Norwegian Epic cruises go on sale

Cruises on Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, Norwegian Epic, went on sale yesterday with a choice of Caribbean Cruises on offer. The first Eastern Caribbean sailing from Miami is scheduled for July 17 2010 and the ships’ alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries are available through April 2011. Norwegian Epic's Eastern Caribbean itinerary includes calls in Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and Nassau, Bahamas. The ship's Western Caribbean itinerary includes calls in Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico.

The 4,200 passenger Norwegian Epic features many new innovations that include the first Ice Bar at sea, an expansive Aqua Park with the only tube slide and largest bowl slide at sea, an extreme rock-climbing wall 33 foot high and 64 foot wide, plus several new types of accommodations such as the curved New Wave staterooms, the largest ship-within-a-ship suite complex at sea, spa and family friendly accommodations. In addition to all this Norwegian Cruise Line will be enhancing their Freestyle Dining on board Norwegian Epic with 14 restaurant choices and 18 bars and lounges to choose from.

Southampton fourth terminal to open Saturday 9 May

The new £19 million terminal at Southampton is set to open on Saturday 9^th May. The new facility is the first purpose-built cruise terminal to be built in the UK for almost four decades and will receive around 4,000 passengers travelling through it every day.

Ocean Dock, as the new terminal will be known, is located opposite the site of the old Ocean Terminal which was once home to many of the great transatlantic liners of the last century, when the port was first known as the ‘Gateway to the World’. The new terminal will stand both as testimony to Southampton’s ocean-liner history and as a symbol of the modern cruising age, with cruises from the UK becoming ever popular.

P&O Cruises ship Ventura will be the first ship to use the new berth. Priority use of the terminal will go to Carnival Cruises brands such as Princess Cruises and Ocean Village. Doug Morrison, Port Director at ABP Port of Southampton said: “Over the last few years, the cruise industry has seen enormous growth, which has securely positioned the port of Southampton as the cruise capital of Northern Europe. The new terminal is essential for the Port’s future growth within the cruise market but also represents a significant economic contribution to the Southampton region.”

Roaming mobile services coming to MSC Cruises

Guests travelling on MSC Cruises ships are set to have greater mobile phone services after the cruise line have signed up with leading maritime mobile phone firm On Waves to provide roaming services on all ships.

Constantin Simeonidis, chief executive of On Waves, said the launch of code divisional multiple access (CDMA) services will enhance passenger experience across the cruise line's fleet.

"To have renewed the trust of an organisation like MSC Cruises is a great endorsement," he commented, adding: "We expect the launch of CDMA services will further increase overall usage of mobile devices."

The new service will also be included for all MSC Cruises new builds in the future.