Australians Head to Sea to Escape the Winter Blues, on Sea Princess.  

Hundreds of dedicated cruisers sailed from Sydney yesterday on an epic 104-night world voyage, enhancing Australians’ reputation as one of the world leaders in cruising.

The dedicated cruisers will escape Australia’s winter by heading north on Sea Princess on a journey which will visit 39 destinations in 27 countries and cover more than 28,000 nautical miles around the globe before returning to Sydney in late August.

Despite their international travels, the guests are also escaping the fluctuation of Australia’s exchange rate, with the cost of the cruise, on-board spending and shore tours in international ports charged in Australian dollars. Priced from $200 a day per person, the cruise also enables travellers to see the world without the expense of international airfares.

Since it pioneered the first roundtrip annual world voyage from Sydney in 2008, Princess Cruises has carried more than 30,000 Australians on 10 global odysseys. With two world cruises operating in both 2012 and 2013, this year’s world cruise is the 11th the cruise line has undertaken from Australia.

Highlights of the cruise include overnight visits to Dubai, St Petersburg, New York and Lima as well as transits of the Suez and Panama canals, and calls to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile, including the remote Easter Island.

Princess Cruises is the only cruise line to offer a roundtrip world cruise from the southern hemisphere.

The popularity of the cruises reflects Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia figures that show the number of Australians cruising has grown by an average of 20 per cent a year for the past decade, with more than 12,000 Australians taking a world voyage in 2014 according to the latest data.

Close to 3200 guests will travel on part or all of the world voyage over the next 104 nights. Almost 1300 are doing the full world cruise, including around 1100 Australians.

Ensuring guests will still have a taste of Australia while they travel the world, about 200 tonnes of food and beverage items were loaded onto the ship in Sydney. World cruise guests consume about 400kg of beef, 240 dozen eggs, 150kg of shell fish, 1700kg of fresh vegetables and more than 50kg of chocolate a day.

The 77,000-tonne Sea Princess offers a premium cruising option from a range of Australian homeports. It features a high number of staterooms with private balconies, along with multiple dining options, including the cruise line’s new Curtis Stone menu items, and signature Princess innovations such as the popular Movies Under the Stars poolside theatre and The Sanctuary, an exclusive top-deck retreat.

Next year Princess will offer three world cruise options for Australasian travellers: a 104-night round world cruise on Sea Princess, a 75-night Circle Pacific cruise on Golden Princess as well as an 84-night Circle South America cruise on Sea Princess. Fares start from $13,299* per person twin share for the 75-night Circle Pacific voyage.

Information supplied by: Princess Cruises.

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Carnival Cruise Line Ups The Ante With New Wifi Plans For Social Media.

Carnival Cruise Line’s guests will be well-connected following the launch of cheaper and faster internet and social media packages on the cruise line’s Australia-based ships this month.

In a move which sets a new course for local cruisers, Carnival’s enhanced internet access offers significantly increased bandwidth and speed, while its new social media package provides unlimited access to popular sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat from just $15 a day.  Additional discounted plans are also available for the entire cruise duration.

Carnival Cruise Line Vice President Australia Jennifer Vandekreeke said the cruise line wanted to make it easier for its guests to share their holiday with friends, given the role social media now plays in people’s lives, particularly when travelling.

“Access to flexible and affordable internet is really important for many of our guests. We know that they want to keep in touch with their friends and families and they also want to keep them posted on how much fun they’re having at sea,” Ms Vandekreeke said.

“With this in mind we’ve tailored our packages to focus on the social media sites and apps that our guests use most and ramped up our bandwidth to give our guests unprecedented internet access at sea, which means they can now upload as many selfies as they like and easily check in to all the fantastic ports they visit during their cruise,” she said.

The new offerings include a value plan with unlimited access to the web for checking email, sports scores, weather updates and a wide range of extra apps, and a premium package that provides the fastest available connection speed and also supports video calls on Skype.

The new internet packages follow the launch of Carnival’s Selfies at Sea app last year. Available for download free of charge at the Apple and Android stores, the Selfies at Sea app collates a series of onboard photos into a mini-movie which can be shared on social media channels. 

Information supplied by: Carnival Cruise Line, Australia.

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 CLIA Australasia Appoints New Chairman, Steve Odell.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Senior Vice President and Managing Director Asia Pacific Steve Odell has been appointed as the new chairman of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia.

Mr Odell replaces Gavin Smith, who is relocating to the UK following his recent appointment to Senior Vice President International for Royal Caribbean.

Following its Annual General Meeting in Sydney today, CLIA has also welcomed three new members to its executive committee: Princess Cruises Vice President Australia & New Zealand Stuart Allison, Royal Caribbean Managing Director Australia & New Zealand Adam Armstrong and Carnival Cruise Line Vice President Australia Jennifer Vandekreeke.  

With the executive committee now expanded to eight cruise line representatives, the new members join four existing committee members: Ponant Chairman Asia Pacific Sarina Bratton, Silversea Cruises General Manager Australasia Karen Christensen, MSC Cruises Australia and New Zealand Managing Director Lynne Clarke and Travel the World’s Managing Director Andrew Millmore (GSA for Tauck).

Welcoming the new committee, CLIA Australasia Managing Director Neil Linwood thanked the outgoing members, Gavin Smith and Carnival Australia Executive Chairman Ann Sherry, for their efforts and paid tribute to Mr Smith for the time and dedication he had given to CLIA over five years, since he was first appointed chairman in 2011.

“Gavin has been very generous with his support and guidance for CLIA during a time of rapid industry growth and we thank him for all his hard work on the industry’s behalf,” Mr Linwood said.

“We look forward to continuing to raise the cruise industry’s profile with Steve now at the helm of our committee.” 

A former chairman of International Cruise Council Australasia (now CLIA Australasia) from 2005 to 2006, Mr Odell has more than 30 years’ experience in the cruise industry and has held senior management roles for a number of international contemporary and luxury cruise lines, including most recently Silversea Cruises. In October last year, he joined Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings which encompasses Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. 

Mr Odell said he regarded his appointment as CLIA Australasia Chairman as an immense honour.

“I welcome the opportunity to work in collaboration with the Board, providing a voice for the industry at such an exciting time for the sector,” Mr Odell said. 

“Globally, the cruise industry has never had a brighter outlook, and within this Australia’s cruise sector is particularly robust. With annual Australian cruise passenger numbers increasing more than sixfold over the past decade to now exceed one million, and with more ships than ever cruising our waters and homeporting in our region, now is the time to lay the foundations for sustained growth into the future.” 

One behalf of everyone associated with the Australian Cruising Industry, I would like to welcome Steve to his new role and we wish you all the best.

Information supplied by: CLIA [ Cruise Lines International Association Of Australasia ].

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Carnival Cruise Line Celebrates Maiden Call To Morton Island With Fun Police !

Carnival Cruise Line ensured the focus was firmly on fun in the sun during Carnival Spirit’s maiden call to Moreton Island last Thursday (May 5), with the fun police joining in activities on the island.

Roving the Tangalooma Resort precinct across the day, the resident fun policeman was responsible for ensuring guests had a great day during the ship’s inaugural visit, encouraging them to try new experiences and unleashing ‘random acts of fun’.

Image 1: The fun police (man) prepares to greet visitors during Carnival Spirit’s inaugural call to Moreton Island.

Dressed as an English bobby, the local copper kept the fun vibes alive amongst guests issuing rewards, as well as fun fines – in the form of popcorn and fairy floss vouchers – to those in need of a hand to reach their fun-tential.

During the inaugural visit, Carnival’s guests also became the first cruisers to try two new activities – sand sculpting and plaster painting – as well as the many adventure activities the resort is well-known for, including a snorkelling tour among local wrecks, parasailing and a wild dolphin feeding experience.

Image 2: Pictured following the official plaque handover to mark Carnival Spirit’s maiden call to Moreton Island is Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort Director David James (left) and Carnival Spirit’s Captain Adriano Binacchi.

Carnival has done back-to-back Moreton Island cruises with a second four-night cruise departing Sydney last Saturday (May 7). A further two Carnival Spirit cruises will depart Sydney for Moreton Island on September 9 and 13, 2016.

Information supplied by: Carnival Cruise Line, Australia.

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Princess Cruises Offers The Ultimate In Luxury, With Club Class Mini Suites.

Princess Cruises is set to offer guests a new premium stateroom category featuring VIP amenities and exclusive dining with the introduction of its Club Class Mini-Suite in December.

The elevated mini-suite category features select perks including new Club Class Dining, a reserved dining area with expedited seating and expanded menu options, as well as priority embarkation and disembarkation. Club Class guests will also be among the first to sleep on the new Princess Luxury Bed. 

Club Class will debut in Australia in December 2016 on Emerald Princess and roll out across the rest of the Australian-based fleet during 2017.

Princess Cruises Vice President Australia & New Zealand Stuart Allison said the new staterooms would provide Princess guests with an enhanced accommodation experience during their cruise.

“The VIP perks, including the new Club Class Dining, offers a premium and memorable onboard experience so our guests can completely relax, unwind and immerse themselves in worldwide destinations and ultimately ‘come back new’,” Mr Allison said.

Offering guests more convenience, Club Class Dining will be open every evening for dinner, as well as for breakfast and lunch on sea days. Featuring exclusive menu options with daily chef’s special and table-side preparations, the dedicated seating area also includes dedicated wait staff and uniquely-styled table décor.

Club Class Mini-Suite guests will also enjoy the following additional VIP perks:

* The Princess Luxury Bed – Club Class guests will be among the first to experience the “Ultimate Sleep at Sea,” in the new bed designed in collaboration with board certified sleep expert Dr Michael Breus and renowned HGTV Designer Candice Olson

* Priority check-in and boarding at the beginning of the cruise and priority disembarkation at the end of the cruise

* One-time complimentary wine set-up on embarkation day (1/2 bottle of red and white)

* Evening canapés (upon request)

* Luxurious terry shawl bathrobes

In addition to Club Class Dining and upgraded amenities and services, Club Class Mini-Suites include all of the standard mini-suite benefits, such as spacious staterooms of up to 30 square metres with balcony, separate seating area with sofa bed and coffee table, bathroom with combination tub and shower and a welcome glass of champagne.

Full Suite guests will also enjoy all the benefits of Club Class Mini-Suites including Club Class Dining – and be among the first to experience the new Princess Luxury Bed – in addition to the many other amenities offered with a Full Suite. 

The new Club Class Mini-Suites add to the cruise line’s previously announced “Come Back New Promise,” a multi-year, multi-million-dollar program introducing new product innovations that offer guests enriching holiday experiences. The “Come Back New Promise” includes a partnership with award-winning chef and restaurateur Curtis Stone, bringing guests fresh culinary creations, which debuted in Australian waters on Sun Princess in April this year.

Club Class Mini-Suites are available for booking now. More information, including the ship rollout schedule, is available at www.princess.com/clubclass

Information supplied by: Princess Cruises.

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The Fastest, High Speed Internet At Sea Is Here Introducing VOOM !

It's EXCLUSIVE to Royal Caribbean International.

Beginning today, Royal Caribbean International is making VOOM, its exclusive, high-speed internet service – the fastest at sea – available fleetwide on its 24 innovative ships sailing worldwide. VOOM, first introduced on the Quantum class of ships, including the US$1 billion Ovation of the Seas which is soon to call Australia home, allows guests holidaying with Royal Caribbean to always stay connected and to stream their favourite music, movies and TV shows to stay up to date on the latest happenings. Whether they are posting envy-inducing holiday photos on Instagram or Snapchat, or video-chatting with loved ones back home using FaceTime or Skype, travellers can share their adventures in real-time with family and friends. Guests can even relax or chill poolside while catching up on their favourite TV show or the newest movie. 

“VOOM is revolutionising the onboard experience for our guests as well as for our crew and it is truly a game-changer for the industry,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Everything our guests and crew can do online at home, they will now be able to do from onboard all of our ships around the world.” 

Known for the most innovative ships at sea, the cruise line has made a significant investment to enhance guests’ internet connectivity experience outfitting its newest smart ships with the latest and most advanced in technology and continually upgrading its existing fleet. Through a combination of Wi-Fi service providers, Royal Caribbean is able to deliver more overall bandwidth fleetwide than any other cruise line. The enhancements will provide speeds at least twice as fast as before and also have enabled the cruise line to provide service at prices that are less expensive than ever before – comparable to most land-based resorts.

Travelers sailing on all Royal Caribbean ships can enjoy the fastest internet at sea at a flat price with guests choosing from two packages: 

* Surf, which provides guests the opportunity to surf the web, stay in touch via email, and share their holiday photos on social media. Surf packages start at US$12.99 per device per day with additional devices added at a discounted cost. Family packages – 5 devices or more – start as low as US$8.99 per device per day. 

* Surf and Stream, which is ideal for guests looking to do more than connect via email or social channels, but also want the capability to stream movies and music from Netflix or Spotify, and to connect using video chat apps such as Skype. This package is available for US$17.99 per device per day. Additional devices can be connected at a discount and family packages – 5 devices or more – start as low as US$11.99 per device per day.  

This pricing is a significant improvement from the standard programs currently offered throughout the industry, many of which charge on a per-minute basis. 

Information supplied by: Royal Caribbean International.

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Navy’s Young Navigators Navigating By The Stars On Pacific Pearl.

The ancient art of celestial navigation was revived on P&O Cruises’ Pacific Pearl recently, with the cruise line hosting Royal New Zealand Navy trainees during a cruise to Fiji from Auckland.  In a high-tech world dominated by GPS and satellite navigation, navy personnel are still required to learn how to guide a vessel by the stars when out of sight of land in much the same way as early sea explorers. 

While the training is usually completed onboard a Navy patrol vessel, the New Zealand Defence Force's ongoing commitment to the relief mission in Fiji following Cyclone Winston meant that the navigation students needed another ‘floating platform’ for their training.  Navy Commander David Hedgley, who has 40 years’ naval experience and runs the training, approached P&O Cruises with a request to conduct the course on Pacific Pearl, which is currently homeported in Auckland for a five-month deployment. 

Commander Hedgley said Pacific Pearl’s voyage to Fiji earlier this month was the ideal setting for 11 Navy sailors to undertake the five-day astro-navigation training course.  "This training is part of 25-week course towards an advanced Officer of the Watch qualification," Commander Hedgley said. "Even in this age of satellite navigation, being able to navigate by the stars while out of sight of land is a crucial requirement of the Royal New Zealand Navy. 

“Pacific Pearl's voyage from Auckland was perfect to give us the four to five days needed for this part of the course, and we are incredibly grateful to P&O Cruises for accommodating us, and thank them for their support and hospitality."  P&O Cruises Director of Marine Operations Captain Mike Drake said there was no hesitation in enabling the Navy contingent to carry out their training on board Pacific Pearl.  “As modern seafarers, we have the utmost respect for the explorers who navigated the world and discovered new lands with little more than a sextant and celestial observation to take them into uncharted parts of the world,” Captain Drake said.

“Celestial navigation might have been overtaken by modern navigation technology but it is still an essential skill for up and coming navigators. It is wonderful to know that it is still mandatory for Royal New Zealand Navy navigators. Our guests were fascinated to see the Navy trainees at work and they in turn were a great credit to the naval service.”  The officers worked closely with seasoned Pacific Pearl Captain Salvatore Lupo and First Officer Tapan Raina and held a special talk to explain their activity to P&O’s guests, who were fascinated to see the students using sextants to navigate by the stars. 

Information supplied by: P&O Cruises Australia.

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P&O Cruises’ Australia Stirring Tribute With ANZAC Day Services At Sea.

Anzac Day has be marked on all five ships in the P&O Cruises’ fleet with Dawn Services held on each ship including a stirring and emotional rendition of the Last Post, the traditional observance of a minute’s silence and the casting of a wreath of remembrance on the sea. It is great to see the crew, staff and veterans who were on board along with fellow passengers unite together for this very special occasion.

Today, Anzac Day: 

* Pacific Dawn will be at Pentecost Island in Vanuatu 

* Pacific Jewel will be at sea returning to Sydney from Moreton Island 

* Pacific Pearl will be at sea returning to her current Auckland homeport 

* Pacific Eden will be on turnaround in Fremantle 

* Pacific Aria will be at sea off the New South Wales coast 

During the day, activities on all five P&O ships will have a distinctive Australian and New Zealand theme with Anzac biscuits baked onboard, Anzac themed cake displays at the entrance to the main Waterfront dining rooms and special showing of movies, Gallipoli and the Water Diviner. 

P&O’s heritage includes a strong wartime contribution, with the ships of its sister line P&O Cruises in the UK called up for service in both World Wars. Most recently, the former liner Canberra famously served as a troopship in the Falkland Islands conflict in 1982. 

Information supplied by : P&O Cruises Australia.

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Cairns Cruise Terminal To Become A Major Cruising Hub.

Princess Cruises has announced that its three Australian-based ships – Sun Princess, Sea Princess and Dawn Princess – will start docking at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal on the city foreshore from June, following new simulator exercises which have shown the ships can safely traverse the channel to the city’s harbour. The move is great news for the local economy with tens of thousands of Princess passengers now having immediate access to Cairns from the cruise terminal, instead of spending time transferring by tender boats from ships anchored at Yorkeys Knob, north of the city.

The new berthing arrangements will start from June 8 this year when Dawn Princess is scheduled to call in the city. A further 16 scheduled calls to Yorkeys Knob between September 2016 and September 2017 will now also be transferred to the terminal. Princess Cruises Vice President Australia & New Zealand Stuart Allison said the breakthrough followed new information which had made it possible to do more extensive simulator exercises to map the ships’ passage through Cairns harbour and Trinity Inlet. The simulations were conducted with Cairns Harbour Master, Ports North Marine Pilots, Princess Cruises Marine department and a captain of Princess’ three Sun class vessels. 

“Those new exercises have demonstrated conclusively that it’s possible to get our 77,000-tonne Sun class ships into Trinity Inlet to dock at the cruise terminal, which is fantastic news for our guests as well as the people of Cairns,” Mr Allison said.Mr Allison said the changes would further boost the economic value of the upcoming 17 Princess calls, which are already expected to inject more than $8 million to the local Cairns economy, through passenger and crew shopping, dining, touring and port charges. “

 Cairns has always been an exciting port with our guests, even when they have to take tender transfers from Yorkeys Knob. With our ships now docking in the heart of the city, our passengers will be able to spend even more time exploring Cairns and its surrounds, which will deliver even greater benefits to the city.” “We have always wanted to berth at the Cairns terminal, so it’s fabulous that technology combined with the new information has now shown us the way,” he said.

Queensland Treasurer, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Minister for Sport, Curtis Pitt welcomed the announcement saying the decision by Princess Cruises to include Cairns on their itinerary for Sun class vessels from June was a further vote of confidence in Cairns as one of Australia’s premier cruise destinations.

“The announcement further underscores the vital importance of the Port of Cairns as a critical enabler of tourism for Cairns and the region. The suitability of Cairns for these ships will only strengthen Cairns’ position as an international cruise tourism destination,” Mr Pitt said.

Information supplied by: Princess Cruises.

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 Cruise Month In Australia Set For October As Australia Continues Cruising Boom !

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia has announced the expansion of its annual Cruise Week promotion with the launch of a new month-long cruise campaign this October. 

The move is part of a global roll out of CLIA’s “Plan a Cruise Month”, which will see CLIA offices around the world synchronise their cruise promotion for the first time. 

CLIA Australasia Commercial Director Brett Jardine said the extended cruise campaign was first introduced in the US last year.

“As the cruise industry continues to boom in Australia and around the world, a week is no longer enough time to promote cruising. It’s a natural progression to follow our colleagues in North America in expanding our annual cruise campaign to a full month,” Mr Jardine said. 

Mr Jardine said October was particularly timely Down Under as it coincided with the start of the peak cruise season.

Similar to Cruise Week, “Plan a Cruise Month” will aim to raise consumer awareness of cruising.

The first CLIA Australasia month-long promotion will focus on providing agent members with the tools and resources to promote cruise holidays to new and current clients while also highlighting the expertise of CLIA certified travel agents as the best port of call for holidaymakers wanting to take a holiday at sea. 

““Plan a Cruise Month” will provide the perfect platform for travel agents, cruise lines and industry partners to showcase the many attributes of a cruise holiday and underline that there is a cruise for everyone,” Mr Jardine added. 

More details on the initiative, as well as tools and resources will be available in the coming months.  

For more information visit www.cruising.org.au in Australia and www.cruising.org.nz in New Zealand. 

Information supplied by: CLIA [ Cruise Lines International Association Of Australasia ].

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Carnival Cruise Line In Australia Set To Introduce, Carnival Journeys Program.

From disco stars to star-gazing, Carnival Cruise Line is offering guests on its transpacific cruises a range of new onboard experiences, following the Australasian debut of its Carnival Journeys program.

Designed for longer voyages, Carnival Journeys aims to deepen passengers’ connection with their cruise destinations and provide new learning opportunities, while making the days at sea even more fun.

As they cruise between exotic ports, passengers can find out more about the music and dance of their different destinations through new local entertainment classes.

Also on offer are special Academy of Fun sessions, blending informative classes with Carnival’s trademark sense of fun to help guests build their knowledge across a wide range of areas from photography, astronomy and art to food and social media.

Cruise fans love the program’s Throwback Sea Days, which turn back time to a 1987 Carnival cruise. With crew members wearing the uniform of the era, guests are served up a day of retro pool and deck games, while at night time they can boogie in the disco, enjoy an eighties dinner menu complete with Baked Alaska, and indulge in a midnight buffet.

More time at sea also means there is more opportunity to get to know the crew, with Carnival Journeys delivering Cruise Connection events including Q&A sessions with key officers, galley tours, a crew talent show and a crew meet and greet event.

Carnival Cruise Line Vice President Australia Jennifer Vandekreeke said the local debut of Carnival Journeys followed its successful launch in the US last year.

“Cruise fans love longer cruises so we know that they’ll be excited by the extra opportunities that Carnival Journeys provides to really immerse themselves in their holiday,” Ms Vandekreeke said.

“Whether they are connecting with the crew, learning a new skill or playing retro deck games, the program is designed to provide passengers with a richer, deeper cruise experience.”

The Australian Carnival Journeys program premiered on Carnival Legend on Monday (April 18) as she sailed from Sydney on her redeployment to the US for the northern hemisphere summer. Carnival Legend will return to Sydney for another extended season Down Under on September 23.

Information supplied by: Carnival Cruise Line, Australia.

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The BIGGEST And The BEST Royal Careibbean Season Is NOW OPEN For Sale In Australia.

The world’s most innovative cruise line, Royal Caribbean International has today opened its 2017/18 Australian summer season for sale, including cruises for the US$1 billion Ovation of the Seas’ second local season.

To celebrate, Royal Caribbean is offering launch savings of up to $1,300 per person off the standard cruise fare when booked before 31 May 2016. Fares start from as little as $999 per person for an eight-night South Pacific roundtrip cruise onboard Voyager of the Seas, departing Sydney on 12 December 2017. Or choose a three-night taster cruise departing Sydney on 2 February 2018 from $399 per person, also onboard Aussie favourite, Voyager of the Seas.

Together, Ovation of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas will offer 66 sailings ranging from two to 23 nights during the 2017/18 season. From September 2017 through to April 2018 the four megaliners will call at 46 ports across Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, Asia and North America with departures from Sydney, Fremantle, Auckland, Singapore, Honolulu and Seattle.

Highlights of the season include family-fun sister ships Voyager of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas sailing predominantly South Pacific itineraries, while Ovation of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas will cruise Australia and New Zealand. The 2017/18 season will see more overnights such as Adelaide for Explorer of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas, new destinations such as Wollongong, and more open-jaw itineraries like Radiance of the Seas’ sailings between Sydney and Auckland.

Royal Caribbean International remains the biggest cruise line in Sydney over the summer season – with bigger ships carrying more guests than any other cruise line.

For further information or to book a Royal Caribbean cruise, visit www.royalcaribbean.com.au, OR see here RCI_17-18_ProgrammeRelease_AU_FA_WEB.pdf and phone 1800 754 500 or see your local travel agent.

Information supplied by: Royal Caribbean International.

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Carnival Legend Bids Farewell To Sydney, To Return Next Season !

Crew and staff on board the wonderful Carnival Legend said their goodbyes to Sydney yesterday afternoon as the ship set sail for Hawaii following its extended summer season in Australia.

Carnival Legend has carried more than 50,000 Australians on 20 roundtrip cruises from Sydney over the past six months.

She will return to our shores again on October 11 this year for her third summer of cruising alongside Carnival Spirit, which is based in Australia year round.

Pictured left to right on Carnival Legend are :  Carnival Legend Master Captain Francesco La Fauci; Chief Engineer Vincenzo Criscuolo, Cruise Director Jen Baxter; Hotel Director Erik Speekenbrink; Guest Services Manager Fernando C. Maliwanag, III

Information supplied by : Carnival Cruise Line, Australia.

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Sun Princess Completes MEGA Makeover, With Some Stunning New Additions.

Australian holidaymakers will be able to enjoy the first taste of Curtis Stone’s cuisine close to home, with the celebrated Australian chef’s acclaimed new restaurant SHARE now featuring on Princess Cruises’ superliner Sun Princess following a multi-million dollar refurbishment this month. 

As part of the chef’s exclusive partnership with the cruise line, SHARE by Curtis Stone has been added to select Princess ships with Sun Princess the first to offer the signature restaurant down under. Emerald Princess, which arrives in Sydney in November for its first Australian season, also features Chef Stone’s SHARE restaurant.  As the name suggests, the SHARE menu and restaurant has been designed to encourage diners to connect with each other and share holiday memories over a delicious meal.

Princess Cruises Vice President Australia and New Zealand Stuart Allison said it was a thrill that Sun Princess has become the venue for Curtis Stone’s first Australian-accessible restaurant at sea. The internationally-known chef opened his award-winning restaurant in 2014, Maude, located in Beverly Hills, and is expected to open his second restaurant in Hollywood, Los Angeles, this summer.

“We couldn’t be more excited about SHARE’s debut down under on Sun Princess. Australians are very familiar with Curtis Stone but without a restaurant here, they haven’t been able to taste his dishes – until now. We know our guests will enjoy the special menu Chef Stone has created for SHARE and will relish the opportunity to share some wonderful food with friends and family in his new onboard restaurant. We'll be revealing some of the exclusive dishes to be served onboard in the coming weeks,” Mr Allison said.

During its 14-day dry dock in Singapore, Sun Princess also became the first Australian-based ship to offer the new Princess Luxury Bed, designed in partnership with US sleep expert Dr Michael Breus, known as “The Sleep Doctor” and US TV design star Candice Olson.  Developed exclusively for the cruise line by the manufacturer of some of the most comfortable hotel beds in the world, the luxury beds feature a plush, five centimetre thick mattress topper, a 23-centimetre, single-sided medium firm mattress for enhanced support, individually wrapped coils for less partner disturbance, a European-inspired duvet and 100 per cent luxurious Jacquard-woven cotton linens. 

In entertainment enhancements, Sun Princess has provided the stage for the Australian debut of Princess' highest rated stage show, Bravo, a celebration of musical theatre and opera featuring many of the ship's musicians, singers and dancers, plus guest soloists serenading guests through an evening of musical appreciation.

Meanwhile, the ship’s Kai Sushi restaurant has become the Kai Seafood Bar with a brand new wine and fresh seafood experience exclusively designed for the Australian market and unique to Sun Princess. The Kai Seafood Bar will satisfy cravings for freshly shucked Australian oysters, prawns, sashimi and shellfish at sea. A New Zealand Natural ice cream outlet will be added to the pool deck and Amuleto Café will offer Italian-style coffee and cakes as part of a refurbishment in the Horizon Court dining area.

  Like Sea Princess, Sun Princess now also sports a new Legends bar, showing great Australian sporting moments from weekly AFL and NRL matches through to the Australian Open on multiple LED screens. 

Sun Princess will sail from Brisbane, Sydney and Fremantle with fares starting from $1199* per person twin share for a 10-night roundtrip cruise from Sydney to New Caledonia and Vanuatu. 

For information about Princess Cruises visit www.princess.com, call 13 24 88 or visit a licensed travel agent. 

Information supplied by: Princess Cruises.

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Carnival Cruise Line Australia Set For A Special ANZAC Day 2016.

Passengers onboard Carnival Legend will be in the company of a special guest this Anzac Day, with Vietnam War veteran and Returned and Services League representative Bob Metcalfe joining passengers for the ship’s commemorative Anzac events.

With Carnival Legend sailing the Pacific en route to Hawaii on April 25, Anzac Day will be marked with a dawn service during which Mr Metcalfe will read The Ode and lay a wreath. The service will be followed by breakfast, Anzac biscuits and game of two-up.

Carnival Legend and Carnival Spirit, which will be in port in Sydney on April 25, will both offer a screening of the movie Gallipoli and a friendly game of backyard cricket in the spirit of the day. 

Carnival Cruise Line Vice President Australia Jennifer Vandekreeke said the cruise line was honoured to have Mr Metcalfe join Carnival Legend for the poignant occasion. 

“Anzac Day is an important occasion for our guests. It’s a day of remembrance and reflection but also a celebration of the Anzac spirit and we are pleased to have Mr Metcalfe join us for the service,” she said.

Mr Metcalfe, a state councillor for the New South Wales Returned and Services League, joined the Australian Army at 19 and served in South Vietnam with 5 Coy. 85 Transport Platoon in Nui-Dat. He was part of the withdrawal forces from Nui-Dat to Vung-Tau in 1971, which was the final involvement of Australian Forces in Vietnam. 

Mr Metcalfe has returned to Vietnam twice since, on the second he was a guest of the NSW Premiers ANZAC Memorial Scholarships – Singapore and Vietnam Tour 2013. This year he is returning with his wife Cheryl to Vietnam for the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.  For more information and bookings call 13 31 94, see a travel agent or visit www.carnival.com.au

Information supplied by: Carnival Cruise Line, Australia.

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P&O Cruises Australia Embarks On Biggest Ever WA Season !

Western Australia's economy is about to get a multi-million dollar injection with P&O Cruises today launching its biggest ever season of cruising from Fremantle.

Over the next three months, the cruise line's latest ship Pacific Eden will sail from the WA port on a series of 16 cruises, which is expected to generate more than $20 million for the state in passenger and crew spending, supplies and port charges.

During its season Pacific Eden will carry more than 25,000 passengers and make 34 calls to Western Australian ports, on itineraries featuring the state's coastline as well as nearby Asian ports.

Speaking in Fremantle today, P&O Cruises Vice President Sales and Marketing Simon Cheng said Pacific Eden would call at Fremantle 16 times between April and July, while Geraldton, Broome and Exmouth would each receive four visits and Busselton and Esperance would both receive three.

This year's season is markedly bigger than P&O's previous record, created last year when Pacific Jewel was based in Fremantle for two months for a season of seven roundtrip cruises from the port.

Mr Cheng said the 2016 record P&O season had been made possible by the expansion of P&O's fleet last November, with the addition of Pacific Eden and her sister ship Pacific Aria.

He said about 25 per cent of the guests cruising on Pacific Eden out of Fremantle would be interstate travellers, bringing valuable tourist dollars to the State.

"Pacific Eden's Western Australia season not only gives the state's holidaymakers the ability to enjoy a cruise from their doorstep, it also opens up more opportunities for interstate fly-cruise passengers, which helps build the valuable pre and post-cruise tourism market," Mr Cheng said.

Pacific Eden will  carry hundreds of thousands of tonnes of local goods and produce during its WA season, injecting more dollars into the local and surrounding communities.

"Each cruise requires significant quantities of food and beverage and during the Fremantle season more than 230,000kgs of local fresh fruit and vegetables, 5000kgs of cheese, 50,000 litres of milk and 25,000 eggs will be consumed by guests," Mr Cheng said.

"Western Australia produces some of the best wine in the country and in 2015 P&O Cruises purchased more than 8300 bottles of premium local Western Australian wine for our fleet. Following the recent fleet expansion we expect this number to grow by up to 30 per cent in 2016."

Information supplied by : P&O Cruises Australia.

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Ovation Of The Seas  Ready To Unveil The Most Impressive Artwork On Board A Ship At Sea !

The newest, biggest and most technologically advanced cruise ship to ever be deployed to Australia, Ovation of the Seas, has revealed a vast 11,000-piece, US$4.5 million dollar art collection that was inspired by the ship’s multiple exotic destinations. Curated by London-based Peter Millard and Partners and inspired by Confucius’ words “Wherever you go, go with all your heart,” the collection features contemporary pieces from artists from around the world.

“The true essence of a Royal Caribbean holiday is to broaden travellers’ horizons by introducing them to new and unexpected adventures, and  that includes the dynamic art we feature onboard our ships,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International.  “In closely collaborating with our partners and the artists, Ovation features unexpected and destination-inspired artwork, custom pieces and interactive art that will surprise guests at every corner.”

10 Metre Panda and Cub Set Sail

One of the ultimate photo ops onboard Ovation of the Seas is “Mama and Baby,” a larger-than-life commission designed by a U.K.-based artist Jo Smith. Perched atop the SeaPlex on deck 15, the piece depicts a mother panda and her cub, reaching out to one another. Considered a symbol of good luck in Chinese culture, the peaceful creatures with the distinctive black and white coat are intended to bestow peace and prosperity on all who interact with them. The pandas are also a playful nod to the cruise line’s newly announced partnership with World Wildlife Fund, which focuses on ensuring the long-term health of the oceans.  

Together, Mama and Baby weigh approximately six-and-a-half tons. Mama stands 10 meters tall from the deck to the top of the sculpture, while Baby is approximately three meters tall.

As if the moniker Mama and Baby couldn’t get any more special, Ovation’s crew will have the honour of naming them when the ship sets sail, a custom for Royal Caribbean crew members as done for sister ship installations – Quantum of the Seas’ Felicia the Bear and Anthem of the Seas’ Gigi the Giraffe.

Smart Art Includes First Moving Sculpture at Sea

It wouldn’t be a smart ship without smart art, and the Quantum class hallmark of high-tech pieces continues onboard Ovation with “Sky Wave,” a piece sure to be a guest favourite. Created by New York-based Hypersonic and Boston-based Plebian Design, Sky Wave is the first ever kinetic moving sculpture at sea. The installation pivots and curves at different points to mirror the flow of both wind and water. Further inspiration was also taken from the ship’s movement, culminating in a piece that combines both maritime elements and engineering.

Each petal in Sky Wave is made of handcrafted fiberglass and varies in length to hone the flawless rolling sway. Located on deck 5 just in the Royal Esplanade, the eye-catching, carefully crafted art piece was commissioned specifically for Ovation.

Elevator Art Gets a New Look, Still Prime for Selfies

The elevator art on Quantum class is known for selfie-taking, and Ovation of the Seas is no exception. Ovation is elevating the selfie art game with all-new imagery from Chinese photographer Huainan Li’s series, “The World of the Senses.” The powerful series features the futuristic faces of women accented in metallic hues and sporting glasses that reflect a variety of whimsical scenes.  The collection of 10 pieces is sure to surprise and delight guests each time they ride from deck to deck, and pack an unexpected punch when the doors open.

The Red Thread

One of the most iconic art locales on Quantum-class ships is the rotunda, which connects mid-ship’s Jamie’s Italian and Vintages. Ovation does not disappoint as passers-by can enjoy the work of Bieli Liu, a Chinese artist who played into the natural movement of the ship with an adaptation from her “Lure” series of installations. The sculpture was created to fit the rotunda location and represents an ancient Chinese legend depicting the red threads that connect Chinese children to their soulmates. A disc may be connected to another, as a pair; and a pair of disks may sprout from a single thread. The installation is designed to suspend from the ceiling forming a vibrant and energetic piece that responds to subtle air currents and movement as the red coils turn, and strands of thread become entangled.

Throughout the entire ship, guests will find curated art at every turn. Heading into the Royal Theater, British artist Dominic Harris engages show-goers with an interactive piece titled “Flutter Wall.” The 120-inch screen showcases butterflies on a black canvas that seemingly fly away as guests walk up for a closer view. A true surprise and delight experience akin to the additional installations that travellers can enjoy onboard.

Ovation of the Seas is setting sail from Southampton, UK this week on her 52-day Global Odyssey visiting exotic ports of call from the Mediterranean to the Middle East and Asia before her maiden Australian season from December 2016. 

Royal Caribbean International recently announced the extension of the US$1 billion Ovation of the Seas’ maiden Australian season by a month with the addition of four new sailings, giving Aussie guests more opportunities to experience the incredible Ovation of the Seas and her art. The brand also confirmed that Ovation of the Seas will return for a second season in the summer of 2017/18 due to the extraordinary demand for the ship from Australians.

Information supplied by: Royal Caribbean International.

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Ovation Of The Seas Godmother Named, Internationally Acclaimed Chinese Actress Fan Bingbing.

Royal Caribbean International today announced that internationally-acclaimed Chinese actress, Fan Bingbing, will be the Godmother for Ovation of the Seas, Asia Pacific’s first new-build cruise ship and the world’s newest and most technologically advanced cruise ship. The announcement was made by Dr. Zinan Liu, President, Royal Caribbean International - China and North Asia Pacific, at a press conference at the Great Hall of People in Beijing. Bingbing is the first Chinese celebrity selected to be the Godmother of an international cruise line and will officially name Ovation of the Seas at the ship’s inaugural ceremony in Tianjin, China on 24 June 2016.

Ovation of the Seas will be the biggest, newest and most technologically advanced cruise ship to sail in Australia when she arrives in December 2016.

“We are delighted to welcome Fan Bingbing to the Royal Caribbean family as Ovation of the Seas’ godmother,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Bingbing is number one on the Forbes China ‘Celebrity 100’ list and has held that top position for three years making her one of the most influential Chinese stars and in the world. She has received awards from many international film festivals and is recognized as a fashion icon for her extraordinary style on the red carpet, at movie premieres and iconic fashion events.  She is innovative, smart, ambitious, trendy and elegant, and that makes Bingbing the perfect person to be selected as the Godmother of our newest ship.”

“My father was a singer in the art troupe of the Political Department of the Navy in China. My childhood was filled with the melodies of the sea and I often dreamed about sailing out to sea for an adventure,” said Fan Bingbing at the press conference. “Now, thanks to this invitation from Royal Caribbean, my dreams will come true. I am really honoured to be the first Godmother of Chinese nationality for such a prestigious international cruise line as Royal Caribbean International. And I like the name of Ovation of the Seas which in Chinese is interpreted as ‘praising the world and welcoming guests from everywhere.”

The role of Godmother is a lifetime title bestowed upon an individual, who figuratively presides over the ship and imparts good luck and divine protection over the vessel and all that sail aboard. Traditionally, Godmothers have celebrity status or even royal connections. Godmothers for Royal Caribbean ships have included, performer Gloria Estefan, actress Jane Seymour, comedian/actress Whoopi Goldberg and tennis champion Steffi Graf, to name a few.

Information supplied by: Royal Caribbean International.

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Princess Capture Breathtaking New Zealand By Video At Sea.

Princess Cruises has marked the launch of its latest cruise program by releasing an amazing video capturing a ship’s-eye view of one of its cruises around New Zealand.

The video was produced by www.Timeflees.com cofounder Filippo Rivetti, who set up five cameras on-board Golden Princess to capture the vision including one with a 360-degree lens.

The time-lapse video follows Princess’ elegant Golden Princess on a 13-night voyage around New Zealand as it cruises the tranquil waters of the country’s stunning Fiordland and visits six different ports from Auckland, Tauranga, Gisborne and Wellington on the north island to Akaroa and Dunedin in the south.

Princess Cruises offers more cruises to New Zealand than any other cruise line, said Mr Allison said. We had commissioned the video in order to portray the beauty of cruising the New Zealand coastline.

We hope you enjoy.

View the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Y1upRZ6As

Information supplied by : Princess Cruises.

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P&O Cruises Australia To Bring A Touch Of Down Under Asia.

With winter nearly upon us and Australians love of the surf, sand and the sun P&O Cruises Australia have come up with a getaway from the winter blues.

That’s right P&O Cruises Australia are now cruising to the beautiful destination of Asia. Pacific Eden will be shortly starting her maiden season from Singapore. Pacific Eden will be offering destination port such as:

Cambodia’s beautiful seaside town of Sihanoukville, Malaysia’s Langkawi which has some of the best beaches in the world according to some. They will also be offering cruises to the bustling seaside ports of Bangkok, Ko Samui and Phuket. These are just a few of the new destinations that P&O Cruises Australia have to offer.

In a statement from P&O Cruises Australia, President Sture Myrmell said the addition of Pacific Eden and sister ship Pacific Aria to the fleet last year had allowed P&O Cruises to offer its first season of Asian cruises, opening up new itinerary possibilities.

Its certainly not the first time that P&O Cruises Australia have come up with the idea of taking Australians to different destinations, they are now a leader of taking Australians to more regional ports than any other cruise line in Australia.

Information supplied by : P&O Cruises Australia.

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