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.

2 New Mega-Ships For Princess Cruises

Latest news within the world of cruise ships is the announcement that parent company to Princess Cruises, Carnival Corporation, has signed a memorandum of agreement with Fincantari, an Italian shipbuilder, for two new Princess cruise ships which will début in 2013 and 2014.

Each of the two new ships will be the largest in the princess Fleet at 139,000 tons. They will hold 3,600 passengers making them approximately 20% larger than any other ship in the fleet. At a cost estimated at around $768 million the ships will be competing in size with other mega cruise ships; being slightly larger than the new Carnival Dream, the ships will dwarf the Ruby Princess which made its début in 2008. Neither of the ships have been named as yet and no indication as to the potential 'godmothers' has been mentioned to date.

With more and more people taking full advantage of cruise deals and the latest innovation in cruising luxury it looks as if the cruise industry is set to keep ahead of consumer trends with regards to both passenger needs and value for money.
Carnival Cruises have an existing fleet of over 20 cruise ships, sailing from twenty different ports to destinations around the world, including Europe.

The company focuses on providing passengers a fun packed cruise holiday with activities and entertainment itineraries to suit all ages. Offer 3-8 day cruises Carnival have built their reputation on providing excellence in an exciting an innovative way.

Image: Ruby Princess - Princess Cruises (Examiner)

Themed Cruises A Big Hit With Passengers

Cruise passengers who adore 'soaps' will be delighted to know that they can experience more than watching they favourite 'soap' during their cruise! Celebrity cruises have a four day 'Soap Cruise' departing from Miami this season.

Themed cruises are becoming more and more popular as such many of the leading cruise lines have a variety of diverse themed cruise deals this year. From lectures, demonstrations, performances by top personalities and tours are amongst the vast ranges on offer, where passenger participation is encouraged and welcomed.

Crystal Cruises have seven Wine and Food Experiences of Discovery this year featuring top chefs and wine experts. Crystal Cruises also have a mind, body and spirit Wellness cruise Departing from Singapore in April.

Holland and America Line also have a gastronomic delights for their passengers with over seventy chefs from the US providing a wealth of knowledge for the most discerning of palettes throughout their 2010 cruise season, all demonstrations will be presented in the new on-board Culinary Arts Centre.

MSC Cruises have a whole host of different themed cruises throughout the season from baseball, big band, polka, bridge along with varied food and wine themes. On their cruise ship Melody there are some unusual themes which include n Circus, arts, crafts, magic and dreams; further themes include music, fashion. Beauty and dance on South America cruises until May.

The whole ethos of passengers being spoilt for choice certainly holds true as themed cruises are becoming an integral part of meeting passenger needs.

Image: MSC Melody

Reviving Old Traditions: 'Bon Voyage' Experiences

Princess Cruises return to a by gone era of reviving the tradition of family and friends boarding cruise ships to say 'Bon Voyage'. This practice was stopped over two decades agao as the need for tighter security measures where needed.

However, the innovative programme 'Bon Voyage ExperienceSM' has a modern twist allowing passengers to invite guests on board to join them during the sailing day for a four course lunch, a tour of the ship as well as a souvenir photograph. Guests will have the opportunity to spend four hours with passengers prior to departure.
The programme is a proactive approach to introduce and tempt those who have never been on a cruise to savour the experience with the cost redeemable towards a future Princess cruise deals.

Bon Voyage ExperienceSM débuts this March in the ports of Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles, with the experience being available in New York from May, San Francisco from June and during the Alaska season, Sapphire Princess, Golden Princess and Royal Princess will offer the program in Seattle, beginning in May.

Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president said 'Long-time cruisers will recall the fun of the bon voyage send-off with their family and friends, and we’re excited to re-introduce a new, modern version of this experience'.

The Bon Voyage ExperienceSM will be available to approximately 50 guests on any given depature day.

$62 Million Cruise Liner Terminal And Retail Centre Opens At Roatan

A $62 million cruise liner terminal and retail centre has opened at Roatan the Caribbean's latest private island.

Carnival Cruises have developed the complex to enable its Seabourn, Princess, Holland America, Carnival and P&O cruise ship to call there along with non-Carnival ships. The cruise centre is spread over 20 acres with an additional 10 acre private island which is expected to host over half a million passengers annually on board over 200 cruise liners.

The new ship terminal and private island will boast a number of innovative facilities for passengers which include:

* A 'Magical Flying Beach Chair', a cable suspended lift, will be one way in which passengers will be able to travel from pier to the beach.
* A beach with 825 feet of pristine white sand.
* An extensive range of shops and restaurants on the beach.
* Volleyball courts and water sports opportunities.
* Shore excursion facilities.

A new 3690 passenger, 130, 00-ton ship has also been ordered by Carnival for 2012 spring delivery. This ship will also include the latest innovative design features which include:

* A 300 foot corkscrew water slide.
* Indoor and outdoor cafés.
* Centres design with teens and children in mind.
* Cantilevered whirlpools which extend over the sides of the ship.
* A 24,000 square foot spa.

Further facilities are due to be revealed as the construction of the ship continues. Exciting times are ahead for cruisers looking for exceptional value for money and the very latest technological advances in the world of cruise ships.

Image: Carnival Sensation

Cunard Caters For Jazz Enthusiasts During 2010

Jazz enthusiasts are being given a spectacular itinerary on board Queen Mary 2 this year. Select Cunard Cruies eastbound Transatlantic Crossings will present classical and contemporary jazz performances from one of the world's top music schools, The Juiliard School.

The concerts will feature many well known and popular jazz performers, including Eddie Henderson on trumpet, who had his fiirst trumpet lesson from the legendary Louis Armstrong and Ben Wolfe on bass. Students from The Juiliard School will accompany professors to bring a wealth and expertise to the performances.
The new partnership between Cunard and The Juiliard School commences this April and continues through until October with concerts being performed in the ship's Royal Court Theatre.

One of the grandest ocean liners ever built, Queen Mary 2 provides passengers with the timeless elegance of cruising in spectacular style. Although the ship retains the sophistication of cruising in sumptuous surroundings, Cunard remain focused on the needs of passengers, including the most modern luxuries along with entertainment catered to the tastes of the most discerning passengers needs.

The partnership with The Juiiard School clearly demonstrates their commitment to include diversity as well as retaining the Golden Age of Ocean Travel at its very best for their cruise passengers

Classical Disney 'Villains' Take Centre Stage

For those who love all things Disney, especially the Disney 'Villains' are in for a treat this spring as Disney Cruises are premièring a musical spectacular aptly named 'Villains Tonight!'.

The début of the show will be on-board Disney Magic this March as well as being included on the itinerary of Disney Dream in early 2011.

Dedicated to the Disney Villains we love to hate, the musical is the first full scale musical extravaganza that uses the famous villains and evil-doers in some comical moments to enthral passengers of all ages.

Focused on family fun, Disney cruise deals remain extremely popular, providing the traditions of extraordinary family entertainment and superb service throughout all of their cruises.

Jim Urry, Vice President of Entertainment for Disney Cruise Line, has said 'We pride ourselves in delivering exceptional entertainment and magnificent stage spectaculars aboard our ships,' adding 'With 'Villains Tonight!' we are bringing the lovable and loathsome Disney villains to life in a way never seen before - as the stars of the first musical comedy devoted to the anti-heroes of our films.'

An all-star creative team has been assembled by Disney Cruise Line, who are joined by Karma camp choreographer Allison Narver and Ben Cohn as musical director.

Image: Disney Magic's Sports Deck

'Disney Dream' Offers Fun Packed Family Cruises

Disney Cruises continues to provide a wide range of unique water-sports facilities on board their newest ship Disney Dream. An interactive sports deck, water themed play area along with poolside haven of rest and relaxation for adults, the first on board water coaster, AquaDuck, will be just one of the many different sports themes for cruise passengers to choose from.

* Nemo's Reef continues the water theme where children can experience a world of water fun with pop jets, bubblers along with underwater favourite friends including Nemo, Dory and other characters from the film 'Finding Nemo'. The 1,500 square feet Nemo's Reef has shaded areas to provide protection from the sun as well as a soft wet-deck area.

* A miniature golf course Goofy's Golf offers 'lessons' as Goofy and his son Max show passengers a nine hole course filled with whacky fun. Each hole has its own 'special' golf instructions to guide passengers round the course which advises players to avoid fire hydrants and use Pluto's dog bone to help them get to the hole.

* Goofy's Sports Deck also includes 2 digital sports simulators to provide a range of virtual game experiences including tennis, basketball, soccer and golf, furthermore there is a full sized basketball court which can double up as a mini soccer pitch or volleyball court. Children can also enjoy a range of sports on two mini-sized courts.

* Passengers aged 18 years and over can turn to the 'child free' Quiet Cove Pool and Cove bar to sunbathe and swim in peace, enjoy a drink or relax in the hot tub overlooking the ocean whilst cruising on board the Disney Dream.

Image: Quiet Cove Pool on board Disney Magic