Spring is on the way! Book up now for Bank holiday cruises

The seasons are changing and spring is finally on its way, which not only means daffodils and lambs being born but also some well earned rest for the Brits with all the up and coming Bank holidays.

What better way to escape from it and make the most of those extra days off then by setting off on a cruise closer to home and with many cruise lines offering cruises departing from the UK it is even easier to get away.

The first of the public holidays this year is the Easter weekend between Friday 10 April and Monday 13 April. After that there are two May bank holidays on Monday 4 May and Monday 25 May, followed by a final summer bank holiday on Monday 30 August.

There are some fantastic cruises sailing out from Southampton, with five big ships including Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas, Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Princess Cruises’ new flagship Grand Princess, setting sail during the August bank holiday.

How about a two-night mini cruise on P&O Cruises’ incredible new ship Ventura, sailing to Brugge departing on the 30 August? Or Cunard Cruises’ 4 night Western Europe cruise on board Queen Victoria departing on the 2 May?

These are just a few of the many options available to take advantage of those lovely extra days off so why not give us a call to check out all the latest offers.

Holidays defying credit crunch in 2009

It looks like holidays will be bucking the trend of the credit crunch this year, with a recent study showing that over 75 per cent of holidaymakers will be planning to spend as much on their holiday this year as they did in 2008.

Carnival Cruises have conducted their annual poll which indicates that nearly half of the people they questioned said they would rather cut back on buying designer clothes in order to pay for their holiday.

This all bodes well for cruise lines continuing to sail in the face of the economic turndown by introducing even more news ships throughout 2009. MSC Cruises will be introducing MSC Splendida in June to the line’s second flagship, to be followed by the smaller MSC Magnifica in December.

Meanwhile, Silversea Cruises are set to debut the 36,000 ton Art Deco-styled Silver Spirit, able to carry 540 passengers and boasting the line’s largest staterooms with almost all of them featuring a private balcony.

David Dingle, chief executive of Carnival Cruises line, said the findings of the poll confirm that there are plenty of holidaymakers planning to go on holiday this year, despite the economic downturn.

"Considering a cruise holiday includes accommodation, almost all food, entertainment and flights, it really does provide exceptional value at a time when the credit crunch is hitting our wallets," he commented.

Celebrity Cruises present Mediterranean food experience

Celebrity Cruises is well known for indulging its guests to the full and it comes as no surprise that they are joining forces with the magazine famed for celebrating the world of great food and sharing it with other, Bon Appétit. Celebrity Cruises and Bon Appétit will be presenting ‘Celebrity’s Mediterranean Experience with Bon Appétit’, an at-sea feature focusing on the pleasures of cooking and dining.

The 2,038 guest Celebrity Summit will be hosting the event, departing from San Juan, Puerto Rico on the 18 April, sailing to Barcelona, Spain. Celebrity Summit will be calling in at several tantalising ports of call along the way that exemplify Mediterranean flavours, including Tenerife, Canary Islands; Agadir, Morocco; Malaga, Spain; and Valencia, Spain.

Throughout the sailing there will be numerous culinary demonstrations performed by Joey Campanaro, chef/owner of New York restaurants ‘The Little Owl’ and ‘Market Table’. Joey is well known for his creative culinary style, combining only the freshest ingredients with bold, rich flavours that the Mediterranean is famous for.

Activities onboard will reflect the focus on the region’s epicurean and cultural highlights. The ship’s casual restaurant will offer numerous Mediterranean-themed buffets throughout the voyage. Guests will have the opportunity to participate in Mediterranean-themed food/wine trivia competitions, a Mediterranean cooking class hosted by the cruise director and the ship’s executive chef, Spanish-language classes, regional dance classes, and a recipe contest.

Holland America increase Panama Canal cruises

Holland America Line is to be offering an incredible 45 Panama Canal cruises on nine different ships in 2009. Ranging in length from 10 to 28 days, Holland America Line’s Panama Canal itineraries feature more port of call options than any other major cruise line, with many port visits exclusive to Holland America Line.

Guests travelling on Panama Canal cruises with Holland America Line can experience daylight transits of the historic and fascinating Panama Canal and the opportunity to visit diverse and intriguing ports of call throughout their voyage.

“We’ve increased our Panama Canal capacity significantly this year to make 2009 a very exciting season, especially with full transit cruises through the winter season,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “While the roundtrip Florida canal experiences have been very popular, our guests have been asking for more Panama Canal cruises between the east and west coasts throughout the winter season. So now, there are canal cruises to suit everyone’s tastes for season, length and ports of call.”

More couples marry at sea with P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises are one of only two cruise lines offering the chance for couples to be married at sea and it seems that nautical nuptials are becoming ever popular with many couples. P&O Cruises married 371 couples at sea last year, 32% more than in 2007 and 64% more than in 2006. In response to this upturn P&O Cruises have launched a dedicated website to provide all the information couples need to plan their big day at sea – www.pocruise.co.uk/weddings.

The average UK wedding costs a wallet bursting average of £19,200, whereas weddings at sea packages start from as low as £950, including the licensing fees, venue, ceremony conducted by the ship’s captain, VIP treatment including priority boarding, floral arrangements for the ceremony, wedding music, wedding certificate, champagne, invitations, thank-you notes and an onboard wedding coordinator.

Carnival Sensation undergoes massive revamp

Carnival Cruises’ Carnival Sensation has undergone a multi-million dollar renovation during a 35 day dry dock, as part of Carnival’s ‘Evolutions of Fun’ program. The 2,052 passenger Carnival Sensation now boasts a whole host of fabulous new facilities and features, including a vast water park, an exclusive adults-only retreat and a re-designed tropical themed main swimming pool.

Carnival Sensation has also had ninety-eight balconies added to the existing ocean-view staterooms and a new Circle C facility for 12 to 14 year olds. The new Carnival WaterWorks has a 300 foot long water slide – the longest at sea – along with two 82 foot long racing slides and many other water spray apparatus. Also new is the Serenity Adults-only retreat area, designed as an oasis of comfort and relaxation.

Celebrity Equinox to launch early

The construction of Celebrity Cruises sister ship to Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Equinox, is proceeding so well that there will be a ‘soft’ launch prior to the ships maiden voyage on 8 August.

The much anticipated Celebrity Equinox is set to depart from Southampton on 31 July on a roundtrip through the beautiful Norwegian Fjords. Celebrity Cruises are offering guests booked on Celebrity Equinox’s inaugural sailing the opportunity to combine their 10 night ‘Best of Europe’ cruise with the 8 night ‘soft’ launch, making for an incredible 18 night voyage.

The 8 night Norwegian Fjords cruise features ports of call at Stavenger, Flam, Geiranger and Oslo whilst the 10 night maiden voyage will visit Paris/Normandy (via Le Havre) and Cherbourg, France; Vigo, Cartagena and Barcelona, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal, and Gibraltar, UK, ending in Rome (via Civitavecchia), Italy.

Celebrity Solstice best sundeck in top ten list

Celebrity Cruises amazing new ship Celebrity Solstice has certainly made an impact since its debut, topping a list of the best cruise ship sundecks.

The list was compiled by review site Cruise Critic, who named Celebrity Solstice as having the best sundeck with a fantastic range of facilities including butler service around the pool and secluded areas where guests can enjoy a relaxing massage. Celebrity Cruises newest ship is home to a staggering array of amenities and even features a lawn club, complete with real live grass.

Other ships making the sundeck top ten include MSC Cruises Fantasia, which boasts a fully retractable roof that allows guests to enjoy the top deck even in less sunnier climates. Norwegian Gem also featured with sun loungers with chilled towels and Royal Caribbean Cruises’ Independence of the Seas with its own surf simulator.

Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of the website, said: "This list represents not only the best of what’s on offer on today's cruise ships, it also demonstrates how much the sun deck has progressed from a humble collection of deck chairs on the stern deck to a fully integrated leisure and relaxation environment."