More Europeans are choosing cruise holidays than ever before

New research by TravelMole has revealed that more and more Europeans are choosing to embark on a cruise holiday.

TravelMole has stated that 17 per cent more Europeans opted for cruise holidays in 2007 compared to the previous year, according to statistics from the European Cruise Council (ECC).

Mediterranean cruises are the most popular cruise destinations preferred by 60 per cent of holiday makers, with Caribbean cruises and northern European cruise holidays coming in at a close second and third.

"The popularity of cruising for European holidaymakers is growing faster than anyone in the industry envisaged. The ECC had predicted that we'd hit four million cruise passengers from Europe by 2010," commented David Dingle, ECC Chairman. This target has been achieved two years ahead of schedule according to David Dingle.

Royal Caribbean 2009-2010 Mexican Riviera Cruises

Royal Caribbean has announced details of their 2009-2010 Mexican Riviera cruise season. Royal Caribbean is the cruise company leader in exciting and innovative cruises for families and for active holidaymakers.

Cruisers can choose from 55 departures, ranging from four to seven night Mexico cruises, from Los Angeles and San Diego ports. Mariner of the Seas in the Voyager class will take to the West Coast and is the largest cruise ship to be home ported in the Pacific Ocean.

Alternatively guests can choose from Radiance of the Seas offering short cruises on the West Coast or Serenade of the Seas, with four Panama Canal crossings on the itinerary.

"For the first time, Royal Caribbean is offering a second choice for cruisers to embark on a Mexico cruise from the Southern California port of San Diego," said Alice Norsworthy, senior vice president, Marketing, Royal Caribbean International. "Vacationers, as well as groups and incentives travelers will now have more choices for the best cruise offerings from the West Coast to visit the timeless colonial charms of the Mexican Riviera aboard the industry's most innovative cruise ships."

Mariner of the Seas is embarking on a seven night Mexican Riviera cruise with a round trip from Los Angeles and ports of call at Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan. Mariner of the Seas is one of the largest cruise ships in the world, offering guests revolutionary amenities such as n onboard ice-skating rink, full-size basketball court, inline skating track, iconic rock-climbing wall, and the Royal Promenade, a boulevard of shops, restaurants, bars and lounges that runs nearly the length of the ship.

Radiance of the Seas 2009 autumn season will feature a four night itinerary with a call at Cabo San Lucas, and a five-night itinerary which also calls at Ensenada. Radiance is one of Royal Caribbean's Radiance class of ships, which features the highest percentage of ocean view staterooms in the line's fleet, and a 10-story atrium with glass elevators offering spectacular vistas of the sea.

Fred Olsen's Balmoral Rome Cruises

Balmoral, Fred Olsen’s newest 1,340 passenger ship, starts a short season of Mediterranean fly/cruises from Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) from May, with flights direct from Stansted.

There will be five cruises in the Mediterranean and Adriatic before Balmoral returns to her UK home port of Dover for the remainder of the year.

The programme begins with an eleven night eastern Mediterranean cruise from Civitavecchia visiting Valleta, Crete, Kusadasi, Marmaris, Rhodes and Piraeus before returning to Civitavecchia for the return flight to the UK.

The second cruise itinerary is a 10 night voyage starting on the 12 May, with visits to ports in the Western Med and stops at Livorno, Villefranche, Barcelona, Majorca, Tunis, Valletta and Naples before ending in Civitavecchia.

In the final itinerary Balmoral will return to the UK, departing from Venice on the 11 June. Over the next eleven nights she will call at Dubrovnik, Sicily, Sardinia, Gibraltar, Lisbon and ends in Dover.

NCL's F3 ships Keel Laying Ceremony

At a ceremony at Akers Yard in St. Nazair, France, the keel for the first of Norwegian Cruise Line’s F3 ships with laid.

F3 is the cruise lines third generation and the next evolution of the company’s innovative Freestyle Cruising ships. The first block of the keel with a double bottom block, number 5006, weighing in at 322 tons and was put in place marking the start of the overall construction of the ship.

Executives from Star Cruises, Apollo Management, NCL and Aker Yards attended the landmark ceremony. In a maritime tradition each attendee was invited to place a specially designed coin in a tube which was then welded shut and positioned in the keel for good luck.

The two F3 ships will weigh 150,000 tonnes and will each have a total of 4,200 passenger berths, consequently being the largest ships in NCL’s fleet.

"The F3 ships are our most innovative project in the company's 41-year history and will provide a totally unique vacation experience," said Colin Veitch, NCL's president and CEO. "Today as we lay the keel for this groundbreaking new ship, we are one step closer to revolutionizing cruising as we know it."

Chairman of Star Cruises Tan Sri KT Lim added, "History is in the making today as NCL's first F3 ship begins to take shape. We are proud to be a part of bringing this new innovative ship to fruition, one unlike any the world has seen before." Steve Martinez, partner at Apollo Management, noted, "NCL already has the youngest fleet in the industry. We are excited to launch the construction of this next generation of Freestyle Cruising ship."

The new F3 ships will have the highest proportion of cabin mix, with 100 per cent of outside staterooms featuring private balconies and in total each ship will have 1,415 balcony staterooms. The new ship design will offer 60 per cent more guest space than any other NCL ship and will provide guests with an even wider range of onboard activities, amenities and stateroom options.

There will be more details of the F3 ships innovative accommodations, public spaces, dining, entertainment, cutting edge technology and casino released on the lead up to the launch of the first F3 ship in 2010.

Royal Caribbean to offer My Time Dining

My Time Dining, Royal Caribbean’s latest flexible dining option, is to be offered on selected ships and sailings in the main dining room.

This option has become popular as it allows the guests more flexibility when planning their daily activities. If you want to linger awhile around the pool and catch the sun’s last rays then take a later dinner or maybe you have arrived back from a shore excursion with an appetite and would prefer to dine early, no problem.

The idea behind My Time Dining is convenience and flexibility. You can decide to dine anytime between 6pm and 9.30pm each evening. Royal Caribbean will also be accepting reservations once onboard.

For those who have opted for My Time Dining they will be required to pre pay their gratuities. Other than this there is no difference in the menu or service from those that have opted for set dining.

Star Princess and Caribbean Princess to be Remodeled

Princess Cruises are to remodel two of their ships, Star Princess and Caribbean Princess, to include a host of amenities that have become hugely popular with guests on the line’s newer ships.

There will be a makeover of the Deck 5 atrium on both ships, transforming it into the piazza style street café the same as on Crown Princess and Emerald Princess. Princess’ signature adult only Sanctuary will be included, as will the Crown Grill steak and seafood restaurant, along with a relocated casino to a more central location and seven new suites.

Star Princess will receive these new features during her September dry-dock in San Francisco and Caribbean Princess will follow in January 2009. The ships new atriums will feature the specialty coffees, freshly baked goods, paninis and tapas of the International Café. In addition there will be an enhanced Vines wine bar concept which will feature rare vintages of wine, a selection of artisan meats and cheeses, plus a wine shop where guests can purchase their favourite bottle.

The Sanctuary will be a welcome addition, having become extremely popular on the newer ships in the fleet. Guests get the chance to relax in a tranquil adults only area, on plush lounge chairs with the dedicated attention of the Serenity Stewards.

As part of the renovation, each vessel will also receive seven new suites with ocean-view picture windows, and the casino will be relocated one deck higher to deck 7, bringing it into the ship's central entertainment area.

"After Crown Princess and Emerald Princess debuted, we knew we had struck a chord with our passengers who loved the piazza-style atriums, new dining experiences and the peaceful environment of The Sanctuary," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "And so we're delighted to bring these hallmark features to two of the other vessels."

John Lithgow to Perform Aboard Silver Whisper

John Lithgow from the popular sitcom 3^rd Rock from the Sun will be joining Silversea’s Silver Whisper as a celebrity guest speaker aboard its 5 July voyage from Athens to Venice.

The award-winning actor best known for his starring role as Dr Dick Soloman will be treating quests sailing on the luxury ship to a section of his new one-man show, Stories by Heart, now playing a limited engagement at Lincoln Center’s Mitzi R, Newhouse Theatre in New York.

In the show Lithgow traces his own history as an actor and storyteller, the show being a comic mediation on the art and essence of storytelling. Spanning three generations the show includes tales of his father and grandmother before him.

The actor won the first of two Tony Awards following his Broadway debut in David Storey’s The Changing Room. He went on to make films such as The World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment, of which both performances were nominated for an Oscar. Lithgow has been nominated for ten Emmy Awards for his work in television. He won three Emmy Awards, one Golden Globe, two SAG Awards and an American Comedy Award.

"We're thrilled and honored to have such a renowned stage, film and television actor on board to entertain our guests," said Cliff Perry, Silversea's director of entertainment. "The intimate, club-like ambience of Silver Whisper will make it the perfect venue to showcase Mr. Lithgow's formidable talents."