and Dannii Minogue. Sigourney will be onboard sharing her award-winning flair for beauty education.

With a combined 30 years of beauty and style experience between them, Carnival Cruise Line Australia Vice President Jennifer Vandekreeke said the guest speakers would make sure punters were race ready.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“As our guests cruise south to Melbourne they will be in very stylish and beautiful hands with Penny and Sigourney sharing a lifetime of style tips and beauty wisdom to ensure everyone looks and feels their best on Cup day,” Ms Vandekreeke said.[/pullquote]

Ms Vandekreeke said the workshops would especially come in handy for the ladies with Carnival now also offering its guests a general admission ticket to Crown Oaks day during the ship’s extended four-day call to Melbourne - an experience not offered by any other cruise line.

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Departing Sydney on October 30, Carnival Spirit’s eight-night Cup cruise features a “Halloween spooktacular” before racing fever takes over. Well-known race caller John Tapp will share his knowledge about Australia’s premier horse race during a Q&A session and a Cup-themed degustation dinner while popular racing personality Richie Callander will also return to Carnival Spirit this year to impart his top tips in the lead up to the big event. Other racing themed activities will include sweepstakes and a series of special dining experiences, including a Mad Hatters’ afternoon tea and post-Cup recovery brunch. Cruisers will also be able to participate in a Behind the Scenes tour of the Cup at Flemington.

 

Crystal to stretch out free WiFi to all guests

Posted: August 24, 2022

New Cruise Ship, Onboard Features, , , ,

Crystal Cruises announced that it will expand complimentary Internet access to all of its luxury guests. Beginning August 30 on both, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, Crystal will provide one free hour per guest, per day for Deluxe Stateroom and Penthouse guests; 90 minutes for Penthouse Suite guests.

With additional free access to Crystal’s 24-hour satellite-enabled wireless Internet – which will also be available aboard Crystal Yacht Cruises’ Crystal Esprit when the maiden voyage embarks on December 23, 2015 – travelers can remain connected while on vacation, whether on their own devices or utilizing one of the ships’ cutting edge work stations or portable laptop rentals, which are available for a nominal fee.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”While some travelers like to ‘unplug’ on vacation, many of our guests wish to stay connected while traveling, whether for business purposes, to stay in touch with loved ones, or to share their Crystal experiences along their journeys,” says President & CEO Edie Rodriguez, “It is always our goal to make life aboard our ships as effortless and comfortable as possible for our guests, and amenities like free Internet go a long way to help those efforts.”[/pullquote]

For guests seeking more time online, Crystal offers four convenient packages to suit their needs:

  • Plan A: “Pay As You Go” for $0.74 per minute
  • Plan B: 2 hours (120 minutes) for $55 ($0.46 per minute)
  • Plan C: 5 hours (300 minutes) for $127 ($0.43 per minute)
  • Plan D: 10 hours (600 minutes) for $220 ($0.37 per minute)

Last year, Crystal installed improvements to the onboard experience, including:

  • Maximizing satellite bandwidth with the latest technology, allowing for more users and more content to stream simultaneously.
  • Expansion of Wi-Fi signal range throughout the ships, making wireless connection available everywhere on board, including all staterooms, public spaces, and outdoor decks.
  • The ability to access internet in areas that were previously unavailable, such as Japan.

The free Wi-Fi perk was previously available only to Crystal Society Members, the line’s repeat guest loyalty program.

The world’s most awarded cruise line has long been celebrated for its onboard technological offerings, including the Computer University@Sea facilities, equipped with state-of-the-art Mac/Windows dual-compatible computers and expert staff on hand for instruction and assistance. Specially designed classes offer curriculum tailored toward novice and expert users, with topics ranging from basic operating systems and use of smart phones and other devices, to digital photo and video editing and website design.

Cruise captains banned from shaking guests’ hands

Posted: August 6, 2022

Health & Safety, Onboard Features, , , , ,

Feasting at the captain’s table is, for the fortunate few, maybe the charming highlight of an extravagance cruise.

In any case, having wore your dickie bow for the huge night, don’t be astonished on the off chance that he doesn’t extend a gold-meshed arm in welcome.

For some cruise ships have banned travelers from shaking hands with the captain in the midst of reasons for alarm over exceptionally infectious stomach infections being passed on.

Onboard flare-ups of norovirus have transformed numerous cruises into a bad dream for holidaymakers, leaving them enduring constant retching and looseness of the bowels.

The offer to avert it being passed to captains at meal time, cocktail drinks gatherings and noted by Margaret Thatcher’s official biographer Charles Moore when he went on his first journey as of late.

Writing in The Spectator magazine about his time on board the £225 million, 1,070-passenger Crystal Serenity on a 12 day, £3,700 per person cruise from Lisbon to London via the west coast of France, he said: ‘Every effort was made to look after us courteously. Modern standards, however, put things under some strain. ‘As our voyage neared its end, the daily ship newspaper, Reflections, delivered to the door of our cabin (‘stateroom’) said: ‘All guests are cordially invited to join Captain Birger J Vorland and Crystal Society Hostess Isabell Wagner in the Palm Court at 7.45pm.

‘While the captain is pleased to meet you, he and the other staff receiving you refrain from shaking hands in order to provide the most effective preventative sanitary measures’.’

Crystal Cruises spokesman said: ‘It used to be, back in the day, that the captain would shake everyone’s hand. But because norovirus is spread so easily it’s just standard now that when the captains are greeting lots of people they don’t shake hands.

‘They are not being rude, it’s a preventative measure. It’s been the case on our two ships since at least 2008.’

Whether or not passengers can shake hands with the captain is down to individual cruise lines, say the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]A Cunard spokesman said: ‘While I was on Queen Mary 2 last week the captain shook hands with passengers attending the many cocktail parties that were held.’[/pullquote]

A CLIA spokesman insisted norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships are uncommon, affecting ‘just 1 out of every 12,000 cruise passengers’.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]He said: ‘You are 750 times more likely to get norovirus on land than on a cruise ship.’[/pullquote]

Standard procedures for CLIA cruise lines to follow when a guest on board is suspected of contracting the gastrointestinal illness include regularly sanitizing door handles, railings and elevator buttons, providing hand sanitizers to passengers during their cruise, and sending public health specialists as well as additional medical personnel to ships as required.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The CLIA spokesman said: ‘Norovirus can remain viable on hands for hours thereby giving hands the potential to spread the infection both directly and indirectly. ‘Hand washing is therefore the single most important procedure for preventing the spread of infection.’[/pullquote]

Source: Daily Mail Australia