Oasis to Call in Southampton

Don't Miss This

Oasis to sail across the pond ...

Oasis of the Seas which has been home-ported in Fort Lauderdale, FL since December, 2009 will make a trip over to Europe for routine maintenance.

Before going into drydock, it will take advantage of the opportunity and offer several cruises to those wishing to cross the Atlantic and those already in Europe or wanting to sail from Barcelona or the UK.


We have just received word that the world's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas, will make its debut call in Southampton in October 2014.  The cruises announced will go on sale in April this year.

Schedule

• Depart Ft. Lauderdale, FL on a 12-night eastbound transatlantic cruise to Barcelona September 1, 2014
• Two five-night round-trip Barcelona, Spain cruises
• Seven-night sailing to Rotterdam.
• Two week dry dock in the Netherlands
• Depart Rotterdam on October 14, 2014 calling in Southampton
• Depart Southampton October 15, 2014 for Ft. Lauderdale on a  transatlantic crossing

Watch this video to learn about these special cruises and to get a glimpse of the world's largest ship:
Jo Rzymowska, associate vice president and general manager, Royal Caribbean International, U.K. and Ireland, said: "Oasis of the Seas sailing from Southampton is going to be the hottest ticket in town. Bringing the world's largest and most innovative cruise ship to Europe, and specifically the U.K. and Southampton, is testament to how much the cruise industry has grown.

"When Oasis of the Seas was launched, the ship was a real game-changer for the cruise industry and it continues to be one of the most innovative holiday resorts in the world. Royal Caribbean International is proud to have a long heritage of ships calling in and based from Southampton and we're very excited to add Oasis of the Seas to this.”

Oasis of the Seas is the largest passenger ship in the world alongside its sister Allure of the Seas.  Both ships sail alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean 7-night voyages year round out of Ft. Lauderdale.

Current Royal Caribbean Offers

RESERVE YOUR ROYAL CARIBBEAN VACATION WITH US TODAY!

Carnival Triumph & Sunshine Returns Delayed

Carnival Triumph & 

Carnival Sunshine 

Mechanical Improvements

Carnival Cruise Lines' President and CEO Gerry Cahill announced that Carnival Destiny and Carnival Sunshine will extend their time in drydock in order to complete some extensive mechanical improvements in the wake of the Carnival Triumph fire and subsequent operational review.

The ships will remain out of service longer than expected so the line can increase operating redundancies, emergency power and fire prevention, detection and suppression systems. Cahill had announced the fleetwide operational review at announced during last week's Cruise Shipping Miami tradeshow and this announcement comes right on its heels and the mechanical problem on Carnival Liberty which caused the ship to limp back to port.

Carnival Triumph - 10 Additional Cruises Cancelled
Return to Service now June 3rd

Carnival Triumph now will return to service on June 3, with 10 additional cruises being canceled.

The changes they are implementing are focused primarily on improvements to better support continued power and hotel services should unexpected issues arise. In addition, we are applying new learnings and making enhancements in the area of fire suppression and extinguishing.

For more information about the Carnival Triumph fire and subsequent cancellations, see the following article:
Carnival Triumph Additional Cancellations & Compensation

Carnival Sunshine - 2 Cruises Cancelled Return to Service now May 5th

Carnival Sunshine will now complete the full-ship makeover from the former Carnival Destiny, and will enter service May 5, following the cancellation of two European cruises. For more information about the makeover, see Destiny + 49 Days = Sunshine.

In a news release, Cahill apologized for the additional cancellations but said the line is "fully committed to applying the recommendations stemming from our fleetwide review and to make whatever investments are needed despite the difficult position to impact people's vacations."

“Our team of experts has worked virtually around the clock to determine the best set of solutions and rapidly develop an effective implementation plan for both of these ships,” he continued. “Moving forward, we will have the ability to source materials and schedule improvements much more expediently, thus minimizing the scheduling impact on other vessels. I would like to provide continued assurances that all of our vessels have fully effective safety systems, equipment and training in place. Additionally, our ships receive regular inspections from the U.S. Coast Guard and other regulatory authorities.

Compensation Plan

Guests on the canceled voyages will receive a full refund, reimbursement of non-refundable travel costs, and a 25 percent discount on a future cruise.

“Going forward, the review will focus on the balance of our fleet. While this process will take time, it is our highest priority and has the full support and resources of Carnival Cruise Lines and Carnival Corporation,” Cahill said.

Grand Princess Drydock Week 1

Grand Princess in Drydock            Photo Credit: Princess Cruises

Two months ago, Princess Cruises announced plans for a 24-day remake of the Grand Princess.  That work has begun and the line is producing a video diary of the event.   For more details about the planned improvements, see our previous post:  Grand Princess Gets Major Facelift

The Grand Princess® drydock video series is hosted by Cruise Director Martyn Moss and shows highlights of the dramatic transformation of Grand Princess during her revitalization project.

Episode 9 - An Update on the Piazza, Casino, Oceanview Suites & Crown Grill
Join Grand Princess Cruise Director Martyn as he ventures to what's becoming the new Piazza and takes a look at the progress being made on the tile floor and the new restaurants. He also provides an update on the Casino, new oceanview suites and the Crown Grill. 

Episode 8 - An Update On the Lotus Spa And Youth Center
Martyn checks in on the progress at the Lotus Spa before heading over to chat with the architect behind the renovations at the Youth Center.

Episode 7 - An Interview With The Captain 
Martyn has the good luck to get an audience with the Captain, one of the busiest people on the ship.

Episode 6 - The Travelator Removal 
Martyn heads over to Skywalkers to get the scoop on the Travelator removal project.
 
Episode 5 - The Atrium Stairs Come Down 
Martyn visits the steakhouse before looking in on the crew as they take down the atrium staircase in preparation for the new piazza.

Episode 4 - A Look Underneath Grand Princess
Martyn ventures out onto the drydock facility to take a peek at the work being done on the bottom of the ship.


Episode 3 - Piazza Beginnings 
Martyn shows us the beginning transformation of the atrium turning into the Piazza.

Episode 2 - Grand Princess Enters Drydock 
Grand Princess Video Journal - this episode highlights the ship entering drydock at the Grand Bahamas Shipyard in Freeport, Bahamas.

Episode 1 - Grand Princess Drydock Introduction 
First video in the Grand Princess Drydock video journal series hosted by Cruise Director Martyn Moss.


Thanks to Princess Cruises for sharing this behind the scenes look at the transformation of  Grand Princess.  They are showing that it isn't necessary to build a new ship to have some fantastic offerings for passengers.   We look forward to sailing on the Grand Princess after she returns to service.

Grand Princess Gets Major Facelift

Dramatic Transformation

Scheduled this Spring

for Grand Princess

Princess Cruises announces a dramatic change for Grand Princess this spring. During a 24-day makeover the ship, which was the prototype for the line's "Grand Class" vessels, will undergo a remarkable renovation to receive many of Princess' trademark features introduced since the ship's 1998 debut including the signature Piazza atrium. Several new features will be also be added including a unique tea lounge and library called "Leaves"; and "Alfredo's," a full-service pizzeria showcasing this renowned Princess dish.

Changes to Improve Fuel Efficiency
A brand new nightclub called The One5, inspired by its deck location, will be created on the top deck of the ship, replacing its iconic Skywalker Nightclub, which has given the ship its distinctive profile. Skywalkers will be removed from its 18th deck perch, with its replacement located on deck 15. This change will significantly improve the operational performance of the ship, including greater fuel efficiency.

"This is the largest makeover we've ever undertaken for any of our ships," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. "When Grand Princess was launched she was the most innovative ship at sea, and now we're adding some of the later innovations we introduced on subsequent ships."

Drydock Schedule:  April 11 to May 4 

The following major changes will be made during the drydock in Freeport, Grand Bahamas:

• New Piazza atrium - a complete makeover of the atrium space
• Leaves Tea Lounge and Library - A fusion of tea lounge and library
• Alfredo's Pizzeria - new sit-down pizzeria serving individual-sized pizzas
• The One5 Lounge & Nightclub - located on deck 15; replaces Skywalkers
• Crown Grill - classic steakhouse with rich wood surroundings

Also part of the renovation will be seven new suites; remodeled casino, boutiques and art gallery; enhancements to the Horizon Court, Lotus Spa, and wedding chapel; and the addition of Crooner's Martini Lounge. 

Artist Renderings - Flickr Gallery

The renovated Grand Princess will return to service May 5th in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for a transatlantic crossing to Southampton, England.   This will be the homeport for summer and fall sailings in Europe.