Now is the Time to Plan a Cruise Down Under

Sydney Harbour - Credit: Tourism Australia Copyright

Now is the Time...

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Some time in our lives we'd all love to leave our footprints on a white sand beach or snorkel the crystal clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef. It is here, in Australia and the South Pacific, that natural beauty abounds. Fascinating people inhabit peaceful islands and charming cities combine old-world atmosphere with hardy, frontier spirit.

Cruise Season:  October - April


A cruise to Australia, New Zealand, and/or the South Pacific can fulfill almost every exotic adventure that a serious traveler could dream. Cruises and cruisetours start at 14 nights long and sail seasonally between October and April. The beauty of these itineraries is that you can see as much of the South Pacific as you like in one cruise.

Great Barrier Reef - Credit: Tourism Australia Copyright

2017-18 Deployments Announced

Cruise lines have begun announcing their Australia plans for the 2017-18 season, and now is the time to plan a cruise vacation there as additional capacity means greater flexibility and potential savings.   In this article, we will discuss the deployments that have been announced.  In future articles and on our website, we will provide updates on the itineraries, and also take a closer look at the destination itself.

Australia is one of the world's fastest-growing cruise destinations and this next deployment reflects increases to programs as the lines establish a strong presence Down Under.

Carnival Cruise Line continues to base the 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit in Sydney, Australia year-round. The Spirit sails Australia Cruises, Long Cruises, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands on 2 – 5 Days, 6 – 9 Days, and 10+ Days itineraries. The 88,500-ton Spirit  is so big it can't fit under the city's Harbour Bridge, therefore, it will be based at Circular Quay's Overseas Passenger Terminal.

The 88,500-ton, 2,680-passenger Carnival Legend, sister ship to the Carnival Legend, has been deployed seasonally in Australia after being "Aussified" in 2014 where she  received a range of upgrades to ensure she's perfectly suited for the tastes of the Aussie market.   It sails Australia Cruises, Long Cruises, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands on 2 – 5 Days, 6 – 9 Days, and 10+ Days itineraries. See Carnival Australia for specific details about these cruises.

Celebrity Cruises deployed  the 2,850-passenger Celebrity Solstice to Australia and New Zealand in December, 2012, taking the place of the smaller, 1,814-passenger Celebrity Century.  It has been there since that time. The itineraries offer guests a vast array of options, ranging from 10 to 16 nights, departing from Sydney, Fremantle and Auckland.

Royal Caribbean International announced that it will have four ships in Australia during the 2017-18 season.Voyager of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas will continue to be based in Sydney, offering two- to 14-night sailings around Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. The line offers the most ships and sailings from Sydney seasonally.

Royal Caribbean has big plans for the 2018 season as they announced newest ship, Ovation of the Seas, will also be in the region sailing 5 to 14-night itineraries.

Holland America has two ships sailing in Australia:  the 1,972-passenger Noordam and the 1,258 -passenger Maasddam,    The ships will sail 8 to 15-night itineraries in and around Australia and New Zealand departing from Sydney, Fremantle and Auckland.

Princess Cruises deployment  includes 5 ships,  4 to 14-night itineraries, and 76 voyages. The following ships are deployed in the region: Diamond Princess, Golden Princess, Majestic Princess, Sea Princess, and Sun Princess.

Norwegian Cruises will have one ship deployed in the region, Norwegian Jewel.  Itineraries will range from 3 to 14-Nights.    Several luxury lines will also have deployments in Australia & New Zealand. 

Search for Australia / New Zealand cruises here

Contact us for more information about Cruising in Australia

Visit Australia.com to learn more about what Australia has to offer during your cruise vacation. 
 

TM © The Brand Australia trademark and the Tourism Australia trademark are the subject of copyright and trademarks of Tourism Australia, 2004.

 

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Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now. We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.

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Dining at Sea Part 5

Looks Too Good to Eat

We've already talked about how presentation is a key ingredient of  the cruise ship dining experience.  From the time you get onboard the ship and head to the buffet for the first time, to your first dinner at the main dining room, to the evening you dine at one of the specialty venues, the food you eat is on display.

Your sense of sight is delighted by the food displayed in front of you each and every time you sit down to eat while on the cruise.  The crew spends hours in preparation to make sure that everything is just right, not just the taste, but also the way it appeals to you even before you take that first bite.

Did you ever have a plate put in front of you that looked too good to eat?  Perhaps when you went to a local diner, they had a display case of desserts just inside the entry way.   If you are like me, you want to skip the main course somehow and get to those tempting treats that were on display.

Chocolate Buffet

Norwegian Cruise Line is known for their Freestyle Dining which allows you to dine any time you want (within some boundaries) and at any venue on the ship.   Some of the options are included in your cruise cost while others have a modest fee, which is an extra gratuity for the special service and quality of food that you are given.

Another thing they are known for is their Chocolate Buffet.   The image above shows some of the creative treats that the crew prepared for us on one of our recent NCL cruises.   Next time you are on Norwegian, be sure to find out when that buffet occurs and at least take some pictures.

Dessert Extravaganza

Very similar to NCL's Chocolate Buffet is Holland America Line's Dessert Extravaganza.  As the name suggests, dessert items are prepared and put on display for you to enjoy, first by taking pictures, and of course, you can eat until your heart is content.

Grand Buffet

In years gone past, cruise lines had a special midnight buffet which usually had a name like "Grand Buffet".  It was held sometime around midnight, which often became one of the jokes of the Cruise Director ("what time is the midnight buffet?").   Thirty minutes to an hour before the official start of the buffet, the main dining room doors would be open to allow for picture taking.  

With the advent of multistory dining rooms,  this was quite impressive, as you would enter from the top level, walk down the staircase which would give you a birds eye view of the entire setup.   Perhaps we'll go through our archives and share some of those past memories with you. Do you remember them?

Always read your daily paper during your cruise so that you can find out about any special treats thatthe crew has in store for you.   The culinary staff is quite talented and they love sharing their handiwork.   Several lines have cookbooks that even share some of the recipes.

Cruises Skip Sitka Due to Weather

  Alaska Cruise Season Ends Early  

Weather has been plaguing cruise ship schedules the past few days with the latest impact occurring this week in Sitka.   Two ships, Holland America  Westerdam and Oosterdam were scheduled to make calls in Sitka, but those calls have been cancelled.  Calls by the same ships were cancelled last week as well.

 

The current weather forecast calls for rainy and windy conditions for the next few days, prompting the cancellations.  These would have been the final ships to call in the port town for the 2013 Alaska Cruise season which begins in May and runs through the end of September.

 

In other weather, we need to keep an eye on a potential storm that might develop on the east coast of the United States in the next few days.

 

While this is disappointing for the passengers who had hoped to get into the Alaskan port of Sitka, cruise lines always take security of passengers, crew, and ships into consideration when making changes like this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Syria Crisis Impacts Cruise Itineraries

Photo courtesy Holland America Blog

Holland America Noordam

Skips Israel Ports

The crisis in Syria has had its first impact on cruise line itineraries as Holland America Line skipped calls in Haifa and Jerusalem this week citing “the uncertainties of possible military action against Syria and the potential of resulting Syrian attacks on Israel.” as reason for the itinerary changes.

The line replaced these calls with visits to Bodrum and Antalya, Turkey, and Nafplion, Greece.

We previously reported, in Must be Summer - Egypt Calls Canceled, that Noordam had replaced port calls in Port Said & Alexandria with these ports in Israel due to the unrest in Egypt.

Unrest in the Region

As tensions rise in the region, cruise lines and governments will be closely monitoring developments and making adjustments and recommendations as warranted.   As always, regardless of where you are traveling, citizens of the United States and all countries, should be vigilant of their surroundings while abroad.

Here are some resources to help you stay up to date on developments:

Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Country Specific Information

Egypt Country Specific Information

Syria Country Specific Information

International Travel (U.S. Dept. of State)

 

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) 

 

 

POPE FRANCIS CALLS FOR WORLDWIDE DAY OF PRAYER AND FASTING FOR PEACE IN SYRIA, IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND IN THE WORLD. ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7th

 

The Pope is calling on people of all faiths to unite in prayer this coming weekend for peace in Syria, Middle East, and the world.

 

 Read More: THE POPE CONVOKES A DAY OF PRAYER AND PENANCE FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

We will continue to monitor this developing story as unrest continues to impact the travel industry.

Must be Summer - Egypt Calls Canceled

Egyptian Sphinx - Courtesy Azamara Club Cruises

 Cruise Line 

Itinerary Changes

Princess Cruises and Seabourn become the latest lines to alter itineraries to avoid Egypt.

This situation has been going on for the last several summers, so it doesn't come as a huge surprise.

The lines have been monitoring the political unrest in Egypt and adjusting schedules in the interest of passenger safety.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

Recent Embassy Notices for American Citizens   

(July 3, 2013) The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens to defer travel to Egypt and U.S. citizens living in Egypt to depart at this time because of the continuing political and social unrest.  More...

We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Egypt enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).  


American Citizens Services Facebook page (Egypt Embassy)

Additional links can be found on our International Travel Page

Cruise Line Advisories:

Holland America Line Travel Adviory
Seabourn Travel Advisory
 

Here are itinerary changes that we are aware of at this time:

SHIP	ORIGINAL	MODIFIED
Pacific Princess	Alexaneria Aug 1-2	Santorini & Corru
Dawn Princess	Safaga August 7	Ashod (for Jerusalem)
Dawn Princess	Alexandria August 10	Isarael
Dawn Princess	Sharm El Sheikh September 14	Crete (Aghios Nikolas) Greece
Seabourn Legend	Alexandria October 11	Santorini, Crete, Marmaris
Seabourn Legend	Hurghada October 24	Iraklion, Crete
Seabourn Legend	Sharm El Sheikh October 26	Rhodes, Haifa
Seabourn Legend	Safaga, for Luxor October 27-28	Ashdod and Aqaba
Seabourn Odyssey	Hurghada October 18	Sea Day
Seabourn Odyssey	Safaga, for Luxor October 20-21	Sea Day
ms Noordam	Alexandria August 15 & 26 Sailings	Ashdod (Jerusalem) & Haifa (Tel Aviv, Nazareth), Israel
ms Noordam	Port Said & Alexandria October 20 Sailing	Haifa (Tel Aviv, Nazareth), Israel, & Limassol, Cyprus
ms Rotterdam	Port Said & Alexandria October 31 & November 20 Sailings	Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey and Limassol, Cyprus
ms Prinsendam	Port Said & Alexandria October 28 Sailing	Rhodes, Greece, and Katakolon (Olympia), Greece

Now is the Time to Plan a Cruise Down Under

Sydney Harbour - Credit: Tourism Australia Copyright

Now is the Time...

Cruise Australia

More Ships

Larger Ships

More Choices

Some time in our lives we'd all love to leave our footprints on a white sand beach or snorkel the crystal clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef. It is here, in Australia and the South Pacific, that natural beauty abounds. Fascinating people inhabit peaceful islands and charming cities combine old-world atmosphere with hardy, frontier spirit.

Cruise Season:  October - April


A cruise to Australia, New Zealand, and/or the South Pacific can fulfill almost every exotic adventure that a serious traveler could dream. Cruises and cruisetours start at 14 nights long and sail seasonally between October and April. The beauty of these itineraries is that you can see as much of the South Pacific as you like in one cruise.

Great Barrier Reef - Credit: Tourism Australia Copyright

2014-15 Deployments Announced

Cruise lines have begun announcing their Australia plans for the 2014-15 season, and now is the time to plan a cruise vacation there as additional capacity means greater flexibility and potential savings.   In this article, we will discuss the deployments that have been announced.  In future articles and on our website, we will provide updates on the itineraries, and also take a closer look at the destination itself.

Australia is one of the world's fastest-growing cruise destinations and this next deployment reflects increases to programs as the lines establish a strong presence Down Under.

Carnival Cruise Line continues to base the 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit in Sydney, Australia year-round. The Spirit will sail 8- to 12-night voyages to the Pacific Islands as well as 13-night sailings to New Zealand.  The 88,500-ton Spirit  is so big it can't fit under the city's Harbour Bridge, therefore, it will be based at Circular Quay's Overseas Passenger Terminal.

The 88,500-ton, 2,680-passenger Carnival Legend, sister ship to the Carnival Legend, will be deployed seasonally in Australia after being "Aussified".  According to the local Carnival Cruise Line director, “Carnival Legend will go into dry dock in 2014 where she will receive a range of upgrades to ensure she's perfectly suited for the tastes of the Aussie market. We will be using our valuable learnings from the first year of Carnival Spirit's deployment to decide on the best features and enhancement for Australians.” 

Last year Celebrity Cruises announced plans to  send  the 2,850-passenger Celebrity Solstice, to Australia and New Zealand in December, 2012, taking the place of the smaller, 1,814-passenger Celebrity Century.  For the 2014-15 Season, Celebrity Century rejoins Celebrity Solstice in Australia.

Celebrity Century and Celebrity Solstice together will offer 27 cruises in Australia in 2014-15, representing a 50 percent increase from the previous season. The itineraries offer guests a vast array of options, ranging from three to 23 nights, departing from Sydney, Fremantle and Auckland.

Celebrity Century will visit 17 ports in four countries during the Australia season, including five first-time ports: Port Lincoln and Cairns, Australia; and Champagne Bay, Mystery Island and Vila, Vanuatu. Within the complete collection of itineraries are a 23-night “Golden Gate to Sydney Opera House” cruise from San Francisco to Sydney via Hawaii and Tahiti; 8-night Australia vacations and a 7-night Tasmania cruise; 12-night South Pacific and Fiji Islands sailings, and a 14-night South Pacific cruise. Celebrity Century will cap her Australia/New Zealand season with a 14-night cruise to Singapore January 11, 2015, where the ship will present a new Southeast Asia series until April 2015.

Celebrity Solstice will set sail on her third Australia/New Zealand season from Sydney October 10, 2014. The ship’s three-month Australia/New Zealand season will be highlighted by Celebrity’s first cruise combining Tropical Queensland with the South Pacific islands; new 12- and 14-night Australian itineraries, in addition to a three-night weekend getaway from Sydney and an eight-night South Australian cruise; a 12-night South Pacific/Fiji cruise; a 17-night Australia/New Zealand sailing from Auckland to Perth, which can be combined with a 17-night “Top End” Australia cruise from Perth to Sydney to create an exceptional 34-night circumnavigation of Australia, and an 18-night sailing across the Pacific from Sydney to Honolulu.

Royal Caribbean International announced that it will have three ships in Australia during the 2014-15 season.Voyager of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas will continue to be based in Sydney, offering two- to 17-night sailings around Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. The line offers the most ships and sailings from Sydney seasonally.

Royal Caribbean has big plans for the 2014-15 season as they announced their biggest deployment to date. Part of the plans call for Voyager of the Seas to undergo a multi-million dollar refurbishment before the new cruise season kicks off.

At press time, we didn't have updates for Holland America and Princess Cruises but we expect similar deployments from last season:

Holland America had two ships sailing in Australia:  the 1,926-passenger Oosterdam and the 1,432-passenger Volendam,    Holland America sailed 10- to 25-day itineraries in and around Australia and New Zealand.

Princess Cruises deployment  included 4 ships, 11 itineraries, and 45 voyages. There were  three ships deployed in the region: Diamond Princess, Dawn Princess and Sea Princess.

Contact us for more information about Cruising in Australia

Visit Australia.com to learn more about what Australia has to offer during your cruise vacation. 
 

TM © The Brand Australia trademark and the Tourism Australia trademark are the subject of copyright and trademarks of Tourism Australia, 2004.

Ships Still Skipping Grand Turk

Grand Turk Cruise Center

Not Busy These Days

Q: What's missing in this live webcam image?

A: People

This once busy cruise center has been quiet since early March due to an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness, commonly known as Norovirus.

Carnival Corporation, in an abundance of caution, discontinued stops in Grand Turk for all their brands through the end of March shortly after the outbreak March 11th.

Additional Port Cancellations 

While investigations are still underway by Carnival Corporation, Grand Turk Cruise Center, and local authorities,  Carnival Corporation changed the itineraries of several more voyages for this week:

• Carnival Breeze April 1 -  replaced with Nassau
• Carnival Victory April 4 - replaced with Freeport
• Carnival Liberty April 4 - extended port time in San Juan to 10 p.m., added sea day 
• Ruby Princess April 5 - replaced with Nassau
• Holland America's Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam visits - sailing to San Juan instead

UPDATE:
Carnival Corp. confirmed that Carnival Cruise Lines and Princess Cruises ships will begin calling on Grand Turk on Monday, April 8.

Read More: 

Health Ministry Reports Decrease in Vomiting and Diarrhoea Cases in Grand Turk
Grand Turk Cruise Center

More Changes for Mexican Ports of Call

MS Oosterdam in Mexican Riviera

New Cancellations for

Mazatlan & Acapulco

Earlier this year we brought you articles about the violence in Mazatlan which prompted several cruise line changes in the Mexican Riviera region.

Holland America Line has just confirmed that the MS Oosterdam, which sails 7-day sailings to the Mexican Riviera from San Diego, will now feature two consecutive days in Puerto Vallarta instead of a visit to Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan.

Several cruise lines, including Holland America, made modifications to schedules earlier in the year following a wave of violence, which included a shooting of a passenger in the leg and another widely publicized shooting in a hotel parking lot.  The changes were made in the abundance of  caution despite Mexican authority promises of increased security.   See our related blog posts: Carnival and NCL Skip Mazatlan Calls and   Cruise Lines Pull Out of Mazatlan   for more background.

Calls for all lines in Mazatlan have fallen from 200 in 2010 to 30 this year, with only about a third of 2011 calls in 2012.  Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Star will return to the region in 2013 with, as of this writing, calls to the traditional ports of Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta during the seven-day voyages from Los Angeles.

Cliff Divers in Acapulco

Acapulco Itinerary Changes

If you were planning on seeing the popular cliff divers in Acapulco on one of Holland America's Statendam's 14-night Panama Canal Explorer cruises sailing from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego or Rotterdam's 30-night Inca Empire South America voyage departing February 3, you will be disappointed. Both ships will spend additional time in Santa Cruz Huatulco instead of a call in Acapulco.

A crime wave began in August, with a reported 148 deaths, prompting the government to  reinforce the local police force of  1500 with an additional 3000 troops from Army, Navy, and Federal Police.   The death toll has fallen since that action, but HAL and luxury line Seabourn have still cut calls in Acapulco. Oceania, Regent Seven Seas and Silversea have left their handful of 2012 calls on the schedule at this time, but all lines will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments in the interest of safety if warranted.  For the lines that have pulled out, they will work with local authorities to determine when and if it is safe to resume calling in the port.

See our International Travel tab her or on our Facebook Fan page  for important information for anyone traveling abroad.  You need to be aware of entry / exit requirements, health concerns and precautions, and any travel advisories for any port of call that you visit.   There are general guidelines to make your vacation worry free to the extent that it can be.   Being prepared and aware of your surroundings is the best advice we can give you when traveling, even at home.

Specifically,

For those traveling to Mexico, please consult the U.S. State Department's Travel Warnings at:

Mexico Country Specific Information

Lines Reduced Cruises to Bermuda

Holland America Line

Latest To Pull Out of

Bermuda

Holland America has announced that Veendam won't be returning to Bermuda for the 2013 summer season. 

"We will continue to call in Hamilton occasionally on other itineraries," said the line in a statement. "The 2012 season will mark three years of Bermuda cruising roundtrip from New York and in 2013 other destinations are being considered as part of our overall global deployment."


This announcement comes just weeks after Carnival announced that Carnival Pride would be redeployed  in the Eastern Caribbean instead of Bermuda for the 2012 Summer season.  Carnival Pride will still sail one voyage to Bermuda.

While The Veendam and Pride are pulling out, that doesn't mean that there won't be ships in Bermuda or that the region is being abandoned by the cruise lines.  Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises will offer regular Bermuda sailings in 2012, and Norwegian has already announced that its new Norwegian Breakaway will debut in spring 2013 with a series of Bermuda cruises. 

Bermuda is a great cruise destination.  Most cruises to Bermuda originate from New York and typically spend two or three days docked in one of Bermuda's ports of call so that you can explore the country both day and night taking in the complete atmosphere of the island country.  The people are very friendly there and there is much to do.  It is quite easy to explore on your own by using public transportation including buses and ferries.

For those that have never cruised before, Bermuda is a great destination to do since there is a minimal amount of actual sailing.   You can experience life onboard the ship and use the ship as your floating hotel while in Bermuda, saving on food and entertainment costs for example.

Qantas Resumes Flights After Court Action

Qantas Airline Grounded 

Entire Fleet

 Disrupting Air Travel 

Across the Globe 

Causing Woes 

For Cruise Passengers

A surprise grounding of all Qantas flights on Saturday caused a nearly 48 hour disruption of service in Australia, Los Angeles, and elsewhere. Flights resumed after an Australian court ruled on the bitter labor dispute which prompted the walk-out.

The Australian government called an emergency court hearing on Saturday night to end the work bans for the sake of the national economy.  There had been no advance warning of the labor action.

Qantas is the largest of Australia's four national domestic airlines, and the grounding affected 108 planes in 22 countries. About 70,000 passengers fly Qantas daily, and would-be fliers this weekend were stuck at home, hotels or airports, or even had to suddenly deplane when Qantas suspended operations. More than 60 flights were in the air at the time but continued to their destinations, and Qantas was paying for passengers to book other flights according to the airline.

Cruise Passengers Scrambling

Royal Caribbean, Princess and Holland America all have ships sailing in the region and are evaluating the situation. Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas is scheduled to sail from Perth, Australia, on Monday evening, meaning that many passengers are likely scrambling to make alternate travel arrangements. 

It will be 24 to 48 hours before Qantas returns to normal.  See the following link for Latest information about resumption of scheduled Qantas services.

Top 10 Reason For Trip Insurance

This airline strike is unfortunately another example of an unexpected situation that can cause your vacation plans to go awry. We always highly recommend you purchase travel insurance for these unexpected events. We want you to have a worry free vacation, so the small cost of the insurance should be reason enough for peace of mind. The priceless component is that there is someone you can turn to should an emergency situation occur.

This weekend alone, insurance companies, like Travel Guard, were helping stranded passengers due to Tropical Storm Rina, the snowstorms on the East Coast, and this Qantas strike.   And those are only the ones that made front page news.  The most common excuse I hear for not purchasing insurance is "I don't need it, I plan to go no matter what."   As you can see from these examples, you aren't always in control.  

Added Capacity in Australia 2012-13

Sydney Harbour - Credit: Tourism Australia Copyright

Now is the Time...

Cruise Australia

More Ships

Larger Ships

More Choices

Some time in our lives we'd all love to leave our footprints on a white sand beach or snorkel the crystal clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef. It is here, in Australia and the South Pacific, that natural beauty abounds. Fascinating people inhabit peaceful islands and charming cities combine old-world atmosphere with hardy, frontier spirit.

Cruise Season:  October - April


A cruise to Australia, New Zealand, and/or the South Pacific can fulfill almost every exotic adventure that a serious traveler could dream. Cruises and cruisetours start at 14 nights long and sail seasonally between October and April. The beauty of these itineraries is that you can see as much of the South Pacific as you like in one cruise.

Great Barrier Reef - Credit: Tourism Australia Copyright

2012-13 Deployments Announced

Cruise lines have begun announcing their Australia plans for the 2012-13 season, and now is the time to plan a cruise vacation there as additional capacity means greater flexibility and potential savings.   In this article, we will discuss the deployments that have been announced.  In future articles, we will provide updates on the itineraries, and also take a closer look at the destination itself. 

Carnival Cruise Line is basing the 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit in Sydney, Australia year-round starting October, 2012. The Spirit will sail 8- to 12-night voyages to the Pacific Islands as well as 13-night sailings to New Zealand.  The 88,500-ton Spirit  is so big it can't fit under the city's Harbour Bridge, therefore, it will be based at Circular Quay's Overseas Passenger Terminal.

Celebrity Cruises announced plans to send  the 2,850-passenger Celebrity Solstice, to Australia and New Zealand in December, 2012, taking the place of the smaller, 1,814-passenger Celebrity Century.  The ship will sail  12- and 13-night voyages between Sydney and Auckland, New Zealand during the winter of 2012-13. The season also will include a circumnavigation of Australia, consisting of two sailings between Sydney and Perth (Fremantle). Many of the itineraries will include overnight stays in Sydney.

Holland America announced that it will have two ships sailing in Australia during the 2012-13 season,  the 1,926-passenger Oosterdam and the 1,432-passenger Volendam, increasing capacity by 25% over the 2011-12 season.   Holland America says its plans 10- to 25-day itineraries in and around Australia and New Zealand for the 2012-13 season. Detailed itineraries have not been announced yet.

Princess Cruises 2012 deployment will include 4 ships, 11 itineraries, and 45 voyages. There are several new itineraries including a 14-day Australia & New Zealand itinerary on Diamond Princess, a 11-day itinerary on Dawn Princess that offers a chance to view the 2012 solar eclipse, and  a 33-day Australia & New Zealand voyage on Sea Princess.

Contact us for more information about Cruising in Australia

Visit Australia.com to learn more about what Australia has to offer during your cruise vacation. 
 

TM © The Brand Australia trademark and the Tourism Australia trademark are the subject of copyright and trademarks of Tourism Australia, 2004.

Cruise Lines Pull Out of Mazatlan

Mexican Riviera

Itinerary Changes

Prompted by

Recent Violence

Three cruise lines: Holland America, Princess, and Disney Cruise Line, have announced modifications to their Mexican Riviera cruises in the wake of recent violence against cruise passengers.

Update January 31st - Some cruises returning to Mazatlan, but situation is still being monitored.
Norwegian Star, Carnival Spirit and Holland America's Oosterdam will call there this week.

Disney Wonder's scheduled calls in Mazatlan, now through April, have been replaced with extra time in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.   The ship will not stay overnight, but rather will leave port and then return in the morning for a second day in picturesque Cabo San Lucas.

HAL Oosterdam in Mexican Riviera

The incidents over the past two weeks involved passengers and crew from the Azamara Journey and Holland America's Oosterdam.  News reports indicated a necklace and a laptop were stolen.   There wasn't any mention of injury related to the attacks, but cruise lines have taken these steps as a precautionary measure to keep passengers and crew safe.

Perhaps this is the final nail in the coffin for the region as cruise lines had already begun pulling out of the Mexican Riviera sighting decreased demand.   At a panel discussion, during our National Conference last October, cruise line executives had reported the decreased interest causing them to redeploy ships.   West coast agents, as well as those across the country, expressed disapproval but the executives reiterated their decisions had been made, and would that they would not be reassessing the situation in the near future.

For those traveling to Mexico, please consult the U.S. State Department's Travel Warnings at:

Mexico Country Specific Information

At the time of this article's publication, there were no updated bulletins specifically addressing violence in Mazatlan, but there has been increasing drug-related violence in the region causing travel companies to keep a close eye on changing conditions.

Cruise Passengers There's a Price on Your Head

Increased Bahamas

Head Tax

Effective Oct. 1st 

"It's Better in the Bahamas" is the well-known slogan for the Government of the Bahamas.  It's also going to be more expensive for cruise ships to call there starting October 1, 2010.  When the Government of the Bahamas looked at their 2010-11 budget needs, it was clear that some additional revenue was necessary.   One of the ways they decided to meet their budgetary needs was to increase the so-called "head tax" (air and sea departure tax) from $15 to $20.   The increase for the airlines is effective July 1st and the cruise line increase is effective October 1st.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) makes several calls in the Bahamas each sailing season.   NCL has notified passengers, on sailings on or after October 1st, that they will automatically add $3 per guest (age 6 and above) to all reservations that are currently not paid in full and will resend a confirmation showing the new balance due. 

In the event of cruise cancellation, this tax, like any other Government Taxes and Fees (GTF), is fully refundable. Norwegian Cruise Line is required by law to collect this from ALL guests and acts only as an agent of the Bahamian Government in collecting the tax.

In May, 2008, the Bahamian Minister of Tourism estimated that more than $22M in tourism revenue would be generated from the head tax and increased passenger spend in the Bahamas.   He said: "The Bahamas is now in a position to earn between July 2008 and December 2009 some $22 million dollars in terms of passenger spend, with Norwegian Sky generating almost 50 per cent of this amount," said Mr. Grant at a press briefing at the Lucayan Harbour.

NCL isn't the only cruise line serving the Bahamas.   When the increase was announced, Carnival Corporation, who operates three lines (Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, and Princess Cruises) that call in the Bahamas, estimated that the increased tax would generate $9.2M for the government.  Since NCL is only adding $3 per guest, it appears that there was a negotiated deal between the cruise line and the Government of Bahamas since the tax was announced.

In this economy governments are looking for ways to increase their coffers and an increase in head tax is one way to achieve that goal.  This may become the new replacement for fuel surcharges we saw in recent years.  It is just another cost that is being past along to the consumer.

Elsewhere, Royal Caribbean has squared off against Rockland, Maine's City Council who recently voted to increase the head tax fee for large cruise ships from $1 per passenger to $6.  Last fall, Royal Caribbean's 2,504-passenger Jewel of the Seas called in Rockland and is scheduled to call there again this October.  

Royal Caribbean is opposed to the fee hike and made the following statement:

"We believe the 600% increase to the passenger fee is excessive and ill-timed given current economic conditions," the cruise line said in a statement. "We are also concerned by the short notice of the increase. Cruise line operators, including Royal Caribbean, plan port calls 24 months in advance and begin selling these cruises to guests 12 to 18 months in advance. We strive to mitigate costs that jeopardize any financial hardships to our guests, but an increase such as this will have a negative impact.

"We feel that the fee increase should be rescinded and tariffs reset to their previous levels," the statement concluded.

Rockland councilmen haven't taken the remarks too kindly, and aren't planning to rescind the fee at this time.  We'll continue to watch this developing story.

So you see, there is a price on your head in the Bahamas and elsewhere.  Even with these added head taxes, a cruise vacation is still a good value.   Even if you were to fly to the Bahamas, you'd still be subject to the increased fee.   I would hope that this wouldn't alter your travel plans, but be aware that there may be changes to your cruise cost to cover the mandatory fees.

WLCN 3-Day Sale Starts Today

OFFICIAL WLCN SALE

BOOKING WINDOW
OCT. 14-16, 2009

As mentioned in previous posts, there are a number of special offers throughout the month. I'd like to call attention to the following offers which are only valid thru October 16th.

AZAMARA CRUISES

Onboard Credit 2010 Europe sailings

$300 OBC per stateroom for Verandas only
$500 OBC per stateroom for Suites only


CELEBRITY CRUISES

$50 Onboard Credit per stateroom for 3-5 nights
$100 Onboard Credit per stateroom for 6-8 nights
$200 Onboard Credit per stateroom for 9 nights plus

HOLLAND AMERICA CRUISE LINE

3-Day Sale (call for details)

ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE LINE

Book an Oceanview or above and get up to $100 Onboard Credit

All offers are for New Bookings ONLY and may have additional Terms and Conditions.

Contact us for complete details.

Holland America 3 Day Sale

HOLLAND AMERICA 3-DAY SALE TIME

Sale ends Friday, September 11

at 11:59 p.m., Pacific Time

Select from any of the following destinations and a variety of eligible sailings (contact me for details - too many to list here):

Alaska Cruises & Cruisetours (May/June 2010 sailings)
Upgrade to an outside stateroom from $100 select sailings!

Great Land Klondike Cruisetours
Great Land Wilderness CruiseTours
Glacier Discovery CruiseTours
Get an outside stateroom for the price of an inside on select sailings!


Asia (October/November 2009 sailings)
Upgrade to an outside stateroom from $100 select sailings!

Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific (Januaray - April 2010 sailings)
Upgrade to an outside stateroom from $100 select sailings!

Caribbean (October 2009 - January 2010 sailings)
Get an outside stateroom for the price of an inside on select sailings!

Europe (October 2009 - May 2010 sailings)
Get an outside stateroom for the price of an inside, or upgrade to an outside stateroom from $100 on select sailings!

Hawaii (December 2009 sailings)
Get an outside stateroom for the price of an inside or upgrade to an outside stateroom from $100 on select sailings!

Holiday (December 2009 sailings)
Get an outside stateroom for the price of an inside on select sailings!

Mexico (October 2009 - January 2010 sailings)
Upgrade to an outside stateroom from $50 – $100 on select sailings!

Panama Canal (October 2009 - February 2010 sailings)
Get an outside stateroom for the price of an inside on select sailings!

South America October 2009 - April 2010 sailings)
Get an outside stateroom for the price of an inside, or upgrade to an outside stateroom from $50 – $100 on select sailings!

The list of ships and special cruises are just too numerous to list. Contact me for complete details, but don't wait too long as these deals will go fast. You can also check my web site for a list of Holland America sailings.

Tropical Storm Danny Forms in Atlantic

Map Courtesy of NOAA - (Danny) Position as of 11 AM Eastern, Wednesday

< Click for Updated Map > <NHC Active Storms>

Current Atlantic Tropical Storm Watch

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

NOAA’s National Hurricane Center is now tracking the fourth named storm of the 2009 Atlantic Hurricane Season. We will also monitor this storm and provide updates including any cruise itinerary changes that become necessary.

1100 AM EDT WED AUG 26 2009...THE AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER EAST OF THE BAHAMAS BECOMES TROPICAL STORM DANNY...

UPDATE: 500 AM EDT SAT AUG 29 2009...DANNY RAPIDLY BECOMING ABSORBED BY AN EXTRA TROPICAL LOW... THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED ...

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS... THIS IS THE LAST PUBLIC ADVISORY ISSUED BY THE NHC ON THIS STORM....

LARGE SWELLS FROM THE EXTRA TROPICAL LOW ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE U.S. EAST COAST DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO....

Local Weather Statements

<More Details> <Warnings and 5-Day Cone >

<Bahamas Weather>

<Bermuda Weather Service>
<Baltimore, MD NWS> <Bayonne, NJ NWS>
<New York, NY NWS>

<Atlantic Canada Weather>
<Canadian Hurricane Centre>

<NASA Hurricane Tracking>

Cruise Ship Tropical Storm Updates

<CARNIVAL> <Norwegian Cruise Line> <Royal Caribbean> <Holland America>

(Aug 29) Carnival Cruise Line:
This storm has weakened significantly and we are not anticipating any itinerary changes at this time for the following cruise departures: Carnival Triumph departing from New York on August 29; and Carnival Pride departing from Baltimore on August 29.

The Carnival Miracle cruise that departed from New York on August 28 will visit Nassau on Monday, Half Moon Cay on Tuesday and Grand Turk on Wednesday.

(Aug 27) Carnival Cruise Line:
We are closely monitoring the progress of Tropical Storm Danny. All of our ships are operating at a safe distance from the storm. Our number one priority is the safety and comfort of our guests and crew.

We are not anticipating any itinerary changes at this time including the following cruise departures: Carnival Miracle from New York on August 28; Carnival Triumph departing from New York on August 29; and Carnival Pride departing from Baltimore on August 29.



(Aug 29) Royal Caribbean International: At this time, no Royal Caribbean International itineraries are being affected by Tropical Storm Danny. (NO CHANGE FROM AUG 28TH STATEMENT)


(Aug 28) Royal Caribbean International:
At this time, no Royal Caribbean International itineraries are being affected by Tropical Storm Danny. Royal Caribbean will continue to closely monitor weather conditions and will update this information again tomorrow, August 29 at noon.

Explorer of the Seas is scheduled to depart on Saturday, August 29, for its five-night sailing to the Caribbean. Earlier this week, Tropical Storm Danny showed some signs of unpredictability. However, the most recent weather forecasts available predict that the ship will be able to depart Cape Liberty and head south to Bermuda as scheduled.

(Aug 26) Royal Caribbean International:

Given the current location and projected path of Tropical Storm Danny, we are not altering the itinerary of any ship, and providing the following guidance regarding one sailing:

Ships sailing from Baltimore, Maryland Grandeur of the Seas, is scheduled to depart on Thursday August 27, for its nine-night sailing to the Caribbean. However, guests on this sailing are encouraged to monitor these updates for any possible modifications to the itinerary.

(Aug 26) Holland America: Regarding Tropical Storm Danny, we are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to watch the storm's development.

Please note the following ship itinerary information:
ms Maasdam - Scheduled to turn in Boston on Saturday, August 29. No changes have been made to the published itineraries.
NOTE: There have been no other advisories made at this time.

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking: <Interactive tracking map> See where ships are relative to tropical storms.

Cruise lines will do everything to keep passengers and crew safe. A cruise is rarely cancelled because of weather, even hurricanes. The cruise lines monitor progress of any storms both in their main offices and onboard the vessels. They work closely with the various weather services, such as NOAA and NHC, to make determinations about itinerary deviations.

Continue to watch this post, I will provide updates as conditions change. If you are on a cruise this week in the area, be sure to monitor the storm closely.