Cuba Cruise to Begin Sailing in December

Cuba Cruise will make its first sailing on December 16 using Louis Cristal as its ship. The seven night cruise will sail around Cuba and continue to March 24. Cuba Cruise ship circles around the island with itineraries starting in Havana and Montego Bay. You can board at either city. The 25,611 ton Louis Cristal has a yacht-like design with both staterooms and suites. Some have balconies and all have shower, bathroom, telephone, hairdryer and TV. The all-inclusive sailings will have Cuban entertainment and cuisine imported from Canada. Passengers will be able to visit six UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The ship calls at Holguin, Santiago de Cuba, Montego Bay, Cienfugeos & Trinidad, Puenta Francis and Havana. The lead-in price is $586 per person.

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Vampire Themed Cruise Planned for Next Year

A week-long vampire convention on a cruise ship that will feature a vampire ball and costume contest is planned for scenic Southeast Alaska next summer.

KINY (http://bit.ly/24LLCy ) says the ship will make stops in Juneau, Glacier Bay, Skagway and Ketchikan after it departs from Vancouver, B.C.

Vampire scholar John Edgar Browning is scheduled to host a vampire movie festival. Also scheduled to join the cruise is Dacre Stoker, a great-grandnephew of "Dracula" author Bram Stoker and a co-author of a sequel, "Dracula: The Un-Dead."

Original article at msnbc.com

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Maiden Voyage of Disney's Dream

Disney Cruise Lines newest ship Dream, set sail last week on its maiden voyage with 3,100 passengers aboard. The ships first cruise was a 4 night, from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas, with a stop at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island.

The Dream was christened on January 19 in Port Canaveral, FL. The red-carpet, waterside celebration had singers, dancers, marching bands, flag bearers, and Academy Award–winner Jennifer Hudson, who is the ship’s godmother. Most of Disney's characters were in attendance as well.

Disney Dream is Disney's biggest ship to date. It is 50 percent larger than Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. It is 1,115 feet long, has 14 decks, can sleep 4,000 passengers and has over 1,450 crew members. It offers six restaurants, nine bars and nightclubs, seven Disney-themed kids’ areas, three swimming pools, including one adults-only, the Aqua Duck, a 765-foot-long water coaster, a fitness center, and spa and salon. It also features a fireworks spectacular at sea called “Buccaneer Blast!” Choreographed to a dramatic score including songs from “Pirates of the Caribbean”.

The Dream offers three, four and five night Bahamian itineraries departing from Port Canaveral, FL year round.

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Celebrity Offering Pre-Cruise Spa, Salon & Fitness Bookings

Celebrity Cruise line is adding pre-cruise appointments for their Aqua Spa, Salon and Personal Fitness programs. Celebrity says this will allow passengers to make better use of their time onboard.

The line offers more than 100 spa & fitness services, ranging from men’s barber services to hot stone massages, facials and hair treatments, and even acupuncture or Botox injections. Celebrity’s pre-cruise spa, salon and personal fitness appointment booking option joins a series of experiences available for guests to book online in advance of their cruise, including beverage packages, shore excursions, specialty dining reservations, and Celebrity Select Dining main dining room preferences. Appointments for spa, salon or personal fitness can also be made once on board.

By November, guests will be able to book spa, salon and personal fitness appointments prior to their cruise on six of the nine Celebrity ships. The first ship to offer this option is the Celebrity Solstice. Guests sailing on Celebrity Solstice can currently book and pay for spa, salon and personal fitness appointments up to four days prior to their sailing date. Guests booked on voyages departing on August 21 or later on Celebrity's newest Solstice Class ship, Celebrity Eclipse, can also book these appointments. On August 26, guests sailing on Celebrity Equinox's voyages of September 9 or later can book these appointments. The rollout will continue through 2011, when Celebrity Cruises will launch its fourth Solstice Class vessel, Celebrity Silhouette.

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Cruise Lines Taking Steps to Keep Pirates Away

A recent survey of major cruise lines shows that most cruise lines haven't drastically altered itineraries through the Gulf of Aden, the vital East African route between the Mediterranean and Arabian seas, however they are increasing piracy deterrence measures.

The ships that route through that area now have pirate-emergency drills for passengers and crew, that are just as routine as mandatory lifeboat drills. "All officers and crew are trained and drilled in piracy evasion and defense, and the anti-piracy measures are reviewed in a guest safety drill," said Tim Rubacky, communications director for Oceania and Regent Seven Seas. The Oceania Nautica, which managed to dodge a pirate attack last November, sailed through the area again May 2, this time following the protection path.

Attacks on cruise ships are rare, but two, the American-owned Oceania Nautica and the Italian-owned MSC Melody have been among those targeted by pirates in recent months. The Nautica was fired upon in November, but evaded capture by outrunning two pirate skiffs. In April, an Israeli security team aboard the MSC Melody scared off pirates after exchanging gunfire with them. No one was hurt in either incident. American-flagged cruise ships do not carry armed security personnel.

Twelve countries, including the U.S., have assigned warships in the area to create a maritime protection zone. This is all part of a support convoy system, that uses warships and helicopters to protect vessels by coordinating group transit through what has become known as "pirates' alley." Approximately 20,000 vessels go through the gulf area each year. Cruise ships or other vessels can make arrangements to join scheduled military-escorted passage by contacting the Maritime Security Centre's Horn of Africa website.

There are also several anti-piracy measures available, such as long-range acoustic devices, using additional lookouts, training crew to recognize vessels, training in evasive maneuvers and the use of heavy water hoses.

Some Cruises Returning to Mexico

Now that the CDC is no longer recommending against nonessential travel to Mexico, cruise lines are making plans to return to their regular itineraries.

Voyages with previously modified itineraries will continue and revert to their original routes in Mexico, as most itineraries were modified through mid-June. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines will resume its port calls in Cozumel beginning with sailings that depart on or after May 24. Ships with Cozumel port calls include Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, and Enchantment of the Seas. Mariner of the Seas will continue its modified Pacific Northwest itinerary, up to and including, its June 14 sailing.

Carnival Cruise Lines will make its first call back to Cozumel on May 30, with Carnival Holiday, but most ships will resume calls to Mexican ports in June, once all previously modified cruises have been completed.

Passengers on both Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships will still have to fill in a health questionnaire on embarkation and there will continue to be spot checks on anyone showing signs of flu.

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Holland America Introduces "Showroom at Sea"

Holland America Cruise Line will introduce a new concept in shipboard entertainment with its first "Showroom at Sea" in May, 2009.

An innovative musical repertory company consisting of seasoned Broadway performers will be the centerpiece of the new entertainment lineup. Created in partnership with Stiletto Entertainment, producers of Emmy award winning TV shows and concert tours, the new programming debuts on the Veendam in May as part of Holland America Line's Signature of Excellence enhancements.

The Showroom at Sea, a modern-day take on the classic nightclub, will feature state of the art technology and a different show and themed environment nightly. Comprised of cast members with credits such as Les Miserables and Rent on Broadway, National Tours of Mamma Mia and performances with the Tokyo Philharmonic, the shows include "Street Singin'," "Encore," "Live from the Stardust Lounge," and "Bob Mackie's Broadway."

The Showroom at Sea is a completely redesigned main stage, with all new seating and an enlarged dance floor enabling guests to combine cocktails, dancing and a show. A new sound system, enhanced lighting, and state of the art video projections transport guests into diverse environments as scenery and decor leap off the stage and into the seats.

Each evening features unique drink menus and table settings. From four vocalists singing pop/rock on the street corner, to two classical vocalists backed by a lavish 14-piece orchestra, to an evening at a fictitious Vegas nightclub hosted by the resident comedian, each night reveals an exciting new production.

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