Disney Magic Visits Canada / New England Coast

SAINT JOHN, New Brunswick (June 13, 2012) – The 2,700-passenger Disney Magic set sail from New York this week taking cruisers on the first of nine 5-night Canadian / New England coast itineraries with stops in Saint John, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

“Canada and the New England coast are alluring destinations for our guests,” said Disney Cruise Line Captain John Barwis. “This region’s history, quaint charm and scenic vistas will provide our guests with a unique and memorable vacation, and sailing from New York is convenient for many families who reside in the Northeast.”

To celebrate the inaugural calls on Saint John and Halifax, Captain Barwis and his shipboard officers hosted local port officials and community leaders aboard the vessel for a plaque exchange ceremony, in accordance with maritime tradition.

Disney Magic crew members will be visiting more than 130 children in two hospitals in Saint John and Halifax with character visits this week. Over the years, these visits have grown into a tradition for crew members to demonstrate our commitment to the local community.

In September, the Disney Magic will reposition to sail 6-, 7- and 8-night Western Caribbean itineraries from Galveston, Texas for the first time. In May of 2013, the Disney Magic will cross the Atlantic to begin a summer season in the Mediterranean.

Disney Cruise Line
Based in Celebration, Fla., Disney Cruise Line is focused on providing a setting where families can reconnect, adults can recharge and kids can immerse themselves in worlds of fantasy only Disney can create. Most recently, the company was recognized by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine as the top “Cruise Ships of the World,” with the Disney Magic being voted No. 1 and the Disney Dream and Disney Wonder tying for No. 2. Travel + Leisure magazine also ranked Disney Cruise Line the No. 1 Large-Ship Cruise Line for Families.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit disneycruise.com or call Disney Cruise Line at 888-DCL-2500. Travel agents can call Disney Cruise Line at 888-325-2500 or visit disneytravelagents.com.

'Top Chef' to headline Holland America cruise

A recent star of Bravo's Top Chef will demonstrate his skills this summer on a Holland America cruise.

Season seven winner Kevin Sbraga will take part in the Culinary Art Center program aboard the July 17 sailing of the 1,924-passenger Noordam, the line says.

The 10-night "Roman Empire" trip begins in Civitavecchia, Italy (near Rome) and includes calls in Croatia and Greece.

Sbraga, who opened a restaurant in Philadelphia in 2011, will lead cooking demonstrations in the Noordam's show kitchen in which there will be food tastings.

Holland America says another Top Chef contestant, Angelo Sosa, will take part in the Culinary Art Center program aboard the Aug. 8 sailing of the line's 835-passenger Prinsendam. The 14-night Norway and British Isles sailing begins in Amsterdam.

Like Sbraga, Sosa was a contestant on season seven of Top Chef. He also competed on Top Chef All Stars and in 2011 opened an outlet called SmithHouse in Los Angeles.

Cruise Alaska on the Cheap ... With a Catch

(2:20 p.m. EDT) -- Your eyes are not deceiving you -- Alaska cruises really are selling for under $400 a week. On premium lines. During peak summer months. If you want to cruise north to the land of calving glaciers, dogsledding and gold panning, your base cruise fare could cost less than one flightseeing shore excursion. (We saw tours listed in the $400's or $500's on our recent cruise.)

We talked to a few travel agents to get the lowdown on the recent spate of Alaska cruise deals … and what cruisers should keep in mind before they book.

The Deals
Fares have been dropping for June and July Alaska cruises, without a doubt. "We've seen Holland America and Princess Cruises down to below $399 per person for inside cabins," John Keen, CEO of CruiseNow.com, told Cruise Critic in an e-mail. "Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises have come down too, but not to the extent that HAL and Princess have."

While Keen says that the "ridiculous" rates are mostly on inside and occasionally outside cabins, Joad Hamed, vice president of American Discount Cruises and Travel, told Cruise Critic that other great fares can be had as well. For instance, balcony cabins on Princess are hovering around $1,000 a person, compared to previous years' prices of $1,700 to $1,900 for peak-season cruises.

"The very best deals … are typically on the one-way cruises," Hamed added. One-way cruises typically start in Vancouver and end in Seward or Whittier --or vice versa. Hamed notes that one-way cruises are best if you want to see more northerly Alaska destinations, like the Anchorage area, or want to tack on a land tour in the state's interior pre- or post-cruise.

These peak-season deals are definitely unusual. "I think the stock market swoon in May stopped a lot of people who were planning that late booking to Alaska. That caused the cruise lines to have to drop rates to fill these ships," posits Keen.

If you're a bit pickier, you can find reduced rates, but possibly not bargain basement prices, on other sailings. According to Hamed, a handful of roundtrip cruises are showing more affordable fares, including Star Princess for $517 and Westerdam for $499 (for inside cabins). Hamed also sites August and September rates from under $450 on Princess and $499 to $549 on Holland America.

The Catch
Before you start tossing dollars at the cruise lines, you'll want to consider the greater picture. Close-in sailings, departing in just weeks, may be cheap, but last-minute airfare is not. "Airfare this summer has been high to Vancouver, Seattle and certainly Anchorage and that has been a deterrent to last minute bookings," notes Keen. As Hamed likes to tell his customers, you need to focus on the entire vacation package price. Make sure the airfare doesn't wipe out any cruise savings, and don't assume you can cash in frequent flier miles for your desired air routing this late in the game. Alaska shore tours tend to be pricier, on average, than Caribbean ones, so adjust your expectations upwards.

Plus, an eleventh hour booking means you're late to the table. Your fellow passengers have been snapping up the best dining times and cabin locations and pre-booking shore tours, spa treatments and specialty dining times. You run the risk of not getting your first choice in any of these areas.

It's also worth repeating that the really low fares are on inside cabins. Be sure you're OK with smaller, windowless digs -- especially in a scene stealing region like Alaska -- before you sign up.

Finally, cruise fares can change faster than a bald eagle can snatch up a hapless salmon. If you're interested, book soon to lock in these Alaska deals.

--by Erica Silverstein, Features Editor

Carnival Australia appoints shore tour operators

Carnival Australia has appointed two new shore tour operators to manage passenger excursions in Australia for its locally based cruise ships.

Bob Wood Cruise Group will manage shore tours in Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory for P&O Cruises Australia, Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruise Lines.

Australian Shoreside Management will be responsible for shore tours in Western Australia and New South Wales.

Both companies will also provide shore tours for Princess Cruises’ international ships visiting Australia.

Announcing the appointments, Carnival Australia’s svp of Strategy, Neil Linwood, said BWCG and ASM had an excellent understanding of the cruise industry and its customers, as well as a commitment to delivering a quality product.
‘While our ships are a destination in themselves, the ports we visit are also an integral part of the cruise experience,’ Linwood said.

Bob Wood Cruise Group md Tyler Wood said the company is excited to be partnering with Carnival Australia and recognises the need to cater to an ever changing and diverse market.

ASM executive director Tanya McMahon said the company looks forward to working with Carnival Australia ‘to further enhance the passenger experience and boost local tourism.’

Linwood thanked AOT and Heritage Tours Australia for their services ‘during an extraordinary three years of growth.’

Alaskan Dream Cruises goes live with Resco System

Alaskan Dream Cruises, based in Sitka, Alaska, is live with Resco's central reservation system Resco CRS the CRM and also the shipboard management system Resco SMS on its vessels.

Michael Wien, vp, sales & marketing at Alaskan Dream Cruises says ‘the key factor behind this decision was the integration possibilities in having central reservation as well as all the onboard systems from the same vendor. Also as a small company where many employees perform multiple duties finding efficiencies is paramount in today's environment, we are looking forward to the Resco team assisting us for years to come.’

Alaskan Dream Cruises offers Southeast Alaska small-ship cruising. From May through September, the cruise line offers three-, six-, eight-, nine-, 11-day itineraries from Sitka, Juneau and Ketchikan and calls on 15 ports.

Rescompany md Peter Winqvist comments; ‘We are delighted to work with the Alaskan Dream Cruises team, the systems were implemented and went live within a very short time frame as well.’

Cool: New Crystal itinerary delves into the wonders of South America

First-time visits to the Chilean Fjords and Puerto Chacabuco, plus nearly 100 Crystal Adventures ashore highlight Crystal Serenity’s brand new itinerary around the tip of South America next winter. Sailing from Lima to Buenos Aires for the first time February 2, 2013, the Crystal World Cruise segment takes guests on an immersive, 24-day journey to some of the most awe-inspiring and culturally exciting sites in the Southern Hemisphere, including the breathtaking Seno Eyre Fjords, the dramatic landscapes and wildlife of Patagonia, the sprawling hillsides of Valparaíso (translation: “Paradise Valley”) – even the birthplace of the tango.

Daring, over-the-top adventures include:

• a rare visit to Earth’s last great wilderness, Antarctica, with a guided trek on King George Island and zodiac ride to view penguins in their natural habitat;
• flying over the mysterious Nazca Lines, ancient geoglyph figures in the desert floor that can only be seen from above; and
• an overnight option to Perito Moreno Glacier, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rugged expeditions offer:

• exploration of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego by horseback;
• hiking to the mouth of the magnificent Iguazú Falls;
• kayaking through the Strait of Magellan; and
• pitching in at a working Uruguayan ranch.

Cultural and culinary experiences range from:

• exploring vineyards and tasting wines to visiting beachfront communities of the “jet set;”
• perusing local markets and taking cooking lessons with local cuisine experts to browsing the art and homes of renowned Latin American artists such as poet Pablo Neruda; and
• tracing the footsteps of Argentina’s famed “Evita” to dancing the night away at a Buenos Aires nightclub.

As part of Crystal’s 2013 World Cruise, the voyage features expanded enrichment programming and courses in wellness, language and music. The line’s exclusive Ocean Views series will present expert lecturers discussing the day’s hot topics.

Until June 30, all-inclusive Book Now fares for the “Southern Fjord Exploration” start at $12,760/person, and can be combined with other World Cruise segments for greater savings. 2013’s complete 74-day Grand South American Exploration sails round-trip from Miami starting January 16, with a Book Now starting price of $26,970/person, double occupancy.

Crystal Cruises’ passion for creating unique luxury experiences both on land and at sea have helped earn the company top ratings from international travelers for two decades.

Carnival Australia’s Sherry aims to raise A$100,000 for the homeless

Carnival Australia’s Ann Sherry is preparing to take part in the St Vincent De Paul CEO Sleepout on June 21 when she hopes to raise A$100,000 for the homeless.

Sherry said that after learning 50% of the 100,000 homeless people in Australia are women and 25% are children she decided to do her bit.
She said a life of homelessness is far from a holiday and is asking former passengers to pledge their support.

More than 700 top business leaders in capital cities around Australia will experience what it is like to be homeless for one night in winter when they take part in the annual 2012 Vinnies CEO Sleepout, which began in Sydney in 2006 and was launched nationally in 2010.

Last year $4.2m was raised to fund the organisation’s wide range of homeless services across the country.