MSC Fantasia - the most beautiful ship in the world

The wait for MSC Fantasia is nearly over. In less than 30 days time, MSC Cruises newest and most beautiful ship will be christened in a stunning ceremony in Naples on December 18. MSC Fantasia is to be christened by Sophia Loren, the icon of Italian style worldwide, who is already the godmother of five other MSC Cruises ships.

MSC Fantasia is to feature a number of exciting new elements and at 133,500 gross tonnes, 1,092 feet long, 196 feet high and 124 feet wide, she certainly has the space for them! The public areas total 290,000 square feet and include 5 swimming pools (including “I Tropici” with a retractable roof), 12 whirlpool baths and 1 Aqua Park with 150 fountains. There are five restaurants on board including La Cantina Toscana serving the finest Italian food and wines, El Sombrero Tex Mex where guests can savour the taste of tacos and margaritas and the elegant a la carte French restaurant Belle Epoque.

On top of all this there are 19 bars for guests to choose from and the L’Avanguardia theatre with 1,650 seats, a casino, disco and a virtual area with a Formula 1 simulator and a 4D cinema. There is also a children’s play area dedicated to a North Pole theme.

MSC Cruises is to introduce MSC Yacht Club on board MSC Fantasia: 99 suites, between 247 and 570 square feet, furnished as a luxurious yacht with a large lounge with breathtaking views of the sea. Personal butlers are on hand to provide the most exclusive services and guests with have access to a number of private areas.

The tenth ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, MSC Fantasia will call at Genoa after its inaugural ceremony where it will depart from on December 20 for its maiden voyage 9 day Mediterranean cruise, calling in at Rhodes, Alexandria of Egypt, Messina and Naples. MSC Fantasia will be cruising 12 day Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean cruises all through winter 2009.

P&O Cruises Azura Spices It Up

There are to be a number of exciting innovations for Britain’s newest superliner, P&O Cruises Azura set to launch in 2010. On board there will be an Indian fine dining restaurant called Sindhu (picture of proposed design above), the creation of Michelin starred celebrity chef Atul Kochbar. Indicative of the meaning of its name (Sindhu means meeting point, amalgamation or fusion) the menu will offer a fusion of fine British and Indian cuisine. Guests will have the chance to try delicious dishes such as pan-fried lobster tail in coconut milk and tamarind sauce.

There will also be 18 single staterooms, a first in the P&O Cruises fleet and two large suites that will be ideal for families or groups of friends to share. To further enhance the cruise experience on board Azura, P&O Cruises has enlisted the help of TV wine expert Olly Smith to create a new ‘Select Dining’ restaurant and wine bar concept to be named The Glass House. Wine lovers are sure to love the menu which will feature different wines recommended for each course, all served by the glass.


There will be a whole host of exciting new design highlights. On the top deck by the Aqua Pool there will be an open air cinema as well as a secluded spa area, The Retreat, with private cabanas for al-fresco massages and luxurious sun loungers, all topped off with personal water service.


Currently under construction in the Monfalcone shipyard in Italy, Azura will be ready to make her maiden voyage in spring 2010.

Regent Seven Seas launch new audio headphone system

Regent Seven Seas have introduced a new headphone system which will help guests hear tour guides when on shore excursions. The system will be particularly useful at tourism sites where lecturers and guides can easily be heard, including at historic and religious landmarks where loud conversation is forbidden.

Created in Italy, the system will be launched aboard all Regent Seven Seas ships. It uses a small microphone through which the user can speak directly to guests wearing individual, lightweight headsets. The headsets are individually packed and disposable, so each guest will receive a new, sanitary set with each tour.

The system has been well received when it debuted in June on cruises to the Baltic and Europe aboard Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Navigator, as well as on the September Grand Asia Pacific cruise aboard Seven Seas Mariner.

Dubai Owners reveal QE2 plans

Cunard Cruises most famous ship, QE2, made her final departure from Southampton last week. QE2’s new owners have released plans for the ships future when she reaches Dubai, where she will be transformed into an ultra luxury floating hotel. QE2 was one of the world’s most famous ships and following her maiden voyage in 1969 and has been Cunard Cruises flagship ever since.

Following QE2’s retirement she was purchased by Dubai World, the company who own Nakheel Hotels. Their vision is to transform the ship into a 'luxurious residential, entertainment, marina and hotel development'. They even have plans to host west-end and Broadway productions from the entertainment complex.

QE2’s new home will be a specially constructed precinct located in the region of Palm Jumeirah. Her much anticipated arrival on November 26 will undoubtedly be met with much excitement.

Celebrity Cruises unveil Celebrity Solstice Godmother

Celebrity Cruises have announced who the Godmother of Celebrity Solstice will be and unusually she is not a star of stage and screen. In fact, she is star of the oceans. Professor Sharon L. Smith, the first ocean scientist ever to serve as Godmother of a cruise ship, will join Celebrity Cruises executives to name the company’s newest and most luxurious addition to the fleet, in formal ceremonies at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

"We are genuinely privileged to have such a remarkable woman serve as Godmother of this remarkable ship," said Richard D. Fain, Chairman of Celebrity Cruises and Chairman and CEO of parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "Sharon Smith is exceptional in ways well beyond her academic achievements."

A magna cum laude graduate of Colorado College, Smith earned a Ph.D. in Zoology from Duke University, holds two additional honorary doctorate degrees, and a master’s degree from the University of Auckland, where she also was a Fulbright fellow. Smith has traveled the world working as a biological oceanographer in research expeditions ranging from the Polar Regions to the Arabian Sea.

Smith’s career includes 15 years at the prestigious Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, New York, where she studied coastal ocean environments and the impact of nuclear energy projects. In 1993 she joined the faculty of the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science as a Professor of Marine Biology and Fisheries. Most recently she was named Dean of the Undergraduate Program in Marine Science, and also co-directs the university's Oceans and Human Health Center.

Not only does Smith have incredible professional achievements behind her but she has also overcome cancer twice, in 1993 and again in 1996.

"Women should not feel secure just because there is no family history of the disease," said Smith. "You have to be your own best advocate and insist on what's right for you, because you have to live with the possibility of the disease forever."

Celebrity Solstice is set to embark on its inaugural season on the 23 November, with a series of seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises. Celebrity Cruises beautiful new ship will make a selection of 10 and 11 night romantic Mediterranean cruises from Rome in spring 2009.

Crystal Cruises "Mind, Body & Spririt" cruise in Asia

Asia is well known as a region of the world that is steeped in spirituality and ancient wellness practises and paying homage to this, Crystal Cruises have announced a “Mind, Body & Spirit” focus on their March 27 Asia cruise. The Experience of Discovery sailing will include guest experts for yoga, Pilates, stress management and general physical and mental health classes.

Crystal Cruises 15 day cruise will depart from Hong Kong with ports of call in Japan and China as well as a three-night post-cruise land program in Beijing. There will be noted wellness and health magazine writers, yoga and Pilates specialists, and hiking and adventure author Rick Deutsh providing insights on board Crystal Symphony, whilst inspirational Crystal Adventures ashore will take guests to sacred monasteries, monuments and temples.

Crystal Cruises guests will also have the opportunity to visit Crystal Symphony’s Feng Shui-inspired Spa & Fitness Center and take advantage of the 360 degree Promenade deck ideal for walking or jogging, plus the newly introduced Tour de Spin indoor cycling classes are great for those wanting to try something new, plus there are acupuncture treatments and Kinesis equipment to try.

There will be a host of culinary options on offer from Crystal Cruises throughout the cruise, with fresh fruit and fish, creative and healthy salads, low-calorie and low-carb meals and trans fat-free dining experiences and even the cocktail menus will include only the freshest fruit purees and juices.

"Asia is a natural setting for a wellness-related theme, since the connection between mind, body and spirit is so integral to the history and culture," says John Stoll, director land programs. "Additionally, the onboard programming offers guests the chance to learn about physical health and general wellness from top experts."

Crystal Symphony’s “Far East Focus” cruises calls at Hiroshima, Japan; Dailan, China; as well as overnight stays in Kobe, Japan; Shanghai and Hong Kong, China. The March 27 itinerary is one of several 2009 cruises Crystal Cruises is offering to China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India. Crystal Cruises is also offering a Mind, Body & Spirit Experience of Discovery with its May 7 Panama Canal cruise.

Princess Cruises christen newest ship Ruby Princess

Princess Cruises newest ship, Ruby Princess, was named with an incredible ‘ruby red’ themed ceremony on Thursday in Fort Lauderdale. America’s reigning reality couple, Trista and Ryan Sutter of the hit US series ‘The Bacherlorette’ did the honors, breaking the bottle of champagne to mark the ship’s launch and celebrating their own fifth wedding anniversary.

The ceremony had a romantic theme and the new godparents of Ruby Princess were surrounded by hundreds of guests wearing ruby red-tie formal attire and a ruby-haired singer serenaded the crowd. The official naming was followed by the ultimate romantic celebration – a wedding in the midst of the festivities. The Californian couple joined in matrimony not only had Trista and Ryan as wedding attendants, but the Love Boat captain himself, Gavin MacLeod, gave away the bride.

In the evening, Princess Cruises hosted a ‘Ruby Red Tie’ gala and set sail on a two night cruise for VIP guests, who will all have the opportunity of renewing their wedding vows whilst the ship is at sea. Ruby Princess is set to return to Port Everglades for her inaugural seven night sailing to the Western Caribbean.

QE2's final farewell to Southampton

Cunard Cruises have announced plans for QE2’s final departure from her home port of Southampton on Tuesday 11 November 2008, when she leaves for her new life in Dubai. After an incredible 39 years of service, 806 transatlantic crossings, 25 world cruises, 5.9 million nautical miles travelled and assisting her country during the Falklands Campaign, QE2 will leave her service with Cunard Cruises to become a first class hotel and entertainment centre.

One of the most momentous moments of 11 November will be a farewell visit from His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. This will be His Royal Highness’s seventh visit and during his visit a two minute silence will take place at 1100 hours prior to meeting crew members who went to the Falklands with QE2.

After a tour of the ship, His Royal Highness will present a painting of QE2, which was unveiled by Her Majesty The Queen during her farewell visit to the ship on 2 June 2008, to the Mayor of Southampton, who will accept it on behalf of the city.

It is expected that people from all over the country will travel to Southampton to make their farewells to QE2. Other highlights include a million poppies to be dropped from a Tiger Moth to commemorate Remembrance Day and QE2’s role in the Falklands and a flypast of a Harrier which will hover and bow to QE2 approximately 500 feet off her stern.

At 1915 hours QE2 will leave her berth and remain for a period at Mayflower Park, where a pre-recorded message from her Captain, Ian McNaught, will be broadcast on a screen in the Park. Immediately afterwards there will be an amazing firework display and then QE2 will proceed downriver with her whistle blasting, down Southampton Water for the start of her journey to Dubai.

Cunard Cruises flagship Queen Mary 2 remains the largest and grandest ocean liner at sea and accompanied by Queen Victoria have revived the ‘Golden Age of Ocean Travel’. Cunard Cruises will not have to wait long for a new ‘Elizabeth’ as Queen Elizabeth will enter service in autumn 2010.

Regent Seven Seas Paul Gauguin to leave fleet

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has announced that their 332-guest luxury cruise ship Paul Gauguin will make its final sailings in 2009 and will leave the fleet in January 2010. Mark Conroy, President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, said:

"We are extremely proud of the incredible product we created in French Polynesia. For more than ten years, the magical and unique qualities of the Regent Tahiti experience have provided countless indelible memories for discerning travellers of all ages. As we look to the future and consider our position as the leader in the luxury cruise segment, we have chosen to focus on the all-suite ships that are the core of our fleet, which are undergoing a $40 million dollar refurbishment project beginning December 2008."

"We look forward to celebrating one last year on the Paul Gauguin in 2009, bringing an ever-growing number of British guests to Tahiti and providing them with the same luxury experience and six-star service levels that have won RSSC countless awards," added Graham Sadler, Regent UK Managing Director.

There will be some great special saving offers for the remaining Regent Tahiti sailings in 2009 and so is a super opportunity to experience the delights of this amazing ship and the Regent Seven Seas Cruises experience.

For the final year under the Regent Seven Seas Cruises flag, guests will benefit from a host of cosmetic and physical upgrades which will be performed during Paul Gauguin’s scheduled 12-day dry-dock in January 2009. The ship will receive all new upholstery and carpeting and will see the addition of 26 private balconies to existing staterooms.

Ocean Village to be phased out

Carnival UK has announced that it will be phasing out the Ocean Village brand starting in autumn 2009 as part of a reorganisation of its company portfolio. Both Ocean Village ships are set to be transferred to the P&O Cruises Australia brand, the first in time for Christmas 2009 and the final ship a year later.

Commenting on the move, David Dingle, CEO of Carnival UK and Chair of the Carnival Australia Management Committee, said:

“In reviewing the most effective deployment of our ships, we have recognised the major growth potential in the Australian market and the profit opportunity which awaits. Clearly it is disappointing to wind down our Ocean Village operation which has been superbly created and delivered by an excellent management team, but we must recognise the need to maximise profit performance from our assets. Ocean Village has done much to change the face of British cruising, and all our UK brands have benefited from this. The arrival of new ships for P&O Cruises and Cunard in 2010 and the continuing development of Princess Cruises in Britain will ensure that Carnival UK continues its growth despite the redeployment of the Ocean Village vessels.”

Following the changes Ocean Village will operate a single ship in the Caribbean in winter 2009-10 and the previously published programme will be updated and pre-made bookings amended.

Carnival UK cruise brands include P&O Cruises, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises, Ocean Village and The Yachts of Seabourn.

Keel laying ceremony for P&O Cruises newest ship Azura

P&O Cruises latest superliner currently under construction at the Monfalcone shipyard of Fincantieri near Treste, Italy, is to be named Azura and along with her sister ship Ventura will be the largest ships ever built for the British cruise market.

A keel laying ceremony took place today however it was much a lower key ceremony than planned in respect of the tragic death of a worker on the Ruby Princess that happened last week.

Keel laying involves placing one segment of the ship’s hull in the dry dock. This section is made up of six pre-manufactured blocks which weigh up to 650 tons and is ready-fitted with piping and other interior composition. The keel laying follows from a concentrated period of design and development. Fifty sections and several supplementary interconnecting steel blocks will be used in the construction of Azura.

P&O Cruises managing director, Nigel Esdale, commented: "Evoking images of the ocean and capturing the thrill of cruise travel, the name Azura is very fitting for this most sophisticated of superliners. It is also appropriate for a ship that will be a haven of serenity and the embodiment the choice and service excellence for which P&O Cruises is renowned."

Azura is set to float out in summer 2009 before her delivery to P&O Cruises in spring 2010. Set to begin her maiden voyage in late spring 2010, Azura will feature 15 public decks; have 11 restaurants, five boutiques, four pools, two lounges and over 900 staterooms with private balconies.