New Adventures from Los Angeles

As Royal Caribbean® continues their return to service, they’ve listened to their guests and valued travel partners and are heading back to the West Coast of the United States for sailings out of Los Angeles.  San Pedro pier is only 23 miles from the airport.       Don’t just get away. Get more from your cruise on the newly amped Navigator of the Seas®. The newly amped Navigator of the Seas® delivers a maxed out adventure in just a few short days. Take on record breaking thrills, like the longest waterslide at sea. Soak up bigger, bolder, splashier pool days. Swap going out for going all out with next level nightlife and new dining for every craving. This is your short vacay, turned way, way up. Only on Royal Caribbean®. Think tide-turning new rides, next level lounging, and a new pool deck with double the surface area for you to swim, splash and lounge. Plus craveable dining and new nightlife hotspots that dial the excitement way up. LA becomes your jumping off point for epic weekend adventures along the Baja coast and the Mexican Riviera. For the first time in over a decade, Royal Caribbean® heads west with the Amplified Navigator of the Seas®, sailing a mix of short cruises from Los Angeles to Catalina Island, Ensenada and Cabo — plus longer wanders to Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlán.  Arrive in LA prior to your cruise and enjoy some time exploring Hollywood, or simply relaxing on one of the pristine beaches as the gentle winds of the Pacific wash over your body.  Indulge in California's unique cuisine at one of the posh restaurants, or shop for that treasure you've been seeking.   Each port has something for everyone - here is just a sample of what awaits you in each port. (Click images to enlarge)   Navigator of the Seas Sailings

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Safety First at Sea

October 20th Sailing Norwegian Bliss 

Altered by Hurricane Willa

We've returned from National Conference and will continue our October #ChooseCruise mini-series.  Internet on Norwegian Bliss was fine for social media posts (which hopefully you followed) but blogging was another story.  

Agents and guests of Cruises Inc, CruiseOne, and Dream Vacations 2018 Inspire Conference on the brand new Norwegian Bliss, departed the Port of Los Angeles (Long Beach) as scheduled on October 20th. Plans called for 3 sea days and 3 port days in the Mexican Riviera (as shown in the itinerary below).

Shortly after we sailed, while we were at dinner, the captain announced that due to the high seas expected from then Tropical Storms Vincente and Willa, we were altering our course for San Francisco, San Diego, and Ensenada, Mexico.

This was our 13th conference, that we attended, and it was only the second time that Mother Nature had interfered with the original plans, and the first time that the change occurred after departure. So, I guess that's a pretty good track record, considering we always sail during Hurricane Season for our national conference.

The first time we had a course correction was in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. We were to have sailed from New Orleans, but instead departed from Galveston, Texas. In that case, we needed to rearrange flights, but the basic itinerary was only slightly modified. This time, there were no flight changes needed, since we would still depart and return form Long Beach, CA.

While we were disappointed that we wouldn't be able to do our planned shore activities in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta, we were grateful that we would still be able to have our complete conference itinerary and enjoy 3 ports of call.   Cruise lines have the right to modify itineraries for any reason, and we are happy that they consider safety of passengers, crew and ship as a priority.

Changing cruise itineraries is no small feat, and we'll focus on that for the rest of this post.

Original Itinerary - Mexican Riviera

Revised Itinerary - Baja California

The Jones Act:  The Passenger Vessel Services Act, (PVSA), 46 U.S.C. § 55103 (b), prohibits commercial vessels such as cruise ships from allowing passengers to board at one U.S. port and debark at another U.S. port. Such travel would constitute point-to-point transportation between two U.S ports, which is prohibited on foreign flagged ships.

You'll see from our modified itinerary map above that we made a stop in Ensenada, Mexico prior to returning to our point of embarkation in Long Beach.   That is due to the Jones Act restrictions.

The Jones Act played an important part of our conference cruise, since original plans called for certain cruise line and other suppliers joining us or departing from one or more of the ports of call along our original route.   There are fines that can be paid to circumvent the requirements.  See the following on the Customs and Border Patrol website for more information about the act and fines.

Norwegian Cruise Line picked up about $20,000 in fines to accommodate suppliers that were embarking or debarking in ports other than Long Beach (in other words only completing a portion of the cruise without first going to a foreign port).

Planning for our conference began about a year ago, right after the last one.   Many of those plans had to be modified, in a matter of hours, due to the change to our itinerary.

We still had the 3 sea days, which is when the bulk of our meetings occur, but now they were on different days, and some suppliers would not be able to attend, on the given day or at all, due to conflicts in scheduling, inability to get flights, or other logistical difficulties. 

Cooler temperatures at night meant we moved indoors to the Observation Lounge for some events.

The cruise line staff worked closely with our headquarters team to make all the necessary modifications and the conference went off without any issues.  If you've ever considered hosting your conference at sea, this story should take some of the fears away - cruise lines are definitely quite adept at dealing with logistical nightmares due caused by natural or other disasters and your conference will go and still be successful. 

Thank you to Camille Olivere, Senior Vice President, Norwegian Cruise Line, and the entire Norwegian Cruise Line team for all you did to make Inspire 2018 Conference a huge success.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Mexico impacted by Hurricane Willa.  Knowing the cruise industry, we will be there to assist in rebuilding and getting people visiting again.

 

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Carnival Splendor and Miracle Swap Coasts in 2013

More Cruise Capacity for Big Apple

Every change in cruise ship deployment results in "winners" and "losers".   If you are on the East Coast, you can consider yourself in the win column of this redeployment announced by Carnival Cruises.

Carnival Splendor Moves

to New York in 2013

Carnival will reposition Carnival Miracle to the West Coast following a special Panama Canal voyage, and bring Carnival Splendor to New York, following three spectacular South America cruises. 

Carnival Splendor, a four-year-old, 3,006-passenger ship, will be redeployed in spring 2013 to New York City, where it will sail year-round Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida cruises.  The Splendor had sailed year-round itineraries from Long Beach-to-Mexico since 2009.  The Splendor will be upgraded with Fun Ship 2.0 amenities in a Q4 2012 dry dock.  


For more information on Fun Ship 2.0, see:  Introducing Fun Ship 2.0

Year-Round from New York


Beginning March 23, 2013, Carnival Splendor will launch a year-round schedule of eight-day Caribbean cruises from New York with three uniquely different itineraries that showcase the brilliant diversity of destinations throughout the Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida. 

The eight-day itineraries include Bahamas/Florida cruises with port calls to Port Canaveral (Orlando), Fla., Nassau and Freeport, The Bahamas; Eastern Caribbean departures with visits to San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. and Grand Turk; and Exotic Eastern Caribbean cruises to the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk and Nassau. There will also be a special seven-day Bermuda cruise departing April 16, 2013.

Less Capacity for West Coast


The "losers" in this redeployment appear to be those passengers hoping to go to the Mexican Riviera and other parts west from their own backyard port in Long Beach, CA.

All the major cruise lines have been gradually redeploying their ships from the West Coast market, citing increased violence and drug-related incidents in Mexico. 

While on the surface that seems to make sense, given news reports, one has to wonder if that were really the case, would there be any ships sailing there at all.  So, the real truth is that the cruise lines just aren't making the amount of money they'd hope for in that market.

Carnival Miracle, an eight-year-old, 2,124-passenger ship, will move from the Big Apple to the West Coast in Spring 2013.  The Miracle will sail a seasonal Mexican Riviera itinerary along with Alaska and Hawaii itineraries which had currently been offered on Carnival Spirit.  Carnival Miracle recently underwent its facelift with the addition of the adults-only Serenity and other enhancements.

Panama Canal

Carnival Miracle will operate a 15-day Panama Canal cruise from New York to Long Beach March 16-31, 2013, positioning the vessel for its year-round West Coast deployment. In addition to the unforgettable experience of transiting the Panama Canal, the cruise will visit beautiful and historic destinations in five different countries, including Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands; Cartagena, Colombia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Mexican Riviera

Carnival Miracle will operate seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises from Long Beach featuring the seaside resort town of Puerto Vallarta and a special two-day visit to beautiful Cabo San Lucas. These popular cruises will be offered in April 2013 and from October 2013 through April 2014.

Alaska

Carnival Miracle will reposition from Long Beach to Seattle in spring 2013 to operate the line’s seven-day “Fun Ship” Alaska program. Following a special eight-day Alaska cruise from Vancouver to Seattle departing April 29, the week-long voyages will depart from Seattle every Tuesday from May 7 to Sept. 10, 2013, calling at the scenic Alaska destinations of Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, as well as Victoria, British Columbia, and cruising Tracy Arm Fjord. This unforgettable Alaskan experience will offer consumers myriad opportunities to explore and enjoy the awe-inspiring scenery and wildlife of The Last Frontier.

 

Hawaii

Carnival Miracle will offer several 15-day Hawaii cruises in 2013 and 2014. Three cruises will operate roundtrip from Long Beach with departures on Oct. 19 and Dec. 7, 2013, as well as Jan. 18, 2014. There will also be a 15-day Hawaii cruise from Long Beach to Vancouver departing April 14, 2013 and another from Vancouver to Long Beach departing Sept. 17, 2013. These voyages feature some of the Aloha State’s most beautiful and breathtaking ports of call, including Hilo, Kona, Nawiliwili, Kahului, and Honolulu.

Carnival Spirit, a ten-year old, 2124 passenger ship, will reposition to Australia to offer the line's first cruises in that region. (more on this in another post).

We will take a closer look at some of the special itineraries, in other posts. 

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

Carnival Splendor Resumed Cruises

Carnival Splendor

Returns to Service

Today the Carnival Splendor returns to the seas after repairs in San Diego and San Francisco.

After months of being out of commission and millions of dollars in repairs and lost revenue, the Splendor sailed to Long Beach, California, this past week to  it's homeport where it begins the first 7-Night cruises to the Mexican Riviera.

On this route, the ship departs the Long Beach Cruise Terminal every Sunday on week-long cruises to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, on Mexico’s Pacific Coast.

With the Carnival Splendor’s resumption of service, combined with the Carnival Paradise’s year-round three- and four-day Baja voyages, Carnival Cruise Lines will return to its normal passenger volume from Long Beach, carrying nearly 400,000 passengers a year.

“Carnival Cruise Lines continues to be the number one West Coast operator with two ships based in Long Beach year-round, as well as a ship operating seasonal itineraries from San Diego and Los Angeles. We have more year-round capacity dedicated to the West Coast than any other cruise line and we are committed to maintaining our leadership position in this important market,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival’s president and CEO.

Cahill noted that the Carnival Splendor has been thoroughly inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard and Lloyd’s Registry, a ship classification society, which monitored the repair process during dry docks in San Diego and San Francisco.

Carnival Splendor to Leave San Francisco and Return to Service

Carnival Splendor Repaired

Last November, Carnival Splendor experienced an engine fire that would put her out of service for several months and cost Carnival Corporation millions of dollars in repairs and lost revenue.   Fortunately, there were no serious injuries or loss of life in the fire.  Carnival Splendor's comeback journey follows.

After being towed back to San Diego, Carnival Splendor's fire investigation and repair work began.  A replacement engine would be needed, which caused additional down time for the ship. Since the ship was originally built in Italy, it was necessary to have the replacement engine manufactured there and shipped back to California, where it would be installed in a dry-dock facility in San Francisco.  It was necessary to cut a hole in the hull to remove the damaged engine and replace it with the new one.

This brings you up to date... The repair work is now completed and the ship is ready for sea trials and a return to service where it will resume Mexican Riviera cruises February 20th.   The ship will depart San Francisco and return to Long Beach, California as follows:

FEBRUARY 14: CARNIVAL SPLENDOR SEA TRIALS AND VOYAGE TO LONG BEACH

FEBRUARY 19: CARNIVAL SPLENDOR ARRIVES AT LONG BEACH CRUISE TERMINAL

FEBRUARY 19: TRAVEL AGENT FUNCTION

FEBRUARY 2O: CARNIVAL SPLENDOR RE-ENTERS SERVICE

John Heald, Carnival's Senior Cruise Director, will join the ship for the sea trials and host the special event February 19th.  Carnival Corporation officials asked John to do the honors since he was the calm voice that passengers and crew heard that fateful day in November when Alpha, Alpha, Alpha woke up passengers and crew early that morning.

Related Blog Posts:

Carnival Splendor Heads North for More Repairs
Carnival Splendor Cruise Cancellations Extended
Carnival Splendor Repair Status
Carnival Splendor Fire Investigation 
Assisting Carnival Splendor 
Carnival Splendor Without Power After Engine Fire 
Carnival Splendor Cruises Cancelled until January 16

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.

Carnival Splendor Without Power After Engine Fire

Carnival Splendor  (Courtesy Carnival Cruise Line)

Carnival Splendor 

Dead in Water 

Off West Coast of Mexico

Following Engine Fire

Carnival Splendor was on the first leg of a seven-day Mexican Riviera cruise that departed  November  7th from Long Beach, California when a fire was detected in an aft engine.  The fire was  extinguished and fortunately there were no injuries to guests or crew.

The ordeal started at approximately 6 AM Monday with guests initially being notified at 6:30 AM to move from their cabins to the ship’s upper open deck areas.  According to a statement issued by Carnival, "At this time, guests have access to their cabins and are able to move about the ship. Bottled water and cold food items are being provided."

Monday was a scheduled day at sea.  The ship’s normal itinerary includes stops in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  The ship, which measures 113,000 gross registered tons and first entered service in July 2008, is carrying 3,299 guests and 1167 crew.

UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER

The ship has been operating on auxiliary generators following the fire and engineers have been unable to restore additional power to the vessel.  Consequently, without the additional power, several key hotel systems, including air conditioning, hot food service, flushing toilets and telephones are not available.  The ship’s crew is actively working to restore partial services.


As a result, the current voyage is being terminated.  Tugboats are currently en route to the ship which is located off the coast of Mexico, approximately 150 miles south of San Diego.  The tugs will tow the vessel to Ensenada, Mexico in an effort to get the guests home as quickly as possible.   The vessel’s command is in contact with the U.S. Coast Guard which has deployed aircraft and cutters to the cruise ship’s location.

CARNIVAL COMPENSATES PASSENGERS

Guests on the current voyage will be receiving a full refund along with reimbursement for transportation costs.  Additionally, they will receive a complimentary future cruise equal to the amount paid for this voyage.

“We know this has been an extremely trying situation for our guests and we sincerely thank them for their patience.  Conditions on board the ship are very challenging and we sincerely apologize for the discomfort and inconvenience our guests are currently enduring.  The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority and we are working to get our guests home as quickly as possible,” said Gerry Cahill, president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines.

Contact information for family members: 1-888-290-5095 or 305-406-5534 


Source:  Carnival Splendor Update

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

The emergency response to the stricken ship includes two seagoing tugboats, contracted out of the port of Ensenada, Mexico, U.S. Coast Guard aircraft and ships, as well as U.S. and Mexican Navy vessels.  According to Cmdr. Greg Hicks, about 70,000 pounds of supplies, including bread, utensils, cups, milk, canned food and other items will be flown to the nearby USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier where they will be transferred to the cruise ship by helicopters.

The plan is for the tugboats along with a Coast Guard cutter, to escort the ship to the port of Ensenada where passengers will be unloaded.    This process is expected to begin mid-day Tuesday and take until 8 PM Wednesday night.  

The passengers will be transported by bus approximately 50 miles to San Diego where they will begin their journey home.   After unloading the passengers, the ship will then begin it's journey back to Long Beach, California, a process which is expected to take several days.   The plan was developed so that passengers didn't have to stay onboard any longer than necessary.


FINAL THOUGHTS 

Carnival Cruise Line, and all the cruise lines, take safety very seriously.   The crews are trained to handle emergency situations and passengers must participate in mandatory safety drills.   From our vantage point, it appears that the training paid off this week as this emergency situation unfolded.   The fact that there were no injuries to guests or crew is a testament to a safety plan carried out well.


The cruise industry as a whole has an excellent safety record.   Situations like this fire are rare, but when they occur, are trying for all involved.   It appears to us that Carnival Cruise Line responded well both to the actual emergency and to the aftermath and is doing everything they can to assist the guests.   


It is too early to tell the impact on future Carnival Splendor voyages.  We will bring you updates as we learn more.

 

Princess Fall 2011–Spring 2012 Americas Program

Caribbean & Mexican Riviera

Nothing says escape like the warm, welcoming islands of the turquoise Caribbean and the colorful culture of the Mexican Riviera. Princess® has a variety of festive voyages sailing the Caribbean on five ships in 2011 and 2012, visiting over 20 of the region’s very best ports. Frolic on white sand beaches and swim above coral reefs on islands such as St. Thomas, Antigua and Tortola. Or cruise to festive Mexican ports like Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta.

Panama Canal

It’s a modern wonder winding through 51 miles of jungle, mountain and granite to connect the world’s two greatest oceans - The Panama Canal. It’s also one of the most popular destinations for cruising, and is high on most travelers’ lists of the world’s “must-see” landmarks. Which is why Princess offers such a wide variety of ways to experience the Canal. In 2011 and 2012, you can join one of several incredible Princess itineraries to see its mighty locks up close. Choose voyages from 10 to 19 days with either partial or full transit or with a 2-Day Experience.

 Coastals

Getaways of 1 to 7 days along the Pacific Coast are a wonderful, relaxing way to escape for those with less time. These convenient sailings are offered in 2011 and 2012 on four ships, including Island, Coral, Golden and Sapphire Princess,® and include our popular 7-day Wine Country Coastal sailing, a 7-day California Coastal roundtrip from Los Angeles and 1- to 4-day Pacific Coastals. It’s the perfect easy getaway to leave your responsibilities behind and enjoy all the leisurely activities, entertainment and amenities of a Princess® ship.

Highlights of 2011-12 Americas Program

• Caribbean: Five ships with 12 itineraries visiting over 20 sun-kissed ports; sailings range from 7 to 14 days. Crown Princess sails a NEW 7-day Western Caribbean and a NEW 7-day Southern Caribbean itinerary, both roundtrip out of Ft. Lauderdale.
• Panama Canal: Princess is the best choice for Panama Canal cruising with five itinerary options in all, including two NEW 14-day options -- one with a full transit and one with a full transit and a 2-Day Canal Experience. Plus, there are 10-day partial transits and full transits on sailings of 15 to 19 days.
• Mexican Riviera: Sapphire Princess offers 11 sailings of our popular 7-day itinerary roundtrip from Los Angeles, featuring festive Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlán.
• West Coast Cruising: Sapphire Princess sails NEW 7-day California Coastals, roundtrip from Los Angeles. Additional coastal cruises include our popular Wine Country 7-day cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver. We also have a selection of additional 1- to 5-day coastal getaways available on select ships. 

More information about Princess Cruises ships and itineraries (click here)

Bookings are being accepted starting June 17th

Mariner OTS Leaving Mexican Riviera

Royal Caribbean Redeploys 

Mariner of the Seas

Royal Caribbean announced that Mariner of the Seas will sail its final Mexican Riviera itinerary from Los Angeles on January 9, 2011.  The Mexican Riviera has always been an important market for Royal Caribbean International.   They hope to return to the Port of Los Angeles and the Mexican Riviera in the future.   According to Royal Caribbean:

Guests currently booked on Mariner of the Seas’ Mexican Riviera sailings from January 16,2011, and onward will be contacted with the following offer. Until May 6, 2010, affected guests can opt for a full refund of any fares paid, or enjoy $200 onboard credit per stateroom ($400 per suite category stateroom) when they rebook their vacation, at the same fare or lower prevailing fare, on a Mariner of the Seas sailing before January 16, 2011, or on the same 2011 departure date aboard Voyager of the Seas, sailing from Galveston.

11 Royal Caribbean Ships in Europe (Summer 2011)

As I've mentioned in past blog columns, the cruise lines are returning to Europe with more ships than ever before.   They had pulled ships out in 2009 due to the economy, but due to pent up demand, they are once again returning in force.

The Mariner of the Seas redeployment will occur in January 2011, with a short South America season before debuting in the Mediterranean as Royal Caribbean’s record-setting 11th ship in the region for summer 2011. Mariner of the Seas will homeport at Rome (Civitavecchia) from March through October 2011, replacing Splendour of the Seas, which will now homeport in Venice, offering 10- and 11-night Greek Isles and Turkey itineraries for the season.  

Mariner of the Seas will then return to North America for the 2011-12 winter season, offering seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries from Galveston, Texas, replacing Voyager of the Seas which will redeploy to New Orleans in winter 2011-12, offering vacationers another Gulf Coast port to embark on a memorable seven-night Western Caribbean cruise.

On January 16, 2011, Mariner of the Seas will reposition from Los Angeles on a 16-night itinerary to Valparaiso, Chile, followed by a 14-night voyage that cruises the Straits of Magellan and Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America to Sao Paulo (Santos), Brazil. The ship will then offer a short Brazilian cruise season, before crossing the Atlantic to debut in Europe at its new seasonal homeport of Rome (Civitavecchia), where Mariner of the Seas will sail seven-night Western Mediterranean and 12-night Mediterranean Holy Land and Mediterranean Egypt itineraries. In November 2011, Mariner of the Seas will debut at Galveston to offer Texas vacationers two roundtrip seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries through April 2012.  

Mariner of the Seas’ new 2011 Europe and South America, and 2011-12 Western Caribbean itineraries, Splendour of the Seas’ new 2011 Europe itineraries, and Voyager of the Seas’ new 2011-12 Western Caribbean itineraries will be opened for booking in the near future.

More information about Royal Caribbean International (Overview, Ships, Itineraries)

Carnival Announces Price Increases

Photo courtesy Carnival Cruise Line

Wave Season Ending Soon
Prices to Increase

Do you remember my post, Now is the Time, from last December? In that post, I told you that in a meeting that I had with cruise line executives, they foretold of increasing prices. Ladies and Gentlemen ... That Day Is HERE.

For those not familiar with the term "Wave Season", this is the most important time for the cruise line industry during the year. It runs from mid-January through early Spring and besides being the most important time, it is also the busiest time.

Carnival Cruise Line announced yesterday that they have seen record bookings for the current Wave Season and as a result of the strong reservation activity for 2010 departures, have announced a general price increase that will become effective March 22nd.

Carnival President and CEO Gerry Cahill said, "We're seeing significantly increased volume as consumers are taking advantage of the incredible value that a Carnival cruise provides. And while pricing hasn't fully recovered to 2008 levels, we are increasing prices and will implement an across-the-board increase effective March 22."

He said that the price increases will vary by departure date but will be up to 5 percent.

Cahill attributed the record booking activity to a wide range of factors, including strong travel agent partner support, targeted marketing initiatives, itinerary enhancements and the wide variety of close-to-home departure points.

Carnival Cruise Lines is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with 22 "Fun Ships" operating voyages ranging from three to 15 days in length to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Canada, New England and Europe.

Carnival also has two new ships on order -- the 130,000-ton Carnival Magic, which is scheduled for delivery in 2011, and a sister ship set to debut in 2012.

So, just as I predicted last December, this is only the first of many such announcements which I've been expecting. If you have plans to take a summer vacation with your family this year, I strongly encourage you to book now. We are here to help you. As Cruise Specialists, we are experts in finding the right cruise to meet your requirements. Even with price increases, a cruise is still the best travel value out there.

Currently we are featuring Up to a 2-Category Upgrade on Carnival. Find More Carnival Cruises Here.

Carnival Announces 2011 Holiday Sailings

Carnival Cruise Lines | FUN FOR ALL. ALL FOR FUN®

Holiday Sailings 2011

Over the next few months Carnival Cruise Lines will be opening sailings through the first quarter of 2012. The following are now open for sale:

Carnival Splendor from Long Beach

• Special Holiday Sailing (12/18/11) 6-day Mexican Riviera to Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.
• Special Holiday Sailing (12/24/11) 8-day Mexican Riviera to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, La Paz and Cabo San Lucas.

Carnival Victory from San Juan/Barbados

• Special Holiday Sailing (12/18/11) 8-day Southern Caribbean from San Juan to St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and St. Maarten.
• Special Holiday Sailing (12/26/11) 6-day Southern Caribbean from San Juan to Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Maarten and St. Thomas.
• Special Holiday Sailing (12/21/11) 7-day Southern Caribbean from Barbados to St. Lucia, St. Kitts, St. Maarten and San Juan.
• Special Holiday Sailing (12/28/11) 7-day Southern Caribbean from Barbados to St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, San Juan, St. Thomas (again) and Dominica.
  

Holiday Sailings remain some of the most popular cruises of the entire year. Pricing and cabin availability are best when booked well in advance. Every year I have disappointed families that aren't able to find cabins of their choosing because they simply waited too long to make their reservations. Don't even think about getting a last minute "deal" - it just won't be there. With Carnival's Early Saver program, you can enjoy Price Protection (click below for details).

Mexican Riviera & Southern Caribbean
thru April, 2012

Carnival Splendor from Long Beach

• 7-day Mexican Riviera, 5/01/11-4/29/12.

Carnival Victory from San Juan/Barbados

• 7-day Southern Caribbean from San Juan, 5/01/11-4/29/12.
• 7-day Southern Caribbean from Barbados, 4/27/11-4/25/12.

Learn More about Early Saver