'Search For The Epic Star' Has Begun

Norwegian Cruise Lines have joined the latest influx of talent scouting by inviting amateur entertainers to take the opportunity to join world class entertainers on board their latest Freestyle Cruising ship during her inaugural festivities 2nd -4th July 2010, as they 'Search for the Epic Star'.

Entries opened last Friday to those who believe they have a unique and 'epic' talent in singing, dancing, juggling and comedy, single or groups of no more than four are invite to send a one minute video of their performance to arrive before April 25th 2010 in order to be included for judging. Applicants must be over 21years and reside in either the US or Canada. Terms and conditions apply.

At present Norwegian Epic has a host of world class entertainers including Blue Man Group, Cirque Dreams and Dinner, Howl at the Moon and Nickelodeon, the winner of the contest will join these performers and share the spotlight on board this fabulous cruise ship.

Norwegian Cruise Lines chief executive officer Kevin Sheeman said; 'Norwegian Epic is known for its ground-breaking, world-class entertainment offerings. Therefore, we wanted to take that a step further and search for tomorrow's star and give them a chance to showcase their epic talent during the ship's inaugural festivities'.

Image: Norwegian Epic's Headliners Comedy Club

World Cup Fever Has Begun In Earnest!

As World cup fever gets well and truly under way, few thousand football supporters will be able to really enjoy their accommodation as Holland America Cruises have two ships, the Noordam and the Westerdam will dock at three South African ports, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban to follow the World Cup action between June 10 to July 12.

The ships have been chartered by One Ocean Club, a German based hospitality service, and are offering numerous two to five night packages. Although the packages do include transfers to the football grounds they don't include tickets to any of the matches, they have to be sourced from FIFA.

The two ships will also have African touches along with all the normal facilities the two cruise ship offer. Menus will included locally sourced African food and the standard show program will be replaced by African artists.

Holland America Cruises are expecting an international mix of passengers who all have one thing is common – football!

Chartering cruise ships for major sporting events is nothing new for One Ocean Club, it used cruise ships on a charter basis to act as floating hotels in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics.

With hundreds of thousands of worldwide football fans arriving in South African to watch the World Cup, those luck few thousand will really have the best of both worlds – as long as they remembered to book their tickets to the matches!

Image: Holland America Cruise ship Noordam

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!

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.

$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

'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

New Spa Menu For Passengers On Board The Queen Mary 2

Passengers on board Cunard Cruises Queen Mary 2 will be able to experience a whole host of different spa treatments in their Canyon Ranch, the spa-fitness provider. The extensive range of spa treatments include Detoxifying and Revitalising Rituals, Voya Seaweed Treatments, along with Performance Orthotics.

Covering 20,000 square feet of the Queen Mary 2, Canyon Ranch has a staff of thirty looking after passengers indulging in a choice of twenty-four treatment rooms and fifty pieces of equipment. As well as the new menu of treatments the spa has a Thalasso-therapy pool, neck fountains, body massage jet benches, herbal and Finish saunas and an aromatic steam room. The new itineraries are to be included on Cunard's two 2011 World Cruises.

The Queen Mary 2 will start its fourth world voyage from New York returning to New York after 103 days cruising around the world calling at numerous ports including China, Japan, Sydney, Thailand, Dubai and the UK. The ship will also make 21 transatlantic crossings in 2010 along with additional round-trip New York voyages.

Cunard Cruises new 2092 passenger Queen Elizabeth leaves Southampton in January to begin its 103 days global circuit heading westward to New York and then onto Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Sydney, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Dubai, Egypt, Greece, Italy along with other ports of call around the world. The ship will start its voyages in October 2010 in Spain and Portugal.

Cunard Cruises 3rd ship the Queen Victoria will spend the summer in Europe and then spend the winter of 2011 on the U.S. West Coast and Panama Canal, calling at Los Angeles and Hawaii.

Passengers looking for the ultimate in cruise holidays can rest assured that Cunard Cruises will live up to its reputation of being one of the most sought after and luxurious cruises with its opulence and grandeur being seen on all three of its magnificent fleet.

Britain's Latest Superliner Has A New Godmother

Darcey Bushell one of the world's leading ballerinas is to be Godmother to the latest superliner to join P&O Cruises fleet, Azura.

Darcey, a former Royal Ballet principal ballerina now lives in Australia with her family. During the early part of next year she and her family are flying back to the UK for the prestigious naming ceremony of the Azura. P&O Cruises are holding the cards close to their chest with regards to the exact details of when the naming ceremony is to take place, all that is know is that the ceremony will be prior to Azuras maiden voyage on April 10^th.

P&O have chosen Darcey as they believe she epitomises the qualities which have been used throughout the Azura. Sophisticated style, grace and elegance are befitting to both Darcey and the Azura. Carol Marlow, managing director of P&O Cruises has said "Azura will offer the service, quality and entertainment associated with cruising at its very best and as dance will play a key part in this, it is entirely fitting for Darcey to give Azura the best possible start in life."

This newest edition to P&O's Cruise fleet will comfortably carry over 3,000 passengers, looked after by over 1,000 crew members. This luxury cruise liner boasts far more than other cruise ships in its class, with a dance floor in the middle of the spectacular atrium, 10 restaurants along with state of the art health and beauty spa which has its own open air terrace. A SeaScreen cinema will show film classics - British of course! Live show theatre, nightclubs and an extensive range of daytime activities and entertainment make Azura a non-stop superliner which caters for all passenger needs effortlessly.

With over 1,200 guests invited to witness the namely ceremony by Darcey Bussell on Saturday 10^th April in Southampton, the prestigious occasion will also benefit 3 international charities, chosen by Darcey – The Royal Ballet School, the Prince's Rainforest Project and Sydney Dance Company.

Image: Cruise Critic: http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/