Feeling Terra-Firma Under Your Feet

Passengers on board cruise ships who like to feel terra-firma under their feet, long to glimpse green grass or simply love the smell of a freshly mown lawn can have the best of both worlds on Celebrity Solstice cruise ship.

Celebrity Cruises are renowned for innovative design features to keep their guests content whilst on board and have managed to incorporate real grass, we're not talking synthetic astro-turf, on board Celebrity Solstice. The Lawn Club covers approximately half an acre and is sited under huge canvas shades.

The original concept was to use synthetic grass, however after different real grasses where tested for strength, durability, wind and sea exposure and a series of growing mediums, filters and irrigation systems they managed to have a 'live' lawn growing on deck!

The Lawn Club is much like a country club on a reduced scale, the lawn is mowed every two or three days and kept to a height of approximately 10-15 millimetres. The gentle pass times of croquet and putting are actively encouraged, however, high heels, deck furniture and towels are strictly forbidden in order to preserve and managed the lawn appropriately, as neither Celebrity Solstice crew or cruise passengers would hardly likely to see it looking like a ploughed field!

Legendary Sophia Loren Godmother To MSC Magnificia

The 11th in the MSC Cruise fleet MSC Magnificia was christened by actress Sophia Loren to a backdrop of spectacular fireworks and of course champagne.

The ceremony was enjoyed by invited on board guests as well as being viewed by thousands via two giant floating screens and full MSC TV coverage.

MSC Magnificia weighs 90,000 gross tonnes and has capacity for over 3,000 passengers. The ship boasts state of the art facilities with it's innovative design concepts being found on the company's flagships MSC Fantasia and MSC Spendida.

MSC Magnificia's features include the Magrodome, the 1st within the Musica class series of ships. It's retractable roof, the largest of its kind, offer the opportunity for passengers to swim in all weathers, which is ideal for the Mediterranean sailings.

The ship also has world class double star Michelin chef Mauro Uliassi who will be at the forefront of the L'Oasi Restaurant. What more would one expect from MSC Cruises?

Passengers who like to keep fit, but also like to relax are also superbly catered for with a myriad of Olympic themed articles displayed in the L'Olimpiade sports bar.


MSC Magnifica will cruise the Mediterranean starting on the 20th March 2010. The 7 night itineraries take in Bari and Venice- Italy, Katakalon/Olympia -Greece, Izmir and Istanbul -Turkey and Dubrovnik - Croatia. Further MSC cruise deals and sailings are scheduled throughout the year.

Final Paint Coats For Disney Dream's Funnel

Disney Dream, currently under construction in Germany, is having the final touches of paint coats along with Disney Cruises traditional red and black coloured smokestack, before it is permanently mounted onto the ship.

The funnel is made from aluminium and is approximately nine-eight feet long, forty one feet wide and sixty five feet high. This massive funnel weighs 200 tons!
Scheduled to join the Disney Cruises fleet next year it is the first of two newly designed cruise ships which focuses on family cruises. The maiden voyage will be from the ships home port, Port Canaveral on 26th January 2011.

The second of the new Disney Cruise Line's ships, Disney Fantasy will be launched in 2012 along with two new ocean liners which will double the capacity of Disney Cruise Line. Each of the new ocean liners will have 1,250 staterooms and a tonnage of 128,000.

Disney Cruises are building on their reputation for offering family orientated cruises which incorporate the latest design innovations and offering fun packed cruise deals with wide and varied itineraries to suit Disney lovers of all ages. Each of their ships have areas designed specifically for different age groups from tots to teens and of course a whole host of entertainment and activities for whole families to experience together.

Image: Cruise Industry News

Swarkovski Crystal Staircase Links MSC Yacht Club Decks

There's more that opulence and grandeur on board MSC Cruises flagship the Fantasia.
MSC Fantasia joined the fleet in December 2008 and is the largest cruise ship specifically built for the European cruise line.

Fantasia has 1,637 staterooms with 80% having an ocean view and many with their own private balconies.

So what else can you expect from MSC Cruises Fantasia?

* The Acqua park has 150 illuminated musical fountains.

* 1,700 seats in the theatre which has live entertainment every night.

* Fantasia boasts a 4-D cinema.

* For passengers who love an adrenaline rush there is a F1 race car simulator when driving skills can be put to the test.

* A water slide in the children's pool.

* A glass roof called a magrodome encloses the pool area of the The MSC Fantasia I Tropici.

* World class restaurants in a variety of dining options, including Tex Mex.

* The La Caramella Candy Shop for those young and old with a sweet tooth.

The list is not exhaustive merely a 'taster' of what passengers looking for fantastic cruise deals can expect!

And if that's not tempting enough there's always the 99 MSC Yacht club suites which all have butler service, their own private sky-dome pool along with an exclusive Observation Lounge to meet the demands of the most discerning of cruise passengers. The Yacht Club suites are on two decks and linked by an impressive Swarkovski crystal staircase.

MSC Fantasia Image - MSC Cruises

Tempt Your Taste Buds And Dine In Style On Celebrity Eclipse

First class restaurants in the cosmopolitan capitals of the world are the usual places to find the world's finest dining, however for food lovers the place to be is on board Celebrity Cruises Solstice Class Fleet ship Celebrity Eclipse.

Their new restaurant 'Qsine' is the inspiration of Chef Jacques Van Staden, Celebrity’s Vice President. 'Qsine' will serve passengers with an unexpected yet modern approach to familiar gastronomic delights from around the world.

Van Staden said 'Our guests love new and different dining experiences, and we’ve designed Qsine to deliver that in a big way, Qsine is designed to offer a globally-influenced blend of nostalgic and contemporary favorites, artfully presented with elements of surprise.'

He also believes that Qsine will confirm that Celebrity’s premier position in offering world class dining experiences as already seen in their Solstice ships speciality restaurants.

Even the menu design has been designed to show that Qsine is a different place to be, with wording and phrases to engage passengers in a new dinging experience. Most of the cuisine has fun and unusual names to entice and enthral guests.
So if you want to get your taste buds tingling and try 'Sushi Lollipops', 'Meatball Trilogy' or 'Popcorn Fish and Chips', Celebrity Eclipse's new dining experience 'Qsine' is where you're have to be!

Celebrity Eclipse was designed with a distinctive style and design which embraces the current and emerging trends within Celebrity Cruises Solstice Class travel for the most discerning of passengers who love the finer things in life, including exquisite cruise and dining experiences.

Royal Caribbean Sailing Down Under

Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania are the latest destination for Royal Caribbean as they continue to expand their horizons. They are customising their itineraries with highlights to enthral passengers at ports of call including a tour of Sydney Opera House, experiencing native wildlife up close and personal at the Bonorong Wildlife Park along with museum visits to discover the arts, crafts and history of New Zealand.

Whilst cruising to ports of call passengers can enjoy all the luxury and fabulous on board facilities Royal Caribbean has to offer including rock climbing walls and cantilevered whirlpools as well as a whole host of other fascinating on board facilities which have become synonymous with Royal Caribbean cruises.

Those who have dreamed of the beautiful South Pacific will relish the opportunity to experience the warmth of the sunshine both on board and ashore are in for an experience of a lifetime as Royal Caribbean Cruises make headway for the stunning South Pacific with their newest cruise deals.

Furthermore Royal Caribbean have a loyalty reward system where passengers can earn credits for future cruises. The Crown & Anchor Society, the name given to the reward system, has different levels of membership with some interesting and enticing benefits for joining and moving up the levels!

Princess Cruises New 'A la Carte' Excursion Opportunities

This summer Princess Cruises have four new 'A la Carte' cruise tour options which focuses on those who wish to 'do their own thing' during their cruise holiday.

The new concept enables flexibility by spending an extra three nights at one of the Denali area Princess lodges without excursions, allowing passengers to make their own individualised schedules. Departing from Vancouver the 'A la Carte' cruises feature northbound 'Voyage of the Glaciers – Gulf of Alaska cruise sailing on either Coral Princess or Island Princess. Both cruises visit top attractions in the Denali National Park and Glacier Bay National Park.

President of Princess Tour, Charlie Ball, has said 'These new A la Carte cruise-tours are designed specifically with the value-conscious, independent traveller in mind. With fewer ‘extras' included, we can offer a more affordable tour option with greater flexibility for travellers who prefer to discover the wonders of Alaska at their own pace. Passengers can truly customize their vacation to suit their own interests, whether they want to spend extra time viewing Denali's fascinating wildlife, hike through the spectacular wilderness or try an exhilarating pursuit such as river rafting."

These new cruises are available from May to September Alaska season. Princess Cruises also offer a wide variety of Alaska land/sea experiences within their itineraries to accommodate the most discerning of cruisers.

The new concept will be a welcome change for many passengers who prefer to have a more relaxed cruise holiday which includes experiences they wish to participate in rather than tag along with a group of others on organised tours.